Transcript Highlights:

• A provider may claim monthly payment for the number of days in which a child is authorized if a child
• I'm a provider of child care for infants.
• I'm a child care provider.
• I'm a child care provider.
• I opened my child care in the last century.

Summary: The committee opened with a public hearing on Senate Bill 5808, a proposal to require nonprofit health carriers with “excess surplus” to pay 10% of that surplus into the state health care affordability account for Cascade Care Savings. Committee staff said the bill could generate about $330 million one time in 2027, while the Office of Insurance Commissioner would have implementation costs. Supporters argued the bill would redirect consumer premium dollars to help people afford coverage, while opponents from health plans said reserves are needed for solvency, claims, and capital needs and warned the bill would destabilize nonprofit insurers. The committee also heard testimony on House Bill 2254, which would let the Partnership Access Line assessment cover administrative costs; HCA and Seattle Children’s supported it as a technical fix that saves general fund dollars, and a child psychiatrist asked that savings be reinvested in behavioral health services. House Bill 2385, which extends deadlines for the Medicaid Access Program because of federal restrictions on new provider taxes, also drew support from provider groups seeking future Medicaid rate increases. The committee then heard Substitute Senate Bill 6286, which would increase fines on private detention facilities that deny Department of Health inspections and dedicate the fines to an account for community repair and assistance to harmed individuals and families. Supporters, including Tacoma’s mayor and family members affected by detention, framed the bill as an accountability measure; fiscal staff estimated Department of Health costs of about $395,000 in the 2025-27 biennium. Senate Bill 6006 would exempt food banks from sales tax on certain services enacted last session, with food bank and tribal representatives saying the savings would go directly to food and operations. Senate Bill 6351 would create exemptions from the new sales tax on live presentations for before- and after-school care, arts and cultural nonprofit classes, and K-12 school purchases; school districts, arts groups, and PTA representatives supported it, while asking for clarifying language and broader nonprofit exemptions. Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1717 would let cities and counties create local sales tax remittance programs for affordable housing projects, and housing builders, Habitat affiliates, counties, and city officials supported it as a local tool to lower development costs. In executive session, the committee received briefings on several tax and spending bills and then voted to advance multiple measures. It adopted a substitute and passed Senate Bill 5949, which narrows a B&O tax exemption related to insurance premiums; a proposed retroactivity-removing amendment failed. It adopted a substitute and passed Senate Bill 6129 on cigarette, tobacco, and nicotine taxes after rejecting several amendments, including proposals to study the tax policy or replace the bill with illicit-market enforcement language. The committee also passed Senate Bill 6228 repealing a preferential B&O rate for prescription drug resellers, Senate Bill 6231 repealing data center sales tax exemptions, and Second Substitute Senate Bill 5965, which retained a bag-fee approach rather than a full ban after adopting an amendment. The committee then returned to public hearing and began testimony on Senate Bill 6353, a major Working Connections Child Care bill that would keep income eligibility at 60% of state median income, lower the provider rate target from the 85th to the 75th percentile, and make other program changes; the briefing was underway when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• We provide Emergency Welfare Services, SNAP, TANF, Child Support, Child Care, Adult Protective Services
• , and Child Welfare Services.
• child welfare case.
• Child care services, we administer the state's Child Care Subsidy program.
• Currently, we have 246 enrolled in college and 10 enrolled in trade programs.

Transcript Highlights:

• for every child.
• Well, my question was, is that child required to be after the child is?
• Is that child required to be after the child is enrolled?
• are enrolled in?
• The child is enrolled.

Transcript Highlights:

• Next, we have the CMS adult and child core sets.
• Well, child care and mental and behavioral health care.
• Well, child visits in the first 30 months, child and adolescent well care visits follow-up after hospitalization
• Corrective action plans and temporary enrollment limitations such as temporary enrollment freezes enrollment
• algorithm reductions and or enrollment caps.

Transcript Highlights:

• And it summarizes previous LFC findings on New Mexico child care and provides recent data on enrollment
• And in January 2024, 42% of families had a child enrolled who were between the ages of three to five.
• For universal child care.
• As a result of universal child care, child care capacity is growing.
• Is that per child? That would be if they were fully enrolled and serving all the children.

Transcript Highlights:

• In some areas, homeschool families are being asked to sign up and enroll on a dual enrollment status.
• Who has the liability for that child?
• So that's why when school districts have prom, if a child is not an enrolled student, they do things
• is not an enrolled student they do things like background checks to ensure that that student is an enrolled
• So that's why when school districts have prom, if a child is not an enrolled student, they do things

Committee: Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• And they're going to talk to us a little bit about child care—childhood, not child care, childhood.
• care and child care providers.
• care and child care providers.
• It's about enrollment. So you have to have someone enrolled in the seat.
• Was funding determined by who was enrolled, not who was enrolled?

Summary: The meeting began with approval of the previous minutes and then focused on an update from the Department of Education on early childhood programs, especially the state-funded Arkansas Better Chance (ABC) program. Secretary Jacob Oliva and Deputy Commissioner Stacey Smith said Arkansas had received a federal Preschool Development Grant and described ongoing work to review ABC slots, which have been flat for years at about 23,800 slots and roughly $114 million. They said about 1,000 slots statewide are currently unfilled despite a waiting list of more than 2,000 families, and the department is shifting toward paying based on enrollment rather than guaranteed slots. Members asked about school choice, income eligibility, year-round access, curriculum flexibility, transportation, and whether funding should be increased or rebalanced; the department said it is collecting data, may survey providers more formally, and is considering whether to modernize income thresholds, daily rates, and other program rules. The committee agreed to form an early childhood subcommittee and asked the Bureau of Legislative Research to help gather historical information on income limits and other program details. The second major portion of the meeting was a legal presentation on the framework for Arkansas school adequacy by BLR education attorney Taylor Lloyd. She reviewed the constitutional basis for a “general, suitable, and efficient” public school system, the Dupree and Lake View cases, and the principle that adequacy and equity are different but related: adequacy asks what resources are needed, while equity asks whether those resources are distributed fairly. She explained that the General Assembly must define adequacy, study it, and react to evidence over time, and that the current adequacy definition includes curriculum and career/technical frameworks, the 38 mandatory Carnegie units, state testing standards, and sufficient funding. She also described the matrix as a funding tool, not a spending mandate, and noted that categorical funds are separate from the matrix. BLR’s Elizabeth Bynum then gave the historical framework, tracing legislative responses from Dupree through Lake View and into the present. She highlighted major changes such as the creation of equalization funding, fiscal distress and academic distress laws, the adequacy study process, the Educational Adequacy Fund, facilities and transportation changes, declining enrollment and student growth funding, and later adjustments to teacher salaries, isolated funding, and categorical programs. She explained that the adequacy study has evolved through committee hearings, surveys, site visits, and outside consultants, and that recent changes include updates to accountability references and the addition or removal of certain funding categories. Members asked follow-up questions about how the matrix is used, whether homeschool or private-school funding raises comparable issues, whether stakeholders include private and homeschool participants, whether school board members should be surveyed, and whether the state should revisit average daily membership versus attendance-based funding. No votes were taken on the adequacy presentations, but the committee did agree to continue the early childhood discussion in a future subcommittee meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then actually plan a program for that child.
• Special education enrollment is rising, 13% to 15% amongst TK through 12 students, despite overall enrollment
• So, declining enrollment: the formula is based on the enrollment, the census enrollment, so the entire
• Since SB 554 passed in 2019, allowing adult learners to enroll in dual enrollment courses, the policy
• students, including adult dual enrollment students.

Transcript Highlights:

• No child should be afraid to walk down the hallway at school, and no child should be scared to simply
• No child should be afraid to walk down the hallway at school and no child should be scared to simply
• If we have a spot and we feel that we can serve your child, even if it's a child with special needs,
• Local revenues collected for schools stay in place whether a child enrolls in a public school or a Gator
• She had a special-needs child and didn't have child care that I'd like to give to each of you.

Committee: Senate Finance

Summary: The committee met for public testimony on the Finance budget, with the main discussion focused first on funding for disability services and then on the LA GATOR scholarship program. Several individuals testified in support of fully funding Families Helping Families and Louisiana Rehabilitation Services (LRS), describing how advocacy, transition services, and direct support workers help people with disabilities access education, employment, and independent living. Witnesses urged the committee to preserve or increase state general funds to draw down federal matching dollars, and provider groups said current reimbursement rates and staffing shortages are leaving agencies in deficit, creating waitlists, overtime costs, and difficulty retaining workers. Committee members thanked the speakers and noted that the testimony would be used to compare the governor’s, House, and remaining budget requests. The committee then heard extensive testimony in support of increasing funding for the LA GATOR scholarship program. Supporters included policy groups, school leaders, parents, and students who argued that the program expands educational choice, helps low-income and special-needs students find schools that fit their needs, and should be fully funded at the level of demonstrated demand. Speakers from Catholic and Christian schools said GATOR funding had helped students thrive academically and spiritually, but that shortfalls left many eligible students without awards, hurt kindergarten enrollment, and forced schools to raise private donations to cover gaps. Several witnesses emphasized that the program is not a zero-sum attack on public schools, but a way to let education dollars follow students. A few committee questions focused on the fiscal impact and on whether choice programs improve outcomes without harming public schools. Testimony cited enrollment growth, parent demand, and data from other states to argue that school choice can improve student and parent outcomes and may also strengthen traditional public schools through competition. No votes or formal actions were taken during the public testimony portion of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• if the child Educational Enrollment Stabilization Program when we still do not know if the changes in
• Your child, if...
• Your child, if they do not have access to advanced placement, to Cambridge, to dual enrollment, they
• fluctuating enrollment.
• What if your child is raped?

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a quorum present, then adopted the special order report and moved into a series of budget-related bills. The chamber first took up HB 5011/SB 2506 on environmental resource management and natural resources funding, where Democrats argued the bill would reduce recurring support for the Resilient Florida program, the Florida Wildlife Corridor, invasive species removal, and other conservation efforts. Supporters said the change would shift money from recurring to nonrecurring funding so the Legislature could reassess priorities each year and rely more on private-sector stewardship. After a strike-all amendment and conference posture change, SB 2506 passed 97-12. HB 5013, reducing state-funded property reinsurance reserves, passed 108-0, and HB 5501, redirecting documentary stamp tax distributions from housing and transportation trust funds into general revenue, passed 82-26 after extended debate over its impact on affordable housing and transportation funding. The House also passed HB 5015 on state group insurance, which requires DMS to develop a formulary management system and was described as producing significant savings; members raised concerns about prescription access and implementation, but the bill passed 109-0. HB 5201 on state financial accounting and HB 5203 on the Capitol Center both passed unanimously, as did HB 5009, which creates a Florida Accountability Office and reorganizes audit functions. The chamber then passed HB 7031, a major sales tax reduction bill lowering the state sales tax rate and several related rates; supporters framed it as permanent relief for all Floridians, while opponents said property tax relief would be more meaningful and that the sales tax cut would also benefit tourists and out-of-state visitors. HB 7031 passed 112-0. The House then began consideration of HB 501, the proposed fiscal year 2025-26 budget, totaling $112.9 billion and emphasizing reduced recurring spending and large reserves. Subcommittee chairs outlined their budget silos: K-12 education at $20.6 billion with teacher raises, school hardening, literacy, transportation stipends, and security funding for Jewish day schools; health care at $47 billion with full Medicaid and KidCare funding, opioid settlement spending, mental health beds, and senior services; transportation/economic development at $18.5 billion; agriculture and natural resources at $5.8 billion with reduced Everglades spending but continued water, resiliency, and land management funding; higher education at $8.7 billion; state administration at $2.9 billion; justice at $7.3 billion; and IT at $529 million for Florida PALM, FX, and other systems. Members then began questioning the K-12 budget, focusing on FEFP funding, proration, voucher growth, stabilization dollars, mental health and school safety funding, and whether districts would be held harmless under the proposed allocations.

Transcript Highlights:

• health and well-being, and whereas the YMCA is the largest nonprofit provider of quality licensed child
• But I also want to fast forward and say that legislatively, you don't think about child care without
• Farrell Child earned an undergraduate degree at a very esteemed institution, followed by a law degree
• We're not able to care for mothers that were ready to give birth to their next child.

Bills: SB5223 , SB5993 , SB5831 , SB5928 , SB6183 , SB6071 , SB5995 , SB5966 , SB5841 , SB5840 , SB6061 , SB6058 , SB5931 , SB5944 , SB5520 , SB6011 , SB6087 , SB6076 , SB5916 , SB6016 , SB5936 , SB6137 , SB5185 , SB5956 , SB6025 , SB6009 , SB5833 , SB6161 , SB6188 , SB5890 , SB5917 , SB5820 , SB5973 , SJM8015 , SB5816 , SB6136 , SB6091 , SB6024 , SB5223 , SB6178 , SB5892 , SB5177 , SB6039 , SB5941 , SB5993 , SB5831 , SB5928 , SB5912 , SB6183 , SB6071 , SB5995 , SB5966 , SB5841 , SB5840 , SB6061 , SB6058 , SB5931 , SB5944 , SB5520 , SB6011 , SB6087 , SB6076 , SB5916 , SB6016 , SB5936 , SB6137 , SB5185 , SB5956 , SB6025 , SB6009 , SB5833 , SB6161 , SB6188 , SB5890 , SB5917 , SB5820 , SB5973 , SJM8015 , SB5816 , SB6136 , SB6091 , SB6024

Keywords: criminal offense, fingerprinting, law enforcement, state regulations, public safety, medical debt, interest charges, consumer protection, healthcare, financial burden, mortgage modification, uniform regulations, homeowners, financial stability, foreclosure prevention, wildfire risk, disclosure, safety, environmental policy, risk assessment

Transcript Highlights:

• Or we can say, let's think about the child. Let's do what's best for the child.
• The school district would accept that enrollment of that child coming in.
• The school district would accept that enrollment of that child coming in.
• How long, when a child openly enrolls, how long does that child stay allowed to stay in that cohort of
• ><c> right</c> when a child openly enrolls right right when a child openly enrolls right right how<02

Committee: Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• Protection response for screened Child Protection response for screened in<00:01:12.080><c> child</c
• </c><00:02:36.599><c> Child</c> rather than a traditional Child rather than a traditional Child Protection
• </c> child safety which requires a child child safety which requires a child protection<00:04:32.080>
• that the department becomes responsible for re-enrolling the child and requires the department to provide
• </c> for re-enrolling uh the child and for re-enrolling uh the child and requires<00:16:09.560><c> the

Committee: Senate Education Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• which would be the child with a disability who's not yet enrolled in kindergarten.
• which would be the child with a disability who's not yet enrolled in kindergarten.
• which would be the child with a disability who's not yet enrolled in kindergarten.
• which would be the child with a disability who's not yet enrolled in kindergarten.
• which would be the child with a disability who's not yet enrolled in kindergarten.

Committee: Senate Education Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• for the child of an active military duty parent regarding a child who lives in unorganized territory
• I'll end with this: If I was that kid's mom and I sent my child to school and my child was killed, I
• I know a lot of people in the child care field would say don't do that at this point because the child
• is a child, Like, for example, Arizona has a very robust school choice environment, whereas if the child
• not show that child.

Committee: House House Education Committee of Reference

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 4043, which would require each school district and charter school, beginning in 2027, to ensure at least one employee at each school is trained in CPR, first aid, and AED use. The sponsor said he intended to amend the bill on the floor to ensure someone is trained at all times and to clarify AED language. The American Heart Association testified neutral with concerns, supporting CPR training but warning the bill could leave gaps if only one person is trained and noting the need for AED access and emergency planning. Parents whose son died in an Arizona kindergarten classroom urged support, saying school staff should be prepared to respond to emergencies. The committee recommended the bill do pass by a vote of 7-1 with four present. The committee then took up House Concurrent Resolution 2015, as amended by a strike-everything amendment supporting at least 60 minutes of daily physical activity for students and prominent display of federal dietary guidelines. A representative of End Chronic Disease testified in favor, arguing schools should help prevent chronic disease through health education and physical activity. The committee adopted the strike-everything amendment and then gave the resolution a due pass recommendation on a 12-0 roll call. House Bill 2621, in its strike-everything form and with a Garcia amendment, addressed enrollment and special education procedures for students in unorganized territory, students using certificates of educational convenience, and children of active-duty military parents. The sponsor explained the bill was meant to clarify confusing law, speed enrollment and evaluations, and reduce delays in services. Champions for Kids supported the measure and the amendments, and the committee adopted both amendments before recommending the bill do pass 11-0. The committee also approved House Bill 2385, which limits superintendent contracts to one-year terms for the first three years unless the superintendent has already been employed three consecutive years; the sponsor framed it as a way to reduce costly early buyouts. That bill passed 7-4. Later, the committee approved House Bill 4106, creating the One Arizona Service Fellowship Program to provide service opportunities, stipends, and tuition awards for young adults, with an amendment changing the stipend contribution formula. The sponsor and supporters described it as a state-based service model inspired by Utah and aimed at education, military families, parks, hunger, and homelessness work; some members opposed it as an unnecessary state mandate or questioned the need for a new program. The committee also passed House Bill 2992, as amended, establishing a pilot program on child sexual abuse and assault awareness and prevention, expanded to K-12 and including grooming/exploitation content. A survivor advocate strongly supported the bill, while some members raised concerns about the funding source and possible unintended consequences. Finally, the committee passed House Bill 2370, which would require school leaders to notify governing boards before modifying weapons detection systems and to report changes within 24 hours; the sponsor cited a fatal school stabbing and other weapons incidents, while opponents argued the bill was too vague and could create operational problems. The committee also adopted a strike-everything amendment to House Bill 4056, allowing legislators making public records requests in their official capacity to avoid fees and requiring electronic production; the sponsor said it was needed after districts sought large fees, while opponents warned it could burden public agencies. The committee then began discussion of House Bill 2478, which would create an Arizona Commission on Student Outcomes to study K-12 accountability, finance, graduation requirements, and related issues, with proposed amendments to add early childhood study and change commission membership, but the transcript cuts off before final action on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:13:27.720><c> Dual</c><00:13:27.920><c> enrollment</c> around dual enrollment.
• Dual enrollment around dual enrollment.
• </c> called the next phase of dual enrollment called the next phase of dual enrollment policy. policy
• </c> head start that I have for my child. head start that I have for my child.
• enrollment.

Committee: Senate Higher Education

Transcript Highlights:

• children's oral health, more well-child visits, and increased wages for parents who participate in child
• under the age of two and were enrolled in child care assistance.
• In January 2024, 42% of families had a child enrolled who were between the ages of 3 and 5.
• It's called the child...
• of child.

Summary: The committee heard first from LFC staff on a brief about New Mexico’s universal child care expansion. Staff said child care assistance has clear benefits for parents and families, but LFC has not found evidence in New Mexico that it improves children’s educational outcomes; they argued pre-K is the better tool for that goal. The brief highlighted four concerns with universal access: an estimated annual cost of about $849.7 million, a sharp decline in registered homes, possible crowding out of lower-income families, and reduced access for children under age two. Staff also suggested possible mitigations such as prioritizing slots for low-income and at-risk families, reinstating sliding-scale co-pays, and tying quality improvements to workforce wages. Members raised questions about the cost estimate, funding sources, provider quality, and whether the data showed actual crowding out. Several lawmakers expressed support for child care generally but concern about the fiscal impact and whether universal access would divert resources from the families most in need. Others emphasized the importance of child care for workforce participation, rural communities, and family stability, and questioned how registered homes are counted and regulated. LFC staff clarified that the cost estimate was for child care assistance only, not the entire ECECD budget, and that the data showed declines in the share of lowest-income children and infants/toddlers served, though not causation. The ECECD secretary then presented the department’s response, saying universal child care is intended to complete a cradle-to-career system and that the department has already seen strong uptake, increased capacity, and rising workforce participation. She said 6,206 families were found eligible in the first month, the share of infants and toddlers served rose, and new provider applications and licensed slots increased after the November rollout. The department also emphasized wage increases, quality improvements, and a new wage scale/career lattice, while projecting a lower near-term cost than LFC’s estimate and requesting additional funding for child care, early pre-K, home visiting, workforce systems, and capacity-building. No votes or formal actions were taken in the portion provided; the discussion was informational and focused on questions and testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• Many operate with wait lists and time-bound enrollment systems.
• We were placed on wait lists and enrolled our stepdaughter in the only available school.
• Competition drives excellence, raises standards, and strengthens education for every child.
• My mom enrolled us early.
• When a service member is worried about their child falling behind, their focus is divided.

Committee: Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• Your total enrollment is roughly how much now?
• enrollment as well?
• but also future enrollment as well?
• but also future enrollment as well?
• to help not only the existing enrollment but also future enrollment as well?

Bills: SB 2

Committees: Senate Education K-16 , Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Enrolled Act Number 48, being original Senate File 58, Wyoming Indian Child Welfare Act Sunset
• Senate Enrolled Act Number 48, being original Senate File 58, Wyoming Indian Child Welfare Act Sunset
• Senate Enrolled Act Number 48, being original Senate File 58, Wyoming Indian Child Welfare Act Sunset
• </c> Senate Enrolled Act Number 48, being original Senate File 58, Wyoming Indian Child Welfare Act Sunset
• Senate Enrolled Act Number 52, being original Senate File 88, Sex Offenders Residents near Child Care