Transcript Highlights:

• The Special Committee on Property Tax Reform will now come to order.
• But that's due to the assessment cycle. I've seen that happen.
• And the way it runs is because of the assessment cycle.
• You basically start an assessment cycle in September.
• But it has to do with the assessment cycle. That was my question.

Committee: House Special Committee on Property Tax Reform

Transcript Highlights:

• Secura Moscow on behalf of Pesticide Action and Agroecology Network and Californians for Pesticide Reform
• Secura Moscow, on behalf of Pesticide Action and Agroecology Network and Californians for Pesticide Reform
• This important work is funded through a combination of federal and industry funds and wine grower assessments
• These important work is funded through a combination of federal and industry funds and wine grower assessments

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Agriculture met with two bills on the agenda. The chair opened the hearing with procedural reminders and a brief welcome back for the new year, then moved to AB 52 by Majority Leader Aguiar-Curry, which would codify the California BIPOC Producer Advisory Committee and the California Small-Scale Producer Advisory Committee in statute. The author and a supporting witness said the committees are important to implementing the Farmer Equity Act and ensuring farmers and ranchers of color and small-scale producers have a meaningful role in CDFA policymaking; several organizations testified in support, and no opposition was heard. The committee then heard AB 230 by Assemblywoman Ransom, which extends the sunset of the Pierce’s disease control program and the Pierce’s disease glassy-wing sharpshooter board to 2037. The author and a representative of the wine grape industry described the program as essential to controlling a disease that threatens grapevines and to supporting research and field efforts funded by federal, industry, and grower assessments. Testimony from the Wine Institute, Family Winemakers of California, California Fresh Fruit Association, and the California Farm Bureau was in support, with no opposition. Both bills were moved on due pass motions to the Appropriations Committee and approved by the committee. AB 230 received eight aye votes and AB 52 later received seven aye votes after the roll was held open for absent members. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Secura Moscow on behalf of Pesticide Action and Agroecology Network and Californians for Pesticide Reform
• Secura Moscow on behalf of Pesticide Action and Agroecology Network and Californians for Pesticide Reform
• This important work is funded through a combination of federal and industry funds and wine grower assessments
• This important work is funded through a combination of federal and industry funds and wine grower assessments

Committee: House Agriculture

Transcript Highlights:

• There are good provisions and reforms in this bill.
• They're good provisions and reforms in this bill.
• Speaker, this is a straightforward good government reform bill.
• Speaker, this is a straightforward good government reform bill.
• It also part of their scope assessment, evaluation, and diagnosis.

Transcript Highlights:

• We assess the risk in the whole county and then go proactively do fuels mitigation around that.
• I don't believe that the insurers are coming out and assessing that property and the clearances that
• This is why we launched the Sustainable Insurance Strategy, the most comprehensive insurance reforms
• This is why we launched the Sustainable Insurance Strategy, the most comprehensive insurance reforms
• And so we can help you do that assessment and help you get the grant that you need to do that.

Transcript Highlights:

• So this is the deal with juvenile reform, which you heard in the State of the State last week, and it's
• And this is about reform of kind of the bureaucracy and process of the juvenile reform system.
• And so I think this reform is, one, good for our communities and then good for our juveniles as well.
• One of those is around criminal legal reform.
• Number two, the JDTA assessment tool is something that is a statistically validated tool.

Committee: House Children and Families

Transcript Highlights:

• What it says is that you really can't assess commercial property more than 15% in an assessment cycle
• So now instead of assessing it market value, are you proposing that there's sort of a phantom assessed
• So now instead of assessing it market value, are you proposing that there's sort of a phantom assessed
• So since we assess, and that's what your bill is addressing, is how a property is assessed regardless
• When a notice is sent advising of a change in the assessed value, the specific assessment method and

Summary: The House established a quorum and then moved to House bills for perfection and printing. House Bill 2189, sponsored by the gentleman from Jasper, would allow five-year vehicle registrations, eliminate the current odd/even model-year registration rule, and limit the five-year option to vehicles six years old or newer. Members asked about emissions and safety inspections, insurance verification, and personal property tax compliance; the sponsor said the Department of Revenue could track those items electronically and that the bill was intended to simplify registration for citizens. House Amendment 1, which set the five-year fee at $45, was adopted, and the bill was then perfected and printed as amended. The House then took up House Committee Substitute for House Bill 1790, a “fair ballot language” bill. The sponsor said it would require clearer ballot language for local tax levies, including stating tax rates in cents and their dollar impact, labeling propositions alphabetically, requiring disclosure when a measure would nullify a prior voter-approved sunset, and closing a loophole in the Hancock Amendment so taxing entities still roll back levies after reassessment while retaining voter-approved increases. Members generally supported the transparency goals, and a brief amendment adding a comma to existing statutory language was adopted. The committee substitute was then adopted, perfected, and printed. House Committee Substitute for House Bill 2178 was then considered, with several amendments. House Amendment 1, offered by the gentleman from Pike, capped assessment increases at 15% over two years and provided a tax credit for amounts above that threshold; after a roll call, it was adopted 92-43. House Amendment 2, from the gentleman from Clay, prevented assessors from reclassifying short-term rental properties from residential to commercial solely because of short-term rental use; it was adopted after debate over whether LLC-owned properties should be treated differently. House Amendment 3, from the gentleman from Jackson, incorporated ballot-language provisions from earlier bills to require clearer labeling and disclosure on property tax measures, and it was adopted. House Amendment 4, also from the gentleman from Jackson, required assessors to disclose valuation methods and supporting data, set a 30-day refund deadline with interest for late refunds, and allowed taxpayers to recover certain litigation costs when appeals succeed; it too was adopted. The bill then continued with discussion of Hancock-by-subclass and related property tax issues, with members debating how the proposal would affect residential, commercial, and agricultural taxpayers.

Transcript Highlights:

• This levy was created in 2001 as a part of a larger property tax reform effort in that year.
• effort in that year property tax reform effort in that year and<00:15:03.800><c> um</c><00:15:03.920
• effort but it has changed a bit reform effort but it has changed a bit since<00:15:45.720><c> then</
• One of the things that the reform effort did was that the school took over not only a larger share of
• That system that the reform effort created really was the basis for the system that we have today.

Committee: House Taxes

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><01:02:13.440><c> of</c> that's not an accurate assessment of that's not an accurate assessment of
• And the best way for us to reform ICE is to keep our laser focused on ICE reform.
• </c> be at the expense of ICE reform. be at the expense of ICE reform.
• </c> reform ICE by passing this bill today. reform ICE by passing this bill today.
• </c> leverage to demand much needed reforms. leverage to demand much needed reforms.

Transcript Highlights:

• In the same year, the pretrial reform task force recommended courts...
• The pretrial reform task force recommended courts implement a wide variety of pretrial services to maximize
• Logan indicated, we have 137 data points that we review monthly to make real-time adjustments and assess
• Our pretrial program, since we went into effect in November of 2021, strives to do a series of assessments
• Within 24 hours, we're assessing risk and needs.

Summary: The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee held a hearing on a State Auditor’s Office performance audit about expanding pretrial services in Washington. Audit staff said most of the 14 courts reviewed wanted to expand or implement pretrial services but faced barriers such as funding, limited community resources, and public safety concerns. They also reported that only three courts could provide usable data, that pretrial service use varied across courts, and that some demographic disparities appeared in the data, including lower rates of pretrial services for Hispanic defendants at two Spokane courts and for Black defendants at Spokane Superior Court. The audit also found that many courts do not collect pretrial data in an accessible format and recommended clearer guidance, better data systems, stakeholder outreach, and evaluation of program effectiveness. The State Auditor’s Office also noted that the Administrative Office of the Courts’ pretrial pilot program had received legislative funding and was being expanded. Representatives from Spokane Municipal Court, Grays Harbor County District Court, and Yakima County discussed their local programs and data. Spokane officials described a robust integrated system and said their pretrial services unit, launched in 2021, had reduced bail use, jail time, failure-to-appear rates, and recidivism, while helping judges make quicker release decisions. Grays Harbor staff echoed the audit’s findings on cost savings and said data collection is labor-intensive for limited-jurisdiction courts, especially without dedicated staff. They also described using risk assessment tools and pilot funding to support alternatives to jail. Yakima and Spokane participants emphasized that stable funding and standalone pretrial services units would improve program consistency and outcomes. Committee members asked about how pretrial services reduce detention time, how courts can better communicate cost savings and public safety benefits, and why statewide data collection is difficult. Audit staff and court representatives said early assessments, better information at first appearance, and integrated case-management systems help reduce jail stays and improve release decisions. The hearing ended without formal committee action, and the chair adjourned the meeting after inviting written public testimony on the audit topics.

Transcript Highlights:

• value exempted and have its annual assessment... ...exempted up to $50,000 of assessed value and have
• its annual assessment change limited to no more than 3% per year.
• property that moves between different assessment practices.
• Senators, this amendment requires the property assessed under this new assessment option to be assessed
• And so we're going to look at the assessment side.

Summary: The Finance and Tax Committee considered several tax-related measures. SB 674, allowing county property appraisers to budget for and pay hiring or retention bonuses with Department of Revenue approval, was supported by property appraisers and reported favorably. C.S. for SJR 318, as amended, would create a tangible personal property exemption for agricultural land used in agricultural production or agritourism; the amendment clarified the property’s location and allowed the Legislature to define conditions, and the resolution was reported favorably with support from Farm Bureau and the Florida Chamber. The committee also advanced C.S. for SB 1664, as amended, which requires locally approved discretionary taxes to be reauthorized by voters when they expire and sets rules for taxes tied to revenue bonds. Local government and tourism-related groups raised concerns about impacts on tourist development taxes, beach funding, transportation surtaxes, and long-term planning, while supporters argued voters should periodically reaffirm taxes; the bill was reported favorably. C.S. for SJR 1510 and its implementing bill, SB 1512, were both amended to sharply narrow a proposed long-term lease property tax exemption to one qualifying property and to single-family homes, mobile homes, and condominiums; counties and cities opposed the measures as tax shifts, but both were reported favorably. The committee then took up SPB 7034, the Senate tax package, which includes permanent sales tax exemptions for certain clothing and bullion, multiple tax holidays, a temporary motor vehicle fee reduction, a property tax study, corporate and insurance tax credit changes, a communications services tax freeze, and other tax provisions, with staff estimating $2.1 billion in total revenue reduction. Testimony included support for studying property taxes and strong opposition to the firearm and ammunition tax holiday from students and advocacy groups, who argued it was unsafe and inappropriate; others urged adding combined reporting or removing tourist development tax changes. After debate, the committee reported the package favorably and also approved a motion to submit it as a committee bill. The meeting ended after Senator Bernard recorded an affirmative vote on tab 5 and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I'm here to talk a little bit about regulatory reform and how we're rolling this out.
• And I'll be back in a few minutes to talk about the regulatory reform and how we're rolling this out.
• And I'll be back in a few minutes to talk about the regulatory reform and how we're rolling this out.
• And so regulatory reform and what this looks like for us is kind of coming from SB 593 of last session
• The supervisor can quickly assess, is this person equipped to do this job in the long-term?

Committee: House Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• We do tailored assessments, particularly for this population, like a Montreal cognitive assessment that
• We do tailored assessments, particularly for this population, like a Montreal cognitive assessment that
• We do tailored assessments, particular for this population, like a Montreal cognitive assessment that
• And, and Cognitive assessment that helps us determine cognitive issues up to and including dementia.
• And we do a fall risk assessment to make sure that we identify people who need additional resources,

Committee: Senate Senate Health and Human Services COR

Summary: The committee first approved the March 11 minutes and heard a presentation from Nathan Smith, CEO of Central Arizona Shelter Services, on homelessness in Maricopa County. He described rising homelessness, especially among older adults, and said CASS uses low-barrier emergency shelter, family shelter, and an older-adult shelter with case management, behavioral health services, and partnerships with outside groups for food, banking, digital access, and other supports. Members asked about collaborations with mutual aid groups and about point-in-time data, and Smith said the county data could be drilled down through AZMAG. The committee then moved to legislation. HB 2248, the Arizona Medical Freedom Act, would bar businesses, schools, and government entities from denying services or employment based on medical interventions, with an amendment allowing schools to limit access during outbreaks or for certain infections. Supporters framed the bill as protecting bodily autonomy and informed consent, while opponents argued it would undermine employers’ ability to prevent disease spread. The committee adopted the amendment and gave the bill a due pass recommendation on a 4-3 vote. HB 2906, requiring one dental board member to be an active oral and maxillofacial surgeon, passed unanimously after testimony that the board needs surgical expertise for complex cases and anesthesia oversight. HB 2189, directing the Nursing Board to adopt rules for licensed health aides and routine ventilator care, also passed with an amendment and a 6-0 vote. HB 2403 appropriates $2.5 million in FY2027 for home and community-based services providers for elderly and physically disabled Arizonans. Supporters said the funding would help retain caregivers, whose wages have lagged for years, and argued home care is cheaper than hospitalization or institutional care; the bill passed 6-0. HB 2731 continued the Physician Assistant Board to 2030 and passed with a technical amendment, and HB 2730 continued the Occupational Therapy Board and passed as well. HB 2729 continued the Nursing Board to 2030; the board said it regulates about 150,000 licensees and handles thousands of complaints annually, and the bill passed 6-0. HB 2728 continued the Department of Economic Security and incorporated several previously vetoed policy provisions affecting SNAP, unemployment, and eligibility/redetermination rules. Speakers in opposition said it would make benefits harder to access and turn a continuation bill into a vehicle for controversial policy changes, while supporters argued it was part of the legislature’s oversight role. The bill passed 4-3. The committee also adopted a strike-everything amendment to HB 2048, which limits utilization controls on FDA-approved non-opioid pain medications relative to opioids; supporters said it would improve access to non-opioid pain treatment and reduce opioid harm, while opponents warned it would bypass clinical review and raise costs. HB 2048 passed 4-3. Finally, HCR 2058 would require a comprehensive claim-level audit of Arizona Medicaid claims and direct recovery efforts for misappropriated funds; supporters said it could recover significant overpayments, while opponents questioned its incentives and overlap with existing oversight. The resolution passed 4-3, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Through this Reform and Investment...
• This is a reform. This is not a simple Band-Aid fix.
• So we've talked a lot about assessments, specifically about follow-up care.
• Secretary, for time's sake, are you engaged in the behavioral health reform effort?
• reforms. the picture that we're looking at in reforms—meaningful reforms.

Committee: House House Appropriations & Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• Last year when we were in the cage and we were negotiating, we had some reforms we were talking about
• We do need to do some reforms.
• I hope we have some reforms that the executive would agree to and we're making the budget, because we
• But the assessment tool is literally just the first step in managing this.
• But the assessment tool is literally just the first step in managing this.

Committee: House House Appropriations Committee of Reference

Summary: The Committee of Appropriations met on January 21, 2026, and first considered House Bill 2116, which would appropriate $1 million in fiscal year 2027 to the Colorado River Litigation Fund. The sponsor and Arizona Department of Water Resources both supported the bill, describing it as a backup measure to protect Arizona’s Colorado River entitlements if post-2026 negotiations among the basin states fail. Members discussed how the bill relates to the governor’s separate Colorado River Protection Fund proposal, and staff clarified the two funds serve different purposes. The committee approved HB 2116 on a 17-1 roll call vote. The committee then took up House Bill 2053, which would provide $100,000 for updated stormwater recharge mapping and expand the work beyond state trust lands to private lands. An amendment in the chair’s name was adopted to extend the coordination timeline, broaden the agencies involved, and revise language about mapped sites and appropriable surface water. The sponsor said the bill is intended to identify more places to capture stormwater for recharge rather than letting most rainfall evaporate. ADWR testified neutrally, supporting the mapping effort but raising a concern about language that could be read as requiring the department to determine whether water is appropriable, which it said is a legal question for the courts. The amended bill passed 11-7. House Bill 2148, as amended, was then heard and approved 11-7. The bill would give the legislature authority to appropriate non-custodial federal monies and set requirements for those appropriations. The chair’s amendment excluded federal research grants to universities, university employees, and the Arizona Board of Regents. The sponsor framed the bill as a transparency measure, saying the legislature should know how federal funds are being spent. No outside testimony was offered, and the committee approved the measure after debate about legislative oversight of federal funds. After the bills, the committee received a lengthy JLBC presentation comparing the executive budget with the JLBC baseline. Discussion focused on revenue forecasts, tax conformity, sports betting, lottery and tourism revenue assumptions, SNAP administrative costs and error-rate penalties, developmental disability and Access caseload growth, and K-12 enrollment and ESA spending. Members repeatedly questioned the executive budget’s use of one-time funding for ongoing costs, especially for SNAP administration and DES staffing, and expressed concern about rising supplemental needs and the lack of long-term budget capacity. No votes were taken on the presentation.

Transcript Highlights:

• Open us per damage assessment and things like that.
• There is no belief that U.S. self-reform is going to happen this year or next year.
• And how do we assess that? How do we quantify that?
• This is where the risk assessment comes in, followed by cybersecurity.
• They're all complying with the same risk assessment. And we'll push that off to vendors and start.

Committee: House Science, Technology & Telecommunications Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• Because of these reforms, automobile insurance rates are scheduled to come down this year between 6 and
• , the fact is this, the Florida Legislature has devoted more time and effort to address insurance reforms
• These escalating assessments have created a gusher of revenue for local governments, and in many places
• We've also had many discussions about condominium reform.
• We've also had many discussions about condominium reform, and I know there were efforts to be made after

Summary: The Florida House and Senate met in joint session to open the 2025 legislative session, receiving the Florida Cabinet, the Florida Supreme Court, and then Governor Ron DeSantis. The session included a prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a motion to appoint a committee to notify the governor that the joint session was ready to receive his message. The committee was appointed, the governor was introduced, and the joint session recessed until his arrival. In his address, Governor DeSantis highlighted Florida’s economic performance, low unemployment, business growth, tourism, and insurance reforms, and urged further action on property insurance, the My Safe Florida Home program, and tax relief. He also called for continued immigration enforcement, praised school choice and teacher pay initiatives, defended higher education reforms, and discussed Hope Florida, hurricane recovery, environmental restoration, and infrastructure. He specifically urged lawmakers to address petition fraud and the constitutional amendment process, condominium reform, and stronger Second Amendment protections. The governor also reviewed prior legislative accomplishments, including tax cuts, parental rights and education measures, anti-DEI actions, law enforcement bonuses, and other conservative policy changes. He thanked legislative leaders and cabinet officials, encouraged continued cooperation over the next 60-day session, and closed by urging lawmakers to build on Florida’s record of productivity. After the governor departed, the joint session voted to dissolve.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> this reform. this reform.
• </c> cost with PBM reform. cost with PBM reform.
• </c> we need PBM reform. we need PBM reform.
• This is PBM reform. it in there. This is PBM reform.
• That's PBM reform. areas. That's PBM reform.

Committee: Joint Public Health and Welfare

Transcript Highlights:

• It's essentially a $5 assessment in any civil case filed.
• It's essentially a $5 assessment in any civil case filed.
• It's essentially a $5 assessment in any civil case filed.
• It's essentially a $5 assessment in any civil case filed.
• It's essentially a $5 assessment in any civil case filed.

Bills: SB 1

Committee: Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• This will include an assessment and evaluation of CBAS services as well.
• AAAs assess unmet need through a variety of methods: community needs assessments, client intake data,
• LAO, do you agree with this assessment?
• Because if the assessment is true, I would like to prioritize this item.
• Because if the assessment is true, I would like to prioritize this item.

Summary: The joint Assembly Budget Subcommittee hearing focused first on long-term services and supports for older adults, especially the “forgotten/overlooked middle” who earn too much for Medi-Cal but cannot afford private long-term care. Administration witnesses from DHCS, the Department of Aging, and Social Services described Medicare’s limited long-term care coverage, Medi-Cal’s role, the elimination of the Medi-Cal asset test, and ongoing state studies and listening sessions on financing options. Testimony from advocates and researchers emphasized rising homelessness among older adults, the need for better navigation and coordination across health, aging, housing, and social service systems, and short-term policy steps such as share-of-cost reform, housing stability supports, and protecting home- and community-based services. Members highlighted the need for a coordinated, no-wrong-door approach and asked for the most impactful budget investments to address affordability and homelessness risk. The second major topic was the Community-Based Adult Services (CBAS) program. CDA reported that CBAS helps participants remain in the community, that 304 centers operate statewide serving about 42,000 people, and that demand is stable but access gaps remain in some regions. DHCS explained that a 2024 rate increase authorized by SB 159 became inoperative after Proposition 35, and that a separate 10% rate change on the fee schedule was the result of a DHCS system error; the department said it would not require recoupment, though managed care plans may act under their contracts. CBAS providers and advocates warned that reimbursement rates have not kept pace with costs, that several centers have closed, and that clawbacks could trigger more closures. They requested $74.8 million ongoing General Fund to close part of the rate gap and preserve the program, while members expressed concern about closures and the cost savings of keeping people out of more expensive institutional care. The hearing then moved to In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) and statewide collective bargaining. CDSS reviewed provider recruitment and retention efforts, including electronic timesheets, direct deposit, and the now-completed IHSS Career Pathways program, which trained more than 59,000 providers. CDSS also summarized its AB 102 workgroup report on statewide versus regional bargaining, saying the final report would be sent to the Legislature soon and that statewide bargaining appeared more viable than regional bargaining, though it would require clear statutory scope and major fiscal changes. The department estimated that each $1 per hour statewide wage increase would cost at least $1.3 billion to $1.5 billion annually. Labor advocates argued that IHSS wages, benefits, and training are too inconsistent across counties and called for statewide bargaining, consumer participation, and ongoing state funding. County representatives supported stronger wages but cautioned that counties need protection from new costs and administrative burdens, and consumer advocates warned that moving bargaining to the state could weaken local consumer control and the program’s consumer-driven structure.