Video & Transcript : 'stem education' :
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MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Session (Full Formal without Calendar) Jun 4th, 2026
Massachusetts Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- I want to thank also my neighbors who are educators and my own former educators, including Ms.
- the opportunity for our hardworking educators to be able to get back into this.
- It's a great day for the Commonwealth, a great day for our educators.
- It provides $1.35 billion in meaningful education and transportation investments.
- number of important educational programs in addition to rural aid, special education being perhaps the
MO
Missouri 2026 Regular Session
2026 Legislative Session - Day Forty - Tuesday, March 24
Missouri House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- educational resources is inequitable.
- DESE has already documented inequities in higher education by race, parental income, and parental education
- get an education.
- I think K-12 education is different than higher education.
- I think K-12 education is different than higher education.
Summary:
The House convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, approved the previous day’s journal by a 126-0 vote, and suspended business for the Speaker to sign several bills and substitutes. Members then spent much of the day introducing guests, including county assessors, students, civic groups, and visitors from local schools and universities.
The chamber then took up House Bill 2002, the elementary and secondary education budget. Members adopted several amendments, including technical fixes to allow board-operated schools to use personal service funds for career ladder payments, clarifications to child care subsidy language, and changes to Parents as Teachers rules so that enrollment remains voluntary and virtual visits are not reimbursable. An amendment to shift $1 million from one child care facilities line to Child Care Works passed, as did an amendment to fund a new Success-Ready Student Assessment with $2 million to help replace the MAP test. A proposal to pay child care subsidies for foster children based on enrollment rather than attendance failed 53-93, and an amendment to divert $10 million in Title I funds into a competitive grant program also failed. A later amendment to send budget reports to the ranking minority member passed, while an attempt to remove child care subsidy language from the bill failed.
The House then moved to higher education and workforce development appropriations. Members approved an amendment broadening a pre-apprenticeship program statewide and supported funding for Coyote Hill Foster Care Ministries through a transfer from dual credit scholarship funds. The most extensive debate centered on House Bill 2003’s higher education funding model, where the chair defended an FTE-based approach as more transparent than the long-standing status quo, while opponents warned it would sharply cut funding for institutions such as Harris-Stowe, Lincoln, Truman State, and some community colleges, and would ignore factors like graduation rates, research, and workforce needs. A compromise amendment to soften the transition was withdrawn, and a separate amendment to restore the governor’s recommendation was also debated at length, with members arguing over the fairness and consequences of the proposed model.
FL
Transcript Highlights:
- For education, the bill directs more than $25 million of new funding to our rural education consortia
- Senate Bill 318 establishes an expanded education stabilization fund.
- Education is a big deal. It's not easy.
- We have fundamentally changed how we have funded education.
- But nonetheless, the point is that we have revolutionized education.
Summary:
The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several introductions, including recognition of Alpha Kappa Alpha Founders’ Day and a visiting debate student. The chamber then took up a committee report on 52 executive appointments. After explanation by Ethics and Elections Chair Don Gates, the Senate adopted the report and confirmed the appointments by a vote of 39-0.
The first major bill was SB 250 on rural communities. Senator Simon described it as a broad rural development package creating an Office of Rural Prosperity, a Renaissance Grant Program for counties losing population, housing and transportation investments, additional funding for rural education, and rural health care measures. Two amendments were adopted to remove overlapping health provisions in light of a new federal rural health grant and to update hospital funding estimates. Senators from both parties spoke in support, while also asking about eligibility and access to grant funds. The bill passed 39-0.
The Senate then considered CS/SB 318 on educational scholarship programs. Senator Gates said the bill responds to Auditor General concerns by separating scholarship funding from public school funding, requiring student identification and enrollment verification, reducing administrative fees for scholarship funding organizations, requiring annual audits, and directing the Department of Education to develop a competitive selection and performance plan for those organizations. Three amendments were adopted, including removal of a declining-enrollment provision for later conforming legislation and changes to enrollment documentation and withdrawal procedures. Senators from both parties supported the bill while raising concerns about accountability, student oversight, and school quality. The bill passed 38-0.
Afterward, the Senate waived rules so SB 250 and CS/SB 318 could be immediately certified to the House. The session ended with announcements, including Palm Beach County Day at the Capitol and a reminder about the chamber group photograph, followed by adjournment until the next scheduled meeting.
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Jan 13th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- We need to reduce barriers for higher education.
- These students are special education students.
- When we talk about competency-based education and doing education in a different way with new tools,
- ...education and doing education in a different way with new tools, digital tools, and everything, some
- I am a proud product of public education.
Summary:
The committee heard testimony on several education bills. SB 5841 would require students’ high school and beyond plans to show completion of at least one FAFSA or WASFA application, or a parent/guardian opt-out. The sponsor and supporters said it would reduce barriers to postsecondary education, improve financial aid completion, and bring more students and federal dollars into the state. School groups opposed it, warning it would add an unfunded administrative burden and create verification challenges, especially for small districts and families with undocumented students. Senators discussed data-sharing from the Washington Student Achievement Council and noted the bill’s connection to existing FAFSA outreach efforts.
The committee then took testimony on SB 5922, which would let districts petition OSPI to transfer money from transportation vehicle funds to other district uses if they reduce their fleet because of enrollment declines. The sponsor said the bill would free up unused bus funds for other pressing needs. Members asked about whether districts could shift to smaller vehicles and how the funds could be used. The committee also heard SB 5858, which would move the pupil transportation safety net for special passengers into statute. Supporters from OSPI, districts, school directors, and PTA said the program is essential for transporting students with disabilities, homelessness, or foster care needs, and that current funding is far below demonstrated need. No votes were taken on these bills.
Finally, the committee heard SB 5943, which would allow limited use of school impact fees for modernization and, in districts under binding conditions or enhanced financial oversight, for up to 25% of operations and maintenance. The sponsor and one superintendent argued it would help districts with aging buildings and new state mandates like safety and energy-efficiency requirements. Builders, business groups, and school coalition representatives opposed the bill, saying impact fees should remain tied to growth-related capital costs and warning it could worsen housing affordability and weaken the nexus required for impact fees. The chair closed by noting the session’s budget constraints and the committee adjourned after the hearings.
CT
Connecticut 2026 Regular Session
Transforming Children's Behavioral Health Policy and Planning Committee June 17th Meeting Jun 17th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- We're getting the data from DSS and the Department of Education. We're working on it.
- Of course, folks in Connecticut, from behaviorists to educators, psychologists, etc.
- CSD staff, local special education professionals, LEA administrators, local education agency administrators
- , special education directors, special education advocates.
- Yeah, the special education task force, you mean? Yes. Yeah.
Summary:
The meeting began with approval of the May minutes and then moved into administrative updates on several 2025 legislative workstreams. Staff reported progress on two marketing efforts tied to the youth mental health crisis: one focused on increasing awareness and use of urgent crisis centers, and another broader crisis-continuum campaign led by United Way. Both projects are refining materials based on working-group feedback and aim to have materials ready before the start of the school year. Updates were also given on the UCC private insurance review and the crisis continuum review, both of which are gathering data and reconvening working groups over the summer.
The main discussion centered on a Civic Solutions Group update on Medicaid school billing. The contractor explained that the project is examining why Connecticut schools are not billing for behavioral health and related services, with the goal of maximizing federal reimbursement. Members clarified that the study is about schools billing for services, not private providers billing in schools. Questions focused on whether Medicaid has caps or authorization issues when students receive services both in school and in the community, and whether recent federal or state changes affect billing. The contractor said the work is still in data collection and analysis, and that some issues, such as reauthorization procedures, were outside his scope. Participants also raised concerns about perceived barriers, fee-for-service limitations, and the need to distinguish school-based billing from provider billing.
A second major presentation came from Disability Rights Connecticut on a separate legislative study concerning behavioral health issues affecting students receiving special education. The subgroup is examining the feasibility and impact of requiring evidence-based interventions, especially for challenging behaviors that can lead to restraint and seclusion, and is also looking at monitoring and random audits of restraint and seclusion practices. The team described its project plan, including literature reviews, interviews, focus groups, surveys, and data requests from the State Department of Education and other stakeholders. Members emphasized that the work is aimed primarily at private providers under the statute, but may have broader relevance. Questions from the group focused on whether the study would include public schools, how evidence-based practices apply to students with intellectual disabilities and autism, and whether caregivers or parents would be interviewed; the presenters said caregiver input is not currently part of the charge. The meeting ended with reminders about the July 15 meeting, which will include a Solnit briefing, and a note that August TCB meetings will not be held, though a workshop on the Connecticut Children’s Behavioral Health Provider Survey is being planned for late July or early August.
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
Committee to Hear SAO Performance Audits Dec 3rd, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- with K-12 education.
- We focused on English language learners, homeless students, and special education students.
- individualized education plan, or IEP, process.
- Short-term interventions and up to more intensive interventions, such as special education.
- A lot of my heart is with special education.
Summary:
The committee meeting began with a brief explanation of the renamed Joint Legislative Audit Review Committee subcommittee, now called the Committee to Hear SAO Performance Audits, and a presentation from the State Auditor’s Office on its current biennium performance audit work plan. The auditor described how topics are selected from a large pool of potential audits and highlighted several ongoing or planned audits, including the Liquor and Cannabis Board, oversight of authorized entities serving students with disabilities, the Quality Home Care Initiative, Medicaid managed care versus fee-for-service costs, the Housing Commission tenant ownership follow-up, DSHS vendor payment patterns, implementation of the Since Time Memorial curriculum, and the Washington State ferry system. Members asked about coordination with JLARC to avoid duplication, and the auditor said the offices exchange work plans, monthly updates, and quarterly coordination meetings.
The committee then heard the State Auditor’s performance audit on how charter schools identify and support at-risk students. Auditors reviewed four charter schools—Catalyst Public Schools, Innovation High School, Pinnacles Prep, and Rainier Prep—and focused on English language learners, homeless students, and special education students. The audit found the schools met nearly all legal requirements reviewed, with only one area where two schools partially met a language-access requirement. The schools also used several promising practices, including small-group instruction, culturally responsive environments, and multi-tiered systems of support, though the auditors recommended better documentation of procedures to improve consistency. Families interviewed generally reported positive experiences, while noting resource constraints.
Committee members asked about how the four schools were selected, whether the audit compared charter populations to home districts, and how MTSS requirements applied to the schools reviewed. The State Auditor’s Office said the sample was chosen for geographic diversity, student population characteristics, and representation from both authorizers, and that K-2 MTSS requirements were not evaluated because they applied to only one school. Representatives from the Charter School Commission and charter school advocates responded positively, emphasizing technical assistance, collaboration, and sharing best practices across schools. Two public testifiers also supported the report and said it highlighted effective practices that could be expanded across charter and traditional public schools.
ID
Transcript Highlights:
- I take education seriously.
- When I read the requirements for parent-led driver's education, I didn't see a continuing education requirement
- approved sources from the State Department of Education.
- Driver education is not just about operating a vehicle.
- Most of the driver’s education courses now use the online curriculum for the… Driver’s education courses
NM
Transcript Highlights:
- We have a shortage of educators. This is a way for us to recruit and retain educators.
- Welcome to Senate Education.
- That's a bit frustrating on the education side when, as the education chair, one of the main groups that
- an emergency clause, is the Public Education Changes Bill.
- So, even though the students didn't move, education didn't change.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House health panel hears HF1010 3/26/25
Minnesota House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- This would alleviate the strain on registered nurse education. same graduate level midwe free education
- </c><00:04:15.120><c> and</c> nurse midwives we support we educate and nurse midwives we support we educate
- </c><00:05:19.039><c> saving</c> the undergraduate education saving the undergraduate education saving
- </c> Strain on registered nurse education programs.
- It took me nine years to complete this process and put me in significant educational debt.
KY
Kentucky 2026 Regular Session
House Budget review Sub. on Postsecondary Education. (2-5-26)
Transcript Highlights:
- One example is uh tuition education.
- Those education and psychology building.
- 00:14:39.040><c> and</c> are in mathematics and in education and are in mathematics and in education
- pursuing that education. Six to 10 pursuing that education.
- </c> hospitals like ARH and Pike, educational hospitals like ARH and Pike, educational institutions<00
Summary:
The House Budget Review Subcommittee on Postsecondary Education met without a quorum and postponed approval of the minutes. The committee first heard from Northern Kentucky University President Katie Short Thompson, who highlighted NKU’s enrollment growth, student success metrics, national recognition for value, lower student debt, and new programs tied to regional workforce needs, including AI, cybersecurity, supply chain analytics, cardiovascular perfusion, and the Norse Network Hub for employer access. She asked for a $5 million recurring base funding adjustment to align NKU’s general fund support with peer institutions, along with support for tuition waivers with FAFSA requirements, continued debt collection authority through the Department of Revenue, inclusion of fire and tornado insurance premiums in base funding, inflation and performance-funding support, and increased asset preservation funding. She also outlined capital priorities for the Hail College of Business building, Nunn Hall, and the MEP building, and requested $5.4 million to match private support for the Young Scholars Academy, a dual-credit program serving first-generation and low-income students.
Representative Tipton questioned NKU about the number of older students using tuition waivers and whether the university could continue the program without a statutory age-based mandate. Thompson said the number of students over 65 using the waiver was small, that some students pursue degrees while others audit classes, and that external fundraising could potentially support the program if state funding changed. Tipton also confirmed NKU’s requested priorities and the $5.4 million match for the Young Scholars Academy.
The committee then heard from University of Kentucky representative Dr. Cavallo, who framed UK’s request around accountability, workforce development, research, and health care impact. He described a patient story to illustrate UK’s medical mission, cited growth in enrollment, degrees awarded, hospital patients treated, and research grant revenue, and emphasized UK’s role in extension services and disaster response. He said UK is consolidating services for efficiency and is focusing on future workforce needs, especially artificial intelligence, noting the launch of the state’s first AI bachelor’s degree and a partnership with Microsoft to expand AI tools and training across campus and the Advancing Kentucky Together network. He also discussed demographic challenges, the need to retain graduates in Kentucky, and the importance of aligning programs and funding with long-term state needs.
KY
Kentucky 2025 Regular Session
Senate Standing Committee on Families & Children (3-4-25)
Transcript Highlights:
- </c><00:02:56.280><c> space</c> these cases in the education space these cases in the education space
- She brags about her plan to get me to lose my job in education.
- She brags about her plan to get me to lose my job in education.
- </c> safety but as a survivor of educator safety but as a survivor of educator sexual<00:14:54.959><c
- Students, parents, and educators alike.
Keywords:
Roll Call – 00:11
Discussion on SB 181 – 01:05
Vote on SB 181 – 24:16
Discussion on HB 242 – 31:00
Vote on HB 242 – 32:14
Discussion on HB 164 – 33:26
Vote on HB 164 – 39:55, 958, all
Summary:
The Senate Standing Committee on Families and Children heard Senate Bill 181, which would require school districts to use only traceable forms of communication for staff, coaches, and volunteers when contacting students, require reporting of known private direct communication, notify parents, protect minors’ anonymity in EPSB investigations, and extend the investigation period for sexual misconduct cases to 120 days. Senator Lindsay Tichenor said the bill is meant to restore safeguards for children and families and address inappropriate private communications between school personnel and students. The committee also heard testimony from Stacy and Brad Brisco, who described allegations that an Anderson County guidance counselor had communicated privately with their daughter, encouraged her to pursue emancipation and CPS involvement, and used school channels to facilitate contact; they said the resulting abuse report was unsubstantiated and that the school system and EPSB had not acted promptly. Ashley Nation also testified in support as a survivor of educator sexual abuse, arguing that traceable communication policies are needed to prevent grooming and misconduct and that the bill does not stop communication, only makes it transparent and accountable.
Members asked questions about what counts as traceable communication and whether schools already have policies. Tichenor said traceable communication could include paper notes, email, and apps such as ClassDojo or Google Classroom, and said the bill requires a trail parents can access. She also said some districts have ethical standards but they are not consistently followed, and that state-level action is needed. Senator Denine suggested the bill should allow districts more flexibility to choose among trackable platforms, noting that some systems already use tools like Dojo and Remind; Tichenor said a floor amendment would address that concern. Senators Williams, Meredith, Mills, Wise, and others voiced support, emphasizing child safety and the need for timely EPSB action.
The committee then voted 9-0 to pass SB 181 with a favorable recommendation to the Senate floor. Afterward, the committee took up House Bill 242, sponsored by Representative Samara Heavrin, which would increase transparency in the child welfare system by making Kentucky child welfare data available to researchers while preserving privacy protections. With no questions, the committee approved HB 242 as well, also by a favorable vote, and members briefly noted support for the bill and the need for better data to inform child welfare policy.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 1 on Health Feb 23rd, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- Nationally, the average level of education debt for medical students is around $220,000.
- And educational loan repayment in exchange for a two-year service obligation.
- medical education training.
- So for public education, the UC system delivers high value for an amazing price.
- I know we hear it in higher education.
Summary:
The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Health held a hearing focused first on the impact of H.R. 1 on medical student financing and physician access, then on state residency-support programs. The chair framed the discussion around expected federal Medicaid and student loan changes, warning that higher borrowing barriers could reduce access to medical school for lower-income students and worsen physician shortages, especially in underserved regions. The LAO explained that H.R. 1 would cap federal loans for professional students, eliminate Grad PLUS for new borrowers, and likely shift more students toward private loans with less favorable terms; it said the bigger concern may be who can afford to attend medical school rather than a sharp drop in enrollment. HCAI described three physician loan repayment programs—the State Loan Repayment Program, the Stephen M. Thompson Physician Corps Loan Repayment Program, and the County Medical Services Program loan repayment program—and said retention data show many awardees remain in California and in underserved or safety-net settings after service obligations end.
University of California and UCSF witnesses described California’s physician workforce shortages, especially on the Central Coast and in rural and agricultural communities, and said affordability, limited medical school capacity, and burnout are pushing some doctors into concierge practice or out of underserved areas. They emphasized that students from low-income backgrounds and underrepresented communities are more likely to be affected by loan limits and that residency location strongly influences where physicians ultimately practice. Members asked about medical school capacity, out-of-state students, residency retention, and whether the state could expand slots or better target aid to keep physicians in California and in high-need communities. Public commenters urged the Legislature to consider shortages in anesthesia, pediatric subspecialties, midwifery, and culturally concordant care, and to support broader workforce pathways and public-service loan programs.
The second panel reviewed graduate medical education programs, especially CalMedForce, CalMedForce Plus, and Song-Brown. UC and HCAI said CalMedForce has supported new residency slots since 2018, while Song-Brown funds primary care residency training and has recently supported new programs in rural areas such as Del Norte County. The LAO said the state should decide whether residency support should remain a budget priority, whether these competitive grant programs are the best mechanism, and whether their structures are too rigid or duplicative. It noted that most awardees receive funding more than once and that the programs overlap substantially, suggesting possible coordination or consolidation. A family physician from the California Academy of Family Physicians argued that stable funding for primary care residencies is essential, that many California-trained physicians stay where they train, and that future funding should be more deliberately directed to primary care and high-need communities. The hearing ended with discussion of emergency room crowding, geographic inequities in residency distribution, and HCAI’s plan to develop supply-and-demand models to guide future funding decisions.
KY
Kentucky 2026 Regular Session
Senate Standing Committee on Families and Children.(2-17-26)
Families & Children
Transcript Highlights:
- And this is an act childhood education.
- </c><00:09:45.120><c> to</c> expert in early childhood education to expert in early childhood education
- ,</c> the story in early childhood education, the story in early childhood education, not<00:18:00.160
- </c> education beginning at three years old. education beginning at three years old.
- , that's why I serve on education, that's why I serve on education<00:20:48.320><c> committee</c><00:
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Select Committee on Child Care Costs Dec 9th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- , aligned to the TK-12 education system.
- You know, they'd say, thank you and please and educated.
- I'm the director... ...of the Early Education Division at the California Department of Education, and
- I've been able to see a few counties bringing together TK educators, state preschool educators, family
- She doesn't only give care, but education to the children.
Summary:
The Assembly Select Committee on Child Care Costs held its third hearing, focused on how transitional kindergarten (TK) fits into California’s mixed-delivery early learning system, with an emphasis on the Central Valley. Opening remarks stressed that TK and child care should complement each other, not compete, and that families need both part-day school-based options and full-day, year-round care. Committee members outlined hearing goals around aligning TK with existing programs, understanding family needs, and examining the economic impact of early learning on workforce participation and local economies.
Panelists from the Legislative Analyst’s Office, Every Child California, Early Edge, Children Now, and others described TK’s rapid expansion to all four-year-olds, the growth in enrollment, and related changes to state preschool and after-school programs. Witnesses generally supported TK but warned that its expansion has shifted enrollment away from community-based providers, especially centers and family child care homes, creating financial strain, vacant classrooms, and staffing challenges. They urged stronger partnerships between school districts and community providers, more flexible licensing and facilities support, higher and more uniform reimbursement rates, permanent authority for state preschool to serve two-year-olds, and better compensation and training for educators across settings.
Parents and providers testified about the importance of trusted, culturally and linguistically responsive care, the need for infant-toddler and home-based options, and the difficulty of affording child care when TK is not full-day or does not fit family schedules. Several speakers emphasized that many families still face long waits for subsidies and that reimbursement and payment delays threaten provider stability. Public comment echoed these concerns, with providers calling for true cost-of-care rates, more vouchers, support for transportation and nontraditional hours, and protection from insurance and facility costs that can force programs to close.
State education officials said California’s UPK system works best when TK, state preschool, Head Start, and community-based providers are treated as a shared system, and noted that planning and implementation grants and local coordination efforts have helped build mixed-delivery partnerships. The hearing ended without formal votes or actions, but committee members indicated they would continue gathering input to inform future policy and budget decisions.
KY
Kentucky 2025 Regular Session
Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture (2-11-25)
Transcript Highlights:
- Equine dentist Justin, you want to talk about the education?
- Equine dentist Justin, you want to talk about the education?
- Equine dentist Justin, you want to talk about the education?
- Equine dentist Justin, you want to talk about the education?
- Equine dentist Justin, you want to talk about the education?
Keywords:
Meeting Start 00:00
Attendance Roll Call 00:30
Introduction of New Members 00:53
SB 69 Discussion 01:24, 958, all
Summary:
The Senate Committee on Agriculture met for its first session and took up Senate Bill 69, as amended by a committee substitute. The substitute was adopted by motion and vote, and the chair noted that a fiscal note had been requested but not yet received, so the bill would proceed and the fiscal note would be trailed. The bill concerns equine dental care and related chiropractic services, creating a licensing and regulatory framework for equine dental providers and allied animal health practitioners.
Senator Robin Webb, the bill sponsor, said the substitute made technical corrections requested by the Kentucky Veterinary Medical Association and the chiropractors association. She described the measure as a compromise intended to clarify scopes of practice, establish a credentialing/licensing board, and provide a legal pathway for people who have long provided equine dental services, especially in rural areas where veterinary access can be limited. Supporters said the bill would improve accountability, allow providers to obtain liability insurance, and preserve referrals to veterinarians for issues outside the defined scope. Kentucky Veterinary Medical Association and Board of Veterinary Examiners representatives said the bill was developed through a working group, modeled in part on Texas, and would include continuing education, grievance procedures, and due process protections.
Justin Tallup, an equine dental provider, testified in favor, saying the bill would not change day-to-day practice but would legalize and formalize it. He said the scope would be limited to floating and balancing molars and incisors and removing caps and wolf teeth, with anything beyond that referred to veterinarians. He also said certification requires formal training, case submissions, testing, and annual continuing education. Senator Deneen asked about sedation, and witnesses said sedatives would still be prescribed and dispensed by a veterinarian under a valid veterinarian-client-patient relationship, with the owner administering them. Michelle Shane of the Board of Veterinary Examiners said the board supported the bill’s disciplinary framework and would defer to federal law on controlled substances.
Dr. William Rainbow, a veterinarian, testified against the bill, arguing that equine dentistry is veterinary medicine and that the proposal would allow undertrained practitioners to work without sufficient standards, including a grandfathering provision. He said practitioners should have training comparable to licensed veterinary technicians and warned that the bill could leave horses vulnerable to poor care. The committee did not take final action on the bill in the portion of the meeting provided, but the chair indicated time was running short and that a vote would be needed.
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- </c> your continued support of educators your continued support of educators across<00:07:37.360><c>
- It's foundational for education.
- So special education, world languages, and career and technical education.
- So, you have academic education.
- </c> working educators. working educators.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery Jun 21st, 2026 at 01:00 pm
Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery
Transcript Highlights:
- The data shows that this education works.
- As you know, universal education removes some of the stigma associated with naloxone education, and they
- He lost years of childhood, education, and joy.
- He lost all four years of his high school education.
- I'm a mother, an educator of 30 years, and a special education advocate for the last 10 years.
Summary:
The Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery opened its first public hearing of the 2025–26 session with remarks from the Senate and House chairs outlining the committee’s priorities. They noted recent work on addiction and recovery legislation, the ongoing youth behavioral health crisis, and that members might need to leave periodically for floor votes. The chairs explained hearing procedures, including three-minute testimony limits, written testimony deadlines, and reporting deadlines for Senate and House bills. The hearing then focused on several bills related to youth mental health, overdose prevention, and psychedelic treatment research.
A major portion of the hearing centered on bills to improve youth crisis response and overdose prevention. Testimony strongly supported bills to print the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline on student ID cards, with speakers from mental health organizations, crisis centers, and individuals sharing personal stories of depression, suicide attempts, and the importance of making 988 as familiar as 911. Another set of bills would require schools to stock naloxone and provide overdose prevention education. Physicians, harm reduction advocates, students, and grieving family members testified that school-based Narcan access and education could save lives, reduce stigma, and help students recognize overdoses and understand Good Samaritan protections. Senator O’Connor and Tamika Perry also testified for a bill to strengthen substance use prevention education and reduce overdose abandonment, emphasizing the need to teach students about overdose risks and the legal protections for calling 911.
The committee also heard testimony on a bill to authorize a pilot program for psychedelic treatment in licensed facilities. Senator Friedman and several medical and behavioral health professionals argued the proposal was a narrow, research-based approach distinct from the broader ballot question rejected in 2024. They said the bill would allow only a small number of supervised clinics to use psychedelics for conditions such as depression, PTSD, anxiety, and substance use disorders, with data reporting and Department of Public Health oversight. Supporters described it as a cautious way to study promising treatments while avoiding unsupervised or commercialized use.
Finally, the committee heard support for a bill to create a special commission and five-year strategic plan for children’s behavioral health services, with testimony that the current system is fragmented, difficult for families to navigate, and strained by workforce and funding challenges. No votes or final actions were taken during the hearing; the committee primarily received testimony and questions on the bills.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Seclusion Working Group - 08/13/25
Minnesota Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- </c><00:02:23.680><c> Her</c> and um educational decisions. Her and um educational decisions.
- </c><00:07:55.440><c> education.
- </c> education since I left education. education since I left education. Thank<00:07:57.680><c> you.
- What is the role of education?
- What is the role of education? parents? What is the role of education?
KY
Kentucky 2026 Regular Session
House Legislative Session Day 8 (1-15-26)
Kentucky House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- </c> Bill 390, an act relating to education. Bill 390, an act relating to education.
- </c> board of education. board of education. Representative<00:18:26.240><c> Donworth.
- </c> education. Representative Bojinowski. education. Representative Bojinowski.
- </c> Bill 415, an act relating to educators. Bill 415, an act relating to educators.
- ,</c> To primary and secondary education, To primary and secondary education, House<00:24:26.720><c>
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- Relating to the public education and public school finance, referred to the Committee on Public Education
- on Public Education.
- Refer to the Committee on Public Education.
- Refer to the Committee on Public Education. H.J.
- Higher Education, in front of the Committee on Higher Education, H-A-R-3-20, that's Enderholt, suspending