Transcript Highlights:

• It's not getting off to what your research has provided. I have been to these countries.
• It's amazing how much faster you can do legal research with AI.
• It's amazing how much faster you can do legal research with AI.
• It's something I was researching, Senator. Have you found the clocks to be off?
• Has Heritage Foundation done the research that indicates that it would be particularly hard for any group

Bills: SB1018 , SB1037 , SB1568 , SB1687 , SB1825 , SCR1001

Committee: House Federalism, Military Affairs & Elections

Keywords: foreign law, Sharia law, cultural practices, women's rights, marriage laws, domestic violence, honor killings, Arizona legislation, elections, voting systems, vote tabulation, election security, internet connectivity, offline voting, chain of custody, polling place equipment, counting center, central counting center, election management system, EMS gateway

Transcript Highlights:

• companies, they pay into what's called the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety, the research
• to model, but we're getting to a point now through this research, a multi-year, multi-phase project,
• we're now able to determine... ...now through this research, a multi-year, multi-phase project, we're
• OECD research shows that after major catastrophes, insurance markets typically take three to five years
• It is producing research, hosting listening sessions, and informing state and federal policy.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• c> know,</c><00:23:41.200><c> for</c><00:23:41.440><c> sure</c><00:23:41.760><c> and</c> So, the research
• The research institutions, the flagships, are different than most of our regional schools.
• The research institutions, the flagships, are different than most of our regional schools.
• The research institutions, the flagships, are different than most of our regional schools.
• First one deals with research, uh, clarifying research institutions. Is there— Um, Mr.

Bills: SB344 , SB344

Committee: Senate Finance and Taxation Education

Keywords: Alabama Memorial Preservation Act, monuments, historic preservation, memorial buildings, memorial schools, memorial streets, architecturally significant buildings, public property, waiver process, Committee on Alabama Monument Protection, Attorney General, civil penalty, historic marker, renaming, relocation, removal, public memorials, heritage preservation, state historic preservation fund, governmental entity

Transcript Highlights:

• You can see the majority of their funding is for research projects and grants, and the majority of their
• The alligator snapping turtle, that is a research project that we have to look at the populations of
• What about the oyster research? Is any of that money being spent on?
• What about the oyster research?
• How are we spending the $2.7 million on oyster research and restoration?

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: 965, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• . $100 million for preeminent research universities.
• initiatives. $170 million for opioid treatment, prevention, and recovery efforts. $20 million for cancer research
• initiatives. $170 million for opioid treatment, prevention, and recovery efforts. $20 million for cancer research
• I did research and found that 46 states had a working component to Medicaid for people with disabilities
• I did research and found that 46 states had a working component to Medicaid for people with disabilities

Bills: S2500 , S2502 , S2504 , S7028 , S2506 , S2508 , S2510 , S2512 , S2514 , S2516 , S2518 , S0482 , S0678 , S0984 , S1016 , S1074 , S1706 , S7030

Committee: Senate Appropriations

Keywords: budget, appropriation, education funding, healthcare, environmental protection, infrastructure, local government, Appropriations Act, funding, education, rural development, economic assistance, collective bargaining, state employees, labor relations, impasse resolution, negotiations, retirement, elected officials, Deferred Retirement Option Program

Summary: The committee heard presentations on the Senate’s proposed 2026-2027 budget, SPB 2500, with chairs outlining major spending in K-12 education, higher education, health and human services, criminal and civil justice, transportation/tourism/economic development, and agriculture/environment/general government. Highlights included a $115 billion overall budget, pay raises for state employees and public safety workers, major K-12 funding increases and enrollment supplements, higher education workforce and nursing investments, expanded Medicaid/KidCare and behavioral health funding, corrections and law enforcement operational funding, transportation and housing investments, and significant environmental and water quality spending. Members asked about civic education funding, declining enrollment, professor retention, APD waiver waitlists, cultural grant allocations, and other line items. Public testimony also addressed HIV/AIDS drug assistance funding and prison air conditioning. SPB 2500 was adopted as a committee bill after amendment consideration and a roll call vote. The committee then took up implementing and related budget bills, including SPB 2502 (implementing the General Appropriations Act), SPB 2504 (state employee bargaining placeholder), SB 7028 (Florida Retirement System contribution rates and related retirement changes), SPB 2506 (fuel tax distributions), SPB 2508 (state agency law enforcement radio system surcharge), SPB 2510 (termination of an unused court trust fund), SPB 2512 (new judgeships), SPB 2514 (K-12 conforming changes), SPB 2516 (higher education conforming changes), and SPB 2518 (health conforming changes). Most were explained as technical or conforming measures tied to the budget, and all were reported favorably as committee bills, with SB 7028 amended to direct a portion of increased contributions to disability and line-of-duty death benefits in the FRS investment plan. The committee also heard and passed several member bills, including CS for SB 1074 on rounding rules for cash transactions in a world without pennies, CS for SB 678 restoring the alcohol loss deduction framework for distributors, and SB 964 on firefighter cancer benefits and prevention. SB 964 drew the most discussion, with questions about the one-year death-benefit window, the separate $25,000 cancer diagnosis payment, and whether the bill could create gaps in coverage for firefighters diagnosed or dying just outside the new time limits. Firefighter representatives testified in support, saying the bill would provide clearer protections for members and families. All of these measures were reported favorably.

Transcript Highlights:

• . $100 million for preeminent research universities.
• I did research and found that 46 states had a working component to Medicaid for people with disabilities
• I did research and found that 46 states had a working component to Medicaid for people with disabilities
• I did research and found that 46 states had a working component to Medicaid for people with disabilities
• I did research and found that 46 states had a working component to Medicaid for people with disabilities

Committee: Senate Appropriations

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• If you go out and do a bunch of research across the country, there’s a group of people that believe that
• So that's part of the data and the research where a lot of kids with sex offenses are going to come out
• I mean, you know, I get blue in the face talking to kids about all the research that shows the impact
• And it was just amazing to listen to how all the research has come together and understanding how this
• Well, what the research will show us in that book is that that first 1,000 days is really impacting the

Keywords: 1204, all

Summary: The committee first approved the December 10 minutes and then approved Representative Bentley’s appointment to the Child Maltreatment Oversight Committee. Members then received the Arkansas Infant and Child Death Review annual report, which covered unexpected child deaths in 2023. Reviewers said 170 non-natural deaths were identified, but 22 could not be reviewed because of criminal investigations, prosecutions, or missing records. Of the 148 reviewed deaths, 69 were accidents, 14 suicides, 18 homicides, and 47 were undetermined causes, including sudden unexpected infant death. Members asked how the report’s recommendations could be used, and presenters said the report is intended as a prevention tool for agencies, nonprofits, and others; they also noted that child abuse prevention grant applications are being shaped by the report’s recommendations and offered to share the RFP with the committee. A question about suicide and homicide data by age was answered by pointing members to the age breakdown in the report, with most of those deaths concentrated among 15- to 17-year-olds. The committee then took up HCR 1010 and a broader discussion of juvenile justice reform. Representative Shepard said the resolution was meant to confront data on juvenile incarceration and the cost of the system, while Senator Irvin, Judge Troy Braswell, Judge Kathy Hess, and AOC Juvenile Division Director Burke Steen described years of reform efforts built around validated risk assessments, diversion, and community-based services. They said Arkansas adopted tools such as SAVRY, the MAYSI, and substance-abuse screening to individualize juvenile court responses, and they emphasized that the goal is to keep children at home and in their communities when safe to do so. Members discussed the need for more mental health and substance-abuse services, better school collaboration, and the role of school safety dashboards and FINS/truancy cases in identifying problems earlier. Judges and staff said the reforms have reduced delinquency filings, DYS commitments, and revocations, while increasing diversions, though they noted data gaps in some counties and the need for better reporting. They also stressed that some serious offenses still require detention or commitment, and that judges must balance public safety with rehabilitation. Representative Barnes and others asked whether the numbers might be worse without judicial discretion and community programs, and the presenters agreed that individualized decision-making and graduated sanctions matter. Representative Inatt asked about tracking youth with disabilities, and the presenters said that specific diagnoses are not currently tracked but that national court data efforts may soon add behavioral-health data points. The committee then heard from DYS Director Michael Crump, who provided detailed data on DYS commitments, secure and community-based placements, detention-center use, demographics, offense levels, average length of stay, education outcomes, recidivism, dual DCFS/DYS custody, costs, and interagency coordination. He said commitments fell sharply during COVID, have since risen and then begun to decline, and that the system is working to reduce detention use, improve education and treatment, and expand community-based providers statewide.

Transcript Highlights:

• What evidence, data, or research is the goal of this bill relying on that shows that existing local budget
• What evidence, data, or research is the goal of this bill relying on that shows that existing local budget
• if you're putting on a race and you're bringing in thousands of people to support breast cancer research
• , is that going to be I think. people to support breast cancer research, is that going to be considered
• What data or research do we have to say that a local government doing any of this has been harmful?

Summary: The subcommittee first took up HB 387 on ADS-B airport billing. The sponsor and supporters said the bill would stop airports and third-party vendors from using federally required automatic dependent surveillance broadcast data to calculate landing or touch-and-go fees, arguing the technology was intended for safety and collision avoidance, not invoicing. An amendment clarifying touch-and-go landings and other fee calculations was adopted, and the bill was reported favorably 15-0. Members then heard several local and policy bills. CS/HB 803 on private-provider building permits and inspections drew broad support from industry groups and was reported favorably 14-1. HB 451 and HB 4053, local fire-district assessment bills, were presented as relief for homeowners and churches facing higher non-ad valorem assessments; both were reported favorably after amendments, with testimony emphasizing impacts on houses of worship and local communities. PCS/HB 1329 on local government spending transparency prompted extensive debate over searchable budget formats, posting requirements, and possible unfunded mandates; supporters framed it as taxpayer access and accountability, while opponents argued many local governments already provide this information and that the bill could impose costs. It was reported favorably 8-4. The committee also advanced PCS/HB 927 on local land planning and development, which would allow qualified professionals to assist with pre-application reviews; local government representatives raised concerns about preemption and environmental restrictions, but the bill was reported favorably 13-2. HB 929 on chickee huts, PCS/HB 4081 on expanding a local water and sewer district by referendum, and HB 489 conveying the Trenton Train Depot to the city and county all passed unanimously or near-unanimously. HB 1211, a Department of Military Affairs bill updating leave and assistance-program provisions, was amended and reported favorably. HB 1041, creating business incentives for veteran- and military spouse-owned businesses, also passed 13-0 after amendment and supportive testimony from members and veterans. The final item shown was HB 1001, a bill restricting county and municipal DEI-related actions and contracting; the sponsor described it as a response to division and waste, and members began questioning its definitions, scope, and potential effects on training and civil actions, but the transcript cuts off before any vote or final action on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• I did more research on it myself and thought this seems like a pretty common-sense, straightforward thing
• nation that has used this type of strategy to try to bridge the gap between what happens in its research
• HB 2727 strengthens research, emerging technologies, and partnerships that help translate scientific
• States across the country are actively investing in biotech and advanced research infrastructure.
• They are actually doing scientific research to determine—they currently have an FDA approval for this

Committee: House House Health & Human Services Committee of Reference

Summary: The committee heard a JLBC presentation on H.R. 1’s SNAP impacts, including expanded work requirements, higher state administrative costs, and a potential state share of benefits if Arizona’s payment error rate remains above 6%. JLBC estimated the administrative cost increase at about $33 million in FY 2027 and $44 million in FY 2028, and said a 2024 error rate of 8.8% could expose the state to about $139 million in benefit costs starting in FY 2028. The chair also opened the meeting by asking members and speakers to keep remarks shorter to improve efficiency. The committee then considered several SNAP-related bills. HB 2797, which requires DES to more frequently verify eligibility through data matching, post fraud/noncompliance data, and address out-of-state EBT purchases, passed 7-5. HB 2442, requiring certain able-bodied SNAP adults with school-age children to participate in employment and training unless exempt, also passed 7-5. HB 2448, which limits DES’s ability to seek work-requirement waivers or discretionary exemptions without legislative authorization, passed 7-5. HB 2206, which sets a goal of reducing the SNAP payment error rate to 3% by 2030 and adds reporting and corrective-action requirements, passed 7-5 after debate over staffing, technology, and whether the target was realistic. The committee also advanced HB 2180, appropriating $2.5 million to the University of Arizona for AZ REACH, a hospital transfer coordination program serving rural facilities. Supporters said it improves patient transfers and reduces burdens on rural hospitals; some health system representatives were neutral but asked for operational improvements. HB 2180 passed 11-1. HB 2184, as amended, passed 7-4-1; it would extend fetal death certificate filing and require patients to be informed of the option to transfer fetal remains to a funeral home, with supporters describing it as a matter of parental dignity and closure. HB 2188, as amended, creating a Language Acquisition Grant Program for deaf or hard-of-hearing infants and toddlers, passed unanimously after testimony about balancing spoken-language and ASL options. The committee then began hearing HB 2194, a bill requiring insurers to provide a contact for detailed explanations after claim or prior-authorization denials, but the transcript ends before action on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• I did more research on it myself and thought this seems like a pretty common-sense, straightforward thing
• nation that has used this type of a strategy to try and bridge the gap between what happens in its research
• nation that has used this type of a strategy to try and bridge the gap between what happens in its research
• HB 2727 strengthens research, emerging technologies, and partnerships that help translate scientific
• States across the country are actively investing in biotech and advanced research infrastructures.

Bills: HB2180 , HB2184 , HB2188 , HB2194 , HB2206 , HB2321 , HB2322 , HB2438 , HB2442 , HB2448 , HB2727 , HB2797

Committee: House Health & Human Services

Keywords: appropriation, funding, University of Arizona, education, state budget, fetal death, funeral homes, informed consent, abortion, women's rights, medical assistance, emotional support, language acquisition, early intervention, hearing impairment, grant program, deaf education, health care, insurance claims, prior authorization

Transcript Highlights:

• They do research.
• The first big difference between Burrell and the University of New Mexico is research.
• Research brings in grants, it brings in revenue, indirects, and so forth.
• Research shows that access to firearms increases the risk of suicide and homicide.
• John Lott from the Crime Research Institute about it. That's a reality.

Bills: SB4 , SB7 , SB9 , SB17

Committee: Senate Senate Health & Public Affairs

Keywords: Medicaid, healthcare, medical education, salaries, graduate education, clinician pay, health sciences, education funding, faculty salary, University of New Mexico, healthcare funding, general fund, state budget, New Mexico legislation, gun control, firearm safety, dealer regulation, illegal trade, background checks, 996

Transcript Highlights:

• Research shows that when you do tie treatment to some type of shelter, good things happen.
• So I started doing the research, and that brought me to more questions about the continuum of care and
• So that was the problem and what I was trying to research.
• Chair, Madam Vice Chair, I actually have done a lot of research on this.
• I read the bills, I do the research. Why two years?

Committee: House House Government Committee of Reference

Summary: The committee heard a presentation from Intel Expert/Expert Works on software intended to help investigators process large volumes of audio, video, and text data more quickly. The presenters said the tool could be adapted for Department of Child Safety work involving neglected, abused, missing, and exploited children by flagging keywords, building link charts, translating transcripts, and aggregating files for faster review. Members discussed possible use with DCS, county sheriffs, DOC, procurement and RFP issues, and whether the software could help triage hotline calls, clear backlogs, and identify trafficking or abuse networks. The presenters said the system is already used in Iowa and elsewhere, and committee members expressed interest in pursuing legislation, appropriations, or a pilot program. The committee then considered HB 2460, which would preempt local ordinances that penalize businesses for theft of movable property, especially shopping carts. The sponsor argued cities were shifting cleanup costs onto victims of theft, while cities and towns opposed the bill, saying local ordinances address blight and public-right-of-way hazards and that businesses should take proactive steps. After testimony from the League of Arizona Cities and Towns and the City of Phoenix, the committee passed HB 2460 on a 4-3 vote. Members also heard HB 2060, which would prohibit public educational institutions and ABOR schools from encouraging or facilitating abortions. The sponsor said taxpayer-funded institutions should remain neutral and not use public resources to promote abortion, while opponents argued the bill would restrict students’ access to constitutionally protected reproductive health care and referrals. Supporters said campuses should provide alternatives such as pregnancy resources and adoption information. The committee passed HB 2060 on a 4-3 vote. Finally, the committee considered HB 2210, as amended, to prohibit the state, local governments, and private entities from using ADS-B aircraft surveillance data to calculate or collect fees from aircraft owners or operators. Supporters said the technology was intended for safety and should not be repurposed for fee collection, warning that pilots might turn it off if used that way; opponents, including the City of Phoenix, said they wanted flexibility to use the system if needed. The committee adopted the amendment and then passed HB 2210 as amended on a 4-3 vote. The transcript then began discussion of HB 2533, which would create an Office of Homeless Services, board, compensation fund, and ombudsman, but the excerpt ends before that bill is fully taken up.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think Jack actually helped me with this research when we were looking into how to structure a CR.
• But just a little bit of research and then I'll be done answering questions.
• But just a little bit of research and then I'll be done answering questions.
• But uh just a little bit of research<00:45:20.880><c> and</c><00:45:21.040><c> then</c><00:45:21.200>
• 45:21.359><c> I'll</c><00:45:21.599><c> be</c><00:45:21.760><c> done</c><00:45:21.920><c> and</c> research

Committee: Senate Finance

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This might be a follow-up for more research. Representative Escamani. Thank you, Chair. Overdor.
• This might be a follow-up for more research, but I'm curious.
• It gets a lot of research done on it, but not a lot of discussion.
• We can do some research, but I don't have that data with me. Representative Sapp, thank you, Chair.
• Our speaker for this presentation is Lizette Kelly, who serves as a process manager for research and

Summary: The Select Committee on Property Taxes met for an educational session focused on how Florida funds public schools and how property taxes are assessed and levied. Dr. Jim Zengali of the Department of Revenue explained the FEFP school funding formula, noting that it is built on weighted student counts, a base student allocation, and programmatic add-ons such as transportation, exceptional student education, school safety, and mental health. He said school funding is roughly split between state general revenue and local property taxes through required local effort, with additional discretionary and capital outlay millages contributing to total school funding. He also described the Department of Revenue’s role in certifying property rolls at fair market value and reviewing them for substantial compliance, including the so-called “nuclear option” if a roll is not approved. Members asked about trends in millage rates, county-by-county funding differences, the effect of growth and enrollment changes, and how property appraisals are reviewed. Zengali said aggregate millage for school funding has declined over the last decade while revenues have still increased, and he agreed to provide additional data on county trends, parcel strata, student growth, and enrollment impacts. He also clarified that school funding is equalized so students receive similar resources regardless of county wealth, and that federal funding plays only a small role in the FEFP. Amy Baker of the Joint Legislative Office of Economic and Demographic Research then discussed existing homestead benefits. She said about half of Florida’s parcels are homestead properties, most fall in the $250,000 to $500,000 value range, and many seniors without mortgages pay property taxes in lump sums rather than through escrow. Baker explained that Florida’s homestead tax burden is middle-of-the-pack nationally and that the main benefits are Save Our Homes and portability on the differential side, plus the $25,000 homestead exemption and related exemptions on the exemption side. She said these benefits reduce taxable value substantially, with homestead properties receiving a large share of the reductions, and noted that the committee requested follow-up data on exemption usage, portability timing, senior exemptions, and county-level patterns. The final presentation, by Lizette Kelly of the Department of Revenue, covered millage rates and the TRIM process. She reviewed the history of truth-in-millage notices, required taxpayer mailings, public hearing notices, and later changes that tied local millage resets to rollback and majority-vote rates. Kelly explained the difference between proposed and adopted millage, the rollback rate, and the majority-vote rate, and described how taxing authorities include counties, cities, special districts, and MSTUs. She also outlined how county taxable value is calculated from just value through assessment differentials and exemptions, and how certain exemptions, such as the additional senior exemption, apply only to the taxing authority that adopted them. No votes were taken during the meeting, but members requested several follow-up data reports for later discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• Prior to that, we were part of the research section of the Laboratory of Anthropology and part of their
• of the committee, thank you Alrighty, I'm Sam Fernald, Director of the New Mexico Water Resources Research
• Institute, and I'll paraphrase this description of our mission We are the Water Research Institute of
• New Mexico, and we provide support for all the universities and agencies in New Mexico for research
• this is the phase two of the program, which will be continued through June 30th, and NMWRI with researchers

Committee: House Water & Natural Resources Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• should be part of the overall motion are indeed correct and agreed upon by Senate Counsel and House Research
• should be part of the overall motion are indeed correct and agreed upon by Senate Counsel and House Research
• should be part of the overall motion are indeed correct and agreed upon by Senate Counsel and House Research
• should be part of the overall motion are indeed correct and agreed upon by Senate Counsel and House Research
• the House needs to make a motion reflecting the combined understanding of Senate Counsel and House Research

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Christian has been an incredible resource in my office, conducting thorough bill research, attending
• I just found this little bit of information and research. Trump pollster. Mr.
• experience is that she's part of the Global Scholars Program of 24 and at the FSU Undergraduate Research
• incentives provided to state employees participating in the Florida Institute for Child Welfare's research
• She's been a tremendous help to District 33 office, helping our aides, research, legislation, prepare

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opening prayer, Pledge of Allegiance, and a series of introductions recognizing interns, pages, and retiring Senate staff, including Pastor Gary Austin. Leaders also noted ongoing budget talks with the House and said senators would not need to plan on being in Tallahassee the following week. The chamber then moved to third reading and returned messages from the House later in the day. The main floor debate centered on Committee Substitute for House Bill 12.5, the citizen initiative/constitutional amendment bill. Sponsors said the measure was intended to address fraud in the petition process, citing investigations, arrests, pleas, and open cases involving paid circulators and invalid petitions. Opponents argued the bill would make citizen-led amendments far more difficult, expensive, and risky, warning it would chill grassroots participation, burden supervisors of elections, and effectively favor wealthy or corporate-backed efforts. Supporters responded that the bill preserved grassroots petitioning, placed reasonable guardrails on paid circulators and sponsors, and included a provision barring public funds from being used to advocate for or against ballot initiatives. The bill passed 28-10. The Senate also passed several education measures unanimously, including bills tied to Bright Futures, dual enrollment, educator preparation, and broader education policy. Later, the chamber concurred in House amendments on several bills: stem cell therapy legislation clarifying permitted therapies and penalties for improper use of fetal or embryonic tissue; an EKG requirement bill for student athletes with exemptions and partnership options for districts; and a cardiac emergency response bill that renamed the school emergency plan and removed a bill title honoring Rafe McCrone. These measures passed by wide margins, generally 37-0 or 38-0.

Transcript Highlights:

• Christian has been an incredible resource in my office, conducting thorough bill research, attending
• I just found this little bit of information and research. Trump pollster. Mr.
• experience is that she's part of the Global Scholars Program of 24 and at the FSU Undergraduate Research
• a physician who knowingly uses fetal or embryonic tissues from an aborted fetus for treatment or research
• She's been a tremendous help to District 33 office, helping our aides research legislation, prepare bill

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a series of introductions recognizing interns, pages, a retiring sergeant-at-arms employee, and advocates visiting for a Prader-Willi Syndrome awareness resolution. Leaders also noted ongoing budget talks with the House and said senators should not plan to be in next week while negotiations continue. The main floor debate centered on Committee Substitute for House Bill 12.5, a citizen-initiative elections bill. Sponsors said it was intended to address petition fraud and protect the integrity of the constitutional amendment process, citing investigations, arrests, and fraudulent petition activity tied to recent initiatives. Opponents argued the bill would make it much harder and more expensive for citizens to place amendments on the ballot, chill volunteer participation, and effectively favor wealthy or corporate interests. After extensive debate, the bill passed 28-10. The Senate then moved through a series of education bills, including measures on Bright Futures, Gold Seal, Florida ABLE, dual enrollment, educator preparation, and broader education policy, all of which passed unanimously. After a recess, the chamber took up House messages and concurred in amendments to bills on stem cell therapy, student athlete ECGs, cardiac emergency response plans, and school safety. Those measures also passed with broad support, with the school safety bill drawing some questions about the Guardian program and child care facilities.

Transcript Highlights:

• where I have spent the last three years studying criminal justice reform and climate policy through research
• Association and prospective students who are seeking the opportunity to attend one of our premier research
• There's a research consensus. Dual enrollment improves educational outcomes.
• There's a research consensus. Dual enrollment improves educational outcomes.
• familiar with the Campaign for College Opportunity, we are an organization dedicated to policy, research

Summary: The Assembly Higher Education Committee met with a quorum and first approved a consent calendar containing AB 341, AB 1098, and AB 1316, sending those measures to the Human Services, Judiciary, and Appropriations Committees respectively. The committee then heard AB 977, which would require CSU to audit surplus land and work with California tribes to identify three regional burial sites for Native American remains that cannot yet be repatriated. Supporters, including tribal leaders and archaeology groups, said the bill is needed to honor ancestors and address the large number of remains still held by CSU; CSU said it is committed to repatriation but had no formal position. The bill passed to Appropriations on a 5-0 vote. Members also heard AB 1093, creating a California-Mexico higher education exchange program, and AB 1035, expanding the California College Promise to cover tuition for students pursuing community college bachelor’s degrees. AB 1093 drew support for strengthening cross-border educational and economic ties, but some members raised concerns about border-region sewage problems and the bill’s budget implications; it was held for later consideration. AB 1035 received strong support from community college leaders and faculty who said it would help low-income and first-generation students complete workforce-focused bachelor’s degrees, but several members questioned whether it would stretch Prop. 98 funding and whether the state should prioritize broader affordability concerns. AB 1035 passed to Appropriations on a 3-2 vote. The committee next approved AB 922, which would let the University of California keep access to federal criminal-history information for hiring background checks, avoiding delays and added costs if statutory authority is required. UC said the bill is needed to maintain safety and hiring operations, and it passed to Public Safety on a 5-0 vote. AB 1346, protecting military dependents from losing in-state residency status because of family travel, also passed unanimously to Military and Veterans Affairs. AB 1212, allowing UC to use low-income housing tax credits to build affordable housing for faculty and staff on UC land, drew support from UC and labor groups but opposition from members concerned about preferential access to public resources; it was held for later action. Finally, the committee approved AB 500 and AB 684, both aimed at increasing transparency around UC admissions policy changes and UC BOARS decision-making, sending AB 500 to Education and AB 684 to Governmental Organization, each on 5-0 votes. The hearing then moved on to AB 1122 on dual enrollment, with the author and witnesses presenting the bill as a way to expand college access for high school students.

Transcript Highlights:

• And we </font> <font color="aaaaaa">did research before presenting </font> <font color="aaaaaa">this
• And we </font> <font color="aaaaaa">did research before presenting </font> <font color="aaaaaa">this
• bill and we surveyed </font> <font color="aaaaaa">did research before presenting </font> <font color=
• been </font> <font color="aaaaaa">in place since 2008 as we </font> <font color="aaaaaa">further research
• </font> <font color="aaaaaa">we met with military families </font> <font color="aaaaaa">further research

Keywords: 999, senate, all