Transcript Highlights:

• At this time, there's still no credible threats to California, either physical threat or cyber threat
• So know that our state threat assessment center that's housed at Cal OES, or California Cyber Security
• At this time, there's still no credible threat to California, either physical or cyber threat, but certainly
• So know that our state threat assessment center that's housed at Cal OES, or California Cyber Security

Summary: The committee heard an overview from Cal OES on disaster response, LA wildfire recovery, federal FEMA reimbursements, security monitoring, and the state’s 911 transition. Cal OES said its budget supports disaster preparedness and recovery, including ongoing work in Los Angeles, where it reported about 700 FEMA public assistance applications totaling roughly $1.2 billion and about $545 million in state wildfire response and recovery funding already allocated under AB 100. Members pressed for more detail on FEMA delays, hazard mitigation grants, federal event planning, and the status of Operation Stonegarden, while also raising concerns about small-disaster recovery, federal shutdown impacts, and the need for more timely reporting. A major portion of the hearing focused on Next Generation 911. Cal OES described problems with the current regional deployment, especially call-routing and transfer failures, and said it now plans to shift to a statewide provider as an interim step, then run an open procurement for a long-term vendor. The agency said it expects to execute a bridging contract in the coming weeks, release an RFP in the second quarter of 2026, award a long-term contract in the fall, begin transitioning Los Angeles-area PSAPs ahead of the 2028 Olympics, and complete statewide migration by summer 2030. The LAO urged the Legislature to pause further implementation until it has more information on the problems, alternatives, costs, privacy/security issues, and oversight needs, and recommended quarterly and monthly reporting if the project proceeds. Several senators echoed concerns about cost, redundancy, cybersecurity, and whether the statewide model could create new risks, and the chair said she would pursue a joint oversight hearing with the Emergency Management Committee and seek input from the State Auditor. The Department of Justice then presented its overall workload and budget pressures. DOJ highlighted its work on fentanyl enforcement, human trafficking, firearms recovery, housing enforcement, consumer protection, environmental and civil rights litigation, and a large federal litigation workload, saying it has filed 59 lawsuits against the Trump administration and won most of them. DOJ said the added federal cases and other mandates have strained existing staff, though 44 additional hires have been made. Members praised DOJ’s work on immigration, housing, and federal accountability, and asked for more information on detention facilities and staffing. The committee also reviewed DOJ’s firearms-related budget proposals. DOJ requested funding for continued firearms IT modernization, implementation of SB 704 on firearm barrels, and a temporary shift of Bureau of Firearms costs to the General Fund. The LAO supported the IT modernization request but recommended funding SB 704 from the Dealer’s Record of Sale Special Account, with startup costs covered by a loan from the Firearm Safety and Enforcement Special Fund, and suggested limiting the General Fund shift to one year and treating it as a loan. The LAO also asked DOJ to develop a framework by January 10, 2027, for deciding which firearm and ammunition workload should be supported by fee revenue rather than the General Fund.

Transcript Highlights:

• We've worked really hard in our college of informatics to create the cyber security program, and that
• </c><00:05:03.040><c> to</c><00:05:03.280><c> create</c><00:05:03.440><c> the</c><00:05:03.600><c> cyber
• </c> of informatics to create the cyber of informatics to create the cyber security<00:05:04.479><c>

Summary: The House Budget Review Subcommittee on Postsecondary Education met without a quorum and postponed approval of the minutes. The committee first heard from Northern Kentucky University President Katie Short Thompson, who highlighted NKU’s enrollment growth, student success metrics, national recognition for value, lower student debt, and new programs tied to regional workforce needs, including AI, cybersecurity, supply chain analytics, cardiovascular perfusion, and the Norse Network Hub for employer access. She asked for a $5 million recurring base funding adjustment to align NKU’s general fund support with peer institutions, along with support for tuition waivers with FAFSA requirements, continued debt collection authority through the Department of Revenue, inclusion of fire and tornado insurance premiums in base funding, inflation and performance-funding support, and increased asset preservation funding. She also outlined capital priorities for the Hail College of Business building, Nunn Hall, and the MEP building, and requested $5.4 million to match private support for the Young Scholars Academy, a dual-credit program serving first-generation and low-income students. Representative Tipton questioned NKU about the number of older students using tuition waivers and whether the university could continue the program without a statutory age-based mandate. Thompson said the number of students over 65 using the waiver was small, that some students pursue degrees while others audit classes, and that external fundraising could potentially support the program if state funding changed. Tipton also confirmed NKU’s requested priorities and the $5.4 million match for the Young Scholars Academy. The committee then heard from University of Kentucky representative Dr. Cavallo, who framed UK’s request around accountability, workforce development, research, and health care impact. He described a patient story to illustrate UK’s medical mission, cited growth in enrollment, degrees awarded, hospital patients treated, and research grant revenue, and emphasized UK’s role in extension services and disaster response. He said UK is consolidating services for efficiency and is focusing on future workforce needs, especially artificial intelligence, noting the launch of the state’s first AI bachelor’s degree and a partnership with Microsoft to expand AI tools and training across campus and the Advancing Kentucky Together network. He also discussed demographic challenges, the need to retain graduates in Kentucky, and the importance of aligning programs and funding with long-term state needs.

Transcript Highlights:

• A dedicated cyber security teacher in Pennsylvania High School, Christy will now guide and mentor cyber
• This July, she will lead her all-female team at the Women's International Cyber Security Challenge in
• been named Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year for 2025-2026 and is the recipient of the Presidential Cyber
• and unwavering commitment<01:43:47.760><c> to</c><01:43:47.920><c> advancing</c><01:43:48.800><c> cyber
• </c><01:43:49.280><c> security</c> commitment to advancing cyber security commitment to advancing cyber

Bills: HR1181 , HR139 , HB6556 , HB3074

Keywords: Arab American, heritage, cultural recognition, National Arab American Heritage Month, diversity, community contributions, social justice, education, Iran, nuclear, sanctions, JCPOA, global security, U.N. Security Council, weapons proliferation

Transcript Highlights:

• We also invest in emergency notifications for internal and external threats as well as enhance our cyber
• security to support and protect cyber security to support and protect our<00:52:22.960><c> student</
• </c><00:57:55.760><c> security,</c> infrastructure for cyber security, infrastructure for cyber security
• </c><00:59:25.599><c> security</c><00:59:25.920><c> threats,</c> to SRO gaps and cyber security threats
• , to SRO gaps and cyber security threats, the<00:59:26.799><c> challenges</c><00:59:27.200><c> are</c

Bills: HF3653 , HF2717 , HF3451 , HF3857

Committee: House Education Finance

Summary: The committee first adopted the March 3rd minutes by voice vote after Representative Lee moved them and there was no discussion. Members then reviewed hearing rules on decorum, safety, and participation before taking testimony from Dr. James Densley and Dr. Jillian Peterson of the Violence Prevention Project Research Center at Hamline University. The presenters summarized research on mass shootings and K-12 school shootings, drawing on a database of homicides in school settings from 2000 to 2025 and a smaller set of 15 K-12 mass shooting cases. They said school shooters are usually insiders, most often current or former students, and typically young males. They described common patterns including a noticeable crisis before attacks, perpetrators viewing the shooting as a final act, studying prior shooters online, and “leakage” in which most tell someone in advance. They also emphasized that many perpetrators use unsecured firearms from family members and argued that prevention should combine reporting systems, behavioral threat assessment, counseling, mentoring, secure storage, and other layered interventions rather than rely on a single solution. The presenters also discussed broader violence trends in the Twin Cities, saying much school violence is spillover from community violence and that pandemic-era disruptions and weakened trust in institutions contributed to serious violence. They cited a national survey finding that exposure to gun violence is associated with PTSD, anxiety, depression, and fear of public spaces, especially among young people. During member questions, Representative Wam asked for clarification on the data set and the rural/small-town share of the survey sample.

Transcript Highlights:

• nothing right so for example we<00:07:30.879><c> have</c><00:07:31.080><c> a</c><00:07:31.319><c> cyber
• ><00:07:31.680><c> security</c><00:07:32.160><c> training</c><00:07:32.759><c> right</c> we have a cyber
• security training right we have a cyber security training right we<00:07:33.160><c> got</c><00:07:33.360
• </c><00:07:35.440><c> security</c><00:07:35.800><c> training</c> government to do cyber security training
• government to do cyber security training but<00:07:36.840><c> what</c><00:07:36.960><c> does</c><00:

Committee: Senate Economic Development and Tourism

Summary: The Senate Committee on Economic Development and Tourism heard confirmations for two Hawaii Technology Development Corporation board nominees, Jaclyn Ka and Gregory Oara. Testimony for both was overwhelmingly in support. Supporters for Ka emphasized her Kauaʻi roots, work in workforce development and digital equity, and ability to connect schools, industry, and community needs. In her own remarks, Ka said she wants to bring resources to Kauaʻi and the neighbor islands, strengthen local workforce pathways, and use the HTDC board to help local residents access technology jobs and training. Members questioned Ka about how to reduce reliance on mainland hires for jobs at PMRF and other technology employers, how to better align training with local needs, and how to connect Kauaʻi schools, community college programs, and creative media/digital technology efforts. Ka described KDB’s role in building islandwide digital media and drone clubs, professional development for teachers, and partnerships intended to create a pipeline from school to workforce. She also said the legislature can help mainly by listening and staying informed about local needs. For Oara, supporters highlighted his engineering and semiconductor background, his experience in academia, industry, and startups, and his potential to help HTDC with technology commercialization, IP, and exportable services. Oara said he wants HTDC to better support early-stage companies, improve coordination among universities, government, and the private sector, and create a directory of technical skill sets to connect startups with needed expertise. He also discussed AI, saying Hawaii can contribute by developing smaller, locally relevant models rather than only relying on large-scale data-center infrastructure. The hearing focused on these nominations and testimony; no vote or final committee action was stated in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• bill further provides that unauthorized drone operations over critical infrastructure and malicious cyber
• modernizes protection for critical infrastructure by addressing emerging threats involving drones, cyber

Committee: Senate Judiciary C

Summary: The Senate Committee on Judiciary C met on May 19, 2026, with a quorum present and first deferred House Bill 276 at the sponsor’s request. The committee then heard and advanced several bills, largely focused on criminal justice, domestic violence, victims’ rights, probation/parole, and critical infrastructure protections. HB 160, by Rep. Knox, would increase the penalty for domestic abuse battery and battery of a dating partner involving strangulation from three to six years, with at least one year without probation or suspension; it drew strong support from prosecutors and domestic violence advocates and was reported favorably. HB 769, by Rep. Boyd, would create a 24- to 72-hour cooling-off hold in domestic violence cases, with an amendment to make the hold concurrent with other detention periods and to avoid stacking with existing law; it was reported with amendments. The committee also reported favorably HB 1234, which creates mandatory jail time for fleeing the scene after striking a person and failing to render aid, and HB 158, which restores custodial inpatient treatment as an option for probationers and increases the allowable treatment period from 90 to 180 days. HB 169, allowing courts or the parole board to assess extradition costs against absconders based on ability to pay, was also reported favorably. HB 251, requiring notice to a victim or designated family member before resentencing or final conviction hearings, drew support from the Attorney General’s office and opposition from the ACLU, which argued that victim involvement at that stage could be inconsistent with post-conviction standards; it was nevertheless reported favorably. Additional measures advanced included HB 289, which removes a redundant 24-hour delay between denial of a new trial motion and sentencing; HB 394, extending the conditional parole period from nine months to 24 months to allow completion of required programming; and HB 330, increasing penalties and restitution for vandalizing churches and graves, which was supported by the Louisiana Conference of Catholic Bishops. HB 429, expanding critical infrastructure protections to oil and natural gas facilities and related operations and increasing penalties for unauthorized entry, drone activity, and cyber interference, was reported with amendments after discussion about harmonizing the definition with another bill and ensuring coverage of water-related facilities. The committee also approved the minutes from the prior meeting before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• security standards to micro grids cyber security standards to micro grids that<02:51:53.760><c> they
• I'll second it. this is to make sure we have cyber this is to make sure we have cyber security<02:52:
• </c><02:53:04.160><c> security</c> critical infrastructure cyber security critical infrastructure cyber
• <02:53:08.080><c> security</c><02:53:08.479><c> integration</c> cyber security integration cyber security
• security unit and it's funded on cyber security unit and it's funded on an<02:53:55.760><c> ongoing<

Committee: Senate Energy and Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• Are you working to make sure that cyber security is addressed?
• Chair, Senator Trujillo, we are working on cyber security.
• Chair, to address the question on cyber security? Please, and be brief, but it's a great question.
• Information Officer for the Health Care Authority, and as Secretary Armijo said, yes, we are addressing cyber

Transcript Highlights:

• Our soldiers and airmen are expected to be ready for domestic response, overseas deployment, cyber defense
• Natural disasters, public health emergencies, cyber threats, and global instability have tested our institutions
• influence from violent extremist organizations, helping to address misinformation, disinformation, and cyber

Transcript Highlights:

• So my name is Paul Benda, Executive Vice President for Risk, Fraud, and Cyber at the American Bankers
• talk to bankers across this state, quite frankly across the region, across the country, fraud and cyber
• We carry cyber insurance, so if somebody were to actually hack into us and cause us an issue, we have

Summary: A joint House-Senate Insurance and Commerce meeting focused on the growing threat of financial fraud in Arkansas, with members hearing from bankers, regulators, law enforcement, AARP, and mortgage and insurance industry representatives. Witnesses described a wide range of scams, including spoofed bank calls and texts, fake websites and social media impersonation, romance and investment scams, business email compromise, gift card fraud, check fraud, wire fraud, reverse mortgage scams, and crypto kiosk schemes. Several speakers emphasized that fraud is increasingly organized, technology-driven, and amplified by artificial intelligence, and that seniors are disproportionately targeted and often suffer the largest losses. Testimony highlighted both prevention and recovery efforts. Bankers said institutions spend heavily on training, customer education, and fraud detection, but often cannot stop losses once customers have been convinced to authorize transfers. The Attorney General’s office described its Consumer Protection Division, a new Financial Fraud Task Force, and examples of recovering funds quickly from crypto kiosk and wire fraud cases. The State Bank Department and Securities Department said Arkansas’s 2025 crypto ATM legislation and related education requirements have helped, and they urged continued public education. The Insurance Department reported major insurance-fraud trends, including fake insurance cards, forged policies, premium-finance schemes, and staged auto accidents, and said it prosecutes these cases aggressively. Members asked about reporting scams, the security of tap payments, how fraud losses are tracked, the role of crypto kiosks, and whether Arkansas should pursue model legislation or stronger action against telecom and social media companies. Witnesses said tap payments are generally safer than chip or swipe, that crypto transfers are often unrecoverable, and that spoofed caller ID and impersonation ads remain major problems. Paul Benda of the American Bankers Association urged state and federal action against telecom and social media platforms and supported national scam legislation. No new bills were voted on at the meeting, but members approved the November 3, 2025 minutes and several witnesses offered to share model legislation, consumer education materials, and state-by-state fraud data with the committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• Following up, do we have a sense, Representative experts, on how many natural or sort of cyber attacks
• Natural or sort of cyber attacks have been, is that pace increasing?
• we have, the executive, that was one of the main things they did bring up as the possibility of a cyber

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 180, a disaster-funding measure that was amended with a substitute adding reporting requirements for the Natural Disaster Revolving Fund, creating a new funding “waterfall” that could draw first from the executive orders for disaster fund, then the appropriation contingency fund, and then the revolving fund, and removing language tied to the end of a fiscal year. The sponsor said the bill clarifies which disaster funds may be used for natural and non-natural disasters, limits and structures executive authority, and improves transparency. Supporters included the New Mexico Association of Conservation Districts and the Village of Ruidoso; DFA raised concern that the transfer language could unintentionally create a deficit and threaten bond obligations. After questions about non-natural disasters, executive orders, and the fiscal impact, the committee voted do not pass on the original bill and do pass on the committee substitute. House Bill 158, dealing with the Government Results and Opportunity Expendable Trust, was amended with a technical change replacing “expendable trust” with “program fund” in several places. The bill would require agencies receiving GROW appropriations to submit accountability and evaluation plans to the state budget division director and LFC director. Sponsors said they had worked with DFA and tried to address concerns raised in a prior veto message. There was no public opposition, and the committee approved the bill as amended. House Bill 271 proposed a one-time $100 million general fund appropriation to the Office of Natural Resources Trustees for public land expansion and restoration, plus up to $30 million for state matching funds for political subdivisions with approved federal disaster assistance. Supporters from outdoor recreation, conservation, wildlife, and local government groups said the bill would help restore fire- and flood-damaged lands, expand access, and support rural economies; opponents or skeptics raised concerns about land management, tax base loss, tribal consultation, and whether the state should acquire more land given New Mexico’s already high public-land percentage. After extended debate, the committee tabled the bill. Finally, House Bill 246 was heard as a Lincoln County/Ruidoso floodplain mitigation bill. It would provide state matching funds so local governments can leverage federal Emergency Watershed Protection dollars to buy out and rehabilitate repeatedly flooded properties, with the goal of reducing future disaster risk. The sponsor and county officials said the program is voluntary, based on pre-disaster valuation, and intended to help residents relocate while restoring floodplains; supporters from conservation and recreation groups said it could become a model for disaster recovery. Committee members asked about property priority levels, voluntary participation, ownership after acquisition, and climate-related planning. The discussion ended with the sponsor describing the bill as a Lincoln County-specific effort tied to ongoing flood recovery and forest-management concerns.

Transcript Highlights:

• damage, commit theft, or cause harm to communications infrastructure, including both physical and cyber
• components that deliver voice, video, and data... ...including both physical and cyber components that
• including both physical and cyber components that deliver voice video and data services the person causes

Summary: The committee held public hearings on several bills. House Bill 2542 would require drug developers to use validated non-animal testing methods when available, unless federal regulators request animal testing. The sponsor said the bill builds on prior Washington action on cosmetics testing and is intended to move toward more humane and modern science. Supporters, including students, animal welfare advocates, and biotech-related witnesses, argued that animal tests often fail to predict human outcomes and that alternatives are more accurate. A biotech industry representative said animal testing is still necessary for some research and warned the bill could deter local innovation, but said the industry was open to amendments. The sponsor said she was open to discussing changes to the enforcement mechanism. No vote was taken on the bill during the hearing. House Bill 2629 would address theft and vandalism of critical communications infrastructure, including copper and fiber lines. The bill would ban cash payments for nonferrous metal transactions, require electronic or stored-value payment methods, impose civil penalties for stolen copper used in telecommunications cable, and create a new Class C felony for destruction of critical communications infrastructure. The sponsor and industry witnesses described repeated outages affecting 911, hospitals, schools, and first responders, and said Washington has a high rate of these incidents. Recycling industry representatives supported the bill after negotiations, but a prosecutor and some others said the bill should focus more on law enforcement tools such as searchable transaction databases and holding periods rather than new penalties. No final action was taken in the hearing. House Bill 2394 would expand the Insurance Commissioner’s insurance fraud program and create a Class B felony for insurance fraud, including fraudulent billing, misrepresentation of repair costs, and misuse of coding systems. The bill also broadens who can be considered a victim for restitution and gives the commissioner additional investigative tools, while the substitute removed a reporting duty for certified public accountants. The sponsor and the Insurance Commissioner’s office said the measure responds to more sophisticated, technology-driven fraud schemes that harm both insurers and consumers. Insurance industry and fraud bureau witnesses supported the bill as a consumer protection measure. No vote was taken. House Bill 2361 would raise the maximum principal amount for small loans from $700 to $1,200, with annual inflation adjustments, while keeping the existing 30% of monthly income cap and other safeguards. The sponsor said the change would better reflect emergency costs and help borrowers avoid illegal lenders. DFI raised implementation questions about inflation adjustments and publication requirements, and opponents from AARP, SEIU 775, poverty advocates, and consumer attorneys argued the bill would increase debt traps and fees for low-income borrowers and older adults. MoneyTree supported the bill, saying the current cap is outdated and that the product remains a flat-fee, regulated credit option with existing consumer protections. The hearing also included testimony on House Bill 2294, which would prohibit negative use restrictions on real property that block grocery stores or pharmacies; staff described a proposed amendment adding notice and changing enforcement, and the committee then moved the bill out with a due pass recommendation.

Transcript Highlights:

• :18:02.000><c> was</c> it may differ um statewide, which was it may differ um statewide, which was cyber
• <00:18:02.559><c> security</c><00:18:03.200><c> requirements,</c><00:18:04.320><c> minimum</c> cyber
• security requirements, minimum cyber security requirements, minimum power<00:18:05.200><c> requirement

Committee: Senate Transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• that, just you can look on the Internet and our own Washington State, where we received a massive cyber
• that, just you can look on the Internet and our own Washington State, where we received a massive cyber
• what we need to do first is create a pilot project in a secure environment where I can do rigorous cyber

Bills: SB6081 , SB5902 , SB6034 , SB6035 , SB5892 , SB5973

Committee: Senate State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections

Keywords: SB 6081, Washington privacy, sex designation, gender marker, nonbinary, transgender, vital records, birth certificate, death certificate, fetal death, stillbirth, driver license, ID card, Department of Licensing, public records exemption, confidential records, record sealing, data sharing, government records, privacy

Transcript Highlights:

• the water sources to not be only dependent on natural water source, not dependent on a grid, even cyber
• Source, not dependent on a grid, even cyber attacks, and things like that.
• So we'll move on to our third, source, not dependent on a grid, even cyber attacks, and things like that

Summary: The select committee on Climate Innovation and Infrastructure heard presentations on emerging climate-related technologies and the policy and permitting barriers affecting their deployment. The first panel focused on the Calistoga Resiliency Center, a utility-partnered microgrid using liquid hydrogen, fuel cells, and batteries to keep the city powered during public safety power shutoffs. PG&E described microgrids as a resilience tool, but emphasized that the main barrier is economics, not regulation, and outlined its community microgrid tariff, enablement program, and incentive funding. Energy Vault said the Calistoga project is a proof of concept for a bankable, zero-emission, high-density resiliency solution, while the Green Hydrogen Coalition and local officials argued that California needs clearer demand signals and policy fixes to make green hydrogen and similar projects viable at scale. The discussion also noted that the Lodi Energy Center hydrogen transition remains stalled because of lost federal and state funding and tighter tax credit timelines, making the project uneconomic for now. The second panel addressed water resilience through desalination, with the California Desal Association describing the state’s growing need for local, drought-resilient water supplies and the long, expensive permitting timelines that have slowed conventional desal projects. Oneka Technologies presented its wave-powered offshore desalination system for Fort Bragg, which produces drinking water without electricity or land use and is designed to reduce impacts on marine life. The company said the project has required coordination with at least eight agencies and roughly a 36-month permitting process for a one-year pilot, and that California’s process is much slower than in other jurisdictions. Committee members asked about maintenance, environmental safeguards, and whether data from projects elsewhere could help streamline future approvals. A third presentation, by the Climate Foundation, described marine permaculture as a way to restore kelp forests and create carbon and agricultural benefits by moving seaweed platforms up and down to access nutrients and sunlight. The speaker said the approach could support food, feed, fertilizer, and biostimulant products while also sequestering carbon, but that California permitting is fragmented across 17 state and federal agencies. He urged a one-stop, code-based permitting system for small projects and suggested that California could learn from faster approval models in Australia and the Philippines. No votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• costs for clerk's election procedure trainings to implementing crucial security protocols such as the Cyber
• and safe, and we appreciate this bill's initiative for the Secretary of State to establish... ...a cyber
• to bring to the committee's attention that the bill mandates that the Secretary of State install a cyber

Bills: AB534 , AB562 , AB595 , AB597 , AB600 , SB74 , SB226 , SB422 , SB488

Committee: Assembly Legislative Operations and Elections

Transcript Highlights:

• So if we take a backseat, if we do not make this investment in cyber security, we will be in trouble.
• So our request is for $13.8 million ongoing and 29 percent. to fund the continuation of cyber security
• And so that's about cyber security. Now moving into EDDNext.

Transcript Highlights:

• In the modern world, the cyber domain means the whole world is under threat.
• This also addresses cyber security attacks, and more and more of them.

Summary: The House opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, then approved the House Journal for the 57th day by roll call vote, 125-0. Members then used points of personal privilege to honor former Representative Ken Waller and to remember Keaton O’Neill, a Rawls County teenager who died after a battle with brain cancer; the chamber observed a moment of silence for O’Neill. The House also welcomed several special guests, including a deployed Marine’s family, a Greater Springfield Board of Realtors leadership class, family members of a member, and an intern and family members of another member. Committee reports recommended passage of several bills, and the House took up multiple Senate-amended measures. On House Bills 2637 and 3155, members discussed technical corrections and added provisions involving sentencing effective dates, sex offender registry procedures, drone restrictions, health care treatment orders, and prosecutor salaries; the House voted to refuse the Senate substitute and request a conference. House Bill 2593, a bipartisan military and veterans bill, was described as expanding military leave, adding cybersecurity and emergency-response protections, strengthening TRICARE and Service Members Civil Relief Act-related provisions, and supporting National Guard benefits; it was adopted 137-1 and then truly agreed to and finally passed 138-1. House Bill 2974, dealing with license reciprocity and telehealth, was amended to include interstate compacts for athletic trainers, dietitians, and physician assistants; it passed the Senate substitute 109-29 and was finally passed 108-30. The House also adopted and finally passed House Bill 2108, a Jefferson City land conveyance and infrastructure measure tied to the viaduct area, safety improvements, and an added property provision for Northwest Missouri State University land in Nodaway County; the Senate substitute was adopted 138-1 and the bill was finally passed 138-2. Afterward, the chamber received Senate messages stating that the Senate refused to recede on House Bills 2596 and 2637/3155 and appointed conference committees. The Speaker appointed House conferees for those bills and named conferees for budget bills 2002 through 2013. The House then announced upcoming committee meetings and adjourned until Tuesday, April 28, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• Now there's political stuff on the side of that, but the nuts and bolts of the cyber part of it, the
• patch to immediately remedy the vulnerability, blah, blah, blah, blah, that tells everybody in the cyber

Bills: HB2809

Committees: House Science & Technology , House House Science & Technology Committee of Reference

Keywords: cybersecurity, post-quantum encryption, CMMC 2.0, state agencies, data protection, US-based vendors

Transcript Highlights:

• central point to receive information, share intelligence, and coordinate incident response, state cyber
• This data lake model includes the CSOC to identify and respond to cyber threats in real time across state

Summary: The committee convened with a quorum, welcomed new member Senator Ralph Massullo, and first took up confirmation of five appointees to water management district and basin board positions. Senator McLean moved favorable confirmation of Ted Everett, Jerome Pate, Michael Romano, Paul Bissfam, John Hall, and Virginia Johns, and the motion passed by roll call. The main agenda item was the Governor’s Florida First budget presentation for the environmental agencies. Kim Kramer and DEP Secretary Alexis Lambert outlined proposed environmental funding of about $5.8 billion, including more than $1.4 billion for water resources, $810 million for Everglades restoration, $408 million for water quality, $202 million for Resilient Florida, $75 million for beach renourishment, $150 million for Florida Forever, $70 million for state park infrastructure, and $221 million for hazardous waste cleanup. They also highlighted proposed funding for FWC operations, manatee care, python removal, oyster reef restoration, forestry and wildfire equipment, and citrus research and disease response. Members asked about Florida Forever funding, state park wastewater and septic needs, a cut to the Florida Wildlife Research Institute, and how beach renourishment is handled after storms. The committee then heard the general government budget presentation. Agencies highlighted included DBPR, Gaming Control, the Lottery, DMS, PERC, DFS, OIR, and Revenue. DBPR discussed funding for license processing, an animal abuse hotline, vehicle replacement, and IT recruitment; Gaming Control requested new law enforcement squads and a licensing/enforcement IT system; the Lottery emphasized marketing, retail engagement, IT, and retention funding; DMS proposed building, fleet, telecommunications, cybersecurity, and local government grant investments; PERC described workload growth after SB 256 and requested staffing, operations, and pay increases; OIR sought more staff for consumer protection and market oversight plus building renovations; DFS highlighted My Safe Florida Home funding, fire marshal and first responder support, financial investigations, and gold and silver legal tender implementation; and Revenue requested operational, IT, and fiscally constrained county funding. Members questioned DBPR about unfunded HOA fraud and condo transparency items, DMS about cybersecurity grants, and DFS about My Safe Florida Home funding levels, abandoned grants, and reduced program uptake. No further action was taken, and the committee adjourned without additional votes.