Transcript Highlights:

• Florida produced for the 2024 NCLEX data.
• So that allows us to turn on the pipeline to produce these nurses.
• So these little things, they seem small, but they matter so much.
• So these little things, they seem small, but they matter so much.
• produce those as well.

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Higher Education met to focus on nursing education funding, workforce supply, and Florida’s low NCLEX pass rates. The chair emphasized that Florida ranks last nationally in nursing exam pass rates and said the committee wants to use budget decisions and a forthcoming nursing bill to improve outcomes. The Florida Center for Nursing at USF presented preliminary workforce and education data showing RN supply is moving toward equilibrium with demand through 2037, while LPN shortages are projected to worsen, especially in some regions. The center also reported on enrollment, retention, faculty vacancies, and NCLEX trends, noting Florida still underperforms the national average but has shown some recent improvement, including higher RN pass rates in 2024 despite fewer test takers. The center highlighted that students who test sooner after graduation tend to pass at higher rates. A panel of nursing education leaders from public universities, state colleges, technical colleges, and private institutions described how prior state pipeline and line-item funding helped expand enrollment, simulation labs, faculty hiring, student support services, and partnerships with hospitals. UNF, Galen College, College of Central Florida, Keiser University, and Lorenzo Walker Technical College each reported strategies such as expanded simulation, mental health and social work support, test-prep and remediation, and efforts to grow faculty pipelines. Several speakers said faculty recruitment and retention remain major barriers because of salary competition with hospitals, faculty debt, and aging faculty. Technical college representatives also stressed the need to strengthen LPN pathways, English-language support, and LPN-to-RN bridge programs. Members asked for ideas to improve NCLEX outcomes and discussed possible policy options, including student loan forgiveness, critical shortage supplements for faculty, incentives for students to test soon after graduation, and possible changes to timing or regulation around NCLEX eligibility. Several witnesses supported more flexible or recurring funding, while noting that one-time line funding has been useful for simulation, scholarships, and faculty support but is harder to sustain. The committee adjourned after the discussion, with the chair saying the ideas would be considered in future funding and policy decisions.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:21:14.960> small<00:21:15.520> like us who are truly truly small small like us
• who are truly truly small small like 10acre<00:21:16.320> farms<00:21:17.440> um<00:21:
• this program was entitled the small this program was entitled the small farmer<00:26:33.039>
• purchase price of these really small purchase price of these really small acreages<00:29:42.240>
• produce food and they want to produce produce food and they want to produce food<00:50:04.640>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• It's not unique to large or small. It's everywhere.
• It may have a small difference.
• The amount of water they produce in that small footprint is pretty amazing.
• So I reference six million barrels of oil produced, but that comes with 32 million barrels of produced
• That was one factor, but just you need to be able to produce more gallons than you're going to produce

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Having met other women, although that population is small, I was moved to bring this bill.
• But this allows our small businesses to open up additional locations throughout town.
• I urge you to... the growth, the development of small businesses.
• Support Nevada's small manufacturing businesses. Vote yes on AB 404. Thank you.
• Other states have much more favorable laws supporting these small businesses.

Keywords: 909, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They think that the public schools are the ones that are producing all of these nurses.
• We are number one in the United States for producing nurses.
• And NCLEX scores aside, number one in this country in producing nurses.
• Florida, we are number one in the United States for producing nurses.
• And collect scores aside, number one in this country in producing nurses.

Summary: The Committee on Health Policy met with a quorum and considered three bills. Senate Bill 526 on nursing education programs, sponsored by Senator Harrell, would tighten oversight of nursing schools by requiring admission criteria, exit exams, remediation plans, annual reporting, on-site inspections, and stronger action against programs with poor NCLEX results or adverse actions in other jurisdictions. After testimony from the sponsor and several committee questions, a late-filed amendment restored a two-year probation period instead of one year, and the bill was reported favorably. Senate Bill 714, also by Senator Harrell, would create a voluntary non-opioid advance directive allowing patients to document a wish not to receive opioids, including when incapacitated, with the form developed by the Department of Health and potentially included in electronic medical records. The sponsor said it would not prevent treatment discussions and would provide liability protection for providers who lack actual knowledge of the directive in emergencies. The bill drew no opposition in the meeting and was reported favorably. Senate Bill 170, sponsored by Senator Burton, would add nursing home quality and transparency measures, including consumer satisfaction surveys, patient safety culture surveys, electronic health record requirements, reporting to the Florida Health Information Exchange, a $10,000 fine for failure to submit required financial data, and reporting on Medicaid quality payments. An amendment clarified the fine’s application to both facilities and home offices. Testimony from AARP and the Florida Health Care Association supported the bill, and it was reported favorably after discussion about implementation and costs.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's actually a weighting between the two values that the cost and income models produce.
• both in the actual valuations themselves and then producing the cap rate study that we do.
• We produced two reports as a result of that.
• <00:29:22.600> the way and produce the way and produce the valuation<00:29:24.360> uh
• <00:38:56.319> now<00:38:56.599> in Most of them were small.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• entry and participation by small entry and participation by small businesses<00:08:09.039> here
• Not all hemp producers are violating and producing illicit product, but it's an easy way to make a quick
• about hemp itself not all hemp producers about hemp itself not all hemp producers are<00:50:14.240
• makes it very difficult for any producer to<01:43:24.960> produce<01:43:25.239> a<01:43
• because it is produced from CBD that's<01:54:03.719> produced<01:54:04.079> from<01:54

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Oil producers to begin production before they had reconciled which type of land they were producing on
• So, they would start producing with an assumption that they were producing on federal land.
• So pretty much all goods-producing industries and service-producing industries lost jobs month over month
• producing on existing wells.
• Next, a relatively small one, but just to cover to be holistic.

Transcript Highlights:

• there's such a small number? there's such a small number? Senator<00:10:12.600> Laine.
• the non-compliant list was very small. the non-compliant list was very small.
• That the auditor producing an audit.
• Now, the department is going to be involved if they can't produce the audit on time.
• <00:15:03.560> audits schools accountable for producing audits schools accountable for producing

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Sarah Fitzsimon with the Independent Energy Producers Association.
• Small tweak to this joint reliability power assessment, bringing before you all A small tweak to this
• Would California refiners be able to produce non-CARBOB fuels?
• California refiners be able to produce non-CARBOB fuels.
• And why are our domestic producers hurting?

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• small batteries from cell phones, for example, go so far as to cause dangerous trash fires.
• responsibility system for small loose batteries.
• And that bill required the producers of household batteries loose batteries.
• Now, producers could choose to comply individually as allowed under the current program, Now, producers
• And those are small and have less of an impact.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• so very small plant in the small so very small plant in the definition<00:11:51.519> is<00:11
• it we might have changed that to small scale instead of very small.
• very small Slaughters includes small very small Slaughters slaughter<00:54:39.400> houses<00:
• <01:54:31.639> small<01:54:32.199> very<01:54:32.480> small regarding small
• small very small regarding small small very small Slaughter<01:54:33.480> plants<01:54:34.159>

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee opened a hearing on HR 18, a resolution urging New Hampshire’s congressional delegation to seek federal changes that would let very small slaughter plants use custom-exempt inspection criteria with a third-party inspector present, so beef, pork, lamb, and goat could be sold as individual cuts directly to consumers. Representative Judy Aron said the resolution was drafted in lieu of state legislation because the issue is governed by USDA rules, and she noted she was also working on an amendment to ensure the measure covered federal “very small” plants. Representative Miner asked for clarification about custom slaughter versus retail sales, and Representative Scully supported the resolution while suggesting language to make clear it applied only to local end consumers. Joyce Brady of the New Hampshire Farm Bureau testified in support, saying the state’s four USDA slaughterhouses and the bottleneck in custom cutting made the issue important. After no further testimony, the chair closed the hearing. The committee then moved into a work session on several bills. For HB 616, members discussed an amendment that had been revised after public comments and Commissioner Jasper’s feedback; Representative Guber said it balanced the competing positions, and Representative Penza and Representative Ger said the language now addressed concerns about animal suffering by allowing euthanasia if a treating veterinarian determines the animal is in extreme suffering. The committee then discussed HB 77, with Representative Penza describing changes to landfill-related standards, including replacing aquifer references with drinking water wells, removing a penalty section, changing discretionary language to mandatory language for the department, and adjusting an in situ soils standard. Members praised the compromise, though Representative Scully raised concerns about the 1,500-foot setback and suggested engineering controls such as berms; Penza responded that current rules do not include such controls and that the setback was intended to address surface spills. Several members said the bill reflected a hard-fought balance and should not be rewritten at the last minute. For HB 505, the freeze-dried food bill, Representative Aron explained that the amendment replaced a simple exemption with a requirement that homestead food operations selling freeze-dried foods from a farm stand, farmers market, or retail food store obtain a homestead food license under RSA 143-A:4. She said the amendment defines freeze-dried foods as fruits, vegetables, and commercially prepared dairy products, and delays the effective date 120 days to allow rulemaking. Members generally supported the approach as a light-touch oversight mechanism for potentially hazardous foods, though Representative Ktoa asked for clarification about how the amendment interacts with existing licensing and inspection exemptions, and Aron clarified that these products would not be exempt from licensing under the relevant law. The committee then turned to HB 250, concerning local authority over dog muzzling, where members broadly supported the amendment as a simple solution, while Representative Ktoa asked about the underlying definition of a vicious dog and whether all listed behaviors would warrant muzzling. The discussion noted that the amendment would allow towns to require muzzling for dogs meeting the statutory definition, while excluding hunting, working, herding, and similar dogs.

Transcript Highlights:

• 00:17:40.600> Aguila that produces Aguila that produces Aguila is is is taxed<00:17:44.080>
• Most of the tax base consists of small farmers and small landowners. construction materials and supplies
• Most of the tax base consists of small Most of the tax base consists of small farmers<00:51:15.080
• :53:38.160> are<00:53:38.280> always small schools like mine are always small schools like
• > business,<01:36:25.960> this this bill's for small business, this this bill's for small

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• But at the end of the day, we're producing...
• I had a producer from Texas last week...
• And the top 10 producers have mergers, acquisitions.
• All other producers combined produce about the same as our number two producer in the state.
• So Cords are the largest producer, Continental is the second-largest producer.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The committee received a compliance and status update on Industrial Commission programs and the Bank of North Dakota. Staff reviewed appropriations and spending for several Industrial Commission funds and grant programs, including lignite research, oil and gas research, clean sustainable energy, grid resiliency, salt cavern analysis, and the new NDSU research and technology park grant. Members discussed the timing of reimbursements, uncommitted balances, and the structure of the pipeline capacity and enhanced oil recovery funding. The Industrial Commission also reported on its administrative budget, grant management system project, and recent leadership transitions across several agencies. Karen Tyler of the Industrial Commission described active grant rounds and the status of major projects. She said the Clean Sustainable Energy Authority approved three projects in its sixth round, with remaining uncommitted cash and loan capacity still available, though no new funding was appropriated this session. She also said the Oil and Gas Research Council approved six enhanced oil recovery projects and expects additional funding after a federal Department of Energy award replaces one project’s state funding. For grid resiliency grants, she said some projects have been funded, some commitments were returned or reallocated, and some DOE funds remain pending. She also updated the committee on the salt cavern business case study, which replaced an earlier larger development proposal, and on the NDSU research park grant, where the nonmatching portion was paid and the matching portion has moved slowly because the match must be in cash. Ron Ness then gave an extended presentation on enhanced oil recovery and North Dakota oil and gas trends. He said production remains steady, but future growth depends on infrastructure, especially gas takeaway and projects like the Bakken East pipeline. He argued that enhanced oil recovery using CO2, natural gas, surfactants, and other methods could extend Bakken production for decades, but that the state needs more CO2 supply, better storage, and updated tax and regulatory incentives. Members asked about lateral lengths, CO2 availability, pipeline impacts, and the role of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, and Ness emphasized that the projects are intended to share technical learning across operators and attract follow-on investment. The Bank of North Dakota then presented its compliance report and strategic update. President Don Morgan said the bank’s mission remains to support North Dakota agriculture, commerce, and industry while cooperating with the state’s financial sector. He reviewed the bank’s main business lines: participation lending with community institutions, student loans, disaster lending, mission-based programs, and a new fintech-focused effort. Morgan said deposits are flattening, so the bank is managing balance sheet growth carefully, while still reporting improved net income and strong efficiency. He also introduced Rough Rider Coin as a bank-to-bank payment rail, not a public cryptocurrency, intended to speed and modernize payments within North Dakota’s banking and credit union system. Committee members asked about student loan eligibility, disaster program use, and how credit lines and liquidity would be affected if deposits shrink.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, we don't produce any wine in Texas at all.
• We don't produce wine in Texas.
• Uh, I am a Texas farmer and producer in my family and I, uh, own and run a small family vineyard and
• This bill is good for small Texas wine producers because it reduces cost overhead and, and enables me
• Within those major installations is a number of small businesses that are manufacturing small parts,

Transcript Highlights:

• Small and...
• to contest the ecom modulated dues assessed against producers to finance the producer responsibility
• to contest the ecom producers to contest the ecomodulated dues assessed against producers to finance
• or covered materials producer.
• A producer who receives a final invoice from the pro or receives a final invoice from the producer or

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• One of the things we're going to have to do, because housing is so expensive to produce...
• So we're working to figure out ways of producing more of that housing here, developing the jobs to produce
• There's a small but mighty team, I would say. So I'm Andrea.
• Without them, many small businesses cannot open or operate.
• For the record, I'm Tamara Small, CEO of NAIOP Massachusetts.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Housing held its second introductory hearing to frame the session’s housing agenda. Chairs Cyr and Haggerty described the hearing as a chance to hear a wide range of perspectives on Massachusetts’ housing crisis, including underbuilding, zoning and permitting barriers, rising costs, and the need for both state and local action. The committee heard from court, municipal, advocacy, and regional housing leaders, with recurring themes of increasing supply, preserving existing housing, preventing displacement, and expanding resources for renters and homeowners. Chief Justice Diana Horan of the Housing Court said the court is handling more than 40,000 new filings annually with only 15 judges, and estimated the court would need about 21 judges to meet demand. She described complications from RAFT-related stays, mental health and guardianship issues, aging housing stock, and the new eviction sealing law, which she said was being implemented smoothly but may require additional resources if filings continue to rise. The Massachusetts Municipal Association and MAPC emphasized that municipalities need flexibility, funding, and better tools such as MassWorks, Housing Works, H-DIP, 40R reforms, inclusionary zoning changes, and a local option transfer fee; they also said local control concerns and long permitting timelines remain major barriers. MAPC and others stressed that supply growth alone will not solve the crisis and urged continued support for subsidized housing, access to counsel, and modular/off-site construction. Advocates and housing providers focused on displacement, preservation, and tenant protections. Homes for All Massachusetts and Mass Law Reform Institute called for rent stabilization, stronger tenant protections, foreclosure prevention, elimination of junk fees, continued funding for RAFT and HomeBASE, and expanded access to counsel. Mass Union of Public Housing Tenants said the state needs far more extremely low-income housing, more operating subsidy, and major investment to repair public housing, while also supporting tenant technical assistance during redevelopment. Franklin County’s housing authority warned that rural communities are being left out of many state programs and asked for a rural LIHTC set-aside, a permanent rural credit boost, and a review of housing choice programs. A Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation researcher presented findings that communities that add housing generally see stronger municipal finances, and that housing growth can improve property tax and state aid outcomes. Seasonal community representatives from Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket described extreme affordability pressures and the need for tailored tools. Nantucket’s housing trust chair said the island has made progress through local funding, inclusionary zoning, and deed-restricted units, but still needs a real estate transfer fee and faster ways to preserve year-round housing. Across the hearing, members and witnesses repeatedly returned to the need for a mix of production, preservation, tenant protections, and local flexibility, rather than relying on any single policy solution.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think some companies are finding small amounts or be able to access small amounts, but that's not an
• designed to produce less fall outside of the PSC's siting authority.
• So a lot of equipment on the small reactors, the zone would be so small and potentially would involve
• They need to use that water to produce energy.
• In my area, in my district, we served by a small electric... ...in my district, we served by a small

Summary: The Advanced Nuclear Energy Committee met to review prior minutes and hear a series of presentations on advanced nuclear technology and state readiness. The committee approved the April 21, 2022 minutes. Nucleon’s William Bridge outlined the advanced nuclear landscape, distinguishing near-term light-water SMRs from more advanced Gen 4 reactors and microreactors, and emphasized that fuel supply, especially HALEU, remains a developing supply chain. He said light-water designs are the most deployable in the near term, while advanced reactors may be better suited for industrial heat applications and could face a 2- to 3-year delay from fuel availability. Representatives from NASEO described how other states are supporting advanced nuclear through task forces, roadmaps, pilot programs, financing tools, workforce and supply-chain efforts, and regional coordination. They highlighted the Advanced Nuclear First Mover Initiative and stressed that states are focusing early on emergency preparedness, community engagement, waste management, affordability, and consumer protections. They also noted that some states are creating nuclear-ready community programs and cost-recovery guardrails, while public utility commissions are examining long-term lifecycle costs and rate impacts. North Dakota agencies then outlined their potential roles. The Public Service Commission said it would likely be involved in public-interest review, siting, and rate regulation, but noted current statutes may not fully address long-term nuclear projects, co-location, or decommissioning. The Department of Environmental Quality said it would continue to regulate radioactive materials and likely support emergency planning, while fission reactor oversight remains federal. The Department of Emergency Services said it would serve as the lead off-site preparedness agency, needing a radiological emergency program, training, exercises, equipment, and possibly industry funding. The Department of Water Resources said North Dakota has sufficient surface water, especially from the Missouri River, but that water planning would be important; it did not recommend statutory or budget changes at this time. The committee recessed for lunch after these presentations, with no additional votes or actions taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• Like it's a small disadvantaged business, a hub zone business, a...
• You're building small cities.
• If we lose the ability to be able to produce our food.
• And produce our fuel, we're no longer an independent country.
• We have a small FTE need to, you know, manage the data portion.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• He noted that the coalition of giant food producers that are heavily lobbying against this bill does
• bodega and small businesses in the State of New York.
• The Bodega and Small Business Association put out their own memo in support of this bill because our
• small businesses understand that big food companies should not be providing unknown chemicals in food
• BODEGA AND SMALL BUSINESSES IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and an invocation by Imam Tahir Kukaj of the Albanian Islamic Cultural Center, who offered remarks about gratitude, diversity, and support for Kosovo’s independence. The Journal was approved, and the chamber then took up several previously adopted resolutions, including Resolution 1516 commemorating the 18th anniversary of Kosovo’s independence and Resolution 1317 honoring the Stillwater Girls Varsity Soccer Team and Head Coach Christine Ihnatolya for winning the NYSPHSAA Class C state championship. Both resolutions were adopted, and the sponsors were authorized to seek additional co-sponsors. The Senate then moved through the calendar and passed a series of bills, including measures on environmental conservation, education, public health, civil service, penal law, public service, labor, and a retroactive real property tax exemption for the Silver Lake Foundation. Most bills passed with broad support, though several drew recorded no votes from a small group of senators. Senator Fahy explained her vote on a bill renaming an OASAS scholarship in honor of Father Peter Young, emphasizing his work on addiction, incarceration, and homelessness. Two items drew extended debate. On Calendar 141, Senator Walczyk appealed the chair’s ruling that an amendment to a public service bill was nongermane; the Senate voted 21 to overrule the chair, so the ruling stood, and the bill then passed 52-6. On Calendar 213, Senators Kavanagh and Borrello debated a food-safety bill concerning disclosure of certain food ingredients and chemicals; supporters said it would improve transparency and protect children’s health, while opponents argued federal action was already underway and a national standard would be preferable. After the bill was restored to the non-controversial calendar, it passed 56-2. The Senate then adjourned until Monday, February 9 at 3:00 p.m., with intervening days as legislative days.