Transcript Highlights:

• FAC would ask you to vote it down, but we also want to continue working on it to make it something that
• Hastings is full of two-lane roads, winding ones at that.
• You're going down to three. This last meeting that we had in this committee, Mr.
• of two summers ago trying to defend what became weaponized and vilified as Live Local, from Boca to down
• Like, I even wrote the word down here: data centers.

Bills: S0330, S0354, S0504, S0506, S0526, S0594, S0840

Keywords: firefighter disability, law enforcement disability, correctional officer disability, correctional probation officer, presumptive disability, workers' compensation, line of duty presumption, heart disease presumption, hypertension presumption, tuberculosis presumption, public safety employees, first responders, physical examination, preemployment exam, medical specialist, Medicare reimbursement, employing agency, Florida Statutes 112.18, Florida Statutes 943.13, occupational disease

Summary: The committee took up several bills related to public safety, housing, disaster recovery, construction, and land use. SB 330 clarified the heart disease presumption for firefighters, law enforcement, and correctional officers, aligned the definition of heart disease with medical practice, and allowed a transferring law enforcement officer to rely on a prior physical if the new agency does not provide one. An amendment stating the act serves an important state interest was adopted, and the bill passed unanimously after supportive testimony from law enforcement and fire groups. SB 594 expanded local housing assistance eligibility to residents of mobile home communities, including SHIP rental assistance for lot rent and rehabilitation/emergency repair programs for the home itself; it also passed unanimously after support from manufactured housing advocates. SB 840 revised the hurricane-related land use limits enacted in prior legislation by sunsetting certain temporary restrictions on June 30, 2026, narrowing the affected area from 100 miles to 50 miles from a storm track, and exempting certain planning, water, wastewater, stormwater, and flood-related decisions. The sponsor said the bill was intended to fix unintended consequences of prior hurricane recovery legislation, and the measure was reported favorably on a unanimous vote. SB 526 addressed commercial construction projects by prohibiting “no damages for delay” clauses in public construction contracts, directing the Florida Building Commission to create a uniform commercial permit application, requiring permit fee reductions when private providers are used, and adding mitigation to product approval categories; county representatives raised concerns about implementation and fees, but the bill passed favorably. The committee also approved SB 504 and SB 506, both by Senator Burgess, creating a framework for code inspector body camera use and a related public records exemption for recordings. Both were described as optional for local governments and were reported favorably without opposition. Finally, the committee considered CS/SB 354, a major “blue ribbon projects” bill creating a framework for very large developments that would reserve at least 60% of land for conservation, agriculture, recreation, utilities, and related uses in exchange for streamlined approval and state preemption over local land use controls. The bill drew extensive testimony both for and against, with supporters emphasizing housing supply and land preservation and opponents warning about local control, sprawl, infrastructure costs, and weak conservation protections. Two amendments were adopted to define reserve areas more specifically and address conservation easements, and the committee reported the bill favorably on a divided vote, with Senator Passidomo voting no.

Transcript Highlights:

• Cyber attacks are extremely detrimental to the SMB community, and they're not slowing down.
• going to have a very difficult time determining what that would be just because that kind of stuff winds
• We just got our new crime data, and it's down significantly across the board.
• I mean, this is going down a road that I didn't see coming, pun intended.
• When contractors cut corners by hiring undocumented labor, they not only drive wages down, but they also

Bills: SB324, SB1978, SB2139, SB2401, SB2587, SB2610, SB2858, SB3016

Keywords: E-verify, employment verification, state contracts, immigration, labor compliance, ERCOT, Texas electric grid, interconnection, Public Utility Commission, PUC, Public convenience and necessity, electric cooperative, municipally owned utility, electric utility, transmission, generation facilities, grid reliability, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, FERC, SERC

Transcript Highlights:

• our world as, as, uh, Martin Luther King Jr. once said and quoting Amos that, uh, may justice flow down
• know last last year we had a horrible wildfire in the Texas Panhandle where 1,700,000 acres burned down
• I'd ask for a moment of silence and I'd ask you to pray for calm winds, rain.
• marrow registry, by the way, if you don't know this has to be very specific and has to be matched down
• And basic economics tells us that as the supply of legal services goes up, the price will come down for

Transcript Highlights:

• So, if this bill passes, you would expect the cost to go down?
• of the good or service goes down.
• I am not sure that costs go down either. So there's two problems for me.
• Now, write down what you think this family does.
• And so everybody's looking at each other, we write it down.

Bills: HB 1181, HB3704, HB1363, HB1610, HB1615, HB1620, HB3223, HB1317, HB2884, HB2176, HB4027, HB1664, HB933, HB2613, HB3353, HB2086, HB4101, HB3441, HB4145, HB3455

Keywords: judiciary, judges, justices, retired, legal assignments, judicial conduct, notary public, criminal offense, education requirements, official documents, record retention, implicit bias, bias training, judicial training, judge education, court personnel, continuing legal education, CLE, state bar, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals

Transcript Highlights:

• It's gone from 100% down to around just above 65%.
• It's gone from 100% down to around just above 65%.
• It's gone from 100% down to around just above 65%.
• It's gone from 100% down to around just above 65%.
• It's gone from 100% down to around just above 65%.

Bills: HB235, HB236, HB565, HB237, HB238, HB239, HB240, HB241, HB242, HB235, HB236, HB565, HB237, HB238, HB239, HB240, HB241, HB242

Keywords: social media, age verification, minors, under 16, children online safety, online privacy, platform regulation, deceptive trade practice, Attorney General, civil penalties, punitive damages, consumer protection, account creation, algorithmic feeds, internet safety, youth social media, HB236, Baldwin County, Board of Equalization, per diem

Transcript Highlights:

• chairman sir um um the uh the man down chairman sir um um the uh the man down system system system
• prison um and the body alarm man down prison um and the body alarm man down system<00:34:55.159>
• yes continuing down the um continuing<03:21:06.199> down<03:21:06.439> the<03:21:06.720
• to try to win down to really uh get down to try to win down to really uh get down to<04:01:02.000
• on uh could break which would slow down on uh could break which would slow down a<04:35:23.920><

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee heard a Department of Corrections capital budget presentation on HB 25, focused largely on urgent maintenance and security needs at the New Hampshire State Prison for Men and other DOC facilities. DOC officials described the governor’s proposed priorities: boiler surge and radiator tank replacements, electronic controls and camera upgrades, and replacement of HVAC units using R22 refrigerant. They also outlined additional requested projects totaling $15.4 million, including a body alarm/man-down system at Northern New Hampshire Correctional Facility, steam line and trap repairs, fire alarm replacements, and removal of an underground diesel tank in favor of above-ground storage. DOC testified that many systems are well beyond their expected service life, including 40-year-old boilers, outdated analog cameras, and HVAC equipment using discontinued R22 refrigerant. They said the men’s prison is relying on a leased temporary boiler, has significant steam leaks causing major water loss and reduced boiler efficiency, and is dealing with frequent fire alarm faults and deteriorating wiring. On the body alarm system, they said the vendor no longer supports the equipment and replacement parts are no longer available. On the diesel tank, members questioned whether it could be abandoned in place or whether fuel could be reused; DOC said it had not explored all alternatives and would follow up, while noting the tank is underground and tied into the warehouse system. Members also asked whether some current investments could be reused in the planned new men’s prison. DOC said some items, such as air handlers, might potentially be moved, but most projects are needed to keep the current facility operational and would not be practical to transfer. Questions were also raised about the leased boiler arrangement, the use of the man-down system by staff and visitors, and whether the kitchen project could be converted to a modular unit. DOC said the modular kitchen approach is necessary because the existing kitchen cannot remain fully operational during repairs. The committee then moved to lapse extensions, and DOC identified several projects no longer needing extensions, including items numbered 64, 65, and 66 in HB 25, with the chair noting those balances would be deleted and that the lapse amount was $550,500.

Transcript Highlights:

• They live down by the river under the tree.
• President, I listened to Senator Westlin twice, and I wrote this down.
• And when it comes down to it, elections have consequences.
• President, but I will sit down. Mr. President, but I will sit down. Thank<03:34:03.000> you.
• down as well. Thank you so much, Mr. down as well. Thank you so much, Mr. President.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Then it goes from Bethlehem, Littleton, all the way down to Lime.
• Then it goes from Bethlehem, Littleton, all the way down to Lime.
• Then it goes from Bethlehem, Littleton, all the way down to Lime.
• Down to Lime. We have to cross mountainous roads, winding roads in the winter, in the summer.
• Thank you for the... were cut down were cut down to to to essentially<02:51:46.319> Roman<02:51

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It started out the Gatton Academy down at Western has been there for many years.
• That wind up to be about 90 million.
• , exchange for seek money flowing down, exchange for seek money flowing down, they<00:12:00.320><
• If an entity chooses to adopt the school, the SEEK money will flow down.
• school uh the seek money will flow down school uh the seek money will flow down the<00:12:44.800

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The meeting focused on Kentucky school choice and innovation, with discussion of the state constitution’s “common schools” requirement and how that has been interpreted alongside newer education models. Chairman Tipton described model laboratory schools, Gatton and Craft Academies, magnet and virtual programs, and said these options show that Kentucky has long expanded opportunity through innovation. He then turned the discussion to Senate Bill 207, which he said was designed to support schools of innovation. Senator Steve West reviewed the history of Kentucky charter schools and explained that SB 207 was modeled on a South Carolina approach. He said the bill allows a local school board to contract with a third-party entity to manage an existing school, seek waivers from certain state rules, and receive SEEK funding while also allowing outside private investment. He emphasized that the district initiates the process, that the school remains public, and that the bill includes accountability through a time-limited contract that can be ended if the school is not performing. Members asked about the difference between SB 207 and the earlier charter school law, whether schools could cherry-pick students, and whether teachers would remain district employees. West and Tipton said the new model is tied to an existing school rather than a new charter, cannot cherry-pick students, and keeps teachers as district employees. Representative Brown raised concerns that charters and exceptions could leave some children out, especially lower-income students, while West responded that the proposal is intended to expand choice for families who may not otherwise have it and cited examples from other states where similar models improved low-performing schools. No vote or formal action was taken during the discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• Calm the cold and the wind that threaten us and turn our fears of your power into praise of goodness.
• coming down to share their stories. coming down to share their stories.
• actions that we're seeing coming down actions that we're seeing coming down the<00:10:19.760>
• dig<00:12:48.000> out<00:12:48.399> to<00:12:48.560> get<00:12:48.800> down
• <00:12:48.959> to hours to dig out to get down to hours to dig out to get down to Annapolis

Keywords: House streaming session for Friday, January 23, 2026, 957, house, all

Summary: The House convened with 118 members present, opened with prayer, and proceeded through the day’s desk work. The clerk read introductory House bills 445 through 488, which were first read and referred to the appropriate committees, along with introductory House joint resolutions and several bond initiatives referred to Appropriations. A letter reassigning House Bill 149 to Economic Matters was also journalized. Committee announcements noted that several standing committees would not meet that day, while the House Rules and Executive Nominations Committee would meet virtually on Monday at 1:00 p.m. because of the snowstorm; the fiscal briefing was moved to 4:00 p.m. on Zoom. A substantial portion of the meeting focused on questions about the Rules Committee hearing process for House Bill 488, the congressional redistricting bill. Members asked about witness sign-up timing, whether the weekend extension was allowed, and whether there were conflicts of interest in the process. The parliamentarian and Speaker responded that the chair has discretion, that testimony sign-up had been extended through Friday, Saturday, and Sunday due to weather, and that if there were no electricity on Monday the hearing would be rescheduled. The Speaker also said the fiscal note for HB 488 would be available before the hearing. The rest of the session consisted largely of caucus, delegation, and guest announcements. Members announced upcoming meetings for the Waterman’s Caucus, Legislative Jewish Caucus, Women’s Caucus, LGBTQ+ Caucus, and a fire/EMS coalition, and noted the cancellation of an in-person Holocaust Remembrance event in favor of a virtual format. Guests and interns were recognized in the gallery, including representatives from the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, 100 Black Men of Charles County, Howard University students, and several student interns. The House also recognized the pages for their service and celebrated Delegate Marlon Amprey’s upcoming birthday. The chamber then adjourned until Monday, January 26 at 8:00 p.m., with the public again invited to submit testimony over the weekend.

Transcript Highlights:

• So the chart down here is basically the way we are currently grading school grades.
• So it comes down to the supports.
• It comes down to meeting where the child is and help lifting them.
• But right now, I'm down without the resources. Thank you, Madam Chair.
• But thank you so much for all you do, and I'm going to be down today.

Summary: The Student Academic Success Subcommittee met with a quorum and considered two bills. The first, PCS for HB 1565, would expand permitted purchases under the Personalized Education Program scholarship to include digital devices, clarify statutory terms, and distinguish between parent-directed part-time programs and full-time instructor-led programs. Rep. Hinson questioned oversight and misuse safeguards, while the sponsor said existing statutory and SFO oversight already applies. Public testimony included support from the James Madison Institute, and the bill was reported favorably by a 12-1 vote. The committee then heard PCS for HB 1483, the SCORE Act, which would gradually align Florida’s school grading scale with the familiar A-F scale used for students over a 10-year transition. The sponsor argued that current school grades are inflated and confusing to parents, and said the bill would also expand early support identification from pre-K through 8th grade. Members raised concerns about the impact on public and charter schools, low-income communities, teacher workload, resources, property values, and whether the bill should be paired with funding and professional development. Public testimony included an ESE teacher asking about funding and class size, one opponent from Orange County teachers, and a proponent from Florida Citizens Alliance. After extensive debate, the committee voted 12-5 to report PCS for HB 1483 favorably. Supporters said the bill would improve transparency and accountability for parents and create pressure to raise standards, while opponents warned it could sharply increase lower-rated schools without sufficient resources and could mislead the public about school performance during the transition.

Transcript Highlights:

• than try and hunt that semi-trail down than try and hunt that semi-trail down and<00:47:37.760><
• I'm uh substituting down in in advance.
• Representative Johnson. down the Connecticut River Valley would down the Connecticut River Valley would
• We caught wind of it actually when they sealed the deal.
• Now, go down that rabbit hole too far.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so the more that's going to bring that average down.
• And so the more it's going to bring that average down.
• I think we're down to about 200 additional people right now.
• And sorry we didn't get a chance to sit down yesterday.
• Some have two because they have beach plans and wind plans.

Summary: The Assembly Insurance Committee held an oversight hearing on the California Fair Plan, focused on the plan’s rapid growth, its financial stability after the January Southern California wildfires, and its role as the insurer of last resort. Fair Plan officials explained that the plan was created in 1968, is a not-for-profit involuntary association of licensed property insurers, and is intended to be a temporary safety net until policyholders can return to the admitted market. They emphasized that the plan is not a state agency or taxpayer-funded, but is regulated by the Department of Insurance and supported by member-company assessments if claims exceed available funds. Victoria Roach and Armand Feliciano said the Fair Plan has grown sharply since 2018 and especially after market pullbacks by major insurers, reaching about 575,000 policies and roughly $600 billion in exposure by spring 2025. They noted that growth is increasingly occurring in lower wildfire-risk areas, where the plan can sometimes be cheaper than the voluntary market, and said this undermines depopulation back into the private market. They also discussed recent policy expansions, including coverage for farms, higher residential and commercial limits, and pending or proposed changes such as AB 290, SB 525, and AB 226, which would add tools like a line of credit and bond access. A major portion of the hearing addressed the January wildfire losses and the plan’s financial response. Fair Plan officials said they assessed member insurers for $1 billion after determining claims and cash flow would exceed available resources, and that the process was approved quickly and paid smoothly, with more than 80% of the assessment collected within 10 days. They also described the reinsurance tower, the plan’s limited surplus, and the need for actuarially sound rates to reduce future reliance on assessments. On claims handling, they said the plan has received over 5,500 claims from the fires, has paid more than $2.9 billion so far, expects total payments near $4 billion, and has focused on advancing payments quickly for total losses and other urgent needs. Members questioned the plan’s solvency, the growth in non-wildfire areas, claim denials, smoke-loss coverage, and how depopulation works. Roach said most closed claims without payment were duplicates rather than denials, and that smoke claims require direct physical loss under the policy, with coverage determined case by case. Public commenters from the California Building Industry Association and the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of California said the Fair Plan’s growth reflects a weak voluntary market, inadequate rates, and insurer fear of future assessments, and urged support for rate increases and AB 226. The hearing concluded with no vote, but with a commitment from Fair Plan officials to follow up on unanswered questions and continue providing more transparency through public data and website disclosures.

Transcript Highlights:

• Sorry, I didn't want to break down, but I have been with who I call my Mr.
• So again, I will have to remind people often, but I just wanted to lay that down.
• I'd like to wind this down and move on and do something else. It's been a good run for me.
• And then we'll kind of dumb it down for us, that type of thing.
• I mean, is it you just go down the list? And, I mean, it seems vague.

Transcript Highlights:

• Coming soon, our down payment assistance grant—many of you will remember this—was established in 2023
• <00:35:19.520> a larger plants had to maybe shut down a larger plants had to maybe shut down
• The problem being they could be seeding the parasite down along the way.
• So, scattered them to the wind, so to speak. So, of those horses, 26 arrived back in Minnesota.
• So scattered them to the wind, so was. So scattered them to the wind, so to<01:10:15.600> speak.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• So this slows down the growth. It does not cut any Existing funds. Follow up, Senator Bullard.
• It just slows down the future growth of that. So it would.
• So this slows it down.
• I think this is a reasonable way to slow down the growth of property taxes on homes.
• We go further down in the bill and we look at places where some of the other things that we're.

Bills: HJR1024, SB1316, SB1491, SB1552, SB1679, SB1877, SB2040, SB2133, SB2153, SB2174, SB2180, SB227, SJR39, SJR47, SJR48

Keywords: Judicial Nominating Commission, congressional districts, terms of office, Oklahoma Constitution, legal qualifications, political party restrictions, family ties, administrative rules, sunset provision, state agencies, regulatory review, legislative oversight, presidential electors, vacancies, oath of office, political party, elections, county home rule charter, home rule, county government

Transcript Highlights:

• It’s probably closer to—I would have to look at the number—but it’s not going down.
• We need to get that down.
• You can always move the millage rate down.
• And anybody that's hit a pothole in Tallahassee—I love my guys down there, but my tires don't.
• And this is—it breaks it down to the actual personnel decisions we have to make.

Summary: The Committee on Community Affairs convened with a quorum and took up SB 308, a bill related to the Florida Museum of Black History. The bill would establish a Florida Museum of Black History Board of Directors and direct it to work with a supporting nonprofit foundation, while also requiring the St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners to provide administrative assistance and staffing until planning, design, and engineering are complete. With no appearance forms or debate, the committee voted the bill favorably. The remainder of the meeting was an informational briefing from the Florida Association of Counties and the Florida League of Cities on local government budgeting practices. Presenters explained how counties and cities develop budgets, the legal framework governing property taxes and other revenues, the distinction between restricted and unrestricted funds, and the role of constitutional officers, public safety, debt, pensions, and capital planning. They emphasized that most local revenues are restricted by law, that general funds are the main discretionary source, and that local governments must balance annual budgets while meeting mandated service levels. The presenters also discussed how property taxes, fees, local option taxes, and state-shared revenues support local services, and they highlighted the fiscal pressures created by public safety, emergency management, infrastructure, and retirement costs. Members asked questions about the share of local revenue that is unrestricted and the implications for any proposal to eliminate property taxes. The presenters responded that only a portion of county and municipal revenue is flexible, with much of it dedicated to specific purposes by law.

Transcript Highlights:

• But I just delighted whenever I wanted to talk and give jokes, I would call down and say, "Hey, I need
• Speaker: Can the members raising their hands come down front please? Thank you.
• telling why they turned you down.
• The bill is to make sure the consumer knows the reason why it was turned down. Mr.
• Anchía: ...down? Turned down for what? Rep. Paul: Yeah, that's exactly what it is. It's a good...

Transcript Highlights:

• Yeah, happy to sit down. I think that's reasonable. I think it makes sense.
• And we just got to slow down and save lives.
• There's a reason for it, and we just got to slow down and save lives. So good job. Thank you.
• It's as simple as that, and that's why we must urge you to vote down this bill. Thank you.
• It's as simple as that, and that's why we must urge you to vote down this bill. Thank you.

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice considered and reported favorably a series of criminal justice, corrections, and public safety bills. Among the measures approved were SB 468, increasing penalties for fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement and allowing impoundment of involved vehicles; SB 1136, tightening age-related criminal offense provisions and clarifying that ignorance or misrepresentation of a victim’s age is not a defense in covered cases; SB 144, which was described as a broad public safety measure addressing law enforcement tools, AI/body camera use, concealed carry licensing exemptions for law enforcement, blood testing after exposure incidents, and related matters; and SB 1782, creating a dangerous excessive speeding offense for extreme speeding conduct. The committee also approved SB 964 on objective parole guidelines, SB 1450 giving law enforcement discretion on immediate arrest of individuals with significant medical conditions in nursing home or assisted living settings, SB 612 closing a loophole related to charging minors in drug-distribution deaths, SB 1838 protecting court officials from tampering, harassment, and retaliation, SB 776 adding an aggravating factor for assassination or attempted assassination of a head of state, and SB 716 imposing mandatory minimums for certain sexual offenses committed by registered sex offenders or predators. Several bills drew notable testimony and debate. SB 1804, which would make sex trafficking of a child under 12 or a mentally incapacitated person a capital offense, received strong support from the sponsor and some members who argued it was needed to address the most heinous trafficking cases, but it also drew opposition from the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops, Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and others who argued the death penalty should not be expanded to non-homicide crimes and would be unconstitutional, costly, and retraumatizing to victims. SB 1604 on corrections, which included provisions on inmate litigation, limitations periods, tracking devices, and involuntary mental health treatment, prompted questions about inmate rights, accountability, and possible abuse; the sponsor said the bill was intended to balance access to claims with institutional safety and to continue refining the language. SB 1838 also drew concerns from criminal defense lawyers about possible unintended effects on attorneys, and the sponsor said he would work on clarifying the language. The committee adopted amendments on several bills, including a substitute amendment to SB 144 that removed some provisions for further work, added first responder-related provisions, and adjusted motor vehicle kill-switch language; an amendment to SB 1136 changing the age threshold and refining luring/enticement language; a strike-all amendment to SB 964 limiting retroactivity and focusing on presumptive parolees; and a delete-all amendment to SB 1604 that revised multiple provisions, including tracking devices and consecutive sentencing under 10-20 Life. Most bills were reported favorably by roll call, with SB 776 and SB 1804 passing despite recorded no votes from some members. The chair closed by noting it was the committee’s final meeting of the session and thanked members before adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• There is no point in commending ourselves for the nutritious value of school lunches if they wind up
• Those are the three things we kind of boil the conversation down to.
• I've sat down on my first day and had a list of ten things I wanted to do when I got here.
• generation of people reaching that age that didn't drink milk and their bone mass, bone density is down
• Gorman, like your enthusiastic testimony down there, you've said that community eligibility has made

Bills: SB222

Keywords: whole milk, school lunch, school meals, National School Lunch Program, Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, Child Nutrition Act, USDA, nutrition standards, dairy, nonfat milk, low-fat milk, reduced-fat milk, lactose-free milk, nondairy beverages, plant-based milk, milk substitution, parental consent, legal guardian, food allergies, allergic reaction

Summary: This meeting of the committee focused primarily on the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, S222, which aims to permit schools to offer a fuller range of milk options, including whole, reduced, and low-fat varieties, that have garnered bipartisan support. Chairman Bozeman opened the session by highlighting concerns over children's nutrition and the obesity epidemic, emphasizing the significance of nutritious school meals in addressing these issues. Experts from various organizations were invited to discuss the implications of this bill as well as the current challenges facing school meal programs, including budget constraints and food supply issues. The meeting included passionate testimonies about the direct impacts of current dietary guidelines and federal funding reductions affecting schools' abilities to provide healthy meal options.