Transcript Highlights:

• Taylor, Janelle Taylor, with House Research.
• I am a DFL researcher. Good stuff. And GOP researcher Aaron Bie. Hi. I'm Aaron B.
• I'm GOP research, and I also belong to family. All right. No, thank you. That was kind of fun.
• to the Dior drill core researchers to the Dior drill core library<00:13:22.720><c> in</c><00:13:22.920
• the issue establishing a researching the issue establishing a January<01:03:55.000><c> 1st</c><01:03

Committee: House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Mary Davis from the House Research Department.
• Janelle Taylor, also with House Research.
• </c><00:03:49.840><c> Department</c><00:03:50.720><c> I</c> from the house research Department I from
• the house research Department I staff<00:03:51.280><c> the</c><00:03:51.439><c> Arts</c><00:03:51.720
• Chair and members, Mary Davis from the House Research Department.

Committee: House Legacy Finance

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• legislation to establish quantum investment in tax incentive programs for certain quantum science, research
• legislation to establish quantum investment in tax incentive programs for certain quantum science, research

Keywords: 1212, all

Transcript Highlights:

• SB 1530 is a research and development ecosystem bill.
• SB 1530 is a research and development ecosystem bill.

Summary: The committee heard several bills focused on economic development, infrastructure, and education policy. SB 1530, described as a research and development ecosystem bill, would encourage universities, businesses, and industry to partner to strengthen Oklahoma’s high-tech economy; it passed 29-0. SB 1847, a measure aimed at helping Oklahomans avoid nursing home placement and reduce costs, also passed 29-0. SB 1990 would require the Incentive Evaluation Commission to send its annual report to the Secretary of State and expand its review of incentives to include broader comparative analysis and strategic economic goals; it passed 28-0. The committee also considered SB 2060, the Build Act, which is intended to help small towns finance upfront infrastructure costs for development. Members raised concerns about independent boards, debt, assessments, zoning authority, and accountability, and the author said an adopted amendment was meant to preserve city and county control over planning and infrastructure protections. The bill passed 22-5. SB 1992, a Department of Commerce cleanup bill, passed 27-2. Later, the committee took up SB 1579, a taxpayer bill of rights, which passed 26-0. SB 1778, agreed-upon reading legislation language that cleans up formulas and clarifies the SRA formula and related reading provisions, also passed 28-0. The chair noted upcoming longer Appropriations and J-CAB meetings and then adjourned the committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• The real issue in my mind is that we all want to protect the environment, and I think the research that
• I did showed that most of the issues I was considering were things that, in the research I did, said

Committee: House Special Committee on Rural Issues

Summary: The Committee for Rural Issues met with a quorum and took up House Bill 3076, with a House Committee Substitute offered for adoption. The bill sponsor explained that the substitute was intended to clarify language so the Department of Natural Resources would not have to permit common agricultural non-point source practices, describing it as codifying current DNR practice and not creating a blanket exemption from pollution rules. Committee members discussed concerns about CAFO manure application, runoff, over-application, and environmental impacts, while supporters said best management practices and existing conservation measures address those risks. Representative Burton argued the bill was a solution in search of a problem and said DNR is not currently mandated to issue these permits, while the sponsor responded that the bill was needed because the current interpretation could require permitting of non-point sources. There was also clarification on the record that DNR did not testify on the bill. After discussion, the committee adopted the House Committee Substitute by voice vote. The committee then voted on the substitute for House Bill 3076 and reported it do pass. The roll call showed 11 in favor, 1 opposed, and 2 present, with Representative Burton voting no and the rest of those voting supporting the measure. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Research has shown that having doulas on the delivery team results in decreased need for medical interventions
• Based on my research and the stories told to me, a doula is not a medically trained professional but

Bills: HB2140 , HB2610 , HB3121 , HB3339

Committee: House S/C on Disease Prevention & Women's & Children's Health

Keywords: maternal health, mortality review, health committee, obstetrics, public health, Medicaid, cancer treatment, healthcare reimbursement, physical therapy, dental services, protheses, compression garments, mortality, morbidity, doula services, disparities, Black women, maternal mortality, health disparities, socioeconomic status

Transcript Highlights:

• thank our our partisan staff, Paulie Sikbenick, our CA, um, also Mars Beltrami Renquist, our DFL researcher
• 00:03:18.879><c> Renquist</c><00:03:19.680><c> our</c><00:03:20.319><c> DFL</c><00:03:20.879><c> researcher

Bills: HF2433

Committee: House Education Finance

Keywords: education funding, children with disabilities, transition aid, special education, school district consolidation, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• So we've had meetings and tours, discussions, research.
• This has been heavily researched and documented. Well, I appreciate that very much.
• So I just want to throw that out there, that there’s research on both sides.”
• So I just want to throw that out there, that there's research on both sides.
• And there's a ton of research out there that will look at the different types of sentencing.

Committee: Joint Judiciary Committee

Summary: The committee opened with a moment of silence honoring a deceased member, then approved the April minutes. The first major presentation was from Chelsea Florey of Child and Family Services on the Diversion Task Force and related grant programs created with one-time funding from HB 1012. She reported that five of six proposals were funded, with youth diversion services operating in Bismarck, Fargo, Grand Forks, Minot, and a Red River Children’s Advocacy Center program focused on problematic sexualized behavior. Members discussed barriers such as staffing shortages, voluntary family engagement, service fatigue, and the need for better coordination, broader outreach, and possible changes to diversion eligibility rules so low-level cases can remain in diversion longer. Several legislators pressed for more practical system changes and clearer service navigation, while Florey said the task force is trying to build a service array or hub and is leaning on the Children’s Cabinet for broader recommendations. The committee then heard from North Dakota Lottery Director Thomas Lawler, who gave an operational overview and biennium report. He described the lottery’s history, games, retailer commissions, Pick and Click subscriptions, Players Club membership, and revenue distribution. For the 2023-25 biennium, about $67 million in tickets were purchased, with roughly $16.2 million transferred overall, including money for the general fund, drug task force grants, and compulsive gambling prevention and treatment. Members asked about the compulsive gambling allocation and whether the amount is set by statute. A lengthy presentation followed from the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation on criminal justice data connectivity and reentry. Adam Anderson explained that North Dakota’s jail, court, HHS, and correctional systems use multiple separate databases that do not communicate in real time, requiring manual cross-checks and staff communication. He said the department is exploring a centralized hub or other integration approach, but noted challenges with identifiers, vendor contracts, confidentiality, and cost. Robin Schmolenberger then updated the committee on a Medicaid data-sharing project with HHS, saying monthly application assistance is now occurring in correctional facilities and that automated bi-directional data exchange is expected in late 2026 to help suspend and reactivate Medicaid coverage and identify former foster care youth. Members also discussed parole, probation, transitional housing, and the need for better real-time notifications and clearer data definitions. The committee also received an update from county representatives on the 24/7 sobriety program, including a recent attorney general opinion that if a court waives 24/7 fees, sheriffs may use the cheaper twice-daily breath test or urine testing instead of SCRAM bracelets or drug patches. Finally, Bruce Johnson of the Racing Commission presented on an audit report, acknowledging serious findings involving overspending from the promotion fund, grant documentation failures, a breeders fund eligibility reversal, and repeated procurement violations. He said the commission has already changed its procedures by tracking fund limits monthly, requiring grant applications and itemized reports, enforcing breeders fund rules as written, and routing purchases through procurement with written contracts. The committee asked follow-up questions throughout but took no formal votes on these presentations.

Transcript Highlights:

• Research shows us that the threats aren't one party over another, but they do more or more target women
• best practices around the researching best practices around the nation<01:04:15.120><c> at</c><01:04
• Um, in addition to our partisan researchers, you know, we work together across the aisle when we get
• Um, in addition to our partisan researchers, you know, we work together across the aisle when we get
• ,</c> addition to our partisan researchers, addition to our partisan researchers, you<01:10:08.120><c

Bills: HF4810 , HF4597 , HF1082 , HF3230

Committee: House Public Safety Finance and Policy

Keywords: public safety, radio communications, infrastructure funding, county funding, interoperability, ARMER network, local jurisdictions, HF4597, Minnesota public safety, 911, emergency dispatch, emergency communications, public safety appropriation, Metropolitan Emergency Services Board, PSAP, dispatch interoperability, real-time coordination, emergency response coordination, cross-jurisdictional response, 911 center awareness platform

Transcript Highlights:

• We can't do independent research and development.
• So, like, we can't go fund a drug company to go do research on a drug. We cannot just replace EMR.
• We can't do independent research and development.
• </c><00:15:02.399><c> and</c> We can't do independent research and We can't do independent research and
• to go do research on a drug. drug. drug.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Health Services Committee heard a presentation from Dr. Steven Stack, Secretary of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, on Kentucky’s Rural Health Transformation Program. He said Kentucky received about $213 million in federal funding, among the highest awards nationally, after a fast application and negotiation process. He emphasized that the grant is time-limited, must be used for the specific goals in the state’s application, and cannot be treated as a general bailout or replacement for existing funding. He also noted the state will use a website, ruralhealthplan.ky.gov, to share the full application, award terms, and future opportunities. Dr. Stack outlined five focus areas: maternal health and prenatal/early childhood supports; EMS and trauma response workforce and transfer capacity; behavioral health crisis care through the EMPATH model and mobile crisis services; oral health access through more hygienists, telehealth, and hub-and-spoke models; and rural community hubs for chronic disease prevention and innovation, including food-as-medicine and healthier lifestyle interventions. He stressed that the program is meant to be transformative, not duplicative, and that it cannot pay clinician salaries, fund new construction, replace EMR systems broadly, or duplicate billable services. He said the state will work with community partners, hospitals, universities, and others, including the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, to begin implementation. Members responded positively overall. Senator Berg praised the award and the goal of integrating care across the state, but raised concerns about access to prenatal care and about possible future changes to water fluoridation, warning both could harm children and rural families. The chair and other members thanked Dr. Stack for the update and congratulated him on the award. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during this portion of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• We never got to the point where we actually did the research, but we explored it. Okay, thanks.
• We never got to the point where we actually did the research, but we explored it. Okay, thanks. Mr.
• You made a statement that West Point is conducting a study, a research study.
• ...in a study, a research study. Can you, is that true? That's not the statement I made.
• I said we were talking with West Point about doing a research study.

Committee: House House Commerce Committee of Reference

Summary: The House Commerce Committee heard House Bill 2181, which would extend the deadline for funeral establishments or responsible individuals to complete and submit death certificates. The committee adopted an amendment reducing the maximum extension to 14 days and clarifying that the medical certification deadline for health care providers excludes weekends and holidays. Testimony from a mortuary owner and the sponsor described delays caused by doctors’ schedules, county processing, holidays, and families needing more time; some members argued the bill did not address the underlying accountability problems for doctors and counties, while others supported the added flexibility. HB 2181 was approved 6-4-1 with a due pass recommendation. The committee then heard House Bill 2682, which creates a DES rental assistance program providing up to two months or $5,000 in aid and appropriates $5 million from the general fund for administration. Supporters said the bill would help families facing short-term crises stay housed, reduce evictions, and serve as a preventive measure that could save money downstream; a constituent testified in Spanish about receiving emergency rental help after falling behind. Some members raised concerns about the program’s cost, the limited target population, and whether seniors should be included, while others supported it as a pilot and asked for possible amendments. HB 2682 passed 7-4. House Bill 2698, which creates a rental assistance study committee to evaluate the effectiveness of such programs and repeals the committee in 2028, was heard next and passed on a 7-4 vote. The committee then considered House Bill 2476, revising CPA certification and reciprocity requirements by creating multiple pathways to licensure and updating related rules and fees. Supporters said the bill would help address a CPA workforce shortage and align Arizona with other states; after questions about whether the bill made licensure harder or easier, the committee unanimously approved HB 2476, 11-0. Finally, the committee began House Bill 2308, which would bar dental insurers and certain holding companies from owning dental practices. The sponsor and Arizona Dental Association argued the bill would prevent conflicts of interest and preserve separation between payers and providers, while Delta Dental opposed the measure as overbroad and potentially burdensome for nonprofit insurers and investors. After discussion about private equity, nonprofit charity care, and vertical integration, the bill was approved 8-0 with three members present. The committee then started House Bill 2118 on mobile food vendors, with the sponsor and food truck operators arguing it would streamline duplicate local permitting, while cities and some vendors opposed it as a loss of local oversight and control; testimony continued, but no final action on HB 2118 appears in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chloe Latham Sykes. on behalf of the Intercultural Development Research Association.
• Chloe Latham-Sykes on behalf of the Intercultural Development Research Association. and to be testifying
• But generally, from a data and research perspective, when it comes to just the science of education,
• We should put real science research and data behind what we're trying to achieve in our public education
• So the research. where a lot of people have agreed on what good tutoring looks like. but we just now

Bills: HB2 , HB2

Committee: House Public Education

Keywords: public education, teacher compensation, certification, funding, school finance, educator rights, education funding, charter schools, staff compensation, state aid, retention allotment, disaster preparedness, emergency management, flooding, mass fatality, mass casualty, fatality tracking, body recovery, autopsy, justice of the peace

Transcript Highlights:

• We have deep research assets in our universities, and we are rich with agricultural inputs and soon other
• </c><00:13:19.600><c> Assets</c><00:13:20.079><c> in</c><00:13:20.240><c> our</c> have a deep research
• Assets in our have a deep research Assets in our universities<00:13:21.360><c> and</c><00:13:21.480>
• </c><00:22:47.600><c> being</c><00:22:47.919><c> applied</c><00:22:48.360><c> to</c> um in lab research
• being applied to um in lab research being applied to scale<00:22:50.679><c> uh</c><00:22:51.640><c>

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee heard testimony on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and Minnesota’s efforts to build a SAF industry. Andrea Veble of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture said the Walz administration strongly supports SAF because it could benefit agriculture, forestry, clean energy, and rural economies. She highlighted the 2023 state SAF tax credit and sales tax exemption for facility construction, describing the credit as a nation-leading incentive designed to stack with federal IRA credits and attract producers and blenders to Minnesota. Jeff Davidman of Delta Airlines said aviation is difficult to decarbonize and that SAF is the airline industry’s best available tool to reach net-zero goals by 2050. He explained that SAF is a certified drop-in fuel that can be blended with conventional jet fuel and used in existing aircraft and infrastructure, and he cited growing global demand and limited supply. He said Minnesota has many potential feedstocks, including used cooking oil, corn, soybeans, and camelina, and praised the state’s SAF tax credit and the Minnesota SAF Hub as important steps toward making Minnesota a leader in the sector. Peter Fros of Greater MSP described the Minnesota SAF Hub as a public-private partnership aimed at building an industrial-scale SAF value chain in Minnesota. He said the state has key advantages, including airport demand, corporate partners, research institutions, and agricultural inputs, and estimated that three SAF biorefineries could create tens of thousands of jobs and significant emissions reductions. He also said the Hub is working on blending infrastructure, private demand commitments, a winter camelina expansion study, and efforts to secure additional refineries before 2030. Members raised questions about how sustainability is measured, and Fros said the Hub relies on the federal GREET model but wants a clearer, transparent, and standardized national method that also accounts for issues like water quality and biodiversity. Amanda Bellik of the Minnesota Corn Growers Association said corn-based ethanol is a strong fit for SAF production through the alcohol-to-jet pathway because it is abundant, affordable, and supported by existing infrastructure. She said SAF development could create a new value-added market for corn without requiring new acres, but emphasized the need for significant capital investment, stable tax policy, and efficient permitting. She also said the group has worked with a consultant on third-party sustainability assessments of corn production practices to help fill data gaps and support the carbon-intensity requirements tied to SAF incentives.

Transcript Highlights:

• The change, as I mentioned, only becomes final when MMB, Senate Counsel, Research and Fiscal Analysis
• , and House Research and Fiscal Analysis all agree to the change.
• The change, as I mentioned, only becomes final when MMB, Senate Counsel, Research and Fiscal Analysis
• , and House Research and Fiscal Analysis all agree to the change.
• I think we'd like the opportunity to maybe do a little research and get back to you on that.

Committee: Senate Finance

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• have testimony from William goo have testimony from William goo pharmaceutical<00:20:47.760><c> research
• </c><00:20:48.120><c> and</c> pharmaceutical research and pharmaceutical research and manufacturers<00
• I have a question for the gentleman from Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America.
• gentleman from pharmace question for the gentleman from pharmace pharmaceutical<00:25:04.200><c> research
• </c><00:25:04.559><c> and</c> pharmaceutical research and pharmaceutical research and manufacturers<00

Committee: House Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 302, which would repeal the requirement that a provider-patient relationship for medical cannabis certification be established in person first. The Department of Health said it supported the House Draft 2 version as a way to expand patient access, and several testifiers from the medical cannabis community and dispensary industry supported the bill, especially for patients on outer islands or those unable to travel. One witness asked that earlier language removed in committee be restored to further improve access. Representative Shimizu asked whether follow-up in-person visits would still occur, and DOH responded that this varies by provider, with some continuing in-person care and others moving to telehealth for chronic conditions. The committee then took up House Bill 712, relating to the federal 340B drug pricing program and contract pharmacies. The Office of Consumer Protection and the Attorney General’s office both said they supported the bill’s purpose but wanted it clarified and possibly moved into a standalone chapter rather than chapter 481B. Supporters, including Hawaii Pacific Health and the Queen’s Health Systems, said the bill is needed to protect safety-net funding and access to discounted drugs, citing large financial benefits from 340B and losses caused by manufacturer restrictions on contract pharmacies. PhRMA opposed the bill, arguing the issue is not access to discounts but accountability and transparency in how contract pharmacies distribute benefits, and said it was willing to discuss amendments. Members asked follow-up questions about whether there was data showing misuse; PhRMA said it did not have numbers, while hospital witnesses said the program is federally audited and used appropriately in Hawaii. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 1482, HD1, which would tighten hemp and controlled-substance definitions to exclude Schedule I cannabinoids from manufactured hemp products and clarify the treatment of artificially derived cannabis. The Department of Health supported the measure, saying it adds clarity to existing prohibitions. Kūre Hawaii and other supporters said it would close loopholes involving Delta-8 and similar products. An individual testifier urged stronger language to also cover compounds such as HHC, THCA, THCP, and THCO. In response to questions about enforcement against mislabeled hemp products, DOH explained that THC percentages are relative to product weight, that some products can remain under the hemp threshold while still containing significant THC, and that hemp flower is already prohibited from direct retail sale, though enforcement can be complicated and involves both administrative and criminal authorities.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> agricultural research agricultural research institutes<00:27:40.960><c> I</c><00:27:42.039><c> um
• She’s a researcher and invaluable to us on a lot of bills, and also sometimes there are just questions
• to introduce our researcher Jennifer for to introduce our researcher Jennifer for four<00:51:57.559><
• um she's invaluable to us uh researcher um she's invaluable to us uh on<00:52:06.000><c> a</c><00:52
• bet there's the research and development tax<03:16:14.199><c> credit</c><03:16:14.960><c> which</c><

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The meeting was an introductory Ways and Means Committee orientation led by Chair John Janigian. Members went around the room introducing themselves, with several returning legislators and several freshmen describing their backgrounds in business, education, public service, finance, transportation, journalism, military service, and nonprofit work. Janigian explained his own legislative history and professional background, and other members, including Bill Bolton, Fred Doucette, Mary Ford, Jim Tierney, Scott Brier, Thomas Oppel, Mary Murphy, Representative Spar, Susan Elberger, Dennis Malloy, Jordan Ulery, and Julius Soti, briefly described their prior experience and reasons for serving on the committee. The chair then outlined the committee’s role. He said Ways and Means is responsible for revenue estimates that Finance will use to determine how much the state can spend over the next biennium, and that the committee would spend the next five to six weeks developing its best revenue estimate, due around February 15. He also explained that the committee hears from state agencies and departments about how taxes are created, collected, and performing against expectations, and that it reviews bills affecting state revenue, including tax increases, tax decreases, tax removals, and fee-related measures. Janigian noted that the committee had five bills at the time of the meeting and expected more to be referred. He explained that most would be first-committee bills, though some second-committee bills could come over if they involved taxes or fees after passing policy committees. He used marijuana-related legislation as an example of a bill that might first go to another committee and later reach Ways and Means if it had fiscal implications. No votes were taken; the meeting was informational, and members were told how to participate in hearings and follow-up questions during regular committee work.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so we're really excited to highlight the modernization of the San Joaquin Salmon Conservation Research
• Gaps, continued research, continued funding for restoration.
• I use historical, long-term time series data to do that, as well as biological and ecological research
• And the way we're looking at it now, as we treat the animals, as we do the scientific research, and as
• They participate in fisheries research. They educate anglers on invasive marine algae.

Committee: House Joint Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture

Summary: The Joint Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture held its annual Zeke Grader Fisheries Forum, focusing on the state of California fisheries and the environment. Secretary Wade Crowfoot and CDFW Marine Region Manager Dr. Craig Schumann described the sector as economically important but under pressure from drought, climate change, wildfire, warm oceans, and federal uncertainty. They highlighted progress under the state salmon strategy, including barrier removal, habitat restoration, flow protections, hatchery modernization, and technology improvements, while noting that salmon closures in recent years reflected the state’s driest period on record. Schumann reported 2025 commercial landings of about 217 million pounds worth $212 million, led by market squid, Dungeness crab, groundfish, and spiny lobster, and said the state’s marine protected area network had received international recognition. He also discussed salmon season openings, in-season management, hatchery release strategies, parentage-based tagging, kelp restoration planning, domoic acid closures, and expected future opportunities for rebuilt groundfish stocks such as yelloweye rockfish and cow cod. A major portion of the hearing was devoted to the Klamath River dam removal and salmon recovery. CDFW’s Crystal Robinson reviewed the project timeline, from the 2002 fish kill through dam decommissioning and full barrier removal in October 2024, and said fish returned to historic habitat within days. Yurok Chairman Joseph James, Karuk Chairman Russell “Buster” Attebery, and Dr. Craig Tucker described the dam removal as a historic tribal and state partnership and emphasized that salmon are central to tribal culture, food, and sovereignty. They said the river is already showing recovery, including the return of spring-run Chinook above Upper Klamath Lake for the first time in over a century, but stressed that continued restoration, funding, and protection of cold-water tributaries like the Scott and Shasta Rivers are still needed. Speakers also raised concerns about federal efforts to reinterpret the Endangered Species Act and rewrite the Klamath irrigation biological opinion, and urged the state to remain actively involved. The committee discussed AB 263 and AB 2218, which relate to minimum stream flows and Indigenous water rights, respectively. Members also questioned the agencies about Sacramento River salmon management, Shasta Reservoir cold-water releases, enforcement capacity, and federal disaster funding delays. Crowfoot and Schumann said the Sacramento remains the state’s most important salmon river and that the Bay-Delta Plan update and hatchery and flow actions are critical to recovery. They said marine enforcement remains limited, with about 50 officers covering the 1,100-mile coastline, and relies on technology, federal partnerships, and public tips. The committee indicated it would follow up on the federal biological opinion rewrite and on salmon-related policy issues. The final panel addressed the 2026–27 Dungeness crab season outlook. CDFW’s Joanna Grable said the season will be shaped by the “four horsemen” of whales, domoic acid, meat quality, and fleet dynamics, and warned that warm ocean conditions and a possible strong El Niño could increase domoic acid risk and whale entanglement concerns. She said the department will likely take a conservative approach, including possible season delays or gear reductions, while using new tools such as crab evisceration authority. PCFFA Executive Director Lisa Damrosch argued that the fishery has been built too much on fear and litigation, but acknowledged that RAMP now provides a framework to avoid a repeat of the 2016 crisis while still protecting whales and supporting fishing communities.

Transcript Highlights:

• sure that they're focusing on the guns that are creating the most harm that both experts and the research
• <00:35:23.560><c> experts</c><00:35:24.240><c> and</c><00:35:24.760><c> the</c><00:35:24.920><c> research
• </c> harm that both experts and the research harm that both experts and the research show,<00:35:25.720
• And in the course of doing research for anonymous threat reporting systems, I met with the BCA; they
• And in the course of doing research for And in the course of doing research for anonymous<00:47:18.120

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• we can spend $16,000 to $18,000 while my daughter was in public school, I know because I did the research
• I know because I did the research.
• Making policy arguments or presenting research on the benefits of school choice and education freedom
• that's the school you went to versus being a part of school choice where I had the opportunity to research
• We have discussed partnering with LSU's research department to conduct a more rigorous fiscal impact

Committee: Senate Finance

Summary: The committee met for public testimony on the Finance budget, with the main discussion focused first on funding for disability services and then on the LA GATOR scholarship program. Several individuals testified in support of fully funding Families Helping Families and Louisiana Rehabilitation Services (LRS), describing how advocacy, transition services, and direct support workers help people with disabilities access education, employment, and independent living. Witnesses urged the committee to preserve or increase state general funds to draw down federal matching dollars, and provider groups said current reimbursement rates and staffing shortages are leaving agencies in deficit, creating waitlists, overtime costs, and difficulty retaining workers. Committee members thanked the speakers and noted that the testimony would be used to compare the governor’s, House, and remaining budget requests. The committee then heard extensive testimony in support of increasing funding for the LA GATOR scholarship program. Supporters included policy groups, school leaders, parents, and students who argued that the program expands educational choice, helps low-income and special-needs students find schools that fit their needs, and should be fully funded at the level of demonstrated demand. Speakers from Catholic and Christian schools said GATOR funding had helped students thrive academically and spiritually, but that shortfalls left many eligible students without awards, hurt kindergarten enrollment, and forced schools to raise private donations to cover gaps. Several witnesses emphasized that the program is not a zero-sum attack on public schools, but a way to let education dollars follow students. A few committee questions focused on the fiscal impact and on whether choice programs improve outcomes without harming public schools. Testimony cited enrollment growth, parent demand, and data from other states to argue that school choice can improve student and parent outcomes and may also strengthen traditional public schools through competition. No votes or formal actions were taken during the public testimony portion of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• 2026 regular session of the General Assembly adjourns sine die, the director of the Legislative Research
• The director of the Legislative Research Commission is also directed to maintain the original of all
• Research Commission is hereby<01:36:49.120><c> directed</c><01:36:49.720><c> to</c><01:36:49.840><c>
• :37:04.720><c> of</c><01:37:04.840><c> the</c><01:37:04.960><c> Legislative</c><01:37:05.680><c> Research
• </c> The director of the Legislative Research The director of the Legislative Research Commission<01:

Keywords: In an effort to stave off issues that may occur with long format live streams, we have split this stream into two parts., 958, all