Transcript Highlights:

• Keena Corey, and you are recognized to speak for the Florida chapter of the National Waste and Recycling
• I'm here on behalf of the Florida chapter of the National Waste and Recycling Association.

Committee: Senate Environment and Natural Resources

Summary: The Committee on Environment and Natural Resources considered several environmental and infrastructure bills, most of them sponsored or presented by Senator McLean, along with measures on stormwater, wastewater, brownfields, marine facilities, and a confirmation package. SB 492 on mitigation banking would allow mitigation credits to be purchased outside an impact area when local credits are unavailable, with distance-based multipliers and a statutory credit release schedule; Senator Smith raised concerns about how far credits could be moved from the impacted ecosystem, while supporters said the bill would preserve net environmental benefit and provide predictability. The bill was reported favorably, with Senator Smith voting no. SB 800 would update Florida’s battery recycling program and require manufacturers to support more robust recycling and disposal information, prompted by testimony from waste, recycling, and industry groups describing truck, landfill, and facility fires caused by batteries. SB 1228 would advance a spring restoration project for Kentucky Springs and the Santa Fe spring flows by allowing JEA to amend a compliance plan to deliver more than 35 million gallons per day of reclaimed water to replenish the aquifer; it was reported favorably without debate. SB 796 would create a general permit for distributed wastewater treatment systems to help local governments address failing septic tanks, and SB 736 would update the Brownfields program with technical changes, revised definitions, and a change allowing smaller ownership interests to participate in cleanup efforts; both were reported favorably after supportive testimony. SB 810 on stormwater management required annual inspections of local government waterways and drainage works before hurricane season, motivated by flooding after recent storms. Senators Harrell and Smith questioned who would be responsible for inspections and repairs, the scope of structures covered, and the fiscal impact, and the sponsor said the bill would be refined to better define responsibilities and possibly narrow the scope to higher-risk infrastructure. The bill drew opposition from the Florida League of Cities and the Florida Stormwater Association, but also strong support from senators who emphasized the need for better preparedness; it was reported favorably. SB 1162 on water access facilities would add a clean marine manufacturer designation, provide a lease fee discount, and include parking for boat-hauling vehicles and trailers in the grant program; it was reported favorably. The committee also unanimously recommended confirmation of five Florida Inland Navigation District appointees, and Senator DeSantis? no, Senator DeCeglie recorded affirmative votes on SB 492, SB 800, and SB 1228 before adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• That<00:32:50.040><c> person</c><00:32:50.320><c> go</c><00:32:50.480><c> to</c><00:32:50.600><c> the
• ><c> stalker</c><00:32:52.440><c> go</c><00:32:52.600><c> to</c><00:32:52.679><c> the</c><00:32:52.720
• They<00:32:55.440><c> are</c><00:32:55.520><c> not</c><00:32:55.920><c> having</c><00:32:56.400><c> Ain't
• <00:32:57.280><c> them</c><00:32:57.440><c> or</c><00:32:57.520><c> doing</c><00:32:57.760><c> anything
• They just<00:32:59.080><c> in</c><00:32:59.240><c> the</c><00:32:59.320><c> arena,</c><00:32:59.760><

Bills: SB118 , SB203 , HB420 , HB414 , HB363 , HB405 , HB261 , HB263 , HB327 , HB348 , SB118 , SB203 , HB420 , HB414 , HB363 , HB405 , HB261 , HB263 , HB327 , HB348 , HB228 , HB282 , SB273 , HB7 , SB296 , SB199 , SB47 , SB204 , HB80 , HB11 , HB192 , HB228 , HB282 , SB273 , HB7 , SB296 , SB199 , SB47 , SB204 , HB80 , HB11 , HB192

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Keywords: bail, offenses, constitutional amendment, criminal justice, law enforcement, public safety, dental insurance, medical loss ratio, premium regulation, insurance commissioner, rebate, consumer protection, Baldwin County, local bill, education funding, school tax, privilege license tax, county tax revenue, municipal school board, Baldwin County Board of Education

Transcript Highlights:

• :09.039><c> kids</c><00:32:09.279><c> about</c><00:32:09.600><c> how</c><00:32:09.760><c> to</c><00:32
• It's truly amazing.<00:32:14.399><c> when</c><00:32:14.640><c> we</c><00:32:14.880><c> thought</c><00
• and</c><00:32:16.399><c> then</c><00:32:16.559><c> we</c><00:32:16.799><c> just</c><00:32:16.960><c>
• <00:32:19.039><c> took</c><00:32:19.279><c> it</c><00:32:19.440><c> to</c><00:32:19.600><c> the</c><00
• <c> what</c><00:32:22.399><c> I</c><00:32:22.640><c> found</c><00:32:22.799><c> out</c><00:32:23.039>

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:01:00 Approval of Minutes 00:02:31 Kentucky Farm Bureau 00:02:42 Kentucky Department of Agriculture 00:28:18 Kentucky Cattlemen's Association 01:48:13, 958, all

Summary: The committee heard first from Kentucky Farm Bureau leaders, who outlined the organization’s current priorities and recent work on farmland transition. Eddie Melton said Farm Bureau is working through 983 county and advisory committee resolutions and highlighted support for the updated selling farmer tax credit, now law through House Bill 775, as well as Senate Bill 28’s agriculture economic development provisions. He said Farm Bureau’s likely priorities include maintaining the 50% share of the tobacco settlement fund for agriculture, protecting funding for the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, preserving sales tax exemptions on farm inputs, keeping property taxes controlled, and exploring additional tools to keep farmland in active farmers’ hands, including possible loan or inheritance-tax changes. He also raised concerns about eminent domain transparency, nuisance deer permits, and access to agricultural inputs and crop protection products. Alita Bots described the farmland transition initiative in more detail, saying the revised state tax credit is generating strong interest and that a new federal tax provision now allows eligible land sales to actively engaged farmers to spread capital gains taxes over time. She said the initiative has reached 22 counties and more than 1,300 people this year through outreach and meetings, and that Farm Bureau is pairing policy work with resources to help farm families plan transitions and prepare wills and other estate documents. Drew Graham added that the effort is also meant to bridge the rural-urban divide and support rural communities, and Farm Bureau invited members to its annual meeting in early December. Members asked about rising insurance costs and deer damage. Farm Bureau representatives said severe convective storms, inflation, and higher repair and material costs have driven insurance rate increases, citing five major storm events since 2021 and a recent Owensboro hailstorm that caused about $350 million in losses; they said the company is moving toward percentage deductibles to help moderate increases. On deer, they said crop-loss totals are hard to quantify but acknowledged the problem and discussed possible coordination with the Department of Fish and Wildlife and Hunters for the Hungry. Commissioner Jonathan Shell then began the Department of Agriculture presentation, reporting gains from the department’s school agriculture outreach program, including a 23% increase in county participation between March and September and improved teacher-reported student learning, before continuing into the department’s legislative priorities.

Transcript Highlights:

• But I know that—I'm pretty sure there was action taken against—I'm pretty sure that the SJP chapter lost
• And for everyone's knowledge, we have until 5 o'clock, so we do have 32 minutes, and I think it's going

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The meeting opened with approval of the July 9, 2025 minutes and a roll call confirming quorum. DESE Commissioner Pedro Martinez gave his first official testimony, affirming the department’s commitment to preventing antisemitism and societal bias in schools, saying DESE supports the commission’s recommendations and will add staff resources to help develop and disseminate guidance and instructional materials. He said DESE’s rubric and guidance for identifying effective curricula and resources should be finalized in late fall, and commissioners welcomed the partnership and asked about the ongoing Section 98A work. The commission then heard from Professor Eitan Hirsch of Tufts, who presented research on antisemitism and campus climate. He described survey findings showing sharply different Jewish and non-Jewish views on Israel, increasing social pressure on Jewish students, and a growing tendency for Jewish students to hide their identity or feel penalized for participating in Jewish life. He argued that colleges need to do more to teach students how to handle dissent and build cultures of viewpoint diversity, and commissioners asked about best practices, regional differences, and the role of campus climate surveys. Rabbi Fine of UMass Amherst Hillel and student Sky Landau testified about antisemitism at UMass, especially since October 7. Fine described both a thriving Jewish student community and serious incidents including harassment, vandalism, classroom issues, protests, and students hiding Jewish identity; he said the university is working with Hillel and DEI leadership on goals and strategy for Jewish inclusion, and he urged more training and structured dialogue. Landau described antisemitic incidents she experienced or witnessed, including hostile BDS meetings, exclusion of Zionist students, Holocaust denial, threats, and social ostracism, and said Hillel was the only consistently safe space for her. Commissioners discussed reporting pathways, affinity groups, mental health supports, and ways to distinguish criticism of Israel from antisemitism. Later, the commission moved to its recommendations and made several edits before voting, including deleting offensive wording in a footnote, adding a citation to recent FBI hate crime data, and restoring language tied to an existing DESE regulation, 603 CMR 26.05, on classroom neutrality and fact-based instruction. Commissioners also reiterated that criticism of Israel’s government is not inherently antisemitic. The meeting included a brief interruption by a protester, after which the commission recessed and then resumed its work on the draft recommendations.

Transcript Highlights:

• the board. 22% of Boston respondents reported feeling unsafe being openly Jewish at work, compared to 32%
• Chapter 151B does prohibit discrimination based on national origin with respect to workplace, housing

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Special Commission on Combating Anti-Semitism opened by approving the minutes from its November 5, 2025 meeting and outlining plans for its next meeting on November 20, when it expects to vote on the draft master report and recommendations. The chair explained that revised drafts would be circulated, changes would be handled by motion, and the final vote would be by roll call. The meeting then moved through several public panels focused on prevention, education, workplace support, and community safety. Parents for Peace testified that anti-Semitism and extremism should be treated as a public health crisis and urged state funding for training in K-12 schools, healthcare, and law enforcement. The panel described its intervention work with radicalized youth and families, argued for early-warning training for educators, and recommended diversion resources for courts and prosecutors so cases can be addressed before they escalate. Commissioners asked about the origins of radicalization, the need for school-based training, and how to connect courts and police to available resources. Project Shema’s Orrin Jacobson argued that effective anti-Semitism education must be nuanced, pluralistic, and grounded in a better understanding of Jewish identity and contemporary anti-Semitism, especially in conversations about Israel and Palestine. He said the group has run dozens of workshops in Massachusetts and emphasized that institutions should adopt content-neutral norms, train staff and administrators, and measure whether trainings lower tensions and increase willingness to intervene. Commissioners asked about handling activists who reject nuance, the role of faculty versus students, and whether classroom norms should limit teachers from advancing personal agendas. A workplace panel from Klaal and Combined Jewish Philanthropies presented survey data showing many Jewish employees feel unsafe being openly Jewish at work and that antisemitism training is the top requested support. They described rapid growth in Jewish employee resource groups, existing programming and stipends for ERG leaders, and recommended mandatory anti-Semitism training, support for Jewish affinity groups in public and private sectors, and broader convenings of major employers. The commission also heard from Truah rabbis and educators, who urged stronger interfaith solidarity, a state office of faith-based and neighborhood partnerships, and explicit attention to democracy and civil rights as part of anti-Semitism strategy. After a recess, the commission heard from Israeli-American, Russian Jewish, and Persian Jewish witnesses who described antisemitism as a lived, personal, and civic issue affecting immigrants and their families. They called for inclusion of diverse Jewish voices in state initiatives, stronger protections for Israeli-American businesses, and recognition that anti-Zionist rhetoric often becomes direct harassment of Jews. The chair said the testimony and suggested edits would be incorporated into the draft report, and the meeting ended with plans for further revisions before the final vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• Modernization Project, which supports efficient inmate processing, care, and security, and we're recommending $32
• have served the people of Florida together, and in doing so, we became part of a truly remarkable chapter

Summary: The House convened with prayer, a moment of silence for former Senator Donnell C. Childers, the Pledge of Allegiance, and recognition of Officer Antonio Richardson as law enforcement officer of the day. A quorum was announced, the journal was approved, and the Speaker said the chamber would take up 11 budget conference reports, with debate and final votes on each report. The first report considered was HB 7031E, the tax package, followed by HB 501E, the state budget appropriations bill. On HB 7031E, Chair Duggan explained that the conference report included a range of tax reductions and tax-related changes, including sales tax holidays, property tax and homestead-related provisions, reductions in certain taxes and fees, and new exemptions or administrative clarifications. He said the package also added items such as sales tax relief for certain university construction projects, a tennis admissions exemption, and changes to agricultural property tax treatment, and that the amendment reduced state and local tax revenues by $272.2 million. Members questioned the bill about the child care tax credit reduction from three years to one, the homestead exemption provision for certain diplomats and foreign service personnel, the absence of gas tax relief and combined reporting, and the inclusion of firearm accessories and tennis tickets in sales tax holidays. After structured debate, the House adopted the conference report and passed HB 7031E by a vote of 88-11. The House then began the conference report on HB 501E, the $114.5 billion budget for fiscal year 2026-2027, which was described as below the prior year’s spending level and leaving more than $14 billion in reserves. Subcommittee chairs outlined major allocations across education, higher education, IT, health care, transportation and economic development, justice, state administration, and agriculture/natural resources. Highlights included increased FEFP funding and veteran teacher raises, full funding for Bright Futures, major IT modernization projects, Medicaid and behavioral health funding, transportation and local infrastructure spending, correctional and law enforcement investments, fire station and emergency response funding, and large environmental and water-quality appropriations. Members asked detailed questions about school voucher fraud oversight, scholarship funding, teacher raises, preeminence funding, ADAP changes, SNAP data tools and error rates, Medicaid rate changes, prison wastewater monitoring, and other budget items, but the transcript ends during the budget questions before final action on HB 501E is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• And we're recommending $32 million.
• have served the people of Florida together, and in doing so, we became part of a truly remarkable chapter

Summary: The House convened with prayer, a moment of silence for former Senator Don Childers, the Pledge of Allegiance, and recognition of Officer Antonio Richardson as law enforcement officer of the day. The chamber announced it would take up 11 budget conference committee reports, with no third-reading bills or special-order calendar items. Members were reminded that conference reports were subject to debate but not amendment, and that the required review periods had been satisfied. The first major action was on HB 7031E, the tax package. Representative Duggan explained that the conference report included a mix of retained, modified, and new tax provisions, including sales tax holidays, property tax and homestead-related changes, reductions in certain gaming and carbon-related taxes, changes to child care and documentary stamp tax credits, a new refund process for public works construction tax paid by universities and colleges, and other tax administration changes. Debate focused on the bill’s consumer impact, the reduction of the child tax credit from three years to one, the inclusion of firearm accessories in a sales tax holiday, the absence of gas tax relief and combined reporting, and the homestead exemption provision for certain deployed diplomatic and foreign service personnel. Critics argued the package favored niche or corporate interests over broad affordability relief, while supporters said it provided targeted tax relief and reflected conference negotiations. The House adopted the conference report and passed HB 7031E by a vote of 88-11. The House then began presenting the conference report for HB 501E, the state budget, which totaled $114.5 billion for fiscal year 2026-27 and was described as below the prior year’s spending level while maintaining reserves. Subcommittee chairs outlined major budget areas: pre-K-12 funding included an increase in FEFP, salary increases for veteran teachers, stabilization funding, and support for declining enrollment; higher education included full Bright Futures funding, workforce programs, college operating support, university initiatives, and school guardian expansion; IT funding focused on Palm, ACCESS, APD’s I-Connect replacement, corrections systems, emergency management systems, and cybersecurity grants; health care funding covered Medicaid, nursing home rates, waiver provider increases, ADAP funding and restructuring, child welfare, and behavioral health; transportation and economic development included housing, cultural grants, jobs and rural infrastructure, Visit Florida, Space Florida, highway patrol equipment, and local transportation projects; justice funding included correctional construction, juvenile justice facilities, law enforcement grants, and clerk and due process reimbursements; state administration included fire stations, constrained counties, building maintenance, and Safe Florida Home; and agriculture/natural resources funding emphasized Everglades restoration, water quality, land acquisition, Florida Forever, state parks, and citrus research. Members then began questioning the budget details, including school voucher accountability, school funding formulas, public defender parity, prison technology, wastewater monitoring in prisons, ADAP policy, SNAP fraud controls and AI-assisted verification, Florida Forever funding, school lunch funding, and coral reef restoration. No final vote on HB 501E appears in the transcript excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the executive director for the state chapter for Children's Advocacy Centers, and I'm here today
• Since 2022, even with a 32% increase in minimum wage costs and an overall inflation growth of 17.8% in

Summary: The Senate Ways and Means Committee heard an overview from OFM Director Katie Chapman See on Governor Ferguson’s 2026 supplemental budget proposal. She said the budget was built in response to higher caseloads and inflation, a roughly $390 million revenue forecast drop, new federal costs tied to H.R. 1, and a relatively small ending fund balance. The proposal would increase near general fund spending by about $1.1 billion and solve an estimated $2.3 billion two-year gap through about $800 million in reductions, revenue shifts and tax preference changes, use of other funds, and about $1 billion from the budget stabilization account. She also noted the budget is balanced over two years but not fully over four years under the state’s outlook rules. Chapman See highlighted reductions in Working Connections Child Care, including a soft cap on enrollment and holding subsidy rates at the 75th percentile, delays to long-term care and developmental disability-related changes, and across-the-board reductions to higher education and administrative spending. She also described investments in wildfire suppression and preparedness, affordability programs like utility rebates and home energy assistance, housing-related planning and permitting support, One Washington IT replacement, behavioral health workforce programs, and continued support for some K-12 initiatives such as ninth grade success and homeless student stability. In response to questions, she said some proposed cuts were based on the governor’s subjective judgment about what was critically necessary, that current child care enrollees would not be cut off immediately, and that the budget would maintain services for about 500 highest-acuity Medicaid clients who lost eligibility under federal changes. Public testimony was largely critical of the proposed cuts in K-12, early learning, and higher education. School officials, educators, nurses, and advocacy groups opposed reductions to Transition to Kindergarten, Local Effort Assistance, Running Start, MSOC, school leadership and support grants, and higher education funding, arguing the cuts would worsen existing funding gaps and harm student outcomes. Several witnesses supported restoring or maintaining funding for ninth grade success, Treehouse’s foster youth graduation program, homeless student stability, and Science on Wheels. In early learning, child care providers and advocates opposed the Working Connections cap and subsidy-rate reduction, warning it would reduce access and destabilize providers. In higher education, campus leaders and labor representatives opposed across-the-board cuts and fund shifts, while some institutions and advocates supported targeted investments such as behavioral health workforce programs and DigiPen aid restoration. In human services, Planned Parenthood advocates praised restored abortion access funding and Medicaid reimbursements. The committee took no votes or final action in the transcript provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• The A-28 introduces an entirely new chapter, 256B, and a new subject in medical assistance. rates, which
• There being 32 ayes, 92 nays, the motion does not pass and the amendment is not adopted.

Transcript Highlights:

• As a wheelchair pusher, my son is 32, and he doesn't have the ability to use his hands.
• Greg Herner, on behalf of the 10 chapters of the Fire Club International, in support of the bill.

Summary: The committee heard a long agenda of water, parks, transportation, species protection, and fisheries bills. AB 430 would require the State Water Resources Control Board to publish an economic and environmental impact study when emergency water regulations are extended over multiple years; the author and supporters from agricultural and water groups said it would add transparency without limiting emergency authority. AB 1139 would expand a CEQA exemption to let county park agencies open existing roads and trails for non-motorized recreation, with supporters emphasizing access to nature and opponents warning about impacts to sensitive habitat, tribal resources, and fire risk. AB 929 would temporarily exempt small community water systems and managed wetlands from certain SGMA pumping reductions and fines; supporters said it would protect vulnerable communities and wetlands, while farm and water coalition opponents argued it would undermine basin-wide groundwater management and shift burdens to other users. AB 1225, creating an Accessibility Advisory Committee for State Parks, drew broad support and passed unanimously. The committee also heard AB 514, which would encourage local water suppliers to develop emergency water supplies for drought and service interruptions; it passed with broad support, though one member cautioned against using scientific research as a loophole. AB 550 would let developers seek incidental take permits for species under consideration for listing, aimed at reducing delays for clean energy projects; environmental groups supported the goal but asked for clearer standards, limits on using research as mitigation, and a fee provision, and the bill passed as amended. AB 697 would authorize an incidental take permit for the State Route 37 interim project in Solano and Marin counties, balancing congestion relief and habitat restoration; supporters stressed long commutes and urgent restoration deadlines, while opponents raised climate, sea-level-rise, and tribal concerns. The bill passed, with some members noting they would continue to work on the measure. Other measures discussed included AB 975, which would give Sutter County a narrow, temporary exemption from streambed alteration agreements for certain damaged small bridges and culverts; county officials described repeated flood damage and long permitting delays, and the bill passed as amended. AB 1056 would phase out transferability of set gillnet permits after 2027, allowing only a final family transfer; supporters framed it as a gradual response to bycatch concerns, while fishing industry opponents said it would unfairly target an existing fishery and set a bad precedent. The committee also took up AB 1146, described by the author as a response to politically motivated water releases; supporters from conservation and water organizations backed the bill. Several bills were voted out to Appropriations, some were left open for later action or add-ons, and the committee repeatedly noted it was working through the agenda without a quorum early in the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• :32:01.080><c> so</c><02:32:01.279><c> we</c><02:32:01.399><c> are</c><02:32:01.560><c> in</c> step um
• ><02:32:02.160><c> this</c><02:32:02.359><c> bill</c><02:32:03.000><c> and</c><02:32:03.279><c> we'll
• ><02:32:06.680><c> to</c><02:32:06.800><c> answer</c><02:32:07.120><c> them</c><02:32:07.720><c> thank
• </c><02:32:46.840><c> know</c><02:32:47.080><c> side</c><02:32:47.439><c> effects</c><02:32:48.680><c
• ><c> your</c><02:32:56.319><c> department</c><02:32:57.319><c> will</c><02:32:57.560><c> you</c><02:32

Committee: House Health, Human Services & Elderly Affairs

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Mr.<02:32:25.600><c> Sheel,</c><02:32:26.160><c> please</c><02:32:26.479><c> open</c><02:32:26.800><c
• Representative Ricks,<02:32:30.800><c> how</c><02:32:30.880><c> do</c><02:32:31.040><c> you</c><02:32
• </c> With<02:32:46.720><c> 42</c><02:32:47.439><c> I</c><02:32:47.840><c> 21</c><02:32:48.319><c> no<
• /c><02:32:48.640><c> and</c><02:32:48.880><c> two</c><02:32:49.200><c> excused.
• House Bill<02:32:50.399><c> 1156</c><02:32:51.520><c> is</c><02:32:51.840><c> adopted.

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• :52.320><c> on</c><00:32:52.440><c> the</c><00:32:52.639><c> left</c><00:32:53.120><c> is</c><00:32:53.440
• ><c> a</c><00:32:54.080><c> siteb</c><00:32:54.360><c> built</c><00:32:54.639><c> home</c> house on the
• left is a siteb built home house on the left is a siteb built home uh<00:32:55.799><c> that</c><00:32
• :56.000><c> was</c><00:32:56.399><c> affordable</c><00:32:57.000><c> based</c><00:32:57.279><c> off</
• affordable based off of the Ami<00:32:59.000><c> uh</c><00:32:59.120><c> was</c><00:32:59.320><c> flipped

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:01 Roll Call 00:16 HB 211 Discussion 02:55 HB 211 Vote 16:30 HB 160 Discussion 18:50 HB 160 Vote 52:06 Adjournment 57:35, 958, all

Summary: The House Standing Committee on Local Government met for its first meeting of the year, established a quorum, and heard two bills. House Bill 211, sponsored by Representative Chris Lewis, would create a definition for cigar bars and allow indoor cigar smoking in qualifying establishments if they meet criteria such as deriving at least 15% of gross income from cigar-related sales, restricting entry to those 21 and older, prohibiting cigarettes and vaping, and requiring a smoke-free area for deliveries. Lewis and Louisville Metro Council member Anthony Pantini described the bill as a small-business and tourism measure modeled on Tennessee law, while the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network and a St. Elizabeth physician opposed it, arguing it would undermine local smoke-free ordinances and expose patrons and workers to harmful secondhand smoke. Several members raised local-control concerns, and Lewis said he was open to local governments making decisions on less restrictive approaches. The committee adopted a committee substitute and then approved HB 211 on a roll call vote, with multiple members voting yes and several no votes, sending the bill forward as amended. The committee then heard House Bill 160 from Representative Susan Whitten, with Logan Haynes of the Kentucky Manufactured Housing Institute. They said Kentucky faces a housing shortage of roughly 200,000 units and that starter homes are increasingly unaffordable, making manufactured housing an important part of the solution. Whitten said the bill would treat manufactured housing more like site-built housing while still allowing local governments to enforce cosmetic standards such as roof pitch, exterior facade, and foundation material, and she emphasized that HOA, deed, and historical preservation restrictions would remain in place. Haynes argued that modern manufactured homes are federally and state inspected, more energy efficient, faster to build, and more affordable than site-built homes, and he said the bill would not open the door to older-style mobile homes or single-wides except in limited narrow-lot situations. Representatives from the Kentucky League of Cities and the Kentucky Association of Counties expressed concerns about the bill’s current language, saying land-use decisions should remain local and warning that the definition of qualified manufactured home and the bill’s treatment of local standards could have unintended consequences. They said they appreciated Whitten’s willingness to work with them and indicated they hoped to continue negotiating amendments as the bill moved forward. No vote on HB 160 was taken during the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• :48.360><c> intentions</c><00:32:48.840><c> be</c><00:32:49.000><c> known</c><00:32:49.440><c> 30</c>
• <00:32:49.799><c> days</c><00:32:50.120><c> before</c> their intentions be known 30 days before their
• intentions be known 30 days before opening<00:32:51.559><c> with</c><00:32:51.880><c> the</c><00:32:
• 52.039><c> language</c><00:32:52.519><c> that</c><00:32:52.639><c> I</c><00:32:52.880><c> handed</c>
• <c> you</c><00:32:58.480><c> find</c><00:32:58.639><c> it</c><00:32:58.840><c> represent</c><00:32:59.240

Committee: House Municipal and County Government

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There is, in the Election Code, Chapter 16, investigation of registered voter for proof of citizenship
• I drafted a bill about three sessions ago that would add a Chapter 10 to the Election Code and require
• I would propose that we tie the deepfake statute to the TCPA anti-SLAPP statute that we've got in Chapter
• Yeah, and just add that Chapter 27 of the Civil Practice and Remedies Code applies to this statute, so
• In favor of Chapter 65 of the Election Code, the hand-marked or hand-counted ballots.

Committee: House Elections

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• asked for an injunction to immediately move her out of her unit under Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter
• In Massachusetts, we already have a right of first refusal law, Chapter 40T, to help preserve subsidized
• possible because Massachusetts already has a successful right of first refusal on the books, MGL Chapter
• Importantly, the bill provides for strong enforcement through Chapter 93A, and it invalidates forced
• A Holyoke chapter has worked to build support for an Office of Tenant Protection in the city.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Housing

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Housing held a hybrid hearing on a broad slate of landlord-tenant and home rule bills, with most testimony focused on rent stabilization, tenant opportunity to purchase (TOPA), tenant fees, access to counsel, algorithmic rent fixing, and tenant protections in subsidized housing. Chairs Cyr and Haggerty outlined the hearing procedures and noted that written testimony could also be submitted. Several members and invited speakers emphasized that the committee was hearing from both local officials and residents affected by housing instability, especially in Somerville and other communities facing high rents and displacement. Supporters of rent stabilization and local-option rent control argued that Massachusetts needs tools to prevent displacement while new housing is built. Senator Eldridge, Senator Jalen, Somerville officials, tenant organizers, and residents described steep rent increases, no-fault evictions, and the loss of naturally occurring affordable housing. Somerville’s home rule petition was described as allowing annual increases tied to CPI plus 2%, capped at 5%, with exemptions for owner-occupied two- and three-family homes and a 15-year exemption for new construction. TOPA supporters said it would let tenants or their designees buy buildings before speculative buyers, preserving affordable housing stock; opponents, including small landlords and property managers, argued rent control would reduce supply, discourage investment, and that TOPA could delay sales and harm properties. The committee also heard testimony on bills to curb junk fees and regulate tenant charges, including limits on late fees, lease renewal fees, payment portal fees, attorney’s fees, and other add-on charges. Advocates said these fees can add hundreds of dollars a month and disproportionately harm low-income renters and renters of color. Another major topic was algorithmic rent fixing: Senator Moore and Representative Sabadoza said landlords should not use software such as RealPage to coordinate pricing, citing federal antitrust actions and arguing that competition is essential to lowering rents. Additional testimony supported a statewide right to counsel in eviction cases, with legal services providers saying representation dramatically improves outcomes and can save the state money, and a bill to create an office of tenant protections to better enforce sanitary code violations. No votes or final actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Right now, those investigations can be run under chapter 50 15, chapter 245, or chapter 256B, and this
• Right now, those investigations can be run under chapter 50 15, chapter 245, or chapter 256B, and this

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• natural disaster or a state of martial law, conforming Section 6-4-2.2 NMSA 1978, being Laws 1987, Chapter
• 264, Section 3, and Laws 1987, Chapter 347, Section 3, as amended, making certain transfers, and making
• contract that could have been agreed to with a private correctional facility, if not for Laws 2026, Chapter
• If not for Laws 2026, Chapter 5, providing limitations. The 202 number is 233-999.1.
• The if not for laws, 2026, Chapter 5, providing limitations. The 202 number is 233-999.1.

Summary: The Senate opened with roll call, an invocation, pledges, and a series of announcements and guest introductions tied to several recognition days, including Disability Rights Awareness Day, Elevate the Spectrum Day, Geothermal Rising Legislative Day, DWI Awareness Day, and Adult Education and Literacy Day. Senators also welcomed guests for New Mexico Down Syndrome Day and other constituent visits, and the chamber read certificates recognizing the Hurley family and the New Mexico Military Museum, as well as adult education and literacy programs across the state. Testimony and remarks highlighted the service of the Hurley family, the importance of adult education for workforce and civic participation, and the contributions of people with disabilities and their families. The Senate adopted multiple committee reports and received House messages on several bills and resolutions. On third reading, the Senate passed Senate Bill 96, as amended, which streamlines child care licensing and reduces administrative barriers to opening or expanding child care homes and centers; an HOA-related floor amendment was adopted after discussion about local restrictions and neighborhood traffic concerns. The chamber then passed Senate Bill 14, as amended, which expands the state’s health professional loan repayment program with $25 million in funding split between physicians and allied health professionals/nurses, with questions focused on eligibility, prioritization, and whether the funding would be sufficient to address shortages. Senators also debated the bill’s support for part-time service and its role in helping New Mexico compete for medical workers. The Senate next passed Senate Bill 104 unanimously, establishing a process for removing a wildlife commissioner that requires gubernatorial initiation, notice and a hearing, and direct review by the state Supreme Court; debate centered on due process, the removal standard of incompetence, neglect of duty, or malfeasance, and how the new process compares with prior law. Finally, the chamber took up Senate Bill 50, which would give the Law Enforcement Training Standards Council more flexibility to set training curricula for officers, especially in rural departments; sponsors said the bill preserves minimum training while allowing updates for current issues, but several senators raised concerns that the measure could weaken explicit statutory requirements for domestic violence and sexual assault training and asked how those topics would remain protected in the future curriculum.

Transcript Highlights:

• Currently, there is a jurisdictional gap under Chapter 59 that provides that asset forfeitures are to
• This is currently in place under Chapter 59 to ensure that the money is not seized inappropriately, and
• So under Chapter 59, we have a 30-day window to file our asset.
• We don't seize them under Chapter 59. There are mechanisms that we have.
• The commissioner has subpoena authority under chapter 701 of the insurance code. Is that a yes?

Bills: HB867 , HB1347 , HB1801 , HB1820 , HB2197 , HB2617 , HB3110 , HB3166 , HB3330 , HB4237 , HB4342 , HB4629 , HB4933 , HJR148

Committee: House Criminal Jurisprudence

Keywords: criminal case dismissal, attorney discretion, law enforcement misconduct, judicial approval, evidence, judicial consent, transparency, healthcare, Medicare, insurance, elderly, retired, benefits, access, cost, criminal justice, case dismissal, prosecutorial discretion, law enforcement oversight, criminal procedure

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> all</c><01:32:42.159><c> your</c><01:32:42.400><c> support</c><01:32:42.639><c> and</c><01:32:42.880
• </c><01:32:53.360><c> Chair,</c><01:32:53.600><c> I'd</c><01:32:53.840><c> like</c><01:32:53.920><c>
• Chair, I'd like to suspend<01:32:54.480><c> the</c><01:32:54.639><c> rules</c><01:32:54.880><c> for</
• c><01:32:55.040><c> the</c><01:32:55.199><c> Madison</c><01:32:55.600><c> County</c> suspend the rules
• 01:32:57.280><c> delegation</c><01:32:57.840><c> to</c><01:32:58.080><c> to</c><01:32:58.560><c> local

Keywords: 1136, house, all