Transcript Highlights:

• These businesses create the jobs.
• How much money am I, are taxpayers investing per job? And did we actually get those jobs?
• So those people were getting jobs. They were getting jobs by businesses that had moved here.
• Those people were getting jobs.
• It is because jobs are here. Jobs are here. Arizona is number five in job growth.

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, recorded attendance, approved the prior journal, and made temporary committee appointments. It then resolved into Committee of the Whole to consider SB 1106, a tax conformity bill tied to federal tax changes. Senators debated the measure at length, with supporters arguing it would provide tax relief, certainty for taxpayers and businesses, and conformity with federal filing rules, while opponents said it would reduce state revenue, favor wealthier taxpayers and corporations, and should be handled in budget negotiations or a special session. The bill advanced from Committee of the Whole and, on third reading, passed the Senate 17-12 with one not voting, then was transmitted to the House and later to the governor. During the floor debate, senators focused on the bill’s effects on child care deductions, senior deductions, overtime and tip income, business expensing, and a provision related to federal school voucher tax credits. Democrats argued the bill would worsen budget pressures, undermine funding for education, roads, public safety, and human services, and do little for families on child care waitlists or seniors still working. Republicans countered that the bill would keep more money in taxpayers’ pockets, support working families and small businesses, and align Arizona’s tax code with federal changes to avoid confusion for filers. After the tax vote, Senator Bolick read a proclamation honoring Arizona and U.S. law enforcement, citing fallen officers, officer assaults, and the need for training, equipment, mental health support, and tougher penalties for attacks on officers. The Senate then received and referred a large number of new bills to committees, announced upcoming committee meetings, and adjourned until Tuesday, January 20, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• Those are predominantly going to be jobs paying prevailing-wage jobs through collective bargaining.
• Because you talk about jobs. This is a great opportunity for jobs.
• The jobs? The jobs? The school revenue? What are you upset with?
• And we are doing a horrible job.
• And we've got to do a better job.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Those are predominantly going to be jobs paying prevailing wage jobs through collective bargaining.
• And we are doing a horrible job.
• And we are doing a horrible job.
• We have got to do a better job of explaining why these types of jobs are important to our economy.
• And we've got to do a better job.

Summary: The Missouri House Committee on Utilities held an informational hearing on data centers, with the chair saying the goal was to hear different perspectives and better understand the issue before future legislation. No public testimony was taken, but three invited speakers presented: a labor representative, an Ameren Missouri executive, and a consumer advocate. The discussion focused on the economic benefits of data centers, including construction jobs, local hiring, apprenticeship opportunities, tax revenue for schools and local governments, and related spending by Missouri businesses. The labor witness described current Montgomery County projects, said hundreds of Missourians were already working there, and argued that closed-loop cooling and generator noise were manageable. Committee members also raised questions about water use, noise, cybersecurity, local hiring, and how much tax revenue a project could generate annually. Ameren’s Rob Dixon said Senate Bill 4 and the PSC’s large-load tariff provide key protections for ratepayers by requiring large customers to pay their own interconnection costs, sign long-term contracts, post collateral, and pay for most of their requested load even if they use less. He said those rules help prevent costs from shifting to other customers and that large loads can put downward pressure on rates by contributing to fixed system costs. Dixon also said Ameren is planning for significant new generation, including gas, nuclear, hydro, coal, and renewables, and that data centers are subject to the same load-shedding and emergency restoration rules as other customers. He noted that the protections apply to investor-owned utilities, not co-ops or municipal utilities. John Kaufman of the Consumers Council of Missouri argued the PSC protections are still too weak and warned that data centers could raise rates through construction work in progress, stranded generation costs, and other risks if projects are delayed, shrink, or fail. He urged stronger consumer protections, more upfront financial commitments from data centers, and greater transparency for ratepayers, while also suggesting community benefit agreements and cautioning against over-reliance on utility projections. Several members pushed back on his characterization of Senate Bill 4 and QIP/CWIP provisions, and the hearing ended with the chair thanking the witnesses and adjourned the committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• Of working police jobs only to go out and work what has become a full-time job as a reserve.
• job as a reserve.
• We're not, we know that police officers have second jobs or off-duty jobs.
• extra jobs in Harris.
• They're going to work extra jobs in Liberty. They're going to work extra jobs in Beaumont.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And then once the job is filled, notify the people that have applied that that job has been filled.
• Every job title that we have, you can find the salary range on the job, but some agencies like to take
• So my staff will work with the agencies to post that job to ensure that job is posted in accordance with
• and see that that job is gone?
• And then that job is still out...

Summary: The committee first considered House Bill 338, which would recreate certain entities transferred to or placed within the Office of the Governor. Representative Carver described it as a sunset measure, and the committee quickly moved it favorable without objection. House Bill 379 followed, expanding eligibility for election commissioners to include 17-year-olds who are in the 11th grade or equivalent homeschool level rather than only the 12th grade. Members briefly discussed the bill’s youth sponsor, Owen Estey, and the bill was also reported favorable without objection. The most extensive discussion centered on House Bill 861 by Speaker Pro Tem Mike Johnson, which would eliminate inactive, outdated, or unnecessary state boards, commissions, and related entities. The bill came with a large amendment package that removed some entities, added others, and made technical corrections based on the legislative auditor’s annual report and follow-up review. Members questioned how entities were identified, whether they had been notified, and whether some boards should remain because they still serve a purpose, especially the Waste Tire Task Force. The sponsor said the goal was to streamline government and that he had contacted about 85% of the affected entities; he also said some items in the package were local and therefore excluded. After adopting amendments 17 and 18, the committee reported the bill favorable as amended. House Bill 202 by Representative McMakin would require job advertisements for classified state positions to include salary information and require applicants to be notified when a position is filled or they are rejected. An amendment narrowed the bill to classified positions only. State Civil Service Director Byron Deccato testified that the system already posts salary ranges and sends notices when agencies properly update the hiring system, but that compliance depends on agency staff and some agencies are slow to close out postings. Members expressed frustration that applicants can be left waiting without notice, while Deccato said Civil Service audits agencies and is willing to work on the issue. The bill remained under discussion at the end of the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• out to provide jobs and and those<00:30:40.279><c> jobs</c><00:30:41.200><c> uh</c><00:30:41.279><c>
• </c> reported and kind of overview of the job reported and kind of overview of the job training<00:42
• </c> that I think has done its intended job that I think has done its intended job so<01:02:03.319><c
• You said 19,000 jobs? Like, how many... "19,000 jobs? Like, how many?"
• Again, the way that I reason with myself and say, yeah, it's 19 jobs or 24 jobs in the county, that's

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The electronic sector gets jobs. HVAC gets jobs. Everybody gets jobs. Restaurants get jobs.
• that is ready to take over those jobs.
• , honestly, they're good-paying jobs.
• There are a bunch of jobs on the set that are trade jobs that are going to be good.
• I am part of that group that is just going job to job, really.

Bills: HB4568, HB5458, HB4543, HB2703, HB3728, HCR113, HCR126

Keywords: film industry, incentives, grants, Texas, moving image, economic development, production companies, content standards, HB 5458, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, TPWD, chronic wasting disease, CWD, cervids, deer, elk, moose, wildlife management, game animals, disease management

Transcript Highlights:

• The moment we walk on a job, our skilled manpower immediately works itself out of that job.
• But then the job ends.
• to get another job through her skill...
• Are out looking for their jobs to make sure they're doing it.
• Or he said, “No, actually, I said I really don't want the job.

Summary: The Commerce and Tourism Committee first heard SB 410, which would add current and former licensed private investigators, and their spouses and children, to the list of people whose home address, phone number, date of birth, photographs, and related family information are exempt from public records disclosure. Sponsor Senator Trunow said the exemption is meant to protect investigators who work on sensitive matters such as fraud, missing persons, human trafficking, and abuse cases and may face retaliation. After a technical amendment was adopted, the committee heard testimony from a private investigator describing threats and safety concerns, then voted to report the bill favorably as CS/SB 410. The committee then took up SB 216 on reemployment assistance eligibility verification. Senator McClain said the bill is intended to combat unemployment fraud by requiring claimants to contact five prospective employers per week, appear for scheduled interviews, and undergo regular identity, immigration, employment, and incarceration checks, with fraud information shared among agencies and published annually. Opponents, including labor advocates and representatives of construction and rural workers, argued the bill would add barriers for legitimate claimants, worsen Florida’s already low recipiency rate, and create problems for seasonal, rural, and transportation-limited workers. Supporters said the system needs stronger fraud controls and that employers and taxpayers bear real costs from noncompliance. The committee reported SB 216 favorably after debate. In routine open-government sunset review business, the committee approved two committee bills. SPB 7014 extends for five years a public records exemption tied to Department of Legal Affairs investigations of a social media standards law, with staff noting the exemption has not been used because of ongoing constitutional litigation. SPB 7016 preserves a public records exemption for certain financial information held by an economic development agency when administering state or federally funded small business loan programs; supporters said the exemption protects applicants from fraud and harassment, while Senator Smith said he would vote no to remain consistent with his prior opposition. Both measures were submitted as committee bills and reported favorably, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Many of us had jobs, whether they were under the table, cash jobs back in the '70s, '80s, '90s, where
• We all have first jobs and don't have training, and so we learn that when we're doing the job and we
• in and says, 'I'll do the job for half of it,' thank you.
• The job market sucks.
• The job market sucks.

Summary: The committee took up several bills and reported each favorably after brief presentations, amendments, and roll calls. SB 1760, by Senator Grall, would require certain elected officials and agency heads to reside in Florida, with agency heads also required to be U.S. citizens and live in the county where their agency is headquartered; it also clarifies the constitutional prohibition on holding more than one office. SB 1202, by Senator McClain, expands insurance benefits for firefighters who are totally and permanently disabled during official training exercises, and its amendment was adopted to avoid local fiscal impact. SB 582, by Senator Leak, increases penalties for unlawful demolition of historic buildings and limits the higher penalty to properties on the National Register of Historic Places or in a listed district; supporters included representatives of St. Augustine and the Florida League of Cities, while one opponent waived in opposition. SB 312, by Senator Gates, revises governance of the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition and allows affiliated nonprofit subsidiaries to enter agreements with universities; an amendment adding one public member to the board was adopted, and the bill was reported favorably. The committee then considered SB 676, by Senator Martin, which would allow employees to waive the state minimum wage right under a framework the sponsor said would help young or inexperienced workers gain entry-level experience. The bill drew extensive public testimony, with supporters arguing it could help small businesses hire and create opportunities, and opponents saying it would undermine the voter-approved minimum wage, invite coercion, and exploit vulnerable workers. Senator Martin’s amendment clarifying the Fair Labor Standards Act exception was adopted, and the bill passed on a favorable vote despite opposition from Senator Arrington and others. Finally, SB 440, by Senator McClain, was heard as an expansion of prior law to cover public employees and prohibit certain employment practices related to gender identity and pronoun use; after an amendment narrowing the bill by deleting references to training, instruction, or other activity regarding sexual orientation, the committee heard extensive testimony both for and against, with supporters framing it as protecting conscience rights and opponents calling it discriminatory. The committee ultimately reported SB 440 favorably as well.

Transcript Highlights:

• or it's even just their secondary job or it's even just their only<00:08:49.120><c> job,</c><00:08:49.360
• One works 40 hours uh at a job week.
• Another one is working two jobs: 40 hours in one job and then maybe on the weekends takes another job
• I I we were doing a a town hall a jobs.
• </c> brother were working these low wage jobs brother were working these low wage jobs um<00:59:01.839

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Do you know how to take the T to get to your job?
• Do you know how to take the tea to get to your job?
• And that was when I had my first full-time job.
• And to do and really focus on job shadow days so we can start to expose our students to real-life job
• And to do and really focus on job shadow days so we can start to expose our students to real life job

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The meeting began with a presentation from Run the Gamut, a new two-year transition program for young adults with autism ages 18 to 24. Staff described the program’s focus on person-centered planning, independent living skills, social connection, and experiential learning, including a teaching kitchen, laundry room, community-based instruction, and job shadowing. They said the program is intended to complement existing Massachusetts services and partnerships rather than duplicate them, and that it is inspired by the founders’ experience helping their daughter transition to adulthood and employment. Committee members asked about employment outcomes, employer readiness, funding, eligibility, and whether students with intellectual disabilities could participate. Run the Gamut said the program is currently private-pay tuition-based, but a grant is covering tuition for the first cohort while they explore additional funding sources, including possible school-district or insurance pathways. They said students with intellectual disabilities would not be automatically excluded if they meet admissions criteria. Staff also emphasized building employer relationships in advance, using job shadowing and industry partnerships to improve hiring practices and create real opportunities for students. They noted partnerships with programs such as PYD, JBS, Aspire, and Boston University, and said the program is opening soon with about eight students enrolled and an open house planned for September 18. After the presentation, the committee shifted to planning its proposed workshop for the Massachusetts APSE conference, “Employment Matters,” themed “Partners in Progress.” Members discussed submitting the application by the August 31 deadline, selecting a second presenter, and shaping interactive questions for attendees using a live polling tool. Suggested audience questions focused on the benefits of hiring people with disabilities and the barriers or challenges employers and employment advocates face, with an emphasis on connecting responses back to commission resources and partnerships. The committee also approved the minutes from the prior meeting unanimously and ended with a discussion of future fiscal year goals, including interest in a possible veterans-and-disability-focused event or resource effort.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's a wonderful opportunity to put someone in a job and train them on the job and work toward their
• It's a wonderful opportunity to put someone in a job and train them on the job and work towards their
• Structured on-the-job training.
• The on-the-job training The on-the-job training is also reinforced with classroom hours.
• But I would also suggest the community colleges and their job fairs or any job fairs, because we run

Keywords: 1212, all

Summary: The Workforce Support Subcommittee held a discussion focused on using registered apprenticeships to address workforce shortages, especially in disability services, human services, healthcare, and other high-need fields. Subcommittee members and presenters emphasized that apprenticeships can help employers build pipelines, improve retention, and create career ladders by combining paid on-the-job training with related technical instruction and credentialing. The group also noted that apprenticeships can be adapted for nontraditional occupations and for people with disabilities, including neurodiverse learners, with examples such as Bridgewater State’s Excel program and a developing medical interpreter apprenticeship. Amara Ramon of the Division of Apprenticeship Standards explained the state apprenticeship process, including employer and intermediary roles, program registration, apprentice tracking, quality assurance, and available grants. Melissa Chabelli described how her workforce board serves as an intermediary, working with employers to design programs, recruit apprentices, manage compliance, and support training. She highlighted employer benefits such as tax credits, retention, and the ability to update outdated training models. Lisa Morris described UMass Chan’s effort to build a medical interpreter apprenticeship, using a pre-apprenticeship, employer interviews, and a structured sequence of classroom hours and certification exams. Members and audience participants asked about recruitment, intermediary capacity, wage progression, and how programs can serve people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Presenters said apprentices can come from youth programs, career centers, incumbent workers, community colleges, ESL centers, and job fairs, and that accommodations and modified curricula can be built into programs. No votes were taken; the meeting concluded with encouragement for interested organizations to contact the Division of Apprenticeship Standards or local intermediaries and to review the shared materials and recording.

Transcript Highlights:

• I love the word jobs, and I do think we need to keep redefining Delaware on what our jobs of the future
• is over 3,000 jobs.
• Overall, as I mentioned, the jobs that I just mentioned are the direct jobs.
• There will be all kinds of jobs, yes. So the construction jobs are under a PLA.
• Those are union jobs. The ILA has their own union as well. So obviously, those are union jobs.

Summary: The committee met to finalize the FY27 bond bill, beginning with a roll call and a detailed review of updated appropriation amounts. The Comptroller General walked through major changes across agencies, including additions for OMB, the Department of State, DNREC, Agriculture, Education, and Transportation, and explained the funding sources that would cover the total $1.256 billion package. Members then debated several large items, especially the $110 million appropriation for the Diamond State Port Corporation, the $35 million Legislative Hall addition, the $20 million Community Reinvestment Fund, and the $30 million land and building acquisition line. Questions focused on the port project’s costs, expected jobs, return on investment, and whether the state would face future commitments; Secretary of State Charney Patitofunded Chances and other officials testified that the port expansion would create construction and permanent jobs and support long-term economic growth, while some members remained skeptical and objected to the process and spending priorities. The committee also discussed school construction funding, with officials explaining that additional money would forward-fund projects already in the pipeline and help districts that had been turned down for certificates of necessity. Other items reviewed included funding for park improvements, marina acquisition, the Plummer Center demolition and transfer, the Pyle Center sewer project, the Site Readiness Fund, affordable housing, the Arts Endowment Fund, an unclaimed property task force, and various transportation and community transportation projects. Several members raised concerns about county distribution, minority-party involvement in negotiations, and the scale of certain appropriations, but the majority defended the package as statewide investment and economic development. The committee then voted on the Section 1 addendum and a series of new and replacement epilogue sections, including provisions for the port project, Legislative Hall minor capital improvements, land acquisition, affordable housing, the Community Reinvestment Fund, downtown development districts, the Rite Aid demolition, the Site Readiness Fund, school construction formula review, and enhanced school capital funding. Most motions carried, with a few recorded no votes or abstentions on the main addendum. The meeting concluded with a motion authorizing technical corrections by the Comptroller General’s office, followed by closing remarks thanking staff and members for their work and noting that this was likely the final bond committee meeting for some participants before adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• us per job?
• We don't know what these jobs are costing us.
• And you were talking about direct jobs.
• And they talk about jobs, direct jobs.
• direct jobs, or do you know the answer to that question?

Bills: HB207, HB267, HB300, HB464, HB618, HB853

Keywords: Louisiana Auctioneers Licensing Board, auctioneer licensing, professional licensing board, board membership, gubernatorial appointments, consumer members, public at large, Public Service Commission district, East Baton Rouge Parish, venue, domicile, licensure requirements, licensed auctioneer, occupational licensing, state board governance, Act 138, home inspectors, licensing, term limits, Louisiana State Board

Transcript Highlights:

• They reviewed our job descriptions in 1999.
• The job is not the same as it was 36 years ago.
• And when we came on the job, we came on the job together over 35 years ago in Fall River.
• These are hands-on, high-responsibility jobs.
• We've been doing this job for 15 years and we have got the job done.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Public Service held its 15th hearing of the 194th General Court, focused on retirement group classifications for a range of public safety and related employees. Much of the testimony centered on bills affecting Barnstable County dispatchers and 911 telecommunicators, who argued they should remain in or be moved to Group 2 because their work is highly stressful, life-or-death in nature, and historically had been treated that way. Speakers said the proposed changes would largely grandfather in current employees, would not add costs in some cases, and were needed to correct outdated statutory language and PERAC rulings that had created uncertainty for workers nearing retirement or already retired. Similar support was offered for bills to reclassify 911 dispatchers statewide from Group 1 to Group 2, with testimony from dispatch supervisors, sheriffs, and police associations describing chronic stress, PTSD, staffing shortages, and retention problems. The committee also heard testimony on several other retirement-related bills. Representatives of Massport and campus police supported measures to align retirement benefits for Massport police and public higher education police with other law enforcement groups, arguing they perform comparable duties and face similar risks. The Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association also backed a bill to ease post-retirement earning restrictions for retired police and firefighters so they can continue consulting, training, or advising without penalty. MOSES testified in favor of bills moving certain state employees into Group 2, including forensic scientists at the State Police Crime Lab, DCR aerial foresters, and Department of Correction construction coordinators, citing hazardous work environments and physical danger. Department of Fire Services compliance officers likewise sought Group 4 classification, describing exposure to toxins, fatal fire scenes, and cancer risks. No votes were taken during the hearing. The committee heard extensive testimony from affected employees, union and association representatives, and public safety officials, all urging favorable reports on the bills. At the end of the hearing, the chairs thanked witnesses and staff, and the committee adjourned after a motion and second.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you for the two prior years of the Quadrum and the good job you did. You did a good job.
• One would be the Original Jobs Act that... ...would be the Original Jobs Act that was created back in
• Then the estimated performance of the Jobs Act incentives.
• Also, again, I've just broken down there are 224 active Jobs Act projects.
• On the Alabama Jobs Act report, we now have two years of...

Keywords: 924, joint, all

Transcript Highlights:

• to do your job.
• to do your job.
• When you have a job, it's for you to hold a job, to hold it or to lose it.
• from doing their job.
• Great job on the bill.

Summary: The Education Administration Subcommittee heard and advanced six bills. The first, PCS/HB 1073 by Rep. Koster, would give individual school board members timely, free access to district documents and budget information, require agendas and supporting materials to be kept as public records, and prohibit school districts from requiring or incentivizing nondisclosure agreements. Testimony from a Volusia County school board member and a former educator described difficulty obtaining records and concerns about NDAs; some members raised chain-of-command concerns, while others argued the bill was needed for transparency. The bill passed 15-3. The committee then approved HB 4049, a local bill for Jacksonville/Duval County that changes how the Duval County School Board’s attorney is selected, and OGSR/HB 7021, which extends and clarifies the public-records exemption for education examination and assessment instruments through 2031. HB 4049 passed 17-1 after debate over whether the board should use the city’s general counsel process; HB 7021 passed unanimously with no debate. Members also approved CS/HB 753 on school counselors, which removes certain certification barriers while keeping degree and counseling requirements in place and allows districts to choose whether to require the removed certificates. Supporters said the bill could help address counselor shortages and free counselors to focus on students; it passed 18-0. Finally, HB 157 created a School Teacher Training and Mentoring Program for D- and F-rated schools, using high-performing current or retired teachers as mentors with stipends funded from an existing allocation. Members discussed mentor limits, funding, and oversight, but the bill passed unanimously, 18-0. The meeting adjourned after committee members recognized visiting officials and students.

Transcript Highlights:

• Also known as LIDA, as well as the Job Training Incentive Program, which funds classroom and on-the-job
• This past interim, we did a legislate with the agency on their efforts to grow jobs or increase jobs
• We're talking about targeted job training.
• Those are either job leavers—so I wanted to leave my job—or involuntary separations.
• Fewer people are voluntarily losing their job and fewer people are losing their job involuntarily.

Transcript Highlights:

• And Adele and Hela are doing a terrific job.
• And Adele and Hela are doing a terrific job.
• For job... as a job? As a, as an existing, yes. Takeaway. As a job.
• coach, how can I become a job coach?
• How can I get a job coach? How can I become a job coach? And so we see that as an opportunity.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Disability Employment Subcommittee of the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Persons with Disabilities met and began with roll call, but did not have a quorum, so approval of prior minutes and an inspirational quote were tabled. A planned presentation from a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs employee was canceled shortly before the meeting, and the agenda shifted to an informal discussion with two Treasury employees, Steve Kroder and Bill Collievis, about veterans with disabilities in the workplace. Kroder and Collievis described barriers veterans face, including stigma, employer misunderstanding, the need for frequent medical appointments, invisible disabilities such as PTSD and other service-connected conditions, and challenges for Guard and Reserve members balancing service with civilian work. They also discussed supportive practices in public employment, the need for better outreach to employers, the role of local veterans service officers, Military OneSource, TAP, and the importance of helping veterans navigate benefits and transition services. Commission members responded by emphasizing education, employer outreach, and possible resource-sharing through the commission’s website and toolkit. The committee then heard a presentation from Commonwealth Corporation on its Young Adults with Disabilities employment grant program. Staff explained the program’s funding, eligibility, training and placement model, and data from the prior cycle, including participant demographics, completion rates, credential attainment, employment outcomes, and wages. Members discussed benefits counseling, underemployment definitions, stigma around addiction as a disability category, and the need to connect grantees and participants with work incentives and benefits information. Commonwealth Corporation said grantees now receive training on benefits impacts and that the agency is open to further partnership. The meeting ended with a brief update on a planned commission event focused on youth and young adults with disabilities, inclusive workplaces, PCAs, and job coaches. Organizers said they were still securing a venue and were considering a hybrid or virtual format, with participation from youth organizations, the PCA Council, and the Arc of Massachusetts. The subcommittee then voted to adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• on so far have been the critical jobs, not every single job.
• jobs?
• It gets a tough job.
• It's just the demands of the job. It is a demeaning job.
• I know it's a very stressful job.

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