Transcript Highlights:

• President, unanimous consent, we go to that order of business: third reading of legislation.
• Unanimous consent, we go to that order of business, third reading of legislation.
• He was upstairs; his back's hurting, he'll be down as we do third reading.
• President, I move to remove the call of the Senate on the motion to go to third readings.
• Third reading. Senator Worth. Thank you. Senators, we are on that order of business: third reading.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Madam Clerk, please read the resolution a third time. House Resolution 1001.
• Read the bills, Madam Clerk. House Resolution 1002. Without objection, read the bill's second time.
• Reading scores in every single grade level but one have gone up. ...but one have gone up.
• When I took office, only 35% of Arkansas kids could read at grade level. It was a crisis.
• By third grade, a child must be able to read in order to learn.

Summary: The meeting was the opening of the Arkansas General Assembly’s 2026 fiscal session, beginning with quorum calls, prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and recognition of guests, including law enforcement officers, a doctor of the day, nurse of the day, constitutional officers, Supreme Court justices, and family and friends of legislators. The House adopted House Resolution 1001 to convene a joint session for Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders’s address, appointed committees to notify the Senate and the Governor, and later received the Senate into the chamber before recessing for the joint session. In the joint session, members observed a moment of silence for former Representative Stan Berry, then heard Governor Sanders’s fiscal session address. Her remarks focused heavily on the proposed budget and her administration’s priorities: fully funding education and the LEARNS Act, supporting teachers and literacy efforts, funding public safety and corrections, expanding the 1033 initiative to move people from crisis to career, and holding down government growth while pursuing further income tax cuts. She also highlighted economic development, low cost of living, and support for veterans, while emphasizing conservative policy themes and thanking several Arkansans whose stories illustrated the administration’s agenda. No substantive legislation was debated or voted on beyond the adoption of House Resolution 1001 and the procedural motions to adjourn the joint session and then adjourn the House until the next day. The House announced that Joint Budget would meet later that afternoon and again the following morning.

Transcript Highlights:

• AS I WAS READING THROUGH THIS BILL PROBABLY FOR THE THIRD TIME AND JUST TRYING TO BETTER UNDERSTAND,
• THAT IS AN INDUSTRY TALKING POINT, NOBODY'S ASKING FOR BACKDOOR ACCESS FROM A THIRD-PARTY TO READ WHAT
• AND NOT A THIRD-PARTY PLATFORM FORCING TO OVERRIDE PARENTAL AUTHORITY.
• I CANNOT READ THIS HANDWRITING AT ALL.
• Martin: I READ THE BILL.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• state... ...how in the world do you run the third-largest state, third-largest state, with 225 people
• So, Representative, I can tell you what today, I can go back and read the numbers and tell you what we
• So, for example, medical-grade masks, medical-grade gowns, food and water all have to be climate controlled
• When we get into the other stuff, the medical-grade goods—and I don't want anybody to think we're just
• , then it... ...billed back on grade, then it causes that particular entity, for example, Fort Myers

Summary: The Economic Development Budget Subcommittee received a lengthy presentation from Kevin Guthrie, Executive Director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, on disaster costs, recovery operations, sheltering, and major capital projects. He reviewed the 2024 hurricane season impacts from Debby, Helene, and Milton, explaining how FEMA public assistance and state reimbursement work, how cost shares can shift from 75/25 to 90/10 after a federal threshold is reached, and how Florida uses prior storm data and inflation to estimate recovery costs. He also described the state’s faster reimbursement timelines, crediting legislative investments in technology and digital field documentation, and said the division is working to reduce disaster closeout timelines from decades to about seven years. Members asked about debris removal, FEMA de-obligations, local preparedness, and whether regional shelters or co-located emergency operations centers could be used more efficiently. Guthrie said debris assistance is complicated and should generally remain tied to local contracts and planning, though the state will help fiscally constrained communities when needed. He explained de-obligations as FEMA clawing back previously approved funds after later review, and said Florida’s FROC program is helping local governments reduce those risks through standardized documentation, procurement review, and training. He also urged more mandatory emergency-management training for local and state officials and cautioned against weakening the FEMA 50% rule for rebuilding damaged structures. Guthrie provided updates on the new central Florida warehouse in Auburndale and the new State Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee. He said the warehouse will improve logistics, include cold and ultra-cold storage, and be run by a private vendor with virtual inventory tracking, while the new EOC is designed for Category 5 conditions and expanded partner capacity. He acknowledged budget pressures that reduced the size of the EOC project and said an additional IT request was needed because those costs were not originally included. The meeting ended with praise for FDEM’s work and no votes or formal actions beyond adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• It just does concern me that we have this third-party process now, and I understand the third party is
• operator, third party...
• If for some reason this third party, this operator, third-party administrator, the state of Maryland,
• But I just want to read the specific statute, which says the office shall retain a third-party administrator
• So when we read subdivision B and it says clearly we're to hire a third-party administrator to manage

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm reading from y'all's printout.
• . school grade if it's counting toward a high school graduation requirement and a grade for the college
• It's limited to courses in 11th and 12th grade.
• And that would seem. to be 10th grade, rather than 11th and 12th grade. OK.
• So, these are students in their 11th and 12th grades.

Bills: HB20, HB 120, HB20, HB120

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

Transcript Highlights:

• If a kindergartner to third grade is required at 720 hours and you say they're missing 300 of those hours
• So here I want to show you, these are our achievement of grades.
• And then the next one is the summary by grade level and classroom.
• You know, we have to have the 41% above our subgroups for our school grade.
• Grade levels in elementary have their competitions built around it.

Summary: The committee met to discuss student attendance and chronic absenteeism in Florida K-12 schools, with Chair Simon outlining the state’s attendance requirements and intervention process, including school contact after unexcused absences, child study team review, district superintendent referral, DJJ family services referral, truancy petitions, and possible parental prosecution and driver’s license consequences. Dr. Chris Curran of the University of Florida presented statewide data showing chronic absenteeism has risen sharply since the pandemic, with Florida at about 31.4% in 2023–24, and noted that absenteeism varies by district, school level, demographics, and urbanicity. He emphasized that causes are multifaceted—ranging from transportation, mental health, housing instability, safety concerns, and family circumstances—and said effective responses include early warning systems, text or phone outreach, multi-tiered interventions, mentoring programs like Check & Connect, and community partnerships. He also cautioned that punitive responses alone are often less effective than addressing root causes and keeping students engaged academically even when they miss school. Collier County Superintendent Leslie Ricciardelli described her district’s attendance efforts as a priority supported by attendance specialists, social workers, mental health staff, home visits, attendance contracts, and extensive parent communication. She said Collier’s chronic absenteeism rate was about 9% in 2023–24 and attributed success to consistent monitoring, family outreach, and community support, while stressing that students must be physically present to learn. She also argued that many absences are tied to barriers such as clothing, transportation, childcare, or family mental health, and that districts need resources to address those issues. Dr. Rachel Dawes added that Collier uses multilingual brochures, attendance awareness campaigns, vacation-planning guidance, door tags, automated calls and letters, and a truancy flow chart, with truancy court used as a last resort. Volusia County Executive Director Mike McAuliffe described a districtwide overhaul that included an attendance matters campaign, automated notices sent early and often, same-day and period-by-period notifications, a data dashboard, and tiered supports through MTSS. He said Volusia reduced chronic absenteeism from 34% in 2023–24 to a projected 29% and reported a first-quarter rate of about 20% in the current year. He highlighted community partnerships, including AdventHealth support for washers and dryers, bikes for students with transportation barriers, and monetary recognition for schools that reduce absenteeism. In response to questions, both district leaders emphasized that funding, staffing, and consistent follow-through are essential, and that attendance work is most effective when paired with family engagement, data monitoring, and practical supports rather than punishment alone.

Transcript Highlights:

• And you can read the three primary top.
• to a sixth grade reading level in two years.
• level to a sixth kindergarten reading level to a sixth grade<00:55:22.640> reading<00:55:23.040
• <00:55:24.880> But<00:55:25.040> she grade reading level in 2 years.
• But she grade reading level in 2 years.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• either in grade n or grade<00:36:45.119> 10<00:36:46.119> so<00:36:46.440> basically
• action to Sue I don't know if you read action to Sue I don't know if you read that<00:42:12.040>
• It might be different from school to school, from grade to grade, from class to class.
• to grade from class to class it is grade to grade from class to class it is completely<01:03:34.599>
• school children also not just 9th grade school children also not just 9th grade and<01:14:33.880

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on House Bill 662, which would require public schools to include discussion of abortion procedures and show specified videos in health education classes. The prime sponsor argued the bill would ensure students receive medically accurate, age-appropriate, and nonpolitical information about abortion, saying the topic is important for informed decision-making and should be taught consistently statewide. He said the videos were intended for grades 9-12, that parents could opt out, and that the requirement was meant to supplement, not sway, students’ views. He also acknowledged the bill could be seen as limiting local control over curriculum and said the intent was to prevent the topic from being missed due to scheduling disruptions. Committee members questioned the sponsor about local control, the need for a video mandate, the source of his statistics, whether the bill could be biased or inflammatory, and whether the requirement should apply every year in high school. The sponsor said the videos were only a starting point, could be replaced by others, and were meant to be informational. He also said the bill was not intended to influence students’ decisions about abortion. Several supporters testified in favor, including representatives of New Hampshire Right to Life and others who said students should be told the “truth” about abortion and its consequences. They emphasized graphic or emotionally difficult aspects of abortion and argued that young people need this information to make informed choices. Opponents and skeptical witnesses raised concerns about prescribing curriculum, eroding local control, and the appropriateness of the material for younger high school students. The New Hampshire School Administrators Association said the bill was overly prescriptive, that health education standards are already set by the State Board of Education, and that the topics in the bill are not part of the current standards. That witness recommended the committee consider retaining the bill for further work or making it less prescriptive. No vote or final committee action was taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• To give you a background on our school, we serve 315 students in grades kindergarten through 8th grade
• To give you a background on our school, we serve 315 students in grades kindergarten through 8th grade
• To give you a background on our school, we serve 315 students in grades kindergarten through 8th grade
• <00:45:29.760> um especially with the younger grades um especially with the younger grades
• access we have access to student grades access we have access to student grades and<01:16:27.600

Bills: HF984, HF921, HF922

Keywords: education funding, nonpublic schools, counseling services, guidance services, transportation for students, HF921, tax increment financing, TIF, excess tax increment, school district aid, levy adjustment, property tax levy, education finance, Minnesota education aid, decertification, local government finance, school funding formula, state aid reduction, referendum equalization aid, debt service equalization

Transcript Highlights:

• THIS CURRICULUM IS DIVIDED AS FOLLOWS., GARDEN AND GRADE 3.
• GRADES 4 THROUGH 6 FOCUS ON AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER, GRADE 7-9 EDUCATION ON HEARING IMPAIRMENTS AND
• GRADES 10 TO 12 UNDERSTANDING STYLES AND INTELLECTUAL.
• I WILL READ IT BRIEFLY.
• I READ THAT HE WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL IN BROWARD COUNTY, SO DID I.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The Senator of the Third District, Senator Simon moves that the bill be read the third time.
• All in favor of the motion to read the bill a third time, say yay. Yay. All opposed, nay.
• Read the next bill.
• Senator of the First District, Senator Gates moves the bill be read a third time.
• All in favor of the motion to read the bill a third time, say yay. All opposed, say nay.

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several introductions, including recognition of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority’s Founders’ Day and a visiting debate student. The chamber then received and adopted, by a 39-0 vote, a committee report confirming 52 gubernatorial executive appointments to various state, regional, and local boards and commissions. The first major bill was SB 250 on rural communities, described as a broad “Rural Renaissance” package. Sponsor Senator Simon outlined provisions creating an Office of Rural Prosperity, a Renaissance Grant Program for counties facing population loss, housing and transportation investments, additional funding for rural education, and rural health care support. Two amendments were adopted to remove overlapping grant language tied to new federal rural health funding and to update hospital funding estimates. Senators from both parties generally supported the bill, though some raised questions about eligibility for certain rural areas and how funds would be accessed. The bill passed 39-0. The Senate then took up CS/SB 318 on educational scholarship programs. Senator Gates said the bill responds to Auditor General findings by separating scholarship funding from public school funding, requiring student identification and enrollment verification, reducing administrative fees for scholarship funding organizations, requiring annual audits, and directing the Department of Education to develop a competitive selection and performance-based business plan for those organizations. Three amendments were adopted, including changes to the stabilization fund and documentation requirements. Senators from both parties debated transparency, accountability, and implementation concerns, with some also urging future attention to declining-enrollment school districts and the quality of scholarship providers. The bill passed 38-0. At the end of the session, the Senate waived rules to immediately certify SB 250 and CS/SB 318 to the House, welcomed Palm Beach County visitors in the gallery, and adjourned until the next scheduled meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• can then hire third party in third third can then hire third party in third third party<02:26:00.240
• > inspectors<02:26:06.560> who hire third third party inspectors who hire third third party
• That's not my reading of it.
• Thank you, Scott. model building code that is read into model building code that is read into the<02:
• > into<02:58:32.080> your third party would come into your third party would come into

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• What are we doing for early grades.
• <03:45:55.120> party going through a third party going through a third party administrator
• So um so third party administrator.
• administrator would be retaining the remainder. um to the third party administrator um to the third
• Am I reading this correct?

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Remember, Senate Bill 2104 is now before you on third reading and final passage.
• Senate Bill 2155 is now before you on third reading and final passage. Will there be debate?
• Senate Bill 1250 is not before you on third reading and final passage. Will there be debate?
• Members, Senate Bill 1651 is now before you on third reading and final passage.
• Members, Senate Bill 1794 is now before you on third reading and final passage.

Bills: SCR17, SB2104, SB2155, SB1428, SB1250, SB1651, SB1794, SB444, SB1061, SB1327, SB1425, SB1455, SB1458, SB1460, SB1480, SB1530, SB1543, SB1555, SB1593, SB1209, SB1730, SB1733, SB1769, SB1805, SB2069, SB2095, SB1503

Keywords: trusts, Oklahoma Uniform Trust Code, trust administration, trustee, beneficiary, qualified beneficiary, nonjudicial settlement agreement, trust accounting, fiduciary duty, forfeiture clause, no-contest clause, in terrorem clause, certification of trust, trust property, district court jurisdiction, venue, surcharge trustee, trust protector, trust advisor, principal distribution

Transcript Highlights:

• Alabama's third quarter GDP was 6%.
• The Department of Corrections—I'm not going to read through the list here.
• We have seen very encouraging news as it relates to our fourth-grade NAEP scores.
• three. ...struggling readers beyond grade three.
• As we see the fourth-grade NAEP scores, there are a lot of factors that have contributed to this.

Keywords: 924, joint, all

Transcript Highlights:

• 12,500 or so uh seniors but as I read 12,500 or so uh seniors but as I read the<00:58:08.480>
• We may be open enrollment for sixth grade but not fifth grade or fourth grade due to various issues.
• but not fifth enrollment for sixth grade but not fifth grade<03:43:35.720> or<03:43:35.920>
• > various grade or fourth grade due to various grade or fourth grade due to various issues<03:
• scores in math and reading.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard HB 659, which would establish the New Hampshire College Graduate Retention Incentive Program. A Department of Revenue Administration analyst explained technical issues in the bill, focusing on whether the incentive is intended to operate as a rebate or a tax credit, how it would be administered, and how it would interact with the business enterprise tax and business profits tax. She said the bill’s language was unclear on the administering agency, effective tax years, caps, and carry-forward treatment, and noted that reducing BET can also reduce the BET credit against BPT, though not on a one-for-one basis. Committee members asked follow-up questions about the BET/BPT interaction, administrative costs, and whether the Department of Business and Economic Affairs would need additional staffing. Andrew Horn then testified in support, saying the bill is meant to address the large number of New Hampshire college graduates who leave the state after graduation by encouraging them to stay and by incentivizing businesses to hire them. The chair closed the hearing on HB 659 after no further public testimony. The committee then took up HB 770, a bill to establish a program allowing New Hampshire high school students to earn tuition credits at state higher education institutions through community service. Representative Schultz described the bill as a “triple play” intended to increase volunteerism, expand service and internship opportunities for students, and make college more affordable. Ryan Casey, a junior at Bishop Brady High School, testified that the proposal would help students reduce future loan debt while benefiting communities and encouraging young people to attend college in New Hampshire. Committee members asked about eligibility, including why private and preparatory school students were excluded, whether public school students would qualify, whether mandatory service hours would count, and how the bill’s references to education and business eligibility should be read. Schultz said the exclusion of private and prep schools was intended because public school students are more clearly New Hampshire residents, and she noted that mandatory school service hours had been excluded in revisions. The Department of Education then testified that the program would require significant administration, estimating at least three full-time staff, software or tracking systems, and rulemaking to oversee volunteer sites, schools, student eligibility, and tuition credit distribution. No vote was taken in the excerpt, and the hearing remained in testimony phase.

Transcript Highlights:

• and the bill is ordered to third and the bill is ordered to third reading.
• the to rescind third reading vote on the to rescind third reading vote on the ought<01:03:09.280>
• The first vote is to rescind the third reading.
• So, the first is to rescind the third reading.
• reading be by this resolution read a third time, all titles be the same as adopted, and that they be

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This is your motion: motion to move 1396 to third read immediately.
• And why should we move this bill immediately to third read?
• But we're voting on the bill to third read, and we have to suspend the rules. I vote yes.
• Third reading of bills: House Bill 2874.
• You've heard the third reading of House Bill 2307.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Third reading of the bill.
• Third reading of the bill.
• Third reading of the bill.
• Third reading of the bill.
• Third reading of the...

Bills: HB4358, HB2398, HB3557, HB3129, HB3312, HB2210, HB1937, HB3021, HB4246, HB4230, HB3617, HB3657, HB2976, HB3391, HB4459, HB4128, HB3989, HB2989, HB4060, HB3145, HB2992, HB3464, HB3552, HB2984, HB4124, HB3934, HB3448, HB3131, HB4200, HB4201, HB3011, HB1912, HB3380, HB3881, HB3538, HB3851, HB3907, HB4430, HB4431, HB4457, HB2947, HB2951, HB2980, HB3082, HB3519, HB3644, HB3882, HB3661, HB3996, HB4335

Keywords: screen time, education, public schools, child development, digital learning, youth health, academic performance, credential of value, workforce development, labor market, government reporting, Oklahoma Agricultural Extension, local funding, financial institutions, county extension services, state funds, free expression, colleges, security fees, public forums