Transcript Highlights:

• It's on the first page. Yes. Lines... C. Are you there? It's on the first page, line 16. Yes. Okay.
• Was that student under the second grade? Under the third grade. Under the third grade? Yes.
• the next grade level.
• That they can be successful at each grade level.
• Members, let me first apologize.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, pledges, and several ceremonial recognitions, including Wilson County Day, San Antonio Mission Indian Descendants Day, and Blue Ribbon Lobby Day, along with acknowledgments of visiting groups and a birthday greeting. The chamber also announced committee meetings and then moved into floor business, including conference committee action on Senate Bill 1, the state budget. A series of motions to instruct House conferees on SB 1 were debated and voted on. One motion sought to restore salary for Attorney General Ken Paxton after his impeachment-related suspension; it passed 88-56. Another, from Rep. Olcott, directed conferees to support amendments requiring data collection on the costs of undocumented immigrants in hospitals and prisons; after extended debate and a failed amendment from Rep. Martinez Fischer to also study immigrants’ economic contributions, the motion passed 86-61. The House also adopted instructions to eliminate Texas Lottery Commission funding, to support amendments restricting public education institutions from affirming gender identities inconsistent with biological sex, and to seek an additional $4 billion in property tax relief, with each motion passing on recorded votes. The House then took up a supplemental calendar and passed several bills, including HB 39 on veteran death data, HB 102 on priority registration for certain students entering military service, HB 126 on student-athlete compensation and representation, HB 290 on tuition and fee assistance for members of the Texas military forces, HB 300 on Texas Armed Services Scholarship Program updates, and HB 2143 naming a highway in honor of Army Specialist Joey Lins. The chamber also postponed consideration of HJR 2 and HJR 6. Later, the House considered HB 120 on career and technology education pathways and HB 20 on applied science pathway programs for high school students. HB 120 received a perfecting amendment and was advanced after discussion about workforce preparation. HB 20 prompted extensive questioning about transportation, costs, and how students would access partner campuses such as community colleges and TSTC sites; debate continued as the transcript ended, with members examining how the program would operate and whether approval authority would rest with TEA.

Transcript Highlights:

• But first, prior to that, we'll call Deputy Commissioner Sarah Keaton forward from the Higher Education
• The primary reasons are the grade that the student received and the applicability to the degree program
• The primary reasons are the grade that the student received and the applicability to the degree program
• that counts as passing at the community college but doesn't count as sort of a high enough grade at
• But it doesn't count as a high enough grade at the institution or the program or major that they're at

Summary: The Senate Committee on Education K-16 heard two bills. SB 2847, by Senator Hagenbuch, would give Texas public four-year universities the same option community colleges already have to seek approval from the Higher Education Coordinating Board for core curricula of fewer than 42 semester credit hours. Hagenbuch said the bill is intended to add flexibility, support career-focused programs, and help students finish degrees faster. There was no public testimony, and the bill was left pending. The committee then heard SB 3039, by Senator West, which addresses transferability and credit loss for students moving from community colleges to four-year institutions. West said the bill responds to ongoing problems with rejected transfer credits and seeks better data, study, and recommendations from the Coordinating Board. Deputy Commissioner Sarah Keaton testified that transfer remains a major policy issue, that reporting requirements from SB 25 have improved data collection, and that the main reasons credits do not transfer are grades and degree applicability. She also described the Texas Direct degree program and field-of-study curricula designed to transfer as blocks. Members discussed the cost of lost credits, the need for better communication to students, and concerns that some institutions still reject credits or require duplicate coursework. No public witnesses signed up on SB 3039, and it was left pending subject to the call of the chair. A quorum was later established, the agenda was completed, and the committee recessed subject to the call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• So this is a first step.
• But until you know what you are being graded on, why you ended up in that fire risk in the first place
• So this is a first step.
• But until you know what you are being graded on, why you ended up in that fire risk in the first place
• , you know what you are being graded on, why you ended up in that fire risk in the first place, there's

Summary: The committee first approved the February 11 minutes, then unanimously sent House Bill 721 to the floor with a due pass recommendation. HB 721, sponsored by Representative Crane, expands an existing 30-day initial plan review timeline from public school projects to all public works projects. Crane and supporters from the Idaho Associated General Contractors said the bill would improve efficiency, reduce regulatory burden, and let projects go to bid sooner; no opposition testified. The committee then heard extensive testimony on House Bill 618, a wildfire insurance transparency bill sponsored by Representatives Sauter and Church. The bill would require insurers using wildfire or catastrophe models to disclose certain risk-model information and mitigation-related details to policyholders and to the Department of Insurance, with annual data collection and website posting. Sponsors and several homeowners and fire-related witnesses said the measure would help consumers understand nonrenewals, appeal ratings, and learn what mitigation steps matter; opponents, including the American Property Casualty Insurance Association and some committee members, argued it could expose proprietary information, increase compliance costs, and raise premiums. After debate, the committee rejected a motion to send the bill forward and instead voted to hold HB 618 in committee. House Bill 817, sponsored by Representative Petsky, was then advanced to the floor with a due pass recommendation. The bill would allow mobile cigar-event businesses and related “cigar garden” operations under tobacco permitting rules, with age restrictions and compliance checks still in place. Supporters described it as a small-business and entrepreneurship update, while opponents worried mobile retail would make tobacco compliance enforcement harder; the sponsor said the Department of Health and Welfare believed enforcement could still work. Finally, the committee began hearing House Bill 801 from Representative Redman, which would ease land-use barriers for faith-based organizations to develop housing and related uses on religious land. Redman said the bill is intended to help churches use underutilized land for attainable housing and services, while preserving guardrails such as setbacks from heavy industrial uses, airports, and military zones. Members raised concerns about parking, building height, setbacks, and airport rules, and Redman said he was open to amendments; the transcript ends during that discussion before any final action on HB 801.

Transcript Highlights:

• First, just thank you guys for allowing me to be here today.
• I was in the first graduating class from Spring Valley.
• That's the first thing people want to know: how many transfers did they have?
• “This is my first. I don't know how many. I know that Mr.
• I felt that all down through after the first year and saw what was going on.

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Madam Chair and members, HB 2830 requires the State Board of Education to determine the grade level or
• It specifies that a student must demonstrate high proficiency in grade-level mathematics on a benchmark
• passed the House, establishes automatic enrollment in advanced mathematics courses for students in grade
• assessment that is aligned with the same. demonstrate high proficiency in grade level mathematics on
• in the school or their or the quarterly. on the state test rather than their grade in the school or

Summary: The caucus reviewed a long list of House bills with Senate amendments, with members generally indicating the sponsors intended to concur on most measures. Topics included public health and medical regulation (HB 2086 on face coverings/vaccinations, HB 2140 on gold and silver bullion investments, HB 2195 on nursing facility complaint timelines, HB 2189 on licensed health aides, HB 2932 on Access reimbursement and prior authorization, HB 2557 on medical records timing, and HB 2641 on PFAS firefighting foam), criminal justice and courts (HB 2673 creating an inmate mental health study committee, HB 2028 on community restitution for indigent homeless defendants, HB 2662 on expert testimony in parenting-time cases, HB 2440 on prisoner transition services, and HB 2594 on address confidentiality in family court), and education-related bills (HB 2830 on prenatal development instruction, HB 2249 on parents’ rights and social transitioning, HB 2481 on school district financial record compliance, HB 2482 on school construction job-order caps, HB 2895 on Native American language proficiency, HB 2423 on automatic advanced math enrollment, HB 2621 on special education and certificates of educational convenience, HB 2592 on AI rules, HB 2379 on school board training, and HB 2380 on out-of-state travel and public meeting materials). Other bills addressed transportation, development, housing, and local government issues, including HB 2909 on distracted driving, HB 2369 on photo enforcement citations, HB 2745 on legislative subpoenas, HB 2946 on development fees, HB 2999 on infrastructure finance districts, HB 2244 on eviction record sealing, HB 2342 on HOA shade structures, and HB 2752 on Commerce Authority trade offices. Several members raised concerns or asked questions on bills such as HB 2932, HB 2249, HB 2830, and HB 2028, but no formal votes were taken in the transcript; the meeting ended with adjournment after brief discussion of the final bills on Caucus Calendar 19, including HB 2248 on medical intervention requirements for businesses and schools.

Transcript Highlights:

• I believe we also intend to change the grades, as the committee suggested. I don't see...
• need to also adjust, but the committee suggested starting sooner than grade six, so we discussed grade
• We can also add that amendment on the floor to change that grade level.
• We did also change the grade as we discussed from grade 6 to grade 3. So now it's 3 to 12.
• Is this the first time you've been in the Capitol building? Nope. Nope. All right.

Summary: The Committee on Children and Families met with a quorum and first took up several bills for executive action. House Bill 2418, the Loy Voka Assistance Bill, was amended with a technical substitute correcting a statutory section reference and then voted do pass by a 12-0 roll call. House Bill 1819, the child care facilities bill, received an amendment, was rolled into a substitute, and was also voted do pass unanimously. House Bill 3077, the Schmidt social media curriculum bill, was revised through a committee substitute that shifted oversight from DESE to local school boards, narrowed and clarified language, changed references from “curriculum” to “instructional material,” and lowered the grade level from 6 to 3; it then passed 13-0. The committee then heard House Bill 3451 from Representative Sites, which would require the Department of Social Services to audio- or video-record face-to-face child abuse or neglect assessment interviews, securely store the recordings, and retain them for at least five years. Supporters, including Representative Proudie, said the bill would reduce trauma to children, preserve evidence, and would not create major costs because recording equipment is already available; no one testified in opposition or for informational purposes. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 3534 and House Bill 2342, presented by Representatives Proudie and Jones, to require new or updated public playgrounds and playground surfaces built by the state or political subdivisions to meet accessibility standards. Testimony in favor came from children and parents describing barriers posed by wood chips, gravel, and inaccessible equipment, and emphasizing the importance of inclusive play and the availability of grant funding for surfacing improvements. Committee members generally supported the concept, asked about scope and retrofitting, and the sponsors clarified the bills apply prospectively to public projects; there was no opposition testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• That was the first thing and most important thing.
• The first amendment would change the intent of IDLA.
• We have the eighth-grade exploratory course. We have digital literacy, computer science.
• First, the amendment around the custom sections is a concern. there.
• First, the amendment around the custom sections is a concern. Mr.

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The committee took up House Bill 940, which revises Idaho Digital Learning Academy (IDLA) policy and funding. The sponsors explained that the bill is intended to preserve IDLA’s core role in filling instructional gaps, while limiting use for K-5/LaunchPad, fully virtual schools, private schools, driver’s education, and broad “custom section” enrollments. They also described fee changes, including codified course fees of $40 for state-required courses and $100 for non-required courses, plus a report back to the Legislature. The sponsors said the bill was designed to address concerns about administrative costs and “double dipping,” while still protecting rural schools’ access to IDLA for credit recovery, dual credit, and courses not locally available. Testimony was split. School administrators and education groups largely opposed the Senate amendments, arguing they would sharply reduce flexibility for rural and small districts, create scheduling and administrative burdens, and limit access to electives, advanced courses, and required classes where staffing is unavailable. IDLA Superintendent Jeff Simmons said the bill as written was workable, but the amendments would significantly change the program and, combined with the fiscal reduction, could force IDLA to deny service to thousands of additional students. Supporters of the bill said the amendments were meant to prevent misuse of state funds for fully virtual programs and large custom-section enrollments, while still allowing districts to pay for access if they choose. Several senators questioned the fee structure, the meaning of “not entirely virtual,” the fiscal note, and how the bill interacts with the separate JFAC appropriation action. Some members said they would support the bill but had concerns about the cuts and the intent language in the appropriation bill; others opposed the motion, arguing the reductions would harm students and that no code or rule violations had been shown. The committee ultimately voted to send House Bill 940 to the Senate floor with a due pass recommendation, with Senators Carlson and Zito recorded as opposed.

Transcript Highlights:

• First, please reconsider.
• And when did you first see a draft of it? Or when did you first?
• It's their first job.
• So first of all, it's opt-in.
• I didn't feel like a first year teacher going into my first year as a teacher. record.

Bills: HB2, HB2

Keywords: public education, teacher compensation, certification, funding, school finance, educator rights, education funding, charter schools, staff compensation, state aid, retention allotment, disaster preparedness, emergency management, flooding, mass fatality, mass casualty, fatality tracking, body recovery, autopsy, justice of the peace

Transcript Highlights:

• First and foremost, thank you. And thank you for having me, Mr.
• And they come in in the first part of their senior year... St.
• So as an eighth grade English teacher, there's tons of Black literacy...
• So first in favor, come on up. First in favor.
• I mean, do they have—or are principal evaluations included in the MSIP grade?

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This year, the team from Iolani School earned the first place title, distinguishing themselves in an
• This year, the team from Iolani School earned the first place title, distinguishing themselves in an
• This year, the team from Iolani School earned the first place title, distinguishing themselves in an
• </c><00:19:36.760><c> English</c> seventh and eighth grade English seventh and eighth grade English language
• > High</c><00:19:53.800><c> School,</c> The first from Kalaheo High School, The first from Kalaheo High

Bills: HB1576, HB2490, HB1546, HB1588

Keywords: HB1576, Hawaii film industry, DBEDT, BLNR, Department of Business Economic Development and Tourism, Board of Land and Natural Resources, film permits, motion picture production, television production, commercial filming, digital media tax credit, film production tax credit, public notice, transparency, state lands, film studio, land set-aside, revocable permit, memorandum of agreement, memorandum of understanding

Transcript Highlights:

• and six 10th grade.
• and six 10th grade.
• and six 10th grade.
• and six 10th grade.
• and six 10th grade.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Let's take up Tab 3, SB 1618, on pre-kindergarten through grade 12 education, by Senator Calatayud.
• The bill also repeals the Council for Early Grade Success after having served its purpose.
• The bill also repeals the Council for Early Grade Success after having served its purpose.
• to twelfth grade of embryological studies within health education.
• What we have here at first blush, I looked at it, and I'll be...

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Pre-K through 12 Education met with a quorum present and took up three bills. SB 1618, by Senator Calatayud, was presented as a broad education package affecting VPK through grade 12. It included changes to VPK enrollment flexibility, repeal of the Council for Early Grade Success, agriculture and financial literacy curriculum updates, reading intervention requirements, limits on certain public-school spending, corporal punishment consent, educator certification and screening provisions, and changes to the school recognition program. A late-filed technical amendment clarifying prior legislation for certain private schools in Brevard, Clay, Sarasota, and Bradford counties was adopted. Senator Osgood raised concerns about the bill’s school recognition provisions and the impact on paraprofessionals and other support staff, and the sponsor said she would continue those discussions. SB 1618, as amended, was reported favorably. The committee then considered CS for SB 1058, which would update Florida references from the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America in state, district, and charter school materials beginning after July 1, 2025, without requiring existing materials to be changed. The bill was presented by Senator Calatayud on behalf of Senator Gruters and was reported favorably without amendment or opposition. Next, the committee heard CS for SB 1470 on school safety, which would align school security guard training with guardian program requirements, refine locked campus and classroom rules, and improve panic alert and digital map coordination. Several amendments were adopted, including a late-filed amendment capping guardian training fees, creating a stakeholder work group for a Florida Institute of School Safety, adjusting locked-zone requirements and exceptions, requiring substitute teachers to receive safety protocol training, and a funding amendment providing $450,000 in recurring funds for a centralized panic alert and digital map system. Support was voiced by school district, sheriff, and safety representatives, and Senator Osgood praised the recurring funding as avoiding an unfunded mandate. The committee also passed SB 1472, linked to SB 1470, extending a public records exemption to school security guards’ records held by FDLE, with the exemption set to sunset in 2030 unless renewed. President Gaetz questioned the need for the exemption, and Senator Burgess responded that it was intended to protect school safety personnel from exposure of personal information after an incident. All three bills were reported favorably, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:17:48.120><c> year</c> tune of $92 million in the first year tune of $92 million in the first
• Is it first come, first serve? Is it a lottery, like the public charter schools do?
• write a first like they get first write a first refusal refusal refusal so<02:10:22.840><c> again</c
• Is that fourth grade student going to stay in that cohort group of fourth graders through grade 12?
• That should be the first step.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Now, I'm hearing that kids in eighth grade... Senator West: Okay.
• No matter what grade. Senator Creighton: Exactly. I guess my question...
• It's your first time, but at age 13, that shows leadership and advocacy.
• cyberbullying, and just bullying in general was seventh grade.
• Sixth grade and eighth grade suffered the most because those teachers did not enforce that policy.

Bills: HB126, HB121

Keywords: election laws, attorney general, prosecution, criminal offenses, voting integrity, education, property values, school districts, comptroller, funding formula

Summary: The Senate Committee on Education K-16 met to hear testimony on a full agenda of education-related bills. Several measures were laid out and left pending, including HB 322 to allow JET Grant funds to be used for subscription-based and ongoing technology costs for career and technical education; HB 3062 to require fentanyl and drug-poisoning prevention instruction for entering college students; HB 121 to update school safety laws, including TEA peace officer commissions, annual renewal of certain safety exceptions, new reporting requirements, and special education behavior threat assessment changes; HB 3627 to let the State Board of Education chair employ staff; HB 5515 to curb inflated shipping and handling charges on instructional materials; HB 2674 to prohibit new state regulation of homeschool programs; HB 2310 to require a statewide strategic plan for early learning and inclusion for young children with disabilities; HB 367 to standardize documentation for excused absences due to serious illness; HB 1178 to speed certification for out-of-state educators and military spouses; and HB 1481 to expand cell phone restrictions to the full school day. Testimony was generally supportive on most bills, with some concerns raised on HB 121 about school district police departments investigating misconduct and on HB 2674 about how it would interact with the new ESA program in SB 2. HB 5515 drew support from instructional materials coordinators who described extreme shipping invoices and argued the bill would restore transparency and fiscal responsibility. HB 2310 was supported by disability advocates and early learning groups, who said a coordinated state plan would improve access and inclusion for children with disabilities. HB 367 was presented as a simple clarification to reduce confusion for medically vulnerable students and families, and HB 1178 was described by TEA as a modest pathway that would help bring experienced out-of-state teachers into Texas schools more quickly. HB 126, updating Texas’ NIL law to align with the pending House settlement and allow direct payments and pre-enrollment NIL agreements, received extensive testimony from university counsel and committee questioning about the settlement, recruiting, and future college athletics rules. HB 1481, expanding school cell phone restrictions from instructional time to the entire school day, drew strong support from parents, students, educators, and advocates who linked phones to distraction, cyberbullying, and mental health harms; one teacher asked for flexibility so phones could still be used for limited academic tasks. No bills were voted out; each measure heard was left pending subject to the call of the chair, and the committee then recessed to attend the floor session.

Transcript Highlights:

• I don't know who was first, Representative Marman.
• I don't know who was first, Representative Marman. Mr.
• And so I definitely will be supporting the first motion. Representative Gardner.
• Thank you. ...skills are based off of seventh grade math skills.
• grade, huh?

Summary: The committee heard RS 33261, the School-Sponsored Bible Reading Act, which would require public school teachers to read sequential Bible passages daily without comment or instruction, with accommodations for objections and injunctive relief as the enforcement mechanism. The sponsor and a representative from Idaho Family Policy Center argued the bill fits Idaho’s history and the U.S. Supreme Court’s current “history and tradition” approach, while opponents said it was unconstitutional, not voluntary, and inconsistent with separation of church and state. A substitute motion to return the RS to the sponsor failed on a tie vote, and the motion to introduce the RS also failed on a tie vote. The committee then considered RS 33332 C1, which would treat student walkouts or absences for protest as unexcused and require reporting to state officials. The sponsor said the bill was aimed at students leaving class to protest during school hours, while members raised concerns about impacts on student civic engagement, parent-excused absences, and politically active youth groups. The RS was introduced by voice vote. Next, the committee heard a revised RS 33523-2-3 on collecting aggregate data about students’ immigration status in public schools to estimate the cost of educating non-citizen students. The sponsor said the bill would not deny enrollment, would use only aggregate data, and was intended to help the legislature understand costs; members questioned administrative burden, possible discrimination, and the fiscal note. The motion to introduce the RS failed on a tie vote. Finally, the committee advanced Senate Bill 1244, a code-cleanup measure removing obsolete regional library system provisions, to the floor with a due pass recommendation. It also heard Senate Bill 1227 on artificial intelligence in K-12 education, which would create a state framework for AI use, local district policies, training, transparency, and privacy protections; testimony was generally supportive but urged caution, especially for younger students. The committee voted to send SB 1227 to general orders for amendment.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:34:47.599><c> I</c> senator for your question um first I senator for your question um first I
• If a child leaves a fourth-grade class at Birch Hill and a student leaves a second-grade class at Mount
• </c><00:37:47.040><c> at</c> somebody leaves a fifth grade class at somebody leaves a fifth grade class
• competency grading.
• First is special education.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But first, I have to start a roll call, Albert Merle.
• First, I'll speak to our cost to collect.
• The first step is releasing a request for qualifications.
• The investment-grade analysis says it'll be less than 130,000. So that's the first thing.
• The investment-grade analysis says it'll be less than 130,000. So that's the first thing.

Summary: The Joint Committee on Interstate 5 Bridge met remotely with Washington legislative members to receive updates on the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program, including environmental review, cost and funding, tolling, and procurement for construction. Program staff said the final supplemental environmental impact statement was published in April 2026, with a federal record of decision expected in early summer. They described the recommended design as a single-level fixed-span bridge, centered I-5 alignment, C Street ramps, one auxiliary lane in each direction, and dispersed park-and-ride parking. Members raised concerns about transparency, the closed chat function, and the decision not to include two auxiliary lanes; staff said the one-lane option was recommended through consultation with partner agencies and analysis, but the final decision would come with the record of decision. Staff also said the diversion analysis projected less than 3% traffic diversion to I-205 in 2045, though members from Oregon and Washington expressed concern about impacts to their communities and asked for more detail on mitigation and decision-making. The committee also reviewed a major cost update. Staff said the full five-mile program is now estimated at $13.5 billion to $15.2 billion, with a likely cost of $14.4 billion, up from a 2022 estimate of $5 billion to $7.5 billion, citing inflation, schedule delays, scope changes, and more detailed risk modeling. They said the first funded phase has been reduced to a $5.68 billion package focused on the Columbia River bridge replacement, connections to I-5, Hayden Island and SR-14, bridge demolition, tolling infrastructure, and advancing light rail design. Funding for that phase was described as $5.69 billion, including $2.1 billion federal funds, $1 billion from each state, and $1.5 billion in projected toll revenue. Members asked what would happen if costs rise further; staff said the estimate includes substantial contingency, the project will use progressive design-build to manage risk, and the team will continue updating the finance plan annually. A separate tolling and traffic-revenue presentation explained that four toll scenarios were analyzed using regional travel demand modeling, a toll diversion model, and a post-processing review. All scenarios assume pre-completion tolling beginning July 1, 2028, a 50% low-income discount for eligible users, and exemptions for tribal preemptions, emergency vehicles, maintenance vehicles, and organized militia. Staff said the low-income discount would affect about 4% to 6% of annual transactions and reduce annual revenues by roughly 2% to 3%. They said Scenario 2 was used for the financial analysis and is sufficient to support the $1.5 billion toll contribution in the funded phase. Members asked about toll collection costs, revenue impacts of the discount, and how the scenarios differed; staff said collection costs are expected to be in line with other WSDOT toll facilities, but exact costs are not yet set because toll rates are not final. Finally, WSDOT staff outlined procurement and delivery steps for construction. They said WSDOT will be the lead contracting agency, using progressive design-build, with a request for qualifications targeted for early July 2026, a request for proposals in October, contractor selection in April 2027, construction starting in 2028, and tolling beginning in 2028. Staff said the approach is intended to consolidate scope, reduce interface risk, and allow transparent negotiation with an independent cost estimator, while preserving an off-ramp if a fair price cannot be reached. Members asked for more detail on timing, cost allocation, and the share of the first phase funded by tolls; staff estimated tolls account for about 26% of the first phase cost.

Transcript Highlights:

• Yes, some people to do their first bills through your mouth.
• the ban on DEI duties does not limit or prohibit classroom instruction aligned with the students' First
• school districts to annually report on their facility's capacity and the capacity of each campus by grade
• If I don't know what the period in between grading periods is, and so I don't know how you came up with
• You know, some of the grading periods are 6, some of them are 9, but there is, uh, sometimes Senator

Summary: The Senate Education K-16 Committee considered and advanced several education-related measures. SB 57, on emergency safety accommodations for students with disabilities during drills or emergencies, was amended by a committee substitute requested by TEA to require accommodations be explicitly included in IEPs or Section 504 plans, documented and communicated to administrators, and to allow TEA rules on preparedness guidelines; it was reported favorably. The committee also reported SB 24, on adding study of communist regimes and ideologies to social studies standards, and SB 112, on parental rights and public education, both favorably. SB 204, requiring a parental rights handbook and trustee training, and SB 371, on parental approval for human sexuality instruction, were also advanced. SB 400, requiring parental consent for psychological or psychiatric examination, testing, or treatment by school employees, was reported favorably as substituted. Members discussed SB 609, which would require school districts and charter schools to comply with legally required policies, with questions about whether districts must still comply absent additional state resources; it was reported favorably with two members voting present-not-voting. SB 686, on student transfers between public schools, and SB 1447, on TEA standards for school use of electronic devices and software, were both reported favorably, with SB 686 noted as having a fiscal note. SCR 5, directing the Texas School for the Deaf to name a gymnasium after a former alumnus, was also advanced. The committee approved SJR 12, proposing a constitutional amendment affirming a parent’s right to direct a child’s education, on a 9-1 vote. It then considered SB 12, a broad bill on parental rights, public education, and restrictions on DEI-related duties and funding consequences for noncompliance. The committee substitute expanded the DEI definition, limited discipline to intentional or knowing violations, required notice to employees, restricted student clubs focused solely on sexual orientation or gender identity, clarified limits on DEI duties, required annual capacity reporting for transfer requests, refined grievance procedures, shortened the grievance filing window to six weeks, and added parent-notice provisions regarding special education, bilingual education, and uncertified teachers. After discussion on the grievance timeline and terminology in the DEI provisions, the substitute was adopted and SB 12 was reported favorably on an 8-2 vote. The committee then recessed subject to the call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• Do you think that's why they set the age at 19 in the first place?
• First, everything we utilize is evidence-based and research-based.
• Are you talking about here's a kid in 11th grade? Okay, I said 11th grade. Okay, I said 11th grade.
• The first opponent, clerk, please call the first opponent.
• The first... Thank you. The first proponent, Jim... Proponent Jim. Love, is that correct?

Bills: HB266, SB85, SB166, HB266, SB85, SB166

Keywords: education, diploma, adult education, dropout prevention, nontraditional high school program, driver's license eligibility, vaccination exemption, religious exemption, medical exemption, vaccine mandate, testing requirement, public schools, K-12, students, parents, guardians, higher education, college enrollment, university attendance, public institutions of higher education

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> that there are some distinctions first that there are some distinctions first in<00:24:55.120><c
• </c> fairs for the first time in its history. fairs for the first time in its history.
• </c><01:10:45.679><c> The</c> your first student contact day. The your first student contact day.
• First, about sports.
• First, about try to be real quick.

Bills: HF3698, HF3067, HF3730

Keywords: libraries, electronic books, digital audiobooks, licensing agreements, public access, paraprofessional, paraprofessional qualifications, education support staff, teacher aide, teacher assistant, special education, Title I, federal personnel qualifications, Minnesota Department of Education, school district, charter school, cooperative unit, Read Act, reading instruction, math instruction