Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, and I'll change hands back. Okay, and I'll change hands back.
• now changed Can the legislature<01:06:30.800> change<01:06:31.160> that?
• legislature change that? legislature change that?
• It would change current use.
• <01:12:12.120> Um changed since the '50s. Um changed since the '50s.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The meeting opened with a quorum present and approval of the April 17 minutes. The commission then heard a presentation from attorney Jacob Rhodes of Cleveland, Waters and Bass on the history and legal basis of New Hampshire’s timber tax, explaining that timber was historically treated as part of real property, that a 1913 case confirmed that view, and that a 1949 constitutional amendment created a separate timber yield tax to discourage clear-cutting and support forest conservation. He described the tax as a tax on the yield when timber is severed, not an income tax, and noted that towns are reimbursed through a system based on Department of Revenue Administration market data and local reports of cut. Members and guests asked how “yield” is defined, how the timber tax interacts with current use, and whether carbon sequestration could be treated similarly. Testimony explained that current use generally is not affected by harvesting timber, that towns can tax standing timber under RSA 79:5 but rarely do because it is labor-intensive, and that carbon credits might be valued using a similar market-data approach. Several speakers discussed a prior bill drafted with DRA input that would have treated carbon more like timber, but noted it never fully advanced in the General Court and that the version ultimately discussed by the House differed from the earlier DRA-comfortable draft. The discussion also covered whether carbon sequestration agreements are effectively long-term leases or transfers of timber rights, with Rhodes suggesting that 99-year arrangements could be taxable transfers of real property under DRA rules, though he had not reviewed specific agreements. DRA staff said they do not currently have a timber-like survey mechanism for carbon and would likely need access to proprietary market data or a subscription service to build one. No formal vote was taken beyond approving the minutes; the commission appeared to agree to revisit the carbon/timber valuation issue and the draft bill at a future meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• The amendments would revise the bill's synopsis and make technical changes.
• This change, this bill in this sentence, changes the language and changes this into a bill that the NAACP
• and clarifying changes.
• We've changed. Thank you, Chairman.
• We'd like to see some further changes. That's why I'm opposed today.

Keywords: 1146, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We're just changing.
• They easily exceeded 20% subsidy and were enrolled in Texas Rising Stars.
• funding. of its enrollment to serve TDPC state subsidy students.
• By adopting these changes, House Bill 3684 will bring clarity.
• Now in Harker Heights, I'm starting to see some unfavorable changes.

Bills: HB511, HB972, HB 1035, HB2481, HB2723, HB2742, HB2894, HB2962, HB3077, HB3093, HB3307, HB3684, HJR67, HJR72

Keywords: ad valorem taxation, caregiver exemption, Medicaid, long-term services, tax relief, assisted living, housing support, property tax exemption, caregiver support, residence homestead, tax exemption, unpaid caregiver, state tax code, property tax, caregiver, waiting list, intellectual disability, developmental disability, ad valorem tax, family support

Transcript Highlights:

• You all are the leaders that can change this. California needs you to take more action.
• In California, Black students make up a small percentage of overall student enrollment, yet they continue
• leaving many students behind, especially low-income, Black, Latino, and English learner youth who enroll
• leaving many students behind, especially low-income, Black, Latino, and English learner youth who enroll
• While 62% of high school graduates enroll in college within a year, only 34% of Californians hold at

Summary: The Assembly Education Committee heard several Senate bills focused on student health, access, equity, and career preparation. SB 608 by Sen. Menjivar would expand access to condoms and related sexual health resources for students in grades 7–12 and direct the Department of Education to align with the California Healthy Youth Act. Supporters argued the bill would help address high STI rates among youth and remove barriers to access, while opponents raised concerns about parental authority, local control, and encouraging early sexual activity. The bill was approved on a 6-1 vote and sent to the Health Committee. SB 965 by Sen. Blakespear would prohibit libraries from requiring a parent to be physically present for a 16- or 17-year-old to obtain a library card, while still allowing libraries to require parental consent or signature. Supporters said the current rule creates unnecessary barriers for teens and school research projects, and the California Library Association said it was now neutral after amendments. The committee passed the bill 6-0 to Appropriations. SB 998 by Sen. Gonzalez would define and expand the duties of discrimination prevention coordinators in the state’s Office of Civil Rights, including adding a disability coordinator and deputy coordinators focused on anti-Black, anti-Asian, anti-Latino, and anti-Native American discrimination. Testimony emphasized the need to address rising hate incidents and discrimination in schools, especially for Black, LGBTQ+, AAPI, and other marginalized students. The bill was approved and sent to Judiciary with amendments to be processed there. SB 845 by Sen. Perez, which expands work-based learning and youth apprenticeship opportunities, also received broad support from education, workforce, and industry groups and passed unanimously to Labor and Employment. The committee also approved a consent calendar of additional bills and adjourned after all items were acted on.

Transcript Highlights:

• would be enrolled in group G by default. would be enrolled in group G by default.
• By the things to change this section.
• And the final two changes can be found on page 1472 of the calendar.
• The final two changes can be found on page 1472 of the calendar.
• The fourth instance of amendment changes the deadline.

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• need to be made, make those changes and allow them to go into law.
• This change aligns Texas with six other states as well as New York City.
• With that, I move to concur with the House changes. Thank you.
• With that, I move to concur with the House changes.
• With that, I move to concur with the House changes.

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, received the House message that HB 35 had passed, and heard a gubernatorial message submitting Trinity River Authority board appointments for Senate confirmation. The chamber also adopted a slate of Senate resolutions by voice vote and later postponed reading and referral of bills and resolutions until the end of the calendar. Several members introduced bills with brief explanations before the Senate took them up under suspension of the regular order. The body then considered and passed a series of measures, often by wide margins, including SB 2846 on wildlife disease control and quarantine authority; CS SB 1224 requiring school superintendents or directors to report certain employee misconduct to local law enforcement; CS SB 2310 on transparency for degree and transfer requirements at public colleges; SB 1502 limiting school districts’ ability to exceed voter-approval tax rates after a failed TRE; CS SB 1141 on notice requirements before full adversary hearings in child-protection cases; CS SB 2568 exempting certain flood-control reservoirs from TCEQ permitting; SB 1524 on confidentiality of information about weapons in foster homes; CS SB 2925 creating a task force on modernizing manufacturing; CS SB 2269 on dispute resolution and enforcement for long-term care facilities; CS SB 1266 on Medicaid provider enrollment and disenrollment notices; SB 243 on migrant labor housing standards; SB 2200 on overweight vehicles transporting hazardous materials; CS SB 2480 on the Texas Physician Health Program; CS SB 1585 restricting government contracts with companies tied to foreign adversaries; CS SB 2357 establishing maternal health training; and SB 1551 requiring accessible AED placement in public schools. The Senate also debated more contested bills. CS SB 2019, which would extend vaccine exemption rules to medical and veterinary students, advanced only partway after a divided vote. CS SB 1442, directing a study on veterinary telemedicine relationships, and CS SB 1241, which would allow the Higher Education Coordinating Board to study alternative college entrance exams, prompted extended questioning about agency authority and whether changes should return to the legislature before taking effect. CS SB 2753, which would integrate early voting and election day voting into a single in-person voting period, was amended and passed to engrossment despite opposition. CS SB 2201, dealing with gang and foreign terrorist organization intelligence databases, and CS SB 2514, creating a DPS hostile foreign adversaries unit, drew detailed debate over civil liberties and national security. CS SB 2422, aimed at limiting Texas Medical Board discipline related to COVID-19 treatments and practices, also advanced after lengthy discussion and a close vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• CAMP offered her an opportunity that she credits with changing her life.
• She's currently enrolled in New Mexico State University, majoring in international business and justice
• As a leader, she wants to make a change in people's lives, and she believes that if people put their
• I'm hoping that Latinos in Action can do the same and make a change for the next generation.
• and engrossed, but... ...has had it under consideration and reports that same has been duly enrolled

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <04:05:47.279> of it's incurring a permanent change of it's incurring a permanent change of
• Caribbean system serves 61,000 enrolled Caribbean system serves 61,000 enrolled veterans,<04:18:00.239
• ownorous to use and limited enrollment ownorous to use and limited enrollment far<05:19:59.440><
• plan that may better fit their change plan that may better fit their change changes<05:53:43.440
• <07:17:34.558> that committee is considering changes that committee is considering changes

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, September 15, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So in order for a 12-year-old to enroll and sign up for ChatGPT, all they have to do is scroll to the
• So in order for a 12-year-old to enroll and sign up for ChatGPT, all they have to do is scroll to the
• <00:14:46.200> and order for a 12-year-old to enroll and order for a 12-year-old to enroll
• Um, how that's changed, I think, is, you know, I had this chatbot bill last year.
• members have has certainly changed, too. members have has certainly changed, too.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: Senators Erin Maye Quade, Eric Lucero, Liz Boldon, and Chair Ron Latz discussed a package of bipartisan bills aimed at regulating artificial intelligence and related technology in Minnesota. The speakers argued that AI can be beneficial but has been rolled out without adequate safeguards, citing concerns about consumer surveillance, insurance claim denials, dynamic pricing, chatbot harms to children, and the use of AI in healthcare utilization review. Maye Quade and Boldon emphasized protecting kids, consumers, and constitutional rights, while Lucero framed the issue as keeping law aligned with rapidly changing technology and protecting individual liberties. A major focus was the “reverse warrant” bill, which would restrict law enforcement from using warrants that start with an unknown suspect and sweep up data from everyone in a location or search terms in a broad area. The senators said such warrants are the opposite of the Fourth Amendment’s particularity requirement, though they noted ongoing conversations with the BCA and police chiefs about balancing privacy and public safety. They also discussed a bill to prohibit minors from accessing chatbots, describing chatbots as conversational, addictive, and uniquely harmful to developing brains; Maye Quade cited examples of self-harm, sexual content, and dangerous advice allegedly given to minors. The senators said the package was intentionally heard in Judiciary first so it could be referred to Commerce, and they expressed hope for further hearings there and in the House. Lucero said he did not support all the bills, naming the dynamic pricing bill and the AI utilization review prohibition as measures he had reservations about, while supporting the reverse warrant, disclosure, and minor-access restrictions. The discussion also touched on federal preemption concerns, with the senators saying states are stepping in because federal action has lagged and the harms cross party lines. No formal votes or committee actions were described in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• to the um schedule forthcoming changes to the um schedule determination<00:25:28.400> and<00:
• <00:36:24.640> in are allowing eighth graders to enroll in are allowing eighth graders to
• enroll in junior<00:36:25.119> RTC<00:36:26.000> across<00:36:26.320> the<00:36:
• We've also increased cadet enrollment from 2019 to 2024.
• Junior RTC average enrollment was around 7,849.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee heard an Office of Education Technology presentation on the Kentucky Education Technology System (KTS) and a request to increase its annual budget from $15.4 million to $30 million, including an additional $14.6 million. The witness described KTS as a statewide service model that provides districts with student information and financial systems, internet bandwidth, regional support, cybersecurity, online registration, learning management and email services, and collaborative instructional technology support. He argued the state’s centralized purchasing saves districts 40% to 60% compared with buying services individually, and said federal internet discounts and district matching funds create a strong return on investment. He also said KTS has faced long-term funding cuts, has not received a cost-of-living increase since 1992, and is now at a “breaking point” where some services may have to be shifted to districts at higher cost. The request was broken into six main items: restoring funding for the computer science and information technology academy; strengthening cybersecurity defenses in response to sharply rising attacks on K-12 systems; funding online registration through Infinite Campus; stabilizing ongoing support costs for Infinite Campus; providing cost-of-living increases for KTS services; and increasing the KTS financial assistance sent to districts, which requires local matching funds. Members asked about the current appropriation, and the witness said it is $15.4 million. One member praised the office’s work and support for districts, while another noted the district had been an early adopter of one-to-one technology. The committee then received an overview of the KRS 156 salary schedule and step-and-rank system for state-operated career and technical education staff at area technology centers. Officials explained that salaries are set under statute and regulation based on years of service and educational rank, with annual calculations tied to statewide teacher salary averages and retroactive adjustments to July 1. They said the current ABR request is $325,000 over the biennium to cover step and rank increases. The presentation noted that KRS 156 salaries are generally comparable to local districts but are less competitive with business and industry, making recruitment and retention difficult, especially for instructors coming from the trades. Members agreed that trade instructors are underpaid relative to the market and said the issue deserves further review, with department officials indicating they are considering possible statutory revisions and a delayed implementation in a future biennium.

Transcript Highlights:

• They haven’t presented them to us as changes for us to approve.
• They help advise the university on changes in the retirement landscape.
• <01:00:02.960> specific 98 to um to have them change specific 98 to um to have them change
• <01:21:31.280> may based on uh whatever those changes may based on uh whatever those changes
• however they did have members enrolled however they did have members enrolled for<01:21:52.920><

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee first reorganized by electing Representative Hart as House co-chair and Senator Douglas as Senate co-chair by acclamation, then approved the December 10 minutes. It then took up deferred and routine contract items, beginning with a Council on Postsecondary Education item that was withdrawn after staff explained the contract had been canceled and should not have come before the committee because the granting authority, not CPE, was issuing it. The committee next reviewed a Department for Local Government contract tied to an Eastern Kentucky flood recovery housing project in Jackson. Members questioned the high per-unit cost and whether renovation was more expensive than new construction. Staff explained the cost included acquisition of an existing downtown building and needed water and sewer infrastructure upgrades, and said developable land was limited in the area. With no motion to object, the contract was allowed to move forward. The committee then considered Kentucky Transportation Cabinet professional services contracts for highway design work. Members asked about the size of the contracts and how much of the available funding is typically used; staff said the contracts are two-year agreements, that the prior cycle reached close to $2 million per contract, and that this year’s limits were reduced because less money is available in the Highway Plan. The committee also approved a PSC amendment contract for the Bridging Kentucky program after staff explained the $150 hourly loaded rate was within the normal range for consultants. Both Transportation Cabinet items were approved without objection. Finally, the committee heard a Kentucky Communications Network Authority contract for an $85,000 study of the dark fiber market. Members asked what dark fiber is, why the study was needed, whether there was coordination with the Office of Broadband Development, and whether existing service meant there was already a market. KCNA said dark fiber is unused fiber that local providers can light to deliver service, that the study was needed because the contractor said no market existed while ISPs said demand exists, and that the report would help both KCNA oversight and broadband development planning. The contract was reviewed without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• In trying to go ahead and make these changes in capital outlay now for over three decades, we make some
• changes, we continue to make those improvements.
• Capital Outlay has to change. In my district, it's the hardest thing.
• think that what we're reading in this particular bill with Section C or Item C on page 2 is the only change
• It reports that same has been duly enrolled and in gross preparatory to signing by the officers of the

Transcript Highlights:

• debriefing and disclosure of competing proposals on behalf of the Senate, myself as chair, Co-Chair Chang
• And we're also going to be requiring DHR to commission a study of changing the vesting period from 10
• <00:24:44.000> the commission a study of changing the commission a study of changing the vestment
• Senate conferees are myself as chair, Senators Lee and Chang as co-chairs, and Manager Favlla for the
• covered employees into the Hawaii enroll covered employees into the Hawaii Retirement<00:30:34.799><

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The conference committees reconvened on April 25, 2025, and worked through a series of measures, mostly public employment cost items, appropriations, workers’ compensation, data sharing, and retirement-related bills. Several bills were briefly held for later action because Finance/FIN-WAM or related release had not yet been received, including SB 382, HB 423, HB 480, HB 214, HB 828, HB 717, HB 1065, and HB 1036, with some of those rolled over to a 2:30 p.m. meeting in Conference Room 16. HB 1424, relating to appropriations, was described as requiring the Director of Finance to report on transfers between position funding and operating expenses; the conferees agreed to a CD1 and voted to pass it. HB 430, relating to internships, was also agreed to in CD1 with technical amendments removing certain appropriation language and was passed after clarification that the funding covered both years and included the Helima program. The committees then moved through a block of public employment cost items. HB 1026, HB 1027, HB 1028, HB 1029, HB 1030, HB 1032, HB 1034, and HB 1035 were each reported as having CD1 agreement and Finance/WAM release, with appropriations tied to various bargaining units and governor’s messages; each was voted out. HB 1036 and HB 1037 were held over due to release issues, while HB 1038 was noted as having CD1 and Finance/WAM release and was passed for bargaining unit 13. HB 1039 was also rolled over for lack of release. Later, SB 336 on defense of state employees was agreed to with technical cleanup and passed as a CD, and SB 1491 on departmental data sharing was amended to add agencies to the state longitudinal data system and require aggregation/anonymization of certain data before being passed as a CD. Additional measures were also resolved. SB 935, relating to government, was amended to reduce the ERS multiplier for judges beginning in 2031, remove sheriff and deputy sheriff language, and require a DHR study on changing vesting from 10 to 5 years; it passed as a CD with no appropriation. SB 1567 required DERT to complete a comprehensive review of classification and compensation systems by October 31, 2026, allowed a third-party contractor, required legislative reports, and included $1.75 million in the budget; it passed as a CD. SB 855, relating to the Hawaii Retirement Savings Act, clarified covered employers, required automatic enrollment unless employees opt out, repealed a fee cap, and added funding for FY26 and FY27; it passed as a CD. SB 743 established a data sharing governance working group within the Office of Enterprise Technology Services and required a legislative report; after a brief recess it was passed as a CD. SB 717 and SB 1065 were both continued to the later 2:30 p.m. meeting because release was still pending.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um otherwise no change. Uh we position. Um otherwise no change.
• People change jobs very frequently.
• We did not change it.
• School enrollment<01:39:24.800> goes<01:39:25.040> like enrollment goes like enrollment
• next bianium barring any changes. next bianium barring any changes.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The meeting was a House budget briefing focused on the overall state budget and the first of three divisions. The presenter reviewed the size and structure of the budget, noting that the state had eliminated the interest and dividends tax and still balanced the budget. He explained the major spending categories in the general fund and total budget, emphasizing that health and human services and education remain the largest areas, while transportation is largely self-funded. He also walked through the revenue picture, including business taxes, insurance taxes, court fees, communications taxes, and Medicaid recoveries, and said the remaining interest and dividends tax revenue reflected late payments from prior assessments. Members asked about the size of the tax cut from eliminating the interest and dividends tax, federal funding stability, and why Medicaid was being reduced if federal support was expected to remain steady. The response was that the lost revenue would have been about $200 million absent repeal, and that the budget gap was addressed through many small cuts across departments. On federal funds, the presenter said most aid is tied to multi-year grants and that core programs such as Medicare and Medicaid were expected to remain relatively stable, though some federal reductions could occur. He also said some agency reductions came from eliminating long-vacant, funded positions and from expected lapses. The discussion then moved into Division One, which covers smaller and miscellaneous agencies. The division made cuts to the governor’s office, eliminated a temporary position at the Governor’s Commission on Disability, reduced Department of Information Technology spending through a back-of-budget cut, and found savings in Administrative Services. It also delayed maintenance at the Sununu Youth Services Center, stopped advertising for paid family medical leave, changed retiree health insurance funding, and consolidated several personnel-related boards into one. The division eliminated the Commission on Aging and the Office of the Child Advocate, made a temporary special education advocate position permanent, reduced the Secretary of State’s budget, kept municipal rooms-and-meals distributions flat, and made changes to the retirement system, including $55 million to improve Group 2 retirement benefits and a new retirement structure for future state hires. The judicial branch was also asked to find savings and received two additional judges because of expected caseload increases from other eliminations.

Transcript Highlights:

• They also make technical changes. Section 26 is also from the DHS policy bill.
• <00:11:26.200> so slightly more substantive changes so slightly more substantive changes so
• bill allows the commissioner to change bill allows the commissioner to change definitions<00:21:
• Conforming changes made necessary by the recodification in Article 6.
• It also makes conforming changes throughout statutes where appropriate.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• That's going to change health care in the South Florida market.
• simultaneously, and it modifies the age requirement at initial enrollment, changing it from 16 to 21
• I have questions about changes throughout the bill.
• Are those statutes being changed?
• Senator, the bill does a lot of removing and changing names.

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Higher Education first took up a block of confirmation hearings for trustees and board members at several public universities and state colleges. Appointees from Florida A&M University, Florida International University, New College of Florida, Pasco-Hernando State College, South Florida State College, Valencia College, Florida Atlantic University, and the University of Florida described their backgrounds and emphasized themes such as governance, student success, workforce alignment, fiscal stewardship, research growth, and institutional reputation. Members asked a few questions, but most nominees received no substantive opposition. The committee then voted unanimously to recommend confirmation of the group of appointees on tabs 3 through 18 and forwarded them to Ethics and Elections. The committee next heard Senate Bill 114 by Senator Trumbull, which would create the Florida Center of Excellence in Insurance and Risk Management at Florida State University, move the public hurricane loss projection model from FIU to FSU, and provide funding for the effort. Trumbull said the bill is intended to strengthen the state’s insurance research capacity and broaden study of insurance lines beyond wind risk. Senators asked about the impact on FIU and the distinction between the new center and existing FIU work; Trumbull said FIU’s Wall of Wind would remain and that the state-owned model would simply be contracted to FSU instead of FIU. The committee reported the bill favorably. The committee then considered Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 1624 by Senator Calatayud, a wide-ranging higher education bill addressing tuition, workforce programs, institutional operations, and naming changes. Amendments were adopted to create state college regional consortium service organizations for rural colleges, remove a proposed out-of-state fee change for nonresident online students, extend university master plan update cycles from five to 10 years, and rename Hillsborough Community College as Hillsborough College. The bill also changed several references from specific minority categories to “underrepresented,” revised aid and waiver provisions, adjusted adult education and career program rules, and made other technical changes. Senators Smith and Davis questioned the shift away from enumerated categories, arguing it could obscure disparities affecting groups such as Black students, women in STEM, and students with disabilities; Calatayud said the intent was to focus on socioeconomic access and flexibility for institutions. After debate, the committee voted 6-2 to report the bill favorably, with Senators Davis and Smith voting no, and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Some workarounds are due to more recent policy changes like things related to the pandemic and changes
• I don't think modernization and changing of systems or improving systems changes the fact that every
• time changes are necessitated, that comes with a cost.
• I don't think modernization and changing of systems or improving systems changes the fact that every
• I don't think modernization and changing of systems or improving systems changes the fact that every

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Let me change the screen for y'all. To replace the Jacksonville Forensic Firearm Range.
• So the yearly enrollment, because we have kids that are coming in and out of residential, the yearly
• enrollment was 3,139, just over 3,000 kids.
• Year 2, so July 1 this year till October 31st: student population 1,436; high school enrollment 740;
• middle school enrollment 317; GED student enrollment 212; adult student enrollment 167.

Summary: The committee heard budget presentations from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Department of Juvenile Justice, and the clerks of court. FDLE outlined 28 legislative budget requests for fiscal year 2026-27, including funding for a new Fort Myers regional operations center lease, technology and data system upgrades, moving several programs off uncertain federal grants, expanding the wellness office, cryptocurrency seizure efforts, cybersecurity, forensic equipment, digital forensics, criminal history modernization, training, and the SAFE fentanyl enforcement program. Members asked about the reported 79% increase in officer misconduct cases, the role of body cameras and masking, public records request burdens on local agencies, and the status of Fibers and the Uniform Arrest Affidavit systems. FDLE said the misconduct data covers all sworn officers and corrections personnel, that many cases would not be affected by body cameras because they involve off-duty conduct or internal matters, and that it is working with agencies and vendors to improve participation in reporting systems. DJJ Secretary Matt Walsh updated the committee on the Florida Scholars Academy, describing the new unified education system across 39 residential facilities. He reported first-year enrollment, course completions, graduations, and compliance results, and said the program now provides in-person and blended instruction, individualized support, mental health services, and career and technical education. He also discussed staffing shortages in some detention facilities, the need for more residential beds, and the importance of recognizing and supporting staff. In response to questions, he explained how the program addresses students with disabilities and behavioral needs through one-on-one instruction, paraprofessionals, and immediate mental health support. The clerks of court presented a budget request centered on funding shortfalls and rising costs. Clerk and Comptroller Stacey Butterfield said clerks are operating with outdated funding levels despite increased statutory duties, higher postage and staffing costs, and growing workloads in priority case types such as injunctions for protection and other high-risk matters. The clerks requested $22 million in direct appropriations, including support for due process costs, jury management, and staffing for 37 new judges approved last session. Members also asked about Senate Bill 532, which Butterfield described as a CPI-based measure to update court fines and fees that have remained unchanged since 2008. The committee took no votes on the presentations and adjourned after discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• It allows us to keep pace with an ever-changing marijuana industry.
• These are representative of what is available here in Florida, but those change.
• These are representative of what is available here in Florida, but those change.
• If that were to change, they would no longer be eligible to serve.
• So we looked actually at the trends in enrollment.

Summary: The Health Professions and Program Subcommittee met to receive oversight briefings on Florida’s medical marijuana program from the Department of Health’s Office of Medical Marijuana Use (OMMU) and from the University of Florida’s Consortium for Medical Marijuana Clinical Outcomes Research. OMMU Director Christopher Kimball outlined the program’s structure, including more than 900,000 active patients, nearly 7,000 caregivers, 27 MMTC licensees, 706 dispensing locations, and nine certified testing labs. He described the state’s pre-approval process for products and advertising, plain packaging requirements, seed-to-sale tracking, registry operations, and compliance efforts such as background checks, inspections, complaint investigations, and lab desk audits. He also said the Bureau of Public Health Laboratories in Jacksonville had been accredited to begin supporting testing. Members asked about telehealth, patient growth, product safety, advertising to children, inspections, and the status of MMTC licensure; Kimball said recertifications by telehealth now make up more than half of recertifications, that patient growth has slowed, and that ongoing litigation is delaying issuance of 22 new MMTC licenses. Kimball also discussed implementation of recent legislation and licensure changes, including licenses issued under HB 387 and SB 1582 to applicants from the original Pigford-related pool, with additional cure opportunities still ongoing. He said the department is monitoring diversion, inversion, and unapproved products, and that it coordinates with law enforcement when needed but does not itself have sworn authority. In response to questions, he said the department does not regulate physicians directly, but may refer concerns to the Division of Medical Quality Assurance, and that caregiver and physician participation requirements are set by statute. Members raised concerns about edibles, child access, and continued use of child-attractive branding; Kimball said the department tries to catch issues through pre-approval and enforcement, and that complaints involving children are treated as serious and investigated using available records and camera footage. Dr. Almond Winterstein then presented the consortium’s research overview. He explained that the consortium was created by statute in 2019, includes 10 universities, and is funded by annual state appropriations. He said its work includes grants, a research repository, a clinical core, outreach, and evidence synthesis, including a recent FDA-supported review of cannabis evidence. He emphasized that the current evidence base is limited and often low quality, with the strongest signals for symptom relief in PTSD-related symptoms, nausea, and some pain outcomes, but with many studies inconclusive or mixed. He also described the consortium’s use of registry data linked to Medicaid, Medicare, death, fetal death, and birth records to study safety and outcomes, including children, pregnancy, driving safety, opioid-sparing effects, and adverse events. Winterstein said adverse event reporting is sparse and likely underreported, with most reports mild but some serious events noted, and he expressed concern about use among young adults because of uncertain benefit-risk and possible effects on the developing brain. The committee discussed the need for better surveillance, more robust adverse event reporting, and the possibility of using linked data to identify harms more quickly. At the end of the meeting, the committee rose without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• the legislators who are here and living this every day and have the opportunities to help us impact change
• have to explain that special education is not just a room at the end of the hallway; it's a life-changing
• But I'm not proud of our state's history of attempts to limit special education enrollment and funding
• This change is making a real difference. ...More students are being identified and getting help through
• Sustainable long-term change begins with equipping educators from day one.

Keywords: special education, funding gap, dyslexia, House Bill 2, Senate Bill 568, House Bill 3928, disability penalty

Summary: The meeting primarily focused on special education funding, with significant discussions around House Bill 2 (HB2), Senate Bill 568 (SB568), and House Bill 3928 (HB3928). Key speakers advocated for increased funding to close the estimated $1.7 billion annual gap that affects special education in Texas public schools. Several witnesses, including educators and students affected by dyslexia, provided personal testimonies about the impact of insufficient funding and the disability penalty, which penalizes schools financially for identifying students needing special education services. The committee demonstrated a strong commitment to advocate for changes that would improve special education resources and training for teachers, thereby ensuring that all Texas children receive the educational support they need to thrive.