Video & Transcript : 'staff equity' :

Page 323 of 500
OK
Transcript Highlights:
  • Seeing none, staff, please open the queue for a vote. Staff, please open the queue for a vote.
  • staff?
  • Seeing none, staff, please open the queue for a vote.
  • Seeing none, staff, please open the queue for a vote.
  • Seeing none, staff, please open the queue for a vote.
Summary: The committee first laid over Senate Bills 904, 1500, 1644, and 1833, then heard a series of health-related measures. Representative Miller presented SB 1651, described as Oklahoma Medical Board cleanup and modernization language affecting multiple licensed professions; after a question about removing a photo requirement from an application, the bill passed 5-0. Representative Lawson presented SB 1645, which sets parameters for Oklahoma Health Care Authority audits of long-term care facilities, and it also passed 5-0. Representative Fettgetter presented SB 1560, cleanup language from last year’s nurse practitioner bill, and it passed 5-0. Representative Newton presented SB 206 to classify municipal, county, tribal, and other public-entity ambulances as essential services for federal funding eligibility; it passed 5-0. Newton also presented SB 1557, which moves board oversight of behavioral analyst credentials under the Board of Psychology and removes a fee cap; after brief questions, it passed 5-0. He then presented SB 1849, a cleanup bill giving the Oklahoma Board of Podiatric Medicine authority to set continuing education requirements related to medical marijuana prescribing, and SB 1984, another cleanup/update bill for the Board of Osteopathic Medicine addressing emergency procedures and related definitions; both passed 5-0. Representative Stark presented SB 933, a “right to try” bill allowing terminally ill or similarly affected patients to seek investigational treatments with informed consent and at their own expense; it passed 4-1 after questions about eligibility and facilities. Chairwoman Roe presented SB 1436, creating a procedure for women who experience fetal loss to obtain a certificate of infant death, and it passed 5-0. She also presented SB 1794, requiring the Department of Mental Health to publish bed vacancies at mental health facilities statewide to aid placement of patients needing acute beds; it passed 5-0. Representative Hasenbeck presented SB 1553, specifying qualifications for psychologists who review adverse determinations on appeal, and it passed 5-0. The meeting ended with the chair noting that several bills had been laid over for the next week’s agenda.
WA

Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session

Senate Health & Long-Term Care Feb 20th, 2026

Transcript Highlights:
  • Are there any questions of staff on this bill?
  • They have enough staff, correct?
  • Are there any questions of staff on this bill?
  • Are there any questions of staff on this bill?
  • And I'm going to look to staff.
Summary: The Senate Health and Long-Term Care Committee held a Friday morning hearing with several House bills and then took executive action on three measures. In executive session, the committee voted do pass on Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2242, Substitute House Bill 2152, and Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2168, sending the first two to Rules and the overdose-mapping bill to Ways and Means. The committee also waived the five-day notice rule for several bills on the agenda. Public hearings focused on hospital inspections, continuing care retirement communities, radiologic technologist supervision, music therapy licensure, nursing regulation, ambulance billing after motor vehicle accidents, and EMT recertification. Representative Macri presented HB 2577 to require hospital inspections at least every 18 months, allow limited pauses during emergencies, and clarify when CMS or accrediting-body surveys may substitute for state inspections; DOH supported the bill, citing JLARC recommendations, while many people signed in opposed. Macri also presented Second Substitute HB 2384, which would require actuarial analysis review for certain CCRCs; OIC supported the transparency goal, while CCRC representatives opposed the added cost, though residents and association witnesses argued the oversight would protect seniors and their life savings. Representative Engel’s HB 2113 drew strong support from radiology, hospital, and provider groups for allowing virtual direct supervision for IV contrast procedures and aligning state law with CMS practice. Representative Ryu’s HB 1187 would bar ambulance services from sending motor-vehicle-accident medical debt to collections for 120 days; she described a personal experience with an ambulance collection issue, and the hearing was closed after no testifiers appeared. Representative Reed’s HB 2363 would let music therapy applicants practice under supervision for up to six months while exam results are processed; music therapy witnesses said it would prevent workforce gaps. Representative Simmons’ HB 2339 would update nursing title and transcript requirements and allow the board to issue interim permits directly, with the Board of Nursing and ARNP groups calling it a technical cleanup. HB 2540 would extend EMT recertification intervals to six years for long-tenured EMTs, and firefighters supported it as an administrative simplification without changing training requirements.
KY
Transcript Highlights:
  • </c><00:02:56.800><c> suggested</c> and 6040 have staff suggested and 6040 have staff suggested amendments
  • All regulations have staff 12, and 13.
  • There are staff amendments. Is there a motion to approve the staff amendments?"
  • Is there a motion to staff amendments.
  • </c> approve the staff amendments? approve the staff amendments?
Summary: The Administrative Regulation Review Subcommittee met for its January meeting, approved the minutes from the prior meeting, and welcomed the new regulations compiler. The first item was a repealer from the Council on Postsecondary Education, 13 KAR 2:111, which was explained as necessary because Senate Bill 77 from the 2025 session removed the regulatory authority for advanced practice doctoral degree programs at comprehensive universities. No questions were raised, and the repealer moved forward without objection. The subcommittee then reviewed a large package of State Board of Elections regulations with staff-suggested amendments. The package would update definitions and election procedures, require e-poll books to be ready before polls open, change the standard and timeline for removing an election officer, add oversight by a State Board appointee on election days, recognize the Kentucky party, require voter registration records to be added to electronic voter records, require ballots to fit all races and questions on a single sheet, adjust precinct consolidation petition deadlines, and update incorporated forms and identification references. The package was approved without objection. The Office of the Attorney General’s Office of Regulatory Relief also presented multiple regulations with staff amendments, covering funeral planning declarations, cemetery companies, pre-need cemetery merchandise and funeral/burial contract sellers, and crematory contract sellers. These changes were described as adding specificity, streamlining forms and reporting, and bringing the regulations into compliance with KRS Chapter 13A; they were approved without objection. The Board of Examiners of Psychology presented several regulations, including compact rules, grace-period extensions, and significant fee increases for applications, renewals, reinstatements, exam retakes, and reciprocity. Board representatives said the increases were needed because many fees had not been raised since 2002, the board was operating at a deficit, and legal and administrative costs had risen sharply after the termination of state legal services. Members expressed concern about the size of the increases, but the chair said he would not hold the matter up and would raise the issue with the committee of jurisdiction. The subcommittee also approved staff amendments for the Energy and Environment Cabinet’s air quality regulations and the Education and Labor Cabinet’s education regulations, which updated nontraditional instruction procedures, waiver requests, instruction topics, superintendent assessment requirements, and academic standards. The meeting ended with the next meeting scheduled for February 9 at 1 p.m., and the agenda was adjourned without further objection.
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Education K-16 Apr 29th, 2025

Education K-16

Transcript Highlights:
  • Why is it now necessary to have dedicated staff as opposed to continuously using the TEA staff?
  • Staff are the agency staff and not the board’s.
  • hiring and firing of that staff.
  • It’s not a large number of staff.
  • It's because of staff.
Summary: The Committee on Education K-16 heard several bills focused largely on special education transparency, school safety, and student support services. Senate Bill 1908, by Senator Zaffirini, would direct the Higher Education Coordinating Board to study the feasibility of a statewide system for coordinating clinical training placements, including regional portals for healthcare clinical slots, with a report due by December 1, 2026. A representative of the Texas Nurses Association and the Nursing Legislative Agenda Coalition testified in support. The bill was left pending subject to the call of the chair. The committee then took up Senate Bill 111, by Senator Hall, which in its committee substitute was narrowed to a reporting bill requiring school districts to disclose legal proceedings involving special education due process complaints when legal fees exceed $10,000, rather than capping spending. Several parents and advocates testified that districts spend large sums on litigation against families of children with disabilities and that greater transparency is needed; some senators raised concerns about unintended consequences, including possible pressure to settle cases. The committee adopted the substitute and left the bill pending. The committee also heard Senate Bill 1551 on automated external defibrillators in public schools, Senate Bill 865 on CPR instruction requirements for certain volunteers, Senate Bill 1032 on the Governor’s University Research Initiative, and Senate Bill 571 on school employee misconduct reporting and access to the Do Not Hire Registry; each was reported favorably after committee substitute adoption and roll-call votes. Additional bills discussed included Senate Bill 1884, which would formalize and expand dedicated staff support for the State Board of Education and give the board chair hiring authority over that staff; members questioned whether it duplicated TEA functions, while a witness argued the workload increase justified the change, and the bill was left pending. Senate Bill 625 would replace the current half-credit economics requirement with a half-credit in personal financial literacy; educators and advocates strongly supported making the course required, and the bill was left pending. Senate Bill 582 would make TEA settlement agreements in special investigations publicly available when sanctions are imposed, and Senate Bill 2600 would bar transportation fees for students living within two miles of campus unless districts do not receive state transportation funding; both were left pending. The committee also heard Senate Bill 2751, which would require TEA inspections of non-public special education programs to consider medical standards of care and crisis-prevention training; testimony from a program operator described severe student behaviors and the need for more flexibility, and the bill was left pending after the substitute was adopted.
AZ
Transcript Highlights:
  • Questions for staff? Seeing none, Chairman.
  • Questions for staff? Seeing none.
  • Questions for staff? Seeing none, Chairman, Madam Whip, staff did a great job.
  • Any questions for staff?
  • Questions for staff?
Summary: The meeting covered a series of fiscal year 2027 budget and budget-related bills, beginning with the general appropriations and tax package. Staff and the chair highlighted a budget built around about $1.4 billion in tax cuts, a one-time 2.5% agency reduction, major funding for state employee health insurance, corrections, flood and wildfire relief, and other supplemental appropriations. The chair repeatedly urged support for the package, emphasizing the size of the tax cut and noting that the committee’s joint vote had only three no votes out of 28 members. Members then reviewed several smaller budget implementation bills affecting racing and gambling, capital outlay, commerce and defense innovation, corrections, environment and water policy, higher education, human services, K-12 education, county finance, tax administration, state data governance, and state office rent rates. Key provisions included extending or modifying funds and fee structures, transferring surplus or unneeded monies, creating or revising oversight boards and pilot programs, increasing K-12 funding by 2% for inflation, adjusting university retention limits, expanding SNAP and housing-related requirements, and changing tax conformity and credits. Several members asked clarifying questions about specific items such as electric vehicle charging funds, mobile home relocation payments, university funding, and the new health insurance oversight board. The chair also explained the tax bill’s major changes, including conformity to federal tax law, a larger dependent tax credit, changes to deductions, repeal of certain tax credits, veteran property tax relief, limits on data center tax incentives, and provisions affecting manufacturing infrastructure and unemployment insurance administration. The committee discussed the Budget Stabilization Fund, debt repayment, and education rollover balances, with the chair arguing for using surpluses to pay down debt. The final item discussed was a behavioral health bill creating a home and community-based services program for adults determined to be seriously mentally ill, with a stated FY 2027 total fund appropriation of $7.8 million contingent on federal approval and matching funds. The meeting ended with a reminder that floor action would begin the next day at 10 a.m.
AZ

Arizona 2026 Regular Session

01/13/2026 - House Commerce

Commerce

Transcript Highlights:
  • The Racing Commission's responsibilities include staff. Member positions were filled.
  • What we actually are doing: we have already provided updated training to our staff.
  • In addition to phone services, staff received and responded to over 13,600 emails.
  • However, as of May 2025, authority staff had not done so since July 2024.
  • However, as of May 2025, authority staff had not done so since July 2024.
Keywords: 1182, all
NH

New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session

Senate Finance (04/21/2025)

Finance

Transcript Highlights:
  • relations staff, training staff, finance staff, human resource staff, programming staff, logistics staff
  • , investigators, medical staff, collection staff, administrative support staff, classification staff,
  • mental health staff, and client record staff.
  • 59.680><c> to</c><00:14:59.920><c> staff</c><00:15:00.560><c> and</c> staff provide resources to staff
  • Also does inmate on staff. Yes. staff on Also does inmate on staff.
Keywords: 1191, senate, all
AR

Arkansas 2026 Regular Session

LEGISLATIVE JOINT AUDITING Jun 5th, 2026

LEGISLATIVE JOINT AUDITING

Transcript Highlights:
  • So then another question of staff: how does audit...
  • Staff to close this finding out. Okay.
  • So thanks again to legislative audit staff and to all the agency staff and representatives that have
  • And by that I mean, can we get staff to, or can we get the members of the committee to get to staff any
  • Staff clear on that? Okay.
Keywords: 1204, all
OR
Transcript Highlights:
  • , but for any of their component school district staff as well.
  • And again, no fee for the first 10 staff trained by the ESDs.
  • So again, that idea was that the ESDs are pulling in other districts and their staff and not charging
  • I think where the feedback that I got from classified staff were...
  • I had a follow up on. our students and our staff in general.
Keywords: 907, all
WA

Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Education Feb 18th, 2026 at 10:30 am

Education

Transcript Highlights:
  • And we can go to staff. I don't think it's too hard, right?
  • submit data for staff and the board to review.
  • Thank you, Madam Chair, and for staff.
  • In the last couple of years, our staff survey is up 9%.
  • In the last couple of years, our staff survey is up 9%.
Bills: SB6278
WA
Transcript Highlights:
  • Staff-to-youth ratios are appropriate in alignment with PREA.
  • instead of four staff members and in no event less than three staff members to every eight children.
  • instead of four staff members and in no event less than three staff members to every eight children.
  • How long do we need five new staff for to do this? Forever?
  • No, we're not asking for additional staff.
Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 1544, which would require DCYF to study and improve the risk assessment tool used in child abuse and neglect investigations, including better identifying family strengths and needs, substance use-related risk, and service needs, and to certify the tool every three years. Staff explained the bill and noted it had passed the committee unanimously in substitute form last year. The prime sponsor, Representative Rule, said the tool would help reduce bias and support better decisions about child safety. Members raised questions about whether the bill would require new data systems or create a fiscal impact, and DCYF testified that the recertification process would focus on evidence-based literature and fidelity to the tool, though the agency acknowledged limitations in its data system. Support testimony from Partners for Our Children and DCYF emphasized that the current tool is not evidence-based and that the department is piloting the North Carolina Family Assessment Scale. The hearing on HB 1544 was then closed. The committee then received a lengthy work session from DCYF on juvenile rehabilitation. Juvenile Rehabilitation Assistant Secretary Jennifer Redman and security classification administrator Jeff Endermark described a growing JR population that is older, serving more adult-sentence youth, and projected to rise to about 481 by 2031. They said Green Hill School remains crowded, Harbor Heights is being brought online as a short-term option, and Echo Glen is near safe operational capacity. They explained JR’s classification system, behavior management process, and the role of multidisciplinary teams in placement decisions, as well as the expansion of community transition services (CTS), which uses electronic home monitoring for eligible youth. Staff described CTS eligibility, supervision expectations, and examples of successful placements, but also said the program needs more after-hours staffing and community supports. Members questioned the validity and equity of the risk tools, the availability of community resources, the impact of behavior policies and escapes, the use of single bunking, and broader concerns about lawsuits and sexual abuse in the system. JR reported an escape rate increase from 1.78 per 100 youth in 2001 to 3.92 in 2025 and said additional capacity and staffing are still needed. The committee then heard House Bill 2219, which would allow child care centers more flexibility in mixed-age grouping during parts of the day and waive repeated DCYF pre-service orientation for people who have already completed it. The prime sponsor, Representative Ortiz-Self, said the bill is meant to ease burdens on small providers. Testifiers from SEIU 925, a family child care provider, the Washington Child Care Centers Association, a child care center director, and the Children’s Campaign Fund supported the bill as a practical way to improve staffing flexibility and reduce duplicative licensing requirements, though one association asked that the bill’s daily time caps on mixed-age grouping be revised or removed. The committee then heard House Bill 2253, an agency-request technical corrections bill for DCYF licensing. Staff said it would allow child-specific licenses for certain relatives under interstate placements, exempt kinship caregivers from blood-borne pathogen training, remove licensing exemptions for physicians and lawyers, allow termination of inactive licenses, revise crisis residential center staffing ratios, and eliminate state monitoring requirements for the Washington School for the Deaf residential program. Members asked about how inactivity would be defined and whether the School for the Deaf inspections had historically produced savings. DCYF said the bill would help right-size licensing workloads after budget cuts and would let the agency work with stakeholders to define inactivity in rule. Testimony from DCYF, Community Youth Services, and Partners for Our Children supported the bill, especially the staffing ratio fix for crisis residential centers and the child-specific licensing changes for relatives.
WA

Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session

Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Feb 19th, 2026 at 10:30 am

Early Learning & K-12 Education

Transcript Highlights:
  • Ily Cato, committee staff.
  • I can have staff clarify this.
  • I can have staff clarify this.
  • Thank you, staff.
  • Let the trained staff handle that.
Keywords: 904, all
MS

Mississippi 2026 Regular Session

Appropriations - Room 216, 4 February, 2026; 9:00 AM

Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:
  • </c> they're asking for is um staff they're asking for is um staff increases.<00:03:26.480><c> um</c>
  • </c><00:03:33.519><c> and</c> progression for all of the staff and progression for all of the staff and
  • </c> support um to our dedicated board staff. support um to our dedicated board staff.
  • And finally, we are staff members.
  • </c> division is a staff of one at present. division is a staff of one at present.
WA
Transcript Highlights:
  • Do we have any questions for staff? Okay. Thank you. Do we have any questions for staff?
  • Peter Claudeville, staff of the committee.
  • Yes, again, Peter Klaught Feltor Committee staff.
  • If staff could bring up the standing committee report form, please. ...vote if staff could bring up the
  • Staff, could bring up the standing committee report form.
Summary: The Consumer Protection and Business Committee met in executive session to review several bills and amendments. Staff briefed House Bill 2483 on creating a data broker registry, House Bill 2477 on limiting claims arising from appraisal reports, House Bill 2274 on the Washington Commercial Electronic Mail Act, House Bill 2394 on insurance fraud enforcement, House Bill 2624 on consumer protections for unsolicited real estate transactions, and House Bill 2240 on self-service storage rental agreements. Members discussed proposed amendments on narrowing the data broker definition, delaying registration dates, expanding exemptions, clarifying appraisal-related limitations, and revising email and insurance fraud language, but action on HB 2483 and HB 2477 was deferred. The committee then moved HB 2274 forward. Supporters said it was a needed fix after litigation involving misleading commercial emails, while some members noted remaining concerns but wanted to advance the bill before policy cutoff. The committee adopted the proposed substitute and reported it out with a due pass recommendation by a 12-3 vote. HB 2394 was also deferred without action. HB 2624 was reported out with a due pass recommendation after debate over whether the bill’s carve-out for public entities, tribes, and nonprofit nature conservancies was too broad; the vote was 9-6. The committee then adopted two amendments to HB 2240, requiring both email and first-class mail delivery of rental agreements when an email address is provided and extending notice for termination or nonrenewal to 25 days. As amended, HB 2240 was reported out with a due pass recommendation by voice vote, and the meeting adjourned.
WA

Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Labor & Workplace Standards Feb 24th, 2026 at 10:30 am

Labor & Workplace Standards

Transcript Highlights:
  • Alison Ryan, staff to the committee.
  • Any questions for staff? Okay.
  • Sorry about that, I forgot staff.
  • Staff will announce the vote.
  • See none, staff will announce the vote.
Bills: SB6134, SB6136, SB6188
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Conference Committee on HF2432 5/16/25

Transcript Highlights:
  • But we're going to go staff has come.
  • </c> that we have the judges and staff that we have the judges and staff required<00:31:16.399><c> to
  • </c> Could I get a clarification from staff? Could I get a clarification from staff?
  • Um but maybe I can get a staff.
  • Chair Latz. staff has the has the language. So we staff has the has the language.
Keywords: 919, house, all
Summary: The conference committee met late on Friday evening to discuss the Public Safety and Judiciary budget agreement, beginning with a brief exchange among members about concerns that the executive branch had been delaying the committee’s work by waiting to approve legislative decisions. Members emphasized that the legislature should retain its independence while still allowing normal collaboration with the governor’s office. The committee then moved through several outstanding policy items and adopted them without opposition, including the A38 amendment addressing data-sharing concerns involving disability-related information, a study of firefighting services by the state fire marshal, and an A46 amendment governing access to unredacted portable recording system data in collision investigations, with guardrails on disclosure and use. The committee next reviewed the spreadsheet and budget targets. Fiscal staff explained the judiciary side of the agreement, including funding for court operating costs, a one-time Justice Partner Access Program appropriation, forensic exam rate increases, guardian ad litem funding, public defense, human rights, the competency attainment board, the cannabis expungement board, and fee increases for civil filings and motions. On the public safety side, staff described the target as well as the discretionary items funded, including nonprofit security grants, BCA staffing changes, fire marshal initiatives, a 10-year arson statute of limitations, prosecutor training grants, legal representation for children, E911 funding for critical infrastructure, Philando Castile Training Fund support, corrections-related savings from the Stillwater phased closure and sentence-to-serve elimination, a mandatory minimums task force, a victims of crime account transfer, a decommissioning study, in-service use-of-force training, and extensions of several expiring appropriations. The committee also noted a correction to a spreadsheet label related to the Stillwater closure item. After the spreadsheet walkthrough, the committee took testimony from Chief Justice Natalie Hudson and State Court Administrator Jeff Shorban on behalf of the Minnesota Judicial Branch. Hudson thanked the committee for its work and said the agreement covers some unavoidable costs, including insurance, lease expenses, forensic examiner pay, and the new access system, but argued it does not adequately address the judiciary’s most urgent problem: staffing and judicial compensation. She said court employees are leaving for better-paying jobs, judicial salaries are frozen for two years, and applicant pools for judgeships have declined, especially in greater Minnesota. She also said the judicial branch was not meaningfully consulted on the budget target and urged lawmakers to recognize the courts as a constitutional obligation rather than a discretionary program.
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Legislative Budget Office Oversight Commission 1/22/26

Minnesota House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • </c><00:14:50.480><c> time</c> analysis can take a lot of staff time analysis can take a lot of staff
  • Um, though I think we would both agree with what fiscal staff and the LBO staff and everybody would say
  • ><00:25:14.720><c> and</c><00:25:14.960><c> everybody</c> staff and the LBO staff and everybody staff
  • </c> the the commitment from from the staff the the commitment from from the staff and<00:41:05.680><
  • and the legislative the finance staff and the legislative staff<00:54:18.319><c> or</c><00:54:18.559
Keywords: 1183, house
OK
Transcript Highlights:
  • as every staff member at Kojak.
  • We're losing quality staff and experienced staff. And it's gonna hurt us really soon.
  • So we really really need extra staff there.
  • Keep staff.
  • And as staff development, we travel to go conduct work.
Keywords: 914, all
WA

Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Civil Rights & Judiciary Feb 20th, 2026 at 10:30 am

Civil Rights & Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:
  • Staff report. Good morning again. Yelena Baker, staff to this committee.
  • SB 5169 staff report. Again, Yelena Baker, staff to the committee.
  • Matt Sterling, staff to the committee.
  • Adams, staff to the committee.
  • Staff: ...toys, playpens, and high chairs.
Keywords: 904, all
FL

Florida 2025 Regular Session

March 13, 2025 - 08:00 AM

Transcript Highlights:
  • He joined this committee staff in 2009 and has been staff director since 2020.
  • He joined this committee staff in 2009 and has been staff director since 2020. this committee staff in
  • She's our deputy staff director.
  • Our staff is outstanding. All of the House staff is outstanding.
  • We have a great staff here.
Summary: The Ways and Means Committee met on March 13, 2025, for its first meeting of the session, with member and staff introductions followed by consideration of several tax-related bills. The committee first heard HJR 163 and its implementing bill HB 165, which would extend the homestead property tax exemption for quadriplegics to surviving spouses, similar to the treatment for surviving spouses of certain disabled veterans. Sponsor Rep. Tant and constituent J.R. Harding described the financial and caregiving burdens faced by spouses of quadriplegics. The committee heard supportive testimony from the Florida Association of Property Appraisers and members voted both measures favorably without opposition. The committee then considered HB 785 on heated tobacco products. Rep. Tramont said the bill would create a new tax/regulatory category for the product, and an amendment clarifying the definition was adopted. The James Madison Institute offered a resource on the issue, the Florida Retail Federation waived in support, and Ranking Member Eskamani said she had concerns about the excise tax treatment and would vote no. The bill passed 16-1. Next, HB 321, a property tax exemption clarification for homes for the aged, was presented by Rep. Smith as a technical “glitch bill” to align state law with IRS tax code and ease development of low-income senior housing. It drew supportive testimony and passed unanimously. The final bill, HB 503 by Rep. Botana, would cap local government revenue from local business taxes and require refunds if collections exceed the cap, with carve-outs for fiscally constrained areas. Local government and economic development groups, including the Florida League of Cities, the City of Winter Haven, the Miami-Dade Beacon Council, and the Florida Association of Counties, opposed the bill, arguing it would limit funding for public safety, inspections, economic development, and other services and create administrative refund problems. Several members supported the bill as a tax-cutting measure, while others warned of impacts on local services and revenue flexibility. The committee reported HB 503 favorably on a 14-5 vote, and then adjourned.