Transcript Highlights:

• If everyone sees a quorum, the Senate Education Committee will come to order. Welcome, everyone.
• As is the tradition in this committee, we like to welcome a wide variety of people in the education space
• Senate Bill 514 provides clarification in regards to alternative education programming through charter
• one of those programs?
• And we had some private dollars that helped pay for the technical assistance program.

Bills: SB514, SB346, SB1593, SB1782, SB1366, SB1497, SB366, SB1895, SB2048, SB2005, SB2006, SB710, SB1480

Keywords: SB514, school choice, charter school, virtual charter school, OSSAA, extracurricular activities, interscholastic activities, athletics, homeschool, other means of education, alternative education, student eligibility, student transfer, district policy, public school district, adjacent district, blended learning, virtual learning, school sports, academic eligibility

Transcript Highlights:

• Welcome to education policy. It's good to have all of you here today.
• Thank Mark Dixon and A+ for presenting and trying to catch up education policy to the Education Ways
• preparation program, the legislature, and the public.
• programs at the four-year colleges.
• two levels of higher education to ... ...the two levels of higher education to collaborate and come up

Bills: HB9, HB102, HB9

Keywords: three-cueing system, reading instruction, K-12 education, structured literacy, scientific strategies, dual enrollment, high school, community college, university, educational access, high school credit, 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• World Spay Day underscores the importance of accessible and affordable spay and neuter programs, which
• at decreasing stray pet populations by increasing awareness of the importance of spay and neuter programs
• Those substance use providers were doing diversion court or other kinds of programs in the middle of
• Substance use treatment, especially drug court and other diversion programs, are incredibly effective
• We absolutely need transition plans for these kinds of programs.

Bills: SB1636, SB1584, SB1730, SB1255, SB1627, SB137, SB2062, SB1470, SB1284, SB1632, SB1594, SB2045, SB1251, SB1884, SB1250, SB1630, SB1262, SB1374, SB1292, SB1432, SB1199, SB1790, SB1481, SB1614, SB1734, SB1437, SB1489, SB1718, SB1778, SB1327, SB1372, SB1403, SB1937, SB277, SB2131, SB1749, SB1348, SB1469, SB2018, SB1931, SB1530, SB2155, SB2030, SB1926, SB2170, SB2151, SB2166, SB1213, SB1381, SB1824, SB1876, SB1728, SB1582, SB1286, SB1386, SB1708, SB1618, SB2106, SB1471, SB2139, SB2154, SB1619, SCR15, HB2786, HB2787, SB1525, SB2011, SB2159

Keywords: cold case, unsolved homicide, violent crime, case file review, law enforcement, police records, victim family, immediate family member, designated person, forensic testing, witness reinterview, investigative leads, cold case unit, unsolved murder, public safety, Title 21, Oklahoma statutes, sexual assault, evidence kits, DNA testing

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, it does not have anything here about higher education.
• This bill does not include higher education. It's... Include higher education.
• Public education. And this will actually help.
• And then um, you'll see on line 14 there that D changes to C where it says, "state board of education
• Of education shall adopt rules. And that is what we worked out meeting with.

Bills: SB166, HB365, HB272, HB232, HB234, SB278, SB277

Keywords: Ten Commandments, public education, displays, funding, Alabama law, sex education, abstinence, public schools, parental consent, human reproductive process, teen pregnancy, educational policy, sexual risk avoidance, 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• rather than relying on the State Board of Education for certain functions.
• Limiting it to the original intent of the program, which is high school students.
• Senate Bill 1614 is a request from the State Department of Education.
• It is a program that will be run by the State Department of Education, so it's not going to be the same
• as our mentor teacher programs or something similar to that.

Bills: SB710, SB843, SB1317, SB1338, SB1410, SB1477, SB1489, SB1593, SB1614, SB1630, SB1632, SB1633, SB1670, SB1726, SB1734, SB1725, SB1735, SB1894, SB1975, SB346, SB2045

Keywords: teacher preparation, teacher education, teacher shortage, teacher workforce, educator pipeline, alternative certification, apprenticeship, residency program, paraprofessional pathway, high school to teacher pathway, nontraditional teacher candidates, Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability, TeachForwardOK, higher education, public school districts, workforce development, grant program, technical assistance provider, mastery-based assessment, emergency clause

Transcript Highlights:

• Education a bit. Let me see if I can do a little better for you, sir.
• I can talk about it maybe from the non-education side a little bit more, and assuming there's some.
• Senate Bill 1204 allows for three days of paid bereavement leave for our educators and support personnel
• minds about it myself, but there are concerns sometimes that not every kid needs to be in a recess program
• Would half-day programs or a special day, there's a half day, or if there's testing or something that

Bills: SB1360, SB1204, SB1989, SB1189, SB1481

Keywords: mathematics, student assessment, dyscalculia, intervention services, educational funding, professional development, state department of education, school employees, teachers, support personnel, support employees, public schools, school districts, bereavement leave, paid leave, grief leave, family leave, miscarriage, pregnancy loss, maternity leave

Transcript Highlights:

• um and establishes the Community and Cultural<00:23:34.240> Partnerships<00:23:34.800> Program
• <00:23:35.840> Um Cultural Partnerships Program. Um Cultural Partnerships Program.
• duplication, unclear roles, and whether new resources would be added to or diverted from existing programs
• Um at a time when many arts programs.
• approach and kind of get >> an educational approach and kind of get out<01:12:53.000> try

Bills: SB2603, SB3007, SB3019, SB3022, SB2795, SB2256, SB3250, SB2147

Keywords: Hawaii Symphony Orchestra, state funding, public performances, educational programs, cultural arts funding, culture and arts, arts policy, cultural preservation, community development, economic revitalization, place-based planning, public spaces, historic preservation, adaptive reuse, mixed-use development, business improvement district, Honolulu Chinatown, DBEDT, Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, state foundation on culture and the arts

Summary: The committee heard testimony on SB 2603 SD1, which would designate the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra as the state symphony orchestra, require annual reports to the legislature, and appropriate funds. Testimony was overwhelmingly in support from the orchestra, the Hawaii Youth Symphony, the Hawaii Arts Alliance, business and arts groups, and many individuals. Supporters emphasized the orchestra’s cultural value, its role in inspiring youth and supporting arts education, and its broader community impact. No opposition or questions were raised, and the chair offered praise for the level of public engagement around the measure. The committee then took up SB 3007 SD2, relating to culture and the arts, which would create an Office of Community Culture and Innovation within the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, require annual reporting, appropriate funds, and establish a Community and Cultural Partnerships Program. The Attorney General’s office warned that section four, which separately funds preservation and relocation of artwork from Aloha Stadium, may be non-germane and should be moved to a separate bill; it also suggested the office would be more properly placed under DAGS rather than SFCA. SFCA Director Karen Ewald testified with concerns about added costs, staffing burdens, and the need for earlier communication, while also saying the agency could support the work if properly coordinated. Opposition testimony argued the bill was duplicative or unnecessary, while supporters, including Governor Abercrombie and Dean Sakamoto, said it would help communities, especially Chinatown, and could support planning and cultural revitalization. The chair noted roughly eight opposition testimonies and five in support, and questioned witnesses about coordination and the cost of relocating the Aloha Stadium artwork, which Ewald estimated could cost at least $1.2 million. The AG’s office said removing section four would substantially reduce legal risk. Finally, the committee heard SB 3019 SD2, a consumer protection measure that would cap ticket resale prices at no more than $3 above the original price for events in Hawaii and authorize DCCA to adopt enforcement rules and fines. The Office of Consumer Protection opposed the bill, arguing it would strain limited enforcement resources, push sales to less regulated channels, and likely eliminate the protections offered by established secondary platforms. Chamber of Progress also opposed the bill, saying price caps would encourage black-market sales, scams, and fraud, and that resale markets serve legitimate consumer needs. In support, the National Independent Venue Association backed the measure, though the remainder of its testimony was not fully captured in the transcript excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 1847 allows individuals who qualify for the Advantage Waiver Medicaid program to reside in
• Senate Bill 1360 directs the State Department of Education to establish a three-year pilot program putting
• Talking to OwRB, there's some other programs They have that.
• Hopefully, when we see this moving forward, so as far as any infrastructure water programs through the
• would still work the way that some of their other programs work.

Bills: SB169, SB1991, SB1992, SB1204, SB1339, SB182, SB1847, SB1360, SB1346

Keywords: longevity pay, state employees, Oklahoma government, salary increase, emergency declaration, capital planning, funding allocation, state budget, infrastructure, emergency measures, income tax credit, qualified project, economic development, infrastructure funding, small population areas, school employees, teachers, support personnel, support employees, public schools

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, this bill relates to prohibiting the regulation of homeschool programs.
• as the JET grant program.
• in public institutions of higher education.
• at certain institutions of higher education.
• At 9:45 in the education room, E1.6.028, again at 9:45 in the morning.

Bills: HB322, HB126, HB3062, HB1481, HB2310, HB2674, HB121, HB2243, HB3627, HB1178, HB367, HB5515

Keywords: JET Grant Program, career education, technical education, community colleges, technology solutions, high demand jobs, student athletes, name image likeness, compensation, intercollegiate athletics, representation, fentanyl prevention, drug poisoning awareness, higher education, mental health resources, substance abuse education, student policy, communication devices, school regulations, disciplinary measures

Transcript Highlights:

• and some of them don't have access to that program because out of foster care, um, when they're adopted
• They have access to those programs, but whenever they are in a facility and they age out, they do not
• Um, programs as they would if they were in a foster home.
• You don't have, you're not educated on the issue and you're coming in here I'm making a decision.
• I used to work directly with queer and trans teens in an after school program.

Bills: HB 2646, HB 3941, HB 5153, HB 5155, HB 5394, HB 1106, HB 426, HB 4529, HB 3984, HB 4273, HB 1097, HB 3940, HB 1941, HB 4377, HB 3153

Keywords: child care, task force, high-quality care, affordability, prekindergarten partnerships, foster care, transitional living, Medicaid reform, youth assistance, independent living, services for youth, employment training, educational support, mental health services, health care, public health, child health program, reimbursement, local health entities, maternal health

Bills: HB59, HB74, HB159, HB167, HB175, HB255, HB330, HB364, HB458, HB525, HB568, HB656, HB1033, HB1034, HB1070

Keywords: public defender, funding, district court, East Baton Rouge, judicial expenses, Autism Spectrum Disorder, missing children, law enforcement, public safety, Spectrum Alert, inmate documentation, post-release employment, special identification card, Louisiana Department of Public Safety, reentry services, veterans, veterans services, lottery proceeds, special fund, grant board

Transcript Highlights:

• adult education programs to align with the Federal Adult Education and Family Literacy Act, or AFLA,
• adult education programs to align with the Federal Adult Education and Family Literacy Act, or AFLA,
• adult education programs to align with the Federal Adult Education and Family Literacy Act, or AFLA,
• /c><00:32:42.080> learners education programs enable adult learners education programs enable
• This updates the Hawaii statutory framework for adult and community education programs.

Bills: HB1559, HB2012, HB2297, HB2122, HB2345, HB2398, HB2534, HB2621

Keywords: telecommunication devices, student use, public schools, student engagement, educational outcomes, confiscation policy, mental health, statewide policy, community literacy, education, Title I funding, reading proficiency, underserved communities, family engagement, tutoring, literacy support, adult education, community education, literacy programs, workforce development

Bills: HB 2217

Keywords: law enforcement, bullet-resistant, grant program, safety equipment, peace officers

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 2217 establishes a grant program to equip law enforcement vehicles with bullet resistance
• HB 2217 establishes a grant program to equip local law enforcement vehicles with bullet-resistant components
• The grant program would be administered by the Governor's Office of Public Safety Criminal Justice Division

Bills: HB2217

Keywords: law enforcement, bullet-resistant, grant program, safety equipment, peace officers

Summary: The Senate Committee on Criminal Justice met and considered two House bills. HB 2217 would create a grant program to help local law enforcement agencies equip patrol vehicles with bullet-resistant components such as windshields, side doors, and windows. Senator Hagenbuch explained that the measure is intended to improve officer safety in light of shootings through patrol car glass, and no invited or public testimony was offered. The committee voted 6-0 to report HB 2217 favorably to the full Senate and also recommended it for the open uncontested calendar. The committee then took up HB 2594, with Senator Creighton explaining that it updates venue rules for cybercrime and related theft cases involving intangible property such as cryptocurrency, online fraud, and intellectual property theft. The bill would allow prosecution in the county where the victim resides, where the defendant is apprehended, or where the defendant is extradited to, giving prosecutors more flexibility when crimes cross county lines. No questions or testimony were offered. The committee voted 6-0 to report HB 2594 favorably to the full Senate. It was also recommended for the local and uncontested calendar. After completing its business, the committee recessed subject to the call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• Let's focus on education and compliance and not punishment.
• Type of work, and all this bill would do is create more education on the plant and the benefits of it
• Permits cover the costs of the program, or do they exceed them, or do we not know?
• I was laying out a bill in public education that took a lot longer than it needed to.
• It creates an agricultural plant disease and pest prevention grant program.

Bills: HB147

Keywords: government contracting, business program, discrimination, state procurement, equity, underutilized businesses

Summary: The House Committee on Agriculture and Livestock met with a quorum present and heard several bills, all of which were left pending. HB 1113, by Rep. Cain, would update Texas hemp law to keep state rules aligned with federal changes, require timely rule amendments by the Department of Agriculture, and create hemp research permits for universities and nonprofits. Supporters from the Texas Hemp Coalition said it would improve research, licensing, testing, and enforcement while helping the industry stay compliant and competitive; the author said the bill was intended to reward good actors and deter bad ones. HB 1203, by Rep. Gonzalez, would create an Office of Food System Security and Resiliency within the Department of Agriculture to address food insecurity and coordinate local food access efforts. Gonzalez said the office would build on a prior Department of Agriculture study and help connect farmers, agencies, schools, and local governments; members asked about the fiscal note, consumer costs, and whether the office would overlap with existing programs. HB 1269, HB 1276, and HB 1277 focused on plant disease and pest prevention, including a grant program and studies to identify gaps and track outbreaks. Gonzalez emphasized the need for a more intentional state response, citing crop losses from pests and a recent cotton disease outbreak in his district. HB 1437 would create a pollinator task force to address threats to Texas honeybees and related pollination industries. A Texas Beekeepers Association witness described major recent colony losses, emerging threats such as mites and hornets, and the need to bring agencies and researchers together; Gonzalez noted prior work adding a bee specialist at AgriLife Extension. Finally, HB 147, by Chairman Guillen, would modernize cattle brand registration by moving it to an electronic system at the Texas Animal Health Commission while keeping county clerks involved. Supporters said it would improve efficiency, accuracy, and access for ranchers and law enforcement, while an opponent warned about possible electronic tracking implications and costs for small producers. The committee took no final votes and adjourned after leaving HB 147 pending as well.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Appropriations Committee on Pre-K-12 Education will now come to order.
• Tab 2, SB 920, Mathematics Education, by Senator Gates.
• SB 920, Mathematics Education, by Senator Gates, we're going to show that bill temporarily postponed.
• Florida's educator compensation statute in 1012.22 was rewritten more than a decade ago to emphasize
• The Committee on Education Appropriations will come back to order.

Bills: S0920, S1036, S1216

Keywords: mathematics education, career pathways, applied algebra, college readiness, technical education, school counselors, educational standards, certification requirements, evaluation criteria, professional development, public school personnel, salary adjustment, performance salary schedule, cost-of-living adjustment, school administration

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Pre-K-12 Education met with a quorum present and first temporarily postponed SB 920 on mathematics education. The committee then took up SB 1216 on public school personnel compensation, sponsored by Senator Rodriguez, which would give districts more flexibility in educator pay by restoring meaningful cost-of-living adjustments for teachers with direct student contact, allowing recognition of relevant advanced degrees, and removing rigid performance-pay caps. Several senators spoke in support, emphasizing teacher retention, compensation, and education as a state investment. The bill was reported favorably on a unanimous roll call vote. After a brief recess, the committee considered CS/SB 1036 on school counselors, sponsored by Senator Calatayud, to address counselor shortages by removing certification barriers tied to classroom teacher requirements. The sponsor and supporting testimony described recruitment and retention problems, high counselor-to-student ratios, and the need for counselors to focus on student academics, mental health, and college/career readiness rather than administrative duties. Public testimony came from students, educators, and school personnel who described limited access to counselors and the impact on student well-being and college planning. Committee members broadly supported the bill while noting that counselors are often overburdened and that additional support personnel, including BRACE advisors, may also need attention in the future. Senators also discussed broader efficiency measures and the need for schools and colleges to improve access to guidance services. CS/SB 1036 was reported favorably by unanimous vote. At the end of the meeting, members recorded their votes on the two bills, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• To your amendment, this is in regards to the Supplemental Nutrition Outreach Program.
• There is base funding for the SNAP outreach program, even though there is no increase in this bill.
• So this program would take $1 million and fund free or partially subsidized child care for individuals
• It's kind of in the same vein as the Great Start Compensation Program.
• That is why there is a grant program within the bill.

Bills: HF2436

Keywords: child welfare, economic assistance, child care, grant program, video security cameras

Transcript Highlights:

• On line 872 is a House item to add $6 million to the Early Childhood Education Scholarships Program;
• This modifies the TEACH scholarship program, which is a scholarship program for the early care and education
• amounts that are consistent with the national teaching program requirements. program requirements.
• In Minnesota, or the FAME program.
• Program integrity.

Bills: HF2436

Keywords: child welfare, economic assistance, child care, grant program, video security cameras

Transcript Highlights:

• I am 20 years old and I am currently living at Buckner's Next Step program based in Dallas.
• Continuing my education makes me feel stress-free.
• This is not about education.
• So the 6,888 complaints were brought to us, we PIR-ed the Texas Education Agency.
• Texas families have children enrolled in both Medicaid and CHIP programs.

Bills: HB2646, HB3941, HB5153, HB5155, HB5394, HB 1106, HB426, HB4529, HB3984, HB4273, HB 1097, HB3940, HB1941, HB4377, HB3153

Keywords: child care, task force, high-quality care, affordability, prekindergarten partnerships, foster care, transitional living, Medicaid reform, youth assistance, independent living, services for youth, employment training, educational support, mental health services, health care, public health, child health program, reimbursement, local health entities, maternal health

Transcript Highlights:

• , they don't give them money to get on their feet, none of that, unless they go through a certain program
• Most of them don't have access to that program, because when they're out of foster care or in a placement
• They have access to those programs, but whenever they're in a facility and they age out, they do not
• have access to those programs as they would if they were in a foster home.

Bills: HB2646, HB3941, HB5153, HB5155, HB5394, HB 1106, HB426, HB4529, HB3984, HB4273, HB 1097, HB3940, HB1941, HB4377, HB3153

Keywords: child care, task force, high-quality care, affordability, prekindergarten partnerships, foster care, transitional living, Medicaid reform, youth assistance, independent living, services for youth, employment training, educational support, mental health services, health care, public health, child health program, reimbursement, local health entities, maternal health