Video & Transcript : 'higher education spending' :

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OK

Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session

Senate Legislative Session Apr 29th, 2026 at 01:30 pm

Oklahoma Senate Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • This bill proposes to make sure that students in our higher education institutions are graded based on
  • Our institutions for higher education are definitely going to adopt a policy because they don't want
  • education programs?
  • And you know, states have higher education outcomes in Oklahoma.
  • Those are your higher ranks. Those are your, higher pace.
OK

Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session

Senate Legislative Session Apr 29th, 2026 at 09:00 am

Oklahoma Senate Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • the rate of rape and attempted rape among females reported to law enforcement has been 35 to 45% higher
  • The actual numbers are believed to be higher due to The fact that many survivors do not report sexual
  • And whereas sexual violence and its unfair and traumatizing effects are preventable with proper education
  • Number 34, Jennifer Carlson to the Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability.
  • , which would be an education service organization.
OK

Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session

Senate Legislative Session Apr 29th, 2026

Oklahoma Senate Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • What we're trying to figure out is we're trying to educate the legislature to understand government spending
  • Our institutions of higher education are definitely going to adopt a policy because they don’t want to
  • education programs?
  • education programs?
  • They want to practice in Colorado or Texas or Florida or Nebraska—states that have higher education outcomes
Summary: The Senate began with a quorum call, gallery introductions, and extended farewell remarks from Senator Jett, who reflected on his six years in the Legislature, his focus on representing constituents, protecting families, and holding government accountable. Several senators responded with personal tributes, praising his conviction, faith, family involvement, and willingness to ask difficult questions. No votes were taken during the farewell portion. The chamber then considered House Bill 2268, a PACE appropriation to support comprehensive care for low-income seniors and expand services in rural Oklahoma. The bill was amended to restore the title, advanced, and passed 34-9, then passed as an emergency measure 36-7. House Bill 3000, a cosmetology and barbering measure, made multiple changes including board reorganization, adding a human trafficking specialist and massage therapist, shifting some licensing functions to Service Oklahoma, and eliminating the massage therapy advisory board. It drew significant debate over process and policy, especially from senators concerned about late changes, lack of board input, and the human trafficking rationale; it passed 25-19 and then as an emergency 33-11. The Senate also passed House Bill 3043, allowing the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs to hire prorated seasonal staff for veterans homes, 37-6; House Bill 3066, creating a revolving fund for federal workforce training money for behavioral health recruitment and retention, 38-6 and as an emergency; and House Bill 3078, allowing donation options on state payment forms for the ODVA revolving fund, 45-0 and as an emergency. Additional measures passed included House Bill 3143, extending the moratorium on new medical marijuana business licenses to 2028, 39-7; House Bill 3144, capping medical marijuana commercial grower licenses at 2,550 after amendment, 34-12; House Bill 3244 on identity theft, 46-0; House Bill 3298 on child interview procedures in court cases, 46-0 and as an emergency; House Bill 3320, replacing the traditional sunset process with more immediate legislative review of agencies, 33-13 and as an emergency; House Bill 3321, requiring county data collection and reporting related to court costs and financial obligations, 45-0 and as an emergency; House Bill 3329, a trailer bill adding a repealer and a sunset for the Board of Psychological Examiners, 33-10 and as an emergency; House Bill 3431, expanding restrictions on foreign entities owning or leasing land and critical minerals, 43-0; House Bill 3464, setting safety and training requirements for certain projects involving fire code compliance and decommissioning, 43-0 and as an emergency; and House Bill 3499, expanding special judges’ authority over vehicle title orders, which was presented and advanced as the transcript ended.
HI
Transcript Highlights:
  • </c> educational worker. educational worker.
  • . education. education.
  • Education. Education.
  • </c> EOL is working with HTSB and our higher EOL is working with HTSB and our higher education<02:05:
  • </c> childhood education. childhood education.
Bills: HB1890, HB1888, HB1676
Summary: The committees heard three measures, beginning with HB 1890 HD3, which would provide automatic step increases and a COVID-era retention bonus for teachers. Supporters included HSTA, the Democratic Party’s Education Caucus, and a student who said higher pay and predictable salary growth would help retain teachers in Hawaii. The Department of Education supported the intent but asked that the bill be expanded to cover all department employees. The Attorney General’s office said the draft needed clarification to avoid conflict with Chapter 89 and to make clear any funding was subject to legislative appropriation. The Office of the Public Defender and B&F testified in opposition, and committee members questioned whether the step increases were already in the current contract and whether the bill was needed. HSTA said the current contract includes automatic step increases subject to funding, but argued the bill was still needed because funding is not guaranteed and the measure would codify the policy. HSTA also said the COVID bonus would apply only to active teachers who worked during the pandemic and estimated the total cost at roughly $150 million to $200 million over four years. No vote was taken in the portion provided. The committee then took up HB 1888 HD3, which would require DOE and charter schools to report harassment incidents and strengthen penalties for harassment of educational workers from a petty misdemeanor to a misdemeanor. DOE supported the bill and suggested narrowing language about assisting workers with temporary restraining orders, saying that function would be better handled through the Attorney General’s pilot program. The Office of the Public Defender opposed the bill, arguing the harassment language was overly broad, vague, and potentially unconstitutional, and that existing assault and terroristic threatening statutes already protect educational workers. HSTA, the State Commission on the Status of Women, and several individual testifiers supported the measure, describing increased intimidation and harassment of teachers and other school staff, especially since COVID. The Special Education Advisory Council opposed the bill’s language on “disrupting and interfering” with school functions, saying it could chill parents of students with IEPs from advocating for their children. Testimony was split, with the chair noting 20 in support and 16 in opposition in the portion shown. A final witness, Michelle Pestana, testified in opposition based on her family’s experience with special education services, describing alleged seclusion and restraint of her daughter and expressing concern that DOE testimony in prior hearings had targeted special education parents. Her remarks were cut off as time expired. The transcript ends before any committee action or vote on HB 1888 was taken.
HI
Transcript Highlights:
  • </c> could potentially make things higher could potentially make things higher than<00:02:42.959><c>
  • Sherry Meneses from the Committee on Education. Thank you, John.
  • would be online so that students can have access to C-TAR education on all the islands.
  • , Education, Education, uh,<01:16:05.120><c> to</c><01:16:05.720><c> more</c><01:16:06.040><c> collaboratively
  • ><c> to</c><01:22:05.840><c> pass</c> Education, same recommendation to pass Education, same recommendation
Bills: SB2706, SB2320
Summary: The committees first heard SB 2371, which would prioritize lease offers on agrivoltaics parcels for beginning farmers, require annual compliance reports to DAB, authorize penalties for noncompliance, and allow solar facilities on certain agricultural lands. DAB, the State Energy Office, PUC, and Hawaii Farm Bureau generally supported the intent, while OPPSD recommended amendments to preserve agricultural lease affordability and strengthen food-production language. Members questioned whether the bill would meaningfully encourage solar on ag lands, whether beginning farmers would have enough information to use such parcels, and how the bill would interact with Land Use Commission review. The Farm Bureau said agrivoltaics remains challenging and largely in pilot form, and noted the Mililani project as a promising example of dual use. The committees voted to pass SB 2371 with amendments, with one member expressing a preference that it be opened to all farmers rather than only beginning farmers. The next measure, SB 2800, appropriates funds to DAB, DLNR, and ADC for acquisition, repair, and maintenance of irrigation systems. All testifying agencies and the Farm Bureau supported the bill, and members pressed them for estimates of needed funding and the condition of existing systems. DAB cited major repair needs, including Waimea, Molokai, Kahuku, and Kawailoa, and said its backlog could total roughly $65 million; ADC estimated about $35 million for several systems; and DLNR said its current needs for three systems were about $35 million, with the largest cost tied to piping in Kekaha. The committees amended the bill to defer its effective date to July 1, 2050 and to blank out the appropriation amounts in the bill text, with the agencies’ requested amounts to be included in the committee report for consideration. SB 2800 then passed in AEN, Water and Land, and EIG. The final measure discussed was SB 2718, a food hub pilot program beginning in 2028 that would require state departments and UH to source 30% of certain food purchases from local agricultural products, create a nutrition- and ʻāina-based school program, and have DAT partner with a regional aggregator for Native Hawaiian staple crops. DAT, DOH, the Farm Bureau, Food Plus Policy Group, HAPA, and others supported the bill’s intent, while the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation opposed it, saying it is already struggling to meet the current local procurement percentage and faces procurement and quantity barriers, especially for staple items used daily. The testimony focused on whether agencies could realistically meet the higher local purchasing target and whether smaller farms could supply the needed volumes.
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee 3/13/25

Judiciary Finance and Civil Law

Transcript Highlights:
  • policy so go ahead and tell us education policy so go ahead and tell us about<00:24:46.840><c> your<
  • </c> me on behalf of the various education me on behalf of the various education organizations<00:25:
  • but he staffs higher it than Mr<00:31:52.720><c> Hopkins</c><00:31:53.559><c> uh</c><00:31:53.799><c
  • What this existing language is saying is it’s a reference to FERPA, the federal education privacy law
  • policy committee all those in education policy committee all those in favor<00:37:30.040><c> please<
Bills: HF1027, HF101, HF1021
OK

Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session

Appropriations and Budget REVISED: Agenda added Apr 6th, 2026

Appropriations and Budget

Transcript Highlights:
  • It's part of a global education agreement with the Senate to increase teacher pay by $2,000 by increasing
Summary: The committee took up several Senate bills and adopted multiple amendments, including a contested amendment process on Senate Bill 201. An objection was raised that an amendment had not been filed by the prior-day deadline under Rule 76C, but the chair ruled the objection not well taken, citing the chair’s authority to waive the timing requirement. The amendment to the amendment, offered by Speaker Hilbert, deleted Section 2 of the bill, removing statutory language that tied the teacher-pay measure to House Bill 3705 and the broader budget agreement. Members discussed that the underlying agreement still linked the measures politically, including a $25 million increase to the Parental Choice Tax Credit and a $2,000 increase to the minimum salary schedule for teachers. After clarification that the bill applied to certified personnel except for positions listed in the amendment, SB 201 passed the committee 29-0. The committee then approved Senate Bill 1290, which strengthens the 211 hotline system by clarifying oversight, improving coordination and service delivery, addressing access gaps, and supporting better funding and emergency responsiveness. Senate Bill 169 also passed after amendment; it increases longevity pay for state employees by 50% for designated years of service beginning in fiscal year 2027. Senate Bill 1377, which requires DHS to provide duffel bags to children in foster care as part of the budget, passed after members asked whether the bags would remain the child’s property and whether the bags would be standardized; the sponsor said the bags would belong to the child but did not know the procurement details. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 1991, described as an OMES/Oklahoma cleanup bill that consolidates existing functionality and revenues under a common umbrella without changing the substantive sources or purposes of the funds. After a question confirming it was only a cleanup measure, the bill passed 29-0. Senate Bill 2060 was laid over until the next day, and the meeting adjourned.
NM

New Mexico 2026 Regular Session

Senate - Finance Feb 17th, 2026

House Appropriations & Finance

Transcript Highlights:
  • The remainder is appropriated to state agencies, judicial, and higher education projects.
  • And then $351.6 million for higher education, special school, and tribal projects.
  • The Aging Department has an application-based process for the senior centers, and higher education has
  • Senior centers, and higher education has what they call the summer hearing process, so higher education
  • Then they make requests, and LFC sits on the Higher Education Capital Outlay Committee that considers
Bills: HB2, SB152
Summary: The committee heard a series of capital, bond, environmental, economic development, juvenile justice, and health care bills. Senate Bill 240, the capital outlay package, was presented as a $1.3 billion statewide appropriation, including discretionary capital projects and agency projects; after questions about CYFD projects and House/Senate capital allocations, the committee voted do pass on the committee substitute. House Bill 248, the general obligation bond package totaling about $392.5 million for senior centers, libraries, higher education, and tribal projects, also received a do pass after questions about project vetting, bond timing, and school bus funding. House Bill 80, which increases the share of oil and gas conservation tax revenue going to the Oil and Gas Reclamation Fund to speed orphan well plugging and site cleanup, drew strong support from business, environmental, and industry groups; members discussed funding balances, procurement bottlenecks, and the distinction between abandoned and orphan wells before voting do pass. House Bill 184, making technical fixes to the Conservation Legacy Permanent Fund and related distribution rules, passed with little debate. The committee also heard Senate Bill 172, which expands the TRIGGER program allowing companies to access national laboratory expertise; supporters from the labs, the governor’s office, universities, and business groups cited job creation, follow-on investment, and commercialization gains, while one senator raised concerns about the long extension of the program. The bill passed do pass. House Bill 95, creating a judge for the First and Second Judicial Districts, was described as matching a previously heard Senate bill and passed do pass. Senate Bill 165, a major juvenile justice bill, generated the most extensive debate: the sponsor said it updates the juvenile code, raises the age for certain serious offenses, extends services for youth sentenced as adults, and expands community corrections; law enforcement supported it, while the Public Defender, youth advocates, the ACLU, and a Bernalillo County commissioner opposed it, arguing it expands adult sentencing and relies too heavily on incarceration. Despite those objections, the committee voted do pass. Finally, House Bill 4, which increases the Health Care Affordability Fund distribution to support premium assistance and related coverage programs, was amended so that a portion of the premium surtax would go to the Behavioral Health Program Fund and any unexpended balance would revert to the affordability fund. Supporters from BeWell, health advocacy groups, the insurance office, and homeless services said the bill would protect coverage gains and help offset federal changes; members asked about the amendment’s effect on the behavioral health fund and the bill’s flexibility if revenues decline. The amendment was adopted, and discussion on the bill continued.
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Children and Families Finance and Policy Committee 3/25/25

Children and Families Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:
  • </c> With the social and educational With the social and educational challenges<00:20:59.960><c> that
  • </c> called the Department of Education. called the Department of Education.
  • </c> Head Start have higher attendance rates. Head Start have higher attendance rates.
  • </c> Department of Education. Department of Education.
  • </c> that's a lot of the parent education that's a lot of the parent education that<01:09:45.000><c>
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee 3/4/26

Agriculture Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:
  • What matters to them is what they spend at the register. And they're spending a lot.
  • And you'll notice we spend more on food.
  • </c><00:03:27.840><c> And</c> what they spend at the register. And what they spend at the register.
  • </c> they're spending a lot. they're spending a lot.
  • On top of it, you’re not spending money on the government side.
Bills: HF3718
TX
Transcript Highlights:
  • My dad, who was just a fireman, had no higher education, and my public school teacher didn't know anything
  • funding gap where there are not enough special education funds, and then general education funds have
  • This decrease affects the amount of money they have available to spend on special education.
  • of Administrators of Special Education.
  • Linda is a retired educator and administrator who serves as an educational advocate for families across
Summary: The meeting primarily focused on special education funding, with significant discussions around House Bill 2 (HB2), Senate Bill 568 (SB568), and House Bill 3928 (HB3928). Key speakers advocated for increased funding to close the estimated $1.7 billion annual gap that affects special education in Texas public schools. Several witnesses, including educators and students affected by dyslexia, provided personal testimonies about the impact of insufficient funding and the disability penalty, which penalizes schools financially for identifying students needing special education services. The committee demonstrated a strong commitment to advocate for changes that would improve special education resources and training for teachers, thereby ensuring that all Texas children receive the educational support they need to thrive.
WA

Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session

Senate Floor Session Feb 17th, 2026 at 09:30 am

Washington Senate Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • Currently, he works as a project director and owner of Braided Education Consulting, co-creating tribal-specific
  • So I had to educate people about the Indian culture, about Indian weddings, about what henna on my hands
  • Dramatic changes in pharmacy education, certification, and accountability have changed since then.
  • So pharmacists spend a lot of time doing administrative work when they really could be doing clinical
  • And Senator Christian, who has, I think, brought his first bill to the Education Committee, is really
WA

Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session

Senate Floor Session Feb 17th, 2026

Washington Senate Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • He currently works as a project director and owner of Braided Education Consulting, co-creating tribal-specific
  • So I had to educate people about Indian culture, about Indian weddings, about what henna on my hands
  • Dramatic changes in pharmacy education, certification, and accountability have changed since then.
  • So pharmacists spend a lot of time doing administrative work when they really could be doing clinical
  • And Senator Christian, who has, this is, I think, the first bill that he has brought to the Education
Summary: The Senate convened with all members present, heard a prayer and pledge, approved the prior day’s journal, and then moved through committee reports and House messages. Several bills were referred to committees, including low-income energy assistance and real property use restrictions. The chamber then took up a series of gubernatorial appointments, confirming Apollonio P. Hernandez to the University of Washington Board of Regents, Violet M. Frolov to the Central Washington University Board of Trustees, and Monica U. to the Washington Student Achievement Council, each after sponsor remarks and roll-call votes. The Senate also recessed briefly for caucuses and later resumed floor action on bills. On final passage, the Senate approved SB 6220 on nonprofit housing property tax exemptions for temporary community use, SB 5947 creating the Washington Health Care Board, ESSB 631 on safe pedestrian passage during construction, ESSB 6066 establishing crash prevention zones, SB 6044 recognizing Diwali and Bandi Chhor Divas, SB 5899 allowing qualified chiropractors to treat non-human animals under a licensing framework, SB 6151 dedicating environmental program fee accounts, ESSB 6200 allowing renters and mobile home occupants to install portable cooling devices with safeguards, SB 5901 adjusting school construction assistance for on-base schools, and SB 6080 governing federal detention contracts with county and municipal jails. Most of these bills passed with strong bipartisan support, though SB 5947, SB 5924, SB 6200, and SB 6080 drew notable opposition from some senators who raised concerns about cost, scope, safety, or implementation. The Senate also adopted amendments to several measures, including technical or stakeholder-driven changes to SB 5947, ESSB 631, ESSB 6066, SB 5899, and ESSB 6200. SB 5924, expanding pharmacists’ scope of practice, passed after a lengthy debate over access to care, professional training, and the role of collaborative drug therapy agreements; supporters framed it as a response to provider shortages, while opponents argued it moved too quickly or needed more study. SB 6080, concerning jail contracts for federal detainees, saw failed amendments seeking an attorney general opinion and a good-faith extension, before passing on a 30-19 vote. The meeting ended with a personal privilege statement marking Lunar New Year and a motion to recess for lunch and caucus.
WA
WA

Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session

Senate Floor Session Feb 16th, 2026 at 01:00 pm

Washington Senate Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • , higher education, and other essential governmental services.
  • President, we did spend over 50% of the state revenue on education.
  • We talk about health care, public servants, child care, higher education.
  • and housing and health care, but absolutely higher education.
  • Other priorities were chosen over K-12, over higher education.
WA

Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session

Senate Floor Session Feb 16th, 2026 at 10:00 am

Washington Senate Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • one aims, the higher future generations are able to rise.
  • And I want to frame this moment with a simple truth: the higher you aim, Mr.
  • President, the higher you land. That idea isn't about perfection; it's about intention, Mr.
  • Black history is full of people who aimed higher, not because it was easy and not because the path was
  • When I think about aiming higher, I think about aiming for grace, especially when leadership gets loud
OK

Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session

Revenue and Taxation Feb 16th, 2026 at 01:30 pm

Revenue and Taxation

Transcript Highlights:
  • Somewhere at that time period is generally where educators are making the decision either to stay in
  • very intentional, the seven-year, the seven-year mark in terms of wanting to really focus on the. educators
  • simple amendment, but if you look back at sections B and Section C, this puts this agreement in a higher
  • In conjunction with this, as we look at reining in that spending and the inflation impacts that are happening
  • I think we can all agree that home valuations in those metro areas are higher than they are in rural
OK

Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session

Revenue and Taxation Feb 16th, 2026

Revenue and Taxation

Transcript Highlights:
  • Somewhere at that time period is generally where educators are making the decision either to stay in
  • pretty simple amendment, but if you look back in Sections B and C, this puts this agreement in a higher
  • Having done title opinions, ...in a higher priority if there is a foreclosure.
  • and the inflation impacts that are happening across all... ...as we look at running in that spending
  • I think we can all agree that home valuations in those metro areas are higher than they are in rural
Summary: The Revenue and Taxation Committee met and considered several bills. Senate Bill 1776, by Senator Pugh, would create a $10,000 refundable tax credit for teachers with seven consecutive years of service, as part of a teacher retention strategy; after questions about the seven-year threshold, it passed 8-3. Senate Bill 1858, by Senator Frix, would create a new TIF district financing option allowing developers, rather than cities or counties, to borrow against projected TIF revenues; the committee adopted an amendment changing a filing provision from “may” to “shall,” and the bill passed 7-4. Senate Bill 1985, by Senator Guthrie, would let state retirement systems consider limited investments in regulated digital assets, capped at 5% and narrowed to large-market-cap assets; the committee added an amendment inserting “in” to clarify the language, and the bill passed 9-2. The committee then rejected Senate Bill 1302, by Senator Kirt, which would repeal the “path to zero” trigger tied to future income tax cuts; it failed 2-9 after debate over fiscal stability and tax relief. Senate Bill 1809, by Senator Hamilton, would raise the homestead exemption from $1,000 to $5,000; members debated its impact on local governments and school funding, but it passed 9-2. Senate Bill 1401, by Senator Rader, was amended to adjust the insurance premium tax rate from 1.96% to 2.16% and eliminate the home office premium tax credit; the bill was laid over after concerns about its fiscal impact. Finally, Senate Bill 2053, also by Senator Rader, would allow cities and counties to impose up to a 10% excise tax on medical marijuana dispensaries by local vote, with OTC handling collections and enforcement; supporters framed it as local control and a way to offset public safety costs, while opponents argued it unfairly targeted dispensaries and consumers. The bill passed 7-3. The committee then adjourned and announced it would meet again the following Monday after floor activity.