Transcript Highlights:

• helped draft the environmental funding and regulatory sections of Prop. 64, and it works to protect water
• address California's child care shortage crisis, reduce youth drug dependency, remediate damage to water

Summary: The Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee met with a delayed start while waiting for quorum, then heard several bills before moving to the suspense file. AB 564 by Assemblymember Haney would freeze the planned cannabis excise tax increase at 15% rather than allow it to rise to 25%; supporters argued the legal cannabis industry is struggling against the illicit market and high taxes, while opponents said the measure would reduce funding for children, youth programs, environmental restoration, and enforcement promised under Prop. 64. The bill was sent to suspense during regular order and later approved out of suspense on a 6-0 vote with amendments, including a five-year sunset and a reduced rate. AB 1265, also by Haney, would extend and expand the state historic tax credit to encourage rehabilitation of vacant historic buildings for housing and mixed-use projects; preservation and housing advocates supported it, and it was also sent to suspense rather than voted on immediately. The committee then heard AB 1377 by Assemblymember McKenna, which would require studios seeking optional diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility film tax credits to complete the plans they submit to the California Film Commission. Labor supporters said studios should do more than make good-faith efforts, and the bill passed 5-1 to Appropriations. AB 1416 by Vice Chair Ta would clarify disaster-related property tax deferrals for homeowners who have requested installment plans, and it passed 7-0 to the Assembly Floor. Afterward, the chair gave a general warning that the bills on suspense represented large revenue losses and emphasized the committee’s need to weigh tax expenditures against other state priorities. On the suspense file, the committee approved AB 27, AB 53, AB 97, AB 231, AB 232, AB 429, AB 613, AB 984, and AB 1485, mostly on unanimous or near-unanimous votes, while AB 547 passed 5-1. Several other bills, including AB 386, AB 389, AB 490, AB 6991, AB 814, AB 1057, AB 1219, AB 1282, AB 1354, AB 1431, AB 1435, and AB 1481, were held in committee. The meeting concluded with the committee adjourning after completing the suspense-file actions.

Transcript Highlights:

• authorize the placement of cultivated oysters into natural and private oyster beds as well as coastal waters
• there's a stormwater discharge permit, um, but that was more on like wastewater discharge permits or water

Committee: House Culture, Recreation & Tourism

Transcript Highlights:

• ensuring that Florida's consumers receive some of the most essential services: electric, natural gas, water
• , and frankly, the changes will surpass what we saw in the last 50 years, particularly in the gas, water

Summary: The Committee on Ethics and Elections met with a quorum present and Senator Polsky excused. The committee first heard Senate Bill 1416 by Senator DeSigley, which would move municipal elections to coincide with the general election and extend incumbent terms until the new election schedule takes effect. Members asked about runoff elections, with the sponsor saying runoffs would likely shift to the August primary and that he was open to further discussion, including possibly eliminating runoffs. The bill drew support from a senator citing potential taxpayer savings, while the Florida League of Cities and Florida Association of Counties were noted as opposed. SB 1416 was reported favorably. The committee then considered Senate Bill 766 by Senator Burgess, as amended by a strike-all that refocused the bill on agents of “countries of concern” and narrowed disclosure requirements. The sponsor said the measure was intended to increase transparency around foreign-backed political activity and align with federal Foreign Agents Registration Act concepts. The amendment was adopted, and the bill as amended was reported favorably. Members next heard the reappointment of Mike LaRosa to the Public Service Commission. LaRosa described the PSC’s role regulating investor-owned utilities and emphasized transparency, consumer protection, workforce development, and adapting to new energy technologies such as small modular reactors. Senators questioned him closely about recent Florida Supreme Court criticism of PSC orders as insufficiently reasoned and overly reliant on utility assertions. LaRosa acknowledged the criticism, said PSC procedures and orders had become more detailed, and committed to continued improvement. Despite concerns, his nomination was advanced favorably to the full Senate. The committee then approved a block of nominations in tabs 4 through 27 without objection and without separate hearings. At the end of the meeting, Senator Grall asked to be recorded as voting in the affirmative on SB 1416 and SB 766, and the committee rose.

Transcript Highlights:

• And water pollution from all the runoff in this is gonna go down to our local creeks and incidentally
• this, the creeks for this area drain into Lake Somerville, which is the water supply for Brenham.

Bills: HB205

Committee: House Environmental Regulation

Keywords: disaster recovery, economic development, grants, loans, infrastructure support

Transcript Highlights:

• Moving into, let me get a drink of water real quick.
• Moving into, let me get a drink of water real quick.

Summary: The Pre-K through 12 Budget Subcommittee met for two workshops. The first focused on vacant positions in the Division of Early Learning and the Department of Education. Committee members reviewed vacancy reports, including long-vacant positions and positions that had received discretionary pay adjustments. Division and department officials said many vacancies were being filled, advertised, or under review, but acknowledged persistent recruitment and retention problems, especially for engineering, legal, finance, IT, and other specialized roles. Members questioned whether some long-vacant positions were still necessary, whether overtime and workload were being affected, and whether outside contracting, cross-training, combining positions, or eliminating some vacancies could help. Officials said they were considering those options and noted that hiring has become slower and more difficult since the pandemic, with lower applicant volume and more competition from other agencies and private employers. The second workshop addressed draft legislation related to school choice scholarships and the FEFP. The chair said the committee’s prior hearings raised concerns about student identification numbers, cross-checking between districts and scholarship organizations, duplicated FTE reporting, delayed district payments, scholarship payment timing, and inconsistent data sources. She said the proposed language is intended to standardize scholarship processing and improve accuracy and efficiency while preserving the long-standing FEFP principle that funds follow the student. She also said funding scholarship students below the line would not solve the identified problems and could create disparities. The draft would align processing for the Family Empowerment Scholarship and Florida Tax Credit Scholarship programs and would reduce add-on weights by 50% while keeping the current policy structure. No votes were taken. The chair invited further comments and said the draft budget and legislation would continue to be refined before rollout. The meeting adjourned without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• knows, we are a small-city state, but those small cities still manage critical infrastructure like water
• knows, we are a small-city state, but those small cities still manage critical infrastructure like water

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• its tropical charm with year-round sunshine, miles of pristine white beaches, and the crystal clear waters
• for ecotourism, offering a variety of activities such as snorkeling, swimming, surfing, and other water

Transcript Highlights:

• its tropical charm with year-round sunshine, miles of pristine white beaches, and the crystal clear waters
• for ecotourism, offering a variety of activities such as snorkeling, swimming, surfing, and other water

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Zilkowski, if you could inform the committee of any ripples on the water that you're aware of with local
• Zilkowski, if you could inform the commission, or for the committee, rather, of any ripples on the water

Committee: Senate Ethics and Elections

Summary: The Senate Committee on Ethics and Elections convened, established a quorum, and members introduced themselves and the committee staff. Chair Gaetz outlined the committee’s jurisdiction over election law, ethics law, executive appointments, and related confirmations, and described the committee’s process for handling gubernatorial nominations and member concerns about nominees. The committee then received a briefing from the Florida Commission on Ethics on its 2025 legislative priorities and on implementation of Senate Bill 7014 from the prior year. The commission recommended three changes: expanding the definition of “relative” in the gift law to include current and former foster parents and foster children; authorizing salary withholding to help collect civil penalties and restitution; and adding whistleblower-like protections for people who file ethics complaints. Commission staff also explained how SB 7014 changed complaint processing by requiring allegations to be based on personal knowledge or non-hearsay information and by imposing new deadlines for legal sufficiency review, investigations, and advocates’ recommendations. They said the commission has adapted its intake and review process and is currently meeting the new timelines, though the tighter deadlines may create staffing and scheduling challenges. Commission counsel also provided an update on two active lawsuits. One challenges the constitutional in-office lobbying ban, and the other challenges the requirement that elected municipal officers and mayors file Form 6 financial disclosure forms. The committee discussed the impact of the new complaint standards, the possibility of litigation if deadlines are missed, and whether local ethics boards are implementing SB 7014 similarly. Members expressed support for the commission’s work and asked for written legislative recommendations and proposed statutory language. No votes were taken, and the meeting ended with a motion to adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• There's two in the water related to water issues, a waste management council, and an air resources council
• two in the water related to water<00:19:23.440><c> issues,</c><00:19:24.400><c> a</c><00:19:24.480><
• c> waste</c><00:19:24.800><c> management</c> water issues, a waste management water issues, a waste management
• </c><00:24:21.360><c> resources</c> means division of the water resources means division of the water
• The response was that there has certainly been a lot of water over the dam.

Committee: House Environment and Agriculture

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Not to throw any mud in this water, but it could be part of Saddle Up is another idea.
• So I'm not, again, I'm not trying to throw mud in the water.
• that you do care that they want good-paying jobs for their kiddos, that you do care that they have water
• that you do care that they want good-paying jobs for their kiddos, that you do care that they have water
• that you do care that they want good-paying jobs for their kiddos, that you do care that they have water

Committee: Joint Appropriations

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 523, Department of Natural Resources Water Resources Identification of Vernal Pools.
• Resources water resources identification of<00:16:32.600><c> vernal</c><00:16:32.920><c> pools.
• You know, during rainy seasons you could likely have standing water.
• But that standing water, by definition under the bill, can be six inches or less, which means to say
• During rainy seasons, there could be standing water, and under the bill that standing water can be six

Keywords: House streaming session for Friday, April 10, 2026, 957, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Waters, you're on deck. Uh, will the uh Senate Bill 492?
• We'll open the hearing on that and I'll ask the prime sponsor, Senator Waters, to introduce.
• Senator David Waters, District 4, here to introduce Senate Bill 492.
• I thank Senator Waters for listening to our concerns and addressing that in the amendment.
• </c> Senator Waters, I'll give you a couple of minutes here. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Committee: Senate Executive Departments and Administration

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , the water treatment, the land availability, the industrial parks and other things are.
• , the water treatment, the land availability, the industrial parks and other things are.
• , the water treatment, the land availability, the industrial parks and other things are.
• , the water treatment, the land availability, the industrial parks and other things are.
• , the water treatment, the land availability, the industrial parks and other things are.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:01:00 Approval of Minutes 00:02:31 Kentucky Farm Bureau 00:02:42 Kentucky Department of Agriculture 00:28:18 Kentucky Cattlemen's Association 01:48:13, 958, all

Summary: The committee heard first from Kentucky Farm Bureau leaders, who outlined the organization’s current priorities and recent work on farmland transition. Eddie Melton said Farm Bureau is working through 983 county and advisory committee resolutions and highlighted support for the updated selling farmer tax credit, now law through House Bill 775, as well as Senate Bill 28’s agriculture economic development provisions. He said Farm Bureau’s likely priorities include maintaining the 50% share of the tobacco settlement fund for agriculture, protecting funding for the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, preserving sales tax exemptions on farm inputs, keeping property taxes controlled, and exploring additional tools to keep farmland in active farmers’ hands, including possible loan or inheritance-tax changes. He also raised concerns about eminent domain transparency, nuisance deer permits, and access to agricultural inputs and crop protection products. Alita Bots described the farmland transition initiative in more detail, saying the revised state tax credit is generating strong interest and that a new federal tax provision now allows eligible land sales to actively engaged farmers to spread capital gains taxes over time. She said the initiative has reached 22 counties and more than 1,300 people this year through outreach and meetings, and that Farm Bureau is pairing policy work with resources to help farm families plan transitions and prepare wills and other estate documents. Drew Graham added that the effort is also meant to bridge the rural-urban divide and support rural communities, and Farm Bureau invited members to its annual meeting in early December. Members asked about rising insurance costs and deer damage. Farm Bureau representatives said severe convective storms, inflation, and higher repair and material costs have driven insurance rate increases, citing five major storm events since 2021 and a recent Owensboro hailstorm that caused about $350 million in losses; they said the company is moving toward percentage deductibles to help moderate increases. On deer, they said crop-loss totals are hard to quantify but acknowledged the problem and discussed possible coordination with the Department of Fish and Wildlife and Hunters for the Hungry. Commissioner Jonathan Shell then began the Department of Agriculture presentation, reporting gains from the department’s school agriculture outreach program, including a 23% increase in county participation between March and September and improved teacher-reported student learning, before continuing into the department’s legislative priorities.

Transcript Highlights:

• 02:35:02.479><c> definition</c><02:35:03.000><c> of</c><02:35:03.200><c> the</c><02:35:03.560><c> Waters
• </c><02:35:03.920><c> of</c> the Biden definition of the Waters of the Biden definition of the Waters
• on the energy conservation program to conservation standards for consumer gas-fired instantaneous water
• They'll get their bill on water heaters and pool heaters and air conditioners through the House.
• They'll get their bill on water heaters and pool heaters and air conditioners through the House.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We have kids that don't drink water because they don't want to go pee because they don't want to go in
• We have kids that don't drink water because they don't want to go pee because they don't want to go in
• We have kids that don't drink water because they don't want to go pee because they don't want to go in
• We have kids that don't drink water because they don't want to go pee because they don't want to go in
• We have kids that don't drink water because they don't want to go pee because they don't want to go in

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The joint Commerce and Consumer Protection and Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs committees heard HB 756 HD1, a measure on flavored tobacco products. Supporters included the Attorney General, Department of Health, Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities, youth advocates, public health groups, and Kaiser Permanente. They argued flavored tobacco and menthol are used to attract and addict young people, cited rising youth and young adult vaping rates, and pointed to public health harms and evidence from other states that flavor restrictions reduced e-cigarette sales. The Attorney General requested oral amendments to correct a statutory reference, repeal a county preemption provision so counties could enact stricter flavor bans, and restore appropriations, positions, and the original effective date. Opponents, including retail and wholesale businesses, argued the bill would hurt small businesses and state tax revenue, push sales to the black market, and remove a harm-reduction option for adult smokers; they urged stronger enforcement instead of a ban. After testimony, the committees took up amendments and recommendations. The chair proposed correcting the statutory citation to HRS 26-38, adopting a Department of Health amendment on disposal of electronic smoking devices and e-liquids as hazardous waste, and noting the appropriations, FTE, and effective date in the committee report. Members then voted to pass HB 756 HD1 with amendments in both committees, with the Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs committee recording one member as supporting with reservations. The transcript then moved to HB 806, relating to fireworks, which would appropriate funds for the Department of Law Enforcement to conduct sting operations on Oʻahu to enforce fireworks laws. The Department of Law Enforcement and Honolulu Police Department supported the bill, saying undercover enforcement is costly and additional funding is needed. A community testifier also supported stronger enforcement, citing illegal aerial fireworks, noise, and impacts on pets and kupuna. No final vote on HB 806 was shown in the excerpt. The Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs committee also heard HB 438, which would create a Due Process in Immigration Proceedings Program to provide legal representation in immigration court for income-qualified individuals. Support came from civil rights, legal aid, ACLU, and law school clinic representatives, who said counsel is needed to ensure due process and fair access to justice, especially because immigration proceedings can lead to deportation and family separation. Opposition testifiers argued taxpayer-funded counsel for people in immigration proceedings is inappropriate, unlawful, or unfair to citizens and legal residents. One law school representative suggested a technical amendment to broaden language about training and education. The excerpt ends before a final vote on HB 438 is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• c><00:44:09.400><c> even</c><00:44:09.680><c> when</c><00:44:09.880><c> roads</c><00:44:10.359><c> water
• </c><00:44:10.640><c> and</c> land rent even when roads water and land rent even when roads water and
• Many manufactured home communities rely on aging, privately owned infrastructure—water, sewer, roads,
• </c><00:45:21.000><c> sewer</c><00:45:21.280><c> roads</c><00:45:21.640><c> and</c> infrastructure water
• I was thinking about the famous line, “Water, water everywhere, and not a drop to drink,” because that

Committee: Senate Housing and Homelessness Prevention

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Iran, they have already proved that they can hack water utilities.
• Only the OT networks are working to get the water, to get the power, to get the gasoline, and all those
• Only the OT networks are working to get Only the OT networks are working to get the<00:14:57.400><c> water
• 58.480><c> power,</c><00:14:58.960><c> to</c><00:14:59.080><c> get</c><00:14:59.240><c> the</c> the water
• , to get the power, to get the the water, to get the power, to get the gasoline,<00:15:00.160><c> and

Committee: Joint Economic Development & Workforce Investment

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Call to Order and Roll Call: 00:01:36 Homeland Security: 00:03:46 Kentucky Manufacturing Extension Partnership: 00:36:29, 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so when little things like not being able to purchase water because the way the funding's done seems
• All the firemen show up and, hey, sorry, we don't have bottle of water.
• So when you go to use that for water, pop, whatever, that's part of the problem.
• So when you go to use that for water, pop, whatever, that's part of the problem.
• whether it's a on to fund their operation, just like any other type of organization, whether it's a water

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The committee was called to order, a quorum was established, and the minutes from the prior meeting were approved. The first major presentation came from Montana Public Employees Retirement System executive director William Hollahan, who gave an overview of Montana’s Volunteer Firefighters’ Compensation Act plan. He explained that the plan covers volunteer firefighters in unincorporated areas, is funded by 5% of state fire insurance premium taxes, and currently serves 228 departments with about 2,936 active members and 1,242 retirees. He described eligibility rules, annual training and reporting requirements, benefit levels for partial and full pensions, disability, death, medical, and funeral benefits, and said the plan is actuarially sound with roughly $60 million in assets and a funded ratio slightly above 100%. Committee members asked about prior-service credit, whether EMS personnel are included, the effect on recruitment and retention, and whether expanding coverage would require a funding analysis; Hollahan said prior service is not credited, EMS is not currently included, and any expansion would need financial review. Tim Walleen of Workforce Safety and Insurance then presented a draft North Dakota workers’ compensation solution for volunteer firefighters and volunteer EMS personnel. He explained that volunteer responders are already covered by workers’ comp for medical and wage-loss benefits, but the proposal would set a minimum annual wage of $30,000 for calculating wage-loss benefits for qualifying volunteers, with the benefit paid at two-thirds of that amount. Representative Porter suggested tying the volunteer definition to existing code rather than a fixed dollar amount, and Walleen agreed. Questions focused on whether search and rescue or other volunteer emergency services could be included, whether departments would face new paperwork, and whether volunteer organizations can already elect coverage; Walleen said there would be no additional paperwork and that volunteer coverage is already available. The committee also heard from volunteer fire service representatives and the state fire marshal. An Oakes-area firefighter, Mr. Olson, testified that small departments are struggling with retention, communication, and administrative burdens, especially around separate bookkeeping and funding rules for donated or fundraising money, and he said departments need clearer guidance from the state. State Fire Marshal Dr. Matthew Clark introduced himself and outlined a broader effort to improve education, support, and coordination for fire departments, including a planned 10% audit of certificates of existence beginning in 2027, more outreach through his office, and better assistance with training, reporting, and grant access. He said his office is authorized under current law to provide these services, but the role has been vague and underused. Finally, Arnagard Rural Fire District Chief Rick Schreiber testified in favor of new recruitment and retention ideas, including retirement-style benefits, health insurance, tax incentives, scholarships, grants, and more remote or regional training. He said volunteer departments are losing members, that local tax and donation funds are already stretched, and that any new retirement or incentive program should be sustainable and likely involve a mix of state and local support.

Transcript Highlights:

• Page 61 was the water safety program.
• Page 61 was the water safety program.
• I don’t know, have you compared to the— you do have some, like with the water patrols, some half-tons
• I don't know, have you compared to the, you do have some, like with the water patrols, some half-to-
• Compared to the, you do have some, like with the water patrols, some half tons and three quarter tons

Committee: House Budget

Keywords: 959, house, all