Transcript Highlights:

• Welcome to the last meeting of the Early Learning K-12 Education Committee for this session.
• Our first: 1795 addressing restraint and isolation of students in public schools and educational programs
• Addressing restraint and isolation of students in public schools and educational programs. Ily.
• First, the amendment removes the requirement related to continuing education for educators endorsed with
• We now have Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2557, special education evaluations, before us.

Keywords: 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This is the Sandoval Academy of Bilingual Education.
• The House Education Committee will address the amount of money that can be advanced by employers for
• and Care Program Fund from the Early Childhood Education and Care Fund.
• Childhood Education and Care Program Fund from the Early Childhood Education and Care Fund.
• Thence to the House Education Committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• 00:20:15.159><c> know</c> Department of Education and if I know Department of Education and if I know
• </c> 31 and if I know that the education 31 and if I know that the education policy<00:20:32.440><c>
• <01:03:57.559><c> and</c><01:03:57.760><c> their</c> education and their education and their care<01:
• the house education communities and the house education funding<01:44:49.080><c> committee</c><01:44
• laws where we said it's no education laws where we said it's no longer<01:49:29.360><c> educating</c

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Fund, expands the fund to include child care services, not just education programs, changes where money
• This is if any tax credits are received for early childhood education, all of them would go into the
• Individuals who don’t have children, early childhood education, and they’re...” “...not a flaw.
• But this is how we fund our education system is through sales tax.
• facilities that give early childhood education.

Summary: The House Ways and Means Committee met in executive session to consider House Bill 2379, which had a pre-distributed House Committee Substitute. The bill sponsor, Rep. Cecily Williams, explained that the substitute was revised to align with a Senate version and to clarify definitions, limit applicability to certain counties, rename the fund the Early Childhood Education Fund, expand eligible uses to include child care services, move fund custody to the county treasurer, broaden the types of eligible providers, and prioritize children with the greatest financial need. Members discussed how the measure would work in practice, with repeated clarification that it does not create a new tax but instead governs how locally approved early childhood sales tax revenue would be collected and distributed. Several members focused on whether the bill involved tax credits or a sales tax, whether any tax was already in place, and whether the money would otherwise go to general revenue. The sponsor and other members clarified that local governments already have authority to place an early childhood sales tax on the ballot, and the bill would require any revenue approved for that purpose to be deposited into a dedicated children’s service fund rather than diverted to general funds. Supporters, including Rep. Taylor and Rep. Wright, said the bill would improve transparency and ensure funds are used for the intended early childhood purpose, while Rep. Davis questioned the fairness of a sales tax that would be paid broadly but benefit only families with young children. Rep. Coleman also raised questions about the funding mechanism and remained uncertain during the discussion. The committee first adopted the House Committee Substitute by voice vote. It then voted on the substitute version of House Bill 2379 and passed it do pass by a roll call vote of 7 ayes and 2 noes. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Education. SB 1411, Auditor General charter schools. Government.
• Education and Appropriations, Transportation and Technology.
• Education. SB 1430, Tax Aggressions Act of 2026. Finance.
• SB 1361, empowerment scholarship accounts post-secondary education.
• A product of public education, Representative Grijalva...

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> food security and nutrition education food security and nutrition education amongst<01:02:36.400
• They are doing the education.
• :07:49.680><c> community</c> nutrition educators go to community nutrition educators go to community
• </c> nutrition education on a regular basis. nutrition education on a regular basis.
• </c> designed to offer that SNAP education. designed to offer that SNAP education.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Make America Healthy Kentucky Task Force met with a quorum, approved the minutes, and then heard a presentation on the state’s “food is medicine” efforts. Chair Funky Fromm opened by describing a recent foot injury from a road hazard and used it to emphasize the importance of infrastructure, nutrition, sleep, and activity as part of a broader wellness culture. The main witnesses were Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture Jonathan Shell, Holly Harris of Appalachian Regional Health Care (ARH), and Jim Muser of the Kentucky Hospital Association. Shell and Harris described a partnership between the Department of Agriculture, the Kentucky Hospital Association, and hospitals such as ARH to connect local farmers with hospital cafeterias, farmers markets, CSA-style subscription food boxes, and medically tailored meals. Harris said ARH serves a large region with 14 hospitals, more than 95 clinics, about 6,700 employees, and 1,300 medical staff, and that the system began by improving employee food options because hospital workers often have limited access to healthy meals during shifts. They reported examples such as a local-protein burger, parking-lot farmers markets, subsidized CSA boxes for employees, and plans for container gardens at some hospitals. The witnesses said the program is intended to improve health outcomes, reduce readmissions, support chronic disease management, and also increase rural prosperity by expanding demand for Kentucky farm products. Shell said more than 40 hospitals had already been onboarded into the food-is-medicine program, with measurable outcomes being studied through pilots such as one at Russell County Hospital. He also noted that some systems, including CHI St. Joseph Health, Taylor Regional, and UK King’s Daughters, have formally embedded food-as-medicine goals into strategic plans. Members and witnesses also discussed barriers, especially the lack of reimbursement, fragmented short-term funding, and regulatory or purchasing hurdles that make it difficult for small farmers to participate. Shell said the goal is to make the model scalable and easier for hospitals and farmers to navigate, while Harris emphasized that ARH has been funding its efforts without reimbursement because of its mission. No votes or formal policy actions were taken beyond approving the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• The House Standing Committee on Postsecondary Education will come to order.
• </c> Post-secondary Education. Post-secondary Education.
• </c> transfer into the pathway of education transfer into the pathway of education at<00:09:27.840><c
• </c><00:18:33.320><c> So</c> and obtain postsecondary education.
• So and obtain postsecondary education.

Keywords: Call to Order and Roll Call: 0:00 Bills for Consideration: 26RS HB 94 – 2:40 26RS HB 307 – 15:00 Adjournment: 20:15, 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Maybe educate me on where we stand.
• There's 40 members supporting graduation on adult education or GED.
• So we don't stop educating these kids when they get their GED...
• So it's additional education to our staff.
• The education is the same across the 39 facilities. That's settled.

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice met to hear budget presentations from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), an FDLE update on the Uniform Arrest Affidavit and Florida Incident-Based Reporting System (FIBERS), the Department of Juvenile Justice on Florida Scholars Academy, and the Clerks of Court Operations Corporation. FDLE requested funding for a wide range of items, including a new Fort Myers regional operations center lease, technology upgrades for missing persons alerts and criminal justice data systems, replacement breath-test instruments, recurring support for critical public safety contracts, cybersecurity, a career offender registry unit, expanded wellness and peer support for law enforcement, cryptocurrency seizure efforts, vehicle replacement, forensic lab and digital forensics upgrades, a repaired Jacksonville firearm range, and additional resources for criminal alien detection, fentanyl enforcement, and other operational needs. Senators questioned FDLE about the reported 79% increase in officer misconduct cases, body cameras, masking by officers, public records request burdens, and the status of criminal alien detection funding. FDLE’s second presentation explained that FIBERS is Florida’s incident-based crime reporting system and that 61% of agencies, covering 74% of the population, have transitioned to it. The agency also described the Uniform Arrest Affidavit initiative, which standardizes arrest data for statewide sharing. Senators asked about NCIC/FCIC access, hate crime reporting requirements, and why more agencies have not adopted the UAA and FIBERS systems; FDLE said it is working with law enforcement associations and vendors to address technology and implementation barriers. The committee also heard from DJJ Secretary Matt Walsh, who praised FDLE’s wellness program and then reported on Florida Scholars Academy’s first year, including unified education across 39 residential facilities, security fixes after early website access issues, strong enrollment and graduation numbers, and extensive support for students with disabilities. Walsh said the program still faces staffing shortages and a wait list for residential beds, and estimated about 260 additional beds are needed. The final presentation came from Clerk of Court and Comptroller Stacey Butterfield, who said clerks are operating with outdated funding levels and requested $22 million to stabilize operations. She highlighted reimbursement shortfalls for injunctions for protection and other high-risk cases, rising postage and summons costs, and the need to fund clerk staffing for 37 new judges under the “fund the entire courtroom” concept. Senators asked about SB 532, a CPI-based court-fee bill, and about collections of court fines and fees. Butterfield said clerks work with defendants on payment plans and collections, but the system still faces a structural deficit. After the presentations and questions, the committee adjourned without taking any substantive votes or other action.

Transcript Highlights:

• And my concern is just with the education part.
• So that's, there's no... educational reason for that.
• And then finally, I know that Senator King has an education part of that bill that he's that he's put
• So under the guise of education, this book and others are not it. They are porn. teachers.
• They have any kind of educational benefit. Now, Ms.

Bills: SB20, SB1621, SB412, SB441, SB442

Keywords: child protection, sexual offenses, visual material, artificial intelligence, criminal penalties, law enforcement, defense against prosecution, obscenity, judicial officer, deepfake, deep fake, synthetic media, AI-generated content, machine learning, nonconsensual pornography, revenge porn, sexually explicit media, intimate images, digital manipulation, visual depiction

Transcript Highlights:

• Higher Education Committee. We Higher Education Committee.
• Mson, welcome to Higher Education.
• This is not really a new education.
• </c> education space. education space.
• </c> the federal and state uh education the federal and state uh education entities<00:20:03.520><c>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• This is from the Department of Early Childhood Education.
• -12 education...
• The Department of Education has been phenomenal. We have some cases.
• That was my ask to the Department of Education.
• Greg Rogers, Department of Education. Courtney Sallis Ford, Department of Education.

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This is your special education grants that the department and uses to support special education students
• Or for education.
• At the, at the education level at the US Department of Education, you've probably heard of some cuts
• Improvements to special education, as well as large increases to the Indian Education Fund, and as I
• So, the court made a causal link between the educational outcomes. And the educational inputs.

Transcript Highlights:

• Subcommittee Number One on Education will come to order.
• governance proposal, and the special education funding.
• Good morning, Madam Chair and Senator Richeletta and education stakeholders.
• The Senate Budget Subcommittee No. 1 on Education is adjourned.
• The Senate Budget Subcommittee No. 1 on Education is adjourned.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I think a more educated population on how our government is run will make better decisions in the future
• We'll make more educated decisions for their own good, for their family's good, for their neighbors'
• So the more educated people we can have in our government is amazing.
• And I think Minnesota is a great example of political education.
• </c><00:03:08.599><c> people</c> government so the more educated people government so the more educated

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you for being here today, and welcome to Senate Education.
• In 1975, Congress enacted the Education for All Handicapped Children Act.
• We now know it as The Education for All Handicapped Children Act.
• As an education committee and an education organization, we try to practice what we preach.
• I have a renewed sense of excitement and confidence about the direction of my education.

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:46:25.880><c> that</c> for graduate medical education that for graduate medical education that
• </c><00:52:30.520><c> Department</c> Department of Education Department Department of Education Department
• </c> what kind of teacher education program what kind of teacher education program how<01:01:01.200><
• </c> you next we have Department of Education you next we have Department of Education in support<01:
• </c><01:10:45.600><c> Commerce</c> to the Department of Education Commerce to the Department of Education

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection met on February 20, 2025, and heard testimony on several measures. HB 850, relating to condominiums, drew support from the Community Associations Institute and the Hawaii State Association of Parliamentarians, who said it would improve owner participation, clarify voting rules, and preserve the use of proxies as a personal choice. A Zoom testifier supported the bill’s intent but warned that special meetings can be abused and suggested further amendments to address board president authority. Members asked about proxies versus electronic voting and whether the bill would reduce proxy use; no vote was taken. The committee also heard HB 48 on coffee labeling, with the Department of Agriculture in support, and HB 1370 on taxation, where a local brewery representative supported equal tax treatment for beer served from 5-gallon kegs and larger kegs when dispensed from a faucet, arguing the bill would clarify draft beer treatment and encourage sustainability. HB 1422 on motor carriers received comments from the Public Utilities Commission and the Department of State Parks, while representatives from a community-based shuttle initiative supported the bill and said nonprofit, community-led transportation solutions should not be regulated like traditional carriers. HB 874, relating to child performers, received support from SAG-AFTRA, IATSE, and individual performers, who emphasized protecting minors’ earnings, safety, and schooling. Testimony also discussed whether to include social media influencers and whether to add annual income limits or trust-account protections; the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations said the issue was outside its wheelhouse. Later, HB 799 on healthcare drew support from health plans and HMSA, with the Department of Health requesting amendments such as a sunset date, a Maui-only pilot, and a report back before changing its position. HB 1379 on health received support from Hawaii Pacific Health, but the Hawaii Medical Board raised concerns about vague language and public-safety implications for internationally trained physicians, asking for more time to study national licensing recommendations. Finally, HB 439 on education was heard, with the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board opposing the bill as drafted and warning about licensing standards and predatory third-party loans affecting J-1 teachers; the transcript ends before any action or vote on these measures.

Transcript Highlights:

• We do support special education through... we have some special education teachers and things like that
• Greg Rogers, Department of Education, correct.
• Do we not receive any funding from the Department of Education, the United States Department of Education
• DESE meaning Department of Education? Yes, ma'am.
• Just real quick, and it's just for my own education.

Summary: The committee heard a series of Arkansas Department of Human Services budget presentations and questions, beginning with the Secretary’s Office and then the Division of Aging, Adult and Behavioral Health Services. Staff described the divisions’ appropriations, funding sources, and major programs, including senior centers, Meals on Wheels, mental health grants, substance abuse treatment, community alcohol safety, the Medicaid tobacco settlement program, and crisis stabilization units. Members raised concerns about flat or limited funding for senior services, the use and tracing of federal block grants, the lack of a funding source for the veterans’ mental health grant, and the mechanics of the community alcohol safety and treatment programs. The committee also discussed patient benefits funds at state facilities, transportation for senior center clients, and whether some special-language appropriations or fund balances should be revisited. Executive recommendations were adopted for the divisions considered. The committee then reviewed the Division of Children and Family Services and the Division of County Operations. Questions focused on foster care growth, adoption subsidies, professional fees tied to staff training and onboarding, vacancies, the Children’s Trust Fund, and TANF subgrants. Members asked about the reduction or elimination of TANF funding to child advocacy centers and other subgrantees, and DHS explained that prior reserves had been spent down and that the department was now trying to live within the annual TANF block grant and rebuild reserves. County operations questions also covered summer EBT, SNAP employment and training, the farmers’ market program, and the expected impact of a federal SNAP administrative match change, which DHS estimated would increase state costs by about $24 million annually, with roughly $18 million affecting the current year because the change begins October 1. Executive recommendations were again adopted. Finally, the committee heard from the Division of Developmental Disability Services and the Division of Medical Services. DDS testimony covered vacancies, staffing shortages, human development center construction and repairs, the reopening of the Boonville work training program, and funding for infant infirmary and child/family life programs. Medical Services testimony covered the Medicaid program, the current FMAP rate, the Our Kids B CHIP program, Medicaid payments to schools, nursing home distress funding, and large appropriation lines used to provide flexibility for claims and potential facility closures. Members asked for more detail on school Medicaid payments, reserve balances, and why some appropriations were much larger than actual spending. In each division, the committee moved and adopted Executive REC after questions concluded.

Transcript Highlights:

• And it had various, as it was said, various education matters.
• As chair of the Education Committee, you have a huge workload.
• by Secretary of Education, Dr.
• She is a listening By Secretary of Education, Dr. Katie Jenner.
• So I really do believe that higher education is doing its part.

Keywords: 964, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Vaughn has contributed significantly to public service and higher education.
• Giles to the Higher Education Coordinating Board, where he served until 2001. Mr.
• Giles has a passion for higher education. Until 2001. Mr. Giles has a passion for higher education.
• Senator Alvarado talked about my rich history and love for higher education.
• I grew up in an environment in Houston with a very intense education bias.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Nominations met to consider several gubernatorial nominees and first approved a slate of nominees left pending from the March 31 agenda. The committee voted 5-0 to favorably report those nominees to the full Senate for confirmation. Public testimony was then opened and later closed, with some listed witnesses not appearing. The committee heard testimony on Jerry K. Weldon II for the Brazos River Authority Board of Directors. Senators focused on stewardship of the Brazos River, the authority’s relationship to the legislature and the public, Sunset review, water quality and nutrient runoff, impaired waterways, and possible uses of constructed wetlands for aggregate mine reclamation. Weldon emphasized collaboration, transparency, and keeping the citizens of Texas as the authority’s primary customer. Commissioner Robert Vaughn was considered for reappointment to the Texas Transportation Commission. Discussion centered on TxDOT’s management, rural funding, population growth, project delivery, and the commissioner’s role on the audit committee. Doug McCreakin was considered for the Texas Tech University Board of Regents, with questions about legislative priorities, compliance with DEI-related state law, workforce development, rural medical education, and university partnerships. Jody Giles was considered for reappointment to the University of Texas Board of Regents, and Bernadette Carrasco Coleman for reappointment to the Texas Woman’s University Board of Regents; both discussed higher education priorities, PUF funding, compliance with state law, and student support programs. John Rutherford was considered for reappointment to the Teachers Retirement System Board of Trustees, with questions about fiduciary oversight, investment understanding, and keeping the retirement system solvent. Brigadier General Michael Boyd was also considered for appointment to the Texas Military Preparedness Commission, where discussion focused on military retention, child care, spouse licensing, base infrastructure, and grant funding for Texas installations. The committee did not take final votes on these later nominees during the hearing and left them pending subject to the call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• Department of Education, and the State Board of Education to obtain feedback and input on the program
• Department of Education, and the State Board of Education to obtain feedback and input on the program
• And the Sacramento County Office of Education and Santa Clara County Office of Education regularly hold
• I appreciate the comment around doing some education and education campaign.
• As I said, they have 391 educator ambassadors that are a part of their educator ambassador program.

Summary: The hearing focused first on behavioral health, especially serious mental illness and anosognosia, a condition described by witnesses as a neurological symptom that prevents people from recognizing they are ill. The chair framed the issue around families cycling through emergency rooms, jails, conservatorships, and short-term stabilization without lasting treatment, and warned that federal changes under H.R. 1 could reduce Medi-Cal funding and worsen access. Dawn Marie Anderson gave a personal account of her son’s long history of psychosis, homelessness, arrests, repeated jail and state hospital stays, and eventual stability when he received sustained medication and coordinated support. She argued that the system often treats the problem as criminal rather than medical and that voluntary programs and short-term services are not enough for people who lack insight into their illness. Other panelists, including representatives from the California Behavioral Health Association, Santa Barbara County Behavioral Health, and the County Behavioral Health Directors Association, agreed that anosognosia is not denial or noncompliance and said the system needs long-term, coordinated care, including assertive community treatment, mobile crisis, supportive housing, medication support, and stronger handoffs between county and managed care systems. They said CalAIM and other reforms have improved some coordination, but significant gaps remain, especially for people with serious mental illness, for those in jail or locked settings, and for people with private insurance, which witnesses said often offers little meaningful coverage for early psychosis or intensive behavioral health services. Several witnesses urged the Legislature to protect Medi-Cal, shore up county safety-net services, and invest in training and family engagement. The committee then turned to the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative, with a focus on the virtual services platforms BrightLife Kids and Soluna and the CYBHI fee schedule. DHCS reported strong growth in app registrations, coaching sessions, referrals, and positive user outcomes, saying the platforms provide free, culturally responsive, early-intervention support statewide and help connect users to higher levels of care when needed. On the fee schedule, DHCS said more than 500 LEAs, colleges, universities, and school-linked providers are participating, 181 LEAs have submitted claims, and $9.6 million has been reimbursed to date, with 41,556 students represented in claims. The chair and several members criticized the pace of implementation and the amount of money spent relative to reimbursement levels, saying the Legislature had requested data earlier and that the return on investment still appeared low. DHCS responded that many claims are still being submitted, that 70% of denials are correctable, that $400 million in capacity grants has been distributed locally, and that reimbursement is increasing rapidly as more districts come online. Public comment included a rural county behavioral health director who said private insurance denials leave counties with significant uncompensated work, especially for unlicensed staff providing case management and mobile crisis services.