Transcript Highlights:

• that license system upgrade. that license system upgrade.
• We license and regulate funeral establishments and funeral licenses.
• All pawn industry licenses were issued a license January 14th.
• All pawn industry licenses were issued a license January 14th.
• that time 118 licenses were issued. that time 118 licenses were issued.

Keywords: Appropriations - Room 216, 22 January, 2026; 8:00 AM, 925, all

Summary: The hearing began with the State Board of Architecture’s budget presentation. The executive director described the board’s mission to regulate architecture, landscape architecture, and certified interior design to protect public health and safety. He highlighted the board’s consolidated structure, license totals, high reciprocity rate, recent rule changes to reduce barriers to practice, and a proposed FY 2027 budget of $368,123, which included a 5% staff salary increase and higher operating costs. He also noted a newly identified need to modernize the licensing system, estimated at at least $25,000, and asked that the board not be reduced below the requested level. A board member also praised the small staff’s responsiveness and effectiveness. The State Board of Public Accountancy then presented its budget and policy requests. The executive director said the board regulates CPAs and CPA firms, oversees the CPA exam process, and has about 3,600 active individual licensees and 800 firms. The board requested only a 3% compensation increase for staff, plus a special request to allow an audit supervisor to repay the cost of a Becker review course through payroll deduction as part of succession planning. She also described a board-approved waiver program that began January 1, eliminating application fees for CPA exam candidates and retakes; 42 candidates had used the waiver in the first two weeks. In response to questions, she said the board does not assist CPAs with IRS disputes, but it does investigate complaints from the IRS, SEC, PCAOB, or others. Finally, a representative presented for the Board of Licensed Professional Counselors. She explained that the board regulates licensed counselors and psychotherapy providers, meets frequently, and has two staff members. The board’s main request was for additional investigative capacity: a full-time investigator and related funding, because complaints are currently handled by part-time investigators, contractors, and sometimes board members, which can require recusals from hearings. She said the state auditor had recently flagged complaint backlogs at regulatory agencies, supporting the request. The board also sought funding for a contractual administrative position, salary progressions, and a one-time technology increase to modify its new licensing system for the counseling compact and better search functions. Members questioned the board about its large cash balance, which was reported at about $860,000, and whether it should provide fee relief or other benefits to members; the presenter said the board would look into that and noted that revenues had increased significantly in recent years, partly due to out-of-state and telehealth-related licensing demand.

Transcript Highlights:

• all set up. all set up. >> Excellent.
• . licenses. licenses.
• or that setting, and that setting is much more.
• in this setting in this setting or<00:25:51.440> that<00:25:51.760> setting<00:25:
• 25:53.600> much or that setting and that setting is much or that setting and that setting is much

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The Legislative Budget Office Oversight Commission met on January 22, 2026, with a quorum present and approved the minutes from the December 17, 2025 meeting. The main presentation was by Erikica McKeler of the National Conference of State Legislatures on dynamic fiscal notes, dynamic scoring, and how they differ from static fiscal notes. She explained that dynamic analysis tries to capture broader economic and behavioral effects of policy changes, but that most states have experimented with it only briefly, often for tax bills, and many have later scaled back or abandoned the practice because it is staff-intensive, expensive, and difficult to validate. McKeler highlighted examples from Texas, Utah, and Arkansas. Texas requires dynamic fiscal impact statements for certain large tax or fee measures and for the biennial appropriations bill; Utah has done such analyses on request during the interim but only when staff time allows; and Arkansas recently began producing dynamic fiscal notes with thresholds and request limits. She noted that these states generally use REMI software, though Utah switched to IMPLAN for cost reasons. She also outlined common challenges, including the need for strong staff expertise, the sensitivity of results to assumptions, the expense of software licenses, and the difficulty of measuring accuracy over time. Members then discussed whether dynamic scoring could be useful for health and human services programs where a policy may shift costs between settings rather than create a simple new expense. Senator Marty raised a Medicaid example involving home-based blue light therapy for newborns, arguing that dynamic analysis might better capture potential savings from avoiding longer hospital stays. Legislative Budget Office and Minnesota Management and Budget staff responded that such effects may be better understood as direct program substitutions rather than true dynamic effects, and emphasized the need for reliable data and caution because savings estimates could reduce appropriations if they do not materialize. The discussion also touched on whether dynamic models would capture local government impacts, but no formal action was taken beyond the approval of minutes and receipt of the presentation.

Transcript Highlights:

• We've got a list of witnesses set up for today in the chair.
• , manufacturer and distributor licenses.
• Paper plate, a set of metal license plates will be assigned at the time.
• Law enforcement will be able to query that license plate as well.
• I believe that number hovers around 231 different. license dealers.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• important con set of concerns. important con set of concerns.
• and just giving the child a phone to set and just giving the child a phone to set up<00:32:12.240
• are setting up the device with you.
• set up your<00:37:04.320> device.
• That is not a feasible approach. settings are set to be so controlling settings are set to be so controlling

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The subcommittee work session focused on House Bill 293, which would prevent minors from accessing obscenity on certain internet-connected electronic devices. Chair Pardell opened by noting the bill had been discussed several times and that the goal was to find language acceptable to the committee. Representative Coutab argued the bill is important for child safety, said parents vary in technical ability, and pointed to Apple as evidence that filtering tools can be implemented. He asked whether the other members saw a path forward and what it might look like. Representatives McFarland and Tur both said they support the underlying concern but questioned the bill’s structure and practicality. McFarland emphasized parental responsibility and individual liberty, said any final language should avoid infringing on rights or creating indirect pressure on corporations, and suggested looking at other states’ approaches and Apple’s closed ecosystem as a limited example. Tur said the bill may solve one problem while creating others, especially by placing the burden on device manufacturers and browsers rather than on the content providers; he cited the recent Texas Paxton decision as an example of a more targeted age-verification approach aimed at websites. Both expressed concern that a broad device-level mandate may be difficult to implement consistently across different platforms. Chair Pardell responded that the bill is intended to add protective measures rather than impose a blanket ban, and compared it to existing restrictions on minors accessing alcohol, tobacco, or pornographic magazines. She said the proposal is meant to ask for the user’s age during device setup, not to require identification or database checks, and stressed that parents would still be responsible for entering accurate information. Members also discussed whether Apple’s tools are generalizable to Android and other ecosystems, whether the market is already developing solutions, and whether a parent-facing filter or device-level controls would be the best route. Pardell said the committee had received public feedback and that another work session would likely be held in October; no vote or final action was taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• licensing.
• plain old hunting license and a fishing plain old hunting license and a fishing license<00:35:13.880
• <00:35:15.920> increase license we did not do a license increase license we did not do a license
• All of your marine licenses.”
• I got my license, so it's a lot.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Division 2 Finance Committee heard an overview and budget presentation from New Hampshire Fish and Game, led by new Executive Director Stephanie Simi and Business Division Chief Kathy Leonti. The agency described its mission to conserve and manage fish, wildlife, and marine resources, and emphasized growing pressures from disease, climate impacts, habitat change, and increased public demand. Simi said the department is largely funded by hunting and fishing license revenue and federal grants, is reviewing staffing and internal processes, and faces critical needs including permanent funding for environmental review staff, infrastructure and IT modernization, and possible service reductions if additional support is not found. Members asked about specific program and policy issues, including chronic wasting disease in deer, hemorrhagic disease in rabbits and hares, moose population decline, and a proposed bait-disease bill. The department said it is actively monitoring diseases and did not see a need for the bait bill at this time. Legislators also discussed the Hike Safe program, which the department said has grown from an expected $100,000 annually to more than $300,000, and a possible boating version of that program, which the department said remains under consideration but would involve complex logistics and multiple agencies. Questions were also raised about rescue costs, out-of-state hikers, and whether boat registrations could be used as a revenue source; Fish and Game said boat registration is handled by the Department of Safety, though the department receives $5 per registered boat for the public boat access program. The budget discussion focused on revenue projections, use of unrestricted Fish and Game funds, and dependence on federal reimbursements. Leonti said the department met the governor’s general fund target but not the Fish and Game fund target without using surplus unrestricted funds, leaving only about $100,000 in the fund by the end of the biennium. She said the budget uses more than $18 million in Fish and Game funds annually against about $14 million in unrestricted revenue, and that five of 193 full-time positions remain unfunded. The department warned that if federal grants were halted, it could cost about $5 million over five months and force the Fish and Game fund to cover the gap. Committee members also requested that future presentations be sent electronically in advance, and the department agreed to do so.

Transcript Highlights:

• Gpt enterprise licenses may be used for agency work.
• We have licensees consistently asking what license to I need.
• I'm a fan of set the floor, not the ceiling.
• We don't set. You know, it's it's it's a you can't do all of these things.
• I think it's really important to set the floor, not the ceiling. This technology is here.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:05:06.240> board may result in licensing board may result in licensing board discipline
• to harmed persons by licensed to harmed persons by licensed professionals. professionals. professionals
• experienced that harm from licensed experienced that harm from licensed therapists<00:40:53.240>
• complaint against a licensed complaint against a licensed professional. professional. professional
• interest standards set by federal law. interest standards set by federal law.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• > and licensing, discipline, recordkeeping and licensing, discipline, recordkeeping and rule<00
• <00:41:16.880> portal completion of the new licensing portal completion of the new licensing
• fact that a person held a license.
• . is to say if a license is suspended and is to say if a license is suspended and I<00:49:42.480>
• They can get a compact license.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee opened by approving the September 5, 2025 minutes, with one member asking that future minutes use honorifics such as Mr. or Ms. The agenda was then adjusted so Police Standards and Training could present first. Director John Skipa reported on the 2019 performance audit, saying 12 of 16 findings were fully resolved and the remaining items were substantially or partially resolved. He highlighted work on a job task analysis to update curriculum and develop a more realistic physical aptitude test, including possible replacement of the long-used Cooper test and a shift away from mandatory baton training toward electronic weapons training. He said stakeholder work groups would meet in October and November, with a goal of completing the work by the first quarter of 2026. On the strategic planning and performance measurement finding, Skipa said the agency had relied on the 2019 audit and the LEAC report as guides while also implementing a digital records system. He acknowledged that a formal forward-looking strategic plan with the council had not yet been completed, but said he and the council chair wanted to do so, possibly through a retreat-style planning session. Members asked how many LEAC recommendations had been fully implemented; Skipa said he did not know the exact number but believed nearly all of the 22 items assigned to his agency were complete. On the administrative rules finding, he said a part-time former director had been brought back to help revise outdated rules, the council subcommittee had finished its work, and proposed changes would be sent to the full council, then to stakeholders and the public, with a public hearing expected and implementation targeted for 2026. For the Corrections Advisory Committee finding, Skipa said the committee had been reconvened in 2020 and 2021 but had limited usefulness because the statutorily named members were mostly high-level administrators rather than line supervisors or newer corrections staff. He said some positions later went unfilled because of budget and staffing issues, and the committee had not been called back, but he was open to either informal adjustments or possible legislative changes to make the committee more useful. Committee members suggested that the statute may need to be amended to allow more appropriate designees or supervisors to participate. After Police Standards and Training concluded, the committee moved on to the Office of Professional Licensure and Certification, where the executive director said he would focus on the partially resolved items in the dental examiner audit and the National Path audit, noting that many changes were tied to recent statutory revisions.

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill sets a floor of 25 basis points and a ceiling of 150 basis points based on the Wall Street Journal
• Do you have enough money to pay claims based on the way these rates are set up?
• for that particular risk. ...over time, that the proper rate is set for that particular risk.
• They told me that I'd call a third party and had to set up an agreement with them.
• It also provides authority to the state to purchase multi-year software licenses and subscriptions to

Summary: The Senate Committee on Banking and Insurance met with a quorum present and heard a full agenda of bills, most of which were reported favorably. Early in the meeting, SB 1000 on trust fund interest for attorney trust accounts was explained as setting a floor and ceiling tied to the Wall Street Journal prime rate and passed without objection after supportive testimony from banking and credit union groups. The committee then took up CS/SB 1082 on a statewide provider and health plan claim dispute resolution program; the sponsor described it as a way to move emergency out-of-network payment disputes away from costly litigation and into an independent dispute resolution process modeled on the federal No Surprises Act. A proposed amendment drew significant questions from senators and concerns from the Florida Insurance Council about confusion over state versus federal eligibility and possible effects on contracted rates, and the sponsor ultimately withdrew the amendment. The underlying bill was then supported by health care and insurance stakeholders and reported favorably. SB 684 on electronic signatures for total loss vehicles and vessels also passed, with Progressive Insurance waiving in support. The committee next approved CS/SB 158 on pet insurance, which requires continuing education for agents, clearer consumer disclosures, and annual reporting to OIR; the amendment was technical and adopted. SB 1494 on breast cancer screening coverage was presented as expanding required coverage for mammograms and supplemental screenings for certain insurance products, and it passed with support from cancer and radiology groups. CS/SB 314 on digital asset issuers was amended to create a Florida framework for payment stablecoin issuers consistent with the federal GENIUS Act, allowing state-level regulation as an alternative to federal supervision, and was reported favorably. SB 1500 on uncontested probate proceedings, including higher small-estate thresholds and clearer authority for personal representatives, also passed after a banking-related amendment requiring letters of administration for safe deposit box access was adopted. Later, the committee approved CS/SB 618 on workers’ compensation insurance, which raises the consent-to-rate cap for workers’ comp policies from 10% to 20% and adjusts the Florida Workers’ Compensation Guarantee Association board membership; a carrier representative testified that the change would help keep more high-risk accounts in the voluntary market. CS/SB 1568 on a Florida Stable Coin Pilot Program was amended to remove authority for DFS to create a Florida coin, limit the pilot to existing stablecoins with at least $1 billion market capitalization, and require qualified public deposit handling; it then passed. CS/SB 838 on electronic payments for retail installment contracts clarified that convenience fees for electronic payments are permissible while preserving a fee-free option, and it was reported favorably after questions about consumer access to free payment methods. SB 1452, the Department of Financial Services agency bill, made a wide range of administrative changes affecting My Safe Florida Home, unclaimed property, licensing, bail bonds, and other DFS functions; a late-filed amendment on title insurer appointments was adopted, and the bill passed. The committee also approved SB 1706 on the My Safe Florida Condominium Pilot Program, targeting condo hardening assistance to owner-occupied units meeting income and occupancy criteria, and SB 990 on protected cell captive insurance companies, which the sponsor and industry witnesses said would modernize Florida law and promote insurance competition and economic activity. The meeting ended with all bills on the agenda reported favorably and the committee adjourning without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• IT WAS THE LICENSE THAT CAN BE REVOKED IF YOU DO THAT.
• OF PROFESSIONAL REGULATION THAT CONTINUOUSLY MAINTAIN A LICENSE FOR 10 YEARS.
• BECAUSE THEY ARE LICENSED AS WELL.
• ALL THREE ARE LICENSED BY YOU.
• ALL LICENSE.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• furbearing trapping license in Wyoming. furbearing trapping license in Wyoming.
• carry that license in the field. carry that license in the field.
• regulations set by the commission. regulations set by the commission.
• license in Wyoming. license in Wyoming.
• furbear furbear's license? furbear furbear's license?

Bills: SF0050, SF0068, SF0084, HB0087, HB0029, HB0061, HB0090

Keywords: groundwater, water resource management, state engineer, aquifer study, corrective controls, monitoring wells, public reporting, irrigation, water management, funding, maintenance projects, tax assessments, state law, water conservation, Colorado River, drought, water rights, voluntary program, interstate agreements, water development

Transcript Highlights:

• Other industries that, not coincidentally, do require licenses...
• Most importantly, we need a set statutory fee for registration.
• You talked about definition of staffing, scope of registration, setting fees.
• As far as licensing, there is no licensing. There's no registration as of now. Okay.
• Actually, it isn't set. The director will be the one to set it.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:02:15.360> And<00:02:15.520> so licensed with a sedation license.
• And so licensed with a sedation license.
• They just are able to take the radiographs. >> Two-year license or one-year license?
• They just are able to take the radiographs. >> Two-year license or one-year license?
• They just are able to take the radiographs. >> Two-year license or one-year license?

Keywords: Appropriations - Room 216, 4 February, 2026; 9:00 AM, 925, all

Summary: The committee first heard from the Board of Dental Examiners on its FY27 budget request. Board staff said the agency licenses and regulates dentistry and dental hygiene in Mississippi, with nearly 7,500 licenses and permits. They described recent accomplishments, including implementation of a new database and completion of sedation-permit inspection requirements, and said those changes created about $80,000 in savings. The board’s main remaining request was a 3% staff progression costing $20,539; members also discussed a possible $29,000 ITS charge tied to House Bill 1491, though staff said that cost might no longer be needed if the funding shifts back to ITS. The board also explained its revenue sources, including dental, hygienist, and dental assistant x-ray permits, and clarified that the “radiology” permits are for dental assistants authorized to take x-rays. Members asked about fees, renewal cycles, sedation permit classes, and continuing education requirements, and the board said it was fully staffed and did not need vacancy funding. The committee then heard from the Board of Nursing, which said it regulates about 80,000 LPN, RN, and APRN licenses and oversees workforce programs and disciplinary matters. The board emphasized its Office of Nursing Workforce, noting more than $4 million in grants to nursing programs from 2019 to 2024 and thousands of scholarships awarded to nursing students, with recipients required to work in Mississippi for a period after graduation. It said staffing remains a major problem because salaries are not competitive, leading to difficulty filling positions; between October and December, 10 positions were posted and only two were filled. The board said the legislative budget recommendation would eliminate five positions, and it requested $112,466 in salary funding to restore and support staff pay, including a maximum 7% progression for nursing positions, a 4% increase for nonexecutive staff, and a 2% increase for executive staff. The nursing board also requested additional contractual and technology funding. It said House Bill 1491 would increase annual fees by $49,486 plus a one-time $3,000 data migration charge, and it requested $13,800 for an ongoing subscription tied to the military medics program assigned to the board in the prior session. It also said a proposed human trafficking bill would require another $10,000 if enacted. Members asked about the board’s cash balance, renewal cycles, and staffing structure, including investigatory and compliance functions, and the board said it had about 39 current employees and was monitoring roughly 130 people in compliance, including about 30 in a confidential monitoring program for substance use or severe psychiatric conditions. No votes were taken; the hearing concluded with members thanking both boards and inviting follow-up questions before appropriations decisions.

Transcript Highlights:

• being set by the department right there. being set by the department right there.
• essentially says, um, we need to set essentially says, um, we need to set uniform<00:53:52.480><
• long as it doesn't affect rate setting. long as it doesn't affect rate setting.
• licenses and other regulatory services. licenses and other regulatory services.
• a set of rules that have not expired. a set of rules that have not expired.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The committee opened with housekeeping items, approved the minutes and consent agenda, and reminded the public that JLCAR’s role is limited to determining whether agency rules are within statutory authority, not to decide policy. Testimony was to be limited, and members noted that policy concerns should be addressed through the legislature rather than the committee process. The first major item was Public Utilities Commission rule 25-215 concerning natural gas suppliers. Staff said the proposal had been postponed because the PUC appeared to lack authority to impose fines and penalties in this rule set, especially suspending or revoking registrations, and recommended either a conditional approval removing those provisions or a preliminary objection for lack of statutory authority. PUC counsel responded that the cited authority had been incorrect, that the Department of Energy now has most registration rulemaking authority, but argued the commission still has jurisdiction over mediation and dispute resolution and may still have authority over fines because natural gas suppliers are not expressly excluded from public-utility status. Committee members discussed the split between PUC and DOE authority and the possibility that the transition in authority had not been fully cleaned up in statute. The committee then voted to grant a waiver of the time limit and postpone the item for another month so the agencies could work with counsel and clarify which parts of the rule could proceed. Members also urged that any needed legislative fix be brought forward quickly, noting that the Senate was not taking up non-germane amendments and suggesting the House as the likely venue for a cleanup bill. The committee next took up Department of Energy EN900 and EN1000 rules. Staff said the EN900 net-metering rules had been postponed previously and that the main remaining issue was a retroactive requirement in EN909.03(b), which the agency agreed to revise so the language would apply only on or after the 2026 effective date of the chapter. The agency described the EN900 rules as implementing net metering authority transferred from the PUC and expanding the chapter to cover municipal group net metering and low- and moderate-income community solar projects. The EN1000 interconnection rules were described as implementing 2024 legislation requiring uniform procedures for distributed energy resources. The department said both sets of rules were developed through extensive stakeholder input and asked for approval subject to the oral amendment already discussed."}】【。json

Transcript Highlights:

• A provider that's licensed ought to be responsible for policing their own.
• If they're not licensed at all, they the specialty.
• But again, the issue is not that another person has a different license.
• If it's someone practicing without a medical license, Together.
• He's setting an example. He attended conventions multiple times.

Bills: SB27, SB8, SB15, SB30, SB268, SB568, SB650, SB1405, SB1540, SB1610, SB1637, SB1660, SB2024, SB2217, SB2308, SB2753, SB2878, SB2900, SB2972, SB3059, HB4, HB40, HB46, HB119, HB145, HB493, HB705, HB1545, HB2017, HB2516, HB2885, HB2963, HB2974, HB3642, HB3909, HB5138, HB5246, SJR36, SJR50, SJR63, SCR12, SCR39, SB2023, SB62, SB666, SB847, SB284, SB854, SB810, SB1505, SB583, SB507, SB1434, SB1772, SB2016, SB1122, SB731, SB397, SB508, SB1436, SB287, SB1882, SB393, SB1791, SB209, SB2429, SB1085, SB1975, SB2717, SB1262, SB636, SB2056, SB884, SB1200, SB1845, SB2458, SB801, SB3014, SB3013, SB758, SB2797, SB2076, SB2876, SB1640, SB1449, SB1181, SB1234, SB2926, SB2841, SB1528, SB1854, SB317, SB1250, SB2082, SB1237, SB2819, SB629, SB2608, SB1602, SB2009, SB867, SB640, SB1698, SB2680, SB913, SB1071, SB1086, SB1087, SB1483, SB1444, SB1553, SB1556, SB1703, SB2133, SB2297, SB2298, SB2622, SB2955, SB2334, SB1367, SB2044, SB2363, SB2565, SB1888, SB3036, SB3057, SB3043, SB3063, SB3035, SB203, SB2688, SB2522, SB2459, SB2655, SB2251, SB1884, SB2928, SB2566, SB2549, SB2553, SB2919, SB1944, SB1232, SB1798, SB2603, SB2607, SB2683, SB1319, SB3045, SB3071, HB796, HB1523, HB5294, HB748, HB3395, HB180, HB3171, HB146, HB5596, HB5694, HB1135, HB3225, HB186, HB1449, HB3793, HB112, HB104, HB3336, HB3520, HB3320, HB5663, HB2399, HB111, HB3483, HB4580, HB3748, HB632, HB4730, HB5690, HB5689, HB3385, HB4359, HB5381, HB123, HB5606, HB1057, HB3664, HCR141, HCR40, HCR59

Keywords: immigration enforcement, ICE agreements, sheriff grants, law enforcement, county jail, federal immigration law, SB 15, Texas Local Government Code, zoning preemption, housing affordability, small lots, lot size, lot density, single-family zoning, residential subdivision, municipal land use, local control, state preemption, parking requirements, setbacks

Transcript Highlights:

• We issue driver's licenses and we get plates on the back of cars.
• have these private license plate agencies in there.
• And when they do that, we have to cancel their driver's license.
• Last year, we canceled 9,700 licenses through that process.
• Last year canceled 9,700 licenses through that process.

Summary: The committee met to receive a base budget overview for agencies under its jurisdiction, which include the Division of Emergency Management, Department of Commerce, Department of State, Department of Transportation, Department of Military Affairs, and Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Staff explained the budget format and noted that the Legislature appropriated more than $20.2 billion to these agencies in the current fiscal year, a 66.7% increase over 10 years. The Department of Transportation then presented on the Moving Florida Forward initiative, describing it as a $7 billion effort to advance 20 major congestion-relief projects statewide. Secretary Jared Perdue said the department is ahead of schedule, with 14 of 20 projects expected to be underway by the end of the calendar year. He highlighted major projects including I-4 in Polk and Osceola counties, I-75 improvements, Southwest 10th Street in Broward County, Fruitville Road, Capital Circle in Tallahassee, and I-275, and discussed innovations such as aggregate supply grants, modified phase design-build, workforce hiring events, and voluntary acceleration. Senators asked about business impacts from construction, tourism-related transit funding, aggregate sourcing, and labor shortages; the secretary said FDOT works with local businesses and that additional revenue sources for transit would require legislative action. The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles reviewed motorist services, revenue collection, licensing, vehicle titling, specialty plates, insurance compliance, driver safety, and commercial driver licensing. Officials said the department collected about $2.9 billion in revenue in fiscal year 2023-24 and described modernization efforts, including electronic verification systems, Real ID compliance, mobile licensing units, and a planned digital driver license. Members asked about the driver license backlog in Miami-Dade and Broward, and the department said service delays were driven by growth and staffing constraints but should improve with $7.5 million in recent funding and the eventual transition of services to county tax collectors. Questions also addressed temporary paper licenses and birth certificate fraud prevention. The Department of Commerce presented on the Job Growth Grant Fund and Visit Florida. Commerce said the grant fund, created in 2017, has awarded $257 million to 70 projects in 37 counties since 2019, with demand exceeding supply about four to one. Officials emphasized that the program supports targeted industries and workforce and infrastructure projects, and they highlighted examples in CDL training, semiconductors, advanced manufacturing, and health care. Senators raised concerns about small businesses affected by transportation construction, and Commerce said it has an Office of Small Business Innovation and other tools, though the grant fund is limited by statute to targeted industries. Visit Florida then described its public-private tourism marketing role, saying the state’s $80 million appropriation is matched by private investment and that the latest EDR review found a $3.30 return in tax revenue for every state dollar spent. Visit Florida reported record visitation and tourism spending, along with hurricane recovery marketing and rural promotion efforts.

Transcript Highlights:

• We license and monitor safe homes and safe group homes, and we will soon be doing that certification
• This again really changed the way that we looked at survivors of human trafficking, mandated licensing
• This again really changed the way that we looked at survivors of human trafficking, mandated licensing
• We have a specialized placement type called a safe house, which are safe residential settings.
• They are 4E eligible, so that is a part of that funding model, and they do that during licensing.

Summary: The Committee on Children, Families, and Elder Affairs received three presentations and took no bill votes. The Department of Children and Families gave an extensive update on human trafficking prevention and services, describing Florida’s statutory framework, hotline and investigation data, placement options such as safe houses and safe foster homes, new adult safe house certification rules, expanded screening tools for vulnerable adults, and prevention efforts including youth-led outreach and training. Members asked about whether current funding is sufficient, how DCF addresses grooming and re-victimization in residential settings, and how long youth typically remain in safe-house placements; DCF said funding is only one part of the support system, that families and youth receive prevention resources even when allegations are not substantiated, and that placement length varies by child. OPPAGA then presented its 2024 annual report on commercial sexual exploitation of children. The report found that verified CSE victims slightly declined in 2023, with Broward, Miami-Dade, Duval, Hillsborough, and Escambia among the highest-prevalence counties. Most verified victims were community youth rather than children already in care, though dependent youth had higher rates of prior maltreatment. OPPAGA also reported continued concerns about limited placement capacity, especially for less restrictive Tier 1 safe houses, and service gaps such as the need for survivor mentors. Its recommendations focused on expanding placement options, improving data collection, and strengthening collaboration to support survivor mentors. Finally, DCF presented the Step into Success pilot program for current and former foster youth ages 16 to 26. The program combines workforce education, professional development, and paid internships with mentor support; the first cohort launched in 2024 with 15 participants, all of whom secured placements, and the department reported strong satisfaction and early outcomes. Committee members asked about scalability, costs, and whether the model could be moved beyond DCF-run operations into community-based providers. DCF said the program was designed to be scalable, currently costs about $500,000 annually for the pilot, and could be expanded statewide with additional funding and partner support. The committee adjourned after the presentations.

Transcript Highlights:

• license who is seated next to a licensed driver.
• A valid driver's license, or have a permit with a valid driver's license person sitting next to them.
• A valid driver's license or have a permit with a valid driver's license person sitting next to them.
• It kind of sets the stage.
• Like we know we need to start replenishing our workforce. kind of sets the stage.

Summary: The Transportation Committee met and first considered SB 88, which would allow local governments to authorize utility terrain vehicles (UTVs) on certain low-speed county roads and municipal streets, with limits on who may operate them and where they may travel. An amendment from Sen. Wright was adopted to require minimum motor vehicle insurance, keep a registration certificate in the vehicle, and delay the effective date to January 1, 2026 for implementation. The bill drew mixed testimony: supporters said it would create a safe, locally controlled path for UTV use and reflect how the vehicles are already being used, while opponents from the Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association and Florida Justice Association argued UTVs are designed for off-road use and lack the safety features needed for public roads. After debate, the committee reported CS/SB 88 favorably, with Sen. Davis voting no and several members expressing support while noting safety concerns for future work. The committee then heard SB 274, which designates a portion of International Drive in Orlando as Harris Rosen Way in honor of the late hotelier and philanthropist Harris Rosen. Sen. Arrington described Rosen’s business success and extensive charitable work in Central Florida, and the bill received supportive comments from committee members and a representative from UCF. The committee voted the bill favorably without opposition. The final item was a discussion on transportation workforce issues led by FDOT Secretary Jared Perdue, with remarks from Florida Transportation Builders Association president Dan Hurtado. Perdue said Florida’s growing transportation needs, an aging workforce, and projected retirements require a broader workforce strategy, including a proposed Transportation Academy, craft and trade programs, learning labs, and a transportation research institute. He said FDOT has already reduced vacancies through recruit-and-retain efforts and hiring events, but still needs more skilled workers. Hurtado said FTBA supports expanding workforce development efforts and noted the industry’s own Florida Connect Academy. No vote was taken on the workforce discussion, and the committee adjourned at the end of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• We go throughout the state to licensed cultivators, licensed manufacturers, licensed retailers.
• licensing process. licensing process.
• <00:28:05.039> to license we're requesting authority to license we're requesting authority
• This is a this limited license.
• <00:30:30.240> Chair liquor license. Um I do have Mr. Chair liquor license.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• licenses.
• licenses.
• Coupex's bill relating to PH licensing Coupex's bill relating to PH licensing for<00:43:48.400><
• And then the licensing boards.
• Um I'm out of the licensing boards.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all