Transcript Highlights:

• It includes railroads operating solely in Florida in the tax credit program for certain railroad infrastructure
• a manufacturer can be sued specifically because they didn't warn consumers about a known danger, separate

Summary: The House convened with prayer, a moment of silence for two service members killed in the Middle East, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a quorum present. Members adopted the special order report and then began taking up the special order calendar. The first major measure was HB 7031, the annual tax package, which included a hunting, fishing, and camping sales tax holiday, a back-to-school holiday moved earlier in the summer, property tax changes for mobile home parks and other exemptions, reductions in pari-mutuel taxes and fees, extensions and expansions of several tax credit programs, vacation-rental tax collection changes, and a full decoupling from federal tax changes in the “One Big Beautiful Bill.” The bill drew questions about the fiscal impact of decoupling and the firearm-accessories holiday; supporters emphasized fiscal caution, housing and home-hardening provisions, and family tax relief, while opponents objected to the firearm-related tax break. HB 7031 passed 105-2. The House then passed CS/CS/CS HB 1177 on Space Florida and spaceport operations, which updates business development rules, board membership, and creates a strategic spaceport hub designation. CS/CS HB 639/CS SB 246 on specialty license plates also passed after a strike-all amendment that added several new plates, revised the Fraternal Order of Police plate, and tightened financial and nonprofit requirements for plate sponsors. CS HB 697 on drug prices and coverage passed after debate on pharmacy benefit manager reforms requiring equal reimbursement, prohibiting forced losses on drugs, and allowing consolidated appeals. CS/CS HB 1263 on the Office of Insurance Regulation passed with an amendment clarifying fingerprinting provisions, and CS/CS HB 527 passed with a human-review requirement for insurance claim denials so AI cannot be the sole basis for denying or reducing claims. Additional bills approved included CS HB 1449, which limits use of the statewide provider and health plan claim dispute resolution program when a claim is already in the federal process and, by amendment, narrows the bill to out-of-network emergency services and claims of $50,000 or less; CS HB 93, requiring surgical smoke evacuation systems in hospitals and surgical centers, which passed overwhelmingly after emotional bipartisan praise for the sponsor’s multi-session effort; and CS HB 1217, which prohibits governmental entities from adopting net-zero greenhouse gas policies, after Democrats argued it would preempt local climate and resilience efforts and Republicans argued it protects energy reliability and affordability. The House also passed CS/CS HB 1461 establishing a framework for licensing and regulating advanced nuclear reactors, with supporters framing it as a step toward reliable, affordable, cleaner energy. Later, CS HB 1229 on residential homes for medically or technologically dependent children was explained as creating a licensure program for medically complex children’s homes and was rolled over for final passage as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• So that would be separate from the Meals on Wheels.
• So do we need to continue to just have a separate program, or should that be rolled into something that
• Is that a separate fund balance, or...? I'm going to defer to Misty on what that is named exactly.
• They do not have a separate line.
• The pay plan that was adopted in the 2025 session changed the titles and grades for the positions.

Committee: All JOINT BUDGET COMMITTEE

Transcript Highlights:

• Now, when I was in his grade, and the fourth grade is when I decided I wanted to run for Senate, so I
• Now, when I was in his grade and the fourth grade is when I decided I wanted to run for Senate, so I
• It starts at grade 6. It's grades, I think it starts at grade 6 or 7 all the way to high school.
• By the time it gets to 8th or 9th grade, it goes back up.
• We've required that from kindergarten through fifth grade.

Transcript Highlights:

• Yes, you're proficient in reading, but are you reading on a third-grade, fourth-grade, or fifth-grade
• Yes, you're proficient in reading, but are you reading on a third-grade, fourth-grade, or fifth-grade
• Where were the third and fourth grade?
• We're going to report that separately.
• </c> going to report science out separately going to report science out separately to<00:21:59.840><c

Summary: The Interim Joint Committee on Education met for its first interim meeting and established a quorum before taking up its first topic, Kentucky’s new assessment and accountability model. Commissioner Robbie Fletcher, joined by KDE staff and superintendents, described a multi-year effort involving the Kentucky “Now We Learn” Council, more than 50 educators and stakeholders, at least 18 pilot districts, surveys, focus groups, town halls, and four prototype frameworks. He emphasized three priorities for the new model: vibrant learning experiences, innovation in assessment, and collaboration with communities. Fletcher said the state accountability portion would continue to meet federal requirements and identify CSI/TSI/ATSI schools, while shifting toward more emphasis on individual student growth, grade-level equivalency in reading and math, career and technical education, graduation rate, and English language proficiency. He also said science would remain a required assessment but be reported separately rather than counted in the CSI/TSI calculation. He stressed that the model should focus on growth, local flexibility, and meaningful measures that reflect community expectations, while still preserving a statewide framework. The committee also heard from Bullitt County superintendent Jesse Bacon, who described his district’s local accountability work. He said Bullitt County formed a community coalition with broad representation from across the district, business leaders, and community members, met six times during the school year, and worked toward a public-facing dashboard that would show community expectations, evidence of accountability, and areas for improvement. Bacon said the district identified six community-defined pillars, beginning with student learning and foundational academic knowledge, as part of a system intended to communicate strengths and improvement areas to the public.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, HB 124 has to do with lumber grading and mostly lumber grading to do with home building.
• </c> has to do with gr uh lumber grading has to do with gr uh lumber grading and<00:22:51.200><c> uh<
• I live on in the way it's graded now. I live on route<00:25:11.520><c> three.
• I start to drift down into the dark art of lumber grading.
• </c> agriculture geared at the third grade agriculture geared at the third grade level<01:10:01.040><

Committee: Senate Executive Departments and Administration

Transcript Highlights:

• So is this, I'm thinking of the younger grades.
• math and in fourth grade reading.
• How high we are in the state in fourth grade math and in fourth grade reading.
• At the end of the day, I think every student, kindergarten, sixth grade, eighth grade, needs to have
• At the end of the day, I think every student, kindergarten, sixth grade, eighth grade, needs to have

Bills: HB28 , HB50 , HB196 , HB268 , HB271 , HB285 , HB316 , HB649 , HB807

Committee: House Education

Keywords: teacher certification, certification appeals, BESE, State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, Teacher Certification Appeals Council, educator licensure, teaching license, teacher licensure, appeals process, certification denial, administrative appeal, special meeting, board president, retroactive application, education board, Louisiana teachers, Department of Education, statutory entities, re-creation, termination date

Transcript Highlights:

• DOE manages Title I versus IDEA laws—that's why they're in separate codes.
• </c> requirement that when students in grades requirement that when students in grades 4<01:25:31.920
• </c><01:25:35.040><c> level,</c> who are not reading at grade level, who are not reading at grade level
• </c><01:25:43.520><c> And</c> students in grades K through three.
• And students in grades K through three.

Bills: HF3698 , HF3067 , HF3730

Committee: House Education Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill was sponsored by the city of San Jose and separately by San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, and supporters
• This bill was sponsored by the city of San Jose and separately, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, and supporters
• and of San Jose and separately, San Jose Mayor Matt Mayhan, and supporters include other big city mayors
• But it is separated into Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3, depending.
• We believe we should be included, similar to what railroads are, in that definition, so we continue to

Summary: The committee first heard SB 753, which would modernize California’s shopping cart recovery rules by allowing cities and counties to return abandoned carts directly to retailers, recover documented retrieval costs, and avoid the current impound-and-wait process. The author and supporters, including San Jose officials and the League of California Cities, said the bill would help clear streets, sidewalks, and waterways and reduce local costs. Grocers and retailers opposed the measure unless amended, arguing it would turn cart retrieval into a new cost burden and could create incentives for cities to charge too much for stolen property. After extensive discussion about notice periods, cost caps, and local ordinances, the committee adopted amendments and passed the bill 6-0 as amended. The committee then took up SB 445, which would speed up permitting and approvals needed for high-speed rail by requiring early engagement, setting rules for third-party coordination, and creating a dispute-resolution process. The author said the bill was narrowed from an earlier, broader transit proposal and was intended to reduce delays caused by utilities, local governments, and other entities. Supporters said permitting bottlenecks add major costs and delays to infrastructure projects, while opponents from utilities, cities, counties, telecoms, and special districts raised concerns about safety, reliability, affordability, and the need to review the pending amendments. The bill passed 8-1 to the Utilities and Energy Committee. The committee also heard SB 9, a narrower housing bill focused on accessory dwelling units. The author explained that it would require local ADU ordinances to be submitted to HCD for review and would make state standards control if a local agency fails to submit a compliant ordinance or respond to HCD findings. Supporters from housing and YIMBY groups said the bill would improve enforcement of state ADU law and prevent local barriers from slowing housing production. There was no opposition, and the bill passed 6-0. The committee then began hearing SB 79, which would allow more housing near major transit stops; the author and supporters framed it as a response to the housing shortage and transit underuse, and the hearing continued with extensive support testimony as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• Their grades are fine. Like midterm grades, they were fine.
• Their grades are fine. Like midterm grades, they were fine.
• So it begins in 7th grade and ends obviously their senior year.
• We have about 282,000 of the roughly half a million students in grade 7 through 12 as actively rostered
• So it begins in 7th grade and ends obviously their senior year.

Summary: The committee spent much of the meeting hearing presentations on student mental health supports at Central Washington University, Washington State University, the University of Washington, and the State Board of Community and Technical Colleges. CWU described high levels of student distress, loneliness, anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, and basic-needs insecurity, along with a campus-wide holistic well-being model that includes behavioral intervention teams, emergency aid, peer outreach, community partnerships, and a collegiate recovery community. WSU emphasized loneliness, common presenting concerns such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, and relationship distress, and the role of housing and residence life, resident advisors, living-learning communities, and coordinated crisis response in identifying and supporting students. UW highlighted prevention and support programs through LiveWell, including alcohol and other drug consultations, confidential advocacy, suicide intervention, student needs navigation, peer health educators, and peer wellness coaches. The community and technical college system reported persistent access barriers, especially for students ages 18 to 24 and those facing housing or food insecurity, and said the legislature-funded mental health pilot at four colleges expanded counseling access, telehealth, and referral pathways, while broader system efforts focus on awareness, telehealth, basic-needs supports, and workforce training in behavioral health fields. Members asked each panel how they gather student feedback, and the institutions said they use surveys, evaluations, and ongoing outreach to students in services. Questions also focused on substance-use and recovery resources, Greek life outreach, and whether colleges have enough licensed mental health staff versus academic advisors; the community college board said not all colleges have licensed mental health providers on staff, and some rely on community contracts or telehealth. The committee also discussed whether counseling services are increasing because of post-pandemic effects or because students are more willing to seek help, with presenters saying both factors likely play a role. The committee then shifted to artificial intelligence in higher education. Washington State University, the University of Washington, Western Washington University, and the community and technical college system described campus AI task forces, governance structures, and efforts to set policies for students, faculty, and staff. Presenters said institutions are requiring course-level AI use statements, promoting ethical and transparent use, expanding access to approved tools such as Microsoft Copilot, and using AI for teaching, research, advising, and administrative support while guarding privacy, equity, and academic integrity. Members raised concerns about deepfakes, bias, student monitoring, and whether AI should be used to screen applications or evaluate student work; presenters said human review remains essential and that some institutions prohibit AI use in hiring or admissions screening. The final presentation, from OSPI, described the statewide rollout of the School Links high school and beyond plan platform under 2023 legislation, saying it will standardize career and college planning across K-12, provide better data and student guidance, and connect students to postsecondary pathways and employers; OSPI said the rollout is underway but current funding only extends through June 30, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• In math, fourth grade scores fell by five points and eighth grade scores fell by eight points.
• I went to four different elementary schools by the fourth grade.
• No, sorry. 99% of the kids cannot perform at grade level.
• to read, and then after the third grade reads to learn.
• graduation ceremonies or Hispanics need separate ceremonies.

Committee: Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee

Keywords: educational reform, federal grants, bureaucracy, wealth disparity, public testimony

Summary: The committee meeting engaged in discussions focused primarily on educational reform, the influence of federal grants on local education systems, and the growing disparities in wealth and access to quality education. Members expressed concerns about the bureaucracy surrounding federal funding that hampers schools' ability to obtain necessary resources for improvement. Several members highlighted personal anecdotes from constituents, emphasizing the urgent need for reform to help students succeed in both K-12 and higher education environments. The meeting included public testimonies that provided insights into various community perspectives on these pressing issues.

Transcript Highlights:

• Let's take up Tab 3, SB 1618, on pre-kindergarten through grade 12 education, by Senator Calatayud.
• The bill also repeals the Council for Early Grade Success after having served its purpose.
• The bill also repeals the Council for Early Grade Success after having served its purpose.
• the district prioritizes the assignment of highly effective teachers to kindergarten through second grade
• to twelfth grade of embryological studies within health education.

Committee: Senate Appropriations Committee on Pre-K - 12 Education

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Pre-K through 12 Education met with a quorum present and took up three bills. SB 1618, by Senator Calatayud, was presented as a broad education package affecting VPK through grade 12. It included changes to VPK enrollment flexibility, repeal of the Council for Early Grade Success, agriculture and financial literacy curriculum updates, reading intervention requirements, limits on certain public-school spending, corporal punishment consent, educator certification and screening provisions, and changes to the school recognition program. A late-filed technical amendment clarifying prior legislation for certain private schools in Brevard, Clay, Sarasota, and Bradford counties was adopted. Senator Osgood raised concerns about the bill’s school recognition provisions and the impact on paraprofessionals and other support staff, and the sponsor said she would continue those discussions. SB 1618, as amended, was reported favorably. The committee then considered CS for SB 1058, which would update Florida references from the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America in state, district, and charter school materials beginning after July 1, 2025, without requiring existing materials to be changed. The bill was presented by Senator Calatayud on behalf of Senator Gruters and was reported favorably without amendment or opposition. Next, the committee heard CS for SB 1470 on school safety, which would align school security guard training with guardian program requirements, refine locked campus and classroom rules, and improve panic alert and digital map coordination. Several amendments were adopted, including a late-filed amendment capping guardian training fees, creating a stakeholder work group for a Florida Institute of School Safety, adjusting locked-zone requirements and exceptions, requiring substitute teachers to receive safety protocol training, and a funding amendment providing $450,000 in recurring funds for a centralized panic alert and digital map system. Support was voiced by school district, sheriff, and safety representatives, and Senator Osgood praised the recurring funding as avoiding an unfunded mandate. The committee also passed SB 1472, linked to SB 1470, extending a public records exemption to school security guards’ records held by FDLE, with the exemption set to sunset in 2030 unless renewed. President Gaetz questioned the need for the exemption, and Senator Burgess responded that it was intended to protect school safety personnel from exposure of personal information after an incident. All three bills were reported favorably, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• You can see that the K-3 grades will have a change from 16 to 15, and grades four through five or six
• Uh 1.33 grade as soon as enrolled.
• That starts with teaching kids how to read at grade level by the time they reach third grade.
• That starts with teaching kids how to read at grade level by the time they reach third grade.
• time they reach third grade. We cannot time they reach third grade.

Committee: Joint Select Committee on School Finance Recalibration

Transcript Highlights:

• it to our board for support as soon as possible, and I would just note we are the fully electric railroad
• we're not composting it, I think the analysis talked about farmers having to go in themselves and separate
• I think the analysis talked about farmers having to go in themselves and separate it.
• actually get financing to do it, so it can be integrated into the construction instead of viewed as a separate
• However, SB 131 created an exemption for advanced manufacturing, but it's a separate exemption for advanced

Committee: Senate Environmental Quality

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> uh it is tucked under a separate uh it is tucked under a separate subchapter.<01:43:48.719><c> So
• Alternatively, you could do a separate licensure regime, if you will, where it's its own separate statute
• </c> allows the use of Canadian graded SPF. allows the use of Canadian graded SPF.
• </c> values with the metchanically graded values with the metchanically graded lumber<02:54:01.760><c
• New Hampshire State Building Code by equating two distinctly different lumber grades.

Committee: Senate Commerce

Transcript Highlights:

• So I would like to see in the future a real, I would say, separate scale, and I taught English, so I'm
• scale and I taught I would say separate scale and I taught English<00:26:56.720><c> so</c><00:26:57.039
• ,</c> defined by military rank or pay grade, defined by military rank or pay grade, your<00:32:39.120
• </c><00:32:52.000><c> We</c><00:32:52.240><c> allow</c> Retirement pay grade.
• </c> get nth grade credit for those classes. get nth grade credit for those classes.

Summary: The committee heard an Office of Education Technology presentation on the Kentucky Education Technology System (KTS) and a request to increase its annual budget from $15.4 million to $30 million, including an additional $14.6 million. The witness described KTS as a statewide service model that provides districts with student information and financial systems, internet bandwidth, regional support, cybersecurity, online registration, learning management and email services, and collaborative instructional technology support. He argued the state’s centralized purchasing saves districts 40% to 60% compared with buying services individually, and said federal internet discounts and district matching funds create a strong return on investment. He also said KTS has faced long-term funding cuts, has not received a cost-of-living increase since 1992, and is now at a “breaking point” where some services may have to be shifted to districts at higher cost. The request was broken into six main items: restoring funding for the computer science and information technology academy; strengthening cybersecurity defenses in response to sharply rising attacks on K-12 systems; funding online registration through Infinite Campus; stabilizing ongoing support costs for Infinite Campus; providing cost-of-living increases for KTS services; and increasing the KTS financial assistance sent to districts, which requires local matching funds. Members asked about the current appropriation, and the witness said it is $15.4 million. One member praised the office’s work and support for districts, while another noted the district had been an early adopter of one-to-one technology. The committee then received an overview of the KRS 156 salary schedule and step-and-rank system for state-operated career and technical education staff at area technology centers. Officials explained that salaries are set under statute and regulation based on years of service and educational rank, with annual calculations tied to statewide teacher salary averages and retroactive adjustments to July 1. They said the current ABR request is $325,000 over the biennium to cover step and rank increases. The presentation noted that KRS 156 salaries are generally comparable to local districts but are less competitive with business and industry, making recruitment and retention difficult, especially for instructors coming from the trades. Members agreed that trade instructors are underpaid relative to the market and said the issue deserves further review, with department officials indicating they are considering possible statutory revisions and a delayed implementation in a future biennium.

Transcript Highlights:

• But the rest of the world is using separate entity accounting.
• That activity is fully separate from California. Does it make sense?
• That activity is fully separate from California. Does it make sense?
• So to go to the separate reporting concept, or then the double tax...
• Hello, I'm Brooke Sims, a first grade teacher from Stockton, California.

Summary: The joint informational hearing examined California’s taxation of multinational corporations, especially the state’s water’s-edge election versus worldwide combined reporting. The LAO and Franchise Tax Board explained the basic mechanics of unitary taxation, apportionment, and how water’s-edge generally excludes most foreign subsidiaries while worldwide reporting includes the full unitary group. FTB officials said water’s-edge filers are a small share of corporate filers but account for a large share of tax liability, and they described filing trends, industry mix, and the administrative steps needed to administer either system. Members and witnesses debated the policy trade-offs. Supporters of moving away from water’s-edge argued that it enables profit shifting, especially for large multinational and IP-heavy firms, and that eliminating it could raise significant revenue and improve fairness for smaller domestic businesses. They cited estimates of billions in potential revenue and said California already has the audit and reporting infrastructure to handle worldwide reporting, though some transition time would be needed. Opponents argued that worldwide reporting would tax foreign activity unrelated to California, create double taxation, increase compliance burdens and litigation, and could be difficult for foreign-based multinationals to document. They also warned that some of the revenue estimates are highly uncertain because foreign affiliate income is not directly observable. Committee members asked about foreign government pushback, the risk of companies leaving California, the effect on intellectual property shifting, and whether federal or Supreme Court action could block a change. Witnesses generally said major firms would be unlikely to leave because California taxes sales rather than physical presence, but some costs could be passed on to consumers. The panel also discussed alternatives such as conforming to federal international tax rules like NCTI/GILTI and adding anti-abuse rules. No vote or bill action was taken; the hearing was informational only.

Transcript Highlights:

• Fish and Game went through a couple-year-long process by having a separate committee look at these technologies
• It was the railroad ranch. It's there. It's about 37 miles from West Yellowstone.
• And also, this was confirmed with our Attorney General's office, separate from her.
• It remains a separately budgeted division so they can continue their work in FY 2027 and get that money

Transcript Highlights:

• here is that an unsophisticated group of people locally, which happens from time to time, can be railroaded
• there is an opportunity for public comment, followed by a vote taken there, and then it goes to... separate
• This service is completely separate from our app once a user signs up.
• here today in passing this bill is to define our new, novel product with new, novel regulations separate

Bills: HB1453 , HB1718 , HB2043 , HB2207 , HB2798

Committee: House Pensions, Investments & Financial Services

Keywords: local governments, anticipation notes, certificates of obligation, public works, flood control, financial management, local government, municipal financing, private activity bonds, closing definition, real estate finance, bond issuance, government regulation, bond election, general obligation bonds, GO bonds, political subdivision, city bonds, county bonds, school district bonds

Transcript Highlights:

• At its core, this bill 12th grade.
• </c> grade reading on the NAPE to 21st. grade reading on the NAPE to 21st.
• </c> instructional role and grade band. instructional role and grade band.
• sixth grade teachers to take.
• at a third grade level.

Bills: HB0023 , HB0024 , HB0025

Committee: House Education

Transcript Highlights:

• I thought we should separate those two bills.
• Why are we stopping at third grade? At that point, we did this K through 12.
• It said from kindergarten through grade 3, and then it has, or in a manner that is not age appropriate
• The defining line is 'or age appropriate,' because originally this was stopping at third grade.
• Representative Hawkins: Or age appropriate, because originally this was stopping at third grade.

Committee: House Education