Transcript Highlights:

• help with outbreak investigations and treatments. know that somebody with active TB might be in a nursing
• home and that nursing home needs help evaluating. the rest of their patients, and so we'll go in and
• But long term care providers such as nursing homes and assisted living facilities, child care providers
• Alleviate that gap by having APN nurses in the area and then.
• What I've heard in other agencies' testimony in other arenas is that in particular with nursing and the

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I was a registered nurse, worked in intensive care before I went to dentistry, and practiced in active
• I was a registered nurse, worked in intensive care before I went to dentistry, and practiced in active
• “Those individuals cycle back into our emergency departments, nursing facilities, and long-term institutional
• And if they don’t return to work, we do see a reduction in nursing home placement and other long-term
• have because a lot of these folks that we’re talking about, we’re having to care for them in the nursing

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 135, which would redirect a portion of wagering dedications from the sports fund to the Louisiana Early Childhood Education Fund and remove a cap affecting that funding stream. The author and staff explained the amendment was designed to avoid any impact on the State General Fund while increasing support for early childhood education. The committee adopted the amendment and reported the bill favorably as amended. Senate Bill 202, from the Secretary of State’s office, would increase the number of compensated days for parish board of election supervisors to cover additional election-related duties. Secretary Landry and election officials testified that the change was needed because supervisors now perform more work, including ballot tabulation, machine sealing, and verification tasks. The committee adopted technical and appropriation-related amendments and reported the bill favorably as amended. The committee then took up several health and human services bills. Senate Bill 155 would require insurance coverage for medically necessary dental procedures needed before cancer treatment; testimony from medical and dental professionals emphasized that untreated dental problems can delay chemotherapy or radiation and worsen outcomes. After adopting amendments to narrow the fiscal impact, the bill was reported favorably as amended, with discussion of a possible subject-to-appropriation amendment to be worked out later. Senate Bill 237, a major DCFS reform bill, drew extensive testimony and debate over child welfare oversight, mandatory reporter training, law enforcement coordination, and the bill’s large fiscal note. The committee adopted amendments, including a subject-to-appropriation provision, and reported the bill favorably as amended after emotional testimony from supporters and former DCFS employees. The committee also advanced Senate Bill 465 on prompt-pay insurance reform after an amendment reduced the fiscal note to zero; Senate Bill 261 on unclaimed property after a substitute bill was adopted; Senate Bill 295 on expanded coverage for traumatic brain injury rehabilitation after amendments narrowed the mandate and added subject-to-appropriation language; Senate Bill 157 providing six weeks of paid parental leave for K-12 educators and staff, also subject to appropriation; Senate Bill 276 requiring bail bond producers to certify outstanding obligations before new appointments; Senate Bill 83 on human trafficking services after removing the age-expansion cost; Senate Bill 143 on bulletproof vests after shifting funding away from a direct state appropriation; and Senate Bill 450 on school safety assessments after an amendment limited implementation to available funds and resources. In each case, the committee’s actions focused on reducing or eliminating fiscal notes while keeping the bills moving forward.

Transcript Highlights:

• And with me today to speak on this very important bill is Laura LaRose, oncology nurse practitioner at
• My name is Laura LaRose, and, as the Senator said, I'm an oncology nurse practitioner.
• Maybe the doctor or nurse practitioner? Sorry, nurse. So the follow-up tests might...
• Nurse practitioner, but. Sorry, nurse. So the follow-up tests might. Sorry, nurse.
• just, you know, it baffles me in terms of, you know, the costs at the tail end, and we just heard the nurse

Summary: The committee heard several health-related bills, beginning with SB 1124 on lung cancer screening awareness. The author and supporters said the bill would require CDPH signage about lung cancer screening eligibility at tobacco point-of-sale locations to address low awareness and low screening rates. Support came from medical students, physicians, and the California Academy of Family Physicians, while retailers raised concerns about sign size, retailer notification, and implementation. Committee members generally supported the bill and noted the need to work through those concerns. SB 1150 sought to require clearer patient notice when cancer cases are reported to the California Cancer Registry. The author described the bill as a response to inconsistent notification practices and privacy concerns, and the chair and other members shared personal stories about learning they or family members were in the registry without knowing it. Cancer registry and university stakeholders expressed appreciation for amendments but continued to have concerns or wanted more time to review the language. The bill was discussed as a patient-awareness measure rather than a change to reporting requirements. The committee also heard SB 1400 on Alameda Health System governance, SB 1094 on biosimilar substitution and health plan policies, SB 1314 on smoke shop regulation and nitrous oxide restrictions, and SB 1309 on eliminating cost-sharing for medically necessary follow-up after lung cancer screening. SB 1400 and SB 1314 drew support from local officials, labor, and public health advocates, with members emphasizing youth protection and local oversight. SB 1094 passed after extensive debate over pharmacist substitution authority and notification requirements, with a 6-0 vote and opposition from biotechnology and physician groups. SB 1309 also passed after members discussed the cost of follow-up care and the value of early detection, despite opposition from health plans over premium impacts; it received a 7-0 vote and was placed on call.

Transcript Highlights:

• provisions of this bill is a bill that this committee heard earlier on the coverage of home care nursing
• , what types of nursing care is provided under straight medical assistance and also disability waivers
• , what types of nursing care is provided under straight medical assistance and also disability waivers
• , what types of nursing care is provided under straight medical assistance and also disability waivers
• : Chair Seeberger, Senator Rasmusson, thank you for the question regarding the array of home care nursing

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• She asked them, and it was a brand new doctor and a traveling nurse.
• They're suffering from a shortage of both doctors, nurses, and professional medical personnel.
• Two years ago this month, Taylor was run at a red light, rushed to the closest hospital where nurses
• When she was finally rushed for CT scanning stat, several hours after the nurses had been notified of
• I'm a registered nurse.

Summary: The Committee on Rules met with a quorum and heard extensive debate on SB 734, which would repeal Florida’s wrongful-death medical malpractice exception that bars certain adult children and parents from recovering noneconomic damages. Senator Yarborough presented the bill as a fairness and accountability measure, while many family members testified in support, describing deaths they believed were caused by medical negligence and arguing the current law denies equal justice. Opponents, including physician and insurer representatives, warned the bill could increase malpractice exposure, premiums, defensive medicine, and physician shortages. The committee also considered two late-filed amendments: Senator Burton’s amendment would make Department of Health investigative findings admissible in court, and Senator Martin’s amendment to that amendment would broaden admissibility/discoverability to additional disciplinary and prior-adverse-incident records and insurance coverage facts. After debate, the Martin amendment was adopted, but the Burton amendment as amended failed on a roll call vote. The committee then reported SB 734 favorably without the amendment. The committee next unanimously reported CS for SB 86 favorably. That bill, by Senator Burgess, expands peer support protections for first responders to include support personnel; there was little debate and several law-enforcement-related organizations indicated support. The committee also took up SB 316 on series limited liability companies. Senator Berman explained that the bill creates rules for series LLCs in Florida, and a late-filed amendment, requested by the Secretary of State, delayed implementation by one year. The amendment was adopted and the bill was reported favorably. Finally, the committee considered CS for CS for SB 384, which requires municipalities seeking to annex state-owned land to notify the relevant county legislative delegation when the first public hearing is advertised. Senator Burton presented the bill briefly, there was no opposition or debate, and the committee proceeded to vote on the measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, Medicaid covers, pays for more than half of the births in the state and half of the nursing facility
• in their homes or in their family home getting services rather than, uh, only in institutions like nursing
• So, do they still meet that nur like nursing facility or intermediate care facility level of care.
• Uh, we have nurses who do utilization reviews of Medicaid claims.
• We do not perform investigations for adults living in licensed settings like nursing homes.

Transcript Highlights:

• He says there have been several incidents where staff ACOs were attacked, including nurses.
• 20:16.400> attacked<00:20:17.440> including<00:20:18.440> uh<00:20:18.600> nurses
• staff acos attacked including uh nurses staff acos attacked including uh nurses we<00:20:19.159>
• c><00:20:31.080> several<00:20:31.799> of<00:20:31.880> our<00:20:32.039> nurses
• face by an inmate several of our nurses face by an inmate several of our nurses have<00:20:32.640

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs met on January 29, 2025, and first took up deferred SB 259 on record keeping. The chair said Honu Police Department had submitted support, and the committee recommended passage with amendments, including a technical change to the effective date on page 4, line 6 to July 1, 2077. Vice Chair Elefante voted yes; Senators Fevella and Rhoads were excused; the recommendation was adopted. The committee then heard SB 603 and SB 608, both relating to veterans benefits consulting and compensation. The Attorney General’s office recommended amendments to address First Amendment, Contracts Clause, and savings-clause issues, and testimony was mixed, with several supporters from veterans-related organizations and several opponents, including some testifiers from the public and industry groups. The committee later adopted chair recommendations to pass both bills with amendments, including preambles about protecting veteran consumers from misleading or unfair practices, savings clauses, and effective-date changes to July 1, 2077. SB 601, relating to law enforcement search notices and securing entrances, drew support from the Office of the Public Defender and a private citizen who described the bill as a response to warrantless searches and a transparency measure; there was also opposition from Maui County police and one other testifier. The committee then moved to SB 871 on arson, where the Department of the Attorney General raised drafting and constitutional concerns and the Public Defender opposed the measure as vague, overbroad, and creating problematic sentencing provisions, while HPD supported it as a public-safety tool. The chair ultimately recommended SB 871 pass with amendments softening mandatory language, adding parole language, and changing the effective date to July 1, 2077; the recommendation was adopted. The final measures were SB 1130, exempting certain construction rebuilding materials from general excise tax in federally declared disaster areas, and SB 104, restricting solitary confinement in correctional facilities. The Department of Taxation requested third-party certification and a later effective date, and the committee adopted amendments reflecting those requests and moving the effective date to January 1, 2026. On SB 104, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation opposed the bill, citing staff assaults and existing policy updates, while the Oversight Commission, Public Defender, and multiple advocates supported it as a safeguard with oversight and due process protections. The committee passed SB 104 with amendments, including adopting the commission’s definition language, changing terminology to “restrictive housing,” and setting the effective date to July 1, 2077.

Transcript Highlights:

• More than 73,000 women answered the country's call during World War II, serving as Army and Navy nurses
• These nurses served closer to combat than in any prior conflict, under fire, all while continuing to
• California's congressional delegation to join in federal legislation that would award that medal to these nurses
• These nurses served closer to combat than in any prior conflict, under fire, all while continuing to
• Force Service Pilots and the 6888 Central Postal Directory Battalion have all been honored, and these nurses

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Ann or Nurse of the Day, correction of previous day's journal, House and Senate bills, and joint resolutions
• And we are still waiting on the doctor, the nurse of the day, so we will probably recognize them if they
• Please recognize Representative Leigh to present the nurse of the day.
• Members, please join me in welcoming Teddy Cole, our Nurse of the Day.
• She is completing her doctorate in nursing practice next month with a focus on improving health literacy

Bills: SB1290, SB1530, SB1847, HR1050, SB169, SB1377, SB1990, SB1991, SB1778, SB1579, SB1992, SB3, SB2028, SB1928, SB2127, SB2117, SB1439, SB1930, SB330, SB1191, SB2110, SB2134, SB2069, SB2095, SB1613, SB1246, SB1976, SB1346, SB1509, SB2071, SB259, SB1314

Keywords: 2-1-1 services, revolving fund, Department of Human Services, crisis pregnancy, abortion, legal funding, research funding, development rebate, Oklahoma Department of Commerce, tax incentives, higher education partnerships, Medicaid, ADvantage Waiver, home-based services, eligibility criteria, healthcare, senior services, Taiwan, Oklahoma, sister-state relationship

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, as the daughter of a nurse who believes heavily in medical directives, I actually say thank
• You know, as the daughter of a nurse who believes heavily in medical directives, I actually say thank
• You know, as the daughter of a nurse who believes heavily in medical directives, I actually say thank
• You know, as the daughter of a nurse who believes heavily in medical directives, I actually say thank
• who believes um the daughter of a nurse who believes heavily<00:15:33.120> in<00:15:33.600>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, they agreed with our position on the nursing homes. Great work for us.
• <01:16:14.000> homes hold everything up for the nursing homes hold everything up for the nursing
• bill that will protect their nursing bill that will protect their nursing homes,<01:16:23.120>
• So, I went down to see nurse Jen. I interrupted her lunch. She didn't say anything about it.
• <04:08:25.680> I So, I went down to see nurse Jen. I So, I went down to see nurse Jen.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• > officer, um, four psychiat or two officer, um, four psychiat or two psychiatric<00:37:48.560> nurse
• practitioners and two psychiatric nurse practitioners and two primary<00:37:50.079> care<00:37
• We are becoming a required site for all of their nursing undergraduate students because so many times
• <00:59:11.040> undergraduate all of their nursing undergraduate all of their nursing undergraduate
• students because so many times nurses students because so many times nurses and<00:59:14.240>

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Families and Children met with a quorum, approved the August minutes, and received an update that the number of children in out-of-home care with active placements was 8,647 as of September 7, 2025. The first presentation was from Isaiah 117 House, a nonprofit that provides a home-like setting for children on removal day so they do not have to wait in a state office. Speakers described the mission as reducing trauma for children, lightening the burden on case workers, and easing transitions to foster or kinship placements. They said the Kentucky home in Logan County opened on August 15 and had already served 10 children in its first six days. Committee members asked about logistics, including whether children placed with kinship caregivers would still come to the house, how long children can stay, who remains responsible for them, and how volunteers are screened. The presenters said children are brought to the house regardless of whether they are headed to kinship or foster placement, that 72 hours is not a hard cutoff, and that a case worker remains in charge at all times while volunteers provide support. They also said volunteers undergo background checks, trauma-informed training, confidentiality instruction, and annual continuing education. In response to questions about funding and expansion, they said Isaiah 117 House is community-funded without state or federal money, and that new homes are opened only when fully funded, with construction costs typically ranging from $80,000 to $150,000 and first-year budgets around $180,000. The committee then heard a presentation from Remy Eastep Homes on its Family Centered Integrated Healthcare and related services. Leaders described the organization’s history from its origins as separate orphanages in Boyd County to residential treatment, treatment foster care, prevention services, and outpatient behavioral health. They said the organization shifted about 15 years ago toward engaging families more directly because family involvement improves outcomes and helps keep children safely at home when possible. The presentation continued into program details, but no votes or formal actions were taken on either presentation.

Transcript Highlights:

• great-grandmother was a longtime nurse great-grandmother was a longtime nurse at<00:29:47.360>
• nurses.
• whatever we do pretty well with nursing whatever we do pretty well with nursing uh<02:21:42.520>
• that a lot of people think of a nursing that a lot of people think of a nursing home<02:24:05.479
• of loss of uh licensed nursing of loss of uh licensed nursing assistance<02:44:08.479> to

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• When you have a school nurse and every child is required to see a school nurse during the year, I think
• Um, it needs to be a nurse/oral health therapist.
• When you have a school<01:24:46.560> nurse<01:24:47.440> and<01:24:47.760> every
• <01:26:12.639> slashoral Um, it needs to be a nurse slashoral Um, it needs to be a nurse slashoral
• So reconfiguring what that school nurse looks like I think is really the key.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The task force met for its third meeting, approved the minutes, and heard testimony from Dr. Jack on behalf of the American Beverage Association and Kentucky Beverage Association. Dr. Jack argued that the “totality of the science” supports low- and no-calorie sweeteners as safe and useful tools for reducing sugar and calories, citing FDA and other domestic and international reviews, clinical trials, and the FDA’s recent healthy-label rule. He also described the industry’s transparency efforts, including a “Good to Know” database compiling ingredient and safety information, and said the beverage industry has voluntarily worked to offer more choices with less sugar. Members questioned him about whether beverage ingredients are restricted in other countries, possible health effects beyond weight and cancer, concerns about metabolic issues and gut microbiome effects, whether sweeteners are addictive, and why companies do not simply remove sweeteners. Dr. Jack responded that most ingredients are permitted in many jurisdictions, that broad food-safety reviews have looked at multiple endpoints and found the ingredients safe, that the gut microbiome is still being studied, and that recent clinical evidence does not show increased sweetness preference. He also said business decisions about formulations are up to companies and noted that cane sugar and high-fructose corn syrup are metabolically similar. The committee also discussed consumer apps and ingredient-scoring tools; Dr. Jack said the industry’s website presents facts without interpretation and is based on food-safety agency assessments. At the end of his testimony, the chair accepted additional fact sheets for the committee. The meeting then moved on to introduce Dr. Gary Huber, who began testimony by emphasizing integrative medicine, metabolic syndrome, and the role of diet, exercise, sleep, and stress in health, but his full presentation was not included in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• That is because one of the selected topics was both assisted living facility and nursing home licensing
• That is because one of the selected topics was both assisted living facility and nursing home licensing
• That is because one of the selected topics was both assisted living facility and nursing home licensing
• That is because one of the selected topics was both assisted living facility and nursing home licensing
• <00:03:40.640> home living facility and nursing home living facility and nursing home licensing

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The Legislative Audit Commission Evaluation Subcommittee met on October 6, 2025, to choose additional program evaluation topics for the Office of the Legislative Auditor. Deputy Legislative Auditor Jody Mson Rodriguez explained that the commission had previously selected seven topics from an initial list of 11, with background papers already prepared on five of those items, and that the subcommittee was now being asked to select five more topics for background papers before narrowing the full set to four recommendations later in the fall or early spring. Members discussed several possible topics, especially emergency medical services, non-emergency medical transportation, MinnesotaCare eligibility, child care assistance, medical assistance fraud prevention, and U.S. Bank Stadium. David Kersner of OLA said emergency medical services and non-emergency medical transportation are distinct programs, and noted the EMS topic was evaluated in 2022 while non-emergency medical transportation had not been reviewed since 2011. Auditor Judy Randall said MinnesotaCare eligibility, child care assistance, and medical assistance fraud prevention are better suited to OLA’s financial audit division or special review unit rather than program evaluation, and that financial audits and special reviews do not require Legislative Audit Commission nomination. On process, Mson Rodriguez said the subcommittee had already met its minimum required selections under the commission’s policy and was free to choose additional topics. The discussion also covered whether to broaden the stadium topic beyond U.S. Bank Stadium; staff said the U.S. Bank financing structure alone would be a major undertaking, but they could help craft a future topic focused on maintenance across multiple facilities. No final vote or motion was taken in the portion of the meeting provided, and the chair indicated the committee would continue nominations and discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• That sends a signal to the front office, to the school nurse.
• The assistant principal and the school nurse come running.
• they both the office to the school nurse they both the assistant<00:05:18.520> principal<00:05
• principal and the school nurse assistant principal and the school nurse come<00:05:20.039> running
• But on the school grounds, the nurses monitor it pretty well as well.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The House Primary and Secondary Education Committee met and first took up House Bill 14, which would establish Alyssa’s Law in Kentucky public schools. The bill, as amended by committee substitute, would allow districts to implement wearable panic alert systems for school staff beginning in the 2025-26 school year. Sponsor Rep. Kevin Jackson and supporters described the system as a silent badge/button that can alert school offices, 911, first responders, and other personnel, with different button sequences for different emergencies. Testimony from Lori Alade, Alyssa’s mother and founder of Make Our Schools Safe, emphasized that “time equals life” and said the technology can help in active threats, medical emergencies, weather events, and other urgent situations. Students from St. Margaret Mary’s Kentucky Youth Assembly also supported the bill, citing the Georgia school shooting response as an example of how such systems can save lives. Members asked about vendor neutrality, costs, training, and whether the system could be used off campus; sponsors said the bill is intended to be vendor neutral, estimated statewide costs ranged from about $2 million to $6 million, training would be provided before the school year, and they would follow up on the off-campus question. The committee approved HB 14 with the committee substitute attached. The committee then reconsidered and approved House Bill 48, a cleanup measure related to school reporting requirements. The substitute was described as addressing department concerns about eliminating certain reporting forms while preserving district flexibility and reducing burdensome reporting. It would allow schools to maintain or use alternative reporting methods, provide KDE a timeline and guidelines for reporting on Cognia software used for CPS and C-dips, and require a written report to the LRC describing reporting requirements imposed on public schools and districts, with items not reapproved by the legislature sunsetting in 2026. The bill passed the committee with the committee substitute attached. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 190, as amended by committee substitute, which would shift the measure from a planning-and-action bill to a planning-only bill for advanced coursework and codify some gifted-student regulations. Rep. Duvall and Dr. Julia Link Roberts of WKU said the bill is intended to expand opportunities for high-potential students by requiring districts to set policies on advanced coursework or accelerated learning options for grades 4 through 12. The substitute changes the standard from “proficient” to “distinguished,” allows districts flexibility in how they implement the policies, and may require automatic enrollment for students scoring distinguished, with opt-out provisions and a principal exception if coursework conflicts with career pathways or CTE access. Members discussed how the proposal differs from current advanced programs, the broader inclusion of students, and district variation in available opportunities. No final vote on HB 190 was included in the transcript excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• Additionally, future projects include health sciences facilities that would house our nursing and other
• A nursing lab has to feel like a clinical setting.
• not necessarily in our control, but by the state due to clinical placements. ...is something like nursing
• But it would be difficult for us to expand our access to pre-licensure nursing, where you would do four
• You know, for nursing, it's going to be a different workforce need than some of the other bachelor's

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I discovered an accredited EMF medical conference, medical textbooks and nursing textbooks, public health
• So this is an easy bill to pass because the information is out there for the doctors, nurses, and all
• For the past seven years, I have served as an emergency department nurse.
• During COVID, at the outset of COVID, the visiting nurse service that served South County towns went
• I'm a registered nurse, wellness coach, and Massachusetts resident.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Public Health held a hearing focused on children’s health, disease prevention, screening, treatment, and pharmacy-related bills. The chair explained that the session was for public testimony only, with no votes or decisions taken that day, and outlined the three-minute limit for individual testimony. The committee then heard testimony on a range of bills, including H. 2413 on adding electromagnetic sensitivity to the state’s MAVEN registry, S. 1508 and H. 2433 on creating an amputation prevention task force, H. 2535 and S. 1551 on establishing a naloxone purchase trust fund, S. 1635 on authorizing pharmacists to provide opioid use disorder treatment, H. 2385 on creating a special commission on avian influenza, and S. 1497 on patient safety and non-FDA-approved compounded drugs. Testimony on H. 2413 came largely from advocates and individuals who described electromagnetic sensitivity as a real health condition and argued that adding it to the registry would improve data collection, provider education, and public awareness. Testimony on the amputation prevention task force bills came from the American Diabetes Association and podiatry groups, who said diabetes-related amputations are often preventable, disproportionately affect people of color, and could be reduced through earlier screening, better care coordination, and improved insurance coverage for preventive foot care. On the naloxone trust fund bills, a representative, emergency physician, and nurse testified that hospitals often cannot reliably send overdose patients home with naloxone because of billing and reimbursement barriers, and that a bulk-purchase fund would expand access at no added cost to payers or providers. The committee also heard strong support for S. 1635 from pharmacists and public health researchers, who said community pharmacists could safely initiate and maintain buprenorphine treatment and help close gaps in opioid use disorder care. On H. 2385, a local board of health chair supported a special commission on avian influenza, citing gaps in emergency preparedness and the need for clearer coordination across agencies. On S. 1497, a pharmacy representative opposed restrictions on compounded drugs from outsourcing facilities, warning that changes could reduce access to life-saving medications and harm patient safety. No votes or formal actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• personal care, or taking care of someone in their old age in their home so that they aren't put into a nursing
• , could be taking care of someone in their old age, in their home, so that they aren't put into a nursing
• I'm a nurse. I've been a nurse for 40 years.
• I'm a nurse. I've been a nurse for 40 years.
• I'm employing extenders to assist in my practice, nurse practitioners, etc.

Summary: The Judiciary Committee took up two bills. SB 98, by Senator Harrell, would let self-storage facilities advertise lien sales either in a newspaper or on a qualifying website, while keeping other notice requirements in place and updating contact information provisions. Supporters, including the Florida Press Association and several newspaper/storage owners, argued print and digital newspaper notices already provide broad public notice and that the bill could reduce notice effectiveness; the sponsor said the bill is an optional modernization and does not affect government notices. After debate, the committee voted 8-1 to report SB 98 favorably. The committee then heard SB 164, by Senator Grall, which expands Florida’s Wrongful Death Act to allow parents to recover civil damages for the death of an unborn child at any stage of development, with carve-outs for the mother and lawful medical care. The sponsor said the bill aligns civil law with Florida’s criminal protections for unborn children and gives families a remedy where current law may not. Opponents, including the ACLU of Florida, health care workers, and others, warned it could invite lawsuits against doctors, hospitals, friends, family members, and people involved in abortion access, and could worsen OB-GYN shortages and deter care. Supporters said it recognizes unborn life and should be treated consistently with existing wrongful death law. The committee approved SB 164 on a 4-3 vote and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have doctors, we have nurses, we have case managers, we have behavioral health aides, which Faith's
• We have, um, family support specialists, nurses. So the idea is that you...
• groups, individuals, families, and then there's things that go on outside of the school day, like our nurse
• groups individuals, families, and then there's things that go on outside of the school day, like our nurse
• We have the nurse, so we don't have much of a nurse. Um, we have the crisis team.

Summary: The committee held an interim study on how to educate and support students with severe violent or disruptive behavior while protecting classmates, teachers, and school staff. Members framed the issue as one involving students who have often experienced trauma and may be removed from class through suspension, expulsion, or juvenile placement, but who still need a meaningful path back to school. Several legislators shared personal experiences as former educators or administrators and emphasized that schools need clearer criteria for removal and return, along with stronger support for families and staff. Dr. Michelle Butler, an alternative education director, testified that Oklahoma’s current alternative education system is not designed to serve students removed for major discipline issues because placement is generally voluntary and programs are built around students who need a different learning environment, not punitive removal. She argued for early intervention, stronger attendance enforcement, trauma screening, teacher training, and a regional or cooperative model that would combine credentialed educators, social workers, therapists, and family counselors. She also described existing programs such as Trace Academy, Rogers County Youth Services diversion programs, and the limitations of virtual-only models and current funding, saying the system lacks sufficient resources and staffing. Representatives and senators asked about funding, staffing, credentials, and whether statutes should be changed to prevent alternative education dollars from going to programs that do not provide direct services. Other testimony came from Family and Children’s Services and Mid-Del Youth and Family Services, both of which described embedded school-based mental health, crisis response, intensive outpatient services, family engagement, and juvenile diversion programs. Witnesses stressed that wraparound services, school-community partnerships, and a bridge back to the home school are essential, and that many students and families need mandatory or strongly supported participation rather than purely voluntary help. The study concluded with members noting possible next steps, including expanding or supplementing alternative education, improving early intervention, and examining participation requirements and transition supports; no votes were taken, and the committee adjourned after the presentations.