Transcript Highlights:

• President, so someone who actually participated in this program, graduated the veterinary school and
• , graduated the veterary this program, graduated the veterary school<00:19:34.320><c> and</c><00:19:34.559
• It leaves the high school activities association open to continue to change their program if they need
• High school rodeo is not a part of the high school activities association.
• High school rodeo is not a school rodeo.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This is very prescribed by HUD, and our program is an IRS program, a Treasury program, that prescribes
• </c><01:25:03.760><c> A</c> the construction. The developer does. A the construction.
• </c><01:27:34.239><c> um</c> HUD and our program is an IRS program um HUD and our program is an IRS program
• It was constructing student commons and recreational fields and a speed school and engineering building
• It was constructing student commons and recreational fields and a speed school and engineering building

Keywords: 0:00:07 Call to Order and Roll Call 0:00:47 Approval of Minutes 0:01:05 Correspondence and Information Items 0:54:15 Lease Rpt from Postsecondary Institutions 0:56:19 Project Rpt from Finance and Administration Cabinet 1:08:46 Lease Rpt from Finance and Administration Cabinet 1:13:00 Rpt from Office of Financial Mgmt - KIA 1:20:00 Office of Financial Management 1:35:50 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The meeting began with routine business, including welcoming new committee member Senator Reginald Thomas, approving the minutes, and receiving a correspondence report on several information items. Those items included University of Kentucky research equipment funding, UK capital project funding using federal/private funds, debt issues from McGoffin County and Owen County school districts, lease modifications by the Division of Real Properties, asset preservation project revisions at Eastern Kentucky University and Northern Kentucky University, and Kentucky Communications Network Authority (KCNA) information on Kentucky Wired critical infrastructure. The main discussion focused on a dispute over the Kentucky Wired communication shelters, or “huts,” and related payments under KCNA’s agreement with Asellicom/Excel. Brad Kilby of Asellicom testified that KCNA had not paid for the huts, that Asellicom had not received the alleged $8 million or any later payment, and that Asellicom remained the legal owner. Committee members pressed him on whether payment had been received, whether anyone else might have received it, and whether the lawsuit or dispute resolution process clarified the issue. Kilby said no payment had been received and that the matter was part of ongoing litigation. KCNA Executive Director Doug Hendricks and General Counsel Adam Atkins then testified. They said a certified check for $8.5 million was mailed in July, based on the Finance and Administration Cabinet secretary’s determination that $8.5 million was due under the model procurement code, even though KCNA had initially requested about $12 million to cover a worst-case estimate. They said the contract allowed payment in full or in tranches, that the huts were completed and operational, and that KCNA had not received documentation supporting Asellicom’s higher $10.1 million claim. Members expressed frustration over the missing check and the broader implications for Kentucky Wired, and one member requested that the committee obtain all agency requests related to KCNA/Kentucky Wired since inception; the co-chairs said they would look into making that information available. No formal vote was taken on the dispute during the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Imagine if we can't process nutritional assistance, housing assistance, mobility services to get elders
• Imagine if we can't process nutritional assistance, housing assistance, mobility services to get elders
• </c><00:46:45.760><c> housing</c> nutritional assistance housing nutritional assistance housing assistance
• Schools were shut down. High school graduations were canceled.
• were shut down High School schools were shut down High School graduations graduations graduations cancelled

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> construction jobs. construction jobs.
• Schools are not included in that measure. Schools are not included in that measure.
• Schools are not included in that Schools are not included in that measure. measure. measure.
• for their before-school care.
• Can schools do this already? Can only Can schools do this already?

Committee: Senate State and Local Government

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , and school settings across the state.
• It is unclear why we would want to prohibit people with expertise in school construction from sitting
• Austin Blair is a student at Flagstaff Christian School and is involved with sports and a lot of school
• What would a school be required to do?
• should go to work for a school.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Providing school districts the option to replace school buses with electric or zero-emission alternative
• fuel school buses.
• Allowing school districts to enter into agreements for the use of their electric school buses as electric
• finance, making changes to the public school funding formula, increasing the basic program unit for
• House Bill 63 also changes the at-risk program unit, calculates the at-risk index for charter schools

Transcript Highlights:

• She serves as assistant director of House of Timothy, a Central Florida mentorship and residential program
• CS for CS for SB 182 established the school teacher training and mentoring program within the Department
• The bill does four things that affect Florida virtual schools, which is our distance learning program
• program that helps hundreds of thousands of Floridians get that virtual and The Florida Virtual School
• School is a public school.

Summary: The House opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, a quorum call, approval of the journal, and adoption of the special order calendar. The chamber then took up several Senate bills on special order, with members offering questions and debate before final votes. The first major measure, CS/SB 156, the Officer Jason Rayner Act, would reclassify certain offenses against law enforcement officers and add manslaughter of an officer to the life-sentence reclassification statute. Supporters said it honored Officer Rayner and clarified that resistance to officers with violence is unlawful; opponents argued it reduced judicial discretion and could sweep in unintended cases. The bill passed 100-8. The House next passed CS/SB 688 on naturopathic medicine, which creates a regulatory framework and licensure standards for naturopathic physicians, defines scope limits, and establishes a board under the Department of Health. Supporters framed it as a consumer protection and medical freedom bill, while opponents called it an expansion of scope and criticized the low penalty for unlicensed practice. It passed 85-22. The chamber also passed CS/CS/SB 1062 on speech and debate education, creating a Florida Speech and Debate Hall of Fame, a Speech and Debate Week, and a statewide debate initiative, by a unanimous 112-0 vote. Members then approved CS/CS/SB 1220, a broad transportation bill covering FDOT authority, airports and seaports, drone and delivery devices, autonomous vehicle crimes, tolls, and other transportation issues; an amendment added provisions on Space Florida, golf carts, automated license plate recognition, and related matters while removing digital driver’s license repeal language. The bill passed 87-23. SB 962 on affordable housing, which clarifies that Live Local Act zoning preemption does not unintentionally capture working farms and farm operations, passed 109-2. Finally, CS/CS/SB 1580 on aiding illegal gaming was introduced and discussed; it would strengthen penalties for illegal slot machines and unregulated gaming arcades, clarify reporting and enforcement, and preempt local regulation, with questions focused on VFWs, sweepstakes, fantasy sports, and online betting. The transcript then shifted into lengthy farewell remarks and recognitions, including tributes from members leaving the House and acknowledgments of guests in the galleries.

Transcript Highlights:

• I entered high school.
• Recently, the island school was named for her: Karen Jones Lamb Decatur Island School.
• Yeah. ...air assistance or heir foundation.
• programs to help heirs and/or probate administrators find assets. ...heir assistance or heir foundation
• Before going to law school, I served for a few years as a legislative assistant to then-Congressman Denny

Bills: HB2543

Committee: Senate Law & Justice

Keywords: county clerk, fees, local government, administrative costs, revenue generation, 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I own A+ Driving School.
• I own A+ Driving School.
• The school<00:07:46.319><c> buses</c><00:07:46.800><c> handle</c> school buses handle school buses handle
• </c> school right in front of the school school right in front of the school because<00:09:11.519><c>
• </c> chairman of the Medford School Board. chairman of the Medford School Board.

Committee: Senate Transportation

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• HOLOCAUST CENTER IN A NEW YORK CITY CERTAINLY PUBLIC SCHOOL.
• Now, I have gotten up before and said we lost civics in our— Schools.
• Since I have been working back in the summer youth employment— Program.
• programs across the state, administering over $100 million in federal funding for that victim assistance
• FEDERAL FUNDING TO CONTRACT WITH THE VICTIM ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, ACROSS THE STATE, ADMINISTERING OVER

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate convened, approved the prior day’s journal, and then processed a large number of motions to discharge bills from committees and substitute identical Senate or Assembly versions for third reading. The chamber also adopted the resolution calendar with exceptions and took up several resolutions and ceremonial recognitions, including a resolution mourning Hudson Talbott, a Dairy Month resolution highlighting New York’s dairy industry, and introductions honoring Niskayuna academic teams, Gabriella Scheer for receiving the Liberty Medal, the Hartstein family’s civic engagement, and Diana Cochran’s advocacy for safe firearm storage. The Senate then moved through the calendar and passed many bills on topics including insurance, public health, education, labor, social services, banking, local government, veterans, public service, consumer protection, criminal procedure, cannabis, parks, taxation, election law, and highway matters. Several members explained votes on notable measures: support for acupuncture insurance coverage, consumer protections for doorbell-camera data sharing, expanded protections in debt collection cases, trauma-informed procedures for sexual assault survivors, a Legionnaires’ disease awareness program, changes to mandatory minimum sentencing, and universal safe storage of firearms. A number of home rule and local authorization bills were also approved, including parkland alienation measures and local tax exemption authorizations. Most measures passed with broad bipartisan support, though some drew recorded opposition. Notable roll calls included the consumer debt uniformity bill, the mandatory minimum sentencing bill, the safe storage/firearms bill, and the public housing and public health measures, each with more divided votes. The chamber also accepted a lengthy Rules Committee report sending many additional bills directly to third reading, and then began the supplemental calendar, passing at least the first items before the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• . ...of Louisiana Highway Construction to the entire bill.
• These amendments change IDIQ contracts to IDIQ construction phase contracts.
• Construction phase contracts.
• phase activities, but the primary purpose is construction.
• They could come back into the state to help on the highway construction and stuff.

Bills: HB309 , HB487 , HB503 , HB590 , HB606 , HB679 , HB693 , HB695 , HB707 , HB720 , HB728 , HB733 , HB746 , HB777 , HB846 , HB849 , HB856 , HB868 , HB873 , HB875

Committee: House Transportation, Highways & Public Works

Keywords: pedestrian safety, cellphone usage, crosswalk regulations, traffic laws, distracted walking, red light, traffic signal, traffic-control signals, traffic violation, traffic safety, road rage, shoulder lane, turn lane, passing stopped vehicle, overtaking at intersection, intersection safety, motor vehicle, driver fine, citation, Louisiana traffic law

Summary: The House Transportation Committee met on March 16 with a quorum present and first deferred three local bills at the sponsor’s request: HB 590, HB 679, and HB 873. The committee then advanced HB 503, which cleans up prior local language for Golden Meadow by removing a reference to electric golf carts and updating the definition of utility terrain vehicles; the technical amendment set was adopted and the bill was reported with amendments. HB 720, dealing with tacit dedication of roads and preserving historic public access to waterways and related access points, was reported favorably after members agreed to continue working on the amendment language before floor debate. The committee spent substantial time on HB 309, which originally made it a crime to walk in a crosswalk while looking at a cell phone. After amendments converted the proposal to a $25 civil fine and added a rebuttable presumption of liability for damages, members from both parties raised concerns about enforceability, tourism and urban pedestrian patterns, free-will and overreach arguments, and the lack of data tying the conduct specifically to crosswalk crashes. The author argued the measure was intended to promote situational awareness and reduce pedestrian injuries and fatalities, but after opposition testimony the bill was voluntarily deferred. Members then reported HB 856, which expands DOTD’s use of indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity construction contracting and adds the Office of Louisiana Highway Construction, after technical amendments clarified the contracts are for construction-phase work. HB 487, increasing penalties for drivers who use shoulders or turning lanes to bypass red lights, was reported with a technical correction after police support testimony. HB 846, prohibiting license plate coverings or films that obscure plates, was reported favorably after law enforcement support and discussion of clear frames versus obscuring covers. HB 733 and HB 875, both tied to OMV fee and lapse-of-insurance recommendations from the Legislative Auditor, were reported with amendments adjusting grace periods and offense timing. The committee also took up HB 695 on consensual non-commercial towing permits. After extensive questioning about whether the bill applied to multiple vehicles, interstate travel, OMV implementation, and the practicality of an honor-system QR code permit, the sponsor agreed to amend the bill to cover multiple vehicles and then voluntarily defer it for further work with OMV and State Police. HB 777, requiring a driver’s license renewal knowledge exam, was amended at the department’s request and then voluntarily deferred for further review. HB 868, prompted by a fatal trailer accident involving a farmer’s wife, would require trailers to meet safety-chain and braking standards consistent with manufacturer specifications or federal standards; after concerns from members and the Agriculture Commissioner about impacts on older farm equipment, the bill was reported with amendments. Finally, HB 707 moved the LPG Commission’s marketing functions to the Department of Agriculture and Forestry and was reported with a technical amendment, HB 693 on legislative district highway signs was voluntarily deferred after amendments, and HB 746 on local oversized trucking permits opened a broader discussion about parish-by-parish permit disparities, with the sponsor proposing a one-year moratorium on new local standards while stakeholders work toward a more uniform system.

Transcript Highlights:

• But this kind of assistance can only go so far.
• Program, I am here to testify in support of Senate Bill 1442.
• Currently, animals in our foster program at Dallas Animal...
• This program is designed to assist those who are either currently engaged or plan to engage in creating
• lunch program.

Bills: SB34 , SB119 , SB261 , SB532 , SB1035 , SB1245 , SB1247 , SB1267 , SB1442 , SB1930 , SB1948 , SB2078 , SB2112 , SB2143 , SB2155

Committee: Senate Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs

Keywords: wildfire, wildfire mitigation, wildfire prevention, volunteer fire department, Texas A&M Forest Service, West Texas A&M University, prescribed burning, fuel loading, fuel reduction, firefighting equipment database, emergency communications, disaster preparedness, rural fire protection, asset hardening, natural resource management, emergency management, large wildfire risk, fire grant funding, fire suppression, Texas Legislature

Transcript Highlights:

• MOScholars is the school choice program administered by the State Treasurer's Office, and its growth
• But I just want to reiterate that this program is to complement, not to replace, public school education
• We are offering so many of those programs, high schools all across the state.
• programs and the technical schools where a person can get a job as a diesel mechanic before they graduated
• a merit-based program that encourages top-ranked high school seniors to attend a Missouri school for

Committee: House Budget

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , a week before high school started, and was kidnapped.
• and was detained outside of his high school.
• People who don't want to send their kids to school.
• Now, in addition to the multifamily housing program, this measure includes funds for the HOME program
• So then you go to the feds, then you go to another state program.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You asked about examples of tax incentive programs.
• I'm a product of an apprenticeship program. It was life-changing for me. To secure work for us.
• I'm a product of an apprenticeship program. It was life-changing for me.
• I'm Assistant Vice President of the Florida Bankers Association.
• As you all know, the cost of staff, construction, maintenance, lighting, navigation, Structure.

Committee: Senate Commerce and Tourism

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Some changes on, I think it was two years ago, there was a committee put together to study school construction
• , maybe fifth-day programming when they do not have school on Friday afternoons.
• They had after-school programs. Was that part of the grant funding that you have, Ms. Marshall?
• They had after-school programs. Was that part of the grant funding that you have, Ms. Marshall? Ms.
• after-school programs for summer enhancement as well.

Committee: House Education

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• charter, and private schools because they cannot offer the same level of programs that services found
• because they cannot offer the same level of programs that service is found in larger schools.
• I've seen schools lose part of what makes them fun, like sports teams and theater programs.
• Hopefully it is clear to you why it is impossible for Warwick to participate in the school choice program
• , first through the state school choice program, then as residents of Warwick.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Education

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The hearing focused primarily on H. 517/S. 314, a bill to provide a sustainable future for rural schools, and H. 697, a bill to require full funding of regional school transportation. Witnesses from rural districts, school committees, superintendents, students, and local officials described chronic underfunding, declining enrollment, high fixed costs, special education and transportation burdens, and the loss of programs, staff, and extracurriculars. Several speakers argued that rural aid should be funded at $60 million annually and made non-discretionary, while others emphasized that transportation reimbursement for regional districts has repeatedly fallen short of the state’s promise and is driving budget crises and overrides. A number of students testified in support of rural aid, describing cuts to classes, counselors, and activities, and the impact on their schools and communities. Committee members also discussed whether transportation policy should be revisited to address underlying cost drivers, including bus bidding practices and whether regional districts should have more flexibility in transportation requirements. The committee also heard H. 515, concerning Hancock Elementary School and a school choice-related exemption from a state requirement that has created a large financial burden for the district. Hancock’s superintendent and Rep. John Barrett explained that a decades-old regulation, recently enforced by DESE, would require Hancock to pay tuition for choice-in students through high school graduation even though the district only serves pre-K through grade 6 and sends its own students elsewhere for middle and high school. They said the rule creates a significant per-student shortfall and has forced Hancock to opt out of school choice. Committee members asked for clarification about how the arrangement works and how the costs fall on Hancock. Additional testimony supported related transportation bills for non-regional districts, especially Plymouth/Carver and North Middlesex, describing high and rising bus costs, special education and McKinney-Vento transportation expenses, and the strain on local budgets. Speakers repeatedly said that state reimbursement has not matched actual costs and that communities are being forced to choose between transportation and classroom services. No votes or final actions were taken in the hearing; the committee simply received testimony and closed the hearing on the bills discussed.

Transcript Highlights:

• The state and local governments borrow money for state prisons, roads, schools, and so forth.
• Can you tell us if there was a disparity found as we're trying to construct this letter?
• As we're constructing this letter, I'd say, are we looking to have an action in the letter to ask for
• It goes a lot faster, it's a lot more powerful, has software, maybe autonomous driving, driver assist
• This UNM PhD program was really launched in the 90s and has graduated about 50 PhDs in total.

Committee: House Investments & Pensions Oversight Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• and then also my the Hela program and then also my assistant assistant assistant con<00:01:51.880><c
• the backlog and allow the HR staff to provide more timely assistance to the programs.
• the backlog and allow the HR staff to provide more timely assistance to the programs.
• </c> assistance uh to program administrators assistance uh to program administrators and and and staff
• <01:30:59.000><c> to</c><01:30:59.199><c> the</c> assistance to the assistance to the programs<01:31:

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the construction portion of school impact fees no later than December 15, 2025, and insert a sunset
• the construction portion of school impact fees no later than December 15, 2026, insert a sunset date
• </c> construction fee component of the school construction fee component of the school impact<00:02:00.119
• portion of school the construction portion of school impact<00:03:43.360><c> fees</c><00:03:44.120><
• </c> construction portion of school impact construction portion of school impact fees<00:04:15.599><c

Committee: Senate Ways and Means

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee took up House Bill 422, relating to school impact fees. The Education Committee recommended passage with amendments, and Ways and Means concurred. The amendments would repeal the construction fee component of the school impact fee while retaining the land impact fee and in-lieu fee requirements, remove related statutory language, exempt certain developments from school impact fees, raise the unit threshold for satisfying the land component to 100 units, require the School Facilities Authority to adopt rules and policies, and require a report to the Legislature on the effect of repealing the construction portion of the fee. The measure was also given a sunset date of June 30, 2029, with the committee report to note that the changes are intended to test the efficiency and efficacy of the fee structure and could be made permanent if the report supports that outcome. The committees adopted the recommendation, with one senator initially voting no and then changing to yes after the amendments were explained. The meeting also included a separate hearing on House Bill 1155, concerning procurement for Department of Transportation projects and construction manager/general contractor procurement. DOT testified that it supported the concept but wanted to narrow the bill, saying the current language was too broad and that the goal was to allow more innovative procurement while preserving selection safeguards. The State Procurement Office said it supported the bill’s language but was willing to work with DOT on alternative wording. Several construction-related organizations, including subcontractors, iron workers, elevator constructors, and building trades representatives, opposed the bill, arguing that exemptions from the procurement code would weaken protections such as retainage, equality, and prompt payment and could invite favoritism or corruption. In response to those concerns, the chair proposed amendments limiting the exemption to DOT, narrowing the qualifying contracts, adding a two-year sunset, requiring a report after the first year, and clarifying that project management could not be procured under the section. The amended recommendation passed, though several members voted with reservations. A separate item, House Bill 476, was briefly called up at the end of the agenda, with a recommendation to pass with amendments to increase a rate from 7.25% to 8%, but discussion was not completed in the portion of the transcript provided.