Transcript Highlights:

• care and creates the veterinary professional associates, or VPAs, and focuses on health care for our pets
• Because of all the benefits, the many benefits of this bill, to animals who will benefit, pet parents
• They also have a farm zoo in Pensacola, a small one. Chicken farm. We do chicken eggs.

Summary: The Committee on Rules heard a long agenda of growth-management, elections, education, housing, and professional-licensing bills. The first major item was SB 354 on “Blue Ribbon Projects,” a framework for very large planned developments on at least 15,000 contiguous acres with 60% reserved area. After adopting a strike-all amendment, senators debated whether the bill adequately protected conservation land, local government authority, neighboring property, concurrency, and multi-county projects. Supporters argued it would create more orderly, master-planned growth and preserve large areas of land; opponents said the reserve areas were too weakly protected and the bill preempted local control. The committee adopted the amendment and then reported the bill favorably on a party-line style roll call, with Chair Pasadomo and Vice Chair Jones voting no. The committee then approved SB 620 on candidate qualifying, which requires candidates to disclose any foreign citizenship and, through amendments, adds a 2026 congressional qualifying framework tied to apportionment and redistricting, including revised petition rules and deadlines. Members discussed disclosure, redistricting, and candidate vetting, and the bill was reported favorably. CS/CS/CS/SB 1452, a Department of Financial Services bill, was also amended and approved; the amendments addressed My Safe Florida Home, unclaimed property, firefighter hiring, workforce housing code accommodations, and related financial-services issues. CS/CS/SB 1620, the school board members’ bill of rights, was narrowed by substitute amendment to focus on access to records, fiscal transparency, NDAs, and related rights, and it passed after supportive testimony from school board and superintendent representatives. The committee also passed CS/HB 245, which replaces the term “child pornography” with “child sexual abuse material,” after debate over whether the terminology change could affect the seriousness of the crime or existing case law. SB 1548, a Live Local/affordable housing update, was reported favorably with little debate. Finally, the committee approved the veterinary medicine bill creating veterinary professional associates, after amending it to require immediate supervision by a licensed veterinarian. Throughout the meeting, many public commenters and senators weighed in on the balance between development and conservation, local control, and the scope of state regulation, with several bills drawing both strong support and strong opposition before final votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• veterinary care and creates veterinary professional associates, or VPAs, and focuses on health care for our pets
• Because of all the benefits, the many benefits of this bill: to animals who will benefit, pet parents
• They also have a farm, zoo, in Pensacola, a small one, chicken farm. We do chicken eggs.

Committee: Senate Rules

Transcript Highlights:

• vendor foster homes, defining pet vendor foster facility and relative to cruelty to livestock; Senate
• Senate Bill 475 relative to pet<03:20:44.880><c> vendor</c><03:20:45.200><c> foster</c><03:20:45.600>
• <c> homes</c><03:20:46.000><c> defining</c><03:20:46.560><c> pet</c> pet vendor foster homes defining
• pet pet vendor foster homes defining pet vendor<03:20:47.520><c> foster</c><03:20:48.000><c> facility
• projects in senator's own even pet projects in senator's own districts. districts. districts.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I think the first book that maybe got read yesterday was Evan's Life at the Zoo, a day at the zoo

Committee: Senate Rules

Summary: The committee took up a series of bills, beginning with SB 1422 on unmanned aircraft systems. The bill increases penalties for flying drones over critical infrastructure, prohibits drones equipped with weapons or explosives, creates a first-degree felony for drones carrying a weapon of mass destruction, and includes a law enforcement exception. A lay-filed amendment by Senator Pizzo warning against the use of force to shoot down drones was debated but failed, and the bill was then reported favorably. The committee also reported favorably on SB 846 addressing notary public fraud in immigration-related services, SB 650 on hazardous walking conditions for school transportation, SB 922 on employment agreements including non-compete and garden leave provisions, and SB 1820 on motor vehicle manufacturer and dealer relations, covering performance measures, retaliation, and franchise termination standards. Several bills focused on education, health care, and disability issues. SB 540, the Evan B. Hartzell Act, would require disability history and awareness instruction across grade levels; it drew emotional testimony from the bill sponsor, family members, and supporters, and was reported favorably. SB 998 would allow advanced practice registered nurses to certify deaths and file death certificates in hospice settings under physician protocol, and SB 1412 would modernize home health agency rules by expanding administrative flexibility and contract service use; both passed. SB 1736 would allow direct support professionals and relatives to administer insulin in group home settings for individuals with developmental disabilities, and it was also reported favorably. The committee also advanced several regulatory and court-related measures. SB 1650 expands Florida’s vexatious litigant law, including allowing designation based on conduct in a single case and extending the look-back period, while SB 1652 creates a public records exemption for certain stricken non-criminal court filings; both were approved. SB 1076 on roofing contractors was amended to require continuing education for roof-to-wall connections and then passed, and SB 1078 on fire prevention was amended with stakeholder-agreed language before being reported favorably. SB 1080 on local government land regulations, after multiple amendments and significant debate over agricultural enclaves and local control, was also approved. Other major measures included SB 818 on utility relocation, which creates a relocation fund funded by a portion of communications services tax revenue and was supported by multiple industry and local-government groups after a compromise amendment; SB 868 on social media use by minors, which would require a decryption mechanism for law enforcement access under subpoena and prohibit disappearing messages for minors, remained under discussion as the transcript ended. The committee also heard SB 96, a claims bill for Jacob Rogers against the City of Gainesville, and reported it favorably after testimony that the city would pay the settlement amount.

Transcript Highlights:

• We also take our folks out into the community on outings to places like the zoo, beaches, parks, the
• We also take our folks out into the community on outings to places like the zoo, beaches, parks, the

Summary: The Committee on Health and Human Services held an informational briefing on the Developmental Disabilities Council and related agencies. The Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities outlined its 2025 legislative priorities, including a pilot project for guardian ad litem and capacity evaluations in guardianship/conservatorship cases, a supported decision-making bill, a health disparities study for people with disabilities, an ABLE savings outreach/staffing measure, a Medicaid buy-in proposal, an adult changing tables equity bill, and a resolution on fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Council representatives emphasized that supported decision-making would complement tools like powers of attorney and medical releases, and that the health disparities study would help identify unmet needs by ZIP code and improve state data on the intellectual and developmental disability population. The Center on Disability Studies at the University of Hawaii described its role as the research and training arm within the DD system, working with the DD Council and the Hawaii Disability Rights Center. It reported activities such as interdisciplinary training, community education, technical assistance, research collaborations, the Pacific Rim International Conference on Disability and Diversity, publications, telehealth, ECHO Autism, and counseling for Maui fire survivors. The center said it leveraged about $16 million in outside funding last year and highlighted goals focused on workforce development, community capacity, research with direct participation from people with disabilities, and accessible dissemination of information. The Hawaii Disability Rights Center, the state’s protection and advocacy agency, supported the Council’s priorities, especially supported decision-making, which it said could help some people avoid guardianship while preserving liberty and reducing state resource use. The center also raised concerns about the DD system budget and urged legislators to review whether the Developmental Disabilities Division is requesting enough funding, noting possible backsliding in services and eligibility. The Developmental Disabilities Division of the Department of Health then outlined its statewide waiver program serving just over 3,500 people, its service array, and its budget request for increased waiver funding, a federal initiatives coordinator, and IT upgrades to comply with the new HCBS access rule; no votes or formal actions were taken during the briefing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Earmarks and pet projects slowly and gradually get put back in.
• Not a voucher program for wealthy families, not pet projects. How do you think we keep kids?
• We can talk about pet projects that are still in the budget. That's what I want to hear.
• Lots of, if they want to call them pet projects or whatever they want to call them.
• Well, lots of, if they want to call them pet projects or whatever they want to call them.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, approved the House Journal by a 107-1 vote, and then spent much of the day on introductions of guests, family members, interns, and public servants. Members recognized visitors including family of legislators, a park ranger honored for life-saving work, substance-use treatment advocates, nonprofit and apprenticeship program representatives, students, and staff. The chamber also received committee reports and Senate messages, including a conference committee appointment on House Bill 2818 and fiscal review reports recommending passage of Senate Bill 1020 and Senate Bill 1062. The main floor action centered on the state budget, especially House Bill 2 on public education. The budget chair explained the conference report as providing $8.4 billion for K-12 and the Office of Childhood, with disputes over funding sources and the foundation formula. Several members argued the bill underfunded schools by about $190 million and objected to using blind pension and projected ARPA/lottery-related funds; others defended the budget as record-level funding and emphasized that the total education dollars were unchanged, only the funding mix differed. A substitute motion to reject the conference report and send the bill back to conference failed 62-89, and the conference report on House Bill 2 was then adopted 83-68; the bill was third read and passed 83-68. The House then adopted and passed House Bill 3 on higher education, after debate over a proposed performance-based funding model and language directing the department to develop a new formula by the end of the year. Members generally supported keeping funding flat this year while studying a longer-term model. House Bill 4, covering Revenue and Transportation, was adopted 128-21 and passed 127-27, with discussion of rural roads funding and transportation investments. The House also took up House Bill 5 on the Office of Administration and IT consolidation/accountability, with the sponsor describing it as the central state-government operations bill; debate on that measure began before the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Gruenhagen said the RDA fund is kind of used as a slush fund for pet projects, and that this
• He said he is getting tired of seeing these pet projects come forward and wanting ratepayer money out
• as a<00:24:15.040><c> slush</c><00:24:15.560><c> fund</c><00:24:16.040><c> for</c><00:24:16.400><c> pet
• /c><00:25:16.280><c> of</c><00:25:16.400><c> seeing</c><00:25:16.720><c> these</c><00:25:17.200><c> pet
• </c> just getting tired of seeing these pet just getting tired of seeing these pet projects<00:25:18.040

Committee: Senate Energy, Utilities, Environment, and Climate

Transcript Highlights:

• It establishes the Spay-Neuter Special Fund to reduce pet overpopulation and the reproduction of free-roaming
• It establishes the Spay-Neuter Special Fund to reduce pet overpopulation and the reproduction of free-roaming
• First to testify on this measure is BNF. spay neuter special fund to reduce pet spay neuter special fund
• Pet overpopulation is an intense issue in our state.
• would suggest that the committee support this measure in all of its contributions to reducing both the pet

Committee: House Agriculture & Food Systems

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 1078, Pet Insurance. House Bill 1687. Last line.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 1078, Pet Insurance. House Bill 1687. Last line.

Summary: The House convened, approved the previous day’s minutes without objection, and adopted House Resolution 4681, which recognizes the importance of reflecting on the history of Chinese American exclusion. The chamber then received a message from the Senate announcing passage of Senate Bill 5177 and substitute Senate Bill 5720. The House also handled routine business by moving bills, memorials, and resolutions from the introduction sheet to first reading and referring committee report items to the appropriate committees, all without objection. Under the eighth order of business, the Rules Committee was relieved of House Bill 1078 (Pet Insurance), House Bill 1687, and House Bill 2606 (Office of Privacy and Data), placing them on the second reading calendar. In addition, House Bill 2320 was re-referred from the Appropriations Committee to the Rules Committee. No recorded votes were taken; all actions were approved by unanimous consent. The House then adjourned until 9:55 a.m. Monday, February 9th.

Transcript Highlights:

• In my personal opinion, it is medical debt, whether it's from utilizing it for your pet, for care for
• your pet, or utilizing it, whether, like I said, for weight loss, performance injections, your eye,
• In my personal opinion, it is medical debt, whether it's from utilizing it for your pet, for care for
• your pet, or utilizing it whether, like I said, it was for weight loss performance, injections, your

Committee: House Health

Transcript Highlights:

• There's no pet project by anyone. So this is all agreed on unanimously.
• There's<00:42:35.240><c> no</c><00:42:35.400><c> pet</c><00:42:35.640><c> project</c><00:42:36.160><c
• </c><00:42:37.240><c> So,</c> There's no pet project by anyone.
• So, There's no pet project by anyone.

Summary: The committee heard an introductory presentation from Sam Daily of Believe It Canine Service Partners, a nonprofit that trains service dogs free of charge for disabled veterans. Daily described the organization’s work with veterans, including placements with MACV and a service dog at Veteran Village in Eagan, and said the group has placed 80 teams so far. Senator Howe asked whether the organization had pursued Support Our Troops grants, and Daily said it had received two SOS grants. The first bill taken up was Senate File 4172, as amended, which would expand eligibility for burial in Minnesota state veterans cemeteries to honorably discharged reservists, National Guard members, and Air National Guard members, and would allow some honor guard use for eligible people. Senator Howe said the bill corrects an inequity for Guard and reserve members who served honorably but are not currently eligible. Glenn Pence testified in support, saying the bill recognizes National Guard service and should allow those veterans to be buried with others they served alongside. MDVA’s David Swantek supported the concept but warned that expanded eligibility would increase demand, especially at Little Falls, and could shorten its projected capacity timeline from about 48 years to about 30 years. The committee adopted the A1 amendment and then laid the bill over for inclusion in the Veterans and Military Affairs Finance Omnibus Bill. The committee then heard Senate File 4026, which sets standards for MDVA competitive grants and adds accountability and residency requirements. Senator Koran said the bill would help the department review grants and ensure funds serve Minnesota veterans and families. MDVA chief of staff Dave Belfi supported the bill, saying it reflects agency feedback, aligns with existing residency rules, and does not affect CVSO, VSO, or Support Our Troops grants. The A1 amendment was adopted, and the bill was laid over for inclusion in the omnibus bill. Next, Senate File 4807 was heard, a bill to update pay for National Guard soldiers and airmen called to state active duty. MDVA and National Guard officials said the bill would simplify statute language and raise the minimum base pay for lower ranks to the E5 level, with future adjustments tied to federal pay tables. Senator Kunesh asked about funding, and staff explained the cost would come through an open general-fund emergency appropriation, estimated at about $30,000 annually but varying with activations. The committee adopted amendments to incorporate SF 4172 and SF 4026 into SF 4807, made technical corrections, and then recommended SF 4807, as amended, to pass and be referred to the full committee. Finally, the committee heard Senate File 3603, which would create a program allowing school districts to issue high school diplomas to Minnesota veterans who left school to serve during the Korean conflict or Vietnam War. Senator Rasmussen said the bill recognizes veterans who interrupted their education for service. MDVA’s John Kelly supported the bill, noting it reflects input from MDVA and the Department of Education and that similar programs exist in other states. The committee voted to recommend the bill to pass and refer it to the full committee. The meeting also began discussion of Senate File 4560, which would formalize the Commander's Task Force, but the transcript cuts off before that bill was acted on.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 3391 requires all commercial pet breeders to include their ODA-issued license number on all
• advertisements for pet sales.
• breeding and provides consumers with a clear method to verify breeding legitimacy before purchasing a pet
• For context, commercial pet breeders are required to have a license already if they have 11 or more intact

Bills: HB3329 , HR1039 , HR1040 , HB3413 , HB3414 , HB3415 , HB3416 , HB3417 , HB3418 , HB3419 , HB3420 , HB3706 , HB3711 , HB4139 , HB1268 , HB3660 , HJR1023 , HB3298 , HB3056 , HJR1084 , HB3934 , HB3919 , HB4118 , HB4119 , HB3791 , HB4260 , HB4178 , HB4215 , HB4324 , HB3270 , HB4352 , HB4305 , HB2955 , HB3315 , HB3066 , HB1245 , HB4125 , HB3075 , HB3129 , HB3239 , HB4153 , HB3265 , HB4491 , SB680 , HB4263 , HB4268 , HB1675 , HB3885 , HB2984 , HB3697 , HB2959 , HB3671 , HB3852 , HB2933 , HB3057 , HB3802 , HB4294 , HB4285 , HB3708 , HB3979 , HB3977 , HB3986 , HB3985 , HB3588 , HB3742 , HB3845 , HJR1070 , HB3590 , HB3595 , HB3391 , HB3183 , HB3764 , HB3765 , HB1002 , HB4434 , HJR1086 , HB4060 , HB3881 , HB3500 , HB4408 , HB3648 , HB3127 , HB3606

Transcript Highlights:

• Colleagues, we have received numerous inquiries concerning the regulation of pet animals and ecoins,
• concerning<00:06:57.680><c> the</c><00:06:57.919><c> regulation</c><00:06:58.720><c> of</c><00:06:58.960><c> pet
• </c><00:06:59.199><c> animals</c> concerning the regulation of pet animals concerning the regulation
• of pet animals and<00:06:59.919><c> ecoins</c><00:07:00.720><c> with</c><00:07:00.960><c> the</c><00:

Transcript Highlights:

• This is for their PET building cyclotron equipment program.
• This is initially $300,000 using UAMS revenues, and this is for PET equipment for cancer diagnosis and

Committee: All ALC-REVIEW

Summary: The ALC-Review Subcommittee reviewed seven methods of finance, including university projects at ASU Jonesboro and Mountain Home, Black River Technical College deferred maintenance, UA Batesville’s Farm Project Gateway Center, UAMS PET cyclotron equipment, a new allied health building at UAPB funded by a federal grant, and UCA’s multi-purpose arena design work. The committee also approved an alternative delivery construction project for UAPB’s Allied Health and Sciences Building, with East Harding Construction selected and AMR Architects as designer. Members then approved discretionary grants from the Department of Health and DHS, including support for a heart attack center designation, community health worker training, homeless services funding corrections, behavioral health transition support, and an enabling technology pilot. In the contracts section, the committee reviewed RFQs, construction-related contracts, intergovernmental contracts, and a large slate of out-of-state and in-state contracts covering topics such as seatbelt survey data collection, Medicaid and DHS systems, state hospital staffing and services, veterans’ services, education assessments, and state IT and procurement projects. Several contracts drew extended questioning. Senators and representatives pressed DHS and the Department of Veterans Affairs about heavy reliance on contract nursing and staffing costs, and officials said they were using pay incentives and recruitment efforts to increase state employee staffing. Members also questioned AEDC’s lithium supply chain study and the Department of Education’s security contract, with concerns about projected costs and repeated amendments. The committee held three in-state contracts—Department of Education security services and two DHS staffing contracts—until Friday, then adopted the remaining contracts and received informational reports on contract amendments, executed contracts, and emergency procurements before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• Two weeks later, I had a PET scan. They confirmed that the cancer was back.
• From that point, it was 25 days, from that PET scan to starting chemo.

Committee: House Health and Welfare

Transcript Highlights:

• Under PET, so Mr. Chairman, not much will change.
• Are we going to create another department within the PET that's already being done.

Bills: SB48 , SB64 , SB100

Committee: Senate Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• Resources to conduct a study during the 2025-2026 interim concerning the sale of cats and dogs by retail pet
• Resources to conduct a study during the 2025-2026 interim concerning the sale of cats and dogs by retail pet

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 4017 prevents a planned community association from prohibiting or limiting household pets
• real: families losing housing opportunities, contracts falling through, and in some cases beloved pets
• fundamental issue that the association should focus on the behaviors and not physical characteristics of pets
• The association should focus on the behaviors and not physical characteristics of pets.
• The bill allows for the management of the behavior of the pets and the pet owner, and as such I support

Committee: House House Commerce Committee of Reference

Summary: The Commerce Committee heard and passed several bills dealing with insurance fraud funding, education scholarships, apprenticeships, workers’ compensation fraud, credit unions, manufactured home installation licensing, short-term rentals, homeowners associations, condo disclosures, and an advanced manufacturing infrastructure reimbursement program. HB 4020 would raise the annual insurer assessment cap for the Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions fraud unit from $1,050 to $1,350; it passed after testimony from Nationwide supporting the added resources. HB 2255 would extend Arizona Teachers Academy scholarship eligibility for community college students from two academic years to four, and HB 2591, as amended, would revise the definition and requirements for registered apprenticeships under DES standards; both passed unanimously. HB 2680, as amended, would narrow and clarify workers’ compensation fraud-related provisions and insurance disclosure requirements, and HB 2979, as amended, would modernize credit union bylaws, name changes, and operating powers; both also received due pass recommendations. HB 2868, which adds insurance and fingerprint-clearance requirements for manufactured home/mobile home installation licensees and gives the Department of Housing additional licensing authority, passed with some members present or voting no. The committee also took up HB 2429, a strike-everything amendment on short-term rentals that would let local governments set occupancy limits, extend the violation window for suspension actions from 12 to 24 months, and allow suspension after certain building code violations. The sponsor and city officials described it as a compromise giving communities more local control, while short-term rental owners and neighborhood advocates raised concerns about overbroad enforcement and the scale of the housing impacts; the bill passed 8-2 with one present. HB 4011, which would codify duties for condominium and planned community associations to act reasonably and provide access to information, was heard without the proposed Carter amendment and passed 11-0 after testimony from homeowners, attorneys, and HOA representatives about fairness and enforceability. HB 2397, another HOA-related bill, would expand disclosure requirements for condo and association purchases and escrow information; it passed unanimously after supporters said it would improve consumer transparency. Finally, the committee heard HB 4026, which would change the public infrastructure reimbursement program for advanced manufacturing projects by replacing the current statewide cap with a $75 million annual cap and requiring more transparency for related agreements. Supporters, including Queen Creek’s mayor, GPEC, and the Arizona Chamber, said the program helps fund roads, water, wastewater, and other infrastructure needed to attract large manufacturing investments and jobs, while some members questioned the budget impact and whether the program benefits rural areas. The discussion emphasized projects such as LG in Queen Creek and other major manufacturing investments, with supporters arguing the bill preserves Arizona’s competitiveness and generates long-term tax revenue.

Transcript Highlights:

• We run pets that we may have at home.
• We're serving our horse owners, but we're also looking after the pets that are so important to people
• also looking horse owners, but we're also looking after<00:11:54.000><c> the</c><00:11:54.240><c> pets
• > are</c><00:11:55.200><c> so</c><00:11:55.440><c> important</c><00:11:55.760><c> to</c> after the pets
• that are so important to after the pets that are so important to people<00:11:56.320><c> and</c><00:

Committee: Joint Appropriations