Transcript Highlights:

• to year to year to year.
• to year to year to year.
• year.
• each year. ...especially as I know that we have more districts that are participating in the program
• I came very close to dropping out during my first year, and without the support from programs like these

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard several education-related bills, with most of the discussion centered on student privacy, faculty health coverage, Native student data collection, mental health training for coaches, and human trafficking prevention education. AB 1159, the California Learner Personal Information Protection Act, would expand student data privacy protections to higher education, clarify existing ed-tech rules, and add limited enforcement. The author and supporters said current law is outdated and does not adequately protect sensitive student information, while some college-related stakeholders raised definitional concerns about preserving routine student communications and access to course materials. The bill was approved on a due-pass motion to the Senate Privacy, Digital Technologies and Consumer Protection Committee and placed on call. AB 1171 would keep unspent funds in the part-time community college faculty health insurance program from being swept for other uses and would require all community college districts to begin negotiating participation by 2030. The author and supporters argued that part-time faculty often lack employer-sponsored coverage despite teaching most community college courses, while opponents said the bill was premature because participation is still growing and the program’s full-year spending data is not yet known. Members debated whether the Legislature should preserve the funding in statute or continue handling it through the budget process. The bill passed on a due-pass motion to Senate Appropriations and was placed on call. AB 1581 would require collection of tribal affiliation data for Native American and Alaska Native students in CalPADS to address severe undercounting and improve resource allocation. The author and tribal and education supporters said Native students are often misclassified, making it harder to provide culturally responsive programs and measure outcomes; committee members discussed how the reporting would work for multitribal and multiracial students and emphasized the need for tribal consultation and workable data definitions. The bill passed on a due-pass motion to Senate Appropriations and was placed on call. AB 1665, requiring mental health training for school coaches, was supported as a way to help trusted adults recognize warning signs and connect student athletes to services; it also passed to Senate Appropriations and was placed on call. AB 1766, which would expand human trafficking prevention education from kindergarten through 12th grade and address online grooming and exploitation, received strong support from the author, survivors, and advocacy groups, with testimony emphasizing earlier prevention and digital safety; the transcript ended during support testimony and did not include final action on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• The years, the five years or more that it takes to get a transmission line approved is the real culprit
• Ongoing conversation this entire year.
• to read, and learns to read well.
• All students learn different. Some learn through reading rhymes, the Dr.
• So I have a family member who participated in this program and he was able to get out to. two years earlier

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , being 11 to 20 years old; and red, being 20-plus years old.
• , being 11 to 20 years old; and red, being 20-plus years old.
• , being 11 to 20 years old; and red, being 20-plus years old.
• -plus years old.
• -plus years old.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I had spent years prior, and then right after COVID, to implement a Workforce Development program that
• I had spent years prior, and then right after COVID, to implement a Workforce Development program that
• I learned more in those four years.
• Labor I learned more in those four years Labor I learned more in those four years you<01:10:32.719
• the know um learning the programs and the know um learning the programs and the benefits<01:10:40.719

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard a series of Governor’s messages for confirmation to several boards and councils, with the chair noting the meeting would continue on Monday and that testimony would be limited due to the large volume of submissions. For Governor’s Message 660, Kelly Oka was nominated to the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation. Oka described her work in workforce development and technology, emphasizing equitable access to tech jobs for local residents, keeping young talent in Hawaii, and using HTDC to attract major technology firms and support cybersecurity and startup growth. Testimony from multiple individuals and organizations was strongly supportive, and members asked about HTDC’s challenges, federal funding, and how to attract more tech investment; no vote was taken in the excerpt. The committee then considered Governor’s Message 529, nominating Fono Cafi Mei to the Hoisting Machine Operators Advisory Board. Mei said he had 20 years of crane-operating experience, including work on rail projects, and union representatives and labor organizations testified in support. Next, Governor’s Message 502 nominated Ken Louie to the Workforce Development Council. Louie highlighted his four years on the council, including two as chair, his family business, and his goal of expanding opportunities for younger and adult workers. DBEDT, council members, and labor representatives supported him, and members questioned him about the council’s priorities, staffing, federal funding uncertainty, apprenticeships, and military-to-private-sector transition programs. The committee also took up Governor’s Messages 581 and 690 together, both relating to Jared Gashi’s nomination to the Workforce Development Council for different terms. Gashi, from the Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Association, said he would bring the tourism industry’s perspective to workforce development, citing workforce shortages, internships, scholarships, and the need for a broader tourism voice on the council. Support testimony came from state officials and community members, who praised his reliability and leadership; a member asked how he would broaden the council beyond tourism, and Gashi said HLTA represents a wide range of tourism-related sectors and partners. The committee then heard Governor’s Message 571 for Eric Noi to the Deferred Compensation Plan Board, with Noi citing his fiscal and budgeting background; DHS, the board chair, and others supported him. Finally, Governor’s Message 667 nominated Ty Noara to the same board, and Keith Regan testified in strong support, citing her public service, intelligence, and ability to handle difficult situations. The excerpt ends as the committee begins Governor’s Message 560, nominating David Louie to the Employees’ Retirement System Board, with Louie, the ERS executive director, the finance director, and former Governor Abercrombie offering strong support.

Transcript Highlights:

• for the calendar year and the fiscal year.
• There were federal—there's the federal program, there's state programs, and they were new programs that
• When our system is tested by an influx of claims and by new programs that we need to administer and learn
• Year.
• This is a new program.

Summary: The Commission on Unemployment Compensation met, established a quorum, and elected Delegate Destiny LeVere Bolling as chair and Senator Mike Jones as vice chair. The commission also adopted its electronic meeting policy and heard introductions from new members, staff, and officials from the Secretary of Labor’s office and the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC). Secretary Jessica Lumen outlined the administration’s workforce and labor priorities, including supporting workers, employers, and program transparency, while members raised concerns about business climate, job losses, labor participation, and the implementation of paid family and medical leave. Staff provided legislative updates on recent unemployment-related bills. These included increases to the weekly unemployment benefit amount enacted in 2025 and 2026, a bill on labor dispute disqualification that changed how lockouts are treated for benefit eligibility, and a budget item providing $75,000 for actuarial support to the commission. The commission also discussed the 2025 work group on annual adjustments to weekly benefit amounts; staff reported that the work group did not complete its charge, and members agreed to revisit whether to reconstitute it at a future meeting. Delegate Martinez expressed support for continuing the work, and the chair said the issue would be taken up at the next meeting. Deputy Commissioner Joanna Darkus gave a detailed presentation on Virginia’s unemployment insurance system, including current claims data, eligibility rules, employer tax structure, benefit levels, trust fund solvency, fraud prevention, and customer service operations. She reported that Virginia’s unemployment rate remains low, weekly claims are modest, the current weekly benefit range is $160 to $478, and the trust fund balance factor is projected at 50.9 percent, near the threshold for additional employer charges. Members asked about the taxable wage base, trust fund solvency, the effect of benefit increases, fraud controls, and the planned paid family and medical leave program. VEC said it is implementing that program through regulations, staffing, IT procurement, public listening sessions, and consultation with other states. A public commenter from the Virginia Poverty Law Center urged the commission to strengthen state investment in unemployment insurance and warned that federal support is uncertain. The commission then adjourned without taking further action.

Transcript Highlights:

• Math is foundational and it builds upon itself year after year after year to get to a point.
• , because every time we soil something out year after year after year, you've never given it time to
• One of the things that we learned last year whenever we looked at that is New Mexico's math scores, they
• My kiddos in the motley Crue group that were on the online program always, every single year scored higher
• Try to do the one and done, the year over year changes.

Transcript Highlights:

• We are, this year, doing the program without any state funding, and our goal is to try to raise $3 million
• We work year to year.
• . program. program.
• Say a grant program comes through, they may provide funding for maybe 2 to 3 years, and then once that
• you know, year after year. you know, year after year.

Bills: SB3263, SB3261

Keywords: student-athletes, name image likeness, NIL, compensation, transparency, University of Hawaii, Title IX, funding, protections, athlete agents, student athletes, endorsement contracts, professional representation, registration requirements, sports law, 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint committees heard testimony on Senate Bill 3263, which would create a state-supported endowment for University of Hawaii athletics NIL (name, image, and likeness) funding. University of Hawaii Athletics Director Matt Eliott supported the bill, saying NIL requires both immediate funding and a longer-term sustainable solution. He asked for several changes: lowering the initial endowment target from $10 million to $2 million so the fund could start sooner, allowing NIL reporting by team rather than by individual student-athlete, and clarifying that athletes may choose whether to use an agent, while still allowing certified agents or a parent/guardian if desired. Committee members raised concerns about using taxpayer dollars for athlete compensation, the burden on a small-state budget, and whether the university could realistically raise the required matching funds. Several senators questioned whether the university had a concrete fundraising plan and whether the endowment would meaningfully help UH compete with larger programs. Eliott said UH is already fundraising privately for current NIL obligations, had raised more than $1.6 million toward a $3 million annual goal, and would continue fundraising for both short-term needs and the endowment match. He also said the university is not trying to compete with Power Five schools on the same scale, but to be successful at its own conference level. Members also discussed transparency and privacy, with some senators arguing that if state money is used, the public should know how it is spent, while Eliott said individual student-athlete NIL information should remain private and team-level reporting would be preferable. He confirmed international student-athletes are eligible for NIL and said about 60 to 70 UH athletes are currently participating, with more than 100 expected next year. The discussion also touched on UH’s Mountain West media rights and local TV rights, with Eliott explaining that the conference distribution is expected to remain around $3.5 million and that local TV rights would be negotiated separately. No vote or final action was taken during the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• for at least one year. one year.
• At the local level, there have been some reversions in the K-5 Plus and extended learning time programs
• to this year.
• Learn math, do other things.
• of learning in a year.

Transcript Highlights:

• YEAR 25 26 X 10.2 MILLION.
• SINCE JANUARY OF THIS YEAR.
• WHEN BRIAN PRESENTED IN FEBRUARY WE HAD A SLIDE THAT SHOWED THE STAND YEAR-OVER-YEAR AND IT SHOWED THAT
• INCREASED REPORTING TO US BECAUSE OF OUR CONCERNS OVER THE YEARS ABOUT THE PROGRESS OF THE PROGRAM.
• YOU'RE LOOKING FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR OR TOTAL PROGRAM COST? OKAY.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, we asked for receive funding for a couple of years to get the program off the ground and then give
• c><00:15:59.440> off<00:15:59.680> the<00:15:59.839> ground years to get the program
• off the ground years to get the program off the ground and<00:16:00.399> then<00:16:01.120>
• Over many years, I have been able to get to know a lot of legislators here in the capital and learn about
• I've spent almost 12 years overseas, learned a second language overseas after high school.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee on Education met on February 17 and announced it would limit public testimony to one minute because more than a thousand testimonies were expected on one measure. The first bill heard was HB 1934, relating to the Imagination Library of Hawaii. The state librarian and Friends of the Library supported the bill, saying the program is a proven, cost-effective way to improve early literacy and should be expanded statewide for children ages 0 to 5. Friends of the Library said the current 50/50 match requirement would be too difficult to meet immediately and asked for state funding for the first few years to help launch the expansion. Testimony included eight supporters and one opponent, and members asked whether the proposal was an expansion of an existing program; the state librarian said it would expand service beyond currently targeted communities. The committee then heard HB 20004, which would extend the floating librarian pilot program. The state librarian, Department of Education, HSTA, and several individuals testified in support. Supporters said the program helps address staffing needs and improves student readiness, especially for college and information literacy. One retired community college librarian said school librarians help students prepare for college and are increasingly important in teaching critical evaluation of misinformation and AI-generated content. Members asked about implementation of the existing pilot, including recruitment of certified librarians for neighbor island and Oahu complex areas; DOE said those positions had been identified and recruitment was underway, and existing funds remained intact. The final major discussion was HB 2398, which clarifies the library system’s role in RNMSP-related projects and public library construction on or near school land. The state librarian and public library system supported the bill, while the Department of Education and Attorney General’s office raised concerns about vague language, especially the phrase “land controlled by the board,” and suggested amendments. In questioning, the state librarian explained that the bill was prompted by conflicts on shared or adjacent school/public library sites, including traffic, pickup and drop-off access, and other operational issues. DOE described significant disruption from one project’s traffic changes and said planning for such projects should involve early coordination and formal agreements. The state librarian responded that the new bill would clarify oversight and help avoid delays and disputes over property control and future renovations.

Transcript Highlights:

• The number of teacher incentive allotment teachers is doubling quickly year after year after year.
• The pathways we're providing for teachers—traditional university programs, a year-long residency program
• able to get $10,000; five years' experience, where... ...years are able to get $10,000; five years'
• Jacob Perksey in Texas classrooms shows that educators prepared through a year-long residency program
• residency programs in Texas perform comparably to teachers with five years of classroom experience.

Bills: HB2

Keywords: disaster preparedness, emergency management, flooding, mass fatality, mass casualty, fatality tracking, body recovery, autopsy, justice of the peace, medical examiner, county judge, sheriff, mayor, emergency coordinator, emergency manager license, volunteer management system, volunteer registration, criminal history check, background check, Texas Division of Emergency Management

Summary: The Senate Education K-16 Committee met to consider HB 2, the major school finance bill, with the chair explaining that the committee substitute would provide about $8 billion in new public education funding. The bill was described as including permanent teacher compensation increases, expanded teacher incentive allotment funding, support for early literacy and numeracy, teacher certification and residency pathways, special education funding, career and technical education, school safety dollars, and facilities support for charter schools. The committee adopted the committee substitute without objection after roll was called and a quorum was present. Members questioned the bill’s structure, especially the balance between across-the-board teacher pay and the teacher incentive allotment, the treatment of uncertified teachers, and differences in requirements between traditional public schools and charter schools. Senator Menendez and Senator West raised concerns about equity, charter-school parity, facilities funding, inflation, and whether the bill should include more support for fine arts and extracurricular programs. The chair responded that the bill was designed to direct most new money to traditional public schools while also preserving flexibility and that charter-school and public-school alignment would need further work. Invited witnesses Dr. Imelda De La Rosa and Val Acri testified in support of the bill, emphasizing that the Teacher Incentive Allotment helps recruit and retain teachers in rural districts and supports mentorship and certification pathways. Public witnesses also supported the bill but urged more funding for fine arts, local flexibility, and full restoration of House-proposed funding levels. Dr. Josh Jones supported year-long teacher residencies, Dr. Philip Morgan asked for more local control and restoration of fine arts funding, Rich Saina supported the bill but warned about hold-harmless reductions, and Dr. Greg Poole supported the bill while asking for flexibility for high-performing districts that already pay high salaries. After the invited testimony and some public testimony, the committee recessed subject to the call of the chair so members could attend the Senate floor.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we have been developing a number of programs over the past couple of years.
• So this is our quantum learning lab and technician training program.
• fiscal year. year and has continued this fiscal year as a program.
• What we've seen in the last year is a 129% increase in startups applying to our program.
• We had to turn away about 20 companies that applied this year to our program.

Transcript Highlights:

• year and the fiscal year.
• There's the federal program, there's state programs, and there were new programs that were delivered
• When our system is tested by an influx of claims and by new programs that we need to administer and learn
• Year.
• This is a new program.

Keywords: Commission on Unemployment Compensation, 976, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I could not love a program more.
• She's been in FFA for three years. Nelania Key, also a senior, four years in FFA.
• Well, they were in the House last year, so they deserved to take a year off, I suppose.
• Maybe we met some of y'all last year.
• And this year, they acquired from...

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• senior year. senior year.
• A couple hundred years ago, maybe you would apprentice with your father to learn a trade.
• They're not learning skills. They don't learn how to enjoy their bodies.
• They are not learning how to do acrobatics or ballet. No longer learning dance.
• They're not learning skills. They don't learn how to enjoy their bodies.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• One such program that CFILC is a holder on is the Disability Disaster Access and Resources Program, which
• learning,... ...and the curriculum, SB 971 promotes learning and engagement through local government
• This bill allows an ADRC to continue operating for at least one year and up to two years if its area
• This bill allows an ADRC to continue operating for at least one year and up to two years if its area
• Last year, our ADRC served 11,912 individuals, and this year we are projected to serve about twice that

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So Miro was diagnosed in 2023 via your state's newborn screening pilot program, and he is now two years
• bringing in the latest things that I didn't learn 40 years ago because... ...and they're bringing in
• the latest things that I didn't learn 40 years ago because it wasn't there.
• as well, so a required three-year surgical training program, a surgical residency, where residents are
• On October 24 of the same year, that is last year, teen smoking was at a 25-year low.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Public Health heard testimony on a wide range of bills focused on children’s health, tobacco control, newborn screening, pediatric cancer, palliative care, and professional licensure. Early testimony highlighted Senate bills to expand newborn screening for pyruvate dehydrogenase complex deficiency, lysosomal storage disorders, and congenital CMV, with families and clinicians describing severe diagnostic delays, missed treatment windows, and the benefits of early detection. Speakers also supported a bill to improve pediatric cancer research through a dedicated trust fund, and a bill to extend pediatric palliative care services to age 22, with parents and providers emphasizing continuity of care for seriously ill young people. Several witnesses gave personal accounts in support of the newborn screening measures. Families described children who endured years of misdiagnosis before receiving diagnoses such as Gaucher disease, Fabry disease, Pompe disease, Niemann-Pick disease, and CMV, often after irreversible damage had already occurred. Medical and advocacy witnesses said Massachusetts already collects some of the relevant screening data and argued that results should be reported to families, while others urged the committee to add conditions to the state panel because effective treatments already exist. The committee also heard support for a bill to establish a fetal alcohol spectrum disorder program and training for providers. On tobacco and youth health, testimony supported bills to ban internet tobacco sales, strengthen youth protections, and reduce lung cancer deaths through point-of-sale information and quit-line access. A student testified about easily purchasing flavored nicotine products online without meaningful age verification, and public health advocates backed measures to keep tobacco out of children’s environments. The committee also heard testimony on a bill to ensure parents have access to their children’s medical records through age 16, with exceptions for sensitive services already protected by law. The committee additionally took testimony on an optometry licensure bill, where ophthalmologists opposed language they said could broaden scope of practice and allow optometrists to use the title “optometric physician,” while optometry educators and students supported the bill as a modernization measure with no scope expansion. No votes were taken during the hearing; the chair repeatedly reminded speakers of time limits and noted that written testimony could be submitted for additional comments.

Transcript Highlights:

• We respectfully urge you guys to pass 3173 and support this pilot program.
• program. Mahalui. program. Mahalui. >> Thank<00:02:40.080> you.
• Our business has operated in Lahaina Harbor for 54 years.
• years now. years now.
• five six years. five six years.

Bills: SB2596, SB3002, SB3067

Keywords: government leases, state entities, real property, affordable leasing, budget impact, green infrastructure, urban development, sustainability, environment, climate change, public health, Hawaii State Planning Act, land records, registration, surveys, subdivision, Hawaii Revised Statutes, 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint committees on Water and Culture and the Arts and on Hawaiian Affairs heard SB 3173, which would create a cultural training pilot program in the Department of Land and Natural Resources, administered by DOBOR, for commercial permit holders operating in Lahaina Harbor. Testimony was largely supportive from Lahaina Strong, which said the bill responds to community concerns and would help commercial operators return with greater cultural understanding and respect. Supporters framed the measure as a way to rebuild Lahaina intentionally and strengthen relationships between industry and community. Opposition came from Trilogy Excursions and the Activities and Attractions Association of Hawaii. They said they already provide or encourage cultural education, but argued the bill as written is too broad, potentially mandatory, and could create hiring and operational problems for businesses trying to restart after the fire. They asked that any program be voluntary, collaborative, and practical, with clearer details on who must take the training, how often it would be offered, and how it would be coordinated. In response to questions, a witness said most operators would likely participate if the training were accessible and well-marketed, but that the harbor’s limited current operations and staggered rebuilding make timing important. After testimony and questions, the chairs said they appreciated the comments but wanted to move the bill forward without amendments because of a filing deadline, noting that timing and other issues could be worked out in later committees with DLNR, OHA, and stakeholders. Both committees then voted to pass SB 3173 unamended, with one member excused in each committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• The funding for that was sunset last year, and so there is no longer a program at DGS on telework.
• I've been teaching at UC Davis for nine years, and I'm asking you not to eliminate the California Learning
• I am a principal investigator for a three-year AI grant challenge grant from the Learning Lab with four
• I have served for 24 years. and I teach AI literacy to undergraduate students and I lead a faculty learning
• At a time when education is being reshaped by AI, Cal Learning Lab program provides the statewide infrastructure

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• years.
• Learning how to take care of his own home. And he is able to learn.
• Learning how to take care of his own home. And he is able to learn.
• You go back 15 years ago? Like, what? You go back 15 years ago?
• He still learns. learns. learns.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all