Transcript Highlights:

• I also want to announce that all hearing materials, including the agenda background and handouts, are
• This area will serve as the logistics hub for high-speed rail materials.
• So we'll start receiving materials in our Wasco Yard that you saw on the video.
• For instance, direct procurement of materials is genius.
• For instance, direct procurement of materials is genius.

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee held an informational hearing on the California High-Speed Rail Authority’s 2026 draft business plan and next steps for the project. Chair Cortese opened by noting major changes since the 2024 plan, including new leadership, a bottoms-up review, scope changes in the Central Valley, loss of federal funds, and renewed interest in private investment and value capture. The Authority’s CEO, Ian Chaudhary, presented the project as moving into a construction and track-laying phase, citing progress on Central Valley structures, right-of-way acquisition, utility relocations, and a new procurement for track and systems. He said the plan reflects a more disciplined, optimized approach, with the Merced-to-Bakersfield segment targeted for revenue service around 2033 and the broader Phase 1 corridor envisioned as commercially viable through ancillary revenues, public-private partnerships, and future private financing. Committee members questioned the Authority about station relocations, single-tracking, tax increment financing, utility relocation authority, transparency, and the feasibility of private financing. Chaudhary said the Merced and Bakersfield station locations were still under discussion with local governments and that no contracts had been finalized. He defended the reduced scope and single-track approach as a just-in-time strategy to avoid overbuilding, while maintaining high-speed standards. He also said the Authority was exploring land value capture, broadband, energy, and other corridor-based revenue sources, but acknowledged that some tools would require legislative action and that private financing options were still being evaluated. Several senators expressed support for the project but raised concerns about permitting delays, local opposition, constitutional and statutory limits, and the need for stronger accountability. The Legislative Analyst’s Office and the High-Speed Rail Inspector General then gave critical assessments of the draft plan. LAO staff said the plan assumes major statutory changes, understates risk, lacks transparency about scope changes, and may not fully fund even the smaller Merced-to-Bakersfield segment once borrowing costs and other uncertainties are considered. Inspector General Ben Belknap said the draft plan does not comply with newer statutory requirements in SB 198 and AB 377, citing three main deficiencies: unauthorized scope changes to the Merced-to-Bakersfield segment, an inadequate funding plan that omits financing costs, and missing procurement milestone dates. He said the Authority’s presentation obscures the true cost and schedule impacts of the project changes, and that incomplete reporting limits legislative oversight. The Authority responded that it would address the OIG’s findings in the final business plan, and committee members indicated they expected a written response on compliance issues.

Transcript Highlights:

• In a time of high inflation and limited labor and material availability, we have to partner to drive
• We will not be going through all of that material.
• And so with that in mind, we took the program, the business plan material from the 10-year pro forma
• Included in that business plan packet and the material we have today, it shows the timeline.
• So, that concludes the highlights of the material that are in the packet.

Transcript Highlights:

• Secondly, to ensure that House members have a reasonable amount of time to review impeachment materials
• prior to deliberating House members have a reasonable amount of time to review impeachment materials
• This provides members the opportunity to fully review all materials and aspects of the proceeding.
• Right now, any truck, a fuel truck that's carrying hazardous material, that's...
• Based on the discussion in committee, this... ...transporting hazardous materials in two situations:

Summary: The Senate opened with an invocation by Pastor Jim Harris of Tilden Baptist Church, followed by remarks from Senator Zaffirini recognizing his service and retirement as an agricultural teacher. The chamber also received a message from the governor on appointments to the Coastal Water Authority Board of Directors. Senators then adopted SR 434 honoring Goodwill Industries of San Antonio’s 80th anniversary, with Senators Gutierrez, Menendez, and Zaffirini praising its workforce training and second-chance employment mission; SR 435 recognizing Dr. Christine Ramos Camacho as Doctor of the Day; and a group of additional resolutions adopted by voice vote. Senator Zaffirini also introduced the McMullen County Day delegation, and Senator Gutierrez introduced the Doctor of the Day. The Senate then took up and passed several bills. SB 1951 addressed penalties for late property rendition filings and removed a financial incentive for appraisal districts; SB 1261 related to financing water supply projects in the state water plan; SB 1620 created a Texas Forensic Analyst Apprenticeship Pilot Program; SB 530 updated higher-education accreditation rules; SB 2183 standardized fireworks sales periods statewide; SB 2368 strengthened the Lone Star Infrastructure Protection Act and added foreign-affiliation safeguards for electricity market participants; SB 1398 limited children without placement (CWOP) practices and added community-based care transparency; and SB 1960 established digital replication rights for voice and visual likenesses. Each of these bills advanced through suspension of the regular order, passage to engrossment, suspension of the three-day rule, and final passage, with recorded votes generally showing strong support and some opposition on a few measures. The chamber also debated SB 825, which would require an annual study of the economic, environmental, and financial impacts of illegal immigration. Senators Middleton, Hinojosa, Gutierrez, and Eckhardt debated whether the study should include positive as well as negative impacts; an amendment to require that broader analysis failed, and the bill was left pending after passage to engrossment. Other measures passed included SB 2010, prohibiting political subdivisions from operating guaranteed income programs; SB 546, requiring reporting and continued implementation of school bus seat belts; SB 586, establishing the Historical Texas Cemetery designation program; SB 1150, requiring inactive oil and gas wells to be plugged or returned to production under a compliance plan; SB 1184, lowering the minimum age of wine eligible for sale by wine collection sellers; SB 2185, clarifying bilingual education allotment funding; SB 1923, making child support follow the child in certain temporary placements; SB 2252, expanding early literacy and numeracy supports and screening tools; SB 1870, barring local decriminalization of drugs; and SB 2405, the major TDCJ sunset bill, which included facility planning, parole and rehabilitation reforms, and an amendment protecting parole board discretion. Most of these bills were adopted after floor amendments and passed with recorded votes, often along party-line or near-party-line divisions.

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> Include extraneous material on the bill or under consideration. Thank you. >> Mr.
• <03:18:21.760> and and to include extraneous material and and to include extraneous material
• <03:45:06.319> on and to include extraneous materials on and to include extraneous materials
• <04:54:51.680> on and to include extraneous material on and to include extraneous material
• materials on this measure. materials on this measure.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• envelopes after the election contest deadline, to change the House's proposal, which had been that materials
• envelopes after the election contest deadline, to change the House's proposal, which had been that materials
• envelopes after the election contest deadline, to change the House's proposal, which had been that materials
• envelopes after the election contest deadline, to change the House's proposal, which had been that materials
• envelopes after the election contest deadline, to change the House's proposal, which had been that materials

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The State and Local Government and Elections Conference Committee met on May 13, 2025, to adopt agreed-upon provisions from the elections article. The chair noted they initially lacked a quorum on both sides, but later confirmed quorum was present. Members and staff walked through a grid of proposed sections, covering voter registration and student proof-of-residence rules, public voter information list deadlines, electronic rosters for combined polling places, absentee ballot procedures, candidate filing and ballot preparation notices, write-in candidate timelines, municipal boundary adjustments, emergency polling place signage, county election training, special election filing periods for legislative vacancies, school district election timing, voting system testing, town elections, hospital board elections, and repeal of the voting equipment grant account. Several items were described as technical or clarifying changes, including wording fixes, consistency edits, and updated effective dates, with many provisions set to take effect January 1, 2026. One item, line 15, involving a cannabis-related provision, was set aside because an amendment had not been posted and printed in time; members agreed to take it up later. The committee also discussed a mix of House-only and Senate-only provisions, including third-party presidential electors, phonetic spelling on affidavits of candidacy, notification of ballot preparers when candidate names change, emergency polling place procedures, training requirements, and rules for temporary polling places on tribal land. After the staff walkthrough and brief questions, Vice Chair Aldenorf moved to adopt the provisions in the document titled “Elections Provisions Proposed Sections for Adoptions, May 13, 2025,” excluding line 15, and include them in the conference committee report. The motion passed on a voice vote with no opposition recorded. The committee then adjourned, with members noting that work on remaining elections provisions could continue afterward.

Transcript Highlights:

• A supply project, what would be the cost breakdown between materials, labor, and design?
• I do know that material costs for all my civil engineers' projects have been affected.
• Okay, because I think it's going to be dramatically, you know, time and materials, you know, but I think
• that the tariffs are affecting most projects, sourcing in general, because it's not just the hard materials
• , the natural materials, but it could also be anything that it takes to move those and whatnot.

Bills: HB3077, HJR2, HJR7, HJR7

Keywords: alcohol, taxation, reporting requirements, sales, distribution, death tax, inheritance tax, estate tax, property transfer, constitutional amendment, water fund, Texas water supply, state revenue, infrastructure, HJR 7, Texas Legislature, quorum, majority quorum, two-thirds quorum, legislative procedure

Transcript Highlights:

• We provide free oral health literacy materials and toolkits.
• to our online referral portal tool for the oral health navigators, as well as download those free materials
• We also launched in... ...as well as download those free materials.
• We still have a lot of the material today, including one of the most successful things: a script that
• Screening guide, display materials, waiting room activities, flyers, conversational guides, and referral

Keywords: 962, all

Summary: The MAPOC Women and Children’s Health Subcommittee heard a presentation from Kate Parker Riley, executive director of the Connecticut Dental Health Partnership, on the Husky Dental Program and efforts to improve oral health during pregnancy. She reviewed the structure of Connecticut’s Medicaid dental benefit, the ASO model, provider network, utilization trends, and member barriers to care. She noted that children’s dental measures remain above the national median, but adult utilization is lower and the dental provider network has been shrinking, with longer wait times in rural areas. A major focus was the state’s goal to raise the rate of oral evaluation during pregnancy from about 17.5% to 25% by 2030. Riley described planned outreach to OB/GYN practices using a draft “snapshot” report showing each practice’s pregnancy oral-health rate compared with the state average, along with education materials based on ACOG and AAP guidance. Committee members and guests discussed barriers such as lack of provider training, workflow burden, access to dentists who will see pregnant patients, and the need for stronger referral bridges. Suggestions included adding simple oral-health screening questions in OB settings, using human support to make appointments, and exploring co-located dental hygienists or other embedded models. Riley also highlighted partnerships with DSS, DCF, Head Start, WIC, Read to Grow, YMCA programs, refugee resettlement agencies, and school-based and hospital partners, as well as data-sharing and navigation efforts. She said pregnant members newly identified through HUSKY will now receive outreach and navigation support. DSS dental director Carolyn MacArthur introduced herself and said she supports the initiative, noting the literature linking untreated maternal dental disease to poor child oral-health outcomes. No votes were taken; the meeting ended with thanks and a preview of upcoming July presentations on integrated behavioral health and home visitation programs.

Transcript Highlights:

• edges or hazards and was simply cosmetic, yet again it resulted in a citation that stated program materials
• > resulted in a citation that stated resulted in a citation that stated program<00:05:14.720> materials
• > were<00:05:15.560> not<00:05:15.800> in<00:05:15.960> good program materials
• were not in good program materials were not in good repair<00:05:17.520> I<00:05:17.600> have
• ways to look at quality in a child care program than looking whether there are these particular materials

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee took up House File 2617, and first adopted a DE1 amendment. The bill, as amended, was presented as a major child care licensing reform that would narrow licensing to core health and safety requirements, reduce what supporters described as punitive or overly technical citations, and shift quality standards toward accreditation and professional organizations. The author also described the bill as a response to long-standing problems in the current licensing structure and county oversight of family child care. Public testimony was uniformly supportive. Child care providers and directors from Duluth, Rochester, and Esko said the current system penalizes minor clerical or cosmetic issues, creates inconsistent interpretations, and contributes to provider burnout and the child care shortage. They argued the bill would separate health-and-safety licensing from quality measures, which they said are better addressed through accreditation, coaching, and national standards. One testifier also said the bill would help with background study delays by creating a liaison to improve visibility into the process. Members asked about the difference between licensing and accreditation, how other states handle similar models, and how the bill would interact with the department’s licensing modernization work. The bill’s supporters said licensing would remain focused on foundational health and safety items such as ratios, background checks, hygiene, and facilities, while quality standards would be left to national organizations like NAEYC or the National Family Child Care Association. They cited Connecticut, Indiana, and Florida as examples of states using national standards in some form. The committee closed public testimony, took member questions, and the author renewed his motion to lay over House File 2617 as amended.

Transcript Highlights:

• departments to make expenditures for educational and training supplies and fire prevention promotional materials
• departments to make an expenditure for educational and training supplies and fire prevention promotional materials
• Ingrossed committee substitute for committee substitute for house. materials.
• departments to make expenditures for educational and training supplies and fire prevention promotional materials

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <03:28:17.199> teams paid the has hazardous material teams paid the has hazardous material
• in as hattis materials in as hattis materials technicians<03:46:55.000> the<03:46:55.159>
• But, uh, we shouldn't have PFAS in our materials and our products.
• <04:41:28.360> um produce uh land fillable materials um produce uh land fillable materials
• If Canada decides they're not— materials from going into a landfill materials from going into a landfill

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Environment and Agriculture Committee held a hearing on HB 566, which would require permit applications for new landfills to include a detailed leachate management plan. The bill sponsor said the measure was prompted by recent reporting on leachate problems at New Hampshire landfills, including alleged violations at a Bethlehem facility and deficiencies at other sites, and argued the bill is meant to improve public health protections without dictating specific treatment methods or hindering innovation. The sponsor also said the proposal was developed with input from the Department of Environmental Services (DES) and industry representatives, and that a forthcoming amendment would revise the bill’s language to better fit the permitting process. The sponsor explained that the amendment would move several requirements out of the contract section and into the planning section, change references such as “permit for construction” to “operating approval,” include landfill expansions, and remove language that could be read as requiring long-term contracts. Questions from members focused on whether the bill would create enforceable consequences if a plan is not followed, whether it would limit operators’ flexibility, and whether existing DES rules already cover the subject. The sponsor said enforcement details should be addressed by DES and emphasized that the bill would not lock operators into any particular contract or technology. The Business and Industry Association testified in opposition to the bill as introduced, saying it appeared unnecessary because DES already regulates leachate through existing rules, including Env 806.53, and has authority to update those rules as technology changes. The witness argued that putting the requirements into statute could freeze the regulatory framework, create conflicts with future rulemaking, and make it harder for DES to respond quickly to new treatment methods or operational issues. No vote or final action was taken at the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:25:42.400> would our in our materials here today. would our in our materials here today
• I'm going to provided some materials.
• So that's a material contribution that.
• <01:54:04.080> but IT budgets so it's not very material but IT budgets so it's not very material
• because they're not again very material because they're not again very material um<01:54:15.119>

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:03:39.839> direct<01:03:40.240> admissions as College material direct admissions
• Some of those students are college material and completely unaware of their options.
• My brother doesn't see himself as college material and has chosen to quit the whole process.
• but it will who is college material but it will create<01:21:40.600> a<01:21:40.760> path<
• are college material are college material we<01:25:25.800> can<01:25:26.000> address

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We would harvest wild material from the field, gather that in a laboratory for rearing, and we'd start
• from those locations and merge those with wild-type material to update the genetics and create a...
• ...material from those locations and merge those with wild-type material to update the genetics and create
• What we're seeing right now is the exploding material at the top of this... As a sort of a volcano.
• The challenge is that that's... ...and materials can accommodate the Novo Fly.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• into cellular genetic material. into cellular genetic material.
• If I can paraphrase what that means, is that they found the spike protein DNA, or genetic material, in
• They’re talking about basically some material from the vaccine getting into the system, the body, and
• <01:32:20.080> from<01:32:20.320> the basically the some material from the basically
• the some material from the vaccine vaccine vaccine uh<01:32:22.800> getting<01:32:23.120>

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The committee met as a special House committee on COVID response efficacy, noted absences, and restated its mission to review New Hampshire’s pandemic response, including federal guidance, federal funds, emergency use authorization vaccination efforts, long COVID treatment, patient bill of rights implementation, and vaccination policies. The main business was discussion of a proposed letter or report language concerning current COVID vaccine recommendations for young children, especially those under age two, and how to support any conclusions with cited scientific and state sources. Representative Polozov argued that the committee should ask the governor or agencies to reconsider current recommendations, saying the committee should focus on whether vaccination is needed for that age group, whether it is effective, and whether the risks outweigh the benefits. He said he had distributed articles and wanted the committee to pair its conclusions with scientific and statistical data. Other members asked him to identify the specific New Hampshire DHHS and American Academy of Pediatrics sources for the recommendation, clarify the age range being discussed, and separate any evidence about adverse effects in other age groups from the infant/toddler demographic so the letter would be transparent and not misleading. Members generally agreed the letter should be carefully sourced and refined, with citations for each claim. The chair said the committee would treat the request as urgent and try to finalize a version by the next meeting, noting that some members would be traveling. The committee also discussed scheduling additional testimony in September and October, possibly with extra meetings, to continue gathering evidence and to hear from witnesses. The chair then began reviewing supporting articles, including studies he said were new since the 2024 report, and introduced a 2025 South Korea cohort study and another 2025 Italian cohort study as examples of the evidence he wanted to incorporate into an updated 2026 report.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:07:34.759> such<00:07:34.919> as supplemental materials such as supplemental materials
• Cameron, um, I can answer to what was in the nomination materials.
• um I I don't not nomination materials um I I don't not myself<00:13:56.720> um<00:13:57.079><
• Yes, I’m happy to at least speak to what was in the award nomination materials.
• <00:23:41.080> for preparing those materials for preparing those materials for consideration

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee approved the January 21 minutes and then heard an overview from the University of Minnesota’s Office for Public Engagement on its community engagement awards program. Amber Cameron explained that the office supports partnerships across the university’s campuses and that nominations for the Outstanding Community Service Awards were evaluated by faculty and staff selection committees using criteria such as positive societal impact, innovation, extraordinary results, and overall application quality. She said the community partner award was based only on the nomination materials and described the award process, including that nominations could come from individuals, grassroots groups, or organizations and that the award carried a $5,000 prize. The main discussion focused on the 2024 community partner award given to Communities United Against Police Brutality. Cameron said the nomination documented a long-standing relationship with the university through the Center for Community-Engaged Learning, including work in 130 course offerings over 24 years across 17 academic departments and participation by about 1,000 students. She cited examples from the nomination such as student research and policy work that contributed to Travis’s Law. Committee members questioned the organization’s age, its letterhead and public activism, the meaning of its relationship with the university, and whether the work was appropriate for an award. Cameron responded that the award did not require formal tax status and that her office facilitated the process rather than judging the organization’s broader views. Members also asked for additional information on the vetting process, the courses involved, the award funding source, the ceremony, and related materials. Cameron said the awards were funded through OMN funding, that the program was being sunset and replaced with a new internal engaged-scholar awards structure, and that she would follow up on requests for documents, speaking notes, and other details. No votes were taken beyond approval of the minutes, and the committee moved on after the testimony and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• Transportation hazardous materials emergency preparedness grant.
• What we're looking at here is hazardous materials awareness and operations.
• It's expressly for hazardous materials mitigation and education.
• hazardous material related courses.
• Materials are going up, rates are going up.

Keywords: Appropriations - Room 210; 22 January, 2026: 1:30 PM, 925, all

Summary: The meeting began with a budget presentation from the insurance commissioner’s office. The commissioner said most of the request was for personnel costs, including an increase above LBO and two additional IT positions tied to a possible conversion to a state-based system and cybersecurity needs. The office also discussed travel costs, contractual expenses, vehicle replacement, and hurricane mitigation funds, noting that some funds are in trust accounts and require legislative authority to spend. The commissioner also briefed members on possible policy changes affecting the ACA exchange and a proposed low-cost plan for the high-risk pool, warning that if coverage options are not developed, more people could shift into uncompensated care. Members asked about the budget request, the IT positions, and a constituent question about propane meter regulation, which the commissioner said falls under the Department of Agriculture and Commerce, though his office sometimes checks related issues informally. The committee then moved to the State Fire Academy hearing. The academy director described a workforce stabilization proposal focused on retaining and recruiting fire instructors, citing competition from local fire departments that pay more, a shrinking applicant pool, and a growing number of retirement-eligible staff. He said the academy’s instructors are being recruited away by municipalities, that recent applicant pools have produced very few qualified candidates, and that the academy may soon have to cut advanced courses if staffing does not improve. He referenced a State Personnel Board review that supported the need for compensation changes and said the academy is trying to remain competitive while continuing to train firefighters, hazmat responders, EMS personnel, and fire officers statewide. No formal votes or legislative actions were taken in the portion provided. Members mainly asked questions, requested written follow-up on some budget items, and indicated they would work with the agencies later in the session if pending bills or funding needs changed.

Transcript Highlights:

• These teams respond to really critical hazardous materials incidents.
• These teams respond to really critical hazardous materials incidents.
• These teams respond to really critical hazardous materials incidents.
• These teams respond to really critical hazardous materials incidents.
• <00:21:58.919> that<00:21:59.000> is sexual abuse material that is sexual abuse material

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• benefit of the committee I think there could be a broad agreement on tax incentives for those that use materials
• /c><00:04:57.240> use tax incentives for those that use tax incentives for those that use materials
• > would<00:04:59.000> harden<00:04:59.600> their<00:04:59.840> homes materials
• that would harden their homes materials that would harden their homes and<00:05:00.360> other
• :05:22.960> sales That a tax break, maybe eliminating sales tax or reducing sales tax for materials

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: House File 4223 was presented as an appropriation to implement and jump-start the Strengthening Our Homes program enacted in 2023. Rep. Elkins said the goal is to help homeowners strengthen roofs using standards promoted by the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety, citing other states such as Alabama as examples where hardened homes performed better in major storms. He emphasized rising homeowners insurance costs, especially for affordable apartments, older condo buildings, and seniors on fixed or limited incomes, and said the grants would help people who may not have the upfront cash to make improvements. Committee members generally supported the concept, describing it as a way to reduce storm damage and lower insurance premiums. One member highlighted that the income threshold for grant eligibility could reach a large share of Minnesota homeowners and potentially harden nearly a million homes, while another noted the program’s focus on lower-income households. A Commerce Committee discussion was referenced in which an alternative approach was raised: tax incentives, including possible sales tax relief, for materials and labor used to harden homes against hail and other weather risks. Rep. Elkins responded that labor is an important part of the cost and that many potential beneficiaries are seniors with little taxable income, making a grant program more practical than a tax-based incentive. Another member agreed the upfront cost is a major barrier and said the grant design appears thoughtful. No vote was taken; the bill was laid over for further discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's the Delaware County RMA from issuing oil rig permits for vehicles transporting hazardous materials
• The other issue is dealing with hazardous materials.
• to ensure that we keep proper oversight of all corridors, especially those that carry hazardous materials
• An 80,000-pound truck is normal; they can travel anywhere they want to, even with hazardous materials
• Exporting oversized materials through designated corridors provides the most direct route from the...

Bills: HB2026, HB2427, HB2455, HB2560, HB3510, HB3966, HB3986, HB4429, HB5436, SB3062

Keywords: memorial highway, U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, Archer County, highway designation, vehicle weight, ports of entry, Texas Transportation Code, truck regulations, load limits, Adopt-a-County Road, funding, road maintenance, county partnership, public recognition, memorial designation, highway, Sergeant Mark Butler, transportation, Brazos County

Transcript Highlights:

• should develop a comprehensive plan by 2026 that identifies recycling goals based on sustainable materials
• recommendations for a possible reinstatement; and develop and promote plans for markets for recycling materials
• should develop a comprehensive plan by 2026 that identifies recycling goals based on sustainable materials
• will help Florida move toward reducing the overall amount of waste produced through diversion of materials
• will help Florida move towards reducing the overall amount of waste produced through diversion of materials

Summary: The Agriculture and Natural Resources Budget Subcommittee met to consider three bills before moving to its budget presentation. HB 843, relating to Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission trust funds, was explained as a set of clarifying changes to improve budget flexibility, including use of certain trust funds for law enforcement and other conservation-related purposes. After questions about whether the bill would shift resources away from conservation, an amendment removed the sections dealing with the Administrative Trust Fund and the Florida Panther Research and Management Trust Fund. The amended bill received support in public testimony and was reported favorably. The committee then heard HB 295, which directs the Department of Environmental Protection to develop a comprehensive waste reduction and recycling plan by 2026 based on prior recycling recommendations. Supporters, including students involved in an “Ought to Be a Law” program and representatives from the waste and recycling industry, said the bill would create a roadmap for improving recycling and waste diversion. An opponent argued the state should instead enact more direct statutory changes on issues such as food waste, yard waste, and manure handling rather than study them further. Members praised the student participation and the bill passed. HB 339, creating a temporary alternative credentialing pathway for surveyors and mappers, was presented as a response to workforce shortages and an aging profession. The sponsor said the bill would help meet demand while preserving oversight, and an amendment added a four-year work requirement and adjusted renewal provisions. After brief supportive debate, the amended bill passed. The subcommittee then received its Fiscal Year 2025-26 budget proposal, which emphasized spending reductions, vacant-position cuts, and a smaller overall budget than the current year while still funding water resources, Everglades restoration, resiliency, land management, cleanup programs, agriculture facilities, and other projects. Members closed by thanking the chair for an inclusive budget process, and the meeting adjourned after a motion to rise.