Transcript Highlights:

• Schools are meant to be secular buildings of education. I'm Spike.
• Schools are meant to be secular buildings of education. I'm... Religious overreach.
• Schools are meant to be secular buildings of education.
• Focus on actual education, and keep religion out of school to hold all students equal.
• of school and education?

Bills: S0212 , S0218 , S0442 , S0460 , S0532 , S0554 , S0644 , S0686 , S0692 , S1054 , S1106 , S1128 , S1134 , S1138 , S1338 , S1434 , S1506 , S1620 , S1748

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Keywords: sexual offender, sexual predator, sex offender registry, child protection, residency restriction, loitering, proximity restriction, public swimming pool, school safety, child care facility, day care center, park, playground, conditional release, probation, community control, warrantless arrest, background check, registry screening, minor victims

Summary: The committee first considered SB 1434 on infill redevelopment. A late-filed strike-all amendment narrowed eligibility criteria, including environmental and adjacency requirements, density and intensity limits, and exclusions for certain lands and military areas. The amendment was adopted without opposition, and the bill then passed favorably on an 8-0 vote, with testimony both for and against from advocacy groups. Members then heard several bills related to criminal justice, land use, and local government operations. SB 212 on sexual offenders and sexual predators was amended to add public swimming pools and related restricted-location provisions; the committee heard extensive opposition testimony arguing the bill lacked empirical support and could worsen homelessness and burden families, while supporters said it would reduce temptation and improve safety. The amended bill passed 8-1. SB 686 on agricultural enclaves also received a strike-all amendment clarifying development allowances near interstates and protected-area non-preemption; after opposition from a county Republican committee and support from housing and business groups, it passed 10-0. SB 554 updating nonprofit corporation law, SB 1338 on charitable giving and endowment restrictions, SB 532 on court fee retention by clerks, and SB 218 on land use regulations after hurricanes all passed favorably, each with little or no opposition. The committee also approved SB 692 on cybersecurity standards and liability after debate over whether the bill created enough compliance incentives and whether its liability presumption should apply retroactively; supporters said it would encourage adoption of cybersecurity frameworks, while opponents warned it could weaken local standards and create litigation issues. The bill passed 9-2. SB 1138 on qualified contractors was amended to preserve local government authority while allowing licensed professionals to conduct limited pre-application reviews, and it passed 11-0. Finally, SJR 1104 on religious expression in public schools passed 8-3 after extensive public testimony and debate, with supporters saying it would enshrine existing protections in the Constitution and opponents warning it would favor majority religions and increase bullying and litigation. The committee then took up SB 1106 on requiring state agencies and instructional materials to use “Judea and Samaria” instead of “West Bank,” with the sponsor arguing it reflected historical truth and opponents saying it erased Palestinian identity and inserted the state into an international naming dispute; the transcript ends during public testimony on that bill before any vote is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• I spend so much time trying to educate people about why.
• I spend so much time trying to educate people about why school-age vaccinations are needed.
• It endangers the educators. It endangers our medical professionals.
• This is dangerous for the educators that are in those classrooms.
• ...to education and workforce development for inmates? Is there a debate on the bill?

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I spend so much time trying to educate people about why.
• I spend so much time trying to educate people about why school-age vaccinations are needed.
• It endangers the educators. It endangers our medical professionals.
• This is dangerous for the educators that are in those classrooms.
• This is dangerous for the educators that are in those classrooms.

Keywords: 998, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It restores meaningful use of cost-of-living adjustments for educators with direct student contact.
• It allows districts to recognize relevant advanced degrees as part of compensation. ...educators with
• The current ban limits consumer education and raises First Amendment concerns.
• We have stronger postpartum education through our Senate Bill 606.
• Senate Bill 1646 by Senator Simon, educational facilities. The reading of the bills.

Summary: The Senate convened with an opening prayer, pledge, and several introductions recognizing visitors, students, local officials, and professional groups in the gallery. The chamber then took up a report from the Ethics and Elections Committee confirming 42 executive appointments; the report was adopted by a vote of 36-0. The Senate also adopted a resolution honoring the Ripple Project for childhood cancer awareness and funding. The bulk of the meeting was spent on special-order bills, many of them open-government sunset review measures and policy bills. The Senate passed bills preserving or updating public records exemptions for aquaculture records, trade secrets, and cybersecurity information; a child-abuse reporting statute of limitations bill; a commercial driving schools bill; a human trafficking training requirement for nursing graduates; a new injunction for protection against serious violence by a known person and its companion public-records bill; a nature-based coastal resiliency bill with an amendment restricting dredge-and-fill in Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve; a chiropractic patient-funds bill; specialty license plate legislation; a one-time waiver for late financial disclosure fines; public school personnel compensation changes; the Florida Farm Bill with amendments protecting Everglades lands and technical corrections; homestead exemption clarification for long-term leaseholders; disability presumption clarifications for firefighters and law enforcement; reinsurance intermediary manager conformity changes; patriotic displays in public schools; ADS-B aviation fee restrictions; autism-related law enforcement training and a blue envelope program; public post-secondary safety policy requirements; and a bill allowing licensed agents to market health care sharing ministries. Several bills were temporarily postponed, including local vessel restrictions, temporary certificates for practice, and domestic animals. Members debated a number of measures, especially the health care sharing ministries bill, where opponents raised consumer-protection and commission concerns and supporters argued for free speech, religious liberty, and expanded consumer choice; it passed 32-5. Other debated bills included the autism law enforcement bill, the school athletics bill addressing coach support for student-athletes, and the Farm Bill, where senators discussed surplus land safeguards and biosolids timing. Most bills passed overwhelmingly, often 37-0 or 38-0, with a few closer votes such as the patriotic displays bill (36-2) and the health care sharing ministries bill (32-5).

Transcript Highlights:

• So the education money follows the child. It doesn't follow the school.
• So the education money follows the child. It doesn't follow the school.
• You can see that this is a challenge when you bring public safety, you bring education.
• hard to please educators.
• I'm not an educator. I don't run schools. I'm into public safety.

Committee: Joint Joint Legislative Audit Committee

Summary: The committee began with opening remarks about moving to a monthly, two-hour schedule for more timely and focused oversight of Auditor General findings. Members also recognized Melanie Chesney for 32 years of service to the Office of the Auditor General, with several speakers praising her work and her role in strengthening the relationship between the Auditor General’s office and J-LAC. The main agenda item was the Auditor General’s December 2025 special audit on the school safety interoperability fund and interoperable communication systems. Staff reported that about $26 million had been allocated to 14 law enforcement agencies for systems intended to improve real-time communication between schools and first responders. The audit found that all 14 agencies used the money for interoperable systems, but four agencies allowed private or tribal schools to participate contrary to statute, and several agencies failed to submit required annual expenditure reports. It also found that none of the three systems reviewed met every statutory requirement as written, in part because some requirements were vague or interpreted differently by vendors and agencies. The audit recommended that agencies recover and report any improper benefit to non-public schools, avoid using fund money for ongoing costs tied to non-public school participation, submit missing reports, and improve cost planning and contract monitoring; it also recommended that the legislature clarify eligibility for private and tribal schools and revisit unclear system requirements. The audit further found procurement and contracting problems at nine of 14 agencies, including weak or missing sole-source justifications, contracts that lacked accountability and termination provisions, and poor documentation of pricing and deliverables. Several agencies had not planned for ongoing annual costs, which the audit estimated could range from about $16,000 to $382,000 per rural county depending on the system. In the discussion, members expressed frustration with sole-source contracting and lack of documentation, and some said they would oppose future vendor bills without competitive bidding and stronger payment controls. The auditor also described mixed system performance: some agencies reported useful features such as panic alerts, camera access, and map sharing, but other systems were not fully functional or had never been implemented. The committee then heard from the Arizona Sheriffs’ Association, whose president said sheriffs support the goal of improving school safety, described county implementation challenges, and defended the use of local staff to manage the projects, while acknowledging that smaller counties face staffing and connectivity limits.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our next step is to unify education and opportunity by bringing higher education, apprenticeships, and
• ><c> by</c><01:10:27.199><c> bringing</c> education and opportunity by bringing education and opportunity
• ><c> and</c> higher education, apprenticeships, and higher education, apprenticeships, and workforce<
• </c> continuation of open educational continuation of open educational resources<02:11:20.320><c> policies
• </c> committee on education. committee on education.

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 1056 by Joint Budget: An act for the Department of Education, Martin Luther King Jr.
• Department of Education, Martin Luther King Jr.
• Center on Aging, Bozman College of Public Health, Arkansas Biosciences Institute, and the Area Health Education
• Arkansas Biosciences Institute and the Area Health Education Center in Helena appropriation for the 2006
• House Bill 1059 by Joint Budget: An act for the Department of Education, Division of Public School Academic

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Child education is a top priority for service members and their families.
• In partnership with the Idaho State Department of Education, our school liaison program manager corrected
• rectified other deficiencies in all four categories: advanced enrollment, Interstate Compact on Educational
• Committee that chairs five individual task forces: health care, housing, employment, child care, and education
• Finally, we are grateful for their efforts in highlighting how educational stability directly enhances

Summary: The committee opened with a quorum, approved the minutes from Friday, March 6, and then heard an annual update from Colonel Ray Gunter on Mountain Home Air Force Base. He described the base’s mission, personnel, and major units, emphasizing the evolving global threat environment, the importance of readiness and modernization, and the base’s role in the F-15E enterprise. He also discussed ongoing divestment of older F-15E engines, recapitalization with newer aircraft, expanded training airspace, and the base’s use of the Mountain Home Range Complex for joint and allied exercises. Colonel Gunter highlighted several infrastructure and community-support priorities, including the Snake River Water Pipeline Project, a new water treatment plant, school and child care improvements, housing development in Mountain Home, and partnerships with local governments, the Idaho Water Resource Board, school districts, and the Military Affairs Committee. He also noted efforts to improve health care coordination with St. Luke’s, TRICARE West, and the American Red Cross, and reported an estimated $800 million economic impact supporting more than 7,300 regional jobs. He closed by stressing the importance of family support, education, and community partnerships to military readiness. After the briefing, the committee briefly moved into an executive session for an unclassified briefing from Mountain Home Air Force Base intelligence experts, then reconvened in public session. No further business was raised, and the meeting adjourned without any recorded votes beyond approval of the minutes and the motions to enter and exit executive session.

Transcript Highlights:

• school students and college students from Aliento who are with us here today for their annual day of education
• Students joined our legislature today for their education day to engage elected officials on critical
• issues impacting their education.
• highlighting the importance of supporting dreamers and children of immigrants in pursuing higher education
• Education. SB 1425, elections, July primary cure petitions. Judiciary and Elections.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Public education will come to order and the clerk will call the roll. Chairman Buckley, I here.
• We're responsible for the education and well-being of hundreds of students.
• And so this is not just an educational issue, it's a fundamental equity issue.
• We are a Title One school and more than one third are considered at risk by the Texas Code of Education
• so I certainly believe that House Bill 2967 is good for students, good for parents, it's good for educators

Committee: House Public Education

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:22:38.400><c> research</c> the innovative higher education research the innovative higher education
• Center. for the Auraria Higher Education Center.
• </c><00:55:58.680><c> fund</c> and paying back the state education fund and paying back the state education
• This and the education funding. The only two bills that have to pass.
• <01:38:46.800><c> Committee,</c> Education Committee, Education Committee, where<01:38:48.200><c> we<

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> child care, and higher education. child care, and higher education.
• And finally, changing the penalty for continuing education audit failure.
• :58.760><c> time</c><01:02:59.280><c> not</c> continuing education for time not continuing education
• ,</c><01:03:53.080><c> and</c><01:03:53.280><c> any</c> continuing education, and any continuing education
• </c> the penalty for continuing education the penalty for continuing education audit<01:05:13.160><c>

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• compensation; state aid for school districts; surplus refund payments; increasing funding for special education
• compensation; state aid for school districts; surplus refund payments; increasing funding for special education
• That's what we tried to hit with special education. We're one-upping that now.
• We have an opportunity to give over $300 million to our schools through special education in this package
• compensation, state aid for school districts, surplus refund payments, increasing funding for special education

Keywords: 970, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We have the parameters we have on ensuring that education is the first priority for students and not
• to House Bill 2961 by Hildebrand of the House and Woods of the Senate, an act relating to higher education
• bill House Bill 2961 by Hildebrand of the House and Woods of the Senate, an act relating to higher education
• amendments to House Bill 4268 by Johns of the House and Ugugh of the Senate, an act relating to education
• House Bill 4268 by Johns of the House and Ewh of the Senate, an act relating to education.

Bills: HJR1101 , SB1319 , SB1264 , HB4237 , SB1277 , SB2069 , HB3066 , HB2115 , HB2153 , HB2268 , HB2961 , SB1679 , SB2018 , HB4294 , SB2095 , HB4113 , SB1894 , SB1810 , HB4268 , HB1752 , HB3413 , SB625 , HB3644 , HB3940 , HJR1096 , HJR1100 , HJR1099 , HB2992 , SB1636 , HB4302 , SB1613 , SB1443 , HB1409 , HB1675 , HB1225 , HB1381 , HB4359 , SB1503

Keywords: Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority, OMMA, medical marijuana, cannabis, marijuana regulation, administrative rules, permanent rules, rule approval, joint resolution, legislative oversight, Title 75 Section 308, Oklahoma Administrative Code, OAC 442, patients, caregivers, licensees, dispensaries, growers, processors, SB1319

Transcript Highlights:

• the fund growing. 80% will be given to the legislature for the purpose of improving health and educational
• And also, we want to do things with education.
• This isn't about whether health or education matter. We all agree that they do.
• discussed many different ways that we might approach appointing or electing the superintendent of education
• , and we've talked about different ways to make up that state board of education.

Bills: HB3327 , HB3711 , HB4104 , HJR1077 , HB3329 , SB2184 , SB171

Committee: Senate Rules

Keywords: State Board of Education, Oklahoma education board, board appointments, school governance, education reform, governor appointments, legislative appointments, speaker of the house, president pro tempore, senate confirmation, board vacancies, removal for cause, public education, state superintendent, school board training, board member qualifications, emergency clause, Oklahoma statutes 70 O.S. 3-101, school funding, transparency

Transcript Highlights:

• million... ...items already included in the budget are $420 million in funding for early childhood education
• We are prioritizing education, workforce, and training while creating high-demand, high-paying jobs within
• And then I see a lot of higher education money increases, I guess you'd say.
• guardianship services, foster care, and other critical services. $3.7 million to various higher education
• She knows how important education is and how transformative it is to society and to these young people

Committee: House Appropriations

Summary: The House Appropriations Committee met on April 13, 2026, and considered the main budget bills for fiscal year 2026-27. Members heard a broad overview of House Bill 1, the general appropriations bill, including the governor’s proposed budget, major funding items for education, workforce, corrections, health, and economic development, and a plan to use surplus funds to pay down LASERS’ unfunded liability. The committee discussed a 29-page amendment set that shifted savings from retirement and other areas into one-time expenditures, including FEMA Katrina debt, LSU, firefighter pay raises, crime victim reparations, rehabilitation services, and additional school choice support. Questions focused on the MFP per-pupil adjustment, the crime victim reparations shortfall, LSU funding, waiver slots, and whether the bill remained at a standstill overall. The committee adopted the amendments and reported HB 1 favorably as amended, making it Special Order No. 1 for April 16. The committee then took up House Bill 312, the supplemental appropriations bill, which also redirected the full $144.3 million surplus payment to LASERS and used savings from MFP, Medicaid forecast changes, and other reductions to fund statewide initiatives. Those included LED, corrections, DOTD road projects, public safety, IT modernization, school safety, firefighting equipment, community and technical college workforce programs, and DCFS shortfalls. Members raised questions about mental health funding and the retirement payment strategy; the amendments were adopted and HB 312 was reported favorably as amended and set as Special Order No. 4. House Bill 313, the funds bill, was amended to make additional deposits into the State Emergency and Response Fund, Voting Technology Fund, oil and gas regulatory funds, geological storage, reading enrichment, Imagination Library, and conservation accounts; it was reported favorably as amended and set as Special Order No. 5. House Bill 314, the revenue sharing distribution bill, received amendments inserting fiscal year 2027 distribution numbers and was reported favorably as amended and set as Special Order No. 7. The committee also advanced House Bill 383, the ancillary expenses bill, which covers self-generated, dedicated, and federal funds for agencies such as Group Benefits, Risk Management, Prison Enterprises, and Technology Services; a technical amendment updated accounting-standard references, and the bill was reported favorably as amended and set as Special Order No. 6. House Bill 983, the judiciary budget, was amended with a technical date correction and reported favorably as amended; members discussed funding for judges, staff pay, FINS, and whether pending legislation affecting Orleans Parish judges would later change the budget. House Bill 1126, the legislative branch budget, was reported favorably without amendment after brief questions about the Law Institute increase, and HCR 3, the hospital stabilization formula resolution tied to Medicaid hospital reimbursements, was reported favorably and set as Special Order No. 8. The committee also made HB 983 Special Order No. 9 and HB 1126 Special Order No. 10 for April 16, authorized technical corrections on adopted amendments, and adjourned after the chair thanked members and staff for their work.

Transcript Highlights:

• million... ...items already included in the budget are $420 million in funding for early childhood education
• We are prioritizing education, workforce, and training while creating high-demand, high-paying jobs within
• "And then I see a lot of higher education money increases, I guess you'd say.
• guardianship services, foster care, and other critical services." "$3.7 million to various higher education
• She knows how important education is and how transformative it is to society and to these young people

Bills: HB1 , HB312 , HB313 , HB314 , HB383 , HB983 , HB1126 , HCR3

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: state budget, appropriations, education funding, public health, social services, government operations, state institutions, budget, funding, state general fund, local government, fiscal year, economic development, state treasury, emergency response, education, voting technology, sustainability, revenue sharing, fund distribution

Transcript Highlights:

• We increased their funding when it comes to FBA but also in what we're going to compensate their educating
• Sir, it includes about $111 to $112 million for education instruction pay raises, and the mechanism in
• We'll see later on with my colleague from Enid present the limits bill for education, but essentially
• But so essentially that'll be at SCE and then four other agencies in the state that have educators in
• And that is essentially then We're adding $3 million back into the state higher education regions.

Bills: SB1177 , SB1177

Committee: House Joint Committee on Appropriations and Budget

Keywords: education funding, mental health services, public safety, housing, state budget, 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It said DSB received notice from Rehabilitation Services—this is the Office of Special Education and
• Department of Education—that RSA has been designated as a high-risk grantee.
• received notice from rehabilitation services this is the office of special education and rehab services
• in the u.s department of education that rsa has been designated has designated as a high risk grantee
• Well, and it's for both state agencies, departments, and higher education.

Committee: All ALC-PERSONNEL

Summary: The committee first considered a Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism request to swap three administrative coordinator positions for one park superintendent, one maintenance supervisor, and one park manager for Blanchard Springs State Park. Members were told the change would be funded by conservation tax special revenues, would not increase total positions, and had OPM’s support. The item was reviewed and approved without objection. Members then approved two special compensation plans: one from the Department of Commerce for lump-sum bonuses of up to $5,000 for employees involved in the unemployment insurance system migration to a cloud-based platform, and one from the Department of Veterans Affairs for $2,000 recruitment bonuses for certified nursing assistants at the Fayetteville and North Little Rock State Veterans Homes. The Department of Health also received approval to reinstate a previously frozen fiscal support manager position for the State Medical Board, with the agency noting the position was already authorized and would not increase total staffing. The committee spent substantial time on a Commerce reduction-in-force affecting the Division of Services for the Blind and related workforce operations. Secretary Hugh McDonald said the layoffs were driven by over-obligated federal funds, lack of fiscal planning, and a need to realign operations; he said the RIF would be permanent and that 56 employees remained furloughed, with 17 positions slated for elimination. Senators questioned the division’s accountability structure, the role of the board and governor, and whether the cuts disproportionately affected African American employees; Commerce was asked to provide racial composition data for the workforce and the RIF. The committee also reviewed quarterly employment and overtime reports. Members asked about overtime levels at DHS, Corrections, and Transportation, and whether higher staffing levels and the new pay plan were reducing overtime. OPM said overtime was being monitored, that direct-care positions are exempt from the hiring freeze, and that the state had hired more than 1,200 employees at DHS since the new system went live. No further action was taken on the report items, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• To address this problem, AB 1582 makes it an unfair labor practice for a higher education employer to
• which establishes a new unfair practice... ...which establishes a new unfair practice under higher education
• AB 1818 eliminates the antiquated code section in the Higher Education Employer-Employee Relations Act
• The section in the Higher Education Employer-Employee Relations Act, HEERA, is no longer used for its
• It's not fair for the CSU to take and manipulate legislative education funds to benefit their own pockets

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Public Employment and Retirement heard several labor and retirement bills. AB 1582 by Assembly Member Ortega would make it an unfair labor practice for a higher education employer to disregard or delay arbitration decisions involving contracting out, with make-whole relief including attorney fees and costs. Supporters from AFSCME and other labor groups said UC has repeatedly ignored arbitration outcomes on outsourcing disputes, while UC opposed the bill as an overbroad change that could create systemwide operational and financial risk. The committee passed the bill on a do-pass basis to Appropriations. AB 1818 by Assembly Member Ortega would repeal an outdated HEERA provision that CSU has used to reopen bargaining when it claims state funding is insufficient. Teamsters and other labor supporters argued CSU has used the provision to avoid honoring negotiated raises, while CSU said the bill would limit its ability to manage compensation responsibly when state funding is uncertain. The committee also passed AB 1818 to Appropriations. AB 1564 by Assembly Member Arreguín would make communications between an employee and union representative confidential in public employment matters. Labor supporters said the measure would protect trust in the representational relationship and codify existing PERB case law, while school, local government, county, city, and business groups warned it could hinder workplace investigations, including those involving student safety and harassment. The bill passed 7-0 to Appropriations. AB 1844 by Assembly Member Pacheco, placed on the consent calendar, would update Judges’ Retirement System 2 to allow non-spouse beneficiaries for survivor benefits and to extend access to survivor options for vested judges; it was approved unanimously, 7-0. After all items were taken up, the committee adjourned.