Transcript Highlights:

• 12.7 of the Rules of the Florida Senate.
• As required by Rule 12.7, the committees conducted an inquiry into the qualifications, experience, and
• Okay, Senator from the 28th, Rules Chair Pasadomo, you recognize for a motion. Thank you, Mr.
• I move the rules be waived in SB 250 and CS for SB 318 be immediately certified to the House.
• Madam Rules Chair, you recognized? Thank you, Mr. President.

Transcript Highlights:

• First up on the agenda, we have rules governing 131-2701, 2501 Taylor Thomas, administrative rules on
• With that in mind, I'll go over the rule specifically.
• For the uncured violations and the fee structures, we removed those sections directly from our rules
• We wrapped up the final rule in December.
• The way that the rule was written, it required that liquor be sold on a weekly basis, which The rule

Committee: House State Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> about how we structure about how we structure uh<00:41:11.960><c> appropriations</c><00:41:12.680
• </c> conversation about grant structure. conversation about grant structure.
• For many years under the rule DEED.
• </c> cannot due to the current rule. cannot due to the current rule.
• </c> persons served under the rule revision. persons served under the rule revision.

Bills: HF3843 , HF3597 , HF4003 , HF3167 , HF4193

Committee: House Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• In the Senate, Senate Bill 1770, by the Judiciary and Rules Committee.
• In the Senate, Senate Bill 1370, by the Judiciary and Rules Committee.
• only then is a stopgap measure until negotiated rules can be implemented.
• We're asking that the cap on that structure surcharge be raised to $100.
• So I think a lot of parents may not know the formal rules of the road.

Transcript Highlights:

• No rules.
• &gt;&gt; No<01:46:56.800><c> rules.</c> &gt;&gt; No rules. &gt;&gt; No rules.
• ><c> of</c> structure.
• That existing structure of structure.
• end quote means a structure structure end quote means a structure existing<05:14:48.160><c> on</c><05

Committee: House Housing

Summary: The committee heard public testimony on HB 1065, a housing bill that would clarify when multifamily and mixed-use housing may be allowed on commercially zoned land, define infrastructure standards, and preserve municipal discretion over where such development can occur. Prime sponsor Representative David Priest said the bill is intended to help address the housing shortage by using already developed commercial areas without overriding local planning. The New Hampshire Municipal Association, through Brody Dees, said it supports the bill and views it as a priority, but noted it is still discussing related language with stakeholders and wants clearer definitions for multifamily development, infrastructure, and adaptive reuse while preserving local control over commercial land use. Testimony was mixed. Ivy Van, a certified planner, opposed the bill because she said the infrastructure language is too restrictive and could exclude properties served by private utilities or septic systems. Chris Freeman, a housing provider, was generally supportive but recommended technical changes, arguing the infrastructure definition may be too broad and that the adaptive reuse language could unintentionally block useful building modifications. He said the bill should be clarified so it does not discourage reuse projects. The committee then moved to discussion of an accessory dwelling unit bill, with Representative Turkot describing changes that would shift some ADU approvals from a matter of right to conditional use or special exception, allow municipalities more control over attached versus detached units, set parking standards tied to single-family dwellings, and adjust size limits. He argued the bill would restore local discretion and prevent ADUs from becoming primarily rental units. Representative Reed pushed back, saying detached ADUs can help meet housing needs and provide opportunities for small landlords, while other members questioned how the bill would affect existing detached structures and breezeways. No votes were taken in the excerpt, and the chair also noted a recess and time limits for later testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's a short perpendicular structure, usually made out of rock.
• It's a short perpendicular structure, usually made out of rock.
• It's a short perpendicular structure, usually made out of rock.
• of you know, the Supreme Court rulings of you know, are<00:42:43.360><c> the</c><00:42:43.520><c> rule
• </c><00:42:43.880><c> land</c><00:42:44.400><c> the</c> are the rule land the are the rule land the land

Bills: SCR8 , SCR40 , SCR83 , SCR179 , SCR90 , SCR94 , SCR159 , SCR165 , SCR177

Committee: House Water & Land

Summary: The committee heard several resolutions related to water, coastal management, and permitting. Early measures included SCR 8 on faster county action for certain home-modification permits for older adults and people with disabilities, SCR 40 on banning disposable body boards, SCR 83 on creating a lithium-ion battery disposal facility, SCR 179 on enforcing Maui fire-code provisions for brush clearance and emergency access, and SCR 90 on kupuna-friendly permit requirements. No testifiers were present for those measures, and the chair moved through them without taking votes in the portion provided. The most extensive discussion was on SCR 94, endorsing Waikiki as a world surfing reserve, and SCR 159, urging shared guiding principles for restoring and maintaining Waikiki’s beaches and shoreline. University of Hawaii testimony said the surfing-reserve designation would bring recognition, could help attract grants, and would require a stewardship committee and management plan, but would not itself block beach nourishment or shoreline restoration. Members asked about possible effects on dredging, beach nourishment, and shoreline structures; the witness said impacts on surfing were not expected to be immediate or significant. For SCR 159, the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development supported the resolution but requested clarifying amendments to broaden references to law, stakeholder collaboration, and coastal science expertise. The Waikiki Beach Special Improvement District Association also supported the measure, emphasizing coordinated maintenance, public access, and the economic importance of Waikiki beaches, while noting that existing legal agreements and court decisions should be reflected in the resolution. The discussion also covered whether the state and private owners share repair and maintenance obligations for Waikiki seawalls; testimony said existing agreements remain relevant but must yield to current law. The committee also heard SCR 165 designating March as Water Month, with support from the Board of Water Supply and others, and SCR 177 requesting DAGS to convene a cooperative working group on state projects needing county permits. Mary Alice Evans said the latter would help expedite permitting, especially for housing and other state projects, and would complement efforts to standardize county permitting processes. No final votes or dispositions were announced in the excerpt provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman, Representative Seiner, the way that the fair structure works is we do set those. the fair structure
• take advantage of these new rules?
• The rules haven't been released yet.
• And then the fence covers half the structure.
• And then the fence covers half the structure.

Summary: The committee began with roll call, introductions of a new fiscal analyst and a new member, and approval of the March 19 minutes. The first major presentation was from the Office of Management and Budget on the state’s general fund and special fund status through May. OMB reported general fund revenues were running below the legislative forecast by about $76 million, driven largely by weaker individual income tax and sales tax collections, though the projected ending balance remained positive and above the budgeted level. The budget stabilization fund was above its cap and would transfer excess earnings to the general fund, and the legacy fund balance continued to grow. Members also asked about federal funding uncertainty and mineral leasing revenue variability. The committee then reviewed compliance reports and trust fund analyses, followed by discussion of a bill draft for the fixed-route city transportation network study. The draft would create a $15 million general fund grant program with a formula-based distribution to eligible fixed-route transit cities, intended to support operating and capital needs and help match federal transit funds. Transit officials from Minot and Fargo testified in support, explaining local fare and match structures and the difficulty of replacing aging buses and securing federal matching dollars. Several members questioned whether the program should be limited to the current four cities or broadened to future eligible urban areas, and whether local funding sources should be explored further. The committee did not finalize the bill draft at that point and planned to continue discussion at a later meeting. The committee also approved a bill draft repealing obsolete language related to approval of a bi-state authority with South Dakota, after staff explained that no agreements had ever been implemented and the provision appeared outdated. A roll call vote was taken and the motion carried. Later, the Department of Commerce and the Northern Plains UAS Test Site presented updates on uncrewed aircraft systems initiatives, including the Vantis radar data enclave, the drone replacement program, and efforts to build a revenue model for Vantis. Test site officials said FAA approval had been secured for the radar data program, replacement of noncompliant drones was underway, and future revenue could come from state and external users once pricing and intellectual property arrangements are finalized. Members asked about Chinese-made drones, supply chain issues, automation, and how the system would manage beyond-visual-line-of-sight operations. The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation then presented on the design of a new minimum-security prison and a reentry housing study. Officials said the proposed facility would relocate the minimum-security prison to the penitentiary campus, reduce costs from an earlier estimate, and provide more beds and programming space, with construction potentially beginning in 2027 and opening around 2031. They also described staffing needs, the planned move of women to the New England facility, and possible expansion of men’s housing there. The parole and probation chief described a reentry housing task force studying housing needs for people leaving incarceration, with a goal of developing data-driven recommendations for subsidies and support services; a representative from Protection and Advocacy closed by expressing general support for fixed-route and paratransit funding.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, we operate within a larger structure and we're a component piece of a larger structure.
• So, we operate within a larger structure and we're a component piece of a larger structure.
• </c><00:22:10.320><c> and</c> operate within a larger structure and operate within a larger structure
• ,</c><00:33:26.720><c> um</c><00:33:26.880><c> the</c> a larger structure, um the a larger structure,
• So that's the nice thing about the way we're structured: we're part of a larger structure.

Summary: The committee chair opened by explaining that the committee has expanded from a traditional audit-follow-up role into an oversight role focused on whether audit recommendations are implemented and whether controls are in place to detect fraud. He said the committee was concerned about fraud uncovered in social service programs in other states and wanted to understand New Hampshire’s safeguards, especially around major contracts and program performance. Charles Buchanan, director of the New Hampshire Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, and investigator Tim Brackett described the unit’s structure and mission. Buchanan said the unit, housed in the Attorney General’s Criminal Justice Bureau, investigates and prosecutes fraud by health care providers serving Medicaid beneficiaries, as well as abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation of residents in health care facilities. He outlined common Medicaid fraud schemes such as billing for services not rendered, upcoding, using unqualified staff, drug substitution, kickbacks, supplemental charges, and inflated customary charges. He also described resident abuse/neglect and drug diversion in hospitals, nursing homes, and assisted living settings. Brackett said his role is financial investigator/auditor and noted the unit is grant-funded and must include a prosecutor, investigator, and auditor. The witnesses then explained how cases reach the unit and how they are handled. Most referrals come from the state Department of Health and Human Services’ program integrity unit and from managed care organizations’ special investigations units, which look for fraud, waste, and abuse and refer credible allegations. Other sources include qui tam whistleblower actions, the national Medicaid Fraud Control Units association, citizen complaints, provider referrals, adult protective services law-enforcement referrals, local law enforcement, and federal agencies. Once a referral is received, the unit can accept or deny it; accepted matters may be investigated criminally or civilly, while nonviable matters can be referred back to HHS or other agencies for administrative action, including repayment demands and reimbursement offsets. No votes or formal committee actions were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Now let's cover the ground rules for appropriate conduct.
• narrow exceptions, consistent with its 2020 ruling.
• most of these challenges, and the Commission has upheld its rulings.
• However, despite the clear, consistent, and reaffirming rulings...
• most of these challenges, and the Commission has upheld their rulings.

Summary: The hearing focused on transportation network companies in California, with the chair framing it as an informational hearing on the history, regulation, safety, climate, accessibility, and data issues surrounding Uber, Lyft, and smaller or autonomous TNC services. The CPUC described its decade-long regulatory role, including safety rules, background checks, insurance requirements, reporting obligations, and two major legislative programs from 2018: the Clean Miles Standard and the Access for All program. Members asked about complaint trends, data collection and disclosure, program implementation, and how the CPUC uses annual reports for policymaking, compliance, and program oversight. Uber and Lyft said the statewide framework has supported growth while providing safety and access benefits, but both companies emphasized that insurance is a major cost driver and argued that California’s UM/UIM requirement is unusually high compared with other vehicles. They said the Clean Miles Standard is pushing electrification but faces headwinds from EV affordability and charging infrastructure, while Access for All has expanded wheelchair-accessible service but still needs continued support. They also discussed transit partnerships, wildfire response, and the potential role of autonomous vehicles, with both companies saying human drivers will remain important and that future regulation should account for new technology. The final panel, including the San Francisco County Transportation Authority and UC Berkeley researchers, presented evidence that TNCs have increased congestion and reduced transit ridership, especially in dense urban areas. They described prior research showing TNCs contributed to congestion growth in San Francisco and noted that this work helped spur local taxes on ride-hailing trips to fund safety and transit improvements. The panel also discussed the CPUC’s evolving data-disclosure decisions, arguing that public access to TNC trip data is important for understanding transportation impacts and informing local policy.

Transcript Highlights:

• I spent a year as the interim executive director of the Center for Ethics and the Rule of Law at the
• It's structured, strategic, and deliberate. It requires preparation, skill, and discipline.
• restrictions. ...executive investigative power without sufficient structural restraint.
• It's structure, oversight, and constitutional restraint.
• Any warrant that's not served within 10 days by court rule must be reauthorized by a judge.

Bills: HB1982 , HB2156

Committee: House Community Safety

Keywords: Indian rights, treaty rights, convictions, tribal members, criminal justice reform, Attorney General, AG investigators, limited authority peace officer, peace officer certification, economic crimes, financial crimes, white-collar crime, fraud investigation, search warrant service, electronic service, business records, law enforcement authority, criminal background check, training requirements, Washington RCW

Transcript Highlights:

• I spent a year as the interim executive director of the Center for Ethics and the Rule of Law at the
• It's structured, strategic, and deliberate. It requires preparation, skill, and discipline.
• restrictions. ...executive investigative power without sufficient structural restraint.
• It's structure, oversight, and constitutional restraint. Yeah.
• Any warrant that's not served within 10 days by court rule must be reauthorized by a judge.

Summary: The committee opened with a work session on effective interrogation techniques, hearing from two remote experts, retired homicide detective Matt Jones and former federal agent Mark Fallon. Both argued for science-based, information-gathering interviewing over confrontational or deception-based tactics, emphasizing rapport, open-ended questioning, corroboration, and avoiding coercion, especially with vulnerable interviewees. They said these methods improve reliability, reduce false confessions and wrongful convictions, and better withstand court scrutiny. Members asked for source materials and raised concerns about how friendly or minimization-style questioning could affect victims; the witnesses said they would provide research and noted that some common tactics can be problematic in sexual assault cases. No votes were taken in the work session. The committee then held a hearing on House Bill 1982, which would expand Washington’s existing process for vacating convictions tied to treaty rights. Staff explained that current law mainly covers pre-1975 fishing convictions, while the bill would extend relief to convictions involving treaty fishing, hunting, gathering, and pasturing rights, remove the date limit, include local ordinances, authorize the Office of Public Defense to provide direct representation and consultation, and create a tribal liaison position. The prime sponsor and tribal leaders testified in support, describing the bill as a way to correct historical wrongs and remove barriers to jobs, housing, and other opportunities. The Office of Public Defense said it supports the bill but needs statutory authority and a hub to identify and process cases; an Attorney General’s Office tribal liaison also supported the concept and suggested clarifying amendments. Some members questioned the scope of the affected population, costs, and whether the legislature could vacate the convictions directly, while others raised concerns about competing resource demands and the need for judicial action case by case. No final action was taken. Finally, the committee began hearing House Bill 2156, which would expand the Attorney General’s Office investigators’ authority in limited circumstances. Staff said the bill would let AGO investigators exercise only the authority of the entity granting concurrent jurisdiction, allow them to serve business search warrants only when authorized by a judicial officer, and clarify that they cannot detain, arrest, or carry weapons. The bill sponsor said it would reduce delays in economic-crime cases by allowing investigators to serve electronic warrants themselves instead of relying on local officers. Opponents from the sheriffs and police chiefs association and a retired veteran argued the bill blurs the line between investigation and prosecution, lacks sufficient oversight, and could create constitutional and training concerns. AGO representatives responded that the bill is narrowly focused, that most investigators are retired law enforcement, and that it would mainly streamline service of electronic warrants in cases such as organized retail theft and wage theft. The hearing was still in progress when the transcript ended, and no vote was recorded on this bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• Fit of structure capability to strategy and goals.
• We have created more than 700 flood control structures.
• high river events onto the river side of the drainage structure.
• And so that's how we've structured our system.
• And that structure, when we implemented our rate structure in 2018, we saw our summer peak demand come

Committee: Joint Water Topics Overview Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• But I realized as a local or a representative in a local rule district, I think it's part of what you're
• The bottom line is that this allows for one action and one ruling in an industry that is looking for
• Well, that platform does have certain rules, okay? But it's not in all cases. Rules, okay?
• And sometimes they have ruled that that is not appropriate under the First Amendment.
• We're really just addressing newly vacant structures. Okay.

Committee: House Commerce, Consumer Protection, and International Affairs

Summary: The committee first deferred House Bill 1102 without hearing it. It then took up House Concurrent Resolution 66, which urges Louisiana Economic Development and other state agencies to continue studying rural parishes’ economic assets, infrastructure, workforce, and development opportunities. Representative Weible and Secretary Bougoir described the resolution as part of a broader effort to align state rural programs and create a strategic framework for rural development. Members emphasized infrastructure, workforce training, local coordination, and retaining young people in rural communities. An amendment requiring LED to report to the legislature by January 1, 2027 was adopted, and HCR 66 was reported favorably as amended. The committee next considered Senate Bill 102, which would allow qualified trade associations for motor vehicle dealers to bring declaratory and injunctive actions against manufacturers on behalf of dealers. Senator Presley and the Louisiana Automobile Dealers Association said the bill would consolidate similar disputes into one action, reduce costs, and help smaller dealers avoid retaliation or uneven litigation. Questions focused on standing, the limited remedies, and whether the bill would affect nontraditional sales models. Technical amendments were adopted, and SB 102 was reported favorably as amended. Senate Bill 521, concerning banks’ continued use of a non-surviving bank’s name after mergers or consolidations, drew the most debate. Senator Boudreau and former Senator Fred Mills said the bill would preserve community-bank identity while following FDIC guidance on clear disclosure and consumer notice. Several members raised concerns about codifying federal guidance, future changes to federal rules, and whether the bill should instead set a fixed transition period; an amendment to limit use of the old name to 24 months was adopted after discussion. Another proposed amendment tying the bill to 1998 FDIC branch-name guidance failed on a roll call vote. The bill, as amended, was then reported favorably. The committee also advanced House Bill 387, which narrows the scope of incidental engineering work by architects and clarifies the state fire marshal’s authority to review plans under both architecture and engineering laws, and House Bill 1228, which updates hearing-aid dealer licensing and consumer-protection rules, including testing periods, cooling-off rights, and refund/cancellation procedures. Both bills were reported favorably with technical amendments. The transcript then shifted to additional measures, including House Bill 975 on Public Service Commission reconstitution and several Senate bills by Senator Abraham on self-storage facilities and contractor licensing, but the provided text cuts off before those items are fully concluded.

Transcript Highlights:

• , it's the use of the structure that should make the determination.
• Regardless of what the structure looks like, it's the use of the structure that should make the determination
• And 100% of the use of that structure, 100% of the use of that structure requires you to collect sales
• I believe there's two new rules.
• The rules here are part of the Department of Health and Senior Services.

Committee: House Special Committee on Property Tax Reform

Transcript Highlights:

• Violations of the rules of contact.
• The ex parte communications from the two affiliates violated the rules of contact.
• the rules had been followed it might have been a more fair process.
• This is a new procurement with a new structure, new controls, and a new team.
• It's following the rules.

Committee: Senate Senate Committee on Post Audit and Oversight

Summary: The committee met to review MassDOT’s failed service plaza procurement and the Inspector General’s findings. Chair Montigny opened with a broad critique of procurement culture, conflict-of-interest risks, and the need for stronger oversight, saying the committee’s role is bipartisan and investigative and that subpoenas would be used if necessary. Inspector General Jeffrey Shapiro then summarized his investigatory letter, saying MassDOT had created procedures that could have supported a fair process but did not follow them. He identified eight major problems, including inadequate conflict-of-interest disclosures, undisclosed relationships and communications with Applegreen and Suffolk Construction, violations of contact rules, inconsistent weighting of evaluation subfactors, weak documentation of scoring, unclear information-sharing with subject matter experts, live roll-call scoring that increased perceived bias, and insufficient board/committee review before approval. He recommended clearer disclosure forms, stronger training, better documentation, sealed scoring, clearer rules for internal communications, and more public board involvement. Committee members pressed the Inspector General on whether the conduct violated law, how to define and police “appearance” of conflicts, whether employees should be held accountable, and whether prior evaluators should be excluded from the new process. Shapiro said his report did not conclude that laws were violated, but that the process was seriously flawed and that accountability should be handled within agencies. He also said he would provide additional written recommendations on broader procurement standards and noted that some oversight functions may need clearer definitions and better recordkeeping across agencies and quasi-public entities. The chair and members emphasized that the problems appeared systemic rather than limited to one administration or one contract. MassDOT Interim Secretary Phil Ting and Undersecretary Jonathan Gulliver then described the new procurement approach. They said the prior process had been a failure, but that the new effort is a complete reset with no one from the prior evaluation participating. MassDOT plans to split the plazas into three geographic packages, use a design-build/public-private partnership framework, and create a P3 Commission with appointments from the governor, legislative leaders, and treasurer, plus review by the Inspector General and Attorney General. They said the new scoring will be more objective, with financial scoring set at 60% and based on a guaranteed maximum price and other mathematical measures rather than projected revenues, and that technical and financial evaluations will be separated in a double-blind process. Members signaled cautious support for the changes but continued to question whether the new structure and oversight will be enough to prevent a repeat of the earlier procurement failures.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> rather than engaging in structure rather than engaging in structure restoration<00:07:50.800><c>
• </c> structures only when necessary. structures only when necessary.
• </c> Um, so now I'm going to suspend my rule Um, so now I'm going to suspend my rule of<00:14:05.920>
• </c> knows the rules of the game. knows the rules of the game.
• </c> the rule set. the rule set. &gt;&gt; Thank<02:35:19.600><c> you.

Committee: Senate Energy and Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• These include things like organizational documents, articles of incorporation, bylaws, rules, and the
• The bill allows reasonable rules regarding the design, dimensions, placement, or exterior appearance
• of fire-hardened building materials if the rules do not prohibit the installation, use, or maintenance
• That means rising costs, financial shocks, and insufficient structural safeguards.
• That means rising costs, financial shocks, and insufficient structural safeguards.

Committee: House Housing

Transcript Highlights:

• As a marketplace under the ACA, we are subject to federal law and rules, and H.R. 1 and new rules will
• Rural hospitals require structural stability, not short-term patches.
• And that structure needs to change.
• And that structure needs to change.
• I don't know how you change the incentive structure.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have over 240 structures.
• It is simply the way the lease has been structured.
• It's the rules: here's my rules and here's your rules.
• We follow the rules.
• When the rules come together, who actually does that?

Committee: House New Mexico Finance Authority Oversight Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• 30 years ago, structures that no longer reflect the reality of today's regulatory... ...structures designed
• And that's the rules that we have to live by. I find it..."
• "The rules that we have to live by, I find it personally disappointing.
• And make a ruling.
• That's not what statutes account for; statutes provide rules.

Committee: House House Judiciary