Transcript Highlights:

• It also teaches these kids emergency management, gives them certifications.
• Rabbinic teachings emphasize that life is sacred.
• Rabbinic teachings emphasize that life is sacred.
• It's our job to teach people this, too.
• Because we're talking about things like we need to teach five different languages.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, a moment of silence for the Parkland shooting victims, quorum call, and the Pledge of Allegiance. The Rules and Ethics Committee special order report for February 13, 2025 was adopted, setting the day’s special order calendar and debate times. The chamber then took up immigration-related special order items, beginning with Senate Memorial 6C, which urged the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to provide guidance and training for 287(g) agreements. Members debated federal immigration policy and state cooperation with DHS, and the memorial passed 85-27. The House next considered Senate Bill 4C, an immigration bill creating new state offenses related to unlawful entry and reentry into Florida and requiring a mandatory death sentence for an unauthorized alien convicted of a capital felony. Members questioned the bill’s constitutionality, including Supremacy Clause, due process, and Eighth Amendment concerns, and several speakers argued it would create separate classes of people and invite litigation. Multiple amendments were offered to narrow or expand exemptions, including protections for Venezuelans on TPS, certain Haitian TPS and humanitarian parole recipients, undocumented people brought to Florida as children working in critical professions, and a proposal to delay action pending court rulings; all of those amendments were rejected. The bill passed 85-29. The chamber then took up Senate Bill 2C, which would create a State Board of Immigration Enforcement led by the Governor and Cabinet, establish a local law enforcement immigration grant program and advisory council, repeal the undocumented-student fee waiver, and appropriate more than $300 million for immigration enforcement. The sponsor described it as supporting cooperation with federal immigration agencies and ending the in-state tuition incentive for undocumented students. Early questioning focused on the impact on “dreamers” and whether the bill would effectively raise their tuition costs; the sponsor said it removed the incentive of in-state tuition but did not bar attendance. The transcript cuts off during that exchange, before final action on SB 2C is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• There's no unsecure storage of weapons in the barracks, and that is pretty standard practice on every
• kids apparently can have firearms if they want them, That public schools would be responsible for teaching
• firearm safety instruction, but who's to say that parents are actually comfortable with the schools teaching
• these types of bills show the public that we prioritize training our students on guns over actually teaching
• heard my Democrat colleagues saying trust the district schools and let them decide on what we're teaching

Summary: The House convened, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, approved the journal, and heard introductions of guests. Members then adopted several procedural motions, including extending the second regular session, suspending the seven-bill limit for Representative Livingston on budget-related measures, and requesting the Senate return SB 1786 on artificial intelligence content verification for reconsideration. The House also moved into Committee of the Whole to consider calendar items. In Committee of the Whole, the House recommended do pass on SB 1057, SB 1171, SB 1424, and SB 1515, while retaining SB 1178 on the calendar. SB 1171, dealing with fingerprinting and fraud prevention in health and human services, was amended and received supportive comments about accountability and Medicaid fraud. SB 1424, concerning firearm safety instruction in schools, drew extensive debate: a proposed Gutierrez amendment modeled on “Christian’s Law” to require secure firearm storage measures was defeated by division vote 23-31, and the bill itself was defended as age-appropriate firearm safety education while opponents argued it was an unfunded mandate, a parents’ rights issue, and an improper burden on schools. SB 1515, creating a public safety parity fund for DPS and corrections bonuses from rainy-day fund interest, was amended and recommended do pass. The House then considered an additional Committee of the Whole for SB 1552, adopted a floor amendment, and recommended the bill do pass as amended. In third reading, SB 1021 failed 22-35, while SB 1215, SB 1345, SB 1456, and SB 1493 all passed, with SB 1345 drawing a floor explanation about an added regulatory requirement for health care facilities. The House also received first readings of several appropriations bills and announced a special Joint Appropriations Committee hearing on the budget the next morning before adjourning until Tuesday, April 28, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• THEY HIRE THE TEACHERS AND HAVE TEACHERS IN THE CLASSROOM AND WE HAVE TEACHERS IN PERSON TEACHING INSTRUCTION
• REALLY AND TRULY IN MY OPINION FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OUR 30 YEAR HISTORY WE ARE ABLE TO DELIVER TRUE STANDARDS
• PRIOR MODELS ACROSS THE STATE WE HAD DIFFERENT VERSIONS BUT YOU MAY HAVE JUST ONE TEACHER TRYING TO TEACH
• AS OF RIGHT NOW THE TEACHING POSITIONS WE HAVE A 5.5 PERCENT VACANCY RATE WHICH MEANS 94 PERCENT OF THE
• TEACHING POSITIONS ARE FILLED WHICH I THINK IS WE WANT TO BE 100 PERCENT BUT ALSO FOR THE FIRST TIME

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:15:44.880><c> of</c> denying me coverage for the standard of denying me coverage for the standard
• </c><00:52:42.920><c> our</c> technicians with national standards our technicians with national standards
• Those standards are very complicated. If you have heart failure, that's not enough.
• It can happen immediately because we've all agreed on the standards.
• </c> to try ecigarettes it's easy to teach to try ecigarettes it's easy to teach somebody<01:47:41.960

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The joint hearing covered HB 553 on biomarker testing coverage, HB 556 on colorectal cancer screening access, and later HB 712 on 340B drug pricing. For HB 553, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, patient advocates Natalie Heyman and Susan Hirano, a surgical oncologist, and the American Lung Association strongly supported the bill, arguing that biomarker testing should be covered when ordered by a doctor and guided by current evidence. DHS and several insurers offered comments and requested amendments, with DHS saying it appreciated the intent but wanted changes. The committees then voted to pass HB 553 with amendments, including a House draft and a defective date of July 1, 3000; both the House Health and Human Services and Homelessness committees adopted the recommendation unanimously. For HB 556, testimony focused on closing gaps in colorectal cancer screening, especially for uninsured and underinsured patients who can get stool-based screening but then cannot access follow-up colonoscopies. Community Clinic of Maui, ACS CAN, and the American Cancer Society supported the bill, with ACS CAN urging a program similar to the breast and cervical cancer control program and offering amendments. DHS requested that the program and appropriation not conflict with executive budget priorities, and the committees noted technical amendments, a defective date, a blank appropriation amount, and corrections changing Medicare references to Medicaid. HB 556 was also passed with amendments by both committees. The hearing then moved to HB 712 on 340B drug pricing and contract pharmacies. The Department of Health and the Attorney General’s office expressed concern that the bill would require the state to regulate private commercial activity and said the department lacked the expertise and resources to implement it as written, suggesting it might belong in a different statutory section. In contrast, PhRMA opposed the bill, while Hawaii Pacific Health and Hawaii Island Community Health Center supported it, saying 340B savings are important for hospital services and patient access to low-cost medications, especially where manufacturers have restricted shipments to contract pharmacies. No vote on HB 712 was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• 38.960><c> to</c> Renovating or replacing teaches to Renovating or replacing teaches to address<02:51
• This is the standard we should Cheyenne. This is the standard we should strive<03:01:00.479><c> for.
• I teach at Lynford Elementary School, but I also teach at Centennial and Harmony Rural Elementary Schools
• Um, I teach at Lynford Wyoming.
• , but I also teach at Elementary School, but I also teach at Centennial<03:20:10.960><c> and</c><03:20

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the president of the Teaching Hospitals of Texas.
• Oh, I'm sorry, I thought you were the president of, I'm of the teaching hospitals, but I actually don't
• I don't know if Parkland will be testifying, but I know that they are a member of teaching hospitals
• And so I think we need to create a higher baseline standard, and I think that this bill helps us get
• There are two that are basically the nation's standards, and, and they are the ones that if you, it's

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, not necessarily to the same standard.
• </c> necessarily to the same standard. necessarily to the same standard.
• </c> teach him one-on-one. teach him one-on-one.
• You can teach them. You can punish them. Sometimes you have to use shock and awe.
• </c> you can teach them. you can teach them.

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I was going to teach two or three classes a semester, criminal law, and then get that class.
• Let's say it didn't get enough students; you know, I wouldn't teach that class.
• When I was in law school, teaching at the law school, I always say, I look at the 'ands' and the 'ors
• The one that you've written is what happens if the teacher is not going to be teaching as a result of
• If you've been teaching in a law school, it might be Dr. Curtis, or no? Okay, Mr. Curtis.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill is about policing women's bodies and culturally defined femininity standards.
• We can set fair standards for participation in We can set fair standards for participation in sports,
• Why would you want to consider even teaching in an Arizona school?
• I want to thank you for teaching me that you can do that.
• You can go on, even if you know what... ...you for teaching me that you can do that.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In the standard of care, is there any mismatch on that with this bill?
• I have a PhD in education, so I have the privilege of teaching the teachers.
• for the ability for you to be able to convert to the new standards.
• The reason is because right now there is no standard in Louisiana.
• We have a standardized fee schedule.

Summary: The committee first heard and favorably reported SB 255, which expands eligibility for psychosocial rehabilitation services by adding health sciences and therapeutic recreation degrees to the list of acceptable educational backgrounds. Supporters said the change would help address workforce shortages and improve access in rural areas. SB 314 was then reported favorably; it cleans up prior law so a limited scope certified social worker license can still be used for community psychiatric support and treatment services even if the application is filed after the CSW license has expired, rather than being barred by a timing restriction. The committee next took up several bills by Chairman McMath. SB 26, which repeals facility need review requirements for opioid treatment programs, was reported favorably after members and witnesses said Louisiana has too few OTPs and that removing the review would improve access, especially in rural areas. SB 29, requiring review and reporting of a child’s immunization records in certain unexpected death autopsies, was reported favorably despite questions about whether the bill should refer more broadly to medical records; supporters said the data could help evaluate vaccine-related concerns, while opponents raised concerns about singling out immunizations. SB 30, dealing with telehealth for obesity/weight management, was amended and reported favorably; the committee adopted technical amendments and a conceptual amendment replacing “metabolic condition” with “weight management services,” while witnesses debated patient safety, board authority, and whether the bill should limit agencies’ ability to restrict telehealth in the future. The committee also reported favorably SB 219, which creates an Office of Health and Nutrition within LDH. Supporters from the department, the Alzheimer’s Association, and Pennington Biomedical said the office would strengthen coordination on nutrition, physical activity, and brain health, and cited high Alzheimer’s costs and prevalence in Louisiana. SB 222, which streamlines Medicaid behavioral health administrative requirements and expands telehealth for psychosocial rehabilitation, was reported favorably with amendments after supporters described workforce and rural access barriers. SB 195, the “Danny’s Dose EMS Treatment Act,” was reported favorably; it would allow EMS personnel to administer a patient’s own prescribed time-critical medication in emergencies, and testimony from a parent and physician described life-threatening delays under current practice. The committee also adopted SCR 2, updating hospital architectural standards to the most recent Facility Guidelines Institute edition, and SCR 22, requesting a more detailed legislative auditor report on opioid settlement expenditures; members said they wanted clearer outcome data and planned to refine the language before floor debate. Finally, HB 1093 on naturopathic medicine was introduced and heavily amended, with the bill shifted under LSBME oversight and a large set of changes discussed, but no final action was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• attending Washington state public schools, there is already an ideal avenue and opportunity for teaching
• It is our families often that we need to teach, but we need to engage the community in that process as
• They are trying to teach students and they are trying to also respond to the emotional behavioral issues
• But more importantly, there was no clear system in my school, no coordinated, standardized approach to
• Still, the lack of standardization continued.

Bills: HB1634

Keywords: mental health, behavioral support, education, school districts, student assistance, 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• attending Washington state public schools, there is already an ideal avenue and opportunity for teaching
• be specific staff within the schools, but how do we equip schools to be able to provide prevention, teach
• It is our families often that we need to teach, but we need to engage the community in that process as
• But more importantly, there was no clear system in my school, no coordinated, standardized approach to
• Still, the lack of standardization continued.

Summary: The House Education Committee held a work session on the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Work Group and its school-based behavioral health and suicide prevention subgroup, followed by a public hearing on House Bill 1634, as amended in a proposed second substitute. Work group leaders Lisa Callan and Tisha Kirschbaum described the group’s statewide, cross-agency structure, its Washington Thriving strategic plan, and the goal of moving toward a more integrated “system of care” for children and youth. They emphasized that behavioral health, physical health, and education are interconnected, that families and schools often face a fragmented system, and that Washington’s youth flourishing outcomes show a need for stronger supports. Committee members raised concerns about regional disparities, rural access, language and cultural responsiveness, and the burden on schools and educators, while the presenters stressed that schools should be supported to identify needs and connect students to outside clinical services rather than carry the full burden themselves. Representative My-Linh Thai and Christian Stark then outlined the school-based subgroup’s work and recommendations. They said the subgroup meets monthly, includes students, parents, educators, providers, and agencies, and has focused on prevention, early identification, early intervention, and crisis response in schools. For the 2026 session, the subgroup recommended maintaining current investments in school behavioral health programs, strengthening statewide guidance on school behavioral health, and creating a coordinated technical assistance and training network for schools. They explained that the proposed substitute for HB 1634 would direct OSPI and the educational service districts to work with behavioral health agencies and community partners to conduct a needs assessment, map resources, and build a statewide framework for technical assistance and training, with public posting required by August 1, 2027. Testimony in support came from school staff, OSPI, behavioral health professionals, students, parents, and advocacy groups, who described high student anxiety, suicide risk, staffing shortages, and the need for coordinated, accessible supports. One witness from a psychiatric watchdog group opposed the bill, arguing it could increase labeling and drugging rather than holistic care. No vote was taken in the transcript provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• A patient comes in for a standard procedure; it is exceptionally difficult, and it can take 45 days for
• My professional background also includes native language teaching within my own community, and I also
• from an agency standpoint and enhance communications and collaboration across the agency through teaching
• The data from all of these different programs to make sure that they're aligning with state standards
• Again, as I mentioned, across the state provides such a wonderful resource in teaching and working with

Transcript Highlights:

• and credit requirements to standards and credit requirements to receive<00:03:45.280><c> their</c><00
• </c> areas, and it's not just in teaching areas, and it's not just in teaching positions,<00:30:52.399
• </c><00:31:06.880><c> So,</c> district is actually teaching staff.
• So, district is actually teaching staff.
• Um, that year I was teaching middle school in St. Francis.

Bills: HF3790, HF3654, HF3371, HF3470, HF1099

Keywords: education finance, lease levy authority, graduation ceremonies, school districts, Minnesota Statutes, local revenue, funding increase, education, state appropriation, local control, HF3371, local optional revenue, school finance, general education aid, school district funding, referendum revenue, referendum market value, equalization aid, state aid, property tax levy

Transcript Highlights:

• We audit their delegation and make sure they are performing and meeting the standards as set that we
• 36:39.160><c> we</c><00:36:39.319><c> have</c><00:36:39.520><c> set</c><00:36:39.760><c> and</c> standards
• as set that we have set and standards as set that we have set and meeting<00:36:40.440><c> expectations
• , letting them know some of the signs to look for so they can stop child abuse when it happens and teach
• The committee was adjourned. you teach your children to be able to you teach your children to be able

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> each state with different standards. each state with different standards.
• My wife teaches preschool.
• My wife teaches preschool.
• My wife teaches preschool.
• c> for</c> standards the academic standards for standards the academic standards for teachers<02:43:46.000

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The commission meeting focused on reviewing and correcting draft minutes and then working through a draft report on the cost of special education. Members made mostly clerical corrections, including clarifying references to Spalding, fixing acronyms such as LETRS, and cleaning up membership titles and appointee roles to match SB 57. The minutes were approved as amended, with some members abstaining because they were not present at the prior meeting. The chair also noted the commission’s deadline to complete findings and recommendations by July 1 and said the final report must be delivered to legislative leaders, the governor, the state librarian, and others. The main substantive discussion centered on the report’s findings about special education funding. Members agreed the report should emphasize that the commission was created to study the cost of special education and reduce reliance on local property taxes. One draft section described FY24 special education funding as coming from three primary state and federal sources totaling about $152 million, or roughly 15% of annual costs, with the remaining 85% paid by local school districts through property tax revenue, estimated at about $825 million. Members discussed adding historical or longitudinal data to show trends over time, and some suggested attaching charts or tables showing funding over the last 20 to 30 years. A second major topic was demographic data. The draft noted that statewide K-12 enrollment has declined since 2003 while the number and share of students with IEPs has increased. Members questioned whether the data compared like with like, especially given the growth of Education Freedom Accounts and charter school enrollment, and whether the figures included or excluded those students. Several members asked for clearer sourcing from the Department of Education and suggested keeping a list of unresolved questions, including the impact of the shift from ADMA to ADMR and the effect of the EFA program. The discussion ended with agreement to continue refining the report and to gather additional attachments and clarifications before finalizing recommendations.

Transcript Highlights:

• One is, you mentioned the objective standard for housing.
• Are roommates being considered as the default standard rather than the unusual standard?
• I also teach a class called The Science of Coffee. One of my students in that class is Naya.
• I teach first grade and I also am in support. Thank you.
• Today's standard of open adoption is rooted in transparency, empowerment, and connection.

Summary: The committee hearing covered several higher education bills, with extensive testimony on student aid, affordability, and institutional debt. AB 587 would add veteran representation to the California Student Aid Commission; the author said the change would bring lived experience from the veteran community to student aid policy, and members raised a concern about keeping the commission’s membership odd-numbered, which the author said would be addressed by amendment. AB 791 would standardize cost-of-attendance housing calculations using objective data and improve notice of the adjustment process; supporters said current budgets often underestimate students’ real living costs, while UC, CSU, and independent colleges opposed or had concerns about the bill’s prescribed methodology, fiscal impact, and a 14-day turnaround for adjustments. AB 850 would create a one-term grace period for students with institutional debt to re-enroll while arranging repayment, bar reporting that debt to credit agencies, and require more transparency; proponents described students being blocked from continuing school over debts, while CSU, UC, and private-college representatives said they already use holds and payment plans and worried about added liabilities and budget pressures. AB 537 would extend the California College Promise Program to part-time community college students; supporters said most community college students attend part-time and should not be excluded from fee waivers, while the committee noted fiscal concerns but ultimately advanced the bill. AB 7 would allow universities to consider whether an applicant is a descendant of American chattel slavery in admissions as a reparative measure; supporters framed it as lineage-based reparative justice, while opponents argued it would function as a racial proxy and conflict with Proposition 209 and equal-protection principles. The committee took roll-call votes on the measures, advancing AB 587, AB 791, AB 850, and AB 537 to Appropriations, with AB 850 and AB 537 receiving fewer votes and the roll left open for additional members.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're here to meet constitutional standards, continue to put both youth and staff at risk.
• And my reaction was, like, well, why don't you teach them not to do that?
• Barton stated our reporting structures for confinement are in place through our standards.
• So lowering, I always mess up this word, preponderance of the evidence standard.
• We were there to teach them.

Bills: HB31, HB3360

Keywords: juvenile justice, community supervision, felony offenses, treatment of children, juvenile facilities, chemical dispensing device, solitary confinement, rehabilitation, criminal proceedings, delinquency, 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• members... ...employees is the standard we're held to.
• Change of evidentiary standards. Dr. Smith.
• Change of evidentiary standards. Dr. Smith.
• And so these elevated standards, and also these inconsistent standards, create a problem for the universities
• So this just creates more problems for us as these standards are tinkered with.

Summary: The task force met with a quorum to review and adopt final recommendations responding to the death of Caleb Wilson and broader hazing prevention concerns in Louisiana higher education. Members and the Wilson family discussed the need for clearer legal definitions and stronger accountability, including whether Southern University’s expulsion of the Omega Psi Phi chapter was permanent; leaders said the current law leaves ambiguity and a legislative fix is needed to define suspension and expulsion. The committee also approved the November 3 minutes and received updates on hazing sanctions and hearing panel processes across the public postsecondary systems. A major portion of the meeting focused on recommendations for annual hazing-prevention training for students, advisors, faculty, and staff, plus training for conduct panel members. Witnesses from LSU and other systems described current practices, including online modules and in-person training, while members raised concerns about scope, mandatory reporter obligations, and whether all employees should be covered. Several recommendations were adopted, including annual student training, annual advisor training, annual faculty and staff training with an amendment to apply to “appropriate” personnel, and a sustainable funding mechanism to support training and reporting. The task force also adopted an amnesty policy recommendation to encourage reporting and help-seeking, clarified that it would be left to legislation whether organizational amnesty is included, and supported reverting the evidentiary standard in institutional hazing proceedings from clear and convincing evidence back to preponderance of the evidence. The committee further approved recommendations to add hazing incidents, prevention efforts, and compliance data to the annual power-based violence report, to impose clear penalties for noncompliance tied to bond commission consequences, and to align hazing reporting penalties with existing power-based violence reporting rules. For K-12 schools, the task force discussed expanding bullying and hazing materials to nonpublic schools, updating educational materials, and improving data collection. Closing remarks from student members, university leaders, and the Wilson family emphasized that hazing is a culture problem requiring education, accountability, and sustained leadership, and several system presidents and LSU representatives pledged to implement the recommendations and continue working with the legislature.

Transcript Highlights:

• If succeeding training of all 23,000 employees is the standard we're held to.
• If succeeding training of all 23,000 employees is the standard we're held to.
• Change of evidentiary standards. Dr. Smith.
• Change of evidentiary standards. Dr. Smith.
• So these elevated standards and also these inconsistent standards create a problem for the universities

Keywords: 965, house, all

Summary: The task force met with a quorum to continue work on Caleb Wilson hazing-prevention recommendations, with the Wilson family present and repeatedly acknowledged. Members discussed Southern University’s expulsion of Omega Psi Phi and the family pressed for clarity on whether the fraternity could return; counsel said the expulsion appears permanent on its face but there is legal ambiguity, prompting legislators to say a statutory fix is needed to define suspension versus expulsion more clearly. The group also reviewed data on hazing-related suspensions since 2018 and hearing-panel practices across the public postsecondary systems, including panel composition, annual training, and appeals processes. The task force adopted several recommendations focused on prevention and accountability. These included annual hazing-prevention training for students, advisors, and faculty/staff; a state-provided training framework with campus-specific flexibility; stronger attention to mandatory reporting; an amnesty policy to encourage reporting and help-seeking; reverting hazing proceedings back to a preponderance-of-the-evidence standard; adding hazing to the annual power-based violence report; tying noncompliance penalties to loss of State Bond Commission borrowing authority; and identifying sustainable funding for training and reporting. Members debated scope and implementation, especially whether training should cover all employees or only those who interact with students, whether external advisors and graduate advisors should be included, and how to avoid unintended consequences for advisor recruitment. Several amendments were made, including narrowing one recommendation from “all” to “appropriate,” and the amnesty discussion was clarified to avoid creating a loophole for misconduct. The task force also discussed K-12 considerations, including applying bullying and hazing materials to nonpublic schools, updating prevention materials, and improving data collection. In closing remarks, student members and family representatives emphasized that hazing is about power, not tradition, and called for culture change, accountability, and earlier education. University leaders from the University of Louisiana System, Southern University System, and LSU said they support the effort and will implement the recommendations if enacted, while also urging stronger individual and organizational accountability beyond training alone. A public commenter from Nicholls State’s SGA praised the task force’s work before the meeting moved into public comment.