Transcript Highlights:

• He said that when he first read it, Section 13 appeared to be an outright ban on soliciting recurring
• He also appreciated Section 14, which requires clear disclosure of where the money is going, though he
• Okay, so I am curious about how this would apply to PACs, Section 14, because that's, I share the concern

Committee: House Elections

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> The business section everything else.
• We have dedicated section on our website for Behavior Analysis with technical guidance.
• multi report is required and there are they implementing statute for managing entities Chapter 3.84, section

Transcript Highlights:

• They function with some independence and autonomy from the court system, but they're included in Section
• Section 7 of the GAA, and we provide administrative support for a number of their budget-related needs
• And my understanding is this section of the law requires the Attorney General to submit a report to the

Committee: Senate Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice

Summary: The committee met to hear fiscal year 2026-2027 legislative budget requests from several justice-related agencies. The Florida Commission on Offender Review requested funding for investigator and revocation staff salary increases to address turnover, plus nonrecurring funds for Wi-Fi, seven vehicles, technology support, and commissioner salary adjustments. The State Courts Administrator presented a broad judicial branch request focused on trial court case-management technology, additional case managers, trust fund authority for child support hearing officers, courthouse furnishings, district court flexibility in staffing, a future courthouse for the Sixth District Court of Appeal, Supreme Court elevator replacement, POM accounting implementation support, judicial security liaison positions tied to the Florida Fusion Center, expanded senior management service authority, and judicial salary adjustments. The Office of the Attorney General outlined pay and operating requests for consumer protection, citizen services, ethics, crime compensation, victim services, vehicle replacement, IT and cybersecurity, lease and operating costs, and PALM-related expenses, while several senators questioned the office about outside counsel contracts, contingency-fee arrangements, transparency, and the use of private law firms. The Department of Corrections made the largest presentation, describing severe staffing shortages, high turnover, rising inmate populations, increased assaults, and heavy overtime use. Secretary Ricky Dixon said the agency’s request was driven by constitutional and public safety needs and included funding for operations, security equipment, inflationary costs, vehicle replacement, offender information system modernization, technology restoration, inmate health services, drug and food cost increases, staffing pilots, maintenance, security infrastructure, Florida PALM, recruitment and retention, and $56 million for new correctional housing units. Members asked about inmate labor, prison safety, overtime, vehicle breakdowns, and whether more National Guard support was needed; Dixon said the agency needed more staffing and pay competitiveness rather than a long-term military presence. A correctional officers’ union representative also urged support for pay raises, citing low pay and staffing concerns. No votes were taken on the budget requests. The chair allowed extended questioning, especially for the Department of Corrections, but noted time constraints and asked agencies to return in a later committee meeting, including FDLE, which was deferred because of a House site visit.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our entire back section is paid for by the community with names dedicated to deceased family members
• So what you'll see on page 150: first statute as written in Chapter 22, Article 24, Section 4G.
• PSFA pursuant to NMSA 1978, Section 10-15-1. So this does require a roll call vote.

Committee: House Public School Capital Outlay Oversight Task Force

Transcript Highlights:

• developed very small, about 20-minute testlets, they call them, that test students on individual sections
• The third grade students who are getting zeros, over 50% of Texas, on a certain section, and you know
• I am talking about the third grade students who are getting zeros on a certain section of the test.

Bills: HB8

Committee: House Public Education

Keywords: HB 8, Texas public school accountability, school accountability, public school transparency, STAAR, state assessments, instructionally supportive assessment program, Student Success Tool, Texas Education Agency, TEA, accountability ratings, A-F ratings, through-year assessment, benchmark testing, norm-referenced assessment, college career military readiness, CCMR, local accountability plan, school district performance, campus turnaround

Transcript Highlights:

• As a reminder to the committee and our visitors and witnesses today, under House Rule for Section 13.
• in nineteen seventy-seven passed the conservation amendment to the Texas Constitution, Article 16, Section
• Under House Rule 3, Section 22, the House has... ...placed the responsibility of implementing that constitutional

Bills: HB24 , HB27 , HB24 , HB27

Committee: House Natural Resources

Keywords: groundwater, conservation, water permits, sustainability, resource management, 997, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The recommendations section and how they were developed, they were generated by committee discussions
• I know there's a definition, but there's a section where all those items are explained.
• I know there's a definition, but there's a section where all those items are explained.

Summary: The committee met for its final session before submitting a report to the governor and legislature, with introductions from state officials, legislators, advocates, providers, and facilitators. Staff explained that the meeting would focus on finalizing the committee’s strategic priorities and recommendations for a five-year behavioral health plan centered on prevention, early intervention, and community-based services. Members reviewed the draft overarching priorities, including the need for a statewide behavioral health vision and an executive-level role to coordinate behavioral health across agencies, and discussed how those priorities should reflect people with lived experience, families, and community voice. A substantial portion of the meeting focused on the draft recommendations and how they should be organized and worded. Members raised concerns that the document was too aspirational and not specific enough, and several suggested moving more detailed actions under the broader priorities rather than leaving them in a separate section. There was also discussion about the use of the term “evidence-based,” with tribal representatives and others asking for language that also recognizes practice-based evidence, promising practices, cultural specificity, and flexibility in funding and implementation. Members also discussed clarifying “early intervention,” adding examples such as universal screening, outpatient access, primary care integration, and home visiting, and ensuring the plan reflects accountability and community feedback. Other edits included clarifying credentialing recommendations to distinguish between licensure and payer credentialing, adding mentorship as a workforce retention strategy, and broadening Medicaid-centric language to include carriers and insurers more generally. Staff noted the report would be revised and sent back out for review by May 22, with comments due by May 27, in order to meet the June 1 submission deadline. No public comment was offered, and the meeting ended with thanks to members and facilitators for their work.

Transcript Highlights:

• They could work to develop a pre-clearance section, but that comes with staff and a lot of resources.
• I just want to clarify, on page 7, section 102.
• real quick, if the notice is given and there's a certain amount of time, and I don't remember if section

Bills: HB5691 , SB427 , SB2623 , SB2858

Committee: House Intergovernmental Affairs

Keywords: municipal management district, bonds, assessments, property taxes, economic development, eminent domain, special district, SB 427, local government, political subdivision, state loan, state grant, financial reporting, annual financial statement, annual report, county report, municipal finance, water district, municipality, county auditor

Transcript Highlights:

• I went on to read to you that section, which is establishing.
• Just to clarify, on page 4, section 5 of the bill...
• We have the section there that deals with the disability retirement benefits that are absolutely in the

Bills: HB886 , HB1514 , HB2434 , HB2688 , HB2802 , HB3161 , HB3221 , HB4029 , HB4339 , HB4591 , HB4774 , HB4802 , HB4853 , HB5627 , SB1737

Committee: House Pensions, Investments & Financial Services

Keywords: retirement, supplemental payment, benefits, Employees Retirement System, eligible annuitants, legislation, annuity, service credit, Employees Retirement System of Texas, employee benefits, pension reform, public retirement systems, municipality pensions, firefighters, police officers, retirement age, DROP program, actuarial studies, pension benefits, municipal retirement

Transcript Highlights:

• concern is, is the treatment of the horses. ...and so prosecuting several cases involving horses under Section
• Section of the law and the way it fits...
• Section 5267 contains all of these features and more.

Bills: HB386 , HB1449 , HB1701 , HB2142 , HB2675 , HB2857 , HB3063 , HB3171 , HB3641 , HB3732 , HB4045 , HB4370 , HB4491 , HB4505 , HB4626 , HB5267 , HB5356

Committee: House Intergovernmental Affairs

Keywords: construction contracts, change orders, local government, budget limits, Texas legislation, HB 1449, mobile food vendors, food trucks, mobile food service establishments, permits, county health permit, municipal permitting, Health and Safety Code Chapter 437A, Chapter 437, inspection agreements, permit reciprocity, fee cap, preemption, large counties, population over one million

Transcript Highlights:

• An amendment to the R 18 bill one section of House SB Number 14 is the Nonetheless, a school with e Pleased
• Speaker, I move to suspend House Rule 2, Section 1A. 9 to permit engrossment for House Bill 500 to be
• I'm not advised, and there also might be other sections of code that handle student-athletic department

Bills: HJR5 , HB39 , HB 102 , HB 126 , HB290 , HB300 , HB1330 , HB2110 , HB2143 , HCR64 , HCR101

Keywords: education funding, Texas State Technical College System, constitutional amendment, capital projects, workforce education, military education, early registration, ROTC, corps of cadets, higher education, military academy, student athletes, name image likeness, compensation, intercollegiate athletics, representation, tuition assistance, military, Texas State Guard, education

Transcript Highlights:

• Florida Department of Law Enforcement have notified the OMMU, or Office of Medical Marijuana Use, that section
• To ensure compliance, the terms owners, managers, and employees must be defined in sections 381.986 and
• question, the way you asked it, that caught some of the wording that we’re working on before on this section

Committee: Senate Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services met to consider a full agenda of bills, moving quickly through 20 measures and several amendments. Early bills reported favorably included SB 976 on procedures for challenging court-appointed psychologists in family law cases, SB 306 on Medicaid managed care provider access outside regular business hours, and SB 584 on housing supports for foster youth and college students, which drew supportive testimony from former foster youth and was backed by members as a way to improve stability and educational opportunity. The committee also approved SB 1412 to modernize home health regulations and SB 1800 to create a Parkinson’s research consortium at USF, with members citing the need for more research and future funding opportunities. The committee adopted amendments on several bills, including technical and conforming changes to the Parkinson’s bill and other measures. The committee then advanced a series of health care and child welfare bills. SB 524 added Duchenne muscular dystrophy to newborn screening; SB 1156 revised the Home Health Aide Program for medically fragile children, including training, reimbursement, and work-hour flexibility; and SB 1490 reorganized services for medically fragile children by shifting program administration to AHCA and requiring a redesign plan for the Medicaid waiver. SB 1174 allowed foster home and child-caring agency licenses to be amended when a foster parent relocates, and SB 1620 implemented selected recommendations from the Commission on Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders, including a new research center at USF and school-based behavioral health review requirements. SB 1568 revised e-prescribing exemptions, and SB 78 authorized certain veterans’ nursing home beds and related certificate-of-need transfers. All of these measures were reported favorably after brief debate or supportive testimony. Several bills prompted more extensive discussion and some opposition. CS for CS SB 1270, the Department of Health agency package, included provisions on vaccination-related patient rights, medical marijuana reporting, background screening, temporary licensure, compact participation, and sovereign immunity for volunteer dentists; it passed despite concerns from Senators Berman, Brodeur, and Harrell about vaccination language and board/voting-power provisions. CS for SB 1606 on patient access to records drew strong opposition from physicians and health information professionals over privacy, security, fines, and portal access; it was initially reported unfavorably, then reconsidered and ultimately reported favorably as a committee bill. CS for SB 1736, allowing insulin administration by direct support professionals and relatives for individuals with developmental disabilities, and SB 1808, requiring timely refunds to patients, both passed. CS for SB 1842, requiring referring providers to help patients determine whether referred providers are in-network, also passed over concerns about burden on small practices. The committee also advanced SB 1354, a behavioral health oversight bill requiring audits, performance reporting, and system transparency measures for managing entities, and SB 1768, which authorizes physicians to perform certain stem cell therapies using specified products and requires informed consent; both drew supportive comments but also concerns about patient understanding and oversight. Finally, the committee approved SPB 7032 as a committee bill to create presumptive Medicaid eligibility for permanently disabled individuals during redetermination, and after reconsideration it reported SB 1606 favorably as a committee bill. The meeting ended with members noting their recorded votes on select tabs and adjourning after completing the agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• Texas Family Code, Title 5, Section 161, and 261 are still binding.
• Like, you know, section one below that, to receive any available cancer treatment, and maybe that is
• So that's Texas Code Title 5 Section 261.001, and I. Get you a copy of that as well.

Bills: HB46

Committee: House S/C on Disease Prevention & Women's & Children's Health

Keywords: local government spending cap, expenditure limit, political subdivision, property tax, ad valorem tax, budget cap, taxpayer protection, spending restraint, inflation adjustment, population growth, voter approval, supermajority vote, county budget, municipal budget, school district finance, junior college district, hospital district, special district, attorney general enforcement, local fiscal limits

Transcript Highlights:

• And this includes new sections regarding what to do when there's a defective corporate act.
• This includes new sections regarding what to do when there's a defective corporate act. to changes in
• The remainder of those sections relate to changes to...

Bills: HF1545 , HF2426 , HF1615 , HF2403

Committee: House Commerce Finance and Policy

Keywords: medical cannabis, cultivation, cannabinoid products, plant canopy, Minnesota statutes, cannabis, hemp, lower-potency, edibles, regulations, licensing, local control, consumer safety, age restrictions, commerce policy, financial institutions, insurance regulation, limited long-term care insurance, Medicare supplement, health insurance

Transcript Highlights:

• For the climate smart agriculture section of Proposition 4 for CDFA.
• For the climate bond for this section, we're asking for $79.9 million this year in the budget, out of
• I know under the water section, there's money for the Natural Resources Agency for wildlife refuges and

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• your $6.7 billion or so that you were trying to make sure that you had, you know, going into this section
• OK, sorry, I just missed that crossed out in the section of the bill. It's, uh, voluminous. OK.
• So if you have tons of tornadoes in the northern section, that cost to cover those tornado costs is buried

Committee: House Insurance

Transcript Highlights:

• Secretary Bird, by the authority vested in me as Governor of Florida, under the provisions of Article 3, Section
• HB 157 IS A SERVICE OF PROCESS BILL THAT COMES TO US FROM THE BUSINESS LAW SECTION OF THE FLORIDA BAR
• THIS IS A VERSION SUPPORTED BY THE BUSINESS LAW SECTION OF THE FLORIDA BAR. THAT IS THE BILL.

Keywords: sales tax reduction, budget cuts, boating safety, water treatment, municipal utilities, school safety, medical malpractice, firearm purchase age, cursive writing instruction, first responder support, veto overrides, veterans funding, infrastructure projects

Summary: The Florida House convened for regular business, with Speaker Perez announcing historic budget plans including the largest state tax cut in Florida history - a permanent 0.75% sales tax reduction from 6% to 5.25%, saving Floridians nearly $5 billion annually. The House will propose a budget lower than both the Governor's proposal and last year's budget. Several bills passed including Lucy's Law (boating safety), water access facilities funding, municipal utility rate corrections, hazardous walking conditions for schools, and medical malpractice 'Free Kill Law' repeal. The controversial firearm purchase age bill (HB 759) passed 78-34, lowering the minimum age from 21 to 18, despite emotional opposition citing the Parkland shooting. Other bills addressed cursive writing instruction, peer support for first responders, and government sunset reviews. Multiple veto override motions were approved unanimously, reinstating funding for veterans programs and infrastructure projects.

Transcript Highlights:

• 6 month period compared to the current state limit of 45 days in a county designated areas limit Section
• The bill expands protections to additional sections of Biscayne Bay in Miami, Dade County.
• However, we think it should be done with the existing section. 41 that was put into place a few years

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The other thing is that we on the beneficial electrification section 2, we have the opportunity to work
• Our concern with HB 13 is its focus on mandating beneficial electrification, which is defined in Section
• Line that is feasible, the adjustment to the timeline and the new section F that clarifies that the PRC's

Committee: Senate Senate Tax, Business & Transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• Trust Fund within the Department of Environmental Protection, which is to be terminated pursuant to Section
• The bill repeals several sections of Florida law related to outdated weather modification licensing and
• But there have been some conditions that have resulted for, and I think we have it in a small section

Committee: Senate Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government

Summary: The committee considered and reported favorably several bills, most of them sponsored by Senator Rodriguez. CS/SB 164 on vessel accountability was presented as a measure to help law enforcement identify vessel owners, create a free long-term anchoring permit program, increase penalties for derelict vessel violations, and authorize grants for local governments in FWC’s prevention program; it passed without amendment. SB 388, dealing with FWC trust funds, was also reported favorably after Senator Berman asked whether non-game wildlife funds would support immigration enforcement; Senator Rodriguez said they would not. CS/SB 1320 was amended to recreate the Resilient Florida Trust Fund and then passed favorably. CS/CS/SB 344 modernizing the Telecommunications Access System was amended to define new terms and reduce the maximum surcharge from 25 cents to 15 cents, then reported favorably. CS/SB 86 on peer support for first responders expanded eligibility to support personnel and passed with broad support from law enforcement and related groups. The committee also took up CS/CS/SB 92, a hit-and-run accountability bill by Senator Gruters. The adopted amendment added a front license plate requirement, lowered the damage threshold from $5,000 to $2,500, and retained reporting requirements for repair shops. NFIB testified in opposition to parts of the bill, citing concerns about the lower threshold, short reporting deadlines, and potential license revocation, while supporters argued the bill would improve accountability and help solve hit-and-run cases. The bill was reported favorably after debate. The final and most contentious measure was CS/SB 56 by Senator Garcia, which would prohibit geoengineering and weather modification activities in Florida, repeal older weather-modification statutes, create a public reporting system at DEP, and impose penalties for violations. Supporters, including individuals identifying with weather-watch and anti-geoengineering concerns, argued that the bill would address public fears and environmental risks. A cloud-seeding company representative testified that cloud seeding is distinct from solar radiation management and said permitting should exist for responsible weather modification, while warning the bill could hinder beneficial precipitation enhancement. Despite skepticism from some members about the bill’s premise and scope, the committee reported it favorably. The meeting then concluded after members recorded missed votes and the committee adjourned.