Video & Transcript Research : 'third reading'

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NH

New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session

House Finance Division III (03/05/2025)

Transcript Highlights:
  • That’s really just informational. page 11 um I think the third bullet is page 11 um I think the third
  • <02:48:04.279> this<02:48:04.439> right read this right read this right now<02:48:06.319
  • <04:15:51.159> through the when you actually read through the when you actually read through
  • Everything I said is based on reading the bill and reading the federal law.
  • Everything I said is based on reading the bill and reading the federal law.
Keywords: 1189, house, all
Summary: The House Finance Division 3 work session continued its review of the Department of Health and Human Services’ Medicaid budget and related policy issues, with CFO Nathan White and Medicaid Director Henry Litman presenting updated materials. The discussion focused on a crosswalk between the adjusted FY 2025 Medicaid budget and the governor’s FY 2026 recommendation, plus handouts showing service additions, eligibility changes, dental rates, and other Medicaid changes since 2019. The department also said it would provide a clearer breakdown of the pharmacy cost-sharing item by general, federal, and other funds. Members asked detailed questions about the Medicaid enhancement tax, the 80% plan, and how funds are allocated between hospital payments, directed payments, and DSH uncompensated care. The department explained that the MET is being used more toward rates and directed payments to better align with federal matching rules, while DSH remains important for uncompensated care. They also noted that a pending Senate Bill 249 would keep the 80% structure and move to Senate Finance. On the trigger law, the department identified the governing provision as Chapter 342:12, Laws of 2018, and explained that if the federal match for Medicaid expansion falls below 90%, the state must notify legislative leaders and participants and the program would sunset after 180 days unless the legislature acts. The committee also reviewed current Medicaid expansion enrollment and program trends. Officials said enrollment was just under 59,000 as of March 3, with about 87,000 people enrolled over the past year and more than a quarter-million residents having used the program over its lifetime. They said enrollment has fallen from a post-pandemic high of nearly 97,000 and may eventually settle in the low 50,000s. Finally, the department discussed federal DSH funding risk, saying New Hampshire could face a significant reduction if Congress does not extend current protections, which is part of why the state has shifted more funding toward payment rates and directed payments.
NH
Transcript Highlights:
  • I can't read this. Peggy van Falkenberg?
  • teachers less peras less reading teachers less peras less reading Specialists<01:20:22.760> it's
  • <02:30:49.120> of um obtain an AED for about a third of um obtain an AED for about a third
  • <06:11:04.160> about minutes if I was reading about minutes if I was reading about particular
  • question for you do you think Reading question for you do you think Reading Writing<06:31:50.240
Keywords: 928, house, all
Summary: The Education Policy Committee opened a hearing on HB 748, which would establish a local education freedom account (EFA) program. The prime sponsor, Rep. Kevin Verville, described the bill as enabling legislation that would let local voters decide whether to create a local EFA program by petition and ballot vote, with a 60% threshold to approve or repeal it. He argued that public education is about funding rather than a specific school building, said the proposal would expand parental choice, and cited Deerfield’s move from a single high school option to multiple tuitioned options as an example of local flexibility. Verville said the local EFA would be funded at twice the state adequacy amount, with the district matching the state portion, while other aid categories such as free and reduced meals, English language learner, and special education aid would not be doubled. He said students using a local EFA would still count in average daily membership, that unspent EFA funds would revert to the district, and that the bill would prohibit double-dipping with other scholarship or EFA programs. He also said special education services would remain under district discretion and that local EFA participants would still take statewide assessments for accountability. Committee members pressed him on several issues, especially special education, transportation, and fairness. Rep. Woodcock and Rep. Murray asked whether districts would still have to provide special education and transportation services if a student used a local EFA; Verville responded that special education would remain in the local district at district discretion, while transportation would generally become the family’s responsibility unless already required in an IEP. Rep. Cornell raised an equity concern about no income eligibility cap, asking whether higher-income families should receive the same public support; Verville replied that New Hampshire does not means-test public education and that the local EFA is a public funding mechanism, not a tuition subsidy that would cover full private-school costs. No vote or committee action was taken in the portion provided.
NH

New Hampshire 2026 Regular Session

Senate Energy and Natural Resources (04/16/2026)

Energy and Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:
  • 23.320> purview<00:04:23.880> over<00:04:24.600> but<00:04:24.800> are A third
  • Yeah, I I read that and, um, I, when I read that, I caught my eye at first and I remember looking at
  • Yeah, I I read that and, um, I, when I read that, I caught my eye at first and I remember looking at
  • who the third-party who the third-party reviewer<00:56:19.440> would<00:56:19.720> be.
  • Um, because I haven't looked at the tolls other than what I've read in the paper, okay?
Keywords: 1191, senate, all
NH

New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session

House Municipal and County Government (02/19/2025)

Municipal and County Government

Transcript Highlights:
  • several years ago and said to one of the residents on the first floor, “Hey, where's so-and-so on the third
  • several years ago and said to one of the residents on the first floor, “Hey, where's so-and-so on the third
  • So-and-so on the third floor, and they could tell me that exactly.
  • <00:30:19.039> makes just based on the way this reads makes just based on the way this reads
  • it read this legislation it requires<01:48:04.840> us<01:48:05.840> to<01:48:06.320>
Keywords: 1189, house, all
MN

Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session

House State Government Finance and Policy Committee 1/21/25

State Government Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:
  • We also have a small reading room on the third floor of the Minnesota Senate building.
  • I think that would be an interesting read. Yep, that'd be great.
  • <00:15:07.240> um<00:15:07.440> that'd<00:15:07.639> be be an interesting read
  • yep um that'd be be an interesting read yep um that'd be great<00:15:08.000> happy<00:15:08.240
  • representative kwam it's the third representative kwam it's the third bullet<00:48:54.839> on
Keywords: 1183, house
Summary: The committee met briefly to approve the January 16 minutes, then heard a series of informational presentations from legislative joint offices and commissions that fall under its jurisdiction. Michelle Urick of the Legislative Coordinating Commission explained the LCC’s governance structure, including its leadership-based membership and role overseeing joint offices such as the Legislative Auditor, Legislative Budget Office, Legislative Reference Library, Revisor of Statutes, and the LCC staff office itself. Christian Larson of the Legislative Budget Office described the office’s nonpartisan fiscal note work, local impact notes, and support for the Tax Expenditure Review Commission, noting the volume of requests it handles and that the office currently has 18 budgeted FTE. He also explained the LBO Oversight Commission’s role in setting standards and appointing the director. Elizabeth Lincoln of the Legislative Reference Library outlined the library’s services, including answering thousands of reference questions, maintaining state policy and legislative collections, archiving state documents, supporting the legislative website and search tools, and preserving House and Senate audio, video, and committee minutes. She also noted the library’s staffing levels and its move to the Capitol. In response to a question, she said copies of the book Minnesota Standoff were in constant circulation, that the title is out of print, and that the library had digitized it for use by legislators and staff. Ryan Inman, the Revisor of Statutes, described the office’s drafting, legal review, publication, IT, and other services. He said every bill introduced is reviewed by a Revisor attorney, the office publishes Laws of Minnesota, Minnesota Statutes, and Minnesota Rules, and it maintains the legislative drafting system now being replaced. He also discussed rule drafting for agencies, legal counsel, the claims subcommittee, court opinions reports, and the annual technical Revisor bill. Members asked about bill volume, amendment drafting, and the history of administrative rules review; Inman said the office is handling over 2,500 active bill requests and that a prior commission on administrative rules existed in the past. No votes were taken beyond approving the minutes.
NH

New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session

House Finance Division III (02/19/2025)

Transcript Highlights:
  • <03:35:24.640> on eight is correct number I was reading on eight is correct number I was reading
  • Could you help us understand what page you're reading from?
  • You know, reading this, my interpretation, or reading between the lines, is if you don't make adjustments
  • 00:00.479> reading<04:00:00.880> between<04:00:01.199> the interpretation or reading
  • federal government and other third federal government and other third parties<04:38:11.240> with
Keywords: 1189, house, all
Summary: House Finance Division III convened a work session on the DHHS budget, with the chair noting there would be no votes and that the committee would spend the day hearing from the commissioner’s office. Nathan White, DHHS Chief Financial Officer, opened with the Division of Finance/Office of Business Operations, explaining that the unit supports the department through daily financial management, AP/AR, audit work, expense projections, transfers, and procurement functions such as contracts, amendments, RFPs/RFAs, and grants management. He also described the division’s revenue and reporting work, including federal draws, CMS-64 reporting, and the public assistance cost allocation plan, and said the department had centralized rate-setting work and a small team handling Medicaid rate analysis and nursing facility rebase work. Members asked about vacancies, turnover, and budget changes. White said the division had 18 positions unfunded in the governor’s budget, reducing personal services from about $10.8 million to $9.9 million, and estimated the division’s vacancy rate at about 11 percent, below the department average. He said turnover was relatively low, with one retirement at the manager level and higher turnover mainly at lower AP-level positions. He also explained that some budget lines reflected reallocations rather than new spending, including fringe benefits centralized elsewhere and an EBT card contract moved into this unit because the staff member overseeing it works in Finance. When asked about a rent/lease increase, he said it was due to higher copier leasing costs under a statewide DAS contract. White highlighted several management and technology improvements. He said a business intelligence tool procured in 2022, using Salesforce and Excel-based data, helped DHHS better track federal revenue and maintenance-of-effort spending, reducing FY24 General Fund lapse by about 70 percent and federal/other revenue lapse by 88 percent compared with FY23; he warned that the tool is not funded in the current budget. He also described Lean Six Sigma efforts in the contracts team, training for vendors and nonprofits on procurement and indirect cost rules, and a Finance Academy to standardize policies and procedures. On the contracts side, he said the department uses Smartsheet for project management and DocuSign for electronic signatures, which cut contract execution time dramatically, but noted DocuSign is also not funded in the governor’s budget. The session ended as the committee prepared to move on to the Employee Assistance Program presentation.
MA

Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Informal House Session 60 Jun 21st, 2026 at 11:00 am

Massachusetts House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • First division: 0, second division: 3, third division: 1, fourth division: 1.
  • Those in opposition: first division 0, second division 0, third division 0, fourth division 0.
  • Clerk read the order: Ordered, that when the House adjourns today, it adjourns to meet Monday next at
Keywords: 995, all
Summary: The House adopted several resolutions under suspension of the rules, including honors for Dr. Russell D. Johnston, congratulations to Sean Keity on earning Eagle Scout, recognition of the 14th Dalai Lama, and a resolution marking Pepperell’s 250th anniversary. The chamber also welcomed guests of Representative Chan from Los Angeles. The House then considered House Bill 4182, establishing a sick leave bank for Jado Catalan, a Massachusetts Department of Transportation employee. The emergency preamble was adopted by a recorded vote of 5-0, and the bill was later passed to be enacted. The House also received Senate Bill 2543, described as strengthening health care protections in the Commonwealth. On motion of Mr. Michlewitz, the House suspended the rules and referred the Senate bill to the Committee on Ways and Means. Finally, the House adopted an order to adjourn and stood adjourned to meet Monday at 11 a.m. in an informal session.
CA

California 2025-2026 Regular Session

Assembly Floor Session Jan 9th, 2025

California Assembly Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • Reading of the previous day's journal.
  • Gallagher seconds that the reading of the previous day's journal be dispensed with.
  • Reports of committees will be deemed read and amendments deemed adopted.
  • ACR 10, Mark Gonzales, from the Rules Committee, and order it to the third reading file.
  • The clerk will read.
NM

New Mexico 2026 Regular Session

House - Appropriations and Finance Jan 23rd, 2026 at 12:42 pm

House Appropriations & Finance

Transcript Highlights:
  • And then we fund a third-party administrator, and then... ...caregiver.
  • So this is Third Judicial District, business unit 233, pages 33 and 34.
  • Chair, had nothing to add on the third, so we can move on to the fourth.
  • We've got the third next. We may jump around. Okay, we've got the Third next.
  • So we have the Third Judicial District.
Keywords: 996, all
Summary: The committee first heard an Aging and Long-Term Services Department budget presentation comparing the LFC and executive recommendations. The main differences were in the Aging Network, Adult Protective Services, Program Support, and Long-Term Care Division, especially the executive’s proposed $10 million infusion into the Kiki Savadra Senior Dignity Fund and $6.2 million for expanding New Mexico Care. LFC staff explained that the committee recommendation was lower in general fund and fund-balance use, while the executive emphasized rising senior population needs, meal and transportation costs, and the cost savings of keeping older adults at home. The secretary also reviewed the department’s special requests, including the conference on aging, outreach, emergency preparedness, and the Kiki fund, and described New Mexico Care’s growth, its evaluation results, and the department’s plan to separate Kiki into its own accounting fund. Members largely focused on senior services, rural meal delivery, transportation, caregiver support, and the Kiki fund. Several members urged stronger support for non-metro aging providers and for New Mexico Care, citing its role in keeping seniors out of nursing homes and the program’s reported savings and outcomes. Questions also covered eligibility, background checks for caregivers, respite care, dementia and Alzheimer’s screening, and whether Kiki funds can support home modifications such as ramps. The committee then voted to adopt the LFC recommendation with one executive language change: adding the executive’s page 14 language allowing an additional 12.5% distribution for initial payments to aging network providers at the start of FY27. Representative Dow opposed the motion. The committee then moved to the Attorney General’s budget. LFC staff explained that the office’s budget relies heavily on the Consumer Settlement Fund, with both recommendations reducing general fund revenue while increasing settlement-fund use, and that performance measures were in consensus. The Attorney General said the office was not seeking more general fund, but wanted greater ability to use funds it recovers. He highlighted major consumer and public safety work, including litigation against major social media and AI platforms, a case involving Snapchat and child exploitation/extortion, the statewide crime gun intelligence center, efforts to address oilfield theft, work on missing and murdered Indigenous persons, and efforts to protect federal funds coming into New Mexico.
AZ

Arizona 2026 Regular Session

06/12/2026 - House Rules

Rules

Transcript Highlights:
  • bills were introduced months ago, that there's a constitutional provision that every bill will be read
  • They passed third read in the Senate. Then they came here.
  • They were read on three more consecutive days.
Keywords: 1182, all
NM

New Mexico 2025 Regular Session

House - Chamber Meeting Nov 10th, 2025

Transcript Highlights:
  • Clerk to read. Mr.
  • ask unanimous consent that the rules be suspended and that the record show that the journal has been read
  • Speaker, I move we go to that order of business, third reading of legislation.
AZ

Arizona 2026 Regular Session

01/20/2026 - Senate Appropriations, Transportation and Technology

Appropriations, Transportation and Technology

Transcript Highlights:
  • The third supplemental is the Department of Education, which we're estimating at $47 million.
  • And the third piece is one-time executive initiatives of $623 million.
  • It grows to about $110 million in the third year. I believe.
  • It grows to about $110 million in the third year.
  • I just read the article. Have you received a ticket? I'm sorry, Mr.
TX

Texas 89th 2nd C.S.

Human Services Apr 22nd, 2025

Human Services

Transcript Highlights:
  • Uh, we have that in, in the committee sub, uh, Talking about, uh, that third party, uh, laboratory.
  • So your bill would make sure, like you said, um, that the third party, and I guess, have you been able
  • Um, when I read this bill, it looks like to me you're just trying to protect parents' rights.
  • I, I'm happy to read the bill to you again if you need me to. OK. Representative Morales.
  • Third, the language of this bill affects all queer people, not just trans people.
FL

Florida 2026 Regular Session

FL House Floor Session - 2026-05-29 (10:00AM Session)

Florida House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • Are there bills or joint resolutions on third reading? None on the desk, Mr. Speaker.
  • Are there bills or joint resolutions on third reading? None on the desk, Mr. Speaker.
  • Read the next committee report.
  • Reading of the report, Mr. Speaker.
  • Read the conference committee report on HB 5601E. Read the conference committee report on HB 5601E.
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.
MN

Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session

Committee on Human Services - 02/19/25

Health and Human Services

Transcript Highlights:
  • The second, the third one that I would like to address is that DHS can create a checklist for families
  • She would take Trent to the park, take him for walks, read to him, teach him new games, and play with
  • This is what a county commissioner does: a third of our budget goes to the Sheriff's Office, a third
  • But a third of our budget goes to Human Services.
  • <01:24:19.840> of goes to the Sheriff's Office a third of goes to the Sheriff's Office a third
Keywords: 1187, senate, all
NH
Transcript Highlights:
  • B I'm reading as incl including B but I B I'm reading as incl including B but I thought<01:28:25.000>
  • Third time's a charm, maybe. Representative U. Morris, thank you, Mr. Chair.
  • so this this is a third time thanks third<04:35:34.561> times<04:35:34.719> a<04:35:34.879
  • So these are third-party clinics.
  • If you read the original law, this is a bill to repeal that.
Keywords: 928, house, all
Summary: The committee opened with House Bill 184, which would create a committee to study changing school start times. Members discussed Amendment 0394, which made the study committee’s duties more investigative and adjusted reporting recipients, including the Governor. Several members raised questions about whether the committee should review evidence-based studies, local district decisions, and existing district reports; supporters said the amendment would better allow the committee to gather information and recognize local control. The amendment passed 17-0, and the bill as amended also passed 17-0. Representative Litchfield noted that no one had testified in opposition and encouraged the future study committee to review an Oyster River School District report on school start times. The committee then took up House Bill 394, concerning cooperative school district budget committees and board member representatives. Amendment 0476 was adopted 17-0 after discussion that it clarified the bill’s language and reflected work with the School Boards Association. The committee then voted OTPA on the bill, which also passed 17-0. House Bill 738, requiring background checks for employees and volunteers at certain non-public schools or education service providers receiving public funds, was moved inexpedient to legislate. Supporters said the bill would create practical and legal problems for private citizens and homeschooling families, and the motion passed 15-2 with no minority report, placing the bill on consent. The committee next considered House Bill 235, which would amend the educator code of ethics and conduct to add responsibilities to parents. Supporters argued parents should be explicitly included in the code, while opponents said parents were already covered in existing ethics language and statute. The bill passed narrowly, 9-8. The committee then returned to House Bill 532 on alternate dispute resolution and individualized education plan team meeting facilitation. Amendment 0480H clarified that different rules would apply separately to neutral conference, mediation, and IEP facilitation; it passed 17-0, and the bill as amended also passed 17-0. Finally, the committee moved to House Bill 564, concerning adoption of school administrative unit budgets, and voted to retain the bill for further review because members said there was still confusion about how it would apply to single-district and multi-district SAUs.
NM

New Mexico 2026 Regular Session

House - Judiciary Feb 9th, 2026 at 06:43 pm

House Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:
  • And most individuals don't need that third device for hygiene, for bathing, but some do.
  • And then the third part is simply just changing the expedited license, just making that from a may to
  • I'm trying to read a lot of things at the same time. Representative Hoffman Veeho.
  • I am reading this.
  • And so as I'm reading this, and thank you so much for dealing with the concern as to solvency.
TX

Texas 89th 2nd C.S.

Public Education Apr 8th, 2025

Public Education

Transcript Highlights:
  • I'm reading that sentence.
  • OK, that's, that's the intent, but I'm just reading it.
  • It's almost like it's a third rail that everybody's afraid to bring up because it'll.
  • I thought about the exact same thing when I read it.
  • So I would encourage you to read it and look and strive to find our existing laws.
LA

Louisiana 2026 Regular Session

Education May 12th, 2026

Education

Transcript Highlights:
  • Staff, if you could please read in the bill.
  • Staff, if you can please read in the bill. SB 488, if staff could please read in the bill.
  • Did you want staff to read it in? Yes, so staff, you want to read in the amendments.
  • Okay, staff is going to read in the amendments.
  • Staff, if you can please read in the bill. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Summary: The House Education Committee met on May 12, 2026, and first approved SB 518, which gives LSU limited authority to buy and sell certain real estate within one mile of campus as a two-year pilot program. Supporters said the bill would let LSU respond more quickly to deteriorating properties near campus and improve the student experience, while keeping protections such as appraisals and fair-market-value requirements. Members asked about whether the authority would affect residential property or be expanded to other universities, and the bill was reported favorably without objection. The committee then advanced SCR 33, creating a one-year Work-Based Learning Coordination Task Force to study and better align apprenticeships, internships, job shadowing, and related programs across state agencies and employers. Testimony emphasized the need to reduce duplication and improve coordination so students and employers can more easily connect. HR 168 also passed, directing the Board of Regents to study collegiate athletic program funding after concerns raised by athletic directors about deficits and accounting practices. Members next approved SB 488, establishing a school safety drone response pilot program to supplement school crisis plans. The bill drew detailed testimony from a vendor describing drone deployment, response times, and coordination with law enforcement; an amendment was adopted to require coordination with the Department of Education, State Police, and the Sheriffs’ Association. The committee also favorably reported HCR 97, asking BESE and Wildlife and Fisheries to study adding age-appropriate hunting, conservation, and shooting sports education in grades 5-12, with members clarifying that no live firearms would be used on campus. Finally, the committee approved SB 112, allowing local school boards to adopt parental-consent release-time policies for religious instruction, with amendments adding instructor qualifications, reporting requirements, electronic delivery flexibility, and constitutional safeguards. It also reported SB 504, expanding individual graduation plans to include vocational options and apply to charter schools, with an amendment for standalone elementary charters. The committee then passed SB 346 and SB 347, both dealing with deepfakes—one prohibiting their use against K-12 students and the other adding unlawful deepfakes to campus power-based violence rules—and SB 353, authorizing postsecondary systems to digitize student IDs for use in LA Wallet. Several members raised concerns about naming LA Wallet specifically, but the bill was still reported favorably. The meeting ended with adjournment.
NH
Transcript Highlights:
  • certain way relative to a disabling condition or an IEP, but do you require that the list you just read
  • is 30% and the fourth is 30% the third is 30% and the fourth is 30% just<01:01:19.200> like<01
  • My curiosity was how many districts have more of an in-house program versus contracts for third-party
  • <01:59:27.920> And contracts for third party services.
  • And contracts for third party services.
Keywords: 1189, house, all
Summary: The commission to study the cost of special education met, confirmed a quorum, introduced members and guests, and approved the minutes from the October 29 meeting. Members noted the commission’s mandate under Senate Bill 57 and emphasized the need to focus on recommendations and findings by July 1, 2026. The chair also distributed additional handouts, including materials related to the Education Freedom Account (EFA) program and administrative rules tied to differentiated aid and disability determinations. The main discussion centered on how students qualify for differentiated aid under the EFA program. Matt Sutherton of the Children’s Scholarship Fund explained that the organization, which contracts with the state to administer EFAs, accepts either school-district/IEP documentation or a medical certification of disability (MCD) from a licensed medical professional. Members questioned how this process relates to the state’s special education rules and whether the school-district examiner standards in ED 107/1107.04 apply to EFAs. Sutherton said the MCD form, created with the department, requires the medical professional to sign that they are qualified to make the determination and to identify the disability. Several members expressed concern that the EFA process is less rigorous than the school-district IEP process and may be inflating disability counts. One member argued that the administrative rules cited are primarily for school districts, not EFAs, and said the Department of Education may not know how many of the roughly 890 EFA students receiving differentiated aid came through school-district documentation versus the MCD pathway. Another member said the EFA system appears more generous than the school system and raised concerns about oversight, auditing, and whether the program’s data are accurate. Sutherton said the organization reviews signed documentation, credentials, and diagnosis information, and may request additional records to help adjudicate expenses. No votes or formal actions were taken beyond approving the prior minutes.