Transcript Highlights:

• Ahalita Pollak, Second Lady of the Federated States of Micronesia, and His Excellent Excellency Percy
• The foundation ensures that every deserving child has the opportunity to excel by providing no costs
• Members, this is the best of excellence, and the Texas Legislative Black Caucus are here to celebrate
• I think people need to hear excellence. Sigma Gamma, I want to shout out to you.
• I am so thankful for the D9 because it is black excellence, and we do so much to help the youth in this

Transcript Highlights:

• Excellence Award.
• Excellence Award.
• Excellence Award. There's a French term Excellence Award.
• So having a workforce excellence program will allow young people to learn that there are many paths to
• Industrial Relations to study the establishment of a Hawaii Workforce Excellence Award program.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Committee on Labor and Technology heard several resolutions focused on workforce shortages and program development. STR 145/SR 117 would create a legislative working group on paid family and medical leave; testimony from state agencies, labor groups, advocacy organizations, and others was overwhelmingly supportive, though some asked for broader representation and legal expertise. Members raised questions about prior studies, staffing estimates, and funding needs for administering a future program. The chair ultimately deferred decision making on this measure to March 28, 2025. The committee also heard STR 55/SR 37 on reviewing the boiler and elevator inspection branch to improve recruitment and retention. DLIR supported the measure, while the Department of Human Resources Development supported the intent but suggested labor should lead the study. Industry witnesses described long inspection wait times, backlogs, and difficulty recruiting inspectors, and several said higher pay and training pathways were needed. The committee voted to pass the resolution unamended. For STR 64/SR 49, which would establish a Hawaii State Fellows Program, the department supported the concept but said resources would be needed and should be included in the budget rather than a resolution; the committee recommended deferral indefinitely. STR 67/SR 51, addressing hiring shortages in the public mental health care system, drew support from the State Council on Mental Health and others, with requests for amendments to ensure broader cooperation and added agencies. The committee moved the measure as a Senate draft with amendments. STR 63/SR 48, proposing a Hawaii Workforce Excellence Award, received support from DLIR, and the committee later recessed and reconvened for decision making on the measures.

Transcript Highlights:

• On the other hand, when it comes to chess and eSports, we excel.
• You know, we are also requesting other workforce related areas in a workforce education center.
• We want to be able to have this workforce.
• So this university was a first in many schools addressing workforce and research.
• It is a major gap that we have in terms of access. access to care and workforce.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Commissioner Brown: Excellent question.
• Commissioner Brown: Excellent question.
• Commissioner Brown: Excellent question.
• Commissioner Brown: Excellent question.
• <00:40:58.480> demonstrations provided some excellent demonstrations provided some excellent

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We did one with the Native American Workforce Partners.
• I know in other states, workforce development is married to SNAP.
• So you have the PRC and a handout, excellent. So I'm gonna go.
• Excellent. Thank you very much, Representative Dixon.
• Excellent. Thank you. Thank you very much.

Transcript Highlights:

• Excellent. Okay, we'll go now to Subcommittee C. Excellent. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
• Excellent. Thank you very much.
• Excellent. Thank you.
• Excellent. Thank you very much. Excellent. Thank you very much.
• Excellent. Excellent. Thank you very much, Representative Lehan. Mr.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Brian McCall: prioritize access, affordability, excellence and efficiency.
• Minority student enrollment is up 90% and workforce training is up more Dr.
• Our institutions are key partners in every facet of building a talented Texas from workforce training
• Over the past year, we've expanded academic opportunities to meet Texas's growing workforce demands.
• Today we have exceptional item requests focusing on addressing critical workforce shortages in Texas.

Transcript Highlights:

• Research at Tulane is a major driver of economic and workforce development in Louisiana.
• Are they producing the workforce outcomes that our state needs?
• Are they producing the workforce outcomes that our state needs?
• It’s pro-family, pro-workforce, and pro-mother.
• Meredith McGovern with Excel and Ed in Action. Hi. There you are.

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 399 by Senator Bass, which would create the Louisiana Higher Education Research Security Council to review and potentially block certain gifts, contracts, academic partnerships, and research partnerships involving foreign adversary sources. Bass said the bill is intended to protect university research, intellectual property, and students from foreign influence, and would also require public disclosure of certain foreign-linked arrangements and a plan to eliminate foreign-adversary-linked software. Supporters from State Armor argued Louisiana universities have been vulnerable to Chinese Communist Party influence and intellectual property theft. Representatives from Tulane University and Lenovo raised concerns that the bill could create duplicative review, delay research, raise costs, and sweep in legitimate private or multinational entities; a proposed amendment to exempt entities operating under a CFIUS national security agreement failed 4-8. After debate, the committee moved SB 399 favorably. The committee then considered Senate Bill 310 by Senator Cloud, presented by Representative Carlson, which would require public school and college health centers to display information about pregnancy resources available in Louisiana. Supporters from Louisiana Right to Life said the bill would help connect pregnant students with existing state and private assistance programs, while the ACLU submitted a red card in opposition without speaking. The bill was moved favorably without objection. The committee also advanced House Resolution 171 by Representative Turner, which calls for a study of the workforce-oriented TOPS Tech and M.J. Foster programs, with business and workforce groups supporting the study as a way to measure outcomes and return on investment; it was moved favorably. Next, the committee took up House Bill 1084 by Representative Turner, a tuition autonomy bill for public post-secondary institutions. An amendment was adopted to add a conceptual framework for tuition-setting considerations, but the bill would still remove the existing 10% over two years cap and allow institutions to set tuition more freely. Turner argued universities need more flexibility because state funding has declined and campuses face deferred maintenance and operating pressures. Several members, especially Representative Carlson, warned that higher tuition could reduce access and that the bill did not address broader structural problems in higher education. Despite those concerns, HB 1084 was moved favorably by an 8-3 vote. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 351 by Senator Jackson Andrews, which would let families apply for child care assistance through CCAP once pregnancy is known, rather than waiting until after birth, to help move them up the waiting list. An amendment was adopted to have BESE, rather than the department, handle rulemaking and to allow the House and Senate education committees to approve the implementation process. The bill was then discussed as a way to help parents return to work sooner, and the hearing continued with questions from members.

Transcript Highlights:

• Excellent. Thank you very much, Representative Vincent.
• Excellent.
• Excellent, thank you very much, Dr. Manu.
• Excellent. Thank you very much, Representative Hernandez. Mr.
• Excellent. Thank you very much. Representative Lujan.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So this way everything is in Excel.
• Our team works closely with the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce and other workforce
• Through this council, workforce partners work together to align programs, improve workforce participation
• The WIOA is a federal workforce development law that strengthens the public workforce system by helping
• The WIOA is a federal workforce development law that strengthens the public workforce system by helping

Keywords: 977, all

Summary: The committee met to receive a detailed financial operations presentation from the South Carolina Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agency, with staff walking members through funding sources, budgeting, accounts receivable, accounts payable, and grants management. Sabrina Walker explained VR’s blended funding structure, including federal grants, state appropriations, program income, and interagency contracts, and emphasized that state funds are essential to meeting the federal match and maintenance-of-effort requirements. Members asked repeatedly about transparency, audit controls, and the risk that state cuts could reduce federal drawdowns; staff responded that all reports reconcile back to the SCEIS accounting system, are subject to state audits and internal reviews, and that even modest state reductions could significantly reduce total available funding. The committee also discussed pre-employment transition services for students with disabilities, with staff confirming services are offered through school districts, charters, and private schools, and that contracts are monitored for performance and compliance. The presentation then shifted to budgeting and internal controls. Walker described a zero-based departmental budgeting process, monthly monitoring reports, contingency reserves for unexpected expenses, and a formal annual cycle that culminates in board approval. Members asked about facilities tracking, culture, and how the agency maintains accountability; staff said facilities staff inspect buildings and equipment, supervisors justify line-item requests, and the process has become smoother over time as departments learned the system. Cynthia Johnson followed with an accounts receivable overview, describing invoicing, receipting, aging, customer verification, year-end reporting, and the use of cross-training, shared email inboxes, and spreadsheets as checks and balances. She also explained work training center billing, interdepartmental transfers, and the revolving fund used to issue consumer checks more quickly than standard vendor payments. Olivia Perez presented accounts payable operations, including invoice processing through SCEIS and OnBase, the three-way match, travel reimbursements, revolving fund checks, State Treasury Office interactions, and handling of reversals, rejections, and levy notices. She reported that AP processed 67,723 SCEIS payments, 13,670 case management system invoices, 3,379 travel reimbursements, and 15,693 revolving fund checks in fiscal year 2025, with only 70 payment rejections. The final portion of the meeting covered Grants and Funds Management, where Walker explained federal reporting, drawdowns, payroll allocation, asset tracking, lease and IT contract reviews, cost allocation, and closing packages. She noted upcoming system changes such as S/4HANA, Workiva, and SC Pro, but said the agency is receiving training and feedback opportunities. No formal votes or legislative actions were taken during the presentation portion beyond approval of the prior minutes and a brief recess.

Transcript Highlights:

• We talk a lot about workforce development, but workforce development is life development.
• We talk a lot about workforce development, but workforce development is life development.
• We talk a lot about workforce development, but workforce development is life development.
• We talk a lot about workforce development, but workforce development is life development.
• We talk a lot about workforce development, but workforce development is life development.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Excellent.
• Growth in graduate programs must be targeted in demonstrated areas of workforce need.
• So thank you for considering these examples of health-related and workforce-aligned programs. Mr.
• The demand for eye care is rising, but the workforce supply is... ...care.
• The demand for eye care is rising, but the workforce supply is not keeping up.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance heard testimony and took up three main budget areas: the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP), differentiated assistance and the statewide system of support, and universal school meals with kitchen infrastructure grants. Public commenters and agency witnesses generally supported continued or increased funding for ELOP, with several groups urging stabilization of Tier 2 rates, more support for older youth, and preservation of equity guardrails and local flexibility. On school meals and kitchen infrastructure, testimony broadly supported universal meals and additional kitchen funding, while the LAO questioned the need for a fourth round of kitchen grants and recommended rejecting it until clearer unmet-need data are available. For ELOP, the Department of Finance described the Governor’s proposal to provide $4.7 billion ongoing for the program and $62.4 million ongoing to set a minimum Tier 2 rate of $1,800 per pupil. The LAO recommended instead fixing the Tier 2 rate at $1,579 and tying future changes to program requirements. CDE said the program is showing positive results in attendance and math, but data on enrollment patterns, TK participation, and some overlap with other programs are still being collected. Members raised concerns about possible double-funding with ACEs and 21st Century programs, the lack of site-specific data, and whether the current structure best targets students most in need; the issue was left open. For differentiated assistance, CCEE outlined the current statewide system of support and the Governor’s proposal to shift to universal and targeted assistance with a three-year cycle. Finance said the proposal would provide more stable county office funding, broaden universal supports, and give the State Board more flexibility to revise eligibility criteria; it also proposed $131.9 million ongoing for universal and targeted assistance. The LAO objected to changing the system before the State Board finalizes the new performance criteria and recommended revisiting the proposal later, while several members worried that a three-year entry window and broader board authority could weaken subgroup-based equity protections. The committee also discussed school meal funding, with Finance proposing $1.8 billion for universal meals and $100 million ongoing plus $100 million one-time for kitchen infrastructure, while CDE emphasized ongoing needs, deferred maintenance, and the importance of flexibility for innovative strategies such as food pantries. The committee held the issues open and invited additional public comment before moving on.

Transcript Highlights:

• I want to conclude by talking about the workforce.
• I want to speak specifically to the goal of workforce preparedness.
• SB37 would gut the very workforce the state desperately needs.
• That is a workforce skill. This bill does not help develop workforce skills.
• There will be less value in the workforce.

Bills: SB 37

Keywords: fetal development, education, public health curriculum, middle school, age-appropriate instruction, 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:03:02.600> I'm that include workforce development.
• I'm that include workforce development.
• <00:16:35.680> Excellent.
• Excellent. Thank you, >> thank you. Excellent.
• All right, excellent. Uh special guest. All right, excellent.

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Monday, March 9, 2026, 960, senate, all

Summary: The Maryland Senate opened with an invocation by Reverend Rodney Hudson, who was introduced by the Senator from the 40th District and recognized for his work as a pastor, teacher, and community leader in West Baltimore. The chamber also welcomed several district night visitors, AFSCME members, and a new group of student pages from schools across the state. The Senate then took up a resolution honoring the Maryland Council for Social Studies and its Social Studies and Civics Educator Award recipients, with remarks praising their work in education and a unanimous celebratory vote. The named honorees included educators recognized for elementary and secondary social studies, new teacher of the year, instructional leader of the year, a related organization professional, and civic education educator of the year. The Senate also adopted a resolution recognizing the women of the 6888 Central Postal Directory Battalion during Women’s History Month. The sponsor highlighted the battalion’s all-Black, overseas World War II service, its work clearing a massive mail backlog for troops, and the racism and sexism the women overcame. The resolution honored the service and legacy of the unit and was approved unanimously. In addition, the Senate passed Senate Bill 56, authorizing external data sharing by the Maryland Longitudinal Data System Center for multi-state reporting, and Senate Bill 100, concerning early voting centers and bus stops, both by 44 affirmative votes. Later, a late-filed bill was introduced after suspension of the rules: Senate Bill 1006, the Maryland State Flag Protection Act, a constitutional amendment intended to protect the state flag in the constitution. The bill was referred to the Rules Committee. The session concluded with caucus announcements, including a Democratic caucus meeting the next morning, a Republican caucus meeting at 8:30 a.m., and notice of a Jewish Caucus event marking the 200th anniversary of the Jew Bill. The Senate then adjourned until March 10 at 10:00 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• With your support, we've been able to prioritize access, affordability, and excellence. efficiency, while
• Student enrollment is up 90 percent and workforce training is up more than 185 percent. percent in that
• Over the past year we've expanded academic opportunities to meet Texas's growing workforce.
• Today we have item requests focusing on addressing critical workforce shortages in Texas.
• In support of the state's mission to provide a learning experience that prepares students to excel in

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We have excellent space for it. We can add on an adult daycare to it.
• We have excellent space for it. We can add an adult day care to it.
• We've adjusted our workforce and SkillBridge.
• boards that are particularly excelling at serving their veteran community.
• The Purple Star Workforce Development Board Recognition...

Summary: The committee took up SB 116 by Senator Burgess, a veterans bill aimed at several FDVA-related changes. The bill would reduce annual nominations to the Florida Veterans Hall of Fame from 20 to 5, expand FDVA’s survey work to assess veterans’ awareness of available programs and their health literacy, add mental health training to the veterans suicide prevention pilot, strengthen coordination and reporting between Veterans Florida and FDVA, direct FDVA to develop a plan for adult day health care facilities statewide, and allow the Florida Veterans Foundation to use a portion of Gadsden flag plate proceeds for administrative costs. Senator Burgess said the measure builds on prior “Forward March” efforts and helps close service gaps for aging veterans and others who may not know about available benefits. Testimony on SB 116 was uniformly supportive. FDVA leadership said adult day health care could be added at existing facilities such as Port St. Lucie and Lake City, and that the state would need authority and funding to move forward. A veterans legal collaborative, AARP Florida, and Endeavors all voiced support, with speakers emphasizing the importance of better outreach, mental health awareness, and care options that allow veterans to remain at home. The committee then voted favorably on SB 116. The remainder of the meeting was devoted to agency and stakeholder presentations. Florida National Guard officials described a high operational tempo, deployments at home and abroad, hurricane response efforts, and the need to grow the force and infrastructure. FDVA’s adjutant general reported Florida now has the nation’s second-largest veteran population, rising in-migration of younger veterans, a large and aging Vietnam-era population, strong claims and outreach activity, declining veteran homelessness, and improved suicide prevention outcomes. The Florida Veterans Foundation outlined its emergency relief, dental, transportation, and license-plate-funded programs, while Veterans Florida and CareerSource Florida detailed workforce, apprenticeship, SkillBridge, entrepreneurship, and job-fair programs for veterans and spouses, along with efforts to expand recurring funding and better protect customer information.

Transcript Highlights:

• The two guardrails on the work that we do are accountability and excellence.
• The last thing of those values is excellence.
• That's their excellent that day. That's where I hope they are most days.
• The other, I do come from this from a workforce perspective.
• And child welfare just did a really comprehensive study on their workforce.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• is compared to what the workforce is in the United States.
• is compared to what the workforce is in the United States.
• And the guidelines are an Excel program, a wonderful Excel program, that splits between the percentages
• Those are plugged in, and then the Excel should be... For the combined income.
• And then the Excel should be explanatory.

Summary: The Senate Judiciary Committee met to conduct the statutorily required four-year review of Oklahoma’s child support guidelines, which DHS said had not been reviewed on schedule in recent years. Deputy Director Don Zellner of DHS Child Support Services presented data on the number of children served, child poverty, rising costs of raising a child, wage trends, and the volume of child support orders handled by DHS. He also explained how the current guidelines work, including income withholding, shared overnight deductions, daycare, medical, transportation, and self-employment adjustments, and noted that the guidelines are based on gross combined income and currently cap at $15,000 combined income. Committee members, especially Senator Boren, questioned whether the current model fairly reflects modern family economics, including the cost of housing, the impact of shared overnights, and whether visitation issues should be addressed alongside child support. DHS said the guidelines are over 25 years old, that other states generally use similar gross-income models with shared-overnight deductions, and that Oklahoma’s administrative courts have been more receptive than district courts to DHS’s lower-income deviation approach. Zellner said DHS has also updated its practices to better account for low-income obligors, including allowing zero orders in some cases and reducing imputed minimum-wage assumptions, which DHS said has improved collections. Members also asked about transparency and public access to the calculations. DHS said the formula and income chart are in statute, the calculator is available on the DHS website, and the Excel-based tool applies the statutory chart and deductions. A public commenter asked where parents could see how amounts are calculated, and DHS explained that the statutory chart and calculator are the main sources. The committee discussed possible future reforms, including higher income caps, possible changes to shared overnight rules, and whether extracurricular or special child-related expenses could be considered through judicial deviation. No vote was taken; the meeting ended with the chair noting it was the last Judiciary meeting of the 60th Legislature and adjourning the committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• High licensing fees could discourage qualified professionals from entering the field, worsening workforce
• This change is crucial to addressing the workforce shortages and improving access to speech services
• This change is crucial to addressing the workforce shortages and improving access to speech services
• indicate excellent outcomes as well<00:14:20.959> as<00:14:21.040> you<00:14:21.160>
• We have excellent testifiers who've done a lot of work in this area.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We will hear from the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence, the Department of Finance,
• Excellent.
• Growth in graduate programs must be targeted in demonstrated areas of workforce need.
• So thank you for considering these examples of health-related and workforce-aligned programs. Mr.
• The demand for eye care is rising, but the workforce supply is not keeping up.

Summary: The committee heard testimony on three education budget items: the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP), differentiated assistance/statewide system of support, and universal school meals plus kitchen infrastructure grants. For ELOP, the Department of Finance described the Governor’s proposal to provide $4.7 billion ongoing Proposition 98 funding and $62.4 million to set a minimum Tier 2 rate of $1,800 per pupil. The LAO recommended instead fixing the Tier 2 rate at $1,579, and committee members questioned how the rate was determined, how much funding is actually spent, and whether overlapping funding from ELOP, ACEs, and 21st Century programs is being tracked. CDE said ELOP is showing positive attendance and math outcomes, but some requested data will not be available until mid-2027; members also raised concerns about double-funding, transparency, and whether middle and high school students are being equitably served. On differentiated assistance, CCEE outlined the statewide system of support and the various tiers of universal, targeted, supplemental, and intensive assistance. Finance explained the Governor’s proposal to replace the current DA structure with a more stable universal and targeted assistance model, funded at $131.9 million ongoing, with a three-year support cycle aligned to LCAP and ESSA timelines and broader State Board authority to revise eligibility criteria. The LAO objected to considering the proposal before the State Board finalizes the new performance criteria, and committee members expressed concern that moving to a three-year cycle could delay support for LEAs that newly fall into need mid-cycle. There was also discussion about whether the proposal would weaken subgroup-based equity guardrails or give the State Board too much discretion over who qualifies for support. For school meals and kitchen infrastructure, Finance proposed $1.8 billion ongoing for universal meals and an additional $100 million ongoing plus $100 million one-time for a fourth round of kitchen infrastructure and training grants. The LAO recommended rejecting the new kitchen grant round because prior rounds are still being spent and the unmet need is not yet clear. CDE said prior investments have improved meal participation, efficiency, and menu variety, but many schools still lack the facilities for scratch cooking and face construction, electrical, and procurement barriers. Members asked for more data on how prior grants were used, which schools are benefiting, and whether funds could also support lower-cost food access strategies such as pantries, while noting federal restrictions on some meal-service innovations.