Transcript Highlights:

• Committee, any questions for Mr. Martinez? Committee, any questions for Mr. Martinez?
• Chairman, the committee. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, the committee.
• Chairman and committee.
• Chairman and committee members. Good morning, Mr. Chairman and committee members.
• Chairman and committee.

Committee: House Health and Welfare

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Yes, Chair of the Rules Committee. Recognize the chair of the Rules Committee. Thank you, Mr.
• Uh, yes, Rules Committee. Rules Committee in the Silver Room. All<00:44:50.440><c> right.
• Recognize Yes, chair of Rules Committee.
• </c> the chair of Rules Committee. the chair of Rules Committee.
• </c><00:45:03.720><c> Rules</c> Room. Uh yes, Rules Committee. Rules Room. Uh yes, Rules Committee.

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Friday, April 10, 2026, 960, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um and I and I know I've committee.
• > hard</c><00:23:59.600><c> in</c> committee has worked hard in committee has worked hard in [clears
• The the one speaking at committee.
• </c><00:56:37.920><c> Thank</c> study committee on again. Yeah. Thank study committee on again.
• She thanked the committee. There were no further questions from the committee.

Committee: Senate Executive Departments and Administration

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They don't have to follow these rules.
• The rules are, there ain't no rules. LeMay.
• This is simply just making sure rules are in place.
• Good morning, Chair Hinman, members of the committee.
• Chairman and members of the committee.

Committee: House Local Government, Elections and Pensions

Summary: The Committee on Local Government heard testimony on House Bill 3176, which would create a statutory framework for homeowners associations. Sponsor Rep. Koslow said the bill addresses quorum problems, allows defunct associations to revive, sets deadlines for election and covenant challenges, requires fidelity insurance, and expands recordkeeping and disclosure to members. Supporters said Missouri HOAs currently operate under a patchwork of outdated documents and laws, while opponents from the home builders and bankers groups warned the bill could interfere with development interests, create burdens, and increase risk or fees. Committee members raised concerns about fairness, homeowner rights, and whether the bill would override stricter local subdivision standards; no action was taken on the bill during the hearing. The committee also heard House Bill 3277, a local public safety tax measure for Northwoods. Rep. Fountain Henderson said the city needs the tax to upgrade police equipment and support public safety, and members noted the city’s retail center and voter approval requirement. The hearing then moved to House Bill 3143, which would allow counties to place a quarter-cent sales tax on the ballot for senior services. Rep. Parker and supporters from senior services organizations said the measure would help fund Meals on Wheels, transportation, nutrition centers, in-home care, and other aging services, especially in rural areas with limited funding and transportation. Some members questioned the breadth of spending authority, oversight, and whether a sales tax would shift costs onto seniors, but the bill drew supportive testimony overall. In executive session, the committee voted House Bill 2732 do pass by 13-1 and House Bill 3028 do pass unanimously. It then took up House Bill 2431, a package of local tax authorization measures, adopted a substitute and amendment adding several city and county proposals, and voted the House Committee Substitute do pass by 13-1. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Let's move on to standing committee report number 808, 809, 810, top of page five, standing committee
• </c><00:27:19.760><c> report</c> seven standing committee report seven standing committee report 819<
• Okay, moving on to Standing Committee Report 822, then Standing Committee Report 823.
• Okay, moving on to Standing Committee Report 822, then Standing Committee Report 823.
• Standing Committee Report 858, number 859. Standing Committee Report 859.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman, members of the committee.
• Talking about the committees a little bit, I have the HR committee, the IT committee, finance, asset-liability
• asset</c> committee the it committee Finance asset committee the it committee Finance asset liability
• </c> or a committee or a committee meeting<00:47:10.119><c> that</c><00:47:10.960><c> committee</c><00
• to any committee.

Committee: Senate Commerce

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There will be a meeting of the House Rules Committee in the Majority Caucus Room immediately upon the
• The Appropriations Committee will meet immediately following the Rules Committee meeting.
• The Chair recognizes Representative Bradford, Chair of the Committee on Rules, who reports the following
• The Chair rules the following amendments out of order for violating House Rule 20: Amendment A03929 and
• The Chair rules the following amendments out of order for violating House Rule 20.

Keywords: Scheduler, 973, house, all

Summary: The House convened, approved a prior journal, confirmed a quorum, and received several bill referrals and calendar motions before moving into caucus and committee announcements. Members also welcomed a number of guests and student visitors to the chamber. After recess, the House resumed with committee reports from Appropriations and Rules, agreeing to re-reported bills including House Bills 1006, 106, 2014, 2037, 2460, 2512, 2559, 2644, 733, 2455, 2499, and 2529. The chamber adopted two resolutions: House Resolution 462 designating May 17, 2026, as World Neurofibromatosis Awareness Day, and House Resolution 553 designating May 19, 2026, as Pontian Greek Genocide Remembrance Day. Both sponsors spoke in support, with the NF resolution emphasizing awareness, diagnosis, and research, and the Pontian Greek resolution focusing on remembrance of historical persecution and ethnic violence. The House also passed several bills on final consideration, including House Bill 2014 on opportunities for minors in emergency service organizations, House Bill 2037 on cryptocurrency-related ethics restrictions, House Bill 2512 on rideshare pricing protections, House Bill 2644 on legislative authorization for capital bridge projects, and House Bill 2559 on state property conveyances. Amendments were considered on several measures. On House Bill 2359, which prohibits government agencies from entering nondisclosure agreements related to data centers, one amendment requiring hyperscale data centers to pay their own energy costs failed on a 101-101 tie, another amendment making the bill effective immediately was adopted, and a third amendment protecting trade secrets failed. On House Bill 779 regarding abusive towing practices, an agreed-to amendment was adopted. House Bill 733 modernizing marriage ceremony law, Senate Bill 1294 on penalties for unlicensed commercial driving schools, and Senate Bill 1259 clarifying parole record privilege and access were agreed to, and House Bill 2499 concerning the State Workers Insurance Fund and Investment Authority was also advanced. The House then recommitted several bills to Appropriations, removed others from the tabled calendar, and adjourned until June 30, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Ways and Means Committee.
• </c> the uh House Ways and Means Committee. the uh House Ways and Means Committee.
• </c> and administration committee. and administration committee.
• </c><00:13:10.240><c> 800</c> education administrative rule 800 education administrative rule 800 and
• <00:13:14.639><c> associated</c><00:13:15.360><c> with</c> rules associated with rules associated with

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The commission to study the cost of special education met, confirmed a quorum, introduced members and guests, and approved the minutes from the October 29 meeting. Members noted the commission’s mandate under Senate Bill 57 and emphasized the need to focus on recommendations and findings by July 1, 2026. The chair also distributed additional handouts, including materials related to the Education Freedom Account (EFA) program and administrative rules tied to differentiated aid and disability determinations. The main discussion centered on how students qualify for differentiated aid under the EFA program. Matt Sutherton of the Children’s Scholarship Fund explained that the organization, which contracts with the state to administer EFAs, accepts either school-district/IEP documentation or a medical certification of disability (MCD) from a licensed medical professional. Members questioned how this process relates to the state’s special education rules and whether the school-district examiner standards in ED 107/1107.04 apply to EFAs. Sutherton said the MCD form, created with the department, requires the medical professional to sign that they are qualified to make the determination and to identify the disability. Several members expressed concern that the EFA process is less rigorous than the school-district IEP process and may be inflating disability counts. One member argued that the administrative rules cited are primarily for school districts, not EFAs, and said the Department of Education may not know how many of the roughly 890 EFA students receiving differentiated aid came through school-district documentation versus the MCD pathway. Another member said the EFA system appears more generous than the school system and raised concerns about oversight, auditing, and whether the program’s data are accurate. Sutherton said the organization reviews signed documentation, credentials, and diagnosis information, and may request additional records to help adjudicate expenses. No votes or formal actions were taken beyond approving the prior minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• , policies, and... ...under the same rules, policies, and regulations.
• Are we all expected to abide by the same rules?
• Are citizens expected to know what those rules are as well when... know what those rules are as well
• Chairman, members of the committee. You have before you HB7.
• But um, early on, I guess in this session, we adopted a rule within LSA... we adopted a rule within LSA

Bills: HB202 , HB42 , HB146 , HB492 , HB285 , HB7 , HB454 , HB42 , HB7

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Keywords: law enforcement, immunity, civil liability, use of force, recruitment, bail reform, cash deposit, judicial discretion, criminal justice, Alabama law, youthful offender, capital murder, public safety, victims' rights, juvenile offenders, delinquent acts, juvenile court, nonfelony offenses, water safety offenses, HB285

Transcript Highlights:

• Let me ask the committee.
• We had debate in committee.
• “The code or rules, the federal rules, or any guidance by the Food and Drug Administration wholly or
• Pending before this committee is the committee substitute for House Bill 5101.
• on the Judiciary and then, under the original double committee reference, to the Committee on Finance

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes and then took up House Bill 4852, a strike-and-insert bill revising West Virginia’s food additive restrictions. Counsel explained that it moved the existing additive list into a new code section, kept the 2028 effective date, added exceptions for dietary supplements, alcoholic liquor, non-intoxicating beer, and small sellers under $5,000 per month, and created civil penalties for knowing violations. Testimony split between industry witnesses, who argued the bill and last year’s law would raise costs, burden interstate commerce, and conflict with federal regulation, and advocates who said the law is already prompting companies to reformulate and that the bill clarifies vague language tied to a federal injunction. Several amendments were offered to tie the law to FDA action or exempt soda, pepperoni rolls, frozen confections, and snack foods; some were adopted and others failed. The committee then adopted the strike-and-insert amendment as amended and reported HB 4852 to the full Senate with a do-pass recommendation. The committee next considered House Bill 5484, which creates felony offenses for interfering with a victim’s access to medical treatment or forensic care related to a sexual offense, or for forcing a victim of a sexual offense who becomes pregnant to have an illegal abortion, along with a conspiracy offense. Counsel said the strike-and-insert added clarifying language and definitions. Members raised concerns that the conspiracy language could be read to include the victim herself, and the bill sponsor said the intent was to target traffickers and abusers who keep victims from medical care and force abortions outside medical facilities. An amendment was adopted clarifying that nothing in the subsection imposes criminal liability on the victim of the sexual offense. The committee then adopted the strike-and-insert amendment, reported HB 5484 to the full Senate with a do-pass recommendation, and adopted a title amendment. The final bill discussed in the excerpt was House Bill 4468, which narrows confidentiality protections for victims in criminal complaints by limiting redaction to names and addresses, while still allowing disclosure to other governmental entities and permitting victims to request redaction of addresses from appellate decisions after July 1, 2026. Counsel said the bill would replace broader existing confidentiality language and remove provisions allowing disclosure upon a showing of justice or by subpoena. Members questioned whether the change would weaken victim privacy protections, noting that identifying information can include much more than names and addresses. The committee then began hearing testimony from a county prosecutor on the bill, but the excerpt ends before any vote or final action on HB 4468.

Transcript Highlights:

• Madam Chair and members of the committee, for the record, I'm Susan Jones, committee staff.
• Members of the committee, Tammy fell on. Thank you, Madam Chair, members of the committee.
• Thank you, Madam Chair, members of the committee. I'm Jared Sachs, staff to the committee.
• Thank you, Madam Chair, members of the committee. I'm Jared Sachs staff to the committee.
• Members of the committee, I'm Marlon Yannis, staff to the committee.

Summary: The Senate Labor and Commerce Committee heard testimony on several bills. SB 6152 would add physical and occupational therapists as attending providers in workers’ compensation claims. Supporters said it would reduce delays, improve access to care, and speed return to work; opponents, including the Washington State Medical Association, retail and business groups, and L&I, raised concerns about diagnosis, scope of practice, network enrollment, implementation time, and the $1.9 million fiscal note from accident and medical aid accounts. The committee also heard SB 5437, which would prohibit non-compete agreements and clarify non-solicitation rules. The sponsor and labor and physician groups supported ending non-competes as anti-competitive and harmful to worker mobility, while business, banking, and clinic representatives argued non-competes protect investments, confidential information, and patient/customer relationships and asked for narrower changes. The committee then heard SB 6058, which would give L&I discretion over whether to investigate wage complaints and would toll civil statutes of limitation when a complaint is filed. The sponsor said it would better match agency resources, and testimony was entirely supportive. SB 5944 would require language access provider compensation bargaining to include missed or canceled appointments and make CBAs prevail over conflicting agency policies; the sponsor and union representatives said it would create consistency across agencies, with no opposition testimony. SB 6039 would modernize L&I communications by allowing electronic notices while preserving a non-electronic option; supporters called it a permissive modernization, while worker advocates warned email could be missed and could burden vulnerable workers, though L&I said the bill preserves choice and has no fiscal impact. Finally, the committee heard SB 6117, which would place workers and employers not covered by the NLRA under PERC jurisdiction if federal law no longer applies, with card-check and secret-ballot procedures and interest arbitration provisions. Supporters said it would create a state backstop if federal labor enforcement fails and protect workers’ organizing rights; opponents from agriculture, business, and small business groups warned it was too broad, could sweep in agriculture and small businesses, and could weaken secret-ballot protections and disrupt harvest operations. The sponsor closed by saying the bill is intended to create a clear framework where federal jurisdiction is absent. No votes or executive actions were taken in the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• . committee. committee.
• </c> committee. So, welcome. Thank you, sir. committee. So, welcome. Thank you, sir.
• . committee. committee.
• </c> the new rules? the new rules?
• Other legislation that has passed through this committee this year is saying that the rules would be

Committee: House Science, Technology and Energy

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and of the House of Representatives International Trade Committee, or its successor committees, or the
• and of the House of Representatives International Trade Committee or its successor committees or the
• Seeing none, we'll move on to the Committee on Education.
• Committee on Federalism, page 49-2006.
• HB 2798, as amended by the Natural Resources, Energy and Water Committee and Appropriations Committee

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The meeting covered a long series of bills, mostly in health, education, commerce, federalism, and government. In health, members discussed radiology technology updates (HB 2050), a tribal Medicaid waiver/drawdown measure with no state cost (HB 2177), an emergency medicine study committee (HB 2183), fetal death certificate and remains-transfer requirements (HB 2184), a physician assistant licensure compact (HB 2190), dementia care telemonitoring funding (HB 2202), SNAP error-rate reduction and fraud/eligibility oversight bills (HB 2206, HB 2442, HB 2797), child welfare protections like credit freezes and recorded interviews (HB 2321, HB 2322), and podiatric licensure compacts (HB 2438). Several of these were described as consent-calendar items, while HB 2206 and the SNAP-related measures drew discussion about fraud reduction, administrative burden, and work requirements. In commerce and finance, the committee heard bills on mobile food vendors and local permits (HB 2118), earned wage access services with fee caps and disclosure rules (HB 2309), CPA licensure changes (HB 2476), cash acceptance for retail purchases under $100 (HB 2555), drone delivery and unmanned aircraft guardrails (HB 2875), timeshare salesperson licensing (HB 2877), and a prohibition on state-mandated social credit scoring in lending decisions (HB 2903). The tax and retirement-related items included 529 plan conformity and Roth IRA transfer rules (HB 2477), annual tax conformity to the Internal Revenue Code (HB 2785), ASRS technical and disability-related changes (HB 2089, HB 2090, HB 2092), and a bill on employee health insurance definitions (HB 2089). The Arizona Commerce Authority bill (HB 2754) would add legislative members to the board and shift more control over trade offices and Arizona Competes Fund spending to the legislature. The education section focused heavily on school governance and finance. Bills included patriotic youth group presentations in schools (HB 2312), school board term limits (HB 2318), mandatory training for governing board members (HB 2379), independent municipal advisors for bond elections (HB 2320), restrictions on districts buying operating charter/private school sites to game enrollment formulas (HB 2376), conflict-of-interest limits for school facilities board architects and engineers (HB 2378), public meeting and travel transparency rules for districts (HB 2380), limits on long-term school property leases and reporting requirements (HB 2384), tighter bidding rules for school construction job orders using Building Renewal Grant funds (HB 2482), and a voluntary computer science proficiency seal (HB 2764). Sponsors repeatedly framed these as transparency, accountability, and anti-abuse measures, while some opposition centered on local flexibility, housing use, and existing training providers. In federalism and government, the committee heard bills to give counties more time to mail sample ballots (HB 2006), require courts to identify veterans at first appearance for possible veterans court referral (HB 2226), study veterans’ awareness of benefits (HB 2406), broaden military leave protections (HB 2663), require SAVE verification for voter registration and certain state services (HB 2806), require U.S.-sourced voting machine components by 2029 (HB 2901), affirm the Electoral College (HB 2902), and establish due process protections for justice of the peace courts against outside administrative action (HB 2976). Government committee items included a later deadline for library trustees’ annual reports (HB 2129), a two-year limit on certain adult protective services reports to the Attorney General (HB 2228), and an exemption for public and semi-public cold plunges from ADEQ spa rules (HB 2439). Several bills were reported as consent-calendar items, and a number of sponsors noted committee votes, fiscal neutrality, or favorable testimony in support of the measures.

Transcript Highlights:

• I love this committee.
• Thank you, committee.
• So welcome to the committee. Thank you so much, Mr. Chairman and committee.
• Welcome to committee. Good morning, Mr. Chairman, members of the committee.
• Welcome to committee, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, committee.

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Please excuse members of the Criminal Jurisprudence Committee to attend a meeting of the committee.
• You know. also fall under the rules.
• Members, please excuse members of the calendars committee to attend a meeting of the committee.
• Speaker, I move to suspend the five-day posting rule to permit the Committee on Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence
• I move to suspend the five-day posting rule to permit the Committee on Corrections to hold a public hearing

Summary: The House convened with a quorum, offered an invocation, led the pledges, and approved a series of routine motions, including excusing absent members and granting permission for several committees to meet while the House was in session. Members also adopted several memorial and recognition resolutions, including H.R. 1023 honoring Christian Beerbill, H.R. 1033 recognizing International Bereaved Mother’s Day, and H.R. 877 recognizing Urban League Advocates Day. The House also recommitted SB 17 and HB 4211 to committee and postponed SCR 27 and HB 2145 for later consideration. The chamber then took up a long third-reading calendar of bills covering a wide range of topics, including Sunset review measures, health care workforce and pricing, child custody and family law, Medicaid, rural ambulance grants, energy reporting, public information requests, trail development, virtual meeting disruptions, occupational licensing, protective orders, county leave pools, animal cruelty, infrastructure, and higher education. Most bills were explained briefly by their authors and passed with broad support, though several drew notable opposition, including HB 5265, HB 2402, HB 3000, HB 3237, HB 3326, HB 1056, HB 281, HB 3308, HB 1043, HB 1234, HB 1193, HB 294, HB 809, HB 334, HB 2037, HB 285, HB 1353, HB 3960, HB 4044, HB 4264, HB 2807, HB 3349, HB 4406, HB 1593, HB 1899, HB 1201, and others. Several bills prompted extended debate or amendments. HB 3237, extending public energy-use reporting for state and higher-education buildings, passed after questions about its public-sector-only scope and energy savings. HB 3326, addressing public service loan forgiveness credit for adjunct professors, initially failed on a 69-70 vote but later passed after verification and machine corrections. HB 3211, concerning optometrists in managed care plans, adopted a Buckley amendment before passing. HB 2213 on Texas Windstorm Insurance Association board composition adopted a Metcalf amendment requiring certain board members to be Texas residents. HB 412, dealing with harmful materials and sexual performance of a child, generated extensive questioning about its scope, existing legal standards, and effects on educators and medical professionals; the excerpt ends during that debate.

Transcript Highlights:

• I appreciate you taking time to appear before this committee.
• Let's see if any other committee members have a question.
• Committee members, no further action before this committee. This committee meeting is adjourned.
• Committee members, don't further action before this committee.
• This committee, this meeting is adjourned. Hi.

Committee: All ALC-GAME & FISH/STATE POLICE

Summary: The committee first heard from Arkansas State Police leadership about efforts to reduce vehicle pursuits and fleeing from law enforcement. Members discussed prior legislation that made fleeing a felony and enhanced penalties when suspects exit moving vehicles, and the State Police reported those changes, along with a social media/public service campaign and work with prosecutors, were associated with a 29% decline in pursuits from 2023 to 2025, or 180 fewer pursuits last year than in 2023. Members also asked about a recent mistaken PIT/TVI incident involving the wrong vehicle; the agency said the family was not injured, had requested privacy, and the trooper involved was terminated. The committee also received an overview of the Arkansas State Police Foundation, which funds scholarships, emergency assistance for troopers’ families, and facilities and training support, with no lobbying role reported. The committee then heard from the Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training on officer decertification and hiring accountability. Director Chris Chapman explained that every officer separation must be reported, that files are flagged when conduct may warrant decertification even if it does not meet that threshold, and that hiring agencies must be told about prior misconduct before they can add an officer to their roster. He said the commission now receives more decertification requests than before, with requests rising from 158 in the prior three-year period to 256 in the last three years, and that 147 officers were pending hearings, down from a prior backlog that had stretched to about four and a half years. He also said the commission meets every other month for two-day hearings, and that most decertifications involve integrity or honesty issues. Members asked about open investigations, citizen complaints, appeals, and public access to decertification records. Chapman said resignations during internal affairs or criminal investigations are flagged, citizen complaints are usually handled through supervisors, chiefs, sheriffs, or prosecutors and may lead to decertification review if warranted, and decertified officers can appeal to circuit court. He added that decertification records are subject to the Freedom of Information Act and may be used in civil claims. No votes were taken, and the meeting adjourned after discussion of a possible future committee meeting at the fish hatchery in Lonoke.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> committee. Welcome back for the session. committee. Welcome back for the session.
• </c><00:03:47.920><c> guidelines</c> minute to read the committee guidelines minute to read the committee
• /c><00:04:21.359><c> ourselves</c> procedural rules and conduct ourselves procedural rules and conduct
• If you need to committee meetings.
• Paramore is on this committee.

Bills: HB87 , HB96 , HB28 , HB87 , HB96 , HB28

Committee: House Ways and Means Education

Keywords: HB87, Marengo County, coroner, deputy coroner, county commission, expense allowance, mileage allowance, travel reimbursement, local act, local legislation, county general fund, public official compensation, county office, Section 45-46-60, Alabama Code, salary increase, allowance increase, National Signing Day, athletic scholarships, military enlistment

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman, uh, the rules also do not, and they are included as attachment A in the memo, the rules do
• Number one, the rules Number one, the rules literally restate the statute, so they do not, much like
• Then we take a look and bring it to a committee of our Board of Directors, the Investments Committee,
• So, be happy to provide that to the committee. the committee.
• , the Joint Minerals Committee.

Committee: Joint Appropriations

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Morning, Chairman, committee. Bruce Skaug, District 10.
• Chairman and committee members.
• Committee, you'll just note we'll see a few more of these RSs around rules.
• It's just the way we changed the rules process.
• Thank you, Representative Monks and committee members.

Summary: The House Ways and Means Committee approved the minutes from February 25 and February 27, then considered and introduced several RS measures. Representative Manwaring presented RS-33619, a cleanup/replacement for a fast stablecoin proposal that clarifies the State Treasurer’s authority and removes references to the State Controller; it was introduced after a brief correction to the statement of purpose. Representative Skaug presented RS-33593, which would allow the attorney general or private parties to bring lawsuits over secret social transitioning of children without parental knowledge; the motion passed, with Representatives Rubel, Birch, and Church recorded as nays. Representative Raymond’s RS-33581, dealing with county fair boards and the population threshold that can make them advisory only, was also introduced. Representative Scott presented RS-3355-5, a major overhaul of Idaho custody law from the child custody task force. The proposal would establish legislative findings on parenting rights, create a presumption of substantially equal parenting time, require evidentiary hearings before restrictions in contested cases, set limits on temporary and ex parte custody orders, require restoration plans, protect parental access to records, tighten standards for supervised visitation, and limit court-ordered professionals to advisory roles. Members asked about judicial feedback and evidentiary standards; Scott said the bill had been discussed with judges, the Supreme Court, lawyers, prosecutors, parents, and law enforcement, and that some questions would be answered later. The motion to introduce passed. The committee also introduced RS 33590, a rules-related resolution for the Department of Commerce and Division of Veterans Services, and then shifted to Representative Ehlers’ measures. RS 33598 would remove a 50-cent fee from standard license plates tied to the Idaho Heritage Trust Fund and create a new America 250 specialty plate. RS 33607 would implement a task force recommendation by moving regulatory duties from agricultural commissions to the State Department of Agriculture, including the Honey Commission. Both were introduced, and the committee adjourned after noting more RS items may be coming.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're going to adhere to the committee rules on time limits: five minutes for the author's opening and
• Reed, will be providing analysis and reporting to this committee and to the Senate Education Committee
• Committee members, Rep. Freiberg has made a motion to report H. Committee members, Rep.
• Thank you, committee. Okay. Next up, we have... Thank you. Thank you, committee. Okay.
• Okay, committee members, Rep.

Committee: House Education

Summary: The House Education Committee met on March 31, 2026, and heard several bills focused largely on workforce training, student aid, and school safety. HB 325 by Rep. Brass would add successful completion of nine dual-enrollment credit hours as a third eligibility pathway for the TOPS Tech Award; after a clarifying amendment limiting the change to students graduating in the 2026-2027 school year, the bill drew broad support and was reported favorably. HB 407 by Rep. Larvadane would return the M.J. Foster Promise Program’s initial eligibility age to 21 for two years, grandfathering in current younger participants while the state addresses funding shortfalls; despite concerns about access for 18- to 20-year-olds, the committee adopted the amendment and reported the bill as amended on a 12-2 vote. HB 482 by Rep. Turner would loosen TOPS Tech requirements, including lowering one academic threshold, raising the age window to 25, and increasing the award amount at community and technical colleges; after an amendment expanding the affected institutions beyond LCTCS, it was reported favorably. The committee also advanced HB 283 by Rep. Newell, which strengthens penalties and school responses for assault and battery on teachers and other school employees and expands sick-leave coverage for related medical, psychological, and rehabilitation treatment. Testimony from educators and union representatives described serious incidents of violence and fear of retaliation, while a school district attorney warned about unintended consequences for rural districts, transportation, and students with disabilities; the bill was amended to include students as protected victims and then reported with amendments. HB 448 by Rep. Adams would allow scholarships for firefighters injured or killed in the line of duty, and their spouses, to be used for graduate study rather than only a bachelor’s degree; after an amendment clarifying the scholarship could be used for bachelor’s or advanced degrees, it was reported as amended. HB 319 by Rep. Beham, a cleanup measure for the Louisiana Commission on Civic Education to improve quorum and update organizational references, was reported favorably. HB 195 by Rep. Beham, which would bar public postsecondary institutions from prohibiting students from carrying self-defense chemical spray on campus, was amended to add exceptions and then reported with amendments. The committee also heard testimony on HCR 10 by Rep. Wilder, which asks the Louisiana High School Athletic Association to recognize dance and cheer as sanctioned sports; the sponsor said the resolution was prompted by a parent request and safety concerns, and an amendment was expected to broaden the measure. Throughout the meeting, members repeatedly emphasized workforce development, dual enrollment, and the need to align education programs with labor-market demand, while also debating how to balance student access, funding limits, and school safety.