Transcript Highlights:

• This is the Florida Senate Committee on Ethics and Elections. The committee will now come to order.
• And so when you are a health and human services agency, you've got to be in a posture that evolves as
• There is always more before us, especially as a health and human service agency.
• services and manufacturing.
• In demand, such as administration and health and human services and manufacturing.

Summary: The committee first considered the confirmation of Dr. John Lattell to the Board of Medicine. In questioning, senators focused heavily on his views about abortion, vaccines, ivermectin, and the role of CDC/FDA guidance in board discipline cases. Dr. Lattell said the board applies Florida statutes and works through probable cause panels and legal counsel, but he also expressed strong pro-life views, skepticism of federal health guidance, and criticism of vaccines and some medical practices. Supporters praised his long medical career, military service, and family medicine background, while opponents argued his views could prevent him from being objective in disciplinary matters. The committee voted to recommend him for confirmation to the full Senate, with Senators Polsky and Ruson voting no. The committee then took up the confirmation of Taylor Hatch as Secretary of the Department of Children and Families. Hatch described her background in state human services and outlined priorities centered on accountability, data, lived experience, and improving service delivery. Senators asked about SNAP error rates, Hope Florida, legislative analyses, staffing, and the department’s handling of child welfare and medically complex cases. Hatch said the department was reducing SNAP error rates, that Hope Florida uses navigators to connect people with community resources and self-sufficiency supports, and that DCF is working with the Department of Health and other partners to improve investigations and accountability in child welfare. She also said the agency is reviewing medically complex cases and strengthening oversight of community-based care providers through contracts, audits, and proposed funding-model changes. A substantial portion of the Hatch discussion centered on whether the department had been responsive to legislative requests and whether it had provided timely bill analyses. Senators also pressed her on Hope Florida staffing, the number of participants served, and the Hope Florida Foundation’s compliance and legal oversight. Hatch said the foundation is undergoing a financial audit and that the department is relying on required reports and ongoing investigations. The transcript ends amid continued questioning about a community-based care contractor’s finances, related-party transactions, and whether further forensic audits or repayments are needed.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 2 makes numerous reductions and changes to the Health and Human Services budget.
• The list of reductions in the Health and Human Services budget is long, and even after all the reductions
• The reductions in the Health and Human Services area are even more drastic. budget at the same time we
• ><c> are</c> and Human Services Services there are and Human Services Services there are devastating<
• > long</c> Health and Human Service budget is long Health and Human Service budget is long and<00:32:

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The House Finance Committee met for final approval of HB 1 and HB 2, with legislative budget staff Michael Kain reviewing the final amendment documents and surplus statements. Kain explained that HB 1474H and HB 1484H incorporated the committee’s prior votes and the Governor’s recommended sections, and he walked through the budget math for the general fund, education trust fund, Highway Fund, and Fish and Game Fund. He said the committee’s proposal remained balanced overall, though the current-year general fund showed a projected deficit that HB 2 would address by allowing a possible rainy day fund transfer if needed. He also noted that the committee’s revenue estimates were below the Governor’s, requiring reductions and adjustments to appropriations and lapse assumptions. Members discussed the rainy day fund provisions, including a section in HB 2 that suspends existing restrictions so a transfer can be made if the deficit materializes. Kain said the committee’s approach differed from the Governor’s because the state was not below the overall revenue plan, and the fiscal committee would retain a role in determining any transfer. He also summarized that the Highway Fund would end with about a $13 million balance and Fish and Game with about $3 million, both without additional general fund support. The committee then adopted two amendments to HB 2 unanimously: Amendment 1473H, a technical cleanup to the Group 2 retirement seven-year rule, and Amendment 1482H, a technical correction to the recreational services language. Amendment 1484H, which incorporated those changes into HB 2, was adopted on a 14-1 vote after minority members objected to the bill’s broader cuts and policy changes, including reductions to state agencies, health and human services, and education-related provisions. The committee also adopted Amendment 1474H to HB 1A on a 14-1 vote after similar debate over budget reductions, vacancies, university funding, and school spending limits. Finally, the committee voted 14-1 to report HB 1A and HB 2 as amended as ought to pass, with the minority voting no and the committee planning a full House presentation the following week.

Transcript Highlights:

• A conference committee of five members be appointed by the Subcommittee on Conference Committees on the
• </c> please make note of the committee please make note of the committee reports.<00:09:56.399><c> No
• It transferred programs from the Departments of Human Services, Education, and Public Safety.
• </c><00:16:34.480><c> services,</c><00:16:35.279><c> education</c> departments of human services, education
• departments of human services, education and<00:16:36.320><c> public</c><00:16:36.759><c> safety.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I think there's no better example of this than Human Services.
• I think there's no better example of this than Human Services.
• I think there's no better example of this than Human Services.
• I think there's no better example of this than Human Services.
• Department of Human Services they had a Department of Human Services they had a contractor<01:25:29.679

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• First reading of bills: HB 2937, Nuclear Energy and Water; Commerce 2974, bylaws; Health and Human Services
• House Bill 2255 is withdrawn from the Committee on Education and additionally referred to the Committee
• referred to the Committee on Health and Human Services.
• House Bill 4017 is withdrawn from the Committee on Government and additionally referred to the Committee
• Reports of standing committees: Without objection, the reports of standing committees as listed on the

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I hope you hear this committee and hear it well.
• So again, I hope you hear this committee.
• committee they would send me.
• committee they would send me.
• with the Division of Services for the Blind.

Summary: The council opened with a prayer, approved the prior meeting minutes, and received the February 2026 Monthly Revenue Report from Carlos Silva of the Bureau of Legislative Research. He reported gross revenues of $5.36 billion and net collections of $4.5 billion, both above the prior year to date, and said the updated forecast now shows a larger expected surplus. Members asked about declines in some tax categories, natural gas severance fee fluctuations, inflation, and economic development incentives; Silva attributed several changes to timing, refunds, tax cuts, weather, and price volatility, and generally described the state’s revenue trend as positive. The Executive Committee, Administrative Rules, Claims Review, Game and Fish, Higher Education, Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Medicaid studies, Occupational Licensing Review, State Insurance Programs Oversight, and other subcommittee reports were adopted. The Medicaid studies report drew extended discussion about DHS staffing and contract nursing costs at state hospitals and human development centers; DHS officials said they were working on a recruitment and retention plan, reported significant vacancies and turnover, and said the state was not at risk of overspending the contracts. Several members urged reducing reliance on contract labor and moving staff onto state payrolls. The Review Subcommittee report prompted questions about a Department of Public Safety aircraft maintenance item and a Department of Shared Administrative Services contract for Deloitte to implement performance and goals management software tied to the state’s new personnel system. After discussion, the aircraft maintenance item was held briefly and then withdrawn from the hold, while the shared services contract was explained as a one-time integration/configuration project for a system that will support employee evaluations and performance-based pay; the report and the separate contract vote were approved. The Personnel Subcommittee also heard testimony from Commerce Secretary Hugh McDonald about reductions in force at the Division of Services for the Blind, which he attributed to funding shortfalls and fiscal mismanagement; members questioned the impact on blind and visually impaired clients, the status of board appointments, and whether federal funds could be at risk. The report was adopted with immediate consideration, and the meeting ended after filing the remaining APER report and adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• Committee clerk, no, we have several witnesses here today.
• Thank you, Chairwoman Button and committee members for the opportunity to lay out the committee substitute
• services.
• The chair offers a committee substitute to SB 1484.
• Material on digital service.

Transcript Highlights:

• services.
• committee; they come from other committees.
• The primary notion is because it's the health and human services aspects of the workload associated with
• But my counter to that would be: yes, they're helping with health and human services, but they're also
• So I don't think you can make the argument that it would solely fall under health and human services.

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee No. 5 held an informational hearing on the Governor’s May Revision proposals for labor, public safety/judiciary, and transportation, and no votes were taken. In Part A on labor, the Employment Development Department described funding for EDD Next document management work, updated UI loan interest costs, disability insurance and paid family leave benefit increases, WIOA adjustments, UI and school employee benefit changes, an EMT training reappropriation, and a technical correction tied to an EDD Next reversion. PERB discussed reduced funding requests for AB 288 due to litigation and a proposal to implement AB 1 covering legislative employees. DIR presented proposals for legal unit reclassifications, two major IT modernization projects, a new Cal/OSHA emerging technologies unit, a COIA reappropriation, and trailer bill language requiring electronic payment of employer assessments and removing a salary cap for the DWC administrative director. CalHR proposed consolidating employee assistance services into a statewide contract with enhanced support for first responders, and CalPERS and CalSTRS presented budget adjustments tied to investment costs, state contributions, and benefit overpayments. Members focused heavily on the unemployment insurance debt and interest payments, asking why the administration had no concrete plan to pay down principal. Finance and LAO explained that the state’s UI tax structure has long been insufficient and that any long-term solution would need to address both the outstanding federal loan and the structural imbalance in employer taxes. Questions also centered on EDD Next costs and timelines, with the chair asking for clearer long-term project cost estimates and Finance noting that future maintenance and operations costs will continue after implementation. On DIR’s emerging technologies unit, members asked whether it would address AI-driven workplace harms; DIR said the unit would focus on physical workplace safety issues involving AI, robotics, autonomous equipment, and related guardrails, while LAO noted broader labor-practice questions would likely fall outside Cal/OSHA’s scope. In the CalPERS discussion, members raised concerns about transparency in private equity and external management fees, while CalPERS said higher fees reflect a strategy of greater private-market and active-management exposure and are offset by higher net returns. Members urged more information on specific investments and future reporting. For CalSTRS, Finance presented routine contribution and overpayment adjustments, but members also raised broader transparency concerns that CalSTRS staff said they would follow up on separately. Public comment in Part A was dominated by strong support for an immigrant worker emergency relief fund, along with support for apprenticeship and workforce proposals and PERB staffing. The chair and members said they would follow up on where the immigrant relief proposal should be considered, noting it may belong in another policy area. The hearing then moved into Part B with an overview of Judicial Branch-related May Revision items, including court interpreter funding, appellate court security, workload cap changes, lactation room implementation delays, and a reduction to the state court facility construction backfill.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Hooper, the House has offers on Pre-K through 12 education, SB 2510, and Health and Human Services
• Health and Human Services, Health Care, SB 2514.
• Brian Clark, you're recognized to explain the Health and Human Services, Health Care offer.
• Education capital outlay, proviso, and back of the bill; Health and Human Services, Health Care budget
• And Brooklyn Ike, you're recognized to explain the Health and Human Services, Health Care offer.

Summary: The appropriations chairs’ conference committee met to exchange and accept budget offers on several issues. The Senate accepted the House’s revised offer on transportation, tourism, economic development, infrastructure, and related projects. The House accepted the Senate’s Pre-K-12 education budget and projects offer with four project-level changes: adding $200,000 for Workforce Development and High School Classrooms, reducing the Crockett Foundation by $250,000, adding $350,000 for the North Florida after-school agriculture and arts project, and eliminating funding for Roosevelt Elementary School Program Enhancements. The House also accepted the Senate’s administered funds budget offer. The House then presented offers on Pre-K-12 education (SB 2510) and Health and Human Services/Health Care (SB 2514). For Pre-K-12, the House said some rows were closed, some Senate positions were accepted, some were modified, some House positions were maintained, and new positions were offered on rows 12 through 16. For Health and Human Services, the House moved to the Senate position on several lines, including a five-year pediatric cancer research incubator, kept its position on some lines, and proposed new language on Medicaid redeterminations, PACE, Medicaid premium assistance, adult day training reimbursement, behavioral health teaching hospitals, and dental hygienists. The Senate then presented offers on Pre-K-12 education proviso and back-of-bill language, education capital outlay proviso and back-of-bill language, and Health and Human Services/Health Care budget projects and back-of-bill language. The Senate explained that its bump offers were reflected in spreadsheet columns, with some items closed and others marked with highlighted changes; for education capital outlay, the Senate accepted two House positions on rows 48 and 49 and proposed a new issue on row 50. No public testimony was offered on any of the items. The chairs indicated they would continue meeting later that day or evening, and the committee adjourned without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• at the Department of Human Services.
• Service committee chairs.
• </c><00:53:54.400><c> Service</c><00:53:54.799><c> committee</c> governor and Human Service committee
• governor and Human Service committee chairs<00:53:56.680><c> there's</c><00:53:57.040><c> many</c><00
• on Health and Human Services.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Very impressive program that focuses on service.
• Even the Bible told us so that we must protect human lives.
• How would you want your humanity to be judged by other humans on the other side of this imaginary line
• We can do it here to just be humane. These are human beings.
• We can do it here to just be humane. These are human beings.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, a moment of silence for the Parkland shooting victims, quorum call, and the Pledge of Allegiance. The Rules and Ethics Committee special order report for February 13, 2025 was adopted, setting the day’s special order calendar and debate times. The chamber then took up immigration-related special order items, beginning with Senate Memorial 6C, which urged the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to provide guidance and training for 287(g) agreements. Members debated federal immigration policy and state cooperation with DHS, and the memorial passed 85-27. The House next considered Senate Bill 4C, an immigration bill creating new state offenses related to unlawful entry and reentry into Florida and requiring a mandatory death sentence for an unauthorized alien convicted of a capital felony. Members questioned the bill’s constitutionality, including Supremacy Clause, due process, and Eighth Amendment concerns, and several speakers argued it would create separate classes of people and invite litigation. Multiple amendments were offered to narrow or expand exemptions, including protections for Venezuelans on TPS, certain Haitian TPS and humanitarian parole recipients, undocumented people brought to Florida as children working in critical professions, and a proposal to delay action pending court rulings; all of those amendments were rejected. The bill passed 85-29. The chamber then took up Senate Bill 2C, which would create a State Board of Immigration Enforcement led by the Governor and Cabinet, establish a local law enforcement immigration grant program and advisory council, repeal the undocumented-student fee waiver, and appropriate more than $300 million for immigration enforcement. The sponsor described it as supporting cooperation with federal immigration agencies and ending the in-state tuition incentive for undocumented students. Early questioning focused on the impact on “dreamers” and whether the bill would effectively raise their tuition costs; the sponsor said it removed the incentive of in-state tuition but did not bar attendance. The transcript cuts off during that exchange, before final action on SB 2C is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• Your Committee on Health and Human Resources has had under consideration engrossed Committee Substitute
• Your Committee on Health and Human Resources has had under consideration engrossed Committee Substitute
• Your Committee on Health and Human Resources has had under consideration engrossed Committee Substitute
• Your Committee on Health and Human Resources has had under consideration engrossed Committee Substitute
• Your Committee on Health and Human Resources has had under consideration engrossed Committee Substitute

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Reports to standing committees. The objection report to standing committees.
• President, your Committee on Health and Human Services, having under consideration HB 2248, relating
• President, the Committee on Health and Human Services, having under consideration HB 2248, relating to
• Chairman, I move that the Health and Human Services Committee amendment to House Bill 2248 be adopted
• Kavanaugh floor amendment to House Bill 2248, reference to House Health and Human Services Committee

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Human life, not to mention the constitutionality of it.
• Humans who are attempting to enter the United States illegally.
• We cannot rush when we are dealing with human lives.
• WE CAN ALL DO THIS WITHOUT LOSING THE SENSE OF HUMANITY.
• WE CAN DO IT HERE TO BE HUMANE. THESE ARE HUMAN BEINGS, PEOPLE YOU WALK PAST EVERY DAY.

Keywords: immigration enforcement, unauthorized alien entry, death penalty, capital felonies, 287G agreements, in-state tuition, undocumented students, DACA, TPS, Venezuelan immigrants, law enforcement funding, immigration detention, federal preemption, equal protection, constitutional challenges, immigration status determination, school resource officers, conscientious objection, clergy protection, teacher protection

Summary: The Florida House passed two immigration enforcement bills during a special session. Senate Bill 4C creates new state offenses for unauthorized alien entry/reentry into Florida and mandates the death penalty for unauthorized aliens convicted of capital felonies. Senate Bill 2C establishes a state immigration enforcement board, provides $300+ million for local law enforcement immigration cooperation, creates a $1,000 bonus program for officers participating in federal immigration enforcement, and repeals in-state tuition for undocumented students effective July 1, 2025. Multiple amendments were proposed but failed, including protections for Venezuelan TPS holders, DACA recipients, students in critical professions, and conscientious objection provisions for clergy and teachers. Debate included constitutional concerns about federal preemption, equal protection violations, and mandatory death penalty provisions. The session also included a memorial urging DHS to provide 287G agreement training opportunities.

Transcript Highlights:

• Shifting context, telephone services or taxes retail sales, and purchasers of telephone services pay
• You have a committee or advisory committee as well.
• You have a committee or advisory committee as well.
• Committee as well.
• We are providing this to local fire service. ...We are providing this to local fire service.

Bills: HB2579

Keywords: public media, digital equity, funding, media access, communication technology, 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• AB 2767, Errands, to Human Services, and AB 2789, Committee on Judiciary, to Appropriations.
• Being able to reach a human customer service agent can be critical or life-threatening at times.
• Being able to reach a human customer service agent can be critical or life-threatening at times.
• Thank you, Chair Kalra and committee members. I'm Chris Morgenthaler with Habitat for Humanity.
• Services Los Angeles, Jewish Family Services of San Diego, Jewish Family Services of the Desert, Jewish

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This is the Assembly Budget Subcommittee 2 on Human Services Issues.
• We can't claim to be a committee dedicated to human services if we do not recognize the humanity, the
• services.
• Marla Stewart, the Director of the Employment and Human Services Department. Excuse me. Sorry.
• Marla Stewart, the director of the Contra Costa County Employment and Human Services Department.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Human Services opened its first hearing of the year with a discussion centered on CalFresh, the Department of Social Services, and related anti-poverty and immigrant services programs. Chair Jackson framed the hearing as a response to the “historic and enormous challenges” created by H.R. 1, emphasizing that the committee’s goal was to minimize harm to vulnerable Californians. No votes were taken in the hearing. The first major topic was the impact of H.R. 1 on CalFresh eligibility and administration. CDSS estimated major federal funding reductions, with hundreds of thousands of Californians potentially losing benefits under new time limits and work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents, and additional losses among certain non-citizen groups. County welfare directors, eligibility workers, SEIU, and other advocates argued that counties are underfunded and understaffed to implement the new rules, and urged release of the previously authorized $20 million General Fund, a county match waiver, and an additional ongoing workforce investment. LAO and the Department of Finance said they were reviewing the administration’s proposals and emphasized the need to use existing data, automation, and statutory direction to reduce administrative burden and improve implementation. A second panel addressed county administrative backfill and the broader fiscal effects of H.R. 1. CDSS explained that the law shifts more administrative costs to the state and counties beginning in federal fiscal year 2027 and could also create future state benefit costs tied to payment error rates. County and food bank representatives warned that many counties will struggle to absorb the higher match and that penalties tied to payment error rates could worsen budget pressure. Members pressed Finance and CDSS for clearer timelines, written responses, and more detailed workload assumptions, while Finance said it was still analyzing the federal guidance and county resource needs. The final major topic was the California Food Assistance Program (CFAP) and possible state responses for people losing federal CalFresh eligibility. CDSS said CFAP remains limited by statute and by the federal structure it currently uses, but that the planned expansion to Californians age 55 and older regardless of immigration status remains on track for October 1, 2027, subject to funding. Immigrant advocates urged the state to fold newly excluded humanitarian immigrants into CFAP and to invest in outreach and administration, while Western Center on Law and Poverty proposed a broader state-funded anti-hunger response for people cut off by H.R. 1. LAO noted that the CFAP expansion is difficult to estimate and that further policy and technical work would be needed to assess costs and implementation options.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're going to call the Joint Legislative Audit Committee to order.
• Thank you very much, Vice Chair Cabaldon and members of the committee.
• Oh, sorry, this is a joint committee, so a second is required. My apologies.
• Beginning with those members that are not on the committee, we have no members that are not on the committee
• , diversion programs, and other rehabilitative services.

Summary: The Joint Legislative Audit Committee met to consider new audit requests. The State Auditor reported 10 JALAC audits in progress, with several expected to be published over the coming months, and noted that litigation is delaying the Huntington Beach air show audit. The committee approved a consent calendar of four audit requests covering UC library resources, law enforcement information sharing, EDD unemployment insurance claims, and Housing and Community Development housing development monitoring. The committee then heard Assembly Member DeMaio’s request for an audit of SANDAG’s road project management and use of transportation funds. DeMaio argued the audit was needed to restore public trust and examine whether restricted funds, voter-approved revenues, and project commitments were properly handled. SANDAG’s CEO and CFO said the agency manages many funding sources, undergoes frequent audits, and has strengthened internal controls; they said the requested review would be duplicative of existing oversight. After debate, the committee voted the request down. Next, Senator Valadares presented an audit of the Board of State and Community Corrections’ Proposition 47 grant administration, focusing on whether grantees and BSCC are accurately reporting outcomes and recidivism data and whether oversight is sufficient. BSCC said the program already has multiple oversight layers, including Controller audits, and cited reported improvements in homelessness, employment, and recidivism outcomes. The committee approved the audit. Finally, Senator Cortese’s audit of CalHR’s dental benefits procurement and contract oversight was heard, with supporters citing long-standing benefit caps, provider network problems, and retirees’ out-of-pocket costs. CalHR said its network remains strong, that it recently ran an RFP adding MetLife as a second carrier starting in 2027, and that it uses performance guarantees. The committee approved that audit as well, then completed add-on votes approving the earlier consent calendar items before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• So there's Clark County, Clark Public Utilities, Pierce County Human Services, Snohomish County Human
• Services.
• So there's Clark County, Clark Public Utilities, Pierce County Human Services, Nahomish County Human
• Services.
• Pierce County Human Services, Nahomish County Human Services, the rest of the state is served through

Bills: HB2426, HB2606

Keywords: pollution control, efficiency, appeals process, environmental regulation, hearing board, data protection, privacy, performance measures, reporting requirements, office of privacy, 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• on Human Services.
• on Human Services.
• Services (HCS) Waiver Program for the Committee on Human Services.
• nursing program, for the Committee on Human Services.
• in the Committee on Human Services.

Bills: HJR4, HJR6, HB195, HB 13, HB143, HB135

Keywords: occupation tax, securities, financial regulation, tax exemption, legislative amendment, capital gains tax, realized gains, unrealized gains, investment income, asset sale, capital assets, wealth tax, estate tax, trust tax, tax limitation, constitutional amendment, Texas Constitution, Article VIII, property tax, sales tax