Transcript Highlights:

• The amendment requires that any general education core course that integrates technology include opportunities
• The amendment requires that any general education core course that integrates technology include opportunities
• a pretty big structural change, but this gets to the intent, which is to make sure that we are integrating
• technology into our courses and, if they are integrated into those specific courses, that the student
• The current amount of dual enrollment is set as an item that the legislature funds.

Summary: The Committee on Education Postsecondary considered several items. First, it took up SB 1694 on technology education, which would revise postsecondary general education standards to incorporate technology-related instruction, including computer science and artificial intelligence concepts. An amendment was adopted that shifted the bill away from creating a sixth core requirement and instead required technology-integrated core courses to include digital literacy, AI applications, and related topics such as software engineering, networks, databases, and cybersecurity where applicable. The amendment also added guidance for high school computer science courses that include AI, emphasizing critical evaluation, limitations, and ethical use. After brief discussion, the committee voted to report CS for SB 1694 favorably. The committee then approved confirmation of the appointments on Tabs 1 through 2 by a single favorable vote. Next, it considered SPB 7038, a proposed committee bill on postsecondary education and workforce development covering tuition and fee policies, consumer protections, career and technical education, student acceleration, and institutional operations. Senator Berman asked about changes to CIE licensure/jurisdiction and dual enrollment expansion; the sponsor said the bill affects institutions rather than individual courses and is intended to expand student options without necessarily increasing enrollment or funding needs. A Florida Dental Association representative testified in information only, urging preservation of the existing exemption for dental assisting programs from CIE oversight. The committee adopted a motion to submit the proposal as a committee bill and then reported SPB 7038 favorably. The meeting concluded with no further business and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we really wanted to just focus with this one on program integrity.
• And also, as a department, we have an integrated eligibility system.
• It sets up an advisory board.
• <01:36:27.840> which eight hours and then integration which eight hours and then integration
• treatment will be delivered integration treatment will be delivered integration and<01:36:52.080

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman, I do have a committee substitute for Senate Bill Paris and set the committee substitute.
• Furthermore, HB 3709 will enhance integrity, transparency, and the ability to prevent voter fraud.
• Election integrity activists in Dallas, Fort Worth, Williamson County, and Bexar County all oppose this
• Dallas County prints them after the canvas, so this is not going to improve election integrity.
• You've got to, and all the election integrity people around the state agree.

Bills: HB223

Keywords: municipal budget, county budget, local government finance, spending cap, expenditure limit, inflation plus population growth, taxpayer impact statement, budget transparency, property tax, fees, Legislative Budget Board, voter approval, disaster spending, fiscal restraint, Texas Local Government Code, city budget, county expenditures, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The software solution will integrate existing sensors.
• So we had a joint EOC set up.
• days later. and set up at the courthouse and helped.
• They set up that incident command.
• That's where we set up the initial command.

Keywords: 997, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, CMM is deeply integrated in many of Minnesota's counties, court systems, schools, and communities
• <00:04:12.239> in<00:04:12.400> many cdps uh CMM is deeply integrated in many cdps
• uh CMM is deeply integrated in many of<00:04:12.799> Minnesota's<00:04:13.439> counties
• settings in our affordable housing developments.
• settings in our affordable housing developments.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• If there's an EMS response, um, and then that person is transported to, to a healthcare setting.
• Clinicians broadly in lots of different settings.
• They can be outreach treatment teams, harm reduction, inpatient settings, acute care settings, as well
• as other clinical and nonclinical settings.
• and the willingness of people to stay in those treatment settings.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The special commission on xylazine met virtually to review and discuss the first draft of its final report. Chair Mindy Domb opened the meeting, confirmed quorum, and the commission approved the minutes from its December 11 public meeting. Staff then walked commissioners through the proposed report structure, including background on xylazine as both an FDA-approved veterinary drug and an illicit drug supply contaminant, as well as appendices for public meeting materials and public resources. The commission discussed findings and recommendations for several working groups. For oversight and enforcement, members focused on licit versus illicit sources of xylazine, noting that the illicit supply is typically obtained through online vendors rather than diverted from veterinary use. Recommendations included better storage and reporting practices in authorized settings, review of manufacturing and distribution information, and focusing enforcement on fentanyl trafficking and large-scale xylazine importation rather than personal possession. Commissioners also discussed whether xylazine should remain in Schedule 6 or be subject to additional penalties, and several members emphasized the need for coordination, information-sharing, and possibly a DPH task force or advisory body to monitor emerging drug threats. For outreach and treatment, staff summarized strong existing programs such as drug checking, wound care education, naloxone distribution, mobile and low-threshold care, and self-directed wound kits, while noting gaps including the lack of an FDA-approved reversal agent for xylazine, difficulty distinguishing xylazine from other exposures, and uneven access by geography, insurance, and audience. Commissioners stressed the need for provider education, including physicians, nurses, pharmacists, family support networks, and first responders, and for clear guidance on wound care and when more intensive treatment is needed. The education and training section identified first responders, clinicians, non-clinicians, and people who use drugs and their families as key audiences for tailored, stigma-free materials, with emphasis on real-time, centralized data, naloxone and breathing support, recognition of overdose versus xylazine exposure, and adapting materials as the drug supply changes. The meeting ended with discussion of next steps: staff will circulate a revised draft by March 2, the commission will meet again on March 9 to consider the report and recommendations, and an additional late-March meeting was reserved if needed before the statutory deadline.

Transcript Highlights:

• They set up the exam times at the applicant’s convenience.
• from 11/25 to 6/30/25, again Tetris, for $2.7 million, to provide quality assurance services for integrated
• Solutions… Conduent State and Local Solutions from 1/25 to 6/30/25, $9 million, to implement an integrated
• and Local again… Conduent State and Local again from 6/25 to 6/26, $23.4 million, to implement an integrated
• So, over the past 15 years or so, we've been setting money aside with the help of certain senators, Senator

Keywords: 924, joint, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The mission has always been clear: serving its listeners with truth and integrity, fostering a vibrant
• Her philosophy in life is, set the atmosphere, engage the community, and get to work.
• And when they say integrity, they actually mean inequality.
• There's a data set.
• THERE'S A DATA SET.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, March 31, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I hope that collaboration will continue now if we get these bodies set up, the advisory council and the
• HAS BEEN A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT AND HOPE THAT COLLABORATION WILL CONTINUE NOW IF WE GET THESE BODIES SET
• THOSE PROBLEMS OF COURSE LET TO ONLY TO LARGE COMPANIES CALLED IT DUOPOLY TOTALLY VERBALLY INTEGRATED
• And the final note is the setting back of the effective date until July 1st of this upcoming year in
• And the final note is the setting back of the effective date until July 1st of this upcoming year in

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They provide funding for research and development and set up programs.
• And so this is what they've set up as a standard to start with.
• So you can see where we've got this set.
• So financing, I think, is something that could be set aside right now.
• It is a So, financing, I think, is something that could be set aside right now.

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• sure continue talking to make sure continue talking to make sure everything's<00:10:42.279> set
• up so I will begin the everything's set up so I will begin the canding<00:10:46.040> of<00:10
• Then, beginning July 1 of 2025, budgets will be set up in new DCF accounting structures.
• Licensing and program integrity functions from the Department of Human Services OIG will transfer to
• He said the electronic attendance recordkeeping is a program integrity function.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Integrated Regional Water Management.
• The Integrated Regional Water Management grant program and planning process is really regions of the
• The integrated region water management, I had some questions.
• They're going to be trying to set up their guidelines.
• That is both true on the urban side— And in more rural settings.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on water and coastal resilience heard an overview of the governor’s Proposition 4 spending plan, with presentations from the Department of Finance, the State Water Resources Control Board, the Department of Water Resources, the Legislative Analyst’s Office, and later coastal agencies. Members discussed the water chapter’s major allocations for drinking water and wastewater, recycled water, tribal water infrastructure, groundwater recharge and SGMA implementation, dam safety, flood protection, integrated regional water management, Salton Sea projects, and water data/stream gauges. The LAO noted that many programs are established and have clear funding processes, but some newer or less-defined programs may warrant more detailed future budget requests and reporting. No votes were taken on the agenda items. Members raised concerns about groundwater subsidence, water deliveries from the Delta, the pace of water storage investments, instream flows, and whether bond dollars were being used to backfill General Fund reductions. Administration witnesses said groundwater recharge spending is being paced because prior years already funded substantial SGMA work, that Delta operations are governed by water quality, salinity, and species requirements, and that Proposition 1 storage projects have moved slowly because they are locally led and require permitting and financing. The Water Board and DWR said they use public needs assessments, annual plans, and existing grant processes to prioritize projects, and Finance said some General Fund programs were shifted to Proposition 4 to help balance the budget. Members also asked for clearer public tracking of bond spending and more concise future reporting. In the coastal resilience portion, the Ocean Protection Council and Coastal Conservancy described Proposition 4 funding for sea level rise adaptation, coastal flood management, habitat restoration, public access, and San Francisco Bay projects, with a multi-year rollout based on project readiness and recent large state investments. The Conservancy said it would use its existing rolling grant process, while OPC said its sea level rise grants would build on existing programs and new technical assistance. The Department of Fish and Wildlife explained its proposed use of bond funds for climate-ready fisheries, hatchery modernization, salmon monitoring, whale- and turtle-safe fishing gear, and a specific hatchery operations request tied to the Friant settlement. The LAO said the coastal chapter’s proposed first-year spending is relatively modest but generally reasonable given staffing and project readiness, while members emphasized oversight, transparency, and coordination across agencies and jurisdictions.

Transcript Highlights:

• support services as a sense to integrate support services as a component<00:04:08.239> of<00:
• Section 7, again, this is just integrating support services this time into the Can Train program.
• of priorities that include the set of priorities that include the legislature,<00:19:22.320> the<
• She also said the bill contains relief for another set of Minnesotans who, through no fault of their
• is where the legislature has integrity is where the legislature has focused<00:41:21.599> on<

Bills: HF3732

Keywords: workforce development, unemployment benefits, youth training, economic development, grants, job creation

Transcript Highlights:

• the privilege of preemption because banks do not set those fees competitively.
• by banks themselves, they're set by a third party, i.e. the credit card networks, that they were not
• Is there a next court date set at this point in Illinois? Not at the moment. There's nothing, so...
• They don't go through the third-party setting rates.
• So, you know, when the national guys say it's not set competitively, I just have to disagree.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Special Commission on the future of payments and sales transactions by credit card heard extensive testimony from credit union, banking, retail, restaurant, and payments-industry representatives about proposals to limit interchange fees, especially on the tax and tip portions of transactions. Several witnesses opposed state-level restrictions, arguing they would create a patchwork of rules, burden state-chartered institutions, raise compliance complexity, and ultimately reduce resources for fraud prevention, cybersecurity, rewards, and access to credit. Others, including retail and merchant advocates, said swipe fees are a significant and growing cost for small businesses and that states should consider reforms such as limiting fees on taxes and tips, allowing surcharging, improving transparency in merchant contracts, and studying collection costs more closely. Witnesses also discussed recent legal and regulatory developments, including Illinois’s interchange-fee law, OCC and NCUA interim rules, and the ongoing Visa/Mastercard antitrust settlement. Industry representatives said the Illinois law has been delayed and is likely preempted for most transactions, while merchant advocates argued the state efforts and court rulings show that networks and banks do not set fees competitively. The proposed antitrust settlement was described by some as a meaningful but limited merchant victory, with temporary fee reductions and expanded surcharge/steering rights, while others said it still falls short of structural reform. The commission members pressed witnesses on the practical effects of fees, the cost of cash, whether merchants can pass costs through, and whether small businesses are actually seeing benefits from the current system. Members repeatedly emphasized the need for a fair middle ground that protects both small businesses and the payment system. No substantive votes or policy actions were taken beyond accepting testimony, and the meeting ended with adjournment after all scheduled witnesses had spoken.

Transcript Highlights:

• Head Start Classroom on tribal lands, surrounded by tribal children, with tribal culture fully integrated
• That really set the foundation for the rest of my education.
• She’s no longer there, and so it’s been integrated in with all of the—there was lots of ethnic studies
• Being called, quote, “that Indian girl”; she persevered, and she has set a path ahead for other Native
• But we have to set our boundaries. We have to protect our sovereignty.

Summary: The Select Committee on Native American Affairs held a historic hearing at Table Mountain Rancheria focused on tribal education, culture, resilience, leadership, and trust. The opening prayer and remarks emphasized the significance of holding the first committee hearing on tribal land. Members said the hearing was intended both to hear testimony about ongoing problems in schools and to identify next steps for legislation and policy, especially as the session neared its end. The committee also referenced recent efforts supporting Native students’ right to wear regalia at graduation and broader concerns about representation in education and state institutions. The first panel centered on Native students’ experiences in public schools. Bella Garcia described a two-year fight with Clovis Unified over wearing tribal regalia at graduation, including a restrictive approval form and administrators who she said denied Native identity and made her feel invisible. Morningstar Ghali connected those experiences to the legacy of boarding schools, racial profiling, suspensions, and the “boarding school to prison pipeline,” and called for culturally responsive education, Native educators, counselors, Native studies, and restorative justice. Janet K. Bill, from the Attorney General’s Office of Native American Affairs, described her own path from tribal Head Start to Stanford, law school, tribal council, and state service, and said education, justice, and sovereignty are linked. Members asked about restorative justice, representation, and how to build pipelines into leadership and education roles. The second panel focused on solutions. Chairwoman Michelle Heredia Cordova urged a reimagined education system that is more personalized, experiential, culturally grounded, and balanced with land-based learning, while also recruiting Native teachers and creating stronger tribal partnerships. Chairman Leo Sisku said schools should educate educators, stop tokenizing Native students, and create accountability and consequences for discriminatory behavior; he also supported stronger tribal-school partnerships and more positive outreach. Chairman Fred Bean emphasized consistent engagement from tribal leaders at every level of schooling, stronger transitions from elementary to college, and programs that prepare Native youth for leadership, trades, and higher education. Chairman Shaineto of Tule River argued that schools and administrators should face consequences for violating Native students’ rights, and that Native people should not have to keep educating institutions about basic cultural respect. Committee members responded by discussing possible statewide solutions, including regional tribal boards, better enforcement of existing laws, stronger pipelines into teaching and leadership, and improved representation on boards and in state agencies. Several members raised the need to implement existing laws, fill vacant Native appointments, and consider broader protections for Native regalia and cultural expression. No formal vote was taken in the transcript, but the hearing concluded with a clear call for continued collaboration, accountability, and legislation driven by Native voices.

Transcript Highlights:

• So State Republican Executive Committee, Election Integrity, and Secure Texas Elections.
• So the county gets to set, you know, look at their cost, you know, for their manpower and things like
• that, and machines, and set the rates.
• It does not set new statewide rules.
• It supports election integrity by reducing repeat use of the RID.

Bills: HB1968, HB2279, HB2739, HB2803, HB3909, HB3918, HB4253, HB4475, HB5115, HB5430

Keywords: election services, contracting, political subdivisions, county elections, election code, voter registration, citizenship status, election law, cancellation, disqualification, Texas Election Code, voter identification, registration, election integrity, identification documents, election, watcher, polling place, removal, Texas Elections Code

Summary: The committee first voted out two previously heard Senate bills without amendment: SB 688, relating to the date of the meeting of presidential electors, and SB 914, relating to authorizing certain cities to change the date of their general election for officers. Both motions passed on 8-0 votes with one member absent. The committee then heard HB 3909, which would change the current prohibition on wireless device use from a 100-foot boundary around a voting station to only inside the room where voting is taking place, with a committee substitute also adding state-prescribed signage. The author and supporters said the change would reduce confusion and make enforcement easier for election workers, while opponents argued the existing 100-foot rule helps prevent electioneering, recording, and possible technical interference with election equipment. The bill was left pending. Members also heard HB 1968, which would repeal a provision that requires counties to provide election services to certain political subdivisions in odd-numbered years but not even-numbered years, making county-provided election services consistent across years. Supporters said it would improve consistency for smaller cities and school districts, while opponents warned it could strain county equipment and staffing during heavy election cycles. The bill was left pending. HB 2279 would require voter registrars to remove a person from the rolls if the person swears under oath during jury service that they are not a U.S. citizen; supporters said this would streamline removal of ineligible voters, while opponents raised concerns about mistaken identity and loss of due process. The bill was left pending. Finally, the committee heard HB 2803, which would require a presiding judge to give a poll watcher a signed statement explaining any removal from service. Supporters said this would improve documentation and accountability, and one witness asked for clarification that improper removal would remain a criminal offense; the author said he would consider a floor amendment and further discussion. The committee also heard HB 4253, which would create a more uniform voter-roll maintenance process based on inactivity, sending confirmation notices to voters who have not voted in the prior 25 months and eventually removing those who do not respond after multiple election cycles. Supporters said it would clean up outdated records and help keep voters registered where they actually live, while opponents argued it could wrongly remove eligible voters who simply do not vote regularly. HB 4253 was left pending as well.

Transcript Highlights:

• Grant them wisdom to discern what is right, courage to uphold justice, and humility to serve with integrity
• Bless each Senator with ...with integrity.
• Later that month, Huntsville became the first racially integrated city in Alabama.
• Herford filed a lawsuit in his son's name to integrate the public schools in Huntsville.
• Board of Education ruling, and ordered the Huntsville Public Schools to integrate.

Bills: SJR 2, SB 4, SJR 36, SJR 2, SB 4, SR 42, SR 74, SR 76, HCR 5, SB 710, SB 710

Keywords: SJR 2, Senate Joint Resolution 2, constitutional amendment, homestead exemption, property tax relief, school property tax, ad valorem tax, residence homestead, school district taxes, Texas Constitution Article VIII, public school finance, homeowner exemption, elderly exemption, senior tax relief, disabled exemption, tax year 2025, voter approval, November 2025 ballot, local government, Ways & Means

Transcript Highlights:

• It's important that we clearly set on the record what is included and what's not.
• AXA recognizes the shared responsibility to stop childhood sexual assault in the school setting once
• There'd be a separate set of eyes to look at that.
• There'd be a separate set of eyes to look at that.
• There’d be a separate set of eyes to look at that.

Summary: The Assembly Education Committee heard a long slate of education bills, beginning with SB 685 on nonpublic schools for students with disabilities. Senator Cortese and the California Department of Education described the bill as a response to the Ninth Circuit’s Laughman decision, removing the obsolete “non-sectarian” requirement while preserving secular use of public funds, nondiscrimination protections, background checks, credentialing, and incident reporting. There was no opposition, and the bill later passed 7-0 to Appropriations. The committee also heard SB 1181, a pilot grant program for violence prevention, student wellness, and school safety in Central Valley and other schools. Supporters framed it as a prevention measure, while opponents from EFF, ACLU Cal Action, and community advocates warned it could increase law enforcement involvement, surveillance, and use of fusion centers; despite those concerns, it ultimately passed 5-0 to Appropriations. Members then considered SB 1067, which would create a statewide framework for annual K-2 math assessments starting in 2028-29 to identify students needing early intervention. The author and supporters argued California faces a serious math achievement crisis and that early assessment would help close gaps, while CTA and several educators and administrators sought additional clarity and amendments to ensure alignment with existing diagnostic practices and limits on high-stakes use. The bill drew broad support from educators, parents, and advocacy groups and passed 7-0 to Appropriations. SB 1107, a school shade-structure bill, would expand eligible shade projects and allow bundling through design-build to reduce costs; it received support from LAUSD, school boards, and climate-focused groups and passed 7-0. SB 1128, on take-home devices and screen time for kindergarteners, was presented as a modest first step to give families more flexibility and reduce early screen exposure, with support from early childhood advocates and no opposition, and it passed 7-0. The committee also approved SB 1048, creating a voluntary State Seal of Climate Literacy for students who complete climate coursework and hands-on projects. Supporters, including Ten Strands, students, teachers, and county offices, said it would recognize real-world climate learning and green career readiness; it passed 7-0. SB 1140, sponsored by CFT, would require LEA construction contractors to follow campus security provisions during school projects to reduce unauthorized access; it drew support from labor and gun violence prevention groups and passed 7-0. SB 930, requiring end-to-end encryption for proctoring companies handling K-12 exam data, was presented as a student privacy measure in response to cybersecurity risks and passed 6-0. Finally, SB 1083 was introduced by Senator Perez as a follow-up to last year’s Safe Learning Environments Act, with extensive committee amendments to refine the statewide misconduct data system, disclosure rules, contractor fingerprinting, and access requirements; the transcript cuts off before the bill’s full hearing and vote are shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• I truly couldn't have asked for a better one to set the tone.
• Thank you, President Drake, because not only have you led with vision and integrity, you've also shown
• This bill sets a clear, transparent path for legislative review and input.
• We have a lot of opportunities for bipartisan collaboration on the issue of election integrity.
• Because I do want to see if we can set a deadline for counting ballots.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There's also a set of financial applications that's tied to the operating budget of the state, so as
• Are they fully integrated into the system now? Are they fully integrated into the system now?
• UConn is fully integrated for HR.
• So we're level set now. We've got historical Actually brought in through the revenue process.
• So we're level set now.

Keywords: 962, all

Summary: The Finance Advisory Committee approved the minutes of its April 2 meeting and then took up three budget transfers. The first, FAC 2026-6 for the Office of the State Treasurer, moved $75,000 from personal services to other expenses to pay for consultant help applying for federal energy credits under the Inflation Reduction Act’s direct pay provisions. Treasurer’s office staff said the agency had one open position and several others pending posting, and members discussed how the transfer related to vacant positions and the committee’s budget display. The second item, FAC 2026-7 for the Office of the State Controller, transferred $700,000 from personal services to other expenses to cover higher Core-CT software maintenance and licensing costs. Comptroller staff said the office had 21 open positions, most in Core-CT, and explained that the system, implemented in 2003, receives regular quarterly and monthly updates from Oracle. Members also discussed how the system serves payroll, HR, purchasing, accounting, and related functions for many state agencies, including UConn and the Board of Regents. The final item, FAC 2026-8 for the Department of Veterans Affairs, transferred $700,000 from personal services, the veterans opportunity pilot, and headstones accounts to other expenses for year-end operational needs. Commissioner Ron Welch said most vacancies were in the skilled nursing facility, food service, and physical plant, with staffing challenges especially for nurses and aides. He also explained that the veterans opportunity pilot never fully launched, that the Institutional General Welfare Fund has been depleted and the agency now relies more on general fund support, and that the department faces rising food, utility, and pharmaceutical costs, including a federal VA reimbursement change that will leave the state responsible for medication costs by 2027. All three transfers were approved, and the meeting adjourned.