Transcript Highlights:

• stewardship of our land and keep that in a working landscape, whether it's timber, cow-calf operations, vegetables
• Roosevelt Action, that your preference is lethal versus non-lethal wildlife control.
• Roosevelt Action, that your preference is lethal versus non-lethal wildlife control.

Summary: The Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee first took up the appointment of Joshua Kellum to the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). Kellum described his background in diversified land, agricultural, materials, and real estate operations and said he views himself as a conservationist. Senators questioned him closely about his development background, the balance of perspectives on the commission, his vote supporting the black bear hunt, and the use of Fish and Wildlife Foundation funds for the “Yes on 2” campaign. Supporters argued he is primarily a land steward and conservation-minded landowner, while opponents said the commission is already dominated by developers and lacks scientific or conservation expertise. After debate, the committee voted to recommend Kellum’s confirmation, with Senator Smith voting no and the rest of the voting members in favor. The committee then received a presentation from FWC on implementation of recently enacted boating and vessel laws. Bill Holcomb outlined changes under SB 1388 (the Boater Freedom Act), including limits on vessel stops and boarding, a new Florida Freedom Boater Safety Inspection decal, and revised rules for Springs Protection Zones. He also reviewed SB 164 on derelict and at-risk vessels, including new enforcement tools, a long-term anchoring permit, and updated penalties; HB 289, Lucy’s Law, which strengthens boating safety penalties and education requirements; SB 830 on the disposition of migrant vessels; and HB 735 on water access facilities and boating infrastructure. Holcomb said FWC is in rulemaking, training officers, and updating forms and permitting systems to implement the laws. Members asked follow-up questions about derelict vessel cost recovery and whether penalties go back to the state, and about the Springs Protection Zone standard. Holcomb said the state can recover removal costs from responsible owners and that the new springs standard requires “significant harm” and that vessel activity be the predominant cause, with subject matter experts and partner agencies helping make those determinations. He said Silver Glen Springs remains a proposed zone but was paused pending the new criteria and rulemaking. The committee took no further action on the presentation and adjourned after completing the agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• All right, we have some air traffic control with senators coming and going.
• defines when an mRNA vaccine is and prohibits the use of any mRNA vaccine being used on fruit and vegetables
• They don't have a chance to give their public comment because the state now controls that.

Summary: The Committee on Regulated Industries met with a quorum and heard several bills, with SB 1742 on condos temporarily postponed. SB 1298 on building construction was reported favorably after sponsor testimony about continuing education for building professionals, rural sharing of building officials, residential inspector limits, a planning examiner internship, permitting modernization, and contractor transition liability. SB 638 on home inspectors was also reported favorably after discussion of increasing required education from 120 to 200 hours, adding subject-specific exam and course requirements, and requiring $300,000 in errors and omissions insurance. SB 960 on elevator accessibility requirements was reported favorably, allowing additional shorter support rails in elevators while keeping the existing 42-inch rail requirement. The committee also unanimously recommended confirmation of a block of board and commission appointees. The committee adopted amendments and reported favorably CS/SB 940 on third-party restaurant reservation platforms, aimed at stopping bots and unauthorized resale of restaurant reservations; the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association and Booking Holdings supported the bill, and members discussed how the measure would preserve direct restaurant-platform relationships like OpenTable and Resy while targeting third-party marketplaces that resell reservations. CS/SB 196 on foods containing vaccines or vaccine materials was reported favorably after amendments that defined mRNA vaccine use and added a cosmetics-related amendment addressing harmful chemicals such as PFAS, phthalates, formaldehyde-releasing agents, and mercury compounds; the Florida Retail Federation raised concerns but said it was working with the sponsor. CS/SB 1418 on heated tobacco products was reported favorably after an amendment clarifying the definition of heated tobacco products and excluding hookah, with support from the Florida Retail Federation and comments that the bill would distinguish these products from cigarettes for tax purposes. The committee also adopted a strike-all amendment and reported favorably CS/SB 1262 on construction contracting, which adds consumer protection and financial literacy topics to contractor continuing education, increases penalties for unlicensed contracting, creates a standardized disciplinary reporting system, and requires timely refunds and project completion standards; the Florida Home Builders Association supported the measure. Finally, CS/SB 1304 on solar facilities was reported favorably after extensive testimony from county commissioners and local officials supporting greater local oversight and decommissioning requirements for utility-scale solar on agricultural land; the bill would remove the current statewide by-right treatment for solar on agricultural land and authorize counties to adopt decommissioning ordinances. The meeting ended with members recording additional affirmative votes on selected bills and adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• agriculture. doing I was reminded that 75% of the seafood, over half the fruit, and 35% of the vegetables
• You have no control over the tariff policies, but those are hammering our farmers in Vermont right now
• That we can control. It's the retaliation we can't control. China retaliated.
• particularly against China, to go after them and their unfair trading practices, it's that we can't control

Transcript Highlights:

• We have to— all of our meals include a protein source, two vegetables, a fruit, a grain, and a milk.
• We have to— all of our meals include a protein source, two vegetables, a fruit, a grain, and a milk.

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Summary: The committee met, approved the March 5, 2026 minutes, and then took up several health- and human-services-related bills. House Bill 5086, concerning peer support programs for covered caregivers, was explained as creating training and testimonial privilege protections; the committee adopted an amendment clarifying that boards may still require participation in a board-designated professional health program, and then reported the bill to the full Senate with the recommendation that it do pass. House Bill 5004, an educational bill on PANS and PANDAS, was supported by the sponsor, who described his family’s experience and the importance of earlier diagnosis; it was reported to the Senate without amendment. House Bill 5327, which would require the Department of Human Services to create an ALS services program, also received supportive testimony from the sponsor and members, but the transcript reflects the bill being reported as House Bill 537; it was moved forward without amendment. The committee then considered House Bill 5096, which would remove personal care and intellectual/developmental disability waiver services from certificate-of-need review. The sponsor argued the change would reduce regulatory burden and expand access, while a county aging-program director testified that certificate-of-need revenues help fund senior meals and services and that eliminating the requirement would reduce important support for aging providers. After a division vote, the motion to report the bill failed 3-9. House Bill 4695, allowing PEIA patients to switch to an alternative medically appropriate covered treatment without new prior authorization if it costs no more than the original treatment, was explained as carrying an estimated $13 million annual cost to PEIA and was reported to the Senate. The committee also advanced House Bill 5582, enacting the Respiratory Care Interstate Compact, after discussion of a committee amendment removing a new-background-check-at-initial-licensure provision; the amendment was adopted and the bill was reported. Another House Bill 5582, concerning the TANF drug screening program, was described as removing the sunset date and allowing oral fluid testing in addition to urine samples; it too was reported. Finally, House Bill 5466 renamed the batterer intervention program as an abuse intervention program and allowed live synchronous virtual delivery with an in-person option; the sponsor said the change would expand access statewide, and the bill was reported to the Senate. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• The fruits and vegetables, it gives you a lot of things to make, especially for your kids, things like
• Fruits, vegetables, that's what they need.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• HB 3306 would add utility contracting for the installation and construction of vegetation management
• really aren't a whole lot of things that we can do because so many of the factors are beyond our control
• That contribute to the rise in property and casualty rates are things that are completely beyond our control
• We can't control the weather. We can't control inflation.
• I can't control the availability of building materials, and I can't control how the houses that are already

Bills: HB778, HB 1266, HB1576, HB2213, HB2517, HB2518, HB2841, HB3306, HB3320, HB3388, HB3508, HB3520, HB3689

Keywords: credentialing, healthcare, physician assistants, advanced practice nurses, managed care, hurricane, windstorm, loss mitigation, grants, insurance discounts, property retrofitting, insurance, Texas Windstorm Insurance Association, board composition, coastal counties, property insurance, taxation, Texas FAIR Plan Association, premium taxes, maintenance taxes

Transcript Highlights:

• an incentive program that says for every $1 a person spends in SNAP on healthy fresh fruits and vegetables
• You have to control the things that the taxpayers in general. What do you mean by that?
• That is meat, dairy, bread, vegetables, fruits.
• family planning clinics who serve Texans with cancer screenings, STI testing and treatment, birth control

Bills: HB 2510, HB 3589, HB 4611, HB 4655, HB 4665, HB 4666, HB 4670, HB 4700, HB 4730, HB 4798, HB 4838, HB 5136, HB 5243, HB 5302, HB 5539

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:

• incentive program that says for every dollar a person spends in SNAP on healthy fresh fruits and vegetables
• You have to control the things that this... The taxpayers...
• That includes meat, dairy, bread, vegetables, and fruits.
• We serve Texans with cancer screenings, STI testing and treatment, birth control, and fertility services

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

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:

• <02:15:01.280> This fresh fruits and vegetables. This fresh fruits and vegetables.
• House Resolution 23 and House Resolution 164 divided and controlled by the chair and divided and controlled
• of debate equally divided and controlled of debate equally divided and controlled by<02:28:11.120
• <02:30:58.640> by debate equally divided and controlled by debate equally divided and controlled
• Republicans are a few seats away from losing control of this chamber.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, April 1, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So, a new study came out and looked at just changes in vegetation from severe weather, and you're seeing
• So, even from a vegetation perspective, we can see that the shifts in tornado frequency is moving this
• from severe weather, and vegetation from severe weather, and you're<00:26:26.320> seeing<00:26
• So, even from a vegetation<00:26:34.080> perspective,<00:26:34.720> we<00:26:34.960>
• can<00:26:35.120> see<00:26:35.200> that vegetation perspective, we can see that vegetation

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Disaster Prevention and Resiliency Task Force met with a quorum, adopted the minutes from the previous meeting, and heard a presentation from Western Kentucky University’s Disaster Science Operations Center. WKU described its multidisciplinary disaster science effort, including meteorology, emergency management, the Kentucky State Climate Center, the Kentucky Mesonet, and the Disaster Science Operations Center, which was created in 2021 and serves as an operational hub for forecasting, emergency planning, crisis management, training, and decision support. Speakers emphasized applied learning, student field work, partnerships with industry and event venues, and a five-year NSF/UK-led research project focused on weather hazards, disaster preparedness, and building a statewide disaster database to improve mitigation and resilience. Members asked about flooding, the relationship to EKU’s program, Tennessee’s capabilities, and the timeline and goals for the research project; WKU said the data collection is underway and that the evidence suggests tornado risk is shifting east and occurring more at night. A WKU graduate student also described the value of hands-on storm-chasing and operational forecasting experience, saying it helped prepare her for work in forecasting and emergency management. Members asked about her motivation for joining the program and about the practical realities of storm chasing. The discussion also touched on whether Kentucky’s tornado risk is shifting east; WKU said the evidence from tornado observations and other studies points in that direction, with added concern about nighttime events and communicating warnings to vulnerable communities. The task force then heard from Amy Shaquinn of the Mayfield Graves County Long-Term Recovery Group, who outlined the county-level recovery process after the 2021 tornadoes. She said Kentucky ranks among the top states for federally declared disasters, has seen a high number of tornadoes in recent years, and also faces major flood risk and earthquake concerns along the New Madrid fault. Shaquinn stressed the distinction between immediate response and long-term recovery, explaining that response covers rescue, cleanup, temporary housing, and short-term assistance, while recovery is the longer effort to restore survivors to safe, sanitary, and secure housing through local long-term recovery groups. She said community-led recovery is essential and that preparedness and mitigation follow once immediate recovery needs are addressed.

Transcript Highlights:

• It actually maintains local control for our communities and it will be part of the permitting package
• Forest Service land, and some of those fires got out of control and caused severe damage to communities
• carbon emitter right now because we have dead and dying trees, growing, you know, brush that's out of control
• And we have a lot of acreage of public land controlled by the federal government.
• opportunities to to improve forest management, we are not holding CARB accountable to allow for controlled

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We place a huge amount of emphasis on water, quality control.
• Their ethical concerns whether modification raises questions about control than misuse emphasizing the
• We've seen control significantly being sprayed prior to the last 2 hurricanes.
• My question is why are we trying to control the weather?
• And most importantly, all of us, all those in the hope of controlling our weather and in the side of

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• stewardship of our land and keep that working landscape, whether it's timber cow calf operations, vegetables
• you represent like Tea Roosevelt action, that your preference is lethal versus non lethal wildlife control

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:21:19.799> and firefighters air traffic controllers and firefighters air traffic controllers
• opposed these out ofc control opposed these out ofc control harmful<02:14:44.719> potential
• Controlling pollution is a win-win for all Americans.
• <02:47:29.560> but reinstated strong methane controls but reinstated strong methane controls
• Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. each control 20 minutes the chair each control

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, February 26, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• What's the Department of Water Resources' role in both the Bay-Delta Water Quality Control Program and
• What's the Department of Water Resources role in both the Bay Delta Water Quality Control Program and
• Right now, people's cost of living is out of control.
• And many of those are outside of our control. Thanks.
• Brendan Tewig, on behalf of the California Air Pollution Control Officers Association.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee heard the Department of Finance’s May Revision overview and the LAO’s budget assessment, then questioned administration officials on several natural resources and transportation proposals. Finance described the state’s improved near-term fiscal picture, but also highlighted continued budget balancing measures, including use of the temporary surplus holding account, climate bond spending, transportation and DMV/CHP augmentations, and changes affecting CEQA filing systems, water programs, CalRecycle, and food and agriculture. The LAO argued the budget still relies heavily on reserves and borrowing, recommended rejecting or delaying many new discretionary proposals, and urged caution about ongoing costs and future-year impacts, especially for the General Fund, Motor Vehicle Account, and Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. A major portion of the hearing focused on the Healthy Rivers and Landscapes proposal for Bay-Delta water quality implementation. Secretary Wade Crowfoot and Finance officials said the $25 million request would support early implementation of an enforceable program combining environmental flows, habitat restoration, and scientific monitoring, with the State Water Board retaining regulatory authority. The LAO said the proposal was premature because the updated Bay-Delta plan had not yet been adopted and asked for more clarity on the state’s existing commitments and future funding expectations. Several members expressed support for the program as a way to reduce long-running conflict over water policy, while others echoed concerns about timing and fiscal exposure. The committee also examined the proposed $125 million Proposition 4 contribution toward acquisition of the Golden Gate Fields property for a shoreline park and habitat restoration. State agencies said the project had a completed appraisal, was moving through a rolling grant process, and would leverage philanthropic and local funding, while members questioned why it was being elevated ahead of other park and conservation requests and whether it was the best use of limited bond dollars. The hearing then turned to transportation items, including $40 million for Clean California litter abatement, $6.2 million for Caltrans homeless coordinators, $73.4 million in DMV/Motor Vehicle Account requests, and funding for the 2028 Games route network. The LAO generally recommended rejecting or delaying the Clean California and homeless coordinator proposals pending more information, while members debated the need to preserve essential CHP and DMV operations despite the Motor Vehicle Account’s structural imbalance.

Transcript Highlights:

• Greg Patterson, Secretary of the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.
• moving a little bit past that, this is a total—as we all know—this office down here, this C, the Controller
• moving a little bit past that, this is a total—as we all know—this office down here, this C, the Controller
• So I'm going to turn things over to the Controller General to please begin. Thank you, Madam Chair.
• General or Controller General's designee and says that instead the board shall select a treasurer.

Summary: The committee met to finalize the FY27 bond bill, beginning with a roll call and a detailed review of updated appropriation amounts. The Comptroller General walked through major changes across agencies, including additions for OMB, the Department of State, DNREC, Agriculture, Education, and Transportation, and explained the funding sources that would cover the total $1.256 billion package. Members then debated several large items, especially the $110 million appropriation for the Diamond State Port Corporation, the $35 million Legislative Hall addition, the $20 million Community Reinvestment Fund, and the $30 million land and building acquisition line. Questions focused on the port project’s costs, expected jobs, return on investment, and whether the state would face future commitments; Secretary of State Charney Patitofunded Chances and other officials testified that the port expansion would create construction and permanent jobs and support long-term economic growth, while some members remained skeptical and objected to the process and spending priorities. The committee also discussed school construction funding, with officials explaining that additional money would forward-fund projects already in the pipeline and help districts that had been turned down for certificates of necessity. Other items reviewed included funding for park improvements, marina acquisition, the Plummer Center demolition and transfer, the Pyle Center sewer project, the Site Readiness Fund, affordable housing, the Arts Endowment Fund, an unclaimed property task force, and various transportation and community transportation projects. Several members raised concerns about county distribution, minority-party involvement in negotiations, and the scale of certain appropriations, but the majority defended the package as statewide investment and economic development. The committee then voted on the Section 1 addendum and a series of new and replacement epilogue sections, including provisions for the port project, Legislative Hall minor capital improvements, land acquisition, affordable housing, the Community Reinvestment Fund, downtown development districts, the Rite Aid demolition, the Site Readiness Fund, school construction formula review, and enhanced school capital funding. Most motions carried, with a few recorded no votes or abstentions on the main addendum. The meeting concluded with a motion authorizing technical corrections by the Comptroller General’s office, followed by closing remarks thanking staff and members for their work and noting that this was likely the final bond committee meeting for some participants before adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, hotter temperatures need thicker wires, more circuits, and smarter controls.
• Number one is cost control, which means let's reduce unnecessary costs.
• Under number one for cost control: avoiding unnecessary costs.
• In terms of permitting new energy infrastructure, Massachusetts allows local control, as it always has
• As long as they do... ...those two things, they can continue to permit and maintain local control.

Transcript Highlights:

• So a vast majority of that figure is outside of CDCR's control.
• I would describe as baseline ongoing cost pressures that are largely outside of the department's control
• there about the costs that are included. cost pressures that are largely outside of the department's control
• However, we are deeply disappointed in the no funding for the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT program
• We urgently request that the Legislature include funding for the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT program

Summary: The Assembly Budget Committee met to consider the 2026 Budget Act, which leaders said was the negotiated compromise with the Senate and was expected to move to the floor that evening. Opening remarks emphasized that the plan balances the budget over two years, reduces the structural deficit, and builds reserves, while also protecting core services in the face of federal cuts. Jason Sisney outlined the legislative budget framework and the likely floor bills, including AB 109, SB 110, SB 122, and SB 125. Department of Finance representative Eric Khali said the administration appreciated the two-year balanced approach and supported the modification in SB 122, while noting the package uses additional revenues and new spending to soften or reject some proposed cuts. Most of the discussion focused on major spending areas. Members and subcommittee chairs highlighted protections and additions for health care and human services, including rejecting the proposed Medi-Cal asset limit change, delaying premium increases, restoring clinic and dental funding, supporting distressed hospitals and county indigent care, and expanding county eligibility staffing to handle H.R. 1-related workload. Education members described record or expanded support for TK-12 schools, child care, special education, community colleges, teacher recruitment, and higher education, including a change to extend Cal Grant eligibility to age 30 for some community college students. Housing and homelessness funding was increased for HAP, multifamily housing, and the low-income housing tax credit, while public safety members pointed to investments in victims’ services, restorative justice, and prison closure savings. Several members also raised concerns or priorities tied to the budget deal. Some praised the package as a moral document that protects vulnerable Californians, immigrant communities, LGBTQ residents, seniors, and people with disabilities. Others noted unresolved issues, including the MCO tax’s impact on districts, the need for more support for local journalism, arts, biotech R&D incentives, transit and GGRF-related concerns, and the need for continued work on Prop. 98 and long-term fiscal resilience. The vice chair cautioned that despite the current progress, the state remains vulnerable to revenue volatility and warned that the budget should build more resilience against a possible downturn. No formal vote was taken in the portion provided, but the committee was preparing the budget package for floor action and final negotiations.

Transcript Highlights:

• He added that vegetation management is another issue, such as when crews cut trees in a neighborhood,
• I mean, it's that and vegetation management, right?
• United States of America run on ship-to-shore cranes, which the federal government has indicated are controlled
• United States of America run on shipped short cranes, which the federal government has indicated are controlled
• United States of America run on ship-to-shore cranes, which the federal government has indicated are controlled

Bills: HB1163, HB1168, HR252, HR253, HCR103, HCR108, SB80, SB131, SB251, SB254, SB279, SB384, SB414, SB468, SB469, SB496

Keywords: fireworks, retail sales, fire safety, legislation, holiday celebrations, construction standards, precast concrete, DOTD, building regulations, minimum requirements, public projects, private projects, consumer protection, credit card fees, cash transactions, rounding practices, transparency, low-income, economic impact, residential construction

Transcript Highlights:

• These buffers are very carefully crafted to fit that landscape and the vegetation and type of fire behavior
• The other one we did was defensible space around homes, meaning we cut back a lot of the vegetation that's
• windy season, and you know, and all those sorts of things but when, do you know, we lost, we lost control
• our superintendent and try to find a compromise to where one person or the board doesn't have total control
• It was not going to be controlled by the office of the superintendent. Mr.