Transcript Highlights:

• I've spent the last 40 years of my life and career in public service in law enforcement.
• Fortunately, through the years, most of that time was spent in senior executive leadership.
• Professionally, I've spent over 25 years in both the public and private sectors.
• Professionally, I've spent over 25 years in both the public and private sectors.
• Professionally, I've spent over 25 years in both the public and private sectors.

Committee: Senate Appropriations Committee on Higher Education

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Higher Education first took up a block of confirmation hearings for trustees and board members at several public universities and state colleges. Appointees from Florida A&M University, Florida International University, New College of Florida, Pasco-Hernando State College, South Florida State College, Valencia College, Florida Atlantic University, and the University of Florida described their backgrounds and emphasized themes such as governance, student success, workforce alignment, fiscal stewardship, research growth, and institutional reputation. Members asked a few questions, but most nominees received no substantive opposition. The committee then voted unanimously to recommend confirmation of the group of appointees on tabs 3 through 18 and forwarded them to Ethics and Elections. The committee next heard Senate Bill 114 by Senator Trumbull, which would create the Florida Center of Excellence in Insurance and Risk Management at Florida State University, move the public hurricane loss projection model from FIU to FSU, and provide funding for the effort. Trumbull said the bill is intended to strengthen the state’s insurance research capacity and broaden study of insurance lines beyond wind risk. Senators asked about the impact on FIU and the distinction between the new center and existing FIU work; Trumbull said FIU’s Wall of Wind would remain and that the state-owned model would simply be contracted to FSU instead of FIU. The committee reported the bill favorably. The committee then considered Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 1624 by Senator Calatayud, a wide-ranging higher education bill addressing tuition, workforce programs, institutional operations, and naming changes. Amendments were adopted to create state college regional consortium service organizations for rural colleges, remove a proposed out-of-state fee change for nonresident online students, extend university master plan update cycles from five to 10 years, and rename Hillsborough Community College as Hillsborough College. The bill also changed several references from specific minority categories to “underrepresented,” revised aid and waiver provisions, adjusted adult education and career program rules, and made other technical changes. Senators Smith and Davis questioned the shift away from enumerated categories, arguing it could obscure disparities affecting groups such as Black students, women in STEM, and students with disabilities; Calatayud said the intent was to focus on socioeconomic access and flexibility for institutions. After debate, the committee voted 6-2 to report the bill favorably, with Senators Davis and Smith voting no, and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Taxpayers are demanding accountability for the billions already spent, but this bill moves in the opposite
• A lot of us spent some long nights preparing for this budget.
• And so I would just say to the members, thank you to those of you that spent hours on this budget, to
• And I appreciate all the time and effort that the budget team has spent.
• And I appreciate all the time and effort that the budget team has spent.

Transcript Highlights:

• So a lot of it must go under the Constitution to be spent on K-14 education under Proposition 98.
• Why have we spent $1.1 billion? Because we don't have time to waste. We're on borrowed time.
• Trying to figure out how much we have spent on it, what we're expecting to spend on it.
• I know the LAO had indicated that 1.5 had been spent on it already, as opposed to the 1.1.
• Those funds are now spent.

Transcript Highlights:

• I was being spent, et cetera.
• , how it was being spent, and for whom it was being spent.
• We're also interested that the federal funds are being spent correctly.
• Because they spent a lot of money there.”
• They spent over a year studying all of our finances.

Bills: SB237

Committees: Senate Health & Welfare , Senate Health and Welfare

Keywords: child welfare, Department of Children and Family Services, mandatory reporting, abuse prevention, investigative teams, child ombudsman, forensic interviews, confidentiality

Summary: The Senate Committee on Health and Welfare met on May 20, 2026, with eight members present and approved the prior meeting minutes. The committee first advanced SB 1224, which requires DCFS to look into cases where a child under 17 is involved in a pregnancy, with added oversight for children under 12; it was reported favorably. The committee also favorably reported SB 1100, described as repealing an outdated statute. White Coat Day remarks welcomed physicians to the Capitol and thanked them for their service, including efforts to improve Medicaid reimbursement. Several health-related bills were then heard and advanced. HB 1220, a continuation of prior work to codify provisions related to the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners and physician licensure, was reported favorably. HB 1231 clarified that Medicaid coverage for continuous glucose monitoring applies to insulin-dependent patients, including those with gestational diabetes, and was also reported favorably. HB 198, which sets reimbursement rates for ambulatory surgery centers for certain Medicaid procedures such as colonoscopies, eye, ENT, and gastroenterology services, passed favorably. HB 1160, creating a streamlined restricted license pathway for qualified international medical graduates, prompted a lengthy exchange about delayed rulemaking and whether the board had added requirements beyond statute; despite concerns, it was reported favorably. The committee also advanced several resolutions and oversight measures. HCR 67, prompted by a personal family experience with a special-needs child’s acute care needs, creates a task force to study gaps in acute care for special-needs adults and children; it was amended and reported favorably. HCR 27, calling for a statewide evaluation of autism services by LDH and the Department of Education, was reported favorably. HB 223, which recreates DCFS, was amended to shorten the sunset date and require law enforcement reporting through a secure web platform, then reported favorably. HCR 28, creating a task force on school nurse orientation and training for new graduates, was reported favorably after testimony from school nurses about the lack of standardized orientation and the risks of placing inexperienced nurses alone in schools. The committee also took up HB 469, which would allow pharmacy license renewal applicants to designate a portion of fees to eligible schools including Xavier University’s College of Pharmacy; after opposition from Senator Cloud and a roll call, the bill was deferred. HB 1182, a cleanup bill changing the occupational therapy certifying entity and adjusting fees, and HB 1076, eliminating one of two sunset provisions for the Louisiana Behavior Analyst Board, were both reported favorably. HB 1216, a major rewrite of clinical laboratory personnel rules, was deferred after concerns that it would restrict existing phlebotomy and lab functions in ways that could conflict with recent law. Finally, HB 457 and HB 616, both by Representative Knox and focused on homelessness, drew extensive testimony: HB 457 established minimum standards for shelters and similar facilities and was reported favorably as amended, while HB 616 would allow audits of homelessness-related funding and databases; after debate over privacy, federal funding oversight, and accountability, the committee adopted an amendment changing enforcement language from "may" to "shall" and continued hearing testimony from opponents and supporters.

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> We don't want the money spent, and we do as well.
• And like we know some of the quarter of the innovation money is not going to be spent, and we're telling
• </c> &gt;&gt; We we don't we want the money spent &gt;&gt; We we don't we want the money spent &gt;&gt
• to be spent and we're telling<00:37:12.560><c> y'all</c><00:37:12.880><c> to</c><00:37:13.040><c> pull
• </c> everything else has been spent down. everything else has been spent down. &gt;&gt; Okay.

Committee: Joint Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• I do not come to this role as an outsider looking in, but as a leader who has spent the majority of my
• A quarter of a billion dollars spent just in the span of three fiscal years.
• And yet... ...35 billion plus dollars spent.
• A quarter of a billion dollars spent just in the span of three fiscal years.
• Chair, it's... ...spent on it, it ends up getting worse and up better. Mr.

Committee: Senate Director Nominations

Transcript Highlights:

• Money is being spent on what components and what those outcomes are.
• They do look at how much grant funding was spent...
• They do look at how much grant funding was spent and how it was spent.
• And in California, if you look at an audit that was performed in 2024, they've spent $24 billion with
• So they spent $20 billion, and their homeless population went up 35,000.

Committee: Senate Local Government and Taxation

Transcript Highlights:

• There are not taxpayer dollars that are spent on the Care Portal.
• , taxpayer dollars, the voters should have a say in how those dollars are spent.
• And maybe they haven't been spent in the right ways.
• I know you spent hours that they didn't see, so thank you for that.
• I know you spent hours that they didn't see, so thank you for that.

Committee: Senate Appropriations

Summary: The Appropriations Committee met with a quorum and considered a series of bills, most of them receiving favorable reports. SB 132, as amended, would require the Department of Financial Services to contract for a study on whether Florida should recognize gold and silver as legal tender; an amendment advanced the report deadline to December 1, 2025, and the bill was reported favorably. SB 1050, also amended, expands the intellectual and developmental disabilities managed care pilot program statewide, emphasizes that enrollment is voluntary, adds transparency and reporting requirements for APD, creates a statewide family care council, and requires related studies and coordination; it was reported favorably after supportive testimony about reducing the APD wait list. SB 820 codifies the Office of Faith and Community in the Governor’s office, and the bill drew extended debate over church-state separation and concerns about political activity by the office; despite opposition from several senators, it was reported favorably. SB 1060 creates a joint legislative oversight committee for Medicaid financing and operations, with supporters citing the size of the program and the need for stronger legislative review; it passed favorably. SB 7032 presumes Medicaid eligibility for permanently disabled individuals receiving certain long-term services during redetermination, to prevent gaps in care, and was reported favorably with broad support. SB 12, a claim bill for a minor injured in a DCF-related case, was also reported favorably without opposition. The committee also approved several infrastructure and tax-related measures. SJR 318 proposes an ad valorem exemption for certain tangible personal property used in agriculture or agritourism, such as equipment and tractors, and was reported favorably with support from agricultural and business groups. SB 818, as amended, revises utility relocation funding for public road and rail projects, shifting the financing structure after constitutional concerns were raised and adding a $50 million grant program; it passed after discussion of the impact on local governments and utilities. SB 1348 modernizes DMV services through tax collectors, adds a distracted driving course option, bans appointment scalping, and extends certain disabled parking permit terms; it was reported favorably. SB 1664 requires voter reapproval of local taxes, including tourist development taxes and local option sales taxes, when they expire, with special rules for taxes tied to revenue bonds; it drew significant debate over impacts on tourism-dependent counties and was reported favorably despite opposition from some members and local government groups. SB 1050, SB 820, SB 1060, SB 7032, SB 12, SJR 318, SB 818, SB 1348, and SB 1664 all received favorable committee votes, and the meeting ended with final missed-vote requests and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• It would have spent $4.6 million for the construction firm and the architectural firm to figure out how
• And with that kind of... ...the amount of judicial time that was spent on that.
• And that's designed to ask the judges, you reported how much time you spent on this case; what would
• we've spent on new judges and JAs and all of that, with the money we've spent on staff attorneys and
• case managers, We've spent on staff attorneys and case managers.

Summary: The committee first heard an update from the Florida Department of Corrections on the proposed Lake Correctional Institution mental health project in Clermont. Tim Fitzgerald explained the project’s history, including the 2016 Disability Rights Florida litigation, the 2018 consent decree, and the original plan for a 550-bed inpatient mental health facility. He said inflation and design changes pushed the project above the bond amount, leading the department to shift to a “continuum of care” alternative with 572 beds total: 92 inpatient beds and 480 residential treatment beds in three special housing units. Fitzgerald said the project is currently paused pending House concurrence, while the Senate has already agreed to the alternate plan, and noted the bond balance, prior expenditures, and the need to spend down the tax-exempt bond by August 2026. Members questioned how the new plan differs from the original facility, whether it satisfies the consent decree, and what caused the cost increases. Fitzgerald said the department believes it has already met the consent decree through systemwide improvements to housing, staffing, programming, and out-of-cell time, though he said he would confirm the court documentation. He also said the original scope grew from 275,000 to 350,000 square feet as treatment, nursing, security, and programming needs were refined, and that inflation, fees, permitting, and contingencies contributed to the higher cost. Several members asked for follow-up information on Senate approval, consent decree documentation, and the project’s impact on crisis-stabilization capacity. The committee then received a joint court-system presentation from State Courts Administrator Eric McClure and Clerks Corporation Executive Director Jason Welty on caseload trends, case tracking, and staffing. McClure described statewide filing trends, the use of weighted caseload studies to certify judicial need, and recent Supreme Court rule changes aimed at active civil case management, including differentiated case tracks, stricter deadlines, and proportional discovery. He said the latest workload study led the Supreme Court to certify a need for 23 circuit judges and 25 county judges. Welty reviewed clerk workload trends, the statewide case maintenance and CCIS systems, and declining clerk FTE despite rising case volumes, and said clerks are seeking additional funding for injunctions, Baker Act/Marchman Act/sexually violent predator work, and juror management. In questions, members pressed both presenters on data quality, case-weight calculations, filing fees, and whether current resources are enough to reduce delays. McClure clarified that the workload weights are based on judge time studies and that a capital murder case averaged 3,177 minutes, while other examples such as auto negligence and dissolution cases were much lower. Welty said the Legislature could help by increasing funding or potentially revisiting filing fees, and noted that many clerk services are unfunded or underfunded, especially indigent and protective filings. The chair and members also raised concerns about backlog, inconsistent case reporting across circuits, and enforcement of judicial time standards; McClure said there is no direct sanction in the rules, and compliance is largely managed through chief judges and the Supreme Court. The meeting ended with no votes taken and adjournment by motion.

Transcript Highlights:

• There's a pie chart that showed here where it shows that $142 million has been spent on pipeline replacement
• As far as the water treatment facilities, $178 million has been spent on the water ...$178 million has
• been spent on the water treatment facilities in Birmingham.
• maintenance has gone on for a very long time in order to do other things that might have been better spent
• on our systems replacement. ...better spent on our systems replacement factor.

Bills: SB330

Committee: House Commerce and Small Business

Keywords: water management, regional boards, municipal governance, ethics compliance, public utility

Transcript Highlights:

• These MSA funds are intended to be spent on our local state aid street system.
• And $400 million spent on a single project for a single area, well, I am sure it is good for the area
• And $400 million spent on a single project for a single area, well, I am sure it is good for the area
• </c><01:15:54.440><c> for</c> million would be far better spent for million would be far better spent
• The economy is dropping, and we have spent over eight years...

Bills: HF192 , HF268 , HF1214 , HF494

Committee: House Transportation Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:09:58.760><c> on</c> be spent on be spent on or<00:10:00.040><c> if</c><00:10:00.200><c> they
• </c> revenues cover each year what is spent revenues cover each year what is spent on<00:27:05.520><c
• Ninety-three percent of the state special is spent on compensation.
• This allocation of $777,500 is primarily spent on compensation.
• </c><00:59:12.799><c> on</c> $777,500 is primarily spent on $777,500 is primarily spent on compensation

Committee: House Higher Education Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• elsewhere, better spent on system improvements.
• elsewhere, better spent on system improvements.
• <c> on</c><00:15:35.480><c> system</c> spent elsewhere, better spent on system spent elsewhere, better
• </c><00:42:35.160><c> so</c> and I I do recognize having spent so and I I do recognize having spent so
• Thank you. know, for all of us who ever spent a day know, for all of us who ever spent a day you<01:24

Bills: SF856 , HF4482 , HF3672 , HF1234 , HF4591 , HF3554 , HF936

Committee: House State Government Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• I wonder if that money has been spent or not spent.
• spent or not spent this money has been spent or not spent or<00:40:51.079><c> you</c><00:40:51.200><c
• You care about how it's spent, whether it's spent efficiently.
• </c> your money you care about how it's spent your money you care about how it's spent whether<01:18:
• </c> ensuring that money's being spent ensuring that money's being spent efficiently<01:18:49.280><c>

Transcript Highlights:

• We spent a good chunk of the money during the pandemic keeping people housed.
• We spent a good chunk of the money during the pandemic keeping people housed.
• We spent a lot of time in this interim, myself and Chair Howard over in the House, worked with all of
• a lot of time in this interim spent a lot of time in this interim myself<00:21:28.000><c> and</c><00
• We spent many, many, many hours in meetings discussing the different proposals and how we can sort of

Transcript Highlights:

• I want to remind you, you watched an $18 billion surplus be spent.
• I want to remind you, you watched an $18 billion surplus be spent.
• You watched an $18 billion surplus be spent.
• We've heard that people want Minnesota tax dollars to be spent helping Minnesotans.
• We've heard that people want Minnesota tax dollars to be spent helping Minnesotans.

Summary: House Republican leaders, led by Speaker-designate Lisa Demuth and Majority Leader Harry Niska, outlined their priorities for the upcoming Minnesota House session and said they intend to use an organizational majority to advance their agenda. They said their focus will be on stopping fraud, making government more accountable, reducing taxes and fees, and addressing affordability, energy costs, public safety, education, and permitting reform. Specific proposals mentioned included repealing the tax on Social Security benefits, rolling back automatic gas tax increases, repealing the nuclear moratorium, and changing state programs they said should be limited to people in the country legally. A central theme was the creation of a new House committee on fraud and agency oversight, which Republicans said will have subpoena power and be chaired by Rep. Kristin Robbins. They said the committee will investigate known fraud, review agency internal controls, and press agencies for information on staffing, office space, and cost savings. Rep. Jim Nash also described a proposed “fraud note” scoring system to rate agencies on whether they have implemented Office of the Auditor’s recommendations, with the goal of informing appropriations decisions. On education and public safety, Niska said Republicans want fewer mandates and higher standards in schools, citing low reading and math proficiency, and leaders said they want stronger accountability for repeat and juvenile offenders. They also said they expect committee chairs to be Republican, may reduce Democratic committee seats if Democrats do not show up, and are not planning a power-sharing agreement unless the chamber returns to a true tie. They discussed the pending court case involving Rep. Brad Tabke, a possible recall process for absent legislators, remote voting rules, and a special election timeline, while insisting they expect Democrats to appear on the first day of session and that they will proceed with organizing the House and electing a speaker on January 14.

Transcript Highlights:

• CAREFULLY THOUGHT OUT PLAN TO ENSURE WHEN IT CAME TIME TO ULTIMATELY IMPLEMENT EVERY DOLLAR WAS PRUDENTLY SPENT
• AND WAS IT REASONABLE, COULD THEY HAVE DONE THIS FOR LESS MONEY, COULD THEY, WAS MONEY SPENT FOR REASONS
• THAT COULD HAVE SOMEHOW COULD THEY, WAS MONEY SPENT FOR REASONS THAT COULD HAVE SOMEHOW BEEN PROHIBITED
• DOES IT PROVIDE A COST BENEFIT, AT THAT POINT YOU ARE LOOKING AT WHETHER OR NOT THE FUNDS ARE BEING SPENT
• AND NOT WHETHER THE FUNDS ARE BEING SPENT WELL AND TO THEIR BEST USE.

Transcript Highlights:

• I've actually spent over 16 years working on this and over a year negotiating many iterations of the
• They spent years negotiating.
• So when we're talking about local dollars, they do deserve to be spent locally.
• The community deserves to know exactly what those dollars are spent on.
• The community deserves to know exactly what those dollars are spent on.

Committee: House Local Government

Transcript Highlights:

• The Federation for American Immigration Reform calculated that American taxpayers spent at least $182
• ensure that the law is being followed and to ensure that Oklahoma taxpayer dollars are being properly spent
• I've spent over 20... ...I've spent over 25 years in a mission in Camargo, Mexico, in an orphanage there
• I've spent a lot of time and hours and over $100,000 supporting them over the years.
• He spent the last time in a Texas prison, and then he was told, don't you ever come back to this country

Bills: HB3057 , HB3130 , HB4113 , HB3310 , HB3314 , HB3985 , HB4486 , HB3040 , HB3407 , HB4343 , HB2981 , HB3764 , HB3765 , HB3767 , HB3982 , HB3321 , HB3322 , HB3323 , HB4126 , HB4130 , HB4170 , HB3345 , HB2941 , HB3062 , HB3244 , HB3298 , HB2977 , HB3304 , HB3299 , HB3297 , HB4260 , HB3906 , HB3648 , HB3319 , HB2933 , HB3544 , HB1322 , HB4104 , HB4105 , HB4106 , HB4107 , HB4108 , HB3974 , HB3134 , HB3055 , HB3115 , HB3471 , HB3497 , HB3500 , HB3505 , HB3755 , HB4202 , HB4226 , HB4236 , HB4139 , HB4144 , HB4422 , HB4423 , HB4317 , HB4321 , HB4322 , HB3176 , HB3239 , HB3263 , HB3673 , HB3794 , HB3796 , HB4265 , HB4266 , HB2123 , HB3048 , HB2445

Summary: The House convened with a prayer, Pledge of Allegiance, and several recognitions, including the Duncan Girls Golf Team, the Doctor of the Day, and the Nurse of the Day. Members also made personal announcements and committee meeting reminders before moving to legislation. The main floor action centered on House Bill 4422, which would require applicants for SNAP and TANF to be U.S. citizens and use the SAVE system to verify immigration status. Supporters argued it would protect taxpayer dollars, enforce the law, and reduce improper benefits use; opponents said it would deter eligible families, especially children in mixed-status households, from seeking aid and would not address DHS error rates or budget problems. After extended debate, the House passed HB 4422 by roll call vote, 18-0. The House then considered House Bill 4423, a similar measure applying the same citizenship-verification concept to Medicaid through the Oklahoma Health Care Authority. Debate repeated many of the same arguments about fiscal responsibility, eligibility, children’s access to benefits, and immigration enforcement. HB 4423 also passed by roll call vote, 18-0. The chamber then moved to announcements and adjourned until Monday, March 2, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• We spent over 400 hours processing those receipts, and it was a very big ask for the service providers
• Any of the funding that isn't spent on staffing is allowed to be used as discretionary funding.
• Any of the funding that isn't spent on staffing is allowed to be used as discretionary funding.
• In total, ILA's education service providers spent $12.5 million providing supplemental learning funds
• They did have more control over how that money was spent and distributed across their various schools

Committee: House Education