Transcript Highlights:

• Cities and counties may designate commercial or mixed-use properties to be zoned to require one or more
• You want activity in a six-acre property in the heart of the commercial zone of a city that planned on
• I think that's very important as part of offering zoning incentives so you can go up higher.
• I'm here today on behalf of the Commercial Real Estate Development Association, a.k.a.
• Neoppa. on behalf of the Commercial Real Estate Development Association, aka Naop, Washington.

Bills: HB2517, HB2480, HB2588, HB1529, HB2223, HB2006, HB2573, HB2141

Keywords: municipal permitting, transit projects, high capacity transit, infrastructure, urban development, residential development, commercial zones, mixed-use zoning, urban planning, state regulations, county ferry district, ferry district, passenger-only ferry, passenger ferry, Puget Sound, Vashon, Seattle, Southworth, county transportation, local taxing authority

Summary: The committee opened public hearings on HB 2141 and HB 2573, then paused for caucus and later took executive action on several bills before returning to testimony. HB 2141 would impose a 10-year pause on most State Building Code Council updates after the 2024 codes, extend future update cycles to six years, restrict local amendments until the 2036 model codes, and remove the 2031 energy-code reduction target. Supporters, including builders, business groups, counties, and some local officials, argued the bill would reduce regulatory churn, lower housing costs, and give developers and local governments more certainty. Opponents, including environmental groups, architects, fire marshals, code professionals, and manufacturers, said the bill would freeze safety and energy-efficiency improvements, raise long-term utility costs, and undermine climate goals. No final action was taken on HB 2141 during the hearing. HB 2573 would require advance notice before grocery stores, pharmacies, and similar facilities close or are sold in communities that relied on them for housing, transit, or health planning; add a health and food access goal and a new healthy communities element to the Growth Management Act; authorize zoning tools to require or incentivize grocery or health-related uses; and allow cities and counties to impose excise taxes or nuisance fees on vacant former grocery-store properties, with some waivers for temporary or community uses. Supporters said the bill responds to recent closures in places like Lake City and Everett that created food and pharmacy deserts, harmed seniors and low-income residents, and disrupted local planning. Opponents from grocery industry groups argued the bill is punitive, could chill investment, and would unfairly penalize property owners who did not cause the closure. The hearing on HB 2573 was also left open without final action. During executive action, the committee adopted amendments and reported several bills out with do-pass recommendations: HB 2517, as amended to require notice to property owners before regional transit authorities apply for permits and to add property-owner consent protections; HB 2588, expanding county ferry district authority beyond passenger-only ferries; HB 1529, allowing counties to assist cities with paving and marking streets; HB 2223, allowing limited irrigation-district contract interests involving a director’s spouse; and HB 2006, as amended to narrow and extend the deadline for certain rural counties to designate industrial land banks. After those votes, the committee returned to testimony on HB 2141, heard additional support and opposition, and then adjourned without hearing all registered testifiers.

Transcript Highlights:

• Transportation to assess a per-passenger head infrastructure fee against cruise ships docked in the state's commercial
• <00:15:14.160><c> in</c><00:15:14.320><c> the</c><00:15:14.480><c> state's</c><00:15:14.800><c> commercial
• </c><00:15:15.199><c> harbors</c> docked in the state's commercial harbors docked in the state's commercial

Bills: SB2816

Keywords: enterprise zones, economic development, innovation enterprise, job creation, Hawaii, 910, house, all

Summary: The committees heard House Bill 2195, HD1, which would replace the existing transit accommodations tax on cruise ships with a per-passenger infrastructure fee collected by the Department of Transportation and deposited into a new cruise ship special fund. Testimony included support from Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings and comments from the Tax Foundation of Hawaii warning that the bill should remain narrowly tied to harbor-related uses to avoid potential Tonnage Clause issues. The Department of Transportation testified that cruise-related harbor work includes pier repairs, dredging, terminal upgrades, and shore power, and said a dedicated revenue stream would help prioritize cruise infrastructure needs. The Attorney General’s office said it had submitted written comments but did not address questions about the litigation or constitutional background. Members questioned whether the new special fund was necessary when the existing harbor special fund already finances similar improvements. DOT said the funds overlap and suggested the bill could be amended to use the harbor special fund with a separate cruise subaccount, while still preserving a dedicated revenue stream and separate accounting. DOT also said it currently collects port entry, dockage, and per-head passenger fees from cruise ships and that existing cruise-related expenditures from the harbor special fund have not been challenged. The chair ultimately recommended moving HB 2195 forward as introduced, while continuing discussions about the fund structure and awaiting further clarity from the Attorney General and DOT. In decision-making, the committees voted to pass HB 2195, HD1, as is. They also voted to pass House Bill 916, HD1, relating to the low-income housing tax credit, which would allow certain state low-income housing tax credits to offset state transient accommodations taxes in the same county and make Act 129 of 2016 permanent. Both the Committee on Tourism and the Committee on Economic Development and Technology adopted the chair’s recommendation to pass HB 916, HD1, unamended. The hearing was then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• And the last question I have is regarding opportunity zones, Section 70421.
• And thanks to your staff last week, I believe there's approximately over a hundred opportunity zones
• federal or state opportunity zones.
• I know the chair did talk a little about opportunity zones. Can you elaborate a little more?
• It's not like what the governor proposes for the opportunity zones, which says Massachusetts only.

Bills: H4975

Keywords: federal tax changes, OBBBA, revenue impact, pass-through entities, state budget, tax relief, high-income earners, opportunity zones, 1212, all

Transcript Highlights:

• for workers in those work zones.
• That TRIP report showed in Oklahoma that 110 deaths in work zones from 2020 to 2024.
• This camera would communicate to a live OHP officer at the end of the work zone.
• work zone-related fatalities.
• I would rather us as mentioned, put a trooper at the front of the work zone.

Bills: SB1220, SB1221, SB1239, SB1309, SB1349, SB1434, SB1516, SB1531, SB1538, SB1861

Keywords: memorial designation, interchange, Terry Walker, transportation, Oklahoma, driver license, tracking system, expedited delivery, Service Oklahoma, REAL ID, public safety, apportionment, state revenue, funding, vehicle registration, infrastructure, state roads, bridges, economic development, highway construction

Transcript Highlights:

• in those work zones.
• to highway construction zones, and it's aimed at improving safety for workers in those work zones.
• fatalities of 25% to 35% in those work zone-related fatalities.
• construction workers in work zones, so thank you for that question.
• I would rather us, as mentioned, put a trooper at the front of the work zone.

Bills: SB1220, SB1221, SB1239, SB1309, SB1349, SB1434, SB1516, SB1531, SB1538, SB1861

Keywords: memorial designation, interchange, Terry Walker, transportation, Oklahoma, driver license, tracking system, expedited delivery, Service Oklahoma, REAL ID, public safety, apportionment, state revenue, funding, vehicle registration, infrastructure, state roads, bridges, economic development, highway construction

Summary: The committee heard a series of transportation-related Senate bills, beginning with memorial naming measures and then moving into funding, licensing, and safety proposals. Senate Bill 1220, naming the Terry Walker Memorial Interchange, and Senate Bill 1516, allowing Real ID applicants to donate to the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs through Service Oklahoma forms, both advanced on 10-2 votes after brief questions about funding and where donations would go. Senate Bill 1239, which extends the sunset for County Improvements for Roads and Bridges Fund appropriations and cleans up duplicate statutory language, advanced after title was stricken and members raised questions about reporting requirements and a possible conflict in the funding language. Senate Bill 1531, an ODAA request related to future drone regulation, advanced unanimously after title was stricken. The committee also considered several road and licensing measures. Senate Bill 1349 would increase apportionments to the Roads Fund over eight years up to $1 billion; members questioned the long-term commitment, inflation, and overlap with other road-funding bills, but it advanced 10-2. Senate Bill 1221 would let Service Oklahoma provide tracking for mailed driver’s licenses and IDs and offer optional expedited delivery; after Service Oklahoma testified that refunds would be issued if expedited service was not provided, the bill advanced unanimously. Senate Bill 1538, reinstating the requirement to pass or show proof of an eighth-grade reading exam to obtain a driver’s license, advanced 11-1 after discussion of the literacy goal and the employment-based exemption. The committee then approved Senate Bill 1309, which raises from $80 million to $100 million the amount reserved from Roads Fund apportionments for debt service, on a unanimous vote. The most debated measure was Senate Bill 1434, which would authorize automated speed enforcement in highway construction zones with warning signs, limited image retention, independent audits, and penalties for noncompliance; supporters argued it would save workers’ lives, while opponents raised privacy and future-use concerns and suggested officer-based enforcement instead. Despite those objections, the bill advanced 7-5. The meeting ended with a notice that Senator Merrick’s bill, SB 1861, would be laid over.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> education Innovation The Innovation Zone education Innovation The Innovation Zone project<00:37:
• Innovation zones helped create enriched educational journeys with a promising future for our students
• There were six zones created under Minnesota's 2017 law and four under the 2012 law.
• There were six zones created under Minnesota's 2017 law and four under the 2012 law.
• </c> support the concept of innovation zones support the concept of innovation zones and<01:01:31.480

Bills: HF6, HF52, HF53

Keywords: education, literacy, science of reading, school performance, funding flexibility, innovation zones, equity and inclusion, HF52, New Germany, wastewater treatment, wastewater facility, sewer infrastructure, capital investment, bonding bill, state bonds, Public Facilities Authority, municipal infrastructure, water quality, sanitation, sewage treatment

Transcript Highlights:

• It’s actually in a military compatibility zone, which constitutes commercial and industrial only.
• commercial industrial, but are also zoned military compatibility, because that’s always going to be
• The technicality is ADOT's following a strict set of guidelines that say it needs to be zoned commercial
• The technicality is ADOT's following a strict set of guidelines that say it needs to be zone commercial
• This is fixing that fix. that say it needs to be zone commercial we don't have that anymore this is fixing

Bills: SB1232, SB1421, SB1505, SB1511, SB1520, SB1803

Keywords: outdoor advertising, military compatibility, zoning, electronic signage, permitting, undocumented immigrants, financial services, identification requirements, loans, foreign remittances, transitional housing, military, veterans, grant program, supportive services, SB1511, commercial driver license, CDL, nondomiciled CDL, nondomiciled commercial driver license

Transcript Highlights:

• We’re going to open the public hearing on House Bill 1977 concerning the indemnification of commercial
• Peter Claudefelter, staff to the committee, House Bill 1977 concerning the indemnification of commercial
• any person apparently under the influence of liquor defines the minimum standard of conduct for commercial
• Help me understand under what scenario I would indemnify the commercial liquor service and walk me through
• I mean, how many lawsuits are we experiencing on average relative to commercial liquor service?

Bills: HB1977

Keywords: indemnification, liquor, commercial servers, liquor liability, business protection, 904, all

Bills: HB0032

Keywords: English proficiency, commercial drivers, vehicle operation, traffic safety, penalties, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh Lieutenant Kyle McCay with the Wyoming Highway Patrol, commercial carrier supervisor. >> Perfect.
• /c><00:02:38.959><c> Patrol</c> with the Wyoming Highway Patrol with the Wyoming Highway Patrol commercial
• </c> commercial carrier supervisor. commercial carrier supervisor.
• Holly, “Don’t you have to be proficient in the English language to even get a commercial driver’s license

Bills: HB0032

Keywords: English proficiency, commercial drivers, vehicle operation, traffic safety, penalties, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The 60% they could do that to offset if it's up against commercial, but it doesn't, there are no rights
• We didn't contemplate that in the commercial part of it, no. Okay.
• You're basically saying you're kind of strapped to whatever the zoning is or whatever it allows, and
• So my question is, what if we said, while you typically have to go and you're subject to what the zoning
• until January 1, 2028, for the installation of beacons in applicable school zones.

Bills: S0036, S0620, S0796, S0934, S1080, S1096, S1366, S1536, S1548, S1580, S1588, S1620, S1756, S7034, S7044

Keywords: nursing title, advanced practice registered nurse, advertising, professional standards, disciplinary action, candidate qualifying, federal office, election integrity, regulatory compliance, political candidacy, veterinary medicine, telehealth, veterinary professional associate, animal health, public safety, access to veterinary services, payment bond exemption, Habitat for Humanity, Florida Forever Act, land acquisition

Summary: The committee first took up SB 354, the “Blue Ribbon Projects” bill, which creates a framework for large planned communities on at least 15,000 contiguous acres with 60% reserved area and a streamlined local review process. Senator McLean presented the bill and a strike-all amendment, and members raised concerns about local control, conservation enforceability, data centers, concurrency, multi-county projects, and whether reserve lands could later be converted. Audubon Florida and 1,000 Friends of Florida opposed the bill, arguing the conservation protections were not permanent enough and that the reserve areas could be changed later; small-county representatives also worried about tax-base impacts. Supporters argued the bill would better manage growth, preserve green space, and provide a more orderly alternative to sprawl. After debate, the committee voted to report the bill favorably. The committee then approved SB 620 on candidate qualifying, which requires candidates for federal, state, county, district, judiciary, school, and school board offices to disclose any non-U.S. citizenship. Amendments added disclosure about whether federal candidates intend to trade stock if elected and adjusted 2026 congressional qualifying procedures in the event of redistricting, including a new qualifying window and petition rules. The bill was reported favorably after brief support from a member of the public and discussion about candidate vetting. The committee also reported favorably CS/CS/CS/SB 1452, a Department of Financial Services bill with amendments addressing My Safe Florida Home notices, condo pilot eligibility, firefighter hiring, unclaimed property, and related financial-services provisions. Next, the committee approved CS/CS/SB 1620, a school board members’ bill of rights. A substitute amendment narrowed the bill to access to records, fiscal transparency, and nondisclosure agreements, while preserving board members’ rights to timely documents, budget information, and public comment, and setting deadlines for records requests. Superintendents and a school board member testified in support, saying the bill clarifies roles and prevents board members from being frozen out. The committee also passed CS/HB 245, which replaces the term “child pornography” with “child sexual abuse material”; one senator supported the terminology change but warned about preserving legal precedent and avoiding appellate issues. The committee then reported favorably SB 1548, an update to the Live Local affordable housing law expanding eligible sites and clarifying setbacks, airport proximity, and fair-housing protections. Finally, the committee took up the veterinary medicine bill creating veterinary professional associates. The bill allows trained master’s-level VPAs to perform limited veterinary services under a veterinarian’s supervision, and an amendment tightened the standard to immediate supervision on premises. Supporters said the measure would expand access to care, especially in rural areas with vet shortages, while opponents argued it added unnecessary regulation. After testimony from veterinary educators and others, the bill continued with support expressed by committee members, including praise for the direct-supervision amendment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 3040 simply expands on existing law by extending the zone of safety where sex offenders are
• House Bill 4236 is the Uniform Commercial Receivership Act.

Bills: HB1082, HB1638, HB3040, HB3269, HB3278, HB3298, HB3587, HB3996, HB4113, HB4140, HB4226, HB4236, HB4301, HB4324, HB4339, HB4342, HB4352, SB1082

Keywords: child custody, joint custody, best interest of the child, guardian ad litem, domestic violence, substance abuse, Governmental Tort Claims Act, definitions, torts, political subdivisions, governmental immunity, medical providers, sex offenders, safety zones, minors protection, loitering restrictions, criminal penalties, arrest warrant, criminal procedure, telephonic communication

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 4236 is the Uniform Commercial Receivership Act.

Bills: HB1082, HB1638, HB3040, HB3269, HB3278, HB3298, HB3587, HB3996, HB4113, HB4140, HB4226, HB4236, HB4301, HB4324, HB4339, HB4342, HB4352, SB1082

Keywords: child custody, joint custody, best interest of the child, guardian ad litem, domestic violence, substance abuse, Governmental Tort Claims Act, definitions, torts, political subdivisions, governmental immunity, medical providers, sex offenders, safety zones, minors protection, loitering restrictions, criminal penalties, arrest warrant, criminal procedure, telephonic communication

Summary: The Senate Judiciary Committee met with a quorum and took up a long series of House bills, hearing brief author presentations and mostly no opposition. Early measures advanced included HB 3040, HB 414, HB 1638, HB 3298, HB 4113, HB 1082, HB 4301, and HB 3269. These bills addressed topics such as firearm theft penalties, county jail public trust eligibility for funding, child interviews in family law cases, voter registration eligibility for convicted felons, a presumption of joint custody, enforcement of VA loan amendatory-clause protections, and electronic transmission of arrest warrants. The committee also advanced HB 3587 on court-ordered outpatient treatment after several questions about how it relates to mental health and criminal proceedings, HB 4226 on judge disqualification procedures, HB 4324 on district attorney authority to adjust sentences, HB 4339 on notice timing in summary administration, and HB 3278 on Open Meeting Act enforcement through consent orders. HB 3996, requiring the indigent defense system to pay for evidence and experts in capital cases, also passed after a motion to restore title. HB 4236, the Uniform Commercial Receivership Act, and HB 4352, the Uniform Mortgage Modification Act, were likewise advanced. One bill drew more extended discussion: HB 4342, which allows prior instances of domestic violence abuse to be admitted as evidence in court proceedings. Senators questioned why propensity evidence would be allowed in domestic violence cases but not property crimes; the author and chair explained it was intended to give the court a fuller picture in domestic violence matters and noted disclosure requirements. The committee also clarified that the bill’s title had a scrivener’s error. HB 4342 ultimately advanced on a 6-1 vote, while the other measures reported in the transcript passed unanimously or with no recorded opposition. The meeting concluded with the chair noting upcoming Judiciary meetings and adjournment.

Bills: HB161

Keywords: building codes, standardization, commercial construction, architectural services, energy conservation, federal compliance, local governance, 923, senate, all

Bills: S1080, S1112, S1324, S1338, S1582, S1672

Keywords: traffic safety, school zones, speed detection systems, license plate recognition, yellow signal timing, data privacy, municipal powers, labor pool, employment, temporary work, placement fee, Department of Commerce, limited liability companies, corporations, principal office, registered agent, Florida Statutes, charitable giving, endowment agreements, donor restrictions

Summary: The Committee on Commerce and Tourism considered several bills. SB 1338 by Senator Burton would strengthen enforcement of written endowment agreements for charitable gifts and require legislative approval for new filing or reporting requirements on charities. The sponsor and Philanthropy Roundtable testified in support, emphasizing donor intent and protections for nonprofits; the bill was reported favorably. SB 1324, which was expected to address principal offices of LLCs, was temporarily postponed. The committee also passed CS/SB 1080 by Senator DeSigley, which directs FDOT to adopt rules allowing direct payments to first-tier subcontractors in specified circumstances. A transportation industry representative supported the measure, saying the situations are rare but need a statutory remedy. CS/SB 1582 by Senator Yarbrough, as amended, requires secondhand dealers, secondary metal recyclers, and pawnbrokers to submit transaction data to FDLE for statewide sharing through systems such as LInX; the amendment and bill were both reported favorably, with one witness from the Florida Recycler’s Association opposing the amendment. Senator McLean’s SB 1672, creating a home buyer workforce tax credit for employer contributions to help employees with first-time Florida home purchases, was reported favorably with support from the Florida Chamber of Commerce. SB 1112 by Senator Garcia, relating to the Florida Labor Pool Act, drew extensive testimony from workers, reentry advocates, and supporters who argued it would prohibit placement fees when workers are hired permanently, require annual registration of labor pools, improve accountability, and support stable employment and reentry; the bill was reported favorably. The committee then adjourned after recording votes and other closing business.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> targeted practices of the commercial targeted practices of the commercial aquarium<00:19:16.240>
• <00:24:04.400><c> bann</c> commercial chrome collections bann commercial chrome collections bann hopefully
• </c> fishes that are taken by commercial fishes that are taken by commercial people<00:25:40.159><c>
• And the subsistence and commercial.
• </c> following the rules in a commercial following the rules in a commercial fishery fishery fishery

Bills: HB2101

Keywords: aquatic life, commercial aquarium purposes, Hawaii, environmental protection, sustainability, Native Hawaiian values, marine resources, 910, house, all

Summary: The joint committees on Energy and Environmental Protection and Water and Land heard testimony on House Bill 21101, which would ban or otherwise end commercial aquarium collection. Chairs opened the hearing with a short time limit for testimony and noted they would move to decision-making before the next committee meeting. The Department of Land and Natural Resources said it appreciated the bill’s intent and stood on written testimony, while the Office of Hawaiian Affairs strongly supported the measure as part of its legislative package, citing community calls to ban the practice. Many other organizations and individuals also testified in support, including environmental, Native Hawaiian, and community groups, with arguments focused on reef protection, public trust, cultural concerns, and the view that the trade is extractive and not sustainable. Supporters repeatedly cited declines in yellow tang and other reef fish, especially on West Hawaii and Oahu, and argued that reef recovery has not occurred where collection pressure existed. Several testified that legal aquarium collection has not occurred in West Hawaii since 2017 or on Oahu since 2021, and that the state should not reopen an industry that has been effectively shut down for years. Others said the program is fiscally inefficient because permits generate little revenue compared with the cost of administering and enforcing the program, and that aquaculture or other alternatives could provide jobs without removing wild fish. Native Hawaiian speakers and civic club representatives emphasized traditional and customary practices, community stewardship, and the need to protect resources for future generations. Opposition testimony came from aquarium fishers and related advocates who argued the fishery has been shown sustainable, that the EIS process was completed, and that the bill would unfairly target one user group over another. They said the trade provides livelihoods for local families, that management is solid, and that the legislature should not ban a fishery after requiring compliance with environmental review. Some opponents also argued that fish populations have increased in recent years and that the issue reflects broader user conflict rather than science. No vote or final committee action was taken during the portion of the hearing provided; the chair continued taking testimony, including on Zoom, as time allowed.

Transcript Highlights:

• two other bills were also on the docket: H. 4914, an act relative to the Massachusetts Uniform Commercial
• Massachusetts Uniform Commercial Code and Senate Bill 2921 by Senator Payano, an act relative to travel

Bills: H5112, S2921, H4914

Keywords: genetic discrimination, genetic testing, genetic information, DNA, hereditary risk, insurance underwriting, life insurance, health insurance, long-term care insurance, disability insurance, medical privacy, consumer protection, anti-discrimination, insurer regulation, Commissioner of Insurance, chapter 176D, underwriting, hereditary disease, genomics, travel insurance

Bills: SB2466, HB1163, HB1514, SB3082, SB2135, SB2727, SB3097, HB1696, HB2021

Keywords: elections, chief elections officer, termination for cause, Hawaii election law, elections commission, commercial drivers license, non-domiciled, federal regulations, commercial learner's permit, citizenship, lawful residency, Department of Transportation, workers' compensation, vocational rehabilitation, injury recovery, employment services, return to work, military families, family leave, qualifying military exigency

Bills: SB2466, HB1163, HB1514, SB3082, SB2135, SB2727, SB3097, HB1696, HB2021

Keywords: elections, chief elections officer, termination for cause, Hawaii election law, elections commission, commercial drivers license, non-domiciled, federal regulations, commercial learner's permit, citizenship, lawful residency, Department of Transportation, workers' compensation, vocational rehabilitation, injury recovery, employment services, return to work, military families, family leave, qualifying military exigency

Bills: SB2466, HB1163, HB1514, SB3082, SB2135, SB2727, SB3097, HB1696, HB2021

Keywords: elections, chief elections officer, termination for cause, Hawaii election law, elections commission, commercial drivers license, non-domiciled, federal regulations, commercial learner's permit, citizenship, lawful residency, Department of Transportation, workers' compensation, vocational rehabilitation, injury recovery, employment services, return to work, military families, family leave, qualifying military exigency