Transcript Highlights:

• And I now need to, for me and my family, work a lot on mental health and suicide prevention so that no
• we serving the early relational health of the parent and infant, the infant and the birthing parent?
• I'm the Division Director for Pregnancy and Early Childhood.
• I'm the Division Director for Pregnancy and Early Childhood.
• And so we have 11 Moms Do Care programs across the state, and we have six First Steps Together programs

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The commission met to reopen its work for the year, with roll call and attendance confirmations followed by remarks from the co-chairs and members. Senator Liz Miranda stepped down as co-chair, citing multiple responsibilities and personal losses, and Senator Adam Gomez was welcomed as the new Senate co-chair. Gomez said he would listen and learn from commissioners and advocates, and both outgoing and incoming leaders emphasized continuing the commission’s work on maternal health, postpartum depression, and equity. Members discussed several current policy and implementation issues. The Department of Public Health reported a new regulation to implement the 2024 midwifery access law, including temporary licenses for licensed certified professional midwives. Commissioners also raised concerns about birthing hospital and inpatient obstetric unit closures, OB-GYN workforce shortages, reimbursement changes, and the need to expand midwifery, doula, and birth center capacity. Other topics included substance use and perinatal mental health supports, the limited $220,000 appropriation for community-based perinatal mental health organizations, and the need for stronger funding in the budget to implement the maternal health law. The commission also focused on future priorities and information sharing. Members suggested more presentations from clinicians, regulators, infant and early childhood mental health experts, and PSI of Massachusetts; greater attention to parent-child relational health and postpartum screening in pediatric settings; and possible commission action such as a letter to the governor on workforce and access issues. The group agreed that there was not enough time to plan a May event and instead would use the commission to publicize related events, including Black Maternal Health Week activities. Commissioners voted to create a biweekly digest for sharing updates, with urgent items to be sent by email, and then adjourned the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:10:33.320><c> program</c> bureaus and program bureaus and program areas<00:10:35.519><c> in</
• They added that Nathan described the residential treatment programs, and that the Families First Prevention
• </c> diversion program and our JJ assessment diversion program and our JJ assessment from<01:39:20.639
• ><01:56:37.800><c> funding</c> violence programs um and uh the funding violence programs um and uh the
• <c> and</c> of our family uh first prevention and of our family uh first prevention and Service<02:01

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The Division 3 House Finance Committee opened a work session and announced scheduling updates, including a second Medicaid work session on March 5 at 9:00 a.m. and a reminder that recommendations or budget amendments must be moved to the full finance committee by the end of March. Members were told no motions, roll calls, or votes would be taken, and the chair also reviewed upcoming meeting dates and weather-related cancellation procedures. The day’s presentation was a budget work session on the Division for Children, Youth and Families (DCYF), with officials Marie Nunan and Nathan White introducing the agency’s budget materials and mission. DCYF’s presentation focused on its core mandates and recent operational changes. Officials described child protective services, juvenile justice services, and the Sununu Youth Services Center, then highlighted workforce improvements, including reduced vacancy rates for assessment caseworkers, juvenile justice officers, and youth counselors. They attributed the staffing gains to legislative pay raises, mass recruitment posting changes, a more stable and trauma-informed model at SYC, and broader flexibility after prior budget cuts and hiring freezes. Members asked about full-time versus part-time staffing, and DCYF said most positions discussed were full-time, with some harder-to-fill part-time youth counselor roles at SYC. The committee also discussed DCYF’s emphasis on serving families earlier through its Community Navigator hotline referrals and community-based voluntary services, which are intended to connect families to supports before abuse or neglect escalates. Officials said the Community Navigator program had received 807 referrals since August 2023. On juvenile justice, DCYF described its assessment and diversion process and said it had reduced juvenile probation involvement by 30% from 2019 to 2023; members were directed to slide 17 for 2024 data, and officials said the trend continued toward fewer in-home juvenile justice cases. The agency also reported progress in kinship care, saying initial out-of-home placements with kin now occur 74% of the time and that kinship placements are associated with more reunification. Officials said kinship caregivers are being licensed and paid similarly to foster parents, and that the legislature’s kinship law has helped. Finally, DCYF outlined transition-age youth supports, including the HOPE program, Youth Villages LifeSet, and housing vouchers. No votes or formal actions were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• I would like to now present SB 837, which requires aging and disability resource connection programs
• Resource Connection programs to offer disaster and emergency preparedness community education tailored
• One such program that CFILC is a holder on is the Disability Disaster Access and Resources Program, which
• It’s about preventing it and avoiding decline before it occurs.
• It’s about preventing it and avoiding decline before it occurs.

Committee: House Aging and Long-Term Care

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• so that they can treat them early and allow them the opportunities to have fulfilling lives and great
• and created similar programs the crisis and created similar programs to<00:40:07.440><c> the</c><00:
• She said the governor’s budget saves money by carving out the program and running it through DHS, and
• program adoptions may be possible and necessary.
• </c><01:41:50.920><c> I</c> these programs across the states and I these programs across the states and

Committee: House Health Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• It speaks to research intended to develop knowledge and practice and prevention intervention for substance
• It speaks to research intended to develop knowledge and practice and prevention intervention for substance
• It's creating the Rural Access to Primary and Preventative Care Grant Program to provide startup grants
• And it's the issue for me is pilot programs. ...have, and it's the issue for me is pilot programs, number
• And I also think that the program is voluntary for banks.

Summary: The Florida Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several recognitions, including interns, Denim Day awareness for sexual assault survivors, a resolution honoring Vietnam veterans exposed to Agent Orange, and a memorial proclamation for former Senator Karen Johnson Gendron. The chamber then moved to special-order bills, with senators also briefly discussing the session’s pace and thanking staff and colleagues for their work. The first major bill, on driving and boating offenses, was amended and passed 37-0. As amended, it increases penalties for repeat DUI/BUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide/vessel homicide offenses, and adds notice requirements and misdemeanor penalties for refusing lawful breath or urine tests. Senators also passed SB 306 on Medicaid providers 37-0, requiring Medicaid managed care plans to offer more after-hours and holiday access and ensuring more primary care appointment availability outside regular business hours. The Senate then passed a major condominium and cooperative associations bill, also 37-0, after extensive debate and multiple amendments. The measure extends deadlines for structural integrity reserve studies, adds flexibility for reserve funding and budgeting, tightens rules for managers and inspectors, limits certain requirements to buildings of three or more habitable stories, and extends the rescission period for condo purchases. Senators from both parties praised the bill’s sponsors for years of work responding to post-Surfside safety and affordability concerns. The longest and most contentious item was SB 7016/HB 1205 on constitutional amendment petition procedures. Sponsors said the bill responds to fraud and abuse in the citizen initiative process by tightening circulator rules, requiring faster submission of signed petitions, adding voter notification, increasing penalties, and shifting costs to sponsors. Opponents argued it would burden volunteers and make it harder for citizens to qualify initiatives. The chamber adopted a series of amendments, including changes to the petition-circulator threshold, volunteer protections, submission timing, invalid-signature investigation thresholds, and notice/cure provisions, while debate continued over whether the overall package would protect election integrity or suppress citizen-led amendments.

Transcript Highlights:

• we've regrouped, and I think we really have to zero in on prevention.
• And I know there's lots of good programs on here that would be beneficial for families and children.
• And I do appreciate that they support programs that affect youth and are working with local communities
• across the state, that it is statewide to prevent child abuse and neglect.
• And this early childhood thing does not fit that.

Summary: The committee first approved the January 29, 2006 minutes, then moved into discussion and recommendations on several Idaho Millennium Fund-related requests. Members repeatedly emphasized that funding should align with the committee’s prevention-focused mission, especially youth substance abuse prevention, and several members raised concerns about the lack of clear performance measures, oversight, and long-term “home” agencies for some programs. There was also discussion about whether some proposals were more like childcare or system-support efforts than direct prevention, and whether future committees should be bound by multi-year commitments. The committee recommended funding for the Idaho Children’s Trust Fund ($692,240 one-time), the Idaho Safety Assessment Center Coalition ($1 million one-time through the Department of Juvenile Corrections), the Idaho Network of Children’s Advocacy Centers ($3 million one-time through the Idaho Council on Domestic Violence and Victim Assistance), the Up River Youth Leadership Council recovery center ($150,000 ongoing through Health and Welfare), and a statewide drug awareness media campaign ($5 million one-time through the Office of Drug Policy). Most of these motions included direction that appropriation language should address distribution, oversight, and reporting criteria, and members discussed the need for a state agency to oversee each program. The Children’s Bridge request for $3.5 million one-time was discussed but the motion died for lack of a second. The committee also debated the governor’s recommendation to appropriate $25 million one-time from the Millennium Fund to the Department of Health and Welfare, Division of Medicaid, to mitigate the impact of the updated Medicaid forecast on the general fund. Some members objected that Millennium Fund dollars should not be used for Medicaid, while others supported the transfer as a one-time budget-balancing measure given the state’s fiscal pressures. The motion ultimately passed, with a request that any unused funds be paid back if possible. The meeting ended after a brief question about whether the ongoing portion of the recovery center funding required a separate motion, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so I will say that when I didn't see it work a lot was early on, and I will say that the staff was
• And I think that that's an example of how this program has grown and become more flexible to really not
• And, can we get back to the programming?
• We have a research grant program, and we've also expanded that grant program to include more research
• on early and often tribal consultation and consultation with the community.

Committee: Senate Rules

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Food as medicine is prevention, and prevention costs less than treatment.
• And these programs exist. These programs exist.
• And so, you know, I know how some of our programs work, and I know that our programs that we do, people
• , and a produce prescription program.
• Last year alone, through our SNAP and our matching programs and our produce prescription programs, we

Committee: House Health and Mental Health

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Health and Human Services having under consideration HB 2248, relating to medical intervention prohibition
• It erodes society's ability to prevent the spread of disease and illness, including... ...ability to
• prevent the spread of disease and illness, including those in which no vaccines exist.
• It also prevents employers, including medical providers and hospitals, from managing their own operations
• And if you're so worried about public health, how about we start talking about prevention for diseases

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a recorded roll call showing 28 present, 0 absent, and 2 excused. The chamber approved the journal and then took up several motions to reconsider or return bills, including requests to return HB 2035 and HB 2249 to the House and to reconsider HB 2192. The Senate then moved into Committee of the Whole for calendar items. In Committee of the Whole, members considered HB 2248, a public health mandates bill; HB 2313, concerning school employee/teacher strike and remote instruction issues; HB 2379, relating to school district governing board training; HB 2380, relating to school district board meetings and expenditures; and HB 2720, relating to prostitution assessments and the anti-human trafficking fund. HB 2248 drew the most debate over whether it would prohibit schools, employers, and medical facilities from requiring medical interventions such as vaccines; an amendment narrowing the definition of medical intervention was adopted, and the bill advanced. HB 2379 and HB 2380 both received committee and floor amendments focused on school board training and livestreaming/meeting transparency requirements, and HB 2313 and HB 2720 also advanced. The Committee of the Whole reported all four bills as do pass, with HB 2248, HB 2379, and HB 2380 as amended. The Senate then adopted the Committee of the Whole report after defeating an amendment that would have changed the HB 2248 recommendation to fail. The chamber next considered HCM 2001 and HCM 2002, memorials urging federal terrorist designations for the Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR, and HCR 2047, recognizing Judea and Samaria; all three passed despite strong opposition speeches criticizing them as targeting Muslim communities or advancing religious/political messaging. The Senate also passed HB 2118 on mobile food vendors, HCM 2009 on mineral access and federal land withdrawals, HCR 2015 on school physical activity and dietary guidelines, HCR 2020 on housing outside designated provider service areas with assured water supply, and HCR 2057 supporting next-generation geothermal energy. Finally, the Senate passed HB 2248, HB 2379, and HB 2380 on third reading, approved the House’s request to adjourn, and adjourned until April 21, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• So if the programs and services, if the child is on an IEP and they're receiving some special programming
• These and other schools piloting similar programs need the support of the state to scale and implement
• They used similar programs and they...
• This is about preparation, prevention, and care.
• Early engagement and inclusive discussions can prevent confusion, reduce unintended consequences, and

Summary: The Assembly Education Committee heard AB 84, a charter school accountability measure focused on non-classroom-based charter schools and fraud prevention. The author and supporters said the bill was intended to respond to the A3 charter fraud case and related scandals by strengthening audits, transparency, authorizer oversight, and funding determination rules, while ensuring public education dollars are used for public education. Supporters included FCMAT, CSEA, CTA, and CSBA, who argued the bill would improve oversight and protect taxpayers. Opponents, including the California Charter Schools Association, Green Dot, many charter parents, educators, and charter operators, said the bill was too broad, would impose major new costs and bureaucracy on all charter schools, and could reduce options for families, especially those using flexible, homeschool, or special-needs charter programs. After extensive testimony and committee discussion, the bill passed on a 5-1 vote and was sent to Appropriations, with the item left open for additional votes. The committee then approved a consent calendar of 11 education bills, including AB 542, AB 563, AB 731, AB 753, AB 784, AB 964, AB 988, AB 1034, AB 1233, AB 1255, and AB 1381, all moving to Appropriations. The consent calendar passed unanimously. Later, the committee heard AB 1454, a literacy and reading instruction bill authored by Assembly Members Rubio and Revis. The bill would require the state to create professional development resources for evidence-based literacy instruction, update English language arts and English language development instructional materials, and revise administrator preparation standards to include literacy training. The authors and a broad coalition of supporters, including CTA, EdVoice, Families in Schools, Decoding Dyslexia, school administrators, and parent advocates, described the measure as a compromise aimed at improving reading outcomes and addressing California’s literacy crisis. There was no opposition testimony at the hearing, and members voiced strong support for the bill and its collaborative approach.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's early on a Thursday morning. Long week, and it's raining.
• Long week week week &gt;&gt; and<00:12:05.920><c> it's</c><00:12:06.079><c> early</c><00:12:06.399><c
• </c><00:12:07.760><c> So,</c><00:12:08.480><c> um,</c> &gt;&gt; and it's early and it's raining.
• So, um, &gt;&gt; and it's early and it's raining.
• And early in my career, I did serve as a guardian ad litem probably for about two or three years.

Committee: House Families & Children

Keywords: 00:00 - Call to Order/Roll Call 01:05 - Discussion of 26RS HB 418 21:23 - Roll Call Vote on 26RS HB 418 22:40 - Discussion of 26RS HB 611 26:00 - Roll Call Vote on 26RS HB 611 26:52 - Discussion of 26RS HB 598 51:25 - Roll Call Vote on 26RS HB 598, 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Texas must act now to retain our existing incentives and provide certainty for business and prevent the
• It broadens access to early intervention services, and it seeks to reduce future dependence on state
• This bill is modeled after a similar and very successful program in Florida. ...after a similar and very
• , some presidents of the universities, and it really was a good program.
• And if it weren't, then I would vote no, because it was an excellent program. We fell short.

Committee: Senate Finance

Summary: The Senate Finance Committee heard several tax and economic development bills. SB 935 would exempt counties from the motor fuels tax on fuel used exclusively in county vehicles; Sen. Hall and Cass County Judge Travis Ransom argued it would save counties money without changing fund allocations, and the bill was left pending while the committee waited for the House version. SB 2206 would extend and revise Texas’s research and development incentives by tying the franchise tax credit more closely to federal law and changing the program’s effective date; supporters from business, manufacturing, and tax policy groups said it would protect innovation jobs and help startups, while the Comptroller’s office explained the fiscal note and said the committee substitute was no longer needed. The committee later withdrew the substitute and left the bill pending before ultimately voting it out favorably. The committee also heard SB 2020, which would repeal the “rehab tax” on nonresidential remodeling. Sen. Campbell said a large fiscal note led him to delay a full presentation, but builders, architects, and contractors testified that the tax raises remodeling costs, complicates audits, and discourages reuse and reinvestment in existing buildings. The bill was left pending. SB 2018 would create a two-year “strong families” tax credit for businesses donating to nonprofits that provide family support services; supporters from Family First, Buckner International, and Texas Baptist said it would strengthen families, father engagement, and upstream prevention, while the author said the Comptroller and HHSC were still working on administration details. That bill was also left pending. After a quorum was established, the committee heard and later reported several bills favorably. SB 1030 would exempt certain aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul parts from sales tax for general aviation; industry, airport, and local economic development witnesses said it would keep high-wage aviation work in Texas and improve competitiveness with neighboring states, and the bill was reported favorably. SB 214 would create a temporary sales tax holiday for qualifying residential HVAC systems; it was laid out and left pending. SB 1901 would make administrative and ethics changes to the Opioid Abatement Fund Council, including staggered terms, conflict rules, and fund reallocation procedures; it was reported favorably. SB 266 would repeal the Texas Research Incentive Program and use the appropriation to address the existing backlog of unmatched donations; the chair and Sen. Paxton said the state should honor past commitments, and the committee substitute was adopted and the bill was reported favorably. The committee then recessed subject to the call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, it renames the program as the agriculture enforcement program and expands the program statewide.
• > enforcement program and expands the enforcement program and expands the program<01:47:37.920><c> statewide
• and the investment having this program and the investment that<01:48:31.400><c> was</c><01:48:31.800
• </c> we as a state become more proactive and we as a state become more proactive and preventative preventative
• received through this program and through the current process.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Madam WIP and members, as passed the House, House Bill 2342 prevents a planned community association
• upon request all household residents who are program participants and with that I have available for
• any interventions and provide any training as prescribed.
• any interventions and provide any training as prescribed.
• District that fails to correct a USFR deficiency a list of approved training programs and providers,

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The Republican caucus reviewed a long list of House bills returned from the Senate with amendments, generally asking staff to describe the changes and then confirming whether the sponsor concurred. Many measures were accepted with little or no debate, including bills on tax filing penalties (HB 2016), court-ordered restitution for homeless or indigent defendants (HB 2028), vaccination and mask restrictions (HB 286), bullion investments by the state treasurer (HB 2140), nursing care complaint timelines (HB 2195), privacy protections for county records (HB 2327), cold plunge regulation (HB 2439), medical records access timelines (HB 2557), licensing board procedures (HB 2660), school and public records provisions, AI governance (HB 2592), fingerprint clearance temporary work authorization (HB 2916), development fees (HB 2946), affordability infrastructure districts (HB 2999), distracted driving penalties (HB 2109), health aide scope of practice (HB 2189), eviction record sealing (HB 2244), backyard structure rules in planned communities (HB 2342), inmate transition services (HB 2440), nuclear-ready community designation criteria (HB 2456), address confidentiality protections (HB 2594), groundwater/medical reimbursement changes (HB 2932), traffic citation signature authority (HB 2369), advanced math enrollment (HB 2423), school district training and intervention requirements (HB 2435), job order contracting limits (HB 2482), special education and placement rules (HB 2621), DCS parent rights notice changes (HB 2661), domestic violence expert testimony standards (HB 2662), inmate mental health study committee provisions (HB 2673), legislative subpoena enforcement (HB 2745), ACA trade office oversight (HB 2752), utility reporting changes (HB 2756), Native American language proficiency credit (HB 2895), mental health judicial review timelines (HB 2923), mobile food vendor licensing (HB 2118), medical intervention/school attendance rules (HB 2248), school board finance training (HB 2379), and school board meeting access/video requirements (HB 2380). Sponsors repeatedly stated they concurred with the Senate amendments, and no roll-call votes were taken in the transcript. A few items were set aside or sent back, including HB 2035 and HB 2249, and one bill (HB 2594) was left pending because the sponsor had not yet responded.

Transcript Highlights:

• the program every year, and also engage with the participants as they go around the state and are in
• And so in order to prevent that from happening and to kind of minimize that, this bill allows financial
• from the perspective of advocacy groups, service providers, and on policies and programs relating to
• Service providers, and on policies and programs relating to Louisiana children.
• strengthening coordination on child safety issues. service providers, and on policies and programs relating

Committee: Senate Health and Welfare

Summary: The Senate Committee on Health and Welfare met on May 6, 2026, with five members present and adopted the April 28 minutes. The committee first heard a presentation on the new Leadership Louisiana Health Fellows Program, a leadership and networking initiative focused on Louisiana health care challenges such as workforce shortages, rural access, chronic disease, and the economic impact of health care. Speakers described it as a cross-sector program intended to build informed leaders and support collaboration with health systems, insurers, providers, LDH, and the Louisiana Hospital Association. The committee then moved through a series of bills, generally adopting amendments and reporting measures favorably. SB 57, a nutrition/labeling bill, was amended to delay the effective date for the labeling provision until December 31, 2028, and was reported as amended. HB 62 increased membership of the Louisiana Women’s Policy and Research Commission and was reported as amended, and HB 193 adjusted membership rules for the Sickle Cell Commission foundations and was also reported as amended. HB 815 would allow financial institutions to receive death certificates to help close accounts and avoid problems with automatic payments and federal benefit clawbacks; it was reported favorably. SB 405, which had been heard earlier, was reworked to codify LDH’s new Ascend nursing home quality initiative, including short- and long-term quality oversight goals, stakeholder involvement, internal expertise, and reporting requirements; after reconsidering prior amendments, the committee adopted the new amendment and reported the bill as amended. The committee also advanced several health and human services bills. HB 222 would allow Medicaid dental coverage when needed to clear a patient for another covered medical procedure, and it was reported as amended after LDH said the cost could be absorbed. HB 420 expanded DCFS background-check requirements to cover staff with access to sensitive records, and HB 475 required verbal consent before AI is used to record or transcribe a medical visit; both were reported favorably. HB 246 updated membership of the Children’s Cabinet Advisory Board and the council for grandparents raising grandchildren, including replacing an inactive coalition seat with the state police, and was reported as amended. HB 486 joined Louisiana to the psychology interjurisdictional compact to expand access to psychologists through telepsychology and temporary practice across state lines, and HB 574 updated outdated board names in the Mental Health Advisory Services Board statute; both were reported favorably. Later, the committee heard HB 949, which would create a licensure framework for radiologist assistants to help address radiologist shortages and improve imaging access, especially in rural areas. Testimony emphasized that RAs work under radiologist supervision and would extend capacity without replacing physicians; the bill was reported favorably. HB 584 required foster children to be provided luggage or similar items instead of trash bags when moving placements, and also corrected language in the Foster Youth Bill of Rights from “privileges” back to “rights” while extending the bill’s applicability to children from birth to age 18; it was reported as amended. The committee also reported HB 1214, which restructures certain LDH state facilities into a more unified system, and HB 1092, a technical renaming/terminology cleanup bill, both favorably. Finally, HB 203 added members from Christus Health System and Xavier University’s College of Medicine to the uterine fibroids commission and was reported favorably before the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• To the United States in the 70s in Detroit, and there was a similar program in place, and that just made
• They allow district and charter leaders to raise concerns early. Dr. Stefan Scott?
• I'm looking at the maintaining of an evaluation program of the system that monitors implementation and
• And so this monitoring program, the evaluation program, this is what that is referencing.
• "To support that family for their benefit programs and medical and health care provisions.

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 124, which would create a permanent Office of New Americans within the Department of Workforce Solutions. The sponsor and supporters said the office would help immigrant and refugee workers access training, licensing, language support, and other workforce resources, while also helping employers fill labor shortages in industries such as construction, agriculture, oil and gas, health care, and child care. Support came from advocates, business groups, faith organizations, and immigrant-rights groups; there was no opposition. Members asked about data protection, the number of other states with similar offices, and whether the office could help recruit and credential foreign-trained medical professionals. The bill passed on a do-pass motion with several yes votes and some no votes recorded, and the sponsor explained the vote as a way to support families and workforce integration. The committee then considered House Bill 314, which would authorize zero-interest loans through the Local Government Division for political subdivisions to repair flood- and debris-damaged public infrastructure and remove debris from the October 19, 2024 storm event. There was no public testimony in support or opposition. Members briefly asked about the $150 million appropriation and whether it was already in the budget, and the sponsor said it was. The bill received a do-pass motion, a second, and was approved without opposition. Finally, the committee took up Senate Bill 64, as amended, to codify the Office of Special Education and a deputy secretary position within the Public Education Department. The sponsor and department officials said the bill would formalize an office already created by executive order, improve statewide coordination, support compliance with IDEA and the Yazzie-Martinez case, and develop a statewide IEP template to reduce inconsistency across districts. They emphasized that gifted education would remain in Curriculum and Instruction and that the bill would not add new paperwork or mandates for districts. Supporters included education leaders, disability advocates, vocational rehabilitation, and special education professionals; there was no opposition. Members raised questions about parent understanding of IEPs, monitoring and enforcement, funding, charter school coverage, and the treatment of gifted and twice-exceptional students. The bill passed on a do-pass motion with unanimous support from those present.

Transcript Highlights:

• The program that has been developed at LMU and at Colorado State is a five-semester program of 65 to
• levels and the recovery prevention strategy.
• And as she stated, this is one of those projects. It's in the early planning and design phase.
• this ensures funding for that program, if and...
• And dangerously short-sighted push to sow skepticism of vaccines and public health prevention.

Bills: S0036 , S0620 , S0796 , S0934 , S1080 , S1096 , S1366 , S1536 , S1548 , S1580 , S1588 , S1620 , S1756 , S7034 , S7044

Committee: Senate Rules

Keywords: nursing title, advanced practice registered nurse, advertising, professional standards, disciplinary action, candidate qualifying, federal office, election integrity, regulatory compliance, political candidacy, veterinary medicine, telehealth, veterinary professional associate, animal health, public safety, access to veterinary services, payment bond exemption, Habitat for Humanity, Florida Forever Act, land acquisition

Summary: The committee first took up SB 354, the “Blue Ribbon Projects” bill, which creates a framework for large planned communities on at least 15,000 contiguous acres with 60% reserved area and a streamlined local review process. Senator McLean presented the bill and a strike-all amendment, and members raised concerns about local control, conservation enforceability, data centers, concurrency, multi-county projects, and whether reserve lands could later be converted. Audubon Florida and 1,000 Friends of Florida opposed the bill, arguing the conservation protections were not permanent enough and that the reserve areas could be changed later; small-county representatives also worried about tax-base impacts. Supporters argued the bill would better manage growth, preserve green space, and provide a more orderly alternative to sprawl. After debate, the committee voted to report the bill favorably. The committee then approved SB 620 on candidate qualifying, which requires candidates for federal, state, county, district, judiciary, school, and school board offices to disclose any non-U.S. citizenship. Amendments added disclosure about whether federal candidates intend to trade stock if elected and adjusted 2026 congressional qualifying procedures in the event of redistricting, including a new qualifying window and petition rules. The bill was reported favorably after brief support from a member of the public and discussion about candidate vetting. The committee also reported favorably CS/CS/CS/SB 1452, a Department of Financial Services bill with amendments addressing My Safe Florida Home notices, condo pilot eligibility, firefighter hiring, unclaimed property, and related financial-services provisions. Next, the committee approved CS/CS/SB 1620, a school board members’ bill of rights. A substitute amendment narrowed the bill to access to records, fiscal transparency, and nondisclosure agreements, while preserving board members’ rights to timely documents, budget information, and public comment, and setting deadlines for records requests. Superintendents and a school board member testified in support, saying the bill clarifies roles and prevents board members from being frozen out. The committee also passed CS/HB 245, which replaces the term “child pornography” with “child sexual abuse material”; one senator supported the terminology change but warned about preserving legal precedent and avoiding appellate issues. The committee then reported favorably SB 1548, an update to the Live Local affordable housing law expanding eligible sites and clarifying setbacks, airport proximity, and fair-housing protections. Finally, the committee took up the veterinary medicine bill creating veterinary professional associates. The bill allows trained master’s-level VPAs to perform limited veterinary services under a veterinarian’s supervision, and an amendment tightened the standard to immediate supervision on premises. Supporters said the measure would expand access to care, especially in rural areas with vet shortages, while opponents argued it added unnecessary regulation. After testimony from veterinary educators and others, the bill continued with support expressed by committee members, including praise for the direct-supervision amendment.

Transcript Highlights:

• And the bill also directs the programs.
• early diagnosis and detection.
• Early intervention, prevention, and public education are critical to reducing the burden and improving
• diagnose dementia in their patients, which delays care and underscores the necessity of early intervention
• for</c> prevention, awareness, and hope for prevention, awareness, and hope for families.<01:28:26.880

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• IT STRENGTHENS EARLY INTERVENTION EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY AND WORKFORCE TRAINING FOR CHILDREN AUTISM.
• AND PROVIDES ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO SCREEN CHILDREN AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE.
• WE NEED TO REALLY GO DOWN THIS ROAD BIG TIME AND ESTABLISH GRANTS FOR SUMMER PROGRAMS.
• EARLY INTERVENTION AND RELATED SERVICES FOR CHILDREN WHO CONTINUE UNDER THE EARLY STEPS EXTENDED OPTION
• SCHOOL THAT PROVIDES GOOD GRUBS AND PROGRAMS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES TO BE ABLE TO HAVE JOBS AND

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• with</c> programming and the partnership with programming and the partnership with Mayo<00:04:18.000>
• stage</c> and getting those early stage and getting those early stage Investments<00:36:21.760><c> um
• program management team and to uh to the program management team and then<01:27:09.280><c> any</c><01
• manager</c><01:27:29.239><c> our</c> and the program finance manager our and the program finance manager
• <01:27:40.199><c> of</c> program and to the state of program and to the state of Minnesota<01:27:42.199

Committee: House Higher Education Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house