Transcript Highlights:

• <00:14:45.279> there's over years over the years but there's over years over the years but
• So, you know, roughly $1.8 million a year or so where you can collect information on various programs
• Partnership Program. Partnership Program.
• Program uh is a program that Partnership Program uh is a program that uh<00:25:27.679> as<00:
• <00:26:47.520> the programs under the MJSP program. the programs under the MJSP program. the

Bills: HF2440

Keywords: labor market, employment, economic development, funding, data analysis, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• To support this alignment... creating post-secondary programs of study several years ago.
• So the Workforce Commission has funded for several years, externship programs, the thing about this is
• New fellowship programs, scholarship programs.
• They started an aviation program a few years ago.
• was a, he's 21 years old, he went through their lives. program he's making a hundred and twenty five

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We're still only about a 30-year-old industry, so we're still finding different programs that are out
• We're only about a 30-year-old industry, so we're still finding different programs that are out there
• And some of these programs have been here for many, many years, and we would just like to somehow benefit
• to you today about the program, some of the strides that we've made over the past two years, and my goal
• to 2022 we have 66,000 acres that were acquired under the program in just two years we have 144,000

Summary: The Senate Committee on Agriculture met with a quorum present and heard three presentations focused on Florida aquaculture, agricultural nutrient reduction, and land preservation. First, clam farmer Tim Solano of Cedar Key described the economic and environmental importance of the state’s clam industry, noting Florida’s strong national production, the industry’s recovery role after the net ban, and the severe damage caused by recent hurricanes and red tide. He said the Dislocated Workers program helped farmers return to work and asked that existing state programs be written more broadly to include aquaculture. Oyster producer Canaan Greg of Pelican Oyster Company then discussed the growth of off-bottom oyster farming, the losses his industry suffered from Hurricane Michael and the pandemic, and the need for better access to recovery loans, student internships, local seed production, and waterfront protection. Members asked questions about leases, production, predators, and storm resilience, and the presenters emphasized that aquaculture is a sustainable, year-round industry that filters water and supports local economies. The committee next heard from UF/IFAS regional extension agent Dr. Bob Hockmouth on education, research, and extension efforts to reduce nitrogen in the Suwannee Valley Basin Management Action Plan area. He explained that the region’s agricultural load reduction target has increased from about 4.2 million to 5.8 million pounds of nitrogen, and that extension programs are helping farmers adopt practices such as precision fertilizer placement, soil moisture sensors, controlled-release fertilizer, petiole sap testing, and irrigation automation. He highlighted corn and watermelon as major examples, saying on-farm demonstrations and cost-share programs are essential because the equipment and technology are expensive. He reported substantial reductions from participating farms and said growers are generally cooperative when funding is available. Finally, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services presented an update on the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program. The program acquires development rights through voluntary conservation easements to keep working agricultural lands in production, protect water resources and wildlife habitat, and preserve taxable land without transferring ownership. The presenter said the program has expanded rapidly in the last two years, with more acreage acquired, faster application review, and more properties in the Florida wildlife corridor. He noted new online application and monitoring tools, a shortened review timeline, and stronger partnerships with federal and defense-related programs. Committee members asked about long-term maintenance responsibilities and the Board of Trustees approval process, and the presentation closed with support for continued funding and efficiency improvements before the committee adjourned without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• You're going to maybe go back to NHTI and maybe get involved with the math learning communities program
• You're going to maybe go back to NHTI and maybe get involved with the math learning communities program
• Hired part-time year after year after year, they're not part-time anymore, and so the qualifications
• <03:49:37.120> program get the curriculum learning program get the curriculum learning program
• <04:15:12.359> and<04:15:12.560> years systemwide years and years systemwide years

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on House Bill 362, which would give the Department of Education rulemaking authority over educator licensing and testing requirements, including professional education assessments. Representative Ladd argued the bill is meant to preserve New Hampshire’s higher standards for teacher preparation and to avoid lowering requirements for licensed educators, while also allowing flexibility for career and technical education (CTE) instructors who may have strong industry experience but not traditional classroom credentials. Members discussed whether the bill should preserve industry-recognized credentials and basic academic skills testing while exempting CTE teachers from content exams; DOE Director Steven Appy said an amendment would clarify that the bill applies to initial licenses, exempt CTE teachers from the content-testing requirement, and keep current administrative practice on basic skills and industry credentials in statute. The committee also noted that an executive session would be scheduled later, likely the following week, to act on the bills and amendment. The committee then took up House Bill 90, dealing with the definition of part-time teachers. Representative Ladd explained that the bill is intended to let university and community college faculty teach limited hours in high school concurrent enrollment settings, especially in subjects like math and STEM where some schools cannot find locally certified teachers with a master’s degree. He said the measure is designed to expand student access to college-level courses, not to replace fully certified teachers or reduce standards, and emphasized that the bill is limited to faculty employed or contracted by the University System of New Hampshire or the Community College System of New Hampshire, with criminal background checks and ethics/conduct rules still applying. No votes were taken during the hearing, and the discussion ended with the understanding that further action would come in executive session.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we were the first program.
• Now, the key is: how do you take what we learned over the years and apply it to AI?
• just in the last year, much more over the course of that program. but also allows us to set our experts
• I lived there for 20 years.
• It's a bilingual program.

Transcript Highlights:

• Florida Medicaid is a state-federal program which costs the taxpayers $35 billion this year, or about
• We have many things we learn in 12-step programs. You are my living and prime example.
• And I learned a lot. Hey, I learned, hey, you're absolutely right. And I learned a lot.
• I had been fresh home after being gone nine years in eight different drug treatment programs until I
• They were together for 50 years. They were married for 44 years. They were together for 50 years.

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opening prayer, Pledge of Allegiance, and several introductions and recognitions, including a resolution honoring Bob Graham and a moment of silence for firefighter Roger Timmy Miley. The chamber then moved through a special-order calendar with multiple bills, many of them paired with House companions and amended before final passage. Early action included adoption of a tax conformity bill tied to federal changes in the Internal Revenue Code, with a 34-0 vote. The most extensive debate centered on CS/CS/SB 1758, a Medicaid and SNAP reform bill. The sponsor described provisions to strengthen fraud enforcement, impose work requirements for able-bodied adults, expand behavioral health services through a waiver, modernize Medicaid drug purchasing, and require a SNAP fraud-reduction plan and photo ID on EBT cards. Democrats offered amendments to delay work requirements until Medicaid expansion and to add protections for SNAP users such as caregivers, seniors, disabled individuals, and domestic violence survivors; both amendments failed. Senators also questioned implementation details, exemptions, and potential effects on vulnerable populations. After debate, the bill was placed on the calendar for third reading. The Senate also passed bills on technology education and AI instruction, a public records exemption and related Parkinson’s Disease Registry measures, designation of the SS American Victory as the state flagship, electronic payments for local governments, repeal of the sunset on legal tender recognition for gold and silver, public records protections for financial and digital-asset custodians, a Florida stablecoin pilot program, local government budget transparency, digital voyeurism, insurance customer representative licensing, and a medical freedom bill with amendments on vaccine-related materials and anti-kickback provisions. Most of these measures passed with little or no opposition, though the public records bill for gold/silver custodians and the legal tender repeal drew a few dissenting votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• We've had program cuts.
• They were excluded years ago.
• Last year, our program received 658 students from schools flagging them as 15-day dropped or not enrolled
• We, just as As a reminder, last year, there was funding put forward for the pilot program for our 13
• We know that our state can learn a lot from these pilot programs and look forward to analyzing their

Bills: HF51, HF1161, HF2201, HF2786, HF1053

Keywords: HF51, Sibley County, State-Aid Highway 21, capital investment, bonding bill, general obligation bonds, transportation infrastructure, road improvements, sanitary sewer, water main, storm sewer, local infrastructure, county grant, Minnesota Department of Transportation, bond proceeds fund, public works, utility infrastructure, education finance, school district funding, tax base adjustment

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, we have an AI summit every year, which is pretty awesome to have educators come and learn from the
• learning in the program because we had a more connected feeling to them. >> Yes.
• > the the things that we were learning in the the things that we were learning in the program<
• year to year. year to year.
• 3 years to 5 years? 3 years to 5 years?

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The joint Education and Higher Education committees met on February 10, 2026, first hearing HB 1676, which would create an AI and education task force, require documentation from AI vendors before procurement or use, and appropriate funds. The Department of Education, Public Charter School Commission, and University of Hawaii all supported the bill’s intent and described existing AI literacy efforts, teacher training, guidance for students and staff, and privacy/monitoring safeguards. DOE said it had already convened an AI task force, produced a report, trained over 10,000 educators, and embedded AI into computer science and broader curricular guidance. Members questioned DOE about student privacy, harmful content monitoring, personal devices, cell phone policy, teacher training, and whether AI literacy should extend beyond computer science into all subjects and across rural schools. After discussion, the chair announced HB 1676 would be deferred to Friday, February 13, and that a HD1 draft would be prepared. The chair said the committee would revisit the task force composition and procurement standards, with possible elimination of the procurement section, and circulate the revised draft before the next hearing. The committee then recessed and later reconvened for HB 1811, a student loan repayment program for educators. Testimony from the Department of Education, Public Charter School Commission, University of Hawaii, Hawaii Teacher Standards Board, HSTA, and the Democratic Party of Hawaii Education Caucus was generally supportive, with HSTA and the Teacher Standards Board emphasizing teacher recruitment and retention, student loan burden, and the need to address the teacher shortage. In decision-making on HB 1811, the committees adopted the chair’s recommendation to pass the bill with amendments. The main amendment collapsed the repayment structure into a single disbursement of up to $25,000 after five years of service, with technical/non-substantive changes and a corrected effective date. Both the Education and Higher Education committees voted unanimously in favor. Later in the meeting, the Education Committee began hearing HB 1561 on student meals, which drew broad support from the Public Charter School Commission, Department of Health, HSTA, Hawaii Appleseed, Hawaii Children’s Action Network, and many individuals. Appleseed requested amendments to ensure charter schools are treated the same as other public schools if eligibility expands and to address reimbursement issues for schools already participating in the federal Community Eligibility Provision; members discussed those concerns but no action was taken in the portion of the transcript provided. The committee then moved on to HB 779, on expanding student meal coverage, where DOE supported the intent but said it could not support the bill in its current form because of fiscal constraints.

Transcript Highlights:

• And what I learned was that years prior to this fight, she had been in a car with her mother and two
• And so about 15%... ...of a school year, calendar year.
• And then on alternative learning environment, that's actually a K-12 program where schools set up alternative
• And then on alternative learning environment, that's actually a K-12 program where schools set up alternative
• That's actually a K-12 program where schools set up alternative learning environments.

Summary: The Senate and House Joint Committee on Children and Youth approved the December 10 minutes and confirmed Representative Mary Bentley to the Child Maltreatment Investigations Oversight Committee. The committee then heard the annual Arkansas Infant and Child Death Review report, which said the state reviewed 148 of 170 non-natural child deaths in 2023; the reviewed deaths included 69 accidents, 14 suicides, 18 homicides, and 47 undetermined causes. Members asked about how the report’s recommendations could be used, grant opportunities tied to prevention work, and whether the data could be broken down by age; presenters said the report is intended as a prevention tool for agencies and nonprofits and that some age detail is available in later pages of the report. The committee next took up HCR 1010 and then a broader discussion of juvenile justice reform. Senator Missy Irvin, judges, and Administrative Office of the Courts staff described Arkansas’s use of validated risk assessments, including SAVRY, the Ohio Youth Assessment Tool, MAYSI, and substance-abuse screening, as part of a long-running effort to reduce juvenile incarceration and tailor services to individual youth and families. They said the reforms have contributed to fewer delinquency filings, fewer DYS commitments, and more diversions, while also emphasizing that mental health, substance abuse, school issues, and trauma often drive juvenile court involvement. Several members raised concerns about data gaps, school collaboration, and whether community-based services are sufficient, and presenters said more shared data and stronger school use of safety dashboards could help intervene earlier. Division of Youth Services Director Michael Crump then presented custody, education, recidivism, and cost data. He said DYS commitments rose after the pandemic, secure residential populations remain high, and detention-center use increased when intake beds filled; he also noted that DYS pays about $320 per day for secure custody and that detention beds cost roughly $90 to $100 per day. Crump said most youth in custody are older teens, about 80 percent are male, and many have behavioral-health needs or educational deficits; he reported 222 GEDs and 102 high school diplomas over six years. He also said about 15 to 19 percent of youth return to DYS within three years and that a larger share later enter the Department of Corrections, while members pressed him on how assessments relate to commitments, how low-risk cases are handled, and how to improve mental health and substance-abuse services statewide.

Transcript Highlights:

• geometry for 20 years. geometry for 20 years.
• And so those might be after-school programs or tutoring programs or adult education programs that are
• I was not as effective in year one day one as I was in year two day one, year three day one, etc.
• <00:57:06.319> two<00:57:06.640> day year 1 day one as I was in year two day year 1
• years of college tuition. years of college tuition.

Keywords: Call to Order and Roll Call - 00:13 Approval of Minutes - 4:07 Kentucky Academic Standards for Reading and Writing - 5:18 Math Improvement Committee Report - 21:02 ETS Praxis Exam - 41:47 KDE Performance Review Data - 1:15:04 Adjournment - 1:57:54, 958, all

Summary: The committee heard a presentation from KDE on the revised Kentucky academic standards for reading and writing. KDE explained the statutory six-year review process, the public comment periods, and the main revisions, including updates tied to the science of reading, decodable text, encoding/decoding, and an updated vision statement. KDE said 308 responses were received on the initial public comment, most respondents favored keeping standards as-is, and about 12% of standards were revised. The department also said the document was streamlined by removing repeated graphics and reducing its size by about 24%, and that a later comment period drew more than 400 responses. No new standards were flagged for review. Members asked about alignment between standards, curriculum, assessments, and NAEP, and KDE said instructional resources should be aligned to standards, KSA assessments are aligned to the standards, and screeners/diagnostics help identify student needs. Representative Truett raised the idea of a textbook-to-standards crosswalk, and KDE said publishers and a future repository partner should provide such crosswalks for local districts. Representative Bojanowski asked why foundational reading skills are not directly assessed on the third-grade KSA; KDE responded that the assessment is designed to measure end-of-grade expectations, while screening and diagnostics are used earlier to identify decoding needs. Representative Gel asked about early childhood supports, and KDE said it is working with early learning and special education offices and promoting LETRS professional learning for both teachers and preschool educators. The committee then received the mathematics improvement committee report. KDE said the mathematics committee unanimously approved a new strategic plan for improving math achievement from pre-K through grade 20 and adult education. The plan centers on six priorities: student empowerment, effective mathematics teaching and learning, continuous educator development and growth, a continuum of learning, community and family partnerships, and teacher recruitment and retention. KDE said the plan is intended as a living document with goals, recommended actions, and evidence bases, and that it aligns with the Kentucky Numeracy Counts Act by supporting high-quality instructional resources, professional learning, and family resources. In response to Senator Thomas, KDE explained that the professional learning recommendation means districts should tailor teacher training to classroom needs and instructional materials so math teachers are better equipped to implement standards and support students.

Transcript Highlights:

• she earned that respect over the years, and she has built an incredible program there.
• two times, SEC Coach of the Year six times, and regional coach of the year nine times.
• to provide for the ABLE account program, the Louisiana Tuition Assistance and Revenue Trust K-12 Program
• To enter into contracts with a program manager for the program accounts and investments of the account
• And I think clearly the extra information in terms of how programs—we cannot get information at a program

Keywords: 974, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:15:09.440> cost the program and do a five-year cost the program and do a five-year cost
• sustainability a program needs to have. sustainability a program needs to have.
• <00:15:50.160> partners' sustain their local program partners' sustain their local program
• <00:16:09.279> to creative to support local programs to creative to support local programs
• this program. this program.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: Senate Joint Resolution 54, sponsored by Senator Cassie Chambers Armstrong, was heard in committee on expanding Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in Kentucky. Testimony came from Libby Settles, Bill Shy, and Lindsay Westerfield, who described the program’s impact on early literacy and family reading habits, and outlined ways to increase enrollment. Proposed expansion ideas included automatic enrollment for children in foster care, outreach through WIC and health departments, and exploring enrollment through the birth certificate process. Witnesses also highlighted related efforts such as bilingual books, Braille Tales, and a prison-based reading space program tied to Imagination Library books. Supporters emphasized the program’s low cost and broad educational benefits, citing statewide coverage, 52% enrollment of eligible children ages birth to five, and a goal of reaching 65%. Members asked about sustaining local matching funds and handling children who move between counties. Witnesses said local partners use a five-year cost estimator, diversify funding through grants and foundations, and rely on postal change-of-address systems to transfer enrollments seamlessly. Senator Chambers Armstrong also noted that about 2,200 foster children eligible for the program were not enrolled and said the resolution would help address that gap while protecting confidentiality. The committee adopted a small oral amendment removing the word “is” from line 19 on page two, then approved the resolution as amended on a 10-0 vote with favorable expression. Members spoke in support of the measure, praising the program’s literacy benefits and bipartisan history, and the committee then voted to roll the amendment into the committee report. The resolution was reported favorably and was said to be expected to pass the Senate floor.

Transcript Highlights:

• the first two years after they complete a pre-service program, which scales the mentor program allotment
• That our colleges and universities and those programs where kids are taking four years to become teachers
• The certification program, the year-long program.
• Some of them, like my 101-year-old friend, have had their insurance policy for years and years and years
• So, not funding our pre-K programs really has an impact across our early learning grades.

Bills: HB2, HB2

Keywords: public education, teacher compensation, certification, funding, school finance, educator rights, education funding, charter schools, staff compensation, state aid, retention allotment, disaster preparedness, emergency management, flooding, mass fatality, mass casualty, fatality tracking, body recovery, autopsy, justice of the peace

Transcript Highlights:

• Beyond the school year, our campus also supports extensive summer programming in our facilities, and
• . program. program.
• <01:09:34.080> with<01:09:34.400> new years and 70% within 10 years with new years
• year, and we decided on the 700 million and then the 1.2 this year.
• This presumes, and year, the year after?

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It also allows programs to use those grants over a four-year period instead of just two years.
• The program started in fiscal year 24 to support schools in creating welcoming and affirming learning
• The program started in 20<00:05:07.360> in<00:05:07.600> fiscal<00:05:08.000> year
• After-school and summer programming, enhancements to these programs have combed learning loss and offered
• After-school and summer programming, enhancements to these programs have combated learning loss and offered

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Over 20 years ago, I was asked by the director of the dual credit program at Lake Region State College
• And because of this, the dual credit program, as it is presently available, allows for these learning
• We work with a school for three years, and then we leave. We've learned over a long period of time.
• They had a program going on three years ago that was a percentage of it would be paid the first year,
• So this year we implemented what was called a process that used a program called Jotform.

Summary: The committee met to hear presentations on dual credit programs from North Dakota higher education leaders, a school superintendent, and teachers. Valley City State University described its dual credit model, emphasizing quality control through annual teacher training, syllabus and outcomes alignment, faculty qualification review, school visits, and pathways aimed at the College Studies Certificate. Members asked about teacher employment, course scheduling, revenue, scholarships, and whether a centralized model might improve efficiency; VCSU said most instructors are K-12 employees, online offerings are still small, and centralization could weaken local relationships and choice. Lake Region State College similarly stressed access and partnerships, noting about half of its headcount is still in high school, with both online and face-to-face dual credit options, district reimbursement arrangements, and support for rural schools. Lake Region also said dual credit helps students who might not otherwise see themselves as college-bound, but reduced tuition can still be a barrier for some families. Fargo Public Schools reported continued growth in dual credit, with 50 courses offered in partnership with several NDUS institutions and a 12.61% increase in participation. The superintendent highlighted a growing education pathway, including students completing Introduction to Education and field experience, and said the district is exploring a grow-your-own teacher pipeline. He also raised concerns about inconsistent institutional processes, teacher credentialing requirements, and transfer clarity, arguing for more aligned statewide systems. In response to questions, he said AP and dual credit can coexist, with AP often better for highly selective out-of-state colleges and dual credit better for students targeting North Dakota institutions, and he described some use of Arizona State online courses in earlier rural partnerships but said Fargo is focused on local institutions. Two teachers then testified on the classroom perspective. A West Fargo anatomy and physiology teacher said dual credit has expanded access, lowered costs, and prepared students well, but agreed that foundational science courses may be more effective when taken later in high school to reduce knowledge loss before college. A Drake-Anamoose English teacher, who has taught dual credit for more than 20 years, said the program has supported many students who went on to a wide range of careers and emphasized that small rural schools rely on dual credit to provide opportunities they otherwise could not offer. No formal votes or actions were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• of several years ago we piloted<01:03:45.760> a<01:03:45.960> program<01:03:46.400>
• But there also are, as we had shared in the report that we filed earlier this year around program rentals
• <01:09:52.920> around<01:09:53.719> program filed earlier this year around program
• filed earlier this year around program rentals<01:09:54.520> or<01:09:54.880> are<01:09
• We have 25 years of Legacy, so we want to learn about what we're doing and should we keep doing it, should

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:04:45.360> of<00:04:45.680> 105 the program best ever last year of 105 the program
• The wonderful thing about this program is the $100,000 a year that goes to the Construct Tomorrow programs
• <00:18:24.240> that this program is the 100,000 a year that this program is the 100,000 a
• I learned every day that I worked last year, and it didn't feel like work for me.
• I learned every day that I worked last year. I just love the work that we do.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Last year was my worst mental health year of my life, and this year is my best mental health year of
• Normalizing mental health last year was my worst mental health year of my life, and this year is my best
• So when learning that there were seven suicides in four years at our local high school, and that we're
• So when learning that there were seven suicides in four years at our local high school, and those are
• Cal State University has implemented our program and their leadership programs for three years now, and

Summary: The hearing focused on youth mental health and treatment access in California, with opening remarks emphasizing that youth distress, self-harm-related emergency visits, and difficulty obtaining care remain elevated, while workforce shortages and reliance on one-time funding continue to limit access. Assemblymember Lori Davies echoed concerns about unstable funding and said lawmakers need to hear directly from providers and families as they prepare for the budget and legislation. The chair framed the hearing as a chance to hear from county, school, provider, and student perspectives, especially in San Diego County, where needs are high and investments have not always matched demand. County and school officials described the current system and recent state initiatives, including the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative, school-linked fee schedules, payment reform, and the Behavioral Health Services Act transition. San Diego County Behavioral Health said it serves Medi-Cal youth with specialty mental health needs through a broad continuum of care, including outpatient clinics, school-based services, crisis response, residential treatment, and new crisis and residential facilities. San Diego County Office of Education and San Marcos Unified School District described efforts to expand school-based services and reimbursement through CYBHI, but said implementation is slowed by complex billing rules, insurance-data collection concerns from families, administrative burden, and uncertainty about sustaining staff positions funded by grants or soft money. School counselor testimony highlighted reduced stigma through campus outreach and clubs, but also noted that counselor-to-student ratios remain well above national standards and that budget cuts threaten supports. Provider testimony stressed that the system remains fragmented and that youth often move between emergency rooms, inpatient care, outpatient therapy, schools, and county programs without smooth handoffs. A child psychiatrist described crisis cases in which the main choices are brief hospitalization or discharge with limited follow-up, and argued for stronger warm handoffs, more outpatient and intensive outpatient options, better school-clinic coordination, and broader use of mobile crisis and 988. Rady Children’s Hospital and Aurora Behavioral Health described large increases in behavioral health demand, expansion of integrated care, and major barriers tied to low reimbursement rates, delayed payments, and administrative complexity. Across the panel, witnesses called for more stable funding, clearer reimbursement rules, better parent education on warning signs, and stronger collaboration among schools, counties, hospitals, and community providers to reduce stigma and improve timely care for youth.

Transcript Highlights:

• UCF offers programs in addition to them to be able to get their four-year degrees there.
• The Department of Education has a program that you appropriate every year; that’s the PECO program that
• But can we put in an Ignite manufacturing curriculum program where students can learn some electrical
• where students learn electrical and basic electricity skills, robotic programming skills, and how to
• That program, the average applicant is 30 years old, high school diploma, 22-week program.

Summary: The Careers and Workforce Subcommittee met for its first meeting of the year, took roll, and heard member introductions centered on the importance of workforce pathways beyond the traditional four-year college route. Members repeatedly emphasized manufacturing, trades, rural workforce needs, apprenticeships, and helping students and adults find multiple paths to good jobs. The chair outlined the subcommittee’s focus on policies that build a skilled workforce and announced the day’s theme would be manufacturing, with presentations from the Florida Department of Commerce, the Florida Semiconductor Institute, and Fleet Force CDL training. Secretary Alex Kelly presented Florida’s manufacturing report, saying manufacturing is a major economic driver and that Florida has become the 10th largest state in manufacturing employment. He highlighted strong job multipliers, rapid growth in manufacturing GDP and establishments, the importance of logistics and ports, and the state’s small-business-heavy manufacturing base. He also stressed the aging manufacturing workforce, the need for modern skills such as robotics, cybersecurity, and data analytics, and the role of public-private partnerships, apprenticeships, and workforce education investments in supporting reshoring and industry growth. Dr. David Arnold described Florida’s semiconductor sector and the Florida Semiconductor Institute’s mission to grow research, workforce, and ecosystem development. He said semiconductors are strategically important, Florida ranks fifth nationally in semiconductor workforce, and the main bottleneck is mid-level technician talent rather than engineers or entry-level workers. He pointed to NeoCity, Valencia College, and other regional partnerships as models, and said the state needs more proactive planning, better instructor capacity, and stronger pathways from K-12 through postsecondary. Evan Agiloff of Fleet Force discussed Florida’s CDL shortage, saying trucking is essential to the supply chain, Florida has about 18,000 open CDL positions, and Fleet Force’s college-based model can quickly move students into middle-class jobs. Members asked about apprenticeships, CTE pathways, semiconductor training, infrastructure needs, and how to expand and better fund workforce programs; no votes were taken.