Transcript Highlights:

• I am satisfied with the education options my child is utilizing as compared to the options my child utilized
• </c><03:31:56.720><c> as</c> options my child is utilizing as options my child is utilizing as compared
• It is costing us lives, livelihoods, and billions in public funds.
• </c><05:45:40.080><c> for</c> competitions puts Federal funding for competitions puts Federal funding
• but fails to deposit the deducted money into the appropriate fund.

Transcript Highlights:

• And some of the other information we gathered is what the providers are utilizing those funds for.
• Yeah, one-time funding from the general fund. All right. Senator Hogan.
• fund.
• uses of funds.
• And again, those funds were not included in any of the funding.

Summary: The committee first heard an update on North Dakota’s Interagency Council on Homelessness and Continuum of Care funding. Jennifer Henderson of the North Dakota Housing Finance Agency reported that homelessness remains driven by tight housing markets, low incomes, rising rents, and barriers to rental assistance, public benefits, and disability determinations. She said the state’s one-time North Dakota Homeless Grant is serving all regions but reaches far fewer households than the former Rent Help program, and that aging homelessness, shelter staffing shortages, and limited affordable units are growing concerns. Members discussed the need for more housing supply, better coordination with Health and Human Services, landlord engagement, reentry housing, and possible continued one-time funding for the $10 million Homeless Grant and $25 million Housing Incentive Fund. Henderson also warned that federal Continuum of Care funding is uncertain, with HUD expected to issue a new notice June 1 and possible shifts away from permanent supportive housing toward transitional housing and other models. The committee then took testimony on accessibility of government services for people who are blind, visually impaired, deaf, or hard of hearing. Paul Olson of North Dakota Vision Services School for the Blind described the school’s services for infants, children, and adults, including screenings, mobility training, assistive technology, and outreach across the state. He said the agency works closely with Vocational Rehabilitation and is also involved in improving website and document accessibility, especially for PDF materials. Public testimony highlighted barriers such as inaccessible CAPTCHA systems, online forms, driver’s license requirements on job applications, and limited transportation in rural areas. A deaf resident urged broader use of video remote interpreting and video relay services, along with training so people know how to use them effectively. Finally, Kay Larson presented the final report on the child care provider licensing study. The report recommended streamlining North Dakota’s child care licensing structure into three provider types plus a preschool designation, while preserving health and safety standards and maintaining eligibility for child care assistance. The committee discussed simplifying training and qualification rules, revising ratio and group-size requirements, and adjusting age bands for infants and toddlers. The report also noted that some changes would require statutory amendments and later administrative rule changes, with a transition period likely extending through 2029. No formal votes were taken in the transcript, but the committee accepted the updates and scheduled follow-up presentations for a later meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Without explicit cost caps in this legislation, we risk creating a system where ratepayers fund utility
• on Electric Utility Regulation, and a work group report.
• on Electric Utility Regulation, Work Group Report.
• for locally funded projects and setting rates for every two years.
• This bill deals with what is known as the Birth Injury Fund.

Transcript Highlights:

• SB 1233, public utilities rates. The motion is do pass. SB 1233, public utilities rates.
• Public utilities rates. The motion is due pass. SB 1233 public utilities rates.
• SB 1011, Energy Utility Use of AI.
• SB 1196, ADU Utility Service Connections. SB 1196, ADU Utility Service Connections.
• SB 1196, ADU Utility Service Connections. SB 1196, ADU Utility Service Connections.

Committee: Senate Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• HB 2378, school facilities oversight board members.
• It attaches requirements that utilities ensure that our utility bills, or energy bills, are not being
• We know those utility prices are runaway costs.
• Oversight should be preserved, but it must be responsibly funded and sustained. I vote no.
• Was that just an oversight? Sir Kavanaugh, Mr.

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, then approved the journal and received House messages and first-read bills. The chamber moved through multiple Committee of the Whole calendars, considering a range of measures on solar energy, public safety, insurance, health care, agriculture, gaming, education, child welfare, and real property. Several bills were retained on calendar, while many others were advanced with committee amendments and floor amendments. On Calendar 2, SB 1419 on solar energy inspection contractors drew the most debate. A floor amendment by Sen. Sundareshan sought to require utilities to protect ratepayers from costs associated with large energy users such as data centers; supporters argued it would help keep electricity affordable, while opponents called it a hostile amendment. After a division vote, the amendment failed 12-15, and SB 1419 was reported do pass as amended. SB 1498 (DPS appropriation) and SB 1502 (unlawful flight/reckless endangerment) also advanced. The Committee of the Whole report was adopted, but a later attempt to add the failed Sundareshan amendment to the report on SB 1419 was defeated 13-14. On Calendar 1, the Senate advanced SB 1165, SB 1206, SB 1212, SB 1215, SB 1290, SB 1291, and SB 1347, mostly with committee amendments. SB 1178 on naturopathic physicians and prescription drug pricing saw a contested Sears floor amendment aimed at stopping price gouging on essential generic drugs; supporters said it would lower drug costs, while the sponsor objected that it was not germane. The amendment failed, and the bill passed as amended. SB 1186 on document retention and donations also drew a Sundareshan amendment on transparency and implementation; it failed, and the bill passed as amended. SB 1286 on veterinary visits and electronic prescriptions advanced after a proposed Kavanagh floor amendment was defeated on division. The Senate then adopted the Committee of the Whole reports and moved on to additional calendars. On Calendar 4, the chamber passed SB 1004 on ESA students and interscholastic activities, SB 1116 on AHCCCS access/behavioral health, SB 1162 on health care institution licensing complaints, SB 1179 on developmental disability/health monitoring, SB 1475 on school district governing boards and eligibility, SB 1821 on DCS training and child placement, and SCR 1012. A request to hold SB 1475 for a reinstatement process was rejected. The Senate also took up an additional Committee of the Whole for SB 1077, SB 1479, and SB 1566; SB 1077 advanced with a Payne floor amendment, SB 1479 advanced with a Carroll amendment classifying certain forged real-property recordings as a class five felony, and SB 1566 began consideration with a Petersen amendment to remove part of a prior amendment. Throughout, the chamber repeatedly adopted committee reports and advanced the bills for further action.

Transcript Highlights:

• Existing law prohibits utility companies from directly applying for the DIAG program, including utilities
• apply directly for the DIAG program for funding.
• city might not find interest in applying for those funds, but SAWS does.
• It's only water utilities.
• You'd have to be a defense community and a separate water utility.

Bills: HCR92 , HB 114 , HB561 , HB 1171 , HB1894 , HB2026 , HB2143 , HB2337 , HB2564 , HB114

Committee: House S/C on Defense & Veterans' Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• We know that they already utilize AI in a variety of ways in their everyday lives.
• We know that they already utilize AI in a variety of ways in their everyday lives.
• I was noticing just the line fund and the transfers.
• It seems like it's a total of $30 million for that fund, but it's a transfer.
• That's a significant move in making sure that funds get out to all our institutions. Okay.

Bills: S1694

Committee: Senate Appropriations Committee on Higher Education

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Higher Education met with a quorum present and first took up CS for SB 1694, which would require technology-integrated postsecondary general education core courses to include digital literacy and competency instruction, including use of artificial intelligence tools, and encourage high school computer science courses with AI content to teach how AI systems use data, their benefits and limitations, and responsible use in academic and personal contexts. The bill drew support from several speakers who emphasized the need for students to understand AI’s capabilities, limitations, ethics, and risks, while one speaker raised concerns about overreliance on AI and the loss of skills. Senator Davis said the bill was a good step toward preparing the future workforce and suggested earlier instruction might be worth considering later. The bill was reported favorably, and Senator Leek asked to be recorded in the affirmative. The committee then heard a long series of confirmation presentations for trustees at multiple Florida colleges and universities, including Tallahassee State College, USF, UNF, Palm Beach State College, the College of the Florida Keys, Hillsborough College, Miami-Dade College, Florida A&M University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Florida International University, New College of Florida, Florida Polytechnic University, and the University of Florida. The appointees generally emphasized student success, workforce alignment, fiscal responsibility, access and affordability, and institutional growth; several members and senators offered supportive comments, with some asking about specific issues such as Tallahassee State’s NCLEX passage rates and the need for continued improvement. One appointee’s attendance was delayed or skipped for later consideration, but the committee ultimately took a block vote and reported the confirmations favorably to the Ethics and Elections Committee. Finally, Chair Harrell gave a brief overview of the higher education budget, describing a total of $11.9 billion and highlighting increases for workforce education, Florida College System operating funds, workforce development capitalization, the Rural Incentive for Professional Educators program, the USF Center for Nursing, preeminent research universities, UCF’s community school grant program, UF’s Lassinger Center on Learning, the Florida Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment, and campus security through a postsecondary guardian program. Senator Davis asked about a transfer related to the workforce development capitalization and incentive grant fund, and the chair explained it was a transfer of an existing program with new funds being added. There was no public comment on the budget, and the meeting adjourned after Senator Leek requested to be recorded in the affirmative on SB 1694.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a self-funded plan.
• Even though it's a self-funded plan, the department does not regulate self-funded plans.
• This is not a self-funded health plan. Self-funded... self-funded health plan.
• Alpha is not putting their money into this self-funded plan, nor is the Tennessee... self-funded plan
• Real self-funded plans are governed by federal law and have oversight from not one but two federal...

Committee: Senate Banking and Insurance

Transcript Highlights:

• Was this program originally started with ARPA and COVID funds?
• This funding was originally started with ARPA funds when they first put it in, and then it was replaced
• ... ...with general fund as the ARPA funding had been spent, and so then it went back to a general fund
• These workers are paid by programs that are funded by Medicaid.
• We would like it to be written that at least 95% of what is suggested is utilized.

Committee: House Health and Welfare

Transcript Highlights:

• the fund during my presentation, and whether fund monies were spent for statutorily authorized purposes
• two programs that preceded the fund.
• The school safety pilot school safety interoperability fund and two programs that preceded the fund,
• 1, detailing their use of fund monies.
• that agency because it was allocated fund monies.

Committee: Joint Joint Legislative Audit Committee

Summary: The committee began with opening remarks about moving to a monthly, two-hour schedule for more timely and focused oversight of Auditor General findings. Members also recognized Melanie Chesney for 32 years of service to the Office of the Auditor General, with several speakers praising her work and her role in strengthening the relationship between the Auditor General’s office and J-LAC. The main agenda item was the Auditor General’s December 2025 special audit on the school safety interoperability fund and interoperable communication systems. Staff reported that about $26 million had been allocated to 14 law enforcement agencies for systems intended to improve real-time communication between schools and first responders. The audit found that all 14 agencies used the money for interoperable systems, but four agencies allowed private or tribal schools to participate contrary to statute, and several agencies failed to submit required annual expenditure reports. It also found that none of the three systems reviewed met every statutory requirement as written, in part because some requirements were vague or interpreted differently by vendors and agencies. The audit recommended that agencies recover and report any improper benefit to non-public schools, avoid using fund money for ongoing costs tied to non-public school participation, submit missing reports, and improve cost planning and contract monitoring; it also recommended that the legislature clarify eligibility for private and tribal schools and revisit unclear system requirements. The audit further found procurement and contracting problems at nine of 14 agencies, including weak or missing sole-source justifications, contracts that lacked accountability and termination provisions, and poor documentation of pricing and deliverables. Several agencies had not planned for ongoing annual costs, which the audit estimated could range from about $16,000 to $382,000 per rural county depending on the system. In the discussion, members expressed frustration with sole-source contracting and lack of documentation, and some said they would oppose future vendor bills without competitive bidding and stronger payment controls. The auditor also described mixed system performance: some agencies reported useful features such as panic alerts, camera access, and map sharing, but other systems were not fully functional or had never been implemented. The committee then heard from the Arizona Sheriffs’ Association, whose president said sheriffs support the goal of improving school safety, described county implementation challenges, and defended the use of local staff to manage the projects, while acknowledging that smaller counties face staffing and connectivity limits.

Transcript Highlights:

• This project has faced many challenges during construction, including lack of funding to complete the
• project, lawsuits, challenges acquiring right-of-way and moving utilities.
• Every dollar on this project counts because we have lost a federal funding partner.
• Every dollar on this project counts because we have lost a federal funding partner, and at this time
• we are completely reliant on state funding to deliver this significant infrastructure project.

Committee: House Transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• This year, we are requesting $275,000 General Fund to fund two permanent positions in 2026-27 and ongoing
• Whose oversight is that?
• from the special deposit fund.
• Fund.
• Fund.

Transcript Highlights:

• funding; it's a financial lifeline for our communities.
• funding; it's a financial lifeline for our communities.
• It's not funded through the federal government.
• It's not funded through the federal government.
• </c><01:40:21.520><c> so</c> just goes into the general fund so just goes into the general fund so hospitals

Summary: The House Standing Committee on Health Services met with a quorum and took up House Bill 785, as amended by a committee substitute that combined language from HB 785 and HB 787. The bill was described as addressing Medicaid managed care organization (MCO) audits, provider contract notice and amendment procedures, mental health parity compliance, and related transparency requirements. Supporters said the measure would tighten notice to providers, limit repeated contract amendments and rate reductions, require more standardized audit procedures, and add reporting on Medicaid claims, appeals, and grievances. It also includes a provision requiring coverage of at least two evaluation-and-management billable services per physician per recipient per date of service, and a section addressing narcotic/opioid treatment program licensing and reimbursement language. Testimony in support came from Representative Kim Moore, John Inman of BrightView Health, Michelle Sandborne of the Children’s Alliance, and Kelly Cormic of RYSE. They argued that MCOs often use audits and recoupments in ways that are burdensome, opaque, and financially damaging to providers, especially smaller and rural ones. They cited examples of multiple audit requests in short timeframes, large record requests with short deadlines, delayed or absent feedback, and recoupments taken before appeals are resolved. They also said parity laws are not being consistently enforced and that the bill would give the Department of Insurance authority to suspend or revoke an MCO certificate of authority for willful or repeated parity violations. Committee members generally expressed support for provider protections and transparency, while asking for clarification on the narcotic treatment and E/M billing provisions. Tom Stevens of the Kentucky Association of Health Plans testified in opposition, saying the bill is complex to implement and should be handled through the broader Medicaid oversight work of House Bill 9, the MOAB. He said the issues raised were better suited for that bipartisan stakeholder process and noted the committee substitute had not yet been fully reviewed by his group. After discussion, the committee adopted the committee substitute and then moved to a vote on the bill; the roll call began, with several members recorded as voting yes, but the transcript cuts off before the final vote result is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• Part of that mission is to more fully utilize the powers of this legislative body.
• I will be utilizing our new House rule authorizing the creation of combined workgroups so that a workgroup
• It's our belief that it was an oversight. And government accountability.
• It's our belief that it was an oversight, a glitch during the veto process.
• That's why we will vote today to reinstate the Legislature's operating funds. Thank you, Mr.

Summary: The Florida House convened in Special Session 2025B after recording a quorum and reading the joint proclamation calling the session from January 27 to January 29, 2025. Speaker Perez outlined the special-session process, including canceling regular committee meetings, distributing notebooks with the call, the bill to be filed by Representative McClure, and the bill analysis, and creating three select committees on illegal immigration to hear HB 1B later that day. He also announced a new process for reviewing vetoed appropriations through combined workgroups, beginning with legislative budget vetoes. The House then took up the governor’s veto of portions of HB 5001, the 2024 appropriations act. After reading the governor’s communication, Representative Kennedy moved to reinstate specific appropriation 2802 and its related proviso on page 412, describing it as legislative services support funding needed for IT, forecasting, auditing, and accountability functions. The motion passed 111-0. Kennedy then moved to reinstate specific appropriation 2803 and its related proviso, described as the second line item for legislative support services, and that motion also passed 111-0. No Senate messages, committee reports, reconsiderations, or bills on the calendar were reported. The House then adopted a motion to adjourn and reconvene Tuesday, January 28, 2025, at 10:00 a.m., or upon the call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• In this bill refers to a fund, this statutory revision fund.
• all funds?
• General revenue funding is the most critical funding that we have.
• companies to fund the programs.
• facilities that are That is utilizing facilities that are funded by taxpayer dollars, that causes me

Transcript Highlights:

• on prosecutorial discretion rather than judicial oversight.
• No consistent standards and no oversight.
• and publicly owned water, electrical, and gas utilities.
• Over the last several years, utility corporations have collected data on incidents reported by utility
• This also delays public utility infrastructure projects and maintenance.

Committee: House Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• CJR is funded by parole, state, police, and they get funding allocated to...
• That has some level of oversight over all of it.
• And I believe that we need an oversight, right, oversight commission, which actually enforces what's
• That’s oversight.
• , by oversight... ...be told by statute, by accountability, by oversight, whatever it may be, whatever

Summary: The commission held an open discussion on how to develop recommendations for its report due at the end of September, with chairs Dan Hunt and Senator Brownsberger emphasizing that the group is moving from information-gathering into idea-sharing. Members discussed the need for more testimony from stakeholders such as reentry centers, correctional officers, unions, and the judiciary, and several participants urged the commission to use prior reports and existing data as a starting point. There was broad agreement that the work should focus on outcomes, transparency, and identifying gaps across the correctional and community supervision systems. A major theme was whether Massachusetts should move toward a more integrated, step-down model that better connects DOC, county sheriffs, probation, parole, reentry centers, and community-based services. Participants raised the possibility of expanding use of minimum security, pre-release, day reporting, and community justice support centers, and some suggested exploring whether sheriffs should have jurisdiction over people with longer remaining sentences, or whether judges should have more discretion to place people in county facilities. Others stressed the importance of involving the judiciary earlier, improving sentencing information, and aligning programming across agencies so reentry planning begins at sentencing and continues through release. The discussion also focused on facility conditions, women’s housing, Bridgewater, Framingham, restrictive housing, and the relationship between correctional settings and mental health needs. Several members called for more consistent standards, better data on spending and program effectiveness, and stronger accountability for evidence-based practices. The group also raised concerns about contraband K2, the need for cultural change inside institutions, and the importance of trust, staff training, and soft handoffs to the community. No votes were taken; the meeting was primarily a working discussion, and the chairs said they would circulate a written set of recommendations and continue the conversation at future meetings.

Transcript Highlights:

• funding that we’re then able to take and leverage with funding from the federal government.
• It is funded at $16.5 million.
• So HLC projects that the proposed funding in House 2 will fund about 11,500 vouchers. ...feels to me
• able to fund roughly 700.
• able to fund a roughly 622 organizations, but we're not able to fund roughly 700.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Ways and Means

Summary: The Joint Committee on Ways and Means held a public FY27 budget hearing at Barnstable Town Hall, with opening remarks emphasizing the Cape and Islands’ seasonal infrastructure, housing, transportation, workforce, and digital needs. The hearing began with testimony from the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development, which outlined the Healey-Driscoll administration’s budget priorities for job training, apprenticeship, youth employment, reentry programs, and unemployment insurance modernization. The secretary highlighted proposed funding for the Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund, Career Technical Initiative, YouthWorks, reentry workforce development, and services for young adults with disabilities, along with a proposal to streamline youth work permits. Members also discussed the unemployment trust fund, the COVID assessment on employers, rising unemployment, and the need to improve DUA customer service and claims processing. Committee members asked about job seeker barriers such as child care, housing, transportation, and out-migration of young workers, as well as how to keep Cape Cod graduates and seasonal workers in the region. The administration said its strategy is to pair training with broader affordability investments and to expose students to career pathways earlier, including through middle school, early childhood STEM, YouthWorks, pre-apprenticeships, and Building Pathways. Senators and representatives also raised concerns about regional funding disparities, especially for Hampshire Franklin MassHire, and the administration said it is reviewing MassHire funding and service equity through a policy committee and statewide workforce board. On unemployment assistance, officials reported major improvements in wait times and claims processing, but said they are still working through backlogs and staffing challenges while maintaining program integrity. The committee then heard testimony from the Executive Office of Economic Development. The secretary described House 2 as a fiscally restrained budget with no new taxes or fees, while preserving core programs and using the Mass Leads Act tools to support competitiveness. EOED’s proposal included funding for the Community One Stop for Growth, rural economic development, social enterprise operating grants, regional economic development organizations, the Workforce Investment Trust Fund, Community Workforce Partnerships, Pathmaker, advanced manufacturing training, life sciences, innovation vouchers, AI initiatives, small business assistance, and tourism and live theater support. The Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation also testified on its FY27 request, focusing on consumer protection, licensing, banking, insurance, and public safety regulation. No votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• That structure was designed for oversight, and of course, oversight remains important.
• So, I would prefer a more direct action and method of utilizing the funds for this education.
• So, I would prefer a more direct action and method of utilizing the funds for this education.
• </c><00:51:34.160><c> the</c><00:51:34.480><c> funds</c> action and method of utilizing the funds action
• and method of utilizing the funds for<00:51:35.680><c> this</c><00:51:36.079><c> education.

Bills: HB1952 , HB1951 , HB1929 , HB2497 , HB2208 , HB2572 , HB1953 , HB2551 , HB2549 , HB1737 , HB1628 , HB1769 , HB2493 , HB2264 , HB1997 , HB2168 , HB2427 , HB1805 , HB2180 , HB2184 , HB2219 , HB2469 , HB2233 , HB2519 , HB2141 , HB1904 , HB2201 , HB2410 , HB2007 , HB2385 , HB2444 , HB2349 , HB2235 , HB1872 , HB2416 , HB2291 , HB2292 , HB2263 , HB2359 , HB2455 , HB1509 , HB1514 , HB1515 , HB1648 , HB2164 , HB2323 , HB1825 , HB2172 , HB1888 , HB2005 , HB2387 , HB2358 , HB2119 , HB2276 , HB2472 , HB1714 , HB2325 , HB1541 , HB1960 , HB2140 , HB2315 , HB2367 , HB2388 , HB1696 , HB2333 , HB2138 , HB2332 , HB2283 , HB2059 , HB2057 , HB2589 , HB2417 , HB2337 , HB1588 , HB2217 , HB2020 , HB1915 , HB1742 , HB2026 , HB1965 , HB1546 , HB2360 , HB1563 , HB1749 , HB2614 , HB1511 , HB1753 , HB1849 , HB1641 , HB2161 , HB2194 , HB1721 , HB2284 , HB2188 , HB1897 , HB1880 , HB1573 , HB1876 , HB20 , HB2137

Transcript Highlights:

• So we had to put that in the teacher retention and recruitment fund.
• Mental health staff, teacher retention strategies, funded at scale.
• , that that funding would go in relation to actual growth.
• that does not even have oversight like public schools do.
• that does not even have oversight like public schools do.