Transcript Highlights:

• a lot of well monitoring and and working a lot of well monitoring and and working particularly<00
• Um, and I think we'd work out there.
• Chairman, we the work? Mr. Mr.
• And so um to to or or or doing the work.
• their standing is the is the the work their standing is the is the the work that's<01:22:24.960>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They work.
• I work.
• I can tell you they worked and I work.
• continue to uh work on. continue to uh work on.
• working together. working together.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and may you do your work through them. and may you do your work through them. Amen. Amen.
• I worked with The departments liked it.
• He works at a community college.
• and our state work are able to work and our state work are able to work efficiently<01:35:08.760
• be had and I'd be uh open to working be had and I'd be uh open to working with<01:46:34.080>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• with they are unwilling to work with me thank you mr.
• We don't think that that's actually the way the process currently works.
• We don't think that that's actually the way the process currently works.
• It has exceeded the legitimate scope of community governance.
• I'm going to keep looking and working with the sponsor.

Bills: SB1254, SB1431, SB1478, SB1566, SB1787

Keywords: workers' compensation, industrial commission, safety regulations, employee protection, penalties, compliance, municipal planning, homeowners associations, design regulations, property rights, building permits, single-family homes, liquor, alcohol, spirituous liquor, liquor license, liquor licensing, Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control, restaurant to-go cocktails, mixed cocktails

Summary: The committee heard Senate Bill 1566, which would prohibit municipalities and counties from maliciously delaying licensing, permits, or approvals, authorize the Attorney General to enforce the prohibition, and provide expedited judicial review. The sponsor said the bill is intended to address affordability by preventing intentional government delays in housing and business approvals. County representatives supported the goal but opposed the bill as drafted, arguing the county language differed from the city/town language and could sweep in ordinary processing delays or incomplete applications; the sponsor said a floor amendment would fix the county language. Testimony from supporters described long permit and parcel-number delays and argued the bill would give applicants a remedy against intentional obstruction. The committee recommended the bill do pass by a 7-3 vote, with one present and one absent. The committee then heard Senate Bill 1787, which would require written notice for exactions imposed on development projects, allow individualized determinations, and create an appeal path including judicial review. The sponsor framed it as a takings and affordability measure to stop unrelated or excessive exactions from being imposed on housing projects. Cities and counties opposed the bill, saying existing law already requires nexus and proportionality, already provides an appeal process, and that the bill would create a duplicative Attorney General review and confusion, especially for mixed-use projects. Supporters, including Pacific Legal Foundation, the Home Builders Association, and a homeowner who described a costly infrastructure demand on her property, argued the bill would curb extortionate demands and make the process fairer. The committee passed the bill 7-2 with one present and one absent. Senate Bill 1478, a liquor-regulation cleanup bill, was also heard and received broad support. The measure makes technical changes to liquor statutes, including clarifying interim permits, repealing a federal food-safety preemption provision, and updating definitions such as cider and production terminology. Industry stakeholders said the bill was the product of months of consensus work and mostly technical corrections. It passed unanimously, 10-0. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 1431, which would limit municipal control over home design features and prohibit certain required shared amenities that would necessitate HOA maintenance. The sponsor and supporters argued the bill would reduce housing costs by preventing subjective aesthetic mandates and unnecessary HOA-driven requirements, while opponents from cities and neighborhood groups warned it would undermine local control, crime-prevention design standards, neighborhood character, and quality. Home builders and property-rights advocates said the bill would expand consumer choice and reduce costs, while critics argued it could lead to lower-quality housing and remove local recourse. The bill was not reported out in the portion provided, and testimony continued with no final vote shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• Everybody's been working firearms.
• They added some scope and objectives to the working group. We should pass this working group.
• and objectives to the added some scope and objectives to the working<02:49:29.279> group.
• We should pass this working group. We should pass this working<02:49:30.319> group.
• working group. Thank you very much. working group. Thank you very much.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• with their security, working with the faculty, working with those agencies, if you will.
• they're going working with their security<00:19:51.760> working<00:19:51.919> with<00:
• with the faculty working<00:19:53.039> with<00:19:53.919> um working with um working with
• work to support New Hampshire voters. work to support New Hampshire voters.
• don't work, we don't want commissions. don't work, we don't want commissions.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:13:05.120> balancing We worked very hard on balancing We worked very hard on balancing
• So with hard time and work on this.
• That’s just the way it works.
• We work with him, too.”
• We work with Gray?" She goes, "Oh, yeah. We work with him,<05:23:44.798> too."

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So, you know, that's the scope of this.
• So how would SB 111 work?
• You know, maybe how these work together will have to be worked out. So, Mr.
• You know, maybe how these work together will have to be worked out. that change continuing onto um uh
• So that would be something that we'd be willing to work with the committee on. ...be willing to work

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So is this one of the ones that CSG is working on?
• It works.
• Okunowski, we're committed to working on that bill.
• And that's how flat rates work in one sense: that it's an average.
• And that's how flat rates work in one sense, that it's an average.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure held a hearing on late-filed bills and home rule petitions, with both in-person and remote testimony. Committee chairs reviewed logistics for public testimony and then heard a series of bill presentations on topics including nitrous oxide sales, liquor license extensions and alcohol license density, cosmetology licensure compacts, electronic textbooks, HVAC supervisor licensing, and automotive warranty reimbursement rates. Several members asked questions about the public health, consumer protection, economic mobility, and regulatory impacts of the proposals. Representative John Barrett testified in support of H. 4907, which would regulate the sale of nitrous oxide, arguing it is a public health measure aimed at reducing recreational misuse by young people while preserving legitimate culinary, medical, dental, and industrial uses. Southbridge officials Peg Dean and David Adams supported a local liquor license extension bill, saying delayed revitalization and staffing disruptions from the pandemic-era “Great Resignation” had slowed development and postponed demand for the licenses. MassPack supported H. 4597 to limit new alcohol retail licenses near existing stores after 2026, citing oversaturation and public health concerns, while the committee also heard testimony on a cosmetology compact bill from industry and state-government representatives who said it would improve workforce mobility, especially for military spouses, though members questioned its fee structure and interaction with existing reciprocity rules. Representative Mindy Domb testified for H. 559, which would create a commission to study electronic textbooks and automatic textbook billing, arguing that digital course materials can limit consumer choice, raise costs, and reduce students’ ability to share or resell materials. Student testimony echoed those concerns. The committee also heard strong support for H. 4719, a bill to create HVAC construction supervisor licensing, from industry witnesses who said it would improve consumer protection, accountability, and clean-energy implementation; and opposition testimony on H. 4019, which would change how auto dealers are reimbursed for warranty work, with dealers supporting a fix to manufacturer reimbursement practices and manufacturers warning the bill would raise costs and allow overpayment. At the end of the hearing, the chairs read the agenda items and the committee adjourned by unanimous voice vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• Is the mic working? Yes, the mic is working.
• I appreciate the audit and the audit work.
• One strategy to achieve this work is to work with local developers to create an inventory of properties
• And one strategy to achieve this work is to work with local developers to create an inventory of properties
• Leading practices also recommend including contract provisions such as scope of work, deliverables and

Summary: The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee’s Initiative 900 subcommittee held a hybrid public hearing on two State Auditor performance audits. The first audit examined efforts to reduce non-emergency use of emergency systems through CARES programs. Auditors reported that Washington has 52 fire-agency-led CARES programs in 26 counties, but many communities without programs said they need one. Major barriers included unstable funding, difficulty hiring qualified staff, volunteer-based rural departments, and lack of statewide guidance. The audit also found that only about half of programs tracked both required performance measures, and it recommended that the legislature consider private insurance reimbursement options and convene a statewide work group to develop guidance, standards, and possible changes to the role of the Department of Health. Agency representatives and fire officials largely supported the findings and emphasized that short-term grants and one-year contracts make programs hard to sustain. Committee discussion focused heavily on financing, especially Medicaid reimbursement and accountable communities of health (ACHs). Auditors clarified that the 10% figure cited in the report referred to direct Medicaid reimbursement for treat-and-refer services, which some agencies do not pursue because the $115 rate is too low relative to the administrative effort. Several fire officials testified that their programs rely on grants and ACH support, but that funding is often year-to-year and uncertain. They also described the value of CARES programs in reducing emergency room use, jail detentions, and long ambulance wait times, while noting barriers to sharing patient records across systems. Members asked whether the new public safety sales tax authority could help, but fire district representatives said it is not a direct funding option for them. The second audit reviewed performance management in the Department of Commerce’s Office of Economic Development and Competitiveness. Auditors found that the division does not yet have a statewide economic development strategic plan and that performance management is inconsistent across its 16 programs. In a limited review, all six sampled programs had goals, but only half clearly identified performance measures and targets, and only three tracked outcomes and published results. The audit highlighted leading practices from other states, including strategic planning, regular progress reporting, aligning program goals with agency goals, and using performance-based contracts and grant monitoring. Recommendations urged Commerce to seek stakeholder input, assess internal and external conditions, set goals and measures, align programs with the strategy, and strengthen monitoring and evaluation. Commerce officials agreed with the audit and said the division is already working toward a strategic plan, with a new assistant director to be hired and a target of completing the work by mid-next year. Members pressed the department on how the plan would connect to workforce, higher education, housing, and other economic development systems, and asked Commerce to return to JLARC next year with progress updates. The meeting ended with instructions for submitting written public comments and notice of the next JLARC meeting schedule.

Transcript Highlights:

• Not only do you all work the one or two months in the winter, but you all work in the interim.
• I started this work in 2021 with a year-long working group of eight other legislators, but I knew.
• I work by the hour. For family.
• And I am blessed to have a working husband that I can rely on to back me up to do this work.
• I start working at 4:30 a.m. and I work from 4:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. to ensure I get a few hours.

Transcript Highlights:

• But I come by this work by way of county practice.
• That was what I worked in.
• similar work.
• So we’re in earnest... ...systems doing similar work.
• It's not data that we work with.

Keywords: 970, all

Transcript Highlights:

• internship that that work that piece. internship that that work that piece.
• this process actually works. this process actually works.
• They they they watch you work. work. work. >> Question. >> Question. >> Question.
• >> That is the work. There's the question. >> That is the work.
• scope here. scope here.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman, and Senator Rodriguez, thank you for your work on this bill.
• And so not during those working hours, let's just call them working hours, after 9 p.m. and before 8
• as well, and we'll continue to ...work with them on this bill.
• Is that going to be a paper... ...work transactions?
• This is yet another form, even if the work is not done by us.

Summary: The Committee on Commerce and Tourism met with a quorum present and considered several bills. It first took up SB 232 on debt collection, where the sponsor explained a strike-all amendment and the committee adopted a Gruters amendment clarifying that email communications may be sent at any hour while other off-hours communications remain restricted. Testimony was sharply divided on a proposed change from “any person” to “debt collector,” with consumer advocates, legal aid, and the Florida Justice Association warning it would narrow Florida’s consumer protections, while supporters said the bill and amendment would address ambiguity affecting businesses. After debate, the committee rejected the broader amendment, adopted the email-only clarification, and reported CS for SB 232 favorably by roll call vote. The committee then heard and unanimously reported favorably CS for SB 126, which would allow prescription hearing aids to be sold and distributed by mail after a Florida-licensed audiologist or hearing aid specialist conducts the required examination, including remotely through telehealth. Supporters said the bill would improve access and reduce barriers for seniors and others with hearing loss, and no opposition was heard. The committee also heard SB 600 and SB 602 on manufacturing, which would create and fund a statewide Office of Manufacturing, a promotional campaign, workforce grants, and related fees; multiple industry and economic development groups appeared in support, and both bills were reported favorably. Next, the committee considered CS for SB 92 on hit-and-run accountability in vehicle repair shops. The sponsor described the bill as a response to rising hit-and-run incidents and explained that repair shops would have to complete a transaction form or retain a crash report for certain repairs, with a clarifying amendment adopted without objection. Prosecutors and law enforcement supporters said the bill would help identify offenders, while auto dealer representatives argued it could impose burdens and penalties on repair shops. The committee nevertheless reported CS for SB 92 favorably. Finally, the committee heard SB 412, the Motorized Wheelchair Right to Repair Act, which would require manufacturers to provide repair manuals, diagnostic tools, and parts to owners and independent repair providers under fair and reasonable terms. Disability advocates and wheelchair users testified that repair delays can leave users stranded for weeks or months, and the committee reported the bill favorably by roll call vote before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• You also worked with me to show that...
• I look forward to doing this important work of the Civil Division.
• To everyone in NSD, I look forward to working together.
• It doesn't work.
• Davis, you have done a lot of great work investigating a lot of things.

Keywords: John Eisenberg, assistant attorney general, national security, China Initiative, Department of Justice, judicial authority, executive actions, nomination hearing

Summary: The committee meeting primarily involved discussions around key nominations and pressing legal issues pertaining to the Department of Justice. Notable discussions included the nomination of John Eisenberg for assistant attorney general for national security, where concerns over the revival of the China Initiative were raised. Senators expressed significant apprehensions regarding previous actions taken under this initiative and its implications for national security. Additionally, there were critiques of the broader implications of executive actions that challenge judicial authority, aligning with ongoing dialogues about the integrity of the judiciary and executive oversight.

Transcript Highlights:

• I just, and I noticed like it said it did increase the scope to planning and implementation, but I too
• Like I said, by the time we do this study, these people are going to have been out of work for a year
• I don't think it worked out the way they thought it was going to work out, but yeah, hopefully you get
• And those are in the works right now by our representatives as well as our senators.
• We are not traditionally a housing committee, so I appreciate everyone working together on this.

Bills: HB310, HB323, HM51, HB194

Keywords: museum, cultural affairs, lowrider, Espanola, appropriation, feasibility study, broadband access, low-income, rural areas, Indian nations, affordable internet, employment opportunities, detention centers, immigration, economic development, repurposing facilities, job transition, rural development, housing, affordable housing

Transcript Highlights:

• They have enough work to do, but this job is beyond the scope of what they should be doing, and this
• as part of our work we have worked to as part of our work we have worked to close<03:43:12.960><
• <04:35:08.840> with work to think about yeah I'd work with work to think about yeah I'd work
• a desire to work on it.
• we work with them as much as they work we work with them as much as they work with<05:17:41.878>

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm working with some of the stakeholders on examples. I'll be really candid with you.
• So we are working on this rule set. It's very near and dear to my heart.
• We're working on it very, very rigorously. And with that...
• Given the scope of work and responsibility that resides with the administrative law judges, it would
• Do certain ALJs oversee and modify the work product of other ALJs? We talk...

Summary: The Joint Administrative Procedures Committee heard a presentation from Representative Esposito on a proposal to strengthen oversight of agency rulemaking under Chapter 120. The bill would require cost-benefit analysis at the front end and after implementation, create an eight-year sunset and review process for rules, and require express legislative authority for agency rulemaking. Members questioned the lack of concrete examples of burdensome rules, the effect on already slow rulemaking, the choice of an eight-year sunset, and the bill’s origin; Esposito said she was working with stakeholders and cited her chamber-of-commerce background and research with the Cicero Institute. No vote was taken on the bill itself. Staff then reported on legislatively mandated rulemaking from 2023 and 2024, noting that most required rules had been adopted, proposed, noticed, or scheduled, with a few agencies still outstanding. The Department of Financial Services explained a delayed notice of rule development for the MySafe Florida Home condominium pilot program as an oversight that has since been corrected, and the Department of Education said it did not proceed with rulemaking for the Fostering Prosperity grants because the program received no funding in the 2025 budget. The Department of Health described delayed rulemaking for the sickle cell disease and trait registry, saying the registry and opt-out forms were being implemented and that notices of rule development had now been filed. Members pressed the department on why rules took so long and discussed the need for statutory deadlines. The Department of Children and Families reported on two 2023 human-trafficking-related rules: signage requirements for residential treatment facilities and children’s safe homes, and a new certification process for adult safe homes. DCF said the signage rule is now moving forward and the adult safe home certification rule has been submitted for final review after workshops and stakeholder feedback. Senators questioned the lengthy timeline and the lack of oversight during the interim, while the chair emphasized the need for time-certain deadlines in legislation and for JAPAC oversight hearings. The committee also considered staff-proposed amendments to Chapter 120 addressing emergency rules pending legislative ratification and the process for initiating ratification, including a one-year limit and notice to JAPAC. After discussion, the committee voted to forward the proposed amendments to the Senate President and House Speaker. Finally, members discussed a proposed amendment to the administrative law judge appointment and retention process under Section 120.65. DOAH’s interim director opposed the change, saying ALJs and workers’ compensation judges have different functions and warning against shifting appointment power to cabinet officers whose agencies appear before DOAH. Members raised concerns about timeliness, consistency, and accountability in DOAH decisions. The committee voted to forward this proposal as well, with Senator Smith voting no on that motion.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, work.
• That happens on a lot of these work areas that I work on.
• Same with concrete work per job. job. Same with concrete work per job.
• It's not going to work. towards that. It's not going to work.
• It needed tons of work. was dilapitated. It needed tons of work.

Keywords: 981, all

Summary: The House convened, established a quorum, and approved the journal of Friday, May 1, 2026, on a voice vote after Representative Johnson offered a humorous Star Wars-themed motion. Members then made announcements about upcoming committee meetings, including Finance, Business Affairs and Labor, State Civic, Military, and Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, Water, and Natural Resources, and Appropriations, along with a few non-legislative notices such as open enrollment and a Cinco de Mayo potluck. The chamber also received a committee report from Appropriations recommending House Bills 1016, 1272, 1326, 1428, and Senate Bill 5 to the Committee of the Whole with favorable recommendation. The Majority Leader moved to add House Bills 1054, 1272, 1327, 1016, and 1428 to the special orders calendar for May 4, 2026 at 9:18 a.m., and there was no objection. The House then took up Senate Bill 160, concerning employee protections in the workplace, with a Business and Labor committee report. The bill’s sponsors said it would ensure meatpacking workers receive frequent bathroom breaks and that the cost of initial protective equipment is not deducted from paychecks. Supporters argued the bill protects basic dignity and health, while opponents said the issues are already covered by OSHA and that the measure is redundant, potentially preempted, and too specific to one employer. Representative Richardson offered amendment L002 to require coordination with OSHA before state action, but the amendment was defeated on a voice vote. Debate on the bill continued, with members divided over whether the legislation was needed or whether existing labor and safety rules were sufficient.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we'd like to keep working on this bill, but again appreciate the movement that it's had here today
• Again, we are going to continue to work on this product to try to refine it as much as possible, along
• You know, maybe we could look at how that works and maybe it could work a little bit better, but we did
• I am a proud resident of Tampa, Florida, and I care deeply about the future of all working people in
• We should be working toward a safer Florida, not passing tax breaks that make the problem worse.

Summary: The Finance and Tax Committee considered several tax-related measures. SB 674, allowing county property appraisers to budget for and pay hiring or retention bonuses with Department of Revenue approval, was supported by property appraisers and reported favorably. C.S. for SJR 318, as amended, would create a tangible personal property exemption for agricultural land used in agricultural production or agritourism; the amendment clarified the property’s location and allowed the Legislature to define conditions, and the resolution was reported favorably with support from Farm Bureau and the Florida Chamber. The committee also advanced C.S. for SB 1664, as amended, which requires locally approved discretionary taxes to be reauthorized by voters when they expire and sets rules for taxes tied to revenue bonds. Local government and tourism-related groups raised concerns about impacts on tourist development taxes, beach funding, transportation surtaxes, and long-term planning, while supporters argued voters should periodically reaffirm taxes; the bill was reported favorably. C.S. for SJR 1510 and its implementing bill, SB 1512, were both amended to sharply narrow a proposed long-term lease property tax exemption to one qualifying property and to single-family homes, mobile homes, and condominiums; counties and cities opposed the measures as tax shifts, but both were reported favorably. The committee then took up SPB 7034, the Senate tax package, which includes permanent sales tax exemptions for certain clothing and bullion, multiple tax holidays, a temporary motor vehicle fee reduction, a property tax study, corporate and insurance tax credit changes, a communications services tax freeze, and other tax provisions, with staff estimating $2.1 billion in total revenue reduction. Testimony included support for studying property taxes and strong opposition to the firearm and ammunition tax holiday from students and advocacy groups, who argued it was unsafe and inappropriate; others urged adding combined reporting or removing tourist development tax changes. After debate, the committee reported the package favorably and also approved a motion to submit it as a committee bill. The meeting ended after Senator Bernard recorded an affirmative vote on tab 5 and the committee adjourned.