Transcript Highlights:

• We've put some extra money in, but when I hear from the people who are advocating for transitional kindergarten
• Traditional kindergarten, TK, they're not happy, and there's the fact that we raided in our budget by
• We have cuts to transitional kindergarten, which also—thank you. Children.
• We have cuts to transitional kindergarten, which also helps out in child care deserts.

Summary: House and Senate Republican leaders held a media availability focused on the final stretch of the legislative session, with most of the discussion centered on budget proposals, a proposed income tax on high earners, and several policy bills they oppose. They criticized the operating budget for relying on a new income tax, using one-time fund sweeps and pension-related financing, and drawing down the rainy day fund, while saying the capital budget was more bipartisan and the transportation budget had some positive emphasis on road preservation but still included concerns such as Public Works Trust Fund sweeps and ferry funding. A major topic was allegations that sign-ins on the income tax bill included duplicates or fraudulent entries. Republicans said they took the issue seriously, supported verification improvements, and argued that even after removing duplicates the bill still drew over 100,000 unique emails opposing it. They rejected claims that their side had manipulated the process and said the Legislature should fix the sign-in system, possibly with more IT safeguards, while also arguing the bill should lose its emergency clause so voters could weigh in through a referendum. Republicans also criticized bills they described as anti-police or anti-law-enforcement, including measures related to face coverings and sheriff qualifications, and they opposed a bill requiring arbitration before claims against the state or local governments can go to jury trial, saying broader tort reform is needed instead. They said the state’s liability problems stem from harm done in areas like juvenile rehabilitation and child welfare. On the budget side, they objected to cuts to Medicaid, child care, transitional kindergarten, rural school funding, and other programs, while also warning against using pension funds to balance the budget and against a proposed 75-year Sound Transit bond, which they called financially irresponsible. No votes were taken in this media availability.

Transcript Highlights:

• Regarding the automotive transportation readiness initiative, that's the only change in dollars.
• 33.960><c> transportation</c> Regarding automotive transportation Regarding automotive transportation readiness
• </c> readiness initiative. readiness initiative.

Bills: HB517 , HB98 , HB235 , HB236 , HB237 , HB238 , HB239 , HB240 , HB241 , HB242 , HB565 , HB517 , HB98 , HB235 , HB236 , HB237 , HB238 , HB239 , HB240 , HB241 , HB242 , HB565 , SB380

Committee: Senate Finance and Taxation Education

Keywords: underground damage prevention, one-call notification system, utility locating, excavation safety, dig safe, call before you dig, utility lines, underground utilities, pipeline safety, gas pipeline, electric utility, telecommunications, water utility, wastewater, cable television, locate request, premark, tolerance zone, positive response, contract locator

Transcript Highlights:

• I don't know if it was in December or maybe in November, we talked a little bit about our school readiness
• By far, our biggest program, like when we talk about the school readiness program, which is where we
• for a couple of years now, a disconnect between early childhood and what's expected coming into kindergarten
• that they were a five-year-old currently in a program and the next year they're going to go to kindergarten
• The committee added some career readiness language in 2017, and then in 2018 removed that language and

Summary: The meeting began with approval of the prior minutes and then shifted to an update from Department of Education Secretary Jacob Oliva and Deputy Commissioner Stacey Smith on early childhood education, especially the state-funded Arkansas Better Chance (ABC) program. They said Arkansas had received a federal Preschool Development Grant and described ABC as a large state program with about 23,800 funded slots and roughly $114 million in annual appropriations. Department officials said they are reviewing slot allocations because about 1,000 seats are funded but unfilled, while more than 2,000 families are on waiting lists, and they plan to reduce or reallocate slots from providers that have not filled them over several years. They also said they are examining whether income thresholds, curriculum expectations, daily rates, and summer programming should be updated, and members raised concerns about access, local control, transportation, and whether the program should better align with K-12 choice and school readiness goals. The committee agreed to form an early childhood subcommittee and asked the Bureau of Legislative Research to help gather historical data and other information for future discussion. The committee then received a legal presentation from BLR attorney Taylor Lloyd on the constitutional and statutory framework for education adequacy in Arkansas. She reviewed the Dupree and Lake View cases, explaining that the state must maintain a general, suitable, and efficient system of free public schools, and that adequacy and equity are distinct but related concepts. She emphasized that the General Assembly is responsible for defining adequacy, studying whether the system meets that standard, and reacting to the evidence, while the courts ultimately decide constitutional compliance. Lloyd also explained the current adequacy definition, the role of the matrix as a funding tool rather than a spending mandate, and the distinction between unrestricted foundation funding and restricted categorical funding. BLR’s Elizabeth Bynum followed with a historical overview of how Arkansas responded to the court cases and developed the current adequacy process. She traced major legislative actions from the 1980s through the Lake View litigation, including the creation of funding formulas, categorical aid, isolated funding, declining enrollment funding, and the 2003-2004 adequacy study that led to the Continuing Adequacy Evaluation Act and the matrix used to set foundation funding. She also described later changes to the adequacy statute, the financial reporting requirements for districts, and the ongoing use of surveys, stakeholder testimony, and consultant studies in the biennial adequacy process. Members asked questions about whether private or homeschool programs could use public funds for expenses like utilities, whether stakeholders should include those groups, the difference between average daily membership and attendance, and whether school board members are surveyed; staff said those issues would need further research or were outside the scope of the presenters’ role.

Transcript Highlights:

• you have about making sure that this funding is supporting students in becoming college and career ready
• We were ready to throw it out the window.
• When I look at this piece of paper, because that's pre-kindergarten, infant toddler is under three in
• Because that's pre-kindergarten. Infant-toddler is under three in the state of New Mexico.
• The planning is important, understanding what's happening and knowing and being ready for, because we

Committee: House House Appropriations & Finance

Summary: The meeting began as an informal education budget work group focused on reviewing a revised House Appropriations and Finance Committee scenario and flagging concerns rather than taking votes. Staff outlined the main changes from the LFC recommendation, including moving the statewide student information system appropriation, adding funding for the Black, Bilingual, Multicultural and Hispanic Education Act, universal school meals overrun costs, an evidence-based CTE pilot with a 50% local match, STEM network funding, wellness room pilots, Martinez-Yazzie action plan items, and changes to innovation zone and out-of-school time appropriations. A separate handout on the seven-year CTE pilot explained spending patterns, reversions, and possible federal maintenance-of-effort concerns if the state continues funding beyond a true pilot. Members then debated CTE extensively, with several arguing it improves attendance, graduation, and career readiness and should be sustained or expanded, especially in rural areas, while staff and others emphasized that much of the current funding has gone to general operational costs rather than intentional program design and that regional or matched funding models may be more effective. Members also discussed STEM and math initiatives, the need for more industry involvement, and whether the proposed match requirements would be too burdensome for smaller districts and BIE schools. The discussion also covered the Black, Hispanic, and Multilingual Education Acts and the Martinez-Yazzie lawsuit. Some members stressed that the acts should be explicitly named in the budget language and not merely implied, while staff said the scenario reaffirms prior commitments by building the costs into agency operating budgets. Members raised concerns about charter school hold-harmless funding, declining enrollment, and the need to align spending with the needs of at-risk students. The work group ended the education portion without any votes, with staff noting they would incorporate the feedback and return with clarifications, including on CTE funding, the educational acts, and the charter hold-harmless item. The meeting then shifted to the child well-being and early childhood work group, where staff presented a revised Early Childhood Education and Care Department scenario. The proposal moved money toward child care assistance and early pre-K, kept the FIT program funding level unchanged, and used a mix of trust fund, TANF, federal, and operating-budget adjustments to close part of the gap between the executive and LFC recommendations. Members questioned the policy direction, especially the shift toward infant and toddler care and pre-K expansion, the impact on school-age child care, and the implications for continuity of care and provider costs. Staff explained that the scenario prioritizes younger children and at-risk families, includes language for a wage and career ladder, and would require legislation to raise the early childhood trust fund distribution cap from 500 to 525. Members also discussed a separate proposed CYFD pilot bill (HB 65), which would be distinct from ECECD funding. No votes were taken, and staff said they would return with more cost information on full pre-K plus wraparound care. A final work group reviewed C2 and Department of Information Technology-related appropriations. Staff compared the LFC and executive recommendations for new funding and reauthorizations, noting that the LFC generally limited new projects while the executive funded more. Members discussed several IT modernization requests, including the Secretary of State’s voter registration and election management systems, the Spaceport Authority, Game and Fish, the State Engineer’s WATERS system, ECECD’s FitKids and EPIC replacement discovery, and Aging and Long-Term Services’ enterprise system modernization. The main themes were whether to fund planning versus full replacement, how to avoid piecemeal spending, and whether new systems should wait for incoming leadership. The Secretary of State’s office said its system is nearing end of life and the planning funds would help prepare a realistic replacement request, while other agencies described aging infrastructure, cybersecurity risks, and the need for modernization. The work group did not vote on any of the items and ended with staff noting additional follow-up on funding needs and reauthorization details.

Transcript Highlights:

• But Democrats stand ready to pass with.
• But we are at the table ready to negotiate.
• </c><01:13:24.000><c> to</c> But we are at the table ready to But we are at the table ready to negotiate
• </c><03:04:17.840><c> ready</c><03:04:18.080><c> for</c><03:04:18.240><c> entry-</c> academically ready
• ready for entry- academically ready ready for entry- level<03:04:19.040><c> uh</c><03:04:19.359><c>

Transcript Highlights:

• ,</c><00:46:23.920><c> but</c> tools for beginning in kindergarten, but tools for beginning in kindergarten
• And this definition ties in then from kindergarten all the way through grade 12.
• The kindergarten second semester used to be in statute on not having to send the parents this lovely
• And we understand kindergarten, they come in with a range of things.
• c><01:29:50.960><c> to</c><01:29:51.040><c> be</c> kindergarten second semester used to be kindergarten

Bills: HB0076 , HB0102 , HB0115

Committee: Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• So we<00:32:12.720><c> stand</c><00:32:12.960><c> ready</c><00:32:13.360><c> to</c><00:32:14.240><c>
• 14.480><c> with</c><00:32:14.720><c> the</c><00:32:14.960><c> DOE</c><00:32:15.840><c> on</c> we stand ready
• to work with the DOE on we stand ready to work with the DOE on sharing<00:32:16.559><c> some</c><00:
• use and not just, you know, reading from the textbook. >> So, one thing though that does go from kindergarten
• all the way through grade kindergarten all the way through grade 12<00:47:14.640><c> in</c><00:47:15.119

Committee: Senate Public Safety and Military Affairs

Summary: The committees heard and then took action on several measures. Senate Bill 3048, relating to the State Building Code Council and the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development, received support from OPSD and the Chamber of Commerce, with OPSD requesting amendments tied to software licensing and a public permitting dashboard. The committees ultimately recommended passing the bill with amendments, including an effective date, and later adopted that recommendation by vote. Senate Bill 3083, relating to protective orders, drew support from the U.S. Defense State Liaison Office, the Military and Community Relations Office, and a member of the public, while the Judiciary asked that the bill be deferred or amended because a prior notification process had lapsed and a new mandate could be difficult to implement. The committees nevertheless recommended passage with amendments and an effective date, noting implementation concerns in the report, and that recommendation was adopted. The committees also considered Senate Bill 3010, which would allow law enforcement, animal control officers, and firefighters to enter unattended vehicles to rescue animals in distress. The Animal Legal Defense Fund supported the measure as a common-sense good Samaritan protection, and the Hawaii Association for Justice recommended a small amendment. The bill was recommended for passage with amendments and later adopted. Senate Bill 3187, relating to off-site construction and SPEED Task Force recommendations, received OPSD testimony in support with comments; the committees recommended passing it with amendments, deleting the dollar amount and adding an effective date, and adopted that recommendation. In a later joint hearing with the Committee on Education, Senate Bill 2138, which would expand the Hawaii National Guard State Tuition Assistance Program to graduate study, received support from the University of Hawaii, the Department of Defense, the Hawaii Army National Guard, and the U.S. Defense State Liaison Office. Members asked whether the current law limited assistance to undergraduate degrees and whether the program would require new funding; witnesses said the bill would simply expand authority and could be implemented within the current budget. Senate Bill 2614, authorizing high school diplomas for certain veterans whose schooling was interrupted by military service or wartime practices, also drew support from DOE and the U.S. Defense State Liaison Office, with DOE explaining it had previously issued diplomas under an earlier version of the law and would verify eligibility through an application process. Senate Bill 2687, requiring a 100th Infantry Battalion history curriculum plan and pilot program, drew mixed testimony: DOE said the topic is already covered in existing social studies standards and the bill was unnecessary, while supporters argued the history is not being consistently taught and should be mandated. The transcript cuts off before final action on the education bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• 84% of our local education associate groups and throughout the state agencies offer full-day TK kindergarten
• Local education associate groups and state agencies throughout the state offer full-day TK kindergarten
• We stand ready to support our leadership and make sure that these things come to reality.
• I wasn't quite ready to get my notes together, but I don't want to miss my opportunity to thank the Chair
• Thank you very much for your support of the preschool to kindergarten funding for County Offices of Education

Committee: House Budget

Transcript Highlights:

• No, I'm going to hold up 'cause you ready to go.
• of children from the time they're born till children from the time they're born till they start kindergarten
• children up, and they literally get the right book to try to promote reading and a love of reading and be ready

Bills: SB213 , HB24 , HB163 , HB226 , HB271 , HB288 , HB319 , HB24

Committee: Senate Finance and Taxation Education

Keywords: utility tax, poultry industry, energy consumption, agricultural exemption, tax exemption, HB24, Volunteer Rescue Squad Tuition Reimbursement Program, EMS, emergency medical services, EMSP, paramedic training, EMT training, tuition reimbursement, scholarship, workforce development, volunteer rescue squad, volunteer fire department, ambulance service, nonprofit ambulance, Alabama Department of Public Health

Transcript Highlights:

• Please come forward whenever you're ready and present your bill.
• Please come forward whenever you're ready and present your bill.
• I did a little research as we got ready for this bill hearing tonight.
• And I had kindergarten through second grade. And you feel like a sitting duck.
• As it stands now, many who aren't teachers are ready...

Committees: House Emerging Issues , House Emerging Issues and Professional Registration

Transcript Highlights:

• School in San Francisco on my first day of kindergarten, and I remember it very, very clearly.
• </c><01:02:42.480><c> teacher,</c><01:02:42.960><c> Miss</c> thought of my kindergarten teacher, Miss
• thought of my kindergarten teacher, Miss Jasco,<01:02:44.000><c> at</c><01:02:44.240><c> Claire</c><
• day of kindergarten. and I remember<01:02:52.319><c> it</c><01:02:52.960><c> very</c><01:02:53.520><
• We were ready to do our jobs.

Transcript Highlights:

• classroom instruction by public school personnel on sexual orientation or gender identity from kindergarten
• I feel a little more comfortable with leaving that in there because, you know, I've got a kindergarten
• Age-appropriate instruction in a kindergarten classroom looks very different than age-appropriate instruction
• And the bill already says that instruction can't happen kindergarten through 12th grade.

Committee: Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• and everybody in education is working really, really hard to try to get your kid from here in kindergarten
• try to get your kid from here<00:12:12.320><c> in</c><00:12:12.639><c> K</c><00:12:13.000><c> kindergarten
• to</c><00:12:13.800><c> here</c><00:12:14.279><c> when</c><00:12:14.440><c> they</c> here in K kindergarten
• to here when they here in K kindergarten to here when they re<00:12:14.839><c> reach</c><00:12:15.040

Transcript Highlights:

• The other thing is that we are now assessing children at an earlier age, you know, in kindergarten.
• The other thing is that we are now assessing children at an earlier age, you know, in kindergarten.
• The other thing is that we are now assessing children at an earlier age, you know, in kindergarten.
• Kindergarten, they are tested at different times in that first year of school, and so we're able to catch

Transcript Highlights:

• When I was growing up, there was no kindergarten; you had to pay for kindergarten.
• So for example, a kindergarten student has a weight of 1.44, or the equivalent of about $9,000 using
• Currently, the LESC, our committee, is statutorily limited to just kindergarten through twelfth grade

Committee: Senate Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> So we talking about a million dollars sitting there until it's ready to be developed?
• Suki, is if that's if you guys are ready to move on. >> Okay.
• It can be kindergarten. It can be a charter school with a wider reach and a wider breadth.
• It can be kindergarten. It can be a charter school with a wider reach and a wider breadth.
• Um, if not members, are we ready to go into some decision-making? Okay.

Summary: The joint House committees on Housing and Education heard HB 1713, HD1, which would repeal school impact fees and transfer remaining balances in the school impact fee and certain fair share accounts to the school facilities special fund. The Department of Education testified in opposition, while the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation, the Attorney General’s office (with comments and suggested constitutional amendments), the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, the School Facilities Authority, Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, NAP Hawaii, Avalon Development Company, Mark Development, Maui Chamber of Commerce, Housing Hawaii’s Future, Landis Research Foundation, BIA Hawaii, and others testified in support. The Tax Foundation of Hawaii offered comments. The DOE said the bill would weaken a key tool for matching school facilities to residential growth, while supporters said the current program leaves funds unused or restricted in ways that limit their effectiveness. A lengthy discussion followed about the difference between the older school impact fee program and the separate fair share agreements tied to land use entitlements and change-of-zone approvals. DOE Deputy Superintendent Jesse Suki explained that fair share funds are tied to the district where they were collected, may be too small to build a full school on their own, and are held until needed for projects such as Core Ridge, Central and West Maui, and other planned schools. Committee members pressed DOE on why funds had remained unspent for years, how much money was in the accounts, and whether the department had reviewed audit findings about the program. Members also questioned whether homeowners ultimately bear these costs through developers passing them along. The committee did not take a vote during the portion of the meeting provided. The discussion ended with members and DOE debating whether the current statute should remain in place, whether past entitlements should be affected, and whether the bill should be amended to better address remaining construction-related obligations and the use of collected funds.

Transcript Highlights:

• take and contemplate before and after school programs at all with respect to, like, transition to kindergarten
• programs, that would be... to like transition to kindergarten programs, that would be a school district-run
• then the second one is also in person, so you might want to come up and sit in the first row and be ready
• Second one is also in person, so you might want to come up and sit in the first row and be ready.
• And then in person, we've got Vita, Rick, and Rachel, ready to go. Okay, thank you.

Summary: The committee opened by explaining that several bills had been removed from the agenda because the Senate must physically possess a bill before holding a public hearing. The chair said the missing bills would be rescheduled for Tuesday. The committee then waived the five-day notice rule for considering substitute House Bills 1705 and 32010, and proceeded to hear substitute House Bill 2219 and substitute House Bill 1795. House Bill 2219, on child care operational efficiency, would allow longer mixed-age ratio periods in child care centers, waive repeat DCYF orientation requirements in certain cases when staff have recently completed the same training, and require licensing standards to include a zero-tolerance policy for imminent physical harm involving high-potency synthetic opioids and related drug residue or paraphernalia. The prime sponsor and supporters said the bill would help child care providers manage staffing shortages, take breaks, and reduce duplicative licensing burdens. Testimony was strongly supportive, with advocates and providers describing the bill as a low-cost way to improve retention and flexibility. Questions focused on how the fentanyl language would apply to prescribed medications. House Bill 1795 would narrow and update state law on restraint and isolation in public schools and other public educational programs. The bill prohibits mechanical and chemical restraints and restraints that restrict breathing or blood flow, bars planned isolation in IEPs and 504 plans, limits planned restraint to cases with parent request and medical necessity, and prohibits new construction or remodeling of spaces intended primarily for student isolation. Supporters, including disability advocates, educators, school psychologists, principals, and state education groups, said the bill is a needed step toward reducing trauma and disproportionality and cited demonstration sites showing reductions in restraint and isolation. Some educators and paraeducators raised concerns about staffing, training, and what tools remain available in crisis situations, while others asked for future work on professional development and resources. No vote was taken on either bill during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Please come forward whenever you're ready and present your bill.
• I did a little research as we got ready for this bill hearing tonight.
• And I had kindergarten through second grade. And you feel like a sitting duck.
• If you'll state your name and who you're with, and you can proceed when ready.
• As it stands now, many who aren't teachers are ready, As it stands now, many who aren't teachers are

Committee: House Emerging Issues and Professional Registration

Summary: The committee first met in executive session on Senate Bill 1421, which had been heard the previous week. After no discussion, the committee voted the bill do pass by an 8-3 roll call vote, with Chairman Christ and several members voting yes and Ranking Member Fuchs and others voting no. The committee then held a public hearing on Senate Bill 905, sponsored by Senator Gregory, creating the Missouri Rangers program for schools. Gregory described it as an optional, highly trained school protection program under POST certification, with physical fitness, firearms, close-quarters, and bias training, background checks, and limited arrest powers. Supportive members raised concerns about school safety and response times, while opponents questioned whether the money would be better spent on mental health resources, and also raised issues about racial bias, liability, and whether existing school resource officer statutes should be modified instead. During testimony, Susan Myers of Women for Gun Rights and Armed Women of America supported the bill and argued that armed, trained responders are needed to reduce casualties in an active shooter event. She also urged a separate change to the school protection officer statute to allow more school personnel to serve in that role. No vote was taken on Senate Bill 905, and the hearing concluded with no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• Every kindergarten through sixth grader gets two weeks of swimming at the aquatic center.
• Every<01:14:12.880><c> kindergarten</c><01:14:13.440><c> through</c><01:14:13.679><c> sixth</c><01:14
• :13.920><c> grader</c> Every kindergarten through sixth grader Every kindergarten through sixth grader
• If that fails and then you wait four more years, what happens to the kids who got kindergarten, first
• ,</c><01:19:13.600><c> first</c> the kids who got kindergarten, first the kids who got kindergarten,

Bills: HB0147 , HB0127

Committee: Senate Revenue

Transcript Highlights:

• You may proceed when ready. Okay.
• You may proceed when ready. Anthony Jackson.
• You may proceed when ready. Good morning.
• You may proceed when ready. Good morning.
• You may proceed to be and ready.

Committee: House Children and Families