Transcript Highlights:

• It's being handled by our enforcement unit.
• They're coming here, and the lead time from order to arrival in the United States can be substantial.
• And what that means is less farm owners and less community and less enrichment.
• concentration of the breeding farms are, almost 25% of the GDP.
• And it puts in great jeopardy the 210,000 acres of horse farms and the open spaces they represent in

Summary: The subcommittee first heard presentations on protecting minors from age-restricted products from the Department of Business and Professional Regulation and the Attorney General’s office. DBPR described its Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco division’s licensing and enforcement work on alcohol, tobacco, nicotine, and hemp sales, including inspections, undercover underage-purchase operations, arrests, and coordination with the Attorney General on hemp and nicotine enforcement. Members asked about trends in youth use, retailer training, use of underage decoys in investigations, and whether additional education or penalties could help reduce sales to minors. The Attorney General’s office then outlined the new nicotine dispensing device directory created under last year’s law, explaining the criteria for listing devices attractive to minors, the notice process for manufacturers and retailers, and enforcement consequences once listed devices become contraband. Members discussed online sales, product descriptions, notice to industry, and whether more outreach to parents, schools, and local partners could help. The committee then took up House Bill 105, which would decouple thoroughbred pari-mutuel permit holders from the requirement to conduct live racing in order to operate card rooms/slot gaming. The bill sponsor said the measure would align thoroughbred permits with other live-event permits and argued the industry is already declining and heavily subsidized, so the Legislature should not force a private business to keep an unprofitable line of business. An amendment by Rep. Yeager was adopted to remove live-racing requirements for thoroughbred permit holders who are card room licensees, broadening the bill’s effect to include Tampa Bay Downs as well as Gulfstream Park. Public testimony was sharply divided: supporters said decoupling would give tracks flexibility and not end racing, while opponents from the thoroughbred breeding and racing industry warned it would undermine live racing, breeding, jobs, farmland, and the broader equine economy. After debate, several members spoke in favor of the bill, emphasizing business flexibility, declining foal counts, and the view that the state should not require a private industry to maintain racing to keep gaming rights. Opponents argued the bill could damage a signature Florida industry and its economic impact. The committee then voted 10-6 to report HB 105 favorably, with several members voting no and some excused. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• To the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under
• This industry is made up of third-, fourth-, and fifth-generation family farms, and they really are a
• And we've also received significant dollars through the farm bill to further that research.
• And we've also received significant dollars through the farm bill to further that research.
• Are we advertising just in Florida and the United States or globally? We do advertise globally.

Committee: Senate Agriculture

Summary: The Senate Committee on Agriculture heard an update on the Florida citrus industry from Matt Joyner of Florida Citrus Mutual and Shannon Shepp of the Department of Citrus. Both described the industry’s steep decline over the past two decades due to citrus greening (HLB), hurricanes, freezes, and aging groves, but emphasized ongoing recovery efforts through research, replanting, and new therapies. They highlighted promising tools such as plant growth regulators, protective screens and covers, direct oxytetracycline application, CRISPR-based breeding, and the CRAFT program, which has expanded to more than 10,000 acres of solid-set plantings and over 20,000 acres including resets. Members discussed disaster relief, property tax pressures, grower participation, and the need for assessment relief and other state support. No votes were taken on the citrus presentation. Shepp also outlined the Department of Citrus’s marketing and research role, noting strong consumer demand for Florida orange juice, global advertising efforts, and clinical research tied to health messaging. She said the industry remains a major economic contributor, with thousands of jobs and billions in economic impact, and that the department is working to maintain demand while growers replant and reset groves. Senators asked about the CRAFT program, new grower participation, and how advertising and state policy could help sustain the industry. The committee then received a performance review of the Opa-locka Soil and Water Conservation Districts from David Jahossky of Malden and Jenkins. The review found wide variation among the 49 districts studied, with many lacking recurring revenue, staffing, proper meeting notices, records retention, formal performance goals, and timely financial reports. The report identified nearly 400 recommendations and noted that some districts had already dissolved or were considering dissolution. Senators questioned whether the districts were duplicative of other agencies and whether they still served a useful purpose; the presenter said there was overlap and collaboration but no duplication. A public commenter from Jefferson County argued that local boards still provide trusted, community-based support for producers and help connect them to cost-share and best management practice programs. The chair indicated the review would inform possible legislation to improve or restructure the districts, and the committee adjourned without taking a vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, please join me in reciting our nation's pledge: I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United
• For those of you who don't follow farming or ag news, I know that's only a few.
• For those of you who don't follow farming or ag news, I know that's only a few of you because you're
• cool thing about Kalinga, where Samantha is from, is that their high school has a community student farm
• According to the United States Chamber of Commerce, ...resigning to purely recovery-oriented efforts.

Summary: The Assembly met after a quorum call and prayer, then proceeded through routine procedural business, including unanimous-consent motions to suspend rules, re-refer several Senate bills to committees, and remove certain items from the consent calendar. Members also offered multiple guest introductions recognizing local officials, students, interns, and business delegations, including the Harupa Community Services District, a National FFA scholarship winner, Japanese business leaders, and a Stanford-bound student from the Central Valley. On the floor, the Assembly concurred in Senate amendments to AB 390, expanding the slow down, move over law to stationary vehicles, by a vote of 60-0, and to AB 1478, allowing retailers to absorb mattress recycling fees, by a vote of 63-0. The Assembly also adopted AJR 12, a bipartisan resolution urging protection and increased funding for Head Start, after extensive supportive testimony from members describing personal and district-level impacts; the resolution passed 70-0, with 69 co-authors added. The chamber likewise adopted ACR 96 naming a portion of Highway 101 in Humboldt County the Patty Berg Memorial Highway, and SCR 50, which calls for better state review of climate-adaptation policies to avoid maladaptation; both measures passed unanimously. The second-day consent calendar was then approved unanimously, with several measures adopted and some items removed or retained on file. The Assembly also approved co-authorship on ACR 81, the Border Patrol Agent Daniel R. Salazar Memorial Highway resolution. The session concluded with numerous adjournment-in-memory tributes, especially for Rincon Tribal Council Chairman Bo Mazzetti and former legislative secretary George Steffes, followed by a moment of silence and adjournment until Monday, July 14 at 1 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> United States selects its own judges. United States selects its own judges.
• </c> President of the United States. President of the United States.
• </c> disagree, and most importantly, unite. disagree, and most importantly, unite.
• </c> Indiana, Indiana, and the United States. Indiana, Indiana, and the United States.
• </c><09:36:38.240><c> So,</c> United States. So, United States.

Bills: HR713 , HB5143 , HB5125 , HR722 , HB3481

Keywords: censure, Ilhan Omar, Committee removal, ethical conduct, freedom of speech, political discourse, law enforcement, vehicular pursuits, public safety, District of Columbia, policing standards, judicial reforms, nominations, executive power, termination of commission, appropriations, fiscal year 2026, government resolution, continuing funding, legislative process

Transcript Highlights:

• In the United States, it's mostly done at the university level, and they do a great job up there, but
• And we're losing more and more farms every year, and that is a threat to our business.
• And we're trying to keep people interested in farming.
• want to come back to the farm and do, and not necessarily move away to greener pastures.
• We have six employees that are spread throughout the United States, three for food service and three

Committee: House Agricultural Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> farming programs, it's all farming? farming programs, it's all farming?
• Uh the Hawaii Farm Hawaii Farm Bureau.
• farming.
• So any uh like Farm about real farming.
• Brian Miamoto, Hawaii Farm<01:19:47.600><c> Bureau.</c> Farm Bureau. Farm Bureau.

Bills: SB874 , SB2097 , SB2098 , SB2126 , SB2154 , SB2153 , SB2160 , SB2123 , SB2110

Committee: Senate Agriculture and Environment

Summary: The committee heard several agriculture-related bills. SB 874 on veterinary medicine would require veterinarians, upon a client’s request, to provide a written prescription for an animal patient in an existing veterinary client-patient relationship, allow Hawaii-licensed pharmacies to dispense those prescriptions, and authorize the Veterinary Medicine Board to set penalties. Testimony was overwhelmingly supportive, with supporters citing lower costs and consumer choice; the Hawaii Veterinary Medical Association said veterinarians already should be doing this and supported the bill if amended. One testifier in opposition argued the bill needed a conspicuous notice requirement so pet owners know they can request prescriptions. Committee members and the Department of Agriculture said they were not aware of widespread problems, and discussion focused on whether the measure was already consistent with current practice and whether amendments would address remaining concerns. The committee also heard SB 2097, which would create a climate-resilient food systems grant program in the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity and appropriate funds. The department, Hawaii Farm Bureau, Hawaii Farmers Union, Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council, and others supported the bill, saying it could help farmers and ranchers invest in resilience, infrastructure, and technology. Several testifiers asked for clearer definitions, especially for terms like “food hubs” and “resilience hubs,” and suggested adding technical assistance and clearer eligibility criteria. The department explained the program was intended for shovel-ready projects in the middle of the supply chain, with a focus on farmers in a certain revenue range, and said it was modeled on a USDA program. SB 2098 would establish a clean plant program to produce and distribute disease-free plant material to growers, nurseries, and other producers. Testimony was supportive, emphasizing biosecurity, nursery industry needs, and preventing invasive species and crop disease. The department described the program as using tested clean stock, tissue culture facilities, and data collection to support future planting decisions, and estimated a two-year ramp-up. Members questioned whether the program duplicated existing work at CTR/other partners and whether data collection should be centralized, but the department said the effort would build on existing varieties and partnerships rather than overlap them. Finally, SB 2126 would create a conventional farming grant program for small and midsize conventional farmers. Supporters from the department, Hawaii Farm Bureau, and Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council said conventional agriculture deserves support and that the bill would help increase food production. Opposition and comments focused on the bill’s exclusion of organic farmers; one farmer said the measure was unfair unless amended to include organic producers, while a Farmers Union witness said the bill was too vague about the grant’s purpose and should be clearer about its goals. In response to questions, the department said the exclusion of organic farming was not intentional and that the bill was meant to support all agriculture, though no vote or final action was taken in the excerpt provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Please stop with the data center, solar farms, wind farms, high-voltage transmission lines.
• I come from a farming family too.
• we have farmed for 100 years.
• There is a solar farm not far away, and that solar farm has caught fire three times.
• It would be devastating for our farm.

Committee: House Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• He<00:07:02.000><c> farmed.
• Their farm family and the family farm has also been a home for workshops, farm visits, and open houses
• Their farm family and the family farm has also been a home for workshops, farm visits, and open houses
• </c> farms, including over 6,800 family farms farms, including over 6,800 family farms in<06:55:22.000
• </c> weapons right here in the United States. weapons right here in the United States.

Bills: HR539 , HB4275 , HB3357 , HB1549

Keywords: LaMonica McIver, censure, House of Representatives discipline, Homeland Security Committee, removal from committee, Newark, Delaney Hall, immigration detention facility, federal officers, assault on federal officer, resisting arrest, interfering with federal officers, ICE, Homeland Security Investigations, HSI, congressional ethics, House resolution, disciplinary resolution, 18 U.S.C. 111, immigration enforcement

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, you know, Farm Bureau as of now.
• And often times to what that farm is.
• </c><01:10:29.600><c> to</c> wanting to take a piece of his farm to wanting to take a piece of his farm
• </c> center, or any farm with a factory. Mr. center, or any farm with a factory.
• I've got multiple different farms.

Summary: The committee first approved the June 10, 2025 minutes, then took up House Bill 198, Angela’s Law, sponsored by Representative Samara Heavrin. The bill would add a new aggravating circumstance in death-penalty cases when an offender abuses the corpse of a kidnapping or murder victim by engaging in deviate sexual intercourse, sexual intercourse, or sexual contact. Representative Heavrin and the victim’s parents described the underlying case and argued the current law does not adequately account for postmortem sexual abuse, leaving the offender parole-eligible despite the family’s view that the conduct warranted harsher punishment. Several members expressed sympathy and support, and one member suggested the proposal should be drafted carefully so it would apply broadly enough to cover co-conspirators or multiple offenders. No vote on the bill was taken in the portion provided. The committee then heard an informational presentation on KRS Chapter 202C from Judge Lisa Payne Jones and Shauna Mitchell of the Kentucky Judicial Commission on Mental Health. They explained that Chapter 202C, enacted in 2021 to close a gap in the civil-commitment statutes, applies to respondents found incompetent to stand trial who are charged with qualifying serious offenses such as capital offenses, certain Class A and Class B felonies causing death or serious injury, rape in the first degree, or sodomy in the first degree. The process begins with a Commonwealth’s petition, followed by a prompt evidentiary hearing, appointment of a guardian ad litem, and then a commitment hearing if the offense is proven. The presenters outlined the procedural standards and recent statutory changes. At the evidentiary hearing, the Commonwealth must prove the charged offense by a preponderance of the evidence before a judge, with the respondent able to present defenses; if the Commonwealth fails, the respondent must be released. If the case proceeds, the commitment hearing requires proof beyond a reasonable doubt of at least one involuntary-commitment criterion, and the hearing may be before a jury if requested. They noted that a 2024 amendment changed the commitment criteria from requiring all four factors to only one, and added language about recent criminal behavior and prior involuntary hospitalizations under Chapters 202A or 202B. If commitment is ordered, the respondent is placed in a designated forensic psychiatric facility, currently KCPC.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have, in this case, a family farm in the Snohomish Valley, Thomas Family Farm, that does farming and
• So it's literally saving these farms and continuing to keep them operating.
• Thomas Family Farm undertook some improvements of their property.
• , and getting, you know, 30 or 40 kids out on the farm, picking Cosmic Crisp off the tree, wandering
• grown and the future of our state's economy. ...that don't have access to farms to where our food is

Bills: SB5903 , SB6037 , SB5983 , SB5995 , SB6016 , SB6066

Committee: Senate Local Government

Keywords: cemetery districts, elections, local governance, public policy, administrative procedures, fire protection, districts, emergency services, funding, legislation, tax exemption, land transfer, governmental entity, property tax, current use classification, zero emission, cargo handling, port district, environmental impact, grant allocation

Transcript Highlights:

• Relating to the required proof of the lawful presence in the United States for the issuance of a driver's
• H.B. 597 by McGean relating to the issuance of excess growth weight permit from the farm tractors on
• the farm to market and ranch to market. 142 services to survivors of certain military—Texas military
• , rescinding the automatic recession of certain applications made by the Texas Legislature to the United
• And under the Article V of the United States Constitution, we're proposing an amendment to that Constitution

Transcript Highlights:

• But we know in Idaho that water is life, and it's the lifeblood of our farms, the strength of our ranches
• May it become a quiet act of trust, a united appeal to God who hears his people pray. Let's pray.
• until 2003, where she supervised inmates and assisted in maintaining order and safety within housing units
• President, I've grown up on the farm, lived on the farm all my life.
• I also have a long farm, and I know the importance of the water. This is fine.

Transcript Highlights:

• ag hearing about the need for an agrivoltaics definition, both from the commissioner as well as our farm
• I know we have a brand-new member of opposition from the Farm Bureau on this one, citing the same things
• You heard this in the hearing as well: there are over 60 different food labels across the United States
• You heard this in the hearing as well: there are over 60 different food labels across the United States
• Do these labeling requirements apply to— it says retailers—does it apply to farmers markets, farm stands

Committee: Senate Agriculture

Summary: The Agriculture Committee met for its first 2026 meeting and took up a full agenda of bills focused on food safety, agricultural programs, consumer transparency, and farm-related policy. Early measures included S.592 on a youth and agriculture entrepreneurship summer employment program, which was reported to finance without opposition, and S.1239E, the Food Safety and Technical Disclosure Act, which would require disclosure of certain food ingredients to the state and public and also ban three substances outright. Senator Kavanaugh described the bill as closing a loophole in federal food safety law; Senator Borrello opposed it as a state-by-state approach that could raise costs and disrupt the supply chain, while Senator O’Rourke supported it as a science-based measure with available substitutes. The bill was reported back to the board with one no vote and one without recommendation. The committee also advanced S.1783A on liquefied petroleum/propane fee disclosures, with supporters saying it would prevent consumers from being charged for improper or hidden fees and opponents arguing it should not single out state-related charges; the bill moved to the board. S.4041, creating a sanitary retail food store grant program, was reported to finance. S.4162, relating to the Fresh Connect program and local produce purchases, prompted discussion about whether state resources should instead be concentrated on the Double Up Food Bucks program; sponsors said both programs are needed and that Double Up has capacity limits, and the bill was moved to finance. Later, the committee advanced S.6286A, establishing an agricultural tax viability pilot program tied to agrivoltaics; supporters said it would address a need raised in recent hearings and work with farm groups, while Senator Borrello voted no. The final bill, S.7618 on food safety and quality date label requirements, drew debate over whether New York should act without a federal standard and whether the bill could create confusion or unintended costs, especially for dairy and other perishables. Supporters said the bill would reduce food waste and simplify the many existing date labels without forcing new labeling on those who do not already use it; members also discussed refrigeration references in the bill, and the sponsor said the language could be adjusted. The committee then adjourned and announced that future meetings will be held on the third floor in the new location.

Transcript Highlights:

• We used to do things like rock aggregate asphalt per unit cost.
• We used to do things like rock aggregate asphalt per unit cost.
• If you look on Strain farms, I have some very modern trailers.
• And different types of farm equipment. And so do most of my farmers.
• Many trailers are built there on the farm.

Bills: HB309 , HB487 , HB503 , HB590 , HB606 , HB679 , HB693 , HB695 , HB707 , HB720 , HB728 , HB733 , HB746 , HB777 , HB846 , HB849 , HB856 , HB868 , HB873 , HB875

Committee: House Transportation, Highways & Public Works

Summary: The House Transportation Committee met on March 16 with a quorum present and first deferred three local bills at the sponsor’s request: HB 590, HB 679, and HB 873. The committee then advanced HB 503, which cleans up prior local language for Golden Meadow by removing a reference to electric golf carts and updating the definition of utility terrain vehicles; the technical amendment set was adopted and the bill was reported with amendments. HB 720, dealing with tacit dedication of roads and preserving historic public access to waterways and related access points, was reported favorably after members agreed to continue working on the amendment language before floor debate. The committee spent substantial time on HB 309, which originally made it a crime to walk in a crosswalk while looking at a cell phone. After amendments converted the proposal to a $25 civil fine and added a rebuttable presumption of liability for damages, members from both parties raised concerns about enforceability, tourism and urban pedestrian patterns, free-will and overreach arguments, and the lack of data tying the conduct specifically to crosswalk crashes. The author argued the measure was intended to promote situational awareness and reduce pedestrian injuries and fatalities, but after opposition testimony the bill was voluntarily deferred. Members then reported HB 856, which expands DOTD’s use of indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity construction contracting and adds the Office of Louisiana Highway Construction, after technical amendments clarified the contracts are for construction-phase work. HB 487, increasing penalties for drivers who use shoulders or turning lanes to bypass red lights, was reported with a technical correction after police support testimony. HB 846, prohibiting license plate coverings or films that obscure plates, was reported favorably after law enforcement support and discussion of clear frames versus obscuring covers. HB 733 and HB 875, both tied to OMV fee and lapse-of-insurance recommendations from the Legislative Auditor, were reported with amendments adjusting grace periods and offense timing. The committee also took up HB 695 on consensual non-commercial towing permits. After extensive questioning about whether the bill applied to multiple vehicles, interstate travel, OMV implementation, and the practicality of an honor-system QR code permit, the sponsor agreed to amend the bill to cover multiple vehicles and then voluntarily defer it for further work with OMV and State Police. HB 777, requiring a driver’s license renewal knowledge exam, was amended at the department’s request and then voluntarily deferred for further review. HB 868, prompted by a fatal trailer accident involving a farmer’s wife, would require trailers to meet safety-chain and braking standards consistent with manufacturer specifications or federal standards; after concerns from members and the Agriculture Commissioner about impacts on older farm equipment, the bill was reported with amendments. Finally, HB 707 moved the LPG Commission’s marketing functions to the Department of Agriculture and Forestry and was reported with a technical amendment, HB 693 on legislative district highway signs was voluntarily deferred after amendments, and HB 746 on local oversized trucking permits opened a broader discussion about parish-by-parish permit disparities, with the sponsor proposing a one-year moratorium on new local standards while stakeholders work toward a more uniform system.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Constitution and Government of the United States and of the State of Florida, that I am duly qualified
• I appreciate your dedication to Florida farm families and the communities that surround them.
• Attacking food insecurity unites Floridians across the political spectrum like nothing else I've ever
• It's uniting. It's powerful. It's the right thing to do.
• The feature of the product, grown or produced with the hands of Florida's hardworking farm families.

Summary: The Florida Senate convened for the opening of the 2026 regular session with prayer, presentation of colors by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Honor Guard, the Pledge of Allegiance led by children in the chamber, and a performance of the national anthem by the FAMU Marching 100. Newly elected Senator Ralph Massullo was certified and sworn into office by Chief Justice Carlos Muñiz, and several current and former state officials and senators were recognized in the chamber. The Senate then adopted Senate Concurrent Resolution 1466 to convene in joint session with the House to receive the Governor’s message, waived the rules to immediately certify the resolution to the House, and notified the House and Governor that the Senate was ready to proceed with the 2026 regular session. In remarks, Senate leadership and the President discussed priorities including rural Florida, agriculture, citrus recovery, food insecurity, affordability, tax relief, balanced budgets, and the importance of deliberation and checks and balances. The President also highlighted recent and planned initiatives such as the Farmers Feeding Florida program, rural health care investment, and property tax relief, while emphasizing faith, service, and cooperation in the chamber. Senator Gates announced that 52 executive appointments would be taken up the following day. The session concluded with a benediction by Senator Massullo and adjournment until the next scheduled meeting, with the Senate set to meet later in joint session with the House.

Transcript Highlights:

• The USDA did it with a farm labor stabilization protection pilot program, which our work informed the
• Clean unites car washers to a growing and innovative worker center movement that aims to improve the
• That’s part of our bargaining unit.
• And what we’ve seen is we’ve seen a lot of...” “...of our bargaining unit.
• Yes, I'm Kimberly Clark, the executive director of the California Farm Labor Contractor Association.

Committee: Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement

Summary: The Senate Labor and Public Employment Committee held an oversight hearing on federal policy impacts on California’s labor market. In opening remarks, the chair argued that federal actions, including immigration enforcement, tariffs, and cuts to safety-net programs, are harming workers, employers, and communities, and said the committee wanted to document impacts and identify state responses. The first panel featured economist Enrique Lopez Lira of UC Berkeley, who described slow job growth, wage pressures, high housing and care costs, and the large share of California workers in low-wage jobs. He said federal cuts to Medi-Cal and SNAP/CalFresh and increased immigration enforcement would worsen insecurity, especially in health care, retail, hospitality, agriculture, and care work. The chair asked about recession indicators, middle-wage stagnation, and which sectors rely most on safety-net programs, and Lopez Lira said worker organizing and unions were a source of hope. A second panel focused on federal immigration enforcement. UC Merced’s Edward Orozco Flores presented research finding that private-sector employment in enforcement-targeted states fell during escalated enforcement periods, with California experiencing unprecedented declines in 2025. He urged policymakers to consider wage-replacement or stimulus-style support for affected workers, including excluded workers who cannot access unemployment insurance. Shannon Sedgwick of the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation said undocumented workers are deeply embedded in the county economy, generating substantial economic activity and supporting over a million jobs. She reported that intensified enforcement in Los Angeles County was associated with business disruptions, reduced sales and customer traffic, workforce instability, lower transit ridership in vulnerable areas, and losses from the downtown curfew. Committee members asked about impacts on small businesses, tax revenue, and recovery, and witnesses pointed to local resiliency funds, business toolkits, and know-your-rights efforts as partial responses. The hearing then heard from worker representatives. Flore Melendres of the Clean Car Wash Worker Center said car washes have been heavily targeted by federal agents, with hundreds of workers taken from workplaces, many businesses disrupted or closed, and workers living in fear; she urged support for AB 2271 to provide financial benefits to families who lost income because of DHS activity. California Nurses Association president Michelle Gutierrez-Vos said H.R. 1’s Medi-Cal and Covered California cuts threaten hospital finances, jobs, and patient care, and she backed CalCare (AB 1900), a hospital closure moratorium, and more support for nursing education. UAW 4811 president Rafael Jaime said federal research cuts are putting UC research funding and postdoctoral jobs at risk and endorsed SB 895, a proposed bond measure for health and scientific research. AFGE representatives Wallace Wade and Kendrick Roberson described the strain on federal workers during shutdowns, unpaid work, staffing losses, and the effects on TSA, Social Security, VA services, and worker housing stability; they supported SB 1155 to protect federal workers from eviction. Committee members thanked the witnesses and said the testimony showed both the human and economic consequences of federal policy. In the final panel, employer groups began responding to the same federal pressures. California Retailers Association president Rachel Michelin said retail is a major private-sector employer and a key entry point for young workers, and that retailers are seeing the effects of rising costs, supply-chain shifts, and consumer pressure at the checkout counter. The hearing continued with additional employer testimony beyond the provided excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• As you may know, we have a special reviews unit right now.
• </c><01:00:16.720><c> registering</c> notary and apistile unit registering notary and apistile unit registering
• farm nor any other entity for that matter.
• </c><01:25:36.800><c> nor</c><01:25:37.040><c> other</c> your farm nor any other farm nor other your
• farm nor any other farm nor other any<01:25:37.520><c> other</c><01:25:37.760><c> entity</c><01:25:38.080

Bills: HF1151 , HF1239 , HF1240 , HF2020 , HF2514 , HF2515 , HF2451

Committee: House State Government Finance and Policy

Keywords: Compensation Council, salaries, state officials, judicial compensation, legislative process, public funds, misuse, law enforcement, accountability, state government, legislative auditor, compliance, transparency, retirement benefits, health insurance, dependents, state employees, Medicare, legislative studies, government oversight

Transcript Highlights:

• That Heart Initiative has a farm initiative, which is looking at how we can help Arkansas.
• I've just been proud to support our farm-to-school program.
• So do the farm-to-school folks need to coordinate with the regional people to get funds for that?
• I've just been proud to support our farm to school program.
• And so I have a lot of farms, small farms in Pulaski County, southeast area.

Summary: The committee heard extensive public testimony from youth advocates and public health speakers urging action on vaping. Witnesses said flavored products and social media are driving youth use in Arkansas, described nicotine addiction and health harms, and asked lawmakers to prohibit vaping in public indoor spaces, align vape rules with smoke-free laws, and expand prevention efforts. Committee members thanked the speakers and encouraged them to continue building support for future legislation. The main presentation was an overview of Arkansas’s Rural Health Transformation Program, a five-year federal initiative funded through CMS. State officials said Arkansas received about $209 million for the first year and may receive roughly $1 billion over five years if performance is strong. They emphasized that the program is intended for targeted, locally driven transformation rather than general operating support, debt relief, or new construction, and outlined four initiatives: Heart, PACT, Rise, and Thrive, focused on prevention, access and coordination, workforce development, and technology. Officials said applications would open in the spring, with a reimbursement-based process and a goal of launching all four initiatives by June. Members asked detailed questions about eligibility, rural definitions, school gardens, faith-based and nonprofit partnerships, mobile clinics, EMS, behavioral health, residency slots, and whether urban providers serving rural patients could apply. Officials said the program would favor regional collaboration, could support targeted renovations and expansion of existing programs, and would allow residency growth and some equipment or infrastructure purchases, but not food purchases or permanent new construction. They also said a committee of state health and finance officials would review applications, with heavy technical assistance and an expectation of quick turnaround. The committee also reviewed two DHS/Health Department rules. One implemented Medicaid and CHIP coverage and care coordination for eligible incarcerated youth before and after release, including targeted case management and screening services, with no public comments received. The other updated audiology licensing rules to reflect recent acts expanding scope of practice and changing the renewal deadline. Both rules were reviewed without objection, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Two of these supervisors must be landowners or operators of a farm.
• , misrepresents cash flow, and puts farms at risk.
• With three major wind farms and several solar farms, our local taxpayers have experienced the inherent
• With three major wind farms and several solar farms, our local taxpayers have experienced the inherent
• I supervised the domestic violence unit.

Bills: HB1316 , HB2401 , HB2557 , HB2720 , HB1073 , HB2685 , HB2640 , HB2403

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: postsecondary education, homelessness, foster youth, education access, support programs, commission, gender equity, boys, men, advocacy, state policy, special education, parental rights, educational access, evaluation reports, disability services, behavioral health, emergency services, health insurance, provider access

Transcript Highlights:

• Mina Kahaota, Maui County Farm Bureau in support.
• Mina Kahaota, Maui County Farm Bureau in support.
• </c> Maui County Farm Bureau in support. Maui County Farm Bureau in support.
• Only the Farm So, 65 people in support.
• </c> be feasible for each individual farm be feasible for each individual farm operation operation operation

Committee: Senate Economic Development and Tourism

Summary: The committee heard multiple governor’s messages for confirmation to the Agribusiness Development Corporation board and one appointment to the Aloha Stadium Authority. For GM 606, David Ige Hinazumi was supported by ADC and DBEDT, with testimony highlighting his private-sector experience, technology background, and ability to help with risk management and finances. He told senators he had attended board meetings since 2018, saw ADC as a state business arm for agriculture, and supported expanding land, facilities, and even aquaculture if resources allowed. Senators asked about ADC’s role relative to the Department of Agriculture, and he said the department’s strength is research/regulatory work while ADC should focus on business development, support, and facilities for farmers and aquaculture businesses. For GM 607, Jason Watts was strongly supported by ADC leadership, DBEDT, and many agricultural and community groups, with one opposing testimony from Hawaii Farm Bureau. Supporters praised his governance, accountability, transparency, and frequent communication with the agency. In questioning, Watts said ADC’s top priority should be increasing land holdings, and he discussed ADC’s role in water systems, including preserving agricultural water sources and inventorying systems statewide. He also said ADC could potentially help small farmers comply with environmental permitting through a broader, regional approach if authorized by the Legislature. The committee also heard from Joshua Uyehara for GM 682, who was supported by ADC, county officials, and farm groups. He said his priorities would be accelerating ADC projects, expanding capacity, and possibly using ADC as a center of expertise for water systems and for helping farmers with environmental requirements; he also said biofuel crops and food production can be complementary, though food should be prioritized when water is constrained. The committee then considered GM 513, Tracy Lester Smith’s appointment to the Aloha Stadium Authority. The stadium authority and DBEDT supported her, citing her experience in NASCAR, boxing, and Bellator MMA as useful for marketing, attracting events, and commercializing the stadium. Smith said she was eager to serve and would bring experience from both the landlord and tenant perspectives, helping the board think about venue operations, sponsorships, and event attraction. Senators asked about improving public perception and execution, and she emphasized accountability, timelines, and building a venue that can draw major sports and entertainment events. No votes or final actions were taken in the portion of the hearing provided.