Transcript Highlights:

• gold. ...to present HB 2123, which is the state gold bullion and transactional gold.
• The newly created money, financial institutions, Wall Street, are the ones that benefit.
• This is transactional gold.
• Hi, my name is Laurie Bolton, and I am with the Transactional Gold and Silver Project.
• Hi, my name is Laurie Bolton and I am with the transactional gold and silver project.

Bills: HB2123, HB2140

Keywords: bullion, depository, legal tender, Arizona, finances, precious metals, financial transactions, investment, state treasurer, gold bullion, treasury management, financial regulations, 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So we are the only one without electronic um means of transacting business and it's for the same reason
• . and we had debit cards for transactions. and we had a<00:02:38.640> lot<00:02:38.720> of<
• electronic um means of transacting electronic um means of transacting business<00:04:38.880>
• The transaction fees are too high.
• The transaction fees are too high. it.

Bills: SF0024

Keywords: lottery, debit card payments, gambling regulations, state revenue, financial transactions, 916, all

Bills: SF0024

Keywords: lottery, debit card payments, gambling regulations, state revenue, financial transactions, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Just know there is no per transaction fee in this. per transaction fee per se in this.
• transactions of 2,000 or more reported within 30 days.
• They track the transactions they have... They track the transactions they have already.
• All financial institutions are required. We've issued money... required.
• So, you know, right now we require financial institutions to report elder transactions.

Bills: HB297, HB587

Keywords: cash transactions, money transmission, regulatory compliance, criminal penalties, Alabama Securities Commission, information technology, auditors, financial institutions, cybersecurity, certifications, state regulations, 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So this bill was one of the interim topics for the select committee on blockchain, financial technology
• blockchain, for the select committee on blockchain, for the select committee on blockchain, financial
• <00:01:24.320> technology<00:01:24.799> and<00:01:25.040> digital financial technology
• and digital financial technology and digital technology.<00:01:26.400> Um<00:01:26.720> it

Bills: SF0052, SF0024

Keywords: wildlife management, environmental restoration, funding, invasive species, aquatic ecosystems, native fish, habitat conservation, lottery, debit card payments, gambling regulations, state revenue, financial transactions, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The technology we're using ensures that it's strictly lottery, and it is a separate transaction. >> Okay
• <00:40:56.400> We<00:40:56.560> had<00:40:56.800> no separate the transaction
• We had no separate the transaction.
• ><00:41:08.160> is<00:41:08.319> a<00:41:08.480> separate<00:41:08.880> transaction
• and it is a separate transaction. and it is a separate transaction.

Bills: SF0052, SF0024

Keywords: wildlife management, environmental restoration, funding, invasive species, aquatic ecosystems, native fish, habitat conservation, lottery, debit card payments, gambling regulations, state revenue, financial transactions, 916, all

Bills: HB489, HB545, HB555, HB583, HB670, HB672, HB797, HB814, HB913, HB952

Keywords: transfer on death, TOD, beneficiary designation, investment accounts, brokerage accounts, securities, nonprobate transfer, estate planning, succession, probate, community property, forced heirship, financial advisor, broker-dealer, custodian, transfer agent, banking, wealth transfer, inheritance, Louisiana Revised Statutes

Bills: SB365

Keywords: cash transactions, rounding, legal tender, state regulations, consumer transactions, 923, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Arizona should continue to rely on the state treasurer to invest public monies following prudent financial
• Okay, provide financial relief. Mr.
• When the department does print forms, do you have providing financial relief in mind?
• In any transaction or... Of the deed, and thank you, Senator Mesnard, for carrying this bill.
• Thank you for your time. ...but will help relieve their financial concerns.

Bills: SB1042, SB1043, SB1044, SB1135, SB1136, SB1142, SB1180, SB1221, SB1252, SB1254, SCR1003

Keywords: public funds, virtual currency, bitcoin, investment, Arizona Strategic Digital Asset Reserve Act, state treasurer, retirement system, state payments, cryptocurrency, Arizona law, payment methods, government transactions, property tax, tax exemption, Arizona Revised Statutes, digital currency, workers' compensation, death benefits, burial costs, spousal compensation

Transcript Highlights:

• rounding to the nearest 5 cents, but if it was like 3 or 4 cents, it would go to a nickel if the final transaction
• :09.880> final it would go to a nickel if the final it would go to a nickel if the final transaction
• :11.200> it<00:04:11.320> was<00:04:11.840> let's<00:04:12.000> say transaction
• If it was let's say transaction was.

Bills: HB545

Keywords: HB545, legal tender, cash rounding, nearest five cents, nickel rounding, in-person cash transaction, cash transactions, change making, sales tax, Department of Revenue, merchant payments, consumer payments, currency rounding, cash payment, retail transactions, payment methods, 923, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• HB 545, Representative Cro... welcome to Financial Services for the first time.
• Representative Cro, welcome to Financial Services for the first time. Thank you, Mr.
• services for the welcome to financial services for the first<00:06:13.520> time first time first
• How this would actually work: this only applies to cash transactions.
• Um total purchase amount transactions.

Bills: HB545, HB545

Keywords: Escambia County, probate court, court fees, legal services, judicial legislation, HB545, legal tender, cash rounding, nearest five cents, nickel rounding, in-person cash transaction, cash transactions, change making, sales tax, Department of Revenue, merchant payments, consumer payments, currency rounding, cash payment, retail transactions

Transcript Highlights:

• It does not affect any transaction originating from... ...affect any transaction originating from a banking
• Banks and financial institutions are...
• Banks and financial institutions are exempted from this legislation.
• Because that's a lot of cash transactions, aren't they?
• That anything that has a cash transaction that's not with a bank, it... transaction that's not with a

Bills: HB297

Keywords: cash transactions, money transmission, regulatory compliance, criminal penalties, Alabama Securities Commission, 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill's called the Protections for Financial Exploitation of Protected Adults Act.
• Essentially, it establishes a framework for financial institutions to Intervene when they suspect a protected
• adult is being targeted for financial exploitation or fraud.
• I hope that there will be some training or guidance for financial institutions so that this is consistently

Bills: HB3041, HB4428, HB4429, HB1064, HB3265, HB3721, HB3028, HB3313, HB3588, HB3020

Keywords: credit card transactions, payment methods, service charge, consumer rights, financial regulation, public finance, pension, pension fund, retirement system, board of trustees, proxy voting, proxy proposal, shareholder vote, shareholder activism, fiduciary duty, pecuniary factors, nonpecuniary factors, ESG, environmental social governance, social goals

Transcript Highlights:

• It would go back to the old language that not to exceed 4% of total transaction.
• So the surcharge shall not exceed 4%, or the greater of the credit card transaction amount.
• And so I thought it would be 2% or the total transaction amount, up to 4%.
• Members before you is House Bill 3075, which creates a penny rounding rule for cash transactions.
• And so this has created a number of practical problems with cash transactions across the country.

Bills: HB1268, HB3041, HB3075, HB3378, HB3463, HB3619, HB3620, HB3624, HB3722, HB4335

Keywords: retirement, public employees, deferred option plan, service credit, contributions, distributions, credit card transactions, payment methods, service charge, consumer rights, financial regulation, rounding, cash payments, public finance, Oklahoma Common Cents Act, political subdivision, science and technology, research, board appointments, emergency legislation

Transcript Highlights:

• Opposition to this bill is about preserving a system that shifts 100% of the financial risk onto contractors
• and members, House Bill 2938 requires a seller to apply Swedish rounding that rounds the total transaction
• The bill applies Swedish rounding to a final total transaction amount of a cash transaction after taxes
• rounding the nickels for the last 30 years, just because, to me, I gain an extra two seconds on a transaction
• House Bill 2938 provides a practical, uniform framework for how cash transactions may be rounded when

Bills: HB2174, HB2496, HB2744, HB2863, HB2910, HB2938

Keywords: insurance regulation, modeling organizations, financial disclosure, rate-making, predictive models, revitalization districts, construction contracts, infrastructure, municipal services, intergovernmental agreements, user fees, landowner agreements, overtime, wages, employee rights, industrial commission, complaints, adjudication, landlord, tenant

Transcript Highlights:

• with balanced representation from small and large employers, retirement and fiscal policy experts, financial
• About 3.5% of the transacted, excuse me, amount, but that can vary from company to company.
• But I’m also concerned, like if it’s 3% of the transaction, someone’s making a car payment, you know,
• that 3% transaction of a $1,000 monthly car note, You know, that 3% transaction of a $1,000 monthly

Bills: S0386, S0528, S0806, S0696, S0930, S0874, S0898, S0826, S0838

Keywords: farm equipment, agricultural machinery, farm machinery, tractor, combine, harvester, implements, warranty, lemon law, defective equipment, repair rights, consumer protection, manufacturer liability, authorized service agent, replacement, refund, rural agriculture, urban agriculture, Florida Statutes, chapter 604

Summary: The Commerce and Tourism Committee met with a quorum and considered several bills, most of them receiving favorable reports. SB 386, relating to farm equipment repair rights, was briefly explained by the sponsor as a lemon-law style measure for farm equipment; it passed without questions or debate. SB 528, aimed at strengthening Florida’s manufacturing sector by expanding Department of Commerce responsibilities, codifying the chief manufacturing officer role, creating a workforce development grant program, and requiring reporting, drew support from several appearance forms and was reported favorably. SB 806, a broader right-to-repair bill covering portable wireless devices and agricultural equipment, drew the most discussion: dealership and industry representatives opposed it, arguing existing manufacturer agreements already provide access to repair information and that the bill could force manufacturers into competition with dealers, while supporters framed it as pro-consumer and pro-repair access; it was still reported favorably. SB 696 on trademark registration modernization and SB 930 creating a Florida Retirement Savings Task Force were both explained as administrative/policy measures and passed without opposition. SB 874, which creates a professional licensure reciprocity path for out-of-state surveyors and mappers to address workforce shortages, also passed favorably. The committee then took up SB 826 on gift certificates, which the sponsor said is intended to target bank-branded “reward cards” that function like gift cards but expire, while not affecting loyalty programs. The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association expressed concern about unintended consequences and asked to work on tighter definitions, but the bill was reported favorably after the sponsor said clarifying language would be added later. The committee also heard SB 838, as amended, on electronic payments for retail installment contracts; the sponsor said it would clarify that reasonable convenience fees for optional electronic payments are permissible, require disclosure, and preserve a fee-free option. Members raised concerns about what counts as a “reasonable” fee and whether the bill could authorize junk fees, but the committee substitute was reported favorably. Several votes were taken by roll call, with the bills above reported favorably and SB 898 temporarily postponed at the sponsor’s request. Members later asked to be recorded as voting affirmatively on bills they had missed. The meeting concluded after the final vote on SB 838 and a motion to adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• animals who should have never been bred in the first place are sold through retail outlets, the financial
• The waiting period makes sense for that consumer to be sure it's the right financial decision or if that
• The rounding outlined in this bill only applies to cash transactions, not to electronic transactions.
• This inclusion will allow special districts to participate in state financial assistance programs in
• the same manner as current law ...participate in state financial assistance programs in the same manner

Bills: S0214, S0482, S7030, S0554, S0994, S0998, S1004, S1074, S1076, S1266

Keywords: special districts, funding, financial assistance, rural community, state agency, economic development, artificial intelligence, personal data protection, consumer rights, chatbot, deceptive practices, government contracts, public records, consumer protection, data privacy, investigations, proprietary information, chatbots, Florida statutes, nonprofit

Summary: The Committee on Commerce and Tourism heard and advanced several bills focused on economic development, consumer protection, workforce issues, and technology. SB 1076 would raise Florida’s research and development tax credit cap from $9 million to $50 million beginning with the 2027 allocation, and it was reported favorably. SB 1266, as amended, creates a cybersecurity experiential internship and clearance-readiness program with Cyber Florida and was also reported favorably. SB 554, a Florida Bar-backed update to the not-for-profit corporations statute, was approved without opposition. SB 1004, aimed at protecting buyers of dogs and cats from deceptive sales practices and predatory financing at retail pet stores, received supportive testimony from animal welfare advocates and was reported favorably. SB 1074, which sets rounding rules for cash transactions if pennies are unavailable, also passed favorably. The committee also considered SB 998, the Department of Commerce package, which combines updates to the Small Cities CDBG program, clarification of rural community eligibility, an exemption from a reverter clause for military-related land conveyances, and revisions to E-Verify enforcement. The E-Verify portion drew the most debate, with questions about employer cure periods, treatment of current investigations, and whether the bill creates a loophole for independent contractors. Senator Smith opposed the bill, arguing it creates unequal enforcement between employers and immigrant workers, while Senator Wright supported the military-related provisions. SB 998 was reported favorably on a divided vote. SB 214, which expands the rural community definition to include special districts in rural counties, was reported favorably. The committee then took up SB 482, an artificial intelligence consumer-protection bill that creates an “AI bill of rights” covering companion chatbots, parental controls for minors, data privacy, de-identified data, unauthorized use of likeness, and enforcement by the Attorney General, with a limited private cause of action for minors. The bill drew extensive testimony both in support and in opposition, including concerns about privacy, age verification, and enforcement, but it was reported favorably. Finally, the committee approved SPB 7030, a public-records exemption tied to Department of Legal Affairs investigations under the AI bill, and adjourned after members requested to be recorded on certain votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Yarbrough, CS for SB 1582, statewide data sharing of secondhand dealer and pawnbroker transactions
• Transactions and its corresponding bill, Tab 6, which was SB 1792 on public records pawnbroker transactions

Bills: S0760, S1012, S1536, S1582, S1792

Keywords: pretrial release, bond conditions, violations of release conditions, violent crimes, victim safety, public safety, warrantless arrest, probable cause, pretrial detention, first appearance hearing, law enforcement immunity, domestic violence, stalking, battery, aggravated assault, robbery, kidnapping, sexual battery, murder, manslaughter

Summary: The Criminal and Civil Justice Committee met with a quorum present and began with a notice that the committee would not present its budget that day, explaining that the budget rollout would be coordinated with House partners and Senate notice requirements, with the next opportunity expected the following week. The committee then moved to legislation, starting with CS for SB 760 by Senator McLean, the Victim Safety and Pre-Trial Release Act, which would address willful violations of court-ordered no-contact conditions for defendants on pretrial release for serious violent crimes. The bill had support from the Florida Sheriffs Association, received no debate, and was reported favorably by roll call vote. The committee next considered SB 1536 by Senator Pizzo on digital voyeurism, described as expanding the reasonable expectation of privacy to include a privately fenced yard. The transcript shows the chair moved on before questions or a vote were taken on that bill. The committee then took up CS for SB 102 by Senator Yarbrough on inmate services, first adopting a leave-filed amendment that revised provisions on inmate welfare trust funds, Medicaid supplemental reimbursement participation, emergency transport reimbursement, and negotiated rates for certain community health care providers, including telehealth and secure-unit care. Justin Senior of the Safety Net Hospital Alliance of Florida testified in information, saying the amendment was a major positive move, and the amended bill was then reported favorably. At the end of the meeting, the chair noted that two agenda items were being temporarily postponed: CS for SB 1582 on statewide data sharing of secondhand dealer and pawnbroker transactions and SB 1792 on public records for pawnbroker transactions. No further business was raised, and the committee adjourned after a motion by Senator Simon.

Transcript Highlights:

• That work gave me deep experience in the financial modeling, credit analysis, and the capital market
• In both 2018 and again in 2025, I volunteered my time to assist the board in updating its financial framework
• A big portion of that is its financial framework.
• They did discuss a number of issues, and one of the things is financial.
• We were looking forward to hearing about what the specific financial piece was related to the audit,

Bills: HB2093, HB2370, HB2376, HB2380, HB2381, HB2383, HB2423, HB2481, HB2621, HB2895, HB4005, HB4043, HB4109

Keywords: mental health, school curriculum, education policy, instruction requirements, statute repeal, charter schools, education, weapons detection, public safety, school administration, school districts, real estate transactions, school property, bond issuance, land use approval, capital improvements, school governance, board meetings, education funding, parental notification

Transcript Highlights:

• This will help transition firefighters to less expensive health plans and gives employers financial and
• It removes. ...and gives employers financial and administrative benefits.
• Tab 5 is Senate Bill 964 on financial disclosures.
• by deleting the current statutory language that requires that Form 10 be filed with individuals' financial
• And Senator Martin, I have a couple of questions in regard to the financial urgency, which I believe

Bills: S0332, S0464, S0576, S0830, S0964, S0984, S1096, S1296, S1298, S1612, S1656

Keywords: public records, public meetings, property rights, transcripts, settlement negotiations, Veterans Day, K-12 schools, holiday observance, education, Florida statutes, cybersecurity, local government, grant program, data-sharing, Florida Digital Service, ransomware protection, county administrators, city managers, exemption, privacy

Summary: The committee first heard a committee substitute for SB 332, which creates a narrow public meetings and public records exemption for certain pre-suit settlement communications in Bert Harris claims involving local governments and private property rights. The sponsor said the change is intended to allow confidential legal strategy and negotiation during the 90-day pre-suit period while keeping settlements and outcomes public. The strike-all amendment was adopted, supportive testimony was waived in, and the bill was reported favorably. Members then approved several other measures, including SB 464 requiring K-12 schools to formally observe Veterans Day as a school holiday; SB 984 on firefighter cancer benefits and prevention, which was amended to add a statement of important state interest and reported favorably after testimony from firefighters both supporting the bill and urging a longer benefit window; SB 576 on local government cybersecurity, which was amended to route the program through the Florida Digital Service and strengthen state-local coordination; SB 964 clarifying how certain gift and honoraria disclosures are filed with the Commission on Ethics; SB 1612 requiring local governments to accept electronic payments with a delayed effective date; SB 830 creating public records exemptions for certain local government administrators and their families; SB 1096 clarifying the filing deadline for employment discrimination complaints; and SB 1656 designating the SS American Victory as Florida’s official state flagship. All were reported favorably. The committee also considered a slate of appointments, including a separate vote on Jeffrey Aaron to the Public Employees Relations Commission, which was recommended favorably after Senator Polsky objected to the appointment and cited concerns about political ties and prior work. The remaining appointees on tabs 12 through 30 were also recommended favorably. After a recess, the committee took up SB 1296 on the Public Employees Relations Commission, as substituted by a committee PCS. The PCS would change union certification and recertification rules, require stronger showing-of-interest and voting thresholds, limit paid union leave in some cases, require equal access to employer communication spaces, and speed up impasse procedures for state-funded salary increases. The bill drew extensive testimony, with supporters arguing it would improve accountability, transparency, and taxpayer fairness, and opponents—many of them teachers, bus drivers, and other public employees—saying it would weaken collective bargaining, burden workers, and function as union busting. Members raised constitutional concerns about the single-subject rule and collective bargaining protections, and debate was ongoing at the end of the transcript.