Transcript Highlights:

• But in general, the HFC scenario...
• But now we're pushing math because we are a technology state.
• That's going to be an important component of your next...
• And so they're generating more SEG.
• I'm going to go next. I'm going to go next to page, let's see, page four of the high level.

Keywords: 996, all

Summary: The meeting began as an informal education budget work group focused on reviewing a revised House Appropriations and Finance Committee scenario and flagging concerns rather than taking votes. Staff outlined the main changes from the LFC recommendation, including moving the statewide student information system appropriation, adding funding for the Black, Bilingual, Multicultural and Hispanic Education Act, universal school meals overrun costs, an evidence-based CTE pilot with a 50% local match, STEM network funding, wellness room pilots, Martinez-Yazzie action plan items, and changes to innovation zone and out-of-school time appropriations. A separate handout on the seven-year CTE pilot explained spending patterns, reversions, and possible federal maintenance-of-effort concerns if the state continues funding beyond a true pilot. Members then debated CTE extensively, with several arguing it improves attendance, graduation, and career readiness and should be sustained or expanded, especially in rural areas, while staff and others emphasized that much of the current funding has gone to general operational costs rather than intentional program design and that regional or matched funding models may be more effective. Members also discussed STEM and math initiatives, the need for more industry involvement, and whether the proposed match requirements would be too burdensome for smaller districts and BIE schools. The discussion also covered the Black, Hispanic, and Multilingual Education Acts and the Martinez-Yazzie lawsuit. Some members stressed that the acts should be explicitly named in the budget language and not merely implied, while staff said the scenario reaffirms prior commitments by building the costs into agency operating budgets. Members raised concerns about charter school hold-harmless funding, declining enrollment, and the need to align spending with the needs of at-risk students. The work group ended the education portion without any votes, with staff noting they would incorporate the feedback and return with clarifications, including on CTE funding, the educational acts, and the charter hold-harmless item. The meeting then shifted to the child well-being and early childhood work group, where staff presented a revised Early Childhood Education and Care Department scenario. The proposal moved money toward child care assistance and early pre-K, kept the FIT program funding level unchanged, and used a mix of trust fund, TANF, federal, and operating-budget adjustments to close part of the gap between the executive and LFC recommendations. Members questioned the policy direction, especially the shift toward infant and toddler care and pre-K expansion, the impact on school-age child care, and the implications for continuity of care and provider costs. Staff explained that the scenario prioritizes younger children and at-risk families, includes language for a wage and career ladder, and would require legislation to raise the early childhood trust fund distribution cap from 500 to 525. Members also discussed a separate proposed CYFD pilot bill (HB 65), which would be distinct from ECECD funding. No votes were taken, and staff said they would return with more cost information on full pre-K plus wraparound care. A final work group reviewed C2 and Department of Information Technology-related appropriations. Staff compared the LFC and executive recommendations for new funding and reauthorizations, noting that the LFC generally limited new projects while the executive funded more. Members discussed several IT modernization requests, including the Secretary of State’s voter registration and election management systems, the Spaceport Authority, Game and Fish, the State Engineer’s WATERS system, ECECD’s FitKids and EPIC replacement discovery, and Aging and Long-Term Services’ enterprise system modernization. The main themes were whether to fund planning versus full replacement, how to avoid piecemeal spending, and whether new systems should wait for incoming leadership. The Secretary of State’s office said its system is nearing end of life and the planning funds would help prepare a realistic replacement request, while other agencies described aging infrastructure, cybersecurity risks, and the need for modernization. The work group did not vote on any of the items and ended with staff noting additional follow-up on funding needs and reauthorization details.

Transcript Highlights:

• Next slide.
• Next slide.
• Next slide.
• Next with you will dive more into this. Next slide. slide. slide.
• Next<00:46:36.960> slide. Next slide. Next slide.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs held an information briefing on expungement and record clearance, with Chair David Tarnis and Vice Chair Mahina Poo Poy emphasizing second chances and the legislature’s recent work on state-initiated relief. The chair reviewed prior measures, including Act 62 (2024), which created Hawaii’s first state-initiated expungement pilot for certain non-conviction cannabis-related arrests, Act 159 (2023), which required automatic sealing or removal of expunged records from the judiciary’s public database, and Act 241 (2024), which created the Clean Slate Task Force. He said the committee invited the Clean Slate Initiative and Code for America because of their national experience with state-initiated record clearance systems. Phil Hickden of the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center and Attorney General’s office reported that Act 62 was implemented using existing resources and no new funding, initially covering single-charge, pre-2020 arrests in Hawaii County for possession of less than one ounce of marijuana and later expanded by Act 005 (2025) to all arrests under HRS 712-1249 regardless of drug type. He said the project identified 2,268 potentially eligible records, with 1,072 processed so far, 989 granted and 83 denied, and that the work has taken about 872 staff hours and roughly 45 days per expungement. He also said the office has identified about 412,000 people who could potentially qualify for expungement under broader legislation, though that estimate does not include case-by-case research. Michelle Acasta of the judiciary explained that Act 159 changed the process so HCJDC now digitally transmits expungement certificates to the court, eliminating the applicant’s second step of filing paperwork with the court. She said the courts still manually review eligibility, but the process is easier because certificates now include a case ID and HCJDC provides additional information to help locate records. She reported that since implementation the courts received 125 certificates in July and 87 in August, with 17 court orders filed in July and August, including 81 in the First Circuit, 14 in Maui, 7 in the Third Circuit, and 15 in the Fifth Circuit. She also noted that the Hawaii Supreme Court’s State v. Rogan decision affects procedure by requiring a written request or motion, an opportunity to be heard, and written findings for sealing court records, and that new Supreme Court rules are expected for public comment. Members asked about qualitative outcomes and whether the process could be expanded statewide; staff said they do not track recidivism or personal stories, and the chair encouraged further discussion before the next session to identify barriers and capacity needs.

Transcript Highlights:

• The next AB 32 scoping plan, due out next year, is a holistic multi-agency decarbonization plan for the
• —of proven, scalable technologies that can reduce emissions.
• This is not an emerging technology.
• Next up. 17-0, that bill is out. Next up, file item 16, AB 2543, Assembly Member Ransom. Burner?
• And next is file item 2, AB 1849. And next is file item 2, AB 1849 by Pappen. Zipper. Okay.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The committee heard several energy-related bills. AB 1813, by Assemblymember Ward, would revise California’s community renewable energy program to better support community solar and storage, especially for renters and low-income customers, and to base bill credits on avoided costs. Supporters said the current CPUC program is unworkable and would not produce new projects, while utilities raised cost-shift, CCA, and process concerns. AB 2313, by Assemblymember Berman, would let gas customers whose service lines are being replaced choose electrification instead, using part of the replacement funds as an incentive; supporters framed it as a customer-choice and cost-saving measure, while opponents argued it could divert safety funds and conflict with the recently approved SB 1221 pilot. AB 1975, by Assemblymember Schultz, would require the CPUC to develop a grid utilization methodology to better measure and use existing distribution infrastructure; supporters said it could reduce ratepayer costs and defer upgrades, while utilities warned against rigid utilization targets and said the bill should better account for customer behavior and beneficial load growth. The committee also heard AB 2612, which would direct state agencies to develop standards for plug-in photovoltaic systems that can connect through residential and nonresidential circuits. Supporters said it would expand access to low-cost solar and improve safety and consistency, while utilities sought clarification that they would participate in the standards process. AB 1849, by Assemblymember Papin, would direct CARB to study the need for decarbonized gas fuels in hard-to-electrify sectors and for grid reliability; supporters said it would provide a data-driven assessment of future fuel needs, while opponents argued it was biased toward a predetermined outcome and duplicative of existing state efforts. AB 2088 would authorize investor-owned utilities to own and operate thermal energy networks using geothermal energy or waste heat, with supporters emphasizing climate, affordability, and workforce benefits and no opposition testimony heard. Votes were taken on the measures that came to a vote. AB 1975 passed the committee 7-0 and was sent to Appropriations. AB 2612 passed 9-0 and was sent to Appropriations. AB 1849 passed 10-0 and was sent to Appropriations. AB 2088 passed 9-0 and was sent to Appropriations. Several bills were still on call for absent members when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• So there is technologies to do that.
• Generational Texan. I thought I was really cool. Fifth generation Texan.
• They'll be ninth-generation Texans.
• The next panel will be the X.
• We don't need new technology.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Right now, there is a, in fact, my next bullet point.
• And I'm in no way, shape, or form saying that we should not be working to train the next generation of
• And I'm no way, shape, or form saying that we should not be working to train and train the next generation
• That's where I was going to next, right?
• “Technology providers as circumstances and needs evolve.

Summary: The Assembly Select Committee on Cybersecurity and the Assembly Committee on Emergency Management held a joint informational hearing focused on maximizing the value of state cybersecurity investments, especially by fully using security features already included in existing vendor contracts. The first panel included representatives from Microsoft, Zscaler, and Palo Alto Networks, who described the products and services they provide to California and generally agreed that agencies often have strong adoption in some areas but still face challenges from tool overlap, limited staff, lack of awareness of available features, and the need for ongoing training and configuration support. They also discussed major threats such as ransomware, data loss, attack-surface exposure, IoT/OT vulnerabilities, and the growing role of AI in both attacks and defenses. Members pressed the vendors on whether state departments underuse purchased cybersecurity tools, how to improve utilization, and how to address the cybersecurity workforce shortage. The vendors said utilization is often constrained by staffing, procurement complexity, and the need to align tools with agency missions and maturity levels, but emphasized that training, leadership buy-in, and regular vendor-agency collaboration can improve results. They also discussed how AI can help with phishing triage, data-loss prevention, and security operations, while warning that agencies must manage AI safely and with human oversight. The second panel featured officials from the Department of Technology, Cal OES/CalSIC, and the California Military Department. They described statewide oversight efforts including audits, independent security assessments, continuous monitoring, advisory services, vulnerability disclosure programs, and workforce development initiatives such as the Information Security Leadership Academy and Cybersecurity Education Summit. Officials said some underutilization is real, but it is often tied to differing agency maturity, overlapping tools, and deliberate feature restrictions to reduce attack surface and complexity; they emphasized a balanced approach using people, process, and technology, with plans of action and milestones to hold departments accountable. They also noted federal uncertainty around MS-ISAC and the state and local cybersecurity grant program, saying California is advocating through federal partners and monitoring the impact. The hearing ended after public comment and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:09:47.120> There's What comes next, we'll see. There's What comes next, we'll see.
• We also have a technology<00:15:57.640> work<00:15:57.880> group technology work group
• benefit and now I can use technology. benefit and now I can use technology. when<00:22:52.680>
• <00:26:39.760> couple<00:26:39.920> of will be next week in the next couple of will
• technologies for a decade or more. technologies for a decade or more.

Keywords: Meeting Start - 00:00 Roll Call – 00:34 KY Chamber of Commerce KY Business Perspectives – 01:50 COT Update on SB4 – 27:16 Adjournment – 48:18, 958, all

Summary: The 2025 Artificial Intelligence Task Force met for its first meeting of the year and heard updates on federal AI policy, state implementation of Senate Bill 4, and the business community’s perspective on AI regulation. Co-chairs noted that federal legislation could affect the task force’s work later in the year, but said Kentucky still has significant issues to study, including energy, land use, education, social media, and children’s engagement with AI. The task force had quorum and no votes were taken. Kate Shanks of the Kentucky Chamber said the business community supports continued discussion but favors a federal approach over a patchwork of state laws. She described the Trump administration’s new AI executive order as emphasizing innovation over regulation, noted the pending federal AI action plan, and discussed congressional action including the Take It Down Act and industry-specific changes to existing laws. She warned that state-by-state AI rules could increase costs and burden businesses, and said the Chamber would prefer incremental, flexible policy that avoids conflict with existing law and limits private rights of action. Members asked about uniform model legislation, education uses of AI, and civil liability; Shanks said a model approach could help avoid fragmentation and that liability should generally be handled through consumer-protection-style enforcement rather than broad litigation. The Commonwealth Office of Technology then reported on implementation of SB 4, saying it has worked with industry, agencies, other states, and vendors to build an AI policy framework now in final review. Officials said an AI Governance Committee has been established and will meet in July, and a draft RFP is being prepared to meet the bill’s tracking and documentation requirements. They said no major implementation challenges have been identified so far, but the impact of pending federal rules remains uncertain. Members also discussed the need to educate students and teachers about AI, with one member emphasizing that schools should teach both how to use AI and how to think critically about information online.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you. technology into our local manufacturing technology into our local manufacturing industries
• <00:02:14.959> Next questions. Thank you. Thank you. Next questions. Thank you.
• you categorize it and then So in general you categorize it and then So in general for<00:04:58.960
• Next<00:32:17.039> up, Next up, Next up, HB1467<00:32:19.200> relating<00:32:19.600>
• Uh, next up, Gwen Yamamo. Thank you. Uh, next up, Dean Mina Kami for Hawaii. Thank you.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 449 relating to economic development, HB 1006 relating to the Agribusiness Development Corporation, and then began HB 1467 relating to housing resiliency. On HB 449, Director Wayne Enoy of the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation and several business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce and Hawaii Food Industry Association, testified in strong support. They said the measure would help local manufacturers and tech-focused businesses adapt to uncertainty around tariffs and federal funding pauses, diversify Hawaiʻi’s economy, and expand workforce training and apprenticeship efforts tied to innovation and manufacturing. The bulk of the discussion focused on HB 1006 and proposed agritourism authority for ADC. ADC, the Hawaii Farm Bureau, and other supporters said agritourism can be a value-added tool that helps farmers diversify income while keeping agriculture as the primary use of the land. One testifier opposed the bill’s direction without stronger guardrails, urging that a high percentage of revenue or land use remain tied to actual agricultural production. Committee members questioned ADC and Farm Bureau witnesses about how much land should remain in production, whether agritourism could expand on public lands, how enforcement would work, and whether responsibilities should be shifted from the Department of Agriculture’s marketing functions to ADC. Witnesses said ADC currently has no tenants engaged in agritourism, but would support standards, annual reporting, site visits, and the ability to reclaim land if production requirements are not met. No votes or final actions were taken in the portion provided. After concluding HB 1006 testimony and questions, the committee moved on to HB 1467 and called the first witness, Luke Meyers, before the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• These next two days, the Legislature will be here preparing for the next session, which starts in January
• But we're providing it in a technology-rich online setting.
• The next year I became a teacher for Pearl, and then the next year I became the principal for a Pearl
• Certainly, as we're educating the next generation of workers in our state, what will they be up against
• Which one of these photos do you think is AI-generated?

Summary: The committee met to hear an overview of Washington’s alternative learning experience (ALE) programs and then an update on artificial intelligence in schools. OSPI’s Anissa Sherritt explained that ALE is a course-level funding designation for instruction that occurs partly or wholly away from the traditional seat-time model, with online, site-based, and remote course types. She emphasized that ALE is still basic education, subject to the same public school requirements, and that OSPI provides technical assistance, annual reporting review, and program reviews. Representatives from several programs described different models: Washington Virtual Academy (a large online ALE operated through Omak School District and partnered with for-profit Stride), Columbia Virtual Academy in Valley School District (a district-run, nonprofit online/remote program), Pearl in Quilcene (a K-8 remote parent partnership program), and River Home Link in Battleground (a site-based hybrid program). They discussed student supports, special education, enrichment, family choice, transportation, and how they measure outcomes. Members asked for follow-up information on funding, demographics, racial and ethnic data, multilingual learners, and post-graduation outcomes, and OSPI agreed to provide additional data where available. The committee then heard from OSPI and several districts about AI guidance and implementation. OSPI’s Holly Ryan Calloway described the agency’s human-centered AI framework, three guidance documents for schools, statewide professional learning, an AI innovation summit, and new AI literacy and informatics course frameworks and CIP codes. Quincy School District described a multi-year effort to integrate AI by centering student needs, creating district policy and classroom guidance, and training teachers to use AI responsibly while building an AI readiness plan from elementary through high school. Peninsula School District described its AI action research team, teacher professional learning, and classroom uses of generative AI to support science instruction, communication, and prompt engineering, while stressing that AI should enhance rather than replace learning. Members raised questions about privacy, energy and water use, prompt engineering, workforce and university connections, and the need for clear standards and ongoing educator training. No votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• Next bill, please. Senate Bill 1140. Next bill, please.
• Next bill, Senate Bill 1249.
• Next bill, please.
• House Bill 2352, appropriation, Auditor General.
• HB. 2352, Appropriation Auditor General. ATT.

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and guest introductions for Pastor Caden Metcalf and later Doctor of the Day Jane Peterson. Members then approved the journal and took up a motion to reconsider Senate Bill 1827, which passed by division vote 13-12, bringing the bill back for further action. The chamber then resolved into Committee of the Whole to consider several bills on the calendar. In Committee of the Whole, members adopted committee amendments and recommended do pass on SB 1041 (Arizona Trail Fund appropriation), SB 1131 (education-related appropriation and cardiac emergency response plan funding, with a floor amendment adding a placeholder amount), SB 1140 (misdemeanor record expungement/civil rights restoration), SB 1249 (Alzheimer’s disease/state brain appropriation and DHS reporting), SB 1275 (sentencing and imprisonment, with a floor amendment that drew criticism from Sen. Ortiz for limiting judicial discretion and expanding prosecutor control), SB 1517 (Barbering and Cosmetology Board appropriation), and SB 1673 (Crime Victim Notification Fund appropriation). Most committee and floor amendments were adopted on voice vote; SB 1275’s floor amendment was adopted by division, 15-13. The Senate then adopted the Committee of the Whole report and moved to third-reading votes on a series of bills. SB 1161, SB 1209, SB 1598, SB 1118, SB 1399, SB 1563, SB 1564, SB 1629, SB 1754, SB 1041, SB 1131, SB 1140, SB 1249, SB 1517, and SB 1673 all passed, with recorded votes ranging from unanimous to divided; several members explained votes, especially on SB 1598 (community gardens in schools) and SB 1754 (special education parent support and FERPA concerns). The Senate then recessed, accepted a large batch of House bills for first reading and committee reference, heard committee meeting announcements, and adjourned until Monday, March 9, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:13:06.320> The<00:13:06.560> next<00:13:06.800> $500,000 general fund.
• The next $500,000 general fund.
• The<00:13:15.519> next<00:13:15.839> $250,000 The next $250,000 The next $250,000 would
• <00:16:12.720> The<00:16:12.880> next would go to the general fund.
• The next would go to the general fund.

Bills: HB304, HB285, HB312, HB311, SB60

Keywords: impoundment, driver licenses, vehicle redemption, local identification cards, law enforcement, HB285, TJ's Law, traffic infraction, traffic ticket, uniform traffic ticket and complaint, minor driver, juvenile driver, parent notification, guardian notification, emergency contact, citing agency, traffic citation, driver safety, youth safety, Alabama traffic law

Transcript Highlights:

• and filing requirements of the Arizona Attorney General.
• Here are a few pertaining to SRM technologies.
• Groups that will inform participants about SRM technologies.
• All right, next speaker. Your next speaker. Welcome.
• ... ...our future generations.

Bills: SB1005, SB1202, SB1278, SB1279, SB1280, SB1287

Keywords: cosmetics, animal testing, prohibition, manufacturers, sales regulation, state preemption, groundwater, water conservation, Arizona water resources, drought management, water quality, solar radiation management, environment, regulation, Arizona Revised Statutes, weather modification, licensing, environmental impact, public safety, cloud seeding

Summary: The Natural Resources Committee approved the minutes from January 20 and January 27, 2026, then heard several bills related to weather modification, water policy, wildlife, cosmetics, and groundwater management. SB 1278 would ban intentional solar radiation management in Arizona and bar public entities or recipients of public funds from supporting related technology development. Supporters argued it was needed to stop harmful geoengineering, while opponents said it would block research and distract from real pollution problems. The committee voted 5-2 with one not voting to give SB 1278 a do pass recommendation. The committee then considered SB 1279, which would regulate weather modification licenses, require ADWR and ADEQ review of chemicals, public notice, and public meetings, and—under a proposed strike-everything amendment—shift complaint enforcement to ADWR and require rulemaking. Testimony was largely in support from stakeholders and SRP, while ADEQ was neutral but warned it lacked standards, resources, and expertise to develop the required chemical limits on the bill’s timeline. The committee adopted the amendment and then passed the bill as amended 5-2 with one not voting. Members next passed SB 1005, which would prohibit the sale of cosmetics developed with animal testing, with supporters citing cruelty concerns and industry alternatives; the bill received a do pass recommendation 4-2 with two not voting. SB 1202, requiring ADWR to include more detailed data in five-year groundwater supply-and-demand assessments, drew opposition from ADWR over feasibility, cost, and the risk of misleading conclusions, but still received a do pass recommendation 4-2 with two not voting. The committee also passed SB 1280, which would bar Game and Fish from using public funds to transport Mexican gray wolf pups into Arizona; wildlife advocates opposed it as harmful to recovery, while Game and Fish said it would not affect core responsibilities and was neutral. Finally, SB 1287, with a conforming amendment, was approved 5-1 with two not voting to extend certain irrigation grandfathered-right groundwater uses to subsequent active management areas. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Those kiosks are right next to an ATM. Yeah.
• But it's right next to an ATM machine.
• Next, we have David Florine and Scott Gild.
• Next, we have David Florine and Scott Gild.
• Next, we have Lauren Sondon. Good morning. Today, next we have Lauren Saunders.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several financial services bills, with the main focus on cryptocurrency kiosk regulation, financial literacy, and earned wage access. Legislators and witnesses described widespread crypto-related scams targeting older adults, often involving impersonation, urgency, spoofed phone numbers, and rapid transfers through kiosks that are difficult to trace or recover. Supporters of the kiosk bills said Massachusetts needs licensing, registration, transaction limits, warning notices, receipts, refund protections, and other safeguards; some also urged a “pause” or hold on transactions to give victims time to reconsider and allow law enforcement to intervene. The Attorney General’s office, AARP, local law enforcement, and several prosecutors and sheriffs backed the consumer-protection approach, while Bitcoin Depot supported a narrower regulatory framework but opposed low fee caps and strict daily limits, arguing they would function like a ban and reduce legitimate use. Witnesses from Waltham police, Middlesex and Essex County law enforcement, and the AG’s office said crypto scams are growing quickly, losses are often unrecoverable once funds move, and current tools are limited. They described cases involving elderly victims losing thousands of dollars, and said warnings alone are not enough because scammers keep victims on the phone and guide them through the process. Some witnesses said a temporary hold or refund mechanism has worked in at least one case, while others emphasized that transaction limits and visible disclosures could reduce harm even if they do not stop fraud entirely. The AG’s office also said it would submit written opposition to separate earned wage advance legislation, while DailyPay testified in support of that bill, saying earned wage access helps workers bridge short-term gaps without debt or credit reporting. The committee also heard support for mandatory financial literacy education from Representative Jim Hawkins, who said high school students need instruction on credit, debt, and inflation before they enter adulthood. In addition, the committee took testimony on litigation financing bills from insurance industry representatives, who argued for disclosure and regulation of predatory litigation lending and warned about foreign interference and reduced plaintiff recoveries. No votes or final actions were taken during the hearing; members asked questions throughout, and the chair noted the need to move testimony along because of time constraints.

Transcript Highlights:

• It calls for 5.3 gigawatts of new generation by 2030. Year.
• One of the things is the power generation.
• Could be economic disruptions or, say, technological disruptions.
• And I hear every day about new energy-efficiency technologies.
• I think that covers the general categories.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Next Generation 911 closes that gap.
• Next Generation 911 closes that gap.
• Next Generation 911 closes that gap.
• Next Generation 911 closes that gap.
• > and<00:28:30.240> the Together, Next Generation 911 and the Together, Next Generation

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:00:10 Office of the Attorney General 00:00:58 Office of Homeland Security 00:17:39, 958, all

Summary: The House Budget Review Subcommittee on General Government heard presentations on several Attorney General and Homeland Security budget items. Amy Burke of the Department of Child Support Services said the program inherited a structural shortfall of more than $13 million after the transition from CHFS, including about $14 million in federal child support incentive funds that had been used to cover core operating costs and county attorney contracts. She explained that federal law requires incentive funds to supplement, not supplant, baseline services, and said the Attorney General’s budget request seeks general fund support to replace that gap and help balance the program going forward. Members asked for clarification on the misuse of the funds, the size of the shortfall, and whether the requested money would be unrestricted; staff said the intent is to use it as a contract offset for core services. Commissioner Rich Ferretti then presented the Department of Criminal Investigations’ request for additional staffing and a Western Kentucky Digital Forensics Lab. He said DCI wants one additional special victims unit investigator and one digital forensic examiner to handle increasingly digital cases involving child exploitation, sexual assault, human trafficking, and technology-facilitated abuse. He also described plans for a lab in Mayfield, co-located with the new Mayfield Police Department facility, to reduce travel time, speed forensic processing, and improve access for rural communities. Committee members responded positively and asked no substantive questions. Finally, the Office of Homeland Security outlined Kentucky’s Next Generation 911 project. Officials said the current 911 system was built for landlines, while most calls now come from mobile devices, and the upgrade will add precise location routing plus text, photo, and video capability. Shelley Clark described the funding model, including wireless subscriber fees and a dedicated tech fund, and reviewed progress on mapping, vendor selection, and migration to the new platform, with completion expected by July 2027. Members asked about local maintenance costs and the impact on rural areas; officials said maintenance is local but supported in part by collected funds, and implementation will not be delayed for rural localities. The meeting concluded with no votes or formal actions taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• > allow<00:03:20.640> that new modern technology will allow that new modern technology
• next forecast uh<00:04:38.560> date.
• , families, information technology, families, information technology, somebody<00:05:08.960> in
• Uh into the fund from the general you.
• <00:13:08.800> backbone uh modernize the technological backbone uh modernize the technological

Transcript Highlights:

• Who's next? Next, Ms. Collier. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Ms.
• And lastly, technology.
• Moving on to the next page.
• You gotta pay for technology.
• It really needs that next module to take it to the next level and really.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and fastm moving technologies. and fastm moving technologies.
• . technologies. technologies.
• generate their own recommendations. generate their own recommendations.
• > Representative<00:46:54.319> Matt next, we have um Representative Matt next, we have um
• generated the image?

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the prior meeting minutes, and then heard testimony on the use of artificial intelligence in therapy and mental health settings. Representative Lisa Willner and Brenda Rosen of NASW Kentucky argued for “guard rails” on AI chatbots so they cannot present themselves as licensed therapists or replace school counselors, psychologists, or social workers. They said AI can support licensed professionals, but warned that chatbots cannot reliably recognize nonverbal cues, escalate crises, or provide accountable care, and they cited examples of harmful chatbot interactions, including a suicide case and a chatbot telling a user to “Please die.” The witnesses also raised concerns about data privacy, commercialization of sensitive mental health conversations, and the use of personal clinical content to train AI models. They said minors should require parental consent and suggested transparency about how a chatbot is trained and who created it. They distinguished between unvetted consumer chatbots and AI tools that have been scientifically validated or approved as digital therapeutics, noting that some evidence-based tools may be useful for specific conditions such as depression, anxiety, or eating disorders. Committee members asked whether regulation should be handled by the legislature or by professional boards, and whether a multi-state model would be preferable to 50 different state approaches. The witnesses generally favored expert-led standards and said a board or panel of experts could review and approve mental health chatbots, but members cautioned that boards can become too restrictive and that legislation should preserve flexibility and avoid discouraging children from seeking help. The discussion ended with a request for the witnesses to restate their proposed policy ideas, including privacy protections, bans on commercialization, limits on training AI with clinical content, transparency requirements, and informed consent.

Transcript Highlights:

• In the AS in engineering technology, we have short-term certifications.
• Eighty of those serve in the engineering technology one.
• And we need this type of technology to be made in our communities.
• So students are working generally across a five-county region.
• , and he's hiring diesel generator technicians.

Summary: The Careers and Workforce Subcommittee heard a panel discussion focused on how Florida schools and colleges are exposing students to in-demand careers in manufacturing, semiconductors, transportation, and related fields, and how they are building pathways from middle school through postsecondary training. Panelists from Seminole County Public Schools, Lake Technical College/Lake County Schools, and St. Petersburg College described their career academies, dual enrollment options, industry certifications, and partnerships with employers, local governments, and state colleges. They emphasized early career awareness, counseling, and parent outreach as key to helping students understand technical education as a viable and prestigious path. Seminole County highlighted 51 career and professional education academies and new offerings in agricultural biotechnology, global finance, firefighting, and planned aerospace engineering. Lake County described Lake Technical College’s programs, strong completion and placement outcomes, and three partnerships: a flexible-day high school/workforce model at Lincoln Park Education Center, the Lake Works pathway collaboration with Lake Sumter State College, and a Transportation Innovation Hub with the City of Tavares that trains students on municipal vehicles and serves multiple local governments. St. Petersburg College discussed its manufacturing and engineering technology programs, including semiconductor processing, mechatronics, soldering, and clean-room training, along with new grant-funded expansion at its Midtown campus. Members asked about wages, the semiconductor workforce, how to change perceptions of technical education, how parents are engaged, and how Bright Futures CAPE and Gold Seal scholarships are communicated. Witnesses said school counselors, CTE teachers, parent nights, and district communications are used to promote these options, and that many students can earn strong wages through short-term certifications or two-year degrees. Lake Technical College also raised concerns about workforce funding not keeping pace with teacher pay increases and inflation, noting that funding covers only about 80% of what it earns and tuition has remained unchanged for 18 years. The meeting ended with members praising the programs, and the subcommittee adjourned without any vote or formal action beyond rising and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• And that wind and solar generation relies upon what we call inverter-based technologies, and these resources
• Next<00:41:17.440> slide. Next slide. Next slide.
• >> in general. >> in general.
• So generation perspective generation.
• general um generation and development in general um generation and transmission<01:01:51.040> development

Bills: HF3296, HF3802

Keywords: energy conservation, data centers, electric sales, energy optimization, utility regulations, energy regulation, certificate of need, renewable energy, power production, energy efficiency, Minnesota statutes, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• . is edge of technological advances.
• It's about giving the next generation a fighting chance at what we call the American Dream.
• these blockchain technologies get hacked.
• You know, I'm in the technology space.
• So it is a good technology.

Summary: The Insurance and Banking Committee met with a quorum and heard three bills. HB 487 would authorize the CFO and State Board of Administration to invest up to 10% of certain state funds in Bitcoin, require specified custody methods, allow Bitcoin lending under rule, and create a process for accepting taxes and fees in Bitcoin. The sponsor and several proponents argued it would diversify state investments, hedge inflation, and position Florida as a leader in digital assets. Members raised concerns about volatility, security, valuation, and whether Bitcoin was being singled out over other cryptocurrencies, but the bill was reported favorably after debate and a roll call vote. The committee then considered HB 7011, an Open Government Sunset Review measure for records of insolvent insurers. The bill would continue some exemptions but make additional records public, including underwriting files, risk-solvency assessments, corporate governance annual disclosures, and the names, benefits, and compensation of insurance executive officers. There was no public testimony, and members discussed privacy and safety concerns, but the bill passed and was reported favorably. Finally, the committee heard HB 1433 on hurricane mitigation grants and insurer regulation. The bill would tighten restrictions on former executives of failed insurers, raise capital requirements for new insurers, and require mitigation credits when homeowners receive Safe Florida Home funds. An amendment was adopted to require a licensed person to make final claim-denial decisions when AI or automation is used and to prioritize filings that lower rates. Consumer advocates supported the transparency and consumer protections, while industry representatives urged caution on the AI provisions. After debate, the amended bill was reported favorably. The meeting ended with closing remarks from the ranking member, vice chair, and chair reflecting on the committee’s work and likely final meeting of the term.