Transcript Highlights:

• to discuss the issue of school start times in New Hampshire, and they were quite concerned by how early
• was to make sure that students have a full and healthy day in their classroom just so that they can learn
• :35:10.000> can their classroom just so that they can their classroom just so that they can learn
• uh starting your day where you learn uh starting your day where you aren't<00:35:14.960> fully
• If it got out too early, I would also run into some problems.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• districts from utilizing the three-cueing system, and requires by June 30th all interdisciplinary early
• childhood through grade five educators to have completed a science of reading professional learning
• childhood through grade five educators to have completed a science of reading professional learning
• However, as students progress through their educational learning, get into first grade, second grade,
• ,<01:57:33.480> their them, who focus on their learning, their them, who focus on their learning

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We had a late night last night and we have an early morning this morning, so bear with us, we're gonna
• We had a late night last night and we have an early morning this morning, so bear with us, we're gonna
• think, is an important part of that by requiring training, demonstrating proficiency, classroom learning
• could any kind of content to meet the hour requirements, but it's an unnecessary burden to go in, learn
• We really appreciate your late night and your early morning. This is Senate Bill 375.

Transcript Highlights:

• We fail to learn from our mistakes along the way.
• I went to school to learn the intricacies of how to treat patients in emergent settings.
• The skill of critical thinking learned in books gets lost.
• I appreciated what you said early in the morning about this process and democracy at work.
• I learned a lot about moments like this in history.

Bills: HB45, HB45, HB755, HB 1232, HB1555, HB2460, HB2702, HB2973, HB3120, HB3225, HB3314, HB3356, HB3371, HB3634, HB3638, HB4247, HB4283, HB4290, HB4302, HB4503, HB4511, HB4565, HB4581, HB4627, HB4632, HB4660, HB4668, HB4960, HB5042

Keywords: flooding, disaster response, emergency preparedness, state guidance, public safety, housing, affordable housing, rent control, landlord-tenant laws, housing rights, lobbying, public entities, expenditures, government code, transparency, Texas Ethics Commission, government regulation, lobbying restrictions, government accountability, taxpayer money

Transcript Highlights:

• I did go early and fast into announcements. So, we'll give everybody a break today.
• use on these animals to detect early use on these animals to detect early detection<01:31:53.360
• Apologies.<01:37:13.199> It's<01:37:13.520> still<01:37:13.760> early.
• It's still early. Still Apologies. It's still early.
• c><01:37:16.480> is early.

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• If you're going to fail, you need to do it early and realize you need to move on to a new concept, a
• going to fail, you need to do it early going to fail, you need to do it early and<01:16:35.360><
• Um and we just learned Medicaid benefit.
• Um and we just learned in<01:40:54.320> April<01:40:54.880> on<01:40:55.119> April
• And once we learned about the services.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Government Contract Committee met with a quorum, observed a moment of silence for Representative McCool after the death of his sister, and approved the April 14 minutes. The committee then reviewed a large agenda of contracts and amendments, beginning with a deferred Office of the Controller procurement involving broker services. Members questioned why a contract that had previously been handled for about $300,000 annually was now priced at about $1 million, and why the procurement was limited to one year. Office of the Controller staff said the prior vendor had held the work for more than 20 years, the work had previously been treated as not practical to bid, and the new RFP was intended to increase competition. They said the technical evaluation was scored before cost was considered, that past performance was not scored because it was seen as unreliable, and that AON received the highest technical score despite not being the lowest bidder. After discussion, the committee voted to take no action and let the contract proceed to the Finance Cabinet, with members noting continuing concerns about the pricing and process. The committee next considered a DCBS memorandum of agreement amendment for language services. DCBS representatives said the additional funding did not come from a new cut elsewhere, but from reduced spending on interpreter services because commonly used forms had been translated into other languages, freeing up funds for the contract. The committee approved the item unanimously. The final major item discussed was an initial contract for the Board of Hairdressers and Cosmetologists for legal services. Board staff said the board had been without a permanent general counsel since March 2024 and had relied on special and conflict counsel because of unusually heavy litigation, including 11 active cases, plus broader disciplinary and licensing changes tied to recent legislation and an oversight report. They said the contract was a not-to-exceed amount funded entirely by agency fees and that the board was currently running a surplus. Senator Thomas urged support, citing prior legislation and oversight findings about problems at the board and saying the contract was needed to help the board address ongoing litigation and corrective work. The committee approved the contract and then approved the remaining agenda items without objection, sending them forward.

Transcript Highlights:

• The chair said she had stopped him early and thought the implementation discussion would help clarify
• So that comfort early on. So that comfort early on will make everything better. So thank you.
• What am I going to learn there to help me do my job?” It’s a pilot project.
• What am I going to learn there to help me do my job?”
• So we are early in that process, but we are doing mandatory employment and training.

Summary: The meeting focused on Arkansas’s proposed workforce system overhaul, including a combined WIOA/Perkins state plan and a package of federal waiver requests intended to consolidate workforce governance, reduce administrative costs, and redirect more funding to training and supportive services. Commerce officials said the plan would replace the current structure of 10 local workforce boards and more than 200 board members with a single statewide board and one administrative entity, while keeping local offices open and using regional business councils to preserve employer and local input. They said the state has already reduced Commerce headcount and operating costs, and that the changes would improve coordination with higher education, adult education, vocational rehabilitation, DHS, and Arkansas Industry Connect. Much of the discussion centered on the waiver package, especially the proposal to make the state board function as the local board, allow more flexible movement of funds across regions, eliminate the WIOA “last dollar” requirement for training and supportive services, create affiliate sites instead of requiring every area to maintain a comprehensive center, and relax the 14 youth program element requirement. Officials said the State Board of Workforce Development approved the waiver package 11-3 before it was submitted to the U.S. Department of Labor, and that implementation would begin only after federal approval and a closeout process, likely taking up to a year. They also described plans to streamline referrals and data sharing, expand mobile and virtual services, and use a more centralized model to improve customer service and employer engagement. Members raised repeated concerns about rural representation, local control, board composition, and whether jobs and relationships would be lost if local boards were eliminated. Commerce officials responded that local offices would remain open, some current staff could be rehired by the state, and regional business councils would help ensure local employer voice. Several members also questioned how the funding was being used, citing audit findings that only about $1.8 million to $1.9 million of roughly $14 million to $15 million in federal workforce funds had gone to training and supportive services. Officials said the reorganization could increase annual training spending to roughly $6 million to $7 million by reducing overhead, one-stop operator contracts, and board administration. The committee also discussed how the changes might support workforce training facilities, apprenticeships, child care and transportation assistance, and employer-driven training in fields such as manufacturing, health care, technology, and welding. The Division of Higher Education also briefed members on Workforce Pell. Officials explained that the new federal program would extend Pell eligibility to short-term programs, but only within narrow limits, such as 150 to 599 clock hours and 8 to 15 weeks of instruction, with additional completion and employment benchmarks. They said Arkansas is working with colleges and universities to identify programs that fit the criteria and that the governor has designated the Division of Higher Education to lead implementation. No votes were taken by the committee during this portion of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh we do learning and growing process.
• Primarily developmental, how they learn, how they interact with the world.
• , how they learn, how they interact<00:19:15.840> with<00:19:16.000> the<00:19:16.240><
• be an early bill? be an early bill?
• <01:46:04.719> bills I mean the deadline for the early bills I mean the deadline for the early

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• As I learned more about birth centers, how they open, and why they're closing, I learned that the number
• I also learned that insurance reimbursement is so low, in particular the facility fees, that many birth
• And then I started researching and learning just how alarming and true these words were, specifically
• This empowered me to continue having more conversations, and I learned that although I was cared for
• And this is a fun fact: during my second pregnancy, I learned that the hospital I was planned to give

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee held a public hearing with testimony on several health care bills, with most of the discussion focused on primary care access, community health center reimbursement, midwifery and birth centers, telehealth, hospital-at-home, direct primary care, and trans-inclusive health care access. Chair Feeney and Chair Murphy opened by noting the large number of signups and asking testifiers to keep remarks brief because of time constraints. Legislators and witnesses repeatedly emphasized that Massachusetts’ primary care system is under strain and that federal policy changes and reimbursement gaps are worsening financial pressure on providers. On community health centers, Representative Blay, Senator Lovely, Michael Curry, Bethany Keeley, Jag Deep Trevetti, Sean Cahill, and Christina Severin all supported H. 1096/S. 711, which would require commercial insurers to pay federally qualified health centers at least the MassHealth prospective payment system rate. They argued that commercial plans currently reimburse health centers below Medicaid rates, threatening sustainability, staffing, and access, especially as federal cuts and coverage losses could increase uncompensated care. Testifiers said the bill would stabilize health centers, protect primary care access, and not cost the state money. A second major topic was H. 1117/S. 784 on sustaining birth centers and the midwifery workforce. Senator Lovely, Senator Miranda, Emily Anesta, Rebecca Orden, Catherine Rushworth, Nishira Burrill, Joel Sutherland, Rachel Blessington, Joelle Ward, and others described the 2024 maternal health omnibus as an important first step, but said birth centers and midwives still face low reimbursement, workforce shortages, and financial instability. They urged reimbursement parity, a workforce development fund, and support for freestanding birth centers, citing improved outcomes, lower C-section rates, better patient experience, and racial equity in maternal health. Several speakers shared personal birth stories and said the bill would help preserve and expand birth options in communities like Roxbury, Worcester, and the North Shore. The committee also heard support for H. 1343 on direct primary care from Dr. Garofalo, Dr. Altman, Dr. Nair, Stephanie Cameron, Dr. Haley Moke-Blessed, and others, who said current insurance rules force patients to use a separate in-network primary care doctor for referrals and sometimes prevent physicians from dispensing medications. They argued the bill would reduce delays, administrative burden, and costs while improving continuity of care. In addition, Dr. Miklides and Sue Stempeck supported H. 1141 on hospital-at-home parity, saying the model has strong outcomes and should be reimbursed at the same rate as brick-and-mortar hospital care. Heather Myers and Katrina Cook testified on telehealth and digital health equity, urging broader coverage for asynchronous care, remote monitoring, interpreter services, and digital literacy supports. SEIU Local 509 supported H. 1188/S. 681 on trans-inclusive health care access, saying it would remove arbitrary insurance barriers to gender-affirming care. No votes or committee actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• So internships, they are another way for students to consolidate their learning, their classroom learning
• You're able to see everything that you're learning in the classroom and actually experience it.
• Everything that you're learning in the classroom and actually experience it.
• But it wasn't like very early.
• of electives and helping students graduate early.

Summary: The committee met at Dakota College at Bottineau, approved the January 15, 2026 minutes, and heard an extensive campus update from Dean Corey Gorder and other DCB leaders. Gorder described the college’s affiliation with Minot State and its growing use of shared services, including business office functions, HR, institutional research, Title IX, printing, financial aid support through UND, and payroll support through NDSU. He said the arrangement lets DCB focus on its core mission while relying on system partners for specialized administrative work, and noted that accreditation concerns were not believed to limit those shared-service arrangements. He also highlighted DCB’s mission, enrollment growth, dual-credit reach across rural schools, and the college’s emphasis on nursing, dental, paramedic, farm management, and other workforce-oriented programs. Committee members asked detailed questions about dual credit, program delivery, and whether DCB’s partnerships were exclusive. Gorder said the relationships are generally collaborative rather than exclusive, that schools can choose other providers, and that many partnerships began through personal outreach and ongoing relationships with rural schools. Lisa Johnson of the university system added that transfer complaints are rare and that dual credit generally transfers well within North Dakota, though highly selective out-of-state institutions may treat credits differently. Members also asked about stipends for high school instructors, the share of K-12 versus DCB instructors, and the capacity limits in dental hygiene and other programs. Gorder said dental hygiene is capped by space and staffing, that there were more applicants than seats, and that expansion is being considered; he also said he would provide follow-up information on the paramedic program and instructor breakdowns. Gorder closed by identifying long-term challenges, including aging residence halls, recruiting faculty and staff, and the need to review low-enrollment programs. He said DCB should consider expanding into more high-demand trades such as welding, HVAC, and electrical work, and should streamline dual credit and strengthen its Minot programming. The committee then heard from the North Dakota Student Association, whose leaders outlined student priorities from the last session and the interim. Their main concerns included campus housing quality and affordability, food insecurity and food pantries, mental and physical health resources, student-led research funding, academic and career readiness, internships, and campus collaboration. They also discussed dual credit, saying it is valuable but uneven across the state, and raised questions about how to better retain students in North Dakota through the system. Members asked follow-up questions about housing, transferability of dual credit, and whether incentives could be used to encourage students to stay in-state for higher education.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's also where where I learned about the concept of location that we are called for good.
• And secondly, we learned that the shooter spent a tremendous amount of time researching this.
• As Representative Nash pointed out early on hours ago.
• in an environment that is safe and secure and allows them to learn.
• environment that is safe and secure and allows them to learn.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• School kids may learn something about it.
• to go to the polls people leaving early to go to the polls people leaving early from<01:34:43.840
• on a Tuesday in early on a Tuesday in early November<01:51:46.199> and<01:51:47.000> unless
• It's not an early bill. Well, it has an FN on it. Thank you.
• Madam Chair, this bill is not marked as an early bill.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The hearing opened on House Bill 192, which concerns the Joint Committee on Employee Classification process for state employee positions. Representative Peter Schmidt explained that the bill is a procedural step to send already-reviewed classifications to Korn Ferry and then into statute and the budget. Department of Corrections staff and Commissioner Helen Hanks testified that one Deputy Director of Medical Services position had been omitted from the bill by mistake even though it had already gone through the JCEC process, and they asked for an amendment to add it. Hanks clarified that the position is an existing classified job being converted to unclassified status, not a new position. The committee discussed how the amendment would work and the quorum requirements for the JCEC, then closed the hearing on HB 192 after no further testimony. The committee then heard House Bill 435, sponsored by Representative Don McFarland, which would clarify professional engineering licensure law. McFarland said the bill is intended to make clear that work in IT security, electronics, digital systems, computing, and software is not the practice of engineering requiring a professional engineer license, while preserving licensure requirements for fields such as civil, structural, and building-related engineering. He said he had consulted with the American Council of Engineering Companies and that the bill is meant to remove ambiguity and legal risk, not deregulate engineering. Several members with engineering backgrounds spoke in support, describing the distinction between licensed PE work and other technical fields, and one member noted that software development and regulated software work typically do not require a PE license. The committee voted ought to pass on HB 435 by a roll call of 16-0 and placed it on consent. Finally, the committee opened House Bill 210, which would create a commission to study the New Hampshire state flag. Representative Tom Corman argued that the current flag is a generic “state seal on a blue bedsheet” and does not meet common vexillological design principles such as simplicity, meaningful symbolism, limited colors, and distinctiveness. He said the proposed commission would include legislative members plus representatives of the New Hampshire Historical Society and the New England Vexillological Association, and would review the flag’s history and recommend whether to redesign it and how to do so. He also indicated he intended to add language to avoid costs, but the bill discussion was not completed in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• We know each other, just 31 of you, and you will learn, the new three senators, that by the time this
• On the family farm, Brandon learned early that hard work was not just a necessity, but an absolute way
• times, but we also passed what was a landmark DEI bill that instructed our institutions of higher learning
• Senator [Brandon Creighton](link from function call): Kenan, play with intensity, drive on your opponent early
• I learned firsthand that education is more than just a path forward.

Bills: SCR7

Keywords: legislature, adjournment, permissions, Texas Constitution, session, legislative authority, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In<00:02:39.400> that<00:02:39.640> year<00:02:39.880> we<00:02:40.000> learned
• <00:02:40.320> that<00:02:40.560> SEIU In that year we learned that SEIU In that year
• we learned that SEIU Minnesota<00:02:41.760> was<00:02:41.960> embarking<00:02:42.520>
• They filed again uh in<00:10:29.480> early<00:10:29.840> 2025,<00:10:31.280> but
• <00:52:08.240> So upset and shocked to learn about. So upset and shocked to learn about.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• active learning classrooms. active learning classrooms.
• It's been an anchor of our state request since the program was first enacted in the early 1990s.
• <00:03:13.320> It's<00:03:13.480> our enacted in the early 1990s.
• It's our enacted in the early 1990s.
• In the early Johnson Brothers Landfill.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• learning, literacy, and mathematics.
• I noticed that there is a cut of roughly $97 million to early learning.
• I noticed that there is a cut of roughly 97 million to early learning.
• learning center?
• We've seen people empowered and inspired to go out and learn more about each issue.

Summary: The House met on the final day of session, swore in Representatives Boyles and Hodgers, and observed a moment of silence for the Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, as well as for Representative Rosenwald’s father. The chamber then moved into final budget work, with leaders outlining the plan to take up H.J.R. 5019, HB 7031, HB 5017, HB 5015, and then the general appropriations act once the Senate transmitted it. H.J.R. 5019, a proposed constitutional amendment to expand the budget stabilization fund, was explained and amended to raise the rainy day fund cap, require annual deposits, and allow withdrawals for critical state needs by a two-thirds vote; it passed 100-1. The House then adopted the conference report on HB 7031, the tax package. The bill repeals the business rent tax and aviation fuel tax, delays the natural gas fuel tax, creates or expands several sales tax holidays and exemptions, including permanent exemptions for disaster-preparedness items, hunting/fishing/camping items, and ammunition and firearms-related purchases, and makes changes to property, corporate income, local tax, and economic development provisions. Members debated the removal of recurring housing trust fund and transit-related revenue streams, the new ammunition exemption, and the data center tax changes; supporters argued the package reduces taxes and preserves annual budget flexibility, while opponents raised concerns about housing, transportation, and gun violence. The conference report passed 93-7. HB 5017, creating a debt reduction program funded by a recurring transfer to retire state bonds early, passed unanimously. HB 5015, the state group insurance conforming bill, which directs DMS to develop a formulary management plan and codifies the administrative health insurance assessment, also passed. The House then began explanation and questions on the fiscal year 2025-26 general appropriations act, described as a $115.1 billion budget that is down $3.8 billion from the current year and includes more than $12 billion in reserves. Subcommittee chairs summarized major spending areas, including pre-K-12 funding increases, health care funding for Medicaid, KidCare, nursing homes, opioid treatment, and mental health, transportation and economic development funding, environmental and water projects, higher education, state administration, justice, and information technology. Questions focused on school vouchers, inflationary pressures on school districts, and the adequacy of funding for housing, transportation, and other priorities.

Transcript Highlights:

• She is proud to sponsor this bill which will establish a minimum standard for early voting across all
• The goal is to ensure that some degree of early voting is available to all voters statewide, many of
• So what this allows is that option is still available on the early voting day.
• And keep in mind that the majority of our counties do have early voting through the Voter Choice Act.
• I look forward to continuing to learn more, and I thank you very much, and ask for an aye vote.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The more I've learned, the more it scares me, but it is widespread.
• But the more we've learned through factual information, not opinion, we've learned that the stories we
• The Chair calls Early Wiley, David Holmes, and Greg Willis. Thank you. Thank you. Early Wiley. Ms.
• I learned a lot through that.
• Don't freak out yet, you know, and started learning about how...

Bills: HB5

Keywords: hemp, cannabinoids, regulation, occupational licenses, consumable products, marketing, criminal offenses, labeling requirements, health and safety, 997, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Another student said, "I've learned how important it is to never stop learning and to not be afraid to
• I have learned to be secure in my thinking, and yet, open to learning and gaining new insights.
• Overall, I learned a lot. I have no regrets.
• Their ideas, learn cultural competence, and learn how to adapt to a changing environment—all valuable
• It's the best way to learn.

Bills: SB 37

Keywords: fetal development, education, public health curriculum, middle school, age-appropriate instruction, 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We have over 3,000 children on a waiting list for early childhood education.
• We have $0 extra in this budget, in this appropriation for early childhood care.
• This comes from our own documentation from our office of early child care.
• I understand children learn differently, and giving options is a good thing.
• Our educational adequacy fund supports early childhood education already.

Keywords: 1204, all