Transcript Highlights:

• He ran our most secretive programs for all military services.
• And it is a program of record? Yes ma'am. Thank you sir. Thank you Mr. Chairman.
• And do you believe that's a DEI program? I do not. Thank you.
• most classified programs.
• What would be the consequences for discussing a special access program on Signal?

Committee: Senate Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel

Keywords: national security, military readiness, Kane nomination, defense budget, China threats, Russia, collaboration, modernization

Summary: The meeting centered on the nomination of retired Lieutenant General Dan Kane for Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, delving into various security concerns and the strategic environment facing the U.S. today. Testimonies highlighted the growing threats from adversaries such as China and Russia, with discussions around the necessity of maintaining and modernizing military capabilities to address these challenges. The need for agility in military operations and enhancing collaboration among various defense agencies was underscored. Further, concerns were raised regarding the defense budget and the importance of a strong national defense strategy were prevalent throughout the discussions. The committee members collectively emphasized the need for superior readiness and modernization to keep pace with global threats.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have to ensure that what's requested is covered by the program.
• So we're doing everything we can possibly do to connect people to this program.
• Aetna has an LTC program in addition to its MMA program, correct? Correct.
• And it appears that their LTC program has an MLR of 101%.
• Are there certain federal requirements for LTC programs that require them to exceed 85% in MLR?

Summary: The Health Care Budget Subcommittee took up two bills and then continued oversight discussions with APD and AHCA. CS/HB 27, the Social Work Licensure Interstate Compact, was presented as a way to let Florida social workers practice in other compact states and vice versa; AARP, the Florida Chamber, and NASW Florida supported it, and the bill passed favorably. HB 1127, a child welfare bill, would create a treatment foster care pilot for children with high behavioral needs, improve DCF data collection on commercially sexually exploited children, and expand recruitment for protective investigators and case managers; the bill also passed favorably after brief supportive testimony. The committee then questioned APD at length about the iBudget waiver waitlist, enrollment pace, spending projections, and provider capacity. APD said it had sent more than 1,100 interest letters in categories 3, 4, and 5, enrolled 1,124 people so far this year, and expects to spend about 96.4% of its waiver appropriation, leaving roughly $82 million unspent. Members pressed APD on why prior discussions suggested more reserve was needed, how long the SANS process takes, whether category 6 could be expanded, and whether the agency has enough waiver support coordinators and direct support providers. APD said it has about 1,061 waiver support coordinators statewide, adequate capacity for current enrollees, but would need further analysis if the legislature directed a much larger enrollment increase. Members also asked about outreach, annual maintenance of the waitlist, portability for military families, and whether communication efforts should be privatized. Finally, AHCA walked the committee through the 2023 Achieved Savings Rebate (ASR) report for Aetna and explained how the report is used for financial monitoring, rebate calculations, and transparency. AHCA said the ASR is separate from the medical loss ratio (MLR) calculation, though both are reviewed, and that Florida uses the ASR mechanism rather than an MLR remittance requirement to recover funds from plans. Members asked about related-party disclosures, CVS/Caremark relationships, expanded benefits, encounter data, network adequacy penalties, denials and appeals reporting, interest earned on capitation payments, and whether rate increases were reaching providers. AHCA and the outside auditors said they review the plans’ reported data, reconcile it to underlying records, and can assess liquidated damages for network adequacy violations; several members requested follow-up data on rebates, interest, provider capacity, and related-party reporting.

Transcript Highlights:

• led the OT Cyber Division for an IT-O-T security company called Securinix, ran programs in the cyber
• Yeah, the one gentleman you said is fluent in five different programming languages, yet we heard that
• And we've also had a very successful grant program.
• So I would encourage us to continue that grant program.
• and projects that we have in the state, and we've heard of a lot of failing programs.

Summary: The subcommittee met to review agency travel, budget reduction exercises, and member reports from agency meetings. Early discussion focused on the Department of Management Services (DMS), where members questioned the cost of travel for four out-of-state data/cyber staff and the secretary’s absence. DMS defended the hires as highly specialized enterprise cybersecurity and data personnel, said the positions were lawfully paid and posted, and explained that the staff work on statewide data cataloging and cyber risk reduction rather than agency-by-agency systems. Members also raised concerns about fleet inventory discrepancies and requested follow-up information on hiring, travel, and data inventory timelines. The chair said she would consider travel guardrails and possible reductions, and noted that DMS, the Lottery, and the Florida Commission on Human Relations did not meet the requested reduction target, while the Public Employee Relations Commission did not submit reductions. The committee then heard from the Florida Lottery about the secretary’s trip to Paris for the World Lottery Convention. Lottery staff said the trip was reimbursed through the multi-state lottery organization and was intended to share best practices and improve operations, though members questioned the value of the travel and requested reimbursement records and the trip agenda. The subcommittee also reviewed agency reduction exercises from several agencies. The Department of Revenue exceeded its target and was praised for frugality; DFS, the Florida Gaming Control Commission, the Office of Financial Regulation, the Office of Insurance Regulation, the Public Service Commission, the Division of Administrative Hearings, and the Department of Business and Professional Regulation each described how they met or approached their reduction goals, often through vacancies, reversions, or expense cuts. OIR warned that further reductions could hurt insurance regulation capacity, while OFR and PSC said their reductions were based on historical reversions and lower post-COVID travel or vacancy levels. Members then reported back on agency meetings. DMS members raised fleet tracking, real property audits, salary studies, and health plan savings ideas, and asked for follow-up on the Florida PALM project, cybersecurity grants, and state IT modernization. DFS members said the agency was efficient and that its Palm-related work and insurance consumer programs were important. Lottery members emphasized the agency’s revenue generation for education and its low administrative overhead. Gaming Control members highlighted storage costs for seized gaming equipment and suggested technology-based alternatives. PERC members said a union-related law had doubled their workload and asked for more staffing and possible AI assistance. OIR members stressed the need for a Tampa satellite office and more resources to recruit and retain specialized staff. The chair closed by saying the committee would continue reviewing travel, staffing, and reductions with an eye toward taxpayer value and transparency.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm very happy the programs you're talking about.
• you're talking about a couple programs you're talking about a couple questions<00:16:07.680><c> I</c
• He asked whether, if they do not make it or leave the program, any of them come back, whether there is
• um are there any that come back program um are there any that come back is<00:18:53.440><c> there</c
• like serves and assets and programs like serves and demarks<00:25:42.159><c> and</c><00:25:42.320><c

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The House Standing Committee on Justice, Public Safety, and Judiciary met to approve the February 18 minutes and then heard first from Kentucky State Police Commissioner Philip Burnett Jr. on recruitment, Trooper Academy classes, and the Kentucky Emergency Warning System (KQES) lease program. Burnett said KSP had submitted the House Bill 6 recruitment and retention reports, and he reviewed Cadet Classes 104 and 105, including application numbers, age ranges, and the mix of applicants by education, military, and law enforcement background. He said attrition is driven largely by physical fitness failures and homesickness from the resident academy model, but noted KSP has expanded recruiting and mentoring efforts, including college-credit partnerships and targeted recruiting in western Kentucky. Members asked about academy credit, the physical test, dropout reasons, whether applicants can reapply, and where recruits are coming from; Burnett said some do return successfully and that most candidates come from central and eastern Kentucky, while staffing remains hardest at posts in Mayfield, Madisonville, Henderson, Campbellsburg, and Dry Ridge. Burnett also updated the committee on KQES and the broader radio replacement effort. He described KQES as a 153-tower microwave backbone supporting state and local public safety communications, including DEMA, KET, and seismology equipment, and said KSP is renewing long-term private land leases that were set to expire in the coming years. He reported progress using master agreements and outside leasing firms, with eight leases out for bid and eleven more to follow, plus new interagency leases with the Transportation Cabinet and a site move in Wolf County to Forest Service land. He said about 997 leases still remain to be executed, though some tower sites involve multiple leases, and he expressed optimism that the new process will protect the system’s assets. In response to questions from Representative Sharp, Burnett said he could not give a firm completion date for the new radio system but estimated 18 to 36 months depending on tower construction, and said phase three equipment has already been procured for parts of Posts 8, 11, and 14, including Boyd and Lawrence counties. After KSP’s presentation and questions from Representatives Sharp, Carney, and Decker, the committee turned to the Kentucky Court of Justice. Zach Ramy, director of the Administrative Office of the Courts, introduced himself and began the court system’s budget overview, but the transcript provided cuts off before that presentation continued.

Transcript Highlights:

• So this is a great program.
• So this is a great program.
• So this is a great program.
• So this is a great program.
• So this is a great program.

Committee: Senate Housing and Homelessness Prevention

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:59:57.120><c> that's</c> yesterday, this is a program that's yesterday, this is a program that's
• </c> new programs. new programs.
• </c><02:51:59.800><c> has</c> Colorado Community Solar program has Colorado Community Solar program has
• Um the uh uh within these programs.
• Not just the people on the program.

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• grant program The competitive grant program established<00:20:55.520><c> by</c><00:20:55.640><c> this
• There are no dedicated funding programs<01:23:47.520><c> to</c><01:23:47.640><c> support</c> programs
• </c> So, if the legislature creates programs So, if the legislature creates programs like<01:24:40.680
• Program. Program.
• </c> Well Management Program. Well Management Program.

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And I would also say that with these tic-tac little programs...
• So in our legislation in Florida, there's an audit program.
• San Antonio has a similar program.
• that program right now.
• . ...program in place for several years.

Committee: House Land & Resource Management

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> program</c><00:02:16.280><c> that</c><00:02:16.400><c> Minnesota's</c> the foundation program that
• </c><00:05:10.600><c> are</c> important many of these programs are important many of these programs are
• We provided a program two years ago called the I pilot program that was bipartisan, that gave our local
• </c> Forest Lands program. Forest Lands program.
• These programs together easements.

Bills: HF4906 , HF3971 , HF4777 , HF2109 , HF2988

Committee: House Taxes

Keywords: property tax, tax refund, taxpayer relief, Minnesota taxation, one-time payment, taxation, property valuation, Tax Court, evidentiary standards, Minnesota Statutes, disparity reduction, aid payments, local government, funding, Fillmore County, education funding, managed forest land, classification, forest management plan, agricultural land

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> pilot program. pilot program.
• pilot program, and the SNAP administration program.
• pilot program, and the SNAP administration program.
• pilot program, and the SNAP administration program.
• </c> of this program. of this program.

Keywords: MS Senate Floor - 12 March, 2026; 10:00 AM, 925, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> that is still in its pilot program. that is still in its pilot program.
• Um, it does not affect any current programs that are already programmed and then it does not, um, it
• Um, it does not affect any current programs that are already programmed and then it does not, um, it
• programs programs um<01:42:56.280><c> that</c><01:42:56.440><c> are</c><01:42:56.560><c> already</c>
• </c> program versus the outlays. program versus the outlays.

Bills: HF3919 , HF1335 , HF3864 , HF3916 , HF3728

Committee: House Transportation Finance and Policy

Keywords: veterans benefits, Secret War, Laos veterans, eligibility process, burial fees, veteran designation, electronic license, driver's license, digital credential, transportation, data privacy, authentication, license plates, vehicle registration, validation stickers, Minnesota statutes, transportation policy, aeronautics, transponder, aircraft safety

Transcript Highlights:

• It would be required to be added to the MassPAT program.
• I have one question about the prescription monitoring program.
• For example, the Brookline Center's Bright program, part of the Innovation Institute, is now active in
• that I've worked in, in a number of therapeutic ways and program management.
• that I've worked in, in a number of therapeutic ways and program management.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery held a public hearing on 14 bills focused on insurance, parity, opioids, behavioral health access, and mental health system reform. Chair Mindy Domb and Vice Chair Robyn Kennedy outlined hearing procedures and noted the committee would accept written testimony. The hearing featured testimony from legislators, providers, advocates, and behavioral health organizations, with most speakers urging favorable reports on the bills they addressed. A major topic was psychiatric collaborative care, including H. 222/S. 1390, which would raise reimbursement for collaborative care codes to at least Medicare levels and allow billing outside the MassHealth primary care subcapitation model. Supporters said the model improves access, outcomes, and cost savings by embedding behavioral health in primary care, and several witnesses described successful implementation in practices and schools. Committee members asked questions about how the model works, what specialties use it, barriers to adoption, and whether copays, deductibles, and subcapitation rules should be changed. Witnesses also supported related innovation legislation, including H. 2224, which would create a mental health innovation fund and support nontraditional trauma-healing approaches. Other bills discussed included H. 2212, which would require prescribers to discuss opioid and pain-medication risks, alternatives, and addiction/overdose concerns with patients or guardians; H. 2232 and H. 2233, which would address equitable payment and equitable access for behavioral health providers serving MassHealth patients; and S. 1406, which would add opioid maintenance treatment information to MassPAT and allow patient-authorized access to that information. Witnesses also strongly backed S. 1399, which would set targets to increase behavioral health spending within the overall health care cost benchmark, arguing that Massachusetts underinvests in behavioral health and that greater investment could reduce emergency, hospitalization, homelessness, and criminal justice costs. No votes were taken; the hearing concluded after testimony and committee questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• Tarr, pilot program for small business group purchasing cooperatives. Member number 397 by Mr.
• Tarr, pilot program for small business group purchasing cooperatives.
• And that's something that touches every corner of the Commonwealth: our Shannon Grant program, which
• This program funds gang violence prevention programs and provides critical support for communities across
• Thank you all for the program. Thank you. Chris Stewart and Christina Sam Dee.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Senate took up a long series of FY26 budget amendments during debate on the Ways and Means budget bill. Early on, an amendment on debt service and the Debt Affordability Committee was rejected. A major education amendment offered by Senator Lewis and supported by Senator Comerford was then adopted; it directs DESE to begin a public process, with $200,000 in funding, to review and recommend updates to the Chapter 70 municipal contribution formula and related school funding structures as the Student Opportunity Act nears full implementation. Senators argued that school districts across the Commonwealth are under severe fiscal strain, citing rising special education, transportation, health insurance, and Proposition 2 1/2 pressures, and that the current formulas are increasingly out of alignment with local needs. The chamber also considered and voted on many other amendments, with several adopted and several rejected. Adopted amendments included measures on public payroll transparency, regional EMS, a small business group purchasing cooperative pilot, simplifying Medicaid eligibility determinations, and early education background checks. Rejected amendments included proposals on first-time homebuyer savings accounts, population change studies, competitiveness studies, emergency contract reform, natural gas cost containment, a $200 per pupil aid increase, regional school reimbursement increases, a Foundation Budget Review Commission-related study, special education service studies, welfare benefit audits, short-term capital gains, and an MBTA sustainability plan. Senator Durant also spoke in support of Amendment 766, which would create a crumbling concrete assistance fund for homeowners affected by pyrrhotite, with tax-exempt aid, federal funding applications, audits, and a stakeholder working group. Near the end of debate, Senator D. DiDomenico praised the Shannon Grant program for gang violence prevention, and the Senate adopted a final corrective amendment containing technical fixes and local earmarks. The bill was then ordered to a third reading and, after a roll call on engrossment, passed to be engrossed by a vote of 38-2. The Senate also approved a motion to adjourn to the following Tuesday at 11:00 a.m. and recessed in memory of Yaron Lashinsky, Sarah Lynn Milgram, and Leslie A. Feeney.

Transcript Highlights:

• Department Human Services alleged kickbacks in EIBDI program.
• , and it is one that is necessary for kids receiving this program. committee reports.
• , and it is one that is necessary for kids receiving this program.
• It's highly intensive, this program.
• We have codified kickbacks under Medicaid programs under that section.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I think that's the goal with this program.
• And again, I don't know whether scholars are asked as they move into apprenticeship programs, but just
• The board, as I mentioned, is charged with certifying that districts are meeting the program of basic
• Senate Bill 5907 relates to expanding access to the early childhood education and assistance program,
• To provide some background, E-CAP is the state's voluntary preschool program.

Summary: The Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee heard three bills. Senate Bill 6052 would create a statewide digital transcript data-sharing environment for K-12 and postsecondary institutions, with student or parent permission required for disclosure. Supporters from universities, OSPI, school districts, counselors, and education groups said the bill would reduce paper handling, staff time, errors, and delays in admissions and enrollment, while improving security and student access; members asked about alignment with the High School and Beyond Plan, FERPA, apprenticeships, and out-of-state transfer issues. Senate Bill 6051 would allow local school boards to grant waivers or partial waivers of certain state laws and rules to individual schools, while excluding health and safety, civil rights, parental rights, basic education, and other protected areas. The sponsor said the bill is intended to give districts flexibility and surface recurring regulatory burdens, but OSPI, the State Board of Education, WEA, and school board groups raised concerns about broad scope, lack of definitions, possible impacts on special education and basic education compliance, and added complexity or legal costs. Some district representatives supported the idea of flexibility and relief from unfunded mandates, but suggested the bill needed more work. Senate Bill 5907 would expand ECEAP access for military families with incomes below 60% of state median income and prioritize children with deployed or single custodial military parents. The sponsor and supporters from ESDs, school districts, Head Start/ECEAP, child advocacy groups, and veterans organizations said military families face frequent moves, deployments, child care instability, and related stress, and that the bill would provide a modest, cost-effective benefit without state fiscal impact. In executive session, the committee adopted a proposed substitute and passed SB 5860 to Ways and Means, and adopted a proposed substitute and passed SB 5574 to Rules.

Transcript Highlights:

• HAPPENED LAST FISCAL YEAR TO CAUSE SUCH CHALLENGES WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STATE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS
• SCHOLARSHIP TYPE, OF COURSE IT'S BY PROGRAM.
• , ALL PROGRAMS I HAVE ARE IDENTIFIED BY THE STATE OR THE PROGRAM THEY ARE INITIATED WITH TO KEEP, WE
• YOU A PROGRAM THAT WAS AT ONE TIME ON OUR FTC IS AN INTERNAL LUMBER. >> Chair Persons-Mulicka: REP.
• AND TRAINING STAFF, WORKING ON OUR TRAINING PROGRAMS TO HAVE MORE CONSISTENCY.

Transcript Highlights:

• And that has caused significant loss of funding through that program.
• And that has caused significant loss of funding through that program.
• Plans for youth in residential programs with complex medical needs, for a request of $653,000.
• You know, we're looking for $8.3 million to address the rising leasing costs across all programs.
• But we've catered the program to the youth's needs, so we just can't put youth in any program because

Committee: Senate Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice

Summary: The committee met for an interim appropriations presentation hearing focused on justice administration agencies. Members heard budget requests from the State Attorney’s Office, Public Defenders, the Justice Administrative Commission, Regional Conflict Counsel, Capital Collateral Regional Counsel, and the Guardian ad Litem Office, followed by a presentation from the Department of Juvenile Justice and a brief public comment from a nonprofit advocate. The chair noted that presentations from the Department of Law Enforcement and the Commission on Offender Review would be moved to a later meeting. The state attorney requested funding to true up underfunded circuits under the existing formula, staff 14 new criminal judgeships, replace declining VOCA victim-services funding with general revenue, and cover a projected due process shortfall. The public defender asked for a higher starting salary for assistant public defenders, funding to restore balance in circuits where public defenders lag behind state attorneys, and staffing for new criminal judgeships. Regional conflict counsel and capital collateral regional counsel also sought salary adjustments, additional attorneys and case costs, and competitive area differential funding to address recruitment and retention issues. The Justice Administrative Commission requested funding for Florida PALM readiness and implementation and for IT hardware and software replacement; it also relayed a clerks’ request for reimbursement related to injunctions for protection, Baker Act, Marchman Act, and sexually violent predator cases. The Guardian ad Litem Office said it now has a guardian ad litem for every child in Florida and requested salary increases for senior and managing attorneys to reduce turnover. The Department of Juvenile Justice presented a much larger budget request to expand residential and detention capacity, increase per diem rates, renovate and replace aging facilities, fund the Broward detention center rebuild, improve cybersecurity and the juvenile information system, and cover rising lease costs. Members asked questions about staffing, compensation, detention and residential treatment needs, mental health and substance-use services, and the Broward project timeline. A nonprofit advocate then asked for better data collection on protection orders and related court actions to support funding for domestic violence and recovery services. The committee adjourned without taking any formal votes on the budget requests.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 5243 addresses the use of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP, and
• Well, when you're talking about some taxpayer-funded assistance programs, I think we ought to have a
• Yeah, I just think to me, you know, a lot of people who utilize these programs... ...just using them
• What's being covered by this program because there's a lot of bad, bad things that we're kind of...
• And then we'll have to figure out what's left and available that falls within the program guidelines.

Bills: HB2510 , HB3589 , HB4611 , HB4655 , HB4665 , HB4666 , HB4670 , HB4700 , HB4730 , HB4798 , HB4838 , HB5136 , HB5243 , HB5302 , HB5539

Committee: House Human Services

Keywords: assisted living, healthcare, licensing, criminal offense, personal assistance, group home, regulation, health and safety, inspections, resident care, criminal background checks, adoption, parental rights, registry, vital statistics, disclosure, counseling, foster care, independent living, financial literacy

Transcript Highlights:

• One of the biggest challenges with the program is awareness.
• But I'm sure you're aware that the Transit Assistance Program works really well.
• Metro Transit and recipients alike both enjoy and think that the program works well.
• , as well as the Transit Assistance Program.
• Transit Assistance Program, all of which are basic needs.

Bills: HF1837 , HF361 , HF2725 , HF2566 , HF2744 , HF1685 , HF501 , HF1889 , HF1389

Committee: House State Government Finance and Policy

Keywords: state policy, employment, health insurance, fossil designation, public funds, community resources, Capitol Mall, grantmaking, community vitality, livability, funding, healthy aging, aging policy, older adults, seniors, elderly, gerontology, long-term care, assisted living, nursing homes

Transcript Highlights:

• degree program.
• want to start that program until we know that there's a licensure program in place, and so that's what
• This would alleviate the strain on registered nurse education programs.
• A two-year program?
• Institute of Minnesota, and I was then accepted into the Bridge Program in Minnesota in 2024.

Committee: House Health Finance and Policy