Transcript Highlights:

• And so with that being said, if it benefits the industry as a whole, can you help walk me through the
• While it is certainly the prerogative of First Racing and Gulfstream Park to walk away from racing and
• develop or sell their property, they do not and should not have the right to walk away with parting
• you were smart, you would make sure that at the end of the parade you weren't marching with them, walking
• behind them. but those beautiful. the parade are that you weren't marching with them, walking behind

Summary: The Commerce Committee held its first meeting, took roll, established a quorum, and heard opening remarks from the chair, vice chair, and ranking member emphasizing the committee’s broad scope and focus on Florida’s economy and daily-life issues. The committee then considered several bills, with members and staff noting the agenda included four bills and a PCS. The first measures dealt with insurance and consumer regulation. CS/HB 367 on home and service warranty associations was explained as allowing financial requirements to be met through one or more contractual liability policies and reducing certain filing requirements; an amendment adding requirements for liability insurance coverage was adopted, and the bill passed favorably. HB 655 on pet insurance and wellness programs created a regulatory framework for pet insurance and also passed favorably. HB 6015, which deleted the word “reusable” from the wine keg statute, had brief support testimony and passed favorably. The committee spent the most time on CS/HB 105, a strike-all PCS on thoroughbred permit holders and decoupling racing from gaming. The sponsor said the revised bill would decouple racing and gaming while adding protections for the thoroughbred industry, including a notice period before racing could stop, permit transferability, and changes to how breeders’ and owners’ funds are administered. Supporters argued the bill would preserve and strengthen the industry through clearer rules and more direct support, while opponents—horsemen, breeders, trainers, veterinarians, and related businesses—warned it would harm a major rural industry, threaten jobs, and favor casino interests. After extensive debate, the strike-all was adopted and the bill was reported favorably on a divided vote. Finally, HB 11 on municipal water and sewer utility rates was presented as correcting an unintended consequence in surcharge law for utilities owned by one municipality but located in another. Testimony focused on the fairness of the current surcharge structure and the impact on Miami Gardens and North Miami Beach. After debate about negotiation, parity, and local impacts, the bill passed favorably. The committee then adjourned after its first meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Let's walk down here. I have a machine that's actually plugged in and working.
• If you walk in with a firearm, you get to walk out with cash and nobody calls the police.
• But I think for a patron who just walks in, looks around, and then walks out, I'm not sure there's sufficient
• Let's be real: they know that they're going in there and they're walking out with more than they came
• There is absolutely no possibility that these individuals are ever going to walk out with anything in

Summary: The Industries and Professional Activities Subcommittee met to hear a panel on the prosecution and enforcement of illegal gaming in Florida. The chair opened with a video showing seized machines at a Florida Gaming Control Commission warehouse and described the scale of illegal operations. Panelists included the commission’s executive director, local sheriffs and police officials, and state attorneys from several counties, who described widespread illegal slot-machine locations, often in strip malls or convenience-store-type settings, and said the machines are typically used in organized criminal activity rather than legitimate amusement gaming. Witnesses repeatedly said the current penalty structure is ineffective because possession and operation of illegal slot machines are generally second-degree misdemeanors, which they described as too minor to deter operators who can quickly reopen after paying fines or completing diversion. They said enforcement is resource-intensive, requiring undercover work, search warrants, machine seizure, storage, forensic review, and long prosecutions, often while the same operators reopen elsewhere. Several panelists cited associated crimes such as robberies, firearms offenses, prostitution, drug activity, human trafficking, and at least some homicides tied to illegal gaming locations. Members also asked about the difference between legal amusement devices and illegal slot machines, online gambling, illegal horse racing, local licensing and ordinances, and whether manufacturers or distributors could be pursued. The commission and prosecutors said legal slot machines are limited to specific regulated locations and that lawful amusement machines lack a material element of chance. They said many illegal machines are imported or reworked versions of gaming devices and that upstream accountability is difficult under current law. Panelists also discussed cooperation with licensed casinos, tribal gaming entities, and local governments, noting that some local ordinances have tried to permit or limit these businesses. The main policy takeaway from the panel was a call to increase penalties, likely to felony-level offenses, and to consider stronger forfeiture and enforcement tools. No vote or formal action was taken at the meeting, and the chair adjourned after thanking the panelists.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, today I'll be walking through the spreadsheet that reflects the DE2SF 4476, the A1.
• through it the bill index and walking through it the bill today.<00:17:57.360> Mr.
• Chair, members, I'm going to walk through the A1 bill index.
• <01:01:05.880> of<01:01:05.960> Human<01:01:06.160> Services<01:01:06.680> walk
• Department of Human Services walk Department of Human Services walk through<01:01:07.160> some

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And I actually walked over to her on the first day and I said, "You need to be walked to your car.
• And<01:26:00.080> I<01:26:00.239> actually<01:26:00.480> walked<01:26:00.800>
• You need to be walked to your car.
• I'm just messing with her; she just walked away. I was just ... Mr. Majority Leader. Thank you, Mr.
• I'm just messing with she just walked I'm just messing with she just walked away.<01:42:30.000><

Keywords: 981, all

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, approved the February 11, 2026 journal, and received committee reports. Judiciary reported Senate Bills 84, 11, 15, and 37 favorably with amendments or referrals, while SB 73 was postponed indefinitely; Transportation and Energy reported Senate Resolution 001 for final action. The chamber also took up a personal privilege recognizing the PBLO leadership program and its 2026 class, and later honored former state senator John Kafalas. The Senate adopted Senate Joint Resolution 11, designating a portion of US Highway 34 as the Sergeant John Jack Thurman Memorial Highway. The resolution, read at length, detailed Thurman’s World War II service at Iwo Jima and his later civic contributions. The resolution passed 34-0 with one excused, and the current roll call was added as co-sponsors. On third reading, Senate Bill 19, concerning local early childhood infrastructure and expanding the role of early childhood councils, passed 31-3 with one excused. On second reading, Senate Bill 74, addressing the penalty for excessive claims in public construction performance bond disputes, was explained as aligning public and private project treatment and passed the Committee of the Whole, then the Senate, and was ordered engrossed for third reading. Senate Bill 16, prohibiting discharge of pre-production plastic materials, drew debate over environmental harms, existing law, enforcement, penalties, and impacts on industry; several amendments were adopted, including clarifying definitions and a legislative declaration, and the bill ultimately passed second reading 23-11 with one excused. Senate Bill 34, expanding participation by members of the Auraria Board of Directors advisory committees, also passed second reading after an amendment correcting the committee report; supporters cited broader representation for faculty and students, while opponents warned of politicizing the board.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think the director will walk you through all the specifics, but obviously the committee has always
• So, we'll just walk through these, and if you have questions after each one, I'll be happy to answer
• <00:02:44.560> through<00:02:44.720> these >> So, we'll I'll just walk through
• You're not going to get it one time walking by and waving a wand at it."
• I appreciate you walking us back through.

Bills: SF0052, SF0024

Keywords: wildlife management, environmental restoration, funding, invasive species, aquatic ecosystems, native fish, habitat conservation, lottery, debit card payments, gambling regulations, state revenue, financial transactions, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:41:44.800> I morning as I walk into the building.
• I morning as I walk into the building.
• Speaker, to take a walk, to turn our backs...
• Speaker, to<01:19:34.239> take<01:19:34.400> a<01:19:34.640> walk,<01:19:35.600>
• <01:28:10.480> in hallowed venues that we have walked in hallowed venues that we have walked

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The students will be visiting our offices for their High School Capital Walk around to introduce their
• If you are available during that window, please let them know they are welcome as they walk around the
• for their High School Capital walk for their High School Capital walk around<00:19:56.080> to
• them know they are welcome as they walk them know they are welcome as they walk around<00:20:03.520
• speaker in their role to physically walk speaker in their role to physically walk down<00:55:48.119

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House convened, completed roll call with 48 members present and three excused, deferred reading of the journal, and received Senate communications noting adoption of House Concurrent Resolutions Nos. 1 and 2. The chamber also recognized several visiting groups and guests, including Congresswoman Jill Tuda, Chamber of Commerce Hawaii participants and students, Okinawan visitors, Farrington High School students, James Campbell High School students, and Waiau High School students, many of whom were introduced in connection with Chamber Week activities and educational presentations. The main business was unfinished business on House Resolutions 6 and 7, which adopted the House rules for the 33rd Legislature, including rules for the Committee on Standards of Conduct. Members generally supported the rules package as a transparency and modernization update, citing earlier public access to testimony, a public list of Speaker appointees, changes to conference committee eligibility, telework for staff, social media guidance, and a public list of bills introduced by request. Several members raised reservations or opposition, focusing on concerns about staff involvement in approving written remarks, budget information timing, the Vice Speaker’s role, social media/free speech issues, and whether some changes reduced public access or conflicted with constitutional open-meeting requirements. No vote on the rules package is recorded in the excerpt. The debate ended with multiple members yielding time and the discussion continuing on the merits of the proposed rule changes, especially the balance between transparency, internal House procedure, and public participation.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, when I visited Faith in the hospital after she had her bike accident, I will never forget walking
• Um, because walking out to my car.
• But she held it so tightly that this building was a place you could walk in and do good. Real good.
• <03:35:30.080> in but you always knew when you walked in but you always knew when you walked
• So, I'm still walking down the "No."

Keywords: 981, all

Summary: The Senate opened with roll call, approval of the February 12, 2026 journal, and reports that several bills were correctly printed or engrossed. Committee reports then moved Senate Bills 7 and 31 from Health and Human Services, Senate Bills 53 and 54 from Local Government and Housing, and Senate Bill 43 from State, Veterans, and Military Affairs to the Committee of the Whole, with some measures recommended for the consent calendar. The chamber also announced substitute prime sponsors for Senate Bills 260008 and 2631 following Senator Michaelson Jenet’s resignation. The Senate then recessed to hold a memorial for former Senator Faith Winter and later voted to proceed out of order for memorials. Senate Joint Memorial 001, honoring Winter, was read at length and adopted. The memorial described her work on transportation, climate, paid family and medical leave, environmental justice, rural health care, and bipartisan legislation, and it was ordered sent to her family members. The Senate also suspended Rule 31A by a two-thirds vote so current and former House members could address the chamber from the well. Several members and family representatives offered remarks remembering Winter as a mentor, organizer, and coalition-builder. Speakers highlighted her advocacy for paid family leave, transportation funding, cleaner air, women’s leadership, and workplace accountability, as well as her personal warmth and support for colleagues and family. No additional legislative votes or bill actions were taken beyond the memorial adoption and procedural motions.

Transcript Highlights:

• John Hallquist, who is an institution unto himself, was my walking Google.
• You've inspired me to make decisions like walk away from here.
• happy that I answered the call, and I'm more than happy to be handing it off to someone else. like walk
• away from here. like walk away from here.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: Representative Novotny delivered a farewell speech on the House floor reflecting on his years of service and announcing his departure from the legislature. He described the job as similar to his 33 years in law enforcement, emphasizing long hours, stress, criticism, and the need for perspective, and he joked about the demands of session life, including caffeine, junk food, and long meetings. He also thanked House staff, especially the clerk staff and Chief Clerk Patrick Murphy, for keeping the chamber running smoothly despite the disruptions caused by legislators working in their space. Novotny offered personal thanks to colleagues and allies, including members of the COP Caucus, Representative Moller, his legislative assistant Mary McNamara, and John Hallquist, whom he credited with helping him remember past ideas and discussions. He singled out Representative Nathan Nelson as a close colleague and hunting partner, and he also thanked former Representative Nick Zerwas for encouraging him to serve. He spoke warmly about his family, including his daughters, his wife Nicole, and a future grandchild expected around July 4. The speech was largely humorous and sentimental, with repeated expressions of gratitude to constituents, colleagues, and staff. Novotny said serving in the House had been an honor and that he was ready to hand the role off to someone else. Speaker Demuth thanked him for his service and for presiding with the gavel, and the chamber responded with applause.

Transcript Highlights:

• And we cannot just walk away from that problem today.
• And we cannot<00:06:02.120> just<00:06:02.280> walk<00:06:02.520> away<00:06:02.800
• > from<00:06:03.000> that<00:06:03.200> problem cannot just walk away from that
• problem cannot just walk away from that problem today.<00:06:04.360> So,<00:06:04.720> I

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• And the sponsor just walked in right on cue. Thank you.
• And the sponsor just walked in, right on cue. Senator Kavanaugh.
• And if you haven't at least had someone read you the course and told you, 'Push this button,' and walk
• And if you haven't at least had someone read you the course and told you, 'Push this button,' and walk

Bills: SB1009

Keywords: cardiopulmonary resuscitation, AED training, high school curriculum, public school, safety training, emergency response, 1182, all

Summary: The committee meeting began with member and staff introductions, followed by consideration of SB 1009, which would expand Arizona high school emergency response training to include instruction on using automated external defibrillators (AEDs) alongside CPR. The sponsor, Senator Kavanaugh, argued the bill would improve school safety, cost schools nothing because it would be folded into existing CPR instruction, and would help students and staff respond to sudden cardiac arrest. Supporters included the American Heart Association and student witnesses, who emphasized that AED and CPR training can save lives and should be available in schools. The Arizona Education Association opposed the bill, saying it adds an unfunded mandate, could take instructional time away from core subjects, and may require staff time and resources that schools do not have. The Arizona School Boards Association was neutral but raised concerns about funding and implementation, especially for rural districts. During questions, senators debated whether AED instruction is already included in existing CPR standards and whether the bill would create new costs. Senator Kavanaugh said many programs already include AED training and that the bill simply ensures it is part of all school CPR instruction. Opponents questioned the lack of a fiscal note and the reliance on tax credit funding. After discussion, the committee voted on SB 1009 and passed it with a due pass recommendation by a 5-2 vote. Senators Diaz and Brown voted no, while Senators Dunn, Mesnard, Miranda, Werner, and Angius voted yes.

Transcript Highlights:

• You might not have gotten everything that you wanted, but it's most likely that you were able to walk
• that you<00:01:06.880> were<00:01:07.040> able<00:01:07.200> to<00:01:07.439> walk
• /c><00:01:07.680> away<00:01:07.920> from<00:01:08.080> this you were able to walk
• away from this you were able to walk away from this session<00:01:08.720> saying,<00:01:09.200

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: Representative Schultz reflected on the prior session as highly dynamic and unpredictable, but said it was productive because it allowed many viewpoints to be represented. He described the session as history-making and said he was able to advance priorities for his district and conservative constituents. He highlighted two main policy wins: a bill he said prevented illegal immigrants from receiving taxpayer-funded health care benefits, identified as House File 10, and a bipartisan measure he called “freeing the hot tubs,” which allowed hot tubs at short-term rentals such as Airbnbs and VRBOs after prior Department of Health restrictions. He said both measures were enacted during the special session. Schultz also discussed his work on the House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Policy Committee, saying the committee was needed to focus on fraud in state agencies. He cited more than a billion dollars in fraud over the past six or seven years, including Feeding Our Future and issues in Medicaid-funded services, waiver services, and the housing stabilization program. He said the committee’s hearings and agency discussions helped produce tangible legislation to strengthen program integrity and protect taxpayer dollars. Looking ahead to 2026, he said his priorities would be affordability, stopping fraud, and improving school safety and learning environments across all types of schools in Minnesota.

Transcript Highlights:

• Madam Chair and members, I'll walk through the bill.
• Diebel to walk through the bill, Mr. Diebel to walk through the bill, too?
• Diebel can walk >> Okay, great. If Mr.
• <00:08:17.240> Representative walk through the bill.
• Representative walk through the bill.

Bills: HF3771, HF3658, HF3453, HF3358, HF1775

Keywords: disaster assistance, contingency account, Minnesota emergency management, public safety, state disaster aid, FEMA, federal cost-share, emergency relief, natural disaster, budget report, appropriations report, management and budget, local governments, utility cooperatives, public works, infrastructure repair, chapter 12B, chapter 12A, emergency management, disaster recovery

Transcript Highlights:

• And as he was walking out, I was walking him out of the office.
• Stanley walked us out. Thank you. Mr. Stanley walked us out. Mr.
• Powers, Autumn Coles, and myself walked down the staircase, dropped off our badges, and walked outside
• And can you walk us through? Is that true? Yes.
• And so I try to walk those values in every area of my life.

Keywords: 904, all

Summary: The hearing resumed on day two of the Legislative Ethics Board fact-finding matter involving Representative Tara Simmons. After opening remarks and confirmation that board members had not engaged in outside research or ex parte communications, Simmons’s counsel moved to dismiss two allegations at the close of the board staff’s case: that Simmons pressured the Administrative Office of the Courts to alter a contract in favor of her employer, and that she improperly combined a legislative proviso for AEJG with a personal donation to the organization. Board staff opposed the motion, arguing the evidence showed Simmons’s legislative and private conduct were intertwined and that the board had enough evidence to require a defense. After deliberation, the board denied the motion to dismiss and proceeded to hear defense testimony. The first defense witness, Sharon Navas, testified that she met Simmons through advocacy work, later hired her at the Equity and Education Coalition (EEC), and maintained written employment policies intended to separate Simmons’s legislative role from her work for EEC. Navas said Simmons was never compensated for lobbying or legislative acts, that EEC paid her from unrestricted funds, and that Simmons did not work on the AEJG dashboard project or participate in the contract dispute with Anthony Powers and Chris Stanley. Navas described the proviso request and later contract issues as separate from Simmons’s legislative duties, and said she continued to pay invoices while the project was being completed. Simmons then testified about her background, legislative career, disability accommodations, and extensive efforts to seek ethics advice before taking outside employment or pursuing provisos. She said she repeatedly consulted House ethics counsel and reviewed prior board decisions to ensure her outside work and legislative actions were separated. Simmons described her relationship with Anthony Powers, the dashboard project, the proviso process, and her understanding that the work was distinct from her legislative role. The hearing paused for lunch after part of Simmons’s direct examination, with testimony set to continue after the break.

Transcript Highlights:

• We walk them through the process.
• We walk them through the process.
• More than 50% of those inspections are with the residents walking with our inspector.
• So Ember Ready is designed to walk the resident through the process.
• County that the homeowner is much more likely to do something if they walk.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Climate Crisis, Resources, Energy, and Transportation held an oversight hearing on home hardening and defensible space as wildfire mitigation strategies. The chair opened by stressing that California has reached a tipping point, with repeated community-scale wildfire losses, rising insurance costs, and growing utility wildfire mitigation expenses. The hearing was organized around four panels: what home hardening and defensible space are, community risk reduction and coordination, evaluation of current defensible space programs and proposed investments, and the future of home hardening and the California Wildfire Mitigation Program. The first panel featured IBHS, the Legislative Analyst’s Office, and local wildfire mitigation advocates. IBHS described wildfire spread through embers, flames, and radiant heat, emphasizing that structure separation, removing combustible materials within the first five feet of a home, and combining multiple mitigation measures significantly reduce loss. It highlighted its Wildfire Prepared Home and Wildfire Prepared Neighborhood standards, including an “essential” and “enhanced” level, and said California is ahead of other states but still needs scalable, standardized, and sustainably funded mitigation. The LAO outlined key policy questions for the Legislature, including the state’s role, intergovernmental coordination, cost-effectiveness, program design, measurement of success, long-term sustainability, and barriers to implementation. The chair and panelists discussed estimated costs, including roughly $15,000 for a basic retrofit and about $50,000 for more extensive ignition-resistant construction, and whether state funding should focus on the most cost-effective initial measures. The second panel focused on scaling adoption through local coordination, education, financing, and community-based programs. Megafire Action argued that home hardening is a market adoption problem and said the state should not try to pay for every home, but instead target high-leverage interventions across the “customer journey,” including education, financing, trusted certification, and neighborhood network effects. Ventura Regional Fire Safe Council described free home assessments, small retrofit grants, Firewise community support, and the importance of neighborhood-level action, local capacity, and cultural change. Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority described its locally funded model, grant program, public education efforts, and an Ember Ready program that helps residents navigate home hardening and Zone Zero compliance. The chair repeatedly emphasized the need for a coordinated statewide marketing campaign, stronger incentives, better insurance discounts, and more use of local, utility, federal, and private funding sources. The third and fourth panels addressed Cal Fire’s defensible space inspection program, the proposed defensible space financial assistance program, and broader state investments. Cal Fire said homes lacking compliant defensible space are far more likely to be damaged or destroyed and requested ongoing funding and staffing to stabilize inspections statewide; the LAO suggested the Legislature consider alternative funding sources such as GGRF or a reinstated SRA fee. Cal Fire and the State Fire Marshal explained that Zone Zero sets a minimum standard, local governments cannot go below it, and grant prioritization will favor jurisdictions that submit inspections. Cal Fire also said the new defensible space financial assistance program would focus on ember-resistant zone-zero work and, in the Southern California counties covered by the legislation, would assist about 3,125 homes at an estimated $8,000 per home. In the final panel, the State Fire Marshal described California’s layered strategy of parcel-level home hardening, defensible space, and neighborhood-scale mitigation, along with technical support, financial assistance, and incentives such as insurance discounts and builder marketing. The overall theme was that California must move from isolated efforts to a coordinated, science-based, and scalable statewide approach to reduce wildfire losses.

Transcript Highlights:

• Every day, we have to walk them to the school's entrance, and they must pass by a smoke shop retailing
• A kid that's always walking with their head down, pay attention to the signs.
• You know, they have a man or a woman walking behind them. You're a mom; you walk beside your child.
• I wanted to walk across the stage and get that. I mean, I have an extensive record right now.
• We see them in convenience stores, often by the restrooms or when you walk in.

Bills: SB30, SB517, SB1313, SB1314, SB1316, SB1541, SB1698, SB1845, SB1860, SB2420, SB2429, SB 30

Keywords: gambling, criminal offenses, penalties, defense, electronic devices, tobacco advertising, youth protection, public health, criminal offense, retailer regulation, e-cigarettes, nicotine products, health, public safety, regulation, advertising restrictions, health and safety, elections, election audit, county elections

Transcript Highlights:

• But we're walking out the door while the House is in session for the next two days and while the governor
• The governor is in place, and the majority in this chamber is walking away. Welcome.
• But we're walking out the door while the House is in session for the next two days and while the governor
• The governor's position and the majority in this chamber is walking away. Welcome.
• And the majority in this chamber is walking away, walking away from its responsibility.

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, then received committee reports from Banking and Insurance and Judiciary. Several leaves of absence were granted, and the chamber took up calendar and procedural motions, including re-referrals and tabling actions on multiple bills. House Bill 1102 and Senate Bill 911 were re-referred to Appropriations, House Bill 96 and Senate Bill 599 were briefly laid on the table and then returned to the calendar, and House Bill 2400 and Senate Bill 746 were also sent to Appropriations. The Senate later agreed to consider a discharge-related motion on minimum wage, but the motion to make it a special order of business failed by a vote of 23-27. On final passage, Senate Bill 1182 passed 50-0 after Senator Boscola described it as a modernization of the Board of Vehicles Act to address software-based vehicle features, warranty reimbursement, data protections, loaner vehicles, and related dealer/manufacturer issues; she noted amendments had been adopted to address stakeholder concerns. Senate Bill 1334 also passed, 29-21, after the Senate rejected Amendment A44049, which would have exempted certain cardiology technicians from licensing requirements if credentialed and supervised; supporters argued the exemption reflected existing practice and credentialing, while opponents said the bill was needed for patient safety and consistent oversight. Senate Bill 1372 passed 50-0, and House Bill 2426 was re-referred to Appropriations. The latter part of the session focused heavily on minimum wage and budget timing. Senators Tartaglione, Hughes, and Costa argued Pennsylvania had gone 20 years without raising the minimum wage and urged action on a House-passed minimum wage measure, while Senator Pittman said Republicans were willing to “meet in the middle” but opposed the House proposal as written. Members also discussed the state budget, the rainy day fund, and whether the Senate should remain in session; after debate, Senator Pittman’s motion to recess to the call of the President pro tempore was adopted 27-23, and the Senate stood in recess.

Transcript Highlights:

• And one of the things we learned through the prior report we did for you was that if I walk into a workforce
• Again, whether you like McDonald's or not, when you walk through the door, you know what you're going
• Having a single point of access and not having, I walk through a door or I go to a particular website
• always tell people one of the unique differences... ...between Utah and the other states is when I walk
• And so when you go to a one-stop in Utah, you walk through the door, you get access to all those services

Summary: The committee met to hear an update from consultants Mason Bishop and Cameron Christie on Arkansas’s “one door” or “no wrong door” workforce and social services modernization effort. The discussion focused on moving the state toward a work-first system that better connects job seekers, employers, education, and public assistance programs, with goals of increasing upward mobility, improving labor force attachment, reducing inefficiencies, and adapting to changes such as AI and other economic disruptions. The consultants argued that Arkansas’s current system is fragmented across multiple offices, portals, agencies, and funding streams, and that people often have to navigate separate doors for workforce services, TANF, SNAP, Medicaid, and related supports. Bishop repeatedly pointed to Utah as the model, describing how that state integrated workforce and human services into a single department, used cost allocation to blend funding behind the scenes, and saw improved customer service and outcomes after reform. He said TANF should be treated as a workforce program, not just a benefits program, and suggested that Arkansas could use TANF and other tools to cross-train DHS staff, co-locate services, and create a more unified service delivery model. Members asked about federal flexibility, waivers, and whether the state could use one large waiver or a broader restructuring to simplify the system. Bishop explained that a federal pilot authority proposal failed in Congress, so the current approach relies on waivers, cost allocation plans, and possible state-level changes. The committee also discussed the relationship between DHS and workforce offices, the role of local workforce boards, how disability and vocational rehabilitation cases would be handled, and how the governor’s Restore Hope/Hope Hub and faith- and community-based initiatives might fit into the broader plan. Bishop said Arkansas already has rehabilitation services within the workforce department and emphasized that case managers should focus on people rather than programs. No votes were taken. The chair said the committee would revisit case management at its August meeting and adjourned the meeting after thanking the consultants.

Transcript Highlights:

• Weatherton, I'd like for you to kind of walk us through each one of these labor contracts and where we're
• So if you would kind of walk us through that so the committee can understand where we're at and when
• Can you walk us through where we're at on that and how many people OPM would have to hire?
• Can you kind of walk us through, because looking at that contract on review on Tuesday, the projected
• Can you walk us through all that, please?

Summary: The meeting began with a prayer, approval of the prior minutes, and a February 2026 revenue report from Carlos Silva of the Bureau of Legislative Research. He reported gross revenues of $5.36 billion and net collections of $4.5 billion, both above the prior year, and said the updated forecast showed a larger expected surplus than before. Members asked about declines in some tax categories, natural gas severance fees, and possible effects of inflation and international conflict; Silva generally attributed the changes to timing issues, prior tax cuts, refund activity, and price fluctuations, and said he could not speculate on future impacts. The committee then heard and adopted several subcommittee reports, including the Executive Committee, Administrative Rules, Claims Review, Game and Fish State Police, Higher Education, Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Hospital/Medicaid/Developmental Disabilities, Occupational Licensing Review, State Insurance Programs Oversight, and APER filings. Most reports were approved without objection. One budget classification transfer for the Commissioner of State Lands was reviewed and failed. The review report also led to discussion of several contracts, including DHS staffing contracts and a Department of Education security contract, with some items held or separated for individual votes. A major portion of the meeting focused on DHS and state staffing contracts for the Human Development Centers, Arkansas State Hospital, and related facilities. DHS officials said the contracts were on track against seven-year projections, but members expressed concern about heavy reliance on contract labor, vacancy rates, and the need to move workers onto state payrolls. Officials said they were preparing a recruitment and retention plan and described staffing levels, vacancies, and turnover. Members also questioned contract projections and federal-state funding matches, and several urged faster action to reduce contract labor costs. The committee also discussed a Department of Commerce reduction-in-force affecting the Division of Services for the Blind and Employment and Training. Secretary Hugh McDonald said the cuts were driven by funding shortfalls, over-obligation of funds, and federal issues, and that 27 positions would be permanently eliminated while furloughed employees would be recalled. Members raised concerns about service impacts, board appointments, and the division’s fiscal management. The meeting ended after the personnel report was adopted and APER was filed as reviewed, followed by adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so we are now better situated to be able to conduct site visits and walk and observed tutoring sessions
• You walked us through how you partner with the districts and how you've had to go out there to conferences
• meet with what the districts. >> Like sharing burden is or what the district has a supply as you are walking
• So you're walking around you to sit the walk.
• But we have a walk-through tool that we use for implementation.