Transcript Highlights:

• And it counts; it applies to all utilities, so electric utilities.
• fund.
• fund.
• We don't have the funds to pay for it. So that's the thing.
• We don't have the funds to pay for it. So that's the thing.

Committee: House Emergency Management

Transcript Highlights:

• Our small rural districts often lack funds for full-time staff.
• This fixes an oversight where inspectors could work beyond their qualifications.
• This fixes an oversight where inspectors could work beyond their qualifications.
• oversight of these facilities, and this bill does that, brings us some oversight for it, you know?"
• So just having that oversight, I think, is something that maybe is overlooked.

Committee: Senate Regulated Industries

Summary: The committee began by postponing SB 1742 on condos until the following week, then took up SB 1298 on building construction. Senator Simon said the bill would require continued education for long-licensed building professionals, clarify interagency sharing of building officials, limit residential inspectors to one- and two-family homes, revive a paid internship for residential planning examiners, modernize permit signatures, and clarify contractor responsibility when work changes hands. The bill drew supportive waivers and was reported favorably. Members then considered SB 940 on third-party restaurant reservation platforms. A delete-everything amendment was adopted to target bots and unauthorized resale of restaurant reservations, while preserving direct restaurant-platform relationships and requiring consumer contact information when reservations are made through noncontractual platforms. The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association and Booking Holdings supported the measure, and CS/SB 940 was reported favorably. SB 638 on home inspectors also passed after the sponsor explained it would raise education requirements from 120 to 200 hours, add instruction on building code, wind mitigation, four-point and insurance inspections, and require $300,000 in errors-and-omissions coverage; it was reported favorably. The committee next approved SB 960 on elevator accessibility, allowing additional shorter support rails while keeping the existing 42-inch rail requirement. SB 196 on foods containing vaccines or vaccine materials was amended to address mRNA language and cosmetics safety standards, with the committee adopting amendments and then reporting the bill favorably. SB 1418 on heated tobacco products was amended to clarify the definition of heated tobacco products and exclude other forms such as hookah; it also passed favorably. The committee also recommended confirmation of a block of board and commission appointees. Finally, SB 1262 on construction contracting was amended to add contractor continuing-education topics, strengthen penalties for unlicensed activity, create a standardized disciplinary reporting system, and require timely refunds and project completion standards; it was reported favorably with support from the Florida Home Builders Association. SB 1304 on solar facilities was then approved after extensive testimony from rural county commissioners and local officials who argued that utility-scale solar on agricultural land has grown without sufficient local oversight and that decommissioning rules are needed to protect farmland and communities. The bill would repeal the current by-right treatment of solar facilities on ag land and authorize counties to adopt decommissioning ordinances; it was reported favorably after a technical amendment.

Transcript Highlights:

• So as of March 31st, all training program funding has halted. All funds ended March 31st, 2026.
• However, we would recommend that in approving them, you shift the funding source from the General Fund
• in a larger fund balance.
• out of that fund, and we always... ...try to push for General Fund money and other money to kind of go
• So those would be funded.

Transcript Highlights:

• Home Safe and BFH are funded only by recurring time-limited funds and have no ongoing funding.
• HomeSafe and BFH are funded only by recurring time-limited funds and have no ongoing funding.
• The budget is $275 million in total funds: $150 million in General Fund, $95.8 million in federal funds
• funds, $409,000 General Fund in fiscal year 2026-27.
• The AAAs can continue to utilize the remaining $106.6 million within the modernizing OCA investment funding

Transcript Highlights:

• It does not eliminate local oversight.
• Up next, Kerry Hebrink again with the National Utility Contractors Association of Florida.
• We must be careful not to recreate oversight under a banner of efficiency.
• This bill still requires plenty of permitting and oversight by building officials.
• It's funded by ad valorem property taxes.

Committee: House Commerce Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• funds, 349.
• Fund.
• House Bill 616 by Representative Knox, homelessness; oversight of publicly funded homeless service providers
• the fund.
• for the fund.

Summary: The House convened with a quorum, received and accepted multiple resignation notices from members representing Districts 37, 39, 60, 69, 97, and 100, and then recognized the election and qualification of the members-elect who filled those vacancies: Doyle Boudreau, Reese Broussard, Chasity Verrett-Martinez, and Edwin Murray. Each member-elect was sworn in, and the House also appointed committees to notify the Senate and the governor that it was ready to conduct business for the 2026 regular session. The chamber then handled a large number of procedural actions related to prefiled legislation. By motion and without objection, the House suspended rules to refer prefile bills to committee and introduced a broad slate of House bills and resolutions. Topics included the state budget and appropriations, retirement system changes, carbon capture and sequestration, criminal justice and bail, public safety, education, health care, local government matters, transportation, and several memorial or commemorative resolutions. Several resolutions and bills were noted as lying over, and some prefiled bills were withdrawn from the files. The House also received a Senate message that SCR 1 had been adopted, and the resolution was taken up without objection. The chamber then recessed for a joint session with the Senate to hear the governor’s address and a presentation honoring Technical Sergeant Adam W. Brister with the Distinguished Flying Cross. In his remarks, Governor Jeff Landry highlighted his administration’s priorities, including education, tax reform, workforce development, health and nutrition, insurance reform, transportation infrastructure, fiscal discipline, and criminal justice reform, while urging support for his agenda and several related bills and constitutional amendments.

Transcript Highlights:

• Good morning chair members Karen Stout on behalf of the Animal Legal Defense Fund.
• This is not uncommon with utilities.
• Utility conflicts and future safety issues that could have been avoided with professional oversight.
• We also need funds for environmental repair.
• I must stress simply this level of funding does not meet the needs of our community.

Committee: House Business and Professions

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, so, H. 660 is another opportunity to utilize opioid abatement special funds to reduce addiction and
• uh opioid abatement special to utilize uh opioid abatement special funds<00:21:45.880><c> to</c><00:
• So, to look at how to utilize the funds effectively over time is an important role for both the advisory
• So, to look at how to utilize the funds effectively over time is an important role for both the advisory
• </c> the funds are not fully utilized. the funds are not fully utilized.

Transcript Highlights:

• We want to know where the $122 million in TIP funds are and when providers will be paid.
• So we do need, or this committee needs, clarity on what is happening with the TIP funds.
• To date, how much TIP funding has Access...
• Madam Chair, members, we draw the federal funds at the time we make the payment.
• We draw the federal funds at the time the payment is made. All right. Thank you.

Committees: Senate Health and Human Services , Senate Senate Health and Human Services COR

Transcript Highlights:

• . oversight.
• And then when I was hired at another utility, Denton reached out to talk to that utility and informed
• And I was then fired at that utility.
• It directs any funds recovered to be deposited into the General Revenue Fund.
• Utilities spend millions of dollars.

Bills: HB45 , HB755 , HB 1232 , HB1555 , HB2460 , HB2702 , HB2973 , HB3120 , HB3225 , HB3314 , HB3356 , HB3371 , HB3634 , HB3638 , HB4247 , HB4283 , HB4290 , HB4302 , HB4503 , HB4511 , HB4565 , HB4581 , HB4627 , HB4632 , HB4660 , HB4668 , HB4960 , HB5042 , HB45

Committee: House State Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• Unlike private utilities regulated by the PUC or public utilities subject to the Brown Act, MWCs, or
• Mutual water companies operate with limited oversight and rely heavily on self-reporting.
• SB 1291 contains no dedicated funding source.
• And one more item: these requirements should include all kinds of utilities.
• The state funded $10 million to give this community that had...

Committee: Senate Banking and Financial Institutions

Summary: The Senate Committee on Banking and Financial Institutions heard two bills. SB 1131, by Senator Jones, would update the Debt Collection Licensing Act by requiring the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation to conduct examinations remotely unless an on-site review is needed, and by allowing the department to rely on recent audits or examinations from other regulators or approved third parties. Supporters from the debt collection industry said the bill would reduce duplicative costs and fix issues with the advisory committee process; an opposition witness from the California Low-Income Consumer Coalition said concerns remained. After discussion about preserving consumer protections while reducing burdens on licensees, the committee voted 7-0 to pass SB 1131 and re-refer it to Appropriations. The committee also heard SB 1291, the “Shine Act,” by Senator Gonzalez, which would increase transparency and accountability for mutual water companies by removing the 24-hour written notice requirement for board meetings, requiring websites with basic information such as consumer confidence reports, and directing a comparative analysis of mutual water companies serving disadvantaged communities. Supporters, including environmental justice advocates and Los Angeles County, described problems with access to water quality information, meeting notices, and board accountability in communities such as Cudahy and Maywood. The California Association of Mutual Water Companies opposed the bill unless amended, arguing it imposed unfunded mandates and one-size-fits-all requirements on small systems. Members discussed the need for transparency while acknowledging concerns about compliance burdens; the committee then voted 7-0 to pass SB 1291 and re-refer it to Environmental Quality.

Transcript Highlights:

• We are hoping to call it the Utility Oversight Fund, and the idea is that...
• So this utility oversight fund and the changes that we're hoping to implement here essentially... ...
• We hope to dedicate that funding to the utility oversight fund, which would then provide us with a stable
• Currently, utility fees go into the general fund.
• oversight fund, is that correct?

Committee: House Water & Natural Resources Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• So they said, hey, we're going to utilize this funding that has just shown up.
• The core provides funding for fuel and utilities for the institution and administrative offices of the
• The Corps provides funding for fuel and utilities for the institution and administrative offices of the
• “So how will these funds be utilized?
• “But when you utilize those funds, is there any coordination with the Department of Mental Health and

Committee: House Budget

Transcript Highlights:

• Lastly, our board offices can utilize their prior year savings to provide funding to community-based
• There have been restaurants that have gotten funding.
• And this slush fund has been used in... By law.
• And we do not need to walk away from federal funding or any funding, especially in this day. built, and
• we do not need to walk away from federal funding or any funding, especially in this day and age when

Committee: Senate Local Government

Transcript Highlights:

• We are, in fact, an oversight committee.
• </c><00:09:54.160><c> to</c><00:09:54.320><c> any</c> and oversight with regard to any and oversight
• It includes the misuse of personal funds held at the facility and may also include the misuse of funds
• </c> mitigating risk and proper oversight. mitigating risk and proper oversight.
• That's total funds. worth of recoveries. That's total funds.

Summary: The committee chair opened by explaining that the committee has expanded from a traditional audit-follow-up role into an oversight role focused on whether audit recommendations are implemented and whether controls are in place to detect fraud. He said the committee was concerned about fraud uncovered in social service programs in other states and wanted to understand New Hampshire’s safeguards, especially around major contracts and program performance. Charles Buchanan, director of the New Hampshire Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, and investigator Tim Brackett described the unit’s structure and mission. Buchanan said the unit, housed in the Attorney General’s Criminal Justice Bureau, investigates and prosecutes fraud by health care providers serving Medicaid beneficiaries, as well as abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation of residents in health care facilities. He outlined common Medicaid fraud schemes such as billing for services not rendered, upcoding, using unqualified staff, drug substitution, kickbacks, supplemental charges, and inflated customary charges. He also described resident abuse/neglect and drug diversion in hospitals, nursing homes, and assisted living settings. Brackett said his role is financial investigator/auditor and noted the unit is grant-funded and must include a prosecutor, investigator, and auditor. The witnesses then explained how cases reach the unit and how they are handled. Most referrals come from the state Department of Health and Human Services’ program integrity unit and from managed care organizations’ special investigations units, which look for fraud, waste, and abuse and refer credible allegations. Other sources include qui tam whistleblower actions, the national Medicaid Fraud Control Units association, citizen complaints, provider referrals, adult protective services law-enforcement referrals, local law enforcement, and federal agencies. Once a referral is received, the unit can accept or deny it; accepted matters may be investigated criminally or civilly, while nonviable matters can be referred back to HHS or other agencies for administrative action, including repayment demands and reimbursement offsets. No votes or formal committee actions were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Generally, the state assigns primary oversight and management responsibilities for cleanup of these sites
• Generally, the state assigns primary oversight and management responsibilities for cleanup of these sites
• It's important to point out that Ecology has no oversight authority over community or tribal engagement
• The cleaning that do not have oversight from ecology with the community engagement.
• of that and what would that oversight look like.

Committee: Joint JLARC I-900 Subcommittee for SAO Performance Audits

Summary: The I-900 Subcommittee held a public hearing on the State Auditor’s performance audit, Community Engagement During Contaminated Site Cleanups. Auditors said Ecology directly conducts or supervises cleanup at only about 8% of active contaminated sites, while most sites are handled by third parties or have no cleanup plan yet. The audit found that Ecology generally met legal requirements at the sites it oversees, but community engagement varied, was not consistently tailored to local needs, and lacked a systematic “lessons learned” process. Auditors also found inconsistent coordination between Ecology and the Department of Health, and limited guidance for staff on when to collaborate. Tribal feedback was mixed: some tribes said engagement met their needs, while others wanted earlier and more tailored outreach. Committee members pressed the auditors on why many third-party-managed sites appeared to have little or no public involvement, and whether Ecology has broader authority to require public engagement and oversight. The auditors responded that their review focused on community engagement requirements, not the full cleanup permitting process, and said the gap they identified was the lack of required oversight for third-party engagement. Members also asked about tribal engagement, exposure scenarios, and the meaning of “active” and “planless” sites. Ecology officials said they agreed with many of the findings, were already taking steps to improve community research, lessons-learned reviews, tribal guidance, and coordination with Health, and had recently launched a public email notification system for site status changes. They also said some recommendations would require additional funding or staff resources. Public testimony supported stronger community engagement and more resources for Ecology. Washington Conservation Action said contaminated sites disproportionately affect communities of color and low-income communities, praised the audit for highlighting the need for better site-specific engagement, and urged full funding for MTCA-related work. The hearing ended with the chair inviting written comments and adjourning the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Transit Union, the Machinists Union, Unite Here, the Engineers and Scientists of California, and Utility
• is very concerned about this and also does not trust the makers of this technology or those that utilize
• We believe it's appropriate because of the technology itself and the way it's utilized.
• in cases... ...process, then we're not going to have human oversight in cases where due process from
• new zero-carbon electrical generation sources in the utility service territory.

Summary: The committee heard several bills focused on workplace technology, labor protections, and data center oversight. SB 947, the No Robo Bosses Act of 2026, would require human review before automated systems are used in discipline, termination, or deactivation decisions and would ban predictive behavior analysis in the workplace. Labor groups, worker advocates, and privacy organizations supported the bill, arguing AI can be biased and should not make life-changing employment decisions without human judgment. Business groups opposed it, saying it was broader than prior versions, could interfere with workplace safety tools, and should not include a private right of action or cover independent contractors. After discussion about due process and accountability, the bill passed the committee 3-1 and was sent to the Senate Committee on Privacy, Digital Technologies, and Consumer Protection. SB 978, the Data Center Community Accountability Act, would require data centers to pay upfront for new transmission or distribution infrastructure, create a separate rate structure so costs are not shifted to other ratepayers, and include skilled-and-trained labor standards for construction. Supporters said the bill would protect ratepayers, create good construction jobs, and encourage zero-carbon energy development. Opponents, including the Data Center Coalition and Silicon Valley Leadership Group, argued the CPUC already has ongoing proceedings on these issues and warned the bill could single out one industry and discourage investment. The committee members emphasized labor standards and community concerns, and the bill passed 3-0 to the Senate Committee on Appropriations. SB 951, the California Worker Technological Displacement Act, would expand WARN-style notice requirements for layoffs caused by AI or automation, require reporting to workers, local government, and EDD, and give displaced workers first consideration for other openings. Supporters said the bill responds to rapid AI-driven layoffs and would provide needed transparency and data. Opponents said the definitions were too broad, the notice requirements too burdensome, and the bill conflicted with existing WARN law; they also objected to the private right of action and inclusion of independent contractors. The committee discussed amendments clarifying that an employee may still be discharged for reasonable and substantiated cause during the notice period. The bill passed 3-1 to the Senate Committee on Privacy, Digital Technologies, and Consumer Protection. The committee also approved SB 1032, which would create a licensing and regulatory framework for temporary staffing agencies, and SB 1046, which would direct Cal/OSHA to develop standards to protect lifeguards and park rangers from transboundary pollution in the Tijuana River Valley. SB 1032 drew support from labor and enforcement advocates who said it would help stop staffing fraud, while staffing firms argued the bill was vague and could burden legitimate small businesses; it passed 3-1 to the Senate Committee on Judiciary. SB 1046 was supported by park workers and community groups describing health impacts from pollution and passed 4-0 to the Senate Committee on Appropriations. The committee also took up a consent item, which passed 4-0, and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• But again, we welcome transparency and oversight and want to be good stewards of public funds.
• But again, we welcome transparency and oversight and want to be good stewards of public funds.
• But again, we welcome transparency and oversight and want to be good stewards of public funds.
• Funding.
• And that's one-time funding or ongoing funding?

Transcript Highlights:

• funds.
• The remaining $64 billion is funded through agency trust funds.
• The budget for these agencies is mostly trust-funded, meaning that their budgets are funded by dedicated
• All of these can be funded with PERC’s trust fund.
• And why weren't they funded?

Summary: The committee convened with a quorum, welcomed new member Senator Ralph Massullo, and first took up confirmation of five appointees to water management district and basin board positions. Senator McLean moved favorable confirmation of Ted Everett, Jerome Pate, Michael Romano, Paul Bissfam, John Hall, and Virginia Johns, and the motion passed by roll call. The main agenda item was the Governor’s Florida First budget presentation for the environmental agencies. Kim Kramer and DEP Secretary Alexis Lambert outlined proposed environmental funding of about $5.8 billion, including more than $1.4 billion for water resources, $810 million for Everglades restoration, $408 million for water quality, $202 million for Resilient Florida, $75 million for beach renourishment, $150 million for Florida Forever, $70 million for state park infrastructure, and $221 million for hazardous waste cleanup. They also highlighted proposed funding for FWC operations, manatee care, python removal, oyster reef restoration, forestry and wildfire equipment, and citrus research and disease response. Members asked about Florida Forever funding, state park wastewater and septic needs, a cut to the Florida Wildlife Research Institute, and how beach renourishment is handled after storms. The committee then heard the general government budget presentation. Agencies highlighted included DBPR, Gaming Control, the Lottery, DMS, PERC, DFS, OIR, and Revenue. DBPR discussed funding for license processing, an animal abuse hotline, vehicle replacement, and IT recruitment; Gaming Control requested new law enforcement squads and a licensing/enforcement IT system; the Lottery emphasized marketing, retail engagement, IT, and retention funding; DMS proposed building, fleet, telecommunications, cybersecurity, and local government grant investments; PERC described workload growth after SB 256 and requested staffing, operations, and pay increases; OIR sought more staff for consumer protection and market oversight plus building renovations; DFS highlighted My Safe Florida Home funding, fire marshal and first responder support, financial investigations, and gold and silver legal tender implementation; and Revenue requested operational, IT, and fiscally constrained county funding. Members questioned DBPR about unfunded HOA fraud and condo transparency items, DMS about cybersecurity grants, and DFS about My Safe Florida Home funding levels, abandoned grants, and reduced program uptake. No further action was taken, and the committee adjourned without additional votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• It requires strong regulatory oversight, stable program funding, and continued partnership between state
• Jurisdictions have been incredibly creative, relying on funding from the department and other funding
• funding sources to be able to build those programs, but there isn't currently a sustained funding mechanism
• Our work is funded through about 20 different fund sources. Many of these are special funds.
• And really supporting small nonprofits that often don't have funding, ongoing funding.

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee No. 2 on Resources, Environmental Protection and Energy heard budget overviews and several budget change proposals from CalRecycle, CalEPA, and DTSC. CalRecycle outlined its proposed 2026-27 budget of 987 positions and $1.9 billion, and members focused on edible food recovery funding under SB 1383, beverage container recycling fees and infrastructure under SB 1013, plastic packaging reduction under SB 54, and composting implementation under SB 279. CalRecycle said edible food recovery has recovered more than 300 million meals but lacks ongoing funding, explained that beverage container processing fees are set by statute and reflect higher recycling costs for difficult-to-recycle materials, and noted that SB 54 implementation will include a pollution prevention mitigation fund for legacy plastic cleanup. The committee also discussed the need for more composting capacity and the role of volunteer cleanup groups, while public commenters urged continued funding for food recovery, composting, and landfill response. CalEPA presented its department overview and a proposal to strengthen landfill response and enforcement, emphasizing climate, air quality, water, and cleanup priorities. Secretary Garcia described the agency’s work on methane monitoring, toxics reduction, drinking water compliance, Exide cleanup, pesticide alternatives, and implementation of AB 617, while also noting the agency’s response to federal rollbacks. Members pressed CalEPA on landfill fires and subsurface elevated temperature events, especially at Chiquita Canyon, asking about authority, scientific resources, and when intervention should occur. CalEPA said it has authority to respond but needs more coordinated technical and enforcement capacity, and later presented a $5.1 million, 12-position multi-agency proposal involving CalEPA, CalRecycle, DTSC, and the Water Board to address current landfill events and improve future prevention and response. DTSC and the Board of Environmental Safety presented several proposals tied to reform implementation, hazardous waste oversight, and emerging waste streams. DTSC reported progress in clearing its permit backlog, advancing safer consumer products regulations, and continuing Exide cleanup, while seeking additional resources for cost recovery and enforcement, PFAS work, recycling infrastructure for solar panels and lithium batteries, and a new statewide planning division to implement the hazardous waste management plan and consolidate reporting systems. The Board of Environmental Safety described its oversight role, public meetings, permit appeals process, and fee-setting authority, and said its priorities include permit appeals, hazardous waste plan oversight, and performance metrics. Members questioned whether DTSC was creating too many new subdivisions, but the department said the new structure is needed to handle growing workload and modernize regulation. Public testimony generally supported the landfill proposal, DTSC consumer product enforcement, water board staffing, and continued funding for food recovery and composting programs.