Transcript Highlights:

• We've taken this issue over the last 10 years to the United Nations with survivors who have spoken about
• I'm a survivor of the government boarding school, the government relocation program, and I was a victim
• This bill is not only an act of Promise and justice, but survivors and their people, if this is a historic
• I have been proud to serve the courageous Community of survivors of rape, child abuse, and trauma for

Bills: SM13 , SM14

Committee: Senate Senate Rules

Keywords: land grant, Las Vegas, governance, self-governance, judicial management, forced sterilization, coerced sterilization, Indigenous women, Native American women, women of color, reproductive justice, reproductive sovereignty, truth and reconciliation commission, memorial, trauma-informed care, reparative justice, human rights, bodily autonomy, Indian Health Service, Indian affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• Jurors typically lack experience in trauma, coercive control, and survivor safety, increasing the risk
• Survivors of domestic violence are disproportionately impacted by financial abuse and economic instability
• greater financial resources to leverage the cost of litigation as a coercive tactic to pressure survivors
• more training in that area jurors typically though lack experience in trauma coercive control and survivor
• Survivors of domestic violence are disproportionately impacted by financial abuse and economic instability

Summary: The committee approved the minutes and then heard a long series of bills, mostly from Senators Hoffman, Fernandez, and Bolick. Early action included SB 1436 on school bond/override ballot language, which passed 4-3 after brief debate over ballot length and transparency. SB 1568, requiring election systems to keep clocks within 60 seconds of official time and making violations a misdemeanor, was amended and passed 4-3 despite concerns about machine failures and the breadth of the penalty. SB 1569, limiting special election board members from collecting voter registrations while assisting confined voters, also passed 4-3 after testimony from county officials and a deputy registrar describing alleged misuse of SEBs. SB 1746, requiring schools to serve as polling places and closing schools on regular primary/general election days for staff training, passed 4-3 over objections about school autonomy and safety. SB 1295, allowing certain incarcerated people needing long-term care or treatment to be transferred to contracted medical institutions, passed unanimously after an amendment narrowing the medical eligibility language. The committee then took up SB 1067, a county blight/abatement bill allowing property tax bills to include assessments for removing rubbish, debris, and dilapidated structures; county officials from Gila and Pima Counties strongly supported it, and it passed 7-0. SB 1285, which would have repealed kratom protections and added kratom and its alkaloids to the narcotic-drug list, drew strong opposition from industry and a pharmacist and failed 3-4 after debate over safety, regulation, and criminal penalties. SB 1413, removing the $100,000 restitution cap for serious injury or death caused by a moving violation, passed after a short explanation that it was intended to conform statutes to a prior Arizona Supreme Court ruling. SB 1476, making prenatal exposure to dangerous or narcotic drugs and fetal alcohol syndrome a class six felony child neglect offense with an affirmative defense for mothers who completed treatment, drew emotional testimony from a foster/adoptive parent and opposition from reproductive justice and criminal defense advocates; it passed 4-2. Later, SB 1585, creating standards and funding mechanisms for sex offender-specific evaluations, treatment, and polygraphs, passed 4-2 after supporters argued it would improve oversight and opponents questioned the added surcharge and appropriation. SB 1662, requiring probation conditions to be the least restrictive necessary and tailored to risk and needs, passed 5-0 with support from justice reform advocates and defense attorneys. SB 1664, adjusting constable nomination signature requirements in Maricopa and Pima Counties, passed unanimously after county association support. The committee then began SB 1666 on in-state custodial interference, with the sponsor and a supporter describing repeated violations of custody orders and arguing for a tiered civil-penalty-to-felony structure; the transcript ends during questioning on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• The law has evolved in many Barriers that survivors face within the justice system.
• In our last committee hearing, we heard powerful testimony from survivors.
• I am writing in support of SB 41 that would eliminate the statute of limitations for survivors of child
• Survivors should not be punished for the time it takes to understand, process, and speak about their
• I respectfully request that the statute of limitations be lifted so survivors like myself can seek justice

Bills: HB99 , HJR5 , HM39 , HB206 , HB213 , SB41 , SB153 , SB165 , SB261 , SB264

Committee: Senate House Judiciary

Keywords: medical malpractice, malpractice reform, patient's compensation fund, PCF, health care liability, tort reform, damage caps, punitive damages, hospital liability, physician liability, nurse practitioner, certified nurse-midwife, outpatient facility, ambulatory surgical center, urgent care, free-standing emergency room, insurance surcharge, superintendent of insurance, New Mexico hospitals, medical review process

Summary: The committee first took up a lengthy informational presentation on the Patient Compensation Fund (PCF) and New Mexico medical malpractice insurance. Teresa Hassey, a plaintiffs’ attorney, described the PCF’s origin in the 1976 Medical Malpractice Act, its role as a state-backed excess coverage system, and her view that it was mismanaged when hospital participation expanded without individualized risk assessments. She argued that hospitals underpaid surcharges, that the fund was depleted by claims, and that the 2021 amendments and later legislative infusions were meant to shore up deficits and phase hospitals out. Superintendent of Insurance Alice Kane and LFC analyst Julia Rodriguez presented a different perspective, emphasizing recent general fund infusions, current surcharge collections, the use of actuarial reviews, and the PCF’s budget and settlement activity. Kane said the market is highly concentrated, New Mexico’s malpractice costs and defense expenses are high, and the fund still provides lower-cost coverage than the open market, while also noting ongoing issues with future medical claims, TPA transition, and investment management. Committee members questioned the presenters at length about why New Mexico malpractice premiums are so high, whether defense costs were being conflated with claim payouts, how the PCF works with primary coverage and excess coverage, and whether hospitals were properly assessed when they entered the fund. Several senators raised concerns about punitive damages, corporate practice of medicine, and whether the state’s legal environment is driving doctors away. Others challenged the data comparisons, noting differences between one-year figures and multi-year averages, and asked why New Mexico’s costs remain far above neighboring states. Kane and Hassey disagreed on the causes, with Kane pointing to high claims and defense costs over time and Hassey arguing that hospital participation and punitive-damage exposure distorted the market. The chair concluded the discussion by saying the committee had not exhausted the topic and that he still wanted a clear path to reducing doctors’ insurance costs. After a break, the committee moved on to Senate Bill 41. Senator Charlie introduced the bill, which would eliminate the statute of limitations for the most serious sexual crimes in New Mexico. He argued that trauma, coercion, fear, and delayed disclosure often prevent survivors from reporting promptly, and said the law should reflect that reality. The bill was presented as a response to survivor testimony heard in a prior hearing, and the sponsor framed it as part of a broader effort to modernize the justice system for sexual violence cases.

Transcript Highlights:

• retirement system 2, or JRS 2, to allow judges to designate a non-spouse beneficiary to receive survivor
• retirement benefits and to ensure that all vested judges can access survivor benefit protections.
• registered domestic partner to receive Only a spouse or registered domestic partner to receive ongoing survivor

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Will Abrams, with the Utility Wildfire Survivor Coalition.
• However, when you look at complex litigation, where many wildfire survivors are really reliant upon as
• victims, Wildfire survivors are really reliant upon as victims trying to recover losses.

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Summary: The Senate Judiciary Committee met to hear several bills, with the main discussion focused on SB 1159 by Senator Cabaldon and SB 932 by Senator Dato. SB 1159 would allow public agencies to treat AI-generated or bot-generated participation differently from human public comment and public records activity, in response to concerns that automated systems can flood local governments with fake comments and requests. Supporters, including Sierra Club California, the League of California Cities, county and city associations, and local officials, said the bill would protect genuine public participation and reduce burdens on clerks and agencies. Committee members raised questions about how agencies would detect AI-generated submissions, what enforcement would look like, and whether the bill could create First Amendment or liability issues if real human comments were mistakenly excluded. The author said the bill was intended to clarify that agencies are not required to treat bots as people and that detection standards and safeguards would need further work.

Transcript Highlights:

• Will Abrams, with the Utility Wildfire Survivor Coalition: We certainly respect the effort here, and
• However, when you look at complex litigation, where many wildfire survivors are really reliant upon as
• victims, Wildfire survivors are really reliant upon as victims trying to recover losses.

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Representative Travers, I'll never forget the first day I met you when we were celebrating the last survivors
• I'll never forget the first day I met you when we were celebrating the last survivors of Pearl Harbor
• I'll ever forget the first day I met you when we were celebrating the last survivors of the Pearl Harbor

Bills: HB2620 , HB2960

Committee: Senate Military Affairs and Border Security

Keywords: homeless veterans, emergency shelters, state funding, veterans' services, grant distribution, veterans, treatment court, rehabilitation, recidivism, mental health, substance abuse, 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So New Mexico administers significant state and federal funds for survivors of domestic violence, yet
• Timelines don't always align with crisis response, and when systems are opaque, survivors pay the price
• Timelines don't always align with crisis response, and when systems are opaque, survivors pay the price

Bills: SB241

Keywords: child care, child care assistance, child care subsidy, early childhood education, early childhood care, daycare, preschool, pre-K, Head Start, Early Head Start, Children's Code, early childhood education and care department, ECECD, child care facilities, licensed child care, registered child care, copayments, waitlist, subsidy, federal poverty level

Summary: The Senate began by outlining the day’s agenda, then received several House messages, including the House’s request for concurrence on Senate Bill 151 and notice that the House had concurred in Senate amendments to House Bills 2, 3, and 70. The Senate also received enrolled bills SB 64 and SB 101, and later adopted committee reports on House Bill 120 and SB 64. The chamber then took up concurrence on SB 151, a tax package that the House amended to remove the gross receipts tax provision for medical supplies, add a 1% salary increase for state employees, higher education, and public schools, extend a high-wage job tax credit, and add sunsets. Senator Hamblen supported concurrence as a friendly amendment, while Senator Cervantes argued the House changes transformed the bill into an unconstitutional appropriations measure and urged a conference committee. The Senate nevertheless concurred, 22-14. On third reading, the Senate passed House Bill 61, which increases the penalty for aggravated battery on a peace officer from a third-degree to a second-degree felony to align with other sentencing provisions. Supporters, including Senator Cervantes, cited consistency in the criminal code and noted the Sentencing Commission’s endorsement; the bill passed 37-0. The Senate also passed House Joint Memorial 3, directing the Environment Department to convene stakeholders and report on implementation of the PFAS Protection Act, despite a brief exchange over whether the memorial could be read as expanding authority under the existing PFAS law; it passed 22-13. The chamber then passed several memorials: Senate Memorial 20, amended to include youth and family voices and legislative appointees in a statewide youth violence summit, passed 35-0; Senate Memorial 21, calling for a study of a statewide overdose prevention program, passed 35-0; Senate Memorial 22, which asks the Legislative Finance Committee to convene a working group on domestic violence funding and CYFD-related funding flows, passed; and Senate Memorial 27, urging expansion of the Radiation Exposure Act to compensate New Mexicans affected by atomic testing and uranium mining, passed 34-0. At the end of the session, the Senate received a governor’s message authorizing consideration of SB 74 on cockfighting penalties, followed by a playful Senate response message. The body also agreed to move House Joint Memorial 2 from Rules to the President’s table and then recessed until 8:30 a.m. the next day.

Transcript Highlights:

• Victims and survivors may suffer from injuries and long-term consequences to their sexual and reproductive
• Victims and survivors may suffer from injuries and long-term consequences to their sexual and reproductive
• Victims and survivors may suffer from injuries and long-term consequences to their sexual and reproductive

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: House File 128 was heard and then laid over for possible inclusion in the committee omnibus. The bill, authored by Representative Ric, would raise penalties for prostituting a minor so they align with existing criminal sexual conduct penalties: from 20 to 30 years for victims under 14, from 10 to 15 years for ages 14 to 16, and from 5 to 10 years for ages 16 to 18. The author said the bill addresses a statutory mismatch that makes prostitution of a minor carry a lower penalty than some sexual conduct offenses, and noted it was part of a broader, ongoing effort to reform criminal sexual conduct laws. Caroline Palmer of the Minnesota Department of Health provided technical assistance and described the harms of child sexual exploitation, including trafficking, survival sex, coercion, and long-term physical and mental health consequences. She said children are exploited in many settings, including online, and that vulnerability factors such as housing instability, abuse, disability, and lack of support increase risk. She also cited research showing buyers of trafficked minor girls often came from varied backgrounds, and emphasized that victims can face lasting trauma and collateral consequences in education, employment, housing, and the justice system. Members asked about the administration’s position, and Palmer clarified she was there only to provide technical assistance, not to represent a formal endorsement. Representative Mher noted that current law may already allow criminal sexual conduct charges in some cases involving very young victims, suggesting other tools remain available. Representative Pinto said he understood the policy concern but wanted to examine the bill’s structure and penalty levels further. No amendments or votes were taken, and the bill was simply laid over.

Transcript Highlights:

• I also am a survivor of sexual assault.
• And so for other people to invoke victims and survivor rights, there is a spectrum.
• </c> talk to service providers and survivors talk to service providers and survivors and<03:14:18.960
• And it also doesn't give us any qualitative data feedback regarding the survivors who are victims of
• </c> assault survivors for almost 50 years. assault survivors for almost 50 years.

Committee: House Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs heard testimony on two immigration-enforcement bills: HB 1886 HD1 and HB 2540 HD1. HB 1886 would limit state and federal collaboration in immigration enforcement, require visible identification and restrictions on facial coverings for law enforcement officers, and create offenses for improper masking, lack of identification, and unauthorized civil immigration interrogation, arrest, or detention. HB 2540 would also limit state and federal collaboration, require law enforcement agencies to adopt and publicly post written civil immigration enforcement policies, prohibit stops or arrests based solely on immigration status, and restrict state and county participation in civil immigration enforcement in certain places. Most testimony supported both measures. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the Office of the Public Defender, the ACLU of Hawaii, the Hawaii Coalition for Immigrant Rights, the Legal Clinic, and several private individuals said the bills would increase transparency, accountability, and community trust, and would help protect constitutional rights and reduce fear among immigrants and other community members. Several testifiers emphasized Hawaii’s history and the need to keep local law enforcement separate from federal immigration enforcement, while others said the bills would help people feel safer going to court, school, work, or public protests. A retired police officer also supported visible identification and uniform standards for officers, including federal agents operating in Hawaii. A few testifiers opposed the use of masked or unidentified officers and argued that local police should not be diverted from ordinary public safety duties to immigration enforcement. One ACLU witness noted that the federal government has increasingly used local and state agencies to expand immigration enforcement, and said the task-force provisions in the bills are important to prevent blurred lines between agencies. The committee did not take a final vote in the portion of the meeting provided, but it recorded very large numbers of supportive testimonies for both bills, with only a small number in opposition.

Transcript Highlights:

• Whereas many members of Kentucky's Bosnian community are survivors or descendants of survivors of the
• Whereas many members of Kentucky's Bosnian community are survivors or descendants of survivors of the
• Whereas many members of Kentucky's Bosnian community are survivors or descendants of survivors of the
• of this very and that many are survivors of this very atrocity<01:57:14.000><c> that</c><01:57:14.320
• as they carried front with the survivors as they carried the<01:57:38.080><c> banner</c><01:57:39.199

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Two of them went for about a million dollars apiece, simply for giving survivors a platform to speak.
• I'm a real estate broker, journalist, writer, and survivor of domestic violence.
• My children are also survivors of an abusive environment.
• It protects survivors and discourages abusive institutions from weaponizing the court system.
• HB 2988 is a slap in the face to every survivor who has fought for justice.

Bills: HB2242 , HB2446 , HB2799 , HB4502 , HB2920 , HB2790 , HB5620 , HB5060 , HB5076 , HB5080 , HB5081 , HB5128 , HB5130 , HB3847 , HB5116 , HB2969 , HB4546 , HB4202 , HB5624 , HB3964 , HB4803 , HB872 , HB4775 , HB4777 , HB4961 , HB5570 , HB2988 , HB4260 , HB1375 , HB5009 , HB5411 , HB5134 , HB4388 , HB3095 , HB1387

Committee: House Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence

Keywords: constables, civil rights, local government, law enforcement, policy-making authority, affidavit, medical bills, civil actions, reasonable charges, healthcare services, judicial statistics, court performance, family law, civil cases, efficiency reporting, court security, emergency management, harassment penalties, judicial safety, court committee

Summary: The committee heard House Bill 4961, which would bar uninsured motorists from recovering non-economic damages after a collision. The author said the bill is intended to create incentives to maintain insurance and to address what he described as an unfair system for insured drivers. Texans for Lawsuit Reform and Texas Eagle Forum testified in support, while the Texas Trial Lawyers Association opposed it, warning the bill could also affect pedestrians, passengers, children, and others who did not choose whether a vehicle was insured. The bill author clarified that passengers would be included in the bill’s coverage. No vote was taken and the bill was left pending. House Bill 5570 would extend a legislative attorney CLE exemption to attorneys appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate to boards or commissions. The author said the measure is meant to ease time burdens and encourage service, and a witness supported it as a modest incentive for public service. A committee member noted a discrepancy in the number of affected attorneys, and the author agreed to verify the correct figure. The bill was left pending. The committee also heard House Bill 2969, which would restrict the State Bar from adopting rules or penalties that unreasonably burden attorneys’ religious exercise or free speech based on sincerely held beliefs. The author and several witnesses from Texas Values, Alliance Defending Freedom, and Cecilia Wood argued the bill protects lawyers of faith from an ABA model rule they described as a speech code. No one testified against the bill, and it was left pending. House Bill 4260, which would prohibit county judges and county commissioners from practicing law in courts over which they have jurisdiction, drew opposition from the County Judges and Commissioners Association, which argued existing ethics rules already address conflicts and that the bill would burden rural officials. The author said the bill was prompted by concerns about judges using their office to pressure others. The bill was left pending. House Bill 5134 would limit Rule 202 pre-suit depositions to people who have suffered or reasonably expect actual damages and would allow attorney’s fees against abusive petitioners. The author said the bill is aimed at preventing harassment and fishing expeditions, especially in family-law disputes. Questions focused on how the standard would work and how it differs from current law; the author said the main change is fee-shifting and a clearer legislative directive. The bill was left pending. House Bill 3095, a committee substitute version of a similar uninsured-motorist bill, would bar uninsured motorists from recovering non-economic damages and limit economic recovery, with several exceptions. Trial lawyers argued it was unconstitutional because it capped economic damages and could unfairly affect innocent drivers, pedestrians, and older people who no longer drive. The author acknowledged constitutional concerns and said the bill would need further work; the committee withdrew the substitute and left the bill pending. Finally, House Bill 4388 would require all judges, including county judges who perform administrative duties, to remain subject to the Code of Judicial Conduct. Supporters said some elected judges avoid accountability by relinquishing judicial functions, while opponents argued the bill is too rigid and unnecessary because existing remedies already exist. House Bill 3964 would limit public nuisance claims to their historical role and bar such claims against lawful conduct, conduct already covered by other remedies, and products. The author and supporters said the bill is meant to prevent courts from using public nuisance to make policy, while opponents argued it would eliminate useful remedies and could affect local actions against environmental or product-related harms. The author said the bill would not affect statutory nuisance claims, private nuisance claims, or other causes of action, and would be amended to clarify some provisions. The bill was left pending.

Transcript Highlights:

• We need to have the opportunity for our programs to serve survivors of domestic violence.
• We need to have the opportunity for our programs to serve survivors of domestic violence.
• We need to have the opportunity for our programs to serve survivors of domestic violence.
• We need to have the opportunity for our programs to serve survivors of domestic violence.
• We need to have the opportunity for our programs to serve survivors of domestic violence.

Committee: House Consumer Protection & Commerce

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Consumer Protection and Commerce Committee met on February 12 and heard several bills. HB 97, relating to travel insurance, drew only brief testimony: the Insurance Division stood on written testimony, one industry witness supported the bill and requested a minor amendment, and no one else testified or asked questions. HB 226, relating to window tinting, received support from the Department of Transportation, while the Honolulu Police Department offered comments on the proposed amendments, asking for clearer language on what it means to roll windows down, when the requirement applies, how it handles bad weather, and what sanctions would apply for noncompliance. No further testimony was offered on that measure. The committee also heard HB 1179, relating to rural emergency hospitals. The Department of Human Services stood on written testimony, and Maui Health Systems strongly supported the bill, saying it would help critical access hospitals better serve kūpuna and provide long-term care beds. There were no questions or additional testimony. HB 420, relating to remedies and the contractor repair act, generated extensive and sharply divided testimony. Opponents, including attorneys representing homeowners and AARP Hawaii, argued the bill was anti-consumer, would weaken homeowners’ ability to recover for construction defects, and would shift costs and risk to consumers. Supporters, including builders, realtors, the Chamber of Commerce, and D.R. Horton Hawaii, said the bill would create a more balanced and efficient process, reduce unnecessary litigation, and help builders address legitimate defects more quickly. Testimony on HB 420 focused heavily on whether the contractor repair process and class actions help or hinder repairs. Opponents said the bill would delay or limit homeowner recovery, especially for life and safety defects, while supporters said current class-action litigation can prevent direct communication with homeowners and slow repairs. Committee members asked questions about when communication with homeowners stops and whether repairs could be made before a class is certified. No votes or final committee actions were taken during the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• As many of you know, I've been working on survivor rights for many years, including making sure the sexual
• But I also did the Survivor Bill of Rights, and there's actually been two bills on that, and I think
• As many of you know, I've been working on survivor rights for many years, including making. working on
• survivor rights for many years, including making sure the sexual assaults were tested.
• But I also did the Survivor Bill of Rights, and there's actually been two bills on that, and I think

Bills: SB5917 , SB6080 , SB6085 , SB5940 , SB5945 , SB5957 , SB5966

Committee: Senate Human Services

Keywords: abortion medications, reproductive health, mifepristone, misoprostol, abortion access, medication abortion, early pregnancy loss, miscarriage management, Department of Corrections, Department of Health, health care providers, health care entities, Indian health care providers, pharmacy distribution, wholesale distribution, reproductive rights, women's health, emergency clause, immediate effect, public health

Transcript Highlights:

• The remembrance memorializes and honors all those lost in the genocide, all survivors living in Massachusetts
• Thank you. honors all those loss in the genocide, all survivors living in Massachusetts today, if you

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The House opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and then took up several ceremonial resolutions. On the Committee on Rules report, members adopted resolutions commemorating the Armenian Genocide and the 50th anniversary of Black April after suspending the rules. Representative Howard also recognized April 17 as the 50th anniversary of the Cambodian genocide, noting the Legislature’s prior designation of Cambodian Genocide Remembrance Day and observing a moment of silence for victims and survivors. The House also welcomed visiting student athletes from Weston High School, including the boys’ indoor track and field team and the boys’ fencing team, both state champions. Later, the Committee on Ways and Means reported House 1, the fiscal year 2026 state budget bill, with a total appropriation of about $61.4 billion. The bill was read a second time and, on motion of Representative Mikelowitz, further consideration was postponed until April 28, with the matter laid on the table. Finally, the House adopted an order to adjourn today to meet again Tuesday at 11 a.m. The chamber then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• of World War II, Israel, a close ally and friend of the United States, became a refuge for many survivors
• who endured the ravages of the survivors who endured the ravages of the Holocaust.<00:28:32.880><c>
• </c><00:29:57.679><c> who</c> passing of Holocaust survivors who passing of Holocaust survivors who provided
• We have all visited memorials and museums to the Holocaust, met survivors.
• But we are on the tail met survivors.

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm a survivor of childhood sex trafficking, CSAM, and rape.
• But after the events in 2023, when this was first heard, I made a vow to the survivors of our state that
• I just want to be very, very clear that when we're discussing this, it's to support the survivor.
• We're discussing this, that it's to support the survivor. Thank you. Thank you, Rep. Chenevert.
• She is a survivor of domestic abuse, and she would like us as a government to look at whether or not,

Committee: House Administration of Criminal Justice

Summary: The committee heard a long agenda of criminal justice measures, with several bills and resolutions reported favorably and others rejected or deferred. Representative Baham’s HB 255, as substituted, would enhance penalties for certain felony or rioting offenses committed while wearing a mask to evade identification, with exceptions for religious, motorcycle, and medical coverings; it was reported favorably after opposition from the ACLU and support from law enforcement groups. His HB 378, as amended, narrowed a vehicle-obstruction offense to first responders and was also reported favorably. HB 1090, increasing penalties for arson of a religious building, was reported favorably with support from the Louisiana Conference of Catholic Bishops. HR 272, requesting a study of parental discipline, abuse allegations, and juvenile delinquency, was reported favorably after sponsor testimony about confusion over current law. HB 479, the “Fiscal Truth and Sentencing Act,” sought quarterly reporting on incarceration costs and sentencing impacts; despite support from the ACLU and opposition from clerks of court over an unfunded mandate, it failed on a 4-7 roll call. HR 278, asking the Attorney General to review electronic monitoring laws and make recommendations, was reported favorably after testimony from advocates and supporters of tighter oversight. HR 273, creating a task force to study work-release programs, was also reported favorably, while SB 278 was voluntarily deferred. The committee also considered several high-profile social policy measures. HB 261, by Representative Boyd, would create an exception to abortion restrictions for rape and certain sex offenses; the hearing featured extensive emotional testimony from survivors, clergy, and legislators on both sides, but the bill was rejected on a 2-10 vote. HCR 100, as amended, urged the Gaming Control Board to ensure due diligence in proposed casino acquisitions with attention to economic development, job creation, and community benefit; the amendment resolved industry concerns and the resolution was reported favorably. SB 448, concerning the Office of the State Public Defender, was amended to add procedures for expert-witness funding disputes, sealed contradictory hearings, and interlocutory review, then reported favorably. SB 135, which would redirect sports wagering revenue away from a capped sports fund and toward early childhood seats, drew opposition from university-related interests but no motion was made. Finally, HB 778 on kratom was presented as a narrower approach that would ban synthetic and semi-synthetic kratom while allowing regulated natural products; testimony included concerns about harm, business impacts, and claimed benefits for pain management and PTSD, and the discussion was still underway at the end of the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• It also clarifies how benefits are paid, making a distinction between designated survivor beneficiaries
• and spouses, and it removes how survivor benefits are calculated.
• You get something called SBP Survivor Benefits, SB Survivor Benefits Program, where you pay monthly,
• For the PARA recipient, there is no survivor benefit, so you get full. That's it.
• The PARA member will receive your benefit, and then your survivor will receive 50. Less, Mr.

Bills: SB273 , SB37 , SB100

Keywords: SB273, appropriations, general fund, hold harmless, local government finance, municipal revenue, county revenue, correctional facility, jail contract, private prison, detention facility, immigration detention, revenue bonds, clawback, child welfare, juvenile justice, protective services, school improvement, New MexiCare, aging services

Transcript Highlights:

• about his volunteer work at that time going to Florida for the Parkland shooting counseling the survivors
• about his volunteer work at that time going to Florida for the Parkland shooting counseling the survivors
• about his volunteer work at that time going to Florida for the Parkland shooting counseling the survivors
• 20:28.960><c> um</c><00:20:29.960><c> and</c><00:20:30.200><c> those</c><00:20:30.679><c> who</c> survivors
• and those um and those who survivors and those um and those who needed<00:20:31.280><c> help</c><00:

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• As background, in 1990, an expansion was made to the class of survivors entitled to recover non-economic
• of a wrongful death due to medical negligence, even though the same damages can be recovered by survivors
• the public policy of the state to shift the losses resulting when wrongful death occurs from the survivors
• the public policy of the state to shift the losses resulting when wrongful death occurs from the survivors
• Subsection 8 arbitrarily discriminates among survivors, stripping rights not for lack of harm but through

Committee: Senate Rules

Summary: The Committee on Rules met with a quorum and heard extensive debate on SB 734, which would repeal Florida’s wrongful-death medical malpractice exception that bars certain adult children and parents from recovering noneconomic damages. Senator Yarborough presented the bill as a fairness and accountability measure, while many family members testified in support, describing deaths they believed were caused by medical negligence and arguing the current law denies equal justice. Opponents, including physician and insurer representatives, warned the bill could increase malpractice exposure, premiums, defensive medicine, and physician shortages. The committee also considered two late-filed amendments: Senator Burton’s amendment would make Department of Health investigative findings admissible in court, and Senator Martin’s amendment to that amendment would broaden admissibility/discoverability to additional disciplinary and prior-adverse-incident records and insurance coverage facts. After debate, the Martin amendment was adopted, but the Burton amendment as amended failed on a roll call vote. The committee then reported SB 734 favorably without the amendment. The committee next unanimously reported CS for SB 86 favorably. That bill, by Senator Burgess, expands peer support protections for first responders to include support personnel; there was little debate and several law-enforcement-related organizations indicated support. The committee also took up SB 316 on series limited liability companies. Senator Berman explained that the bill creates rules for series LLCs in Florida, and a late-filed amendment, requested by the Secretary of State, delayed implementation by one year. The amendment was adopted and the bill was reported favorably. Finally, the committee considered CS for CS for SB 384, which requires municipalities seeking to annex state-owned land to notify the relevant county legislative delegation when the first public hearing is advertised. Senator Burton presented the bill briefly, there was no opposition or debate, and the committee proceeded to vote on the measure.