Video & Transcript : 'student mobility' :

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US

US Federal 2025-2026 Regular Session

US House Floor Proceedings (Tuesday, February 11, 2025)

US Federal House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • Randall deployed to Panama with the 1990 Randall deployed to Panama with the 135th<00:10:51.959><c> mobile
  • > surgical</c><00:10:53.360><c> hospital</c><00:10:53.880><c> as</c><00:10:54.040><c> a</c> 135th mobile
  • These cuts will devastate our students, our professors, our seniors, and, what concerns me the most,
  • ultrasound, and do you take that and then immediately attach it to someone's phone so the scan is mobile
  • </c> someone's phone so the scan MO is mobile someone's phone so the scan MO is mobile with<05:41:19.760
NH

New Hampshire 2026 Regular Session

House Finance (04/13/2026)

Finance

Transcript Highlights:
  • And I'll tell you, mobile food pantries.
  • But those mobile pantries were only in a few locations. That was not everybody who was on SNAP.
  • But that mobile<01:17:44.000><c> p</c><01:17:44.239><c> those</c><01:17:44.480><c> mobile</c><01:17:44.719
  • ><c> pantries</c><01:17:45.199><c> were</c><01:17:45.360><c> only</c> mobile p those mobile pantries
  • were only mobile p those mobile pantries were only in<01:17:45.679><c> a</c><01:17:45.840><c> few</c>
Keywords: 1189, house, all
WY

Wyoming 2026 Regular Session

Joint Appropriations Committee, April 30, 2026 - AM

Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:
  • Smith, what I can tell you is that Wyoming is part of an economy in this great nation that is very mobile
  • , and it's especially mobile if you're born in Wyoming.
  • </c><02:36:16.640><c> that</c><02:36:17.040><c> is</c><02:36:17.280><c> very</c><02:36:17.680><c> mobile
  • </c> this great nation that is very mobile this great nation that is very mobile and<02:36:18.960><c>
  • ><c> you're</c> and it's especially mobile if you're and it's especially mobile if you're born<02:36:
Keywords: 916, all
NY

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

Senate Standing Committee on Internet and Technology - 04/01/2026

Internet And Technology

Transcript Highlights:
  • Bill 7974, an act to amend the General Business Law in relation to recovery of online accounts for mobile
  • Senate Bill 8641, an act to amend the General Business Law in relation to providing website and mobile
Keywords: 993, senate, all
Summary: The committee met at 9:34 a.m. on April 1 with a quorum present and considered several Internet and technology-related bills. The first, S.1815 (Fernandez), would require books created with generative AI to include a disclosure; one member raised concern that the language could unintentionally cover ordinary software like Microsoft Word, and the chair said she would relay that concern to the sponsor. The bill was reported to the Consumer Protection Committee with five in favor, one opposed, and one without recommendation. The committee then advanced S.4609A (Gounardes), establishing a stop-online-creditors measure, to the Finance Committee, with one opposed. S.7713A (Krueger), restricting the use of automatic license plate reader information, was reported to the floor with five in favor and two opposed. S.7974, the chair’s bill on recovery of online accounts for mobile telephones, also moved to the floor with two opposed. Two additional bills passed unanimously or near-unanimously: S.8641 (May), giving website and mobile app users the right to refuse non-essential cookies, and S.9097 (May), concerning social referral services, both were reported to the floor with seven in favor. The meeting concluded after a motion to adjourn.
OR
Transcript Highlights:
  • required approvals for asset disposition, and implement a system with mandatory data fields and reliable mobile
  • underscore how important it is as we seek a new system to have one that’s usable by our staff, especially mobile-friendly
  • track it in the interim, but as we seek a new system, the new systems we’ve been talking to all have mobile-friendly
  • features such as barcode scanning, where you can transfer assets, mobile applications, and just being
Keywords: 907, all
Summary: The Joint Interim Committee on Legislative Audits met on June 17 for informational presentations. The Department of Administrative Services, through Chief Audit Executive Eli Ritchie, gave an overview of statewide internal audit requirements and the fiscal year 2025 report. He explained the difference between internal and external audit, described Oregon’s statutory and rule-based internal audit structure, and reported that 30 agencies had internal audit functions, with most meeting required standards. He said 73 audits and 49 advisory/consulting engagements were completed statewide, with strong compliance overall, though a few agencies were rebuilding audit committees after vacancies. No committee questions were raised after the presentation. The Secretary of State’s Audits Division then presented its Government Waste Hotline annual report. Director Steve Bergman and audit manager Olivia Rekhed described changes made to align the hotline with statute, including renaming it the Government Waste Hotline, creating a review panel, improving anonymity protections, removing fraud reporting from the hotline’s scope, and adjusting reporting timelines. They said hotline volume increased modestly in 2025, most reports were referred elsewhere or closed for insufficient evidence, and two reports were substantiated, including questioned costs of about $856 for personal use of a state vehicle and about $2.9 million tied to the Preschool Promise program. Committee members asked about hotline staffing, cost, anonymity, and follow-up on findings; staff said the hotline is lightly resourced, uses a contracted intake service, and referrals or recommendations are followed up through management letters and later reviews. The committee also heard an audit of the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department’s safety inspections and asset tracking. The Secretary of State’s office reported that OPRD had not consistently conducted or documented quarterly OSHA safety inspections and had incomplete asset records, including missing acquisition dates and costs for many assets. The audit made eight recommendations covering safety inspection policies, asset management guidance, tagging, reconciliations, disposition controls, training, and a new asset management system; OPRD agreed to all recommendations. OPRD officials said they had already begun training staff, improving inspection procedures, and working toward a replacement asset system, while noting operational challenges from a large, dispersed park system and manual processes. Committee members asked about what kinds of assets are tracked, how tagging works, whether items were actually being lost, and how much tracking is necessary for low-value tools; OPRD said the main issue was inconsistent classification and documentation rather than widespread loss. The meeting ended with no votes or formal actions taken.
ID

Idaho 2026 Regular Session

Agenda Feb 4th, 2026

Environment, Energy and Technology

Transcript Highlights:
  • that is a reactor for the Department of War, Strategic Capabilities Office, that will demonstrate a mobile
  • operate it again to demonstrate that this technology can support the Department of War's needs for a mobile
  • operate it again to demonstrate that this technology can support the Department of Wars needs for a mobile
  • nuclear power system. can support the Department of War's needs for a mobile nuclear power system.
Keywords: 989, all
HI

Hawaii 2025 Regular Session

Room 224 Conference AM - 04-23-2025

Hawaii Senate Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • expands the use of monies in the revolving fund to allow financing as matching funds for CDFIs to mobilize
  • funds for to allow financing as matching funds for CDFIs<00:15:13.680><c> to</c><00:15:13.839><c> mobilize
  • </c> CDFIs to mobilize other funding sources. CDFIs to mobilize other funding sources.
Keywords: 912, senate, all
ND
Transcript Highlights:
  • This competitive fellowship is open to graduate students at both NDSU and UND.
  • This competitive fellowship is open to graduate students at both NDSU and UND.
  • Within just about two years, we have graduated 15 students.
  • For the student population in that program, how many students do you expect to participate in that program
  • So students graduating from this program can be from different majors.
Summary: The meeting began with approval of the prior minutes and opening remarks from NDSU President David Stewart, who emphasized NDSU’s land-grant mission of statewide service through teaching, research, and extension. He highlighted the university’s role in agriculture, water, soil health, and community outreach, and pointed to examples of research commercialization such as Lilac Agriculture’s work on nitrogen-fixing microbes for crops. He also said he is still early in his tenure and intends to spend time listening and learning across the state. The committee then received a detailed presentation on a state irrigation and drainage study from Tom Bodine on behalf of Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring. The study estimated that North Dakota could develop about 1.3 million additional irrigated acres, with major potential in counties such as McLean, Williams, Sargent, Burleigh, Mountrail, McKenzie, McIntosh, Dunn, and Bottineau. Testimony stressed the economic benefits of irrigation for crop yields, value-added processing, dairy, and potato production, while members also discussed water availability, aquifers, downstream water use, and the need for more flexible permitting. The drainage portion of the study found significant economic benefits from legal drains, and staff explained that the impacts were calculated through increased productivity and related input purchases. Greg Lardy then gave NDSU’s required agriculture update, saying agriculture accounts for more than $41 billion in annual economic activity, one in five jobs, and about 25 percent of state GDP. He reviewed the role of SBAR, the statewide research-extension network, new crop varieties, virtual fencing, AI and weather-network tools, and Extension’s county partnerships and youth programs. He also outlined NDSU’s priorities for the next session: restoring proposed budget cuts, increasing operating support, and addressing deferred maintenance. Members asked about storage shed construction, NDSU’s relationship with Grand Farm, and whether NDSU could help with water-related research tied to drainage and aquifers. The committee also heard from the North Dakota Water Resources Research Institute and a professor on water and data centers, who described graduate fellowships, a water workforce certificate program, and research on data center cooling, water use, and “Legendary Harvest” concepts that would reuse waste heat for greenhouse or aquaculture production. Questions focused on whether the cooling systems were closed-loop, who would own any related production facilities, and whether the project was still only a feasibility study. Finally, North Dakota AgTech described its NSF-funded “engine” project, saying it has brought millions in federal investment to the state, supported startups and on-farm trials, and is focused on commercialization, workforce development, and helping producers lower input costs and improve profitability.
MA
Transcript Highlights:
  • prevalence of cashless transactions and cashless business in the Commonwealth, credit card fees, mobile
  • of 90 to 95% transactions, and the proliferation of third-party delivery and all the other things, mobile
  • delivery, anything that's happening... ...of third-party delivery and all the other things, mobile delivery
Keywords: 995, all
Summary: The House and Senate chairs opened the first organizational meeting of the special initiative commission created by Chapter 238 of the Acts of 2024 to study the future of payments and sales transactions by credit card and the impacts on small businesses. They explained that no testimony would be taken at this meeting; instead, the commission would begin its work, introduce members, and prepare for future hearings and a final report with recommendations on credit cards and other payment methods. The chairs outlined the commission’s charge: to examine payment trends, cashless transactions, credit card fees, mobile payments, buy now, pay later financing, and the effects of section 28A of chapter 140D on small businesses. They said the commission would likely organize hearings around business and consumer impacts, the legal and regulatory landscape, and policy options such as transparency measures, reporting requirements, and possible limits. Members discussed the importance of hearing from retailers, restaurants, banks, small businesses, and possibly experts, and suggested considering cryptocurrency and whether hearings should be held outside the State House or include regional access. Several commissioners and stakeholders introduced themselves, including representatives from the Attorney General’s office, the House, the Executive Office of Economic Development, the Commissioner of Banks, retail and restaurant associations, a banking representative, and two small business owners. The chairs said interested parties could sign up to testify or receive notices, written testimony would be accepted, and the first hearing was tentatively set for April 8 in Gardner Auditorium. The meeting ended with a motion to close, which passed unanimously.
MO

Missouri 2026 Regular Session

Children and Families Mar 10th, 2026

Children and Families

Transcript Highlights:
  • They do not work for people with mobility challenges or using mobility devices.
  • These surfaces make independent mobility nearly impossible.
Summary: The Committee on Children and Families met with a quorum and first took up several bills for executive action. House Bill 2418, the Loy Voka Assistance Bill, was amended with a technical substitute correcting a statutory section reference and then voted do pass by a 12-0 roll call. House Bill 1819, the child care facilities bill, received an amendment, was rolled into a substitute, and was also voted do pass unanimously. House Bill 3077, the Schmidt social media curriculum bill, was revised through a committee substitute that shifted oversight from DESE to local school boards, narrowed and clarified language, changed references from “curriculum” to “instructional material,” and lowered the grade level from 6 to 3; it then passed 13-0. The committee then heard House Bill 3451 from Representative Sites, which would require the Department of Social Services to audio- or video-record face-to-face child abuse or neglect assessment interviews, securely store the recordings, and retain them for at least five years. Supporters, including Representative Proudie, said the bill would reduce trauma to children, preserve evidence, and would not create major costs because recording equipment is already available; no one testified in opposition or for informational purposes. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 3534 and House Bill 2342, presented by Representatives Proudie and Jones, to require new or updated public playgrounds and playground surfaces built by the state or political subdivisions to meet accessibility standards. Testimony in favor came from children and parents describing barriers posed by wood chips, gravel, and inaccessible equipment, and emphasizing the importance of inclusive play and the availability of grant funding for surfacing improvements. Committee members generally supported the concept, asked about scope and retrofitting, and the sponsors clarified the bills apply prospectively to public projects; there was no opposition testimony.
FL

Florida 2026 5th Special Session

Commerce and Tourism Jan 28th, 2026

Transcript Highlights:
  • Standards in temp work regarding safety, mobility, and pay are instituted only through goodwill, which
  • Strengthening protections for temporary workers supports economic mobility, reduces recidivism, and contributes
  • Upward mobility, second chances, stable jobs, safer workplaces, and a fair labor market for Florida.
Summary: The Senate Committee on Commerce and Tourism considered several bills. SB 1338, by Senator Burton, would strengthen protections for charitable endowment gifts by creating a legal pathway to enforce written donor agreements and by requiring legislative approval for certain charity reporting requirements. The sponsor and Philanthropy Roundtable supported the measure as a way to honor donor intent while protecting nonprofits, and the bill was reported favorably. SB 1080, by Senator DeSigley, would require FDOT to adopt rules allowing direct payments to first-tier subcontractors in certain circumstances; transportation industry testimony supported it as a rare but needed statutory remedy, and it also passed favorably. The committee also adopted a strike-all amendment to SB 1582, by Senator Yarbrough, which would require secondhand dealers, secondary metal recyclers, and pawnbrokers to submit transaction data to FDLE for statewide sharing through systems such as LInX. The sponsor said the bill was developed with law enforcement to improve theft and fraud investigations, while a recycler representative spoke against it. The amended bill was reported favorably. SB 1672, by Senator McLean, creating a home buyer workforce tax credit for employer contributions to help employees make a first-time Florida home purchase, drew support from the Florida Chamber of Commerce and was also reported favorably. A large portion of the meeting focused on SB 1112, by Senator Garcia, which would amend the Florida Labor Pool Act by prohibiting placement fees when a temporary worker is hired permanently by a client employer and by requiring annual registration of labor pools with the Department of Commerce. The sponsor and many speakers from Beyond the Bars, labor advocacy, and reentry communities argued the bill would improve worker protections, transparency, and pathways to stable employment, especially for formerly incarcerated workers. A few cards were filed against, but the bill received broad supportive testimony and was reported favorably. SB 1324 was temporarily postponed, and the committee adjourned after recording members who wished to be noted as voting in the affirmative on the day’s bills.
AL

Alabama 2025 Regular Session

Alabama House Ports, Waterways & Intermodal Transit Committee Feb 12th, 2025

Ports, Waterways & Intermodal Transit

Transcript Highlights:
  • It's exactly the same as what people in Mobile are dealing with regarding the red snapper issue.
  • including the Department of Conservation, who I appreciate for their efforts, along with individuals like Mobile
  • Baykeeper, the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, and the Mobile Bay National Estuary Program, who are making efforts
Bills: HB1, HB143, HB1, HB92
NY

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

Senate Standing Committee on Racing, Gaming and Wagering - 05/20/2026

Racing, Gaming And Wagering

Transcript Highlights:
  • Addabbo, an act to amend the Racing, Pari-Mutuel Wagering and Breeding Law in relation to requiring mobile
  • And that is a wrap. mobile sports wagering operators to share monthly invoice statements to authorize
Keywords: 993, senate, all
Summary: The Senate Racing, Gaming and Wagering Committee held what was described as its final meeting, with Chair Joe Addabbo and Ranking Member Tedisco offering brief remarks thanking colleagues, staff, and stakeholders for bipartisan work on gaming and racing issues. The chair emphasized the committee’s goal of promoting legal, safe gaming and supporting related industries such as horse racing. The committee then advanced several bills. S-2294 (Scufis) on employees of authorized organizations operating games of chance was approved unanimously. S-4865 (Fahy) would allow the Capital District Regional Off-Track Betting Corporation to retain and distribute certain uncashed tickets; it was approved, with Senator Helming voting without recommendation. S-5614 (Addabbo) would remove restrictions on how often certain authorized organizations may conduct bingo games; it passed unanimously and was sent to the calendar. The committee also approved S-9414 on prediction markets, with members noting the issue’s growing importance and thanking the Gaming Commission, Governor’s Office, and Attorney General’s Office for their efforts; Senator Helming voted without recommendation. S-9415 (Addabbo) would require mobile sports wagering operators to share monthly invoice statements with authorized consumers and was sent to the calendar. S-9545 (Fahy) on unclaimed winnings, refunds, and tax remittance was also approved and sent to the Finance Committee. No opposition votes were recorded on the measures that were advanced.
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Housing panel approves HF2140 3/12/25

Minnesota House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • Two of these communities are essentially mobile home communities.
  • home um communities essentially mobile home um communities so<00:31:11.519><c> I</c><00:31:11.840><c
  • Chair, bring in Lake Elmo as an example: they have a mobile home park that has PFOs in the well.
  • Chair, bring in Lake Elmo as an example: they have a mobile home park that has PFOs in the well.
  • Chair, bring in Lake Elmo as an example: they have a mobile home park that has PFOs in the well.
Keywords: 1183, house
AR

Arkansas 2026 1st Special Session

ALC-ADMINISTRATIVE RULES Jun 15th, 2026

ALC-ADMINISTRATIVE RULES

Transcript Highlights:
  • For some parents and students, that's going to be a private school; for many parents and students, that's
  • like they're beneficial to public school students.
  • or a disadvantage for EFA students.
  • or a disadvantage for EFA students.
  • That's not so much of a problem for younger students, but with junior high and high school students,
Summary: The Administrative Rules Subcommittee reviewed a long agenda of agency rules, with most items approved without objection after brief presentations and no public comment. Early items included Department of Energy and Environment rules on landfill post-closure trust fund spending thresholds and liquefied petroleum gas standards, DFA’s electronic odometer disclosure rule, and several Department of Health rules covering ionizing radiation, mobile home and RV parks, lead-based paint, counseling board revisions, hearing instrument dispensers, athletic training, dental examiners, nursing, pharmacy, medical board, speech-language pathology and audiology, radiologic technology, massage therapy, community health workers, doula certification, and cosmetology/body art. Most of these changes were described as updates to match recent acts, federal standards, compact participation, fee adjustments, or cleanup/clarification, and the committee repeatedly approved them without objection. A substantial portion of the meeting focused on the Arkansas State Board of Nursing’s broad set of rule changes implementing multiple 2025 acts. Those changes included creating a dialysis patient care technician registry, updating contact information requirements, expanding APRN authority to delegate certain tasks, clarifying death certificate and pronouncement authority, allowing substitution of therapeutically equivalent medications, permitting purchase of compounded products, and updating certified medication assistant rules and training standards. Members asked detailed questions about the meaning of therapeutically equivalent substitutions, delegation limits, compounded products, and how often medication lists would be updated; the board said it would review rules annually and use future rulemaking as needed. The committee also approved new nursing rules for declaratory orders and the new dialysis registry. The Department of Education’s rules drew the most discussion, especially the Arkansas Children’s Educational Freedom Account Program. The department said the revisions, based on Act 920 of 2025, were intended to add guardrails, clarify eligible expenses, and streamline approvals. Changes included defining core educational expenses, limiting sports-related spending, adding an intentional misuse standard, restricting certain technology purchases and requiring extra justification over $1,000, capping carryover funds at $8,500, and creating a reconsideration process for denied expenses. Members raised concerns about oversight, appeal timelines, sports equipment, provider credentialing, and whether the rules were too restrictive; department officials said the rules were meant to protect taxpayer funds while preserving flexibility, and they noted the program had received extensive public comment. The committee also approved Education rules for scholarships, residency classification, teacher programs, accelerated learning, and graduate medical education, as well as Labor and Licensing rules on wage and hour standards, boiler rules, motor vehicle commission requirements, professional wrestling regulation, appraiser qualifications, and military recruiting incentives.
NV
Transcript Highlights:
  • And I've been on that side too with my students where we've lost students to suicide because of the internet
  • And I've been on that side too with my students where we've lost students to suicide because of the internet
  • They're going to—they're just going to say that they're 20. ...my students are smart.
  • I'm all about keeping our students here. Yes.
  • There was a young medical student who co-testified on the other side of the house.
Bills: AB52, AB76, AB163, AB388, AB483
AR

Arkansas 2026 Regular Session

ALC-ADMINISTRATIVE RULES Jun 15th, 2026

ALC-ADMINISTRATIVE RULES

Transcript Highlights:
  • For some parents and students, that's going to be a private school; for many parents and students, that's
  • For some parents and students, that's going to be a private school; for many parents and students, that's
  • or a disadvantage for EFA students.
  • And an EFA student could go... ...to be provided equipment by the school, and an EFA student could go
  • That's not so much of a problem for younger students, but with junior high and high school students,
Keywords: 1204, all
NM

New Mexico 2025 Regular Session

IC - Legislative Finance Nov 17th, 2025

Transcript Highlights:
  • I think especially when we're looking at mobile and manufactured housing projects, that the percentage
  • The homeless students in all 33 counties, but a lot of these pilots are one or two counties at a time
  • I'm worried that we don't have enough funding to even support the great need for those students.
  • Their next step is to have student information and the ability to apply for participation in a course
  • If we can get this piece of the chess project finished, students won't have to go through that drama.
CA
Transcript Highlights:
  • Did the student have more than one sexual partner?
  • We support strong and enforceable student privacy protections, and we agree that student data should
  • And so we want to make sure that students and families have a way when their students' information is
  • ... ...students and families have a way when their students' information is being used inappropriately
  • So students can still look up this information.
Summary: The committee first heard AB 1159, which would update California student data privacy law for educational technology and college-level platforms. The author and supporters argued that students’ personal information is being collected and used far beyond educational purposes, including sensitive health and demographic data, and said the bill would limit misuse and add stronger privacy protections. Support came from privacy, labor, education, and civil rights groups, while opposition from college store and industry representatives focused on narrowing the definition of “operator,” preserving institution-related communications, and concerns about the bill’s private right of action. Members raised questions about how the bill would affect scholarships, financial aid, adult students, consent, and litigation; the author said the bill includes a right to cure and notice to the Attorney General. The committee voted 4-0 to pass the bill to Appropriations, with the measure placed on call. The committee then took up AB 1709, which would set a minimum age of 16 for social media accounts on platforms with specified addictive design features and create a youth safety commission. The author, pediatric and safety advocates, and several public supporters argued that social media companies intentionally design compulsive features that harm youth mental health, sleep, and development, and that the bill is a necessary product-safety response. Opponents argued the bill is overbroad, may be ineffective, raises First Amendment concerns, and could cut off vulnerable youth from important online support networks. Members focused heavily on possible amendments, especially a non-addictive feed option for younger users and strengthening the commission; the author said he was open to those changes and to further work with the committees. The bill was moved to Judiciary on a 5-0 vote and placed on call. At the end of the excerpt, the author began presenting a third measure, AB 2076, which would strengthen California’s Parents’ Accountability and Child Protection Act by adding nitrous oxide to the list of age-verified dangerous products, banning purchase with gift cards or store credit, and increasing penalties for large sellers. The author described nitrous oxide as increasingly accessible to minors online and cited enforcement gaps in the current law, but the transcript cuts off before testimony or action on that bill.
MA

Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Joint Committee on Racial Equity, Civil Rights, and Inclusion Jun 21st, 2026 at 01:00 pm

Joint Committee on Racial Equity, Civil Rights, and Inclusion

Transcript Highlights:
  • Underserved students.
  • disadvantaged students, the LGBTQ+ community, and Economically disadvantaged students, the LGBTQ+ community
  • and immigrant students and ensures, among other things, interpreters for parents and students who are
  • But we know what impact that has on all students who participate, but specifically students who come
  • Now if students— Now if students—imagine, I'm from Boston, you know, like I went to the John D.
Keywords: 995, all
Summary: The Joint Committee on Racial Equity, Civil Rights, and Inclusion held an informational hearing on diversity, equity, and inclusion in Massachusetts; no bills were heard or voted on. Chairs Bud Williams and Liz Miranda opened by framing the hearing as a response to recent federal actions they said threatened DEI efforts, funding, and civil rights protections in education and other sectors. They said the committee would hear from experts, agencies, advocates, and businesses about the legality and benefits of DEI and the impact of federal actions on the Commonwealth. Secretary of Education Patrick Tutwiler testified virtually that Massachusetts is pushing back against federal efforts to restrict DEI, including guidance and certification demands directed at schools. He highlighted state investments in early education, child care, early college, career and technical education, and educator diversity, arguing these efforts help close opportunity gaps for Black and brown students, students with disabilities, English learners, and other underserved groups. In response to member questions, he said federal education dollars are core to services for students and that the state is prepared to fight funding cuts while monitoring impacts across K-12, early education, and higher education. Elizabeth Matos of the Attorney General’s Office said DEIA programs remain legal under state and federal law and described AG guidance issued to help institutions navigate federal confusion. She reviewed litigation the office has joined or won, including efforts involving withheld school funds, museums and libraries, the Minority Business Development Agency, Head Start, AmeriCorps, and other federal actions. Members asked about immigration-related fear and profiling, and Matos pointed to existing Know Your Rights guidance, said complaints to the Civil Rights Division have increased, and noted the office is seeing issues involving housing discrimination, employment, public accommodations, and threats to call ICE. She also said the office is open to further legislative ideas but did not discuss specifics. Evelyn Carter, a social psychologist, testified that diversity, equity, and inclusion are often misunderstood and defined the terms plainly, emphasizing that diversity is a group characteristic, equity addresses unequal starting points, and inclusion is about belonging and access. She argued that DEI matters because it creates guardrails against bias, helps make environments accessible, and addresses ongoing inequities. In response to questions, she suggested practical strategies such as using clear criteria and written records in decision-making, broadening who is considered part of one’s in-group, and pairing bias awareness with concrete behavior-change tools. The hearing also included testimony from Meredith Tewitt of the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women, who spoke about the importance of DEI for women, veterans, and people who rely on federal institutions, and urged lawmakers to continue supporting inclusion and access.