Video & Transcript Research : 'Division III Select'
Page 146 of 500
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
House Science, Technology and Energy (01/21/2025)
Science, Technology and Energy
Transcript Highlights:
- And then we'll hear HB 526-FN, establishing a climate change and damage division in the Department of
damage establishing a climate change and damage establishing a climate change and damage division- in the Department of division in the Department of Environmental Environmental Environmental Services
- <03:53:37.600>
in going to establish a new division in going to establish a new division in - <03:54:46.720>
uh director the air Resources Division uh director the air Resources Division
NH
New Hampshire 2026 Regular Session
House Environment and Agriculture (02/24/2026)
Environment and Agriculture
Transcript Highlights:
- I think that anyone who is in good faith training a dog to be a guard dog will have selected that dog
- town boards or town our local select town boards or town hall,<00:38:50.720>
whatever, <00:38: - Management Division, New Hampshire DEES. Management Division, New Hampshire DEES.
- Instead of being given blanket authority merely to write rules, the division is Merely to write rules
- Uh, it's uh, it's has been divisive. Uh, it's uh, it's been<04:45:10.480>
difficult.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Public Safety Committee Apr 8th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- This is exactly what the Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division of the United States, is looking
- AB 1424 requires the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement to submit proposed regulations to Cal/OSHA
- The program authorizes selected counties—Butte, Nevada, and Santa Clara—to allow young adults between
- AB 1258 will extend the sunset date for the selected counties, as mentioned—Butte, Nevada, and Santa
- one's philosophical perspective about the Three Strikes law, and I recognize that there are deep divisions
Summary:
The committee first adopted a seven-bill consent calendar, then heard several public safety measures. AB 1127 by Assembly Member Gabriel would restrict sale of certain semi-automatic handguns that can be easily converted to automatic weapons with “switches”; supporters, including Everytown and Moms Demand Action, said it targets a specific Glock-style design flaw linked to mass shootings, while the NRA and gun-rights groups argued the bill duplicates existing federal law and effectively bans popular handguns. The bill was moved on a due-pass-as-amended motion to Judiciary and remained on call. AB 468, also by Gabriel, would increase penalties and clarify offenses involving looting and impersonating emergency personnel in evacuation zones and during disasters; firefighters, district attorneys, and law enforcement supported it as a deterrent, while public defenders and justice advocates warned it was overbroad and could worsen racial profiling. The committee approved the bill on a due-pass-as-amended motion to Appropriations, also held on call.
The committee then heard AB 1187 by Assembly Member Celeste Rodriguez, which would require eight hours of firearm safety training, including live-fire instruction, before obtaining a firearm safety certificate and would add a requirement for new residents who import firearms. Supporters said California should require training comparable to other safety-sensitive activities and that the measure would reduce gun deaths; opponents argued the bill misunderstands the existing FSC process, would be hard to implement because of range and instructor limits, and would burden a constitutional right. The bill passed on a due-pass-as-amended motion to Appropriations and was held on call. The committee also heard AB 1424 by Rodriguez, which would require CDCR climate resiliency and heat-safety measures in prisons, including temperature monitoring, shade, showers, fans, and emergency planning. Prisoner-rights and labor groups strongly supported the bill, citing extreme heat, wildfire, and flooding risks, while one opponent said the monitoring mandate could be too costly; the bill was moved on a due-pass motion to Labor and Employment and held on call.
Finally, the committee began hearing AB 1258 by Assembly Member Kalra, which would extend the sunset of the Young Adult Deferred Entry Program through 2029 for selected counties. Kalra and Santa Clara County Judge Erica You described the program’s success in reducing recidivism and providing wraparound services for young adults with felony charges, including housing, counseling, and parenting support. The transcript cuts off before the committee completed action on AB 1258.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee 3/17/25
Agriculture Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- product or isolated practice but more a holistic farm approach where you can evaluate the options and select
- But your words are divisive. This makes polluters pay.
- issue to the table but your<00:37:02.240>
words <00:37:02.560>are <00:37:02.880>divisive - <00:37:03.880>
this <00:37:04.359>make your words are divisive this make your words - are divisive this make polluters<00:37:05.200>
pay <00:37:05.839>the <00:37:06.040>
Keywords:
HF363, property tax credit, agricultural water quality credit, Minnesota agricultural water quality certification program, clean water fund, class 2a, class 2b, certified acres, conservation incentive, water quality, agricultural property, county assessor, county auditor, Department of Revenue, Department of Agriculture, property tax reimbursement, school district reimbursement, legacy finance, taxes committee, southeastern Minnesota
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- In part it reads, a player must use playslip. to make number selection.
- It was a staffer at a very low level in what was called our retail services division and again this is
- It's going to go to the division director.
- undergone background investigations by the New York State- Commission as well as the New Jersey Division
- States in the jurisdictions that we're operating in, we can select them.
Keywords:
lottery, gambling, internet gaming, mobile application, criminal offenses, SB 687, land surveyor, land surveying, surveying services, construction contract, anti-indemnity, indemnity, hold harmless, defense obligation, standard of care, professional negligence, civil practice and remedies code, local government code, governmental agency, public contracts
Summary:
The meeting was a crucial session for discussing several important bills including SB992, which aims to establish a clear time frame for the Attorney General's approval on outside legal counsel for state agencies. Senator Nichols presented the bill, emphasizing its necessity for timely responses to ensure efficient legal processing. Another notable discussion centered around SB523, which seeks to allow parole and probation officers to use a business address on their driver's licenses for safety and security purposes. This bill passed favorably out of the committee, with public testimony supporting the need for such provisions due to the risks these officers face.
HI
Hawaii 2025 Regular Session
JDC, JDC, JDC Public Hearings 02-11-2025
Transcript Highlights:
- parentage laws, but as written, the bill codifies anonymous gamete donation into Hawaii law by selectively
- Because the issue is, in my experience in Narcotics Vice Division, if you're carrying close to an ounce
- Because the issue is, in my experience in Narcotics Vice Division, if you're carrying close to an ounce
- We could go back to our division and see if we can round up statistics for you about the resolution of
- We could go back to our division and see if we can round up statistics for you about the resolution of
Summary:
The Judiciary Committee heard SB 1231, which would repeal the Parentage Uniform Act of 1973 and update Hawaii’s parentage laws, including parts of the Uniform Parentage Act of 2017. Supporters said the current statutes are outdated and do not adequately address assisted reproduction, surrogacy, and modern family formation. The Attorney General’s office supported the bill with technical amendments, including conforming changes to the Probate Code and child support provisions, and several testifiers urged passage as a needed modernization of the law.
A major point of disagreement was Part 10, which concerns donor anonymity. Some supporters, including members of the task force, the Uniform Law Commission, fertility and family law practitioners, and LGBTQ+ advocates, backed the bill as written or said it should move forward even if Part 10 is removed. Others, including donor-conceived adults, parents, and advocacy groups, opposed Part 10 and urged the committee to adopt the 2024 version of Article 9 or delete Part 10 entirely, arguing that anonymous donation harms donor-conceived people’s access to genetic, medical, and identity information and that anonymity is not realistic in the DNA-testing era. One task force member and attorney said she supported the bill but preferred removing Part 10 if necessary to pass the rest.
The hearing included extensive public testimony both in support and opposition, with many individuals describing personal experiences with adoption, IVF, surrogacy, and donor conception. No committee vote or final action on the bill was taken during the portion of the hearing provided.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Committee on Energy, Utilities, Environment and Climate - 02/25/26
Energy, Utilities, Environment, and Climate
Transcript Highlights:
- So the governor selects the commission's chair, whose term is concurrent with that of the governor.
- Generation planning: we review integrated resource plans to select the best mix of energy resources,
- work by our technical analysts and those at the Department of Commerce, the residential utility division
- work by our technical analysts and those at the Department of Commerce, the residential utility division
- work by our technical analysts and those at the Department of Commerce, the residential utility division
NH
New Hampshire 2026 Regular Session
House Education Policy and Administration (01/14/2026)
Education Policy and Administration
Transcript Highlights:
- type of expertise the department does not currently have within our assessment and accountability division
- For the record, Steve Applebee, Auburn, New Hampshire, division director at the Department of Education
- Oftentimes, we're self-selecting the information that we prefer for our own narratives.
- Kids will be selecting them over the next month, so that, you know, for the class that's entering in
- Uh, kids will be selecting them over the next month.
NH
New Hampshire 2026 Regular Session
House Education Policy and Administration (02/04/2026)
Education Policy and Administration
Transcript Highlights:
- I'm Nate Green, a division director with the New Hampshire Department of Education.
- I'm a division director with the Green.
- On line 27 of the bill, um, the districts shall select new curriculum and materials.
- <04:38:51.039>
new the districts shall select new the districts shall select new curriculum - some reform uh away from divisiveness some reform uh away from divisiveness and<04:50:06.080>
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Education Jun 21st, 2026 at 11:00 am
Joint Committee on Education
Transcript Highlights:
- It creates divisions in the community and takes a punitive, top-down approach, and strips democracy,
- I was one of the lucky 18% of kids in Boston to be selected in a charter lottery.
- I was one of the lucky 18% of kids in Boston to be selected in a charter lottery.
- Right now, students selected for a committee can't vote, and as a result we're missing a big part of
- most recent effective school library standards of the American Association of School Librarians, a division
Summary:
The Joint Committee on Education heard testimony on several bills centered on school accountability, receivership, graduation requirements, charter school access, community schools, school libraries, and student voting rights. Much of the discussion focused on the Thrive Act, S. 374, which would end state receivership and change the state’s accountability approach. Supporters, including educators, parents, advocacy groups, and students, argued that receivership has not improved outcomes in districts such as Lawrence, Holyoke, Southbridge, Boston, and the Dever, and that local communities should have more control, with greater emphasis on community schools, wraparound services, and broader measures of school quality. They also supported related bills on community schools and school library standards, and several witnesses backed a bill to expand student representative voting rights on school committees.
Opponents of S. 374, especially charter school leaders, parents, students, and some education advocates, focused on Section 4 of the bill, which would change the charter school net school spending cap in the lowest-performing districts. They argued that the provision would reduce access to charter seats in communities where families are seeking more options, and that schools such as Roxbury Prep, Excel Academy, Brook, Veritas Prep, and Libertas Academy have produced strong results for students, including students of color, low-income students, and students with special needs. Several witnesses said the section would force schools to shrink or close and would remove opportunities for families in districts with long waitlists.
Committee members questioned witnesses on both the effectiveness of receivership and the charter school cap language. Chair Lewis and Chair Gordon emphasized the need for a better accountability system and noted concerns about whether current measures, including MCAS-based designations, accurately reflect school quality. Some witnesses said they had discussed the possibility of removing Section 4 from the Thrive Act and suggested it might be addressed in separate charter reform legislation. No votes were taken during the hearing; testimony was received and the committee later closed testimony on S. 374 and several related bills before moving on to the student voting rights bill, S. 367.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Floor Session Aug 21st, 2025
California House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- It is imperative that Californians have a voice in selecting the political party that controls Congress
- The second question that was asked stated, how important is it that the redistricting division be made
- Marshawn, nicknamed Beast Mode, rushed over 10,000 yards, scored 85 touchdowns, earned five Pro Bowl selections
- Earned five Pro Bowl selections and led the Seattle Seahawks to their first Super Bowl victory in 2014
- statewide policy as chair of the San Diego Association of Governments, president of the San Diego Division
Summary:
The Assembly met after a quorum call, recess, prayer, and the Pledge of Allegiance, then moved into a highly procedural and contentious floor session centered on redistricting measures. Members debated a point of order raised by Assembly Member DeMaio challenging the constitutionality of SB 280, ACA 8, and AB 604; the Speaker ruled the point not well taken, and the Assembly sustained that ruling on appeal. The body also took up consent-calendar and procedural motions, including suspending rules to adopt late amendments on ACA 8 and to bring the measure up without reference to file. Several motions to re-refer or suspend rules on related measures failed, while the motion to adopt the late amendments on ACA 8 carried.
The main substantive item was ACA 8, the Assembly Constitutional Amendment related to redistricting, presented by Assembly Member Berman as a response to mid-decade redistricting efforts in other states, especially Texas. Supporters argued the measure was a temporary, voter-driven response to protect democracy, counter partisan gerrymandering, and address broader threats tied to the Trump administration, including immigration enforcement and health care cuts. Opponents argued ACA 8 would undermine California’s independent citizens redistricting commission, violate the state Constitution, and amount to partisan gerrymandering or a power grab. Members on both sides framed the issue as a defense of democracy, but disagreed sharply over whether the Legislature should act or leave redistricting to voters and the existing commission.
No final vote on ACA 8 is shown in the transcript excerpt, but the Assembly did vote on several procedural matters: the appeal of the Speaker’s ruling was sustained 58-18; the motion to adopt late amendments on ACA 8 passed 58-19; a motion to re-refer ACA 8 and SB 280 to Judiciary failed 19-58; and a motion to take up A.J.R. 21 without reference to file failed 19-58. The session remained focused on ACA 8 and related redistricting questions, with extensive floor speeches from both supporters and opponents.
FL
Florida 2025 Regular Session
Fiscal Policy Apr 22nd, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- Should you select to waive your speaking time?
- From that we select one or 2.
- roads and parking walkways as well as scientific areas for research to happen, it prohibits the division
- >> You do have a. >> Tanya Jackson team select an angels of care waiving in support any debate on the
- I'm sure timeshares operate so divisions in this bill.
NH
New Hampshire 2026 Regular Session
House State-Federal Relations and Veterans Affairs (02/06/2026)
State-Federal Relations and Veterans Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- well as other concerns like selection well as other concerns like selection and<00:29:25.520>
- I picked up on your mention of the fact that U.S. senators used to be selected by legislators by us here
- <01:14:36.960>
by that US senators used to be selected by that US senators used to be selected - That selective targeting is a threat.
- That selective targeting is what turns this policy into prejudice.
DE
Delaware 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Natural Resources & Energy Committee Meeting Jun 24th, 2026
Natural Resources & Energy
Transcript Highlights:
- Jason Sunday, I'm an administrator in the Division of Waste and Hazardous Substances.
- The engineers who evaluated their spending for the Division of the Public Advocate over prior years have
- When you are selected, you will have the opportunity to unmute yourself and share your comments.
Bills:
SB287
Keywords:
solid waste, recycling, universal recycling, single-stream recycling, multifamily housing, apartment recycling, commercial recycling, waste diversion, recycling grants, low-interest loans, Delaware Recycling Fund, Delaware Solid Waste Authority, DNREC, waste hauler, curbside recycling, yard waste, source-separated recycling, pay-as-you-throw, extended producer responsibility, waste bans
Summary:
The House Natural Resources and Energy Committee met and considered three Senate bills. SB 287 with Senate Amendment 2, a DNREC cleanup bill on recycling, would tighten recycling collection rules for haulers and commercial generators, require multifamily recycling education, repurpose the Delaware Recycling Fund, and add annual reporting; after brief questions and no public comment, the committee motion to release did not initially receive enough votes, so the bill was circulated for signatures. SB 346, which would speed Environmental Appeals Board hearing and decision timelines so DNREC secretary decisions become final if deadlines are missed, drew support from the Nature Conservancy and also failed to get enough votes at the meeting, so it too was circulated for signatures. The committee then took up SB 326, a major utility-regulation bill sponsored by Senator Hanson and Representative Heffernan that would cap certain non-mandatory utility spending, limit interim rates, increase oversight and transparency, and streamline rate-setting.
SB 326 generated extensive testimony and debate. Supporters, including the Public Advocate, Sierra Club, PSC staff, and some legislators, argued that Delmarva Power’s spending on non-mandatory infrastructure has risen far faster than inflation, that the company is a regulated monopoly, and that the bill would help restrain future delivery-rate increases without harming reliability because mandatory reliability, storm response, and vegetation management spending would remain allowed. Opponents, including Delmarva Power, business groups, contractors, labor representatives, and the Delaware Contractors Association, argued the cap would delay needed reliability and capacity projects, hurt economic development, reduce jobs, and interfere with utility planning; they also said supply costs, not distribution spending, are the main driver of recent bill increases. After public comment and additional questioning, the committee voted to release SB 326 on a split roll call, but because several members were absent the bill was also walked for additional signatures. The committee then adjourned.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Education Committee Apr 15th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- Mainstream media has documented sharp divisions over mandates and widespread negative attitudes toward
- Mainstream media has documented sharp divisions over mandates and widespread negative attitudes toward
- Due to the California alternate assessment's narrow selection process, including students who qualify
Summary:
The Assembly Education Committee heard a lengthy agenda of education-related bills, with quorum established at the start and several measures taken up on consent or special order. The committee also announced that AB 1644, AB 2362, and later AB 2197 were pulled from the hearing. Members reminded the public of hearing rules and limited testimony to two witnesses each in support and opposition.
AB 2651, by Assemblymember Bonta, would require schools to notify parents when school vaccination rates fall below herd-immunity thresholds. Supporters, including physicians, the California State PTA, public health groups, and school employee organizations, argued that families need timely, school-specific information to protect children and vulnerable community members. Opponents raised concerns about privacy, stigma, and whether school-level snapshots could be misleading. The bill passed the committee 5-1 and later 7-1 on the roll call. AB 2509, by Assemblymember Schultz, would allow districts to use a five-year rolling average for ADA funding calculations; supporters said it would stabilize funding amid attendance declines, while one member noted concerns about masking long-term enrollment problems. It passed 5-1 and later 7-2.
The committee also approved AB 2430, which would expand after-school access, especially for high school students, improve funding and transparency, and create a work group on program quality. Testimony emphasized the value of expanded learning for youth development and working families, and members discussed the need to address middle school access as well. AB 2526, focused on special education funding, would expand the low-incidence fund to include students qualifying for the California alternate assessment; supporters said it would better align funding with student need, while some concerns remained about over-identification. AB 2325, the Pathways to Bilingual Teaching Act, would create a grant program to build bilingual teacher pipelines through partnerships among schools, community colleges, and universities; it received strong support and passed unanimously. AB 2460, presented by Assemblymember Pellerin for Assemblymember Celeste Rodriguez, would update school mental-health referral protocols to address trauma related to immigration enforcement; it also passed unanimously. AB 2404, which sought to require Central Valley representation on several governor-appointed bodies, drew debate over geographic representation and board composition and ultimately failed on a 2-5 vote.
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Local Government Oct 15th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- Also from last session, House Bill 1096 and Senate Bill 5559 both dealt with the division of land.
- The city selected the national consulting firm Raftelis to assist in identifying implementation measures
- m a permit technician, a reviewer for engineering, primarily stormwater, and a manager over that division
Summary:
The Local Government Committee met in work session and heard a series of presentations on SEPA, permitting reforms, and building code implementation. Department of Ecology staff gave an overview of the State Environmental Policy Act, explaining its role in state and local decision-making, common exemptions, planned actions, and recent housing-related statutory changes such as transit-oriented development exemptions and SEPA appeals protections for certain local ordinances. Committee members asked about repeated SEPA reviews, cultural and historic resource review, and how SEPA relates to NEPA; Ecology responded that repeated reviews usually occur when proposals change and that programmatic EISs can help front-load analysis. Seattle’s Department of Construction and Inspections described how recent SEPA exemptions reduced residential review volume and supported more housing permits, and said the city is considering raising thresholds further.
The State Building Code Council provided an update on code adoption timelines and legislative tasks tied to the 2024 codes, including single-stair housing, multiplex housing, dwelling unit size, and temporary emergency shelter standards. Council staff said the content of the codes is largely set, but administrative timelines have been delayed, prompting a motion to postpone final adoption while pursuing ways to preserve the planned implementation schedule. Members asked about the timing of code changes and the impact on housing costs, and staff said the legislative topics remain on track for inclusion in the 2024 code package.
Committee staff then reviewed recent permitting legislation, including SB 5290’s permit decision deadlines and fee-refund provisions, later bills limiting pre-application meetings and clarifying that building permits are excluded from those timelines, and project-specific changes affecting middle housing, ADUs, lot splits, passive house projects, self-certification, transit-oriented development, and parking requirements. Commerce’s Dave Anderson reported on SB 5290 implementation, including guidance on permit fees, studies on staffing and statewide permitting systems, grants to local governments, and the first annual performance report, which showed mixed results and highlighted the importance of digital tools, clear checklists, staff training, and coordination across departments. Local officials from Issaquah and Kitsap County described their own process improvements, including code updates, optional pre-application meetings, new staffing, reporting systems, and a phased “Two by Six” review model in Kitsap, while also noting challenges from staffing shortages, agency coordination, and the burden of implementing multiple new mandates.
NV
Transcript Highlights:
- For example, a parent who has been diagnosed with a terminal illness may want to proactively select a
- review, the board sets the terms and conditions for release, and compliance is supervised by the Division
- review, the board sets the terms and conditions for release, and compliance is supervised by the Division
TX
Texas 89th Regular
Senate Committee on Water, Agriculture, and Rural Affairs May 23rd, 2025
Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- Chairman, Vice Chair, members, my name is Ashley Forbes, and I'm with the TCEQ's Radioactive Materials Division
- Greg Easley with TCEQ Water Quality Division. Ginger Sparks.
- I do want to say that it's important to understand, you know, we select growing locations where the climate
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- 60 years, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention it's still the only public university in Texas with a Division
- How long ago was that Division I championship? It is the famous 1966 basketball championship.
- So in your application process and your selection process, is there going to be a matrix there to give
Keywords:
special prosecutor, state law, criminal justice, accountability, law enforcement, stormwater management, counties, regulation, environment, water quality
Summary:
The Committee on Higher Education met to hear several bills and first corrected the minutes from its April 1, 2025 meeting to reflect that a committee substitute for HB 271 had been adopted before the bill was reported favorably. The committee then heard HB 3326, which would help Texas higher education employees, especially adjunct faculty, qualify for federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness by counting classroom hours toward full-time status, requiring institutions to verify employment within 60 days, and requiring annual notice to eligible employees. No witnesses testified against the bill, and it was left pending.
Members then heard HB 2853, authorizing UTEP to phase in a student union fee increase to fund demolition and reconstruction of its aging student union. Representative Perez and UTEP student and university witnesses said the current facility is outdated and insufficient for a campus of more than 25,000 students, while some members raised concerns about the size of the fee increase and its impact on low-income students. UTEP representatives said most students receive aid, the fee would be phased in over time, and the project was student-approved; the bill was left pending. The committee also heard HB 4066, a one-line bill to abolish the Texas Research Incentive Program after the state cleared its backlog of matching obligations, with the author saying the program was no longer needed in light of newer research funding approaches. The bill was left pending.
The committee spent substantial time on HB 125, which would create the Tarleton State University College of Osteopathic Medicine. Supporters, including Tarleton leadership, the founding dean, a rural hospital CEO, and a feasibility consultant, argued the school would address severe rural physician shortages by recruiting Texas and rural students, training them in rural settings, and developing new residency slots rather than competing for existing ones. Members asked about affordability, residency placement, and whether the school would draw students from rural Texas; Tarleton said it would seek to keep tuition and debt low, had already raised private donations, and would request $25 million in state support over the biennium. The bill was left pending.
Finally, the committee heard HB 42, which would increase the annual Higher Education Fund appropriation and adjust its allocation methodology. The chair and university witnesses described rising deferred maintenance, inflation, cybersecurity needs, and enrollment growth at HEAF-eligible institutions, with witnesses from Texas Tech, Sam Houston State, and UNT saying the additional funding would help address aging facilities and technology needs. After testimony, the committee left HB 42 pending and recessed.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- Under current law, Sol Ross's satellite campuses may only offer upper-division courses, which typically
- for the Office of Excellence in Higher Education, the compliance arm, it's established as a new division
- The selected month for this fee waiver is October, giving students an opportunity to submit their application
Summary:
The committee heard and discussed several higher education and public school bills. Senator Burwell presented SB 1242 to remove an outdated Coordinating Board approval requirement for Texas State Technical College land and facility acquisitions, and SJR 59 to create a constitutionally dedicated endowment for TSTC capital needs; both drew strong support from industry and workforce groups and were left pending. SB 757, by Senator Middleton, would create a debt-to-earnings accountability system for public college programs, with supporters saying it would protect students from low-value degrees and opponents warning it could unfairly penalize programs with long-term value, especially graduate, medical, and public service fields; it was also left pending. SB 1241, by Senator Millington, would expand acceptable college entrance exams beyond the SAT and ACT, including the Classic Learning Test, and was left pending after testimony from CLT, homeschool, and student groups in support. SB 1085, by Senator Blanco, would let Sul Ross State University offer lower-division courses at its satellite campuses in the Middle Rio Grande region; it too was left pending.
The committee then took up a series of public school and higher education measures, voting several out favorably. SB 605, as substituted, limits commissioner approval of charter school expansion amendments for schools under conservatorship or a management team and was reported favorably 9-0. SB 1871 and SB 1873, both by Senator Perry, were revised to narrow teacher immunity, clarify removal and suspension procedures, require periodic review of in-school suspension placements, and align discipline rules; both substitutes were adopted and reported favorably. SB 1872, SB 1874, SB 762, SB 1962, SB 1750, SB 2252, SB 2253, SB 2365, SB 1924, and SB 37 were also considered, with most reported favorably on party-line or near-unanimous votes. SB 1750 would replace a flat charter school facilities funding cap with an attendance-based formula; SB 2252 and SB 2253 address kindergarten readiness, early literacy/numeracy, and educator preparation; SB 2365 concerns student phone use during instructional time; SB 1924 restores local citation authority for certain school offenses and adds reporting, notice, and completion requirements; and SB 37 would expand state oversight of higher education curriculum, governance, faculty senates, and compliance with state law.
Other measures heard included SB 769, which would require a Coordinating Board report on barriers faced by students with disabilities in higher education; supporters emphasized the need for better data and accessibility, while witnesses suggested broader reporting on race, disability types, and K-12-to-college transitions. SB 2231 would designate a Free College Application Week in October and was left pending. SB 1878 would modernize the Josie School statute and provide formula funding and aid eligibility for Polytechnic College. SB 1409 would authorize universities to offer self-funded student health benefit plans, with Rice University and Texas 2036 supporting the measure as a way to lower costs and expand coverage. SB 2431 would require universities to give foreign language credit for study abroad programs, SB 2314 would require schools to inform students about opting in or out of record sharing for direct admissions through My Texas Future, and SB 2138 would extend the state’s anti-ESG contracting restrictions to public higher education endowments and governing boards; these later bills were introduced and left pending.