Transcript Highlights:

• One is the ICIP process through the legislature, which is vital.
• It was kind of a bureaucratic process.
• The process involves a lot of high risk.
• It's not a fast process; it's a very slow process.
• don't need to ask for presidential permits.

Transcript Highlights:

• 5856 for the Department of Public Advocacy in Christian County resulted from the competitive bid process
• Cabinet, Department of Vehicle Regulation in Kenton County also resulted from the competitive bid process
• compliance with the KPDES permit compliance with the KPDES permit requirements<00:31:16.399>
• The project is seeking funding for engineering design, permitting, and construction of the water, wastewater
• The project is seeking funding for engineering design, permitting, and construction of the water

Keywords: 00:02 Call to Order and Roll Call 00:45 Approval of Minutes 01:01 Information Items 06:25 Project Rpt from Postsecondary Institutions-KCTCS 10:50 Project Rpt from Finance and Admin Cabinet 18:08 Lease Rpt from Finance and Admin Cabinet 27:12 Rpt from OFM – KY Infrastructure Authority 33:56 Rpt from OFM – CED EDF Grants 47:20 Rpt from OFM – Office of Financial Mgmt 56:53 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The committee first handled routine business, including approval of the February meeting minutes and several information items. Those items covered university equipment purchases, school district and transportation-related debt issuances, Northern Kentucky University’s planned construction-manager/general-contractor delivery method for the medical examiner/crime lab relocation project, a lease-space advertisement, postsecondary asset preservation allocations, and lease-law compliance reports. Members then discussed the Northern Kentucky crime lab project in more detail; staff explained that the memorandum of agreement would cover the construction portion while the lease would cover operations, and members were told the project should move forward without procurement problems. The committee approved a Kentucky Community and Technical College System project to modify the fire academy maintenance building after the related dormitory project was set aside because of major cost overruns. KCTCS said the dormitory would be about $3 million over budget, so it would not be bid; instead, the maintenance building would be expanded to add showers and restroom/locker facilities, bringing that project from $2 million to about $3.2 million. The committee also approved a Transportation Cabinet project for the Hardin County I-65 southbound commercial motor vehicle station relocation, with members asking about the estimate, the lack of a direct prior example, and the fact that the loadometer equipment itself would be purchased separately and was not included in the construction estimate. Finance and Administration Cabinet lease items were then considered. The committee approved a Department of Public Advocacy lease in Christian County and a Transportation Cabinet vehicle regulation lease in Kenton County, both negotiated down from initial asking prices and both including utilities. Two lease modifications were reported without action: a Department of Revenue fit-up in Jefferson County and an expanded vehicle regulation lease in Adair County. Members also approved a package of Kentucky Infrastructure Authority items, including four loans and six Cleaner Water Program grant reallocations, covering sewer and water projects such as MSD’s Patty’s Run flood pumping station, Paducah-McCracken County’s wastewater treatment plant, Mount Washington’s lift station replacement, and Eminence’s wastewater plant expansion. Finally, the committee heard a batch of Kentucky Product Development Initiative economic development grants and approved the action items in one vote. The projects included due diligence and infrastructure work for industrial and site-development projects in multiple counties, with local match requirements and KEDFA approvals described for each. The committee also received three line-item water grants from House Bill 1 that required no action, and the meeting ended after the grant presentations and approvals.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'd like to know what process you use. Yes, thank you for the question, Senator.
• Like, how are you given a process that you have to run off?
• That's the forefront of our discretionary decision-making process.
• We start the parole process as much as 200 days prior to their release.
• So out-of-county placement is a process.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Rules Committee met to consider several gubernatorial appointments and routine agenda items. The committee first approved, on initial roll calls, appointments not required to appear including Olivia May Assuncion to the Commission on Disability Access, William Adams to the California Exposition and State Fair Board of Directors, and two appointments to the California Law Revision Commission (Anacubas and David Hubner, J.D.), while also taking up bill referrals and floor acknowledgments. Later, after all members were present, the committee completed add-on votes on those items, with most receiving unanimous or near-unanimous support; Anacubas and Hubner drew some opposition but were still approved. The committee then heard testimony from Brian Bishop, nominated to lead the Division of Adult Parole Operations at CDCR. Members questioned him about data-driven supervision of high-risk parolees, GPS monitoring, drug and alcohol testing, unannounced visits, coordination with local law enforcement, victim protections, out-of-county placement, supervision of unhoused parolees, and oversight of private reentry/housing contractors. Bishop emphasized a public-safety-and-rehabilitation approach, frequent collaboration with local agencies, compliance sweeps, victim exclusion zones, and efforts to expand housing and reentry support. Public witnesses from reentry and criminal justice organizations spoke in support, and the committee voted 5-0 to send his appointment to the full Senate. The committee also heard from Sarah Larson, nominated to direct CDCR’s Facilities Management and Construction division. Questions focused on aligning facilities with a declining prison population, aging infrastructure, heat and cooling needs, safety during construction, prison closures, disaster planning, and the status of the Norco closure. Larson said the department has reduced its footprint, is piloting cooling upgrades at several sites, is using the San Quentin Rehabilitation Center as a model for safer, more healing design, and is maintaining closed facilities in cold shutdown while planning for possible future use. Public commenters from reform and reentry groups strongly supported her, and the committee approved her nomination 5-0 for the full Senate.

Transcript Highlights:

• There's no primary process.
• We don't require—we don't permit the counties to charge fees. We do permit ADE to charge fees.
• There’s a process, a lengthy process. But I also have concerns with public and zoning.
• And I think shorter leases is better because it allows the democratic process to play out.
• Chair, it's just following the same process.

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The committee heard and advanced several education-related bills. HB 2318 would impose term limits on school district governing board members in districts with at least 250 students, with a four-year break before a former member could run again; the sponsor said it was meant to bring in new ideas after problems in a district, while opponents argued voters should decide and raised concerns about the timing of the change. It passed on a 6-5 vote. HB 2312 would allow certain federally recognized patriotic youth groups to address students during school hours and require equal access for such groups; supporters framed it as a way to expand youth opportunities, while opponents objected to use of instructional time. It also received a due pass recommendation on a 6-5 vote. HB 2320 would require school districts to hire an independent municipal advisor before calling a bond election and, if successful, for each bond issue. The sponsor argued this would lower underwriting fees and save taxpayers money, citing data showing lower average fees when advisors were used; testimony from the Arizona Tax Research Association and a school accountability group supported the bill, while members raised questions about costs if a bond fails and about how public information is presented. The bill passed 7-3 with two present votes. HB 2376 would prohibit districts from buying or leasing school property when an operating charter or private school is on the site, aimed at preventing a district from using a purchase to manipulate enrollment counts and trigger state construction funding; members debated whether the underlying allegation was hearsay, but the bill passed 7-5. HB 2378 would tighten conflict-of-interest rules for the School Facilities Oversight Board by barring the architect and engineer members from having school-construction business. The sponsor said it was prompted by a reported conflict involving Tolleson Union and a board chair’s firm; some members supported the ethics rationale while others said the bill did not address broader issues, and it passed 8-4. HB 2379 would require school district governing board members to complete biennial training on duties and responsibilities, with county superintendents required to offer the training and ADE as a backstop; the committee adopted an amendment making county training mandatory and allowing intergovernmental agreements, and the bill passed 7-5 after debate over unfunded mandates, whether ASBA should be included, and whether charter boards should also be covered. Finally, HB 2380 would require board and subcommittee meetings to be held in-district, keep meeting materials online for five years, and require prior approval for out-of-state travel or later ratification with possible reimbursement; rural school representatives warned it could hinder regional collaboration and create administrative burdens, and discussion continued on how to preserve executive-session confidentiality and public access.

Transcript Highlights:

• go through that process. go through that process.
• violation of their due process? violation of their due process?
• process.
• process.
• > due<02:34:32.640> process process, due process, due process process, due process, due

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Thursday, January 29, 2026, 960, senate, all

Summary: The Senate reconvened after a snow delay, heard an invocation from Reverend Scott Shelton, and conducted several floor introductions and recognitions, including birthday wishes for staff, a welcome for a temporary office staffer, recognition of the Center for Urban Families, and introduction of the week’s pages. The chamber then approved the prior journal and moved through bill and bond initiative readings, referring the listed measures to their standing committees or the capital budget subcommittee. The first substantive action was adoption of a favorable committee report on Senate Bill 17, an emergency bill authorizing the Baltimore City Board of Licensed Commissioners to issue a related event promoters permit for the CIAA tournament. The floor leader said the bill had no amendments, no fiscal impact, and no opposition in committee. The Senate adopted the report without objection and ordered the bill printed for third reading. The Senate then took up Senate Bill 1 from the Judicial Proceedings Committee, which would require the Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission to adopt a statewide policy on law enforcement face coverings, apply it to state, local, and federal officers in Maryland, and enforce violations through a civil citation and discipline. The committee report included two amendments: one technical and one making the policy statewide and preempting local policies. During extended debate, the bill’s sponsor argued that masks undermine transparency and trust and that the measure would create a uniform standard. A senator from Frederick County questioned whether the bill would effectively create a policy for federal agents without Maryland-specific training and raised concerns about enforcement, temporary detention, complaints, and possible conflicts with federal authority. The sponsor responded that officers would retain discretion, that the bill would be enforced through civil citations, and that similar civil enforcement mechanisms have been upheld in Maryland. No final vote on the amended report is shown in the transcript excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• Inspection Program. and confers a grant to a non-profit organization. ozone through a competitive bidding process
• provides additional... agriculture inspectors to help border authorities expedite the inspection process
• Currently, the bridge process includes roughly 6,000 commercial trucks traveling northbound and southbound
• You know, they can call a developer in and say, hey, either clean it up or you get denied your permit
• So yeah, you have to go to PNZ, get a permit, let them know what you're spraying.

Bills: HB2013, HB4163, HB4810

Keywords: property owners associations, chickens, urban farming, land use, homeowner rights, agriculture, municipal regulation, governmental requirements, farm management, inspections, border control, trade, state funding, 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It would not permit the schools to be involved in the process.
• It would not permit the schools to be involved in the process.
• <01:55:39.960> if credit back up the settlement process if credit back up the settlement process
• And I will say there is a process currently in law, but it's a very lengthy process where letters have
• have very lengthy process where letters have very lengthy process where letters have to<02:28:00.439

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard testimony on House Bill 167, a PFAS-related measure to add ski, snowboard, and boat wax to the state’s list of banned consumer products containing PFAS. The sponsor said the product is already banned in many other places, alternatives exist, and the concern is that these products go directly into water rather than landfills. She cited high PFAS levels in several New Hampshire lakes and argued the bill would help stop further contamination. A member of the public also described personal experience with ski wax products disappearing from the market, suggesting PFAS may have been the reason. The chair then closed the hearing on HB 167. The committee next opened a hearing on House Bill 312, dealing with college athletes’ name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights. Representative Moffett explained the bill was prompted by the U.S. Supreme Court’s NCAA v. Alston decision and was modeled on New Jersey law. He said the bill would prevent colleges from restricting NIL compensation, require athletes to use licensed attorneys or registered sports agents, and limit certain endorsements involving addictive drugs, adult entertainment, firearms, and weapons. He framed the measure as a proactive response to a changing college sports landscape and noted possible future conflicts involving schools, agents, and endorsements. Committee members raised several concerns and suggested changes. One member questioned the bill’s exclusion of two-year institutions, another objected to the weapons restriction, and others asked how the bill would affect scholarships. The sponsor said the intent was to protect scholarships, especially athletic scholarships, and clarified that need-based scholarships were not meant to be affected. He also acknowledged discomfort with the endorsement restrictions and said the committee might want to broaden or revise the language. The hearing remained open for further consideration, with no vote taken in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• IT IS NOT A CLEAR PROCESS.
• IT DOES NOT MATTER WHICH FORM IS PROCESSED.
• Ingoglia: IS THAT PROCESS GOING TO A CIRCUIT COURT JUDGE, WHAT THAT PROCESS LOOK LIKE? >> Sen.
• Grall: I BELIEVE THAT IS A CIRCUIT COURT PROCESS, NOT A DOA PROCESS. >> Sen.
• BUT THERE IS A PROCESS, THE LAW ENFORCEMENT PROCESS AND IF IT IS MORE THAN A CIVIL VIOLATION AND IS A

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, thank you, Representative Broa. process so this this position that process so this this position
• <00:29:00.200> and much more focused on uh process and much more focused on uh process and
• So the bill says that the commission would recommend a process, and the process might be hire an actual
• the commission would design a process the commission would design a process which<00:44:33.359><
• The proper amendment process.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The hearing opened on House Bill 192, which concerns the Joint Committee on Employee Classification process for state employee positions. Representative Peter Schmidt explained that the bill is a procedural step to send already-reviewed classifications to Korn Ferry and then into statute and the budget. Department of Corrections staff and Commissioner Helen Hanks testified that one Deputy Director of Medical Services position had been omitted from the bill by mistake even though it had already gone through the JCEC process, and they asked for an amendment to add it. Hanks clarified that the position is an existing classified job being converted to unclassified status, not a new position. The committee discussed how the amendment would work and the quorum requirements for the JCEC, then closed the hearing on HB 192 after no further testimony. The committee then heard House Bill 435, sponsored by Representative Don McFarland, which would clarify professional engineering licensure law. McFarland said the bill is intended to make clear that work in IT security, electronics, digital systems, computing, and software is not the practice of engineering requiring a professional engineer license, while preserving licensure requirements for fields such as civil, structural, and building-related engineering. He said he had consulted with the American Council of Engineering Companies and that the bill is meant to remove ambiguity and legal risk, not deregulate engineering. Several members with engineering backgrounds spoke in support, describing the distinction between licensed PE work and other technical fields, and one member noted that software development and regulated software work typically do not require a PE license. The committee voted ought to pass on HB 435 by a roll call of 16-0 and placed it on consent. Finally, the committee opened House Bill 210, which would create a commission to study the New Hampshire state flag. Representative Tom Corman argued that the current flag is a generic “state seal on a blue bedsheet” and does not meet common vexillological design principles such as simplicity, meaningful symbolism, limited colors, and distinctiveness. He said the proposed commission would include legislative members plus representatives of the New Hampshire Historical Society and the New England Vexillological Association, and would review the flag’s history and recommend whether to redesign it and how to do so. He also indicated he intended to add language to avoid costs, but the bill discussion was not completed in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• There's no permit system to approve use of catchments for drinking water purposes.
• There's no permit system to approve use of catchments for drinking water purposes.
• Right now, the rules being proposed in the process have a few safeguards.
• So, we are in the process of it. We are aiming to get them as soon as possible.
• of having the Health is in the process of having the rules.<00:52:07.680> Chair's<00:52:08.160

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee first considered a series of Governor’s Message nominations, largely to the State Council on Developmental Disabilities and one to the Hawaii Advisory Commission on Drug Abuse and Controlled Substances. Testifiers and agencies spoke in strong support of the nominees, emphasizing their advocacy, community involvement, and lived experience. The committee heard from nominees and supporters for John Paul Moses III, Cynthia Fowler, Joshua Eay, Alicia Kim, Raymond Mamea, Maria Christina Valenzuela, Eden Watabayashi, Sierra Whiteside, and Brandy Lynn Macallani Hayen. After hearing testimony, the committee voted to advise and consent on each nomination, with the votes adopted by the members present. The committee then took up SR 53 / SCR 69, which asks the Department of Health to convene a pharmacy benefit manager working group to improve transparency, fairness, and drug affordability. Supporters included the Hawaii Pharmacist Association, the University of Hawaii system, and several individuals, while the Department of Health said the issue is complex and may require additional support or a different structure. Members discussed whether the Department of Health should lead the effort or whether another entity, such as SHIPA with an appropriation, might be more workable; the Department of Health suggested a $100,000 appropriation could be sufficient. Next, SR 56 / SCR 73 proposed a report on the developmental needs of children born during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Office of Wellness and Resilience supported the measure and asked for an extended deadline to the end of 2026, and several youth, mental health, and community organizations testified in support. The committee also heard SR 69 / STR 86 on creating an aeromedical services working group, with support from Air Methods, the Department of Health, and the Hawaii Medical Association, and SR 99 / STR 118 on studying the use of filtered catchment water for business activity, which drew support from the Plumbing and Mechanical Contractors Association and comments from the Department of Health that the issue is complicated and should include the Department of Agriculture. No final votes on the resolutions were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• If disconnected while presenting testimony, you may be allowed to continue if time permits.
• would also require review by the Hawaiian Homes Commission, beneficiary consultation, the Chapter 91 process
• <00:14:46.199> as consultation the chapter 91 process as consultation the chapter 91 process
• Department of Planning and Permitting with comments. Purple Maiʻa Foundation in support.
• and permitting with comments purple<00:29:56.000> Maya<00:29:56.960> foundation<00:29:

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Housing held a public hearing on a wide range of housing-related bills. HB 295 on Hawaiian homelands drew support from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and individual testifiers who described long waits for DHHL housing, while the Department of Hawaiian Homelands offered comments noting that lowering the Native Hawaiian blood quantum from 50% to 25% would require multiple legal and federal review steps. The committee also heard testimony on several Hawaii Public Housing Authority measures, including HB 99, HB 1096, HB 1097, HB 1095, HB 1093, and HB 1094, which generally received agency support and little or no public opposition during the hearing. HB 1094 prompted questions about the handling and sale or donation of seized property, and the agency said it lacked capacity to manage that work directly and would need to consult the Attorney General on liability concerns. The committee then heard HB 1056 and HB 1467, both related to a proposed Hawaii Homes or housing resiliency program. DCCA, the Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority, the Climate Advisory Team, and Hawaii Realtors supported HB 1056, while the Attorney General requested clarification on fund language. The Insurance Commissioner said DCCA was willing to run the program and that strengthening homes would help keep insurance available in Hawaii. For HB 1467, the Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority and Climate Advisory Team also supported the measure, with the Attorney General raising concerns about delegation, the special fund, and extension authority. Testimony on both bills emphasized hurricane retrofits, with some witnesses urging harmonization of the two similar proposals and one witness warning that the bills could conflict with efforts to reduce building-code minimum standards. Other measures included HB 1013 on important agricultural lands, which received support from HHFDC, the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development, DBEDT, the Agri-Business Development Corporation, and Purple Maiʻa Foundation, with some agencies offering comments. HB 1294 on agricultural workforce housing drew comments from the Attorney General, who said commissions may be established by law rather than by the department itself, along with support from OHA, a council member, and the Democratic Party of Hawaii Education Caucus. HB 89 on teacher housing received support from OHA and education groups, while the Attorney General said the bill may have constitutional issues and suggested amendments to set standards for voucher applications. HB 276 on condominiums and HB 528 on residential leases also drew support, with no testimony in opposition. HB 415 on public safety and fire sprinklers generated the most clear split in testimony: the State Fire Council, a fire department representative, and an individual supported the bill, arguing sprinklers improve safety and can prevent major losses, while BIA Hawaii, Pacific Home and Appliance Distribution, NAAP Hawaii, Gentry Holmes, and DR Horton Hawaii opposed it, saying the added cost would worsen housing affordability and that existing codes already address safety. No votes or final committee actions were taken during the hearing; the chair repeatedly closed each bill after testimony and questions, and the hearing moved through the agenda without recorded committee votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• The biometric system reduces labor-intensive processes of punching a traditional time clock.
• A bill to be entitled an act relating to service of process.
• Members, HB 157 is a service of process bill.
• I am a concealed carry permit holder.
• We even took away trainings from concealed carry permits.

Summary: The House convened for opening-day business, with prayer, a moment of silence for Captain Bill Guston, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a quorum established. The Speaker outlined a budget message emphasizing reduced spending and a proposed permanent 0.75% sales tax cut, and the chamber then received the Governor’s veto message on portions of HB 5001. Members moved to reinstate several vetoed appropriations, including the Florida Senior Veterans and Crisis Fund, Rockledge Advanced Water Treatment Phase 1, the Department of Corrections automated staffing/time management system, and Baldwin sewer and water main work; each reinstatement passed unanimously. The House also adopted a special order calendar and special amendment procedures for the General Appropriations Act and related bills. On the special order calendar, several bills passed unanimously or near-unanimously, including Lucy’s Law on boating safety (CS/CS/CS/HB 289), HB 735 on water access facilities, HB 11 on municipal water and sewer utility rates, CS/CS/HB 85 on hazardous walking conditions, and CS/HB 157 on service of process. These measures focused on boating safety, water infrastructure, utility-rate fairness, school walking safety, and procedural civil-law updates. A major floor debate centered on HB 6017, which would repeal Florida’s “Free Kill Law” limiting wrongful-death damages in medical negligence cases. Supporters described the bill as a long-awaited justice measure for families who lost adult children or unmarried relatives to medical malpractice, while opponents were not recorded in the final vote tally; the bill passed 104-6 after extensive emotional testimony from sponsors and affected families. The chamber also heard a lengthy, highly divided debate on HB 759, which would lower the firearm purchase age from 21 to 18. Supporters argued the current law is inconsistent with adult rights and responsibilities and cited constitutional precedent, while opponents emphasized Parkland, youth gun violence, and public-safety concerns; the transcript ends during continued debate on that bill, with no final vote shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• So that's the process.
• This is part of that process.
• This is part of that process.
• This is part of that process. process. process.
• referring to the amendment process. referring to the amendment process.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So this amendment prohibits local governments from imposing a separate cybersecurity standard or process
• It expands the definition of relative to... ...not permitted in statute.
• Got hung up in messages as part of the budget process.
• We have three amendments, so we're going to go through this amendment process.
• Thank you, Madam Chair, and I appreciate your willingness to allow that process to work, your staff,

Summary: The Committee on Governmental Oversight and Accountability met with a quorum present and first postponed SB 1650. The committee then heard and favorably reported SB 308, which implements the Florida Museum of Black History task force recommendations by designating St. Johns County as the museum site and creating a board to work with a supporting nonprofit. It also favorably reported SB 7020, which reenacts a public records exemption for certain Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services aquaculture and shellfish production records. Members then considered SB 692 on cybersecurity standards and liability. The bill creates a presumption against liability for private businesses that follow updated cybersecurity frameworks and reporting requirements, and a similar protection for local governments that comply with state standards. An amendment was adopted to prevent local governments from imposing separate cybersecurity standards on vendors and to clarify vendor definitions and effective dates. The Florida Justice Association opposed the bill, raising concerns about local government immunity, the practical effect of the presumption for private entities, and retroactivity, while business and industry groups supported it. After debate, the committee reported the bill favorably as amended. The committee also favorably reported SB 572, which updates ethics law to include legally recognized foster parents and foster children in the definition of relative; SB 1442, which revises the long-range program plan to require more specific performance metrics and agency-specific measures; SB 1106, which replaces references to the West Bank with Judea and Samaria in state agency and educational materials; SB 474, which revises military leave and related benefits for public employees and officials, with three amendments adopted; and SB 350, which revises public records protections for crime victims and law enforcement officers who are victims, including a 72-hour confidentiality period for officers in certain cases. Finally, the committee approved SPB 7032 as a committee bill to shift more fleet management responsibility from DMS to state agencies while preserving reporting to DMS. The meeting ended after members recorded additional votes and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• So this amendment prohibits local governments from imposing a separate cybersecurity standard or process
• It expands the definition of relative to not permitted in statute.
• Got hung up in messages as part of the budget process.
• We have three amendments, so we're going to go through this amendment process.
• Thank you, Madam Chair, and I appreciate your willingness to allow that process to work, your staff,

Bills: S7020, S0308, S0692, S0474, S0572, S1106, S1650, S0350, S1442, S7032

Keywords: open government, sunset review, aquaculture, public records, exemption, Florida Museum of Black History, cultural heritage, education, Board of Directors, local governance, cybersecurity, data breach, data privacy, information security, local government, county, municipality, vendor contracts, third-party service provider, liability shield

Summary: The committee heard and voted on several measures. SB 308 on the Florida Museum of Black History was explained as implementing a prior task force recommendation by designating St. Johns County as the museum site, creating a board, and coordinating with a supporting nonprofit; it passed favorably. SB 692 on cybersecurity standards and liability was amended to bar local governments from imposing cybersecurity requirements on vendors beyond generally accepted best practices, and after testimony both for and against, it was reported favorably as a committee substitute. SB 572 updated ethics law to include legally recognized foster parents and foster children in the definition of relative; after a technical amendment and support from the Ethics Commission, it passed unanimously. SB 1442 revised the long-range program plan to require more specific performance metrics and agency-specific measures; it also passed favorably. The committee also approved SB 1106, as amended by a strike-all, to require state agencies and certain educational materials to use “Judea and Samaria” instead of “West Bank,” despite opposition arguing it would impose political language and conflict with federal and international terminology. SB 7020 reenacted a public records exemption for certain aquaculture and shellfish production records and passed with support from the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. SB 474 expanded military leave and related benefits for public employees and officials, including members of the Coast Guard and Florida State Guard, and added three amendments before being reported favorably. SB 350, dealing with public records protections for crime victims and certain law enforcement victims, was heavily amended to add time-limited confidentiality for an officer’s name in some cases and then passed favorably after discussion about balancing transparency and safety. Finally, the committee approved SPB 7032 as a committee bill to shift more fleet management responsibilities from DMS to individual agencies, while still requiring data reporting to DMS for legislative oversight. SB 1650 by Senator Gates was temporarily postponed. At the end of the meeting, members recorded votes on selected bills, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS BUILT IT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE STATE AND PROCESS TO THE LOCAL SPONSOR AND IF
• WHEN WE DID THE UPDATE AND WERE CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF DOING AN UPDATED MODEL WHICH WILL REALLY
• WHEN EVERY RESEARCHER SAYS EVEN THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS HAS SERIOUS CONCERNS AND THEY HAVE THE PERMIT
• BUT WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS ACCEPTED INTO OUR PROCESS TO REVIEW IT OURSELVES AND THEY STILL OWE US A LOT
• I'M SURE THAT THE PROCESS WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD AND WE WILL BE IN TOUCH AND WHO KNOWS, PERHAPS

Transcript Highlights:

• Texas has an appeals process for persons subject to these disqualifications.
• sheet, the full cost of the proposal, scheduled completion of the project including timeline for permitting
• They get it once they get the permit under the federal transportation law, so that's right.
• As you know, when they do a procession, the streets lined up with citizens holding American flags.
• And so you can make people go through the process of getting it inspected.

Bills: HB647, HB791, HB1242, HB1729, HB2003, HB2029, HB2061, HB2775, HB3751, HB4804, HB3611

Keywords: driver's license, vision correction, medical verification, Texas Department of Public Safety, renewal fees, HB 791, Central Catholic High School, San Antonio, specialty license plate, specialty plates, license plate, Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, Transportation Code, general revenue fund, With Loyal Hearts, Catholic school, private school, religious school, school spirit plate, commemorative plate

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee heard testimony and took action on a series of transportation-related bills. Early in the meeting, Senator Hagenbuch presented HB 647, which would let drivers who have had corrective eye surgery update their licenses by submitting physician verification without an in-person DMV visit; he argued it would reduce DMV lines, though a fiscal note estimated setup costs. The committee also heard HB 2029, a cleanup bill clarifying that travel trailers are not subject to safety inspections after prior legislation removed inspections for trailers and all vehicles, and HB 4804, which would remove Texas’s CDL appeals hearing process to align with federal law and avoid jeopardizing highway funds, while also authorizing DPS action related to the terrorist offender registry. All three bills were left pending after testimony, along with HB 2003, which would require annual public reporting by entities with projects in the Texas Rail Plan, especially in light of the Dallas-Houston high-speed rail project and landowner concerns; supporters said it would improve transparency, while opponents warned it would force disclosure of proprietary financial information from a private project. The committee also heard HB 2775, adding Ector County and Odessa to the I-27 Advisory Committee, and HB 791, authorizing a specialty plate for Central Catholic High School in San Antonio; both were left pending after brief discussion and no opposition testimony. The committee then heard several local or commemorative measures. HB 1242 would designate part of U.S. Highway 281 in Brooks County as the Ernesto Solis-Cantu Memorial Highway, and HB 2061 would name a bridge on State Highway 242 in Montgomery County for Lance Corporal Armando Hernandez. Hernandez’s mother testified emotionally in support, describing his military service and the family’s wish to have the bridge mark his return home; members responded supportively. The committee also heard HB 1729, which would impose term limits on Freeport commissioners, and HB 3751, transferring a DPS commercial vehicle enforcement office building in Woodville from TxDOT to DPS. HB 3611, the “bandit sign” bill, was presented as a targeted enforcement measure against illegal commercial signs in medians and right-of-ways, with added safeguards to avoid affecting political signs and to require written notice before fines. All of these bills were left pending after testimony. At the end of the meeting, the committee took up pending business and voted out multiple bills favorably. HB 3751, HB 261/HB 2061, HB 647, HB 791, HB 1242, HB 1729, HB 2003, HB 2029, HB 2775, HB 3611, HB 4804, and HB 2522 were each reported favorably to the full Senate, generally on unanimous or near-unanimous votes. Most were also sent to the local and uncontested calendar, though HB 2029 was ultimately not placed there after an objection. The committee then recessed.

Transcript Highlights:

• And this is not just a bureaucratic process that exists. It serves key purposes.
• It prevents monopolies... ...a bureaucratic process that exists. It serves key purposes.
• Brewing is not just a process to us.
• It is a rigorous process.
• It's a very tedious process.

Summary: The State Administration Budget Subcommittee met with a quorum and took up one bill, House Bill 499, which would allow malt beverage manufacturers producing less than 31,000 gallons annually to sell and deliver directly to vendors. The sponsor and several craft brewery owners and industry advocates testified in support, arguing the measure would help small breweries reach local restaurants, improve quality control, create jobs, and serve as a bridge into the three-tier system for businesses too small to attract distributors. Opponents, including the Florida Beer Wholesalers Association, argued the bill would undermine the three-tier system, weaken accountability and tax collection, and create risks for consumer protection and market fairness. During debate, several members said they supported the bill as a small-business measure while noting they remained protective of the three-tier system. Some members raised concerns about tax tracking and long-term distributor contracts, but others said the bill appeared limited enough to preserve the existing system while giving small breweries a chance to grow. The committee then voted on the bill and it passed, with one recorded no vote. After the bill vote, the subcommittee revisited prior questions about Department of Lottery Secretary Davis’s travel reimbursements. Members reviewed updated documents showing more than $50,000 in travel reimbursements from January 2021 through November 2024, including about $27,840 tied to Orlando destinations, and expressed concern that some reimbursements may have covered commuting between Tallahassee and Orlando. The chair said the information would be sent to Secretary Davis for an explanation, and the meeting adjourned after no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• So this 90-day rule to get started is new, and hopefully we'll expedite the process of anything that
• The intention here is to bring transparency to this process, to make it easy for the public to interact
• It permits the day to be observed in public schools, the Capitol, and elsewhere as designated by the
• It permits instruction to be delivered on the designated day on the harmful impacts of the Holocaust
• And that’s what we all can bring to the table here in this process. So thank you, Senator Grall.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Rules met with a quorum present and took up a series of bills, beginning with SB 108 on administrative procedures. That bill, as amended, would require agencies to review all rules on a five-year cycle, submit regulatory plans and annual reports, publish intended agency action within 90 days of new rulemaking authority, improve public access to incorporated materials, and streamline rule publication and correction procedures. After brief testimony from the Florida Bar’s Administrative Law Section and support from Americans for Prosperity and the James Madison Institute, the committee adopted two amendments and reported CS for SB 108 favorably. The committee then approved several other measures, including the Senate veterans package (CS for CS for SB 116), which made technical changes and was supported by veterans and advocacy groups; SB 118 on presidential libraries, which preempts local barriers while preserving state and federal law and building codes; CS for SB 126 allowing mail distribution of prescription hearing aids after a Florida-licensed professional examination; CS for SB 150, “Trooper’s Law,” making it a third-degree felony to abandon restrained animals during declared disasters; SB 294 limiting collaborative pharmacy practice expansion for complex cardiac conditions; SM 314 urging Congress to increase Florida National Guard force structure; CS for SB 322 creating a nonjudicial process to remove unauthorized persons from commercial property; CS for SB 348 on ethics, addressing false military rank claims and delinquent ethics fines; SB 356 designating January 27 as Holocaust Remembrance Day; CS for SB 160 expanding CPA licensure pathways and clarifying administrative outsourcing; and CS for SB 50 promoting nature-based coastal resilience measures. Most of these bills received supportive testimony and were reported favorably. The committee also considered and reported favorably the annual reviser bills SB 36, SB 38, SB 40, and SB 42, which adopt the 2025 Florida Statutes, conform statutory names, remove expired provisions, and clean up obsolete language and cross-references. Throughout the meeting, members asked questions on a few bills, but no roll-call votes were recorded as opposed; each measure was approved and reported favorably. At the end of the meeting, senators requested that a few missed affirmative votes be recorded, and the committee adjourned without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, through a normal audit process—not a bad audit with findings, just a normal audit—some issues came
• that aligns school counselor evaluations with the Florida School Counseling... ...committee process
• The PCS provides that a private school enrolling 150 students or fewer shall be deemed a permitted use
• only in commercial and mixed-use zoning districts, without... deemed a permitted use only in commercial
• The bill streamlines the application process and finally allows, but does not require, two-year awards

Summary: The Education and Employment Committee heard and voted on several education-related bills. HB 129 on Florida Virtual School was presented as a cleanup bill responding to audit-related statutory updates; it would remove priority language, allow all Florida students and eligible overseas military dependents access, clarify teacher employment/retirement status, permit local schools to administer required exams, and authorize direct support organizations. The bill drew support from Seminole State College and Florida Virtual School and was reported favorably 15-0. HB 423 on student elopement, sponsored by Reps. Eskamani and Tramont, would require schools to establish safety teams and procedures to prevent and respond to elopement by students with autism or similar needs. Testimony from the Autism Society of Greater Orlando and a student advocate emphasized safety risks and the need for clear school protocols. Members spoke strongly in support, and the bill passed unanimously 16-0. CS for CS for HB 753 on school counselors removed two certification barriers, kept the master’s degree requirement, and aligned evaluations with Florida school counseling standards; school counselor groups and several members argued it would help address counselor shortages and workload issues. It also passed unanimously 16-0. The committee also approved CS for CS for HB 1253, which would let school-employed coaches use up to $15,000 per team per year of personal funds to support student-athletes with items like food, transportation, therapy, and rehabilitation, with an amendment requiring written parental consent. Several members raised concerns about liability, fairness, and guardrails, but the bill passed 17-0. PCS for CS for HB 833 on private school facilities would allow small private schools of 150 students or fewer to locate in commercial or mixed-use zoning without rezoning and to use certain existing buildings if fire and life-safety standards are met; members discussed traffic, school zones, and proximity to dispensaries, and it passed 15-0. PCS for CS for HB 1325 on the Linking Industry to Nursing Education Fund clarified matching contributions, allowed use of funds for expansion or modernization of existing space, and permitted two-year awards; it passed 16-0. Finally, CS for HB 1437 on conversion charter schools created dispute-resolution options over facility maintenance and, via amendment, allowed capital outlay funding if the charter assumes full maintenance responsibility; despite some opposition, it passed 13-3. The committee then adjourned.