Transcript Highlights:

• And I'm not going to read my statement to you because I think that's redundant, but at the same time
• Morales' testimony is properly read into the record or— Chair: —is properly applied.
• But I think as I read your bill, it's a little broader than that.
• Representative Tepper: No, I believe I remember reading about it. I don't remember the percentage.
• I'm in law school which means I'm reading way more cases than I should for fun.

Bills: HB21, HB211, HB223

Keywords: HB 21, Texas Tax Code, ad valorem tax, property tax, delinquent taxes, tax delinquency, penalty reduction, interest rate, split payment, installment payment, tax relief, county tax collector, taxing unit, property owner, tax collection, voter-approval tax rate, no-new-revenue tax rate, tax increase election, supermajority, 60 percent threshold

Transcript Highlights:

• I won't—I’ll just read one little paragraph. It's on page two, about two paragraphs down.
• I won't—I’ll just read one little paragraph. It's on page two, about two paragraphs down.
• So I'll let you read the rest of the article yourself, the next page.
• 5.1 billion do um so I'll let you read 5.1 billion do um so I'll let you read the<01:21:51.920><
• what's on the screen, and so I'd appreciate additional information.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• ...When are we going to have time for math, science, and reading if we keep adding all these mandatory
• When we talk about the curriculum part, the educational part, I agree with you about reading and the
• That's what I sort of inferred when I read it because I think parents ought to be held... ...because
• But if you read the language, it's May; we're not mandating they create the curriculum.
• So, if you read section 12, it says they may create a curriculum.

Bills: HB235, HB276, HB285

Keywords: social media, age verification, minors, under 16, children online safety, online privacy, platform regulation, deceptive trade practice, Attorney General, civil penalties, punitive damages, consumer protection, account creation, algorithmic feeds, internet safety, youth social media, minor safety, child online safety, teen accounts, parental controls

Transcript Highlights:

• the reason for the Sentencing Commission, and Senator Duke has a bill that took a couple of days to read
• Back then, we'd fight over who got the screen to get some shade.
• So please know that the legislation before this committee is read and evaluated not just by the staff
• They'd all be at home, and then we'd be trying to manage them on the screen, trying to admit them in
• There will be a sign-in beforehand of the meeting, and I will read and identify organizations in the

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, you don't have to read it. Senator Coopek. Sure. Thank you, Mr. Senator Coopek. Sure.
• Der and he wanted<01:00:50.319> to<01:00:50.400> read<01:00:50.960> Minnesota<01
• :00:51.440> pork<01:00:51.680> producers wanted to read Minnesota pork producers wanted
• that said there the one article I read that said there was<01:32:17.800> 156<01:32:18.800>
• who they have who have screened, who they have screened,<01:52:06.080> makes<01:52:06.480>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:46:48.800> from<00:46:49.040> the read the read the transcript from the read the
• <04:41:27.280> Actors if you are not in the Screen Actors if you are not in the Screen Actors
• Um, believe Screen Actors Guild actor.
• Let me give it a read through again.
• And as I was reading the legislation.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You can see on the screens that we're looking at a total savings estimated of $950,000.
• We're supposed to be able to read this thing? Remember, I'm over 65. Yeah, that's right.
• Well, right now there, oh well, and you're not going to be able to read this.
• But what the data shows, and I'll just read out a few of these, is that right now the current percentage

Bills: SB23, SJR85

Keywords: homestead exemption, elderly, disabled, ad valorem taxation, school district funding, Texas constitutional amendment, property tax relief, school district taxes, ad valorem tax, residence homestead, elderly homeowners, senior citizens, disabled homeowners, age 65 or older, school finance, tax exemption increase, local school taxes, property tax exemption, homestead tax relief, voter approval

Summary: The Senate Committee on Local Government heard testimony on Senate Bill 23 and its companion constitutional amendment, Senate Joint Resolution 85, both by Senator Bettencourt. The bills would increase the additional homestead exemption for elderly and disabled homeowners from $10,000 to $60,000, which proponents said would significantly reduce property taxes and help seniors and disabled Texans age in place. Bettencourt and supporters described the measure as part of a broader property tax relief package, estimating combined savings of about $950 for over-65 and disabled homeowners when paired with other recent homestead exemption changes. Witnesses largely supported the proposal. Testimony in favor came from a lawyer, a private citizen, Texas Realtors, the Texas Silver-Haired Legislature, and the Texas Association of Builders, all emphasizing relief for fixed-income seniors, housing stability, and the ability to remain in their homes. Several witnesses noted rising property taxes, medical costs, and the challenges seniors face in moving or affording home modifications. One witness from Every Texan said a flat homestead exemption is the most equitable way to cut property taxes, but argued against additional tax cuts generally, favoring a circuit-breaker approach and warning that permanent tax cuts could reduce funding for schools and other needs. The committee also discussed data showing many over-65 homeowners already pay no school property taxes in some counties and that the proposed changes would increase that share. After closing public testimony, the committee voted on the measures. Senate Bill 23 was reported favorably to the full Senate by a 7-0 vote, and S.J.R. 85 was also reported favorably by a 7-0 vote. The transcript also shows Senate Bill 898 being laid out and passed unanimously earlier in the meeting, with a recommendation for the local and uncontested calendar.

Transcript Highlights:

• President, could that be read?
• Members, Senate Bill 667 is now before you on third reading and final passage.
• Senate Bill 1466 is now before you on third reading and final passage. Will there be debate?
• The bill of NMSembers Senate Bill 1942 is now before you on third reading and final passage.
• The bill is now before you on third reading and final passage. Will there be debate?

Bills: SR29, SB667, SB1466, SB1942, SB1989, SB1670, SB1716, SB1521, SB1273, SB1433, HJR1032, SB1969, SB1953, SB1277, SB1287, SB1061, SB1916, SB1589, SB2178, SB1444, SB1438, SB1501, SB1873, SB1364

Keywords: chiropractic, licensure, animal chiropractic, Board of Chiropractic Examiners, licensing requirements, midwifery, healthcare, Advisory Committee, state health policy, public safety, dental insurance, health care, medical necessity, insurance claims, dentist rights, Oklahoma College Savings Plan, 529 plan, 529 savings account, college savings, higher education savings

Transcript Highlights:

• reading. Clerk, read the next bill. reading. Clerk, read the next bill.
• read the next bill. read the next bill.
• read the next bill. read the next bill.
• Clerk, read printed for third reading.
• Clerk will read the bill. 612. Clerk will read the bill.

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Friday, March 20, 2026, 960, senate, all

Summary: The Senate convened with 38 members present and a quorum, then began with an invocation and several ceremonial introductions. The chamber recognized pioneering women of the Maryland State Police for Women’s History Month, including the original six female graduates and other firsts in the department, and also introduced the day’s doctor and a student intern. The Senate agreed to journalize the remarks honoring the Maryland State Police guests. The body then took up several Finance Committee bills, adopting committee amendments and favorable reports without objection on Senate Bills 385, 387, 389, 753, 469, and 608, each of which was ordered printed for third reading. SB 385 concerns immunization, screening, and preventive-service recommendations and pharmacist administration; SB 387 restricts predatory pricing and use of personal data by food retailers and delivery services; SB 389 makes transit-oriented development changes; SB 753 addresses financial exploitation protections for seniors and vulnerable adults; SB 469 authorizes a Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund affordability program; and SB 608 requires coverage for pharmacogenomic testing. Senate Bill 626, dealing with birth certificate sex designation changes and related identification documents, was briefly set aside at the request of a senator seeking possible amendments, with the presiding officer agreeing to hold it until the next session. Senate Bill 739, a climate change, homeowners insurance, and emergency management study bill, was also introduced with one amendment and sparked debate over its scope and funding, including discussion of a $150,000 Strategic Energy Investment Fund allocation and whether the study would examine the General Assembly’s own climate policies. The transcript ends during that discussion, before any final action on SB 739.

Transcript Highlights:

• Everyone, I'm going to read it out loud, and then I know some of you might need to go.
• Everyone, I'm going to read it out loud, and then I know some of you might need to go.
• I will read it verbatim. Permission granted.
• I did read all the letters that came in in opposition.
• I'll just read this excerpt, and then I'll be done.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a, when I read through the intentions of this committee about the integration with our general
• now that you can see here on the screen now that you can see are<01:09:26.880> the<01:09:26.960
• You can see our fleet here on the screen, ranging from our 757, which is our smallest aircraft size,
• fleet here on the screen fleet here on the screen ranging<01:13:19.320> from<01:13:19.520
• for<01:25:33.080> many<01:25:33.240> years<01:25:33.480> to >> Well, you read

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The task force met on October 14, confirmed a quorum, and adopted the September 16, 2025 minutes. Members then received a Kentucky Air National Guard 101 briefing from Brigadier General Bruce Bancroft, commander of the Kentucky Air National Guard, who described the Guard’s structure, missions, and statewide role. He emphasized that Kentucky is a single-wing state centered at Louisville’s 123rd Airlift Wing and highlighted several unique capabilities, including the Contingency Response Group, critical care air transport teams, medical detachment for chemical environments, explosive ordnance disposal, fatality search and recovery, and special tactics personnel. General Bancroft also discussed staffing and readiness, saying the Guard has 1,273 authorized positions, with a mix of AGR, Title 32, and Title 5 personnel. He noted that AGR positions are funded at about 96 percent, while technician positions are funded at about 53 percent, leaving the organization to operate at roughly 75 percent of authorized manpower overall. He said the wing converted from the C-130H to the C-130J in 2021 and completed the transition in about 2.5 years, ahead of the original three-year timeline. The briefing further covered the Guard’s operational tempo and community role. Bancroft said the unit has earned 21 Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards, has deployed about 500,000 days since 9/11 across 45 countries, and routinely supports federal and domestic missions. He described the C-130J’s tactical airlift, airdrop, and blacked-out operations as directly useful for disaster response in Kentucky, and he pointed to strong ties with UPS and other aviation employers. No votes or formal actions were taken beyond approval of the prior minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• It reads, and I'll read the letter: Forty-eight agriculture organizations and associations support House
• It reads, and I'll read the letter: Forty-eight agriculture organizations and associations support House
• It seems to me, if I'm reading this right, the real meat of what this is doing, if I'm reading it right
• they're reading into this bill.
• So I think we're reading it.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The House convened with prayer, roll call, and a quorum present, then took up several procedural motions, including suspending House rules for three legislative days and replacing conference committee members on Senate Bill 2282 and SCR 4007. The chamber also recognized visiting student groups from Grafton/Pleasant Valley and Shiloh School. Later, the House agreed to several conference committee reports and moved a number of measures through final passage or final disposition. House Bill 1428, which would have created a sales tax exemption for clothing sold by thrift stores or nonprofit corporations, drew extensive debate over tax policy, revenue loss, and possible conflicts with streamlined sales tax rules. Supporters argued it would help lower-income shoppers and nonprofit thrift stores, while opponents said it created an unfair advantage and could reduce state and local revenue. The conference report was adopted, but the bill ultimately failed on final vote, 37-54. House Bill 1440, relating to cigar lounges, was amended in conference and then passed 75-17. House Bill 1460, concerning adult foster care for private-pay adults, electronic monitoring, and a legislative study, was also adopted and passed overwhelmingly, 91-1. The House then passed Senate Bill 2224, which revises gaming commission structure and gaming stamp requirements, adds Attorney General enforcement provisions, and includes a $25,000 general fund appropriation, by a vote of 88-0. Senate Bill 2327, which expands uses of the agriculture diversification and development fund and appropriates $15 million to it, passed 74-17 after a member was excused from voting due to a personal interest. Senate Bill 2267, creating a regulatory framework for on-site wastewater treatment systems and shifting licensing authority to the Department of Environmental Quality, passed 82-10, and Senate Bill 2276, addressing joint water resource boards for cross-county projects, passed 90-1. The most contentious debate centered on Senate Bill 2160, which would move the state employee health plan from grandfathered status to a non-grandfathered ACA-compliant plan and appropriate about $6.6 million for the transition. Supporters said it would give the PERS board more flexibility, expand preventive and other benefits, and potentially slow premium growth without charging employees premiums. Opponents warned it could raise out-of-pocket costs, add mandated benefits, and shift costs to employees, while also arguing the bill had not been adequately studied. After extended debate, the House passed SB 2160 by a vote of 55-37. The chamber also concurred in Senate amendments to House Bill 1318, a pesticide labeling bill, and placed it on final passage, but the transcript ends before the final vote on that measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• Let my staff read the amendment. “Amendment.
• I can read my own writing. LDVA. It looks like I wrote it. I can read my own writing.
• Little, would you read in the bill? Yes, sir.
• I'll read the amendment that was added.
• Little, reading the bill, please. Yes, sir.

Summary: The House Appropriations Committee met on April 27 and first took up House Bill 175 and its companion House Bill 165, both dealing with lottery proceeds for veterans. HB 175 was amended to create a Veterans Service Grant Board within the Department of Veterans Affairs and direct $500,000 annually from Louisiana Lottery net proceeds into a Veterans Service Grant Fund, with unused money returned to the lottery proceeds fund that supports the MFP. Supporters, including the bill sponsor, The Boot Louisiana, LDVA Secretary Charlton McGinley, and Bastion Veterans Organization, argued the grants would help veteran services, workforce placement, mental health, housing, entrepreneurship, and retention of veterans in Louisiana. Members raised concerns about drawing from lottery proceeds that traditionally support education, but the committee adopted amendments and reported HB 175 favorably as amended. HB 165, the constitutional amendment companion, was also amended for technical and ballot-language changes and then reported favorably as amended for voter consideration. The committee then considered House Bill 457, which would authorize the Louisiana Department of Health and the State Fire Marshal to set minimum housing standards for homeless shelters, group homes, and halfway homes. The sponsor said the bill responded to a state auditor recommendation and to unsafe conditions in some facilities; he also explained an amendment changing the Fire Marshal’s duties from mandatory to permissive to reduce fiscal impact and allow agencies flexibility. Some members questioned whether local standards already existed and how enforcement and funding would work, while others supported the need for statewide minimum standards for human housing. The committee adopted the amendment and reported HB 457 favorably as amended. House Bill 488, by Representative Brough, sought to create a Belle Chasse Bridge Merit-Based Special Fund using recurring severance tax revenues from Plaquemines Parish to help buy out the Belle Chasse toll bridge and end what the sponsor described as excessive tolls and fees. He and several local witnesses, including business owners, a YMCA representative, and a parish council member, testified that the tolling arrangement had harmed access, businesses, and quality of life. The committee adopted a technical amendment clarifying the revenue source and then reported HB 488 favorably as amended. House Bill 566, which would prohibit state funds from supporting net-zero greenhouse gas initiatives tied to the 2022 Louisiana Climate Action Plan, drew significant debate over whether it would interfere with agency funding and economic development efforts; the sponsor argued the plan lacked legislative approval and should be repudiated, while members urged caution and suggested hearing from affected agencies. The sponsor agreed to consider deferring the bill, and the committee did not advance it at that time. House Bill 603, a constitutional amendment authorizing investment of state funds in digital assets and precious metals, was discussed as a way to hedge inflation and preserve value; members asked about limits and safeguards, and the bill was reported favorably. The committee then began hearing House Bill 763, a transparency measure creating a public database for settlement agreements involving state agencies.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have a big... my screen, okay, here we go.
• I don't think we have a Senate co-chair right now, so I would just go down the screen.
• So hopefully I can share my screen. Chris? I'm here. Oh, there you are. Welcome, Scott. Thank you.
• So hopefully I can share my screen. So hopefully I can share my screen.
• I believe someone else shared a similar screen.

Summary: The committee met for what was described as its final meeting, with members and staff reflecting on the work of the Joint Legislative Executive Committee on Aging and Long-Term Care and noting that future work would likely shift to standing health and wellness committees. The meeting began with introductions and then moved into updates on major initiatives that originated from the committee, including Washington Cares, the Dementia Action Collaborative, and Medicaid long-term care programs. Presenters emphasized that these efforts were developed through long-term legislative-executive collaboration and were intended to help Washington prepare for the state’s aging population. On Washington Cares, DSHS described the program’s development from a 2014 research effort to its 2019 enactment, premium collection beginning in 2023, portability improvements in 2024, and 2025 changes including a grandfathered opt-out fix and a framework for supplemental private long-term care insurance. The agency said benefits are expected to go fully live next summer, with a pilot of up to 400 applicants planned for next January. On dementia policy, the Dementia Action Collaborative reported on the state dementia plan, Project ECHO training for providers, and pilot dementia-capable community programs at area agencies on aging, citing preliminary results that about 85% of family caregivers said services helped people remain at home. DSHS also reviewed Medicaid Transformation Project initiatives, including Medicaid Alternative Care, Tailored Supports for Older Adults, presumptive eligibility, and health-related social needs benefits such as rental assistance, nutrition support, and home modifications. The committee then heard an emerging issues panel from ombuds and disability advocates. Patricia Hunter of the long-term care ombuds program raised concerns about staffing shortages, resident rights, surveillance technology, private equity ownership of facilities, and illegal discharges or evictions. Betty Sweeterman of the Developmental Disabilities Ombuds discussed people stuck in hospitals without medical need, gaps in behavioral health services for people with developmental disabilities, and the need for better workforce training. Todd Carlyle of Disability Rights Washington urged expansion and bundling of community supports such as PACT, GOSH, and peer bridgers to reduce repeated institutionalization and support discharge from inpatient psychiatric settings. Provider and labor panels followed, with nursing home, assisted living, supported living, and union representatives all emphasizing workforce shortages, low wages, Medicaid rate inadequacy, case management bottlenecks, behavioral health complexity, and the need for more flexible care models and stronger accountability for rate increases. No formal votes were taken; the meeting ended with public comment on manufactured housing and closing remarks thanking staff and participants for the committee’s work.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, but in my expertise, they have a screened-in cabin with fans, screened in with fans, right, not air
• Read that line too, and it says the pharmacist will give proper directions.
• You, you read the box and talking to the pharmacy explain all of those examples.
• OK, for my reading of subsection A.
• Um, this, this stuff, it's, it's almost funny reading the side effects.

Bills: HB 265, HB25

Keywords: youth camp, safety regulations, advisory committee, child welfare, health standards, summer camp, camp safety, child abuse reporting, child neglect, mandatory reporting, background check, criminal history check, sex offender registry, CPR training, first aid, public health, child protection, camp operator, camp counselor, Health and Safety Code

Transcript Highlights:

• You see the visitor screening center.
• There's an employee entrance where you scan your badge and you can get through that without being screened
• And you can get a feel on the right-hand side there for what this screening center will look like and
• FDLE has the ability to man that and to screen visitors.

Summary: The State Administration Budget Subcommittee met to receive an overview and tour of Capitol complex construction projects funded through the Department of Management Services (DMS). Deputy Secretary Tom Berger gave a historical and project-by-project presentation on the Capitol campus, explaining the evolution of the historic Capitol and the current tower complex, and describing major ongoing work including the Waller Park west entry/ADA and waterproofing project, the east entry security screening area, Cabinet meeting room modernization, historic Capitol re-roofing, the large Capitol HVAC replacement, window replacement, Memorial Park improvements, the Holocaust Memorial, the North Loading Zone, and Knott Plaza upgrades. He noted that the Capitol windows and HVAC work are intended to address aging systems and improve resilience, security, and accessibility, and said the broader Capitol window project will continue over several years. Members asked questions about the African-American memorial, the old bank/archives building with water damage, the roofing material and expected lifespan, the legal definition of the Capitol complex, and the history of early legislative meetings in Pensacola and St. Augustine. Berger said the African-American memorial base is built and the installation should be completed in March or April, while the archives building is owned and managed by the Department of State. He also explained that the roof uses a slate-like material designed for a 50-year life cycle, though major storms could still damage it, and clarified that the Capitol complex can be defined differently in statute versus operationally. Chair Lopez and other members requested follow-up information, including a rendering of the African-American memorial and a table summarizing the Capitol investments and when the facilities were last updated, so members can better explain the spending to constituents. Berger said he would provide the requested information, and the committee then concluded the presentation and proceeded to the tour.

Transcript Highlights:

• And just want to make a comment to a colleague whose name I can't see because of my screen, but the 40
• And just want to make a comment to a colleague whose name I can't see because my screen.
• But the 40-year I'm sure. whose name I can't see because my screen, but the 40-year law enforcement vet
• mobile health care unit that visits high-risk areas in Northampton to provide wound care, infection screening
• I was reading through the packet.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Special Commission on xylazine held its first meeting, with House Chair Mindy Domb and Senate Co-Chair John Keenan outlining the commission’s charge and a proposed work plan. The commission is tasked with studying the public health and safety impacts of xylazine in the illicit drug supply, including whether it should be scheduled as a controlled substance, how to regulate its production and distribution, and how to improve outreach and treatment for people exposed to it. Members were told the report deadline had been extended to March 30, 2026, and staff proposed a series of public hearings and working groups leading to a final report. The meeting also included attendance, packet materials, and procedural planning. The first major testimony came from BSAS Director Deirdre Calvert, who described xylazine’s appearance in Massachusetts drug supply data, the state’s public health alerts, and DPH’s partnership with Brandeis, CDC, and harm reduction organizations. She emphasized four priorities: reducing stigma and discrimination in health care, expanding self-directed wound care support and coverage for supplies, expanding access to drug checking and test strips, and supporting low-barrier services such as mobile vans and drop-in centers. Commission members asked about first responder awareness, medical education, and whether harm reduction services might face federal restrictions; Calvert said misinformation remains a problem and noted ongoing training efforts, including collaboration with public safety agencies. Several other speakers reinforced the need for low-barrier care and drug checking. Dr. Raghini Jala, an infectious disease and addiction medicine physician, said xylazine has become a common component of the unregulated opioid supply and urged support for rapid-response education teams, community-based drug checking, and better hospital and detox protocols for xylazine withdrawal and wounds. Recovery coach Alan Young testified from lived experience, describing severe wounds, fear of inadequate withdrawal treatment in emergency settings, and the value of mobile care vans that can provide methadone, buprenorphine, and wound care in the community. Dr. Sarah Wakeman echoed the need for naloxone, rescue breathing, low-threshold treatment, and non-stigmatizing health care settings, while Sarah Macon of the Boston Public Health Commission described Boston’s harm reduction and drug checking work, including on-site testing, wound care, and a decline in opioid mortality. Tracy Green of the Massachusetts Drug Supply Data Stream explained that xylazine has declined in recent samples while metatomidine is rising, said drug checking is increasingly used but still not enough, and argued for more funding, staffing, and statewide access to real-time drug checking and harm reduction services.

Transcript Highlights:

• So at this time, I will ask the committee and everybody joining us, including on screen and in the room
• Including on screen and in the room, please silence your phones, turn off your ringers, and if you are
• We read written testimony. We love written testimony.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Steering and Policy held a public hearing on potential updates to Massachusetts’ 2022 Shield Law to strengthen protections for reproductive and gender-affirming health care. Chair Cindy Friedman said the hearing was prompted by escalating federal and out-of-state threats, and testimony was sought on loopholes and clarifications involving emergency abortion care, limits on cooperation with outside investigations, protection of patient data, and safeguarding licenses of providers and attorneys involved in this care. The Attorney General’s Office, ACLU of Massachusetts, GLBTQ Legal Advocates and Defenders, Reproductive Equity Now, the Massachusetts Medical Society, TransHealth, and Health Imperatives all supported strengthening the law. Witnesses urged broader bans on sharing health data with hostile states, explicit AG enforcement authority, exclusion of reproductive and gender-affirming prescriptions from the prescription monitoring program, protections for electronic medical records, and allowing clinicians to use practice names on prescription labels. Several speakers also called for protections for parents of transgender youth, attorneys, and nonprofit organizations, and some raised related concerns about insurance discrimination and the burden of post-24-week abortion restrictions. Committee members asked questions about enforcement mechanisms, data privacy, patient consent, and how to balance interoperability with privacy protections in electronic records. Witnesses said the goal was to prevent immediate harm while preserving patient control and access to care. No votes were taken during the hearing, and the chair closed by inviting written testimony and then moved to adjourn the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• You can see on your screen there the breakdown of the types of different facilities that we have around
• That's the information that you see on the screen now.
• But am I reading that right? Let me look at you. I'm sorry? I'm going to go back and look with you.

Summary: The Early Childhood Committee met for an update from the Office of Early Childhood within the Department of Education. Members heard that the office’s goals under the LEARNS Act are to improve kindergarten readiness, support families, ensure quality providers, and expand affordable, accessible child care. Staff reviewed the local lead system, licensing, quality efforts such as CLASS and QRIS, and the two main funding streams: School Readiness Assistance (SRA), a federal CCDF-funded voucher program serving about 14,600 children with a wait list of a little over 3,000, and Arkansas Better Chance (ABC), a state-funded program serving about 21,000 children with authority recently increased to 24,000 slots. A major topic was the difference between market rate surveys and cost analysis studies. Officials said the department is procuring both through an RFP, hoping to begin by August and have results by late in the year. Members pressed for current reimbursement levels, the gap between ABC and SRA funding, and whether ABC funding should be increased to better match costs. Staff explained that SRA rates are set at 75% of the market rate, while ABC per-child funding is much lower, and that ABC slots are limited by the overall allocation. They also explained that some ABC slots were increased by moving children from a discontinued federal pre-K arrangement into ABC to preserve continuity of care. Committee members raised concerns about rural access, infant and toddler shortages, provider stability, workforce pay, and communication with families and providers. Officials said local leads are now helping identify underserved areas, that no county with absolutely no care is known, and that the department is trying to get a truer statewide count of children and providers. They also described efforts to improve communication through monthly provider calls, website postings, and direct case contacts with families. Members discussed possible funding increases, including ideas to reduce the SRA wait list and raise ABC funding, but no formal vote or action was taken beyond approving prior meeting minutes and receiving the update.

Transcript Highlights:

• You can see on your screen there the breakdown of the types of different facilities that we have around
• That's the information that you see on the screen now.
• But am I reading that right? Let me look at you. I'm sorry? I'm going to go back and look with you.

Summary: The Early Childhood Committee met to receive an update from the Office of Early Childhood on Arkansas child care and early learning programs. Committee members discussed the state’s child care crisis, including reported economic losses from lack of access, the need to track access, affordability, workforce shortages, rural and infant/toddler care gaps, and the role of local leads in identifying needs across the state. The committee also approved the February 17 minutes. Office of Early Childhood staff explained their responsibilities under the LEARNS Act, including kindergarten readiness, provider quality, and access to affordable seats. They reviewed licensing, quality efforts, and the two main funding streams: School Readiness Assistance (SRA), a federally funded voucher program serving about 14,600 children with a wait list of more than 3,000, and Arkansas Better Chance (ABC), a state-funded program serving about 23,000 children, with approval to increase to 24,000 slots. Members asked about the difference between market rate surveys and cost analyses, and staff said the office is procuring both, with results expected by the end of the year. Several members raised concerns about funding levels, especially that ABC reimbursement has not kept pace with K-12 funding increases and that child care reimbursement remains below the true cost of care. Staff said ABC requires certified teachers and lower ratios than SRA, but pays less, and that some federal pre-K slots were moved into ABC to preserve continuity of care. They also explained that SRA eligibility changes, including a higher work requirement and ending a child care worker eligibility category, were made to reduce spending and serve families on the wait list. The committee discussed communication with providers and parents, technical assistance for centers, and possible future legislative action to stabilize providers and expand access, but no votes or formal actions were taken beyond approving the minutes and adjournment.