Transcript Highlights:

• <02:05:21.440> or<02:05:21.679> leasing<02:05:22.080> land the cost of purchasing
• or leasing land the cost of purchasing or leasing land and<02:05:23.520> designing,<02:05:24.080
• c> constructing,<02:05:24.719> improving, ...and designing, constructing, improving, purchasing
• And in addition, we would limit landfills from being cited on class A land on populations with counties
• <02:47:31.920> with land on populations with counties with land on populations with counties

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• small rural library in your county?
• Some counties don't do that.
• I live in the western portion of Cibola County, and the same with McKinley County.
• County by county, having service integration hubs so that community members have easier access to a host
• Artesia is located in North Eddy County.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I represent District 37, which is parts of Orange County, parts of Seminole County.
• Golden Beach county line.
• Judson Sapp, I represent southern Clay County, all of Putnam County, parts of St.
• Johns County, and parts of Marion County, from the city limits of St.
• Johns and Flagler County.

Summary: The Government Operations Subcommittee met with a quorum and began with member introductions and remarks from the chair emphasizing the committee’s focus on government efficiency, accountability, and oversight of executive branch agencies. Members shared their districts and backgrounds, with several noting hurricane recovery in their communities and a shared interest in reducing bureaucracy and improving service to Floridians. The committee’s only presentation was from Chris Spencer, Executive Director of the State Board of Administration, who gave an overview of the SBA’s governance structure, investment responsibilities, and divestment policies. He explained the SBA’s management of more than $257 billion in assets, including the Florida Retirement System, the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund, and Florida PRIME, and reviewed the Protecting Florida’s Investments Act restrictions covering Northern Ireland, Cuba, Venezuela, Israel, Sudan, Iran, and China. He also described the implementation of HB 7071, including the required divestment from direct holdings in Chinese companies, and said the SBA had reduced its direct Chinese holdings from 33 companies totaling over $172 million to 13 companies totaling about $64 million, with completion expected ahead of the September 1, 2025 deadline. Members asked detailed questions about the Israel boycott list, Morningstar and MSCI, how the SBA gathers information, whether Cuba’s federal designation changes affect Florida law, how companies are removed from scrutinized lists, and whether divestment timing could affect returns. Spencer said the SBA uses public and paid research sources, gives companies a 90-day cure period in some cases, and brings list changes to the trustees for approval. He also explained that the China benchmark change is intended to reduce passive exposure while still allowing active investment decisions, and said the PFIA restrictions have had a modestly positive overall effect on pension performance. The chair also asked about the Florida Retirement System funded ratio and the CAT Fund’s capacity; Spencer said the pension fund is at 80.7% funded, that actuarial assumptions are reviewed regularly, and that the CAT Fund currently has more than $10.5 billion in liquid claims-paying capacity and is expected to remain well positioned for hurricane losses. No votes were taken, and the meeting adjourned after the presentation and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• My first got this issue, I was representing the county of Western...
• You look at Maine, they have a two-and-a-half-ounce purchase limit.
• Half an ounce purchase limit.
• The bills that support an increase in licenses, purchase limits, AU can actually purchase one ounce a
• That's Worcester County. We are the cannabis capital of Massachusetts.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Cannabis Policy held its first hearing of the 194th session to take public testimony on 21 cannabis-related bills. Chairs Donahue and Gómez outlined hearing procedures and noted that written testimony would also be accepted. Much of the hearing focused on the Cannabis Control Commission (CCC), with Senator Mike Moore urging support for S. 90 to create an inspector general unit within the CCC. He argued the commission has suffered from dysfunction, workplace harassment allegations, delayed governance reforms, missed fee collections, and high legal costs, and said stronger legislative oversight is needed. Committee members largely agreed the CCC needs reform, though some expressed hope that new leadership would improve operations. A major theme was market structure and business viability. Representative Tyler testified for H. 183 to raise adult-use purchase limits from one ounce to two ounces, saying the change would reduce confusion and help retailers compete with neighboring states. Senator Payano supported S. 100, which would require a study of cannabis supply and demand to guide cultivation licensing, warning that oversupply is driving down prices and threatening cultivators. The Massachusetts Cannabis Coalition, represented by Ryan Dominguez, backed a package of bills aimed at increasing revenue, reducing regulatory burdens, attracting investment, and stabilizing the market, including higher purchase limits, simpler badge and testing rules, and a phased increase in the retail license cap. Attorneys Kevin Conroy and Mike Ross also supported raising the cap, arguing that the industry lacks capital and that more investment and exit opportunities are needed for provisional and distressed licensees. The most contentious issue was whether to raise the retail license cap from three to six. Supporters, including several business owners and industry advocates such as Peyton Shubrick, Tito Jackson, Armani White, Sean Burt, and others, said the current cap traps owners in declining businesses, prevents exits, and limits access to capital. They argued that many social equity and economic empowerment operators are struggling, that oversupply has pushed prices down, and that allowing more ownership could help businesses scale or sell. Opponents, including Senator Liz Miranda and several social equity operators, warned that lifting the cap now would let larger operators and multi-state companies dominate the market and harm equity-owned businesses. Miranda’s S. 88 would instead strengthen enforcement of ownership limits through audits, whistleblower protections, an anonymous tip line, and greater transparency. Another major topic was worker and consumer safety: Laura Bruno, Danny Carson, Al Vega, and others supported H. 194 after the death of Lorna McMurray, arguing for a CCC workplace and consumer safety department, better ventilation and PPE standards, stronger testing oversight, and retaliation protections for workers. The hearing ended without votes, with members thanking testifiers and indicating the committee would continue reviewing the bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• percentages for higher value purchases. percentages for higher value purchases.
• commercial project to the county commercial project to the county council. council. council.
• <01:55:05.160> council and then go through our county council and then go through our county
• the County of Hawaii Police Department, Department, Department, the<03:48:37.000> County<03:48
• County and it stands till today. We County and it stands till today.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It allows cities to designate whether or not they're going to be dry counties or dry areas.
• in my district, and it would create flexibility in the current patchwork systems of wet and dry counties
• But just to reiterate, there is no change on who you purchase alcohol from.
• I'm the past national president of the purchasing association.
• I was a purchasing agent in my former life. I was president of the Better Business Bureau.

Bills: SB2101, SB2334, SB2633, SB2637, SB2713, SB2781, SB2782, SB3059, HB 1130

Keywords: minors, sexually explicit materials, public libraries, age verification, civil penalties, library collection review, alcohol storage, airline permits, beverage regulations, airport, commercial flights, alcoholic beverages, local option election, zoning regulations, municipality control, land use, state law, social media, bot accounts, misinformation

Summary: The Committee on State Affairs heard several bills, mostly on alcohol regulation, ethics procedures, the Alamo, and free speech in professional associations. SB 2633 would let the City of Garland hold local option elections on alcohol sales within designated zones and use zoning/land-use rules for alcohol-selling businesses; Senator Johnson and Garland officials said it would reduce the burden of the petition process and support economic development. SB 2637 would require social media platforms to disclose when posts are made by bot accounts and allow Attorney General enforcement; supporters framed it as consumer protection against misleading automated content, while members raised questions about how platforms would identify bots and how enforcement would work. SB 2334 would allow airlines with passenger transportation permits to store sealed alcoholic beverages within five miles of an airport in the same county, which the sponsor and an American Airlines witness said would improve logistics without changing permits, taxes, or alcohol sourcing. The committee also heard SB 2781 and SB 2782, both related to Texas Ethics Commission procedures. SB 2781 would cap civil penalties tied to certain campaign contribution violations by former legislators who later lobby, and SB 2782 would require TEC to adopt discovery control plans and align discovery rules more closely with the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure to limit costly, open-ended discovery. Both bills were left pending after no public testimony. SB 3059 would transfer oversight of the Alamo from the General Land Office to a new Alamo Commission beginning in 2027; Senator Campbell said it would provide long-term stewardship and transparency, while Senator Birdwell questioned the need for a change and the commission’s structure, and GLO witnesses said they were not aware of any problem prompting the shift. HB 1130, a House companion to a previously passed Senate bill, would provide liability protections for cavern entities that post warning signs, and it was also left pending. A major portion of the meeting focused on SB 2713, which would bar professional or trade associations from denying membership or access based on protected characteristics or lawful speech and assembly. Senator Middleton and invited witnesses described disciplinary actions by realtor associations against members for social media posts, sermons, or political speech, arguing that the National Association of Realtors’ ethics rules were being used to punish private expression and threaten livelihoods through loss of MLS access. Committee members and witnesses discussed whether the bill should be narrowed to avoid affecting religious organizations, how association discipline works, and whether the measure should address existing penalties or only future conduct. The bill was left pending after extensive invited testimony and committee discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• , county assessor, county clerk, probate judge, and sheriff.
• And, of course... ...living in Bernalillo County since, gosh, 1977. I love our counties.
• County rocks. Everything that Bernalillo County has done for the community that I represent.
• Welcome to our new county manager.
• and counties.

Transcript Highlights:

• dollar fee from county clerk operations. dollar fee from county clerk operations.
• Clark and Spencer counties. [Music] This is Menifee County. All righty.
• Spencer counties, Uh Clark Spencer counties, [Music] [Music] [Music] this<00:53:37.280> is<00
• U most of them are larger counties.
• <01:14:05.120> the<01:14:05.360> school County, we partner with the school County,

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Interim Joint Committee on State Government met for its first meeting and heard a presentation from the Kentucky Center for Statistics (KY Stats) by Executive Director Matt Barry and Legislative Director Calli Arnold. The presentation reviewed KY Stats’ statutory background, its evolution from KESUS, its board membership, and its role in housing Kentucky’s longitudinal data system and labor market information office. Barry explained that KY Stats links data from multiple state sources, validates and cleans it, deidentifies it, and uses it to produce reports, evaluations, and responses to data requests for policymakers, practitioners, and the public. Barry described the scale of the system, noting more than 6,000 active data elements, 178 unique file types, and data from 48 sources across 26 agencies. He highlighted the agency’s privacy and security practices, including separate servers for source data and deidentified reporting data, and said KY Stats does not use real-time data. He also outlined the types of reports produced, including the annual high school feedback report and a recent life outcomes report tracking the 2017 public high school cohort’s postsecondary education, completion, wages, and employment outcomes. Members asked about the timeliness and availability of data, especially SNAP and Medicaid information, and Barry said most data arrive annually or quarterly and that Medicaid data had been used in a limited one-time project rather than as an ongoing feed. Questions also focused on artificial intelligence; Barry said KY Stats has not integrated AI but is exploring it cautiously because of privacy and security concerns. Several members encouraged further work with AI tools, while Barry emphasized that any use would need to protect confidentiality. The committee also discussed staffing and funding, with Barry saying KY Stats has about 49 total staff and annual funding of roughly $3.1 million in state general funds, plus federal labor-related funding. Committee members praised the agency’s work and suggested legislators may not fully understand its capabilities. No votes or formal actions were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• application of county tax limitations on public safety budget.
• allows councils in charter counties allows councils in charter counties which<00:09:36.680> have
• How would you define who is eligible or allowed to purchase them?
• >> 10 to purchase. fire. So, moving on to another question, fire.
• >> 10<01:00:28.240> to<01:00:28.400> purchase.

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Monday, March 16, 2026, 960, senate, all

Summary: The Senate convened on Monday, March 16th, with an invocation focused on safety during storms, support for first responders, and recognition of Women’s History Month. A quorum was present, and the President noted the chamber was preparing for a very busy week, with possible double sessions and a Saturday session if needed. The House message on House Bill 297, concerning adult education and high school diploma pathways, was received and referred to the appropriate standing committees. The chamber then took up several committee reports, mostly adopting committee amendments and favorable reports without objection. Among the bills advanced to third reading were SB 85 on use of Information Technology Investment Fund revenues, SB 520 on public safety spending flexibility in charter counties, SB 558 creating a Chesapeake Bay Enhancement Program, SB 641 on procurement exceptions for historic preservation services, SB 647 establishing a catastrophic disability benefit tier for certain law enforcement retirement members, SB 654 raising the State Police mandatory retirement age to 62 and adjusting DROP rules, and SB 668 on Children’s Cabinet funding for local management boards. SB 756, a Baltimore City PILOT/tax exemption bill for a Downtown Rise District project, was also advanced. Several bills were special ordered to allow time for amendments or further discussion. SB 334 on machine gun convertible pistols was special ordered to the next day after members said amendments were not ready. SB 309, concerning a statewide sales and use tax exemption for precious metal bullion or coins, was also special ordered for the next day so members could add co-sponsors. SB 818 on State Center development contract requirements and an advisory group was special ordered to the appropriate time the next day after discussion of its community input and federal-law compliance provisions. The Budget and Taxation Committee then reported on the fiscal 2027 operating budget, SB 282, and the budget reconciliation and financing act, SB 284. The committee chair said the budget left a $250 million cash surplus and $2.2 billion in the rainy day fund, kept general fund spending below the current year, imposed no tax or fee increases, and funded priorities including behavioral health in schools, child care scholarships, local government disparity grants, nursing homes, developmental disabilities services, public schools, Medicaid, energy assistance, and economic development. Both SB 282 and SB 284, along with their committee amendments, were laid over until the next day for second reading debate.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:20:26.960> District Greenville in Hillsboro County District Greenville in Hillsboro County
• <00:20:31.679> Government House Municipal and County Government House Municipal and County
• . purchases. purchases.
• I am representative for Amherst, which is Hillsboro County 34.
• Hillsboro County Hillsboro County 34.<01:04:13.760> This<01:04:14.000> bill<01:04:

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Exemption certificates are provided by customers to substantiate tax-exempt purchases.
• In addition, at the municipal and county levels, firearm and ammunition excise taxes generate revenue
• for jurisdictions such as Seattle and Washington State and Cook County, Illinois.
• By taxing purchasers, the bill raises costs for all entities trying to use modern advertising tools.
• Tobacco is often purchased with gasoline, food, beverages, and other items by adult consumers.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Revenue held a long hybrid hearing on a wide range of tax bills, with testimony covering cigarette and tobacco taxes, nicotine pouches, contractor rental equipment exemptions, aircraft sales tax exemptions, rolling stock, advanced sales tax payments, a gun and ammunition excise tax, a digital services tax, and a psilocybin cultivation/tax proposal. Committee chairs outlined the hearing process and noted that 39 House-filed sales and excise tax bills were being heard for required reporting by November 28. No votes were taken during the hearing. On tobacco-related bills, supporters including Senator Keenan, the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society, and Tobacco Free Mass backed higher cigarette taxes and closing the synthetic nicotine loophole, arguing the measures would reduce youth initiation, encourage cessation, and offset health care costs. Retailers, wholesalers, and convenience-store groups opposed the increases, warning of smuggling, out-of-state purchasing, and harm to small businesses; premium cigar representatives argued cigars should be treated separately from cigarettes. The committee also heard testimony on H. 3067 and related bills concerning nicotine pouches, with public health advocates supporting taxation and industry witnesses urging a lower, more competitive rate. Several other bills drew sharply divided testimony. United Rentals supported H. 3065 to simplify contractor rental equipment exemption paperwork, while airport and aviation groups opposed bills to repeal the aircraft sales tax exemption, saying it would hurt airport competitiveness and jobs. The Transportation Association of Massachusetts backed rolling stock tax exemptions, saying the current tax discourages fleet investment and interstate commerce. Restaurant industry representatives supported repealing advanced sales tax payments and changing penalty rules, saying businesses were hit with retroactive penalties after unclear pandemic-era changes. On H. 3082, an excise tax on guns and ammunition, gun violence prevention advocates, Roca, and Giffords supported the bill as a dedicated funding source for prevention and survivor services, while sportsmen’s groups opposed it as unfair to lawful gun owners and harmful to conservation funding. The committee also heard testimony on H. 3208, a digital advertising services tax, with Representative Paulino supporting it as a way to capture revenue from online advertising and fund public needs, while the Chamber of Progress opposed it as costly and burdensome for small businesses and campaigns. Finally, multiple witnesses testified on H. 4050 regarding psilocybin cultivation and taxation: advocates from Mass Healing, Roca, the Reason Foundation, and individuals describing personal medical benefits urged a regulated, permit-based system, while the hearing ended after all signed-up speakers were heard and the chair adjourned the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Based on the experience of other cities and counties, it'll be a pretty big lift for cities and counties
• You know, in my county, Alameda County, we are not a pro-housing designation county.
• Then Alameda County would potentially lose. ...that then Alameda County would have would potentially
• So not every county would be subject to this. And not every county would be subject to this.
• Some counties have. Some haven't. Some counties have. Some haven't. Some counties have.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Maricopa County.
• give me a discount versus if I go to purchase one widget.
• give me a discount versus if I go to purchase one widget.
• <02:23:58.760> 100 and I say I would like to purchase 100 and I say I would like to purchase
• <02:24:04.560> one versus if I go to purchase one versus if I go to purchase one widget<02

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The County Veterans Service Officers or CVSOs support, CalVet supports the work of these county employees
• in each county.
• So as a consumer, $100 purchase turns into $146.
• And every, we now have 58 counties we fund directly, and there's likely one individual in a small county
• And he then mentors another county, let's say, in, we could say, Amador. or Lake County and helps them

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Purchasing Branch Manager, Division of Purchases, KYTC, Allan Cold Iron. >> All right.
• purchases KYTC manager the division of purchases KYTC Allan<00:41:56.319> Cold<00:41:56.640><
• That's based out of Lexington, has locations in Grayson County, has locations in McCracken County, and
• tenure and her position at Fyet County. tenure and her position at Fyet County.
• When the program started, it had 11 pilot counties and has now expanded to 18 counties. well as this

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee first approved the October 13 minutes and then moved through a large agenda of contracts and agreements, including a deferred list from the September 2025 agenda. Members questioned several agencies about the purpose, cost, and duration of the items before them, with repeated motions to consider the contracts reviewed without objection passing by roll call. The Office of Energy Policy and Energy and Environment Cabinet presented a solar-and-battery program. Members asked about panel and battery lifespan, warranty coverage, who would pay for replacement or disposal, and whether the program made sense in Kentucky. The agency said panels and batteries generally last 25 to 30 years, warranties would cover replacement during the warranty period, EPA guidance would govern disposal, and federal funds would cover program expenses. Officials estimated the program could reduce participating homeowners’ utility bills by about 70%, with a minimum required savings of 20%. The Department for Community Based Services explained a new vendor contract for SSI initial and redetermination work for children in out-of-home care, saying the work is federally required, the department lacks in-house capacity, and the contract replaced a prior vendor after an RFP protest and rebid. The Department of Highways described umbrella traffic engineering contracts for smaller highway safety projects, noting they are used for spot improvements and are nearing full utilization. The Kentucky Historical Society said its contract funded a temporary exhibit tied to 250th anniversary programming, and the Board of Medical Licensure discussed an amended audit contract, explaining that annual audits were adopted after an auditor’s recommendation and that the board is funded by state allocation plus fees and fines. The Department for Natural Resources/Abandoned Mine Lands gave the most extensive presentation, describing a $5 million engineering services contract as part of a much larger workload increase driven by Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding, with projects prioritized by citizen complaints and safety impacts; the agency said the contract supports design and oversight for community-scale mine reclamation projects that exceed in-house capacity.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:16:12.959> uh<00:16:13.040> from<00:16:13.199> the Lans may be purchased
• from Canada um now we've been purchasing from Canada um now that<00:19:04.799> I<00:19:04.919
• , and atlases for some counties are also actively being updated.
• <01:24:10.360> or welcome somebody from the uh counties or welcome somebody from the uh counties
• applies to every city and county applies to every city and county employee<01:25:31.080> and<

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• TO RECEIVE A SUBSIDY YOU WOULD NEED TO PURCHASE A PLAN ON THE EXCHANGE.
• THIS KIND OF DENOTES AT NOW LEAVING, HEALTH FIRST EXITING SOME COUNTIES.
• IT'S BY COUNTY.
• 500,000 PEOPLE PROJECTED TO LOSE COVERAGE, WAKE COUNTY EVEN A SMALL COUNTY LIKE THAT 35,000.
• INCLUDING ONE NONAFFILIATED CARRIER COMING IN IN BROWARD COUNTY.

Transcript Highlights:

• And if a purchaser was requesting that So the purchaser would have 10 days to review that information
• And if a purchaser was requesting that And if a purchaser was requesting that information, the seller
• Um then you're purchase agreement.
• Then once the purchase agreement is signed, the purchase agreement is binding and the buyer no longer
• Then once the purchase agreement is signed, the purchase agreement is binding and the buyer no longer

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• > um<01:33:13.840> is county interpretation statewide um is county interpretation statewide
• broad exemptions to state and county broad exemptions to state and county laws<01:44:26.320>
• <03:20:54.880> Um county zoning requirements. Um county zoning requirements.
• <05:15:02.798> Um<05:15:03.360> counties counties reliance on bonds.
• Um counties counties reliance on bonds.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• for far less at a wholesale purchased for far less at a wholesale price<00:04:34.440> third<00
• We serve some of the most destitute financial areas of the state, some of the poorest counties."
• To what I know, I started Minnesota Solar in Kandiyohi County, Dave Baker's district.
• I am a member of the Goodhue County Co-op. I have lived rurally for the majority of my life.
• <00:50:58.960> two is significant we have purchased two is significant we have purchased two

Bills: HF845

Keywords: net metering, distributed generation, solar energy, rooftop solar, renewable energy, utility rates, electric cooperatives, municipal utilities, public utilities, Public Utilities Commission, net billing, bill credits, cost of service study, standby charge, qualifying facility, energy policy, clean energy, customer generation, interconnection, Minnesota Statutes 216B.164