Transcript Highlights:

• And Representative Schmit, are you okay if we align it with the current rates for everyone else's licenses
• They have higher mortality rates, lower lifetime earnings, and a lower quality of life.
• to other states with a lower tax rate is not affected by the excise tax at retail.
• to other states with a lower tax rate is not affected by the excise tax at retail.
• Some of the information to be published includes compliance rates regarding LCB's enforcement of laws

Bills: HB1526 , HB1069 , HB1347 , HB2091 , HB2264

Committee: Senate Labor & Commerce

Keywords: liquor license, snack bar, state regulations, alcohol sales, business licensing, collective bargaining, retirement benefits, employee rights, public sector, supplemental benefits, education, funding, student loans, affordability, higher education, public employers, employee information, bargaining representatives, labor relations, union representation

Transcript Highlights:

• So the money is there for them to get that enhanced rate, and they would have taken the child.
• So, Madam Chair and members of the committee, do we know the wage rate of other...
• Do we know the wage rate of other states that have entered these compacts? Are they all equal?
• Children experiencing sudden cardiac arrest outside a hospital have a 10% survival rate.
• Children experiencing sudden cardiac arrest outside a hospital have a 10% survival rate.

Summary: The Senate Health and Public Affairs Committee heard several measures focused on health and child welfare. House Bill 65 would codify and fund CYFD’s foster care plus short-term stabilization pilot for children in state custody with behavioral health needs, using clinical experts and specialized foster parent training to reduce office stays, hotel placements, and multiple placements. CYFD and child welfare advocates supported the bill, while senators raised concerns about cultural competency, ICWA/IFPA compliance, LGBTQ youth placement, and the need to spell out protections in statute. The bill passed 9-0 to the next committee. The committee then considered House Bill 13 and House Bill 14, joining the occupational therapy compact and the dentist/dental hygienist compact. Both bills drew support from health agencies, chambers of commerce, and professional groups as workforce tools to improve licensure portability and recruitment. Members, however, were uneasy about late-arriving amendments, venue provisions, commission authority, and how much control New Mexico would retain over compact rules and enforcement. After debate, HB 13 advanced 6-3 and HB 14 advanced 7-3, both to Judiciary. House Bill 256, which would require school emergency response plans to include cardiac emergencies during athletic activities, received support from the American Heart Association and nursing advocates, who cited survival benefits from rapid AED use and CPR. Questions centered on travel across state lines, private and religious schools, homeschool athletics, and enforcement, but the bill passed 10-0. House Bill 66, which updates the health care professional loan repayment program to increase physician awards and broaden recruitment incentives, was backed by provider groups and business organizations; dentists noted concerns about equity, but the bill passed 5-0.

Transcript Highlights:

• But we have to collectively start looking at how these rates are set and what we can actually do to bring
• these rates down for these families when your bill is higher than your mortgage.
• these rates down for these families when your bill is higher than your mortgage.
• these rates down for these families when your bill is higher than your mortgage.
• Collectively start looking at how these rates are set and what we can actually do to bring these rates

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, a roll call establishing a quorum, and approval of the previous day’s journal. The House clerk then informed the Senate that the House had passed House Bills 49 and 470 and requested concurrence. The clerk also read the second-reading calendar, which included Senate Bills 45, 98, 118, 145, 153, 155, 158, and 160, all of which were sent to the Rules Committee. Committee reports placed several bills on the calendar, including SB 69, 56, 72, 57, 172, 9, 141, and 110, with various committee substitutes and title amendments noted. The Rules Committee later posted those bills for the next day’s regular orders, and the Committee on Committees made several referrals, including SB 41 to Appropriations and Revenue; SBs 124 and 152 to Education; SBs 125, 138, 162, and 170 to Judiciary; SJR 90 to Transportation; SBs 47, 104, and 159 to Veterans, Military Affairs, and Public Protection; and Senate Resolutions 85 through 89 to the floor. During floor business, members filed amendments and co-sponsorship requests, including amendments to SB 39 and SB 110 and co-sponsorships for bills such as SB 98, SB 172, SB 63, SB 135, SB 179, and SB 169. Senators also made several announcements and remarks, including notice of upcoming committee meetings, a reception for working families, the National Farm Machinery Show, and concerns about coal, energy affordability, and a constituent’s high utility bill. One senator called up Senate Resolution 82 for the next day, and the chamber adopted Senate Resolution 84, honoring Harriet Thompson of Winchester for her service to the Clark County Republican Women’s Club and the Republican Party. New legislation was introduced, including SB 180 on property valuation, SB 184 on education reporting, SBs 185-187 on branch budget recommendations and branch budget bills, SB 188 on railroad safety, and SCR 96 to reestablish the disaster prevention and resiliency task force. No floor votes were taken on the bills themselves during this meeting beyond the adoption of SR 84. The Senate then recessed for committee meetings, returned, and adjourned until 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 12, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• Washington are paid on average about 88% of Medicare by commercial payers, compared to much higher rates
• This matters because providers cannot legally compare or discuss their individual rates with one another
• So when providers are told... ...or discuss their individual rates with one another.
• It does not set rates. It doesn't change contracts.
• This bill doesn't mandate new coverage or set payment rates. It simply shines a light.

Bills: SB6226 , SB6305 , SB5924 , SB5990 , SB5185 , SB5845 , SB6071 , SB6258

Committee: Senate Health & Long-Term Care

Keywords: SB 6226, Washington, audiology, audiologist, hearing aid specialist, speech-language pathologist, telehealth, teleaudiology, clinical autonomy, clinical judgment, in-person care, remote care, Board of Hearing and Speech, hearing instruments, hearing aids, dispensing hearing aids, standards of care, professional licensure, health professions regulation, patient-centered care

Transcript Highlights:

• And the real risks are higher than you can imagine: higher rates of brain tumors, especially left-sided
• The rates of leukemia are higher in our profession, and for women, reproductive risks, especially those
• We have a higher rate of brain tumors than the public does, and most of those are left-sided brain tumors
• Many of these collisions are caused by high rates of speed.
• we handle approximately our average of 35 injury traffic accidents a year with an annual fatality rate

Summary: The committee heard and advanced six measures. SB 1118, as amended, appropriates $3 million to the Department of Health Services for a grant program to help rural hospitals install enhanced radiation protection systems in cardiac catheterization rooms; testimony from an interventional cardiologist emphasized worker safety, reduced radiation exposure, and recruitment/retention of physicians, and the bill passed 10-0. SB 1154 provides $500,000 to ADOT for a traffic and safety study on SR 64 between Williams and the Grand Canyon; local officials, law enforcement, and fire personnel described heavy tourism, rising crashes, and the need for broader roadway improvements, and it passed 6-4. SB 1063 appropriates $10.4 million for safety improvements on U.S. 70 in the San Carlos Apache area; tribal leaders and law enforcement cited high fatality and injury rates, dangerous design features, and limited federal funding, and it also passed 6-4. The committee then approved SB 1153, which creates a Grand Canyon National Park specialty license plate and fund; the Grand Canyon Conservancy supported the measure as a way to generate dedicated revenue for park programs, and it passed 10-0. SCM 1001, as amended, urges naming SR 260 the Donald J. Trump Highway through the State Board on Geographic and Historic Names rather than ADOT; the memorial drew sharply divided testimony and debate, but it passed 6-4. Finally, SB 1209 exempts homeless individuals and those using shelter addresses from non-operating ID fees and extends the validity period for those IDs to eight years; advocates said the change would help people obtain housing, jobs, and services, and it passed 9-0.

Transcript Highlights:

• HB 831 outlines reporting requirements across courts and focuses on outcomes like completion rates and
• Immediately after the Prohibition passed, the death rates went up 300 percent.
• And I ask, where is the effort to address the higher suicide rates amongst queer children?
• Representative Bartleman: They had an attempted suicide rate this past year of 30 percent.
• LGBTQ individuals have higher suicide rates and higher attempted suicide rates, and because this bill

Transcript Highlights:

• This rate, my professor review, has seven down votes, demonstrating that other students disagree and
• I requested faculty race and ethnicity, gender, job titles, and pay rate.
• However, because we see really low rates of enrollment and completion for this student population, we
• However, because we see really low rates of enrollment and completion for this student population, we
• Our credential attainment rate has been flat for a decade.

Summary: The Senate Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee began with a work session on student complaints in higher education. Faculty, union, and research witnesses argued that current complaint systems are sometimes misused in bad faith, disproportionately affecting faculty of color, women, and contingent faculty, consuming institutional resources, and chilling academic freedom. They called for an initial screening process for bias or retaliation, routine data collection and equity review, and a faculty bill of rights. Committee members asked about FERPA, Title IX, and how complaint data could be tracked consistently across institutions. The committee then held public hearings on several bills. SB 6090 would create a Heritage Orchard Program at Washington State University to register and preserve heritage orchards and rare apple varieties; Senator Braun said it would honor Washington’s apple history and support research at low cost. SB 5931 would make technical changes to the Workforce Education Investment Oversight Board, including two-year co-chair terms, a later annual report date, and removal of a dashboard requirement; WASAC, labor, and Microsoft testified in support. SB 5963 would automatically qualify Passport to Careers students as income-eligible for the Washington College Grant and align financial aid definitions; WASAC, College Success Foundation, students, and student advocates supported it as a way to reduce barriers for foster and homeless youth. The committee also heard SB 5978, which would codify and expand the Washington Guaranteed Admissions Program and require annual student notifications about admissions, financial aid, dual credit, and related opportunities. Supporters included the Council of Presidents, faculty, students, parents, and the Washington Roundtable, who said guaranteed admission and better outreach would reduce anxiety, improve transparency, and help more students enroll. Finally, SB 6082 would direct JLARC to audit fraud in state financial aid programs, including fictitious students and AI-enabled abuse; the sponsor cited recent fraud concerns, while community and technical college officials said colleges already have fraud controls in place, warned the audit was unfunded and potentially duplicative, and asked for more resources. No votes were taken, and the committee adjourned after closing the hearings.

Transcript Highlights:

• As you heard the governor mentioned yesterday, we had a 92.2% graduation rate in the state of Florida
• Florida has the highest credit rating. The second one is one of my favorites.
• Florida has the highest credit rating.
• As of last year, we are now also rated above the federal government.
• And we've seen that with graduation rates, and we've also seen that with test scores. Thank you.

Summary: The Appropriations Committee first took up SB 7010, which would authorize Roth contributions in state and local deferred compensation plans. Senator Mayfield explained that current law only allows pre-tax contributions, and the bill would let the Department of Financial Services and local governments offer post-tax Roth options. The bill had one support appearance card, no debate, and was reported favorably by roll call vote. The committee then received a lengthy presentation from the Governor’s Office of Policy and Budget on the governor’s recommended “Floridians First” budget, totaling $117.4 billion and $53.2 billion in general revenue. The presentation highlighted reserves, debt paydown, tax relief, and proposed reductions and efficiencies, along with major spending areas in education, health care, public safety, corrections, transportation, and economic development. Key proposals included higher K-12 funding, teacher salary increases, funding for Everglades and water quality projects, emergency preparedness, corrections staffing and facility funding, cybersecurity, law enforcement recruitment bonuses, and affordable housing and infrastructure investments. Members asked extensive questions about property tax reserves, litigation funding, emergency response fund balances and spending, the Alligator Alcatraz detention facility and federal reimbursement, the Second Amendment sales tax holiday, animal abuse hotline funding, Hope Florida, corrections staffing, and teacher pay. A major portion of the discussion focused on the Department of Health’s planned changes to the ADAP HIV medication program, with senators and a public witness expressing concern about access to life-saving medications and possible misuse or redirection of funds. The committee did not take further action on the budget presentation, and the meeting ended after additional comments supporting the budget and the corrections funding, with SB 7010 already approved.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I also want to ensure that we implement data-driven, modern strategies to improve bar passage rates
• and a very, very low student debt rate when they finish.
• That is a goal ...very low student debt rate when they finish.
• Our contract with the state of Florida is a flat daily rate, Senator, our contract with the state of
• Florida is a flat daily rate based on a master services agreement that was competitively bid.

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Higher Education met to hear confirmation testimony for a large slate of university and state college trustees. Most of the discussion centered on the nominees’ backgrounds, ties to their institutions, and priorities such as student success, workforce development, financial sustainability, research growth, housing, and maintaining or improving university rankings. Several University of Florida trustees emphasized campus improvements, “One UF” integration, institutional neutrality, and ambitions to move UF into the top tier nationally. Other nominees highlighted goals for Florida A&M, Florida Atlantic, UCF, Florida State, Florida Poly, the Florida Prepaid College Board, and several state colleges, with recurring themes of affordability, economic mobility, cybersecurity, and keeping Florida students in-state for college and careers. Public testimony was heard on the Florida A&M appointment, where Elijah Hooks spoke in opposition to the current administration and described his expulsion, arrest, and trespass from the university after protesting the selection of President Marva Johnson. During questioning of FAU nominee Tina Vidal-Duart, senators asked about her prior service on the Hope Florida Foundation board and about reports concerning CDR Health’s contracting practices; she said she was not aware of the foundation issues at the time and noted that CDR’s state contract was a flat daily rate, so subcontractor pricing affected only the company’s internal margins. Other nominees received little or no questioning. At the end of the meeting, the committee voted to confirm all nominees except Tina Vidal-Duart separately. Senator Bracy Davis requested the separate vote and opposed her confirmation, citing concerns related to her Hope Florida Foundation board service. Despite that objection, the committee ultimately voted to report Vidal-Duart favorably as well. The committee also noted that one University of West Florida nominee would be taken up at a later hearing because he was unable to attend.

Transcript Highlights:

• What is the job placement rate? What are the salaries? Which are in greatest need?
• Our Associate in Nursing NCLEX pass rate is 92.45%, and we've had 100% job placement.
• Associate in Science and Dental Hygiene: the dental hygiene national board exam pass rate is 100% for
• The State of Florida EMT Paramedic State Board Exam pass rate is 85%, and we've had 81% job placement
• And so of those 5,000 students, our placement rate in Pinellas from Pinellas Technical College across

Summary: The Higher Education Appropriations Committee met for its first meeting of the session and heard presentations focused on workforce education in the Florida College System and district technical colleges. Members introduced themselves and discussed their personal connections to higher education, then heard from Department of Education senior chancellor Kevin O’Farrell, South Florida State College president Fred Hawkins, and Pinellas Technical College representative Mark Hunt. O’Farrell outlined the department’s budget request, including increases for adult education, Florida College System program funds, workforce development capitalization grants, apprenticeship and teacher apprenticeship programs, Open Door scholarships, and CAPE industry certification funding. He emphasized record growth in enrollments, completions, dual enrollment, and program offerings, and described grant-funded expansion in fields such as health sciences, manufacturing, logistics, aerospace, and AI-related programs. Committee members raised concerns about whether current programs match actual labor-market demand, how artificial intelligence may reduce future human labor needs in some fields, and how the state should avoid unwarranted duplication of programs. O’Farrell said the department uses economic forecasts, employer demand data, and a CTE audit process to review programs and phase out those that do not meet performance thresholds. Members also asked for more detail on the teacher apprenticeship model, the transition from technical college clock hours to college credit, job placement and salary outcomes, and the LPN-to-RN pathway. O’Farrell said he would provide additional information later. Hawkins described South Florida State College’s rural service area, low college-going rates, and difficulty recruiting and retaining faculty and staff because salaries lag behind local market alternatives and nearby school district pay. He said the college has had to turn away students in high-demand programs due to staffing and operational limits, while also noting strong outcomes in nursing, dental hygiene, EMT/paramedic, and radiography. Hunt said Pinellas Technical College serves about 5,000 students annually, including many dual-enrolled high school students, and reported a placement rate above 90% and strong local economic returns. He said many programs have waiting lists and that additional operational funding is needed to meet demand, maintain equipment, and keep pace with salary and cost increases. The meeting ended after public comment was opened and no further business was brought before the committee, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• We hope that continues, but we also hope that it continues at a, at a stronger growth rate.
• This growth rate is below 5%, which is difficult to keep up with inflation and maybe make the larger
• give or take a couple of years, and we're still on that trajectory even with prices at their current rate
• So the, the royalty rate increases, as you know, of course, only on new leases.
• more and you need to continue drilling to maintain production or actually drill at an accelerating rate

Committee: House Revenue Stabilization & Tax Policy Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• Officer suicide rates, but to date, their fellow first responders in fire and EMS have not had access
• And fire and EMS suicide rates are nearly double that of the general population.
• than amounts generally billed by the hospital or 50% higher than the hospital's lowest contracted rate
• Billed charges refer to this charge master list, and frequently insurers pay rates that are as low as
• rate, which can be significantly less than the billed charges.

Bills: HB35 , HB138 , HB754 , HB1314 , HB1612 , HB2254 , HB2510 , HB2789 , HB3560 , HB3597 , HB4224 , HB4273 , HB4643 , HB4783 , HB138

Committee: Senate Health & Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• The building was rented out at a whopping rate of $1.5 million per year for a 20-year lease period.
• Texas leads the nation in maternal mortality in pregnancy, sepsis rates, and in infant deaths.
• The maternal mortality rates in Texas increased by 33%. Is that your data? Yes.
• And while the national rate decreased by 7.5%, is that the data you're familiar with? with as well.
• For women, the rates are even more dramatic, where Black women saw maternal mortality rates go from 31.6

Bills: SB6 , SB11 , SB33

Committee: House State Affairs

Keywords: electric power, interconnection, utilities, ERCOT, large load customers, water supply, sewer service, demand management, school prayer, Bible reading, religious text, public schools, Texas Education Code, student prayer, silent prayer, meditation, religious liberty, First Amendment, Establishment Clause, church and state

Transcript Highlights:

• Because it's a higher tax rate. We taxed a higher amount. We taxed it a higher amount. Follow-up?
• So you said that the wine tax rate is what we would propose for the THC beverages at $2.25 a gallon.
• But I believe spirits are taxed at a higher rate, but we would be potentially only a less.
• Rate, but we would be potentially only allowing this in locations that sell spirits.
• We don't want to have to be in a position to raise the millage rate.

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and heard a lengthy agenda of bills, with the chair limiting public testimony to about one minute per speaker. Early action included passage of HB 203, which allows certain counties to opt back into transportation concurrency, as amended to narrow the bill to small counties. The committee also favorably reported CS/HB 43, allowing renters to reuse tenant screening reports for 30 days, and HB 897, a timeshare-related strike-all that clarified timeshare governance provisions and annual board meeting requirements. The committee then approved HJR 1,215, proposing a constitutional amendment to eliminate tangible personal property tax for farmers and agricultural businesses, with support from agriculture and business groups. A major portion of the meeting focused on the committee’s hemp package. Members discussed the committee bill PCB for HAT-25-01, which would create a regulatory framework for hemp-derived intoxicating products, including licensing, packaging and labeling restrictions, testing, and sales limitations. Testimony was mixed: industry representatives and distributors generally supported regulation but urged changes on branding, packaging, milligram limits, and sales locations; convenience store and petroleum marketers opposed restrictions that would exclude gas stations; and consumer-safety and addiction advocates supported tighter controls, including bans on synthetics, online sales, and child-appealing packaging. The committee also heard and approved PCB for HAT-25-02, a companion tax bill imposing excise taxes on hemp consumables and beverages, despite concerns raised about possible triple taxation and higher compliance costs. The committee next passed HB 211, expanding the definition of farm products to include edible and non-edible plants and clarifying agricultural preemption on bona fide farm operations. It also favorably reported PCS for HB 561, creating a chief manufacturing officer role within the Department of Commerce, a workforce development grant program, a voluntary manufacturing promotion campaign, and required reporting, along with PCS for HB 563, which adds an annual fee of up to $100 for participants in the promotional campaign. Both manufacturing bills drew broad support from industry and economic development groups. Finally, the committee took up HJR 1257 and its conforming bill HB 1259, which would create property tax benefits for long-term rental properties owned by Floridians with a separate homestead. Supporters argued the measure would encourage long-term rentals and investment in Florida, while opponents from counties and cities warned it would shift tax burdens and reduce local revenue. After debate, the joint resolution passed 9-4 and the implementing bill also passed 9-4, and the meeting adjourned after all agenda items were completed.

Transcript Highlights:

• Because our tax rate is a lot for the GRT tax, and $297,000 for the rest of the tax that we collect.
• This will lower confidence in New Mexico's bonds, and it goes on a little bit in the bond ratings and
• We rely on our bond ratings, at least in Santa Fe; I'll acknowledge that.
• We're pretty reliant on our strong bond ratings.
• Unfortunately, those rates are set from ECCD; they do not change.

Committee: House House Commerce & Economic Development Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• It increases the rates of breastfeeding.
• It increases the rates of breastfeeding.
• Um, your new rate is still under the cap, very much so, but getting closer.
• </c> Your new rate is still under the cap, very much so, but getting closer.
• That rate is not new; it's not a surprise.

Transcript Highlights:

• impact, there's a one-time cost of approximately $75,000 for the DRA to update their municipal tax rate
• </c> tax rate system portal. tax rate system portal.
• What this bill is seeking to do is rate.
• ><c> we</c><01:06:10.880><c> find</c> rate environment, which we find rate environment, which we find
• So even though it may have a slightly higher rate than a bond, it has...

Committee: Senate Election Law and Municipal Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><01:24:46.480><c> have</c> Since 2019, our water rates have Since 2019, our water rates have increased
• We have asked our rate improvements.
• 58.719><c> meet</c><01:24:58.880><c> the</c> rate increases alone cannot meet the rate increases alone
• What should we set this rate at? What kind of return is there going to be? >> Rep.
• </c> What what should we set this rate at? What what should we set this rate at?

Bills: HF3793 , HF3699 , HF793 , HF3322 , HF3426

Committee: House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• The U.S. has 10 times the rate of child firearm deaths compared to our neighbors to the north, Canada
• One was just a statement that the states that have stand-your-ground laws have higher homicide rates
• Do we see an increase in the rate of justifiable homicide defenses?
• were higher uh after States passed rates were higher uh after States passed D<01:17:22.080><c> your<
• </c><01:18:21.400><c> of</c> Really causation about the rate of Really causation about the rate of homicides

Committee: House Public Safety Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> more important to focus on our tax rates more important to focus on our tax rates so<00:18:23.159
• in fiscal year 2025 adding more rates in fiscal year 2025 adding more progressivity<00:18:48.640><c>
• We increased our hotel and resort rate by nearly 9%, and every single dime of that increase to hotel
• </c> we increased our hotel and resort rate we increased our hotel and resort rate by<00:20:06.720><c
• year 2024 and $20.1 million in fiscal year 2025 toward housing. rates the general fund contributed a