Transcript Highlights:

• So, at four school districts to move to guardians, and most districts chose people that were ex-military
• , they charge the school district for the service.
• And then when they go provide the service to the school district, they charge the school district for
• But ultimately, the per-district, per-teacher incentive will be done at that district level through negotiations
• We are an A school district.

Summary: The Senate Appropriations Committee on Pre-K-12 Education met to hear the governor’s fiscal year 2026-27 budget recommendations for education from the Office of Policy and Budget and the Department of Education. Shelby Salmons and Commissioner Stasi Kamoutsis outlined the governor’s proposed $117.4 billion state budget, including about $32.5 billion for education, with major emphasis on public schools and early learning. The presentation highlighted a $30.6 billion K-12 budget, a $486 million VPK program, continued funding for VPK Summer Bridge, TEACH, HIPPY, and Help Me Grow, as well as increases for teacher pay, base student allocation, mental health, school safety, civics education, and school hardening initiatives. The commissioner also cited a 92.2% statewide graduation rate and Florida’s national rankings in education and education freedom. Senators used the question period to raise concerns about counselor staffing, mental health services, school closures, school choice oversight, the Guardian Program, data reporting, and school capacity. Senator Jones asked about counselor ratios, school closures in historically Black communities, and whether school choice schools are properly monitored for safety and instructional quality. Senator Osgood argued that mental health funding should support more clinical services on campuses, not just academic counselors, and Senator Bradley asked whether the centralized data repository includes scholarship students. Senator Gates praised the civics and debate funding and asked for more detail on the Guardian Program’s performance; the commissioner said 53 of 67 districts participate and described it as a successful safety option with sheriffs approving training. Senators Simon and Osgood also pressed for better use of the FISH report and more accurate space data to understand school capacity and right-sizing. During public testimony, Pinellas County School Board member Laura Hine said her district is an A-rated district with no D or F schools, but spends far more on safety and mental health than it receives in state categorical funding. She said Florida’s mental health staffing ratio is about one counselor per 2,203 students, compared with a recommended one per 1,106, and urged the committee to consider funding full-day VPK statewide, estimating it would cost about $375 million. Committee members followed up on her comments about local flexibility and whether districts can shift funds to meet needs. The meeting ended after members thanked DOE and executive branch staff for the presentation, and the committee adjourned without taking any substantive vote on legislation.

Transcript Highlights:

• This has happened in my district in the same way it's happened in your district. ...and how to help.
• your districts since June 6.
• Come walk a day in my district.
• My district, AD 61, did not vote for Prop. 36, so I'm legislating as per my district.
• Our district attorney strongly opposed Prop. 36, and our district attorney has busted numerous retail

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The Assembly convened, first dealing with quorum and routine procedural matters before moving through a series of third-reading bills, many focused on immigration enforcement, worker protections, child care, and school or voting-site safety. Early measures included AB 2393, AB 1994, AB 1929, AB 1633, AB 1650, AB 1655, AB 1851, AB 1896, and AB 2230, with authors and supporters arguing these bills would provide accountability, protect immigrant communities, preserve access to benefits and services, and limit intimidation by immigration enforcement. Opponents repeatedly argued the bills were anti-law-enforcement, unconstitutional, or based on exaggerated or nonexistent threats. Several bills passed by recorded vote, including AB 2393 (41-15), AB 1994 (58-0), AB 1929 (41-17), AB 1650 (44-19), AB 1655 (50-14), AB 1851 (56-0), AB 1896 (41-19), and AB 2230 (42-15). AB 1633, a 54-vote bill imposing a tax on for-profit detention facilities, was debated at length but the roll was not completed in the excerpt and the item was moved on from temporarily. After a caucus break, the House returned and took up additional bills. AB 2379 would require child care providers to be informed of constitutional protections and receive multilingual training regarding immigration enforcement; it passed 59-10 on both the urgency and the measure. AB 2460 would direct the education department to update referral protocols so schools can better respond to students affected by immigration enforcement trauma and family deportation; it passed 52-8. AB 2495 would expand prohibitions on unfair immigration-related practices by employers, making immigration-related threats unlawful in workplace disputes; it passed 50-15. Throughout the day, debate was highly partisan and often heated, with repeated exchanges over whether the bills addressed real harms or were political messaging, but the Assembly ultimately advanced the measures that came to a vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• I need to sound on County right here is not my district. Right over there is my district.
• I represent District 32.
• Jay Block, the most beautiful district in the state of New Mexico, District 12 in Rio Rancho in Northwest
• I represent Senate District 30, which is...
• In our MRA district, which is around our downtown and medical district, we were able to help a gentleman

Transcript Highlights:

• The local fire district has refused to do it, the local city council has not been willing to partner
• So that you map very clearly in the state. I assume that's how this happens.
• So the new mapping and the new areas that are in there will see, that will be a component.
• I represent Assembly District 52, which is Northeast LA, East LA, and South Glendale.
• Here for the California Association of Resource Conservation Districts.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• These maps show over time, with the yellow highlighting invasive or non-native species that have been
• To raise awareness for invasive species issues, FWC and the South Florida Water Management District,

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government convened with a quorum present and excused Senators Arrington and Pizzo. The committee first took up confirmation hearings for appointments on tabs 1 through 4, and Senator DiCeglie moved to recommend confirmation of all appointees together. The motion passed unanimously, and the appointees were favorably recommended. The main presentation was from FWC Chief Conservation Officer George Wharton on invasive species management in Florida. He described the scale of the problem, including more than 500 non-native species reported in the state, and outlined FWC’s prevention, containment, removal, outreach, and research efforts. He highlighted risk screenings, the conditional/prohibited species framework, enforcement actions against illegal wildlife trafficking, and public programs such as the Florida Python Challenge, lionfish outreach, the Exotic Pet Amnesty Program, and the “I’ve Got One” reporting app. He also noted ongoing removal efforts for pythons, tegus, lionfish, and iguanas, and discussed new technologies and partnerships aimed at improving control efforts. Members asked follow-up questions about FWC issues beyond invasive species, including the status of special activity licenses for threatened species and giant manta rays, the upcoming bear hunt, and whether the committee could help reduce barriers to invasive species removal on federal lands. Wharton said all SAL permits for threatened species are currently suspended pending Commission review, that Florida is on track for a bear hunt this December with 172 permits issued across four subpopulations, and that bear management is based on scientific data while urban bear conflicts still require separate management. He also said federal partners are increasingly cooperative on python control, including commercialization of hides, and that drones, sentinel snakes, robotic lures, and AI-based traps may improve future invasive species removal. Senator Sharief and Senator Burton later requested to be recorded as voting affirmatively on tabs 1 through 4, and the committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• What is driving the transmission we see that I’m about to show you on some maps?
• What is driving the transmission we see that I'm about to show you on some maps?
• And so on this map here, The gray lines kind of in the background are effectively our existing system
• And this map just kind of shows you the projects that we've focused on so far.
• And the next question: you showed a little map of where you're going.

Summary: The Joint Committee on Energy Supply, Energy Conservation, and Energy Resilience opened by electing Senator Shoemake as chair and Representative Alex Ibarra as vice chair. Members then moved into a series of work sessions focused on data centers, transmission, and workforce needs tied to Washington’s clean energy and grid planning challenges. Kate Bruns and Glenn Blackman presented preliminary findings from the governor’s Data Center work group, created under Executive Order 25-05. They said the group met for six months, received more than 1,000 public comments, and included representatives from agencies, industry, tribes, labor, utilities, environmental groups, and research institutions. The presenters emphasized that data centers are expected to be the largest source of load growth over the next five to ten years, creating concerns about grid capacity, ratepayer impacts, forecasting, water use, backup generation, and compatibility with Washington’s energy and climate laws. They described nine recommendations, including protecting existing energy and climate policy, improving forecasting, seeking more clean power and transmission, and encouraging flexible data center operations. A proposed tax incentive change that would have expanded eligibility while tying the exemption to new clean electricity sources narrowly failed in the work group. Members asked about tribal consultation, cooling technologies, and local benefits from data centers; the presenters said tribal consultation was ongoing and a final report would follow. Keegan Moyer of West Tech then outlined a regional transmission study showing major strain on the Western grid from load growth, electrification, resiliency needs, and limited transmission capacity. He said the 10-year study identified about 12,000 line miles of needed projects across the West, with roughly $56 billion in estimated costs, including planned projects, reliability upgrades, and new interregional transfer projects. He stressed that many projects are upgrades within existing rights-of-way, but new corridors are still needed, and he previewed recommendations on permitting, equipment procurement, cost allocation, and project sponsorship. In response to questions, he discussed the difficulty of crossing jurisdictional “seams,” the role of federal coordination, landowner compensation, eminent domain as a last resort, and the limited role of public financing beyond a federal GRIP grant. Stephanie Scott of Commerce presented the transmission workforce study, which focuses on substation technicians, line workers, and line clearance tree trimmers. She said current workforce levels are far below what will be needed under a clean energy expansion scenario, and that active projects are essential because apprenticeship training depends on thousands of hours of hands-on work. She highlighted barriers such as high upfront CDL and pre-apprenticeship costs, the need for wraparound supports, and the importance of expanding access for women, people of color, and tribal communities. Members asked about tribal utility apprenticeship programs, utility-run training pipelines, and whether the study included funding sources; Scott said the report would include an inventory of apprenticeship programs and tribal considerations, but revenue ideas were outside the study scope. Finally, Brant Johnson of Grid United described the North Plains Connector as a case study in large transmission development. He said the project, a 420-mile, 3,000-megawatt HVDC line connecting Montana and North Dakota, has relied on early stakeholder engagement, route changes, tribal consultation, and coordinated federal and state permitting to reduce risk and shorten timelines. He said the project aims for permits by the end of 2026 and construction beginning in 2028, with an earliest commercial operation date of 2032. In response to questions, he discussed the challenges of crossing regional seams, interconnection queues, land acquisition and compensation, eminent domain, and financing, noting that the project is primarily privately financed with a $700 million federal grant covering a portion of costs.

Transcript Highlights:

• I mean, our cost on a district.
• You don't think, or I mean, is this mapped out?
• It could affect land value down the road depending, and for me, I think, do you already have a map of

Transcript Highlights:

• In your booklets, I invite you to see a map of our state's public libraries on the last two pages.
• Independent libraries are the black dots in the beige counties on the map, and they usually function
• The colorful counties on your map represent library systems, as outlined in the Oklahoma constitution

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• HOWEVER, WITH 1379 AND THE ADDITION OF NON-SPRINGS MAPS RAP AND PRP'S, THAT ENABLED US TO MOVE FORWARD
• YOU SAW IN THE MAP. PART OF 1379 WAS A REQUIREMENT FOR ANYONE UNDER A NON-SPRINGS B MAP.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• out and looks very very much like mapped out and looks very very much like no<00:04:14.959> gaps<
• And she's working on mapping those out, so that could be where we start.
• And she's working on mapping those out, so that could be where we start.
• And she's working on mapping those out, so that could be where we start.
• And she's working on mapping those out, so that could be where we start.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This includes Turlock Irrigation District, Eastern Municipal Water District, Kern Water Authority, Friant
• On behalf of Kern County Water Agency and San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District, we are very
• Karen Lang, on behalf of South San Joaquin Irrigation District, in support of item 6, with the points
• And on behalf of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District and California State Parks Foundation,
• And on behalf of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District and California State Parks Foundation,

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The subcommittee heard an extensive discussion on the Governor’s proposal to eliminate vacant positions across several environmental and natural resources departments, including Fish and Wildlife, Parks, the Coastal Commission/BCDC, DPR, DTSC, CalRecycle, and the State Water Resources Control Board. The Legislative Analyst’s Office explained that the JLBC had already not concurred with 650 of roughly 1,000 positions under review, citing concerns that many of the vacancies support core functions such as law enforcement, permitting, public safety, sea-level rise planning, and implementation of recently enacted laws. The Department of Finance defended the vacancy reduction exercise as a way to capture savings from a statewide pool of about 40,000 vacancies, arguing that departments need flexibility to manage operations and that some vacancies are used to cover operating costs or hard-to-fill roles. Several department representatives testified that the cuts would reduce capacity and could slow permitting or enforcement, though they said they would try to reclassify positions and prioritize the highest-need work. No vote was taken and all items were held open for a future hearing. Members focused heavily on the practical effects of the cuts. Senators questioned whether vacant positions should be treated as a budget savings tool, whether special-fund positions should be eliminated when they do not affect the General Fund, and whether long-vacant positions should simply be removed if they have not been filled for years. Fish and Wildlife and Parks described impacts to permitting, wildlife conflict response, and law enforcement; Parks said its academy can train only about 50 rangers a year, leaving many vacancies even after the proposed reductions. The Coastal Commission said the affected positions support SB 272 sea-level rise planning with local governments. DPR said the proposed cuts would affect multiple branches involved in pesticide registration, enforcement, and safety review, while DTSC said it was still hiring from a large 2022 reform package and had reduced its vacancy rate from about 30 percent to 15 percent before the drill. The State Water Board said its proposed reductions would be spread across programs and could lead to slower permitting and backlogs, though it would protect drinking water functions as much as possible. The committee then moved to a State Water Resources Control Board overview and a new budget proposal tied to the U.S. Supreme Court’s Sackett decision. Chair Esquivel described the board’s responsibilities for water quality, water rights, drinking water, and financial assistance, and said the board is updating the Bay-Delta Plan while also pursuing voluntary agreements and broader water-rights administration. He said federal workforce reductions and the Sackett ruling have increased pressure on state programs. The board requested $2.6 million and 12 permanent positions from the Waste Discharge Permit Fund to address permitting and enforcement gaps created by the narrowing of federal Clean Water Act jurisdiction. The LAO said the request met its high bar for new proposals because it was supported by the board’s data and would help maintain water-quality protections, though it noted that state processes are less efficient than the federal framework they are now partially replacing.

Transcript Highlights:

• What are many of those districts going to have to do?
• <01:18:57.040> are 59 Minnesota school districts are 59 Minnesota school districts are projected
• By the districts going to have to do?
• Members, we're on the third reading and just so we have a sense of the road map.
• <01:46:45.119> that communities, from our own districts that communities, from our own districts

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I am the Clay County Commissioner for District 4, which is the most rural part of Clay County.
• This is happening not just in my district; it's happening all over the state of Florida.
• In my county, in my district where I have beautiful cattle ranches with hundreds of white-tailed deer
• , which is a very rural district.
• In my district, we have Conservation Collier. It's funded by ad valorem property taxes.

Transcript Highlights:

• I live in Florence, Senator Schwartz; I'm in your district and...
• And I have been a judge of the 390th District Court in Travis County, Texas, for over 25 years.
• He also had a Google map with directions from his home in Houston to our home.
• It was all because of my work as a district judge. Senator, thank you. Senator, thank you.
• On election day, some school districts are caught between conflicting laws.

Bills: HB223

Keywords: municipal budget, county budget, local government finance, spending cap, expenditure limit, inflation plus population growth, taxpayer impact statement, budget transparency, property tax, fees, Legislative Budget Board, voter approval, disaster spending, fiscal restraint, Texas Local Government Code, city budget, county expenditures, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm here today as a result of a public health event that took place in my district on March 28th that
• That's Senate District 9.
• My name is Aaron Dejer from Senate District 7, also Huntsville.
• Uh, District 9, Huntsville, Alabama. Born and raised.
• Represent all people in our district, black and white.

Bills: SB320, HB67, HB247, HB161, HB165, HB91, HB90, HB471, HB363, HB479

Keywords: liquefied petroleum gas, safety regulations, public gathering places, cylinder storage, proximity regulations, parental rights, drag performances, public schools, public libraries, overnight programs, gender identity, minor safety, Gulf of America, name change, state compliance, educational materials, local resources, historical reference, building codes, standardization

Transcript Highlights:

• On the back of the handout I gave you, there's a map of non-renewal rates.
• This is a very specific piece of data that this map shows.
• One of your small school districts is sending people to go testify in New York.
• A client who actually lives in your district, Mr.
• Okay, we've got our going crazy, so where's this person at in my district?

Bills: HB139, HB1818, HB1942, HB1959, HB2221, HB2254, HB2563, HB2067, HB2275, HB3211, HB139

Keywords: HB 1818, Texas Insurance Code, Texas Department of Insurance, commissioner of insurance, health maintenance organization, HMO, insurer, utilization review, preauthorization, prior authorization, medical necessity review, health care services, medical care, insurance regulation, insurance examination, regulatory oversight, confidential records, public information exception, Chapter 843, Chapter 1301

Transcript Highlights:

• Medicaid impacts every one of your districts, every one of our districts.
• <00:25:14.279> 42% districts every one of our districts 42% districts every one of our districts
• in one Intermediate School District in one Intermediate School District where<00:45:11.760> we
• Not only do they have many folks on Medicaid, as demonstrated by the coverage maps that we've provided
• as demonstrated by the coverage maps as demonstrated by the coverage maps that<00:47:38.160>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Each of the 11 North Dakota Medical Association districts is represented.
• Our North Dakota Stroke Centers map shows the distribution of stroke centers across the state.
• This map is a good visual representation of access to stroke centers in our rural state and why providing
• This map is a good visual representation of access to stroke centers in our rural state and why providing
• My only question is on the map, which I found very interesting. Yes.

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes and then heard a detailed annual presentation from Dr. Thomas Arnold, chair of the Maternal Mortality Review Committee, on maternal mortality trends and review findings. He explained the committee’s structure, the de-identified review process, and the distinction between pregnancy-associated and pregnancy-related deaths. He said national maternal mortality has declined from its 2021 peak, but mental health conditions, substance use, overdose, suicide, cardiovascular disease, hemorrhage, infection, and embolism remain major causes. He emphasized that many deaths are preventable, with especially high rates among non-Hispanic Black women and in the American Indian/Alaska Native population, and noted that a large share of deaths occur after 42 days postpartum. Committee members asked about suicide, domestic abuse, pregnancy testing in unexplained deaths, and the role of home births and midwife training. Dr. Arnold said the committee is adding a caseworker, exploring post-mortem pregnancy testing in suspicious cases, and working with coroners and forensic officials; he also said home births and untrained midwifery pose safety concerns and that better public education and facility-based care are important. The committee then heard from State Fire Marshal Dr. Matt Clark on cigarette ignition propensity standards and fire prevention. He recommended updating North Dakota’s cigarette ignition legislation to the current national standard and also considering legislation requiring fast-breakaway oxygen tubing, citing fatal fires involving smoking around home oxygen. He explained that his office verifies manufacturer testing and maintains certification for cigarettes sold in the state, but does not itself conduct the testing. Members asked about implementation, cost, and whether the standards apply in tribal communities; Clark said he would follow up with cost information and additional details, and that he had not seen evidence of a major issue on tribal lands but would look further. Christine Greff of the Department of Health and Human Services presented the North Dakota Stroke System of Care report. She described the statewide network of two comprehensive stroke centers, four primary stroke centers, and 30 acute stroke-ready hospitals, along with the stroke registry and quality-improvement efforts. She reported that most strokes are ischemic, that the median stroke patient age is 71.5, and that common risk factors include hypertension, dyslipidemia, obesity, and diabetes. She highlighted improvements in door-to-CT, thrombolytic treatment times, dysphagia screening, EMS pre-notification, and interfacility transfer performance, and said new priorities include hemorrhagic stroke quality measures and standardized EMS stroke screening tools. Members asked about the VA hospital’s participation, and Greff said she would pursue outreach. After a break, the committee heard testimony from Taha Khan of Vertex Pharmaceuticals as part of the prior authorization study, focused on non-opioid pain treatment. He argued that prior authorization can delay access to acute pain treatment and may push patients toward opioids, especially in the critical 24- to 72-hour post-discharge window. He cited data showing that even short opioid exposure can increase the risk of long-term use and said prior authorization is often a barrier for physicians and patients. Khan recommended open access with a quantity limit rather than prior authorization, suggesting a 14-day limit supported by the product’s data and an episode-of-care approach. Members asked about dental use, payer discussions, and cost; he said the product’s wholesale acquisition cost is about $16.10 per tablet, with patient assistance available, and that he would follow up on payer and comparison-cost questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• Can you describe your experience with MAP and FMD and how you view their role in helping build, expand
• Midwest program which uses those funding programs MAP and FMD to support our agricultural producers overseas
• Though I know you're going to be discussing trade agreements, along with MAP and the FMD program, do
• I certainly would love to utilize the MAP and FMD program to open up vast new market opportunities for

Transcript Highlights:

• 500 ft was a marker that uh once mapped 500 ft was a marker that uh once mapped out<01:23:33.760
• And then the other is the establishment of the privilege of social districts.
• And then the other is the establishment of the privilege of social districts.
• <01:38:50.719> Uh<01:38:50.960> if privilege of social districts.
• Uh if privilege of social districts.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all