Transcript Highlights:

• Whether a student is in a gym, on a football field, or attending an away game, the goal is the same:
• It's a smart, measured approach to keep our students safe and beating cardiac emergencies before it's
• But I do recall in testimony that there were two events in North Dakota, one where a student was, did
• That there were two events in North Dakota, one where a student was, did decease, and I believe that
• I think we didn't have as many options for how students could qualify.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the pledge, and a quorum call, then took up House amendments to Senate Bills 2009, 2147, and 2113. On motion, the Senate refused to concur in the House amendments and appointed conference committees for each bill. The chamber then considered several House bills, adopting amendments and passing House Bill 1556, which creates a Children's Cabinet work group to study out-of-home placement and treatment for children with behavioral health issues, and House Bill 1363, which directs development of a customizable cardiac emergency response plan template for schools and athletic events. House Bill 1533, requiring students to complete a half-unit of financial literacy for graduation, also passed after amendment. House Bill 1226, dealing with masks in public places and protest-related identification concerns, passed after the Judiciary Committee removed language about complying with law enforcement requests to unmask.

Transcript Highlights:

• <c> to</c><00:05:04.000><c> public</c><00:05:04.240><c> view,</c><00:05:04.800><c> he's</c> I got skills
• And whereas, founded in 1928, the Future Farmers of America has brought together students, teachers,
• Senator Hendrickson. difference in the lives of students by difference in the lives of students by developing
• , teachers, and aggra businesses students, teachers, and aggra businesses to<00:20:10.240><c> solidify
• ,</c><00:20:41.200><c> adults</c> post-secondary students, adults post-secondary students, adults participating

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• engagement specialists, and student support staff; and the inclusion of student voice with student attendance
• </c> what are the reasons why our students what are the reasons why our students are<00:12:35.680><c>
• on the students.
• </c><00:48:46.040><c> the</c><00:48:46.160><c> time</c> students I talk to students all the time students
• So if a student comes later, if a student leaves early, they would make the correction to that.

Committee: Senate Education Finance

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We also, with this appropriation, want to improve the skill level and the ability of our students so
• We also, with this appropriation, want to improve the skill level and the ability of our students, so
• So we want our students, our schools, being able to accelerate those students and get those students
• Accelerate and increase and improve student achievement for all of our students.
• But yet now you're down 300 students in a school district that's got 2,000 students.

Committee: Senate Appropriations Committee on Pre-K - 12 Education

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Pre-K-12 Education met with a quorum and first heard a Department of Education program review on three district support programs: assistance to low-performing schools, the Florida Partnership program, and regional literacy teams (RAISE). Dr. Paul Burns described how the Bureau of School Improvement supports schools with D/F grades through regional teams, classroom observations, professional learning, and targeted funding, noting that 104 of 168 low-performing schools improved after 2022-23 and that the share of failing schools fell from 6% to 4%. He also outlined the Florida Partnership’s $4 million annual appropriation for advanced-course teacher training and student access, and the RAISE literacy program’s $5 million funding, universal/targeted/intensive supports, and progress monitoring results. Senators asked about rural participation, post-COVID reading data, parent support, and how long schools remain under monitoring after improving; Burns said rural districts can participate statewide, parents can access school and department support, and schools continue to receive monitoring after exiting low-performing status to prevent recidivism. The committee then received a presentation on the school district education foundation matching grants program from Suzanne Pridgen, who explained that the Consortium of the Florida Education Foundations administers the grants, which require private matching funds and support tutoring, literacy, STEM, career education, professional learning, books, and supplies. She said the program leverages about $1.44 in private support for every state dollar. The committee then moved to the regional education consortia, where representatives from PAEC, NEFEC, and Heartland, along with several rural superintendents, described the consortia as member-led organizations that provide economies of scale, professional learning, HR, risk management, purchasing, legal and operational support, crisis assistance, and leadership development for small and fiscally constrained districts. Superintendents from Lafayette, Holmes, Calhoun, Union, DeSoto, and Hendry counties testified that the consortia are essential because rural districts often have very small staffs, multiple-duty administrators, and limited in-house expertise. They cited support with insurance and hurricane recovery, training for new finance and HR staff, instructional coaching, CTE and leadership programs, and help with turnaround schools. Members emphasized that these districts can be high-performing despite limited resources, and several senators praised the consortia’s value. Senator Gaetz asked about additional back-office collaboration, possible regulatory relief, and FEFP issues tied to scholarship-related enrollment swings; rural superintendents responded that more local control would help. The meeting ended with a motion to adjourn, which was adopted without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• , hygiene, being able to really build out some of those daily living skills that kids might need for
• Do they understand they need credentials and skills that they're going to do? For workforce?
• . ...experience for each student.
• There are various counseling and life skills... It's done in a residential setting.
• They help teach that individual employability skills.

Summary: The Justice Budget Committee heard detailed presentations from the Department of Juvenile Justice and the Department of Corrections on staffing, services, and budget needs. DJJ Secretary Hall emphasized that the agency’s main public safety strategy is education, along with prevention and recidivism reduction. He described major staffing improvements after pay increases for probation, detention, residential care, and prevention workers, and outlined DJJ’s mental health, aftercare, and education continuum, including the Florida Scholars Academy and Florida Youth College. He said the new statewide education model is showing early gains in progress monitoring, high school graduation, and postsecondary enrollment, while also noting ongoing operational issues such as IT connectivity, rural staffing gaps, and the need for geographic pay adjustments for teachers. He also discussed detention center replacement plans in Hillsborough, Broward, and Palm Beach, and said DJJ would transition the Broward JAC to a security contractor after the sheriff’s office pulls sworn officers from the site. Members asked about campus performance differences, teacher pay, detention education quality, and concerns about the rollout and leadership of the Scholars Academy. Hall said some campuses face rural access and infrastructure problems, but the blended learning model provides continuity when internet or staffing issues arise. He defended the superintendent’s qualifications and said early problems with inappropriate online content were addressed. Representative Porras raised concerns about educational quality and the superintendent’s past disciplinary history, while Representative Barrera urged more mentorship and fatherhood-focused programming in juvenile facilities. DOC Secretary Dixon said the prison system is under pressure from rising inmate populations, staffing shortages, and overtime costs. He argued that the system needs funded posts for every functioning housing unit, noting that the department has added housing units without enough staff and now relies heavily on overtime, mobile officer deployments, and shift conversions to keep facilities operating safely. He highlighted that many officers are new, that outside-hospital transports have risen sharply, and that mental health units require additional staffing. DOC’s mental health chief described a large and growing treatment system with outpatient, inpatient, intensive outpatient, and court-ordered services, saying about a quarter of the prison population has a diagnosed mental illness. Community corrections staff described treatment programs, employment specialists, mobile probation and reentry units, and a new mental health first aid training initiative. Reentry staff reported expanded substance abuse, education, CTE, chaplaincy, and digital learning programs, including Edovo and a forthcoming Work Bay platform. No votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is the skilled nursing facilities trailer bill.
• It is not improved student achievement or strengthen public education.
• and positive student outcomes.
• and positive student outcomes.
• as the Associated Students of UC Davis's Disability Justice Committee.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Committee met to consider the final three-party agreement for the 2026-27 state budget and 19 implementing bills, including two budget bill juniors and 17 trailer bills. Committee leadership and administration officials described the budget as a balanced plan that reduces out-year structural deficits, maintains large reserves, and makes major investments in health care, education, housing, child care, public safety, and other core services while also responding to expected federal cuts and fiscal uncertainty. The Department of Finance outlined the package’s major components, including Medi-Cal adjustments, education funding increases, higher education changes, child care and human services updates, housing and homelessness funding, energy and transportation provisions, and tax and general government changes. Members asked questions about several provisions, including CSU enrollment targets and turnaround plans, the Prop. 98 settle-up mechanism, the plastics market development payment program, housing accountability measures, NextGen 9-1-1 implementation, and veteran services. Staff and administration witnesses explained that the higher education language is intended to improve campus-by-campus reporting and oversight, that Prop. 98 settle-up would be finalized later through the statutory certification process, and that NextGen 9-1-1 now includes one-time funding, quarterly reporting, an independent technical review, and a state audit. Members also discussed the HAP homelessness funding increase to $900 million and the balance between accountability and timely distribution of funds. The most extended exchange centered on comparisons between funding for veterans and Medi-Cal/immigrant health coverage. Republican members argued the budget spends far more on undocumented immigrant services than on veterans, while Democratic members and Finance staff responded that the comparison was misleading because many veterans’ services are federally funded and the state budget also includes dedicated veteran support. The chair and other members emphasized that the budget reflects difficult tradeoffs and that the package protects vulnerable populations, preserves health care access, and advances affordability. No final vote was described in the excerpt, but members indicated support for the overall package and said they would support it on the floor.

Transcript Highlights:

• doing a qualitative study and doing interviews with organizational leadership and newer clinicians, students
• areas are recruitment and retention, thinking about how to build upon and retain a diverse and highly skilled
• So thinking a lot about some of the state's investments so far in student loan repayment programs and
• health care services have continued to decline since 2020, as well as nursing care facilities and skilled
• We have more students coming into the state to get their education, but then they're leaving.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Persons with Disabilities subcommittee on workforce supports met with Chair Andrew Lerault presiding. Members completed roll call, approved the August 2025 minutes, and then heard a presentation from Amy Doyle, director of the Behavioral Health Workforce Center at the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission. Doyle described the center’s launch in September 2024 and its legislative mandate to study behavioral health payment rates, workforce needs, and licensure/certification barriers, with an emphasis on recruitment, retention, capacity building, diversity/equity, and sustainability. She also shared data on unmet behavioral health needs, ED boarding, workforce shortages, aging and turnover in nursing and direct care, and the need to improve data collection on non-licensed workers and populations such as people with developmental disabilities and autism. Committee members asked questions about what provider types were included in the workforce data and whether DDS-related residential and direct support roles were captured. Doyle said the center is still working to define and measure the full behavioral health workforce, including non-licensed roles, and welcomed follow-up on missing data sources. Members suggested additional sources such as CHIA and the Association of Developmental Disability Providers’ workforce survey. Doyle noted that the center is working with CHIA and that new licensure renewal surveys for behavioral health and allied mental health professionals will begin in 2025, which should improve future workforce data. The discussion also touched on the Health Policy Commission’s broader workforce findings, including nurse attrition, burnout, low wages, and the importance of career ladders and advanced training. Doyle said the center’s first policy recommendations will come from its rate study, expected in the next one to two months, and will likely focus on capacity building and sustainability. After the presentation, members thanked Doyle and discussed subcommittee leadership. Chair Lerault announced he was stepping down, and Chris White volunteered to serve as co-chair; the committee agreed to move forward with that arrangement and to revisit FY26 goals once new leadership is in place. The meeting then adjourned by motion and second.

Transcript Highlights:

• These are incredibly skilled, highly educated... ...why payment was reduced.
• , that's a skill set they often delegate to other people.
• However, due to the very large workforce and very diverse school sites and student body that we serve
• This will avoid depriving the district and the students and families we serve of critical skills that
• And I see you're just trying to get its skills here. So I would move the bill. Thank you.

Committee: Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• with a student in a release time course undergo a background check, and also clarifies...
• in virtual schools, to authorize students enrolled in virtual schools to participate in public school
• . ...relative to suicide prevention programs for students.
• It is about protecting student safety while also protecting due process. I see no questions.
• The current law already provides total exemptions for students traveling to and from school on school

Bills: SR130 , SR131 , SR132 , SR133 , SCR74 , SCR12 , HB582 , HB221 , HCR74 , HCR58 , HB71 , HB79 , HB158 , HB160 , HB169 , HB227 , HB251 , HB289 , HB330 , HB394 , HB410 , HB429 , HB769 , HB1017 , HB1234 , HB712 , SCR3 , SB54 , SB72 , SB129 , SB164 , SB232 , SB287 , SB322 , SB374 , SB375 , SB386 , SB409 , SB447 , SB458 , SB78 , SB112 , SB124 , SB125 , SB174 , SB190 , SB201 , SB208 , SB236 , SB273 , SB307 , SB347 , SB357 , SB385 , SB387 , SB393 , SB401 , SB415 , SB426 , SB435 , SB487 , SB488 , SB523 , SB222 , SCR9 , SCR58 , SB480 , SB514 , SB35 , SB65 , SB215 , SB246 , SB249 , SB269 , SB282 , SB296 , SB323 , SB363 , SB369 , SB474 , SB490 , SB492 , SB500 , HCR31 , HCR47 , HB362 , HB363 , HB368 , HB377 , HB380 , HB382 , HB386 , HB392 , HB406 , HB431 , HB441 , HB466 , HB503 , HB533 , HB559 , HB575 , HB590 , HB593 , HB618 , HB655 , HB664 , HB685 , HB692 , HB707 , HB715 , HB732 , HB738 , HB741 , HB748 , HB776 , HB807 , HB822 , HB856 , HB860 , HB868 , HB887 , HB888 , HB905 , HB908 , HB961 , HB980 , HB990 , HB992 , HB999 , HB1000 , HB1010 , HB1146 , HB1157 , HB1233 , HB1243 , HB54 , HB137 , HB180 , HB192 , HB310 , HB321 , HB396 , HB512 , HB552 , HB578 , HB638 , HB663 , HB708 , HB717 , HB718 , HB1009 , HB1082 , HB1104 , HB1107 , HB1198 , HB1246 , HB27 , HB143 , HB205 , HB259 , HB267 , HB288 , HB308 , HB403 , HB405 , HB414 , HB417 , HB478 , HB546 , HB548 , HB555 , HB557 , HB609 , HB670 , HB672 , HB740 , HB779 , HB786 , HB796 , HB812 , HB848 , HB915 , HB917 , HB921 , HB930 , HB933 , HB1095 , HB1096 , HB1103 , HB1129 , HB1154 , HB1166 , HB1187 , HB1195 , HB1230 , HB316 , HB511 , HB514 , HB799 , HB1039 , HB17 , HB36 , HB41 , HB47 , HB73 , HB126 , HB133 , HB140 , HB159 , HB166 , HB211 , HB226 , HB271 , HB324 , HB337 , HB351 , HB399 , HB571 , HB723 , HB726 , HB750 , HB759 , HB844 , HB966 , HB1006 , HB1018 , HB1036 , SB29 , SB42 , SB43 , SB217 , SB274 , SB300 , SB379 , SB382 , SB441 , SB449 , HB134 , HB258 , HB359 , HB782 , SB149

Keywords: E. Joseph Savoie, Dr. Savoie, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, UL Lafayette, higher education, Louisiana Board of Regents, commissioner of higher education, president emeritus, Carnegie R1, research university, student financial aid, needs-based aid, community and technical college system, teacher education, hurricane Katrina, hurricane Rita, retirement resolution, commendation, senate resolution, public service

Summary: The Senate convened with 29 members present, opened with prayer by Oren Connor, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a musical performance by the Chuck Wagon Gang. The chamber also recognized several guests and observances, including birthdays for Senators Seabaugh, Fesi, and Price, White Coat Wednesday participants, Tourism Day, the Louisiana Oil Marketers Association, Chenault International Airport’s 40th anniversary, and visiting fair queens from Washington and Tangipahoa parishes. The Senate dispensed with reading the journal and received numerous House and Senate messages, committee reports, and resolutions. Several Senate resolutions were taken up and adopted, including commendations for Isaac Herzenberg, condolences for Kathleen Sessomson and former Senator Louis Lambert Jr., recognition of White Coat Wednesday and Tourism Day, and a study resolution on transfer-on-death and payable-on-death accounts. The Senate also adopted a conference committee report on House Bill 782, which concerned vapor and alternative nicotine products and was described as giving the state more tools to combat illegal vapes. A number of Senate bills returned from the House with amendments were either concurred in or rejected, including SB 54, SB 72, SB 129, SB 164, SB 232, SB 287, SB 374, SB 375, SB 386, SB 409, SB 112, SB 124, SB 125, SB 174, SB 190, SB 207, SB 236, SB 307, SB 357, SB 385, SB 387, SB 458, SB 477, SB 590, SB 593, SB 618, SB 655, SB 692, SB 707, SB 732, SB 738, SB 748, SB 776, SB 807, SB 860, SB 868, SB 887, SB 888, SB 905, and SB 961, with votes generally passing by wide margins. The chamber also considered several House bills on final passage. Among those approved were measures on local security districts, budget review authority, school activity access for virtual students, electronic bid forms, brake equipment and trailer safety, construction management at risk contracts, temporary registration plates, the Louisiana Maritime Academy name change, OMV fee and ID issues, ferry operations, group purchasing for local governments, the Green Envelope Program for drivers with disabilities, OMV field office fees, LED fee updates, port development priorities, workforce instructor capacity, and a campus disciplinary process bill tied to hazing prevention. Some House bills were passed after amendments, while others were passed over or rejected for later conference, including bills on virtual school participation, historic preservation, civil service, suicide prevention, local government training, and economic development districts. The Senate also rejected House amendments on SB 78 and SB 208, and rejected amendments on SB 387, sending those matters toward further negotiation.

Transcript Highlights:

• Career and Technical Education Program CTE play a critical role in preparing students for high-demand
• skilled workforce opportunities.
• Texas school districts and charter schools offer diverse CTE programs designed to equip students with
• The bill would provide grants for strategies like tracking student engagement in CTE student organizations
• This bill directly supports attracting highly skilled professionals from industry into the classroom.

Committee: House S/C on Academic & Career-Oriented Education

Transcript Highlights:

• for a future workforce that equips those students with those essential skills.
• for a future workforce that equips those students with those essential skills.
• for a future workforce that equips those students with those essential skills.
• </c><00:02:08.840><c> um</c> students with those essential skills um students with those essential skills
• Pell said the biggest challenge they have had has been the entering skill level of some of their students

Committee: Senate Education Finance

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So I want to make sure that our students are prepared to adapt and evolve and have those basic core skills
• So, regarding student outcomes...
• So we're looking at students, individual students, and how they're moving through the system.
• So what we are proposing is a program that would prioritize long-term student success over just students
• Med students, we'll just say you're a break even.

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and heard a series of budget presentations from the Legislative Services Office and agency leaders on higher education and health education programs. Kevin Campbell first reviewed the Office of the State Board of Education budget, noting staffing growth tied to added responsibilities, the end of federal COVID/ARPA funding, a governor-recommended supplemental reversion for the sunsetted Empowering Parents grant, and FY 2027 requests including a Canvas LMS renewal, a risk-manager transfer back to institutions, and a one-time federal AI grant. Jennifer White, OSBE executive director, defended the Canvas contract as a cost-saving centralized arrangement, discussed budget pressure on colleges and universities, and said the board is developing an outcomes-based funding model that would shift emphasis from enrollment to progression, completion, and workforce outcomes while phasing in changes to avoid destabilizing institutions. Members asked about cuts, tuition, private donations, rainy-day funds, the longitudinal data system, CETL Now usage, and whether programs should be evaluated or eliminated based on outcomes. White said the board is still gathering data and expects at least another year before a workable funding proposal is ready, and she emphasized that unearned funds under the new model would be returned to OSBE for targeted intervention rather than simply removed. The committee also discussed risk-management centralization, with White explaining that moving risk managers back to institutions would improve day-to-day efficiency while OSBE retains enterprise risk oversight. The committee then turned to health education programs, beginning with Family Medicine Residencies. Campbell outlined the program’s funding and recent growth, and residency leaders said the 3% holdback affected both ISU-based and hospital-affiliated programs but would not force immediate reductions. They stressed the importance of continued legislative support, noted that residency training helps retain physicians in Idaho, and said the programs rely on a mix of state, federal, and patient-care revenue. Members also raised concerns about clinical placement capacity, rural access, and whether federal rural health funds could help support expansion. Additional presentations covered the Eastern Idaho Medical Residencies and the University of Utah medical program. EIMR leaders said Idaho remains far short of needed psychiatrists, especially child psychiatrists, and that training residents in-state helps keep physicians in Idaho; they also described private hospital support as part of the funding model. For the University of Utah program, Campbell said the state supports both medical students and psychiatry residents, and the program requested funding for three additional child psychiatry residents. Dr. Beth Botz, the training director, attributed rising child psychiatry need to increased stress, social media, COVID-era effects, and broader awareness of mental health issues, and said placing residents in southeast Idaho has already improved access and reduced wait times.

Transcript Highlights:

• these students throughout their lives.
• Students in this program receive core consumer topics and develop critical thinking skills while focusing
• And so I just want to thank Vivian for that beautiful skill set.
• And I just thank her for those skills that she gave me.
• And I just thank her for those skills that she.

Bills: SB378 , SB985 , SB1246 , HB3720 , SB1500 , SB1984 , HB4118 , SB1644 , SB1546 , SB483

Keywords: bail bondsman, bondsman license, multicounty agent bondsman, surety bondsman, Insurance Commissioner, bail bond regulation, bond deposit, forfeiture, deposit ratio, writing capacity, license transfer, power of attorney, surety bond, bail industry, Oklahoma insurance law, financial solvency, administrative action, Oklahoma Local Food for Schools, school meals, local food procurement

Summary: The House convened, called the roll, and heard an invocation focused on “leading with the farewell,” followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and a series of floor recognitions honoring guests and student groups. Presentations included the nurse of the day, Susan Hollingsworth, and multiple student champions and visitors, including the Clinton High School 4A hip hop state champions, Pryor High School’s Life Smarts state champions, the Elgin High School wrestling team, the Fort Gibson FFA livestock judging team, Putnam City North’s girls basketball champions, visiting students from Douglas, OSU environmental science graduate students, and Oklahoma Energy Resource Board teachers of the year. The chamber then took up several Senate bills. SB 378, updating bail bondsman regulations, passed 77-3. SB 985, codifying the local food for school program in statute, passed 79-0. SB 1246, which would update and speed up DEQ permitting while preserving transparency, drew questions about agency outreach and environmental impacts; after a division vote on advancing the bill passed 30-28, the bill itself passed 81-0. Later, SB 1500 on pharmacy benefit managers passed 81-0, SB 1984 on osteopathic medicine passed 74-0, and SB 1644 creating a reporting mechanism for suspected alpha-gal syndrome passed 82-0. The House also adopted Senate amendments to HB 3720, the local food freedom bill, and passed it 81-0. HB 4118, the family caregiver credit, also passed 81-0 after the Senate amendment restored the title “Caring for Caregivers Act.” A motion was made to reject Senate amendments to HB 2992 and request conference. House Joint Resolution 1100, relating to OMES proposed major rule changes, was read on second reading and referred to administrative rules. A lengthy debate centered on an amendment to SB 1546, a teacher-related bill, which would expand the Oklahoma Equal Opportunity Scholarship Fund tax credit to support the Strong Readers Act, the Oklahoma Math Proficiency Act, and certain capital projects for scholarship-granting organizations. Supporters said it would encourage private investment in education and add instructional capacity; opponents argued it would favor wealthy private schools, do little for rural or high-poverty districts, and divert scholarship resources. The amendment was adopted unanimously, and the bill was advanced to final passage, with debate continuing at the end of the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• The lead student of that team is a student that I coached in high school.
• </c> serve Kentucky students in education. serve Kentucky students in education.
• </c> different students often based on race. different students often based on race.
• </c> students, religious freedom of students students, religious freedom of students and<01:59:33.360
• </c> students in in their weighted funding. students in in their weighted funding.

Keywords: Call to Order and Roll Call - 0:00:00 Approval of Minutes – 0:03:50 Robotics Education – 0:04:18 Canopy KY – 0:14:15 Comprehensive Support and Improvement – 0:23:20 Postsecondary Credit Alignment – 0:53:15 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in K-12 Settings – 1:21:25 Consideration of Referred Administrative Regulations – 2:05:15 Adjournment 2:05:41, 958, all

Summary: The committee opened with a roll call, confirmed a quorum, approved the minutes by voice vote, and recognized a guest of Senator Hickden, retired judge Dan Kelly. The chair then moved through a tight agenda and limited public presentations and questions. The first presentation was on robotics education in Kentucky, led by Representative Chris Lewis, Kentucky FIRST Robotics executive director Kelly Gowen, and students from Whitfield Academy. They argued that robotics should be expanded in high schools as a workforce pipeline for engineering, manufacturing, and advanced technology jobs. The presentation emphasized hands-on learning, industry certifications, teacher development, and a proposed framework to fund robotics education programs statewide. Committee members were not allowed to ask questions because of time constraints. The second presentation was from Canopy Kentucky, led by Adam Watson and founder Scott Collins. They described Canopy’s business and entrepreneurship education programs for fifth graders and high school students, including the NextGen Good Biz initiative and an eight-classroom high school unit. Canopy requested a one-time $750,000 appropriation for fiscal year 2026, matched by private funds, to expand into more schools and rural areas, train educators, and report outcomes. Members asked a brief question about how the programs fit into school schedules and the difference between the elementary and high school offerings. The final presentation, from KDE’s Kelly Foster and Todd Allen, reviewed the state’s school improvement classifications. Foster explained CSI, TSI, and ATSI status, the federal and state legal framework, and how House Bill 298 returned CSI identification to an annual cycle. She reported that Kentucky identified 50 CSI schools on the most recent release, with 53 CSI schools statewide, along with 39 TSI schools and 102 ATSI schools. She also outlined KDE’s support process, including education recovery staff, diagnostic reviews, turnaround plans, and required professional learning for CSI schools.

Transcript Highlights:

• There is job search training, supervised job search, volunteering, basic skills instruction, career or
• They also offer basic and foundational skills instruction, general studies, and GED.
• And then I want to know how many of those A-BOD are college students, just in general.
• So my next question, if I may follow up, how will the work requirement impact... ...students that are
• Students to be able to do apprenticeships or to have work-based learning or all these kinds of things

Committee: All ALC-HOSPITAL, MEDICAID, & DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES STUDY SUBCOMMITTEE

Summary: The subcommittee received a brief DHS update on the Living Choices Assisted Living Waiver reimbursement rate process, with Secretary Janet Mann reporting that the new cost reporting period began in January and that DHS has begun provider and contractor conference calls as the process moves forward. The bulk of the meeting focused on DHS’s overview of TANF and, especially, SNAP changes under the federal One Big Beautiful Bill. Mary Franklin explained new SNAP work requirements for adults ages 18 to 64 who are not otherwise exempt, including the three-month time limit in a 36-month period unless they meet an 80-hour monthly work, volunteer, education, or training requirement. She also reviewed exemptions, noted that some prior exemptions were removed while new tribal-related exemptions were added, and described SNAP Employment and Training providers, budgets, service areas, participant characteristics, and outcomes. Members asked about how mandatory referrals will work, whether funding and vendors are sufficient, how cross-program participation is tracked, how verification and recertification will be handled, and how error rates and sanctions will be managed. DHS said mandatory participants will be referred directly to providers, verification will occur at application and recertification, interviews can be by phone, and the department will return with more information on error-rate mitigation and other requested data. DHS then outlined upcoming Medicaid community engagement requirements for the ARHOME population under the same federal law, which must be implemented by January 1, 2027. The department said it is preparing policy, system changes, data matching, communications, and an outbound customer-service verification process, with a soft launch planned for July to help identify who would meet the requirement or need to provide more information. Members raised concerns about notice, local versus centralized decision-making, and how clients will document work, school, caregiving, or medical exemptions. The meeting concluded with broader discussion of the Alliance for Opportunity audit and a shared emphasis on using SNAP, Medicaid, TANF, and workforce programs together to improve outcomes, expand training options, and better connect Arkansans to education and employment opportunities. The committee also discussed extending the audit contract at a future meeting and adjourned without taking any formal vote in the transcript provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• There is job search training, supervised job search, volunteering, basic skills instruction, career or
• They also offer basic and foundational skills instruction, general studies, and GED.
• And then I want to know how many of those A-BOD are college students, just in general.
• So my next question, if I may follow up, how will the work requirement impact... ...students that are
• to be able to do apprenticeships or to have work-based learning or all of these... ...students to be

Committee: All ALC-HOSPITAL, MEDICAID, & DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES STUDY SUBCOMMITTEE

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Every year, some students are captivated by public policy, but Ms.
• And so I'm proud to recognize these wonderful students.
• Every year, some students are captivated by public policy, but Ms.
• And so I'm proud to recognize these wonderful students.
• In retirement, he continued working with his hands as a skilled carpenter.

Summary: The Assembly convened after a quorum call, heard a prayer and Pledge of Allegiance, and then moved through a largely ceremonial and procedural floor session. Speaker Revis delivered remarks condemning the sexual abuse allegations involving Cesar Chavez and said he would work with Senate leadership on legislation to rename Cesar Chavez Day as Farm Worker Day. The body also handled several procedural motions, including re-referrals of bills to committees and guest introductions for visiting students, advocacy groups, and university representatives. The main substantive actions were on a series of resolutions. H.R. 83, recognizing Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, drew extensive personal testimony from Assemblymembers about family members and constituents with disabilities, the need for inclusion, and the importance of state funding and direct support services; it was adopted by voice vote after 70 co-authors were added. ACR 154, recognizing California Down Syndrome Awareness Week and Day, was similarly supported with personal stories about family members with Down syndrome and the need for continued awareness and services; it was adopted after 67 co-authors were added. ACR 148, designating Family Physician Week, highlighted the shortage of primary care doctors and the importance of investment in family medicine; it was adopted after 60 co-authors were added. ACR 156, recognizing National Day of Play, emphasized social connection, reduced screen time, and community engagement; it also passed with 60 co-authors added. The Assembly also adopted the consent calendar, which included Senate Concurrent Resolution 125 related to Ramadan, by a 60-0 vote. Later, members gave an adjournment in memory for Raymond Martin Melgoza, a union laborer and community member from the Central Valley. The session ended with announcements about the schedule, including no floor session on March 20 and a mandatory joint convention on March 23 for the State of the Judiciary address, followed by adjournment until March 23 at 1 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• To make sure that when students leave high school, they have a plan.
• , intentionally into all the technical skills...” “...skills intentionally into all the technical skills
• “And I really believe it's going to be those adaptable analysis skills.
• in combination with technical skills and education that they're going to need to learn.
• from both durable and technical skills in education over time.

Committee: All ALC-HOSPITAL, MEDICAID, & DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES STUDY SUBCOMMITTEE

Summary: The committee met to hear an update from consultants Mason Bishop and Cameron Christie on Arkansas’s “one door” or “no wrong door” workforce and social services modernization effort. The discussion focused on moving the state toward a work-first system that better connects job seekers, employers, education, and public assistance programs, with goals of increasing upward mobility, improving labor force attachment, reducing inefficiencies, and adapting to changes such as AI and other economic disruptions. The consultants argued that Arkansas’s current system is fragmented across multiple offices, portals, agencies, and funding streams, and that people often have to navigate separate doors for workforce services, TANF, SNAP, Medicaid, and related supports. Bishop repeatedly pointed to Utah as the model, describing how that state integrated workforce and human services into a single department, used cost allocation to blend funding behind the scenes, and saw improved customer service and outcomes after reform. He said TANF should be treated as a workforce program, not just a benefits program, and suggested that Arkansas could use TANF and other tools to cross-train DHS staff, co-locate services, and create a more unified service delivery model. Members asked about federal flexibility, waivers, and whether the state could use one large waiver or a broader restructuring to simplify the system. Bishop explained that a federal pilot authority proposal failed in Congress, so the current approach relies on waivers, cost allocation plans, and possible state-level changes. The committee also discussed the relationship between DHS and workforce offices, the role of local workforce boards, how disability and vocational rehabilitation cases would be handled, and how the governor’s Restore Hope/Hope Hub and faith- and community-based initiatives might fit into the broader plan. Bishop said Arkansas already has rehabilitation services within the workforce department and emphasized that case managers should focus on people rather than programs. No votes were taken. The chair said the committee would revisit case management at its August meeting and adjourned the meeting after thanking the consultants.

Transcript Highlights:

• For students who want to pursue a career and their dream, really, of being part of the legal profession
• ; for those who dream of assisting others and dedicating their talents and skills for that purpose; for
• from the jobs that depend on their ability to pass the exam, it’s literally life-changing for many students
• We hope that these students who pass the bar will all succeed, and as they do...
• We hope that these students who pass the bar will all succeed, and as they do so, we hope that they will

Summary: The California Legislature met in joint convention for the annual State of the Judiciary address, with judges and justices from across the state in attendance along with Governor Newsom and other statewide officials. The opening included prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by the formal introduction of Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero and the California Supreme Court justices. Speakers emphasized the importance of judicial independence, the courts’ role in protecting rights and democracy, and the value of collaboration between the legislative and judicial branches. Chief Justice Guerrero focused on the state of the judicial branch, beginning with budget pressures from prior cuts and noting partial restoration in the governor’s proposed budget, while urging continued stable funding for courts, court-appointed counsel, and judgeships in high-need counties. She highlighted the expansion and benefits of remote proceedings, ongoing judicial vacancies, workload growth, and efforts to improve data collection and case-weighting. She also discussed implementation of the CARE Act, the court interpreter workforce pilot, CASA and kin-first child welfare efforts, courthouse security and facilities projects, and the judiciary’s work on generative AI guardrails. A major portion of the address addressed the recent problems with the California bar exam and broader State Bar oversight. Guerrero said the court would pursue remedies for examinees harmed by the failures and would strengthen admissions oversight, including the role of the Committee of Bar Examiners. She also reiterated support for pro bono legal services and discussed immigration-related courthouse access, citing state laws limiting cooperation with federal immigration enforcement in courthouses. The convention concluded after remarks thanking the judiciary and Legislature, and the joint session adjourned without any recorded votes or formal legislative action.

Transcript Highlights:

• workforce, and a dynamic business environment that supports... ...a skilled workforce, and a dynamic
• partnerships that support... ...and advancing educational and workforce partnerships that support skills
• And whereas the 2026 theme, School Counselors Amplify Student Success, underscores the transformative
• impact that these professionals have on helping students thrive academically, socially, and emotionally
• We recognize the urgent need to address the student mental health crisis, and school counselors are the

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