Transcript Highlights:

• I didn't realize we were going to go first. Okay. Yeah. All right.
• The first, I think the first one is we remove the requirement that it must be the same exact method of
• So thank you, first of all.
• So let's do that first, and I'll go back to you.
• Could we take up the amendments first?” “I’m okay with it.

Committee: House Commerce, Consumer Protection, and International Affairs

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 750 by Rep. Cox, the “Click to Cancel Act,” regulating automatic renewal contracts. After adopting technical and substantive amendments, members discussed easier cancellation methods, reduced notice requirements, shorter record-retention periods, a 30-day cure period, small-business exemptions, and limiting damages to actual damages. The bill drew support from consumer advocates and opposition cards from industry groups, and it was reported favorably as amended. House Bill 259 by Rep. DeWitt addressed damage to underground infrastructure during BEAD-funded broadband excavation projects, requiring notice before digging and making contractors repair or pay for damage before final payment is released. An amendment added pre-construction coordination, a point of contact, and fault-based liability language. Members discussed rural utility damage, broadband buildout, and the need to protect small water systems; the bill was reported favorably as amended. The committee then considered HB 220 by Rep. Schlegel, which requires covered platforms to maintain an easy-to-use reporting mechanism for child sexual abuse material and exploitation. After technical and clarifying amendments, the sponsor and members discussed scope, nonprofit and small-business exclusions, AG enforcement discretion, and concerns about clear-and-conspicuous placement. The bill was reported favorably as amended. Next, HB 830 by Rep. Wright required proxy advisors to disclose when anti-management recommendations are not based on written financial analysis and to provide that analysis when it exists. After amendments excluding certain affiliates and 501(c)(3) charities, the sponsor and a witness argued the bill was about transparency and fiduciary duty, while LASERS testified in opposition, saying the measure could make proxy advice unavailable and create a hardship for its internally managed portfolio. The bill was nonetheless reported favorably as amended. The committee also advanced HB 463 by Rep. McMakin, which raises the maximum local 9-1-1 service charge from $1.25 to $2.00, with an amendment requiring annual reporting and local governing authority approval; testimony explained the funding need for Next Generation 9-1-1, and the bill was reported favorably as amended. Finally, the committee began HB 536 by Rep. Coates on wireless communication facilities near schools. After adopting technical and then lengthy substantive amendments narrowing the school proximity zone, adjusting setbacks, adding co-location and permit timing provisions, and clarifying uniform application, members raised concerns about whether the bill duplicated existing safety standards, could delay deployment, and whether it would apply only to new towers. The sponsor and a parent witness emphasized school safety and emergency planning, but discussion remained ongoing when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• First off, I want to thank you for presenting this bill.
• “I’m not being disruptive, but it’s a violation of the First Amendment.
• determination on my first claim, so it can definitely take a while.
• But we're not good enough to file the first claim.
• Job, you had your hand up first. I think I think, Mr. Jobb, you had your hand up first.

Committee: House Veterans and Armed Forces

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and first went into executive session, where it adopted a House Committee substitute combining House Bills 3078 and 2672 and voted the substitute do pass, with one no vote. It then separately voted House Bill 2362 and House Bill 2588 do pass, each by 16 ayes and one no. During the executive session, one member objected to the combined bill on constitutional equal-protection grounds, while another supported it as a benefit for veterans. In public hearing, Representative Stephanie Boykin presented House Bill 3280, which would create a Missouri specialty license plate for the surviving spouse of a disabled veteran who previously qualified for a disabled veteran plate. She described it as a low-cost way to continue honoring a veteran’s service and family sacrifice. Committee members and a surviving spouse testified in strong support, emphasizing the recognition of spouses’ sacrifices and noting that similar plates exist in other states. No opposition was offered. The committee then heard House Bill 3029, sponsored by Representative Schulte, which would require disclosures and prohibit compensation for referrals in the business of advising or assisting with veterans’ benefits, with penalties for violations. Supporters, including a Missouri veterans service officer, argued the bill was needed to stop unaccredited “claim shark” companies from charging veterans for initial claims and using misleading social media advertising. Opponents, including a representative of Veterans Guardian and a VA-accredited attorney, argued the bill would restrict lawful private-sector assistance, reduce veterans’ choice, and should be narrowed to target bad actors while exempting accredited attorneys and referral arrangements. The hearing also included a presentation on the Missouri Veterans Recognition Program, which provides medals and certificates for veterans of major conflicts, and a presentation on MU Extension’s Veteran REEDS program, which uses literature and discussion to support veterans and first responders through community-based resilience work.

Transcript Highlights:

• Tuesday after the first Monday in May.
• And there were a couple of... ...the first Tuesday after the first Monday in May, and there were a couple
• And they, as of February 2025, the first, do this.
• I was opposed to that at first. I was opposed to that at first.
• I'll get the guy in the red first. He was first. Maybe you want to arm wrestle for it?

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Summary: The committee first approved minutes from March 6 and March 9, then advanced two gubernatorial appointments to the State Building Authority: Nicholas Gouho and Todd Christensen, both with recommendations for confirmation. It also introduced RS 33670 on community schools, RS 33719 on sewer district rate regulation, and RS 33722 related to a presidential primary and down-ballot races. Senate Bill 1376, dealing with online candidate filing and shifting local filing/reporting to county clerks, was supported by the Secretary of State’s office and sent to the floor with a do-pass recommendation. The committee then heard House Concurrent Resolution 29, which sought to designate the Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR as terrorist organizations. The sponsor argued the resolution would help guide future state policy, while some senators raised concerns about the strength of the claims and the need for more research. Despite those concerns, the resolution was sent to the floor with a do-pass recommendation. House Bill 659, requiring local law enforcement to apply for available ICE 287(g) agreements and publicly explain any refusal, drew extensive testimony. The sponsor and supporters said it would improve coordination, transparency, and public safety, while sheriffs, police chiefs, and several citizens argued it would undermine local control, add costs, and strain trust with immigrant communities. A motion to send the bill to the 14th order for possible amendment failed 4-5, and the committee then voted 5-4 to hold the bill in committee. The committee also heard Senate Bill 1356, which would make Ada County Highway District elections partisan and countywide rather than district-based. The sponsor said countywide elections would better reflect countywide transportation needs, while numerous residents, advocacy groups, and ACHD representatives opposed the bill as unnecessary politicization that would dilute local representation and increase campaign costs. The transcript ends during continued testimony against the bill, with no final committee action shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• First up, Michael Dah. Welcome to the committee. Please introduce yourself as you get started.
• Let's go to Representative<00:13:45.760><c> Lee</c><00:13:46.160><c> first.
• </c> Representative Lee first. Representative Lee first.
• put income limits on legislature first put income limits on the<00:15:19.120><c> property</c><00:15:
• And we should incentivize, frankly, people, um, whether that's first-time home buyer money, whatever,

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• So we will begin first with that bill.
• First of all, good afternoon, Mr. Chairman, members of the committee.
• Let's go with Paula Reid first, please. Children's Advocacy Centers.
• First, with regard to devices used in criminal investigations.
• Let's hear from Anita first. Go ahead.

Committee: House Community Safety

Keywords: 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• First of all, you mentioned these other states. Yeah.
• We'll go with our first testifier. We have Kelsey Hamilton, George...
• We'll go with our first testifier. We have Kelsey Hamilton, George.
• I'll start by calling the first panel.
• First, watch list definitions are unclear.

Bills: SB6011

Committee: House Civil Rights & Judiciary

Keywords: court security, bailiffs, threat assessment, judicial safety, law enforcement, 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This is our first committee hearing of the 2026 legislative session.
• Okay, with that we're going to move into our first measure, which is HB 2218. HB 2218.
• Up first we have DBEDT in support in person.
• First of all, I wanted to say a big mahalo for even considering this measure.
• First on the agenda is HB 2436, relating to arts integration in public schools.

Bills: HB2436 , HB2438 , HB2532 , HB2566

Committee: House Culture & Arts

Keywords: arts integration, fine arts education, public schools, cultural education, student engagement, school coordinators, Hawaii education, Hawaii Cultural Trust, income tax credit, arts funding, cultural preservation, charitable contributions, HB2532, Hawaiian flag, Ka Hae Hawaiʻi, flag display, condominium, condo association, planned community association, cooperative housing corporation

Summary: The committee on Culture and the Arts heard several measures related to arts funding, administration, and access. Testimony was largely supportive across the agenda. For HB 2218 and HB 1815, the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts supported the bills, and members discussed transition timing and administrative support, including the need for an additional year in one measure and a temporary administrative position to help with the transfer. HB 1764, the music accessibility pilot program, drew broad support from the Retail Merchants of Hawaii, Hawaii Symphony Orchestra, Hawaii Public Library System, Hawaii Youth Symphony, and others, with testimony emphasizing library-based music programming, community access, and economic benefits. HB 2117, which would create an arts data mapping task force, also received extensive support, though witnesses suggested narrowing the initial scope, adding representatives from independent and charter schools and neighbor island arts programs, and ensuring adequate funding and a realistic timeline for the work. The committee also heard HB 2436 on arts integration in public schools, HB 2438 on the Hawaii Cultural Trust, and HB 2532 on the Hawaiian flag. HB 2436 and HB 2438 received support from SFCA, while the Cultural Trust bill prompted a lengthy explanation from the chair about how the proposed tax credit would work and amendments to clarify that donations to the trust and to qualifying cultural nonprofits must be made in tandem, with eligible organizations listed and updated annually by SFCA and OHA. HB 2532 drew testimony from Dr. Adam Jansen in support of protecting the Hawaiian flag as a historical and cultural symbol; he said the flag should continue to be used for solidarity, protest, inclusion, and identity. At the decision-making portion, the committee adopted the chair’s recommendations on the measures considered. HB 2118, HB 764, HB 1815, and HB 2117 were passed with amendments, including date deferrals and technical changes; HB 764 also had its appropriation blanked out. HB 2436 was passed with amendments, and HB 2438 was advanced with substantial clarifying amendments to the cultural trust structure. The chair indicated that HB 2117 would include an interim report due in 2027 focused on music and dance, with a final report due in 2029 on arts education more broadly.

Transcript Highlights:

• So first, let me start with, I started my first year in the state legislature in the third row in that
• And the first conversation I had was salmon.
• First is they have the local knowledge. They know what's going on and they can see it.
• So as your hamster wheels are spinning, do one of you want to take it first?
• This is just the first-order economic impacts.

Summary: The House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee heard public testimony on House Bill 2598, which would create a Salmon Advisory Commission made up of tribal leaders, state agencies, legislators, and local governments to develop recommendations on salmon and steelhead recovery. Prime sponsor Rep. Lekanoff described the bill as a way to bring executive, legislative, and tribal leaders together on salmon recovery and treaty obligations. Staff noted a fiscal note of roughly $35,000 in out years. Supporters emphasized salmon’s cultural and treaty importance and the need for coordinated leadership, while the lone public testifier, Todd Myers of Washington Policy Center, opposed the bill as another statewide layer of bureaucracy and argued that recovery efforts should focus more on local, watershed-level action. The committee noted 10 signed in pro, 886 con, and one other, but no vote was taken on the bill in the hearing. The committee then heard House Bill 2620, which would repeal the recently adopted Forest Practices Board rule expanding riparian buffers on non-fish-bearing streams and impose new standards for future riparian buffer rulemaking, including an economic viability standard for the timber industry and additional consensus and alternative-analysis requirements. Rep. Dent said the bill was intended to restore communication and collaboration in the forest practices process. Testimony was sharply divided. Tribal representatives and environmental advocates said the rule was the product of a long, science-based adaptive management process under the Forest and Fish framework and was needed to protect water quality, salmon habitat, and treaty rights; they argued the bill would undermine that process and conflict with Clean Water Act compliance. Forest industry and small forest landowner witnesses supported the bill, saying the process had lost trust, ignored alternatives, and imposed significant economic harm on rural communities and family tree farms. DNR and Ecology testified in opposition, saying the rule was based on science and that the bill would weaken water-quality protections and jeopardize HCP compliance. The committee recorded 592 signed in pro, 489 con, and one other, with no vote taken during the hearing. After the public hearings, the committee moved into executive session on five bills. Staff briefly described House Bill 2104, which would make permanent the Aviation Assurance Funding Program for wildfire response; House Bill 2348, a DNR request bill on land and material sales advertising; House Bill 2544, which would require an adjudication process for the Upper Columbia River with a proposed substitute; House Bill 2554, which would repeal Initiative 456 concerning state declarations on tribal natural resource management; and House Joint Memorial 4009, urging federal action on wildland firefighting consolidation. The committee then recessed briefly for caucus and began executive action, starting with a motion to report House Bill 2104 out of committee with a do pass recommendation.

Transcript Highlights:

• Since we brought our first set of bills to this committee last session.
• No other states have this, and Connecticut became the first one.
• This is not the first conversation we've had around JR.
• This is not the first conversation we've had around JR.
• Appreciate your thinking about the fact that a facility itself brings first-class kids if it's a first-class

Bills: SB6062

Committee: Senate Human Services

Keywords: juvenile justice, criminal offense, minors, rehabilitation, legal provisions, 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We're going to start by calling up our first panel.
• The first one was to provide compliance with Endangered Species Act and to also the The first objective
• The first was certainty of change.
• The first is a permitting system. So DNR administers this part.
• Others are first generation. Thank you.

Summary: The committee held a work session on the history, implementation, and current challenges of Washington’s Forest and Fish law and related Habitat Conservation Plan. Testimony from tribal representatives Jim Peters and David Herrera, former Rep. Jim Buck, and mediator Tim Thompson described the original timber, fish, and wildlife negotiations as a broad, collaborative effort intended to balance salmon and habitat protection with a viable timber industry. DNR’s Sabur Jawad outlined the program’s statutory framework, the roles of DNR, Ecology, Fish and Wildlife, tribes, local governments, landowners, and the Forest Practices Board, and explained that changes to aquatic-resource rules can come through adaptive management, legislative direction, or court orders. He also described the permitting and enforcement system, the programmatic HCP, road maintenance and abandonment work, and the adaptive management process, including the long-running NP stream-buffer studies and resulting rulemaking timeline. Agency and stakeholder testimony emphasized accomplishments such as decades of HCP coverage, annual compliance monitoring, road and fish-barrier improvements, small forest landowner assistance programs, and the completion of numerous adaptive management studies. DNR’s Katie Allen said the program has strong successes but also faces resource-intensive implementation, rising costs, and watershed-wide pressures beyond forestry, and she pointed to a State Auditor review that produced 13 recommendations now being addressed through an action plan and a structured decision-making model. Washington Farm Forestry Association executive director Elaine O’Neill said small forest landowners supported the agreement expecting assistance and flexibility, but argued the balance has shifted toward more protection and less practical consideration of rural vitality and property rights. Washington Forest Protection Association executive director Jason Spadero said the agreement has produced measurable environmental gains and regulatory predictability, but criticized the recent NP rule and urged continued science-based, economically balanced management. In the final discussion, tribal representatives said the collaborative, consensus-based process still works in some areas, but that the principals need to be re-engaged more directly and periodically to restore accountability and trust. They said the adaptive management process and funding remain important, but expressed concern that consensus has broken down in some recent rulemaking and that side negotiations or outside pressure can undermine the original agreement. Members asked how to restore the collaborative model; Peters suggested renewed commitment from the principal parties and more regular high-level meetings, while Herrera echoed the need to implement the auditor’s recommendations. No formal votes or legislative actions were taken during the work session.

Transcript Highlights:

• Vice Chair Scott, call up our first panel and our panel on deck.
• Whoever's ready first, please proceed. Thank you, Madam Chair.
• I treat injured workers and hundreds of first responders over the years.
• Please proceed, whoever wants to go first. Thank you.
• We're going to do the in-persons first. I'll let you know. Go ahead.

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 2091, a collective bargaining measure that would require state agencies and other employers covered by the Personnel System Reform Act to provide unions with employee contact and job information similar to what other public employers already must share. The sponsor and union witnesses said the bill would close a gap left by prior legislation and improve communication with represented employees; no one testified in opposition during the hearing portion shown. Action on the bill was deferred. The committee then moved to House Bill 2264, which would allow workers who voluntarily participate in an employer-initiated layoff or reduction-in-force plan to qualify for unemployment insurance if the separation results from that plan. The sponsor and a member described it as a narrow fix to clarify eligibility and reduce disputes. After brief supportive testimony, the committee voted 9-0 to report the bill out with a due pass recommendation. A lengthy hearing followed on House Bill 2218, a workers’ compensation bill that would expand provider choice, require notice to injured workers of their right to choose a provider, limit employer steering, speed utilization review, allow more flexibility from treatment guidelines, and change rules for reopening or continuing treatment on certain claims. Supporters, including injured workers, unions, attorneys, firefighters, and a psychiatrist, argued the current system delays care and over-relies on rigid guidelines; opponents from business groups and the Department of Labor and Industries said the bill would weaken evidence-based standards, raise costs, and create uncertainty. No final action was taken in the portion shown. The committee also heard House Bill 2105, as a proposed substitute, which would require employers to notify workers after an ICE Form I-9 inspection notice or results, limit voluntary access to certain records without a subpoena or warrant, require workplace postings, and create enforcement by the Attorney General and private lawsuits. Supporters said the bill would provide due process, transparency, and protection for immigrant workers; opponents, especially small business and agricultural groups, warned of conflicts with federal law, burdensome notice requirements, and severe penalties. The hearing continued with additional testimony, and no vote was taken in the excerpt provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• The first part has been done.
• First of all, for the Secretary, One, U.S.
• We'll start with the first one.
• The first one says, Mr. Chair, adopt and apply.
• An initial conversation and first reaction, Mr.

Transcript Highlights:

• Over on page 25, I'll discuss one of the first ways.
• First of all, I just love your report.
• This is the first year of full implementation.
• We also were one of the first CCBHCs and the first one that was completely rural this January.
• That’s the first thing I want to talk about.

Committee: House Legislative Health & Human Services Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• First, why is a state program important?
• First-mover, first-of-a-kind development requires partnerships between willing companies and all levels
• Vogtle, when they built that in Georgia, was first of a kind.
• This is the first time we're seeing it increase.
• On Bridge to Power, first I commend you on the model.

Bills: HB132 , HB 11 , HB14 , HB132 , HB1584 , HB1606 , HB5061 , HB 1041 , HB2286

Committee: Senate Business & Commerce

Keywords: nuclear energy, Texas Advanced Nuclear Energy Office, energy policy, regulation repeal, state energy strategy, licensing, reciprocity, regulation, Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, interstate agreements, advanced reactors, energy security, grant programs, HB 132, Texas Government Code Chapter 418, Public Information Act, confidential records, homeland security, foreign adversary, terrorism

Summary: The committee first took up pending business and quickly reported several measures favorably, including HB 12, SB 1361, SB 1705, SB 1749, SB 1897, SB 2344, SB 2566, HB 3809, and HB 4215, with most sent to the Local and Uncontested Calendar. HB 12’s substitute clarified a limited midterm review of regulatory agencies tied to Sunset Commission recommendations. SB 2696’s substitute changed med spa regulation from a license to a certificate, with training instead of an exam, plus background checks, continuing education, and two-year renewals. HB 3809 dealt with battery energy storage decommissioning and recycling, and HB 4215 was reported without a substitute. SB 1978, concerning interconnection of electric facilities in ERCOT and federal jurisdiction concerns, was reported out on a 5-3 vote after debate, but then the chair later announced the bill was withdrawn and left pending subject to the call of the chair. HB 1899 was also reported favorably, with one nay. A major portion of the meeting focused on HB 14, the advanced nuclear energy bill. Senator Schwertner described it as creating a Texas Advanced Nuclear Energy Office, a nuclear permitting coordinator, a development fund, a completion grant program, and a workforce development program. Testimony was sharply divided. Supporters, including representatives from Fermi America, Dow/X-energy, CPS Energy, Paragon Energy Solutions, Bridge to Nuclear, Aalo Atomics, and the Texas Association of Business, argued that Texas should lead in advanced nuclear, citing future baseload demand, data centers, industrial power needs, supply-chain development, and long-term energy diversification. Opponents, including Public Citizen, Texas Nuclear Watchdogs, Sierra Club, and individual citizens, argued the bill would subsidize unproven, expensive technology, create grants rather than loans, and expose taxpayers to major risk while doing little to meet near-term energy needs. Several members questioned whether the state should fund projects that may not produce grid power for years, and whether the bill’s grant structure and new office were justified. The committee also heard HB 5061, which Senator Schwertner said would prohibit unethical surveillance and misuse of confidential information by state contractors, create a confidential reporting system through the State Auditor’s Office, authorize Texas Rangers investigations, protect whistleblowers, and impose penalties including contract termination, fines, and contracting bans. No public testimony was offered, and the bill was left pending. HB 132, sponsored by Senator Hughes, would extend confidentiality protections for sensitive information to hostile acts by foreign adversaries; it was also left pending after no testimony. HB 1584 was then laid out, with Senator Schwertner explaining it would require utilities to maintain and update priority restoration lists for critical facilities after Hurricane Beryl exposed communication failures, but the transcript cuts off before any action on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• Testifying first on HB 1422 is the Department of Transportation.
• Testifying first on HB 1422 is the Department of Transportation.
• Testifying first on HB 1259 is the Department of Transportation.
• Testifying first on 1260 is the Department of Transportation. Support.
• Testifying first on HB 862 is the Department of Transportation.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Committee on Transportation and Culture heard testimony on several transportation-related bills. HB 1422, which would exempt certain community-based organizations providing transportation services from motor carrier law, drew support from the Department of Transportation, PUC, DLNR, Kauaʻi County, the Hōnaunau Initiative, and others; members asked about narrowing amendments to prevent unintended use, and the bill later advanced with amendments, including a three-year sunset. HB 1162, requiring motorcycle instruction permit applicants to complete a DOT-approved basic rider course, received support from DOT and Honolulu Customer Services; it advanced with amendments to address city and county concerns and to allow more implementation time. HB 1259, which would remove the need for an engineering study when reducing speed limits by up to 10 mph, had mixed testimony and was deferred for further discussion. HB 1260, establishing summer streets pilot programs for counties other than Oʻahu, drew support from DOT, DOH, UH, Hawaiʻi Appleseed, bicycling and public health groups, and individuals; DOH and others asked that Oʻahu be included, but the measure was deferred for later decision-making. HB 177, making civil ID cards free, had opposition from DOT and Honolulu Customer Services and support from health advocates; DOT said the program costs about $1.3 million annually and would need replacement funding, and the bill was deferred. HB 862, authorizing motor coaches, small buses, and vans for school bus services under certain conditions, received broad support from disability advocates, DOE-related entities, neighborhood boards, and private providers, with testimony emphasizing flexibility and accessibility; it was deferred. HB 667, requiring microchip scanning and reporting when deceased cats or dogs are removed from roadways, was supported by DOT, the Hawaiian Humane Society, and many animal groups and individuals, and was passed unamended. HB 960, increasing the cap on certain DOT capital investment contracts, and HB 228, authorizing electronic license plates and banning plate-obscuring devices and flipping devices, were both heard and then deferred. HB 1156, increasing the amount of special facility revenue bonds available for harbor improvements, received support from DOT, the Island Chamber of Commerce, Alakaʻi Energy, and the Harbor Users Group, and was passed unamended to Ways and Means.

Transcript Highlights:

• First of all, thank you so much for having me here this afternoon.
• So the jury didn't find first, the jury didn't find second. No, they didn't.
• The jury had death penalty option by their first charge. ...had death penalty option by their first charge
• Impaired driving back when I first started, it used to be alcohol only.
• We're not seeing that first phase, that initial vehicle down the road.

Committee: Senate Criminal Justice

Summary: The committee heard a presentation from Jessica Spencer on cannabis, criminal justice, and mental health. She argued that marijuana products have become far more potent over time, that high-potency THC and hemp-derived products are widely available in Florida, and that daily or near-daily use can contribute to addiction, psychosis, and other mental health problems, especially for adolescents. She also said cannabis is linked to violent crime and suicide in some cases, urged more prevention funding in schools, stronger regulation of Delta-8 and similar products, better law enforcement and regulatory oversight, expanded treatment and diversion options, and more expungement opportunities for simple possession. Senators questioned her about potency data, testing methods, and whether she was claiming causation in violent cases; she said she was and noted she had worked on the No on 3 campaign while still favoring decriminalization of simple possession rather than full legalization. The committee then took up several bills. CS/SB 150, “Trooper’s Law,” was amended and reported favorably; it makes extreme animal cruelty during a declared emergency a third-degree felony, inspired by the rescue of a dog during Hurricane Milton. SB 234, the Jason Rayner Act, was reported favorably after debate over its changes to self-defense language and mandatory life imprisonment for manslaughter committed against a law enforcement officer; supporters said it closes a loophole exposed in the Rayner case, while opponents raised concerns about unintended consequences and mandatory sentencing. CS/SB 138, “Trenton’s Law,” also passed after amendment; it increases penalties for repeat DUI/vehicular homicide offenders and adds language on intoxicating substances, with supporters citing the death of Trenton Stewart and opponents warning about cannabis impairment standards and first refusal penalties. SB 130, dealing with compensation for wrongful incarceration, was reported favorably. The bill removes Florida’s “clean hands” bar, extends the filing deadline from 90 days to two years, and allows exonerees with factual innocence findings to pursue compensation and civil remedies. Support came from innocence and civil liberties advocates. The committee also received a law enforcement presentation from Florida Highway Patrol Lieutenant Channing Taylor on impaired driving enforcement, DRE training, and crash data, emphasizing that drug impairment—especially cannabis—plays a major role in fatal crashes and that officers rely on observation and field testing because roadside chemical testing is limited.

Transcript Highlights:

• I know many of us have been gathered together in this room this year a few times, but this is our first
• The first is just to pick up kind of on what Ms.
• First of all, what is the general timeline?
• First, could you answer whether that's correct or not? That is true.
• And the first one is, I just want to highlight the role of the LAO's office.

Committee: House Budget

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I know that introductions were made at the first meeting.
• Our first presenter is Mr.
• We want this mode to first be available in Florida.
• We want to be the first state where it's implemented.
• the first grant program that was launched.

Summary: The committee heard introductory remarks from Chair LaMarca and members, then received presentations on electric utility planning, transportation infrastructure, and broadband deployment. Public Service Commission staff explained how Florida’s utilities plan for reliability and cost through 10-year site plans, demand forecasting, and economic dispatch. The presentation emphasized Florida’s residential-heavy load, growing EV demand, expanding solar and battery storage, continued reliance on natural gas combined-cycle plants, and the role of nuclear power. Members asked about energy efficiency, rates, renewable options beyond solar, cybersecurity, grid resilience, data centers, and small modular nuclear reactors; the witness said efficiency programs are reviewed every five years, utilities must balance reliability and affordability, and large new loads like data centers generally must pay for their own infrastructure needs. Department of Transportation Secretary Jared Perdue described FDOT’s five-year work program, decentralized district structure, and funding mix, noting that the agency is predominantly state-funded and prioritizes maintenance and preservation before expansion. He highlighted record investment levels, major congestion-relief projects, toll-road revenues, seaport and airport partnerships, spaceport investments, workforce and equipment needs, and emerging technology such as advanced air mobility. Members asked about project timing, MPO planning, rail and ferry funding, airport governance, winter storm preparedness, and flooding/sea-level rise; Perdue said faster delivery depends on resources, local governments lead transit operations with FDOT as a capital partner, and coastal and drainage projects are designed around storm surge and resiliency. The Office of Broadband reported on six grant programs supporting infrastructure, community facilities, digital connectivity, and future digital capacity and broadband expansion. Director Leo Garcia said the office has awarded hundreds of millions of dollars across most counties, leveraged significant private investment, and focused heavily on rural areas. He noted that broadband efforts are intended to support telehealth, education, workforce development, and economic growth, and said the state has reduced the number of unserved locations from more than 400,000 to a projected 170,000 after current awards are completed. He also said the office needs additional budget authority for the upcoming digital capacity program and that the larger federal/state broadband deployment program will be used to reach remaining unserved and underserved areas.

Transcript Highlights:

• Hart, we first met him as a legislative aide to Senator Charlie Dean.
• Newly elected supervisors of elections in Florida, 13 who had run for the first time.
• Well, let me turn that on first.
• First, going back to the...
• That is overextending, and it also takes away our First Amendment rights.

Committee: Senate Ethics and Elections

Summary: The committee heard a presentation from several county supervisors of elections and the Florida Supervisors of Elections Association on the 2024 election cycle and priorities for the 2025 session. They described very high turnout in the presidential election, major operational planning needs, and the heavy reliance on seasonal workers, list maintenance, ballot-on-demand systems, and secure chain-of-custody procedures. They also discussed the impact of recent legislative changes on voter-roll maintenance, including inactive voter removal, and said Florida’s election administration has improved to what they called a “platinum standard.” The supervisors outlined several legislative requests: allowing more than one non-government “wild card” early voting site to improve access and emergency flexibility; requiring newly naturalized citizens to update driver’s license information so voter records match DHSMV data; exempting home addresses of certain election workers and ballot transporters from public records to improve safety and recruitment; restoring a checkbox on vote-by-mail return envelopes so voters can stay on the vote-by-mail list for the next cycle; aligning base salaries for supervisors, property appraisers, and clerks with other constitutional officers; and reducing ballot length by removing precinct committee races from the ballot. They also said they expect a committee bill to carry some of these proposals. Members questioned the panel about ballot transport security, signature verification, vote-by-mail expiration, public records transparency, and the petition process for constitutional amendments. The supervisors said ballots are transported under detailed county plans with tamper-evident seals, chain-of-custody logs, trained workers, and in some cases two-person transport teams. On petitions, they said the process is labor-intensive and expensive, that fraud has occurred in some cases, and that they favor reforms such as requiring more personal identifying information and having initiative sponsors mail petitions to voters rather than making supervisors handle the mailing. They also said signature mismatches can be cured within 72 hours after Election Day and that voters are notified when possible. After the supervisors’ presentation, the committee also heard brief public testimony from Kathleen Griffiths, who urged adoption of commercial-style risk management standards in election systems and referenced several election-related bills her group supports.

Transcript Highlights:

• The first change centers on governance of lead agency board of directors.
• And I first want to thank you all for coming up with the report.
• The first thing is community-based care.
• And so that's the first thing I want to emphasize.
• So let me first start with that.

Summary: The Human Services Subcommittee held its first meeting of the term and heard introductory remarks from the chair, vice chair, ranking member, and members, who broadly described their interest in child welfare, mental health, aging services, homelessness, and agency accountability. The chair then outlined the subcommittee’s jurisdiction, including child welfare, mental health and substance abuse safety net services, domestic violence, developmental disabilities, elder services, and child support, and introduced the Department of Children and Families (DCF) as the first agency panel for the term. DCF presented an implementation update on HB 7089, a 2024 law aimed at increasing accountability and transparency for community-based care (CBC) lead agencies that deliver most child welfare services under contract. The department said the bill was prompted by forensic examinations that found problems such as noncompetitive procurement, related-party transactions, excessive executive compensation, and weak financial oversight. DCF described new contract requirements and monitoring tools covering board governance and annual training, conflict-of-interest disclosures, financial penalties for noncompliance, fidelity bond requirements, limits on direct service provision by lead agencies, related-party procurement rules, procurement thresholds, real-property approvals, compensation caps, expanded public reporting, and a new Future of Child Protection and Funding Work Group. DCF reported that some lead agencies had completed required board training, others were still on schedule, and two agencies exceeding the direct-service threshold had been referred to the Auditor General. Members asked DCF about the reasons for the bill, the impact on children, the work group’s regional representation, aging-out youth, the Embrace Families transition, board training requirements, and whether enforcement actions had been taken. DCF said the bill was intended to protect funds for children and families and improve oversight, and clarified that the Central Florida lead agency contract was awarded through competitive procurement rather than an absorption. DCF also said the board training was designed to be meaningful but not overly burdensome, with timing left partly to lead agencies as they implement the new requirements. The committee then heard from two CBC leaders, who generally supported the accountability goals of HB 7089 and said their agencies had already addressed most of the new governance and disclosure requirements. They reported that board training had been completed or was being scheduled, but both agencies said the fidelity bond requirement has been difficult or impossible to obtain in the market as written, though they were able to secure the separate performance bond. The CBC witnesses also warned that recruiting providers is increasingly difficult, especially for higher-acuity children and group-home placements, due to limited provider supply, regulatory burden, insurance costs, and rising risk. They said these pressures are contributing to budget deficits in some areas and urged lawmakers to consider the funding model, insurance and indemnification issues, and the risk of overregulation reducing provider participation.