Transcript Highlights:

• from 71,998 to 80,980, an 8,991 square foot increase.
• , and a net increase of 13,245 gross square feet.
• It's increased from $101,000 to $240,000.
• Also, we've included a 3% compensation increase for staff.
• And so, it's a $250,000 increase from last year, just to this year with the increases with SIMS, as well

Committee: House Public School Capital Outlay Oversight Task Force

Transcript Highlights:

• When property values are increasing, sales are increasing, that's going up.
• When property values are increasing, sales are increasing, that's going up.
• Anything over that is to be characterized as a tax increase.
• An increase as to property value?
• It could only increase 10%. So we had a 19% increase in taxable value.

Committee: Senate Finance and Tax

Summary: The Committee on Finance and Tax met with a quorum present and heard a presentation from the Property Appraisers Association of Florida on ad valorem valuation, exemptions, and the property tax process. Lauren Levy reviewed the legal and historical framework of Florida property taxation, including Save Our Homes, the 10% cap on non-homestead assessments, portability, tangible personal property exemptions, TRIM notices, and the distinction between taxable value and millage rates. He emphasized that property appraisers are independent constitutional officers who assess just value, administer exemptions, and are overseen by the Department of Revenue, with values and exemptions generally determined as of January 1 and subject to challenge through the Value Adjustment Board or circuit court. Mike Twitty described the mass appraisal process in Pinellas County, explaining how property appraisers value large numbers of parcels using the same core approaches as fee appraisals but with statistical testing, field reviews, aerial imagery, and technology. He discussed the importance of budget, staffing, and the January 1 valuation date, and noted that recent hurricanes caused significant damage, increased petitions, and required new procedures to help property owners with value reductions and FEMA-related issues. Paul Polk focused on Department of Revenue oversight, explaining sales ratio studies, uniformity measures such as COD and PRD, time adjustments, sales qualification reviews, and in-depth studies that can lead to corrective action if assessment standards are not met. He also noted that the Department reviews property appraiser budgets to preserve independence from county pressure. Senators asked about the supersized homestead concept, DOR review and rejection standards, value trends, and the impact of storms and new construction on taxable value. Twitty and Polk said value growth has been driven by a mix of new construction, market appreciation, cap resets, and storm-related adjustments, while noting that some counties saw market value decline even as taxable value rose. They also said some property tax relief proposals would be easier to implement than others depending on how local tax bills are structured, especially where law enforcement millage is separately identified. No votes were taken on legislation, and the committee adjourned after the presentation.

Transcript Highlights:

• No, sir, you wasn't increased during the pay plan.
• This will increase Shared Services’ total authorized positions from 42 to 46 and increase their regular
• So if you all increase the foundation funding amount, then the EFA scholarship amount automatically increases
• So if funding increases, though, is there a budgeted amount for the EFAs to increase?
• I don't expect dollar for dollar, but if it increased by $100, do we know what that would increase the

Committee: All JBC-PERSONNEL

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:08:35.159><c> rates</c> equivalent as well as increases rates equivalent as well as increases
• </c><00:08:54.160><c> these</c> services these rates increases these services these rates increases these
• ><c> all</c> rate increases impact almost all rate increases impact almost all outpatient<00:08:57.279
• </c> sent to the ER which L led to increased sent to the ER which L led to increased trust<00:12:57.440
• </c> Health crisis and the increasing Health crisis and the increasing inability<00:21:08.200><c> to<

Transcript Highlights:

• So a really, really nice jump in terms of increasing the So a really nice jump in terms of increasing
• So that amount did increase.
• So accounting for the increases and decreases reflects tax increases, not changes caused by properties
• Things like increasing water cut, so per each barrel of oil produced, potentially have increases in water
• So as taxable value increases, the 60 mills it generates increases, the state decreases its share that

Committee: Joint Tax Reform and Relief Advisory Committee

Summary: The committee met to receive updates from the Tax Commissioner’s office on property tax relief programs and related compliance work. Commissioner Brian Croshys reviewed the Homestead Property Tax Credit, Disabled Veteran Credit, and Primary Residence Credit, noting that the Homestead program expanded significantly after HB 1158, that some households are “adjusting out” of eligibility as incomes rise, and that the committee may want to consider indexing income thresholds. Members asked for additional data on bracket breakdowns, possible costs of eliminating income limits for seniors, and how many households are zeroed out by the combined programs. Croshys also discussed the simpler administration of the disabled veteran credit, the growth in participation, and the heavy workload and auditing safeguards built into the new primary residence credit system. He said the department found no material compliance findings and that the program is designed to be digital-first, with county auditors and the Tax Commissioner’s office both involved in review and notification. The committee recessed for lunch and later reconvened, with the chair noting that more detailed PRC information would likely be available at a September meeting. Shelly Myers then presented the statewide property tax increase, or “zero growth,” report and the 2025 statistical report. She explained how county auditors report levy and valuation data, how increases and decreases are counted, and which jurisdictions showed the largest percentage changes in countywide, citywide, school district, and park district levies. In the statistical report, she summarized recent trends in assessed values: agricultural values remained relatively flat, while residential, commercial, and centrally assessed property values increased over the past five years. She also reviewed statewide tax levies by property class and clarified that centrally assessed growth figures were annual averages. Members discussed how shifts in land use and annexation can make it appear that tax burdens are moving from ag to residential/commercial property. Myers then summarized the interim study on the 3% levy limitation under HB 1176, saying most counties complied without budget changes, while some used hiring freezes, deferred purchases, or reserve funds; 23% of counties had to reduce levies, and the affected funds were mainly general, road and bridge, and weed control. She said 12 counties reported zero new growth in the data and that 35 counties reported not using all of their cap. The committee also received an oil tax presentation from Croshys on the stripper well extraction tax exemption. He outlined the number of active stripper wells, the production and revenue implications of the exemption, and projections for future biennia under different tax scenarios. He said the exemption represents substantial savings to operators but also corresponds to production tax revenue that would otherwise be collected, and he emphasized that future outcomes depend on oil prices, well counts, and technology such as CO2 enhanced oil recovery. Nathan Anderson of the Department of Mineral Resources briefly answered a question about why Red River wells have a different production threshold than Bakken wells, explaining it was tied to completion costs and lateral length. The committee then heard from Charlie Gorecki of the EERC, who presented an analysis of typical Bakken well decline curves and argued that most oil is produced before a well reaches stripper status, but that keeping wells open and investing in refracturing or other interventions can recover additional production. No votes were taken during this portion of the meeting; the main actions were receiving reports, asking for follow-up data, and scheduling further discussion for a later meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm sorry, that 522% increase is on 2-year-olds, to 77% increase on 3-year-olds.
• I'm sorry, that 522% increase is on two-year-olds, to 77% increase on three-year-olds.
• Both increases across the board. Thank you for clarifying that.
• This represents a 70% increase in funding and a 62% increase in positions.
• Programs are being asked to move from increased stability back to increased volatility.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so that number has steadily increased over time.
• And also, yeah, they'll definitely increase.
• One is the ESA program, both from the increase in participation and the increase in average Both from
• the increase in participation and the increase in average cost per child constitutes about $59 million
• The executive wants to increase that by $20 million.

Committee: House House Appropriations Committee of Reference

Summary: The Committee of Appropriations met on January 21, 2026, and first considered House Bill 2116, which would appropriate $1 million in fiscal year 2027 to the Colorado River Litigation Fund. The sponsor and Arizona Department of Water Resources both supported the bill, describing it as a backup measure to protect Arizona’s Colorado River entitlements if post-2026 negotiations among the basin states fail. Members discussed how the bill relates to the governor’s separate Colorado River Protection Fund proposal, and staff clarified the two funds serve different purposes. The committee approved HB 2116 on a 17-1 roll call vote. The committee then took up House Bill 2053, which would provide $100,000 for updated stormwater recharge mapping and expand the work beyond state trust lands to private lands. An amendment in the chair’s name was adopted to extend the coordination timeline, broaden the agencies involved, and revise language about mapped sites and appropriable surface water. The sponsor said the bill is intended to identify more places to capture stormwater for recharge rather than letting most rainfall evaporate. ADWR testified neutrally, supporting the mapping effort but raising a concern about language that could be read as requiring the department to determine whether water is appropriable, which it said is a legal question for the courts. The amended bill passed 11-7. House Bill 2148, as amended, was then heard and approved 11-7. The bill would give the legislature authority to appropriate non-custodial federal monies and set requirements for those appropriations. The chair’s amendment excluded federal research grants to universities, university employees, and the Arizona Board of Regents. The sponsor framed the bill as a transparency measure, saying the legislature should know how federal funds are being spent. No outside testimony was offered, and the committee approved the measure after debate about legislative oversight of federal funds. After the bills, the committee received a lengthy JLBC presentation comparing the executive budget with the JLBC baseline. Discussion focused on revenue forecasts, tax conformity, sports betting, lottery and tourism revenue assumptions, SNAP administrative costs and error-rate penalties, developmental disability and Access caseload growth, and K-12 enrollment and ESA spending. Members repeatedly questioned the executive budget’s use of one-time funding for ongoing costs, especially for SNAP administration and DES staffing, and expressed concern about rising supplemental needs and the lack of long-term budget capacity. No votes were taken on the presentation.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so that number has steadily increased over time.
• And also, yeah, they'll definitely increase.
• One is the ESA program, both from the increase in participation and the increase in average Both from
• the increase in participation and the increase in average cost per child constitutes about $59 million
• The executive wants to increase that by $20 million.

Bills: HB2053 , HB2116 , HB2148

Committees: House Appropriations , House House Appropriations Committee of Reference

Keywords: stormwater, recharge mapping, water resources, groundwater, appropriation, Arizona, HB2116, Colorado River, litigation fund, water rights, Arizona water law, general fund appropriation, state budget, interstate water compact, Colorado River Compact, water litigation, A.R.S. 45-119, natural resources, water policy, river management

Transcript Highlights:

• increase.
• There's a $1.6 million increase in salaries.
• Again, this $587,000 increase is what we've been doing with the increase for recruiting... ...and retention
• In the last couple of years, even though we had this big rate increase since the pandemic, rate increases
• And when's the last time you increased premiums? Mr.

Transcript Highlights:

• Because this is going to increase the cost of your premiums.
• Is this going to increase rates?
• The opposition mentioned 15% to 25% premium increases on average.
• Is that because we saw an average of—that's what was the increase of building code increases?
• So that piece doesn't mandate an increase in the coverage.

Committee: Senate Insurance

Transcript Highlights:

• So when the basic formula allowance increases, a handful of other categorical programs also increase.
• This would be an increase in 2027.
• </c> This is an increase of This is an increase of 26,679,000<00:05:24.240><c> in</c><00:05:24.400><c
• For charter schools, that 2.74% increase will feel like a 94% increase. Let me say it again.
• For charter schools, that 2.74% increase will feel like a 94% increase. Let me say it again.

Committee: Senate Education Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• how much is the what's the increase how much is the increase<00:30:25.799><c> from</c><00:30:26.000>
• </c><00:30:51.600><c> um</c> 343,000 so this bill would increase um 343,000 so this bill would increase
• </c><00:31:23.360><c> for</c> request for an increase for request for an increase for a<00:31:25.159>
• </c> million gallons sold an 11% increase million gallons sold an 11% increase from from from 2023<01
• </c><01:21:38.400><c> above</c> would be a $1.5 million increase above would be a $1.5 million increase

Bills: HF770 , HF857 , HF38 , HF1500 , HF43

Committee: House Agriculture Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• That equates to a 77% increase in six years.
• In 2020 through 2024, the CPI increased by 3.3% and property tax collections increased by 13.9%.
• Will sales tax increase? Will local governments be forced to raise fees? Will sales tax increase?
• your garbage fees, increase your fire fees, and increase everything else that we can think of so that
• to approve such an increase by a supermajority, unanimous vote, or referendum depending on the increase

Transcript Highlights:

• part of the vehicles in increasing part of the vehicles in Minnesota<00:03:54.360><c> and</c><00:03:
• </c> Of road projects that were increasing Of road projects that were increasing our<00:05:12.039><c>
• I do suggest changing a little bit on how frequently these fees are increased.
• It's a $62 increase for people that have EV vehicles. That's it on an annual basis.
• </c><00:14:28.920><c> the</c> Minnesota subsequently increasing the Minnesota subsequently increasing

Transcript Highlights:

• There was a cascade effect of salary increases.
• If that's a 63% increase, that is very significant.
• They decide to increase the number of firefighters.
• The cost has not increased, but the scope of the project has.
• I mean, they quoted multiple times a 33 percent increase. increase in cost for every single project they

Bills: SB3038 , SB3045 , SB3065 , SB3069 , SB3071 , HB2025 , HB2149 , HB3370 , HB4205 , HB4506 , HB5424 , HB5652 , HB24 , HB3687 , HB24

Committee: Senate Local Government

Transcript Highlights:

• in property value, so they budget for the increase of the tax revenue.
• in property value, so they budget for the increase of the tax revenue.
• So for the first two years this goes into effect, there would be a reduction in the budgeted increase
• Local analysis—yeah, they have a local... increase in the revenue I also had a increase in the revenue
• </c><00:09:59.640><c> in</c> budget they budget for an increase in budget they budget for an increase

Summary: The Senate State and Local Government Committee met and first took up Senate Bill 79, sponsored by Senator McDaniel, with testimony from McDaniel and Deputy Secretary Robert Long of the Personnel Cabinet. They described the bill as a cleanup measure for personnel law that would, among other things, add interns to the definition of employee while excluding them from full-time employee status, remove the Personnel Cabinet secretary as an ex officio member of the KERS Board, clarify personnel board membership and grievance rights, limit appeals of satisfactory-or-above evaluations, address layoffs and reemployment rights, allow leave donation in certain resignations or retirements, restrict remote work from outside Kentucky without approval, permit deductions for unreturned state equipment, and make DJJ facility supervisors non-merit positions. The committee voted on SB 79 and passed it with favorable expression. The committee then heard Senate Bill 67, presented by Chair Nemes, an elder property tax bill. The bill would freeze the assessed value of a primary residence for homeowners age 65 or older until the property is no longer their primary residence, while still taxing at the current rate. Nemes said the measure was intended to help seniors on fixed incomes and noted a fiscal analysis showing little to no direct revenue loss, though it could reduce projected budgeted growth in property tax revenue. Committee discussion noted a local impact and a statewide budget impact estimate of about $4 million for the first two fiscal years. SB 67 also passed with favorable expression, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:03:06.800><c> here</c> couple of uh small fee increases here couple of uh small fee increases
• employees, and judge health insurance increases and the Minnesota Justice Center lease increase.
• And this is not an increase. The increase is on the line above.
• Uh the increase is on the line increase.
• increases and article 3.

Committee: Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• This has led to an increase in turnover and vacancies.
• This has led to an increase in turnover and vacancies.
• The remaining $122,000 is to increase our OPS staff.
• And we ask that you increase hearing officer pay by 17%.
• And we're just asking for incremental increases over time.

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

Transcript Highlights:

• So increasing licenses means increased fees, which means additional revenues that support our operations
• of past CPI levels, the total pool has increased significantly; therefore, California's share is increasing
• The second increase is.
• As a result, the increase in staff and the increase in the cost of doing business for staff has greatly
• due to increases in poverty.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Human Services heard an informational hearing on child welfare, foster care, community care licensing, child support, and related budget issues. CDSS described the Governor’s proposed child and family services budget, emphasized a family-centered and kin-first approach, and reported that foster care entries and congregate care placements have declined over the past decade. Witnesses also highlighted the importance of extended foster care to age 21, while noting persistent racial disparities for Native American and Black children and the need for stronger prevention, family finding, and community-based supports. A major focus was the proposed tiered rate structure (TRS), which CDSS said would shift funding from placement-based rates to child-centered supports, including care and supervision, strength-building dollars, and immediate needs funding paired with high-fidelity wraparound services. CDSS and county representatives said implementation is on track, with foundational policy guidance expected by the end of the year, CANS/CFT timeliness targeted by year-end, and the CWS CARES system nearing go-live in October 2026. Counties and providers raised concerns about whether the rate model and wraparound capacity will be sufficient, especially for higher-acuity youth, and asked for more data, clearer guidance, and continued collaboration. County Welfare Directors Association representatives also requested continued emergency response funding and an extension of flexible family supports, arguing both are needed to stabilize front-end child welfare work and bridge to TRS. Providers from FFAs and STRTPs warned that insurance costs, provider closures, and the transition to TRS could threaten service capacity unless the state addresses long-term insurance and reimbursement issues. LAO noted the Governor’s budget contains no new child welfare augmentations and said the main General Fund change reflects the expiration of one-time funding. No votes were taken; members instead asked for follow-up data, technical assistance, and possible future legislative or trailer bill solutions, including on insurance and implementation timelines.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> bankruptcy increase is large. bankruptcy increase is large.
• </c><00:02:43.480><c> And</c> the increase in family violence. And the increase in family violence.
• Last year's bill, 75% of the... gives selected eligible increased odds gives selected eligible increased
• in problem gambling, an increase in domestic violence, an increase in homelessness, an increase in bankruptcies
• And I think the fact that it shows an increase in it... An increase in it.