Transcript Highlights:

• data, to be able to look at a more granular level.
• All of the data I'm using in these analyses are coming from school-level or district-level pieces, so
• “As soon as it goes on to that next level, they re-go through the entire process.
• And then the next one is the summary by grade level and classroom.
• Grade levels in elementary have their competitions built around it.

Summary: The committee met to discuss student attendance and chronic absenteeism in Florida K-12 schools, with Chair Simon outlining the state’s attendance requirements and intervention process, including school contact after unexcused absences, child study team review, district superintendent referral, DJJ family services referral, truancy petitions, and possible parental prosecution and driver’s license consequences. Dr. Chris Curran of the University of Florida presented statewide data showing chronic absenteeism has risen sharply since the pandemic, with Florida at about 31.4% in 2023–24, and noted that absenteeism varies by district, school level, demographics, and urbanicity. He emphasized that causes are multifaceted—ranging from transportation, mental health, housing instability, safety concerns, and family circumstances—and said effective responses include early warning systems, text or phone outreach, multi-tiered interventions, mentoring programs like Check & Connect, and community partnerships. He also cautioned that punitive responses alone are often less effective than addressing root causes and keeping students engaged academically even when they miss school. Collier County Superintendent Leslie Ricciardelli described her district’s attendance efforts as a priority supported by attendance specialists, social workers, mental health staff, home visits, attendance contracts, and extensive parent communication. She said Collier’s chronic absenteeism rate was about 9% in 2023–24 and attributed success to consistent monitoring, family outreach, and community support, while stressing that students must be physically present to learn. She also argued that many absences are tied to barriers such as clothing, transportation, childcare, or family mental health, and that districts need resources to address those issues. Dr. Rachel Dawes added that Collier uses multilingual brochures, attendance awareness campaigns, vacation-planning guidance, door tags, automated calls and letters, and a truancy flow chart, with truancy court used as a last resort. Volusia County Executive Director Mike McAuliffe described a districtwide overhaul that included an attendance matters campaign, automated notices sent early and often, same-day and period-by-period notifications, a data dashboard, and tiered supports through MTSS. He said Volusia reduced chronic absenteeism from 34% in 2023–24 to a projected 29% and reported a first-quarter rate of about 20% in the current year. He highlighted community partnerships, including AdventHealth support for washers and dryers, bikes for students with transportation barriers, and monetary recognition for schools that reduce absenteeism. In response to questions, both district leaders emphasized that funding, staffing, and consistent follow-through are essential, and that attendance work is most effective when paired with family engagement, data monitoring, and practical supports rather than punishment alone.

Transcript Highlights:

• All of the meals that meet the meal pattern are reimbursed at some level.
• Right now, those are identified at the school level, and I think we could streamline that through HHS
• I'm here to provide a brief high-level overview of the redistricting litigation affecting our state.
• Will it ever get back down to the level of the district court in the state, or will it stay with the
• So, in practicality, down to my level, not your attorney level, let's say the Eighth Circuit Court makes

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• city and every county. uh um elections administration because we administer elections at the local level
• city and every county. uh um elections administration because we administer elections at the local level
• city and every county. uh um elections administration because we administer elections at the local level
• city and every county. uh um elections administration because we administer elections at the local level
• Again, it's had fiscal local level.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• and what happens at the trial court level through our little mock trial.
• Obviously, the Supreme Court is our highest appellate court level.
• There is a mid-level of appellate courts.
• Obviously, the Supreme Court is our highest appellate court level.
• There is a mid-level of appellate courts, and maybe we'll talk about that later on in the session.

Summary: The Civil Justice and Claims Subcommittee was called to order, roll was taken, and a quorum was present. Several members were noted as excused, and the chair reminded members to silence phones and be prepared for security screening before leaving for the court. The meeting was primarily an educational visit to the Florida Supreme Court. The chair explained that the committee had previously learned about trial courts and that this visit would focus on the appellate process, including the role of the Supreme Court as the state’s highest appellate court and the existence of intermediate appellate courts. She noted that parties may appeal civil trial outcomes or trial-court rulings to an appellate court. Members were instructed to bring photo identification, comply with prohibited-item rules, and follow court security procedures. Court marshals were to escort the group to the courthouse, and the meeting would adjourn after the tour without returning to the committee room.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:06:55.520> If state services at the current level.
• If state services at the current level.
• Delinquency rates are now reaching levels comparable to those during the Great Recession.
• . level. level.
• out of the fairly steady at a high level out of the great<00:38:42.480> recession.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: Minnesota Management and Budget officials presented the February 2026 budget and economic forecast, saying the state remains in a strong financial position but faces continued structural imbalance and significant uncertainty. Commissioner Aaron Campbell said the FY 2026-27 balance is now projected at more than $3.7 billion, up about $1.3 billion from November, and the FY 2028-29 planning period is projected to end with a $377 million positive balance. He emphasized that the improvement comes largely from higher projected revenues, especially individual income and corporate franchise taxes, but warned that the state is increasingly reliant on more volatile sources such as capital gains, interest income, and corporate profits. State Economist Dr. Anthony Becker said the national outlook improved slightly, with stronger projected GDP, consumer spending, and investment, but weaker payroll growth and ongoing trade-policy uncertainty. He noted that the forecast was complicated by missing federal data because of the federal shutdown, and that tariffs, immigration policy, equity markets, and possible AI-related shifts all present risks. Revenue projections were raised for the current biennium, including individual income tax receipts, sales tax revenue, corporate franchise tax revenue, and other revenues, while Becker stressed that federal funding threats, especially involving Medicaid and other entitlement programs, could materially alter the outlook. State Budget Director Anna Mingi said general fund spending in the current biennium is projected to be $68 million lower than previously estimated, but planning-year spending is up $152 million. The biggest spending changes came from education, where special education costs rose sharply after updated local spending data, and from human services, where a new prepayment review process for certain Medicaid benefits reduced projected spending by $133 million this biennium and $105 million in the next. She also said discretionary inflation is now estimated at $1.04 billion, up $104 million from November. Campbell closed by saying the state’s reserve remains at a record $3.8 billion and that Minnesota’s AAA bond rating and reserve policy help protect against downturns. He cautioned, however, that the long-term structural imbalance remains about $3.4 billion in the planning years, or $2.3 billion excluding discretionary inflation, and urged policymakers to offset any new spending with reductions. No votes or formal actions were taken; the meeting was a presentation and question-and-answer session on the forecast.

Transcript Highlights:

• To start off, you all have the high level under tab 9, which is the common template that we use across
• or subtraction from the SEG, and the money here is discretionary in how it can be used at the local level
• Okay, on the high-level summaries, they are in no particular order.
• 1 teacher salary. of that Level 1 teacher salary, and I believe it's about $44,000.
• Again, making sure that parents are notified if their students are not reading at grade level.

Transcript Highlights:

• I appreciate everyone coming for this informational hearing on changes at the national level on the Consumer
• It's the job of this committee to be vigilant to changes at the state and federal level that will impact
• The job of this committee is to be vigilant to changes at the state and federal level that will impact
• so I think there'll be an federal level so I think there'll be an impact<00:08:58.120> on<00:
• um so a couple of the high level things um so a couple of the high level things that<00:12:26.279>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• level level what<00:15:59.199> a<00:15:59.519> stable<00:15:59.959> token<00:16
• than at the federal level which rather than at the federal level which would<00:20:34.640> make
• Nationwide well so the the federal level Nationwide well so the the federal level has<00:20:40.480
• and also yes at the state level.
• the state federal level and also yes at the state level<00:21:23.679> okay<00:21:24.120> uh

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The House Commerce Committee opened a public hearing on House Bill 310, sponsored by Representative Keith Ammon, which would create a study commission to develop a legal framework for stable tokens and tokenized real-world assets. Ammon described stable tokens as blockchain-based digital tokens backed by U.S. dollars or treasuries, and tokenized real-world assets as representations of ownership in items such as gold, real estate, or artwork. He said the bill is intended to help New Hampshire get ahead of emerging financial markets while waiting to see how federal legislation develops. Committee members asked about the purpose of the bill, the difference between this proposal and Bitcoin, whether state regulation could be preempted by federal law, and whether the commission could be balanced and avoid becoming a vehicle for fraud or money laundering. Ammon said the proposal is blockchain-agnostic, could apply to multiple networks, and is meant to regulate asset-backed tokens rather than create a state-issued coin. He emphasized that the state would not be guaranteeing the underlying assets, but would set rules requiring audits, proof of reserves, and honest representation of backing, with the Secretary of State’s securities office involved in oversight. Several members raised concerns about the risks of stablecoins, including money laundering, tax evasion, and possible harm to the dollar or confusion about whether the state was endorsing a new currency. Ammon responded that the bill would not undermine the dollar and argued that tokenization could actually expand demand for U.S. currency by making it easier to use globally. He also said the state would not be in the business of weighing assets or directly valuing them, only ensuring a valid audit trail and one-to-one backing. The discussion ended with general agreement that the subject is complex and that a commission could help develop future legislation, but no vote or final action was taken in the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• We move from identifying students at risk to requiring they be on a grade level.
• We want them to be able to read at grade level.
• ...a spike in reading level, but then that effect fades over time.
• It is a model, like a high-level framework, I would say, that NDE creates.
• At grade level for the next grade the student would otherwise advance to.

Bills: LB878, LB958, LB958A, LB762, LB1187, LB966, LB929, LB962, LB1209, LB937A, LB962A, LB1050, LB1050A, LB965, LB1022, LB753, LB788, LB913, LB1055, LB1195, LB429, LB721, LB722, LB727, LB745, LB749, LB778, LR293, LR296, LR422, LR495, LR496, LR497, LR498, LR499, LR500, LR501, LR502, LR503, LR504

Keywords: paid parental leave, state employees, workplace benefits, family support, economic impact, Medicaid, Medical Assistance Act, home and community-based services waiver, HCBS waiver, waiver participant, assessment tool, clinical interviewing, service tier, retroactive coverage, doula, doula reimbursement, maternal health, prenatal care, pregnancy, birth outcomes

Transcript Highlights:

• I mean, at a high level, your point is well taken.
• The first is the disposal of legacy transuranic, low-level, and mixed low-level waste.
• I don't know what their level of emergency is, but where is this called?
• Some other things we've done at the staff level and board level at Sandia.
• Our day-to-day functions at the staff level also remain normal.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So I'll turn it over to Miss Bailey to start going through high-level basics of the forecast and the
• happening at the state and federal level happening at the state and federal level because<00:03:
• what might happen at the federal level what might happen at the federal level and<00:25:42.080><
• advantage to having on the state level advantage to having on the state level to<01:13:46.560>
• <01:26:19.800> that's reduced down to the the level that's reduced down to the the level that's

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• But they added the words because girls across the state deserve a fair and level playing field with the
• girls across the state deserve a fair um girls across the state deserve a fair and<00:02:06.119> Level
• > Playing<00:02:06.759> Field<00:02:07.280> with<00:02:07.399> the and Level
• Playing Field with the and Level Playing Field with the protections<00:02:08.759> designed<00
• She added that she has competed at the college level long before this was an issue. the Court um I've

Bills: HF1233

Keywords: women's athletics, gender, sports competition, Human Rights Act, biological sex, participation limits, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• After it is signed off at that level, it will then move over to a manager's approval level and then up
• So those levels happen, and that's exactly where...
• That was at the grantee level. And so, Mr.
• That was at the grantee level. And so, Mr.
• Yet their problem has, you know, skyrocketed into crisis levels, right?

Summary: The Senate Committee on Director Nominations met to consider Ruby Dylan Williams for Director of the Arizona Department of Housing. Williams described her long career at the department, her work on operational improvements, housing development, manufactured housing, and efforts to expand supply, preserve existing housing, and improve transparency through data and technology. She also said she would work with the legislature, local governments, tribal nations, nonprofits, and private partners, and emphasized the department’s role in addressing housing affordability and homelessness across the housing continuum. Members questioned her about the department’s response to Auditor General findings, including fraud prevention, payment verification, site inspections, and oversight of grantees. Williams said the department had rewritten policies, retrained staff, added stronger controls, and implemented verbal verification steps for wire transfers after a fraud incident. Senators also pressed her on budget priorities, possible cuts, and her view of homelessness policy, with some members characterizing her approach as closer to shelter or transitional housing before permanent placement. Williams said interventions should be individualized and that the department works with local jurisdictions and service providers to match people with appropriate support. Public testimony was overwhelmingly supportive. Developers, housing industry representatives, and nonprofit partners praised Williams’ private-sector housing finance experience, her knowledge of LIHTC and the QAP process, and her leadership in making the agency more efficient and business-friendly. After debate, the committee voted 3-2 to recommend her confirmation to the full Senate. Two members voted no, citing concerns about her answers on fraud oversight, cost controls, and homelessness policy, while the majority supported advancing her nomination.

Transcript Highlights:

• None of you know about level of offenses, level one, level two, level three, level four, level five,
• But you have it as a level nine offense, and here's my concern.
• What are other level nine offenses, looting, lascivious molestation of a child?
• Level 9 offenses, looting, lascivious molestation of a child, carjacking, armed robbery, high-level drug
• There are levels of quality and competence.

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several introductions recognizing guests and visiting groups, including Challenger Learning Center representatives, the Florida Dental Hygienists Association, local officials, students, and members of the Florida School Board Association. Senators also noted President Albritton’s recovery and offered remarks honoring the 40th anniversary of the Challenger disaster. The main floor debate centered on Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 156, which revises criminal penalties involving law enforcement officers and other personnel. Sponsor Senator Leek said the bill responds to the Officer Jason Rainer case by clarifying resistance to officers, shifting fault determinations to the courts, changing “lawful performance” to “official duties,” and imposing mandatory life imprisonment for manslaughter of a law enforcement officer. Senators Rouson and Bracy Davis offered amendments that were withdrawn. Senators Pizzo, Berman, Smith, Polsky, and others questioned the bill’s effect on self-defense, off-duty conduct, prosecutorial discretion, and the removal of language limiting unlawful force by officers. Supporters argued the bill corrects confusion and honors Officer Rainer; opponents said it removes civilian protections and imposes disproportionate mandatory sentencing. The bill passed 31-4. The Senate then passed SB 168 on public nuisances, expanding nuisance law to include gambling establishments and increasing penalties; SB 288 on rural electric cooperatives, narrowing statutory ambiguity while preserving consumer protections; SB 292 creating a public records exemption for appellate court clerks and their families; SB 296 and SB 298 addressing domestic violence and dating violence, including a feasibility study for a secure alert system and expanded address confidentiality protections; SB 364 modernizing CPA licensure pathways; SB 386 creating protections for farm equipment purchasers; and several Open Government Sunset Review bills preserving or extending public records and meeting exemptions (SB 7000, 7002, 7006, 7008, 7012, 7014, and 7016). Most of these bills passed with little or no opposition, though some sunset-review measures drew a few dissenting votes. At the end of the session, the Rules Chair moved to waive rules and immediately certify all bills passed that day to the House, and the motion was adopted. The Senate also heard announcements about upcoming executive appointments, State of Black Florida Week events, and a motion to adjourn until the next meeting on February 4.

Transcript Highlights:

• You've even had a superintendent that got ejected from a contest, and 55 level 3s.
• Level 3s are a one-year suspension.
• And that is not the case, especially with the transfer portal at the Division I level now.
• Is that the similar process that’s done on the collegiate level?”
• It's your job to bring in great talent at the college level.

Summary: The Education Pre-K through 12 Committee heard a presentation from Florida High School Athletic Association Executive Director Craig Damon, joined by student athletes Sydney Daniel and Taylor White. The students spoke about the value of education-based athletics, leadership, and the need for safe, equitable opportunities. Damon then discussed FHSAA issues including rising sportsmanship problems, ejections, violent incidents, recruiting allegations, transfers, mental health pressures on student athletes, and the need for qualified coaches. He said the association tries to be proactive, work with schools on discipline, and emphasize that school changes should be for academic reasons rather than athletics. Senators asked about mental health, transfer rules, and a recent Jacksonville incident; Damon explained the current transfer exceptions and said the association lacked authority over the Jacksonville football game because the schools were not in FHSAA football. The committee then heard a panel on high school coaches’ compensation led by Florida Coaches Coalition Executive Director Dr. Andrew Ramgett, with Coach Mike Hickman, Coach Charlie Ward, and superintendents from Okaloosa and Walton counties. Ramgett argued that coaching supplements are outdated, have not kept pace with the expanding year-round demands of coaching, and amount to very low hourly pay in many sports. He also said Florida’s restrictions on booster club funding and minimal certification requirements contribute to turnover and difficulty retaining qualified coaches. Hickman and Ward described coaching as a demanding, year-round profession that affects students beyond athletics, including academics and mental health. The superintendents said they value coaches but must balance compensation against limited district funds and other staffing needs; one noted Walton County uses a dedicated administrative lane for football coaching and athletic administration. Senators discussed whether booster club funding should be allowed, whether compensation should be tied to performance, and whether any increase in base student allocation would actually reach coaches. Public commenters, including Florida Athletic Coaches Association Executive Director Shelton Cruz and former coach Tyrone McGriff, urged support for coaches and emphasized their broader impact on students’ lives and school safety. At the end of the meeting, the committee took up confirmation hearings for appointments on tabs 3 through 6 and, with no appearance forms filed, voted unanimously to recommend confirmation. Senator Burgess then moved to adjourn, and the committee concluded the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• So if we want to turn to page three, kind of taking a high-level, 10,000-foot look at the system.
• At a primary level, there's ECECD, PED, DOH, and HCA.
• Many agencies intervene and assist in keeping an eye on child maltreatment at that level.
• That is not a traditional form of multi-level response.
• Nothing has gone to that level.

Transcript Highlights:

• , of course, how those possibly could affect us here at the state level.
• If we pass SJR 15, we risk creating that same void at the state level.
• Perhaps more attention and support is needed for district-level governance.
• I think a nine-member board is more about the right level for that.
• We have churn at that level, which seems to indicate why would it not be any different at the state level

Transcript Highlights:

• Where the voters approve a higher level of spending for one of those three categories. And Mr.
• <00:53:07.319> from that are occurring at a state level from that are occurring at a state
• level from a<00:53:07.920> a<00:53:08.079> budget<00:53:08.599> perspective<00:
• poverty level for reduced-price meal eligibility.
• poverty level for reduced-price meal eligibility.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:15:43.839> of unemployment and concerning level of unemployment and concerning level of
• <00:20:15.200> of we also see that the higher levels of we also see that the higher levels
• So we're able to at the state level.
• unpredictable at the federal level. unpredictable at the federal level.
• State level coordination is the done. State level coordination is the next<01:06:23.039> step.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Public Safety held an informational briefing on the second anniversary of the Maui wildfires, with Chair Dela Alani framing the discussion around emergency preparedness, recovery, and lessons for future disasters. The main presentation came from researchers involved in the Maui Wildfire Exposure Study, who described the project as a grassroots academic-community partnership that has enrolled more than 2,000 adults and children for health screenings, social assessments, and biomonitoring. They said the study has documented elevated mental and physical health conditions, housing instability, unemployment, barriers to care, and exposure to heavy metals and other toxicants, while also noting some modest improvement in adult mental health and self-rated health compared with the prior year. The presenters emphasized that wildfire impacts remain severe two years later. They reported that about half of adult participants had worsening health since the fires, roughly 40% had direct or frequent fire exposure, and many adults showed chronic disease burdens such as hypertension, diabetes, and respiratory impairment. They also said about half of adult survivors reported depressive symptoms, about a quarter had moderate to severe anxiety, more than 4% had considered suicide in the prior month, and nearly one in four had PTSD. A clinician from the Lahaina Certified Community Behavioral Health Center described the clinic’s no-turn-away model, with case management, therapy, psychiatric evaluation, and medication management for anyone who needs it, and urged lawmakers to fund and expand that approach. The researchers also highlighted environmental findings, saying urine testing of more than 1,200 adults found heavy metal signatures that differed between burn-zone residents and those on the perimeter, with higher levels associated with displacement and ash re-exposure. They said about 20% of participants had higher-than-expected heavy metal levels 6 to 12 months after the fires, and cited a negative association between nickel levels and lung function. They argued for long-term monitoring, better cleanup methods, and a centralized health surveillance system tied to community outreach. No vote or formal committee action was taken during the briefing; the chair said the presentation materials and related reports would be posted for public access, and members were invited to ask questions after the presentation.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, we're trying to see if we can get higher supervision levels or higher risk levels out of jail with
• levels out of jail levels or higher risk levels out of jail with<00:58:44.400> our<00:58:44.720
• <01:20:33.280> often<01:20:33.679> reduce the national level level often reduce the
• level felonies.
• court on those higher level felonies. court on those higher level felonies.

Keywords: 910, house, all