Transcript Highlights:

• How long has this contract been in effect? This is a new contract. Yes, this is a new contract.
• This is a new contract. been in effect? This is a new contract.
• <00:19:10.080> uh<00:19:10.559> amendment number 38 on the MOA amend uh amendment number
• Contract passes.
• So that was under the October, I believe, amendment that we had made to the contract.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee first approved contracts 98, 99, and 100, then heard from the Kentucky Department of Tourism on a contract with the United Kingdom and other European markets. Tourism officials said the state has had similar international marketing contracts since 2013, that international visitors spend about six times more per day than domestic travelers, and that the work includes marketing, public relations, familiarization trips, and media outreach. After questions about costs and effectiveness, the contract was approved by roll call. Members then reviewed Finance Cabinet facilities contracts 29 and 48 for engineering and architectural services tied to project design, including a specialized lab expansion project. The chair raised concerns that the fees seemed high for services that do not include construction, while the agency explained the work covers design for mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and architectural planning, and that the lab project’s specialized pathogen-related work limits the pool of firms. The committee voted to approve the contracts. The Attorney General’s office then presented an opioid abatement agreement. Senator Meredith asked how the commission coordinates with other state behavioral health efforts, and staff explained that the commission allocates settlement funds based on applications and includes related agency representation to help avoid duplication. The contract was approved. The committee also approved a behavioral health contract for 988 chat and text services, which will expand Kentucky-based crisis response coverage to 24/7 and move more of the state’s calls, chats, and texts from a national center to local specialists. A related amendment for the Voices of Hope overdose response contract was approved after staff said the increase simply extends services into the next fiscal year. Finally, the committee approved a DCBS contract for the Building Bridges Initiative, which provides training and peer mentoring for residential child care providers, and then approved three contracts for the Council on Developmental Disabilities. Those contracts were explained as necessary because the council is the designated state agency for federal DD Act funding, and one questioned item involving an advocacy and sexuality initiative was described as part of the council’s five-year plan focused on self-advocacy, systems change, and capacity building. The committee also discussed a food insecurity survey contract with a Kentucky nonprofit, with staff saying the organization was chosen for its statewide network and ability to gather raw data, while members raised concerns about whether the study should distinguish between lack of food and poor diet. All of the reviewed contracts were approved by roll call.

Transcript Highlights:

• For this amendment, the agency is requesting additional budget authority to contract for auditing services
• And that is the amendment. Are there questions on the amendment?
• In the summary of the budget amendment, it says that the cost of the contract is going to be reimbursed
• That is the amendment. Questions on the amendment?
• I'll show the amendment is... Are you? Show the amendment. Yeah.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• amendment in A2. amendment in A2.
• contracts.
• contracts.
• contracts.
• contracts.

Bills: HF4456, HF4544, HF3698

Keywords: data broker, data brokerage, consumer privacy, personal data, data privacy, Minnesota attorney general, registration, public registry, civil penalties, enforcement, special revenue fund, privacy rights, data sales, data collection, consumer protection, chapter 325M, controller, processor, data broker registry, transparency

Transcript Highlights:

• for your acceptance of those amendments.
• Job order contracting is one of several alternative methods for awarding construction-related contracts
• Job order contracting is one of several alternative methods for awarding construction-related contracts
• into a single master contract.
• even experiment with job order contracting.

Summary: The Assembly Education Committee met without a quorum at first and began as a subcommittee, with the chair outlining hearing procedures and several bills on consent. The committee heard and advanced AB 1581, which would improve collection of tribal affiliation data for California students so Native students are more accurately counted and better served; supporters said current systems undercount Native students and erase their needs. AB 1586 also passed, requiring school resource officers who volunteer to carry naloxone to receive opioid overdose response training every two years; supporters emphasized student safety and the need for rapid response to overdoses on campus, while one school employees’ group raised concerns about retaliation protections for non-volunteers. Both bills were moved do pass as amended to Appropriations, with roll calls held open for absent votes. The committee then approved AB 1943, which updates school notices about secure firearm storage by making the information clearer, more visible, and more likely to reach families at key moments such as counseling or discipline interventions. Supporters from gun violence prevention groups, educators, and parents argued that many school shooters obtain guns from home and that plain-language, digital, and timely notices could help prevent child deaths and suicides; the author shared a personal story about a child accessing a gun at home. AB 1792 also advanced, directing the Instructional Quality Commission to consider updating health education to address digital safety issues such as deepfakes, extortion, grooming, and AI-generated exploitation; supporters said students need instruction that reflects modern online risks, while an opponent objected to language referencing LGBTQIA+ and gender-diverse students. AB 1653 passed as well, adding heat-illness guidance to the health framework after a young Girl Scout described students suffering during extreme heat and not recognizing symptoms. Later, the committee approved AB 1861, which would require the California Department of Education to create a public database of special education investigation reports with personal information redacted; supporters said families need better access to complaint outcomes and accountability, while an opposition witness warned of unintended consequences, misuse of incomplete information, and added burdens on districts. AB 1721 also moved forward, creating a stakeholder work group to review and streamline school safety plan requirements so plans remain practical and focused on emergency preparedness. AB 1631, which would make kindergarten mandatory, received mixed testimony: supporters argued it would help close achievement gaps and improve readiness, while opponents framed it as an intrusion on parental choice; the bill was held on call after a split vote. Finally, AB 1809, extending job order contracting authority for school and community college districts, was also held on call after opposition from contractors who argued project labor agreement requirements raise costs and reduce competition. The committee then began hearing AB 1659, aimed at improving transitions for court school students back to their home districts, with testimony describing re-enrollment barriers and the need for a designated district contact.

Transcript Highlights:

• The amendment is adopted. So we're back on the bill as amended. Questions?
• Senators, we're in debate on the bill as amended. Any debate on the bill as amended?
• Senators, questions on the amendment? Any on the amendment?
• By your action, the amendment is adopted. We're now back on the bill as amended.
• By your action, the amendment is adopted. We're back on the bill as amended.

Summary: The Judiciary Committee met and took up a series of bills, beginning with SB 620, which would require candidates for federal, state, county, district, judicial, and school board offices to disclose any citizenship in countries other than the United States. The bill was presented as a transparency measure, with one opponent waiving time, and it was reported favorably on an 8-0 vote. The committee then heard SB 1396 on litigation financing consumer protection. Supporters from the Florida Justice Reform Institute, American Tort Reform Association, and U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform argued the bill would add transparency, limit funder control, and require disclosure of foreign entities involved in litigation funding. Opponents, including the Florida Justice Association, argued the bill would create strategic advantages for defendants and could affect discovery and settlement dynamics. The bill passed 7-2. The committee also approved SB 192, removing a $1,500 cap on patient funds chiropractors may hold in trust; SB 888, limiting indemnity and insurance requirements in design-professional contracts; CS/SB 332, creating a temporary closed-meeting exemption for pre-suit Burt Harris litigation strategy discussions; SB 820, requiring quarterly reporting on problem-solving courts; SB 1500, updating uncontested probate procedures; SB 1224, making fraudulent entry into rental dwellings a third-degree felony; and SB 1000, setting a floor and ceiling for interest rates on law firm trust accounts. Each of these bills was reported favorably, with broad support and little or no opposition. The committee also advanced CS/SB 694, which would compensate the descendants of the Groveland Four. Senator Bracey Davis described the bill as a final step in addressing the wrongful convictions, deaths, and long-term harm suffered by Charles Greenlee, Walter Irvin, Samuel Shepard, and Ernest Thomas. Family members and advocacy groups testified in support, urging the state to complete its acknowledgment of wrongdoing with monetary compensation. An amendment was adopted to divide any appropriation equally among the four families. The bill passed unanimously. Finally, SB 144 creating a public records exemption for personal information of Judicial Qualifications Commission employees and their families was approved 9-1. Several members also requested to be recorded as voting in the affirmative on specific bills before the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um yes, the A4 author's amendment. >> Yes.
• , In other types of stay or pay contracts, In other types of stay or pay contracts, employers<00:
• particularly now with the A4 amendment particularly now with the A4 amendment on<00:48:46.800>
• <00:53:31.560> is relocation, where in the amendment is relocation, where in the amendment
• that Is that specified in the amendment? that Is that specified in the amendment?

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I've explained the amendment. Members, any questions on the amendment?
• By your vote, the amendment is adopted. Questions on the bill as amended?
• is a contract.
• For this contract, I don't know if they do beyond this contract, but for this contract, they're acting
• a contract.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, it's all of the amendments and contracts for our planning studies, as well as any amendments we had
• <00:01:26.880> and<00:01:27.600> contracts all of the um amendments and contracts all
• of the um amendments and contracts for<00:01:29.040> our<00:01:29.280> planning<00:01:
• We had the one amendment the amendments.
• . contracts. contracts.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We move the A1 amendment. >> Okay. We move the A1 amendment. Any discussion?
• amended?
• >> Uh, there's an A1 amendment. >> A1 amendment. Yes. >> Yep. >> Yep.
• A1 amendment is now adopted to your bill as amended. Uh, thank you, Chair.
• So, this amendment creates a waiver case management advisory working group without a sunset on contracted

Bills: HF3738, HF2295, HF3520, HF3666

Keywords: pediatric care, hospital discharge, home care, healthcare accessibility, nursing services, family support, mental health, crisis services, Dakota County, mobile crisis response, public safety, treatment services, rehabilitation, behavioral health fund, client eligibility, home and community-based services, case management, waiver services, county services, disability advocacy

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill, by being contract focused, is especially designed not to have First Amendment... ...have First
• Amendment problems.
• Because this is contract-focused and... ...harm because this is contract-focused.
• regards to an amendment?
• I look at anything and we have an amendment. Is that your amendment, Chairman?

Bills: HB285, HB317

Keywords: HB285, TJ's Law, traffic infraction, traffic ticket, uniform traffic ticket and complaint, minor driver, juvenile driver, parent notification, guardian notification, emergency contact, law enforcement, citing agency, traffic citation, driver safety, youth safety, Alabama traffic law, Section 12-12-56, Children and Senior Advocacy, House Judiciary, reasonable effort

Transcript Highlights:

• >> Pass as amended, Madam Chair. >> Pass as amended, Madam Chair.
• >> title sufficient due pass as amended? >> title sufficient due pass as amended?
• <00:02:06.960> All amended. All in favor? Any opposed? All amended. All in favor?
• >> Title sufficient due pass as amended. >> Motion is title sufficient due pass as amended.
• amended. All in favor? amended. All in favor? >> I. >> I. >> I.

Keywords: Universities and Colleges - Room 216, 3 March, 2026; 11:00 AM, 925, all

Summary: The committee first considered a strike-all related to the Mississippi Upskill Grant Program and a K-12 bridge bill tied to CTE and special purpose schools. Members discussed the alignment of workforce and career-technical education from pre-K through higher education. Senator Hopson moved to add a reverse repealer, which was adopted, and the strike-all was then passed as amended and forwarded to appropriations. The committee then took up Senate Bill 1488, which would authorize the University of Southern Mississippi to sell or enter into a long-term lease for university property in Hattiesburg. Senator Johnson explained that the roughly 600-acre tract, gifted in the 1920s and formerly used as a golf course, has a master plan for redevelopment; the bill would streamline the sale process while preserving requirements such as two appraisals and IHL approval. After questions about the acreage and safeguards, the bill was passed as amended and sent to appropriations. Members also approved a strike-all addressing financial literacy requirements for colleges and universities, including added content on mortgages and real estate, and then passed House Bill 1495, a companion to Senate Bill 2238, allowing Mississippi State University and the Oktibbeha County school district to co-mingle funds by mutual agreement for their partnership school/high school project. Finally, House Bill 1582 on community college energy performance contracts was discussed at length; the chair said it needed further vetting by the public property committee, so the committee added a reverse repealer and passed the bill as amended. The meeting ended with a rise and report.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, the contract, we've had a contract like this since 2013.
• Um, the contract, we've had a contract like this since 2013.
• So, this is a new contract. How long has this contract been in effect? This is a new contract.
• Contract passes. Um, we also have a a I. Contract passes.
• That was under the October, I believe, amendment that we had, that the contract was.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee first approved contracts 98, 99, and 100 on a roll call vote, with Chairman Douglas voting no but the items still passing. It then took up a Kentucky Department of Tourism contract involving the United Kingdom, France, and Germany/Austria/Switzerland markets. Tourism officials said the state has had similar contracts since 2013, that international visitors spend about six times more per day than domestic travelers, and that the effort supports marketing, public relations, and familiarization trips. The committee approved that contract as well, with Chairman Douglas voting yes after expressing support for tourism promotion. Next, the committee reviewed two Finance Cabinet facilities and support services items involving engineering and architectural services for a specialized lab expansion project. Members discussed why the design work was expensive, and the cabinet explained that the project’s pathogen-related complexity required specialized firms. Chairman Douglas said he believed some architectural and engineering reimbursement rates were too high and should be reexamined, but the committee still approved the items by roll call. The committee then heard from the Attorney General’s office and the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission on an MOA related to substance use disorder funding. Senator Meredith asked how the commission’s work coordinated with behavioral health programs, and staff explained that the commission allocates funds based on applications and includes relevant state officials. The contract was approved. After that, the committee considered behavioral health items: one new 988 chat-and-text contract to expand Kentucky-based crisis response coverage, and a Voices of Hope amendment that doubled funding to continue services into the next fiscal year. Officials said the 988 contract would move more chats and texts in-state, and that the Voices of Hope increase reflected continuation of SAMHSA-funded services; both were approved. Finally, the committee reviewed DCBS contracts, including a food insecurity survey contract with a Kentucky nonprofit and a Building Bridges Initiative training contract. Members questioned whether the food survey group’s advocacy role created a conflict, but DCBS said the organization was chosen for its statewide network and that the cabinet would receive the raw data. For Building Bridges, DCBS said the program began in the fall and provides training and peer mentorship for residential child care providers, with results still too early to assess. Both items were approved. The last set of contracts, under the State Treasurer for the Kentucky Council on Developmental Disabilities, prompted questions about why the funding flowed through the treasurer’s office and about a sexuality-related capacity-building initiative. Staff explained the treasurer serves as the designated state agency for federal DD Act funds, and that the sexuality initiative is part of a broader five-year plan focused on self-advocacy, system change, and capacity building; the committee then moved to approve those contracts as well.

Transcript Highlights:

• The amendment is adopted. So we're back on the bill as amended. Questions?
• Senators, we're in debate on the bill as amended. Any debate on the bill as amended?
• That is an amendment. Thank you, Senator Bracey Davis, for explaining the amendment.
• By your action, the amendment is adopted. We're now back on the bill as amended.
• By your action, the amendment is adopted. We're back on the bill as amended.

Bills: S0144, S0192, S0332, S0532, S0620, S0694, S0820, S0888, S1000, S1224, S1396, S1500

Keywords: public records, employee protection, Judicial Qualifications Commission, information exemption, confidentiality, chiropractic physician, chiropractor, patient trust funds, escrow, advance payments, prepaid treatment, trust account, fiduciary duty, patient property, Florida Statutes 460.413, Board of Chiropractic Medicine, disciplinary action, commingling of funds, client funds, medical billing

Summary: The Senate Judiciary Committee met with a quorum present and first postponed SB 532. It then heard and approved SB 620, which requires candidates for federal, state, county, district, judicial, and school board office to disclose any citizenship other than U.S. citizenship. The bill drew one waiver in opposition from Common Cause and passed 8-0. The committee also heard SB 1396 on litigation financing consumer protection. Supporters said it would add transparency, limit funder control over litigation, and require disclosure of foreign entities involved in funding; opponents argued it would create strategic advantages for defendants and could burden plaintiffs. The bill passed 7-2. The committee later approved SB 192, repealing a $1,500 cap on patient funds held in trust by chiropractic physicians, and SB 888, extending limits on indemnity and insurance requirements for design professionals in private contracts; both passed unanimously among those voting. The committee also approved several Judiciary-related measures. CS/SB 332, as amended, creates a narrow temporary public meetings/public records exemption for certain pre-suit Burt Harris litigation strategy discussions by local governments, and passed 7-0. SB 820, which strengthens quarterly reporting requirements for problem-solving courts, passed 10-0. SB 1500, implementing probate process recommendations to raise small-estate thresholds, clarify access to safe deposit boxes, and improve enforcement in uncontested probate, also passed 10-0. SB 144, creating a public records exemption for personal information of current and former Judicial Qualifications Commission employees and their families due to harassment concerns, passed 9-1. The committee then approved CS/SB 1224, as amended, making it a third-degree felony to fraudulently obtain possession of a rental unit through false written statements, counterfeit documents, or impersonation; the bill passed 10-0. SB 1000, setting a floor and ceiling for interest rates on law firm trust accounts tied to the Wall Street Journal prime rate, passed 10-0 after testimony from banking and credit union representatives and support from Senate leadership. Finally, CS/SB 694, providing compensation to the descendants of the Groveland Four, was heard with emotional testimony from family members and advocates describing the wrongful convictions, killings, and decades-long effort for redress; an amendment specified equal shares for the four families, and the bill passed 10-0. Several members requested to be recorded as voting in the affirmative on specific bills before the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• As opposed to no, the amendment is adopted. Please move the bill as amended.
• House Bill 2310 specifies that the contract and association created by the contract governing services
• The bill applies the contract requirements to any contract or addendum entered into after the effective
• This gives the contractor the explicit right to contract to eliminate the contract on their terms solely
• Uber is neutral on the amendment. Thank you.

Bills: HB2010, HB2192, HB2310, HB2501

Keywords: digital goods, advertising, ownership, license, consumer protection, refund policies, streaming services, minors, content creators, online platforms, compensation, trust accounts, child protection, video content, privacy, employment, independent contractor, marketplace, digital services, contractual agreements

Summary: The committee heard House Bill 2010, which would prohibit sellers of digital goods from using terms like “buy” or “purchase” in a way that implies unrestricted ownership when the consumer is actually receiving a license, and would require clearer disclosures, post-transaction notices, prorated refunds or alternative access if license terms change, and enforcement under the Arizona Consumer Fraud Act. The sponsor said the bill responds to consumers being misled about digital purchases and to concerns that licensed content can be altered or removed after sale. The bill was approved on a 7-0 do pass vote. The committee also heard House Bill 2192, which would require compensation protections for minors featured in monetized online content, including trust-account requirements similar to child actor protections, recordkeeping, and a process for adults who were featured as minors to request removal or editing of content that identifies them. Google testified in support, saying the bill mirrors existing protections for child actors and provides a uniform standard; the sponsor said it addresses the growing child influencer industry. An amendment was adopted to clarify that platforms may rely on existing trust-and-safety systems and are not required to proactively monitor user content or be liable for third-party content if they comply with mitigation requirements. The bill then passed 7-0 as amended. House Bill 2310 was described as a technical fix to Arizona’s qualified marketplace contractor law for gig-economy platforms, clarifying that contracts may be terminated without cause on reasonable notice and that the contractor may terminate unilaterally. Lyft supported the measure, saying it removes ambiguity without changing the independent contractor framework; one senator questioned the wording, but the sponsor and witness said the intent was to preserve driver independence. The bill passed 7-0. The committee then heard House Bill 2501, an agency-requested measure from the Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions that conforms Arizona’s appraisal management company definition to federal law by updating the definition to include administering appraisal panels and defining a 12-month period. It also passed 7-0.

Transcript Highlights:

• The amendment, which you amendment.
• amendment as well. amendment as well.
• as amended motion. as amended motion.
• voted on before we amend the amendment. voted on before we amend the amendment.
• contracts and how it violates contracts. contracts and how it violates contracts.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman, that is the amendment. Mr. Chairman, that is the amendment. Thank you.
• No, we're in debate on the amendment. Members, any debate on the amendment?
• We're now back on the bill as amended, which is the amendment, and any questions.
• That is the amendment. Any questions on the amendment, members?
• Any appearance cards on the amendment, members? Any debate on the amendment, members?

Bills: S0828, S1274, S1310, S1378, S1562

Keywords: sovereign immunity, public transit, contractors, liability, state agents, transportation, traffic signal modernization, seaports, commercial space launch, micromobility, automated license plate recognition, railroad crossing safety, railroad crossings, grade crossing, public railroad-highway grade crossing, rail safety, crossing technology, advanced detection systems, monitoring systems, sensors

Summary: The Transportation Committee took up several measures and adopted amendments on multiple bills. SB 1274, as amended, removed a number of provisions from the original bill and added items including local authority to lower residential street speed limits, clarification on obscured license plates, FDOT funding for certain rural airport aviation projects, limits on yellow-light timing changes tied to red-light cameras, changes to private use of license plate readers, and other transportation-related revisions. After brief questions and supportive testimony, the committee reported the bill favorably. The committee also approved SB 1310, which was converted into a study bill directing FDOT to study advanced detection and monitoring systems at public railroad crossings and report findings and policy options to the governor and legislature. Railroad industry testimony supported the study but raised concerns about interoperability with train safety systems and suggested the study consider additional safety tools such as red-light cameras and wayside horns. The committee adopted the amendment and reported the bill favorably. SB 828, as amended, would extend sovereign immunity protections to private contractors providing public transit services on behalf of governments, with supporters saying it would reduce costs and provide certainty for transit providers, while opponents warned it was an overbroad expansion of sovereign immunity and could conflict with railroad employee protections under federal law. The committee reported that bill favorably as well. The committee then passed SB 1378, which strengthens traffic enforcement by clarifying when vehicles may be treated as abandoned, adding penalties for unlawfully attached plates or stickers, and allowing forfeiture of vehicles used to flee law enforcement even without an immediate arrest. It also approved SB 1562, which aims to prevent manufacturers from concentrating sales of certain vehicle brands through a single dealer group and instead promote competition among independent dealers. In addition, the committee unanimously confirmed a slate of appointees, and members later recorded additional affirmative votes on several bills before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• The contract that we had last year, I have to submit this to contract review, government contract review
• It's a $100,000 contract.
• The contract that we had last year, I have to submit this to contract review, government contract review
• It's a $100,000 contract.
• It's a It's a<00:12:47.760> $100,000 contract. contract. contract.

Keywords: Part two will take place after first executive session., 958, all

Summary: The commission first returned from executive session and noted that discussions there were preliminary only and no final agency action was taken. It then approved the budget report, which staff said was within year-to-date budget parameters. Members discussed recommended changes to the code of ethics. Staff proposed four items: defining and prohibiting sexual harassment as ethical misconduct; two housekeeping changes related to lobbyist registration notice and campaign contribution language; and a possible reduction of the post-service waiting period for former legislators to become lobbyists from two years to one year. Members agreed the lobbying cooling-off period was a broader General Assembly issue and voted to recommend only the first three changes, leaving the fourth for later review. The chair noted the July 1 deadline for submitting ethics-code recommendations to the LRC. The commission also approved renewal of a $100,000 contract with Casey Bailey and Mains for Robert Jenkins to continue serving as enforcement counsel, with hourly rates of $125 for the attorney and $40 for the paralegal. Finally, it approved a 3% cost-of-living pay increase for General Counsel Steven Pium, discussed possible conference attendance and informal opinions, and adjourned after no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• contract review without objection? contract review without objection?
• , but with all contracts.
• , personal service contract amendment list, memorandum of agreement list, memorandum of agreement amendment
• list, personal service contract amendment list, memorandum of agreement list, memorandum of agreement
• greater than the cost of this contract. greater than the cost of this contract.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee first approved the March 10 minutes and then moved through a large agenda of contract reviews, including a deferred Kentucky Transportation Cabinet item tied to Louisville bridge tolling and RiverLink. Transportation officials explained that the contract was part of a bi-state arrangement with Indiana: Indiana Finance Authority held the main contract with HNTB, while Kentucky needed a mirror contract to pay its 50% share under the bi-state management agreement. Members questioned why the work was treated as effectively no-bid, how much input Kentucky had in vendor selection, RiverLink’s collection performance, and when tolls might end. Transportation said Kentucky had equal representation in selection, HNTB served as a toll services advisor, collections and customer service had improved, and tolls are expected to remain until debt obligations are paid off in 2058. Several members criticized the company’s past performance and voted no as a statement of concern, but the contract still moved forward. The committee then deferred a Kentucky State University item because the vendor was not registered with the Secretary of State. It also approved the overall agenda and contract review lists. A Board of Optometric Examiners contract drew significant discussion: board representatives said they had previously relied on the Public Protection Cabinet for legal services, but that office lacked staff and advised them to seek outside counsel. Some members argued the committee could not approve a contract that appeared to conflict with statute, while others said the board should not be left without legal counsel and that the Attorney General should be brought in to resolve the issue. The committee ultimately voted to defer the optometric contract for one month and requested the Attorney General appear at the next meeting. Finally, the committee reviewed an Administrative Office of the Courts amendment for the Court of Appeals building project. Staff explained that the General Assembly had authorized the project, the design contract had already gone through multiple approved phases, and the current item was only an administrative correction to a prior modification amount. Members approved the amendment, with one member noting appreciation that the project costs had been reduced when an error was found.

Transcript Highlights:

• have amended up. have amended up.
• So, it can be amended.
• of the contracting licensing board. of the contracting licensing board.
• portion of our services and contracts. portion of our services and contracts.
• also adopt ECCA's proposed amendments. also adopt ECCA's proposed amendments.

Bills: HB1946, HB1515, HB1514, HB1648, HB1644, HB1619, HB1571, HB1810, HB2475, HB1645, HB2301, HB1889, HB1840

Keywords: time shares, registration, renewal, real estate, Hawaii, Director of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, workers' compensation, functional capacity examination, occupational therapy, physical therapy, employer responsibilities, injured workers, medical stabilization, vocational rehabilitation, injury recovery, employment services, return to work, nonprescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, healthcare providers

Summary: The committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce met on February 26, 2026, and heard several bills, mostly in the areas of workers’ compensation and consumer protection. HB 1946 HD1 on timeshare registration renewal drew support from DCCA’s timeshare program and major industry groups including Hilton Grand Vacations, the American Resort Development Association, and Marriott Vacations Worldwide, with no opposition noted. HB 1515 HD1, which would allow an attending physician to request a functional capacity examination without employer permission, was supported by DLIR and the Department of Human Resources Development and had no other in-person testimony; the bill was then moved on without questions. The committee spent substantial time on HB 1514 HD1, which would streamline workers’ compensation vocational rehabilitation by clarifying provider selection and requiring vocational plans within 90 days. DLIR supported the intent but asked for amendments, saying the 90-day deadline was too rigid given case-by-case complexity, limited staffing, and the need for coordination among injured workers, employers, and counselors; members discussed possible extensions and whether a 120-day timeline or other flexibility would be better. Testimony on the bill included one individual in support and seven in opposition. HB 1648 HD1, concerning workers’ compensation and physician dispensing of non-prescription drugs, drew support from DHRD and comments from DLIR and industry witnesses. DLIR said the bill should be narrowed so it does not restrict medically necessary over-the-counter medications or oral guidance from providers, while Aloha Billing Company and Solera Integrated Medical Solutions urged tighter limits on physician dispensing and raised concerns about pricing abuse through average wholesale price. Members discussed clarifying the bill’s language so it targets written prescriptions rather than oral advice. HB 1644 HD1, requiring a standardized disclosure form for residential solar contracts, received support from the Hawaii Solar Energy Association and Kauaʻi Island Utility Cooperative, while DCCA’s Office of Consumer Protection supported the consumer-protection goal but proposed stronger remedies, including a three-day cancellation right, voidability for missing disclosures, and possible lender liability; members questioned how those remedies should apply to lenders, and no vote was taken on the measures in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have one amendment, table amendment barcode 905418 by Senator Jones.
• Are there questions on the amendment? Is there any debate on the amendment?
• I have a strike-all amendment. Okay, let's take up that amendment.
• Back on the bill as amended. Are there questions on the bill as amended?
• Are there questions on the amendment? Any debate on the amendment?

Summary: The Senate Committee on Banking and Insurance met with a quorum present and heard a full agenda of bills, most of which were reported favorably. Early in the meeting, SB 1000 on trust fund interest for attorney trust accounts was explained as setting a floor and ceiling tied to the Wall Street Journal prime rate and passed without objection after supportive testimony from banking and credit union groups. The committee then took up CS/SB 1082 on a statewide provider and health plan claim dispute resolution program; the sponsor described it as a way to move emergency out-of-network payment disputes away from costly litigation and into an independent dispute resolution process modeled on the federal No Surprises Act. A proposed amendment drew significant questions from senators and concerns from the Florida Insurance Council about confusion over state versus federal eligibility and possible effects on contracted rates, and the sponsor ultimately withdrew the amendment. The underlying bill was then supported by health care and insurance stakeholders and reported favorably. SB 684 on electronic signatures for total loss vehicles and vessels also passed, with Progressive Insurance waiving in support. The committee next approved CS/SB 158 on pet insurance, which requires continuing education for agents, clearer consumer disclosures, and annual reporting to OIR; the amendment was technical and adopted. SB 1494 on breast cancer screening coverage was presented as expanding required coverage for mammograms and supplemental screenings for certain insurance products, and it passed with support from cancer and radiology groups. CS/SB 314 on digital asset issuers was amended to create a Florida framework for payment stablecoin issuers consistent with the federal GENIUS Act, allowing state-level regulation as an alternative to federal supervision, and was reported favorably. SB 1500 on uncontested probate proceedings, including higher small-estate thresholds and clearer authority for personal representatives, also passed after a banking-related amendment requiring letters of administration for safe deposit box access was adopted. Later, the committee approved CS/SB 618 on workers’ compensation insurance, which raises the consent-to-rate cap for workers’ comp policies from 10% to 20% and adjusts the Florida Workers’ Compensation Guarantee Association board membership; a carrier representative testified that the change would help keep more high-risk accounts in the voluntary market. CS/SB 1568 on a Florida Stable Coin Pilot Program was amended to remove authority for DFS to create a Florida coin, limit the pilot to existing stablecoins with at least $1 billion market capitalization, and require qualified public deposit handling; it then passed. CS/SB 838 on electronic payments for retail installment contracts clarified that convenience fees for electronic payments are permissible while preserving a fee-free option, and it was reported favorably after questions about consumer access to free payment methods. SB 1452, the Department of Financial Services agency bill, made a wide range of administrative changes affecting My Safe Florida Home, unclaimed property, licensing, bail bonds, and other DFS functions; a late-filed amendment on title insurer appointments was adopted, and the bill passed. The committee also approved SB 1706 on the My Safe Florida Condominium Pilot Program, targeting condo hardening assistance to owner-occupied units meeting income and occupancy criteria, and SB 990 on protected cell captive insurance companies, which the sponsor and industry witnesses said would modernize Florida law and promote insurance competition and economic activity. The meeting ended with all bills on the agenda reported favorably and the committee adjourning without objection.