Transcript Highlights:

• The bill expands the list of counties that may establish a forensic hospital diversion pilot program,
• Expands the list of counties that may establish a forensic hospital diversion pilot program by adding
• This pilot program helps to restore competency and provide more comprehensive treatment.
• I know last year we had a pilot program for condominiums.
• Is there any money in the budget for the condominium pilot program? Senator Brodeur.

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, doctor and guest introductions, and then took up Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 168, the Tristan Murphy Act, on mental health. Senator Bradley described the bill as a major criminal justice and behavioral health reform measure that would expand pretrial mental health diversion, strengthen treatment-based probation conditions, broaden grant uses for mental health and substance abuse programs, add Hillsborough County to a forensic hospital diversion pilot, require certain DOC mental health evaluations, and create a Florida Behavioral Health Data Repository. Senators from both parties spoke in strong support, emphasizing treatment over incarceration, public safety, data collection, and the Murphy family’s role in advancing the bill. The Senate passed the bill 37-0 and then approved 37 co-sponsors. The chamber then received the Senate’s 2025-26 General Appropriations Bill, SB 2500, with Chair Hooper outlining a $117.4 billion budget that he said reduces spending, preserves reserves, and includes major investments in water quality, transportation, education infrastructure, and reporting requirements. Committee chairs summarized their portions: K-12 funding at $34.7 billion with increases for FEFP, scholarships, VPK, school hardening, and school safety; higher education at $11.5 billion with workforce, nursing, reading, autism, and student aid investments; health and human services with a $1.8 billion increase for Medicaid, mental health, opioid response, disability services, and veterans programs; criminal and civil justice at $7.6 billion for corrections, juvenile justice, law enforcement, courts, and judgeships; transportation/tourism/economic development at about $18 billion including roads, housing, Visit Florida, and cultural grants; and agriculture/environment/general government with major Everglades, water quality, citrus, food bank, and agency IT funding. Members then questioned several budget items, especially education funding formulas, the shift of scholarship dollars below the line, the impact on public school districts, AP/IB and other accelerated program funding, the APD wait list, opioid settlement spending, arts grants, and the My Safe Florida Home and condo pilot programs. Chairs generally said scholarship and accelerated-program dollars were being restructured for transparency and flexibility rather than cut, that school districts would still receive funding based on enrollment, and that APD and other human services issues would continue to be worked out in conference. The budget discussion concluded with remarks praising staff and noting a 4% across-the-board pay raise for state employees and targeted increases for law enforcement and firefighters, followed by a recognition for FAMU Day at the Capitol.

Transcript Highlights:

• As you know, I'm honored to get to know Rondo Land Trust and to support a homebuyer initiative pilot
• home Landress and to support a home by home buyer<00:02:29.160> initiative<00:02:29.959> pilot
• program in Ramsey buyer initiative pilot program in Ramsey County<00:02:32.560> Dakota<00:02:
• Land Trust home buyer initiated program Land Trust home buyer initiated program pilot<00:03:52.560>
• this is not just an investment in pilot this is not just an investment in affordable<00:03:54.680>

Bills: HF1143, HF1548, HF1340, HF2549, HF2559, HF1673, HF2740, HF2507, HF2461, HF2381, HF2695

Keywords: education funding, unemployment aid, special education, Minnesota statutes, appropriations, housing, redevelopment, local government, trust funds, community development, HF1340, housing infrastructure bonds, Minnesota Housing Finance Agency, MHFA, affordable housing, supportive housing, permanent housing, adaptive reuse, area median income, AMI

Transcript Highlights:

• These are, you know, kind of one-off pilot projects that we’ve got funding for.
• Representative Shimabukuro said the bill may have been related to a pilot project, possibly isolating
• The chair asked whether DLNR’s Kahului pilot project for dune restoration was correct.
• project on kahalui which did did a pilot project on kahalui which did the<01:48:07.760> Dune<
• And for the pilot projects, we'll say we will exclude the growing to make it explicit.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Water and Land met on March 13, 2025, and first announced that SB 1456 would be deferred to the end of the agenda and ultimately worked on later, with the chair indicating the bill would be deferred and revisited in a future measure. The committee then heard SB 841 on marine life conservation districts. DLNR supported the bill, saying it would fund carrying capacity studies to inform rules and policies. Testimony noted a pilot study already underway at the Puka Marine Life Conservation District and another nearing completion at the old Kona Airport MLCD. Members discussed costs, with DLNR estimating about $300,000 per year for one user-experience study, potentially more for ecological analysis, and also discussed possible funding from the Mālama Kai special fund. DLNR said it had no objection to consulting current operators and other users, and explained the program would be a new, ongoing adaptive-management tool. The committee next heard SB 411 on capital improvement projects at small boat harbors. DLNR supported the intent, saying the bill would help expedite use of special funds for CIP work, while the Department of Budget and Finance opposed it, arguing the draft could conflict with constitutional limits on appropriations. Public testimony from an industry representative supported the bill and urged more collaboration with commercial operators, while committee discussion focused on whether DLNR could already use special funds for repairs, how much engineering and bidding work is required before projects go out to bid, and whether the current process creates bottlenecks when bids exceed initial estimates. DLNR said it can do some repairs and maintenance within existing authority and funding ceilings, but that the bill as drafted could be too broad. The committee also heard SB 5 on historic preservation, where DLNR supported the measure and NAOP Hawaii opposed it, saying the bill’s broader definition could expand the scope beyond the stated goal of narrowing reviews and reducing backlog. The committee then took up SB 1462 on the state historic preservation income tax credit. The Department of Taxation said the revenue estimate assumes the cap would be reached each year the credit is available, and DLNR supported the bill. SHPD said the prior credit had sunset, outreach had previously been done in targeted communities such as Chinatown, and owners of eligible historic properties are notified during review. Finally, the committee heard SB 268 on island burial councils. DLNR supported the bill, and OHA strongly supported it, saying the councils have struggled with quorum and expertise and that the measure would restore the original intent of having lineal descendants and cultural practitioners as decision makers, while still allowing landowners and developers to testify and participate. OHA also said it would help provide technical support and urged continued involvement from SHPD and the Attorney General’s office.

Transcript Highlights:

• Second, existing law established a pilot... ...we face a shortage of court reporters.
• Second, existing law established a pilot project authorizing Superior Courts in 13 counties to study
• This bill extends the pilot until July 8, 2028.
• Michelle Caldwell: In addition, AB 2783 continues a much-needed remote reporter pilot program necessary

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• On line 82 for the Minnesota Nice Home Share Pilot Program, there's $150,000 from the reallocated earnings
• line 82 for the Minnesota Nice Home On line 82 for the Minnesota Nice Home Share<00:02:08.920> Pilot
• <00:02:09.399> Program,<00:02:10.039> there's<00:02:10.280> 150,000 Share Pilot
• Program, there's 150,000 Share Pilot Program, there's 150,000 from<00:02:12.040> the<00:02:12.400

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The conference committee on House File 1141, the Omnibus Housing Finance and Policy Bill, reviewed the fiscal spreadsheet and policy language for the agreement. Staff explained the major funding items, including appropriations for greater Minnesota workforce housing, manufactured home park infrastructure grants, family homelessness prevention, supportive housing, a tenant hotline, and housing infrastructure bonds, along with a cancellation of unused Tyler settlement funds and a reallocation of Housing Development Fund earnings. Staff said the package was budget neutral over the forecast window. The policy walk-through also covered provisions on livestreaming Housing Finance Agency board meetings, limits on administrative retentions for new grant programs, restrictions and reporting on Housing Development Fund transfers and earnings, clarifying language for local public housing, an exemption related to lived-experience engagement, and access for legislative fiscal staff to agency accounting information. Members then considered several amendments. The A12 amendment, allowing certain local governments to invest long-term funds in housing-related investments, was adopted after a roll call showed support from all three caucuses. The A16 manufactured housing bill of rights amendment, which would have addressed park-owner practices, purchase opportunities, enforcement, and rent increases, was not adopted. The A18 amendment to allow additional flags in HOAs and other areas was also not adopted. The A17 amendment to limit private equity ownership of single-family homes to 100 units was not adopted. The A13 amendment to preempt local rent control was not adopted. Members on both sides said some of the rejected issues warranted further discussion in future sessions, while supporters argued they were needed to address housing affordability and ownership pressures. In closing discussion on the bill as a whole, members from both chambers praised the bipartisan process, the staff work, and the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency’s collaboration. Supporters said the agreement would help build thousands of homes across the state, assist vulnerable Minnesotans, and improve transparency and accountability in housing programs. They also noted the bill’s mix of single-family, multifamily, manufactured housing, homelessness prevention, and policy reforms. The committee expressed intent to move the agreement forward to the House floor and ultimately to the governor.

Transcript Highlights:

• And sustained funding, not temporary pilot programs. and sustained funding, not temporary pilot programs
• Building on the work under AB 3099, we have worked for AB 1334, which is the tribal police pilot program
• Department of Justice, in partnership with POST, has advanced implementation of this tribal police pilot

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• new next steps to be taken from this report include that the legislature should consider funding a pilot
• Heck, with the pilot program, let's just do it.
• The benefit of doing a pilot is to figure out how to adjust all of these components, but it's up to you
• If we need to do a pilot, fine, and I'll try to take the lead on that, Mr. Chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• We participated in a pilot program back in 2019 with Texas 8-1-1 during that pilot saws received about
• We believe certain improvements do need to be made to address the issues we identified in their pilot
• Another thing that we noticed during our pilot program in 2019 is there was a 300 foot buffer zone that

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• for active transportation projects, including the Reconnecting Communities Highways to Boulevards pilot
• So what OES, the Office of Emergency Services, has done is created a pilot program, and that's That's
• uncertainty around how exactly the funds would be spent in future years because we're still learning from a pilot
• So, I won't be advocating for a lot of money, but I would love to have the right pilot programs, the

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This year we are continuing our second year of a pilot program featuring enhanced hearing procedures
• our second year year we are continuing our second year of<00:01:57.560> a<00:01:57.840> pilot
• program<00:02:00.039> uh<00:02:00.200> featuring<00:02:00.640> enhanced of a pilot
• program uh featuring enhanced of a pilot program uh featuring enhanced hearing<00:02:01.520> procedures

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee held its first hearing of the 2025 session and reviewed several measures. SB 102 would restrict third-party restaurant reservation services from listing or selling reservations without a written agreement from the restaurant; the Attorney General recommended amendments to strengthen the bill against First Amendment and Contracts Clause challenges, and the Hawaii Restaurant Association strongly supported it, saying restaurants should control who represents them. The committee also heard SB 137 on electric utility mergers and acquisitions, with support from Ulupono Initiative and IBW Local 1260. Supporters said the bill would preserve state policy protections, including renewable energy and rate-making goals, and protect workers; IBW also suggested amendments, including a severability clause. The committee discussed a possible alternative approach from the PUC involving solicitation of bids from non-investor-owned utilities, and Ulupono said it would consider that idea but was concerned about preserving time for co-op formation. Members then heard SB 142, which would require insurers paying claims by check to send them by certified mail with restricted delivery and return receipt. The Insurance Division stood on its written testimony, while the Hawaiian Insurers Council, State Farm, NAMIC, and the American Property Casualty Insurance Association opposed the bill. A senator questioned whether the measure was too prescriptive and could create problems for claimants displaced by disasters; the response was that insurers and claimants usually remain in contact and that other payment methods may already be available depending on the carrier. SB 157 would ban algorithmic price setting in Hawaii’s rental market and require a public education program; the committee noted written testimony in support and comment, but no oral testimony was taken before moving on. SB 158 would create a state-owned bank implementation board within DCCA; DCCA’s financial institutions division, the Budget and Finance Department, and the Legislative Reference Bureau submitted comments, while the Hawaii Bankers Association opposed and the Hawaii Credit Union League commented. The committee also heard SB 318, which would require DCCA to adopt privacy rules for direct-to-consumer genetic testing and specify whether genetic information may be used for investigative genetic genealogy. The Office of Consumer Protection and Andrew Crossland opposed the bill, saying federal law and existing state protections already cover much of the area and that rulemaking would be a better way to address it; members raised concerns about federal changes and the need for state protections, but OCP said the bill was not the best approach. SB 332 would prohibit bundling foreclosed homes at public sale and delay finality of sales; L. Strong and written testimony supported it, citing Lahaina’s post-fire foreclosure risks and warning of investors profiting from the disaster. The final measure, SB 525, would require written notice and consent before mortuaries, cemeteries, or pre-need funeral authorities sell or recycle precious metals recovered after cremation. DCCA’s consumer protection and licensing divisions offered comments, while the Hawaii Funeral and Cemetery Association opposed the bill, saying it was surprised by the measure and was unaware of current consumer problems in the industry.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have seen the successes of free fare pilots in 2023, and so we would like to expand free fare pilots
• in 2023, and so we free fare pilots in 2023, and so we would<01:52:47.800> like<01:52:48.040>
• <01:52:50.000> to would like to expand free fare pilots to would like to expand free fare
• pilots to combat<01:52:51.080> uh<01:52:51.280> food<01:52:51.560> insecurity.
• on at least two new free fare pilot on at least two new routes<01:53:11.600> uh<01:53:11.720>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The Department of Corrections was given 18 months, January 1, 2025, to implement pilot programs and policy
• The Department of Corrections was given 18 months, January 1, 2025, to implement pilot programs and policy
• The Department of Corrections was given 18 months, January 1, 2025, to implement pilot programs and policy
• They are in a pilot right now and will be rolled out, um, but it hasn't been implemented yet, and so
• right now and will be are in a pilot right now and will be rolled<00:41:28.000> out<00:41:28.920

Bills: HF1082, HF1042, HF1295, HF1686, HF1998, HF1775, HF1163

Keywords: public safety, law enforcement, mental health, domestic violence, appropriations, criminal justice, Minnesota corrections, victim services, task force, personal safety, Independent Use of Force Investigations Unit, criminal sexual conduct, sexual assault, peace officers, law enforcement oversight, Minnesota National Guard, U.S. armed forces, military installation, armory, air base

Transcript Highlights:

• And maybe we have to do that through a statute to direct that the forms do, as we do a pilot project
• for a year, That the forms do, as we do a pilot project for a year, so we can get feedback to see if

Keywords: Code Commission, 976, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Board of Supervisors of Community and Technical Colleges to establish a policy. ...to establish a pilot
• It's established a pilot program in partnership with city-parish and other local public school systems

Keywords: 974, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This would set up the Office of the State Construction Manager, which would be a pilot program, a design
• The Office of the State Construction Manager would be a pilot program, a design review special fund,

Bills: SB2057, SB2109, SB2400, HB1752, SB2599, SB2930

Keywords: immigration enforcement, sanctuary policy, detainer, ICE, federal immigration authorities, 8 U.S.C. 1357(g), 8 U.S.C. 1373, 8 U.S.C. 1644, deportation, undocumented immigrants, noncitizen, migrant rights, local police cooperation, law enforcement cooperation, hold request, judicial warrant, probable cause, civil immigration enforcement, county police, state police

Transcript Highlights:

• They had a request for $300,000 to begin pilot programs. In two other places, I wanted to...
• FUND THE NEW YORK STATE NATURAL FIBERS TEXTILE WORKING GROUP THEY HAD A REQUEST FOR $300,000 TO BEGIN PILOT

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Joint Conference Committee on Environment, Agriculture and Housing opened budget negotiations for the 2026-2027 enacted budget, with Senate and Assembly leaders outlining their one-house proposals and committee members giving brief remarks. The discussion covered environment, agriculture, housing, parks, and energy, with repeated emphasis on affordability, climate resilience, and support for rural and urban communities. Senate and Assembly chairs described the process and noted the agencies present, while minority members criticized the overall size of the budgets and urged more attention to housing affordability, building stakeholders, and energy costs. On the environment and energy side, the Senate highlighted proposals for $138 million in additional clean water infrastructure funding, a $75 million increase to the Environmental Protection Fund, $95 million in restored parks capital, $200 million for the Energy Affordability Program, and $1 billion for Sustainable Futures 2.0, including a proposed revival of the NY STUN program. The Assembly said it increased the EPF to $500 million, raised clean water infrastructure funding to $800 million, and included targeted amounts for cities, rural housing-related water projects, Cornell Ag Tech, and the Center for Sustainable Materials Management. Democrats argued that high utility bills are driven by natural gas costs rather than clean energy, while Senate and Assembly Republicans said the CLCPA and other energy mandates are increasing costs and should be reconsidered. Agriculture remarks focused on research, farm support, and resilience. Senator Hinchey described funding for Cornell’s COWS program, Farm to School amendments, $7 million for farm worker housing, and a new $20 million Farm Weather Resiliency Grant Program. Chair Lupardo said the Assembly added $16 million over the Governor’s proposal for educational research and outreach, restored support for beginning and disadvantaged farmers, and backed dairy, livestock, hemp fiber, and natural fibers initiatives, while also accepting $30 million in farmer tariff relief if guidelines are set. Minority Assembly Member Tague supported dairy infrastructure funding but criticized the farm labor overtime phase-down and the CLCPA’s impacts on farms. Housing discussion centered on major capital and assistance programs. The Assembly proposed $200 million more for the Housing Access Voucher Program, $100 million for Mitchell-Lama and NYCHA, $50 million for down payment assistance, $4 million for fair housing testing, land banks, and $40 million for the Homeowner Protection Program. The Senate outlined similar priorities, including $500 million for NYCHA, $100 million for Mitchell-Lama preservation, $250 million total for HAVP, and additional funding for mixed-income rental development, vacant rentals, senior housing, and block-by-block infill. Chair Rosenthal said rent stabilization was not being changed in the budget, while Republican members argued that affordability requires lower taxes, lower utility costs, and fewer regulatory burdens. No votes were taken; the meeting was an opening round of budget negotiations and ended with closing remarks from both sides.

Transcript Highlights:

• So the funny thing about that meeting is when we got done, one of the guys that was a pilot asked me
• He is a West Point graduate and the former Army helicopter pilot.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Military, Veterans Affairs, and Domestic Security met for its first meeting of the 2025-26 session and heard presentations from Major General John Haas, Adjutant General of Florida, and Tim McGregor, executive director of the Florida Defense Support Commission. General Haas reviewed the Florida National Guard’s missions, statewide footprint, domestic disaster response, and federal deployments, emphasizing the Guard’s role in hurricanes, border-related support, and other state operations. He also discussed recruiting and retention, noting that recruiting remains strong but retention is challenged by the Guard’s high operational tempo, and he outlined efforts to expand force structure, improve facilities, and modernize units, including Camp Blanding upgrades, new armories, additional infantry, engineer, military police, and aviation assets, and the Air National Guard’s F-35 conversion. Members asked questions about recruiting methods, typical brigade size, and how many personnel would be needed to reduce the average duty burden back toward the statutory 39 days. Haas explained that Florida’s large population helps recruiting, especially through community and school outreach, but that the state’s frequent domestic missions make the current 12,000-member force too small for its workload. He said the Guard’s high tempo is the main reason members leave for the reserves and argued that more force structure is needed to reduce strain. Committee members also discussed prior efforts to influence National Guard stationing decisions based on population shifts and domestic mission demands. McGregor then described the Florida Defense Support Commission’s work to protect military installations, prevent encroachment, support workforce and economic development, and improve the military-friendly environment for service members and families. He highlighted the commission’s grant programs, the military benefits guide, and a spouse license reciprocity matrix, as well as site visits to installations and defense-related facilities across the state. Members asked about Lockheed Martin’s innovation and simulation work in Orlando and discussed the value of military spouse reciprocity compacts. No bills were heard, and the committee adjourned after the presentations and discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• He flew over 1,200 sorties as a Robin in the backseat of an airplane next to the Raven pilot—1,200 sorties
• When you think about that, those of you that know about the Air Force, any pilot that flies over 100

Transcript Highlights:

• They've created, they've created their own pilot, I don't want to speak for this, for the city, but,
• um, I believe it's they've created their own, I would call like a pilot program, and they say that's

Transcript Highlights:

• chamber, we have John Carlyi, Ann McIntyre, Dylan Epperson, and Zach Kellerman with the San Francisco. pilots
• The bar pilots have been a part of California's history since 1850, safely guiding ships through the

Keywords: 988, house, all