Transcript Highlights:

• And as you know, the Arizona Water Settlement Act of 2004 was a large... ...for our water.
• And as you know, the Arizona Water Settlement Act of 2004 was the largest water settlement in U.S. history
• And because of the water settlement, the community has a huge impact in these negotiations.
• people would come to my father and they say, you know, how come, you know, we prevailed in our water settlements

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The committee began with a series of presentations highlighting tribal communities as part of rural economic development. Representative Mae Peshlakai described Legislative District 6, emphasizing its large geographic size, the eight tribal nations within it, and the cultural and scenic importance of the Navajo Nation and other tribes. Governor Stephen Roe Lewis then presented on the Gila River Indian Community, focusing on its history, Hohokam heritage, water rights, the MAR-5 aquifer recharge project, cultural traditions, and the importance of collaboration with state lawmakers. Members praised the presentations and noted the need for greater attention to tribal issues in the legislature. The committee then took up SB 1016, with a strike-everything amendment that moved the property-owner petition requirement earlier in the process for municipal improvement districts and allowed certain notice and protest requirements to be waived. Supporters, including the mayors of Camp Verde and Clarkdale, said the change would improve transparency, reduce financial risk for small towns, and help rural communities build needed infrastructure such as wastewater systems, water lines, and housing-related improvements. The committee adopted the strike-everything amendment and passed SB 1016 on a 5-0 vote, with one member present and one absent. Next, the committee considered SB 1401, the Workforce Housing Accelerator Act, using a strike-everything amendment that would allow municipalities to create expedited plan review and permitting for qualified workforce housing projects and exempt project proceeds from the state portion of the prime contracting sales tax. Habitat for Humanity representatives said the measure would lower carrying costs and help build more affordable homes, while one member noted the tax exemption would reduce general fund revenue but supported the bill as a targeted tradeoff to address housing shortages. The committee adopted the amendment and passed SB 1401 by a 5-1 vote. The meeting concluded with Representative Myron Sosec’s presentation on barriers to economic development on the Navajo Nation and other tribal lands. He discussed lower workforce participation, higher unemployment and poverty, limited access to capital, trust-land financing barriers, dual taxation, infrastructure deficits, and delays caused by federal and tribal review processes. He also highlighted Navajo economic strategies such as loan guarantees, renewable energy development, and tourism investments, and urged state action on tax reform, matching funds, and annual tribal field hearings. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, there was a settlement between the Department of Justice and the National Association of Realtors
• In fact, after the settlement, I received phone calls from several states asking for our copy of our
• So, it's a customer protection act, and it helps us stay in compliance with the settlement agreement.
• letter in compliance with the settlement letter in compliance with the settlement agreement<00:35
• stay in compliance with the settlement stay in compliance with the settlement agreement.

Bills: HB0108, HB0039, HB0091, HB0070

Keywords: audit, transparency, government reporting, accountability, public access, firearm rights, restoration of rights, criminal justice, felony convictions, Wyoming law, artificial intelligence, social scoring, biometric data, privacy rights, government regulation, foreign censorship, digital innovation, constitutional rights, Wyoming GRANITE Act, extraterritorial laws

Transcript Highlights:

• So, they've been issued the death... settlement like what in fact is their settlement like what in fact
• So even as part of the settlement, it's not like, oh well, that entity was shut down but a new entity
• So even as part of the settlement, it's not like, oh well, that entity was shut down but a new entity
• So even as part of the settlement, it's not like, oh well, that entity was shut down but a new entity
• So even as part of the settlement, it's not like, oh well, that entity was shut down but a new entity

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• It's going to create longer timelines, higher costs, and more settlements driven by financial pressures
• We have H. 1863, an Act relative to structured settlement payment protections.
• Harrison Hosker of the National Association of Settlement Purchasers. Thank you, Chair Edwards.
• My name is Harrison Hosker, here on behalf of the National Association of Settlement Purchasers.
• These companies purchase a portion of a person's structured settlement in exchange for immediate funds

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on the Judiciary held a lengthy public hearing on a wide range of civil actions, labor, consumer protection, and animal welfare bills. Chair Lydia Edwards and Representative Michael Day opened with strict testimony rules and time limits, then heard from legislators and advocates on measures including animal-abuser pet ownership bans (S. 1207/H. 1914), a name-change privacy bill (S. 1045/H. 1973), tort claims reform (H. 1724), law enforcement council coverage under the Tort Claims Act (S. 1199), civil rights and qualified immunity-related proposals (H. 1641), employee free speech/captive audience restrictions (S. 1078/H. 1653), consumer protection and civil rights jurisdiction expansion (S. 1041), private right of action for wage theft (H. 1916), gun-owner liability insurance (H. 1836), pseudoephedrine sales tracking (S. 1243/H. 1581), prepaid legal services plans (H. 1612), structured settlement protections (H. 1863), third-party litigation financing disclosure (H. 1861), antitrust reform for small businesses and workers (S. 1038/H. 1982), legal notices in online-only newspapers (S. 1279/H. 1632), and several animal cruelty and protection bills including H. 1938, H. 1949, S. 1277/H. 1934, and H. 1764. Testimony was largely supportive from bill sponsors and advocacy groups, with repeated themes of protecting vulnerable people and animals, improving access to justice, and updating outdated laws. Supporters of the animal bills argued for stronger possession bans, broader cruelty citations, and civil removal tools to prevent repeat abuse; opponents or conditional supporters raised due process and enforcement concerns, especially around warrantless seizures and requiring retail or shelter staff to check registries. On the labor and consumer side, supporters said the antitrust bill would curb monopoly power and help small businesses and workers, while opponents warned it could destabilize competition and burden successful firms. The employee free speech bill was backed as a response to captive audience meetings, and the wage-theft bill was presented as a way to let workers or organizations pursue claims when individual employees are afraid to come forward. Several public officials and association representatives testified on the law enforcement and civil rights bills. Chiefs of police supported adding law enforcement councils to the Tort Claims Act, saying it would close a liability gap for regional mutual-aid collaborations. But police representatives opposed changes to the Massachusetts Civil Rights Act and qualified immunity-related provisions, arguing the federal system already provides a workable forum and that expanding liability could increase costs, reduce morale, and worsen recruitment and retention. On the consumer/civil rights bill, Senator Collins and a veteran described an out-of-state assault case that they said showed the need for Massachusetts to let residents seek redress at home when rights are violated elsewhere. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the hearing itself; the committee mainly received testimony and questions. Several witnesses indicated they had submitted written testimony or proposed amendments, and some bills drew requests for favorable reports while others were explicitly opposed unless amended.

Transcript Highlights:

• . settlements. settlements.
• into the settlement fund. into the settlement fund.
• For these reasons, the confidential settlement process makes total sense. Thank you, Mr.
• <02:07:58.159> agreement process under the settlement agreement process under the settlement
• , Some of them, the bigger settlements, Some of them, the bigger settlements, but<02:10:12.400>

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• governance dispute, and the parties, the representative plaintiff and the company, had come to a settlement
• technical or arcane aspects of Delaware law in representative litigation, I declined to approve the settlement
• The parties reconfigured the settlement, and I approved it quickly, within I think a week after I rejected
• the first settlement.
• Were wrestling with a little bit in that and why you wanted to very quickly approve the settlement when

Summary: The Senate Executive Committee met in hybrid format and first considered two gubernatorial judicial appointments. Morgan T. Zurn, nominated to the Delaware Supreme Court, described her background in public service, the Court of Chancery, DOJ, and federal clerkship, and answered extensive questions about judicial philosophy, precedent, statutory interpretation, access to justice, AI and deepfakes, corporate law stability, civility, social media, and public confidence in the courts. Christy N. Vitola, nominated to be Commissioner of Family Court, discussed her Delaware upbringing, legal career in family law and child support, and experience with pro se litigants and high-volume dockets; she was questioned about handling family court cases efficiently, the best interests of the child, and correcting calculation errors. No votes on the nominations were taken during the portion shown. The committee then moved to legislation. House Bill 443, concerning background checks for volunteers and mentors in the Department of Education’s mentoring program, was presented as a technical update to allow DOE to continue receiving wrap-back reports and to ensure mentors undergo state and federal criminal background checks. There was no public comment or committee debate on the bill. House Bill 431 with House Amendment 1, sponsored by Representative Bush and Senator Hoffner, would allow composting of yard waste, food residue, and other organic materials to divert waste from landfills, extend landfill life, reduce disposal costs, support farmers by returning nutrients to the soil, and reduce methane emissions; it also preserves county/local control over siting and inspection. Senator Townsend asked whether composting was currently allowed, and Senator Hoffner explained that the bill would authorize it under the stated controls. No public comment was offered on either bill. At the close of the meeting, the chair noted that the bills and nominee backers had been circulated for signatures. Senator Hocker moved to adjourn, Senator Townsend seconded, and the committee adjourned without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• In 1995, it's not in the original order, but in 1995, part of the settlement negotiations were that the
• So it's part of a—not the original ruling, but a settlement six years later.
• is not going to change the... ...piece of the litigation is not going to change the underlying settlement
• Sarn settlement, not the underlying ruling.
• We're talking about a settlement based on a law, and we're changing the law, therefore it wouldn't happen

Bills: HB2408, HB2434, HB2725, HB2728, HB2729, HB2730, HB2731, HB2732, HB2733, SB1192, SB1398, SB1399, SB1494, SB1557, SB1813, SB1821

Keywords: nursing board, regulatory actions, disciplinary actions, expungement, healthcare professionalism, controlled substances, prescription monitoring, opioid crisis, healthcare regulations, patient safety, prescription drugs, opioids, healthcare, pain management, utilization controls, AHCCCS, Department of Economic Security, social services, welfare programs, vocational rehabilitation

Summary: The committee took up several health and human services bills. SB 1192 would exempt good-faith basic first aid given without compensation from Arizona Medical Board licensure requirements, with added consent and law-enforcement notification rules for injured persons under 15; a Shamp amendment clarified that the bill does not limit existing liability protections, and the bill passed as amended. SB 1398 would require AHCCCS to redetermine eligibility for members over 21 every six months starting in 2027 and report eligibility data annually; Access testified neutral but raised concerns about costs and the lack of exemptions, while supporters framed it as a transparency and budgeting measure. The committee adopted a technical amendment and passed the bill as amended. SB 1399 would require prepaid capitated AHCCCS contractors to report annual spending on direct patient care versus administrative costs; it passed without amendment after testimony that the report would improve oversight of taxpayer dollars. The committee also considered SB 1494, a strike-everything amendment aimed at stopping patient brokering and steering, including prohibiting health care providers, institutions, and drug manufacturers from paying premiums or inducing plan changes tied to health-status factors. Blue Cross Blue Shield supported the concept, describing small-scale but harmful brokering and fraud concerns, while ARMA opposed the language as too broad and vague, warning it could chill ordinary provider-patient conversations and sweep in social workers and navigators. The committee adopted the striker and passed the bill as amended, though several members said they wanted to refine the language before floor action. SB 1813 would remove the Maricopa County cap on Arizona State Hospital civil beds tied to the Arnold v. Sarn settlement and require admission based on clinical need; the sponsor and supporters argued the cap is outdated and leaves beds unused while patients remain in crisis, while the Department of Health Services and others warned of rural access concerns, litigation risk, and the need for more resources. The committee adopted both amendments, including removal of a citizenship requirement, and passed the bill as amended after a lengthy debate about legality and possible court challenges. SB 1821, which would allow JLBC audit review of DCS case-management systems, authorize unannounced inspections of licensed group foster homes, prioritize kinship placements, and require one year of supervised training for new child safety workers, passed without amendment. SB 1557 would require signed informed consent before most medical interventions; supporters said it codifies standard practice, while the ACLU argued it was vague and could create burdens for ongoing care and politically sensitive treatments. The bill passed as introduced.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is money from the settlement from PFAS contamination.
• So this is from that 3M settlement that we don't have yet. Is that correct? this.
• Thank you. how it connects to the settlement how it connects to the settlement agreement<00:50:12.800
• <00:50:30.400> agreement<00:50:30.800> work settlement agreement work settlement agreement
• And I know that the um suit settlement.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the money for the settlement?
• so we have the money for the settlement so we have raised<00:42:38.680> the<00:42:38.839>
• And what's the remaining balance of the settlement?
• The remaining balance of the settlement right now, so, um, the total amount that is obligated is four
• Will this affect your ability to re-fund the Maui wildfire settlement, because I am worried about the

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several measures, beginning with SB 48 SD2 HD1 relating to combat sports. The Attorney General offered a technical comment on the bill’s effective date, and several testifiers from the combat sports community strongly supported the measure with amendments. They argued that boxing and MMA should be treated separately, that the current regulatory structure has made events too costly and reduced opportunities, and that more local oversight would help revive the sport and give youth a constructive outlet. Committee members questioned whether the bill’s medical staffing requirements would apply to boxing, MMA, or both, and whether the added requirements would increase costs and reduce access. The witness from the combat sports community said amateur boxing is already regulated through USA Boxing, that the DCCA should focus on professional boxing, and that for safety he would support two physicians and one ambulance for boxing and MMA events. The committee then took up SB 117 SD2 HD1 relating to transportation. The Department of Transportation and the Ulon Initiative testified in support, and the bicycling community was listed as supporting as well. Members focused on the bill’s rebate program for electric transportation devices, asking how successful it had been and whether removing the rebate would affect use. DOT said the program began in February 2023 and had issued about 500 rebates totaling roughly $166,000, aimed at helping people without vehicles access transportation options. The department explained that the bill would broaden access and increase the rebate amount, including additional assistance for low-income applicants. Finally, the committee heard SB 897 SD3 HD1 relating to energy and wildfire liability. The Division of Consumer Advocacy, the Public Utilities Commission, the Attorney General, Clearway Energy Group, Ulon Initiative, Kawai K, IBEW Local 1260, and Hawaiian Electric all testified in support, while the Hawaii Association for Justice was listed as opposed but not present. Supporters said the bill would help finance wildfire mitigation and infrastructure improvements through securitization, reduce wildfire risk, and address utility cost and credit concerns. Hawaiian Electric emphasized that the bill is forward-looking, would help protect customers from future wildfire-related cost increases, and requested amendments including a study on a future wildfire recovery fund. In questioning, members pressed Hawaiian Electric on the liability cap, asking whether it would have applied to the Maui wildfires and whether it would cover personal injury or wrongful death; the witness and company counsel clarified that the aggregate cap applies only to qualifying property damage, not personal injury or wrongful death, and said they would follow up on how the cap would calculate in a Maui-type event. Hawaiian Electric also said it would seek financing under the bill if enacted and updated members on settlement funding efforts, including raising the first $550 million in equity and divesting assets to help meet its obligations.

Transcript Highlights:

• Let’s talk about those settlements. Is that public record? Yes. All right.
• What’s the settlement offer to Gremlin, right?
• Let's talk about those settlements. Is that public record? Yes. All right.
• What's the settlement offer to Gremlin right? “Public record?” “Yes.” “All right.
• What’s the settlement offer to Boyce right now?” “Boyce is settled. Boyce settled.

Keywords: 974, senate, all

Bills: HB 45, HB 755, HB 1232, HB 1555, HB 2460, HB 2702, HB 2973, HB 3120, HB 3225, HB 3314, HB 3356, HB 3371, HB 3634, HB 3638, HB 4247, HB 4283, HB 4290, HB 4302, HB 4503, HB 4511, HB 4565, HB 4581, HB 4627, HB 4632, HB 4660, HB 4668, HB 4960, HB 5042

Keywords: housing, affordable housing, rent control, landlord-tenant laws, housing rights, lobbying, public entities, expenditures, government code, transparency, Texas Ethics Commission, government regulation, lobbying restrictions, government accountability, taxpayer money, HB 1232, whistleblower, whistleblower protection, public employee, retaliation

Transcript Highlights:

• Whenever we close a matter... ...whether it's an investigation we don't decide to pursue or we get a settlement

Bills: HB45, HB755, HB 1232, HB1555, HB2460, HB2702, HB2973, HB3120, HB3225, HB3314, HB3356, HB3371, HB3634, HB3638, HB4247, HB4283, HB4290, HB4302, HB4503, HB4511, HB4565, HB4581, HB4627, HB4632, HB4660, HB4668, HB4960, HB5042, HB45

Keywords: housing, affordable housing, rent control, landlord-tenant laws, housing rights, lobbying, public entities, expenditures, government code, transparency, Texas Ethics Commission, government regulation, lobbying restrictions, government accountability, taxpayer money, HB 1232, whistleblower, whistleblower protection, public employee, retaliation

Bills: HB45, HB45, HB755, HB 1232, HB1555, HB2460, HB2702, HB2973, HB3120, HB3225, HB3314, HB3356, HB3371, HB3634, HB3638, HB4247, HB4283, HB4290, HB4302, HB4503, HB4511, HB4565, HB4581, HB4627, HB4632, HB4660, HB4668, HB4960, HB5042

Keywords: flooding, disaster response, emergency preparedness, state guidance, public safety, housing, affordable housing, rent control, landlord-tenant laws, housing rights, lobbying, public entities, expenditures, government code, transparency, Texas Ethics Commission, government regulation, lobbying restrictions, government accountability, taxpayer money

Transcript Highlights:

• To prevent a patient and provider from entering into a settlement agreement whereby medical care and
• I believe that was intended to say nothing prevents lump sum settlements.
• say, encourage a higher settlement amount than might otherwise be appropriate because the providers
• It was like a settlement of a lawsuit kind of situation.
• It was like a settlement of a lawsuit kind of situation.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• THIS IS A STRAIGHTFORWARD CLAIM AND THEY HAVE AGREED TO THE SETTLEMENT AND THIS IS THE LEAST YOU CAN
• PER THE SENATE SPECIAL MASTER'S ON CLAIMS BILL THIS IS A SETTLEMENT CLAIM FOR $1.7 MILLION TO THE STATE
• THE BILL PROPOSES A $1.2 MILLION SETTLEMENT TO FULLY RESOLVE THE CLAIM.
• THIS IS A BILL WITH AN EXCESS SETTLEMENT CLAIM OF $200,000 THE PARENTS ERIK MILES NOW DECEASED SEEK COMPENSATION
• THE CASE WENT INTO MEDIATION ON JUNE 29 24 AND THE PARTIES REACHED A SETTLEMENT ACROSS AGREEMENT BETWEEN

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Other revenue adjustments, diligent enforcement settlement, that was included in the House proposal,
• Other revenue adjustments, diligent enforcement settlement, that was included in the House proposal,
• Several things to point out on the add side: the Trueblood Settlement—these are funds for phase four
• of the settlement for things like housing and crisis stabilization and outpatient competency restoration

Summary: The conference committee met on Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5167, the state operating budget, and received a detailed staff briefing on the proposed conference report. Staff explained how to read the comparison documents, the four-year balanced-budget outlook, and the main resource assumptions, including use of the March 2025 revenue forecast, exclusion of the statutory 4.5% growth assumption, revenue legislation totaling about $8.7 billion, numerous fund transfers, and reversion assumptions. They also noted the proposal does not include a temporary salary reduction or furloughs. The briefing highlighted major policy areas and their net five-year impacts, including increases for state and higher education employee compensation, K-12 education, long-term care and developmental disabilities, corrections, information technology, and other policy items. It also described net reductions in behavioral health, children/youth/families, higher education, natural resources, other human services, and health care/public health, with many of the changes tied to delayed programs, rate adjustments, fund shifts, and savings options from Governor Ferguson. The committee then heard member comments, with supporters emphasizing K-12 funding and fiscal responsibility, and Senator Gildon opposing the process and the closed-door nature of the budget development. A motion was made and seconded to recommend adoption of the conference report and pass the bill. The roll call showed one member voting do not recommend, one member excused, and the remaining members recommending adoption. By vote of the committee, the conference report was adopted, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• auditor to submit a report to the Senate and House Health and Welfare Committees regarding opioid settlement
• legislative auditor should include, so the Legislature gets a more useful accounting of opioid settlement
• is a good-faith liability dispute, a good-faith medical causation dispute, or if there's been no settlement
• simply, it, it, it's one of the things this bill does is if an insurer is making a payment on a settlement
• If the person receiving the settlement is in arrears, On a settlement, if the person receiving the settlement

Bills: SR125, SCR70, SCR12, HB4, HB251, HB623, HB819, HB944, HB986, HB1098, HB1222, HB1257, HB221, HCR58, SCR22, SCR24, SB29, SB30, SB32, SB41, SB42, SB43, SB47, SB84, SB93, SB113, SB192, SB199, SB219, SB220, SB221, SB222, SB241, SB253, SB255, SB289, SB292, SB306, SB314, SB351, SB399, SB404, SB14, SB102, SB133, SB151, SB165, SB169, SB170, SB200, SB217, SB280, SB291, SB300, SB303, SB330, SB449, SB489, SB521, SB45, SB156, SB181, SB203, SB274, SB304, SB379, SB396, SB410, SB425, SB427, SB436, SB424, SCR61, SCR9, SB35, SB65, SB215, SB246, SB249, SB269, SB282, SB296, SB323, SB363, SB369, SB474, SB490, SB492, SB500, HCR31, HB296, HB299, HB322, HB364, HB519, HB535, HB538, HB568, HB571, HB622, HB635, HB676, HB772, HB784, HB1006, HB1018, HB1043, HB1070, HB1134, HB1239, HB62, HB193, HB203, HB210, HB220, HB228, HB246, HB420, HB475, HB486, HB574, HB584, HB750, HB813, HB815, HB826, HB870, HB949, HB953, HB1045, HB1092, HB1151, HB1162, HB1176, HB1177, HB1196, HB1214, HB1241, HB22, HB28, HB33, HB41, HB47, HB87, HB115, HB162, HB195, HB214, HB217, HB233, HB283, HB290, HB319, HB324, HB345, HB362, HB363, HB368, HB377, HB380, HB382, HB386, HB392, HB406, HB431, HB441, HB466, HB503, HB533, HB559, HB575, HB590, HB593, HB618, HB636, HB655, HB664, HB685, HB692, HB707, HB715, HB732, HB738, HB741, HB748, HB776, HB807, HB822, HB856, HB860, HB868, HB887, HB888, HB905, HB908, HB961, HB980, HB990, HB992, HB999, HB1000, HB1010, HB1146, HB1157, HB1233, HB1236, HB1243, HB54, HB137, HB180, HB192, HB310, HB321, HB396, HB512, HB552, HB578, HB638, HB663, HB708, HB717, HB718, HB1009, HB1082, HB1104, HB1107, HB1198, HB1246, HB1250, HB17, HB36, HB73, HB119, HB126, HB129, HB133, HB140, HB159, HB166, HB211, HB226, HB245, HB271, HB280, HB337, HB351, HB354, HB399, HB677, HB712, HB723, HB726, HB728, HB759, HB789, HB844, HB850, HB966, HB1036, SB149, SB382, SB441, HB134, HB258, HB359, HB782

Keywords: SR125, Senate Resolution 125, MUSV, Medium Unmanned Surface Vessel, MASC, Modular Attack Surface Craft, Conrad Shipyard, Morgan City, Louisiana shipbuilding, U.S. Navy, Department of the Navy, unmanned naval vessels, autonomous ships, defense procurement, military contracting, shipyard jobs, maritime workforce, advanced manufacturing, robotics, software engineering

Transcript Highlights:

• would the Department of Health report be admissible, but also any complaint, investigative report, settlement
• Senator Martin, you put settlements as being admissible and discoverable.
• Isn't the normal process that when parties enter into settlements, there is no admission of guilt?
• Some settlements are confidential. Some are not confidential.
• No settlement, no apology. Nothing can undo the pain and the suffering of the loss.

Summary: The Committee on Rules met with a quorum and heard extensive debate on SB 734, which would repeal Florida’s wrongful-death medical malpractice exception that bars certain adult children and parents from recovering noneconomic damages. Senator Yarborough presented the bill as a fairness and accountability measure, while many family members testified in support, describing deaths they believed were caused by medical negligence and arguing the current law denies equal justice. Opponents, including physician and insurer representatives, warned the bill could increase malpractice exposure, premiums, defensive medicine, and physician shortages. The committee also considered two late-filed amendments: Senator Burton’s amendment would make Department of Health investigative findings admissible in court, and Senator Martin’s amendment to that amendment would broaden admissibility/discoverability to additional disciplinary and prior-adverse-incident records and insurance coverage facts. After debate, the Martin amendment was adopted, but the Burton amendment as amended failed on a roll call vote. The committee then reported SB 734 favorably without the amendment. The committee next unanimously reported CS for SB 86 favorably. That bill, by Senator Burgess, expands peer support protections for first responders to include support personnel; there was little debate and several law-enforcement-related organizations indicated support. The committee also took up SB 316 on series limited liability companies. Senator Berman explained that the bill creates rules for series LLCs in Florida, and a late-filed amendment, requested by the Secretary of State, delayed implementation by one year. The amendment was adopted and the bill was reported favorably. Finally, the committee considered CS for CS for SB 384, which requires municipalities seeking to annex state-owned land to notify the relevant county legislative delegation when the first public hearing is advertised. Senator Burton presented the bill briefly, there was no opposition or debate, and the committee proceeded to vote on the measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• 08:42.719> Papa the county of Kala and the kala Papa the county of Kala and the kala Papa settlement
• first up we have Department settlement first up we have Department of<00:08:46.440> Health<00
• further finds that there are many other stakeholders that care about the future of the Kalaupapa settlement
• further finds that there are many other stakeholders that care about the future of the Kalaupapa settlement
• further finds that there are many other stakeholders that care about the future of the Kalaupapa settlement

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committees heard testimony on SB 1221 and SB 1222, both relating to storm water management and detention/retention ponds. Testifiers, including the Department of Health, the Hawaiian Lifeguard Association, and a family member affected by a drowning death in a poorly maintained detention pond, strongly supported stronger statewide safety standards, inspections, and maintenance requirements. Several speakers urged that the bills be combined or aligned so they would cover both existing and future ponds, and there was discussion about whether responsibility should remain with DOH or be shifted to DLNR, which members said has more relevant expertise. The committee ultimately amended SB 1221 to move responsibilities from DOH to DLNR, add two positions, and include existing ponds, then passed SB 1221 with amendments. SB 1222 was deferred. The committees also heard SB 1432, concerning changes to the Department of Health’s responsibilities related to Kalaupapa as the patient population declines. DOH testified in support, saying the bill begins the conversation about future responsibilities after there are no longer patients at Kalaupapa. Testimony from K
4dhana O Kalaupapa, descendants, and community members emphasized that the affected community and other stakeholders should be included in planning, and several speakers asked for more detail on the state’s transition plan, financial responsibilities, and preservation of the site’s cultural and historical significance. Members discussed the need for a coordinated plan among DOH, DLNR, and DHHL, and asked for more detailed cost information and a clearer roadmap. The committee passed SB 1432 with amendments, including stakeholder consultation language and a requirement for a state plan and financial details to be reported back. Later, the committees heard SB 1339, which would create a program to characterize statewide carbon sequestration potential and underground water resources. DBEDT and the Chief Energy Officer testified in support, describing it as part of a broader coordinated effort involving DHHL, DBEDT, the University of Hawaii, and the Energy Office to advance geothermal and related research. No vote or final action on SB 1339 was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then, similar to the bill here in Florida, the litigation funders cannot recover more of any settlement
• Let's lowball them in a settlement agreement or let's drag this out a really long time.
• So the prohibitions, for example, on interfering with settlement discussions or the prohibitions on interfering
• with litigation... ...interfering with settlement discussions or the prohibitions on interfering with
• The bill does not eliminate transparency or hide settlements, which remain public.

Summary: The Judiciary Committee met and took up a series of bills, beginning with SB 620, which would require candidates for federal, state, county, district, judicial, and school board offices to disclose any citizenship in countries other than the United States. The bill was presented as a transparency measure, with one opponent waiving time, and it was reported favorably on an 8-0 vote. The committee then heard SB 1396 on litigation financing consumer protection. Supporters from the Florida Justice Reform Institute, American Tort Reform Association, and U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform argued the bill would add transparency, limit funder control, and require disclosure of foreign entities involved in litigation funding. Opponents, including the Florida Justice Association, argued the bill would create strategic advantages for defendants and could affect discovery and settlement dynamics. The bill passed 7-2. The committee also approved SB 192, removing a $1,500 cap on patient funds chiropractors may hold in trust; SB 888, limiting indemnity and insurance requirements in design-professional contracts; CS/SB 332, creating a temporary closed-meeting exemption for pre-suit Burt Harris litigation strategy discussions; SB 820, requiring quarterly reporting on problem-solving courts; SB 1500, updating uncontested probate procedures; SB 1224, making fraudulent entry into rental dwellings a third-degree felony; and SB 1000, setting a floor and ceiling for interest rates on law firm trust accounts. Each of these bills was reported favorably, with broad support and little or no opposition. The committee also advanced CS/SB 694, which would compensate the descendants of the Groveland Four. Senator Bracey Davis described the bill as a final step in addressing the wrongful convictions, deaths, and long-term harm suffered by Charles Greenlee, Walter Irvin, Samuel Shepard, and Ernest Thomas. Family members and advocacy groups testified in support, urging the state to complete its acknowledgment of wrongdoing with monetary compensation. An amendment was adopted to divide any appropriation equally among the four families. The bill passed unanimously. Finally, SB 144 creating a public records exemption for personal information of Judicial Qualifications Commission employees and their families was approved 9-1. Several members also requested to be recorded as voting in the affirmative on specific bills before the committee adjourned.