Transcript Highlights:

• Someone might be arrested against the law, have to hire an attorney and get that case dismissed because
• We have seen many cases in Texas because of the confusion on law enforcement, and I don't blame these
• They can't follow these court cases.
• Every year, we see cases of unintentional discharge of firearms near children on school grounds.
• So we brought that case against the city of Austin.

Bills: HB259

Keywords: redistricting, Independent Citizen Redistricting Commission, Texas Legislature, elections, district boundaries, voter representation

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, I normally ask my staff to write my speech for me, but in this case I had to do it myself.
• You know, I normally ask my staff to write my speech for me, but in this case I had to do it myself.
• You know, I normally ask my staff to write my speech for me, but in this case I had to do it myself.
• Yamane's case, former colleagues like Isaac Chini, who also knew his father, Brian Chini.
• In this case, we ended up rushing him back to the hospital while Mr.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This could be a case not only of people's... and grandmothers losing the funding that keeps them in the
• departure below the 5,000 patient minimum, that got thrown out by a court. shows how weak the CMS case
• Let's just say that that turns out to be the set of facts that you determined to be the accurate case
• I think my past experience is beyond payment processing, but I think in this case, it's good to talk
• But I'm sure you've seen cases after case of similar misrepresentation in the press. Yes.

Keywords: Social Security, Medicaid, Frank Bisignano, Elon Musk, benefit processing, office closures, public testimony, administration policies, health care, vulnerable populations

Summary: The committee meeting focused heavily on the nomination of Frank Bisignano as the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration, with intense discussions around the current state of Social Security and its management under the current administration. Members voiced significant concerns regarding potential changes to Social Security and Medicaid, specifically addressing issues such as office closures, delays in benefit processing, and the perceived policies from Elon Musk's association with the administration. Public testimonies highlighted fears that these changes would severely impact the accessibility of benefits for seniors and vulnerable individuals, resulting in a chaotic environment at the SSA. Members expressed a unified opposition to the notion of dismantling these critical programs, emphasizing the long-term implications on their constituents' well-being.

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill conforms with those opinions to keep our statutes and case law aligned. And finally, Mr.
• <00:19:50.960> law<00:19:51.280> aligned keep our statutes and case law aligned keep
• <00:29:16.799> of financial uh fraud in in many cases of financial uh fraud in in many cases
• until they sell it money in many cases until they sell it and<00:29:32.480> so<00:29:32.640><
• It is the case that the Senate celebrates Marty Gro far superiorly to the House of Representatives.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• qualify as seminaries of learning for a complete property tax exemption, with a recent Supreme Court case
• ><00:04:17.359> Supreme<00:04:17.720> Court<00:04:18.400> uh<00:04:18.560> case
• it was a recent uh Supreme Court uh case it was a recent uh Supreme Court uh case with<00:04:18.919
• dual for dual exclusions um in the case dual for dual exclusions um in the case that<00:14:31.480
• so I think it therefore in this case so I think it therefore in this case they're<00:26:49.919><

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee took up House File 633, which would provide property tax relief for in-home family child care providers. An amendment was adopted first that converted the bill from a state-paid credit into a 50% market value exclusion. The author explained the bill as a way to reduce property tax burdens on family child care homes, stabilize a shrinking sector, and help preserve child care capacity, especially in rural areas. He cited declining numbers of licensed providers, rising costs, and long-term losses in family child care slots. Public testimony was generally supportive. A family child care provider’s relief provider described rising costs for utilities, insurance, and taxes, and said home-based care remains important for families who do not want center-based care. A representative from Leading Care Public Policy said family child care is in crisis, emphasized the continuity and community connection of home-based care, and supported the bill as a way to equalize support for providers. Members also discussed the policy choice between a credit and an exclusion, with some arguing a credit would be more targeted and equitable, while the author said the exclusion was the most practical way to move the bill forward. House Research explained that because the bill is structured as an exclusion, most of the benefit would be shifted to other local taxpayers rather than paid by the state, though there could be a small state cost through increased property tax refunds. Members raised concerns that the exclusion would interact with homestead exclusions and might favor higher-value homes, while supporters argued it would directly lower costs for child care providers and could help expand capacity. The committee closed testimony and voted to re-refer House File 633, as amended, to the Committee on Taxes, where the motion prevailed.

Transcript Highlights:

• We can argue whether it was malicious or not, but if that was the case — and if that is the case, for
• expect there to be pure knowledge of how things are going to play out, which is not going to be the case
• I mean, I truthfully lost faith in the system that day, and I don't want that to be the case.
• And— hospital trying to get more COVID dollars, and the more they diagnosed COVID cases, unfortunately
• I think most people would probably accept that the federal government made mistakes in this case.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Emergency Preparedness and Management held a hearing on several emergency management bills, with most of the testimony focused on Senate Bill 539, which would prohibit COVID-19 mRNA vaccination or gene-altering procedures as a condition of entry, employment, school attendance, or access to public venues. Senator Durant and many public witnesses supported the bill, arguing that COVID-era mandates were coercive, ineffective, and harmful, and that the state should not require proof of vaccination in future emergencies. One witness, Joanne Tuller, testified in opposition, saying the government should retain authority to impose public health measures in emergencies and warning against permanently limiting that power based on the COVID experience. The committee also heard testimony on Senate Bill 540, concerning the prevention of radioactive material discharge, with a Sierra Club representative and local residents opposing Holtec’s disposal of wastewater from the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant and citing health, environmental, and economic concerns in Plymouth and nearby communities. Senator Driscoll testified in support of Senate Bills 537 and 538, describing them as measures to strengthen the Commonwealth’s strategic preparedness stockpile and to create a framework for emergency response during surges in hospitalizations, including temporary waivers of prior authorization when hospitals are over capacity. In addition, Dr. Jennifer Carlson testified in support of H.885, a resolve creating a special commission on the field of emergency management, arguing that the profession should be more fully professionalized and staffed by dedicated experts rather than part-time “second hat” officials. Several other bills on the docket, including H.883 and H.84, had no sign-ups. The chair closed each bill’s testimony section as the list was exhausted, and the hearing was adjourned without any votes taken during the session.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, so in those cases those students are able to go to ...
• Um, so in those cases those students are able to go to their resident school district and they can talk
• and they register for the test, the SASID connects them to the school or the organization in this case
• In this case, we have a student who might be attending Bishop Brady, but they're attending through an
• We don't investigate on a case-by-case basis whether the actual service service ties back to the child's

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Education Freedom Account Oversight Committee met on March 27 and approved the agenda, adding a request for clarification on how the Children’s Scholarship Fund separates applications for the EFA program and the education tax credit program. The committee also approved minutes from December 30, 2025, and March 27, 2026, with a request that the March minutes include a link to the live stream. Members discussed the status of pending Legislative Budget Assistant audit reports on EFA and special education, noting the reports were still not released and would likely come later in the summer after review by the Department of Education and the Children’s Scholarship Fund. A major topic was the EFA program’s administrative fee, which statute allows up to 10% of deposits. Children’s Scholarship Fund representatives said current administrative costs were under 8%, that staffing had been reduced through the ScholarVia platform, and that any unused amount is reconciled and returned to students at year’s end. Members asked for historical administrative-cost data and a written explanation of how the withholding and reconciliation process works. The committee also reviewed the distinction between the EFA and education tax credit funding streams and was told the two programs use separate applications and separate funds, though both use the same platform. The committee spent substantial time on assessment and accountability. Department of Education staff explained that EFA students may satisfy annual assessment requirements through a portfolio, a norm-referenced test, or the statewide assessment; only about 10 EFA students took the statewide assessment, while most used portfolios or standardized tests such as the California Achievement Test and NWEA. Staff described how statewide assessment data are kept separate by student identifier and can be aggregated for EFA reporting, and members asked for breakdowns by grade, test type, and school district. The department also discussed linking assessments through Lexiles and Quantiles and said it could provide a list of commonly used formative assessments in New Hampshire districts. The committee additionally discussed a possible PSAT addition to the state contract and the costs of the statewide assessment program. Another major issue was special education eligibility and services within the EFA program. Members questioned the rule allowing a medical certification of disability from a licensed professional anywhere in the United States as an alternative to an IEP-based determination. Department staff said the current system allows either pathway, that about 1,000 EFA students are identified as special education students, and that the program does not track growth or service alignment on an individual basis. Members expressed concern that the medical-certification route may be too broad and asked for data on the disability categories used. The committee also discussed career and technical education access for EFA students, noting that Senate Bill 491 would provide guidance and that House Bill 1817 would address access and funding issues, but that current law still allows EFA funds to be used to pay CTE costs. The meeting ended with a request for future agenda items and a decision to leave the next meeting date open until fall, pending further information from the LBA audit process.

Transcript Highlights:

• I've been working with them for the last two-plus years, side by side, scrubbed into cases, training
• both as an RN and a nurse practitioner doing these cases with them.
• There is an emergency clause on this bill, and I'll explain why that is the case.
• Yeah, well, this is worst-case scenario for us.
• We've been to the Court of Appeals in two different cases.

Bills: HB2050, HB2082, HB2176, HB2195, HB2202, HB2307, HB2584

Keywords: radiologic technologist, radiologist assistant, radiology, imaging, x-ray, diagnostic x-ray, fluoroscopy, mammography, computed tomography, CT technologist, nuclear medicine technologist, bone densitometry, radiation safety, radiation licensing, scope of practice, health workforce, rural health care, critical access hospital, supervision, telehealth

Transcript Highlights:

• We also know cases that total benefits are over $800 are also more prone for errors.
• Beginning in the middle of September, we said, OK, any case that comes in, and anybody works, if it's
• their first year or if it's a case.
• Because if we don't have a workforce in our agency to help on the case management side, then all the
• managers for longer and recruiting better high-quality case managers to begin with.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• which conducts complex criminal investigations involving gun violence crimes, special victim unit cases
• These positions will reduce case loads, improve response times, and accelerate charging decisions.
• .<00:12:40.480> Nearly<00:12:40.959> every<00:12:41.279> SVU<00:12:41.920> case
• Nearly every SVU case now digital.
• <00:13:08.560> response reduce case loads, improve response reduce case loads, improve response

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:00:10 Office of the Attorney General 00:00:58 Office of Homeland Security 00:17:39, 958, all

Summary: The House Budget Review Subcommittee on General Government heard presentations on several Attorney General and Homeland Security budget items. Amy Burke of the Department of Child Support Services said the program inherited a structural shortfall of more than $13 million after the transition from CHFS, including about $14 million in federal child support incentive funds that had been used to cover core operating costs and county attorney contracts. She explained that federal law requires incentive funds to supplement, not supplant, baseline services, and said the Attorney General’s budget request seeks general fund support to replace that gap and help balance the program going forward. Members asked for clarification on the misuse of the funds, the size of the shortfall, and whether the requested money would be unrestricted; staff said the intent is to use it as a contract offset for core services. Commissioner Rich Ferretti then presented the Department of Criminal Investigations’ request for additional staffing and a Western Kentucky Digital Forensics Lab. He said DCI wants one additional special victims unit investigator and one digital forensic examiner to handle increasingly digital cases involving child exploitation, sexual assault, human trafficking, and technology-facilitated abuse. He also described plans for a lab in Mayfield, co-located with the new Mayfield Police Department facility, to reduce travel time, speed forensic processing, and improve access for rural communities. Committee members responded positively and asked no substantive questions. Finally, the Office of Homeland Security outlined Kentucky’s Next Generation 911 project. Officials said the current 911 system was built for landlines, while most calls now come from mobile devices, and the upgrade will add precise location routing plus text, photo, and video capability. Shelley Clark described the funding model, including wireless subscriber fees and a dedicated tech fund, and reviewed progress on mapping, vendor selection, and migration to the new platform, with completion expected by July 2027. Members asked about local maintenance costs and the impact on rural areas; officials said maintenance is local but supported in part by collected funds, and implementation will not be delayed for rural localities. The meeting concluded with no votes or formal actions taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, and are you checking on the back end, in my case that I brought up from audit, as it relates to
• But there are cases where conservation is what wins out.
• But there are cases where conservation is what wins out. And this is one of those cases.
• And the Deltic part of that, in case you don't know, this came from a merger, the Deltic... that area
• part of that, in case you don't know, this came from a merger.

Summary: The committee met to consider a series of appropriation, reserve transfer, and grant requests. Early items included temporary appropriations for the Department of Education’s Educational Freedom Account program ($32 million), the State Crime Lab ($476,000), and DFA Assessment Coordination ($90,000), along with a $1 ARPA return from the Department of Health. The committee approved these items after brief questions, including a discussion about contract cost increases at Assessment Coordination and a clarification that the $1 ARPA item was simply an unused-funds return. The most extensive discussion centered on the Department of Education’s EFA funding. Members questioned the growth in participation, the use of one-time funds and restricted reserves, and safeguards against fraud or improper purchases. Agency officials said about 44,000 students were being funded, that purchases are reviewed and flagged for unusual activity, and that homeschool students are not required to buy a curriculum so long as purchases are eligible and approved. The committee approved the EFA appropriation and related reserve transfer, and officials said the governor’s proposed budget would include the program in the RSA going forward. The committee also approved a DHS reallocation request and reviewed a building authority loan for a data center power supply replacement. In the federal grant section, members discussed a Department of Agriculture request for Central Arkansas Water to acquire land in the Maumelle watershed. Debate focused on the environmental benefits versus local property-tax and development concerns in Perry County, with testimony from the agency, Central Arkansas Water, and Potlatch about watershed protection, public access, and potential development impacts. After extended discussion, the committee adopted a motion to defer the item to the full Legislative Council and asked the department to remove the Perry County portion from the request, limiting the grant-funded purchase to Pulaski County property. The committee then reviewed remaining items, including a Veterans Affairs pay-plan appropriation, and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• And in that particular case for that particular item, capital item, whatever we want to call it...” “
• And are you checking on the back end, in my case that I brought up from audit, as to any kind of, as
• But there are cases where conservation is what wins out.”
• “But there are cases where conservation is what wins out. And this is one of those cases.
• part of that, in case you don't know, this came from a merger.

Summary: The committee met to consider a series of temporary appropriation requests, reserve fund transfers, federal grant appropriations, and review items. Early items included a $32 million appropriation and matching reserve transfer for the Department of Education’s educational freedom account program, a $476,000 request for the State Crime Lab, and a $90,000 assessment coordination request from DFA. Members asked questions about the assessment contract costs, and the item was approved. The committee also approved a $1 ARPA return to the CDC and a Department of Human Services reallocation package that moved general revenue and positions among divisions to meet client needs. The most extensive discussion centered on a $32 million restricted reserve transfer for the educational freedom account program. Members questioned the growing number of participating students, the program’s long-term funding needs, and safeguards against improper purchases. Agency representatives said about 44,000 students were being funded, that reimbursements and marketplace purchases are reviewed, and that reporting and audit controls are in place, though not every instance of fraud can be prevented. The committee approved the transfer after discussion. Members also approved smaller cash and federal grant items, including funding for a teacher shortage data dashboard, All Kids Bike grants, crime lab outsourcing, veterans cemetery operations, and a podiatric medicine licensing investigation fund. The most contentious item was a $7 million federal Forest Legacy grant request for Central Arkansas Water and the Department of Agriculture to acquire land in the Maumelle watershed, including acreage in Perry County and Pulaski County. Members debated water quality, development pressure, property tax impacts, local support, and whether Perry County had been adequately consulted. Agency and company representatives argued the acquisition would protect drinking water, preserve forested watershed land, and support recreation, while some legislators emphasized the county’s tax and development concerns. Senator Davis moved to defer the item to the full Legislative Council and to request removal of the Perry County portion; that motion passed. The committee then reviewed the remaining items, including a Veterans Affairs pay plan request, and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• This came up in a court case involving Antio LLC and 15 other LLCs.
• In Antio LLC's case, they bought and sold distressed debt. That was 100% of their income.
• In Antio LLC's case, they bought and sold distressed debt. That was 100% of their income.
• Supreme Court case, since that became the new current law.
• So that was all of the guidance that we put out following the court case.

Summary: The House Finance Committee held a work session that began with welcoming new member Rep. Janice Zahn, who introduced herself as representing the 41st Legislative District. The Department of Revenue then gave an update on the Antio-related legislation following the Washington Supreme Court decision and the 2025 session changes. DOR explained its voluntary disclosure program and the new expanded voluntary disclosure agreement for taxpayers with unreported investment income, including broader eligibility and interest/penalty relief, but said utilization has been minimal so far because additional implementation questions remain unresolved. The committee next received the annual update on the Working Families Tax Credit. DOR reported record participation in 2025, with about $205 million refunded through October and a major increase in applications after TurboTax added the credit to its filing software. Officials said most dollars went to households with children, outreach efforts remained important, and community partners and state agencies helped increase uptake. Members focused heavily on fraud concerns, especially tax preparers allegedly filing claims without applicants’ knowledge or diverting refunds; DOR said it is using fraud detection tools, training preparers, and trying to make applicants whole, but current law does not provide direct penalties against preparers. The final portion covered implementation of engrossed substitute Senate Bill 5814, which expanded sales tax to certain services. DOR described the new tax framework, its guidance process, and the large volume of ruling requests and outreach since the law took effect October 1. Committee members asked about fiscal assumptions, the scope of taxable services, and whether the department had revised its implementation estimates; DOR said the fiscal note assumed broad application absent explicit exemptions and that no expenditure revision had been made. In stakeholder testimony, Expedia and T-Mobile argued the law creates complexity and competitive disadvantages for Washington businesses, while a construction training provider said the tax raises tuition for workers seeking required certifications. School and nonprofit representatives said the tax will increase costs for special education services, arts programming, and other public-facing activities, and urged exemptions or further legislative fixes. The chair closed by noting the committee would revisit 5814 in the next session and then adjourned the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• And in some cases, they mitigate the opposition to the idea that growth doesn't pay its own way.
• gets... ...it is not a tax under Florida law and under case law.
• I think that stuff comes even from case law, okay?
• And so I think that brings up the case not only with this fee, but when Mr.
• And then in other cases, it might be that they’re remodeling or fixing an older station.

Summary: The Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee met for its first meeting of the 2026 session and took up impact fees, with an opening overview from Eric Poole of the Florida Association of Counties. Poole explained that impact fees are one-time charges on new development used only for new infrastructure capacity, not existing deficiencies or maintenance, and must satisfy the dual rational nexus test. He traced their history in Florida and described how comprehensive plans, concurrency, and later mobility fees relate to local infrastructure funding. He argued that impact fees are restricted, tied to capital improvements, and are one tool for paying for growth. Panelists representing counties, cities, builders, and community developers largely agreed that growth creates real infrastructure costs but differed on how those costs should be allocated. County and city representatives said impact fees are a necessary, targeted way to fund roads, water, sewer, fire, schools, and parks without spreading costs across all taxpayers. They pointed to long periods without fee updates, rising construction costs, and examples of large increases justified by studies. Builder and developer representatives argued that fees are often unpredictable, can be doubled or tripled, and contribute to housing affordability problems; they also said the system can be inconsistent across jurisdictions and may encourage sprawl. Several witnesses emphasized that fees must be transparent, proportional, and tied to actual benefits, and some suggested a statewide framework or mobility-fee model with more consistency and peer review. Members asked about how long local governments can hold fee revenue, whether fees can generate profit, what they can be spent on, and whether they can pay for police stations, fire stations, or other public safety facilities. Witnesses said the funds must be used for capital projects and cannot be used for salaries or unrelated purchases, and that refunds may be required if money is not spent within the local ordinance’s timeframe. The discussion also covered examples of local fee increases, the use of impact fees versus direct construction or “pipelining” of infrastructure, and concerns about level-of-service changes and extraordinary-circumstance increases. No votes were taken; the meeting ended after the panel discussion and member questions, with the chair noting the conversation would continue.

Transcript Highlights:

• But in this case, the administration has proposed an across-the-board cap of 15 percent.
• And thanks to that research, 126,000 cases of breast cancer. and 76,000 cases of heart disease were prevented
• That's less than half by the way of what taxpayers spend on President Trump's golf trips, just in case
• Parikh, I thought you have made a very compelling case about our ability to compete with China.
• In the case of Alzheimer's, for example, a cure.

Transcript Highlights:

• multilingual, culturally responsive resources on the website for families to access, especially in the case
• multilingual, culturally responsive resources on the website for families to access, especially in the case
• multilingual, culturally responsive resources on the website for families to access, especially in the case
• <00:15:34.880> especially<00:15:35.199> in<00:15:35.279> the<00:15:35.399> case
• <00:15:35.560> of access um especially in the case of access um especially in the case of

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• So in case it isn't done on day one, what would you do?
• I would just say we'll be back here and we'll have a conversation about it, I would say in this case
• it's a very... unusual case when the sum of those parts that you just described are actually going to
• In extreme cases, insurers may withdraw from market segments altogether. which they are already doing
• It is not the case that global organizations set tax law, it is the United States Congress that sets

Keywords: nomination, Deputy Secretary of Treasury, economic policy, inflation, tariffs, tribal nations, government relations

Summary: The meeting convened to consider the nomination of Mike Falkender for the position of Deputy Secretary of the Treasury. During the session, multiple members voiced concerns regarding current economic policies under the Trump administration, particularly around inflation, tariffs, and the impact on small businesses. Discussions frequently centered on the administration's approach to tariffs and taxation, and how these factors contribute to the rising cost of living and potential job losses. Additionally, the importance of bolstering government-to-government relationships with tribal nations was emphasized, highlighting the need for specialized offices focused on tribal affairs within the Treasury Department.

Transcript Highlights:

• JR17 to recognize the fact that our veterans, those who served in Vietnam, who served alongside many cases
• soldiers, who also gave up their lives and sacrificed. served in Vietnam, who served alongside many cases
• The title, his title, was: How California Became a Case Study in Failed Governance.
• courts will continue to make adjustments to ensure that essential court services are provided and cases
• We had last year approximately 9,000 cases, and of those cases, approximately 500 have gone toward incarceration

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so she's a case in point about what can happen if we, you know, take somebody's services away.
• And you said she's one case in point. How many other Minnesotans are being similarly impacted?
• And so she's a case<00:02:27.200> in<00:02:27.360> point<00:02:27.760> about<00:
• in point about what can happen if case in point about what can happen if we we we you<00:02:30.520><
• How many other she's one case in point.

Keywords: 918, senate, all

Summary: The discussion focused on disability advocacy and the impact of Minnesota’s fraud crackdown on people who rely on home and community-based services. The senator highlighted Lydia Dolly’s testimony about losing services after her provider was placed under a payment withhold, leaving her without care for months and forcing her mother to quit her job. He said her situation illustrates the risk of cutting off services too abruptly and criticized the state’s safe-transitions process as not working well enough. The senator argued that fraud is real and should be aggressively addressed, but said the state’s response has been too haphazard and has harmed innocent clients and legitimate providers. He cited reports of homelessness, possible deaths, and suspended services tied to the crackdown, and said earlier warnings about fraud in child care, PCA, and housing stabilization were not handled thoughtfully. He also referenced recent raids and investigations, saying the administration has been reactive and has not worked closely enough with providers. He described Senate File 2939, the Home Care Stability and Accountability Act, and a broader umbrella bill, Senate File 4222, as bipartisan efforts to add scrutiny, protections, and due process so fraudulent providers can be removed without leaving clients stranded. He also mentioned Senate File 4354, which would modify program integrity requirements, including a new expectation that providers demonstrate they can actually deliver the services they claim. No votes or formal committee actions were taken in the conversation, but he expressed optimism that the Legislature could make progress before session ends.

Transcript Highlights:

• Although airports enjoy these sales tax exemptions, in many cases, we will remove that at this time.
• is damaged... ...said the risk is there only if the battery casing is damaged, right?
• I think, as I said, this is kind of a case of first impression in law related to EVs and how we're going
• But in this case, I think some words have meaning, and I wanted to just explore with the committee the
• But in this case, I think some words have meaning, and I wanted to just explore with the committee, the

Summary: The Transportation Committee met with a quorum and first took up SB 1362 on advanced air mobility. Senator Harrell described the bill as creating a framework for vertiports and eVTOL operations, including DOT oversight, vertiport licensing, preemption of local design and operational regulation, and limited liability protections. An amendment was adopted that removed the bill’s sales tax exemptions and narrowed the sovereign immunity language so it would apply only to vertiports co-located at airports, aligning the bill more closely with the House companion. Supporters from eVTOL companies praised Florida’s leadership and the regulatory clarity, while the Florida Justice Association urged caution about extending immunity to unproven entities. The committee then reported the bill favorably. The committee next considered SB 260 on storage and cleanup of electric vehicles after crashes. An amendment narrowed the bill to EVs with visible battery or battery-compartment damage or saltwater submersion, clarified that the fee applies to storage rather than towing, and tied the proposal to existing fire marshal rules requiring damaged EVs to be stored away from structures. Insurance and rental-car industry representatives supported the narrowed approach but asked for more data reporting, clearer limits on cleanup language, and safeguards against overcharging or cost shifting. The bill was debated as a response to the space and safety burdens placed on tow operators, and it was reported favorably after amendment. The committee also approved SB 1352, which creates a secure online portal for license plate seizure/confiscation processing, allows disabled veterans to retain their DV plate alphanumeric designation, authorizes immediate issuance of DV plates by tax collectors, bans license plate covers/overlays that obscure plates, and routes online driver license/ID renewals to the customer’s county tax collector with service fees remitted accordingly. SB 1370 was reported favorably as well; it closes a loophole so drivers who never had a license can still be treated similarly to suspended-license offenders for habitual traffic offender purposes after repeated offenses. Finally, the committee considered SB 1220, FDOT’s transportation package, which included updates to trail prioritization, SunTrail materials and sponsorships, seaport and airport resilience planning, drone delivery and personnel delivery device provisions, LiDAR coordination, turnpike toll programming changes, and felony penalties for damaging autonomous vehicles. An amendment removed some provisions, including digital driver license authorization and the rapid rail transit compact, and added advanced air mobility corridor language and an FDOT study on alternative-fuel revenue impacts; after support from several stakeholders, the committee reported the bill favorably and adjourned.