Transcript Highlights:

• K- through 2 education in Kentucky.
• K- through 2 education in Kentucky.
• education K- through2 education<00:02:49.120> in<00:02:49.440> Kentucky.
• of other things going on in education. of other things going on in education.
• CS is not just an education initiative. CS is not just an education initiative.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Budget Review Subcommittee on Education met without a quorum, so the minutes were not approved. The main presentation was from retired economics professors John Garren and Dr. Kums, who discussed their Bluegrass Institute research on teacher compensation in Kentucky since the Kentucky Education Reform Act era. They said teacher base salaries, adjusted for inflation, have declined over the last decade, while state-paid “on-behalf” benefits such as pension and health insurance contributions have risen sharply; they argued total teacher compensation has increased modestly overall, but less than per-pupil funding. They also presented broader context on staffing growth, declining average daily attendance, Kentucky’s low share of teachers among total school staff, and flat or weak NAEP and ACT performance trends, including widening white-Black score gaps on NAEP. Members questioned the methodology and interpretation of the compensation figures. Representative Bojanowski argued the on-behalf calculations may overstate teacher compensation because they include insurance and pension costs that also benefit classified employees and retirees, and he asked for clarification on the denominator used to derive the per-teacher amount. Representative Truit said the presentation could be misleading if it implies teachers earn $94,000 in salary, and he objected to framing pension stabilization payments as teacher pay. The presenters responded that they were using total compensation, not salary alone, said they had divided total personnel-related on-behalf payments by the relevant staff count, and promised to review and send a technical explanation. Representative Truit and Chairman Typton both emphasized that compensation should be viewed as salary plus benefits, not salary alone, and noted that pension contributions are part of the cost of employing teachers. The presenters said their intent was to show the full compensation package and its relevance to labor supply and teacher shortages, not to claim that individual teachers earn the total compensation figure as salary. No votes or formal actions were taken beyond the decision to revisit the minutes at a later meeting due to the lack of quorum.

Transcript Highlights:

• Occupational Education Act of 1981. Occupational Education Act of 1981.
• workers from organizing into a union. workers from organizing into a union.
• It is a barrier designed to stop workers It is a barrier designed to stop workers from<01:49:27.480><
• Um, union<02:04:12.680> workers<02:04:13.080> do union workers do union workers do good
• We're talking about workers, and I appreciate the fact that we need to take care of the worker.

Keywords: 981, all

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, approved the journal, and received several committee reports moving bills forward, including measures from Transportation and Energy and Corporations. The chamber also heard a House message transmitting House Bill 1281. Later, senators used moments of personal privilege to recognize Día del Niño guests and welcome children and community representatives to the chamber; those remarks were ordered spread upon the journal. On the consent calendar and third reading calendar, the Senate passed a number of bills, including Senate Bill 171 on pre-production plastic disposal, Senate Bill 173 on teacher training in certain fitness disciplines, House Bill 1290 on assault sentencing, House Bill 1052 on Victim Rights Act changes, House Bill 1214 on continuation of the controlled substances licensing act, House Bill 1260 on child care assistance, Senate Bill 17 on out-of-network health care dispute resolution, House Bill 1313 on Statewide Affordable Housing Fund requirements, House Bill 1283 on confiscation of identification documents, Senate Bill 174 on lead generation marketing for legal services, House Bill 1193 on vision tests for pre-kindergarten students, Senate Bill 170 creating a task force on public school access, House Bill 1242 on interlock restricted licenses, House Bill 1258, and Senate Bill 165 on species conservation funding. Several of these passed with recorded no votes, especially House Bill 1214 and House Bill 1283. The most substantive debate centered on Senate Bill 138, which was described as reducing administrative burden in the health care system by repealing or modifying certain requirements on health facilities and insurance carriers. The Senate adopted committee report amendments, including provisions on opioid training for veterinarians and dentists, before passing the bill. Another extended discussion involved Senate Bill 172 on the Front Range Passenger Rail District; supporters said it would shrink and better tailor the district to the planned rail corridor, while a senator from Adams County argued the district should not ask communities to pay for rail service they may not use. The Senate also reconsidered and repassed Senate Bill 170 after a procedural mix-up, then proceeded to special orders and adopted the Committee of the Whole report on Senate Bill 165, which was placed on the calendar for third reading and final passage.

Transcript Highlights:

• So it's going to be both education both education both education when we looking at the budget if we're
• And with all of the attacks against the Alabama Educ Education Association the Alabama Educ Education
• education has served many of say public education has served many of say public education has served
• And so whatever we can educated. And so whatever we can educated.
• And uh also the Alabama Educational Television Alabama Educational Television Alabama Educational Television

Bills: HB 10, HB 12, HB 147, HB 1522, HB 422, HB 675, HB 204, HB 748, HB 912

Keywords: regulatory reform, government efficiency, administrative law, rulemaking, agency deference, judicial review, de novo review, Texas Government Code, Administrative Procedure Act, state agencies, plain language, regulatory burden, regulatory reduction, cost-benefit analysis, fiscal note, public benefits and costs, contested case, rule challenge, Texas Regulatory Efficiency Office, advisory panel

Transcript Highlights:

• Three, discrimination against non-U.S. workers.
• that are not Texas construction workers.
• Recruit, educate, and retain workers from all backgrounds, including veterans, underserved communities
• We struggle to attract those workers here.
• So that's mostly done by when we bring in these workers, lower wage workers.

Bills: HB1951, HB2715, HB3092, HB3237, HB3278, HB3511, HB3592, HB3675, HB3778, HB3782, HB3826, HB3970, HB4016, HB4049, HB4341, HB4344, HB4406, HB4427

Keywords: collective bargaining, public works, government contracts, labor agreements, state funding, removal from office, political subdivisions, local government, judicial proceedings, administrative judicial region, electric transmission, public convenience, landowner consent, utility regulation, energy infrastructure, energy consumption, higher education, governmental entities, sustainability, electricity reduction

Transcript Highlights:

• Because farm worker housing Housing instability in our state.
• , and electricians, and teams, construction workers, and electricians, and day workers.
• And yet the data shows that we've had very productive workers.
• So I do. ...the data shows that we've had very productive workers.
• Eighty-six percent of our construction workers are non-union.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The Assembly convened, first dealing with quorum and routine procedural matters before moving through a series of third-reading bills, many focused on immigration enforcement, worker protections, child care, and school or voting-site safety. Early measures included AB 2393, AB 1994, AB 1929, AB 1633, AB 1650, AB 1655, AB 1851, AB 1896, and AB 2230, with authors and supporters arguing these bills would provide accountability, protect immigrant communities, preserve access to benefits and services, and limit intimidation by immigration enforcement. Opponents repeatedly argued the bills were anti-law-enforcement, unconstitutional, or based on exaggerated or nonexistent threats. Several bills passed by recorded vote, including AB 2393 (41-15), AB 1994 (58-0), AB 1929 (41-17), AB 1650 (44-19), AB 1655 (50-14), AB 1851 (56-0), AB 1896 (41-19), and AB 2230 (42-15). AB 1633, a 54-vote bill imposing a tax on for-profit detention facilities, was debated at length but the roll was not completed in the excerpt and the item was moved on from temporarily. After a caucus break, the House returned and took up additional bills. AB 2379 would require child care providers to be informed of constitutional protections and receive multilingual training regarding immigration enforcement; it passed 59-10 on both the urgency and the measure. AB 2460 would direct the education department to update referral protocols so schools can better respond to students affected by immigration enforcement trauma and family deportation; it passed 52-8. AB 2495 would expand prohibitions on unfair immigration-related practices by employers, making immigration-related threats unlawful in workplace disputes; it passed 50-15. Throughout the day, debate was highly partisan and often heated, with repeated exchanges over whether the bills addressed real harms or were political messaging, but the Assembly ultimately advanced the measures that came to a vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• Is the voice of the worker and the workers impacted?
• Cal/OSHA has 20 million workers.
• of workers.
• Workers need to know their rights.
• It comes out of workers' comp.

Summary: The hearing focused on a state audit of Cal/OSHA titled “The Division of Occupational Safety and Health: Process Deficiencies and Staffing Shortages Limit Its Ability to Protect Workers.” Committee leaders and the audit team described serious workplace tragedies, argued that California’s worker protections are not being adequately enforced, and said the audit was prompted by concerns that Cal/OSHA was too often relying on letters instead of inspections, delaying investigations, and closing cases without enough documentation. Members repeatedly emphasized that the issue was not just staffing, but also outdated policies, weak oversight, and inconsistent enforcement. State Auditor Grant Parks said the audit found a 32% vacancy rate in 2023-24, heavy reliance on hard-copy files, outdated or unclear policies, and inconsistent decision-making in complaints, accidents, citations, and fine reductions. He said Cal/OSHA conducted on-site inspections in only about 20% of complaints, used letter investigations more than 80% of the time, often lacked evidence that hazards were corrected, and sometimes failed to inspect serious injury cases on time. The audit also found weak documentation for fine calculations and settlement reductions, with some penalties reduced substantially without clear explanations. Parks said the agency had accepted the findings and would provide progress updates later in the year. Committee members pressed the auditor on vacancy rates, the use of letter investigations, the low rate of criminal referrals, and whether fines were being reduced too often. Cal/OSHA and DIR officials responded that the vacancy rate had fallen to 12% partly because 66 vacant positions were eliminated in a statewide budget reduction and partly because of hiring; they said 126 people had been hired in the first half of the year. They also said they had hired a policy writer, were updating several policies, were planning periodic internal audits, and were developing a new data management system expected to go live in late 2026 or early 2027. On fines, officials said Title 8 sets base penalties and allows adjustments based on factors like employer size, history, and good faith, with appeals and informal conferences also affecting final amounts. No votes or formal actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Assembly Higher Education Committee is now called to order.
• I want to welcome everyone to the Assembly Higher Education Committee hearing.
• students can thrive in their educational journeys.
• that human workers could be replaced by AI.
• It doesn't include a classified worker or an administrator.

Summary: The Assembly Higher Education Committee heard two Senate measures focused on artificial intelligence in higher education. SCR 82 by Senator Niello would encourage the California higher education segments to convene a work group and share best practices on AI use, including how to address academic integrity and student use of AI in coursework. Supportive comments emphasized the need for intersegmental coordination and faculty/student engagement, while the Faculty Association for California Community Colleges raised concerns about preserving faculty purview, academic freedom, and governance differences at the community college level. The resolution was adopted and re-referred to the Committee on Privacy and Consumer Protection on an 8-0 vote. The committee also heard SB 928 by Senator Cervantes, which would establish guardrails for AI use at CSU by requiring that faculty employee positions be filled by humans who meet CSU minimum qualifications and that instructors of record be human faculty for credit and non-credit instruction. The author and supporters, including the California Faculty Association, Teamsters California, the California Federation of Labor Unions, and the State Building and Construction Trades Council, argued the bill is needed to prevent AI from replacing faculty and to preserve the human role in teaching and student support. Members asked for clarification that the bill would not apply to classified, administrative, or clerical employees, and the author’s office said the definition was intended to mirror CSU faculty classifications and bargaining language. Both measures received unanimous support from the committee after discussion. SB 928 was passed to the Assembly Floor on a 10-0 vote, with several members requesting to be added as coauthors. The consent calendar, which included SB 308, SB 892, and SB 968, was also approved unanimously, and the committee adjourned after announcing its next hearing date.

Transcript Highlights:

• We need more social workers. We need to educate more in New Mexico. So we need more education.
• licensed social workers.
• and I'm assuming they're all licensed social workers.
• licensed social workers.
• But within the inequities, licensed social workers would get a...

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• While we're on the subject of education, why then are we not cutting back on K-12 education for those
• Over a third of the state's agricultural workers and nearly a quarter of the construction workers are
• To finish their education.
• Educated workers earn more, contribute more in taxes, and reduce reliance on public assistance, which
• Educated workers contribute more in taxes, boosting the state's revenue.

Summary: The Senate Appropriations Committee took up SB 2-C, a major immigration enforcement bill sponsored by Senator Gruters and co-introduced by Senator Fine. Gruters described the measure as a broad crackdown on illegal immigration that would replace a single immigration officer with a State Board of Immigration Enforcement, create a $250 million grant program for local law enforcement, fund additional Department of Agriculture interdiction staff and facilities, expand pretrial detention for certain unauthorized immigrants, increase criminal penalties, require more cooperation with ICE, and eliminate in-state tuition eligibility for undocumented students. He and supporters framed the bill as a way to support law enforcement, deter illegal immigration, and align Florida with federal enforcement efforts. Committee questioning focused heavily on the bill’s education, detention, and enforcement provisions. Senators pressed Gruters and Fine on why the bill did not address employer sanctions or E-Verify, whether the tuition changes would affect students who had grown up in Florida, how sanctuary-policy enforcement would work, and whether the bill would create practical burdens for prosecutors, jails, and local officials. Gruters said he was open to working on E-Verify in regular session but not to amending this bill, and Fine argued the tuition repeal would apply to undocumented students who had qualified under existing law. Sheriff Bob Gualtieri testified in support, saying ICE bed capacity was still insufficient and that county jails needed more resources to honor detainers. Mark Schlachman of FSU Law offered historical context, noting prior state-federal cooperation efforts and warning of unintended consequences, while several public witnesses opposed the bill as unconstitutional, costly, and harmful to immigrant families and the economy. Opponents from the Southern Poverty Law Center, ACLU of Florida, Florida Center for Fiscal and Economic Policy, Florida Policy Institute, AFL-CIO, and immigrant advocacy groups argued the bill would invite litigation, encourage racial profiling, harm the workforce and higher education, and punish law-abiding immigrants and their families. They emphasized that immigration is a federal matter, that K-12 education must be provided regardless of status, and that removing in-state tuition would reduce access to college and hurt Florida’s economy. Some speakers urged the committee to grandfather current students if the tuition waiver is repealed. The meeting ended with continued public testimony and no final vote reflected in the transcript provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Stacey Smith, Deputy Commissioner, with the Department of Education, with DESE.
• of K-12 education, months and months and months of going over those numbers.
• And do we need to start doing that with early childhood education?
• was a way to get workers into the field.
• So is it hard to find quality child care workers? Probably so.

Summary: The Early Childhood Committee met for an update from the Office of Early Childhood within the Department of Education. Members heard that the office’s goals under the LEARNS Act are to improve kindergarten readiness, support families, ensure quality providers, and expand affordable, accessible child care. Staff reviewed the local lead system, licensing, quality efforts such as CLASS and QRIS, and the two main funding streams: School Readiness Assistance (SRA), a federal CCDF-funded voucher program serving about 14,600 children with a wait list of a little over 3,000, and Arkansas Better Chance (ABC), a state-funded program serving about 21,000 children with authority recently increased to 24,000 slots. A major topic was the difference between market rate surveys and cost analysis studies. Officials said the department is procuring both through an RFP, hoping to begin by August and have results by late in the year. Members pressed for current reimbursement levels, the gap between ABC and SRA funding, and whether ABC funding should be increased to better match costs. Staff explained that SRA rates are set at 75% of the market rate, while ABC per-child funding is much lower, and that ABC slots are limited by the overall allocation. They also explained that some ABC slots were increased by moving children from a discontinued federal pre-K arrangement into ABC to preserve continuity of care. Committee members raised concerns about rural access, infant and toddler shortages, provider stability, workforce pay, and communication with families and providers. Officials said local leads are now helping identify underserved areas, that no county with absolutely no care is known, and that the department is trying to get a truer statewide count of children and providers. They also described efforts to improve communication through monthly provider calls, website postings, and direct case contacts with families. Members discussed possible funding increases, including ideas to reduce the SRA wait list and raise ABC funding, but no formal vote or action was taken beyond approving prior meeting minutes and receiving the update.

Transcript Highlights:

• Assembly Bill 1669 by Assembly Member Pacheco and relating to the postsecondary education.
• AB 1751 includes a minimum wage of $28 an hour for construction workers on townhome projects.
• These workers deserve that.
• provides year-round affordable housing and supportive services to California farm workers.
• Teacher retention is one of the biggest challenges facing public education.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The Assembly met on May 7, 2026, after an initial delay due to lack of quorum, then proceeded through a long House of Origin deadline session focused mainly on floor votes for dozens of bills. The day opened with prayer, a moment of silence for victims of a hate-motivated shooting at an Islamic Center in San Diego, and a warning to visitors about disrupting proceedings. Leadership repeatedly urged members to be on time and at their desks as the chamber worked through a large daily file. The bills considered covered a wide range of topics, including artificial intelligence, community college trustee compensation, transit camera enforcement and privacy, taxation and excess proceeds claims, HOA rules, hepatitis C treatment access, child care planning, greenhouse energy standards, consumer lending, housing and homelessness, pet spay/neuter access, local financing for workforce housing, student financial aid, DUI penalties, senior housing, foster youth, behavioral health licensing, transit stop data, disaster response for child welfare, elections notices, safe surrender for infants, college enrollment and leave policies, insurance regulation, fair funding, school safety, environmental labeling, cash rounding, park passes through libraries, grocery access, pregnancy protections in education, swatting, domestic violence protective orders, farmworker housing, juvenile justice, cervical cancer screening, Medi-Cal transitions, disability certification, and home protection products. Most authors described their bills as cleanup measures, consumer protections, access expansions, or targeted fixes to existing law. Testimony from authors and supporters emphasized access, safety, affordability, and administrative simplification, while a few bills drew policy concerns or opposition, especially AB 1751 on townhome development and labor standards. That bill prompted extended debate over wages, prevailing wage, and stakeholder engagement, but it ultimately passed. Other notable discussion included AB 1628 to extend California’s safe surrender window for infants, AB 1902 on juvenile detention extension hearings, and AB 1925 on permanent disability certification, each framed as addressing difficult real-world gaps in current systems. The chamber took many roll-call votes, with most measures passing overwhelmingly and several by unanimous or near-unanimous margins. A few bills were temporarily passed, retained on file, or moved to the inactive file, and AB 1534 required the call to be lifted and then passed on a 54-8 vote. Overall, the session was dominated by floor action on the daily file rather than committee reports or gubernatorial messages, and the Assembly advanced a large number of bills on a deadline day.

Transcript Highlights:

• LEND stands for Leadership, Education, Neurodevelopmental-Related Disabilities, and I'm a self-advocate
• Most recently, Alaska actually established a workers' compensation stay-at-work program and a workers
• So really great opportunities to keep workers at work.
• Employers also need practical tools to recruit, hire, and retain workers with disabilities.
• , and how that sometimes... ...fall through that cliff, educational and employment cliff.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Disability Employment Subcommittee met with roll call, approved prior meeting minutes, and shared an inspirational quote from Jane Goodall about the importance of every individual. Members then introduced themselves and their roles, including state disability advocates, providers, and commission members, before hearing a presentation from Katia Alpanis and Dina Klumkina of the State Exchange on Employment and Disability (SEED). SEED described its role as a technical assistance and policy resource for states, focused on sharing best practices and examples from other states to expand employment opportunities for people with disabilities. The presentation outlined SEED’s seven policy areas: career readiness and work-based learning, behavioral health and work, stay-at-work/return-to-work supports, employer recruitment and retention tools, entrepreneurship and disability-owned business development, interagency coordination, and state government as a model employer. Examples from other states included scholarship and transition supports in Kentucky and Virginia, stay-at-work programs in Alaska and Washington, accommodation funds in Minnesota, procurement and small business initiatives in New Jersey and Virginia, and model employer efforts in Colorado, New York, and Tennessee. Members also asked about digital accessibility and PEAT; SEED said PEAT has been refunded and that SEED can help with policy-level questions and peer examples, but not implementation of accessibility requirements. Discussion then shifted to possible Massachusetts projects. Members raised concerns about upcoming Medicaid work or civic engagement requirements and how people with disabilities might fall through the cracks, and they asked whether SEED could help Massachusetts use existing documentation, such as IEPs, to reduce barriers. The group identified two main areas for follow-up: a Massachusetts “state as a model employer” roadmap and a youth/young adult employment and volunteer pipeline, potentially linked to transition services and apprenticeship opportunities. SEED agreed to provide Massachusetts-specific analysis and two briefs, one on career readiness policies and one on state-as-model-employer strategies, and the subcommittee planned an offline follow-up meeting to narrow priorities and develop a scope of work.

Transcript Highlights:

• So it could help with further educating...
• The workers' comp backlog is 120,000.
• of workers and a larger population in general.
• And And to protect workers and law-abiding employers.
• We're watching arts workers leave the field in real time.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The subcommittee held a May Revision budget hearing on state administration and related issues, hearing presentations from multiple departments and agencies. Early items included the Public Employment Relations Board on funding for implementation of AB 1 and a reduced request tied to AB 288, the Governor’s Office of Service and Community Engagement on a technical College Corps adjustment, and the Secretary of State on building security upgrades, election security grant matching funds, and payroll system readiness costs. The Department of Consumer Affairs presented a Board of Pharmacy modernization request and a General Fund backfill for the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education; the LAO raised no concerns on the pharmacy item but recommended rejecting the private postsecondary backfill and questioned interest-free loan language. The Employment Development Department outlined several large workload and benefit adjustments, including EDD Next document management funding, UI loan interest, DI/PFL benefit increases, WIOA adjustments, school employee benefits, an EMT training reappropriation, and a technical reversion correction; the LAO flagged the size of the DI/PFL increase and the expansion of the document management scope, while members asked about program impacts and timelines. The California Workforce Development Board presented an April adjustment to reimbursement authority for an interagency agreement with Caltrans, which the LAO said raised no concerns. Public comment on that item and others included support for workforce and apprenticeship initiatives, including the Jails to Jobs proposal and renewal of the Apprenticeship Innovation Fund, though those were not part of the May Revision package. The Department of Industrial Relations then presented several proposals: reclassifying legal positions, continuing modernization of the workers’ compensation EAMS system, Cal/OSHA data modernization, creating a Cal/OSHA emerging technologies unit, reappropriating funds for the California Opportunity Youth Apprenticeship program, and trailer bill changes requiring electronic payment of employer assessments and adjusting the statutory treatment of the workers’ compensation administrative director’s salary. The LAO generally found the IT and salary proposals reasonable but urged close monitoring of the new emerging technologies unit. Committee members, especially Assemblymember Ortega, pressed DIR on long vacancy rates, wage theft claim delays, low collection rates for Cal/OSHA fines, and whether new resources would improve outcomes; DIR said it was pursuing recruitment, classification reviews, and process modernization, while the LAO noted that staffing alone may not explain the delays. The Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board also sought to make permanent a 2024 change to the 60-day reconsideration clock, saying it had reduced backlog and interim orders; the LAO had no concerns. Finally, the Department of Human Resources presented a statewide Employee Assistance Program contract consolidation that would lower costs compared with renewing separate contracts and requested one program manager position to oversee the contract and first responder services; the hearing continued with Finance’s response after the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• TO AMEND THE EDUCATION LAW. >> READ THE LAST SECTION.
• Announce the result. 5706A SENATOR SKOUFIS, AN ACT TO AMEND THE EDUCATION LAW.
• Calendar 314, Senate Print 7025B, Senator Cooney, an act to amend the Education Law.
• to injured workers and the families of those who lost their lives on the job.
• THIS HAS DRIVEN PROVIDERS AWAY AND LEFT INJURED WORKERS.

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate opened with the Pledge of Allegiance, a moment of silent reflection, approval of the prior journal, and several ceremonial introductions. Senator Mayer welcomed students and alumni from the New York Alliance for Early College Pathways, highlighting early college opportunities for high school students. Senator Zellner introduced members of the Buffalo Professional Firefighters Union Local 282 and honored fallen Buffalo firefighter Jayson Arno, with remarks praising firefighters’ service and sacrifice. The chamber then took up Senate Resolution 1489, commemorating the 182nd anniversary of Dominican Republic independence. Senator Sepúlveda presented the resolution and spoke about Dominican history, sovereignty, the Dominican diaspora in New York, and the role of Consul General Jesús Vásquez Martínez. Senators Jackson, Weber, Bailey, and others spoke in support, emphasizing the contributions of Dominican New Yorkers. The resolution was adopted and opened for co-sponsorship. The Senate next moved through the calendar, passing a series of bills on insurance, public health, education, social services, tax, penal law, and workers’ compensation. Several bills were approved by wide margins, including measures related to vaccination policy and education law; Senator Weik opposed the public health/vaccination bill, while Senator Mayer defended it as science-based. Senator Fernandez explained and secured passage of a workers’ compensation bill that would raise a pre-authorization threshold, clarify medical treatment guidelines, and restore access to out-of-network providers for injured workers. The only contentious item was Calendar 117, a bill amending the Executive Law related to climate resilience and the Office of Resilience. Senator Walczyk offered an amendment to repeal the statewide cap-and-invest program, but the chair ruled it nongermane; the Senate upheld that ruling on a 21-aye vote. Senators Harckham, Borrello, Krueger, Lanza, Martins, and Gianaris spoke at length on climate policy, energy costs, and the bill’s merits. The bill ultimately passed 51-9. The Senate then adjourned until Thursday, March 5 at 11:00 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have workers. Who's on the board?
• split between workers and employers. split between workers and employers.
• Workers need a voice. Nursing home workers just aren't treated with the respect we deserve.
• workers. Thank you. Thank you. workers. Thank you. Thank you.
• the number of students in K12 education. the number of students in K12 education.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They deserve the best education our policies can provide.
• So what I propose we do. is we take a deep dive into the education code.
• Secretary of Education told this committee to do several years ago.
• We've got school social workers, school nurses and school counselors.
• So my sister is a school social worker in North Texas, and she has...

Bills: HB367, HB497, HB549, HB983, HB 1188, HB 1290, HB1368, HB2243, HB2310, HB2849, HB3099, HB3546, HB3629, HB3627

Keywords: education, absences, severe illness, life-threatening, school policy, verification, healthcare, insurance, affordability, coverage, patient rights, school health, respiratory distress, airway clearance devices, medication training, public health, HB 983, Texas Education Agency, TEA, educator privacy

Transcript Highlights:

• I represent Education Minnesota.
• So, the hourly workers you were just referring to, can you help me understand, are they members of Education
• So, the hourly workers you were just referring to, can you help me understand, are they members of Education
• I represent Education Minnesota.
• So, the hourly workers you were just referring to, can you help me understand, are they members of Education

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Those values are essentially there, but you don't have any social work education.
• you don't have any Social Work education you don't have any Social Work education orent<00:10:29.079
• 11:00.200> high licensed social worker test is too high licensed social worker test is too high
• I mean, showing competency without education versus showing education without competency, I think the
• have like a master's level social worker have like a master's level social worker and<00:27:13.799

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The subcommittee heard House Bill 2712, which would remove the exam requirement for licensure as a Licensed Social Work Associate (LSWA). Members expressed concern that the exam requirement was only added in 2021 and has not been in place long enough to evaluate, but they also questioned whether licensure should be granted without a meaningful measure of competency. Testimony was split: supporters argued the exam is a barrier for applicants without formal social work education, while opponents said licensure should still require some standard of competency, especially because the title carries public expectations and insurance reimbursement implications. Karina Bonia, speaking for NASW New Hampshire, said there is very limited data because only one person in New Hampshire currently holds an LSWA. She explained that LSWA applicants may have degrees outside social work, unlike licensed social workers, and that the current exam is the same national social work exam used for higher levels of licensure. She argued that this creates a significant barrier for LSWA applicants and noted that LSWA holders are already required to complete 30 hours of training and substantial supervised hours. Members asked for data on pass/fail rates and whether a different exam or practical skills test would be more appropriate. Committee members and OPLC representatives discussed whether the current statute and board rules already provide enough authority for the board to set other criteria, and whether the exam requirement is tied to the social work compact. OPLC indicated that the current rule requires passage of a national proctored exam approved by the board, but that no national exam exists specifically for this level, and that the board may need legislative authority to develop different criteria. The discussion ended with interest in obtaining the existing rule language and possibly revisiting the issue through amendment or future legislation rather than immediately removing the exam requirement.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our next presentation will be the Workers Compensation Administration, page 301 in your big book.
• Workers' Compensation oversees worker compensation insurance provision in the state, ensuring compliance
• workers' compensation has available to them.
• ' compensation benefits for injured workers whose employers do not carry workers' compensation insurance
• We do try to take that educational avenue as often as we can, but we do have a process in place.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We have heard directly from advocates, from providers, and from the workers themselves.
• Chapter 70 education funding. Senator D. D. Domenico. Thank you, Mr. President.
• The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education offers grant programs.
• The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education offer grant programs.
• One of our oldest obligations is to fund K-12 education adequately, and we are not.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Senate considered a supplemental appropriations bill and a series of amendments focused on education, health, transportation, tax administration, and oversight. Senator Kennedy spoke in support of increasing funding for DTA caseworkers to improve SNAP access and reduce delays, but then withdrew the amendment by unanimous consent. Senator O’Connor’s amendment adding $500,000 for Free Period to provide free menstrual products in public schools was adopted, as was Senator Miranda’s $1 million METCO transportation and student support amendment. Senator Collins briefly proposed extending paid family and medical leave and unemployment insurance coverage to graduate student workers, but withdrew that amendment for later discussion. Several amendments were debated and either adopted or rejected. Senator Tarr’s proposal to create oversight of the Group Insurance Commission and fund an Inspector General review was defeated after opposition argued existing oversight was sufficient. Tarr also offered amendments on MBTA deficiency fund withdrawals and on requiring 90 days’ notice before state tax code decoupling changes; both were rejected after standing votes. Senator Driscoll’s amendment for Randolph Public Schools restroom improvements was adopted, while his veterans student loan forgiveness amendment was withdrawn. Additional amendments were adopted for Bridgewater Middle School water filtration, Uffum’s Corner Health Center, and NeighborHealth’s pharmacy technician training program for local high school students. A major discussion centered on school funding and enrollment declines. Senator DiDomenico withdrew an amendment that would have provided $100 million to address Chapter 70 funding losses tied to enrollment drops, but he and Senator Collins used the floor to argue that districts facing declining enrollment and rising costs need a broader state response. The Senate also adopted a new draft of the supplemental budget and then passed the bill to be engrossed by a roll call vote, with 35 members in the affirmative and 4 in the negative. The chamber then adjourned to meet again Monday, and did so in memory of Arthur H. Tobin, a former Quincy mayor, state legislator, and clerk magistrate.