Video & Transcript Research : 'school transparency'

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WY

Wyoming 2026 Regular Session

Senate Appropriations Committee, February 9, 2026

Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:
  • Tomorrow we have scheduled for noon time or upon Senate recess: Senate File 37K to2 School Facilities
  • file<00:14:51.120> 37<00:14:52.320> K<00:14:52.639> to2<00:14:53.199> school
  • recess of Senate file 37 K to2 school recess of Senate file 37 K to2 school facilities<00:14:54.079
Bills: HB0105, HB0107, SF0002
WY

Wyoming 2026 Regular Session

House Appropriations Committee, February 9, 2026

Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:
  • appropriated from the public school appropriated from the public school foundation<00:02:15.280>
  • funds shall revert to the public school funds shall revert to the public school foundation<00:03
  • <00:03:54.159> facilities appropriated to the school facilities appropriated to the school
  • 21, Big Horn number three, high school 21, Big Horn number three, high school 828,878.
  • charter school lease expenses for school charter school lease expenses for school year<00:04:44.560
Bills: HB0105, HB0107, SF0002
NE

Nebraska 2025-2026 Regular Session

Legislative Morning Session Apr 7th, 2026

Nebraska Unicameral Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • They are fourth graders from High Plains Community School in Clarks.
  • Recognizing that DHS may not always know a student's current school, while the resident school district
  • It makes clear that the bill applies to school employees, not independent contractors.
  • And so if he misses school and I call it in, does that mean that now I have to be..."
  • And so he has, at the beginning of the school year, I give his health care plan to the nurse.
NE

Nebraska 2025-2026 Regular Session

Legislative Afternoon Session Apr 7th, 2026

Nebraska Unicameral Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • We know many schools In order to understand where our schools are at.
  • And schools do hold all the cards.
  • I'm a public school product. I'm a public school parent.
  • I love I'm a public school product, I'm a public school parent.
  • That's 45 school days.
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Transportation Finance and Policy Committee 3/4/26

Transportation Finance and Policy

FL

Florida 2026 Regular Session

Appropriations Feb 24th, 2026

Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:
  • for security as already exists for Jewish schools.
  • or parochial schools and non-parochial schools.
  • or parochial schools and non-parochial schools.
  • as well as the Jewish-day schools have.
  • I have survived three school shootings: at high school in Colorado, the University of Arizona, and last
Bills: S0118, S0896, S1690, S1756
Summary: The committee first took up CS for SB 896, a school safety bill expanding the Guardian program to public postsecondary institutions. The bill requires active assailant response plans, security risk assessments, threat-management protocols, use of the suspicious activity reporting tool, and allows voluntary participation in Guardian for colleges and universities. A late-file amendment by Senator Polsky was adopted to clarify that students who are also employees or faculty are not eligible for Guardian. Members debated campus carry concerns, storage of firearms, and whether the bill could lead to broader gun access on campuses. Several faculty and gun-safety advocates testified against the bill, while supporters argued trained guardians can deter violence. The committee reported the bill favorably by roll call vote. The committee then approved CS for CS for CS for SB 1690 on child care and early learning services. The bill updates child care laws, clarifies regulations, and reduces overregulation of before- and after-school programs. An amendment expanded authority for the Florida Education Foundation to fundraise for early learning from birth to VPK. Testimony was largely supportive, emphasizing affordability, access to quality child care, and relief for working families, though one speaker opposed the bill as an expansion of government. The bill was reported favorably. Next, the committee passed CS for CS for SB 118, which clarifies how non-ad valorem special assessments are applied to recreational vehicle parks and limits the square footage used for assessment purposes to the maximum size of an RV space. The committee also approved CS for CS for SB 1220, the Department of Transportation package, which addresses seaport and airport planning, personal delivery devices, autonomous vehicles, advanced air mobility, toll programming, and other transportation-related changes. Amendments modified provisions on personal delivery devices, utility permits, autonomous vehicle penalties, and law-enforcement cruiser lights. Both bills were reported favorably. Finally, the committee began hearing SB 1756, the medical freedom bill, which proposes new vaccine information requirements, conscience-based school immunization exemptions, limits on compelled vaccination during public health emergencies, and behind-the-counter access to ivermectin for adults. The sponsor and supporters framed the bill as strengthening informed consent and parental rights, while opponents and some senators raised concerns about vaccine hesitancy, herd immunity, and the inclusion of ivermectin. Public testimony was extensive and sharply divided. The transcript ends during continued testimony and debate on SB 1756, before a final vote is taken.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
  • Yeah, I think this just provides transparency and... ...better communication with retailers on what they're
  • You've gone to school, completed the curriculum, passed a state law exam, and a national board exam.
  • Back in 2018, the Santa Fe High School shooting occurred.
  • local election offices may close on holidays that fall on weekdays during an election period just as school
  • This bill would improve fairness and transparency in the handgun licensing process by ensuring that applicants
Bills: HB223
TX
Transcript Highlights:
  • Furthermore, HB 3709 will enhance integrity, transparency, and the ability to prevent voter fraud.
  • This is a voter who voted from precinct 409. voted in a bond and independent school district elections
  • We've had voters report, 'I was supposed to vote in that school board race' and they're not able to do
  • On election day, some school districts are caught between conflicting laws.
  • This bill will give admitted school districts the ability to move their elections to November, boosting
Bills: HB223
LA

Louisiana 2026 Regular Session

Retirement Apr 29th, 2026

Retirement

Transcript Highlights:
  • Higher ed, K-12, multiple layers, superintendent, school boards, HR, finance folks, to look at those
  • I'm assistant superintendent currently in the Livingston Parish School System.
  • Middle school teachers, not so much.
  • High school teachers are almost non-existent coming out of the systems right now.
  • Senate Bill 20 standardized how the gains and losses are processed for the Louisiana School Employees
Summary: The Retirement Committee met on April 29, 2026, established a quorum, and heard a series of retirement-related bills, mostly cleanup or technical measures affecting various public retirement systems. SB 22 would extend Municipal Employees Retirement System eligibility to certain positions in the Second City Court constable’s office in New Orleans. SB 17 would create a funding deposit account for cost-of-living adjustments for registrars of voters’ employees’ retirement system. SB 455 would allow certain district and parish courts to participate in the Parochial Employees Retirement System. SB 456 would update compensation rules for assigned retired judges, and SB 8 would add the Louisiana Asset Management Pool as a participating employer in MERS. All of these bills were described as aligning statutes with current practice or expanding participation options, and each was reported favorably without objection. The committee also heard several Louisiana State Police retirement bills. SB 10 would repeal outdated priority allocation and retiree raise rules and adjust handling of surplus employee contributions; SB 11 would increase the funding cap for benefit increases from 2.5% to 3.5%; and SB 12 would update membership and definition language to reflect the State Police Commission rather than the Civil Service Commission. SB 18 would repeal a special exception allowing certain MERS retirees to return to part-time work while collecting full benefits, while protecting roughly 30 current participants. SB 20 and SB 21 would update actuarial gain/loss and unfunded liability funding rules for school employees’ retirement and LASERS, respectively, in light of the new permanent benefit increase funding structure. Each of these bills was supported by system officials as cleanup or modernization measures and was reported favorably. The committee spent the most time on education and return-to-work issues for teachers and public employees. SB 16 would reduce annual trustee training requirements for retirement system boards from 16 hours back to 12 hours, which witnesses said would better fit smaller systems and match the original intent of the law. SB 13 would similarly update TRSL’s actuarial funding rules after the sunset of the experience account. SB 14, based on a 2025 study work group, would consolidate and simplify TRSL return-to-work rules and expand options for retired teachers, with witnesses emphasizing teacher shortages and the need to retain experienced educators. All three were reported favorably. Finally, SB 416 would allow certain Department of Public Safety and Corrections retirees to return to critical shortage positions after one year, and SB 477 would classify the chairman of the Louisiana Gaming Control Board as a full-time state employee for retirement purposes. Both bills drew questions and discussion, especially SB 416, and both were reported favorably. The chair announced the committee’s next meeting would be moved from Monday to Tuesday, and the meeting adjourned.
AL

Alabama 2025 Regular Session

Alabama House Mar 6th, 2025

Alabama House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • was my dad's best friend in high school was my dad's best friend in high school uh Don's oldest son
  • um and his his oldest son in high school um and his his oldest son in high school um and his his oldest
  • act and what it will do is transparency act and what it will do is transparency act and what it will
  • through driver's your license in school through driver's your license in school through driver's ed
  • to school so I had to drive my kids to school I had to drive drive my kids to school I had to drive
TX

Texas 89th Regular

89th Legislative Session Mar 6th, 2025

Texas House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • He grew up and excelled at Wheatley High School. from Howard University.
  • Austin High Schools.
  • with Save East Austin School, both groups she founded.
  • HR 152 by Vo, Alif Early College High School. HR 167 by Martinez Fisher. Homes High School.
  • Superintendent and Chief Executive Officers of School Districts and Open Enrollment Charmant Schools
KY
Transcript Highlights:
  • /c><00:15:23.600> children schools our schools for our children schools our schools for our children
  • Uh, one is what we call A1 schools, which are your elementary, high school, middle schools.
  • School.
  • Middle<00:24:31.840> School.
  • <00:24:43.120> So addressing an elementary school. So addressing an elementary school.
Summary: The committee received an informational presentation from the Kentucky Department of Education and the School Facilities Construction Commission on school facilities funding. Staff explained the main funding sources used for school construction and renovation, including the mandatory “nickel” property tax levy, growth and equalized growth nickels, the equalized facility funding nickel, the Fort Knox/BRAC-related nickel for Hardin County, and the recallable nickel that districts can adopt locally. They also described the state equalization formula, noting that local construction costs have risen and that state support is formula-driven rather than a dollar-for-dollar match. The SFCC outlined how unmet facility need is calculated through district facility plans, which are developed locally with community, staff, and board input and then reviewed by KDE staff for consistency and reasonableness. The commission said it will update the statewide unmet need report this fall, adopt it in December, and provide the figure to the committee in January 2026. It reported that the statewide unmet facility need was about $7 billion in 2023, with about $951 million in local revenue available, and said its offers of assistance are paid as debt service over eight years. The commission also said the most recent legislative offer of assistance was its smallest since SFCC’s creation in 1985, and requested an additional $60 million for the next biennium. Members asked about how districts use nickel tax levies, who determines facility need, whether the process includes physical inspections, and how bonding capacity affects offers of assistance. Staff said nickel levies are generally adopted with regular tax rates, that facility need is locally developed but reviewed by KDE, and that KDE project managers and district-hired architects review plans on paper rather than through in-person inspections. They also explained that bonding capacity can affect a district’s ability to use or receive assistance. Questions were also raised about federal funds tied to earlier KIX grants and about districts with zero remaining offers of assistance; staff said most grant-funded projects are underway or complete, and that a zero balance means a district has spent its available assistance. No votes or formal actions were taken.
OK
Transcript Highlights:
  • This directs the Department of Transportation to establish 45-mile-per-hour school zones on highways
  • areas where it's a four-lane highway that are 65 miles per hour and greater within 150 yards from a school
  • This one ensures that there's more transparency and accountability on how taxpayer funds are being spent
  • all of the members who reached out about the bus accident that we had involving some Elgin public school
AL

Alabama 2026 1st Special Session

Alabama House Ways and Means Education Committee Jan 21st, 2026

Ways and Means Education

Transcript Highlights:
  • schools they have in their districts. schools they have in their districts.
  • that needs to be made between um school that needs to be made between um school consolidation<00
  • <00:20:40.080> system consolidation and school board or system consolidation and school board
  • provide for consolidation of schools provide for consolidation of schools between<00:20:45.760><
  • to essentially you know have a school to essentially you know have a school that's<00:21:01.520>
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Economic Development Apr 7th, 2025

Economic Development

Transcript Highlights:
  • In 2019, I reauthorized 312s with the transparency aspects in them.”
  • We did that with school districts. I viewed it as we need to do the same with 313 and 312.”
  • a 10-year school district M&O tax appraised value limitation of 50%.
  • school district M&O tax appraised value limitation of 50%.
  • That's significant, but we lack transparency on how those funds are used.
Summary: The committee heard a series of bills, mostly related to economic development, tax incentives, and workforce programs. Senate Bill 1534 would direct a study by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and the Texas Workforce Commission on health physics education and workforce needs; resource witnesses from the Workforce Commission and Coordinating Board testified, and the bill was left pending. Senate Bill 1553 would authorize Kerr County to impose a hotel occupancy tax for tourism-related uses, and Senate Bills 1086 and 1087 would authorize similar county hotel taxes for Children’s County and Mason County; all three bills received supportive testimony and were left pending. The committee also heard Senate Bill 1754, which would prohibit county and local tax abatements for renewable energy facilities selling power wholesale, with testimony sharply divided between landowners and policy groups opposing renewable subsidies and industry representatives and some senators arguing the bill would harm clean energy investment and local decision-making; the bill was left pending. The committee then heard Senate Bill 2322, which would exempt dispatchable electric generation facilities from the JEDI program’s compelling-factor test so they could qualify for school district tax incentives; testimony was mixed, and the bill was left pending. Later, the committee heard Senate Bill 1718, which would add the NRA annual meeting to the state’s major events reimbursement program. The bill’s sponsor and NRA representatives argued the event brings substantial tourism and economic activity, while opponents said it would use taxpayer funds to subsidize an organization that opposes gun safety measures; the bill was left pending. Senate Bill 2004 would add the Arlington Grand Prix to the major events reimbursement program, with the committee substitute exempting it from the usual competitive site-selection requirement because of timing; testimony from the event organizers and Arlington tourism officials was supportive, and the bill was left pending. Senate Bill 2448 would create a rural workforce development grant program at the Texas Workforce Commission to support college-and-career readiness and technical assistance in rural communities; witnesses from Texas 2036, Collegiate Edgination, and a rural school district supported it, and it was left pending. Finally, Senate Bill 913 would repeal a special requirement that Alpine dedicate at least 50% of its hotel occupancy tax to advertising and promotion, and Senate Bill 1143 would require more coordination and reporting for youth workforce programs serving disconnected young Texans; both bills received supportive testimony and were left pending. At the end of the hearing, Senator Johnson moved that the committee stand in recess, subject to the call of the chair.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
  • It took away the ability of school districts to grant reinvestment zones and tax abatements.
  • In 2019, I reauthorized 312s with the transparency aspect.
  • We did that with school districts.
  • As such, they should not be when it comes to school abatement tax incentives.
  • That's significant, but we lack transparency on how those funds are used. So, Senate Bill.