Transcript Highlights:

• And we've referenced this data at the bottom of our testimony.
• We also brought the data forward. We didn't want to interfere with any other boards.
• I mean, is there data that says these licensures are causing harm because they're really not meeting
• I mean, is there data that says these licensures are causing harm because they're really not meeting
• and they’ve been designing their data centers?

Committee: House Professional Registration and Licensing

Transcript Highlights:

• There's nothing in here related to the governor's initiative on data centers. That's not in...
• There's nothing in here related to the governor's initiative on data centers.
• We don't have the December 2025 data yet.
• year of data, and it says, well, let's look at every state.
• A lot of wealth of data on personal income tax.

Summary: The Senate Finance Committee met with a quorum present and first approved the minutes from the January 15 morning meeting. The main agenda item was the Department of Revenue’s budget and revenue presentation from Secretary Eric Nelson, Deputy Secretary Peter Shirley, and Deputy Secretary Mark Mucco. Nelson said the state remains double-A rated with a positive outlook, the budget includes a 5% personal income tax reduction, and the 2027 general revenue estimate is $5.493 billion, up $170 million from the prior year. Shirley gave an economic overview, saying West Virginia is forecast to see continued but slowing employment growth, continued wage growth, gains in private education/health services and business services, declines in some sectors, improving labor force participation relative to the nation, and strong recent net in-migration. He also noted continued growth in natural gas production and a modest rebound in coal production, though coal faces longer-term demand pressure. Mucco reviewed revenue trends and said 2025 collections were about $5.5 billion, below the prior year but above estimate, with personal income tax and sales tax driving the surplus. He explained that the forecast incorporates the 5% PIT cut and annual conformity to the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act, including changes such as Section 179 expensing, bonus depreciation, R&D expensing, business interest deductions, and a new manufacturing facility expensing provision. He also discussed the effects of tax credits, severance tax volatility, declining tobacco revenues, and health care provider tax changes tied to federal Medicaid rules. He said road fund revenues are largely flat absent policy changes, and county commission revenues are growing faster than state revenues. Members asked about when new economic development projects like NewCore would appear in the projections, how much 20,000 new jobs would matter, whether the department had a calculator for job-growth impacts, the status of recent tax cuts, road fund growth, tobacco/vape taxation, and whether migration data could be broken down by county. The witnesses said major projects are not yet in the S&P-based forecast but would likely add jobs, wages, and tax revenue over time; they estimated 20,000 jobs would be a significant increase. They also said the state is unlikely to hit the current personal income tax trigger in the near term. No substantive votes were taken beyond approving the minutes, and the committee adjourned after a motion carried by voice vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• Yeah, so I think that we're already seeing also the data centers that have popped up, and one is being
• So right now, data center is very hotly debated in the Labor Committee.
• So right now, data center is very hotly debated in the Labor Committee.
• So right now, data center is very hotly debated in the Labor Committee.
• So right now, data center is very hotly debated in the Labor Committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• THE DATA AND OUTCOMES MATTER.
• USE THE FIRST TWO MEETINGS OF THE YEAR TO EVALUATE AND THIS IS TO ENSURE THAT WE GATHER MEANINGFUL DATA
• THIS WILL HAVE KEY ISSUES INCLUDING PERFORMANCE MEASURES, DATA COLLECTIONS AND USE ACCOUNTABILITY AND
• TRADITIONALLY, WITH THE PREVIOUS DENTAL CONTRACT WE WERE COLLECTING MONTHLY DATA FOR THE PROGRAM THAT
• >> I DO NOT HAVE DATA TO SPEAK TO THAT EITHER WAY.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> of the Minnesota uh government data of the Minnesota uh government data Practices<00:08:57.040><
• educational data and Personnel data<00:19:25.120><c> that</c><00:19:25.360><c> would</c><00:19:25.559
• ><c> retain</c><00:19:26.039><c> its</c> data that would retain its data that would retain its classification
• </c> because it is a non-public type of data because it is a non-public type of data um<00:19:37.000>
• Moore: As to the different data sets you mentioned, the USDA data set from the federal level, we at the

Committee: Senate Labor

Transcript Highlights:

• They have a grant from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to improve data in commercial
• I mean, is there any data to point to this?
• Is there any data to point to this?
• I'd appreciate to get that data. Thank you. Members, do we have any other questions?
• This amends an existing contract for a water and wastewater rate data study.

Committee: All JOINT BUDGET COMMITTEE

Summary: The committee heard a series of appropriation requests and contract reviews across multiple sections. In Section B, members approved temporary appropriations for the Court of Appeals, Commerce/Aeronautics, and Insurance-related payments and refunds. Section C ARPA requests from DHS were approved to return unused federal funds. Section D infrastructure-related appropriations, including wildfire preparedness, broadband BEAD funding, forestry support, recycling, and oil and gas sample preservation, were approved after questions about broadband audit controls and performance safeguards. Section E DHS reallocations were approved, including large transfers within Medical Services from hospital medical to private and public nursing home lines, along with smaller transfers for children and family services, developmental disabilities, and youth services; members asked about the source and purpose of the medical services transfer. Sections F and G were reviewed, covering cash fund requests, federal grants, and miscellaneous grants, including community college storm repairs, corrections commissary and maintenance, 911 enhancements, maternal health, disability determinations, state police equipment, digital newspaper archiving, and CDL data improvements. In Section H, the committee reviewed pay plan appropriations and performance fund transfers tied to the new Class and Comp pay plan. Section I reviewed three methods of finance for UA Little Rock, UAMS, and the University of Arkansas system. In Section J, the committee reviewed discretionary grants, including a $1.4 million HIV services grant and nine tobacco prevention subgrants through UAPB. Members questioned the effectiveness, metrics, and addresses of some tobacco-cessation arts-based grantees, especially Arts Absolutely Inc.; after discussion, Representative Kavanaugh moved to expunge the vote on J2 and refer it back for review at a later ALC meeting, and that motion passed. J3, a Department of Energy and Environment grant for propane safety training and e-waste recycling services, was then reviewed. The committee also reviewed contracts in Section K. K-1 ratified emergency management nuclear planning work performed during a transition between agencies. K-2 construction contracts included architectural and engineering services for corrections, National Park College signage, a Razorback Road parking facility, and UAMS cyclotron installation. K-3 intergovernmental contracts covered health, education, autism waiver, stroke, newborn screening, Medicaid evidence review, and radiation testing services. K-4 out-of-state contracts included staffing, IT, tobacco prevention, audit, marketing, planetarium, recruitment, and janitorial services; Senator Irvin noted one contract appeared to belong in the out-of-state list rather than intergovernmental. K-5 in-state contracts covered staffing, cleaning, re-entry and treatment services, foster care and disability services, hearing officers, asbestos abatement, campus IT support, and janitorial work. The meeting ended after a brief personal update from Senator Irvin about tornado damage in Stone County and thanks to members for their concern, followed by adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• And that's data that we get from law enforcement. Were you aware of that?
• And once they talked about what the federal data was, what Oklahoma's data was, and the two systems that
• There's data that speaks to what Oklahomans are wanting.
• But would I'm not aware of any polling data.
• But I would certainly take your word for any polling data that you may have. Any other questions?

Bills: HB4125 , HB2951 , HB3082 , HB4142 , HB4106 , HB1752 , HB3268

Committee: Senate Public Safety

Keywords: firearm rights restoration, nonviolent felons, Oklahoma firearm laws, gun ownership, pardon, expungement, public safety, transportation of inmates, Department of Corrections, correctional facilities, sentencing, health records, firefighters, sex offenders, employment restrictions, Oklahoma laws, bomb, explosive device, incendiary device, simulated bomb

Transcript Highlights:

• It provides real-time access to voter registration data, allowing poll workers to quickly verify voter
• This integration means cleaner data flows, more reliable lookups, and a more intuitive experience for
• This integration means cleaner data<00:04:01.439><c> flows,</c><00:04:02.239><c> more</c><00:04:02.560
• ><c> reliable</c><00:04:03.120><c> lookups,</c><00:04:03.920><c> and</c><00:04:04.080><c> a</c> data
• Um, all that data is in a controlled, secure environment. Each of these devices is locked down.

Summary: The House Budget Review Subcommittee on General Government met to hear an update from the State Board of Elections on its Bluegrass Books electronic poll book system. Rachel Pointer and Richard House described the project as an in-house modernization effort intended to improve security, customization, integration with the voter registration system, reduce voter wait times, streamline supplemental and provisional ballot processing, and provide year-round local support to county clerks and poll workers. They emphasized that the system is already a working product, not just a concept, and showed a workflow demonstration of voter lookup, signature capture, ballot issuance, manual lookup, and handling voters who have already voted. The agency also outlined the financial rationale for the project, saying the state currently lacks dedicated funding for replacing the iPads used for election-day poll books and that counties now bear vendor maintenance and support costs. Under Bluegrass Books, the state would seek to cover hardware replacement, maintenance, and on-site support through future appropriations, potentially using bulk purchasing to lower costs. When asked about the size of the appropriation request, the presenters said it was not yet finalized but noted roughly 7,000 devices are deployed statewide and replacement would likely be phased rather than done all at once. Members asked about security and whether the e-poll book could affect vote totals. The Board explained that the e-poll book is separate from ballot casting, that voting machines themselves are not connected to the internet, and that the poll book is networked only to update check-ins and prevent double voting. They said the device is locked down to the poll book application and can operate offline until connectivity returns. A member also asked how to recruit more poll workers; the response suggested higher pay is the main incentive, along with outreach to schools, community colleges, and possible pilot programs involving professionals. The meeting concluded without any votes or formal action beyond approval of minutes, and the next meeting was announced for January 29, weather permitting.

Transcript Highlights:

• National data show that children often wait months, sometimes more than a year, from initial screening
• National data show that children often wait months. services are facing unprecedented delays.
• National data show that children often wait months, sometimes more than a year, from initial screening
• They did an actuarial study looking at Medicare claims data.
• Again, these bills do not mandate rate increases; instead, they create transparency and a data-driven

Bills: H4353 , H4425 , H4453 , H4623 , H4770 , S2587 , S2737

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Health Care Financing

Keywords: behavioral health, Medicaid, reimbursement rates, healthcare providers, service delivery, accreditation, Medicare, end-stage renal disease, healthcare access, patient coverage, renal failure, MassHealth, asset limit, personal vehicle exemption, vehicle value, healthcare, autism, ABA services, assistive technology, children

Transcript Highlights:

• to create a task force to study maternal mortality, for example, it could no longer look at racial data
• to do a public awareness campaign about sickle cell disease, you would assume that they, based on data
• I think it's also fair to say that even just gathering the data about which groups are being impacted
• We need clear data to determine how taxpayer dollars are being stretched and where additional support
• or external estimates but are equipped with comprehensive, verifiable data grounded in Texas-specific

Bills: SB231 , SB667 , SB689 , SB825 , SB965 , SB992 , SB1059 , SB1220 , SB2368 , SB2601

Committee: House State Affairs

Keywords: temporary emergency electric energy facility, temporary generation, emergency power, backup generation, mobile generator, portable generator, grid resilience, power outage restoration, transmission and distribution utility, TDU, Public Utility Commission of Texas, PUCT, Utilities Code Section 39.918, competitive bidding, lease authorization, emergency procurement, bulk power system, locational marginal pricing, reliability model, black start

Transcript Highlights:

• Then we took all the data centers specifically, that forecast by 49.8%.
• Data centers in the last several years based on their forecasted amount of load, 49.8% actually came
• You can see the biggest impact bringing down those data.
• This is going to be an attractive place for data centers to develop.
• Well, it's not that we're smarter; it's that we're leveraging historical data to try to bring a sense

Bills: HB1951 , HB2715 , HB3092 , HB3237 , HB3278 , HB3511 , HB3592 , HB3675 , HB3778 , HB3782 , HB3826 , HB3970 , HB4016 , HB4049 , HB4341 , HB4344 , HB4406 , HB4427

Committee: House State Affairs

Keywords: collective bargaining, public works, government contracts, labor agreements, state funding, removal from office, political subdivisions, local government, judicial proceedings, administrative judicial region, electric transmission, public convenience, landowner consent, utility regulation, energy infrastructure, energy consumption, higher education, governmental entities, sustainability, electricity reduction

Transcript Highlights:

• AB631 is about animal shelter data collection.
• This bill requires animal shelters to post data on their websites on the website.
• This data is important to get an accurate picture of animals entering and exiting shelters and their
• As such, it's critical we have data to properly optimize resources, best inform policy, and help pets
• While this data was for rabies control, it also gave policy makers and others an estimate of the pet

Committee: House Business and Professions

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, it's the data is more solid than anything I've ever seen in education data.
• The data tells us Kentucky tell us?
• </c><01:25:55.960><c> students</c><01:25:56.480><c> and</c> The data tells us that students and The data
• > affordability</c> data tells us that affordability data tells us that affordability challenges<01:26
• </c> report this data. report this data.

Summary: The Interim Joint Budget Review Subcommittee on Education met for its first summer interim meeting, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and took roll. The first presentation came from Jerry Gels, principal of Ignite Institute in Erlanger, who focused on the rising cost of dual credit. He said dual credit tuition has increased from about $150 to $290 for a three-credit course over roughly five years, which he argued is discouraging participation, especially for working-class and low-income students. He cited Ignite data and broader college outcomes to argue dual credit improves college persistence, shortens time to degree, and reduces student debt, noting that many of his students enter college with substantial credit and that low-income students at Ignite have increasingly participated after targeted efforts and scholarship use. He also said the instructional labor is largely paid by county school systems, so he questioned the size of the tuition increase and said the committee should examine how the costs are being set and whether college tuition should be stabilizing as more students arrive with credits already earned. Members asked about who pays for dual credit, the role of state scholarship support, and whether tuition varies by institution. Gels said students in his district generally pay the dual credit cost themselves, though some districts may cover it, and he noted the dual credit scholarship now covers fewer classes than before. He said the price appears to be set centrally rather than varying by university, and he emphasized that the higher cost is creating barriers even though the courses are taught largely by local teachers on school payrolls. He also described Ignite’s efforts to expand access for free- and reduced-lunch students, saying participation among that group rose from 27% with no dual credit to about 90-92% taking at least one dual credit class. The committee then heard from the Goldwater Institute, represented by Michael Frazier and Dr. Tim Minella by Zoom. They argued Kentucky’s public universities should face stronger accountability and transparency, citing declining public confidence in higher education, rising costs, and what they described as administrative growth and research spending that does not clearly benefit students or the Commonwealth. They proposed requiring a 10-year accounting of staffing growth by category, comparing it to enrollment and low-income Kentucky enrollment, and limiting non-STEM faculty teaching releases for research unless approved under a baseline consent process. They also criticized certain university-funded research projects as examples of misdirected spending and said public reporting should distinguish Kentucky residents from non-residents more clearly, pointing to a reported decline in low-income in-state undergraduate enrollment. No votes or formal actions were taken during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Census data. That's a 22.3% increase.
• Is the 2025 data any different?
• Is the 2025 data any different?
• </c><01:32:06.080><c> We</c> given the limited data available. We given the limited data available.
• </c> estimates are noisy and that the data estimates are noisy and that the data we're<01:32:41.840><

Committee: House Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• has an interest in data, I might say,<00:02:57.120><c> health</c><00:02:57.440><c> data,</c><00:02:58.560
• would allow for you all to be able to have the data from the folks who are generating the data. so you
• </c><00:24:17.919><c> utility</c> last month um you know a data utility last month um you know a data
• </c> year old data. year old data. &gt;&gt; Thank<00:26:47.600><c> you.
• The data doesn't lie.

Summary: The committee first approved the prior meeting minutes and recognized Eric Clark for his service, noting this may be his last meeting before he leaves state government. The main presentation was from Allison Adams, president and CEO of the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, who described the organization’s history, nonpartisan mission, and focus on health equity, prevention, and upstream policy solutions. She said Kentucky’s poor rankings in chronic disease, preventable hospitalizations, and life expectancy show the need to shift resources toward prevention and community-driven strategies rather than relying mainly on treatment after people become sick. Adams emphasized leading health indicators, arguing that lawmakers should track actionable measures such as quit attempts and smoke-free policies instead of only lagging indicators like disease rates and mortality. In response to questions, she said accountability should be shared across communities and systems, with possible incentives and disincentives tied to outcomes, and she supported creating a public data utility or dashboard, ideally with university partners, to help legislators and communities monitor progress. She also cited examples of accountable health community models and said Kentucky could adapt similar approaches. The committee then heard from Meade County Schools Superintendent Mark Martin and district health coordinator Karen Kotche about the Healthy Kids Clinic partnership with Cumberland Health. They described a seven-year effort that led to full implementation in the district, which now has a nurse in every school and a nurse practitioner, allowing services such as sports physicals and other clinic functions to be provided on campus. They said the program has been a strong investment for students and the community and began explaining how the district built the partnership after earlier efforts and delays, including the pandemic.

Transcript Highlights:

• The state of Colorado should mandate universal participation in federal agency data systems by every
• The state of Colorado should mandate universal participation in federal agency data systems by every
• collection program and simultaneously funneling all that data into a state bureau.
• The state of Colorado should mandate universal participation in federal agency data systems by every
• collection program and simultaneously funneling all that data into a state bureau.

Transcript Highlights:

• It also requires CalVet to expand public awareness of free CVSO services and enhance data collection.
• The statewide queue would both improve timeliness and provide the data needed for informed decisions.
• Second, this bill strengthens data collection at intake.
• Better data helps us understand who we are serving, identify gaps, and ensure equitable access to services
• And the idea being we can get as much data with the feedback, with the data we're collecting, and seeing

Summary: The Military and Veterans Affairs Committee heard presentations on several bills, beginning without a quorum and later taking up the measures once a quorum was established. AB 2531 by Assemblymember Irwin would expand California’s uncompensated care grant program so veterans whose federal health coverage does not include abortion services can access abortion care, and would require CalVet to link to abortion.ca.gov. Supporters, including Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, Equality California, and Reproductive Freedom for All California, said the bill responds to federal restrictions on VA abortion care; opposition from the California Family Council argued it used taxpayer dollars to promote abortion and raised concerns about incomplete information and fraud. Committee members also questioned the bill’s use of “self-identify” for veteran status and the funding structure, with the author indicating openness to looking at proof-of-veteran options. AB 2054 by Assemblymember Gibson would update California’s paid family leave rules so relatives of military service members can qualify when those members are activated for state emergencies, disaster response, or other domestic duties, not just overseas deployment. The Department of Defense sponsored the bill, and Navy Region Southwest testified in support, saying it would improve stability for military families and reflect modern service demands. Members praised the bill and noted recent National Guard deployments for fires as an example of the gap it addresses. AB 2219, the Faster Service for Veterans Act, by Chair Schiavo, would require county veterans service officer vacancies to be filled within 12 months, set accreditation timelines, expand training and public awareness, create a statewide work queue, improve data collection, and require periodic reporting and a unified satisfaction survey. The California Association of County Veterans Service Officers supported the bill, saying it would improve timeliness, accountability, and resource planning. After discussion, the committee voted to pass all of the bills and move them to the next committees: the consent calendar bills AB 1702, AB 1765, AB 2203, and AB 2467 were approved 8-0; AB 2054 passed 8-0 and was re-referred to Insurance; AB 2219 passed 8-0 and was re-referred to Appropriations; and AB 2531 passed 6-2 and was re-referred to Appropriations.

Transcript Highlights:

• Instead of collecting different data in 10 different locations, we've got all the data right here, and
• Surely they can have the data out there from other projects and ongoing with this project to give us
• Surely they can have the data out there from other projects and ongoing with this project to give us
• And once we get specific data, we can set specific goals for ourselves.
• And once we get those data points, then we can move forward and get some specifics. Yeah, awesome.

Committee: All ALC-HOSPITAL, MEDICAID, & DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES STUDY SUBCOMMITTEE

Summary: The committee met to review an audit and recommendations from the Alliance for Opportunity as part of a broader study of social service and workforce development reform under Act 145 of 2025. Members discussed creating a more integrated, regional, and “one door to work” system that would combine eligibility screening, service delivery, and workforce connections across DHS, workforce, and related programs. Much of the discussion focused on reducing administrative overhead, improving coordination, and using tools such as AI and centralized databases to help applicants learn about benefits, training, and job opportunities while still preserving case managers and in-person help for people without digital access. Members also emphasized targeting groups with low labor-force participation, including people in generational poverty, rural residents, individuals reentering from prison, and people involved in the court system who may be employable but are not currently connected to employers. Several members raised concerns about benefit cliffs, the burden of repeated paperwork across agencies, and whether the system should include performance measures tied to cost per person served and return on investment. The committee agreed that quantifiable savings and outcomes should be part of the study and future recommendations. The committee then considered and discussed a draft consultant services agreement with Work Ed Consulting LLC, represented by Mason Bishop, to assist with the study. Bureau of Legislative Research staff explained that the contract would run through June 30, 2027, with a maximum amount of $158,000, billed on actual hours and expenses, and could be expanded by up to 10% if needed. Bishop said he could provide ongoing ROI updates and technical assistance based on his experience in other states. After discussion, the committee voted to move forward with the contract, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Fortunately, Orange County Sheriff's Department has data, but no other law enforcement unless you go
• to agency after agency after agency in the state to get an aggregation or accumulation of the data.
• was very grateful to the Chair of Public Safety, who identified for me this absence of collecting data
• or sexual assault or assault with a deadly weapon, whatever the crimes are that are currently being data
• Once we don't know the data, we can address in fundamental ways the crimes, and we know how many millions

Summary: The Assembly convened after an initial quorum call and proceeded with routine business, including approval of the previous day’s journal, procedural suspensions, and several file items. Most second-reading, concurrence, veto, and reconsideration items were passed, retained, or continued without debate. The main floor action was on House Resolution 75, authored by Assembly Member Pellerin, designating January 26 as National Human Trafficking Awareness Month. Pellerin and several members from both parties spoke in support, emphasizing survivor-led advocacy, the prevalence of trafficking in California, risks tied to major events and vulnerable populations, and the need for better prevention, data collection, and victim services. The resolution was adopted by voice vote after 64 co-authors were added. Assembly Member Avila Farias’s AB 768, relating to mobile home park rent control and affordable housing, also passed with a 60-1 vote. The Assembly then held multiple adjournment-in-memory tributes for Joy Atkinson, a longtime Los Angeles civic leader and mentor to Black women in public service, with members recounting her work in government, political organizing, and the La P.I.E. leadership institute. Later, Assembly Member Haney offered an adjournment in memory of Bob Weir, founding member of the Grateful Dead, highlighting his musical legacy and philanthropy. The House adjourned until Thursday, January 22, at 9 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• , if it maintains an electronic health record system, must make all admit, transfer, and discharge data
• nursing home, actually, because we did amend that, of a nursing home that fails to submit financial data
• nursing home, actually, because we did amend that, of a nursing home that fails to submit financial data
• future, and it supports our families all across the state by expanding our opportunity to collect data
• across the state is going to give us starting with this and collating all the data across the state

Committee: Senate Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services

Summary: The Health and Human Services Appropriations Committee met to review and advance the Senate’s fiscal year 2025-26 budget proposal for the committee’s portfolio. The presentation highlighted a $1.8 billion increase over the current base budget, including full funding for Medicaid and KidCare, investments in IT modernization, Medicaid provider rate increases, mental health and substance use services, opioid treatment, foster care and guardian assistance, elder care, veterans’ services, cancer research, school nurse staffing, and other public health initiatives. The committee adopted a motion allowing technical adjustments and then approved the budget proposal to be reported to the full Senate Appropriations Committee. The committee then heard and voted on several bills. SB 152 on surgical smoke protection required hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers to adopt smoke evacuation policies; nurses testified in support, citing workplace and patient safety risks, and the bill was reported favorably. CS/SB 958 on early detection of type 1 diabetes required the Department of Health to provide educational materials to schools and, by amendment, early learning coalitions; it was also reported favorably. CS/CS/SB 170 on nursing home oversight added consumer satisfaction surveys, reporting requirements, quality incentive changes, and financial reporting penalties, with an amendment exempting state-operated homes and directing a study of best practices; it passed after questions about dementia, language access, and retaliation protections. CS/SB 738 modernized child care regulation by streamlining DCF processes and reducing obsolete requirements, and was reported favorably without opposition. The committee also approved CS/SB 1356 creating the Florida Institute for Pediatric Rare Diseases at FSU and a Sunshine Genetics pilot to expand rare-disease screening and research, with support from members emphasizing early detection and data collection. SB 1370 separated ambulatory surgical centers into their own statute, with testimony that the change would better reflect the industry and help avoid burdensome regulation; it passed favorably. Finally, CS/CS/SB 1626 made a range of child welfare changes, including codifying DCF coordination with military installations, adjusting shelter certification, refining criminal-background exemptions, extending licensing compliance time, addressing room-and-board rate methodology, and clarifying missing-child procedures; after adopting three amendments and hearing both support and concerns, the bill was reported favorably. The committee also recorded a member’s affirmative vote on SB 958 before adjournment.