Transcript Highlights:

• Beechwood Independent: their projects include a high school and elementary school renovations, and their
• the slides into each of the schools the slides into each of the schools individually<00:02:55.159
• Department of Ed and then the school Department of Ed and then the school priority<00:03:33.200>
• know we have slides for all 20 schools know we have slides for all 20 schools and<00:03:44.159><
• So some schools had that happen.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The House Budget Review Committee on Primary and Secondary Education and Workforce Development met, approved the minutes from its first meeting, and then received a presentation on the School Facility Assistance Fund audit. State Auditor Allison Ball’s office and its third-party contractor, Blue and Co., explained that the audit followed the scope set in the budget bill: to review each school project’s cost, available local resources, and eligibility criteria for state gap funding, with the Auditor of Public Accounts certifying the final report. The presenters walked through the 20 school projects identified for review and gave the current gap funding amounts found for each. Examples included Adair County at about $7.6 million, Augusta Independent at $5.3 million, B.S. Down Independent at just over $43 million, Fleming County at about $15 million, Garrard County at $14.9 million, Johnson County at $78 million, Somerset Independent at $1.7 million, Walton Verona at $48,000, Williams Town Independent at $7.4 million, and several others. They also noted that some districts were fully funded before the audit or withdrew because they had secured enough local funding, including Breathitt County, Kent County, and Lewis County. Washington County’s project was flagged as failing some House Bill 6 eligibility criteria even though the report calculated a $27.6 million gap. Members asked whether districts that secured funding on their own were being penalized, and the auditors responded that changes in gap amounts reflected several factors, including rising project costs and newly available local funding. They also said the audit did not attempt to determine whether local funds were earmarked for one project versus another, because the budget bill directed them to assess available local funding as provided. The committee requested the presentation slides, and the meeting concluded with no further questions and a motion to adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• things that are students use in schools things that are students use in schools and<00:04:55.039
• As was previously testified, DHS did do a study regarding keys using a surface testing method.
• I would just say this about the XRF testing method: not only is it not the method used in the study,
• method as a surface-sensitive test, meaning it only analyzes the surface content of an object.
• sensitive test meaning it only surface sensitive test meaning it only analyzes<00:32:26.200> the

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee took up House File 737, which would amend Minnesota’s lead- and cadmium-related product restrictions and was re-referred to the Committee on Environment, Finance and Policy. Representative Bjorn Olson said the bill was prompted by a constituent who could no longer make cadmium-based art supplies in Minnesota, and he argued the law unintentionally swept in professional art materials that are used safely and are important to Western art culture. The committee first adopted the author’s A2 amendment, which broadened the bill to include additional exemptions beyond paint and pastels, including certain pens, mechanical pencils, and vehicle keys/key fobs. Testimony in support came from Darren Reenie of Wet Paint Artist Materials and Framing, who said artist paint and related supplies account for a significant share of sales and that the ban threatens independent art supply businesses and artists’ access to essential pigments. Josh Fiser of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation supported the key and key fob exemption, saying the current law is overly broad, exposure risk is minimal, and Minnesota should align with California and European Union standards. Bill Morgan of the Arts and Creative Materials Institute and Writing Instrument Manufacturers Association also supported the amendment, arguing there was little scientific basis for including pens, mechanical pencils, and professional artist materials, and citing prior reviews in the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the European Union. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, through Assistant Commissioner Kirk Kadelka, opposed broad exemptions and emphasized that no amount of lead is safe for children. He said the law was based on evidence from consumer products associated with elevated blood lead levels and argued that safer alternatives exist for many of the items in the amendment, including pens, mechanical pencils, and some key components. He also raised concerns about exposure during production and disposal. Committee members questioned the scope of the exemptions and whether the industry had workable alternatives. The A2 amendment was adopted, and the bill was then advanced for further consideration and re-referred as noted by the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• However, I do have expertise. witnesses can that I can test to.
• We did have testing, an order for testing, but that relied more so on the emergency. emergency powers
• And has all the testing been done? Is it safe to do this?
• are the same, not all schools of nursing do that.
• Abolish said, not all schools are created equal. not all products of those schools are equal. two different

Bills: HB5141, HB4638, HB2264, HB2035, HB4813, HB4408, HB2684, HB1621, HB2300, HB216, HB3829, HB4466, HB1747, HB2284, HB3614, HB2587, HB3219, HB3318, HB5147, HB4014, HB216

Keywords: lease, state property, public purpose, Travis County, Health and Human Services, pharmaceutical initiative, drug distribution, healthcare services, generic drugs, advanced pharmaceuticals, cost savings, mental health, patient discharge, medical records, health care professionals, substance use, family involvement, chemical dependency, treatment facilities, minor admissions

Transcript Highlights:

• The A&M School of Law has risen faster in national rankings than any other law school in history and
• HB 4623 by Little relating to the liability of public schools and professional school employees and certain
• charter school campuses that are designated for the full-service community schools or for the committee
• HB 4699 by Leo Rilson early in the requirement independent school district home rule school districts
• AG 4704 by Simmons related public school maternal leave policy and allotment under the foundation school

Bills: HB9, HB22, HB908, HB1392

Keywords: property tax, ad valorem tax, tangible personal property, income-producing property, business personal property, tax exemption, local government finance, appraisal district, chief appraiser, rendition statement, property tax relief, small business, commercial property, leased property, related business entity, unified business enterprise, tax situs, Texas Tax Code, local taxing unit, constitutional amendment

Transcript Highlights:

• The old school EpiPen, I think it's called EpiPens for schools. You get four free doses.
• So you get to choose, or the school nurse would choose, depending on demographics of the school.
• You get to choose, or the school nurse would choose, depending on the demographics of the school.
• You get to choose, or the school nurse would choose, depending on the demographics of the school.
• So it says a school board may authorize a school nurse who is employed by the school district for whom

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Finance Division 2 hearing took testimony from the director of New Hampshire Police Standards and Training on the agency’s budget request and operations. He described the agency’s role in setting hiring, education, certification, and discipline standards for police, corrections, probation and parole, and court security officers, and noted that the agency runs the full-time, part-time, corrections, and court security training programs. He also outlined the agency’s staffing, facility, and budget request for FY 2026-27, including a request to keep funding level with the governor’s recommendation while shifting funds to support an IT manager position by defunding a vacant administrative slot. The agency requested several statutory changes in Chapter 106, including clarifying the definition of police misconduct, allowing a temporary member on the Conduct Review Committee, clarifying reporting requirements for misconduct allegations, and codifying the Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission. The director also reviewed new responsibilities added in recent years, including crisis intervention training, statewide accreditation, the Conduct Review Committee, and increased annual in-service training requirements. He explained that crisis intervention funding is carried in a continuously appropriated, non-lapsing account and that some budget lines were reclassified, including software and janitorial services, to reflect actual spending needs. Members asked about national standards, the different academy tracks, crisis intervention funding, maintenance and contract changes, temporary positions, and the court security training program. The agency said it coordinates with national peers through IADLEST, that the part-time and corrections academies are longstanding programs, and that the new court security academy can be delivered either as a full academy or as in-service training depending on resources. The director also said the agency has been running extra full-time academies because of high vacancy rates, but expects to return to three full-time academies this year, with two corrections academies and one or possibly two part-time academies. He also explained the current approach to misconduct records and public disclosure, saying sustained findings under RSA 106-L are heard by the council and published, replacing the older, less standardized exculpatory list process.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh well, this was the first<00:03:50.080> real<00:03:50.319> test<00:03:50.720> of
• c><00:03:50.959> the<00:03:51.200> power<00:03:51.519> sharing first real test of
• All these important wins school meals.
• That's really important for the school districts.
• And we think it's important that the schools get additional funding.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: House Democratic leaders and House Republican leaders announced a compromise set of budget targets reached Friday night, describing it as a numbers-only deal that leaves policy issues aside. They said the targets are the first step in the budget process: House committee chairs will write bills to fit the targets, those bills will go to Ways and Means, and later leaders will negotiate global targets with the governor and Senate. Leaders emphasized that the agreement reflects compromise rather than either party’s ideal budget, and that they will continue talks with Governor Walz and the Senate over the next several weeks. The speakers highlighted what was not included in the deal, saying it does not target paid family and medical leave, earned sick and safe time, reproductive rights, or universal school meals. They said the House priorities that did make it in include housing, education, pensions, public safety, and transportation. On education, they said the compromise provides $40 million in new money in the first biennium for the READ Act and no cuts in either biennium, contrasting that with larger cuts in the governor’s and Senate proposals. They also said schools could still choose to fund unemployment insurance for school workers from existing resources, though it was not earmarked in the targets. Leaders said the agreement leaves room for committee chairs to make choices within the targets, including in health and human services, where they described the target as a reduction in projected growth rather than a cut to existing appropriations. They said the budget plan sets aside discretionary inflation adjustments in the first biennium while preserving inflation indexing for items like the K-12 formula. They also said the deal improves the state’s long-term balance, with a projected $1.6 billion balance in the first biennium and a $1.3 billion deficit in the second, and that the House’s numbers do not include the same revenue assumptions as the governor’s and Senate’s plans. In questions, leaders said conference committees will require majority support from both House and Senate conferees, and that the House will send equal numbers of Democratic and Republican conferees. They said the bonding bill size is still under discussion, but the adopted numbers would allow for roughly a $700 million general obligation bill. They also said large state spending for professional sports facilities is likely over, and explained that the press conference was held without Republican leaders for logistical reasons after the deal was reached late Friday.

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, so to start off by a marker tests or looked for genes, proteins and other substances that give
• But again, to ensure that we've got all relevant, Bob Barr marker lit tests identified for coverage,
• Other kinds of Colorado cancer screening, like colonoscopy and school-based testing like those fit cards
• We've also met with a laboratory that is engaged in this testing.
• We're hopeful that there will be no perceived delay in treatment for this test.

Transcript Highlights:

• I use vendors that send test results of heavy metals and... test results of heavy metals and share with
• Um, we third party lab test, our COAs are... we third party lab test. Our COAs are done thoroughly.
• You're welcome to test our products any day of the week... to test our products any day of the week and
• finished goods products in testing.
• 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:

• Instead, you can see on this slide the amount in blue bars of severance tax from the… oil and school
• Chairman, this is, as I mentioned, the stress testing that we do.
• Chairman, and thank you to all three of you on the stress test.
• I want to ask you about the stress test. We've obviously entered a new administration. We are the.
• First, has that been factored into our stress testing? Yeah. Mr.

Transcript Highlights:

• psychologist who's actually going to be completing testing that perhaps someone left school too early
• psychologist who's actually going to be completing testing that perhaps someone left school too early
• This school psychologist will be able to do the testing on site and come to some conclusions and develop
• They came in with a high school diploma or the equivalency, right?
• Their medical reports or results from tests, etc.

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:

• NEXT UP WE WILL HAVE DOCTOR JING WANG FROM FSU SCHOOL OF NURSING.
• ROI ON THOSE RETURNS CAN ALSO ATTEST GENERATION, THOSE ARE THINGS WE WOULD PAY A VENDOR TO GENERATE TEST
• BEFORE A TOOL IS USED, BEFORE IT IS DEPLOYED IT MUST BE TESTED PRE-DEPLOYMENT TESTING TO MAKE SURE THE
• THE PRE-DEPLOYMENT TESTING IS SO IMPORTANT.
• IS NOT A FORGET ABOUT THAT TYPE OF SITUATION WHERE IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE IMPLEMENTATION ONGOING TESTING

Transcript Highlights:

• Test, test, test. This next is going to be a test. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Yeah.
• One more thing: we provided 1.5 million to an emergency fund to test for avian flu in case that decides
• Half of which goes to testing workers in the supply chain as we work through to eventually getting those
• Just in fiscal year 2025, the federal government canceled $13.3 million to purchase food for schools
• Going to school, I could not help but think we need to uplift the people that really need affordable

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:22:45.880> and<00:22:46.120> you are students use in schools and you are students
• <00:33:57.799> testimony<00:33:58.519> chair proceed with your test testimony chair
• As was previously testified, DHS did do a study regarding keys using a surface testing method.
• sensitive test meaning it only surface sensitive test meaning it only analyzes<00:50:17.240> the
• These specifications are set by the American Society for Testing and Materials.

Bills: HF737, HF247, HF325, HF1330

Keywords: lead, cadmium, consumer products, safety regulation, retail restrictions, motor sports, nonoxygenated gasoline, fuel regulations, storage requirements, racing events, HF325, flavored nitrous oxide, nitrous oxide, whippets, laughing gas, retail sales, consumer protection, misdemeanor, commerce, Minnesota Statutes chapter 325F

Transcript Highlights:

• ,<00:29:28.159> the I looked at the six-factor test, the I looked at the six-factor test,
• What this bill does is if a school What this bill does is if a school district<00:39:44.000> elects
• This would apply to any school This would apply to any school school<00:40:03.200> who<00
• who This does not apply to any school who This does not apply to any school<00:40:06.400> who
• <00:40:13.560> health entity to provide school-based health entity to provide school-based

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <02:01:12.040> school Community to the school Community to the school community<02:01:14.239
• school high school and systems school high school and systems leadership<03:13:33.760> level<
• > boards the school district manage school boards the school district manage school boards relations
• These were free schools, in addition to private schools.
• Teachers... on in a school and get a good feel for a on in a school and get a good feel for a school<

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 362, which would grant the Department of Education rulemaking authority related to educator licensure and testing requirements, including passing scores on professional education assessments. Representative Ladd said the bill is intended to preserve New Hampshire’s standards for classroom teachers and CTE instructors, while allowing DOE flexibility through rulemaking. He emphasized maintaining high standards, including for career and technical education, and said he was open to DOE clarifying the language further. Committee members raised concerns that the bill, as written, could remove language recognizing industry-recognized credentials for CTE instructors. Department of Education Director Steven Appy said DOE had drafted an amendment to clarify that the requirement applies to an initial New Hampshire license, to exempt CTE teachers from content exams, and to preserve current administrative practice allowing basic academic skills testing and industry-recognized credentials as substitutes. The committee discussed the distinction between basic academic skills tests and content assessments, and Appy said the amendment was meant to avoid conflating those requirements. The chair said the committee would take up executive session on HB 362 and related bills later. The committee then took up House Bill 90, which narrows and defines the rules for part-time teachers, especially in concurrent enrollment settings. Representative Ladd explained that the bill is meant to allow qualified college faculty or adjuncts from the University System or Community College System to teach high school concurrent-enrollment courses when local schools lack a teacher with the needed master’s-level credentials, particularly in math and STEM subjects. He said the bill is intended to expand student access to college-level coursework, save money, and preserve standards, while still requiring background checks and adherence to ethics and conduct rules. Members began asking questions about how the bill would work in practice, including certification and endorsement issues, but the hearing was not concluded in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• They're in schools. So for children. They're in schools.
• test.
• The Supreme Court uses that test test.
• , medium-sized schools, and small schools.
• , middle school, small the big school, middle school, small school<03:14:49.279> for<03:14:49.600

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• As population growth increases, demand for driver's license applications and testing DPS is requesting
• Item 3 discusses DPS troopers and recruit schools.
• Representing an increase of 49.4 million to fund at least six recruitment. schools with an estimated
• When I went through patrol school in 1990, our training academy was falling down on North Lamar, and
• In addition to that, the signing bonus for our recruits when they graduate from a recruit school.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• ,<00:54:23.920> community those uh high schools, community those uh high schools, community
• >> Um, so the high schools, um, there's over 6,000 students that benefit from that program and high schools
• <00:57:32.079> that from that program and high schools that from that program and high schools
• What were the findings of this stress test?
• What were the findings of this stress test?

Keywords: Appropriations - Room 216, 22 January, 2026; 8:00 AM, 925, all

Summary: The hearing began with the State Board of Architecture’s budget presentation. The executive director described the board’s mission to regulate architecture, landscape architecture, and certified interior design to protect public health and safety. He highlighted the board’s consolidated structure, license totals, high reciprocity rate, recent rule changes to reduce barriers to practice, and a proposed FY 2027 budget of $368,123, which included a 5% staff salary increase and higher operating costs. He also noted a newly identified need to modernize the licensing system, estimated at at least $25,000, and asked that the board not be reduced below the requested level. A board member also praised the small staff’s responsiveness and effectiveness. The State Board of Public Accountancy then presented its budget and policy requests. The executive director said the board regulates CPAs and CPA firms, oversees the CPA exam process, and has about 3,600 active individual licensees and 800 firms. The board requested only a 3% compensation increase for staff, plus a special request to allow an audit supervisor to repay the cost of a Becker review course through payroll deduction as part of succession planning. She also described a board-approved waiver program that began January 1, eliminating application fees for CPA exam candidates and retakes; 42 candidates had used the waiver in the first two weeks. In response to questions, she said the board does not assist CPAs with IRS disputes, but it does investigate complaints from the IRS, SEC, PCAOB, or others. Finally, a representative presented for the Board of Licensed Professional Counselors. She explained that the board regulates licensed counselors and psychotherapy providers, meets frequently, and has two staff members. The board’s main request was for additional investigative capacity: a full-time investigator and related funding, because complaints are currently handled by part-time investigators, contractors, and sometimes board members, which can require recusals from hearings. She said the state auditor had recently flagged complaint backlogs at regulatory agencies, supporting the request. The board also sought funding for a contractual administrative position, salary progressions, and a one-time technology increase to modify its new licensing system for the counseling compact and better search functions. Members questioned the board about its large cash balance, which was reported at about $860,000, and whether it should provide fee relief or other benefits to members; the presenter said the board would look into that and noted that revenues had increased significantly in recent years, partly due to out-of-state and telehealth-related licensing demand.

Transcript Highlights:

• I will say this, though: public schools have to take assessments and proficiency tests, and in many cases
• schools schools like Brett Elementary schools schools like Brett Elementary School<01:15:25.920>
• school, and a son who went to the public school.
• a Home School receives an school or a Home School receives an EA EA EA voucher<01:41:41.239> Bishop
• c> billing local schools and funding School billing local schools and funding School billing Aid<

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• He's in the religious community, and he's a great leader for Emmanuel Christian School.
• If the Senate could please make my friends from Emmanuel Christian School feel welcome.
• He's in the religious community, and he's a great leader for Emmanuel Christian School.
• If the Senate could please make my friends from Emmanuel Christian School feel welcome.
• It's basically for the children and the athletes and the kids that attend our schools or high schools

Keywords: 994, senate, all