Transcript Highlights:

• Four main points of change there is a broader agricultural education component to this legislation as
• opportunities that are going educational opportunities that are going to<00:10:35.639><c> be</c><00:
• </c><00:10:47.040><c> component</c> broader agricultural education component broader agricultural education
• And as we talk about agriculture and as we want people to understand agriculture, we have to educate
• And as we talk about agriculture and as we want people to understand agriculture, we have to educate

Keywords: 00:00 -- Introduction 00:13 – Attendance Roll Call 08:25 – Discussion of HB 315 23:45 – Roll call vote on HB 315 26:35 – Discussion of HB 356 46:30 – Roll call vote on HB 356, 958, all

Summary: The House Agriculture Committee first spent much of the meeting recognizing the large number of 4-H and FFA students and guests in attendance, with members from several counties introducing their groups and praising the programs for developing future agricultural and civic leaders. Comments emphasized the value of youth involvement in agriculture, leadership, and public speaking, and several members noted their own 4-H or FFA backgrounds. The committee then took up House Bill 356, and adopted a committee substitute before hearing testimony on the revised measure. House Bill 356, sponsored by Representative Carney, would create the Kentucky Urban Youth Agriculture Initiative, expanding the original urban farming concept into broader agricultural education, agribusiness, advocacy, and work-ready skills. The substitute removed the requirement that participants have access to farmland, lowered the age floor from six to five, broadened participation, and established a pilot program with implementation left to Cooperative Extension. Supportive testimony came from a 4-H student and Kentucky 4-H representatives, who described how the program helps youth explore many interests and removes barriers for urban students. Members from both parties praised the bill as a way to reach more youth and strengthen agricultural education. The committee approved House Bill 356 as amended by the committee substitute on a roll call vote, with all members present voting yes. The committee then heard House Bill 315 from Representative Sharp, a foreign adversary land bill intended to limit certain foreign entities’ ability to purchase Kentucky land. Before member questions, Tim Shank of the Kentucky Bankers Association testified in opposition to one section of the bill, saying banks already screen borrowers through federal systems and that Section 8’s reference to an Attorney General lien for “actual costs” was too vague. He warned the language could create uncertainty for mortgage holders and potentially affect credit availability for farmers. Representative Sharp said he had just learned of the concern and may need to work with the Attorney General’s office to address it. He also said the bill was largely the same as last year’s version, except for the removal of a leasing-related paragraph, and the committee began discussion of the bill after that testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• Follow-up: the education committee passed a bill two days ago.
• They're technically not attached to the Department of Education.
• So that the Department of Education.
• Um education safety of um what was that? Um education workers.<00:24:16.480><c> Yeah.
• &gt;&gt; education &gt;&gt; education same<01:13:48.159><c> recommendation.

Committee: Senate Economic Development and Tourism

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee first took up Senate Bill 2693 relating to capital improvement projects for aerospace infrastructure. Members had no questions, and the recommendation to pass the bill with a defective date of July 1, 2050 was adopted unanimously. The committee then deferred decision making on Senate Bill 26980 relating to transportation and Senate Bill 2374 relating to the blue economy until Thursday, February 19, 2026, in Room 229, pending additional information. In the joint hearing on Senate Bill 2816 relating to state enterprise zones, agencies and organizations including DBEDT, HTDC, Taxation, the University of Hawaii Cancer Center, Oceanit, the Hawaii Medical Association, and the Queen’s Health System testified in support or submitted written comments. One public testifier urged expanding enterprise zones around the Kakaako/Cancer Center area and combining them with the foreign trade zone to reduce taxes and attract business. A senator questioned whether the enterprise zone program had ever been comprehensively evaluated, noting DBEDT said it had not done a full study in recent years and cited annual report figures including about $221 million in company revenues and $460,000 in foregone state revenue in 2022. The discussion focused on whether the bill would subsidize existing activity or support new economic development, and on the broader policy question of whether enterprise zones should be used to revitalize depressed areas or to target strategic sectors like health care technology. The committee then heard Senate Bill 2900 relating to sports officials. The Department of Education supported the measure, saying the Attorney General is best positioned to represent employees in temporary restraining order matters and that elevating intentional bodily injury of a sports official to a class B felony would improve safety. The Office of the Public Defender opposed the bill, arguing it would escalate conduct already covered by existing assault statutes and go beyond other protected classes. The Department of the Attorney General recommended narrowing the bill by inserting “substantial” before bodily injury in the criminal section and deleting a section that would make the AG’s office act like plaintiff’s counsel in civil matters, suggesting instead that departments adopt policies to help employees obtain TROs without creating an open-ended civil representation role. Several sports and school-related organizations testified in support, and members discussed whether the bill should be narrowed or coordinated with other measures before further action.

Transcript Highlights:

• And those are the amendments that the author agreed to in the Senate Education Committee that are then
• So I'm happy to present AB 2212, the Higher Education AI Response Act, or the Here Survivors Act.
• So I'm happy to present AB 2212, the Higher Education AI Response Act or the Here Survivors Act.
• I remain, continue some skepticism about the overall education part of the approach.
• Mitch Steiger with CFT, a union of educators and classified professionals, in strong support.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Privacy, Digital Technologies, and Consumer Protection heard several bills focused on privacy, AI, surveillance, and consumer protections. AB 302 would bar schools from excluding students from extracurricular activities because they do not use social media and would require schools to use at least one non-addictive means of contacting students and parents; it drew support from Common Sense Media and no opposition. AB 1705, the Reclaim Act, would require websites hosting non-consensual pornography to verify consent before upload; district attorneys and the Commission on the Status of Women supported it, while TechNet and CCIA opposed or raised concerns. AB 2007 would separate parental consent for a child’s image/likeness from general program enrollment forms in youth programs; educators supported it, while local government and parks groups raised implementation and penalty concerns. AB 2212 would update higher education sexual harassment definitions to include tech-facilitated harassment such as cyberbullying, doxing, and nudification-related abuse; students and advocacy groups strongly supported it, with no opposition. AB 1837 would extend transit agencies’ authority to use camera enforcement in bus-only lanes and at transit stops, with privacy retention limits and human review; transit agencies supported it, while some senators expressed concern about automated enforcement and surveillance, and the bill was placed on call after a split vote. AB 2392 would create an intersegmental higher education working group on generative AI training and procurement standards; it passed 5-0 after amendments removed prerequisites tying AI deployment to completion of the report. The consent calendar was also approved on call. Later, AB 1798 would prohibit life and disability insurers from using non-diagnostic genetic information in underwriting; supporters argued it protects privacy and encourages testing, while insurers opposed the bill as undermining risk-based underwriting, and it advanced on a 3-0 vote on call. Finally, AB 1883 would restrict workplace use of emotion-recognition and neural-data surveillance tools; labor and privacy advocates supported it, employers and local agencies raised safety and litigation concerns, and it passed 3-0 to Labor after narrowing amendments.

Transcript Highlights:

• California is home to the largest number of undocumented students enrolled in higher education.
• while continuing to provide world-class education.
• It has also helped promote outdoor education. To date, the fund is supported nearly...
• It has also helped promote outdoor education.
• Assembly Bill 772 by Assembly Member Lowenthal and others, relating to educational equity.

Summary: The Assembly convened, established a quorum after a roll call, observed a moment of silence for John Burton, and proceeded with the Pledge of Allegiance and routine procedural motions. Members approved a rule suspension to allow floor amendments on SB 271 and SB 67, and several committee notices and bill referrals were handled. The chamber then moved through a long third-reading file, with many bills passed and a number of items temporarily passed or retained on file. Among the major measures approved were bills on civil rights and public safety (SB 477, SB 19, SB 36, SB 571, SB 580), health care and coverage (SB 257 on pregnancy as a qualifying life event, SB 530 on Medi-Cal access standards, SB 660 on health data exchange, SB 754 on menstrual product contaminant disclosure), housing and disaster recovery (SB 610, SB 655), transportation and climate (SB 533 on EV charging payments, SB 30 on diesel locomotives, SB 71 on CEQA exemptions for transit, SB 263 on tariff impacts), and natural resources/energy (SB 283 on battery storage safety, SB 88 on biomass emissions, SB 427 extending the Habitat Conservation Fund). The Assembly also passed urgency measures including SB 864 on tribal gaming compacts, SB 663 on wildfire-related property tax relief, SB 471 expanding DDS ombudsman authority, and SB 497 on privacy protections for legally protected health services. Several bills drew notable debate. SB 41 on pharmacy benefit managers saw opposition over concerns about moving ahead before broader PBM data and licensing reforms take effect, but it still passed. AB 1340, a concurrence item on gig worker collective bargaining rights, prompted extended debate over labor rights, consumer costs, and union influence. Other concurrence items included AB 671 on restaurant permitting, which passed without opposition. The Assembly also took up SB 640 on direct admission to CSU, SB 702 on demographic reporting for appointees, SB 710 preserving a solar property tax exclusion, and SB 793 on counterfeit lighter safety, all of which passed. The session ended with the Assembly continuing through the file, including concurrence votes and additional bill actions, with most measures approved by substantial margins.

Transcript Highlights:

• We inform and educate legislators in bipartisan fashion.
• So the council is committed to advancing legislation and supporting organizations that educate about
• So the council is committed to advancing legislation and supporting organizations that educate about
• unfortunately when these large education unfortunately when these large swaths<01:11:56.600><c> of</
• This is why we also do education in those areas.

Committee: Senate State and Local Government

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The costs are limited to routine administrative updates, staff education, and signage.
• It's my pleasure to present SB 1299, the State Fire Marshal Fire Suppression Education and Training Safety
• It's my pleasure to present SB 1299, the State Fire Marshal Fire Suppression, Education, and Training
• SB 1299 will restore the stricken regulatory language that required training and education for trainees
• It's Maxine Dugin with the Erotic Service Providers Legal Education and Research Project, and we are

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• As many of you know, many years ago, my husband was in the Assembly and chaired the Assembly Education
• AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, MANY YEARS AGO, MY HUSBAND WAS IN THE ASSEMBLY, AND CHAIRED THE ASSEMBLY EDUCATION
• And yet we know there are inequities in our education system. There are inequities in housing.
• AND YET WE KNOW, THERE ARE INEQUITIES IN OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM. THERE ARE INEQUITIES IN HOUSING.
• Law. >> 8371, Senator Brisport, an act to amend the Education Law. >> Read the last section. >> This

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate opened with routine proceedings, approved the prior journal, and processed several messages from the Assembly, including motions to discharge and substitute identical Senate bills for Assembly bills on the calendars. The chamber also reconsidered and restored Senate Print 1788, an act amending the Real Property Tax Law, to the third reading calendar. The Rules Committee reported Senate Print 10324, the state budget appropriations bill, directly to third reading, and the Senate accepted the message of necessity and laid the bill aside before taking it up on the controversial calendar as a budget extender. A lengthy debate followed on the budget extender, with Senator O’Mara and others criticizing the continued delay in finalizing the state budget, the lack of public details, and the absence of a schedule for joint budget committee meetings. Senator Serrano responded that the extender was necessary to keep state government operating while final budget negotiations continued, but could not provide specifics on policy items such as Tier 6 pension changes, New York City aid, local government support, or school aid. The extender was ultimately passed 56-2, with Senators Rhoads and Weik voting no. The Senate then adopted several previously adopted resolutions, including a memorial resolution for former Congressman Eliot Engel and a resolution marking the fourth anniversary of the Tops Friendly Markets mass shooting in Buffalo. The Buffalo resolution prompted extensive remarks from multiple senators about racism, gun violence, community trauma, and the need for policy responses; it was adopted with broad support. The chamber also passed a series of bills on the third reading calendar covering highway, municipal, environmental, banking, veterans, education, public health, and public service matters, with most passing overwhelmingly and a few drawing minority opposition. Notable floor debate occurred on a study bill regarding battery energy storage systems, where senators raised concerns about fire safety and siting; the bill passed 45-13. The Senate adjourned to reconvene on Monday, May 18 at 11:00 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then continuing education is just like many professional degrees out there.
• You have to have continuing education to continue to hold that certification. Okay.
• And then a continuing education is just like many professional degrees out there.
• State-ran entities will have the education purposes.
• I was a retired soldier and retired teacher, educator, principal.

Committee: House Local Government

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Except for the state's four-year institutions of higher education, this requirement does not apply to
• Over 80% of child care educators are skipping meal breaks.
• Throughout the day, the peace of mind it would give me, knowing I had educators providing care.
• We do want our educators to earn more.
• My name is Elsa Jacobson, and I represent the Early Care and Education Consortium.

Summary: The committee heard testimony on House Bill 1347, which would streamline cannabis testing lab accreditation by requiring the Liquor and Cannabis Board to accept Department of Agriculture accreditation as the basis for initial certification under certain conditions and to reduce duplication between agencies. The prime sponsor and several industry witnesses said the bill is intended to clarify authority, improve efficiency, and preserve consumer safety, while LCB said it had no policy objection but wanted implementation concerns addressed. Several witnesses supported the concept but said an amendment was needed to clearly assign accreditation authority to WSDA and avoid overlapping requirements. The committee also heard and later took action on several bills. House Bill 2229 would update the Professional Engineers Registration Act by changing board membership rules, increasing pro tem members, and revising registration and exam provisions; the sponsor and board director said it modernizes qualifications without changing licensure standards. House Bill 2091 would require more complete employee contact information to be shared with exclusive bargaining representatives under the Personnel System Reform Act; union witnesses supported it and a policy witness opposed it as a privacy intrusion. Second Substitute House Bill 1128 would create a Child Care Workforce Standards Board to make recommendations on child care worker standards; supporters said it addresses workforce shortages and retention, while providers and associations argued it duplicates existing work and could lead to unfunded mandates. In executive action, the committee voted do pass on Substitute House Bills 2492, 2107, 2151, 2355, and Gross Substitute House Bill 2471, and sent them to Rules. It also voted do pass on Second Substitute House Bill 2105 and referred it to Ways and Means. Other bills heard included House Bill 1701 on shared liquor license premises, where a small business owner supported more flexible shared-space arrangements and LCB suggested amendments to prevent undue influence; House Bill 2264 on unemployment benefits for employer-initiated layoffs, which was supported as a clarification to protect workers who opt into reduction-in-force programs; Substitute House Bill 2472 on fire sprinkler work enforcement, supported by labor and industry witnesses; and Second Substitute House Bill 2345, which would adjust paid family and medical leave premium allocations to address IRS tax guidance, with broad support from labor, business, and the agency.

Transcript Highlights:

• , is created to ensure that every Washingtonian has access to non-commercial media that informs, educates
• The objectives of these roles include content development, education, technical expertise, and training
• The PEG fees, public education and government fees, were then diverted directly to the jurisdictional
• The PEG fees, public education and government fees, were then diverted directly to the jurisdictional
• I've spent my whole career working in PEG, public educational and government channels, and I'm a big

Summary: The committee held a public hearing on House Bill 2579, which would create a Public Media Broadcaster Program and a Digital Equity Program funded by a 20-cent-per-line monthly tax on wireless, prepaid wireless, VoIP, and landline service. Staff explained that 80% of the revenue would support public media grants, 20% would support digital equity grants, and a small share could be used for administration. The prime sponsor, Rep. Chris Stearns, and many public media, community media, and digital equity supporters testified that public radio and television provide emergency alerts, local news, education, training, and community connection, especially in rural and underserved areas, and that federal funding cuts have made state support more urgent. Several witnesses described how public media helped with emergency communications, youth training, Indigenous programming, and access to local information. Opposition came from CTIA and Washington Citizens Against Unfair Taxes. CTIA argued the tax would add to already high wireless taxes in Washington and would be regressive because low-income residents rely heavily on wireless service. Washington Citizens Against Unfair Taxes objected to the bill as another tax increase and said it would worsen affordability. One supporter said an amendment would be offered to address a misunderstanding in the fiscal note. No vote was taken on the bill during the hearing. The committee then received a cybersecurity and critical infrastructure briefing from state emergency management and cybersecurity officials. They described Washington’s layered cybersecurity model, the role of state agencies, the Fusion Center, WOTEC, the National Guard, and the Emergency Management Division, and the growing threat from ransomware, supply-chain attacks, and AI-enabled attacks. Members asked about volunteer cyber response capacity, the most vulnerable sectors, and whether the legislature should fund more real-time threat monitoring and intelligence sharing. Officials said the state is working to establish a volunteer cyber incident response team and that the main gap is real-time monitoring across participating local and private networks. The committee also heard updates on the December 2025 flooding response and wildfire resilience. Emergency management officials reported widespread flooding, landslides, power outages, evacuations, rescues, and infrastructure damage, but said mitigation investments helped prevent worse outcomes. They identified gaps in statewide alerting, search and rescue coordination, and local emergency management capacity, and said a statewide alert system like Oregon’s would require ongoing funding. In the wildfire update, DNR and partner agencies described increasing wildfire risk, the use of aircraft, AI-enabled detection cameras, and common operating pictures, and ongoing work on hazard and risk mapping, community wildfire preparedness, and home hardening. Members asked about predictive technology, sediment removal, and other mitigation tools, and officials said they are working with universities and federal partners to improve prevention and response.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:08:23.120><c> on</c> um there needs to be more education on um there needs to be more education
• So I think there's an educational<00:08:30.639><c> component</c><00:08:31.039><c> to</c><00:08:31.199
• So is it so educational component to it.
• </c><00:14:11.440><c> so</c><00:14:11.680><c> people</c> system on better education so people system
• on better education so people know<00:14:12.800><c> they</c><00:14:13.040><c> have</c><00:14:13.199><

Committee: Senate Government Operations

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Government Operations Committee heard Governor’s Message 663, reappointing Corey Schaefer to the 911 Board for a term ending June 30, 2026. Schaefer described his telecommunications background and five years of service on the board, including recent election as chair. There was no opposition, and the committee recommended advise and consent; the recommendation was adopted with one member excused. The committee then took up a resolution asking the Comptroller and DAGS to work with the Hawaii State Public Library System to identify rural and underserved communities needing better telecommunications access for participation in the legislative process. Testimony from library and disability advocates supported the goal, but members raised concerns that the measure was too broad and unclear about the actual problem, whether libraries already had sufficient broadband and equipment, and whether the focus should be on public access and education rather than DAGS. The committee deferred the measure to Thursday for a revised draft. Members also heard a resolution urging all state departments to partner with the Office of Wellness and Resilience on data-sharing agreements. The office and several advocacy groups supported the measure as part of trauma-informed state efforts, but members expressed strong privacy and HIPAA concerns and questioned what data would be shared, for what purpose, and how it would be protected. The committee deferred that measure as well so the office could work with the chair on narrower language. Finally, the committee considered a resolution urging boards and commissions to conduct annual performance reviews of executive directors or equivalent exempt positions. With only one individual testifying in support, the committee recommended a Senate draft to clarify that the measure applies to civil service exempt positions, and the recommendation was adopted.

Transcript Highlights:

• Department of Education during President Trump's first term, I have no doubt that Reid will serve our
• Arkansas, leaving a legacy of lower taxes, job creation, improvement of state infrastructure, K-16 education
• A lot of us on the committee have parents, spouses, kids who are K-12 teachers who work in education.
• Number two, when I went to the Department of Education, and this has nothing to do with the department
• I was not an education lawyer.

Committee: Senate Foreign Relations Committee

Keywords: Israel, Hamas, Panama Canal, U.S. foreign policy, terrorism, diplomacy, Chinese influence

Summary: The committee meeting was focused on various key issues, including the implications of recent violence in the Middle East and U.S. foreign policy in relation to Israel and Panama. Members discussed the need for diplomatic efforts between the U.S. and Israeli officials following the recent attack by Hamas. Governor Huckabee emphasized the importance of maintaining a strong U.S.-Israel relationship and reiterated the need for accountability for terrorist organizations involved in violent acts against civilians. Senators shared their concerns regarding the ramifications of U.S. actions in Panama and the presence of Chinese influence, highlighting the significance of the Panama Canal in terms of trade and security.

Transcript Highlights:

• And we know that the general fund funds education and health care and public safety and Texans and all
• So at the top of the slide is a summer theater camp that was funded with an arts education grant.
• education programs.
• We host, at our event center, opportunities for educators to come to our respective location.
• I think we hear all the time from teachers and educators... ...how to help create more resources for

Committee: House Legacy Finance

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• And importantly, this bill supports our commonwealth educators. Thank you.
• And importantly, this bill supports our commonwealth educators.
• There are many important education policies that this body and this legislature have enacted over the
• We worked very hard in the bill that came out of the Education Committee and then came to the floor of
• It will require payments for graduate medical education.

Summary: The Senate first considered several amendments to a primary care/health care bill. Amendment 1, on artificial intelligence in health care and mental health services, was withdrawn by unanimous consent. Amendment 37, which would have required a rate band for outpatient primary care reimbursement, was debated and then defeated on a roll call, 5-33. Amendment 39, on direct primary care arrangements and deductible credits, was also defeated 5-33. The chamber then took up and passed the conference report for An Act Relative to Teachers Preparation and Student Literacy (H. 5511), with senators emphasizing the need for evidence-based literacy instruction, universal screening, dyslexia screening, teacher training, and implementation funding; the bill was enacted and sent to the Governor after a 39-0 roll call. The Senate then returned to Amendment 60 on the primary care bill, which would have created a “safety valve” allowing alternative payment systems to be proposed to the Health Policy Commission. After debate over whether the bill already allowed flexibility, the amendment was defeated 5-33. Amendment 50, requiring stronger health equity reporting, was adopted. Amendment 66, a technical fix setting commercial payment rates for community health centers at the MassHealth PPS rate, was adopted. Amendment 24, excluding pharmaceutical spending from the primary care spending baseline and target, was adopted. Amendment 45, a study on expanding the role of allied health professionals, was withdrawn. Amendment 48, a group purchasing cooperative pilot, and amendments 53, 61, and 63 were also withdrawn. The Senate adopted Amendment 64, which prohibits prior authorization from delaying FDA-approved medications for serious mental illness, and rejected Amendment 68 on reporting private equity investment in primary and specialty care, as well as Amendments 71 and 72 on scope of practice and ownership disclosure. Amendment 62, a technical change modernizing the definition of primary care and clarifying the care team, was adopted. Amendment 21, the Senate Ways and Means amendment, was then adopted, the bill was ordered to a third reading, and the Senate passed An Act relative to primary care for you (S. 3116) to be engrossed on a 35-4 roll call. The Senate then adjourned to a later date, with memorial references at adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Mike Fine has dedicated his career to strengthening public education in California.
• California's public school students will inherit an education system far better than he found it due
• Russell Lowry, California African American Water Education Foundation, which works to increase awareness
• Simeon Grant Gant, Green Technical Education, which trains youth from underserved communities for careers
• Will offer education, will offer civil engagement.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And the requirement would be optional for all nonpublic schools, Bureau of Indian Education schools,
• And it would not apply to institutions of higher education. Thank you.
• Indian education schools and other tribal schools, and it would not apply to institutions of higher education
• Johnson, I know you've appeared before the both House and Senate education committees.
• Senate education committees. And I think we'll be relying on your opinion today.

Committee: Joint Legislative Management

Summary: The Legislative Management Committee met to fill a vacancy created by Representative Jared Hagert’s resignation, and the House majority recommended Representative Berg to replace him on the committee. The motion to appoint Berg was approved unanimously. The committee then took up its assigned task of estimating the fiscal impact of Initiated Constitutional Measure No. 3, the school meals measure, which would require public schools, and optionally nonpublic and tribal schools, to provide breakfast and lunch at no cost to students and reimburse schools through state funds after federal reimbursements are maximized. Legislative Council’s Liz Fordall summarized the measure’s requirements and answered questions about implementation, including the 2027-28 start date, the measure’s interaction with the Legacy Earnings Fund, and the fact that the Legislature would still control the funding source. DPI’s Linnell Johnson then testified at length on current school meal programs, direct certification, CEP and Provision 2 participation, and likely behavioral changes if the measure passed. She estimated the biennial fiscal impact at $124 million to $134 million, with an additional roughly $300,000 in administrative costs, and explained that the estimate assumed higher participation and some schools shifting to CEP/Provision 2 to preserve federal reimbursements. She also noted that if no new applications were filed in non-CEP schools, the cost could be substantially higher. After discussion, Senator Sorvaag moved to report a fiscal impact range of $124,300,000 to $134,300,000 per biennium to the Secretary of State, and the motion carried. The committee also received an informational update from Legislative Council attorney Dustin Richard on the ongoing redistricting litigation, explaining that the U.S. Supreme Court vacated the Eighth Circuit’s prior ruling and remanded the case for further consideration in light of Louisiana v. Callais, leaving the court-imposed map in effect for now. No action was required on that item, and the meeting adjourned after a brief note that the prior minutes would be brought back at a later meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• helps close a vital gap for our California Community College professors and staff by making sure educators
• Faculty, including part-time faculty, play a critical role in educating and enriching our communities
• These individuals may be less familiar with retirement options available to them as educators, including
• Assembly Bill 1552 by Assembly Member Jackson, relating to public post-secondary education. Dr.
• AB 1552 requires the public education and higher education segments to report recommendations to the

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So comprehensive ACO education... ...needs time and money. I’ll move on from that.
• So comprehensive ACO education, standardized support for the modern ACO.
• So what problems can we address programmatically with education or whatnot?
• So what problems can we address programmatically with education or whatnot.
• And that can be used responsibly to educate.

Committee: Senate Senate Committee on Post Audit and Oversight

Summary: The joint Audit Committee hearing focused on implementation of Ollie’s Law, including MDAR’s progress on regulations for commercial boarding and training kennels and the new municipal reporting requirements. MDAR Director Mike Cahill said the department formed the required advisory committee, held two Zoom trainings for municipal officials, created a public information webpage, and completed draft regulations that are now under secretariat review. He reported that 269 of 351 municipalities had submitted kennel data, leaving 82 out of compliance, and said the department has been posting compliant and noncompliant municipalities online to increase transparency. Committee members pressed MDAR on the lack of a clear enforcement mechanism for municipalities that fail to report and on the delay in finalizing regulations. The chair urged the department to consider stronger sanctions and asked for a central reporting system for injury data, noting that injury reports currently go only to municipalities. Cahill said the statute does not give MDAR explicit authority to fine municipalities, though he supported a House bill that would grant that power. He also said the department could not easily add municipal penalties through regulation alone. Representatives from the Animal Rescue League of Boston and the MSPCA, including the advisory committee chair Jenny Mather, said the advisory process was thorough and aimed to balance animal safety, consumer transparency, and fairness to compliant businesses. They supported better municipal accountability, more standardized training and resources for animal control officers, and clearer reporting of injuries and kennel information to MDAR. They also raised concerns about third-party advertising platforms that may list unlicensed home-based kennels and argued that public education and enforcement should focus on bad actors rather than penalizing well-run facilities. The hearing ended without a vote or formal action, but with support expressed for the pending bill and for continued regulatory revisions.

Transcript Highlights:

• President, your Committee on Education, having under consideration HB 2249 relating to Parents' Bill
• President, the Committee on Education, having under consideration H.B. 2249 relating to Parents' Bill
• President, your Committee on Education, having under consideration HB 2895 relating to Native American
• President, the Committee on Education, having under consideration HB 2895 relating to Native American
• Seeing none, members, the question before you is the adoption of the Education Committee amendment to

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Engrossed committee substitute for House Bill 5412, Future Ready Education Act.
• Future Ready Education Act, third reading of the bill. Senator from Mason. Yes. Thank you, Mr.
• Okay, this amendment requires that vocational education and agriculture programs be offered to all students
• adds new provisions which relate to adding additional weighting for level 2 and level 3 special education
• students count as 1.2 students and level 3 special education students count as 1.3 students.

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Summary: The Senate considered and passed House Bill 4245, the Department of Revenue rules bundle covering 27 rules from six agencies. Members withdrew the committee amendment, adopted a floor amendment making changes to two lottery rules and one tax rule related to pre-need cemetery companies, then passed the bill 30-1. The Senate also adopted a title amendment and made the bill effective from passage by a 31-0 vote. Later, when the House rejected the Senate’s amendments, the Senate receded from its amendments and again passed the bill, making it effective from passage. The chamber also adopted several concurrent resolutions from the Rules Committee, including studies on school finance transparency, divorce grounds, the Southern West Virginia water crisis, athletic trainer access in public secondary schools, the eastern gray fox population, upland game bird stamp purchases, and the Public Service Commission. Senate Concurrent Resolution 50, calling for a study of the PSC, was also adopted. In addition, the Senate passed House Bill 5381, which expands the Office of Energy’s role to develop a comprehensive energy policy and grid stabilization plan, and House Bill 5412, the Future Ready Education Act, after amending it to require annual vocational and agriculture offerings unless not viable and to set science-of-reading training requirements for K-5 literacy teachers by 2028-29. The Senate passed House Bill 845, a supplemental appropriation to the Governor’s Office Civil Contingent Fund, after concurring in a House amendment that reappropriated federal match grant funds and increased the civil contingency surplus fund from $15 million to $25 million; it was made effective from passage. The chamber also concurred in House amendments to House Bill 4106 on constitutional carry for 18- to 20-year-olds, House Bill 4004 creating the Recharge West Virginia training reimbursement program, House Bill 5453 revising the school aid funding formula for special education weighting, and other measures including House Bill 4009 on portable benefits, Senate Bill 164 on substitute teacher definitions, and House Bill 4606 on pretrial release for certain felonies. A lengthy debate centered on House Bill 4198, the E-Verify Safe Harbor Act. The Judiciary Committee amendment would have required public and certain private employers to use E-Verify, while a further amendment from the Senator from Randolph would have limited the mandate to public employers and made E-Verify optional for private employers with liability protections for good-faith use. After extensive discussion about small business impacts, federal-state conflicts, and enforcement, the Senate adopted the Randolph amendment and then passed the bill 31-3, with a title amendment also adopted. The Senate later refused to concur in House amendments to House Bill 4010, concurred in House amendments to House Bill 5438, receded from amendments to House Bill 4765, and adjourned sine die.