Transcript Highlights:

• Good afternoon and welcome to today's Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 6.
• Good afternoon and welcome to today's Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 6, which covers public safety.
• So we were asked to provide some background for a state budget-focused conversation about the January
• . reimbursements that are received are likely to come through the OES budget, which is a function of
• This budget request is more than just funding. It's a lifeline. Thank you for listening.

Summary: The committee heard a broad public safety budget hearing focused on youth justice funding, probation incentive grants, and disaster response and recovery. On the youth justice item, the Office of Youth and Community Restoration described a proposed change to the JJRBG funding formula that would shift resources away from a DJJ-based measure and toward county youth population, serious offenses, and step-down placements in less restrictive programs. Members asked about data on Native American youth; OYCR said statewide data are limited, but its SYTF data show about 1% of youth in secure youth treatment facilities were Native in 2024. The Department of Finance had no objections, and the item was discussed as a way to support alternatives to long-term incarceration. The committee then reviewed the community corrections performance incentive program for county probation departments. The Department of Finance proposed stabilizing the program with a maintenance payment, updating the performance baseline, and adding a growth factor; the LAO agreed the formula needed changes but recommended using 2022-23 data instead of 2021-23, using marginal rather than average cost assumptions, rejecting the growth payment and minimum guarantee, and adding stronger oversight through the BSCC. Finance said it was open to some technical changes but opposed a new BSCC audit framework, noting Judicial Council already surveys probation departments and that evidence-based practice use has increased over time. Members and staff indicated the proposal still needed further work. A major portion of the hearing focused on the January 2025 Southern California wildfires and state disaster response. A resident of Altadena gave emotional testimony about evacuation failures, loss of home, and the need for accountability. LAO and Cal OES outlined the disaster response and recovery system, including mutual aid, alert and warning, debris removal, FEMA and state funding streams, and the long timeline for reimbursement. Cal OES said it had pre-positioned resources, temporarily took over the county’s wireless emergency alert function for about three weeks, coordinated debris removal and recovery operations, and had already allocated more than $286 million in state funds. Officials also discussed the 100% federal cost share for emergency work for 180 days and the uncertainty created by changing federal processes and the cancellation of the BRIC resilience program. The committee also heard two smaller Cal OES items: a request to reappropriate about $22 million for the law enforcement mutual aid reimbursement program, which the LAO said should be placed in statute with clearer goals and reporting, and an update on Victims of Crime Act funding, where Cal OES said federal VOCA allocations have fallen sharply and that roughly $224 million would be needed to maintain current service levels if federal funding does not improve. Public comment included a request for funding to expand datacasting and emergency alert receivers for wildfire and earthquake warning.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, I just wanted to make a couple of comments about our labor budget bill and policy bill.
• </c> of comments about our labor uh budget of comments about our labor uh budget bill<00:20:16.559><c
• </c> explaining the contents of our budget explaining the contents of our budget bill<00:21:21.919><c
• contain</c><00:21:27.200><c> the</c> The budget bill will contain the The budget bill will contain the
• A list-served notice has also just been sent out explaining the contents of our budget bill.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The effective date comes July 1, 2025, but the implementation would be in the budget cycle for FY 27,
• The effective date comes July 1, 2025, but the implementation would be in the budget cycle for FY 27,
• Right now our budget's on pace to come in lower than the state's budget in terms of increases.
• Our taxpayers will be forced to reassess school budgets and municipal budgets, with potential negative
• We appreciate the budgets in many ways.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• appreciates the Senate's first offer, and we are prepared to make the House's first offer on the budget
• Beginning with the budget, members, the House's first offer is located in the far-right columns of the
• Immediately after the budget spreadsheet is the House's statewide summary of our FEFP.
• Both the House and the Senate original budgets put forth a reduction of those weights.
• I normally have never had, in my entire legislative career, a question during these budget hearings.

Summary: The meeting focused on the House’s first offer on the budget, proviso, and back-of-the-bill items in negotiations with the Senate. Representative Persons-Mulica explained that the House’s proposal would create an academic acceleration options supplement to support advanced courses such as AP, IB, ACE, and CAP, and would fund that supplement at 100% of the amount generated under the current statutory weight system, rather than the lower level included in the Senate’s proposal. She said the House’s offer would provide more funding to every district than this year and at least as much as the current formula would generate. She also highlighted two back-of-the-bill items: a Family Empowerment Scholarship Stabilization Enrollment Program to provide additional funding if enrollment projections create issues, and a provision allowing early learning coalitions to use unexpended school readiness funds in fiscal year 2025-26. Senator Burgess praised the offer and noted the House and Senate were working toward addressing concerns raised during session. A public commenter, a longtime teacher, thanked lawmakers for preserving funding for academically rigorous courses and urged future improvements in school funding and teacher pay. Representative Joseph asked how the additional supplemental funds would be allocated between district schools and other programs, and Persons-Mulica said that guidance would be included in a forthcoming conforming bill. With no further questions or public comment, the committee moved to adjourn, and the meeting ended with notice that it could reconvene on one hour’s notice.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's school budget support of this bill.
• </c><00:08:55.440><c> by</c> reduced the operating budget by reduced the operating budget by $900,000
• And we already saw that last school budget year. They clipped $2 million off of our budget.
• </c> force for teachers due to budget force for teachers due to budget constraints.<01:27:29.760><c>
• ,</c><02:10:45.520><c> the</c> revenue projections for the budget, the revenue projections for the budget

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> find the money in our next budget cycle. find the money in our next budget cycle.
• </c> budget um and debated the school budget budget um and debated the school budget and<03:39:49.520
• budget.
• hole in our future budgets.
• hole in our future budgets.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So that was in the budget; there's the expected revenue.
• We, as this body, when we do the budget every year, right? Right.
• We don't say, hey, you... ...we do the budget every year, right? Right.
• It's clear in their budget; we have the money to do this.
• And, you know, in their budget, we have the money to do this.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• of the problem that the project would address, analysis of the preferred alternative, and project budget
• To submit a capital budget form called the C-100 for major capital project funding requests.
• Thank you, Capital Budget Committee. I'm excited to be here.
• I didn't even recall that you had jumped ship here from the Capital Budget. I miss you guys.
• We then turn those rank lists into OFM, and they're submitted to the budget process, through the budget

Summary: The committee held public hearings on several capital-related bills. HB 2353 would raise the pre-design threshold for state-funded capital projects from $10 million to $15 million and index it to inflation beginning in 2027. The sponsor and a testifier said the change would reduce delays and save money on projects by avoiding costly pre-design work for mid-sized projects; staff noted the bill could reduce future capital budget costs. HB 2420 would increase the Small Works roster contract cap in stages from $350,000 to $650,000 by 2030, with a proposed substitute shifting the first increase from July 2026 to January 2027 to allow time for rulemaking. Testimony from universities, cities, ports, counties, and water/sewer districts supported the bill as a way to reduce administrative burden, speed projects, and help small and diverse contractors. The committee also heard HB 2470, which would change how the School Construction Assistance Program treats school facilities on military bases. Staff explained the bill would exclude on-base instructional space from a district’s available-space calculation and adjust state assistance to account for federal funding, potentially increasing eligibility for affected districts such as Clover Park and Medical Lake. The sponsor and supporters said current rules unfairly reduce state support for districts serving military families; OSPI testified in support but said the bill would need amendment to avoid federal-law issues and was working on a revised approach that would increase the SCAP funding assistance percentage instead of directly referencing federal funds. Clover Park School District and the Veterans Legislative Coalition also supported the measure. In executive session, the committee moved HB 2338, which expands the low-income weatherization program to include community-scaled projects, out of committee with a do-pass recommendation by a vote of 17 ayes and 2 excused. The committee then held a work session with the Recreation and Conservation Office on its competitive grant programs, including Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program accounts, youth athletic facilities, community forests, aquatic lands, boating, off-road vehicle, firearms and archery, and federal grant programs. Members asked about demand, ADA compliance, geographic distribution, and technical assistance; RCO said demand is high in several programs and that it uses scoring criteria, regional allocations, and outreach to improve access statewide.

Transcript Highlights:

• We've unfortunately had some projects recently that have come in over budget where we've had to come
• So a big part of that is just trying to have a budget that we can stay within. Okay.
• Yes, just a clarification here, but the electrical contract originally was budgeted at $10,000 and it
• I guess the first question will be, do we anticipate future budgets, federal budgets, having funding
• And I think a lot of our, you know, the majority of our budget is federally funded.

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I suspect that a lot of us will disagree with that when we see the February budget forecast as well.
• This, by the way, I think is going to have a significant impact on the state's budget.
• State money is going to be going to light rail; we made sure of that in the 2023 budget.
• Is the Met Council able to spend any part of its general budget or discretionary budget on light rail
• Fuel costs are eating into family budgets.

Transcript Highlights:

• Education Budgets 101: where does the money come from?
• Some of the basics of budget types of things. We will start hearing actual bills on Wednesday.
• And today, Chairman Soules asked us to come and present kind of an Education Budgets 101.
• In terms of, is it in the budget? If so, where is it in the budget?
• I would understand what the SEG, how that impacts overall budgets going forward.

Transcript Highlights:

• 2446, number one on the calendar for the day, an act relating to state government, establishing a budget
• And although the egg budget is a pretty small piece of the overall state budget, this bill is going to
• And each of those risks, by taking those risks, we get the rewards of having a budget that I believe
• budget, this bill is going<00:02:12.480><c> to</c><00:02:12.560><c> do</c><00:02:12.720><c> a</c><00
• We provide for the operating the budget.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> um plans 2025 budget um plans 2025 budget um<00:03:01.239><c> so</c><00:03:01.440><c> let</c><00
• Most of our budget goes to staff compensation.
• And so we have no other budget requests.
• And so we have no other budget requests.
• We will proceed with our budget process in due course.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> functions of the Department of budget functions of the Department of budget and<00:05:28.039><c>
• ><c> budget</c><00:09:15.200><c> of</c><00:09:15.440><c> any</c> largest operating budget of any largest
• of budget and finance is Department of budget and finance is really<00:12:27.920><c> for</c><00:12:28.240
• </c> know the Department's operating budget know the Department's operating budget really<00:12:44.240
• </c><00:12:52.040><c> and</c> that the state department of budget and that the state department of budget

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the unnecessary singling out of charter schools in a budget bill.
• the unnecessary singling out of charter schools in a budget bill.
• The unnecessary singling out of charter schools in a budget bill.
• It should not be tucked away into a budget bill.
• We should not be tucking away policy changes in a budget bill.

Summary: The Assembly met with an initial quorum call, then proceeded through routine floor business, guest introductions, and several procedural motions. Members approved requests to suspend rules for adjournment-in-memory remarks and guest seating, removed some bills from the consent calendar, and re-referred or withdrew several measures. The chamber also took up a number of second-reading and concurrence items later in the day. Two major bills drew floor debate. SB 762, a tax measure allowing eligible local governments to seek voter approval for transactions and use tax rates above the statutory cap, was presented as a response to local fiscal pressures and was described by supporters as giving voters local choice rather than imposing a tax increase. It passed with an urgency vote of 54-13 and was sent immediately to the Senate. AB 126, the education budget trailer bill, was presented as a major investment in TK-12 education, special education, community schools, and educator leave; one member supported many provisions but objected to policy changes affecting charter schools being included in a budget bill. The Assembly concurred in the Senate amendments on AB 126 by a vote of 56-1. The Assembly also concurred in AB 35, an urgency environmental protection bill intended to speed implementation of Proposition 4-funded projects by narrowing administrative delay; supporters said it would accelerate wildfire prevention, water, and other environmental projects. The measure passed unanimously, 66-0. The consent calendar was then adopted, including AB 2796 on criminal history information, which passed 67-0. The session concluded with multiple adjournment-in-memory tributes, including remarks honoring victims of a B-52 test flight crash at Edwards Air Force Base, former West Covina Mayor Lloyd Johnson, civil rights leader Harold Brown, educator and activist Kiyoko Nancy Oda, and Auburn Mayor John Mike Holmes, followed by announcements of summer recess and adjournment until August 3.

Transcript Highlights:

• And this seems to be a good investment in spite of the tight budget that we have.
• So at the end of the day, it gets marginalized a little bit in terms of the budget.
• I understand, but we have a $2 billion deficit in our budget.
• So at the end of the day, it gets marginalized a little bit in terms of the budget.
• I understand, but we have a $2 billion deficit in our budget.

Summary: The Committee on Higher Education and Workforce Development heard House Bill 3359, presented by Rep. Travis Wilson on behalf of Rep. Riggs. The bill would create a state income tax credit for donations to registered school robotics/STEAM programs, including cash, equipment, software, materials, and certain employee volunteer hours. The proposal was described as a 20% credit, capped at $10 million annually beginning in tax year 2027, with a six-year sunset. Committee members raised questions about whether the credit applies to individuals or businesses, how volunteer hours would be valued, whether the bill should be limited to qualified coaches or employees rather than parents or general volunteers, which state agency would administer reporting, and whether the 20% rate should be higher. Rep. Wilson said he was open to clarifying amendments and noted the bill sponsor would need to weigh changes. The bill’s student author and witness, Sarah Waldron, a Westminster Christian Academy senior and robotics team CEO, testified in support. She said the bill was intended to help Missouri schools, especially under-resourced ones, access funding for robotics programs and argued that the credit would leverage private donations into student opportunities and workforce development. She clarified that the volunteer-hour provision was meant for business employees, not individual volunteers, and said she had drafted an amendment to provide higher credits for schools with higher free-and-reduced-lunch percentages. Several committee members praised her work and discussed the need to target aid toward schools with fewer resources. Arne C. A.C. Dinoff, State Public Advocate, testified in opposition. He praised the student’s initiative but argued the state could not afford another tax credit given budget deficits and said volunteerism should not be tied to a fiscal reward. He also questioned the fiscal note and said robotics support should be handled locally rather than through a state tax credit. No vote was taken, and the chair concluded the hearing after testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• And this seems to be a good investment in spite of the tight budget that we have.
• So at the end of the day, it gets marginalized a little bit in terms of the budget.
• I understand, but we have a $2 billion deficit in our budget.
• So at the end of the day, it gets marginalized a little bit in terms of the budget.
• I understand, but we have a $2 billion deficit in our budget.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The Pre-K Through 12 Budget Subcommittee will come to order. Santa, please call the roll.
• We also have a brief budget presentation to give you some information before we head into conference
• Two bills to go, as well as some budget documents.
• projects, and budget proviso must be completed.
• The first spreadsheet is the fiscal year 25-26 budget side-by-side.

Summary: The Pre-K Through 12 Budget Subcommittee met with a quorum and took up three bills, along with a brief budget conference-prep presentation. The first bill, CS/HB 1483 on school grading and student supports, would gradually align Florida’s school grading scale with the familiar A-F student grading scale over a 10-year glide path, add school report card transparency on the percentage of students reading at grade level, expand interventions for students with substantial reading and math deficiencies through VPK through grade 8, and create a competitive grant for diverse books in K-5 classrooms and libraries. Supporters argued the current school-grade scale is misleading and that the bill would improve transparency and supports; some members raised concerns about impacts on turnaround schools, community perception, and whether the bill adequately captures student gains. The bill passed 12-2 and was reported favorably. The committee then considered CS/HB 859 on the School Readiness Program, which revises the definition of “economically disadvantaged” for eligibility purposes. The bill originally moved from 150% of the federal poverty level to 65% of state median income, but three amendments were adopted to create a glide path and reduce fiscal impact by using 50% of state median income or 150% of poverty, whichever is greater, and by deleting an obsolete section. Public testimony was overwhelmingly supportive, emphasizing child care as workforce infrastructure and a lifeline for working families. The bill passed unanimously, 14-0, and was reported favorably. Finally, CS/HB 1607 on cardiac emergencies in schools would require AEDs in every Florida school, including charter schools, require CPR/AED training, and create a pulse-saving plan with rulemaking authority for the State Board of Education. Proponents cited alarming statistics about sudden cardiac arrest on campuses and argued that rapid AED access can save lives; supporters from the American Heart Association, PTA, and cardiology groups backed the measure. Members spoke in strong support, and the bill passed unanimously, 14-0, and was reported favorably. The meeting ended with a budget presentation explaining that House and Senate FY 2025-26 budget, appropriations project, and proviso side-by-sides had been distributed ahead of conference, followed by adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• You are giving us grief for adding to the budget. Your topics here are great.
• Their support is for the governor's budget. Okay, no, thank you.
• They're both budget bills.
• We pulled policy bills in order to get the budget because, at the end of the day, the budget is what
• So that's why, and this is custom and usage for our budget bills.

Bills: HF2784, HF2785, HF2778, HF2281, HF2576, HF2280, HF2579

Keywords: beginning farmers, agriculture, loans, economic opportunity, farmers' equity, agriculture appropriations, farm to school, early care, child care food program, school lunch program, local food, Minnesota agriculture, food access, farm-to-institution, limited market access, county fairs, biofuels, E25, ethanol, meat processing

Transcript Highlights:

• The Information Technology Budget and Policy Subcommittee will now come to order.
• I know we had a chance last week to submit our proposed budget recommendations to the House Budget Committee
• Information Technology Budget and Policy Subcommittee got it right.
• You have authority, you have budget, and you have accountability.
• You have authority, you have budget, and you have accountability.

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 1183, by Rep. G. Lombardo, as amended by a strike-all. The bill would provide liability protection for local governments and private-sector entities that substantially comply with certain cybersecurity practices, including multi-factor authentication, disaster recovery plans, and related policies and procedures. Rep. Lombardo said the measure is intended to create incentives for better cybersecurity and to limit class-action exposure after incidents, while still allowing suits where negligence can be shown. Supporters included TechNet, the Florida Justice Reform Institute, the Florida League of Cities, Associated Industries of Florida, the Florida Association of Counties, and Dr. Edward Long of the James Madison Institute; Vice Chair Steele, Rep. Blanco, and Rep. McFarland also spoke in favor. Ranking Member Bracy Davis opposed the bill, saying she was not comfortable granting liability protections to entities that may have contributed to breaches and questioning whether substantial compliance would be self-attested. The amendment was adopted, and the bill was reported favorably by a 14-2 vote. After the vote, the committee shifted into an extended discussion about Florida’s state IT governance structure, procurement, and project management. Members criticized the current federated model as fragmented and lacking clear accountability, with repeated references to long-running problems such as cost overruns, weak vendor oversight, workforce shortages, and the troubled I-Connect system. Several members argued that the state needs a single accountable leader or stronger enterprise authority over agency technology decisions. Ranking Member Bracy Davis raised concerns about the impact of broken systems on vulnerable populations and asked about the role of advisory councils. Rep. G. Lombardo, Vice Chair Steele, Rep. Miller, and Rep. Groh all emphasized the need for centralized leadership, better alignment of authority and budget, and more disciplined procurement and integration practices. A public witness, Victoria Zep of Team 180, testified in support of a more enterprise-wide approach and said the private sector also wants more organization and transparency. She criticized short procurement timelines, limited competition, and poorly written scopes, and urged the state to post procurements more openly and seek broader vendor input. She also discussed the need to respect agency-specific federal requirements while still improving statewide coordination. The chair closed by asking members to bring forward ideas for immediate and long-term reforms, including review of Senate Bill 7026, and the meeting adjourned without further business.