Transcript Highlights:

• activities for non- for-profit organizations, including synagogues, churches, It doesn't have to be a religious
• organization, but a lot of the funding does go to religious organizations.
• receive about $85 million. million in request each year for these grants, and our budget can only. accommodate
• the field, and currently we had requests of about $9.6 million. for grants and our budget could accommodate

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• it the same way that the religious exemption is treated under current law.
• Maybe it was, or maybe it wasn't, an actual religious exemption based on those beliefs.
• I later had three other children that I found out about a religious exemption.
• I later had three other children that I found out about a religious exemption.
• in addition to religious exemptions because a lot of the time religious exemptions are narrowly interpreted

Summary: The committee first took up CS for SB 896 on school safety, which would expand the Guardian program to public postsecondary institutions, require active assailant response plans and threat management protocols, improve reporting and information sharing, and make it a felony to discharge a weapon within 1,000 feet of a campus. A late-file amendment by Senator Polsky was adopted to clarify that students who are also employees or faculty at a public postsecondary institution are not eligible for the Guardian program. The bill drew strong opposition from faculty, students, and gun-safety advocates who argued that more guns on campus would create confusion, weaken safety, and undermine campus police; supporters said trained guardians would improve deterrence and protection. After debate, the committee reported the bill favorably by a roll call vote. The committee then considered SB 1690 on child care and early learning services, which updates child care laws, reduces some regulatory burdens, and expands the Florida Education Foundation’s authority to fundraise for early learning from birth through VPK. Members discussed oversight of the related direct-support organization and the removal of certain notice requirements, while supporters from Moms Rising and other advocates said the bill would help families access affordable, high-quality child care and support home-based providers. One opponent argued the bill added more government regulation, but the committee adopted the amendment and reported the bill favorably. Next, the committee passed CS for SB 118, a narrow bill on non-ad valorem special assessments for recreational vehicle parks, clarifying how assessments are calculated for RV spaces and campsites. The bill received supportive comments from RV advocates and was reported favorably without controversy. The committee then took up CS for SB 1220, the Department of Transportation package, which included provisions on seaports and airports, personal delivery devices, autonomous vehicles, broadband and utility permitting, and advanced air mobility. Amendments were adopted that revised research institute membership, limited some delivery-device provisions, and clarified cruiser light rules for law enforcement; after questions about utility preemption and PDD safety, the bill was reported favorably. Finally, the committee began hearing SB 1756 on medical freedom, which would require new vaccine educational materials, expand school-entry exemptions to include conscience-based objections, limit the Surgeon General’s emergency vaccination authority, and allow behind-the-counter ivermectin for adults with written information and liability protections. The bill drew extensive testimony from both supporters and opponents, with supporters emphasizing parental rights, informed consent, and vaccine injury concerns, and opponents warning about reduced immunization rates, public health risks, and the appropriateness of ivermectin provisions. The transcript ends during public testimony and debate on SB 1756, before final action on that bill is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• am not opposed to religious education am not opposed to religious education but<03:21:01.920>
• available are explicitly religious available are explicitly religious including<03:24:27.239>
• divided between private and uh religious divided between private and uh religious and<03:24:57.080
• Religious Religious Education<03:35:15.399> and<03:35:15.800> with<03:35:16.160> that
• I mean, certainly, in terms of religious discrimination, even though these religious schools will admit

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard HB 295, which would make school building aid funds non-lapsing/non-APS. Representative Cahill said the bill was intended to keep any unused building aid money available for future projects, potentially helping move projects up the priority list or provide a little more funding for school construction. Members asked about how much money has lapsed in past years, whether the education trust fund and building aid are separate, and whether any lapsing dollars could be used to pay down debt. Department of Education official Jim Carney said about $29.1 million would be available if building aid is funded to the $50 million maximum in FY26, confirmed that the fund currently lapses, and said the department would gather historical lapse data. Committee members also discussed whether a dedicated fund structure could achieve the same goal, and the chair noted that the education trust fund statute includes school building aid as one of its uses. No vote was taken; the hearing was closed and the committee said it would later hold a work session after receiving more information. The committee then took up HB 237, introduced by Representative Dan McGuire, which would prohibit the use of special education state funds and differentiated aid for students not receiving special education services. The New Hampshire School Boards Association, through Becky Wilson, opposed the bill as written, saying it was unclear, potentially unnecessary, and difficult to implement because adequacy and differentiated aid are distributed as part of a districtwide lump sum rather than as student-specific dollars. She explained that special education costs are embedded across district budgets, including staffing, training, transportation, and instruction, and that some staff and services benefit both special education and general education students. Wilson also said differentiated aid is not tied to a specific pupil and is used at the district’s discretion, though it is intended to support students with greater needs. Committee members pressed on whether the bill would require districts to track money by individual student, whether it could conflict with federal special education law, and whether it would affect least restrictive environment requirements. Wilson said making the funds student-specific could create privacy and accounting problems and could make it difficult to staff inclusive classrooms, though she did not give a definitive legal opinion on federal compliance. She agreed that students who are not eligible for special education would not be included in the separate catastrophic/special education aid reimbursement program. The discussion continued into the second section of the bill, with members exploring how adequacy aid and differentiated aid are used in practice, but no action was taken during the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• American Legions of Minnesota, the the American Legions of Minnesota, the Joint<01:44:29.120> Religious
• <01:44:29.480> Legislative<01:44:29.920> Council, Joint Religious Legislative Council
• , Joint Religious Legislative Council, Citizens<01:44:31.160> Against<01:44:31.680> Gambling
• 59:48.560> you I'd be happy to and I appreciate you I'd be happy to and I appreciate you accommodating
• us in the situation the accommodating us in the situation the bill<01:59:50.880> finds<01:59:

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So a lot of that comes down to compelled speech and religious expression.
• compelled speech and religious compelled speech and religious expression.<00:29:40.960> And
• I think religious trauma is real. I think religious trauma is real.
• So, ...religious faith.
• Like I think their religious conviction.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• It don't require any religious connotations or any religious attachments to it.
• uh connotations or any religious uh connotations or any religious<00:02:56.120> attachments<00
• attachments to it so basically religious attachments to it so basically start<00:02:58.680> the
• not compel Free Speech or religious not compel Free Speech or religious practice<00:05:15.199>
• I serve on the University of Kentucky's religious advisory staff.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee first took up SB 19, which would require a daily moment of silence or reflection in Kentucky public schools and clarify that students may use the time as they choose without coercion or religious direction. The sponsor and supporters, including representatives of the Kentucky Jewish Council, argued the bill is nonsectarian, intended to promote calm and focus, and supported by research and prior bipartisan backing. Opponents from the Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass said they supported the anti-coercion language but objected to making the moment of silence mandatory rather than permissive, citing concerns about the statute’s interaction with the Lord’s Prayer language already in law. After discussion, the committee voted to pass SB 19 unanimously with favorable expression. The committee then considered SB 83, which revises the KEES scholarship program so homeschool and non-certified school students can receive awards using an ACT-to-GPA conversion and be treated more comparably to public school students. The sponsor described the bill as a recurring measure and walked through how the award amounts would be calculated under the substitute. There was no opposition raised during the hearing, and the committee adopted the substitute and passed SB 83 unanimously with favorable expression. Finally, the committee heard Senate Joint Resolution 55, directing Kentucky public postsecondary institutions to combat anti-Semitism. The resolution would require campuses to adopt policies using the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism, notify students of Title VI and state-law complaint rights, recognize Jewish organizations as community resources on the same basis as other religious organizations, take action against student groups supporting designated terrorist organizations, and collect and report campus anti-Semitism data. The presenters and supporters described a sharp rise in anti-Semitic incidents on campuses after October 7 and said schools have not responded adequately. The committee adopted the substitute and began hearing testimony on the resolution, but the transcript cuts off before any final vote on SJR 55.

Transcript Highlights:

• preparation as you're waiting in listening, we will start with one minute of time and it just in order to accommodate
• addresses banding classical literature or sexual orientation, gender identity, political views, religious

Transcript Highlights:

• Some are religious-affiliated schools. Right.
• Next, the bill accommodates the mobility between education options and ensures that each provider, public

Summary: The Senate Appropriations Committee on Pre-K-12 Education met for its first meeting of the 2025 session to hear the Auditor General’s operational audit on 2024-25 school funding accountability challenges, focused largely on the Family Empowerment Scholarship and its interaction with the FEFP. Deputy Auditor General Matthew Tracy described rapid growth in scholarship enrollment, timing mismatches between scholarship payments and public-school funding calculations, delayed membership survey processing, weak cross-check and recoupment procedures, inconsistent handling of parent survey responses, and limited documentation for withholding and returning funds. The audit said these issues contributed to funding inequities, duplicate-payment risks, and an unexpected draw on state education funds, and it recommended separating scholarship funding from the FEFP, aligning application windows with budget timing, strengthening controls and staffing, and creating clearer, documented recoupment and balance-limit processes. Committee members questioned whether current law gives the department and scholarship funding organizations enough authority and whether the system is effectively a pay-and-chase model. Several senators expressed concern about the lack of timely reconciliation, the size of the funds involved, and the absence of clear records showing how money was recovered or withheld. Adam Emerson, executive director of the Office of School Choice, said the department is working more closely with school districts and scholarship funding organizations, including pausing payments when districts identify students still enrolled in public schools, and said the office wants to improve the process. President Gates then previewed legislation he said would address the audit’s findings by funding Family Empowerment Scholarships as a separate FEFP categorical, expanding the Education Stabilization Fund, setting clearer application and acceptance deadlines, moving to monthly payments with eligibility verification before each payment, assigning student IDs for scholarship assistance, lowering SFO management fees, requiring annual audits, and requiring prompt return of audit-related funds. Public comment included a private-school attorney describing losses from unpaid scholarship amounts. Members generally supported the need for reform, with several senators saying the program should be preserved but better structured and more accountable. The committee adjourned after the discussion, with no vote taken on the legislation.

Transcript Highlights:

• If accommodation is needed, communicate with the sergeant's staff.
• included several different types of programs, including: Entertainment, recreation, educational, and religious

Transcript Highlights:

• it the same way that the religious exemption is treated under current law.
• Maybe it was, or maybe it wasn't, an actual religious exemption based on those beliefs.
• Maybe it was, or maybe it wasn't, an actual religious exemption based on those beliefs.
• They afford both the religious and the conscience-based exemption.
• Conscience exemption is necessary in addition to religious exemptions because a lot of time religious

Bills: S0118, S0896, S1690, S1756

Keywords: recreational vehicle parks, special assessments, property tax, occupancy rates, commercial assessment, school safety, guardian program, firearms, crimes near schools, security assessments, public postsecondary education, medical freedom, vaccination, ivermectin, healthcare practitioner liability, immunization exemptions

Summary: The committee first took up CS for SB 896, a school safety bill expanding the Guardian program to public postsecondary institutions. The bill requires active assailant response plans, security risk assessments, threat-management protocols, use of the suspicious activity reporting tool, and allows voluntary participation in Guardian for colleges and universities. A late-file amendment by Senator Polsky was adopted to clarify that students who are also employees or faculty are not eligible for Guardian. Members debated campus carry concerns, storage of firearms, and whether the bill could lead to broader gun access on campuses. Several faculty and gun-safety advocates testified against the bill, while supporters argued trained guardians can deter violence. The committee reported the bill favorably by roll call vote. The committee then approved CS for CS for CS for SB 1690 on child care and early learning services. The bill updates child care laws, clarifies regulations, and reduces overregulation of before- and after-school programs. An amendment expanded authority for the Florida Education Foundation to fundraise for early learning from birth to VPK. Testimony was largely supportive, emphasizing affordability, access to quality child care, and relief for working families, though one speaker opposed the bill as an expansion of government. The bill was reported favorably. Next, the committee passed CS for CS for SB 118, which clarifies how non-ad valorem special assessments are applied to recreational vehicle parks and limits the square footage used for assessment purposes to the maximum size of an RV space. The committee also approved CS for CS for SB 1220, the Department of Transportation package, which addresses seaport and airport planning, personal delivery devices, autonomous vehicles, advanced air mobility, toll programming, and other transportation-related changes. Amendments modified provisions on personal delivery devices, utility permits, autonomous vehicle penalties, and law-enforcement cruiser lights. Both bills were reported favorably. Finally, the committee began hearing SB 1756, the medical freedom bill, which proposes new vaccine information requirements, conscience-based school immunization exemptions, limits on compelled vaccination during public health emergencies, and behind-the-counter access to ivermectin for adults. The sponsor and supporters framed the bill as strengthening informed consent and parental rights, while opponents and some senators raised concerns about vaccine hesitancy, herd immunity, and the inclusion of ivermectin. Public testimony was extensive and sharply divided. The transcript ends during continued testimony and debate on SB 1756, before a final vote is taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• And thank you so much, Madam Chair, for giving me these few minutes and being accommodating. want.
• reading, their child learns to read, or the history, or this religious text, we don't look at that,
• So it's a lot more than just private school, and some are religious private schools and then some are
• Representative Stavis and I will Representative Stavis and I will accommodate<05:24:25.840> that
• that due to the to the accommodate that due to the to the situation<05:24:28.320> through<05:

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It increases the bonding capacity from $4 billion to $5 billion to accommodate the rebuilding of the
• So we need to increase the bonding to $5 billion in order to accommodate the larger price tag of the
• <00:19:03.280> the billion in order to accommodate the billion in order to accommodate the
• country that welcomes all kinds of people from all over the world, representing a wide variety of religious
• People from all over the world, representing a wide variety of religious practices and cultural differences

Keywords: House streaming session for Thursday, February 12, 2026, 957, house, all

Summary: The House convened with 124 members present, opened with prayer, and approved the previous day’s journal. Members then adopted a congratulatory House resolution honoring the Kent Island High School boys lacrosse team for winning the 2025 Maryland Class 2A state championship. The House also journalized Baltimore City 2026 bond/loan authorization resolutions and moved a series of introductory House bills and bond initiatives through first reading and committee referral without objection. On the special order calendar, House Bill 28, concerning higher education/private career schools advertising, received a favorable report and was ordered printed for third reading. House Bill 226, creating a Department of Disabilities housing programs and affiliated foundations structure, was also reported favorably as amended. Two floor amendments were adopted to that bill: one clarifying that any affiliated foundation may only raise funds or provide support and may not run programs or set policy, and another restoring conflict-of-interest and ethics protections, including limits on family members and public ethics application requirements. A later amendment to HB 226 was rejected by a recorded vote of 95 in the negative, and the bill was ordered printed for third reading. The most extended debate centered on House Bill 229, which increases the Maryland Transportation Authority’s revenue bond limit from $4 billion to $5 billion to help finance the Francis Scott Key Bridge rebuild. One amendment sought to prohibit toll increases without General Assembly approval; its sponsor argued the added borrowing would likely lead to future toll hikes and that elected representatives should vote on them. The floor leader opposed the amendment, saying it would weaken MDTA’s independent rate-setting authority, harm its bond rating, and increase financing costs, while noting the bill is intended to cover bridge reconstruction costs and federal reimbursement timing. After debate, the amendment failed on a recorded vote, and HB 229 was ordered printed for third reading.

Transcript Highlights:

• Interfering with religious services.
• And we heard some arguments in case. is interfering with a religious service.
• It is being disguised as a bill that will help with religious discrimination.
• quotes because— They're assembled for a religious service or activity.
• I deliberately put those in air quotes because religious service or religious activity are not defined

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, recorded attendance, welcomed former Senator Limpancrazi, and recognized page Owen Washburn and his family. The chamber then moved through messages and second-reading listings, and the Committee of the Whole considered several House bills. HB 2398, dealing with watercraft operation and peer-to-peer watercraft sharing insurance, received a floor amendment clarifying the types of insurers that may provide primary commercial boat liability coverage and was reported do pass as amended. HB 2477, relating to the Arizona Education Savings Plan, was amended to add investment guardrails, conflict-of-interest protections, an advisory team, limits on land investments, and statutory treatment of the local government investment pool, then reported do pass as amended. The Committee of the Whole also considered HB 2251 on midwifery, which was amended to transfer oversight of licensed midwives from the Department of Health Services to the Naturopathic Physicians Medical Board, add a licensed midwife to the board, separate midwife and naturopathic funds, apply investigative and disciplinary procedures, and make conforming changes; it was reported do pass as amended. HB 2991, concerning minors’ access to technology content and social media, drew extensive debate. A floor amendment revised age-signal and parental-consent procedures, changed default settings language, removed a private right of action, and made other technical changes. Senators Tise, Epstein, and others argued the bill still raised serious First Amendment and censorship concerns, while Senator Bullock defended it as a child-safety measure that did not require uploading ID. The bill was ultimately reported do pass as amended. In third reading, the Senate adopted the Committee of the Whole report, retained HB 2397 on the calendar, and voted on several bills. HB 2104, HB 2105, HB 2763, HB 2786, HB 2771, HB 2782, and HB 4117 passed; HB 2457, HB 2494, and HB 2696 failed. HB 2457 and HB 2494 drew opposition over local control and land-use concerns, while HB 2696, aimed at fuel and gas prices, drew criticism that the Commerce Authority was not the right vehicle and that the issue was driven by federal policy. HB 4117, relating to offenses against public order and religious services, passed after sharp debate over whether it would protect worship or chill protest and free speech, with opponents warning of vague language and potential political prosecutions. The Senate also voted to reconsider its prior action on HB 2311 and HB 2601, requested the House return HB 2995 for reconsideration, and adjourned until Thursday, June 11, at 10:00 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• There are ways that we can ensure... ...interfering with religious services.
• It is being disguised as a bill that will help with religious discrimination.
• quotes, because... ...they're assembled for a religious service or activity.
• I deliberately put those in air quotes because religious service or religious activity are not defined
• And number two, a public park could be defined as a religious place in the law.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We ask that public comment be kept to two minutes per person so that everyone can be accommodated.
• We had a working group that we convened, inquired from them on how best to articulate a bill to accommodate
• We were able to accommodate a lot of those things.
• clarified that online games and gamers are different from gaming, and that they were trying to accommodate
• So online games, gamers, is different from gaming, and we were trying to accommodate the gaming component

Bills: AB52, AB76, AB163, AB388, AB483

Keywords: health insurance, claims process, insurance regulation, admin penalties, healthcare access, cannabis, cannabis establishment, medical cannabis, adult-use cannabis, advertising regulations, packaging requirements, unlicensed cannabis activities, state prosecution, confidentiality, Cannabis Compliance Board, disciplinary proceedings, mental health, counseling, interstate practice, telehealth

Transcript Highlights:

• And the other body's changes are simply to fix a couple grammatical errors and accommodate the assessors
• <01:59:28.160> So,<01:59:28.360> I<01:59:28.680> really accommodate the assessors
• So, I really accommodate the assessors.
• > who<03:26:11.240> object<03:26:12.160> for care professionals who object for religious
• . ...grant them a reasonable accommodation, not to have to be directly involved in performing abortions

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, one other caveat: if the deceased is known to be a member of a religious community or organization
• Uh, one other caveat: if the deceased is known to be a member of a religious community or organization
• I am very grateful to Senator Elkins for his help with religious communities and trying to make sure
• So, the religious communities can take control and then they would they could have it cremated or not
• So, the religious communities can >> Okay.

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:03 Attendance Roll Call: 00:08 SB 27 Discussion 01:36 SB 27 Vote 07:06 SB 40 Discussion 08:11 SB 40 Vote 12:38 Adjournment: 13:31, 958, all

Summary: The Senate State and Local Government Committee met with a quorum and adopted a committee substitute for Senate Bill 27, sponsored by Senator Greg Elkins. SB 27 would let fiscal courts or local governments responsible for indigent remains choose cremation instead of burial, after consulting the coroner and after a 30-day effort to locate next of kin. The bill also preserves the ability of a religious community to assume responsibility if it has expressed that intent in writing. Jason Hall of the Catholic Conference of Kentucky said his only concern was ensuring cremated remains are interred, not disposed of otherwise, and Rabbi Schlommo Litman of the Kentucky Jewish Council thanked the sponsor for accommodating religious communities and said the bill was a good compromise. After discussion, the committee voted 10-0 to report SB 27 favorably as amended by committee substitute, with members indicating they expected it to pass on the floor. The sponsor thanked the committee for its work and noted the bill’s importance to religious communities. The committee then considered Senate Bill 40, sponsored by Senator Gary Boswell, and adopted its committee substitute. SB 40 changes the process for library board appointments, returning appointments to local judge executives and local boards and modifying the alternate appointment process created by prior law. Testimony from the County Judges Association and the Kentucky Public Library Association indicated the parties had worked together and were in agreement on the compromise. After questions about how the regular and alternate processes would work, the committee voted 10-0 to report SB 40 favorably as amended by committee substitute, also with favorable expression for floor passage. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• religious religious organizations<00:37:49.640> uh<00:37:49.760> if<00:37:49.839> you
• <00:42:16.000> um<00:42:16.920> it religious um it religious um it programs<00:42:20.000
• Are you having at least two religious events, religious ceremonies, a year?
• > religious<01:01:47.760> events<01:01:48.319> religious least two religious events
• religious least two religious events religious ceremonies<01:01:49.520> a<01:01:49.720> year

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first held a public hearing and then an executive session on HB 650, a housekeeping-style bill from the Joint Committee on Dedicated Funds. Testimony explained that the bill would remove references to two already-repealed dedicated funds, split the state parks dedicated fund so Cannon Mountain winter activities would be tracked separately from the rest of the parks system, and place a $1 million cap on the robotics education fund so excess money would revert to the general fund. Supporters said the changes were mainly administrative but would improve accounting and avoid timing issues; committee members asked about a typographical error in the bill text and whether the measure was more than housekeeping. The committee later voted 16-0 to recommend HB 650 ought to pass, and then placed it on the consent calendar. The committee also opened a public hearing on HB 585, which would revise the property tax exemption for religious organizations. Representative John Janigian, the sponsor, said the bill was intended to help small churches and other religious groups that own parsonages or worship buildings but no longer have a resident pastor, allowing them to rent space or use property for church purposes without losing the exemption so long as the money is used for church operations, maintenance, or outreach. He described his Salem church’s parsonage being taxed after it was no longer occupied by a pastor, and said the bill would prevent similar burdens on small congregations. Former Representative Betty Gay testified in support, describing prior assessor actions in Salem that taxed church land and buildings very aggressively, while a Municipal Association representative testified in opposition. Committee members raised questions about how terms such as “regularly recognized and constituted denomination” would be defined, whether the bill could be applied consistently to larger denominations with multiple parishes, and whether legislative research should review past treatment of similar cases.

Transcript Highlights:

• If they want to regulate religious gatherings, the bill covers that.
• Religious gatherings, minor home repairs, and routine property use.
• For Florida Family Voice, the religious freedom component is our main focus.
• Religious freedom should not be dependent upon geography.
• The term religious gatherings. It is not defined in the bill.

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and considered a series of bills, many focused on local government authority, land use, housing, and public notice requirements. Several measures were reported favorably, including SB 984 on firefighter cancer benefits and prevention, SB 1612 requiring local governments to accept electronic payments, SB 936 on temporary door locking devices, SB 962 on affordable housing protections for farms, SB 218 on land use regulations in hurricane-affected counties, SB 1020 on regulation of chickee huts, and SB 1434 on infill redevelopment of environmentally challenged properties. SB 1180 on community development district recall elections was amended to narrow and clarify the recall process and to add provisions on synthetic turf and compact urban mixed-use districts before being reported favorably. SB 380 on legal notices was also amended and reported favorably despite significant opposition from the Florida Press Association, Common Cause, and others who argued it would further fragment public notice access; supporters said it would modernize publication options and save money. Testimony on the bills was mixed. Supporters of the housing and redevelopment measures argued they would increase attainable housing, streamline approvals, and make better use of underutilized or contaminated land, while local government groups and advocacy organizations warned about overdevelopment, reduced public input, infrastructure strain, and conflicts with comprehensive planning. On SB 1444, which combined preemptions related to religious gatherings, private clubs, and certain permitting requirements, supporters framed it as protecting religious freedom and limiting local micromanagement, while the League of Cities and the Florida Association of Counties opposed it as overly broad and unclear; the bill nevertheless passed favorably after debate. SB 218 was presented as restoring normal land-use authority in counties unaffected by hurricanes while preserving protections in damaged areas, and SB 984 was described as clarifying firefighter cancer benefits and health coverage rules; both passed without controversy. The committee also heard extensive testimony on SB 948, a strike-all on local government land development regulations and orders that would create a statewide framework for starter homes and lot-split rules within urban growth areas. Supporters said it would expand housing supply and reduce regulatory delays, while opponents said it would override local zoning, weaken infrastructure and environmental protections, and apply too broadly. The bill drew support from housing advocates and some local officials, but opposition from the Florida League of Cities, Florida Association of Counties, and others. The transcript ends with SB 948 still under consideration, with testimony continuing and no final vote shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• And you know, so often in this body we refer to our religious beliefs.
• for religious faith to be expressed, we've prohibited it.
• Again, we have children from so many different religious traditions.
• Augustine warned that when government attempts to enforce religious government attempts to enforce religious
• of government involvement in religious matters.

Keywords: 1136, house, all