Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the manager of professional development for the Office of Special Education.
• Prior to that, I was an educator for 22 years.
• The Public Education Department supports House Bill 120.
• Timeout doesn't mean go sit in the corner for 10 minutes in our educational system.
• Our educational system. It is a continuum of behavior management techniques.

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 120, which would revise New Mexico law on restraint and seclusion in public schools. The sponsor and supporters said the bill grew out of a year-long stakeholder working group and would clearly define terms such as chemical, mechanical, prone restraint, seclusion, timeout, de-escalation, and elopement; prohibit chemical, mechanical, and prone restraint; require continuous supervision during seclusion; update school safety plans and staff training; and improve reporting to parents and the state. Testimony from disability advocates, the Public Education Department, educators, and parents emphasized that students with disabilities are disproportionately affected, that clearer rules would help staff act safely, and that better reporting and de-escalation practices would reduce trauma. Committee members asked about the meaning of timeout, chemical restraint, data accuracy, and the juvenile detention facility exception, and the sponsor indicated an amendment on parent-notification timing would not be pursued to avoid delay. The committee then began House Bill 213, which would expand the Optometry Act to allow trained optometrists to perform certain laser procedures, including treatment for capsular clouding and glaucoma-related procedures. The sponsor said the bill adds training, certification, supervised live-procedure requirements, adverse-outcome reporting, and an Optometry Board member qualified to perform the procedures. Supporters argued the measure would improve access to care, especially in rural areas, and that the procedures are already performed safely in other states. Opponents, including ophthalmologists and the New Mexico Medical Board, argued the bill would move surgery outside the Medical Practice Act, lower the standard of care, and create regulatory and malpractice-accountability concerns because optometrists would not be subject to the same oversight and emergency-care authority as physicians. The committee did not reach a final vote on HB 213 before the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• Amendment 1 to House Education Committee substitute for House Bill 253?
• I'm for the school superintendents in New Mexico and the Coalition of Education Leaders.
• They were chartered to do virtual education. They're fine.
• education and three-year-old students receiving special education services, and then lower on G, early
• childhood education ADM, or early childhood education M-EM, means full-time equivalent students approved

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 253, a committee substitute dealing with virtual and distance learning programs and school funding. Sponsors and staff explained that the substitute removed several earlier restrictions on virtual education, including residency requirements, the 10% enrollment cap, the ban on K-5 distance programs, and the moratorium on new enrollments. It also changed the State Cyber Academy Act to the Distance Learning Act, added reporting and evaluation requirements for districts and charter schools, and allowed the Public Education Department to withhold funding if programs are out of compliance. Members discussed concerns about impacts on rural districts, charter schools, and programs like Mosquero and the New Mexico Communications Academy, as well as the temporary funding fix for Gallup Public Schools, which was amended to average prior-year and current-year enrollment rather than use current-year membership alone. Public testimony on HB 253 was largely supportive, with school leaders and education organizations backing the amendment and the broader substitute while noting that more work may be needed on oversight and funding formulas. Committee members then debated the bill’s temporary provisions, the study requirement, and whether the changes would adequately address the Gallup funding issue and broader virtual-learning accountability. The committee adopted the amendment and then gave the House Appropriations and Finance Committee substitute for HB 253 a do pass recommendation. The committee then heard House Bill 153, a voluntary industrial decarbonization package that combines an Environmental Product Declaration grant program, a rebate or incentive program for lower-carbon building materials, and production tax credits and capital grants for eligible industrial products. Members asked detailed questions about environmental product declarations, hydrogen, anti-donation concerns, funding sources, and whether the bill would support sawmills, engineered wood, biofuels, and forest-thinning-related industries. Supporters from the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce and Clean Air Task Force testified that the bill would encourage innovation, attract private investment, and reduce emissions without imposing mandates. The committee adopted the substitute and then voted do pass on the bill, with Representative Brown noted in opposition. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 255, which consolidates public safety workforce funding into a single competitive fund for recruitment, retention, and professional development in law enforcement, firefighting, corrections, and public attorney offices. Testimony from counties, the chamber, AFSCME, and State Police supported the measure as a targeted response to staffing shortages and public safety vacancies. The committee took no extended debate and approved HB 255 with a do pass recommendation. The meeting ended with notice that the committee would meet again the next day.

Transcript Highlights:

• Kentucky Department of Education.
• Kentucky Department of<00:04:09.040><c> Education.
• When you get the Kentucky of Education.
• Education with the Department<00:12:36.399><c> of</c><00:12:36.560><c> Agriculture.
• When I say that we try to of Education.

Committee: Senate Agriculture

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00 Attendance Roll Call: 00:12 SB 5 Discussion: 03:10 SB 5 Roll Call Vote: 18:05 SB 73 Discussion: 22:00 SB 73 Roll Call Vote: 22:40, 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The committee on Education Pre K through 12 will now come to order secret.
• The conversation sexual education was taboo. It wasn't common.
• She they and I've been a youth educator for 7 years.
• I'm speaking here as a high school student and working as a peer educator.
• That is an educated and actively works against them.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> and they also aid in the educational and they also aid in the educational effort<00:03:34.480><c
• </c> education for our children. But Mr. education for our children. But Mr.
• And uh the Department of Education has uh has been in the forefront on some of the education issues,
• education education uh<01:42:10.000><c> in</c><01:42:10.239><c> the</c><01:42:10.400><c> treaty</c><
• </c> this would be included in the education this would be included in the education that<01:42:56.320

Committee: Joint Select Committee on Tribal Relations

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But to educators at our school.
• ,</c> incredible work of educators, incredible work of educators, administrators,<00:42:56.319><c> and
• </c> critical cuts to special education critical cuts to special education services<00:43:11.920><c>
• </c> the second largest general education the second largest general education funding<00:45:43.119><
• </c> anecdotally from educators. anecdotally from educators.

Committee: Senate Education Finance

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• If we are the primary stakeholders of the education policy decisions being made by lawmakers, it only
• We need to work alongside our partners, including educators, parents, doctors, community members, and
• We're asking for an education that truly prepares us for the world, not one that limits us.
• Trust our educators to guide discussions responsibly.
• They surrendered to fear and bigotry against diversity, ignoring my plea for an inclusive education.

Summary: Students Engaged in Advancing Texas (SEAT) held an advocacy day at the Texas Capitol with more than 300 young Texans and allies to press lawmakers on education policy. Speakers framed the event around student visibility in policymaking and criticized recent Texas actions on school vouchers, book bans, and legislation affecting LGBTQ students and classroom content. Representative Donna Howard briefly attended and voiced support for students having a seat at the table, citing a prior effort to add a student to a school board as an example of the kind of participation SEAT is seeking. Several student speakers described how voucher expansion threatens public schools and argued that public education is being underfunded and undermined rather than failing on its own. Others focused on LGBTQ inclusion, saying bills such as SB 12 and SB 13 would erase queer students’ experiences and make schools less safe and welcoming. One speaker also condemned book bans and censorship, arguing that students need access to diverse books and honest, inclusive education to think critically and feel represented. SEAT executive director Cameron Samuels closed by describing the group’s earlier organizing against book bans and internet restrictions and by connecting that work to broader demands for public schools, student rights, and safety. The event did not include any legislative vote or formal committee action; it was an advocacy press conference aimed at influencing lawmakers during the session.

Transcript Highlights:

• Board of Education decision, which would desegregate schools around the nation.
• Board of Education.
• The growth in Latino participation in higher education and the educational opportunities enjoyed today
• opportunity, and equal access to education.
• We have educators throughout the state: superintendents, teachers, principals.

Summary: The Senate Governmental Organization Committee heard several bills, beginning with AB 2294, which would designate April 14 as Sylvia Mendez Day in honor of the Mendez v. Westminster civil rights case. Assembly Member Ta and supporters from the California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce and HACU described the case’s role in ending school segregation in California and influencing Brown v. Board of Education. Committee members from both parties spoke in strong support, and the bill was later approved 13-0. The committee also heard AB 2412, which would require state agencies to disclose when generative AI is used in public announcements and provide a way to reach a human employee. The author and California Civil Liberties Advocacy said the measure is about transparency and public trust, not banning AI. The bill was moved forward and ultimately passed 12-1. AB 2663, a sunset extension for the law allowing cocktails-to-go, drew support from the California Restaurant Association, a restaurant owner, and industry groups, who said it has helped small businesses and should continue; it passed 13-0. AB 2731 would expand the number of Type 47 liquor licenses available in Santa Cruz County, with licenses reserved for Watsonville and other communities to support small businesses and reduce inflated secondary-market costs. Supporters included Santa Cruz County and the city of Watsonville, and the bill passed 13-0. AB 2751 would standardize the personal importation limit for alcohol brought into California from outside the United States, addressing a disparity at land borders; it also passed 13-0. Several items were initially held on call because the committee lacked a quorum, but after members returned, the committee completed roll calls and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 883, by the Education Committee, regarding education.
• House Joint Memorial 20, by the Education Committee, regarding education funding.
• The Office of the State Board of Education and our higher education institutions, so you'll see the movement
• The Division of Career Technical Education funds a lot of the CTE educators that are out both in the
• A lot of the CTE educators are out both in the post-secondary world as well as in our K-12 education.

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So as you stated, I'm an educator.
• We know that access to post-secondary education, whether it's higher education or something else, does
• They're earning this education.
• The only thing that we can continue to do for them is allow them to keep getting an education, an education
• Education should never be a barrier.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, a moment of silence for the Parkland shooting victims, the Pledge of Allegiance, and adoption of the special order report for the day. The chamber then moved into a special-order agenda focused almost entirely on immigration-related measures, beginning with Senate Memorial 6C urging the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to provide guidance and training for 287(g) agreements. The memorial was adopted 85-27 after brief debate, with supporters arguing Florida should help maximize federal immigration enforcement and opponents saying Congress, not the state, should fix immigration policy. The House next took up Senate Bill 4C, an immigration bill creating new state offenses for illegal entry and reentry by adult unauthorized aliens and requiring a mandatory death sentence for an unauthorized alien convicted of a capital felony. Members debated constitutional concerns, due process, racial profiling, fiscal impacts, and whether the bill intruded on federal immigration authority. Several amendments were offered and defeated, including proposals to extend protections to Venezuelans with TPS, to remove the mandatory death penalty, to protect certain long-term immigrant workers and teachers, to expand exemptions for Haitians and humanitarian parole recipients, and to create a task force on best practices for immigration enforcement in schools and other sensitive locations. A final amendment to strip the bill as unconstitutional was also rejected. The bill then passed 85-29. The final measure discussed was Senate Bill 2C, which creates a State Board of Immigration Enforcement led by the Governor and Cabinet, establishes grants and incentive bonuses for local law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration authorities, repeals the fee waiver for undocumented students beginning July 1, 2025, and appropriates more than $300 million for immigration enforcement. The sponsor described it as a broad enforcement package, while questions from members focused on the impact on current students who receive in-state tuition and whether the bill would remove incentives for those already enrolled. The transcript ends during that exchange, before final action on SB 2C is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I speak to you today as an elementary educator with a specialization in early childhood education
• about food allergies, even though I was an educator and an early childhood educator myself.
• And I speak to you today as an elementary educator with a specialization in early childhood education
• about food allergies, even though I was an educator and an early childhood educator myself.
• education process as all other health care providers.

Committee: House Health and Mental Health

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• An act for the Department of Education, Educational Television Division appropriation for the 2026-2027
• An act for the Department of Education, Educational Television Division appropriation for the 2026-2027
• over this other type of education.
• paying for public school kids' education.
• We fund education. We don't educate entities. We educate people. When they're young, hopefully.

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> and lined up in both education and lined up in both education committees committees committees to
• education education and<00:26:31.360><c> the</c><00:26:31.480><c> federal</c><00:26:31.840><c> government
• </c> get safely to their education. get safely to their education.
• And we have federal agents education.
• It's great education policy committee.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 1291 by the Education Committee regarding education.
• Senate Bill 1227, as amended in the House by the Education Committee, regarding education.
• House Bill 849 by the Education Committee regarding education.
• Senate Bill 1291 by the Education Committee regarding education.
• House Bill 849 by the Education Committee regarding education.

Summary: The House convened, approved the journal, and received messages from the Senate, including enrolled Senate bills sent for the Speaker’s signature and Senate Bill 1326 filed for first reading. Committee reports advanced several bills, including House Bill 850 to Health and Welfare and multiple business, health, and state affairs measures to second reading. House Resolution 26, reviewing certain administrative rules, was sent to Judiciary, Rules and Administration for printing. On the floor, the House passed Senate Bill 1314, a budget rescission measure cutting regional behavioral health director positions and regional behavioral health boards; one member opposed it, warning of a disconnect between local communities and the state council. The House also passed House Bills 716, 648, 846, 825, 815, 717 as amended, 668 as amended, 750 as amended, 847, 848, 849, and 681. These bills addressed highway and local road funding, chemotherapy parity coverage, license plate fee changes tied to the Idaho Heritage Trust, school transportation reimbursement for a charter school, vehicle registration penalties, child custody interference enforcement, programmable money protections, judicial and legislative branch maintenance budgets, career ladder movement for CTE and pupil services staff, and elimination of the statute of limitations for certain child sexual abuse crimes. The House also adopted House Joint Memorial 17, which urges the U.S. Supreme Court to reconsider Obergefell v. Hodges; the memorial drew sharp debate over marriage, federalism, and LGBTQ rights and passed 44-26. House Concurrent Resolution 33, creating an interim effort involving education, the attorney general, and the 988 line to address sex torsion and youth protection, also passed by recorded vote. Several bills were held on the third reading calendar, and the House recessed and later reconvened to continue floor action and committee scheduling announcements.

Transcript Highlights:

• Kylie Collins has drawn the attention of her peers and educators at Danvers High School.
• Kylie Collins has drawn the attention of her peers and educators at Danvers High School through active
• and age appropriate in their school library. ...to be educational and age appropriate in their school
• That is appropriate for their age levels, provides them educational and curricular help, and should
• Librarians and educators have faced harassment online, through email, and in person, simply for doing

Summary: The House first handled a series of routine actions from the Committee on Rules, including adoption of several congratulatory resolutions and suspension of Joint Rule 12 to allow petitions to proceed, including a Hingham land transfer petition and a veteran rental assistance bridge program petition. The Ways and Means Committee then reported out several bills, including a fiscal year 2026 supplemental appropriations bill, a bill on hot work/fire safety regulation, a free expression/library bill, a bill on ownership and maintenance of certain culverts and dams, a Walsh-Kennedy Commission implementation bill, and a Billerica land transfer for the Yankee Doodle Bike Path. Each was advanced through second or third reading, with the House adopting committee amendments and ordering the bills to third reading or engrossment as appropriate. The most extensive debate centered on S. 2726, an act regarding free expression, which would address book challenges in public and school libraries, require reporting of challenges, protect age-appropriate materials, and establish review procedures. Supporters argued the bill protects intellectual freedom, librarians’ professional judgment, and access to books amid rising censorship efforts; opponents raised concerns about parental rights, local control, and exposure of minors to explicit material. Several amendments were offered and voted on, including one to strike a criminal-law protection, one to streamline the school review process, one clarifying that challenged material is considered in its entirety, and one narrowing who may initiate complaints to parents or guardians; some were rejected and others adopted. The bill ultimately passed to be engrossed by a 151-3 vote. The House also took up H. 5491 implementing the Walsh-Kennedy Commission recommendations on hot work safety after the 2014 Beacon Street fire. Members emphasized firefighter safety, certification and training requirements, stronger penalties for violations, and public notification of violations; the bill passed to be engrossed unanimously. The supplemental fiscal year 2026 appropriations bill, H. 5493, covering snow and ice costs, no-cost calls, substance use services, homeless programs, and several outside sections, also passed after amendment votes. Finally, the House enacted two local bills on Holyoke City Council special meetings and the Reading town charter, and then adjourned to meet the next day in informal session.

Transcript Highlights:

• Kylie Collins has drawn the attention of her peers and educators at Danvers High School.
• For school library users, information that is appropriate for their age levels provides them education
• Librarians and educators have faced harassment online, through email, and in person, simply for doing
• If a school employee is acting in good faith to educate, they have nothing to fear from Chapter 272.
• If a school employee is acting in good faith to educate, they have nothing to fear from Chapter 272.

Keywords: 1212, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Pays the cost for gang resistance education training and curriculum.
• I happen to sit on education policy, education finance.
• :04:42.800><c> education</c> sit on education policy, education sit on education policy, education finance
• ,</c><00:05:18.720><c> to</c> safe place to study, to educate, to safe place to study, to educate, to
• And let's send educational environment.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• President, your Committee on Education, to which were referred Assembly Bills Nos. 286, 335, 340...
• Revises provisions relating to education.
• educational personnel.
• education.
• Senate Bill 81, introduced by the Senate Committee on Education, revises provisions governing education

Keywords: 909, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> later through your educational career. later through your educational career.
• </c> &gt;&gt; We have an educational system. &gt;&gt; We have an educational system.
• </c> work on education administrators. work on education administrators.
• for special education.
• </c> educational impacts. educational impacts.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The meeting focused on reviewing and amending draft minutes and then discussing a draft report on SAU consolidation and school administration efficiency. Members first corrected a disputed statement in the minutes about who starts charter schools, and agreed to mark it as disputed. They also noted a donation figure mentioned in the meeting but not reflected in the notes, and then approved the minutes as amended. The committee then reviewed supporting materials, including a Census Bureau education spending table and a 1993 report on eliminating SAUs. The chair argued New Hampshire ranks very high in administrative spending and used that as evidence for reducing administrative costs. Other members pushed back, noting that education costs are largely borne locally and that the committee should stay focused on its charge. Several members also objected to characterizations of SAU boards and to relying heavily on an old report or on the School District Governance Association’s proposal. The draft report itself drew repeated edits. Members objected to language suggesting the testimony from associations was simply that change was not needed, and proposed more neutral wording about concerns over the impacts of changes. There was also disagreement over a proposed model in which a county-level school administrator would be elected; some members said that would be inappropriate and premature, while others argued the committee had not yet fully developed a consolidation model. The discussion ended with a call from some members for more time and for a future joint legislative committee to continue refining any proposal before legislation is introduced.

Transcript Highlights:

• It says all public institutions of higher education and school districts.
• You would have to say LEA, or local education agency.
• of higher education, charter schools, and school districts aggregated data.
• This brings parents' rights to the forefront of educating their children.
• And we have lots of ways to educate an item... ...all claim they should have.

Committee: House Education

Summary: The committee heard several RS introductions related to education and school funding. Representative Harris introduced RS 33225, described as the identical bill from last year’s accountability and spending measure, and after brief discussion about vouchers versus tax credits and accountability for state funds, the committee voted to introduce it. Representative Heather Scott introduced RS 33298, which would require the Professional Standards Commission to report any allegations involving suspected criminal behavior to law enforcement; the committee approved introduction. Representative Galaviz presented RS 3309C2, aimed at preventing property tax increases by allowing school districts to use certain building maintenance funds for lease purchases instead of forcing taxpayers into new bonds for construction or deferred maintenance. The committee moved to introduce it, with a request for additional information later on how the proposal would affect small versus large districts. Representative Tanner then brought RS 32889, a bill to have the State Board of Education aggregate and report data on the costs of educating children of foreign aliens. Members raised questions about legal status categories, charter schools, privacy, and whether the proposal created an unfunded mandate. The sponsor agreed to strike a sentence in the statement of purpose, and the motion to introduce the RS with that amendment and to add charter schools to the reporting language passed. Representative Hawkins presented RS 32826, a proposed constitutional amendment on parental rights that would replace the compulsory education language with a statement that the right to educate children without government regulation outside public schools shall not be infringed. Members supported the measure, and the committee voted to introduce it. Afterward, there was a procedural dispute over whether the earlier amended motion on RS 32889 had been a vote to introduce the RS or only to approve clarifying language, but the chair ruled the matter closed and the committee moved on.