Transcript Highlights:

• These two bills, especially SB 23, combined with the 6.8 pennies of school district tax rate compression
• and focusing on helping people who really need the help and have been loyal to the state and the school
• The freeze values simply put were the taxable value of the home times the tax rate at the time for school
• What we've already done, we think, already got 45% of the seniors and disabled paying no school tax.
• the House and Senate budgets, and we feel like more money for tax cuts just leaves less money for schools

Bills: SB23, SJR85

Keywords: homestead exemption, elderly, disabled, ad valorem taxation, school district funding, Texas constitutional amendment, property tax relief, school district taxes, ad valorem tax, residence homestead, elderly homeowners, senior citizens, disabled homeowners, age 65 or older, school finance, tax exemption increase, local school taxes, property tax exemption, homestead tax relief, voter approval

Summary: The Senate Committee on Local Government heard testimony on Senate Bill 23 and its companion constitutional amendment, Senate Joint Resolution 85, both by Senator Bettencourt. The bills would increase the additional homestead exemption for elderly and disabled homeowners from $10,000 to $60,000, which proponents said would significantly reduce property taxes and help seniors and disabled Texans age in place. Bettencourt and supporters described the measure as part of a broader property tax relief package, estimating combined savings of about $950 for over-65 and disabled homeowners when paired with other recent homestead exemption changes. Witnesses largely supported the proposal. Testimony in favor came from a lawyer, a private citizen, Texas Realtors, the Texas Silver-Haired Legislature, and the Texas Association of Builders, all emphasizing relief for fixed-income seniors, housing stability, and the ability to remain in their homes. Several witnesses noted rising property taxes, medical costs, and the challenges seniors face in moving or affording home modifications. One witness from Every Texan said a flat homestead exemption is the most equitable way to cut property taxes, but argued against additional tax cuts generally, favoring a circuit-breaker approach and warning that permanent tax cuts could reduce funding for schools and other needs. The committee also discussed data showing many over-65 homeowners already pay no school property taxes in some counties and that the proposed changes would increase that share. After closing public testimony, the committee voted on the measures. Senate Bill 23 was reported favorably to the full Senate by a 7-0 vote, and S.J.R. 85 was also reported favorably by a 7-0 vote. The transcript also shows Senate Bill 898 being laid out and passed unanimously earlier in the meeting, with a recommendation for the local and uncontested calendar.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill aims to expand financial assistance to public schools.
• The bill also improves the reimbursement process for school districts.
• So there are a couple of things here for students, teachers, and then school districts.
• The third thing is that school districts that pay for the costs can be reimbursed by applying to the

Bills: HB 1061, HB2800

Keywords: education, teacher certification, cost subsidies, public school funding, career and technology education, reimbursement, subsidy, education funding, student subsidies, cost reimbursements, public school finance, public school, examination fees, apprenticeship, workforce development, career education, high school students, technical education, employment, 1184

Transcript Highlights:

• Every week, 1 to 2 field crews are in the field maintaining the stations as needed.
• In a rapidly growing area, we receive over 150 locate requests per week.
• There was a whole town that was without water for two weeks.
• So two weeks later, it's Texas, right? We have a big rainstorm. It's all watched.
• So if I have one person, one person can get to 100 tickets in a week.

Bills: HB206

Keywords: HB206, school district bonds, bond election, voter approval, Education Code, Chapter 45, Section 45.003, Section 45.0034, Texas schools, school finance, local tax election, bond referendum, school construction, capital improvements, election frequency, five-year waiting period, district bonds, public school funding

Bills: HB34, HM7, HM8, HM17, HM3, HM11, HM14, HM15, HM21, HM25

Keywords: HB34, school nurse, school nurses, nurse licensure, licensure, charter school, charter schools, school district, public education, Department of Health, Public Education Department, registered nurse, RN, mentorship, evaluation, competency, teacher salary parity, minimum salary, level one license, level two license

Transcript Highlights:

• public school system. public school system.
• Charter School build Minneapolis public Charter School build Minneapolis public schools<01:06:39.039>
• > schools<01:09:31.279> as pit schools against schools as pit schools against schools as
• school.
• Charter schools are by schools face.

Bills: HF3790, HF3654, HF3371, HF3470, HF1099

Keywords: education finance, lease levy authority, graduation ceremonies, school districts, Minnesota Statutes, local revenue, funding increase, education, state appropriation, local control, HF3371, local optional revenue, school finance, general education aid, school district funding, referendum revenue, referendum market value, equalization aid, state aid, property tax levy

Transcript Highlights:

• So unless you did it after school, it's possible you could do it during the school day, but sometimes
• So it could be before school, it could be after school, maybe, maybe during lunch, could be, or recess
• So that's left to local school boards and local governing bodies of, when I say school boards, we all
• chaplains in public schools.
• It pressures school boards to adopt religious practices during the At times when a school is in session

Bills: SB 6, SB 11, SB 33

Keywords: electric power, interconnection, utilities, ERCOT, large load customers, water supply, sewer service, demand management, school prayer, Bible reading, religious text, public schools, Texas Education Code, student prayer, silent prayer, meditation, religious liberty, First Amendment, Establishment Clause, church and state

Transcript Highlights:

• So it could be before school, it could be after school, it might be. ...maybe during lunch or recess,
• open enrollment charter schools.
• My concerns about the bill are, you know, we have students in our public schools and charter schools.
• Last session in favor of Senate Bill 763 to allow school chaplains in public schools.
• the beginning of each school day.

Bills: SB6, SB11, SB33

Keywords: electric power, interconnection, utilities, ERCOT, large load customers, water supply, sewer service, demand management, school prayer, Bible reading, religious text, public schools, Texas Education Code, student prayer, silent prayer, meditation, religious liberty, First Amendment, Establishment Clause, church and state

Transcript Highlights:

• that you would like to see in a substitute, could... ...to my office in writing by the end of this week

Bills: SB6, SB11, SB33

Keywords: electric power, interconnection, utilities, ERCOT, large load customers, water supply, sewer service, demand management, school prayer, Bible reading, religious text, public schools, Texas Education Code, student prayer, silent prayer, meditation, religious liberty, First Amendment, Establishment Clause, church and state

Transcript Highlights:

• We've seen that restrictions have continued to be put on schools, especially high school now where they
• If schools still took this wise requirement seriously, few middle schoolers could enter high school.
• HB 2008, School Library. Thank you. HB 2008, School Libraries.
• schools or private schools?
• With private schools and charter schools, no one is forced to go to them. Thank you.

Bills: HB2008, HB2075, HB2203, HB2395, HB2409

Keywords: school libraries, public school libraries, library funding, professional associations, library associations, librarians, information services, dues, membership fees, public monies, school governing body, county free library district, municipal library, library contracts, library services, books and programs, Arizona education, Title 15, Library Freedom Act, school district transparency

Bills: HB444, HB444

Keywords: HB444, vaccines, vaccine exemption, religious exemption, religious liberty, private school, church school, faith-based school, parochial school, school immunization, testing requirement, disease testing, parental rights, school enrollment, attendance requirements, CHOOSE Act, school choice, education funding, tax exemption, corporate income tax

Transcript Highlights:

• I don't know if we're talking about a two-day work week or three-day work week next week.
• with the school.
• and now I coach in high school.
• Empower School is a digital platform that all of our schools in the state are using. Yes, sir.
• So this comes at the request of the charter school folks. request of the charter school folks.

Bills: HB315, HB152, HB205, SB184, SB209, HB309, SB280, SB267

Keywords: sales tax, local exemption, Consumer Price Index, tax holiday, clothing tax exemption, school supplies, sales tax exemption, baby supplies, baby formula, maternity clothing, menstrual hygiene products, use tax, exemption, tax conformity, tangible personal property, Alabama Department of Revenue, retail tax, consumer use tax, nonresident, religious publications

Transcript Highlights:

• It creates medical issues. schools.
• That population is eight times larger than the high school population.
• The State Board of Education is requesting that it applies to middle school instead of high school.
• today, just in the school... next week in this committee.
• School, uh, next week in this committee, we're going to have a couple of experts on social media and

Bills: SB140, HB102, SB133, SB34

Keywords: Coach Safely Act, youth athletics, noncompliance penalties, Department of Public Health, youth athlete, dual enrollment, high school, community college, university, educational access, high school credit, juvenile court, juvenile delinquency, school notification, student safety, K-12, public schools, private schools, superintendent, principal

Transcript Highlights:

• public school.
• schools as well.
• days for the week.
• in the final two weeks in a Texas public school.
• public schools.

Bills: SB1798, SB1835, SB1319, SB2942, SB2928, SB784, SB1049

Keywords: higher education, tuition rates, financial support, immigration status, Texas law, SB 1835, resident tuition, nonresident students, scholarship students, public higher education, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, Education Code Section 54.213, tuition waiver, in-state tuition, out-of-state students, higher education finance, enrollment cap, capacity limit, workforce development area, nonimmigrant visa

Transcript Highlights:

• > our<00:26:03.440> school<00:26:03.679> board the record, this week our school
• board the record, this week our school board faced<00:26:04.960> a<00:26:05.279> difficult<
• The weeks when there was school, I received a partial unemployment benefit along with my wages.
• The weeks when there were no routes, I received my full benefit. work, the weeks when there's no school
• The weeks when there<01:34:32.719> was<01:34:32.960> school,<01:34:33.360> I<01:

Bills: HF1048, HF1049, HF745, HF2210

Keywords: charter schools, education funding, revenue calculation, general education revenue, special education, school library aid, education finance, school districts, funding eligibility, compensatory revenue, task force, free meals, school funding, education equity, HF2210, school unemployment aid, Minnesota Department of Education, general fund appropriation, unemployment insurance, unemployment claims

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you for your time today. school about dyslexia, but her struggles school about dyslexia, but her
• Schools are now improving literacy.
• <00:16:24.560> I graduate school for special ed. I graduate school for special ed.
• Uh, charter schools, innovation, and school safety—these are areas that I think we can continue to work
• Uh, charter schools, innovation, and school safety—these are areas that I think we can continue to work

Bills: HF60, HF3067, HF3730, HF3638, HF3401

Keywords: interchange, bond issuance, transportation, infrastructure funding, Sherburne County, paraprofessional, paraprofessional qualifications, education support staff, teacher aide, teacher assistant, special education, Title I, federal personnel qualifications, Minnesota Department of Education, school district, charter school, cooperative unit, Read Act, reading instruction, math instruction

Transcript Highlights:

• School board rules in general allowed school workers to apply for UI before; however, they were denied
• That's the school district, and I won't name all the alphabet soup that we have for school districts.
• My school district, where I live, does the summer school for the school districts around it, so their
• ESPs are in schools; they make up the fabric of our schools.
• Talk to any school and ask them about their hourly school workers.

Bills: HF1049

Keywords: school library aid, education finance, school districts, charter schools, funding eligibility

Transcript Highlights:

• They sit in the classroom with college students, not just with their high school peers. school classmates
• DEI policies in our public schools.
• people to all of these schools.
• This is a school district open enrollment charter school or district or charter school employee may not
• This simply does not happen outside of school. I'm heavily involved in my children's schooling.

Bills: SB12, SB226, SB413, SB1049, SB1191, SB2398, SB571, SB2920, SB 12

Keywords: parental rights, education, social transitioning, diversity, equity, inclusion, school policy, student clubs, residency, public schools, child safety placement, enrollment, education code, school boards, transparency, public meetings, attendance, recording, released time, religious instruction

Transcript Highlights:

• school areas. Yes. school areas. Yes.
• elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school.
• <01:59:12.400> This school, and one high school. This school, and one high school.
• . school. school.
• > elementary<02:57:43.920> schools school primarily the elementary schools school primarily

Bills: SB2613, SB2147

Keywords: public school land transfer, Department of Education, DOE, land conveyance, fee simple title, tax map key, TMK, Act 307, Session Laws of Hawaii 2022, Act 139, Board of Land and Natural Resources, BLNR, Department of Land and Natural Resources, DLNR, Kauai, Maui, Honolulu, Kaimuki Middle School, Wilcox Elementary School, school property

Summary: The committee heard SB 2613, a cleanup bill relating to public school land transfers under Act 307 (2022), which revises tax map key references and the conveyance process for properties transferred to the Department of Education. The Hawaii State Public Library System supported the measure, saying it would complete the long-unfinished separation of the library system from DOE property control and make future building projects more efficient and cost-effective. DOE also supported the bill and requested an amendment to remove TMK 43-62 parcel 10, the Wilcox Elementary School parcel, so that it could instead be transferred to the county for use with the adjacent park and tennis courts. Members focused heavily on why land transfers and construction approvals have been slow, especially the need for right-of-entry documents and an MOA for a library construction project. Library and DOE witnesses said the delays stemmed from site-control issues and confusion over property status, and that the bill would clarify which parcels are transferred by operation of law and remove the need for additional transactional documents in many cases. Several members questioned whether the bill actually changes authority or simply clarifies existing practice, and DOE said it wanted legislative clarity so the transfers are unmistakably effective on a date certain. The committee also discussed a separate section of the bill dealing with public use of school facilities after hours, including parking fees on property under DOE jurisdiction. DOE explained that any parking charges would apply only to property it controls, not county roads, and that fees are set through existing facility-use procedures. Members raised concerns about the pace of land transfers generally and urged DOE to move more expeditiously on pending parcels. The hearing then moved on to SB 2147, which would designate the first Friday in February as Love My Library Day; the library system testified in support as the committee began that measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• best for the students, families, and schools in the district.
• For the 26-27 school year, then, right, so that's a whole school year they would have the option if it
• So then schools would get to choose.
• So theoretically, you could have in this next school year...
• The school superintendents' NASS, Nevada Association of School Superintendents, are in support of the

Bills: AB386

Keywords: AB386, Washoe County School District, reading assessment, literacy, elementary school, pupil assessment, statewide assessment, alternative assessment, reading proficiency, standards-based testing, valid and reliable test, State Board of Education, Department of Education, pilot program, school testing, assessment equivalency, education grant, Nevada education, NRS 388.157, school accountability

Transcript Highlights:

• security and school safety, etc.
• my colleagues from the school boards here with us today had regular discussions about school.
• Because mental health supports inside the school are a key major component to school safety.
• And I think some schools do so...
• A principal of a public school.

Bills: SB1632, SB1594, SB2045, SB1251, SB1884, SB1250, SB1630, SB1262, SB1374, SB1292, SB1432, SB1199, SB1790, SB1481, SB1614, SB1734, SB1437, SB1489, SB1718, SB1778

Keywords: career readiness, education reform, high school assessments, workplace skills, state education, credentialing, teacher certification, principal requirements, education administration, special education, Oklahoma education law, SB2045, Grow Your Own Educator Program, teacher recruitment, teacher retention, alternative certification, alternative teacher certification, teacher preparation, tuition reimbursement, course fee reimbursement