Transcript Highlights:

• I just wanted you to know that us on this side politely declined to accept the chairmanship of this committee
• needs, and we wanted to make sure we were able to have a product that could grow with us. ...as we enrolled
• In recent years, the number of children entering our system of care has declined significantly, as we
• We are proud to report that the number of children in out-of-home care continues to decline.
• As the overall number of out-of-home care children has declined, those who remain tend to have more acute

Summary: The committee heard three presentations focused on child welfare workforce development and the needs of children in Florida’s dependency system. First, the Florida Institute for Child Welfare described its Grow Center and related initiatives, including academic curriculum enhancements, simulations, virtual reality training, coaching, on-demand learning, advanced certifications, and the planned Tallahassee learning lab opening in January 2026. Members asked about conflict resolution, domestic violence, addiction, and microcredentials; the presenter said the institute is expanding training in those areas and is working with DCF to align advanced certifications with the department’s career ladder. The Department of Children and Families then presented on the Continue the Mission initiative, which recruits veterans, military spouses, and former law enforcement officers into CPI, API, and case management roles. DCF said it has held more than 240 hiring events and hired 372 such workers since launch, while also improving recruitment and retention through higher starting pay, streamlined hiring, rebranding, wellness supports, and enhanced pre-service training. Senators asked about PTSD concerns, staffing levels, caseloads, hotline vacancies, and salaries; DCF said it had not seen direct PTSD issues from the hiring effort and provided figures including a $50,000 starting salary for CPIs, $37,000 for APIs, and average caseloads of 12 to 15 investigations for CPIs and about 10 for APIs. Finally, DCF discussed the increased acuity of children in the dependency system, explaining that fewer children are entering care overall but those who do often have more complex behavioral, mental health, developmental, or medical needs. The department highlighted a new Behavioral Qualified Residential Treatment Program (BQRTP) designed for youth who need more intensive support than traditional foster or group home settings but do not require inpatient psychiatric treatment; one facility is licensed with 12 of 14 beds filled, and DCF said it is seeking funding for placement for 230 youth total. Members pressed for details on licensure timelines, standards, funding, and the handling of crossover youth and lockouts, and DCF said it uses braided funding and works with DJJ, APD, and lead agencies through local and state review teams. A representative of the Florida Coalition for Children also testified, saying the issue is complex and multi-year, and that the coalition is working on possible legislative and programmatic solutions. The committee took no formal votes and adjourned after the presentations and discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:15:22.560> Um during the uh open enrollment period.
• Um during the uh open enrollment period.
• would cause a 15% decline in rebates. would cause a 15% decline in rebates.
• <01:05:11.839> The premiums for most employ enrolles.
• The premiums for most employ enrolles.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Le there's tension in the system enrol Le there's tension in the system there's<01:01:00.039> an<
• Lee uh like you stated in your enroll Lee uh like you stated in your testimony<01:30:09.400> that
• to the premium going up does the enroll to the premium going up does the enroll Le<01:30:27.800>
• uh spending on branded declined uh spending on branded prescription<01:43:23.599> drugs<01:43
• is deductible or towards the enrollers is deductible or maximum<01:53:49.119> out<01:53:49.280

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Do I have the right to decline those services? Mr. Bergeron, I'm not super confident.
• And in that case, does the staffing for the services decline? Does the cost of that go away?
• Like, I'm not aware of a point in which maybe a client can just decline services so many times or then
• services so many client can just decline services so many times<01:39:15.440> or<01:39:15.520
• Do I have the right to decline those services?

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• After nearly 15 years of declining disciplinary incidents, disorder is once again on the rise in Texas
• dedicated year-round advisors, professional development, and alumni support to ensure students not only enroll
• Uplift has the lowest student-to-advisor ratio in Dallas County, and our students enroll in college and
• That has been proven to increase college enrollment and credential completion, both of which are tied

Bills: HB1022, HB2856, HB3114, HJR5, HB6, HB120, HB210, HB1458, HB1188, HB3126

Keywords: HB 1022, Sul Ross State University, Rio Grande College, Texas State University System, Education Code, higher education, course levels, upper-level college, lower-division courses, community college-style courses, Del Rio, Eagle Pass, Uvalde, Board of Regents, academic programs, university expansion, HB 2856, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, clinical training placements, clinical rotations

Transcript Highlights:

• We've had a couple that we've offered and then declined.
• scholarship students to receive the first and second quarter payments, regardless of when the student enrolled
• And eight... ...of when the student enrolled at an eligible private school.
• The governor's budget creates a new scholarship funding allocation and amends the educational enrollment

Summary: The Pre-K through 12 Budget Subcommittee met for two workshops. The first focused on vacant positions in the Division of Early Learning and the Department of Education. Committee members reviewed vacancy reports, including long-vacant positions and positions that had received discretionary pay adjustments. Division and department officials said many vacancies were being filled, advertised, or under review, but acknowledged persistent recruitment and retention problems, especially for engineering, legal, finance, IT, and other specialized roles. Members questioned whether some long-vacant positions were still necessary, whether overtime and workload were being affected, and whether outside contracting, cross-training, combining positions, or eliminating some vacancies could help. Officials said they were considering those options and noted that hiring has become slower and more difficult since the pandemic, with lower applicant volume and more competition from other agencies and private employers. The second workshop addressed draft legislation related to school choice scholarships and the FEFP. The chair said the committee’s prior hearings raised concerns about student identification numbers, cross-checking between districts and scholarship organizations, duplicated FTE reporting, delayed district payments, scholarship payment timing, and inconsistent data sources. She said the proposed language is intended to standardize scholarship processing and improve accuracy and efficiency while preserving the long-standing FEFP principle that funds follow the student. She also said funding scholarship students below the line would not solve the identified problems and could create disparities. The draft would align processing for the Family Empowerment Scholarship and Florida Tax Credit Scholarship programs and would reduce add-on weights by 50% while keeping the current policy structure. No votes were taken. The chair invited further comments and said the draft budget and legislation would continue to be refined before rollout. The meeting adjourned without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• school the previous year, were enrolled school the previous year, were enrolled in<00:29:15.919>
• We opened did do concurrent enrollment.
• :39.440> been while overall enrollments have been while overall enrollments have been going<00
• <01:27:45.920> That mandatory open enrollment bill. That mandatory open enrollment bill.
• as you decide to remove the enrollment as you decide to remove the enrollment cap. cap. cap.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They have to set it up, but then it declines after that, where you're just basically maintaining it.
• They have to set it up, but then it declines after that, where you're just basically maintaining it.
• So the best number I can give you is those enrolled with Medicaid.
• So the best number I can give you is those enrolled with Medicaid. Thank you.
• <00:47:16.359> with separate sites that were enrolled with separate sites that were enrolled

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: Division 3 Finance held a work session to move through five bills before noon, noting one member’s early departure and adjusting the order of bills accordingly. The first item, HB 54, would allow some alternative treatment centers in the medical cannabis system to operate for profit. Members discussed a fiscal note showing a one-time $133,000 cost, which was described as a Division 1 budget item to be handled through HB 2 rather than directly in Division 3. After discussion about keeping Division 1 informed and the distinction between retaining a bill versus funding it, the committee voted unanimously to retain HB 54 for further finance work and conversion into HB 2. The committee then took up HB 547, concerning reimbursement to counties for enhanced FMAP funds during the COVID period. The chair summarized the issue as federal enhanced Medicaid matching funds that were received by the state before authority existed to pass them through to counties, creating a disputed amount owed to counties. County representatives said the money should have gone to counties and clarified the relevant time period, while the department did not take a position. The chair proposed retaining the bill and moving it into HB 2, with discussion of a possible four-year repayment structure in equal annual installments. The committee agreed to retain the bill for continued work in the budget process. During the HB 547 discussion, members also clarified the fiscal and accounting details, including that the fiscal note had not been widely available and that some figures in the note should be treated as county revenue rather than county expenditure. Testimony explained that the enhanced FMAP increased from 50 percent to 56.2 percent, and that the state’s and counties’ shares of claims were affected by the timing of the federal change and the later state authorization. The committee emphasized that the issue was complex and budget-dependent, and that retaining the bill would allow further negotiation and incorporation into HB 2 rather than immediate final action.

Transcript Highlights:

• Patients enrolled in IOPs for depression reported a 60 to 80 percent reduction of depressive symptoms
• Federal law guarantees automatic enrollment for babies born to Medicaid-enrolled mothers beginning at
• Medicaid were not auto-enrolled in Medicaid at birth, totaling over $22,000.
• process takes about 45 days compared to just six days for auto-enrollment.
• In order to auto-enroll the baby into newborn Medicaid. But we are where we have.

Bills: HB231, HB231, HB475, HB488, HB632, HB821, HB1786, HB1955, HB2036, HB2060, HB2659, HB2677

Keywords: HB 231, Texas Water Code, TCEQ, permit exemption, dam, reservoir, erosion control, flood control, floodwater control, sediment control, watershed protection, Natural Resources Conservation Service, NRCS, Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act, local sponsor, water appropriation, small dam, water diversion, maintenance, rehabilitation

Transcript Highlights:

• And obviously, enrollment, which is an issue that is a priority for us, as we have seen UC's enrollment
• 2027–28 and look at can we continue to increase enrollment, do we have to downscale enrollment?
• undergraduate enrollment.
• non-resident enrollment at no more than 18% of total undergraduate enrollment.
• This enrollment level would exceed the compact enrollment goal.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance, chaired by Assemblymember Alvarez, held a hearing focused on University of California budget issues. The committee reviewed UC core operations funding, enrollment trends, federal funding threats, Title IX implementation, and basic needs support. Major themes included the end of the Governor’s multi-year UC compact, the state’s fiscal outlook, UC’s enrollment growth, and the potential impacts of federal policy changes on research, health care, and student aid. On core funding, the Department of Finance described the Governor’s proposal to continue compact-related support, defer some payments, and authorize a cash-flow loan. The LAO recommended a smaller or no base increase, earmarking some funds for capital renewal, retiring deferrals when possible, avoiding new compact commitments, and funding UC annually rather than through compacts. UC argued that the compact has supported enrollment growth, student services, and operating costs, but said campuses face rising expenses, structural deficits, and limited reserves. Members questioned the effects of deferrals on students and discussed the need to prioritize less harmful reductions if cuts become necessary. The enrollment panel focused on UC’s growth in California resident enrollment and the nonresident replacement plan at Berkeley, UCLA, and UC San Diego. The LAO recommended maintaining the current enrollment target, funding enrollment separately from base increases, pausing the nonresident replacement plan, and holding enrollment flat in 2027-28. UC said it has already met compact enrollment goals, grown California undergraduate enrollment by about 18,800 students, and that further growth depends on ongoing state support. The committee also discussed the cost of enrollment growth, possible differential nonresident tuition, and a reporting request for UC to analyze the nonresident replacement approach; the motion to adopt supplemental reporting language passed. The hearing also covered federal funding risks, with the LAO and UC warning that federal changes could affect research grants, medical center reimbursement, and student financial aid. UC said research cancellations and suspensions are disrupting labs and graduate student support, while federal health policy changes could increase uncompensated care at UC hospitals. In the Title IX update, UC described its systemwide civil rights structure, annual student training, and campus support offices, and members praised the work while asking about ongoing concerns and intersegmental collaboration. The final basic-needs item began with Finance stating the Governor’s budget does not change ongoing support, but the transcript cuts off before further discussion or action.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, but then there's other administrative issues where maybe there's an enrollment issue, a billing issue
• required to do Medicaid expansion, we've seen that in expansion states, they've seen a 20 to 25% decline
• ...states, they've seen a 20 to 25% decline in their uncompensated care.
• They saw nearly 3,300 rural medical practices close and had a 43% decline in independent physicians.
• , all kinds... ...provider enrollment, all kinds of regulatory or administrative side being a driver

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Worthington would be required to pay tuition for the 14 school choice students we currently have enrolled
• Worthington would be required to pay tuition for the 14 school choice students we currently have enrolled
• Small towns do not have the enrollment buffers or diversified revenue sources of the larger districts
• Richmond is a very small rural district of western Massachusetts with limited enrollment, staffing, and
• Richmond is a very small rural district of western Massachusetts with limited enrollment, staffing, and

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Education held a hearing on two late-file bills: H. 4867, concerning school choice, and H. 4927, concerning access to applied behavior analysis (ABA). For H. 4867, testimony focused on a DESE interpretation of M.G.L. c. 76, §12B(k) that would require small elementary-only districts with school choice students to pay secondary tuition when those students continue into high school. Superintendents, school committee members, parents, teachers, and a representative argued this creates large fiscal shortfalls for rural districts such as Hancock, Warwick, Richmond, and Worthington, which do not operate high schools and already rely on tuition agreements for their own resident students. Witnesses said the current interpretation has led some districts to stop accepting school choice students, reducing class sizes and limiting educational opportunities; they urged an exemption or amendment so these districts could continue school choice without assuming high school tuition obligations for nonresident students. Committee members asked about the number of affected districts, how the arrangement worked before 2023, and whether alternative statutory language might solve the issue more broadly. Representative Barrett described the bill as a simple fix to an unenforced provision that had only recently been raised by DESE, and the hearing later included testimony from both district officials and families supporting the bill. The committee closed testimony on H. 4867 and H. 4927 and then adjourned. H. 4927 drew testimony from educators, an ABA provider, and a parent of a child with autism in support of protecting in-school ABA access. Witnesses said the bill would clarify that qualified ABA providers, including BCBAs and RBTs under supervision, may deliver services in schools while allowing districts to maintain neutral safety and operational rules. They argued that inconsistent access to ABA can undermine districts’ obligations under IDEA, including free appropriate public education and placement in the least restrictive environment, and that school-based ABA can reduce removals from class, improve student progress, and support families. A parent testified that her young son needs ABA to function in school and that promised supports had been delayed or not delivered, while another witness said the bill would help ensure accountability and consistent services for students with autism.

Transcript Highlights:

• Page 32 is just enrollment participation by all the different entities that exist.
• That was digital enrollment through VLACS, so there's a bump there.
• Schools does that assume enrollment Schools does that assume enrollment growth<01:36:59.040>
• That Mark was talking about before only include kids enrolled in your public school.
• "As long as the student is enrolled in the program, the funds can roll over.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Department of Education’s Bureau of School Finance provided an adequacy-funding training for Division II, led by Mark Mello. He walked the committee through the adequacy formula using Albany, Allenstown, and Alton as examples, explaining average daily membership, base adequacy aid, and differential aid for free/reduced-price meals, special education, and English language learners. He also noted a recent change requiring home-education differential aid and emphasized that these aid streams are generally unrestricted district funding rather than money tied to specific students or programs. A major focus was the ongoing litigation over the adequacy base amount and the statewide education property tax, or SWEPT. Mello explained the historical basis of the current base amount, the 2008 legislative report that set the original methodology, and the later court ruling that the adequacy amount should be $7,356, which is now before the Supreme Court. He also described how SWEPT currently raises a fixed statewide amount of $363 million and how that revenue is used to offset the state’s adequacy obligation. For the example towns, Albany and Allenstown receive state adequacy grants because their SWEPT revenue is below their calculated adequacy cost, while Alton is an excess SWEPT community because its local SWEPT revenue exceeds the cost of adequate education. The discussion then turned to the pending “excess SWEPT” issue in the Supreme Court and what would happen if excess collections had to be remitted to the state. Mello said the Department is preparing a hypothetical walkthrough and explained that, if the court upholds the Superior Court ruling, DRA would likely be directed to collect excess SWEPT. Members raised concerns about whether SWEPT must be used for educational purposes and about the cash-flow burden on towns if money had to move from municipalities to the state and then back to districts. Mello and members discussed possible administrative workarounds, such as credits against other state aid distributions, and noted that the committee would continue reviewing the mechanics if the court decision comes down during budget work.

Transcript Highlights:

• Hepatitis C infections have increased 124% between 2013 and 2020 alone, after decades of steady decline
• Sure, we're still seeing too many deaths, but we've had very impressive declines the past three years
• I'm asking about your Medicaid enrollment specialists and what that looks like in practice.
• And then also, once people are signed up and enrolled in Medicaid, what then?
• So our Medicaid application enrollment specialist has been on staff for maybe three years now.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and proponent of dual enrollment and proponent of dual enrollment and especially for law enforcement
• I think that people to dual enrollment I think that people to dual enrollment I think that Alabama has
• don't you don't you don't you enrollment don't you don't you don't you enrollment don't you don't you
• don't you agree with me I I think do enrollment agree with me I I think do enrollment agree with me
• uh one of them is the dual enrollment uh one of them is the dual enrollment right uh right uh right

Keywords: sessions, 2025-R, 1, 219

Transcript Highlights:

• enrollments.
• enrollments.
• enrollments.
• enrollments.
• enrollments.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• enrollment.
• I think first and foremost is dual enrollment, trying to identify high school students.
• But I really love early college and the dual enrollment programs.
• One of those, I think, is growing dual enrollment.
• Before I move on, the dual enrollment is something you've talked a lot about.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and uh student attendance and enrollment and uh student attendance and public<00:21:43.120> schools
• it's a the language of HB enrollment it's a the language of HB 741<00:22:09.440> thank<00:22:
• has, in fact, declined, and that is something that the USNH system is well aware of.
• has, in fact, declined, and that is something that the USNH system is well aware of.
• But, um, this past fall was the first time that the number of students enrolling in these institutions

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The House Finance Division II work session considered several amendments to HB 2. The first two items were rejected: a proposal to add a new “Lakes” license plate with proceeds to the cyanobacteria fund failed 7-8, and Amendment 1040, which would have imposed a 5% administrative fee on certain dedicated funds to raise general fund revenue, failed 4-5. Representative Maguire explained the fee would apply only to new revenue going forward and would not change existing fund balances; he also described exemptions for federal funds, bequests, and other special cases. Representative Murray questioned the consistency of the approach and who currently pays administrative costs, while Maguire said the charges are often handled case-by-case by agencies or the treasurer. The committee then revisited revenue distribution changes in HB 2. Members first reconsidered and reversed prior acceptance of sections affecting the Education Trust Fund, then adopted Amendment 1381H, which changes the distribution of business profits tax and business enterprise tax revenue, along with related sections, to shift more money to the General Fund. Supporters argued the change was needed to address revenue shortfalls and to align with historical distributions; opponents said it reduced support for education. The reconsideration motion passed 7-3, and the amendment itself passed 5-3. The committee also adopted Amendment 1413H, incorporating the language of HB 741 on open enrollment and student attendance in public schools. Supporters said it was House policy and had sufficient policy and fiscal impact to belong in HB 2; opponents noted the underlying bill had been controversial and passed the House by a relatively close margin. Finally, the committee considered a USNH budget reduction proposal that would cut the University System of New Hampshire by $25 million per year net. Supporters said the cut was necessary to balance the budget and that K-12 obligations had to take priority, while opponents argued the cut would harm workforce development, the state economy, and student retention. The transcript cuts off during extended debate, and no final vote on the USNH item is shown in the provided text.

Transcript Highlights:

• Yeah, the work requirement is a month prior to enrollment.
• This is the Apple Health enrolled, Apple Health Medicaid enrolled doulas.
• We have currently enrolled 134 doulas across the state.
• , Apple Health Medicaid enrolled doulas.
• We have currently enrolled 134 doulas across the state.

Summary: The committee first received an update on the effects of HR1 and related federal Medicaid and marketplace changes from Governor’s Office and Health Care Authority staff. Presenters said the most immediate coverage losses are expected in the individual market beginning in January, with premium increases and an estimated 80,000 people potentially unable to afford coverage. They warned that larger Medicaid impacts will follow over the next year and beyond, including tighter eligibility checks, work requirements, reduced retroactive coverage, limits on state-directed payments and provider taxes, new cost-sharing, and changes affecting certain non-citizen adults. They also said the state plans to seek a waiver or extension for work requirements and will continue to analyze impacts, including on rural providers and Planned Parenthood-related services. Members asked about the effect on nursing homes, rural hospitals, and how the state can help providers and enrollees navigate the new requirements; staff said timelines and a state-specific implementation chart are being developed. The committee then heard a report on the International Medical Graduate Work Group and Washington’s efforts to create pathways for internationally trained physicians. Testimony described the clinical experience license, the clinical evaluation assessment tool, grant funding for IMG support organizations, and a new hardship waiver process enacted this year. National presenters said many states have adopted similar pathways because of physician shortages, but Washington and Tennessee are among the few states that have actually issued licenses so far. They recommended clear guardrails, an employment offer before application, ECFMG certification, supervised practice, and data collection to avoid exploitation and protect patients. Members asked about state-to-state variation, retention of IMGs, and whether Washington should pursue dedicated residency or preceptorship options; presenters said the key next step is moving successful participants from supervised experience to a durable long-term license. The final topic was implementation of Washington’s Apple Health doula benefit and the statewide doula hub and referral system. Senator T’wina Nobles highlighted the state’s $3,500 per-birth Medicaid reimbursement rate for doulas and the importance of the hub for referrals, training, and billing. Health Care Authority staff said the benefit launched January 1, 2025, and covers prenatal intake, labor and delivery, postpartum visits, and telehealth-supported services. They reported 336 state-certified doulas, 134 enrolled in Apple Health, 287 unique clients served, and 641 claims paid so far. Testimony emphasized doulas’ role in improving birth outcomes, reducing unnecessary interventions, and addressing racial disparities in maternal health, while noting that implementation is still early and ongoing.

Transcript Highlights:

• > are<00:42:17.040> refined Um our enrollment processes are refined Um our enrollment processes
• He's enrolled.
• He's enrolled.
• Seeing none, all in favor... employer roll enrolls the employee employer roll enrolls the employee to
• <01:37:17.440> over<01:37:17.720> time to decline over time to decline over time if

Keywords: 918, senate, all

Summary: The commission approved the March 17 minutes and then heard testimony on Senate File 4419 / House File 4069, as amended, which would exempt J-1 visa-holding teachers and their school districts from Teachers Retirement Association contribution requirements during the teachers’ exchange term. Senator Pappas and Representative Feist said the bill is intended to help districts fill hard-to-staff special education and other positions by letting J-1 teachers keep more of their pay for immediate relocation costs, while also redirecting employer savings toward onboarding, mentorship, and cultural orientation. They argued the teachers are temporary by design, often cannot stay long enough to benefit from TRA, and that the bill would be roughly neutral for TRA because contributions and matching liability would both be removed. Supportive testimony came from Matthew Connelly of Lattice Global Teachers and Melissa Schaller of Intermediate School District 917. Connelly said J-1 teachers arrive with significant upfront expenses and only a short window to establish themselves, and that the exemption could save them about $4,000 to $5,000 while helping schools afford recruitment and support costs. Schaller said her district has relied on international special education teachers to fill vacancies, that the H-1B option is no longer workable because of a large fee increase, and that J-1 hiring is needed to remain competitive; she noted 17 open special education positions for 2026-27 and no other applicants. Caitlin Snyder of Education Minnesota opposed the bill, arguing it lowers compensation and removes a retirement option without enough input from teachers themselves. She said the bill does not ensure the employer savings would be used for housing or other supports, and urged more direct consultation with J-1 teachers. Several members raised concerns about fairness, pension protection, and whether the bill could create unintended consequences for teachers who later remain in Minnesota. Senator Pappas responded that the circumstances are unusual because J-1 teachers are temporary and often cannot return, and said TRA had indicated the proposal would be neutral or supportive, unlike a separate St. Paul teachers issue. Representative O’Driscoll asked about J-1 teachers in higher education and private schools, and Mr. Connelly said the visa is mainly used in K-12 settings but can also appear in charter and private schools; he also noted many J-1 holders face a two-year home-residence requirement. The chair indicated the bill was slated for inclusion in the omnibus pension bill, but no final vote on the bill itself was taken in the portion of the meeting provided.