Transcript Highlights:

• , and how many labs would those need to be tested in in order for that to be considered... ...proof of
• Now, of course, I love sending it into the Oklahoma State University soil testing lab, but there are
• They're just mineral-based potassium, and so our soil testing lab doesn't make a lot of potassium recs
• Um, how many times and over what duration of time do we need to test samples, and how many labs do we
• OK, we've touched on a lot today about laboratory information: how many tests, which labs, what labs,

Summary: The meeting focused on the use of biosolids on farm and ranch land, with testimony from Oklahoma State University experts, a conservation official, and an engineering representative about the benefits, risks, and regulatory implications. Dr. Lusk described OSU’s long history of soil fertility research and said biosolids can provide nutrients and organic matter, but also may carry contaminants such as PFAS, heavy metals, pharmaceuticals, microplastics, and pathogens. He emphasized that many questions remain unanswered, especially about contaminant uptake into soil, crops, livestock, and humans, and said existing EPA and Oklahoma DEQ regulations address some treatment and application standards but may not fully cover PFAS. Dr. Arnell expanded on nutrient management, explaining that biosolids can function similarly to manure as a fertilizer source, especially for nitrogen and phosphorus, but should be tested, incorporated into soil, and applied under permit conditions to reduce runoff and other losses. He said PFAS testing methods are not yet standardized and that more research is needed to determine sampling protocols, movement in soil, and long-term effects. Committee members asked whether farmers and ranchers should be notified of risks, whether PFAS is currently tested, how many counties use biosolids, and what research would be needed for a dissertation-level study. The witnesses generally agreed that landowners should be informed of known risks and uncertainties, but said the science is still developing. Dr. Arnell said a unified testing method is needed before reliable PFAS monitoring can be done, and suggested that a multi-year study would be required to understand soil movement, crop uptake, and livestock impacts. Greg Scott of the Oklahoma Conservation Commission framed the issue as a waste-management problem, noting that human waste streams contain contaminants and that soil type affects how pollutants move; he said sandy soils pose greater movement risks than clay soils and that current best practice is incorporation, careful timing, and avoiding steep or sensitive sites. He also said PFAS are widespread and not naturally occurring in the way some other compounds are, and that liability and cleanup costs are major concerns. Mary Elizabeth Mock of Garver Engineering focused on the practical and financial consequences of a possible moratorium on land application, saying most of Oklahoma’s biosolids are currently land applied and would otherwise have to go to landfills. She warned that many landfills are nearing capacity, tipping fees could rise sharply, and cities such as Tulsa and Norman could face large increases in disposal costs, which would ultimately be borne by ratepayers and taxpayers. She also said septic system maintenance costs could rise if land application options shrink, potentially leading to deferred maintenance and system failures. Mock urged a tiered, data-driven approach to PFAS regulation and said advanced treatment technologies may help in the future, but they are still emerging and expensive. No votes were taken; the session consisted of presentations and member questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• And you get that sample, what are you testing for?
• And that's how our crime lab works.
• Weren't you opening a lab in the Miami area? So we do not have a lab in the Miami-Dade area.
• We do so we're paying the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office for use of their crime lab, for their DNA lab.
• I do not know specifically the answer to that, sir, but I do believe that the lab and other labs outside

Summary: The committee met with Senators Garcia and Simon excused and heard a presentation from FDLE Deputy Commissioner Vaden Pollard on homicide and violent-crime investigations, focusing on access to blood evidence, toxicology, medical records, mental health records, and the legal limits imposed by Florida law, HIPAA, and 42 CFR Part 2. He explained that autopsy evidence collected by medical examiners is generally available to law enforcement, while hospital records and mental health/substance abuse records usually require subpoenas, court orders, or consent, which can delay investigations. He also discussed the difference between DNA testing and toxicology testing, the role of warrants and probable cause for living suspects, and the special rules that apply when a suspect is deceased. Members asked detailed questions about what toxicology panels include, whether medications can be tested for, how medical examiners review prior medical history, and whether FDLE tracks data linking violent crime to mental health issues or follow up with regulators after incidents. Pollard said the agency follows investigative leads where relevant, but regulatory follow-up depends on the circumstances. He also discussed behavioral threat assessment and management, and said risk protection orders have been used effectively to prevent violence and can lead to court-ordered evaluations and services. The committee then shifted to crime lab capacity and turnaround times. Pollard said the average DNA turnaround time was 208 days for some evidence, with anything over 30 days considered backlog, but that sexual assault kits are prioritized and generally handled much faster, with rush cases sometimes completed within 24 hours. Members expressed concern about delays in unsolved violent and sexual assault cases and asked what resources would help reduce backlog; Pollard said additional analysts would improve turnaround times. The meeting concluded with thanks to the presenter and adjournment after Senator Bernard moved to adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have the Western Lab, the Jefferson Lab, Northern Lab, Ashland Lab, Southeastern Lab, and then we
• have<01:09:30.480> really test those testing slots have really test those testing slots have
• ,<01:10:41.040> Northern<01:10:41.440> Lab, Lab, the Jefferson Lab, Northern Lab, Lab
• , the Jefferson Lab, Northern Lab, Ashlin<01:10:43.440> Lab,<01:10:44.239> Southeastern
• Lab, and then Ashlin Lab, Southeastern Lab, and then we<01:10:45.840> have<01:10:46.000> Central

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00:00 Roll Call: 00:00:07 Office of the Attorney General Update: 00:04:52 Department of Kentucky State Police Update: 00:44:57, 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Regulation would still require a quantitative test, and DPS labs are unable to timely handle testing
• The DPS labs are not able because they have to do a quantitative test, not a test for mere presence.
• The DPS labs are not able because they have to do a quantitative test, not a test for mere presence.
• Right now, the testing goes to a private lab. A private lab.
• So for purposes of THC, it's tested at a private lab. Yes.

Bills: SB 5, SB 11, SB 12

Keywords: disaster relief, flood preparedness, emergency funding, local government support, meteorological forecasting, human trafficking, trafficking victim, compelling prostitution, affirmative defense, criminal defense, coercion, force fraud or coercion, sexual exploitation, victim protection, Penal Code, Texas criminal law, prosecution, party liability, affirmative defense statute, survivor rights

Summary: The Senate Committee on State Affairs took up Senate Bill 5, which Senator Perry described as a ban on intoxicating THC consumer products while preserving legal CBD, CBG, hemp seed, hemp seed protein powder, and hemp seed oil products. Perry argued that most retail THC products are already illegal under federal law, that the industry has used loopholes and misleading labeling to sell high-potency products, and that regulation would be ineffective because chemists can quickly alter formulations. He also said the bill would steer people with medical needs toward the Texas Compassionate Use Program (T-Cup), which he and other supporters described as the proper physician-guided alternative. Committee members and witnesses repeatedly discussed the distinction between legal hemp-derived products and intoxicating THC products, and Perry said the bill would not touch non-consumable hemp uses such as fiber and clothing. Invited testimony came from law enforcement and medical witnesses who supported the bill. Texas Police Chiefs Association representative Steve Dye, Kaufman County District Attorney Early Wiley, and Chambers County Sheriff Brian Hawthorne all said regulation would be too costly, too complex, and ultimately unenforceable, while a ban would be clearer and easier to enforce. They cited overloaded DPS labs, the need for expensive private testing, limited police and prosecutor resources, and the difficulty of keeping up with constantly changing cannabinoids and out-of-state products. Hawthorne and Wiley described raids and investigations involving warehouses, retail stores, cash seizures, and products they said were marketed to young people and often mislabeled or imported from other states. They also said the bill would help law enforcement by creating a clearer legal line and protecting legitimate CBD/CBG businesses. Dr. Lindy McGee, speaking for the Texas Medical Association and Texas Pediatric Society, testified that retail THC products pose serious risks to children and adolescents, including addiction, impaired brain development, psychosis, suicide attempts, self-harm, accidental toddler ingestions, and possible long-term cognitive effects. She said there is no effective medication treatment for THC addiction comparable to nicotine cessation tools, and she supported restrictions such as child-resistant packaging, no marketing to minors, and age limits, while opposing criminal penalties for possession by minors. Senators asked follow-up questions about brain development, memory, dementia risk, pregnancy, and cardiovascular effects. No vote was taken during the portion provided, and the committee continued with invited testimony and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• PM test takers.
• Excuse me and clicks aren't test takers. We have fewer can collect. Aren't test takers in 2024.
• Where are those test?
• We do have test takers that are testing 61 plus months since graduation.
• And we also funded a nursing computer lab, be able to do the computer testing and everything to prepare

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• If a developer can come out here, get their neutronics tested, they can test the functionality and capture
• We work across all the labs.
• ..team that includes Argonne National Lab, the National Lab of the Rockies.
• We build these systems to test it. I told you that's what labs get after.
• We put this lab together.

Summary: The meeting opened with remarks about the value of public engagement and the quality of questions from the group, followed by a series of technical presentations from Idaho National Laboratory staff. Joe Renovitz described recent nuclear regulatory changes tied to presidential executive orders, including NRC Part 53 for advanced reactors, the forthcoming Part 57 for very small reactors, and DOE updates to reactor authorization standards. He emphasized efforts to align DOE and NRC processes, use risk-informed and performance-based licensing, support reactor deployment for AI/data centers and national security, and use AI to speed communications and crosswalks between DOE and NRC requirements. In response to questions, he said there was no plan to merge agencies, but rather to improve coordination and public outreach through groups like GAIN and NEI. David Tolman then discussed the nuclear fuel cycle, including uranium mining, conversion, enrichment, fuel fabrication, spent fuel storage, transportation, disposal, and reprocessing. He explained high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU), why it is needed for advanced reactors, and DOE’s HALEU Availability Program and related investments in enrichment, transportation, deconversion, and supply chain development. He also covered spent fuel management, the possibility of centralized storage or a fuel-cycle campus, the Center for Used Fuel Research, and ongoing work on high-burnup cask testing and reprocessing technologies. Tolman described aqueous, pyrochemical, and fluoride-volatility reprocessing approaches, noting the advantages and waste characteristics of each, and said several companies are working with INL on these technologies. Ashley Shields presented INL’s AI and nuclear work, focusing on the Genesis initiative and the Prometheus effort to use AI to design, license, build, and operate reactors with far less human intervention. She described INL’s broad use of generative AI tools, the need to manage large volumes of legacy technical data, and applications in reactor design, materials discovery, autonomous laboratories, and digital twins. Shields said AI is being used to reduce the enormous documentation burden in nuclear licensing and to support autonomous or remotely operated reactor demonstrations, while stressing that humans remain in supervisory roles. In discussion, she addressed data security, model access, and the continued need for software engineers. The session then recessed briefly and resumed with Mitch Kerman beginning a presentation on critical minerals and materials.

Transcript Highlights:

• When you have distill tests over a certain threshold, you have to run confirmation tests.
• Tested industrywide, but when those samples do come in, we're required to test them not once, not twice
• It delays test results.
• I am the owner and lab manager of Havevard Industries, the transparent and live streaming testing lab
• That being said, my first thing that I wanted to talk about was the testing labs.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Florida does have the largest number of NCLEX RN test tests.
• test takers.
• We have few. test takers, excuse me, NCLEX RN test takers.
• We do have test takers that are testing 61-plus months since graduation. Thank you.
• And we also funded a nursing computer lab to be able to do the computer testing and everything to prepare

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Higher Education met to focus on nursing education funding, workforce supply, and Florida’s low NCLEX pass rates. The chair emphasized that Florida ranks last nationally in nursing exam pass rates and said the committee wants to use budget decisions and a forthcoming nursing bill to improve outcomes. The Florida Center for Nursing at USF presented preliminary workforce and education data showing RN supply is moving toward equilibrium with demand through 2037, while LPN shortages are projected to worsen, especially in some regions. The center also reported on enrollment, retention, faculty vacancies, and NCLEX trends, noting Florida still underperforms the national average but has shown some recent improvement, including higher RN pass rates in 2024 despite fewer test takers. The center highlighted that students who test sooner after graduation tend to pass at higher rates. A panel of nursing education leaders from public universities, state colleges, technical colleges, and private institutions described how prior state pipeline and line-item funding helped expand enrollment, simulation labs, faculty hiring, student support services, and partnerships with hospitals. UNF, Galen College, College of Central Florida, Keiser University, and Lorenzo Walker Technical College each reported strategies such as expanded simulation, mental health and social work support, test-prep and remediation, and efforts to grow faculty pipelines. Several speakers said faculty recruitment and retention remain major barriers because of salary competition with hospitals, faculty debt, and aging faculty. Technical college representatives also stressed the need to strengthen LPN pathways, English-language support, and LPN-to-RN bridge programs. Members asked for ideas to improve NCLEX outcomes and discussed possible policy options, including student loan forgiveness, critical shortage supplements for faculty, incentives for students to test soon after graduation, and possible changes to timing or regulation around NCLEX eligibility. Several witnesses supported more flexible or recurring funding, while noting that one-time line funding has been useful for simulation, scholarships, and faculty support but is harder to sustain. The committee adjourned after the discussion, with the chair saying the ideas would be considered in future funding and policy decisions.

Transcript Highlights:

• The crime lab currently does not have the equipment necessary to test for 7-OH.
• Uh, so there is testing that can be done, but there is a limited number of labs that do testing right
• now, and so that testing would have to be sent out to one of those labs that is not necessarily close
• /c><00:43:40.480> testing limited number of labs that do testing limited number of labs that do
• To NMS Labs, which is in Pennsylvania. Um, and so testing is available, but it takes time.

Bills: HB0103, HB0070, HB0091

Keywords: First Amendment, free speech, lawsuits, immunity, public participation, strategic lawsuits, foreign censorship, digital innovation, constitutional rights, Wyoming GRANITE Act, extraterritorial laws, civil actions, speech protection, legal jurisdiction, joint liability, artificial intelligence, social scoring, biometric data, privacy rights, government regulation

Transcript Highlights:

• The DPS labs are not able to keep up because they have to do a quantitative test, not a test for mere
• They're not even testing because they don't have the money, as our labs can't... ...test.
• Right now, the testing goes to a private lab. A private lab.
• So, for purposes of THC, it's tested at a private lab? Yes.
• In other states, private labs conduct these tests every day.

Bills: SB5, SB11, SB12, SB 5, SB 11, SB 12

Keywords: hemp regulation, consumable products, cannabinoids, occupational licenses, criminal offenses, SB 11, Texas attorney general, election crimes, election law enforcement, criminal prosecution, Election Code, Government Code Chapter 402, local prosecutors, county attorney, district attorney, grand jury, probable cause reports, state election offenses, voter fraud, election integrity

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, our labs are incapable of testing alcohol in certain samples.
• Um our labs are incapable<00:32:25.760> of<00:32:25.919> testing<00:32:26.480> alcohol
• We are in significant discussions with DOT for the construction of the alcohol blood testing lab.
• lab.
• And the issue alcohol blood testing lab.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs held an informational briefing on violent crime clearance rates and what resources law enforcement and prosecutors need to improve them. Chair and members noted there would be no public testimony. The briefing was led by Marshall Clement of the Council of State Governments’ Justice Center, with later participation expected from state and county law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies. Clement argued that solving violent crime is a systemwide issue, not just a local police function, and said clearance rates have declined nationally over decades for homicide, rape, aggravated assault, and robbery. He said Hawaii’s reported data, limited to Oʻahu and Kauaʻi, shows overall violent crime rates are lower than the national average and have been relatively flat with a pandemic-era spike followed by declines in 2023 and 2024. He reported that Hawaii’s overall violent crime solve rate fell from about 52% in 2014 to about 40% in 2024, with 2024 rates of 50% for homicides, 48% for aggravated assaults, and 26% each for rapes and robberies. He also estimated unsolved cases over the past three years at about 17 homicides, 3,300 aggravated assaults, 1,200 rapes, and 1,700 robberies. Members asked about victim and witness support, staffing shortages, the Denver example, whether clearance rates include cases not prosecuted, and whether HPD’s size or structure might affect solve rates. Clement said support can include victim-witness programs and coordinators that help maintain cooperation and trust, especially where clearance rates are low. He said resources, training, technology, and detective caseloads matter, citing Boston, Denver, and Omaha as cities that improved solve rates through relatively low-cost operational changes; he highlighted Denver’s increase in non-fatal shooting clearance from 39% to 65% in seven months after dedicating more resources. He said he had no research showing that breaking up a large department would improve solve rates, and noted that clearance data can include exceptional clearances such as victim noncooperation, prosecutorial declination, or a suspect’s death. No votes or formal actions were taken during the informational briefing.

Transcript Highlights:

• If they met the requirements for testing personnel performing COVID-19 testing, if they met the federal
• CLIA requirements for high-complexity testing, AB 481 mirrors the requirements for high-complexity testing
• Delays in access to results of lab testing due to the workforce shortage in clinical labs impacts physicians
• There is what we see in our labs and the thousands of lab workers that we have.
• no errors because really as the supporters said, lab testing is such a critical part of healthcare and

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• ranges to test out.
• And if we want to... ...aerospace defense contractors looking for test ranges to test out.
• We have done flight tests out of Spaceport.
• We want to continue to do flight tests out of Spaceport.
• How do we—what's blocking us from doing more testing? You said you wanted to do more testing.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:34:22.000> message<00:34:22.240> to tested, it sends the message to tested, it
• lab capable of<00:36:59.599> testing<00:37:00.000> for<00:37:00.240> DNA.
• We have ended our third-party contract for this service with the lab in Florida, and the new testing
• Knowing that the state crime lab now has the capability of testing evidence right here in Concord cuts
• quickly for testing.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Thomas mentioned it being tested in state labs, and you had just said independent labs.
• Thomas mentioned it being tested in state labs, and you had just said independent labs.
• Thomas mentioned it being tested in state labs, and you had just said independent labs.
• Thomas mentioned it being tested in state labs, and you had just said independent labs.
• Patients would have access to state labs for testing or independent labs as well for testing of cannabinoids

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• A reference lab would help be able to do that testing for enforcement purposes. >> Okay.
• Transportation's labs because they need to do cannabis testing too. >> Uh, I'll start.
• The lab that we're looking at is testing products specifically.
• And so right now the lab that currently exists does all the testing, but we need a reference lab that's
• So under DAG's management were our main building on Punchbowl, our testing labs building in Dikele, and

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Department of Health presented its supplemental budget requests and described several sources of uncertainty affecting federal funding, including policy changes, shutdown-related disruptions, and shifting appropriations proposals in Congress. Officials said some federal grants had been terminated and then restored, but the department still faces added administrative burden to access funds. They also said trust in public health institutions has declined, and outlined efforts to respond through community engagement, website cleanup, social media, and transparency dashboards. The department highlighted staffing and operations issues, noting a 29.7% vacancy rate and the success of its hiring pilot under Act 291, which has hired 38 candidates with an average 95-day hiring timeline. On the budget side, officials said the supplemental request includes increases in general, special, and revolving funds, and they walked through the first major general fund item for emergency medical services. After discussion, they said the EMS request was reduced from $8 million to $4.5 million to cover collective bargaining increases and keep contracts whole through August 2027. Behavioral health items included the payment crisis center in Ewa, which has connected more than 2,000 people to services, though roughly one-third remain unconnected or return frequently. Members questioned the quality of follow-up data and whether the program is reducing repeat use. The department also discussed state hospital decompression efforts, including use of the behavioral health crisis center, transfers to community hospitals, neighbor-island placements, and direct discharge to long-term care facilities; officials said the hospital is licensed for 292 beds and has seen census pressures rise again. A substantial portion of the hearing focused on Kalaupapa/Kalawao jurisdiction and preservation after patient care ends. Members pressed the department on the lack of a clear statewide plan, the roles of DOH, DNR, and DHHL, and what happens to land, buildings, and the cemetery after the last patient leaves. DOH said the current law is unclear on an end date, that the proposed bill would change the law, and that the landowners’ agreements with the National Park Service and each other will shape the transition. Officials said they would provide more information at a later hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• I use vendors that send test results of heavy metals and... test results of heavy metals and share with
• My labs are DEA certified labs.
• You said DEA certified labs. So... You said DEA certified labs. Yes. Oh, okay. All right.
• Um, we third party lab test, our COAs are... we third party lab test. Our COAs are done thoroughly.
• Yes, they're DEA certified ISO labs that will test not only the cannabinoid content. that will test not

Keywords: 923, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Then the department also required hemp farmers to get their hemp tested by third-party labs, and the
• uh by third party labs and uh the tested uh by third party labs and uh the cultivation<01:13:06.000>
• And even though they say they provide lab testing, a lot of that lab testing is just around potency of
• that they provide lab testing, a lot of that they provide lab testing, a lot of that lab<01:37:27.840
• 28.880> potency<01:37:29.280> of lab testing is just around potency of lab testing is just

Bills: HB1974, HB1853, HB1973, HB1574, HB2619, HB1966, HB1643, HB1671, HB2558, HB1854, HB2173, HB1575, HB2229, HB1535, HB1978, HB2508, HB1549, HB2187, HB1550, HB1977, HB2314, HB1871, HB2319, HB1591, HB1858, HB1898, HB2372, HB1765, HB2012, HB1706, HB1962, HB1963, HB1975, HB2009, HB2083, HB2224, HB1877, HB1959, HB1626, HB1665, HB2488, HB2456, HB2548, HB2207, HB1832, HB2079, HB1985, HB1618, HB2486, HB2242, HB2045, HB1703, HB2236, HB2480, HB1976, HB2287, HB2288, HB1777, HB276, HB1660, HB1676, HB1605, HB1751, HB1967, HB2383, HB2340, HB1946, HB2268, HB1950, HB2156, HB2118, HB1859, HB1863, HB1996, HB2114, HB2423, HB2429, HB2475, HB2534, HB2545, HB1813, HB1941, HB2474, HB2583, HB1576, HB1886, HB1939, HB2540, HB2590, HB2000, HB2163, HB2386, HB1691, HB1680, HB2516, HB1993, HB2442, HB1510, HB1958, HB1692

Keywords: HB1974, hearing loss, audiology, audiologist, hearing screening, hearing aids, cochlear implants, tele-audiology, communication access, assistive technology, speech-language pathology, deafness, hard of hearing, public health, kupuna, keiki, dementia, cognitive decline, fall prevention, State Health Planning and Development Agency

Transcript Highlights:

• And in the newer processes, once we were going to get them to the lab, get them tested, how to notify
• And in the newer processes, once we were going to get them to the lab, get them tested, how to notify
• lab, versus convening?
• So the DNA experts are the people at the lab, they're the same ones testing the rape kits.
• It's the lab.

Bills: HB99, HJR5, HM39, HB206, HB213, SB41, SB153, SB165, SB261, SB264

Keywords: medical malpractice, malpractice reform, patient's compensation fund, PCF, health care liability, tort reform, damage caps, punitive damages, hospital liability, physician liability, nurse practitioner, certified nurse-midwife, outpatient facility, ambulatory surgical center, urgent care, free-standing emergency room, insurance surcharge, superintendent of insurance, New Mexico hospitals, medical review process

Transcript Highlights:

• What year did we test? Was that... I don't think we tested in '21. We did not test in 2020. Okay.
• We did test in 2021.
• What year did we test? Was that, I don't think we tested in 21. We did not test in 2020. Okay.
• We did test in 2021.
• is equity labs, but we can't find any evidence that equity labs have happened.

Keywords: 1204, all

Summary: The committee received a Bureau of Legislative Research presentation on Arkansas academic standards, accountability, and achievement as part of the adequacy study. Staff reviewed how state curriculum and standards have evolved from the 1997 Public Education Act, the 2003 Quality Education Act, and the 2017 Educational Support and Accountability Act, including required course offerings, graduation requirements, career and technical education pathways, and recent additions such as success-ready pathways, Arkansas history, firearm safety, and fetal growth and development instruction. Members asked for a comparative chart showing how the laws and requirements changed over time, and staff agreed to provide one. The presentation then turned to the federal ESSA plan and Arkansas’s state accountability system. Staff explained the state’s long-term goals for 2030, including 80% proficiency in ELA and math, 52% of English learners on track to English proficiency, and 94%/97% four- and five-year graduation rates. They reviewed 2025 assessment results showing proficiency rates generally in the 30s, with English learners and students with disabilities performing lowest and white students highest. They also discussed school support and improvement categories, equitable access to educators, and report card/public reporting requirements, noting that some ESSA-related measures such as the school index, equity labs, and certain 2024 report card data were not currently available or not being calculated. Members questioned whether those ESSA commitments were being met and asked staff to follow up with DESE, including whether the legislature can revise the ESSA plan. The committee also reviewed the Arkansas Accountability Act and related assessment data. Staff described the Atlas assessment system, alternate assessments for students with significant cognitive disabilities, ELPA 21 for English learners, ACT results, and NAEP comparisons. They reported that no student group met the 80% proficiency goal in 2025, Arkansas’s ACT composite score declined slightly over time, and Arkansas generally trailed national and SREB averages on NAEP. Members asked for additional data, including historical highs and lows, the number of assessments students take by grade, dropout data, and comparisons with other states. The meeting ended with agreement to invite the Department of Education to a future meeting to answer questions about missing data, equity labs, report cards, and ESSA compliance.