Transcript Highlights:

• 2 3 4 The Committee on Natural Resources will come to order. The clerk will call the roll.
• Placards or other objects of similar nature prohibited food and drink are prohibited in the hearing room
• So both these bills have passed unanimously out of natural resources in full transparency.
• I think great things about the MERGE model that we have is it's low-cost. cost, low overhead nature,
• This led five river authorities, the Angelina Natures, the Oasis, Red River, Sulphur.

Bills: HB279 , HB310 , HB365 , HB391 , HB420 , HB422 , HB638 , HB279 , HB310

Committee: House Natural Resources

Keywords: HB 279, uranium mining, uranium permit, production area authorization, production zone, Texas Water Code, TCEQ, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, contested case hearing, administrative hearing, groundwater restoration, groundwater baseline, water quality, mining permit, restoration values, natural resources, environmental regulation, in-situ uranium mining, permit amendment, public hearing

Transcript Highlights:

• you guys who were here with the previous testimony, when Governor Abbott suspended the emergency declaration

Bills: HB279 , HB310 , HB365 , HB391 , HB420 , HB422 , HB638 , HB279 , HB310

Committee: House Natural Resources

Keywords: HB 279, uranium mining, uranium permit, production area authorization, production zone, Texas Water Code, TCEQ, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, contested case hearing, administrative hearing, groundwater restoration, groundwater baseline, water quality, mining permit, restoration values, natural resources, environmental regulation, in-situ uranium mining, permit amendment, public hearing

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> talk about limited federal government. talk about limited federal government.
• disasters.
• </c><08:15:32.958><c> Republicans</c> during natural disasters.
• Republicans during natural disasters.
• That's the disaster.

Bills: HR884 , HB2096 , HR489

Keywords: special rule, House Rules Committee, procedural resolution, floor procedure, waiver of points of order, structured rule, amendment in the nature of a substitute, motion to recommit, House debate, legislative process, H.R. 6039, commonsense priorities, majority leader, minority leader, Congressional Record, House resolution, law enforcement, collective bargaining, Montgomery Police Department, disciplinary matters

Transcript Highlights:

• Right now in emergency response or emergency declarations regarding animal disease.
• Federal employees? Yes, sir, they are federal employees. Boy, beans and bacon. Yes, sir. All right.
• Instances for natural disasters and things like that.
• That deer was marked with natural hair dyes so it could be identified after treatment.
• And now the federal government has formally recognized the urgency by declaring an emergency and authorizing

Committee: House Agriculture & Livestock

Transcript Highlights:

• It's not a federal program.
• The House Natural Resources and Disaster Subcommittee visited last week and was able to see these improvements
• We've got a lot of open disasters. ...team now to talk about a lot of disasters.
• We've got a lot of open disasters with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and I want to give you
• with all federal requirements since it's federal money.

Committee: Senate Military and Veterans Affairs, Space, and Domestic Security

Summary: The committee first heard a presentation from Major General James Hartzell of the Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs on the agency’s mission, outreach efforts, state veterans nursing homes, and support programs. He highlighted Florida’s large and growing veteran population, the state’s existing nursing homes and the planned 10th home in Collier County, and the department’s dental assistance program, which served 245 veterans in the first quarter of the fiscal year and completed 1,631 procedures while saving more than $525,000. He also discussed veteran service officers, the benefits guide, the department newsletter, efforts to reduce veteran homelessness, and mental health outreach through the Overwatch/Firewatch program. Senators asked about future nursing home locations, adult day health care, homelessness, and the dental program; Hartzell also announced that retired Colonel D.J. Reyes will become deputy executive director on November 7. The committee then heard from Kevin Guthrie, Executive Director of the Division of Emergency Management, on disaster response, recovery, and agency modernization. He described the State Emergency Response Team, the new Florida Central Operations and Coordination Office warehouse in Auburndale, and the new state emergency operations center in Tallahassee, which is ahead of schedule and designed to hold about 220 people and withstand 200-mph winds. Guthrie reviewed recovery efforts for recent storms, including debris removal, volunteer villages, sheltering, and FEMA reimbursement totals for Hurricanes Milton, Helene, Debbie, Idalia, Ian, and earlier storms. He also discussed the Elevate Florida home-elevation program, the Florida Recovery Obligation Calculation training initiative, the DEMES platform, and WebEOC, noting that 60 counties and 22 colleges and universities are using the system. Members asked Guthrie about flood-response resources for cities, training for local officials, and lessons from inland flooding after recent storms. He explained how local governments can request pumps and other assistance through county and state channels, described upcoming elected-official training, and emphasized mutual aid and EMAC as key future disaster-response tools. The committee took no formal votes or other legislative action and adjourned at the end of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• disaster Is substantially damaged or destroyed by a governor-declared disaster may be transferred to
• located within the same county that's acquired or newly constructed within five years after the disaster
• Obviously, a very difficult time dealing with that disaster and the rebuilding process affecting the
• SB 1053 authorizes the County Board of Supervisors of any county affected by a disaster declared by the
• I'm a big proponent of local control, particularly in times of disasters.

Committee: Senate Revenue and Taxation

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and heard two main bills before taking several votes. SB 1053 by Senator Nilo would let county boards of supervisors in counties affected by a governor-declared disaster on or after January 1, 2026, extend by up to three years the five-year deadline for transferring a damaged property’s base-year property tax value to replacement property. Nilo argued the measure is needed because recent wildfires and other disasters make rebuilding within five years unrealistic, and members from both parties supported the bill as a common-sense local-control measure for disaster recovery. The committee voted 5-0 to pass SB 1053 to Appropriations. The committee then heard SB 888 by Senator Sayarto, which would exclude VA service-connected disability compensation from household income when determining eligibility for the low-income disabled veterans’ property tax exemption. Sayarto said the current rule can unfairly disqualify disabled veterans by counting their disability benefits as income, creating a catch-22 that can threaten housing stability. Members praised the bill as bipartisan, fair, and helpful to veterans on fixed incomes, and Sayarto accepted committee amendments. The committee voted 5-0 to pass SB 888 as amended to the Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs. The committee also adopted a consent calendar containing SB 999, SB 1073, and SB 881. After the roll was completed, SB 1053 was confirmed out on a 5-0 vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• DISASTER BY SENATOR GAETZ, YOUR RECOGNIZED. >> Sen.
• AND NANCY STEWART WAIVING IN SUPPORT, FLORIDA POULTRY FEDERATION.
• THE KINDS OF REVIEW THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
• NEXT WE HAVE SCOTT CHALET WITH FLORIDA RETAIL FEDERATION.
• SOLUTION, THAT THERE'S MORE ENERGY FOR A FEDERAL SOLUTION.

Transcript Highlights:

• So the current number of precincts that we're currently doing in the federal process is sufficient enough
• disaster.
• While the federal law allows military personnel to receive absentee ballots electronically, it does not
• While the federal law allows military personnel to receive absentee ballots electronically, it does not
• Emergency contingency plans, if necessary, to be in a state of emergency declared by the governor, and

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Election Laws

Summary: The Committee on Election Laws held a hearing on election security bills, focusing first on S. 517 and H. 876, which would strengthen Massachusetts’ post-election audit process. Testimony from the Brennan Center, Common Cause Massachusetts, Verified Voting, and the League of Women Voters supported expanding audits to include all ballot types, increasing audit frequency from every four years to every two years, requiring statewide audit reports to be posted within 30 days and kept online for six years, and allowing municipalities to conduct audits under state standards. Witnesses also praised the bill’s creation of a work group to study risk-limiting audits and other improvements, emphasizing public confidence, transparency, and the ability of audits to detect errors or deter fraud. Committee members asked detailed questions about how Massachusetts compares with other states, how risk-limiting audits differ from current tabulation audits, how audits are selected and expanded if discrepancies appear, and what the costs and mechanics of different audit methods would be. Witnesses explained that current audits are typically random, hand-count-based checks of selected contests and batches of ballots, that risk-limiting audits use statistical sampling and can escalate to a full recount if needed, and that Massachusetts’ local-control structure makes a collaborative work group useful. They also noted that audits generally confirm results but can uncover errors that do not change outcomes, and occasionally more serious problems. The committee then heard testimony on H. 832, which would authorize the Secretary of the Commonwealth to take emergency actions affecting elections during declared emergencies. Supporters said the bill would create a clear statutory process for rescheduling or adjusting elections during severe weather or other crises, including allowing emergency absentee ballot accommodations for civilian responders, and would reduce the need for court intervention. No votes were taken on the bills during the hearing, and the meeting ended with adjournment after no additional testimony was offered.

Transcript Highlights:

• this federal government... ...tax dollars to the federal government than any other state by far, and
• or disasters in general that are paid for pursuant to DRIOA or the Governor's disaster...
• Paid for as pursuant to DRIOA or the Governor's disaster declaration would come out of the SFEU, so I
• federal tax credits for housing.
• sources or is backed by federal dollars?

Committee: House Budget

Transcript Highlights:

• disaster assistance for school districts or county offices of education impacted by a natural disaster
• We did also have sort of concurrently some requests related to natural disaster assistance going through
• Additionally, there was natural disaster assistance funding provided to Berry Creek Elementary School
• Proposition 2, although it establishes that new authority for the board to provide natural disaster assistance
• So rebuilding of schools damaged or destroyed in natural disasters would come from the overall bond authority

Transcript Highlights:

• The overwhelming majority of those incidents never reach a federal disaster declaration.
• The overwhelming majority of those incidents never reach a federal disaster declaration.
• The $1 billion of federal pass-through is for declared disasters, public assistance, assistance from
• federally declared disasters that are able to directly impact Florida communities and facilitate their
• We have 25 open disasters. Thirteen disasters were actually closed between 2023 and 2024.

Summary: The committee met to review agency program funding as it prepared to build the budget, hearing brief presentations from six agencies and then taking member questions. Florida Division of Emergency Management highlighted its role in response, preparedness, recovery, and mitigation, describing a largely federal pass-through budget, major technology investments, and large disaster and preparedness grant activity. The Department of Commerce, Department of State, Florida Housing Finance Corporation, Department of Transportation, Department of Military Affairs, Florida State Guard, and Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles also summarized their budgets, staffing, and major programs, including workforce and economic development, elections and arts funding, housing assistance, transportation work programs, military readiness, state guard expansion, and highway safety and motorist services. Members focused questions on several issues: arts and library grant funding and whether award criteria had changed; Commerce’s rural infrastructure and job growth grants and why funds were not being disbursed faster; Florida Housing’s use of SAIL, Live Local, Hometown Heroes, and SHIP funds and how smaller agencies learn about and access funding; and DOT’s work program gap between agency and governor proposals. The most extensive questioning was directed to Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles about long DMV lines, vacancies, overtime, staffing shortages, and the ability to shift funds between divisions. The department said staffing and pay constraints, especially in South Florida, were driving service delays and vacancy rates, and that overtime was being used because troopers were leaving for better-paying jobs. The Florida State Guard was also questioned about its spending and procurement pace, including aircraft purchases and facilities. Its director said long procurement timelines explained the low initial spending and that obligations had risen sharply as contracts matured. Members also asked about the department’s public opposition to Amendment 3 and whether agency resources were used in that effort; the director said no contracts or purchases were made to influence the vote and said the colonel’s comments were made off the clock. The meeting ended with the chair asking agencies to respond promptly to unanswered questions, and the committee adjourned without any recorded votes or formal actions beyond receiving the presentations and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• California's first governor stood before the first legislature in the state of California and declared
• That infamous declaration paved the way for destruction and persecution of tribal communities across
• These amendments were technical and clarifying in nature.
• Assembly Joint Resolution 27 by Assembly Member Harabedian and others relative to federal disaster aid
• Rabbis declared boycotted grapes non-kosher and lobbied in Sacramento.

Summary: The Assembly convened after a quorum call, opened with a Native American prayer/song and a moment of silence for former staff member Eric Washington, then proceeded through a series of procedural motions, guest introductions, and floor ceremonies. Members also recognized Assemblymember Ward’s birthday and welcomed several guests, including family members, business and community leaders, firefighters, and students. A major portion of the meeting was devoted to the Native American Day ceremony and adoption of ACR 208 by Assemblymember Ramos, which recognized California Native American Day and the California Indian Cultural Awareness Conference. Multiple caucus leaders spoke in support, emphasizing Native history, sovereignty, cultural preservation, missing and murdered Indigenous people, and the need to tell California’s history honestly. The resolution was adopted by voice vote after 61 coauthors were added, followed by a ceremonial honoring of tribal elders and leaders. The Assembly also adopted several other resolutions and concurred in Senate amendments on multiple bills. These included ACR 126 designating the Captain Vida Anderson Memorial Highway, AB 1651 requiring disclosure of AI use in bar exam development, AB 2789 on mediation, AJR 27 urging federal disaster aid for Eaton and Palisades fire victims, and AB 2134 protecting local officials taking parental leave. Later, ACR 213 designated September 2026 as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, HR 102 recognized Filipino American History Month, and ACR 230 proclaimed California Firefighter Appreciation Month and California Firefighters Memorial Day; all were adopted with broad support and many coauthors. The Senate file also began with SCR 136 on coastal protection and SJR 12 opposing offshore drilling, with debate reflecting strong environmental opposition and a dissenting view that the resolution was too absolute and could raise energy costs.

Transcript Highlights:

• The emergency project had to stem from a certified disaster declared by the governor in the last three
• An emergency as a result of a natural disaster declared such by the governor. Declared a disaster.
• Under the state, the SWEDPA programs consist of federal dollars.
• We are ultimately trying to fund with the federal dollars.
• private capital for every federal dollar.

Committee: House New Mexico Finance Authority Oversight Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• Representative Mayhew clarified that he was asking whether locals can use federal dollars to match federal
• dollars, such as using part of one federal grant to match another federal grant.
• We see a fair amount of federal lapse, and I’m asking if you could expand a little bit more on the federal
• they are still waiting on many of the national declared disasters from last year.
• Carver said they are still waiting to see whether they will receive funds for the national declared disasters

Committee: House Budget

Transcript Highlights:

• The way the calculation is done, it's a federal calculation.
• It's not a federal program.
• The House Natural Resources and Disaster Subcommittee visited last week and was able to see these improvements
• We've got a lot of open disasters.
• We've got a lot of open disasters with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and I want to kind of

Summary: The committee first heard a presentation from Major General James Hartzell of the Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs on the agency’s outreach, benefits assistance, and state veterans nursing homes. He highlighted Florida’s large and growing veteran population, the decline in World War II and Vietnam-era veterans, and the increase in post-9/11 veterans moving to the state. Hartzell discussed the state veterans nursing home system, including a new Collier County facility that will include skilled nursing, assisted living, adult day health care, and outpatient therapy, and he said the department is also studying future adult day health care expansion and possible additional homes in underserved areas. He also reported on the dental program funded by the Legislature, saying 245 veterans were served in the first quarter of the fiscal year, with 1,631 procedures completed and more than $525,000 in savings, and he credited the added state veterans service officer positions with helping connect more veterans to benefits. Hartzell also noted a 13% year-over-year reduction in homeless veterans, emphasized mental health outreach through SaveFLVets.org and the Overwatch program, and announced a new deputy executive director, retired Colonel D.J. Reyes. Members asked about the need for additional veterans homes in South Florida, the criteria used to site new homes, the homeless veteran reduction, and whether adult day health care could be added at existing facilities. Hartzell explained that federal criteria focus on the availability of private skilled nursing beds for veterans 65 and older, and that adult day health care is state-funded and being studied for broader deployment. He also said the department tracks where homeless veterans are concentrated and works with local partners and organizations like Tunnels to Towers to provide housing and services that reduce recidivism. The committee also discussed Florida’s national reputation for veteran support, including Veterans Month and the state’s culture of veteran awareness. The committee then received a presentation from Kevin Guthrie, Executive Director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, on disaster response, recovery, and technology systems. Guthrie described the State Emergency Response Team, the new Florida Central Operations and Coordination Office in Auburndale, and the new State Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee, which is expected to be fully operational by spring 2026 and will significantly expand capacity and hardening. He reviewed recovery efforts for Hurricanes Helene, Milton, Debbie, Idalia, Ian, Irma, Michael, Dorian, Sally, Nicole, and others, including sheltering, travel trailers, debris removal, and FEMA reimbursement totals. Guthrie said Florida removed more than 31.6 million cubic yards of debris from Helene and Milton in 90 days on a 24/7 basis, and he described Elevate Florida, the Florida Recovery Obligation Calculation (FROC), the DEMES platform, and WebEOC as tools to streamline recovery, mitigation, and intergovernmental coordination. Members asked about flood-response resources for cities, the state’s use of pumps and mutual aid, and lessons learned from inland flooding after Milton. Guthrie said local governments should first use county and city mutual aid, then request state assistance when needed, and he encouraged more partnerships for staging and maintaining flood equipment. He also said future flood mitigation must address outdated development patterns, watershed flow, and the need for better drainage planning, while continuing temporary fixes and homeowner assistance programs. The committee ended with no votes or formal actions beyond adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• They protect consumers during wildfires, earthquakes, floods, pandemics, and other natural disasters.
• the disaster.
• In the wake of such a natural disaster, families often face immense pressure to sell.
• to the performance of those federal duties.
• Federal duties.

Committee: House Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• The threat of natural disasters increases as our... ...natural disaster resiliency.
• The threat of natural disasters increases as our climate continues to change.
• Unfortunately, wildfire is not the only natural disaster that threatens our state.
• California is facing the risk and reality of more frequent and severe natural disasters, including wildfires
• California is facing the risk and reality of more frequent and severe natural disasters, including wildfires

Committee: House Revenue and Taxation

Transcript Highlights:

• There being 35 members present, quorum's declared, Senate's authorized and prepared to do business.
• </c> trust fund, and declaring an emergency. trust fund, and declaring an emergency.
• ><c> Energy,</c><00:48:02.480><c> Senate</c> To Natural Resources and Energy, Senate To Natural Resources
• Natural Resources will be meeting tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. in room 129 in the Annex.
• </c><01:00:12.080><c> Natural</c> communicate with the body. Natural communicate with the body.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> federal land and cutting bureaucracy. federal land and cutting bureaucracy.
• </c> twothirds of the federal workforce. twothirds of the federal workforce.
• We support the federal workforce. We want to make the federal workforce harder.
• We support the federal workforce. We want to make the federal workforce harder.
• stating... declaration.

Bills: HCR66 , HB2550 , HR432 , HB3898 , HB3383 , HB3638 , HB3628 , HR939

Keywords: military funding, defense, appropriations, fiscal year, government, labor relations, collective bargaining, federal employees, workforce protection, executive order, federal labor relations, labor management, federal oversight, government reform, Clean Water Act, Federal Water Pollution Control Act, PERMIT Act, waters of the United States, WOTUS, EPA

Transcript Highlights:

• Staff, declare the vote. We'll declare your bill to have passed.
• Declare the vote. We'll declare your bill to pass and recommend it for the next committee.
• The federal court process is a disaster. I agree with you 100%.
• Declare the vote. Thank you. Declare the vote. Seven aye, one nay.
• Staff, close the vote and declare the vote. Staff, close the vote and declare the vote.

Bills: HB3048 , HB3259 , HB3646 , HB3696 , HB3780 , HB3781 , HB3802 , HB3818 , HB4294 , HB4488 , HB2929

Committee: House Insurance

Summary: The committee heard a series of insurance-related bills, with much of the discussion focused on homeowners insurance rates, transparency, and regulatory oversight. House Bill 3696, a proposed rate-approval style measure for homeowners insurance, drew extensive questioning about whether it would actually lower premiums, its comparison to Texas, the role of the Insurance Department and Attorney General, and possible effects on carriers and agents. The author said the bill was intended to increase transparency and consumer protections, acknowledged it was a work in progress, and agreed to strike the title and keep working with the committee. The bill ultimately passed the committee on a recorded vote. The committee also advanced House Bill 3259, which would prohibit certain health care contract clauses such as all-or-nothing, anti-steering, gag, and most-favored-nation provisions; House Bill 4294, a follow-up to Dylan’s Law dealing with epilepsy-related insurance coverage and neurostimulator devices; and House Bill 4488, which would let the Insurance Commissioner appoint an impartial umpire when a body shop and insurer cannot agree on a loss value. House Bill 3646, a broad and still-developing insurance bill involving rate review, litigation, venue, AI use, and Attorney General involvement, generated substantial concern from members about workability, litigation, and agent exposure. Its author said it was not final, but the committee voted it down. Later, the committee passed House Bill 3048, a cleanup measure for surplus lines licensing laws; House Bill 3780, requiring an independent actuary review as a transparency measure; House Bill 3781, changing the timing from use-and-file to file-and-use with a 60-day review period while the author said he did not want rate approval; House Bill 3802, delaying rate adjustments after a spouse’s death until renewal; House Bill 3818, creating a home and auto savings account framework intended to help policyholders raise deductibles and lower premiums; and House Bill 2929, which limits how far back insurers may look at homeowners and auto claims for underwriting purposes. Most of these bills passed with little or no opposition after brief questioning.