Transcript Highlights:

• And the superintendent there, Mr. Marlett? Yes, Superintendent Marlett, are you there?
• </c> um and uh we have um uh superintendent um and uh we have um uh superintendent Frank<00:42:42.079
• Thank you, superintendent.
• Thank you, Superintendent.
• Superintendent, are there questions or comments for the superintendent or for Senator Weber?

Committee: Senate Taxes

Transcript Highlights:

• We also have Superintendent Chambers and Superintendent Hughes to hear about their practices related
• —I'm sorry—Superintendent Chambers and Superintendent Hughes from Okaloosa and Walton counties, respectively
• Thank you, Superintendent Chambers, Superintendent Hughes. I appreciate the input. Any questions?
• Thank you, Superintendent Chambers, Superintendent Hughes. I appreciate the input. Any questions?
• One of the superintendents, I can't remember, I thought it was Superintendent Hughes, a very interesting

Summary: The Education Pre-K through 12 Committee heard a presentation from Florida High School Athletic Association Executive Director Craig Damon, joined by student athletes Sydney Daniel and Taylor White. The students spoke about the value of education-based athletics, leadership, and the need for safe, equitable opportunities. Damon then discussed FHSAA issues including rising sportsmanship problems, ejections, violent incidents, recruiting allegations, transfers, mental health pressures on student athletes, and the need for qualified coaches. He said the association tries to be proactive, work with schools on discipline, and emphasize that school changes should be for academic reasons rather than athletics. Senators asked about mental health, transfer rules, and a recent Jacksonville incident; Damon explained the current transfer exceptions and said the association lacked authority over the Jacksonville football game because the schools were not in FHSAA football. The committee then heard a panel on high school coaches’ compensation led by Florida Coaches Coalition Executive Director Dr. Andrew Ramgett, with Coach Mike Hickman, Coach Charlie Ward, and superintendents from Okaloosa and Walton counties. Ramgett argued that coaching supplements are outdated, have not kept pace with the expanding year-round demands of coaching, and amount to very low hourly pay in many sports. He also said Florida’s restrictions on booster club funding and minimal certification requirements contribute to turnover and difficulty retaining qualified coaches. Hickman and Ward described coaching as a demanding, year-round profession that affects students beyond athletics, including academics and mental health. The superintendents said they value coaches but must balance compensation against limited district funds and other staffing needs; one noted Walton County uses a dedicated administrative lane for football coaching and athletic administration. Senators discussed whether booster club funding should be allowed, whether compensation should be tied to performance, and whether any increase in base student allocation would actually reach coaches. Public commenters, including Florida Athletic Coaches Association Executive Director Shelton Cruz and former coach Tyrone McGriff, urged support for coaches and emphasized their broader impact on students’ lives and school safety. At the end of the meeting, the committee took up confirmation hearings for appointments on tabs 3 through 6 and, with no appearance forms filed, voted unanimously to recommend confirmation. Senator Burgess then moved to adjourn, and the committee concluded the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> executive, fiscal court, and local executive, fiscal court, and local libraries.<00:21:07.919><c
• </c> &gt;&gt; Senate Bill 76, an act relating to local &gt;&gt; Senate Bill 76, an act relating to local
• School Superintendents.
• </c> Association of School Superintendent Association of School Superintendent because<00:39:44.960><
• </c> away from what we talk about from local away from what we talk about from local control. control

Transcript Highlights:

• , this interferes with the local control.
• With the local control, well, the state steps in when locals don't do something.
• Does every school have to count the superintendent?
• I'm a little confused about the superintendent.
• superintendent?

Committee: House Education

Transcript Highlights:

• This increase is needed to address the significant local infrastructure needs here in Massachusetts,
• And then, like last year, $100 million would be allocated based on local road mileage only.
• The Chapter 90 local aid program does help local communities improve bridges.
• State-numbered, but it's locally owned. That's right, so it's calculated. Okay, thank you.
• This is a comprehensive approach to a statewide system that begins and ends on local municipal roads.

Bills: H5279

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets

Keywords: municipal roads, bridges, transportation bond bill, infrastructure financing, capital spending, bond authorization, general obligation bonds, special obligation bonds, Commonwealth Transportation Improvement Act, road resurfacing, road repair, bridge repair, pavement, culverts, stormwater management, climate resilience, bicycle infrastructure, pedestrian infrastructure, transit modernization, commuter rail

Bills: HB606 , HB606

Committee: House Baldwin County Legislation

Keywords: HB606, Alabama, Department of Transportation, DOT, public highways, utility relocation, right-of-way, state right-of-way, road construction, bridge, tunnel, toll road, interstate highway, defense highway, utility facilities, broadband, telecommunications, cable, electricity, gas

Transcript Highlights:

• Typically, they're raising the money locally as their club. Correct.
• Representative, so basically what you're trying to do is keep local control local, keep people's money
• that they earned locally in their own community, by their own work, keeping it local so they can utilize
• We're just trying to protect it locally. Seeing no further questions. We have a question.
• So you said the extension agent is over the local account.

Bills: HB2398 , HB4363 , HB3557 , HB3701 , HB2210

Committee: House Postsecondary Education

Keywords: credential of value, education, workforce development, labor market, government reporting, higher education, Oklahoma State University, Board of Trustees, presidential selection, college governance, Oklahoma Agricultural Extension, local funding, financial institutions, county extension services, state funds, academic programs, low-producing programs, Oklahoma State Board of Regents, program review, curriculum quality

Transcript Highlights:

• We want to thank you for investing in the economic vitality of our local establishments and for supporting
• Jody Cowell continued: Most importantly, this bill supports local economic development without weakening
• Washington's entertainment industry by boosting attendance, creating additional jobs at theaters, supporting local
• Washington's entertainment industry by boosting attendance, creating additional jobs at theaters, supporting local

Bills: HB2128 , HB2207 , HB1701 , HB2536 , HB2476 , HB2294 , HB2229

Committee: House Consumer Protection & Business

Keywords: alcohol service, sports facilities, amusement venues, recreational activities, patron engagement, alcohol warehousing, regulation, liquor distribution, storage standards, state laws, liquor licenses, multiple premises, alcohol distribution, commercial leasing, regulatory reform, winery, restaurant license, alcohol, spirits, beer

Transcript Highlights:

• Is there any local contribution to this? No, currently, no. There is no local contribution to this.
• Photo safety is a local tool to address local issues.
• I say if local voters want to decide, let local voters decide, but not the whole state.
• There's some overreach on the part of local communities screaming local control, and I won't go in and
• First of all, to the issue of local control, there are certain things that I believe should be local

Bills: SB1024 , SB1032 , SB1059 , SB1062 , SB1064 , SB1097 , SCM1001 , SCR1004

Committee: Senate Appropriations, Transportation and Technology

Keywords: roadable aircraft, registration, vehicle title, license plates, aviation safety, corrections oversight, funding, state budget, criminal justice, reform, appropriation, Department of Transportation, right turn lane, traffic improvement, infrastructure funding, transportation funding, authorization, road improvements, intersection safety, transportation

Bills: HB55 , HB104 , HB55 , HB104

Committee: House Financial Services

Keywords: mortgage, payments, financial institutions, borrowers, principal, escrow, homeownership, abandoned property, digital assets, state treasurer, unclaimed property, liquidation, finders, contracts, electronic reporting, fishing, licensing, jubilee, Marine life, Alabama

Transcript Highlights:

• On local and consent calendars, the clerk will call the roll. Chairman Gates. Vice Chair Lalani.
• The bill preserves local control over historic sites, short-term rentals, and environmental protections
• So I just ask you to consider the fact that local government, local representatives have had their opportunity
• And I believe, and our council believes, that local community governance is the best way to decide that
• Allow this to be a matter best set aside for those closest to the action and local government to take

Bills: HB5489 , HB5695 , HB5699 , SB291 , SB292

Committee: House Land & Resource Management

Keywords: impact fee, moratorium, local government, Texas legislation, infrastructure funding, municipal utility district, eminent domain, bonds, assessments, infrastructure, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Harris County, Municipal Utility District, territory exclusion, debt service taxes, property taxation, condemnation, property acquisition, real property, appraisal reports

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> law which states no state or local law which states no state or local government<01:09:35.719><c
• </c><01:09:58.320><c> law</c> three years ago from local law three years ago from local law enforcement
• </c><01:13:37.800><c> law</c> that govern local law that govern local law enforcement<01:13:39.639><c
• </c><01:13:59.480><c> holds</c> the time their local holds the time their local holds expire<01:14:01.760
• </c> in the parts of the country where local in the parts of the country where local authorities<01:16

Bills: HF1051 , HF16

Committee: House Elections Finance and Government Operations

Keywords: sacred communities, micro units, religious institutions, housing regulations, homelessness, conditional use permits, immigration enforcement, sanctuary policies, sanctuary city, noncooperation ordinance, ICE, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, federal immigration authorities, deportation, undocumented immigrant, undocumented person, immigration status data, data sharing, preemption, local government

Bills: HF1346 , HF1169 , HF1276

Committee: House Children and Families Finance and Policy

Keywords: mandatory reporting, training requirements, child maltreatment, abuse detection, local welfare agency, child protection, child welfare, paperwork reduction, social services information system, SSIS, Department of Children, Youth, and Families, foster care, children in placement, county social services, Tribal governments, private child placing agencies, case management, administrative burden, information technology, human services

Transcript Highlights:

• SCHOOL BOARDS ARE ELECTED AND WHO EVER YOU ELECT FIX YOUR SUPERINTENDENT.
• I AM DEEPLY OPPOSED TO THE IDEA WE WOULD ELECT OUR SUPERINTENDENT.
• HARRIS IS A GOOD SUPERINTENDENT, HE WILL WIN THAT RACE.
• WE EMPLOY AT THIS POINT IN TIME, WE APPOINT A SUPERINTENDENT.
• THAT SUPERINTENDENT CARRIES THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS. SUPERINTENDENT CREATES A COMMITTEE.

Transcript Highlights:

• I do see that we have Superintendent Reichdahl with us.
• It's come from the superintendent. Okay.
• It's come from the superintendent. Okay.
• Yes, Superintendent Wright-Dall.
• Mandy Rain, Rain, Superintendent of Valley. Dr.

Summary: The committee began by waiving the five-day notice rule for Senate Bill 6320, then heard Senate Bill 6222, which would let school districts and educational service districts sell or grant surplus technology hardware such as laptops and tablets to public school students and recent graduates, with priority for low-income students. The sponsor and supporters said the bill would help students keep access to devices they need for homework, college, and work, while preserving existing surplus procedures. Testimony was generally supportive, including from district technology staff and students, though one question raised whether tribal compact schools would be included. The committee then heard Senate Bill 6263, which raises school district public bid thresholds to reflect inflation and reduce procurement costs. The sponsor said the limits had not been updated in about 20 years and should be aligned with other local governments. Supporters from school employees, finance officers, and school coalitions said the change would save time and money and reduce delays in maintenance and purchasing. Testimony on Senate Bill 6261, which would require parents of six- and seven-year-olds not enrolled in school to file annual declarations of intent about their child’s education, was overwhelmingly opposed by homeschool families and advocates. Opponents argued it would add bureaucracy, create privacy concerns, and burden families, while the superintendent of public instruction supported the bill as a way to improve enrollment data and planning. The sponsor said it was about knowing where children are and right-sizing school systems. The committee also heard Senate Bill 6118, requiring cardiac emergency response plans in schools and athletic facilities. The sponsor, who spoke about losing her brother to heart failure, said schools need faster, better-prepared responses to cardiac emergencies. Supporters, including parents, students, and community advocates, described personal experiences with sudden cardiac events and said the bill could save lives by ensuring AEDs, CPR training, and practiced response plans. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 6320 on alternative learning experiences. The bill would restrict online and remote ALE providers to public or nonprofit entities and reduce levy equalization funding for remote/online ALE, with limited exceptions for medically fragile or severely bullied students. Supporters argued it would keep public education public and encourage in-person learning, while opponents—including superintendents, online program operators, students, and homeschool advocates—warned it would displace thousands of students, harm successful programs, and reduce family choice. No final votes were taken on the bills in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Used during that year, and that report then needs to be posted on the local website, the local school
• , the superintendent of the Butte County...
• County Superintendents.
• , and the district's first female superintendent.
• So she is our first woman Fresno Unified School District superintendent, and first Mung superintendent

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Arts, Entertainment, Sports, and Tourism and the Assembly Education Committee held a joint informational hearing on implementation of Proposition 28, the 2022 voter-approved arts education funding measure. Chairs emphasized the goal of understanding how the roughly $900 million to nearly $1.1 billion annual funding stream is being used, whether it is supplementing rather than supplanting existing arts programs, and what reporting or guidance improvements may be needed. The Legislative Analyst’s Office reviewed the basic structure of Prop 28: funds are distributed 70% by enrollment and 30% by low-income student counts, 80% must generally be spent on staffing, districts may use up to 1% for administration, and annual local reports and audits are required. Members pressed the LAO on waivers, spending timelines, and whether smaller or rural districts face different challenges; the LAO said some waivers have been issued and that districts have three years to spend each allocation, but statewide data remain limited. WestEd, Create California, and the California County Superintendents described early implementation findings and concerns. Their testimony said schools are using funds for arts materials, staffing, expanded instruction, and field trips, and that many respondents saw positive effects on student access and engagement. At the same time, they reported confusion about allowable uses, supplement-versus-supplant rules, and the 80/20 staffing requirement, along with shortages of credentialed arts teachers and uneven access across districts. Create California argued that Prop 28 has generated optimism but also uncertainty, especially for community arts organizations that have seen reduced contracts as districts bring services in-house. County superintendents and researchers called for clearer statutory guidance, stronger technical assistance, better statewide data, and more support for teacher credentialing pathways. District and county officials then described local implementation. Long Beach Unified said it moved quickly to full implementation, using Prop 28 to expand elementary and secondary arts offerings, hire 56 certificated staff and more than 120 classified coaches, and develop a five-year arts strategic plan tied to equity goals. Butte County and other rural representatives said Prop 28 has enabled restored or expanded programs, including arts teachers, theater, and music offerings, but rural districts still struggle to recruit credentialed staff and to make small allocations workable across large distances. The California Music Educators Association echoed those themes, saying members report both new positions and supplies as well as confusion, fear of audit findings, and inconsistent district guidance. Committee members asked about arts definitions, credentialing, rural pooling of funds, and out-of-state teacher credentials; witnesses said media arts are included, multiple credential pathways exist, and recent legislation has eased some out-of-state credential barriers. The hearing ended with public comment beginning after the panel discussions.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think we need to preserve local control on choice of curriculum.
• Currently, as a superintendent, you have to have an ed specialist.
• I also spoke with the superintendent in the Shelley School District.
• We understand the need for some localized flexibility when it comes to hiring your superintendents.
• This is per approval of the superintendent of public instruction.

Committee: Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• And so our approach here is that it's an options-based approach where that local control, that local
• decision-making is critical so that there is investment from your local That local decision-making is
• Gallagher, is the lack of local control, and this is for... ...the lack of local control, and this is
• And the beauty of the local control school funding formula is we let the local school boards and the.
• .. ...local superintendents determine, do they want to spend their money on teachers, or do they want

Summary: The Assembly Education Committee met at the start of the 2026 session and heard four bills. AB 673 (Jackson) would create a five-year Unaccompanied Youth Support Grant Program for 16- and 17-year-old homeless students who are not in a parent or guardian’s custody, with grants to local education agencies for housing referrals, basic needs, tutoring, employment readiness, and related services. Support came from the Department of Education and an Alameda County Office of Education representative. Members raised questions about funding, reporting burdens on small districts, and coordination with county and nonprofit services, but the bill was approved 6-0 and sent to Human Services as amended. AB 1493 (Avila Farías) would have required school board special elections to be consolidated with the next primary or general election. The author argued this would reduce costs and increase turnout, while opponents including CFT and the California School Boards Association said it would reduce local accountability and preserve too much time for appointed members without voter input. Committee members debated turnout, democracy, costs, and whether the bill should instead address signature thresholds; the author said she was open to further work, but the measure failed on a 2-2 vote and did not advance. AB 68 (Gallagher) would require rural school districts, as defined in the bill, to have at least one school resource officer on campus, with a good-cause exception and a compliance plan if a district cannot meet the requirement. The author and a Glenn County superintendent said rural schools face long response times and need more protection, while CSBA, the Small School Districts Association, and several advocacy groups opposed the mandate, citing local control, costs, and evidence that SROs can increase anxiety and disciplinary actions without improving safety. After a lengthy debate over safety, local control, and funding, the bill passed 5-2 and was sent to Public Safety. AB 296 (Davies), which would create a standalone website for schools to buy and sell used career technical education equipment, drew support from construction industry groups and passed unanimously 8-0 to Appropriations.

Transcript Highlights:

• There's no fiscal impact to the general fund or local schools.
• It might be for the Superintendent of Public Instruction.
• Senator Carlson, I will turn it over to the Superintendent.
• I'm Jan Baer, Superintendent for Boundary County School District.
• Okay, we have one other superintendent.

Committee: Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• To appoint the state superintendent of public instruction as the superintendent of the Utah Schools for
• , the superintendent...
• I cannot agree with having the superintendent be the superintendent for the state school for the deaf
• And I cannot support this bill by taking the state superintendent and making them the superintendent
• And right now, the superintendent has been appointed as the interim superintendent for the schools of

Committee: Joint Education Interim Committee