Transcript Highlights:

• very differently than we do for other workers' compensation claims.
• Claims. Please vote no. Further remarks.
• It just makes those individuals eligible to make a PTSD claim on their workers' compensation claim.
• L&I is not equipped to manage... ...that L&I is not equipped to manage these claims in an effective
• to have a hold on your estate, then a complete stranger can lay claim.

Bills: HB1160 , HB1289 , HB1339 , HB1798 , HB1002 , HB1065 , HB1155 , HB1916 , HB2264 , HB1078 , HB1687 , HB1701 , HB1717 , HB1795 , HB1859 , HB2088 , HB2091 , HB2107 , HB2109 , HB2110 , HB2113 , HB2124 , HB2125 , HB2133 , HB2134 , HB2140 , HB2151 , HB2152 , HB2155 , HB2165 , HB2185 , HB2191 , HB2205 , HB2211 , HB2219 , HB2228 , HB2229 , HB2230 , HB2235 , HB2238 , HB2242 , HB2245 , HB2249 , HB2253 , HB2254 , HB2269 , HB2272 , HB2283 , HB2304 , HB2317 , HB2340 , HB2343 , HB2385 , HB2406 , HB2417 , HB2426 , HB2445 , HB2452 , HB2472 , HB2492 , HB2501 , HB2531 , HB2574 , HB2606 , HB2664

Keywords: design review, local government, land use, zoning, project permits, housing density, middle housing, affordable housing, parking minimums, single-family zoning, infill development, growth management, comprehensive plan, permit streamlining, objective development regulations, architectural review, administrative review, transit-oriented development, accessory dwelling units, ADU

Summary: The House convened, established a quorum, recited the Pledge of Allegiance, and heard a prayer. Members approved the prior day’s minutes, referred introduction-sheet bills, and later took up several second- and third-reading bills. Early in the day, the chamber also announced that members could wear Seahawks apparel during floor action the next day. The House passed House Bill 1155, which bans non-compete agreements, after adopting amendments clarifying tribal worker relationships, replacing references to “customer” with “patient” in certain contexts, and requiring notice to current and some former employees that non-competes are void. An amendment to exempt senior executives earning over $350,000 was rejected. The bill passed 65-29. The House also passed House Bill 1002, allowing certain coroners and medical examiners to seek workers’ compensation for PTSD; an amendment to isolate costs to their own risk class was rejected, and the bill passed 70-24. House Bill 2264, clarifying unemployment insurance eligibility for workers who voluntarily participate in layoffs, passed unanimously 94-0. Later measures included House Bill 2110, allowing nurses to accompany inter-facility ambulance transports without also holding EMT licenses, which passed 94-0 after an amendment clarifying training; House Bill 2272, a technical update to ski equipment terminology, which passed 94-0; House Bill 2238, creating a statewide food security strategy, which passed 83-12 after a technical amendment narrowing agency scope; and House Bill 2445, aimed at preventing profiteering in probate estates, which passed 67-28 after a technical amendment. The House also passed House Bill 2109 on securing vehicle loads (95-0), House Bill 2492 requiring behavioral and mental health training for construction workers and apprentices (79-16), House Bill 2472 on licensed contractors for fire sprinkler work (92-3), House Bill 288 joining the dietician licensure compact (93-1), and House Bill 2229 updating the Professional Engineers Registration Act and requiring five years of Washington practice for board members after an amendment (68-26).

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the Infrastructure and Industry Section Manager for the Washington Emergency Management Division.
• They must continuously be assessed, monitored, and managed.
• Back to the incident management assistance, the local capability and capacity is just not there to manage
• The majority of our funding goes to managing FTEs.
• not there to manage medium to large size disasters.

Bills: HB2579

Committee: House Technology, Economic Development, & Veterans

Keywords: public media, digital equity, funding, media access, communication technology

Transcript Highlights:

• The information includes charges of theft and making false claims for health care payments.
• The information includes charges of theft and making false claims for health care payments.
• The first one is Defo Mabrat of Portland, who pleaded no contest last week to making a false claim for
• There's a question from Amelia Templeton: How does Oregon's managed care system affect your ability to
• The question is, how does Oregon's managed care affect our ability to investigate?

Summary: Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield held a press event marking National Health Care Fraud Takedown Day to highlight the state’s Medicaid fraud enforcement work and announce four new criminal filings. He said the Oregon Department of Justice’s Medicaid Fraud Unit, which includes investigators, auditors, attorneys, data analysts, and a nurse investigator, has secured hundreds of convictions and settlements since 2010 and recently received additional staffing from the legislature. He framed the work as bipartisan and aimed at protecting vulnerable Oregonians, recovering taxpayer dollars, and deterring fraud. The announced cases involved alleged provider or vendor fraud rather than Medicaid recipients: Ed Morgan of Beaverton was charged in connection with housing assistance funds tied to a health-related social needs program; Linda Thomas and her company, Gateway of Willamette Valley, were charged with billing Medicaid for day support services not provided; and Amanda Thorne, a former Lane County employee, was charged with using a government credit card for personal purchases. Rayfield also noted recent progress in other cases, including a nurse who pleaded no contest to false billing and theft and was sentenced to jail, probation, and restitution, and a medical transportation company owner recently charged with billing for services not provided. In response to questions, Rayfield said Oregon staff attended a federal meeting on Medicaid fraud despite late notice and political tensions, emphasizing that fraud enforcement should remain bipartisan. He said the federal landscape is complicated by cuts to enforcement staff even as there is talk of increased enforcement, and that states have had to step up. He also said Oregon’s managed care system has not been a major barrier to investigations, which typically begin with complaints and are developed with partner agencies. No votes or formal legislative actions were taken at the event.

Transcript Highlights:

• No claims.
• They've never had a claim.
• And we're not saying that their claims aren't worthy.
• The commission already has and manages these claims using a combination of state and federally cost-shared
• The commission already has and manages these claims using a combination of state and federally cost-shared

Bills: HB99 , HJR5 , HM39 , HB206 , HB213 , SB41 , SB153 , SB165 , SB261 , SB264

Committee: House House Judiciary

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 99, a medical malpractice reform measure. Sponsor Chair Chandler and Minority Leader Armstrong described months of stakeholder negotiations aimed at balancing patient compensation with concerns from physicians, hospitals, and insurers about litigation costs, punitive damages, and access to care. The committee substitute kept the existing monetary damage caps but changed several provisions, including definitions of “occurrence” and “value of medical care,” treatment of future medical expenses, a higher clear-and-convincing standard for punitive damages, a two-step process before punitive damages can be pled, and a lower punitive-damages cap for smaller providers versus a higher cap for large hospital systems. Supporters said the bill would help recruit and retain doctors and stabilize the malpractice market; opponents argued it weakens accountability, especially for corporate and out-of-state hospital systems, and several speakers urged a stronger amendment to preserve patient rights. After debate, the committee voted 10-0 to give the House Judiciary Committee substitute for HB 99 a do-pass recommendation. The committee then heard House Joint Resolution 5, which would amend the state constitution to allow legislative compensation. Sponsors and supporters said paying legislators would make service more accessible to working people, parents, rural residents, and others without independent wealth, and would broaden representation. Several advocacy groups and individual commenters backed the proposal, while members raised questions about the pay formula, with the resolution tying compensation to the state median income. Some members supported the idea but preferred a salary commission or a different mechanism. The committee approved HJR 5 on a 7-3 vote. Finally, the committee began hearing House Memorial 39, which calls for a task force to study the current state of sexual assault examination kits and report on backlog progress. Sponsor Rep. Ferrari and the New Mexico Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs explained that a prior task force a decade ago found more than 5,000 untested kits and led to policy changes, including the Sexual Assault Survivors Bill of Rights and a statewide tracking system. The memorial is intended to reassess whether backlogs remain and recommend further fixes.

Transcript Highlights:

• To be able to manage those members.
• And once again, all payers claims data could help us with that if we had robust all payer claims data
• Management of health in a population.
• So they try to manage within that global budget; they try to manage their pharmaceutical expenditures
• So, contracting for your network, managing the formulary, managing payment.

Committee: House Legislative Health & Human Services Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> don't know because the park management don't know because the park management won't<00:18:49.120
• It's a matter of attitude. with Park management I noticed a placard with Park management I noticed a
• </c><02:53:48.600><c> quote</c> Childhood Cancer and claim quote Childhood Cancer and claim quote reversing
• They're legally required, as I said, to manage under the Clean Air Act.
• </c><02:59:54.319><c> about</c> upgrades so any doomsday claims about upgrades so any doomsday claims

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm government relations manager for the International Code Council.
• </c><01:10:13.280><c> of</c> they will account for the claims of they will account for the claims of
• </c> land whatever agency who has management land whatever agency who has management control<01:15:54.120
• claim claim um<01:42:22.719><c> that</c><01:42:23.199><c> depends</c><01:42:23.520><c> on</c><01:42:
• It’s a different type of claim that we’re dealing with in our courts. Okay, thank you.

Committee: House Housing

Summary: The Committee on Housing held a public hearing on January 31 and heard testimony on a series of housing and building-code bills. The first major item, HB 1 relating to building codes, drew sharply divided testimony. Supporters, including BIA Hawaii, Grassroot Institute, Dr. Horton, and several builders and trade groups, argued the current code-adoption process is slow, fragmented, and costly, and that reform would help housing production. Opponents, including Sierra Club Hawaii, AIA Hawaii, ICC, and labor representative Kiko Bosi, said the bill would weaken public safety, reduce statewide consistency, and could leave tenants and first responders at greater risk. No vote was taken during the hearing, and members asked questions about the effect of a governor’s emergency proclamation suspending the Building Code Council and about county authority over code amendments. The committee then heard HB 745 and HB 1321, both also relating to building codes. Grassroot Institute supported both measures, saying the system is broken and needs streamlining, while BIA Hawaii and others emphasized the cost burden of repeated code updates. Opponents, especially Bosi and ICC, argued that the bills would undermine the State Building Code Council’s role, create confusion, and prioritize cost over safety; Bosi also said labor should be included in any code discussions. Members questioned whether counties can remove state code provisions and whether the state code already supersedes county codes, and one member noted the need for clarity and consistent enforcement rather than a wholesale overhaul. Later, the committee heard HB 284 on housing, HB 761 on county permitting and inspection, and HB 738 on historic preservation. HB 284 drew support from several housing and real estate groups, while DLNR opposed it. On HB 761, HHFDC supported the bill, DLNR warned that the proposed changes could jeopardize Hawaii’s participation in the National Flood Insurance Program, DAGS said it would likely need to duplicate county permitting staff, and the Department of Planning and Permitting opposed it; Grassroot Institute and NAIOP supported it. For HB 738, HHFDC, DLNR, Grassroot Institute, Hawaii YIMBY, NAIOP, and others supported the measure, with Grassroot and NAIOP suggesting clarifications so expedited review would also cover mixed-use projects and better define the scope of work. The transcript does not show any final votes or committee action on these bills during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm a community outreach manager for MOUD clinics across the state.
• I'm the public affairs manager there.
• Our care management program staff coordinate services.
• We employ additional pharmacy support staff to provide medication management for patients managing so
• Solving contract pharmacy and claims data reporting is part of that effort.

Summary: The Senate Health and Long-Term Care Committee held a hearing on several bills. SB 5904 would prohibit non-human entities from using nursing titles; the sponsor and nursing groups said it is meant to increase transparency around AI and ensure patients know when they are interacting with a real nurse. SB 5915 would change Health Technology Assessment Program review criteria and timelines, with supporters arguing it would better account for Medicare coverage and national guidelines, especially for rare and life-threatening conditions. SB 6025 would update the definition of fetal death to allow gestational age to be determined by the best clinically accurate method rather than last menstrual period, and medical professionals and the sponsor said this would reduce emotional, financial, and legal burdens on grieving families. SB 5933 would require near real-time sharing of overdose data into ODMAP; public health, local government, and recovery advocates said it would improve overdose response, while one witness asked that poison center data be included and clarified separately. SB 5990 would allow APRNs and physician assistants to serve as local health officers in counties under 100,000 population; rural county officials supported the added flexibility, while public health groups and naturopathic physicians raised concerns about qualifications and asked that naturopathic doctors be included as well. SB 5981 would restrict drug manufacturers from limiting 340B drug access through contract pharmacies or requiring data as a condition of discounts; safety-net hospitals, community health centers, pharmacies, and patients said it protects access and reinvestment in care, while manufacturers, employer groups, and industry representatives argued it increases costs, lacks transparency, and may not ensure savings reach patients. No votes or final committee actions were taken in the transcript; each bill was heard and testimony was closed. Sign-in counts were reported for several bills, including strong pro support for SB 5904, SB 5915, SB 5933, and SB 5981, and mixed or substantial opposition on SB 6025 and SB 5990.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm here to talk about the West Bank Flood Protection Authority's resources and our ability to manage
• a flood protection authority that is well versed in open meetings, public works contracting, and managing
• So there's no money set aside to pay claims despite the fact of what they've done.
• And this is not a situation like a tort claim where there has to be an appropriation.
• This is a takings claim.

Bills: HR243 , HB939 , SB56 , SB72 , SB129 , SB171 , SB252

Committee: House Transportation, Highways & Public Works

Summary: The committee first adopted Amendment Set 527 without objection, then took up Senate Bill 56 concerning the Lafitte Area Independent Levee District and its possible transfer into the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-West. Amendment Set 5327 was adopted to add a compliance officer with specified qualifications, described as a checks-and-balances measure separating that role from the chief of police. Testimony in support emphasized the district’s limited recurring revenues, the need for professional management, and the West Bank authority’s ability to provide administrative and operational support. A witness for affected landowners raised concerns about unpaid takings claims and urged amendments to preserve liability and avoid litigation, but the committee ultimately reported SB 56 favorably with amendments. The committee then received an update from DOTD Secretary Glenn Laude on the department’s transformation initiatives, including outsourcing operations and maintenance, construction process improvements, faster contractor payment times, quicker change-order approvals, and improved project delivery rates. After that, the committee reported favorably Senate Bill 171, which makes cleanup changes to the new water resources authority, and Senate Bill 252, which updates driver’s license organ-donor authorization to record both yes and no choices. Senate Bill 72, dealing with electronic titles and vehicle registration, was amended extensively to modernize OMV processes, support electronic lien and title transactions, and set standards for secure digital titles; it was then reported with amendments. House Bill 939, which would have created a Louisiana New and Used Motor Vehicle Commission, was converted into a substitute bill creating a Louisiana Vehicle Commission and consolidating the existing new and used vehicle commissions. After discussion of implementation, governance, funding, and employee-transition concerns, the committee adopted the substitute amendments and then deferred the bill. Senate Bill 129, creating a Master Combat Infantry Specialty license plate, was amended to add designated state officials for a related special plate request tied to security and parking around the Supreme Court in New Orleans, and it was reported with amendments. Finally, House Resolution 243, as amended, urged safety warning signage on the Tickfaw River after a fatal boating accident; the amendment shifted responsibility from DOTD to surrounding parish governing authorities, and the resolution was reported with amendments before the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• ... ...earning a Bachelor of Science in Sports Media with a minor in sports management and serving three
• They have claimed not only one national title at the Bass Federation National Championship, but they've
• And also, we're going to repeal a section that claims, that has a chiropractic claims consultant job
• And I just fundamentally reject that claim, that idea.
• Today's young families don't manage their finances with paper checks and in-person bank visits like we

Bills: SR29 , SB667 , SB1466 , SB1942 , SB1989 , SB1670 , SB1716 , SB1521 , SB1273 , SB1433 , HJR1032 , SB1969 , SB1953 , SB1277 , SB1287 , SB1061 , SB1916 , SB1589 , SB2178 , SB1444 , SB1438 , SB1501 , SB1873 , SB1364

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opened with prayer, and then spent much of the session on recognitions and floor introductions. The chamber honored the undefeated Jones High School Longhorns football team for winning the Class 2A-I state championship, recognized Miss Oklahoma 2025 Tessa Darrell, and celebrated the Murray State College bass fishing team for winning its second consecutive national title. The Senate also adopted SR-29, a resolution recognizing February as Black History Month and highlighting Black Oklahomans’ history, civil rights contributions, and achievements; the resolution passed without opposition. The Senate then took up several bills. SB 667, requested by the Board of Chiropractic Examiners, updates chiropractic licensure language, moves to an online licensure portal, and repeals an obsolete consultant position; it passed 45-0. SB 1466 extends the sunset date for the advisory committee on midwifery to 2036; it passed 41-4 and was advanced as an emergency measure. SB 1942, dealing with dental insurance and provider pricing for services not reimbursed by insurance, prompted extended debate over free-market principles, patient costs, and insurance contract limits; it passed 40-3. SB 1989 modernizes the Oklahoma College Savings Plan by allowing contributions through digital payment platforms such as Venmo, Cash App, PayPal, Zelle, and digital wallets; it passed 44-0. The Senate also heard gallery introductions for FCCLA students, including the Bristow chapter and Adair High School students, and welcomed former Senator Judy Easton McIntyre for Black History Month events. Committee and floor announcements followed, including upcoming meetings of Business and Insurance, Administrative Rules, and Technology and Telecommunications. The chamber then adjourned until Monday, February 23, 2026, at 1:30 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> prohibits a board member or management prohibits a board member or management company<00:25:12.080
• </c><00:46:46.640><c> It</c> or a property management company. It or a property management company.
• ><c> companies</c> But currently, some management companies But currently, some management companies
• </c> of how that works with insurance claims. of how that works with insurance claims.
• That elsewhere the term management company is used instead of property management company.

Transcript Highlights:

• All right, the Senate Emergency Management Committee will come to order.
• A 2026 peer-reviewed critique in Nature Human Behaviour found that the Trevor Project's claim of a 72%
• Improving coordination within the Emergency Management Framework at Cal OES. Thank you. Fantastic.
• Even the 911 operators that we just talked about don't have to submit emergency management plans.
• Okay, Senate Energy Emergency Management is hereby reconvened.

Summary: The committee heard presentations on several emergency-management-related bills. AB 1749 would prohibit drones from knowingly or recklessly interfering with wildfire suppression or other emergency response airspace and authorize civil enforcement with penalties up to $75,000 per violation. AB 1540 would restore the 988 “press 3” option for LGBTQ+ suicide prevention, with the author and supporters describing it as a needed crisis lifeline; opponents argued the bill was unnecessary and criticized the Trevor Project. AB 1805 would overhaul oversight of the state’s troubled next-generation 911 project by strengthening the advisory board, requiring quarterly reports, and mandating an independent technical evaluation and audit. AB 1832 would create a statewide 2-1-1 support fund and a community needs dashboard to expand and stabilize 2-1-1 services. AB 2543 would require EV charging operators to develop emergency management plans and identify backup power or charging options during disasters, with opponents arguing it singled out one industry and could slow deployment. Testimony was largely in support of AB 1540, AB 1805, and AB 1832, with many public agencies, behavioral health groups, fire organizations, and local governments backing the measures. AB 1540 drew emotional testimony from a parent who lost a child to suicide, while AB 1805 received support from police chiefs, dispatchers, and the Legislative Analyst’s Office, which discussed the need for an independent technical review of regional versus statewide 911 system options. AB 1832 supporters emphasized that 2-1-1 helps divert non-emergency calls from 911 and provides critical disaster information and referrals. AB 2543 drew opposition from EV charging companies and industry groups, who said the bill imposed unique obligations on private operators and did not address all fuel types. After debate, the committee voted to advance all of the measures. AB 1540 was sent to Senate Health, AB 1749 to Senate Judiciary, AB 1805 to Senate Privacy, Digital Technology, and Consumer Protection, AB 1832 to Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications, and AB 2543 to Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications with amendments to be taken in the next committee. The consent item, AB 1836, was also approved. Final recorded votes were overwhelmingly in favor, with AB 2543 receiving the most opposition but still passing the committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• therapy management, which is my job.
• They also keep a spread on every claim that an independent pharmacy... every claim that an independent
• So, if you manage your plan responsibly—no offense, but I push back on my PBM—you can manage it and be
• When did we start having these pharmacy benefit managers? Having these pharmacy benefit managers?
• Pharmacy benefit managers in statute.

Committee: Senate Banking and Insurance

Transcript Highlights:

• Third reading of the bill, An Act Further Regulating Insurance Claims, Senate No. 785.
• With no insurance standing behind them, there was no one left to investigate a claim, defend it, or pay
• Primary care is where chronic diseases are managed before they become crises.
• You manage chronic conditions and prevent illnesses from developing in the first place.
• Managing chronic diseases like diabetes, emphysema, and heart failure also Managing chronic diseases

Transcript Highlights:

• , crisis leadership, negotiations, and conflict management.
• They had claimed much more than what the settlement is.
• One's a discrimination claim. The other one's a discrimination harassment claim.
• </c> management performance grant program. management performance grant program.
• </c><00:36:23.520><c> already</c> to help pay for the um claims already to help pay for the um claims

Transcript Highlights:

• This reduction is largely due to $945,000 dropping from the investment management fee.
• So last year, we changed our strategic shift from high-cost active management to more cost-efficient
• and Sedgwick Claims Management Service.
• Management and Sedgwick Claims Management Service. Good morning.
• My name is Marsha Pimble, and I'm the CEO for the Office of Risk Management.

Summary: The Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget met on February 19, 2026, and first received an unchanged fiscal status statement and five-year baseline projection from the Office of Planning and Budget. Members approved the fiscal status statement, and the baseline budget was noted as unchanged from the prior month. The committee also approved Facility Planning and Control’s request to add five higher education deferred maintenance projects to the Act 751 eligible list, and reviewed four change orders over $50,000 for informational purposes. The committee then approved the Louisiana Lottery Corporation’s fiscal year 2026-2027 operating budget. Lottery officials reported $610 million in projected gross revenue, emphasized 29 consecutive years without legislative auditor findings or management comments, and noted the corporation’s long-running transfers to the MFP and State General Fund. Members also approved the 2026-2027 operating budgets for LASERS, TRSL, the School Employees’ Retirement System, and the State Police Retirement System en bloc. The retirement systems described modest budget increases or decreases, strong investment performance, and continued progress in reducing unfunded liabilities; members discussed COLA prospects, UAL paydown, and the impact of surplus dollars on retirement debt reduction. The committee approved prior-year deputy sheriff supplemental pay expenditures of $20,262.32 and then approved several legislative intent clarifications for prior appropriations, including items for Tangipahoa Parish, Harahan, Allen Parish, Morgan City, and DeSoto Parish. It also approved the Water Sector Commission’s recommendation for an additional $2.8 million for four ongoing water and sewer projects. Several contract items were reviewed without action, including DEQ’s extension with RTI International, Tourism’s marketing contract amendments, and the Office of Risk Management’s Sedgwick claims administration amendment. The meeting concluded with adjournment after no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• Passage of a claims bill.
• Our claims bill process in its current form is a hot mess.
• Claims bills that make it through the process. There is a funnel.
• Manage that onslaught of claims, but also because the eligibility requirements were so narrow in Florida
• In addition to that, there would be a statute of limitation on the claims.

Bills: SB 2 , HB 2 , HB 2000 , HB 2196 , HB 213 , HB 222 , HB 645 , HB 1458 , HB 1022 , HB 141 , HB 502 , HB 643 , HB 3093 , HB 1700 , HB 117 , SB 503 , SB 2 , HB 120 , HB 20 , HB 150 , HB 6 , HB 100 , HB 210 , HB 215 , HB 1393 , HB 1151 , HB 1268 , HB 142 , HB 451 , HB 124 , HB 2 , HB 2000 , HB 2196 , HB 213 , HB 222 , HB 645 , HB 1458 , HB 1022 , HB 141 , HB 502 , HB 643 , HB 3093 , HB 1700 , HB 117

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:38:24.280><c> to</c><00:38:24.400><c> be</c> 23517 N that allows the claim to be 23517 N that
• allows the claim to be applied<00:38:24.839><c> to</c><00:38:25.040><c> subsequent</c><00:38:25.560>
• </c><00:50:08.359><c> agreement</c> Stadium operating management agreement Stadium operating management
• a credit under this section shall claim any other credit under this chapter for tax years...
• shall claim any other this section shall claim any other credit<01:13:36.040><c> under</c><01:13:36.400

Committee: Senate Ways and Means

Summary: The committees considered a large number of Senate bills, with many measures advanced either unamended or with technical or substantive amendments. Early action included SB 88 and SB 11 SD1, both passed unamended, and SB 562 SD1 and SB 642 SD1, which were passed with amendments reflecting agency testimony. SB 1133 SD1 was amended to remove duplicative county requirements and clarify tax credit carry-forward eligibility, while SB 1569 SD1 on sports wagering was deferred. Later, SB 933 on nonprofit/federal funding support drew strong testimony from nonprofit and health advocates emphasizing the risk of federal funding freezes and the importance of protecting services such as early learning, domestic violence support, housing, and workforce supports; the committee recommended amendments to define eligible organizations, require reporting, and include the Judiciary. SB 934 and SB 935 were also amended, with SB 934 tying mass transit funding to Honolulu project milestones and SB 935 revising retirement-system language to change “fewer than five years” to “five or more years.” The committees then took up additional measures with targeted amendments. SB 1033 was amended to clarify that the bill applies to legal entities, not individuals, though members noted concerns about closely held family corporations and asked that the issue be reflected in the committee report. SB 1166, SB 1249, and SB 1256 were advanced with amendments or committee-report notes reflecting concerns from the Attorney General, Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council, and Hawaii Farmers Union United, respectively. SB 1432 and SB 137, both relating to electric utilities, were amended to require retention of covered employees after mergers or acquisitions and to direct the PUC to consider whether proposed transactions further state policy goals. SB 157 on antitrust was narrowed to focus on coordinator conduct in rental housing markets, SB 252 on invasive species received a defective effective date, and SB 336 on defense of state employers and employees passed unamended. SB 536 on the Hawaii Community Development Authority was deferred to a later hearing, and SB 1064 on medical cannabis was heavily amended to authorize cultivator licenses with limits on canopy size, license counts, physician fees, and a special-fund appropriation for enforcement. In the Ways and Means portion, the committee passed several bills unamended, including SB 19, SB 124, SB 264, SB 345, SB 422, and SB 741 and SB 747 later in the agenda. SB 361 was amended to remove references to the attorney general and delete an appropriation section, SB 438 was amended to redefine buffer zones and landfill-unit language, and SB 441 and SB 494 were amended to blank appropriations and, in SB 494, assign charter-school audit responsibility to the state auditor. SB 659 was substantially amended to promote local procurement, including county-level geographic preferences and higher thresholds for locally sourced purchases, and SB 732 was amended to adjust film tax credit provisions, including the streaming-platform definition and sunset-related language. SB 819 was amended to replace references to “educators” with “teachers.” Throughout, most measures were adopted without recorded opposition, though several members noted reservations on particular bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• association management firm.
• As Chair Bradley said, I'm with Management and Associates.
• I hold the CMCA, which is a certified manager of community associations, AMS, Association Management
• So there comes a point in time, though, that the manager is going to, a management firm is going to have
• imputing the managers, but let's come up with a duty.

Committee: Senate Regulated Industries

Summary: The Committee on Regulated Industries met for a panel discussion on current issues affecting Florida condominiums. DBPR Secretary Melanie Griffin highlighted the department’s expanded condo education, complaint, and ombudsman services under HB 1021, including new online resources, board member certification, increased outreach, and broader complaint jurisdiction. She said the division has filled most of its new positions and that the new condo website is intended to improve transparency and access to records and information. Other panelists focused on insurance, inspections, and market impacts. Insurance agent Mike Clarkson said the condo insurance market remains difficult, especially for older buildings, and raised concerns about roof replacement demands, Citizens’ depopulation practices, and the mismatch between reserve studies and insurer timelines. Building officials representative Ron Laceca described challenges with phase one and phase two inspections, including incomplete databases, limited contractor capacity, and the need for local flexibility and better recordkeeping. University of Florida researcher Bill Hughes said his data show the condo market has not suffered a major overall decline from the new laws; he argued the rules have made costs more transparent and may strengthen the market over time. Community association manager Jamie Ballard said the biggest pressures on associations are rising insurance costs and early roof replacement requirements, and she supported board certification while opposing the continuing education exemption for long-tenured CAMs. In committee discussion, members pressed witnesses on whether recent condo laws caused insurance and roof-cost problems, and witnesses generally said those issues are driven more by the market than by the legislation. Senators also discussed possible reforms, including better data collection, clearer reporting duties for managers, and possible changes to insurance and reserve practices. No votes were taken, and the meeting ended with adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Lastly, it establishes court requirements for an expedited judicial review of a malicious delay claim
• from a class one misdemeanor to a classified felony for an individual who knowingly submits a false claim
• a person or entity of any administrative deficiencies in a claim within 72 hours and approve or deny
• the claim within 10 business days if the deficiencies are corrected or if there are no deficiencies.
• This bill, as you heard, requires Access to notify providers within 72 hours of receiving a claim.

Summary: The caucus reviewed a long list of Senate bills and memorials across several policy areas, with most items presented as consent or third-read measures and little debate. Topics included special license plates for the Arizona Space Commission, local land-use and housing restrictions, liquor regulation updates, limits on municipal delays in permitting and exactions, election equipment security and timekeeping requirements, precinct committeeman vacancy procedures, assisted living and deed-fraud measures, a Freedom of Speech Monument committee, renaming Wesley Bolin Plaza, and a ban on gender transition procedures for minors. Members also discussed health and human services bills on behavioral health technician standards, Medicaid billing during ownership changes, breast cancer screening cost-sharing, naturopathic IV administration authority, safe-haven newborn surrender at hospitals, and access claim-processing timelines. The Judiciary portion covered probation limits for dangerous crimes against children, a civil cause of action related to prohibited gender reassignment surgery on minors, elimination of the statute of limitations for failure to register as a sex offender, probation incentive calculations, victim-rights expense recovery, unlawful flight penalties, vulnerable adult theft definitions, motor fuel theft, unlawful alerting, and evidence rules in sexual-assault-related hearings. In discussion, members asked for clarifications on several bills, including the definitions of “malicious” delay, internet access on election equipment, the scope of the breast screening bill, and the meaning of unlawful alerting. Supporters repeatedly described bills as common-sense, fraud-prevention, patient-access, or public-safety measures, while one member noted a no vote on extending the Vulnerable Adult System Study Committee. Additional measures in land, agriculture, water, public safety, and transportation included foreign-entity restrictions on land transactions, limits on transporting Mexican gray wolf puppies, water reuse and groundwater fee extensions, a larger water supply revolving fund loan cap, congressional memorials on EPA authority and the San Carlos irrigation project, expanded traumatic event counseling coverage, reimbursement of legal costs for certain disciplined law enforcement officers, data sharing with the federal government on unauthorized aliens, roadable aircraft registration, motor vehicle booting rules, military-property sign placement, a towing and impound study committee, photo enforcement penalties, and highway renaming memorials. No roll-call votes were described in the transcript, and the meeting ended after the transportation items and memorials were completed.