Transcript Highlights:

• ,</c><00:18:48.000><c> improves</c> modernizing our statues, improves modernizing our statues, improves
• Current law does not specify the status of such employees under the merit system.
• Current law does not specify the status of such employees under the merit system.
• does<00:20:01.280><c> not</c><00:20:01.440><c> specify</c><00:20:01.840><c> the</c><00:20:02.080><c> status
• the status of such employees<00:20:04.080><c> under</c><00:20:04.400><c> the</c><00:20:04.480><c> merit

Bills: SB182 , SB251 , SB252 , HB74 , HB159 , HB292 , SB182 , SB251 , SB252 , HB74 , HB159 , HB292

Committee: Senate Finance and Taxation General Fund

Keywords: psychoactive cannabinoids, cannabis, beverage prohibition, criminal penalties, youth access, Jefferson County, pistol permit, gun permit, concealed carry, firearm permit, sheriff fee, permit fee, weapons license, gun licensing, school security, Jefferson County Sheriff's Fund, retirement system, Gardendale, Birmingham legislative office, local bill

Transcript Highlights:

• And Allan has been granted the status of Cuban and Haitian and Trent or an individual who lawfully resides
• Deputy Secretary Meyer is going to brief us on the status of cause implementation of the new requirement
• mean it's a permit denials not getting paid, just if the claim get fixed and it can get to a paid status
• that can be remediated and get to a paid status and to help them rebuild that claim and get paid and
• the prior authorization requirement and some of those claims will hopefully get these 2 are paid status

Transcript Highlights:

• When we first introduced the partition land grant legislation that gave political subdivision status
• designation in the original monumental bill of 2004, which gave land grants political subdivision status
• That recognition of local government status has since sparked a snowball effect of other changes that
• In 2003, we began a period of getting land grants recognized as being tax exempt through their status
• One of the pieces that we had talked about is in the B8 status report from the Guadalupe Hidalgo Treaty

Committee: House House Rural Development, Land Grants And Cultural Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• So and and in the past and current statue have it around opportunity zones and for that purpose.
• Just 2 students who are low performing for students who have low economic status, but it will be open
• Somebody who's low economic status. Is it somebody who's a pro performing student is in both.
• You can low economic status who's not a poor performing student and that student join in the lottery
• must require not just high-performance but continued ascent in high-performance to maintain that status

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• When we look at accreditation status, when I present to you today related to accreditation status, I'm
• Accreditation status of the are in programs.
• We had 149 or 47% were credited 45.4 3% approved and somewhere on probationary status, almost a percent
• And then lastly looking our student retention rate by accreditation status.
• Again, when I'm when I'm reporting to you accreditation status, these are only the are in programs.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill would also establish a presumption that, based on the defendant's status as an illegal alien
• the</c> presumption that based on the presumption that based on the defendant's<00:51:18.800><c> status
• as an illegal alien, defendant's status as an illegal alien, the<00:51:20.720><c> defendant</c><00:51
• . status. status.
• ,</c> substantiate their immigration status, substantiate their immigration status, you've<00:55:19.520

Committee: House Judiciary

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The focus of the hearing will cover a range of topics, including the funding status of MOSERS.
• The focus of the hearing will cover a range of topics, including the funding status of MOSERS, the recent
• went through the step up in the rate, but the policy is designed to hopefully increase the funded status
• Oftentimes, if a pension plan is not in the same health status, I would say, or have the same funded
• Oftentimes, if a pension plan is not in the same health status, I would say, or have the same funded

Committee: House Joint Committee on Public Employee Retirement

Summary: The Joint Committee on Public Employee Retirement held an informational hearing on the Missouri State Employees’ Retirement System (MOSERS) to review its long-term financial condition, funding status, investment performance, experience study results, and possible legislation. MOSERS staff explained that the plan is a statutorily created defined benefit system covering state employees, several colleges and quasi-governmental entities, with an 11-member board and outside actuarial and investment consultants. They reported the June 30, 2025 valuation showed a funded ratio of 55.4%, assets of about $9.6 billion, liabilities of about $17.4 billion, and a FY27 actuarial employer rate of 27.44%, which the board raised to a 32% minimum contribution rate under a policy adopted in 2023. MOSERS attributed the funding decline over time to several factors: reductions in the assumed investment return from 8.5% to 6.95%, mortality assumption updates, a move from open to closed amortization, and especially weak payroll growth and a shrinking active workforce. Staff said the minimum contribution policy is intended to accelerate UAL paydown and could bring the plan to 80% funded by 2037 rather than 2041, assuming all assumptions are met. The committee also discussed the recent experience study, which kept the investment return assumption at 6.95% and made only modest assumption changes, and a proposed 2026 bill package (SB 1557 and SB 1054) that would automatically refund small balances under $1,000 to terminated non-vested members and add auto-escalation to the deferred compensation plan. A substantial portion of the hearing focused on investment strategy and why MOSERS has lagged some peers. The investment consultant said historical underperformance was driven mainly by asset allocation choices that emphasized a more risk-balanced, diversified portfolio with less public equity exposure than peers during a period when equities performed very strongly. He said the board adopted a more equity-oriented allocation in 2024 and is phasing it in over eight quarters, with recent short-term results improving and the portfolio outperforming its policy benchmark. Members also asked about the effect of inactive members, the rationale for the higher employer contribution, and whether the current board should be held responsible for past decisions; MOSERS officials emphasized that the current board is trying to correct course and that pension funding changes take time. The hearing also touched on ongoing litigation against a former private equity manager, Catalyst Capital, with MOSERS saying it has spent about $20 million in legal fees so far and that the case remains on appeal. The committee took no formal vote and adjourned after the informational presentation and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• Each state gets to send two statues to Congress to represent them.
• Minnesota's current two statues are... ...of Sanford, an education leader installed in 1958, and Henry
• This funding would pay for a new statue to be made, using as... ...as the base, the Humphrey statue that
• stands on the Capitol grounds, for the statue to be shipped to D.C. and to ship the existing statue
• And hopefully you know that spot is more prominent than the one statue is now. Thank you, Mr.

Bills: HF474 , HF218 , HF210 , HF441 , HF691 , HF720 , HF1068 , HF1314 , HF1465 , HF1860 , HF2046 , HF1389 , HF2404 , HF2854 , HF2985 , HF3128 , HF3103 , HF778 , HF3125

Committee: House Capital Investment

Keywords: HF474, Hubert H. Humphrey, Henry Mower Rice, Statuary Hall, United States Capitol, statue replacement, capital investment, general fund appropriation, Minnesota State Capitol, Minnesota State Historical Society, public art, commemorative statue, National Statuary Hall Collection, commissioner of administration, cultural heritage, monument, Washington D.C., HF218, Minnesota, Department of Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• Minnesota's current two statues are Maria Sanford, which was installed in 1958, and Henry Rice, which
• But there's been more than a century since we have updated our statue, and since Mr.
• Rice's statue was sent, Minnesotans have accomplished quite a bit on the national stage.
• </c> century since we have updated our statue century since we have updated our statue and<00:56:23.599
• be shipped to D.C. to ship the existing statue of Mr.

Bills: HF627 , HF474 , HF361 , HF1837

Committee: House State Government Finance and Policy

Keywords: HF627, fiscal note, fiscal notes, Minnesota Legislature, state government, committee procedure, ranking minority member, minority party, standing committee, Ways and Means, Finance Committee, legislative process, budget analysis, fiscal impact, Minnesota Statutes 3.98, committee chair, legislative transparency, HF474, Hubert H. Humphrey, Henry Mower Rice

Transcript Highlights:

• ,</c> determine to determine general status, determine to determine general status, requiring<01:08:53.120
• </c> status violates juvenile probation. status violates juvenile probation.
• </c> revoke the youthful offender status. revoke the youthful offender status.
• to be appropriate for offender status to be appropriate for that<01:56:45.800><c> youth.
• </c> relates to the youthful offender status. relates to the youthful offender status.

Keywords: 926, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• additional language that would clarify that this bill indeed does focus solely on the CHOOSE Act status
• or sort of the longhand version, of saying that we're only going to focus just on that CHOOSE Act status
• c><00:06:46.720><c> the</c><00:06:46.880><c> choose</c><00:06:47.120><c> act</c><00:06:47.360><c> status
• </c><00:06:47.600><c> of</c><00:06:47.680><c> the</c> solely on the choose act status of the solely on
• the choose act status of the student<00:06:48.080><c> and</c><00:06:48.240><c> and</c><00:06:49.039>

Bills: SB342 , SB342 , SB159

Committee: House Ways and Means Education

Keywords: land bank, land bank authority, local land bank authority, Alabama Land Bank Authority, tax delinquent property, tax sale, tax lien, redemption period, quiet title, blight remediation, vacant property, foreclosure, ad valorem tax, property tax exemption, intergovernmental agreement, county government, municipal government, redevelopment, brownfields, floodplain management

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm also concerned about not being in that fully funded status.
• just I, you know, the other thing I'm going to just bring up here: it's going to impact the funding status
• And, you know, we've been very successful on Plan 2s and Plan 3s; the funding status is in the 90% level
• and how it's might be impacting. ...and what might be and how it's might be impacting the funding status
• overfunding, we also have a discussion about—I recognize 100% gets the word that we have full funding status

Committee: Joint Select Committee on Pension Policy

Summary: The Select Committee on Pension Policy executive committee met to approve the November minutes, which were adopted by voice vote. The committee then received an update from the Attorney General’s Office on two ongoing cases, Fowler and Joel Lynn, with briefing and oral argument timelines still pending. Michael Harbour of the Office of the State Actuary provided an actuarial update focused on ESSB 5357, explaining that the bill raised the assumed investment return from 7% to 7.25%, suspended UAL contribution rates for four years, and changed amortization for past benefit improvements; members asked for clarification on how those changes would affect long-term funding and contribution rates, especially for Plan 1 systems. A substantial portion of the meeting was devoted to committee discussion of interim priorities and the need for more analysis of recent pension legislation. Members emphasized the importance of understanding the fiscal impacts of ESSB 5357 and related pension changes before the September economic experience study, and several asked staff to provide a more preliminary walkthrough of the bill’s effects. The committee also discussed the LEOFF 1 study and broader questions about overfunding, including when a plan should be considered overfunded and whether overfunding should be addressed through merger or closure proposals. One member suggested reviewing the operating budget’s excess compensation proviso during the interim as well. Staff reviewed the draft 2025 interim work plan, proposing June topics including election of officers, a presentation on SB 5357 and its actuarial implications, and an initial LEOFF 1 study kickoff based on SB 5085 and HB 2034. The committee also placed excess compensation and demographic experience study items in a parking lot for possible later scheduling. The June agenda was adopted by roll call vote, with three ayes and three members absent or excused, and the meeting adjourned after no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• What is the status for funding for Governor's Scholars? Is that in the base?
• Entrepreneurs.<00:08:00.040><c> What</c><00:08:00.200><c> is</c><00:08:00.360><c> the</c><00:08:00.480><c> status
• What is the status for Entrepreneurs.
• What is the status for funding<00:08:01.600><c> for</c><00:08:01.720><c> Governor's</c><00:08:02.080>

Committee: House Appropriations & Revenue

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Roll Call 00:00:47 SB 197 Discussion 00:01:50 SB 197 Vote 00:08:40, 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This is referred to as duration of status. A recently proposed rule change... Sorry.
• This is referred to as duration of status. A recently proposed rule change...
• This is referred to as duration of status.
• and temporary protected status.
• . become the first four-year public institution to achieve HSI MSI status by the fall of 2026.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Racial Equity, Civil Rights, and Inclusion

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Racial Equity, Civil Rights, and Inclusion held an informational hearing on “Protecting Equity in Higher Education” and emphasized that no bills were being heard. Members and witnesses focused on the effects of recent federal actions on DEI, admissions, financial aid, student loans, international students, and campus equity efforts in Massachusetts. Opening remarks from the co-chairs and the chair of Higher Education highlighted Massachusetts’ investments in free community college, expanded financial aid, and early college programs, while warning that federal policy changes could undermine those gains. Testimony from BU law professor Jonathan Feingold argued that many DEI practices remain legally defensible after Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, and that the decision did not end all race-conscious or equity-oriented efforts. He said the Trump administration’s anti-DEI actions and funding threats were legally suspect and had created confusion and a chilling effect. Bahar Akman-in-Boden of the Hildreth Institute testified that proposed federal cuts to TRIO, Gear Up, Pell Grants, SEOG, work-study, and student loan programs would disproportionately harm low-income, first-generation, Black, Latino, and other underserved students, and urged the state to prepare hold-harmless and advising supports using Fair Share revenue. Commissioner Noe Ortega described Massachusetts’ long history of equity in higher education and said the state has expanded aid, success programs, and early college, but still has work to do on attainment and completion. He said the state responded to SFFA by creating ACARE and continuing to defend equity practices, while also warning that federal disruptions and “dear colleague” letters have created uncertainty. In the second panel, state university leaders and campus officials said federal threats to Pell, DEI grants, Medicaid, and international student policies could affect access, campus operations, and the economy; they stressed that most state university graduates stay in Massachusetts and that institutions are continuing their equity practices despite federal pressure. Roxbury Community College’s president said RCC remains committed to open access and inclusion, noted enrollment growth, and said executive orders do not change existing law or the college’s obligations.

Transcript Highlights:

• There's a system in place that maintains itself, and that's the status quo.
• The Turtle Mount Band purchases land, turns around and takes it out of trust status.
• . the sale price of that Converted into trust status.
• to trust status.
• to, or yeah...” “...over from fee status to, or yeah, fee taxable to non-taxable.

Committee: Joint Tribal and State Relations Committee

Summary: The meeting focused on Turtle Mountain’s public health and behavioral health priorities, especially access to rural health transformation funding and a long-running data use agreement with the state. Tribal public health leaders described how, during COVID, a temporary data-sharing arrangement allowed them to do their own contact tracing and case management, and they argued that a similar agreement is now needed to respond more quickly to very high syphilis rates and other infectious disease concerns. Committee members generally expressed support and said they would follow up with state officials, while tribal representatives emphasized that they already have the staff and infrastructure to use timely data effectively. A major portion of the meeting was devoted to the Turtle Mountain Recovery Center and the broader issue of the IMD exclusion and residential treatment capacity. Tribal leaders described the center’s opening, its five levels of care, its 16-bed limit, and its efforts to become financially sustainable through billing, grants, and partnerships. They shared success stories and argued for an IMD waiver or similar flexibility so the center could expand to 32 beds and better meet local need. Committee members discussed the policy barriers to expanding residential treatment, including federal approval timelines, state funding choices, and the need to preserve a continuum of care that includes outpatient and community-based services. The committee then heard a detailed presentation from Hector Hernandez-Dogato of the National Health Law Program on the history and mechanics of the IMD exclusion and Section 1115 waivers. He explained that the exclusion limits Medicaid payment for services in facilities with more than 16 beds, but noted existing exceptions and alternatives such as state plan options, managed care arrangements, telehealth, and community-based services. He also reviewed mixed results from states that have used IMD waivers, warning that they do not automatically improve overdose deaths, emergency room use, or access to community care, and may risk reinforcing institutionalization if not paired with strong upstream services. The committee discussed a draft bill to appropriate $49,000 and one FTE for HHS to pursue an IMD waiver, with members suggesting the bill may need to explicitly include serious mental illness as well as substance use disorder and asking for department input at a future meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• That Senator Rosenwald [member_15808] asked you about the status of the fund and how this might affect
• Rosen Wall uh asked you um about<00:05:45.039><c> about</c><00:05:45.440><c> the</c><00:05:45.919><c> status
• of</c><00:05:46.479><c> the</c><00:05:46.639><c> fund</c><00:05:47.919><c> uh</c> about about the status
• of the fund uh about about the status of the fund uh and<00:05:48.400><c> how</c><00:05:48.639><c> this
• of prior audit findings current status of prior audit findings for<00:29:32.159><c> fiscal</c><00:29

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The Joint Fiscal Committee met on March 20, 2026, approved the minutes, and adopted the consent calendar after removing two items for separate discussion: FIS 26048 from the Department of Safety and FIS 26053 from the Department of Environmental Services. The committee then adopted both of those items after brief questioning. Safety explained that a $2 million transfer would reduce its lapse, though it still expected a lapse of just under $4 million. Members, especially Senator Gray, emphasized concern about lapses and the need to track them closely given prior-year shortfalls. On the Environmental Services item, members discussed the Heavy Falls dam removal. The commissioner said the dam is old, not grounded in bedrock, and does not meet current safety standards, so removal was the practical option because replacement funding was unavailable. He said the aquatic resource mitigation fund and Army Corps of Engineers support made the removal feasible, and that the town had been involved in discussions for years. The committee adopted the item. The committee also adopted a Department of Transportation item, with staff noting high snowfall and a roughly 25% vacancy rate but saying contractors and bonus incentives had allowed plowing operations to continue. A Judicial Council item was then adopted, with the director saying it would likely be his last appearance this fiscal year. The committee next reviewed information materials on YDC claims administration, where DOJ staff said current spending would leave about a $10 million buffer into the next fiscal year and described reduced staffing and ongoing claims work; no action was taken. The committee then heard audit presentations for the Liquor Commission and Lottery Commission. The Liquor Commission audit reported seven findings, including a material weakness on reconciliations, issues with NextGen data/reporting, gift and promotional card controls, procurement and leasing practices, and one nonconcurrence on whether certain purchases were exempt from bidding requirements; members discussed whether attorney general review or legislation might be needed. The commission said it had completed a year-end reconciliation and was about 70% reconciled through February. The Lottery Commission audit reported three internal control comments, all concurred with by the lottery, focused on written procedures, filling the controller position, annual risk assessments, disaster recovery testing, user access controls, and training compliance; the lottery said it was hiring to reduce reliance on one employee and had no unresolved findings. The committee took no vote on the audit materials and adjourned after setting the next meeting for April 17 at 11:00 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• Department of Veterans Affairs, Cannabis Control, Consumer Affairs, the California Commission on the Status
• The California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls and the California Arts Council are included
• process, not only one that happens when service members leave active duty and transition to veteran status
• That, you know, puts a flag on this veteran's status as being soon to be separating.
• I'm the executive director for the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee 5 on State Administration held an informational hearing on budget issues for the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Cannabis Control, the Department of Consumer Affairs, the Commission on the Status of Women and Girls, and the California Arts Council. The chair noted there would be no votes. CalVet gave an overview of its programs serving veterans and families, including transition assistance, county veterans service officers, education approvals, housing and homelessness programs, home loans, long-term care homes, and state veterans cemeteries. Members asked about future long-term care needs for aging veterans, staffing and recruitment challenges at veterans homes, and the Yountville steam infrastructure replacement project, for which CalVet sought a $38.8 million reappropriation and said federal reimbursement was expected. CalVet also discussed the role of county veterans service officers in helping veterans file claims and avoid predatory unaccredited representatives. The Department of Cannabis Control described its regulatory role from seed to sale and requested one position to implement SB 1064’s combined activities license. Members and public witnesses focused heavily on the illicit cannabis market, enforcement staffing, and the impact of taxes and fees on the legal market. DCC said it had roughly 87 enforcement positions with about a 15% vacancy rate and more than 200 compliance staff. Its economist presented the 2024 cannabis market report, which found licensed production and retail quantity were up, but retail value and prices were down, with an estimated 11.4 million pounds of illicit production and about 60% of California consumption still coming from the illicit market. Industry witnesses argued the legal market is in crisis, urged repeal of the scheduled excise tax increase, stronger enforcement against illicit cannabis and hemp-derived intoxicants, and expanded retail access. The Department of Consumer Affairs briefly presented nine budget proposals, including a $2.6 million ongoing request to maintain a business modernization system for several boards and bureaus. The Commission on the Status of Women and Girls described its work on economic and educational equity, health care, violence prevention, student rights, and archival and outreach projects, and said its budget request would convert limited-term positions to permanent. A member urged the commission to narrow its priorities toward current issues such as affordability, child care, and women’s health. The California Arts Council outlined its role as the state’s only statewide arts funder and requested restoration of $5 million in local assistance; supporters testified that the funding would leverage additional local investment and help sustain arts access, especially in rural communities. The hearing ended after the non-presentation items were noted and no further public comment was offered.

Transcript Highlights:

• Looking at the variable of licensure status or accreditation status, here is where we have some challenge
• : the way that nursing education programs are reporting to us their accreditation status for the PN.
• Private-for-profits, for tax status, is really, I think, what is going to separate them.
• It's for tax status, really, I think, what is going to separate them.
• When we're differentiating our tax status and the institutional characteristics, we do survey, so there

Summary: The subcommittee met to examine Florida’s nursing education pipeline and the state’s persistently low NCLEX passage rates. Chair Tuck opened by noting the projected nurse shortage and Florida’s ranking near the bottom nationally for first-time NCLEX pass rates. The Department of Health explained the Board of Nursing’s approval process for nursing programs, including application requirements, probation standards, and termination for programs that repeatedly fail passage-rate benchmarks. The Florida Center for Nursing then presented statewide data showing Florida has more test takers than most states, but still trails the national average; the gap has narrowed in recent years, though Florida remains below average. Members focused heavily on why the state continues to underperform, with discussion of faculty shortages, clinical placement constraints, accreditation, student preparedness, and the large share of newer private for-profit programs among those placed on probation. Committee members asked about how probation works, what happens when programs improve, and whether the board requires corrective plans. They also questioned the relationship between program type and outcomes, the effect of Operation Nightingale, and how many students fail and retest. The Florida Center for Nursing said first-attempt pass rates are the standard measure and that students who fail are expected to remediate and retest, though costs vary. The center also said Florida’s data shows accredited programs outperform approved or probationary ones, and that the state’s nursing workforce challenges are tied to broader issues such as faculty vacancies, clinical site competition, and student demographics, including many students balancing work, family, and language barriers. A panel of nursing school leaders from public, private nonprofit, and private for-profit institutions then described strategies used to improve outcomes. These included transparent recruitment, early orientation, tutoring, success coaching, stronger faculty development, curriculum mapping to NCLEX standards, higher course benchmarks, mandatory remediation, simulation labs, and commercial NCLEX prep tools such as ATI, Kaplan, and HESI. Several panelists said their programs had improved after probation or had very high passage rates, and they emphasized that student success depends on academic preparation, clinical experience, and support services. Members also asked about tuition, program length, translation into other languages, and faculty recruitment; panelists said costs vary widely, faculty hiring is difficult because hospitals pay more, and some schools are considering medical Spanish and immersion options rather than full curriculum translation.

Transcript Highlights:

• The educational options eligible students must have an awarded status and be enrolled in an eligible
• The unique abilities eligible students must have an awarded status at the time the file is uploaded.
• will receive, and then, of course, it's probably a phone call to verify the student's enrollment status
• Again, parents will be notified of changes in status to their application.
• After doing so, the household will be provided with a listing of the reimbursement request, its status

Summary: The Pre-K through 12 Budget Subcommittee met to continue reviewing how Family Empowerment Scholarship students are funded through the FEFP and the role of scholarship funding organizations. Staff gave a statutory overview of parent, SFO, and Department of Education responsibilities, including application deadlines, eligibility verification, quarterly payment timing, cross-checks to prevent duplicate funding, and the 99% district FEFP limitation for certain awards. The committee then heard demonstrations from Step Up for Students and AAA Scholarship Foundation showing their parent portals, application workflows, reimbursement systems, school enrollment/invoice processes, and marketplace tools for tuition, tutoring, and approved goods and services. Step Up reported major growth since HB 1, saying its scholarship population expanded from about 260,000 to more than 440,000 students, with application processing averaging about 10 days. It also highlighted faster tuition, provider, and reimbursement payments, multilingual support in English and Spanish, and resources such as videos and a call center. Members asked about support for Creole speakers, optional Florida ID numbers, student identifiers, marketplace pricing, tutor qualifications, background screening, and how awards differ from funded status. Step Up said it does not currently support Creole, does not do background screenings for tutors, sets no marketplace prices itself, and uses a unique internal student ID separate from the state ID. AAA demonstrated its revised software for the 2025-26 school year, including an eligibility screener, household and student application steps, messaging with staff, reimbursement requests, and administrative review and payment batching. AAA said the new system is custom-built, more transparent about award value versus available balance, and designed to better handle quarterly funding for UA students. Members questioned AAA and Step Up about student ID numbers, public-school cross-checks, fraud controls, school fee schedules, whether schools must participate, and reimbursement timing. Both organizations said they report quarterly to DOE, receive public-school cross-checks, and recover funds when students return to public school; AAA said its average reimbursement turnaround is about 14 business days, while Step Up said its reimbursement approvals have improved significantly. The committee also requested follow-up information, including one-pagers, data on income levels and demographics, and additional details on forecasting and system costs.

Transcript Highlights:

• When we look at accreditation status, when I present to you today related to accreditation status, I'm
• So when I present to you today, it will be the RN programs that I'm reporting on accreditation status
• And then lastly, looking at our student retention rate by accreditation status.
• Again, when I'm reporting to you accreditation status, these are only the RN programs.
• And when I'm reporting to you accreditation status, these are only the RN programs.

Committee: Senate Appropriations Committee on Higher Education

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Higher Education met to focus on nursing education funding, workforce supply, and Florida’s low NCLEX pass rates. The chair emphasized that Florida ranks last nationally in nursing exam pass rates and said the committee wants to use budget decisions and a forthcoming nursing bill to improve outcomes. The Florida Center for Nursing at USF presented preliminary workforce and education data showing RN supply is moving toward equilibrium with demand through 2037, while LPN shortages are projected to worsen, especially in some regions. The center also reported on enrollment, retention, faculty vacancies, and NCLEX trends, noting Florida still underperforms the national average but has shown some recent improvement, including higher RN pass rates in 2024 despite fewer test takers. The center highlighted that students who test sooner after graduation tend to pass at higher rates. A panel of nursing education leaders from public universities, state colleges, technical colleges, and private institutions described how prior state pipeline and line-item funding helped expand enrollment, simulation labs, faculty hiring, student support services, and partnerships with hospitals. UNF, Galen College, College of Central Florida, Keiser University, and Lorenzo Walker Technical College each reported strategies such as expanded simulation, mental health and social work support, test-prep and remediation, and efforts to grow faculty pipelines. Several speakers said faculty recruitment and retention remain major barriers because of salary competition with hospitals, faculty debt, and aging faculty. Technical college representatives also stressed the need to strengthen LPN pathways, English-language support, and LPN-to-RN bridge programs. Members asked for ideas to improve NCLEX outcomes and discussed possible policy options, including student loan forgiveness, critical shortage supplements for faculty, incentives for students to test soon after graduation, and possible changes to timing or regulation around NCLEX eligibility. Several witnesses supported more flexible or recurring funding, while noting that one-time line funding has been useful for simulation, scholarships, and faculty support but is harder to sustain. The committee adjourned after the discussion, with the chair saying the ideas would be considered in future funding and policy decisions.