Transcript Highlights:

• I know a campus... I know a campus had a CDL program.
• Oversees a wider array of campus sizes.
• So if a campus is able to offer something that's a positive return for that campus, is the board looking
• You have a growing campus, but you're cutting $10 million, and a campus that's doing a lot of the things
• You have a growing campus, but you're cutting $10 million, and a campus that's doing a lot of the things

Committee: Joint Higher Education Funding Review Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• International students enrich our campus communities.
• President Nimi told you about the diversity of our campus.
• Jefferson, in terms of, I guess, an entry on campus, it was amazing.
• So the students can use their financial aid to get meals on campus in the campus cafeteria.
• And make no mistake, the consequences ripple far beyond campus walls.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Racial Equity, Civil Rights, and Inclusion

Summary: The Joint Committee on Racial Equity, Civil Rights, and Inclusion held an informational hearing on “Protecting Equity in Higher Education” and emphasized that no bills were being heard. Members and witnesses focused on the effects of recent federal actions on DEI, admissions, financial aid, student loans, international students, and campus equity efforts in Massachusetts. Opening remarks from the co-chairs and the chair of Higher Education highlighted Massachusetts’ investments in free community college, expanded financial aid, and early college programs, while warning that federal policy changes could undermine those gains. Testimony from BU law professor Jonathan Feingold argued that many DEI practices remain legally defensible after Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, and that the decision did not end all race-conscious or equity-oriented efforts. He said the Trump administration’s anti-DEI actions and funding threats were legally suspect and had created confusion and a chilling effect. Bahar Akman-in-Boden of the Hildreth Institute testified that proposed federal cuts to TRIO, Gear Up, Pell Grants, SEOG, work-study, and student loan programs would disproportionately harm low-income, first-generation, Black, Latino, and other underserved students, and urged the state to prepare hold-harmless and advising supports using Fair Share revenue. Commissioner Noe Ortega described Massachusetts’ long history of equity in higher education and said the state has expanded aid, success programs, and early college, but still has work to do on attainment and completion. He said the state responded to SFFA by creating ACARE and continuing to defend equity practices, while also warning that federal disruptions and “dear colleague” letters have created uncertainty. In the second panel, state university leaders and campus officials said federal threats to Pell, DEI grants, Medicaid, and international student policies could affect access, campus operations, and the economy; they stressed that most state university graduates stay in Massachusetts and that institutions are continuing their equity practices despite federal pressure. Roxbury Community College’s president said RCC remains committed to open access and inclusion, noted enrollment growth, and said executive orders do not change existing law or the college’s obligations.

Transcript Highlights:

• Number seven is University of Arkansas with Campus Guard.
• It amends an existing contract for janitorial services on campus. Mr.
• This is for asbestos abatement in the Wells Gymnasium on campus at Henderson.
• It's a new contract for code help blue points on UALR campus.
• It's a new contract for code help blue points on UALORC campus.

Committee: All JOINT BUDGET COMMITTEE

Summary: The committee heard a series of appropriation requests and contract reviews across multiple sections. In Section B, members approved temporary appropriations for the Court of Appeals, Commerce/Aeronautics, and Insurance-related payments and refunds. Section C ARPA requests from DHS were approved to return unused federal funds. Section D infrastructure-related appropriations, including wildfire preparedness, broadband BEAD funding, forestry support, recycling, and oil and gas sample preservation, were approved after questions about broadband audit controls and performance safeguards. Section E DHS reallocations were approved, including large transfers within Medical Services from hospital medical to private and public nursing home lines, along with smaller transfers for children and family services, developmental disabilities, and youth services; members asked about the source and purpose of the medical services transfer. Sections F and G were reviewed, covering cash fund requests, federal grants, and miscellaneous grants, including community college storm repairs, corrections commissary and maintenance, 911 enhancements, maternal health, disability determinations, state police equipment, digital newspaper archiving, and CDL data improvements. In Section H, the committee reviewed pay plan appropriations and performance fund transfers tied to the new Class and Comp pay plan. Section I reviewed three methods of finance for UA Little Rock, UAMS, and the University of Arkansas system. In Section J, the committee reviewed discretionary grants, including a $1.4 million HIV services grant and nine tobacco prevention subgrants through UAPB. Members questioned the effectiveness, metrics, and addresses of some tobacco-cessation arts-based grantees, especially Arts Absolutely Inc.; after discussion, Representative Kavanaugh moved to expunge the vote on J2 and refer it back for review at a later ALC meeting, and that motion passed. J3, a Department of Energy and Environment grant for propane safety training and e-waste recycling services, was then reviewed. The committee also reviewed contracts in Section K. K-1 ratified emergency management nuclear planning work performed during a transition between agencies. K-2 construction contracts included architectural and engineering services for corrections, National Park College signage, a Razorback Road parking facility, and UAMS cyclotron installation. K-3 intergovernmental contracts covered health, education, autism waiver, stroke, newborn screening, Medicaid evidence review, and radiation testing services. K-4 out-of-state contracts included staffing, IT, tobacco prevention, audit, marketing, planetarium, recruitment, and janitorial services; Senator Irvin noted one contract appeared to belong in the out-of-state list rather than intergovernmental. K-5 in-state contracts covered staffing, cleaning, re-entry and treatment services, foster care and disability services, hearing officers, asbestos abatement, campus IT support, and janitorial work. The meeting ended after a brief personal update from Senator Irvin about tornado damage in Stone County and thanks to members for their concern, followed by adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• And just also let you know that in Hazard, our Lees College campus and Breathitt County with HCTC is
• actually being used as a shelter, and also our Mayo campus in Johnson County is currently working with
• and breath it County with hctc is campus and breath it County with hctc is actually<00:02:48.120><c>
• and we like that um theme of campus and we like that um theme of being<00:03:45.360><c> accessible</
• The last one is at South Central, at the Glasgow campus.

Summary: The House Budget Review Subcommittee on Postsecondary Education met for its first meeting and heard an update from KCTCS President Dr. Ryan Corral. He opened with a brief report on flood impacts across the state, noting damage at Big Sandy and Hazard, support for displaced faculty and staff, emergency student aid, and the use of campuses as shelters and Red Cross sites. He then outlined KCTCS’s role as the state’s largest postsecondary system, serving about 107,000 students across 16 colleges and 70 campuses, with strong enrollment growth, major dual credit and GED operations, and a large workforce-training mission. Corral emphasized student support needs such as food, housing, and mental health services, and said KCTCS wants to expand work with incarcerated populations and recovery communities. Corral also described system changes focused on compliance, stability, leadership development, property disposal, and curriculum review. He said KCTCS has addressed prior audit findings, is conducting additional audits, has sold or is selling several buildings, and has removed 400 underutilized credentials to better align programs with employer needs. He highlighted transfer agreements with the University of Kentucky, University of Louisville, and Western Kentucky University, and said KCTCS is working to align training with employers and local governments. He also discussed the system’s response to House Bill 6 and the $90 million appropriated for an efficient operations and innovation plan, including three proposed capital projects: a Somerset Community College facility for diesel, automotive, welding, HVAC, CAD, and 3D printing; replacement of an outdated Louisville building; and a South Central/Glasgow allied health facility to expand nursing and related programs. In response to questions, Corral said the Blue Oval SK training building in Glendale is open and operational, though workforce demand there has been slower than initially expected, and that KCTCS is working with the company and state officials to cover operating costs. Members praised KCTCS’s workforce role and flexibility in meeting employer needs statewide. Representative Moll also commented on the system’s progress and importance to Kentucky’s workforce development. No votes were taken, and the meeting ended with adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• They live on campus, and they live anywhere that they want to live on campus.
• All of our students live on campus, and they live anywhere that they want to live on campus.
• It goes on and on and on—the number of clubs that they actually are involved in on campus and also off
• campus.
• So our students are all employed either on campus.

Committee: All TASK FORCE ON AUTISM

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes from November 17 by motion and voice vote. It then heard a presentation from Arkansas State University on its inclusive postsecondary education programs, HOWL and ATLAS, led by Dr. Kristen Johnson and Shane Broadway. The programs serve students with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including autism, by providing on-campus living, academic support, life-skills training, financial literacy, internships, employment support, and community integration. Johnson explained that HOWL is a comprehensive transition program that does not lead to a degree but is eligible for financial aid, while ATLAS is degree-seeking and provides additional supports. She reported strong outcomes, including high goal attainment and a majority of graduates working full time, and emphasized that the programs are designed to help students build autonomous adult lives. Members asked about recruitment, eligibility, costs, school outreach, business partnerships, and transition planning. Johnson said the programs have done extensive outreach through IEP meetings, transition symposia, email blasts, and school visits, but that awareness remains a challenge. She identified major roadblocks as business concerns about liability, fragmented collaboration, and difficulty navigating funding streams such as vocational rehabilitation and Medicaid. She also said more coordinated statewide communication and coalition-building are needed, and noted that ASU is helping launch a state alliance for similar programs, with new programs opening at ASU Mountain Home and the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff. The committee then heard from the University of Central Arkansas about Project Ascend, a new low-sensory living-learning community for neurodiverse students in Hughes Hall. Dr. Debbie Daly and Jeremy Gillum described it as a voluntary, self-identified program focused on community building, belonging, and retention rather than remediation or degree planning. The program has hosted a few low-sensory social events and plans to expand outreach through campus tours, orientation, and targeted communications. Members asked about recruitment, participation, success measures, and how to avoid duplicating ASU’s efforts; UCA said it is still in its infancy and will measure success mainly through participation, retention, and student engagement. The meeting ended with general support from members, discussion of collaboration across institutions and agencies, and adjournment of the task force.

Transcript Highlights:

• Students lead service days and initiatives across campus and in the community.
• Now what I'm other concerns on a campus.
• The campus communities are grappling with this. It doesn't obviate the need for the bill.
• This phenomenon of community college districts holding my of their campus community.
• They're looking to build three facilities on their campus in the next three to five years.

Committee: Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• fenced out, which is almost impossible because of the campus.
• So the next one is campus safety.
• And so that is completely different in our campus culture.
• IAIA campus generation project involves purchasing and installing a campus generator.
• That will support the entire campus during any power outages.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have special employer events on campus.
• The one that I'd also like to mention is on our campus, because we're a large campus—70,000 students—and
• have a location now on our campus.
• Florida State University Panama City... ...campus.
• Florida State University of Panama City campus.

Committee: Senate Education Postsecondary

Summary: The Committee on Education Postsecondary held an informational hearing focused on how Florida’s public colleges and universities are aligning bachelor’s degree programs with workforce needs and improving student outcomes. Chancellor Kathy Hebda described Florida College System enrollment growth, the state college system’s workforce-oriented bachelor’s degrees, approval and accountability processes for those programs, and outcomes data showing strong completion and wage results, especially in health care. Emily Sykes of the Board of Governors outlined the State University System’s program review practices, performance-based funding metrics, strategic emphasis programs, and the MyFloridaFuture tool that lets students compare earnings, debt, and employment outcomes by major and institution. University and college leaders then described campus-level workforce initiatives. Florida Gulf Coast University highlighted employer-driven microcredentials, digital badges, internships, career fairs, service learning, and partnerships with regional employers. UCF discussed its career navigator requirements, major industry partnerships such as Lockheed Martin, nursing and faculty career-integration efforts, and a centralized career development center. Northwest Florida State College and the University of West Florida emphasized their bachelor’s programs, transfer pathways, teacher and nursing outcomes, military and defense-related workforce pipelines, cybersecurity training, and stackable credentials tied to regional labor needs. During member questions, senators asked how microcredentials and military experience translate into college credit, whether credentials transfer across institutions, and what legislators can do to help. Witnesses said the state’s common course and articulation systems already support transfer, and they encouraged continued legislative support for innovation, faster curriculum alignment, internships, and specialized transfer degrees. No bills were voted on, and the meeting ended with no public comment and an adjournment motion adopted.

Transcript Highlights:

• Currently, We have overall 400 veterans that attend the main campus.
• These homes are important because they are on campus and for families.
• We do have an ROTC program here on campus for both the Army and the Air Force.
• I mean, living on campus is a huge benefit. Utilities are paid, by the way.
• I know it's free on campus.

Transcript Highlights:

• One is implementation of Infinite Campus solutions at the state level.
• And again, Infinite Campus has recommended these folks.
• We're working with Infinite Campus because Infinite Campus has native functionality for producing transcripts
• Here's the processes that we need to do in Infinite Campus.
• Members of our Infinite Campus implementation team were on those calls.

Committee: Joint Information Technology Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• So dual enrollment should not—the process of then transcripting to that particular university campus,
• the dual enrollment— But the process of then transcripting to that particular university campus, the
• community members when immigration enforcement agents are present on campus.
• community members when immigration enforcement agents are present on campus.
• or nearby campus, there are no requirements for school or campus administration to inform the campus

Committee: House Higher Education

Summary: The Assembly Higher Education Committee heard several Senate bills focused on student access, workforce needs, and higher education governance. SB 761 would connect Cal Grant applicants with CalFresh eligibility notices and expand qualifying programs of study; it drew broad support from student, university, anti-hunger, and advocacy groups, with members sharing personal stories about food insecurity and no opposition was heard. SB 520 would create a California Nurse Midwifery Education Fund to expand master’s-level midwifery training, especially to address maternal health shortages in rural and underserved areas; supporters emphasized the shortage of providers and poor maternal outcomes, while one member raised concerns about the bill’s use of the term “birthing people.” SB 640 would establish a statewide direct admissions process for eligible high school seniors to CSU campuses using existing data systems; supporters said it would reduce barriers and improve enrollment, while members asked about special education, dual enrollment, rural access, and measuring effectiveness. The committee also heard SB 744, which would create a state “safe harbor” so California institutions would not lose accreditation or student aid if a federally recognized accreditor loses federal approval; there was no opposition testimony, but the roll call showed some no votes and the item was held open. SB 494 would give classified school employees the right to have disciplinary appeals heard by an administrative law judge, similar to teachers and community college faculty; labor groups supported it as a due process and parity measure, while school districts and administrators opposed it over cost, local control, and implementation concerns. Finally, SB 550 would authorize a pilot public law school partnership in San Jose between San Jose State and a nonprofit law school; supporters argued it would expand affordable legal education and public-interest pipelines, while UC and private college representatives opposed it as inconsistent with the master plan and a piecemeal approach. The committee also took up consent items SB 244 and SB 271, which passed 6-0, and several bills were advanced by roll call, including SB 761, SB 640, and SB 494, while SB 744 received a split vote and was held open.

Transcript Highlights:

• For those of you who don't know, a resource campus is a campus where.
• A permanent presence on campus.
• But what about our campus leadership?
• to campus because of the nature of the campus.
• No, we actually are a B-rated campus. We're a dual-language campus; we learn English and Spanish.

Committee: House Public Education

Transcript Highlights:

• It is administered at the campus level.
• </c><00:44:13.240><c> level</c> it is administered at the campus level it is administered at the campus
• The program looks like it varies by campus to campus, as they were kind of the experts on what their
• </c> students were connecting with campus students were connecting with campus resources<00:52:59.599
• </c> like varies by campus to campus as they like varies by campus to campus as they were<00:53:03.240

Committee: Senate Higher Education

Transcript Highlights:

• , a Hawaiian immersion campus in our region out in West Oahu.
• 19:09.480><c> a</c><00:19:09.640><c> Hawaiian</c><00:19:09.960><c> immersion</c><00:19:10.320><c> campus
• </c><00:19:10.919><c> in</c> campus, a Hawaiian immersion campus in campus, a Hawaiian immersion campus
• eventually there is a full K-through-12 Hawaiian<00:19:35.480><c> immersion</c><00:19:35.840><c> campus
• <00:19:36.720><c> in</c><00:19:36.880><c> Hawaii,</c><00:19:37.440><c> but</c> Hawaiian immersion campus

Bills: SCR21 , SCR75 , SCR50 , SCR149 , SCR47 , SCR163 , SCR169 , SCR170

Transcript Highlights:

• And is it pushback for just on-campus completions, or is it for on-campus or if a suicide occurred off-campus
• I mean, the month of December, I think they had three suicides on campus, okay?
• Yeah, it's not on the campus. LCPR is actually in the community.
• But we do provide the work, and there is the administrative office on campus.
• On campus, yeah, the administrative office on campus, but the actual center is out in the Gardere area

Summary: The task force met to review work under HCR 86 on African American suicide prevention, with members introducing themselves and approving the prior meeting minutes. Dr. Williams summarized survey-based findings from 94 university student respondents, explaining that the study focused on warning signs and triggers rather than suicide behaviors themselves. He said financial stress, stigma, and lack of institutional ownership were major themes, and argued that Louisiana needs mandatory reporting and broader suicide data collection because universities and other institutions often avoid reporting incidents, especially those occurring off campus. Dr. Thomas described current and potential prevention strategies, including gatekeeper trainings, 988 outreach, postvention policies, student-facing information on mental health resources, and adding 988 to student IDs. She also noted that the Office of Public Health already serves as a suicide data hub with real-time and death data, and should be included in any centralized reporting discussion. Members discussed how to balance new mandates with university concerns, with several agreeing that legislation is needed but should be developed with input from the Board of Regents and university leadership. The task force reviewed recommendations in the report, including a Louisiana Suicide Prevention Data Act, a centralized data hub, incentive-based reporting for colleges, modernization of the 2018 suicide prevention law, and possible tax credits or other incentives. Dr. McKee suggested that any reporting requirement should be framed to fit existing professional obligations and that training requirements for licensees could be added. The chair asked that revised recommendations and examples from other states be circulated before February 1, with the final report updated to say “confidential unless otherwise required by law.” No public comments were offered, and the meeting adjourned after the chair said he and Senator Boudreaux would consider legislation and, if needed, a resolution to extend the task force.

Transcript Highlights:

• So this would be a person placed on the campus in addition to the college or university's campus police
• , or would this be a trained person, or would campus police officers now be trained to handle this?
• And as a licensed engineer, we understand the campus and the planning.
• We have the Cocoa campus, the Melbourne campus, the Titusville campus, and the Palm Bay campus.
• We have the new campus in Parrish that we're... Obviously, we want to keep expanding access.

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Higher Education heard a presentation from the Governor’s Office on the proposed education budget, which totals $32.5 billion overall and includes no tuition or fee increases for Florida residents. Officials highlighted major funding for financial aid and scholarships, including Bright Futures, Benacquisto, veteran-related scholarships, EASE, Open Door, law enforcement/first responder programs, and workforce initiatives. They also emphasized increases for workforce education, Florida College System operations, nursing pipeline and line funds, and university operations, performance funding, and faculty recruitment and retention. Committee members asked questions about the Ocoee Scholarship, the proposed post-secondary Guardian program, and how university recruitment and retention funds would be used; officials said the Ocoee Scholarship remains funded at current levels, the Guardian program would offer flexible campus safety options, and the university funds would be distributed to institutions for faculty recruitment and retention without additional directives. The committee then heard from a series of appointees and reappointees to boards of trustees for state colleges and universities, who described their backgrounds and priorities. Testimony consistently focused on affordability, workforce alignment, nursing and allied health programs, dual enrollment, adult learners, and local economic needs. Several trustees highlighted strong nursing NCLEX pass rates, expansion of campuses or programs, and efforts to tailor education to regional workforce demands such as health care, construction, law enforcement, aviation, and hospitality. One appointee from Miami-Dade College emphasized helping adult students return and complete degrees by easing credit transfer and admissions barriers. After hearing from the appointees, the committee took up the full slate of confirmations as a block. A motion was made and the roll was called; the confirmations were approved favorably, with members voting yes and no opposition recorded. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• So this would be a person placed on the campus in addition to the college or university's campus police
• , or this would be a trained person, or would that campus police office now be trained to handle this
• And as a licensed engineer, we understand the campus and the planning.
• And we have four different communities: the Cocoa campus, the Melbourne campus, the Titusville campus
• , and the Palm Bay campus.

Committee: Senate Appropriations Committee on Higher Education

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Higher Education received a presentation from the Governor’s Office on the proposed higher education budget, which emphasized no tuition or fee increases for Florida residents, continued affordability, and increased funding across workforce, colleges, and universities. The presentation highlighted major investments in Bright Futures, other scholarships, workforce development, the Florida College System, and the State University System, including funding for performance, student success, campus safety, and faculty recruitment and retention. Committee members asked questions about the Ocoee Scholarship, the proposed Guardian program on campuses, and how university recruitment and retention funds would be used; officials said the Ocoee Scholarship remains funded at current levels, Guardian options could vary by campus, and university funds would be distributed to institutions for faculty recruitment and retention without additional directives. The committee then heard testimony from a series of appointees and reappointees to boards of trustees for state colleges and universities. Witnesses from Eastern Florida State College, Lake-Sumter State College, State College of Florida Manatee-Sarasota, Miami Dade College, Northwest Florida State College, and St. Johns River State College described their backgrounds and stressed workforce development, affordability, dual enrollment, nursing, cybersecurity, adult learners, and local economic needs. Several highlighted strong nursing outcomes and job placement, and some discussed campus expansion, business incubators, and programs tailored to regional industries. One appointee from Miami Dade College emphasized helping adult students return and complete degrees by better using prior credits. After hearing from the appointees, the committee took up the confirmation package as a block. A motion was made and seconded, the roll was called, and the confirmations were reported favorably by the committee. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• We are a very active, visible on-campus presence.
• So we actually have a very active campus; most of our students are there in person.
• To be a student, you have to be on campus a certain number of times.
• They're called our technical programs, and a lot of times they need to be done on campus.
• Alex Tech today is a very vibrant campus.

Bills: HF2418 , HF1666 , HF232 , HF344 , HF402 , HF431 , HF468 , HF547 , HF583 , HF1476 , HF1711 , HF2787 , HF2788 , HF3207

Committee: House Capital Investment

Transcript Highlights:

• gets versus what is retained at the CTED campus.
• campus opportunity, but it's also a satellite campus opportunity, and we're respectful of both of those
• But parents were all over the campus. After the fact, parents were all over the campus.
• Because they repeatedly approached the office on campus.
• Campus culture suffers, and enrollment declines.

Committees: House Education , House House Education Committee of Reference

Transcript Highlights:

• and establish a registered nursing program on our campus.
• We have 5,000 unduplicated students at our campus.
• We have 5,000 unduplicated students at our campus.
• And if any of you go southeast, We have 5,000 unduplicated students at our campus.
• Public safety campus expansion. We have one of the largest CDL facilities in the state of Florida.

Committee: Senate Appropriations Committee on Higher Education

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Higher Education received an overview of Florida’s career and technical education (CTE) system from Chancellor Kevin O’Farrell, who described the state’s CTE pathways, program types, enrollment and completion growth, quality audit metrics, and the Master Credentials List used to identify credentials of value. He highlighted record postsecondary CTE enrollment and completions, strong statewide performance in talent attraction, and several funding tools supporting expansion, including Open Door, the Florida First Responder Scholarship, Workforce Development Capitalization grants, Perkins funding, CAPE performance incentives, and apprenticeship grants. Senators asked about eligibility for Open Door and first responder aid, top industry certifications, and the teacher apprenticeship initiative. A panel of college and technical school leaders then described how state and federal funding has supported local program growth and facility expansion. Santa Fe College, Palm Beach State College, North Florida Technical College, Lake Technical College, Florida Gateway College, and Manatee Technical College each cited increases in enrollment, high placement or licensure pass rates, and new or expanded programs in nursing, welding, CDL, automotive, manufacturing, public safety, and apprenticeship. Several speakers emphasized partnerships with hospitals, employers, school districts, and local governments, and noted that grants helped fund equipment, renovations, and new training hubs. Palm Beach State also raised a request to broaden line funding beyond nursing to other health science fields, and multiple presenters asked for more flexibility, multi-year support, and continued or increased funding to sustain growth. Members discussed broader challenges, including the difficulty of sustaining grant-funded growth after initial awards, the lag between enrollment growth and funding formulas, and alignment problems for dual enrollment and technical programs with high school schedules. Senators also noted the need to balance support for high-demand core programs like nursing and welding with the ability to respond quickly to emerging industries such as AI and space. The meeting ended with no formal action beyond adjournment after Senator Davis moved to adjourn.