Transcript Highlights:

• I understand the need for order and efficiency in this chamber.
• I understand the need for order<00:33:00.159> and<00:33:00.399> efficiency<00:33:01.600
• order and efficiency uh in this chamber. order and efficiency uh in this chamber.
• If we're going to have business and industry operating in Kentucky efficiently and effectively, we have

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Senate convened with a prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, then established a quorum, excused absent members, and approved the journal from Friday, February 20, 2026. The chamber also announced caucus meetings during recess and received notice that the House had passed House Bills 111, 527, and 555. New Senate bills were introduced, including SB 220 on small farm wineries, SB 221 on abuse of a corpse, and SB 222 on environmental covenants and an emergency declaration. The main floor debate centered on Senate Bill 52, which concerns fair permitting and licensing practices. The sponsor described the bill as a response to delays and subjectivity in agency permitting, saying it would require clear standards, set deadlines, and provide meaningful appeals without eliminating existing requirements. Opponents argued that a fixed deadline could be too short for complex environmental and public-safety reviews and could pressure agencies with limited staffing; one senator also warned it could benefit large businesses at the expense of workers and communities. Supporters countered that the bill would improve accountability and help businesses, child care providers, and other applicants get timely decisions. After floor amendments were withdrawn, SB 52 passed as amended by a vote of 30 yeas to 5 nays. Before that vote, the Senate also returned SB 50 from the Appropriations and Revenue Committee to the Rules Committee under suspension of the rules. After SB 52, the chamber took up Senate Bill 124, relating to sick leave for school district personnel, and heard the sponsor’s explanation that it was intended to address classroom absences in a cost-effective way that would benefit students and taxpayers. The transcript cuts off during the discussion of SB 124, before any final vote on that bill is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• Obviously, as engineers, we do want the Planning and Permitting Department to be as efficient as possible
• c><00:24:50.320> as and Permitting Department to be as and Permitting Department to be as efficient
• <00:24:52.320> And<00:24:52.560> so,<00:24:52.960> I'm efficient as possible
• And so, I'm efficient as possible.
• We believe this is just an efficient, cost-effective way to handle publication of public notices.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Labor met on February 19, 2026, and heard a series of bills largely focused on public employment, staffing, and professional licensing. Early measures included HB 2276 and HB 2472, both relating to Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund staff salaries, which were supported by trust fund representatives and received no opposition or questions. The committee also heard HB 1714 HD1 on housing, where the Hawaii Public Housing Authority testified with comments and the Deputy Attorney General raised concerns about the scope of autonomy, civil service, collective bargaining, and a possible separation-of-powers issue involving legislative approval of long-term contracts. The committee then considered several personnel and civil service bills. HB 2325 HD1, relating to civil service exempt positions at DLNR, drew support from DLNR and the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development, but HGEA opposed it and urged the department to seek other recruitment and retention solutions while keeping employees in civil service. HB 1541, relating to Department of Health positions, was supported by DOH on the grounds that the positions serve vulnerable populations and require specialized expertise, while HGEA opposed. HB 2140 HD1, relating to essential permanent positions, received support from OPSD, HGEA, and the Chamber of Commerce, with written comments from the city Department of Budget and Fiscal Services. HB 2315 HD1, relating to state employment benefits, was strongly supported by DOH, UPW, and HGEA as a recruitment and retention incentive; members questioned the pilot program, and DOH explained it would allow employees to cash out vacation leave earlier than current policy allows. The committee also heard HB 2295 on government contracting, with DOE support not present and IBEW 1186 in opposition. HB 1720, relating to professional engineers, drew strong support from the City and County of Honolulu’s planning department, which argued the bill would help with affordable housing review and only affect eligibility to sit for the licensure exam, but strong opposition from engineering industry and licensing board representatives, who warned it would lower licensing standards and harm reciprocity; members questioned both sides about plan review experience and licensure requirements. HB 2367, relating to employment earnings and pay transparency, received strong support from the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission, AAUW, the Commission on the Status of Women, and others, who said transparency helps small businesses and retention, while written opposition came from the Maui Chamber of Commerce and NFIB. Finally, HB 1935, relating to personal information, drew comments from the Attorney General and the Campaign Spending Commission about implementation burdens and disclosure requirements, with UPW supporting the home-address redaction portion but opposing the broader disclosure process; additional written testimony was noted from OIP, the League of Women Voters, Public Press Law Center, HGEA, and DCCA.

Transcript Highlights:

• juvenile children, juvenile offenders, the entire system. ...the entire system, how the system is being efficient
• or non-efficient, how we can continue to develop what we've put in place.
• They're not being dealt with at the school effectively and efficiently.
• Virtual Arkansas has been really good for us because, when it comes to efficiency and those records being
• And I believe that Representative Barnes, you mentioned the efficiency of many of these programs.

Summary: The Senate and House Joint Committee on Children and Youth approved the December 10 minutes and confirmed Representative Mary Bentley to the Child Maltreatment Investigations Oversight Committee. The committee then heard the annual Arkansas Infant and Child Death Review report, which said the state reviewed 148 of 170 non-natural child deaths in 2023; the reviewed deaths included 69 accidents, 14 suicides, 18 homicides, and 47 undetermined causes. Members asked about how the report’s recommendations could be used, grant opportunities tied to prevention work, and whether the data could be broken down by age; presenters said the report is intended as a prevention tool for agencies and nonprofits and that some age detail is available in later pages of the report. The committee next took up HCR 1010 and then a broader discussion of juvenile justice reform. Senator Missy Irvin, judges, and Administrative Office of the Courts staff described Arkansas’s use of validated risk assessments, including SAVRY, the Ohio Youth Assessment Tool, MAYSI, and substance-abuse screening, as part of a long-running effort to reduce juvenile incarceration and tailor services to individual youth and families. They said the reforms have contributed to fewer delinquency filings, fewer DYS commitments, and more diversions, while also emphasizing that mental health, substance abuse, school issues, and trauma often drive juvenile court involvement. Several members raised concerns about data gaps, school collaboration, and whether community-based services are sufficient, and presenters said more shared data and stronger school use of safety dashboards could help intervene earlier. Division of Youth Services Director Michael Crump then presented custody, education, recidivism, and cost data. He said DYS commitments rose after the pandemic, secure residential populations remain high, and detention-center use increased when intake beds filled; he also noted that DYS pays about $320 per day for secure custody and that detention beds cost roughly $90 to $100 per day. Crump said most youth in custody are older teens, about 80 percent are male, and many have behavioral-health needs or educational deficits; he reported 222 GEDs and 102 high school diplomas over six years. He also said about 15 to 19 percent of youth return to DYS within three years and that a larger share later enter the Department of Corrections, while members pressed him on how assessments relate to commitments, how low-risk cases are handled, and how to improve mental health and substance-abuse services statewide.

Transcript Highlights:

• juvenile crime, juvenile children, juvenile offenders, the entire system, how the system is being efficient
• or non-efficient, how we can continue to develop what we've put in place.
• be in a juvenile court system, that they’re not being dealt with at the school effectively and efficiently
• Virtual Arkansas has been really good for us because, when it comes to efficiency and those records being
• And I believe that Representative Barnes, you mentioned the efficiency of many of these programs.

Summary: The Senate and House Joint Committee on Children and Youth met to approve prior minutes, confirm Representative Mary Bentley to the Child Maltreatment Investigations Oversight Committee, and receive several presentations. The Arkansas Infant and Child Death Review team reported on unexpected child deaths in Arkansas, saying its 2023 review covered 148 of 170 non-natural deaths, with the remainder unavailable due to criminal investigations or missing records. Of the reviewed deaths, 69 were accidents, 14 suicides, 18 homicides, and 47 undetermined, and members discussed how the report’s recommendations could be used by agencies and nonprofits for prevention work and grant applications. Committee members also asked about age breakdowns and how the data could be shared without identifying individual cases. The committee then took up HCR 1010 and a broader discussion of juvenile justice reform. Representative Shepard said the resolution was intended to confront data on juvenile incarceration and system outcomes. Senator Missy Irvin, judges Troy Braswell and Kathy Hess, and AOC Juvenile Division Director Burke Steen described the state’s long-running reform efforts, including the SAVRY risk assessment, diversion programs, and efforts to keep more youth in their communities. They said the reforms have reduced delinquency filings, DYS commitments, and revocations, while increasing diversions, but also emphasized ongoing gaps in mental health, substance abuse, and school-based supports. Members raised concerns about school data sharing, behavioral health access, and how to better identify youth with disabilities or trauma earlier. Judge Braswell and others stressed that many youth in the system have significant trauma, family instability, or unmet treatment needs, and that judges need individualized information to make decisions. Several members discussed the role of schools, the school safety dashboard, and the need for stronger community providers, especially in rural areas. The committee then heard from DYS Director Michael Crump, who provided data on commitments, facility use, demographics, offense levels, length of stay, education outcomes, recidivism, dual DCFS/DYS custody, and costs. He said commitments rose after the pandemic and then began to decline, while secure and detention costs increased with the need for more beds; he also noted that most youth in custody have behavioral health needs and that DYS works closely with DCFS, courts, and providers. No final action was taken on HCR 1010 during the discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• Improving court efficiency and access to trauma-informed, clinically trained evaluators supports more
• Improving court efficiency and access to trauma-informed, clinically trained evaluators supports more
• Improving court efficiency<00:33:01.919> and<00:33:02.320> access<00:33:02.640> to
• c><00:33:02.799> trauma-informed efficiency and access to trauma-informed efficiency and access

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The HHS committee met in Room 224 and announced the hearing was being streamed live, with a one-minute limit on testimony. The chair explained that written testimony had already been reviewed and that speakers should either add new comments or stand on their written testimony. The committee first heard SB 2211, an emergency appropriation to the Department of Human Services. Testimony was overwhelmingly in support, including DHS, Aloha United Way, the Hawaii Food Industry Association, the Hawaii Public Health Institute, Catholic Charities, and many individuals. Supporters emphasized the importance of maintaining SNAP-related food assistance and emergency food delivery, while Catholic Charities raised a question about whether the bill’s language would also reach food banks serving food-insecure households that are not on SNAP. No opposition was heard and the bill was moved on without questions from members. The committee then heard SB 2025, which would exempt actively practicing advanced practice registered nurses from jury duty. Testimony was broadly supportive from nursing and health organizations, including the Hawaii American Nurses Association, the Hawaii affiliate of the College of Nurse Midwives, the Hawaii State Board of Nursing, and others. One witness from Kaiser Permanente requested an amendment to include physician assistants, and a committee member asked the Board of Nursing to review that request. The bill otherwise drew no opposition and no further member questions. SB 2038, relating to medication labeling, drew the most extended discussion. The measure would change labeling requirements for certain abortion medications, and testimony was split between supporters who framed it as a privacy and access issue and opponents who raised patient safety, ethics, and transparency concerns. The Department of Health supported the intent but requested an amendment to allow quicker access to private information during investigations without a subpoena. The Board of Pharmacy said it supported the written comments but noted operational challenges and possible cost impacts, while Kaiser said compliance would likely require manual workarounds and could slow pharmacy processes. The chair and members questioned whether patients could simply remove labels themselves, but witnesses said there could still be safety and access issues if the patient is not the one receiving the prescription. The committee then moved on to SB 2050, relating to chiropractic, which received support from the Hawaii Board of Chiropractic and the Hawaii State Chiropractic Association, with no substantive opposition noted. The hearing later turned to SB 201, relating to insurance, which appeared to be a new mandated-benefit measure tied to infertility/IVF coverage. The Hawaii Civil Rights Commission provided comments, while Hawaii Family Forum opposed the bill, arguing it went beyond medical infertility and raised ethical and public policy concerns. Kaiser and the Hawaii Association of Health Plans both asked for a study or audit, saying the measure could create new insurance mandates and increase costs for residents and employers. Private Work Hawaii strongly supported the bill as an equity issue. The committee noted there was no quorum for decision-making and deferred action on the measure to a later hearing, then recessed.

Transcript Highlights:

• The gold bar that goes across is really showing what that metric for good efficient project management
• this position, my main focus was to make sure that I'm moving the organization forward in a fast, efficient
• also a close-out component to all of this to make sure that we're effectively closing projects out efficiently
• this position my main focus was to make sure that i'm moving the organization forward in a fast efficient
• also a close-out component to all of this to make sure that we're effectively closing projects out efficiently

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• ensure that the funding that came out of Act 131 would be in our accounts for implementation as efficiently
• ensure that the funding that came out of Act 131 would be in our accounts for implementation as efficiently
• of act 131 would be in our accounts for implementation<00:20:43.200> as<00:20:43.440> efficiently
• <00:20:43.919> as implementation as efficiently as implementation as efficiently as possible

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• community impact by leveraging strategic partnerships, and we want organizational and effectiveness and efficiency
• scale so much in In the past few years, we've been looking for ways to achieve greater operational efficiencies
• So those are just listed there just to be efficient. I won't get into all of them.
• just so I would like to know If PED, how we make sure that our schools are making the best, most efficient
• that all of the two plus billion dollars that we have Invested in the last five years is being efficiently

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It increased the efficiency. This is a custom-built application process.
• So our efficiency and our number of schools who are marked for monitoring has decreased.
• It is an efficient school for at-risk students.
• less, outperforming many schools in this state, yet HB 63 is currently penalizing our school and efficiency
• official. ...to high-performing public charter schools that are already delivering strong outcomes efficiently

Summary: The committee first heard a presentation on strategic resource management in public education. LESC staff and PED officials argued that New Mexico has increased school funding, but local budgeting and planning remain fragmented and overly compliance-driven. They described long-term pressures including declining enrollment, rising special education costs, falling cash balances, changes in federal funding, and leadership turnover, and said schools need more intentional multi-year planning tied to student outcomes. They also outlined the many disconnected planning requirements schools must complete, compared New Mexico’s current approach with Ohio’s three-year budget forecasting model, and recommended continuing multi-year appropriations, adding $2.5 million for state grants in the unified application, and directing LESC, LFC, and PED to develop a long-term financial planning proposal. PED said it is working to reduce administrative burden through school accreditation, a unified application for federal and state funds, and internal alignment of guidance and coaching, with pilot schools reporting time savings and better alignment. Members raised concerns about four-day school weeks, the burden on small districts, the need for outcomes and return on investment, and whether the state should move toward a two-year or three-year planning cycle; staff clarified that the proposal was to streamline or eliminate redundant requirements, not add another layer. The committee then received an update on the Educator Fellows program. PED described it as a Grow Your Own pipeline that employs candidates as supplemental educational assistants while they work toward licensure, providing salary, benefits, paid leave, mentoring, and coursework support. Officials said the program helps address teacher shortages, improves student-to-teacher ratios, increases workforce diversity, and supports the Martinez-Yazzie action plan. They reported 370 current fellows across 86 LEAs and about 180 schools, with many fellows being people of color, first-generation college students, or second-career educators; roughly 85 are expected to become certified this year. A local HR director from Belen testified that the program has been especially valuable in small communities, where fellows are already rooted in the community and several have moved into teaching roles. Members asked about high school recruitment, tuition, retirement and benefits, the relationship to the Higher Education Department’s Grow Your Own scholarship, and the role of university partners. PED said fellows choose among accredited higher education partners, the program is separate from the scholarship but complementary, and the state is also building an apprenticeship model and seeking to expand the program to more LEAs, though some districts are on a waiting list because of funding and local match requirements.

Transcript Highlights:

• The agency is really efficient at putting out those funds.
• This is $20 million to provide competitive grants to enhance energy-efficient technology and renewable
• There's a balance of $9.8 million, so the agency is efficient at spending down those funds.
• , Representative, I think you're referring to line 85, that $5 million for the community energy efficiency
• In the past, they've been pretty efficient at getting that money out the door.

Summary: The Department of Public Safety presented its FY27 budget request, emphasizing three priorities: improving community engagement through a redesigned website and outreach, expanding statewide data and intelligence integration through intelligence-led policing, and improving emergency response and officer safety through fleet replacement, a driving track, and a requested helicopter. DPS said much of its increase is driven by rising health care premiums, and it is also seeking special appropriations for fleet replacement, the website rebuild, and an Honor Guard program created after the 2022 helicopter crash that killed four public servants. Members asked about vacancies, fleet costs, cybersecurity compliance, the real-time crime center, EV fleet participation, and the Metro DPS facility. DPS said its vacancy rate is about 9%, its fleet replacement needs are driven by mileage and condition, it is compliant with federal CJIS standards even though DoIT has raised concerns, the real-time crime center would be built as a regional model to complement Albuquerque’s center, and the Metro facility is moving toward a January groundbreaking. Committee members also discussed several DPS-related capital and IT requests, including the intelligence-led policing data lake, recurring maintenance for critical systems, and a $5.6 million reauthorization for state crime lab DNA backlog work and a $900,000 reauthorization for fingerprinting equipment. DPS explained that the website request is high because the current site must be rebuilt from scratch to support missing-person alerts, memorial updates, ADA compliance, and better communication with law enforcement and the public. Members also raised concerns about speed enforcement, construction-zone cameras, and whether EVs are practical for patrol use; DPS said it is not pursuing speed cameras and is only partially participating in the state EV initiative because patrol needs make full electrification difficult. The committee then received an LFC quarterly update on non-recurring appropriations from the 2025 General Appropriation Act. LFC reported that of the $1.4 billion appropriated in Section 5, $164 million had been expended and $333 million encumbered, leaving $897.4 million unspent, which is a slower pace than the prior year. Staff highlighted a number of reauthorization requests and slow-moving projects across agencies, including AOC cybersecurity funding, DFA housing and public safety grants, DoIT cybersecurity and higher education funds, EDD economic development and energy programs, OSI mitigation and malpractice funds, EMNRD energy and geothermal grants, Health Care Authority behavioral health-related appropriations, DPS crime lab and fingerprinting funds, PED career technical education and special education initiatives, and higher education loan repayment and technology funds. Members questioned why some large appropriations had little or no spending, discussed the need to monitor reauthorizations more closely, and asked for follow-up on several specific line items and project balances.

Transcript Highlights:

• million flies per week, obviously, it's a little bit older technology, and that might not be the most efficient
• extrapolate from the 200,000 square feet for producing 100 million flies and hope to achieve some efficiency
• Moore Airfield Base, and that facility will be essential for getting sterile flies out quickly and efficiently
• We are a profit-oriented company, and running lean and... ...efficient as necessary to achieve positive
• I think we can move these flies a lot more efficiently.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• change, local authorities and parties will improve their ability to contact applicants quickly and efficiently
• I don't believe that there are any witnesses, so we're making it fast, efficient, and easy for you, Chairman
• straightforward but important measure that addresses both election security and administrative efficiency
• This is the most secure, effective, and efficient way to count this.
• It replaces costly litigation with an efficient administrative process. Some might work...

Bills: HB569, HB766, HB1638, HB2316, HB2773, HB2785, HB3113, HB3709, HB3775, HB4275

Keywords: early voting, ballot correction, voting rights, election integrity, mail-in voting, voter notification, HB 766, precinct chair, precinct chair candidate, ballot application, Texas Election Code, Section 172.021, election administration, candidate filing, party precinct chair, county party, political party office, email address, telephone number, confidential candidate information

Transcript Highlights:

• As part of the government efficiency drills, Cal HHS reduced our budget by $1 million for establishing
• The difficult decision to include this As part of the operations efficiencies was two-fold.
• State Council is an independent entity that exists to disrupt systems to make them more effective, efficient
• any single implementing department, would have the ability to coordinate among departments for efficiency
• The times we're living in, it's imperative that we are using our resources effectively and efficiently

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• discussions along those lines of trying to consolidate certain functions within certain agencies for more efficiency
• And at the Farm, we absolutely want to see efficiency.
• could touch this, but you know better than most of us in this room about how agriculture can be more efficient
• EGG can be purely more regulatory, that ADC can be clearly to promote the growth of agriculture. efficient
• We seem to efficient, more functional.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 449 relating to economic development, HB 1006 relating to the Agribusiness Development Corporation, and then began HB 1467 relating to housing resiliency. On HB 449, Director Wayne Enoy of the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation and several business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce and Hawaii Food Industry Association, testified in strong support. They said the measure would help local manufacturers and tech-focused businesses adapt to uncertainty around tariffs and federal funding pauses, diversify Hawaiʻi’s economy, and expand workforce training and apprenticeship efforts tied to innovation and manufacturing. The bulk of the discussion focused on HB 1006 and proposed agritourism authority for ADC. ADC, the Hawaii Farm Bureau, and other supporters said agritourism can be a value-added tool that helps farmers diversify income while keeping agriculture as the primary use of the land. One testifier opposed the bill’s direction without stronger guardrails, urging that a high percentage of revenue or land use remain tied to actual agricultural production. Committee members questioned ADC and Farm Bureau witnesses about how much land should remain in production, whether agritourism could expand on public lands, how enforcement would work, and whether responsibilities should be shifted from the Department of Agriculture’s marketing functions to ADC. Witnesses said ADC currently has no tenants engaged in agritourism, but would support standards, annual reporting, site visits, and the ability to reclaim land if production requirements are not met. No votes or final actions were taken in the portion provided. After concluding HB 1006 testimony and questions, the committee moved on to HB 1467 and called the first witness, Luke Meyers, before the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• generation equipment, including clean and renewable energy generation, including SMRs as defined, energy efficiency
• ><00:45:18.520> Energy including smis as defined Energy including smis as defined Energy Efficiency
• damage<00:45:19.720> SP<00:45:20.119> load<00:45:20.319> reduction Efficiency
• damage SP load reduction Efficiency damage SP load reduction control<00:45:21.559> programs<00
• Chairman—this is an efficient committee.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• New software is supposed to make us more efficient. We're not asking for any more new positions.
• supposed to make people new software is supposed to make us<00:14:06.199> more<00:14:06.519> efficient
• we're<00:14:07.720> not<00:14:07.880> asking<00:14:08.160> for us more efficient
• we're not asking for us more efficient we're not asking for any<00:14:08.480> more<00:14:08.680
• image and indexing of over 1.2 million paper membership documents in order to improve operational efficiencies

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Unfortunately, at the end efficiently.
• But let's be clear, these are not about budget cuts or making government efficient.
• cuts or making government efficient. cuts or making government efficient.
• Indeed, it will also cost us efficient.
• Just comes—it is not an efficient way to do business.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The other would be that for administrative efficiency and also to ensure that the work that this entity
• and making them operate efficiently.
• operating efficiently and making them<01:00:17.480> operate<01:00:17.839> efficiently<
• 01:00:18.400> but<01:00:18.559> now<01:00:18.760> we've them operate efficiently
• but now we've them operate efficiently but now we've left<01:00:19.240> these<01:00:19.440>

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Has technology helped at all in terms of creating efficiencies and processing these requests?
• efficiencies and processing these<00:08:54.959> requests?
• <01:15:47.120> gains<01:15:47.600> really<01:15:48.000> productivity efficiency
• These are the state's use of these tools at this time are really focused on productivity and efficiency
• gains um not on trying to and efficiency gains um not on trying to automate<01:22:55.760> decision

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We have to look at how efficiencies. We have to look at how we're<00:38:28.640> accountability.
• We try to run as efficiently as possible.
• <00:56:37.920> as economically as possible, efficiently as economically as possible, efficiently
• And, uh, that's tough to figure out, and it relates to efficiencies and, you know, whether we can do
• and you know whether we can efficiencies and you know whether we can do<02:10:03.440> things<

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The commission to study the cost of special education met, confirmed a quorum, introduced members and guests, and approved the minutes from the October 29 meeting. Members noted the commission’s mandate under Senate Bill 57 and emphasized the need to focus on recommendations and findings by July 1, 2026. The chair also distributed additional handouts, including materials related to the Education Freedom Account (EFA) program and administrative rules tied to differentiated aid and disability determinations. The main discussion centered on how students qualify for differentiated aid under the EFA program. Matt Sutherton of the Children’s Scholarship Fund explained that the organization, which contracts with the state to administer EFAs, accepts either school-district/IEP documentation or a medical certification of disability (MCD) from a licensed medical professional. Members questioned how this process relates to the state’s special education rules and whether the school-district examiner standards in ED 107/1107.04 apply to EFAs. Sutherton said the MCD form, created with the department, requires the medical professional to sign that they are qualified to make the determination and to identify the disability. Several members expressed concern that the EFA process is less rigorous than the school-district IEP process and may be inflating disability counts. One member argued that the administrative rules cited are primarily for school districts, not EFAs, and said the Department of Education may not know how many of the roughly 890 EFA students receiving differentiated aid came through school-district documentation versus the MCD pathway. Another member said the EFA system appears more generous than the school system and raised concerns about oversight, auditing, and whether the program’s data are accurate. Sutherton said the organization reviews signed documentation, credentials, and diagnosis information, and may request additional records to help adjudicate expenses. No votes or formal actions were taken beyond approving the prior minutes.