Transcript Highlights:

• access to other financial aid programs under 136A.
• access to other financial aid programs under 136A.
• </c> Other financial aid programs under 136A.
• But it is state financial aid resources.
• </c> are packaged for their financial aid are packaged for their financial aid offer.<01:43:26.880><c

Bills: HF4362 , HF4252 , HF4440

Committee: House Higher Education Finance and Policy

Keywords: firearms, guns, gun rights, gun control, campus safety, public college, university, postsecondary institution, higher education, visitor carry, concealed carry, open carry, campus policy, Minnesota Statutes 624.714, petty misdemeanor, parking lot carry, firearm possession, public safety, college campus, student carry

Transcript Highlights:

• In the Medicaid program, we're referring to this as a family home health aide program.
• And again, in terms of creating the home health aides for medically fragile children, the new aide will
• Are they all receiving home health aide eight hours a day, seven days a week?
• Just like our home health aides, when our children are in the hospital, they do not get paid.
• However, the Family Home Health Aid is not included in the patient...

Summary: The subcommittee held its first meeting of the 2025-2026 term, took attendance, confirmed a quorum, and heard introductory remarks from members and staff. Chair Anderson outlined the subcommittee’s jurisdiction over access and affordability issues, including health facility regulation, insurance, Medicaid, CHIP, and state employee health coverage. The main agenda item was an update on implementation of HB 391, which created a family home health aide program for medically fragile children. Representative Tramont, the bill sponsor, explained that the law was intended to let trained family caregivers be paid through Medicaid to care for their children, reduce reliance on private duty nursing, and relieve families. He and several members expressed frustration that implementation had taken nearly two years and that families still faced barriers. Deputy Secretary Brian Meyer of AHCA and Bridget Royce of DCF said the program was implemented October 1, 2024, with billing available, but no home health agencies had yet launched the required 80-hour training program and no claims had been paid. They described the program’s requirements, including agency employment, background screening, training, a $25-per-hour Medicaid rate paid to the agency, and an annual assessment report. A major issue discussed was that income earned by family caregivers counts toward Medicaid eligibility and could cause families to lose coverage. AHCA and DCF outlined two possible fixes that would require CMS approval: disregarding the income for eligibility purposes or treating the child as a family of one. Members and public witnesses strongly urged changes to avoid forcing families to choose between income and coverage. Several providers said they had begun preparing training programs, but asked for clearer approval processes and more patient-specific training requirements. The committee then heard extensive public testimony from parents and caregivers of medically fragile children, who described the financial, emotional, and logistical strain of caring for children with severe disabilities and argued that the bill should be expanded to include Florida KidCare families and others in the coverage gap. They also raised concerns about the eight-hour-per-day limit, low pay, and the need for simpler rules and direct support. Home health providers and associations supported the concept but asked for modifications, including more targeted training and clearer implementation guidance. The meeting then shifted to a second agenda item on the Andrew John Anderson Rapid Whole Genome Sequencing Program, which was funded in the 2023 budget. Deputy Secretary Meyer said the program has been implemented since January 1, 2024, but utilization has been lower than expected, with only about 60 claims paid and many denials occurring through managed care. Public testimony from a lab, a hospital, and a pediatric rare disease expert said the program is clinically valuable and cost-saving, but managed care billing barriers, prior authorization issues, and DRG-related denials are limiting access; they urged direct billing to Medicaid and possible expansion to all newborns.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, who are the other chairs for school building aid? Uh, school building aid?
• So, who are the other chairs for school building aid? Uh, school building aid?
• So, who are the other chairs for school building aid? Uh, school building aid?
• So, who are the other chairs for school building aid? Uh, school building aid?
• Uh, school building aid? Uh, school building aid myself. You all right?

Summary: The committee first discussed HB 771, the open enrollment bill, which had returned from the Senate with language clarifying that districts should list both tuition expenses and offsetting revenue estimates from sending districts. The chair and Representative McGuire supported concurring with the Senate changes, while Representative Luno raised broader concerns about the bill’s structure and equity, arguing that tuition based on 80% of the sending district’s average cost could be unfair and could create problems for receiving districts with different cost structures. After a show of hands, the committee voted to concur and send that recommendation to the House floor, with Luno indicating he would speak against it there. The committee then took up SB 9 in executive session. An amendment, 1920H, was offered to clarify that the tuition calculation should use the sending district’s average cost and to support access to CTE programs, including allowing students to take academic courses at the receiving school and, in some cases, attend the nearest CTE center. Supporters said the bill would help more students participate in career and technical education and noted bipartisan sponsorship in the Senate. Opponents argued the amendment would increase district costs, strain property taxpayers, and could reduce CTE participation or create logistical problems. The committee adopted the amendment 10-8, then voted 10-8 to recommend OTPA as amended; Representative Lad was assigned the majority report and Representative Luno the minority ITL report. After closing the SB 9 executive session, the chair reminded members that committee reports were due immediately and announced retained-bill subcommittees. One subcommittee will address adequacy and school funding issues arising from HB 651, HB 772, HB 491, and HB 434, chaired by Representative Spillsbury. Another will address school building aid issues from HB 295 and HB 366, including whether to keep the current formula or revise it, and how to handle renovations, new construction, and lease arrangements.

Transcript Highlights:

• remove the sunset on the aid, which is set to expire after aid is paid in 2028.
• remove the sunset on the aid, which is set to expire after aid is paid in 2028.
• remove the sunset on the aid, which is set to expire after aid is paid in 2028.
• remove the sunset on the aid, which is set to expire after aid is paid in 2028.
• remove the sunset on the aid, which is set to expire after aid is paid in 2028.

Bills: HF2274 , HF1932

Committee: House Taxes

Transcript Highlights:

• Their foundation differentiated aid.
• aid aid and<01:16:52.800><c> I</c><01:16:53.040><c> think</c><01:16:53.120><c> we</c><01:16:53.360><
• </c> education aid package. education aid package. &gt;&gt; Correct.<01:37:29.360><c> Yeah.
• education aid so the special<01:54:09.199><c> education</c><01:54:09.679><c> aid</c><01:54:10.080><c
• Um supplementary aids and things.

Committee: House Education Funding

Transcript Highlights:

• We have rural aid.
• And that brings me to rural aid.
• from this additional aid.
• State aid funding is critical.
• Third, rural school aid.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Ways and Means

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> this is all financial aid, correct? this is all financial aid, correct?
• </c> Um, this bill impacts all financial aid. Um, this bill impacts all financial aid.
• The only aid they're eligible for is the state aid.
• </c> financial aid. financial aid.
• </c> receive, uh state aid? receive, uh state aid?

Bills: HF1323 , HF3500

Committee: House Higher Education Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:03:36.879><c> programs</c><00:03:37.760><c> funds</c> building Aid programs funds building Aid
• </c><00:04:08.519><c> non-</c> this language making building Aid non- this language making building Aid
• </c><00:34:25.919><c> um</c> Aid this is your differentiated Aid um Aid this is your differentiated Aid
• </c> special ed Aid or the catastrophic Aid special ed Aid or the catastrophic Aid category<00:44:52.160
• ><c> um</c> Aid previously catastrophic Aid um Aid previously catastrophic Aid um the<00:54:35.079><c

Summary: The committee first heard HB 295, which would make school building aid funds non-lapsing/non-APS. Representative Cahill said the bill was intended to keep any unused building aid money available for future projects, potentially helping move projects up the priority list or provide a little more funding for school construction. Members asked about how much money has lapsed in past years, whether the education trust fund and building aid are separate, and whether any lapsing dollars could be used to pay down debt. Department of Education official Jim Carney said about $29.1 million would be available if building aid is funded to the $50 million maximum in FY26, confirmed that the fund currently lapses, and said the department would gather historical lapse data. Committee members also discussed whether a dedicated fund structure could achieve the same goal, and the chair noted that the education trust fund statute includes school building aid as one of its uses. No vote was taken; the hearing was closed and the committee said it would later hold a work session after receiving more information. The committee then took up HB 237, introduced by Representative Dan McGuire, which would prohibit the use of special education state funds and differentiated aid for students not receiving special education services. The New Hampshire School Boards Association, through Becky Wilson, opposed the bill as written, saying it was unclear, potentially unnecessary, and difficult to implement because adequacy and differentiated aid are distributed as part of a districtwide lump sum rather than as student-specific dollars. She explained that special education costs are embedded across district budgets, including staffing, training, transportation, and instruction, and that some staff and services benefit both special education and general education students. Wilson also said differentiated aid is not tied to a specific pupil and is used at the district’s discretion, though it is intended to support students with greater needs. Committee members pressed on whether the bill would require districts to track money by individual student, whether it could conflict with federal special education law, and whether it would affect least restrictive environment requirements. Wilson said making the funds student-specific could create privacy and accounting problems and could make it difficult to staff inclusive classrooms, though she did not give a definitive legal opinion on federal compliance. She agreed that students who are not eligible for special education would not be included in the separate catastrophic/special education aid reimbursement program. The discussion continued into the second section of the bill, with members exploring how adequacy aid and differentiated aid are used in practice, but no action was taken during the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• local aid program.
• By investing fifth... ...as UGA, our key local aid program.
• This budget funds Chapter 70 school aid at $7.66 billion...
• This budget funds Chapter 70 school aid at $7.66 billion and increases minimum aid for school districts
• and a $160 per student and increase. rural aid and a $160 per student an increase to minimum aid, record

Transcript Highlights:

• Today we will review and take votes on the Grants and Aid Bill for fiscal year 2007.
• With the quorum being present, we'll begin reviewing the draft Grants and Aid bill.
• With the quorum being present, we'll begin reviewing the draft Grants and Aid bill.
• So we kind of relented and decided to take that over, bring that program into grant aid.
• I want to thank, in particular, with the grant-aid bill, Mr.

Committee: Joint Finance

Summary: The Joint Finance Committee met to review and vote on the fiscal year 2027 Grants and Aid Act, which was expected to be pre-filed as Senate Bill 337. Members first reviewed Section 1, covering county seat payments, paramedic operations, senior center allocations, senior center transportation, and Homeland Security grants. They approved Section 1 after discussion of how senior center transportation is being moved from DART to grant-in-aid and how some organizations can appear in both the senior center formula and the general aging category. The committee then worked through Section 2, which included one-time appropriations and the various grant categories for aging, arts/historical/recreation, economic housing or labor services, family and youth services, health or disability services, and neighborhood and community services. Members discussed several specific items, including New Castle County reassessment-related funding, Friends of Cooch’s Bridge, Slaughter Neck Community Action Organization, Plastic-Free Delaware, Love, Inc. of the Delmarva, and the Southern Delaware Horse Retirement Association. One aging line for Slaughter Neck was reduced back to flat funding after members questioned a large increase, and the revised category total was adjusted accordingly. Each of the Section 2 subcategories was then adopted. Section 3, covering fire companies and public service ambulance companies, was approved with increases across apparatus, ambulance, rescue truck, aerial truck, rescue boat, substation, and insurance rebate equalization funding. Section 4, for veterans organizations and youth programs such as Boys State, Girls State, and Trooper Youth Week, was also adopted. The committee then approved the epilogue sections, which included eligibility, audit, payment, and reporting rules; special provisions for the Wilmington Senior Center contingency; conditions tied to several one-time appropriations; withholding funding from Merri-Dell Volunteer Fire Company pending a corrective report; and reprogramming $1,485,000 from a prior SMART food program appropriation toward SNAP/WIC-related food access initiatives. The meeting ended with remarks thanking staff and noting that it was likely the last JFC meeting for two members, followed by adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• to expand and protect financial aid to make college affordable.
• It's to maintain their financial aid package.
• provided by the Student Aid Commission, or CSAC, in April.
• Thank you, California Student Aid Commission. Welcome.
• Catalina Missel, the Chief Deputy Director of the Student Aid Commission.

Summary: The committee heard the May Revision presentation for the Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance, with public comment focused heavily on K-12 priorities such as universal school meals, kitchen infrastructure, food service and custodial support, youth leadership grants, Special Olympics funding, English learner support, universal pre-K, literacy investments, and concerns about community college funding shifts. Speakers also urged support for expanded learning, teacher recruitment and training, and maintaining or increasing funding for community colleges and student support programs. Finance and the LAO then reviewed the Proposition 98 outlook. Finance said the May Revision lowers the 2025-26 Prop. 98 guarantee to $114.6 billion, about $4.3 billion below January, due mainly to lower revenue estimates, with smaller effects from attendance and property tax changes. The administration also described rebenching for universal transitional kindergarten and a one-time rebench tied to Los Angeles fire-related property tax losses, along with changes to the Public School System Stabilization Account, deferrals, and updated COLA assumptions. The LAO said the budget relies too much on deferrals and one-time funds, creates a structural shortfall, and should instead align ongoing spending with the guarantee and preserve a reserve buffer. Members questioned the TK rebench and the shift of funding from community colleges to K-12, asking why it was being applied retroactively and how colleges would be held harmless. Finance said the changes align funding with where TK costs are being incurred and that reappropriation funding and other adjustments would offset impacts on community colleges. The LAO argued the historical split formula is outdated and should be abandoned in favor of budgeting around current priorities rather than fixed percentages. Members also raised concerns about draining the rainy day reserve and using deferrals, while the LAO said preserving reserves would better protect against future volatility. The committee then moved to specific K-12 and education proposals. Finance outlined May Revision changes including state operations adjustments for the Department of Education, technical trailer bill changes, a $100 million student teacher stipend program administered by Kern County, and updates to the charter school facility grant program. The LAO recommended rejecting the proposed increases for expanded learning, literacy coaches, and the student teacher stipend as currently structured, while supporting the minimum grant increase for expanded learning. Members expressed support for teacher recruitment efforts but questioned whether one-time funding can sustain ongoing programs and whether the student teacher stipend should be targeted to shortage areas or low-income communities.

Transcript Highlights:

• Finding two was related to a fraud scheme regarding students' Free Application for Federal Student Aid
• And I will reiterate, the federal FAFSA system awarded them all aid.
• Cheek's team with AID? Is that how I follow that? Yes. If there's a suspicion...
• And again, we caught all but seven and kicked them out before they could get financial aid.
• So if now we did immediately reach out to the Office of Financial Aid and said...

Committee: All LEGISLATIVE JOINT AUDITING-EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

Summary: The House and Senate Legislative Joint Auditing Committee met to adopt the minutes from its December 11 meeting and then reviewed four higher education audit reports. Staff summarized the University of Arkansas System report, which included three findings that were reported to the Governmental Bonding Board, the prosecuting attorney, and the attorney general: unauthorized purchases at UA Pine Bluff totaling about $37,000, a fraud scheme involving falsified FAFSA/transcripts at East Arkansas Community College with a reported loss of about $66,000, and unallowable charges to the Veterans Upward Bound Program at UA Fayetteville totaling $8,500, of which $6,700 was recovered. University representatives said the issues were identified through internal audit or management review, and they described corrective actions already taken. Committee members focused most of their questions on the East Arkansas Community College fraud, which involved 39 suspected fraudulent online students using falsified transcripts and identity-theft tactics. EACC officials said all but seven were removed before federal aid was disbursed, that the college had to reimburse about $2,500 for aid that went out, and that the school created a student validity team, added red-flag protocols, and shared the information with other UA campuses. Members also asked about whether the problem was tied to FAFSA changes, how the fraud was detected, whether IP addresses and other indicators were checked, and whether similar issues were being shared across institutions. Staff said campuses are required to report suspected fraud within five business days and that the issue is now being discussed more broadly because it has become a national problem. Representative Painter also asked about the Veterans Upward Bound finding, and UA Fayetteville officials said no veterans were harmed; the program was closed and students were redirected to other Veterans Upward Bound programs in the state and to the campus veterans center. The committee then deferred the Northwest Arkansas Community College report, and staff summarized two additional reports from Southeast Arkansas College and Southern Arkansas University Tech involving financial statement misstatements corrected during audit fieldwork, plus unauthorized withdrawals at SAU Tech that were discovered and recovered. With no further questions, the committee filed the reports as reviewed and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:04:16.560><c> penalty</c> assistance payments to the aid penalty assistance payments to the aid
• </c><00:25:08.799><c> account</c> local government cannabis aid account local government cannabis aid
• Section 27 cannabis aid account.
• </c> provisions related to property tax aids provisions related to property tax aids and<00:48:22.400
• Thanks. comments about the local cannabis aid. I comments about the local cannabis aid.

Bills: HF2730 , HF2257 , HF2768 , HF1932 , HF2437

Committee: House Taxes

Transcript Highlights:

• ,</c><00:13:52.880><c> excuse</c> aid here, special education aid, excuse aid here, special education
• </c> these kids for special education aid. these kids for special education aid.
• </c> education aid. education aid.
• :44.400><c> we're</c> ed aid, catastrophic aid, whatever we're ed aid, catastrophic aid, whatever we're
• </c> education aid program. education aid program.

Summary: The subcommittee met for its third discussion on special education aid under retained bill 742, with the chair noting that no action would be taken at the meeting. The chair reviewed prior hearings on Medicaid and local special education funding shortfalls, saying the committee was trying to understand why districts are facing proration of special education aid and how to reduce unfunded costs. He raised a series of questions for the Department of Education about the Nessus system, eligibility and ineligibility, invoices and vouchers, audit procedures, reimbursement rates, out-of-state placements, and who enters data at the district level. Rebecca Fdet, director of special education services at the Department of Education, explained that Nessus is the statewide special education information system and that every child in special education must be entered into it. She said most districts use it to develop IEPs and track services, while six districts use it only as a data reporting tool. She described which fields are required, how the system connects IEP development to the financial section, and how districts submit invoices when seeking special education aid, court-ordered placement payments, or episode-of-treatment placements. She said the department reviews invoices against the IEP, pays only for allowable services, and uses a cap that notifies districts when they reach the annual limit. Members asked about who submits the information, how districts decide when to seek aid, and how costs are calculated for individual or group services. Fdet said the district, usually an administrative assistant in the SAU office, submits the documentation electronically, and districts decide when to track students for aid based on their own circumstances. She said reimbursement is based on actual costs tied to the IEP, with group services split among students, and that the department does not generally set rates for local services. The only rate-setting she described was for approved private special education providers, which submit annual cost spreadsheets for tuition rates. She also said out-of-state providers must be approved by their own state, and the department checks licensure and certification through monitoring and investigations if concerns arise. The department also described its monitoring process, called Program Approval and General Supervision Monitoring, or PAGS. Fdet said districts are reviewed on a six-year cycle, with more intensive review for districts needing assistance or intervention and fewer file requests for districts meeting requirements. She said the department can review up to 65 data points on an IEP and that districts must submit special education aid paperwork by July 31, with superintendent verification due by August 15. The meeting ended with continued questions about procurement, audit procedures, and how the department handles out-of-district and out-of-state placements.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Cal Grant Program is a financial aid program administered by the California Student Aid Commission
• And as you indicate, counties where every single basic aid, every single district is basic aid because
• Calistoga is a basic-aid district.
• and basic aid.
• If they're in a basic-aid district, they will get the basic-aid ADA; they will get the ADA?

Committee: Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• Aid districts in per-pupil funding.
• So it is very simply and I think in some ways elegantly dealing with the non-basic aid and basic aid
• So it is very simply and I think in some ways elegantly dealing with the non-basic aid and basic aid
• So it is very simply and I think in some ways elegantly dealing with the non-basic aid and basic aid
• with the basic aid.

Committee: Senate Elections and Constitutional Amendments

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> statute and the differentiate Aid statute and the differentiate Aid components<00:34:47.639><c>
• the issue of special education differentiated aid—this is not the catastrophic aid, this is special
• Aid this is special not the catastrophic Aid this is special education<00:36:08.040><c> Aid</c><00:36
• </c> in 2011 fiscal capacity disparity Aid in 2011 fiscal capacity disparity Aid and<00:38:56.640><c>
• They didn't get the aid because we wanted to save the aid for the students who needed it.

Summary: The committee met in executive session on HB 563, which revises the adequacy education grant formula, including differentiated aid for free and reduced-price meals, English language learners, and special education, and also restores fiscal capacity disparity aid. Members explained that for FY 26 the formula largely stays the same with the usual 2% increases, while FY 27 would raise the base cost and several aid categories, including a substantial increase in special education differentiated aid. Supporters said the bill recognizes higher special education costs and separates fiscal capacity disparity from the extraordinary needs grant, which they argued better targets property-poor communities. A major point of discussion was the fiscal capacity disparity aid component. Some members asked for more detail on how the formula affected individual towns and how much money was being allocated. The sponsors said the spreadsheet showed the impacts and estimated the fiscal capacity disparity portion at about $13.3 million, benefiting roughly 40 communities, with Manchester the only municipality expected to receive less under the new approach. They also said the change partially rebalances money that had shifted heavily toward larger cities under the extraordinary needs grant and that the special education increase is new money, not taken from the hold harmless or extraordinary needs funds. Several members supported the amendment as a good-faith step and a bipartisan compromise, while others expressed frustration that they did not have enough time or information to review the spreadsheets in detail before voting. After extended debate, the committee recessed for lunch to allow the spreadsheet to be distributed and reviewed, with the understanding that the bill would continue later in the day and then move on to the other bills on the docket.

Transcript Highlights:

• The first thing it does is it changes the name from literacy incentive aid to literacy aid.
• it does is it changes the name from literacy incentive aid to literacy aid.
• 42.559><c> package</c> Senator Mayquate's literacy aid package Senator Mayquate's literacy aid package
• </c> formula for the literacy incentive aid. formula for the literacy incentive aid.
• </c> incentive aid is first off unnecessary. incentive aid is first off unnecessary.

Committee: Senate Education Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> library aid beginning in fiscal 2026. library aid beginning in fiscal 2026.
• </c> with the programs for unspent aid with the programs for unspent aid amounts<00:57:29.280><c> to<
• </c> traditionally the American Indian aid traditionally the American Indian aid has<01:13:09.679><c>
• </c><01:15:42.400><c> carry</c> American Indian Education Aid carry American Indian Education Aid carry
• </c> American Indian education state aid. American Indian education state aid.

Committee: Senate Education Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• For transportation, we have regional aid. We have rural aid.
• And that brings me to rural aid.
• And that brings me to rural aid.
• State aid funding is critical.
• Third, rural school aid.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Ways and Means

Summary: The hearing was a Joint Committee on Ways and Means budget session held in Lawrence focused on the governor’s proposed FY27 education and local aid budget, with remarks from legislative co-chairs, local officials, and education agency leaders. Acting Mayor Giovanni Rodriguez and Superintendent Ralph Carrero emphasized Lawrence’s high-need student population, the importance of Chapter 70 and Student Opportunity Act funding, and the impact of state aid on schools serving many English learners and low-income families. Carrero highlighted Lawrence High School programs such as early college, dual degrees, career pathways, and early childhood classrooms embedded in the high school, while lawmakers introduced themselves and noted the importance of the hearing to their districts. Acting Secretary of Education Amy Kershaw, Commissioner of Higher Education Noi Ortega, Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education Pedro Martinez, and Commissioner of Early Education and Care Amy Kershaw outlined the administration’s FY27 priorities. They described investments in literacy initiatives, universal school meals, student mental health, early college and career pathways, higher education affordability, community college and university student-success supports, preschool expansion, child care subsidies, and workforce supports for early educators. The commissioners also discussed federal funding threats, equity gaps, and the administration’s efforts to improve outcomes for Black and brown students, multilingual learners, students with disabilities, and low-income students. Members questioned the panel about the local contribution formula study, the final year of Student Opportunity Act implementation, and the need to revisit Chapter 70 funding to better address rising costs such as special education, transportation, and health care. Officials said the local contribution study report is expected by the end of June, with a draft to be shared after data analysis and public comment. Commissioner Martinez said the Student Opportunity Act narrowed funding gaps but more work is needed, and he pointed to a proposed Accelerating Achievement Initiative to support the highest-need schools. Senator Oliveira also raised concerns about Chapter 70 disparities and asked about partnerships with libraries to support literacy, prompting discussion of broader early literacy collaboration.