Transcript Highlights:

• </c><04:04:52.080><c> entrances</c> four or more county jail entrances four or more county jail entrances
• Notice we don't call them jails; we call them houses of correction.
• So, they're using the jail and the mean.
• jail or house<04:18:38.399><c> of</c><04:18:38.680><c> corrections.
• </c> are going to wind up in jail. are going to wind up in jail.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee heard Senate Bill 254, which Senator David Roford described as a technical correction to controlled substance inventory law for pharmacies. He said the bill would remove outdated language requiring inventories to be done in an odd-numbered year, while keeping the existing requirement that pharmacies conduct a full controlled substance inventory every two years in line with federal law. Members asked several clarifying questions about whether the requirement is pharmacy-by-pharmacy, whether new pharmacies would be affected, and whether the change would alter scope or compliance; the sponsor and a representative of the New Hampshire Pharmacist Association said it would not, and that it mainly provides clarity for pharmacies and inspectors. The public hearing on SB 254 was then closed, and the committee also heard support from a representative of the pharmacist community, who said the association supports the bill. The committee then discussed a non-germane amendment to SB 254 dealing with FBI background checks for educational surrogate parents under the Department of Education. Representative Leyon explained that the amendment was requested by the Department of Education after the FBI rejected prior statutory language, and that the goal was to allow people serving as educational surrogate parents to complete FBI fingerprint-based background checks so they can perform their duties. Department of Education and Department of Safety staff testified that the amendment mirrors language that has worked in other education-related background check statutes, including provisions with specific disqualifying offenses tied to child safety, and that the FBI requires precise statutory language and direct transmission of records through the Department of Safety. Members questioned why the FBI’s approval was needed, whether individuals could simply provide their own records, and whether changing federal leadership could require future changes; witnesses said the state needs both state and national records, that records must come directly from the FBI through the Department of Safety, and that the language is intended to satisfy current federal requirements. During the discussion, some members expressed skepticism about the need for the amendment and about placing it on a bill about controlled substance inventories, but no vote was taken during the portion of the transcript provided. The committee also briefly discussed a separate bill on physician assistants/physician associates, with members noting that the proposed name change would not alter scope of practice and that some outside groups had raised concerns about transparency, but that discussion was interrupted and not concluded in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• How many inmates, best guess, on a daily basis would the sheriff of Grant Parish have in the jail that
• No, this is not a problem at the jail run by the sheriff.
• No, this is not a problem at the jail run by the sheriff.
• It applies to situations that occur in jails and prisons; that’s in the very first paragraph of it.
• And I'm... ...year in jail, even if it's nonviolent, you're banned from owning a gun for life.

Summary: The committee first handled housekeeping items, voluntarily deferring HB 63 and HB 622 at the authors’ requests. It then heard HB 131 on post-conviction relief, which would remove the word “inexcusably” from the PCR statute and delay bail eligibility after relief until the state’s appeals are exhausted through the Louisiana Supreme Court. The bill drew support from the Attorney General’s office and district attorneys, with opposition cards from the Southern Poverty Law Center, and it was reported favorably. HB 789, concerning seizure of off-road vehicles used unlawfully on roadways, was amended to direct forfeiture proceeds to the Attorney General when acting as district attorney ad hoc; it was then reported as amended with support from law enforcement and no opposition testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• Meaning that if they weren't bailed out, they would have sat in jail for absolutely no reason.
• If someone's grandmom bails them out of jail, oftentimes there's a personal connection.
• R.J. shared with us, there's a third of those folks that are sitting in these jails, that the charges
• , this bill will require them to get jail in all future situations.
• This bill will require them to get jail in all future situations.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Of the people waiting in jail for a... Yes. a bed that have IDD. Yes.
• I just contacted my Dallas County Jail, they have 288 inmates.
• Refusing to eat, just decompensating, sitting in a jail until you all.
• A psychotic person sit in a jail setting who's not receiving treatment because of marriage...
• You can't force medications... in a jail setting.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• ,</c><00:07:02.639><c> psychiatric</c> hospital stays, uh jails, psychiatric hospital stays, uh jails
• </c> jail system. jail system.
• It's not jail nor a lockdown psychiatric unit.
• It's not jail nor a lockdown psychiatric unit.
• </c><00:39:18.079><c> system,</c> year in Kentucky in the jail system, year in Kentucky in the jail system

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Health and Family Services committee heard an informational presentation on Kentucky personal care homes from representatives of the Kentucky Association of Healthcare Facilities, Management Systems of Kentucky, and Elder Care Partners. Witnesses described personal care homes as a lower-cost, 24/7 residential option for adults, often with serious mental illness, who do not meet nursing home criteria but need structured supervision, medication assistance, meals, and daily support. They said the homes are regulated by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, are not Medicaid-funded, and are supported largely through state supplementation payments and residents’ SSI income. The presenters argued that the current reimbursement rate of about $50.70 per day is no longer sufficient to cover staffing, food, insurance, utilities, maintenance, and other costs, and said the sector has shrunk significantly over time. They cited figures showing a decline from 64 to 34 homes serving the seriously mentally ill since 2002, with 30 closures over 23 years, and said the loss of beds contributes to homelessness, hospital overcrowding, and longer psychiatric stays. They also gave examples of residents who had spent many months in hospitals before being successfully placed in personal care homes, which they said can prevent more costly institutional care. Committee members asked about staffing credentials, fraud controls, referral processes, and how reimbursement works in other states. The presenters said Kentucky does not require licensed or certified staff in these facilities, though some homes use certified medication technicians or an LPN, and they described a county case-manager-based assessment process used to set individualized rates in other states such as Minnesota. Members expressed support for the work but emphasized the need for documentation of savings and budget offsets. The presenters said they are seeking an incremental reimbursement increase over two years, roughly 25% to 50% in the first year and another 50% after that, and urged the committee to support the homes to prevent further closures.

Transcript Highlights:

• MY BROTHER SCOTT WAS KILLED IN 2022 IN THE MARION COUNTY JAIL IN OCALA FLORIDA. >> I AM PAMELA WHITLEY
• MY BROTHER SCOTT WAS KILLED IN 2022 IN THE MARION COUNTY JAIL IN OCALA FLORIDA.
• USE OF EXCESSIVE FORCE IN THIS JAIL IS NOT AN ISOLATED CASE BUT IT HAPPENS THROUGHOUT FLORIDA JAILS AND
• AS OF 2021 30 DEATHS HAVE OCCURRED IN THE MARION COUNTY JAIL. THANK YOU.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• On the treatment is in a jail setting.
• Simply put, jails are the worst place for a person with severe mental illness.
• We've heard here that the Hawaii State Hospital is overcrowded as well as our jail.
• Simply put, jails are the worst place for a person with severe mental illness.
• Simply put, jails are the worst place for a person with severe mental illness.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The joint hearing opened with SB 1442, which would update the statute governing the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Division and clarify its role as the state Medicaid provider of intensive mental health services for children and adolescents with serious emotional disturbance. The Department of Health testified in strong support, saying the current statute is outdated and warning against any unfunded mandate because the division relies on federal funding and faces uncertainty about future resources. Written testimony from several organizations also supported the bill. The committees took no immediate action and said they would hold decision-making until later. The hearing then moved to SB 479 on ABLE savings accounts. The Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities and the Hawaii Disability Rights Center supported the measure, arguing that ABLE accounts help people with disabilities save money without losing benefits and that the state needs more outreach and staffing to expand participation. A testifier with a disability said the bill would help people keep Social Security and housing stability. The chair indicated an intention to move the bill forward, and asked about funding; the discussion settled on a requested appropriation of about $75,000 for incentives. Next, SB 1245 on reimbursement of pharmacists drew broad support from the Hawaii Pharmacists Association, rural pharmacies, the Hawaii Primary Care Association, and others, who said the bill would improve access to care, especially on neighbor islands and in rural communities, and help pharmacies participate in 340B-related services. The Insurance Division and HMSA raised concerns about bill language, saying it could be read to cover pharmacists outside an insurer’s network and that the scope of reimbursable services needed clarification; the pharmacists’ association said the bill is intended to apply only to in-network pharmacists and should continue to reference existing scope-of-practice law. The hearing also took up SB 1279, which would allow pharmacists to authorize medications via telehealth under certain circumstances. The State Board of Pharmacy opposed the bill, citing patient safety, a pilot project with reported errors, concerns about controlled substances and unregulated technicians, and the view that in-person pharmacist services are safer and already available on the affected islands. Several pharmacies and health care groups supported the measure as a way to preserve 340B access and improve service on Lānaʻi and Molokaʻi, while some local pharmacies said they already provide in-person service and opposed remote dispensing. No votes were taken in the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• But yet prosecution puts these people in jail.
• The goal, ...offended, but yet prosecution puts these people in jail.
• I just want to say that prosecution doesn't put people in jail.
• The student was ultimately found guilty and served jail time.
• If I did, I wouldn't want to be put in jail. Okay. If I did, I wouldn't want to be put in jail.

Summary: The committee first heard HB 2415, which would regulate kratom by treating certain synthetically derived compounds as narcotic drugs, raising the minimum sale age to 21, and penalizing sales of products exceeding a 400 parts per million cap. The sponsor and supporters argued the bill targets dangerous synthetic or highly concentrated kratom while preserving natural leaf products; testimony included a woman describing kratom addiction and treatment, family members describing harm from 7-OH products, and law enforcement and Attorney General’s Office support. Opponents, including criminal justice advocates, warned the bill could sweep in users and create harsh felony penalties, while some speakers urged a full ban and others defended natural kratom as distinct from synthetic products. The committee adopted the Wynn amendment and then gave HB 2415, as amended, a do-pass recommendation by a 6-3 vote. The committee then considered HB 2870, which would prohibit more than one Level 2 or Level 3 registered sex offender from residing in the same home unless they are related by blood, marriage, or adoption. The sponsor said the bill was prompted by a neighborhood case involving multiple sex offenders in one residence and argued it was aimed at residential homes, not supervised group homes. Supporters described fear and disruption in their neighborhoods, while opponents argued the bill would reduce already limited housing, make supervision harder, and potentially force people onto the streets; some also raised due process and recidivism concerns. After discussion about possible amendments and the distinction between group homes and unsupervised residences, the committee approved HB 2870 with a do-pass recommendation by a 6-3 vote. Next, the committee heard HB 2413, which requires GPS or electronic monitoring for registered sex offenders who are homeless or lack a permanent address until they obtain one. Supporters said the bill would close a gap because transient registrants are only required to check in every 90 days, leaving law enforcement without regular location information; a policy analyst said monitoring could be implemented through existing systems, though costs and administration would vary. Opponents argued the bill raises due process and equal protection concerns, duplicates existing reporting requirements, and could impose costs on people trying to stabilize their lives. The committee passed HB 2413 on a 5-4 vote. Finally, the committee took up HB 2720, which increases the penalty for purchasing prostitution to a class 6 felony and directs a $200 assessment to the anti-human trafficking fund, with an amendment clarifying the affirmative defense for trafficking victims and restricting use of the assessment to trafficking services. Supporters, including the sponsor, prosecutors, Phoenix police, and a city council member, said the bill targets buyers who drive demand and exploitation. Opponents from criminal justice and anti-violence groups argued the bill could still ensnare trafficking victims and sex workers, especially because the affirmative defense may be hard to assert in practice. After adopting the amendment, the committee gave HB 2720, as amended, a do-pass recommendation by an 8-0-1 vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• This person is now subject to a $250 fine and 24 consecutive hours in jail.
• She will be put in jail for expressing herself against something that she firmly believes in.
• . and 24 consecutive hours in jail.
• </c><00:46:39.040><c> for</c> She will be She will be put in jail for She will be She will be put in
• </c> jail or you're going to go to hell. jail or you're going to go to hell.

Bills: SCR96, SCR164, SCR172, SCR166, SCR182, SCR7, SCR59, SCR58, SCR60, SCR89, SCR184, SCR11, HB2296, HB2315, HB2343

Keywords: electric reliability, renewable energy, interconnection, Hawaii Electric Reliability Administrator, Public Utilities Commission, capacity shortfalls, energy policies, critical infrastructure, foreign influence, local control, energy dependence, economic resilience, energy analysis, cost reduction, financial risk, Hawaii PUC, energy self-sufficiency, natural gas, energy transition, ratepayer protection

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm talking to jails too.
• This is evident in the drastic reduction of jail populations.
• Cutting budgets could mean that everything county jails have achieved in rehabilitating offenders to
• County jails, more now than ever, are acting for substance abuse and mental health treatment of civil
• Inmates are being offered the best health care as if they were admitted into a hospital in our jail.

Summary: The special commission on consolidation and cooperation in public safety held a hearing focused on correctional labor testimony, with union leaders and officers from multiple county facilities and the Department of Correction describing staffing, safety, wellness, and programming concerns. Speakers emphasized that correctional officers face high levels of workplace violence, exposure to synthetic drugs like K2, inmate suicides and assaults, and significant mental health strain. They also raised concerns about gender-identity housing policies, arguing that current practices can create unsafe conditions for staff, and urged stronger debriefing and wellness supports after traumatic incidents, including fuller use of programs like OnSide Academy. Several witnesses from unions including KCU/NCU and local county bargaining units argued against consolidating sheriff’s offices or merging them with the Department of Correction. They said consolidation could weaken collective bargaining, harm retention and recruitment, increase commute times, and disrupt locally tailored programming and reentry services. Multiple speakers stressed that county facilities are distinct and should be evaluated individually, not by a single formula, and that staffing levels, training, and facility-specific needs must drive any policy changes. One witness described innovative programming such as welding and shed-building partnerships, while another highlighted Norfolk County’s accreditation, budget stability, and reentry efforts. Commission members largely thanked the witnesses and echoed concerns about officer safety and wellness. They discussed the need for more facility tours, including Norfolk, and debated whether the commission should seek an extension beyond its September 30 reporting deadline. After discussion, the commission voted to request an extension to November 30, with the understanding that the report would still be completed and filed later. Members also discussed the possibility of examining the Norwegian correctional model and reaching out to the judiciary for additional testimony. The hearing concluded with an adjournment after public testimony closed.

Transcript Highlights:

• of the safety of a jail and out into our streets.
• House File 16 would encourage arresting people in the controlled environment of a jail.
• of the safety of a jail and out into our streets.
• House File 16 would encourage arresting people in the controlled environment of a jail.
• And when we're talking about who a jail.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• perspective or a manpower perspective, and that's ...operating procedures from the jail perspective
• or a manpower perspective, and we can break that into the 287G jail model, which we've discussed last
• And they have a responsibility to inspect jails to ensure that jails are in order.
• They get out of jail free card, so to speak. They come back... Years is forgiven.
• They get out of jail free card, so to speak. They come back in, commit a crime.

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The Senate State Affairs Committee first approved minutes from March 18 and March 20, 2026. It then sent RS 33851 to print after sponsor Jim Guthrie explained it was a revised version of an earlier bill, adjusted to avoid possible free speech concerns; Senator Shippey voted no on the print motion. RS 33853, a kratom-related proposal to classify mitragynine speciosa as a Schedule I drug with a delayed effective date and stepped penalties, was introduced by Senator Burnt and Representative Bingham, but no action was taken on it. The committee then considered Senate Bill 1441, which would require local law enforcement agencies to cooperate with ICE through 287(g) agreements unless they could show lack of resources or other exceptions. Senator Anthon said the bill was intended to create a statewide standard with local exceptions and asked that it be sent to the 14th order for possible amendment, including changes related to tort claims coverage. County and sheriff representatives testified that the bill blurred constitutional roles between sheriffs and county commissions, created an unfunded mandate, and risked federal overreach. Supporters argued it would promote cooperation on immigration enforcement. The committee voted 6-3 to send SB 1441 to the 14th order for possible amendment. Senate Bill 1443, sponsored by Senator Den Hartog, would allow the Department of Corrections director to conditionally release certain incarcerated noncitizen offenders with final deportation orders to ICE custody before they finish their Idaho sentences, with restitution, victim notification, and a warrant process if they return. The sponsor and the DOC director said the bill was intended to reduce costs while keeping offenders in confinement under ICE custody and preserving the remainder of the sentence if they reenter the U.S. Testimony from sheriffs, county representatives, and the Idaho Fraternal Order of Police raised concerns about victim safety, lack of probation or supervision after deportation, uncertainty about how the sentence tolling would work, and the new warrant authority. The motion to send SB 1443 to the floor with a due pass recommendation failed 4-5, and the bill was held in committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• perspective or a manpower perspective, and that's ...operating procedures from the jail perspective
• or a manpower perspective, and we can break that into the 287(g) jail model, which we've discussed last
• And they have a responsibility to inspect jails to ensure that jails are in order.
• They get a get-out-of-jail-free card, so to speak. They come back... ...years is forgiven.
• They get a get-out-of-jail-free card, so to speak. They come back in, commit a crime.

Summary: The Senate State Affairs Committee first approved the March 18 and March 20, 2026 minutes. It then considered RS 33851, a proposed reconfiguration of an earlier bill that would avoid possible free-speech issues by changing language from “resident” to “qualified elector”; the committee voted to send it to print, with Senator Shippy recorded as a nay. The committee also heard RS 33853, a kratom-related proposal to classify mitragynine speciosa as a Schedule I drug with a delayed effective date and stepped penalties, but no action was taken on it. The committee spent most of the meeting on Senate Bill 1441, which would create a statewide framework requiring local law enforcement to cooperate with ICE through 287(g) agreements, while allowing exceptions if resources are not reasonably available or if local governing bodies make written findings. Supporters, including Senator Anthon and representatives from ICRMP and the sheriffs’ association, argued the bill would standardize cooperation and address liability concerns by clarifying coverage under the Idaho Tort Claims Act. Opponents, including sheriffs and county representatives, said the bill blurred constitutional roles between sheriffs and county commissions, created an unfunded mandate, and risked federal oversight of local law enforcement. The committee voted 6-3 to send SB 1441 to the 14th order for possible amendment. The committee then heard Senate Bill 1443, which would allow the Department of Corrections director to conditionally release certain incarcerated noncitizen offenders with final deportation orders into ICE custody before they complete their Idaho sentences, with restitution, victim notification, tolling of the remaining sentence, and an indefinite warrant if they return. Supporters said the bill could reduce costs and align with deterrence and accountability, while critics raised concerns about victim safety, unequal treatment compared with U.S. citizen offenders, and the lack of probation or ongoing supervision after release to ICE. After debate, the motion to send SB 1443 to the floor with a due pass recommendation failed 4-5, and the bill was held in committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• His parents came to tell me, said, why won't you go down and help him get out of jail?
• said</c><00:13:24.800><c> no,</c><00:13:24.960><c> I'm</c><00:13:25.040><c> not</c> him get out of jail
• I said no, I'm not him get out of jail?
• him</c><00:13:25.520><c> get</c><00:13:25.640><c> out</c><00:13:25.720><c> of</c><00:13:25.760><c> jail
• </c><00:13:25.880><c> cuz</c><00:13:26.000><c> he</c> going to help him get out of jail cuz he going

Bills: SB293, SB293

Keywords: SB293, Lee County, solid waste, waste collection fees, garbage fees, trash collection, county commission, fee exemption, low-income households, poverty level, federal poverty level, public sanitation, local act, municipal services, waste management, first responder, interference, criminal law, public safety, law enforcement

Transcript Highlights:

• It's not like they're putting them in jail or anything.
• It's not like they're putting them in jail or anything.
• Thank you. ...in jail or anything.
• So, you know, I understand the ACLU is protective of that, but they're not going to jail.
• So this makes a lot of sense. ...turn into something where they will go to jail eventually.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Public Safety heard two bills. SB 99, by Senator Blakspier, would improve coordination between civilian and military law enforcement in domestic violence cases involving military protective orders. The author and a Defense Department representative said the bill would help courts and police identify existing military protective orders, require notification to military authorities when violations may occur, and encourage memoranda of understanding between agencies. The ACLU opposed the bill unless amended, citing due process concerns because military protective orders are issued by commanders without the same procedural protections as court orders. Members discussed the balance between protecting survivors and respecting due process, and the bill was approved 5-0 and sent to the Judiciary Committee as amended. SB 758, by Senator Umberg, addressed nitrous oxide and concentrated 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) products sold in retail settings. Supporters, including local officials, law enforcement, and public safety groups, argued that nitrous oxide misuse is harming youth and that concentrated 7-OH products are dangerous, unregulated, and associated with poisonings and overdose risk. Opponents, including kratom advocates, consumer groups, the ACLU, and others, argued the bill would criminalize adults and vendors, that 7-OH is a naturally occurring kratom alkaloid with disputed risk claims, and that the issue should be handled through public health regulation rather than criminal penalties. Committee members discussed public health, youth access, and whether the bill should be more narrowly focused; the author accepted amendments narrowing the bill and removing possession-related criminalization. SB 758 passed 5-0 as amended and was sent to Appropriations.

Transcript Highlights:

• The offense as classified will be He classifies a state jail felony.
• The offense is a felony of the third degree if the depictions are of a real child and a state jail felony
• he's not going to do doesn't want to do a plea bargain, they hold it, and they end up sitting in my jail
• or our county jails.
• And we have 243 of those jails. So the end or for the prosecutors is extremely important.

Bills: SB20, SB1621, SB412, SB441, SB442

Keywords: child protection, sexual offenses, visual material, artificial intelligence, criminal penalties, law enforcement, defense against prosecution, obscenity, judicial officer, deepfake, deep fake, synthetic media, AI-generated content, machine learning, nonconsensual pornography, revenge porn, sexually explicit media, intimate images, digital manipulation, visual depiction

Transcript Highlights:

• This comes with the potential that you're going to be jailed, and so we have parents who don't have the
• So my mom had to go to jail because each day in jail cost so much money.
• When I was in college, I was literally visiting my mom in a Harris County jail.
• And when my mom is locked up in the Harris County jail because of fines she couldn't afford to pay, my
• So by the time she gets out of jail for the fines she couldn't pay, we're more behind, getting evicted

Bills: HB2947, HB3276, HB3513

Keywords: truancy, school attendance, parent responsibility, education code, community service, criminal record nondisclosure, juvenile board, Moore County, appointments, juvenile justice, county legislation, 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Over time, California has recognized the dangerous and volatile work performed inside our jails.
• Scanlan was critically injured when an armed individual entered the Fresno County Jail lobby and opened
• promotes consistency across counties, supports the individuals responsible for maintaining safety in our jails
• To put context behind this, an active shooter walked into the jail, and an unarmed Toa ...walked into
• the jail, and an unarmed Toa took a shot to the head, tackled the individual, held him down, and saved

Summary: The Assembly convened after a quorum call, prayer, and Pledge of Allegiance, then handled a series of procedural motions including suspending rules, re-referring several bills to committees, and allowing committee notices for pending re-referrals. Members also received guest introductions, including LA28 leadership for an informational hearing on preparations for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles, and advocacy groups focused on reproductive health and equity. On the floor, the Assembly took up several third-reading bills. AB 1944 by Assembly Member Lee, which would delay implementation of lower axle weight limits for zero-emission buses to give transit agencies more time to adapt to battery technology limits, passed 49-1. AB 2305 by Assembly Member Caloza, prohibiting private equity and other corporate investors from controlling or influencing litigation decisions, passed 55-0. AB 2004 by Assembly Member Al-Annees, authorizing Fresno and San Joaquin counties to designate county correctional officers as peace officers if locally agreed, passed 52-0 after supportive remarks from Assembly Member Tangipa about a Fresno County correctional officer who died after being injured in a jail shooting. The Assembly also adopted the second-day consent calendar, including ACR 161 on Special Districts Week and HR 87 on school accountability, with 57 co-authors added to the resolutions and unanimous votes on the consent items. The session concluded with an adjournment in memory for Marcella Villanueva, a longtime California Commission on Aging employee remembered for her service and compassion, followed by announcements of upcoming committee hearings and the next floor session before adjournment until Thursday, April 9 at 9 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• My brother Scott Whitley was killed in 2022 in the Marion County Jail in Ocala, Florida.
• Scott Whitley was killed in 2022 in the Marion County Jail in Ocala, Florida by Florida State employees
• Use of excessive force in this jail is not an isolated case, but happens throughout Florida jails and
• As of 2021, 30 deaths have occurred in the Marion County Jail. Thank you. Thank you for your time.

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice met to review its proposed fiscal year 2025-2026 budget, totaling about $7.6 billion. The chair highlighted funding for the Department of Corrections, including health services, food inflation, and prison population growth; the Department of Juvenile Justice for residential beds and higher food/medical costs; FDLE for a law enforcement apprenticeship program and officer wellness services; justice administration for court-appointed attorney rates and VOCA shortfalls; major IT projects; and court operations, including funding for 29 new judges. Members asked about where the new judgeships would go and whether staffing would accompany them, and staff said the judge positions would be listed later in a conforming bill and that associated court staff were included, but not additional state attorney or public defender staffing. Several members also asked whether the budget addressed pay and staffing shortages in state attorneys’ and public defenders’ offices, and staff said those decisions had not yet been finalized. The committee then heard public testimony from several speakers who urged more funding for prison safety, medical care, and oversight. Speakers described personal experiences involving deaths or serious harm in correctional facilities and jails, alleging inadequate medical treatment, excessive force, isolation, and failures to investigate. One speaker said her son died after being beaten and denied timely medical care in a correctional facility; another said her son was not receiving adequate health care at Charlotte Correctional; and another described her brother’s death in the Marion County Jail after repeated tasing and pepper spraying. The committee adopted a motion allowing staff to make technical adjustments and then approved the committee’s budget proposal as a recommendation to the full Senate Appropriations Committee. The committee also took up CS for CS SB 48 on alternative judicial procedures and foreclosure sales. Senator Garcia offered an amendment to standardize judicial sales, increase transparency, limit preferences in bidding, preserve public notice requirements, restrict plaintiff credit bids to the amount of the judgment unless a deposit is posted, and prevent deviations from statutory timelines and procedures from being hidden in court orders. Garcia said the bill was intended to close loopholes and protect homeowners, especially condominium owners, from unfair foreclosure practices. A representative for Auction.com said similar laws have been used in other states and offered to provide data. After debate, the amendment was adopted, and the bill passed the committee favorably on a roll call vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• If they're not able to make bond, they will be in jail, and with a felony crime, you're not going to
• In this instance, that person would be in jail for 30 days.
• I live an hour away from North Central Regional Jail, which is in Doddridge County, especially during
• If you're able to be out of jail, there is such a foot up, also on not just pleading to something that
• that get killed in our jails.

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Summary: The Senate considered and passed a series of House bills on third reading, with several title amendments and a few effective-date motions adopted. Early in the session, members passed HB 4452 removing acreage limits on land owned by church or religious trustees, HB 4577 creating reciprocal driver’s license recognition agreements with Ireland and Japan, HB 4588 authorizing West Virginia participation in a federal tax credit scholarship program, and HB 4592 requiring higher education institutions to create coordinated campus safety maps. HB 4602 was amended to align with a prior Senate child welfare pilot program, and members discussed its projected cost and implementation timeline before passing it. HB 4603 created a pre-adjudicatory alternative disposition process in abuse and neglect cases, and HB 4606 narrowed bail rules by requiring consideration of residency and community ties while prohibiting personal recognizance bonds for violent felony offenses after an adopted amendment. The Senate also passed HB 4710 changing the party-registration deadline for candidates from 60 to 180 days before an election, with debate over its impact on independents, and made it effective January 1, 2027. HB 4712, known as Bailey’s Law, increased penalties for DUI causing death and related conduct, with emotional testimony from members about the victim and similar tragedies. HB 4765 established a pay raise for teachers, school personnel, and state police and added a market-pay enhancement system based on county cost-of-living differences; an amendment to the amendment capped county differentials and guaranteed at least a 1% increase in every county. HB 4865 created an optional program for high school and homeschool students to serve as election official trainees, and HB 4869 established narrow guaranteed-issue rights for Medicare supplement policies. Later bills included HB 4995, which strengthened video/audio recording rules in special education classrooms and was passed, then reconsidered and passed again; HB 4996 creating a new crime for making threats of violence against schools or children; HB 5048 guaranteeing virtual instruction for foster children in temporary placement; HB 5065 adding recordkeeping and geolocation requirements for hotel marketplace facilitators to ensure proper hotel tax remittance; and HB 5074 reallocating medical cannabis fund revenues to child protection, homeless services, research, law enforcement, and other purposes. The Senate also passed HB 5101, the Joanna Phillips Domestic Violence Prevention Act, which increased penalties for domestic violence offenses and adjusted bail provisions, after amending it to conform with the earlier bail bill. Additional measures passed included HB 5166 requiring notice before political committees are fined for filing violations and allowing limited extensions, HB 5168 directing $12 million in lottery funds to EMS first responders and county EMS support, HB 5182 authorizing certain state treasurer security personnel to carry concealed firearms, HB 5212 streamlining higher-education financial aid rules, HB 5214 allowing court-ordered drug testing of parents before reunification in abuse and neglect cases, HB 5353 regulating virtual currency kiosks with licensing, disclosures, and transaction limits, and HB 5366 exempting J-LAP records from FOIA to protect confidentiality for lawyers and judges seeking assistance. Most bills passed with strong bipartisan support, though HB 5074 and HB 5353 drew some dissenting votes.