Transcript Highlights:

• Bill 471, with House Amendments 1, 2, and 3, an act to amend Title 21 relating to regulation and control
• Or to hinder, control, coerce, or intimidate a voter from exercising their right to vote with the intent
• I think that that would fall under the category of hindering, controlling, coercing, intimidating, or
• I got a dog that I couldn't control over this.
• I got a dog that I couldn't control over this.

Summary: The Senate received House communications listing numerous House-passed bills, substitutes, amendments, and concurrent resolutions, and then took up committee reports and a consent calendar. Consent Calendar 65 passed unanimously with 20 yes votes and included Senate Resolution 26 recognizing Black Women’s Equal Pay Day, House Concurrent Resolution 131 on apprenticeship programs for school-based mental health professionals, House Concurrent Resolution 137 on mathematics instruction review, and House Concurrent Resolution 148 on a statewide menopause education strategy. Later, Consent Agenda N also passed with the required two-thirds vote and included a large group of bills on evidence and witnesses, Family Court jurisdiction, theft by impersonation, realty transfer tax, auto insurance practices, child services and educational services, STD prevention, agricultural and forestry matters, menstrual disorder materials, a Smyrna charter change, massage/body work, dry needling, and lead poisoning screening. Several substantive bills were debated and passed. Senate Substitute 1 for Senate Bill 314, modernizing Delaware’s rape shield law and clarifying how courts handle evidence of prior false sexual assault allegations, passed 21-0. Senate Bill 347, a cleanup bill to the Medical Debt Protection Act that expands prohibited collection actions and requires disclosure when a collector is a large health care facility, also passed 21-0. House Bill 300, creating a statewide Title IX coordinator in the Department of Education to support compliance and data collection for interscholastic athletics, passed after debate; Senate Amendment 1 to the bill, which would have required athletes to compete according to biological sex, was defeated 6-14 with one absent, and the underlying bill then passed 20-0 with one absent. The Senate also passed House Substitute 1 for House Bill 84, which limits mandatory employee attendance at meetings where employers convey political or religious views, after questions about employer, union, and exemption coverage; House Substitute 1 for House Bill 301, which clarifies criminal penalties for violence, threats, and intimidation at polling places and election-related sites, passed after discussion of what conduct it would cover; House Bill 63, addressing fireworks disclosures and related regulation, passed 19-2 after senators discussed enforcement and impacts on veterans, children, and pets; and House Bill 348, updating the electric vehicle rebate program to give DENREC more flexibility and expand eligibility, passed 16-5. The chamber then recessed until the next day.

Transcript Highlights:

• Visa and MasterCard actually control this entire market, and they work with essentially 10 banks.
• These 10 banks control 80% of the credit card market.
• 85% of an industry that's controlled by two companies, Visa and MasterCard, and the largest banks in
• As you have heard multiple times, Visa and MasterCard control about 76% of the market nationwide.
• They control the networks, they control the terms, and the prices.

Bills: HB245, HB245, HB700, HB2783, HB3526, HB3900, HB4061, HB4124, HB4166, HB4395, HB4534, HB4609, HB4641, HB4736, HB4738, HB4739, HB4945, HB5015, HJR175

Keywords: property tax, delinquent taxes, ad valorem, penalties, interest cap, military service, retirement, law enforcement, custodial officer, Employees Retirement System, commercial financing, brokers, registration, disclosures, finance, consumer protection, fees, deferred compensation, automatic participation, county employees

Transcript Highlights:

• fund the spending spree that we saw happen here in the state of Minnesota under one-party Democrat control
• raising of taxes and fees in this way or we would be headed for a deficit under one-party Democrat control
• Democrats' out-of-control spending has to stop. We got to put Minnesota budget first.
• We have to get our actual spending under control. We have to get our actual spending under control.
• , $18 billion of surplus Democrat control, $18 billion of surplus was<00:17:23.120> spent.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• a compliance oversight structure in order to help improve compliance and strengthen our internal controls
• So at DHS I continue to champion process improvements and strengthening our internal controls, and I
• now this work is work that is controls now this work is work that is never<00:02:05.200> done
• <01:19:33.280> audit Staffing for our internal controls audit Staffing for our internal controls
• It's stunning to me that the work on internal controls has not fixed this yet.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Benjamin Franklin himself, a printer, understood that whoever controls the means of production controls
• The stores are the platform that control The stores are the platform that control the<01:27:15.760
• <01:39:10.639> I out in your statement parental control I out in your statement parental control
• So, I mean, I think that controls.
• The bill also beyond their control.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So um local control I happened anyway.
• the town the more local control matters. the town the more local control matters.
• >> Managing money is is a local control >> Managing money is is a local control issue
• local control. I'm not saying you can't. local control. I'm not saying you can't.
• isn't that local community control? isn't that local community control?

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first approved corrected minutes from October 6 after members noted and fixed several transcription and spelling errors, including a clarification that a comment about SAU numbers came from former Senator Jim Rubin. The vote to approve the corrected minutes was moved, seconded, and adopted with one abstention. The main presentation came from Chuck Bates of the New Hampshire Association of School Business Officials (ASBO), who described the organization, its certification program, and the role of school business administrators. He explained that ASBO members handle accounting and financial management, facilities, food service, HR, information systems, transportation, and risk management. He also outlined the certification program, which includes 21 courses, most online, plus four in-person workshops unique to New Hampshire, and noted that many members are not certified because the state licensure requirement was removed. Bates then addressed the committee’s interest in SAU consolidation and county-wide restructuring. He said business administrators often manage multiple budgets, attend school board meetings, and serve as a visible point of contact for the community. He argued that consolidation would create operational and financial challenges, including staff and facility relocation, differing accounting systems, lack of a standardized chart of accounts, and uncertain return on investment. He said the biggest obstacle would be local control, especially in small towns that do not want outside decisions affecting school closures, class sizes, or student transportation. Committee members questioned him about the distinction between administrative and academic control, the size of district offices in larger cities, and what might reduce administrative costs; Bates responded that many administrative costs stem from legislation and that consolidation would be difficult to implement without local support.

Transcript Highlights:

• 00:02:54.360> are<00:02:54.480> paid,<00:02:55.600> payment<00:02:55.960> controls
• , before they are paid, payment controls, before they are paid, payment controls, and<00:02:57.360
• specialist and internal internal control specialist and internal internal<00:11:13.360> auditors<
• control improvements. control improvements.
• <00:54:43.440> I um to the internal controls team. I um to the internal controls team.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• As you know, we are involved in fraud prevention, investigation, and fraud control services, and this
• <00:04:15.880> services investigation and fraud control services investigation and fraud control
• This may include living in a provider-controlled setting, such as a community residential service.
• This may include living in a provider-controlled setting, such as a community residential service.
• This may include living in a provider-controlled setting, such as a community residential service.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• , or in control of their spending if they're allowed to be asked the question."
• You know, I I think we local control.
• So again, I, to the chair's point originally, this is the total local control solution, right?
• So, again, I think this is a total local control bill to the chair's point.
• bill to the is a total local control bill to the chair's<01:22:35.320> point.

Keywords: 9:00am HB 158 9:10am HB 281 9:20am HB 317 9:30am HB 340 9:40am HB 1062 9:50am HB 1187 10:00am HB 1234 10:10am HB 1300 10:20am HB 1306 10:30am HB 1381 10:40am HB 1541, 928, house, all

Summary: The committee of conference first resolved House Bill 158, which concerns public inspection of absentee ballot lists. The Senate explained a revised approach that removed the broader bill language and instead directed the Secretary of State to review absentee ballot data after each general election for patterns such as common addresses and to report findings to the committees of jurisdiction. The House agreed to the Senate position, and the conference committee voted unanimously to concur. The committee then took up House Bill 281, dealing with a sortable electronic voter checklist. Members debated the Senate’s removal of language that would have included the absentee ballot mailing address when different from the voter’s registration address. Concerns were raised that releasing mailing addresses could expose where voters are not home and could affect overseas and military voters. The committee also discussed a related form for election officials who personally know a voter, including how long the form would be retained and whether it would be subject to public records law. After further discussion, the House agreed to the Senate changes with an additional requirement that the form be signed, and the committee voted to proceed with the amended Senate position. House Bill 317, concerning verification of a person’s identity by a supervisor of the checklist without identification, was also discussed at length. The Senate’s version preserved the ability for election officials to identify people they know, but required a signed form under penalty of perjury and added a nursing home-related provision. Members described the measure as balancing community-based identification with tighter documentation, and a House witness described local problems with inconsistent ID checks and concerns about voting in nursing homes. The House sought one additional change requiring the nursing home verification form to be signed, and the Senate accepted that addition; the committee then voted to move the bill forward on the consent calendar. The conference committee next considered House Bill 340 on electioneering by public employees. The chair presented a replace-all amendment that tied the definition of electioneering to existing law, added a prohibition on expressly or primarily political surveys, and created a civil penalty of up to $1,000 alongside the misdemeanor penalty. Members discussed clarifying when the misdemeanor versus civil penalty would apply and which categories of public employees were covered. After caucus, the Senate agreed to the House’s replace-all approach with the clarifying changes, and the bill was closed. The committee also resolved House Bill 1062 by agreeing to strike a sunset clause from the Senate version authorizing random audits of citizenship qualifications, and it began discussion of House Bill 1187 on the filing window for special-election candidates, where the House proposed requiring local election officials to arrange a filing time on the same day or next business day after being contacted.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm Assistant Commissioner for Air and Climate Policy at the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
• Frank Kash, Assistant Commissioner for Air and Climate Policy at the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
• :35.599> here<00:02:35.720> to<00:02:35.920> testify<00:02:36.400> in control
• agency I'm here to testify in control agency I'm here to testify in opposition<00:02:37.200> to
• The bottom line is that this is about government control. It's not really about reducing anything.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• People selling controlled substances illegally, in some cases to minors, we've seen that.
• I have many patients who had this silastic rod put into their tubes for birth control.
• You have been a critic of hormonal birth control.
• If there was only one birth control pill, there would be no birth control pills.
• If there was only one birth control pill, there would be no birth control pills.

Summary: The committee first considered the confirmation of Dr. John Lattell to the Board of Medicine. In questioning, senators focused heavily on his views about abortion, vaccines, ivermectin, and the role of CDC/FDA guidance in board discipline cases. Dr. Lattell said the board applies Florida statutes and works through probable cause panels and legal counsel, but he also expressed strong pro-life views, skepticism of federal health guidance, and criticism of vaccines and some medical practices. Supporters praised his long medical career, military service, and family medicine background, while opponents argued his views could prevent him from being objective in disciplinary matters. The committee voted to recommend him for confirmation to the full Senate, with Senators Polsky and Ruson voting no. The committee then took up the confirmation of Taylor Hatch as Secretary of the Department of Children and Families. Hatch described her background in state human services and outlined priorities centered on accountability, data, lived experience, and improving service delivery. Senators asked about SNAP error rates, Hope Florida, legislative analyses, staffing, and the department’s handling of child welfare and medically complex cases. Hatch said the department was reducing SNAP error rates, that Hope Florida uses navigators to connect people with community resources and self-sufficiency supports, and that DCF is working with the Department of Health and other partners to improve investigations and accountability in child welfare. She also said the agency is reviewing medically complex cases and strengthening oversight of community-based care providers through contracts, audits, and proposed funding-model changes. A substantial portion of the Hatch discussion centered on whether the department had been responsive to legislative requests and whether it had provided timely bill analyses. Senators also pressed her on Hope Florida staffing, the number of participants served, and the Hope Florida Foundation’s compliance and legal oversight. Hatch said the foundation is undergoing a financial audit and that the department is relying on required reports and ongoing investigations. The transcript ends amid continued questioning about a community-based care contractor’s finances, related-party transactions, and whether further forensic audits or repayments are needed.

Transcript Highlights:

• knowledge, knowing that people who want to ban abortion and punish people who have abortions are in control
• of Congress the abortions are in control of Congress the White<00:01:55.840> House<00:01:56.200
• substance to be tracked as an controlled substance to be tracked and<00:03:05.640> monitored<
• <00:04:37.280> authoritarian<00:04:38.280> fascist<00:04:38.800> movement control
• authoritarian fascist movement control authoritarian fascist movement to<00:04:39.520> take<00

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So this bill creates a clear conflict with that federal law under the Tobacco Control Act.
• As of this morning, the FDA has only authorized 34 e-cigarettes under the Tobacco Control Act, and they've
• 00:15:56.560> under<00:15:56.800> the<00:15:56.959> Tobacco<00:15:57.360> Control
• federal law under the Tobacco Control federal law under the Tobacco Control Act<00:15:58.639>
• Act and they've publicly Tobacco Control Act and they've publicly stated<00:16:06.040> if<00:

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection held decision-making on SB 146, SB 147, and SB 1166. SB 146 and SB 147, both relating to condominiums, were recommended to pass with amendments. The committee adopted amendments based on testimony from Anne Anderson, including mediator/arbitrator qualifications, clarifications about disputes involving managing agents, small claims timing, lien rights, and refund determinations by an early neutral evaluator. For both bills, the effective date was deferred to July 1, 2050 for further discussion. Each measure was adopted with no objections. SB 1166, relating to insurance, was also passed with amendments. The committee removed language that would have required insurers to bring claims and condition rates on doing so, replacing it with encouraging language. The amended bill adds a private cause of action against responsible parties, authorizes insurer actions under certain conditions, defines terms tied to climate-related events and fossil fuel products, and requires HPIA to report to the insurance commissioner on whether it exercised direct action rights. The effective date was likewise deferred to July 1, 2050, and the measure was adopted without objection. The committee then heard SB 985, relating to consumer protection and gift card fraud, and SB 1525, relating to electronic smoking devices and e-liquids. SB 985 drew support from a consumer fraud victim and others who said gift card scams disproportionately harm kupuna, while the Retail Merchants of Hawaii opposed the bill’s packaging/display requirements and suggested stronger penalties instead. The committee voted to pass SB 985 with amendments, deferring its effective date to July 1, 2050, and noted it would move on to Judiciary next. SB 1525 drew significant opposition from the Attorney General’s office, Department of Taxation, Department of Health, and public health groups, who argued it conflicted with federal tobacco law, was hard for Tax to administer, and would not effectively remove unauthorized vape products. After testimony, the committee recommended deferral of SB 1525 without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman, it allows tribes to fully control the destiny of their children.
• Who controls the money and how is it distributed? Mr. Chair and Representative Duncan.
• The NPRC controls that. They have an administrative agency that controls the funds.
• The NPRC controls that. They have an administrative agency that controls The funds.
• It's just a flat 15 cents increase, and the PRC does control it. Great.

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill provides districts with greater control over their facilities, removing prescribed 5-, 10-,
• The bill enhances financial control for districts that authorized school districts to determine.
• It's just making sure those school districts have greater control over it.
• That is why local control over start times is critical.
• Even if they're working, a parent can control that they don't work until a certain time.

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Pre-K-12 Education met with a quorum present and observed a moment of silence for Senator Geraldine Thompson. The committee first took up CS/SB 102, a bill by Senator Gates directing the Department of Education to develop a workforce credential program for students with autism spectrum disorder or students on a modified curriculum, in coordination with the Florida Center for Students with Unique Abilities and OSHA. Supporters said the bill would help autistic students gain job skills and workplace safety credentials, while an opponent argued the bill should clearly make participation voluntary, expand to other exceptional student groups, include funding, and add stronger accountability. The bill was reported favorably. The committee then considered SB 166, the Administrative Efficiency in Public Schools bill by Senator Simon. The bill would reduce or remove several state mandates and give districts more flexibility on testing, teacher evaluations, contracts and certification, school board operations, instructional materials timelines, audits, facilities planning, emergency make-up days, federal fund use, and public VPK oversight. Senators asked about the impact on student proficiency, teacher evaluations, and the transfer of public VPK oversight to districts; Simon said the tests would remain but count as 30 percent of the grade, districts would retain flexibility in evaluation measures, and only public VPK would shift to districts. Public testimony was largely supportive, with some speakers praising reduced testing and local control, while one senator cautioned that Florida still has a math proficiency problem. The bill was reported favorably. Finally, the committee heard CS/SB 296 by Senator Bradley, which would repeal the 2023 statewide mandate requiring later middle and high school start times and return the decision to local districts, while still requiring districts to inform the community about the health, safety, and academic impacts of sleep deprivation and consider later start times. Supporters argued the mandate created transportation, staffing, and scheduling problems and that local control was more practical, while opponents emphasized sleep science and the benefits of later start times for teens. Several senators discussed the tension between research and district resources, and the bill sponsor said the measure preserves the conversation about sleep while allowing local scheduling decisions. CS/SB 296 was reported favorably, and the committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 640 would allow the cabinet to identify a strategy to control the spread of invasive species
• 40.000> 640 The bill does not conflict with authorities already given to other agencies to control
• the spread of invasive species control the spread of invasive species and<00:04:00.959> plants
• <00:04:08.799> noxious<00:04:09.280> weeds agencies to control noxious weeds agencies
• to control noxious weeds clearing<00:04:10.599> Weeds<00:04:11.400> on<00:04:12.200>

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:04 Introduction of Guests 00:54 HB 640 Discussion 01:15 HB 640 Roll Call Vote 05:16 HB 641 Discussion 06:11 HB 641 Roll Call Vote 11:49 HB 790 Discussion 12:47 HB 790 Roll Call Vote 14:23 Chair Comments regarding SB 89 16:04, 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and took up House Bills 640, 641, and 790. HB 640 would authorize the Energy and Environment Cabinet to adopt regulations to control invasive non-native plant species, with testimony focusing on the threat posed by species such as callery pear/Bradford pear to native plants, forest health, and the economy. Members asked whether the bill itself would ban Bradford pears; the sponsor clarified that it would not directly ban them, but would give the cabinet regulatory authority. The bill received a favorable expression by roll call. HB 641 addressed coal combustion byproducts, explaining that the bill would help preserve landfill space by allowing these materials to be reused as special waste in places such as abandoned strip mines or underground mines, and would clarify that reclaimed land could qualify for agricultural use such as pasture, hay, or crop production. Members raised concerns about groundwater and runoff; the sponsor and another member argued that placing the material under cover would reduce exposure compared with open piles currently sitting at power plants. After discussion, the bill passed with favorable expression, with a few members passing on the vote. HB 790, as amended by committee substitute, was described as substantially narrowed from its original form. The substitute removed setback requirements and instead required construction certificate holders for solar merchant electric generating facilities to report federal and state incentives used for siting, construction, and operation, with the cabinet compiling and submitting an annual report to the General Assembly. The committee approved the substitute and the bill passed with favorable expression. At the end of the meeting, members were also reminded of a later TVA energy update meeting and the chair noted ongoing work on Senate Bill 89, with possible future action and a special meeting if revised language is ready.

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:54:03.920> the labor organizations, will control the labor organizations, will control
• And that when it comes to health insurance costs at local control, um, you know, we can't control it
• at local control.
• it at local you know, we can't control it at local control.<02:08:25.360> But<02:08:25.520>
• But if we do have it as a control.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and contract controls oversight and contract compliance. compliance. compliance.
• ,<00:54:06.880> grant internal process controls, grant internal process controls, grant monitoring
• They want to do more financial controls. Great.
• They want to do more financial controls. They want to do more financial controls.
• includes all sorts of internal controls includes all sorts of internal controls including<01:40:

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• This recommendation includes three additional FTE for our internal control and accountability unit.
• internal control internal control environments<00:09:38.120> additionally<00:09:38.680>
• holders but also controlling holders but also controlling individuals<01:31:03.159> and<01
• <01:31:23.320> or ownership management or control or ownership management or control or billing
• <01:32:09.360> individuals tools to check controlling individuals tools to check controlling

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• in the district's control in the district's control as<00:26:23.600> far<00:26:23.840>
• district does not have 100% control over the SAU.
• ,<01:47:17.360> one you don't have 100% control, one you don't have 100% control, one district
• <01:47:19.679> over district does not have 100% control over district does not have 100% control
• At the end of the day, the school districts together control the SAU.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Education Funding Committee met in executive session and reviewed several previously heard bills, but focused its discussion on SB 586 and SB 580. The chair explained that SB 586 would require school districts and school administrative units to publish audit reports after the fiscal year, and that an amendment, 1472H, had been prepared to replace the relevant audit/reporting section. The amendment would add SAUs to the reporting entities, expand the contents of audits to include items such as employee lists, pay, benefits, and pension liabilities, and change the timing so audits are submitted nine months after the fiscal year end, followed by a three-month Department of Education review and then a further correction period before any grant funding could be withheld. The amendment would also require the reports to be posted in searchable electronic form on the web. Committee members discussed whether the bill’s “non-compliance” language referred only to incomplete submissions or also to audit findings, and several members raised concerns about whether the Department of Education had the staff and authority to take on this role, whether the existing DOE25 process would be displaced, and whether the bill should instead remain with the Department of Revenue Administration. One member noted that the fiscal note anticipated the need for additional auditors and significant staffing costs. The committee also reviewed SB 580, described as a school cooperative purchasing program bill that also contains policy provisions for charter school trustees, school board members, and receivership-related language tied to Claremont. The chair said the committee had previously heard comments from Charlie Arlinghouse on the cooperative purchasing portion and would use a side-by-side comparison prepared by staff when it reached that bill. Other bills on the docket were briefly described but not taken up that day: SB 491, which has committee-requested amendments and a separate non-germane amendment related to curriculum frameworks and academic standards; SB 513, an owner’s project manager bill held as a possible vehicle for future non-germane language; and SB 531, concerning a cosmetology program in Coös County and a possible task force. The chair said the committee would not address 491, 513, or 531 that day and would return to 580 and 586.