Transcript Highlights:

• it's really important that we stick to an assessment that assesses the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills
• teachers the information that they need to not only gauge what they are doing as teachers and their skills
• That means 50% of third graders do not possess sufficient academic skills to read a prompt and write
• Sample items from this last STAAR test are assessing the true skills that teachers and educators... expect

Bills: HB8

Keywords: HB 8, Texas public school accountability, school accountability, public school transparency, STAAR, state assessments, instructionally supportive assessment program, Student Success Tool, Texas Education Agency, TEA, accountability ratings, A-F ratings, through-year assessment, benchmark testing, norm-referenced assessment, college career military readiness, CCMR, local accountability plan, school district performance, campus turnaround

Transcript Highlights:

• It revises the training requirements, as I said, specifying training for the various skills specific
• fragile children, the model waiver, so that it can serve all Medicaid-eligible children who receive skilled
• their spouses, and surviving spouses to create veterans and spouse-designated nursing home beds in a skilled
• their spouses, and surviving spouses to create veterans and spouse-designated nursing home beds in a skilled

Summary: The committee met to consider a large agenda of health and human services bills, moving quickly because of a two-hour time limit. Early measures reported favorably included SB 976 on challenges to court-appointed psychologists in family law cases, SB 306 on Medicaid provider network access and after-hours availability, and SB 584 on housing supports for college students and youth in extended foster care. SB 1412 on home health regulation modernization also passed, with one support appearance from the Home Care Association. Members then approved several bills focused on research and care delivery, including SB 1800 creating a Parkinson’s disease research consortium at USF with an adopted amendment adding academic medical centers, SB 524 adding Duchenne muscular dystrophy to newborn screening, SB 1156 revising a Medicaid home health aide program for medically fragile children, and SB 1490 transferring and redesigning the managed care program for critically ill children. SB 1174 on foster home licensure transfers, SB 1620 implementing mental health and substance use commission recommendations, SB 1568 revising e-prescribing exemptions, and SB 788 on veterans nursing home beds were also reported favorably. The committee had more extensive debate on SB 1270, the Department of Health agency package, which included provisions on vaccination status, medical marijuana background screening, licensing and compact issues, and sovereign immunity for volunteer dental workers; it passed after an amendment and several members voiced concerns about patient treatment and “voting power” language. SB 1606 on patient access to records drew strong opposition from providers and health information professionals over privacy, HIPAA, and administrative burdens; it was initially reported unfavorably, then reconsidered and ultimately passed after a motion to reconsider. Other bills reported favorably included SB 1736 on insulin administration by direct support professionals and relatives, SB 1808 on patient refunds from providers, SB 1842 on referral disclosure of network status, SB 1354 on behavioral health managing entity oversight, SB 1768 on stem cell therapies with informed consent requirements, and SPB 7032 on presumptive Medicaid eligibility for permanently disabled individuals, which was submitted and reported as a committee bill. The meeting ended after all agenda items were handled and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• It revises the training requirements, as I said, specifying training for the various skills specific
• fragile children, the model waiver, so that it can serve all Medicaid-eligible children who receive skilled
• their spouses, and surviving spouses to create veteran and spouse designated nursing home beds in a skilled
• their spouses, and surviving spouses to create veteran and spouse designated nursing home beds in a skilled

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services met to consider a full agenda of bills, moving quickly through 20 measures and several amendments. Early bills reported favorably included SB 976 on procedures for challenging court-appointed psychologists in family law cases, SB 306 on Medicaid managed care provider access outside regular business hours, and SB 584 on housing supports for foster youth and college students, which drew supportive testimony from former foster youth and was backed by members as a way to improve stability and educational opportunity. The committee also approved SB 1412 to modernize home health regulations and SB 1800 to create a Parkinson’s research consortium at USF, with members citing the need for more research and future funding opportunities. The committee adopted amendments on several bills, including technical and conforming changes to the Parkinson’s bill and other measures. The committee then advanced a series of health care and child welfare bills. SB 524 added Duchenne muscular dystrophy to newborn screening; SB 1156 revised the Home Health Aide Program for medically fragile children, including training, reimbursement, and work-hour flexibility; and SB 1490 reorganized services for medically fragile children by shifting program administration to AHCA and requiring a redesign plan for the Medicaid waiver. SB 1174 allowed foster home and child-caring agency licenses to be amended when a foster parent relocates, and SB 1620 implemented selected recommendations from the Commission on Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders, including a new research center at USF and school-based behavioral health review requirements. SB 1568 revised e-prescribing exemptions, and SB 78 authorized certain veterans’ nursing home beds and related certificate-of-need transfers. All of these measures were reported favorably after brief debate or supportive testimony. Several bills prompted more extensive discussion and some opposition. CS for CS SB 1270, the Department of Health agency package, included provisions on vaccination-related patient rights, medical marijuana reporting, background screening, temporary licensure, compact participation, and sovereign immunity for volunteer dentists; it passed despite concerns from Senators Berman, Brodeur, and Harrell about vaccination language and board/voting-power provisions. CS for SB 1606 on patient access to records drew strong opposition from physicians and health information professionals over privacy, security, fines, and portal access; it was initially reported unfavorably, then reconsidered and ultimately reported favorably as a committee bill. CS for SB 1736, allowing insulin administration by direct support professionals and relatives for individuals with developmental disabilities, and SB 1808, requiring timely refunds to patients, both passed. CS for SB 1842, requiring referring providers to help patients determine whether referred providers are in-network, also passed over concerns about burden on small practices. The committee also advanced SB 1354, a behavioral health oversight bill requiring audits, performance reporting, and system transparency measures for managing entities, and SB 1768, which authorizes physicians to perform certain stem cell therapies using specified products and requires informed consent; both drew supportive comments but also concerns about patient understanding and oversight. Finally, the committee approved SPB 7032 as a committee bill to create presumptive Medicaid eligibility for permanently disabled individuals during redetermination, and after reconsideration it reported SB 1606 favorably as a committee bill. The meeting ended with members noting their recorded votes on select tabs and adjourning after completing the agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• These services include education and enrichment for kids, employment services, life skills like budgeting
• treatment, and more, all with the support from 24/7 on-site staffing. for kids, employment services, life skills
• Memory screens are quick, simple tests that evaluate memory and other thinking skills.
• KAO's certified caregiver consultant can help a stressed caregiver find resources, learn coping skills

Bills: HF2115, HF2276, HF1644, HF99, HF2068, HF2707, HF2704, HF2406, HF1674, HF1579

Keywords: human services, aging services, disability services, behavioral health, long-term care, nursing home, nursing facility, assisted living, waiver services, medical assistance, Medicaid, case mix reimbursement, PDPM, RUG, direct care and treatment, developmental disabilities, day services, positive support, guardian, conservator

Transcript Highlights:

• matter the business, the challenges are consistent—from managing inflation and capital to hiring a skilled
• At organizational design, I'll be looking at skill sets and training that might be needed to deliver
• As I mentioned, my father learned truck driving skills. in the Air National Guard that resulted in our
• We had a good chance to talk about how we train people right where they are to give them the skills they

Transcript Highlights:

• entrepreneurship to drive innovation, create new technologies and industries, and develop a highly skilled
• Part of it was also to develop new remote sensing technologies, develop a highly skilled, high-wage workforce
• Support student development of the knowledge, skills, and aptitudes needed for success in the global
• And so the New World's Reading Initiative is really focused on building students' love of and skill in

Summary: The Education Postsecondary Committee held its first meeting and focused on state university centers and institutes, with an overview from the Board of Governors on how the more than 500 centers and institutes across Florida’s public universities are categorized, overseen, and reported. The Board described three categories: state-level centers, legislatively established centers, and university-established centers. Members were told universities must maintain policies, notify the Board of changes, publish public inventories, and submit annual reports and compliance certifications. Senator Harrell asked about funding sources and whether underperforming centers are reviewed for elimination; the response was that funding varies by center and that universities decide whether to maintain or disband centers under their own policies, with annual reporting and audit findings shared with the Board. Four university presentations followed. Florida Atlantic University highlighted its Center of Excellence in Biomedical and Marine Biotechnology, describing research in marine-derived drug discovery, genomics, imaging, cancer, neurodegenerative disease, and ocean sustainability, along with spin-off institutes and partnerships that have generated significant grant and contract support. FIU presented its Center of Excellence for Hurricane Damage Mitigation and Product Development, emphasizing the Wall of Wind facility, hurricane and water intrusion testing, code and product innovation, insurance modeling, and future expansion toward higher wind speeds and flood simulation. Florida State University’s High-Performance Materials Institute described work in advanced materials, aerospace composites, sensors, nanocomposites, and AI-enabled materials development, along with patents, industry partnerships, and new facilities tied to economic development. The University of Florida’s Lastinger Center for Learning outlined its work on teacher professional learning, literacy, New Worlds Reading, tutoring, and mathematics supports, including microcredentials, statewide book distribution, and early results showing improved reading confidence and growth. Members generally praised the centers for their research, commercialization, workforce development, and education impacts. Senator Jones and Senator Harrell commended the Lastinger Center’s literacy work and the broader return on investment from these programs, while Senator Berman noted the value of the synergies across institutions. The chair emphasized that future funding requests should clearly show measurable success, commercialization, and statewide impact. The committee then adjourned without any formal votes on legislation.

Transcript Highlights:

• , as some labor market indicators sent early signals of economic contractions and expansions.
• </c> through the potential to create labor through the potential to create labor shortages<00:17:59.280
• , inflation, and labor market conditions, adding<00:18:19.520><c> uncertainty</c><00:18:20.160><c> to
• The assumed path of monetary policy depends on both inflation and labor market conditions.
• </c> on labor. on labor.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> jurisdiction of the National Labor jurisdiction of the National Labor Relations<01:03:51.920><c>
• </c> Relations Board and the Hawaii Labor Relations Board and the Hawaii Labor Relations<01:03:55.480
• </c> Relations Board, the Department of Labor Relations Board, the Department of Labor and<01:03:58.240
• of Labor and Industrial Relations.<01:04:03.640><c> s</c><01:04:04.640><c> and</c><01:04:05.039><c>
• </c> bargaining positions or extend labor bargaining positions or extend labor disputes<01:04:28.960>

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:15:56.399><c> have</c><00:15:56.639><c> all</c><00:15:56.800><c> the</c><00:15:56.959><c> skills
• </c> don't necessarily have all the skills don't necessarily have all the skills needed<00:15:57.519>
• </c><01:23:34.239><c> And</c> reading or math uh skills and so on.
• And reading or math uh skills and so on.
• , and skills, uh, perseverance, and dedication. dedication. dedication.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• :24.960><c> health</c><01:01:25.319><c> experts</c><01:01:26.200><c> and</c> Advocates are highly skilled
• </c><01:03:02.599><c> professionals</c><01:03:03.240><c> who</c> RIS losing skilled professionals who
• RIS losing skilled professionals who Provide<01:03:03.920><c> life-saving</c><01:03:04.640><c> support
• Our member programs are serving some of the most remote areas of the state, depending on skilled and
• </c><01:14:38.000><c> and</c> the state depending on skilled and the state depending on skilled and passionate

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They've demonstrated remarkable skills in depth in all parts of it.
• to remove barriers that we oftentimes see to self-sufficiency, to obtain stable employment, obtain skills
• at the local level, their neighbors or community agencies that can work with them to develop their skills
• handler mentioned in Florida, they had great effectiveness at helping people to develop their own skills
• Effectiveness at helping people to develop their own skills, to get self-sufficient, and they saw drops

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and approved the House Journal by a 125-0 roll call vote. Members then spent a large portion of the morning recognizing special guests, interns, students, and constituents, including school groups, interns, a Savannah Bananas player, and several birthday and personal privilege announcements. On legislation, the House agreed to conference on Senate Substitute for Senate Bill 1421. The chamber then took up Senate Substitute for Senate Bill 1000, a bipartisan measure to reauthorize the Missouri Tourism Supplemental Revenue Fund and continue support for the Division of Tourism and Missouri Film Office. Supporters from both parties emphasized tourism’s economic importance statewide; the bill passed 136-6. The House next debated House Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 1020, an omnibus Department of Revenue bill covering fee office contracting, vehicle registration penalties, Real ID document retention, and other DOR changes. The body adopted an amendment lowering late registration penalties, making document retention opt-in, and restoring a five-year plate option, followed by a second amendment removing cosmetic damage as a basis for rejecting rebuilt-vehicle inspections. The bill then passed 130-10. Later, the House began debate on a combined judiciary/civil legislation bill involving insurance assignment-of-benefits restrictions, anti-SLAPP protections, workers’ compensation and court administration changes, and expungement-related funding; members adopted a title change and several amendments, including one to make attorney-fee awards more even in anti-SLAPP motions, while also debating a proposed St. Louis police legal expense fund amendment and whether it had been properly vetted.

Transcript Highlights:

• having a program to support them is a really good idea because social-emotional learning—these are the skills
• The social-emotional learning skills that he has described are exactly what our police officers need.
• The facility would allow officers to receive continuing education and ongoing skills-based training in
• a lot of kids learn about science and math and community and working together, so there are soft skills
• and hard skills that they’re learning in doing the gardening.

Bills: SB1088, SB1156, SB1157, SB1169, SB1245, SB1273, SB1330, SB1332, SB1391, SB1498, SB1531, SB1550, SB1598, SB1677, SB1707, SB1811, SB1818

Keywords: cybersecurity, homeland security, artificial intelligence, state appropriation, VPN security, zero trust, appropriation, public safety, detention, unauthorized aliens, local government funding, border security, fencing, appropriations, southern border, local government, medical education, physician shortage, healthcare funding, Arizona health care

Transcript Highlights:

• Its curriculum ensures continuous opportunities for girls to build skills, confidence, and resilience
• It seemed like a great skill to learn.
• immediate connection and reaction to so many people of so many different variations, and she has that skill
• for her. connection and reaction to so many people of so many different variations, and she has that skill
• Their skills. That's what you need.

Transcript Highlights:

• It required me figuring out good time management skills so that I could balance playing three sports,
• It required me figuring out good time management skills so that I could balance playing three sports,
• good loved it required me figuring out good time<00:15:32.519><c> management</c><00:15:32.959><c> skills
• so</c><00:15:33.639><c> that</c><00:15:33.839><c> I</c><00:15:33.959><c> could</c> time management skills
• so that I could time management skills so that I could balance<00:15:34.880><c> playing</c><00:15:35.199

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• There is one proposed substitute by Senator Saldana, which adds unfair labor practices to the bill.
• It excludes farm labor contractors from the definition of agricultural employer.
• It excludes farm labor contractors from the definition of agricultural employer.
• And the number one profit eater is a high cost of labor in Washington State.
• Labor in Washington State.

Summary: The Ways and Means Committee met in executive session on February 9, 2026, first hearing a staff briefing on Senate Bill 6346, which would impose a tax on individuals earning over $1 million. Staff described the bill’s revenue and spending impacts and reviewed a proposed substitute and 11 amendments addressing items such as public defense funding, charitable deductions, out-of-state tax credits, small business credits, diapers, constitutional issues, and a contingent constitutional amendment. The committee later took up the bill and rejected all of the offered amendments, then advanced the substitute bill with a due pass recommendation to the Rules Committee. Members supporting the bill argued it would help address tax fairness and fund public services, while opponents raised concerns about constitutionality, economic harm, and the effect on businesses and charitable giving. The committee also acted on a series of policy bills. It advanced a substitute bill on grocery store closures in food deserts after adopting a narrower substitute, despite concerns from some members about burdening grocers. It approved a substitute bill expanding voting access for military, overseas, Native American, and disabled voters, adopting a second substitute that removed a cybersecurity review requirement. The committee also advanced bills on tort claim arbitration against governments, victim and witness protections in sexual assault and domestic violence cases, JLARC review of student aid fraud, agricultural collective bargaining, labor relations if federal preemption ends, a cost-of-living adjustment for Plan 1 retirees, workers’ compensation and medical care access, line-of-duty death reimbursements, law enforcement background checks and eligibility, veterans’ discharge definitions, and extraordinary medical placement. Several of these bills had amendments adopted, including changes to tort claim oversight, victim-requested standby counsel, agricultural labor definitions, workers’ compensation penalties, law enforcement volunteer support, and extraordinary medical placement criteria. In the second group of bills, staff briefed measures affecting property taxes, housing, cannabis, disaster-related tax relief, technical tax code changes, aircraft fuel tax revenues, the estate tax, and a pesticide tax exemption. The committee heard that a substitute for the fire protection district bill would alter how city or town levy capacity is reduced and include consultation requirements and board-creation provisions. It also heard that the property tax relief expansion for seniors and disabled retirees needed a substitute to make the consolidated school levy revenue-neutral. Other bills would expand tax exemptions for low-income housing and nonprofit homeownership, authorize local cannabis excise taxes, extend disaster repair tax relief, expand housing-related local sales tax uses, make technical tax code changes, redirect aircraft fuel tax revenues to aeronautics, reduce the estate tax rate, and extend a pesticide tax exemption. The transcript ends during the committee’s consideration of Senate Bill 6346, with the committee debating and rejecting amendments before moving the bill forward.

Transcript Highlights:

• Yvonne Fernandez, California Labor Federation, in support. Good morning.
• As a farmer that has contract labor, the issue is bigger than this.
• The issue has to go with when we, as a farmer, hire a farm labor contractor to come into our field.
• So, but in that respect, I would tell you that the responsibility lies on the farm labor contractor,
• , which farmworking is—hard labor in 116-degree heat or 112-degree heat.

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Insurance met as a subcommittee and heard several bills related to workers’ compensation, insurance access, climate resilience, and farmworker protections. AB 815 would prevent social service workers who use personal vehicles to transport clients from being misclassified as commercial or for-hire drivers under personal auto policies; supporters said the current practice leads to unaffordable premiums and denied claims, while no opposition testified. AB 1329 would revise the Subsequent Injury Benefit Trust Fund to reduce litigation and medical-legal costs and lower employer assessments; insurers and business groups opposed unless amended, citing concerns about eligibility standards and the QME process, but the bill advanced after amendments were discussed. AB 1048 would allow disputed unauthorized payment reductions for medical providers to be reviewed through independent bill review; supporters framed it as a transparency measure, while opposition argued IBR is the wrong forum and existing contract dispute processes should control, though the bill also passed. AB 1236 would create a Department of Insurance grant program for climate and sustainability risk-reduction projects, with broad support from the department, environmental groups, and insurers, and it passed unanimously. The committee also heard AB 1336, the Farmworker Heat Illness Prevention Act, which would create a rebuttable presumption that a heat-related injury arose out of employment when an agricultural employer fails to comply with heat illness prevention standards. Supporters, including United Farm Workers, argued the bill would help protect farmworkers amid extreme heat and enforcement gaps; opponents from the workers’ compensation and agricultural sectors said the measure improperly uses the compensation system to enforce OSHA rules and could create unclear adjudication and delay issues. Members discussed Cal/OSHA enforcement limits, undocumented workers’ reluctance to report violations, and the relationship between the bill and existing workers’ compensation procedures. Despite opposition, AB 1336 passed on a divided vote. The committee also took up a consent calendar including AB 1125, AB 1293, and AB 1398, which were approved together. Roll calls were held open and later completed, and the bills that advanced were sent to the Committee on Appropriations. The meeting concluded with the committee adjourning after final votes were recorded.

Transcript Highlights:

• Recognizing the chair of the Government, Labor, and Elections Committee, the vice chair.
• Recognizing the chair of the Government, Labor, and Elections Committee. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
• Senate Bill 68, Driver's Licenses Driver Skills Examination, Motorcycle Safety Awareness Detour Road
• The next report is the report of the Committee on Government, Labor, and Elections.
• And if we are serious about building a stronger future, we need all voices at the table: businesses, labor

Keywords: House streaming session for Friday, April 10, 2026, 957, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Council, the state reinforces a single, clearer talent-development through line from education to skills
• From education to skills, to workforce readiness, to Idaho's long-term prosperity.

Summary: The committee first heard discussion of House Bill 779 and a related revised statement of purpose, RS 33597, dealing with homeschool enrollment and parental consent. Representative Ehart described the measure as a cleanup bill intended to solve problems schools and homeschool families had encountered with rolling enrollment. Kate Haas explained that the revised language would clarify that if a student does not show up at the start of the year, the student is not considered enrolled, while still allowing a district to enroll the student later if the child returns. The committee voted to hold House Bill 779 in committee and then voted to send RS 33597 to the floor with a due pass recommendation. The committee then took up House Bill 761, which would merge the STEM Action Center with the Workforce Development Council. Representative Tanner said the bill was intended to improve reporting, add a sunset, encourage industry matching, and reduce costs, noting that the current structure had limited visibility into outcomes. Wendy Chris, executive director of both entities, testified that the merger would create a clearer talent-development pipeline from education to workforce readiness, reflect how STEM applies across many careers, and produce operational savings, including the elimination of two staff positions. After brief discussion and no opposition, the committee voted to send House Bill 761 to the floor with a due pass recommendation.

Transcript Highlights:

• Outcomes include number of students participating in the program and the skills, credentials, and security
• Outcomes include the number of students participating in the program, the skills, credentials, and security

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development met with a quorum present and considered three bills. First, SB 214 by Senator McLean, described as a targeted rural access bill, would allow special districts in rural communities and areas of opportunity to receive certain state and federal financial assistance payments by invoice rather than reimbursement. An amendment expanding the benefit to independent special districts in those rural areas, including water and wastewater projects, was adopted, and the bill then passed favorably. Support was noted from representatives of water and sewer cooperatives, a water and sewer district, Resiliency Florida, and the Florida Association of Special Districts. The committee then took up CS for SB 1266 by Senator Kalata on cybersecurity internships and workforce readiness. The bill was substantially revised by a delete-all amendment creating a cybersecurity experiential learning opportunity and clearance readiness program within the Department of Commerce, working with Cyber Florida at the University of South Florida and participating institutions to provide certification and clearance-related training. A proposed amendment to the amendment was withdrawn, and the committee reported the bill favorably. Finally, the committee heard CS for SB 694 by Senator Bracey Davis, which would provide compensation to the descendants of the Groveland Four—Charles Greenlee, Walter Irvin, Samuel Shepard, and Ernest Thomas—for wrongful convictions and related harms. Senator Bracey Davis and a supporter testified about the history of the case, prior legislative apologies, pardons, and exonerations, and the need for compensation as a final step. Members spoke in support, and the bill was reported favorably. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• learning, so you have facility visits, guest speakers, presentations, career fairs, interview training, skill
• I believe that it's important that our students are in school learning new skills and socializing with

Bills: HB 1209, HB4746

Keywords: school funding, instructional days, education, public schools, school performance, four-day school week, performance rating, school governance, school calendar, education funding, emergency closures, school district, school operations, Texas education, public school accountability, academic distinction designation, postsecondary readiness, career and technical education, CTE, P-TECH