Transcript Highlights:

• I don't see it, and there's no school supplies to support elementary school, middle school, or high school
• With adequate funding, schools can hire qualified teachers and provide necessary programs.
• For those who want to be aware, we can provide programs like welding in our schools, too.
• I am here representing the high school of Six Directions Indigenous School.
• We interviewed the high school and the middle school, but the high school did a protest.

Transcript Highlights:

• Relative establishment school cooperative purchasing program.
• c> audit charter school one charter school audit charter school one charter school audit and<00:36
• school district, charter, public school school district, charter, public school or<01:51:27.040>
• <01:57:02.080> because<01:57:02.480> school only one school district because school
• Uh, the first one is dealing with the school cooperative purchasing program.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Now to begin our program, please join me in welcoming Vanessa Good Thunder from the Lower Sioux Indian
• Now to begin our program,<00:04:52.000> please<00:04:52.320> join<00:04:52.560> me
• c><00:04:52.720> in<00:04:52.880> welcoming program, please join me in welcoming program
• A couple years ago, we started a language revitalization program in Grand Portage.
• person because I know they have lunch person because I know they have lunch and<00:59:01.040>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That would include school counselors, school psychologists, and school social workers.
• That would include school counselors, school psychologists, and school social workers.
• for after-school care and summer programs and continue to support their efforts to have their children
• Our court school students have bounced around a lot from school to school, but when we support them to
• I was in and out of the court school in my school district.

Summary: The Assembly Education Committee met without a quorum at first and began as a subcommittee, with the chair outlining hearing procedures and several bills on consent. The committee heard and advanced AB 1581, which would improve collection of tribal affiliation data for California students so Native students are more accurately counted and better served; supporters said current systems undercount Native students and erase their needs. AB 1586 also passed, requiring school resource officers who volunteer to carry naloxone to receive opioid overdose response training every two years; supporters emphasized student safety and the need for rapid response to overdoses on campus, while one school employees’ group raised concerns about retaliation protections for non-volunteers. Both bills were moved do pass as amended to Appropriations, with roll calls held open for absent votes. The committee then approved AB 1943, which updates school notices about secure firearm storage by making the information clearer, more visible, and more likely to reach families at key moments such as counseling or discipline interventions. Supporters from gun violence prevention groups, educators, and parents argued that many school shooters obtain guns from home and that plain-language, digital, and timely notices could help prevent child deaths and suicides; the author shared a personal story about a child accessing a gun at home. AB 1792 also advanced, directing the Instructional Quality Commission to consider updating health education to address digital safety issues such as deepfakes, extortion, grooming, and AI-generated exploitation; supporters said students need instruction that reflects modern online risks, while an opponent objected to language referencing LGBTQIA+ and gender-diverse students. AB 1653 passed as well, adding heat-illness guidance to the health framework after a young Girl Scout described students suffering during extreme heat and not recognizing symptoms. Later, the committee approved AB 1861, which would require the California Department of Education to create a public database of special education investigation reports with personal information redacted; supporters said families need better access to complaint outcomes and accountability, while an opposition witness warned of unintended consequences, misuse of incomplete information, and added burdens on districts. AB 1721 also moved forward, creating a stakeholder work group to review and streamline school safety plan requirements so plans remain practical and focused on emergency preparedness. AB 1631, which would make kindergarten mandatory, received mixed testimony: supporters argued it would help close achievement gaps and improve readiness, while opponents framed it as an intrusion on parental choice; the bill was held on call after a split vote. Finally, AB 1809, extending job order contracting authority for school and community college districts, was also held on call after opposition from contractors who argued project labor agreement requirements raise costs and reduce competition. The committee then began hearing AB 1659, aimed at improving transitions for court school students back to their home districts, with testimony describing re-enrollment barriers and the need for a designated district contact.

Transcript Highlights:

• My dad taught at a public school. My mother-in-law taught at a public school.
• lunches.
• I went to public school, our parents went to public school.
• I do not want to make homeschool or private school, public school, testing equal.
• I want private schools to be different. I want private schools to be different.

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , home schools, or private schools.
• This new program helps high school students access higher education credits, but it is currently only
• ... available to public school students, excluding those from home school and private school backgrounds
• It is funded through the Foundation School Program. It's an estimated appropriation.
• , and then those institutions receive reimbursement through the Foundation School Program funds for the

Bills: SB 49

Keywords: Galveston County, legal expenses, appropriation, litigation, state funding

Summary: The Senate Committee on Education K-16 heard several higher education bills and took public testimony on each. Senate Bill 60 would let public junior college libraries donate outdated, duplicative, or valueless materials instead of treating them as surplus property; no public testimony was offered, and the bill was left pending. Senate Bill 49 would expand performance-tier funding incentives so community colleges are also rewarded for student transfers to private four-year universities; it also received no public testimony and was left pending. Senate Bill 365 would allow higher education institutions to choose a transcript lookback period between 5 and 10 years for adult undergraduates seeking to waive older transcripts. Senator Eckhardt and witness Daniel Arrevalo described how old academic records can block adults from returning to college; the bill was left pending after testimony. Senate Bill 895 would expand the FAST dual-credit program beyond public school students to include eligible private school and homeschool students, with support from the Texas Private Schools Association, the Texas Homeschool Coalition, and a coordinating board witness explaining the funding structure; it too was left pending. Senate Bill 1400 would clarify what counts as a transfer for performance-tier funding by allowing students with 30 or fewer prior university credit hours to still be counted as transfer students when moving from a public junior college to a general academic institution. Former Representative Leighton Schubert testified that the change would address funding losses and better reflect modern student pathways; after testimony, the bill was left pending. The committee then recessed subject to the call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• <03:00:27.399> school spending in the local schools school spending in the local schools school
• below there's schools there's schools below there's schools that<03:02:00.399> are<03:02:00.840
• And what I see in the EFA program that I've seen in some public schools, where we see the proficiency
• 49:34.960> Schools<03:49:35.319> where<03:49:35.479> we schools in some Public Schools
• programs to uh open enrollment programs programs to uh open enrollment programs to<03:50:08.960>

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee met in executive session on HB 563, which revises the adequacy education grant formula, including differentiated aid for free and reduced-price meals, English language learners, and special education, and also restores fiscal capacity disparity aid. Members explained that for FY 26 the formula largely stays the same with the usual 2% increases, while FY 27 would raise the base cost and several aid categories, including a substantial increase in special education differentiated aid. Supporters said the bill recognizes higher special education costs and separates fiscal capacity disparity from the extraordinary needs grant, which they argued better targets property-poor communities. A major point of discussion was the fiscal capacity disparity aid component. Some members asked for more detail on how the formula affected individual towns and how much money was being allocated. The sponsors said the spreadsheet showed the impacts and estimated the fiscal capacity disparity portion at about $13.3 million, benefiting roughly 40 communities, with Manchester the only municipality expected to receive less under the new approach. They also said the change partially rebalances money that had shifted heavily toward larger cities under the extraordinary needs grant and that the special education increase is new money, not taken from the hold harmless or extraordinary needs funds. Several members supported the amendment as a good-faith step and a bipartisan compromise, while others expressed frustration that they did not have enough time or information to review the spreadsheets in detail before voting. After extended debate, the committee recessed for lunch to allow the spreadsheet to be distributed and reviewed, with the understanding that the bill would continue later in the day and then move on to the other bills on the docket.

Transcript Highlights:

• those uh statutes and and those programs those uh statutes and and those programs um<01:29:55.960
• program.
• program.
• So have a great lunch.
• c><04:11:33.159> because<04:11:33.399> not program is a great program because not program

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Transportation Committee opened its public hearing with HB 249, sponsored by Representative Seth Miller, which would allow bicycles, human-powered vehicles, and electric bicycles to treat stop signs as yield signs and red lights as stop signs in certain situations. Miller argued the bill would improve cyclist safety and traffic flow at no cost to the state, citing Idaho and Delaware as examples where similar laws were associated with fewer injuries and crashes. He emphasized that the proposal would remain optional for cyclists, who would still be required to yield to cross traffic and obey right-of-way rules, and said the bill is intended to help riders maintain momentum and avoid the instability that comes from repeatedly starting from a full stop. Committee members raised concerns about uncertainty for drivers and pedestrians, liability, and whether the bill would create a special class of road users with different rules. Representative Crawford asked about the red-light left turn language, and Miller explained it was included because bicycles may not trigger some traffic signals. Representative Hill questioned how other road users would know what a cyclist intended to do at an intersection, and Representative Gon noted the bill did not appear to address liability the way some motorcycle-related laws do. Miller responded that cyclists would still be expected to yield appropriately and said he would be open to an amendment if liability language was needed. Representative Emble also questioned whether the bill would create a special vehicle class, and Miller replied that bicycles already have different roadway rules and that the bill was meant to improve safety and flow. Several supporters testified in favor of the bill. Michael Frank, a cyclist and League cycling instructor from Spofford, said he regularly rides a cargo bike for errands and that stopping fully at intersections leaves him exposed longer and makes it harder to restart on hills. He said the bill would let cyclists slow, assess traffic, and proceed safely while maintaining momentum, and noted that he had not personally received a ticket for rolling through a stop sign, though he had been warned by police. Tim Blagden, former head of the Bike-Walk Alliance of New Hampshire, said the bill reflects how many people already ride, saves energy, and helps bicycles move through intersections faster and more safely. No vote or committee action was taken during the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• largely in rural areas; the E-rate program for schools and libraries, which subsidizes rates for our
• The federal program supports affordability; currently, the state program does not.
• We are proposing that there could be a program here, a broadband support program, and we have a mechanism
• One of the things I would say is there's already a program, the Low-Income Telephone Assistance Program
• Marco Gonzalez gave us lunch today, and it was wonderful, so thank you, Marcos, for our lunch today.

Transcript Highlights:

• Madam Witt, members, House Bill 2370 allows a charter school governing body or school district governing
• districts or charter schools.
• school district's enrollment capacity is less than 50 percent.
• I'm here to vote yes on a general fund appropriation for the parity program.
• I'm here to vote yes on a general fund appropriation for the parity program.

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The meeting was a caucus-style run-through of many bills and resolutions across Appropriations, Commerce, Education, Federalism/Military Affairs/Elections, Government, Health and Human Services, Judiciary, ENRU, Public Safety, and Rural Economic Development. Measures discussed included housing and HOA rules, school policy and funding, health care licensing and records timelines, public safety and corrections funding, election and campaign rules, water and environmental policy, and several criminal justice and juvenile justice changes. Many items were described as being on third-read consent or consent calendars, with staff often noting that no questions were raised and no sponsor was present. Several bills drew sponsor explanation or member discussion. In education, members reviewed bills on teacher strikes, school safety, math placement, student outcomes, free school meals, parent permission for clubs, and school bond ballot disclosures. In health, bills covered prior authorization data reporting, nursing board rules and complaint procedures, pharmacist testing/treatment authority, opioid antagonist expiration dates, board continuations, and a constitutional amendment on refusing medical mandates. In government and public safety, members discussed DCS legal representation, inmate medical records, public safety parity funding, sheriff authority, border support funding, and a resolution supporting county sheriffs. In commerce and housing, bills addressed condominium and HOA authority, shade structures, pet restrictions, insurance certificates, apprenticeship definitions, automatic renewal contracts, and a state housing affordability district. There was notable discussion on House Bill 4044, which would create a Public Safety Parity Fund for DPS and DOC salaries using interest from the state rainy day fund and other revenue sources. The sponsor argued it would provide a reliable way to fund public safety pay, while others objected that it would consume interest needed to preserve the fund’s value and that a general fund appropriation would be more appropriate. The bill prompted extended back-and-forth, with some members supporting the concept and others saying it was fiscally irresponsible. Another point of discussion came on House Bill 2775, where staff noted a possible misprint in the bill history, and on House Bill 467, where staff clarified that the inactive voter list changes related to e-poll book status categories. No formal votes were recorded in the transcript, and the meeting appears to have been a review of measures before floor action.

Transcript Highlights:

• Services Program.
• The department does have four programs. Our first program is project design and construction.
• Our entire program at our school in particular is centered around this.
• The cost will be borne by the school districts and the charter schools. The 80-20.
• The cost will be borne by the school districts and the charter schools themselves. Okay.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Support for religious schools voucher programs often direct public money to religious schools, raising
• <02:54:30.239> programs that with government school programs that with government school programs
• the<03:20:06.199> LBA<03:20:06.760> is school voucher program but the LBA is school
• includes lunch includes lunch the<03:28:46.479> total<03:28:46.800> school<03:28:47.199
• the public school funding and the voucher program.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The hearing focused on House Bill 115-FN, which would remove the income cap from New Hampshire’s Education Freedom Account eligibility rules. Representative Valerie McDonnell, the bill’s sponsor, said the measure is intended to fund students rather than systems and to expand educational choice regardless of income or zip code. She described the change as a small statutory edit but argued it would have significant benefits, including helping families afford alternative education settings and testing costs such as AP exams. She also cited testimony from families who said EFAs helped children with special needs or difficult circumstances, and she argued the program is popular and cost-effective. Committee members questioned McDonnell about the bill’s fiscal impact and administration. One member asked whether removing the income cap would extend vouchers to families above the statewide median income and whether the change could cost more than $100 million annually; McDonnell said she did not agree with that estimate and pointed to Arizona as a comparison. Representative Wendy Thomas asked whether the bill should require stronger data-sharing from the Children’s Scholarship Fund, which administers the program, so the Department of Education and taxpayers could better track spending; McDonnell said the program already uses ClassWallet and regulated expenditures, and that the question was better directed to the administrator. Several members testified in opposition. Representative Wendy Thomas said the bill would increase costs for public schools, raise local property taxes, and worsen oversight problems. Representative Heath Howard argued the proposal would function as a subsidy for wealthy families already paying private tuition and said public education and special education should be funded first. Representative Megan Murray also opposed the bill, emphasizing the lack of a legal reporting requirement for EFA spending and the need for transparency, accountability, and attention to special education needs. Representative Sam Farrington supported expansion, sharing a constituent story about a student who left public school after harassment and benefited from private school placement. No vote or final action was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• She attended Arizona Agribusiness and Equine Center, Red Mountain, for high school, and completed her
• Bachelor of Science degree... ...and Equine Center, Red Mountain, for high school, and completed her
• We now have the Ag to Urban program. Homes are being built.
• We have the Ag-to-Urban program. There are exceptions to the moratorium.
• Our students who are leaving, probably getting to lunch, getting back to school, we have the TG Bar Academy

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The House opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, approval of the prior journal, and recognition of the Doctor of the Day and several guests in the gallery. Members also adopted a death resolution honoring former lawmaker and University of Arizona administrator George Cunningham, with remarks from colleagues and a moment of respectful silence. The House then handled several procedural motions, including committee substitutions, bill withdrawals and referrals, and a motion to rescind a prior action on HB 2758 so it could be reconsidered. The bulk of the meeting consisted of Committee of the Whole action on multiple bills. The House advanced HB 2049, HB 2090, HB 2092, HB 2179, and HB 2228; HB 2111, HB 2114, HB 2256, HCM 2007, and HR 2003; HB 2098, HB 2265, HB 2663, HB 2666, and HB 2756; and HB 2192, HB 2476, HB 2693, and HB 2877, while retaining HB 2875 on the calendar. Several amendments were adopted, including water-related amendments to HB 2758 and HB 2756, a technical amendment to HB 2265, a felony-related amendment to HB 2666, and a memorial amendment to HCM 2007. HB 2758 drew the most debate, with supporters arguing it protected water transportation and opponents calling it unfair to rural groundwater users; it ultimately advanced from committee and later passed third reading by a 32-24 vote. On third reading, the House passed HB 2089, HB 2258, HB 2322, HB 2786, HB 2758, and HB 2825, with HB 2322 drawing comments about child safety system failures and the need to protect children in state custody. Members also explained votes on HB 2758, reflecting the same split over groundwater transfers and Colorado River shortages. The chamber then read Senate messages and first-read HB 2211, and several members made personal privilege announcements, including recognitions, birthday wishes, a Black History Month reflection, and an announcement that one member plans to resign next week to focus on a congressional campaign. The House adjourned until 1:30 p.m. Monday, February 23, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• Europe has adopted this program of when you come in.
• So hospitals, schools, nonprofits, prisons. It's wrong to put everything on small businesses.
• Most exempt hunters and trappers already complete these education programs voluntarily.
• We have a tick program which we're exploring for applying insecticides to deer as a possibility.
• So as part of their training program and stuff, they would know what they can and can't do.

Summary: The committee met in hybrid format on June 18, 2026, but initially lacked a quorum, so minutes were not approved until later in the meeting after additional members joined. The committee heard a series of bills, with most receiving supportive testimony from sponsors, agency officials, advocacy groups, and frequent public commenter Robert Overmiller. Several measures focused on transportation and public safety, including HB 363 on residential speed limits, HB 384 extending DelDOT open-end contracts from three to five years, HB 413 allowing green flashing lights on road work and emergency vehicles, HB 456 streamlining subaqueous lands permitting, and HB 388 letting drivers with temporary medical suspensions keep their license for ID purposes while being flagged in the system as not allowed to drive. Members asked questions mainly about implementation, enforcement, and scope, and sponsors or agency witnesses explained that the bills were intended to improve safety, efficiency, and administrative clarity. The committee also took up HB 111, which would require single-use food service items such as utensils, straws, napkins, and condiments to be provided only upon request, with exemptions for schools, nonprofits, health care facilities, correctional facilities, and similar settings. Supporters, including Plastic Free Delaware and the Sierra Club, said the bill would reduce waste and save businesses money, while opponents from the restaurant industry argued it could confuse customers, hurt tourism, and be difficult to enforce. Sponsors emphasized that restaurants could still ask customers if they wanted items and that the bill included a phase-in period and capped penalties. The committee also heard HB 393, a consumer protection bill for third-party electric suppliers that tightens oversight, training, reporting, renewal notices, and rate limits after concerns about misleading sales and unexpectedly high bills; it drew support from environmental advocates and members who had seen constituent complaints. Finally, the committee heard HB 412 on hunting and trapping education and wildlife drug administration, which was described as a safety and modernization measure and supported by the Division of Fish and Wildlife and sportsmen’s groups, and SB 346, which would speed up Environmental Appeals Board hearings and decisions. SB 346 drew broad support from DNREC, the Nature Conservancy, the Sierra Club, and business groups, though one witness asked to clarify that Superior Court appeal rights would remain intact; DNREC confirmed they would. The committee also approved the June 10, 2026 minutes after quorum was established, and the meeting ended with a motion to adjourn and unanimous approval.

Transcript Highlights:

• been set in Municipal and School been set in Municipal and School District<00:51:30.240> law<
• <02:12:01.520> and boiler uh for the middle school and boiler uh for the middle school and
• project the school Beach Street school project the school Beach Street school project so<02:14
• My name is Lori Lane, and I am the superintendent of schools for the Pittsfield School District.
• me<05:13:33.440> school<05:13:33.600> board Amhurst has five School me school board

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Even when you think about school districts. School districts charge for Medicaid services.
• Those are after-school programs, primarily in low-income school districts.
• And then Title IV-B, again, is that community learning centers after school. programs.
• Decisions mean for school districts.
• programs where parents are paid for after school by the federal government.

Transcript Highlights:

• on site in one of our schools that contracts with a preschool or a local pre-kindergarten program, then
• programs.
• This would decrease the burden on the program itself and decrease the cost to the schools that do have
• And<01:36:28.560> a And a And a school<01:36:30.600> district school district school district
• . school. school.

Keywords: 981, all

Summary: The House convened, established a quorum, approved the corrected journal, and heard announcements about committee meetings later in the day. The main floor action was a motion to place House Bill 1101, House Bill 1193, Senate Bill 118, and House Bill 1210 on the special orders calendar, which was adopted without objection. The House then moved into committee of the whole for consideration of House Bill 1101, a bill concerning criminal offenses related to critical infrastructure components and commodity metals. During debate on HB 1101, the sponsor explained that the bill is intended to address theft of critical infrastructure such as street lights, RTD equipment, cell towers, and similar materials by targeting the scrap metal market where stolen goods are sold. The committee adopted amendment L004, which reorganized the statutory structure and aligned offenses more closely with the conduct involved; the sponsor said this reduced the highest charge level from an F5 to an F6 in some circumstances. Amendment L005, a technical correction to L004, was adopted. Several members raised concerns that the bill could unfairly burden scrap yards and legitimate businesses, while others supported the measure as a response to widespread infrastructure theft. The committee rejected amendment L006, which would have required buyers to know or reasonably know that material was unlawfully obtained, with the sponsor arguing it would increase liability and undermine negotiated protections for scrapyard dealers. Amendment L008, which sought to add a good-faith protection for legitimate businesses and reduce chilling effects on commerce, was also defeated after members said similar protections already existed in the bill. Amendment L009, creating an affirmative defense for documented commercial transactions and record-keeping compliance, was likewise rejected because members said the bill already contained a stronger affidavit-based safe harbor. Finally, amendment L10, which would have added a five-year repeal/sunset date for the bill, was debated at length but was not adopted; opponents argued criminal provisions should remain stable, while supporters said a sunset would allow review of the bill’s effectiveness and unintended consequences.

Transcript Highlights:

• I was doing inside programming and re-entry for a program called "What Life Is About."
• We did this when we arrived, when we left for lunch, when we returned from lunch, and when we left for
• I feel like I'm still in school this session.
• And they have a 4, 9, and 18-month program.
• Their program actually dovetails into our program so that the individuals who are civilly committed are

Bills: HB1826, HB1969, HB2708, HB2729, HB3618, HB4515, HB4764, SB1021, SB1610

Keywords: mental health, women's health, county jail, depression screening, criminal justice, inmate release, identification certificate, Texas Department of Corrections, personal identification, driver's license, state law, reentry services, nondisclosure, criminal history, criminal defendants, community supervision, misdemeanors, felonies, rehabilitation, hearsay

Transcript Highlights:

• As part of this interim session, we were able to have lunch with the educators.
• And so, we're bringing the same presentation to you for public schools in the last decade.
• Staff highlight: This is the one program that I think we could generally say is the most at risk in a
• No one knows what those programs would be or how it would be designed.
• Because it's not just direct federal dollars, but when a program is cut, it may increase the need for

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, there's more problems in the school, like my daughter is a school nurse.
• Um, there's more problems in the school, like my daughter is a school nurse.
• Um, there's more problems in the school, like my daughter is a school nurse.
• <02:24:09.600> Programs youth specific Housing Programs youth specific Housing Programs um
• <02:50:48.720> before<02:50:49.120> lunch think about is after lunch before lunch think

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Finance Committee held a hearing on several bills and announced at the outset that no votes would be taken because the measures would go to divisions later. The first major bill, HB 197, would require the state to pay 7.5% of political subdivision employer pension contributions for teachers, police officers, and firefighters. Representative Mike Edgar, the prime sponsor, argued the state had repeatedly reduced and then eliminated its promised share of retirement costs, shifting the burden to municipalities and property taxpayers. He said the bill would partially restore that commitment and provide relief to local governments, businesses, and taxpayers. Several witnesses testified in support of HB 197, including Representative John Cluder, Bradford selectman Marlene Fryer, the New Hampshire Municipal Association’s Margaret Burns, and Epping representative Mark Fone. Supporters said the bill would help with property tax pressure, school budgets, and municipal hiring, and they emphasized that much of the retirement cost reflects unfunded liability decisions made at the state level rather than by local governments. Committee members questioned whether the bill would change local incentives to control costs and how it would affect hiring and compensation. Burns said the state contribution would function as property tax relief because it offsets existing municipal expenses, and she noted the state is already on a long-term schedule to pay down the retirement system’s unfunded liability. After closing the hearing on HB 197, the committee opened a hearing on HB 97, introduced by Representative Tom Buco. He said the bill would continue funding for delayed and deferred wastewater projects and help municipalities finance expensive wastewater infrastructure, which he tied to housing development and local debt planning. No action or votes were taken on either bill during the hearing.