Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, no testimony, no studies. Thank you for your answer.
• Okay, no testimony, no studies. Thank you for your answer.
• Okay, no testimony, no studies. Thank you for your answer.
• there are case studies of that show there are case studies of other<01:40:46.000> states<01:40
• <02:23:50.000> that article or actually the study that article or actually the study that

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The meeting was a House budget briefing focused on the overall state budget and the first of three divisions. The presenter reviewed the size and structure of the budget, noting that the state had eliminated the interest and dividends tax and still balanced the budget. He explained the major spending categories in the general fund and total budget, emphasizing that health and human services and education remain the largest areas, while transportation is largely self-funded. He also walked through the revenue picture, including business taxes, insurance taxes, court fees, communications taxes, and Medicaid recoveries, and said the remaining interest and dividends tax revenue reflected late payments from prior assessments. Members asked about the size of the tax cut from eliminating the interest and dividends tax, federal funding stability, and why Medicaid was being reduced if federal support was expected to remain steady. The response was that the lost revenue would have been about $200 million absent repeal, and that the budget gap was addressed through many small cuts across departments. On federal funds, the presenter said most aid is tied to multi-year grants and that core programs such as Medicare and Medicaid were expected to remain relatively stable, though some federal reductions could occur. He also said some agency reductions came from eliminating long-vacant, funded positions and from expected lapses. The discussion then moved into Division One, which covers smaller and miscellaneous agencies. The division made cuts to the governor’s office, eliminated a temporary position at the Governor’s Commission on Disability, reduced Department of Information Technology spending through a back-of-budget cut, and found savings in Administrative Services. It also delayed maintenance at the Sununu Youth Services Center, stopped advertising for paid family medical leave, changed retiree health insurance funding, and consolidated several personnel-related boards into one. The division eliminated the Commission on Aging and the Office of the Child Advocate, made a temporary special education advocate position permanent, reduced the Secretary of State’s budget, kept municipal rooms-and-meals distributions flat, and made changes to the retirement system, including $55 million to improve Group 2 retirement benefits and a new retirement structure for future state hires. The judicial branch was also asked to find savings and received two additional judges because of expected caseload increases from other eliminations.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh another study shows that 50%.
• A film studies teacher illustrating.
• study the issue of school bullying. study the issue of school bullying.
• <06:25:00.798> school constructive bill to study school constructive bill to study school
• We need to take need to study it.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:11:35.920> that studies have consistently shown that studies have consistently shown that
• You'll hear that this rate was set up by a cost study. That's true.
• was set up by a cost study. That's true. was set up by a cost study. That's true.
• I think that the cost study is valuable for helping us understand the cost of services.
• I think that the cost study is valuable for helping us understand the cost of services.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Tomorrow is also the next to the last opportunity to attend Bible study in the morning in Room 0109,
• in the morning in room 0109 study in the morning in room 0109 and<00:25:15.279> it<00:25:15.600
• Um, we talk about metrics and studies all the time in this building.
• Uh this this study would right way.
• Um, we talk about metrics and studies Um, we talk about metrics and studies all<01:10:40.000>

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• endometriosis not for children studies endometriosis not for children studies show<03:29:59.000>
• To study prevention of spread of a pathogen.
• <05:30:50.798> conducted reductions a Harvard study conducted reductions a Harvard study conducted
• surgeries a total of 27 studies surgeries a total of 27 studies conducted<05:31:17.680> by
• <05:50:00.760> over recently studied over recently studied over 100,000<05:50:03.280> patients

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• when that wasn't even on the radar at the time. in studying that and trying to determine in studying
• it's something that you consider study it's something that you consider study when<01:49:20.520>
• <01:53:08.320> we're know to the extent of study we're know to the extent of study we're required
• <04:06:44.840> have be legislated study but why not have be legislated study but why not have
• <04:24:11.080> um looking at retrospective studies um looking at retrospective studies um

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 153, which would require two or more law enforcement officers in each county to receive animal cruelty training through the police standards system. Representative Barbara Coma, the sponsor, said the bill was prompted by problems in animal cruelty cases, especially in rural areas without animal control officers, and she described it as a limited training measure. She said an amendment was forthcoming that would add an eight-hour approved course and a two-hour refresher every three years, and she emphasized that the trained officers would serve as resources rather than being required to take action themselves. Members asked about cost, due process, overlap with animal control officers, how trained officers would be identified and notified, and whether veterinarians could fill the role. Coma responded that the bill would not be a heavy financial lift, would not interfere with animal control officers, would apply to livestock as well as companion animals, and would still require law enforcement involvement because veterinarians cannot lawfully remove animals from property. She also said the training could improve due process by helping officers better understand when animal removal is appropriate and how cases should proceed. Sheriff William Wright, speaking for the New Hampshire Sheriffs Association, testified in opposition. He said training itself was acceptable, but the bill went beyond training by creating an obligation for sheriffs and state police to respond to and potentially investigate animal cruelty cases, which he argued would be ambiguous, unfunded, and burdensome for staffing and resources. He said some sheriff’s offices do not have investigative deputies and that the bill could create liability and uncertainty about who would lead investigations. In response to questions, he said the association would likely have no objection if the bill were limited to training, but it opposed the assistance/investigation mandate as written.

Transcript Highlights:

• I get these letters back from the State House and it's sent out to a study.
• What do these studies consist of?
• out of study anytime during the session.
• However, I did find out later that for some reason it went to study.
• However, I did find out later that for some reason it went to study.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Public Service held its third hearing of the 194th General Court session, taking testimony on several individual bills and home rule petitions, mostly involving retirement and pension-related relief. The committee chair outlined hearing procedures, including three-minute limits for individuals, ten-minute limits for panels, livestreaming, and the deadline for written testimony. At the end of the hearing, the chair noted that House matters heard that day must be reported by Friday, July 11, 2025, subject to extensions, and the committee adjourned after testimony concluded. Several witnesses supported bills seeking retirement credit or pension adjustments for public employees. These included H. 2917 for Dedham-Westwood Water District employees seeking pension buy-in credit; H. 2976 for Eileen Mullen to purchase creditable service for teaching in a criminal justice pilot program; H. 2996 for Virginia Cummings, a retired Department of Correction lieutenant seeking greater pension parity; H. 2977 for Wendy Lopieri to buy back part-time community college service; and H. 2989 for Wayne Taylor, who said he was mistakenly credited for fewer years of select board service than he expected. Testimony emphasized long public service, injuries, and what witnesses described as unfair denials or flawed interpretations of retirement law. The committee also heard testimony on bills involving post-retirement earnings and disability-related relief. Kevin Blanchett testified in opposition to H. 2931, arguing it would improperly reduce money owed to a regional retirement system and its members, while the bill’s sponsor argued the retirement board was seeking an excessive recovery based on law firm gross earnings rather than the individual’s earnings. Jamie Magarian described severe injuries from a 2018 crash and urged favorable action on his bill, with support from the State Police Association. Michael Palmer testified in favor of S. 1841, seeking to extend prior violent-crime retirement income-cap relief to his case after being shot on duty and later finding that even part-time private-sector work exceeded his retirement earnings limit.

Transcript Highlights:

• The study will also look at which industries and areas are most affected, which ones are most at risk
• And this study fits directly within that mission.
• The study will also look at which industries and areas are most affected, which ones are most at risk
• And this study fits directly within that mission.
• This study fits directly within that mission.

Summary: The Transportation and Economic Development Budget Subcommittee met and first took up CS/HB 567, a broad transportation bill by Rep. McFarland. The bill, as explained, covered a range of transportation policy changes including higher speed limits, local regulation of e-bikes and e-scooters, parking accommodations for pregnant women, advance land acquisition for DOT projects, changes to FDOT contracting, elevation of roads in capacity projects, MPO quality metrics, and repeal of the Metropolitan Planning Organization Advisory Council. Two amendments were adopted: one added a prohibition on driving too fast through flooded roads and creating excessive wake, and another updated language to allow for future technology in traffic management systems. The strike-all removed several items from the original bill, including utility-right-of-way language, private-public-use airport funding, and an electric vehicle tax redirect, and added MDX board changes. The bill then passed favorably on a recorded vote. The committee next considered CS/HB 1535, also by Rep. McFarland, a lengthy hurricane recovery and preparedness measure. It requires local governments to post storm-preparedness and recovery information online, expands special needs shelter information, mandates emergency management training, improves debris removal planning, and adds provisions for fiscally constrained counties. It also addresses shelter access, rebuilding rules, permitting timelines and fees after storms, homestead rebuilding limits, and election flexibility after disasters, including a process for supervisors of elections to request emergency changes through the Secretary of State. Members asked several questions about local rebuilding ordinances, election “super sites,” and the request/approval process. The bill drew support from several groups, including disability advocates, builders, waste and recycling interests, crane owners, and restaurant and lodging representatives, and it passed favorably. The committee then heard CS/HB 561 and CS/HB 563 from Rep. Cobb on manufacturing. HB 561 would elevate a chief manufacturing officer within the Department of Commerce, create a voluntary Florida manufacturing promotional campaign, and require biennial reporting on manufacturing efforts; an amendment removed the grant portion of the program, and the bill passed favorably with support from industry groups. HB 563 established an annual fee, capped at $100, for participants in the voluntary manufacturing promotional campaign and also passed favorably. Finally, Rep. Spencer presented HB 827, which directs a statewide study on the impact of automation and artificial intelligence on Florida’s workforce, to be updated every three years and developed with business, academic, and local input; it too passed favorably. The meeting then adjourned with notice that the subcommittee would meet again the following week.

Transcript Highlights:

• advisory opinions and Ru making study advisory opinions and Ru making study groups<00:08:04.599>
• So one of the things that we did last year was require the Campaign Finance Board to conduct a study,
• conduct a study and the the study conduct a study and the the study specifically<00:24:16.240>
• that was conducted by from this study that was conducted by the<00:24:27.720> campaign<00:24:
• What the recommendations coming forward out of that study group said was there were a few things that

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I've looked at a gazillion CEQA documents and CEQA studies on a lot of different types of projects.
• For such a large project, typically environmental impact studies are required, and that's one thing.
• They've already done a study that shows us some options. I have yet to be...
• They've already done a study that shows us some options.
• These are garnered in nexus studies, in research, and evidence-based that do that.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And then one other question I had for you is I don't know how closely you've studied this issue, but
• I don't know how closely you've studied I don't know how closely you've studied this<00:38:13.800
• For this one, and hearing some testimony from DCCA, I feel that we do need to study this issue a little
• So whatever is needed for that for the first study, we'll blank the appropriations for the study on that
• Um, whatever is needed for that for the first study, we'll blank the appropriations for the study on

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 2455, HD2, relating to employment practices. Testimony was limited, with support from the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women and UPW; the committee noted nine support, zero opposition, and zero comments. No vote was taken on this bill during the portion provided. The committee then took up House Bill 2165, HD2, relating to the Hawaii Employment Security Law. DLIR supported the measure but requested an amendment moving language in Section 2 from subsection A to subsection C to preserve the legal structure. Members questioned DLIR about a January 8 U.S. Department of Labor letter and whether the bill would keep Hawaii in conformity with federal unemployment insurance requirements. DLIR said the federal guidance requires the state to remove the carve-out for labor-dispute claimants, though unions with hiring halls and members in good standing could still be exempt from work-search requirements under an authorized list. UNITE HERE Local 5 opposed the bill and said the current law already gives the department discretion to exempt striking workers. The committee recessed the bill before any final action was taken in the portion shown. In the joint hearing with Commerce and Consumer Protection, the committees heard House Bill 1509, HD2, relating to workers’ compensation. DLIR supported the bill, DHER offered comments and requested an amendment, UPW supported it, and one Zoom testifier described personal experience with delayed care and urged faster decisions. After testimony, the committees voted to pass the bill with amendments. The adopted amendments restored the 7-day treatment-plan deadline from 10 days, changed the effective date to January 1, 2077, and struck the proposed $500 fine for employers who fail to respond within 10 days. Back in the Labor and Technology agenda, the committee heard House Bill 1515, HD2, also relating to workers’ compensation, with testimony noting seven in support, one in opposition, and one comment, but no action was taken in the excerpt. The committee also heard House Bill 1514, HD2, relating to workers’ compensation vocational rehabilitation plans. A Zoom testifier opposed the bill, arguing the 120-day timeline was unrealistic for complex cases. DLIR said the bill would give the director discretion to extend the vocational rehabilitation plan timeline beyond 120 days with no cap on extensions, and the committee noted five support, four opposition, and zero comments. Finally, the committee began House Bill 2458, HD3, relating to surveillance pricing. OCP said it stood on written testimony, while supporters argued the bill would prevent corporations from using personal data to set prices, especially for groceries. Retail and grocery interests opposed the measure, saying it was too broad and could restrict loyalty programs, promotions, and discounts; one witness asked that a loyalty-program exemption be restored.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's the, it's the independent women's, uh, study group.
• , I worked in that field for 20 years, the study that they will often refer to as a 10% rate of, of,
• It is a paper, it is not a study.
• Now I've heard testimony about how safe these things are and the studies have been given that support
• That same study revealed that these pills are 22 times more dangerous than what the FDA has reported.

Bills: HB7, SB 8

Keywords: abortion, healthcare, jurisdiction, civil action, qui tam, prohibition, state law, sex designation, restroom access, civil penalties, private civil right of action, women's privacy

Transcript Highlights:

• Proportionately affected, as studies show that premiums for widowed females are 12 to 13 percent higher
• Could you share that study with the members of the committee, please? Happy to. Thank you.
• A couple of other studies have similar findings.
• There are similar studies on that from as recently as 2017. ...to.
• Studies show 65% of patients choose their pharmacy based on convenience to their home.

Bills: HB712, HB722, HB946, HB1687, HB1809, HB1899, HB2528, HB2583, HB2741, HB2750, HB3021, HB3150, HB3265, HB3658, HB3812, HB3960, HB4392, HB4432

Keywords: prostate cancer, health benefit plans, insurance coverage, cost sharing, preventive health care, auto insurance, total loss evaluation, disclosure, insurance materials, vehicle appraisal, HB 946, Texas Insurance Code, automobile insurance claims, oral release, written release, settlement agreement, claim release, property damage, bodily injury, psychological injury

Transcript Highlights:

• Second, the sub requires the University of Kentucky to conduct a study.
• of Kentucky to um conduct a um a study of Kentucky to um conduct a um a study and<00:02:31.760><
• c> what<00:02:32.000> the<00:02:32.360> study and what the study and what the study
• <00:03:56.680> these this can but as we've studied these this can but as we've studied these
• we work through this uh as we've studied we work through this uh as we've studied this<00:04:34.199

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and took up Senate Bill 202, adopting a committee substitute before hearing testimony. Senator Julie Rocky Adams explained that the substitute would require the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to promulgate regulations by January 1, 2026 for intoxicating hemp-derived beverages, direct the University of Kentucky to study manufacturing, testing, distribution, sales, and consumer effects of those beverages, and impose a moratorium on their sale until July 1, 2026. Supporters, including Rep. Matt Cook, said the measure was intended as a consumer-protection step rather than a ban, citing concerns about youth access, inconsistent labeling, and the need for a clearer regulatory framework. Members asked about the legal status of the products, whether the bill could unintentionally sweep in non-intoxicating hemp beverages, and whether there was evidence of harm. Senators were told the products are legal under the federal farm bill loophole, but that testing has shown THC levels on sampled cans did not match labels and that current regulations do not specifically address intoxicating hemp-derived beverages. Senator Higdon said CHFS had already been authorized to regulate hemp products and was moving forward with regulations and enforcement, while Senator Meredith questioned whether a moratorium would unfairly punish businesses that had already invested in the market and suggested setting a THC standard instead. Public testimony then shifted to industry opposition. Jim Higdon of Cornbread Hemp said his company had invested heavily in a beverage line and argued the moratorium would function like a ban and harm small businesses. Dee Taylor of 502 Hemp and the Kentucky Hemp Association also opposed the moratorium, saying existing rules already require age limits, behind-the-counter sales, and licensed retailers, and arguing that a cap on milligrams would be preferable to a shutdown. He said retailers were seeing approved and unapproved products in the market and urged work with the Cabinet and ABC rather than a moratorium.

Transcript Highlights:

• to create a task force comprised of relevant state entities to be referred to as the Tiger Team to study
• request by Senator John Kennedy to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to initiate a formal study
• It is a concurrent resolution to authorize and direct the Law Institute to study intestate succession
• Domain is a concurrent resolution authorizing and requesting the Louisiana State Law Institute to study
• He then studied tirelessly to become a state trooper and scored the highest ever on the Civil Service

Keywords: 974, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Does line 86 require a bill for a Beaver to study utility affordability? Thanks, Mr. Chair.
• Does line 86 require a bill for the Bieber to study utility affordability? Mr.
• We’re putting $100,000 toward a utility affordability study, correct?
• Chairman, Representative Pettigrew, this body has done studies like this to Bieber in the past.
• . in there to study cohabitation and some other things with stakeholders there.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the interim director of the Schimberg Center for Housing Studies.
• , which we, and both the data clearinghouse and the rental market study, we do, that are sponsored by
• So we did update the rental market study in 2025. It's the ninth one we've done.
• When we looked at the rental market study, we found that about a million people had moved to Florida
• So a lot more detail in the rental market study.

Summary: The Committee on Community Affairs met with a quorum present and took up SB 122, which would repeal Chapter 205 on local business taxes while allowing municipalities to continue imposing a gross-receipts-based business tax on merchants. Senator Trumbull presented the bill for the sponsor, and committee members questioned what services local governments fund with local business tax revenue and whether the bill should be considered alongside broader property tax changes. County and city representatives opposed the bill, arguing that local business taxes are capped home-rule revenues used for general fund services such as public safety, zoning and licensure checks, economic development, and business support, and warning that repeal would shift costs to residential taxpayers and reduce local flexibility. Senator Shreve said he would vote no because of ongoing property tax discussions, while Senator Pizzo said he would support the bill but wanted clearer accounting of how the revenue is spent. The committee voted 5-1 to report SB 122 favorably. The committee then held a housing panel discussion focused on Florida’s housing shortage, affordability, and supply constraints. Dr. Samuel Staley said Florida is in a housing crisis driven largely by insufficient supply, arguing that the state needs roughly 100,000 additional units per year just to keep up with in-migration and that local planning systems often do not prioritize housing enough. He urged more emphasis on measurable impacts, streamlined permitting, accessory dwelling units, smaller lot sizes, and other market-responsive tools. Ann Ray of the Shimberg Center said Florida is seeing more single-family and multifamily construction but that production is concentrated in a handful of counties, while condo construction remains limited; she also noted that rents and home prices spiked sharply in the early 2020s and remain above pre-2020 levels, with nearly 905,000 low-income renters cost-burdened. Leslie Deutsch of John Burns Research said the national housing market is slow, Florida has a severe affordability problem, and builders are lowering prices and offering incentives but still face high land, labor, materials, and insurance costs. In committee discussion, senators focused on whether Florida should encourage more density, including townhomes, build-to-rent products, modular housing, and redevelopment of existing sites rather than relying on large new subdivisions. Members also discussed the role of local zoning, impact fees, density bonuses, and state incentives tied to housing targets. Several senators said Florida’s growth and affordability challenges require updating land development codes and planning for where future residents will live without overbuilding rural or environmentally sensitive areas. The chair closed by emphasizing that density can support affordability and that Florida should use existing footprints more efficiently.

Transcript Highlights:

• So next up is the report on the LCB cannabis market study. If you're ready, Mr.
• I'm providing an overview of the cannabis market study.
• I'm providing an overview of the cannabis market study.
• Contact information for the study team is on this slide.
• I was part of the study with the JLARC representatives, and I just wanted to give you a brief update

Summary: The committee met on December 3, 2025, with a quorum present and approved the September 17 minutes. Members first voted to suspend the 2026 JLARC lodging tax expenditure report for one year, based on staff’s explanation that the report is self-reported, not verified, and less useful than State Auditor accountability audits; the motion passed. The committee also approved renaming the JLARC I-900 subcommittee to the “Committee to Hear SAO Performance Audits,” while keeping the opening script noting that the performance audit process exists under Initiative 900. The committee then heard follow-up updates on two prior performance audits. The Department of Health presented a draft strategic management plan in response to findings on hospital inspections, complaints, adverse event review, and hospital data access. JLARC staff reiterated that 72% of hospital inspections were late, that DOH did not verify third-party inspection standards or review adverse event reports, and that complaint data suggested possible language-access barriers. DOH said it concurred with the recommendations, had improved on-time inspection compliance to about 49%, planned annual updates starting in July 2026, and would work on accreditation oversight, complaint-language access, and data accessibility, though members pressed for firmer deadlines and questioned the three-year timeline for language access improvements. The Liquor and Cannabis Board also reported on its cannabis market study recommendation. JLARC staff said the agency’s data were incomplete and unreliable, limiting oversight of production, recalls, tax collection, and diversion. LCB said it had improved its current CCRS system but still relied on self-reported data, and it presented a decision package for a new traceability system estimated at about $9 million over three fiscal years. LCB described a plant-tagging and serialization approach tied to production, processing, testing, and retail, but acknowledged it did not currently have sufficient staff to fully implement the system without additional funding. The committee also received briefings on JLARC’s recommendation-tracking tools and the 2024 public records reporting summary, including a high-level review of agency response rates, request volumes, costs, and litigation. Finally, JLARC presented the proposed final report on the Office of Privacy and Data Protection, concluding that OPDP meets its statutory responsibilities and has high user satisfaction, but that its mandate should be updated to better match its current capacity and focus; the committee adopted the report for distribution. The meeting then moved into the 2025 tax preference performance reviews, where JLARC staff summarized nine reviews and noted that the Citizens Commission on Tax Preference and Performance Measurement endorsed all 17 legislative auditor recommendations, with comments on seven. Early reviews discussed included natural gas transportation fuel preferences, travel agent and tour operator B&O rates, nonprofit low-income housing development, multipurpose senior centers, disabled veteran adaptive housing, and trade convention attendance, with staff and commissioners generally recommending continuation of some preferences, modification of others, and improved objectives or performance measures where needed.

Transcript Highlights:

• We looked at studies, we took on studies, and commissioned studies in a couple of different areas to
• Throughout the state, we commissioned a small business capital landscape study.
• Really, a study that we're needing to get done.
• Mechanisms to help them meet those targets, and to complete a study of NMFA's programs and our partners
• Ultimately, when we complete that other study, we will understand the impact we'll get for that risk.

Transcript Highlights:

• worked very closely with industry on the language for that study.
• Next up is the additional study we also added in Ways and Means.
• So if that bill does not move forward, we're going to continue to study that issue.
• And if you can refer me back to this section, you talked about two studies.
• So it enables us to bring in subject matter experts for those studies to help meet the needs of that

Keywords: 909, all