Transcript Highlights:

• </c> redirecting the spend. Correct. Okay. redirecting the spend. Correct. Okay.
• </c> slightly higher federal dollars. Okay. slightly higher federal dollars. Okay.
• And what we've seen recently is we've seen higher rates of spending.
• And so the rates of spending.
• </c><04:11:32.560><c> much</c> don't know that we need to spend much don't know that we need to spend

Summary: The Division 3 work session focused largely on amendment 1176 to HB 2, which would have incorporated the substance of HB 548FN, a House-passed bill creating a direct-pay or membership-based model for health care facilities. Representative Mlan described the proposal as a way to increase competition in health care by extending the direct-care model used in primary care to facilities, arguing it could encourage innovation and that concerns about widespread harm to critical access hospitals were overstated. He pointed to Oklahoma’s long-standing Surgical Center model as evidence that the approach had not spread broadly or displaced hospitals there. Several members and witnesses raised concerns. Representative Stringham questioned whether the model would shift profitable services and patients away from existing hospitals, potentially worsening their finances and affecting Medicaid-related funding. David Ross, speaking for county nursing homes, opposed the language because it also removed moratoriums on nursing home, skilled nursing, inpatient rehabilitation, and self-pay beds, warning that it could increase pressure on Medicaid rates and undermine community-based care. Ben Bradley of the New Hampshire Hospital Association said the proposal appeared to create a separate regulatory framework for direct-pay facilities and raised concerns about patient safety, CMS participation rules, and a separate patient bill of rights. The chair concluded that, because HB 548 was already moving through the Senate, the HB 2 process was not the best vehicle for the policy and that the issue should be left to the Senate’s more deliberative committee process. Representative Ferski moved to not accept or remove amendment 1176 from the agenda, and the committee approved the motion by roll call, 9-0, withdrawing the item from HB 2.

Transcript Highlights:

• or the certified educator.
• There is a question as to whether or not this applies to higher education. No, it does not.
• > who</c><01:35:30.280><c> are</c> of Education and our Educators who are of Education and our Educators
• <01:40:35.599><c> education</c><01:40:36.560><c> School</c><01:40:36.920><c> administrators</c> higher
• education School administrators higher education School administrators School<01:40:37.960><c> boarders

Summary: The House Judiciary Committee met to hear House Bill 520, which would authorize the Department of Education to issue subpoenas in investigations and hearings involving the code of conduct for New Hampshire educators. Representative Lynn, the bill sponsor, said the measure was intended to give the department standard subpoena power during investigations and in later adjudicatory proceedings, with a process for challenging overbroad subpoenas. He argued that agencies with investigative and hearing authority should also have the power to compel witnesses and documents, and said the bill was narrowed from an earlier broader draft to focus on teacher credentialing and address concerns about scope. Members raised several concerns about whether the department already has enough authority, whether the Attorney General could handle subpoenas instead, and whether the bill creates an imbalance by giving subpoena power mainly to the investigating side. Representative Burroughs said she did not feel she had enough information and was uncomfortable with the bill, especially regarding who bears subpoena costs. Representative Biron questioned the trial analogy and whether both sides truly have equal subpoena rights. Lynn responded that the investigative stage is like a grand jury process, where only the investigating body subpoenas witnesses, while the adjudicatory stage allows both sides to seek subpoenas through the hearing officer. Other questions focused on the bill’s scope. Representative Andreos asked what investigative authority the Department of Education already has, and Representative Organ questioned why the bill is limited to educators rather than also covering vendors, charter school boards, or the EFA scholarship organization. Lynn said the limitation to educators was deliberate, because earlier broader versions drew objections for being too expansive. Representative Tur asked whether the Attorney General could already handle such matters, and Lynn said that while the AG might be able to pursue some investigations or court subpoenas, agencies should be able to conduct their own internal investigations. No vote or final action was taken in the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Education in this context means trying to prevent fraud on the front end by educating consumers about
• The Consumer Protection Division does a lot of community education.
• And education generally focuses on warning people about what’s…” And education generally focuses on warning
• I want to touch on the middle provision, education.
• Even the smartest, most educated, most savvy people can be deceived because these scammers spend all

Summary: The Consumer Protection and Business Committee held a work session on emerging consumer protection issues, focusing on elder fraud, charity fraud, and the impact of artificial intelligence on scams. Assistant Attorneys General from the Consumer Protection Division described the division’s broader enforcement work, including actions on rent stabilization, government imposter scams, service member refunds, senior living facilities, data breaches, and cases involving TikTok and Meta. They said elder fraud is often the same fraud seen in other age groups, but older adults tend to lose more money when victimized, especially in imposter scams and investment scams. The attorneys reviewed FTC data showing rising fraud losses nationwide and in Washington, with social media, bank transfers, cryptocurrency, and gift cards highlighted as especially important channels for losses. Members asked about underreporting, recovery of funds, and what consumers should do when they suspect a scam. The presenters said complaints can be reported to the Attorney General’s Consumer Resource Center and DFI, and that the most effective policy responses would likely target payment methods, especially crypto kiosks and other fast, irreversible transfer systems. They also said the AGO uses enforcement, consumer education, and scam alerts, but that many scams are difficult to pursue because perpetrators are overseas or untraceable. On charity fraud, the Charitable Asset Protection Team described several deceptive practices, including false charities, imposter charities, fundraising-first charities, causewashing, and point-of-sale solicitations. They said charity scams are underreported because donors often do not realize they were misled, and they pointed to concerns about crowdfunding platforms and commercial fundraising processors, including the collapse of Flip Cause and unpaid donations to Washington charities. The presenters recommended modernizing the Charitable Solicitation Act, increasing transparency and disclosure for point-of-sale fundraising, and strengthening public education through the AGO and Secretary of State programs such as Assured Giving and Assured Impact. The presentation closed with a discussion of AI, which the attorneys said is making scams harder to detect through deepfakes, voice cloning, AI-generated messages, and automated scam operations. They said AI can also be used to create fake charities and online ecosystems that appear legitimate, and noted that business and charity registration systems can often be completed without human interaction. No votes were taken; the committee adjourned after questions and discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• I thank you for standing by educators all of these years, not just early educators, but K-12 educators
• and higher education educators, you have been a North Star for education in this state.
• Not just early educators, but K-12 educators and higher education educators, you have been a north star
• for education in this state.
• education institution.

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opened with prayer and the Pledge, and agreed by unanimous consent to allow cameras on the floor and gallery, excuse several senators, and move to announcements and miscellaneous business. The chamber then adopted a ceremonial resolution honoring Lieutenant Governor Howie Morales for his years of service as Senate president and lieutenant governor, followed by extensive remarks from senators and Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham praising his leadership, fairness, education advocacy, and personal kindness. Morales briefly responded, thanking members, the governor, and his family, and noting he would offer fuller remarks on his final day. After messages from the House were read, the Senate adopted several committee reports. These included favorable action on Senate Memorial 31; House Judiciary Committee substitute for House Bill 70; House Bill 124, referred to Finance; Senate Joint Resolution 6, referred to Judiciary; Senate Joint Resolution 7; House Bills 103, 154, 165, and 285 as amended; and the Finance Committee’s amended report on House Appropriations and Finance Committee substitute for House Bills 2 and 3. The Judiciary Committee also reported Senate Bill 104 as duly enrolled and engrossed, and the body noted that SB 104 had been signed in open session. During personal privilege, Majority Floor Leader Peter Wirth discussed a State Ethics Commission advisory opinion on whether legislators who are attorneys may vote on medical malpractice cap legislation, arguing the issue is governed by Senate rules rather than the Governmental Conduct Act. He said he would continue to disclose his interests and vote under Rule 7-5, and also rejected a newspaper suggestion that he had a conflict in sponsoring a judgeship bill for the First Judicial District Court. The Senate then moved into third reading, beginning with Senate Rules Committee substitute for Senate Bill 264, which Senator Duhigg explained as an election-security measure responding to concerns about federal interference, intimidation, and emergency election disruptions; Senator Nava then spoke in support as a co-sponsor.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> daughters decisions about education daughters decisions about education should<02:00:39.560><c>
• of students without resources they rely on in financial aid programs, making higher education more expensive
• ><c> leave</c> higher education more expensive leave higher education more expensive leave rural<02:12
• of students without resources they rely on in financial aid programs, making higher education more expensive
• of students without resources they rely on in financial aid programs, making higher education more expensive

Bills: HR35

Keywords: Delta Sigma Theta, sorority, anniversary, community service, historical recognition

Transcript Highlights:

• of the California Department of Education.
• I also serve as president of California Virtual Educators United representing over 1,100 educators across
• Christopher Anderson 25-year educator in career tech education president of Stockton Teachers Association
• Research shows that an increase in per pupil spending leads to improved student achievement, higher test
• Department of Education.

Committee: House Education

Transcript Highlights:

• We are, the grants are open to state agencies, higher education, nonprofits, and we actually just sent
• 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.

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.

Transcript Highlights:

• We educate citizens on the harmful effects of noxious weeds.
• spending those larger projects are still benefiting.
• We spend too much money. Uh, that is my personal opinion.
• We spend too much money. Uh, that is my personal opinion.
• Be wasteful spending in agriculture and what Republicans talk about as wasteful spending.

Committee: Senate Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband, and Rural Development

Transcript Highlights:

• Keeping our higher education institutions on life support.
• Funding for our higher education is vital, right?
• Anything we could do to advance the conversation of higher education and education as a whole.
• Speaker, and thank you to colleagues who spoke from our chair of higher education.
• and access to higher education.

Transcript Highlights:

• or spending in local governments, and that simply is not true.
• So, I'm sorry, it will benefit people with higher income and higher property values, not those with lower
• This means that you all are going to have less spending power.
• And again, their spending power has gotten decreased.
• We have a spending problem in local government.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think that continued focus on education is really critical.
• There has been a lack of focus on education for that.
• So, our focus is on education first and being proactive.
• We don't collect Taxes, and we don't spend the money.
• But great program, really assisting us along with your education support.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:03:57.840><c> education</c> information related to higher education information related to higher
• </c><00:05:11.120><c> education</c><00:05:12.320><c> uh</c> operationally across higher education uh
• operationally across higher education uh including<00:05:13.360><c> our</c><00:05:13.759><c> academic
• </c><00:05:28.880><c> education</c> As higher education has become more dependent on external services
• education have been certainly higher education have been moved<00:08:42.880><c> to</c><00:08:43.120>

Summary: The Capital Planning Advisory Board opened its fourth meeting, confirmed a quorum, approved the prior meeting’s minutes by unanimous voice vote, and then heard information items and agency presentations. The main substantive presentation came from the Council on Postsecondary Education, which outlined its capital planning recommendations for the 2026–28 biennium. CPE staff described the role of Kentucky’s research and education network (Kron), including connectivity to cloud services, Internet2, identity services, and new local AI/inferencing capacity, and argued that the network is now essential to higher education, health care, and extension services. They said the network’s recent upgrades were driven by privacy, security, redundancy, and the need to support modern research and AI workloads at lower cost than commercial providers. CPE also presented its broader higher-education capital request: $700 million for asset preservation and $1.73 billion for new construction, for a total recommendation of about $2.4 billion. Staff said they do not plan to recommend IT projects or equipment in this cycle, despite reviewing 48 IT submissions totaling nearly $1.4 billion and equipment requests totaling $322.6 million. For asset preservation, they said the recommended allocation method would remain based on each institution’s share of Category 1 and 2 square footage, and they noted that the state’s prior facility assessment is now 12 years old, with deferred maintenance still estimated in the $7–9 billion range. For new construction, they said the requests are heavily focused on STEM and health-related facilities that are difficult to retrofit into older buildings. Board members asked about how asset-preservation amounts were determined, including why Northern Kentucky University’s request was much larger than its prior allocation. CPE staff responded that campus size, building age, and institutional prioritization affect the requests, and that schools are asked to submit more projects than are likely to be funded. The board then moved on to an Attorney General capital plan overview, where senior counsel Will Schroeder began describing the office’s technology needs and the office’s prior reliance on a 2020 appropriation to replace legacy systems and improve security.

Transcript Highlights:

• That's that may even be a little higher percentage for the state of Wyoming.
• </c><00:02:39.760><c> percentage</c> may even be a little higher percentage may even be a little higher
• </c> I just would like you to kind of educate I just would like you to kind of educate the<00:14:56.240
• </c><00:25:42.960><c> some</c> will say this, you need to spend some will say this, you need to spend
• </c> address an area that had higher slopes. address an area that had higher slopes.

Bills: HB0078 , SF0012 , SF0013 , SF0052 , SF0069 , SF0070

Committee: House Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• Repeated assessments of these treated children have shown without exception higher and higher scores
• </c> associations, employers, and educators associations, employers, and educators have<00:31:57.279>
• and all of the institutions of higher education together in such a way that is neutral and acknowledges
• and all of the institutions of educators and all of the institutions of higher<00:41:58.400><c> education
• education together um in such a higher education together um in such a way<00:42:00.960><c> that</c>

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:09:29.760><c> income</c> economic factors like education income economic factors like education
• </c><00:20:09.880><c> time</c> months uh uh to really uh spend time months uh uh to really uh spend time
• </c><00:25:11.640><c> almost</c> relationship so we're spending almost relationship so we're spending
• </c><01:08:43.040><c> and</c> Partners we also communicate educate and Partners we also communicate educate
• </c><01:37:06.280><c> of</c><01:37:06.800><c> about</c> overall 340b spending of about overall 340b spending

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• Tracking which higher education students have met the requirement, along with exemptions, will be challenging
• Tracking which higher education students have met the requirement, along with exemptions, will be challenging
• Tracking which higher education students have met the requirement, along with exemptions, will be challenging
• </c> traditionally entrusted to our higher traditionally entrusted to our higher education education
• education institution.

Committee: House Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• And I had already agreed and understood we need to educate voters.
• So that will further delay my results from some of a higher turnout polling locations.
• Some are reporting higher costs. We don't know what that offset is going to be.
• And so we made a concerted effort to focus our education on the counties.
• And so we made a concerted effort to focus our education on the counties.

Committee: House Elections

Transcript Highlights:

• However, the long-term solution is ensuring that we are retaining good educators and that the education
• Next up, Tab 4, SB 7038 on education by education post-secondary, Next up, Tab 4, SB 7038 on education
• Next up, tab 4, SB 7038 on education by education post-secondary, SB 7038 on education, by education
• Our universities, our college system, our entire higher education system is truly transformational for
• Education.

Bills: S1062 , S1718 , S7038

Committee: Senate Appropriations Committee on Pre-K - 12 Education

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Pre-K-12 Education met to consider several education bills and the proposed fiscal year 2026-2027 Department of Education budget. The committee first took up CS/SB 1062 on speech and debate, which would formalize Florida’s Speech and Debate Week, strengthen the partnership between the Department of Education and the Florida Debate Initiative, require annual public reporting, and support statewide speech and debate programming. The bill drew extensive supportive testimony from students, alumni, and advocates who said debate improved civic engagement, literacy, confidence, and school performance, while also noting the need for equitable access and funding for travel and competition. The committee adopted a delete-everything amendment and then reported the bill favorably as amended by a unanimous vote of members present. The committee then heard SB 1718 on educator preparation and certification, which expands access to educator preparation coursework, broadens eligibility for temporary certification for some formerly certified professionals, and allows prior subject-area exam results to satisfy requirements. Public testimony largely supported easing barriers for experienced educators while emphasizing that certification changes are only a partial solution to teacher shortages and should be paired with better pay, retention, and professional respect. The bill was reported favorably. Next, the committee considered SB 7038 on education, which included a wide range of higher education and workforce-related changes, including a tuition waiver for Florida State Guard members, residency clarifications, oversight changes for blind services and vocational rehabilitation providers, licensure updates for private colleges, dual enrollment and assessment revisions, scholarship and funding changes, and reserve-fund requirements. An amendment restored the Classical Learning Test as a qualifying option for a grandparent tuition waiver, adjusted a Pell Grant performance metric, changed accreditation timing, and made other technical revisions. A dental education stakeholder raised concerns that one provision could disrupt long-standing exemptions for dental assisting programs, and the Florida Dental Association said it was working with the sponsor to avoid unintended impacts. The committee adopted the amendment and reported the bill favorably as amended. The final major item was a high-level review of the proposed pre-K-12 budget, totaling $34.9 billion with local funds. Highlights included $30 billion for public schools and K-12 scholarships, a $50 increase in the base student allocation, a 1.64% increase in total funds per FTE, $4.5 billion for family empowerment scholarships as a separate FEFP categorical, $25 million for districts facing future enrollment declines, $65.3 million to help districts with current-year enrollment losses, $432.8 million for VPK, and $30.4 million for regional education consortia. Senators asked about reductions or flat funding in some allocations, teacher pay, declining enrollment support, Schools of Hope funding, and support for non-teaching school staff. Public testimony on the budget focused heavily on concerns about charter and voucher funding, especially the $6 million for Schools of Hope, with speakers urging more investment in traditional public schools, teacher compensation, and school infrastructure. The committee concluded the meeting by adjournment after no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• I serve as a trustee on the Orange County Board of Education.
• Only this time we'll change the elections for five county boards of education.
• And that was when it was only affecting the Orange County Board of Education.
• Turnout does tend to be higher.
• Good morning, Mary Barkey, Vice President of the Orange County Board of Education.

Committee: House Elections

Transcript Highlights:

• As an educator, we have some of the most innovative education possibilities in our state.
• But I will say that we work very collaboratively with her team, as well as higher education, so that
• As I'm seeing, there's a higher incline there for women, Mr. Chair.
• Rate for parents with children under six is now higher than the national average.
• That said, we also have that population at a slightly higher rate than in other states.

Committee: House House Appropriations & Finance