Video & Transcript : 'small city program' :
Page 424 of 500
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Military and Veterans Affairs Committee Mar 25th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- But those programs that I talked about, our youth and community programs, are wildly popular; they're
- But particularly in that program, you know, we prioritize areas for count. particularly in that program
- The second program that was funded under the Certified California Veterans Service Provider Program in
- program.
- There were no programs at all.
Summary:
The Assembly Committee on Military and Veteran Affairs held an informational hearing focused on the effects of federal budget cuts and policy changes on veterans, military readiness, and California’s veteran support systems. The chair and members emphasized that federal reductions to the VA, Medicaid/Medi-Cal, SNAP, and the federal workforce are disproportionately harming veterans by threatening health care, employment, housing, crisis lines, and suicide prevention services. The chair also highlighted California’s progress on veteran homelessness and the importance of preserving state programs that leverage federal dollars.
Major General Matthew Beavers of the California Military Department described the department’s structure, its response to the Los Angeles fire emergency, and concerns that federal cuts could reduce readiness through less training, older equipment, and fewer resources. He also discussed state programs such as Work for Warriors, STARBASE, youth and community schools, and the counterdrug task force, saying they are valuable but vulnerable if funding is redirected away from readiness. Members asked about the impact of federal changes on the Guard and how the Legislature could help, and Beavers said the state should advocate for recapitalized equipment and continued support for key programs.
A second panel focused on veterans’ benefits and claims support. CalVet, Los Angeles County, and Swords to Plowshares testified that county veteran service officers, legal aid, and community-based partnerships are essential to helping veterans access VA benefits, especially after the PACT Act expanded eligibility and increased claims volume. Witnesses said these services bring substantial federal dollars back to California, but county offices and legal providers are underfunded and overburdened. Members discussed data sharing, staffing shortages, and the need for more resources to reach veterans who are not connected to VA care.
In the final panel on mental health and suicide prevention, CalVet and nonprofit providers described state-funded programs such as the Veterans Support Self-Reliance program and the California Veterans Health Initiative, which place services in permanent supportive housing and provide no-cost counseling statewide. Witnesses said these programs are showing measurable improvements in health, medication adherence, and emergency room use, but they depend on sustained funding and are vulnerable to step-down grants and federal instability. Committee members expressed support for the programs and raised questions about access, staffing, and the role of non-veteran family members in Vet Center services.
MO
Missouri 2026 Regular Session
Elementary and Secondary Education Feb 4th, 2026
Elementary and Secondary Education
Transcript Highlights:
- programs out there for training in cursive.
- Small schools—I know a lot of you may not be from small areas—but we have a bad problem with nepotism
- technology program.
- A computer program cannot do that.
- I live here in Jefferson City.
Committee:
House Elementary and Secondary Education
Summary:
The committee first took up a combined substitute for House Bills 2115 and 1876, which would encourage cursive instruction and add a future cursive assessment. Members discussed that the substitute removed an immediate fifth-grade test and instead would phase in an assessment later, with no penalty for failure. Some members raised concerns about teacher training, costs, and added demands on elementary classrooms, while supporters said the measure was only a recommendation and could be improved on the floor. The committee adopted the substitute and then passed the House Committee Substitute for both bills on a roll call vote of 13-9, with several members present or absent.
The committee then heard House Bill 2776, as amended and substituted, a teacher-certification bill aimed at addressing Missouri’s teacher shortage through a tiered associate certification system for pre-K and elementary grades. Sponsors explained that Tier 1 and Tier 2 certificates would be temporary and nonrenewable, with mentoring, literacy training, and a minimum salary floor, and that Tier 3 would lead to full certification and retirement-system participation. Members questioned the pay differential, the effect on teacher quality, the role of literacy training, and how the bill would treat leaves or incomplete years of service. After adopting an amendment and rolling it into a new substitute, the committee passed the House Committee Substitute for House Bill 2776 by a vote of 12-5 with one present.
In open session, the committee heard House Bills 1698 and 2120 together, both anti-bullying measures that would strengthen reporting, parent notification, school-board awareness, and immunity protections for good-faith reporting. The sponsors described the bills as responses to a student bullying case that ended in suicide, and witnesses from the family gave emotional testimony urging immediate reporting and stronger accountability. Committee members raised questions about definitions of bullying, off-campus conduct, mandatory reporting to law enforcement, and the need to avoid sweeping in protected speech or sincerely held religious beliefs. No vote was taken on those bills in the portion provided.
The committee then began testimony on House Bills 2230 and 2978, the Hands-on Learning Restoration Act, which would limit screen time and one-to-one device use in K-5 classrooms and emphasize books, paper, pencils, and cursive. Sponsors and supporters argued that heavy reliance on Chromebooks and other devices has harmed literacy, attention, and child development, citing low NAEP scores and research on handwriting and screen exposure. Teachers, physicians, and parents testified in support, while some members noted the bill may be too prescriptive and would need work on implementation, testing, and local flexibility. The hearing continued with additional testimony after the excerpt ended.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- the fun opportunity to collect nearly 300 cash price quotes from providers across seven different cities
- And again, that's what they're making money off of from programs that are clinically unproven.
- This bill will only bolster the need for more cities to implement ordinances to regulate these types
- It is that there are incentive programs that are going on in our large employer insurance market that
- Senator Hughes, in your district, City Drug in Jefferson, Texas, is closed.
Bills:
SB331 , SB883 , SB926 , SB1137 , SB1138 , SB1144 , SB1151 , SB1236 , SB1270 , SB1522 , SB1869 , SB2207 , SB2422
Committee:
Senate Health & Human Services
Keywords:
healthcare, cost disclosure, transparency, administrative penalties, health facility compliance, COVID-19, off-label use, prescription drugs, patient access, medical standards, insurance, physician ranking, incentives, fiduciary duty, health plan issuers, SB 1137, group home, assisted living, residential care, board and care
Summary:
The committee heard testimony on Senate Bill 883, which would protect physicians’ ability to prescribe off-label medications and treatments, framed by the author as a “Right to Treat” measure tied to COVID-19 care. Supporters, including physicians and patient-choice advocates, said the bill would safeguard the doctor-patient relationship and prevent interference by boards, pharmacies, or hospitals. Several witnesses described using hydroxychloroquine, ivermectin, budesonide, antibiotics, steroids, and monoclonal antibodies during the pandemic, and said they faced complaints, board scrutiny, or pharmacy refusals for those prescriptions. The bill was left pending after public testimony closed.
The committee then took up Senate Bill 331, which would extend hospital price-transparency requirements to additional health care facilities such as freestanding ERs, urgent care and retail clinics, ambulatory surgical centers, outpatient clinics, and birthing centers. Proponents argued that broader disclosure of prices for shoppable services would help consumers compare costs and reduce surprise billing, while opponents from ambulatory surgery centers said the bill would impose costly compliance burdens on small providers and that insurers or the state already have much of the needed data. The bill was also left pending.
Senate Bill 2422 would expunge Texas Medical Board records and impose reparations for disciplinary actions tied to COVID-era treatment decisions, including references to ivermectin, hydroxychloroquine, budesonide, and masks. The author and supporters argued that doctors were unfairly targeted for trying to save patients and should be made whole; the Texas Medical Board representative said most pandemic complaints were dismissed, that actions generally involved broader issues such as privileges, documentation, or informed consent, and that no physician was disciplined solely for prescribing off-label COVID medications. The bill was left pending.
Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 2207, which would loosen Texas Medical Board rules on physicians advertising themselves as board certified, especially by reducing barriers tied to maintenance of certification requirements. Supporters said the current rule is overly restrictive, inconsistent, and costly, and that it drives physicians out of practice; they also said Texas is one of only a few states with such a rule. Witnesses described hospitals using the rule against physicians and said the change would improve transparency and competition. The bill remained pending after testimony.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Session (Full Formal with Calendar) Jun 21st, 2026 at 11:00 am
Massachusetts Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- for extraordinary EMS costs across the state, provides critical funding for the Healthy Incentives Program
- , providing food security for our constituents... ...for the aforementioned Healthy Incentives Program
- deficiencies. ...with rounding areas, just small deficiencies, hopefully deficiencies on the right side
- First and foremost, our colleague from the great city of Lawrence, he has been a phenomenal champion.
- Again. ...our colleague from the great city of Lawrence.
Summary:
The Senate first debated and advanced Senate Bill 2561, an act to promote student learning and mental health, centered on a statewide bell-to-bell restriction on student cell phone use in schools. Supporters argued the bill would reduce distraction, improve academic performance and mental health, and encourage social interaction, while preserving flexibility for districts and exceptions for emergencies, special education, health needs, and instructional uses. Several senators emphasized local control and the need for public input, and a number of amendments were considered: some were withdrawn, some were rejected, and others were adopted, including an amendment requiring consistent and necessary exceptions and another requiring public hearings and local public input. The bill was then ordered to a third reading and passed to be engrossed by a roll call vote of 38-2.
The Senate also took up a conference committee report on a $259 million FY2025 supplemental appropriations bill. The report funded EMS costs, home care, the Healthy Incentives Program, DTA chip card technology, veterans benefits, the state police crime lab, the SSI state supplement, the Fair Housing Fund, and the National Guard, and included major indigent defense provisions: $40 million for 320 new CPCS staff attorneys, rate increases for private bar advocates, guardrails to reduce future work stoppages, and an independent review of the indigent defense system. Senators questioned the timing of the report, the inclusion of items not previously voted on by either branch, and the funding sources, including use of the transitional escrow fund and excess revenues. The report was accepted, the emergency preamble was adopted, and the supplemental budget was enacted.
In addition, the Senate passed other measures, including a bill authorizing the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority to supply water to the Linfield Center Water District and a municipal roads and bridges financing bill, both by roll call vote. The chamber also enacted a health care protections bill, and it concurred in referrals on a governor’s municipal empowerment legislation. The session included a brief memorial tribute and adjournment in memory of Harry C. Christensen.
KY
Kentucky 2025 Regular Session
Interim Joint Committee on Health Services (10-22-25)
Transcript Highlights:
- program? program?
- Um, you know, I'm from a small town and a small part of Eastern Kentucky.
- </c> know, I'm from a small town and a small know, I'm from a small town and a small part<00:41:19.520
- So you don't have to be the big city. You don't have to be the small rural community.
- And so whether it's small town, big city, these teams care about each other.
Summary:
The committee first approved the minutes and then approved an agency amendment to a health and family services regulation. The amendment reversed a prior change so that neonatal ICU beds would remain subject to regular review rather than nonsubstantive review. The remaining administrative regulations were then reviewed without objection.
The main presentation was from State Auditor Allison Ball on a report finding $836 million in concurrent Medicaid capitation payments from 2019 through 2022, involving individuals enrolled in Kentucky and at least one other state. Ball said Kentucky relied on the PARIS system, which has limitations because it is updated quarterly and depends on voluntary state participation, while a better federal data source, T-MSIS, was not fully available to the state. She said the audit found weak internal controls, siloed processes, outdated guidance, and a low-priority attitude toward residency checks, all of which contributed to missed alerts and improper payments. She also said the report identified additional problems, including payments made after beneficiaries died and cases involving multiple states paying for the same person.
Ball recommended better access to federal data, stronger MCO contract provisions, and more active oversight by the Department for Medicaid Services and managed care organizations. She said the contracts reviewed did not provide a clear way to recoup the improper payments, though she and her counsel suggested possible equitable legal theories might be explored. Members expressed concern about the scale of the waste and the lack of contract enforcement, and asked whether any money could be recovered. Ball said the audit did not identify a clear contractual path to recoup the funds.
NH
Transcript Highlights:
- will allow for the same thing by designated church employees or if they want to run a residential program
- of Nashville and housing run by the city of Nashville and so<00:13:51.920><c> I'm</c><00:13:52.079><
- I run a sober home in the city of Manchester, and this was a big conversation in the city a couple of
- I run a sober home in the city of Manchester, and this was a big conversation in the city a couple of
- </c><00:32:22.720><c> local</c> would compete against your small local would compete against your small
Committee:
Senate Ways and Means
AZ
Arizona 2026 Regular Session
03/23/2026 - Senate Military Affairs and Border Security
Transcript Highlights:
- participants, and a comprehensive report on the grant program.
- We have several; the sort of the gold star one is in Lake Havasu City.
- So I see this as a great program, a great opportunity for the state.
- And it was a great program.
- And it was a great program.
Summary:
The Military Affairs and Border Security Committee heard two veterans-focused bills. HB 2960 would create a Veterans Specialty Court grant program and fund to help cities and counties start, expand, and improve veterans treatment courts, with the Administrative Office of the Courts overseeing best practices, data collection, and reporting. It would also require the Department of Corrections to identify incarcerated veterans and share monthly information with the Department of Veterans’ Services so veterans do not lose contact with benefits and support services. The sponsor and a veteran testifying in support described the bill as a way to address underlying issues such as PTSD, substance use, and reintegration challenges through diversion and treatment rather than punishment.
The committee also heard HB 2620, which would appropriate $300,000 annually from fiscal years 2027 through 2031 to the Arizona Department of Veterans’ Services for grants to large emergency shelters serving homeless veterans, including Central Arizona Shelter Services (CASS). Supporters said the funding would allow shelters to hire dedicated veteran case managers, provide flexible assistance, and move veterans more quickly into permanent housing. A CASS representative and a veteran who had stayed there testified in favor, describing the shelter’s veteran-specific services and the importance of stable, trauma-informed case management.
Both bills received strong support from committee members, many of whom spoke personally about veterans treatment courts and homelessness services. HB 2960 was approved on a 6-0 vote with one member not voting, and HB 2620 was also approved 6-0 with one member not voting, each receiving a do-pass recommendation.
VT
Transcript Highlights:
- There's the small I, the double small I, and the triple small I.
- /c><00:07:38.520><c> I,</c><00:07:38.760><c> and</c><00:07:38.919><c> the</c> small I, the double small
- I, and the small I, the double small I, and the triple<00:07:39.400><c> small</c><00:07:39.840><c> I
- </c> Program or VHIP. Program or VHIP.
- ,</c> The 10% Vermont for Vermont program, The 10% Vermont for Vermont program, housed<02:15:02.080><
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Committee on State and Local Government - 04/10/25
State and Local Government
Transcript Highlights:
- Um, one of the cities I represent, City of Rosemount, negotiated an NDA with Meta under an NDA.
- Um, one of the cities I reason why.
- Um, one of the cities I represent,<00:09:21.720><c> City</c><00:09:21.880><c> of</c><00:09:21.960><c>
- . city. city.
- </c> a news organization welfare program. a news organization welfare program.
Committee:
Senate State and Local Government
TX
Texas 89th Regular
S/C County & Regional Government Apr 7th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- If you're in the city.
- So what's happened is we've had a very expensive bill when we started this program on this.
- We literally modeled it after the city of Houston's North Zone, which is 85 decibels, I think.
- The standard practice is to follow the city of Houston's noise decibel limit. All right.
- They really love that. ...that program.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Improving early child care in Minnesota 2/24/26
Minnesota House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- </c> types of programs. types of programs.
- That means a nature-based family child care program, a center in a small town, and a school-based program
- , a center in a family child care program, a center in a small<00:36:50.480><c> town,</c><00:36:50.960
- ><c> and</c><00:36:51.200><c> a</c><00:36:51.440><c> school-based</c><00:36:52.000><c> program</c> small
- town, and a school-based program small town, and a school-based program in<00:36:52.480><c> a</c><00
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 5 on State Administration Feb 18th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- But regardless, that's very small in comparison to the overall size of the P-TECH program.
- We administer 42 tax and fee programs. programs for the state.
- And that's the program that we're talking about now, the CHIEF program.
- So whether it's small business, we talked about that last year, small business advocates.
- I believe it was a farm worker program that were actually out in the farm workers program right there
NM
New Mexico 2026 Regular Session
Senate - Health and Public Affairs Feb 11th, 2026 at 05:14 pm
Senate Health & Public Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- So literally just one small change, and it was to remove...
- In subsequent years, we took on liability programs, also a law enforcement program, and today 28 of the
- programs... ...of not bullying and the system comes through.
- So, Madam Chair and Senator, the program already exists.
- So, Madam Chair, the program already exists within CYFD.
Committee:
Senate Senate Health & Public Affairs
Keywords:
massage therapy, licensure, health and safety standards, continuing education, establishment licensing, civil rights, sovereign immunity, damages, public body, lawsuit limitations, legal notice, child welfare, computing infrastructure, data management, Department of Health, appropriation, foster care, Indian children, cultural competency, training services
FL
Transcript Highlights:
- New funding for SCRAP, which is our Small County Road Assistance Program, and the new arterial roads
- program, aptly called the FARM program.
- I know they'll be able to partake in the road program.
- in the ACA grant program?
- There are a great deal of these scholarship programs.
Summary:
The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several introductions, including recognition of Alpha Kappa Alpha Founders’ Day and a visiting debate student. The chamber then took up a committee report on 52 executive appointments. After explanation by Ethics and Elections Chair Don Gates, the Senate adopted the report and confirmed the appointments by a vote of 39-0.
The first major bill was SB 250 on rural communities. Senator Simon described it as a broad rural development package creating an Office of Rural Prosperity, a Renaissance Grant Program for counties losing population, housing and transportation investments, additional funding for rural education, and rural health care measures. Two amendments were adopted to remove overlapping health provisions in light of a new federal rural health grant and to update hospital funding estimates. Senators from both parties spoke in support, while also asking about eligibility and access to grant funds. The bill passed 39-0.
The Senate then considered CS/SB 318 on educational scholarship programs. Senator Gates said the bill responds to Auditor General concerns by separating scholarship funding from public school funding, requiring student identification and enrollment verification, reducing administrative fees for scholarship funding organizations, requiring annual audits, and directing the Department of Education to develop a competitive selection and performance plan for those organizations. Three amendments were adopted, including removal of a declining-enrollment provision for later conforming legislation and changes to enrollment documentation and withdrawal procedures. Senators from both parties supported the bill while raising concerns about accountability, student oversight, and school quality. The bill passed 38-0.
Afterward, the Senate waived rules so SB 250 and CS/SB 318 could be immediately certified to the House. The session ended with announcements, including Palm Beach County Day at the Capitol and a reminder about the chamber group photograph, followed by adjournment until the next scheduled meeting.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Higher Education Jun 21st, 2026 at 01:00 pm
Joint Committee on Higher Education
Transcript Highlights:
- To date, it has really worked for some programs, and I think as we talk about moving from pilot programs
- I not only see these as sister programs, but highly complementary programs.
- into five associate degree programs.
- I run a small institute in Harvard Square now, the Small Planet Institute. That's great.
- nutrition program.
Committee:
Joint Joint Committee on Higher Education
Summary:
The Joint Committee on Higher Education held its first hearing and heard testimony on a wide range of bills, including hunger-free campuses, FAFSA completion, early college/college-in-high-school programs, banning legacy preferences, AP credit consistency, and tuition equity for the Stockbridge School of Agriculture. Committee leaders opened by outlining the hearing process and noting the three-minute testimony limit. Legislators and advocates generally framed the bills as equity and access measures aimed at improving college affordability, student success, and workforce development.
Representative Vargas testified for H. 1466 and H. 1467, arguing that hunger-free campus should be codified because many public college and community college students face food insecurity, and that FAFSA completion should be improved through individualized outreach and an opt-out or completion requirement. Senator Lovely, the Greater Boston Food Bank, and other advocates supported the hunger-free campus bill, citing data that 44% of public university and community college students experienced food insecurity in 2023 and that food insecurity harms graduation rates. Femi Stoltz and Shanti Lopez Toro backed the FAFSA bill, saying many students miss out on Pell grants and need direct support; they pointed to state examples such as Louisiana and to recent state action requiring FAFSA awareness. Committee members asked about the federal FAFSA rollout, regional equity in food access, and the need for long-term funding and data collection.
A large panel supported H. 1455 on college and high school/early college, including former Chair Roy, the Massachusetts Alliance for Early College, a student graduate, MBAE, and Tripp Jones. They described early college as a proven model that helps low-income and first-generation students, improves degree attainment, and supports workforce needs; witnesses said the goal is to scale from about 9,000 students and 55 partnerships toward 22,000 to 25,000 students by 2030, with possible future growth beyond that. Members raised questions about funding, public-private partnerships, parental involvement, faculty development, and whether the bill should include data review and more standardized policies across institutions. Representative Garcia also testified for H. 1432 on AP credit, saying students should receive consistent credit for AP scores of 3, 4, or 5. Senator Edwards and James Murphy testified for the legacy preference ban, arguing it is unfair and rooted in exclusionary history; they said some states have already banned legacy preferences in public and private institutions. Finally, UMass Dean Michael Fox, alumnus Dan Mayer, and student Jake Rasmussen supported S. 920 to include Stockbridge associate degree programs in MassEducate, saying tuition equity would help enrollment and support Massachusetts agriculture and green-industry jobs.
US
US Federal 2025-2026 Regular Session
US House Floor Proceedings (Thursday, February 13, 2025)
US Federal House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- <01:58:35.960><c> Union</c><01:58:36.360><c> City</c><01:58:36.679><c> has</c> Union City has adopted
- </c><02:12:14.239><c> making</c> on in financial aid programs making on in financial aid programs making
- by the generosity of the American people. thrive programs agricultural programs thrive programs agricultural
- </c><02:34:36.720><c> the</c> Economic Development programs around the Economic Development programs
- There are other programs out there, and we'll be talking about these other programs as my colleagues
NM
New Mexico 2026 Regular Session
House - Agriculture, Acequias And Water Resources Feb 3rd, 2026 at 09:03 am
House Agriculture, Acequias And Water Resources
Transcript Highlights:
- I'm the Chief Program Policy Officer of the Equine Program, Madam Chair, Committee.
- We have about 25 programs.
- It's the small rural communities that don't have that luxury.
- For small communities, we do it for them.
- So it's a pretty well-known program throughout the state already.
Keywords:
insects, ecosystem, education, public awareness, wildlife conservation, state agency involvement, New Mexico, equine welfare, animal rescue, shelter funding, trust fund, veterinary care, water project fund, water project finance act, New Mexico Finance Authority, water infrastructure, water grants, water loans, regional water planning, water rights adjudication
FL
Florida 2026 5th Special Session
FL House Floor Session - 2026-01-14 (4:00PM Session)
Florida House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- New funding for SCRAP, which is our Small County Road Assistance Program, and the new arterial roads
- program, aptly called the FARM program.
- I know they'll be able to partake in the road program.
- in the ACA grant program?
- There are a great deal of these scholarship programs.
Summary:
The Senate convened with a prayer, pledge, and several recognitions, including Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority’s Founders’ Day, a visiting debate student, and later Palm Beach County Day at the Capitol. The chamber then took up committee reports and confirmed a slate of 52 executive appointments by a 39-0 vote.
On special order, senators considered SB 250 on rural communities. The bill, described as a “Rural Renaissance” package, would create an Office of Rural Prosperity, establish a Renaissance Grant Program, increase housing and transportation support, and direct new funding to rural education and health care. Two amendments were adopted to update rural health funding and hospital estimates. Members from both parties spoke in support, while raising questions about eligibility and access to grants for certain rural areas. The bill passed 39-0.
The Senate then debated CS/SB 318 on educational scholarship programs. The bill responds to Auditor General concerns by separating scholarship funding from public-school funding, requiring student identification and enrollment verification, reducing administrative fees for scholarship funding organizations, tightening payment and audit procedures, and creating a stabilization fund for scholarships. Three amendments were adopted to remove a district declining-enrollment provision from the bill, adjust private-school documentation timing, and clarify withdrawal form and parent-attestation procedures. Senators from both parties supported the measure while noting concerns about oversight, school quality, and future conforming legislation. The bill passed 38-0, and both SB 250 and CS/SB 318 were certified to the House before adjournment.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Hearing Senate Education Committee and Assembly Education Committee Jan 20th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- And since that time, I've served on the city council... Members, we were hearing that.
- Ten years will allow ample time for development, teacher preparation, and program adjustments.
- They may not make sense in the dual immersion classroom in my own city.
- And we're also interested in looking into having a pilot program or something.
- When it comes to who will be teaching these small courses, we recommend counselors.
Summary:
The annual joint Senate and Assembly Education Committee hearing featured student proposals from the California Association of Student Councils and SABLE, with opening remarks from legislators emphasizing student voice and the value of hearing youth ideas. Committee members noted the hearing was being streamed and that they would review the testimony even though some members could not attend because of fog-related travel issues. The first panel proposed an annual civic engagement day for grades 7-12, with flexible school-led activities such as discussions, mock elections, and voter registration-related events. Members generally praised the idea but raised concerns about costs, instructional time tradeoffs, how to evaluate effectiveness, and whether the proposal should better connect to existing civics standards and local curriculum.
The second panel proposed amending Education Code Section 35012 to require at least one student board member in every unified and high school district, with added training and the right to make motions. Legislators supported student representation in principle but questioned whether the proposal should require one or two student members to avoid board tie issues, why some districts do not already have student trustees, and how the mandate would be funded if it became a state requirement. They also raised technical concerns about the scope of motioning power and the fiscal impact of converting a voluntary local practice into a statewide mandate.
Later panels proposed adding middle school financial literacy instruction, expanding restorative justice practices, and creating more structured mental health education time. On financial literacy, students suggested integrating finance into existing middle school classes and teacher training over time; members worried about curriculum overload and suggested aligning the idea with the already-approved high school finance course. On restorative justice, students proposed a CDE task force and training for PPS-certified staff; legislators discussed prior related bills, confidentiality concerns in discipline hearings, and the likely cost of a state task force. On mental health, students proposed short, twice-semester classroom sessions focused on coping skills and awareness of resources, but members questioned whether such brief lessons could be effective and suggested that wellness centers, student-led awareness, and outside referrals might be more practical. No votes were taken; the hearing was informational and ended with encouragement for students to refine their proposals and follow up with legislators.
ID
Transcript Highlights:
- The majority of city council, so who are elected officials, to either hire and fire the director.
- Are they not appointed by the city council? So doesn't that kind of...
- City Council, so doesn't that kind of... Representative Berch, yes, they are. Follow up?
- there is, I'm not sure where there's a problem then, because if the trustees are appointed by the city
- If they haven't, they better get with the program.
Committee:
House Local Government