Transcript Highlights:

• guidance in doing the CIP budget, and I've really appreciated your wisdom and insight during this process
• facilities, and $21 million for small animal slaughterhouse processing and storage. in um input and
• <00:52:31.440> to<00:52:31.760> expand<00:52:32.160> Hawaii's acquisition to expand
• Hawaii's acquisition to expand Hawaii's agriculture<00:52:33.559> initiatives,<00:52:34.559><
• <00:53:12.640> facilities harvest and food processing facilities harvest and food processing

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , and due process resources.
• Senators, we're going to take up the amendment process.
• They were in process, but they're technically late-filed.
• Does anyone have a question before the amendment process?
• First, because we are simplifying the application process.

Summary: The Appropriations Committee met for Budget Day and heard presentations on the Senate’s proposed 2025-2026 budget, SPB 25-200, totaling $117.4 billion. Chair Hooper said the plan reduces overall spending from the prior year, keeps strong reserves, includes a 4% pay raise for state employees, maintains employee health care contributions, and makes major investments in water quality, transportation, and education infrastructure. Committee chairs then summarized their budget silos, including K-12 education, higher education, health and human services, criminal and civil justice, transportation/tourism/economic development, and agriculture/environment/general government. Members asked questions mainly about school funding, AP and dual enrollment support, voucher and scholarship impacts, and the My Safe Florida Home program. The committee adopted a large consent package of amendments and then approved three late-file amendments: funding virtual college tours for high school students, funding the FSU Sunshine Genetics program, and providing money for the Port of Fernandina customs facility. The committee then voted to report SPB 2500, the General Appropriations Bill, as a committee bill. It also favorably reported SPB 2502 (implementing bill), SPB 2504 (state employees placeholder), SB 7022 (Florida Retirement System contribution rates and DROP changes), CS/SB 1320 (recreating the Resilient Florida Trust Fund), SPB 2506 (gaming compact revenue distributions, including water projects and rural lands), SPB 2508 (29 new judgeships), SB 7014 (ending the court mediation and arbitration trust fund), SPB 2510 (K-12 conforming bill), SPB 2512 (higher education conforming bill), and SPB 2514 (health and human services conforming bill). The committee also took up several policy bills. It approved SB 7028 on cancer research, creating grant parameters, reporting requirements, a five-year pediatric cancer research incubator, and the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute VisionGen Initiative. It approved CS/CS/SB 170 on nursing home quality, adding resident satisfaction surveys, medical director standards, safety culture reviews, electronic health record requirements, financial reporting penalties, and a study of best practices. It approved CS/CS/SB 168, the Tristan Murphy Act, which expands mental health diversion options, adds Hillsborough County to a forensic hospital diversion pilot, expands grant uses, and creates a behavioral health data repository. It also approved SB 114 creating the Florida Center for Excellence in Insurance and Risk Management at FSU and moving the public hurricane loss model there. The committee then began considering SB 180 on emergency preparedness and response, including a late-file amendment, but the transcript cuts off before final action on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• MITIGATION DISCOUNTS REQUIRING MITIGATION DISCOUNT FORMS 1802 BE PROVIDED FOR THE OFFICE SO THAT THE PROCESS
• THAT IS A BRAND-NEW PROCESS AND THAT MAY TAKE TIME FOR BOTH BOSSES TO ABSORB THAT INFORMATION AND FOR
• TODAY TO MOVE THIS BILL OUT OF THE COMMITTEE AND TO ALLOW THE BILL TO MOVE THROUGH THE COMMITTEE PROCESS
• BEEN REQUIRING THEM FOR THESE WELL-ESTABLISHED PLACES SO STAKEHOLDERS REACHED OUT TO ME, A LOT TO PROCESS
• IT ALLOWS OFR TO ISSUE CERTIFICATES OF ACQUISITION AND ACQUIRING FINANCIAL INSTITUTION PURCHASE OF ANOTHER

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Item 21, Amendment to writer 45, an extended balance authority for the acquisition for the acquisition
• Turning to the middle of page 5, item F, comprehensive CBC process evaluation that was approved at $3.7
• At the top of page 9, item B, improved timeliness for due process.
• Item 15 at the bottom of the page, financial support and collections processing.
• You know this is a process. The budget is a process.

Bills: SB 1

Keywords: campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards

Transcript Highlights:

• so we purchased a we're in the process so we purchased a we're in the process of<01:24:31.239>
• <01:25:51.639> of infrastructure we're in the process of infrastructure we're in the process
• application process do you guys have any application process do you guys have any initiative<02:00:22.239
• One's about process in awarding.
• So we are in the process.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• navigating uh you know land acquisition navigating uh you know land acquisition financing<00:15:
• Um well I I know current like process?
• It lays out the process of bargaining.
• <00:56:00.720> of education program or in the process of education program or in the process
• For that, we're in the process earlier.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee on Education met on March 19 and moved through several bills under time pressure, hearing mostly brief testimony. SB 2024 SD2 and SB 896 SD2, both concerning public-private partnerships for charter school facilities, drew support from the Department of Education, the Charter School Commission, White Kids Can, and Hawaii Technology Academy. DOE said any P3 model should apply only to charter schools on private land and not affect public schools on DOE land. Supporters argued the approach could speed construction, reduce costs, and keep public money in public assets, while UPW and HGA raised concerns about privatization. In response, SFA said the intent was to mirror the existing conversion charter school model, with public ownership of assets and unionized staff, and noted some regions have waited years for schools. SB 2613 SD1 on TMK transfers was heard next. DOE said the bill had originally been supported as part of the governor’s package but was amended to require DOE to convey lands for 13 libraries on DOE property, which DOE said would create “donut holes” in campuses and was unnecessary because existing agreements already govern library use. The State Public Library System supported the bill, saying it has long coexisted with DOE but needs clearer separation and more reliable control over its sites. The Attorney General’s office said the library system currently lacks express statutory authority to own real property and flagged implementation issues because some of the affected parcels are not currently owned by DOE. Committee members questioned both sides about current agreements, communication, and how the bill would change operations. SB 494 SD2, concerning charter school audits, received comments from the Charter School Commission, which said the bill was redundant because charter schools already undergo annual audits during the term of their contracts. The Office of the Auditor was also present. SB 2391 SD2, relating to automatic pay increases for teachers, drew strong opposition from the Office of Collective Bargaining, which said step movement and longevity increases are negotiated in each contract and do not automatically carry over when a contract expires; it warned the bill could affect upcoming negotiations with HSTA. HSTA and several other supporters argued the bill would standardize annual step movement, improve retention, and reflect existing contract language. No votes or final actions were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:07:07.960> of money um for the overall process of money um for the overall process of
• This bill would create a framework and process for notifying owners of abandoned watercraft of their
• It helps streamline the permitting process, and it leverages local, state, and federal dollars.
• Section one focuses on the repeal of the land acquisition report.
• <01:26:41.960> report repeal of the land acquisition report repeal of the land acquisition

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So it’s going to be an expedited process also.
• That process is replaced with a one-step request-for-qualifications process as prescribed.
• Our stakeholder process of approval has expanded.
• The processes are not known. The length of time of the processes are not known.
• The processes are not known. The length of time of the processes are not known.

Bills: SB1041, SB1088, SB1118, SB1128, SB1168, SB1176, SB1189, SB1207, SB1250, SB1272, SB1274, SB1286, SB1428, SB1457, SB1461, SB1503, SB1519, SB1537, SB1582, SB1618, SB1654, SB1713, SB1827, SCR1012, SCR1020

Keywords: electronic monitoring, nursing care, assisted living, resident rights, privacy, consent, surveillance, cybersecurity, homeland security, artificial intelligence, state appropriation, VPN security, zero trust, housing, zoning, middle housing, urban development, duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes

Summary: The committee began with Senate Bill 1272, which would provide $5 million for the City of Douglas as a state match for the Douglas Port of Entry project. The chair adopted a Livingston amendment changing the funding source from the General Fund to the Water Supply Development Revolving Fund. Senator Gowen, Douglas Mayor Jose Grijalva, and city staff testified that the project could unlock $678 million in federal funding, create jobs, improve trade and national security, and generate future tax revenue. The bill passed 15-0 with three present and one not voting. Senate Bill 1503 was then amended with a strike-everything to expand the state death benefit for first responders to include pilots employed by law enforcement agencies, retroactive to January 1, 2026, and subject to voter approval. Senator Gowen and DPS Director Colonel Jeffrey Glover said the change would ensure the family of a DPS aviation supervisor killed in a helicopter crash would qualify for the benefit. The committee approved the bill 18-0 with one not voting. Senate Bill 1274 was converted by strike-everything amendment into a timeshare salesperson licensing measure, creating a separate license and training path focused on timeshare sales. Supporters said the change would better prepare salespeople and streamline licensing, while the sponsor said it would make government more efficient. The bill passed 17-1 with one not voting. Senate Bill 1286, dealing with veterinary telemedicine, was also approved after negotiated changes extended most telemedicine prescription periods to 30 days, kept antimicrobials at 14 days with no renewal, and allowed longer flea-and-tick prescriptions; supporters said it would help rural and disabled pet owners. It passed 18-0 with one not voting. The committee next considered Senate Bill 1519 on off-highway vehicles. A hostile strike-everything amendment proposing paid family and medical leave failed 7-11 with one not voting. The committee then adopted a Lopez amendment and advanced the underlying bill, which raises the OHV weight threshold from 2,500 to 3,500 pounds and adjusts registration and funding provisions. Supporters said it reflects newer enclosed and electric vehicles and helps trail funding, while opponents warned of trail damage and said the issue should wait for the study committee. The bill passed 10-7 with one present and one not voting. Senate Bill 1618, which updates the Military Affairs Commission, expands its membership and duties, and creates a military affairs fund, drew mixed testimony about whether it would strengthen Arizona’s ability to attract and retain military missions or shift the commission away from its traditional support role; it passed 10-6 with two present and one not voting. Finally, Senate Concurrent Resolution 1020, which would send to voters a CPI-based annual adjustment to legislative salaries, passed 9-8 with one present and one not voting after members debated legislative compensation, citizen-legislator concerns, and whether the change would broaden access to public service.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, um, we would recommend that it go through the collective bargaining process. >> Okay.
• specifically the data collection process specifically the data collection process to<00:32:55.840
• Um, so that's the process in terms of that.
• Um so that's the process hearing date.
• Um, because the process right now is an opt-in, so it's a voluntary participation in the system.

Bills: HB1977, HB1764, HB1934, HB2533, HB1790, HB2181, HB1870, HB2140, HB2468, HB2358, HB1588, HB1688, HB1986, HB2030, HB2195, HB1949, HB1695, HB1950, HB2094, HB2115, HB2297, HB2336, HB2416, HB2049

Keywords: maternal health, infant health, mobile application, Medicaid, healthcare access, state programs, music education, public concerts, Hawaii State Library, cultural collaboration, music accessibility, libraries, education, reading programs, early childhood, nonprofit, community engagement, teacher retention, Hawaiian language education, special needs schools

Transcript Highlights:

• It's their inability to access and pay for the sterilization process.
• Um therefore we feel that you process.
• help um with this with this uh process help um with this with this uh process as<00:47:05.200>
• for law enforcement officers at process for law enforcement officers at least<02:20:52.319> uh
• Post-production is a very complex<03:02:54.720> process<03:02:55.200> that<03:02:55.520

Bills: HB1977, HB1764, HB1934, HB2533, HB1790, HB2181, HB1870, HB2140, HB2468, HB2358, HB1588, HB1688, HB1986, HB2030, HB2195, HB1949, HB1695, HB1950, HB2094, HB2115, HB2297, HB2336, HB2416, HB2049

Keywords: maternal health, infant health, mobile application, Medicaid, healthcare access, state programs, music education, public concerts, Hawaii State Library, cultural collaboration, music accessibility, libraries, education, reading programs, early childhood, nonprofit, community engagement, teacher retention, Hawaiian language education, special needs schools

Transcript Highlights:

• That will involve regional groups going through the bottom-up process of identifying needs, but having
• Consultation to support this rule-making process.
• This enforcement structure balances deterrence with due process and ensures there are. real consequences
• It includes an online application feature and provides for a review process for approving or denying
• That's what this process is about. Thank you for being a part of it.

Bills: HB48, HB 66, HB 68, HB71, HB75, HB164, HB171, HB254, SB 3, SB 18, HB123, HB149, HB117

Keywords: HB 48, Texas alert notification systems, emergency alerts, public warning systems, alert fatigue, notification fatigue, Texas Division of Emergency Management, Department of Public Safety, DPS alerts, emergency management, State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry, STEAR, disaster notifications, weather alerts, Amber Alert, Silver Alert, Blue Alert, missing persons alerts, accessible alerts, hearing impaired

Transcript Highlights:

• It's all part of this process.
• I was reading through this, and it seems like you're laying out a lot of overcomplicating the process
• The Arts Commission, and if there were things that needed to be removed, the city had its process.
• I mean, wouldn't this just be adding a lot of layers of bureaucracy to the process?
• But you haven't heard any concerns about that process? Not at all, I was confirmed yesterday.

Bills: HB370, HB738, HB2935, HB3227, HB4103, HB5259, SB519, SB1350, SB1247, SB1248, SB2112, HCR81, HCR83, HCR84, HCR59, HCR109, HCR111, HCR135, SCR6

Keywords: HB 370, Events Trust Fund, Texas events funding, sports eligibility, women's sports, girls' sports, biological sex, transgender athletes, sex-segregated sports, athletic competition, event subsidies, tourism funding, site selection organization, anti-trafficking plan, female athletes, public funding, economic impact, sports policy, Rosenwald Schools, historical preservation

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a common-sense update that makes the licensing process more efficient, ensures fair pricing,

Bills: HB370, HB738, HB2935, HB3227, HB4103, HB5259, SB519, SB1350, SB1247, SB1248, SB2112, HCR81, HCR83, HCR84, HCR59, HCR109, HCR111, HCR135, SCR6

Keywords: HB 370, Events Trust Fund, Texas events funding, sports eligibility, women's sports, girls' sports, biological sex, transgender athletes, sex-segregated sports, athletic competition, event subsidies, tourism funding, site selection organization, anti-trafficking plan, female athletes, public funding, economic impact, sports policy, Rosenwald Schools, historical preservation

Transcript Highlights:

• Just after that, I was familiar with the process.
• Of the bidding process within local government code.
• What you were doing on the county level to increase oversight and auditing in these processes.
• That process had only one set of precincts and one commissioners district that had that.
• And that is part of TDHCA's underwriting process, is that they look at...

Bills: SB434, SB844, SB898, SB1177, SB1214, SB1454, SB1920, SB1927, SB1935, SB1965, SB2010, SB2046, SB2068, SB2073, SB2183, SB2260, SB3034, SB907

Keywords: SB 434, Harris County Hospital District, hospital district police, peace officers, commissioned officers, law enforcement authority, Health and Safety Code, Code of Criminal Procedure, public safety, hospital security, county hospital district, local government, Texas criminal procedure, district police, armed security, SB 898, low income housing tax credits, LIHTC, affordable housing, Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• And during that process, our training... gives them credit for the trees that they keep, that keep the
• It's about the democratic process, lowercase d, about the majority.
• Process has been used to block numerous developments.
• Because why go through a discretionary process where you're going to be told terrible things?
• Specifically, cities would continue to have full public hearing. process for any zoning changes.

Bills: SB434, SB844, SB898, SB1177, SB1214, SB1454, SB1920, SB1927, SB1935, SB1965, SB2010, SB2046, SB2068, SB2073, SB2183, SB2260, SB3034, SB907

Keywords: SB 434, Harris County Hospital District, hospital district police, peace officers, commissioned officers, law enforcement authority, Health and Safety Code, Code of Criminal Procedure, public safety, hospital security, county hospital district, local government, Texas criminal procedure, district police, armed security, SB 898, low income housing tax credits, LIHTC, affordable housing, Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• And during that process, our drainage engineer gives them credit for the trees that they keep that keep
• Uh, this bill is about property rights and about the democratic process, lowercase d.
• The so-called neighbor protest process has been used to block numerous developments.
• Time that most of these cases actually just die because if you, why go through a discretionary process
• Specifically, cities would continue to have full public hearing process for any zoning changes.

Bills: SB 434, SB 844, SB 898, SB 1177, SB 1214, SB 1454, SB 1920, SB 1927, SB 1935, SB 1965, SB 2010, SB 2046, SB 2068, SB 2073, SB 2183, SB 2260, SB 3034, SB 907

Keywords: SB 434, Harris County Hospital District, hospital district police, peace officers, commissioned officers, law enforcement authority, Health and Safety Code, Code of Criminal Procedure, public safety, hospital security, county hospital district, local government, Texas criminal procedure, district police, armed security, SB 898, low income housing tax credits, LIHTC, affordable housing, Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• We feel like it streamlines the process, but also provides some much-needed transparency in the process
• I came just after that, but I was familiar with the process.
• I'm just trying to decide that that process was...
• That right now, I'm just trying to decide that that process was...
• And that is part of TDHCA's underwriting process is that they... ...look at.

Bills: SB434, SB844, SB898, SB1177, SB1214, SB1454, SB1920, SB1927, SB1935, SB1965, SB2010, SB2046, SB2068, SB2073, SB2183, SB2260, SB3034, SB907

Keywords: SB 434, Harris County Hospital District, hospital district police, peace officers, commissioned officers, law enforcement authority, Health and Safety Code, Code of Criminal Procedure, public safety, hospital security, county hospital district, local government, Texas criminal procedure, district police, armed security, SB 898, low income housing tax credits, LIHTC, affordable housing, Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs

Summary: The committee heard several bills dealing with local government authority, homeowners associations, hospital district policing, school AED inspections, special district annexation, public contracting penalties, and guaranteed income programs. Senate Bill 2073 by Sen. Zaffirini would clarify that appraisal districts may finance purchases, leases, or construction of real property for appraisal offices without prior approval from taxing units; it was supported by the Texas Association of Appraisal Districts and left pending. Senate Bill 1935 by Sen. Hinojosa would increase homeowner control of property owners association boards, require more transparency, limit fines and assessment increases, and require accessible meeting locations; HOA and builder representatives opposed it, arguing it would hinder maintenance and make dues harder to manage, and the bill was left pending. Senate Bill 434 by Sen. Miles would authorize Harris County Hospital District police officers, was supported by Harris Health, and was left pending. Senate Bill 1177 by Sen. Alvarado, as substituted, would require school AED inspections during fire inspections and reporting to school leadership; it was left pending. Senate Bill 1214 by Sen. Perry would update Concho County Hospital District law to align with current procurement and notice rules; it was left pending. Senate Bill 1965 by Sen. Middleton, for Sen. King, would tighten notice and proximity rules for special district annexations; district witnesses warned the bill could interfere with service to noncontiguous tracts, and the bill was left pending. The committee also took up Senate Bill 2046 by Sen. Bettencourt, which would increase criminal penalties for county purchasing act violations involving unauthorized separate or sequential purchases to evade competitive bidding, and create a tiered penalty structure based on contract amount. Former Harris County DA Kim Ogg, Deputy Attorney General Josh Reno, and James Quintero supported the bill, citing recent Harris County bid-rigging cases and arguing the current Class C misdemeanor penalty is too weak to deter misconduct; some members questioned whether the proposed thresholds were too low and whether stronger oversight, rather than higher penalties alone, would be more effective. The bill was left pending. Finally, Senate Bill 2010 by Sen. Bettencourt would bar counties and other political subdivisions from operating guaranteed income programs and address constitutional gift-clause concerns. Testimony split sharply: Ogg and Quintero argued such programs are unconstitutional, can be used for political data collection, and should not be funded with public money, while Paige Terry Barry defended the bill as protecting taxpayers and discouraging dependency. Senators also debated whether the state can restrict use of federal grant funds and whether local governments should be allowed to run such programs; the bill was left pending.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm sorry, a little concerned about the process.
• But there is a lot of, there will be a lot of regulatory process. process injected into it in the way
• The appropriations process is not closed, so we have an opportunity.
• Does it also, does that cost include staff hours to process it?
• I did hear that, but that process is not a quick 90-minute process.

Bills: HB256, HB1308, HB1554, HB1743, HB2308, HB2351, HB2858, HB3676, HB3784, HB4312, HB4552, HB4823, HB4852, HB5007, HB5010, HB5520, HB5524, HCR19, HB256, HCR19

Keywords: E-verify, employment verification, illegal employment, state contracts, government entities, license suspension, immigration compliance, state grant funding, E-Verify, compliance, penalties, immigration, government contracts, employee status, state contractors, E-verify program, legally present, employment practices, legal services, public money

Transcript Highlights:

• Our across the country on the process.
• acquisition, and agreements.
• acquisition, and agreements.
• acquisition, and agreements.
• acquisition, and agreements.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• WE ALSO DO PROPERTY ACQUISITIONS.
• SO I DO TRULY APPRECIATE OPPORTUNITIES TO SHARE MORE ABOUT THIS PROCESS.
• IT IS A VERY DETAILED PROCESS AND MANY DON'T KNOW THE INTRICACIES OF IT.
• AND SO THERE'S A WHOLE PROCESS YOU CAN SEE HERE. THAT TOP LINE IS A ONE YEAR PROCESS.
• WE DID NOT PROCESS IN SIX MONTHS AND WE ARE HOPING TO SHORTEN NOT MORE.

Keywords: 999, senate, all