Transcript Highlights:

• or the school districts.
• school districts, and each school and each district will be able to pull from there.
• I have had some personal experiences being a school board member with human trafficking in different
• Senate policy is to place all local bills available to us on the local bill calendar.
• The report contains 189 names of nominees appointed to various state, regional, and local offices, boards

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opened with prayer, and heard several announcements and recognitions, including remarks from the new Democratic caucus leader, Senator Berman, who emphasized bipartisan work on education, health care, the environment, and family issues. The chamber also recognized military leaders, an intern, and guests connected to later bills. No committee reports or executive messages were on the desk at the start of the session. The Senate then took up a series of bills, many of them with House companion substitutions and technical amendments. Major measures included the Pam Rock Act on dangerous dogs, which passed 36-0; a local government land regulation bill that was amended after questions about quasi-judicial hearings, impact fees, and county costs, then passed 26-8; a vessels/boating bill that incorporated related legislation and passed 35-0; a blood clot screening and treatment bill creating the Emily Adkins Family Protection Act, which passed 36-0; a fleeing or eluding law enforcement bill, amended to remove vehicle impoundment in the House version, which passed 36-0; a concealed carry/firearms bill for certain law enforcement and military personnel, which passed 33-3; and a timeshare management bill, which passed 36-0. The chamber also passed a disability history and awareness instruction bill, the Evan B. Hartzell Act, after extensive debate about language and the meaning of disability versus “unique abilities”; it received 35 co-sponsors and passed 35-0. Other bills passed included manufacturing and related fee legislation, public education on background screening requirements, utility service restrictions, educational opportunities for military children, Medicaid oversight, health facilities authorities, and veteran and spouse nursing home beds, most by unanimous or near-unanimous votes. Several bills were temporarily postponed, including measures on human trafficking, waste management, Bright Futures, mammogram coverage, Parkinson’s disease, and others.

Transcript Highlights:

• And as a school board member, I do think I have seen on my own board that the superintendent getting
• Relating to school district governing board elections.
• Administrators Association and the school board administration because our rural school districts find
• Administrators Association and the school board administration because our rural school districts find
• There are other board members on the School Facilities Oversight Board that are expressly prohibited

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, attendance, guest introductions, and several ceremonial proclamations, including recognition of Dr. Joseph Torkelson for his service in pediatric oncology and military medicine. Members also introduced guests connected to Arizona Bleeding Disorders, charter schools, and a suicide-prevention effort tied to HB 2665 (“Cade’s Law”). The chamber then moved through multiple Committee of the Whole calendars, considering a large number of bills and resolutions. On the first calendar, the House gave do pass recommendations, mostly as amended, to HB 2117, 2744, 2751, 2917, 2939, 2957, 2970, and HCR 2038. The amendments addressed topics such as natural resource conservation district boundaries, manufacturing and jobs, Real ID/non-Real ID data privacy, and Colorado River conservation and tribal/community representation. The House then adopted the Committee of the Whole report and sent the measures for engrossing; a later motion to amend the report to include the defeated Villegas amendment on HB 2667 failed by roll call vote, 22-32 with 6 not voting. In the next calendars, the House advanced HB 2015, 2129, 2327, 2439, 2533, 2667, 2793, 2873, HCR 2044, and others, with several floor or committee amendments adopted. Debate focused on homelessness coordination in HB 2533, homebuyer assistance and corporate ownership concerns in HB 2667, annexation and local control in HB 2793, and a proposed constitutional referral in HCR 2044 aimed at closing loopholes for discrimination in public programs. The House also considered HB 2044 and HB 2076 in the Judiciary calendar, with debate over the scope of a homicide-disposal statute in HB 2044 and school safety/teacher firearms issues in HB 2076; both bills advanced as amended. The final calendar covered natural resources, energy, and water bills. The House advanced HB 2014, 2055, 2145, 2185, 2267, 2340, 2428, 2696, 2798, 2955, 2975, and 2986, with amendments on drought definitions, emissions permitting, mineral district mapping, and environmental enforcement authority. HB 2267 drew the sharpest debate, with opponents arguing it would hinder solar and wind development and supporters arguing for diversification toward coal, gas, and nuclear; after a division vote, the bill still received a do pass recommendation. The session concluded with the Committee of the Whole rising and reporting, and the House adopting the report and assigning the measures accordingly.

Transcript Highlights:

• That board, every person that's on that board, including the mayor, are citizens of the city of St.
• And they are there to be the oversight board for the city of St.
• That is a board of citizens of the city of St.
• Well, I've served for a long time in a local church.
• school year.

Committee: House Crime and Public Safety

Summary: The committee met in executive session and first approved House Bill 2889 by a 14-0 roll call vote. It then took up House Bill 3175, “Mason’s Law,” adopting a House Committee Substitute after discussion of a proposed amendment that was not offered because the sponsor and a member agreed the language needed to be cleaned up. The substitute bill was then advanced both due pass and due pass by consent, with unanimous votes of 14-0 and 16-0 respectively. House Bill 3066, dealing with St. Louis police governance and related budget/oversight issues, drew extended debate. Opponents argued it was an overreach, would sidestep local elected officials, and could burden the city budget; supporters said it was not a state takeover but an oversight structure made up of city citizens and that the city should be responsible for certain liabilities. The committee adopted a House Committee Amendment to address lieutenant overtime pay, rolled it into a new committee substitute, and then passed the substitute 11-5. During the vote, members clarified that a refusal to vote could be recorded and the roll was completed after a brief rules question. In public hearing, House Bill 2767 was presented as a 911 funding measure that would increase the prepaid wireless 911 fee from 3% to 4% to generate roughly $1 million more annually for grants to local 911 providers for equipment, training, and related upgrades. Testimony from 911 directors emphasized that prepaid phone revenue has declined as consumers move away from that technology, while the added funding would help modernize statewide emergency response systems; no opposition was heard. House Bill 1990, creating the offense of gift card fraud, was then heard with support from the sponsor, retailers, grocers, convenience store operators, and bankers, who described sophisticated theft schemes involving tampering with cards and stealing activation data; members asked about penalties, how the fraud works, and whether the bill aligns with existing theft classifications. The final bill heard was House Bill 2269, which would move boiler inspector qualifications and related fire/life safety standards from statute into rule to help the state hire inspectors more quickly and align with national standards. The state fire marshal supported the change and said oversight would remain with the boiler board commission. House Bill 3220, focused on teen driver accountability and driver education, drew extensive support from the sponsor, a crash victim’s widow, AAA, motorcycle and pedestrian safety advocates, and MODOT. Supporters said the bill would require driver education for new applicants under 21, tighten supervision and point-assessment rules, and reduce crashes; MODOT estimated a state administrative cost of roughly $350,000 to $850,000 annually, and members asked about parental supervision, the impact on young drivers, and historical crash trends. No votes were taken on the public hearing bills before adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• These are the locally operated boards that make the decision on what's eligible for disability and medical
• that expands the use of local real estate excise tax revenues it authorizes a new local sales and use
• to both school districts and ESDs.
• It also specifies that the tax exemptions for schools apply to both school districts and ESDs in the
• House Bill 1796 relates to school district's authority to contract indebtedness for school construction

Summary: The Ways and Means Committee met in executive session on March 2, 2026, and worked through two large groups of bills, hearing staff briefings, caucusing, and then voting each measure out to the Rules Committee. In the first group, the committee advanced bills on state accounts (HB 2675, with an amendment creating an adult day service facilities account), immigrant worker protections (2SHB 2105, after adopting a striker and Amendment 8 while rejecting amendments that would have changed enforcement and private rights of action), voting rights compliance (E3SHB 1710, with all proposed amendments rejected), AI content provenance and notices (E2SHB 1170, with Amendment 19 adopted to exempt state/local/tribal governments and certain video-game and technical uses), public official protections (2SHB 233, with a technical amendment adopted), WOTEC civil service coverage (HB 2249), JLARC work plan changes (HB 2120), LEOFF Plan 1 termination/restatement (E2SHB 2034, with several amendments adopted including creation of a pension surplus holding account and study directives, while proposals to redirect funds to the Climate Commitment Act or provide a lump-sum payment were rejected or withdrawn), supplemental retirement bargaining (HB 1069, with a striker adopted), port employee retirement exclusions (EHB 2179, with a striker adopted), local government revenue flexibility (ESHB 2442, with Amendment 72 adopted to remove a county public utility tax and other amendments rejected), wildfire mitigation funding (SHB 2089), and timberland REET changes (HB 1983). The committee also noted that it would not take action on some items in the packet, including SHB 1833. In the second group, the committee advanced bills on local housing tax remittance programs (ESHB 1717), renewable energy tax incentives and grants (E3SHB 1960, with a striking amendment adopted that adjusted rates, timing, and related provisions), nonprofit fundraising hall property tax relief (HB 2431), food bank sales tax relief (SB 6006), local tax increment financing (E2SHB 2451), temporary staffing services for nonprofit behavioral health entities (SB 6297), school and child care-related sales tax exemptions (SSB 6351, with a substitute adopted and the competing amendment made out of order), behavioral health work group extension and leadership council creation (2SHB 2429), Working Connections Child Care changes (SB 6353, with Amendment 43 adopted), language access guidelines for state agencies (SHB 2475), unpaid wage recovery (2SHB 2479), firearms background check fee authority (HB 2521, briefed but not acted on in the portion provided), public employee information sharing (HB 2091, briefed but not acted on in the portion provided), and Office of Independent Investigations jurisdiction changes (ESHB 2508, briefed but not acted on in the portion provided). Throughout the meeting, members and staff discussed fiscal notes, implementation costs, and whether amendments would increase or reduce state impacts, with several amendments aimed at narrowing scope, delaying implementation, or shifting enforcement and funding responsibilities.

Transcript Highlights:

• And we made— Board when I joined it.
• food dollars local.
• local farmers' markets, and our local food system.
• I'm on the executive board.
• So it just depends on how the charter school, the school district operates.

Committee: House House Health & Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• This should be left to the local school boards.
• So please don't strip power away from local school boards and teachers if local control truely matters
• school boards may not remove books from school library shelves simply because they dislike.
• The parents asked the school board to call a meeting and that was not clear.
• The school board voted on a 3, 2, vote to keep the books than one of the school board members said okay

Committee: House Education & Employment Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• boards to adopt a policy for the temporary removal District school boards to adopt a policy for the
• Tab 1, SB 8, on relief of Marcus Button by the Pasco County School Board.
• The bus driver, an employee of the Pasco County School Board, failed to drive safely, leading to the
• In 2007, Marcus Button's parents sued the school board.
• The courts awarded $1.38 million, Marcus Button's parents sued the school board.

Committee: Senate Rules

Summary: The Rules Committee took up a large agenda of bills, with many measures reported favorably after brief explanations, amendments, and testimony. Early bills included CS/SB 658 on lien waivers and releases, which was amended to preserve enforceability despite form differences and then passed; CS/CS/SB 736 on brownfields redevelopment, which drew support from business and redevelopment interests and passed; and CS/SB 1002 on utility service restrictions, which was amended to bar certain building or fire code provisions affecting fuel-source choices and then passed despite opposition from environmental advocates. The committee also advanced CS/CS/SB 1132 on right-to-repair for certain equipment, where manufacturers, dealer representatives, and industry groups warned the bill could undermine dealer networks and existing repair programs, while supporters argued it would improve consumer access and help farmers and equipment owners. The bill still passed. Other measures reported favorably included CS/SB 1378 on restitution for leaving the scene of property-damage crashes, CS/CS/SB 768 on foreign-country controlling interests in health care licensing, CS/SB 772 on school access to glucagon for diabetes emergencies, CS/SB 1400 on removal of nonconsensual altered sexual depictions, and CS/SB 1696 on transportation network company impersonation and transit funding. A major portion of the meeting focused on affordable housing. CS/SB 1730, a follow-up to the Live Local Act, made several changes to zoning, height, density, parking, moratorium, and enforcement provisions, with members raising concerns about parking reductions, attorney’s fees, local control, and impacts in the Keys and other sensitive areas. Supporters said the bill closes loopholes and improves workforce housing implementation, while some witnesses urged additional exemptions for areas of critical state concern. The bill was reported favorably after amendment. Later, the committee considered several bills from Senator Leak, including CS/SB 576 on service of process, CS/SB 606 on public lodging and food service establishments, and CS/SB 1164 on electronic delivery of landlord-tenant notices. CS/SB 606 drew substantial debate over whether hotels and extended-stay properties should be able to remove nonpaying guests without treating them like residential tenants; the sponsor said the bill clarifies transient occupancy and removes mandatory arrest provisions, and it passed. CS/SB 1164, which allows email notice delivery by agreement, passed despite concerns from tenant advocates that the bill should include clearer consent and safeguards. The committee also approved CS/SB 1374 on school district reporting of educator arrests and misconduct, CS/SB 940 on third-party restaurant reservation sales, and began hearing CS/SB 1690 on surrendered infants, which would authorize infant safety devices or “baby boxes” as a legal surrender option, with supportive testimony from proponents describing crisis situations and the need for anonymous surrender options.

Transcript Highlights:

• , local government, local school boards, school administrative units, and state government have a joint
• school teachers and administrators, local government, local school boards, school administrative units
• c><01:52:45.599><c> school</c><01:52:45.840><c> boards,</c> local government, local school boards, local
• government, local school boards, school<01:52:46.400><c> administrative</c><01:52:46.960><c> units,<
• And I call on by local school boards.

Summary: The committee opened hearings on SB 69, including a germane amendment on school board votes to accept or reject gifts and donations, and a non-germane amendment creating a virtual early childhood readiness family engagement program for preschool children not yet in kindergarten. Prime sponsor Rep. Glenn Cordelli said the literacy program was modeled on earlier HB 671, would be funded through gifts and donations rather than state appropriations, and would include reporting requirements to the governor and legislature. Members questioned changes from the earlier bill, including the move away from center-based language, the lack of a dollar threshold for school board action on donations, anonymous gifts, and whether the amendment preserved enough evaluation data. Testimony on the donation provisions raised concerns about broad language, timing, and public-meeting requirements. Rep. Timothy Han and Becky Wilson of the New Hampshire School Boards Association both noted that school districts already have policies and asked how the bill would work for routine donations, anonymous gifts, and situations that might require non-public discussion under right-to-know law. Wilson cited examples such as field-trip scholarships, backpack drives, and sports uniforms, and said the association was not taking a position but wanted clearer guardrails. Rep. Han said school boards may need to discuss some gifts in non-public session and that the bill should better address those circumstances. On the early literacy amendment, Wilson and others questioned whether the program was sufficiently developed, whether it was appropriate to rely on a primarily online model for very young children, and how it would interact with special education services and IEPs. A representative from Waterford.org, Rob Riley, testified in support, saying the program would be supplementary, adaptive, and family-engagement based, and that Waterford could provide devices and internet access for families who need them. He said the program would work alongside school districts and IEP teams rather than replace existing services. No vote was taken during the hearing; the chair said the committee would later exec the bills and try to get reports in for the calendar.

Transcript Highlights:

• If you look at the School Facilities Board and the building renewal grants, all the roofing contracts
• If you look at the School Facilities Board and the building renewal grants, all the roofing contracts
• of broken down here, whether it's local control by the school district, the school itself, the sheriff's
• We brought on board all of your schools, all of the public and charter schools, and we had one charter
• Already got the schools implemented, and the local PD had no recollection of what was going on.

Committee: Joint Joint Legislative Audit Committee

Summary: The committee began with opening remarks about moving to a monthly, two-hour schedule for more timely and focused oversight of Auditor General findings. Members also recognized Melanie Chesney for 32 years of service to the Office of the Auditor General, with several speakers praising her work and her role in strengthening the relationship between the Auditor General’s office and J-LAC. The main agenda item was the Auditor General’s December 2025 special audit on the school safety interoperability fund and interoperable communication systems. Staff reported that about $26 million had been allocated to 14 law enforcement agencies for systems intended to improve real-time communication between schools and first responders. The audit found that all 14 agencies used the money for interoperable systems, but four agencies allowed private or tribal schools to participate contrary to statute, and several agencies failed to submit required annual expenditure reports. It also found that none of the three systems reviewed met every statutory requirement as written, in part because some requirements were vague or interpreted differently by vendors and agencies. The audit recommended that agencies recover and report any improper benefit to non-public schools, avoid using fund money for ongoing costs tied to non-public school participation, submit missing reports, and improve cost planning and contract monitoring; it also recommended that the legislature clarify eligibility for private and tribal schools and revisit unclear system requirements. The audit further found procurement and contracting problems at nine of 14 agencies, including weak or missing sole-source justifications, contracts that lacked accountability and termination provisions, and poor documentation of pricing and deliverables. Several agencies had not planned for ongoing annual costs, which the audit estimated could range from about $16,000 to $382,000 per rural county depending on the system. In the discussion, members expressed frustration with sole-source contracting and lack of documentation, and some said they would oppose future vendor bills without competitive bidding and stronger payment controls. The auditor also described mixed system performance: some agencies reported useful features such as panic alerts, camera access, and map sharing, but other systems were not fully functional or had never been implemented. The committee then heard from the Arizona Sheriffs’ Association, whose president said sheriffs support the goal of improving school safety, described county implementation challenges, and defended the use of local staff to manage the projects, while acknowledging that smaller counties face staffing and connectivity limits.

Transcript Highlights:

• we know, all politics is local.
• we know, all politics is local.
• Local bills are DEI. Hello. Local governments are not our enemy.
• He served on the Broward County School Board and he's like a little brother to me.
• district boards, their hospital districts, their library boards.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, a moment of silence for Army Sgt. Benjamin Pennington, the Pledge of Allegiance, quorum call, and several recognitions, including law enforcement guests, a Spina Bifida Week presentation, and a salute to the 2025 IPSC Handgun World Shoot team. The chamber then adopted the special order report and moved to floor consideration of Senate bills. Members passed several bills unanimously or near-unanimously after brief debate and, in some cases, floor amendments. CS/SB 590 clarified that changes to the statute of limitations for mandatory reporters of child abuse apply prospectively and passed 111-0. SB 418 required law enforcement autism-interaction training and allowed the blue-envelope program to be offered in electronic or physical form; it passed 111-0. CS/CS/SB 1668 addressed NICA’s actuarial soundness and passed 112-0. CS/SB 1246 expanded the Linking Industry to Nursing Education fund to broader health science programs and passed 112-0. CS/CS/SB 1404 set baseline standards for memory care providers and passed 111-0. CS/CS/SB 1030 revised recovery residence rules, including MAT-related provisions, and passed 168-0. CS/CS/SB 178 changed FHSAA rules so school coaches may use limited personal funds for student welfare with parent consent and passed 112-0. CS/CS/SB 422 barred use of ADS-B data for airport billing and passed 108-2. CS/CS/SB 598 modernized funeral, cemetery, and consumer services licensing and passed 111-0. The House also considered CS/CS/SB 1134, a controversial bill restricting county and municipal DEI-related official actions and contracting. Sponsor Rep. Black described broad prohibitions with numerous exceptions, while members asked about effects on observances, special events, parade participation, and local economic-vitality offices. Rep. Gant offered an amendment to narrow the bill’s DEI definition by removing vague prongs, arguing the language was ambiguous and could chill local government action; debate on that amendment was underway when the transcript ended. The chamber then moved into farewell remarks, including an extended address from Rep. Eskamani reflecting on her service, family, staff, constituents, and policy priorities, followed by remarks from the Speaker praising her energy and preparation. Rep. Overdorf also delivered farewell remarks highlighting his work on environmental policy, human trafficking, development regulation, property rights, and property taxes, with the Speaker commending his contributions.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm a former school board member. I can take it. So direct it to me. Don't call names.
• July 23, 2001, I began my career as a public servant for the Polk County School Board.
• I have several family members who work for our local school board.
• In a separate vote, the school board also must ratify that proposed contract.
• The school board of Pinellas County, Florida—so here we're talking about public school teachers in a

Bills: S0042 , S0688 , S0762 , S1168 , S1296 , S1298 , S1300 , S1318 , S1332 , S1376 , S1548 , S1570 , S1574 , S1632 , S1634 , S1750

Committee: Senate Fiscal Policy

Summary: The committee first took up CS for SB 42 on specific medical diagnosis and child protective investigations. A late-file strike-all amendment was adopted that made only stylistic changes to align with the House version. Supporters said the bill would help DCF and child protective teams better identify rare medical conditions and give parents a chance to defend against mistaken abuse findings. The bill was then reported favorably. The committee also approved SB 1570, which restores a prior program to help locate missing persons with special needs through voluntary tracking devices and coordination with sheriff’s offices and CARD centers, with nonrecurring funding included. Members then advanced several education, disability, and public services measures. CS for CSSB 182 created a teacher training and mentoring program for high-performing current and retired teachers to mentor teachers in D- and F-rated schools, and CS for CSSB 794 required background screening for employees in residential and day training programs for people with developmental disabilities while directing APD to study support coordination quality, workforce issues, and service gaps. Testimony on SB 794 strongly supported better training, lower caseloads, and more consistent support coordination. The committee also favorably reported CS for CS SB 1168 on background screenings, CS for CS SB 214 to allow rural special districts to pay verified invoices directly, CS for SB 1376 to create grants for genetic counseling education, and SB 1574 (Maddie’s Law) to add newborn screening for biliary atresia; the latter drew emotional support and testimony that early screening could save lives and reduce transplant costs. The committee heard and passed a number of other policy bills, including CS for CS for SB 1510, the DEP agency package, after environmental groups warned that one provision could delay basin management protections and allow more septic systems in impaired watersheds; the bill still passed favorably. Members also approved CS for CS for SB 598 on funeral and cemetery regulation, SB 688 to license naturopathic doctors, SB 1318 on scholarship account reversion rules, CS for CS for SB 682 on domestic violence injunctions and penalties, SB 130 on workforce training for current and former inmates, and SB 1548, the latest Live Local affordable housing update. Several bills were briefly postponed or taken up later in the meeting. In the latter portion of the meeting, the committee approved CS for C.S. for SB 536 on criminal gang membership criteria, CS for C.S. SB 762 on assigning conflict capital cases across regional counsel offices, SB 1332 on career offender registration requirements, CS for CS for SB 1742 creating a new offense for indecent exposure of sexual organs to a child, and CS for SB 1750 increasing penalties for serious sex offenses and child sexual abuse material crimes. The committee also debated CS for SB 1226 on Public Employee Relations Commission procedures and union certification rules, including a late-file amendment setting a 60% threshold and 25% quorum for recertification; the discussion focused heavily on constitutional concerns, union rights, and differences between first responders and other public employees. The transcript ends while that bill’s debate is still underway, with the committee having already taken numerous favorable votes throughout the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• And it's a constant battle with the local school boards and the charter school organizations.
• Classroom-based charter schools and impacting local control.
• Let the local school boards deal with this.
• These issues, we have local school boards in every county in California.
• As someone One who served nearly five years as board president of a local charter school and who had

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> the the school board in a cooperative the the school board in a cooperative school<02:46:55.600>
• Now what happens is you got two, two select board—I mean, excuse me—select board, school board, three
• excuse me select board school board excuse me select board school board three<02:51:26.479><c> districts
• board members to, or the select board or the school board, if the school board is wholly contained within
• ><c> if</c><02:59:01.680><c> the</c> board or the school board um if the board or the school board um

Committee: House Municipal and County Government

Transcript Highlights:

• Secretary will unlock the board. Debate. Senator Gates. Secretary will unlock the board.
• and coordinates with school districts.
• So the clerk will unlock the board. Not to roll this to third reading.
• Secretary will lock the board. All senators voted.
• , boards, and commissions.

Summary: The Florida Senate convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a series of introductions recognizing visiting groups and guests, including college students and leaders, health and nonprofit organizations, Catholic Days at the Capitol participants, foreign dignitaries from Morocco, and others. Senators also observed a moment of silence for the victims of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, with remarks honoring the Parkland community and the school safety law that followed. The chamber then took up a special order calendar of bills, beginning with several claims bills and local relief measures. SB 14 for Jose Correa against Miami-Dade County passed 37-1, and HB 6517 for A. Sanchez-Mayan against the City of St. Petersburg passed after substitution. HB 6515 for Lordes Latour and Edward Lator against Miami-Dade County also passed 38-1. The Senate then approved SB 52 on volunteer armed security at places of worship (39-0), SB 124 updating Florida Virtual School statutes (39-0), SB 504 on code inspector body cameras (39-0), and SB 506 on related public records (38-1). A lengthy debate centered on SB 7040, which recreates the Emergency Preparedness and Response Fund through December 31, 2027. Several senators argued for tighter oversight and supported an amendment by Senator Berman that would have limited fund use and required Legislative Budget Commission approval for continued spending; that amendment failed 12-27. The underlying bill then passed 29-10. Senators also adopted SB 594 on local housing assistance for mobile home owners (39-0), SB 656 strengthening Internet Crimes Against Children programs (39-0), SB 806 creating right-to-repair protections for wireless devices and agricultural equipment (39-0), SB 816 establishing the University of Florida Diabetes Institute (39-0), SM 1186 urging Congress to increase Florida National Guard force structure by voice vote, SB 308 creating the Florida Museum of Black History with a late-filed amendment clarifying ex officio nonvoting legislative members (39-0), and SB 572 updating ethics law to include foster children and foster parents, as amended (38-0). The Senate also withdrew SB 1360 from further consideration, certified passed bills to the House, and adjourned until February 19.

Transcript Highlights:

• for your board.
• to the state board.
• Board does what they do.
• Board because I am concerned that we see a lot of board members that run cosmetology schools that we
• I mean, I can't change the board because I'm not a board member, but I...

Committee: House Administrative Rules

Transcript Highlights:

• Madam Chair and members, HB 2376 prohibits a school district governing board from...
• Madam Chair and members, HB 2384 permits a school district governing board to enter into a lease of school
• oversight board from having business involving school construction.
• , and school board members do go through training.
• , and school board members do go through training.

Summary: The committee worked through a very long minority caucus calendar covering a wide range of bills, with many items being described and then either left on consent, pulled from consent, or noted for votes. Topics included bullion and state depository proposals, a produce incentive appropriation, a biennial budget change, veterans services funding, driver licensing and traffic enforcement measures, procurement and public records changes, school board and school facilities rules, SNAP work requirements and verification, child welfare and juvenile justice provisions, housing and homelessness measures, energy and fuel policy, election administration, and several tax, commerce, and licensing bills. Members repeatedly raised concerns about constitutionality, federal preemption, duplication of existing law, and whether some measures were policy priorities that had been vetoed in prior sessions and were returning unchanged. Several bills drew extended debate. Members objected to English-proficiency requirements for commercial drivers and motor carriers, arguing federal law and the supremacy clause would bar them. Earned wage access regulation prompted strong opposition over consumer harm, overdraft cycles, and high effective APRs. School-related bills were criticized for overregulating public schools while not imposing similar requirements on ESA/private-school programs, especially on fingerprint clearance and reporting. SNAP-related bills were also opposed as setting unrealistic mandates and repeating vetoed proposals. Other contested measures included a drag-show criminalization bill, a bill restricting photo enforcement, a bill limiting local regulation of unmanned aircraft, and a bill conforming Arizona tax law to federal changes, which members said would benefit wealthy taxpayers and corporations without a clear funding source. The committee also heard a number of supportive or less controversial measures, including bills on veterans awareness, dementia care telemonitoring, Braille transcription funding, CPA licensure pathways, cash acceptance by retailers, and some child safety and court administration changes. Several bills were pulled from consent for further discussion, while others were noted as having unanimous or near-unanimous votes. The meeting ended with caucus announcements, including an affordability award presentation, an upcoming Latino Caucus discussion on community land trusts, and an invitation to African American Legislative Day activities, followed by adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, would this include local public boards or is this specific for state boards and commissions?
• Um, would this include local public boards or is this specific for state boards and commissions?
• Um, would this include local public boards or is this specific for state boards and commissions?
• Um, would this include local public boards or is this specific for state boards and commissions?
• </c> public board meeting uh at the local public board meeting uh at the local level<00:08:51.040><c>

Committee: House State Government

Transcript Highlights:

• This includes $28 million for the school seismic safety program, funding designs at three schools in
• Schools program.
• I'm the superintendent for Wilbur and Creston Cooperative School Districts, and both of my small school
• and delivering wood to local mills.
• and delivering wood to local mills.

Bills: SB6003

Committee: Senate Ways & Means

Keywords: capital budget, funding, infrastructure, state projects, budget allocation

Transcript Highlights:

• This morning, I'm also bringing the voice of the New Mexico School Boards Association.
• And it does say here that local school boards have no veto authority over individual line items within
• budget to your chartering authority, the local school board, for approval.
• This is just saying that a local school board cannot interfere essentially with the line items of a locally
• , because the School Boards Association doesn't have a position on this item.

Committee: House House Education

Transcript Highlights:

• Perkins was my elementary school.
• From my own, not only my own elementary school, now K-3-8 school, but my neighborhood of Barrio Logan
• local control funding formula.
• It was a monumental change from the previous funding of our local schools that occurred over 10 years
• school leaders.

Summary: The Assembly convened after a quorum call, offered a prayer and Pledge of Allegiance, and then spent much of the session on guest introductions recognizing visitors, community college delegations, students, caregivers, a retired Assembly staff member, and a championship high school football team. Members also observed an adjournment in memory for Alex Preddy, a VA nurse killed in Minnesota, and later for Kathy Wooten and Rowena Ramos. The chamber then moved through the daily file and third reading file, with several items passed, retained, or continued. Among the bills taken up, AB 34 on renewable portfolio standard exemptions for publicly owned utilities passed 55-0; AB 35 to accelerate implementation of Proposition 4 climate resilience funds passed 62-0; AB 52 on food and agriculture equity passed 50-6; AB 72 creating an EV economic opportunity zone passed 58-0; AB 96 removing a diploma requirement for Medi-Cal peer support specialists passed 55-0; AB 230 extending Pierce’s disease control programs passed 64-0; AB 277 requiring background checks for behavioral health employees passed 59-0; AB 647 clarifying a county RV disposal pilot passed 54-0; AB 664 authorizing limited bachelor’s programs at Southwestern Community College passed 60-1; AB 673 creating a support grant for unaccompanied homeless youth passed 55-1; AB 710 on dynamic electricity pricing passed 54-0; AB 748 streamlining pre-approved housing plans passed 65-0; AB 767 expanding protections around sexually violent predator placements near schools and daycares passed 65-0; AB 883 protecting officials’ personal information from data brokers passed 66-0; AB 946 expanding 30x30 conservation efforts to urban areas passed 65-0; AB 1054 creating a deferred retirement option program for CHP and Cal Fire passed 61-1; AB 1070 on missing middle housing code simplification passed 66-0; AB 1159 strengthening student data privacy passed 54-4; AB 1204 revising the Local Control Funding Formula passed 54-1; AB 1265 extending the historic building tax credit passed 64-0; AB 1349 banning speculative ticketing passed 61-0; AB 1359 allowing seniors 80+ to opt out of jury service without a doctor’s note passed 67-1; AB 643 on organic waste procurement credits passed 48-4; AB 685 creating a small business resiliency fund passed 63-0; AB 714 tightening oversight of commercial driving programs passed 65-1; and AB 805 establishing a youth apprenticeship bridge program passed 66-0. Several other items were passed and retained or continued without debate. Debate on AB 1054 drew the sharpest disagreement, with opponents warning about pension costs and supporters arguing it would help retain experienced CHP officers and firefighters. AB 767 also prompted strong comments about public safety and placement of sexually violent predators in rural communities. On AB 1349, supporters from both parties backed the anti-speculative ticketing bill as consumer protection, while AB 664 drew support from members emphasizing access to higher education in underserved regions. The Assembly then adjourned until January 29, 2026, after announcing upcoming session dates and recording a few vote changes from the dais.