Transcript Highlights:

• This Senate budget recognizes the importance of our state employees by including a 3% pay raise for all
• The budget also includes a 5% pay increase for state law enforcement, state firefighters, correctional
• first year, $128 million in Medicaid provider rate increases, and $4.4 million for more than 300 new pay
• It also maintains the competitive area differential, the CAD, for state attorneys in circuits 6, 11,
• Actually, Senator Osgood asked a good question about cost area differential, the CAD.

Summary: The Senate began with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, then moved into floor consideration of the 2026-2027 budget. Appropriations Chair Hooper presented Senate Bill 2500, describing a $115 billion budget that reduces overall spending from the prior year, maintains reserves, and includes a 3% pay raise for state employees and 5% raises for state law enforcement, firefighters, correctional officers, and park rangers. Committee chairs then outlined major spending in their areas, including K-12 education, higher education, health and human services, criminal and civil justice, transportation/tourism/economic development, and environmental and agricultural programs. Highlights included increased funding for school scholarships and safety, workforce and university programs, Medicaid and child welfare, corrections operations, affordable housing, rural communities, Everglades and water quality projects, and infrastructure. Members then asked detailed questions about several budget items. Senators sought clarification on the Emergency Management Trust Fund, arts and cultural grants, Florida Forever land acquisition versus conservation easements, teacher salaries, charter school capital outlay funding, EASE grants, New College funding, DOC inmate counts and reimbursement, lottery staffing, concealed weapons licensing positions, election security funding, iBudget waiver support, ADAP funding, Medicaid hospital rate reductions, and scholarship and enrollment supplements in K-12 education. Chairs explained that some reductions reflected technical shifts or right-sizing, that some funds were being moved below the line for better tracking, and that several items—such as ADAP and corrections operations—would likely remain conference issues with the House. After questions, the Senate substituted House bills for the budget and implementing measures and adopted amendments placing the Senate language onto the House vehicles to prepare for conference. The chamber passed the budget-related bills and several conforming measures, including bills on retirement, fuel taxes, the state agency law enforcement radio system, court trust funds, judgeships, and K-12 and higher education conforming changes. Votes on the major bills were overwhelmingly unanimous or near-unanimous, and the Senate repeatedly voted to accede to the House’s request for conference on the substituted bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then we had agency employees, contract nursing, and you have to pay them quite a bit more.
• And then we had agency employees contract nursing, and you have to pay them quite a bit more.
• And I do want to take a step back when it comes to the global conversation about teacher pay.
• I do want to take a step back when it comes to the global conversation about teacher pay.
• So the recommended ratio is one mental health professional, which is a differentiation.

Summary: The Senate Appropriations Committee on Pre-K-12 Education met to hear the governor’s fiscal year 2026-27 budget recommendations for education from the Office of Policy and Budget and the Department of Education. Shelby Salmons and Commissioner Stasi Kamoutsis outlined the governor’s proposed $117.4 billion state budget, including about $32.5 billion for education, with major emphasis on public schools and early learning. The presentation highlighted a $30.6 billion K-12 budget, a $486 million VPK program, continued funding for VPK Summer Bridge, TEACH, HIPPY, and Help Me Grow, as well as increases for teacher pay, base student allocation, mental health, school safety, civics education, and school hardening initiatives. The commissioner also cited a 92.2% statewide graduation rate and Florida’s national rankings in education and education freedom. Senators used the question period to raise concerns about counselor staffing, mental health services, school closures, school choice oversight, the Guardian Program, data reporting, and school capacity. Senator Jones asked about counselor ratios, school closures in historically Black communities, and whether school choice schools are properly monitored for safety and instructional quality. Senator Osgood argued that mental health funding should support more clinical services on campuses, not just academic counselors, and Senator Bradley asked whether the centralized data repository includes scholarship students. Senator Gates praised the civics and debate funding and asked for more detail on the Guardian Program’s performance; the commissioner said 53 of 67 districts participate and described it as a successful safety option with sheriffs approving training. Senators Simon and Osgood also pressed for better use of the FISH report and more accurate space data to understand school capacity and right-sizing. During public testimony, Pinellas County School Board member Laura Hine said her district is an A-rated district with no D or F schools, but spends far more on safety and mental health than it receives in state categorical funding. She said Florida’s mental health staffing ratio is about one counselor per 2,203 students, compared with a recommended one per 1,106, and urged the committee to consider funding full-day VPK statewide, estimating it would cost about $375 million. Committee members followed up on her comments about local flexibility and whether districts can shift funds to meet needs. The meeting ended after members thanked DOE and executive branch staff for the presentation, and the committee adjourned without taking any substantive vote on legislation.

Transcript Highlights:

• the Assembly side that spoke against SB 131 on the floor and expressed... either through having to pay
• There's sort of a four-legged stool here where we have consumers who are paying more for a product that
• This is related to labeling and differentiation, ensuring that there are systems available and ready
• So we think if we can get the incentives right, and with strong rate pay protections, California can
• SVLG supports environmental stewardship, grid reliability, and paying the full fair cost of service.

Summary: The committee heard several bills, with SB 1350 by Senator McNerney presented first. The measure would expand California’s use of renewable hydrogen in the power sector by allowing renewable portfolio standard credit for power plants using green hydrogen, with supporters emphasizing grid reliability, clean-energy goals, in-state investment, and construction jobs. Support came from labor, clean-energy, municipal utility, and local government representatives; NRDC Action Fund withdrew opposition after amendments, while a few groups remained opposed or neutral. The committee later took a roll call and SB 1350 passed out on a due pass recommendation. The committee also heard SB 1180 by Senator Allen, which would set operational rules for the Plastic Pollution Mitigation Fund created under SB 54, including clearer eligible uses, transparency, technical assistance, and access for tribes and smaller community groups. Environmental justice, ocean, conservation, and local government groups strongly supported the bill, saying it would ensure the fund addresses plastic pollution’s public health and environmental harms. Industry and manufacturing groups opposed unless amended, arguing the bill should stay tightly tied to plastic waste reduction and not broaden into source-reduction policy. After quorum was established, the committee approved SB 1180 on a due pass recommendation to Appropriations. SB 1326 by Senator Wahab was then heard to strengthen tribal consultation and tribal cultural resource protections under CEQA by recognizing tribal registers and requiring feasible avoidance or mitigation measures when tribes identify resources. Tribal representatives and supporters said the bill would better protect sacred sites and tribal knowledge, while cities, counties, utilities, builders, and rural county groups opposed unless amended, citing implementation concerns, possible litigation, and uncertainty for infrastructure and housing projects. The committee voted the bill out on a due pass recommendation to Appropriations. Finally, SB 954 by Senator Blakespear was presented as a cleanup of last year’s SB 131 advanced-manufacturing CEQA exemption, narrowing eligible projects and adding guardrails such as setbacks, air-quality limits, tribal consultation, labor standards, and habitat protections. Environmental and labor groups supported the bill as a needed correction to an overly broad exemption, while business, manufacturing, housing, and local-government groups opposed, warning it could make the exemption unusable and slow investment. Members debated the balance between environmental protection and manufacturing competitiveness, and the committee voted SB 954 out on a due pass recommendation to the Labor and Employment Committee; the transcript then moved on to SB 1031 on compostable plastics, which was introduced but not acted on in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• differential, preferential, presidential or<00:26:43.919> pre<00:26:44.559> prejudicial
• <00:27:10.559> uh<00:27:10.640> and<00:27:10.880> two differential treatment
• . uh and two differential treatment. uh and two training<00:27:11.600> programs<00:27:12.159><
• We need to be better at reporting and differentiating between residential status so that you all can
• better at reporting and differentiating better at reporting and differentiating between<01:04:01.440

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Interim Joint Budget Review Subcommittee on Education met to hear updates from Kentucky public universities and the Kentucky Community and Technical College System on compliance with House Bill 4, which restricts DEI-related activities and requires institutional and viewpoint neutrality. The chair emphasized that the hearing should focus on both compliance and the financial effects of the law. Eastern Kentucky University said its board adopted a House Bill 4 compliance resolution and an institutional neutrality policy. KCTCS reported systemwide reviews of programs, websites, scholarships, personnel, and admissions language, along with board actions removing a cultural competency course requirement, adopting institutional neutrality, and certifying compliance. KCTCS said about $2.5 million annually had been reallocated to other needs, and that no personnel were eliminated, though some roles were reassigned and DEI-related offices closed. Kentucky State University said it had already dissolved DEI offices before the bill passed, ended DEI-specific training, revised policies and gift acceptance rules, adopted a viewpoint neutrality policy, and was conducting ongoing reviews of programs, job descriptions, and web content. KSU said it had achieved substantial compliance, expected full operational integration by August 1, and had not terminated staff or closed academic programs because of the law. In response to questions, KSU said it was broadening outreach to all students rather than targeting specific populations and that its prior diversity finding was tied to not meeting a diversity quota. Morehead State University said it had no DEI office before House Bill 4, amended its non-discrimination statement to include political and social viewpoint neutrality and condemnation of religious and ethnic discrimination, and remained focused on serving its largely low-income student body. Murray State University reported reviewing scholarships, expenditures, training, and academic programs to ensure no differential treatment or indoctrination, revising its neutrality policy, and updating non-discrimination posters and training. When asked about a statement that DEI would “look different,” the university said it meant student support services would continue in a different form. Northern Kentucky University said it dissolved its diversity office and chief diversity officer position in 2024, reviewed programs, events, scholarships, and employee affinity groups, adopted a statement on intellectual diversity and viewpoint neutrality, and reviewed about 2,000 courses for compliance. NKU also said its new Center for Belonging would focus on first-generation and commuter students rather than rebrand prior DEI efforts. The University of Kentucky began its presentation by describing earlier changes made in August 2024, including disbanding its office of institutional diversity, removing diversity statements and mandatory training, adopting institutional neutrality, and ending race-based consideration in admissions and scholarships; the transcript cuts off before the rest of UK’s testimony and any committee votes or formal actions beyond receiving the presentations.

Transcript Highlights:

• be differentiated between them obviously<00:22:24.159> it's<00:22:24.360> concerning<00
• <00:32:13.399> between well um so I differentiate between well um so I differentiate between
• for the staff that do the that pays for the staff that do the school<00:36:22.560> fire<00:36
• without competitive wages we better pay without competitive wages we RIS<01:03:01.720> losing
• One unified goal of our coalitions is to increase the pay of our advocates.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And certainly, if you cannot pay your rent or your bills or the co-pay for your doctor's appointment,
• your your bills or the co-pay for your your bills or the co-pay for your doctor's<00:29:19.360
• To put that in perspective, my private pay clients on average pay me $7,000.
• <01:09:56.320> out<01:09:56.440> of can pay could can afford to pay out of can pay
• pay me average pay me $7,000<01:10:47.480> this<01:10:47.719> policy<01:10:48.239>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And one of the things that caught my attention, you said you're paying out-of-state tuition.
• Empower Fee, which is just to help fund the program itself, paying the mentors.
• Paying the interns, paying the staff salary, so that's an additional $10,000 on top of what we would
• And yeah, I did have to pay out-of-state tuition; it was a lot of money.
• So, it's a hundred percent out-of-pocket paying for these programs.

Bills: SB750, SB2995, SB1716, SB2430, SB203, SB1679, SB2683, SB1414

Keywords: tuition exemption, paramedics, higher education, public institutions, laboratory fees, education code, financial aid, education, student support, scholarships, nontraditional education, student enrollment, financial assistance, Texas students, foreign adversaries, trade secrets, research integrity, security measures, international agreements, student privacy

Transcript Highlights:

• Senior buy-in with two types of insurance companies means that I do not pay a co-pay.
• I do not pay deductibles.
• I would not be able to pay, even though I pay 30% of my measly income after years of teaching and years
• We need to pay greater now, or we will surely pay far more later. Primary care...
• that patients will have to pay.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Health Care Financing held a public hearing on a large docket focused on primary care, workforce development, and medical debt. Chairs Cindy Friedman and John Lawn outlined hearing procedures and noted that testimony would be taken on 17 matters. The committee first heard testimony on bills to establish a community health center nurse practitioner residency program and to strengthen mental health centers. Senator Keenan, Rep. Keefe, and health center leaders described the Worcester nurse practitioner residency as a successful pipeline and retention strategy, citing workforce shortages, training needs in community health centers, and the cost of the program. Rep. O’Day also supported the mental health centers bill, saying it would raise payment rates, improve reimbursement for behavioral health services, and help clinics retain staff and expand access. The committee then took testimony on bills to address medical debt through hospital financial assistance reform. The Attorney General’s Office, Health Care for All, Health Law Advocates, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and individual patients supported the measure, arguing that hospital financial assistance policies are inconsistent, hard to find, and difficult to navigate. Witnesses said the bill would standardize eligibility criteria, create a uniform application, improve notice requirements, and expand access to discounted care up to 400% of the federal poverty level. Several personal stories described medical bills being sent to collections, confusion over insurance billing, and the burden of debt on low-income and chronically ill patients. Committee members asked about hospital concerns, the role of the health safety net, and whether the bill addressed root causes of medical debt; testimony emphasized that the proposal was meant to improve transparency and access rather than replace broader insurance reforms. The hearing also focused heavily on “Primary Care for You” legislation, H. 1370 and S. 867, which would increase primary care investment and create a new payment model. Rep. Haggerty, physicians, a patient, community health center leaders, and the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers described a primary care crisis marked by low reimbursement, staffing shortages, long waits, burnout, and difficulty recruiting clinicians. Supporters said the bills would shift spending toward preventive, team-based care, improve access and equity, and reduce long-term costs. The Massachusetts Association of Health Plans said it was directionally supportive of increased primary care investment but warned that any new spending must stay within the cost growth benchmark and preserve existing contracting structures. The hearing ended with additional testimony on a community health center workforce and loan repayment grant bill from Rep. Stanley, and with further discussion from Dr. Alan Garo about the need for payment reform in primary care.

Transcript Highlights:

• property taxpayers are paying for that. property taxpayers are paying for that.
• paying what for this? paying what for this?
• <02:42:22.720> pay<02:42:23.359> model, college um tuition and pay pay model, college
• um tuition and pay pay model, but<02:42:23.840> it's<02:42:24.080> close.
• Um, so we pay for that.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We had 11 of our 15 districts in what we call differentiated assistance because of chronic absenteeism
• By coordinating compliance support with improvement efforts such as differentiated assistance, we help
• So the State Board has been tasked with rethinking the current system of differentiated assistance to
• It does not need to become a regulatory agency, but we ought to be paying attention. ...does not need
• That's double what we pay the President of the United States of America.

Summary: The joint hearing focused on coherence in California’s education planning and reporting systems, especially the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) and related grant plans. Committee chairs and members described widespread frustration with duplicative, lengthy, and sometimes conflicting reporting requirements, while emphasizing that the goal was not to reduce accountability but to make planning more useful, stable, and student-centered. State Superintendent Tony Thurmond also previewed the Governor’s education budget priorities, including expanded learning, community schools, universal transitional kindergarten, literacy supports, and concerns about the proposed Prop. 98 deferral. Panelists from the State Board of Education, Fresno County Superintendent of Schools, and the Legislative Analyst’s Office said the LCAP was intended to balance local flexibility with statewide transparency, but has become overloaded by repeated revisions and additional requirements. They argued for fewer core reporting elements, more stability over time, better alignment of planning cycles, and integrated systems that reduce duplication. Fresno County staff described a multi-year calendar and support tools that help districts manage timelines, but said these tools only ease the burden rather than solve the underlying problem. The LAO noted that some newer plans, such as expanded learning and transportation plans, are narrative-heavy and often less informative than separate reporting requirements. Local district leaders and county officials described the practical effects of the current system: staff time diverted from instruction, multiple portals and forms, audit risk aversion, and planning documents that can exceed 100 pages. Several superintendents said coherent systems work best when districts have clear priorities, stable governance, and aligned budgets, and when state requirements are predictable and tied to outcomes like literacy, attendance, and student achievement. The California Federation of Teachers added that coherence also depends on meaningful collaboration with educators, classified staff, parents, and communities. Committee members repeatedly asked whether the state should streamline reporting, create a uniform portal, or develop a more unified grant-reporting structure, and Thurmond said the department was piloting a simplified common form and was willing to work with the Legislature and districts on broader solutions.

Transcript Highlights:

• If enrollment goes up, we have to pay more.
• In some cases, they are paying above that floor.
• But the urban hospitals have to pay that, so they pay above 6%.
• Cost sharing: this is basically co-pays.
• co-pays for certain services.

Transcript Highlights:

• , yeah, 1.6 million. whatever fund is paying for the salaries whatever fund is paying for the salaries
• <00:19:19.520> and<00:19:19.799> the must pay for The Fringe and the must pay for The
• <00:20:29.400> yeah6 helped cause it was Hazard pay yeah6 helped cause it was Hazard pay yeah6
• to pay the hotel, to pay for maybe a function reception.
• <02:11:16.800> the that allows the university to pay the that allows the university to pay

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And we are still allowing for co-pay and deductible assistance.
• Our pay for state Our pay for state attorneys, public defenders, regional counsel is not handled by this
• Parents pay nearly $800 to $1,400 a month for child care.
• Our state employees are having difficult times paying their bills, paying for child care, paying their
• And really, even at this point, Florida ranks last in state pay.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, a moment of silence for former Senator Don Childers, the Pledge of Allegiance, and recognition of Officer Antonio Richardson as law enforcement officer of the day. The chamber announced it would take up 11 budget conference committee reports, with no third-reading bills or special-order calendar items. Members were reminded that conference reports were subject to debate but not amendment, and that the required review periods had been satisfied. The first major action was on HB 7031E, the tax package. Representative Duggan explained that the conference report included a mix of retained, modified, and new tax provisions, including sales tax holidays, property tax and homestead-related changes, reductions in certain gaming and carbon-related taxes, changes to child care and documentary stamp tax credits, a new refund process for public works construction tax paid by universities and colleges, and other tax administration changes. Debate focused on the bill’s consumer impact, the reduction of the child tax credit from three years to one, the inclusion of firearm accessories in a sales tax holiday, the absence of gas tax relief and combined reporting, and the homestead exemption provision for certain deployed diplomatic and foreign service personnel. Critics argued the package favored niche or corporate interests over broad affordability relief, while supporters said it provided targeted tax relief and reflected conference negotiations. The House adopted the conference report and passed HB 7031E by a vote of 88-11. The House then began presenting the conference report for HB 501E, the state budget, which totaled $114.5 billion for fiscal year 2026-27 and was described as below the prior year’s spending level while maintaining reserves. Subcommittee chairs outlined major budget areas: pre-K-12 funding included an increase in FEFP, salary increases for veteran teachers, stabilization funding, and support for declining enrollment; higher education included full Bright Futures funding, workforce programs, college operating support, university initiatives, and school guardian expansion; IT funding focused on Palm, ACCESS, APD’s I-Connect replacement, corrections systems, emergency management systems, and cybersecurity grants; health care funding covered Medicaid, nursing home rates, waiver provider increases, ADAP funding and restructuring, child welfare, and behavioral health; transportation and economic development included housing, cultural grants, jobs and rural infrastructure, Visit Florida, Space Florida, highway patrol equipment, and local transportation projects; justice funding included correctional construction, juvenile justice facilities, law enforcement grants, and clerk and due process reimbursements; state administration included fire stations, constrained counties, building maintenance, and Safe Florida Home; and agriculture/natural resources funding emphasized Everglades restoration, water quality, land acquisition, Florida Forever, state parks, and citrus research. Members then began questioning the budget details, including school voucher accountability, school funding formulas, public defender parity, prison technology, wastewater monitoring in prisons, ADAP policy, SNAP fraud controls and AI-assisted verification, Florida Forever funding, school lunch funding, and coral reef restoration. No final vote on HB 501E appears in the transcript excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• for cleanups, through health care... ...either through having to pay for cleanups, through health care
• that needle where we are promoting manufacturing in California that does provide good, safe, high-paying
• jobs, that we are protecting communities by... ...does provide good, safe, high-paying jobs, that we
• There's sort of a four-legged stool here where we have consumers who are paying more for a product that
• SVLG supports environmental stewardship, grid reliability, and paying the full fair cost of service.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And the data centers need the power and they will pay.
• Brian Lloyd: Third, this question of who pays, how they pay, and when they pay is, I think, the most
• Amazon is differentiated and it's real and it's ready to go.
• So you may change the percentage that they pay as opposed to from 75 to 100. Mr.
• We want to pay for the upgrades that we cause. We want to pay for the upgrades that we cause.

Transcript Highlights:

• There is flexibility provided in that they're not paying out premiums to a third party.
• We cannot, with the data we have access to, differentiate the two.
• Again, we can't differentiate between the two. So this is a catch-all.
• I also didn't see whether or not this data is reflected based on the differentiation between the recreational
• If this is just being driven by treatment behavior, it would have to be that treatment is differentially

Summary: The committee heard a work session on earthquake insurance, beginning with background from the Office of the Insurance Commissioner. OIC staff explained that earthquake and earth movement are generally excluded from standard property policies, that earthquake coverage is usually purchased through endorsements or standalone policies with high deductibles and relatively high premiums, and that surplus lines are a limited backstop market not covered by the state guarantee fund. They also described parametric insurance and captive insurance as more specialized products generally suited to commercial or governmental buyers rather than ordinary consumers. A second panel of insurance and banking experts focused on commercial earthquake exposure, especially for older buildings, collateralized loans, and potential knock-on effects to banks and consumers if a major quake caused widespread damage. Members asked about consumer impacts, mitigation incentives, inventories of vulnerable buildings, and whether legislation such as prior work on unreinforced masonry could help reduce risk. The Washington Bankers Association said earthquake insurance is expensive and that affordability is a major concern, while also noting banks participate in disaster-recovery planning and would be affected by major regional losses. No votes or formal actions were taken. The committee then received a presentation from the Washington State Institute for Public Policy on its cannabis and Initiative 502 research. WSIPP staff described the agency as a nonpartisan research institute that conducts legislative-directed studies and explained that its long-term I-502 assignment includes periodic reports leading to a final benefit-cost evaluation in 2032. Staff summarized findings from a 2023 report showing that cannabis possession convictions fell sharply after legalization, though some racial disproportionalities persisted, and that closer retail access was associated with higher reported adult cannabis use, more fatal traffic crashes involving drivers from nearby areas, and higher rates of cannabis use disorder diagnoses among Medicaid enrollees. A 2023 youth-focused report found that students attending schools near retailers were more likely to report cannabis use, had more unexcused absences, and were less likely to graduate on time. In the newest 2025 Medicaid study, staff said retail access was associated with higher probabilities of cannabis use disorder diagnoses, related hospitalizations, inpatient treatment, and co-occurring mental health diagnoses, with event-study analysis suggesting the increases appeared after retailers opened rather than before. Members asked about racial disproportionality, the meaning of cannabis use disorder diagnoses, THC and impairment, whether the findings reflected medical versus recreational use, and how the results should be interpreted in light of broader trends and data limitations. No formal committee action was taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I'd like to ask you to pay attention and it will be on the test. Okay, it will be on the test.
• Chair and Representative Garrett So, as I know, bilingual differential in the SEG is based on FTE and
• I think the issue of stipends is one that would be an incentive for teachers that there was better pay
• And it is also distinct from the annual meaningful differentiation that you're familiar with as NMVISTAS
• So we, have a multi-layered system so that we can differentiate and customize that support.

Transcript Highlights:

• This year is to restore the first of three commitments to pay back that reduction.
• So, as we face new fiscal challenges, it's important to think about where our investments are paying
• The third thing I think we just need to be really paying attention to for the future as well is climate
• There's more of a support system in place, even if they begin to differentiate their teachers a bit in
• We are the largest economy in the world, and in comparable countries, teachers do not have to pay to

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• of the negative consequences, you know, things like delays in development and a lack of ability to pay
• balance a tactile, hands-on learning environment with an interactive digital media station to differentiate
• to balance a tactile hands-on learning environment with an interactive digital media station to differentiate

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• On differentiated assistance, we just flag that while we are supportive of the three-year time period
• On differentiated assistance, we just flag that while we are supportive of the three-year time period
• We would want to ensure that the Legislature maintains equity guardrails in any updated differentiated
• Early in my career, I was a cafeteria manager, and I witnessed that if a student couldn't pay for the
• Early in my career, I was a cafeteria manager, and I witnessed that if a student couldn't pay for the

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee on Education heard the Governor’s proposals for universal school meals, the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP), and community schools. On universal meals, the Department of Education supported continued funding for the Universal School Meals Program and a fourth round of Kitchen Infrastructure and Training Grants, citing meal-count growth, improved meal service, and the need to offset federal uncertainty, inflation, and reduced direct certification tied to immigration-related policy changes. The LAO recommended rejecting another kitchen grant round, arguing prior rounds are still being spent and the state has not clearly defined unmet need. Members also raised concerns about the state’s ability to backfill federal meal funding and about how federal requirements affect programs like Summer EBT/SUN Bucks. Public commenters largely supported school meals and kitchen investments, with some urging support for plant-based milk options and continued infrastructure funding. For ELOP, the Department of Finance proposed $4.7 billion ongoing Proposition 98 funding, including $62.4 million to set a minimum Tier 2 rate of $1,800 per pupil. The LAO recommended going further and fully fixing the Tier 2 rate, saying rate uncertainty complicates district planning. CDE supported the proposal and said the program has improved attendance and academic outcomes, while noting new CalPADS reporting will provide more data soon. Senators discussed whether ELOP should remain a standalone program or be folded into LCFF, and whether the state should require stronger outcome reporting. Public testimony generally backed stabilizing Tier 2 funding, but some speakers urged more support for older youth and more timely, user-friendly reporting. On community schools, the administration proposed $1 billion ongoing Proposition 98 funding to expand the model to thousands more schools and to support existing grantees, along with stronger technical assistance, statewide alignment, and an accreditation/self-certification framework. The LAO recommended continuing the current one-time grant approach instead of creating a new ongoing categorical program, warning about reduced flexibility, administrative burden, and the state’s capacity to support a much larger cohort. CDE supported the ongoing investment but asked for additional county office and technical assistance funding. Senators and public commenters were broadly supportive of community schools, emphasizing improved attendance, graduation, and student engagement, while also debating accountability, accreditation, and whether non-classroom-based charter schools should be eligible. Public testimony strongly favored ongoing funding and highlighted community schools’ role in mental health, family engagement, and wraparound supports.