Transcript Highlights:

• only applied liberal arts and sciences university...
• And whereas the nationally recognized university ensemble, Mariachi Plata de Western New Mexico University
• They were private students and were able to enroll at Western New Mexico University, and they each graduated
• And I was really appreciative of the university. ...over 30 college credits.
• public community college faculty, and making an appropriation.

Bills: HM3 , HM11 , HM14 , HM15 , HM18 , HM21 , HB10 , HB11 , HB12 , HB13 , HB14 , HB31 , HB50

Transcript Highlights:

• , TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT STUDENTS IN ELEMENTARY AND HIGH SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY COLLEGES LEARN HOW TO
• AND THE PROVOST AND EXECUTIVE ADVICE TO PRESIDENT OF UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA.
• AND ONE OF A AT THE COLLEGE OF ART OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE CYBERSECURITY AND COMPUTING AND I WANT
• THE COLLEGE AND THIS FRAMEWORK INTEGRATES THE ENTIRE UNIVERSITY AND I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT WHICH JUSTIFY
• A JOB IN THIS COLLEGE AND ANY OTHER COLLEGE HAS TO GO THROUGH A FLOW CHART AND COME OUT OF THE FLOW

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm not interested in giving illegal immigrants a discount on our colleges and universities.
• I am not saying I don't believe immigrants should be able to go to our colleges and universities.
• It is illegal immigrants who attend our colleges and universities. do not get in-state tuition.
• I would tell you there are about 2,000 at our universities, and the balance are at our colleges.
• they are now in our colleges and universities.

Bills: SJR36 , SR8 , SR14 , SR15 , SR17 , HCR54

Transcript Highlights:

• life and being immersed in college is part of the process.
• This is the first time that an organization has been expelled from Southern University and A&M College
• This is the first time that an organization has been expelled from Southern University and A&M College
• that carries students through college and beyond.
• Campus and college should be exciting.

Summary: The task force met with a quorum to review and adopt final recommendations responding to the death of Caleb Wilson and broader hazing prevention concerns in Louisiana higher education. Members and the Wilson family discussed the need for clearer legal definitions and stronger accountability, including whether Southern University’s expulsion of the Omega Psi Phi chapter was permanent; leaders said the current law leaves ambiguity and a legislative fix is needed to define suspension and expulsion. The committee also approved the November 3 minutes and received updates on hazing sanctions and hearing panel processes across the public postsecondary systems. A major portion of the meeting focused on recommendations for annual hazing-prevention training for students, advisors, faculty, and staff, plus training for conduct panel members. Witnesses from LSU and other systems described current practices, including online modules and in-person training, while members raised concerns about scope, mandatory reporter obligations, and whether all employees should be covered. Several recommendations were adopted, including annual student training, annual advisor training, annual faculty and staff training with an amendment to apply to “appropriate” personnel, and a sustainable funding mechanism to support training and reporting. The task force also adopted an amnesty policy recommendation to encourage reporting and help-seeking, clarified that it would be left to legislation whether organizational amnesty is included, and supported reverting the evidentiary standard in institutional hazing proceedings from clear and convincing evidence back to preponderance of the evidence. The committee further approved recommendations to add hazing incidents, prevention efforts, and compliance data to the annual power-based violence report, to impose clear penalties for noncompliance tied to bond commission consequences, and to align hazing reporting penalties with existing power-based violence reporting rules. For K-12 schools, the task force discussed expanding bullying and hazing materials to nonpublic schools, updating educational materials, and improving data collection. Closing remarks from student members, university leaders, and the Wilson family emphasized that hazing is a culture problem requiring education, accountability, and sustained leadership, and several system presidents and LSU representatives pledged to implement the recommendations and continue working with the legislature.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 102 is to require dual enrollment courses offered by local community colleges and universities
• in collaboration with the community college system and universities.
• that incorporates the four-year colleges and universities in the state into the dual enrollment process
• , and they were going... ...coming from college, and they were going to get credit for that.
• come and speak and answer questions for the four-year universities. ... ...the four-year university

Bills: HB9 , HB102 , HB9

Committee: House Education Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• Ag Center and our College of Agriculture.
• And now we have Southern University Ag Center.
• And so we're having a lot of universities who They're located.
• And so that is our why, and that's what we're trying to do at Southern University.
• And so, but that is our why. And that's what we're trying to do at Southern University.

Committee: House Agriculture, Forestry, Aquaculture, and Rural Development

Summary: The House Committee on Agriculture, Forestry, Aquaculture, and Rural Development met with a quorum, adopted the minutes from its October 3, 2024 meeting, and Chairwoman Butler noted that HCR 82 would be voluntarily deferred in favor of continuing work on HCR 77 related to a pilot program for landscaping and crawfishing. The committee then considered HCR 205, which urges the USDA to use its Commodity Procurement Program to purchase domestic Louisiana shrimp. Representative Kerner and Commissioner Mike Strain described the shrimp industry’s low prices, full cold storage, and the need for urgent federal action to support shrimpers and move product into schools, nursing homes, and food banks. Members discussed domestic sourcing rules, enforcement against imported seafood, and marketing challenges; HCR 205 was reported favorably without objection. The committee also took up HCR 188, which memorializes Congress to oppose any federal farm bill provision that could negatively affect the use of hunting dogs. Chairwoman Butler and Commissioner Strain explained that the concern centered on vague language in a farm bill section that could be interpreted to restrict hunting dogs used for tracking or field trials. Members agreed the language should be removed if it remained in the bill, and HCR 188 was reported favorably without objection. The committee then heard a presentation from Orlando McMeans of the Southern University Ag Center and College of Agriculture, along with Dr. Calvin Walker. They outlined the center’s research, extension, and academic programs, including enrollment growth, dual-enrollment efforts, 1890 scholars, JAG Stars scholarships, beef cattle and aquaculture research, viticulture, precision nutrition, and food access initiatives. They also described major facility projects, including a high-tech meat processing facility, research labs, a vineyard, and a proposed disaster-safe shelter. Members asked about butcher training, cattle genetics, and the shelter’s potential uses, and the committee adjourned after the presentation.

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> of</c> the University system and Department of the University system and Department of Business<
• I'm the dean of the College of Arts, Languages and Letters at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, and
• </c> move the College of Education okay and move the College of Education okay and then<00:20:26.559>
• /c> job as dean of a college at monoa and my job as dean of a college at monoa and my responsibilities
• ><01:07:23.200><c> to</c><01:07:23.359><c> work</c> university and and deed need to work university and

Transcript Highlights:

• honors college at LSU and what it could offer to them.
• development districts for any college or university in any municipality or parish.
• , universities, community and technical colleges.
• We also don't have a university. We do have a community college.
• Senate Bill 304 by Senator Edmonds provides for accreditation for public colleges and universities.

Committee: House Education

Summary: The House Education Committee met on May 6 and first welcomed LSU President Wade Roos and Chancellor Jim Dalton, who outlined LSU’s goals of becoming an elite, accessible flagship university, increasing research expenditures, improving student recruitment and retention, and expanding pathways that keep Louisiana students in-state. Members praised the new leadership and LSU’s workforce and research direction, and a representative from LSU enrollment reported gains in TOPS Excellence commitments for the coming fall. The committee then advanced several education bills. SB 105 by Sen. Kathy, which reinstates TOPS Tech eligibility for honorably discharged veterans, was reported favorably without objection. SB 374, also by Sen. Kathy, creates a uniform framework for college economic development districts; members adopted an amendment adding a legislator to each district board, and the bill was reported favorably with amendments. SB 304 by Sen. Edmonds, which authorizes the Board of Regents to establish a list of eligible accreditors and allows institutions to seek different accreditors, was reported favorably. SB 522 by Sen. Edmonds, allowing vocational and technical charter schools to apply directly to BESE as Type 2 charters with Commerce and Industry support, drew discussion about whether the authority should extend to public schools as well; it ultimately passed 9-1. The committee also approved SB 290 by Sen. Abraham, a cleanup bill requiring school system concurrence before student exit-code changes in the data system, and HCR 81 by Rep. Freiberg, which asks the Department of Education to study options for districts facing declining enrollment and related financial pressures. HCR 175 by Rep. Larvadain, a study resolution on possible TOPS Tech changes, was deferred by the author because it overlapped with another measure. Several members also used personal privilege to welcome local mayors and community guests to the committee room.

Transcript Highlights:

• Texas and Texas State Technical College, and we are open for any questions you may have. Thank you.
• What we're doing through Texas Tech and the community colleges to build more and train more tradesmen
• For the University of Houston and the community, I just want to take this opportunity to thank you and
• universities in the state and probably in the country.
• Texas A&M's and the University of Houston.

Committee: Senate Nominations

Transcript Highlights:

• propped-up, quote-unquote, colleges and institutes and, you know, teaching from medicine to, you know
• You know, I drive on 880 and I see new schools popping up, college, institute.
• And I highlight this because, for example, people have suffered under Trump University, right?
• move on, and then they open up, instead of Clock University, Watch University.
• And so we never have a sunset review about the community colleges.

Transcript Highlights:

• And just for the record, the two colleges nearest me are Fletcher in my district and Nicholls State University
• federal funds expended by the Board of Regents and certain boards of supervisors, colleges, and universities
• So, question: are you requiring some universities and some systems to do it themselves and not others
• , Southern, UL, and then the technical colleges, community technical colleges, that they would all be
• I see Northwestern State University is not there, Nicholls State University, and Southeastern.

Bills: HR3 , HR80 , HB4 , HB172 , HB189 , HB623 , HB944 , HB1185 , HB1199 , HB1222 , SB105 , SB125 , SB461

Committee: House Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• Today we proudly recognize historically black colleges and universities at the Louisiana State Capitol
• University A&M College; Chancellor Gant at Southern University Shreveport; Chancellor Bowie, former
• University A&M College; Chancellor Gant at Southern University Shreveport; Chancellor Bowie, former
• and Universities Day at the State Capitol.
• and Universities Day at the State Capitol.

Bills: HR39 , HR40 , HR41 , HCR19 , HCR20 , HCR21 , HB2 , HB3 , HB15 , HB441 , HB976 , HB977 , HB978 , HB979 , HB980 , HB981 , HB982 , HR19 , HR20 , HR21 , HR22 , HR23 , HR24 , HR25 , HR26 , HR27 , HR28 , HR29 , HR30 , HR31 , HR32 , HR33 , HR34 , HR35 , HR36 , HR37 , HR38 , HCR15 , HCR16 , HCR17 , HCR18 , SCR10 , HB115 , HB208 , HB465 , HB964 , HB965 , HB966 , HB967 , HB968 , HB969 , HB970 , HB971 , HB972 , HB973 , HB974 , HB975 , HB474 , HB487 , HB503 , HB606 , HB633 , HB707 , HB720 , HB728 , HB733 , HB846 , HB852 , HB856 , HB868 , HB875 , HB78 , HB112 , HB148 , HB149 , HB190 , HB221 , HB346 , HB354 , HB355 , HB356 , HB358 , HB384 , HB427 , HB657 , HB675 , HB716 , HB207 , HB300 , HB331 , HB428 , HB464 , HB587 , HB618 , HB629 , HB801 , HB853 , HB891 , HB901

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> &gt;&gt; College and University Council. &gt;&gt; College and University Council.
• well, as well as the New Hampshire College and University Council.
• Um, we College and University Council.
• </c><00:39:19.119><c> and</c><00:39:19.440><c> colleges</c> Hampshire universities and colleges Hampshire
• education students at Iona College, Fordham University, and Seton Hall University.

Committee: House Education Funding

Transcript Highlights:

• She is the principal of Early College High School as well as University High School, and they're both
• college and career readiness.
• And, and my comments were not to slam early college high schools, but it's just not fair to, to look
• transition successfully to college and careers.
• college and career planning.

Transcript Highlights:

• And again, this generates a lot of revenue for our universities, and we've already invested in these
• And the state itself has said college enrollment remains 11% below its levels pre-pandemic.
• or a college or university degree to 60% by 2030.
• So in your case, you're talking about university students. And I am. No, no, like... Yeah.
• I mean, at the college level. At university level. No shortage. Thank you. No shortage of people.

Summary: The Senate Appropriations Committee met to hear SB 2-C, a major immigration enforcement bill sponsored by Senator Gruters and co-introduced by Senator Fine. The sponsor described the bill as a response to federal immigration priorities and said it replaces a single immigration officer with a State Board of Immigration Enforcement, expands local-federal cooperation, increases penalties for crimes committed by unauthorized immigrants, requires detention in certain cases, broadens information sharing, funds detention-bed expansion and law-enforcement training, and ends in-state tuition waivers for undocumented students. The bill also includes provisions related to sanctuary policies, voter fraud, transport of unauthorized aliens, and driver’s license-related offenses. The sponsor said the bill appropriates roughly $300 million overall, including $250 million for grants and $48 million for the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services for interdiction and border-related enforcement work. Committee members questioned the bill’s scope, costs, and implementation. Senators focused heavily on the tuition-waiver repeal, asking how many students would be affected and whether the bill would harm students who have long lived in Florida. They also pressed on whether the bill should include stronger E-Verify provisions, how sanctuary-policy enforcement would work, whether local officials could be penalized for policy choices, and how immigration status would be verified in court and jail settings. The sponsor and Senator Fine said the tuition waiver would be removed for undocumented students, that the bill does not address E-Verify, and that the measure is intended to make immigration status a factor in detention and sentencing. Questions also addressed detention-bed capacity, reimbursement rates, and whether corrections staff would receive bonuses or salary increases; sponsors said bonuses are included for participating law enforcement, while broader salary issues would be handled in the regular budget process. Public testimony was sharply divided. Supporters and information-only witnesses, including Sheriff Bob Gualtieri and former officials, said the bill would help Florida coordinate with federal authorities, expand bed space, and close loopholes in existing immigration enforcement. Opponents from the Southern Poverty Law Center, ACLU of Florida, Florida Policy Institute, labor groups, and immigrant advocates argued the bill is unconstitutional, likely to trigger litigation, and harmful to families, schools, and the economy. They warned that the pretrial detention provisions could lead to wrongful detentions and that the tuition changes would reduce access to higher education and cost the state tuition revenue. No final vote is reflected in the transcript excerpt, but the committee continued through public comment and extended the meeting to complete the agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• and colleges received from the name, image, and likeness of student athletes.
• Speaker, the University of Hawaii at Manoa is Hawaii's only R1 research university and the flagship university
• to protect student athletes and the university.
• And the connection between college sports and the traditional idea of amateur athletics has changed forever
• It brings people to games and supports local businesses. It attracts attention to our university.

Transcript Highlights:

• He received a Bachelor of Business Administration and Accounting from Texas Southern University and a
• and the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston.
• Greater Houston Partnership and emeritus board member of the Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's
• She's actively engaged as an alumna, and we continue to support her. universities and communities, as
• Southwestern Graduate School of Banking and a military degree from the Command and General Staff College

Committee: Senate Nominations

Transcript Highlights:

• Fine: VARIOUS COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES CAN MAKE THAT DETERMINATION, WE'RE NOT GOING TO MICROMANAGE.
• Fine: AGAIN, THE VARIOUS UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES WILL NEED MAKING THE DETERMINATION TO ENSURE THEY
• THAT AWAY WHICH I HAVE DONE IN THIS CASE BUT IT WOULD BE UP TO THE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES TO MAKE
• I HAVE NOT HEARD OUR STATE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES ARE BURSTING AT THE SEAMS AND THEY CAN'T ACCEPT
• AND NOW THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY NOT TO GO TO COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY FOR FREE. IT'S NOT FREE.

Transcript Highlights:

• aaaaaa">University system funding and </font> <font color="aaaaaa">have a terrific overview and 2 </font
• and universities.
• We </font> <font color="aaaaaa">framework for classifying </font> <font color="aaaaaa">colleges and universities
• We </font> <font color="aaaaaa">have 6 research, one </font> <font color="aaaaaa">colleges and universities
• </font> <font color="aaaaaa">And university nursing </font> <font color="aaaaaa">University.

Transcript Highlights:

• Good morning, Alex Gray, with the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities, in
• campuses of the University of California and the California State University, relating to the use of
• College, career, and technical education.
• college and career courses.
• In the last decade, we've been trying to encourage schools to do more and more integrated college and

Summary: The committee heard testimony on SB 1067, which would require annual early math screening for K-2 students beginning in 2028-29 to identify learning gaps and connect students to evidence-based support. Senator Weber and supporters, including EdVoice and UC Davis researcher Dr. Charles Wilkes, argued that California’s low math performance and persistent achievement gaps justify early identification and intervention. Opponents, including the California Mathematics Council, county superintendents, and CTA, said the bill could create a new mandate, encourage narrow skill-based instruction, and divert attention from implementing the California Mathematics Framework and investing in teacher training and coaching. Committee members discussed how the screener would work, whether it would identify disabilities or simply flag students needing further evaluation, and cited examples of districts already using early screening tools. No vote was taken because quorum had not yet been established at that point. SB 1110, a child care subsidy administration bill, was presented next. Senator Becker and co-sponsors from the Child Care Resource Center and EveryChild California said the measure would stabilize the child care system as the state moves to enrollment-based funding by clarifying funding for administrative and family-service functions and helping providers maintain staffing, payment timelines, and compliance. There was support from several child care and education organizations and no opposition testimony. The bill was not voted on because the committee still lacked quorum. After recess, the committee heard SB 1374, which would allow public higher education institutions to seek temporary restraining orders on their own behalf when they face credible threats of violence. The CSU Chancellor’s Office and San Diego State police described incidents where threats were directed at campuses broadly rather than specific individuals, leaving institutions without a legal remedy under current law. UC and independent colleges supported the bill, and there was no opposition. The bill was held on call pending quorum. The committee then took up SB 1321, which would direct the State Auditor to review remedial course use and student preparedness at selected UC and CSU campuses. Senator Nila and supporters argued that recent UC San Diego data show severe gaps in incoming students’ math preparation and that the audit would help assess admissions and placement practices; there was no opposition testimony. Members raised concerns about the scope and timing of the audit request, and the bill was held on call. The committee also heard SB 1086 on microschools, which would define microschools in statute and direct model ordinances for local land use regulation. Supporters said microschools are growing but face inconsistent zoning treatment, while some members questioned whether the Legislature had enough information to define the model or direct state guidance without more study. After quorum was established, the committee voted SB 1086 out on a 4-1 vote to the Senate Appropriations Committee, with Senator Perez voting aye, Senator Ochoa Bogh aye, and Senator Cabaldon no; the remaining votes were not fully recorded in the transcript. Finally, SB 1181 was presented as a voluntary pilot program in Central Valley counties to allow schools to share credible safety concerns with regional threat assessment centers. Senator Hurtado and supporters, including the mother of a student killed in a shooting and Corcoran High School students, said the bill would improve early intervention and communication around threats. Members expressed support while also raising privacy and federal-sharing concerns about fusion centers; the bill was discussed but no vote was taken in the excerpt.