Transcript Highlights:

• for attending teacher literacy and math academies.
• than the method of judging the other charter schools.
• In regards to literacy, I was fascinated by the testimony on In regards to literacy, I was fascinated
• My testimony for literacy, right?
• I'm here to speak about improving early literacy in Texas.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Implementation of a pilot program to explore the use of alternative mail delivery methods for issuance
• Criminals have become more sophisticated in their methods, and law enforcement needs stronger tools to
• ELECTRONICALLY WHICH SHOULD BE THE PREFERRED METHOD OF COMMUNICATION IN THIS DAY AND AGE.
• She went to register to vote, and they gave her a literacy test.
• AND THEY GAVE HER A LITERACY TEST. SHE HAD TO STATE THE PREAMBLE TO THE CONSTITUTION.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, March 31, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• PED actually just released literacy results.
• literacy initiative.
• We already have with literacy.
• Literacy Center, we are putting $5 million into operations for a Literacy Center.
• to structured literacy.

Transcript Highlights:

• collaborative center for literacy collaborative center for literacy development,<00:17:25.919>
• I'm a proud Pi Beta Phi alum, and our philanthropy had always focused on childhood literacy.
• place of course with childhood literacy. place of course with childhood literacy.
• So, uh, KD is supporting this method, or do they have other methods, or does KD look to this person to
• does<00:26:50.240> KD they have other methods or this does KD they have other methods or this

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee met after several reschedulings due to flooding, welcomed a new assistant, and confirmed a quorum. It first approved the March 11 minutes, then reported that the day’s agenda included 310 items totaling about $139.4 million, with all vendors registered with the Secretary of State. The committee then approved deferred items involving the Transportation Cabinet/Department of Highways, including one routine PSC green-list item and one PSC amendment item, after hearing from the Transportation Cabinet’s Division of Professional Services and noting prior questions had been answered. The bulk of the meeting focused on Department of Education contracts tied to reading and literacy initiatives. Officials described a competitive grant program for high-quality instructional resources and related professional learning, explaining that resources are selected through evidence-based reviews and a quality curriculum task force, and that districts apply using an instructional resources alignment rubric. Members questioned the program’s reach, whether districts opt in, how many schools applied, and whether the effort is producing measurable reading gains. Department witnesses said about 155 schools applied and were awarded, the program is voluntary, and the University of Louisville’s Reading Research Center is collecting qualitative and quantitative data to evaluate effectiveness. Several members expressed concern that the state has repeatedly funded literacy efforts without improving reading scores, though the committee ultimately approved the education items, with Senator Meredith noting support but frustration about the lack of progress. The committee also approved an MOA amendment item supporting the Principal Partnership Project, which provides tools, resources, and professional learning for administrators and helps meet statutory evaluation-training requirements. Members asked about the use of nonrecurring federal funds and whether the arrangement affects retirement benefits; staff said the contract pays districts based on daily wage and additional workdays, which does increase retirement packages. Representative McCool voted yes but voiced caution about possible supplanting. Finally, the committee took up an Office of the Controller contract for a brokered insurance-related procurement. Representative Balman moved to disapprove the contract, arguing the winning broker was not the low bidder and that the committee lacked answers about how technical scoring outweighed a roughly $600,000 price difference. The motion to disapprove did not prevail, and the contract was approved after further discussion about procurement scoring and the committee’s limited information.

Transcript Highlights:

• , $200 million for evidence-based literacy supports.
• What would it take to develop that new method for budgeting?
• First, we have the literacy instruction professional development investment.
• We had a hearing also about a few weeks ago on just literacy in general.
• And I'm trying to understand how this new proposal fits into the existing literacy proposal, the literacy

Summary: The committee heard the May Revision presentation for the Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance, with public comment focused heavily on K-12 priorities such as universal school meals, kitchen infrastructure, food service and custodial support, youth leadership grants, Special Olympics funding, English learner support, universal pre-K, literacy investments, and concerns about community college funding shifts. Speakers also urged support for expanded learning, teacher recruitment and training, and maintaining or increasing funding for community colleges and student support programs. Finance and the LAO then reviewed the Proposition 98 outlook. Finance said the May Revision lowers the 2025-26 Prop. 98 guarantee to $114.6 billion, about $4.3 billion below January, due mainly to lower revenue estimates, with smaller effects from attendance and property tax changes. The administration also described rebenching for universal transitional kindergarten and a one-time rebench tied to Los Angeles fire-related property tax losses, along with changes to the Public School System Stabilization Account, deferrals, and updated COLA assumptions. The LAO said the budget relies too much on deferrals and one-time funds, creates a structural shortfall, and should instead align ongoing spending with the guarantee and preserve a reserve buffer. Members questioned the TK rebench and the shift of funding from community colleges to K-12, asking why it was being applied retroactively and how colleges would be held harmless. Finance said the changes align funding with where TK costs are being incurred and that reappropriation funding and other adjustments would offset impacts on community colleges. The LAO argued the historical split formula is outdated and should be abandoned in favor of budgeting around current priorities rather than fixed percentages. Members also raised concerns about draining the rainy day reserve and using deferrals, while the LAO said preserving reserves would better protect against future volatility. The committee then moved to specific K-12 and education proposals. Finance outlined May Revision changes including state operations adjustments for the Department of Education, technical trailer bill changes, a $100 million student teacher stipend program administered by Kern County, and updates to the charter school facility grant program. The LAO recommended rejecting the proposed increases for expanded learning, literacy coaches, and the student teacher stipend as currently structured, while supporting the minimum grant increase for expanded learning. Members expressed support for teacher recruitment efforts but questioned whether one-time funding can sustain ongoing programs and whether the student teacher stipend should be targeted to shortage areas or low-income communities.

Transcript Highlights:

• Nevada, regardless of whether there is a garden in their school or not, so as well as the financial literacy

Bills: AB568, SB90, SB133, SB147, SB229, SB233, SB240, SB245, SB280, SB378, SB393, SB417, SB434, SB494, SB495, AB62, SB104, SB119, SB132, SB193, SB262, SB422, SB431, SB435, SB468, SB503

Keywords: higher education, Nevada System of Higher Education, operational expenses, instructional expenses, public funding, education funding, teacher grants, classroom supplies, instructional support, specialized personnel, civics education, Nevada Center for Civic Engagement, funding, youth programs, civic involvement, Southern Nevada, Clark County, Las Vegas Valley, regional planning, economic resiliency

Transcript Highlights:

• And so historically, that looked like poll taxes or literacy tests.
• And so historically, that looked like, you know, poll taxes or literacy tests.
• tests and nonetheless just kept imposing those literacy tests for four years, despite the fact that
• I can talk about our method a little bit in the Q&A.
• Here again, using our race imputation method, we look at the percentage of all ballots cast that are

Summary: The committee held a work session on voting rights in the United States and Washington, beginning with testimony from Marissa Wright of Campaign Legal Center and David Montes of the ACLU of Washington. They described the federal Voting Rights Act’s main protections—preclearance, vote suppression, and vote dilution—and argued that Supreme Court decisions such as Shelby County v. Holder and Brnovich have weakened those tools. They said Washington should consider stronger state-level protections, including a preclearance program and broader safeguards against discriminatory voting practices. Members asked about Washington’s history of discrimination, voter roll purges, noncitizen registration, and remedies under the Washington Voting Rights Act, including ranked-choice voting and district-based systems. The committee then heard from the Office of Equity and several commissions, which described their roles in advising state government and working with communities. They focused on the immigration sub-cabinet created under Executive Order 2509, saying it is intended to improve coordination across agencies, the legislature, the courts, and community organizations on issues such as data privacy, language access, health care, education, and accountability under the Keep Washington Working Act. Members asked about the use of NGOs, accountability for KWW violations, and the sub-cabinet’s goals, and the panel said the effort is meant to help government respond more quickly and collaboratively while centering immigrant, disability, LGBTQ, and other communities. The final panel was from the University of Washington Elections Database Project, which presented data on vote-by-mail ballot challenges, cures, and rejections from 2020 to 2024. They reported that about 1.5% of ballots are signature-challenged in most elections, roughly 60% of challenged ballots are cured, and overall rejection rates are about 1% in general elections and 1.5% in primaries. The researchers said voters of color, younger voters, and some tribal-area voters experience higher rejection rates, and that differences appear tied to signature mismatch, language access, ballot timing, and familiarity with the system. In the last panel, Maria Fernandez and Vicki Frausto of EIA described voter education and civic engagement work in Yakima County and Sunnyside, including concerns about intimidation, language barriers, signature mismatch, and at-large election systems; they said stronger Washington Voting Rights Act protections would help communities elect candidates of choice. No votes were taken during the work session.

Transcript Highlights:

• Implementation, it creates that task force to study the best methods for financing and administrating
• , but it's, but it's not math, and I know we've heard about financial literacy.
• No, financial literacy is up here. This is math, OK, at least modern math.
• So the financial literacy class also isn't one hour, it's months.
• Chair, senators, so we know that, um, you know, we, financial literature, literacy is a part of high

Transcript Highlights:

• There already are methods that will take to best value; IFB is not the only method.
• Best value; IFB is not the only method.
• I don't think it was the procurement method that was in question.
• It's never a wrong thing to do to stand up in favor of literacy, and that means Braille literacy when
• It's never a wrong thing to do to stand up in favor of literacy, and that means Braille literacy when

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:20:05.239> right need is different methods right need is different methods right different
• um but I decided against that method um but I decided against that method because<01:28:14.080><
• <02:00:55.000> of whether or not it's the method of whether or not it's the method of instruction
• , personal finance literacy, arts education...
• That says to me financial literacy.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee began by announcing that afternoon hearings, including House Bill 283, would be moved to Representatives Hall because of expected public interest. It then took up House Bill 671, which would establish a kindergarten literacy readiness program. The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Mark Pearson, described the measure as a way to close gaps in early reading readiness and said it was intended as a first step, with only a placeholder appropriation while details are developed. He framed it as a targeted effort to help children who are not entering first grade ready to read. Testimony on HB 671 was largely supportive. Representatives asked about the bill’s structure, whether a specific program had been identified, how it would interact with play-based learning, and why the provider was limited to a registered nonprofit. Waterford.org representatives Teresa Rosenberger and Rob Riley testified in support, describing Waterford Upstart as a home-based, evidence-based early learning program already used in New Hampshire. They said the program provides adaptive instruction, family coaching, and technology support, including computers, tablets, internet access, and translation services in more than 100 languages. They also said the model has been successful in New Hampshire, including a Nashua pilot and later statewide efforts, and that similar legislation has existed in other states. Rep. Jonah Wheeler also spoke in support of the bill. The chair then closed the hearing on HB 671. After a fiscal note for HB 671 was distributed, the committee moved to House Bill 781, which would require school districts to adopt policies for a cell phone-free education and includes an appropriation. The transcript cuts off as Rep. Litchfield was introduced to testify on that bill, so no testimony, debate, or vote on HB 781 is included in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• Literacy and math. We've done a lot to invest in literacy.
• They will help us really target our efforts in math and literacy.
• , we made substantial goals in literacy.
• We have literacy, math, all that. But I think that part is still missing.
• And that's at the root of literacy Books are getting distributed.

Transcript Highlights:

• And one of the most fundamental elements of education is literacy.
• fund or the literacy launch initiative.
• Tarr: reporting from the Early Literacy Fund.
• as eligible uses for the Early Literacy Fund.
• and literacy skills throughout a child's education.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Senate first handled a House petition from John H. Rawlers and others seeking eminent domain authority for a parcel in Norwood; Joint Rule 12 was suspended and the matter was referred to the Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight. The chamber then resumed debate on the literacy bill, with Senator Tarr offering a series of amendments focused on school district funding, teacher competency, reporting, waivers, and curriculum implementation. Most of Tarr’s amendments were rejected, but one requiring written, appealable denials of district waivers was adopted by roll call, and another amendment on reporting from the Early Literacy Fund, including provisions for English language learners and special education educators, was also adopted. A separate amendment extending the timeline for DESE to publish high-quality curricula was adopted, while several other amendments were withdrawn or defeated. The Senate also considered and adopted an amendment from Senator Comerford addressing rural and regional equity in education funding. That amendment expanded eligible uses of the Early Literacy Fund to include screening assessments, required DESE to prioritize geographic and funding equity, mandated a public hearing in Western Massachusetts before final grant criteria were finalized, and directed technical assistance to rural districts. Senators from across the chamber spoke in support, emphasizing chronic underfunding, declining enrollment, minimum-aid pressures, and the need for a broader review of the Chapter 70 formula and a Foundation Budget Review Commission. The amendment passed unanimously. Later, the Senate took up an amendment from Senator Moore on children’s vision care, which would have created a registry for vision screening and expanded eye exam requirements, but it was withdrawn after supportive debate. The chamber then adopted the Ways and Means redraft, ordered the bill to third reading, and passed An Act relative to teacher preparation and student literacy to be engrossed by a unanimous roll call. Final passage was also achieved for a separate House land-taking bill allowing the town of Hingham to use municipal property for a center for active living, which passed by the required two-thirds vote and was enacted. The Senate then adopted an order to meet again the following Monday and adjourned in memory of Donna Goldstein.

Transcript Highlights:

• 19 epinephrine delivery methods 19 epinephrine delivery methods respectful<00:29:12.000> report
• and literacy competency.
• language<01:21:39.199> and<01:21:39.360> literacy relating to language and literacy
• <01:21:48.800> Respect language and literacy program.
• Respect language and literacy program.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You all supported structured literacy as an example of how we've revamped the way that we teach reading
• And that's one distinction I didn't make earlier: the funding formula is a distribution method, and how
• , to ensure that teachers of educator preparation programs are actually teaching that structured literacy
• With professional development training, like structured literacy, so that we can then come in and say
• Both LFC and LESC are recommending continued funding for the statewide summer literacy institute, which

Transcript Highlights:

• literacy literacy skills<00:11:26.440> uh<00:11:26.920> reading<00:11:27.320> instruction
• <00:19:51.280> skills focus of foundational literacy skills focus of foundational literacy
• Let me put this bluntly: literacy is learning, and when we provide a child with the foundational literacy
• science of reading is a proven method science of reading is a proven method that<01:23:36.040>
• reading and addressing the literacy reading and addressing the literacy crisis<01:42:41.119>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• However, with the advancements in educational technology, alternative methods have become more widely
• Some of the alternative methods, such as a synthetic frog model or Froguts, an application for mobile
• phones or tablets, offer a practical alternative method that allows students to still participate in
• Studies show that students who use animal-free methods perform as well as, and oftentimes better than
• To include information and media literacy, including AI literacy, to educate students to be critical

Summary: The Assembly Education Committee met for its first hearing of the session, adopted its committee rules on a 6-0 vote, and then heard several bills. AB 347, which would require written notice to students about the right to opt out of animal dissection and receive a comparable assignment, drew strong support from the author, a student, and multiple advocacy and education groups, while opponents argued it would burden teachers and duplicate existing law. The committee approved AB 347 on a 7-0 vote and sent it to Appropriations. AB 281, which would expand parent access to sex education materials and require disclosure of outside consultants’ credentials, drew mixed testimony. Supporters framed it as a transparency and parent-rights measure, while school administrators and county education officials said current law already allows inspection and that the bill would create an unfunded administrative burden. After extended member discussion, the bill failed on a 4-3 vote with one abstention, though reconsideration was granted. AB 65, which would provide paid pregnancy leave for educators without requiring them to exhaust sick leave first, was supported by teachers, CTA, and the State Treasurer, but opposed by school administrators and business officials over cost concerns; it passed 6-0 to Higher Education. The committee also approved AB 361, which would extend and expand LAUSD’s best-value procurement authority for school construction to all school districts for five years, on a 5-0 vote with one abstention. AB 86, which would require the State Board of Education to adopt standardized K-8 health education instructional materials, passed 5-0. Finally, AB 228, the Zaki Fast Act, was introduced to clarify that schools may stock any federally approved epinephrine delivery system, including newer devices beyond auto-injectors, and was presented with testimony from the bill’s young namesake and his family; the transcript cuts off before the committee vote on that measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• scientific methods to lift up reading outcomes for California's children.
• and math coaches, $200 million for evidence-based literacy supports.
• We'd also recommend rejecting the January proposal for literacy and math coaches.
• First we have the literacy instruction professional development investment.
• We had a hearing also about a few weeks ago on just literacy.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and, uh, she figured out through just I think trial and error, which probably we have much better methods
• Kids have been raised on whole language, 3Qing, balanced literacy. It's crap.
• So addressing dyslexia in our prisons is not just about literacy. It's about justice.
• The science is clear, when instruction is grounded in structured literacy and delivered by properly trained
• policies and funding that strengthen higher education programs in reading science and structured literacy

Transcript Highlights:

• literacy instruction.
• our literacy efforts.
• through the literacy coaches."
• , let's talk about literacy first.
• In addition to literacy coaches and reading specialists, it also was Developing literacy plans.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Also, I did want to say there's only 30-ish with this proposed method.
• It's only 30 states that have this method that's proposed in the study from UNM did not.
• Thirty states have this method that's proposed in the study from UNM.
• Funding for literacy coaches—this is something that we added, $2 million recurring.
• For PED literacy coaches, ensuring schools have the instructional support needed to improve reading outcomes

Bills: SB145, SB143

Keywords: auditing, financial reporting, state auditor, public agencies, capital outlay, compliance, federal audits, agriculture, New Mexico Department of Agriculture, fee update, regulatory fees, egg inspection, egg grading, egg dealer, pesticide control, pesticide registration, pesticide applicator, pest management consultant, plant protection, nursery license