Transcript Highlights:

• So this program is partnered with our Hawaii Emergency Management HART program, where we're going into
• 5-year Fitness to proceed program 5-year Fitness to proceed program program program um<01:55:53.199>
• </c> into this um and I think a pilot program into this um and I think a pilot program of<02:06:14.920
• </c> there's some way to have a pilot program there's some way to have a pilot program on<02:10:17.400
• Chair, I appreciate your thoughtful crafting of the pilot program.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: At the joint hearing on SB 951 SD2, the committees heard testimony on a child protection measure requiring mandatory child abuse and neglect reports to include military status and to improve communication between DHS and the Department of Defense. The U.S. Department of Defense testified in support and described its coordinated community response process for abuse reports, saying the bill would help ensure child safety and better coordination with DHS. DHS was initially absent, later appeared, and said it supported the measure but was still working with DOD on implementation details and staff training. Members asked about how DHS becomes involved and whether there were gaps in the current process. The chair recommended passage with technical amendments, including changing the effective date to 7/1/25 and conforming related language, and both committees adopted the recommendation by vote. The Public Safety committee then heard SB 1377 SD2, which would create a Veterans Cemeteries Board within the Office of Veterans Services in the Department of Defense to provide guidance, education, and technical assistance to state veteran cemeteries. DOD supported the bill and explained that county-run cemeteries must meet National Cemetery Administration standards to remain eligible for federal reimbursements and grants; witnesses described past compliance problems at several cemeteries, including one still not compliant in Hilo, and said the board would help counties prepare for future site visits and improve oversight without taking over operations. Members asked about costs, reimbursement amounts, and whether the state would assume cemetery operations; DOD said the current reimbursement process runs through the state to the counties and that direct takeover would be costly. The committee adopted the chair’s recommendation to pass the bill with amendments. The committee also heard SB 1382, which would make intentionally or knowingly causing bodily injury to a National Guard member performing duty a class C felony. The Hawaii National Guard and HPD supported the bill, citing incidents during the Maui response where Guard members encountered noncompliant and sometimes physically confrontational individuals while assisting police and protecting impacted areas. Testimony emphasized that Guard members are often unarmed and should receive protections similar to first responders. One witness opposed the bill, but the committee moved forward and adopted the chair’s recommendation to pass with amendments. Finally, the committee took up SB 1379 SD2 on emergency preparedness and Community Readiness Centers. Hawaii Emergency Management supported the bill, and supporters said it would create a statewide framework for resilience hubs that can provide supplies, action plans, and refuge during disasters. Testimony highlighted recent hurricanes, wildfires, and other hazards, and argued the measure would complement existing county efforts rather than replace them. County of Hawaii testimony opposed the bill, raising concerns about overlap and cost, while members asked about estimated expenses and implementation. The discussion ended with questions about planning and whether the bill would enhance existing programs; no final vote was captured in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:15:07.120><c> in</c> of people about our SNAP program in of people about our SNAP program in
• </c><00:15:56.800><c> and</c> employment and training programs. and employment and training programs.
• Well, the Safe at Home program is a newer program.
• Well, the Safe at Home program is a newer program.
• Well, the Safe at Home program is a newer program.

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• He's coordinating the program manager.
• </c><00:25:23.679><c> that</c> types of risk assessment programs that types of risk assessment programs
• </c> going to start with this pilot program going to start with this pilot program uh<00:25:54.080><c
• </c><00:49:50.559><c> 50</c> program. It's in the farm bill. 50 program.
• So we might be block grant program.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'd like us to, in this legislature, start looking at these programs from that standpoint.
• Department of Education and the continued instability of some of those financial aid programs at the
• Graduate student instructor, a top student in a world-renowned graduate program at Cal.
• I'd like to hear from government program managers coming up saying, here's what I'm looking for.
• That would be terribly inefficient for 50 states to duplicate this program.

Summary: The Assembly Higher Education Committee heard a long policy agenda focused largely on student access, equity, and institutional oversight. Bills discussed included AB 2236 on common course numbering and streamlined articulation across the community colleges, CSU, and UC; AB 2422 on protections when financial aid is delayed; AB 1669 on medical and mental health leaves of absence; AB 1713 on accepting IEPs and 504 plans as proof of disability for accommodations; AB 2766 on priority housing and related supports for foster youth and students experiencing homelessness; AB 2212 on tech-facilitated sexual harassment and AI-generated intimate images; AB 2504 on a pilot to upskill creative-industry workers for AI-related changes; AB 1734 on preserving and expanding California food insecurity data collection; and AB 2771, the sunset bill for the Bureau of Private Postsecondary Education. The committee also took up a consent calendar of three bills earlier in the hearing. Testimony was overwhelmingly in support from student groups, advocacy organizations, and system representatives, with many speakers describing personal experiences with transfer confusion, delayed aid, mental health crises, disability documentation barriers, housing instability, and online sexual harm. AB 2236 drew support from community college, CSU, UC student associations, and college-opportunity advocates, while the CSU Academic Senate registered opposition. AB 2771 drew a notable exchange over the cost and scope of the Bureau of Private Postsecondary Education, with Vice Chair DeMaio opposing the extension on fiscal and bureaucracy grounds; the author responded that the bureau is fee-funded and that its fees had not been raised in years. AB 1734 also prompted skepticism from DeMaio about the survey’s cost, methodology, and whether the work should be competitively bid, though supporters argued the existing California Health Interview Survey infrastructure was the most efficient way to preserve critical food insecurity data after federal cuts. The committee voted to advance the measures it heard, generally on party-line or near-party-line votes, with several bills held open for additional members to add on. AB 2236, AB 2422, AB 1669, AB 1713, AB 1734, AB 2766, and AB 2212 all received do-pass recommendations and were re-referred to the appropriate policy or fiscal committees. AB 2771 was also moved forward to the Committee on Business and Professions after debate over the bureau’s reauthorization and fee structure. The hearing ended with the committee beginning consideration of AB 2504, the AI-related workforce upskilling pilot for creative industries.

Transcript Highlights:

• :16.159><c> implemented</c><00:03:16.640><c> the</c><00:03:16.799><c> Casper</c><00:03:17.280><c> program
• </c> it has implemented the Casper program it has implemented the Casper program Casper<00:03:18.080>
• One broad-range example would be the Footprints program, which is at St.
• </c><00:26:19.640><c> that's</c> like to see kind of a a program that's like to see kind of a a program
• </c><00:27:04.520><c> and</c> aware of these particular programs and aware of these particular programs

Keywords: 00:34 Call to Order/Roll Call 02:09 Discussion of 25RS HB 389 04:05 Roll Call Vote on 25RS HB 389 05:16 Discussion of 25RS HB 501 09:31 Roll Call Vote on 25RS HB 501 10:50 Discussion of 25RS HB 414 (Discussion Only) 42:05 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The Health Services Committee met with a quorum and first considered House Bill 389, a cleanup measure related to the CASPER prescription monitoring program. Representative Duval and staff explained that the bill addresses implementation issues the Office of Inspector General encountered and aligns the definition of “practitioner” for in-state and out-of-state providers. The committee took no questions, then approved the bill unanimously and reported it favorably. The committee then heard House Bill 501, which would allow a pharmacist to fill a prescription for a limited period after the prescribing provider has died, so patients can maintain continuity of care. Sponsors and a pharmacist witness said the bill is intended to reduce uncertainty and liability for pharmacists, excludes controlled substances to comply with federal law, and leaves professional judgment with the pharmacist. Members asked about documentation and verification, and the sponsor said the bill applies when the pharmacist knows of the death and that pharmacies would document the situation as they normally do. The committee discussed the issue briefly and passed the bill unanimously with favorable expression. Finally, the committee took up House Bill 414 for discussion only. Representative Tate and Adia Wisher described it as “Love Them Both,” a perinatal palliative care proposal meant to provide wraparound support for women and families facing fatal fetal anomalies or other serious pregnancy complications. Testimony emphasized that the bill would encourage referrals to programs offering medical, emotional, spiritual, financial, and bereavement support, with examples such as Footprints at St. Elizabeth. Members discussed access, referrals, counseling, coverage language, and the role of fathers, and supporters stressed that the services would be optional and intended to broaden support rather than impose penalties. No vote was taken on House Bill 414.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I ran a weatherization program in Calcasieu Parish back in the '90s.
• “And, I mean, it’s not unlike other programs that happen, whether it’s—I've run some pretty large programs
• over my period of time with the Road Home program, which was super complex.
• But the program—it’s a very... So this is the interesting part. It’s a performance-based program.”
• It's a $100 million program, so..."

Keywords: 965, house, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and first considered H.C.R. 89 by Representative Charles Owen, which directs the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism to study, with the Louisiana State Museum and the World War II Museum, the feasibility of a museum and trail dedicated to the Louisiana Maneuvers. Owen described the historical significance of the maneuvers and said the proposal would mainly involve markers and a modest museum. The committee moved the resolution favorably to the floor without objection. Members then debated H.R. 179 by Representative Marcel, which would create a study of neighborhood crime prevention and security districts and their effectiveness in reducing crime. Several members raised concerns about the number of study groups and the breadth of a statewide review, while others supported gathering data on crime trends, cameras, and district performance. Marcel said the study was intended to collect information, not mandate changes, and the resolution was moved favorably to the floor. The committee next took up S.B. 228 and S.B. 268 by Senator Duplessis, both related to replacing lead and copper water service lines. S.B. 228 was a constitutional amendment allowing public funds to be used on private property for replacement of lead-based and copper pipes, and S.B. 268 set out the process for municipalities or parishes to implement the program, including notice to homeowners and an inventory/testing process. Members questioned homeowner rights, the seven-day notice period, emergency entry language, contracting, and whether the work would fully address hazards inside homes; Rainwater said the program was narrowly tailored, federally funded through the EPA and LDH, and intended to replace lines from the main to the shutoff valve. Both measures were moved favorably as amended. Finally, the committee approved S.B. 283 by Senator Barrow, creating the Boulevard at Harding Area Special District in Baton Rouge to encourage development in a food desert near Southern University, and moved H.R. 225 by Representative Eccles, which urges study of parish-wide solid waste, debris removal, and disaster resilience services in Ouachita Parish. H.R. 223 by Representative Walters, urging Shreveport to partner on the Southern Soul City Initiative, was also moved favorably. The chair noted it was likely the committee’s last meeting of the session, and members and staff were thanked for their work.

Transcript Highlights:

• instructor-led drop-off programs.
• The same way all the other programs and purchases under the statutory framework are vetted.
• and educator-curated programs is, I think, a good one.
• We've navigated through a lot of perilous waters with this program and the funding.
• program must have publicly available and reviewable program descriptions of instructions and activities

Summary: The Student Academic Success Subcommittee met with a quorum and considered two bills. The first, PCS for HB 1565, would expand permitted purchases under the Personalized Education Program scholarship to include digital devices, clarify statutory terms, and distinguish between parent-directed part-time programs and full-time instructor-led programs. Rep. Hinson questioned oversight and misuse safeguards, while the sponsor said existing statutory and SFO oversight already applies. Public testimony included support from the James Madison Institute, and the bill was reported favorably by a 12-1 vote. The committee then heard PCS for HB 1483, the SCORE Act, which would gradually align Florida’s school grading scale with the familiar A-F scale used for students over a 10-year transition. The sponsor argued that current school grades are inflated and confusing to parents, and said the bill would also expand early support identification from pre-K through 8th grade. Members raised concerns about the impact on public and charter schools, low-income communities, teacher workload, resources, property values, and whether the bill should be paired with funding and professional development. Public testimony included an ESE teacher asking about funding and class size, one opponent from Orange County teachers, and a proponent from Florida Citizens Alliance. After extensive debate, the committee voted 12-5 to report PCS for HB 1483 favorably. Supporters said the bill would improve transparency and accountability for parents and create pressure to raise standards, while opponents warned it could sharply increase lower-rated schools without sufficient resources and could mislead the public about school performance during the transition.

Transcript Highlights:

• Happy to be here this morning to provide an overview of Florida's assessment program.
• We can measure growth within the program year Vpk and the end of that program.
• And that's been a fairly limited program.
• But that was I think that summarizes our historical assessment program.
• I mean, there's artificial intelligence, theirs different programs.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• program flexibility.
• operating amid material cost increases rising wildly in ways that programs can't keep up with.
• also be part of the semester program, and that the curriculum, the program, was not approved.
• Same exact thing for the engineering programs.
• Same thing for the engineering program, a leading national program.

Committee: Senate Education

Summary: The committee heard SB 1067, which would require annual math screening for kindergarten through second grade students beginning in 2028-29 to identify early numeracy difficulties and connect students to evidence-based supports. Senator Weber and supporters, including EdVoice, UC Davis researcher Charles Wilkes, and several education and community advocates, argued that California’s math performance is too low and that early screening would help close gaps before they widen. Opponents, including the California Mathematics Council, county superintendents, and the CTA, said the bill could narrow instruction, overemphasize deficit-based measures, and should instead be paired with stronger investments in teacher training and implementation of the California Mathematics Framework. Committee members generally expressed support for the bill’s goals while discussing how the screener would work and what kinds of follow-up supports would be needed. The committee also heard SB 1110 on child care subsidy administration, which would restructure funding for alternative payment programs and core contracts as the state moves to enrollment-based funding. Supporters said the bill would stabilize child care providers, improve payment timelines, and better reflect the administrative work of enrolling families and managing services; there was no opposition testimony. SB 1374, supported by the CSU and UC systems, would allow public higher education institutions to seek temporary restraining orders when credible threats are directed at a campus rather than a specific person. Supporters described recent campus threats that created safety concerns but did not fit current restraining-order law; there was no opposition. Senator Nilo presented SB 1321, which would direct the State Auditor to review remedial course use and student preparedness at selected UC and CSU campuses after a UC San Diego report showed a sharp decline in incoming students’ math readiness. Supporters argued the audit would help identify gaps in college readiness and the effects of K-12 changes, while some members raised concerns about bypassing the usual legislative audit process; the bill was held on call. The committee then took up SB 1086 on microschools, which would define microschools and direct model ordinances for local land-use regulation. Supporters said it would create a clearer path for small, individualized learning communities, but several members questioned whether the concept was sufficiently defined and whether the state had enough information to draft model ordinances; the bill was also placed on call after a quorum was established. Finally, SB 1181 was presented as a limited pilot program in Central Valley counties to connect schools with regional threat assessment centers when credible safety concerns arise. The author and supporters, including the mother of a student killed in a shooting and several students, said it would improve early intervention and communication; committee members raised privacy and federal-sharing concerns but indicated support, and the bill was moved forward on a vote once quorum was present.

Transcript Highlights:

• She is the Movers Program Director.
• executive for the Movers program.
• So on the next slide, just a little bit of program.
• , there's a cost to stop a program as well.
• , there's a cost to stop a program as well.

Committee: House Subcommittee on Appropriations - General Administration

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• will be here to talk about the Movers program specifically.
• duty as assigned to serve as the interim program executive for the Movers program.
• And so I am serving as Movers Program Director currently.
• So on the next slide, just a little bit of program.
• , there's a cost to stop a program as well.

Committee: House Subcommittee on Appropriations - General Administration

Summary: The subcommittee held an informational hearing on the Information Technology Services Division (ITSD) within the Office of Administration, with no quorum present and no formal action taken. Chair Voss said the purpose was to review ITSD’s programs, budget needs, and future plans, and members emphasized the value of an informed appropriator. Representative Riggs cautioned that the state should avoid jeopardizing federal broadband funding and asked that AI-related work remain consistent with federal expectations. ITSD leadership, including CIO John Loren and Deputy CIO Tara Damp, outlined the division’s scope and recent modernization efforts. They said ITSD supports 15 executive agencies plus the governor and lieutenant governor, manages about 1,200 production software solutions, handles roughly 35,000 help desk requests per month, and defends against billions of cyberattacks monthly. They highlighted investments in layered security, data center and network redundancy, a unified Microsoft 365 environment, modern development tools, and portal platforms. Damp reviewed the history of IT consolidation, noting budget reductions after 2007, then increased investment beginning in 2020 and especially with ARPA funds in fiscal 2023. Members asked about spending projections, subscription-based licensing, procurement modernization, and the role of non-consolidated agencies such as MoDOT and Conservation. The committee also discussed future funding needs and benchmarking. ITSD said its current spending is about $287 million, with a projected ongoing need of about $345 million to maintain and modernize services, while Gartner comparisons suggested Missouri spends less per employee and as a share of operating budget than peer states. Members asked for more detailed fiscal-year spending profiles for major initiatives and for clarification on what is and is not included in the projections, including Social Services and HR1-related work. ITSD said it would provide additional detail. A major portion of the hearing focused on AI strategy and governance. Tim Marsheski, ITSD’s director of AI and innovation, described a cautious, pilot-based approach centered on secure use, human oversight, and data governance. He cited examples such as an internal HR chatbot that reduced average response time from about 45 minutes to two minutes, pilots with DESE data transformation, and efforts to use AI for code assistance, document scanning, and workflow support. Members asked about workforce impacts, training, closed versus open models, and whether AI could help with auditing and fiscal analysis. ITSD said it is still early on workforce forecasting, but it is building governance, acceptable-use policies, and feedback loops to test tools, measure results, and scale only when they provide value and remain secure.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, to help us grow those programs.
• So the further we can get into the school programs, we do a lot of educational programs, a lot of the
• We have programs in each program.
• We have used the Water Development Board programs to help us supplement under low cost interest programs
• This program has become wildly successful.

Committee: House Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• He is on the helitack that program.
• </c> program this year. program this year.
• So, we're starting to build some depth with our GNA program into our actual forestry program itself.
• </c> build some depth with our GNA program build some depth with our GNA program into<02:55:14.840><c
• </c> into our actual forestry program itself. into our actual forestry program itself.

Committee: Joint Select Federal Natural Resource Management Committee

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The state program is a self-funded program and bears 100% of its risk.
• </c> moving to the state insurance program. moving to the state insurance program.
• So, go ahead. program? One of the pieces too that program?
• and a dual language program.
• and a dual language program.

Bills: SF0059 , SF0053

Committee: Senate Education

Keywords: language proficiency, literacy education, reading interventions, dyslexia support, Montessori methods, individualized reading plans, amateur status, high school athletics, student eligibility, sports regulation, monetary compensation, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• into community-based programs?
• </c> I'm I'll have to check on the programs. I'm I'll have to check on the programs.
• </c> Flex program. Flex program. &gt;&gt; Thank<00:56:58.480><c> you.</c> &gt;&gt; Thank you.
• </c> even aware of such a program. even aware of such a program.
• </c> defendants who opt out of the program. defendants who opt out of the program.

Committee: House Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs heard House Bill 2095, which would provide supplemental appropriations for the Judiciary for the 2025-2027 biennium. Judiciary Administrative Director Brandon Kimura testified in strong support and outlined a request for about $6.4 million in supplemental operating funds, plus four permanent full-time position conversions. He grouped the request into security, services to court users, and staffing needs, including $3.25 million for supplemental armed private security at judiciary facilities statewide, nearly $200,000 for cybersecurity staffing and support, restoration of funding for substance use treatment purchase-of-service contracts, restoration of funding for the Office of Public Guardian on Kauaʻi, salary commission funding, a Kona court operations position, and two Court-Appointed Special Advocates positions converted from temporary to permanent. He also described five capital improvement requests totaling $55.4 million, led by $30 million for construction of a new South Kohala courthouse, $1.2 million each for air conditioning upgrades in Hilo and Kauaʻi, $15 million for elevator upgrades at Kahumanu Hale, and $8 million in lump-sum bond funds for emerging projects. Several organizations testified in support, including Parents and Children Together and the True Cost Coalition. Supporters emphasized the importance of the purchase-of-service funding for domestic violence and substance use treatment services and said the restoration would return funding to pre-COVID levels and help providers maintain capacity. Kimura explained that the Judiciary often shifts funds among contracts during the year to avoid service interruptions, but that the reduced funding has caused delays and operational problems for providers and probationers. Members asked detailed questions about the capital projects and operating requests. Representative Shimizu asked for more information on the lump-sum bond funds and the elevator project, and Kimura explained that the Kahumanu Hale request covers four remaining elevator shafts after earlier funding addressed the first five elevators. Representative Cochran asked about the absence of Maui County projects, and Kimura said the Judiciary is still planning for its older Maui facilities with DAGS. Chair Tarnas questioned the need for armed private guards and discussed whether court security should be prioritized within the Department of Law Enforcement; Kimura said the Judiciary needs additional personnel now and has not asked DLE to deprioritize other missions, though the chair suggested further coordination between the agencies. No vote or final action on the bill was taken in the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• and protections enterprise, which is also created in the bill to be used to fund programs that provide
• He said the bill generates significant and important revenue for vital youth mental health programs in
• Health programs in our state.
• </c><01:18:57.120><c> that</c><01:18:57.440><c> support</c> limited to programs that support limited
• that prepare children to be programs that prepare children to be successful<01:19:03.040><c> in</c><

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• MnFIRE is providing peer-to-peer support all along as part of the Hometown Heroes Assistant Program (
• This is what we wanted to hear about programs like this. We need to keep going.
• The first time I heard of the Hometown Heroes Assistance Program, I was pleasantly surprised to find
• I am happy to support this change that clarifies the scope of the program, and I hope to continue to
• Thank you, members, for your time and attention and everybody's good words about this program.

Transcript Highlights:

• There is Peter—who actually founded this program over 30 years ago; Connie Arlander, who was also a longtime
• I introduced this because the advocacy of high school students from the CAPS program for the deaf at
• Mitchell Hercule, director of the Hoop Collaborative Youth Development Program, uses basketball as a
• means of Hercule, director of the Hoop Collaborative Youth Development Program, uses basketball as a
• It creates a voluntary and free blue envelope program for drivers and passengers with ASD.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Senate took up several committee reports, resolutions, and House messages, then moved through a series of bills on the calendar. Early action included adopting a Ways and Means order on Senate Bill 2549, which promotes student learning and mental health, by substituting a new draft and setting amendment deadlines and a second reading date. The chamber also adopted congratulatory resolutions for the Sport Fish Restoration Program’s 75th anniversary and the Hawthorn Hotel’s 100th anniversary, and suspended rules on a sick leave bank petition for a trial court employee and on a House bill validating a special election in Hardwick, which was ordered to a third reading. The Senate also adopted a motion to adjourn in memory of Peter Hayden Lapin of Springfield, a veteran and former public servant. The Senate then considered Senate Bill 137, renaming and updating references in the General Laws to replace outdated and offensive terms regarding people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Senators spoke at length in support of the bill, emphasizing respect, disability rights, and the work of advocates such as Melissa Riley and the Arc of Massachusetts. An amendment by Senator Creem replaced “hearing impaired” with “deaf or hard of hearing,” and a corrective amendment by Senator Lovely was also adopted. The bill was then passed to be engrossed by a unanimous 40-0 roll call. Next, the Senate considered Senate Bill 1034, which repeals archaic laws including sodomy-related provisions, the common nightwalker law, and the blasphemy statute, and creates a commission to review archaic laws going forward. Senators described the measure as a civil liberties and dignity issue, with particular attention to the misuse of the common nightwalker law against women and trans people and the historical injustice of blasphemy laws. Amendments were adopted to add the Supreme Court as a recipient of commission reports and to remove the crime of petite treason. The bill was then passed to be engrossed unanimously, 40-0. Finally, the Senate considered Senate Bill 2558, the “blue envelope” bill to improve interactions between police officers and people with autism spectrum disorder. Supporters said the voluntary program would help drivers and passengers with ASD during traffic stops and would be made permanent through the Registry of Motor Vehicles, with the State Police and advocacy groups involved. An amendment requiring in-service training by the Massachusetts Police Training Council was adopted, while a proposed yellow-dot amendment for older drivers with chronic illness was rejected 5-34. A Ways and Means amendment was then adopted, and the bill passed to be engrossed unanimously, 39-0. The Senate then adopted an order to meet again the following Monday at 11 a.m. and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• I didn't know what the program was in the state of Washington, so that's very helpful.
• Engrossed House Bill 2317 relates to early learning program licensing requirements.
• The bill before you adds a child care licensing exemption: a school-day ECEAP program or a Head Start
• program that is located in or on the premises of a public school building or community or technical
• This bill solved a problem that ECEAP programs have been experiencing for years.

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several House education bills. HB 1796 would allow school districts, under existing debt limits and with voter-approved capital levies, to issue non-voted bonds for certain new construction projects. The sponsor and school district witnesses said it would let districts front-fund projects, speed construction, and reduce inflation-related costs; a member of the public opposed it as bypassing voters. HB 2317 would exempt school-day ECEAP and Head Start programs located in public school or community/technical college buildings from child care licensing. The sponsor and providers said the current licensing process is duplicative, delays services, and creates barriers to expanding early learning; no opposition was heard. The committee also heard HB 2594, which would codify McKinney-Vento homeless student protections in state law, require OSPI planning and reporting, and reinforce district responsibilities for students experiencing homelessness. The sponsor gave personal testimony about experiencing homelessness as a student, and advocates said the bill would improve coordination and accountability at no added cost. For HB 2557, which requires school districts to give parents a copy of special education evaluation reports by the 35th school day and hold the eligibility meeting at least five school days later, the sponsor said it would give families time to review reports; school psychologists and OSPI supported the substitute version, while some advocates asked for shorter timelines and clearer waiver language. After the hearings, the committee moved to executive session and advanced two bills: Substitute HB 2360, allowing schools to maintain and use stock albuterol under specified conditions, and Engrossed Substitute HB 2534, updating requirements for military families’ enrollment, records transfer, and related services. Both bills received due pass recommendations and were sent to Rules, with no recorded opposition in the executive session.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, um, this rule is on the volunteer programs that the agency does.
• So, um, this rule is on the volunteer programs that the agency does.
• So, the agency has been operating this program, including requiring forms, at least since 2019.
• </c> implement the adopt a state park program implement the adopt a state park program and<00:09:53.680
• So we have been trying to program.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The JLCAR June meeting opened with the pledge, approval of the prior minutes, and adoption of the consent calendar after one Fish and Game item was pulled for separate consideration. The committee then reordered the regular calendar and postponed an HHS item at the agency’s request because work was still ongoing. The committee next considered OPLC item 2547, concerning amendments to licensure and discipline forms for regulated professions. Members raised concerns that the application was still too geared toward health professions and that renewal forms should be shorter, but the agency said it was moving toward a dynamic online form that would collapse irrelevant questions. The committee concluded the issue was more about agency operations than policy and adopted the rule. For DNCR item 2551, on rules for the Adopt-a-Park volunteer program, staff explained the agency had been operating the program under statute but had realized rules were required and had been using DOJ review in the meantime. Committee members noted the agency had not followed the rulemaking requirement but was now correcting it, and the rule was approved. Fish and Game item 2570, on electronic OHRV and snowmobile registration applications, drew discussion over whether the online process should be processed in five days to match mail-in applications or remain at ten days; the agency cited workload and file-transfer delays, and the committee adopted a conditional approval with an oral amendment leaving the ten-day timeframe in place for now. In other business, staff described a planned upgrade to the committee’s agency portal and database workflow, moving from email submissions to an online portal with better form validation and document upload features. Members supported the modernization and approved the manual change, with implementation expected after agency sign-up and training later in the summer.