Transcript Highlights:

• support marketing and outreach efforts to increase student participation in the GATE program located in rural

Committee: Senate Education Postsecondary

Summary: The Committee on Education Postsecondary heard two bills. First, it considered Senate Bill 312 relating to the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition. The committee took up a strike-all amendment and then a secondary amendment offered by Senator Fine to clarify that the current University of West Florida Board of Trustees chair would have no role in the organization. Members described the changes as friendly, and both amendments were adopted. The bill, as amended, was then reported favorably by roll call vote. The committee then heard Senate Bill 1624 on higher education, which was presented as a broad higher-education package. The bill would set market-rate out-of-state fees for nonresident online students, revise financial aid and support program language, provide tuition and fee waivers for Florida State Guard members, change rules for adult and career education programs, redirect certain workforce-related funds, rename Hillsborough Community College as Hillsborough State College, rename the Florida Educational Equity Act as the Florida Educational Equality Act, adjust appointments to certain boards and councils, update admissions and scholarship references to include the classical learning test, broaden the definition of opioid antagonist, repeal a grandparent-based out-of-state fee waiver, and strengthen FIU’s Office of Ocean Economy. There was no public testimony or debate, and the bill was reported favorably by roll call vote. The meeting concluded after both measures were approved and no further business was raised.

Transcript Highlights:

• there a week earlier talking about the call for applications to expand reach across greater Minnesota, rural
• This has no fiscal impact, as deemed by Management and Budget. It is budget neutral.
• This has no fiscal impact, as deemed by Management and Budget. It is budget neutral.
• foundations, as the testifier had mentioned, have a history of making investments known as PRI, uh, impact-focused
• Investments known as the PRI, uh, impact-focused investments.

Committee: Senate Energy, Utilities, Environment, and Climate

Transcript Highlights:

• We're grateful for his life, his service, and the enduring impact that his life and ministry has had
• and our team provided in their daily recommendations, reading every bill and focusing on the... ...impact
• Craddick have been steadfast champions for rural health and the physician assistant profession.
• The energy and work ethic of all of our interns have made a real impact in our office, and work ethic
• of all of our interns have made a real impact in our office and for our communities.

Summary: The House met on sine die and began with prayer, pledges, quorum verification, and a series of announcements and recognitions. The chamber received Senate messages reporting adoption of conference committee reports on SB 268 and SB 2972, and Senate concurrence in House amendments to SB 1637. Members also referred several resolutions and announced the signing of numerous House and Senate measures by the presence of the House. Technical correction resolutions were adopted: HCR 171, authorizing corrections to HB 46, passed 138-0, and SCR 55, making a wording correction in SB 1964, passed 126-12. A large portion of the meeting was devoted to memorials and recognitions. The House honored Pastor Dave Welch, with several members offering condolences and reflections on his work organizing pastors and engaging in civic life, followed by a moment of silence. Members also recognized the Ganado High School Maidens for winning the 2025 UIL 2A Division I softball state championship, Waco police K-9 Andor after being shot in the line of duty, Region 7 DPS for Capitol Complex security, and various restaurants, staff members, interns, caucus staff, and caucus freshmen of the year across Republican, Democratic, Black, Progressive, LGBTQ, IT, Energy and Climate, and Mexican American Legislative Caucuses. The chamber also heard a retirement-style address from Rep. Tony Tinderholt, who reflected on his six sessions in the House, his military service, and his decision to step aside to focus on family, while colleagues from both parties praised his service, discipline, and willingness to work across differences. The House then continued with additional staff and caucus recognitions, including committee staff, district office staff, and interns, with members repeatedly thanking their teams for their work during the session.

Transcript Highlights:

• God bless you, Lieutenant Colonel O’Sullivan, and may your next chapter be as impactful as the one you
• chapter be as impactful as the one<00:47:54.160><c> you</c><00:47:54.560><c> leave</c><00:47:54.880>
• :03.440><c> it's</c><05:07:03.760><c> education</c> rural America, whether it's education rural America
• Investment in rural America.
• </c><08:04:38.638><c> on</c> indicator with a substantial impact on indicator with a substantial impact

Transcript Highlights:

• First, consumer impact.
• </c><00:36:28.359><c> on</c><00:36:28.560><c> consumers,</c> of its impact on consumers, of its impact
• </c> in terms of any kind of financial impact in terms of any kind of financial impact on<00:42:15.720
• </c><00:47:30.440><c> um</c> that would impact um that would impact um their<00:47:32.080><c> purview
• </c> health care impact for our community. health care impact for our community.

Transcript Highlights:

• in the House to advocating for education, and his years of public service made a lasting, positive impact
• We've already seen the impacts of past legislation when it comes to removing books that folks, that a
• I won't refute that that is an impact.
• The impact is the problem. The mechanism is the problem. The impact is the problem.
• And I wish there was more time to, you know, dive into this with all impacted people.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, a moment of silence for former member Terry Fields and the Parkland victims, the Pledge of Allegiance, and routine organizational actions including approval of the journal and adoption of a special order report. The chamber then took up House Bill 1119, relating to materials harmful to minors, which the sponsor described as a measure to clarify and strengthen standards for removing obscene or pornographic content from public school classrooms and libraries while preserving educational uses and not targeting classical literature, LGBTQ content, or other protected viewpoints. Members questioned the bill’s use of terms such as “predominantly,” its relationship to existing local review processes, the impact on AP/IB and college-level materials, the applicability to voucher-funded schools, and the risk of additional First Amendment litigation and costs. The sponsor responded that the bill was needed because current standards were being bypassed and that the legislation was aimed at material harmful to minors, not general literary value. The House considered numerous amendments, most of which were defeated. Amendments offered by Representatives Gant, Aristide, Bartleman, Eskamani, Nixon, Rainer, Woodson, and Harris sought, among other things, to preserve parental choice during review periods, restore a whole-work constitutional standard, limit repeated objections, protect educational and abuse-prevention materials, prevent LGBTQ-inclusive books from being labeled harmful solely on that basis, shield school districts from funding penalties, and delay enforcement in districts already under litigation. Supporters of the amendments argued that the bill would encourage censorship, remove books with clear literary or educational value, burden districts with costs and lawsuits, and harm students who rely on school libraries for access to reading material and representation. Opponents of the amendments argued the bill was necessary to protect minors from explicit content and that the proposed changes would weaken that protection. All of the amendments described in the transcript failed. After the amendment process, the House waived rules, read HB 1119 a third time by title, and entered structured debate on final passage. In closing debate, opponents repeated concerns about constitutional vulnerability, overbroad book removals, and the educational harm of limiting access to literature, while supporters framed the bill as a child-protection measure and a clarification of existing law. The transcript ends during the structured debate on final passage, before the final vote on the bill is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• in the House to advocating for education, and his years of public service made a lasting, positive impact
• We've already seen the impacts of past legislation when it comes to removing books that folks, that a
• I won't refute that that is an impact.
• The impact is the problem.
• And I wish there was more time to, you know, dive into this with all impacted people.

Transcript Highlights:

• impacts with the mild recession, and zero impact on current conditions.
• impacts with the mild recession, and zero impact on current conditions.
• impacts with the mild recession, and zero impact on current conditions.
• impacts with the mild recession, and zero impact on current conditions.
• Big impacts with the mild recession, and zero impact on current conditions.

Committee: House Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services

Transcript Highlights:

• legislators that live in this community, that understand this community and the challenges that we face as a rural
• legislators that live in this community, that understand this community and the challenges that we face as a rural
• and the the challenges that we face<01:23:23.600><c> as</c><01:23:23.920><c> a</c><01:23:24.080><c> rural
• </c><01:23:25.760><c> So,</c><01:23:26.239><c> we</c><01:23:26.480><c> would</c> face as a rural um,
• So, we would face as a rural um, state.

Bills: SF0023 , SF0057

Committee: House Labor, Health & Social Services

Transcript Highlights:

• up being a reliable ongoing source of transit funding, especially as exacerbated by recessionary impacts
• up being a reliable ongoing source of transit funding, especially as exacerbated by recessionary impacts
• Counties have ongoing roles supporting mobility management generally and, specifically, in rural portions
• MDOT is the designated recipient of some sources of transit funding, especially for rural areas in the
• MDOT is the designated recipient of some sources of transit funding, especially for rural areas in the

Bills: HF4693

Committee: House Transportation Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• If you want to really see impact in education, there are a few things that you can do.
• on students so that we could see that impact in the classroom on student learning.
• So I do think that the next phase, That impact in the classroom on student learning.
• When decisions are made in Sacramento, our members see that impact immediately.
• When decisions are made in Sacramento, our members see that impact immediately.

Summary: The Assembly Education Committee first heard two bills. AB 1665 by Assemblymember Pacheco would require school sports coaches to complete approved mental health training. Supporters said coaches are trusted adults who are often first to notice student-athlete distress, and a witness described personal experience with body image and disordered eating pressures in athletics. There was no opposition, and the bill was moved out of committee on a due pass as amended motion to Appropriations, ultimately passing 9-0 after add-on votes. AB 2316 by Assemblymember Hoover would allow charter schools to apply for the same financial hardship relief in the state school facilities program that traditional districts can seek. Supporters argued this would improve parity and help smaller and low-income charter schools access permanent facilities; some initially opposed agencies said their concerns were addressed by amendments. The bill also passed unanimously, 9-0, to Appropriations. The committee then took up a consent calendar containing 12 additional measures, including bills on education funding, facilities, and other school-related matters, plus a resolution. Those items were approved on a 7-0 vote, with the roll left open for add-on votes. After the bill hearing portion was recessed and later reconvened, additional members added votes to AB 1665, AB 2316, and the consent calendar, bringing each to 9-0. The committee then held an informational hearing on state-level education governance, centered on Governor Newsom’s proposal to restructure the California Department of Education and the role of the elected Superintendent of Public Instruction, with AB 2117 serving as a policy vehicle carrying the same language and no action to be taken. Testimony came from the Legislative Analyst’s Office, the Education Commission of the States, and former CDE chief deputy Richard Zager. Witnesses reviewed the history of California’s governance structure, compared it with other states, and discussed accountability, legislative oversight, and the role of the superintendent under the proposal. Committee members raised concerns about preserving checks and balances, the fiscal implementation plan, county-office relationships, and whether the superintendent’s role would be reduced too far; no vote was taken at the informational hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Financial impact on local school<02:06:19.280><c> DS</c><02:06:19.520><c> for</c><02:06:19.719><c> Rural
• </c> well uh to inform them of the impacts well uh to inform them of the impacts that<02:08:43.840><c
• Representative Miller continued: The financial impact is what we want to know—how this is impacting a
• impact impact because<02:12:22.880><c> your</c><02:12:23.040><c> revenues</c><02:12:23.440><c> are</
• </c><02:12:35.559><c> in</c> be considerably different impact in be considerably different impact in

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 that's under the Rural Property Tax Law.

Committee: Senate Rules

Summary: The committee took up a long list of bills and chapter amendments, largely under the Education Law, Insurance Law, General Business Law, Social Services Law, Election Law, Environmental Conservation Law, and related statutes. The transcript reflects repeated motions and seconds, with members generally voting in favor and no recorded opposition on most items. Bills reported included measures sponsored by Senators Prasad, Martinez, Krueger, Serrano, CUNY, Gianaris, Harckham, Fernandez, and others, along with several technical amendments to prior laws and chapter acts. Among the topics referenced were education-related changes, insurance and business regulation, veterans services, housing finance, election law, labor and civil rights matters, mental hygiene and health provisions, retirement and social security, property tax and state finance updates, and amendments to older chapters and laws. The meeting also included reports on bills affecting vehicle and traffic law, military law, environmental conservation, and local or municipal law provisions. The transcript is noisy and repetitive, but the overall pattern is that the committee advanced a broad slate of legislation. No substantive testimony or debate is captured in the transcript beyond the motions, seconds, and the repeated statement that bills were reported, often “in favor” or “all in favor.” The session concluded with the remaining items being reported and “all pieces of business for today being adjourned.”

Transcript Highlights:

• This is just where we reappropriate some of the ARPA funds from some of these rural hospital rebuild

Bills: HCR1026 , SB1130 , SB1134 , SB1131 , SB1132 , SB1133 , SB1142 , HR1049

Summary: The House reconvened after a quorum call and took up several Senate bills with joint committee reports, mostly involving health and human services funding. SB 1130, relating to University Hospitals authority, passed 74-12 and its emergency clause also passed. SB 1134, funding the Oklahoma State University Medical Authority, passed 75-14 with the emergency clause approved. SB 1131, appropriating ARP interest funds to address a Rogers County gap for the Office of Juvenile Affairs, passed 81-10 and the emergency clause passed. SB 1132, reappropriating ARPA funds for rural hospital rebuild programs under the State Department of Health to avoid federal clawback, passed 82-10 with emergency approval. SB 1133, involving the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services and repurposing interest funds for a Norman building project, passed 68-24 and its emergency clause also passed. SB 1142, appropriating ARPA funds to the Department of Human Services consistent with pandemic relief recommendations, passed 68-21 and the emergency clause was adopted. The House also considered H.R. 1049, a resolution designating May as Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month. Representative Newton summarized asthma’s impact in Oklahoma and nationally, including child health effects and recent deaths in the state, and moved adoption by unanimous consent. The transcript ends with announcements and adjournment until the next scheduled meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• terrible idea to take any money from IDLA as it has become such a lifeblood for our schools, for our rural

Committee: House Ways and Means

Transcript Highlights:

• The Committee for Rural Issues will come to order. Madam Clerk, would you please call the roll?

Committee: House Special Committee on Rural Issues

Summary: The Committee for Rural Issues met with a quorum and took up House Bill 3076, with a House Committee Substitute offered for adoption. The bill sponsor explained that the substitute was intended to clarify language so the Department of Natural Resources would not have to permit common agricultural non-point source practices, describing it as codifying current DNR practice and not creating a blanket exemption from pollution rules. Committee members discussed concerns about CAFO manure application, runoff, over-application, and environmental impacts, while supporters said best management practices and existing conservation measures address those risks. Representative Burton argued the bill was a solution in search of a problem and said DNR is not currently mandated to issue these permits, while the sponsor responded that the bill was needed because the current interpretation could require permitting of non-point sources. There was also clarification on the record that DNR did not testify on the bill. After discussion, the committee adopted the House Committee Substitute by voice vote. The committee then voted on the substitute for House Bill 3076 and reported it do pass. The roll call showed 11 in favor, 1 opposed, and 2 present, with Representative Burton voting no and the rest of those voting supporting the measure. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Committee for Rural Issues will come to order. Madam Clerk, would you please call the roll?

Committee: House Special Committee on Rural Issues

Transcript Highlights:

• I represent a very rural district. I'm sorry, I miss Tasha. Jeez, Louise, excuse me. I'm sorry.

Committee: House House Taxation & Revenue

Transcript Highlights:

• from the Committee on Local government and re-referred to the Committee on Water, Agriculture and Rural

Bills: SCR22 , SB53 , SB204 , SB266 , SB268 , SB291 , SB292 , SB296 , SB304 , SB305 , SB413 , SB447 , SB455 , SB462 , SB493 , SB504 , SB519 , SB522 , SB532 , SB541 , SB667 , SB670 , SB673 , SB681 , SB687 , SB711 , SB746 , SB765 , SB783 , SB827 , SB850 , SB860 , SB888 , SB897 , SB901 , SB927 , SB955 , SB963 , SB984 , SB989 , SB993 , SB996 , SB1023 , SB1033 , SB1058 , SB1062 , SB1101 , SB1119 , SB1172 , SB1173 , SB1215 , SB1220 , SB1227 , SB1228 , SB1229 , SB1238 , SB1239 , SB1245 , SB1248 , SB1254 , SB1259 , SB1273 , SB1277 , SB1302 , SB1332 , SB1341 , SB1346 , SB1350 , SB1352 , SB1353 , SB1355 , SB1358 , SB1370 , SB1371 , SB1378 , SB1403 , SB1404 , SB1415 , SB1437 , SB1448 , SB1450 , SB1464 , SB1493 , SB1494 , SB1537 , SB1566 , SB1569 , SB1589 , SB1598 , SB1644 , SB1709 , SB1719 , SB1729 , SB1733 , SB1744 , SB1772 , SB1810 , SB1841 , SB1895 , SB1930 , SB2039 , SB2289 , SB2312 , SCR1 , SCR6 , SCR27 , SCR32 , SB2232

Transcript Highlights:

• I know many of us represent rural districts, and I would invite you to sign on to Senate Bill 15.