Transcript Highlights:

• a[n] appropriate place to be here in higher education.
• That's really big in education.
• the governor had proposed to cut 8% of higher education in our budget, right?
• And so, of course, a lot of us are just higher education and education champions, but you just highlighted
• We're talking about education from the K-12 education sector through the community colleges and the four-year

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Economic Development, Growth, and Household Impact held an informational hearing in San Diego focused on “Making Sense of California’s Economy: Real Cost Pressures and Household Impacts Facing San Diego.” Chair Salas and Assemblymember Darshana Patel opened by emphasizing affordability, housing, and the importance of bringing state policy discussions into the community. The first panel featured leaders from Cal State San Marcos and the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation, who described the region’s innovation ecosystem, the university’s role in social mobility and workforce development, and the importance of partnerships with K-12 schools, community colleges, military installations, and industry. They also highlighted regional strengths in life sciences, aerospace and defense, advanced manufacturing, clean energy, and venture-backed innovation, while warning that housing costs, federal research cuts, permitting delays, and small-business fragility threaten growth and talent retention. Committee members asked about collaboration among higher education institutions and what state policy changes could help. Panelists said the region’s universities are complementary rather than competitive and stressed the value of public-private partnerships, social innovation, and aligning academic programs with employer needs. On policy, they urged faster permitting, possible regulatory sandboxes, stronger research investment, support for cross-border trade and manufacturing, and more housing affordability to keep workers in the region. The second panel centered on small business and entrepreneurship, with testimony from Hydrostasis founder Dr. Debbie Chen, Amai co-founder Sven Davison, and Asian Business Association San Diego CEO Jason Pagal. Chen described building a hydration-monitoring wearable, the barriers women founders face in accessing capital, and the importance of SBDC, Stella Foundation, and university internship support. Davison described Amai’s edible cup business and how tariffs, supply-chain costs, and financing constraints forced the company to pivot manufacturing plans. Pagal presented survey data showing high relocation intent, difficulty hiring, and low confidence among businesses, and recommended expanded technical assistance, regional cost-of-living adjustments, and small-business affordability zones. During questioning, members discussed targeted procurement and local incentive models, the role of SBDC and other support networks, and how to better tailor state programs to local conditions. Public comment came from the California Southern Small Business Development Corporation, which stressed that access to affordable capital remains a major challenge and noted the volume of loan guarantee requests coming from San Diego. No formal votes were taken; the hearing concluded with closing remarks from both members underscoring the need to use local testimony to shape future state policy and support California’s economy, families, and small businesses.

Transcript Highlights:

• Would there be an exemption for certain educational materials?
• But in sex education classes?
• This legislation is about bringing fear down on educators.
• the Committee on Higher Education.
• schools and public institutions of higher education, for the Committee on Public Education.

Summary: The House convened with a quorum, offered an invocation, led the pledges, and approved a series of routine motions, including excusing absent members and granting permission for several committees to meet while the House was in session. Members also adopted several memorial and recognition resolutions, including H.R. 1023 honoring Christian Beerbill, H.R. 1033 recognizing International Bereaved Mother’s Day, and H.R. 877 recognizing Urban League Advocates Day. The House also recommitted SB 17 and HB 4211 to committee and postponed SCR 27 and HB 2145 for later consideration. The chamber then took up a long third-reading calendar of bills covering a wide range of topics, including Sunset review measures, health care workforce and pricing, child custody and family law, Medicaid, rural ambulance grants, energy reporting, public information requests, trail development, virtual meeting disruptions, occupational licensing, protective orders, county leave pools, animal cruelty, infrastructure, and higher education. Most bills were explained briefly by their authors and passed with broad support, though several drew notable opposition, including HB 5265, HB 2402, HB 3000, HB 3237, HB 3326, HB 1056, HB 281, HB 3308, HB 1043, HB 1234, HB 1193, HB 294, HB 809, HB 334, HB 2037, HB 285, HB 1353, HB 3960, HB 4044, HB 4264, HB 2807, HB 3349, HB 4406, HB 1593, HB 1899, HB 1201, and others. Several bills prompted extended debate or amendments. HB 3237, extending public energy-use reporting for state and higher-education buildings, passed after questions about its public-sector-only scope and energy savings. HB 3326, addressing public service loan forgiveness credit for adjunct professors, initially failed on a 69-70 vote but later passed after verification and machine corrections. HB 3211, concerning optometrists in managed care plans, adopted a Buckley amendment before passing. HB 2213 on Texas Windstorm Insurance Association board composition adopted a Metcalf amendment requiring certain board members to be Texas residents. HB 412, dealing with harmful materials and sexual performance of a child, generated extensive questioning about its scope, existing legal standards, and effects on educators and medical professionals; the excerpt ends during that debate.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is with regards to the Department of Education awarding high school diplomas to those whose education
• This is with regards to the Department of Education awarding high school diplomas to those whose education
• Democratic part of Hawaii education Democratic part of Hawaii education caucus<00:38:28.800>
• advantage of their educational advantage of their educational opportunities<00:55:24.240> and
• office within the Board of Education office within the Board of Education First<01:19:44.639>

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard several education-related bills, with testimony largely in support. SB 1388 and SB 1393, both concerning the School Facilities Authority and Department of Education representation and land conveyances, received support from DOE and the School Facilities Authority, with no questions or action taken. SB 423, which would add Head Start representation to the Early Learning Board, was supported by the Early Learning Board and the Executive Office on Early Learning, which explained the bill would realign the board with federal Head Start Act requirements after the board was restructured in Act 170; EEL also requested an effective-date amendment. SB 422, allowing DOE to award diplomas to students whose education was disrupted by war, drew support from DOE, the Chamber of Commerce, the Military Council, and the Special Education Advisory Council, but also significant opposition from the Hawaii Patriot Republicans and many individuals; members asked questions about the bill, and DOE explained the measure’s purpose, but no vote was taken. The committee also took testimony on SB 532, which would expand who may administer certain medications in schools. DOE, the Department of Health, and the University of Hawaii supported the bill. Members asked detailed questions about oral, nasal, and topical medications and the process for prescription review and administration; DOE explained that parents request the medication, a school form is completed, a nurse reviews it, and either a trained school health assistant or a contracted nurse administers the medication. DOE said the measure could improve attendance and learning, especially for students with ADHD, asthma, and other chronic conditions. The committee then heard SB 659 on locally sourced food products and school meals, where DOE’s procurement office opposed the higher small-purchase threshold and DOE exemption from procurement rules, while Ulupono Initiative, Hawaii Farm Bureau, Hawaii Public Health Institute, and others supported the bill as a way to advance farm-to-school goals and the 30% local food target by 2030. Testimony and questioning focused on the proposed threshold increase, transparency, and whether an online bidding system would be preferable. Finally, the committee heard SB 1300 on subsidies for ALICE families’ school meals. DOE supported the bill but requested amendments: defining eligibility at 250% of the federal poverty level, delaying implementation until the 2026-2027 school year, and covering reduced-price lunch students in full for 2025-2026. HSTA, Hawaii Appleseed, Catholic Charities Hawaii, Pride at Work Hawaii, Hawaii Youth Services Network, and others supported the measure, emphasizing food insecurity, the burden of meal paperwork, and the educational importance of free meals. Hawaii Appleseed suggested replacing ALICE with a federal poverty level standard and removing a rulemaking requirement that could delay implementation. No votes or final committee actions were reported in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:04:28.280> and Center for Workforce for education and Center for Workforce for education
• of St Thomas uh we have been educating of St Thomas uh we have been educating motans<00:16:06.720
• She... education in Minnesota that the private education in Minnesota that the private colleges<00:29
• the Minnesota office of High education the Minnesota office of High education and<00:48:58.280><
• education education and<01:21:55.560> I'm<01:21:55.840> happy<01:21:56.080> to<

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• And with that, the public education portion of Article 3. of Senate Bill 1.
• We will move on to Article 3, higher education. education and wait for the documents to be handed out
• This is for for the Higher Education Coordinating Board.
• Entitled Special Provisions Related Only to State Agencies of Higher Education.
• Item number four, adjustment to voter education fees and appropriations.

Bills: SB 1

Keywords: campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• As a result, we are the most cost-efficient higher education model in the state.
• We are focused on keeping higher education affordable.
• The second one is the higher education funds.
• Our exceptional item, uh, is a competency-based education request.
• It's a quick short one on special provisions relating to higher education.

Transcript Highlights:

• It is a big topic going on right now: special education costs in public education.
• It is a big topic going on right now: special education costs in public education.
• It is a big topic going on right now: special education costs in public education.
• It is a big topic going on right now: special education costs in public education.
• . education. education. question. question. question.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Legislative Performance Audit and Oversight Committee met to accept prior minutes and receive updates on ongoing audits. Audit staff reported progress on three education-related reviews: special education (34 of 71 observations completed, draft expected in the second quarter and final in the summer), education freedom accounts (22 of 41 observations completed, draft expected in the second quarter and final in the summer), and the doorway program (5 of 13 observations completed, draft expected by the end of February and final by April or May). No committee questions were raised on the audit status update. The committee then discussed possible future oversight topics, beginning with SNAP and concerns about fraud and work requirements. Members suggested inviting DHS officials and contract administrators to explain program operations and compliance, and also discussed whether the Department of Justice Medicaid fraud unit or other experienced officials could provide useful context. Members noted New Hampshire’s existing oversight layers, including the Executive Council and the joint HHS oversight committee, while also expressing interest in hearing more directly from department staff about staffing and contract management capacity. A substantial portion of the meeting focused on whether to pursue an audit of special education at the local school level. Members debated whether to wait for the ongoing statewide special education review and a legislative study commission report, or to begin scoping a local audit now so work could start sooner. Supporters argued that local-level spending, identification rates, and effectiveness vary widely by district and that an audit should examine both costs and outcomes; others cautioned that the scope would need to be manageable given limited audit staff and that the statewide report may help narrow the focus. The committee also briefly discussed a potential audit of the Bureau of Elderly and Adult Services, but no decision was made on that item.

Transcript Highlights:

• Al-Marsucci, who oversees our higher education committee, or committee on education.
• So, per CLEA, on the education side, per CLEA, on the higher education side, per CLEA, we are mandated
• So per clear, on the education side, per clear, on the higher education side, per clear, we are mandated
• The campaign educates Californians about...
• Marsucci, from the education. Our co-chair, Mr.

Summary: The committee held a hearing on active and mass shootings in California, focusing on prevention, response, training, communications, and gaps in preparedness across law enforcement, schools, campuses, fire, EMS, and state agencies. Opening remarks emphasized the frequency and impact of gun violence, the need for faster coordinated response, and the importance of learning from recent tragedies such as the Stockton-area mass shooting described by Sheriff Patrick Withrow. The first panel included representatives from police, sheriff, and campus public safety agencies, who discussed incident command, interoperable communications, next-generation 911, threat assessment, emergency notification systems, and the value of joint drills and cross-agency planning. Witnesses also highlighted differences in training and authority across jurisdictions, especially for private university public safety departments versus public campus police. Campus representatives said they rely heavily on municipal law enforcement for armed response, while also using run-hide-fight protocols, text alerts, surveillance, and threat assessment teams. Members raised concerns about standardized training, after-action reviews, mental health resources, school resource officers, and whether campus safety plans and drills are sufficiently consistent or workable. Sheriff Withrow argued that early intervention and accountability are being weakened by well-intentioned laws, while other witnesses stressed prevention through relationships, diversion, and coordinated support services. The second panel from Cal OES, the Department of Education, POST, and EMSA described statewide systems and standards. Cal OES outlined its Reduce the Risk initiative, gun violence restraining orders, mutual aid, unified command, after-action reporting, and nonprofit security grants. The Department of Education explained California’s statutory school safety framework, annual safety plans, regulated armed assailant drills, and local flexibility, while acknowledging compliance gaps and the need for more mental health support. POST described the new requirement for 16 hours of standardized active shooter training for recruits and ongoing local training options. EMSA explained its role in medical response and terrorism training standards. No votes or formal actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• The education that comes out, and some of the monies that are supposed to be used, right, for education
• Additionally, we have our regional health educators: our Northeast Health Educator, Northwest Health
• Educator, and our Southern Health Educator, and then eventually we're hoping again to have the Community
• To provide statewide training and education, Karis Consulting is doing college and university education
• So we have three regional health educators. I'm assuming that the.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:04:34.720> director I work with a special education director I work with a special education
• Working in public education is like me. Working in public education is a<00:08:20.479> calling.
• <00:08:32.479> counterparts than our equally educated counterparts than our equally educated
• <00:19:35.520> and programs like special education and programs like special education and
• table and talk about uh, educators table and talk about uh, educators joining<00:20:56.880> CEP

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Education Committee The House Education Committee recommended<00:07:03.960> an<00:07:04.040><
• cuz when in Senate in Senate Education cuz when in Senate in Senate Education when<00:12:05.480>
• You have 12 Department of Education.
• administrators subject to the educator administrators subject to the educator code<00:24:25.320>
• K-12 public education K-12 public education the<00:28:43.640> idea<00:28:44.159> that<

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Next item, B2 is a letter from the Department of Education, Division of Elementary and Secondary Education
• The first item is a letter from the Department of Education, Division of Higher Education.
• E2 is a letter from Education Division of Elementary and Secondary Education.
• The first item is a letter from the Department of Education, Division of Higher Education.
• E2 is a letter from Education Division of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Summary: The PEER Review Subcommittee met to consider a large agenda of budget, appropriation, transfer, and contract items. Members approved temporary appropriation requests for several agencies, including the Auditor of State, Department of Education, and Labor and Licensing; ARPA return requests from Workforce Services; Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act requests for State Police and Agriculture; restricted reserve transfers for teacher scholarships, school facilities, and economic stimulus; a Commerce reallocation of positions and spending authority; cash fund, budget classification, overtime, and pay plan requests; and 17 methods of finance items for universities and other agencies. Most items were approved without objection after brief explanations from staff and agencies. Several items drew questions and were held or discussed further. A Department of Human Services discretionary grant package for the RSVP program was held over after Senator Irvin raised concerns about whether the grants were an effective use of state general revenue and asked for more information on administration costs and program operations. In the contracts section, Representative Richardson questioned a DHS sole-source contract with EMS Link for document management software and a DHS contract with Presidio; the EMS Link item was held for additional answers, while the Presidio item was clarified as not sole-source and was allowed to proceed. Members also asked for more information on a Department of Education mental health referral contract with Care Solace, which officials said is a statewide concierge/referral service connecting students to Arkansas providers and telehealth options. The committee also reviewed monthly reports, including the Medicaid Trust Fund. DHS and DFA officials said the fund was currently sufficient to finish the fiscal year, though it was being drawn down and would likely require a $100 million transfer from restricted reserves in FY27, with another $100 million set aside in the governor’s budget as a backstop. Members discussed the need to define a minimum reserve level and to better account for ongoing Medicaid costs in the budget. The meeting ended with no further business and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is our Budget Subcommittee Number Three on Education Finance in the Assembly.
• Phuong's Higher Education Committee.
• , and physical education programs.
• It's in Education Code Section 84660, if you were interested in reading it. Okay, thank you.
• The main place we needed is in our education and research buildings.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• food security and nutrition education food security and nutrition education amongst<01:02:36.400
• They are doing the education.
• :07:49.680> community nutrition educators go to community nutrition educators go to community
• nutrition education on a regular basis. nutrition education on a regular basis.
• designed to offer that SNAP education. designed to offer that SNAP education.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Make America Healthy Kentucky Task Force met with a quorum, approved the minutes, and then heard a presentation on the state’s “food is medicine” efforts. Chair Funky Fromm opened by describing a recent foot injury from a road hazard and used it to emphasize the importance of infrastructure, nutrition, sleep, and activity as part of a broader wellness culture. The main witnesses were Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture Jonathan Shell, Holly Harris of Appalachian Regional Health Care (ARH), and Jim Muser of the Kentucky Hospital Association. Shell and Harris described a partnership between the Department of Agriculture, the Kentucky Hospital Association, and hospitals such as ARH to connect local farmers with hospital cafeterias, farmers markets, CSA-style subscription food boxes, and medically tailored meals. Harris said ARH serves a large region with 14 hospitals, more than 95 clinics, about 6,700 employees, and 1,300 medical staff, and that the system began by improving employee food options because hospital workers often have limited access to healthy meals during shifts. They reported examples such as a local-protein burger, parking-lot farmers markets, subsidized CSA boxes for employees, and plans for container gardens at some hospitals. The witnesses said the program is intended to improve health outcomes, reduce readmissions, support chronic disease management, and also increase rural prosperity by expanding demand for Kentucky farm products. Shell said more than 40 hospitals had already been onboarded into the food-is-medicine program, with measurable outcomes being studied through pilots such as one at Russell County Hospital. He also noted that some systems, including CHI St. Joseph Health, Taylor Regional, and UK King’s Daughters, have formally embedded food-as-medicine goals into strategic plans. Members and witnesses also discussed barriers, especially the lack of reimbursement, fragmented short-term funding, and regulatory or purchasing hurdles that make it difficult for small farmers to participate. Shell said the goal is to make the model scalable and easier for hospitals and farmers to navigate, while Harris emphasized that ARH has been funding its efforts without reimbursement because of its mission. No votes or formal policy actions were taken beyond approving the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• and then I'll go to the the education and then I'll go to the the education trust<01:15:03.679><
• The second part of what we did was<01:16:40.480> education. was education. was education.
• money from lottery must go to education money from lottery must go to education at<01:23:49.679>
• and providing financial education and providing financial education outreach<01:59:22.480> to
• required transfer from the education required transfer from the education trust<03:00:29.520>

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the committee on education. the committee on education.
• equal access to a free public education equal access to a free public education and<00:50:02.720
• Are you ready for the on Education? Are you ready for the question? question? question?
• I want to thank the Senate Education Committee.
• in statute encouraging our educational in statute encouraging our educational leaders<01:15:21.760

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The second one being education, so multiple task force members expressed the need for additional education
• The second one being education, so multiple task force members expressed the need for additional education
• Setting parameters for educational and certification requirements, Setting parameters for educational
• Setting parameters for educational and certification requirements, Setting parameters for educational
• Any comments on education?

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The Child Custody Review Task Force met with a quorum, approved the prior meeting minutes, and reviewed a memorandum compiling member suggestions for possible legislation. The memo grouped ideas into topics including creation of a family court, expanded education for parents, attorneys, and judges, expedited hearings for parenting-time violations, limiting law enforcement involvement in custody disputes, creating parenting time expediters, and adopting more uniform court procedures. Members also discussed whether to form subcommittees, but the task force decided to continue working as a full committee rather than create subcommittees at this time. The committee then heard testimony from Dr. John Perez, a mental health professional, who described his personal custody experience and his professional work with families he believes have been affected by parental alienation. He argued for stronger education, faster court response times, and better tools to address intentional interference with parenting time. Members questioned him about his case history, the concept of parental alienation, and whether specialized family courts or judges with family-law training could help. Dr. Perez said a dedicated family court and faster hearings would likely have helped his situation. The task force spent substantial time discussing the possible creation of a family court. Judge Hovey supported the idea of a specialized family court or at least a study of one, saying family cases are distinct from ordinary adversarial litigation and that judges with family-law experience could better handle them. Several members agreed that a family court could improve consistency, expertise, and speed, but others cautioned that the task force’s current directive is focused on enforcement of existing orders rather than broader custody policy, and noted that voters had previously rejected equal shared parenting proposals. The group also discussed expedited procedures for parenting-time disputes, with Judge Hovey suggesting a 30-day hearing timeline may be workable. On education, members generally supported requiring parents to complete a parenting education course and adding educational materials explaining court process, child support, and what judges can and cannot do. Mr. McLean suggested a short instructional video for litigants and more family-law education for judges and attorneys, while Ms. Moldenhauer said education could be incorporated into scheduling orders or mediation orders. Members also discussed the Parents Forever course, including whether it should be mandatory in all counties and whether cost is a barrier; no vote was taken on any of these proposals.

Transcript Highlights:

• You're welcome. >> Any other world of educating students. The Dair world of educating students.
• Educators see every day how best.
• The Dair Education and education.
• > Education.
• <00:54:36.640> The Department of Education. The Department of Education.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee heard House Bill 1331, which would allow the town of Derry to incorporate the Derry Cooperative School District as a department of the town through a charter amendment. The prime sponsor and several supporters argued the change would increase local control, streamline overlapping town and school functions, and potentially help align school spending with Derry’s tax cap. Supporters also said Derry is large enough to warrant a structure more like Manchester or Nashua, and one witness cited a 2018 nonbinding Derry ballot question that passed 597 to 547 in favor of seeking authorization for this change. Opposition came from NEA New Hampshire President Megan Tuttle, who said the association and the Derry Education Association opposed the bill because schools are not simply another municipal department and because Derry voters had already rejected merging the district into town government. She argued the state should respect local control and the community’s prior decision. Committee members asked about the scope of the proposed charter change, the role of the school board, and the reported prior vote, and the sponsor clarified that the amendment would be limited to this specific purpose rather than opening the entire charter. The hearing then moved to House Bill 1374, which would change the procedures for withdrawing from a cooperative school district. Representative Mary Murphy said current law gives other cooperative towns too much control over a withdrawing town’s decision, and her bill would remove the requirement for approval by the other towns while raising the withdrawing town’s approval threshold to a supermajority. She pointed to Francis Town’s 2024 withdrawal vote and said the bill was intended to protect students and local decision-making. The sponsor asked for an ought to pass recommendation, and committee members asked follow-up questions about the prior withdrawal vote and the number of voters involved.

Transcript Highlights:

• Welcome back to the Education Policy Committee.
• I have served in a variety of roles in K-12 public education.
• Taber Samuelson, veteran educator with 30 years' experience in public schools and a master's in education
• Taber Samuelson veteran educator with 30 years experience in public schools and a master's in education
• quickly later in one's education.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Today, United Way of the Concho Valley addresses vital issues such as education, financial stability,
• Their team is easy to work with and always interested in furthering the education of all the students
• and public school finance refer to the Committee on Public Education.
• on Public Education.
• Savings Account Program, refer to the Committee on Public Education.