Transcript Highlights:

• Madam Chair, Representative Block, thank you for that question. Let me start globally.
• Madam Chair, Representative Block, thank you for that question.
• And thank you, Representative Block, for bringing that up, or the team over here.
• Representative Block. I have no questions at this time, Madam Chair.
• Thank you, Representative Block. Vice Chair Lopez shared with us today.

Transcript Highlights:

• So Representative Block, you might want to listen up here.
• I hope, and I was hoping that Representative Block might say this, and I hope others will, I want to
• Representative block. And with that, I'll have our.
• OK, I think, I think John Block should wear a crown today, some sort of a crown.
• north of Saint Michael's and about 2 blocks west of Saint Francis.

Transcript Highlights:

• We can vote on the entire block at one time, but we will pull out and We can vote on the entire block
• If there's no objection, then we will vote as a block.
• If there's no objection, then we will vote as a block.
• Is there a motion to recommend for confirmation for a block vote?
• If there's no objection, then we will vote as a block.

Summary: The committee first heard CS/SB 270, which would extend Bright Futures eligibility by 12 months for certain students whose parent was serving overseas in public service and then retired, giving military and diplomatic families more time to return to Florida without losing scholarship eligibility. Senator Burgess also explained a late-filed amendment to set the bill’s effective implementation for the 2025-26 school year, and the committee adopted the amendment without objection. The bill received supportive testimony, including from Senator Smith, and was reported favorably by a roll call vote. The remainder of the meeting focused on confirmation hearings for appointees to state college boards of trustees, with the chair emphasizing a new process of hearing from each nominee individually rather than taking a blanket vote. Nominees from Tallahassee State College, St. Johns River State College, South Florida State College, Broward College, State College of Florida Manatee-Sarasota, Palm Beach State College, Pasco-Hernando State College, and Valencia College described their backgrounds and priorities, which largely centered on workforce development, nursing and health sciences, dual enrollment, fiscal responsibility, student retention, and partnerships with local employers and communities. Several nominees highlighted their own educational or professional ties to the colleges, and some noted the importance of serving rural or military-connected communities. One nominee, John Aloko for Pasco-Hernando State College, was not present because he was attending a conference in Hawaii and was deferred to a later hearing. After hearing all other nominees, the committee voted to recommend confirmation of the remaining appointees in a block vote, covering Tabs 2 through 22 except Tab 8, and the motion passed. Two members later asked to be recorded as voting in the affirmative on earlier items.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have block grants that we get biannually, and then we have three discretionary grants, so we are not
• There are sometimes changes in both of those block grant amounts, but they are formula grants, and we
• And again, you know, with our mental health block grant...
• I believe it's a formula for the block grant that's applied to all 50 states.
• It is driven by a block grant, and it is distributed.

Summary: The committee heard budget presentations and took executive recommendations on several Department of Human Services divisions, including Aging, Adult and Behavioral Health Services; Children and Family Services; County Operations; Developmental Disability Services; and Medical Services, with most divisions showing little or no significant change in total appropriations. Staff and agency witnesses repeatedly explained that many large appropriations are maintained for flexibility, federal matching requirements, or contingency needs, even when actual spending is much lower than the authorized amount. Members also raised concerns about staffing vacancies, long-vacant budgeted positions, and the use of excess appropriation authority across DHS. In Aging, Adult and Behavioral Health, members questioned federal funding levels for mental health and substance abuse grants, the status of senior centers and Meals on Wheels, the Medicaid tobacco settlement program, community alcohol safety grants, and the veterans mental health grant. Agency officials said federal block grants are largely committed, that senior center funding had been delayed by shutdown timing but was now back on track, that the tobacco settlement program had been moved internally within DHS, and that the veterans mental health appropriation remains unfunded. Senators also criticized the adequacy of support for seniors and asked for more detail on how transportation, meal services, and local contributions are funded. In Children and Family Services, members asked about rising appropriation levels, foster care and adoption subsidies, professional fees, the number of children in foster care, and the Children’s Trust Fund. DHS said increases reflect added flexibility for residential treatment, adoption subsidies, and prevention services, while the foster care population has remained fairly steady at about 3,400 children. The Children’s Trust Fund was described as supporting primary prevention programs such as Baby and Me and community schools, and members asked whether it could be administratively combined with other efforts. Questions also covered TANF subgrants, with DHS explaining that it had reduced outside subgrants after discovering over-obligation and was rebuilding reserves. In County Operations, members focused on the summer EBT program, SNAP employment and training, the farmer’s market program, and the state’s TANF reserve position. DHS said summer EBT is still being funded through temporary appropriations because it is a newer program, SNAP employment and training is largely federally funded and may expand under a pending policy change, and TANF reserves were drawn down after prior over-obligation but are now being stabilized. In Developmental Disability Services, members asked about vacancies, human development center staffing, facility construction funds, and the Booneville work program, and DHS said the program has reopened and staffing recruitment continues. In Medical Services, members asked about FMAP, the Our Kids B CHIP program, school-based Medicaid reimbursements, nursing home distress funds, and several large appropriation lines that far exceed actual spending; DHS said these are maintained for claims payment, nursing home receivership contingencies, and other flexibility needs. Each division reviewed was adopted by executive recommendation after questions concluded.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, we provided funding to public television through matching grants, equipment grants, and block
• But these block grants have not been increased since 2013, and this bill does include an increase in
• grants, and through grants, and block grants, and through this<00:02:31.520> committee,<00:02
• the Block grants have been supported by the committee<00:02:48.160> as<00:02:48.280> well.
• Matching and block grants are the backbone of our operations.

Bills: HF1458, HF2063, HF2164, HF1377, HF927, HF1059, HF1910, HF2232

Keywords: CPA, certified public accountant, public accounting, accountancy, licensure, license mobility, substantial equivalency, interstate practice, out-of-state accountant, NASBA, Uniform CPA Examination, board of accountancy, attest services, audit, tax preparation, financial advisory, consulting, accounting education, master's degree, bachelor's degree

Transcript Highlights:

• out of four blocks in a four-block day.
• block uh four blocks operate on a four block uh four blocks in<00:47:24.079> the<00:47:24.560>
• taking one block out of four<00:48:00.200> blocks<00:48:01.200> in<00:48:01.440> a<
• <00:48:02.880> per four blocks in a uh in a four block per four blocks in a uh in a four block
• uh time if it's a if it's four blocks. uh time if it's a if it's four blocks.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first took up SB 209, which would require schools seeking building aid for construction or reconstruction projects to use an owner’s project manager. The chair explained an amendment that would remove the bill’s requirement that the manager be engaged before application and instead revert to current law, while updating the project threshold from the older $1 million figure to a more current amount and clarifying that the manager’s role is to protect the project owner’s interests. Members asked about the cost of hiring a project manager over several years before a project is funded, the 1.5% fee in rule, and whether the rules already define the manager’s duties. The chair said the amendment addressed those concerns by leaving the timing to current law and relying on existing administrative rules for qualifications and responsibilities. The committee then voted 18-0 to adopt the amendment and 18-0 to recommend SB 209 OTPA, placing it on the consent calendar. The committee then moved to SB 99, which concerns allowing students enrolled in career and technical education programs at receiving comprehensive high schools to take additional academic courses there. The chair said the bill was intended to make it easier for students to access CTE without being blocked by scheduling conflicts in their sending schools, and to clarify how agreements between sending and receiving districts would work. He described concerns about the bill’s cost formula, transportation, part-time versus full-time status, and whether the proposal could unintentionally create open-enrollment or athletic-transfer issues. He said the amendment would mirror existing treatment for homeschool and charter school students, use a familiar funding model, and limit participation to students already enrolled in one or more CTE classes at the receiving school. The chair also emphasized that comprehensive high schools already have a statutory definition and that the bill would help more students participate in CTE, which he said currently reaches only a relatively small share of students statewide. He noted that transportation would be covered only when a CTE bus is available, otherwise students would be responsible for arranging travel as under current practice. After brief discussion, the committee voted 18-0 to adopt the amendment and 18-0 to recommend SB 99 OTPA, also placing it on the consent calendar.

Transcript Highlights:

• So if there is only one road to a polling location, and ICE is blocking it so people can't get through
• They block the road and say, 'We can't use this,' and people turn around and go back and say, 'Well,
• Senator Block, thank you, Mr. Chair and panel.
• taking pictures like the crowd took pictures of me when I walked through outside to, “Hey, there’s Block
• Senator Block. No. Senator Brantley? No. Senator Gallegos. No. Senator Lopez. Yes.

Bills: SB264, SB261

Keywords: election integrity, voter coercion, public safety, emergency procedures, polling place security, health regulations, community welfare, peace promotion, legislative reforms, 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Is Senator Block still in here? Yes, I saw you somewhere. You're up, Senator Block.
• Colonel Block, because he's old, probably had a clipboard as his tool.
• Thank you, Madam Chair and Senator Block again. I thank you for bringing this forward.
• Thank you, Senator Block. Contribute so much, and we shouldn't take them for granted.
• So one thing, **Senator Block** [ID: member_11044], we did receive an amendment.

Bills: SB97, SB55, SB40, SB38, SB120, SB113, SB116, SB117, SB118

Keywords: tax credits, municipality, county property, industrial revenue bonds, economic development, qualified expenditures, solar energy, tax credit, renewable energy, photovoltaic, solar thermal, New Mexico, economic incentive, energy independence, SB40, Driver Privacy and Safety Act, automated license plate reader, ALPR, license plate reader, vehicle surveillance

Transcript Highlights:

• So think of my project as building blocks. I'm stacking them up one by one.
• I'm stacking them up one building blocks I'm stacking them up one by<00:43:22.839> one<00:43:
• and this isn't part of building blocks and this isn't part of my<00:43:56.280> prepared<00:43
• This is one of those building blocks and a really important one that helps to meet the specific needs
• of the building blocks as we um<00:45:37.720> are<00:45:38.119> looking<00:45:38.440><

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• our state definitions on IEPs with the federal definitions due to the fact that We could move into block
• of the things that I've worked with the federal Department of Education on is if the feds were to block
• We are codifying a law and I believe changing the governance structure to be able to receive these block
• that there should be, let's say, a Stakeholder advisory committee or some way that, as the state, if block
• , we have a gap in our funding, and if we don't fix our state definitions with the federal, if the block

Bills: HB1427, SB1403, SB1448, SB1489, SB1546, SB1557, SB1614, SB1377, SB1990, SB1439, SB1630, SB1632, SB1696, SB1796, SB1824, SB1362, SB1849, SB2066, SB2071, SB2104, SB933, SB1633, SB1224, SB1246, SB1280, SB1303, SB1346

Keywords: tax credit, clean-burning fuel, hydrogen fuel cells, compressed natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, environmental impact, vehicle modification, renewable energy, job incentives, tax rebates, Oklahoma Quality Jobs Program, employment growth, wage requirements, Oklahoma Consumer Protection Act, consumer protection, unfair trade practices, deceptive practices, exemptions, statutory exemptions, Corporation Commission

Transcript Highlights:

• We've decided to go ahead and do a block vote on them at our last committee meeting.
• We've heard from each appointee, and we'll be taking up the entire group in a block vote unless someone
• Is there a motion to recommend confirmation by a block vote? Is there an objection?
• Seeing no objection, we will vote then in a block. Seeing no objection, we will vote.
• Then in a block vote on all individuals in tabs 2 through 13.

Summary: The Senate Appropriations Committee on Higher Education met to continue confirmation hearings, but the chair announced the committee would not present its budget that day and would instead roll it out the following week in coordination with House partners and Senate notice requirements. After a quorum was confirmed, the committee discussed how it would handle a large number of university board appointments, noting that some reappointments would be grouped for a block vote while others could be heard individually if members requested it. The committee then heard testimony from a series of appointees and reappointees to university boards. Florida A&M University nominees Roderick Harris, Victor Young, and Rafael Vasquez emphasized service to FAMU, student success, and support for the university’s national standing; Harris highlighted his FAMU background and faculty experience, Young cited his business and health care leadership, and Vasquez described scholarship support through his company. Florida Atlantic University appointees Linda Stock and Thomas Mersh focused on servant leadership, research growth, entrepreneurship, and FAU’s recent R1 designation and quantum computing initiatives. University of Central Florida reappointee Alex Martins discussed UCF’s preeminence goal, workforce needs, and strong nursing outcomes. The committee also heard from Florida Gulf Coast University appointees James Gris-Mall, Douglas Van Orte, Robert Rommel, Sarah Partial Perry, and reappointment Joseph Fogg, who spoke about workforce development, affordability, student success, water and nursing programs, and FGCU’s role in regional economic growth. University of South Florida reappointee Rogan Donnelly highlighted USF’s AAU status, research growth, and workforce-focused programs. Members and the chair responded positively throughout, praising the universities’ achievements and the nominees’ qualifications. At the end of the hearing, the committee voted by block on all nominees in tabs 2 through 13 and recommended them for confirmation without objection. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• simple as saying they have a vacancy and they want to bring back a retired teacher just temporarily, we block
• desperately trying to fill a spot, a principal that has been finding creative solutions, and then we block
• Solutions<00:02:24.680> and<00:02:24.800> then<00:02:24.959> we<00:02:25.160> block
• Creative Solutions and then we block Creative Solutions and then we block them<00:02:25.879>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• When the time came, my parents were able to buy a home of their own on Hewin Street, a few blocks away
• Every summer my family hosts a Hewin Street block party, the longest-standing block party in the city
• A few blocks away. The house became our foundation.
• Every summer my family hosts a Hewin Street block party, the longest standing block party in the city
• Representative, I appreciate the invitation to the block party.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Housing opened a hybrid hearing focused on housing production bills, with Chairs Julian Cyr and Rich Haggerty emphasizing Massachusetts’ housing shortage and the need to produce more than 200,000 units over the next decade. The committee then heard testimony on a wide range of proposals, including social housing, starter homes and the “missing middle,” accessory dwelling units (ADUs), single-stair residential buildings, permanent affordability homeownership, and housing for people with disabilities. Several witnesses framed the bills as tools to expand supply, lower costs, and address racial and generational wealth gaps. Representative Connolly testified for H. 1478 on the Massachusetts Social Housing Program, describing publicly owned, mixed-income housing financed through a revolving loan fund. Senator Feeney testified for S. 989 on missing middle starter homes, arguing for zoning changes, incentives, and affordability tools to support smaller starter homes and duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes. Multiple witnesses, including housing advocates, real estate representatives, and local officials, supported the ADU trust fund bill and the single-stair study bill, saying they would reduce barriers, support homeowners, and enable more family-sized and infill housing. Some witnesses opposed bills they said would weaken ADU reforms or add new restrictions, while others urged broader deregulation to speed production. A major portion of the hearing focused on H. 1576/S. 1010, the Homes for Lasting Affordability bill, which would create a permanent affordability homeownership program for low- and moderate-income buyers and support small developments with long-term affordability restrictions. Testimony from community land trust leaders, legislators, and housing advocates emphasized that permanent affordability can preserve public investment, stabilize neighborhoods, and help families build wealth over generations. Senator Miranda and Representative Worrell tied the bill to closing the racial wealth gap and expanding access to homeownership for Black and Latino residents. The committee also heard testimony on S. 971, which would reform the Housing Development and Incentive Program to require more affordability in Gateway City projects. The committee additionally heard from Senator Kennedy and disability advocates on S. 1004, which would strengthen the Alternative Housing Voucher Program for people with disabilities by codifying project-based vouchers and aligning the program more closely with other voucher systems. Witnesses described long waitlists and the lack of accessible, affordable units as major barriers that can lead to homelessness or unnecessary institutionalization. No votes were taken during the hearing; the session was devoted to testimony and questions from committee members.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have Representative Block. Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you, Madam Vice Chair.
• Representative Block, I'll jump in quickly.
• Every block, practically, we were so saturated.
• Representative Block talked about ACEs.
• Thank you, Representative Block. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• Voting blocks. What voting blocks do we have here in the state of Texas? I'm sorry, voting blocks.
• Part of the Jingles analysis is about voting blocks, is it not?
• So you're not familiar with what the definition is of a voting block? Come on now.
• I don't have detailed knowledge about regarding what a voting block is.
• Tell me, do you know what a voting block is? Well, I may if you'll tell me how you're defining it.

Bills: SB 2, SB 5, SB 9, SB 7, SB 17, SB 4, HB4, HB1, HB3, HB20, HB22, SB9, SB7, SB17, SB4, HB4, SB2, SB5

Keywords: disaster relief, flood preparedness, emergency funding, local government support, meteorological forecasting, school assessment, public education, accountability, transparency, education standards, STAAR, Texas Education Agency, TEA, public school accountability, school ratings, A-F ratings, assessment reform, student testing, benchmark tests, interim assessments

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Block. Senator Boone. Senator Brown. Senator Brantley. Senator Campos. Senator Cervantes.
• Senator Block, we need to clear the line of discussion, please.
• Senator Block. Thank you, Mr. President. Will the sponsor yield for a couple of questions, please?
• Thank you, Senator Block. We have Senator Tobias in next. Thank you, Mr. President.
• Amendment sponsored by Senator Block. Senator Block to move the amendment. Mr.

Transcript Highlights:

• They do so at an administrative rate of roughly less than 3% of the total allocations, including block
• So we have 10 different funding sources that include our block grant, substance use and mental health
• block grant, our discretionary grants like the state opioid grant, that's $103 million, block grants
• We actually, the block grant requires us to do national outcome measure reporting.
• Each state and territory that wants to receive block grant funding has to do reporting on their national

Summary: The subcommittee heard two Department of Children and Families implementation updates on measures passed in prior sessions. First, DCF reviewed House Bill 633, which increased oversight of behavioral health managing entities through biennial independent audits, standardized claims-based reporting, and new monthly outcome dashboards. The department said it had awarded the inaugural audit to Ernst & Young, found no significant waste, fraud, or abuse, but identified process risks involving financial controls, claims validation, data access, and system access controls. DCF also described its transition to standardized behavioral health coding and said the new public dashboard of 11 measures is posted on its website, though members asked for easier access and for hard copies of the audit report. Members asked about how the department distinguishes Medicaid-covered services from department-funded services, how duplicate payment risks are being addressed, and whether the new reporting and audit requirements would improve oversight without disrupting services. DCF said it is the payer of last resort for uninsured or underinsured individuals, that some overlap with Medicaid is expected because Medicaid does not cover all behavioral health services, and that new claims edits and cross-checks are being built into the system. The department also said it had not found significant negative feedback from providers and that the new requirements are intended to improve transparency and accountability. DCF then updated the committee on Senate Bill 7012, covering human trafficking data collection, domestic violence center certification, limited background-screening exemptions, expanded recruitment for child welfare staff, subcontractor liability protections, a four-year treatment foster care pilot, case management efficiency recommendations, and a statewide study of residential bed capacity for child victims of commercial sexual exploitation. The department said several items are already complete or underway, including limited exemptions in the screening clearinghouse, while others are in procurement or rulemaking. It identified Circuits 4 and 12 as the treatment foster care pilot sites and said the pilot will launch in January 2026. Members questioned recruitment metrics, pilot timing, and report deadlines; the department said final reports are expected by January and that some dates were flexible because of procurement and implementation timelines. The meeting ended after the presentations and questions, and the subcommittee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Amendments on block offered pursuant to this section shall be considered as read.
• Amendments on block described in section Amendments on block described in section 8 of this resolution
• Amendments on block offered pursuant to this section shall be considered as read.
• It is It is a voter suppression bill designed to block millions of eligible voters from casting their
• We successfully blocked every anti-transgender rider in the fiscal year 2026 government funding bills

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you, Senator Block. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I appreciate the lieutenant governor being here.
• Senator Block? Pass. Senator Block? Pass. Senator Brantley? Yes. Senator Brantley? Yes.
• And Senator Block has passed, I guess, with the vote of seven in favor.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And then all of the child care development block grant, home visiting, all that came into the department
• ><00:05:04.800> grant,<00:05:05.240> home<00:05:05.440> visiting, development block
• TANF is a federal block grant.
• And we were also monitoring our TANF block grant and our carryforward dollars.
• the uh child care development block the uh child care development block grants<00:45:20.800>

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes from its September 24 meeting after a motion and second. It then heard a presentation from New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Secretary Elizabeth Gragensky on that state’s early childhood system and planned universal child care rollout. She described how New Mexico consolidated multiple prenatal-to-age-five programs into a cabinet-level department, expanded pre-K to a longer day, and uses a cost model to set reimbursement rates intended to cover true provider costs, including wages, benefits, occupancy, food, and reserves. She also said the state created an Early Childhood Trust Fund and secured a constitutional amendment to dedicate 0.60% of the land grant permanent fund to early care and education, with the department’s budget growing from about $400 million in 2021 to just under $1 billion this year. Gragensky said families can begin applying for universal child care on November 1, with participation voluntary for both families and providers. She reported that New Mexico is aiming to expand capacity by adding 1,000 registered home providers, 120 group homes, and about 55 more centers, supported in part by a $13 million low-interest loan fund and a request for an additional $20 million. She said the state has seen growth in early childhood professionals, including a 64% increase over the last three to four years, and pointed to reported outcomes such as a 21% increase in literacy and a 75% kindergarten readiness rate, while noting that some measures are new and baseline comparisons are still being developed. Members asked about the funding sources, provider profitability, workforce development, and measurable outcomes. Gragensky said the program is designed to support provider sustainability through rates tied to true cost and includes allowances for sick leave, vacation, benefits, and reserves. She also said maternal labor force participation is 10% higher than the national rate and attributed that in part to child care access. The committee then moved to a separate presentation by Department for Community Based Services Commissioner Lisa Dennis and Division of Family Support Director Roger McCann on anticipated cuts to TANF and SNAP, beginning with an overview of TANF as a federal block grant with a fixed annual Kentucky allocation of about $180.7 million.