Video & Transcript Research : 'educator certification'
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FL
Florida 2025 Regular Session
Health Policy Apr 1st, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- Chair, survivors of deceased hospice patients are currently experiencing delays in securing death certificates
- This amendment narrows the scope of the bill to focus only on who may filing complete a certificate of
- Additionally, it forbids educational institutions from mandating are requiring proof of an mrna vaccine
- granted a license has a PA in Puerto Rico without going through any formal PA program passed in any certification
- We are running low and thank you just for education because I have a daughter of it will put Lupus who
MN
Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session
House Veterans and Military Affairs Division 3/26/25
Veterans and Military Affairs Division
Transcript Highlights:
- We offer state tuition reimbursement for them to go to higher education or trade school because they
- or or trade school uh because education or or trade school uh because you<00:09:19.680>
know < - <00:15:33.839>
So, certification training. So, certification training. - Um, also veterans do experience uh as you know physical disabilities that make mobility education.
- Um and they have the education.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Create a digital platform to provide youth about workforce opportunities 2/25/26
Minnesota House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- I always say to the youth that I work with is that you do not need to be older or more formally educated
- majority of jobs would require some form, not necessarily a four-year degree, but some form: a certificate
- showing that there was bipartisan support for establishing a committee including young people and educators
- the state of Minnesota to save $15 million a year for taxpayers as well as $60 million a year for educators
- majority of jobs would require some form, not necessarily a four-year degree, but some form: a certificate
TX
Texas 89th 2nd C.S.
Texas Ethics Commission Dec 10th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- and Chair Kennedy, you're just gonna have to get yours later, but we'll present them with their certificates
- Uh, next advisory opinion, uh, request addresses whether the current state Board of Education member
- can provide continuing professional development to educators in return for compensation during their
- analysis of section 572021A3 of the government code as applied to members of the state Board of Education
- As the regulation and licensing of teachers falls under the State Board of Educator certification rather
AR
Transcript Highlights:
- His passion for education and making sure students and educators were taken care of His passion for education
- We're providing education for our state.
- Teacher certifications are higher. There's specific curriculum. Teacher certifications are higher.
- Our educational adequacy fund supports early childhood education already.
- Members, this is the educational television appropriation with the Department of Education budget.
MS
Mississippi 2026 Regular Session
MS House Floor - 4 February, 2026; 10:00 AM
Mississippi House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- exempted from continuing education exempted from continuing education units. units. units.
- continuing legal education? continuing legal education?
- You will look at that superintendent's years of service, their certifications, and their education, and
- paid in like experience in education. paid in like experience in education.
- the C the certificate of need? I do I I the C the certificate of need?
Summary:
The House convened with prayer and the pledge, established a quorum, dispensed with reading the journal and bill introductions, and then moved through announcements recognizing visitors in the galleries, including cancer advocacy groups, Mississippi Math and Science School students, a gospel choir, Leadership Greater Jackson, and other guests. Members also made several commendations, including recognition of Elena Johnson’s softball accomplishments and a student’s appointment to West Point.
On the general calendar, the House passed House Bill 1076, the SAVE Act of 2026, by a vote of 122-0. The bill is described as a consumer protection measure for veterans that prohibits pay-to-refer arrangements, tightens standards for paid claims assistance, requires written agreements and limits upfront or nonrefundable fees, and adds privacy and disclosure safeguards. The House also passed House Bill 223, designating a segment of Highway 537 as the Sergeant John Howard Tanner Memorial Highway, by 122-0.
The chamber then passed House Bill 1112, which revises state aid road division laws to expand purchasing authority, increase authorized vehicles, and allow unused county road funds to be reallocated after a period of time, by 120-1. House Bill 737, with an adopted amendment, allows Medicaid providers to repay certain non-fraud overpayments in installments when immediate repayment would cause hardship and aligns the repayment timeline with federal law; it passed 116-0. The House also passed House Bill 479 on marriage and family therapy and psychology licensure changes, adopting an amendment that extends the time to verify credentials for out-of-state applicants and provides a temporary license, by 121-0.
Additional bills passed included House Bill 991 on third-party registration systems for used motor vehicle parts dealers and scrap metal processors (118-0), House Bill 1072 creating voluntary portable benefits accounts for independent contractors (119-0), House Bill 1137 revising CPA licensure education and experience requirements (118-1), House Bill 571 extending the foreign-national contribution ban to ballot measures (111-1), House Bill 630 allowing certain county electors to serve as municipal poll managers in small municipalities (113-4), House Bill 858 requiring election equipment internet connectivity to be disabled on election day (116-1), House Bill 788 changing how affidavit ballots can update voter registration information, with an amendment adopted, (115-3), and House Bill 908 tying Mississippi’s mail-ballot counting rule to the outcome of pending federal litigation so state and local races would be treated the same if the current federal-race rule is struck down (the bill was under discussion at the end of the excerpt).
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
IC - Science, Technology and Telecommunications Aug 25th, 2025
Science, Technology & Telecommunications Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- Our goal is not to keep kiddos for the duration of their education.
- That's where we need to educate them and make sure we take them along.
- With AI, it's the same thing: educating them on what AI means, educating them on what AI safety means
- , educating them on what AI can do and cannot do.
- Have those grants been affected, do you know, the higher education grants?
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Select Committee on Older LGBTQ+ Californians Apr 27th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- And the, you know, we have a proposal to backfill $23 billion of higher education research.
- Then I discovered CARES, the Center for AIDS Research and Educational Services.
- I think that, you know, we're trying to do a lot to educate in terms of the numbers.
- It's a two-way street of education that needs to happen.
- We need to educate the people who are accessing the services, right?
Summary:
The Select Committee on Older LGBTQ Californians held an inaugural hearing focused on the health care and support landscape for older LGBTQ Californians, including people aging with HIV and transgender, gender non-conforming, and intersex seniors. Opening remarks emphasized the long history of discrimination faced by older LGBTQ adults, the growth of the aging LGBTQ population, and the need to translate existing state commitments into concrete services. Senators highlighted concerns about nursing home vulnerability, the aging of people living with HIV, and the impact of federal actions and Medicaid cuts on California’s safety net.
The first panel featured Justice in Aging, CalHHS, the Department of Aging, and the Aging and HIV Institute. Testimony described widespread inequities, including discrimination, social isolation, economic insecurity, and gaps in culturally competent care. State officials outlined the Master Plan for Aging, the first statewide survey of LGBTQIA older adults, gender-affirming care protections in Medi-Cal, and efforts to improve coordination across departments. Advocates argued the state has been too slow to respond to federal threats and that services are often hard to find or fragmented. Committee members pressed the departments on how survey findings are being turned into action, how rural and underserved communities are being reached, and whether more formal stakeholder coordination or “no wrong door” access systems are needed.
The second panel focused on seniors living with HIV. A long-term survivor gave emotional testimony about the “survivorship penalty,” loss of benefits, housing insecurity, and the need for legal and navigation support, housing assistance, and protection from outdated disability standards. The Department of Aging reported on implementation of SB 258, which added HIV status to the definition of greatest social need for area agencies on aging; it said 20 of 33 area plans now identify HIV as a target population and many include specific strategies, such as LGBTQIA mental health connections programs. The Office of AIDS described Project Cornerstone, Ryan White, ADAP, HOPWA, the Medi-Cal waiver, and PrEP-AP, noting these programs serve thousands of older clients and rely on whole-person case management. Case management testimony underscored persistent needs for medication subsidies, transportation, food, and housing. Committee members questioned how ADAP rebate funds might be used, how SB 258 is enforced across local agencies, and how to reduce administrative barriers and auto-connect eligible people to benefits.
The final panel began with the Department of Social Services outlining protections for TGI seniors in licensed care facilities, including SB 219’s nondiscrimination requirements and related provider notices and resident rights materials. The hearing remained focused on identifying service gaps, improving coordination across aging, health, and social service systems, and ensuring state programs better reflect the lived experience of older LGBTQ Californians.
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
IC - Legislative Finance Aug 21st, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- That we know affects their future education and employment successes.
- State education agencies, in this case, PED, distribute funds to districts, schools, and charters.
- I'm Greg Frostad, Assistant Secretary of Education.
- The key recommendations all are for the Public Education Department in both places.
- Education back then, when the money was reverted.
DE
Delaware 2025-2026 Regular Session
House of Representatives Legislative Session - Session 2 - 42nd Legislative Day- REASSEMBLE Part 1 Jun 30th, 2026
Delaware House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- This would be administered by the Delaware Department of Education in collaboration with local education
- It will also help the educators as well.
- Yes, Cindy Martin, Secretary of Education.
- Yes, Cindy Martin, Secretary of Education. Thank you very much.
- with the education of our children in the state.
Summary:
The House convened on June 30, 2026, with opening ceremonies, guest introductions, and moments of silence for Gerlindy Lancelotti and Iva Durham. Members then took up a long agenda of bills and resolutions, including consent calendar items and several measures related to agriculture, lottery reporting, health care, fire service membership standards, inmate work, telecommunications, rent increases, youth camp licensing, primary elections, respiratory care practice, and marriage equality. The chamber also heard extended debate on Senate Bill 233, concerning removal of snow and ice from vehicles, and on House Bill 188, which would allow unaffiliated voters to choose a party primary while barring participation in both parties’ primaries.
Among the notable actions, House Concurrent Resolution 157 passed as amended, directing the State Lottery to report on options to support traditional lottery retailers. Senate Bill 53, preserving the Delaware Farm to Community Program if federal support declines, passed unanimously. Senate Bill 307, giving the Public Service Commission authority to designate eligible Lifeline carriers, and Senate Bill 339, clarifying advance health care directives, also passed. Senate Bill 235, removing a sunset on manufactured home rent increase calculations, passed, as did Senate Bill 325 after House Amendment 1 narrowed disqualifying offenses for fire service membership and adjusted related background-check rules. Senate Bill 309, discharging remaining incarceration-cost balances, and Senate Bill 324, addressing constable-related firearm permit provisions, both passed.
The chamber tabled Senate Bill 233 once to consider a proposed amendment for trucks and other hard-to-clear vehicles, but the amendment failed and the bill later passed as amended by the Senate. Senate Joint Resolution 19, directing DHSS to study strategies to reduce health care costs, was tabled pending legal review. Senate Substitute 2 for Senate Bill 100, proposing a constitutional amendment to protect the right to marry, passed after extensive floor debate and personal statements from members on both sides. Senate Bill 293, creating a licensure pathway for summer camps to participate in purchase-of-care, passed after House Amendment 1. House Bill 188 on open primary access for unaffiliated voters passed 22-17, and Senate Bill 94, concerning respiratory care practitioners and ECMO medication delivery, passed after House Amendment 2. The transcript ends as the House begins consideration of House Substitute 1 for House Bill 404.
HI
Hawaii 2026 Regular Session
House Chamber - Thu Feb 19, 2026, 12:00PM HST - Day 18
Hawaii House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- 35.679>
by <00:23:36.000>expanding Offender re-entry system by expanding high-quality educational - It encourages inmates to obtain high school equivalency certificates, pursue higher education where eligible
- School equivalency certificates, pursue higher education where eligible, and engage in supervised training
Bills:
HB1952, HB1951, HB1929, HB2497, HB2208, HB2572, HB1953, HB2551, HB2549, HB1737, HB1628, HB1769, HB2493, HB2264, HB1997, HB2168, HB2427, HB1805, HB2180, HB2184, HB2219, HB2469, HB2233, HB2519, HB2141, HB1904, HB2201, HB2410, HB2007, HB2385, HB2444, HB2349, HB2235, HB1872, HB2416, HB2291, HB2292, HB2263, HB2359, HB2455, HB1509, HB1514, HB1515, HB1648, HB2164, HB2323, HB1825, HB2172, HB1888, HB2005, HB2387, HB2358, HB2119, HB2276, HB2472, HB1714, HB2325, HB1541, HB1960, HB2140, HB2315, HB2367, HB2388, HB1696, HB2333, HB2138, HB2332, HB2283, HB2059, HB2057, HB2589, HB2417, HB2337, HB1588, HB2217, HB2020, HB1915, HB1742, HB2026, HB1965, HB1546, HB2360, HB1563, HB1749, HB2614, HB1511, HB1753, HB1849, HB1641, HB2161, HB2194, HB1721, HB2284, HB2188, HB1897, HB1880, HB1573, HB1876, HB20, HB2137
Keywords:
HB1952, Hawaii agriculture, University of Hawaii, CTAHR, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience, Kauai, agricultural research station, extension station, capital improvements, general obligation bonds, GO bonds, appropriation, ADA compliance, Americans with Disabilities Act, certified kitchen, greenhouse, laboratory, field research, cesspool decommissioning, invasive species
FL
Florida 2025 Regular Session
Commerce and Tourism Mar 25th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- FLORIDA PPA EMPHASIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF PRIORITIZING EDUCATION OVER EXCESSIVE WORK COMMITMENTS.
- CLAIMS TO GREAT OPPORTUNITIES BUT INSTEAD IT THREATENS EDUCATION, HEALTH, AND FAIR TREATMENT.
- LET'S KILL THIS BILL AND PUT EDUCATION AND WELL BEING FIRST. >> Chair: NEXT DOCTOR ALEXIS COLLIS.
- TALK ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF EDUCATION WHICH WE ALL AGREE ON.
- LET'S BETTER EDUCATE THE YOUTH ON INTERNET SAFETY. I GREW UP WITH THE INTERNET.
FL
Florida 2026 5th Special Session
Appropriations Committee on Higher Education Dec 3rd, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- Welcome to the Appropriations Committee on Higher Education.
- or out of town for their education.
- I would also like to assist in the recruiting of leaders and educators.
- You didn't get credits for it, but you got a completion certificate at no cost.
- So my background is very heavily laden into the world of education, which I love.
Summary:
The Appropriations Committee on Higher Education met to hear confirmation testimony for a large slate of university and state college trustees. Most of the discussion centered on the nominees’ backgrounds, ties to their institutions, and priorities such as student success, workforce development, financial sustainability, research growth, housing, and maintaining or improving university rankings. Several University of Florida trustees emphasized campus improvements, “One UF” integration, institutional neutrality, and ambitions to move UF into the top tier nationally. Other nominees highlighted goals for Florida A&M, Florida Atlantic, UCF, Florida State, Florida Poly, the Florida Prepaid College Board, and several state colleges, with recurring themes of affordability, economic mobility, cybersecurity, and keeping Florida students in-state for college and careers.
Public testimony was heard on the Florida A&M appointment, where Elijah Hooks spoke in opposition to the current administration and described his expulsion, arrest, and trespass from the university after protesting the selection of President Marva Johnson. During questioning of FAU nominee Tina Vidal-Duart, senators asked about her prior service on the Hope Florida Foundation board and about reports concerning CDR Health’s contracting practices; she said she was not aware of the foundation issues at the time and noted that CDR’s state contract was a flat daily rate, so subcontractor pricing affected only the company’s internal margins. Other nominees received little or no questioning.
At the end of the meeting, the committee voted to confirm all nominees except Tina Vidal-Duart separately. Senator Bracy Davis requested the separate vote and opposed her confirmation, citing concerns related to her Hope Florida Foundation board service. Despite that objection, the committee ultimately voted to report Vidal-Duart favorably as well. The committee also noted that one University of West Florida nominee would be taken up at a later hearing because he was unable to attend.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- But educating has never worked out. We get kids every day under.
- So, educating is part of our bill because we do believe it's necessary to put it in there.
- The speed with which we got educated on THC causing psychosis is a blessing.
- A ban is never a solution to a situation; education is.
- Timely feedback on complex education legislation.
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
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Cannabis Policy Jun 21st, 2026 at 10:30 am
Joint Committee on Cannabis Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- It comes from education, not prevention. But talking about drive-thrus. So my name is David Monti.
- I've done a lot of work in both driver's education and cannabis education for the last 10 years of my
- , so it really isn't a cannabis problem; it's an education problem that we have with the state.
- I educate them on cannabis every day.
- so it really isn't a cannabis problem it's an education problem that we have with the state I know a
Summary:
The Joint Committee on Cannabis Policy held its fourth hearing, with opening remarks from Senate Chair Adam Gómez and House Chair Dan Donahue emphasizing the committee’s broad agenda, including retail modernization, labor protections, advertising rules, sustainability, and financial resources. Testimony began with public health advocates supporting H.157/S.9 to ban cannabis billboard advertising, arguing that billboards normalize use for youth and are linked to cannabis-related harms such as psychosis, addiction, and cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome. Witnesses cited research, family stories, and court decisions in Mississippi and Virginia upholding similar restrictions, while committee members questioned the scope of the state’s authority to regulate billboards on private property and the relevance of federal highway funding and federal cannabis law.
The committee also heard testimony on H.175, a proposal to allow cannabis drive-through sales. A dispensary operator argued drive-throughs would improve access, especially for disabled customers and veterans, and said security and ID checks could be handled with cameras and staff screening. Committee members pressed him on how employees would assess impairment, whether drive-throughs could increase access for minors, and whether the industry should be treated like alcohol, with the witness responding that staff already refuse service to intoxicated customers and that education, not prohibition, is the better approach. Another bill, H.3982, would apply the bottle deposit law to carbonated hemp- or THC-infused beverages; the sponsor said the measure would standardize recycling requirements for products already sold in dispensaries and other markets, and members asked about container types and recycling compatibility.
A major portion of the hearing focused on labor peace agreements, with UFCW representatives, cannabis workers, and Sen. Lydia Edwards supporting S.77/H.161. They said the bill would require cannabis businesses to remain neutral when workers seek to organize, arguing that unions improve safety, wages, benefits, and job stability in an industry they described as underregulated and prone to retaliation. Witnesses cited workplace hazards, wage theft, and the death of a worker at a Holyoke facility as examples of why stronger worker protections are needed. Committee members asked how the proposal differs from existing labor law, whether tying LPAs to licensing and renewal could create legal or administrative problems, and how other states handle similar requirements. No votes or final actions were taken during the hearing.
HI
Hawaii 2026 Regular Session
JHA Public Hearing - Wed Feb 25, 2026 @ 2:00 PM HST
Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- <02:57:00.399>
our made an active effort to educate our made an active effort to educate our - and<02:57:21.439>
raise groundwork to educate and raise groundwork to educate and raise awareness - And it comply with certification.
- <03:01:06.000>
to provides vaping prevention education to provides vaping prevention education - Department of Education comments.
Summary:
The House Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs heard testimony on two immigration-enforcement bills: HB 1886 HD1 and HB 2540 HD1. HB 1886 would limit state and federal collaboration in immigration enforcement, require visible identification and restrictions on facial coverings for law enforcement officers, and create offenses for improper masking, lack of identification, and unauthorized civil immigration interrogation, arrest, or detention. HB 2540 would also limit state and federal collaboration, require law enforcement agencies to adopt and publicly post written civil immigration enforcement policies, prohibit stops or arrests based solely on immigration status, and restrict state and county participation in civil immigration enforcement in certain places.
Most testimony supported both measures. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the Office of the Public Defender, the ACLU of Hawaii, the Hawaii Coalition for Immigrant Rights, the Legal Clinic, and several private individuals said the bills would increase transparency, accountability, and community trust, and would help protect constitutional rights and reduce fear among immigrants and other community members. Several testifiers emphasized Hawaii’s history and the need to keep local law enforcement separate from federal immigration enforcement, while others said the bills would help people feel safer going to court, school, work, or public protests. A retired police officer also supported visible identification and uniform standards for officers, including federal agents operating in Hawaii.
A few testifiers opposed the use of masked or unidentified officers and argued that local police should not be diverted from ordinary public safety duties to immigration enforcement. One ACLU witness noted that the federal government has increasingly used local and state agencies to expand immigration enforcement, and said the task-force provisions in the bills are important to prevent blurred lines between agencies. The committee did not take a final vote in the portion of the meeting provided, but it recorded very large numbers of supportive testimonies for both bills, with only a small number in opposition.
FL
Florida 2025 Regular Session
March 25, 2025 - 12:00 PM
Transcript Highlights:
- So I urge you to educate yourself more.
- The changes to the certification requirements are egregious.
- And financial benefits of fully mandated driver's education over time.
- HB 889, driver's license education requirements.
- This does not touch the Department of Education statute in any way.
Summary:
The Government Operations Subcommittee heard a long agenda of bills covering education, public safety, local government, labor relations, and foreign policy. Early measures included HB 1055, which would support Florida State University’s Election Law Center; CS/HB 4073, a Leon County local bill updating career service rules for sheriff’s office employees; CS/HB 253, creating penalties for license plate obscuring devices and misuse of emergency-style lights; and HB 293, codifying the Office of Faith and Community in the Governor’s Office and creating a liaison and advisory council. Members raised questions on academic freedom in HB 1055 and on church-state concerns and oversight in HB 293, but both bills advanced after supportive testimony from university, faith-based, and law enforcement representatives. The committee also approved HB 4029, a local bill for the Greater Naples Fire Rescue District, and HB 889, requiring classroom driver education for minors before licensure, with supporters emphasizing roadway safety and teen crash reduction.
The committee then took up PCS/HB 731, which would require standardized testing for admission to health-related degree programs at state universities. The sponsor argued the bill would ensure qualified applicants and objective admissions standards, while several members and public witnesses raised concerns that it would duplicate existing requirements like the MCAT and create unnecessary barriers; the bill still passed, though with several no votes. HB 1519, expanding Florida’s anti-BDS law to cover academic boycotts, nonprofits, local governments, and certain grants, drew strong support from Jewish organizations and strong opposition from speakers who argued it chilled free speech and punished criticism of Israel. After an amendment narrowing and clarifying parts of the bill, it passed favorably as a committee substitute.
The most contentious debate came on HB 1387, a major overhaul of Public Employees Relations Commission procedures and public-sector union rules. Supporters said the bill would streamline PERC processes, improve fairness, and address cases where unions were certified with very low participation; opponents, including teachers and labor advocates, said it weakened collective bargaining and public employee rights. After a strike-all amendment and extensive testimony, the bill passed as a committee substitute. The committee also approved HB 351, which adds extreme speeding to reckless driving and increases penalties, after removing impoundment language in an amendment, and PCB GOS 25-07, preserving a public records exemption for minors seeking judicial waiver of parental notice/consent for abortion. The meeting adjourned after all measures were reported favorably.
CO
Colorado 2026 Regular Session
Colorado Senate 2026 Legislative Day 076 Mar 31st, 2026
Colorado Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- concerning an environmental education concerning an environmental education program<00:49:23.840
- we heard this bill in education we heard this bill in education um,<01:10:41.400>
last <01 - educational services for that family. educational services for that family.
- the Department of Early Education today. the Department of Early Education today.
- I'd ask for an eye vote on the Education<01:18:21.400>
Committee Education Committee Education
WY
Wyoming 2026 Regular Session
Senate Corporations, Elections & Political Subdivisions Committee, February 20, 2026
Corporations, Elections & Political Subdivisions
Transcript Highlights:
- Um, but it's all within that time before certification, which is Friday after Tuesday. >> And [snorts
- Um, but it's all within that time before certification, which is Friday after Tuesday. >> And [snorts
- Um, but it's all within that time before certification, which is Friday after Tuesday. >> And [snorts
- the state certification or the county? the state certification or the county?
- She said they advocate for education and participation in elections.
KY
Kentucky 2025 Regular Session
House Standing Committee BR Sub. on Justice, Public Safety, & Judiciary (3-4-25)
Transcript Highlights:
- I also serve as the education chair for the district judges of Kentucky.
- One of the things that was used was the Child Welfare Law Specialist certification standards of the National
- One of the things that was used was the Child Welfare Law Specialist certification standards of the National
- One of the things that was used was the Child Welfare Law Specialist certification standards of the National
- I am the Division Director for Education, Recruitment, and Strategic Planning for the DPA.
Summary:
The subcommittee met to discuss the guardian ad litem system, including appointment qualifications, training, payment, and whether any changes are needed. Roll was called, the February 25, 2025 minutes were approved, and the chair emphasized that the meeting was informational only and no vote would be taken. Representatives from the Court of Justice, including Chief Justice Deborah Henry Lambert and several family and district judges, testified about how the system has evolved since concerns raised in 2019 about overappointment and fees.
Court witnesses said the judiciary responded to earlier concerns by requiring open appointment lists of trained and qualified attorneys, improving training, and increasing oversight of fee orders. They reported that statewide GAL fees have fallen from a little over $14 million in 2019 to about $12 million, even as caseloads have grown, and said the average payment works out to about $650 per case, with the statutory cap for trial-level GAL fees still set at $500 since 1986. They argued that the current local appointment model works well, especially in rural areas, and warned that moving to a DPA-style regional model would create serious scheduling and conflict problems because of overlapping dockets and related criminal cases.
Judges from rural districts described shortages of available attorneys, high burnout, travel burdens, and the difficulty of finding enough counsel in smaller counties. They also said the Court of Justice cannot seek certain federal Title IV-E reimbursements, but urged the legislature to encourage the Finance and Administration Cabinet and the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to pursue that funding through an MOU. One judge noted that some appointed attorneys are effectively underpaid relative to private rates and that better compensation would help attract and retain lawyers.
The discussion also covered training standards adopted after the 2019 audit. Witnesses said Rule 37 now requires initial training and four hours of multidisciplinary continuing training every two years, with topics including child development, trauma-informed care, substance use, child welfare, forensics, ethics, and communication with clients. They said the Court of Justice has offered in-person regional trainings and remote options, and that the goal is to keep qualified attorneys on the appointment lists while improving representation for children and parents in dependency, neglect, abuse, and termination-of-parental-rights cases.