Transcript Highlights:

• But first, I want to walk through some questions. Thank you so much for coming today.
• First of all, I want to tell you, I'm Susie Clary.
• First of all, I want to tell you, I'm Susie Clary.
• I'd venture to say your first encounter now in an M.D.'
• First of all, I want to tell you, I'm Suzy Clary.

Bills: SB2 , SJR36 , SB2 , SB2 , SR29 , SB2

Keywords: Maverick County, recognition, economic development, Texas Senate, community celebration, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It is historic that Leader Driskell was the first Black woman to lead a Florida House caucus and the
• first person since term limits were implemented to be elected to consecutive and the first person since
• In my first two years in this house, you could almost always find a quorum of members' first two years
• First, talent.
• From his first primary as a red shirt, all the way to the Speaker's role.

Summary: The House convened for its organization session, opened with prayer, the presentation of colors, the Pledge of Allegiance, and the national anthem. The Secretary of State’s certification of the 2024 election was accepted as prima facie evidence, the members-elect were seated, a quorum was established, and the newly elected and returning members were sworn in by Florida Supreme Court justices. The chamber also recognized the Governor, Cabinet members, former speakers, former members, and other guests in attendance. The main business of the session was the election of House leadership and adoption of the chamber’s rules. Representative Fentrice Driskell was nominated by the Democratic caucus and delivered remarks emphasizing constituent service, opposition oversight, and priorities such as hurricane recovery, insurance affordability, reproductive rights, gun violence, education, and poverty. Representative Daniel Perez was nominated by the Republican caucus, seconded, and then elected Speaker by unanimous vote after a motion to close nominations and dispense with a roll call. Perez was sworn in and said his priority would be serving Floridians through practical action, fiscal discipline, and reforms that reduce bureaucracy and special-interest influence. The House then adopted House Resolution 10, establishing House rules for the 2024-2026 term, and Senate Concurrent Resolution 20, establishing joint legislative rules. Representative Gottlieb spoke in opposition to the rules, arguing that recent changes restricted debate and reduced deliberation. The House also appointed a committee to notify the Senate that the House was organized, elected Representative Wyman Duggan as Speaker Pro Tempore by unanimous vote, and announced caucus leadership selections, including Duggan as Speaker Pro Tempore and Driskell as Democratic minority leader. The session concluded with administrative motions authorizing technical corrections to the rules, spreading the organization-session remarks upon the journal, and adjourning sine die.

Transcript Highlights:

• implicates the First Amendment.
• It is a violation of the First Amendment. It violates parental choice. Thank you.
• It is a violation of the First Amendment. It violates parental choice.
• There's been a series of suits. ...to minors and First Amendment issues.
• It is a violation of the First Amendment. It violates parental choice.

Committee: House Rules

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And again, I just want to state that that is the first time those words will be put into this statute
• This is not a shoot first bill, as you will hear people describe it. I'll now take your questions.
• This is not a shoot first bill, as you will hear people describe it.
• It's also been called a shoot first bill. That is not this bill.
• Uh, they're set on the shoot first narrative. They haven't even, I don't believe, read the bill.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• That's the very first step in this campaign, is the ability to understand what's occurring.
• The first step in this campaign is the ability to understand what's occurring, to look for signs, to
• You know, when I first, about five years ago, the governor's sex trafficking team...
• And we committed then to opening the first one. And it was a long journey.
• Bob, we have a first. Great job. I appreciate you. I'm so invited you on everything you do.

Summary: Texas senators, representatives, trucking industry leaders, DPS, and Bob’s House of Hope held a press event to launch a new awareness campaign against human trafficking, with a particular focus on the trafficking of boys and young men. Speakers said Texas remains among the worst states for stopping trafficking and emphasized that the problem affects people of all ages and genders, not just women and girls. They described the trucking industry’s role in spotting suspicious activity, the importance of public education, and the need to tell people to “see something, say something.” The Texas Trucking Association and Titus Transport announced that trucks will carry decals/posters promoting Bob’s House of Hope and providing a QR code and phone number for help and information. Bob Williams said his organization operates the first safe house in the country specifically for boys and young men who have been sex trafficked, and he cited studies suggesting boys may make up a substantial share of trafficking victims. He also said many of the youth in their care have suffered severe abuse and some have also experienced labor trafficking. Legislators and DPS officials praised the partnership and said the state must give law enforcement every possible tool to combat trafficking. Senator Hinojosa added that the issue is especially visible in South Texas and along the border, and that private-sector involvement is needed to help eradicate the crime. The event ended with plans to photograph the first truck carrying the new decals.

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, first of all, two points, I'll say.
• Well, first of all, two points, I'll say.
• First of all, I move the bill.
• First, AB 1941 won't deter metal theft.
• First Amendment-protected activities.

Summary: The committee began without a quorum and heard several bills in subcommittee format. AB 1546, which would increase penalties for repeat DUI offenders by allowing a third DUI within 10 years to be charged as a wobbler, requiring a fifth DUI to be a felony, and lengthening ignition interlock and license revocation periods, drew strong support from law enforcement and district attorney groups and opposition from public defenders and reform advocates who argued the bill would further criminalize substance use and mental health issues. No vote was taken because there was no quorum at the time. AB 1595, aimed at standardizing post-conviction procedures for wrongful conviction claims and clarifying courts’ authority to consider new evidence, was supported by innocence and public defender organizations and opposed by district attorneys, who said existing habeas law is already clear and that the bill would add complexity and burden courts. AB 292, which would impose mandatory jail time for repeat felony domestic violence offenders within seven years, was supported by sheriffs, prosecutors, probation officers, and local governments, but opposed by domestic violence survivor advocates and public defender groups who warned it would not deter abuse and could criminalize survivors and divert resources from services. AB 1816, allowing courts to extend probation up to one additional year for sex offenders who have not completed required treatment, drew support from probation and law enforcement groups and opposition from public defenders and civil liberties advocates concerned about longer supervision, technical violations, and barriers such as poverty and treatment access; the committee later took a roll call and passed the bill 3-1, with one member not voting, sending it to Appropriations. After quorum was established, the committee also passed AB 1627, which would bar people with misconduct in immigration enforcement from becoming California peace officers, and AB 1927, which would create a misdemeanor for falsely impersonating a bail agent to solicit bail, both on due pass motions to Judiciary/Appropriations as amended. AB 1854, a shield-law measure expanding protections for reproductive and gender-affirming health care providers, patients, and related businesses from out-of-state legal process, was supported by the Attorney General’s office and reproductive rights groups and opposed by anti-abortion and family policy organizations; it was moved on a due pass motion to Judiciary. The committee then heard AB 1872, which would make repeat adult swatting offenses a felony/wobbler and require restitution for property damage, with support from law enforcement, prosecutors, and civil liberties advocates and opposition from public defenders and justice reform groups who argued the bill would not deter conduct and could disproportionately affect people with mental illness or undocumented status. A motion to advance AB 1872 was made, but the transcript cuts off before any final vote on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:22:54.080><c> day</c> their textbooks on that very first day their textbooks on that very first
• :40:29.200><c> of</c> start of the students first semester of start of the students first semester of
• </c> year I'd like to start with the first year I'd like to start with the first budget<00:46:19.200>
• </c><01:03:58.839><c> time</c> was 21 1% increase and the first time was 21 1% increase and the first
• </c> $465,000 of the $889,000 for the first $465,000 of the $889,000 for the first year<01:41:45.920>

Committee: House Higher Education Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• So, in order to move things along, we are going to be doing a bit of a hybrid: first come, first serve
• So, in order to move things along, we are going to be doing a bit of a hybrid: first come, first serve
• California's water rights system, based on the first time, first and right principle, has historically
• My first question is going to be to the opposition.
• We need stronger protections that put people first.

Summary: The committee heard extensive testimony on AB 2218, which would declare state policy to recognize and address water-related inequities affecting California Native American tribes and require several state agencies to incorporate that policy into water-related decisions. The author and tribal witnesses said the bill would codify a seat at the table for tribes and build on existing consultation and equity commitments, while supporters from environmental and tribal organizations backed the measure. Opponents from municipal utilities, water agencies, cities, counties, agriculture, and business groups argued the bill was too vague, could create uncertainty for water supply and project approvals, and might invite litigation. The chair signaled support, and the author said the bill was intended as a consultation measure rather than one that would usurp agency authority. The committee then took up AB 1795, a wildfire smoke-damage bill that would establish statewide standards for inspecting, testing, and remediating smoke-damaged homes and create clearer insurance claim handling rules. The Department of Insurance supported the bill, saying it would bring consistency and accountability after major urban-interface fires, while wildfire survivors and advocates said current insurer practices leave families unable to safely return home. Insurance and local government groups opposed unless amended, warning about cost, implementation uncertainty, and the bill’s scope. Members discussed unresolved issues, including how the bill would interact with a separate wildfire health-and-safety bill, whether it would apply to existing policies, and how presumptions and testing standards should work. The committee voted AB 1795 out on a due pass as amended motion to Appropriations. AB 1642, another wildfire-related bill, was also heard and focused on setting science-based testing and clearance standards for homes, schools, and businesses after urban and wildland-urban interface fires. The author and a Caltech scientist described contamination from lead and other heavy metals in fire-affected homes and argued for a presumption that certain contaminants found after a fire came from the wildfire, to reduce costly disputes. Survivors and many advocacy groups supported the bill, while insurers and other industry groups opposed, saying the testing regime was too broad, the geographic scope was unclear, and the presumptions could function like strict liability and raise insurance costs. Senators pressed both sides on how AB 1642 would overlap with the CDI smoke-claims task force and with AB 1795, and the author said the two bills were intended to be complementary and would continue to be reconciled. The committee also briefly heard AB 1976, which would create a CEQA exemption for pedestrian malls and limit certain local procedural delays for pedestrian and traffic-calming projects. Supporters said it would make it easier to create safer, more walkable, and more livable streets, and there was no opposition testimony. The chair described it as a narrow CEQA exemption for active transportation-related projects and indicated support. The committee then moved on to AB 2026, a groundwater recharge permitting bill, with the author explaining that it would streamline permitting so more recharge projects can capture floodwater and store it for drought years; testimony on that bill began as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• So first of all, hello, my name is Greg Snedeker.
• First of all, hello, my name is Greg Snedeker.
• So the first one was a citizens...
• So the first one was a citizen petition...
• You're first. Come on.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government held a hybrid hearing on late-filed bills and formal petitions, with testimony focused mainly on Senate Bill 3026 and House Bill 5294. The committee heard from legislators and local officials about S. 3026, which would give equal voting access in a six-town regional school district process. Testifiers from the Sixth Town Regional Planning Board and local select boards said the current voting setup is unfair because one town can vote during normal polling hours while others have a narrower voting window, and they argued the bill would ensure equal voter opportunity for a major regional school decision amid declining enrollment and financial pressure on the districts. The committee also heard extensive testimony on H. 5294, a Worthington home rule petition seeking a one-year solar moratorium. Worthington officials, residents, and advocates said the town is facing multiple large-scale solar and battery storage proposals and lacks the staff, legal resources, emergency response capacity, and technical expertise to evaluate them. Witnesses raised concerns about fire risk, groundwater and drinking water impacts, forest and wildlife impacts, decommissioning, and the effect on rural character and farmland, while emphasizing that the moratorium was framed as a planning tool rather than opposition to clean energy. Several speakers said the state’s solar siting and approval process is too complex and top-down for small rural towns, and that volunteer boards are being asked to manage industrial-scale projects without adequate support. One witness from a statewide group said Worthington’s situation reflects broader problems across western Massachusetts and urged the committee to address solar siting more broadly in a future session. The hearing concluded after testimony and committee questions, with no votes or final actions taken during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• You want to do that first? Yes.
• You want to do that first? Yes.
• So the Veterans Treatment Court was the first component to this program.
• Chair, can I explain my first best friend?
• And first, I would like to thank you Representative Travers for this bill.

Bills: HB2620 , HB2960

Committee: Senate Military Affairs and Border Security

Keywords: homeless veterans, emergency shelters, state funding, veterans' services, grant distribution, veterans, treatment court, rehabilitation, recidivism, mental health, substance abuse, 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So, this is the first meeting. Thank you.
• So, this is the first meeting, an organizational meeting today, regarding the future of payments and
• It’s the first public meeting today. It’s an organizational meeting.
• Today’s just an organizational meeting for everybody to get together for the first time and then get
• Or sign up to testify for that day, it may not just be one day for that first hearing.

Summary: The meeting was the first organizational session of the special commission created by Chapter 238 of the Acts of 2024 to study the future of payments and sales transactions by credit card and the impacts on small businesses. Chair James Murphy and Senator Paul Feeney explained that there would be no testimony at this meeting; instead, commissioners introduced themselves and discussed how the commission would structure its work and future hearings. The commission’s charge includes examining payment trends, cashless transactions, credit card fees, mobile payments, buy now, pay later financing, and the impact of Section 28A of Chapter 140D on small businesses, with a final report and recommendations expected. Members and stakeholders generally supported the proposed approach, including hearings focused on business and consumer experiences, the legal and regulatory landscape, and policy options such as transparency measures, fee disclosures, reporting requirements, and possible limits. Several participants emphasized that swipe fees are a major and growing cost for retailers and restaurants, and that the issue is timely given changes in payment habits and developments in other states. One member suggested the commission also consider cryptocurrency in transactions, and another raised the possibility of holding hearings in locations outside the State House to improve access for small businesses across the Commonwealth. The chairs said staff is still organizing hearing topics and may group testimony by subject matter. They announced a tentative first hearing date of April 8 in Gardner Auditorium, with testimony allowed in person, online, or in writing, and noted that the number of hearings will depend on public interest. The commission also agreed to invite members to suggest experts or additional topics, and the meeting concluded with a motion to adjourn that passed unanimously.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we are going to move to our first item. Oh, housekeeping.
• All right, our first and only issue that will be heard today—some of you may not have heard my first
• I'm new to this budget subcommittee, so this is the first time I'm hearing from you.
• And at the end of 2025, we went over, for the first time, 11,000 open matters.
• And at the end of 2025, we went over for the first time 11,000 open matters.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• First reading of bills, introduction, first reading, reference of bills.
• First reading of bills, introduction, first reading, reference of bills.
• Introduction of first reading of bills.
• Introduction of first reading of bills.
• Move the resolution first. Yes, please, thank you.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Could you introduce yourself for the record first, please? Say that again?
• To kick things off, this first slide on the right is the agency's organization chart.
• So first, Substance Abuse Services. This division submitted a maintenance budget.
• The first...
• The first, or the initial award, is $185.9 million.

Summary: The Senate Health and Welfare Committee first considered the gubernatorial reappointment of Clayton Steele to the Board of Environmental Quality. Steele described his background in environmental work at DEQ and Clearwater Paper, his experience with air quality and rulemaking, and said he brings a balance of public- and private-sector perspectives to the board. Senators asked about major challenges, including a contested case involving Perpetua, and whether his employment created any conflicts of interest; Steele said he had not encountered conflicts. The committee thanked him and indicated the vote on his reappointment would likely occur at the next meeting. The committee then received a Legislative Services Office presentation on the Department of Health and Welfare budget, with emphasis on non-Medicaid programs. LSO analysts reviewed the department’s staffing, expenditures, and the state budget process, then outlined FY 2027 requests. Highlights included no-change maintenance budgets for Youth Safety and Permanency, Licensing and Certification, Substance Abuse Services, and the independent councils; a $16 million one-time federal request for Idaho Child Care Program capacity plus ongoing staffing for program integrity; a $600,000 ongoing general fund request for court-ordered evaluation and treatment; $180,000 for the Kinship Navigation Grant; $4.2 million for the Idaho Home Visiting Program; and a larger ongoing dedicated-fund request for the Immunization Assessment Fund, along with ARPA grant funding scheduled to sunset. Members asked several questions about the Home Visiting Program, including the source of the $1 million general fund transfer and whether it was being counted toward the department’s 3% holdback. The chair explained the program’s history as a prevention effort and expressed concern about the department’s treatment of the pass-through funds. The presentation also covered Division of Welfare requests tied to H.R. 1, including a $4.3 million general fund shift for SNAP administration, $1.8 million for Medicaid expansion work requirements, and a one-time $1.9 million eligibility system change. Mental health and psychiatric hospitalization budgets were noted as decreasing on the general fund side while relying more on dedicated endowment funds. Finally, LSO outlined the Rural Health Transformation Program, a new federal grant under H.R. 1. Idaho received $925 million over five years, with an initial $185.9 million award, and the governor recommended a FY 2026 supplemental and FY 2027 enhancement to begin implementation, including 12 limited-service FTPs, $1.3 million ongoing personnel costs, and $294 million one-time for program activities. Senators asked about allowable uses, timelines, tribal participation, and oversight, and the chair noted additional legislative proposals would be coming. The committee adjourned after indicating it would meet again the next day.

Transcript Highlights:

• I've known Jess for like 25 years, going back to when we first started working at the EQ.
• First off is going to be a pretty easy one: Division of Youth Safety and Permanency.
• So first, Substance Abuse Services. This division submitted a maintenance budget.
• The first... ...or the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
• The first, or the initial award, is $185.9 million.

Committee: Senate Health and Welfare

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> only thing that I hate is your first only thing that I hate is your first committee<00:04:38.639
• Rachel, if you'll call the first<00:04:59.759><c> bill.</c> first bill. first bill.
• Well, I second that amendment. >> First and got a second. Any other questions? >> Okay.
• Got a first and a &gt;&gt; Do you want All right.
• Got a first and a second<00:10:40.000><c> down</c><00:10:40.240><c> there.

Bills: SB89 , SB54 , SB127 , SB128 , SB77 , SB78 , SB100 , SB101 , SB102 , SB103 , SB113 , SB126 , SB122 , SB136

Committee: Senate Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development

Keywords: pilotage, commission, statewide laws, maritime regulation, repeal, sunset law, Alabama Surface Mining Commission, environmental regulation, mining, state commission, Alabama Board of Examiners in Counseling, state agency, continuous operation, government efficiency, sickle cell disease, healthcare, regulatory commission, public health, 911 services, 911 Board

Transcript Highlights:

• My first question is: why? Why are you bringing forth this bill?
• It is the innovation within our workforce we need and should be our first priority. Thank you.
• First is Travis Moray from the Animal Legal Defense Fund, waiving in support.
• And first, I'll completely agree, we need more veterinarians.
• This is the first stop. As I do, I try to do through all my bills, conversation is ongoing.

Bills: S0754 , S0796

Committee: Senate Regulated Industries

Keywords: heated tobacco products, tobacco regulation, vaping, definition changes, Florida statutes, veterinary medicine, telehealth, veterinary professional associate, animal health, public safety, access to veterinary services

Summary: The Committee on Regulated Industries met with a quorum and took up two bills. First, it heard SB 754 on heated tobacco products. The bill would statutorily define heated tobacco products and exempt them from the cigarette tax. Senator Davis questioned why the exemption was needed, and Senator Bernard asked about youth access; the sponsor said the bill was limited to taxation and would look into age and regulatory issues. A Florida Retail Federation representative appeared in support. The committee voted the bill favorably, and Senator Bracey Davis later asked to be recorded as voting in the affirmative on tab 1. The committee then considered SB 796 on veterinary medicine, after adopting a delete-everything amendment. The amended bill would create a Veterinary Professional Associate (VPA) role for individuals with a master’s degree in veterinary clinical care to perform delegated tasks under a licensed veterinarian’s responsible supervision. It also would extend the time period for telehealth prescriptions for flea and tick products from one month to six months and for other medications from 14 days to 30 days. Senator Boyd raised liability concerns, and the sponsor said existing statute already places liability on the supervising veterinarian. The Florida Veterinary Medical Association testified against the bill, arguing Florida should expand and better utilize existing veterinary technicians rather than create a new mid-level role, and warning about federal prescribing restrictions and animal safety. Supporters, including the Animal Legal Defense Fund and Dr. Wayne Jensen, argued the bill would expand access to care, reduce costs, and provide a well-trained supervised workforce. Several senators said the bill balanced access and safety, and the committee reported SB 796 favorably. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• The first and only bill on our agenda today is House File 2025.
• And the first agency is the Department of Military Affairs.
• The first testifier is Lieutenant Colonel Eric....
• Um, first, I just wanted to echo Dr. **Janigo**.
• First, Mr.

Committee: House Veterans and Military Affairs Division

Transcript Highlights:

• But, you know, this is a first step.
• But, you know, this is a first step.
• First and foremost, I want to express my deepest gratitude to Governor DeSantis for his confidence in
• The first was to provide a more effective service delivery model to serve Floridians receiving public
• With the extraordinary and inspirational leadership of the First Lady, this model has...

Committee: Senate Children, Families, and Elder Affairs

Summary: The Committee on Children, Families, and Elder Affairs met to consider several bills and the confirmation of Taylor Hatch as Secretary of the Department of Children and Families. SB 1310, relating to reporting of student mental health outcomes, was temporarily postponed. The committee then took up SB 1354 on behavioral health managing entities, adopted a delete-all amendment, and heard support for the bill’s focus on transparency, accountability, audits, referral patterns, and a DCF report due by December 1. Members discussed the capacity of the current reporting system and the need for coordination with school districts. The committee voted the bill favorably. The committee next considered SB 1620 on mental health and substance abuse disorders, which implements selected recommendations from the 2025 Commission on Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders. The bill, as amended, includes reforms on dignity and patient-centered care, crisis response, individualized treatment plans, use of the DLA-20 assessment tool, data analysis by the Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, and creation of a research center. Amendments removed a direct medication-provision requirement in favor of a review and report on discharge procedures, medication adherence, and long-acting injectables, and clarified licensure priorities for short-term residential treatment programs. Testimony and debate emphasized the need for action, better data, and efficient use of public funds. The committee reported the bill favorably. Finally, the committee heard from Taylor Hatch, the Governor’s appointee to lead DCF. Hatch described her background in state government and her priorities for DCF, including coordination, transparency, prevention, permanency, and responsiveness to vulnerable Floridians. Several members spoke in support, citing her experience at APD and familiarity with the agency’s work. The committee voted unanimously to recommend her confirmation, and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• The secretary will read the first message.
• The secretary will read the first message. Mr.
• We will now proceed to the fourth order of business, first reading of House bills.
• The House files are given their first reading and referred as indicated.
• and referred as indicated. first reading and referred as indicated first reading and referred as indicated

Keywords: 1187, senate, all