Transcript Highlights:

• This is really like vanguard legislation for people to think about things in a unique way.
• This is really like vanguard legislation for people to think about things in a unique way.
• People still are jealous of that legislation in other states from 30 years ago here in Florida.
• And so we hit a lot with that first one, and we did it before I think session ended in 2023.
• Before I think session ended in 2023, we were workshopping this to get it going.

Committee: Senate Community Affairs

Summary: The Committee on Community Affairs held its first meeting and heard presentations focused on affordable housing implementation under the Live Local Act. Florida Housing Finance Corporation described its role in administering rental and homeownership programs, including SAIL, SHIP, the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program, disaster recovery efforts, supportive housing, and the Live Local funding and tax incentives. Officials said the first year’s $150 million Live Local rental allocation was fully committed to 23 developments producing 3,171 units with mixed-income set-asides, and they outlined how projects were selected through competitive solicitations tied to statutory priorities such as mixed-use development, publicly owned land, foster youth, rural areas of opportunity, redevelopment, and housing near military installations. They also discussed the tax credit contribution program, the missing-middle property tax exemption, sales tax rebates, and the year-one ad valorem exemption for qualifying affordable projects. Members asked detailed questions about the data and program design, including the use of area median income figures, per-unit subsidy levels, county targeting, tenant relocation during redevelopment, and whether the programs were helping lower-income households. Florida Housing said it uses competitive scoring and data from the Schimberg Center and that redevelopment projects are supposed to include tenant relocation plans. The homeownership portion of the presentation covered the Hometown Heroes program, which provides down payment and closing cost assistance to first-time homebuyers, with exceptions for active-duty military and veterans. Staff said the program has assisted more than 21,000 families and leveraged over $6.5 billion in first mortgages, and members asked about repayment rates, credit scores, and whether participants were staying in homes long enough to show the program was serving intended buyers. The committee then heard from OPAGA on two required Live Local evaluations: affordable housing strategies in other states and affordable housing policies in Florida. OPAGA reported that Florida has a high share of cost-burdened households, with 1.5 million households cost burdened and 1.4 million severely cost burdened, and that Florida’s counties and municipalities reported more than $1.4 billion in affordable housing expenditures in fiscal year 2023-24. The report identified 13 innovative out-of-state programs, with three considered high-potential for Florida implementation, and summarized Florida local government practices such as SHIP-funded homeownership and rental assistance, expedited permitting, mixed-income zoning, rehabilitation programs, and interlocal cooperation. No votes were taken, and the meeting adjourned after the presentations and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Assembly is now in session. Not sure if we have a quorum.
• and to apply concepts that they learned to the real legislation.
• sessions in Capital Room 126.
• Session schedules as follows: Tuesday, February 24th, check-in session; Wednesday, February 25th, check-in
• session; Thursday, February 26, floor session at 9 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is an important piece of legislation.
• You know, once again this year, we demonstrated what is special about our chamber. Thank you.
• Once again this year, we demonstrated what is special about our chamber.
• All of the hours we are up here and helming the sessions. Thank you so much for your time.
• Take time for yourselves and gear up for the rest of the session. Thank you all so very much.

Summary: The Senate met on the FY27 budget and began with several ceremonial introductions and brief amendment withdrawals. Senator Collins withdrew amendments related to restoring DCF social worker funding and educator pay. The chamber then ruled a package of tax-related amendments offered by Senator Tarr out of order on constitutional grounds, finding they would create money-bill provisions that must originate in the House; the Senate upheld that ruling by a vote of 35-4. Senator Tarr later offered amendments on a gas tax suspension and related tax relief themes, but those were not adopted. The Senate considered and rejected several other amendments, including proposals on commemorating Commonwealth history, naming a bridge, repeat offenders, and no-cost calls. One amendment by Senator Fattman to extend domestic violence leave protections to contract employees was adopted unanimously, with 39 votes in favor and none opposed. The chamber also adopted an amendment creating a special commission to study the adequacy, reliability, and distribution of unrestricted general government aid (UGA), after extended debate about inequities in municipal aid and local budget pressures. Members from across the chamber supported the commission, while some emphasized that adequacy of funding, not just redistribution, remains a concern. The Senate then took up Chapter 90, passing the municipal roads and bridges bill to be engrossed. It also adopted a community programming amendment and a Senate Ways and Means amendment, then adopted the Ways and Means budget amendment as amended and ordered the underlying FY27 appropriations bill to a third reading. After lengthy closing remarks from the Ways and Means chair, minority leader, and the Senate President praising the budget process and highlighting investments in local aid, education, public safety, and other priorities, the Senate voted 40-0 to pass the FY27 budget bill to be engrossed. The chamber then adopted an order to reconvene the following Tuesday at 11 a.m. and adjourned in memory of Trooper Kevin Thomas Traynor.

Transcript Highlights:

• The recognition for our Special Guerrilla Unit veterans is long overdue, so I'm glad that that stayed
• Additionally, I want to thank Chair Zhang for your leadership in ensuring that The Special Guerrilla
• It is because of people like you in this legislative body that opportunities for refugees like myself
• So looking forward to continuing to work on this in the coming session.
• We'll be coming out of session hopefully very soon; we've got a summer.

Transcript Highlights:

• hire and legislative aides; and our speaker today, Magdalena Marban.
• :28.119><c> clerk</c><00:01:28.479><c> Reggie</c><00:01:28.880><c> Garcia</c> my<00:01:32.920><c> session
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• ><c> AIDS</c><00:01:36.159><c> mag</c> my session hire and legislative AIDS mag my session hire and legislative
• Mahalo. emergency hire special education teacher emergency hire special education teacher at<00:08:41.880

Transcript Highlights:

• The legislative committee is also planning to be meeting outside of session, which isn't something that
• session before...
• But all of our codes, before becoming effective, must sit through a legislative session before coming
• My understanding is there was a legislative direction.
• So I think that the legislative committee of the SBCC would be happy to meet with anybody on. legislative

Summary: The committee heard first from Ferndale city officials and a representative of FutureWise on annexation planning. Ferndale described its “annexation blueprint” or phased annexation plan as a way to tie urban growth area planning, capital facilities, and eventual annexation together earlier in the process. Speakers argued that counties often allow incremental development in urban growth areas without city-level standards, impact fees, or coordinated infrastructure planning, which can leave cities and taxpayers with higher future costs and make annexation less likely. Members raised questions about fire districts, county revenue loss, and whether annexation incentives or interlocal revenue-sharing agreements could help. FutureWise supported requiring annexation phasing in countywide planning policies, using pre-annexation agreements, and applying city standards in urban growth areas to make annexation more predictable and less contentious. The committee then received a primer and update from the State Building Code Council (SBCC). Staff explained the council’s composition, standing committees, technical advisory groups, and rulemaking process, including normal, expedited, and emergency rulemaking. They described the ongoing 2024 code cycle and the separate work underway on Senate Bill 5491 and related legislation concerning single-stair residential buildings and multiplex housing. Members discussed how the legislature can better direct the SBCC, the difference between prescriptive and performance-based code approaches, and the importance of involving technical experts early. The SBCC also addressed concerns about the wildfire urban interface code, noting that problems arose when code language and maps were developed on different timelines and applied to urban areas in ways that were not anticipated. Several members asked about regional differences, especially energy code impacts in eastern Washington and the role of natural gas. SBCC representatives said the council can use climate zones and appendices for some regional variation, but statewide statutory targets still constrain the energy code. They emphasized that the council is largely reactive to legislative direction and public proposals, and that clearer legislative intent would help avoid ambiguity in future code development. No votes were taken during this portion of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, with quorum, we will move into executive session.
• They have special tools to work on these vehicles.
• They have special tools to work on these vehicles.
• They have the special tools available.
• They have the special tools available.

Committees: House Emerging Issues , House Emerging Issues and Professional Registration

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:24:13.520><c> email</c> somebody emails your legislative email somebody emails your legislative
• </c> that when we have executive sessions that when we have executive sessions however<00:28:25.559><
• </c> so it's a court of Highly specialized so it's a court of Highly specialized subject<00:38:36.400
• session on any issues.
• </c><01:08:34.839><c> committee</c> uh I think what the special committee uh I think what the special

Summary: The Judiciary Committee met for its first meeting of the new session with opening remarks, member introductions, and a discussion of committee logistics. Members described their backgrounds and priorities, including criminal justice, right-to-know and privacy issues, domestic violence, death-with-dignity legislation, abortion, firearms, landlord-tenant policy, housing, and technology/privacy concerns. The chair noted there were already 34 bills assigned to the committee and expected more, and said the committee would likely continue to have a heavy workload this session. The chair also outlined how the committee would operate: meetings would generally be on Wednesdays, with possible Mondays as needed; hearings would not require a quorum, but executive sessions would; and members were asked to provide updated phone numbers and email addresses, especially cell numbers. He explained that the committee would continue its practice of seating members in a mixed partisan arrangement to encourage communication, and that the new clerk had joined the committee. A significant portion of the meeting focused on procedures for executive sessions and meeting times. The chair said the committee would follow the traditional rule allowing executive sessions on bills heard that day if proper notice was given, but he would avoid taking up controversial matters without full attendance. Members then discussed whether meetings should start at 9, 9:30, or 10 a.m., with concerns raised about long commutes, evening obligations, and winter driving after dark. No formal vote was taken in the portion provided, but the chair indicated he would try to accommodate the committee’s preference while balancing the workload.

Transcript Highlights:

• So last session, several of you filed legislation and continued... ...providers.
• So last session, several of you filed legislation and continued these efforts, including Senator Sparks
• Last year or last legislative session, we were grateful for our authority to expand to cover CHIP and
• And that's important because that's after the legislative session.
• So sometime shortly after the legislative session, I think it was implemented in 2002.

Committee: Senate Health & Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• With that, I'll tell you what the legislation does.
• This is my second legislative session as a senator.
• And I do not regret voting yes last session.
• I know that we can't legislate our way out of this crisis, but I also know that we as legislators can
• I know that we can't legislate our way out of this crisis, but I also know that we as legislators can

Summary: The Senate opened with a prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several introductions recognizing guests, including a Challenger Learning Center representative, the Florida Dental Hygienists Association, local officials, students, and school board members. Senators also noted President Albritton’s recovery and acknowledged the 40th anniversary of the Challenger disaster. After routine business, the chamber took up a special order calendar of bills. The main floor debate centered on CS/SB 156, which revises criminal penalties involving law enforcement officers and other personnel. The bill clarifies resistance to officers, changes language from “lawful performance of a legal duty” to “performance of official duties,” and adds mandatory life imprisonment for manslaughter of a law enforcement officer. Several amendments were offered and withdrawn. Senators debated the bill’s impact on self-defense, excessive force, prosecutorial discretion, and proportionality of sentencing, with supporters framing it as a needed fix to honor Officer Jason Rayner and opponents warning it removed civilian protections and imposed overly rigid penalties. The bill passed 31-4. The Senate then passed SB 168 on public nuisances, expanding nuisance law to include gambling establishments and increasing enforcement tools; SB 288 on rural electric cooperatives, narrowing statutory ambiguity affecting co-op operations; SB 292 creating a public records exemption for appellate court clerks and families; CS/SB 296 and SB 298 on domestic violence and dating violence, including a feasibility study for a secure alert platform and related public records protections; SB 364 modernizing CPA licensure; SB 386 creating farm equipment warranty protections; and a series of Open Government Sunset Review bills preserving or extending public records and meeting exemptions for emergency shelter information, the Department of Military Affairs, conviction integrity unit records, PSC and gaming commission proceedings, DHSMV investigatory records, social media platform investigations, and small business loan program financial records. Most bills passed with little or no opposition, and the chamber also adopted a motion to immediately certify all passed bills to the House. The Senate adjourned after announcements, including notice of upcoming executive appointments and State of Black Florida Week events.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> right now the intent of the legislation right now the intent of the legislation before<00:22:19.679
• ><c> Hawaii</c><00:27:47.679><c> Bicycling</c> legislation and uh Hawaii Bicycling legislation and uh
• </c> through and pass it off the session. through and pass it off the session.
• </c> have to adjourn before floor session. have to adjourn before floor session.
• </c> Establishes the cruise special fund. Establishes the cruise special fund.

Summary: The committee first heard HB 2021, a transportation measure creating a framework for electric bicycle and micromobility regulation. The bill would define electric bicycle and electric micromobility device, set age and helmet rules, restrict class 3 e-bikes from sidewalks, allow limited sidewalk use for class 1 and 2 bikes, prohibit high-speed electric devices and certain nonconforming devices in specified locations, update county tax definitions, and change related terminology. Testimony was largely supportive from DOT, police, Honolulu officials, Hawaii Bicycling League, AAA Hawaii, the Hawaii State Teachers Association, and several individuals, while DCCA’s Insurance Division asked for clarity on whether insurance would be required. Committee discussion focused on safety, enforcement, and the fact that no insurance market currently exists for these e-bike classes; members also discussed the need to target bad actors rather than ordinary riders. The chair then proposed and the committee adopted amendments to HB 2021, including clarifying that road-legal, permitted, classified electric bicycles are not subject to insurance requirements at this time; allowing properly classified electric bicycles on sidewalks at 10 mph or less subject to county restrictions; barring high-speed electric devices and other nonconforming devices from public roadways; authorizing impoundment of non-road-legal or improperly registered devices; and requiring direct parental supervision for riders under 16 on class 2 or 3 e-bikes. The committee also made technical and effective-date changes. The recommendation to pass HB 2021 with amendments was adopted unanimously by the members present. The committee next took up HB 1641, a related transportation bill addressing high-speed electric devices. The chair explained that the measure would prohibit the sale, lease, rental, distribution, possession, or operation of high-speed electric devices and establish penalties, but the committee’s version would narrow the focus to devices covered by HB 2021. The amended bill would prohibit offering high-speed electric devices for lease or rent, require sellers to comply with the new regulatory framework, ban operation on bicycle lanes, highways, roadways, and streets, and set a civil penalty of $250 to $1,000 per violation. After no further questions, the committee voted to pass HB 1641 with amendments, and the recommendation was adopted. The meeting then moved to HB 1709, which would transfer regulation of the Hawaii Water Carrier Act from the Public Utilities Commission to the Department of Transportation and make conforming changes with an appropriation. DOT testified in support, while the PUC and DCCA’s Consumer Advocacy Division raised concerns about preserving consumer protections and the complexity of moving the regulatory framework. Young Brothers supported the bill and said the current system is outdated, but the discussion remained ongoing; the transcript cuts off before any final action on HB 1709 is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> executive session. executive session.
• to legislate.
• </c> be found inexpedient to legislate. be found inexpedient to legislate.
• </c> FN to inexpediate to legislate. FN to inexpediate to legislate.
• </c> legislate on House Bill 1083 FN. legislate on House Bill 1083 FN.

Committee: House Election Law

Transcript Highlights:

• Wyoming is truly special. So let state. Wyoming is truly special.
• We debated it last session. We’ve debated it this session.
• We debated it last session. We’ve debated it this session.
• </c> We're not doing thoughtful legislation. We're not doing thoughtful legislation.
• </c> in legislation? in legislation?

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:13:32.639><c> down</c> cause trouble for the legislation down cause trouble for the legislation
• So with that, we'll close the work session on SB 45 and we'll open the work session on SB 295.
• on SB45 and we'll open the work session on SB45 and we'll open the work session<00:22:50.640><c> on<
• /c><00:22:51.320><c> SB</c> session on SB session on SB 295.<00:22:55.200><c> Is</c><00:22:55.360><c>
• , spring sessions, it about fall sessions, spring sessions, it simply<00:27:42.000><c> changes</c><00

Summary: The committee held a work session on SB 145, which would require sexual assault evidence kits to be delivered to the state forensic lab within seven business days and analyzed more promptly. Pamela Kyle of the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence said the bill was developed after survivor concerns and extensive discussions with the Departments of Safety and Justice. She explained that most agencies already deliver kits quickly, but some kits sit for months, and the bill is intended to add structure without penalties while preserving chain of custody. Members discussed the use of common carriers or courier services for transport, the need for clear rules, and whether carriers would know what they were transporting. Representative Papovich offered amendment 2025-2301H to remove the reimbursement program for police shipping costs, arguing it would add administrative overhead and was unnecessary. The amendment was adopted on a roll call vote, and the committee then voted OTPA on SB 145 as amended, with members voting yes on the roll call. The committee then opened a work session on SB 295, and the sponsor presented a replace-all amendment intended to simplify and clarify the Education Freedom Account bill without changing its purpose. The amendment would remove income-cap language, define priority enrollment groups, establish an enrollment cap for the EFA program, and create rolling enrollment rules. It would set a 10,000-student cap for the 2025-2026 school year, allow the cap to increase by 25% if enrollment exceeds 90% of the prior cap, and ensure current participants can remain enrolled. The amendment also provides that certain sections would later be repealed once the Department of Education certifies that applications have not exceeded the cap for two consecutive school years. The sponsor walked through the amendment section by section, explaining that the bill is structured in two phases: one while caps exist and another after they are no longer needed.

Transcript Highlights:

• Welcome to the Senate. our session staff, Faith Cantua. And in our session staff, Faith Cantua.
• Thank you so much. have worked so hard all session long and have worked so hard all session long and
• You learn and come back, session hires.
• </c> session hire, and then two more session session hire, and then two more session hire,<00:29:59.520
• , session, session, she<01:12:52.600><c> brought</c><01:12:52.960><c> forth</c><01:12:53.320><c> to</

Transcript Highlights:

• The joint session will please come to order.
• The Joint Session will stand in formal recess to await the arrival of the Governor.
• Speaker, I move the joint session do now dissolve.
• Senator Pasadomo moves that the joint session dissolve. The joint session do now dissolve.
• The joint session is dissolved.

Summary: The transcript is of a Florida Legislature joint session convened to receive the Governor’s annual message. After the House and Senate were received, a committee was appointed to notify the Governor that the joint session was ready, and the Governor and First Lady were introduced. The Senate President presided, a prayer and Pledge of Allegiance were offered, and the joint session then recessed to await the Governor’s arrival. Governor Ron DeSantis delivered a lengthy address reviewing his administration’s record over the past seven years. He highlighted fiscal restraint, larger reserves and rainy-day funds, debt reduction, tax cuts, business and job growth, school choice expansion, education reforms, higher teacher pay, civics initiatives, environmental restoration efforts in the Everglades, hurricane response improvements, public safety and immigration enforcement, and opposition to DEI and other ideological policies. He also urged lawmakers to send him bills on issues such as eliminating DEI in local governments, further restricting illegal immigration, expanding Second Amendment rights, and addressing what he described as the creep of Sharia law. The Governor additionally called for property tax relief through the constitutional amendment process and for legislation emphasizing informed consent in medical decision-making. He warned about risks posed by artificial intelligence and said new technologies should align with American values. No substantive votes were taken on policy matters during the session; after the Governor’s remarks, the joint session adopted a motion to dissolve.

Transcript Highlights:

• The joint session will please come to order.
• The joint session will stand in formal recess to await the arrival of the Governor.
• Speaker, I move the joint session do now dissolve.
• Senator Pasadomo moves that the joint session dissolve. The joint session do now dissolve.
• The joint session is dissolved.

Transcript Highlights:

• I would hope for your aye vote so we can continue forward with the path of legislation.
• It is just strength. memorializing of the session, it requires notice and informed consent.
• Yeah, the bill would add for the specialized de-escalation training.
• It would add, and does add, The bill would add specialized de-escalation training.
• I represent a territory serving as the vice chair of the special games in this house.

Committee: Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development

Transcript Highlights:

• With that, I'll tell you what the legislation does.
• This is my second legislative session as a senator, and I am learning the ways of the Florida Senate.
• And I do not regret voting yes last session.
• I know that we can't legislate our way out of this crisis, but I also know that we as legislators can
• I know that we can't legislate our way out of this crisis, but I also know that we as legislators can

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several introductions recognizing guests and visiting groups, including the Challenger Learning Center, the Florida Dental Hygienists Association, Zeta Phi Beta, Pine Forest High School students, and others. Senators also noted President Albritton’s recovery and upcoming caucus and appointment announcements. The chamber then moved to the special order calendar. The main floor debate centered on Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 156, which increases penalties for crimes against law enforcement officers and other personnel, including making manslaughter of an officer punishable by mandatory life imprisonment without release and clarifying resistance to officers. Senator Leek described the bill as a compromise intended to honor Officer Jason Rainer, while Senators Rouson and Bracy Davis offered and then withdrew amendments. Senators Pizzo, Berman, Smith, Polsky, and others questioned the bill’s impact on self-defense, officer conduct, jury instructions, prosecutorial discretion, and the removal of language regarding unlawful force by officers. Supporters argued the bill corrects confusion and strengthens protections for officers; opponents said it removes civilian protections and imposes disproportionate mandatory sentencing. The bill passed 31-4. The Senate then passed SB 168 on public nuisances, expanding nuisance law to include gambling establishments and increasing penalties; SB 288 on rural electric cooperatives; SB 292 and SB 298 creating public records protections for appellate clerks and dating-violence victims; SB 296 establishing the HAVEN alert platform study and expanding address confidentiality protections for domestic violence victims; SB 364 modernizing CPA licensure; SB 386 creating protections for farm equipment purchasers; and several Open Government Sunset Review bills preserving or extending public records and meeting exemptions, including SB 7000, SB 7202, SB 706, SB 708, SB 7012, SB 7014, and SB 7016. Most passed with little or no opposition, though some of the public-records measures drew a few nays. At the end, the Senate waived rules to immediately certify passed bills to the House and adjourned until the next scheduled meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Oh, for special education? For special education. It's up to age 22 now?
• Other itinerants and the special education teacher, and so forth.
• We've worked with stakeholders prior to session and during session, and we believe a narrow bill is..
• We've worked with stakeholders prior to session and during session, and we believe a narrow bill is a
• positive step forward during the short session.

Summary: The committee opened by explaining that several bills had been removed from the agenda because the Senate must physically possess a bill before holding a public hearing. The chair said the missing bills would be rescheduled for Tuesday. The committee then waived the five-day notice rule for considering substitute House Bills 1705 and 32010, and proceeded to hear substitute House Bill 2219 and substitute House Bill 1795. House Bill 2219, on child care operational efficiency, would allow longer mixed-age ratio periods in child care centers, waive repeat DCYF orientation requirements in certain cases when staff have recently completed the same training, and require licensing standards to include a zero-tolerance policy for imminent physical harm involving high-potency synthetic opioids and related drug residue or paraphernalia. The prime sponsor and supporters said the bill would help child care providers manage staffing shortages, take breaks, and reduce duplicative licensing burdens. Testimony was strongly supportive, with advocates and providers describing the bill as a low-cost way to improve retention and flexibility. Questions focused on how the fentanyl language would apply to prescribed medications. House Bill 1795 would narrow and update state law on restraint and isolation in public schools and other public educational programs. The bill prohibits mechanical and chemical restraints and restraints that restrict breathing or blood flow, bars planned isolation in IEPs and 504 plans, limits planned restraint to cases with parent request and medical necessity, and prohibits new construction or remodeling of spaces intended primarily for student isolation. Supporters, including disability advocates, educators, school psychologists, principals, and state education groups, said the bill is a needed step toward reducing trauma and disproportionality and cited demonstration sites showing reductions in restraint and isolation. Some educators and paraeducators raised concerns about staffing, training, and what tools remain available in crisis situations, while others asked for future work on professional development and resources. No vote was taken on either bill during the hearing.