Transcript Highlights:

• <00:13:17.680> thank<00:13:17.839> you with your testimony thank you with your testimony
• testimony testimony good<00:40:36.560> morning<00:40:36.800> mr<00:40:37.119> chair
• <00:57:24.559> aware minutes for testimony as they are aware minutes for testimony as they
• with your testimony with your testimony thank<01:02:16.240> you<01:02:16.400> very
• drill and proceed with your testimony drill and proceed with your testimony sir<01:19:28.800>

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The Education Finance Committee met remotely on February 16, 2022, with a quorum present and approved the minutes from the previous day by voice vote. Chair Dabney said the committee was spending the week on public school staffing shortages, especially efforts to increase and retain BIPOC teachers, and introduced testimony on the Collaborative Urban and Greater Minnesota Educators of Color Grant Program (CUGMEC) and the broader Increasing Teachers of Color Act. Testifiers from St. Thomas, Augsburg, and Hopkins described the history and impact of the legacy educator-of-color programs. Kathleen Campbell said the original Q program was created to address underrepresentation, remove financial barriers, and provide mentorship and culturally relevant support; she argued that when the grant became competitive in 2017 without additional funding, support was spread too thin and student capacity dropped. Audrey Lensmeyer described Augsburg’s East African Student-to-Teacher Program, rooted in community advocacy in Cedar-Riverside, and said it has produced strong completion and licensure outcomes. Keenan Jones shared his path from paraprofessional to teacher and district leader, emphasizing the importance of scholarships, mentorship, and outreach to high school students, including a statewide co-enrollment Intro to Teaching course. Representative Hassan then presented House File 3079, saying the bill aims to attract, prepare, complete, and retain more teachers of color and American Indian teachers through several grant and program changes, including Closing the Educational Opportunity Gap grants, Cook Mac funding, teacher mentorship and retention updates, and revisions to CUGMEC. He said the bill responds to a severe shortage of BIPOC teachers and that the requested investment is small relative to the state surplus. Student and educator testimony followed, including a third-grade student from Crookston and Ava Roots, both of whom described the importance of having teachers who reflect students’ cultures and experiences. Natalia Benjamin, the 2021 Minnesota Teacher of the Year, also testified about retention challenges for educators of color and racialized workplace treatment. The committee indicated it intended to lay over HF 3079 for possible inclusion in a future omnibus bill, and Representative Richardson moved the bill to be laid over for further consideration.

Transcript Highlights:

• Now, testimony is for you. Now, testimony is for two minutes.
• I had testimony prepared for this.
• Thank you for your testimony. Thank you. Thank you for staying late. Thank you for your testimony.
• Thank you for inviting testimony.
• Did you just give your testimony?

Summary: The Senate Committee on Education K-16 convened with a quorum, adopted its committee rules, and heard opening remarks from members introducing staff and outlining priorities for the session. Several senators emphasized support for public education, teacher pay and safety, parental choice, and the combined K-16 jurisdiction of the committee. The chair also reviewed hearing procedures, including public testimony registration and time limits. The main item was Senate Bill 2, the Texas Education Freedom Act, laid out by Chairman Creighton. He described the bill as an education savings account program intended to expand school choice, with a $200 million universal eligibility pool and an additional $800 million targeted to students with disabilities and lower-income families. He said the bill includes anti-fraud safeguards, criminal background checks for vendors, reporting requirements, data protections, and annual testing for participating students, while not imposing STAAR on private schools or homeschoolers. He also said the bill removes a prior hold-harmless provision for public schools and is separate from public school funding and teacher pay legislation. Members questioned the bill’s income threshold, lottery and priority structure, treatment of homeschoolers, microschools, charter schools, religious freedom protections, citizenship/lawful presence language, cybersecurity, open records, and disability-related issues, including whether 504 students and foster children should be included. Creighton said the bill is designed to prioritize former public school students with disabilities or lower incomes, while also allowing universal eligibility within the program’s first funding tier, and that the Comptroller would oversee vendor screening and cybersecurity rules. He said the bill does not direct curriculum or interfere with religious beliefs and that amendments may be offered later on citizenship and other issues. After member questions, the committee began invited testimony, starting with EdChoice representative Robert Inlow, who testified in support of SB 2 and cited national growth in school choice programs and studies he said show positive effects for students and public schools.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you, Miss Baker, for your testimony this morning.
• Thank you, Miss Baker, for your testimony this morning.
• Thank you, Miss Baker, for your testimony this morning.
• Seeing no one making their way up, public testimony is closed.
• Seeing no one making their way up, public testimony is closed.

Bills: HF729, HF728

Keywords: human services, provider enrollment, medical assistance, healthcare, housing stabilization, substance use disorder, vulnerable adults, fraud prevention, respite care, children, licensed settings, home and community-based services, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you for your testimony today. All right, next we have Ms. Beaver's.
• Thank you for your testimony today. Thank you. Mr. Cox, you're up next.
• Appreciate you coming and giving the testimony.
• And I appreciate your testimony and what you've done with your children.
• And thank you for your testimony. Thank you. Thank you, Senator. And thank you for your testimony.

Summary: The Administrative Rules Subcommittee reviewed a long agenda of agency rules, with most items approved without objection after brief presentations and no public comment. Early items included Department of Energy and Environment rules on landfill post-closure trust fund spending thresholds and liquefied petroleum gas standards, DFA’s electronic odometer disclosure rule, and several Department of Health rules covering ionizing radiation, mobile home and RV parks, lead-based paint, counseling board revisions, hearing instrument dispensers, athletic training, dental examiners, nursing, pharmacy, medical board, speech-language pathology and audiology, radiologic technology, massage therapy, community health workers, doula certification, and cosmetology/body art. Most of these changes were described as updates to match recent acts, federal standards, compact participation, fee adjustments, or cleanup/clarification, and the committee repeatedly approved them without objection. A substantial portion of the meeting focused on the Arkansas State Board of Nursing’s broad set of rule changes implementing multiple 2025 acts. Those changes included creating a dialysis patient care technician registry, updating contact information requirements, expanding APRN authority to delegate certain tasks, clarifying death certificate and pronouncement authority, allowing substitution of therapeutically equivalent medications, permitting purchase of compounded products, and updating certified medication assistant rules and training standards. Members asked detailed questions about the meaning of therapeutically equivalent substitutions, delegation limits, compounded products, and how often medication lists would be updated; the board said it would review rules annually and use future rulemaking as needed. The committee also approved new nursing rules for declaratory orders and the new dialysis registry. The Department of Education’s rules drew the most discussion, especially the Arkansas Children’s Educational Freedom Account Program. The department said the revisions, based on Act 920 of 2025, were intended to add guardrails, clarify eligible expenses, and streamline approvals. Changes included defining core educational expenses, limiting sports-related spending, adding an intentional misuse standard, restricting certain technology purchases and requiring extra justification over $1,000, capping carryover funds at $8,500, and creating a reconsideration process for denied expenses. Members raised concerns about oversight, appeal timelines, sports equipment, provider credentialing, and whether the rules were too restrictive; department officials said the rules were meant to protect taxpayer funds while preserving flexibility, and they noted the program had received extensive public comment. The committee also approved Education rules for scholarships, residency classification, teacher programs, accelerated learning, and graduate medical education, as well as Labor and Licensing rules on wage and hour standards, boiler rules, motor vehicle commission requirements, professional wrestling regulation, appraiser qualifications, and military recruiting incentives.

Transcript Highlights:

• So thank you for your testimony. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
• Well, we will now begin public testimony.
• Okay, we are now moving on to public testimony. We are now moving on to public testimony.
• It's in my written testimony at the back of the other. Thank you very much for that testimony.
• I appreciate your testimony. Thank you. All right. All right.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the uh public uh testimony part of this. the uh public uh testimony part of this.
• , public testimony, public testimony, we<00:32:20.720> will<00:32:21.440> close<00:
• testimony and we will close public testimony and committee.<00:32:24.640> Um,<00:32:25.600>
• Other testimony on this bill.
• did not receive any negative testimony did not receive any negative testimony from<00:48:35.359>

Bills: HB0086

Keywords: county officials, election code, misconduct, removal, government accountability, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair González: First invited testimony.
• So thank you very much for your testimony.
• So members, that concludes our invited testimony. for today. We'll now have public testimony.
• So that'd be my testimony.
• Chair: Well, thank you for your testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• The testimony is closed and we will leave this bill meeting at this time.
• Hearing none, public testimony is closed. Oh, is there somebody?
• Powerful testimony. Powerful testimony, Marcus Powell. Thank you. It's a pleasure to be here.
• Thank you for the wonderful testimony thus far. It's been excellent.
• Hearing none, we will Close public testimony.

Bills: SB128, SB640, SB672, SB904, SB1141, SB1263, SB1525, SB1528, SB2041, SB2306, SB2308, SB2357, SB2446, SB2695, SB2857, SB2891, SB2583

Keywords: hospital reporting, child abuse, neglect, administrative penalty, medical ethics, child protection, SB 640, Texas Family Code, Department of Family and Protective Services, DFPS, child welfare, foster care, managing conservatorship, suicide attempt, youth suicide, mental health, child protective services, state custody, annual report, reporting requirements

Transcript Highlights:

• We have no public testimony members. We're in debate seeing no debate.
• We do have public testimony.
• We have public testimony on the amendment.
• We are back on the bill as amended and public testimony.
• We do have public no public testimony on the amendment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Borod, for your testimony.
• Chair and committee for listening to my testimony today.
• Cameron, for your testimony.
• Chair, I'd like to pass to my testimony. Thank you, Representative.
• To the committee and proceed with your testimony.

Bills: HF2779, HF1645, HF1885, HF1289, HF1534, HF2707, HF1675, HF3046

Keywords: health care transparency, ownership disclosure, control reporting, health care consolidation, private equity, management services organization, MSO, provider organization, health insurer, pharmacy benefit manager, hospital system, affiliate reporting, financial disclosure, public reporting, market concentration, horizontal consolidation, vertical consolidation, health care ownership, corporate practice, health care regulation

Transcript Highlights:

• I appreciate your testimony today.
• So please let us go take and preserve that testimony.
• Seeing none doesn't thank you for your testimony.
• Appreciate you being here today and for your testimony.
• Thank you for your testimony.

Bills: HB113

Keywords: HB 113, Texas, Government Code Chapter 1253, general obligation bonds, bond election, voter approval, political subdivision, local government, city bonds, county bonds, school district bonds, capital projects, public finance, bond referendum, ballot measure, five-year waiting period, rejected proposition, election law, municipal finance

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you for your testimony. Next is Ryan Scomanini. Are you here?
• Please state your name for the record and proceed with your testimony.
• Please identify yourself for the record and proceed with your testimony.
• Thank you for your testimony, Mr. Court. Next is John Bloomstrom.
• We will close the testimony portion and move on to member discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, thank you for your testimony. testimony. testimony. >> Thank<00:06:51.120> you.
• Thank you for your testimony.
• testimony. Questions from the committee. testimony. Questions from the committee.
• . testimony. testimony.
• I think we heard enough testimony I think we heard enough testimony against<01:24:31.920> myself

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you for your testimony. Thank you for your testimony.
• Thank you for your testimony.
• Thank you for your testimony.
• Thank you for your testimony. Thank you for your testimony.
• Thank you for your testimony. Thank you for your testimony.

Summary: The committee took up a long agenda of retained bills and several new measures, with most receiving favorable reports after amendments. Major debate centered on CS/SB 706, which preempts airport naming to the state and designates Palm Beach International Airport as the Donald J. Trump International Airport subject to FAA and trademark-related conditions. Senator Jones offered amendments to avoid private royalty benefits, but both failed. Senators Berman, Osgood, Jones, and Pizzo spoke against the bill, raising concerns about naming an airport after a sitting president, lack of local input, and ethical issues; Senator Mayfield defended the bill as cost-free to the airport and noted the naming agreement. The committee ultimately voted the bill favorably. The committee also approved CS/SB 546 on conservation land notice requirements and CS/SB 1014 on municipal utility service to properties outside city limits, both with amendments and some opposition from the Florida League of Cities on the utility bill. Several other bills were heard and reported favorably with little controversy. CS/SB 1500 would streamline uncontested probate proceedings; SB 962 would exclude farms and farm operations from certain zoning definitions tied to affordable housing preemption; CS/SB 820 would strengthen reporting for problem-solving courts; SB 840 would revise portions of last year’s hurricane-related land-use law to narrow its scope and sunset temporary restrictions; and SB 856 would require online property listings to show estimated ad valorem taxes, with an amendment excluding social media platforms and broadening liability protections. SB 110 would clarify homestead exemption eligibility for 98-year or longer residential leases. SB 394 would exempt certain underwriting managers handling limited facultative reinsurance from licensure requirements, and SB 434 would prevent wind-hardening improvements from increasing assessed value for residential property tax purposes. The committee also advanced several public-safety and transparency measures. CS/CS/SB 658 and 608, a combined water-safety bill, would require safety features for rental properties with pools or nearby water bodies and authorize DBPR enforcement; supporters framed it as a response to Florida’s high child-drowning rates, and Airbnb waived in support. SB 748 would place constitutional language on restoration of voting rights on sentencing score sheets, with broad support from voting-rights and civil-rights groups. CS/SB 824 would require annual reporting of unimproved school-district land inventories, and CS/SB 848 would create a framework for off-site stormwater treatment and related credits, with support from builders and mitigation bankers. The committee also heard CS/SB 1036 on school counselors, which clarifies certification requirements and performance criteria after a delete-all amendment.

Transcript Highlights:

• And also, we're going to continue to invite and solicit testimony.
• And also, we're going to continue to invite the solicit testimony.
• , but to listen to testimony and try to digest the information with us.
• testimony and try to digest the information with us.
• I've done a lot in my world, and being on this commission, hearing the testimony and holding that testimony

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Special Commission on Combating Antisemitism met to review and discuss draft preliminary recommendations, with the co-chairs explaining that the draft had been released publicly and that the meeting was intended for open discussion and edits rather than a final vote. They emphasized the urgency of addressing antisemitism in Massachusetts, especially in K-12 schools, while noting that the recommendations are preliminary, may be revised, and will be supplemented by further testimony and a final report later. Several members also referenced recent allegations and incidents in local schools as examples of why the commission’s work is needed. Commissioners broadly supported the draft but proposed numerous refinements. Common themes included clarifying the distinction between antisemitic incidents and hate crimes; strengthening reporting systems and privacy protections; adding clearer guidance from DESE and the Attorney General on First Amendment issues, curriculum, and investigations; expanding Holocaust and genocide education; and improving professional development for educators, school committees, and administrators. Several members urged better links to mental health and victim services, more support for the Genocide Education Trust, and stronger language on bystander training, digital literacy, and the role of school committees in addressing bias. There was also discussion of how to frame antisemitism as a distinct form of hate, how to address antisemitism related to Israel and Zionism without restricting legitimate political speech, and how to avoid unfunded mandates for school districts and municipalities. Some commissioners suggested adding timeframes, a centralized reporting or investigative mechanism, and more explicit model policies for schools. The meeting ended with the chairs thanking participants and the public for their input, and the commission then moved to adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• If not, we'll start invited testimony. We have.
• McConaughey, for your testimony. Great testimony. Thank you.
• Thank you very much for your testimony. Thank you.
• Invited testimony is now closed.
• Thank you very much for your testimony.

Bills: SB22, SB 22

Keywords: Texas, moving image industry, incentive program, film production, grant funding, job creation, economic development, youth camp, summer camp, camp safety, emergency operations plan, emergency preparedness, evacuation drill, camp staff training, volunteer training, camper safety, lost camper, natural disaster, fire safety, mass casualty

Transcript Highlights:

• And we'll be limiting testimony this morning to 2 minutes.
• Yeah, thanks for being here for your testimony. Uh, you're right.
• Uh, you heard, you heard from the testimony today.
• I don't really have any questions on that testimony.
• Holmers, thank you so much for your, for your testimony.

Bills: HB101

Keywords: voter approval, local tax, disaster declaration, tax rate increases, community funding

Transcript Highlights:

• Any public testimony? No public testimony. Do we have debate on the bill? Debate.
• Public testimony? No public testimony. Do we have debate on the bill? Debate. Public testimony?
• There's public testimony.
• There's public testimony.
• We have public testimony. No amendments. We're on the public testimony.

Summary: The Natural Resources and Disaster Subcommittee heard and acted on several bills related to wetlands, emergency management, fishing licenses, disaster recovery, the Florida Keys, brownfields, wastewater treatment, and spring protection. HB 1175 on mitigation banking drew the most discussion, with supporters saying it would create more predictable release of mitigation credits and help address shortages, while opponents warned it could weaken watershed-based wetland protection and allow credits to be used farther from the impact site. The committee adopted a strike-all amendment making the changes prospective after July 1, 2025, and then reported the bill favorably with committee substitute by a 12-3 vote. The committee also considered HB 1535, a broad emergency management strike-all that would expand local storm-preparedness information, debris removal coordination, shelter planning, permitting procedures after storms, limits on post-storm fee increases and moratoria, and changes to election procedures after disasters. Members raised questions about FEMA coordination, shelter standards, impact fees, and the 100-mile post-storm land-use restrictions. After adopting the strike-all, the bill was reported favorably with committee substitute on a 17-0 vote. HB 673, which would extend the same fishing-license convenience to freshwater guides that saltwater captains already have, and HB 705, which extends a public-records exemption for disaster recovery assistance applicants, were both reported favorably without amendment. Later, the committee approved HB 995 for the Florida Keys, which combines affordable-housing incentives, a Habitat for Humanity bond exemption, an extension of the Florida Keys Stewardship Act, and a modest increase in hurricane evacuation time to allow additional residential permits; it was reported favorably on a unanimous vote. HB 733 on brownfields received a technical strike-all and was also reported favorably. HB 645 creating a general permit for distributed wastewater treatment systems passed unanimously, and HB 691 on a reclaimed-water project tied to Outstanding Florida Springs passed 16-1 after concerns were raised about cost, water quality, and whether the bill could broaden the intent of existing spring-protection law. The meeting adjourned after all agenda items were completed.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you for your testimony. >> Very good. Thank you for your testimony.
• Seeing no other testimony, correct?
• Seeing no other testimony, correct? Seeing no other testimony, correct?
• Thank you for your testimony. testimony. testimony.
• I appreciate your testimony today.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• for your testimony. for your testimony.
• We've heard some testimony.
• We've heard some testimony.
• um grateful that we had some testimony um grateful that we had some testimony at<00:30:43.679>
• your testimony. your testimony.

Keywords: 1183, house