Transcript Highlights:

• THERE ARE ADDITIONS AND MODIFICATIONS AND I HOPE YOU VIEW THEM AS IMPROVEMENTS.

Keywords: illegal immigration, special session, budget committee

Summary: The Florida House of Representatives convened for a special session on February 11-14 to address illegal immigration legislation. Speaker Perez announced they would consider two bills and a memorial filed the previous night, with committee meetings scheduled for Wednesday and final passage on Thursday. The Speaker emphasized the legislature's role as equal participants rather than recipients of instructions, describing their approach as aggressive in combating illegal immigration while being thoughtful in methods. The session was designed to be surgical and efficient, bypassing the normal committee process except for Budget Committee review.

Transcript Highlights:

• I should note that the extension on lines 298 and 299, the Thompson Park, is actually a modification.
• I should note that the extension on lines 298 and 299, the Thompson Park, is actually a modification.
• Paul Inclusive Playground, Accessible Space, and then there was an Accessible Space modification and

Keywords: 918, senate, all

Summary: The committee took up a large bonding bill and reviewed the final spreadsheet of capital investments. Chairs and members repeatedly thanked staff, House and Senate negotiators, and the Governor’s team for a collaborative process. The bill was described as a statewide package rather than a partisan one, with major funding for higher education asset preservation, DNR projects, public safety, transportation, the Met Council, veterans facilities, corrections, DEED/local projects, and a large water infrastructure section. House Fiscal staff and Senate fiscal staff walked through the bill line by line. Highlights included University of Minnesota and Minnesota State asset preservation, education and language immersion school funding, DNR trail and flood mitigation projects, public safety facilities, local road and bridge grants, Met Council parks and I/I grants, veterans home and armory funding, corrections projects including the Faribault vocational expansion, and many local economic development and public facility projects across Greater Minnesota and the metro. The bill also included Public Facilities Authority water and wastewater grants, housing rehabilitation funding, historical society grants, a Minnesota Zoo operating transfer, airport appropriations, and several cancellations of prior appropriations to help finance the package. Members generally praised the bill and the bipartisan work behind it. Some Republicans emphasized the one-time license fee reduction and affordability, while also saying DEED’s business development infrastructure funding was too low. Senator Nelson highlighted long-awaited transportation projects such as Highway 14 and township roads. Senator Dibble supported the transportation investments but criticized the bill for having no transit funding, calling that a major omission. No vote was recorded in the excerpt, but the discussion centered on final review and support for moving the bonding bill forward.

Transcript Highlights:

• not enter into, extend, renew, or otherwise agree to a rider, amendment, supplement, or other modification
• To extend, renew, or otherwise agree to a rider, amendment, supplement, or other modification to an agreement
• where the rider, amendment, supplement, or other modification is to detain individuals for federal civil

Bills: SB100

Keywords: burglary, aggravated burglary, dwelling, criminal law, property rights, 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• President, this bill is a sunset bill extending pharmacy for one year with modification on the board
• for one bill extending pharmacy for uh for one year<00:21:32.960> with<00:21:33.280> modification
• <00:21:34.080> on<00:21:34.400> the<00:21:34.559> board year with modification

Keywords: 920, all

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, approved excusing absent members, dispensed with the previous day’s journal, and allowed bill introductions and committee reports throughout the day. Members also recognized guests in the gallery, including Judge Smitherman and later Karen Butler, wife of Senator Tom Butler. The chamber adopted Senate Joint Resolution 11, honoring Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated on its Founders Day and 118 years of service, after reading the resolution at length and hearing brief remarks from Senator Figures. The Senate then adopted the Rules Committee’s special order calendar and took up several bills. Senate Bill 12 by Senator Gudger, repealing a prior community development districts law tied to a Coleman County project, passed. Senate Bill 19 by Senator Livingston, dealing with health insurance/prostate cancer screening, also passed. Senate Bill 89 by Senator Sessions, repealing the 1931 State Pilotage Commission statute, passed; Senate Bill 134 by Senator Beasley, concerning taxation and interstate warehousing of tobacco products, passed after a committee amendment was adopted; Senate Bill 100 by Senator Kelly, extending the State Board of Pharmacy sunset for one year with appointment changes, passed; Senate Bill 114 by Senator Bell, expanding Alabama’s handling of out-of-state warrants to additional felonies, passed; Senate Bill 122 by Senator Stewart, regarding the State Board of Registration for Foresters, passed; Senate Bill 35 by Senator Kitchens, updating vessel registration language for Coast Guard compliance, passed; and Senate Bill 127 by Senators Coleman-Madison and Stewart, continuing the Board of Examiners in Counseling for four years, passed. Senate Bill 28 by Senator Elliott, which would raise the earnings cap for retired law enforcement officers and district attorneys returning to work and address school bus driver staffing, was discussed at length but carried over at the sponsor’s request. Senators raised concerns about the bill’s impact on RSA/retirement system funding and the possibility of broader pressure for similar retiree reemployment arrangements, while supporters emphasized staffing shortages, training savings, and benefits for schools and public safety. The session concluded with the calendar completed and a new resolution introduced by Senator Orr recognizing the 250th anniversary of the United States Postal Service, which was taken up for immediate consideration and adopted.

Transcript Highlights:

• So as you go down the list, you’re making modifications, modifications, and then when you start getting
• down further, that’s where you just start having to do modifications of the overall operation.

Summary: The committee first heard an update on the Joint Transportation Committee study of transportation impacts if the Lower Snake River dams were removed. WSDOT and Jacobs described the study’s phases, including current work on geology, infrastructure risk, and a total logistics cost model. They explained that the study is examining how freight now moved by barge—especially wheat, fertilizer, and wood—could shift to rail and roads, and they outlined several scenarios ranging from no-dam future conditions to new unit-train terminals, short-line rail options, and a combined “many solutions” scenario. Members asked about irrigation, impacts in Idaho and Oregon, port capacity, emissions, competition, EV trucks, and whether the model could estimate transportation effects if grain volumes decline. The presenters said the study assumes current production levels continue, does not model irrigation changes or broader farm-economics impacts, but does account for transloading costs and can estimate transportation impacts under different volume assumptions. WSU’s independent review team said the model has improved substantially but still needed refinement, especially in routing, road data, and spatial detail, and that stakeholder engagement had been strong though delayed by model development. No votes were taken. The committee then received a presentation on the alternative sidewalk funding study. Staff and consultants said the study is exploring ways local governments could sustainably fund sidewalk maintenance, repair, and new construction, using a statewide survey, interviews, national research, and case studies in eight jurisdictions. They noted sidewalks are important for pedestrian safety and connectivity, but there is no dedicated funding source in Washington, and existing grants and local revenue tools are highly competitive or limited. The consultants highlighted sidewalk fees or utility-style charges as the most promising option to study, while a parcel tax was largely set aside because of state property-tax uniformity concerns. Members asked whether the study would duplicate existing funding or add to current taxes, and how a sidewalk fee would be collected; the consultants said the goal is to expand local options, not mandate adoption, and that fees would likely be billed through utilities rather than property taxes. A preliminary draft report is due December 15, with a final report due in mid-June. Next, staff gave a brief update on the ocean-going vessels study, which is examining shore power and emissions rules for vessels at berth. The presenter explained that federal Clean Air Act rules and California waiver authority create legal limits on how far Washington can go if it wants to adopt similar standards, and that deviations from California’s approach can increase litigation risk. The report will summarize stakeholder outreach and will be presented in draft form at the next JTC meeting. Finally, county engineers from Chelan and Douglas counties began a presentation on county transportation challenges, with the association’s director emphasizing collaboration with state agencies and local partners on issues such as fish passage barriers and infrastructure needs. The county presentation was only beginning when the transcript ended, and no committee action or votes were recorded.

Transcript Highlights:

• They may make some modifications.
• They may make some modifications.
• 1958 and there had been no in 1917 and the other was built in 1958, and there'd been no major modification

Summary: The committee met jointly with the Washington-Oregon Legislative Action Committee for an update on the Interstate 5 Bridge Replacement (IBR) program. Members first adopted the proposed committee rules, then received program updates from staff on environmental review, permitting, design, tribal consultation, and public engagement. Staff said the project remains in the supplemental EIS process, with a final supplemental EIS and amended record of decision expected in early 2026, which would allow construction to begin. They also described ongoing work on Coast Guard navigation clearance, Section 106 historic-property coordination, and architectural guidelines for the bridge and five-mile corridor, emphasizing that the visualizations shown were conceptual and that public and partner feedback has already influenced design considerations such as accessibility and shared-use path connections. Members raised concerns about schedule delays, rising costs, and whether the project is being designed to be functional, safe, and economical. Staff acknowledged that the timeline has slipped from earlier expectations and said the delay reflects the complexity of the environmental and federal review process, as well as the need to avoid redoing steps. They said the updated cost estimate is being prepared now that design has advanced to roughly 30 percent, and that it will account for inflation, risk factors, and both fixed-span and movable-span options. Staff estimated a movable span would add more than $400 million and said the first construction work after environmental approval would likely be preliminary freeway and retaining-wall work in late 2026, followed by the bridge procurement. The committee also received funding and tolling updates. Staff reported that major federal grants have been executed, including Mega and Bridge Investment Grant agreements, and that state STIP amendments are advancing to allow access to federal funds. The tolling team described Level 3 traffic-and-revenue work, a bi-state tolling subcommittee process, and possible toll scenarios aimed at supporting either about $1.24 billion or $1.6 billion in toll revenue. Members questioned low-income toll relief timing, truck toll rates, and the effect of tolls on freight users. Staff said low-income discounts are being analyzed for both revenue and operational feasibility, that tribal exemptions and other policy exemptions are under review, and that the commissions expect to move into public outreach on toll rates and policies in 2026, with tolling on the existing bridges currently projected to begin in spring 2027.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a one-time modification cost of the DMV, which Department of Safety confirms can be absorbed
• Um, this is relative to creating a new... modification cost of the DMV which modification cost of the

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• gt;> that person is the contracting officer, signs<00:34:26.800> all<00:34:26.960> modifications
• signs all modifications signs all modifications and<00:34:29.240> change<00:34:29.560>
• Then it gets back to the engineer at DAGS and they have to write a modification or issue the change to
• > issue<00:35:06.280> the<00:35:07.120> the<00:35:07.280> change a modification
• or issue the the change a modification or issue the the change to<00:35:07.760> the<00:35:07.880

Bills: SB2613, SB2543, SB2398, SB2046, SB2800, SB2818, SB2973, SB2367, SB2907, SB3067, SB3053, SB2944, SB2074, SB2596

Keywords: public school land transfer, Department of Education, DOE, land conveyance, fee simple title, tax map key, TMK, Act 307, Session Laws of Hawaii 2022, Act 139, Board of Land and Natural Resources, BLNR, Department of Land and Natural Resources, DLNR, Kauai, Maui, Honolulu, Kaimuki Middle School, Wilcox Elementary School, school property

Summary: The committee heard testimony on SB 2613, SD1, HD1, relating to public school land transfer. The Attorney General’s office and the Department of Education supported the bill’s technical cleanup of Act 307, but strongly opposed a new provision that would convey school parcels containing public and school library facilities to the Hawaii State Public Library System. They argued the added transfer language conflicted with Act 307’s purpose of consolidating school land for more efficient school operations, and said existing law already allows co-located library use through rights of entry, licenses, or other agreements. The library system supported the bill and said it was trying to resolve longstanding operational conflicts on shared school-campus libraries, especially where public access, construction, and campus safety issues arise. Members questioned whether the Board of Education should simply mediate the dispute, whether the bill was the right solution, and whether a formal memorandum of agreement might be a better approach than a land transfer. The library system described years of difficulty coordinating with DOE on projects and said it needed a clearer process to complete work and spend CIP funds. Discussion also touched on a Kauai parcel in the bill, identified as a tennis court, and whether resurfacing could be completed before any transfer. The Attorney General indicated that if the goal is to preserve library uses while keeping title with the state, DLNR or another documented arrangement may be more appropriate than transferring fee title to the library system. The committee then heard SB 2543 SD2 HD1, relating to state construction projects. DAGS supported the measure, and the Hawaii Ironworkers Stabilization Fund and Hawaii Building Construction Trade Council strongly supported it, saying the bill would help spot-check high-cost projects and reduce waste from overruns and delays. One testifier opposed the bill, arguing the proposed construction manager role was too limited and that DAGS needed more training, decentralized authority, and better internal decision-making rather than a new layer of oversight. Supporters said the bill was intended as a pilot program to address repeated cost overruns and improve accountability on state construction projects.

Transcript Highlights:

• The modification of the tax credit program... corporation serving 30 counties and over corporation serving
• 01:11:17.040> the creating more rental units. uh the creating more rental units. uh the modification
• The proposed modifications are supported.
• And again, I guess just to further our support for the modifications, as well as the removal of the sunset
• as well as the removal of modifications as well as the removal of the<01:22:59.840> sunset<01

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The Senate offer also includes modifications and new proposed language as highlighted in yellow.

Summary: The appropriations chairs’ conference committee met to exchange and accept budget offers on several issues. The Senate accepted the House’s revised offer on transportation, tourism, economic development, infrastructure, and related projects. The House accepted the Senate’s Pre-K-12 education budget and projects offer with four project-level changes: adding $200,000 for Workforce Development and High School Classrooms, reducing the Crockett Foundation by $250,000, adding $350,000 for the North Florida after-school agriculture and arts project, and eliminating funding for Roosevelt Elementary School Program Enhancements. The House also accepted the Senate’s administered funds budget offer. The House then presented offers on Pre-K-12 education (SB 2510) and Health and Human Services/Health Care (SB 2514). For Pre-K-12, the House said some rows were closed, some Senate positions were accepted, some were modified, some House positions were maintained, and new positions were offered on rows 12 through 16. For Health and Human Services, the House moved to the Senate position on several lines, including a five-year pediatric cancer research incubator, kept its position on some lines, and proposed new language on Medicaid redeterminations, PACE, Medicaid premium assistance, adult day training reimbursement, behavioral health teaching hospitals, and dental hygienists. The Senate then presented offers on Pre-K-12 education proviso and back-of-bill language, education capital outlay proviso and back-of-bill language, and Health and Human Services/Health Care budget projects and back-of-bill language. The Senate explained that its bump offers were reflected in spreadsheet columns, with some items closed and others marked with highlighted changes; for education capital outlay, the Senate accepted two House positions on rows 48 and 49 and proposed a new issue on row 50. No public testimony was offered on any of the items. The chairs indicated they would continue meeting later that day or evening, and the committee adjourned without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• There are additions and modifications, and I hope you view them as improvements.

Keywords: 998, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• by Senator Harckham, an act to amend the Environmental Conservation Law in relation to permit modifications

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Standing Committee on Environmental Conservation, chaired by Senator Pete Harckham, met earlier than scheduled because of budget-related scheduling conflicts. The committee considered a 10-bill active list focused on environmental regulation, waterways, wildlife management, and remediation issues. Bills included a ban on lead in aviation gasoline (S.5440A), changes to air quality permit modification and enforcement procedures (S.6833A), adding waterways in Monroe and Putnam counties to the inland waterways definition (S.9062 and S.9506), an urban deer management pilot program extension (S.9098), expanded technical assistance grants and brownfield remediation provisions (S.9294), a DEC study on Jamaica Bay restoration needs (S.9311), repair of damaged pesticide containers (S.9587), and a prohibition on using drilling fluids, brine, and flowback water on highways (S.9635).

Transcript Highlights:

• MODIFIED LANGUAGE ONLINE 13 RELATED TO OCCA FISH PROGRAM AND ON LINE 16 THE HOUSE OFFERS THE MODIFICATION

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• These are ongoing DIR technology modification improvements that we've been tracking for several years
• With respect to our recommended modifications, we present four for your consideration.
• With respect to our recommended modifications, we present four for your consideration.
• This brings me to our fourth and final recommended modification, and that's to ensure that the budget
• administration plans to achieve portions of the savings through elimination of various positions as well as modification

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The committee held an informational hearing on the Governor’s May Revision proposals for labor, public safety/judiciary, and transportation, and no votes were taken. In Part A on labor, the Employment Development Department reviewed proposals for EDD Next document management system funding, updated UI loan interest costs, disability insurance and paid family leave benefit and administration adjustments, WIOA funding changes, UI administrative and benefit changes, school employee benefit adjustments, an EMT training reappropriation, and a technical correction tied to EDD Next. PERB discussed funding tied to AB 28 and AB 1, including litigation-related workload and new jurisdiction over legislative employees. DIR presented proposals for legal unit reclassifications, two major IT modernization projects, a new Cal/OSHA emerging technologies unit, a COIA reappropriation, and trailer bill language on electronic assessment payments and the DWC director salary cap. CalHR proposed additional funding for a consolidated employee assistance program contract, and CalPERS and CalSTRS presented budget adjustments tied to investment costs and state contribution changes. Members focused heavily on UI debt and interest payments, asking the administration for a plan to reduce the outstanding loan and relieve employers. Finance said no specific repayment plan was included in the May Revision, while LAO said the state’s UI tax structure is structurally insufficient and that any debt payoff should be paired with tax-system reform. Senators also questioned EDD Next costs and timelines, PERB’s caseload and staffing needs, and DIR’s emerging technologies unit, with LAO noting that the unit would appear focused on physical workplace safety rather than broader AI labor issues. CalHR said the new EAP contract would consolidate services, improve access to clinicians, and lower costs relative to the current model. CalPERS defended higher external management fees as part of a strategy to pursue higher net returns, while some members pressed for more transparency about private investments; CalSTRS said it was not prepared to address investment-strategy questions at this hearing. Public comment in Part A was dominated by advocates urging support for an immigration enforcement emergency relief fund, along with comments supporting the Jails to Jobs proposal, the Apprenticeship Innovation Fund, and additional PERB funding. The chair noted that many of the immigration-related requests might fall under other committees and said staff would follow up. In Part B, Finance and LAO outlined judicial branch and DOJ May Revision items, including funding for court interpreter services, appellate court security, lactation room implementation delays, courthouse construction reappropriations, and DOJ budget increases. LAO recommended approving the language-access proposal with a report on reducing interpreter cost growth and reducing the General Fund backfill for state court facilities by $10 million on an ongoing basis.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think there's just going to be a couple additional modifications that will be made and I'm assuming
• I think there's just going to be a couple additional modifications that will be made and I'm assuming
• couple there's just going to be a couple additional<00:10:56.720> um,<00:10:57.040> modifications
• <00:10:57.920> that<00:10:58.320> will additional um, modifications that will additional
• um, modifications that will be<00:10:58.720> made<00:10:58.959> and<00:10:59.200> I'm

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Legislative Administration Committee opened with Senate Bill 197, which would remove the Department of Health and Human Services commissioner’s supervisory role over the legislative facilities committee nurse and instead place the nurse under the Board of Nursing’s scope of practice. The sponsor’s aide and DHHS legislative director explained that the change updates outdated language last amended in 1995, aligns the statute with current practice, and was reviewed with legislative staff and nursing regulators, who were said to be comfortable with the proposal. Members asked why the change was needed and whether the commissioner had actually been supervising; the response was that the language no longer reflected how the position functioned. The chair said the bill might still be a simple consent item, but additional modifications were being discussed, so the hearing was closed with no vote taken at that time. The committee then heard Senate Bill 186, authorizing the Joint Legislative Historical Committee to accept and display a portrait of former Senator Jeb Bradley in the State House. The sponsor’s aide described Bradley’s legislative and congressional service and urged the committee to move the bill ought to pass. Members asked practical questions about whether the portrait was completed, its size, and where it would be hung. The witness said the portrait was not yet completed and that size and placement had not been determined, though the committee was told the historical committee would decide placement. A committee member noted that portrait sizes and locations are already being reviewed because of space concerns, and the hearing ended without a vote. A work session followed on the portrait bills, with the chair using them as a vehicle to discuss broader problems in the statutes governing portraits and the historical committee. He said the committee had gathered information from other states and suggested possible policy ideas such as portrait moratoriums, waiting periods after death, size limits, and clearer placement rules. Members discussed the need to update the RSAs and better define the historical committee’s authority. The committee did not take final action during the work session, but the discussion indicated that the portrait bills may be held while broader statutory revisions are considered.

Transcript Highlights:

• really curious as to who's not fine, you know, because sometimes I say sometimes you may need a modification
• really curious as to who's not fine, you know, because sometimes I say sometimes you may need a modification
• 49:42.400> need<00:49:43.040> a sometimes you may need a sometimes you may need a modification
• 49:45.280> you<00:49:45.400> need<00:49:45.559> to<00:49:45.680> do modification
• like maybe you need to do modification like maybe you need to do phase<00:49:46.119> one<00:49

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• disability who may or may not need special education, so that they can have access to an accommodation, modification
• disability who may or may not need special education, so that they can have access to an accommodation, modification
• :43.880> to<01:06:44.079> an<01:06:44.279> accommodation<01:06:45.559> modification
• access to an accommodation modification access to an accommodation modification Aid<01:06:46.920

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• of personalized firearm and microstamp technologies both in the production of new firearms and modification

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Special Commission on Emerging Firearm Technology convened its fifth hearing, led by co-chairs Representative Kate Lipper-Garabedian and Senator Michael Moore, with a quorum present. The co-chairs reviewed the commission’s charge to study emerging firearm technologies, including personalized firearms and microstamping, and to assess their feasibility, utility, legal issues, commercial availability, and potential costs and impacts in Massachusetts. They noted prior hearings on smart guns and microstamping and said this session was for public testimony. The only registered speaker was Matthew Nugent of Beverly, who urged the commission to recommend microstamping legislation. He argued that microstamping could help identify crime guns, solve shootings, and hold traffickers accountable by imprinting a unique code on cartridge casings when a firearm is fired. He cited other states, including New Jersey, California, and New York, as having adopted similar requirements and asked Massachusetts to follow suit. No other oral testimony was offered, though the co-chairs reminded the public that written testimony would continue to be accepted and posted for commissioners. Senator Moore thanked attendees for their input, and the commission then voted to adjourn without any substantive action or recommendations taken at the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 1447 is a modification in the requirements.

Bills: SB1684, SB1443, SB1447, SB378, SB1920

Keywords: SB1684, Oklahoma Highway Remediation and Cleanup Services Act, highway cleanup, roadway remediation, tow truck, wrecker service, liability insurance, DEQ, Department of Environmental Quality, motor vehicles, licensing, public safety, cleanup operators, roadside services, commercial towing, insurance requirement, license fee, revocation, suspension, Turnpike Authority

Transcript Highlights:

• There are a few additions and modifications, and I hope you view them as improvements.

Summary: The House convened in special session, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and the clerk announced a quorum with 108 members voting. The proclamation calling the Legislature into special session for February 11-14, 2025, was read, and the journal was approved. No introductions, communications, Senate messages, committee reports, reconsiderations, third-reading bills, special order items, or resolutions were on the desk. The Speaker addressed the chamber about the special session’s purpose, saying the House and Senate had worked through the governor’s call and were now bringing the session to a close with legislation focused on illegal immigration. He said the House would take up two bills and a memorial filed the previous night, with the measures referred to the Budget Committee and floor action planned for Thursday. He also thanked the Senate, the governor, and House members for their work during the process. Representative Garrison moved that the House adjourn after receiving reports and reconvene Thursday, February 13, at 12 p.m., or on call of the chair. The motion was approved by voice vote, and the House adjourned.