Transcript Highlights:

• Instead, they call 911. or facility staff to report problems.
• We have to have staff present in the building 24-7.
• I know that you and your You and your staff care a lot about your constituents.
• We appreciate Rep Manuel and his staff and the work that they've done.
• And we also thank both offices for all the time that their staff has.

Bills: HB741 , HB 1199 , HB2070 , HB2402 , HB2542 , HB2665 , HB2789 , HB3096 , HB3396 , HB3595 , HB3747 , HB4116 , HB4127

Committee: House Human Services

Keywords: child welfare, relative caregiver, monetary assistance, Department of Family and Protective Services, child custody, family law, emergency power, nursing facilities, assisted living, generator requirements, health and safety, emergency generators, power outage, emergency generator, assisted living facilities, power source, child abuse, neglect registry, court findings, Medicaid

Transcript Highlights:

• President, and also thank Senate staff, budget staff that have been working so hard over the holiday
• Staff, they were here to 11:30, 12 o'clock at night, over a Memorial weekend.
• Thank you to all the appropriation staff for answering my questions.
• The staff has worked through Memorial Day holiday.
• Staff estimates that the bill offers $272 million in total tax relief, of which $166 million Staff estimates

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, then moved to the conference report on House Bill 501E, the General Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2026-27. Budget chairs presented the major spending areas, describing a $114.5 billion overall budget that they said was fiscally responsible and below the prior year’s spending. Highlights included pay increases and retirement adjustments for public safety employees, education funding for K-12, higher education, health and human services, criminal justice, transportation, environmental programs, and agriculture/regulatory agencies. Members then questioned chairs on several items. In education, senators discussed K-12 declining enrollment funding, teacher salary set-asides, private school scholarship spending, mental health funding, preeminence funding for universities, the Hamilton Center at UF, and charter school PICO funding. In health and human services, questions focused on the iBudget waiver waitlist, provider rates, ADAP/HIV funding and the return of Biktarvy to the formulary, KidCare, rural health funding, SNAP-related IT and error reduction efforts, and the IDD managed care program. In criminal justice, senators asked about correctional officer pay, prison staffing and infrastructure, air conditioning in prisons, juvenile justice facilities, law enforcement recruitment, and court system funding. Environmental and transportation questions covered Florida Forever, water quality, state parks, water projects, housing, elections funding, and emergency management. Several specific actions and explanations were given during debate: the budget includes $8.8 million for state attorney competitive area differentials but no funding for public defender CAD requests; assistant state attorneys will start at $70,000 and assistant public defenders at $65,000; the battery disposal issue was described as a temporary study/preemption approach; and the Senate said the budget does not fund Medicaid expansion, preeminence funding, or the SunBucks Summer EBT state share. Senators also noted that some proposals discussed in committee did not make it into the final budget. The transcript ends with debate statements from members praising the budget process and Chair Hooper, while also expressing concerns about public schools, health care access, affordability, and the lack of funding for certain priorities.

Transcript Highlights:

• So what was sent to me is what I was told by Judiciary staff that it was supposed to say.
• Will it require the auditor to do anything and the financial staff?
• But the staff at their universities? Yes, ma’am. Versus, got it.
• Help me, staff. I'm sorry. A substitute... ...motion to—what do you call it? Help me, staff.
• But when you ask people to do additional work with the staff...

Bills: HR3 , HR80 , HB4 , HB172 , HB189 , HB623 , HB944 , HB1185 , HB1199 , HB1222 , SB105 , SB125 , SB461

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: housing assistance, state-owned property, cost-burdened, state employees, affordable housing, fiscal audit, higher education, public funds, underrepresented minorities, Board of Regents, Louisiana legislation, constitutional convention, Louisiana constitution, electoral process, government structure, delegate elections, airport authority, fire protection, supplemental pay, public safety

Transcript Highlights:

• Staff, if you can read in the bill. Thank you, Madam Chair.
• Staff is going to read in the amendments. Thank you, Madam Chair.
• Staff, would you all read in the amendment? Yes, ma'am.
• Staff, if you'd like that. And I will co-author it.
• I mean, in this sense of informed discussions with staff, with the department staff, because this is

Bills: HB28 , HB50 , HB196 , HB268 , HB271 , HB285 , HB316 , HB649 , HB807

Committee: House Education

Keywords: teacher certification, certification appeals, BESE, State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, Teacher Certification Appeals Council, educator licensure, teaching license, teacher licensure, appeals process, certification denial, administrative appeal, special meeting, board president, retroactive application, education board, Louisiana teachers, Department of Education, statutory entities, re-creation, termination date

Transcript Highlights:

• So while it was an LED program, they were all behaved like LED staff.
• They were actually on the LCTCS or They were all behaved like LED staff.
• We might need to staff up until we get Hyundai off the ground, but then we can staff down.
• Secretary and staff for being here.
• But our staff go and do a program and then contract that out as well.

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: 965, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• What I would say is it's really a credit to the staff.
• But having great leadership gets you great staff. So don't don't don't put it all on your staff.
• It'll just be growing the staff as we get to it.
• So we'll make sure you have these for your staff.
• And I've already talked with some of the fiscal staff.

Committee: House A&B Health Subcommittee

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Those who would be more profound or, like you said, would require more than one staff.
• For interns and program staff for psychology internship programs.
• I don't know if any of my staff. We'll have to get that. Yes, yeah.
• I don't know if any of my staff; we'll have to get that for you.
• This is 19 staff.

Committee: House Budget

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• She had a little pushback from staff. which is not unusual.
• Field staff, we've also included other response agencies and response partners.
• Our staff has participated in those.
• This is our staff.
• We have parasitologists on staff. We have nutritionists on staff.

Committee: House Agriculture & Livestock

Keywords: 997, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I also want to take a moment to thank Tim Sadbury and his staff of 40-plus people that make this job
• judicial assistants and staff attorneys as requested by the courts.
• And so, you know, I really, really appreciate staff and the time that they put into this.
• As good as your staff is, Mr.
• I want to thank Chair Burgess and his staff for working on this bill.

Summary: The Appropriations Committee met for Budget Day and heard presentations on the Senate’s proposed 2025-2026 budget, SPB 25-200, totaling $117.4 billion. Chair Hooper said the plan reduces overall spending from the prior year, keeps strong reserves, includes a 4% pay raise for state employees, maintains employee health care contributions, and makes major investments in water quality, transportation, and education infrastructure. Committee chairs then summarized their budget silos, including K-12 education, higher education, health and human services, criminal and civil justice, transportation/tourism/economic development, and agriculture/environment/general government. Members asked questions mainly about school funding, AP and dual enrollment support, voucher and scholarship impacts, and the My Safe Florida Home program. The committee adopted a large consent package of amendments and then approved three late-file amendments: funding virtual college tours for high school students, funding the FSU Sunshine Genetics program, and providing money for the Port of Fernandina customs facility. The committee then voted to report SPB 2500, the General Appropriations Bill, as a committee bill. It also favorably reported SPB 2502 (implementing bill), SPB 2504 (state employees placeholder), SB 7022 (Florida Retirement System contribution rates and DROP changes), CS/SB 1320 (recreating the Resilient Florida Trust Fund), SPB 2506 (gaming compact revenue distributions, including water projects and rural lands), SPB 2508 (29 new judgeships), SB 7014 (ending the court mediation and arbitration trust fund), SPB 2510 (K-12 conforming bill), SPB 2512 (higher education conforming bill), and SPB 2514 (health and human services conforming bill). The committee also took up several policy bills. It approved SB 7028 on cancer research, creating grant parameters, reporting requirements, a five-year pediatric cancer research incubator, and the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute VisionGen Initiative. It approved CS/CS/SB 170 on nursing home quality, adding resident satisfaction surveys, medical director standards, safety culture reviews, electronic health record requirements, financial reporting penalties, and a study of best practices. It approved CS/CS/SB 168, the Tristan Murphy Act, which expands mental health diversion options, adds Hillsborough County to a forensic hospital diversion pilot, expands grant uses, and creates a behavioral health data repository. It also approved SB 114 creating the Florida Center for Excellence in Insurance and Risk Management at FSU and moving the public hurricane loss model there. The committee then began considering SB 180 on emergency preparedness and response, including a late-file amendment, but the transcript cuts off before final action on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• And just as a reminder to members or staff who are monitoring today's hearing, we only have two bills
• And just as a reminder to members or staff who are monitoring today's hearing, we only have two bills
• And I want to thank the committee staff for that.
• Certainly the committee staff has done a great job handling some of those same issues.
• Assembly Members, thank you so much for the hearing today, and thanks to staff for their...

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy heard SB 1259, which would require refineries to provide advance closure and remediation planning information, and SB 1425, which would authorize the High-Speed Rail Authority to create a permit process for encroachments in its right of way. The committee also held an informational hearing on California electricity reliability and the future of the Strategic Reliability Reserve. The chair opened by noting the hearing room change, testimony limits, and that the committee would proceed without a quorum at first, then later established quorum for votes. On SB 1259, Senator Blake Spear argued the bill would give communities and state agencies needed information to plan for refinery closures, cleanup, and land reuse, comparing the requirement to estate planning. Supporters, including Benicia City Councilmember Carrie Birdseye and UC Santa Barbara professor Ranjit Schmook, said the bill would help communities facing refinery closures avoid being left without information and better prepare for redevelopment and remediation. Opponents, including the Western States Petroleum Association, the State Building and Construction Trades Council, and business groups, argued the bill could send negative market signals, create conflicts with federal reporting, and potentially accelerate refinery closures. The committee passed SB 1259 on a 7-3 vote, later reopening the roll and recording additional votes before moving it out as amended to Appropriations. On SB 1425, Senator Cortese and sponsor Robert Pearsall said the bill would help the High-Speed Rail Authority manage utility, broadband, drainage, and vegetation encroachments along the project corridor and reduce delays. Labor and construction groups supported the measure as a way to add certainty and speed project delivery. Utilities and local agencies, including LADWP, Southern California Gas, Southern California Edison, PG&E, and others, opposed unless amended, saying the bill needed clearer language on emergencies, existing agreements, and potential impacts on their own rights of way and service obligations. After discussion about emergency language and utility coordination, the committee passed SB 1425 as amended to Appropriations on a 10-3 vote. In the oversight hearing, CEC, CPUC, CAISO, and DWR officials reported that California’s summer reliability outlook is better than in prior years, with substantial new procurement, storage, and demand-response resources added since 2020. They said the state is projected to meet its summer reliability standard and has not needed a flex alert for three straight years, but cautioned that extreme heat, fire, hydro conditions, and federal policy uncertainty still pose risks. Officials emphasized that the current Strategic Reliability Reserve remains important as a backstop, while longer-term planning must address rising demand from electrification and data centers and the eventual retirement of emergency resources.

Transcript Highlights:

• and we ask that to the front desk staff and we ask that you<00:12:27.360><c> not</c><00:12:27.680><c
• </c> Veterans Affairs can direct agency staff Veterans Affairs can direct agency staff and<00:22:57.320
• </c><00:39:03.880><c> and</c> of active shooters and and staff and of active shooters and and staff and
• Everybody in the Senate and staff are invited. Again, April 27th. Thank you, Mr. President.
• Everybody in the Senate and staff are invited. Again, April 27th. Thank you, Mr. President.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Do you know if those staff are employed or if they've been rehired or replaced?
• </c><00:36:48.000><c> and</c> by federal wildlife services staff and by federal wildlife services staff
• Do you know if those staff uh employed.
• Are there staff who can do validating the claims to make sure that they're real?
• Are there staff who five down to one.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Their staff will have to go through all the background checks.
• a time, all under the supervision of higher-ranking staff members.
• members, often four or five at a time, all under the supervision of higher-ranking staff members.
• Every five years, my staff has to do that. However, the state cannot uphold a rap-back program.
• Every five years, my staff has to do that. However, the state cannot uphold a rat back program.

Summary: The committee first continued the public hearing on House Bill 2897, which would expand optometrists’ authority to perform certain office-based procedures. Supporters, including an optometrist from rural Missouri, argued the bill would improve access to care in counties without resident ophthalmologists, reduce wait times and travel burdens, and better align scope of practice with optometry training. Opponents, including representatives of osteopathic physicians, raised concerns about patient safety, the lack of live-human-eye training in Missouri, and whether the bill would actually direct services to rural areas. The hearing then closed on HB 2897 without a vote. The committee next heard House Bill 2353 on interior designers’ licensure and sign-and-seal authority. The sponsor and supporters said the bill modernizes the profession, moves oversight under the state’s architecture/engineering board, and would let licensed interior designers stamp their own non-structural work after education, testing, and experience requirements. Supporters emphasized workforce retention, consumer savings, and that interior designers are trained in fire/life safety, ADA, and code compliance. Opponents from engineering groups said they were still negotiating language but objected to provisions that could be read to require interior designers for broad categories of buildings or blur boundaries with architecture and engineering; they asked for clearer scope language and continued collaboration. No final action was taken. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 2241, which would create a framework for certain faith-based residential child care facilities to operate outside the standard foster care licensing system under a new oversight board. The sponsor said the bill is intended to address a shortage of foster placements while allowing Christian homes to maintain their religious mission, with background checks, inspections, and reporting still required. Supporters from Christian child care agencies said the bill would preserve religious freedom and expand placement capacity. Opponents, including child advocacy and child abuse prevention groups and several legislators, argued the proposal would create a separate, less accountable system for vulnerable children, weaken state oversight, and risk repeating past abuse scandals; they said existing licensing rules already allow faith-based providers to participate. The discussion was extensive, but no vote was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• All right, staff, if you can please explain 2957. Okay, thank you. Try now. Is this working?
• And I made a call to staff. and And I made a call to staff, and, Madam Vice Chair, then I made a call
• So that's what I was talking about: staff is working on, if we took this hit, how would we... ...staff
• So that's what I was talking about, staff is working on, if we took this hit, how would we, staff is
• Staff did an excellent job explaining, as did Representative Martinez.

Bills: HB2127 , HB2257 , HB2305 , HB2573 , HB2772 , HB2941 , HB2957

Committee: House Transportation & Infrastructure

Keywords: special license plates, transportation, funding, nonprofits, charitable contributions, boating, watercraft licensing, law enforcement, safety fund, state funding, Arizona Revised Statutes, towing regulation, private towing carriers, vehicle impound, towing rates, preemption, DUI, ignition interlock, substance abuse treatment, driving privileges

Transcript Highlights:

• here and they can get you on the staff here and they can get you on the list.<00:03:50.159><c> And</
• </c><00:04:52.639><c> before</c> Our staff is very important to us, and I want to recognize them.
• But we do appreciate the staff and their work that they do for us.
• </c> I would advise you to reach with staff I would advise you to reach with staff and<00:18:31.360><
• </c> KCNA staff, if any, will be retained.

Committee: House State Government

Keywords: HB 66 (discussion only) -- 00:05:33 Consideration of HB 213 -- 00:12:16 Consideration of HB 314 -- 00:22:11, 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's an appropriate time to acknowledge the staff that does such a great job here trying to make all
• that does such a great job here staff that does such a great job here trying<00:17:49.799><c> to</c>
• <00:32:58.080><c> time</c><00:32:58.399><c> the</c><00:32:58.559><c> staff</c><00:32:58.960><c> cost<
• /c><00:32:59.519><c> for</c><00:33:00.399><c> doing</c> staff time the staff cost for doing staff time
• Our staff then contacts the department or agency that can provide the information.

Keywords: Due to a technical issue in the room, the quality of the stream will be diminished. We apologize for the inconvenience. Meeting start 00:00:00 Roll Call 00:02:00 SB 61 Discussion Only 00:03:25 SB 13 Discussion Only 00:07:19 SJR 25 Discussion 00:25:33 SJR 25 Vote 00:28:40 SB 61 Discussion Only 00:29:44, 958, all

Summary: The committee first took up Senate Bill 61, relating to swimming pools, but initially had no representative from the governor’s office or cabinet available to explain the fiscal estimate. Senators questioned why the executive branch’s estimate was $4.25 million to $8.5 million while the committee’s internal fiscal note showed little or no impact. When Department for Public Health staff later joined, they explained their estimate was based on a roughly $85,000 cost for a large outbreak investigation, using a 2014 outbreak as a benchmark, and said the bill could increase workload and outside laboratory costs if private swimming pools became more common as rental properties. They reported 822 waterborne cases in 2024, with 8 tied to private swimming pools, and later corrected an earlier figure to 14 private-pool-related investigations over five years. Senators pressed on the discrepancy between those numbers and the projected 50 to 100 incidents, and staff said the higher figure was a ballpark estimate. The discussion also clarified that private pools are generally excluded by definition, while pools held out for rent may be treated as public pools under current definitions. No vote on SB 61 was taken in the portion provided. The committee then heard Senate Bill 13, concerning the reprocurement of managed care organizations for Medicaid. Department for Medicaid Services officials said the bill would require work on a new RFP, system changes, and oversight improvements, and estimated the cost at $2.8 million based on prior procurement spending of about $2.5 million in 2018-2019, with a 10% growth adjustment. They explained that the work is administrative and therefore matched at 50/50 federal-state funding, not the 80/20 rate used for benefits, and said the expense would be incurred whether the bill passed or not if the state proceeded with an RFP. Senators discussed possible savings from reducing the number of MCOs from five to three, but agency staff said those savings were hard to quantify and that provider and member disruption could create offsetting costs. The committee later moved on to Senate Joint Resolution 25, which would ask the Revenue Department to report on the cost of issuing farmers a wallet-sized tax-exempt card instead of a paper certificate. The resolution was adopted by roll call, with all members present voting aye, and it was reported favorably to the floor.

Transcript Highlights:

• with several members of the governor's staff, including the chief of staff, and they actually had the
• There may have been one in between. ...was with the governor and the chief of staff.
• So these are more either one-on-one or the governor with her staff, or just meetings...
• These are more either one-on-one or the governor with her staff, or just me and the governor's staff—smaller
• In fact, I was joking with my staff.

Committee: Senate Director Nominations

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We try to work with staff here on the committee as well as the OMV staff to get everyone here at one
• We try to work with staff here on the committee as well as the OMV staff to get everyone here at one
• It would be no extra staff.
• "Staff, we have an amendment in concept. Tell you what, knock it out now?
• We don't need to, I'm trying to harass staff here."

Summary: The House Transportation Committee met on March 23 with a quorum and received an update from OMV leadership. Director Brian Adams and Commissioner Keith Neal said the agency has improved morale, staffing, and efficiencies, is operating in the black, and expects to begin testing the driver’s license portion of its modernization project in September. They also said the agency is working on customer service and technology upgrades. The committee then considered several OMV-related bills. HB 781, creating a fleet vehicle registration program, was amended to delay implementation until the OMV system is ready and was reported with amendments. HB 712, which waives OMV fees for driver’s licenses and state IDs for eligible homeless persons, drew extensive testimony for and against; supporters said it would remove a barrier to employment, housing, and identification, while opponents raised concerns about eligibility, fraud, and policy scope. The committee adopted amendments clarifying the waiver and verification requirements, and the bill passed on a roll call vote. HB 372, requiring OMV education on roundabouts, was discussed but voluntarily deferred in favor of a House concurrent resolution approach. HB 746, dealing with oversized trucking permits, was amended to preserve existing permits while imposing a one-year moratorium on new local permit requirements and was reported with amendments. HB 732, allowing temporary waiver of certain OMV-related debts for people in special circumstances such as hospice, was amended and reported favorably. HB 722, providing automatic reinstatement of driver’s licenses after payment of fees and fines except for DUI-related suspensions, was amended and reported with amendments. HB 593, raising the maximum service fee for certain OMV field offices, was amended to exclude Shreveport and reported 9-5. HB 613, adding a citizenship indicator to Louisiana driver’s licenses and IDs, was heavily debated over its purpose and implications but was reported 8-5. Finally, HB 582, reducing reinstatement fees for insurance lapses, was reported favorably, and HB 762, which would block referral of certain OMV debts to the Office of Debt Recovery, was taken up with testimony emphasizing the burden of added collection fees.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you to the staff members that met with me and helped me to prepare for meeting with you today.
• very receptive, and the board worked with the staff to ensure that these programs kept going.
• receptive, and the board worked with the staff to ensure that these programs kept going.
• I would like to thank everybody on the CHRB staff and everybody on the committee's side and their staff
• And when we walked out, my staff member said to me, we could have gone on for another hour.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Rules convened with a quorum and first took up several governor’s appointments not required to appear. It approved Paulette Brown Hines, PhD, to the California Transportation Committee, Christopher Clark and Maggie Hallahan to the Board of State and Community Corrections and Boating and Waterways Commission respectively, Kent Sasaki to the Building Standards Commission, and Danielle N. Munoz to the Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, with one appointment receiving a 3-1 vote and the others passing unanimously or 5-0. The committee also approved a reference of bills to committees by a 5-0 vote. The committee then heard Tanya Pacheco Warner, PhD, for reappointment to the San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District Board. She described her public health background, her family’s experience with asthma, and her work on agricultural burning phase-outs and AB 617 community efforts. Members questioned her about the cumulative economic impact of air rules on Valley agriculture, mobile-source emission strategies, the FARMER tractor replacement program, collaboration with fellow board members, and how to communicate climate and air-quality risks to the public. After public comment, her appointment was approved 4-0 and sent to the full Senate. Next, the committee considered three reappointments to the California Horse Racing Board: Dennis Alfieri, Damascus Castellanos, and Thomas Hudnut, J.D. The nominees emphasized horse and rider safety reforms, reduced equine fatalities, the impact of Golden Gate Fields’ closure on Northern California racing, and the need for new revenue sources and possible legislative support to strengthen purses and keep the industry viable. Senators pressed them on safety, HISA relations, gambling-related revenue options, and the decline of racing in the North. Public witnesses from the racing industry supported the nominees, and all three appointments were approved 3-0. Finally, the committee heard Julie Lee and Ann Patterson, J.D., for the Delta Stewardship Council. Both stressed the Delta’s importance to statewide water reliability, ecosystem health, and climate adaptation, and highlighted the council’s science program, performance metrics, and community engagement efforts. Senators asked about the co-equal goals, the role of science and social science in building trust, the council’s future mission, and how to communicate climate impacts such as sea-level rise and salinity intrusion. The hearing continued into discussion of balancing water supply and ecosystem protection, with the members framing the Delta as a statewide system requiring coordinated management.

Transcript Highlights:

• We need to change our way, our staff, our school staff members reporting the...
• We need to change our way, our staff, our school staff members reporting the... ...and neglect in my
• We need to change our way, our staff, our school staff members reporting the...
• We need to change the way our staff, our school staff members, report incidences of abuse, suicide attempts
• It simply shifts the burden onto communities, staff, and students, who will feel the consequences.

Committee: Senate Education

Keywords: 989, all