Transcript Highlights:

• The Senate respectfully requests that a conference committee be appointed.
• Representative Pinto moves that the House accede to the request of the Senate and that the Speaker appoint a conference
• The Speaker announces the appointment of the following members of the House to a conference committee
• c> speaker The Speaker announces the appointment of the following members of the House to a conference

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Gore 25th anniversary conference, bringing in some of the players from Bush v.
• Gore conference.
• Gore 25th anniversary conference, bringing in some of the players from Bush v.
• Gore, as well as election law professors from across the country to decide. conference, bringing in some
• Review, I'm happy to say that we'll be including a symposium with the pieces from the Bush-Vegore conference

Summary: The committee first took up CS/SB 742 on workforce education, which would let charter schools directly access the Workforce Development Capitalization Incentive Grant Program for career and technical education programs leading to industry certifications, and would expand the number of programs covered by the money-back guarantee at career centers and Florida College System institutions from three to six. Senator Simon said the bill would help fund CTE expansion; Senator Davis asked whether it could reduce funding for school districts, and Simon said it could depending on available grant funds. A supporter from the Foundation for Florida’s Future appeared in favor, and the bill was reported favorably. The committee then heard SB 892, which would codify the Florida State University Center for Election Law so it can continue operating and become eligible for recurring funding. Senator Simon said the center’s work is focused on nonpartisan, evidence-based research related to improving responses to natural disasters and reducing fraud, mistakes, and irregularities in elections, rather than lobbying or redistricting advocacy. FSU supporters testified that the center has already hosted events such as a Bush v. Gore anniversary conference and has contributed to law school scholarship. After questions from Senator Davis about the center’s scope and funding, the bill was reported favorably. The remainder of the meeting consisted largely of confirmation testimony from appointees to university and college boards, who described their backgrounds and priorities. Most emphasized workforce development, student success, affordability, and local community partnerships at institutions including Tallahassee State College, Valencia College, New College, Pensacola State College, Florida Gulf Coast University, University of South Florida, Florida Atlantic University, Daytona State College, University of North Florida, St. Johns River State College, Palm Beach State College, and Santa Fe College. Several appointees highlighted their personal ties to the institutions and their goals of supporting programs in nursing, technical education, research, internships, and graduation rates. One nominee, Dr. Joel Rudman for Pensacola State College, faced pointed questioning about past public comments; he said his remarks were directed at the Florida House, not the Senate, and denied any knowledge of drug use by current or former senators. Public testimony was mixed on his nomination, with one supporter praising his community service and one critic urging rejection. No final confirmation votes were taken during the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• that both chairs are hopeful that we'll be able to make some progress in those areas as we head to conference
• He wants to take this to conference committee so they can continue to work on it, because the current
• Um, we can do this forward, bring it to conference, and then have that conversation.
• keep it alive going into conference. keep it alive going into conference.
• got right so when we go into conference got right so when we go into conference we<02:03:17.119>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair and members of the conference committee.
• Welcome to conference committee.
• :57.120> and<00:26:57.279> the conference committee and and the conference committee and
• additional members from the conference additional members from the conference committee<01:07:09.680
• education act by the conference education act by the conference committee<01:32:50.560> and

Keywords: 918, senate, all

Summary: The conference committee received a nonpartisan walkthrough of the House and Senate side-by-side for higher education-related legislation, with staff identifying Senate-only, House-only, identical, and technical-difference provisions. Topics included paid blood donation leave for Minnesota State employees, a revised higher education attainment goal, athletic fee restrictions, developmental course disclosures, American Indian Scholars Program eligibility, protections and definitions for pregnant and parenting students, online program management contracts, student aid reporting, work-study and dual training grants, private and out-of-state postsecondary education regulation, private career school licensing and data privacy, college savings plan changes, and several University of Minnesota-related provisions. House-only items also included an unemployment insurance aid adjustment, a $1.5 million ongoing appropriation for an identity verification system to combat enrollment fraud, and $5,000 for Bemidji State University reforestation; Senate-only items included Board of Regents appointment language, limits on for-profit control of medical school curriculum, and reporting on for-profit funding in medical education. After the walkthrough, the committee moved to adopt the same and similar provisions and direct staff to make technical corrections. A senator asked about proposed adjustments to the pregnant and parenting student language, and the chair said amendments would be considered after adopting the same and similar provisions. The motion to adopt prevailed. During public testimony, Sydney Spre of the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees supported the Senate’s paid blood donation leave language, saying it would create parity for Minnesota State employees and encourage blood and plasma donation. Commissioner Dennis Olsen of the Office of Higher Education thanked the committee for adopting most of the agency’s proposed language and said he was available to help clarify remaining differences. In response to questions, he explained the Senate’s higher education attainment goal proposal, saying it would extend and broaden the existing goal, raise the target from 70% to 75%, expand the age range, and use additional metrics and partner agencies; he also said the overall attainment rate had been 63.5 under the prior goal. The transcript ends as the commissioner was being asked whether the proposal would require additional appropriations.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I personally want to thank you all for serving, and I hope you have a great conference.
• great for serving, and I hope you have a great for serving, and I hope you have a great conference
• . conference. conference.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• She was, at that time, the head of the Michigan Catholic Conference and was on the board of a nonprofit
• Refer to the conference committee. Mr.
• Lacking a majority, the concurrence fails and the bill is referred to conference committee.
• Refer to the conference committee.
• Refer to the conference committee. The President recognizes Majority Floor Leader Singh. Mr.

Keywords: 983, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the legislature created the Texas Local Government Code 14 Chapter 147, which gave a meeting and confer
• These conversations, also known as meeting confer conversations, are desperately needed in Harris County
• Providing sheriff's offices with meeting and confer options foster better communication, transparency
• plainly this bill uh is uh mirrored by other statutes, uh, other municipalities have this meeting confer
• By establishing a foundation for sheriff's office employees to earn meet and confer status, HB 3648 brings

Transcript Highlights:

• 2007, the legislature created the Texas Local Government Code Chapter 147, which gave a meet-and-confer
• These conversations, also known as meet-and-confer conversations, are desperate... ...ly needed in Harris
• Providing sheriff's offices with meet-and-confer options fosters better communication, transparency,
• Statutes in other municipalities have used this meet and confer process.
• HB 3648 lays the foundation for Sheriff's Office employees to earn meet-and-confer status.

Bills: HB1597, HB2364, HB2437, HB3205, HB3253, HB3310, HB3648, HB3906, HB4259, HB5645

Keywords: county jailer, jail training, veterans, Texas Veterans Commission, Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, TCOLE, criminal justice system, county jail, law enforcement training, mental health training, jail standards, correctional officers, veteran services, veteran interaction, occupations code, jailer licensing, parking, county courthouse, infrastructure, local government

Transcript Highlights:

• We also have a brief budget presentation to give you some information before we head into conference
• Prior to beginning the conference process, side-by-sides of both the House and Senate budgets, appropriation
• It is these differences that are the primary focus during the conference process.
• I wanted to pass these out to you all before we actually begin conference so that you have time to review
• And I look forward to when we get to conference together.

Summary: The Pre-K Through 12 Budget Subcommittee met with a quorum and took up three bills, along with a brief budget conference-prep presentation. The first bill, CS/HB 1483 on school grading and student supports, would gradually align Florida’s school grading scale with the familiar A-F student grading scale over a 10-year glide path, add school report card transparency on the percentage of students reading at grade level, expand interventions for students with substantial reading and math deficiencies through VPK through grade 8, and create a competitive grant for diverse books in K-5 classrooms and libraries. Supporters argued the current school-grade scale is misleading and that the bill would improve transparency and supports; some members raised concerns about impacts on turnaround schools, community perception, and whether the bill adequately captures student gains. The bill passed 12-2 and was reported favorably. The committee then considered CS/HB 859 on the School Readiness Program, which revises the definition of “economically disadvantaged” for eligibility purposes. The bill originally moved from 150% of the federal poverty level to 65% of state median income, but three amendments were adopted to create a glide path and reduce fiscal impact by using 50% of state median income or 150% of poverty, whichever is greater, and by deleting an obsolete section. Public testimony was overwhelmingly supportive, emphasizing child care as workforce infrastructure and a lifeline for working families. The bill passed unanimously, 14-0, and was reported favorably. Finally, CS/HB 1607 on cardiac emergencies in schools would require AEDs in every Florida school, including charter schools, require CPR/AED training, and create a pulse-saving plan with rulemaking authority for the State Board of Education. Proponents cited alarming statistics about sudden cardiac arrest on campuses and argued that rapid AED access can save lives; supporters from the American Heart Association, PTA, and cardiology groups backed the measure. Members spoke in strong support, and the bill passed unanimously, 14-0, and was reported favorably. The meeting ended with a budget presentation explaining that House and Senate FY 2025-26 budget, appropriations project, and proviso side-by-sides had been distributed ahead of conference, followed by adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I would like to get this out of this committee, but if I guarantee it goes to conference and have
• So I would like to get this out of this committee, but if I guarantee it goes to conference and have
• We will get a copy of this back to our shop after this morning, and if it goes to conference committee
• And again, I think this one is one that's definitely, I'll make sure goes to conference if it passes,
• We do have a couple more conference committees.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The committee first addressed Senate Bill 2387, which had previously included language expanding the definition of a sexual assault victim advocate to include advocates from organizations serving victims of sexual trafficking or other sexual violence. After concerns were raised that the language could broaden participation in forensic interviews beyond appropriately credentialed organizations, the parties agreed to remove that added language. The committee then reconsidered its prior action, adopted the amendment striking the new language, and passed SB 2387 as amended on a 12-0-1 roll call vote. The bulk of the meeting focused on Representative Nelson’s proposed changes to a 340B-related bill, centered on expanding reporting and transparency requirements. His draft would require hospitals to report how 340B savings are used, and would also add reporting by drug manufacturers, pharmacy benefit managers, and health insurers on rebates, pricing, ownership interests, 340B savings, premiums, claims, and related data. Nelson argued the reporting was needed to give lawmakers better information about how the 340B program affects hospitals, insurers, pharmacies, and public costs, and noted the Department of Corrections also benefits from the program. Testimony was mixed but generally supportive of more transparency. Sanford Health Plan said it needed more time to review carrier impacts and had concerns about employer-related language and rebate reporting. The North Dakota Hospital Association supported hospital transparency and said the broader approach was appropriate because hospitals are only one part of the 340B system. Several members raised procedural concerns about the scope of the proposal and the lack of a drafted LC amendment. The committee decided not to take final action on the 340B proposal that day, instead forming a subcommittee led by Representative Hendricks, with Representatives Dobervich and Bolinske, to work with LC and return with drafted language for further review on Monday.

Transcript Highlights:

• And we will come to a conference committee, I hope, and negotiate those things out and get a bill to
• And we will come to a conference committee, I hope, and negotiate those things out and get a bill to
• When that bill conference committee, do you think that'll be a slow process?
• So, hopefully when we get to a conference committee, it is a committee that comes together and can resolve
• When that bill conference committee, do you think that'll be a slow process?

Keywords: 918, senate, all

Summary: Senate leadership said members were working through a fast-paced, intense session before a break, with many committee hearings still scheduled and about 27 bills expected to be heard that day. The leader highlighted several priorities for when lawmakers return, including an independent Inspector General proposal, additional anti-fraud measures, and packages on gun violence prevention and the Metro Surge response. The Metro Surge package was described as roughly 11 bills dealing with masks in essential spaces, aid obligations for federal agents, civil-rights/Bivens issues, and BCA participation in investigations; the broader gun violence package includes school safety, mental health, an assault-weapons ban, and a ban on high-capacity magazines, though it still awaited Finance Committee action. The leader also said bonding remains a high priority and that the Senate plans to continue moving policy quickly after the break. On budget matters, the leader said supplemental funding is needed for Capitol and Senate building security, largely because of increased personnel and overtime costs. He also said HCMC needs a short-term financing step because it is under financial pressure, but that the issue points to broader instability in Minnesota’s hospital system, especially as other hospitals may face difficulties related to HR1. Other budget-related items mentioned included housing support, rental and heating assistance, energy assistance, small business aid, health care, and food support, with some governor-proposed tax and spending ideas possibly left out because they are not affordable. The leader said the Senate is still working on fraud legislation, including the Inspector General proposal and related enforcement and oversight measures, and expects House differences to be worked out in conference committee. He described the House as a question mark and said the two chambers are moving at different paces, but he hopes to resolve differences and send bills to the governor. He also noted a rough end to the Senate Jobs Committee, said Senator Champion is considering next steps, and said Senator Mohamed and other DFL members had sent the Attorney General’s anti-fraud bill through a different committee path. He added that legislator safety is a growing concern because members from both parties are receiving threats, and he is working with counsel on possible responses. On guns in the Capitol, he said the issue reflects broader divisions and that current law allows permitted carry after screening, though he is frustrated by those using the issue to provoke emotion.

Transcript Highlights:

• currently have the ability to show up for a hearing by phone, in person, affidavit, or by video conference
• In addition to these face to face conferences, schools, and seminars, the institute offers a library
• If it is a face to face multi-day conference, you're looking at rental of facilities, uh, travel expenses
• could work together regionally to do those trainings as well, or do a statewide multi-day, uh, conference
• So basically, you know, if it's an in-person conference and you're, you know, there's an event space

Bills: HB148, HB203, HJR30

Keywords: HB 148, Texas Education Code, Texas Education Agency, TEA, artificial intelligence, AI, machine learning, automated scoring, constructed response, open-ended answers, student assessments, state testing, standardized tests, public schools, education policy, assessment instruments, school accountability, test scoring, 2026-2027 school year, ad valorem tax

Transcript Highlights:

• conference that goes and to include all those other sectors that I had mentioned.
• So every year we, the, through the assumptions, through the estimating conference, there's an assumptions
• estimating conference that goes Through the estimating conference, there's an assumptions estimating
• conference that goes and reviews what that actuarial return assumption is going to be.
• Ultimately, the Assumptions Conference consensus goes to you as the legislature for what you put in the

Summary: The Government Operations Subcommittee met with a quorum and began with member introductions and remarks from the chair emphasizing the committee’s focus on government efficiency, accountability, and oversight of executive branch agencies. Members shared their districts and backgrounds, with several noting hurricane recovery in their communities and a shared interest in reducing bureaucracy and improving service to Floridians. The committee’s only presentation was from Chris Spencer, Executive Director of the State Board of Administration, who gave an overview of the SBA’s governance structure, investment responsibilities, and divestment policies. He explained the SBA’s management of more than $257 billion in assets, including the Florida Retirement System, the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund, and Florida PRIME, and reviewed the Protecting Florida’s Investments Act restrictions covering Northern Ireland, Cuba, Venezuela, Israel, Sudan, Iran, and China. He also described the implementation of HB 7071, including the required divestment from direct holdings in Chinese companies, and said the SBA had reduced its direct Chinese holdings from 33 companies totaling over $172 million to 13 companies totaling about $64 million, with completion expected ahead of the September 1, 2025 deadline. Members asked detailed questions about the Israel boycott list, Morningstar and MSCI, how the SBA gathers information, whether Cuba’s federal designation changes affect Florida law, how companies are removed from scrutinized lists, and whether divestment timing could affect returns. Spencer said the SBA uses public and paid research sources, gives companies a 90-day cure period in some cases, and brings list changes to the trustees for approval. He also explained that the China benchmark change is intended to reduce passive exposure while still allowing active investment decisions, and said the PFIA restrictions have had a modestly positive overall effect on pension performance. The chair also asked about the Florida Retirement System funded ratio and the CAT Fund’s capacity; Spencer said the pension fund is at 80.7% funded, that actuarial assumptions are reviewed regularly, and that the CAT Fund currently has more than $10.5 billion in liquid claims-paying capacity and is expected to remain well positioned for hurricane losses. No votes were taken, and the meeting adjourned after the presentation and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• The clerk will read the conference committee report.
• House of Representatives report on conference committee.
• The clerk will read the conference committee report.
• The clerk will read the conference committee report.
• The clerk will read the conference committee report.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We should have figures from the Revenue Estimating Conference.
• Don't we as the Senate, can't we direct the Revenue Estimating Conference to meet as an impact conference
• I mean, we even have the process here through the impact conference.
• So I looked at the Florida Association of Counties. ...conferences.
• The Revenue Estimating Conference does this.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I strongly hope we'll fix this in conference committee.
• And today, with this hope, I will be voting to support the bill to move it along to conference.
• I strongly hope we'll fix this in<00:30:15.360> conference<00:30:15.919> committee.
• And today with in conference committee.
• the bill to move it along to conference. the bill to move it along to conference.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• the Senate to inform the House of Representatives that the Senate has taken up and adopted the conference
• Some of the senators had a few questions, so they requested a conference.
• Could you just briefly walk through some of the changes you'd like to see in the conference committee
• The Speaker hereby appoints to a conference committee to act with a like committee from the Senate on
• So the choice to take it to conference is not there.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's 3:15 p.m., and we're in Conference Room 225.
• We're in Conference Room 225.
• February 7th 2025 we're in conference February 7th 2025 we're in conference room<00:03:22.360>
• room 225 at reconvene here in conference room 225 at 3<00:03:34.080> p.m.
• keep it alive at least until conference keep it alive at least until conference and<00:14:15.720

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: On the deferred agenda, the Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs took up SB 1364, which makes emergency appropriations for law enforcement personnel costs, and SB 1452, which relates to the Uniform Controlled Substances Act. The chair recommended both measures pass with amendments, including technical corrections and a committee-report effective date of July 1, 2077. For SB 1364, the amendments included specified general fund and transfer fund amounts for DAGS, the Judiciary, and the Department of Law. For SB 1452, the chair said the bill was being corrected to fix a drug-name error that had been replicated from a federal mistake. Both recommendations were adopted by vote, with Senator Dort excused. The committee then discussed SB 1612, a joint measure on fitness to proceed that would require and appropriate funds for a five-year pilot program involving the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and the Department of Health, with interim and final reports to the Legislature. Testimony was mixed: the Judiciary and Department of Health were supportive, while the Office of the Public Defender and the Disability Rights Center opposed it, arguing it conflicted with best practices and the Clark consent order, and that people found not fit to proceed must be sent to the state hospital. DCR said its main concern was that the bill would still require patients to be housed in its facilities, which it said are not rehabilitative and are already strained by staffing shortages and limited access. The bill’s author argued the proposal was meant to create joint custody and reduce the high cost of state-hospital placement, but the committee did not take final action in the portion provided. In the joint hearing with Health and Human Services, the committees heard SB 1322, a broad rewrite of the state mental health code. The Attorney General supported the measure as a comprehensive cleanup and modernization effort, but many testifiers raised concerns. Queen’s Health System and Hawaii Health Systems Corporation supported the concept but warned about emergency-room impacts and asked for amendments; IHS supported the bill with a caveat about assisted community treatment procedures; and the Public Defender, Disability Rights Center, and others opposed parts of it, citing due process, privacy, HIPAA, counsel rights, liability immunity, and the reduction of an involuntary-treatment panel from three clinicians to one psychiatrist. The hearing also covered SB 951 on child protection, where the Department of Defense supported the bill and proposed technical amendments and MOUs with military components to clarify reporting and coordination procedures; DHS and the Attorney General said they were still working through possible changes. Finally, SB 228 on excited delirium was heard, with the Public Defender and Disability Rights Center supporting the bill and arguing the term has been misused and that better police de-escalation training is the real solution.

Transcript Highlights:

• Unfortunately, at the end of the session, a committee of conference could not get it done, and here we
• Unfortunately, at the end of the session, a committee of conference could not get it done, and here we
• Unfortunately, at the end of the session, a committee of conference could not get it done, and here we
• So I have copies of the committee of conference amendment that was put forward in my name last year,
• Amendment into 249 it's conference Amendment into 249 it's already<00:33:37.679> there<00:33:

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Center revolving fund, establishing the conference center revolving fund and accounts under the fund
• to facilitate administration of the revolving fund for conference centers in various campuses.
• There's currently in the statute two Conference Center statutes already for the University of Hawaii,
• Senate Bill 1488, relating to the University of Hawaii Conference Center revolving fund, establishing
• revolving fund for conference centers in various campuses.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The hearing covered Senate Bill 426, which would create an early learning apprenticeship grant program. Testimony was overwhelmingly supportive from the City and County of Honolulu, the Department of Human Services, the Executive Office on Early Learning, the University of Hawaiʻi College of Education, the Attorney General’s office, the Early Childhood Action Strategy, Hawaii Children’s Action Network, the University of Hawaiʻi’s early childhood educator project, and a Zoom testifier who described the importance of investing in high-quality early childhood education. Committee discussion focused on the program’s estimated cost, with figures of about $14.5 million in 2025-26 and $15 million in 2026-27, and on whether the program would require ongoing base-budget funding. The committee recommended technical, non-substantive amendments, including a statewide-concern amendment and a deferred effective date, and both committees adopted the recommendation by vote. The committees then heard Senate Bill 1622, which would appropriate funds to establish the Aloha Intelligence Institute within the University of Hawaiʻi to support statewide artificial intelligence initiatives. University representatives described the proposal as the product of campus-wide input and outlined five pillars: governance and policy, outreach and engagement, research and development, workforce development, and AI tools for key sectors such as health care, creative industries, manufacturing, data science, astronomy, and climate change. Members questioned staffing distribution, tuition, enrollment timing, housing, campus placement, and whether positions would be permanent or temporary; the university said it planned about 10 positions across campuses, would start with internal resources, and would house the effort under the Vice President for Research and Innovation initially. The committees recommended an SD1 with the appropriation amounts blanked out, a July 31, 2050 effective date, and committee-report language on housing and West Oʻahu, and the higher education and labor/technology committees adopted the amended recommendation. Finally, the Higher Education Committee took up Senate Bill 1488, a housekeeping measure to consolidate existing University of Hawaiʻi conference center statutes into a single revolving fund structure, and Senate Bill 636, which would fund retention and internship coordinator positions and broader enrollment management efforts at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo. SB 1488 drew university support and no opposition. SB 636 prompted substantial questioning about Hilo’s declining enrollment, current retention rate of 72.8 percent, and the scope of the request, which includes not only two named positions but also about $432,000 for enrollment management initiatives such as data analysis, IT support, and other student services. Hilo said it is targeting 3 to 5 percent annual enrollment growth and that the positions would support recruitment, retention, internships, and data-driven enrollment strategy. The committee pressed for a clearer broader plan, but the discussion in the transcript ended before a final vote on SB 636 was shown.