Transcript Highlights:

• </c> candidates they voted for. candidates they voted for.
• </c> general election for those candidates general election for those candidates nominees. nominees.
• allowed to the sorry um the candidate allowed to the candidates<01:48:27.600><c> are</c><01:48:27.840
• </c> 54 elections independent candidate 54 elections independent candidate requirements.<02:10:20.719
• candidate requirements.

Committee: Joint Corporations, Elections & Political Subdivisions

Transcript Highlights:

• have additional time to try to better understand the nuances of the measures before us and the candidates
• have additional time to try to better understand the nuances of the measures before us and the candidates
• have additional time to try to better understand the nuances of the measures before us and the candidates
• For them to be aware and confident of their vote for every single candidate, for every single issue,
• Representative Alos: No vote. for every single candidate, for every for every single candidate, for every

Summary: The House convened with 46 members present and five excused, deferred reading of the journal, and noted there were no messages from the governor or Senate communications. Members then offered several introductions recognizing guests in the gallery, including LifeSmarts awardees, DCCA and LifeSmarts program officials, former Representative Pono Chong and his children, an intern from District 39, a landback advocate, and staff from the Education Committee office. The chamber also marked the close of Education Week 2025 with applause and recognition of the visiting students and supporters. The main floor presentation was House Resolution 211, which congratulated the first- and second-place teams at the 2025 Havi LifeSmarts State Competition and the 2025 U.S. Senate Youth Program delegate. Representative Tam presented the resolution, praising the Eolani Raiders for winning first place and wishing them well at the upcoming Chicago competition. Representative Hashimoto recognized Kalanianaole High School’s second-place team, and Representative Woodson honored Wilson Chow of Maui High School for his leadership and service. The resolution was adopted by voice vote, and the House recessed briefly to allow members to congratulate the honorees. After recess, the House took up a large block of standing committee reports, moving reports 1406 through 1504 with a series of member notations including no votes, reservations, and a few brief explanations. Several members raised concerns about specific measures involving emergency readiness centers, immigration-related legal access, blank votes on ballot questions, electricity costs and Hawaiian Electric, and gambling. Some members spoke in support of measures while noting reservations about cost, process, or policy effects. The full package of reports was ultimately adopted by voice vote. During announcements, Representative Garcia read a statement from Representative Jean Ward announcing her resignation effective at the end of the month due to ongoing health issues, including anemia, sciatica, and pneumonia, after nearly 27 years of service. The House then adjourned by voice vote until 12:00 noon on Monday.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have CS for SB 280 on candidate qualification. Good morning.
• Our current law requires a person seeking to qualify for nomination as a candidate for partisan office
• For your bill, this past election cycle, and a primary scenario, I had a candidate that changed his party
• And prior to filing, the circuit court says, we have no authority to remove a candidate who lied on this
• form based on a First DCA rejection of that and putting a candidate back on a ballot.

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Summary: The Judiciary Committee met with a quorum present and considered several bills. SB 106 on exploitation of vulnerable adults would allow service of process on scammers through the same nontraditional communication methods they use; it passed 8-0. CS/SB 280 on candidate qualification would create an enforceable party-affiliation requirement and a private right of action to disqualify noncompliant candidates; it passed unanimously. CS/SB 948 on flood disclosures was amended to extend disclosure requirements to residential leases, condo developer leases, and mobile homes, with tenant remedies if disclosures are not provided and flooding causes major losses; it passed 8-0. The committee also advanced CS/SB 498 on IOTA interest rates after a lengthy debate over legal aid funding and bank regulation. Supporters argued the bill would restore sustainability and fairness to the program by setting alternative interest-rate benchmarks, while opponents said it would cut funding for civil legal aid and that banks participate voluntarily. After testimony from legal aid leaders and bankers, the bill passed 7-2. SB 774, requiring clerks to electronically transmit certain mental health, substance abuse, and risk protection orders to sheriffs within six hours, was presented in response to a fatal Volusia County incident and passed 11-0. CS/SB 752 on defamation and online publication was amended to require removal from a website rather than the internet, then passed 8-2 after testimony from the media, a private attorney, and supporters who said it would help people harmed by false online reports. The committee also heard SB 832 on former phosphate mining lands, which would create a narrow defense against strict liability claims if notice and gamma radiation survey requirements are met. The bill was amended to clarify notice provisions and received support from industry and technical witnesses describing radiation surveys and reclamation practices. The transcript cuts off before the final vote on SB 832, so no committee action on that bill is shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• The only difference that we'll have, like with some other agencies, is the candidate— from the time it
• takes the candidate to come in and actually do fingerprints.
• So we fingerprint all of our candidates as well.
• The first candidate that we offered it to refused the job; the second candidate had a background issue
• Okay, so the Miami-Dade sales representative position, position number 106, the candidate starts on 2

Summary: The subcommittee met to review agency vacancy reports and agency-requested budget reductions, with Chair Lopez framing the discussion around stewardship of taxpayer dollars, agency efficiency, and whether long-vacant positions should be cut or repurposed. Members were given vacancy summaries and asked to focus on how agencies are functioning with current staffing, which positions are mission critical, and whether some vacancies reflect market pay issues, re-engineering of work, or true excess capacity. The chair also noted that agency heads had been asked to provide follow-up information on current openings, average vacancy duration, mission-critical roles, and reasons for vacancies. The Department of Revenue was the first major agency reviewed because it had the largest number of vacancies. Its leadership said vacancies had improved from pandemic-era highs due to market pay adjustments, but that some areas—especially general tax and audit—still had long-term openings. The department explained that some positions are intentionally frozen while work is restructured, that it hires above minimum salary in some cases to stay competitive, and that it is using automation and process changes to reduce backlogs. Members raised concerns about vacancies outside Leon County, out-of-state auditor positions, salary compression, and whether the department should provide a list of frozen positions and the salaries actually needed to recruit. The Department of Financial Services said its long vacancies were concentrated in risk management, law enforcement, and the general counsel’s office, where salaries and competition from private employers and other agencies make hiring difficult. DFS said it was using outside vendors in some areas, had reduced vacancies in its general counsel office significantly, and was willing to identify positions that could be cut, including some from treasury and OAT. The Department of Business and Professional Regulation reported progress in lowering vacancies through statewide recruiting, centralized legal hiring, automation in service operations, and leadership changes in alcoholic beverages and tobacco; it said one recommended cut could be achieved by combining two half-time positions. The Florida Lottery reported a low vacancy rate, said all positions were critical, and explained its longer onboarding time due to extensive background checks; members discussed sales reps, incentives, and the agency’s field-office structure. The Office of Financial Regulation said many of its vacancies were already in the hiring pipeline, with recent vacancies tied to promotions, a death, and internal moves, and noted that it often serves as a training ground for federal agencies. The Office of Insurance Regulation, which had a high vacancy rate concentrated in Leon County, said it had been reducing vacancies from a much higher level and was still working through hiring and administrative constraints.

Transcript Highlights:

• Campaigns require significant time, energy, and money, forcing candidates to face the threat of a second
• Forcing candidates to face the threat of a second campaign within months favors those with the flexibility
• Although candidate Lacey McKay properly completed the nomination process and was certified for election
• As the sole candidate for the position, Ms.
• I am the candidate in question.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Election Laws

Summary: The committee held a hearing on several late-file local bills, with testimony focused mainly on municipal governance and election-related home rule petitions. Representative Silver supported H.5556 for a Fall River polling place change, saying the locations were reviewed by the Secretary of State’s office and supported locally to improve accessibility, especially for voters with disabilities. Testimony also supported H.5539 for Danvers recall elections and S.3118/H.5542 concerning the Groton-Dunstable Regional School District, where witnesses said a candidate was improperly left off the ballot due to an administrative error and should be allowed to fill the full three-year term. Most of the hearing centered on H.5521, Sudbury’s recall-election petition. Supporters argued the measure was lawfully adopted at a heavily attended special town meeting, reflected local self-government, and provided an accountability tool for elected officials. They emphasized that recall provisions are common in Massachusetts and said the bill’s safeguards, including signature thresholds and election procedures, were reasonable. Several Sudbury residents and former officials described the meeting as well-publicized and broadly participatory, and urged the committee to respect the town vote. Opponents, including the Sudbury League of Women Voters, former officials, and residents, argued the bill was rushed, lacked public review, and should go through a fuller charter process. They objected to the absence of stated grounds for recall, the low 10% signature threshold, the short three-month waiting period, and the simultaneous successor-election feature. One witness asked that the bill be sent for further study rather than approved as written. No votes were taken during the hearing, and the chair closed by inviting written testimony and then adjourned the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill, AB 1443, is a suspense candidate and will be referred to the suspense file.
• This bill, AB 1443, is a suspense candidate and will be referred to the suspense file.
• This item is a suspense candidate. It will be referred to the suspense file.
• This bill is a suspense candidate, so it will be referred to our suspense file.
• This item is a suspense candidate, so this bill will be referred to the suspense file.

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Revenue and Taxation met under suspense-file procedures, with the chair explaining limits on testimony, position letters, and that bills with fiscal impacts of $150,000 or more would generally be sent to suspense rather than voted on immediately. Several bills were pulled from hearing, and a consent calendar of committee bills later passed 4-0. AB 761 by Addis, the only item initially slated for a vote, was ultimately held over to the next hearing. The committee heard testimony on a series of tax-related proposals. AB 232 would create catastrophe savings accounts for homeowners to save pre-tax money for wildfire, flood, or earthquake-related expenses; it drew support from the Department of Insurance and the California Bankers Association, but was sent to suspense. AB 1443 would exempt tips from state income tax for five years and was supported by the California Restaurant Association and a restaurant owner, but also went to suspense. AB 1435 would provide relief to businesses and property owners facing cleanup and security costs from unauthorized encampments and illegal dumping; it received broad support from business, real estate, trucking, retail, and local government representatives, and was referred to suspense. The committee also heard AB 1428, which would create a California Affordable Child Care Fund financed by a 0.5% tax on income above $10 million; child care workers and SEIU-backed witnesses supported it, while taxpayer and business groups opposed it as harmful to competitiveness and affordability. AB 691 proposed a tax credit for adopting shelter pets and covering veterinary costs, AB 1219 proposed a middle- and low-income personal income tax cut, AB 1354 proposed a credit for increased homeowners insurance premiums, AB 19 proposed an education savings account/voucher-style program, and AB 567 proposed insurance rate stabilization and related tax/fund changes; each drew testimony for and against where present, but all were referred to suspense. The meeting ended with the committee adjourning after the held-over AB 761 item was postponed.

Transcript Highlights:

• presume that such coercion wouldn't also target our presidential electors the next time a presidential candidate
• ... ...coercion wouldn't also target our presidential electors the next time a presidential candidate
• So you gave an example where Massachusetts would support candidates.
• Where Massachusetts would support a candidate who's a Democrat, and yet nationally, a Republican had

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Election Laws

Summary: The Committee on Election Laws held a hearing with three bills on the agenda, though the transcript focuses primarily on House Bill 5086, a measure to reform the handling of presidential electors. Testimony from Public Citizen, the Uniform Law Commission, and Protect Democracy supported the bill, describing it as a way to prevent “faithless electors,” require a pledge of faithfulness, replace any elector who violates that pledge, and ensure Massachusetts meets updated federal Electoral College deadlines. Witnesses also emphasized concerns about political coercion and threats against public officials, and several noted that similar laws have been adopted in many other states. Committee members raised questions about how the bill would interact with Massachusetts’ participation in the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact. Witnesses responded that the bill is intended to be fully compatible with the compact, but suggested a minor amendment to make that clearer and avoid any mistaken reading that the bill weakens or rejects the compact. They also explained that the bill would not change how Massachusetts currently appoints electors under the compact framework, but would protect those electors from pressure or coercion. After questions concluded, the chair noted that testimony had also been heard from Representative Breguire, the Governor’s office on the other two bills, and Representative Hogan. No votes were taken during the hearing, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• And she's the 2025 Hawaii State Youth of the Year candidate representing the Boys and Girls Club Spalding
• Youth of and she's the 2025 Hawaii State Youth of the<00:04:15.040><c> Year</c><00:04:15.360><c> candidate
• c><00:04:15.920><c> representing</c><00:04:16.400><c> the</c><00:04:16.560><c> Boys</c> the Year candidate
• representing the Boys the Year candidate representing the Boys and<00:04:17.120><c> Girls</c><00:04:

Transcript Highlights:

• It stops candidates from using their campaign donations to buy tickets to other candidates' fundraisers
• If a candidate wants to support a colleague or another up-and-coming candidate, they should participate
• It stops candidates from using their campaign donations to buy tickets to other candidates' fundraisers
• If a candidate wants to support a colleague or another up-and-coming candidate, they should participate
• If a candidate wants to support a colleague or another up-and-coming candidate, they should participate

Bills: HB1977 , HB1764 , HB1934 , HB2533 , HB1790 , HB2181 , HB1870 , HB2140 , HB2468 , HB2358 , HB1588 , HB1688 , HB1986 , HB2030 , HB2195 , HB1949 , HB1695 , HB1950 , HB2094 , HB2115 , HB2297 , HB2336 , HB2416 , HB2049

Committee: House Finance

Keywords: maternal health, infant health, mobile application, Medicaid, healthcare access, state programs, music education, public concerts, Hawaii State Library, cultural collaboration, music accessibility, libraries, education, reading programs, early childhood, nonprofit, community engagement, teacher retention, Hawaiian language education, special needs schools

Transcript Highlights:

• Our current law requires a person seeking to qualify for nomination as a candidate for office, at the
• A person seeking to qualify for nomination as a candidate for office must, at the time of subscribing
• Although current law requires candidates to state such information and affirm it in writing, courts have
• The bill also authorizes a qualified candidate or political party with qualified candidates in the same
• race to bring an action based on the claim that the person seeking to qualify as a candidate did not

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opening prayer, Pledge of Allegiance, several introductions, and an announcement that there would be no weekend conference. The chamber then took up a long special-order calendar of bills, generally moving each measure through third reading and final passage, often by substituting House companion bills. Early measures included trust law modernization (SB 786/HB 895), military affairs changes and Guard retirement corrections (SB 474), rounding rules for cash transactions as pennies phase out (SB 1074), podiatric medicine regulation and informed-consent requirements (SB 1092), veterans court expansion (SB 50/HB 199), RV park special assessment clarification (SB 118), concurrent jurisdiction for juvenile offenses on military installations (SB 502/HB 351), alcoholic beverage loss deductions (SB 678/HB 1137), and bail bond/pretrial release revisions (SB 600). Most passed unanimously or near-unanimously; SB 600 passed 36-1 after questions about charitable bail bonds and an amendment aligning with the House version and prosecutors’ concerns. The Senate also considered bills on portable electronics and eyewear insurance (SB 772), the linking industry to nursing education fund and health science workforce programs (SB 1246), recovery residences and behavioral health licensing (SB 1030, with a technical amendment on background checks and probationary licenses), felony battery enhancements for repeat offenders and offenses against law enforcement (SB 436), and child welfare changes including foster-home visitor screening, a permanent statewide Step Into Success program, and a best-practices repository (SB 1718). These measures were explained by sponsors as efforts to streamline regulation, improve workforce and health-care training, strengthen public safety, and reduce administrative burdens while preserving safeguards. Votes on these bills were overwhelmingly favorable, with final tallies typically 36-0 or 37-0. A major portion of the meeting was devoted to a farewell tribute to Senator Lori Berman. Members from both parties praised her leadership, collegiality, policy work, and advocacy on issues including voting rights, women’s rights, Israel and antisemitism, school safety, breast cancer, and family law. Berman delivered a lengthy farewell reflecting on her 16 years in the Legislature, her caucus leadership, and the importance of dignity, respect, and public service. The Senate adopted a motion to spread her remarks upon the journal and then recessed before returning to continue the calendar.

Transcript Highlights:

• The first step in the process begins with a Regent Candidate Advisory Council.
• A new candidate can come in at any stage of this process.
• </c><01:20:27.239><c> and</c> and screen candidates uh for Regents and and screen candidates uh for Regents
• </c> these people would be good candidates these people would be good candidates for<01:20:49.560><c>
• </c><01:21:09.159><c> nominations</c> also accept new candidate nominations also accept new candidate

Committee: House Higher Education Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• The abrupt termination of our grant leaves our candidates having really difficult decisions to make:
• Your second question about what do we do with all the other candidates: so our SEED money mostly paid
• That our candidates are teaching alongside a prepared mentor teacher, they're learning about teaching
• Your second question about what do we do with all the other candidates: so our SEED money mostly paid
• Your second question about what do we do with all the other candidates: so our SEED money mostly paid

Bills: HF6 , HF52 , HF53

Committee: Senate Education Finance

Keywords: education, literacy, science of reading, school performance, funding flexibility, innovation zones, equity and inclusion, HF52, New Germany, wastewater treatment, wastewater facility, sewer infrastructure, capital investment, bonding bill, state bonds, Public Facilities Authority, municipal infrastructure, water quality, sanitation, sewage treatment

Transcript Highlights:

• Haitians, immigrants, were killing and eating pets, and it was repeated by the vice presidential candidate
• This spring, our state's own official voter guide, mailed to 23 million households, carried a candidate
• statement that braided anti-Semitic ...the 23 million households carried a candidate statement that
• Union tried to get candidates to boycott our community from civic life, grouping Jewish California with
• I was a write-in candidate for California governor. You had said something very interesting.

Transcript Highlights:

• and it adds a CPA licensing option intended to address time and cost limitations felt by several candidates
• 00:07:29.919><c> felt</c><00:07:30.240><c> by</c><00:07:30.479><c> several</c><00:07:30.800><c> candidates
• </c> limitations felt by several candidates limitations felt by several candidates under<00:07:31.599
• new to the health care system,<00:13:58.720><c> an</c><00:13:58.880><c> exam</c><00:13:59.199><c> candidate
• </c> system, an exam candidate, absolutely. system, an exam candidate, absolutely.

Committee: House Licensing, Occupations, & Administrative Regulations

Transcript Highlights:

• Thirdly, appointing a superintendent allows us to expand the pool of highly qualified candidates, which
• allows us to have qualified candidates to choose from.
• candidates which allow<00:11:37.360><c> us</c><00:11:37.600><c> to</c><00:11:38.240><c> have</c><00:
• 11:38.800><c> qualified</c><00:11:39.360><c> candidates</c><00:11:39.839><c> to</c> allow us to have
• qualified candidates to allow us to have qualified candidates to choose<00:11:40.399><c> from.

Bills: HB180

Committee: House Local Legislation

Keywords: education, county superintendent, appointed, elected officials, Conecuh County, local control

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 359 by Representative Bowie to enact Title 18 relative to candidates not affiliated with a
• party and qualifying dates of candidates.
• It explains that the Secretary of State will return the qualifying fees for those candidates.
• But basically, it sets up those steps to make it clear for all the candidates and the folks.
• Candidates will need 250 signatures and will have until July 9 to obtain them. return the fees?

Bills: HR275 , HR276 , HR277 , HR278 , HR279 , HR280 , HR281 , HR282 , HR283 , HR284 , HCR112 , HCR113 , HR265 , HR266 , HR267 , HR268 , HR269 , HR270 , HR271 , HR272 , HR273 , HCR107 , HCR108 , HCR109 , HCR110 , HCR111 , SCR63 , SCR66 , SCR67 , SB414 , SB484 , SB513 , HR168 , HR174 , HR194 , HR216 , HR264 , HCR54 , HCR74 , HCR79 , HCR85 , HCR87 , HCR94 , HCR95 , HCR97 , HCR98 , HCR104 , SCR23 , SCR29 , SCR33 , SCR38 , HB75 , HB705 , SB54 , SB56 , SB72 , SB79 , SB97 , SB105 , SB123 , SB125 , SB129 , SB163 , SB171 , SB252 , SB287 , SB375 , SB386 , SB461 , SB466 , HR84 , HR188 , HR205 , HR3 , HR197 , HR243 , SCR19 , SCR3 , SCR6 , SCR18 , SCR11 , SCR22 , SCR2 , SCR20 , SCR24 , SCR35 , HCR6 , HB301 , HB359 , HB657 , HB675 , HB680 , HB727 , HB39 , HB58 , HB112 , HB134 , HB155 , HB187 , HB287 , HB462 , HB782 , HB825 , HB846 , HB903 , HB904 , HB929 , HB941 , HB962 , HB1200 , HB4 , HB623 , HB944 , HB986 , HB1098 , HB1222 , SB45 , SB58 , SB71 , SB81 , SB92 , SB100 , SB109 , SB141 , SB156 , SB181 , SB203 , SB204 , SB205 , SB207 , SB213 , SB214 , SB216 , SB229 , SB257 , SB274 , SB290 , SB304 , SB374 , SB379 , SB396 , SB410 , SB425 , SB427 , SB429 , SB479 , SB522 , SB34 , SB164 , SB172 , SB198 , SB208 , SB232 , SB281 , SB286 , SB317 , SB322 , SB334 , SB380 , SB385 , SB409 , SB417 , SB421 , SB430 , SB439 , SB447 , SB458 , SB510 , HB842 , HB633 , HB1191 , HB625 , HB1255 , HB251 , HB582 , HB646 , HB819 , HB998 , HB1257 , SB197 , SB436 , SB78 , HB901 , HR20 , HR74 , HCR65 , HCR71 , HB284 , HB302 , HB306 , HB341 , HB366 , HB393 , HB458 , HB577 , HB603 , HB605 , HB614 , HB733 , HB752 , HB773 , HB798 , HB911 , HB955 , HB996 , HB1035 , HB1069 , HB1113 , HB1140 , HB1180 , HB1240 , SB82 , SB89 , HB258 , SB149 , SB382 , SB441

Keywords: highway maintenance, signage, transportation safety, DOTD, infrastructure, public safety, federal grants, job creation, carbon storage, carbon dioxide storage, carbon capture and storage, CCS, mineral rights, mineral owners, oil and gas, disposal wells, injection wells, advanced drilling, carbon sequestration, Louisiana energy policy

Transcript Highlights:

• They will recommend candidates to the governor.
• :01.279><c> the</c> will recommend candidates to the will recommend candidates to the governor.<00:16
• </c><00:16:07.600><c> Um</c><00:16:08.079><c> so</c> members to to re amend candidates.
• Um so members to to re amend candidates.
• and recommend three vet candidates and recommend three candidates,<00:31:52.960><c> we</c><00:31:53.279

Transcript Highlights:

• , though it does happen, not very many people write in a candidate, and I'm sure these smart software
• He said it can come from a candidate and does not have to be a party.
• </c><01:10:16.679><c> May</c><01:10:17.000><c> appoint</c><01:10:17.920><c> by</c> nonpartisan candidate
• </c> can come from a candidate can come from a candidate and<01:10:26.400><c> it</c><01:10:26.560><c>
• and and a lot of times the candidate and and a lot of times the city<01:14:25.120><c> Council</c><01

Committee: House Elections Finance and Government Operations

Transcript Highlights:

• can see how it's going that the governor only gets to pick from the three nominees or the three candidates
• who are attorneys could create real or perceived conflicts of interest when evaluating judicial candidates
• And so they come out with three candidates.
• These are the only three candidates that the governor can select from.
• He can't go out and select an equally qualified candidate from the rest of Oklahoma.

Bills: HB4248 , HB4429 , HB2588 , HB3472 , HB4317 , HB3462 , HB2035 , HB3501 , HB3127 , HB3143 , HB3144 , HB3260 , HB4321 , HB3011 , HB3522 , HB3530 , HB3940 , HB3078 , HB3043 , HB3005 , HB3007 , HB3403 , HB1907 , HB3175 , HB3986 , HB3466 , HB3411 , HB4246 , SJR49 , HB3281 , HB4319 , HJR1086 , HJR1024 , HJR1087

Keywords: HB4248, hemp beverage, hemp drinks, THC beverage, cannabis beverage, intoxicating hemp, age restriction, under 21, minor possession, youth access, public health and safety, Title 63, Oklahoma Statutes, retail sales, alcohol-style regulation, controlled substances, beverage regulation, proxy advisory services, shareholder rights, financial transparency

Transcript Highlights:

• The current law requires a person seeking to qualify for nomination as a candidate for partisan office
• Although current law requires candidates to state such information and affirm in writing, courts have
• substantive requirement in addition to an existing requirement that a person seeking qualification as a candidate
• The bill also authorizes a qualified candidate or political party with qualified candidates in the same
• race to bring an action based on the claim that a person seeking to qualify as a candidate did not comply

Committee: Senate Ethics and Elections

Summary: The Committee on Ethics and Elections met with a quorum present and took up Senate Bill 62 by Senator Errington, which would create an enforceable requirement that partisan candidates meet the 365-day party affiliation or no-party registration requirement before qualifying. The committee adopted an amendment changing the effective date to upon becoming law, heard no opposition, and then approved the bill. The committee also approved a slate of 15 gubernatorial nominees en bloc and recommended them to the floor. The Florida Supervisors of Elections presented their 2026 legislative priorities. Their requests included automatically updating voter records when DHSMV changes driver license numbers, treating verified petition signing by inactive voters as voter activity that restores active status, adding election equipment and ballots to the state’s critical infrastructure protections, clarifying public-records treatment of election worker names and addresses, allowing more flexibility for early voting sites when a supervisor’s office is not suitable, eliminating the need for provisional-ballot envelopes when polling hours are extended by emergency order, and allowing vote-by-mail voters to remain on the list for the next general election unless they opt out. Senators asked questions about inactive voter status, security implications, early voting site requirements, and vote-by-mail renewal, and several members expressed support or interest in the supervisors’ proposals. During public testimony, several speakers urged stronger election-integrity measures, including proof of citizenship, tighter chain-of-custody controls, more hand-counting or manual audits, quarterly list maintenance, and reduced reliance on vote-by-mail and voting machines. They also criticized current audit systems and cited outside reports and research they said showed vulnerabilities in Florida’s election process. No additional committee action was taken after public testimony, and the meeting adjourned.