Transcript Highlights:

• And physical therapists help patients avoid being involved in the opioid dependency cycle.
• <01:10:52.719> So,<01:10:52.880> it's opioid dependency cycle.
• So, it's opioid dependency cycle.
• advisory board to the next budget cycle. advisory board to the next budget cycle.
• and smoking replacement treatments and smoking sessation. sessation. sessation.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So that would be if we didn't adopt for two consecutive two-year cycles or three-year cycles, excuse
• brought forward on a three-year cycle. brought forward on a three-year cycle.
• Um that's threeear cycles, excuse me.
• replaced made sense.
• bill was being replaced made sense.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The subcommittee first took up House Bill 525, which would have transferred administration of the program for the deaf and hard of hearing and the related board to OPLC. The chair said the sponsor was no longer interested in moving forward, and Representative Schmidt moved ITL. The motion passed 14-0 with two members absent, and the bill was placed on the consent calendar. The committee then considered Senate Bill 182 on the maternal mortality review committee. The chair described a narrower amendment that would keep the name change, clarify operations so recommendations are returned to the appropriate entities, and expand contact with family members and close contacts, while dropping a proposed addition of a Department of Corrections member. The amendment was adopted unanimously, and the bill was then moved ITL and placed on the consent calendar. Senate Bill 185, dealing with OPLC investigations and backlog reduction, received an update from OPLC General Counsel Nicholas Fry. He described efforts to improve public communication, clear the complaint backlog, standardize intake and expert review, add automated responses and website updates, use weekly legal-viability reviews, create preliminary investigation protocols, and establish a process for law-enforcement referrals. Members asked about board involvement and criminal-conviction cases; Fry said boards are kept informed and that such matters can proceed either through complaints or application/background-check processes. Representative Groa requested a follow-up update in January, and the committee agreed to an oral report then if needed. The bill was then voted ITL unanimously and placed on the consent calendar. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 349 on optometrists performing ophthalmologic laser procedures. Dr. Angelique Sawyer testified in support, saying the amendment adds more specific proctoring and qualification requirements, based on language requested after earlier hearings, and that similar systems exist in other states. Representative Sers confirmed that the new sections were the key additions, while Representative Schmidt said he remained open to the concept but wanted a thorough review and asked about a subcommittee. The discussion was still ongoing when the transcript ended, with no vote recorded on HB 349.

Transcript Highlights:

• Planning and design phase funding for a combined replacement facility for 824 students was for 120,156
• Who's going to replace it? Those are some questions that I have.
• of our grants assistance by type, whether it's new awards in the year or whether it was an out-of-cycle
• particular that you also have the ability to have your budget adjusted outside of the appropriation cycle
• Where we're looking at a different type of program than just, oh, come for awards during the cycle and

Transcript Highlights:

• AMOUNT OF MONEY CAN BRING BACK A LOVED ONE THE SOLELY ARGUMENT FROM A MONETARY EXCEPTION CAN BE REPLACED
• IT IS A VICIOUS CYCLE THAT IS UNSUSTAINABLE. THEN LEAD TO MORE MEDICAL MALPRACTICE CLAIMS.
• IT IS A VICIOUS CYCLE THAT IS UNSUSTAINABLE. >> Chair: THANK YOU SIR.
• THERE IS NO AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT CAN REPLACE JOJO.
• SOME ARGUE THAT FINANCIAL COMPENSATION CANNOT REPLACE A LOVED ONE, AND YOU ARE CORRECT BUT WRONGFUL DEATH

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Another example: this is up on 98 in District 3, replacing the drainage systems to be more robust to
• And anytime we replace a bridge that's at the service life, we're going to put all those technologies
• in place to make sure the replacement is going to last even longer than our, you know, the grandfather
• Now, if a priority does not make it into the current work program cycle, it will be held, and then the
• next work program cycle it will be considered again at that point.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Transportation met to hear presentations from the Florida Department of Transportation on rural arterial roadways and transportation resiliency, followed by a panel discussion on metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs). FDOT’s Will Watts described the state’s growing population and travel demand, emphasizing that rural arterials are critical for connectivity, freight movement, evacuation routes, and congestion relief. He outlined FDOT’s project selection factors, noted thousands of identified rural arterial needs with billions in unfunded demand, and explained that the department uses community input and long-range planning to prioritize safety, capacity, and economic development. Watts then discussed resiliency planning for hurricanes and flooding, focusing on structural design, storm readiness, and drainage. He highlighted efforts such as elevated bridges, wave attenuators, coastal armoring, drainage upgrades, and materials testing at FDOT’s research facilities to extend service life and reduce storm damage. Committee members asked about local project selection, materials research, LiDAR use, and legislative support; Watts said local coordination drives project priorities and asked lawmakers to protect the Transportation Trust Fund. The MPO panel, led by FDOT’s Kim Holland, explained that MPOs are federally required in urban areas over 50,000 population and that Florida has 27, the most in the nation. Holland said MPOs identify and prioritize transportation needs through long-range plans and public engagement, and she noted that several regions are exploring consolidation after the 2020 Census, especially in Tampa Bay and Southwest Florida. Representatives from MetroPlan Orlando, Forward Pinellas, Pasco MPO, and Hillsborough discussed their structures and the potential benefits and challenges of merging, including representation, governance, funding, and maintaining local voice. Members generally supported regional collaboration, urged patience as studies continue, and emphasized the need for transparent public engagement, while the committee adjourned after no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• Two, in LCFS, and my colleague from CARB can also speak to this, it examines the life cycle emissions
• So if SAF is being imported into the state, that's also included in the life cycle emissions of that.
• But is this tax credit going to have a life cycle analysis also?
• There's the Farmer Program, Ag Diesel Replacements.
• There's the Farmer Program, Ag Diesel Replacements.

Summary: The meeting began with a budget subcommittee hearing on a proposed sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) tax credit trailer bill. Assembly Members Ávila Farías and another member spoke in support, emphasizing union jobs, refinery investments, and the need to decarbonize aviation. The Department of Finance said the Governor’s proposal would provide a $1 to $2 per gallon credit against the diesel excise tax for SAF sold in California from 2026 to 2036. The Legislative Analyst’s Office recommended rejecting the proposal, arguing it is a relatively expensive way to reduce emissions, has uncertain environmental benefits, could significantly reduce transportation revenues, and conflicts with the spirit of voter restrictions on transportation taxes. Committee members questioned whether the credit would mainly benefit out-of-state producers, whether firms would have diesel tax liability to use the credit, and whether the proposal would shift production away from renewable diesel and raise fuel prices. Administration and CARB staff said the credit is intended to support aviation decarbonization, preserve jobs, and help keep California on track toward its 2045 climate goals. LAO and UC Berkeley testimony countered that the policy could mostly subsidize existing technologies, that feedstock supply is limited, and that the net emissions benefit may be small relative to the cost. Members also asked about the effect on local streets and roads, SHOP, and trade corridor funding; Finance estimated a $165 million annual revenue impact would reduce those programs, while LAO said the reductions would mean fewer projects over time. No vote was taken, and the chair said the issue would remain open for further discussion. The committee then moved to a zero-emission vehicle incentive trailer bill proposing a one-time $200 million appropriation to CARB for a new point-of-sale incentive program focused on first-time buyers and leases of new and used light-duty ZEVs. Supporters said the program would help offset the loss of the federal EV tax credit, maintain momentum in California’s ZEV transition, and use a one-to-one match with participating automakers to double the state’s investment. LAO recommended rejection, saying the proposal does not meet the high budget bar this year, lacks enough program detail to evaluate, is unlikely to move sales significantly given the size of the appropriation, and could duplicate existing state and utility programs. Members asked about current incentives across light-, medium-, and heavy-duty sectors, the recent decline in ZEV sales, and whether the program would help lower-income buyers rather than subsidize purchases that would have happened anyway. CARB said the proposal is meant to fill a gap in the light-duty market, where sales fell sharply after the federal credit expired, and noted existing programs for other vehicle classes. The Department of Finance also addressed a separate question about the Motor Vehicle Account, saying a previously planned GGRF transfer was no longer needed because updated forecasts showed the fund had sufficient balances, though LAO said the account still has a structural long-term imbalance. The discussion ended before any vote or action on the ZEV proposal.

Transcript Highlights:

• A worker retired from that position about six years ago and they were never replaced, and I felt that
• Our single mission is to help low-income families and individuals break the cycle of poverty.
• But our work breaking cycles of poverty goes well beyond food security.
• This replaces the Unified Planning Team, which some of you might be familiar with.
• This replaces the United Planning team, which some of you might be familiar with.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The hearing was an informational and oversight session of the Joint Committee on Children, Families, and Persons with Disabilities, with chairs and members hearing agency updates from several commissioners. The Department of Public Health’s Bureau of Family Health and Nutrition described its maternal and child health work, including home visiting, early intervention, WIC, newborn hearing screening, and cross-agency efforts on prenatal substance exposure, respite care, children’s vision, and maternal health initiatives. DPH emphasized that federal grant cuts, layoffs, and the loss of data systems such as PRAMS would weaken services and planning, and members asked about Title V funding and the impact of federal uncertainty. The Massachusetts Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing highlighted communication access services, interpreter and CART referrals, emergency after-hours support, family navigation, and independent living services. Commissioners and members discussed the shortage of ASL interpreters and the need to expand training pipelines, including partnerships with colleges and possible ASL programming for younger students. The Department of Developmental Services reported serving nearly 50,000 people and focused on youth and adult services, transition-age supports, autism services, self-direction, respite, and new high-acuity residential models. Members asked about respite availability, self-direction outcomes, and workforce shortages; DDS said it was expanding clinical capacity and provider rates while monitoring possible federal Medicaid, SNAP, and immigration-related impacts. The Commission for the Blind described services for about 28,000 legally blind residents, most of whom are older adults, including social rehabilitation, orientation and mobility training, children’s services, assistive technology, vocational rehabilitation, and Turning 22 supports. The commissioner discussed a UMass-based effort to build the workforce pipeline for blindness services and said the agency was watching federal restructuring but had not yet seen direct cuts. MassAbility’s leadership then warned about major federal changes affecting Social Security disability determinations, including staff restructuring, office closures, and a new overpayment repayment policy, and said the agency was preparing for possible increases in claims and uncertainty around reallotment dollars that help fund services. The Disabled Persons Protection Commission closed the hearing with an update on its abuse investigations and protective services for adults with disabilities. DPPC reported rising hotline calls and investigations, a growing caseload, its sexual assault response team, the abuser registry, and a new interagency protective services integration system funded by ARPA dollars through 2027. The agency also flagged new federal rules that could affect funding eligibility and said it may need statutory changes to comply. Members asked about funding, reporting pathways, and how complaints reach DPPC, and the commissioner said the agency uses both mandated reporting and proactive outreach to identify and respond to abuse.

Transcript Highlights:

• That would be transparent to us, or invisible to us rather, until the next budget cycle.
• It was deemed end of life five years ago, and we embarked on a 10-year replacement plan.
• that are our end of life are replaced that are our end of life are replaced with<02:55:17.040>
• replacement of hardware, the servers, and so this is an on-premise system.
• , not just the procurement process, but the entire life cycle of a contract.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: Finance Division 3 met for a work session on House Bill 519, which concerns funding for Waypoint. The chair noted general support for the organization but said the bill would likely need to be suspended and folded into the budget process because the committee did not yet know available revenues or what amount, if any, could be committed. Kya Fox, director of the Division for Behavioral Health, testified that the department supports the bill and the program, explaining that it had been funded with other available funds, including $100,000 for 2024 and $400,000 for 2025, under a contract running through June 30 of this year. She said the shelter serves a unique population of young adults and is part of the department’s children’s system of care and Mission Zero efforts to reduce barriers to psychiatric discharge and emergency department use. Members questioned Fox and Waypoint representatives about the budget placement of the request, the difference between the efficiency budget and prioritized needs, and whether state budget documents would show any internal Waypoint revenues. Fox said the request appears as a general fund item and that the state would not see Waypoint’s internal financial operations in the budget. A legislative member explained that prioritized needs are critical services already in place but not necessarily included in the efficiency budget, and another member said the distinction is not strictly applied. The committee also raised a separate question about how DHHS would handle any future state or federal restrictions on DEI practices; Fox said that was a question for department leadership and legal staff, but that the department follows state law and contract requirements. Waypoint CEO Bor Alvare and Director Mandy Lancaster then described the shelter and related services. They said the shelter serves ages 18 to 24, is a 14-bed open-room facility with half walls, and is staffed overnight by two full-time workers. They said admission is first come, first served, with some vulnerability factors considered, and that they do not discriminate by race, gender, or sexual orientation. They reported no known incidents of sexual violence, though some youth are turned away each night because the shelter is full. They also explained that Waypoint provides broader services beyond the shelter, including outreach, drop-in centers, housing support, rental assistance, and family mediation, and said they serve about 400 youth and young adults in Manchester alone. The discussion ended with questions about whether lowering the upper age limit would affect the program; Waypoint said most residents are already in the 18-to-23 range, but that housing shortages make the current age span important for helping young adults avoid chronic homelessness.

Transcript Highlights:

• We serve about 13,300 meals per day on a five-week cycle, including medical and religious diets.
• We worked hand in hand actually with Kathy Hhar here on the Breaking Cycle Symposium.
• to share approaches to Breaking cycles to share approaches to Breaking cycles of<01:34:42.280>
• And, you know, I think that’s something that came up in our Breaking Cycle Symposium.
• you plan for and fix the chiller replace you plan for and fix the chiller replace the<02:02:57.679

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There's a cycling trail... I suspect it's probably the highest in the state.
• There's a cycling trail...
• There's a cycling trail... I'll send my letter in later. My name is Abby Evano.
• There's a cycling trail... A friend of mine used to hunt in Berlin.
• This is the second session or elected cycle that this bill has been something similar.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• bill that, as mentioned, passed off the floor of the other body with bipartisan support and now replaces
• 00:00:59.840> support,<00:01:00.720> and<00:01:00.880> now<00:01:01.080> replaces
• <00:01:01.840> our bipartisan support, and now replaces our bipartisan support, and now replaces
• With already limited resources in rural areas, this compounds housing instability and perpetuates cycles
• <00:02:37.080> of instability and perpetuates cycles of instability and perpetuates cycles

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, a lot from is this disaster cycle.
• They may still need to replace a vehicle. They may have a gap in doing a complete rebuild.
• have um still need to replace a vehicle. have um still need to replace a vehicle.
• So going back to this disaster<00:41:16.720> cycle,<00:41:17.119> what<00:41:17.280>
• Um, we processed roughly replaced items.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Disaster Prevention and Resiliency Task Force met with a quorum, adopted the minutes from the previous meeting, and heard a presentation from Western Kentucky University’s Disaster Science Operations Center. WKU described its multidisciplinary disaster science effort, including meteorology, emergency management, the Kentucky State Climate Center, the Kentucky Mesonet, and the Disaster Science Operations Center, which was created in 2021 and serves as an operational hub for forecasting, emergency planning, crisis management, training, and decision support. Speakers emphasized applied learning, student field work, partnerships with industry and event venues, and a five-year NSF/UK-led research project focused on weather hazards, disaster preparedness, and building a statewide disaster database to improve mitigation and resilience. Members asked about flooding, the relationship to EKU’s program, Tennessee’s capabilities, and the timeline and goals for the research project; WKU said the data collection is underway and that the evidence suggests tornado risk is shifting east and occurring more at night. A WKU graduate student also described the value of hands-on storm-chasing and operational forecasting experience, saying it helped prepare her for work in forecasting and emergency management. Members asked about her motivation for joining the program and about the practical realities of storm chasing. The discussion also touched on whether Kentucky’s tornado risk is shifting east; WKU said the evidence from tornado observations and other studies points in that direction, with added concern about nighttime events and communicating warnings to vulnerable communities. The task force then heard from Amy Shaquinn of the Mayfield Graves County Long-Term Recovery Group, who outlined the county-level recovery process after the 2021 tornadoes. She said Kentucky ranks among the top states for federally declared disasters, has seen a high number of tornadoes in recent years, and also faces major flood risk and earthquake concerns along the New Madrid fault. Shaquinn stressed the distinction between immediate response and long-term recovery, explaining that response covers rescue, cleanup, temporary housing, and short-term assistance, while recovery is the longer effort to restore survivors to safe, sanitary, and secure housing through local long-term recovery groups. She said community-led recovery is essential and that preparedness and mitigation follow once immediate recovery needs are addressed.

Transcript Highlights:

• by providing workers who are unemployed through no fault of their own a temporary partial wage replacement
• it's for a period of 26 replacement it's for a period of 26 weeks<00:05:09.600> unless<00:05:
• of employer hiring and normal cycle of employer hiring and layoffs<00:18:02.720> again<00:18:
• <00:18:12.000> another<00:18:12.480> another normal business cycle another another
• normal business cycle another another point<00:18:13.159> that<00:18:13.320> you<00:18:

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, that's a two-year cycle.
• So we head through that cycle and then we start with the rules and we work that way.
• Well, that's a two-year<00:32:57.279> cycle.
• So, we head through that two-year cycle.
• uh in the original form will replace uh in the original form will replace page<01:03:32.880>

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The committee convened after briefly waiting for a quorum, approved the minutes and consent agenda, and then moved through several agency rule items. The Department of Transportation’s outdoor advertising rule filing was approved after staff noted the department had addressed substantive comments, though the rules had been expired since 2021 and the agency said it had been operating under statute. Members asked about a denied digital sign proposal, and DOT said that decision was based on statute rather than the rule. The Department of Safety’s administrative license suspension item was postponed with a waiver so the agency could submit conditional approval materials and resolve issues between its forms and rules. The Board of Architects item was conditionally approved, with the condition that the board later approve updated incorporation-by-reference materials at its April 3 meeting or the matter would return as a preliminary objection. The Department of Agriculture’s expired rules prompted extended discussion. Staff and committee members questioned why the department was seeking to adopt rules that had been expired for many years and whether the statutes already provided enough authority to operate without them. Agriculture officials said they were working through a broader modernization effort, focusing on statutes that use mandatory language and updating outdated rules to match current practices, federal standards, and current products such as apples, cider, eggs, and other agricultural commodities. They said the rules before the committee were part of that effort and recommended approval, but members remained concerned about whether some rules were unnecessary. The committee ultimately granted a waiver and postponed the agriculture item for one month so staff could review the underlying statutes and determine whether rulemaking is actually required. Under other business, the committee took up an emergency Department of Safety rule to update DMV forms to reflect statutory fee changes enacted in the 2025 budget. DMV officials said the new fees were already in effect, but the corresponding forms still showed old amounts, causing confusion for customers and elected officials who were fielding complaints. They argued the forms needed immediate updating because the affected forms are widely used, and they said the department had already tried to treat the changes as editorial before being told full rulemaking was required. The department emphasized it was trying to follow the process while avoiding continued use of incorrect fee forms, and asked the committee to allow the emergency rule to proceed.

Transcript Highlights:

• Is there any way, Madam Chair, Madam Vice Chair, to look at the outlook on fixing the cycling system
• Like I said, we have 100-year-old schools that can't get replaced because of not being able to match
• There is a shout, but there is no mandate to replace.
• There's a mandate that if you are replacing, it has to go to. That's the mandate.
• 20232, no water other than cycle where we clean water shall be used.

Transcript Highlights:

• Last year, last legislative cycle, we did pass the Money Transmitter Model Act, which is an act passed
• manual systems anymore; we're replacing existing systems.
• manual systems anymore we're replacing manual systems anymore we're replacing<03:44:36.760> existing
• <03:44:44.439> and expensive than the one it replaced and expensive than the one it replaced
• Um, and the reason being is because they're on a different type of a grant cycle.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard the Banking Department’s fiscal year 2026-2027 budget presentation from Commissioner Amelia Galeri. She described the department as a self-funded consumer protection regulator overseeing two main areas: the Banking Trust Division, which supervises state-chartered banks, credit unions, and trust companies, and the Consumer Credit Division, which oversees more than 7,000 licensees including mortgage and money transmitter businesses. She said the department’s budget is about 86% salaries and benefits, with 53 positions all filled, and explained that the agency funds itself through fees, fines, and end-of-year assessments on regulated entities. Galeri said the department is facing workload growth from several directions: continued growth in the trust industry, increased fintech supervision, and a new requirement to regularly examine auto dealers that take finance applications, which adds about 300 exams over two fiscal years. She said the department was directed to flat-fund its budget based on 2025 levels but was allowed to increase travel and training. To stay within that limit, she said the department reduced office space, went paperless, converted administrative and licensing positions into examiner positions, and expects to defund an embedded DOJ database administrator position once a new SharePoint system is fully implemented. Members asked about how the department’s revenue and assessments work, including whether fees were increasing and how much existing banks would pay. Galeri said fees are not being raised, most banks pay little or no fines, and assessments are based largely on asset size, with trust companies paying the bulk. She also explained that fines are set by statute, generally capped at $2,500 per violation for consumer credit entities, and said she would not recommend increasing that cap. The committee then voted to accept the Banking Department’s budget proposal as presented in HQ1, with a motion and second and no discussion. The transcript then moved to the Department of Energy budget. Commissioner Jared Chakin and Chief of Operations Lenny Radio discussed federal program funding, including LIHEAP fuel assistance and weatherization. They said the apparent drop in fuel assistance funding from FY 2024 actuals to the budgeted amount is due to the loss of ARPA and CARES Act supplemental funds, while weatherization remains a federally constrained program with a waiting list and limited flexibility. Members also asked about a proposed transfer from the renewable energy fund; staff said the transfer would still allow the department to carry out its statutory duties for the year, though the committee deferred deeper discussion until House Bill 2.

Transcript Highlights:

• This change replaced the prior break law, uh, the prior rest break law, which guaranteed an employee
• Likewise, employees should also have the option to choose in to a wage replacement product should it
• Likewise, employees should also have the option to choose in to a wage replacement product should it
• program, each worker's wage replacement program, each worker's wage replacement rate<01:37:03.000
• cycle retail cycles, and construction cycle retail cycles, and construction seasons. seasons. seasons

Bills: HF4110, HF2113, HF4569, HF4414

Keywords: workplace regulations, employee rights, meal breaks, rest breaks, exemptions, paid leave, small employers, employment law, Minnesota Statutes, workforce development, HF4569, Minnesota Paid Leave Law, protected leave, seasonal employee, seasonal worker, hospitality, hospitality industry, DEED, Department of Employment and Economic Development, employer certification

Transcript Highlights:

• :06.360> last costs and I think as we know this last costs and I think as we know this last cycle
• 08.520> not<00:32:08.760> the<00:32:08.840> most<00:32:09.120> special cycle
• we've had if not the most special cycle we've had if not the most special elections<00:32:10.200>
• would just like to know the number of those from your office that happened on average per election cycle
• it with a provisional fraud and replace it with a provisional balloting<00:50:49.040> process

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• on replacing telephone poles.
• on replacing telephone poles.
• the the life cycle cost? the the life cycle cost?
• we're talking about the full life cycle. we're talking about the full life cycle.
• cycle as well? cycle as well?

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, Senator Borrero requests that the Senate Bill be replaced by Bill 7015. Everyone.
• This is a directive bill that replaces references to the term "Division of Investigative Forensic Services
• We saw that, however, back to this current cycle with the amendment that is the initiative being pushed
• I'm sad to say this last cycle we had an individual from the Heritage Foundation on this panel, which
• If you are amendment was already in effect during this last election cycle.

Bills: HB 9, HB 22, HB 908, HB 1392

Keywords: property tax, ad valorem tax, tangible personal property, income-producing property, business personal property, tax exemption, local government finance, appraisal district, chief appraiser, rendition statement, property tax relief, small business, commercial property, leased property, related business entity, unified business enterprise, tax situs, Texas Tax Code, local taxing unit, constitutional amendment