Transcript Highlights:

• I mean, it is something to be seen, and it continues to evolve.
• So we're looking forward to continuing to empower parents.
• And the programs have only continued to grow.
• By all indication, this program continues to grow.
• continues to grow.

Summary: The Pre-K through 12 Budget Subcommittee held its first interim meeting, took roll, and established a quorum. Members introduced themselves, many noting backgrounds in education, school boards, local government, or parenting, and Chair Jenna Persons-Mulicka outlined the committee’s goal of building the fiscal year 2025-26 Pre-K-12 budget. She also reviewed the fiscal year 2024-25 education budget, noting that the Pre-K-12 portion totals about $21 billion, with the Florida Education Finance Program (FEFP) as the largest driver, along with major funding for VPK, school readiness, and school recognition. She explained that federal COVID relief funds have ended and that recent school choice legislation has affected budget structure. Commissioner Manny Diaz and department leaders then gave overviews of their divisions. Diaz highlighted Florida’s education rankings, record graduation rate, progress monitoring, expanded school choice participation, charter school growth, and teacher salary investments, while emphasizing a focus on literacy, math, and early learning. Carrie Miller described the Division of Early Learning’s school readiness and VPK programs, their funding, eligibility, accountability systems, and the importance of kindergarten readiness. Paul Burns outlined the Division of Public Schools’ work on educator quality, literacy, standards, certification, family outreach, federal programs, and school improvement. Suzanne Pridgen reviewed finance and operations functions, including budget management, FEFP calculations, grants, procurement, transportation, and emergency management. Adam Emerson described parental choice programs, including scholarships, charter schools, schools of hope, virtual education, and home education. Darren Norris detailed the Office of Safe Schools’ responsibilities for risk assessments, compliance inspections, threat management, grants, and training created after the Marjory Stoneman Douglas tragedy. Members asked questions about several issues, including whether the Safe Schools office recommends changes to the school safety grant distribution formula, whether early learning eligibility should shift from federal poverty level to state median income, how scholarship payments are verified to avoid funding students who return to public school, and whether daily attendance systems could improve funding accuracy. Other questions addressed hurricane-related survey disruptions, VPK provider reimbursement rates and instructional hours, teacher salary increases, school start time costs, and how voucher schools handle IEP accommodations. Department officials generally said some issues remain under review, supported moving school readiness eligibility to SMI, noted that scholarship and enrollment data are cross-checked and adjusted when needed, and said progress monitoring now helps schools support mobile students. On school safety, officials said exemptions are allowed in statute for some items but not for classroom doors, and that district-specific conditions matter. No votes were taken and no formal actions were reported beyond receiving presentations and discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• And your To account for enrollment declines in FY26.
• Please continue. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
• Please continue. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
• So I think it's important that we continue what we've started.
• So I think it's important that we continue what we've started.

Summary: The committee first heard a detailed staff presentation on the LESC FY27 public school support recommendation. Staff reviewed the budget structure and explained that, despite a downward revision in state revenue estimates, the recommendation still relied on recurring and non-recurring revenue to support educator compensation, insurance, transportation, literacy, math, special education, and other school programs. Major recurring items included a 3% compensation increase, funding for an 80-20 health insurance cost share, insurance premium growth, and transportation adequacy funding. Staff also flagged a possible supplemental need of up to $35 million for virtual education tied to rapid enrollment growth in Chama and Santa Rosa, and members raised concerns about the quality, accountability, and funding model for virtual programs. Members asked questions about transportation for rural districts, the Martinez-Yazzie lawsuit fees, the treatment of enrollment declines in the school funding formula, and whether the word “average” in salary language should remain in the budget. Staff explained that the SEG should remain whole, that the insurance and transportation recommendations applied to all public school employees but not contractors, and that the budget included multiple math-related investments spread across several lines rather than one single appropriation. There was also discussion of out-of-school learning grants, school meals, literacy center operations, special education training, and the Public Education Reform Fund, including the use of multi-year, evaluation-based appropriations for high-impact tutoring and community schools. After discussion, the committee adopted the LESC budget recommendation. The committee then moved to endorsed legislation proposals. It endorsed a bill allowing the secretary to suspend an individual school board member, with notice and appeal procedures clarified, and a bill creating an 80-20 health insurance cost-share requirement for public school employees, along with a study of the sustainability of public school insurance programs. It also endorsed a bill on attendance provisions for students with severe medical conditions, which would keep those students from being classified as excessively absent. Finally, the committee discussed a teacher residency bill that would raise stipend levels, allow residents to complete service anywhere in New Mexico, and remove the requirement that sponsoring schools must hire them, though the bill did not include an appropriation. Members also raised questions about bilingual, Hispanic, and Black education funding, cultural and linguistic supports in teacher preparation, and where various programs should be placed in the budget or PERF framework.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a pre-K project with the GSF of 19,259 square feet with an enrollment of 114.
• Um, with their enrollment and the fact that their enrollment has increased over time.
• The enrollment is 300.
• And as I set up above, it will continue to allow districts to access local match reductions and continue
• We're continuing.

Transcript Highlights:

• The remaining settle-up obligation, now $3.9 billion, reflects a level of continued uncertainty and continues
• They continue to do well, state revenues could continue to exceed projections next year, and the state
• So that's one that we continue to advocate for additional funding for.
• Yeah, and we'll want to have continued conversation. Okay.
• As UC enrollment continues to increase and students face disproportionate federal impacts...

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard the Governor’s May Revision proposals for TK-12 education, beginning with a Proposition 98 overview from the Department of Finance and the Legislative Analyst’s Office. Finance said the May Revision increases the Proposition 98 minimum guarantee by about $6.4 billion relative to the Governor’s January budget across the three-year window, with higher guarantees in each year, continued full payment of the outstanding settle-up obligation in 2024-25, and a reduced $3.9 billion settle-up amount in 2025-26. Finance also described larger mandatory and discretionary deposits into the Proposition 98 reserve, ending with an estimated $10.3 billion reserve balance. The LAO said the overall estimates were reasonable, but urged the state to fully fund the guarantee and use other budget tools, including reserves, to manage volatility rather than delay settle-up payments. Members questioned the remaining settle-up amount, the risk of revenue volatility, and possible alternatives such as advance payments or other reserve strategies. The second panel covered Department of Education proposals and trailer bill language. Finance outlined additional state operations funding and positions for CDE, along with trailer bill changes affecting community schools, preschool, literacy, special education, charter accountability, teacher-related programs, and other technical cleanups. The LAO supported the overall structure of the package but recommended changes to several items, including rejecting some additional one-time community schools, literacy, math, multilingual screener, and inclusive college proposals, while supporting the ongoing LCFF and special education increases and raising concerns about the paid pregnancy disability leave proposal’s cost and implementation complexity. CDE supported the special education increase, community schools, literacy and math investments, homelessness funding, and the paid pregnancy leave proposal, while asking for more funding for county office support, clearer homelessness definitions, and continued preschool parity. Members also asked about immigrant student supports, community schools reporting, and the rationale and cost estimate for the paid pregnancy leave proposal, which Finance estimated at $218 million annually. The final panel addressed the Commission on Teacher Credentialing. Finance proposed additional legal staffing for SB 848 implementation and educator misconduct caseloads, a fee increase for clear credential renewals from $100 to $125, a $5 million one-time Proposition 98 investment to build a transcript review platform, $2 million ongoing for transcript review staffing, and $30 million one-time for the statewide residency technical assistance center. The LAO had no concerns about the legal staffing, supported the transcript review platform if the fee increase and ongoing staffing were adopted, and recommended rejecting the residency technical assistance center expansion because existing funding runs through 2029. The Commission explained that the misconduct workload has grown over several years, that AI would assist but not replace human review in transcript matching, and that the residency technical assistance center helps recruit and retain teachers and support rural districts. Public commenters largely supported special education, discretionary block grants, community schools, literacy investments, homelessness funding, and teacher credentialing alternatives, while some urged rejection of the settle-up proposal and preschool COLA reduction.

Transcript Highlights:

• Without sufficient the ongoing challenges for children and families will continue to become even more
• It is simply because they want to continue to support the Texas market and participate in it, and if
• Determined not to give up, I enrolled into Google Excel.
• After graduation, I continued my journey, a career in health care.
• our total enrollment.

Bills: HB367, HB497, HB549, HB983, HB 1188, HB 1290, HB1368, HB2243, HB2310, HB2849, HB3099, HB3546, HB3629, HB3627

Keywords: education, absences, severe illness, life-threatening, school policy, verification, healthcare, insurance, affordability, coverage, patient rights, school health, respiratory distress, airway clearance devices, medication training, public health, HB 983, Texas Education Agency, TEA, educator privacy

Transcript Highlights:

• Valencia's enrollment grew by 6% this past year, the largest enrollment in history, clear evidence of
• We... 2023 and 2024 saw record numbers in new student enrollment.
• I know the enrollment had been declining over the years.
• They've been dual enrolled. They have earned degrees.
• And I think that we will continue to build on that and continue to offer accessible education to everybody

Summary: The committee heard and voted on two higher education bills before moving to a long series of university and college board appointment confirmations. CS/SB 742 would let charter schools directly access the Workforce Development Capitalization Incentive Grant Program for career and technical education programs tied to industry certifications, and would expand the money-back guarantee requirement from three to six programs at career centers and Florida College System institutions. A question was raised about whether the charter school access could reduce district funding or grant availability; the sponsor said it could, depending on available funds. The bill was supported by one appearance form and was reported favorably. The committee also heard SB 892, which codifies the Florida State University Election Law Center so it can continue and receive recurring funding. The sponsor and FSU witnesses said the center is nonpartisan and focused on evidence-based research, especially on election administration issues related to natural disasters and public confidence in elections. After testimony and questions, including about the center’s scope and funding, the bill was reported favorably. The remainder of the meeting consisted of testimony from numerous appointees to boards of trustees for state colleges and universities, including Tallahassee State College, Valencia College, New College, Pensacola State College, Florida Gulf Coast University, University of North Florida, St. Johns River State College, Palm Beach State College, Santa Fe College, Daytona State College, and Florida Atlantic University. Most nominees emphasized their personal ties to the institutions, support for workforce education, student success, and local economic development. Several highlighted priorities such as keeping tuition affordable, expanding internships and career pathways, strengthening nursing and other workforce programs, and improving graduation and retention rates. Some appointees also described campus-specific goals, including research growth at FAU and Harbor Branch, community engagement at New College, and continued support for health care workforce partnerships at FGCU. The most notable exchange came during testimony from Dr. Joel Rudman for the Pensacola State College board, where Senator Leek questioned him extensively about prior public comments that appeared to reference threats and drug testing legislators. Rudman said his remarks were aimed at Florida House members and not the Senate, denied any knowledge of illicit drug use by current or former senators, and said he was speaking candidly as a private citizen. Public testimony on his nomination included both support and strong opposition, with one speaker praising his community service and another warning about his alleged disruptive behavior and social media posts. The committee also heard from several supporters and appointees who were not questioned further, and the meeting ended with plans to vote on the appointments after all testimony was completed.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're going to continue as a subcommittee, obviously.
• these advocacy programs if they continued.
• insurance enrollment.
• So whatever we charge on Medi-Cal enrollment, we now have to charge on private enrollment.
• So whatever we charge on Medi-Cal enrollment, we now have to charge on private enrollment.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Health heard presentations on several May Revision proposals, beginning with an overview from the Legislative Analyst’s Office and the Department of Finance on the state’s budget condition and the administration’s efforts to reduce out-year deficits through a mix of revenue measures, fund shifts, and program reductions. The chair expressed support for some administration proposals, such as added health IT funding, county administration support, a delay in Medi-Cal cuts for some immigrants, and additional Covered California subsidy backfill, but also criticized proposed Medi-Cal premiums, changes to senior eligibility, the lack of a Medi-Cal dental solution, and other cuts affecting counties, workforce, and rural access. The LAO said the budget still relies heavily on reserves and borrowing and urged more reserves and caution on new commitments. The Department of State Hospitals presented several proposals, including reduced county bed billing authority, limited contract exemption authority for online clinical subscriptions, reversion of unspent prior-year funds, additional lease revenue authority for the Metro Central Utility Plant replacement, funding for electronic health record implementation, and a shift of workforce development costs to Behavioral Health Services Act funds. The department also described savings and realignments in its IST and CONREP programs, including making the Independent Placement Panel permanent and adjusting funding for jail-based competency treatment and conditional release services. Members questioned the BHSA workforce funding swap, and the administration said it was part of a broader General Fund offset strategy. The Emergency Medical Services Authority requested funding for statewide behavioral health crisis response guidance and for continued operation of its enterprise systems, and the Department of Managed Health Care sought funds to modernize its complaint system and claims settlement data systems. The largest debate centered on the administration’s proposed use of Behavioral Health Services Act revenues to offset General Fund spending and fund state-directed behavioral health programs. The Department of Finance said the proposal would support population-based prevention, workforce programs, mobile crisis services, and other state-directed uses, while the LAO said it was still reviewing whether the uses comply with Proposition 1 and whether the non-supplement and eligible-use requirements are met. The Commission for Behavioral Health strongly opposed proposed cuts to its Innovation Partnership Fund and community advocacy grants, arguing that both programs are central to community voice, culturally responsive services, and statewide innovation. Commissioners and many public commenters said the cuts would reduce grants to community-based organizations, tribal groups, veterans, LGBTQ communities, youth, and other underserved populations, and that the advocacy program helps communities participate in local planning and access services. The Department of Finance defended the reductions as a way to prioritize direct services and said the programs fit within Proposition 1, but members criticized the proposal as a midstream shift that would weaken community engagement and redirect funds away from prevention and advocacy.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, our intent here is to continue to scale up OHE's successful direct admissions program.
• Please introduce yourself for the record and you may begin. continues to lead to higher FAFSA continues
• <00:33:33.600> in terms of um, increasing enrollment in terms of um, increasing enrollment
• Minstate GO students enrollment group. Minstate GO students enrollment group.
• They uh they enroll uh attractive.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee first took up a series of “same and similar” provisions between the House and Senate higher education bills and adopted them one by one, with brief explanations from members and staff. The items included a cybersecurity addition for a doctoral degree program, Northstar Promise definitions and eligibility limits, self-loan provisions on institution eligibility and data disclosure, and dual training language requiring certificates, diplomas, or degrees to come from accredited postsecondary institutions. The committee also adopted an amendment to the private career school provisions that clarified exempt institutions remain within the act, and removed certain limited-license and renewal fees for institutions participating in dual training grants or the eligible training provider list. Each of these motions prevailed by voice vote. The committee then moved into policy differences between the House and Senate bills, beginning with emergency grants and hunger-free campus grants. Members discussed shifting funding from OHE-administered competitive grants to direct appropriations for the University of Minnesota and Minnesota State, while the Senate retained competitive grant access for private and tribal colleges and added reporting requirements. OHE Commissioner Dennis Olson said the added reporting would be an extra administrative task but raised no significant concerns. Testifiers from the University of Minnesota, Minnesota State, and the private college sector supported faster, more direct funding and described the grants as important for emergency housing, transportation, food insecurity, and other student basic needs. A LeadMN representative also supported the changes, saying campus staff and students wanted funds delivered more quickly. The committee also discussed direct admissions on R31. The Senate proposal would require public and charter high schools to participate in the direct admissions program by the 2029-2030 school year. Assistant Commissioner Wendy Robinson said OHE supports statewide expansion and that the program has improved FAFSA completion, college enrollment, and student retention in Minnesota. Members noted the bill had bipartisan support and heard from advocates such as Ed Allies and Students United. No votes were taken on the policy-difference items during this portion of the meeting, and the chair said further discussion of state grant and sexual misconduct policy differences would be held at a later hearing with additional OHE staff present.

Transcript Highlights:

• So LEAC is not recommending a reduction to the SEG for those enrollment losses for FY27.
• continues to drop, that costs might actually go down at some point.
• Okay, please continue. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
• So, I think it's important That we continue what we've started.
• Would continue until the child turned one year old.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Those concerns are legitimate and deserve continued attention.
• Enrollment in health plans is restricted to set periods.
• It doesn't define when pregnancy triggers enrollment.
• I don't know. ...that you continue in those conversations.
• The systems continue to be abused by bad actors.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We have more secondary enrollment.
• enrollment enrollment um<00:15:06.720> in<00:15:06.959> in<00:15:07.360> that<00
• eight districts that have enrollments eight districts that have enrollments greater<00:15:11.279
• > automatic enrollment is essentially automatic enrollment is essentially guaranteeing<00:16:21.040><
• , we think about automatic enrollment, we think about automatic enrollment, there's<00:26:00.480>

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So we're really excited about that continued investment and support.
• But also consider... funding NIFA by capacity of the new facility instead of enrollment.
• If they are enrolled in a college level.
• We have 11 TSTC campuses in the state of Texas. students enrolled in each one of those.
• And whatever transportation arrangements they have, they can continue to.

Bills: HB20, HB 120, HB20, HB120

Keywords: applied sciences, career education, high school diploma, certificate program, work-based learning, job placement, high-growth jobs, technical training, career readiness, education reform, workforce training, public schools, financial aid, fraudulent solicitation, disaster relief, nonprofit organizations, criminal penalties, consumer protection, fraud prevention, charitable donations

Transcript Highlights:

• All children being enrolled.
• We do know that when kids do enroll, these programs are successful.
• Unfortunately, too many children who are eligible for Medicaid and CHIP are not enrolled.
• We estimated that about 400,000 kids are eligible for CHIP or Medicaid and had not enrolled.
• The other thing that we heard was that the existing enrollment processes were complicated.

Bills: HB321, HB 1027, HB 1295, HB1782, HB2295, HCR29, HCR56

Keywords: Medicaid, child health, express lane option, income verification, supplemental nutrition assistance, telepharmacy, healthcare access, remote dispensing, rural clinics, pharmacy regulations, health literacy, state health plan, health care, patient outcomes, public health, economic impact, healthcare, breast cancer, cervical cancer, insurance eligibility

Transcript Highlights:

• It would add a 10% late enrollment penalty to individuals who decide to enroll during the open enrollment
• enroll during the open enrollment<00:02:13.400> period<00:02:13.840> rather<00:02:14.160
• to newborn screening we must continue to newborn screening we must continue to advance<00:57:32.760
• <01:07:40.480> for helium exploration work to continue for helium exploration work to continue
• ...continue to advise on this.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• More and more parents are choosing to enroll their children in Puerto Ranzas ISD, as our enrollment is
• This escalation forces districts like ours to make difficult choices: either continue paying ballooning
• Our enrollment has gone up, so it won't go up as much as we anticipated, but we're still budgeted at
• We'll continue. Our offices, I know, are working together.
• We'll continue to work on this as we go towards the floor with potential amendment. Thank you.

Summary: The Committee on Education K-16 heard testimony on SB 1635, which would give certain coastal, recapture-paying school districts a credit against recapture payments for mandatory windstorm and hail insurance costs. Senator Hinojosa said the bill is intended to offset unusually high insurance expenses for districts in Tier 1 or Tier 2 coastal zones, and he estimated about a $12 million impact to state revenue. Witnesses from Port Aransas ISD and Gregory-Portland ISD described sharp premium increases, reduced coverage, higher deductibles, and the effect on teacher pay and classroom spending. Senators asked about the number of affected districts, the accuracy of the fiscal estimate, and whether the bill might encourage districts to maintain coverage. Public testimony was closed and SB 1635 was left pending. The committee then took up several other bills and committee substitutes, adopting and reporting favorably SB 2786, SB 2623, SB 646, SB 843, SB 2392, SB 1998, SB 1418, SB 2788, and SB 2076, with most votes unanimous or near-unanimous. SB 2392 was amended to add improper relationship between educator and student to mandatory reporting offenses and to authorize an attorney general civil penalty for failure to report. SB 2623 was revised to clarify duties and exemptions related to the Safe Schools and Neighborhood Task Force and school proximity restrictions. SB 843 would create a TEA database of school district bonds and related projects, and SB 2788 would exempt certain PSAT scorers from the Texas Success Initiative assessment. The committee also heard SB 2929, which would allow referees and other officials at school athletic events to immediately eject disruptive spectators. The Texas Association of Sports Officials testified in support, citing abusive spectator behavior and a shortage of officials. SB 2929 was left pending. Finally, the committee heard a substitute for SB 2927 on 1882 partnerships and a substitute for SB 2619, which would require more transparency and accountability for failing school districts, superintendent hiring, trustee training, and takeover timelines. Testimony on SB 2619 was mixed, with one witness from Texas 2036 supporting parts of the bill’s accountability provisions. The committee adopted the substitute for SB 2619, left it pending, and then recessed subject to the call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• So you'll see the enrollment over time.
• we anticipate that that is to continue. we anticipate that that is to continue.
• example, a SNAP work program, enrollment example, a SNAP work program, enrollment in<01:05:52.880
• Um that is obviously one big enrolles.
• We've set up a impacted enrolles.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You want to continue? Oh, no, no.
• <00:32:37.760> I'm about you know continued monies. I'm about you know continued monies.
• Well, we talked about that enrollment, and the question was how many of the enrollment, because it's
• there's the latest that enrollment there's the latest that enrollment management<01:00:03.839>
• :11:22.400> listed<01:11:22.719> on Enrollment Management Council listed on Enrollment

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This continues to support very strong reserves of 30% or higher.
• Unlike oil, it's Expected to continue to grow at a moderate clip.
• 3,000 more children enrolled in FY25 than FY19.
• As pre-kindergarten continues to expand, strategic implementation is needed.
• ECECD is enrolling eligible children who had not been previously enrolled.

Transcript Highlights:

• We can see we're at a record number of K-1w2 students enrolled in career tech programs.
• You can see what the enrollments look like there.
• So, we're excited to continue doing that. That is where we're trying to get to.
• The other program that will continue to grow is health sciences.
• If it's industry-specific, that twenty-24, 1,000 enrollments.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:01:48.479> options<00:01:49.360> uh post-secary enrollment options uh post-secary
• enrollment options uh statute.<00:01:50.000> That's<00:01:50.360> PSO.
• > refer<00:02:25.840> only<00:02:26.080> to enrolling district to refer only to
• And then I'll just really end by saying the work continues.
• And really end with a thank continues.

Bills: HF1306

Keywords: education, school policy, teacher training, student health, emergency response, 1183, house