Transcript Highlights:

• over twice as much as the higher performers.
• Your lower performers are more likely to be distracted and look at a phone and maybe not learn and focus
• over twice as much as the higher performers.
• But also, in our high-performing school district, we recognize that our low-performing students were
• school, if you’re a low-performing student, you might be better off in a low-performing school where

Summary: The Student Academic Success Subcommittee met to review Florida’s cell phone and social media literacy law, with Representative Brad Yeager describing the 2023 policy as aimed at removing classroom distractions and teaching students how to use social media responsibly. He said the law was intended to keep phones out of classrooms unless used for instruction, require social media literacy education, and limit access to certain sites on school Wi-Fi and government devices. Yeager said feedback since passage has been mixed: many teachers support it and some have adopted inexpensive shoe-organizer or pouch systems, but implementation varies by school and administrator enforcement. He said he is not currently pursuing a broader statewide mandate. Superintendent Dr. Maria Vazquez and Timber Creek High School Principal Mr. Wasco described Orange County’s approach as bell-to-bell phone restrictions, while Pasco County’s Dr. Zetchy described a similar policy with some flexibility during lunch or passing periods at the high school level. Both districts said the policy was implemented with parent communication, town halls, surveys, and transition periods, and that concerns about emergencies were addressed by allowing phones to be returned at the end of the day and by establishing procedures for parent contact. They reported few theft problems and said discipline issues related to phones have generally been manageable, though some teachers still struggle with enforcement or with students trying to evade the rules. A major portion of the discussion focused on social media literacy instruction. Orange County said it uses counselor-led programs, Canvas courses, resiliency days, and curriculum materials to teach students about cyberbullying, human trafficking, privacy, and the permanence of online posts, with progress tracked through the learning platform. Pasco said it has some resiliency modules but lacks a fully built-out, pre-made social media curriculum and would welcome more guidance from DOE, especially for high school classrooms where instructional time is limited. Members also asked about student anxiety, 504/IEP accommodations, caregiver students, and parent education; the districts said exceptions are handled through school committees and that parent academies and district resources are being used to help families set boundaries and understand the risks and benefits of phones and social media. No votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• During the performance of physical construction activities, shall we deemed an agent of the state for
• purposes of tort immunity, I'm paraphrasing, when performing work within the scope of the contract and
• in compliance, at the top, when acting within the scope of a government contract, performing work in
• because I would read acting within the scope of the contract to be they are on site, when they're performing

Committee: House Transportation

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the primary and secondary ticket markets, while also supporting nonprofit and smaller arts and performance
• First up, our first panel, we have Jill Barnes with the Washington Center for the Performing Arts.
• Artists choose to perform here because they trust this state values creativity and culture.
• We have lowered ticket prices this season across all performances because we want to be able to serve
• We have lowered ticket prices this season across all performances because we want to be able to serve

Summary: The Senate Business, Trade, and Economic Development Committee heard several public hearings on consumer protection and business regulation bills. Senate Bill 6175, the WAVE Act on ticket sales, would create licensing and enforcement rules for ticket resellers, require all-in pricing and refunds, cap resale prices and fees at 110% of the original ticket price, and prohibit speculative ticketing and deceptive practices, with exemptions for some events such as agricultural fairs and sports. The sponsor and many arts, venue, labor, and consumer advocates said the bill would curb bots, fake websites, and predatory markups that harm fans and nonprofit venues; opponents from resale platforms and industry groups argued it would restrict legitimate resale, reduce consumer choice, and push transactions into less regulated channels. Public testimony was extensive and sharply divided, but no committee vote was taken on the bill during the hearing. The committee also heard Senate Bill 6230, which would require cash transactions to be rounded to the nearest five-cent increment in light of the federal decision to stop minting pennies. Retail and grocery groups generally supported the bill but asked for amendments to protect against audit and consumer-protection liability, preserve acceptance of exact change, and avoid conflicts with local ordinances and SNAP rules. The bill sponsor said the measure is meant to give businesses a clear framework for cash rounding, and staff noted the Department of Revenue would issue a revised fiscal note with minimal costs. Senate Bill 6312, concerning surveillance-based pricing in grocery establishments, would require posted prices, prohibit individualized surveillance pricing and surge pricing, and place a moratorium on electronic shelf labels in larger stores until 2030. Labor and privacy advocates supported the bill as a way to stop AI-driven price discrimination and protect workers and consumers, while retail and grocery associations and an ESL manufacturer warned the definitions were too broad and could unintentionally affect loyalty programs, discounts, and operational efficiency. After testimony, the committee suspended the five-day notice rule for the bill. The committee also heard Senate Bill 6149 on the definition of a rural county and Senate Bill 6248 on travel insurance, with testimony on the latter split between industry support for adopting a model act and state agency concerns about adjuster licensing and preserving Washington consumer and anti-discrimination protections. In executive session, the committee considered Senate Bill 6061 on the tourism self-assessment program and Senate Bill 6137 on sports wagering. The committee rejected an amendment to SB 6061 that would have allowed voluntary local tourism contributions, then advanced the bill with a due pass recommendation. It also advanced SB 6137 with a due pass recommendation. The meeting concluded after those votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• uniform and predictable based on benchmarks that the mitigation banker for each individual bank performs
• are revising the benchmarks by which the credits are released, based on the historical record of performance
• Her constitutional duty as a legislature is to call and perform elections.
• We have Brett Cypress from On-Site Performance, waving in support.
• We have Brett Cypress from On-Site Performance waving in support, and Jeff Littlejohn from On-Site Performance

Summary: The Natural Resources and Disaster Subcommittee heard and acted on several bills related to wetlands, emergency management, fishing licenses, disaster recovery, the Florida Keys, brownfields, wastewater treatment, and spring protection. HB 1175 on mitigation banking drew the most discussion, with supporters saying it would create more predictable release of mitigation credits and help address shortages, while opponents warned it could weaken watershed-based wetland protection and allow credits to be used farther from the impact site. The committee adopted a strike-all amendment making the changes prospective after July 1, 2025, and then reported the bill favorably with committee substitute by a 12-3 vote. The committee also considered HB 1535, a broad emergency management strike-all that would expand local storm-preparedness information, debris removal coordination, shelter planning, permitting procedures after storms, limits on post-storm fee increases and moratoria, and changes to election procedures after disasters. Members raised questions about FEMA coordination, shelter standards, impact fees, and the 100-mile post-storm land-use restrictions. After adopting the strike-all, the bill was reported favorably with committee substitute on a 17-0 vote. HB 673, which would extend the same fishing-license convenience to freshwater guides that saltwater captains already have, and HB 705, which extends a public-records exemption for disaster recovery assistance applicants, were both reported favorably without amendment. Later, the committee approved HB 995 for the Florida Keys, which combines affordable-housing incentives, a Habitat for Humanity bond exemption, an extension of the Florida Keys Stewardship Act, and a modest increase in hurricane evacuation time to allow additional residential permits; it was reported favorably on a unanimous vote. HB 733 on brownfields received a technical strike-all and was also reported favorably. HB 645 creating a general permit for distributed wastewater treatment systems passed unanimously, and HB 691 on a reclaimed-water project tied to Outstanding Florida Springs passed 16-1 after concerns were raised about cost, water quality, and whether the bill could broaden the intent of existing spring-protection law. The meeting adjourned after all agenda items were completed.

Transcript Highlights:

• for veterans and survivors, remove barriers to life-saving mental health care, and root out poor performers
• Any performance analysis? That led to the firing of 2,400 people from the VA?
• This is performance. This isn't policy. And it is 80,000 people.
• What happens is we rely more and more heavily on our top performers, on our middle performers, and don't
• A standard for termination in the future that involves analysis of performance.

Bills: SB124 , SB201 , SB275 , SB410 , SB478 , SB607 , SB610 , SB611 , SB654 , SB702 , SB787 , SB831 , SB892

Committee: Senate Senate Veterans' Affairs

Keywords: Department of Veterans Affairs, disciplinary procedures, accountability, personnel actions, whistleblower protection, cancer, military, aircrew, veterans, health study, toxins, morbidity, mortality, service members, mental health, community care, accessibility, treatment programs, substance abuse, appointments

Summary: During the meeting, various members engaged in extensive discussions surrounding 15 proposed bills related to veterans' affairs. Notably, concerns regarding recent VA workforce changes sparked debates, particularly about potential cuts and their implications for veterans' care and benefits. Chairman Moran emphasized the need for thoughtful reforms and coordination with stakeholders, urging responsible measures to prevent negatively impacting service delivery. The meeting highlighted a significant bipartisan effort to enhance veterans' access to essential health services, particularly in light of recent challenges faced by the VA workforce. Senator Blumenthal's assertions about the urgent plight of veterans due to cuts in personnel drew strong reactions, showcasing the deep concern among committee members regarding the current state of veteran services.

Transcript Highlights:

• What metrics do you guys use to track performance?”
• I think our Department of Social Services is aware also of some of the performance metrics, as well as
• Nothing wrong with the capitated model, but be sensitive to performance.
• Nothing wrong with the capitated model, but be sensitive to performance.
• And then the others continue to work on the Housing Trust Fund area, continue to collect performance

Committee: House Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Task Force

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• What metrics do you guys use to track performance?
• Nothing wrong with the capitated model, but be sensitive to performance.
• Nothing wrong with the capitated model, but be sensitive to performance.
• And then the others continue to work on the Housing Trust Fund area, continue to collect performance
• Area, continue to collect performance metrics.

Summary: The task force heard extensive testimony on recovery support, harm reduction, and community-based care. Dan Haniken of Into Action described his own recovery from addiction and incarceration and argued that treatment alone is not enough; he said recovery housing, peer support, employment, accountability, and stable housing are what help people stay sober and avoid relapse. Members asked about funding, housing shortages, transportation, treatment courts, and support for medication-assisted treatment (MAT). Haniken said Into Action relies on a braided mix of federal, state, county, city, foundation, and private funding, and that recovery housing needs longer-term support than many current funding streams provide. He also said Missouri should expand recovery housing, peer recovery support, and recovery community centers, and improve awareness and access to MAT in recovery settings and after incarceration. Matt Cushman, a community paramedic with Raytown Fire Protection District, urged Missouri to expand harm reduction, including syringe service programs and broader access to clean needles and drug-checking tools. He argued that stigma and abstinence-only approaches keep many people from seeking help, and said harm reduction reduces disease transmission, overdose deaths, hospitalizations, and other harms while creating pathways to recovery. He cited naloxone distribution as a successful example and said similar strategies should be decriminalized and expanded. Members asked about naloxone access, community paramedicine funding, and whether safe consumption sites should be considered; Cushman said syringe exchange should be a near-term priority, while safe consumption sites are a longer-term policy question. Representatives from Ozarks Medical Center/COMC and Four Rivers Community Health Center focused on the need to reimburse peer support specialists and community health workers, especially in rural and underserved areas. COMC’s Monet Lehman shared her trauma and recovery story and described her jail reentry work, helping incarcerated people with housing, benefits, IDs, employment, MAT, and community supports before release. Four Rivers said its care coordinators and CHWs provide wraparound services such as transportation, housing help, Medicaid enrollment, clothing, and same-day MAT access. Members and staff discussed confusion over reimbursement rules, noting that CCBHCs can bill for peer services through Medicaid while FQHCs generally cannot, and that CHWs are often funded through grants rather than reimbursement. No votes were taken; the meeting consisted of testimony and member questions, with several requests for follow-up information on funding, transportation, and reimbursement rules.

Transcript Highlights:

• provide sufficient time for advancement in battery technology to reduce weight while maintaining high performance
• provide sufficient time for advancement in battery technology to reduce weight while maintaining high performance
• up to it, since technology has come a long way since 2015, and now hopefully they can have high performance
• clear statutory authority for first responders and peace officers to use off-highway vehicles while performing
• clear statutory authority for first responders and peace officers to use off-highway vehicles while performing

Committee: Senate Transportation

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the other things that we've added in here that we had been asked to was this idea around prior performance
• the other things that we've added in here that we had been asked to was this idea around prior performance
• lowest cost bid may not necessarily be in the best interest of the state if that vendor has not performed
• solicitation process the requirement that you have to have met a particular standard in your prior performance
• for the state. ...the requirement that you have to have met a particular standard in your prior performance

Committee: House State Affairs

Summary: The House State Affairs Committee approved the minutes from March 13, 2026, then heard and advanced several bills with due pass recommendations. House Bill 873, an elections cleanup bill, would standardize filing and canvassing timelines, align soil and water conservation district supervisor elections with other local offices on odd-numbered years, restore the 45-day mail-ballot timeline for remote precincts, and clarify canvassing deadlines. It passed without opposition after a brief question period and no testimony. The committee then considered House Bill 889, a major procurement reform bill. Representative Raibald described changes including new definitions, clearer bid and scoring procedures, use of subject matter experts, multiple-award contracts, prior-performance standards, confidentiality rules for technical information, vendor debarment, a one-year cooling-off period for certain officials and employees, protest bonds, and disclosure of procurement-related expenditures over $50. Members asked about the scope of the cooling-off period and whether the bill covered ITD contracts; Raibald said ITD procurement is outside the act, while health and welfare contracts are included. The bill was sent to the floor with a due pass recommendation. House Bills 890 and 900, also by Raibald, addressed state property disposal and insurance claims. HB 890 repeals a vague surplus-property disposal section and returns the process to existing code with clearer deadlines and transparency, prompted by concerns over the ITD State Street building disposal. HB 900 creates a clearer process for claims of $100,000 or more on state property, including a confidential report, legislative review, possible separate appraisals, Board of Examiners resolution if needed, and public meetings if a claim leads to a change in operations or sale of property. Members asked how insurance proceeds would be used, and Raibald said they would generally return to the affected agency or dedicated fund to repair the property unless the property had been declared surplus. Both bills passed with due pass recommendations. Finally, the committee considered Senate Bill 1321, presented by Representative Heather Scott, which builds on prior transparency legislation requiring agencies to report agreements, MOUs, and contracts to the state controller. The bill sets a process for noncompliance: written notice, a 30-day correction period with a possible 60-day extension, and then inclusion in the controller’s annual report to the legislature, which could inform budget holdbacks. The committee approved the bill with a due pass recommendation and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• visitors, and health care providers from out-of-state efforts to punish them for undergoing or performing
• </c><00:36:53.359><c> gender</c> for undergoing or performing gender for undergoing or performing gender
• c><00:39:54.720><c> care</c> majority of gender affirming care majority of gender affirming care performed
• 56.320><c> uh</c><00:39:56.400><c> on</c><00:39:56.560><c> the</c><00:39:56.720><c> surgical</c> performed
• on minors uh on the surgical performed on minors uh on the surgical side<00:39:57.280><c> of</c><00:

Bills: HB2139 , HB1892 , HB1893 , HB1890 , HB2335 , HB2468 , HB2091 , HB2092 , HB1878 , HB2297 , HB2127 , HB1785 , HB2345 , HB2344 , HB1780 , HB1891 , HB2398 , HB1764 , HB2564 , HB1783 , HB2567 , HB1934 , HB1778 , HB1781 , HB2621 , HB2019 , HB1803 , HB2454 , HB1811 , HB1943 , HB1589 , HB1607 , HB1851 , HB2490 , HB2546 , HB2568 , HB1972 , HB2391 , HB2575 , HB1896 , HB2399 , HB2004 , HB1894 , HB2397 , HB2498 , HB2560 , HB2310 , HB2214 , HB2167 , HB2197 , HB2116 , HB1879 , HB1596 , HB2096 , HB2298 , HB2343 , HB2566 , HB1518 , HB2044 , HB2336 , HB1603 , HB1718 , HB1740 , HB1616 , HB2171 , HB2022 , HB2347 , HB1882 , HB1708 , HB2086 , HB2154 , HB2027 , HB2179 , HB1620 , HB1913 , HB2159 , HB1597 , HB2121 , HB1864 , HB2305 , HB2576 , HB1713 , HB1729 , HB1756 , HB2122 , HB2559 , HB1743 , HB1733 , HB1868 , HB1723 , HB1711 , HB1812 , HB2515 , HB1724 , HB1604 , HB2270 , HB1722 , HB1727 , HB1920 , HB1593

Keywords: invasive species, Queensland longhorn beetle, agriculture, environmental impact, University of Hawaii, Board of Education, Hawaii public schools, teacher representative, nonvoting member, bargaining unit 5, HSTA, teachers union, education governance, school board, executive session, collective bargaining, public school teacher, policy-making body, student representative, military representative

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, he performed a variety of jobs at BISKA, including that of examiner, subsequently chief examiner
• He's done accounting, he's done oversight, he's performed a variety of roles both in government and at
• </c> regulations overseas. regulations overseas. uh<00:30:43.600><c> he</c><00:30:44.159><c> performed
• a variety of jobs at uh he performed a variety of jobs at Bishka<00:30:47.039><c> uh</c><00:30:47.279
• a variety of oversight uh he's performed a variety of roles<00:31:44.320><c> both</c><00:31:44.559><

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Treasurer from investing in speculative investments and using any insider information obtained while performing
• the federal definition by clarifying the entity that administers the specified appraisal panel who perform
• strip club, you can take off your clothes legally there, but you would verify the age of all the performers
• and the consent of the performers before they allow it to be posted.
• and the consent of the performers before they allow it to be posted.

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The meeting covered a large number of bills and resolutions across education, federalism, government, health, commerce, and judiciary-related topics. In education, members heard bills on moving the statewide testing window later, allowing paper-based testing in more cases, posting school administrator compensation data, expanding who may receive student directory information, reviewing duplicative ADE reporting requirements, requiring religious excusals, creating a school fitness recognition program, and a proposed ballot measure on sex-designated school sports and private spaces. In federalism, the committee discussed banning foreign nationals from funding ballot-measure committees and a proposal to eliminate voting centers and return to precinct-based voting. Other items included memorials urging the U.S. to withdraw from the United Nations and the IMF, and a government bill penalizing agencies that fail to submit financial reports on time. Health and human services bills focused on lactation care, a state certification program for lactation providers, prohibiting gender transition procedures for minors, requiring chief medical officers at state agencies to hold active licenses, clarifying air ambulance statutes, seeking a SNAP waiver to restrict non-eligible food purchases, and collecting hospital patient immigration-status data for reporting. Sponsors generally framed these as consumer protection, public health, or administrative cleanup measures, while some members raised concerns about cost, privacy, and possible legal conflicts. In commerce, the committee heard bills on digital goods disclosure, protections for child content creators, liability limits for river outfitters, landlord utility billing transparency, appraisal management company definitions, unemployment eligibility verification, and association-based health plans. Several measures were pulled from consent or flagged for amendments. The judiciary portion included bills creating a civil cause of action for violations of anti-DEI laws, expanding hate-crime-style penalties to include political affiliation and expression, adding reporting requirements for name changes by sex offenders, penalizing possession of falsified commercial driver’s licenses by unlawfully present individuals, adding penalties for mailing abortion-inducing drugs, allowing speed-limiting devices as an alternative to license suspension, extending inmate transition services, increasing penalties for sexual extortion involving older teens, requiring legislative approval to close state shooting ranges, and advancing an Article V convention resolution for congressional term limits. Several sponsors emphasized public safety, parental rights, election integrity, or government accountability, while some members raised constitutional or implementation concerns, particularly on liability, voting systems, and the term-limits resolution. Multiple bills were reported as being on consent calendars, with some pulled for amendments or further discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• When considering performance metrics and goals, we start with what we want the citizen experience to
• It's something we've wanted to do from day one, which is a pay for performance program.
• We really want to be sure that we're keeping our high performers.
• To keep our high performance, we need to be sure that their work is being recognized and rewarded.
• So, we want to launch a pay for performance program this year.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's a joint committee, the performance audit and oversight committee.
• I will say that the committee exercised more performance audit than it did oversight.
• It's a joint committee, the performance<00:22:00.559><c> audit</c><00:22:00.960><c> and</c><00:22:01.120
• ><c> oversight</c> performance audit and oversight performance audit and oversight committee.<00:22:02.400
• </c> committee exercised more performance committee exercised more performance audit<00:22:06.720><c>

Committee: Senate Executive Departments and Administration

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• One for Best Male Country Vocal Performance, won for Best Pop Collaboration, Best Country Performance
• We are here today to celebrate their outstanding performance in the college university category at the
• mariachi extravaganza, the talented musicians of Mariachi Nueva Generacion earned the opportunity to perform
• HB 3887 by Matt Caffer leads the requirement of the performance and payment of bonds from contractors
• HB 4064 by elders relating to the performance of autopsies of individuals with a history of epilepsy

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:30:57.520><c> We</c><00:30:57.679><c> know</c> performances won't be as strong.
• We know performances won't be as strong.
• </c><00:31:52.240><c> board</c> incredible performance across the board incredible performance across
• </c><00:55:05.520><c> in</c> development uh student performance in development uh student performance
• That does not before be performed.

Bills: HB1183 , HB1656 , HB1658 , HB1661 , HB1663 , HB1664 , HB1859 , HB2116 , HB2271 , HB2276 , HB2335 , HB2360 , HB2387 , HB2472 , HB1805 , HB2469 , HB1815 , HB1860 , HB2117 , HB2118 , HB2437 , HB2438 , HB2604 , HB1590 , HB2156 , HB2268

Committee: House Finance

Keywords: retirement, pension, law enforcement, public safety, Hawaii Revised Statutes, indebtedness, salary recovery, employee compensation, deductions, financial management, collective bargaining, employee relations, impasse procedures, arbitration, public employment, HB1661, cafeteria plan, Section 125, Internal Revenue Code, flexible spending account

Transcript Highlights:

• select scholarship funding organizations and hold scholarship funding organizations to specific performance
• requirements and require them to establish user-friendly operating... ...performance requirements and
• He noted that there is performance now, but not always performance requirements, and that as a consequence
• there has been some ragged performance, candidly.
• He said the plan must include competitive selection and specific performance requirements in a contract

Summary: The Senate convened with a prayer, pledge, doctor-of-the-day introduction, and several recognitions, including a Founders’ Day tribute to Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and a welcome to a nationally ranked student debater in the gallery. The chamber then took up a committee report on 52 gubernatorial executive appointments; after explanation by the Ethics and Elections chair, the Senate adopted the report and confirmed the appointments by a vote of 39-0. The first major bill was SB 250 on rural communities. Senator Simon described it as a broad “Rural Renaissance” package creating an Office of Rural Prosperity, a Renaissance Grant Program, housing and transportation investments, education funding, and rural health care improvements. Two amendments were adopted to remove overlapping health-care provisions in light of new federal rural health funding and to update hospital funding amounts. Senators from both parties spoke in support, emphasizing the bill’s focus on rural infrastructure, health care access, and local flexibility. The bill passed 39-0. The Senate then considered CS/SB 318 on educational scholarship programs. Senator Gates explained that the bill responds to Auditor General concerns by separating scholarship funding from public-school funding, tightening enrollment verification, reducing administrative fees, requiring student identification numbers, improving reimbursement processes, and directing the Department of Education to develop a business plan for scholarship funding organizations. Three amendments were adopted, including removal of a declining-enrollment provision from the bill, with that issue expected to move elsewhere. Senators discussed transparency, accountability, and protections against overpayments and unverified enrollments, while also noting the need to preserve support for school districts. The bill passed 38-0. After both bills passed, the Senate waived rules to immediately certify SB 250 and CS/SB 318 to the House. The chamber also heard announcements recognizing Palm Beach County Day at the Capitol and scheduled a group photograph for the following Thursday before adjourning until January 22 or upon the President’s call.

Transcript Highlights:

• select scholarship funding organizations and hold scholarship funding organizations to specific performance
• Performance requirements and require them to establish user-friendly operating procedures.
• Right now, you know, there is performance, but there are not always performance requirements, and as
• a consequence there has been some ragged performance, candidly.
• And that plan has to include competitive selection, and it has to include specific performance requirements

Summary: The Senate convened with a prayer, pledge, and several recognitions, including Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority’s Founders’ Day, a visiting debate student, and later Palm Beach County Day at the Capitol. The chamber then took up committee reports and confirmed a slate of 52 executive appointments by a 39-0 vote. On special order, senators considered SB 250 on rural communities. The bill, described as a “Rural Renaissance” package, would create an Office of Rural Prosperity, establish a Renaissance Grant Program, increase housing and transportation support, and direct new funding to rural education and health care. Two amendments were adopted to update rural health funding and hospital estimates. Members from both parties spoke in support, while raising questions about eligibility and access to grants for certain rural areas. The bill passed 39-0. The Senate then debated CS/SB 318 on educational scholarship programs. The bill responds to Auditor General concerns by separating scholarship funding from public-school funding, requiring student identification and enrollment verification, reducing administrative fees for scholarship funding organizations, tightening payment and audit procedures, and creating a stabilization fund for scholarships. Three amendments were adopted to remove a district declining-enrollment provision from the bill, adjust private-school documentation timing, and clarify withdrawal form and parent-attestation procedures. Senators from both parties supported the measure while noting concerns about oversight, school quality, and future conforming legislation. The bill passed 38-0, and both SB 250 and CS/SB 318 were certified to the House before adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• During the performance of physical construction activities, shall we deemed an agent of the state for
• purposes of tort immunity, I'm paraphrasing, when performing work within the scope of the contract and
• in compliance, at the top, when acting within the scope of a government contract, performing work in
• because I would read acting within the scope of the contract to be they are on site, when they're performing

Committee: House Joint Committee on Transportation Oversight

Summary: The Committee on Transportation met with a quorum and took up House Bill 2926 in executive session. Members discussed an amendment clarifying the bill’s intent regarding tort and sovereign immunity for private contractors and subcontractors working on MoDOT projects, particularly to limit liability when they are not yet on site or have finished work, while still allowing claims for negligent or reckless acts. Several members raised concerns about how the language would apply in practice, including to design flaws, on-site work, and the scope of immunity, and others noted it mirrors federal contractor protections and would still leave disputes to the courts. The committee adopted amendment 0.02H, then rolled it into a new substitute and adopted the substitute. House Committee Substitute for House Bill 2926 was then moved do pass and approved by a roll call vote of 8 ayes, 1 no, and 3 present. Representative Woods voted no, while several members voted aye and others were recorded present or absent. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I'll be very frank with you that sometimes the performance that we're giving our veterans will vary
• train them and we're going to have more contact time with them to be able to make sure that the performance
• with an algorithm to be able to give a report card to the county judge to tell them how they're performing
• with an algorithm to be able to give a report card to the county judge to tell them how they're performing

Committee: All ALC-PERSONNEL

Summary: The Personnel Committee met to consider several agency personnel requests. It approved the Arkansas State Police request to surrender three corporal positions and replace them with three lieutenant positions for the I-40 corridor, and approved Arkansas State University-Jonesboro’s request for three project program administrator pool positions to support the new College of Veterinary Medicine. The committee also approved the Department of Commerce Economic Development Commission’s request for an extra help position tied to Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act work, described as a fiscal/budgeting and auditing role. One item was pulled from consideration. The committee then reviewed a report item involving a reduction in force at the Department of Veterans Affairs that eliminated six positions. Veterans Affairs officials explained that the action was part of a broader restructuring, not simply a layoff, intended to realign the agency with its current mission, expand services for veterans earlier in their transition from service, and create a veteran employment specialist role to connect veterans with Arkansas employers. They said the restructuring was designed to fit within budget limits and would save money while expanding services. Members asked detailed questions about the impact on veterans, county veteran service officers, severance pay, and retirement implications. Veterans Affairs officials said county veteran service officers are still in place and that the agency is working to improve training, supervision, and consistency across counties, including a report-card style evaluation for county judges. Staff also explained that severance is based on years of service and is not recouped if an employee later takes another state job, though immediate transfers do not receive severance. After discussion, no further action was taken and the committee adjourned.