Transcript Highlights:

• Ken Warden, Commissioner, Division of Higher Education.
• Whether it's with respect to adult education, the Office of Career and Technical Education at the federal
• Cook made about education, child care. And this may not pertain.
• For early childhood education, daycare, that sort of thing.
• educational education, I think Commissioner Warden mentioned it earlier.

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Being the educator the testifiers chair.
• </c> passed as a part of the education passed as a part of the education omnibus<00:04:17.759><c> bill
• </c><00:10:56.320><c> provide</c> commissioner of education provide commissioner of education provide
• ><c> parents</c><00:10:58.320><c> or</c> outreach and education to parents or outreach and education
• </c><00:16:40.959><c> to</c> state department of education to state department of education to intensify

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 2514E makes various changes to education statutes to conform with the pre-K-12 education
• Senate Bill 2514E makes various changes to education statutes to conform with the pre-K-12 education
• Senate Bill 2516E makes various changes to the education statutes to conform to the higher education
• House Bill 5601E, a bill to be entitled an act relating to higher education.
• And Senate Bill 2516E makes various changes to the education statutes to conform to the higher education

Keywords: 998, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We had 84 respondents say higher education or go to college.
• That’s post-secondary education.
• That's post-secondary education.
• A general education opportunity doesn't mean it's for only general education students; it's for all students
• Zreak, the new Secretary of Education.

Summary: The Employment Subcommittee of the Commission on the Status of Persons with Disabilities met on April 27 and approved the prior meeting minutes. The main presentation was from the Lawrence Partnership for Transition to Employment (LPTE), a five-year Administration for Community Living grant focused on improving transition outcomes for youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Lawrence. Presenters described the project’s community conversations, consortium model, and four work groups, with emphasis on the family-partnership work group and a survey designed to better understand family engagement, barriers, and expectations around transition planning. The survey results showed that family participation increased significantly after Lawrence Public Schools helped distribute it, rising from a small number of responses to more than 200. Key findings included barriers such as meeting times, language access, child care, and limited understanding of IEPs and transition timelines. Families generally expected college or employment outcomes for their children, but many reported limited awareness of pre-employment training and transition planning, especially for younger students. Lawrence Public Schools described its five-person transition team, bilingual resources, workshops, and a new transition website, while noting that even with added supports, engagement remained lower than hoped and requires ongoing relationship-building. Committee members asked about cultural outreach, early transition planning, college and trade pathways, summer youth employment, and how to expand real-world work experiences. Presenters said the district is trying to start transition conversations earlier, improve access to accommodations and postsecondary options, and expand employment experiences beyond simulated settings. They also noted that the LPTE resource hub will be transferred to the Arc and remain available after the grant ends in September, and that the consortium model may continue in some form. No votes or formal actions were taken beyond adjournment, and members were reminded of an upcoming meeting with Seed on Massachusetts as a model employer and a future presentation from the Office of Veterans Affairs.

Transcript Highlights:

• In the Senate, Senate Bill 1227 by the Education Committee, an act relating to education to provide for
• It never replaces the educator. Second, local control matters.
• The State Department of Education develops a framework, not a mandate.
• This bill is supported by the Department of Education, the State Board of Education, and the Idaho School
• In the Senate: Senate Bill 1225, as amended by the Education Committee, an act relating to education

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum present, approved the journal, and received communications including a gubernatorial notice withdrawing Estella Zamora’s reappointment to the Idaho Human Rights Commission. The chamber also recognized visiting students and guests during the morning session. Committee reports moved several gubernatorial appointments and bills forward, including appointments to the Idaho Commission on Human Rights and the Idaho Health Insurance Exchange Board, all of which were adopted by voice vote and sent to the Governor for notification. The Senate adopted Senate Joint Memorial 108, which urges federal action to protect Idaho livestock owners from adverse grazing-permit consequences when filing depredation claims for losses caused by predators. Senate Joint Memorial 106 was sent back to committee after a correction was noted. The chamber then considered Senate Bill 1227, a bill on generative AI in education that would require a state framework while preserving local control, parental transparency, and human judgment; supporters said it would help Idaho lead responsibly on AI, while opponents raised concerns about definitions and implementation. The bill passed 26-8. Senate Bill 1226 also passed unanimously, adding misdemeanor sexual battery and misdemeanor domestic violence convictions to DNA sample collection requirements to improve law enforcement and victim protection, despite concerns about a $63,000 fiscal note. Finally, Senate Bill 1225, as amended, passed 34-0 to codify higher-education presidential search procedures and change disclosure rules so only the sole finalist’s name is released publicly, with supporters saying the change would attract stronger candidates. The Senate then moved through miscellaneous announcements and adjourned until the next day.

Transcript Highlights:

• My son's an auto mechanic, master mechanic, but yet he still goes to ongoing education where he gets
• Master mechanic, but yet he still goes to ongoing education where he gets a certification to work on
• I'm the Director of Content and Curriculum at the Department of Education.
• Passing on such a heritage is the imperative of civics education.
• So just doing a lot of the same work, but connecting it more closely to education or to careers.

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The committee first approved the March 4, 2026 minutes without objection. It then heard House Bill 712, which would create a voluntary civics recognition on student diplomas for students who meet specified coursework, GPA, civics test, and civic engagement requirements. Sponsors described it as an additional seal or cord to encourage deeper study of history, government, and public service; the Department of Education clarified that the required coursework means two credits each of U.S. history and American government tied to state standards. Testimony in support came from Idaho Family Policy Center and Dr. Samuel Lair, both emphasizing civic education and citizenship. After discussion, the committee voted to send HB 712 to the floor with a due pass recommendation. The committee then took up House Bill 761, which would consolidate the Idaho STEM Action Center into the Workforce Development Council. Senator Lent and STEM/Workforce executive director Wendy Sechrist explained that the merger is intended to streamline operations, reduce administrative overlap, and better connect STEM education to workforce development. Sechrist said the combined structure would continue most current STEM programs, including teacher professional development and community STEM initiatives, while tying them more directly to careers; she also said the change would save more than $300,000 annually and eliminate two staff positions. She noted that private foundation funding could still support local districts or organizations, and that new programs would require a 50% public or private match. With no public testimony and no opposition, the committee voted to send HB 761 to the floor with a due pass recommendation and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• THIS BILL AS CURRENTLY DRAFTED WOULD REPEAL THE POST LICENSE EDUCATION REQUIREMENT.
• WE ARE TRYING TO EDUCATE HIM ON ALL THE PARTICULAR TRADE ASSOCIATIONS.
• WE ALL HAVE A BOARD IN THE SAME CONTINUING EDUCATION AND WE HAVE THE SAME EXAM.
• ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT CONTINUING EDUCATION. SO MANY THINGS ARE CHANGING.
• REDUCING CONTINUING EDUCATION IS A BIG CONCERN OF MINE.

Transcript Highlights:

• Billy, Ashley Ngo, a 2023 Milken Educator, Jonathan Ngo, husband of Ms.
• Friedman and Connor Boyle from the New Mexico Public Education Department.
• We have Rashinda Billy, 2024 Milken Educator; Louise Billy, mother of Ms.
• House Education Committee, Ranking Member Brian Baca (member_13938).
• And again, welcome to these magnificent educators.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:04:17.799><c> the</c> and intergenerational education the and intergenerational education the
• </c> 2350 people attended our 12 educational 2350 people attended our 12 educational workshops<00:04:
• </c> digital Gallery shows educational digital Gallery shows educational retooling<00:05:07.320><c> and
• My name is Adriana Gordo, and I am a Latina artist, poet, and Spanish educator.
• </c> Minnesota if our cultural education Minnesota if our cultural education program<01:25:03.360><c>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• or continuing post-secondary education in a minimum setting.
• So this includes education.
• college education or continuing education with certificates.
• That is educational programming.
• What works for locations, what works for education.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The commission approved the July 11 minutes and then received a detailed follow-up presentation from the Department of Correction on facility footprint, mission-driven housing, programming, and technology. Commissioner Jenkins and Deputy Commissioner Peterson explained recent and planned facility changes, including the closures of Walpole, MCI Cedar Junction, and MCI Concord, the transition of the Plymouth Section 35/Mass Act program to Health and Human Services, the return of Bay State to DOC control for possible future use, and the Shattuck Hospital move to East Newton Pavilion. Members asked about operational capacity, the exclusion of support beds from occupancy figures, and the status of mothballed or unused facilities. Framingham drew particular attention because of its historically low women’s population and planned renovations; members raised concerns about the cost and the need to consider the broader women’s correctional system. A major portion of the meeting focused on mission-driven units and evidence-based programming. DOC described specialized units for health services, nursing care, clinical stabilization, mental health, residential treatment, protective custody, reentry, emerging adults, education, and substance use recovery, and noted that security threat group support beds are not used. Staff explained the distinction between general population beds and support beds, and between programming and treatment. They said core recidivism-reduction programs are based on risk-need responsivity and COMPAS assessments, with Spectrum Health Systems as the current vendor, and presented recidivism data showing lower reoffending among participants who completed programs such as violence reduction, criminal thinking, and the Correctional Recovery Academy. For women, they highlighted the pathways model at MCI Framingham, which combines trauma-informed, gender-responsive services, and reported strong outcomes for those engaged for at least 26 weeks. Members asked about how needs are identified and counted, how declinations are handled, and how the department distinguishes completion from ongoing maintenance. DOC said participation is voluntary, individuals are re-recommended over time, and completion is recorded in the system when criteria are met. They also discussed educational supports for learning disabilities and trauma, including IEP/504 coordination, tutoring, and a new school psychologist for testing. Questions were raised about family reunification programming, and DOC pointed to family-focused services, mediation, Read to Me Mommy, and the Brave unit for young fathers. Sheriff Cabral and Sheriff Cochie praised the presentation and emphasized the importance of family reunification and the realities of trauma in incarcerated people’s lives. The final section highlighted the expanded use of tablets across all facilities. DOC said tablets now support free phone calls, emails, video visits, surveys, educational content, medical updates, sick-call requests, and an earned-good-time app, while also helping with communication during facility closures and with ongoing programming. Staff said the tablets are used both for learning and recreation, and that more than half of the incarcerated population uses them monthly for educational purposes. Members discussed whether user feedback or “reviews” of programs could help increase participation, and DOC said tablet-based surveys make that possible. The meeting ended with general agreement that the department has expanded programming and technology substantially and is using them to support reentry, communication, and facility operations.

Transcript Highlights:

• Help manage off-highway vehicles in the state, both law enforcement and outreach education.
• I think just to— all right, let’s go to the education. All right. Let’s go to the education. Mr.
• .on their own that wanted to talk about education.
• So you have those units out there not under the same education process.
• I think some of the education stuff and these things will be important.

Summary: The Arizona Off-Road Vehicle Study Committee met to review Senate Bill 1519 and broader OHV policy issues, including funding, mitigation, enforcement, and education. Staff summarized the bill’s amended provisions: raising the OHV/ATV weight threshold from 2,500 to 3,500 pounds, directing ADOT to create a new usage classification, creating an Off-Highway Vehicle Law Enforcement Fund, and setting a 50% vehicle license tax for vehicles in the 2,500–3,500 pound range. Members discussed how many vehicles would be affected, with industry testimony estimating about 2,600 new Arizona sales in that weight class in 2025 and growth of roughly 10% annually. Committee members also debated whether changes should be revenue-neutral to ADOT/HIRF or instead generate dedicated enforcement and mitigation funding without reopening HIRF distribution. The committee then turned to education. Staff reviewed SB 1567, which requires OHV course completion before issuance of an OHV indicia and includes a report due December 1, 2026. Game and Fish said the mandatory education appears to be improving behavior, especially helmet use by children. Several witnesses, including representatives from Riding Arizona and ABATE Arizona, supported a consistent statewide training model and suggested expanding the requirement from owners to operators, with possible reciprocity or compact-style recognition with other states. Members also raised practical questions about proof of completion, online access, and how law enforcement would verify compliance. For mitigation and enforcement funding, committee members and invited stakeholders discussed the scale of the need. A research presentation from Arizona Sportsmen for Wildlife Conservation estimated about $3.5 million annually for additional law enforcement and about $7.5 million annually for natural resource mitigation, for a combined target of roughly $11 million per year. The estimate was based on county sheriff input and existing federal land-management data on illegal or user-created roads, with a statewide rough range of 12,000 to 17,000 miles of roads needing some form of closure or decommissioning. Members emphasized that the estimate did not include all possible costs, such as fence repair, tank restoration, or environmental compliance, and discussed soft versus hard closures, prevention, and the need to pair any mitigation spending with enforcement and education. No formal vote was taken in the portion provided; the committee mainly received information, asked questions, and continued discussion of possible recommendations.

Transcript Highlights:

• >> Chair Canady: The Education Employment Committee will come to order.
• Next up, CS for HB 615, Individual Education Plans, by Representative Tendrich.
• &nbsp; 275 EDUCATION WORKS BEST WHEN&nbsp; ALL THREE STAND TOGETHER.
• Jason Crawford, representing Old Education Foundation, waives in support.
• Representing the Florida Education Association waives in opposition.

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and began by welcoming students and coaches participating in the inaugural Sunshine State Debate. Members then heard and voted on a series of education-related bills, with most measures receiving favorable reports by unanimous or near-unanimous votes. The first bill, HB 1081, created a Cybersecurity Internship Clearance Readiness Program in the Department of Commerce for NCACE-designated universities and Florida College System institutions; a friendly amendment expanded access to private schools, and the bill passed 19-0. HB 1201 updated Florida’s epilepsy/seizure plan law to clarify protections for charter school students, require acceptance of physician-submitted plans, extend training validity to five years, and expand training to regular bus drivers; epilepsy advocates supported it, and it passed 19-0. HB 851 required annual autism-specific professional learning opportunities for teachers and school-based administrators, and it also passed 19-0. HB 615, dealing with IEPs, required quicker parent notice when services are missed, faster access to service logs, individualized parent orientation, and standardized district service logs; parents and advocates testified strongly in support, and the bill was reported favorably. HB 1503 added technology-related competencies to education courses and directed the Department of Education to develop computer science certification coverage; it passed 19-0. HB 371 required public schools to display portraits of Abraham Lincoln and George Washington in common areas and passed 19-0 after testimony both for and against. HB 731 revised extracurricular eligibility rules and allowed local policies for compensating coaches and activity sponsors; an amendment broadened manual requirements and clarified fee actions, and the bill passed 18-0. The committee also took up HB 173, a parental rights bill that drew the most extensive debate and public testimony. The bill would require parental consent for many medical decisions for minors, give parents access to medical records, and expand parental review/opt-in rights for certain school surveys and biofeedback devices. Supporters argued it restores parental authority, improves safety, and prevents children from being cut out of important medical decisions; opponents warned it would remove confidential access to STI treatment, crisis mental health care, and other services for minors in unsafe or abusive homes. Members raised questions about abuse exceptions, emergency care, and how the bill would affect routine treatment and time-sensitive care. The bill was not voted on in the portion provided, and debate continued through multiple rounds of sponsor responses and member comments.

Transcript Highlights:

• So as I went into a room with educators and I said, if I told...
• Educators, we give them the eight-hour class.
• Education and training director of FI and OSSI put on...
• Three of those are career educators with master's degree level education and understanding of that. school
• Got to take the educational moment right here.

Summary: The committee heard extensive testimony on Oklahoma school safety from Commissioner Tipton, OSSI director Mike Fike, OACTIC director Alan Young, OSBI lieutenant Isiles Keene, and Rogers County Sheriff Scott Walton. The main focus was a statewide school-safety framework built around response, prevention, and recovery. Witnesses described training law enforcement in the LASER active-shooter response model, adding A-TURK training for coordinated law enforcement/fire/EMS response, expanding run-hide-fight and Stop the Bleed instruction for educators and staff, conducting risk and vulnerability assessments, and using the Rave panic-button system and the ProtectOK tip app to speed reporting and dispatch. They also emphasized behavioral threat assessment and management (BTAM) teams as a prevention tool to identify and support at-risk students before violence occurs. Members asked about administrator and teacher training, school counselor involvement, how apps are deployed on personal versus school devices, and whether schools are actually using the programs. Witnesses said administrators, counselors, and SROs should be part of BTAM, that training is most effective when it is realistic and repeated, and that Rave is geofenced and typically invited onto devices by schools. Several members stressed that school leaders must buy in for safety plans to work, and one member raised concerns about traumatic training and the need for mental-health support as part of prevention. Witnesses said mental-health referral and monitoring are part of BTAM, but the school and local partners must manage the process. OSBI’s lieutenant added broader context, comparing school safety to fire safety and noting that Oklahoma still lacks some statutory requirements for intruder drills and stronger penalties for school threats. He also discussed possible future tools such as surveillance analytics, gunshot detection, ballistic-rated doors and walls, and better access controls, while warning that technology should supplement, not replace, basic safety systems and training. Sheriff Walton closed by describing rural response challenges and his foundation’s effort to place ballistic shields in schools and police cars, arguing that human resources and rapid communication remain the biggest gaps. No votes or formal actions were taken in the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• “Make your best educated guess on the demographic of those voters.”
• the state should be doing in terms of voter education.
• We're talking about educating, most people will see around. “It is confusing.
• People are getting educated and informed.
• So we have to do education around, don't let people harvest your ballot.

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

Transcript Highlights:

• Speaker, if I know that many home education families believe that current home education requirements
• Speaker, if I know that many home education families believe that current home education requirements
• Representative Hall said that many home education families believe current home education requirements
• </c> even in cases of manifest educational even in cases of manifest educational hardship,<01:04:40.760
• </c> for educators remain significant. for educators remain significant.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's 9 a.m., and you are in the House Education Committee, and we will get started.
• the same educational opportunities as those in larger urban districts.
• we call it—the piece of educational reserve funds?
• In education, we don’t have cell phone use out there.
• It's an essential part of how we deliver a complete education to our students.

Summary: The House Education Committee heard House Bill 918, which would realign the Idaho Digital Learning Alliance (IDLA) by narrowing its mission, reorganizing its board, capping administrative costs at 30%, requiring outside and periodic LSO audits, setting course fees and a per-course state funding cap, and eliminating funding for private school, virtual school, K-5, and driver’s education participation, as well as custom sections except in limited emergency cases. The sponsor, Rep. Doug Pickett, said the bill was intended to address concerns about double-dipping, private use of a taxpayer-funded program, and IDLA expanding beyond its original supplemental purpose while preserving access for rural students and emergency staffing needs. Committee members questioned the rationale for the cuts, the board restructuring, the treatment of dual credit and advanced opportunities funding, and whether the bill would affect students taking IDLA courses during the school day. Pickett said the bill was designed to redirect dual credit through Advanced Opportunities, maintain flexibility without setting a hard enrollment cap, and keep the program focused on filling instructional gaps. IDLA Superintendent Dr. Jeff Simmons and several school leaders testified in opposition, arguing the bill would reduce school choice, shift costs to families and districts, limit middle school electives and dual credit, and disproportionately harm rural schools that rely on IDLA for courses they cannot staff locally. Supporters of the bill emphasized oversight, fiscal restraint, and limiting what they described as overuse of the program. After testimony, Rep. Galavis moved to send HB 918 to the floor with no recommendation. A motion to hold the bill in committee failed 10-4, and a substitute motion to hold the bill in committee to a time certain on Monday, March 23, passed on a roll call vote. The committee adjourned with the bill set to return on Monday.

Transcript Highlights:

• ,</c> economy. those factors, education, economy. those factors, education, workforce<00:43:56.640><c
• </c> education. Uh families just get it. education. Uh families just get it.
• </c> jobs change faster than education jobs change faster than education pathways<01:30:23.840><c> and
• </c> level, SHERM has launched the education level, SHERM has launched the education to<01:33:21.199>
• </c> a question for you, our education a question for you, our education person.<01:35:48.560><c> So,

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> education here in Minnesota. education here in Minnesota.
• </c> It has created an education crisis. It has created an education crisis.
• </c> prioritizing survival over education. prioritizing survival over education.
• </c> pursue an education is not a crime. pursue an education is not a crime.
• </c> educated workforce is in healthcare. educated workforce is in healthcare.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee adopted the minutes from its February 24, 2026 meeting after a motion by Vice Chair Coulter. The hearing then focused on the impact of federal immigration enforcement, referred to throughout as Operation Metro Surge, on Minnesota college campuses. The chair said the purpose was to document alleged abuses, campus fear, and racial discrimination, and to hear from testifiers about effects on students, faculty, and staff. Representative Novotny briefly objected to the framing, saying the committee should be finding facts rather than making a predetermined presentation, and the chair responded that members should remain respectful and that questions would be held until after all presenters testified. Augsburg University President Paul Pribbenow described what he called relentless and unprecedented disruption, including student stops and interrogations, family separations, and an ICE operation on campus in which armed masked agents allegedly detained a student without a warrant and pointed weapons at students and staff. He said the campus received bomb threats afterward, increased virtual learning options, and saw spikes in student support needs, housing assistance, and leaves of absence. Jenna Chernega of the Inter Faculty Organization said faculty across Minnesota State universities reported widespread student and colleague stress, increased workload, disappearing students, and a need for clearer sensitive-location protections and academic freedom guidance. Mark Grant of Minnesota State College Faculty said community conditions inevitably affect classrooms, that campuses have not yet had an ICE incident but are bracing for one, and that faculty want to support students and may need financial help if enrollment declines. Jennifer Irwin of AFSCME said fear from ICE activity extends beyond campus boundaries and is affecting attendance, work, and daily life for staff and students; she cited a member detained in St. Paul while trying to prove legal status. Student testifiers Brendan Frazier of Concordia University, St. Paul, Jonathan Fitzgerald of Minnesota State Mankato, Sudi Adow of Lead MN, and Will Luther of the University of Minnesota Twin Cities described panic, reduced attendance, food insecurity, disrupted classes, and fear of leaving home or commuting to campus. They urged stronger student privacy protections, support for international and immigrant students, emergency aid, and policies to keep campuses safe. No further committee action or votes were taken after the minutes approval.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> and that is that we educate and that is that we educate 270,000<00:03:31.599><c> students</c><00
• </c> that's just not an open educational that's just not an open educational resource<00:14:58.000><c
• <00:40:39.760><c> and</c><00:40:39.960><c> Industry</c> education and Industry education and Industry
• </c> program's role in making education program's role in making education accessible<00:41:12.000><c
• Department of Education.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: Minnesota State Colleges and Universities presented an overview of the system and several budget riders. Board Chair George Soul described the system’s structure, noting 26 colleges and seven universities governed by a 15-member board, and emphasized that Minnesota State serves about 270,000 students annually, including many students of color, adult learners, Pell-eligible students, first-generation students, and veterans. He highlighted the system’s workforce role, saying it offers more than 4,000 programs, extensive employer partnerships, and that 86% of graduates find jobs in their field or a related field. He then turned the presentation over to system staff to discuss specific funding requests. Associate Vice Chancellor Kim Lynch focused on the Z-degree textbook program, which supports zero-textbook-cost courses and degrees. She said prior legislative support has produced about $3.1 million in savings in academic year 2024 and more than $12.6 million in aggregate savings, with 10 colleges now offering Z degrees and 12 more on track or exploring implementation. She described the program’s use of open educational resources, instructional design support, and library resources to fill gaps where free materials are not available, and said students save roughly $7 to $10 for every $1 invested. Members praised the program and asked about its expansion. Associate Vice Chancellor Paul Shepard discussed student support funding, including a centralized basic needs resource hub, the Mantra Health mental health platform, and the emergency grant program. He said student surveys showed significant food, housing, and homelessness insecurity, and that the basic needs hub has served over 2,400 students with a 97% positive response rate. He said Mantra provides telecounseling, peer support, self-paced courses, and crisis support, and clarified in response to questions that it is not AI-driven and does not sell student data; general usage data is collected, and follow-up with campus counselors occurs only at the student’s request. He also said the emergency grant program has distributed over $3 million to more than 4,800 students, with grants averaging just under $700, and that campuses use application review and recordkeeping to manage repeat requests. Members asked about counselor staffing, data privacy, and grant safeguards. The final item addressed sexual assault reporting and prevention funding. System staff said the appropriation supports technology infrastructure for statutory reporting, case management for investigations, campus prevention training, and professional development for Title IX coordinators and related staff. They noted that the statutory student training requirement is funded by individual colleges and universities, not by this appropriation. No formal votes were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• By the Education and Employment Committee, Higher Education Budget Committee, Careers Workforce Committee
• By the Education Employment Committee, Education Administration Subcommittee, Representative Snyder and
• WE HAVE SEVERAL EDUCATORS IN THE CHAMBER.
• WE ARE IN AN AGE NOW WHERE EDUCATION IS EDUCATION.
• WE NEED TO CALL IT EDUCATION.

Bills: HB 29, HB 125, HB 145, HB 171, HB 255, HB 50, HB 796, HB 363, HB 116, HB 491, HB 589, HB 1495, HB 368, HB 1285, HB 1905, HB 1360, HB 2002, HB 917, HB 2723, HB 2067, HB 1238, HB 2337, HB 745, HB 1188, HB 1606, HB 2003, HB 2147, HB 2391, HB 2355, HB 2546, HB 2495, HB 2818, HB 2249, HB 1749, HB 3109, HB 3228, HB 3240, HB 1507, HB 658, HB 1748, HB 1851, HB 1922, HB 2001, HB 2798, HB 107, HCR 29, SB 5, SB 262, HB 11, HJR 72, HB 106, HB 18, HB 48, HB 27, HB 37, HB 1481, HB 581, HB 1696, HB 2216, HB 1035, HB 1633, HB 742, HB 754, HB 1689, HB 1690, HB 2669, HB 391, HB 517, HB 1024, HB 1607, HB 252, HB 1716, HB 1562, HB 4116, HB 1866, HB 1741, HB 2103, HB 2637, HB 2884, HB 503, HB 1089, HB 2986, HB 972, HB 502, HB 29, HB 125, HB 145, HB 171, HB 255, HB 50, HB 796, HB 363, HB 116, HB 491, HB 589, HB 1495, HB 368, HB 1285, HB 1905, HB 1360, HB 2002, HB 917, HB 2723, HB 2067, HB 1238, HB 2337, HB 745, HB 1188, HB 1606, HB 2003, HB 2147, HB 2391, HB 2355, HB 2546, HB 2495, HB 2818, HB 2249, HB 1749, HB 3109, HB 3228, HB 3240, HB 1507, HB 658, HB 1748, HB 1851, HB 1922, HB 2001, HB 2798, HB 107, HCR 29

Keywords: water audit, water loss, water loss mitigation plan, municipally owned utility, municipal utility, water conservation, Texas Water Development Board, TCEQ, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, water leakage, leak detection, billing data accuracy, utility validation, water audit validation, water scarcity, water management, infrastructure, public utility, conservation plan, administrative penalty

Summary: The Florida House of Representatives conducted legislative business including prayer, pledge, and voting on multiple bills. Key legislation included HB 1105 expanding Florida Bright Futures Scholarship eligibility, HB 443 on charter school regulations (passed 83-23), and HB 1539 on materials harmful to minors (passed 81-29) after extensive debate about book challenges in schools. Other bills addressed education funding, law enforcement benefits, parole guidelines, and various local issues. The Speaker announced budget negotiations with the Senate have stalled, with disagreements over spending levels and tax cuts. The House will not meet this weekend as originally planned. Session adjourned until tomorrow at 10 AM.