Transcript Highlights:

• The original parental rights bill had specific carve-outs to protect children.
• I mean, because we literally just had a debate 20 minutes ago about parental rights and protecting kids
• I mean, because we literally just had a debate 20 minutes ago about parental rights and protecting kids
• And if their parent is exploiting them, then they definitely have no protection.
• And if their parent is exploiting them, then they definitely have no protection.

Summary: The House opened with prayer, a moment of silence for fallen Oviedo Officer Jimmy Serrano-Torres, the Pledge of Allegiance, and recognition of Chief Joseph Tuminelli as law enforcement officer of the day. The Rules and Ethics Committee report setting the special order calendar was adopted, and the Speaker announced schedule changes for the following week, including canceling the floor session on Monday and starting Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. The main floor action centered on CS/HB 7033, the House tax package. Sponsor Rep. Duggan described broad tax changes, including reducing the state sales tax rate from 6% to 5.25%, exempting certain bullion sales, repealing the aviation fuel tax, delaying the natural gas fuel tax, changing corporate income tax treatment for charitable trusts, reducing the pari-mutuel tax on card rooms, and major changes to tourist development tax (TDT) use. The bill would redirect most TDT revenue toward property tax relief, dissolve tourist development councils, and include related property tax and local tax administration changes. Several amendments were debated: a Driscoll amendment to preserve local TDT flexibility failed; Duggan’s amendment giving local governments 25% discretion over TDT revenues was adopted; Eskamani’s combined-reporting amendment failed; and a Duggan amendment requiring audit certification of compliance with the TDT/property tax relief provisions was adopted. After debate, CS/HB 7033 passed 78-29. The House then took up CS/CS/HB 1221 on local option taxes, which was presented as a companion-style measure to give local governments more flexibility while redirecting TDT revenues toward property tax relief. Supporters argued the bill would provide immediate relief to property owners and restore accountability in local tax use, while opponents warned it would undermine tourism funding, infrastructure, and local services. An amendment allowing local governments to retain 25% of TDT revenues for general purposes was adopted, and the bill passed 62-45 after floor debate. The final item shown was the reading of CS/CS/HJR 1257, a proposed constitutional amendment related to property tax exemptions and assessment limits, but the transcript cuts off before debate or action on that measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• I am a father, grandfather, great-grandfather, an adopted parent, kinship parent, all because the system
• of both parents.
• actions of theirs, requiring the parent or allowing the parent to temporarily delegate that guardian
• That's the parental rights, is a... If that parent also, they need to have that due process.
• parenting time proceeding in which a parent is alleged to have committed domestic violence or abuse,

Bills: HB2041 , HB2144 , HB2239 , HB2321 , HB2371 , HB2594 , HB2661 , HB2662 , HB2793 , HB2968 , HB2995

Committees: Senate Federalism and Family Law , Senate Senate Federalism and Family Law Committee of Reference

Keywords: child neglect, financial resources, behavioral health, Christian Science treatment, parental rights, child support, preborn children, retroactive support, medical expenses, child welfare, child care, grant program, low-income, early learning, infrastructure, economic growth, HB2371, Arizona divorce, family law, dissolution of marriage

Transcript Highlights:

• I believe that school librarians need our support and protection from efforts by individual parents or
• I believe that school librarians need our support and protection from efforts by individual parents or
• I believe that school librarians need our support and protection from efforts by individual parents or
• I believe that school librarians need our support and protection from efforts by individual parents or
• I believe that school librarians need our support and protection from efforts by individual parents or

Committee: Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• I care very much about protecting children and parental rights.
• I care very much about protecting children and parental rights.
• This bill claims about protecting children and parental rights.
• This bill claims to protect children and empower parents, but it does neither.
• When the parents that want to be engaged with their kids can keep that protection all the way through

Summary: The committee first took up SB 1236, which would condition state economic development incentives on employers at subsidized companies using secret-ballot union elections and prohibiting neutrality agreements. The sponsor said the bill is meant to protect workers and taxpayer dollars, and he noted he would amend the Attorney General enforcement language to allow appeals. Supporters argued it protects secret ballots and transparency, while opponents said it is a form of union-busting, could conflict with federal labor law, and would burden contractors and workers. After debate, the committee reported the bill favorably on a roll call vote, with Senators Bracey Davis, Smith, and Errington voting no and the remaining recorded votes in favor. The committee then heard CS/SB 198, which regulates cryptocurrency kiosks to combat fraud, especially against seniors. The bill requires kiosk registration, fraud warnings, blockchain analytics, transaction limits, receipts, and refund protections for certain first-time transactions involving non-U.S. wallets. Supporters from consumer and senior advocacy groups said the bill would help stop widespread scams, while one industry witness praised the bill’s fraud protections but suggested narrowing the daily limits and new-customer period. The committee reported the bill favorably by roll call vote. Next, the committee considered CS/SB 1356 on dog breeding, pet sales, and breeder registration. The sponsor described it as a work in progress aimed at ending inhumane breeding conditions, improving consumer disclosures, and creating breeder standards and penalties; an amendment removed state oversight of local animal shelters. Pet store representatives supported many animal welfare provisions but objected to the three-day financing waiting period, shelter-space requirements, expanded reimbursement, and litigation exposure. Animal welfare supporters backed the bill, and the committee reported it favorably. The committee also heard SB 1722 on app stores and minors’ access to apps. The bill requires age verification, parental consent for minors, notice of app changes, and enforcement by the Department of Legal Affairs. Supporters said it would better protect children online and help enforce existing age-based restrictions, while opponents warned it could require overcollection of personal data, create privacy and constitutional problems, and duplicate tools parents already have. After debate, the committee reported the bill favorably. Finally, the committee took up CS/SB 422, which would bar use of ADS-B aviation data to calculate or collect certain airport fees, with an amendment adding departures to the covered activities. A pilot supported the bill as a safety and privacy measure, while airport advocates opposed it, saying it would undermine airport finances and force less efficient fee collection methods. The transcript ends during testimony on this bill, before final action is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• I support keeping government out of home education while being proactive in protecting parents' rights
• Uh, any sort of schooling that may exist that the parents like, it protects their right to do that.
• </c> codify that love in a way that protects codify that love in a way that protects parents<03:34:11.040
• </c><03:34:45.920><c> their</c> the parents like, it uh protects their the parents like, it uh protects
• ><c> in</c> and protection for parental authority in and protection for parental authority in educational

Committee: House Education Policy and Administration

Transcript Highlights:

• Parents have a responsibility to protect a child's physical and mental health.
• Parents have a responsibility to protect a child's physical and mental health.
• Vote no on Senate Bill 1756, protect Florida's kids, protect our communities, and protect our seniors
• Parental rights go both ways.
• Parents get it.

Bills: S1082 , S1168 , S1756 , S1156 , S1480

Committee: Senate Health Policy

Keywords: provider disputes, health plan, dispute resolution, Medicare, Medicaid, healthcare regulation, background screening, athletic coaches, youth sports, criminal history, expungement, Florida statutes, medical freedom, vaccination, ivermectin, healthcare practitioner liability, immunization exemptions, ambulatory surgical centers, patient safety, licensure

Summary: The committee took up several health-related bills. SB 1082, on a statewide provider and health plan claim dispute resolution program, was presented as a way to let providers and insurers use the federal independent dispute resolution process for emergency out-of-network claims under state-regulated commercial plans. A late-filed amendment clarified access to the state program, and the bill was reported favorably as a committee substitute. SB 1168, on background screenings, would centralize clearinghouse screening functions at the Agency for Health Care Administration; an amendment clarified that sealed and expunged records may be reviewed for eligibility determinations, and the bill was reported favorably as a committee substitute. SB 1156, on ambulatory surgical centers, would move their regulation into a standalone section of law separate from the hospital-focused Chapter 395, and it was reported favorably. The committee also considered SB 1480 on temporary certificates for practice in areas of critical need. A strike-all amendment created a grandfathering process for current certificate holders with active primary care relationships if federal designation changes remove an area’s critical-need status. Supporters said it would protect patients and preserve access to care in underserved areas, and the bill was reported favorably. The most extensive debate was on SB 1756, the medical freedom bill. The sponsor said it would require vaccine educational materials and alternative schedules for parents, expand school immunization exemptions to include conscience-based objections, clarify that emergency treatment authority does not include mandatory vaccination, and allow pharmacists to provide ivermectin behind the counter with written warnings. The committee adopted one amendment to extend liability protections to physicians as well as pharmacists, but rejected a substitute amendment that would have required counseling for exemption requests. Public testimony was overwhelmingly opposed, with physicians, pediatricians, cancer advocates, parents of immunocompromised children, and public health groups warning that the bill would lower vaccination rates and increase risk to vulnerable Floridians. The bill remained pending after testimony, with no final vote taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Parents, the results of child protective services, and DHR taking children can be traumatic.
• It would limit emergency protections for children. It emergency protections for children.
• I know several parents and I work with several parents who to this day didn't know they had the right
• When you look at the foster care parent and the foster children, the foster care parent and the foster
• He was looking at national statistics, and it was like how many parents... many parents abuse children

Bills: SB140 , HB235 , HB276 , HB317 , HB340

Committee: House Children and Senior Advocacy

Keywords: Coach Safely Act, youth athletics, noncompliance penalties, Department of Public Health, youth athlete, social media, age verification, minors, under 16, children online safety, online privacy, platform regulation, deceptive trade practice, Attorney General, civil penalties, punitive damages, consumer protection, account creation, algorithmic feeds, internet safety

Transcript Highlights:

• parents already do.
• A parent-empowered approach to protecting your kids on the app stores takes over 103 specific actions
• You know, parents being in that place and in that position to protect them from these harms.
• As a parent, I understand the desire to protect our children, but this bill would create a harmful system
• protect women.

Bills: HB186 , HB201 , HB229 , HB796 , HB1506 , HB2702 , HB2885 , HB3225 , HB3909 , HB4285 , HB5138

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• Protected under federal and state laws that parents are not able to see without their child’s consent
• The concern there is that the protective order doesn't specify that the parent doesn't have access to
• I'm not denying that there is a right of a parent to supervise and to shield or to help protect their
• c> has</c> the parent saying, "My parent has the parent saying, "My parent has consent<02:52:55.359><
• And you know, we've seen situations where children want to protect parents and not tell them.

Committee: Senate Children and Family Law

Transcript Highlights:

• Parents, make your choice.
• Parents have a responsibility to protect a child's physical and mental health.
• Vote no on Senate Bill 1756, protect Florida's kids, protect our communities, and protect our seniors
• I believe in parental rights deeply, but parental rights belong to all of us, not just the loudest voices
• Parental rights go both ways.

Summary: The committee heard several health-related bills. SB 1082 would let providers or insurers in state-regulated commercial plans opt into the federal independent dispute resolution process for emergency out-of-network claims, with a late-filed amendment clarifying access to the state program in certain circumstances. The bill sponsor and emergency physicians said the measure would reduce litigation and improve payment resolution; the committee adopted the amendment and reported the bill favorably as a committee substitute. SB 1168 would centralize background screening work for the care provider clearinghouse at the Agency for Health Care Administration and update related screening rules, including sealed and expunged records for qualified entities. The sponsor said the change would speed turnaround and reduce duplication; an amendment was adopted, and the bill was reported favorably as a committee substitute. SB 1156 would move ambulatory surgical center regulation out of Chapter 395 into a standalone section of law, and it was reported favorably without amendment. SB 1480, as amended by a strike-all, would grandfather certain temporary certificate holders practicing in areas of critical need if federal designations change, allowing them to continue seeing current patients and potentially new patients in their existing area subject to board oversight. The committee heard support from health system representatives and reported the bill favorably. The final and most debated measure, SB 1756 on medical freedom, would require vaccine education materials and alternative schedules, expand school immunization exemptions to conscience-based objections, clarify limits on emergency vaccination orders, and allow pharmacists to dispense ivermectin behind the counter with written information. The sponsor and supporters framed it as parental choice and access, while physicians, public health advocates, cancer advocates, and parents of immunocompromised children warned it would lower vaccination rates and increase disease risk. The committee adopted a liability-related amendment, rejected a substitute amendment that would have required consultation for exemptions, and continued hearing public testimony opposing the bill; the transcript ends before final action on SB 1756.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have stripped parents' parental rights for less.
• The original parental rights bill had specific carve-outs to protect children.
• I mean, because we literally just had a debate 20 minutes ago about parental rights and protecting kids
• And if their parent is exploiting them, then they definitely have no protection.
• parent.

Summary: The House opened with prayer, a moment of silence for fallen Oviedo Officer Jimmy Serrano-Torres, the Pledge of Allegiance, and recognition of Chief Joseph Tuminelli as law enforcement officer of the day. The chamber approved the journal and adopted the special order report, and the Speaker announced a schedule change canceling the floor on Monday and starting Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. The main business was CS for HB 7033, the House tax package, presented by Rep. Duggan. He described a broad set of tax changes, including the previously passed sales tax rate reduction from 6% to 5.25%, exemptions for certain bullion sales, changes to tourist development tax (TDT) use, property tax administration updates, affordable housing-related exemptions, repeal of the aviation fuel tax, delayed natural gas fuel tax implementation, corporate income tax changes, and other provisions. Debate focused heavily on the TDT section and the bill’s property tax relief structure. Amendments to preserve local flexibility or remove the TDT restrictions were offered and debated; one Duggan amendment was adopted to allow local governments to keep 25% of TDT revenues for general use while directing 75% to property tax relief, and another amendment requiring audit certification of compliance was also adopted. A combined reporting amendment offered by Rep. Eskamani to close corporate tax loopholes was debated at length but failed. On final passage, supporters argued the bill provides immediate, permanent tax relief and affordability help, while opponents said it diverts tourism dollars away from local needs and could harm tourism-dependent counties and services. CS for HB 7033 passed the House 78-29. The chamber then took up CS for CS for HB 1221 on local option taxes, which would give local governments more control over certain local taxes and, as presented, redirect TDT revenues toward property tax relief with some local flexibility. After questions and amendments, including a Miller amendment allowing 25% of TDT revenue for general purposes and another accountability amendment, the bill moved to final debate. Members split sharply: supporters framed it as immediate tax relief and local accountability, while opponents warned it would undermine tourism marketing, infrastructure, and county budgets. The transcript ends during closing debate on HB 1221, before final passage is recorded.

Transcript Highlights:

• Florida has a proud history of protecting parental rights and religious freedom.
• Parents not only have a constitutionally protected right, but a legal duty to provide for their children's
• But to best protect the rights of all parents, we need to provide some relief for parents who do not
• SB 1756 provides a clear, consistent framework that respects parental authority, protects their constitutional
• And I would never ask another parent to put their child at risk to protect mine. Thank you.

Summary: The Committee on Rules heard a long agenda of growth-management, elections, education, housing, and professional-licensing bills. The first major item was SB 354 on “Blue Ribbon Projects,” a framework for very large planned developments on at least 15,000 contiguous acres with 60% reserved area. After adopting a strike-all amendment, senators debated whether the bill adequately protected conservation land, local government authority, neighboring property, concurrency, and multi-county projects. Supporters argued it would create more orderly, master-planned growth and preserve large areas of land; opponents said the reserve areas were too weakly protected and the bill preempted local control. The committee adopted the amendment and then reported the bill favorably on a party-line style roll call, with Chair Pasadomo and Vice Chair Jones voting no. The committee then approved SB 620 on candidate qualifying, which requires candidates to disclose any foreign citizenship and, through amendments, adds a 2026 congressional qualifying framework tied to apportionment and redistricting, including revised petition rules and deadlines. Members discussed disclosure, redistricting, and candidate vetting, and the bill was reported favorably. CS/CS/CS/SB 1452, a Department of Financial Services bill, was also amended and approved; the amendments addressed My Safe Florida Home, unclaimed property, firefighter hiring, workforce housing code accommodations, and related financial-services issues. CS/CS/SB 1620, the school board members’ bill of rights, was narrowed by substitute amendment to focus on access to records, fiscal transparency, NDAs, and related rights, and it passed after supportive testimony from school board and superintendent representatives. The committee also passed CS/HB 245, which replaces the term “child pornography” with “child sexual abuse material,” after debate over whether the terminology change could affect the seriousness of the crime or existing case law. SB 1548, a Live Local/affordable housing update, was reported favorably with little debate. Finally, the committee approved the veterinary medicine bill creating veterinary professional associates, after amending it to require immediate supervision by a licensed veterinarian. Throughout the meeting, many public commenters and senators weighed in on the balance between development and conservation, local control, and the scope of state regulation, with several bills drawing both strong support and strong opposition before final votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• Parents have a responsibility to protect a child's physical and mental health.
• Vote no on Senate Bill 1756, protect Florida's kids, protect our communities, and protect our seniors
• I believe in parental rights deeply, but parental rights belong to all of us, not just the loudest voices
• They belong to the quiet majority of parents. parental rights belong to all of us, not just the loudest
• Parents get it.

Bills: S1082 , S1168 , S1756 , S1156 , S1480

Committee: Senate Health Policy

Summary: The committee took up several health-related bills. SB 1082, on a statewide provider and health plan claim dispute resolution program, was presented as a way to let providers and insurers use the federal independent dispute resolution process for emergency out-of-network claims under state-regulated commercial plans. A late-filed amendment clarified when providers and health plans could access the state program, and the bill was reported favorably as a committee substitute. SB 1168, which would centralize background screening clearinghouse functions at the Agency for Health Care Administration, also passed as amended after an amendment requiring sealed and expunged records to be included in screenings for qualified entities. Supporters said centralization would improve turnaround times, reduce duplication, and save costs; the sponsor said the bill also addresses coaches’ background screening language from last session. The committee then approved SB 1156, which moves ambulatory surgery center regulation out of the hospital-focused chapter of law into a standalone section, and SB 1480, as amended by a strike-all, which would grandfather certain temporary certificate holders practicing in areas of critical need if federal designation changes affect those areas. Testimony on SB 1480 emphasized continuity of care for patients in underserved communities, and the bill was reported favorably. The final and most heavily debated measure was SB 1756 on medical freedom, which would require state-approved educational materials on childhood vaccines, require practitioners to provide those materials and alternative schedules before vaccination, expand school immunization exemptions to include conscience-based objections, clarify that the Surgeon General cannot order vaccination during a public health emergency, and authorize pharmacists to provide ivermectin behind the counter without a prescription with written information and safeguards. The sponsor argued the bill strengthens parental choice and informed consent. Committee members raised concerns about vaccine-preventable disease risks, immunocompromised children, school outbreaks, and the impact of adding a new exemption. A Department of Health representative said the department would need to provide details on the history of exemption consultations and noted that removing the earlier consultation requirement had not been shown to increase outbreaks. The committee adopted a friendly amendment to give physicians the same liability protection as pharmacists for ivermectin dispensing, but rejected a substitute amendment that would have required a consultation for exemption requests. Public testimony was overwhelmingly opposed to the bill, with physicians, pediatric specialists, cancer advocates, parents of immunocompromised children, and public health groups warning that it would lower vaccination rates and endanger vulnerable Floridians. The bill remained pending after testimony, with the committee continuing to hear public comment.

Transcript Highlights:

• and a non-parent. parent, particularly in modification proceedings.
• Under this bill, a non-parent must first provide clear and convincing evidence that the parent is not
• And I'm like, excuse me, parent still has custody, parent determines what's in the best interest, not
• in child protection cases.
• child protection cases is critical in ensuring that parents and children have access to high-quality

Bills: SB387 , SB1650 , SB1838 , SB1839 , SB1923 , SB1940 , SB2052

Committee: Senate Jurisprudence

Transcript Highlights:

• If it happens, it happens, and we should be protecting them, um, you know, yeah, there will be parents
• If it happens, it happens, and we should be protecting them, um, you know, yeah, there will be parents
• Equal protection between parents.
• Equal protection between parents.
• Equal protection between parents.

Committee: House Children and Family Law

Transcript Highlights:

• our youth, to empower parents to be more engaged if they want to be engaged, and to be able to protect
• I think us protecting children should be in our forefront at all times, whether you're a parent or not
• Let's give parents the authority they need to protect kids in the digital age. Thank you so much.
• SB 217's protections of assisted reproduction help protect all Nevadans.
• SB 217's protections of assisted reproduction help protect all Nevadans.

Bills: AB52 , AB76 , AB163 , AB388 , AB483

Committee: Assembly Commerce and Labor

Transcript Highlights:

• parents have their name in the Child Protection Central Registry within the last 10 years, a prior conviction
• parents have their name in the Child Protection Central Registry, which within the last 10 years, a
• Child protective services can help parents overcome those factors, but at times they can only do that
• But in A, a parent or guardian or legal custodian identifying information appears in the Department Protection
• But in A, a parent or guardian or legal custodian identifying information appears in the Department Protection

Committee: Senate Health and Welfare

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:05:01.120><c> the</c><00:05:01.360><c> parent</c> the teacher and the parent the parent the teacher
• This act claims to protect parental rights, but at what cost?
• This act claims to protect parental rights, but at what cost?
• parent</c><01:13:36.600><c> after</c> parents after parents after parent after parents after parents
• </c><02:02:29.679><c> and</c> all parents but what some parents and all parents but what some parents

Committee: Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• and protecting vulnerable parents is a bad idea.
• and protecting vulnerable parents is a bad idea."
• and protecting vulnerable parents is a bad idea."
• and protecting vulnerable parents is a bad idea."
• </c> from that parent for failure to protect from that parent for failure to protect and<01:03:23.839

Summary: The committee first opened with brief remarks about a member’s recovery and then heard House Bill 518, which would require the commissioner of Health and Human Services to provide a detailed annual report of all costs related to DCYF. The sponsor, Representative Erica Layon, said the bill was intended to improve transparency, clarify how much time and money are spent on DCYF work versus other departmental work, and help future discussions about staffing, resources, and whether DCYF should remain within DHHS or become a separate department. She said the department could likely produce the report without additional cost, though she was open to adjusting the reporting date and possibly adding more detail about federal mandates. Former Representative Betty Gay and several members supported the bill as a way to better document costs and procedures, while DCYF Director Marie Nunan said the department was not taking a position on the bill, already has many policies and operating procedures, and believed it could comply without a fiscal note. Members raised questions about whether the reporting requirement duplicated existing oversight, whether it should apply to other agencies, and whether the report should include federal funding mandates. Some suggested that a broader review or subcommittee on DCYF might be more useful than a single reporting bill. In executive session, the committee voted 15-1 to retain HB 518, so it will not go on the calendar. Members said they wanted more time to discuss the bill, watch the budget process, and consider whether the reporting requirement could be implemented informally or through a broader oversight effort. The committee then moved on to House Bill 775, which was introduced by Representative Jodi Nelson as a measure to support supervised visitation centers. Dr. Scott Hampton testified in favor, describing the loss of visitation centers since 2019, the role of supervised visitation in protecting children and vulnerable parents in domestic violence cases, and the potential benefits for child safety, crime prevention, and family preservation.

Transcript Highlights:

• While protecting children from abuse is critically important, removing parental medical and mental health
• We need to dismiss the premise that we need to legislate to go parent and protect our most vulnerable
• WE NEED TO DISMISS THE PREMISE WE NEED TO&nbsp;&nbsp; 568 LEGISLATE TO GO PARENT AND&nbsp; PROTECT OUR
• Taking away STI treatment and mental health treatment without parental consent is the opposite of protecting
• As a parent, I believe in parental rights.

Summary: The committee first heard HB 245, which would replace references in Florida law to “child pornography” with “child sexual abuse material.” The sponsor said the change was overdue and more accurately reflects the criminal nature of the material. There was brief supportive public testimony, no debate, and the bill was reported favorably on a unanimous vote. The committee then took up HB 237 on the use of professional nursing titles. The sponsor said advanced practice registered nurses should be able to use earned academic titles such as DNP or PhD. Supporters testified in favor, there was no opposition or debate, and the bill passed unanimously and was reported favorably. The longest discussion centered on HB 173, which would expand parental consent and access requirements for minors’ medical care, medical records, certain school surveys, and biomedical devices. Supporters argued it restores parental rights and keeps parents involved in children’s health decisions, while opponents—many from medical, mental health, LGBTQ, and youth advocacy groups—warned it could block access to STI treatment, mental health care, crisis hotlines, and confidential services for vulnerable youth, including those in abusive homes. After extensive testimony and debate, the bill was reported favorably on a 19-7 vote. Finally, the committee began HB 327 on uterine fibroid research. The sponsor explained the bill would require health care providers to submit identified data so the Department of Health can build a usable de-identified research database, after prior implementation problems with duplicate or unverified data. A supportive local official testified, and members indicated support as the meeting moved toward a vote.