Transcript Highlights:

• is currently being removed because HB 3073 is already addressing how prosecutions will prove that sexual

Bills: SB27 , SB8 , SB15 , SB30 , SB268 , SB568 , SB650 , SB1405 , SB1540 , SB1610 , SB1637 , SB1660 , SB2024 , SB2217 , SB2308 , SB2753 , SB2878 , SB2900 , SB2972 , SB3059 , HB4 , HB40 , HB46 , HB 119 , HB145 , HB493 , HB705 , HB1545 , HB2017 , HB2516 , HB2885 , HB2963 , HB2974 , HB3642 , HB3909 , HB5138 , HB5246 , SJR36 , SJR50 , SJR63 , SCR12 , SCR39 , SB2023 , SB62 , SB666 , SB847 , SB284 , SB854 , SB810 , SB1505 , SB583 , SB507 , SB1434 , SB1772 , SB2016 , SB1122 , SB731 , SB397 , SB508 , SB1436 , SB287 , SB1882 , SB393 , SB1791 , SB209 , SB2429 , SB1085 , SB1975 , SB2717 , SB1262 , SB636 , SB2056 , SB884 , SB1200 , SB1845 , SB2458 , SB801 , SB3014 , SB3013 , SB758 , SB2797 , SB2076 , SB2876 , SB1640 , SB1449 , SB1181 , SB1234 , SB2926 , SB2841 , SB1528 , SB1854 , SB317 , SB1250 , SB2082 , SB1237 , SB2819 , SB629 , SB2608 , SB1602 , SB2009 , SB867 , SB640 , SB1698 , SB2680 , SB913 , SB1071 , SB1086 , SB1087 , SB1483 , SB1444 , SB1553 , SB1556 , SB1703 , SB2133 , SB2297 , SB2298 , SB2622 , SB2955 , SB2334 , SB1367 , SB2044 , SB2363 , SB2565 , SB1888 , SB3036 , SB3057 , SB3043 , SB3063 , SB3035 , SB203 , SB2688 , SB2522 , SB2459 , SB2655 , SB2251 , SB1884 , SB2928 , SB2566 , SB2549 , SB2553 , SB2919 , SB1944 , SB1232 , SB1798 , SB2603 , SB2607 , SB2683 , SB1319 , SB3045 , SB3071 , HB796 , HB1523 , HB5294 , HB748 , HB3395 , HB180 , HB3171 , HB146 , HB5596 , HB5694 , HB 1135 , HB3225 , HB186 , HB1449 , HB3793 , HB 112 , HB 104 , HB3336 , HB3520 , HB3320 , HB5663 , HB2399 , HB 111 , HB3483 , HB4580 , HB3748 , HB632 , HB4730 , HB5690 , HB5689 , HB3385 , HB4359 , HB5381 , HB 123 , HB5606 , HB 1057 , HB3664 , HCR141 , HCR40 , HCR59

Summary: The Senate opened with an invocation and then took up several recognitions and memorial resolutions, including honoring retiring Senate staffer Kelvin Bass and Secretary of the Senate Patsy Spaw and her staff. Members also adopted a series of local and honorary resolutions, including designating Rockport as the Redfish Capital of Texas, San Antonio as Military City, Texas, and Bridge City as the Corn Dog Capital of Texas, along with memorial and medal-of-honor resolutions for Texans and service members. The chamber also received messages from the House reporting passage of various measures and conference committee actions. The bulk of the meeting focused on conference committee reports and related procedural resolutions. The Senate adopted reports and/or out-of-bounds resolutions on SB 293, SB 1610, HB 46, HB 145, HB 1545, SB 650, SB 1660, HB 40, SB 2217, HB 119, HB 493, HB 3642, HB 2963, SB 2024, SB 2972, HB 2516, HB 2885, and SB 2753, among others. Topics included the Texas Civil Commitment Office, the T-Cup prescription program, wildfire mitigation and utility liability, sunset scheduling, alcohol ID swiping at retail and package stores, business court jurisdiction, election administration and data consistency, foreign adversary lobbying, poll watcher qualifications, road naming, right-to-repair, disguised vape pens, and campus expressive activity rules. Several measures passed with near-unanimous votes, while others drew more opposition, including SB 268 on medical board enforcement and SB 2753 on election procedures. There was extended debate on SB 268, which would shift enforcement authority for scope-of-practice complaints to specialty boards rather than the Texas Medical Board. Senators raised concerns about whether the bill would weaken the Medical Board’s ability to stop unlicensed practice of medicine, while supporters argued that specialty boards should police their own licensees and that criminal referrals remain available for unlicensed practice. The Senate also discussed SB 2972 on expressive activities at public universities, with questions about content-neutral restrictions, who counts as the university community, and whether the bill provides a mechanism to challenge campus time, place, and manner rules. Both bills ultimately passed their conference reports, and the Senate later adopted a large package of resolutions by voice vote before adjourning further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• And various sexual and reproductive disorders.

Bills: HB5560 , HB2 , HB24 , HB3233 , HB1397 , HB2067 , HB3133 , HB5696 , HB5680 , HB2885 , HB3966 , HB3556 , HB3595 , HB144 , HB26 , HB2038 , HB521 , HB4 , HB 1178 , HB42 , HB 1211 , HB783 , HB3963 , HB2240 , HB1690 , HB 1234 , HB3372 , HB27 , HB4211 , HB2243 , HB2853 , HB4638 , HJR7 , HB 100 , HB 126 , HB3783 , HB5138 , HB2512 , HB5616 , HB4751 , SB17 , SB1637 , SB1833 , SB2155 , SB21 , SB2778 , SB260 , SB8 , SB12 , SB37 , SB379 , SB441 , SB1566 , SB2878 , HB4112 , HB3866 , HB4749 , HB2844 , HB150

Keywords: groundwater, civil penalties, water conservation, drought contingency, environmental protection, public education, teacher compensation, certification, funding, school finance, educator rights, education funding, charter schools, staff compensation, state aid, retention allotment, zoning, public notice, local government, residential development

Transcript Highlights:

• This measure removes barriers for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, harassment, and stalking

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Human Services heard a long agenda of bills focused largely on child welfare, foster care, child care, CalWORKs, mandated reporting, and public benefits. Early items included AB 890, which would ease county transfer rules for nonminor dependents in extended foster care; AB 461, which would replace punitive truancy-related penalties with supportive services for families; and AB 753, which would create an interim associate teacher pathway to help address the child care workforce shortage. Testimony on these bills emphasized barriers faced by foster youth, low-income families, and child care providers, and members expressed support for the general policy direction. The committee also heard AB 926 on foster care visitation, AB 563 on early childhood planning and reporting, AB 601 on standardized mandated reporter training, AB 1074 on CalWORKs reunification aid, AB 822 extending the Commission on the State of Hate, AB 970 creating a Los Angeles County mandated reporter pilot, AB 1161 protecting public benefits during disasters, AB 1172 allowing trained staff to administer emergency seizure medication in community care settings, and AB 363 expanding CalWORKs student supports and work-study. Witnesses generally supported these measures as ways to reduce trauma, improve reunification, modernize reporting and training, and expand access to services. County welfare and child welfare groups, advocacy organizations, and providers largely testified in support, while some bills drew concerns from county representatives about implementation or needed amendments. Several bills were voted out of committee, often unanimously and sometimes as amended, including AB 926, AB 563, AB 601, AB 1074, AB 822, AB 970, AB 1161, and AB 1172; AB 1172 was reported on call. The committee also took up consent items and later voted on subcommittee-held bills AB 461, AB 753, and AB 890, leaving them on call. At the end of the hearing, the committee heard AB 1211, which would protect CalFresh benefits from federal cuts and require a feasibility study on increasing benefits and eligibility; testimony stressed rising food insecurity and the economic importance of food assistance, but the transcript ends before a final vote on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• Security guards and staff sexually harassed me and other women.

Summary: The committee heard a long agenda of housing-related bills, beginning with AB 249, which would require youth-specific coordinated entry assessments for homeless services. The author and supporters from Larkin Street Youth Services and the California Coalition for Youth argued that current vulnerability tools are adult-focused and can disadvantage young people; the bill was described as a developmentally appropriate fix to better connect youth to housing and prevention services. There was no opposition, and the bill passed 7-0 to Human Services. Members then heard AB 239 and AB 1206. AB 239 would create a state-led disaster housing task force, a state disaster housing coordinator, and regular legislative reporting to speed recovery after disasters; it passed 7-0 to Emergency Management. AB 1206 would let local agencies pre-approve plans for single-family and small multifamily homes of up to 10 units to reduce permitting delays and costs; the League of California Cities opposed it unless amended, citing local variation and staffing concerns, but the author and supporters said it would preserve local control and help speed housing production. The bill passed 9-0 to Local Government. The committee also took up AB 57, which would reserve at least 10% of California’s home purchase assistance funds for descendants of formerly enslaved people. Supporters framed it as reparative justice and a way to address longstanding racial disparities in homeownership, while Pacific Legal Foundation argued it likely violated constitutional limits on race-based government action and urged a race-neutral approach. After discussion about reparations criteria and the bill’s intent, it passed 6-0 to Judiciary. The consent calendar, including AB 480, AB 726, and AB 1154, was approved 8-0. Later, AB 282 was heard to allow housing providers to prefer applicants who participate in rental assistance programs, such as Housing Choice Vouchers, despite existing source-of-income discrimination law. Supporters said it would help voucher holders find units and improve affordable housing operations; no opposition testified, and the bill passed 6-1 to Judiciary. AB 1229 followed, restructuring the adult reentry grant program to focus on permanent housing for people leaving prison by moving administration to HCD and using regional administrators; supporters emphasized the link between housing stability and reduced recidivism, and the bill passed 7-0 to Public Safety. The committee then approved AB 670, which would let local governments count preservation of naturally occurring affordable housing toward housing element goals and require better demolition reporting, and AB 750, which would strengthen oversight and reporting for homeless shelters after a prior reporting law saw very low compliance. AB 670 passed 8-0 to Local Government, and AB 750 was presented with testimony from a shelter resident describing abuse and lack of accountability in shelters.

Transcript Highlights:

• Security guards and staff sexually harassed me and other women.

Committee: House Housing and Community Development

Summary: The committee heard a lengthy housing-focused agenda with several bills advancing on mostly bipartisan votes. AB 249 addressed youth homelessness by requiring youth-specific coordinated entry assessments rather than relying on adult vulnerability tools; supporters said the change would better identify young people at risk and prevent them from aging into chronic homelessness. AB 239 would create a state-led disaster housing task force and coordinator to speed housing recovery after disasters, with broad support from housing, local government, and nonprofit groups. AB 1206 would authorize local pre-approval programs for small housing projects, including single-family homes and developments of up to 10 units, to reduce permitting delays and costs; the League of California Cities opposed unless amended, citing staffing and local variation concerns, but the bill still passed. AB 57 would reserve at least 10% of CalHFA home purchase assistance funds for descendants of formerly enslaved people as part of the reparations package; supporters framed it as reparative justice, while opponents raised constitutional and Prop. 209 concerns. AB 282 would allow housing providers to prefer voucher holders in tenant selection, with supporters arguing it would help families actually use housing vouchers and improve affordable housing stability. AB 1229 would shift the adult reentry grant program to HCD and focus more on permanent housing for people leaving prison; supporters emphasized the link between housing, reduced homelessness, and lower recidivism. All of these bills received favorable committee votes and were held open for absent members. The committee also took up several bills on housing preservation and homelessness system accountability. AB 670 would let local governments count investments in preserving naturally occurring affordable housing toward housing element progress and require more complete reporting of demolitions and replacement/relocation compliance; supporters said this would help prevent displacement and improve enforcement. The bill passed on a unanimous vote. The committee then began discussion of AB 750, which would strengthen oversight of state-funded homeless shelters after a prior reporting law was found to have very low compliance; the author said the bill responds to a CalMatters investigation showing only a handful of counties and cities submitted required reports. The transcript cuts off before AB 750’s testimony and vote were completed.

Transcript Highlights:

• justice, intersectionality, neopronouns, heteronormativity, disparate impact, gender theory, radical or sexual

Committee: Senate Governmental Oversight and Accountability

Summary: The committee first confirmed Heather L. Turnbull to the Florida Commission on Community Service, with the motion adopted and the confirmation recommended favorably. Members then took up SPB 7022, which sets Florida Retirement System employer contribution rates beginning July 1, 2025, updates rates to address unfunded actuarial liability, and allows certain elected officers to elect a DROP accumulation; a technical title amendment was adopted, the bill was submitted as a committee bill, and it was reported favorably as a committee bill. The committee then heard extensive debate and public testimony on SB 1710, which would restrict diversity, equity, and inclusion-related policies, trainings, and activities in state agencies, state-funded contractors and grantees, and medical institutions of higher education. Sponsor Senator DiCeglie said the bill is intended to prevent state agencies and contractors from using state funds for DEI programs and to limit state agencies from adopting DEI-related official positions; he also said the medical-school portion would likely be amended out later. Senator Polsky and others questioned the bill’s breadth and how it would affect health-related grants, public universities, historically Black institutions, recruitment, and contractor training. Public testimony was overwhelmingly opposed, with speakers arguing the bill would harm health care, education, access, and inclusion; a few supporters said DEI is ideological, can undermine merit, and should not be used by state agencies or publicly funded institutions. After debate, Senator Polsky argued the bill was confusing, overbroad, and harmful to serving diverse communities, while Senator Arrington said it was an overreach into private business and could have significant fiscal impacts. Chair Fine closed by saying DEI is political ideology and that the bill is meant to ensure government focuses on talent rather than identity. SB 1710 was then reported favorably on a roll call vote, with Senator Arrington voting no and the remaining members voting yes. The committee then began SB 1678, relating to entities that boycott Israel, and heard the sponsor’s explanation of a delete-all amendment that would expand and clarify state restrictions on dealings with entities engaged in boycotts of Israel, including certain nonprofits, foreign educational institutions, and grants; the amendment was adopted, and the sponsor and a witness began answering questions when the transcript cuts off.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 525, sexual battery, create a mandatory minimum for penalties. >> I move that we table the
• &gt;&gt; House<00:33:58.040><c> Bill</c><00:33:58.280><c> 525,</c><00:33:59.160><c> sexual</c><00:33:
• 59.560><c> battery,</c><00:33:59.920><c> create</c><00:34:00.160><c> a</c> &gt;&gt; House Bill 525, sexual
• battery, create a &gt;&gt; House Bill 525, sexual battery, create a mandatory<00:34:00.800><c> minimum

Transcript Highlights:

• And the reality is that not a lot of arrests are even going to be made, for example, in cases of sexual
• example, in even going to be made, for example, in cases<03:27:17.279><c> of</c><03:27:17.520><c> sexual
• ><03:27:18.640><c> you</c><03:27:18.880><c> don't</c> So you've got people out there who've been sexually
• notes, the Colorado Springs Metro Crime Lab, operated by CSPD, has requested CBI assistance with sexual

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill before us is dealing with the illicit transfer of money, and the goal is to target the predators

Transcript Highlights:

• This road has been in existence since the 1950s, so it predated the easement.

Committee: Joint Agriculture and Water Management Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• This road has been in existence since the 1950s, so it predated the easement.

Summary: The committee opened its third interim meeting with roll call, approved the November 13, 2025 minutes, and the chair reviewed prior committee work, including a denied request for a fertilizer-capacity study and a planned later discussion of the Union Pacific/Norfolk Southern merger issue. Commissioner Doug Goring then presented Department of Agriculture updates on uncrewed aerial systems grants to detect noxious weeds, the state’s irrigation potential, the low-carbon fuels program for ethanol plants, the Environmental Impact Mitigation Fund, model zoning ordinances for animal feeding operations, and fertilizer production and supply in North Dakota. Members asked about funding sources, fertilizer storage and availability, natural gas and water needs for future fertilizer plants, and how the model zoning website would help counties and townships apply setback and odor tools. A substantial portion of the meeting focused on the Department of Water Resources’ economic analysis tool for water conveyance and flood-related projects. Dr. Dwayne Poole explained that the department is proposing changes to better account for end-of-useful-life conditions and updated hydrologic data, while still limiting the model to direct, demonstrable costs and benefits. He said the goal is to make the analysis more realistic and consistent without changing statute, and he provided examples of how project benefits could change as drains age or as rainfall and flood data evolve. Committee members and water-user representatives generally supported continued work on the proposal, while raising concerns about downstream impacts, closed-basin projects, and whether the changes would meaningfully affect project approvals. The committee then heard from John Paskowski, state engineer, on Devil’s Lake, the West End and East End outlets, and the Tolna Coulee control structure. He reviewed lake history, outlet capacities, sulfate and downstream flow limits, and explained that the control structure is intended to prevent a catastrophic uncontrolled release by slowing erosion and head cutting. Members asked about water quality trends, the length of the downstream flow constraint, and whether the Tolna Coulee area had been studied for possible natural overflow or silt buildup. The discussion emphasized ongoing flooding concerns, mitigation for affected landowners, and the need to balance outlet operations with downstream water quality and infrastructure protection.

Transcript Highlights:

• This road has been in existence since the 1950s, so it predated the easement.

Committee: Joint Agriculture and Water Management Committee

Summary: The committee met for its third interim meeting, approved the prior meeting minutes, and heard a series of statutory reports from the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Water Resources. Chair Hauck noted that Legislative Management had denied the committee’s earlier request for a fertilizer capacity study, and that the committee would also revisit the proposed Union Pacific/Norfolk Southern merger later in the day. Commissioner Doug Goring reported on several agriculture topics, including uncrewed aerial systems grants to detect noxious weeds, irrigation expansion potential, the low-carbon fuels program for ethanol plants, the Environmental Impact Mitigation Fund, model zoning ordinances for animal feeding operations, and fertilizer production and usage in North Dakota. He emphasized that fertilizer supply depends heavily on natural gas and water, that most nitrogen fertilizer is imported, and that large-scale fertilizer plants require very large capital investments. Members discussed fertilizer storage, natural gas pipeline capacity, water availability, and the role of state infrastructure in supporting value-added agriculture. A major portion of the meeting focused on the Department of Water Resources’ economic analysis tool for water conveyance and flood-related projects. Dr. Dwayne Poole explained that the tool was created under 2017 legislation to help evaluate projects expected to cost $1 million or more, and that the department is proposing adjustments to better account for end-of-useful-life conditions and changing hydrologic data. He said the changes would remain focused on direct, demonstrable costs and benefits, not indirect impacts, and would be implemented through guidance and operating procedures rather than statutory changes. Committee members and water users discussed whether the revisions would better reflect real-world conditions, including deferred maintenance, changing rainfall patterns, and downstream effects. A representative from the Water Resource District Association said the group was working with DWR and hoped to review test scenarios before the June meeting. The committee then received a detailed presentation on Devils Lake, its outlets, and the Tolna Coulee control structure. State Engineer John Paskowski reviewed lake history, outlet capacities, sulfate and downstream flow constraints, and the purpose of the Tolna Coulee structure in limiting head cutting and preventing uncontrolled downstream releases. Members questioned whether the structure was effectively a dam, whether the lake would naturally overflow without it, the last time the outlets ran, and whether water quality in Devils Lake has improved over time. Paskowski said the outlets last operated in August 2025, that sulfate levels still limit operations, and that the lake has freshened somewhat but not enough to eliminate water-quality concerns. The discussion also touched on whether water from flooded areas or closed-basin systems could be reused for irrigation, and on the broader implications of wet cycles, inundated land, and drainage management across the state.

Transcript Highlights:

• So the decision for the board to use a private counsel predated my place as executive director.

Committee: Joint Legislative Audit and Fiscal Review Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• So the decision for the board to use private counsel predated my time as executive director.

Committee: Joint Legislative Audit and Fiscal Review Committee

Summary: The Legislative Audit and Fiscal Review Committee met to receive a series of audit presentations, beginning with approval of the prior meeting minutes and a review of the state’s annual comprehensive financial report (ACFR) for fiscal year 2025. The State Auditor’s Office and the Office of Management and Budget reported a clean opinion on the state’s financial statements and described continued growth in net position, strong general fund balance, and significant Legacy Fund investment income. Committee members asked about how the report reflects long-term finances and how North Dakota compares with other states, and OMB noted that the ACFR is based on audited actual results rather than budget forecasts. The committee then heard the North Dakota University System audit, which also received a clean opinion but included four findings: misreporting of Strategic Investment and Improvements Fund construction money, insufficient monitoring of service organizations, improper bank reconciliations at several campuses, and investment/cash recording issues at Bismarck State College. University System officials agreed with the findings and said corrective actions were underway, including internal review of bank reconciliations and greater use of shared services. Members also questioned practices such as campus use of certificates of deposit and whether repeated findings were being adequately addressed. Additional audits were presented for the State Fair Association, State Auditor’s Office, Workforce Safety and Insurance, Housing Finance Agency, Housing Incentive Fund, Job Service North Dakota, the Retirement and Investment Office, PERS, the Center for Distance Education, the Securities Department, the Commission on Legal Counsel for Indigents, the Ethics Commission, and the Office of Administrative Hearings. Most received clean opinions with no findings; exceptions included a repeat component-unit issue at the State Fair Foundation, a securities personnel-evaluation finding, and a Housing Finance Agency finding involving a late return of escrow surplus. The committee also discussed broader oversight issues, including the need for independent auditing of the Ethics Commission, possible legislative changes to give the State Auditor more subpoena power and independent legal counsel, and future work on data analytics, cybersecurity reviews, and audit capacity. The meeting recessed for lunch after these discussions.

Transcript Highlights:

• The city has been around, predates the state, and is home to Henry Sibley, our first governor.

Bills: HF333 , HF2712 , HF1064 , HF1069 , HF1113 , HF2207 , HF204 , HF2867 , HF2924 , HF746 , HF1530 , HF2587 , HF1078

Committee: House Capital Investment

Transcript Highlights:

• While some of these predate last year's grant, a significant number of them are post last year's grant

Committee: Senate Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband, and Rural Development

Transcript Highlights:

• Anyone violently against that idea? Okay, so then let's go with the averages.
• Anyone violently against that idea? Okay, so then let's go with the averages.

Summary: The committee met in a work session on revenue estimates and reviewed updated spreadsheet pages for several tax categories, using prior agreements and new testimony to refine FY 2025-2027 estimates. Early discussion covered insurance tax estimates, where members reviewed a letter from the insurance commissioner saying he was comfortable with the numbers provided; the committee accepted those estimates without opposition. Members also discussed utility property tax, with testimony about recent infrastructure buildout, tariffs, depreciation, and the difficulty of forecasting future growth. After debate over whether to use the average of high and low estimates or lean lower, the committee unanimously adopted the utility property tax numbers. The committee then turned to real estate transfer tax and communications tax. For real estate transfer tax, members cited county input, housing market conditions, interest rates, lumber costs, and uncertainty about future policy; they agreed to use the averages and adopted those estimates unanimously. For communications tax, members noted the decline in landline-based revenue and the shift to data services. After discussion of whether to use the low estimate or the average, the committee settled on the average with a small rounding-down adjustment when the figure ended in .5, and adopted the numbers unanimously. The chair also clarified that these estimates remain subject to change until the final resolution is adopted. The committee next accepted interest and dividends estimates as presented, with members noting the decline in that revenue source and the lack of additional information beyond the department’s analysis. Finally, the committee began discussing tobacco tax revenue, with members noting long-term declines in smoking, offsetting effects from out-of-state sales, and a suggestion to take a slightly conservative approach by reducing the average by 0.5. The transcript cuts off during that discussion, so no final vote on tobacco is shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• does not supersede the provision of state law which makes the identifying information of a victim of sexual
• does not supersede the provision of state law which makes the identifying information of a victim of sexual

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opening prayer, Pledge of Allegiance, and a series of introductions recognizing guests, interns, public safety officials, and a doctor of the day. The chamber then moved to the special order calendar and took up several bills, with some measures temporarily postponed and others substituted with House companions before final passage. No committee reports, governor messages, or House messages were on the desk at the start of the regular order of business. The first major bill passed was CS/CS/HB 355 on health care patient protection, which requires hospitals with emergency departments to have evidence-based pediatric emergency care policies, training, pediatric equipment, a designated pediatric emergency care coordinator, and participation in the National Pediatric Readiness Assessment. Senators also passed CS/CS/HB 1113 on public records, clarifying confidentiality protections for victims and for law enforcement officers who become victims in the course of duty, though that bill drew questions about access to information in misconduct cases and received four no votes. The Senate then passed CS/CS/HB 1085 on local government cybersecurity, creating a Florida Digital Service-administered program to help local governments obtain cybersecurity services and grants, with amendments shifting the grant-award deadline and rejecting House differences such as locating the program at USF and adding a sunset date. The chamber also passed CS/CS/HB 925 on clerks of court, allowing clerks to retain all revenue above Article V projections and revising related fee distributions, despite concerns from some senators and municipalities about revenue shifts. Additional bills passed included CS/CS/HB 679 modernizing trademark registration, and CS/CS/CS/HB 589 on septic system permits, which addresses long permit delays and clarifies liability if construction begins before a permit is issued. Several other bills were taken up, including elections legislation (SB 1334/HB 991) that generated extensive debate and multiple failed amendments on voter ID, citizenship verification, student and senior IDs, and implementation timing; the transcript ends while that bill is still under consideration, after the Senate adopted one amendment and rejected several others.

Transcript Highlights:

• does not supersede the provision of state law which makes the identifying information of a victim of sexual
• does not supersede the provision of state law which makes the identifying information of a victim of sexual

Summary: The Florida Senate convened with a quorum, opened with a prayer and Pledge of Allegiance, and heard several member introductions recognizing guests, interns, public servants, and a resolution honoring Indiana University quarterback Fernando Mendoza for winning the Heisman Trophy. The chamber then moved to the special order calendar and took up a series of bills, with some measures temporarily postponed and others advanced after brief debate and, in several cases, substitution of House companions for Senate bills. The first major bill passed was CS/CS/HB 355 on health care patient protection, which requires hospitals with emergency departments to have pediatric emergency care policies, training, equipment, and a designated pediatric coordinator; it passed 36-0. The Senate also passed CS/HB 1113 on public records, expanding confidentiality protections for victims and temporarily protecting the name of a law enforcement officer who becomes a victim in the line of duty; it passed 33-4. CS/CS/HB 1085 on local government cybersecurity was amended to place the program under the Florida Digital Service and to adjust grant timing, then passed 37-0. CS/CS/HB 925 on clerks of court passed 38-0 after amendments affecting revenue retention, legal notices, traffic citation distributions, and municipal fee sharing. CS/CS/HB 679 on trademark registration modernization and CS/CS/HB 589 on septic permit timing also passed unanimously. The most extensive debate centered on CS/CS/HB 991 / SB 1334, an elections bill that would use Real ID data to verify citizenship, change voter ID rules, alter candidate qualifying requirements, and revise election administration procedures. Senators offered and debated numerous amendments on documentation fees, senior exemptions, human review versus automated systems, student and retirement-center IDs, and effective dates; most were defeated, though one amendment adding stock-trading disclosure language for candidates was adopted. The bill’s sponsor cited election-crimes reports and specific prosecutions involving non-citizens as justification for the measure, while opponents argued it could disenfranchise eligible voters, especially students and seniors. The transcript ends during continued questioning and debate on that elections bill, before final disposition is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• And, you know, a lot of crimes involves sexual assaults, child abuse, partner abuse, spousal abuse, and
• And, you know, a lot of crimes involves sexual assaults, child abuse, partner abuse, spousal abuse, and

Summary: The Judiciary Committee heard several Senate bills. SB 2149 would exempt paternity proceedings involving allegations of domestic abuse from mediation and clarify the domestic abuse mediation exemption in divorce cases. The Department of the Attorney General and the Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence supported the measure but recommended technical and conforming changes, including updating references from HRS Chapter 584 to 584A and aligning the language more closely with the Uniform Mediation Act. Members discussed whether the bill’s wording could limit who may bring a support person to mediation, and the chair suggested the intent was to preserve survivor choice while avoiding ambiguity. No vote was taken in the portion heard. SB 2203 would create an offense for law enforcement officers using masks or personal disguises. The Office of the Public Defender, ACLU of Hawaii, Legal Clinic, and many other supporters argued the bill would improve transparency, accountability, and public trust, while still allowing safety exceptions. Law enforcement agencies, including the Department of Law Enforcement, Honolulu Police Department, and the Honolulu Prosecutor’s Office, raised concerns about operational needs, undercover and auxiliary units, body cameras, and possible supremacy clause issues if the bill is aimed at federal officers. The chair noted the bill appeared likely to move forward and asked agencies and advocates to work on possible amendments; testimony count was reported as 114 in support, 3 opposed, and 2 comments. SB 2251 would appropriate funds for the victim witness assistance program in the City and County of Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. The prosecutor’s office supported the bill, saying it would replace shortfalls from declining federal funding and help maintain victim services and rights information. A former program director also testified in support. When asked, the office said it would not object to a simple reporting requirement. The committee then moved on to SB 2311, which would address claims against the state and add reporting and timing requirements; the Department of the Attorney General testified with concerns and recommendations, and members began questioning current practices for handling claims and settlements.