Transcript Highlights:

• The GLO has expended more than $8.6 billion in disaster relief. recovery and mitigation funding to date
• in general revenue to enhance and strengthen the GLO's cybersecurity capabilities in the areas of risk
• resources within the Houston area within Harris County and today at a billion dollars in flood mitigation
• So these projects with habitat restoration also help with resiliency towards hurricane and flood mitigation
• On it not being there, that's certainly a risk we can take, but It could be the consequences, but one

Bills: SB1, SB 1

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• hazards are and um we we perform a risk hazards are and um we we perform a risk assessment<00:12
• Planning and training exercises to control and mitigate those diseases.
• <00:31:52.080> We control and mitigate those diseases.
• We control and mitigate those diseases.
• understand what their on the farm risks understand what their on the farm risks are<00:42:51.680

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee met to adopt the minutes of the second meeting by voice vote, then heard an update focused on disaster preparedness, resiliency, response, and coordination among state agencies and partners. The chair emphasized avoiding duplication of resources and highlighted the importance of agriculture-related response issues, including animal evacuation, feed distribution, and the role of extension services during disasters. The Department for Public Health was invited to explain its role in emergency planning and response. Public Health described its Emergency Preparedness and Response Branch as the lead coordinating agency for Emergency Support Function 8, covering health and medical services under Kentucky’s emergency operations framework. Testimony outlined its broad responsibilities, including support for hospitals, morgues, local health departments, behavioral health, crisis counseling, suspicious package testing, disease outbreaks, and coordination with emergency management, EMS, transportation, and nonprofit and private partners. Officials also described the agency’s risk-assessment process, training and exercise programs, and deployed assets such as PPE caches, deployable communications, a federal medical station, a mobile treatment center, and alternate care support used in events like the eastern Kentucky floods and COVID-19. The agency also discussed funding through federal cooperative agreements for public health emergency preparedness and hospital preparedness, noting that these programs have evolved since 9/11 and have been shaped by major disasters and emerging threats. Officials said Kentucky’s funding has declined over time and that current awards are partially funded for the first time in the program’s history. They expressed support for efficiency if federal programs are consolidated, but cautioned that combining programs could risk further funding losses.

Transcript Highlights:

• In doing so, it creates a serious risk that individuals will be misclassified.
• It only increases the risk that the most vulnerable people will be wrongly subjected to the harshest
• One victim risked her life to save mine five months before she was killed, working extra duty.
• They at that time had him assessed for intellectual ability and any other mitigating factors that may
• They at that time had him assessed for intellectual ability and any other mitigating factors that may

Keywords: 974, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Foster youth and students experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness.
• Youth and students experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness.
• Youth and students experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness.
• This also creates the institutional housing plans for at-risk students.
• The bill protects homeowners and developers from unverified school mitigation fees.

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a series of introductions and moments of silence recognizing recent tragedies and public figures, including students affected by the FSU shooting, John Thrasher, Coach Amir Abdur-Rahim, and conservation and youth groups visiting the chamber. The body also adopted Senate Resolution 1878 honoring Coach Abdur-Rahim and Senate Resolution 1892 recognizing Florida Wildlife Corridor Week. The chamber then moved through a long special-order calendar, passing several bills with little or no opposition. Measures approved included child care and early learning provider regulation updates (SB 738, 37-0), false reporting/swatting penalties and cost recovery (SB 726, 38-0), health care billing and collection protections/medical debt (SB 656, 38-0), hazardous walking conditions for schoolchildren (SB 650, 38-0), young adult housing support for foster and homeless students (SB 584, 38-0), the Family Empowerment Scholarship Program disclosure bill (SB 508, 37-1), trust fund interest for court-approved purposes after a debated amendment (SB 498, 28-10), transportation and traffic-safety changes including school bus camera hearings and micromobility rules (SB 462, 37-0), public records exemptions for AHCA investigators and JQC/appellate court clerks (SB 342, 34-4; SB 302, 35-3; SB 300, 35-3), municipal water and sewer utility rate fairness for Miami Gardens/North Miami Beach (SB 202/HB 11, 36-2), motor vehicle offenses involving obscured plates and impersonation (SB 44/HB 253, 36-0), trespass at large-scale ticketed events and law-enforcement-controlled sites (SB 1828/HB 1447, 35-1), patient refund of overpayments (SB 1808, 37-0), stem cell therapy standards (SB 1768, 37-0), insulin administration by direct support professionals and relatives (SB 1736/HB 1567, 38-0), and pre-arranged transportation services/rideshare impersonation (SB 1696/HB 1525, 37-0). Several bills were temporarily postponed, including cardiac emergencies, chemicals and consumer products, motor vehicle manufacturers and franchise dealers, and education. Debate centered most heavily on the trust fund interest bill, with supporters arguing it would stabilize funding and better reflect market rates, and opponents warning it would sharply reduce legal aid funding and hurt access to justice. The transportation bill also drew extensive questions and amendments, including removal of a speed-limit increase, changes to school bus infraction hearing procedures, micromobility regulation, and flood-wake enforcement. The municipal water bill prompted constitutional and fairness concerns, while the public records bills were defended as necessary to protect investigators and court personnel from doxing and harassment. Most measures ultimately passed with strong bipartisan support, though the scholarship disclosure bill and trust fund interest bill drew the most visible dissent.

Transcript Highlights:

• obvious reasons for that, but to help fix the village, what's going through the village, and just mitigate
• Help political subdivisions leverage federal dollars to permanently reduce flood risk by restoring high-risk
• By providing the state match, Disasters or continued flood risk.
• that prioritizes risk reduction, leverages federal investment, and helps communities recover smarter
• It's a key that unlocks federal dollars and turns mitigation into reality.

Bills: HB2, SB193, SB132, SB35, SB145

Keywords: general appropriation, budget, Medicaid, education funding, public safety, SB193, acequia, community ditch, irrigation works construction fund, water infrastructure, ditch infrastructure, irrigation, New Mexico water law, agricultural water, farmers, Rio Grande, acequia association, forest land protection revolving fund, state fund transfer, irrigation projects

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:38:58.880> of So we're looking to reduce the risk of So we're looking to reduce the risk
• we may provide noise uh noise mitigation we may provide noise uh noise mitigation or<02:19:32.960
• . mitigation. mitigation.
• that's it's it's a form of mitigation that's it's it's a form of mitigation for<02:35:45.760>
• beginning some sort of noise mitigation beginning some sort of noise mitigation and<02:37:04.720>

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• multiple caregiver self-insured risk multiple caregiver self-insured risk covered<01:16:55.480><
• <01:20:18.440> to<01:20:18.560> create their risk to create their risk to create a<
• 562, the damage mitigation resilience program. OTD.
• 562, the damage mitigation resilience program. OTD.
• She was actually a... mitigation resilience program. OTD Do we mitigation resilience program.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It must review risk mitigation and property resilience to natural resources and the effect on insurance
• fill some gaps on some difficult risks fill some gaps on some difficult risks and<00:53:01.920><
• There are always going for many risks.
• I have some who to be outlier uh risks.
• businesses can do to reduce their risk businesses can do to reduce their risk exposure<00:57:47.359

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The task force held its first meeting on the insurance affordability crisis affecting single-family housing, common interest communities, and multifamily rental housing. Members and staff introduced themselves, including representatives from insurers, the Department of Commerce, housing advocates, affordable housing developers, and HOA/community association interests. Representative Steve Elkins was elected chair by roll call vote with 10 members in favor, after discussion that the Senate appointee’s formal appointment had not yet arrived; the group noted the intent to later move to co-chair leadership once that appointment is finalized. Staff reviewed the task force’s enabling statute and open meeting law requirements. The task force is charged with studying homeowners and commercial property insurance, property resilience and risk mitigation, liability laws and possible tort reform, notice and oversight issues, public reporting, and the state-supported insurance program, including possible expansion to a catastrophic reinsurance fund or self-insured pool. The final report is due February 15 and will go to the commissioners of commerce, housing finance, and employment and economic development, as well as relevant legislative committees. Members were also briefed on meeting logistics, a draft charter to be voted on at the second meeting, a resource page for shared materials, and the schedule of future meetings. The Department of Commerce then gave an overview of Minnesota’s property and casualty insurance market. Commerce described its regulatory role, the state’s competitiveness test, and how homeowners insurance is often filed under a “file and use” process rather than prior approval. The presentation emphasized that homeowners coverage has been under pressure for years: insurers have lost money in many recent years, premiums have risen, some consumers are taking on more risk through higher deductibles or reduced coverage, and some are moving into the surplus market. Commerce also highlighted the impact of severe weather losses, the growth in premiums since 2014, and gaps in oversight for homeowners associations and related policies. The meeting then shifted to brainstorming the problems the task force should address. Early discussion focused on climate and construction-related resilience, including hail and wind-driven rain damage, discontinued building materials, and whether stronger materials are reflected in insurance pricing. Members also raised the need to study programs like Alabama’s fortified roof model and Minnesota’s own Strengthen Minnesota Homes effort, along with questions about whether the construction industry is prepared to support broader resilience measures. No additional votes were taken during the discussion segment.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:04:47.280> including<00:04:47.880> sea adaptation and mitigation including sea
• adaptation and mitigation including sea level<00:04:48.759> rise<00:04:49.759> a<00:04:
• c> level rise a mitigation plan for noise level rise a mitigation plan for noise odor<00:04:53.240>
• Failure to do so would be the homeowner's loan or mortgage at risk.
• Failure to do so would be the homeowner's loan or mortgage at risk.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee first took up SB 534, a measure concerning development in Kakaʻako Makai involving the Hawaii Community Development Authority and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. The chairs explained that the hearing was decision-making only and no testimony would be accepted, though members could ask clarifying questions. The chair outlined amendments to clarify HCDA’s approval process, require an environmental impact statement before residential development proposals are submitted, require Department of Health documentation on hazardous substances, and specify that only OHA-owned parcels would be eligible for certain residential development with a 400-foot height limit and maximum floor area ratio of 10.0. The amendments also addressed affordability, owner-occupancy, association fees, and a special fund, while noting Attorney General concerns that the fee could be construed as a tax and suggesting further review by Judiciary and Ways and Means. Members discussed the affordability threshold, with one senator suggesting 160% AMI instead of 140% due to high housing costs and concern that essential workers could be priced out. Others raised concerns about Native Hawaiian affordability, the long-term effect of perpetuity restrictions, and whether the process would protect OHA’s interests. An HCDA representative said 140% AMI was used in existing reserve housing rules and that lower thresholds could make development economically infeasible. OHA and other supporters said the proposal was still early in planning and emphasized the need for public hearings, community input, and compliance with environmental and remediation standards. The committees voted to pass SB 534 with amendments: Water and Land approved it 4-1, and Hawaiian Affairs also adopted the chair’s recommendation, with one member excused and one voting no. The meeting then moved to SB 3, relating to water resource management. The bill would authorize the Commission on Water Resource Management to retain independent legal counsel, create an executive director position, allow challenges to emergency orders under certain conditions, establish fines for water use offenses, and revise emergency and shortage declaration procedures; Red Hill-related provisions were noted as removed from this version. Testimony was largely supportive, including from DLNR, the Board of Water Supply, OHA, and Sierra Club, with OHA stressing the measure’s importance to Native Hawaiian water rights and past litigation. A Department of Hawaiian Home Lands representative supported the bill with amendments and recommended explicit language directing the commission chair or designee to advocate for water rights and reservations for homelands. The chair indicated the committees would use the prior Senate-passed version as the basis for further action, and the discussion then moved on to SB 130, a search-and-rescue reimbursement bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• And we do this by understanding the potential hazards to mitigate risk, make wiser investment decisions
• And that's really flood mitigation around the state. So those three categories.
• So how do we mitigate impacts of storm surge?
• The first one is the Mitigation and Resiliency Coordination Group, led by Dr.
• And they've got a Mitigate Florida working group right now we're a part of.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Transportation met to hear presentations from the Florida Department of Transportation on rural arterial roadways and transportation resiliency, followed by a panel discussion on metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs). FDOT’s Will Watts described the state’s growing population and travel demand, emphasizing that rural arterials are critical for connectivity, freight movement, evacuation routes, and congestion relief. He outlined FDOT’s project selection factors, noted thousands of identified rural arterial needs with billions in unfunded demand, and explained that the department uses community input and long-range planning to prioritize safety, capacity, and economic development. Watts then discussed resiliency planning for hurricanes and flooding, focusing on structural design, storm readiness, and drainage. He highlighted efforts such as elevated bridges, wave attenuators, coastal armoring, drainage upgrades, and materials testing at FDOT’s research facilities to extend service life and reduce storm damage. Committee members asked about local project selection, materials research, LiDAR use, and legislative support; Watts said local coordination drives project priorities and asked lawmakers to protect the Transportation Trust Fund. The MPO panel, led by FDOT’s Kim Holland, explained that MPOs are federally required in urban areas over 50,000 population and that Florida has 27, the most in the nation. Holland said MPOs identify and prioritize transportation needs through long-range plans and public engagement, and she noted that several regions are exploring consolidation after the 2020 Census, especially in Tampa Bay and Southwest Florida. Representatives from MetroPlan Orlando, Forward Pinellas, Pasco MPO, and Hillsborough discussed their structures and the potential benefits and challenges of merging, including representation, governance, funding, and maintaining local voice. Members generally supported regional collaboration, urged patience as studies continue, and emphasized the need for transparent public engagement, while the committee adjourned after no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• At risk. Property taxes are the primary funding source for local government, a load-bearing wall.
• The very services that help working families, seniors, and children thrive could be placed at risk.
• The very services that help working families, seniors, and children's drive, could be placed at risk.
• children's drive could be placed at risk.
• the level, the level, to not make that tough decision or to mitigate the level or the degree of what

Keywords: 998, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Pacific and other universities are preparing to do exactly that, although the risk-share models have
• around the unspecific... universities will be required to pay some percentage to the lenders in a risk
• Pacific and other universities are preparing to do exactly that, although the risk share models have
• UC's $5.7 billion in annual research and program support portfolios faces growing risks from new and
• This put her well-being and academic success at grave risk.

Summary: The Assembly Higher Education Committee held an oversight hearing on how federal actions are affecting California higher education, with opening remarks from the chair and members emphasizing the importance of state-federal shared governance and the need to protect access, affordability, and campus diversity. The first panel included leaders from the CSU, University of the Pacific, California Community Colleges, and UC, who described broad impacts from federal grant terminations, changes to student aid, loan limits, visa and immigration policy, and proposed reductions to research support. Testimony focused on the elimination of Grad PLUS loans, caps on Parent PLUS and Pell-related changes, the loss or suspension of hundreds of grants, and the resulting harm to student support services, research, workforce pipelines, food assistance, and health care training. UC and CSU representatives warned of major losses in research funding, indirect cost reimbursement, and student opportunities, while community college leaders highlighted uncertainty around federal grants and the need to maintain services for low-income, first-generation, undocumented, and other vulnerable students. Committee members asked how the state could respond, including through intersegmental partnerships, dual enrollment, transfer pathways, and support for basic needs and nutrition programs. Witnesses said California could help by sustaining financial aid, protecting minority-serving institution programs, and investing in research, housing, and workforce development. Several speakers stressed that federal changes were creating instability for students and campuses, and that the effects would likely be long-lasting, especially in health care, teaching, STEM, and social work pipelines. A second panel then focused on equitable access. The California Student Aid Commission described state efforts such as the $3.9 billion investment in aid programs, the Cal Grant system, the Dream Act, and possible reforms to better serve adult learners, foster youth, undocumented students, and students with dependents. The Los Angeles Community College District reported that federal cuts and policy shifts are discouraging students from applying for aid, threatening TRIO and MSI/HSI-funded services, and reducing support for basic needs, counseling, and workforce programs. The Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities and the CSU Academic Senate echoed concerns about FAFSA confusion, international student restrictions, grant losses, and the erosion of equity-focused programs. No formal votes or legislative actions were taken during the hearing; the committee primarily received testimony and discussed possible state responses.

Transcript Highlights:

• , as fire mitigation is really a priority for PNM.
• We work every day with our communities to always make our wildfire mitigation plans that much stronger
• , and it's always the advanced technologies that get us there. ...mitigation plans that much stronger
• It is again talking about the Martinez-Yazzie at-risk students, and it's stating that...
• Martinez-Yazzie at-risk students.

Bills: SB83, SB106, SB107, SB123, SJR1

Keywords: ecological monitoring, sustainability, tribal engagement, education, research funding, graduate scholarship, higher education funding, New Mexico, appropriation, financial aid, out-of-school programming, education funding, youth programs, affordability, nonprofit organizations, defibrillators, public schools, health and safety, emergency response, school elections

Transcript Highlights:

• we're looking at here are four bullet points at the top, and these are in particular order: advanced risk
• Value very much our collaboration with the State Aging Department and the solutions to mitigating the
• risks that Alzheimer's and dementia bring to our people and our state can only be done in collaboration
• We attempt to describe to you a solution, at least a starting point, to mitigate the risk of people developing
• We feel like that's going to present a lot of opportunity to prepare the state and mitigate also state

Transcript Highlights:

• When not just a piece of technology, but the things that support that technology, the risks associated
• like this with the committee and other legislators and industry stakeholders on how to address these risks
• them as opportunities to develop thoughtful governance frameworks that maximize advantages while mitigating
• risks.
• Make sure your security and the risk policies are all in place. The governance is in place.

Summary: The subcommittee met to hear a panel discussion on artificial intelligence and automation in Florida government. Panelists from Worldwide Technology, OpenAI, the James Madison Institute, and the Florida Digital Service described AI as a tool to improve efficiency, constituent services, fraud detection, translation, HR workflows, public safety, and regulatory review, while emphasizing that AI should supplement rather than replace workers. They also stressed the importance of data readiness, workforce training, governance, and having existing technology systems and policies in place before broader deployment. Members asked about public records concerns, vendor vetting, model integrity, and how to balance innovation with privacy and security. Chief Schoonover said agencies are already using or exploring AI in areas such as Medicaid analysis, environmental data, emergency management, tax forms, and child support, and noted that the Digital Service publishes prohibited vendor and application lists. OpenAI discussed its red teaming, safety evaluations, privacy controls, and government products such as ChatGPT Gov, and said it does not train on personal data or target users with ads. The committee also discussed concrete examples of efficiency gains, including reduced call times, faster translation turnaround, and streamlined HR classification work, as well as concerns about job disruption and constituent access. In closing, members raised data center infrastructure and energy needs, with panelists noting that AI depends on substantial compute, power, cooling, and utility capacity. The chair concluded by encouraging continued dialogue and noting that future AI legislation should be targeted to specific problems rather than overly broad.

Transcript Highlights:

• walking into an adult's home to check on your subjects or do an investigation somehow expose you to more risks
• ... ...facility and who is required to establish a written safety plan to include mitigation measures
• Section 3 requires the plan to establish a system to mitigate exposure to greenhouse gases, other gases
• Employers have a responsibility to monitor indoor air quality, communicate risk clearly, and implement
• sometimes needed to protect the health of the truck driver, you know, in terms of heat illness mitigation

Keywords: 909, all

Transcript Highlights:

• As our kids are still developing and growing, these interactions with chatbots have risks, and risks
• It requires operators of companion AI to perform safety audits and mitigate risks of harm.
• Our concern is that they are instead important tools for identifying and mitigating risks. ...is that
• they are instead important tools for identifying and mitigating risks, as opposed to a structure in
• And I think with all of these things, it's a risk-benefit analysis, and my take is the risks outweigh

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Why should we be forced to take the risk?
• Why would you not take that risk?
• Risk versus reward. All right. Okay, with no risk, no reward.
• It's just not—the risk versus the benefit.
• It's just not, it's the risk versus the benefit.

Keywords: 965, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• One in 300 has an undetected heart condition that puts them at risk.
• the bill: to make local governmental entities annually inspect the infrastructure that is most at risk
• that were identified based upon the baseline to be subject to extreme vulnerability and maybe high risk
• If they can't inspect their high-vulnerability and high-risk waterways, I don't think they need to be
• risk-based approach instead of a blanket mandate.

Summary: The committee first heard CS for CS for SB 344, which would modernize the Telecommunications Access System Act of 1991 based on Public Service Commission recommendations. The bill drew no opposition and was reported favorably. Members then took up several Senator Burton measures: CS for SB 714 on non-opioid advanced directives, which was amended to create a Department of Health website access point for a voluntary form allowing patients to notify providers they do not want opioid medications; CS for SB 738 on child care and early learning providers, which streamlines and updates child care regulation and was supported by industry and business groups; CS for SB 756 on health insurance coverage for individuals with developmental disabilities, which removes the age-8 diagnosis limit and age cap for mandated autism-related coverage; and CS for CS for SB 1356, creating a Florida Institute for Pediatric Rare Diseases at FSU and a newborn genetic testing pilot, later amended to add FIU and Nicklaus Children’s Hospital to the board and remove specific appropriations. All of these bills were reported favorably. The committee also approved CS for CS for SB 1624 on higher education, a broad bill affecting tuition policies, workforce programs, institutional governance, and naming changes. The bill generated extended discussion over replacing references to “minority” with “underrepresented,” with the sponsor explaining the intent was to focus on low-income access and student support, while members raised concerns about impacts on majority-minority institutions and preeminence pathways. An amendment added guardrails for private religious postsecondary institutions by requiring public review of affidavits of compliance and giving the Commission for Independent Education enforcement authority. After debate, the bill was reported favorably. The committee then passed CS for SB 1626 on child welfare, which addresses military-family investigations, emergency shelter certification, children’s services council appointments, criminal-background exemptions, group-home rates, licensing extensions, small residential group homes, missing-children procedures, and psychotropic medication refills; it was amended to adjust council board composition and then reported favorably. Additional bills approved included SB 178, directing Florida A&M University to conduct an agronomic study on emerging crops for land taken out of production; SB 1162, expanding boating improvement funding for trailer parking and offering lease incentives for clean marine manufacturers; CS for CS for SB 958, creating a type 1 diabetes early detection information program for parents and schools; CS for CS for CS for SB 1070, requiring ECGs for student athletes with phased implementation and exemptions, after extensive testimony from parents and advocates about sudden cardiac arrest; CS for SB 774, requiring electronic transmission of certain court orders to sheriffs within six hours; SB 1516, creating an International Aerospace Innovation Fund administered by Space Florida; SB 994, revising driver education requirements and prompting a commitment to add distracted-driving instruction; and CS for CS for SB 1402, expanding eligibility for dropout retrieval programs. The committee also took up SB 810 on stormwater management systems, amending it to focus annual inspections on vulnerable MS4 infrastructure. That bill drew significant opposition from the Florida League of Cities, counties, and stormwater groups, who argued the mandate would duplicate existing permit requirements and impose major costs, but supporters said it was a basic flood-prevention measure. The transcript ends during debate on SB 810, before a final vote is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• Department of Education—that RSA has designated DSB as a high-risk grantee.
• services in the u.s department of education that rsa has been designated has designated DSB as a high risk
• communicate to RSA any fiscal planning, cost-containment measures, or strategies implemented by DSB to mitigate
• Strategies implemented by DSB to mitigate the effect that a lack of fiscal resources would have on the

Summary: The committee first took up several personnel and compensation requests. It approved a Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism reclassification that would trade three administrative coordinator positions for one park superintendent, one maintenance supervisor, and one park manager. It also approved one-time bonus and recruitment plans for the Department of Commerce and Department of Veterans Affairs, including up to $5,000 bonuses tied to the unemployment insurance modernization project and $2,000 bonuses for certified nursing assistants at the state veterans homes. A Department of Health request to reinstate a previously frozen fiscal support manager position for the State Medical Board was also approved; members were told the position was already authorized and would not increase total positions. The committee then reviewed a Department of Commerce reduction in force affecting the Division of Workforce Services for the Blind and Employment and Training divisions. Secretary Hugh McDonald and Workforce Connections Director Cody Waits explained that the cuts were driven by over-obligated federal funds, a prior realignment, and what they described as long-standing fiscal mismanagement in the Division of Services for the Blind. They said 56 employees remained furloughed, five employees in a separate grant group were still working, and 17 positions were on the permanent RIF list. Senators questioned the division’s accountability structure, the role of the independent board, and whether the layoffs were being handled fairly, including a request for racial composition data on the workforce and the RIF group. Members also discussed quarterly employment and overtime reports. Staff explained that the reports cover average staffing levels over each quarter, and members focused on overtime spending, especially in DHS, the Department of Correction, and the Department of Transportation. OPM said overtime is being reviewed, direct care positions remain exempt from the hiring freeze, and agencies have been hiring more staff since the new pay plan took effect. The committee asked for additional reporting on overtime trends, and the meeting adjourned without further action.