Transcript Highlights:

• As you can see, he stood. and his service to Florida.
• I ask for your favorable support.
• Upon application for service, a utility must expand its service territory to a property outside the current
• service territory, subject to the utility service requirement, if the property is not within the service
• And I ask for your favorable support.

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and observed a moment of silence for former Senator Charlie Dean. The chamber also received several introductions, including guests from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and visiting Polk County students. After routine business, the Senate took up a special order calendar, temporarily postponing several bills including measures on Citizens Property Insurance, artificial intelligence, public records, and data centers. The Senate then passed a series of bills, most by unanimous or near-unanimous votes. Approved measures included SB 198/HB 505 on virtual currency kiosks, which creates registration, disclosure, transaction-limit, warning, receipt, and fraud-refund requirements; SB 382 on electric bicycles, which adds pedestrian-yield rules, speed limits near pedestrians, and creates a micro-mobility safety task force; SB 844 on sickle cell disease continuing education for certain health professionals; and SB 1014 on municipal utility service, which bars cities from denying water or wastewater service outside city limits solely because the owner refuses annexation. Each of these bills was explained by the sponsoring senator, amended as needed, and passed on recorded votes. The Senate also passed SB 428, expanding the state swimming lesson voucher program from ages 0-4 to ages 1-7 and adding drowning-prevention education for new parents through a merged amendment with related language; senators from both parties spoke in support, emphasizing child safety and autism-related drowning risks. Additional bills passed included SB 540 on Office of Financial Regulation cybersecurity and oversight changes, SB 1440 on related public-records and cybersecurity exemptions, and SB 1594 to protect veterans’ benefits received on behalf of foster children by directing those funds toward post-secondary education or aftercare rather than agency reimbursement. Final votes were largely 36-0 or 37-0, with SB 1440 passing 35-1. At the end of the session, the Rules Chair moved to waive rules so all bills passed that day would be immediately certified to the House and all temporarily postponed bills would remain on the special order calendar. The Senate then adjourned until the next morning for committee meetings and other business.

Transcript Highlights:

• NJPP supports raising the revenue needed to preserve NJ FamilyCare and other essential public services
• NJPP supports raising the revenue needed to preserve NJ FamilyCare and other essential public services
• Partisan support.
• , and online service.
• are to apply with respect to each online service provided by the covered online service provider, and

Committee: Senate Senate Budget and Appropriations

Keywords: 1146, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Across rural Florida, our families have deep connections to our state and as people.
• farm families who are producing important commodities.
• They've distributed that across the state to families in need. That is biblical.
• Everyone I've spoken to about the program supports making sure the children in Florida...
• They are felt by Florida families every single day.

Summary: The Senate convened for opening day of the 2026 regular session with prayer, presentation of colors by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Honor Guard, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a performance of the national anthem by the FAMU Marching 100. The chamber then administered the oath of office to newly elected Senator Ralph E. Misullo, Jr. of District 11, and welcomed a number of special guests, including statewide elected officials, Supreme Court justices, and former Senate leaders and members. The Senate adopted SCR 1466, which authorized the House and Senate to meet in joint session to receive a message from the Governor, and waived rules to immediately transmit the resolution to the House. The Rules Chair also moved that the Secretary notify the House and Governor that the Senate was convened and ready to begin the 2026 regular session. No substantive legislation was debated; the session was largely ceremonial and organizational. In remarks, the Senate President reflected on the role of the Senate, the need for balance, deliberation, and checks and balances, and highlighted priorities such as rural Florida, citrus recovery, farmers feeding Florida, rural health care, affordability, low taxes, property tax relief, and fiscal restraint. He also emphasized faith, service, and cooperation. At the end of the session, Senator Gates announced that 52 executive appointments would be considered the next day, and the Senate adjourned until 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, with committee meetings and other business to follow.

Transcript Highlights:

• God, I lift up our families this morning, the spouses and partners who support us while we are away,
• I stand in support of it today.
• I strongly support physicians and evidence-based medicine, and in closing, I ask that you support this
• to help the family.
• I encourage your support for this amendment, and I appreciate all those who have supported so far during

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a brief introduction of the doctor of the day before moving to the special order calendar. The chamber first took up several claims bills, including SB 6/HB 6507 for relief of L.E. through the Department of Children and Families, which was described as compensation for severe injuries after DCF returned the child to unsafe parents; the House bill was substituted and passed 34-0. SB 26 for the estate of Mark Legata, involving catastrophic injuries tied to FDOT negligence, was also substituted with the House version and passed 35-0. SB 42/HB 47 on specific medical diagnoses and child protective investigations passed 34-0 after supporters said it would require child protection teams to consider certain medical conditions that can mimic abuse. Later, SB 1002 on child welfare passed 37-0 after sponsors said it clarifies that parental drug abuse can constitute harm or neglect and allow earlier court intervention and services, while not changing parental rights law. The Senate then considered education and health-related measures. SB 206/HB 851 on students with autism spectrum disorder was amended to the House bill and passed 35-0; the sponsor said it expands teacher preparation, requires autism-related training, creates a loan forgiveness program, and adds salary supplements for teachers with autism endorsements. SB 556/HB 453 on high school diploma requirements passed 36-0 and would allow students with disabilities to use Special Olympics participation to satisfy PE requirements, while also fixing a marching band credit issue. SB 688 on naturopathic medicine passed 33-3, reestablishing licensure and regulation of naturopathic doctors. SB 878/HB 1347 on clinical laboratory personnel passed 37-0 to address staffing shortages by aligning Florida more closely with federal CLIA standards. SB 914/HB 867 on dry needling by occupational therapists passed 37-0, clarifying authority for that treatment. SB 530 on state lotteries passed 36-0 with updates to operations, security, and retailer rules. SB 964/HB 6011 on financial disclosures and gifts/honoraria passed 36-0 after an amendment restored a percentage-based reporting option. The chamber also approved several government-administration and public-records measures. SB 326/HB 131 on curators of estates passed 36-0, updating probate rules for temporary court-appointed curators. SB 758/HB 625 on the Justice Administrative Commission passed 37-0 after an amendment broadened the judicial member to a judge or senior judge rather than only a circuit judge. SB 830 on public records passed 31-5, creating exemptions for the personal information of county and city managers and certain family members. The Senate also passed SB 21/HB 218 on land use regulations, which preserves hurricane-recovery restrictions in affected counties while lifting them later for unaffected counties, and the sponsor thanked colleagues for helping address unintended consequences from prior law. SB 354 on Blue Ribbon Projects was debated extensively over concerns about local control, conservation protections, and vague standards; after a late amendment excluding data centers from commercial areas, the bill was temporarily postponed rather than passed. Finally, SB 1632/HB 1471 on ideologies inconsistent with American principles and domestic terrorist designations drew significant debate over references to Sharia law, religious freedom, notice, and due process; one amendment striking Sharia references failed, and a second amendment with broader revisions was under discussion when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• People should support it.
• </c><00:56:56.240><c> for</c><00:56:56.559><c> families</c><00:56:57.040><c> facing</c> needed support
• for families facing needed support for families facing homelessness,<00:56:58.799><c> there</c><00:56
• If we can't keep families in state.
• </c><01:08:51.520><c> And</c> able to support this bill today. And able to support this bill today.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Oh, Chelsea Florey, sorry, the Director of Child and Family Services for, through HHS.
• The families that get assessed may not choose to engage in the services that they qualify for.
• Having services that are available when the family is ready for the service and in need of the service
• We try to refer families to other things out there, like social services, and especially in families'
• He had family support in the community. And what does that sound like?

Committees: Joint Judiciary , Joint Judiciary Committee

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It helps support and appropriations.
• ><c> services</c><00:19:56.880><c> about</c><00:19:57.280><c> 15</c> clinic actually services about 15
• </c> establish uh and and support establish uh and and support veterinarians<00:21:05.840><c> for</c>
• </c> been supported with a development funds. been supported with a development funds.
• <00:23:16.320><c> is</c> Services is Services is Dr.<00:23:19.200><c> Brockman</c><00:23:20.480><c> and

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:18 KOAP Report 00:58 Approval of Minutes 53:58, 958, all

Summary: The Tobacco Settlement Agreement Fund Oversight Committee met on June 11 but did not have a quorum, so it could not approve the prior minutes. The committee then received a compliance and program update from Brandon Reed and Bill McClowski of the agricultural development board, who said the office is fully staffed, has digitized most records, and has added a Facebook page to share board actions, projects, and compliance work. They also reported that the board and finance corporation continue to operate with strong county-council participation and that the office had completed numerous site visits, program reviews, and project closeouts over the reporting period. The presenters reviewed monthly funding actions from December through May, including board approvals ranging from hundreds of thousands to several million dollars, with a December finance meeting delayed by a snowstorm. They highlighted that the Kentucky Agriculture Finance Corporation now has 57 loans generating more than $2 million per month in payments, and that the revolving loan program has grown to support more than $24 million annually in repayments available for relending. They also noted that 75% of the portfolio is in beginning farmer loans and that the office had recently surpassed 1,000 active loans. Several projects were discussed in detail. These included a grain facility in Callaway County supporting organic corn production for expanding egg-layer operations, a Union County cattle business expansion, a West Liberty Veterinary Clinic project to build a working cattle facility, a Grayson County farmers market project, a Casey County veterinary services project, and a packing warehouse for the Kanye family to support specialty crops. The presenters emphasized that county and state tobacco settlement funds are often combined, sometimes with participation loans, to leverage local investment. They also stressed the importance of supporting greenhouses, farmers markets, specialty crops, and large-animal veterinary services as key agricultural priorities. No votes or formal actions were taken beyond the lack of quorum and the informational presentations.

Transcript Highlights:

• Certainly appreciate your service to UTEP.
• And I get to stay and my family gets to stay.
• We support HB 1784.
• So, without her support...
• This gap in support can have devastating consequences.

Bills: HB232

Committee: House Higher Education

Keywords: disaster recovery, natural disaster, weather disaster, emergency relief, flood relief, hurricane relief, storm damage, wildfire, tornado, hail, windstorm, extreme heat, ice storm, snowstorm, property damage, personal injury, temporary housing, relocation assistance, lost wages, state emergency management

Transcript Highlights:

• Legislative Counsel Service to conduct the study.
• There are other families... other families that have faced that, and many of them have probably gone
• What kind of housing supports do you have?
• So while I support the increase and want to help shift this narrative, Because too many families, including
• Thank you all for your service.

Committee: House Legislative Health & Human Services Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• to the Committee on Human Services.
• This is the committee on human services.
• </c><00:17:14.160><c> and</c> health and human services and health and human services and re-referred
• If you want to Biden family pardons.
• But, um, I condemn... then I'm supporting terrorism. Um, I then I'm supporting terrorism.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Forest Service manages about 26%, and private landowners manage about 24%.
• ... ...they've been engaged in the Idaho bridging system for kinship families initiative.
• This initiative, facilitated by the Grand Families and Kinship Support Network, has been led by the Idaho
• And you can see on the sheet in Idaho grand families data.
• So really, this is a very positive family-oriented resolution that I hope you will support. Mr.

Summary: The Senate convened with 31 members present, heard prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and approved the corrected journal. The body then moved through routine orders, including referral of memorials and resolutions and reports from standing committees. Among the items reported were several bills printed or enrolled, House bills referred to Senate committees, and messages from the House transmitting additional bills and memorials for referral. A major floor item was Senate Concurrent Resolution 121, which called for modernizing Idaho’s public school funding formula. Supporters argued the current formula is outdated, overly focused on inputs and adults rather than students, and should be redesigned to give local school leaders more flexibility and better outcomes. The resolution was adopted and transmitted to the House. The Senate also adopted SCR 123 recognizing 2026 as the Year of Rangeland and Pastoralists, SR 118 supporting development of a state plan for kinship caregivers, SCR 124 supporting wildlife crossings to reduce collisions and protect wildlife migration, and SR 119 approving certain administrative rules from the Department of Agriculture and Idaho Hops Growers Commission, with one seed-related rule exception. The Senate adopted SJM 114 urging Congress to address problems in college athletics created by name, image, and likeness rules and transfer/agent issues. It then passed SB 1350, which authorizes optional cash rounding to the nearest five cents when pennies are unavailable; the bill passed 24-9 after debate over whether the change could lead toward broader cashless practices. The chamber also passed SB 1373, the fiscal year 2027 appropriations bill for economic development and related agencies, after extended debate over across-the-board budget cuts, especially the impact on the state public defender system and constitutional indigent defense obligations. The Senate concluded with announcements and adjourned until the next day.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill makes it clear that the Texas Family Code, that the Texas Family Code that another person or
• In the family code.
• Uh, TREP supports this bill.
• I'm here with the Family Law Foundation and we are in support of House Bill 2495.
• Entered into by the family court, uh, you can be, uh, held in contempt for failing to pay child support

Committee: House S/C on Family & Fiduciary Relationships

Transcript Highlights:

• I know one specific family, actually my brother-in-law's family.
• I know one specific family, actually my brother-in-law's family.
• . family. family.
• I met with them many times, so I'm absolutely in favor of supporting the homeschool families.
• I met with them many times, so I'm absolutely in favor of supporting the homeschool families.

Committee: House Postsecondary Education

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> family leave. family leave.
• </c> who are also supportive of this request. who are also supportive of this request.
• </c> judges and their families. judges and their families.
• </c> especially the ones who provide services especially the ones who provide services to<00:24:53.279
• Um so you know we is public service.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• This investment has improved attendance, supported working families, and created safe, enriching opportunities
• After-school programs are essential for working families and critical for keeping students engaged, supported
• They are growing, and our schools need support to be able to help families in ways that families deserve
• AB 2460 is about making sure schools are ready to support students when fear, trauma, and family instability
• AB 2460 is about making sure schools are ready to support students when fear, trauma, and family instability

Committee: House Education

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This last fiscal year, VOCA supported more than 330 unique victim service providers and served more than
• to backfill the lost federal VOCA funding to support critical victim services, and in support of $34
• to backfill the lost federal VOCA funding to support critical victim services, and in support of $34
• Empower Yolo also provides a family resource center that supports individuals.
• Empower Yolo provides, it's also a family resource center that supports individuals. 40% of all of our

Summary: The subcommittee met to hear budget-related updates from the Judicial Branch and the Office of Emergency Services, with no votes taken. The Judicial Council supported the Governor’s proposed budget, highlighting $70 million for increased trial court operating costs, additional funding for court-appointed counsel, Court of Appeal case processing, and courthouse construction and facilities. Trial court representatives emphasized staffing retention problems, especially in counties like San Bernardino, and said stable funding is needed to avoid delays and maintain access to justice. Members also discussed the branch’s remote proceedings program, which has been used in more than 6 million hearings statewide since 2022 and was described as especially important in rural areas and for vulnerable litigants; several members urged making the authority permanent rather than extending it temporarily. A major portion of the hearing focused on Proposition 36 implementation. Finance said the Governor’s budget maintains the $130 million provided in the 2025 Budget Act for court workload and pretrial services, but adds no new Prop. 36 court funding. Judicial Council staff reported nearly 35,000 felony Prop. 36 filings in 2025, with most cases still pending and only a small share of treatment-mandated cases already dismissed after treatment. Witnesses said courts are using the funds for staffing, coordinators, clerks, and treatment-court operations, but that workload varies widely by county and that data collection is limited because courts report aggregate information rather than case-level outcomes. The LAO raised a technical concern about the Department of Finance’s Prop. 47 savings estimate and recommended revising the methodology at May Revision. The committee also reviewed the Orange Central Justice Center facility modification project, where the Judicial Council explained that hidden construction deficiencies and fire-life-safety issues caused costs to rise substantially after demolition began. The LAO said the project itself was supportable but recommended that the Legislature set an ongoing funding level for court facilities, require a long-term facilities plan, and consider more oversight of facility modification projects. Finance said it continues to fund courthouse projects individually and through the State Public Works Board, while acknowledging project delays and cost increases. Finally, Cal OES and advocates discussed victim services funding. Cal OES said it administers about $315 million annually for victim service programs, including VOCA-funded services, but federal VOCA allocations have fluctuated sharply and the state has used one-time General Fund backfills to maintain services. Trauma recovery center advocates warned that an 85% reduction in funding would sharply reduce services for survivors of violent crime, while human trafficking advocates urged reauthorization of the Human Trafficking Victim Assistance Program before funding reverts to pre-pandemic levels in July 2026. Members asked about federal and state funding stability, referral pathways, and the long-term value of these programs in preventing worse outcomes and reducing public costs.

Transcript Highlights:

• bless their families for their service bless their families for their service bless their families bless
• family lead to divorce or other family family lead to divorce or other family family problems so it
• page 22 K through 12 Services page 22 K through 12 Services page 24 Museum Services 24 Museum Services
• their and their families the Vitality of Alabama's families the Vitality of Alabama's families the Vitality
• families that we don't even families families that we don't even families families that we don't even

Bills: SB 26 , SB 28 , SJR 36 , SB 616 , SB 565 , SB 384 , SB 28 , SB 28 , SR 131 , SR 168 , SR 174 , SR 175

Keywords: teacher compensation, education funding, public school educators, teacher retention, teacher designation, lottery, gambling, internet gaming, mobile application, criminal offenses, aquifer, water management, Edwards Aquifer, sustainability, regulatory framework, SB 565, Texas Water Code, TCEQ, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, compliance agreement

Transcript Highlights:

• Line 133 is for student support.<00:15:41.199><c> It's</c> support. It's support.
• <c> which</c> supporting init support initiative which supporting init support initiative which is<00
• The second item is support for the 42 residents participating in Mayo's family medicine residency programs
• It creates a support those supports.
• And they enable student parents to stay enrolled, support their families, and build a pathway toward

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee took up House File 2312 and first adopted the DE1 amendment, after which the amended bill was discussed. Nonpartisan fiscal staff walked through the spreadsheet and explained the bill’s higher education budget changes, including increases for state grants and tribal college assistance, unchanged funding for several existing programs, and reductions or eliminations for items such as state work study, summer academic enrichment, student loan counseling, concurrent enrollment, and the student parent support initiative. Staff also noted transfers to special revenue funds, the cancellation and reappropriation of ALS research funding, and a new licensing/registration revenue item. The committee was told the bill met the committee’s zero target overall, with a net general fund change of zero relative to the February forecast, while also adding some non-general fund expenditures for program licensing and registration. Members asked several questions about the transfers and specific line items, including whether any new special revenue accounts were being created, the foster care wraparound services line, and the treatment of the University of Minnesota and Centric Care partnership. Staff explained that the transfers generally did not create new accounts, that some items were not in the base, and that the U of M/Centric Care partnership was a one-time appropriation in the prior bill but was now being built into the base at a different amount. The University of Minnesota section also included new or continued funding for medical school development, health training restoration, emergency assistance grants, ALS research, and a weather resiliency program, while the Mayo Foundation section eliminated funding for Mayo Medical School and the Mayo family medicine residency program. The policy portion of the DE1 was then introduced. It included a maximum tuition and fee amount for state grants, direct appropriation of emergency assistance grants to Minnesota State, a juvenile justice appropriation for Metropolitan State University, and the ALS research reappropriation to the University of Minnesota. It also contained repealers for unfunded programs, including a delayed repealer for the student parent support initiative. In the higher education policy article, the bill would allow Minnesota State to offer applied doctoral degrees in cybersecurity, make technical changes to hunger-free campus and sexual misconduct procedures, extend pregnant and parenting student protections to private institutions, allow OHE to retain up to 10% of certain competitive grants for administration, consolidate reports, change the state grant formula so negative FAFSA contributions count as zero, and reduce the state grant lifetime credit cap from 180 to 120 credits. The Northstar Promise provisions would limit tuition and fees to resident rates and require MnState, and request the University of Minnesota, to ensure eligible students receive the benefit.

Transcript Highlights:

• In strong support.
• California in support.
• cost of service.
• Any other witness in support? If you'd like to express support, go ahead.
• Service and supply companies and royalty owners throughout California are in strong support of the bill

Committee: Senate Environmental Quality

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Just as importantly, we are prioritizing strong communication with families so they can actively support
• The IEP template will support continuity of services when students transfer transparency for families
• These trainings support districts in prevention, de-escalation, function-based behavior support, and
• MLSS staff in accurate identification, service planning and implementation.
• And I do support the science of reading.