Transcript Highlights:

• I'm presenting Senate Bill 920, a good governance bill based on a 2018 audit report of the Gaming Control
• Assembly Member Dixon, did I hear correctly that this bill is a result of an audit completed in 2018?
• Bill as a result of an audit completed in 2018? Yes, ma'am. What took so long? Governance.

Summary: The committee met as a subcommittee and heard one bill, Senate Bill 920 by Senator Archuleta. SB 920 would require the Gaming Commission, when adopting or adjusting a fee deposited into the Gaming Control Fund, to maintain a regulation stating the fee’s authorized purpose and use. The author described it as a good-governance measure based on a 2018 audit of the fund, aimed at improving transparency, accountability, and clarity around regulatory fee revenues. Supporters from Communities for California Card Rooms and related casinos testified in favor, saying the bill would add a useful layer of documentation and oversight; there was no opposition. Members asked a brief question about the delay since the 2018 audit, and the author responded that it was a matter of governance. The committee then voted SB 920 out on a motion by Assembly Member Gibson, seconded by Assembly Member Soria, with the bill passing “do pass to appropriations.” The roll was left open briefly for absent members. The committee also took up a consent calendar containing SB 33, SB 1205, SB 1235, SB 1236, SB 1273, and SB 1434, and approved those measures on a motion to “do pass to appropriations, recommend consent.” The meeting adjourned at 2:00 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's exactly the way that this process is through the speed zones.
• It's exactly the way that this process is through the speed zones.
• And it's a process that we're using currently in the school zone.
• There is already a process in place for agricultural enclaves.
• The process, the only difference with the process, would be that it's the same process.

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several introductions and moments of silence, including tributes related to the FSU campus shooting, Coach Amir Abdur-Rahim, John Thrasher, the Florida Wildlife Corridor, and visiting student and community groups. The chamber then moved into special order bills and adopted a resolution honoring Coach Abdur-Rahim. A number of measures were taken up and passed, including child care and early learning provider regulation updates, false reporting/swatting penalties, health care billing and collection protections, hazardous walking conditions for schoolchildren, young adult housing support for foster and homeless students, the Family Empowerment Scholarship Program, trust fund interest rules for IOTA accounts, transportation-related changes, public records exemptions for AHCA investigators, JQC employees, and appellate court clerks, municipal water and sewer utility rates in Miami-Dade, motor vehicle offenses involving obscured plates and impersonating law enforcement, trespass at large-scale ticketed events, refund of patient overpayments, stem cell therapy standards, insulin administration by direct support professionals and relatives, pre-arranged transportation services, and the Uniform Commercial Code update for digital assets. Several bills were amended before passage, often by substituting House companions and adopting late-filed amendments. The transportation bill was significantly revised to remove speed-limit increases and utility-related provisions while adding beach equipment removal, flood-wake enforcement, expectant mother parking permits, and local regulation of micromobility devices; it passed 37-0. The trust fund interest bill drew the most debate, with supporters arguing it right-sized a volatile funding stream for legal aid and opponents warning it would sharply reduce support for legal aid organizations; it passed 28-10. The municipal water and sewer rate bill also prompted extended debate over fairness, fiscal impact, and accusations of racism, but passed 36-2. Public records exemption bills for AHCA investigators, JQC employees, and appellate clerks passed with varying margins, with supporters emphasizing safety and anti-doxing protections. One bill on cardiac emergencies and another on education were temporarily postponed. Most measures were adopted by wide margins, often unanimously, after brief sponsor explanations and little or no debate. The Senate also adopted a resolution honoring the late USF coach Amir Abdur-Rahim and recognized several visiting groups in the gallery. After completing the day’s special order calendar, the Senate recessed for lunch until 1:30 p.m. or on call of the President.

Transcript Highlights:

• I also want to highlight the reforms to the interconnection process.
• So solar, nuclear, and hydro would be contemplated in the process moving forward.
• , and I know that today's hearing is an important step in this process.
• The energy audit reporting appears to go beyond current statutory obligations.
• This potential repeal poses a significant threat to our democratic process.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on H. 4144, the Governor’s Energy Affordability, Independence, and Innovation Act, with the administration arguing the bill would lower bills in the short and long term while expanding clean energy supply and innovation. The Governor and Secretary said the bill would reduce or restructure charges on customer bills, reform Mass Save, expand securitization as a financing tool, speed interconnection, create energy-ready zones, strengthen consumer protections in competitive supply, and allow broader state procurement of energy resources. They said the package could save consumers billions over time and would help address high energy costs, especially during extreme heat and winter spikes. Committee members pressed the administration on several provisions, especially securitization, asking whether the bill requires an apples-to-apples comparison of total costs over time, including interest and lost tax revenue, versus paying through rates. Administration witnesses said DPU review and public comment would be required and said they would work to clarify the language if needed. Members also questioned the bill’s solar and procurement provisions, including reduced net metering compensation for some large facilities, the scope of all-resource procurements, and whether hydro, solar, and nuclear would be included; the administration said those resources were contemplated and that procurement would still be reviewed by DPU. Other questions focused on the short-term relief from bill changes, the treatment of low- and moderate-income discounts, and whether the bill’s heat pump and Mass Save reforms would help customers who cannot afford upfront costs. Several witnesses and committee members discussed Mass Save reforms, including securitization of program costs, on-bill financing, pre-approval of rebates, and shifting program administration away from gas utilities. Administration witnesses said the changes were intended to reduce volatility, lower administrative costs, and better align costs with long-term savings. Questions also touched on geothermal permitting, municipal participation in offshore wind procurement, and the proposed repeal of the ballot requirement for nuclear power, which the administration defended as preserving future options under heavy review. No votes were taken during the hearing portion described. Supportive testimony came from labor, environmental, business, planning, and development groups. The AFL-CIO, NECA, and the Environmental League of Massachusetts backed the bill, emphasizing lower bills, job creation, labor standards, just transition protections, and cleaner energy. NAIOP, the Massachusetts Business Roundtable, and MAPC supported provisions on energy-ready zones, interconnection reform, microgrids, extreme-heat shutoff protections, and Mass Save improvements. A HEET representative praised the bill’s use of securitization, geothermal, and utility financing tools but urged guardrails and workforce protections. Overall, testimony was broadly favorable, with most witnesses calling for refinements rather than opposing the bill outright.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, well, they came about through different development processes.
• More processes are in place to organize as I go.
• More processes are in place to organize as I go.
• More processes are in place to organize as I go.
• More processes are in place to organize as I go.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We’re one of the few states that are—thank you—surprise billing IDR process, our arbitration process,
• We're one of the few states that are surprise billing, IDR process, our arbitration process, is tied
• Is it net or clawback in audits?
• So there is an appeals process.
• So there is an appeals process.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Processing facility or a processing Processing facility or a processing facility<00:30:10.919>
• refer as well as some processing refer as well as some processing equipment<00:34:24.760> and
• budget and in our policies and processes budget and in our policies and processes we<01:24:00.880
• I hate to keep beating a dead horse, but this process is very different from the process you used again
• is very different from the this process is very different from the process<01:41:46.560> you<

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• in law other than this voluntary process by which... ...process in law other than this voluntary process
• I would say the one other thing, though, to mention was because there is no process, if you don't allow
• of that volume, as was identified in the legislative audit report, is something that I think needs to
• of the last 20 years. has been in the process of the last 20 years investment groups are wanting to
• So there is no mandatory process, you know, that requires folks to come and make the CEAs at all.

Keywords: 965, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm learning a lot about the death process.
• so i understand ...their application processed.
• It shifts from resolving claims to arguing about the process.
• And it's an ongoing process.
• And it's an ongoing process.

Bills: HB2180, HB2184, HB2188, HB2194, HB2206, HB2321, HB2322, HB2438, HB2442, HB2448, HB2727, HB2797

Keywords: appropriation, funding, University of Arizona, education, state budget, fetal death, funeral homes, informed consent, abortion, women's rights, medical assistance, emotional support, language acquisition, early intervention, hearing impairment, grant program, deaf education, health care, insurance claims, prior authorization

Transcript Highlights:

• We might not make eye contact, we might move our hands, or we might process our questions in a different
• I will require DPS, during their regular audits of these companies, to inspect the employment records
• And it is, the DPS is going to conduct audits on the security companies.
• What's the process? Your last point, sir.
• , they are also very stringent on personal data and privacy, and that's why we're actually in the process

Bills: SB 36, HB 1065, HB2929, HB2956, HB3009, HB3420, HB3626, HB3649, HB4956, HB4993, HB5293, HB5308, HB5528, HCR118, SB36, HB4023

Keywords: transportation, regional authorities, mobility, infrastructure, sales tax, employee classification, private security, misclassification, workforce regulations, Texas Workforce Commission, autism, peace officers, training program, law enforcement, intervention, communication, developmental disability, family violence, central database, criminal offense

Transcript Highlights:

• During this process, Commission staff gathered data and information from the department.
• That process is ongoing and continues.
• The dynamic dispatching really does help with that process.
• The dynamic dispatching really does help with that process.
• It is a complicated, laborious process that will take time, may take up to three years.

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee met, took roll, and heard introductory remarks from members about their districts and transportation priorities, with several senators noting congestion and mobility challenges in their regions. The committee then received a presentation from the Florida Transportation Commission on its oversight role for FDOT, including annual and quarterly performance reviews, review of the five-year work program, and monitoring of tolling and transit authorities. Members asked whether the commission gets involved in project prioritization; the answer was no, because it is statutorily limited to high-level oversight rather than day-to-day project decisions. The committee next heard two reports related to transportation disadvantaged and paratransit services. FDOT’s Melissa Smith described the statewide Transportation Disadvantaged program, its governance structure, service models, and challenges such as fragmented administration, cost, inconsistent reporting, and rural service limitations. She outlined recommendations including better use of technology, regional partnerships, improved training, and alternative delivery models like microtransit and TNC partnerships. A University of South Florida researcher, Martin Katala, discussed best practices for paratransit and demand-response service, emphasizing route optimization software, dynamic dispatching, service standards, vendor accountability, and the use of TNCs and mobility management to improve efficiency and reduce travel times. A later presentation from UF’s I-Street program focused on emerging technologies for transit, including in-cabin monitoring, automatic restraints, accessible booking and tracking tools, and the need for statewide safety standards and better driver interfaces. Finally, FDOT Secretary Jared Perdue and District 5 Secretary John Tyler provided an update on the transition of SunRail local entities. They explained the differences among commuter rail, intercity rail, and light rail, and said SunRail’s financial transition to local partners was completed on January 1, with operational transition to follow over up to three years. They contrasted that with Tri-Rail, where FDOT still funds operations and discussions about a future transition are ongoing. Members asked about the differences between SunRail, Tri-Rail, Amtrak, and Brightline, and the presenters explained that commuter rail serves regional daily commuters while intercity rail connects regions. The committee concluded without taking any formal votes or other legislative action.

Transcript Highlights:

• as they went through the early process. as they went through the early process.
• process. I'm open to any questions. process. I'm open to any questions.
• <03:48:57.199> process,<03:48:57.439> but process.
• We follow that process, but process.
• Those plans are in process.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Now you have to go through the curing process,’ and this is really a headache for voters.”
• Because it was not crafted through the legislative process.
• And the process is handled in a streamlined, accountable manner.
• At that point, there's a two-step process.
• First step is the defense... ...that point, there's a two-step process.

Bills: HB2109, HB2168, HB2198, HB2226, HB2415, HB2440, HB2665, HB2805, HB2811, HB2825, HB2857, HB2874, HB2966, HB4067, HB4117, HCR2001, HCR2016, HCR2051

Keywords: distracted driving, portable wireless communication devices, motorcycles, traffic safety, civil penalties, public nuisance, nuisance abatement, abatement action, injunction, superior court, attorney general, county attorney, city attorney, board of supervisors, obscenity, obscene materials, adult materials, pornography, schools, parks

Transcript Highlights:

• We have a five-step process for the applications.
• <00:10:36.399> um also thr doing a third party audit um also thr doing a third party audit
• <01:08:29.319> and where they will be processing and where they will be processing and packaging
• So, processing related to corn, beans, sugar beets, and more.
• by that infrastructure so uh processing by that infrastructure so uh processing related<01:38:46.960

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And Senator Wiklund, you know, process.
• administrative fee for processing that. administrative fee for processing that.
• audit failure. audit failure.
• <01:12:28.760> in residence settings are processed in residence settings are processed in
• process issues here. process issues here.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And what we need long term is an appropriations process where those racked and stacked needs for the
• <00:13:42.399> where term is an appropriations process where term is an appropriations process
• They just want an appropriations process to work for the airports.
• And in the coming year, there's other states that's in the process of doing so. Mr.
• <00:26:38.720> of other states that's uh in the process of other states that's uh in the process

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee first heard a presentation from the Kentucky Aviation Association on the importance of general aviation airports in Kentucky and their economic and public-safety role. Witnesses said the state has more than 50 general aviation airports that support jobs, agriculture, tourism, medical transport, disaster response, and law enforcement, and they urged continued support for aviation infrastructure and workforce development. They asked the legislature to again provide $200,000 per general aviation airport for operating and basic infrastructure costs, to route the money through the Kentucky Department of Aviation for accountability, to revisit a special-purpose governmental entity audit requirement they said is too costly for small airports, to create a long-term appropriations process for the roughly $100 million in unmet capital needs, and to fund the Arrow Act for aviation education and scholarships. Members asked about a dedicated aviation fuel tax and about local training partnerships, simulators, and school or community college programs; the witnesses said they preferred an appropriations-based solution and offered to help connect interested communities with aviation education resources. The committee then took up “Troy’s Law,” sponsored by Representatives White and Flannery, which would allow tow trucks to use blue lights while stationary and actively removing vehicles or debris from highways. Sponsors and tow operators said the bill is intended to improve worker safety after the deaths of tow operators Troy Cwell and Hubert Mosley in highway hit-and-run incidents, and they emphasized that tow operators often work in dangerous conditions at night, in bad weather, and near fast-moving traffic. They said the proposal would not apply while driving or towing and noted that other states have adopted similar measures. Witnesses from the towing industry, including Bubba Johnson and Barbara Maguire, supported the bill as an added layer of protection and described tow operators as first responders who help motorists in emergencies. Representative Flannery and other members expressed support for the safety goal and invited further discussion, but no vote or final action was taken in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• Services, General State Charges, the Office of Inspector General, Department of State, the Department of Audit
• As we work through this process and towards a final budget, affordability has to remain front and center
• That is one key component of that in the budget process, and at the same time as we finalize this budget
• SEE AN INCREASE IN AIM AND NEED TO HAVE AN INCREASE THAT IS ONE KEY COMPONENT OF THAT IN THE BUDGET PROCESS
• across the table and across the Governor's Office, the Senate, and looking forward to making sure that process

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Budget Subcommittee on General Government and Local Assistance held its first meeting on the 2026/2027 state budget, with opening remarks from Senate Co-Chair Senator James Skoufis and Assembly Co-Chair Assembly Member Michaelle Solages. They introduced members, designated secretaries, and identified the agencies and budget areas under the subcommittee’s purview, including tax and finance, the Division of Budget, ethics and lobbying, financial services, general services, state charges, inspector general, state, audit and control, tax appeals, IT services, aid to localities, statewide financial systems, the Board of Elections, alcohol beverage control, and miscellaneous general government. Discussion focused on affordability, local government aid, and the strain on municipalities from rising costs, aging infrastructure, and state mandates. Senator Walczyk emphasized lowering taxes, reducing regulations, and increasing support for local governments, including AIM and CHIPS funding, while criticizing high housing, energy, and insurance costs. Assembly Minority members echoed concerns about the 2 percent property tax cap, utility bills, mandated costs, and the need for more permanent aid rather than temporary assistance. Assembly Member Ari Brown argued that the proposals did not provide enough long-term certainty, noting differences among the Governor’s, Assembly’s, and Senate’s funding levels for municipal aid and related programs. Assembly Member Burdick also supported stronger funding for municipalities, drawing on his local government experience. The co-chairs noted that no table target had yet been received and that negotiations would continue on open issues in general government. No votes were taken, and the meeting adjourned after brief closing remarks about ongoing budget talks among the Senate, Assembly, and Governor.

Transcript Highlights:

• As they've gone through the recovery process, though, they faced additional challenges with insurance
• Bypassing that process undermines transparency, limits public scrutiny, and weakens the integrity of
• We should not be waiving proposals around the normal process.
• We have to respect the process that we've outlined.
• How about the lack of the governor and his administration in properly auditing the expenditures of his

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And what we try to do is if a claim is received by a certain time during the week and it is processed
• And what we try to do is if a claim is received by a certain time during the week and it is processed
• So I know maybe, as y’all know, that I asked to have an audit included in our packet today from Children
• We are in the process of doing our cost reporting for the past 12 months that ended on 12/31/25.
• We are in the process of doing our cost reporting for the past 12 months that ended on 12/31/25.

Summary: The subcommittee met to review Department of Human Services hospital payments in Arkansas Medicaid, with DHS Secretary Janet Mann and Deputy Secretary Misty Eubanks presenting first, followed by Arkansas Hospital Association Executive Vice President Jody Ann Tritt and a brief comment from Arkansas Children’s. DHS outlined the main hospital payment streams: fee-for-service per diem payments, upper payment limit (UPL) supplemental payments, cost settlements, and smaller payments such as graduate medical education and disproportionate share hospital funds. Members asked for plain-language explanations of cost settlements, why per diem rates vary by hospital type, and why UPL applies to private hospitals. DHS said cost settlements and UPL are mechanisms to help offset Medicaid underpayment, with SFY 2025 hospital payments totaling hundreds of millions of dollars and no general revenue used for supplemental payments beyond the state share funded through hospital assessments and related financing structures. Committee members focused heavily on whether Arkansas hospitals are adequately reimbursed and why rural hospitals struggle. Tritt explained that critical access hospitals, rural emergency hospitals, PPS hospitals, and specialty hospitals operate under different federal and state rules, and said lower per diem rates for some facilities help with cash flow and later cost settlement adjustments. She said Arkansas hospitals are under financial strain, citing a negative patient services margin statewide and noting that Medicaid, Medicare, and commercial payers all contribute to the problem. She also said the association had just authorized a statewide survey of hospital finances and costs, which she expected would take about a year to complete. A major theme was commercial insurance reimbursement. Tritt argued Arkansas hospitals are paid far less than hospitals in neighboring states even though premiums are similar, and said administrative burdens, prior authorizations, and denials add to the problem. She said hospitals receive about 52 to 53 cents on the dollar for Medicaid costs without UPL and about 78 cents with UPL, still below cost. Members also discussed Medicare wage index issues, Medicare Advantage, and whether hospitals could use technology or alternative arrangements to improve finances. No votes were taken on the hospital presentation. At the end of the meeting, DHS provided a brief update on Living Choices and assisted living reimbursement. Officials said one assisted living facility, Pillars of the Community in Crossett, had announced closure, with nine waiver clients being transitioned to other settings. DHS said the current cost reporting period was underway and that a new rate study could be ready for review before the end of the fiscal year if reports were submitted on time. Members also asked about the broader waiver plan, and DHS said the next waiver iteration would likely be brought back to the committee in the summer.

Transcript Highlights:

• We counsel students on benefits and walk them through the application process.
• So that is an ongoing process for us. us right now.
• There's one thing that I'm working on, and there's another thing that pops up in the process.
• Senator Block, registered means they have gone through the application process to receive to get and
• A lot of audits and everything else.

Transcript Highlights:

• in law other than this voluntary process by which... ...process in law other than this voluntary process
• I would say the one other thing, though, to mention was because there is no process, if you don't allow
• of that volume, as was identified in the legislative audit report, is something that I think needs to
• So there is no mandatory process, you know, that requires folks to come and make the CEAs at all.
• So that is upsetting, and, you know, the legislative audit has been requesting it forever, to have a

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 1209, which would pause new cooperative endeavor agreements for surface water withdrawals after December 31, 2026, while allowing existing agreements to continue and renew through 2036. The author said the bill is intended to force a broader, data-driven review of Louisiana’s surface water management and to improve funding for aquatic plant control, especially giant salvinia. An amendment was adopted to broaden the description of how the aquatic plant control fund may be used and to require annual reporting on agreements, withdrawals, revenues, deposits, spending, and non-monetary consideration. Department officials said the current program is voluntary, underfunded for monitoring, and that the bill could create a gap for new users if no replacement mechanism is enacted. The bill was reported favorable as amended after testimony from supporters including the Louisiana Wildlife Federation and opposition concerns from industry representatives were noted but not formally presented. House Bill 599 was then heard, which would prohibit the sale of Louisiana running surface water outside the state. The author argued that out-of-state sales, especially involving Toledo Bend and Texas, would be short-sighted and could harm Louisiana’s long-term water interests. Supporters said Louisiana lacks a water budget and should preserve water for in-state needs, while the Department of Conservation and Energy noted that the state currently has no mandatory process for such agreements and that the bill would not affect Sabine River Authority authority. The committee reported the bill favorable. Finally, House Bill 1206, dealing with permitting and reporting of water usage at data centers, was discussed. The substitute bill and amendment would give the department authority to monitor and regulate groundwater and surface water withdrawals, require public hearings, and improve transparency through reporting and a universal project identifier. The author and supporters said the bill was prompted by concerns in communities affected by large data center projects and the lack of public hearings on water use. Department officials agreed that more comprehensive data and a clearer framework are needed, but the author voluntarily deferred the bill to continue working with the department on a broader measure for next session. The committee also heard House Bill 1171 on allowing airboats in the Mar-Paw Swamp Wildlife Management Area, but after extensive debate over noise, habitat impacts, and existing restrictions, the discussion was ongoing in the portion provided and no final action on that bill was shown.