Video & Transcript : 'blood tests' :
Page 213 of 500
ID
Transcript Highlights:
- got to take X, Y, and Z classes, and you have to have many of these credits, and you have to pass a test
- One is called phenylketonuria, or PKU, and we test for that on the heel-prick test at newborn screening
- who was homeschooled and denied her real estate license after passing all the classes and all the testing
- who was homeschooled and denied her real estate license after passing all the classes and all the testing
- Ward from a ways away at least, and they are saying we want this extra criteria or testing put on us.
Committee:
Senate Commerce and Human Resources
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
IC - Investments and Pensions Oversight Sep 12th, 2025
Investments & Pensions Oversight Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- I want to talk about the Consensus Revenue Estimating Group stress testing.
- comes up with the revenue forecast every quarter, and with every single revenue forecast, we do stress tests
- These tests that we run really help inform the reserve levels that are targeted by the LFC, by the governor
- Test flow of funds, then we should think seriously about what we want to do with them.
- To test it and to get it to market. So, it does take a while.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development Jun 21st, 2026 at 11:00 am
Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development
Transcript Highlights:
- To help combat misclassification, these bills would align the employee status test in the unemployment
- insurance statute with the already nearly identical employee status test in the wage and hour laws.
- And because the PFML statute also relies on the UI statute's employee status test, it would have the
- Aligning these employment status provisions across the current patchwork of statutory tests would have
- Someone manages a store, but that's not the test that they applied.
Summary:
The Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development held a hybrid hearing on a large group of bills carried over from the previous session, with Chair Jake Oliveira and House Co-Chair Paul McMurtry outlining the process and limiting testimony to three minutes. The committee heard testimony on several labor and workplace proposals, including bills to harmonize employee definitions to address misclassification (SB 1338/HB 2141), expand bereavement leave (including H. 2189/S. 1354 and related bills), protect collective bargaining rights for certain administrative employees (HB 268/SB 1306), expand commuter transit benefits (HB 2153/SB 1345), regulate employer use of credit reports (S. 1286), and require apprenticeship participation or OSHA-related workplace safety measures on public projects. At the end of the hearing, the chairs read into the record additional bills that did not receive testimony that day.
Supporters of the misclassification bill, including Greater Boston Legal Services and the AFL-CIO, said aligning the employee-status tests across wage, unemployment, and PFML laws would reduce confusion, improve enforcement, and help workers wrongly treated as independent contractors or managers recover benefits and bargaining rights. NAGE and its representative argued that public-sector employees have been improperly reclassified into management titles to weaken unions, and that the bill would force the Division of Labor Relations to review those titles. On bereavement leave, advocates including the Louis E. Brown Peace Institute, a state representative, the Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance, and individual survivors described the impact of sudden loss and homicide on families, saying guaranteed leave would help workers grieve, make arrangements, and avoid losing jobs or custody-related stability. The committee also heard support for commuter benefits as a low-cost way to reduce emissions and increase transit use, and for restricting employer credit checks because of inaccuracies and discriminatory effects.
There was opposition to some construction-related bills. The Associated Builders and Contractors and the Building Trades Employers Association supported apprenticeship training in principle but said current apprentice-to-journeyworker ratios are outdated or misunderstood, and that the bills should be amended or clarified before advancing. The Massachusetts landscape and snow-removal industry strongly supported a snow-liability limitation bill, arguing that hold-harmless clauses and broad indemnification requirements force contractors to assume liability for conditions they cannot control, drive up insurance costs, and threaten business viability. The committee did not take any votes during the hearing, and the session ended with the chairs thanking members, staff, and the public before adjourning.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 5 on State Administration May 5th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- dissemination of voting information to increase voter participation and confidence, voting system testing
- and approval, and county assistance. ...and confidence, voting system testing and approval, and county
- So we user acceptance test with those folks.
- So recently we brought them in to do user testing.
- There's like, I think it was nine per week came in and tested the system.
AR
Arkansas 2026 Regular Session
LEGISLATIVE JOINT AUDITING-COUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITIES Mar 12th, 2026
LEGISLATIVE JOINT AUDITING-COUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITIES
Transcript Highlights:
- While engaged in testing disbursements other than payroll expenses, it was noted that the bookkeeper
- While engaged in testing disbursements other than payroll expenses, it was noted that the bookkeeper
- The health department has come out and tested everybody that’s complained.
- They come out and they go into their house and they test it.
- They come out and they go into their house and they test it, but there’s only one thing they check for
Summary:
The committee approved the February 12 minutes and received updates on delinquent municipal water and sewer reports for 2022 and 2023, noting continued progress toward compliance and reinstatement of turnback funds for several cities. It also deferred several matters to the June 4 meeting, including Fargo’s municipal accounting noncompliance report, Jericho’s street-fund misuse issue, Biggers and Holly Grove deferred reports, and a group of private water and sewer reports lacking proper responses.
Members then heard and filed a detailed report on the City of Strong, which involved repeat findings on undeposited receipts, improper use of solid waste funds, unsupported spending, late payroll tax payments, accounting control problems, and fund balance issues. Mayor Darrell Howell described corrective steps, including new internal controls, outside CPA assistance, repayment of misapplied funds, budget amendments, and efforts to address the findings; the committee commended the city’s efforts and filed the report. The committee also filed reports on Thornton Waterworks, Calhoun County, Salem, Briarcliffe, Compton Water Association, Montgomery County Regional Public Water Authority, Camden, Johnson County, and Sparkman, while deferring several private water reports and other unresolved items.
A major portion of the meeting focused on the Pulaski County Regional Solid Waste Management District and other regional solid waste districts. The audit found issues in Pulaski County involving unapproved payroll items, missing credit card documentation, unapproved contracts, vehicle and cell phone documentation problems, lack of competitive bidding, and weak internal controls; members questioned the district’s practices and deferred the report to June while requesting district representatives appear. The committee also reviewed a statewide report on six regional solid waste management districts, with findings in Pulaski, Faulkner, and Benton counties and no findings in three others; that report was likewise deferred for Pulaski County questions. The meeting ended after a lengthy discussion with Cross County Rural Water System about overdue audit posting, water quality problems, grant-funded improvements, board notice practices, and the broader challenges facing rural water systems, after which the committee filed the report and adjourned.
ID
Transcript Highlights:
- In terms of testing, again, there's about 90 Hillsdale schools across the country, about 35 member schools
- We're not a testing school. Testing is a byproduct of our education.
- So testing is actually something that's not a utilitarian thing that the ancient thinkers didn't think
- But you can see that the testing results are pretty remarkable.
- But at the same time, testing is a byproduct, but again, the results are pretty awesome.
Committee:
Senate Education
OK
Transcript Highlights:
- Mic test check 1-2, mic test check 1-2. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
- This is an extension of the sunset on the Board of Tests for Alcohol and Drug Influence to 2036, with
- So I understand with the Board of Tests for Alcohol and Drug Influence that that's been a board that
- So I understand with the Board of Tests for Alcohol and Drug Influence that that's been a board that
- of the things that we use to vet hires for sensitive positions, and as the motivation to beat the test
Committee:
Senate Public Safety
Summary:
The committee first heard Senate Bill 1226 by Senator Rader, which would add property damage to the state’s leaving-the-scene statute so a driver who damages property and leaves would be treated similarly to a vehicle accident. After brief questions about whether the driver would need to wait for law enforcement or the property owner, the bill advanced unanimously, 6-0.
Several sunset-extension bills from Senator Burstrom were then considered. Senate Bill 1456 would extend the Board of Tests for Alcohol and Drug Influence to 2036 and passed 6-1. Senate Bill 1462 would extend the Oklahoma Organized Retail Crime Task Force to 2036; members questioned whether a task force created in 2023 needed such a long extension, but it still passed 6-2. Senate Bill 1463 would extend the Polygraph Examiners Board to 2036 and passed 8-1, with some members again objecting to the 10-year sunset length.
The committee also advanced Senate Bill 1980 by Senator Logan, which updates larceny and forgery language to cover gift cards, gift certificates, and redemption information when possessed or used with intent to defraud. Members pressed the author on whether the offense would be a misdemeanor or felony and on the bill’s scope, but the measure passed 7-2. Senate Bill 1479 by Senator Stewart, dealing with release of crime- and collision-scene information by first responders, was amended to strike the title after concerns about scope and private entities; it then passed 6-2. Senate Bill 1608 by Senator Frick, as amended, would make school location and employer information searchable in sex offender and violent offender registries, and it passed 6-2.
Finally, Senate Bill 1923 by Senator Murdoch would prohibit inmates from accessing social media, prompted by a constituent’s concerns about inmates contacting victims’ families through contraband cell phones. Members questioned whether the bill was necessary given existing DOC policies and whether it should address tablets as well; an amendment was withdrawn, and the bill passed 7-1. The committee also laid over Senate Bill 1612 and concluded its Public Safety agenda for the week.
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
House State Government & Tribal Relations Jan 28th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- We want to look at the software that's around and test all that, and then develop a proof of concept
- advantage of this thing and include them in the user experience, or in this case voter experience, testing
- We should be having these debates and we should rigorously test them, which is what kind of the amendment
- As with the previous bill, it's again a balancing test: the public's interest in knowing the particulars
- of compromising the public's interest in knowing what's going on here is, again, favors the test.
Summary:
The committee held public hearings on several bills. HB 2356 would let a homicide victim’s next of kin seek a court injunction to block examination of law enforcement records in homicide cases; staff explained current Public Records Act rules, the sponsor said the bill was intended to protect families and children after especially graphic cases, and open-government testimony opposed the measure as an unnecessary secrecy expansion. HB 2460 and HJR 4212 would change vacancy-filling rules for partisan offices so an appointee must be from the same party only if the former officeholder had declared a party preference; the sponsor said this would address vacancies involving no-party-preference officials and avoid delays or litigation. HB 2631 would create a pilot to extend the governor’s customer-experience initiative to the Secretary of State, Fish and Wildlife, and the Insurance Commissioner, with deadlines for liaisons, metrics, reports, and service-improvement plans; the sponsor and supporters emphasized better service and accessibility, while agency representatives raised concerns about cost, autonomy, and whether participation should be optional. HB 2574 would streamline procedures when a candidate dies before or after ballots are printed, allowing removal from ballots or noncounting of votes based on a death certificate; the sponsor said it would avoid unnecessary recounts and costs. HB 2572 would require county-tribal election meetings and create an electronic ballot return portal for certain voters, including tribal voters on reservations, military and overseas voters, and voters with disabilities; county auditors and election officials supported the tribal outreach and access goals but stressed the need for security testing and careful implementation of the portal.
In executive session, the committee considered five bills and adopted amendments on two of them. For HB 2333, which addresses protections against political violence for elected officials, candidates, election officials, and criminal justice participants, the committee adopted amendment Omley 307 to allow P.O. boxes or ACP addresses in campaign-related filings and contributions, then advanced the substitute bill on a 4-3 vote. HB 2462, concerning authority to counter unpiloted aircraft systems, was advanced 5-2. HB 2419, which expands the address confidentiality program to certain administrative law judges and Office of Administrative Hearings employees, was amended to include the chief administrative law judge and then advanced 5-2. HB 2176, exempting collaborative drug therapy agreement information from the Public Records Act, advanced 4-3 after debate over privacy versus transparency. HB 2491, exempting personal information submitted to Washington Technology Solutions for digital experience platform services, also advanced 5-2. The committee then adjourned.
NM
Transcript Highlights:
- Teachers are already very worried that the state will require a math-amira test.
- Obviously, my concern is that SB 29 will require an additional test for young children.
- requirements before we mandate more tests.
- requirements before we mandate more tests.
- taking geometry still in middle school, and we've got students that are doing great on AP calculus tests
Committee:
Senate Senate Education
FL
Florida 2026 4th Special Session
January 20, 2026 - 03:30 PM
Transcript Highlights:
- We did user testing and piloted that with the help of the Central Florida Local Workforce Board last
- Ultimately, we were successful in that, but from a traditional design-build-test perspective, getting
- way in which you would typically, for each component of the project, design that project, create it, test
- it, and follow a more traditional cadence for us on how you would test a product such as that.
- That user interaction and testing of those capabilities ultimately has led us to a more user-centered
FL
Florida 2026 Regular Session
Appropriations Committee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development Jan 14th, 2026
Appropriations Committee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development
Transcript Highlights:
- go to the Defense Support Commission has been prioritized for anything related to the Eastern Gulf testing
- As you might know, there's a federal conversation occurring about drilling in the Eastern Gulf testing
- And so any grants related to protecting the Eastern Gulf testing range would have to be prioritized,
- As you might know, there's a federal conversation occurring about drilling in the Eastern Gulf testing
- And so any grants related to protecting the Eastern Gulf testing range would have to be prioritized these
Bills:
S0048
Summary:
The Appropriations Committee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development heard the Governor’s proposed FY 2026-27 budget for the TED silo and presentations from Commerce, Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Military Affairs, the State Guard, State, Transportation, and Emergency Management. The Governor’s office outlined a $117.4 billion overall budget, including $18.3 billion for TED agencies, with major allocations for FDOT, Commerce, emergency management, tourism, military affairs, and state operations. Agency heads emphasized priorities such as housing and disaster recovery, workforce and rural infrastructure, law enforcement recruitment, defense support, tourism marketing, aerospace and spaceport investment, election audits, historic preservation, road and bridge maintenance, aviation safety, and emergency preparedness systems.
Members asked several questions about the use and effectiveness of funding. Visit Florida officials said the public-private match is essential and that they exceeded the required match last year. Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles discussed trooper pay, vehicle replacement, aviation support, and transparency tools such as vehicle camera systems, with senators praising the department’s recruitment efforts. Military Affairs and the State Guard described readiness, recruiting, facility construction, and support for domestic missions, including hurricane response and perimeter security at the Everglades detention site; questions focused on deployment tempo, staffing, and costs. The Department of State explained funding for automated election audits, a conservation lab, and historic preservation, and said its arts grant changes were intended to standardize scoring rather than cut programs. Transportation highlighted a $15.4 billion total budget, major work program funding, safety initiatives, seaport and aviation investments, and the elimination of Florida Rail Enterprise funding due to reduced documentary stamp revenues.
The committee also heard and passed CS/SB 48 by Senator Gates, which requires local governments to allow accessory dwelling units on a voluntary basis, while preserving local authority over setbacks, construction, and permitting. An amendment removed reusable tenant screening reports and clarified that conforming ADUs are allowed by right without separate hearings. The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association and several industry and business groups supported the bill, citing the need for long-term rental housing for workers. After debate, the committee adopted the amendment and reported the bill favorably by roll call vote.
FL
Florida 2025 Regular Session
December 10, 2025 - 03:30 PM
Transcript Highlights:
- We facilitated structured field testing of this tool at 3 different correctional institutions were the
- first prison system in the country to tested for youthful offenders in for one.
- Many states like Florida, majority of states utilize testing instruments in conjunction with the National
- because it's an extremely difficult process, particularly the oral proficiency exam where you're tested
- those to see if they're testing what they need to be testing.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- While this mandate ensures a test is conducted early, the law does not include the advice of a subject
- From the laboratory performing the testing.
- The guidance could remove the need to test evidence that is not sufficient to yield a usable result.
- the court to include a subject matter expert from the accredited laboratory, which will be used to test
- enforcement, DPS, and those types of activities don't have the proper equipment yet to be able to test
Bills:
SB552 , SB1099 , SB1124 , SB1208 , SB1372 , SB1506 , SB1667 , SB1804 , SB1806 , SB1870 , SB1936 , SB1937 , SB2180 , SB2405 , SB2569 , SB2570 , SB1646
Committee:
Senate Criminal Justice
NY
New York 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Standing Committee on Women's Issues - 05/13/2026
Women's Issues
Transcript Highlights:
- read: An act to amend the Public Health Law in relation to prohibiting drug, cannabis, or alcohol testing
- It doesn't mean that pregnant persons cannot be tested, but they have to give consent.
- because, unfortunately, Black and brown mothers are disproportionately impacted by these kinds of tests
Committee:
Senate Women's Issues
Summary:
The Women’s Issues Committee met on May 13 at 9:34 a.m. with a quorum present and several members voting by sheet. The committee first considered S-845, which would prohibit drug, cannabis, or alcohol testing and screening of pregnant or postpartum individuals and newborns without informed consent. Supporters emphasized that the bill is about requiring written or oral consent and addressing disproportionate impacts on Black and brown mothers. The bill was reported to the Committee on Alcoholism, with Senator Weik voting no and several members recorded as aye without recommendation or in favor.
The committee then advanced several public health measures. S-2121, on education and outreach related to home visiting programs, and a bill directing the Department of Health to create an informational pamphlet about liposcopic power motion surgery technique both moved to first reading. S-3576A, establishing a statewide fibroid study program, was approved and referred to finance. S-8584, requiring two EBT cards for certain WIC households, and S-9084, creating a maternal health monitoring pilot program, were also approved and referred to finance, with Senator Weik recorded as without recommendation on both and one opposition noted on S-9084.
The final bill, S-9733, would require maternal mortality review boards to share annual information with New York City and county health departments, including patterns, best practices, and data related to maternal mortality and morbidity. It was approved and referred to health, again with Senator Weik recorded as without recommendation. The meeting ended at 9:49 a.m., and the chair noted another Women’s Issues Committee meeting would be held the following week with bills and a guest speaker.
AZ
Arizona 2026 Regular Session
04/13/2026 - House Republican Caucus Calendar #18
Transcript Highlights:
- Madam Whip, members, as passed by the House of Representatives, House Bill 2032 adjusts the testing window
- The Senate amended the bill by increasing the length of the statewide assessment testing window from
- four to six consecutive school weeks and prohibiting the state assessment testing window from beginning
Summary:
The Republican caucus reviewed several House bills with Senate amendments and discussed whether sponsors would concur or refuse. HB 2003 would lower the minimum age for an instruction permit from 15 and a half to 15 and extend permit validity periods, but the sponsor refused concurrence because the bill did not grandfather in applicants in the transition period, so the measure will go to conference committee. HB 2013, dealing with ADEQ exceptional event demonstrations for large wildfires on federally managed land, had Senate changes narrowing the wildfire threshold and impact criteria; the sponsor was reported to concur. HB 2133, which would require consent verification for online sexual material, drew a refusal from the sponsor due to a circular definition and an unintended entity being included, also prompting further fixes. HB 2226, concerning court inquiry into veteran status and referrals to veterans’ services, and HB 2693, revising bona fide association qualifications and adding a health insurance feasibility study, were both reported as having sponsor concurrence. HB 2032, which changes the statewide assessment testing window and reporting dates, also had sponsor concurrence after the Senate extended the testing window and adjusted the start date restriction.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Committee on Jobs and Economic Development - Part 2 - 04/02/25
Jobs and Economic Development
Transcript Highlights:
- the following tests: Medical College Admission Test, Law School Admission Test, Graduate Record Examination
- the following tests: Medical College Admission Test, Law School Admission Test, Graduate Record Examination
- Some of you might remember when I was taking the LSAT and all these other tests; we didn’t need any test
- prep, we just took the test.
- You test me all right. Thank you.
Committee:
Senate Jobs and Economic Development
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
House Finance Division II (03/07/2025)
Transcript Highlights:
- It's called a standardized test, either the statewide assessment or a standardized test that's nationally
- It's called a standardized test, either the statewide assessment or a standardized test that's nationally
- It's called a standardized test, either the statewide assessment or a standardized test that's nationally
- We don't make value judgments on what the... test either the Statewide assessment or test either the
- </c><04:24:05.199><c> and</c> parents who use standardized tests and parents who use standardized tests
Summary:
The Finance Division 2 work session first took up HB 506, a bill dealing with the return of seized firearms. Members discussed how the measure would shift background-check processing for firearm returns through the Department of Safety, while the physical firearms would still remain with local police unless State Police had taken custody. The department said the bill would change which cases come to it, and members clarified that the bill concerns the background-check decision rather than possession of the firearms. The committee then voted OTP on HB 506 FN by a 7-0 roll call.
The committee next discussed HB 671, establishing a kindergarten literacy readiness program. Department of Education staff explained that the bill grew out of a COVID-era Waterford contract that provided home-based early literacy support for families using federal relief funds, at a cost of about $600,000 per year, but that the program ended when those funds expired. Members raised concerns that the bill’s $1 appropriation was not realistic, that the prior program lacked sufficient outcome data, and that the references to ESSA tier-one benchmarks were unclear. The department said it was conducting a broader literacy needs assessment and updating the state literacy plan, including data from the zero-to-five range, K-5, and dyslexia-related work.
Waterford representatives described the program as an early-literacy, pre-K readiness service for children ages zero to five, originally designed to work in homes with computers and internet provided where needed, and later expanded in some settings such as daycares and pre-K classrooms. They said the program used assessments at the beginning and end, had served hundreds of children, and was intended to support family engagement and kindergarten readiness. Despite that testimony, members remained concerned about funding and the lack of clear results, and one member moved to retain the bill for more information. The discussion ended with the bill retained rather than advanced.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government Jun 21st, 2026 at 01:00 pm
Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government
Transcript Highlights:
- rent, and again, I find myself without solutions for the seniors who must choose between their high blood
Summary:
The Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government held a long public hearing focused mainly on two sets of issues: proposals to amend or repeal the MBTA Communities Act, and bills to allow local rent stabilization. Committee chairs opened by explaining the hearing would be tightly managed because of the very large number of speakers, with testimony limited to two minutes per person and written testimony still accepted by email. Members and witnesses were called in a mix of in-person and virtual order throughout the hearing.
On the MBTA Communities Act, several legislators and local officials argued the law is too rigid and should be revised to account for local conditions. Speakers from small, rural, or infrastructure-limited communities such as Hanson, Halifax, Marshfield, Winthrop, Dracut, Carver, Rehoboth, and others said the law’s one-size-fits-all approach does not fit towns with limited water, sewer, transit access, or buildable land. Some filed bills would repeal the law, exempt certain communities, or create appeals processes based on infrastructure, environmental, or historical constraints. Supporters of the law’s changes emphasized local control and the need to avoid forcing development where communities believe it is impractical or inconsistent with town character.
A large portion of the hearing was devoted to rent stabilization legislation, especially S. 1447 and related House bills. Supporters included legislators, city councilors, tenant advocates, labor leaders, housing nonprofits, public health organizations, and residents who described sharp rent increases, displacement, homelessness risk, and the strain on working families, seniors, students, and people with disabilities. They argued local-option rent stabilization would let municipalities cap excessive increases and prevent no-fault evictions while preserving flexibility for local conditions. Opponents, including small landlords and property owners, said rent control would discourage investment, worsen housing quality, burden responsible owners, and drive small landlords out of the market. Some witnesses also supported a Cape Cod/Island transfer fee bill and a suburban infrastructure fund, arguing those would provide local revenue for housing or roads. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the hearing.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Conference Committee on H.F. 4252 - Omnibus Higher Education finance and policy - 05/14/26
Transcript Highlights:
- Senator Putnam moves the Senate-only position around the paid blood donation. That's on R1.
Summary:
The committee discussed a higher education attainment-goals bill and several related amendments. Members first reached agreement on funding changes: one amendment redirected money for fraud-prevention software for MnSCU and $5,000 for trees in Bemidji, and another moved $570,000 for workforce development-related funding. Members noted the use of general fund dollars to cover a FIG shortfall and expressed support for addressing fraud prevention while also saying MnSCU should be made whole in the next biennium. Both amendments were adopted.
The main policy debate centered on an amendment updating the statewide attainment goal and related P-20 partnership language. Senator Um Ruebain proposed returning the attainment goal from 75 percent to 70 percent, and members discussed whether the bill’s expanded reporting and coordination duties would create costs for the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF). Nonpartisan staff and Commissioner Olsen said the Office of Higher Education and the P-20 partnership expected no costs, while DCYF’s fiscal note assumed reporting and staffing costs. After discussion, DCYF indicated it would absorb the costs, but some members still objected to expanding the partnership and creating additional bureaucracy.
Members also debated whether early childhood and K-12 subgoals should be included as part of the attainment-goals framework. Supporters said aligning early childhood, K-12, and higher education goals is necessary to improve postsecondary attainment, while opponents argued the committee should focus on existing higher education goals and basic K-12 achievement. The committee ultimately adopted the Senate language on the attainment-goals section as amended, including the change back to 70 percent and revisions directed by staff to ensure the correct references were updated. The A12 amendment on pregnant and parenting students was also adopted earlier in the meeting.
FL
Transcript Highlights:
- We have come treading a path through the blood of the slaughter.
Summary:
The Senate convened with an opening prayer, pledge, and a series of introductions recognizing guests, visiting groups, and special honorees in the galleries. The chamber then took up committee and executive appointment business, adopting a report confirming 42 gubernatorial appointments by a vote of 36-0.
The Senate next considered a long special-order calendar of bills, most of them passing with little or no opposition. Measures included public-records sunset reviews and trade secret/cybersecurity exemptions; a child-abuse reporting statute of limitations bill; commercial driving school oversight; human trafficking training for nurses; a new injunction for protection against serious violence and its related public-records exemption; nature-based coastal resiliency and mangrove protection; a chiropractic trust-funds cap repeal; specialty license plates; a waiver of late financial disclosure fines; public school personnel compensation; the Florida Farm Bill with multiple agriculture, biosolids, and enforcement provisions; homestead exemption clarification for long-term leases; disability presumption clarifications for first responders; reinsurance intermediary manager conformity; patriotic displays in public schools; ADS-B aviation fee restrictions; autism-related law enforcement training and the Blue Envelope program; campus safety reporting procedures for public postsecondary institutions; and veterinary prescription disclosure. Several bills were temporarily postponed, including local vessel restrictions, temporary critical-need practice certificates, and domestic animals.
The floor debate featured the most discussion on the farm bill, the HCSM/nonprofit religious organizations bill, the autism law-enforcement bill, and the school athletics bill. The HCSM bill drew extended debate over whether licensed insurance agents should be allowed to market faith-based health care sharing ministries, with supporters emphasizing consumer choice, free speech, and religious liberty, and opponents warning about unregulated products and commissions; it passed 32-5. The athletics bill, prompted by the Teddy Bridgewater/Miami Northwestern situation, would let coaches provide good-faith support to student-athletes while requiring reporting and FHSAA oversight; it passed 38-0. Most other measures passed overwhelmingly, including the autism bill 38-0, the campus safety bill 37-0, the public school patriotic displays bill 36-2, and the farm bill 38-0 after amendments addressing Everglades lands and biosolids timing were adopted.