Transcript Highlights:

• </c> our is our is the authoriz authorizing our is our is the authoriz authorizing act<00:25:11.240><
• </c><01:05:27.720><c> if</c> the city state town or count County if the city state town or count County
• </c><04:37:57.039><c> government</c> offices and local County government offices and local County government
• Rockingham County Jail uh I'm also Rockingham County Jail uh I'm also legislative<04:41:20.400><c> chair
• </c> members from each one of the counties members from each one of the counties who<04:42:24.080><c>

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first dealt with scheduling and housekeeping, including a plan to take a hard break at 2:00 p.m. for an early bill, hold a brief executive session, and then continue with the remaining afternoon bills. The chair also noted the next likely meeting date would be March 12, when the committee expected to take up the remaining bills before crossover deadlines. The main substantive item was House Bill 142, which would recognize the Honor and Remember flag for Gold Star families and related remembrance purposes. Prime sponsor Rep. Michael Moffett described the bill as a bipartisan measure revised to address earlier concerns, arguing that the flag honors fallen service members, can be personalized with names, and complements rather than detracts from the American flag. He said many other states have already adopted it and suggested the committee could amend details such as the number of days and locations for display. He also raised practical issues about flag dimensions and whether the bill should use "shall" or "may" for display requirements. Testimony was divided. Janine Nutter opposed the bill, saying she supports Gold Star families but objected because the flag resembles the Viet Cong flag and because she believes the American flag should remain the sole symbol representing servicemembers. Kevin Grady, representing the State Veterans Advisory Committee under RSA 115:8, also opposed the bill, saying the committee believes the American flag is the only symbol needed, while still praising the work of Honor and Remember in creating personalized flags for families. Committee members asked questions about where the flag would be flown, whether the State Veterans Cemetery in Boscawen is already displaying it, and how the bill’s language would interact with cemetery policies and committee discretion. No vote or final action was taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Or if a nominee has a family member that would like to take pictures, that's also authorized.
• Bullard serve as the administrator of the Health Care Authority.
• For sure, so the healthcare authority currently we funded $250 million. The ask was $500 million.
• In particular, but the healthcare authority is supposed to be the watchdog on these contracts.
• And that would be my ask of the healthcare authority or anybody that serves in this role.

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 2692 has Representative Guillén as the primary author.
• HB 685, I ask its bill author, Senator Creighton, to explain the bill. Thank you, Mr.
• So you're working with the bill author and the community involved to find out why.
• I just want to ask the author: it's an interesting suit you chose today.
• Any questions for the bill author?

Bills: HB630 , HB685 , HB1318 , HB2692

Committee: Senate Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs

Keywords: outboard motors, certificate of title, vessel regulation, Texas Parks and Wildlife Code, marine documentation, HB 685, municipal utility rates, water rates, sewer rates, local government code, rate discrimination, tax-exempt entities, sales tax exemption, ad valorem tax exemption, nonprofit organizations, charitable organizations, municipal water service, municipal sewer service, utility billing, public utilities

Transcript Highlights:

• The county is going to be 27. And the township is at that 272.
• But that wasn't, that isn't in our, we had budget authority, but we don't have any dollars that go to
• The speaker in here and he's kind of the author of this. I don't know.
• He added that the only counties left out would be the top four oil-producing counties, though there might
• be one other county in the midst of it, and they would have to talk about that because it was part of

Committee: House Appropriations - Government Operations Division

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The House Appropriations Government Operations section met with a full committee present and took up discussion of the Department of Transportation budget and a House funding package. Members described a proposal to simplify DOT funding by eliminating the Prairie Dog bucket, consolidating money into three main buckets/funds, and using DOT expertise to select projects while giving counties, cities, and townships more certainty. They said the plan would also restore 100% of the motor vehicle excise tax to the general fund and use other existing funds, including SIF and the legacy earnings fund, to support DOT and local road distributions. A major part of the discussion focused on how to cover Highway 85 and other road needs. Members and DOT Director Ron Hankey said federal highway formula funding for the next biennium should continue as long as the federal highway bill remains unchanged, but that the six-mile Highway 85 segment is unlikely to receive a federal grant because of benefit-cost issues. The committee discussed bonding for the $155 million set aside for Highway 85, with members noting Garvey bonds as one option but wanting flexibility to use the best available rate. They also discussed a possible five-cent gas tax to support the highway distribution fund; several members raised concerns about the policy and political difficulty, while others argued it was needed because oil revenues are down and the state needs a sustainable funding source. Members repeatedly asked for a clearer visual or flow chart showing how the money would move through the new structure, and the chair and sponsors said staff would prepare a pictorial and amendment language. There was general support for the concept, but some members wanted caucus education before floor action. No formal vote was taken during this discussion, and the chair indicated the committee would move quickly, with amendments to follow and the bill expected to continue in conference committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• So let's go ahead and hear from our first author, Assembly Member Ward.
• I live in Spring Valley, California, which is kind of in East County, San Diego.
• Thank you for authoring this bill.
• I'm the Placer County Veterans Service Officer, also representing the California Association of County
• I'm the Placer County Veterans Service Officer, also representing the California Association of County

Committee: Senate Military and Veterans Affairs

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We have Robert Reyes, Monroe County waiving in support. Thank you for being here.
• Are there questions public testimony, Robert Reyes, Monroe County waiving in support.
• I also teach and mentor Franklin County High School students on a farm.
• Franklin County. After the be point, BP oil spill was totally destroyed.
• You know, I'm not a lot of performance and maintenance bond nearly with a municipality or county.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so our property taxes right now in each of our counties, many of our counties, are all paying for
• And so our property taxes right now in each of our counties, many of our counties, are all paying for
• And so our property taxes right now in each of our counties, many of our counties, are all paying for
• </c><00:59:53.360><c> to</c><00:59:53.760><c> the</c> bill provided authority to the bill provided authority
• </c> police officers, troopers, uh, county police officers, troopers, uh, county sheriffs<01:13:30.000

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:

• And each of those counties, it's... ...that are working to support those eight counties.
• Some specific county data?
• Once a child is adopted, county child welfare agencies are only mandated to authorize AAP payments.
• Alameda County, and Santa Clara County.
• Alameda County, and Santa Clara County.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Human Services heard an informational hearing on child welfare, foster care, community care licensing, child support, and related budget issues. CDSS described the Governor’s proposed child and family services budget, emphasized a family-centered and kin-first approach, and reported that foster care entries and congregate care placements have declined over the past decade. Witnesses also highlighted the importance of extended foster care to age 21, while noting persistent racial disparities for Native American and Black children and the need for stronger prevention, family finding, and community-based supports. A major focus was the proposed tiered rate structure (TRS), which CDSS said would shift funding from placement-based rates to child-centered supports, including care and supervision, strength-building dollars, and immediate needs funding paired with high-fidelity wraparound services. CDSS and county representatives said implementation is on track, with foundational policy guidance expected by the end of the year, CANS/CFT timeliness targeted by year-end, and the CWS CARES system nearing go-live in October 2026. Counties and providers raised concerns about whether the rate model and wraparound capacity will be sufficient, especially for higher-acuity youth, and asked for more data, clearer guidance, and continued collaboration. County Welfare Directors Association representatives also requested continued emergency response funding and an extension of flexible family supports, arguing both are needed to stabilize front-end child welfare work and bridge to TRS. Providers from FFAs and STRTPs warned that insurance costs, provider closures, and the transition to TRS could threaten service capacity unless the state addresses long-term insurance and reimbursement issues. LAO noted the Governor’s budget contains no new child welfare augmentations and said the main General Fund change reflects the expiration of one-time funding. No votes were taken; members instead asked for follow-up data, technical assistance, and possible future legislative or trailer bill solutions, including on insurance and implementation timelines.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> guardrails limiting how this authority guardrails limiting how this authority may<00:48:47.520><
• </c> authority to do that and the authority authority to do that and the authority came<01:19:06.719>
• </c><01:19:20.760><c> is</c> quickly if the appropriate authority is quickly if the appropriate authority
• And then we have several bills that relate to counties, and our understanding was that county commissioners
• ><c> that</c><01:41:57.800><c> county</c><01:41:58.600><c> uh,</c> our understanding was that county

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We had testimony in the committee from Henderson County, the superintendent from Henderson County.
• This is not just Henderson County.
• </c><00:17:43.600><c> Uh</c> This is not just Henderson County.
• Uh This is not just Henderson County.
• </c> Ferrell Memorial Highway in Pike County. Ferrell Memorial Highway in Pike County.

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Local governments would be allowed to designate two-lane county roads or municipal streets that have
• Before making such designation, the responsible county or municipality must first determine that a UTV
• The local county or municipality would then have the ability to set more restrictive requirements as
• I'm going to read an excerpt about the museum from the Orange County Regional History Center website.
• We do not have statutory authority to remove a candidate based on this oath.

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum present, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and included several member introductions and recognitions, including awareness resolutions and visiting groups in the galleries. The chamber then moved to a special order calendar and took up a series of bills, with most receiving unanimous or near-unanimous support. Early measures included SB 88 on utility terrain vehicles, which would allow local governments to designate certain roads for UTV use under safety restrictions; it passed 32-5 after debate over safety concerns. SB 102 on exceptional student education would create a workforce credential and badge program for students with autism spectrum disorder or modified curricula, and passed 36-0 after discussion of workforce access and district costs. SB 106 on exploitation of vulnerable adults would allow alternative service of process through the same app used by scammers, and passed 37-0. SB 130 on compensation for victims of wrongful incarceration would extend filing deadlines and remove restrictive bars to compensation, and passed 38-0. SB 158 would eliminate cost sharing for diagnostic and supplemental breast exams under the state employee health plan, and passed 38-0 after testimony about early detection and access to follow-up care. The most extensive debate came on SB 234, which would revise laws on resisting law enforcement and add a mandatory life sentence for manslaughter of a law enforcement officer. Supporters argued it was needed after the killing of Officer Jason Raynor and to clarify that violent resistance to officers is not justified; opponents raised concerns about removing “good faith” language, potential impacts on Fourth Amendment issues, racial profiling, and the severity of the mandatory sentence. An amendment to restore “in good faith” failed, and after further debate the sponsor temporarily postponed the bill. The Senate then passed SB 262 on technical trust-code changes by a 36-0 vote, and later recognized Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity members in the gallery. Additional bills passed with broad support. SB 274 designated portions of Orlando roadways as Harris Rosen Way and Geraldine Thompson Way, honoring philanthropist Harris Rosen and the late Senator Geraldine Thompson; it passed 38-0 and drew a motion for co-sponsorship. SB 280 created an enforcement mechanism for candidate party-affiliation qualification requirements and passed 38-0. SB 296 repealed the statewide mandate for later middle and high school start times and shifted the issue to local districts after reporting requirements, passing 38-0. SB 356 designated January 27 as International Holocaust Remembrance Day in Florida and passed after remarks about the Holocaust memorial and the need to confront antisemitism. Throughout the session, senators frequently framed their votes in terms of public safety, education, access to care, civil justice, and commemorating community leaders and historical events.

Transcript Highlights:

• Locals would be allowed to designate two-lane county roads or municipal streets that have a posted speed
• The responsible county or municipality must first determine that a UTV may safely travel on or cross
• The local county or municipality would then have the ability to set more restrictive requirements as
• I'm going to read an excerpt about the museum from the Orange County Regional History Center website.
• We do not have statutory authority to remove a candidate based on this oath.

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum present, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and heard several member introductions and recognitions, including awareness resolutions and visiting groups in the galleries. The chamber then moved to special order bills. Senate Bill 88 on utility terrain vehicles passed 32-5 after debate over allowing local governments to opt in to street use of UTVs under safety restrictions; Senator Smith opposed it over safety concerns. Senate Bill 102 on exceptional student education passed 36-0, creating a workforce credential/badge program for students with autism or on modified curricula; supporters emphasized employment opportunities and safety training, while Senator Davis raised concerns about added costs to school districts. Senate Bill 106 on exploitation of vulnerable adults passed 37-0, allowing alternative service on scammers through the same apps used to contact victims. Senate Bill 130 on compensation for victims of wrongful incarceration passed 38-0, extending filing deadlines and removing restrictive barriers; supporters called it a long-overdue justice fix. Senate Bill 158 on diagnostic and supplemental breast examinations passed 38-0, eliminating cost sharing for follow-up breast tests in the state employee health plan to encourage early detection. The most contentious measure was Senate Bill 234 on criminal offenses against law enforcement officers. The bill sought to clarify that violent resistance to officers is not justified by claims about the legality of the detention and to add manslaughter of a law enforcement officer to offenses carrying life imprisonment without release. An amendment by Senator Jones to restore “in good faith” language failed, after debate centered on due process, racial profiling, and the role of juries and suppression motions. Several senators spoke in support of law enforcement but objected to the bill’s breadth and mandatory life penalty; Senator Leek ultimately postponed the bill temporarily rather than taking a final vote. Senate Bill 262 on trust code technical changes passed 36-0. Senate Bill 274 designating roads for Harris Rosen and Geraldine Thompson passed 38-0, followed by a successful co-sponsorship motion and remarks honoring Thompson’s legacy. Senate Bill 280 on candidate qualification passed 38-0, creating an enforcement mechanism for party-affiliation filing requirements. Senate Bill 296 on middle and high school start times passed 38-0, repealing the statewide start-time mandate and shifting implementation decisions to local districts while requiring public reporting and discussion. Senate Bill 356 designating January 27 as Holocaust Remembrance Day also passed unanimously, with senators emphasizing remembrance, anti-Semitism, and the educational value of the memorial and observance.

Transcript Highlights:

• CS for HB 849 authorizes the department to adopt rules to implement the Florida Medal of Valor and the
• It gives the Medical Examiners Commission authority to appoint the district medical examiners and establishes
• bill being fairly limited, but the fiscal would come from some marginal increase theoretically in county
• and requires the court to sentence a person convicted of such an offense to a minimum of 10 days in county
• In addition to being recently appointed to the Miami-Dade County Domestic Violence Oversight Board by

Transcript Highlights:

• Bill 1906, this is author, Senator Cray. Okay, with that, we're going to open up public testimony.
• It was the PUC greater oversight and authority to approve, modify, or deny the rider. and it adds load
• I recognize the author, Senator Swarton, to explain the bill.
• Testimony calls Gene Ryle of Rayburn County. district co-op.
• Members questions of the author?

Bills: SB 1113 , SB 1117 , SB 1206 , SB 1460 , SB 1802 , SB 1906 , SB 1917 , SB 2340 , SB 2455 , SB 2680 , SB 2690 , SB 705 , SB 748

Committee: Senate Business & Commerce

Keywords: SB 1113, converter's license, converter license, motor vehicle dealer, auto dealer, vehicle conversion, converted vehicles, direct sales, retail sales, trailer, semitrailer, manufactured trailer, chassis, manufacturer's statement of origin, MSO, Occupations Code, Transportation Code, Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, dealer licensing, general distinguishing number

Summary: The meeting of the Senate Business and Commerce Committee was marked by discussions on several significant bills, with a keen emphasis on legislative updates and committee substitutes. Notably, Senator Blanco presented a new committee substitute for SB2610, which modifies the employee cap from 100 to 250 and extends the update timeline for cyber security programs for small businesses. This substitute was adopted unanimously, reflecting a collaborative agreement among the committee members. Additionally, there were discussions surrounding SB1856 as Senator Crayton provided insights into how stakeholder feedback influenced the bill's committee substitute. The committee ultimately voted in favor, pushing it towards the local and contested calendar, indicating the bill's progression through legislative channels.

Transcript Highlights:

• Any questions for the bill author? All right, thank you, Representative Curry.
• individual detained, clearly allowing applications for court orders on mental health on either the county
• James Carruthers, uh, Coalition for the Homeless, Houston Harris County in support of Senate Bill, uh
• Scopes of authority, twice in Section 3 of the Constitution, the general jurisdiction is described as
• Discretionary review, if those things aren't authorized by this section.

Bills: SB 53

Committee: House Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence

Keywords: voter registration, election procedures, provisional ballot, change of address, residence requirements

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, so I would like to make sure he has the authority to determine the electric... >> to him.
• , county, city, whatever to clean up the title.
• ,</c><00:25:18.640><c> county,</c><00:25:19.000><c> city,</c> airport authority, county, city, airport
• authority, county, city, whatever<00:25:20.240><c> to</c><00:25:20.360><c> clean</c><00:25:20.640><c
• There is an amendment from the County Commissioners Association.

Committee: House Judiciary

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Did she go to the authorities and tell them what had happened to her little girl, who had been missing
• And she came forward, told the authorities, and the outcome was we were able to save the girl.
• There was no shelter in our beautiful Miami-Dade County that would take 18-year-olds and up victims of
• I'll just say I'm in Broward County. Okay, I apologize. That's okay.
• I'm from Broward County.

Summary: The committee heard a lengthy presentation from Miami-Dade State Attorney Catherine Fernandez-Rundle on human trafficking, describing it as a major criminal enterprise in Florida driven by online recruitment, local victims, and organized traffickers. She outlined Miami-Dade’s task force, victim-centered prosecution practices, training efforts for schools, hotels, transit workers, and other partners, and community-supported services such as the Project Phoenix shelter and Thrive Clinic. She also urged better interstate communication about known traffickers and noted that prior legislative changes, including restrictions on tattooing minors, came from trafficking cases. Senators asked about school-based exploitation, technology and social media recruitment, and information-sharing with other states; Fernandez-Rundle said training and technology remain essential and offered to share materials and tour the facility. The committee then considered CS for SB 656, which Senator Bradley said would codify FDLE’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force funding program and rename/expand the online sting operations grant program to better support investigations, training, technology, and personnel. The bill was supported as a needed response to online child exploitation and was reported favorably by unanimous roll call. The committee also passed SB 892 by Senator Martin, which streamlines sentencing procedures for habitual felony offenders and related designations by reducing paperwork delays tied to clemency and requiring clearer notice before pleas; it too was reported favorably unanimously. The most extensive debate centered on SB 164, which would expand Florida’s Wrongful Death Act to allow civil damages for the death of an unborn child. Senator Graal said the bill uses existing statutory language defining an unborn child and is intended to let parents recover damages when negligence causes a pregnancy loss. Supporters argued it recognizes unborn life and should be strengthened; opponents warned it would function as a personhood measure, create liability risks for doctors, businesses, friends, and family members, chill miscarriage and abortion-related care, and worsen Florida’s OB-GYN shortage. Several speakers raised concerns about abuse by rapists or abusive partners and about impacts on IVF and emergency care. The committee heard extensive questioning about the bill’s scope and its relationship to existing criminal statutes, but no vote on SB 164 was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our new committee members, each county got an allocation for FFA.
• Can other counties still… I'll start with that.
• and every county does have their allocation.
• Thank you Assemblymember and thank you for authoring 2750 as well.
• So we're talking like Siskiyou County.

Committee: House Communications and Conveyance

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It says Laramie County Sheriff.
• And I Wyoming, not just Campbell County.
• Chairman, it would just simply authorize that the municipality or whomever, the lawful government authority
• Thank you." expressly authorize the placement of expressly authorize the placement of notices<01:03:36.160
• 01:04:28.559><c> the</c> lawful government authority where the lawful government authority where the

Bills: HB0075 , HB0128

Committee: Senate Minerals, Business & Economic Development

Keywords: virtual currency, kiosk, financial institutions, regulation, Wyoming Money Transmitters Act, penalties, severance tax, oil production, tax exemption, energy sector, economic impact, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , and Columbia counties.
• of Grant County, and the sliver of Douglas and Adams County.
• It's very much a heavily Parts of Cowlitz and into Clark County.
• And again, House Bill 2170 seeks to clarify our authority in this space.
• I'm the farmland preservation program manager for King County.

Summary: The House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee opened its 2026 session with committee housekeeping, member introductions, and a reminder that schedules are set a week in advance and amendments must be submitted by the prior day’s deadlines. Chair Reeves emphasized solution-oriented, collaborative, and respectful participation, then outlined that the committee would focus on three interim reports relevant to its work this session: municipal water efficiency, ecosystem services, and food policy. The first presentation, from the William D. Ruckelshaus Center and WSU, reviewed Washington’s municipal water efficiency statute and regulation. Presenters said interviewees largely agreed on the need for better data collection, more technical assistance for smaller systems, and more state funding for both agency staffing and water system infrastructure. Most opposed shifting oversight of the conservation program from the Department of Health to Ecology, and the report recommended keeping oversight at DOH while improving collaboration across agencies and tribes. The presenters also urged broader statewide water planning, more consistent reporting using the AWWA water audit method instead of leakage percentage, re-evaluating the 500-connection threshold, and addressing outdoor water use, rebates, reuse, and public education. Members asked about creating a new office for water oversight, but the presenters said that idea was generally viewed as too costly and impractical under current budget conditions. DNR then presented its 2025 ecosystem services work group report. The department described ecosystem services markets it studied, including regulatory and voluntary forest carbon, avoided wildfire emissions, and water leasing, with lower potential identified for blue carbon, biodiversity, and water quality markets. DNR said about 15,000 acres of state forest land may have carbon-market potential, but emphasized that the analysis was broad and not project-specific, so the report recommends pilots, continued market monitoring, use of third-party developers, and clarification of authority through House Bill 2170. Committee members asked about economic feasibility, timber tradeoffs, and how success would be defined, and DNR said those questions would be better addressed in future, more detailed project-level work. The final presentation covered the Food Policy Forum’s 2025 report to the legislature. Speakers described broad consensus recommendations on food security, local foods in schools, farm-to-food-bank programs, a state farm bill, commercial access, and food system infrastructure. They highlighted pressures on agriculture from development, flooding, drought, water shortages, and the need to preserve farmland and support farmers, food banks, and local procurement systems. The committee chair thanked the presenters and noted that several related bills and policy proposals would be heard later in session. No votes were taken; the meeting concluded after the presentations and brief member questions.