Transcript Highlights:

• The budget provides additional funding of $20 million for the Department of Veterans Affairs for various
• Regarding the Department of State approved grant list, my budget recommendation includes a total of $24.3
• In the data collection from the districts with the Department of Education and all of that, there was
• In fact, this bill was stopped last year because of concerns with IVF out of Alabama, and here we are
• It directs the Department of Children and Families to adopt rules for a priority review of applications

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a quorum present, then adopted the special order report and moved into a series of budget-related bills. The chamber first took up HB 5011/SB 2506 on environmental resource management and natural resources funding, where Democrats argued the bill would reduce recurring support for the Resilient Florida program, the Florida Wildlife Corridor, invasive species removal, and other conservation efforts. Supporters said the change would shift money from recurring to nonrecurring funding so the Legislature could reassess priorities each year and rely more on private-sector stewardship. After a strike-all amendment and conference posture change, SB 2506 passed 97-12. HB 5013, reducing state-funded property reinsurance reserves, passed 108-0, and HB 5501, redirecting documentary stamp tax distributions from housing and transportation trust funds into general revenue, passed 82-26 after extended debate over its impact on affordable housing and transportation funding. The House also passed HB 5015 on state group insurance, which requires DMS to develop a formulary management system and was described as producing significant savings; members raised concerns about prescription access and implementation, but the bill passed 109-0. HB 5201 on state financial accounting and HB 5203 on the Capitol Center both passed unanimously, as did HB 5009, which creates a Florida Accountability Office and reorganizes audit functions. The chamber then passed HB 7031, a major sales tax reduction bill lowering the state sales tax rate and several related rates; supporters framed it as permanent relief for all Floridians, while opponents said property tax relief would be more meaningful and that the sales tax cut would also benefit tourists and out-of-state visitors. HB 7031 passed 112-0. The House then began consideration of HB 501, the proposed fiscal year 2025-26 budget, totaling $112.9 billion and emphasizing reduced recurring spending and large reserves. Subcommittee chairs outlined their budget silos: K-12 education at $20.6 billion with teacher raises, school hardening, literacy, transportation stipends, and security funding for Jewish day schools; health care at $47 billion with full Medicaid and KidCare funding, opioid settlement spending, mental health beds, and senior services; transportation/economic development at $18.5 billion; agriculture and natural resources at $5.8 billion with reduced Everglades spending but continued water, resiliency, and land management funding; higher education at $8.7 billion; state administration at $2.9 billion; justice at $7.3 billion; and IT at $529 million for Florida PALM, FX, and other systems. Members then began questioning the K-12 budget, focusing on FEFP funding, proration, voucher growth, stabilization dollars, mental health and school safety funding, and whether districts would be held harmless under the proposed allocations.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm Gary Westcott, Secretary of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections.
• If the Louisiana Board of Regents and the Department of Education are developing programs, and LCTCS
• Up here is because I just don't want the appearance of DOC, Department of Public Safety and Corrections
• That's part of what we do—Department of Corrections, local sheriffs housing offenders—that's what it's
• There's a model within the Department of Corrections and outside of the Department of Corrections for

Committee: House Administration of Criminal Justice

Summary: The committee held an oversight discussion on Louisiana’s reentry landscape, with Chair Villio emphasizing that the hearing was informational only and that no bills were being considered. Department of Public Safety and Corrections officials outlined the state’s reentry mission and current programming in state facilities, local jails, regional reentry centers, and STEP facilities. They described services including literacy and GED preparation, career and technical education, industry certifications, postsecondary partnerships, mental health and substance abuse treatment, victim impact and trauma programming, and pre-release assistance such as state IDs, birth certificates, Social Security cards, Medicaid, SNAP, and driver’s licenses. Officials also discussed a new data-sharing MOU with DCFS for child support matters and a planned “return portal” with Louisiana Works to connect incarcerated people to jobs and training aligned with labor market needs. A major focus was the reentry court program at Angola for men and at the Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women. Assistant Secretary DeLouche and Assistant Warden Easley explained that the program is limited to nine judicial districts, requires judge and district attorney consent, and includes a two-year institutional phase followed by three years of intensive supervised probation. Participants must earn a HiSET if needed, complete multiple certifications and life-skills programs, and then petition for resentencing; officials said the program’s current recidivism rate is under 14 percent. They also highlighted specialized offerings such as vocational mentoring, a Braille transcription and repair program, and family-focused events like a father-daughter dance. Testimony from employers and local officials was broadly supportive. Eric Lane described hiring formerly incarcerated workers through the parole project and said the program solved problems he had seen with halfway-house placements by helping people secure housing, IDs, and licenses before release. Sheriff Kevin Cobb said sheriffs are active partners, with 51 of 64 parishes offering some form of programming and more than 75 percent of local facilities providing services; he stressed that local jail programming has grown over time and that data collection is improving. Members repeatedly asked for more data on recidivism, employment outcomes, and what programs are available by parish, and several praised the department and sheriffs for the work already being done. No votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• I oversee a department of about 225 people, Henry Hammond Paul: And it is inclusive of the Office of
• So I'm just kind of wondering, since the epic failure of the department, since the rulemaking, what do
• And so that's a core tenet of our work and at the department.
• When we created the department, people still thought, "I go to the Department of Health for Early Intervention
• the most out-of-the-box thinking that I've seen in the State Department.

Committee: House Legislative Health & Human Services Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• Department of ARG this is the Alabama Department of ARG this is the Alabama Department of ARG guys and
• the Alabama Department of environment of the Alabama Department of environment of the Alabama Department
• the Alabama Department of history the Alabama Department of history the Alabama Department of archives
• Alabama Department of argiz and the Alabama Department of argiz and the Alabama Department of argiz and
• the Alabama Department of been part of the Alabama Department of been part of the Alabama Department

Bills: SB 26 , SB 28 , SJR 36 , SB 616 , SB 565 , SB 384 , SB 28 , SB 28 , SR 131 , SR 168 , SR 174 , SR 175

Transcript Highlights:

• A native of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, he was elected to the Tuscaloosa City Council in 1985, a position he
• of Jefferson County Alabama children of Jefferson County Alabama including<00:14:54.000><c> the</c><
• ><c> was</c> a native of Tuscaloosa Alabama he was a native of Tuscaloosa Alabama he was elected<00:15
• from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.
• ><c> Department</c><03:14:05.880><c> of</c> investments from the Department of investments from the Department

Bills: HR44 , HR43 , HR42 , HR33 , HR144 , HR164

Keywords: committee appointments, House of Representatives, agriculture committee, foreign affairs committee, natural resources committee, science and technology committee, member elections, legislative process, inauguration, Congress, House attendance, ceremony, legislative session, inaugural ceremony, President, Vice President, adjournment, committees, membership, election

Transcript Highlights:

• We all know how big of a beast the Department of Education is, and knowing what you're up against and
• You know, we all know how big of a beast the Department of Education is, and knowing what you're up against
• I cannot discuss that due to a nondisclosure agreement with my town and the Department of Education.
• Department of Education have gutted civil rights data collection, leaving access at the Department of
• However, because of the out-of-district tuition and transportation costs that have skyrocketed, our school

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Education

Summary: The Joint Committee on Education held a hearing focused primarily on special education-related bills, with testimony centered on two major themes: transition planning for students aging out of school-based services at age 22, and the fiscal strain special education costs place on districts. Committee members explained hearing procedures, noted the House was in formal session, and periodically stepped out for votes while staff recorded testimony. A separate bill on special education due process was also taken up briefly, along with a bill on special education finance and another on equitable access/data reporting. On House Bill 752 and Senate Bill 313, witnesses from the Arc of Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress, the Developmental Disabilities Council, families, self-advocates, and Senator Comerford described the “Turning 22” transition as a crisis point that often leaves families without adult placements, services, or clear communication. Testimony emphasized earlier planning, more accountability, better data collection, and a commission to improve coordination and residential placement. Several parents and advocates shared personal accounts of traumatic transitions, delayed placements, and the need for plans to begin at least a year before age 22. The committee later closed testimony on these bills after hearing from all signed-up speakers. House Bill 4217, on special education due process, drew support from Representative Sullivan-Almeida, parents, and advocates who argued that the burden of proof should shift from families to school districts. Testimony described costly legal battles, delays, and parents having to become experts in reading instruction or hire advocates and attorneys to secure services. Brody Dwyer, a 10-year-old student with dyslexia, and his mother described how evidence-based instruction helped him after years of struggle. The committee also heard testimony on House Bill 546/Senate Bill 317, which would require DESE to publish cross-tabulated data on race, disability, gender, income, and other factors; advocates said this would better expose disparities and help address the school-to-prison pipeline. Finally, on House Bill 691/Senate Bill 430, school leaders, educators, and union representatives testified that special education costs are outpacing district budgets and that increasing circuit breaker reimbursement and creating a commission to study long-term sustainability would help prevent staffing cuts and service reductions. No votes were taken during the hearing; the committee repeatedly closed testimony on individual bills as speakers finished and moved through the agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Department of Justice has have.
• </c><08:35:25.520><c> of</c> Then he went after the Department of Then he went after the Department of
• </c><08:54:29.520><c> of</c> judges and bend the Department of judges and bend the Department of Justice
• </c><09:00:04.478><c> of</c> rights division at the Department of rights division at the Department of
• </c><09:02:52.878><c> of</c> as Trump and his de department of as Trump and his de department of justice

Bills: HJR60 , HB1442 , HR859 , HR1402 , HR354

Keywords: Glen Canyon, National Park Service, environmental regulation, motor vehicles, congressional disapproval, sodium nitrite, poisoning prevention, consumer product safety, banned hazardous product, youth poisoning, public health, toxic chemicals, online sales, retail regulation, industrial chemicals, food additives, meat curing, poultry products, egg products, FDA

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, members, House Bill 2013 requires the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality... Mr.
• Chair, members, House Bill 2013 requires the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality to submit an
• there is a process for exceptional events demonstration, and it does involve the Department of Environmental
• For the record, Chair members of the committee, I'm Matt Rappentrop with the Department of Environmental
• At present, programs of this nature are available in North Carolina, Alabama, and Idaho.

Committee: House House Land, Agriculture & Rural Affairs Committee of Reference

Summary: The committee heard three measures. HB 2013 would require the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality to submit an exceptional event demonstration to the EPA when wildfire smoke from federally managed land affects the state. The sponsor said it would help Arizona avoid penalties tied to uncontrollable wildfire events and could ease pressure on air-quality compliance; Sierra Club opposed it, arguing the bill could create unnecessary filings and burdens, while ADEQ was neutral. The committee voted 5-1 to give HB 2013 a due pass recommendation. HB 2292, as amended, would create the Wildfire Mitigation and Risk Reduction Authority and fund under the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management, with the amendment renaming the authority, capping administrative costs at 8%, and prioritizing funding for single-family and multifamily dwellings. Supporters from Coconino County and the County Supervisors Association said the program would help reduce wildfire risk, support community hardening, and address rising homeowners insurance costs by redirecting $20 million from existing insurance premium tax revenues; members clarified it was not a new tax. The committee adopted the amendment and then approved the bill 8-0. HCM 2011 urges Congress to pass federal legislation to delist the Mexican wolf, defund the reintroduction program, and transfer management to local authorities. Supporters said ranchers have been harmed by wolf predation and that delisting is overdue, while Sierra Club opposed the memorial, saying the species remains under-recovered and decisions should be based on science. The committee approved the memorial 5-2 and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Virginia related to the Department of Education and public schools' use of school-issued devices for
• The Senate of Virginia related to the Department of Education and public schools' use of school-issued
• Senate Bill 220 is legislation that would direct the Department of Department of I would move the committee
• Senate Bell 220 is legislation under direct the Department of Department of The bill passes.
• , Department of Veterans Services, Annual Report.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> of the EPA in the state of Alabama. of the EPA in the state of Alabama.
• </c> ADM uh specifically the Alabama ADM uh specifically the Alabama Department<01:33:51.840><c> of</
• 1975, and number five a rule of the Department of Agriculture and Industries or of the Alabama Department
• </c> of Alabama. this bill. of Alabama. this bill.
• </c> state of Alabama? state of Alabama?

Transcript Highlights:

• . of the industry because of energy, specifically in North Alabama.
• Despite the existence of the vape directory managed by the Alabama Department of Revenue, illegal sales
• to retailer accountability program, with monthly returns due to the Alabama Department of Revenue by
• We are supportive of enforcement of the laws of Alabama as they stand.
• You're staying within the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industry programs and guidelines.

Committee: Senate Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development

Transcript Highlights:

• children from a school of their choice to a school not of their choice due to logistical and transportation
• children from a school of their choice to a school not of their choice due to logistical and transportation
• the Department of Education, and the great state of Louisiana to provide quality education for our children
• operates within the Department of Health.
• And we are asking that you appropriate $200,000 to the Department of Health for operation of the Domestic

Committee: Senate Finance

Summary: The committee met for public testimony on the Finance budget, with the main discussion focused first on funding for disability services and then on the LA GATOR scholarship program. Several individuals testified in support of fully funding Families Helping Families and Louisiana Rehabilitation Services (LRS), describing how advocacy, transition services, and direct support workers help people with disabilities access education, employment, and independent living. Witnesses urged the committee to preserve or increase state general funds to draw down federal matching dollars, and provider groups said current reimbursement rates and staffing shortages are leaving agencies in deficit, creating waitlists, overtime costs, and difficulty retaining workers. Committee members thanked the speakers and noted that the testimony would be used to compare the governor’s, House, and remaining budget requests. The committee then heard extensive testimony in support of increasing funding for the LA GATOR scholarship program. Supporters included policy groups, school leaders, parents, and students who argued that the program expands educational choice, helps low-income and special-needs students find schools that fit their needs, and should be fully funded at the level of demonstrated demand. Speakers from Catholic and Christian schools said GATOR funding had helped students thrive academically and spiritually, but that shortfalls left many eligible students without awards, hurt kindergarten enrollment, and forced schools to raise private donations to cover gaps. Several witnesses emphasized that the program is not a zero-sum attack on public schools, but a way to let education dollars follow students. A few committee questions focused on the fiscal impact and on whether choice programs improve outcomes without harming public schools. Testimony cited enrollment growth, parent demand, and data from other states to argue that school choice can improve student and parent outcomes and may also strengthen traditional public schools through competition. No votes or formal actions were taken during the public testimony portion of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• of the New Hampshire Insurance Department.
• of energy overseas Hampshire Department of energy overseas and<00:24:45.399><c> administers</c><00:24
• Brian Powell used to be the deputy insurance commissioner of the state of Alabama.
• </c><00:34:47.399><c> part</c> is it part of your depart if it's part is it part of your depart if it's
• ><c> you</c><00:34:49.000><c> need</c> of your department will you need of your department will you need

Summary: The committee took up HB 297 with a non-germane amendment proposed by the Insurance Department to create the Granite State Home Mitigation and Resiliency Program. Commissioner DJ Beton explained that the program is intended to help homeowners reduce rising insurance premiums and avoid surplus lines coverage by funding proactive home and property improvements such as roof fortification, exterior and foundation work, flood protection, and tree removal. He said the proposal was developed after leadership asked for more statutory detail and for the idea to be vetted through policy committees rather than handled only in the budget process. Beton said the program would be funded by the first $1 million collected annually from the insurance premium tax, with grants of up to $10,000 awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. He described the program as modeled on similar efforts in other states, with means testing tied to the Department of Energy’s weatherization/home heating assistance criteria. He also said the department would administer the program using one existing staff position, with coordination through Treasury, and that unspent funds would roll over for several years before reverting to the general fund. Members asked about the unusual use of a non-germane amendment and how the bill would be handled procedurally, since the underlying bill and the new insurance proposal were unrelated. The chair explained that the amendment was being used as a vehicle to move the department’s proposal through the committee process and that the committee could later accept one part, both parts, or neither. No vote was taken in the portion of the meeting shown; the discussion ended with questions about administration, staffing, and the relationship between the underlying bill and the amendment.

Transcript Highlights:

• does not govern does the Alabama Department of Insurance does not Alabama Department of Insurance does
• of protections needed and the Department of Alabama Department of Insurance does not Alabama Department
• agent um in the state of agent um in the state of Alabama dealing with the Department of Alabama dealing
• with the Department of Alabama dealing with the Department of Insurance a lot on the regulation side
• Department Department of of uh revenue. Department Department of of uh revenue.

Bills: SB 1 , HB 500 , SB 1 , HB 1400 , HB 1094 , HB 365 , HB 1109 , HB 647 , HB 500

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm honored to also serve as chairman of the Alabama Bankers Association and as a member of the Alabama
• It will also distract the Alabama Banking Department from their responsibility of keeping Alabama's financial
• do for the state of Alabama.
• This bill would allow Alabama to get ahead of a growing... ...allow Alabama to get ahead of a growing
• Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama consistently... ...Blue Shield of Alabama consistently exceeds

Committee: Senate Banking and Insurance

Transcript Highlights:

• the people of Alabama.
• Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court.
• the state of Alabama would apply.
• have a whole lot of data storage in the state of Alabama. lot of data storage in the state of Alabama
• for the people of the state of Alabama.

Bills: SJR 18 , SCR 5 , SCR 13 , SCR 25 , SB 3 , SB 6 , SB 10 , SB 11 , SB 12 , SB 13 , SB 15 , SB 17 , SB 18 , SB 35 , SB 388 , SB 412 , SB 441 , SB 495 , SB 666 , SB 687 , SB 706 , SB 740 , SB 815 , SB 842 , SB 917 , SB 925 , SB 995 , SB 1006 , SB 1281 , SB 1300 , SB 1379 , SB 1451 , SB 1902 , SJR 36 , SJR 18 , SJR 12 , SCR 13 , SCR 25 , SCR 5 , SCR 22 , SB 565 , SB 372 , SB 495 , SB 842 , SB 765 , SB 62 , SB 19 , SB 18 , SB 666 , SB 707 , SB 888 , SB 687 , SB 706 , SB 847 , SB 290 , SB 11 , SB 10 , SB 13 , SB 412 , SB 441 , SB 1248 , SB 740 , SB 14 , SB 1006 , SB 504 , SB 917 , SB 925 , SB 388 , SB 1902 , SB 1121 , SB 995 , SB 857 , SB 305 , SB 296 , SB 284 , SB 35 , SB 6 , SB 815 , SB 3 , SB 1281 , SB 1379 , SB 1300 , SB 1497 , SB 1499 , SB 1498 , SB 1451 , SB 1061 , SB 15 , SB 65 , SB 241 , SB 304 , SB 402 , SB 499 , SB 621 , SB 974 , SB 1023 , SB 1024 , SB 1025 , SB 1106 , SB 686 , SB 112 , SB 371 , SB 204 , SB 400 , SB 609 , SB 1447 , SB 670 , SB 502 , SB 427 , SB 850 , SB 854 , SB 413 , SB 1555 , SB 1362 , SB 1346 , SB 1033 , SB 1220 , SB 1073 , SB 810 , SB 987 , SB 1539 , SB 893 , SB 447 , SB 875 , SB 406 , SB 509 , SB 985 , SB 965 , SB 17 , SB 1119 , SB 1505 , SB 12 , SB 24 , SB 57 , SB 1194 , SB 1253 , SB 1215 , SB 1532 , SB 1268 , SCR 12 , SCR 24 , SB 1302 , SB 856 , SB 650 , SB 583 , SB 673 , SB 840 , SJR 18 , SB 11 , SB 441 , SB 10 , SB 18 , SB 412 , SB 495 , SR 238 , SR 264 , SR 266 , SR 267 , SR 268 , SR 270 , SR 271 , SR 272 , SR 278 , SB 1169 , SB 1169

Transcript Highlights:

• of Alabama degree at the University of of Alabama degree at the University of of Alabama during this
• the Department of 2021 and the home of the Department of 2021 and the home of the Department of Kinesiology
• Department of Veterans Affairs Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs Alabama Department of Veterans
• Department of Tourism and the Department of of Tourism and the Department of of Tourism and the Department
• the state of Alabama working people of the state of Alabama working people of the state of Alabama working

Bills: SJR 36 , SJR 2 , SB 4 , SR 45 , SR 47 , SR 63 , SR 66 , SR 70 , SR 85 , SCR 14 , SB 10 , SB 11 , SB 10 , SB 11

Transcript Highlights:

• Because of that foresight, department.
• The Department of Justice injury.
• </c> the Department of Defense has likewise the Department of Defense has likewise ended<03:13:43.600
• of Food and A the California Department of Food and A and<03:20:21.359><c> the</c><03:20:21.520><c>
• The legislation comes after Democrats backed out of a bipartisan Department of Homeland Security bill

Bills: HB2913 , HR518 , HB8646 , HR1336 , HCR84

Keywords: Ukraine, support, foreign affairs, military aid, international relations, agriculture, funding, food safety, nutrition, pest management, House resolution, procedural resolution, Rules Committee, Rule XIII, clause 6(a), waiver, supermajority, same-day consideration, reconciliation, budget reconciliation

Transcript Highlights:

• It was a Department of Labor grant from 2024, and so that could potentially be an effort that’s really
• In 2017, New Hampshire ranked 48th in the nation, ahead of only Alabama and Kentucky, for reliance on
• of only Alabama and the nation, ahead of only Alabama and Kentucky<00:35:24.000><c> for</c><00:35:24.320
• Um, we have been working closely with the department on the exploration of PACE versus the DNIP programs
• That being said, as our colleagues from the department just shared, there are a lot of unanswered questions

Summary: The committee to study long-term managed care met to approve the prior meeting minutes, with a clarification that “OB3” referred to the “one big beautiful bill.” The minutes were then approved. Chair Jim Kofalt outlined the day’s agenda, which included testimony from the Granite State Home Health and Hospice Association, the New Hampshire Association of Counties, and later DHHS. He also noted that future meetings were expected soon and that the meetings were being livestreamed on YouTube. Granite State Home Health and Hospice Association, represented by Kellyanne Totten and Amy Moore, urged inclusive planning and a cautious, phased approach if managed care is considered. They emphasized that home care providers are not uniform, with different licensing and service models, and said any pilot should include varied provider types, rural and southern regions, and agencies of different sizes. They warned that workforce shortages, inflation, and a possible 9% CMS cut to Medicare home health payments could force agencies to reduce service areas or service types. They also said the 2023 Medicaid CFI rate increase has begun to lose its effect. In response to questions, they said the rural health transformation fund may help with planning and telehealth but likely cannot be used directly for rates or recruitment/retention. They also described the New England Home Care Nurse Residency Program, a Department of Labor grant, as a way to bring new registered nurses into home care with added training and school partnerships. The New Hampshire Association of Counties, through county nursing home administrators Craig Labore and David Ross, revisited the earlier Step Two managed care discussions from 2016-2018. They said prior consultants found the long-term services and supports system was underfunded and needed investment to stabilize providers and expand community-based care. They argued the same concerns remain today and said a managed model would jeopardize the Medicaid quality incentive payment program and, for county nursing homes, the proportionate share payment program. Their testimony was generally opposed to moving forward with managed long-term services and supports without significant additional funding and safeguards.

Transcript Highlights:

• of the Jackson County Sheriff's Department, who was tragically killed in the line of duty April 2, 2026
• OF THE JACKSON COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, WHO WAS TRAGICALLY KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY APRIL 2ND,
• of Alabama.
• I met the captain of the New York Fire Department, who later lost his life in 9/11, responding.
• determinants of health that influence maternal health outcomes, like housing, transportation, nutrition

Bills: SCR29 , HB7380 , HB5200 , HB1681 , SB98 , HB5201 , HR1343 , HB7022 , HB7386

Keywords: internet freedom, Iran, cybersecurity, VPN, DTC technology, information access, human rights, digital tools, Emergency Reporting Act, FCC, Federal Communications Commission, Disaster Information Reporting System, DIRS, network outage reporting, outage notifications, 9-1-1, public safety answering point, PSAP, emergency communications center, broadband