Transcript Highlights:

• of Hawaii to conduct an inventory of bus stops on Hawaii Island utilized by children to travel to school
• advisory</c><00:16:47.759><c> committee</c><00:16:48.079><c> to</c><00:16:48.320><c> collaborate</c> school
• advisory committee to collaborate school advisory committee to collaborate with<00:16:48.959><c> the
• </c><00:16:59.120><c> to</c><00:16:59.440><c> travel</c><00:16:59.759><c> to</c><00:17:00.000><c> school
• </c> utilized by children to travel to school utilized by children to travel to school and<00:17:00.560

Summary: The Committee on Transportation met on Thursday, April 17 at 10:00 a.m. with a short agenda focused on two resolutions. STR 32 requested that the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation work with the Department of Transportation to use inmate work furlough programs for state roadway and highway maintenance. Testimony was received in support from the Department of Transportation, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and an individual, Frank Schultz. No one testified in opposition or with reservations. The committee also heard STR 117 SD1 HD1, which urged the Safe Routes to School Advisory Committee to collaborate with the Department of Education, Department of Transportation, and the County of Hawaii to inventory bus stops on Hawaii Island used by children traveling to school and to develop safety improvements at those locations. Testimony in support came from the Department of Transportation, the Department of Education, and Frank Schultz. Again, there was no opposition or additional public testimony. After taking the measures up, the committee voted to pass both resolutions unamended as is. The chair’s recommendations were adopted, with some members excused from the vote on STR 32. Before adjournment, the chair noted this was the last traditional transportation committee hearing of the session, thanked staff, members, and advocates, and said the committee would move into conference on nearly 45 transportation measures. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• <03:31:42.480><c> infrastructure</c> with electric school bus infrastructure with electric school bus
• So the county school board made that decision to say, you know what? We need school buses.
• school buses.
• The county school board made that decision to say, you know what? We need school buses.
• school buses.

Transcript Highlights:

• We unveiled our first round of this last year for middle school kids.
• We built another round of that for high school-age students, and it's released this week.
• My parents are both school teachers.
• And then next year, we will go to elementary school-age material.
• And again, my junior in high school, he likes the middle school material and vice versa.

Committee: All ALC-HIGHWAY COMMISSION REVIEW AND ADVISORY SUBCOMMITTEE

Summary: The Highway Commission Review and Advisory Subcommittee received a quarterly update from ARDOT Director Jared Wiley on major highway projects, federal funding, land conveyances, and agency safety outreach. Members asked about the status of numerous projects, including Jonesboro area work, the Townsend Avenue project in Fort Smith, the I-40/Highway 59 interchange in Van Buren, the I-55 bridge replacement at Memphis, the I-40/I-55 interchange congestion near Memphis, the Mountain Home Bypass, and other local road and drainage concerns. Wiley said most large projects are progressing well, though some are delayed by utilities, change orders, or sharply rising costs; he noted the Townsend Avenue project is being paused because costs grew from an estimated $12–15 million to more than $60 million, with funding to be redirected to other area projects. He also said the I-55 bridge project is about 60% designed and could begin construction in 2027, and that the Van Buren interchange should be completed before year’s end. The committee also reviewed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funding report and quarterly land conveyances. Wiley explained that the federal project list reflects state oversight on some jobs, that federal aid agreements must be submitted before expenditures, and that ARDOT uses biennial appropriations to front project costs and seek reimbursement. On land conveyances, he described three surplus-property transactions: a drainage easement near I-40 sold back to a landowner, a Paragould Bypass-related tract sold after it became landlocked, and a small Highway 112 parcel in northwest Arkansas sold back for development after plans changed. Wiley then highlighted ARDOT outreach and safety efforts, including the Street Smart education program for middle and high school students, with online lesson plans, videos, quizzes, and materials available through StreetSmartAR.org. He also discussed the agency’s litter campaign, saying ARDOT collected 14,000 bags of trash in one day this year, has issued warnings and citations for unsecured loads, and spent nearly $11 million on litter cleanup last year. He reported that all ARDOT staff have completed human trafficking awareness training, and he described ongoing campaigns on work zone safety, “Slow Down, Phone Down,” move-over awareness, and a new podcast to answer public questions. The meeting ended with thanks to the director and a note that the committee may not meet again until November unless needed sooner.

Transcript Highlights:

• SB 1140, Ashby, school campus access, due pass out on an A roll call.
• SB 1140, Ashby, school campus access, due pass with author amendments to make technical changes.
• SB 1181, Hurtado, school safety grant, holding committee. SB 1220, Hurtado, firearms, due pass.
• SB 1083, Perez, school employee egregious misconduct, due pass as amended to clarify background check
• SB 1083, Perez, school employee egregious misconduct, due pass as amended to clarify background check

Summary: The Assembly Appropriations Committee held its August 13, 2026 suspense-file hearing on Senate bills, with the chair opening by thanking staff and recognizing consultant Jennifer Swenson’s retirement after 30 years in the Legislature. The committee explained that it was weighing the fiscal impact of 293 bills and that some would move forward while others would be held because of cost, duplication, or competing budget priorities. The committee then took up the suspense file in alphabetical order and acted on a large number of measures, sending many to the Assembly floor as due pass or due pass with amendments. Examples included bills on battery recycling, wildfire resilience loans, mobile home park disaster assistance, price gouging, veterans’ property tax exemptions, housing and insurance issues, energy and utility regulation, election procedures, criminal justice, health care, education, housing, environmental protection, and artificial intelligence. Many bills were amended to narrow scope, delay implementation, add reporting requirements, clarify definitions, or reduce costs; others were held in committee. Among the notable actions, several bills were advanced on roll calls while others were held, including measures related to water quality, utility rate information, juvenile detention, CARE Court, and various housing and energy proposals. The committee also moved a number of sunset and technical cleanup bills, and several members requested to be added as principal or joint authors on amended measures. At the end of the hearing, the chair noted that the committee had moved a large number of bills to the Assembly floor, usually with amended language, and that the amended versions would be posted online. The hearing then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• And there are many, many school districts across are implementing this curriculum.
• Many school districts across are implementing this curriculum, which was created by DESE because there
• And our organization is supporting about 60 or so schools at the moment, adding another 70 next year
• I've been having a wonderful opportunity teaching high school, but having a child in second grade and
• That's another inquiry-based high school curriculum that was originally developed for California with

Summary: The Special Commission on the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution met without a quorum, so no votes were taken and any items requiring action were deferred to a future meeting. Representative Sean Garballey welcomed new commission member Mona Roy and thanked outgoing members Susie Berry and Abigail Chandler, noting that the governor’s office would be contacted about open appointments to help restore quorum. The commission then heard a presentation from the Massachusetts Civic Learning Coalition, which outlined civics and history education programs tied to Mass 250 and America 250, including Civic Learning Week, teacher professional development, student civic projects, online courses, and curriculum resources from partners such as iCivics, Harvard’s Democratic Knowledge Project, GBH, Facing History and Ourselves, EDC, Revolutionary Spaces, and others. The Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism reported on the state’s 250th anniversary campaign, including a November event at the Old South Meeting House with the governor, lieutenant governor, and Boston Symphony Orchestra, strong media coverage, over $6 million in sponsorships, new TV spots tied to Ken Burns’ American Revolution documentary, and a new Massachusetts First webpage and merchandise. Revolutionary 250 gave an update on upcoming Henry Knox Trail commemorations, including events beginning in January at the state line and continuing in Great Barrington, Springfield, Worcester, Framingham, Cambridge, Roxbury, and Dorchester Heights, with related planning for the St. Patrick’s/Evacuation Day parade and other Revolutionary-era observances. The commission also discussed possible future initiatives for member working groups: contributing to an America 250 time capsule, organizing community-level “America’s potluck dinner” events on July 5, and coordinating readings of the Declaration of Independence on July 8. Members asked clarifying questions about how the potluck and time capsule efforts would work, and staff said an email would be sent after the meeting to gather interest and form small planning groups. The meeting ended with a motion to adjourn, a second, and unanimous approval.

Transcript Highlights:

• Members of the fire cadet program are more likely to be from Boston, went to our high schools, and thus
• So let's say you have a $50,000 pension after 35 years of being a public school educator.
• You work for 30 years at a public school.
• My friend, in 2019, went to her 70th high school class reunion at the age of 88.
• , wore many hats as a guidance counselor, school adjustment counselor, and school psychologist.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Public Service

Summary: The Joint Committee on Public Service heard testimony on a wide range of bills affecting public employees, retirees, and public safety personnel. Early testimony focused on House Bill 2859, which would make Massachusetts Department of Correction industrial instructors permanent civil service employees after years of provisional status, and House Bill 2995, which would reduce the Boston Fire Cadet Program service requirement from two years to one year. Supporters of the Boston fire cadet bill argued it would improve equity, expand opportunities for Boston residents, and help diversify the Boston Fire Department; committee members asked about the current makeup of academy classes and the effect of a hybrid model, and the Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association was described as neutral on a separate age-related police bill. The committee also heard several proposals related to post-retirement earnings and civil service rules for police and fire retirees. Testimony supported bills including H. 2903 and H. 2966, which would loosen earnings limits for retired public safety workers returning to work, and related measures affecting civil service exemptions and professional services for retirement boards. Speakers argued the current limits are confusing, discourage experienced workers from filling needed municipal jobs, and can create safety issues on public works and construction sites. One witness from Worcester Police supported raising the police academy age limit from 32 to 39 to improve recruitment, especially in BIPOC communities, while Boston City Councilor Gabriela Coletta Zapata supported a separate bill to raise the Boston Police Academy age cap from 39 to 45. A substantial portion of the hearing was devoted to H. 2812 and S. 1817, which would increase the pension COLA base from $13,000 to $18,000 and freeze certain retiree health insurance contribution rates, with additional testimony about capping out-of-pocket health costs for some retirees. Educators and union representatives said the current COLA structure has eroded pension value and leaves retirees struggling with rising costs, while one witness described long delays and confusion in navigating retiree health coverage. The committee took no substantive votes on the bills during the hearing and adjourned after hearing all testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• connections, and identify who their adult support network is going to be as they're leaving high school
• So we've said that our age range is 18 to 24 to try to capture that kind of post-high school age range
• Are you currently working with the Department of Education to become a Chapter 766 school?
• shadow day or come to an after-school social group or things like that.
• There was just one more question in the chat asking for residential school.

Summary: The meeting began with a presentation from Run the Gamut, a new two-year transition program for young adults with autism ages 18 to 24. Staff described the program’s focus on person-centered planning, independent living skills, social connection, and experiential learning, including a teaching kitchen, laundry room, community-based instruction, and job shadowing. They said the program is intended to complement existing Massachusetts services and partnerships rather than duplicate them, and that it is inspired by the founders’ experience helping their daughter transition to adulthood and employment. Committee members asked about employment outcomes, employer readiness, funding, eligibility, and whether students with intellectual disabilities could participate. Run the Gamut said the program is currently private-pay tuition-based, but a grant is covering tuition for the first cohort while they explore additional funding sources, including possible school-district or insurance pathways. They said students with intellectual disabilities would not be automatically excluded if they meet admissions criteria. Staff also emphasized building employer relationships in advance, using job shadowing and industry partnerships to improve hiring practices and create real opportunities for students. They noted partnerships with programs such as PYD, JBS, Aspire, and Boston University, and said the program is opening soon with about eight students enrolled and an open house planned for September 18. After the presentation, the committee shifted to planning its proposed workshop for the Massachusetts APSE conference, “Employment Matters,” themed “Partners in Progress.” Members discussed submitting the application by the August 31 deadline, selecting a second presenter, and shaping interactive questions for attendees using a live polling tool. Suggested audience questions focused on the benefits of hiring people with disabilities and the barriers or challenges employers and employment advocates face, with an emphasis on connecting responses back to commission resources and partnerships. The committee also approved the minutes from the prior meeting unanimously and ended with a discussion of future fiscal year goals, including interest in a possible veterans-and-disability-focused event or resource effort.

Transcript Highlights:

• I, of course, am working within elementary schools to get these kids involved so that we can hopefully
• have them go to the best veterinary school in the country, and that's Oklahoma State University.
• But along with that, I think that we really need to be looking at some of our high schools and how do
• And I do think starting at the high school level is where we need to be looking at.
• med school.

Bills: HB3239 , HB3391 , HB3557 , HB4128

Committee: Senate Agriculture and Wildlife

Keywords: veterinary medicine, definitions, animal husbandry, board of veterinary examiners, telemedicine, veterinarian-client relationship, animal welfare, commercial pet breeders, licensing, advertising, animal cruelty, Oklahoma Agricultural Extension, local funding, financial institutions, county extension services, state funds, wildlife conservation, hunting regulations, mountain lions, black bears

Transcript Highlights:

• In fact, I graduated from naturopathic medical school at 55.
• . meds miss more school, parents, miss work, and continuity in care is disrupted.
• It makes clear that these rights extend to students who attend publicly funded charter schools.
• It requires that schools accept the plan in the form submitted by the doctor.
• This bill will help so many school personnel be prepared for a common medical episode, so please vote

Summary: The Health Professions and Program Subcommittee met with a quorum and considered seven bills, all of which were reported favorably. HB 497 would create a neurofibromatosis research grant program within the Department of Health; an amendment removed automatic recurring funding and made the program subject to annual appropriations. Proponents described the disease burden and the need for Florida-based research support. The bill passed 14-0. The committee also approved HB 223, which creates a licensing and regulatory framework for naturopathic medicine, including a Board of Naturopathic Medicine under the Department of Health. Supporters argued licensure would improve patient safety, transparency, and access, while the Florida Osteopathic Medical Association and Florida Medical Association waived in opposition. The bill passed 15-0. HB 683 modernizes physician assistant and APRN prescribing rules by removing certain administrative notice and prescription-labeling requirements and allowing a 30-day course of psychotropic medication; an amendment removed language that would have allowed practice without physician supervision during declared emergencies. It passed 15-0. The committee then approved CS for HB 121, which updates Florida’s seizure action plan law by extending protections to charter school students, requiring schools to accept physician-submitted plans, clarifying training duration, expanding training to regular bus drivers, and requiring seizure-response posters in schools. HB 353 adds sickle cell disease education to existing pain-management continuing education for health professionals, prompted by extensive testimony from patients and advocates about bias, delayed treatment, and lack of provider knowledge; it passed 15-0. HB 1175 directs the Florida Building Commission and State Fire Marshal to develop updated safety design standards for office surgery suites, with an amendment delaying the effective date to January 1, 2027; it passed 14-0. Finally, HB 251 creates a public records exemption for current emergency physicians and their families, narrowed by amendment to current physicians and children up to age 26 and made subject to sunset review; it passed 15-0. The meeting adjourned after all agenda items were completed.

Transcript Highlights:

• are doing, the teachers want to know how our schools are doing, the students want to know how the schools
• To spend it, relating to public school accountability and transparency.
• Secretary, read the caption: House Bill 8 relating to public school accountability and transparency.
• We said students, schools should be rated just like students, A through F.
• because mom would drive by that elementary school and say, how come we have a C and the school in the

Bills: SB 3 , SB 16 , SB 2 , SB 5 , SB 10 , HB17 , SB 54 , SB 9 , SB 7 , SB 17 , SB 4 , HB8 , HB25 , HB26 , HB192 , HB8 , HB25 , HB26 , HB48 , HB149 , HB192 , HB254 , HB17 , SB54 , SB9 , SB7 , SB17 , SB4 , SB3 , SB16 , SB2 , SB5 , SB10

Transcript Highlights:

• FLORIDA TRANSPORTATION ACADEMY PROVIDE ADDITIONAL CAREER OPPORTUNITIES FOR FLORIDA VETERANS HIGH SCHOOL
• AND VOCATIONAL SCHOOLS.
• ON TAB EIGHT WE HAVE CS FOR SB 1122, FLORIDA VIRTUAL SCHOOL BY SENATOR BURTON, GOOD MORNING, YOU ARE
• OF FLORIDA VIRTUAL SCHOOL, CHANGES A FEW OF THEIR PROCEDURES.
• AND ALLOWS FLORIDA VIRTUAL SCHOOL TO RECEIVE FUNDS OUTSIDE FEFP, CLARIFIES FLORIDA VIRTUAL SCHOOL THEY

Transcript Highlights:

• We have our high school page. Uh, Mr.
• Andrew Lewis, if school page. Uh, Mr.
• Anthony's school, Triary School in Casper, Finn and Reagan.
• :04.960><c> Casper,</c><00:49:05.520><c> Finn</c> school, Triary School in Casper, Finn school, Triary
• </c><00:51:09.520><c> We</c> law school partner, Bob Nicholas. We law school partner, Bob Nicholas.

Transcript Highlights:

• property and not just one school, all schools.
• So, I was an elected school board member, and I can talk to how you are seen as a school board member
• What happens when you're a school board member? You go into schools a lot.
• </c><00:13:31.120><c> you</c> are the boss of the school district. you are the boss of the school district
• You go into you're a school member? You go into schools<00:13:39.200><c> a</c><00:13:39.440><c> lot.

Bills: SF0082

Committee: House Corporations, Elections & Political Subdivisions

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> there was questions about the school there was questions about the school district<01:03:41.920>
• </c> the swept and the school funding aspect. the swept and the school funding aspect.
• , school district officials?
• </c><01:38:22.159><c> officials,</c><01:38:22.639><c> school</c> consulted with school officials, school
• consulted with school officials, school district<01:38:23.280><c> officials?

Summary: The committee held a work session on HB 302, which would add precious metals and digital assets as potential investment options. State Treasurer Monica Misipelli said she took no position on the bill and did not see an immediate fiscal impact or operational problem, but explained that the state’s operating funds and rainy day fund require liquidity and stability, so they would not be suitable for volatile assets like precious metals or digital assets. She said the only funds that might potentially use such investments would be certain trust funds held in perpetuity, which are managed by an outside investment advisor under a contract and investment policy. Members asked about the treasurer’s current investment practices, including the types of funds managed, the role and discretion of the investment advisor, the state’s risk profile, and whether the bill would affect existing authority. Misipelli said the office follows RSA 11 and related statutes, with different objectives ranging from conservative to aggressive depending on the fund, and that the advisor meets with the office regularly, with formal performance reviews on a quarterly basis. She also said the office recently centralized management of about 40 trust accounts totaling roughly $60 million into five combined portfolios under a five-year contract with an RFP-selected vendor. When asked whether precious metals or digital assets are already indirectly available through mutual funds, she said that was possible for some mutual funds, but she was not certain about digital assets. Representative Ammon, the bill’s sponsor, said similar legislation had passed the Oklahoma House, the Texas House and Senate, and had advanced in Arizona. He argued the bill was intended to give the treasurer more tools to help balance portfolios and hedge inflation, noting concerns about federal debt and inflation. No vote was taken in the excerpt, and the chair ended the questioning after thanking the treasurer and asking her to remain available in case further questions arose.

Transcript Highlights:

• Oana has done great things with the downtown streetscape and with the high school.
• </c> streetscape and with the high school streetscape and with the high school it's<00:21:33.360><c>
• Association, the Minnesota Association of School Administrators, the Association of Metropolitan School
• </c> record spending in school districts last record spending in school districts last year<01:20:22.239
• I just want to comment, if I could, on our county and school district employees.

Bills: HF1976

Committee: House Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• We have approximately 1 in 36 children right now in our school district that suffer from autism.
• I used to get sent home from Montessori school with papers pinned to my chest saying, 'Stop Pizzo.'
• school board members this morning and I told her we're going to be presenting this bill today.
• Some of these achievements include a high school national debate championship in 2024 and...
• Senator Pizzo: Of all the school districts— Senator Pizzo: Of all the school districts that are in Florida

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several recognitions before taking up a special order calendar of bills. Early measures included a claims bill for relief to L.E. through the Department of Children and Families, which passed 34-0 after substitution from the House version, and a claims bill for the estate of Mark Legata, which passed 35-0 after the amount was reduced in the substitute. The chamber then approved CS for CS for SB 42 on child protective investigations and specific medical diagnoses, requiring investigators to consider certain medical conditions that can mimic abuse; the sponsor described it as a fix for cases where medical evidence is overlooked, and it passed 34-0. A bill on autism education for teachers was also substituted with the House version, amended to replace the Senate language, and passed 35-0 after supportive remarks from members. The Senate next passed a land-use bill, SB 218, adjusting hurricane-related development restrictions so they continue in storm-damaged counties but expire in unaffected counties in 2026, with debate focused on local control and recovery needs; it passed 36-0. The chamber then approved several other measures with little or no opposition: a probate bill modernizing curators of estates (36-0), a Blue Ribbon Projects bill creating a framework for large planned developments with conservation set-asides, which drew extensive debate over local control, growth management, and the bill’s breadth before being temporarily postponed, a state lotteries update (36-0), a diploma requirements bill allowing Special Olympics participation to substitute for PE and clarifying marching band credit (36-0), and a naturopathic medicine licensure/regulation bill that reestablishes a licensing framework and board, which passed 33-3. The Justice Administrative Commission bill was amended to broaden membership to include a judge or senior judge and passed 37-0. The Senate also passed a public records exemption for certain local administrators and their families (31-5), a clinical laboratory personnel bill easing staffing requirements by aligning more closely with federal CLIA standards (37-0), a dry needling bill clarifying occupational therapists may perform the practice (37-0), a financial disclosures bill revising gift/honoraria reporting and restoring a percentage-based reporting option via amendment (36-0), and a child welfare bill expanding when parental drug abuse can be treated as harm or neglect and allowing earlier court intervention and services (37-0). Later, the chamber took up a bill on ideologies inconsistent with American principles and terrorist organizations. The sponsor said it would prevent enforcement of foreign or religious law over the Constitution, create a due-process process for domestic terrorist designations, and bar public funds from supporting terrorism. Senators raised questions about the lack of a time limit on conduct used for designation and whether conviction is required; an amendment was then offered to remove specific references to Sharia law and the bill’s findings, with the sponsor of the amendment arguing the language stigmatized Muslim constituents and singled out Islam. The transcript cuts off during that amendment debate, so no final action on the bill is shown in the provided text.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:20:26.480><c> in</c> their traffic including every school in their traffic including every school
• </c> network is from KDE from our school network is from KDE from our school system<00:20:57.520><c>
• kids can come to school and expect things to work so they can learn and the other users.
• kids can come to school and expect things to work so they can learn and the other users.
• So I went back to school and I got a master's in public administration.

Summary: The Information Technology Oversight Committee met with a quorum, approved the prior meeting minutes, and then heard a presentation from Leadcore representatives Jimmy Bird, Mike Murray, and Rebecca Moss on the Kentucky Wired network. Leadcore described its role as the design-builder and service provider under the KCNA contract, saying the network was built with roughly 13,200 feet of fiber, mostly aerial, and that the use of non-armored cable was a Kentucky-side decision made to reduce cost. They also said aerial construction and non-armored cable increase maintenance challenges, including storm damage and squirrel-related damage, and reported FY25 service activity of 104 break-fix events, 30 maintenance replacements, 64 storm-damage events, and nearly 13,000 feet of fiber replaced to date. Committee members questioned whether the original project anticipated this level of replacement and whether any forecast existed for maintenance under non-armored cable. Leadcore said it did not do a formal forecast and could not say whether the replacement rate was above or below norms, though it acknowledged the decision not to use armored cable came from the Kentucky side of the contract. Members also asked about whether replacements caused network degradation; Leadcore said it tries to replace cable at existing splice points to avoid degradation and, where needed, uses armored cable for replacement sections going forward. The committee then explored Leadcore’s relationship with Excel and KCNA. Leadcore said it has a service-level agreement for KCNA-related fibers but not for dark fibers used by Excel, and that Kentucky Wired fibers get priority on service requests. It said outages are reported through a 1-800 number and that it was not aware of any access problems to the huts. On the tech refresh, Leadcore said its understanding is that maintaining the network is its responsibility, but the technology refresh is not; it said only a very limited amount of refresh has occurred and that this did not match the original contract intent. Leadcore also said it had not been asked to defer maintenance. The chair closed by saying the testimony would inform a committee report and that he intended to recommend clawing back or withholding some previously authorized Kentucky Wired and refresh funding until an audit is complete, with the committee to vote on a report later.

Transcript Highlights:

• Mahalo. needs to achieve are Farm to school needs to achieve are Farm to school goals<00:23:53.720><c
• farm-to-school local produce, we require two estimates.
• farm-to-school local produce, we require two estimates.
• farm-to-school local produce, we require two estimates.
• High school and watched the kids eat lunch.

Committee: House Agriculture & Food Systems

Transcript Highlights:

• A charter school went from a five-day school week to a four-day school week and picked up universal child
• I mean, if you're—and this requires you to work, requires you to go to school.
• I mean, they keep wanting more after-school programming money.
• And that's this whole school. It's section.
• The state schools are cheaper tuition; private schools, which make up more, are $80,000 to $90,000.

Bills: SB241 , SB145 , SB241 , SB145 , HB2

Committees: Senate Senate Finance , Senate House Appropriations & Finance

Keywords: child care, child care assistance, child care subsidy, early childhood education, early childhood care, daycare, preschool, pre-K, Head Start, Early Head Start, Children's Code, early childhood education and care department, ECECD, child care facilities, licensed child care, registered child care, copayments, waitlist, subsidy, federal poverty level

Transcript Highlights:

• Tab 4, CS for CS for SB 178 on athletics in public K-12 schools by Senator Jones.
• Members, SB 178, Athletics in Public K-12 Schools, directs the Florida High School Athletic Association
• I have been in a Florida public school pretty recently. I took AP U.S.
• This bill updates the exemption to include district school boards and public schools.
• This bill updates the exemption to include district school boards and public schools.

Summary: The committee heard several bills and took favorable action on a number of them. CS/CS/SB 54 by Senator Sharif would require district medical examiners to perform toxicology screening for psychotropic drugs and intoxicating substances in autopsies of identified violent offenders, consult treating providers when available, document findings, and report results to state agencies; it passed after brief questions and one opponent waived against. CS/SB 176 by Senator Polsky would require public colleges and universities to publish clearer campus safety reporting and response procedures for threats to students, faculty, or staff; it also passed favorably with no opposition. CS/CS/CS/SB 290, the Florida Farm Bill by Senator Trumbull, was the longest item and drew extensive testimony. The bill covers fair association rules, preemption of local limits on gas- and diesel-powered farm equipment, surplus of certain state-owned lands for agricultural use, a food animal veterinarian loan repayment program, permanent funding for Farmers Feeding Florida, forest service training, signal jammer penalties, CDL exam cheating penalties, no-solicitation protections, inspector protections, biosolids rules, and contractor payment enforcement. Members adopted multiple amendments, including changes to contractor payment language, expanding vet loan repayment to equine vets, merging citrus research entities, technical updates to fair statutes and nonprofit definitions, and a late amendment removing the bill’s disparagement/free-speech section after significant public testimony and debate. A separate late amendment on biosolids delayed compliance timelines for Broward County, and the bill then passed favorably as amended. The committee also approved CS/CS/SB 834 on nonprofit religious organizations, which repeals a restriction on health care sharing ministries partnering with licensed insurance agents, while adding a disclaimer requirement through amendment; the bill passed with support from some faith-based and consumer groups and one waiver against. SB 936 on temporary door locking devices passed without opposition. CS/SB 50 would expand veterans’ courts statewide as an option in all judicial circuits for service-related issues such as PTSD, traumatic brain injury, and substance abuse; it received broad support from veterans and advocacy groups and passed favorably. CS/SB 1004, in strike-all form, would regulate dog and cat sales by requiring disclosure of medical records and financing terms, adding a three-day waiting period for financed purchases, and treating violations as unfair trade practices; an amendment removed an appropriation section, and the bill passed after questions about financing and pet retention. The committee then approved CS/CS/SB 178, which directs the Florida High School Athletic Association to adopt rules allowing coaches to provide good-faith support to student-athletes for basic needs like food, transportation, and recovery services, while requiring reporting and preserving anti-recruiting enforcement; members discussed possible parental-consent language, and the bill passed favorably. Finally, the committee began hearing CS/SB 198 on virtual currency kiosks, with Senator Rouson explaining that it would regulate crypto kiosks to combat fraud, require operator registration, fraud warnings, blockchain analytics policies, and transaction limits, but the transcript cuts off before further action on that bill.