Transcript Highlights:

• for the Education Savings Account Program.
• Those programs could certainly be included.
• Just give you a quick example: think about an automotive program in the community where the students.
• for this program.
• program?

Bills: SB1, SB 1

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We have a sports administration program, career in tech technology, uh, uh, education program that are
• So we need that help there and counseling, but it is a strong, good, uh, program that helps the community
• In your programs, do you have a program to train CTE teachers on the pedagogy of teaching their trade
• or so about the alt license program.
• In your programs, both the admin level and the basic teacher, do you teach and talk about community schools

Transcript Highlights:

• Corey's from this community.
• I mean, that's, we run some programming through there.
• So how is that program working?
• Here is a kind donor in our community.
• So, first of all, the programs do, if you're offering a three- and a four-year program in the same area

Summary: The committee met at Dakota College at Bottineau, approved the January 15, 2026 minutes, and heard an extensive campus update from Dean Corey Gorder and other DCB leaders. Gorder described the college’s affiliation with Minot State and its growing use of shared services, including business office functions, HR, institutional research, Title IX, printing, financial aid support through UND, and payroll support through NDSU. He said the arrangement lets DCB focus on its core mission while relying on system partners for specialized administrative work, and noted that accreditation concerns were not believed to limit those shared-service arrangements. He also highlighted DCB’s mission, enrollment growth, dual-credit reach across rural schools, and the college’s emphasis on nursing, dental, paramedic, farm management, and other workforce-oriented programs. Committee members asked detailed questions about dual credit, program delivery, and whether DCB’s partnerships were exclusive. Gorder said the relationships are generally collaborative rather than exclusive, that schools can choose other providers, and that many partnerships began through personal outreach and ongoing relationships with rural schools. Lisa Johnson of the university system added that transfer complaints are rare and that dual credit generally transfers well within North Dakota, though highly selective out-of-state institutions may treat credits differently. Members also asked about stipends for high school instructors, the share of K-12 versus DCB instructors, and the capacity limits in dental hygiene and other programs. Gorder said dental hygiene is capped by space and staffing, that there were more applicants than seats, and that expansion is being considered; he also said he would provide follow-up information on the paramedic program and instructor breakdowns. Gorder closed by identifying long-term challenges, including aging residence halls, recruiting faculty and staff, and the need to review low-enrollment programs. He said DCB should consider expanding into more high-demand trades such as welding, HVAC, and electrical work, and should streamline dual credit and strengthen its Minot programming. The committee then heard from the North Dakota Student Association, whose leaders outlined student priorities from the last session and the interim. Their main concerns included campus housing quality and affordability, food insecurity and food pantries, mental and physical health resources, student-led research funding, academic and career readiness, internships, and campus collaboration. They also discussed dual credit, saying it is valuable but uneven across the state, and raised questions about how to better retain students in North Dakota through the system. Members asked follow-up questions about housing, transferability of dual credit, and whether incentives could be used to encourage students to stay in-state for higher education.

Transcript Highlights:

• The 2019 REAP 1.0 program demonstrated one of the highest return-on-investment housing programs the state
• VTA has a very robust transit-oriented development program.
• program.
• VTA has a very robust transit-oriented development program.
• And I know ours have been communicated. Okay, perfect.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• These apprenticeship programs can be.
• positive community engagement.
• , and communities. workplaces, and communities.
• I'm grateful for the queer-led community staples in my own district, such as the Oakland LGBTQ Community
• He was patrolling out protecting our community against criminals. those who wreak havoc on our community

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• program integrity and efficiency. program integrity and efficiency.
• <00:08:42.399> that on people uh getting in programs that on people uh getting in programs
• particularly proud of the community particularly proud of the community grants<00:21:29.520>
• And it helped to preserve community and culture, and also help fund arts programs, arts projects, and
• <00:25:12.640> uh community arts community to apply uh community arts community to apply uh

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• To serve our community and our constituents.
• Speaker, gentlelady, that a community or a county that is interested in getting into this kind of program
• I know they have a federal accelerator program now.
• Come together as a community, Mr.
• The reason I bring that up is I, in my community...

Transcript Highlights:

• So starting off with Health and Communities, uh, it's been a big few years for Health and Communities
• Um, we also did rate increases on line 7 for program, for the program for all-inclusive care, and on
• Those are kind of our really big programs.
• Otherwise, the programs may have reducing ROI expectations.
• Um, programs.

Transcript Highlights:

• Community, supervision.
• So, um, right now we provide certain programming.
• officers, no program exists to connect exist, uh, exiting offenders with community resources for re-entry
• conduct biannual program evaluations and recommend changes to programs when needed.
• and developing and maintaining associated program lists.

Bills: HB153

Transcript Highlights:

• And what does that mean for our community health centers?
• My name is Bethany Keeley, and I'm the CEO at Community Health Programs in Berkshire County.
• Community Health Programs, or CHP Berkshires, is the only community health center in Berkshire County
• Yet for many patients, particularly those in rural communities, low-income communities, and communities
• true for communities most impacted by maternal health disparities, including rural communities, racial

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee held a public hearing with testimony on several health care bills, with most of the discussion focused on primary care access, community health center reimbursement, midwifery and birth centers, telehealth, hospital-at-home, direct primary care, and trans-inclusive health care access. Chair Feeney and Chair Murphy opened by noting the large number of signups and asking testifiers to keep remarks brief because of time constraints. Legislators and witnesses repeatedly emphasized that Massachusetts’ primary care system is under strain and that federal policy changes and reimbursement gaps are worsening financial pressure on providers. On community health centers, Representative Blay, Senator Lovely, Michael Curry, Bethany Keeley, Jag Deep Trevetti, Sean Cahill, and Christina Severin all supported H. 1096/S. 711, which would require commercial insurers to pay federally qualified health centers at least the MassHealth prospective payment system rate. They argued that commercial plans currently reimburse health centers below Medicaid rates, threatening sustainability, staffing, and access, especially as federal cuts and coverage losses could increase uncompensated care. Testifiers said the bill would stabilize health centers, protect primary care access, and not cost the state money. A second major topic was H. 1117/S. 784 on sustaining birth centers and the midwifery workforce. Senator Lovely, Senator Miranda, Emily Anesta, Rebecca Orden, Catherine Rushworth, Nishira Burrill, Joel Sutherland, Rachel Blessington, Joelle Ward, and others described the 2024 maternal health omnibus as an important first step, but said birth centers and midwives still face low reimbursement, workforce shortages, and financial instability. They urged reimbursement parity, a workforce development fund, and support for freestanding birth centers, citing improved outcomes, lower C-section rates, better patient experience, and racial equity in maternal health. Several speakers shared personal birth stories and said the bill would help preserve and expand birth options in communities like Roxbury, Worcester, and the North Shore. The committee also heard support for H. 1343 on direct primary care from Dr. Garofalo, Dr. Altman, Dr. Nair, Stephanie Cameron, Dr. Haley Moke-Blessed, and others, who said current insurance rules force patients to use a separate in-network primary care doctor for referrals and sometimes prevent physicians from dispensing medications. They argued the bill would reduce delays, administrative burden, and costs while improving continuity of care. In addition, Dr. Miklides and Sue Stempeck supported H. 1141 on hospital-at-home parity, saying the model has strong outcomes and should be reimbursed at the same rate as brick-and-mortar hospital care. Heather Myers and Katrina Cook testified on telehealth and digital health equity, urging broader coverage for asynchronous care, remote monitoring, interpreter services, and digital literacy supports. SEIU Local 509 supported H. 1188/S. 681 on trans-inclusive health care access, saying it would remove arbitrary insurance barriers to gender-affirming care. No votes or committee actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• stand up for vulnerable communities. stand up for vulnerable communities.
• community community u<01:27:03.280> involvement.
• . program. program.
• as communism. as communism.
• communism matter? communism matter?

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• As Scott described, there are examples of programs that exist in certain communities that have been able
• And there are communities that do not have co-responder programs or other transportation options.
• in their community.
• to community, and the agreements that are made in those communities.
• However, they paid their dues and have given back to the community. community.

Bills: HB3772, HB1656, HB4504, HB1896, HB4420, HB4421, HB4076, HB3708, HB2806, HB3540, HB1586, HB5459, HB4553, HB4535, HB3811, HB3749, HB4255, HB4051, HB5098, HB3554, HB4539, HB5274

Keywords: e-cigarettes, health and safety, regulations, directory, penalties, regulation, certification, compliance, manufacturers, FDA, nicotine, mental health, emergency detention, paramedic authority, mental illness, healthcare facility, public health, covenants not to compete, health care practitioners, physicians

Transcript Highlights:

• Does the clerk have any announcements or communication? Yes, sir.
• Sergeant Reynolds Community College.
• It adds nuclear and fusion to the clean energy buyers program.
• , apprenticeship program.
• tailored to the needs of their communities.

Keywords: March 06, 2026 - Regular Session, 976, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the California Program Director for Defenders of Wildlife.
• In the Governor's budget has been our arts and culture programs.
• Communities.
• This program is growing.
• Certainly you've woken up other communities in this space, namely my community, my district, who will

Summary: The Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee heard several bills, mostly related to Proposition 19, voluntary tax checkoffs, and local tax authority. SB 288 would clarify that the one-year residency and exemption deadline for inherited homes held in probate begins when legal ownership is established; it received support from the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association and others, no opposition, and was referred to suspense. SB 974 would explicitly include special needs trusts in Prop. 19-related inheritance rules; it had support from the Riverside County Board of Supervisors and Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association and passed 5-0 to Appropriations as amended. The committee also heard SB 575, which would restore the Sea Otter Voluntary Contribution Fund for voluntary tax return donations to sea otter conservation. Supporters cited sea otter recovery, research, and habitat protection needs; there was no opposition, and the bill passed 5-0 to Appropriations. SB 999 would delay the Franchise Tax Board’s annual report on the health care individual mandate from March 1 to June 1 to allow more complete data; Health Access California supported it, and it passed 5-1 to Appropriations. SB 762 would authorize certain cities and counties, including Hercules, Santa Cruz, and Santa Barbara, to seek voter approval for local transaction and use taxes to address budget pressures, public safety, infrastructure, and safety-net service cuts. Local officials, labor groups, and health advocates supported it, while the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association opposed it; the committee adopted the urgency clause and then passed the bill to Local Government with urgency, with some no votes. SB 1073 would create a voluntary tax contribution fund to support the Historic South Los Angeles Black Cultural District; arts advocates and community supporters backed it, and the bill passed unanimously to the Arts, Entertainment, Sports, and Tourism Committee as amended.

Transcript Highlights:

• So that division helps oversee that program.
• We're a quickly growing community.
• programs.
• We refer to community agencies.
• So we are diligent with after-school programs, before-school programs for parents to drop their kids.

Summary: The subcommittee first heard an overview from Department of Education Chancellor Paul Burns on Florida’s K-12 governance structure and major divisions, including early learning, public schools, safe schools, school choice, and accountability. He highlighted school readiness and VPK, teacher preparation and licensure, school safety functions, scholarship and virtual/home education programs, and FAST progress monitoring. Burns also cited statewide gains such as higher mid-year reading performance, a record graduation rate of 89.7%, and record CTE enrollment, while members questioned the meaning of Florida’s “number one” education rankings, teacher pay, post-COVID learning loss, vacancies, and chronic absenteeism. St. Lucie County Superintendent John Prince then described the scale and responsibilities of a mid-sized district, emphasizing student safety, transportation, meals, hurricane shelter operations, career and technical education, teacher recruitment and retention, progress monitoring, remediation, and mental health supports. Members asked about school shelter construction standards, remediation funding, late school start times, attendance, and concordance scores; Prince argued for more flexibility for CTE pathways and noted that local districts use a mix of state and federal funds to support remediation and staffing. The committee then moved to an early warning systems panel. Burns explained that Florida law requires districts to use attendance, behavior/suspensions, course performance, FAST results, and other academic indicators to identify students needing support, with districts and families developing intervention plans. Superintendents from Putnam, St. Johns, and St. Lucie counties said chronic absenteeism is tied to achievement and NAEP decline, but causes vary by district, including poverty, transportation, daycare, family instability, travel, and student athletics. They described MTSS, PBIS, home visits, attendance letters, and community partnerships as responses. Members also discussed VPK access, full-day VPK funding, excused versus unexcused absences, and the need for earlier intervention in pre-K and K-2. Finally, Vice Chancellor Darren Norris outlined Florida’s post-Parkland school safety measures, including armed school officers, anonymous reporting, behavioral threat assessment teams, mental health training, panic alert systems, emergency drills, active assailant response policies, and firearm detection canines. Superintendents said compliance is costly and often requires shifting local funds, but they praised state grants for mental health, hardening, and mapping. They noted ongoing challenges with new mandates, capital costs, manual reporting burdens, and the need to balance safety requirements with classroom resources.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're just asking for flexibility for our nursing education programs as well as career technical programs
• Senator Jones continued: “Nobody in my community, nobody in your community, Senator Simon, nobody in
• your community, Senator Harrell, nobody in your community, Chair, nobody.
• Senator Jones continued: “Nobody in my community, nobody in your community, Senator Simon, nobody in
• your community, Senator Harrell, nobody in your community, Chair, nobody.

Bills: S0194, S1246

Keywords: Charlie Kirk, remembrance, free speech, civic engagement, youth leadership, nursing shortage, health care, education funding, workforce development, LINE Fund, monetary contributions, nonmonetary contributions

Summary: The Committee on Education Postsecondary met with a quorum and first considered SB 1246, which would expand Florida’s Line Fund for health service workforce shortages. Senator Davis explained that the bill would broaden eligibility beyond nursing to include health science education programs and students, allow matching funds from private contributions, and permit use of funds for scholarships, faculty recruitment, equipment, simulation centers, and facility renovations. Senator Harrell asked for more specificity about which professions would qualify, and Davis said the bill was intended to add flexibility but could be made more concrete. Several witnesses supported the bill, and the committee reported SB 1246 favorably without additional funding being requested. The committee then took up SB 194, which would designate October 14 as Charlie Kirk Day of Remembrance. Senator Martin said the bill would recognize Kirk’s influence on civic engagement, youth leadership, and constitutional education without creating a state holiday. The bill drew both support and opposition from public speakers, with supporters emphasizing Kirk’s advocacy for free speech and unborn children, and opponents arguing that his public statements on race, civil rights, and Black leaders made him an inappropriate figure for state honor. Members also debated whether statute was the right vehicle for such recognition and whether the bill could encourage future requests for similar commemorations. A late-filed amendment by Senator Jones would have added George Floyd to the remembrance language, framing the issue as selective remembrance and pointing to Floyd’s death as another national reckoning. Senator Martin opposed the amendment as unfriendly, and it failed on a roll call vote. The committee then debated SB 194 at length, with supporters describing Kirk as a defender of open debate and opponents saying the bill would legitimize divisive rhetoric. The committee ultimately reported SB 194 favorably, with Senators Berman, Harrell, and Jones voting no, Senator Rodriguez and Chair Simon voting yes, and Chair Calatayud casting the deciding favorable vote. The committee then adjourned after a motion to record Tab 2 in the affirmative was adopted.

Transcript Highlights:

• . community. community.
• community feels at home. community feels at home.
• . community. community.
• creating a new program? creating a new program?
• How do you ensure a new program program program when<01:14:40.280> we<01:14:40.400> can't

Bills: HF4477

Keywords: Minnesota business recovery loan program, small business loan, zero-interest loan, forgivable loan, business recovery, economic development, small business emergency loan account, Minnesota Initiative Foundations, nonprofit lenders, greater Minnesota, Twin Cities metro, seven-county metropolitan area, immigration enforcement, business interruption, revenue loss, job preservation, business stabilization, state appropriation, forward fund, loan forgiveness

Transcript Highlights:

• and the community says all right right and the community says all right let's<00:05:19.160> ke
• <00:41:38.000> elsewhere that they're programmed elsewhere that they're programmed elsewhere
• The beauty of this program, and it's a current use program that's really looked highly upon by many other
• The beauty of this program, and it's a current use program that's really looked highly upon by many other
• problem um the beauty of this program problem um the beauty of this program and<00:53:15.799>

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:03:23.239> and importantly is that uh this program and importantly is that uh this program
• <00:09:29.680> to so grateful for uh this PR program to so grateful for uh this PR program
• sharing the program.
• sharing the program.
• implementation uh building program implementation uh building program Integrity<00:45:42.040>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I developed a program so my husband can go out into the community and be supported, to be able to, the
• I developed a program so my husband can go out into the community and be supported, to be able to, the
• These programs are essential for enabling older adults to remain in their communities, which is not only
• I am the program manager for the AmeriCorps Senior Companion Program.
• <02:36:31.080> so program and the state funded program so program and the state funded program

Keywords: 1189, house, all