Transcript Highlights:

• School boards, intermediate school district boards, or an education district; a charitable organization
• district boards, or an<00:04:08.400> education<00:04:08.879> district,<00:04:09.760>
• <00:33:12.399> district.
• The Northfield district and the Chicago Lakes District.
• district and the Chicago Lakes District. district and the Chicago Lakes District.

Bills: HF3487, HF3421

Keywords: anonymous reporting, school safety, education, crisis intervention, threat reporting, early literacy, reading instruction, teacher preparation, teacher candidates, teacher licensure, educator licensing, Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board, PELSB, field experience, supervised practicum, evidence-based reading, science of reading, literacy methods, teacher training, preservice teachers

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm Harlan Vincent, House District 56. Good morning. I'm Rep.
• More five-day school districts and charters have moved to four days; we have an additional eight districts
• to a more urban district.
• The dashboard is available, but districts still have to input the data, and many districts are not.
• Schools within a district get certain funds or programs.

Transcript Highlights:

• and my district that I believe Midpen has been working on, or Peninsula Open Space District, one of
• And I just bring that up because this district is Senator Ochoa Bogh's district, and she's trying to
• Ochoa Bogh's district residents.
• My district is not on the coast.
• District, the Leavenheim Municipal Water District, and the Padre Dam Municipal Water District, in support

Summary: The committee heard SB 1393, an omnibus update to the Fish and Game Code covering steelhead trout and Dungeness crab management. The author and supporters said the bill would strengthen the steelhead trout report card program, extend and refine Dungeness crab management, and clarify vessel transit rules in closed crab fishing areas. The Nature Conservancy, Trout Unlimited, and other supporters said the measure implements long-standing task force recommendations and supports both conservation and coastal fishing communities. There was no opposition, and the bill was moved forward on a 4-0 vote to Appropriations. The committee also heard SB 1250, which would require Caltrans to incorporate wildlife connectivity into transportation planning and asset management, set performance targets, and coordinate with wildlife agencies. Supporters from conservation, animal welfare, land trust, and local government groups said the bill would reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions, improve public safety, and better integrate crossings, culverts, and fencing into routine highway projects. The California Building Industry Association moved to a neutral position after amendments clarified the bill would apply to transportation right-of-way planning and not create exactions on private property. Members discussed the bill’s relationship to Caltrans planning authority and existing funding, and it was passed to Appropriations on a 4-0 vote. Senator Gonzalez’s SB 1268, which would codify the state’s Outdoors for All initiative, also received broad support from environmental justice, conservation, parks, and recreation groups. Testimony emphasized inequitable access to parks and nature, especially for low-income communities and communities of color, and said the bill would make the initiative more durable by placing it in statute. The chair and members spoke in favor of expanding outdoor access, and the bill was approved on a 3-0 vote with some members not yet voting. The committee then heard three Western Joshua tree bills from Senator Ochoa Bogh. SB 1061 would streamline relocation of limited numbers of trees without fees in certain cases; SB 1062 would require proportionate or tiered mitigation fees for public utilities and agencies; and SB 1063 would create an expedited, fee-free permitting path for basic residential utility and wildfire-hardening projects. Supporters, including local water agencies, counties, and farm and business groups, said the current law imposes heavy costs on desert residents and ratepayers. Opponents, including wildlife and conservation organizations, argued the bills would weaken protections for a species they said is threatened by climate change and habitat loss, and noted that existing administrative processes are already addressing fees and permitting. After amendments, opposition was withdrawn on SB 1061 and SB 1062, and both bills advanced on 3-0 votes to Appropriations; SB 1063 remained under discussion in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• On line 19, which is the 80/20 districts, the districts that are already paying the 80/20, will they
• It's a few districts that it doesn't.
• As new students for other districts because other districts have entered.
• It says school districts must pay at least, which is why we actually have some districts who are paying
• to partner school districts.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think every district, every senator, has heard from their school districts about how untenable and
• School District near my Senate district and Naples School District, the early adopters that stepped
• , not the hundreds of square miles in the districts like I represent.
• very high in every district and very complex.
• It is not practical all over the state to force mandates on every district and treat every district as

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Education Committee met on May 5, 2026, and considered a series of bills, several of them brought up through motions for committee consideration. Chair Shelley Mayer said she would allow brief remarks but stated her opposition to those motioned bills, emphasizing her general practice of giving minority members’ bills consideration. The committee first took up S-16 (Jacob’s Law, on bullying and related school safety issues), which was moved out of committee on a majority vote, with Senators Jackson and Bynoe recorded without recommendation. The committee then debated S-717, a local bill by Senator Rose to exempt the Wantagh Union Free School District from the state’s indigenous mascots/logos restrictions. Senator Rose argued Wantagh’s mascot and name are tied to local history and not intended to denigrate anyone. The bill was moved, but the committee vote was not favorable enough to advance it, and it was referred onward to the Investigations Committee. S-4496, Senator White’s bill to protect women’s sports from what supporters described as unfair competition by biological males, drew strong support from the sponsor and strong opposition from Chair Mayer, who said she opposed it as mean-spirited and unnecessary; the bill did not advance. The committee also considered several school bus and transportation bills. S-4748, by Senator Borrello, would repeal the electric school bus mandate and replace it with a feasibility study; he cited safety, cost, and operational problems with early adopters. S-8847, by Senator White, similarly sought to remove electric bus mandates and leave decisions to local districts, and S-9667, by Senator Ryan, would delay the zero-emission school bus mandate by five years. The committee advanced some of these measures to other committees or the floor, while others did not move. In addition, the committee approved S-7788 on special education reserve funds, S-8288A on reasonable rates for public school room use, S-8368 on records retention for Education Department proceedings, S-8370 on temporary resident placement of children with disabilities, S-8370 on release of student records to juvenile detention facilities, and S-1049 on updating the Dignity for All Students Act’s cyberbullying definition to include AI-related harassment.

Transcript Highlights:

• our district, so please vote yes on AB 715.
• I have four kids in the TAM district.
• I have three kids in the public schools, Morland School District and Campbell Union High School District
• might be used, then a district could be subject to a complaint that asserts that the district de facto
• We have heard these stories from children, from family after family, from district after district, from

Summary: The Assembly Education Committee held a special hearing on AB 715, with the authors presenting the bill as a response to rising anti-Semitism in K-12 schools. The authors said the measure is intended to strengthen protections for Jewish students, improve district accountability, expand the uniform complaint process, clarify protections related to religion and nationality, and create a state-level anti-Semitism coordinator. They emphasized that the bill was developed through collaboration with the Black, Latino, AAPI, and Jewish caucuses and argued it is meant to protect all students from hate while preserving legitimate classroom discussion. The hearing included extensive public testimony. Supporters, including students, parents, rabbis, Jewish organizations, and some educators, described harassment, biased curriculum, delayed or ineffective school responses, and fear among Jewish students and families. They urged the committee to act to make schools safer and more responsive. Opponents, including teachers, ethnic studies advocates, civil liberties groups, Palestinian rights advocates, and some Jewish parents, argued the bill was rushed, vague, and could chill academic freedom, censor discussion of Palestine and Israel, and expand complaints against teachers and school districts. Several witnesses said existing complaint and anti-discrimination systems already address these issues. Committee members then questioned the authors and witnesses about implementation, definitions, and possible effects on curriculum and school boards. The authors said the bill is still intent language and that details would be refined in further negotiations with stakeholders. Representatives from the California School Boards Association and California Teachers Association raised concerns about the new language and possible unintended consequences, while ACLU California Action said it had concerns but wanted to keep working on the bill. The transcript does not show a final vote or action taken on AB 715 during this hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• relationships with school district relationships with school district officials,<00:03:38.480>
• As part of the OPA examination, interviews were conducted with district officials and school district
• Gupton testifies, the report notes that district officials from former school districts, those that have
• my district during that period of time. my district during that period of time.
• school districts. I'm sorry. school districts. I'm sorry.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The subcommittee met without a quorum and did not approve minutes, but heard testimony on budget line items for Data Seam and Teach for America. Andrew McNeel of Kentucky Free and representatives from the Commonwealth Policy Center argued that both programs rely heavily on recurring taxpayer support and should be re-evaluated. McNeel cited a 2020 Office of Policy and Audit examination of Data Seam, saying the program had received more than $30 million in state support since 2006, including $3.5 million in the current budget, and that the audit raised concerns about administrative overhead, alleged threats to districts, and the use of line-item language to justify sole-source contracting. He recommended suspending Data Seam funding this biennium, directing a new special audit, and requiring reimbursement of audit costs. The witnesses also urged the committee to withhold funding for Teach for America, saying the organization’s materials and history showed a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion that they opposed. They pointed to past statements, leadership titles, and program language as evidence that DEI concepts remained embedded in the organization, and suggested any funding should be redirected directly to school districts instead. Mike Harmon and Richard Nelson echoed those concerns, while also saying long-running programs should be periodically reviewed for efficiency. Teach for America Appalachia representatives then testified in support of the program. Executive director C.D. Morton described the organization as a teacher-preparation and leadership-development program serving rural eastern Kentucky, saying it had recruited and supported more than 325 teachers since 2011, with about 30 current core members in several counties and roughly 2,800 students impacted daily. He said the program helps fill hard-to-staff vacancies, that about 80% of teachers stay for a third year, and that many alumni remain in education. In response to questions from Representative Bojanowski about retention and cost, Morton said more than 60% of alumni are still in education, but he could not give a precise classroom-teacher retention number beyond the program’s broader alumni data.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'll just speak on school districts for just a moment, but there are a number of districts across the
• I'll just speak on school districts for just a moment, but there are a number of districts across the
• to help districts with been willing to help districts with their<00:53:35.240> facility<00:53
• is that a worthwhile cost for our district and our school district?
• the challenges that those districts face. ...furthering the challenges that those districts face.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Senate Roll Call 00:00:00 House Roll Call 00:00:10 Discussion of Recent Disaster 00:01:18 House Adjourned 00:42:28 SB 218 Discussion 00:43:00 SB 218 Vote 00:46:46 SB 186 Discussion 00:47:22:00, 958, all

Summary: The concurrent House-Senate meeting opened with a roll call and then received a briefing from Kentucky Emergency Management and the Transportation Cabinet on the February storms and flooding. Officials described the event as ongoing and statewide in scope, beginning in western counties and then heavily affecting Eastern Kentucky, including major impacts in Perry, Letcher, Clay, Bell, Martin, Pike, and other counties. They reported widespread power and water outages, nearly 600 people initially sheltered, more than 1,500 water rescues, over 250 National Guard members activated, and substantial mutual aid from other states and FEMA. They also said 73 counties had declared emergencies, 23 fatalities had been confirmed at that point, and individual assistance had already distributed $5.5 million to residents after the federal declaration was signed. The administration emphasized that recovery needs were still being assessed but were already significant. Kentucky Emergency Management said public assistance estimates were about $58 million and rising, with about 2,005 homes and 272 businesses inspected so far. Debris removal was identified as a major issue, and officials said they had requested Category A federal assistance for debris in four counties while continuing to seek more as assessments continued. They also noted that disaster recovery centers were opening and that teams were going door to door in affected areas. On transportation, KYTC reported 39 counties affected, a peak of 355 road closures reduced to 49, 18 damaged bridges, 94 bridges with debris on them, and 579 roadway damages, while continuing to clear roads and move supplies such as water, food, blankets, and heaters. Secretary Hicks then asked lawmakers to consider additional funding mechanisms. He said the current $50 million emergency cap in the budget was likely to be exhausted, with $21.5 million already allocated, and proposed either lifting the cap or creating a new “safe fund” for this disaster, similar to prior funds used after the western Kentucky tornadoes and the 2022 eastern Kentucky floods. He said the state could redirect about $25 million from an unused western Kentucky economic development allocation and about $20 million from an eastern Kentucky transportation allocation, for a total of $45 million, to help with this response. Members and officials also discussed debris disposal, with the Pike County landfill expansion identified as a possible site to receive some of the debris and reduce costs. Representative Fugate thanked the agencies for their response and described severe local impacts, including water outages, road slides, damaged water treatment plants, and heavy debris in homes and driveways.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have water districts that support...
• Not all of them are in the groundwater district. So this only refers to the groundwater district.
• district.
• District as total water in the aquifer?
• , to my district, from my district to my district.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• District.
• gentleman from the Ellen District, and the gentleman from the Senator Mayhew District.
• District, my ranking members, the lady from the Walshmore District, and the lady from the Curry District
• Which district, gentlemen? The Knight District.
• from the Kimball District, my main man, Cups from the Cups District, and again the...

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• During that time, I was a district engineer for 45 reclamation districts, which is about half of the
• So as district engineer, our job is to assist reclamation districts with their flood control drainage
• , two resource conservation districts, and a large amount of non-districted land without surface water
• Rick Ortega, Grassland Water District, Grassland Resource Conservation District, in support.
• Rick Ortega, Grassland Water District, Grassland Resource Conservation District, in support.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• For example, as my school district that families have had with their school districts.
• Unified School District, Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District, Newark Unified School District
• District-wide is up.
• Districts can also opt to participate in the District of Choice program, and students can transfer to
• those districts without permission from their district of residence.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So presently, these are the programs that are in operation in the 56 school districts that receive district
• We have 67 school districts.
• So presently, these are the programs that are in operation in the 56 school districts that receive district
• We have 67 school districts.
• So again, about 39 districts offer career certificates, I think 15 districts offer applied technology

Summary: The Appropriations Committee for Higher Education met to review Florida’s workforce and Florida College System funding models as part of budget planning. Chair Harrell opened by emphasizing the state’s growing focus on technical education and workforce pathways, and the committee first heard from Tara Goodman of the Department of Education on district workforce education. Goodman explained the programs funded through district workforce dollars, including career certificates, applied technology diplomas, registered apprenticeship, and adult general education, and described the model’s reliance on lagged enrollment, program cost weights, local tuition offsets, and supplemental factors such as disability services, GED testing, and minimum funding for small rural districts. She also noted federal support through Perkins and WIOA and said the model is used to determine unmet need and guide appropriations. In response to questions, she said health care programs are generally among the higher-cost offerings and may be supplemented by pipeline funds. The committee then heard from Kathy Hebda, Chancellor of the Florida College System, on the college system’s funding model. Hebda described the main funding sources, including the program fund, student success incentive funds, pipeline funds, tuition and fees, and performance-based incentives, and explained that the current model was developed by the 28 college presidents under legislative direction. She said the model uses a three-year average FTE, weights workforce enrollment more heavily than non-workforce enrollment, gives significant weight to completions, includes a small-college factor and regional cost differentials, and also provides targeted funding to bring colleges up to a floor based on per-FTE funding. Senators asked about colleges below the target, cost differences among programs, faculty salaries, and health insurance costs; Hebda said the model is meant to provide flexible operating dollars that colleges can use for those expenses, but specific salary and benefit decisions are left to the institutions. Seminole State College President Georgia Lorenz also testified in support of the college funding model, saying it holds institutions accountable for enrollment and completions, can be adjusted to reflect state priorities like workforce, and addresses differences in size and regional costs. No bills were voted on, and the committee adjourned after brief closing remarks thanking Seminole State College and the presenters.

Transcript Highlights:

• :52.960> and SF2250 would encourage districts and SF2250 would encourage districts and schools
• 2250, we can support Minnesota districts 2250, we can support Minnesota districts in<00:36:28.480
• isn't just a big school district isn't just a big school district problem.<01:25:54.400> Uh,<
• School districts um in school districts.
• <01:41:36.080> districts.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• time um after Labor Day School Districts time um after Labor Day School Districts can<00:02:27.680
• a.40 so that individual school districts a.40 so that individual school districts can<00:02:57.840
• Introduce yourself for the record. allowing districts to start before Labor allowing districts to start
• particular will provide all districts particular will provide all districts with<00:03:34.040>
• <00:07:01.240> to districts it simply allows districts to districts it simply allows districts

Bills: HF1124, HF1457, HF1803

Keywords: school calendar, education, school year, Labor Day, state law, school construction, landfill, dump site, closed landfill, contaminated site, pollution control agency, school siting, public school, charter school, environmental health, student safety, brownfield, solid waste, waste disposal site, site contamination

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:45:26.639> Districts talking about small districts.
• Districts talking about small districts.
• This is intra-district, within one school district. Open enrollment is another district.
• So to me that says it's not just intra-school district but outside of the district also.
• It was all intra-school district, and that wasn't true. of the district also.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first took up Senate Bill 34, concerning parental consent for student participation in the Medicaid-to-schools program. Members said they were not comfortable with a suggested amendment and wanted more information from Health and Human Services about how the program and billing work. On motion by Representative Noble, seconded by Representative Freeman, the committee voted unanimously to retain the bill, 18-0. The committee then considered Senate Bill 102, which would make informational materials about type 1 diabetes available on the Department of Education website. Supporters said the bill could help parents and teachers recognize warning signs early and could be life-saving in some cases. Opponents argued the material belonged on the Health and Human Services website rather than the DOE site, and some suggested a narrower link-only approach. After discussion, the committee voted 13-5 to ought to pass, with a minority report requested. The final major item was Senate Bill 97FN on intradistrict public school transfers. The committee first adopted an amendment that incorporated provisions from House Bill 68, required superintendents to approve best-interest transfer requests unless they failed to meet requirements, and revised language on capacity and accommodation. Supporters said the changes would help students, including those facing bullying, while opponents raised concerns about local control, capacity, and fairness to families who can transport children. The amendment passed 10-8, and the bill as amended also passed 10-8, with a minority report requested. The chair then announced the next meetings would be on the 21st and 27th, and reminded members to watch the Senate calendar.

Transcript Highlights:

• Both come with cost to district.
• the<00:20:32.080> practical Districts do not have the practical Districts do not have the
• with cost to district. with cost to district.
• > internet district has a five-year internet district has a five-year internet agreement<00:21
• <00:35:00.880> who the issue and the um school district who the issue and the um school district

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• That right now we're just talking about our districts and our Florida College System Institution, the
• It can vary annually depending on district performance locally.
• Similarly here to what we see in our district workforce programs are Florida college system.
• The total Appropriation for District post-secondary list at the X Axis.
• That would be 21,739 in our school districts.

Transcript Highlights:

• We also know that not all districts have the same resources as Somerville, and the districts that do
• That was a value statement on the part of our district.
• If a district...
• And so I assume that's based on an analysis of where teacher pay is district by district and how many
• It really does present liability for both the districts.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Education held a public hearing on a large slate of bills, with most testimony focused on two main topics: improving access to augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) for students with disabilities, and raising educator pay statewide. On the AAC bills (House 514/Senate 418), parents, advocates, and attorneys described how AAC devices and communication books help nonverbal or minimally verbal children communicate, participate in class, and reduce frustration and behavioral issues. Testimony emphasized that while districts are generally required to provide devices, many teachers and school staff lack training to use them effectively; the bill would direct DESE to update licensure and training requirements so newly licensed teachers are prepared to support AAC users. Committee members asked about current teacher-prep practices, implementation, and whether DESE could act without legislation, and witnesses said the proposal was intended as a long-term solution and had previously received some support and compromise language. The committee also heard extensive testimony on House 733/Senate 370, which would set a statewide minimum salary of $70,000 for teachers and $55,000 for education support professionals (ESPs/paras), with inflation adjustments and a phase-in structure that would shift costs over time from the state to municipalities. Supporters, including the bill sponsor, MTA leaders, and school employees from several districts, argued that current pay is not a living wage, contributes to staffing shortages and turnover, and forces many educators to work multiple jobs or rely on public assistance. They said the bill would help recruit and retain staff and better reflect the importance of the work. Committee members raised questions about how the state would fund the mandate, how it would interact with Chapter 70 school aid and local budgets, whether other states have similar mechanisms, and whether the proposal could create disincentives for districts already paying above the floor. Witnesses pointed to the Student Opportunity Act, the Fair Share Amendment, and the need for a broader school funding formula review as possible parts of the solution. The committee also briefly heard and discussed Senate Bill 435/House Bill 736, which would require de-escalation training for school bus operators, with the training paid for by employers. The sponsor and a parent advocate said the bill was prompted by a school bus incident involving a child with cerebral palsy and epilepsy and would improve safety and reduce reliance on law enforcement. Members asked whether the bill should also cover bus monitors and other transportation staff, and whether private contractors and public operators currently provide similar training. At the end of the hearing, the chairs closed testimony on the full list of bills and adjourned the hearing without taking any votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• > the School districts should have the School districts should have the authority<01:15:08.400
• Minnesota and several school districts Minnesota and several school districts in<01:24:07.840>
• . districts. districts.
• <01:41:34.800> I many, many districts in the state. I many, many districts in the state.
• :55.280> I'm<01:50:55.360> a district or found district I'm a district or found district

Keywords: 1187, senate, all