Transcript Highlights:

• This bill moves forward into the conference committee. So again, chairs, thank you so much.
• But we're taking the bill into conference, and one of the things that we consider...
• So this report is us bringing a no-cost property tax refund related provision into conference.
• We encourage you to be open in conference to having this additional support happen sooner.
• Going into conference, I think we have that.

Bills: HF2730, HF2257, HF2768, HF1932, HF2437

Keywords: local government debt, municipal bonds, county bonds, capital improvements, public financing, bond issuance, public hearing, notice period, bond guarantee, Minnesota Public Facilities Authority, volume cap, private activity bonds, housing finance, residential rental bonds, LIHTC, low-income housing tax credits, redevelopment, courthouse financing, jail financing, law enforcement center

Transcript Highlights:

• And it confers to the confidence of the PRC and in inherently erodes deterrence as they see more and
• the advantage it confers on the United States of America.
• This confers immediately to speed.
• It confers legitimacy on the force.
• It confers greater access, basing, overflight, freedom of movement. the force.

Keywords: Indo-Pacific Command, U.S. military strategy, China military drills, Taiwan, Philippines, North Korea, defense budget, military modernization

Summary: The meeting focused on significant strategic discussions regarding the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and its military posture in the region. Admiral Paparo and General Brunson were commended for their services, with the Chair noting an alarming shift in the balance of power towards China. Key topics included China's aggressive military drills near Taiwan, the increasing coercion against the Philippines, and the need for the U.S. to reaffirm its commitments to its allies in the region. Concerns were raised regarding China's military modernization and its implications for U.S. forces, alongside discussions on North Korea's threats and its burgeoning nuclear capabilities. The committee emphasized the urgent need for military and defense appropriations to counteract these growing security challenges.

Transcript Highlights:

• The next category is NCAA and conference distributions.
• The largest chunk of that within the category would be conference distributions.
• So conference distributions are exactly what you would think of.
• Those are funds that we receive from competing in a certain athletic conference.
• So we're in our nascent stages of being in what's called the Power 4 conferences.

Summary: The Higher Education Budget Subcommittee met to hear an overview of State University System finances from the Board of Governors and detailed budget presentations from Florida State University, the University of Central Florida, and the University of North Florida. The witnesses explained how university budgets are organized into fund categories such as education and general, contracts and grants, auxiliaries, local/designated funds, capital projects, and component units such as direct support organizations. They also described carry forward funds, the statutory reserve and spending-plan requirements, the PICO/HECO capital outlay process, and how universities use investment accounts, audits, and board oversight to manage restricted and unspent funds. The universities emphasized that most operating dollars are restricted to specific uses and that state support helps keep tuition low. Members asked about differences in funding levels among institutions, especially why FSU receives more funding than UCF despite lower enrollment. Officials said preeminence funding, performance funding, and special legislative appropriations explain much of the difference, and the Board of Governors noted that Florida now has four preeminent universities, with UCF nearing that status. Questions also focused on what happens to unspent carry forward money, how it is invested, and whether the Board of Governors or Legislature can require funds to be returned; officials said the money is invested conservatively, subject to board and audit oversight, and can roll forward under a detailed spending plan, though the Legislature can change funding levels. The committee also discussed capital projects, with members asking about delays, inflation, and whether more projects should be phased or funded faster; witnesses said PICO funds remain with the state until needed and are reimbursed as construction proceeds. A substantial portion of the discussion covered athletics, research, student fees, and endowments. The universities said athletics is generally expected to be self-supporting, though limited use of auxiliary or carry forward funds may be allowed for projects benefiting the broader student body. They also described the financial pressures from name, image, and likeness changes and new NCAA-related costs, and said institutions are planning for those changes now. On research, the universities explained sponsored research funding, indirect cost recovery, compliance obligations, and tech transfer, but did not provide specific commercialization revenue figures and said they would follow up. Members also asked about student fee increases, student input, counseling and wellness funding, and how housing costs affect affordability; the universities said student committees and boards review fees, and aid packaging is intended to keep student debt low. Endowments were described as being held in separate foundations/DSOs with independent investment committees and used mainly for scholarships, faculty support, and research.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'd like to welcome everyone to the Conference Committee on State Administration, Budget, and Agriculture
• Our work with this conference committee is complete.
• It's been a pleasure working with you and all the members of the conference committee and producing what
• Is there any public comment or anyone wishing to address the conference?
• Seeing none, if there's no other further business of the conference committee, Representative Hodgers

Summary: The Conference Committee on State Administration, Budget, and Agriculture, Environment, and General Government Appropriations met to resolve outstanding differences between the House and Senate on the budget, proviso, back of the bill, projects, and implementing bill. Senator Brodeur presented the Senate’s remaining offers, and the House responded by agreeing to many items while specifying numerous lines to be “bumped” for further consideration. The committee also agreed to bump the conforming bills HB 5203E, HB 5207E, and SB 2508E in their entirety. The House and Senate then confirmed the lists of lines to be bumped on the budget, proviso, and implementing bill offers, indicating that the remaining disputed items would move to the next level. After the Senate concurred with the House’s proposed bumps, the chair noted that the committee’s work was complete. A motion was made and adopted to allow staff to make technical conforming adjustments related to the bump process. There was no public comment. Representative Hodgers moved to adjourn, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• The question before the Senate is on the adoption of the conference report.
• Of the members elected and serving having voted, therefore the conference report is adopted.
• The House of Representatives has adopted the Committee of Conference report.
• The question is on the adoption of the conference report in House Bill 5630.
• The conference report to House Bill 5630 is adopted.

Summary: The Senate met with 33 members present and a quorum, then repeatedly recessed and reconvened to take up a large number of House bills and one Senate resolution. Early action included discharging several bills from committee and moving them to the General Orders calendar, including House Bills 4062, 4063, 4064, 5249, 4750, and 4644. The chamber also adopted Senate Resolution 135, recognizing the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, after extended remarks by Senator Cherry reflecting on American ideals and the nation’s history. Later, the Senate considered additional bills dealing with political activity, public health, foster care and adoption, the Michigan Vehicle Code, military leave, tax and insurance matters, child care licensing, open meetings, school code, property conveyance, juvenile diversion, and child abduction broadcasts. Most bills advanced with little or no debate, though several members offered amendments or floor substitutes that were adopted, withdrawn, or ruled out of order. Senator McBroom gave multiple no-vote explanations, objecting to the political-activity bills as restrictions on speech and association, and later criticizing piecemeal changes to the Open Meetings Act and a military-leave bill as potentially discouraging employers from hiring reservists. Senator Albert also explained no votes on the military-leave measures, saying the bills could create disincentives for employers and should have included a funding offset. On Senate Bill 22, McBroom offered a humorous amendment about payment methods that failed. On Senate Bill 373, his tie-bar amendment to unrelated “rice generator” bills also failed. The Senate passed and, in many cases, granted immediate effect to numerous bills, including House Bills 4062, 4063, 4064, 4750, 4644, 4189, 4207, 4208, 4309, 4396, 5570, 5571, 5806, 5807, 5995, 6043, 6074, 4100, 4103, 4104, 4517, 5232, 5233, 5249, and 4746, as well as Senate Bills 527, 569, 1052, 22, and 373. Some immediate-effect motions passed by the required two-thirds vote, while others were recorded as passed and then granted immediate effect. The Committee of the Whole reported several bills with amendments and others without amendment, and the Senate concurred in the committee’s recommendations before adjourning to recess again.

Transcript Highlights:

• by the conference committee.
• All those in favor of the motion to adopt the conference committee report say aye.
• The bill is re-passed as amended by conference, and its title is agreed to.
• We're going to go into conference committee.
• I think we'll do pretty good when we get to conference committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• Don't we, as the Senate, can't we direct the Revenue Estimating Conference to meet as an impact conference
• Don't we as the Senate, can't we direct the revenue estimating conference to meet as an impact conference
• Conferences. So I looked at the Florida Association of Counties and their 2025 conference.
• The Revenue Estimating Conference does this.
• The Revenue Estimating Conference does this.

Summary: The Committee on Appropriations took up SJR 2-F, the proposed constitutional amendment on property tax relief, which would reduce assessment growth on non-homestead property, expand homestead exemptions, create a new exemption for new homesteaders, and direct counties, cities, and school districts to use property tax revenues for specified core services. Senator Avila presented the measure as the governor’s plan to provide historic relief and argued that local governments should tighten budgets and prioritize core functions. Senators raised concerns about the lack of fiscal scoring, the breadth and ambiguity of the permitted uses, the effect on special districts and local services, and whether the proposal would shift costs to fees or other taxes. The committee adopted several amendments, including Avila’s amendment clarifying that ad valorem revenues could be used for county and municipal operations and administration and other expenditures not prohibited by law, and Trumbull’s amendment removing school board ad valorem taxes from the proposal. Other amendments failed, including proposals to allow user fees and non-ad valorem assessments, add a sunset, redirect tourism development taxes, narrow the small-business provision, and change the ballot title to reference local service reductions. Grall’s amendment removing the constitutional trust fund requirement was adopted, while the committee also rejected Berman’s title-change amendment and Smith’s sunset and tourism-tax amendments. The committee then returned to the bill as amended for questions, including extended debate over whether the proposal would affect noncitizen residents, the impact on local government finances, and whether local governments would respond with higher fees or special assessments. The meeting ended with the bill still under discussion after the final round of questions, with Avila saying he would continue working with the governor’s office on the language before the next vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• The health care budget conference will come to order.
• Additionally, we propose that we keep all projects open as the budget conference process continues to
• That concludes this year's health care budget conference.
• Anyone wishing to address the conference committee, seeing no further business of the conference committee

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The health care budget conference will come to order.
• Additionally, we propose that we keep all projects open as the budget conference process continues to
• That concludes this year's health care budget conference.
• Anyone wishing to address the conference committee?
• Seeing no further business of the conference committee, Senator Trumbull moves we adjourn, and without

Summary: The health care budget conference met to exchange and accept offers on the budget and related bill language. Senator Trumbull presented the Senate’s budget and projects offer, and the House responded that it accepted the Senate position on several specified budget rows while stating that all other unshaded budget rows would bump; the conference also agreed to keep projects open as the process continued. The committee then moved to the proviso, back of bill, conforming, and implementing bills, with the Senate accepting a long list of House proviso rows and additional back-of-bill rows, while all remaining unshaded proviso and back-of-bill items would bump and the conforming and implementing bills would be entirely bumped. A motion was made to allow staff to make technical adjustments as needed, and it was adopted without objection. Members then thanked each other and their staff for their work on the conference. With no further business or public comment, Senator Trumbull moved to adjourn, and the meeting adjourned without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• We do have conference committee to go to.
• Now, I know it's going to conference, which said this passed the House.
• It's going to go to conference, and I hope that in that conference we can do other things.
• It's going to go to conference, and I hope that in that conference we can do other things.
• But I do not want to pass this bill on into conference with the hope that conference is going to come

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The House took up Senate File 3432, a public safety bill requiring identifying equipment and insignia to be removed from emergency vehicles sold to the public. The chamber first adopted a House language amendment, then debated a broader security package that would fund judicial and courthouse security, Capitol security measures, short-term protection for legislators facing credible threats, State Patrol deficiency funding, and additional BCA analysts and investigators to assess threats statewide. Supporters framed the bill as necessary to protect public safety, democracy, and First Amendment activity at the Capitol and courthouses; they also said the package was pared down from larger requests and based on security reviews. The House adopted an A-1 amendment clarifying that BCA staff could investigate threats statewide, and later rejected a Schultz A-3 amendment that would have eliminated all appropriations in the bill. The A-3 was defeated on a 37-94 vote after the House upheld the Speaker’s ruling that a proposed school-safety secondary amendment was not germane, with that appeal decided 69-62. A major theme of debate was whether the Legislature should prioritize security for members and the Capitol before passing school safety funding. Several members argued they could not support spending tens of millions on Capitol and legislative security without first funding school safety for all students, including public, charter, private, and tribal schools. Others defended the bill as necessary because of recent threats and violence, including the June 14 tragedy, and said the Capitol security changes were based on professional recommendations. Some members also criticized the new security setup as overly restrictive or “security theater,” while supporters said the measures were needed to keep the public, staff, and lawmakers safe. After the A-3 was defeated, the bill was read for third time and members continued floor debate. The discussion remained split between those emphasizing immediate Capitol and legislative security needs and those insisting school safety should come first. Representative Agbaje then moved to table the bill, and the clerk began a roll call on that motion.

Transcript Highlights:

• neutral conference. neutral conference.
• <01:38:37.280> or agree to do neutral conference or agree to do neutral conference or mediation
• conference and mediation? conference and mediation?
• <02:12:34.239> and would natural uh neutral conference and would natural uh neutral conference
• shall only apply to neutral conference shall only apply to neutral conference and<02:13:09.599><

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That a conference committee of five members be appointed by the Subcommittee on Conference Committees
• Number 4188 and that a conference committee of four members be appointed by the Subcommittee on Conference
• on Conference Committees on the part of the Senate to act with a like conference committee appointed
• Senate to act with a like conference Senate to act with a like conference committee<00:16:18.320
• > committees assuming that in conference committees assuming that in conference committees we<

Keywords: 918, senate, all

Summary: The Senate opened with a call of the Senate, prayer, and the Pledge of Allegiance, then established a quorum and moved to messages from the House. The chamber received several House-passed Senate files, including SF 2814 (real estate appraisers), SF 3637 (transportation), and SF 4244 (technical corrections), and took up SF 1714 on payment transparency and public contracts. The Senate concurred in the House amendments to SF 1714, advanced it to third reading, and then passed the bill 65-0. The Senate also received House amendments to SF 3432 on public safety, but instead of concurring, it voted to send the bill to a five-member conference committee. The Senate likewise agreed to a conference committee request on HF 4188, a commerce bill dealing with consumer protections for insurance and financial products. The Senate then handled additional House messages and routine business, including first reading of several House files and adoption of committee reports. A committee report on SF 453, relating to thermal energy networks as public improvements and water works, recommended amendment and passage under Senate Concurrent Resolution 6, and the report was adopted except for the referenced resolution item. The chamber also completed second readings of several Senate bills and one House bill, and approved a motion to withdraw SF 4464 from the Committee on State and Local Government and return it to the author. The main floor debate centered on HF 1141, the housing finance and policy omnibus. Senator Port described the bill as focused on affordability, including $50 million in housing infrastructure bonds, greater Minnesota infrastructure grants, manufactured housing protections, limits on large institutional investors buying single-family homes, and increased oversight of the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency. The Senate adopted several amendments, including a technical A12 amendment, A7 to dedicate $5 million of bonding to manufactured home park improvements, and A4 on manufactured housing protections such as rent receipts and longer move-out time after eviction. Senator Abler then offered A14, which would limit rent increases in certain non-market-rate, tax-credit housing for seniors to CPI-based increases; supporters framed it as a humanitarian measure for elderly residents facing steep rent hikes, while opponents raised concerns about rent control, the scope of the amendment, and the need for more detail. The transcript ends during continued debate on A14, with no final vote shown on that amendment.

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> With that, we're going to open up the hearing for SB 538 FN and Committee of Conference, and I recognize
• Thank you for visiting the Senate meeting of conference. >> And I just have to poll the House members
• visiting the Senate Thank you for visiting the Senate meeting<00:03:56.120> of<00:03:56.200> conference
• meeting of conference. meeting of conference.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Summary: The meeting briefly opened as a committee of conference on SB 538 FN. Representative Boles explained that the agreed compromise was to replace Section 2 of SB 538 with the language of Section 7 of House Bill 1738 as amended by the Senate, saying this would be an acceptable solution and likely satisfactory to the Governor’s office. Members present voiced concurrence, and the House members were polled on whether to place the bill on consent; they agreed. No opposition was raised, and the motion carried unanimously. The committee then thanked participants and closed the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• The health care budget conference will come to order.
• Additionally, we propose that we keep all projects open as the budget conference process continues to
• That concludes this year's health care budget conference.
• Anyone wishing to address the conference committee, seeing no further business of the conference committee

Summary: The health care budget conference met to exchange and accept offers on the budget, projects, proviso, back of bill, conforming, and implementing bills. Senator Trumbull presented the Senate’s budget and project offer, and the House accepted the Senate position on several specified budget rows while noting that all other unshaded rows would bump. The committee also agreed to keep all projects open as the conference process continued. On the policy bills, the Senate accepted a large number of House proviso offer rows and also accepted several House back-of-bill rows. The committee stated that all unshaded rows on the proviso and back of bill would bump, and that the conforming and implementing bills would bump in their entirety. Because of the complexity of the row references, the chair and Senator Trumbull noted some difficulty reading the list, but the agreements were recorded. The committee then approved a motion allowing staff to make technical adjustments as needed, with no objection. Members thanked each other and their staff for the work on the conference, and the chair announced that this concluded the year’s health care budget conference. Senator Trumbull moved to adjourn, and the meeting adjourned without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'd like to welcome everyone to the Appropriations Conference Committee on Agriculture, Environment,
• Thank you for all your feedback and all the members of this conference committee.
• You, your team, have been a pleasure to work with and all of the members of the conference committee
• Thank you for all your feedback and all the members of this conference committee.
• You, your team, have been a pleasure to work with and all of the members of the conference committee

Summary: The Appropriations Conference Committee on Agriculture, Environment, General Government, State Administration, and IT met to reconcile differences between House and Senate budget offers, including the budget spreadsheet, proviso, implementing bill, and back-of-the-bill items. Members reviewed a large number of line items and project rows, with both chambers agreeing to many provisions while identifying specific lines to be bumped. The Senate accepted the House offer on most items but rejected numerous listed lines and certain projects; the House likewise accepted the Senate offer with exceptions on several implementing, proviso, and enterprise-related lines, including enterprise cybersecurity resiliency items. The committee also resolved differences on the back of the bill, with the House accepting the Senate offer except for several proviso spreadsheet lines, and the Senate concurring on those items to be bumped. After noting that the committee’s work at this level was complete, members exchanged thanks and praised the collaborative process. Senator Collins moved to allow staff to make technical and conforming adjustments related to the bump process, and the motion was adopted without objection. There was no public comment. Senator McLean then moved that the committee rise, and the meeting adjourned without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is our conference, news conference press release.
• honor is to oversee the infrastructure report card and the committee and moderate today's news conference
• to hear more about the grades and the solutions and thank you very much for attending this press conference
• Uh thanks so much to the American Society of Civil Engineers for hosting this press conference, undertaking
• So that includes today's news conference. Thanks for joining us. Thank you. Appreciate it.

Transcript Highlights:

• The AG's office last session we didn't, and some other items got funded in conference committee.
• I think we ended up funding like three or four other items in conference.
• I commit to continue. continuing that conversation, but can I continue that conversation in conference
• We do want to make some space for a longer conversation and conference.
• We did a lot of, but honestly, that medical part is usually a conference. so we just hold on it, you

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We ended up with a conference report.
• We got through a long process last year and ended up with a conference report that was titled in-person
• <00:14:09.360> season accomplish through the conference season accomplish through the conference
• Uh, and I have end up in conference.
• report last year, and I I do conference report last year, and I I do intend<00:20:09.840> to<

Keywords: Elections - Room 409, 3 February, 2026; 1:00 P.M., 925, all

Summary: The committee took up several election- and ethics-related measures. First, it considered SB 2589, which would require campaign finance reports to be filed online through the Secretary of State’s filing system, with the system voluntary until February 1, 2028. The bill was explained as a continuation of prior campaign finance reform efforts, and after brief discussion it received a title-sufficient do-pass motion and was reported out. The committee then discussed a constitutional amendment vehicle for ballot initiatives, described as allowing citizens to place measures on the ballot through petitions equal to 10% of active registered voters, with limits on signatures from any one congressional district, a prohibition on initiatives depriving any human being of the right to life, and a 60% vote requirement for initiatives dealing substantially with state revenue or expenses. Members raised concerns about severability, the legislature’s ability to later amend initiative statutes, and whether an alternative measure on the ballot was too confusing. The committee adopted the committee substitute and reported the measure out, then also advanced SB 2919, a shell bill bringing forward the code sections needed to implement ballot initiative changes if the main measure passes. Finally, the committee considered a bill to revise in-person absentee voting procedures by eliminating absentee ballot envelopes and having voters cast ballots directly into an OMR machine after showing ID, with the machine rejecting errors and preserving ballot secrecy. The sponsor said the proposal was intended to make the process smoother and more secure for circuit clerks, and noted possible additional excuses for in-person absentee voting, including work obligations and parenting responsibilities. Members asked about affidavits, penalties for false excuses, timing, and whether mail voting would still be available for those unable to vote in the 22-day in-person absentee window; the sponsor said mail voting would remain unchanged. The committee adopted the committee substitute, passed the bill out, and then rose and reported.

Transcript Highlights:

• The House Pre-K through 12 Education Budget Conference is called to order.
• Persons-Mulicka be named the chair of the Pre-K-12 Education Budget Conference Committee.
• Persons-Mulicka be named the chair of the Pre-K-12 Education Budget Conference Committee.
• Representative Nix moves that Senator Burgess be named Vice Chair of the Pre-K-12 Education Budget Conference
• means the House and Senate funding amounts or language are the same, so these issues are not in conference

Summary: The House Pre-K through 12 Education Budget Conference convened and first organized by naming Rep. Persons-Mulicka as chair and Sen. Burgess as vice chair, both without objection. The chair welcomed members and noted the conference would work to reconcile the Pre-K-12 budget for fiscal year 2026-27. Sen. Burgess briefly thanked the House team and said he looked forward to resolving outstanding issues in the budget silo. The chair then presented House Offer Number 1, explaining the spreadsheet format and identifying items where the House proposed changes. Key points included additional non-recurring child care and development funds to prevent any child from being disenrolled from the school readiness program in FY 2026-27, listed as a new issue, and agreement to the Senate’s position on $200,000 for patriotic portraits in classrooms. The House also maintained its proposed $100 million teacher salary increase, focused on veteran teachers, and adjusted the base student allocation increase to match the Senate’s $50 increase. The offer also included a separate project spreadsheet and statewide summary materials, along with proviso and back-of-the-bill language aligned with the House budget offer. No members of the public spoke, no questions were raised, and the meeting ended after Rep. Valdés moved to rise, which was accepted without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• The House Pre-K through 12 Education Budget Conference is called to order.
• Persons-Mulicka be named the chair of the Pre-K-12 Education Budget Conference Committee.
• Persons-Mulicka be named the chair of the Pre-K-12 Education Budget Conference Committee.
• Representative Nick moves that Senator Burgess be named Vice Chair of the Pre-K-12 Education Budget Conference
• mean the House and Senate funding amounts or language are the same, so these issues are not in conference

Summary: The House Pre-K through 12 Education Budget Conference convened and organized by naming Rep. Persons-Mulicka as chair and Sen. Burgess as vice chair, with both selections approved without objection. Members also agreed, without objection, that ties are not allowed in committee meetings. Opening remarks from both chairs emphasized working together to resolve outstanding budget issues for the 2026-27 Pre-K-12 education budget. The House then presented its first budget offer. The chair highlighted several points: additional non-recurring child care and development funding to help prevent any child from being disenrolled from the school readiness program in fiscal year 2026-27; agreement to the Senate’s position on $200,000 for patriotic portraits in classrooms; continued support for a $100 million teacher salary increase focused on veteran teachers; and an adjustment to the base student allocation increase to match the Senate’s $50 increase. The offer also included project funding, FEFP summary changes, and proviso/back-of-the-bill items aligned with the House budget offer. No public testimony was offered and no questions were raised on the House offer. The chair reminded attendees that the conference was operating on a one-hour meeting notice. The meeting then adjourned on a motion to rise, without objection.