Transcript Highlights:

• in the state, and we know we do based on how many we have enrolled in the schools that can't speak English
• , we know how many are going through our emergency rooms that can't speak English.
• Based on how many we have enrolled in the schools that can't speak English, we know how many are going
• through our emergency rooms that can't speak English.

Keywords: Judiciary, Division B - Room 409, 3 February, 2026; 9:00 A.M., 925, all

Summary: The committee took up several criminal justice and public safety bills. Senator Sparks explained SB 2416, which would let a law enforcement officer who tests positive on an initial drug screen obtain a more invasive follow-up test at the officer’s expense; if the second test is negative, the first result would be treated as a false positive and the officer’s certification would not be put at risk. The committee also heard SB 2228, which would reduce the waiting period for certain felony expungements from five years to three years, following a recommendation from the criminal justice task force. Members discussed how expungement remains discretionary with the court and does not change which offenses are eligible; the bill passed committee after a motion and voice vote. The committee then considered a committee substitute for SB 21108, a combined bail bill. Counsel said it would require suspension of a bail agent’s license when there is a civil judgment, exclude credit card transaction fees from authorized bail fees, clarify requirements for cash deposits in lieu of surety or property bonds, bar unsecured judicial release for bail-restricted offenses, and allow courts to assess service-of-process costs against bail agents in certain failure-to-appear cases. A reverse repealer was added, and the committee voted to pass the committee substitute. Finally, the committee heard SB 2114, which would expand state immigration enforcement efforts by allowing DPS to collect information on illegal aliens, codifying participation in the federal 287(g) program, and creating state penalties for certain unlawful entry and criminal conduct by undocumented persons, including enhanced penalties for violent or sex offenses. The sponsor and counsel said the bill is intended to work with federal law and includes exemptions for certain federal immigration statuses and a provision allowing some nonviolent defendants to agree to deportation in lieu of prosecution. Members raised concerns about enforcement, probable cause, and unintended consequences, but the sponsor said the bill would require proof of entry through the Gulf of Mexico for the new entry offense and that the measure would enhance cooperation with federal authorities.

Transcript Highlights:

• A rural superintendent may find themselves driving a bus for a couple of days, teaching an English class
• A rural superintendent may find themselves driving a bus for a couple of days, teaching an English class
• I am a 30-year veteran elementary teacher, reading specialist, and English language teacher.
• Christine Nelson is a veteran 30-year teacher, and she says that she's taught English language arts at

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I taught students who are primary English speakers, as well as those learning English as an additional
• I also taught students at every grade level, from first through 12th, across English, math, history,
• What's the application in an English language arts class when we generally read and analyze fiction?

Summary: The Assembly Education Committee held an informational hearing on AB 715, followed by discussion of SB 48. AB 715 was presented by Assembly Members Zbur and Addis as a response to rising anti-Semitism in California schools. They described incidents involving harassment, swastikas, biased classroom materials, and students feeling unsafe, and said the bill would create an Office of Civil Rights with coordinators to address anti-Semitism and other forms of discrimination, provide prevention resources, and support school districts. Witnesses in support, including a rabbi and a student who described personal experiences with anti-Semitic harassment, urged immediate action to protect Jewish students. Opposition testimony came from the California Teachers Association, county superintendents, school board groups, labor organizations, civil liberties advocates, ethnic studies educators, and many community members. Their main concerns were that the bill was rushed, had not been fully vetted in the Assembly Education Committee, and could chill classroom speech or create constitutional problems, especially around language requiring instruction and materials to be “factually accurate” and not based on advocacy, bias, or partisanship. Several opponents argued that anti-Semitism should be addressed through education, training, and restorative practices rather than new statutory restrictions. Some witnesses also raised concerns about the bill’s impact on ethnic studies and free speech. Committee members then debated the bill’s process and substance at length. The authors said the bill had been narrowed through negotiations with education stakeholders and the Senate, that some disputed provisions would be revisited in cleanup language, and that the urgency of anti-Semitic incidents required action now. Several members expressed support for the bill’s goal but criticized the late release of the final language and the lack of consultation with the Assembly committee. Others emphasized the need to protect Jewish students immediately and argued the bill was a necessary response to a real crisis. The transcript does not show a final vote on AB 715 in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• But English professor who's now an energy expert. How do you like that? No, I like it.
• But<00:21:40.320> English<00:21:40.640> professor<00:21:41.039> who's<00:21:41.280
• > now<00:21:41.440> an But English professor who's now an But English professor who's now

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, I'm glad you're well versed on English grammar, so thank you for that.
• :39:59.360> on Well, I'm glad you're well verssed on Well, I'm glad you're well verssed on English
• English grammar, so thank you for that. English grammar, so thank you for that.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• we talk about instructional material, we have to think about what teachers are—history teachers, English
• This goes across the board, because I was certified in English and history in Florida and Mississippi
• what my students were learning and how they... ...to think about what teachers are—history teachers, English
• This goes across the board because I was certified in English and history in Florida and Mississippi,

Summary: The House convened with prayer, a moment of silence for Deputy Will May of the Walton County Sheriff’s Department, the Pledge of Allegiance, and quorum established. The Rules and Ethics Committee report setting the special order calendar was adopted, and CS for HB 947 was recommitted to the Judiciary Committee. The chamber then took up several special-order bills, mostly reviser and technical measures, including SB 36, SB 42, SB 40, and SB 38, all of which passed unanimously or near-unanimously after brief explanations that they updated or cleaned up Florida statutes. Members also passed HB 513 on electronic transmittal of court orders, requiring clerks to send certain petitions, notices, summonses, and orders within six hours, including Baker Act, Marchman Act, and risk protection orders. HB 615, on electronic delivery of landlord-tenant notices by email when both parties agree in writing, passed after adoption of a tenant-protection amendment offered by Rep. Gottlieb. HB 655 establishing a regulatory framework for pet insurance and wellness programs passed unanimously. HB 1145 on workforce education passed 100-4, expanding CAP grant eligibility to public charter schools for CTE startup/expansion and increasing minimum program offerings tied to a money-back guarantee program. HB 299 on elevator accessibility requirements passed unanimously, and HB 649 on autonomous practice by certified registered nurse anesthetists passed 77-30 after structured debate. The most extensive debate centered on CS for HB 1205, which would significantly revise Florida’s citizen initiative process. The bill would require a $1 million bond after 25% of required signatures are collected, require petition handlers and circulators to be Florida residents and U.S. citizens, impose background checks and training for paid circulators, shorten petition turn-in deadlines to 10 days, increase penalties, add signature revocation notices, require more identifying information on petition forms, and create felony penalties for certain misconduct. Supporters argued the changes were needed to combat fraud and protect petition integrity; opponents said the bill would burden First Amendment activity and make ballot initiatives harder for ordinary Floridians to pursue. Multiple amendments sought to roll back or soften the bill’s requirements, protect personal information, restore longer deadlines, lower validation thresholds, and bar public funds from being used to advocate for or against amendments. Some amendments were adopted, but several key ones failed as debate continued.

Transcript Highlights:

• written primarily in Hebrew, not entirely, and then so the translation translations we read today are English
• As a matter of fact, one of the first translations wasn't in English. Hebrew, but it was in Greek.
• Right. at the direction of King James and, you know, it's 16. century English, right?
• And there's been different translations as dialects and English dialects. have changed and I started

Bills: SJR18, SCR5, SCR13, SCR25, SB3, SB6, SB10, SB11, SB12, SB13, SB15, SB17, SB18, SB35, SB388, SB412, SB441, SB495, SB666, SB687, SB706, SB740, SB815, SB842, SB917, SB925, SB995, SB1006, SB1281, SB1300, SB1379, SB1451, SB1902, SJR36, SJR18, SJR12, SCR13, SCR25, SCR5, SCR22, SB565, SB372, SB495, SB842, SB765, SB62, SB19, SB18, SB666, SB707, SB888, SB687, SB706, SB847, SB290, SB11, SB10, SB13, SB412, SB441, SB1248, SB740, SB14, SB1006, SB504, SB917, SB925, SB388, SB1902, SB1121, SB995, SB857, SB305, SB296, SB284, SB35, SB6, SB815, SB3, SB1281, SB1379, SB1300, SB1497, SB1499, SB1498, SB1451, SB1061, SB15, SB65, SB241, SB304, SB402, SB499, SB621, SB974, SB1023, SB1024, SB1025, SB1106, SB686, SB112, SB371, SB204, SB400, SB609, SB1447, SB670, SB502, SB427, SB850, SB854, SB413, SB1555, SB1362, SB1346, SB1033, SB1220, SB1073, SB810, SB987, SB1539, SB893, SB447, SB875, SB406, SB509, SB985, SB965, SB17, SB1119, SB1505, SB12, SB24, SB57, SB1194, SB1253, SB1215, SB1532, SB1268, SCR12, SCR24, SB1302, SB856, SB650, SB583, SB673, SB840

Keywords: capital gains, taxation, constitutional amendment, state revenue, individual investment, SCR 5, Senate Concurrent Resolution 5, Texas School for the Deaf, TSD, Robert Rives, gymnasium naming, building naming, honorary resolution, commemorative resolution, deaf education, hard of hearing, Gallaudet University, alumni hall of fame, football coach, school facility naming

Transcript Highlights:

• now, currently as it stands, the academic, which is like general education dual credit, so math, English
• now, currently as it stands, the academic, which is like general education dual credit, so math, English
• now, currently as it stands, the academic, which is like general education dual credit, so math, English
• now, currently as it stands, the academic, which is like general education dual credit, so math, English

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Senate Education Committee heard House Bill 132, which would change home and hospital instruction funding so schools can be reimbursed sooner when students miss school for short-term mental health-related stays. Representative Nick Wilson said current law requires a student to be out five days before funding begins, leaving schools unpaid when they provide instruction during 2- to 4-day absences. The committee gave HB 132 favorable expression unanimously. The committee then heard House Bill 193, a cleanup bill on dual credit scholarships. Representative J.T. Payne and KHEAA’s director explained that the bill consolidates academic and CTE dual credit scholarships into one statute to reduce administrative confusion, since the programs have been funded together in recent budgets. HB 193 passed unanimously with favorable expression. House Bill 241 drew the most discussion. The committee first adopted a substitute, which members said changed the bill to give the Commissioner of Education discretion, rather than a mandate, to grant calamity days. The bill and substitute centered on virtual instruction and Cloverport Virtual Academy: supporters said the school was a pilot project that needed more time and that a prior agency effort to cap virtual instruction would have effectively shut it down, while opponents argued the substitute would reward a low-performing virtual model and extend NTI/virtual learning too broadly. Testimony from an Oldham County parent criticized NTI quality and opposed adding more virtual days. No final vote on HB 241 was included in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• I also want to point out that with Representative Fer and his English skills, one time we were up here
• 00:23:17.279> his that with representative fer and his that with representative fer and his English
• 00:23:18.720> we<00:23:19.000> we<00:23:19.120> were<00:23:19.320> up English
• skills one time we we were up English skills one time we we were up here<00:23:19.679> for<00

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Public Works and Highways Committee held an orientation meeting focused on introducing members, outlining committee norms, and hearing an overview from the Department of Transportation. Chair David Mills emphasized the committee’s long-standing bipartisan working style, asked members to share contact information for short-notice scheduling, and noted that the committee would need to complete as much work as possible before the building is vacated later in the year. Members introduced themselves and described backgrounds in engineering, construction, planning, local government, military service, education, and business. Several members highlighted prior service on planning boards, school boards, zoning boards, or in transportation-related fields as relevant to the committee’s work. Members repeatedly described the committee as collegial and nonpartisan, with most bills going to the consent calendar. The chair also noted that the committee’s work centers on state infrastructure, including roads, bridges, highways, and buildings. Representative Cluder, the ranking member, and others echoed that the committee is effective because it talks issues through and resolves disagreements collaboratively. One member mentioned a recent trip that reinforced the importance of infrastructure resilience after storms and rebuilding efforts in other states. Department of Transportation officials, led by Assistant Commissioner and Chief Engineer David Rodrig, gave a detailed organizational and operational overview. They described DOT’s structure, mission of “transportation excellence,” and major responsibilities across highways, bridges, rail, transit, aeronautics, maintenance, and administration. Rodrig reported 1,651 permanent positions and 404 vacancies, 2,160 state bridges with 115 on the Red List, 4,600 centerline miles of roadway, 25 public airports, 11 transit systems, and 194 active state-owned rail lines. He also outlined FY 2024 spending, project development activity, highway maintenance operations, fleet and fuel systems, and the distinction between the highway fund and DOT’s budget, including the role of federal funds and the turnpike enterprise fund. No votes were taken and no bills were acted on during this orientation meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• existing Department of Corrections court-approved policies guaranteeing translation services to non-English-speaking
• existing Department of Corrections court-approved policies guaranteeing translation services to non-English-speaking
• The Governor supports this bill to ensure individuals with limited English language proficiency can access

Keywords: April 22, 2026 - Reconvened Session, 976, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So many of our kids, like I just said, come from homes where English is not the first language.
• That where English is not the first language. If they're not in class, they're not learning.
• They're not showing up for social studies, math, and English. We know that.

Summary: The committee met to discuss student attendance and chronic absenteeism in Florida K-12 schools, with Chair Simon outlining the state’s attendance requirements and intervention process, including school contact after unexcused absences, child study team review, district superintendent referral, DJJ family services referral, truancy petitions, and possible parental prosecution and driver’s license consequences. Dr. Chris Curran of the University of Florida presented statewide data showing chronic absenteeism has risen sharply since the pandemic, with Florida at about 31.4% in 2023–24, and noted that absenteeism varies by district, school level, demographics, and urbanicity. He emphasized that causes are multifaceted—ranging from transportation, mental health, housing instability, safety concerns, and family circumstances—and said effective responses include early warning systems, text or phone outreach, multi-tiered interventions, mentoring programs like Check & Connect, and community partnerships. He also cautioned that punitive responses alone are often less effective than addressing root causes and keeping students engaged academically even when they miss school. Collier County Superintendent Leslie Ricciardelli described her district’s attendance efforts as a priority supported by attendance specialists, social workers, mental health staff, home visits, attendance contracts, and extensive parent communication. She said Collier’s chronic absenteeism rate was about 9% in 2023–24 and attributed success to consistent monitoring, family outreach, and community support, while stressing that students must be physically present to learn. She also argued that many absences are tied to barriers such as clothing, transportation, childcare, or family mental health, and that districts need resources to address those issues. Dr. Rachel Dawes added that Collier uses multilingual brochures, attendance awareness campaigns, vacation-planning guidance, door tags, automated calls and letters, and a truancy flow chart, with truancy court used as a last resort. Volusia County Executive Director Mike McAuliffe described a districtwide overhaul that included an attendance matters campaign, automated notices sent early and often, same-day and period-by-period notifications, a data dashboard, and tiered supports through MTSS. He said Volusia reduced chronic absenteeism from 34% in 2023–24 to a projected 29% and reported a first-quarter rate of about 20% in the current year. He highlighted community partnerships, including AdventHealth support for washers and dryers, bikes for students with transportation barriers, and monetary recognition for schools that reduce absenteeism. In response to questions, both district leaders emphasized that funding, staffing, and consistent follow-through are essential, and that attendance work is most effective when paired with family engagement, data monitoring, and practical supports rather than punishment alone.

Transcript Highlights:

• Radio Bilingüe operates a 16-station network here in California, broadcasting in Spanish, English, and
• *Al-Sat-Tobos* and *Rockin' the House* are Spanish and English programs by and about young people, with
• This is the kind of broadcasting that we do in their language, not just English, but in Spanish and Mixteco

Summary: The hearing focused on the impact of the federal rescission of Corporation for Public Broadcasting funding on California public media, with Assemblymember Chris Ward and Senator Akilah Weber Pierson framing public media as essential civic infrastructure for education, local news, arts, emergency alerts, and underserved communities. Local officials from San Diego and La Mesa voiced support, emphasizing public media’s role in trusted information, children’s programming, and community arts access. Panelists from PBS SoCal, KCRW, Rebuild Local News, NPR, KPBS, Radio Bilingüe, and KVPR described significant budget losses, layoffs, reduced programming, and threats to rural and specialized services. They highlighted impacts on children’s educational content, local journalism, arts coverage, science and documentary production, and emergency alert systems. Several speakers noted that smaller stations in rural or low-broadband areas are especially vulnerable, while larger stations are also cutting staff and delaying projects. They also discussed possible responses such as shared services, cost reductions, philanthropy, and state support, while warning that one-time bridge funding is not a long-term fix. Committee members asked about operational changes, alternative revenue sources, the role of state programs, and whether public pressure could restore federal funding. Witnesses said the loss is already being felt, that restoration appears unlikely in the near term, and that any state support should be structured to protect editorial independence and provide stable, timely funding. The hearing concluded with a shift to labor and production testimony and then to station-specific testimony from KPBS, Radio Bilingüe, and KVPR, followed by public comment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, they told me that I have to speak in English, but I don't know.
• Okay, if you don't understand something in Spanish that I said, I will try to do it in English, okay?
• You were doing good with the English. Estaba muy bien, no había problema.

Transcript Highlights:

• But far too many face steep barriers: limited English proficiency, low-wage employment, lack of legal
• Steep barriers: limited English proficiency, low-wage employment, lack of legal status, and difficulty
• Students can gain high school equivalency, learn to read, write, and speak English.

Summary: The committee heard several higher education bills. It first approved the consent calendar, which included SB 67 and SB 619. The main discussion centered on SB 437, which would direct the CSU system to develop a fair, evidence-based process for verifying whether someone is a descendant of a person enslaved in the United States, as part of the state’s reparations work. Supporters said the bill fills a gap left by the Reparations Task Force and would create a transparent, credible lineage-verification process; opponents argued genealogy methods already exist, the bill would waste money and delay action, and some raised constitutional concerns. The committee took a vote on SB 437, but the roll was left open after the initial tally showed three ayes and three noes. The committee then heard SB 790, which would allow California to join the interstate reciprocity agreement for online postsecondary education. The author and supporters said the bill would improve consumer protections for California students taking out-of-state online courses and help California institutions compete more effectively by reducing the burden of seeking separate state approvals. Opponents, including University of Phoenix and other groups, argued the bill conflicted with the existing reciprocity framework, could exclude some institutions, and might not actually secure California’s entry into the agreement. The committee voted 3-1 to pass SB 790 as amended to the Business and Professions Committee, with the roll left open. The committee also heard SB 391, which would authorize the Community College Chancellor’s Office to charge fees for research partners seeking access to data. Supporters said the office is absorbing significant unfunded workload from data requests and that fees would help recover costs; opponents, including the California Teachers Association community college association, warned the fees could create barriers for faculty and smaller researchers. Members discussed possible exemptions and implementation details. The committee voted 5-1 to pass SB 391 as amended to the Appropriations Committee, with the roll left open. Finally, the committee heard SB 685, a pilot program to provide cost-of-attendance assistance at four CSU campuses for students who experienced homelessness in high school. Supporters said it would help students cover housing, food, and transportation costs and reduce dropout risk; members asked about eligibility and implementation, and the author explained the bill would use McKinney-Vento homelessness designations and target students at risk of “summer melt” and college homelessness.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our English language learner proficiency percentage in California is 66%.
• It's the kind of instruction proven to help students succeed, especially our English language learners
• children falling behind are economically disadvantaged, disproportionately black and Latino, and English

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I can put on my former college professor hat and talk about what we saw in the English common law.
• We started out with English common law and moving veils of hate.
• She started with like, Kohler, the carrier of last resort comes from English common law and the need

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I could also be a better teacher to the students in the now reduced number of English classes that I
• I taught high school English full-time for four years before stepping down to part-time when I had my

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on a range of public retirement and municipal health insurance bills. Mass Retirees and the American Federation of Teachers supported House 2890/Senate 1848 on transparency in municipal health insurance, arguing that broker and consultant roles should be clearly defined, commissions disclosed, and dual roles prohibited to reduce conflicts of interest and costs. They also supported House 2799/Senate 1848 on protecting municipal retirees from future premium contribution increases, House 2854 on voting rights for surviving spouses in retirement board elections, and Senate 1917 on updating the definition of veteran for retirement purposes. Committee members discussed whether the veteran definition should simply conform to the federal definition going forward. Educators testified in support of House 2769/Senate 1921, which would allow teachers with at least 20 years of service to buy back creditable service for periods when they worked part-time while raising children. Multiple teachers described the financial and retirement penalties they experienced after stepping down to part-time work for child care, calling the current system inequitable and a “mom tax.” Sponsors and supporters said the bill is intended to correct that disparity and help retain teachers, while one committee member noted it appeared neutral on an actuarial basis. The committee also heard strong support for Senate 1908, which would raise the cap on outside income for public pension recipients, from retired State Police troopers who said the current limit is outdated and unfair to those forced into disability retirement after line-of-duty injuries. Another State Police representative supported House 2910 on state police pensions, citing recruitment and retention problems under current pension rules. In contrast, Hampden County Regional Retirement System officials and the Massachusetts Association of Contributory Retirement Systems opposed House 2745, a bill to restructure the Hampden County system’s governance, arguing it would weaken PERAC oversight and create an unworkable local system. They instead supported House 2813, which would extend the time to fill a vacant fifth member seat on retirement boards. At the end of the hearing, the committee voted to adjourn the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• But it was when I returned home, teaching English language arts and English as a second language, that

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The House first recognized several student athletes and teams, including East Bridgewater cheerleaders, Medway athletes and teams, and the Housatonic Valley basketball team, and adopted a resolution congratulating the William Diamond Jr. Fife and Drum Corps on its 25th anniversary. Members also suspended Joint Rule 12 to advance a petition concerning an extension of a lease authorization for conservation land. The chamber then took up Senate 2581, as amended, a major education and youth technology bill. The bill was rewritten to promote safe technology use and distraction-free education, including restrictions on personal electronic devices in public schools and limits on social media access for children. Members debated whether the policy should be bell-to-bell or allow more local flexibility, and several amendments were offered. An amendment from Attleboro to preserve district-specific policies was rejected, while a consolidated amendment tightening social media restrictions and related protections was adopted. The House also considered and passed several other bills, including measures amending the Sandwich charter, authorizing Springfield to help certain residents with local tax obligations, authorizing charity alcohol auctions, and directing the Boston Police Department to waive the maximum age requirement for a specific police applicant. In addition, the House rejected concurrence on a Senate version of a higher education infrastructure bill and instead appointed a committee of conference. Later, the House accepted a conference report on modernizing cannabis laws after debate focused on regulatory streamlining, equity, ownership caps, and hemp regulation. The report was adopted by roll call, and the House then passed the amended education bill to be engrossed before adjourning to the next day.

Transcript Highlights:

• His wife Yolanda taught preschool, worked for a nonprofit, helped immigrant mothers learn English, and
• face every day, day in and day out, very poor communities, communities where people don't know the English

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• lawfully present in the United States, second, hold a valid CDL license, third, understand and read English
• About a third of Floridians speak a language other than English, and 21% of U.S. adults can't read at

Bills: S0086, S0642, S0712, S0758, S0896, S1224, S1300, S1370, S1712

Keywords: unauthorized aliens, commercial motor vehicles, safety regulations, civil penalties, law enforcement, bail bond, insurance regulation, foreign insurers, financial disclosure, premium reporting, pyramid schemes, consumer protection, fraud prevention, legal affairs, penalties, justice, administrative commission, membership, state attorneys, public defenders

Summary: The committee met with a quorum present and took up a series of bills, beginning with SB 1300 on education and workforce development for current and former inmates. Senator Claudio explained that the bill is intended to expand collaboration between the Department of Transportation and the Department of Corrections to provide training opportunities tied to Florida’s need for CDL drivers. The bill was reported favorably without debate. Members then considered SB 896 on campus safety, as amended by strike-all and late-filed amendment. The bill would require postsecondary institutions to adopt active assailant response plans, conduct security risk assessments, improve threat reporting and information sharing, and allow voluntary participation in the guardian program; the late-filed amendment removed a prohibition on guardians wearing uniforms. After questions about the firearm-discharge provision near campuses and testimony both for and against, the committee reported the bill favorably. The committee also reported favorably SB 86 on commercial motor vehicles operated by unauthorized aliens, SB 642 on foreign and alien bail bond insurers, and confirmed appointees listed on tabs 10 through 19. The committee next heard SB 712 on pyramid promotional schemes, which would create a new prohibition and increase penalties while preserving legitimate direct sales plans. Members raised concerns about whether participants in such schemes might themselves be victims, and the sponsor said prosecutorial discretion would distinguish victims from primary wrongdoers; the bill was reported favorably. SB 1224 on rental housing application fraud was also amended and reported favorably after testimony from apartment and realtor groups in support. In the latter part of the meeting, Chair Martin presented SB 1370 to expand habitual traffic offender status to repeated unlicensed driving, and SB 1712 to create a statewide FDLE counterintelligence and counterterrorism unit. SB 1370 was reported favorably unanimously. SB 1712 drew extensive questioning and public opposition over concerns about broad language, surveillance, and possible impacts on speech and protest, but the sponsor said the unit would focus on protecting the state from adversary intelligence threats and operate within constitutional limits; it was reported favorably. Finally, SB 758 on the Justice Administrative Commission was amended to adjust commission membership and reported favorably unanimously. The committee then recorded additional votes for members and adjourned.