Transcript Highlights:

• I mean, I got a 15-year-old, and one of the reasons that he plays track for his school or track and field
• I mean, I got a 15-year-old, and one of the reasons that he plays track for his school or track and field
• that he a 15y old and one of the reasons that he plays<01:32:26.159> runs<01:32:26.560> track
• <01:32:27.280> his<01:32:27.440> school<01:32:27.840> or<01:32:28.239> track
• plays runs track for his school or track plays runs track for his school or track and<01:32:28.719

Keywords: 920, all

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, the pledge, and a roll call establishing a quorum of 29 members present. The chamber adopted routine motions to excuse absent senators, dispense with reading the prior journal, and allow bills and committee reports to be taken up throughout the day. The Committee on Banking and Insurance reported Senate Bill 269 favorably with a substitute, and the bill was placed on the calendar for the next legislative day. The Senate also welcomed several guest groups in the gallery, including homeschool families, Blount County leaders, and the Alabama Iron and Steel Council. A series of resolutions were introduced and adopted immediately. Senator Stewart’s Joint Resolution 64 honored Joanne Blackman Bland, recognizing her role as a young freedom fighter on Bloody Sunday and later work in voting rights and economic development. The Senate also adopted Joint Resolution 65 congratulating Maplesville High School on its 2025 Class 1A state football championship and Joint Resolution 66 honoring the long-standing partnership between Quebec and Alabama. The Senate then took up local legislation and several calendar bills. Senate Bill 319 for Shelby County, House Bill 460 and House Bill 459 for Henry County, and House Bill 467 regarding the city of Tuscumbia were all advanced and passed, with certification motions adopted where required. The Rules Committee reported Senate Resolution 67, setting the special order calendar, which the Senate adopted. The special order calendar included bills on corrections, services evaluation, retirement benefits, the Growing Alabama Act, health, vessels, homestead exemption, the National Guard, the state port, early childhood education, tourism investment, pardons and paroles, and health-related matters. Under the special order calendar, the Senate passed House Bill 274 on Department of Corrections unmanned aircraft systems, Senate Bill 317 creating the Commission on the Evaluation of Services, House Bill 159 cleaning up retirement provisions for certain circuit clerks, Senate Bill 289 revising the Growing Alabama Act, and House Bill 182 requiring military education to count toward EMS licensure. The chamber also considered House Bill 254 on vessel inspections, with discussion focused on limiting law enforcement stops and boarding of vessels for safety or marine sanitation inspections absent another reason; the transcript cuts off before final disposition of that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• we're asking for roughly $300,000 to implement a new HR system within our agency to help us with tracking
• c><00:03:34.720> with within our agency to help us with within our agency to help us with tracking
• and uh onboarding, offboarding tracking and uh onboarding, offboarding and<00:03:38.480> all<
• <00:55:40.640> And<00:55:40.960> we implement a data tracking system.
• And we implement a data tracking system.

Keywords: Appropriations - Room 216, 28 January, 2026; 8:15 AM, 925, all

Summary: The committee heard a budget presentation from the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA), including its consolidated tourism and agency request. MDA said it has had strong recent results, citing about $65 billion in capital investment since 2020, roughly 25,000 jobs, record tourism, clean audits, and oversubscribed incentive programs. For FY27, the agency requested $26.4 million in general funds, level special-fund operating support, restoration of eight pins reduced in the LBR process, and several general-fund increases for a career ladder, a new HR system, training, and operating costs. MDA also discussed a $1.25 million request for America 250 activities, including a Mississippi event and participation in the National Mall “Great America State Fair,” plus an energy accelerator program tied to the governor’s energy initiative and a broader three-tier energy preparedness strategy. MDA also explained its incentive refill requests, saying it was not seeking additional funding for the ACE grant program this year and had shifted that support toward the governor’s port/rail/road investment fund and energy-ready sites. The agency highlighted a renewed request to restart funding for the small municipal and limited population counties grant program, which it said had previously helped smaller communities with water, sewer, downtown, and other projects. On tourism, MDA presented a breakout showing what the budget would look like if tourism were separated into its own department; officials said the current tourism budget within MDA is about $5.7 million in general funds and $7.9 million total, and estimated about $1.3 million in additional cost would be needed to stand up a separate tourism agency. A significant portion of the discussion focused on criticism from Senator Wiggins that MDA has not delivered enough economic development for the Mississippi Gulf Coast. He argued that constituents believe MDA does little for the coast and objected to the agency’s role in the GCRF and coastal projects, saying the coast has not seen meaningful results in years. MDA officials responded that complaints about uneven distribution are common across the state, that MDA works with local economic development partners rather than dictating project locations, and that it has helped support major coastal projects such as Relativity Space, Lockheed Martin expansions, PCC Gulf Chem, BWC Terminals, and AWS. The exchange also touched on the Port of Pascagoula and local leadership disputes, with both sides disagreeing over whether the port and the coast have been adequately supported. No votes or formal actions were taken in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, data tracking and reconciliation and that sort of thing.
• Uh, and to a couple of thoughts. grants and manage them and keep track of grants and manage them and
• keep track of them<00:57:25.760> because<00:57:26.000> it<00:57:26.240> is<00:57
• You know,<00:57:42.079> data<00:57:42.480> tracking<00:57:42.880> and<00:57:43.599
• > reconciliation know, data tracking and reconciliation know, data tracking and reconciliation

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The subcommittee heard presentations from the Legal Aid Network of Kentucky, including Legal Aid of the Bluegrass, Kentucky Legal Aid, AppalRed Legal Aid, and the Legal Aid Society in Louisville. The presenters explained that the four nonprofit programs provide civil legal services in all 120 counties, focusing on low-income clients and matters such as domestic violence, family law, housing, expungement, public benefits, and veterans’ issues. They emphasized that they do not handle criminal defense cases and described statewide efforts such as the kyjustice.org website and Project Renew, which helps people in recovery with legal issues that affect stability, employment, housing, and family reunification. Each organization highlighted regional service challenges and examples of casework. Legal Aid of the Bluegrass described its 33-county service area, its mobile “justice bus,” and expungement work for people in recovery. Kentucky Legal Aid focused on disaster response after the December 2021 tornadoes, including insurance disputes and contractor fraud, and said it has continued to handle repeated FEMA-declared disasters. AppalRed described serving 37 rural counties with limited attorneys, the shortage of lawyers in “rural legal deserts,” and its disaster-response work after flooding and tornadoes, including FEMA appeals clinics and volunteer attorney support. The Legal Aid Society described its Louisville-area veteran services, including Social Security and VA disability cases, veterans treatment court referrals, and homeless outreach. Committee members praised the organizations’ work and noted the importance of their services. In response to questions about funding, the presenters said their support comes from a mix of Legal Services Corporation funds, state appropriations, federal grants such as VOCA, VAWA, and HUD, United Way, and foundation funding. They stressed that many grants are restricted, while state funding is more flexible and useful for emergencies and day-to-day operations. The presenters said current funding does not fully meet demand and requested an increase in the General Assembly’s appropriation from $500,000 per year to $1 million per year, or $2 million over the biennium.

Transcript Highlights:

• You'll see a file number just so that you are keeping track of this: 7920.
• Do you keep track of your hours?
• Because right now when you think in terms of lawyers, you can track lawyers, but we don't track accountants
• of lawyers, now when you think in terms of lawyers, you<00:54:04.480> can<00:54:04.559> track
• you can track lawyers but we don't track you can track lawyers but we don't track accountants<00

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I don't need to say that both the North Slope Borough and the Kenai Peninsula Borough have long track
• from day one, taking a hard look at it, making some tweaks to it, and getting us off on the right track
• day one and taking a hard look at it and making some tweaks to it and getting us off on the right track
• I want to ...at it and making some tweaks to it and getting us off on the right track.
• we have phase two at the export, until everything's running and things are really moving down the tracks

Keywords: 905, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It didn't matter what side of the tracks you lived on or what color your skin was.
• And trying to keep track of that and figure out what we're doing.
• and it changes daytoday and trying to and it changes daytoday and trying to keep<00:18:27.600> track
• 28.320> and<00:18:28.559> figure<00:18:28.799> out<00:18:29.039> what keep track
• of that and figure out what keep track of that and figure out what we're<00:18:29.520> doing.

Keywords: 918, senate, all

Summary: State legislators and farm leaders held an impromptu discussion focused on the impact of federal immigration enforcement activity, especially ICE presence in Minnesota, on agriculture and rural communities. Speakers argued that agriculture is central to the state’s economy and said fear of raids is causing legal immigrant and guest workers, including H-2A workers, to stay home, disrupting farms, food processors, restaurants, grocery stores, and other parts of the food supply chain. They also linked the issue to broader federal uncertainty, including USDA funding freezes and cuts, and said the lack of transparency from federal agencies is making it difficult for state officials and producers to plan. Senator Rob Kupec and Minnesota Farmers Union president Gary Wertish said ICE activity in both the Twin Cities and greater Minnesota is creating fear, trauma, and labor shortages, with reports of workers avoiding work, lunch trips, medical appointments, and school. Wertish said the organization supports comprehensive immigration reform and called for an end to the ICE surge, while also emphasizing the need to respect local law enforcement and the rule of law. Deputy Agriculture Commissioner Andrea Vaubel said immigrants are a critical part of Minnesota’s food and agriculture workforce, warned that labor shortages could raise production costs and food prices, and said the state would not have its current food supply without immigrant workers. In response to questions, speakers said they had anecdotal reports from rural areas such as Pelican Rapids, Willmar, and Detroit Lakes, but that the situation is changing quickly and many incidents may not yet be public. They said the lack of coordination with local law enforcement and the use of masks contribute to fear and confusion. Legislators said they have no direct jurisdiction over ICE operations but see their role as documenting what is happening, communicating with constituents, and avoiding state actions that would worsen the problem. They also said the issue is not purely partisan and may be mobilizing concern across political lines, especially among farmers worried about labor availability for planting and other seasonal work.

Transcript Highlights:

• So the Census Bureau, The Census Bureau has been tracking food insecurity since 1995 using that 18-item
• An important thing to keep in mind is that tracking food insecurity and assessing the impact of our public
• So the Census Bureau has been tracking food insecurity since 1995 using that 18-item questionnaire from
• An important thing to keep in mind is that tracking food and security and assessing the impact of our
• So we have a long ways to go in our ability as a state to fully track the household food security situation

Summary: The House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee held a work session on food systems and food security, with no public testimony. The first panel focused on household food security and data. Marie Spiker of the University of Washington explained what food insecurity means, its health impacts, and the importance of reliable measurement, warning that the federal Census food security data is being terminated and that there is no true replacement. She described Washington’s WaFOOD surveys as a useful complement, not a substitute, and noted that they show food insecurity affects households at a range of income levels. Katie Raines of WSDA described the state’s food systems work, the need for shared data and dashboards, and the role of agriculture in both food production and the hunger safety net. Committee members asked about the $2.2 million state food assistance allocation, the scale of the SNAP gap, and how household size, housing costs, and other factors intersect with food insecurity. The committee then heard from Tracy Roof of the University of Richmond on the history of SNAP and its relationship to agriculture. She traced the program from Depression-era commodity distribution through the modern farm bill, emphasizing that food assistance has long functioned both as anti-hunger policy and as an agricultural and economic stabilizer. She highlighted how SNAP expands during recessions, supports retailers and farmers, and has become more important since the Great Recession because participation stayed high even as the economy recovered. Roof also noted that Washington has relatively high SNAP participation and low payment error rates, but that recent federal changes could reduce eligibility and shift more costs to states. Members asked how Washington compares to other states and why the program is structured as it is. A later panel featured the Washington State Food Policy Forum and a joint systems presentation from the Washington Farm Bureau, Washington Retail Association, and Washington Food Industry Association. The Food Policy Forum described its consensus-based recommendations on food insecurity, climate and water, regional food infrastructure, farmland protection, and farm viability, including more support for producer purchasing, water planning, and farmland conservation. The industry groups presented a systems map showing how agriculture, processing, retail, and transportation are interconnected, and argued that rising costs, regulations, labor and fuel expenses, retail theft, and thin margins make it harder to keep farms and stores viable. They said food security depends on store viability and local agricultural profitability, and promised to provide a more detailed list of policy recommendations. The final panel included state agency staff from DSHS, DOH, and WSDA. Bryce Montgomery said the Basic Food program serves about 920,000 Washingtonians monthly and warned that H.R. 1 could require Washington to pay up to 15% of SNAP benefits, broaden work requirements, and restrict immigrant eligibility. Karen Mullen described DOH nutrition programs, including WIC, farmers market nutrition benefits, fruit and vegetable incentives, and a fruit-and-vegetable prescription program, while noting funding instability and the end of SNAP-Ed. WSDA’s Katie Raines began describing ongoing food assistance and farmer support challenges, including farmer mental health and the need to address food insecurity across both producers and consumers.

Transcript Highlights:

• Does anyone track where those students are either going to work or whether or not they're staying in
• Is there any tracking of that?
• Madam Chair, Representative, yes, the state does track that. There are two components of that.
• Because there have been a lot of people in different roles who track information and track things, but

Transcript Highlights:

• um we are looking at just removing barriers to get individuals who have a criminal record back on track
• You're back on track, you've had no offenses, we don't have any problem.
• you it was 27 years ago you're<00:12:05.120> back<00:12:05.200> on<00:12:05.360> track
• <00:12:05.600> you've<00:12:05.839> had<00:12:06.000> no you're back on track
• you've had no you're back on track you've had no offenses<00:12:06.800> we<00:12:07.040> don't

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee first approved the June 18 meeting amendments, then heard an update from Representative Emily Callaway on the State Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors. She reported no major budget or regulatory concerns, but noted hiring challenges, especially for investigators, and said the board is pursuing a scholarship program using cash reserves and penalty payments. She also said the board has about 20,000 licenses, handled 134 cases in 2024, and had an open-investigation count that stayed roughly flat. The board said initial licenses take about 5 to 7 business days and endorsements about 10 business days, with one citizen-at-large vacancy on the 11-member board. Callaway and board staff also discussed emerging issues such as AI, digital plan submissions, and the use of drones and LiDAR in surveying education. They said Kentucky’s surveying exam pass rates are well above national averages and that universities such as East Tennessee State, Cincinnati State, Bellarmine, Spalding, and Eastern Kentucky are helping train students for the field. The committee then took up Callaway’s occupational licensing bill aimed at removing barriers for people with criminal records. The proposal would let applicants seek an upfront determination of whether a record would disqualify them, require boards to consider specified materials and give written reasons if they deny eligibility, and bind the board’s decision absent new or undisclosed offenses. Supporters said the goal is to help roughly 30,000 people reenter the workforce and avoid wasted time and money on training that could later be disqualified. The committee next heard from Representatives Fleming and Willner on a psychology licensing bill, a reintroduction of prior legislation. They said the measure is intended to address mental health workforce shortages by adding two members to the Kentucky Board of Examiners of Psychology, setting a more predictable timeline for licensure examinations, and requiring annual reporting on processing times for licenses and complaints. They said the bill is meant to speed entry into the profession as new psychology programs expand in Kentucky. No objections were raised. Finally, the Alcoholic Beverage Control commissioner and general counsel presented two administrative amendments tied to SB 202 to allow direct-shipping forms for cannabis-infused beverages, and the committee approved both regulations by voice vote. The committee then held a broader discussion about whether ABC should be expanded by statute to regulate additional intoxicating substances and emerging products. ABC officials said the agency already handles alcohol, tobacco, vape licensing, and some related enforcement, but any broader authority would require legislative action and likely more officers and funding. Members discussed the need to stay ahead of new products, possibly through an emerging-industries framework, while also protecting businesses and consumers.

Transcript Highlights:

• lot of vacancies across agencies and so we can see that too, and that is a concern for us to be tracking
• outside referrals that are made, uh, in order to continue to keep people healthy and safe, uh, we are tracking
• they're kind of not doing so well, what do we have in place for those folks to make sure that we're tracking
• management level, CEO, those kinds of folks are making, and I think that would also be important to track
• someone is able to have an address, they're able to put that on an application and get work, and we do track

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you for helping to dual track it. Things move fast and can be crazy around here.
• Thank you for helping to dual track it. Things move fast and can be crazy around here.
• Thank you for helping to dual track it. Things move fast and can be crazy around here.
• Thank you for helping to dual track it. Things move fast and can be crazy around here.
• Thank you for helping to dual track it. Things move fast and can be crazy around here.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, way back years ago when we used to have a railroad track that ran next to town.
• Um, track is individual, livestock. This year won first place at state.
• Boy, we sure could use a new track.
• I think somebody else might be getting a track that might be out of some of their bonded money.
• How are we gonna fund a new track?

Transcript Highlights:

• It has a proven track record of ensuring that its supervisorial redistricting efforts are fair, equitable
• information about online registration, vote-by-mail procedures, pre-registration opportunities, ballot tracking
• about online voter registration, pre-registration opportunities, vote by mail procedures, ballot tracking
• I'm not tracking the...
• We're mindful that the state has a less than exemplary track record on technology solutions that are

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Do we track in our data the complaints and the statistics around student versus student, student versus
• We track both reporting from whom, who makes reports, and who is alleged to have committed the harm.
• So we track both sides, both students.
• We try to track even further data than just demographics related to student status or affiliation.
• So we track the investigation side as well. When we look at that data, do we see patterns?

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• At the Learning Policy Institute, we've been tracking teacher shortages in...
• We do not have the data system in place yet to be able to really track teacher mobility and attrition
• You can't track, given the teacher license, whether they're teaching today or not in an LEA?
• But that system is not designed to track mobility, retention, attrition, or any of that.
• Toward meeting admission requirements so they can actually get on track to become a teacher.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• latest data used to calculate the statutory cost-of-living adjustment, we think that the COLA was tracking
• question: there are some previous budget acts that have talked about new statutes requiring districts to track
• Do we see... ...requiring districts to track their unspent supplemental and concentration grants.
• I don't know that Finance has much more to share in terms of stories, but the tracking of supplemental
• been any consideration as to whether the restoration of the $1.1 billion reduction should be fast-tracked

Summary: The committee heard presentations on the Governor’s education budget proposals for the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), Learning Recovery Block Grant, and Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP), followed by testimony from State Board of Education President Linda Darling-Hammond. On LCFF, Finance outlined the proposed 2.43% COLA, repayment of prior deferrals, and a trailer bill penalty for LEAs that fail to adopt Local Control Accountability Plans on time. The LAO said its COLA estimate was slightly lower and raised concerns that the Governor’s proposed TK staffing ratio increase may be more costly than estimated. Members also discussed whether the current COLA formula should better reflect California-specific or district staffing costs, and whether TK should be more clearly separated from the K-3 grade span adjustment to avoid larger K-3 class sizes. The chair asked staff to work with the LAO on both the TK/K-3 issue and alternative COLA calculations. For the Learning Recovery Block Grant, Finance proposed restoring the first of three delayed payments, $378.6 million one-time Proposition 98 General Fund, while the LAO recommended adopting the proposal but extending the expenditure deadline by at least a year. The LAO reported that districts had spent $1.6 billion of the $6.8 billion received through 2023-24 and said most districts were only now shifting from federal COVID relief to block grant spending. Members questioned whether the large state and federal investments were improving outcomes, citing declining reading and math trends, while Finance and the State Board president pointed to some signs of improvement, especially in math, attendance, and gains for some student groups. Darling-Hammond emphasized that student needs have grown, that recovery spending has gone to devices, ventilation, staffing, tutoring, summer school, and community schools, and that targeted interventions appear to be helping some districts recover faster than others. On ELOP, Finance proposed adding $435 million to expand universal access by lowering the Tier 1 threshold from 75% to 55% unduplicated pupils, bringing ongoing funding to $4.4 billion. The LAO said the estimate was reasonable but recommended delaying implementation for a year, aligning ELOP with ASES to reduce overlap, moving toward funding based on participation rather than enrollment, and considering a fixed Tier 2 rate. Members and witnesses discussed staffing challenges, the use of funds for students with disabilities, and uncertainty in Tier 2 funding caused by unspent dollars and opt-outs. Darling-Hammond supported ELOP as part of California’s broader after-school and summer learning strategy, said most districts are now offering full-day TK and expanded learning, and urged the state to reduce fragmentation across categorical programs and build more unified systems for funding, reporting, and support.

Transcript Highlights:

• Ideally, what you want to look for is things that have a proven track record of being, on average, effective
• And essentially what it does is it tracks indicators of child well-being over time, and by race and ethnicity
• Chronic absenteeism has dropped from 23.6% in 23 to 15.2% as of last year and is on track to drop below
• So they're on a different track.
• This year alone we're serving over 4,500 students. across the state, and we have 65% of those on track

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Crime Stoppers in Houston has done a great job. of working and keeping track of these statistics, and
• the amount of information available. to judges when setting bail, and enabling statewide data to be tracked
• Some of these countries, where they come from, don't have a system set up to be able to track that type
• we get it to do just that and require, probably it'll be the large urban centers, you know, to keep track
• And I also want to reiterate that piece of data just to make So you keep track of the murders, but since

Bills: SB9, SB1047, SB1048, SJR17, SJR49, SB40, SJR1, SJR5, SB 9, SB 40, SJR 1

Keywords: bail reform, defendants, pretrial detention, public safety, criminal justice, charitable bail organizations, criminal procedure, public safety report, victim notification, family violence, bail bonds, public funds, political subdivision, injunction, taxpayer rights, violent crimes, sexual offenses, community safety, constitutional amendment, trafficking

Transcript Highlights:

• We are in the root system of the weeds, right, as we're trying to track every single payment that is
• As mentioned earlier, we're required federally to have an IV&V vendor that tracks and logs risks, comments
• we work with the vendor, we also have that direct relationship with the direct technology to keep track
• You need to have good vendors who have a track record of getting things done.
• ultimate goal down the road to, like, have an inventory management solution as well so that we can track

Summary: The subcommittee heard updates on several major technology modernization efforts, beginning with the Department of Financial Services’ Florida PALM project, which is replacing the state’s decades-old FLAIR accounting system. DFS described PALM as a statewide effort affecting all three branches of government, with cash management already live and the remaining financial management, payroll, and data warehouse components still in development. Officials said the project began in 2014, was restructured after a 2022 legislative pause, and is now being recommended for a go-live delay from January 2026 to July 2026. Members asked about governance, staffing, contract structure, cost growth, and maintenance costs; DFS said the contract is deliverable-based, the current amendment would add a net $2.2 million, and post-go-live maintenance is expected to be about $13 million annually under the current contract through July 2027. The Agency for Health Care Administration then updated the committee on the FX Medicaid enterprise modernization program. AHCA explained that federal CMS directed states to move from monolithic Medicaid systems to a modular approach, leading Florida to procure separate vendors for integration services, data warehouse, unified operations, provider services, and claims processing, with pharmacy benefits still to be procured. Officials said the project has spent about $334 million to date, with most costs federally matched, and requested $189.95 million for the upcoming year. They also highlighted a 2024 special assessment that produced 81 recommendations, most tied to staffing shortages, and said the Legislature added 47 FTEs, with 17 currently filled or being filled. Members asked about governance changes, production status, data access, and future technology maintenance; AHCA said some components are operational, the data warehouse is nearing certification, and the agency is working to keep the system adaptable and nonproprietary. The Department of Children and Families presented its Access modernization project, which is replacing a mainframe-based eligibility system used for SNAP, TANF, Medicaid assistance, and related programs. DCF said the six-year, $205 million project is in its third year and has already delivered a new customer portal with mobile access, multi-factor authentication, and fraud protections, while also building a worker portal, document management, community partner tools, and workload management functions. The agency said it is requesting $36.625 million for the next fiscal year, the same as last year, and emphasized that the project has remained on schedule and on budget by breaking work into smaller modules and using strong vendor and staff support. Members praised the project’s progress and asked about cybersecurity testing and the long delay before modernization began; DCF said security requirements were built in from the outset and that the remaining work will focus on moving staff off the legacy mainframe and modernizing notices and back-end processes.

Transcript Highlights:

• not limited to, wind uplift prevention methods and devices to prevent water intrusion through the tracks
• some condo buildings alone, was a subsection continuing research into water intrusion through the tracks
• Ian, how water intrusion and the gaping holes in the Florida Building Code exceptions for sliding track
• damage in some condo buildings alone, a subsection continued research into water intrusion through the tracks
• about how water intrusion and the gaping holes in the Florida Building Code exceptions for sliding track

Summary: The Banking and Insurance Committee heard a series of presentations focused on mitigation, flood and wind resilience, and insurance discounts. Kevin Guthrie of the Florida Division of Emergency Management outlined several funding streams for mitigation, including federal Hazard Mitigation Grant Program dollars, BRIC grants, flood mitigation assistance, and the state hurricane loss mitigation program. He emphasized the new Elevate Florida initiative, which will use about $400 million initially to elevate or reconstruct flood-prone homes, starting with National Flood Insurance Program properties and severe repetitive-loss homes, with no current per-home cap. Guthrie said the state will contract directly with licensed vendors and aims to reduce future flood losses, lower insurance costs, and keep properties on the tax rolls rather than relying on buyouts. Insurance Commissioner Mike Yaworski described Florida’s windstorm mitigation discount program, explaining that the 1802 inspection form is used to assess a home’s overall “envelope” and determine statutory discounts. He said the office is updating the program based on a new wind loss study, with likely changes including greater recognition of roof types such as metal roofs and possible territorial risk adjustments. He also said the Legislature now requires the office to revisit the study every five years. Stephen Fielder of the Department of Financial Services reported on My Safe Florida Home, noting that the program offers inspections and grants for roof and opening protections, has completed more than 100,000 inspections, and has reimbursed hundreds of millions of dollars. He said the department has validated its discount calculations with insurers and that the program is intended to help homeowners reduce premiums through verified mitigation work. Michael Newman of the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety said Florida’s building code is nationally leading and that post-Ian surveys found no wind-driven structural damage in buildings built after adoption of the code. He argued that mitigation should be treated as a system, not isolated upgrades, and suggested adding Fortified designation to the state’s mitigation form to better document verified resilience improvements. Bill Truex, a county commissioner and builder, stressed the need to educate homeowners about floodproofing and roof choices, citing examples where flood panels prevented damage and noting that asphalt shingles often do not last as long in Florida as their marketing suggests. In panel discussion, senators asked about program eligibility, outreach to elderly and digitally challenged residents, contractor vetting, roof-life disclosures, and whether flood insurance should be more broadly required. Officials said outreach will include call centers and in-person assistance, and several participants urged better consumer disclosure and more data-driven guidance on roof and mitigation choices.