Transcript Highlights:

• :00.520> is<00:35:01.520> what<00:35:02.000> I<00:35:02.119> guess<00:35:
• <01:35:08.199> i'<01:35:08.400> encourage<01:35:08.840> members<01:35:09.280>
• to take to<01:35:10.000> heart<01:35:10.159> the<01:35:10.360> testimony<01:35:
• <01:35:12.520> great<01:35:12.679> to<01:35:12.840> be<01:35:13.040> here
• <01:35:18.400> for<01:35:18.679> in<01:35:18.800> terms<01:35:19.080> of<

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• :40.800> on<00:35:40.960> the<00:35:41.119> partially<00:35:41.599> resolved<
• pieces there.<00:35:43.200> Um<00:35:43.599> we<00:35:43.839> do<00:35:44.160><
• c> have<00:35:45.200> uh<00:35:45.440> 36<00:35:46.160> findings<00:35:46.560
• > and<00:35:48.400> 18<00:35:48.800> in<00:35:49.040> the<00:35:49.200>
• :50.000> So<00:35:50.240> I<00:35:50.400> would<00:35:50.640> love<00:35:

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee opened by approving the September 5, 2025 minutes, with one member asking that future minutes use honorifics such as Mr. or Ms. The agenda was then adjusted so Police Standards and Training could present first. Director John Skipa reported on the 2019 performance audit, saying 12 of 16 findings were fully resolved and the remaining items were substantially or partially resolved. He highlighted work on a job task analysis to update curriculum and develop a more realistic physical aptitude test, including possible replacement of the long-used Cooper test and a shift away from mandatory baton training toward electronic weapons training. He said stakeholder work groups would meet in October and November, with a goal of completing the work by the first quarter of 2026. On the strategic planning and performance measurement finding, Skipa said the agency had relied on the 2019 audit and the LEAC report as guides while also implementing a digital records system. He acknowledged that a formal forward-looking strategic plan with the council had not yet been completed, but said he and the council chair wanted to do so, possibly through a retreat-style planning session. Members asked how many LEAC recommendations had been fully implemented; Skipa said he did not know the exact number but believed nearly all of the 22 items assigned to his agency were complete. On the administrative rules finding, he said a part-time former director had been brought back to help revise outdated rules, the council subcommittee had finished its work, and proposed changes would be sent to the full council, then to stakeholders and the public, with a public hearing expected and implementation targeted for 2026. For the Corrections Advisory Committee finding, Skipa said the committee had been reconvened in 2020 and 2021 but had limited usefulness because the statutorily named members were mostly high-level administrators rather than line supervisors or newer corrections staff. He said some positions later went unfilled because of budget and staffing issues, and the committee had not been called back, but he was open to either informal adjustments or possible legislative changes to make the committee more useful. Committee members suggested that the statute may need to be amended to allow more appropriate designees or supervisors to participate. After Police Standards and Training concluded, the committee moved on to the Office of Professional Licensure and Certification, where the executive director said he would focus on the partially resolved items in the dental examiner audit and the National Path audit, noting that many changes were tied to recent statutory revisions.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, it also does cost sharing across the state for the interstate compact unit that oversees the transfers
• state.<00:04:37.600> um<00:04:37.680> for<00:04:37.919> the<00:04:38.080> interstate
• <00:04:38.560> compact state. um for the interstate compact state. um for the interstate compact

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• That is the Point where the interstate competition for jobs and investment became more intense and more
• For example, Minnesota pioneered the first research and development credit in 1981, and today 35 states
• In the meantime, the pure economics... of interstate tax competition continue to be written about, and

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And at that time, in those areas, we were facing over 35% unemployment in the Glades area.
• And because we didn't, they weren't shut down by our interstate. ...that were vibrant.
• And because they weren't shut down by our interstate.

Summary: The Senate opened with prayers, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several introductions recognizing FSU Day at the Capitol, the Red Mass, visiting students, school board members, veterans, and other guests. The chamber then moved to the special order calendar and took up a series of bills, with several measures temporarily postponed before and during the day’s proceedings. Committee and executive reports were largely absent, and the Senate proceeded directly to floor action on the listed bills. The Senate passed a number of mostly unanimous bills, including SB 36, SB 38, SB 40, and SB 42 on Florida Statutes revision; CS/SB 50 on nature-based coastal resilience, amended to strengthen the Florida Flood Hub and related research; CS/SB 116 on veterans, expanding benefits coordination, mental health training, adult day health care, and other veterans services; SB 126 on mailing prescription hearing aids to adults; SB 150 on abandoning restrained dogs during natural disasters, amended to conform to the House; SB 294 limiting collaborative pharmacy practice for certain serious cardiac conditions; SB 322 creating a nonjudicial process for removing unauthorized persons from commercial property; SB 348 on ethics, including false military rank claims and collection of delinquent ethics fines; and CS/SB 7012 on child welfare workforce recruitment, treatment foster care pilots, and data collection for commercially sexually exploited children. Senate Memorial 314 urging Congress to increase Florida National Guard force structure was also adopted by voice vote. Two bills drew more extended debate. SB 118 on presidential libraries passed 36-3 after questions about local zoning, traffic, and whether the bill’s express preemption would limit county and municipal authority; supporters argued it would prevent local obstruction and help Florida attract a presidential library, while one senator said she would vote no because of concerns about local safety and planning issues. CS/SB 160 on public accountancy passed 39-0 after an amendment clarifying contracted services; supporters said it would broaden pathways into the CPA profession and address workforce shortages. CS/SB 108 on administrative procedures and CS/SB 110 on rural communities were temporarily postponed, then later taken up and passed after extensive debate, with SB 110 amended to prioritize certain rural transportation projects, expand housing, health care, broadband, and economic development support, and draw strong bipartisan praise for its focus on rural Florida. At the end of the session, the Senate waived rules to immediately certify all bills passed that day to the House, observed a moment of silence for former Surfside Chief John Healy, and made several closing announcements and recognitions.

Transcript Highlights:

• We serve approximately 2 million customers across 35 counties, and that's spread across 20,000 square
• We have the interstates where it can get to wherever we need to be effectively.
• We have interstate transmission— that's Peninsula Pipeline—our virtual pipeline services, Marlin Gas

Summary: The committee met to hear invited presentations on storm recovery and storm protection from the Florida Public Service Commission, Florida Power & Light, Duke Energy, Tampa Electric, Chesapeake Utilities, and the Office of Public Counsel. The PSC reviewed the history of storm restoration financing and utility hardening efforts after major storms such as Hurricane Andrew, the 2004-05 hurricane seasons, Irma, and Michael, explaining storm reserve funds, storm recovery bonds, and the current three-year storm protection plan process. The commission’s role in approving plans and later reviewing prudence of actual costs was emphasized, along with the types of work included in the plans such as vegetation management, pole replacement, undergrounding, feeder hardening, and substation flood protection. The utilities described their own storm-hardening investments and recent storm performance. FPL said it has spent about $4.9 billion on storm protection and recovery-related efforts, highlighted improved restoration times during Helene and Milton, and said it is expanding undergrounding, feeder hardening, and smart-grid technology. Duke Energy reported more than 40,000 hardened poles and structures since 2021, major gains from self-healing grid technology, and faster restoration during recent storms. Tampa Electric described a roughly $200 million annual storm protection effort, including vegetation management, undergrounding, substation hardening, and new storm surge protections, and Chesapeake Utilities discussed its smaller-scale hardening program, vegetation work, pole replacement, and rapid restoration after Helene in Nassau County. Committee members asked about how utilities prioritize neighborhoods for lateral hardening, whether maps of planned projects could be shared, how much each utility has spent on undergrounding and hardening, and how reliability comparisons are normalized against the national average. Public Counsel Walt Trierweiler argued that storm recovery and hardening costs fall too heavily on investor-owned utility customers, said the current framework lacks a meaningful cost-benefit or prudence check at the planning stage, and urged broader sharing of storm costs because the benefits extend to the whole state. Senators also discussed whether the commission can review the reasonableness of approved programs and whether future reports or recommendations from Public Counsel would be helpful. No votes or formal actions were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I see here that they can also trade across state lines through interstate agreements.
• The clerk will note House Bill 4428 having Received 35 aye votes and eight nay votes.
• Leader, item number 35 on the agenda, 4434, will be laid over. And Mr.

Bills: HB2894, HB3418, HB3415, HB3413, HB3414, HB3416, HB3417, HB3419, HB3420, HB1739, HB1752, HB1979, HB2941, HB2992, HB3075, HB3086, HB3177, HB3269, HB3278, HB3279, HB3497, HB3644, HB4432, HB3720, HB3849, HB3882, HB3919, HB3941, HB4118, HB4141, HB4268, HB4342, HB4428, HB4429, HB4434

Keywords: HB2894, Oklahoma Rural Jobs Act, rural jobs, rural investment, tax credit, capital investment tax credit, state tax credits, economic development, rural fund, rural investor, qualified investment, eligible business, Department of Commerce, rural business, investment certification, tax liability, credit cap, workforce development, small business finance, rural development

Transcript Highlights:

• PUBLIC FORECLOSURES SCALES BETWEEN 45 AND 60 DAYS AFTER FINAL JUDGMENT EXPANDING THE PREVIOUS 20 TO 35
• I WOULD SAY WHEN I AM DRIVING ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY TRYING TO GO 170 MILES WHICH I'VE DONE AND I CAUSE
• UNLAWFUL CONDUCT BY OFFICERS AND THE FIRST PAGE OF THE BILL IT WOULD ELIMINATE THAT SECTION ON LINES 35

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So imagine your busy Interstate 270 in the morning and trying to figure out how you're going to merge
• going to leave here on the table that we do as over-the-road drivers for city deliveries and for interstate
• or intrastate transport, and they are to... ...and for interstate or intrastate transport.
• And your outlook, I've been in this industry for 35 years.
• And a lot of these rural areas, too, a lot of… Money interstate.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So we're talking about the interstate transmission lines? That's correct.
• So we're talking about the interstate transmission lines? That's correct.
• Well, how FERC interacts with this is that they make sure that we don't mess with the interstate causes
• Well, I've had PJM in my office, so we want to talk about the interstate part of this and FERC.
• So we want to talk about constitutionality and we want to talk about interstate commerce.

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, journal approval, and a long series of guest introductions, including honorary pages, veterans, child care advocates, and other visitors. The chamber then took up Senate Resolution 63 designating March 13, 2026, as Veterans Visibility Day. Senators spoke at length about honoring everyday veterans, those who served and returned home, and families of those who did not. The resolution was adopted 33-0, with one absent vote, and the remarks of the sponsor were ordered printed in the journal appendix. The Senate also adopted Senate Resolution 64 opposing China’s misuse of U.N. Resolution 2758 and reaffirming support for Taiwan’s participation in international organizations. Members described it as an annual expression of support for Taiwan and urged the congressional delegation to stand with Taiwan. The resolution was adopted by voice vote. The chamber then passed House Bill 4007 on industrial access roads, increasing annual funding and project limits for the program, and House Bill 4010 creating an airport hangar grant pilot program funded with $75 million; both bills passed 33-0 and were made effective by the Senate. A major debate centered on House Bill 4012, which would reduce regulatory burdens on utilities and add conditions for transmission projects and PSC approvals. Supporters argued it would protect West Virginia landowners and ratepayers from subsidizing out-of-state projects, while opponents warned about federal preemption and said the bill could hinder beneficial transmission development. After amendment, the bill passed 29-5 and was made effective from passage. The Senate also passed House Bill 4025, moving certain health-related employees into the classified exempt system; House Bill 487 creating a West Virginia-Ireland Education Alliance; House Bill 4106 allowing constitutional carry for 18- to 20-year-olds; House Bill 4176 allowing youth and handicapped hunters to harvest buck deer or doe during special hunts; House Bill 4191 expanding child care support and changing reimbursement rules; House Bill 4345 requiring digitization and transfer of missing persons records to the Fusion Center; and House Bill 4418 creating a Tax Efficiency Act for voluntary electronic B&O tax filing. Most of these measures passed with strong margins, though House Bill 4106 and House Bill 4191 drew notable debate and narrower votes. The most extended and divided discussion came on House Bill 4425, which repealed the one-time high school transfer athletic eligibility protection. Supporters said the current rule had led to recruiting, competitive imbalance, and harm to smaller schools, while opponents argued it punished children and restricted parental choice, especially in academic or safety-related transfers. After extensive debate, the bill passed 31-3. The Senate then moved on to House Bill 4198 and House Bill 4245 by unanimous consent actions, and the transcript ended amid continued debate on school transfer policy and related concerns about fairness, parental authority, and student welfare.

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:35:58.239> I'm<01:35:58.480> not<01:35:58.719> talking<01:35:58.880>
• So<03:35:00.000> we<03:35:00.239> are<03:35:00.479> making<03:35:00.800> it
• for a 18year-old who<03:35:08.960> is<03:35:10.080> or<03:35:10.479> has<03:35:
• So<03:35:14.479> we<03:35:14.720> know<03:35:14.960> at<03:35:15.279> the
• 35:34.080> child<03:35:35.120> a<03:35:35.520> 17y<03:35:36.000> old<03:35

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Right now, we have probably 35 in the Activate Program getting ready...
• them, so there's not a good... them pretty good, so there's not a good feeling being stuck on the interstate

Keywords: 924, joint, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Gone through these things before, you know, closing rest stops on our interstate highways and things.
• <00:03:54.080> the<00:03:54.400> on<00:03:54.879> our<00:03:55.120> interstate
• <00:03:55.519> highways stops on the on our interstate highways stops on the on our interstate

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The speaker said budget negotiations were still underway and expressed optimism that leaders would reach a deal soon, despite the legislature’s extremely narrow margins. He emphasized that the goal was a responsible Minnesota budget that leaves money on the bottom line, funds priorities that improve residents’ lives, and reduces the projected 2028-29 structural imbalance. He also noted that the bills were nearly finished and had been sent to revisers, with transportation still pending. A major concern was the possibility of a state government shutdown and the need to send out more than 28,000 layoff notices if a deal was not reached by Monday morning. The speaker said agencies already have shutdown contingencies in place, with essential operations such as corrections and state patrol continuing, while other services would be reduced. He said the Department of Management and Budget had begun preparing management for that possibility, though he did not believe a shutdown would actually happen. The discussion also focused on how a special session would be organized if needed. The speaker said the parties were using a template from the 2019 special session, and that the key remaining issues were not bill drafting but agreement on amendments, votes, and rule suspensions. He declined to discuss specific bargaining points in detail, but said the negotiation covered many issues, including transportation funding, undocumented immigrant policy, and non-competes, and that individual legislators could effectively become veto points on the overall deal.

Transcript Highlights:

• Typically, the department does own facilities over Interstate right of way.
• department does own facil facilities department does own facil facilities over<00:12:00.040> Interstate
• right of way um there over Interstate right of way um there there<00:12:02.399> was<00:12:02.600
• c><00:12:08.880> the of anything that's sort of in the of anything that's sort of in the interstate
• right away now um my interstate right away now um my understanding<00:12:11.720> is<00:12:11.920

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• 35, and on the east side of Interstate 35, somewhere after Clear Lake, there's a big old pile of wind
• :50.880> promotes<00:35:51.280> growth<00:35:51.880> here<00:35:52.079> in
• growth here in the United States<00:35:54.599> um<00:35:54.880> let<00:35:55.000> me
• <00:35:55.160> just<00:35:55.520> say<00:35:56.520> that<00:35:57.119> we
• support<00:35:58.359> the<00:35:58.640> goals<00:35:58.960> of<00:35:59.160>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• benefits of implementing the Department of Transportation and Development's responsibility for Interstate
• vitality and efficiency initiative for major improvements to the shoulders and capacity of the Interstate
• 12 and Interstate 55 interchange.
• I think that it violates the interstate commerce clause of the U.S. Constitution.
• So first of all, I think it violates the interstate commerce clause.

Summary: The House Transportation Committee heard and advanced a wide range of transportation, public safety, and local infrastructure measures. Several bills dealt with port and commission appointments or authority, including SB 420 adding Vermilion and Iberia Parish representation to the Lafayette Metropolitan Expressway Commission, SB 69 aligning appointments to the South Tangipahoa Parish Port Commission with redistricting, SB 438 increasing per diem for the Greater Lafourche Port Commission, and SB 170 adding qualification and Senate confirmation requirements for Caddo-Bossier Port Commission members. The committee also approved SB 449 to give the New Orleans Public Belt more flexibility in procuring specialized materials, and SB 115 to allow DOTD to assume certain federal NEPA responsibilities to speed project delivery, with testimony emphasizing long permitting delays and the need for faster project completion. Members also advanced multiple safety and enforcement measures. SB 40 expanded move-over protections for emergency and disabled vehicles, SB 55 clarified proper seat belt use, SB 278 required ignition interlock devices for DUI-related license reinstatement, SB 489 authorized third-party verification of insurance coverage through license plate inquiries, and SB 133 updated commercial vehicle parking and autonomous vehicle oversight provisions. SB 151 would flag OMV records for people who owe DNA samples tied to CODIS matches or qualifying arrests/convictions, and SB 48 would create Louisiana-Ireland driver’s license reciprocity. Most of these bills were reported favorably after brief testimony, with support from law enforcement, AAA, OMV, and other stakeholders. The committee also considered several local resolutions and infrastructure studies. Rep. Dickerson’s resolutions on widening Highway 16, studying turn lanes on Highway 1024, and constructing a roundabout on Highway 1019 were all reported favorably. HCR 53 created a study committee on oversized vehicle permits with DOTD participation, HCR 60 asked DOTD to study I-12 and I-55 corridor improvements, and HR/HCR 170 and 68 sought federal funding to remove four closed bridges on US 90 in St. Tammany Parish. HR 191, as amended, requested a DOTD study of mountable median curbs on Range Avenue in Denham Springs. HB 762, amended to make certain OMV debt referrals permissive rather than mandatory, was reported favorably over some concern about debt collection impacts. HB 714, which would have addressed abandoned railroad lines, drew extensive debate over federal preemption, blight definitions, and whether a new commission was needed; the author ultimately moved to defer it, and the committee agreed. SB 330 on school-zone automated speed enforcement markings was amended to grandfather existing compliant pavement markings and rejected an amendment that would have exempted several cities from the law. The committee adjourned after reporting the remaining measures favorably and recognizing a departing staff member.

Transcript Highlights:

• That includes laws that unconstitutionally regulate interstate commerce, those preempted by existing
• That includes laws that unconstitutionally regulate interstate commerce, those preempted by existing
• They oversee the transmission of electricity through the interstate electricity grid.
• They oversee the transmission of electricity through the interstate electricity grid.
• Interstate transmission rates are federally jurisdictional activity.

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The interstate licensure compacts for physician assistants and emergency medical services providers like
• We didn't talk, for example, about the interstate compact, something that I think most people support
• all are doing everything possible to lower the cost of care by increasing workforce availability, interstate
• This is the public record exemption for the bill that we just heard, primarily related to the interstate
• So the participation in some of the interstate compact requires that certain things, like meeting minutes

Transcript Highlights:

• It's a complete reconstruction of the original interstate.
• traffic, and we'll maintain it for the entire duration of the 10-year project as we reconstruct the interstate
• years down the road that is a part of this overall work plan that you all have when it comes to our interstates
• years down the road that is a part of this also work plan that you all have when it comes to our interstate
• a part of this also work plan that you all have when it comes to our interstates also. Sure.

Summary: The Committee on Transportation received a presentation from the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles on Florida’s camera-based traffic enforcement programs: red light cameras, school bus stop-arm cameras, and school zone speed cameras. The department explained how the programs work, including human review of recorded violations, issuance of civil notices to vehicle owners, and escalation to uniform traffic citations if unpaid or uncontested. Officials also outlined the fee structure and reported preliminary data showing 42 red light camera jurisdictions, 496 red light cameras, and more than 923,000 notices of violation in fiscal year 2024-2025, along with growth in school zone and school bus programs. Senators asked about camera placement, signage, review procedures, and whether reviewers or vendors receive revenue from citations; several questions were left for follow-up because the witness did not have all statutory or operational details. The committee then heard an update from FDOT Secretary Jared Perdue on the Moving Florida Forward Infrastructure Initiative, funded by a $4 billion general revenue investment leveraged into a $7 billion program for 20 major projects. He said the initiative is advancing high-priority congestion relief projects across the state, with 80% of the plan expected to be underway by the end of 2026 and the remaining projects in 2027. Perdue highlighted new delivery methods such as modified phased design-build, voluntary acceleration, and structured acceleration, along with workforce and supply-chain efforts, including regional hiring events and aggregate planning. He cited projects such as I-4 congestion relief lanes, Golden Glades, I-95 at US-1, I-75 auxiliary lanes, and I-275 improvements as examples of the program’s progress. Members questioned FDOT about traffic management during construction, subcontracting opportunities for small businesses, public transit planning, contractor safety and fatalities, bridge strikes, logistics access near ports and airports, aggregate supply, local government coordination, and federal funding uncertainty. Perdue said FDOT continuously reevaluates traffic control plans, works with local governments and industry partners, uses small business participation targets, and requires contractors to be in good standing with OSHA and to implement corrective action plans after incidents. He also said Florida’s transportation revenues are flat, the state remains largely state-funded, and additional resources are the main need for future transportation delivery. The committee adjourned after the chair requested FDOT staff provide senators with district-specific project information.

Transcript Highlights:

• Next up, we have the Sunset Review of the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education, known as
• I'm the president of the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education, or WICHE, and I appreciate
• that the Senate Education Committee of Reference make the recommendation to continue the Western Interstate
• The question before you is to recommend the continuation of the Western Interstate Commission for Higher

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The Senate Education Committee of Reference met for sunset reviews and first heard a presentation on the Credit Enhancement Eligibility Board from the Governor’s Office. The presenter explained that the board, created in 2016, has no dedicated staff or administrative budget and is supported by existing budget and policy staff and the Treasurer’s Office. The board’s purpose is to lower borrowing costs for qualifying schools by using a guarantee fund to enhance credit ratings, and it has largely been used by charter schools. Because the board has reached its statutory leverage cap and has not met since 2022, it is currently in a monitoring role, but it must remain in place to honor guarantees if any approved financing defaults. The committee asked about financing maturities, demand from schools, and whether a shorter continuation period would make sense. No public testimony was offered, and the committee voted to recommend continuing the board for 10 years, until July 1, 2036. The committee then reviewed the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE). WICHE’s president described the interstate compact, its regional role in higher education access, workforce development, and data services, and its major student programs: the Western Undergraduate Exchange, the Western Regional Graduate Program, and the Professional Student Exchange Program. She highlighted tuition savings for Arizona students and the state, the return of many PSEP graduates to practice in Arizona, and additional cost savings through cooperative purchasing and technology contracts. The committee asked no substantive questions, and it voted to recommend continuing WICHE for 10 years, until July 1, 2036. The final major item was the Arizona Department of Education School Safety Program performance audit, followed by testimony from the department. The Auditor General reported that the program has grown substantially, especially after expansion to counselors and social workers and increased appropriations, but that ADE did not consistently ensure schools complied with program requirements. In a sample of 16 schools, most had issues such as missing or incomplete operational plans, inadequate safety team activity, incomplete required training, missing activity logs, or reimbursement requests lacking expenditure reports. The audit said these problems reduced the program’s effectiveness and increased the risk of improper spending, and it recommended stronger monitoring, written procedures, and better documentation review. ADE accepted the findings and said it is implementing the recommendations through more direct staff oversight, training requirements tied to funding, encrypted submission of emergency plans, site visits, and representative desk reviews. The discussion then shifted to whether emergency plans should address federal law enforcement actions; the director said the plans are designed for campus safety threats generally and do not specifically contemplate ICE enforcement. The committee took no vote on the audit presentation and adjourned after discussion.