Transcript Highlights:

• make the needed corrections to the bill. make the needed corrections to the bill.
• gt;> Senator Alt Scher needs Does she need a >> Senator Alt Scher needs Does she need a recess
• So there is a need for this.
• So there is a need for this.
• So there is a need for this.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• that people get the services they need that people get the services they need that<00:21:58.679>
• , which we love and need, and would not be allocated by legislators if it wasn't for the need.
• , which we love and need, and would not be allocated by legislators if it wasn't for the need.
• , which we love and need, and would not be allocated by legislators if it wasn't for the need.
• , which we love and need, and would not be allocated by legislators if it wasn't for the need.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There's no need to delete subsection 2 that is current law.
• As shown in this bill's analysis, we've lost a significant number of BIPs in Florida over the last four
• And I agree that every avenue of help should be made available to those who need it.
• They don't require large public subsidies, and they allow private homeowners to meet public needs.
• Edwin Henry: “So what would the owner say if I went to that owner and said, I need more money to pay

Summary: The Committee on Rules met with a quorum and took up a long agenda of bills, most of which were reported favorably. Early measures included CS/SB 62 on candidate qualification, which would allow qualified candidates or political parties to sue over violations of party-affiliation qualification requirements, and CS/SB 156, the Officer Jason Raynor Act, which would clarify resistance-to-officer language and impose a mandatory life sentence for manslaughter committed against a law enforcement officer. SB 156 drew strong support from the City of Daytona Beach and law enforcement groups, while the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers opposed parts of it, arguing the bill removed existing limits on force and erased sentencing distinctions. The committee also approved several open-government sunset review bills, including CS/SB 7014, SB 7016, CS/SB 7012, SB 7000, SB 7002, SB 7004, SB 7006, and SB 7008, all of which extend or preserve public records or meeting exemptions for topics such as social media investigations, small business loan records, motor vehicle enforcement records, emergency shelter information, military affairs records, conviction integrity unit materials, Public Service Commission proceedings, and Gaming Control Commission records. The committee also approved SB 624, allowing batterers’ intervention programs to offer optional faith-based activities, with supporters saying faith-based counseling can help reduce domestic violence and opponents not appearing in the excerpt. HB 167 on former phosphate mining lands was reported favorably after supporters from the Florida Chamber and Associated Industries backed the bill, which limits strict liability claims involving natural geological substances on former phosphate mines but not phosphogypsum stacks. CS/SB 48 on housing, as amended, would require local governments to allow accessory dwelling units, limit certain local barriers, and extend housing incentives; it drew broad support from housing, business, real estate, and advocacy groups. SB 288 on rural electric cooperatives, CS/SB 364 on CPA licensure modernization, SB 292 on public records protection for appellate court clerks, CS/SB 296 and CS/SB 298 on domestic and dating violence protections and related public records exemptions, and SB 386 on farm equipment warranty protections were also reported favorably, generally with supportive testimony from affected industries, advocacy groups, or public safety stakeholders. Later, the committee approved SB 168 expanding public nuisance law to include gambling houses and increase penalties and enforcement tools. It also heard but temporarily postponed CS/CS/SB 290 on the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services after the chair allowed public testimony because many stakeholders had traveled to attend; one opponent, a longtime builder, argued the bill could criminalize contractors who withhold payment for deficient subcontractor work. The meeting concluded with members recording additional votes on selected bills and then adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• So how many... bill, I think, needs sub substantial bill, I think, needs sub substantial rework.<00:24
• There needs to be a broad sector.
• And you're right, they need to depart.
• perhaps there's a a gap there that needs perhaps there's a a gap there that needs to<01:02:30.160
• a court to do that kind of analysis. a court to do that kind of analysis.

Bills: HF1567, HF2809, HF3380

Keywords: public safety officer, peace officer, correctional officer, law enforcement, police privacy, officer safety, doxxing, personal information, data privacy, government data practices, private data, internet posting, online disclosure, residential address, phone number, email address, family member protection, child safety, school information, public records

Transcript Highlights:

• I always say if you came to HO that we need to be Gumby. We need to be flexible.
• We came to HO that we need to be Gumby.
• And so, we do still need this bill. We do still need voting rights.
• And so, we do still need this bill. We do still need voting rights.
• And so, we do still need this bill. We do still need voting rights.

Keywords: House streaming session for Saturday, April 11, 2026, 957, house, all

Summary: The House convened with 122 members present, heard a prayer, and the Speaker urged members to remain respectful as difficult bills were expected later in the day. The chamber then moved through several ceremonial floor presentations honoring retiring members, including Delegate Barry S. Celebrity and Delegate Pam Queen, with resolutions read congratulating each on their years of service and lasting impact. The House also recognized an “interim birthday caucus” with a lighthearted resolution celebrating members born outside the session, followed by remarks and thanks from the Speaker and members. After the presentations, the House turned to business, including concurrence and nonconcurrence actions on Senate amendments. The chamber refused to concur in Senate amendments to House Bill 339 and House Bill 512, while House Bill 512 was then concurred in, read for final passage, and passed with 118 votes in favor and none opposed. The House also received messages indicating conference committees for several bills, including House Bills 107, 153, 769, 1063, and 1118. The House adopted favorable committee reports on a series of bills, sending many to third reading. These included measures on earned wage access, security guard certification renewal, county board and alcohol licensing matters, animal regulation, veteran status notation, procurement transparency, Public Information Act divorce records, election board qualifications, and a local sourcing database. During discussion of the local sourcing database bill, the minority whip asked whether business groups that had opposed the bill remained opposed after amendments; the floor leader explained the amended bill would require the Department of Commerce to create a searchable Maryland Local Sourcing Portal to connect businesses with local sources of tariff-impacted goods and services.

Transcript Highlights:

• numbers and not on needs. numbers and not on needs.
• [snorts] Our communities don't need mandates. They need assistance.
• Our communities do not need mandates. They need assistance. Thank you, Mr.
• who needs intensive care. who needs intensive care.
• need for safety. need for safety.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• especially those who are most in need. especially those who are most in need.
• We need to always help them out. We need to always help them out.
• need to be changed. need to be changed.
• We need school buses.
• We need school buses.

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Thursday, April 2, 2026, 960, senate, all

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, heard an invocation by Reverend J.C. Austin of Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church, and journalized the prayer. Members also introduced several guests and interns, including a shadow from the 45th District, a Legislative Black Caucus fellow, a ninth-grade author from Annapolis High School, a World Autism Acceptance Day group in the gallery, and a student shadowing the Senator from District 30. The chamber then moved to House bills on second reading and Senate bills on third reading. The Senate adopted favorable committee reports and passed several House bills without objection, including measures extending the Maryland Horse Industry Board sunset, requiring housing counseling information for certain first-time homebuyers, expanding the educator expense tax subtraction to full-time pre-K teachers, increasing funding for the State Library Resource Center, extending agricultural use assessment eligibility for community solar projects, allowing the Seat Pleasant Police Department to join the Law Enforcement Officers Pension System, authorizing changes to a tax sale legacy protection program, and granting special taxing authority for the Village of Drummond. The chamber also adopted seven amendments to Senate Bill 1007 on state debt authorizations and ordered it printed for third reading. On final passage, Senate Bill 956 on Maryland Transportation Authority video toll collections passed with 44 affirmative votes. The Senate then took up Senate Bill 841, a major energy affordability and utility reform bill, with two committee amendments adopted. The bill was described as providing short-, medium-, and long-term rate relief, including changes to EmPOWER Maryland, utility cost recovery, data center tariffs, net metering, solar policy, transmission planning, battery storage, nuclear incentives, and low-income assistance. Debate began on the amended report, and a motion to lay the bill over was withdrawn while members discussed waiting on additional amendments.

Transcript Highlights:

• They might need to do polling. They might need to do outreach.
• to need to do polling.
• They might need to need to do polling. They might need to do<00:53:14.880> outreach.
• They would still need a permit to construct it. >> They would need a permit to construct it, but they
• probable cause analysis and in the<01:45:49.360> judicial<01:45:49.800> analysis<01:45:

Keywords: House streaming session for Saturday, April 11, 2026, 957, house, all

Summary: The House met in session, opened with a prayer, confirmed a quorum, and then moved through a long series of concurrence items and committee reports. Early on, the House rejected Senate amendments to House Bills 14 and 573 and sent messages asking the Senate to recede or appoint conference committees. It also entered conference on House Bill 907 (third degree assault) and on several other measures where the chambers disagreed, including Senate Bill 233 (cemeteries) and Senate Bill 626 (sex designation on birth certificates and IDs). House Bill 501, dealing with sexual offenses by a person in a position of authority, was concurred in and passed unanimously. The House then took up a large concurrence calendar and passed a number of bills with Senate amendments, including House Bill 613 on living shoreline waivers, House Bill 315 on income-based housing subsidies, House Bill 548 on development rights and the Maryland Housing Certainty Act, House Bill 571 on nonprofit housing corporation tax exemptions, House Bill 895 on predatory pricing and protected class data, House Bill 1430 on charter school facilities funding, House Bill 1076 on over-the-counter contraception access and reporting, House Bill 624 on hospital staffing committees and plans, House Bill 811 on aging-in-place and multi-generational third places, House Bill 939 on birth certificate filing time periods, House Bill 1151 on a Medicaid hospice reimbursement study, House Bill 1367 on the Commission on Reimagining Healthcare in Maryland, House Bill 828 on State Board of Education membership, House Bill 130 on deed fraud, House Bill 281 on child care provider background checks, House Bill 963 on appointment of personal representatives, House Bill 1326 on child abuse and neglect records, and House Bill 525 on phone-free schools. Several of these were briefly explained on the floor, including changes to shoreline waiver timing, housing and tax provisions, contraceptive access concerns, hospital staffing protections, and the school phone policy’s exemptions. The chamber also received committee reports that advanced additional bills for third reading, including House Bill 1020 and Senate Bill 654 on the State Police Retirement System mandatory retirement age, Senate Bill 877 on Baltimore City stop sign monitoring systems, Senate Bill 940 on water quality testing, House Bill 44 on plain-language ballot questions, Senate Bill 215 on the Maryland Veterans Trust Fund, Senate Bill 627 designating Korean American Day, and Senate Bill 634 on county discrimination complaints. No final votes were taken on those reported bills in the portion provided; the report simply adopted favorable reports and ordered the bills printed for third reading.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I think if we're looking at the state of Florida and the rapid growth, I think we need to catch up
• I'm looking at the latest report from the Florida statewide regional physician workforce analysis, and
• They learn how to take orders from physicians and help take care of patients in basic needs.
• I remember when my daughter was born and she needed her vaccinations.
• It's a shame there's such a need for this, but I think this bill is heroic, and it will save lives.

Summary: The Health and Human Services Committee heard a lengthy agenda of health care and public health bills. The first major item was HB 649, which would remove the paper supervision protocol for certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) and allow autonomous practice. The sponsor and supporters argued it would improve access, especially in rural areas, address workforce shortages, and reduce costs, while opponents from the medical community raised patient safety concerns and argued it would weaken physician oversight. After extensive testimony and debate, the committee reported the bill favorably by a vote of 18-7. The committee then unanimously advanced several other measures. HB 259, creating a special observance for fentanyl awareness and education, passed 23-0. HB 791, which codifies infant safety devices as an option for surrendering newborns and amends safe-haven law, passed as amended 25-0. HB 355, allowing schools to use FDA-approved emergency opioid antagonists rather than only naloxone, passed 26-0. HB 1119, requiring hospitals with emergency departments to adopt pediatric readiness policies, training, coordination, and assessment requirements, also passed 26-0 after two amendments. HB 431, changing the date for level-two background screening of athletic coaches to July 1, 2026, passed 26-0. Later, the committee approved CS for HB 907, the Florida Institute for Pediatric Rare Diseases or “Sunshine Genetics Act,” which would establish an opt-in newborn genome sequencing program at FSU and a statewide consortium for rare disease research; supporters emphasized earlier diagnosis and cost savings, and the bill passed 25-0. CS for HB 519, aligning state law with federal law on controlled substances for paramedics, passed 25-0. Finally, CS for HB 723, requiring the Department of Health to provide early-detection materials for type 1 diabetes to families of young schoolchildren, passed as amended 26-0. The meeting adjourned after all bills were reported favorably.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:18:27.679> to are any administrative steps I need to are any administrative steps I need
• <00:31:58.159> of support and the financial needs of support and the financial needs of children
• <01:37:53.600> to which is money a district needs to which is money a district needs to remain
• <02:49:20.479> of<02:49:20.720> the analysis and no understanding of the analysis and
• And maybe we need to see more of in.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• THESE EXCEPT FOR THE BIOMEDICAL CORE FACILITIES, WE ARE NOW UP TO THREE AND THAT IS NOT SOMETHING WE NEED
• SORRY, WE NEED THE SLIDE. >> [VIDEO PLAYING] HERE IS THE FIU WALL OF WIND.
• IT'S THE FUTURE WHERE WE NEED TO BE PROTECTED OR AT LEAST BE DOING RESEARCH ON GUSTS AND THE MANY TORNADOES
• IN RESPONSE TO A LANDSCAPE ANALYSIS WE DID THE OFFICE OF EARLY LEARNING, NOW DIVISION OF EARLY LEARNING
• THE STUDENTS, TEACHERS, FAMILIES, BUSINESS LEADERS TOLD US WE NEEDED TO ENGAGE IN A MATHEMATICS EDUCATION

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , you need respite, right?
• food benefits they need.
• food benefits they need.
• , behavioral health needs, and substance use treatment needs.
• a moment, when they need to just take a breath, when they need to wash their face, when they need to

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The hearing was an informational and oversight session of the Joint Committee on Children, Families, and Persons with Disabilities, with chairs and members hearing agency updates from several commissioners. The Department of Public Health’s Bureau of Family Health and Nutrition described its maternal and child health work, including home visiting, early intervention, WIC, newborn hearing screening, and cross-agency efforts on prenatal substance exposure, respite care, children’s vision, and maternal health initiatives. DPH emphasized that federal grant cuts, layoffs, and the loss of data systems such as PRAMS would weaken services and planning, and members asked about Title V funding and the impact of federal uncertainty. The Massachusetts Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing highlighted communication access services, interpreter and CART referrals, emergency after-hours support, family navigation, and independent living services. Commissioners and members discussed the shortage of ASL interpreters and the need to expand training pipelines, including partnerships with colleges and possible ASL programming for younger students. The Department of Developmental Services reported serving nearly 50,000 people and focused on youth and adult services, transition-age supports, autism services, self-direction, respite, and new high-acuity residential models. Members asked about respite availability, self-direction outcomes, and workforce shortages; DDS said it was expanding clinical capacity and provider rates while monitoring possible federal Medicaid, SNAP, and immigration-related impacts. The Commission for the Blind described services for about 28,000 legally blind residents, most of whom are older adults, including social rehabilitation, orientation and mobility training, children’s services, assistive technology, vocational rehabilitation, and Turning 22 supports. The commissioner discussed a UMass-based effort to build the workforce pipeline for blindness services and said the agency was watching federal restructuring but had not yet seen direct cuts. MassAbility’s leadership then warned about major federal changes affecting Social Security disability determinations, including staff restructuring, office closures, and a new overpayment repayment policy, and said the agency was preparing for possible increases in claims and uncertainty around reallotment dollars that help fund services. The Disabled Persons Protection Commission closed the hearing with an update on its abuse investigations and protective services for adults with disabilities. DPPC reported rising hotline calls and investigations, a growing caseload, its sexual assault response team, the abuser registry, and a new interagency protective services integration system funded by ARPA dollars through 2027. The agency also flagged new federal rules that could affect funding eligibility and said it may need statutory changes to comply. Members asked about funding, reporting pathways, and how complaints reach DPPC, and the commissioner said the agency uses both mandated reporting and proactive outreach to identify and respond to abuse.

Transcript Highlights:

• Does it need work? Absolutely.
• The need to do these things and the need to fund them is critical.
• We're not meeting their needs.
• They need to feel first that their actual needs are being addressed.
• I say, "Okay, we'll hire you, and we'll teach you everything else you need." you need, but we need basic

Transcript Highlights:

• We need the ability to carry out and allow us to meet the need.
• Court needs to be a last resort. Court needs to be a last resort.
• We just need your help to connect us with those who need it.
• What we need is the ability to reach every family who needs us.
• They need me, and I need them.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Children, Families, and Persons with Disabilities held a hybrid hearing on a series of child welfare bills focused on DCF, foster care, mandated reporting, educational records, and family support. Chair Kennedy and Chair Livingstone opened with accessibility and testimony rules, then heard testimony on bills including S.127 on expanding mandated reporters, S.107/H.235 on a Foster Children’s Bill of Rights, S.106/H.228 on transferring foster care review from DCF to the Office of the Child Advocate, H.258/S.125 on an electronic backpack for foster children’s educational records, H.205 on kinship foster care background checks, H.246/H.266 on minimizing trauma in care and protection cases, and S.159 on support for families after sudden unexpected infant death. Supporters of the mandated reporter bill, led by Sen. Feeney and Foxborough advocates, described a local model that trains all adults who work with children and argued the state should scale that approach statewide to improve recognition and reporting of abuse. Testimony on the foster care bills emphasized the need for clearer rights, better notice to children and attorneys, stronger remedies, and independent oversight. Advocates, youth with lived experience, and legal organizations described placement instability, delayed notifications, abuse in care, poor educational continuity, and the need for rights around safety, family contact, culture, language, and access to records. Several witnesses urged that the Foster Children’s Bill of Rights include enforceable court remedies, not just reporting requirements. On the oversight bill, supporters argued DCF should not review its own foster care system and pointed to poor outcomes, high placement instability, and recent investigative reporting as evidence for moving review responsibilities to the Office of the Child Advocate. On the electronic backpack bill, testimony focused on the need for real-time data sharing and a centralized system so schools can receive foster students’ records quickly and support continuity. On the trauma-minimization bill, Rep. Miskin framed the proposal as a set of practical changes to reduce harm during removals and court involvement. On the SUID bill, Sen. Lovely said families should be given information about available grief and support resources after an infant death. No votes were taken during the hearing; the committee primarily received testimony and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• But our analysis that we conducted identifies infrastructure needs over the next 10 and 20 year periods
• are and the massive needs that we have out there and where they are. are needed.
• So one of our biggest needs, the biggest and most important need for this river authority is going to
• But the state needs to encourage regionalization of systems and also needs to look at bigger systems
• if one day we need need more water in the Sabine.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But our analysis that we conducted identifies infrastructure needs over the next 10 and 20 year periods
• are and, and the, uh, the massive needs that, that we have out there and where they are needed.
• , but the states needs to encourage regionalization of systems and also needs to look at bigger systems
• So that needs to be looked at.
• Receives badly needed funding because right now, today's needs vastly outstrip the available funding.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so we need details. We need to know how many contracts are you going to have?
• This will need help to be ready, to be prepared, to tell the story that needs to be told.
• needed.
• You need to invest.
• at the park, as well as the need for us to address some urgent maintenance needs.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But we don't just need more credentials, we need to make sure students are earning credentials of value
• that the state needs.
• So, we need that money to provide the clinic center that we need to educate and. provide patient care
• We need them in South Texas.
• We need to look at that.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So we need to work on that.
• So we need to work on that.
• We need it desperately.
• We need to get these done.
• They need the money to start this mitigation. So they do need money. Yeah.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We need shovel-ready sites.
• So we have a lot of need.
• All we need you to do is complete a form, a one-page form that lays out the location, who we need to
• to do that analysis.
• So, LIDA, JTIP, site readiness, because again, we need those sites, we need those closing funds and the

Summary: The committee first recognized Mark Roper of the Economic Development Department for his long service and retirement, with members and the secretary praising his work on economic development across the state. Secretary Rob Black then presented EDD’s budget and special appropriation requests, describing strong recent job and income growth and outlining the department’s strategy around science and technology, site readiness, workforce development, foreign direct investment, and rural/community programs. He highlighted wins in advanced energy, quantum, space and defense, and biosciences, and asked for funding for quantum/DARPA matching funds, additional site readiness work, LIDA closing funds, JTIP training support, New Mexico Partnership, and healthy foods and other community programs. Members asked detailed questions about the quantum proposal, site readiness, the new mapping tool for industrial sites, workforce participation, trade missions, foreign investment, tariffs, water and produced water, tribal site evaluation, and public engagement on major projects. Black said the quantum request was intended to match federal dollars and build a workforce pipeline, that the site-readiness software would be a set enterprise license, and that the department was working with tribes and local partners on future site evaluations. He also said tariffs have created uncertainty but New Mexico’s infrastructure and foreign trade zones could help attract manufacturing, and he acknowledged concerns about transparency and community input while noting that some projects, such as Pacific Fusion, had gone through extensive public processes. The committee also discussed specific projects and funding balances, including Mantis Space’s move to Albuquerque, the status of Virgin Galactic’s spaceport lease, and the current LIDA fund balance and encumbrances. Black and Deputy Secretary Isaac Romero said the department was trying to use State Investment Council-backed venture funds to attract companies and that the new investments were already producing deals and jobs. Members generally supported the department’s direction but pressed for more targeted expertise, faster deployment, and stronger community involvement in future economic development decisions. Later, Secretary de Blassie of the Department of Health presented the department’s budget request and progress report. He said DOH had improved revenue cycle management, reduced old Medicaid-pending cases, increased census at facilities, improved budget and contract timeliness, and responded effectively to the measles outbreak. The department requested additional base funding for epidemiology and response, the DOH helpline, the Vital Records Virtual Vault, state labs, and the veterans home, along with special requests for respiratory vaccinations and marketing and lab equipment replacement. He also noted progress on MOUD and the medical psilocybin program, and said the department was not seeking to launch new programs given the limited time left in the administration.