Transcript Highlights:

• Operations and maintenance: somebody has to take care of these facilities.
• Operations and maintenance, somebody has to take care of these facilities.
• Major DMS projects in the buildings that we manage: we are currently building the Emergency Operations
• There will be the actual emergency operations center itself, plus an adjacent office building.
• So it's an interesting... ...while the buildings are operational and being used.

Summary: The committee heard three informational presentations. First, Lieutenant Rob Rowe of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission discussed derelict vessel removal, explaining the legal definition of derelict and at-risk vessels, the causes of vessel abandonment, and the impact of recent hurricanes on the number of cases. He said FWC has nearly 1,000 active derelict vessel cases, with 576 ready for removal, and described the agency’s use of ARPA funds, grants to local governments, contractor lists, and the V-TIP vessel turn-in program to speed removals and prevent vessels from becoming derelict. Senators asked about how to expedite removals, insurance coverage, due process timelines, and storage challenges; Rowe said the 21-day process is constrained by constitutional due process and that more staffing and prevention funding would help. Next, Stephen Fielder of the Department of Financial Services presented on the My Safe Florida Home program, which provides grants for homeowners to harden homes before storms. He reviewed program eligibility, grant types, reimbursement averages, and performance data, and said the program has received $633 million in appropriations overall. He noted that the program is outsourced to private vendors, has low administrative overhead, and has processed large numbers of inspections and reimbursements. Senators questioned contractor requirements, permits, overhead costs, and whether the program should be brought in-house; Fielder said permits are required before reimbursement, contractor licensing is verified, and the department is considering several administrative clarifications, including townhome roof work, inspection expiration, and whether grants should be limited per person or per home. A retired educator also testified in support of more assistance for homeowners facing insurance problems. Finally, Tom Berger of the Department of Management Services outlined the Florida Facilities Pool and the state’s real estate development and management work. He described the bonded facility program, the state’s 112 managed facilities, lease administration, parking contracts, maintenance operations, and more than $1 billion in active construction projects. He highlighted major projects such as the Emergency Operations Center, Capitol complex upgrades, a new visitor screening center, and facilities for other agencies including veterans’ services, juvenile justice, and the courts. Senators asked about lease terms, appropriation language, vacancy in leased space, and whether the state uses a uniform lease form; Berger said the lease document is standardized and that agencies determine their space needs. The meeting ended with no further business and adjournment by motion.

Transcript Highlights:

• none, I do have an amendment to offer ending in .01H, which basically adds the language for the emergency
• So there was a number of entertainment zones that were passed.
• So there were a number of entertainment zones that were passed.
• They'd like to do a zone there.
• Are you familiar with entertainment zones? This is very common.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Manufactured housing is a strong option for affordable housing, but often runs into obstacles due to zoning
• First, it allows manufactured duplexes to be treated as multifamily homes in zoning code.
• I will support the motion, but I would like to hear from them because we're talking about zoning and
• I was told by legal there's nothing I could do except maybe zone them to a certain part of the city.
• While it's projected as short-term help for assistance to pay your face and financial emergencies, they

Summary: The House Business Committee introduced several RS measures and advanced one bill. RS 33-267, from Rep. Cheatham, would exempt four-plex dwellings from mandatory sprinkler requirements to reduce housing costs and would add heat-detection devices in new construction to address garage fires involving lithium-ion batteries. Members discussed whether heat detection was already being added in the rules package, and some expressed concern about changing prior sprinkler policy, but the RS was introduced. RS 33-022, a travel insurance regulatory framework based on a national model act, was also introduced after testimony that it would standardize consumer protections, disclosures, licensing, and a free-look period. RS 33-208, on third-party litigation financing, was introduced with support for disclosure requirements and a prohibition on foreign adversary participation. RS 33-065, aimed at reducing barriers to manufactured housing by easing zoning treatment and covenant restrictions, was introduced despite questions about consultation with cities and counties. RS 33-274, creating a voluntary portable benefits plan for independent contractors, was introduced after questions about how it would interact with existing benefit plans and whether contributions would be limited to hiring parties. The committee then heard House Bill 530 on oral chemotherapy parity. Rep. Bruce and Rep. Green described the bill as a response to cancer patients facing much higher out-of-pocket costs for oral anti-cancer drugs than for IV treatments, and several witnesses, including Susan G. Komen, a cancer patient, a St. Luke’s pharmacist, and the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, testified in support. They said the bill would not create new coverage mandates but would require equal cost-sharing treatment for oral and IV anti-cancer medications, helping patients avoid delayed or abandoned treatment. Members debated whether the bill should include a $250 monthly cap on out-of-pocket costs; the sponsors said the substitute RS removed that cap while preserving parity, and some members preferred the cap for predictability. A motion to table the bill failed, and HB 530 was sent to the floor with a do-pass recommendation. The substitute RS 33-222 was then introduced. Finally, RS 33-262, from Rep. Skog, was introduced to cap interest and fees on loans from non-regulated lenders, targeting payday and title lending practices described by supporters as predatory and trapping borrowers in cycles of debt. Members raised concerns about whether the cap could reduce access to short-term credit, while supporters cited examples of 200% to 300% or even higher effective rates. The committee also noted existing Idaho usury law questions during discussion. The RS was introduced, and the meeting adjourned after announcements about upcoming floor and committee schedules.

Transcript Highlights:

• We aimed to also quantify additional needs and identify current and emerging factors that contribute
• It includes administration, operations, maintenance, and system preservation and improvement.
• The second criterion is operational redundancy.
• So for emergency streets, we haven't deployed yet, so we don't have information for that.
• For emergency streets, we haven't deployed yet, so we don't have information for that.

Keywords: 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But again, this is operated by one vendor.
• and operational experience in counterterrorism and are.
• counterterrorism and other maritime special operations.
• I'm an advanced emergency medical technician.
• I shut my operations down because I go out and conduct traffic in the school zones to protect your loved

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several public safety, criminal justice, and regulatory bills. HB 4995 would create a training and certification program allowing licensed physicians and certain EMS personnel assigned to tactical units to carry firearms during high-risk deployments, with supporters saying it would let tactical medical staff protect themselves while providing immediate care; the bill was left pending. HB 2609 would repeal the failure-to-appear-or-pay/OmniBase license-hold program, with the author and advocates arguing it creates compounding debt and unnecessary barriers to driving, while judges and municipal court representatives said the program is a voluntary, cost-effective tool that improves court appearances and reduces warrants; the bill was also left pending. HB 4879 would create a grant program to help local law enforcement pay for lab testing of suspected hemp/Delta-9 THC substances, and HB 5436 would let licensed auto recyclers buy certain untitled vehicles for scrap or parts to curb illegal sales, VIN cloning, and chop shops; both measures were left pending after brief testimony in support. The committee also heard HB 1777, which would require a discrete designation on driver’s licenses and state IDs for people required to register as sex offenders. The author and supporters argued the marker would help law enforcement and businesses quickly identify potentially dangerous offenders and prevent harm, while opponents called it a stigmatizing “scarlet letter” that would increase harassment, family harm, and reintegration barriers. The bill was left pending. HB 4155 would create a two-year Family Violence Criminal Homicide Prevention Task Force in the Governor’s Office to study family violence homicides, gather stakeholders, and recommend policy changes; the author, HHSC, the Texas Council on Family Violence, and a survivor testified in support, and the bill was left pending. The committee also heard HB 4514, which would authorize DPS to use facial image verification, with consent and privacy safeguards, to help businesses confirm identities and combat fraud; supporters from the lumber and identity-verification industries said it would reduce theft and fraud, and the bill was left pending. Finally, HB 5139 would clarify that peace officers and jailers are justified in using less lethal force weapons when acting within training and official duties; law enforcement groups supported the measure as a way to encourage use of less lethal tools without fear of prosecution, and testimony was underway when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our pedi are in a war zone.
• If you don't believe me, look at your local zoning code.
• If you don't believe me, look at your local zoning code.
• If you don't believe me, look at your local zoning code.
• we already operate in a well, right?

Bills: HF3351

Keywords: firearms, guns, gun control, gun safety, local control, home rule, preemption, municipal regulation, county regulation, city ordinances, zoning, firearm dealers, gun dealers, ammunition, carry permits, permit to carry, pistols, Saturday night special, metal-penetrating bullets, public safety

Transcript Highlights:

• We operate and deliver our work program with an operating budget of around $1 billion annually.
• One is a regional operations center, a multi-county operations center in the St. Augustine area.
• So our emergency operations in District 6 have to evacuate their headquarters and go to another district
• Ports and rail operations.
• Secretary, how many hours we've spent in the emergency operation centers utilizing and leveraging their

Summary: The committee held a panel discussion on micro-mobility device regulation and enforcement, focusing on e-bikes and e-scooters. Sheriff Robert Hardwick and Chief Jamie Cruz described serious injuries involving children, including crashes at high speeds, and argued that current law is outdated because it folds e-bikes into the bicycle statute. They urged a separate statewide framework with clearer age limits, licensing or training requirements, helmet rules, and penalties for modifying devices to go faster. Both also emphasized that parents should bear responsibility and that enforcement should include education, progressive discipline, and, if needed, civil citations. FDOT District 6 Secretary Daniel Iglesias and DHSMV representative Lonnie Groner said their agencies are prioritizing education, outreach, and better data collection. They noted that micromobility devices are increasingly common, create safety and accessibility issues on sidewalks and shared-use paths, and are difficult to track because crash reports often do not identify them consistently. Members discussed whether motorized devices should be barred from sidewalks, whether riders should be licensed and insured, and how enforcement could be made uniform statewide. The panel also said manufacturers have not been meaningfully engaged and that local approaches vary widely. The committee then heard 2026 legislative priorities from FDOT Secretary Jared Perdue and DHSMV Executive Director Dave Kerner. Perdue outlined FDOT’s large five-year work program, ongoing congestion-relief projects, investments in ports, airports, rail, workforce, heavy equipment, facilities, and cybersecurity, and the need to do more with flat revenues. Kerner summarized DHSMV’s agency bill priorities, including requiring a Florida address and proof of residence for vehicle registration, updating identification requirements, aligning tank vehicle and motor carrier rules with federal standards, improving IFTA administration, raising the crash-report damage threshold, and allowing electronic notices. No votes were taken, and the meeting adjourned after the presentations and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• most important services. communities across Texas, such as law enforcement, road maintenance, and emergency
• Small Business Administration, is independently owned and operated.
• They are operating as normal.
• Association of Fire and Emergency Districts, I will attempt to be brief.
• As you all may know, there's a little over 350 emergency services. Districts across the state.

Bills: HB134, HB135, HB 1109, HB 1243, HB1392, HB1399, HJR99, HB134, HB135

Keywords: sales tax, use tax, local tax, municipal tax, county tax, tax sourcing, place of business, principal business location, small business, retailer, marketplace seller, economic development agreement, Chapter 321, Chapter 323, Tax Code, Texas Comptroller, local sales and use tax, tax jurisdiction, order consummation, ship-to location

Transcript Highlights:

• bill must be an honorably discharged veteran, pass a background check, complete extensive training, operate
• And that's the whole purpose: to keep our kids safe and deter violent criminals from using gun-free zones
• No, they've done a study on how much money they need to operate.
• Without proper planning and immediate emergency intervention, a crisis can put her life in real danger
• Some CMO operators feel like they could do better if they had more students in their schools.

Summary: The Senate Education Committee met to hear several education-related measures. It reported favorably, without objection, on House Bill 1215, which would transfer certain removed historical statues and monuments to the Office of State Parks, prohibit re-erection in the parish where they were removed, and require interpretive signage. The committee also advanced House Bill 682, which creates a school guardian program for honorably discharged veterans employed or contracted by local school systems or charter schools; testimony emphasized that guardians would be unarmed, trained, and used for mentoring and school safety. House Bill 1079, giving enrollment preferences in charter schools to children in early childhood programs, military families, foster children, and children in custody disputes, was also reported favorably, as was House Concurrent Resolution 81, directing the Department of Education to study options for districts facing declining enrollment. The committee then took up House Bill 1084, which would allow public postsecondary institutions to raise tuition and mandatory fees by up to 15 percent annually, with higher increases requiring Board of Supervisors approval. The bill drew extended debate over affordability, TOPS, student retention, and whether universities should have more autonomy to set prices. Members raised concerns about fee burdens on families and whether the state should first study the issue; supporters argued the bill would increase transparency and let institutions respond to funding needs and market conditions. Senator Mazzell offered an amendment lowering the cap from 15 percent to 10 percent, and the committee adopted the amendment before reporting the bill favorably as amended. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 342, which would shift the burden of proof in special education due process hearings from parents to local education agencies. The author and parents testified that the current system places an unfair burden on families of children with disabilities, who often lack access to records and legal resources, and that schools already control the documentation and should have to show compliance with IEP obligations. Jefferson Parish school officials opposed the bill, arguing it would increase legal costs, require more staff and attorney time, and potentially lead to more hearings; they also questioned the fiscal note. The Legislative Fiscal Office said the fiscal impact was indeterminable, and the committee continued hearing testimony from parents and school representatives as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> Operation Metro Surge. Operation Metro Surge.
• ICE vehicles parked in no-parking zones in front of emergency room doors.
• ICE vehicles parked in no-parking zones in front of emergency room doors.
• </c> federal agents operating in the state. federal agents operating in the state.
• I think that's an important and operative piece of the legislation.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy and several DFL senators held a press conference after a floor session to announce a package of bills responding to recent ICE operations in Minnesota. Murphy said the proposals are meant to restore and protect Minnesotans’ rights after the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Prey, arguing that authorities should render aid when they injure someone. She said one bill, to be heard the next day in Sen. Ron Latz’s Judiciary and Public Safety Committee, would create a civil remedy for victims of constitutional violations by federal agents and their leaders. Another bill would give the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension independent investigative authority in cases where federal agents kill Minnesota residents, after the BCA was reportedly shut out of recent investigations. Sen. Lindsey Port described a bill to bar federal law enforcement from hiding their identities while on duty, citing masked ICE agents, alleged use of fake license plates and impersonation tactics, and a recent incident in which a health care worker was allegedly boxed in by masked men. Sen. Elise Mann said the package would designate hospitals, schools, daycares, colleges, and courthouses as protected spaces and require a judicial warrant for ICE entry, arguing that federal agents have been entering hospitals and schools and detaining people at vulnerable moments. The senators framed the effort as a response to unconstitutional enforcement tactics rather than immigration policy, and said they hoped for bipartisan support, though they acknowledged the legal issues may be challenged under federal supremacy and could reach the courts. In response to questions, the senators said the civil-rights bill is intended to create a state-court cause of action against federal officials acting under color of law, because current remedies are limited. They said people in schools or hospitals should not put themselves in danger if confronted by armed agents, and that the law would provide later accountability. Latz said the Judiciary Committee would take up the bills and that Minnesota must have a seat at the table in seeking justice for affected residents. Asked about funding for related community burdens, Murphy said it was not a budget year but the state has a rainy day fund and balance available from last session.

Transcript Highlights:

• HB 327 by Vernal relating to an exemption from certain zoning requirements of developing receiving certain
• HB 376 by Hayes relating to a plan of operation for Central Counting Station referred to the Committee
• Lane by an operator of motor vehicle who was pregnant referred to the committee on transportation.
• on Environmental Regulations, HB 483 by BC relating to the use of state money for high-speed rail operated
• HB 489 by Rosenthal relating to the temperature which a facility operated by the Texas Department of

Transcript Highlights:

• and exclusion zones.
• For the Northern Trinity, we've designated a fair number of zones; the majority of the zones have now
• The volumes that we assign when we determine the zones.
• There are some zones located within groundwater conservation districts. there's a mix: some zones in
• and some zones out.

Bills: HB937, HB2078, HB2080, HB3322, HB3350, HB4212, HB4630, HB4896, HB4951, HB5348, HB5675, SB565, SB971, SB1662, SB2124

Keywords: special districts, notice requirements, Water Code, government transparency, public meetings, meeting notice, transparency, public engagement, notice, elections, groundwater management, water conservation, joint planning, environmental impact, desired future conditions, groundwater, conservation district, environmental quality, regulatory review, water utility

Transcript Highlights:

• In 2017, the legislature empowered cities and counties with the ability to create and operate local housing
• There are over 35 local housing trust funds currently operating across the state.
• HRAs can only be created by cities and counties or a group of counties in which they operate.
• Beacon owns and operates 24 multifamily properties, providing affordable homes to 1,200 Minnesotans.
• About the zoning reforms and these efforts that were set up to keep folks out and hold them back—that's

Bills: HF1143, HF1548, HF1340, HF2549, HF2559, HF1673, HF2740, HF2507, HF2461, HF2381, HF2695

Keywords: education funding, unemployment aid, special education, Minnesota statutes, appropriations, housing, redevelopment, local government, trust funds, community development, HF1340, housing infrastructure bonds, Minnesota Housing Finance Agency, MHFA, affordable housing, supportive housing, permanent housing, adaptive reuse, area median income, AMI

Transcript Highlights:

• ,</c><00:07:44.000><c> especially</c> accidents in work zones, especially accidents in work zones, especially
• </c> Stewart on the work zone safety bill? Stewart on the work zone safety bill?
• </c> think we can't take work zone think we can't take work zone safety.<00:08:25.280><c> I</c><00:08
• </c> zone for granted. zone for granted.
• Uh so that operations of the agency.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I think the idea is that the information that goes on these maps and in these zones is preliminary, very
• </c><00:18:56.320><c> uh</c> goes on these maps and in zones uh goes on these maps and in zones uh really
• The amendments will be to clean the date and add to section one examples of down-zoning here in Hawaii
• We're going to set it in broad general geographic zones.
• </c><01:21:52.320><c> proclamation</c> governor's emergency proclamation governor's emergency proclamation

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committees heard testimony on five housing-related measures. SB 2232 would create a three-year tiny home grant pilot program within HHFDC, with annual reporting to HHFDC and the Legislature; testimony was mixed, and the bill was later recommended for passage with amendments, including a full-time housing development specialist, a residential-use-only restriction for the tiny homes, and a blanked appropriation. SB 2192 would bar county down-zoning that reduces housing capacity unless equivalent capacity is added elsewhere in the county; it drew support from housing advocates and comments from planning officials, and was also recommended for passage with amendments. SB 2378 would clarify insurance requirements for single- and multifamily projects seeking expedited county permitting; engineers and housing groups supported it, while one testifier opposed it, and it was recommended for passage with a technical amendment. SB 2524 would appropriate funds to the City and County of Honolulu for housing-related departments to comply with prior acts; the Honolulu department supported it, and members asked about prior spending and funding sources. SB 2398 would require residential housing utility availability maps; the Honolulu Board of Water Supply opposed the bill as written, citing infrastructure security, accuracy, liability, and administrative burden concerns, while supporters said it would improve transparency for developers. The chair proposed amendments to make the maps broad and geographic rather than parcel-specific, remove contested-case and reliance provisions, allow disclaimer language, and change the date; the bill was then recommended for passage with amendments, with one member noting reservations. All five measures were ultimately passed out of committee with amendments, with votes recorded and some members excused.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have asked our Guard to stand the watch on the southern border doing Operation Lone Star... ...to
• and disrupt smuggling operations of fentanyl into our nation, which are killing Missourians.
• And then after that, I just had the state emergency duty after that.
• And then after that, I just had the state emergency duty after that.
• Clearly, zone, and it was in pretty bad shape.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Second, obviously, the state might not be the right team to manage and run the operations.
• Refinery operations that we should take advantage of during the decommissioning phase, and then also
• Most refineries in the state have been operating for around a century, give or take.
• Regional air districts also play a role with permitting and changes of operations.
• Should a refinery close... ...and obligations on refiners operating in California.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Department of Health Services from selling or disclosing any personal identifying information of an emergency
• municipality from imposing any fine or penalty on a business based on the frequency of requests for emergency
• prohibits certain counties from regulating the use or occupation of land for the construction or operation
• reactors, or SMRs, if the SMR is co-located with a large industrial user that receives all applicable zoning

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The Republican caucus reviewed a long list of Senate bills and one House concurrent memorial, most of them described as third-read consent items. Topics included claims against the state, CPA licensing, creditor assignments, insurance adjuster licensing, school equivalency instruction, extending a credit enhancement board, firearm safety instruction in schools, student eligibility restrictions for school activities, Celebrate Freedom Week, release-time courses, voter registration roll access, campaign and disclosure mailing addresses, federal land designation tracking, public records review standards, workers’ compensation burial and death benefits, condominium flag displays, restrictions on sexually explicit material in schools and libraries, agency guidance posting, standardized state hiring, mental health court-ordered treatment procedures, autopsy supervision, tribal MOUs, controlled substance scheduling, emergency medical technician data privacy, dense breast tissue notice repeal, assisted living referral agency requirements, attorney disciplinary claims, fentanyl penalties, campus firearms rules, suppressors, defamation standards, mandatory reporting, attorney licensing, emergency service fee limits, forcible detainer changes, utility worker assault penalties, water basin reporting, small modular nuclear reactors, water recovery assumptions, ICE notification after arrests, military police certification pathways, and scholarship organization tax credits. Most bills were presented without debate and were noted as available for questions, with no votes taken in the caucus itself. A few items drew discussion. On SB 1040, members asked what information would be redacted from voter registration rolls; staff said existing statutory redactions such as voter registration numbers, ID numbers, Social Security numbers, and other personal identifying information would remain. SB 1193 prompted comments that EMT data being open source was surprising and that the issue might be expanded to paramedics. SB 1243 was described as strengthening guardian notification rights in court-ordered treatment, and SB 1318 was characterized as a cleanup measure to remove redundant state notice requirements for dense breast tissue. The most extended exchange came on SB 1148, which would require the Arizona Supreme Court to directly license attorneys rather than delegate that function to another organization; members asked whether the bill was shifting responsibility away from the State Bar, and staff explained that the court already has the duty but currently staffs part of the process out. SB 1418, which limits county regulation of certain small modular nuclear reactor projects, drew criticism from one member who argued it would reduce local control. The caucus also heard a sponsor presentation on H.C.M. 2009 urging Congress and the President to amend the Antiquities Act, compensate states for subsurface minerals, and streamline mining permits, with the sponsor emphasizing Arizona’s mining history and the need to access mineral resources more easily.

Transcript Highlights:

• We want to thank Senator Hunt for identifying an obstacle on an emerging issue for some homeowners.
• mostly impacting properties that were not in traditional neighborhoods but were in high wildfire risk zones
• We We've operated the state's official foreclosure prevention hotline since the original foreclosure
• Prevention is often less visible than emergency response, but is actually more effective and less costly

Summary: The committee held public hearings on two housing-related bills. Senate Bill 6054 would prohibit common interest communities, including HOAs and condominiums, from banning fire-hardened building materials that meet health and safety standards, while still allowing reasonable rules on design, placement, and appearance. The sponsor said the bill is intended to help homeowners reduce wildfire risk without forcing any resident to make changes, and staff explained that it would apply retroactively to conflicting governing documents. Testimony was generally supportive, including from the Office of the Insurance Commissioner, the Washington State Community Associations Institute, and HOA United, though the American Wood Council asked for narrower definitions so wood products could still qualify under other standards. Senate Bill 5938 would revise the $80 foreclosure prevention fee created last session. Staff said the bill expands exemptions to include reverse mortgages for borrowers age 60 and older, chattel loans and retail installment contracts for dwellings secured as personal property, and limits duplicate charges in certain state-supported homeownership programs. It also removes the option to pay the fee from borrower cash at closing, allows financing through loan proceeds, clarifies disclosure and Commerce’s rulemaking authority, and directs Commerce and the Housing Finance Commission to study creating a state homeowner assistance fund by July 1, 2027. The sponsor and supporters said the changes would stabilize foreclosure prevention funding, prevent multiple charges on the same transaction, and help homeowners stay in their homes. Testimony on SB 5938 was strongly supportive from the Washington Homeownership Resource Center, the Washington Build Back Black Alliance, HOA United, and the Northwest Justice Project, with speakers emphasizing foreclosure prevention, housing stability, and the need for assistance for seniors, first-time buyers, and HOA homeowners. At the end of the hearing, the chair announced that the committee would likely take executive action on the bills early the next week and asked members to submit amendments by the stated deadlines.

Transcript Highlights:

• I just know that historically the department has been very effective in managing private prison operations
• I just know that historically the department has been very effective in managing private prison operations
• However, the department requires our facilities to operate essentially identical.
• I also served in Operation Desert Storm with the late PFC Michael Angelo Nolene.
• Accident-prone zone. So we pay for it with our funding as well. It's very frustrating.

Summary: The committee took up several appropriations, transportation, naming, and education measures. It first approved SB 1035, which provides a FY27 General Fund appropriation for a 5% salary increase for Arizona Department of Corrections sworn officers and civilian employees; an amendment set the appropriation at $34 million and extended the raise to private prison employees under contract. Testimony from corrections advocates emphasized severe staffing shortages and pay gaps with other law enforcement employers, while some senators objected to including private prisons. The bill passed 6-3. The committee then approved SCM 102 and SCM 1006, which rename stretches of highway in honor of L.F. Quinn and PFC Michael Nolan, respectively, after emotional testimony from family members and local supporters; both memorial measures passed 9-1. SB 1065, appropriating $3.64 million for the Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Military Veterans Fund, also passed 6-4 after supporters described HBOT as a promising, drug-free treatment for veterans, while opponents questioned the evidence and FDA approval for the claimed uses. SB 1248, which clarifies funding and attendance rules for county jail and juvenile detention education programs, passed unanimously 10-0 after county school officials said it would prevent double-counting students and separate funding streams properly. The committee also advanced transportation bills focused on the fast-growing West Valley corridor. SB 1204 appropriates $5.5 million to ADOT to design and conduct environmental analysis for interchange improvements at U.S. 60 and SR 303; supporters from the City of Surprise described severe congestion, safety risks, and economic impacts, while some senators argued the project should be funded through HURF rather than the General Fund. It passed 8-1, and the chair invited members to discuss broader HURF funding issues later. SB 1207, a smaller $150,000 study bill to examine financing mechanisms for development tied to U.S. 60/SR 303 infrastructure, also passed 7-1 after local officials said it would help align growth with transportation funding. SB 1274, creating a Police Foundation specialty license plate and fund for Phoenix Police Foundation programs, passed 6-2; the foundation said proceeds would support officer wellness, remembrance, and community/youth outreach. Finally, SB 1001, a $1 million appropriation for the Older Individuals Who Are Blind program, passed 9-0 after blind seniors and advocates testified that the services preserve independence and prevent more costly institutional care. The committee also heard SB 1161, which would make non-lapsing a prior $750,000 DPS appropriation for the Yuma County Family Advocacy Center, with the sponsor explaining it was intended to allow the funds to be spent over multiple years; the transcript cuts off before final action on that bill.