Transcript Highlights:

• this House retirement bill revises employer contribution rates for the normal cost and the unfunded actuarial
• liability of the Florida Retirement System as determined by the July 1, 2024 annual valuation necessary

Summary: The House convened on the final day of session, observed a moment of silence for the Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, and for Representative Rosenwald’s father, then swore in and seated new members Boyles and Hodgers. The Speaker also outlined the chamber’s end-of-session priorities, including action on the budget and related conforming bills. The House then took up H.J.R. 5019, a constitutional amendment to expand Florida’s budget stabilization fund by raising the cap, requiring annual transfers, and allowing withdrawals for critical state needs. After sponsor explanations and questions about what would qualify as a critical need and how the fund might respond to possible federal funding cuts, the House adopted an amendment that added more flexibility for suspending transfers and withdrawals. The joint resolution then passed on final passage. Members next considered HB 7031, the tax package conference report. The bill repeals the business rent tax and aviation fuel tax, delays the natural gas fuel tax, creates or extends several sales tax exemptions and holidays, and makes changes affecting property taxes, local taxes, pari-mutuel taxes, and revenue distributions. Debate focused heavily on the new permanent exemption for ammunition and hunting-related items, the elimination of recurring housing trust fund and transit-related distributions, and the shift of some funding from recurring to nonrecurring status. Supporters argued the package provides tax relief and preserves annual budget flexibility, while opponents criticized the ammunition exemption and the reductions in recurring housing and transit support. The conference report was adopted and the bill passed. The House then passed HB 5017, which creates a debt reduction program funded by a recurring transfer from general revenue to retire state bonds early, and HB 5015, the state group insurance conforming bill, which directs DMS to develop a formulary management plan and codifies the administrative health insurance assessment. Finally, the chamber began explanation and questions on the General Appropriations Act conference report for fiscal year 2025-26, described as a $115.1 billion budget that is down from the current year and includes more than $12 billion in reserves. Subcommittee chairs summarized major budget areas, including K-12 education, health care, transportation and economic development, agriculture and natural resources, higher education, state administration, justice, and information technology, highlighting funding for school choice, Medicaid, housing, transportation infrastructure, Everglades restoration, workforce programs, cybersecurity, and technology modernization.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, generally, we're going to be okay with the valuation they're giving us.
• But the valuation of that solar PV system would generally be acceptable from our perspective. Okay.
• We may the valuation they're giving us.
• But the<01:27:28.160><c> valuation</c><01:27:29.240><c> of</c><01:27:29.400><c> that</c><01:27:29.760
• the valuation of that solar PV system generally<01:27:32.160><c> be</c><01:27:32.280><c> acceptable<

Bills: SB2607 , SB2031 , SB2043 , SB2623 , SB2876 , SB2396 , SB2964 , SB2089

Committee: House Consumer Protection & Commerce

Summary: The committee first heard HCR 168 and HR 158, which would create a temporary working group to study utility capacity, coastline infrastructure lifespan, and the costs of needed expansions. Public Utilities Commission staff said the commission was not the right entity to direct all of the work because it lacks authority over many affected agencies. Members discussed whether the study should be limited to a coastal area or broadened to the whole island, and in decision-making the committee amended the measure to focus on the County of Honolulu, correct references to the Public Utilities Commission, and revise the working group membership to include the PUC chair, legislative designees, and directors or designees from DLNR, DOT, HIEMA, and DCCA Consumer Advocacy. The committee then passed both resolutions with amendments; the vote was adopted unanimously, with some members excused. The committee next considered HCR 145 and HR 137, which would convene a working group on climate change impacts on insurance availability and affordability. The Insurance Division stood on its written comments, the Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission supported the intent, and the Attorney General opposed the measure, warning that a working group could create discoverable materials that might complicate the state’s climate litigation and noting a technical ambiguity in the reference to the Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund administrator. After questions about discovery and the lawsuit, the committee amended the resolutions to replace the administrator reference with the chair of the Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund Board of Directors, remove the Attorney General as convener while keeping the office as a member, and have the working group share findings and recommendations with the House CPC and Senate CPN committees instead of issuing a report. The committee passed the measures with amendments, with Rep. Martin voting with reservations. In the later agenda, the committee heard SB 2607, SD 1 on landscape architect licensure. The Board of Professional Engineers, Architects, Surveyors, and Landscape Architects supported the bill, explaining it modernizes licensure requirements to align with national standards and clarifies the profession’s design-focused role. The bill was discussed as distinguishing landscape architecture from groundskeeping and from civil engineering drainage work. No opposition was heard. The committee also heard SB 2031, SD 2 on consumer protection and price transparency for live ticket events and short-term lodging. The Office of Consumer Protection supported the bill, saying it largely mirrors an FTC rule requiring all-in pricing and would give the state enforcement authority and remedies. The Hawaii Financial Services Association opposed the bill as drafted and sought a limited exemption for credit card issuers relying on third-party hotel information, while the Hawaii Hotel Alliance supported the measure but asked for language deeming compliance with the federal rule sufficient for short-term lodging. Committee members questioned whether those proposed exemptions would conflict with federal law or weaken state enforcement, and the discussion focused on preemption, liability, and the value of state remedies such as restitution.

Transcript Highlights:

• That's partially as a result of increased inventory, increased valuations, and relative decrease in other
• That's partially as a result of increased inventory, increased valuations, and relative decrease in other
• That's partially as a result of increased inventory, increased valuations, and relative decrease in other
• That's partially as a result of increased inventory, increased valuations, and relative decrease in other
• Valuations in other property tax classes, but this, of course, affects housing affordability as these

Committee: Senate Housing and Homelessness Prevention

Transcript Highlights:

• If it's a credit that's been sold, perhaps the valuation is the price at which it was sold.
• That's what this bill would valuation.
• That is like a valuation-type methodology.
• That that is like a valuation value.
• That that is like a valuation type<01:53:30.560><c> of</c><01:53:30.920><c> methodology.

Committee: Senate Energy and Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> And then we move into property valuation And then we move into property valuation and<01:11:55.400
• listers with valuation of public utilities in that municipality.
• </c> the Director of of Property Valuation the Director of of Property Valuation and<01:14:27.680><c>
• We struck that from that bill and moved it into here because it included comprehensive property valuation
• </c> property valuation review work. property valuation review work.

Transcript Highlights:

• and the bill converts that valuation and the bill converts that into<01:33:05.000><c> a</c><01:33:05.199
• The only allocation you're talking about is the determination based on the equalized valuation adjustment
• adjustment to the dollar 12 valuation adjustment to the dollar 12 correct<01:43:36.960><c> Statewide
• </c> on what the equalized valuation on what the equalized valuation adjustment<01:44:29.360><c> does
• is equalized valuation is identical<01:47:04.760><c> I</c><01:47:04.960><c> think</c><01:47:05.239><

Summary: The Education Funding Committee met in executive session and first took up HB 193, which clarifies that dual and concurrent enrollment courses may not exceed four credits. Members said the bill came from the community college system and was intended to preserve the program’s high school-to-college pathway. An amendment changing the effective date to passage was adopted 18-0, and the committee then voted 18-0 to recommend OTPA on the bill as amended, with the bill placed on the consent calendar. The committee then retained HB 295 and HB 366, both related to school building aid, after members said the issues were complex and needed more work. Both motions to retain passed 18-0, leaving the bills in committee without reports. The chair also said HB 354 would not be taken up that day because of possible changes from the Department of Education and others. HB 494, funding the math learning communities program, was then amended to flat-fund the program rather than increase it, with members citing budget uncertainty. The amendment passed unanimously, and the committee then voted 18-0 for OTPA on the bill as amended, placing it on consent. Finally, HB 515, which would repeal charter public school eligibility for state school building aid, drew debate over whether charter schools should be treated differently from traditional public schools. The committee voted 10-8 for inexpedient to legislate, sending the bill to the regular calendar; Representative Damon was assigned the minority report and Representative Popovic the majority report. The committee then began HB 716, an appropriation for the dual and concurrent enrollment program, where members discussed flat-funding the program at $2.5 million per year and the potential impact on course availability, but the transcript cuts off before a final vote is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• That would put us in a better situation for the study with our actuarial.
• Let's model it and let's run that actuarial analysis.
• Let's model it and let's run that actuarial analysis.
• Let's model it and let's run that actuarial analysis.
• Let's model it and let's run that actuarial analysis.

Bills: SF0059 , SF0053

Committee: Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• The increased valuation equates to an additional $1.2 million in property taxes paid.
• These property valuations and the taxes just point out include all of the known tenants at each qualifying

Committee: Joint Citizen Commission for Performance Measurement of Tax Preferences

Transcript Highlights:

• So by capping the valuations used for the calculations of sales and excise tax at the valuations for

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Revenue

Summary: The Joint Committee on Revenue held a hybrid hearing on 17 late-file and miscellaneous bills, with testimony focused on several local tax and fee proposals. The first major item was H. 4687 for Watertown, which would permanently continue a special property tax classification allowing the city to maintain a 50% residential minimum factor and a 175% commercial shift. Watertown officials and local legislators said the measure is needed to prevent an estimated 18% residential tax increase when the current temporary authority expires, arguing that the city’s commercial growth and 1988 tax rules have created an unintended burden on homeowners, especially seniors. Committee members asked about the regional business impact, whether major taxpayers might leave, and why a permanent change was sought instead of another short extension; Watertown officials said the policy had not deterred commercial growth and that the city’s fiscal planning and stabilization funds were being used for schools, infrastructure, and bond rating support. The committee also heard H. 4435 from Charlemont, which would authorize a local tax on commercial recreation services. Town officials described Charlemont as a small rural community with a large visitor burden from skiing, rafting, and other recreation, saying police, fire, and EMS costs rise sharply during peak seasons and that the tax would help shift some of those costs to visitors rather than local residents. A committee member questioned the legal structure of taxing recreation services versus goods, but the town said the proposal was modeled on the meals and rooms tax and had local business support. Finally, testimony was taken on H. 4722, promoting fair tax treatment for zero-emission vehicles, especially electric school buses and Class 3-8 trucks. Supporters, including EV advocates, a school transportation company, and Rep. Gentile, said the bill would cap sales and excise taxes on EV vehicles at the level of comparable diesel vehicles to remove an unintended tax penalty, keep revenue neutral, and support the state’s climate goals while helping school districts and private bus operators manage higher upfront costs. Rep. Gentile also spoke in support of H. 4755, which would amend Sudbury’s means-tested senior property tax exemption so the town would not need new special legislation if the program is renewed again in the future. No votes were taken, and the hearing concluded after public testimony and committee questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• consequences for the individual living in the home, consequences for the neighborhood, consequences for valuation
• consequences for the individual living in the home, consequences for the neighborhood, consequences for valuation

Committee: House Special Committee on Tax Reform

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 2923, which would give homeowners a temporary property tax exemption of up to four years on qualifying home improvements between $7,500 and $75,000, so long as the property is the owner’s homestead and the required intent and completion forms are filed. The sponsor said the bill is meant to encourage reinvestment in homes, including after catastrophic events, and said the fiscal note showed no impact. Members asked about the bill’s effect on assessors, taxing districts, school districts, the definition of homestead, and whether the state would reimburse lost revenue. Testimony in support argued the bill would reduce ambiguity in new-construction assessments, encourage repairs and improvements, and help homeowners avoid being penalized for fixing damaged homes. Concerns were raised about routine maintenance, the four-dwelling language, possible burdens on assessors, and whether the bill could affect senior tax freezes. The hearing on HB 2923 ended without a vote. The committee then went into executive session on House Bill 3256, adopted a committee substitute, and voted the substitute do pass by a roll call of five yes and one no. Discussion focused on criminal penalties in the bill, with the ranking member objecting to those provisions and noting that other states do not include them. The sponsor explained changes in the substitute, including broader retail-establishment language, explicit coverage of sports venues and concert halls, and removal of banks and credit unions from the bill. Members suggested further floor amendments and additional review of other states’ statutes. Finally, the committee heard Senate Joint Resolution 95, which would create the Show Me Prosperity Fund as a constitutional endowment intended to eventually replace all state-imposed taxes with investment earnings. The senator said the fund would be seeded by a one-time appropriation, managed by the treasurer, audited by the auditor, and protected from borrowing or diversion, with distributions capped at 3 percent. Supporters said the proposal would use compound growth to create long-term tax relief and eventually make Missouri the first state to eliminate state taxes; one witness called it straightforward and honest. Members questioned the size of the needed appropriation, how the fund would work if state income tax changes separately, whether state law allows the needed investments, and how the fund would avoid becoming unstable if distributions begin before it is large enough. No opposition testimony was offered, and the hearing concluded without action on SJR 95.

Transcript Highlights:

• recall that the Idaho Home Learning Academy was part of, or the subject of, an Office of Performance Valuation
• recall that the Idaho Home Learning Academy was part of, or the subject of, an Office of Performance Valuation

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, as long as you document how you determine the valuation, either going to the assessor's office
• and getting their valuation of it or insurance, you know, it's the value.

Committee: All LEGISLATIVE JOINT AUDITING-COUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITIES

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, from an actuarial standpoint, the oldest debt is sometimes not the best debt to pay off.
• Yeah, so any debt, sometimes when the actuaries do this, it could be the one that has the longest lifespan

Committee: House Appropriations

Summary: The House Committee on Appropriations met on March 30, 2026, and first approved House Bill 27, a constitutional amendment by Rep. McMakin that would let non-recurring state monies be used to pay down state retirement system unfunded accrued liabilities without being limited to the oldest debt. McMakin said the change would allow the state to choose the most actuarially beneficial debt to retire. The committee also favorably reported House Bill 755 by Chairman Turner, which creates indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity professional services contracting for design work tied to deferred maintenance projects, and House Bill 308 by Rep. Bayham, which requires cash acceptance at certain state-owned stadium facilities unless a cash-conversion kiosk is available. The committee then approved House Bill 311 by Rep. Kerner, which increases the dedication of insurance premium assessment revenue to the municipal fire and police civil service operating fund. Kerner said the Office of State Examiners now serves far more jurisdictions than when it was created and needs more funding to keep up with technology and workload. House Bill 417 by Rep. Zeringue was also reported favorably; it raises the cap on the hazardous waste site cleanup fund from $6 million to $8 million so DEQ can keep more dedicated revenue available for cleanup contracts instead of having excess amounts flow into the Environmental Trust Fund. Members questioned DEQ about the end of the Waste Tire Task Force and about how cleanup and tire-program stakeholder input would continue, but the bill itself was advanced. House Bill 980 by Rep. Zeringue, which would expand and alter the membership of the Fireman Supplemental Pay Board, was favorably reported after discussion about ensuring board members are tied to supplemental pay and about possible further changes on the floor. House Bill 575 by Rep. Carver, which gives youth in extended foster care priority to buy surplus state vehicles, was also approved after Carver described the transportation barriers facing former foster youth; an amendment that would have moved them from first to second priority was withdrawn after committee concern. The committee then favorably reported House Bill 290 to reauthorize the Department of Treasury through July 1, 2031, and House Bill 382, which shifts review of certain matters from an oversight committee to the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget to avoid a duplicative approval process. Several bills were adopted without objection, and the meeting adjourned after the final motions.

Transcript Highlights:

• In addition, I understand from the Office of State Actuary...
• In addition, I understand from the Office of State Actuary that they will be providing a fiscal note.

Summary: The Labor and Commerce Committee began by suspending the five-day notice rule for Senate Bill 629, then held testimony on the bill, which would restructure the Liquor and Cannabis Board. Proponents, including the Washington Hospitality Association, the Washington Cannabis Business Association, and the Cannabis Alliance, argued the current board structure is overburdened by alcohol and cannabis responsibilities, slows decision-making, and should be expanded or reorganized to improve accountability and focus. Opponents, including the Washington Association for Substance Misuse and Violence Prevention and a cannabis business owner, warned the bill would create unnecessary administrative costs, weaken executive accountability, and should not advance without more study. The committee did not take final action on SB 629 during the hearing portion, but later moved several bills out of committee. In executive session, the committee adopted proposed substitutes and advanced SB 6282 on behavioral health training for construction apprentices, SB 5379 on interest arbitration for Parks and Recreation Commission employees, SB 6197 on plumber license discipline, SB 6158 on factory-built housing and utility structures, SB 6302 on limits for independent contractors on public works finishing work, SB 5882 on PTSD workers’ compensation coverage for local correctional facility workers, SB 6180 on firefighter and law enforcement heart-related occupational disease presumptions, SB 6195 on cannabis producer oversupply, SB 6196 on kratom taxation, SB 6204 on home cannabis cultivation, and SB 6287 on kratom product restrictions. Several bills were sent to Ways and Means because of fiscal impacts, while SB 6204 was sent to Rules after adoption of an amendment allowing local governments to restrict home cultivation in residential areas. The committee also noted that SB 6303 on cannabis packaging and vapor devices would not move that day.

Transcript Highlights:

• out, they are returning approximately a billion dollars to policyholders due to the fact that the actuarial
• I won't name the company, but a while back from a health company, we got a filing, and our actuaries,

Committee: Senate Banking and Insurance

Summary: The Senate Committee on Banking and Insurance convened with a quorum present, and Commissioner Michael Yaworsky of the Office of Insurance Regulation delivered a broad update on Florida’s property insurance market. He outlined the division of responsibilities between OIR and the Department of Financial Services, then reported market indicators including 7.61 million residential policies in force, an average premium of $2,755, 1.5 million Citizens takeout approvals, and recent negative trends in homeowners rate requests. He credited recent legislative reforms, especially tort reform and the Insurer Accountability Act, with improving market stability, increasing competition, and allowing the office to conduct more examinations and investigations, recover consumer restitution, and fine insurers for misconduct tied to recent hurricanes. Yaworsky emphasized that Citizens Property Insurance has been rapidly depopulating from its 2022 peak and may fall below 300,000 policies, while cautioning that over-depopulation could create residual-market risks and assessments if a major storm hits. He also discussed the distinction between admitted and surplus lines markets, the role of reinsurance in Florida pricing, and the effect of inflation on total insured values and premiums. He said Florida has seen comparatively modest property rate increases relative to other states and noted that recent hurricanes did not produce the kind of rate spikes seen in prior years, which he attributed to a more stable market and reduced fraud and litigation pressure. In response to a question from Senator Martin, Yaworsky explained that California’s wildfire crisis and regulatory structure are not a direct one-to-one comparison for Florida, but that California’s market problems can affect global reinsurance capacity and serve as a cautionary example of regulatory missteps. He also highlighted a recent Progressive auto insurance excess-profits refund of about $1 billion to policyholders, discussed possible federal changes to the National Flood Insurance Program, and urged greater home resiliency and code-plus adoption. The commissioner closed by calling for clearer consumer disclosures and responsible oversight of AI use in insurance filings. No bills were considered and no votes were taken; Senator Hooper moved to adjourn, and the committee adjourned without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• Actuarial modeling suggests 70% of this program's enrollees will move to it from private coverage in
• Actuarial modeling suggests 70% of this program's enrollees will move to it from private coverage in
• Actuarial modeling suggests 70% of this program's enrollees will move to it from private coverage in
• There would be more actuarial values if it's on the table when the waiver is approved.
• There would be more actuarial values if it's on the table when the waiver is approved.

Bills: HF10 , HF27

Committee: House Health Finance and Policy

Keywords: undocumented immigrants, state funding, MinnesotaCare, scholarship ineligibility, state assistance, permit to carry, concealed carry, handgun permit, firearm permit, pistol training, sheriff, application process, electronic filing, mail application, fax submission, certified mail, certified delivery, gun rights, Second Amendment, firearms regulation

Transcript Highlights:

• That alone should, you should... and we did a valuation, a back-of-the-napkin valuation, but just by
• Do you ever talk about the value or, you know, valuation or revenue sharing or endorsements?

Summary: The committee held an informational hearing on name, image, and likeness (NIL) and financial literacy for student athletes, with members framing California as a national leader on NIL but emphasizing the need for stronger protections and more consistent education. The chair and witnesses discussed how NIL opportunities now include both third-party endorsement deals and school revenue-sharing arrangements, and how the current landscape varies widely by institution, leaving athletes with a patchwork of rules and support. Several witnesses argued that student athletes, especially younger ones and those from low-income or first-generation backgrounds, are vulnerable to predatory contracts, tax problems, and pressure from family, agents, or lenders. The first panel featured Tyree Dillingham and Brandon Copeland, who called for standardized financial literacy, better guardrails against predatory NIL advances, and a player-led association or similar collective voice for athletes. They described examples of athletes not understanding paychecks, taxes, or contract terms, and warned that some schools and collectives blur the line between education and marketing. Copeland also argued that college athletics now functions like a professional business and that athletes need representation and a standard contract structure to protect them. The second panel focused on lived experience, including testimony from attorney Anthony Coronae and student athlete Mikey Williams. Coronae described reviewing a contract that he said functioned like a predatory loan disguised as marketing support, with the company taking exclusive rights to Williams’ NIL and requiring repayment far beyond the advance. Williams testified that he signed without a lawyer, later lost endorsements, scholarship, and housing stability, and only later learned the contract’s consequences. He said a required financial literacy course at Sacramento State helped him begin to understand budgeting, taxes, and contracts, and he urged the legislature to require legal review or stronger safeguards for athletes. The third panel, from San Diego State University, highlighted a more structured institutional model. Athletic director Brendan Hill described a mandatory four-year life-skills program that includes financial literacy, resume workshops, internships, and branding education, while student athlete Sloan Benchoff said the program helped her manage money and prepare for post-college life. Witnesses agreed that support is uneven across schools, that some agents and lenders are exploiting athletes, and that California should consider standardized financial education and agent regulation while also being careful not to create rules that unintentionally restrict athlete rights. No formal vote or bill action was taken at the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• That alone should—you should—we did a valuation, a back-of-the-napkin valuation—but just by them using
• Do you ever talk about the value or, you know, valuation or revenue sharing or endorsements?

Committee: House Arts, Entertainment, Sports, and Tourism

Transcript Highlights:

• we take it from the encampment that we are approaching, we do have a city employee who does the valuation
• we take it from the encampment that we are approaching, we do have a city employee who does the valuation
• In this case, our O.P. who does the valuation on the vehicle to hand it over to the tow yard, in this

Committee: House Transportation

Summary: The Assembly Transportation Committee heard a series of bills, beginning with AB 431, which would create a statewide framework for advanced air mobility infrastructure and planning. The author and supporters from AUVSI, Joby Aviation, United Airlines, Wisk Aero, the City of Long Beach, and Archer argued the bill would help California lead in eVTOL technology, support jobs, reduce congestion, and improve sustainability. The committee accepted amendments, and AB 431 passed on a do-pass-as-amended vote to the Assembly Appropriations Committee. The committee then considered AB 630, dealing with abandoned and hazardous RVs. The author and supporters, including Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass’s office, said the bill would help local governments address unsafe RVs, curb “van-lording,” and improve notice and reporting requirements before dismantling certain unclaimed vehicles. Opponents from the Western Center on Law and Poverty and ACLU California Action argued the bill would destroy needed shelter for unhoused people and that the notice and valuation process could harm vulnerable residents. Members discussed the bill’s focus on dismantling rather than towing, and AB 630 passed as amended. Other measures taken up included AB 314 on transit-oriented development around high-speed rail stations, AB 1223 on Sacramento County transportation funding flexibility, AB 1111 on flexibility for zero-emission school bus mandates, AB 1190 on limiting fees charged by DMV online business partners, AB 987 on predatory towing fees, and AB 911 on a narrow exemption from zero-emission fleet rules for telecommunications bucket trucks and sail-on wheels. Testimony generally split between supporters emphasizing affordability, local flexibility, consumer protection, or emergency readiness, and opponents raising concerns about implementation, mandates, or unintended consequences. Several bills were advanced by committee vote, with some members recording no votes or abstentions on measures they said needed further work.

Transcript Highlights:

• They are certified by actuaries, reviewed by state regulators, subject to public scrutiny, and can be
• So when plans need to go through the regulatory process for premiums and rates, their actuaries submit
• and the Department of Managed Health Care has the ability to stamp a rate as unreasonable if their actuaries
• disagree with the plan actuaries.
• disagree with the plan actuaries.

Committee: House Health