Transcript Highlights:

• Number two, it protects librarians and educators.
• House Committee on Education, Moore Healy, Catherine Clerk, the U.S.
• also educates the public and those who are tuning in to this hearing.
• They sideline librarians and educators, they undermine student agency.
• You know, we... ...educate our children about drug use.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The hearing focused on several bills related to access to library materials, including measures addressing book bans and censorship in public and school libraries, as well as legislation on digital library collections and e-book licensing. Committee leaders said testimony would be limited to three minutes and encouraged written submissions. Early testimony from Chair Brian Murray highlighted H. 3595, which would address challenges facing public libraries and digital resource collections by limiting restrictive publisher-library contract terms, protecting patron confidentiality, and creating a special legislative commission to study the issue. A large number of legislators, librarians, authors, students, publishers, and advocacy groups testified in support of the free expression bills, including H. 3594 and S. 2328, arguing that book challenges in Massachusetts disproportionately target LGBTQ+ and BIPOC titles and that librarians and educators need protection from retaliation and harassment. Witnesses described local incidents of book removals, threats, and pressure campaigns, and several said the bills would create transparent challenge procedures, keep materials available during reviews, and ensure decisions are made by trained professionals rather than political actors. Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley’s office also submitted support, and multiple speakers cited national trends and Massachusetts-specific censorship attempts. Testimony on the digital access bills emphasized that e-books and audiobooks are essential for readers with disabilities, homebound patrons, students, and others who rely on accessible formats, but that current licensing terms are far more expensive and restrictive than print purchasing. Library representatives said libraries spend millions on digital content, face long wait times for popular titles, and often must repeatedly re-rent the same materials. Legal and library experts supported the proposed commission as a practical step toward fairer licensing and stronger bargaining power for libraries. The hearing ended after extensive testimony; no votes or final committee action were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have three bills on the education.
• Uh, Senate Bill 2614 relating to education authorizes the Department of Education to award a high school
• I'm Elizabeth Higashi on behalf of the Department of Education.
• Uh, Kayashi, Department of Education.
• </c> behalf of the Department of Education. behalf of the Department of Education.

Committee: Senate Public Safety and Military Affairs

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committees heard and then took action on several measures. Senate Bill 3048, relating to the State Building Code Council and the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development, received support from OPSD and the Chamber of Commerce, with OPSD requesting amendments tied to software licensing and a public permitting dashboard. The committees ultimately recommended passing the bill with amendments, including an effective date, and later adopted that recommendation by vote. Senate Bill 3083, relating to protective orders, drew support from the U.S. Defense State Liaison Office, the Military and Community Relations Office, and a member of the public, while the Judiciary asked that the bill be deferred or amended because a prior notification process had lapsed and a new mandate could be difficult to implement. The committees nevertheless recommended passage with amendments and an effective date, noting implementation concerns in the report, and that recommendation was adopted. The committees also considered Senate Bill 3010, which would allow law enforcement, animal control officers, and firefighters to enter unattended vehicles to rescue animals in distress. The Animal Legal Defense Fund supported the measure as a common-sense good Samaritan protection, and the Hawaii Association for Justice recommended a small amendment. The bill was recommended for passage with amendments and later adopted. Senate Bill 3187, relating to off-site construction and SPEED Task Force recommendations, received OPSD testimony in support with comments; the committees recommended passing it with amendments, deleting the dollar amount and adding an effective date, and adopted that recommendation. In a later joint hearing with the Committee on Education, Senate Bill 2138, which would expand the Hawaii National Guard State Tuition Assistance Program to graduate study, received support from the University of Hawaii, the Department of Defense, the Hawaii Army National Guard, and the U.S. Defense State Liaison Office. Members asked whether the current law limited assistance to undergraduate degrees and whether the program would require new funding; witnesses said the bill would simply expand authority and could be implemented within the current budget. Senate Bill 2614, authorizing high school diplomas for certain veterans whose schooling was interrupted by military service or wartime practices, also drew support from DOE and the U.S. Defense State Liaison Office, with DOE explaining it had previously issued diplomas under an earlier version of the law and would verify eligibility through an application process. Senate Bill 2687, requiring a 100th Infantry Battalion history curriculum plan and pilot program, drew mixed testimony: DOE said the topic is already covered in existing social studies standards and the bill was unnecessary, while supporters argued the history is not being consistently taught and should be mandated. The transcript cuts off before final action on the education bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• Education is also important.
• Education is also important.
• We have to educate our youth. We have to educate our communities.
• We both work in education.
• So I believe you are educators, you said.

Committee: House Children and Families

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:00:56.239><c> finance</c> re-referred to the education finance re-referred to the education finance
• <00:01:37.600><c> finance</c><00:01:38.159><c> committee</c> education finance committee education finance
• </c><00:42:12.119><c> so</c> the Dakota County United Educators so the Dakota County United Educators
• </c> development opportunities for educators development opportunities for educators and<01:16:03.960
• </c> be honest it's different for educators be honest it's different for educators in<01:29:07.960><c

Committee: House Education Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• education."
• education."
• </c><00:33:43.040><c> That</c> Education. That was a report. That Education. That was a report.
• education consultant.
• </c> higher education and graduation rates. higher education and graduation rates.

Bills: HF4698 , HF4608

Committee: House Higher Education Finance and Policy

Keywords: higher education, identity verification, enrollment fraud, funding, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, postsecondary education, community college, university, developmental education, remedial education, remediation, corequisite, co-requisite, English composition, college readiness, adult basic education, ABE, student placement, credit-bearing courses, noncredit courses

Transcript Highlights:

• Many of you probably have a passion for education, or you love children.
• </c><00:15:39.560><c> or</c> probably have a passion for education or probably have a passion for education
• </c> coming together it to me as an educator coming together it to me as an educator as<00:18:48.600>
• Educator witness: The district can't do them every year.
• I had a teacher actually, not from Jefferson County, but an educator in a different district.

Keywords: The previous live stream for this committee experienced a technical issue. This is the complete meeting recording recovered from backups., 958, all

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 44, “Landon’s Law,” sponsored by Rep. Candy Massaroni. The bill would allow schools to keep anti-choking devices such as LifeVac on hand while limiting liability. Testimony from Equal First Aid and LifeVac emphasized that choking is a leading cause of death for children, that the devices are noninvasive and FDA-registered, and that updated Red Cross guidance allows their use when standard rescue protocols fail or are not feasible. Lauren McCubbins, Landon McCubbin’s mother, gave emotional testimony about her 8-year-old son’s death from choking at school and urged the committee to give schools an added rescue option. Members asked questions about how the device works, whether the Heimlich maneuver remains part of the protocol, and whether the bill is limited to LifeVac or applies to similar devices. The bill was reported favorably, with a roll call vote showing unanimous support from members present. The committee then heard a bill sponsored by Rep. J. Baker aimed at reducing administrative burdens in schools and supporting teacher recruitment and retention. The measure would lengthen the required evaluation cycle for tenured teachers from every three years to every five years, provide teachers a copy of their employment contract upon request, streamline professional development provisions, update continuous school improvement plan filing requirements, restore schools’ ability to use Title II funds for certain programs after an unintended consequence of prior legislation, and require KDE to review reporting requirements and eliminate those not required by law. Rep. Baker said the bill was developed with teachers and administrators through a working group and is intended to reduce “check-the-box” tasks so educators can focus on instruction. Amanda Butler of Spencer County Schools and other educators testified that the changes would save time, preserve funding for mentor and induction programs, and reduce repetitive paperwork. Rep. Fleming asked for clarification on the longer evaluation cycle, and an educator witness explained that each evaluation involves pre-observation, observation, and post-observation time and that districts would still retain flexibility to evaluate more often if needed. No final vote on this bill was included in the transcript excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• And despite that, it was great educators.
• And then the governor taught me to become Secretary of Education.
• We're educators; we are all educators, and so legally we can't.
• Number 6: State legislative updates related to education.
• Aren't you all in your fields of education?

Committee: House Oklahoma Education Commission

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Since I was a Senate sponsor for the parental paid leave bill for education employees as well as state
• So..." "...and I really like to look at it further myself because I know that when I did the education
• 19.759><c> was</c><00:08:20.080><c> actually</c> education trust fund budget was actually education trust
• </c><00:09:15.760><c> and</c> a statewide campaign to educate and a statewide campaign to educate and
• </c> education trust fund back in the 80s. education trust fund back in the 80s.

Bills: SB211 , SB305 , SB300 , SB211 , SB305 , SB300

Committee: Senate Education Policy

Keywords: school safety, local law enforcement, superintendent, complaints, school bus regulations, education funding, RAISE Act, student outcomes, public schools, local education agencies, accountability, weighted allocations, special education, English language learners, gifted students, tax exemption, ad valorem tax, tangible personal property, business incentives, economic impact

Transcript Highlights:

• I should call the Joint Committee on Education to order.
• And we appreciate you all being here and addressing the Joint Committee on Education.
• So the next—thank you for this—the goals are 60% education attainment.
• What does the term educational attainment mean exactly, by definition?
• education, looks like in the 2030s, not in the 1990s.

Committee: House Joint Committee on Education

Summary: The Joint Committee on Education met to hear an informational presentation from the Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development on Missouri’s higher education funding model and related workforce trends. Commissioner Bennett Boggs described the department’s mission, its data and workforce partnerships, and the need to better align postsecondary education with Missouri’s labor market, noting projections that 65% of jobs in the 2030s will require education beyond high school. He emphasized that the current “base-plus” funding approach dates to 1992 and no longer reflects demographic, technological, or economic changes, and said the department wants every institution to remain healthy and serve its region. Deputy Commissioner Leroye Wade outlined a proposed cost-based, performance-informed funding framework with four main parts: fixed costs, variable program costs, performance measures, and a mechanism for targeted legislative investment. He said the model is intended to be data-driven, transparent, and more responsive to enrollment changes, program mix, completion outcomes, workforce needs, and collaboration among institutions. He also reviewed the history of the effort, including a 2022 legislative appropriation for a study, a 2023 report, and subsequent interim and bill activity. Committee members asked about educational attainment goals, the P20W longitudinal data system, persistence and completion rates, and how the model would account for mission differences and student outcomes. Representative John Black, sponsor of the bill discussed, said the legislation is meant to move Missouri toward a 21st-century higher education funding system by tying appropriations more closely to state goals and institutional performance rather than continuing automatic across-the-board increases. He said the department’s work and the bill are intended to prompt continued refinement of the model, and he warned that declining enrollments and tight state finances make reform urgent. No votes were taken; the committee heard the presentation, allowed brief public comment, and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• All right, let's get started with our Senate Education today.
• In education throughout Idaho. We offer an open content catalog.
• Our funding comes through the Department of Education.
• I do think that education is changing as we know it with ChatGPT.
• The State Board of Education unanimously voted to support it.

Committee: Senate Education

Summary: The Senate Education Committee first approved the January 26 and January 27, 2026 minutes by voice vote. The committee then heard a presentation from Idaho Digital Learning Alliance (IDLA) Superintendent Jeff Simmons, joined by Cambridge Superintendent Anthony Butler, on IDLA’s role as Idaho’s statewide supplemental online learning program. Simmons described IDLA’s funding model, course offerings, growth in enrollment, quality controls, teacher certification and oversight, use of Idaho teachers and curriculum, free open-content resources, and efforts to support families through lower course fees and waived dual-credit fees. He also said IDLA is preparing for a proposed $10 million budget cut, which he said would significantly reduce enrollments and course offerings. Butler testified that IDLA is especially valuable for small rural districts like Cambridge for credit recovery, dual credit, scheduling flexibility, and keeping students on track to graduate. Senators asked about teacher certification, costs, evaluation in a virtual setting, AI use, statutory naming, and how IDLA would be affected by budget reductions. The committee then took up Senate Bill 1234, sponsored by Senator Carlson, which would change Lewis-Clark State College’s name to Lewis-Clark State University. President Cynthia Pemberton testified that the change would not alter the institution’s mission, programs, or focus, but would reduce confusion about the school’s offerings, better reflect its four-year and graduate programs, and help recruitment and partnerships. She said the proposal has broad support from the State Board of Education, K-12 partners, local chambers, and campus stakeholders, and estimated a one-time rebranding cost of about $50,000. Senators asked about the cost and intent language, and the committee voted to send the bill to the Senate floor with a do-pass recommendation. The meeting adjourned afterward, with notice that there would be no Education Committee meeting the following day.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a joint memorial that would send a message to Congress that special education needs to be funded
• Basically, in 1975, Congress passed the IDEA, or the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, as
• We want to provide what they need to be educated, but we can't do it for free.
• So I do think there's a larger conversation and an opportunity to educate the public.
• So I had a lot of perspectives as to how we were educating. What did that look like?

Committee: House Education

Summary: The committee first considered RS 33019, a joint memorial sponsored by Representative Ben Furman urging Congress to fully fund special education under IDEA. Furman argued that Congress promised 40% funding in 1975 but Idaho currently receives only about 12%, leaving schools and property taxpayers with an unfunded mandate. Several members supported the memorial as a way to press Congress, while others said they wanted a fuller discussion of special education requirements and maintenance-of-effort issues. The committee then voted to introduce RS 33019, with the motion passing on voice vote. The committee next recognized Idaho’s 2026 Teacher of the Year, Laren Johnson of Rigby High School, introduced by Superintendent Debbie Critchfield. Johnson spoke at length about the importance of teacher-student relationships, crediting mentors and describing how he works to connect with students through classes, extracurriculars, and community involvement. He highlighted programs and colleagues at Rigby, his work with Holocaust education and Future Hispanic Leaders of America, and the role of Idaho scholarships and career pathways in helping students stay in the state. Members thanked him for his service and remarks. Critchfield then presented a proposal for Idaho to seek federal flexibility on education rules and testing, including an EdFlex-style waiver and changes to assessment requirements. She said the department had reviewed reporting burdens and wanted to reduce requirements not mandated by state or federal law. The main waiver requests would exempt third graders from duplicative reading tests and allow 11th graders to choose among approved assessments, such as the ISAT, SAT, ACT, ASVAB, or technical exams, to better match student goals. Members asked about district testing practices, the portability of the ISAT, and future AI-related policy work. Critchfield said the proposal was out for public comment and would go to the State Board of Education before federal submission.

Transcript Highlights:

• Jacob Beliva, Department of Education.
• And I am an educator still practicing.
• Like I like to say our entire educational family, right?
• Being an educator myself, I really appreciate you all.
• We've had several go to the Department of Education.

Summary: The committee approved the March 9 and 10 minutes and then heard a presentation from the Arkansas Department of Education on the Arkansas Excellence in Teaching Fellowship, featuring three third-grade teachers from Cabot, Poyen, and Drew Central who are also teacher merit pay recipients. The teachers described the fellowship as a year-long Zoom-based collaboration with about 23 educators statewide, focused on sharing classroom strategies, data use, and professional support. Members asked about the teachers’ experience, how they share what they learn with their districts, the range of grades represented in the fellowship, and the relationship between the fellowship and merit pay. The teachers emphasized building relationships with students, using data to drive instruction, early intervention, and collaboration across grade levels, while the secretary said the program is intended to identify and elevate high-performing teachers and spread their practices. A major portion of the discussion focused on third-grade reading, retention, and the new ATLAS testing system. Teachers and the secretary said students are screened and progress monitored throughout the year, families are notified early if students are at risk, and schools are using interventions, tutoring, and individualized reading plans. They said ATLAS results are now available much faster than in the past, often within 24 hours or a few days, allowing teachers and parents to respond quickly. Members asked about the impact of poverty, trauma, foster care, DHS involvement, IEPs, and critical shortage areas; teachers said relationship-building, small-group instruction, and coordination with counselors and special education staff are key. The secretary said the fellowship is a small subset of a broader merit pay program, that participation was voluntary, and that the state is trying to build a coherent system with literacy coaches, high-impact tutoring, and clearer standards rather than teaching to the test. Members also discussed broader policy issues, including the need for more positive public messaging about public education, teacher input in decision-making, and support for early childhood education. Several legislators asked whether the state should expand funding for early learning and whether more literacy or academic coaches are needed in districts that improve and then lose eligibility for state support. The secretary said the state has committed literacy coaches to D and F schools and is still working through how to sustain support as schools improve. He also said the administration would look at data and return on investment before supporting additional funding, and he encouraged legislators to help recruit eligible teachers into future fellowship cohorts. After the teacher panel concluded, the committee moved on to the adequacy resource allocation study, where Bureau of Legislative Research staff began a presentation on state and local education funding sources, categorical funds, and district spending patterns.

Transcript Highlights:

• And this is now a good time that you've been able to lead and educate us because it is about education
• And then I'm also having to not educate the parents, the community, but also our educators on it.
• We want to make sure that we are educating ourselves in these types of platforms as well as educating
• I mean, this is so educational. And educate us, but you did that.
• So we talk about how law enforcement needs the education, but we all need that education.

Summary: The Select Committee on Native American Affairs opened its 2025 hearing with a traditional song and remarks about the importance of Native visibility and land acknowledgment. The hearing focused on missing and murdered Indigenous people (MMIP), exploitation and trafficking in a Public Law 280 (PL 280) state, and California’s response. Members and tribal leaders emphasized that MMIP is tied to historical trauma, forced removal, undercounting, and ongoing inequities in law enforcement response, media attention, and access to resources. Several panelists urged stronger tribal consultation, better data collection, more funding, and culturally informed education and victim services. In the first panel, tribal chairpersons described personal and community impacts. Chairperson Antonet Del Rio spoke about the need to include federally and non-federally recognized tribes and to educate schools and communities, while naming long-unsolved cases from her tribe. Chairperson Cheyenne Stone connected MMIP to the history of violence in Owens Valley and to the disturbance of Indigenous remains during infrastructure projects, calling for forensic resources, mandatory consultation, and accountability. Chairperson Charles Martin described the death of Morongo citizen Amy Porter and said the Feather Alert failed her family because law enforcement did not act quickly enough; he called for reforms and better coordination, especially in PL 280 jurisdictions. Chairwoman Nelson and committee members echoed the need for equity, urgency, and government-to-government respect. The second panel examined how PL 280 complicates MMIP and trafficking cases. Professor Carol Goldberg explained that PL 280 created an unfunded mandate, reduced federal jurisdiction and funding, and contributed to under-resourced policing and mistrust; she recommended mandatory training, community-oriented policing, formal tribal-county collaboration, and possible retrocession in some cases. Yurok Chairman Joe James tied MMIP to boarding schools, trafficking, and the need to advance bills such as AB 31, SB 4, ACR 39, AB 285, and AB 1378, along with increased budget funding. Morning Star Gali argued that PL 280 enables traffickers and violent offenders to exploit jurisdictional gaps and called for tribally led public safety, housing, victim services, and stronger consultation. Dustin Contreras, a human trafficking investigator, described the overlap between trafficking and MMIP, stressed partnerships and task forces, and supported more education for law enforcement, schools, and families. In the final panel, state and county officials described current efforts and acknowledged remaining gaps. The Attorney General’s Office said it is working on MICIC outreach, tribal response planning, PL 280 training through an advisory council, and improved data systems, while supporting bills and the Feather Alert. Humboldt County Sheriff Hansel described the case of a missing woman, Emily, as an example of how people with mental illness or justice involvement can become invisible, and said counties need more consistent training and clearer jurisdictional protocols. He and other officials supported the Feather Alert, tribal police authority, and a pilot program for POST status for tribal police, which they said had been vetoed previously. Across the hearing, speakers repeatedly called for better coordination, more funding, stronger tribal authority, and sustained action rather than symbolic recognition.

Transcript Highlights:

• ,</c><00:03:29.599><c> which</c> for personal finance uh education, which for personal finance uh education
• ><c> adulthood</c><00:03:59.200><c> uh</c> education, students enter adulthood uh education, students
• :13:37.680><c> County</c><00:13:38.240><c> that</c> educators from Spencer County that educators from
• </c><00:18:57.840><c> system</c> micromanage our educational system micromanage our educational system
• </c><00:25:36.799><c> purpose</c> again it's for an educational purpose again it's for an educational

Keywords: This meeting will take place upon Recess of the Senate Chambers. There is not an exact time for this meeting therefore a placeholder time for the live stream has been set for 12:30PM est., 958, all

Summary: The Senate Standing Committee on Education met with a quorum and took up several education bills near the end of session. House Bill 342, which would require a financial literacy course for Kentucky high school students, was presented by Rep. Michael Meredith and student advocate Patrick Reovi. Meredith explained that a committee substitute addressed Kentucky Department of Education concerns by making the course a required elective anywhere in high school rather than limiting it to junior or senior year, and by retaining flexibility on credit options. Reovi testified in support, arguing that many students lack basic financial knowledge and should graduate prepared to handle budgeting, credit, debt, and student loans. The substitute was adopted, and HB 342 passed the committee 10-0. The committee then heard House Bill 480, a teacher workload and bureaucracy reduction measure. Rep. Shane Baker described the bill as the product of a working group with educators and administrators and said it was intended to reduce redundant requirements and let teachers focus more on students. He said the bill would lengthen the evaluation cycle from every three years to every five, streamline professional development requirements, update continuous school improvement plan filing rules, and limit new reporting mandates. A committee substitute removed the CSIP provisions after discussion with KDE, and members noted concerns about implementation and federal funding implications for mentor training language. The substitute was adopted and HB 480 passed unanimously. House Bill 190, relating to advanced education opportunities, was presented by Rep. Robert Duvall. He said the bill would require districts to adopt policies on advanced coursework and accelerated learning for grades 4 through 12, with local flexibility. He also explained that the House committee substitute changed several provisions from mandatory to permissive, including automatic enrollment for students scoring distinguished and parent opt-out language. The bill passed unanimously. House Bill 430, on school bus safety training, was presented by Reps. Mike Clines and Emily Callaway, who said it would reduce regulations, improve bus safety, and fix regulatory issues arising from prior legislation allowing nine-passenger vans for school transportation. A committee substitute was adopted, the bill passed unanimously, and a title amendment was also adopted. Finally, the committee began hearing House Bill 208 on technology and public schools. Rep. Josh Bray, Rep. James Tipton, and Nick Spencer of the Family Foundation of Kentucky supported a policy requiring districts to prohibit student cell phone use during instructional time, with exceptions for disabilities, teacher-directed educational use, or incentives. They argued the bill would improve academic performance, reduce bullying and mental health problems, and limit social media access during school. The transcript cuts off during testimony on HB 208, before any committee action on the bill is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• Bolton says: Dear Senators and Education Committee, my name is Dr. Laura Bolton.
• For the education profession, it is not uniform across the state. Thank you, Mr.
• That we have consistency in education, regardless of how that education looks.
• So, because it is all education related.
• disclosure statements from applicants and all educational employers or educational contractors with the

Committee: Senate Education

Summary: The committee heard testimony on Senate Bills 1371 and 1372, which were described as measures to improve student safety by requiring more consistent disclosure and sharing of personnel information across educational entities, including public, charter, private, and micro schools. Senator Nichols said the bills would help ensure that allegations of misconduct, resignations during investigations, disciplinary actions, and other relevant employment history are not kept internal but are disclosed during hiring, and that cases involving covered individuals would be referred to the Idaho Professional Standards Commission. The State Superintendent said the department shared the goal of stronger mandatory reporting and hiring safeguards, and noted ongoing work with the Attorney General’s office and school attorneys to refine the language and align it with existing law and ethics training. Several committee members questioned how the proposal differed from current background checks and mandatory reporting laws, whether it would affect out-of-state applicants, and how it would apply to private schools and micro schools. Nichols said the bills were intended to fill gaps where information is not reported or transferred, and that the language would be adjusted to request records from prior employers over the last 10 years without automatically disqualifying applicants if information is unavailable. He also said the whistleblower language from SB 1372 would likely be folded into SB 1371 so the issues could be handled in one bill. The superintendent added that the department is also working on reinforcing the code of ethics and mandatory reporting expectations for educators. Testimony included statements from a friend reading a written statement for Dr. Laura Bolton, who said she had reported misconduct in the Boise School District and faced retaliation; the chair stopped that testimony when it touched on allegations tied to a current or previously settled case. Kathy Wilson testified that her son was assaulted in a Boise school restroom and said the district failed to report properly, while Tori Dole described retaliation after she reported concerns about a registered sex offender connected to a Boise school. After discussion, Senator Woodward moved to hold both bills in committee, and the motion passed unanimously, with the chair saying the committee would bring the bills back once the language was ready.

Transcript Highlights:

• Texas higher education must work to strengthen tenure, fund minority serving institutions, and expand
• We call it a unity summit for higher education.
• The right to learn is so important, particularly in educational institutions.
• There has never been a statewide grassroots coalition for higher education.
• I didn't say on education. I said for higher education. Texas needs this now more than ever.

Transcript Highlights:

• So it's not, you know, if they're educated in early childhood education, education is the best place
• The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, IDEA, defines special education, and the costs that
• The way it works in education settings is typically a teacher or a care provider with education capacity
• On page 100 is our judicial education... Core. On page 100 is our Judicial Education Transfer Core.
• On page 100 is our judicial education. Corps. On page 100 is our Judicial Education Transfer Corps.

Committee: House Budget

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Welcome to the last meeting of the Early Learning K-12 Education Committee for this session.
• Our first: 1795, addressing restraint and the isolation of students in public schools and educational
• House Bill 1795, addressing restraint and isolation of students in public schools and educational programs
• First, the amendment removes the requirement related to continuing education for educators endorsed with
• We now have Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2557, special education evaluations, before us.

Summary: The committee met for its final executive session of the session and took up several House bills related to early learning and K-12 education. House Bill 1795 on restraint and isolation in schools was briefed as prohibiting mechanical, chemical, and certain physical restraints, limiting isolation, and barring new isolation rooms; a proposed amendment to the striker was defeated, and the bill then advanced. House Bill 2219 on child care licensing and drug safety was briefed as requiring licensed child care settings to be free of high-potency synthetic opioids, drug paraphernalia, and manufacturing equipment, with amendments to add drug testing and broader controlled-substance prohibitions; both amendments failed, and the striker was adopted before the bill advanced. House Bill 1295 on literacy was described as setting curriculum and educator training requirements; the committee adopted a striking amendment that removed some district implementation and continuing-education requirements, then advanced the bill. The committee also heard briefings on House Bill 1634 on behavioral health supports in schools, House Bill 2557 on timelines for special education evaluation reports and eligibility meetings, and House Bill 2636 creating a public education review steering committee and JLARC review process, all of which had no amendments at the briefing stage. In formal action, the committee voted to adopt the striker on HB 1295 and then passed HB 1795, HB 2219, HB 1295, HB 1634, and HB 2557 out of committee with due pass recommendations. HB 2636 was also advanced, but to the Ways and Means Committee rather than the Rules Committee. Several members noted concerns about costs and unfunded mandates, particularly regarding literacy implementation and child care safety provisions, while supporters emphasized student safety, child care safety, and clarity in existing law. The meeting ended with thanks to staff and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Committee on Higher Education will come to order. The clerk will call the roll.
• Senate Bill 2310 directs the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, in consultation with colleges
• Coordinating Board regarding health physics education in this state.
• First, it enhances reporting requirements of the Education Code.
• Code than the other public higher education institutions.

Bills: SB800 , SB1534 , SB2055 , SB2310 , SB2431 , SB2786 , SB3039 , SB1242

Committee: House Higher Education

Keywords: sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, stalking, higher education, student safety, orientation policies, health physics, workforce development, nuclear energy, radiological safety, scholarship, education, Texas Leadership Scholars Program, student funding, transparency, degree requirements, certificate programs, student transfer, foreign language

Transcript Highlights:

• So Senate Bill 365 allows each institution of higher education to set its own lookback period, giving
• All students, regardless of their educational background, are generally eligible for most...
• In fact, the Texas Education Agency, TEA, frequently refers calls they receive regarding home education
• We have a resource from the Higher Education Coordinating Board with us.
• Sarah Keaton with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

Bills: SB 49

Committee: Senate Education K-16

Keywords: Galveston County, legal expenses, appropriation, litigation, state funding

Summary: The Senate Committee on Education K-16 heard several higher education bills and took public testimony on each. Senate Bill 60 would let public junior college libraries donate outdated, duplicative, or valueless materials instead of treating them as surplus property; no public testimony was offered, and the bill was left pending. Senate Bill 49 would expand performance-tier funding incentives so community colleges are also rewarded for student transfers to private four-year universities; it also received no public testimony and was left pending. Senate Bill 365 would allow higher education institutions to choose a transcript lookback period between 5 and 10 years for adult undergraduates seeking to waive older transcripts. Senator Eckhardt and witness Daniel Arrevalo described how old academic records can block adults from returning to college; the bill was left pending after testimony. Senate Bill 895 would expand the FAST dual-credit program beyond public school students to include eligible private school and homeschool students, with support from the Texas Private Schools Association, the Texas Homeschool Coalition, and a coordinating board witness explaining the funding structure; it too was left pending. Senate Bill 1400 would clarify what counts as a transfer for performance-tier funding by allowing students with 30 or fewer prior university credit hours to still be counted as transfer students when moving from a public junior college to a general academic institution. Former Representative Leighton Schubert testified that the change would address funding losses and better reflect modern student pathways; after testimony, the bill was left pending. The committee then recessed subject to the call of the chair.