Transcript Highlights:

• Regarding testing, accredited private schools already offer norm-referenced tests to their student body
• As spoken of in the bill, yeah, norm-referenced tests are not a pass or fail type test for schools to
• The STAAR test is a criterion-referenced test that tests specific knowledge points.
• The most common norm-referenced test in Texas is the MAP test by NWEA. 800-something public ISDs take
• the MAP test and pay extra money to take the MAP test because it's a better measure.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Education K-16 convened with a quorum, adopted its committee rules, and heard opening remarks from members introducing staff and outlining priorities for the session. Members from both parties emphasized education as a major issue, while several Republicans framed the committee’s work around school choice and parent empowerment. Senator West and other Democrats stressed protecting public schools, listening to Texans, and considering the effects of vouchers or education savings accounts on school districts and communities. Chairman Creighton laid out Senate Bill 2, the Texas Education Freedom Act, describing it as a universal education savings account program modeled on similar programs in other states. He said the bill would provide about $200 million for a universal eligibility pool and additional funding for students with disabilities and lower-income families, with priority weighting for former public school students. He also highlighted anti-fraud measures, vendor pre-approval, criminal background checks, cybersecurity protections, annual testing requirements for participating students, and the use of the Comptroller rather than TEA to administer the program. Creighton repeatedly said the bill is not a voucher and argued it would not take money from public schools, which he said would receive separate historic funding increases. Members questioned Creighton about the 500% of federal poverty line definition, the adequacy of the $10,000 ESA amount, whether the program would favor students already in private school, how microschools and homeschool pods would fit, and whether the bill protects religious liberty and private-school autonomy. Democrats raised concerns about disability protections, 504 students, foster children, public-school funding, open records, and the historical context of vouchers. Republicans generally supported the bill as a way to expand options for parents and students, while also asking about administration, fraud prevention, and data security. After member questions, the committee began invited testimony, with EdChoice President Robert Inlow presenting in support of SB 2 and citing the growth and reported success of school choice programs nationwide.

Transcript Highlights:

• So if you have a prior DWI, the sentence will, whether you take the test or don't take the test, if you
• more incentive to actually take the test more incentive to actually take the test and<03:11:33.880
• people are incentivized to take the test people are incentivized to take the test as<03:20:11.000
• <05:26:19.120> we custody for screening and testing we custody for screening and testing we
• The children were taken, they were tested, and we never found out the results of the test.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Trials, and avoidance of unnecessary tests.
• It would be the same test that's already done, not an additional blood test; it would be included on
• So part of the thing is we do not base the testing on this at all on sex, right?
• So both are tested for all the tests.
• So we do test everyone regardless of gender.

Bills: HB321, HB 1027, HB 1295, HB1782, HB2295, HCR29, HCR56

Keywords: Medicaid, child health, express lane option, income verification, supplemental nutrition assistance, telepharmacy, healthcare access, remote dispensing, rural clinics, pharmacy regulations, health literacy, state health plan, health care, patient outcomes, public health, economic impact, healthcare, breast cancer, cervical cancer, insurance eligibility

Transcript Highlights:

• Testing. Great.
• This was meant to exclude programs like test prep programs and courses such as the MCAT, or LSAT.
• California has long required cannabis products to undergo extensive testing. by licensed testing laboratories
• hours, basically do a speed test to a controlled modem.
• They go out, they have consistency in terms of the technology that's being tested.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• test and there's<00:13:21.440> a<00:13:21.600> test.
• Quick, they're talking about the test. People are afraid of the test.
• Quick, they're talking about the test. People are afraid of the test.
• Quick, they're talking about the test. People are afraid of the test.
• Quick, they're talking about the test. People are afraid of the test.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Senate Standing Committee on Licensing and Occupations met on February 24, 2026, with a quorum present and took up one bill, House Bill 470. The bill sponsor and supporters described it as a cleanup measure to House Bill 505 that would extend the deadline for peer support specialists in the substance use field to become registered, because the earlier regulations were not promulgated in time and employers and workers were left in limbo. Supporters said the bill includes an emergency clause to stabilize the workforce and creates a working group to recommend a more effective oversight structure, possibly a new board, by November 1. They argued the extension would preserve access to services, allow providers to continue billing for peer support, and give the state time to address regulatory backlogs and workforce shortages. Several supporters emphasized that peer support is a critical part of recovery services and that the current system needs better infrastructure, accountability, and uniform standards. They said the bill would help prevent fraud and abuse by tightening guardrails while allowing qualified peers to keep working. One supporter said the bill would close the door on higher-level billing abuses and that other Medicaid-related efforts were also underway to address improper billing practices. Another witness said the bill would allow people who completed certification to continue serving and would help providers retain staff and get reimbursed. Senator McDaniel raised concerns that the bill might simply extend the period during which abuse of the peer recovery model could continue, rather than fixing the underlying problems. In response, the sponsors said House Bill 505 already imposed tighter training requirements and that this bill only extends the registration deadline while other efforts, including managed care organization limits and broader Medicaid reforms, are addressing abuse. Senator Howell asked about barriers to registration, and witnesses said the problem was a mix of supply-demand issues, workload, and some applicants’ reluctance to take the test. Senator Berg supported the bill as necessary to ensure proper billing and accountability, while Senator Meredith said the committee was missing key information from the cabinet and suggested it may be premature to act without hearing from the agency. No vote was taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Yes, we don't need a formal amendment line. testing and then I have a couple testing and then I have
• with demand. conduct more road tests and it creates a conduct more road tests and it creates a new<00
• <00:37:03.040> is conducting written and road tests is conducting written and road tests is
• of trucking companies when a testing of trucking companies when a testing facility<00:37:33.920>
• thirdparty testers to conduct road tests thirdparty testers to conduct road tests and<00:38:24.839

Bills: HF1167, HF1242

Keywords: Northern Lights Express, NLX, Minneapolis-Duluth rail, passenger rail, intercity passenger rail, high-speed rail, Duluth, Minneapolis, MnDOT, Minnesota Department of Transportation, Metropolitan Council, transportation funding, rail appropriation, general fund, trunk highway fund, rail project cancellation, infrastructure spending, commercial driver training, CDL, financial assistance

Transcript Highlights:

• What five or six years later, which was this PFAS blood testing report in Curry County.
• Blood testing for military.
• And I think increasing testing and tracking.
• You know, require the increased testing. And tracking public disclosure.
• The real test is whether they're gonna Comply with them or not.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:09:22.120> results<00:09:22.520> that<00:09:22.760> I the audiology test
• results that I the audiology test results that I performed<00:09:23.760> and<00:09:23.960>
• when I identify a diagnostic test when I identify a concern,<00:09:37.320> we<00:09:37.440>
• <00:14:27.720> They're<00:14:28.000> going performing the tests.
• They're going performing the tests.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee first approved the October 23 meeting minutes and then heard testimony on a planned 2026 bill to modernize Kentucky’s audiology practice act. Witnesses from the Academy of Doctors of Audiology and a Kentucky audiologist said the proposal would largely codify existing authority and add new powers to order certain imaging and lab tests related to auditory and vestibular conditions, as well as prescribe topical ear medications. They argued the changes would reduce delays, especially in rural areas, improve access to hearing and balance care, and help address provider shortages. Committee members asked about evidence for the expansion, responsibility for reviewing imaging results and incidental findings, and whether the changes might affect referrals or scope of practice. The witnesses said they could provide evidence, that the audiologist would be responsible for obtaining and reviewing radiology reports and following up with patients and primary care providers, and that the goal was to speed treatment and streamline referrals when needed. The committee then heard a separate proposal to update the Kentucky Board of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy statutes by licensing MRI technologists and diagnostic medical sonographers, who are not currently required to be licensed in Kentucky. The bill would create a transition period through January 1, 2028 for current practitioners, require national credentialing for new applicants after that date, expand the board from 9 to 11 members, and clarify scope and enforcement provisions. Supporters said the measure would improve patient safety, align Kentucky with most other states, and recognize national credentials. Members questioned how many workers would be affected, whether the state currently meets national standards, the cost of licensure, and whether the bill could worsen staffing shortages, especially in rural areas. The witnesses said about 800 MRI technologists and 1,600 sonographers in Kentucky are currently certified, initial licensure would cost $100, and existing licensees would not pay an additional fee. They also said the board viewed the change as a safety measure and noted increasing portability of MRI services across state lines. Finally, the committee began hearing a respiratory care interstate compact proposal. The sponsor and respiratory care representatives described the compact as a way to allow licensed respiratory therapists from member states to practice across state lines. They outlined the profession’s role in hospitals, emergency departments, home care, pulmonary labs, long-term care, and telehealth, and said the compact would help with workforce flexibility and access to care. The transcript cuts off before the discussion concluded or any action was taken on that item.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is about the fact that we are treating every single child the same, and we're testing every single
• We also do testing and treatment for STIs.
• And so if we are not testing and treating for HIV and kids are afraid to come to us, what is going to
• There's a reason why 49 states allow STI testing for minors without consent.
• Access to birth control and STI testing is crucial to keep our communities healthy and safe.

Summary: The committee on Pre-K through 12 Education took up SB 1288, a parental rights bill by Sen. Grall, which would expand the Parents Bill of Rights to require written parental consent for minors’ medical care and prescriptions, give parents access to medical records, require parental review/consent for surveys and questionnaires, and restrict use of biofeedback devices without parental permission. The sponsor said the bill is intended to restore parents’ role in major medical decisions and to address concerns about schools or providers collecting sensitive information from children without parents’ knowledge. She said she was open to clarifying language, especially around exceptions and definitions, but maintained that parents should generally be the decision-makers. Committee members pressed the sponsor on how the bill would affect minors who are abused, homeless, estranged from parents, or otherwise without a safe guardian, as well as access to STI treatment, mental health care, contraception, and care after sexual assault. The sponsor repeatedly said children in unsafe situations should come into the child welfare or law enforcement system and that she was open to changes for truly unsafe or unavailable parents, but she rejected the idea that the bill was merely about notification rather than consent. She also defended the survey provisions as a way to stop routine questioning of children about suicide and other sensitive topics without parental awareness, and said the biofeedback language was aimed at school settings where data about children’s anxiety or stress is allegedly being shared with classmates. Public testimony was heavily divided, with many speakers opposing the bill and describing personal experiences with abuse, rape, mental health crises, lack of supportive parents, and the need for confidential access to birth control, STI testing, and counseling. Opponents argued the bill would delay care, endanger vulnerable minors, and reduce access to medically necessary services and surveys that can identify risk. Supporters said the bill would restore parental authority, improve transparency, and protect children from inappropriate surveys and biometric monitoring. During debate, Sen. Berman and Sen. Davis opposed the bill, saying it conflicts with existing law and could harm vulnerable youth, while Sen. Yarborough supported it, arguing that not all parents are bad actors and that the state should not treat all families as if they were. The transcript ends with debate underway and no final vote or action recorded.

Transcript Highlights:

• We've also added language about genetic testing. to DNA testing to figure out whether or not their tribal
• not use blood testing to determine tribal affiliation because DNA tests cannot confirm specific tribal
• Another issue I have, Madam Chair, is just historically... the issue of genetic testing and blood testing
• And so I think that was part of the reason for the genetic testing.
• And that's a different alternative than doing genetic testing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Congress has appropriated the Title X funds for birth counseling, infertility services, pregnancy testing
• We tested and treated on site, and also identified hepatitis C, HIV, and pregnancy among the unhoused
• I called at 10:30 a.m. and by 1 p.m., I had been tested and received treatment for a painful UTI.
• mpox first came, it was a public health lab that was able to do the testing.
• We need testing capacity. We need these data systems to get out of faxing and spreadsheets.

Summary: The subcommittee held an oversight hearing on federal actions affecting California’s public health and family planning systems, focusing first on the freeze to Title X family planning funds and then on broader CDC/public health grant terminations. Chair and members described the cuts as abrupt, harmful, and likely to create major gaps in disease surveillance, vaccination, contraception, STI testing, and other preventive services, while also criticizing the federal administration’s explanation that the actions were tied to DEI or civil-rights compliance. The chair thanked Attorney General Bonta for legal action and said the hearing was intended to document the real-world impacts and inform state budget responses. Witnesses from Essential Access Health, Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, a Central Coast clinic, and other providers said California’s Title X network serves more than half a million low-income patients annually and relies on the funds for staffing, outreach, training, mobile and school-based clinics, and confidential care. They warned that the freeze has already forced reserve spending, delayed services, and could lead to layoffs, reduced hours, longer waits, and fewer appointments, especially for sexual and reproductive health care. Public comment included support for a proposed state backfill of Title X losses, with advocates emphasizing impacts on low-income, LGBTQ+, and communities of color. On the public health side, CDPH, county health officials, and local health officers testified that the CDC’s rescission of $11.4 billion in grants would affect California by an estimated $840 million and threaten lab capacity, immunization programs, health disparities work, and data systems such as CalConnect and vaccine registries. Sacramento County and others described how the grants supported outbreak response, sequencing, community vaccination clinics, and equity-focused partnerships, and said terminations had already led to canceled appointments, stopped contracts, and layoffs. Several speakers urged the Legislature to preserve and expand state “future of public health” funding and to backfill federal losses, while public commenters from HIV, immunization, labor, and county organizations echoed concerns about workforce losses and worsening health outcomes.

Transcript Highlights:

• The next piece is regarding clear-wave tests.
• It is COVID, flu, and strep clear-wave test right now under the PREP Act, which was enacted under the
• It allows pharmacists to do COVID, flu, and strep clear-wave tests.
• It's rapid testing. It'll say you tested positive for COVID, flu, and/or strep.
• So, and it's a pretty inexpensive test. It's a urine test. You don't even have to draw blood.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Health and Mental Health heard testimony on several measures. HCR 42, sponsored by Representative Perkins, urged Congress to support programs intended to reduce prescription drug costs for Medicaid and Medicare patients. The sponsor said it would help elderly and low-income residents, while Representative Dahl argued the referenced program could cost more than other options such as GoodRx or generic pharmacy pricing. No vote was taken, and the hearing was closed after no additional support or opposition testimony was offered. The committee then heard Senate Bill 878 from Senator Fitzwater, a pharmacist practice act bill negotiated with the Board of Healing Arts and pharmacy groups. The bill would codify pandemic-era pharmacy flexibilities, expand pharmacist authority to administer certain vaccines approved by the FDA and state boards, allow therapeutic plans and some medical device dispensing, and authorize over-the-counter access to ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine with FDA-approved warning labels and standardized procedures. Supporters, including pharmacy associations and large pharmacy chains, said it would improve access, especially in rural areas, reduce delays in treatment, and help pharmacies remain open. Some members and an opponent raised concerns about safety, self-treatment, vaccine authority, and whether the bill shifts too much power from elected officials to boards. The bill was heard only; no committee vote was reported. The committee also heard House Resolution 538, which would designate May 2026 as ALS Awareness Month and encourage support for research, funding, and affected families. Members largely supported the resolution, with comments about the severity of ALS and the importance of early communication and assistive technology. House Resolution 4661 followed, calling for increased awareness and screening for chronic kidney disease, especially among high-risk patients with diabetes and hypertension, and encouraging public-private education efforts around urine albumin-to-creatinine testing. The sponsor described it as an awareness measure rather than a mandate, and members asked about how education efforts might work and whether broader screening should be considered. No votes were taken on either resolution during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• And certain specialists will want to make sure they're testing their blood sugars.
• And certain specialists will want to make sure they're testing their blood sugars.
• To make sure they're testing their blood sugars. But that requires a prior auth.
• I've had patients, again, denied for diabetic test strips.
• You always did the fecal occult blood test any time you had an opportunity.

Keywords: 909, all

Transcript Highlights:

• driver's license revocation timely, and we will be here for any test uh questions.
• driver's license revocation timely, and we will be here for any test uh questions.
• <00:15:19.040> and labs to conduct this type of testing and labs to conduct this type of testing
• islands when they do their temp testing islands when they do their temp testing and<00:15:23.120
• Um, replace the existing tested.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Transportation met on March 20, 2025, first on two bills and then on a series of resolutions. On SB 597, relating to administrative driver’s license revocation, the Department of the Attorney General and other agencies supported extending the deadlines for written review decisions because chemical testing results, especially from neighbor islands, can take longer to return. One individual testified in opposition. The committee amended the bill to set the review-decision deadlines at 14 and 28 days, deferred the effective date to July 1, 3000, and recommended passage with amendments by vote. The committee then heard SB 1285 SD2, a highway safety measure that would create an impaired-driving offense, establish automatic license suspension procedures, and amend related administrative processes. The Attorney General’s office raised concerns about the new infraction structure and recommended deleting that section, while the Public Defender opposed the bill, arguing it could create due process problems and unnecessary burdens on the courts. DOT and several advocacy groups supported the measure, and one individual testified in support of lowering the BAC limit to 0.05. The committee adopted extensive amendments, including deleting several sections, revising revocation language for refusals to test, and deferring the effective date to July 1, 3000, then passed the bill with amendments. In the later resolution hearing, the committee heard measures on Maui road projects, the Kulani Hako Bridge replacement, enforcement against improperly registered out-of-state vehicles, a proposed extension of the Skyline rail to West Oahu, a proposal to transfer airport regulatory authority to DOT, a golf-ball safety resolution, and a restricted parking pilot program in West Oahu neighborhoods. Testimony was generally supportive on the Maui road, bridge, vehicle-registration, and golf-ball measures, while DOT opposed the airport-corporation task force resolution and several groups offered mixed views, including calls for public-sector union representation if a task force were created. The committee also heard support and concern on the Skyline extension resolution, with members noting the need for transit options that better serve West Oahu. At the end of the meeting, the committee adopted the resolutions it took up in decision-making, including the Maui road measures, the bridge resolution, the vehicle-registration resolution, and the Skyline-related resolution, with the airport-corporation and parking-zone measures also heard before adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, as you're aware, you know, we play that essential role in driver's testing where we oversee all testing
• Um drivers testing good thing as well.
• <01:09:14.719> where essential role in drivers testing where essential role in drivers testing
• have<01:09:30.480> really test those testing slots have really test those testing slots have
• So that drivers testing facilities.

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00:00 Roll Call: 00:00:07 Office of the Attorney General Update: 00:04:52 Department of Kentucky State Police Update: 00:44:57, 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• committee that was anti-drones because he thought they were just going to go around peeking in people’s windows
• It's less work, like it has an inspection sticker, but it didn't pass the emissions test or there were
• 05:17:13.360> pass<05:17:13.600> the<05:17:13.760> emissions<05:17:14.240> test
• <05:17:14.680> or but it didn't pass the emissions test or but it didn't pass the emissions
• test or there<05:17:15.400> were<05:17:15.600> issues<05:17:15.920> with<05:17:

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee met with New Hampshire DOT Commissioner Bill Cass and Finance Director Danielle Shandra to review the agency’s FY 2026 budget. Cass gave a high-level overview of DOT’s mission, organization, funding structure, and staffing trends, noting the agency has about 650 employees across five divisions. He said the Governor’s recommended FY 2026 budget totals $95.99 million, essentially flat from FY 2025, with funding primarily from Turnpike funds, Highway funds, federal sources, and a small General Fund share for non-highway units. Members asked about how Turnpike and Highway funds are treated in state accounting, and DOT explained that while they are enterprise funds restricted to their purposes, they are considered unrestricted from the statewide perspective and are appropriated through the budget process. A major topic was staffing and budget targets. DOT said its full-time staffing level has remained relatively flat since 2014 even as vehicle miles traveled increased and vacancies rose. To meet budget targets, the department unfunded seven permanent positions and nine temporary full-time positions, and later noted additional reductions in Finance, including the elimination of two full-time positions, reduced print shop equipment purchases, and deeper cuts to overtime, temporary help, equipment, and supplies in FY 2027. DOT also explained that it shifted funding for one unmanned aerial system position from General Funds to Highway Funds, saying the change was workable because the position supports highway-related work and federal-aid-eligible activities. Members asked for clarification on the state transit operating match, and DOT explained that the Legislature had previously provided about $1.8 million annually in General Funds to help local transit agencies meet federal match requirements, but that funding was not included in this budget. DOT said that could reduce the ability to draw down some federal transit funds, though the impact may not be immediate because those funds can be used over several years. The department also described its unmanned aerial system program, saying it has been used for about five years for mapping, survey work, construction oversight, and storm damage assessment, and that it now has about five drones and two full-time positions supporting the program. DOT said it is expanding cross-training so more employees can operate drones without adding positions. No votes or formal actions were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• So that would reduce the testing delay with no decline in quality of care.
• But it seems like one of the big barriers is still getting that actual diagnosis and testing.
• Also, by aligning with these statutes, Arkansas could increase psychological testing by about 44% just
• So that would reduce the testing delay with no decline in quality of care.
• to give the same test within a certain period.

Summary: The Arkansas Legislative Autism Task Force approved the April 1, 2026 meeting minutes and then reviewed several vacant membership slots on the task force, including appointments from the Arkansas Psychology Board, Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield, UAMS, and parent or guardian positions. Members discussed trying to fill those vacancies before the next meeting, and noted that if they remain open they may be addressed in the task force’s legislative report and through possible statutory changes in the next General Assembly. Representatives from the Developmental Disabilities Provider Association (DDPA) and Civitan Services presented on DDPA’s role serving children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities across Arkansas. They said DDPA now represents 80 providers serving more than 13,000 individuals in 75 counties, with services including early intervention, adult day programs, supported employment, intermediate care facilities, work activities, and community/residential waiver services. They also shared survey data on older clients and said these services remain available to seniors with IDD, including people with autism. The task force then heard a proposal to amend Act 656 of 2021 to include licensed psychological practitioners as qualified providers for autism waiver-related evaluations. The presenter argued this would reduce wait times, avoid duplicate assessments, and help families access services sooner, while still maintaining quality standards. Members asked about training, licensure, and whether other professionals such as speech-language pathologists or audiologists should be included; Dr. Scott noted that current practice already relies on a two-provider model and that speech-language pathologists play a role because autism diagnosis considers communication, cognitive ability, and language. The discussion also touched on the need for proper testing standards and board oversight. No vote was taken on the amendment, and the meeting ended with plans to return to fraud-related discussion and to begin prioritizing recommendations for the 2027 session before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• Right now there's no difference between refusing to take the breath test or taking the breath test.
• Right now there's no difference between refusing to take the breath test or taking the breath test.
• or taking the to take the breath test or taking the breath<00:46:36.720> test.
• <00:46:38.079> So breath test. The penalty is the same. So breath test.
• And it's important to remind test.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, that cannot go to local and. tested because of the fiscal note.
• We watched crash tests at Texas A&M's Transportation Institute.
• I mean, to get my test results before I meet with my doctor.
• I went to get my testing strips for my bear. It was like $60 for testing strips. I'm thinking, wow.
• Each and every ingredient is tested for safety and effectiveness.

Bills: SB95, SB268, SB493, SB619, SB660, SB922, SB984, SB1098, SB1188, SB1307, SB1332, SB1822

Keywords: immunization, written informed consent, civil liability, health care provider, vaccine compensation, administrative penalty, health care, licensing, complaint procedure, disciplinary action, law enforcement, pharmacy benefit manager, PBM, gag clause, prescription drug pricing, out-of-pocket cost, cash price, pharmacist, pharmacy, prescription drug benefit

Transcript Highlights:

• , right, beginning-of-year test.
• Chairman, but the audience might be—is that it replaces the STAAR test with a shorter test that is better
• Chairman, but the audience might be—is that it replaces the STAAR test with a shorter test that is better
• So we can talk about what the right test is, what the right test name is, but the concept of measuring
• On the next slide, you see that tests signal how students are learning and different tests serve different

Summary: The committee continued hearing testimony on Senate Bill 2252, which would expand early literacy and numeracy screening, parent notification, intervention supports, and teacher training, including math academies and early childhood supports. Supporters from Texas 2036, Good Reason Houston, Texas Business Leadership Council, and several parents argued that early identification of skill gaps, clearer data for families, and stronger teacher preparation would improve student outcomes, workforce readiness, and long-term earnings. They cited low math proficiency statewide, the importance of early intervention, and examples of districts using screeners and data dashboards to guide instruction and resource allocation. One witness also highlighted home visiting as a family-support model, while another urged more funding for pre-K partnerships and stronger support for parents with reading materials and guidance. A district special education administrator testified neutrally, saying the bill reflects practices already used in her district but expressing concern that it could reduce local control and teacher discretion by standardizing screening and tying it to funding. A Texas Classroom Teachers Association representative supported the intent but warned that mandatory math academies and intervention academies could burden teachers if implemented like prior reading academies, and a substitute teacher/teacher-of-the-year witness asked for clearer protections around special education information and pay for alternative certification candidates. After public testimony closed, SB 2252 was left pending. The committee then took up Senate Bill 2253, as substituted, which would phase out routine hiring of uncertified teachers over time, require parent notification when a teacher is uncertified, and expand high-quality preparation pathways such as university programs, residencies, improved alternative certification, and grow-your-own programs. Senator Creighton said the bill responds to the rise in uncertified teachers and aims to strengthen the teacher pipeline with more structured preparation, mentorship, and oversight by SBEC. Invited testimony strongly supported the measure: a Texas Tech researcher said uncertified teachers and fast-track programs are associated with significant learning losses, while year-long residencies and mentored pathways produce stronger outcomes and higher earnings for students. Leaders from Dallas College and Sam Houston State University described successful residency and grow-your-own models, high completion and retention rates, and the need for paid residencies and stipends so candidates can afford to enter the profession. Committee members asked about the difference between mentorship and residency, the cost-effectiveness of paid residencies, retention incentives, and how to scale the model statewide. The committee also adopted the substitute for SB 2253 and later paused to vote out several other bills, including SB 1191, SB 1786, SB 226, SB 326, SB 570, SB 870, SB 991, SB 60, SB 365, SB 1401, and SB 1067, all of which were reported favorably, many with unanimous votes and some placed on the local and uncontested calendar.