Transcript Highlights:

• affiliation, no prior affiliation with the retirement system, like coming from out of state, would be evaluated

Summary: The Senate Committee on Retirement met on May 5 with four members present. HB 41 was deferred until the following week, and the committee approved the April 20, 2026 minutes. The committee then took up several retirement-system bills, many of them negotiated measures involving municipal police, firefighters, teachers, district attorneys, and judges. HB 45, by Rep. Bacallat, was amended and reported favorably. It makes changes to the Municipal Police Employees Retirement System, including retention bonuses, recognition of out-of-state police service, benefits for three officers killed in the line of duty before full enrollment, a DROP fix, and more competitive accrual rates. Testimony from the Louisiana Municipal Association, MEPERS, police representatives, and Mayor Helena Marino was strongly supportive, emphasizing that the bill resolves longstanding disputes and litigation. HB 1237, also by Rep. Bacallat, was reported favorably after testimony that it eliminates partial dissolution penalties for municipal police and adjusts related firefighter provisions; witnesses said it was a negotiated fix supported by municipal and fire stakeholders. HB 42, concerning phased retirement in the Teacher Retirement System, was reported favorably as a permissive framework allowing universities to offer phased retirement options. HB 17, by the District Attorneys’ Retirement System director, was reported favorably to add the Louisiana District Attorneys Association to the definition of employer and require annual reporting on the rehire statute. HB 21, a cleanup bill for the Municipal Employees Retirement System, was also reported favorably. HB 1134, creating a backdrop retirement option for certain judges whose positions are abolished, was amended and reported favorably after LASERS raised questions about early retirement eligibility and the need to bar future judicial candidacy. HB 24, by Rep. Owen, drew the most discussion. It would allow retired or certified teachers to return to work through contracts with school systems, with a three-year sunset. The sponsor argued it would help keep qualified teachers in classrooms and avoid midyear departures, while TRSL, the Louisiana School Board Association, and committee members raised concerns about fiscal impact, contractor status, workers’ compensation, leave rules, and overlap with a separate bill being worked on by the chairman. After an amendment clarifying the independent-contractor definition was adopted, the committee chose to hold the bill in committee for further work rather than advance it immediately. The meeting ended with a motion to adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, again, I don't want to get into personnel and job descriptions or employee performance evaluations

Summary: The committee first reviewed a list of bills already marked ready for due pass, including several House bills (HB 1010, 1018, 1020, 1023, 1041, 1055, 1077) and Senate bills (SB 4, 16, 24, 55, 59), along with a few items in the budget packet. The JBC Personnel Subcommittee report was then taken up, and Senator Rice offered a substitute motion to separate out the governor’s staff-related item for a separate vote and a roll-call division. After discussion about the request and the underlying personnel issue, the substitute motion failed on a roll-call division, and the committee then adopted the personnel subcommittee report as a whole. The committee next heard questions for Treasurer John Thurston on House Bill 1034 and the Treasurer’s office budget request. Members raised concerns about salary increases for executive staff, the size of raises under the approved pay plan, office hours, and whether the office was prioritizing raises appropriately. Thurston said the salaries were within the previously approved pay plan, that the request was for full funding of that plan with a negotiated 10% amount, and that office hours remained the same though vault tours had been adjusted for scheduling. Several members expressed dissatisfaction with the increases, while others noted the compromise reached with committee leadership. The committee then adopted the letter for HB 1034. The committee also considered special language items, including a proposal tied to extension office improvements through a DFA-administered program for the Division of Agriculture, which was described as unfunded. That item was adopted. The committee then moved through the remaining ready items, giving do-pass or adopt motions to SB 29, SB 51, HB 1034, HB 1010, HB 1018, HB 1020, HB 1023, HB 1041, HB 1055, HB 1077, SB 16, SB 23, SB 24, SB 55, and SB 59. SB 4 was set aside as not ready. The meeting adjourned with notice that the committee would reconvene in 15 minutes in another room to handle special language.

Transcript Highlights:

• what my question was really going to be, because this is new and we haven't had an opportunity to evaluate

Summary: The committee took up a long series of Senate bills, beginning with SB 44, which extends a sales tax exemption to contractors working for nonprofits. It was presented briefly and reported out 24-0. The committee then considered SB 237, with a PCS and a written amendment that delayed the effective date and phased out the manufacturing exemption for solar and battery energy storage systems; members discussed the impact on ongoing projects, the treatment of solar and storage like prior wind and data center exemptions, and concerns from the renewable industry before the bill was advanced. Several other measures were heard and passed, including SB 248 on reinvesting proceeds from any sale of tourism real property back into state park maintenance and capital improvements; SB 1360 on the Pro Tem’s numeracy bill for the Department of Education; SB 985 codifying the local food for schools program; SB 1204 requiring three days of paid bereavement leave for school district employees; SB 1239 extending the bridge funding formula and moving certain motorcycle and moped fees to Service Oklahoma; SB 1307 cleaning up statutory language related to the ARCS Council, J.M. Davis Arms Museum, and Historical Society; and SB 2143 allowing county assessors to use aerial imagery, but not drones, to identify property changes. The aerial imagery bill drew the most debate, with questions about privacy, assessors’ authority, and whether the measure would save counties money; it passed 13-11. The committee also advanced SB 1428 creating an Alzheimer’s and related dementia services coordinator in the Health Department; SB 1390 extending a gross production tax sunset for tourism and water-related entities; SB 1400 combining sales tax exemptions for aircraft maintenance facilities; SB 1405 renewing the wildlife diversity check-off; SB 1732 raising fees for the construction industries board; SB 1832 adding voluntary ODVA checkboxes to licenses and hunting forms; SB 1859 creating a revolving fund for the OSBI cybercrimes and fraud unit; SB 1989 allowing electronic payment methods such as Cash App and Venmo for 529 accounts; SB 2018 changing valuation rules for new multifamily housing; and SB 1427, a bipartisan diabetes prevention and health bill. Most bills were reported out with overwhelming support, with a few receiving one or two no votes, and the committee adjourned after completing the agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• department, or locked unit of a behavioral health facility to another health care institution, evaluation

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The meeting was a caucus review of a large slate of House and Senate bills, with staff giving short descriptions and members flagging a few concerns. Topics included veterans’ services and courts, child care grants, midwife medication authority, home- and community-based services funding, EMS reciprocity, prescription monitoring, electronic monitoring in care facilities, pregnancy resource center funding, mental health transportation, Access coverage for mild obstructive sleep apnea, school spending requirements, mobile home park training, local government investment pools, task order contract posting, tourism improvement areas, child welfare and kinship placement, neglect standards, family court evidence, prostate cancer cost sharing, assisted living hearings, manufactured home installer licensing, supervised parenting time, vulnerable adult trespass penalties, uranium contamination monitoring, a gas and petroleum refinery study committee, and state park fee exemptions for veterans. Several bills were described as unanimous or on consent, while others drew objections or were noted as controversial. Members raised privacy concerns about electronic monitoring in nursing homes, due process and rural capacity concerns about restricting police transport for mental health patients, opposition to pregnancy resource center appropriations, concerns about environmental review for power plant replacement, and questions about the Access sleep apnea mandate as potentially favoring vendors. Some bills were noted as having committee amendments, including changes to appropriations, eligibility criteria, reporting requirements, and definitions. No floor votes were taken in the transcript itself; instead, the chair repeatedly noted whether bills were unanimous, on consent, or had split votes in committee. The caucus also heard brief announcements about an upcoming breakfast with the CAP director, a Latino Caucus meeting, and an Affordability Award presented to Representative Volk, after which the caucus adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Will this program actually evaluate vendors for the local governments as well, or just more or less put

Bills: S0314, S0530, S0576, S0800, S0990, S1078, S1440, S1568, S1588, S1614

Keywords: payment stablecoin, financial regulation, anti-money laundering, state oversight, digital currency, financial services, Florida lottery, state lottery, lottery tickets, lottery retailer, Department of the Lottery, Division of Security, ball machine, lottery vending machine, instant tickets, online lottery tickets, major procurement, vendor disclosure, performance bond, retailer bond

Summary: The committee heard and advanced several bills related to engineering regulation, cybersecurity, financial services, and state administration. CS/SB 800 would increase penalties for repeated unlicensed engineering practice and create an engineering student loan assistance program funded by licensure fees and fines; it was reported favorably after questions about whether it would reimburse victims of unlicensed practitioners, with the sponsor noting it would not and that affected individuals would need to pursue complaints and private legal action. CS/SB 576 created a local government cybersecurity protection program administered by Florida Digital Service, with state purchasing of cybersecurity services and priority for fiscally constrained counties; it received support from local government and industry groups and was reported favorably. CS/SB 1078 set transition requirements for gubernatorial administrations, including liaisons, briefing books, office space, IT access, and controlled access to agency records under a memorandum of understanding, and it also passed favorably. The committee also approved CS/SB 314, which creates a regulatory framework for payment stablecoin issuers in Florida, and CS/SB 530, which updates lottery operations, security, retailer rules, and bonding requirements. CS/SB 1614, after adoption of a technical substitute amendment, would limit local governments’ eligibility for certain state funding if they have excess funds, have recently been audited by the legislative audit committee, or fail to affirm expenditure of prior funds; the sponsor said it would give the Joint Legislative Auditing Committee more enforcement leverage, and the bill was reported favorably. CS/SB 990 authorizes protective cell captive insurance companies to expand insurance market capacity and potentially lower premiums, while CS/SB 1588 is a step toward implementing last session’s gold and silver legal tender law; both were reported favorably. Additional bills passed included CS/SB 1440, which adds cybersecurity-related exemptions and reporting provisions for financial institutions, loan originators, and money service businesses, and CS/SB 1568, which creates a Florida Stable Coin Pilot Program allowing DFS fees to be paid with approved stablecoins. The stablecoin bill was amended to add guardrails, including fee limits, website notice requirements, and restrictions if no approved issuers are available. The committee also received a brief budget overview highlighting major funding items such as Florida Forever, Everglades restoration, water quality, Farmers Feeding Florida, citrus recovery, school lunches, state parks, and law enforcement and staffing items, and members later recorded additional votes before the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• them out of needing to fundraise for those basic operations, but put them on a similar type of evaluation

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• year in expanding access to even more students, and we look forward to working with legislators to evaluate

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We understand that in the state of Arizona, the Legislature has an opportunity to evaluate and vote on

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The Arizona House and Senate held the joint protocol session for the 31st Annual Indian Nations and Tribes Legislative Day, opening with a tribal blessing, presentation of the colors, the national anthem, and the Pledge of Allegiance. House Speaker Steve Montenegro and Senate President Warren Petersen welcomed tribal leaders, elders, and guests, emphasizing the importance of government-to-government collaboration, tribal sovereignty, and the role of Arizona’s 22 federally recognized tribes in issues such as water, energy, infrastructure, public safety, and economic development. The tribal address was delivered by Fort Mojave Chairman Timothy Williams, who focused heavily on Colorado River water rights, drought, climate change, and the need to include tribes in any future river management framework as current guidelines expire. He also discussed tribal economic development, education, public safety, border security, and the importance of protecting culture, language, land, and water. Thana Autumn Nation Chairman Verlin Jose similarly stressed unity, tribal sovereignty, border issues, water stewardship, and the economic impact of tribal gaming, arguing that tribes should be full partners in state and federal policy discussions and opposing a fixed border wall. Dr. Laura Tohi of the Navajo Nation gave a poetry reading and spoke about her background, the importance of language and oral tradition, and her role as Arizona State Poet Laureate. Her poems centered on food, water, weaving, and homeland. The session concluded with closing remarks from legislative leaders thanking participants for their perspectives and contributions, and the joint protocol session was dissolved. No votes or formal legislative actions were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• assistance. that a small grocer needs to figure out permitting, planning, who to contract with on-site evaluations

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Ab 619, ransom, Ventura Training Center Evaluation, hold in committee.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• answer this question is, but what I'm trying to get at is an understanding of as we're looking and evaluating

Bills: SJR4, SJR 4

Keywords: economic stabilization fund, state finance, constitutional amendment, budget management, financial security, term limits, state offices, governor, lieutenant governor, election reform, 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• schools and community institutions, it accelerates and enhances the competitiveness of the grant evaluation

Bills: HB2838, HB2964, HB3213, SB924

Keywords: broadband, internet access, digital equity, tax reduction, government funding, rural counties, fiber-optic, state funding, infrastructure, digital divide, economic development, fiber-optic cable, excavation, utilities, civil penalties, municipal regulations, video services, regulation, public right-of-way, franchise authority

Transcript Highlights:

• So it's re-evaluated every year based on their doctor and who typically they go to a VA and they... typically

Bills: HB46, HB379, SB22, HB487, HB273, HB525

Keywords: rural physician, tax credit, healthcare access, physician recruitment, Alabama, HB379, Alabama income tax, nonresident exemption, remote workers, traveling employees, mobile workforce, withholding tax, state tax reciprocity, multistate employees, temporary work, work location tracking, time and attendance system, remote work taxation, professional athlete, professional entertainer

Transcript Highlights:

• We need them to participate greatly in the evaluation process to help design the programs and build the

Transcript Highlights:

• I invite you to evaluate the policy and make your own decisions. All right. I believe that.

Summary: The Transportation and Economic Development Budget Subcommittee met and first took up CS/HB 567, a broad transportation bill by Rep. McFarland. The bill, as explained, covered a range of transportation policy changes including higher speed limits, local regulation of e-bikes and e-scooters, parking accommodations for pregnant women, advance land acquisition for DOT projects, changes to FDOT contracting, elevation of roads in capacity projects, MPO quality metrics, and repeal of the Metropolitan Planning Organization Advisory Council. Two amendments were adopted: one added a prohibition on driving too fast through flooded roads and creating excessive wake, and another updated language to allow for future technology in traffic management systems. The strike-all removed several items from the original bill, including utility-right-of-way language, private-public-use airport funding, and an electric vehicle tax redirect, and added MDX board changes. The bill then passed favorably on a recorded vote. The committee next considered CS/HB 1535, also by Rep. McFarland, a lengthy hurricane recovery and preparedness measure. It requires local governments to post storm-preparedness and recovery information online, expands special needs shelter information, mandates emergency management training, improves debris removal planning, and adds provisions for fiscally constrained counties. It also addresses shelter access, rebuilding rules, permitting timelines and fees after storms, homestead rebuilding limits, and election flexibility after disasters, including a process for supervisors of elections to request emergency changes through the Secretary of State. Members asked several questions about local rebuilding ordinances, election “super sites,” and the request/approval process. The bill drew support from several groups, including disability advocates, builders, waste and recycling interests, crane owners, and restaurant and lodging representatives, and it passed favorably. The committee then heard CS/HB 561 and CS/HB 563 from Rep. Cobb on manufacturing. HB 561 would elevate a chief manufacturing officer within the Department of Commerce, create a voluntary Florida manufacturing promotional campaign, and require biennial reporting on manufacturing efforts; an amendment removed the grant portion of the program, and the bill passed favorably with support from industry groups. HB 563 established an annual fee, capped at $100, for participants in the voluntary manufacturing promotional campaign and also passed favorably. Finally, Rep. Spencer presented HB 827, which directs a statewide study on the impact of automation and artificial intelligence on Florida’s workforce, to be updated every three years and developed with business, academic, and local input; it too passed favorably. The meeting then adjourned with notice that the subcommittee would meet again the following week.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we thought, let's fill, to address our program needs first, and then re-evaluate.

Bills: SB2018

Keywords: funding, commerce, autonomous technology, workforce development, economic growth, grant programs, 908, all

Summary: The committee took up Senate Bill 2018, the Department of Commerce budget, and walked through the long sheet and a series of proposed changes. Members discussed restoring a vacant workforce FTE that Commerce said it could fill soon, monitoring federal funding delays but reporting no known cuts, and adjusting several one-time items including Operation Intern, the North Dakota Development Fund, the Global Talent Office, and tourism-related funding. The chair also proposed separating tourism marketing and Good Life funding again, rather than combining them, and members raised concerns about ensuring tourism dollars are used only for tourism purposes. A number of program amounts were reviewed or adjusted in discussion, including UAS grants, Vantus/Beyond Visual Line of Sight funding, Grand Sky, Grand Farm autonomous agriculture grants, base enhancement grants, Native American small business grants, regional workforce impact grants, technical skills training grants, and tribal college workforce grants. Commerce officials explained that some grant language would be changed to require competitive RFP processes, and they clarified that the housing opportunity and community property improvement items were handled in other bills or programs. The committee also discussed apprenticeship efforts across state agencies and Commerce’s role in workforce development. The committee reviewed carryover and exemption language for prior appropriations, including federal weatherization and energy funds, and Commerce said three one-time FTE tied to those federal programs should become ongoing because the federal dollars continue over several years. A motion to add $1.5 million for the North Dakota Safety Council failed for lack of a second. The committee then planned to return the next day to continue work on Commerce and take up the CTE budget, including a pending amendment related to CTE’s possible move from the 15th floor of the Capitol.

Transcript Highlights:

• THEY ARE NOT, IN FACT THE PSC WAS INVOLVED IN LITIGATION WHERE THE POSITION WAS THEY SHOULD NOT BE EVALUATED

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• RESPONSIBILITY THAT RESIDES WITH ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGE AS IT WOULD SEEM APPROPRIATE THE APPOINTMENT ABOUT EVALUATION

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Before who did the evaluation in the past, um, believing that the people holding these policies would
• It's also true with federally qualified health centers, you know, providing an evaluation management
• It's also true with federally qualified health centers, you know, providing an evaluation management
• It's also true with federally qualified health centers, you know, providing an evaluation management
• It's also true with federally qualified health centers, you know, providing an evaluation management

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• :02:32.160> strengthen teaching artists, and strengthen teaching artists, and strengthen evaluation
• > systems<01:02:33.680> that<01:02:33.920> inform<01:02:34.400> future evaluation
• systems that inform future evaluation systems that inform future state<01:02:34.960> policy<01
• An evaluation has shown that our efforts not only help meet needs but save money.
• An evaluation has shown that our efforts not only help meet needs but save money.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: This joint informational briefing focused on Act 310 grants and aid, with committee members hearing one-minute testimony from organizations first in person and then by Zoom. At the outset, the chairs explained there would be no Q&A during the briefing and asked testifiers to focus on how federal cuts were affecting their work. The meeting was organized by registration number and included both neighbor island and Oʻahu applicants. Testimony centered on organizations seeking state support to offset federal funding losses or anticipated reductions. Health and social service providers described impacts from Medicaid, SNAP, ACA subsidy, Title X, and other federal changes, including Aloha Care, Community Clinic of Maui, Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies, West Hawaiʻi Community Health Center, Hawaiʻi Disability Rights Center, Hawaiʻi Youth Services Network, Alcoholic Rehabilitation Services of Hawaiʻi, and Kokua Kalihi Valley. Other groups highlighted losses affecting food security, housing, disaster preparedness, and climate resilience, including the Kohala Center, Feeding Hawaiʻi Together, Hawaiian Lending and Investments, Dynamic Community Solutions, and the Pacific Tsunami Museum. Several arts, youth, and education organizations also testified, including Hawaiʻi Literacy, Hawaiʻi Youth Symphony, Honolulu Theatre for the Youth, Sounding Joy Music Therapy, Big Brothers Big Sisters Hawaiʻi, Girl Scouts of Hawaiʻi, Kids Hurt Too Hawaiʻi, and US Vets, each requesting funding to preserve programs and staffing. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the briefing. The only action was procedural: the chairs moved through the applicant list, limited testimony time, and then transitioned from neighbor island in-person testimony to Oʻahu and later Zoom participants.