Transcript Highlights:

• I show you registered as Jennifer Highland, test final.
• National Board is more than simply passing a test. It requires a comprehensive.
• So it's not just test scores. Test scores are a component of it as well.
• and the t-test, the evaluation instrument, is the test that I'm speaking about.
• The majority of the testing kits are now digital, which is good.

Bills: HB2 , HB2

Committee: House Public Education

Keywords: public education, teacher compensation, certification, funding, school finance, educator rights, education funding, charter schools, staff compensation, state aid, retention allotment, disaster preparedness, emergency management, flooding, mass fatality, mass casualty, fatality tracking, body recovery, autopsy, justice of the peace

Transcript Highlights:

• The way that was accommodated is they would take basically a nonresident test and license in one state
• , and other states that required tests and licenses would recognize that state, and it worked very well
• We're going to require that you, even though you've had a test and exam in another state, have to have
• a test and have to be licensed in your home state.
• accommodates a change made by other states that kind of duplicates the circumstance for licensing and testing

Bills: SB1181 , SB1252 , SB1254 , SB1415

Committee: House Commerce

Keywords: certified public accountants, CPA certification, accounting regulations, professional standards, continuing education, assignment for benefit of creditors, ABC act, insolvency, creditor claims, debt liquidation, business wind-up, receivership, liquidation, secured creditors, unsecured creditors, proof of claim, voidable transactions, fraudulent transfer, wage claims, priority claims

Transcript Highlights:

• should be more upfront with LEAs and schools about what will be tested so they can focus on it.
• He said that should be something considered, but that all they have is the ACT test.
• Representative Hamilton said she is not saying to get rid of the test.
• She added that the ACT does not test what they teach in Arizona.
• We do not have nearly as much money in the rainy day fund as we need, according to stress tests.

Bills: HB2063 , HB2271 , HB2416 , HB2478 , HB2593 , HB2692 , HB2813 , HB2992 , HB2993 , HB4044

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: corrections oversight, appropriation, independent office, public safety, funding, firefighters, insurance rates, workers' compensation, firefighter cancer reimbursement, rate deviations, cost analysis, premiums, border security, drug trafficking, human smuggling, law enforcement funding, Arizona, immigration, education reform, K-12

Transcript Highlights:

• ,</c><04:59:05.200><c> and</c> study, really like to take tests, and study, really like to take tests
• </c> &gt;&gt; Thank you for test. &gt;&gt; Thank you for test.
• and some testing structured testing and some testing requires<05:39:39.120><c> you</c><05:39:39.280>
• Uh, this would then say if that test uses AI in some way, I can no longer have access to that test or
• . testing. testing.

Committee: Senate Executive Departments and Administration

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The seafood safety fund was initially set up predominantly as a testing mechanism where we first got
• and adulterant testing, which means like dyes and other things in seafood.”
• One, we have tested what we may believe to be commingled; we tested for adulterants, but also country-of-origin
• testing, which is becoming more and more prevalent and possible.
• I can't tell you how prevalent it will be when we start testing.

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and took up a series of coastal, seafood, wildlife, and environmental measures. House Bill 851 by Rep. Ilg, which adds intentional mass balloon releases to the gross intentional littering statute, drew support from agriculture, wildlife, and environmental groups because of impacts on livestock, wildlife, power lines, and waterways; members clarified it targets organized intentional releases, not accidental releases by children, and it was reported favorably. House Bill 652 by Rep. Broe adding a non-voting Department of Agriculture appointee to the Oyster Task Force was also reported favorably, as were House Bills 349 and 588 by Rep. Domain to expand the imported seafood safety fund’s uses and add oyster, crab, and finfish representation to the Seafood Safety Task Force. House Bill 721 by Rep. Kerner setting a 5:30 a.m. shrimp trawling start time in certain bays, House Bill 857 clarifying labeling rules for commingled imported and domestic seafood, House Bill 669 expanding state property use for Grand Isle oyster research, and House Bill 889 creating bulk tagging for oysters were each supported by industry and agency witnesses and reported favorably. House Bill 688 by Rep. Ogeron adding Atlantic tarpon to the definition of saltwater game fish was backed by the Louisiana Wildlife Federation and fishing guides and was also reported favorably. The committee spent significant time on House Bill 653 by Rep. Beham, which would require one of two United Commercial Fishermen appointees to the Oyster Task Force to be a St. Bernard Parish resident. Rep. Beham argued the parish deserves a guaranteed voice because of oyster industry impacts from freshwater intrusion and the BP spill, while opponents including the Oyster Task Force chairman said the parish-specific requirement would make vacancies harder to fill and should be worked out through the task force or by amending another bill. After debate, an amendment was adopted, but the bill itself ultimately received a favorable report. Testimony throughout the meeting emphasized the economic and cultural importance of Louisiana seafood, the need to combat imported seafood fraud, and the role of oyster cultivation and shrimping in coastal communities. House Resolution 20 by Rep. McCormick, urging the Department of Conservation and Energy to study industrial water use from Caddo Lake, prompted a broader discussion about data centers and water withdrawals. Department witness Monique Edwards explained current state limits on regulating surface water withdrawals and said more authority may be needed for comprehensive water management; committee members asked for a future departmental presentation on data center water use. The resolution was reported favorably. At the end of the meeting, Rep. Sawyer moved to adjourn, and the committee adjourned without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• And they also cannot test up.
• One superintendent said, 'Hey, what keeps them from testing into something else?'
• They also are not able to test across.
• They also are not able to test across.
• So, But they're not able to progress or take a test and go on from that.

Committee: House Elementary and Secondary Education

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 2195, a driver education-related measure. The ranking member offered an amendment to remove the word “training” and add specific safe-driving topics such as pedestrian and motorcycle safety, based on prior testimony. The amendment and then a committee substitute were adopted. Members clarified that the bill does not require schools to offer driver education; it instead creates a mechanism for schools that choose to provide it. The committee then voted the House Committee Substitute for HB 2195 do pass by a unanimous 18-0 vote. Next, the committee considered House Bill 2502. The substitute mainly changed the term “non-public” to more specific references to private, parochial, and parish schools. The substitute was adopted, and the committee voted the House Committee Substitute for HB 2502 do pass unanimously, 18-0. The committee then revisited House Bill 2776, which had previously been voted out but was brought back after additional concerns from PSRS and others. The sponsor described major revisions, including changes to teacher certification tiers, more flexible service timelines, expanded credit for professional development, and limits to elementary grades. Members debated whether the bill watered down teacher preparation, whether the new certification structure could create unintended rights or salary issues, and whether the elementary-only scope was appropriate. After extensive discussion, the committee adopted the substitute and voted the House Committee Substitute for HB 2776 do pass by a 14-4 vote. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 1767, the Missouri Educators and Parental Empowerment and Rights Act. The sponsor said the bill was intended to balance educator and parent rights and encourage collaboration rather than conflict. Supporters from Missouri NEA and the Missouri State Teachers Association said the bill would help address teacher retention by protecting classroom discipline authority, planning time, and other working conditions. School administrators raised concerns about practical implementation, potential legal conflicts, and added burdens on districts. After testimony and discussion, no further action was taken and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, Mike test check 1-2. Mike test check one, two. Mic test check one, two. Thank you.
• This doesn't mandate a new test.
• so that the state and parents can see early warning signs before they show up years later on state tests
• Parents can access state test results, but benchmark results are much more difficult to see.
• This just provides, this is just going to direct all school districts that utilize benchmarking tests

Bills: SB1726 , SB1236 , SB1633 , SB1413 , SB1317 , SB1360 , SB1342 , SB1477 , SB1189 , SB1546 , SB1524 , SB1338 , SB1193 , SB1812 , SB1617

Committee: Senate Education

Keywords: higher education, graduate instructors, training program, academic integrity, First Amendment rights, administrative reporting, education, consolidation, board, public schools, resident tuition, Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, state scholarships, financial aid, immigration status, undocumented students, noncitizen students, lawfully present, postsecondary education benefits, college tuition

Summary: The Senate Education Committee heard and advanced a large slate of education bills. Early measures included SB 1726, requiring formal training for university teaching assistants before they teach classes and evaluate students, with emphasis on First Amendment rights; SB 1236, creating an Administrative Report Consolidation Act to reduce duplicative reporting by schools and agencies; SB 1633, codifying existing higher education residency tuition practices; SB 1413, requiring notice to parents when a teacher is emergency certified and limiting adjunct teachers to 270 clock hours per semester; SB 1317, allowing career teacher status to be portable across districts with local board approval; and SB 1360, expanding the state’s math initiative by restoring instructional coaches and creating a math office at the State Department of Education. Most of these bills passed on favorable votes, with SB 1413 drawing some concern over teacher shortages and the adjunct-hour cap, but still passing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, test, test. I don't think I have any... I don't think I have any... Test, test. Yes, test.
• Test, test. Test, test. How about now? Test, test.

Summary: The Military Affairs and Border Security Committee met for its second meeting, opened with a lengthy reminder about Senate decorum rules and the consequences for disruption, then approved the January 26, 2026 minutes. The committee first heard SB 1268, an emergency measure clarifying that a veteran with a 100% service-connected disability receives a full property tax exemption on a primary residence, including when the home is jointly owned with a spouse. County assessors said the bill was a needed cleanup to prior legislation and urged quick passage so applications could be processed before tax deadlines. The bill passed 7-0 with a do pass recommendation; one senator supported it in committee but objected to the emergency clause on the floor because it limits referendum rights. The committee then considered SB 1152, which would make people with pending asylum applications eligible for state or local public benefits until an immigration judge grants asylum. Supporters argued it would prevent state funds from going to people whose status is not yet verified and emphasized taxpayer responsibility; opponents said existing law already covers the issue, warned it could encourage racial profiling, and cited the economic contributions of refugees and asylum seekers. After debate, the bill passed 4-3. Next, SB 1156 appropriated $20 million to DPS to reimburse cities, towns, and counties for short-term detention costs for unauthorized persons. Supporters said local governments were bearing an unfair burden and needed backfill funding; opponents argued the money was unnecessary, not requested by DPS, and should not be spent on detention. The bill passed 4-3. SB 1157, which would appropriate $20 million for reimbursement of local border fencing or walls in high-crossing areas, drew the most extended and contentious testimony. Supporters framed it as a response to border gaps, cartel activity, and local security needs, while opponents said it would worsen fear, harm wildlife and communities, and divert funds from education and other priorities. The meeting briefly became disorderly during public testimony, prompting a rules clarification from the committee attorney about audience decorum and the chair’s authority. After debate, SB 1157 also passed 4-3. Finally, the committee heard SB 1213, as amended, which makes unlawfully present persons convicted of state or local offenses ineligible for probation and requires ICE notification; the amendment removed CBP from the notification provisions. The sponsor tied the bill to a recent child sexual assault case and said it would ensure convicted noncitizens are not placed on probation at taxpayer expense. Opponents raised due process and equal protection concerns and said the bill would profile noncitizens. The amended bill passed 4-3, and the committee adjourned after completing its agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• by developing and supporting testing availability.
• So knowing that the funding is also used in large part for that screening, that testing work that is
• So knowing that the funding is also used in large part for that screening, that testing work that is
• It is environmental health, making sure that we have clean drinking water and lab testing.
• And also, to the education component, I believe surveillance is really important in testing, but I think

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee heard budget presentations from Legislative Services analyst Morgan Poloni and Department of Health and Welfare Director Juliet Sharon on the Division of Early Learning and Development, the Division of Public Health Services, and Family and Community Partnerships. Major topics included the Idaho Child Care Program (ICCP), the Idaho Home Visiting Program, the Idaho Immunization Assessment Fund, HIV and hepatitis prevention, ARPA-funded public health projects, kinship navigation services, and proposed agency reorganizations and transfer authority changes. Poloni explained that several divisions were recently reorganized, making year-to-year comparisons difficult, and outlined the governor’s and agency’s FY 2027 requests, including additional federal and dedicated funds for child care capacity, public health programs, and prevention services.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm currently the district test coordinator.
• , no territory has the same test, and nothing has been done to actually compare that.
• Many districts have never given a NAEP test in the last 20 years.
• And then there are several districts that have given a NAEP test every year for the past 20 years.
• No one has ever seen a NAEP test. No one has ever seen the questions.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Is there any standardized testing for solubility of PFOS?
• And I think also we'll get more testing, right?
• It requires manufacturers to test their products and disclose the results so people can make safe and
• Many responsible manufacturers already tested.
• If what is the testing that determines?

Committee: House Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• all along, or the Department of Health has, but also on the dairy farms this summer that we offer testing
• all along, or the Department of Health has, but also on the dairy farms this summer that we offer testing
• all along, or the Department of Health has, but also on the dairy farms this summer that we offer testing
• all along, or the Department of Health has, but also on the dairy farms this summer that we offer testing
• all along, or the Department of Health has, but also on the dairy farms this summer that we offer testing

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill would push along that avenue of actually giving, uh, the cities some guidelines on testing
• So Flower Mountain has stepped up and has started testing, but my brothers and sisters across the state
• There are multiple cities that do not test their firefighters for cancer, do not screen them.
• Um, in Flower Mound, we test 140 line personnel, and, um, that, that tag is on the expensive side.
• Than stepping up and actually testing for cancers.

Bills: HB318 , HB198

Committee: House S/C on County & Regional Government

Keywords: ERCOT, interconnection, electric utilities, power grid, transmission, election administration, school board elections, trustee terms, general election, Education Code

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 4605, authorizing the town of Millis to establish a means-tested senior citizens' property
• The House Bill authorizing the town of Millis to establish a means-tested senior citizens' property tax
• An act authorizing the town of Millis to establish a means-tested senior citizens' property tax exemption
• Third reading of the bill: An act amending the town of Arlington's means-tested senior citizens' property
• An act amending the town of Arlington's means-tested senior citizens' property tax exemption, House Bill

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The House took up several local bills after suspending procedural rules and Joint Rule 12 for a petition from Mark J. Cusack concerning military creditable service for judges, referring it to the Committee on Public Service. The House also considered four local measures: a Harwich affordable housing trust bill, a Charlemont commercial recreation tax bill, a Millis senior property tax exemption bill, and a Falmouth sewer-related funding bill. All were advanced through second reading and ordered to a third reading. The chamber then passed to engrossment a series of additional local bills, including a Hopkinton bridge designation bill, a Nantucket charter amendment, a Swampscott disability property tax exemption bill, an Arlington senior tax exemption amendment, and a Reading home rule charter bill. Each was approved without recorded opposition. The House later recessed and returned to consider a supplemental fiscal year 2026 appropriations bill, House Bill 5348, reported out of Ways and Means with a total appropriation of $300 million. House Bill 5348 was taken up by suspension of the rules, read a third time, passed to be engrossed, and then passed to be enacted after the constitutionally required separate vote, with no votes in opposition recorded. The House adopted an order to meet again Wednesday at 11 a.m., and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• literacy exam, but in the second grade they don't, they're good, and you don't have to go back and test
• optional for school districts if they want to allow their second graders to take the third-grade reading test
• They can in the second grade, and if they pass the third-grade reading test in the second grade.
• They'll still need to take the third-grade reading test because that's federal law.
• would not be subject to retention if they were to fail in the third grade as they already passed the test

Bills: SB1530 , SB1579 , SB1778 , SB1847 , SB1990 , SB1992 , SB2060

Committee: House Appropriations and Budget

Keywords: research funding, development rebate, Oklahoma Department of Commerce, tax incentives, higher education partnerships, property tax, valuation increase, taxpayer rights, homestead, protest process, reading instruction, literacy, educational equity, intervention services, third grade retention, Strong Readers Act, Medicaid, ADvantage Waiver, home-based services, eligibility criteria

Transcript Highlights:

• It requires a certain test done by a certain group.
• It requires a certain test done compact.
• It requires a certain test done by<00:28:51.679><c> a</c><00:28:52.080><c> certain</c><00:28:52.320><
• </c> collects the fees and does that testing. collects the fees and does that testing.
• Do you remember when they talked about the Marquette graduates not having to take a hand test?

Committee: Senate Executive Departments and Administration

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And they vary by the tests. There's about half a dozen tests.
• to the participant for the different tests.
• or to run those tests?
• breath test, especially when the...
• The cheapest test available, the twice-a-day breath test, especially when the fee gets waived.

Summary: The Judiciary interim committee met with a full quorum and approved the June 17 minutes. The main discussion centered on a detailed Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation presentation about prison population, placement authority, classification, recidivism, and the role of transitional facilities. Director Colby Braun emphasized that DOCR’s job includes incarceration, supervision, victim services, and reentry, and said the department is operating over capacity, with people waiting in county jails and deferred placements. He described current and planned bed expansions, including added beds at MRCC, a proposed 600-bed minimum-custody men’s facility, and broader campus studies, while stressing that minimum, medium, and maximum custody are different security levels and that transitional facilities are tightly controlled placements, not releases. Committee members questioned the meaning of “release” versus “placement,” the use of terms like inmate and resident, and whether state law should be clarified to distinguish incarceration from supervision or placement in community-based settings. Braun said the parole board controls release authority, while DOCR controls placement, and explained that people who reoffend while in community placement are generally returned to prison after due process. He also reviewed data showing lower one-year recidivism in recent years, the impact of GPS monitoring, and statistics indicating that most people released never get a transitional-facility placement, while those who do generally have better outcomes. Members also discussed whether transitional facilities and work-release programs should be considered halfway houses and how much freedom and security they involve. The committee then heard a report from the Attorney General’s office on House Bill 1193 funding for law enforcement retention bonuses and tuition assistance. The office said all funds had been distributed, 73 of 101 recipients had reported back, 1,490 officers had received bonuses, and the average bonus amounts differed by agency size. Members generally viewed the program positively. Representative Steve Vetter also presented a pretrial services report, describing constitutional and statutory limits on pretrial detention, the use of risk assessment tools, court reminders, victim-notification practices, and North Dakota’s pilot pretrial programs. He suggested possible future legislation to expand detention authority for certain serious offenses and to require the Judiciary Committee to receive updated jail-population data before sessions. Finally, Megan Gordon from Legislative Council began her annual technical corrections bill presentation, outlining a series of non-substantive Century Code fixes such as cross-reference corrections, punctuation changes, and obsolete-reference removals.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I also want to remind us just in closing that we don't means test education.
• And I also want to remind us just in closing that we don't means test education.
• </c> think the fact that we didn't means test think the fact that we didn't means test those<00:18:56.480
• </c> just in closing that we don't means test just in closing that we don't means test education.<00:
• And so, in their in their test scores.

Bills: HB2117 , HB2155 , HB1832 , HB1601 , HB2297 , HB2397 , HB1893 , HB2533 , HB1890 , HB2004 , HB1810 , HB2323 , HB1691 , HB1671 , HB2619 , HB1481 , HB2314 , HB2319 , HB2214 , HB2488 , HB2009 , HB2007 , HB1964 , HB2218 , HB1535 , HB1977 , HB2054 , HB2046 , HB146 , HB2094 , HB2181 , HB2515 , HB2444 , HB2385 , HB1724 , HB1733 , HB2416 , HB2001 , HB1603 , HB1753 , HB2140 , HB1962 , HB1963 , HB2096 , HB1959 , HB1960 , HB2293 , HB2288 , HB1752 , HB1573 , HB469 , HB2091 , HB1851 , HB1688 , HB1696 , HB2417 , HB2375 , HB2333 , HB2152 , HB1881 , HB2395 , HB1721 , HB1921 , HB1730 , HB1697 , HB1824 , HB2282 , HB2078 , HB2321 , HB2279 , HB1522 , HB2097 , HB2433 , HB2106 , HB2274 , HB2452 , HB1764 , HB2438 , HB1860 , HB2604 , HB2118 , HB2017 , HB2216 , HB1934 , HB2454 , HB2427 , HB2207 , HB1840 , HB1644 , HB1645 , HB1946 , HB1648 , HB2324 , HB1509 , HB1514 , HB1515 , HB2164 , HB2165 , HB2283 , HB2386

Keywords: arts education, data mapping, task force, creative economy, cultural preservation, workforce development, geographic information systems, agriculture, data collection, statistical program, sustainable practices, Hawaii, aquaculture, biosecurity, food security, sustainable seafood, regulatory framework, interagency coordination, environmental stewardship, invasive species

Transcript Highlights:

• Worldwide, over 150 million animals are used in research and testing, and in U.S. laboratories alone
• Worldwide, over 150 million animals are used in research and testing, and in U.S. laboratories alone
• Therefore, animal tests are an unreliable way to predict effects in humans.
• Food and Drug Administration released a plan titled "Roadmap to Reducing Animal Testing and Preclinical
• Scientific and medical research and testing can be improved without the use of animals, but by employing

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The joint committee held a public hearing on several bills covering state administration, land/public housing redevelopment, construction safety, memorialization, records management, rural grant equity, and animal research. Testimony in support of H. 3329 described an inequity in the Governor’s Council reimbursement statute, which currently cuts off travel, meals, and lodging reimbursement after four terms; the witnesses argued this disproportionately burdens members from western Massachusetts and creates geographic and economic barriers to service. The Boston Housing Authority supported legislation for the Brighton/Faneuil Gardens area, saying it would allow a mixed-use redevelopment that replaces all existing public housing units one-for-one, adds new affordable housing, creates replacement rehearsal space for displaced musicians, and preserves prevailing wage standards. A major portion of the hearing focused on S. 2112, a construction safety bill. Suffolk Construction, Boston building trade representatives, and local inspectors testified that the measure would strengthen training, site safety standards, oversight of high-risk work, and enforcement, while helping protect workers and the public and improving retention and recruitment of inspectors. Witnesses said the bill would align Massachusetts more closely with higher safety standards in other states and build on lessons from past construction-related incidents. The committee also heard support for S. 2162, which would create a COVID-19 memorial; the witness emphasized the scale of pandemic deaths in Massachusetts and the educational value of public memorials. Other testimony addressed H. 3321, which would modernize records preservation for registers of deeds by reducing reliance on costly microfilm in an increasingly electronic system; the witness said current law is outdated and expensive. H. 3311, aimed at advancing equity for rural communities receiving state grants, drew support from town officials in Leyden and Ashfield, who said small towns lack staff for grant writing and should be evaluated more on need and regional impact, especially for climate and public safety projects. Finally, S. 2117, concerning animal research, was supported by an animal welfare advocate who urged prohibiting state funds for animal experiments and shifting to non-animal research methods. After the hearing concluded, the chairs noted that additional hearings and polling votes would follow, and the committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• And lastly, thank you for the rejection of the asset tests. Thank you.
• The commission really appreciates the committee's rejection of reinstating the Medi-Cal asset limit test
• In addition, we're here to support the changes, or the rejection of, the Medi-Cal asset tests and also
• including the proposal to push implementation for both the elimination of dental premiums and asset test
• to push implementation for the elimination of dental premiums as well as monthly premiums and asset test

Keywords: 987, senate, all