Transcript Highlights:

• The Jackson Street Roundhouse is a living museum, an educational hub, and a gathering space where we
• </c> gathering space for cultural education gathering space for cultural education and<00:21:13.520><
• </c> discussion today we're an educational discussion today we're an educational leader<00:32:23.399>
• Lots of testimonies, lots of educators speaking up on this.
• Lots of testimonies, lots of educators speaking up on this.

Committee: Senate Environment, Climate, and Legacy

Transcript Highlights:

• Here's really what makes us special, here's what we do better in educating Natives in higher education
• Here's what we do better in educating Natives in higher education than other schools.
• Here's what we do better in educating Natives in higher education than other schools.
• our education.
• Thank you for educating people.

Committee: House Higher Education Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:21:38.440><c> with</c><00:21:38.559><c> a</c> care and education with a care and education with
• We also wanted to mention supporting access to high-quality early care and education.
• We also wanted to mention supporting access to high-quality early care and education.
• We also wanted to mention supporting access to high-quality early care and education.
• </c> support their early care and education support their early care and education needs<00:25:32.039

Committee: House Children and Families Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• C is a letter from Education, Division of Elementary and Secondary Education.
• E is a letter from the Department of Education, Arkansas Educational Television Commission.
• E is a letter from the Department of Education, Arkansas Educational Television Commission.
• B is a letter from the Division of Higher Education.
• B is a letter from the Division of Higher Education.

Committee: All ALC-PEER

Summary: The committee reviewed a large slate of appropriation, transfer, and continuation requests across multiple sections. In Section B, members considered temporary FY27 appropriations for agencies including Health, DHS, Education, Treasury, Public Safety, State Police, Emergency Management, Aeronautics, Military, Economic Development, Game and Fish, and others, covering items such as maternal health outreach, LIHEAP overpayment returns, Wynne High School tornado rebuilding, senior food services, cybersecurity, crime victim claims, airport grants, conservation incentives, and emergency tower maintenance. Questions focused on the DHS senior services carry-forward and Treasury custodial banking fees tied to lower balances after COVID funds were spent down. All Section B items were approved. The committee then approved continuation requests, ARPA reallocations, and federal grant-related items in Sections B2, C1A, D1, D2, D3, E1, E2, E3, F1A, G1, H1A, I1A, J1/J2, K1/K2/K3, L1/L2, M1/M2, N1/N2, O1A, and P1A. These included university nursing and workforce programs, environmental and recycling grants, highway safety and emergency management grants, a transfer to the Merit Teacher Incentive Program, restricted reserve transfers for military, agriculture, UAPB, Game and Fish, and AETN, and various cash-fund and budget classification transfers. Several members asked for more detail on the State Police highway safety grant, VOCA victim compensation funding, the NSGP nonprofit security grant, and the Office of State Technology’s E-Rate-related transfer; agency officials explained the uses and noted that some funding levels depend on federal awards and collections. A notable discussion occurred on the Department of Commerce reallocation, which shifts 68 positions and $3 million among divisions to support an organizational realignment and avoid shortfalls. The committee also reviewed a state central services deduction request to keep the rate at 2%, a DHS overtime request for child protection caseloads, and a year-end adjustments request authorizing up to $1 million in temporary actions to close FY26 books without disrupting payroll or vendor payments. Most items were approved or, in some sections, simply reviewed without objection. The meeting adjourned after completing the agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is really a clarity bill on educational equivalency in licensure.
• This is really a clarity bill on educational equivalency in licensure.
• Homeschool diplomas to satisfy education requirements for licensure.
• at home, according to the National Home Education Research Institute.
• This would only deal with the education portion of the requirement.

Committee: Senate Commerce and Human Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• supporting, and enhancing the vitality of general aviation, aerospace, aircraft manufacturing, educational
• HB 2621, veterans scholarships; HB 2628, public school special education; HB 2630, ballot delivery; HB
• savings accounts, has found positive... ...programs, including charter schools and education savings
• quality by fostering competition and responsiveness across educational providers.
• And whereas Arizona's experience with choice-based education demonstrates that many choice schools exceed

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, approval of the prior journal, and recognition of Dr. Pamela Murphy as Doctor of the Day. Members also introduced a number of guests, including Deacon Ernie Gonzalez, local Prescott officials, Arizona Game and Fish commissioners, and advocates from the Alzheimer’s Association. A proclamation was read designating January 26, 2026, as Arizona Aviation Day, with remarks highlighting the aviation industry’s economic impact and the presence of airport and aviation representatives in the gallery. The clerk then read a long list of bills that had been first read or referred for printing, and a second-reading calendar covering measures on water and energy, education, elections, taxes, housing, veterans, public safety, and other topics. No floor votes on those bills were taken during this segment. Representative Gress also read a resolution recognizing National School Choice Week and praising Arizona’s school choice programs, including charters and ESAs. Much of the remainder of the session consisted of members’ personal privilege remarks responding to violence and immigration enforcement actions in Minnesota and elsewhere. Speakers from both parties and several senators and representatives condemned ICE tactics, described constituent fear and family separations, and called for constitutional rights, due process, and accountability. Representative Sandoval requested and the House observed a moment of respectful silence in memory of Alex Pretty and Renee Good. The House then received committee and caucus announcements and adjourned until 1:15 p.m. Tuesday, January 27, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, in FY17, a low of 53 million to education.
• So, the lottery puts money into what's called the Oklahoma Lottery Education Trust Fund, and then the
• Constitutionally, the money can only be used on education.
• People love that the money gets to education.
• Um, hnteration aquatic education, trapping related education, archery in the schools, scholastic shooting

Committee: House A&B Select Agencies Subcommittee

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm honored to welcome members of of Texas as we recognize Education and Sharing Day.
• Niersen believed that education should be more about just academics.
• April 9th as Education and Sharing Day. Thank you very much for coming to your Texas Senate.
• In particular, thank you for reminding us how important education and sharing is.
• Board of Education as a foundation, Mr.

Bills: SJR3 , SB5 , SJR36 , SJR3 , SB616 , SB565 , SB384 , SB5 , SB21 , SB72 , SB140 , SB262 , SB370 , SB372 , SB495 , SB627 , SB703 , SB764 , SB842 , SB971 , SB790 , SB767 , SB480 , SB1066

Transcript Highlights:

• Porn is not, I want to be clear, porn is not an educational tool. Porn is not an educational tool.
• Porn is not an educational tool. Porn is not an educational tool. Common sense.
• It would help make their education location safer, safer for them, safer for the instructors, the educators
• I happened to sit on Education Policy, Education Finance.
• I happened to sit on education, policy, education, finance, all these things come up on a regular basis

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> a problem across the state in education. a problem across the state in education.
• </c> our educators and students to succeed. our educators and students to succeed.
• </c> from Lori Gotth, a special education from Lori Gotth, a special education para<01:31:41.440><c>
• ,</c><01:34:46.560><c> we</c> retaining high-quality educators, we retaining high-quality educators,
• </c> the uh Education Minnesota. the uh Education Minnesota.

Committee: Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection

Transcript Highlights:

• Number four, Department of Education Number four, Department of Education with Management Services for
• Education Data.
• Number four, Department of Education with Management Services for Education Data.
• Department of Education.
• Courtney Sallis, for the Department of Education. Greg Rogers, Department of Education.

Committee: All ALC-REVIEW

Summary: The ALC-Review Subcommittee reviewed seven methods of finance, including university projects at ASU Jonesboro and Mountain Home, Black River Technical College deferred maintenance, UA Batesville’s Farm Project Gateway Center, UAMS PET cyclotron equipment, a new allied health building at UAPB funded by a federal grant, and UCA’s multi-purpose arena design work. The committee also approved an alternative delivery construction project for UAPB’s Allied Health and Sciences Building, with East Harding Construction selected and AMR Architects as designer. Members then approved discretionary grants from the Department of Health and DHS, including support for a heart attack center designation, community health worker training, homeless services funding corrections, behavioral health transition support, and an enabling technology pilot. In the contracts section, the committee reviewed RFQs, construction-related contracts, intergovernmental contracts, and a large slate of out-of-state and in-state contracts covering topics such as seatbelt survey data collection, Medicaid and DHS systems, state hospital staffing and services, veterans’ services, education assessments, and state IT and procurement projects. Several contracts drew extended questioning. Senators and representatives pressed DHS and the Department of Veterans Affairs about heavy reliance on contract nursing and staffing costs, and officials said they were using pay incentives and recruitment efforts to increase state employee staffing. Members also questioned AEDC’s lithium supply chain study and the Department of Education’s security contract, with concerns about projected costs and repeated amendments. The committee held three in-state contracts—Department of Education security services and two DHS staffing contracts—until Friday, then adopted the remaining contracts and received informational reports on contract amendments, executed contracts, and emergency procurements before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman, I move that the Education Committee amendment be adopted.
• Chairman, I move that the Education Committee amendment as amended be adopted. Perfect.
• The question... ...Education Committee amendment as amended be adopted.
• This program is an opt-out program, while sex education is an opt-in program.
• Education Committee at H.H.R. 1 will start two minutes, 10 minutes after floor. Two o'clock.

Transcript Highlights:

• March 4, 2006, the Education Committee reports out House Bill 59 and recommends that it do pass, Lent
• March 4, 2026, the Education Committee reports out House Bill 728 with the recommendation that it be
• March 4, 2006, the Education Committee reports out House Bill 59 and recommends that it do pass, Lent
• In the House of Representatives, House Bill 624 by the Education Committee, an act relating to education
• And I've said once, I'll say again, you've got one chance to educate your kids.

Transcript Highlights:

• HB 2621, public school special education. HB 2628, ballot delivery. HB 2630, election officers.
• HB 2810, health education abortion provider. HB 2811, obstructing government operations.
• savings accounts, has found positive... ...programs, including charter schools and education savings
• quality by fostering competition and responsiveness across educational providers.
• And whereas Arizona's experience with choice-based education demonstrates that many choice schools exceed

Transcript Highlights:

• Try to pay rent, try to raise a family, try to pay for an education on $7.25 an hour.
• Try to raise a family, try to pay for an education on $7.25 an hour.
• I mentioned special education. I mentioned special education. Now, let's talk about our educators.
• And back to the issue of education.
• That happened, and that's happening in California's public educational system.

Summary: The joint convention convened to receive Governor Gavin Newsom’s final State of the State address, with legislative leaders introducing the Governor and welcoming constitutional officers, judges, and other guests. The proceedings opened with a moment of silence honoring Renee Nicole Good and other immigrants affected by detention and due process concerns. After introductory remarks from the Speaker, Senate President pro Tem Monique Limón, and Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis, Governor Newsom delivered a wide-ranging address reflecting on his administration and California’s response to recent crises. The Governor highlighted California’s economic performance, tax structure, minimum wage increases, education funding, child care and school meal investments, housing reforms, apprenticeships, infrastructure projects, clean energy progress, and efforts on homelessness, mental health, and public safety. He also discussed state action on artificial intelligence regulation, climate resilience, insurance reform, and wildfire recovery, while sharply criticizing the federal government and President Trump on immigration, health care, food aid, disaster response, and other issues. He announced that his upcoming budget would include major education spending, a five-year extension of the CalCompete tax credit, additional community school funding, a rebuilding fund for fire survivors, and other policy proposals. At the close of the address, the Legislature formally ordered the Governor’s State of the State speech printed in the journal as a special appendix. The joint convention then adjourned sine die.

Transcript Highlights:

• Try to pay rent, try to raise a family, try to pay for an education on $7.25 an hour.
• Try to raise a family, try to pay for an education on $7.25 an hour.
• I mentioned special education. I mentioned special education. Now, let's talk about our educators.
• And back to the issue of education.
• That happened, and that's happening in California's public educational system.

Transcript Highlights:

• and education in general.
• It makes investments in education. It protects It makes investments in education.
• for teaching our children, educating our children.
• It cannot be lost in the conversation about education.
• Constable's Education and Training Board, William H.

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, communications, committee reports, and leaves of absence. The journal was approved 50-0. The chamber then took up House Bill 1505, which drew extended debate over school funding and adequacy/tax equity. Senators Coleman and Keefer argued the bill continued to pour money into districts like Allentown without accountability or improved results, while Senators Costa, Miller, Haywood, and Anthony Williams defended the funding as a response to historic underfunding and the Commonwealth Court decision. A motion allowing Senator Coleman a third speaking turn was adopted 27-23, and the bill ultimately passed 45-5. The Senate then considered House Bill 2400, the General Appropriation Act. Supporters, including Senators Martin, Dush, Phillips-Hill, Costa, Ward, Street, Hughes, and Pittman, emphasized that the budget was balanced without using the rainy day fund or raising taxes, reduced the governor’s proposal, increased education and child care funding, supported nursing homes, rape crisis centers, infrastructure, and workforce programs, and shifted money from lapsed or unused accounts to current priorities. Opponents, including Senators Saval and Muth, said the budget failed to address structural deficits and omitted new revenue options, emergency services funding, and other major issues. The bill passed 44-6 with amendments and was returned to the House for concurrence. The Senate also passed a series of other bills, including House Bills 2412, 2413, 96, 858, 1042, 1286, 1646, 1851, 1862, 2017, 2024, 2401, and 2559, with varying margins, and sent them to the House, some with amendments. House Bill 1042 drew a negative recommendation from Senator Costa over a late amendment involving second-degree murder/felony language, but after reconsideration and vote changes it passed 30-20 with amendments. House Bill 1862, creating an Ignition Interlock Driver’s License, passed 45-5 after support from Senator Judy Ward. House Bill 1248 passed 43-7 and designates Pennsylvania rye whiskey as the official state spirit, with Senators Bartolotta and Robinson speaking in support. The chamber also adopted Senate Resolution 216, after defeating Senator Haywood’s amendment to narrow the scope of a proposed Legislative Budget and Finance Committee study of managed care organizations; the resolution passed 31-19. Several other bills were held over in their order, and the Senate later moved toward a condolence resolution.

Transcript Highlights:

• on civic education.
• And that's what I tried to say about civic education.
• In your experience, beyond civic education,...
• , and to have their basic civil rights honored in our educational system.
• We need to evaluate how we teach about Jewish people beyond just Holocaust education.

Summary: The meeting began with roll call, approval of the May 5 minutes, and opening remarks thanking commissioners and the public for their attendance. The commission then heard testimony from former Ambassador Alan Solomont, who argued that antisemitism is rising in multiple forms, including white nationalist antisemitism and antisemitism tied to anti-Israel rhetoric after October 7. He said campus antisemitism should be addressed with nuance, distinguishing protected political speech from conduct that targets Jewish students, and warned against weaponizing antisemitism to attack higher education, civil liberties, or federal research funding. He urged the commission to use multiple definitions and frameworks, including IHRA, Nexus, and the Jerusalem Declaration, and to focus on campus-specific solutions, civic education, and civil discourse. Commissioners asked him about Tufts’ antisemitism training, the role of the federal government, the use of the IHRA definition, and how to improve civic education; he emphasized local campus responses, broader civics instruction, and protecting democracy and due process. The second major witness was Professor David Weber of Boston University, who testified on the BDS movement and anti-BDS laws. He described BDS as a campaign targeting Israeli businesses, universities, and institutions, and argued it functions as a propagandistic and discriminatory effort that fuels antisemitism and chills dialogue on campuses and in public life. He cited examples such as SodaStream, Ben & Jerry’s, and Brown University, and said anti-BDS laws in 37 states have been effective and constitutional because they regulate government economic activity rather than suppress speech. Weber urged Massachusetts to adopt an anti-BDS statute or executive order, saying the state’s large Jewish population and economic ties to Israel make the issue especially important. Commissioners questioned him about which states have such laws, the impact on dialogue and campus culture, possible legal frameworks, and whether BDS is really aimed at the Israeli government or at individuals and institutions; he maintained that BDS targets people and entities connected to Israel and that anti-BDS measures can help draw a line against illiberal conduct.

Transcript Highlights:

• So to rely on just educators to fix Here.
• It’s also about improving overall educational goals.
• It’s about improving overall educational outcomes because physical education, physical exertion, makes
• ...” “...educator.
• And as a teacher, an early childhood educator...”

Summary: The House approved the journal and recognized several special guests and departing staff before moving to bills on perfection and printing. House Bill 2636, the Mortgage Modification Act, was explained as a banking measure to keep a first mortgage in first position when modified, and it received bipartisan support and was ordered perfected and printed. House Bill 1718, dealing with sovereign immunity caps and the inflation factor under section 537.610, was also advanced after questions about whether the cap should be measured at the time of injury or judgment; the sponsor said the bill would use the injury date and that trial attorneys were the main opposition. House Bills 2120 and 1698, combined as an anti-bullying measure known as Sawyer’s Law, were then taken up and advanced after extensive debate. The bill would require prompt reporting and investigation of bullying, reporting to administrators and school boards, and protections for staff and schools acting under the policy. An amendment from the Lady from Boone sought to remove zero-tolerance references, limit identifying information in reports, and give school boards more flexibility, but it failed on a voice vote. Supporters of the bill cited tragic bullying cases and argued schools need stronger reporting and accountability; opponents of the amendment and some speakers warned about due process, school board overreach, and potential liability. House Bill 2748, requiring daily physical activity for students, was then brought up with an amendment that would remove the emergency clause, delay implementation, and specify weekly activity minutes and how some activity time could count toward class requirements; members debated scheduling, teacher workload, and whether the proposal would reduce instructional time, but the discussion was still ongoing at the end of the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• Their education is separate.
• Educational challenges: 80% of our youth, according to my education staff, are reading at or below a
• Educational challenges, 80% of our youth, according to my education staff, are reading at or below a
• Courtney Sallis Ford for the Department of Education.
• Deputy Commissioner with the Department of Education. Okay.

Summary: The committee first approved the December 10 minutes and then approved Representative Bentley’s appointment to the Child Maltreatment Oversight Committee. Members then received the Arkansas Infant and Child Death Review annual report, which covered unexpected child deaths in 2023. Reviewers said 170 non-natural deaths were identified, but 22 could not be reviewed because of criminal investigations, prosecutions, or missing records. Of the 148 reviewed deaths, 69 were accidents, 14 suicides, 18 homicides, and 47 were undetermined causes, including sudden unexpected infant death. Members asked how the report’s recommendations could be used, and presenters said the report is intended as a prevention tool for agencies, nonprofits, and others; they also noted that child abuse prevention grant applications are being shaped by the report’s recommendations and offered to share the RFP with the committee. A question about suicide and homicide data by age was answered by pointing members to the age breakdown in the report, with most of those deaths concentrated among 15- to 17-year-olds. The committee then took up HCR 1010 and a broader discussion of juvenile justice reform. Representative Shepard said the resolution was meant to confront data on juvenile incarceration and the cost of the system, while Senator Irvin, Judge Troy Braswell, Judge Kathy Hess, and AOC Juvenile Division Director Burke Steen described years of reform efforts built around validated risk assessments, diversion, and community-based services. They said Arkansas adopted tools such as SAVRY, the MAYSI, and substance-abuse screening to individualize juvenile court responses, and they emphasized that the goal is to keep children at home and in their communities when safe to do so. Members discussed the need for more mental health and substance-abuse services, better school collaboration, and the role of school safety dashboards and FINS/truancy cases in identifying problems earlier. Judges and staff said the reforms have reduced delinquency filings, DYS commitments, and revocations, while increasing diversions, though they noted data gaps in some counties and the need for better reporting. They also stressed that some serious offenses still require detention or commitment, and that judges must balance public safety with rehabilitation. Representative Barnes and others asked whether the numbers might be worse without judicial discretion and community programs, and the presenters agreed that individualized decision-making and graduated sanctions matter. Representative Inatt asked about tracking youth with disabilities, and the presenters said that specific diagnoses are not currently tracked but that national court data efforts may soon add behavioral-health data points. The committee then heard from DYS Director Michael Crump, who provided detailed data on DYS commitments, secure and community-based placements, detention-center use, demographics, offense levels, average length of stay, education outcomes, recidivism, dual DCFS/DYS custody, costs, and interagency coordination. He said commitments fell sharply during COVID, have since risen and then begun to decline, and that the system is working to reduce detention use, improve education and treatment, and expand community-based providers statewide.