Transcript Highlights:

• $2.7 million for case management technology, and provides $11.9 million to fund the Supreme Court certification
• Members, SB 2512 is the judicial certification conforming bill.
• The Senate proposal aligns with the Florida Supreme Court certification of need for additional judges
• conforming bill the Senate proposal aligns with the Florida Supreme Court certification of need for
• The Senate proposal aligns with the Florida Supreme Court certification of need for additional judges

Summary: The Senate began with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, then moved into floor consideration of the 2026-2027 budget. Appropriations Chair Hooper presented Senate Bill 2500, describing a $115 billion budget that reduces overall spending from the prior year, maintains reserves, and includes a 3% pay raise for state employees and 5% raises for state law enforcement, firefighters, correctional officers, and park rangers. Committee chairs then outlined major spending in their areas, including K-12 education, higher education, health and human services, criminal and civil justice, transportation/tourism/economic development, and environmental and agricultural programs. Highlights included increased funding for school scholarships and safety, workforce and university programs, Medicaid and child welfare, corrections operations, affordable housing, rural communities, Everglades and water quality projects, and infrastructure. Members then asked detailed questions about several budget items. Senators sought clarification on the Emergency Management Trust Fund, arts and cultural grants, Florida Forever land acquisition versus conservation easements, teacher salaries, charter school capital outlay funding, EASE grants, New College funding, DOC inmate counts and reimbursement, lottery staffing, concealed weapons licensing positions, election security funding, iBudget waiver support, ADAP funding, Medicaid hospital rate reductions, and scholarship and enrollment supplements in K-12 education. Chairs explained that some reductions reflected technical shifts or right-sizing, that some funds were being moved below the line for better tracking, and that several items—such as ADAP and corrections operations—would likely remain conference issues with the House. After questions, the Senate substituted House bills for the budget and implementing measures and adopted amendments placing the Senate language onto the House vehicles to prepare for conference. The chamber passed the budget-related bills and several conforming measures, including bills on retirement, fuel taxes, the state agency law enforcement radio system, court trust funds, judgeships, and K-12 and higher education conforming changes. Votes on the major bills were overwhelmingly unanimous or near-unanimous, and the Senate repeatedly voted to accede to the House’s request for conference on the substituted bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• So already juveniles, this is about whether they have to be certified, who's going to do the certification
• And in the standards, it says when the juvenile officer is considering certification that the juvenile
• when the juvenile officer is considering filing that motion to dismiss so that there can be a certification
• Certification of a juvenile to be tried as an adult: who makes the determination?
• facility or in a county. youth spent in a juvenile detention facility or in a county jail post-certification

Transcript Highlights:

• So already juveniles, this is about whether they have to be certified, who's going to do the certification
• And in the standards, it says when the juvenile officer is considering certification that the juvenile
• when the juvenile officer is considering filing that motion to dismiss so that there can be a certification
• Certification of a juvenile to be tried as an adult—who makes the determination?
• for the term of certified youth spent in a juvenile detention facility or in a county jail post-certification

Summary: The House convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, approved the prior day’s journal by roll call, and recognized a Black History Month tribute to Dr. Penelope Martin Knox, superintendent of Raytown C-2 Schools. Members also introduced guests, including the day’s pledge leader Adeline Overcast and visitors from a rural hospital in Rolla. Several new bills were read for the first time, including measures on blind pensions, first responder harassment, and flag display at the state capitol, and committee reports were received recommending passage of several deferred measures. The chamber then took up multiple third-reading bills. House Bill 2596, concerning multiple employee self-insured health plans for small businesses, passed 145-0 after supporters said it would help small employers offer affordable coverage. House Bill 1644, addressing franchise employment liability and joint-employer issues, passed 103-45 after debate over whether it would unfairly limit workers’ rights to sue franchisors. House Bill 2423, dealing with Division of Finance licensing fees and oversight, passed 146-0 despite concerns about fee increases. House Committee Substitute for House Bill 2641, which aligns state law with federal restrictions on intoxicating hemp-derived products, passed 109-34 after extensive debate over whether the bill unfairly carves out beverages and harms hemp businesses. House Bill 2498, a juvenile justice reform measure shifting some certification-related responsibilities and expanding information sharing, passed 100-44 after supporters argued it would improve accountability and opponents warned it would politicize juvenile cases and burden treatment facilities. House Committee Substitute for House Bills 2637 and 3155, a sentencing bill increasing mandatory minimums and clarifying time-served and parole eligibility, passed 102-45 amid debate over whether it was truly a transparency measure or an increase in punishment. The House also debated House Committee Substitute for House Joint Resolution 154, a proposed constitutional amendment tied to Medicaid expansion/work requirements. Supporters said it would encourage work and reduce administrative costs, while opponents argued it would undermine Medicaid expansion and risk coverage for vulnerable residents. After a previous-question motion, the resolution passed 99-48. The session ended with announcements about upcoming committee meetings, a Black History Celebration, and other caucus and committee gatherings, followed by adjournment until Monday afternoon.

Transcript Highlights:

• And these are people that are helping folks through the process of training, certification, finding employment
• And then 64% said something around training certification challenges.
• And certification backlogs and testing delays are three that I want to talk about today.
• And then 64% said something around training certification challenges.
• And then innovations to improving testing accessibility and ensuring training and certification support

Committee: Senate Health & Long-Term Care

Summary: The committee held a work session on the long-term care workforce, hearing first from DSHS Assistant Secretary B. Rector and then from representatives of Washington Health Care Association, SEIU 775, and Behavioral Health Solutions. Presenters described rapid growth in the 85-and-older population, increasing demand for home- and community-based services, and persistent shortages in direct care, nursing, and behavioral health staff. They cited low wages, unstable hours, benefits, certification and testing delays, immigration-related workforce concerns, and burnout as major barriers to recruitment and retention. DSHS highlighted recruitment and retention initiatives funded with federal dollars, including high school training programs, a retention toolkit, transportation support, workforce navigators, tribal partnerships, and remote caregiving pilots. Industry and labor witnesses urged higher reimbursement and compensation, better training pathways, and more worker voice; they also noted that Washington ranks highly nationally on some workforce measures but still faces shortages and turnover. Behavioral Health Solutions added that credentialing delays and mental health staffing gaps are affecting nursing home behavioral care, and that its programs aim to reduce hospital transfers and improve resident outcomes. No votes were taken. The committee then received an overview from the Office of the Insurance Commissioner on the palliative care benefit work group created by 2024 legislation. OIC explained that the work group, with actuarial analysis from Milliman and input from multiple stakeholder organizations, studied a proposed palliative care benefit for commercial plans, Medicaid, PEBB, and SEBB. The report concluded that a new benefit would likely increase costs, estimating about 28 cents per member per month overall and roughly $2.6 million to $4.5 million in annual state Medicaid costs if implemented in 2027. OIC said the evidence was insufficient to conclude that palliative care would produce offsetting savings, though several provider members disagreed and submitted response letters. Members asked about other states, Medicare, health homes, and whether more research could clarify cost savings; OIC said the issue remains unsettled and that additional data may emerge as other states implement similar benefits. Finally, the Health Care Authority provided a broad overview of health care price transparency tools in Washington and federally. Staff described federal hospital and health plan transparency rules, the state all-payer claims database, consumer-facing price and quality tools, prescription drug price transparency reporting, the Health Care Cost Transparency Board, and the Prescription Drug Affordability Board. They emphasized that these tools provide useful but incomplete information because of data lags, proprietary restrictions, limited self-insured employer participation, and the complexity of machine-readable files. The committee also discussed the role of AI in making transparency data more usable and the limits of current tools in helping consumers afford care. No formal action or vote was taken on any item.

Transcript Highlights:

• A significant portion of the bill is focused on creating a new certification program that would serve
• So adding a certification element to this would bolster this already strengthened training. regimen.
• So, again, we really support building the certification program, which will require additional resources
• This would allow time to onboard the additional staff to design and develop the certification program
• and then allow the remaining time for agencies to complete their certifications. to section 2 of the

Bills: HF3043 , HF2891

Committee: House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><01:21:08.000><c> of</c> controversial uh in the certificate of controversial uh in the certificate
• We the certificate of need uh considers.
• </c> certificate to a place? certificate to a place?
• </c><01:24:53.120><c> of</c> facility um or in the certificate of facility um or in the certificate of
• It creates a certification process list.

Summary: The joint hearing opened with House Bill 1969, which would provide state funding for colorectal cancer screenings for uninsured and underinsured residents. The Department of Human Services said it supports the goal of early screening but would need new administrative capacity, including a program manager and claim pre-screening, to run the program. The Department of Health supported the measure and cited low screening rates in Hawaii, noting an educational campaign to encourage screening. The Insurance Division raised concerns about reliance on federal FAQs, warning that guidance can change and may create state cost exposure. Supporters including the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network and the Hawaii Medical Association argued the bill would close a preventive-care gap, reduce late-stage diagnoses, and save long-term costs; the committee also discussed implementation costs, estimated by DHS at roughly $1.4 million to $2 million annually plus administrative expenses, and a 6-month to 1-year timeline to establish the program. The committee then took up House Bill 1965, which would require health carriers to spend at least 6% of total medical expenditures on primary care providers. The Insurance Division said several provisions raise technical and legal concerns, including the premium freeze, the medical loss ratio language, the lack of an existing external review process for downcoding claims, and a new mandate for medically necessary inter-island transportation that could trigger an ACA defrayal. The Department of Human Services supported the intent but suggested broader language to include primary care supports and services, and noted that QUEST integration plans already invested at least 9% of total medical expenditures in primary care in 2024, with additional spending on supports and low-value care reductions. State health planning officials strongly supported the bill as an investment in primary care, saying it could improve outcomes and lower long-term costs, though they acknowledged a possible temporary premium increase during the transition. Testimony in support emphasized Hawaii’s physician shortage, especially on Maui, the Big Island, and other neighbor islands, and warned that clinics are under financial strain and may close without higher primary care reimbursement. The Hawaii Healthcare Task Force, AARP Hawaii, and other supporters said the bill would help retain providers, improve access for Medicare and Medicaid patients, and prevent downstream costs from emergency room use and avoidable hospitalizations. No votes or final committee action were taken in the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• It is a situation for child protective services and other social services, not for a marriage certificate
• A pregnant teenager doesn't need A marriage certificate.
• Children can be born to parents without a marriage certificate.
• Children can be raised by parents without a marriage certificate.

Committee: House Judiciary

Summary: The Assembly Judiciary Committee met as a subcommittee without a quorum and heard two bills. AB 1267, by Assembly Member Pellerin, would set 18 as the minimum age for marriage in California. Supporters, including a child marriage survivor, the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls, and several Girl Scouts, argued that child marriage is a form of abuse, can shield statutory rape and exploitation, and harms education, safety, and long-term opportunity. No opposition was presented. Committee members from both parties spoke in strong support, several asked to be added as coauthors, and the bill was moved on a motion to concur in Senate amendments; it passed with unanimous aye votes from members present and was declared out. The committee also heard SB 957 by Senator Perez, the Protecting Vulnerable Immigrant Detainees Model Act. The bill would direct the Attorney General to develop a comprehensive oversight plan for privately operated civil detention facilities, including immigration detention centers, to improve health, safety, and welfare standards. Supporters from CHIRLA described alleged poor conditions at facilities such as Adelanto, including uncooked food, inadequate medical care, and mismanagement of chronic illnesses, and cited prior Attorney General reports documenting serious deficiencies and deaths. No opposition testified. The committee voted to do pass the bill to the Health Committee, with several ayes and a few no votes, and later completed add-on votes before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 4272 is the Certificate of Titling of Vessels Act.
• Essentially, what it does is create a formal certificate of titling system for boats and vessels in Oklahoma
• It establishes a formal certificate of title for vessels and boats, like motor vehicles, and It establishes
• a formal certificate of title for vessels and boats, like motor vehicles.

Bills: HB2936 , HB2937 , HB2951 , HB2960 , HB2979 , HB2980 , HB3062 , HB3082 , HB3087 , HB3148 , HB3152 , HB3262 , HB3264 , HB3266 , HB3268 , HB3269 , HB3278 , HB3299 , HB3544 , HB3606 , HB3678 , HB3790 , HB3903 , HB3996 , HB4139 , HB4140 , HB4142 , HB4143 , HB4144 , HB4260 , HB4272 , HB4296 , HB4324 , HB4339 , HB4341 , HB4342

Committee: House Judiciary and Public Safety Oversight

Keywords: HB2936, children, child protection, adoption, Oklahoma Adoption Code, gestational carrier, gestational agreement, surrogacy, intended parent, preplacement home study, home study, prospective adoptive parent, foster placement, child abuse, child neglect, child sexual abuse, child sexual exploitation, lewd molestation, sex offender registry, Oklahoma Sex Offenders Registration Act

Transcript Highlights:

• We go back to the certification process.
• teaches a little bit differently, but there are standards to the NCLEX, which is the national certification
• And they’re still announcing that we can give you these certificates.
• And then when you go apply for a job, you don’t... ...you these certificates, and then when you go apply

Committee: House Education & Employment Committee

Summary: The Education and Employment Committee met with a quorum and considered one bill, HB 121 by Representative Overdorf, relating to nursing education programs. The sponsor said Florida’s nursing shortage is projected to worsen and argued that low NCLEX passage rates show some programs are not adequately preparing students. The bill would tighten probation for underperforming programs, require program directors to be accountable, authorize Department of Health on-site inspections, require admission criteria and public posting of NCLEX passage rates, and require tuition reimbursement and free remediation for students at programs with passage rates below 30 percent. Members asked about how the bill would interact with the Board of Nursing, the Commission for Independent Education, and other agencies, and whether it would address fraudulent or low-quality schools. An opponent from the Florida Association of Independent Nursing Schools said current law already requires Board of Nursing and commission review, institutional accreditation, and provisional status for programs on probation, and argued the bill could reduce the supply of nurses. He also said Florida’s NCLEX results had recently improved. A representative of the Florida Nurses Association supported the bill, saying weak programs waste students’ time and money and do not produce licensed nurses. During debate, several members described concerns about diploma mills, fraudulent programs, student debt, and the need for stronger screening and accountability. Others emphasized that raising standards would improve patient safety and help ensure better-prepared nurses. The chair noted the importance of private nursing colleges in the state’s nursing pipeline. The committee then voted 19-0 to report HB 121 favorably and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• AB 1187 Celeste Rodriguez, Firearm Safety Certificates, holding committee.
• 472 Rodgers, wind energy infrastructure needs, holding committee. 531 Rogers, geothermal plant certification
• AB 1373, Soria, water quality certifications, do pass as amended to narrow the scope of this bill and
• AB 1486, Sorya, Prop 4. research farm grants to your bill AB 381 Stephanie state contract certification

Committee: House Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• That is a regulation that allows the cabinet to utilize available technologies to examine certificates
• utilize available Technologies<00:12:13.079><c> to</c><00:12:13.480><c> examine</c><00:12:13.920><c> certificates
• </c><00:12:14.480><c> of</c> Technologies to examine certificates of Technologies to examine certificates

Summary: The House Transportation Committee met with a quorum, approved the previous meeting’s minutes, and heard two House bills plus several Transportation Cabinet regulations. House Bill 20, sponsored by Rep. Hodson, would restrict the retention and sale of automated license plate reader data, limit storage to 60 days, and prohibit nonconsensual tracking devices such as micro-trackers and subcutaneous trackers. Hodson said the bill was aimed at protecting citizens’ privacy and noted it had passed the House previously; members asked about enforcement and deletion responsibility, and one member suggested criminal penalties might be worth considering in the future. The committee voted to report HB 20 favorably. House Bill 188, sponsored by Rep. Duvall, addressed driveaway plate businesses that transport vehicles for others. Duvall said Kentucky law had created confusion about how many vehicles could be on the road and had driven up insurance costs, hurting a Warren County business; the bill would let such companies purchase the exact number of plates needed, which he said would reduce exposure and premiums. He emphasized the bill would not affect dealer tags or trailer transport and said he was working on a floor amendment to make that clear. The committee reported HB 188 favorably as well. The committee then reviewed five administrative regulations, including Transportation Cabinet rules allowing technology to be used in title examinations, extending an off-road vehicle pilot program to July 2026 and updating the definition of local government, aligning truck weight-mass rules with statute, adopting the MUTCD traffic control manual, and an emergency Kentucky State Police regulation adjusting a TSA-related hazardous materials endorsement fee because the federal change came too quickly for the normal regulatory process. Members asked whether the title rule covered rebuild titles, and staff said it applied to all titles. The committee noted the regulations had been reviewed and then adjourned, with the next meeting tentatively set for the following Tuesday.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, there have been discussions about certificates of need and what to do about small hospitals going
• The Senate bill says that any of these 55 can, without getting a certificate of need, open a geriatric
• </c><00:03:26.519><c> of</c> an ability to get one certificate of an ability to get one certificate of
• </c><00:03:49.440><c> of</c> 55 can without getting a certificate of 55 can without getting a certificate
• </c> the advanced degrees and certifications the advanced degrees and certifications for<00:11:00.160

Committee: Joint Public Health and Welfare

Transcript Highlights:

• This provides legislative findings, providing for certification of value-added manufactured processes
• </c><00:02:36.080><c> of</c><00:02:36.319><c> value</c> providing for certification of value providing
• for certification of value added<00:02:37.120><c> manufactured</c><00:02:37.920><c> processes,</c> added
• But that certification is what gives our product a premium value over anybody else globally.
• </c> But that that that certification But that that that certification is<00:21:33.840><c> what</c><00

Bills: HB0120 , HB0043 , HB0128

Committee: House Minerals, Business & Economic Development

Transcript Highlights:

• He said three of them had a license, passport, or birth certificate and proof of domicile, but their
• maiden name did not match their identification and they did not have their marriage certificate with
• He said three of them had a license, passport, or birth certificate and proof of domicile, but their
• and proof of doicile. birth certificate and proof of doicile.
• Um I just marriage certificate on them.

Committee: House Election Law

Transcript Highlights:

• Besides licensing, we also do national board certification, and we also put together work groups that
• that's a long pathway but certification that's a long pathway but it's<00:45:24.880><c> worth</c><00
• is because it's a lot more certification is because it's a lot more than<01:46:17.400><c> a</c><01:46
• I thinki they initiate it certification I thinki they initiate it yeah<01:47:23.159><c> so</c><01:47
• There is one teacher that I just commend because she struggled with National Board certification way

Transcript Highlights:

• And about 66 students have completed some of the initial programming and earned certificates.
• This includes funding for a study to develop the seven-year certification process, formerly referred
• Are we calling it accreditation or are we calling it certification? What is the phrase?
• process, and $10 million to pilot and implement this certification process.
• We want to build the system of certification.

Summary: The committee heard an overview of the May Revision’s Proposition 98 changes for K-12 and community colleges. The Department of Finance said the minimum guarantee rises by $6.4 billion over the Governor’s Budget across the three-year window, with higher guarantees in each year, full payment of the prior settle-up, and larger deposits into the school rainy-day fund. The LAO said the revenue and LCFF updates were reasonable, but urged caution about the settle-up approach and recommended using more of the available funding to protect ongoing programs and build budget resilience. Members focused heavily on the size of the proposed $3.9 billion settle-up, the $10.3 billion reserve deposit, declining K-12 enrollment, and how much of the new funding should be ongoing versus one-time. The committee then reviewed the community colleges portion of the budget. Finance described the May Revision’s higher SCFF COLA, additional funding for enrollment growth, a student support block grant, apprenticeship adjustments, and continued funding for deferred maintenance, Calbright, Common Cloud, and credit for prior learning. The Chancellor’s Office supported the core investments but asked for more funding for enrollment growth, changes to the growth formula, and a COLA for Student Equity and Achievement. The LAO recommended prioritizing the statutory COLA increase, noted that more than half of districts are already above current-year growth targets, and said the new adult learner demonstration project should be rejected because districts already have tools to support similar services. Members also discussed a $52 million current-year apportionment shortfall, which Finance said was discovered too late for the May Revision and would need to be addressed later. Finally, the committee took up the proposed implementation of the federal Workforce Pell program. Finance proposed one-time funding for the California Student Aid Commission and Cradle to Career to build eligibility and data systems, along with trailer bill changes to set up state approval processes. CSAC said the program is promising but highly complex, that California lacks the needed infrastructure, and that the state will need emergency regulations, data linkages, and ongoing funding beyond the one-time proposal. The LAO agreed that some initial funding is needed but warned that the amounts and ongoing costs remain uncertain and that the Legislature should carefully draft the trailer bill language. Members asked about timing, other states’ actions, and how the state would ensure the program is ready for students and institutions.

Transcript Highlights:

• be a small price to pay if these advanced practice nurses needed this extra year or more post-certification
• be a small price to pay if these advanced practice nurses needed this extra year or more post-certification
• be a small price to pay if these advanced practice nurses needed this extra year or more post-certification
• ,</c><01:09:19.520><c> must</c> and clinicals and certification, must and clinicals and certification
• This extra year or more post-certification work alongside a physician in order to provide appropriate

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• These documents include certified birth certificates, naturalization certificates, and other official
• Many seniors may not readily possess birth certificates or other citizenship documents.
• Imagine our young people... ...certification cards.
• Senator Polsky: ...you to show a passport or a birth certificate if, for example, a woman has changed
• So there may be a requirement to pay $30 for a birth certificate because you don't have one.

Summary: The Florida Senate convened with a quorum, opened with a prayer and Pledge of Allegiance, and heard several member introductions recognizing guests, interns, public servants, and a resolution honoring Indiana University quarterback Fernando Mendoza for winning the Heisman Trophy. The chamber then moved to the special order calendar and took up a series of bills, with some measures temporarily postponed and others advanced after brief debate and, in several cases, substitution of House companions for Senate bills. The first major bill passed was CS/CS/HB 355 on health care patient protection, which requires hospitals with emergency departments to have pediatric emergency care policies, training, equipment, and a designated pediatric coordinator; it passed 36-0. The Senate also passed CS/HB 1113 on public records, expanding confidentiality protections for victims and temporarily protecting the name of a law enforcement officer who becomes a victim in the line of duty; it passed 33-4. CS/CS/HB 1085 on local government cybersecurity was amended to place the program under the Florida Digital Service and to adjust grant timing, then passed 37-0. CS/CS/HB 925 on clerks of court passed 38-0 after amendments affecting revenue retention, legal notices, traffic citation distributions, and municipal fee sharing. CS/CS/HB 679 on trademark registration modernization and CS/CS/HB 589 on septic permit timing also passed unanimously. The most extensive debate centered on CS/CS/HB 991 / SB 1334, an elections bill that would use Real ID data to verify citizenship, change voter ID rules, alter candidate qualifying requirements, and revise election administration procedures. Senators offered and debated numerous amendments on documentation fees, senior exemptions, human review versus automated systems, student and retirement-center IDs, and effective dates; most were defeated, though one amendment adding stock-trading disclosure language for candidates was adopted. The bill’s sponsor cited election-crimes reports and specific prosecutions involving non-citizens as justification for the measure, while opponents argued it could disenfranchise eligible voters, especially students and seniors. The transcript ends during continued questioning and debate on that elections bill, before final disposition is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• There are over 160 national industry certifications that are recognized now in the state of Florida,
• And if you have a national industry certification, you're just about guaranteed a job.
• Committee Substitute for House Bill 809, a bill to be entitled an act relating to temporary certificates
• Committee Substitute for House Bill 809, a bill to be entitled an act relating to temporary certificates
• SB 1296 changes the threshold for certification and recertification elections from a majority of those

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opening prayer, Pledge of Allegiance, and doctor-of-the-day introduction, then moved through a long special-order calendar. Early proceedings included a resolution honoring former Governor and U.S. Senator Bob Graham and a moment of silence for firefighter Roger Timmy Miley. The chamber also heard several member introductions and recognitions before taking up bills. The most substantial debate centered on CS/CS/SB 1758 on public assistance and Medicaid/SNAP reforms. The bill would strengthen fraud enforcement, impose a Medicaid work requirement for able-bodied adults, expand behavioral health services through a waiver, modernize Medicaid pharmacy purchasing, and require a SNAP fraud-reduction plan and photo ID on EBT cards. Senators Berman, Smith, Bracy Davis, Osgood, and others argued for Medicaid expansion and added protections for vulnerable SNAP recipients, while Gates defended the bill as a compliance and cost-saving measure. Multiple amendments were offered, including Berman’s Medicaid-expansion condition and Osgood’s SNAP photo-ID safeguards; both were defeated. The bill was placed on the calendar for third reading after extended questioning. The Senate then passed a series of bills, often substituting House companions before final vote. These included tax conformity legislation (7031/7048), technology and computer science education (1503/1694), Parkinson’s disease registry and related public-records measures (1443/1684), designation of the SS American Victory as the official state flagship (249/1656), electronic payments for local governments (967/1612), legal tender and related public-records exemptions for gold, silver, stablecoins, and virtual currency kiosks (1311/1588/1087/7044/1568), local government finance and spending transparency (1329/1566), digital voyeurism (1536), insurance customer representative licensing (1343/1504), and medical freedom legislation (1756) with amendments on anti-kickback rules and vaccine information materials. Most bills passed on largely party-line or near-unanimous votes, with several amendments adopted and some withdrawn; the medical freedom bill was still under consideration at the end of the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um<00:38:02.079><c> certifications</c><00:38:02.880><c> and</c><00:38:03.200><c> licenses.
• And we're going to help them get all of the licenses and certifications that they're going to need to
• The apprentices are going to need those licenses and certifications to be successful.
• We recognize those certifications when those high school students achieve those certifications.
• And then finally, uh, are these types of certificates that you earn portable?

Summary: The committee met on October 23, 2025, approved the September minutes, and heard testimony on a proposed “Kentucky by America” procurement preference bill. Representative Patrick Flannery described the concept as giving preference in public construction and public works contracts to iron, steel, aluminum, and other manufactured goods made in the United States, while emphasizing he wanted to avoid excessive taxpayer costs and was open to changes. Chad Connley of the United Steelworkers and Dustin Reinsteller of the Kentucky State AFL-CIO supported the idea, arguing it would strengthen domestic manufacturing, keep tax dollars in the local economy, and support jobs; Connley said the bill would include waivers for items not made domestically and noted Kentucky has opted out of the GPA trade agreement. Mike Buckington of Metals Innovation Initiative, testifying virtually, also supported the concept and said Kentucky’s metals sector has seen significant investment and can supply most construction needs, while stressing supply-chain reliability and national security concerns. Members generally expressed support but raised questions about implementation. Representative Branscum asked who would grant waivers and how contractors would know the rules during bidding; Flannery said he was open to revising the language and process. Representative Gentry supported the concept but said the bill would likely need editing to avoid harming businesses or markets. Senator Nun suggested aligning the bill’s definition of a U.S. good with industry country-of-origin standards to make compliance easier. Representative KC Carney asked for data on the impact of similar laws in other states, and Connley said he could provide numbers later but did not have them on hand. Senator Boswell supported the concept and asked about the cost threshold for waivers; Connley said the federal standard is a 25% cost increase, while the prior Kentucky version used 10%, and that the threshold is a key detail. The committee then shifted to an informational presentation on building trade apprenticeships. Eric Elie of the Kentucky State Pipe Trades Association, Nick Brown of Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 502, and retired IBEW training director Steve Willinghurst explained how union apprenticeship programs work. Brown described earn-while-you-learn training, with apprentices placed on jobs by signatory contractors and attending classes two nights a week for five years. He outlined the work of plumbers, pipefitters, welders, and HVACR technicians, emphasizing that these trades support construction, industrial facilities, distilleries, and other critical infrastructure. No votes or formal actions were taken on the policy topics beyond approval of the prior minutes.