Bills: SB1450, SB1458, SB1232, SB1238, SB1325, SB1209, SB1362, SB2072, SB1451, SB1540, SB1581, SB1535, SB1266, SB1927, SB1460, SB2084, SB2182

Keywords: criminal court costs, court fees, fines, assessments, waiver, ability to pay, indigent defendants, post-release relief, probation compliance, parole, deferred sentence, suspended sentence, restitution, child support, municipal court, district court, criminal justice reform, court debt, legal financial obligations, fee waiver

Transcript Highlights:

• AND THOSE THREE THINGS INCLUDING ENSURING ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT FOR THE YOUNG PEOPLE WE SERVE IN OUR COMMITMENT
• A BROAD BROAD VARYING DEGREE OF ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT LEVELS FOR KIDS.
• WHO UNDERSTAND THE GOALS YOU TRY TO ACCOMPLISH CHANGING PERCEPTIONS AND ATTITUDES AND DIRECTION ON ACADEMIC
• OUR PRIOR MODEL FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS WAS BASED ON A PRETEST AND POSTTEST AND LOOKING AT ONLY ACADEMIC
• THEY HAVE A LAPTOP AND INTERNET ACCESS ONCE THEY GET BACK HOME IF THEY NEED IT TO CONTINUE THEIR ACADEMIC

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• support academic success across the<00:30:08.240> curriculum.
• There are myriad academic and social benefits for students that have been documented over time.
• And then she went to go perform. She became a student of performing arts.
• Uh she was asked to amazing performance.
• whereas caregiving youth often perform whereas caregiving youth often perform adult<00:40:26.720

Keywords: 981, all

Summary: The Senate opened with a quorum present, approved the February 27, 2026 journal, and then moved out of order to consider resolutions. Senate Resolution 003, designating March as Arts Education Month in Colorado, was read at length and supported by Senators Snyder and Basley, who emphasized the educational, social, and economic value of arts instruction and noted concerns about unequal access across the state. Senator Coleman and Senator Danielson also spoke in support, highlighting personal experiences with the arts and the importance of preserving arts programs in schools. The resolution passed unanimously, 35-0, and the current roll call was added as co-sponsors. The chamber then adopted House Joint Resolution 1019, recognizing Caregiving Youth Day. Senator Judah described caregiving youth as children and teens who provide substantial care for family members while balancing school and other responsibilities, citing statewide and national data on the prevalence of youth caregivers and the risks they face. Senator Gonzales also spoke in support, urging the legislature to recognize and support this often invisible work. The resolution passed 35-0, and the current roll call was added as co-sponsors. The Senate next took up third-reading consent calendar House Bill 1035, which enacts the 2025 Colorado Revised Statutes as positive and statutory law; it passed 32-3, with Senators Baisley, Lynda Zamora Wilson, and Long voting no. Senate Bill 53, expanding eligible borrowers for Colorado Housing and Finance Authority mortgages, then passed 29-6 after no-vote requests from Senators Zamora Wilson, Amabile, Sullivan, Hinrichsen, Baisley, and R. Pelton. House Bill 1064, concerning modifications to the youthful offender system, passed 23-12 after several no-vote requests, and Senate Bill 43, concerning regulation of firearm barrel transfers and related criminal penalties, was introduced for final passage with Senator Zamora Wilson delivering extended opposition focused on Second Amendment and fiscal concerns; the transcript cuts off before the vote on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• I've been successful in my academics.
• <01:20:16.080> I<01:20:16.320> performed successful in my academics.
• I performed successful in my academics.
• , need of help with their academic, need of help with their academic, financial,<01:24:38.080>
• <01:26:45.120> better help students perform better help students perform better academically

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Many of our small colleges and universities may not have a chief academic officer in place.
• <00:03:10.239> officer to send their chief u academic officer to send their chief u academic
• have a chief academic officer in place. have a chief academic officer in place.
• > of<00:08:00.479> all quartortile of performers of all quartortile of performers of all
• <01:03:29.039> studying students and academics studying students and academics studying Palestinian

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee first took up Senate Bill 77, which would allow comprehensive universities to pursue doctoral programs under a new approval process and, in the original bill, would also change who may serve on the EPSB board for small colleges and universities. The sponsor and Council on Postsecondary Education representative explained that the committee substitute removed the current statutory prohibition on comprehensive universities offering certain doctoral degrees, but added eligibility guardrails: a 77% first-to-second-year retention rate, a 56% six-year graduation rate, and three months of unrestricted cash reserves. They said the thresholds were based on national data placing institutions in roughly the top quartile, and that CPE would still review proposals for mission fit, workforce need, fiscal impact, and, where applicable, programmatic accreditation and legislative appropriations. EKU President David McFaden supported creating a pathway for comprehensive universities, said Kentucky is unusual in having an explicit statutory prohibition, and urged the committee to keep the standards attainable and durable. The committee approved the bill and adopted a title amendment, with the motion passing unanimously. The committee then heard Senate Joint Resolution 55, which addresses antisemitism on postsecondary campuses. Senator Tichenor said the resolution responds to a rise in antisemitic incidents after October 7, 2023, and would require campuses to notify students each semester of Title VI rights, complaint procedures, existing harassment policies, and available Jewish student resources. It would also direct campuses to disband student organizations found to provide material support to known terrorist organizations, report such matters to law enforcement, and collect and report antisemitism data to CPE for posting on its website. A guest speaker from the Kentucky Jewish Council described a sharp increase in reported incidents, including harassment, threats, vandalism, and hostile campus activity, and argued that schools have often done too little to respond. He said the resolution was amended to protect free speech while ensuring Jewish students receive the same protections as other protected groups. The transcript ends while testimony on the resolution was still underway, before any committee vote on SJR 55.

Transcript Highlights:

• academic year. academic year.
• So our academic standards in our state.
• We're not deficient there, and we know that as a result of our students' academic performance, we see
• <01:11:40.239> that<01:11:40.480> fall academic performance as we see that fall academic
• Not all states and ACT performance.

Keywords: Appropriations - Room 216, 14 January, 2026; 1:00 PM, 925, all

Summary: The committee first heard a budget presentation from a charter-school authorizer agency. Witnesses explained that the agency no longer receives the federal CSP grant, that a one-time $499,000 equipment grant was not recurring, and that in FY25 they also had no general fund appropriation. They said their special-fund revenue has grown but is not enough to sustain operations alone, especially because the money arrives once a year and the agency needs a cash balance in advance. Their budget request sought a mix of general and special funds, but the legislative budget recommendation stayed near the FY26 appropriation level. Members asked about salary growth and contractual spending; the agency said higher salaries reflected doctorate-level staff and a planned sixth position, while contractual costs covered technical assistance, consultants, CPA reviews, and outside legal support. The agency also said a pending bill, identified as House Bill 2, could significantly affect its operations and revenue. Members asked about Republic, and the agency said a peer report had just been released, the school had made operational changes, and progress was being made though questions remained. The Library Commission then presented its budget request. The outgoing director announced retirement and introduced the incoming director, and praised the agency’s recent federal and state audits with no findings. The commission asked to restore two headcount reductions in the budget recommendation, saying the positions were hard to fill because they require specialized librarianship credentials and that losing them would cost about $130,000. It also asked to restore federal spending authority in case IMLS funding became uncertain, and requested about $173,000 for a 5% salary progression pool because turnover had reached 35% and many employees were near the start step. Senators asked about the open positions and turnover; the commission said one position had been open 10 months, another about eight months, and some turnover was due to retirements. Mississippi Public Broadcasting then presented its request for an $18.153 million appropriation. The agency said it wanted salary progressions to retain staff, four new vehicles for engineering and transmitter work, and $522,000 in reappropriated digitization funds to continue a project that has digitized more than half its library holdings for online access. The director also highlighted programming and outreach, including a new food-focused show, a music program, live coverage of the National Folk Festival, a Medgar Evers documentary now in national distribution, and expanded radio programming. He said MPB reaches nearly 1 million TV viewers annually, has strong radio and app usage, and continues to provide required weather, Silver Alert, and Amber Alert notifications. He also described a partnership with the Department of Education using e-glass technology to connect teachers to classrooms lacking instructors, saying the program is already serving multiple districts and drawing national interest.

Transcript Highlights:

• performance.
• performance.
• and poor academic and poor academic achievement<00:21:39.279> attention<00:21:39.840>
• <01:01:12.359> but diverting their focus from academics but diverting their focus from academics
• <01:04:38.640> performance and improved academic performance and improved academic performance

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Minnesota Senate Education Policy Committee heard testimony on Senate File 508, a bill to restrict cell phone use in schools. Senator Mann said the proposal was based on roundtables with school districts across the state and on reports from other states, and argued that cell phones are harming student attention, mental health, classroom culture, and student-teacher relationships. She said K-8 restrictions are broadly supported, while high school policies should be more flexible, and emphasized that districts should control implementation. The bill also includes funding for education efforts around why the restrictions are being adopted and how students can use technology responsibly. Testifiers largely supported the bill or the general goal of limiting cell phone use. Dr. Anna Tyranny, a parent and licensed psychologist, said cell phones and social media can contribute to anxiety, poor concentration, cyberbullying, and inappropriate sharing, and urged a balanced approach that includes digital literacy education. St. Cloud Area Public Schools Superintendent Laori Pam and Tech High School staff member Molly Kenzie described their district’s policies, which keep phones away for the day in elementary and middle school and restrict them during class in high school. They cited U.S. Department of Education guidance, research on mental health and sleep disruption, and the need for age-appropriate, equitable, and consistently communicated policies. St. Cloud reported that its middle school policy, piloted and then expanded districtwide, led to a 50% reduction in cell phone discipline referrals and fewer classroom power struggles. The district said high school violations remain concentrated in certain grades, especially ninth and eleventh, and that it continues to address the issue through PBIS teams. No vote or final committee action on the bill was described in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:03:28.040> update talking about our performance update talking about our performance update
• Since ours is academics, we want to focus all of that funding on academics.
• Since ours is academics, we want to focus all of that funding on academics. In 2023, 75% ... 72%.
• But that was the performance our students and community members did.
• This is a performance-based strategic plan.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:15:57.600> all<00:15:57.839> these the cost of performing all these the cost of
• performing all these activities,<00:15:58.800> which<00:15:59.040> are<00:15:59.279>
• For the next academic year alone, we already know we are short $3.7 million for next year.
• of academic excellence national center of academic excellence in<01:02:44.559> cyber<01:02:45.040
• excellence, one of about 80 in academic excellence, one of about 80 in the<01:02:59.799> country.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The SNAP benefit program at the state level, they've got performance metrics, and one of the key performance
• I've never seen that kind of pay for performance, hard pay for performance kind of policy proposal from
• performance, which may be an indication that the academic performance, the academic standards are not
• They are doing well, performing well on juvenile justice services, whereas they don't really perform
• Uh, the forensic library has two, troubling performance indicators.

Transcript Highlights:

• We need disaggregated data on school mobility, academic performance, attendance, and disciplinary trends
• for students... ...school mobility, academic performance, attendance, and disciplinary trends for students
• by court personnel are indistinguishable from those performed at the FRC level.
• academically, behaviorally, and in relationships with peers and adults.
• These filings are also and duplicate work that the FRC already performs.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Children, Families, and Persons with Disabilities held a hybrid hearing on a series of child welfare bills focused on DCF, foster care, mandated reporting, educational records, and family support. Chair Kennedy and Chair Livingstone opened with accessibility and testimony rules, then heard testimony on bills including S.127 on expanding mandated reporters, S.107/H.235 on a Foster Children’s Bill of Rights, S.106/H.228 on transferring foster care review from DCF to the Office of the Child Advocate, H.258/S.125 on an electronic backpack for foster children’s educational records, H.205 on kinship foster care background checks, H.246/H.266 on minimizing trauma in care and protection cases, and S.159 on support for families after sudden unexpected infant death. Supporters of the mandated reporter bill, led by Sen. Feeney and Foxborough advocates, described a local model that trains all adults who work with children and argued the state should scale that approach statewide to improve recognition and reporting of abuse. Testimony on the foster care bills emphasized the need for clearer rights, better notice to children and attorneys, stronger remedies, and independent oversight. Advocates, youth with lived experience, and legal organizations described placement instability, delayed notifications, abuse in care, poor educational continuity, and the need for rights around safety, family contact, culture, language, and access to records. Several witnesses urged that the Foster Children’s Bill of Rights include enforceable court remedies, not just reporting requirements. On the oversight bill, supporters argued DCF should not review its own foster care system and pointed to poor outcomes, high placement instability, and recent investigative reporting as evidence for moving review responsibilities to the Office of the Child Advocate. On the electronic backpack bill, testimony focused on the need for real-time data sharing and a centralized system so schools can receive foster students’ records quickly and support continuity. On the trauma-minimization bill, Rep. Miskin framed the proposal as a set of practical changes to reduce harm during removals and court involvement. On the SUID bill, Sen. Lovely said families should be given information about available grief and support resources after an infant death. No votes were taken during the hearing; the committee primarily received testimony and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• It does mention academic performance. >> Yes, sir. >> Okay.
• the pupil's academic or athletic performance. performance. performance.
• It does mention academic performance. performance. performance. >> Yes,<01:37:39.920> sir.
• And they actually include the framework of academic performance, financial health, and organizational
• Not academic or behavioral, but academic purposes.

Keywords: MS House Floor - 15 January, 2026; 10:00 AM, 925, all

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, a quorum present, and approval to dispense with the reading of the journal. Members introduced guests from Humphreys County and South Haven, then moved to the calendar and took up House Bill 2, a broad education-related measure. The bill was called up, the rules were suspended, and a committee substitute was adopted. An initial amendment correcting drafting errors in the charter school section and subsection numbering was then adopted without objection. Members then gave extended explanations of HB 2, describing it as a comprehensive school choice and education reform package. Supporters said the bill would create Magnolia student accounts/education savings accounts funded from existing per-pupil dollars, prioritize lower-income families, require testing and financial audits, expand special needs ESAs, and allow public-to-public transfers without a sending district veto. The bill also would expand charter schools into districts with D or F schools, create an accountability dashboard for public and private school reporting, expand the Tim Tebow Act for homeschool extracurricular participation, extend literacy and math requirements through eighth grade, adjust teacher and assistant teacher pay and retirement-related provisions, create a specialized school option program, and require a federal testing waiver. Supporters framed the measure as empowering parents while preserving public schools. During questions, members raised concerns about charter schools, the cost of the program, accountability, and whether the bill would help or harm public education. One member asked whether failing charter schools were addressed; the response was that the bill was aimed at reconstituting the system rather than directly fixing those schools. Another questioned why a child accepted for transfer could still be denied by a receiving district; the bill sponsor said districts would set and publish acceptance policies and could deny students for lack of room. The discussion remained focused on the bill’s scope and policy rationale, and the transcript does not show a final vote on passage of HB 2 in the excerpt provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• effective, felt better prepared than those coming through any other pathway, passed the teacher performance
• If you look at a five-year window here, in 2019-20, the academic year that took us into COVID, We produced
• We are a high-performing school district.
• To continue throughout the entire academic year in real-time, we paused applications on November 15th
• Their educational program at the end of that 23-24 academic year.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's also a common misconception that only high-profile performers can gain from this legislation.
• It's also a common misconception that only high-profile performers can gain from this legislation.
• I come to speak out against the definition, in part because it is a violation of academic freedom.
• I am an academic.
• I am an academic.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee opened with procedural guidance for a very large hearing, explaining testimony limits, written testimony procedures, and rules for maintaining order. Members then heard testimony on a wide range of bills, including proposals to define antisemitism using the IHRA definition, regulate facial recognition technology, restrict weaponized robotics and drone use, expand protections for journalists’ confidential sources, address access to decedents’ email accounts, and create or adjust rules around municipal enforcement and animal cruelty fines. Several sponsors and advocates asked for favorable reports, and committee members asked clarifying questions on implementation, costs, and how the bills would interact with existing law. On facial recognition, sponsors and advocates described the technology as a threat to privacy, due process, and civil liberties, and urged adoption of the Special Commission’s recommendations, including warrant requirements, notice to defendants, and limits on untargeted surveillance. Support came from legislators, the ACLU, CDT, EFF, and a UMass professor, while committee members asked about current state law and municipal bans. On robotics, Senator Moore and industry witnesses from MassRobotics, Boston Dynamics, and AUVSI supported a bill prohibiting weaponized robots and requiring warrants for certain law enforcement uses, describing it as a public-safety and trust-building measure. On the shield law bill, newspaper publishers, journalists, NEFAC, and the Reporters Committee argued Massachusetts needs statutory protection for confidential sources, citing costly subpoenas and chilling effects on reporting. The committee also heard testimony on a bill to expand the right of publicity to cover image and voice, with SAG-AFTRA members supporting protections against AI-driven exploitation and some discussion about viral content and consent. Another bill would allow limited access to a decedent’s email accounts, with one witness describing a family’s inability to use a deceased relative’s email to notify friends. The committee then took testimony on psilocybin-related bills: supporters described medical and personal benefits and argued for narrow decriminalization or study, while an opponent warned of public-health risks, impaired driving, and youth exposure; the Massachusetts Psychiatric Society supported limited, safety-based decriminalization. Finally, the committee heard strong support for a “safe reporting” bill for sex workers and trafficking survivors, with advocates saying immunity would encourage victims and witnesses to report crimes without fear of arrest, and members raised questions about how the immunity would work in practice.

Transcript Highlights:

• This past year, my performing school.
• the performing district in the performing district in the state.<00:26:16.159> And<00:
• Nobody's when you show your performance.
• schools and allow Cloverport to perform schools and allow Cloverport to perform and<00:48:19.599
• <00:48:21.920> under and this virtual school to perform under and this virtual school to perform

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Senate Education Committee heard House Bill 132, which would change home and hospital instruction funding so schools can be reimbursed sooner when students miss school for short-term mental health-related stays. Representative Nick Wilson said current law requires a student to be out five days before funding begins, leaving schools unpaid when they provide instruction during 2- to 4-day absences. The committee gave HB 132 favorable expression unanimously. The committee then heard House Bill 193, a cleanup bill on dual credit scholarships. Representative J.T. Payne and KHEAA’s director explained that the bill consolidates academic and CTE dual credit scholarships into one statute to reduce administrative confusion, since the programs have been funded together in recent budgets. HB 193 passed unanimously with favorable expression. House Bill 241 drew the most discussion. The committee first adopted a substitute, which members said changed the bill to give the Commissioner of Education discretion, rather than a mandate, to grant calamity days. The bill and substitute centered on virtual instruction and Cloverport Virtual Academy: supporters said the school was a pilot project that needed more time and that a prior agency effort to cap virtual instruction would have effectively shut it down, while opponents argued the substitute would reward a low-performing virtual model and extend NTI/virtual learning too broadly. Testimony from an Oldham County parent criticized NTI quality and opposed adding more virtual days. No final vote on HB 241 was included in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• This would align the course approval process to the K-12 academic calendar by having courses submitted
• And now this vision of academic apartheid is being realized.
• Lack of access to academic counseling.
• Our district is making significant progress to improve academic achievements.
• There's currently enough performance data currently on the dashboard to evaluate charter schools.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And the last third of the book, which limits its academic value to me, is it gives parents strategies
• So I think that they have that; it’s like any sort of academic process, right?
• The really important question here is what's the impact on academic achievement?
• The impact on academic achievement?
• ... of technology over time in the academic environment.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Instead, trusted as an academic mentor.
• We have so adviser, an academic adviser.
• the assessment and award of academic the assessment and award of academic credit<01:41:10.000>
• Halbert, vice president, academic Halbert, vice president, academic strategy.<01:41:32.239> We
• program level data for each academic program level data for each academic program<01:44:19.199><

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committees heard testimony on HB 1872, which would create an early learning apprenticeship grant program to help early childhood providers participate in approved apprenticeship programs, require annual reporting, and appropriate funds. Testifiers in support included the University of Hawaiʻi, the Executive Office on Early Learning, the City and County of Honolulu, Commit to Keiki, the Chamber of Commerce Hawaiʻi, the Commission on the Status of Women, Hawaiʻi Children’s Action Network Speaks, Parents for Public Schools of Hawaiʻi, and Kīʻoka Family Learning Centers. Supporters said the bill would reduce financial barriers, strengthen recruitment and retention, improve compensation and career pathways, and help address child care shortages and workforce instability. The committee then voted to pass HB 1872 with amendments, including an HD1 and a defective date to allow further discussion. The committee next took up HB 2489, which would appropriate funds for the University of Hawaiʻi to establish a bachelor’s degree program in American Sign Language interpretation, with a longer-term plan for a master’s program. Testimony in support came from the Disability Communication Access Board and the University of Hawaiʻi, and members also heard detailed support from DECAP and other advocates describing a statewide shortage of ASL interpreters, long waiting lists for ASL courses, and the need for locally trained interpreters who understand Hawaiʻi’s cultural and community needs. Witnesses said the shortage affects schools, courts, hospitals, emergency services, and other settings, and that the program could be expanded through articulation with other campuses. The committee voted to pass HB 2489 with amendments, again using an HD1 and defective date. After those two measures, the committee moved to HB 441 on campus safety, which would require students, including transfer students, to complete training on federal laws and university policies regarding sexual misconduct before initial registration and would change how often training is provided to students and employees. The University of Hawaiʻi stood on its written testimony, while supporters including IMUA Alliance and other testifiers urged passage, citing survivor experiences, national best practices, and the need for prevention before harm occurs. No vote on HB 441 was reached in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• For example, they work with EOP, the Educational Opportunity Program, athletics, housing, and academic
• For the 2023-24 academic year, California's 115 community college financial aid offices dispersed $3.5
• Students only need to be in good academic standing with the college and have $1,104 in unmet need.
• The remaining funds supported counseling, academic services, and basic needs.
• Our students need access to pay for their basic needs before they're able to succeed academically.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• class here, who's joining us today, and they're being led by their professor, their instructor, and academic
• Rio Rancho is known for incredible academic excellence. We have incredible sports teams up there.
• And every year, Rio Rancho wins it all in academics, performing arts, and athletics.
• She's a horticulturist, and environmental conservation, and the performing arts.
• The chocolate on our desks was provided by the New Mexico Consortium of Academic Libraries, and I'd also

Keywords: 996, all