Transcript Highlights:

• concerns about another roundabout that Washdot is advancing in our community, and that's the high school
• maintains funding from Move Ahead Washington to critical safety programs, including Safe Routes to School
• maintains funding from Move Ahead Washington to critical safety programs, including Safe Routes to School
• account to be used for instant rebates for households at or below 300% of the federal poverty level to purchase
• the bill will direct revenue to the state's electric vehicle account, providing rebates for the purchase

Bills: SB6225 , SB6005 , SB6354

Committee: Senate Transportation

Keywords: transportation bonds, general obligation bonds, Washington State Department of Transportation, WSDOT, highway funding, road construction, infrastructure financing, motor fuel tax, gas tax, vehicle fees, bond authorization, state finance committee, highway bond retirement fund, corridor projects, interstate improvements, right-of-way acquisition, public-private partnerships, transportation capital projects, local matching funds, emergency clause

Transcript Highlights:

• In addition, six of those seven magistrate judges requested consideration of a purchase of service.
• In addition, six of those seven magistrate judges requested consideration of a Percy purchase of service
• Similarly, public schools, that dark blue line, almost 90% growth over that 10-year period.
• on the second page, line one, it gives you the section and says, for the purposes of this chapter, school
• means any public or private school, daycare means any daycare as defined in Chapter 11, Title 39 of

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Rules

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I was the person that taught the class when the kids got caught at school.
• There's nothing you can do to a kid at school. There is no punishment.
• I was doing elementary school classes, which is unreal for vaping. This is ruining our youth.
• I was doing elementary school classes, which is unreal for vaping. This is ruining our youth.
• So when you purchase a legal cannabis vaping device, whether it is integrated, so with that all in one

Committee: House Business and Professions

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• use of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP, and prohibits its use for purchasing
• How do you know it's a meal just because a person is purchasing a snack or something?
• Came out of school.
• Kids are starving when they get out of school, tired, and maybe they had a bad day; maybe they need a
• would meet the requirements of some nutritional value that could be picked up on the way home from school

Bills: HB2510 , HB3589 , HB4611 , HB4655 , HB4665 , HB4666 , HB4670 , HB4700 , HB4730 , HB4798 , HB4838 , HB5136 , HB5243 , HB5302 , HB5539

Committee: House Human Services

Keywords: assisted living, healthcare, licensing, criminal offense, personal assistance, group home, regulation, health and safety, inspections, resident care, criminal background checks, adoption, parental rights, registry, vital statistics, disclosure, counseling, foster care, independent living, financial literacy

Transcript Highlights:

• suburban school districts?
• suburban school districts?
• districts and charter schools.
• So that exemption is done on a school site-by-school site basis rather than district-wide.
• And so those schools that get the least access are the kids in the rural school districts.

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Arts, Entertainment, Sports, and Tourism and the Assembly Education Committee held a joint informational hearing on implementation of Proposition 28, the 2022 voter-approved arts education funding measure. Chairs emphasized the goal of understanding how the roughly $900 million to nearly $1.1 billion annual funding stream is being used, whether it is supplementing rather than supplanting existing arts programs, and what reporting or guidance improvements may be needed. The Legislative Analyst’s Office reviewed the basic structure of Prop 28: funds are distributed 70% by enrollment and 30% by low-income student counts, 80% must generally be spent on staffing, districts may use up to 1% for administration, and annual local reports and audits are required. Members pressed the LAO on waivers, spending timelines, and whether smaller or rural districts face different challenges; the LAO said some waivers have been issued and that districts have three years to spend each allocation, but statewide data remain limited. WestEd, Create California, and the California County Superintendents described early implementation findings and concerns. Their testimony said schools are using funds for arts materials, staffing, expanded instruction, and field trips, and that many respondents saw positive effects on student access and engagement. At the same time, they reported confusion about allowable uses, supplement-versus-supplant rules, and the 80/20 staffing requirement, along with shortages of credentialed arts teachers and uneven access across districts. Create California argued that Prop 28 has generated optimism but also uncertainty, especially for community arts organizations that have seen reduced contracts as districts bring services in-house. County superintendents and researchers called for clearer statutory guidance, stronger technical assistance, better statewide data, and more support for teacher credentialing pathways. District and county officials then described local implementation. Long Beach Unified said it moved quickly to full implementation, using Prop 28 to expand elementary and secondary arts offerings, hire 56 certificated staff and more than 120 classified coaches, and develop a five-year arts strategic plan tied to equity goals. Butte County and other rural representatives said Prop 28 has enabled restored or expanded programs, including arts teachers, theater, and music offerings, but rural districts still struggle to recruit credentialed staff and to make small allocations workable across large distances. The California Music Educators Association echoed those themes, saying members report both new positions and supplies as well as confusion, fear of audit findings, and inconsistent district guidance. Committee members asked about arts definitions, credentialing, rural pooling of funds, and out-of-state teacher credentials; witnesses said media arts are included, multiple credential pathways exist, and recent legislation has eased some out-of-state credential barriers. The hearing ended with public comment beginning after the panel discussions.

Transcript Highlights:

• suburban school districts?
• districts and charter schools.
• So that exemption is done on a school-site-by-school-site basis rather than district-wide?
• Does the language of Proposition 28 specify whether multiple school sites within a school district or
• And so those schools that get the least access are the kids in the rural school districts.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Just to give you a little bit of background, through this, we have improved our nursing schools and healthcare
• To purchase the old SSM building and renovate it.
• I Oftentimes, it's the practice of school boards that they place votes on school bonds on other ballots
• Is it your opinion that school bonds should all go on the November ballot as well?
• bonds, school board elections, and so on.

Bills: HB4028 , HB4029 , HB4059 , HB4063 , HB4073 , HB4074 , HB4075 , HB4076 , HB4077 , HB4078 , SB1130 , SB1131 , SB1132 , SB1133 , SB1134 , SB1142 , HB4028 , HB4029 , HB4059 , HB4063 , HB4073 , HB4074 , HB4075 , HB4076 , HB4077 , HB4078 , SB1130 , SB1131 , SB1132 , SB1133 , SB1134 , SB1142

Committee: House Joint Committee on Appropriations and Budget

Keywords: tax deduction, venture capital, economic development, Oklahoma, investment, ALS, funding, healthcare, State Department of Health, emergency declaration, public finance, state budget, financial regulations, monetary policy, referendum, constitutional amendments, special election, Oklahoma legislature, public voting, recovery fund

Transcript Highlights:

• bill simply directs the ATC to change the current rule to allow for electronic rebates for beer purchases
• program helps remove these barriers of access to fresh and locally grown foods through our local purchasing
• Also, just a point of clarity, the SNAP match program that doubles dollars doubles them for the purchase
• Also, just a point of clarity, the SNAP match program that doubles dollars doubles them for the purchase
• mean, in Jefferson Parish, Orleans, and surrounding areas, the amount of children who were not at school

Bills: HCR41 , HB11 , HB227 , HB243 , HB278 , HB335 , HB424 , HB454 , HB455 , HB492 , HB623 , HB641 , HB660 , HB708 , HB719 , HB940 , HB1029 , HB1053 , HB1069 , HB1077

Committee: House Judiciary

Keywords: coupons, rebates, alcohol regulation, malt beverages, Louisiana Department of Revenue, remembrance, Charlie Kirk, state recognition, October 14, memorial day, court filings, electronic filing, letter size paper, privacy, legal procedure, recusal, district attorney, substitute attorney, appointment process, legal proceedings

Transcript Highlights:

• point</c><00:11:21.200><c> to</c><00:11:21.360><c> in</c><00:11:21.600><c> the</c><00:11:21.760><c> purchasing
• </c><00:11:22.240><c> process</c> can point to in the purchasing process can point to in the purchasing
• They also added a protected class of school enrollment status.
• discriminatory to tell people where they can live and where they can't live, so they were adding school
• So that way any purchaser in the future is on notice about that.

Committee: House Housing

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It was purchased for sure.
• It was purchased for sure.
• You wouldn't vote against free food for school kids.
• district, if it's school district.
• municipal or school district, if it's, you know, school district.

Bills: SB 5 , SB 11 , SB 12

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Keywords: disaster relief, flood preparedness, emergency funding, local government support, meteorological forecasting, human trafficking, trafficking victim, compelling prostitution, affirmative defense, criminal defense, coercion, force fraud or coercion, sexual exploitation, victim protection, Penal Code, Texas criminal law, prosecution, party liability, affirmative defense statute, survivor rights

Summary: The Senate Committee on State Affairs took up Senate Bill 5, which Senator Perry described as a ban on intoxicating THC consumer products while preserving legal CBD, CBG, hemp seed, hemp seed protein powder, and hemp seed oil products. Perry argued that most retail THC products are already illegal under federal law, that the industry has used loopholes and misleading labeling to sell high-potency products, and that regulation would be ineffective because chemists can quickly alter formulations. He also said the bill would steer people with medical needs toward the Texas Compassionate Use Program (T-Cup), which he and other supporters described as the proper physician-guided alternative. Committee members and witnesses repeatedly discussed the distinction between legal hemp-derived products and intoxicating THC products, and Perry said the bill would not touch non-consumable hemp uses such as fiber and clothing. Invited testimony came from law enforcement and medical witnesses who supported the bill. Texas Police Chiefs Association representative Steve Dye, Kaufman County District Attorney Early Wiley, and Chambers County Sheriff Brian Hawthorne all said regulation would be too costly, too complex, and ultimately unenforceable, while a ban would be clearer and easier to enforce. They cited overloaded DPS labs, the need for expensive private testing, limited police and prosecutor resources, and the difficulty of keeping up with constantly changing cannabinoids and out-of-state products. Hawthorne and Wiley described raids and investigations involving warehouses, retail stores, cash seizures, and products they said were marketed to young people and often mislabeled or imported from other states. They also said the bill would help law enforcement by creating a clearer legal line and protecting legitimate CBD/CBG businesses. Dr. Lindy McGee, speaking for the Texas Medical Association and Texas Pediatric Society, testified that retail THC products pose serious risks to children and adolescents, including addiction, impaired brain development, psychosis, suicide attempts, self-harm, accidental toddler ingestions, and possible long-term cognitive effects. She said there is no effective medication treatment for THC addiction comparable to nicotine cessation tools, and she supported restrictions such as child-resistant packaging, no marketing to minors, and age limits, while opposing criminal penalties for possession by minors. Senators asked follow-up questions about brain development, memory, dementia risk, pregnancy, and cardiovascular effects. No vote was taken during the portion provided, and the committee continued with invited testimony and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• Mark Diaz, clinical professor, UC Davis School of Medicine, in support.
• My name is Mark Diaz, clinical professor, UC Davis School of Medicine, in support. Thank you.
• I'm a medical student at the UC Davis School of Medicine, and I strongly support this bill.
• I teach AP Environmental Science and Biology at Albany High School.
• GBL. ...would change the requirements for purchase, storage, or use of pure GBL.

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Mary Creasy on behalf of All In for Safe Schools in support. Thank you.
• Brian Ricks with the Los Angeles Unified School District in support.
• I'm a school teacher.
• The 2027 date was amended to 2028 to give people time to purchase, to complete the plans.
• There was no requirement that they purchased. We just want to know, what is your backup?

Committee: Senate Emergency Management

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Cyclist program developed in partnership with Texas DPS, Text, 15 Texas universities, and over 40 school
• So they have come into San Francisco County and purchased.
• Portland's growing family-oriented city, investing in schools, housing, parks, and infrastructure to
• But just like a Tesla can go 150 miles an hour, but we still let it drive through a school zone.
• This could turn many roadways, including highways, um, into basically a school zone.

Bills: HB 535 , HB 2120 , HB 2822 , HB 3243 , HB 3457 , HB 3544 , HB 4089 , HB 4192 , HB 4669 , HB 4868 , HB 4955 , HB 5253 , HB 5669 , SB 1371 , SB 1919 , SB 2001

Committee: House Transportation

Keywords: motor vehicle, pedestrian, bicycle, traffic safety, municipality, criminal offense, pedestrian safety, traffic regulations, municipal law, bicycle regulations, motor vehicle passing, traffic law, municipalities, bicycle operation, traffic laws, municipal regulations, port commission, Corpus Christi, Nueces County, San Patricio County

Transcript Highlights:

• Safe Cyclist Program developed in partnership with Texas, TxDOT, 15 Texas universities, and over 40 school
• So, they have come into San Patricio County and purchased thousands of acres of land.
• Portland is a growing family-oriented city, investing in schools, housing, parks, and infrastructure
• It will provide clarity for tourists, electric bicycle purchasers, and for the mom-and-pop bike shops
• This could turn many roadways, including highways, into basically a school zone.

Bills: HB535 , HB2120 , HB2822 , HB3243 , HB3457 , HB3544 , HB4089 , HB4192 , HB4669 , HB4868 , HB4955 , HB5253 , HB5669 , SB1371 , SB1919 , SB2001

Committee: House Transportation

Keywords: motor vehicle, pedestrian, bicycle, traffic safety, municipality, criminal offense, pedestrian safety, traffic regulations, municipal law, bicycle regulations, motor vehicle passing, traffic law, municipalities, bicycle operation, traffic laws, municipal regulations, port commission, Corpus Christi, Nueces County, San Patricio County

Transcript Highlights:

• . purchased. purchased.
• </c> school boards. school boards.
• . schools. schools.
• </c> spending on our public schools. spending on our public schools.
• </c> financial support for schools. financial support for schools.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• that they've made, or if they aren't following their approval process, or if purchases are made just
• Do you still have authority to approve land purchase from universities for an additional campus?
• Do you still have authority to approve land purchase from universities for an additional campus?
• Schools can already calculate the financial help guide them.
• and our private schools and our higher ed.

Summary: The Senate Finance Committee met to hear interim charges on higher education transparency and on preventing fraud, waste, and abuse in state government. The chair emphasized accountability for taxpayer dollars and asked witnesses to address financial reporting, audit practices, and whether more frequent or comprehensive audits would improve oversight. Legislative Budget Board staff described how public university systems and most community colleges respond to requests about internal audit practices, noting that university systems generally follow a similar annual audit timeline and that community colleges use a more varied mix of internal and external audit arrangements. Members focused on gaps in reporting, especially Texas Southern University’s missing submissions for several years and Collin County Community College’s nonresponse to the LBB survey. The State Auditor’s Office then outlined its higher education audit work, including mandatory statewide single audits, DEI compliance audits, HUB and State Use Program audits, benefits proportional audits, and discretionary audits based on risk. The auditor said the office has released 43 higher-ed audit reports since fiscal year 2021 and has two audits in progress, and explained that internal audit reports from institutions help guide future audit selection. Senators pressed the office on the lack of enforcement authority, the value of internal auditors at each institution, and whether community colleges should have more standardized reporting and audit requirements. The auditor and general counsel said the SAO can refer suspected fraud to law enforcement but cannot itself enforce findings, while several senators suggested stronger clawback authority and more robust internal audit structures. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board explained that it collects annual financial reports, sources-and-uses data, and community college finance reports, and uses them for funding formulas and other reporting. It also trains governing board members and said it has limited regulatory authority, though community colleges must certify compliance annually and can lose eligibility for state funds if they do not. Members questioned the reliability of self-attested data, the adequacy of board training, and whether a single reporting structure would be more efficient. During public testimony, a ScholarShot representative argued for clearer, student-facing financial transparency so students can see total cost of attendance and the gap they must cover before enrolling.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, and we recently had a tribal nation in northern Minnesota, Boyfort, who purchased many, many tens
• of thousands of acres of land, who only made that purchase because of the SFIA program.
• many, many tens of thousands purchased many, many tens of thousands of<00:53:27.040><c> acres</c><00
• </c> purchase because of the SFIA program. purchase because of the SFIA program.
• When you talk about your community, when you talk about your schools, when you talk about your roads,

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Our schools are important parts of their communities, and those communities, their employers, nonprofits
• on their educational journey, from a certificate all the way to an applied doctoral program, high school
• students, recent graduates of high school, students returning to complete a degree or start another,
• </c> materials and to make select purchases materials and to make select purchases where<00:14:45.600
• </c> helping a lot of students stay in school helping a lot of students stay in school who<00:26:56.039

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: Minnesota State Colleges and Universities presented an overview of the system and several budget riders. Board Chair George Soul described the system’s structure, noting 26 colleges and seven universities governed by a 15-member board, and emphasized that Minnesota State serves about 270,000 students annually, including many students of color, adult learners, Pell-eligible students, first-generation students, and veterans. He highlighted the system’s workforce role, saying it offers more than 4,000 programs, extensive employer partnerships, and that 86% of graduates find jobs in their field or a related field. He then turned the presentation over to system staff to discuss specific funding requests. Associate Vice Chancellor Kim Lynch focused on the Z-degree textbook program, which supports zero-textbook-cost courses and degrees. She said prior legislative support has produced about $3.1 million in savings in academic year 2024 and more than $12.6 million in aggregate savings, with 10 colleges now offering Z degrees and 12 more on track or exploring implementation. She described the program’s use of open educational resources, instructional design support, and library resources to fill gaps where free materials are not available, and said students save roughly $7 to $10 for every $1 invested. Members praised the program and asked about its expansion. Associate Vice Chancellor Paul Shepard discussed student support funding, including a centralized basic needs resource hub, the Mantra Health mental health platform, and the emergency grant program. He said student surveys showed significant food, housing, and homelessness insecurity, and that the basic needs hub has served over 2,400 students with a 97% positive response rate. He said Mantra provides telecounseling, peer support, self-paced courses, and crisis support, and clarified in response to questions that it is not AI-driven and does not sell student data; general usage data is collected, and follow-up with campus counselors occurs only at the student’s request. He also said the emergency grant program has distributed over $3 million to more than 4,800 students, with grants averaging just under $700, and that campuses use application review and recordkeeping to manage repeat requests. Members asked about counselor staffing, data privacy, and grant safeguards. The final item addressed sexual assault reporting and prevention funding. System staff said the appropriation supports technology infrastructure for statutory reporting, case management for investigations, campus prevention training, and professional development for Title IX coordinators and related staff. They noted that the statutory student training requirement is funded by individual colleges and universities, not by this appropriation. No formal votes were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• The school boards, at a point in time, were given a section of land by the feds for the school board's
• school education, and that was a section.
• The school board does support Tensaw. Most of it is in my district.
• We support our med school, and we're supporting their growth.
• We support our med school, and we're supporting their growth.

Summary: The House Natural Resources Committee met with a quorum and first took up several property-transfer bills. House Bill 110, authorizing transfer of certain state property in St. Tammany Parish for a pocket park in Mandeville, was reported favorable without objection. House Bill 634, transferring state property in St. Martin Parish to Brownell Land Company LLC, was also reported favorable. House Bill 677, allowing the Tensaw Parish School Board greater flexibility to exchange school land for property of equal or greater value with certified appraisal requirements, was reported favorable after questions about the location and purpose of the exchange. House Bill 735, a cleanup bill transferring property from DOTD to LSU Health Shreveport to support expansion and parking near Mall St. Vincent, was likewise reported favorable. The committee then held an informational hearing on the effects of the Iran conflict on Louisiana’s energy sector. Secretary Dustin Davidson said the conflict has driven oil prices sharply higher, with consumers bearing the cost through higher gasoline and especially diesel prices, while producers and refiners may see short-term gains. He warned that diesel increases can signal broader economic slowdown and discussed global shipping disruptions, the Strait of Hormuz, and Saudi Arabia’s response. Members asked about Louisiana’s ability to benefit from higher prices, the timing of increased drilling, and the role of carbon capture and infrastructure investment. Davidson said higher prices could support more drilling and severance tax revenue if sustained long enough. Industry witnesses Tommy Fochay of LOGA, David Cresson of the Louisiana Chemical Association, Mike Moncla of LOGA, and LSU energy economists Greg Upton and Tyler Gray emphasized Louisiana’s role as a major LNG exporter, refiner, and petrochemical hub. They said geopolitical shocks create volatility, but Louisiana’s abundant natural gas, infrastructure, and export capacity position the state to help meet global demand. They urged stable policy, competitive taxes, pipeline and workforce investment, and caution on regulations. Upton and Gray presented data showing oil price spikes are likely temporary, futures markets expect prices to ease over time, rig counts respond with a lag, and Louisiana natural gas prices have remained relatively insulated so far. The committee adjourned after the presentations and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• Schools would be affected.
• Within the school district.
• You've begun the outreach to the local schools and higher education institutions.
• There's a charter school in my district, and I do want to promote them, Madam Chair.
• Purchase for $500,000 homes. That is not even me. I couldn't do that if I wanted to.

Committee: House Economic & Rural Development & Policy Committee