Transcript Highlights:

• difficulties, they should consult with other staff in the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet for assistance
• difficulties, they should consult with other staff in the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet for assistance
• </c><00:58:49.200><c> in</c> school will begin to um assist in school will begin to um assist in schools
• What can we do to assist you?
• </c> laws what what can we do uh to assist laws what what can we do uh to assist you<00:59:44.319><c>

Summary: The committee first established a quorum and approved the minutes from the previous meeting. Members then received a staff report on the Kentucky Child Fatality and Near Fatality External Review Panel, including an annual LOIC evaluation of the panel’s operations, statutory compliance, case management system development, member experience, and written procedures. The report noted recent House Bill 778 expanded the panel’s access to records and to TWIST/I-TWIST, and recommended that staff request access and training promptly to avoid implementation problems. Analysts reported the panel has met statutory membership and meeting requirements, and that agency responses to the panel’s 2025 recommendations improved, with all responses meeting statutory content requirements though some were late. They also said the panel still lacks formal written procedures, so a prior recommendation was reissued. The report discussed the panel’s new case management system, now in testing with the Commonwealth Office of Technology, and a survey of panel members showing generally positive views of meetings and case discussions but recurring concerns about SharePoint access, time demands, virtual meetings, and the panel’s lack of enforcement authority. The report included a matter for legislative consideration suggesting the General Assembly may wish to seek additional testimony from agencies when responses are unclear or more information is needed. Panel staff responded that the work is difficult but important, said they are optimistic about gaining TWIST access, and acknowledged that written procedures have not yet been completed because they wanted to align them with the new system. They said both the system and procedures are hoped to be finished by the end of the year, with the new case management system expected to be implemented by September 1 after further testing and migration. Members also discussed trends in child fatality and near-fatality cases, including increases in reported cases since 2013, substance abuse, safe storage of firearms, and concerns about THC/CBD gummies reaching children. No formal votes were taken beyond approval of the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• So a 4% growth rate in ING And that is coupled with essentially a tuition and fee cap on students that
• Child care assistance: the annual cost per child has been going up significantly since FY16.
• So we're essentially using child care assistance to pay for after-school programming and some summer
• Do we want to steer all Of those kids that are school-aged into childcare assistance-funded after-school
• There are over 10,000 kids enrolled in childcare assistance, but you can see that potential liability

Committee: Senate Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• State operating funds and tuition, the only other sources of funding available, paid for the operating
• These state funds and tuition, which have not kept pace with inflation, are not sufficient to fill the
• capital funding gap without decimating the very programs that bring in the tuition and provide the graduates
• Vice Chancellor: Next up, we have the Pollution Control Agency's Assistant Commissioner, Kurt Koudelka

Bills: HF3220

Committee: House Capital Investment

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> superintendents assistant superintendents assistant superintendents<03:11:19.680><c> curriculum<
• </c> uh pieces area agreements tuition uh pieces area agreements tuition agreements<03:19:57.560><c>
• </c><03:45:48.080><c> to</c> a carrot or some kind of assistance to a carrot or some kind of assistance
• We added an assistant superintendent just a few years ago; now we have a superintendent and two assistant
• </c> superintendent and two assistant superintendent and two assistant superintendents<03:59:19.600><

Summary: The committee heard testimony on House Bill 362, which would give the Department of Education rulemaking authority over educator licensing and testing requirements, including professional education assessments. Representative Ladd argued the bill is meant to preserve New Hampshire’s higher standards for teacher preparation and to avoid lowering requirements for licensed educators, while also allowing flexibility for career and technical education (CTE) instructors who may have strong industry experience but not traditional classroom credentials. Members discussed whether the bill should preserve industry-recognized credentials and basic academic skills testing while exempting CTE teachers from content exams; DOE Director Steven Appy said an amendment would clarify that the bill applies to initial licenses, exempt CTE teachers from the content-testing requirement, and keep current administrative practice on basic skills and industry credentials in statute. The committee also noted that an executive session would be scheduled later, likely the following week, to act on the bills and amendment. The committee then took up House Bill 90, dealing with the definition of part-time teachers. Representative Ladd explained that the bill is intended to let university and community college faculty teach limited hours in high school concurrent enrollment settings, especially in subjects like math and STEM where some schools cannot find locally certified teachers with a master’s degree. He said the measure is designed to expand student access to college-level courses, not to replace fully certified teachers or reduce standards, and emphasized that the bill is limited to faculty employed or contracted by the University System of New Hampshire or the Community College System of New Hampshire, with criminal background checks and ethics/conduct rules still applying. No votes were taken during the hearing, and the discussion ended with the understanding that further action would come in executive session.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:15:35.199><c> small</c> $10 million package to assist small $10 million package to assist small
• </c> case, uh, provided a lot of assistance case, uh, provided a lot of assistance to<00:42:28.480><c
• need assistance right public assistance need assistance right now.<00:44:44.640><c> So</c><00:44:44.880
• </c> in requested assistance. in requested assistance.
• </c> million dollars in assistance. million dollars in assistance.

Committee: House Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• The committee legislative assistant has indicated we have a quorum, so a quorum is present.
• She said she is the assistant superintendent of business and administrative services for the Moorhead
• </c> Kristen damer I the assistant Kristen damer I the assistant superintendent<00:23:32.159><c> of</
• the fact that tuition is here the<00:53:47.599><c> fact</c><00:53:47.799><c> that</c><00:53:47.920><
• For most of those years, I worked in the office with the high school principal as his assistant.

Committee: House Education Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• This is my son, and he's assisting me, and he's going to do—we're in charge for how long?
• In-state tuition, that's for every child. Access to community college for every child.
• We extended the full rights of parentage to LGBTQ+ families and families created via assisted reproduction
• We also made important changes to our long-term care and assisted living sectors, passed a wide-ranging
• persistence, right now, all Pell-eligible residents are eligible to go on to our four-year colleges tuition

Summary: The Senate convened for the opening day of the 194th General Court, with ceremonial remarks, an invocation, the Pledge of Allegiance, and the formal canvass of election returns. A special committee reported that all senators had been duly elected, and a committee was then appointed to notify the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Governor’s Council that a quorum of senators-elect was assembled and ready to be sworn in. Governor Maura Healey and Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll addressed the chamber, praised public service, and administered the oaths of office to the senators. The main business of the day was the election of the Senate President. Senator Karen Spilka was nominated by Senator DiDomenico and seconded by Senator Edwards, while Senator Bruce Tarr was nominated by Senator Durant and seconded by Senator Dooner. After nominations were closed, the roll call resulted in 34 votes for Spilka and 5 for Tarr, and the Senate declared Spilka elected president. Senator Tarr then moved that the vote be considered unanimous, and the Senate agreed. President Spilka delivered an inaugural address focused on the chamber’s recent legislative record and priorities for the new session. In her remarks, Spilka highlighted prior accomplishments including education funding, free community college, early education reforms, mental health care reform, prescription drug cost reductions, tax relief, housing, transportation, climate, and veterans’ legislation. She also outlined priorities for the new session, including a statewide listening tour, more transparency in committee and joint committee proceedings, housing and transportation affordability, health care reform, career and technical education, early education, and juvenile justice reform. She emphasized continued bipartisan work and public engagement. The Senate also adopted temporary joint rules and temporary Senate rules, authorized printing of the daily journal, and scheduled the next meeting for the following day at 11:30 a.m. Michael D. Hurley was elected clerk of the Senate and sworn in, and James DiTulio was sworn in as Senate counsel. The chamber also adopted a memorial adjournment in memory of Mary J. Hurley of South Boston before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• information to students and families about the FAFSA, including information about available resources and assistance
• FAFSA, including information about available resources and assistance.
• Bill 174 requires the Director of the Division of Special Education to designate an individual to assist
• SCR 1012 covers the tuition and fees for students who commit to teaching in Arizona public schools.
• One year of tuition equals one year of service. One year of tuition equals one year of service.

Committee: Senate Senate Education Committee of Reference

Summary: The committee heard and advanced several education-related bills. SB 1572, the Return to Civics Instruction Act, would require Freedom Week, civics instruction on the Declaration of Independence and Constitution, and a Declaration recitation for grades 3-12; it passed 3-2 after some members argued schools already provide civics instruction and that the legislature should not mandate curriculum. SB 1798, as amended, would require each high school to designate a FAFSA point person, post contact information, and implement a FAFSA awareness strategy; the Arizona Board of Regents supported it, while some members raised concerns about mandates on charter schools and staffing burdens. The committee also passed SB 1711, which directs the State Board of Education to develop and post age-appropriate resources on preventing and recognizing inappropriate contact, with testimony split between support for parent-accessible safety materials and concerns about sex-education compliance issues.

Transcript Highlights:

• each designated point of contact... ...FAFSA, including information about available resources and assistance
• Bill 174 requires the Director of the Division of Special Education to designate an individual to assist
• SCR 1012 covers the tuition and fees for students who commit to teaching in Arizona public schools.
• Tuition and fees for students who commit to teaching in Arizona public schools.
• One year of tuition equals one year of service.

Bills: SB1004 , SB1424 , SB1497 , SB1507 , SB1572 , SB1684 , SB1711 , SB1741 , SB1754 , SB1763 , SB1798 , SCR1012 , SCR1041 , SCR1051

Committees: Senate Education , Senate Senate Education Committee of Reference

Keywords: sex offender registration, sex offender registry, A.R.S. 13-3821, sexual offenses, public safety, GPS monitoring, electronic monitoring, transient offender, homeless registrant, online identifiers, internet identifiers, sheriff notification, Department of Public Safety, DPS, DNA collection, juvenile adjudication, kidnapping of a minor, unlawful imprisonment of a minor, lifetime registration, community notification

Transcript Highlights:

• This allows candidates to work through college as a certified teaching assistant in a public school and
• We'll start with scholarships, tuition assistance, or loan forgiveness programs.
• Then we have the Leader and Master Professional Educator Program, which trains mentor teachers assisting
• average out-of-pocket total cost for future teacher candidates, such as a mechanism to aggregate tuition
• a leader and master professional educator that supports training of experienced mentor teachers assisting

Summary: The committee first approved the May 18 meeting minutes and then received a presentation from Legislative Audit on Arkansas Department of Education grant distributions. Auditors explained that the fiscal year 2025 report summarizes $4.6 billion in grants from state, federal, and miscellaneous sources, across school districts, charter schools, education cooperatives, and other entities, and that the report only shows amounts distributed, not how recipients ultimately used the money. Members asked about specific recipients and programs, including ClassWallet, Economics Arkansas, and CDC surveillance funding; department staff clarified that the Economics Arkansas grant is written into special language and that the CDC-related funding supports student surveys used by state agencies. Questions also focused on bonus and incentive programs such as master principal and National Board Certified teacher bonuses, with department staff saying the bonuses are generally tied to completion of the program or certification rather than classroom performance, though they would follow up on details. The committee then heard a Bureau of Legislative Research update on Consumer Price Index projections from Moody’s Analytics and S&P Global. Dr. Carlos Silva explained the difference between CPI-U and core CPI and said the estimates show inflation slowing over the forecast period, with some near-term variation between the two data providers. Members asked about the historical accuracy of prior projections, and he said the forecasts generally tend to move toward about 2 percent over time, though recent shocks have caused earlier estimates to understate actual inflation. The bulk of the meeting was devoted to the final adequacy report on teacher recruitment, retention, and salaries. BLR staff reviewed Arkansas teacher demographics, shortage areas, educator preparation pipelines, licensure exceptions, survey results from teachers and principals, and teacher support programs. They reported that Arkansas had about 32,800 teachers and 473,000 students in 2025, with an average of 11.9 years of experience and a slight increase in National Board Certified teachers. The report found shortages in multiple subject areas, especially special education, math, science, foreign language, and social studies, and identified 65 districts as high-need geographically. Survey results showed school leadership as the strongest positive factor in recruitment and retention, while workload and salary were the biggest negatives; 30 percent of responding teachers said they were considering leaving the profession. The committee also reviewed teacher salary data showing a statewide average salary of $60,254 in 2025, Arkansas ranking 45th nationally by NEA methodology, and a long-term inflation-adjusted decline in district salaries, though LEARNS Act increases improved the trend. Members asked for additional follow-up information on survey methodology, alternative licensure costs, coursework, incentives for ESL and special education endorsements, exit data, and how salary comparisons are calculated.

Transcript Highlights:

• to direct a portion of the funds spent by the state for their child's education to private school tuition
• ,</c><00:10:13.440><c> online</c><00:10:13.839><c> learning</c> private school tuition, online learning
• private school tuition, online learning programs,<00:10:15.040><c> or</c><00:10:15.279><c> homeschooling
• </c><00:20:51.360><c> and</c> families for public school tuition and families for public school tuition
• What began as an assistance program for low-income families with struggling students has expanded to

Committee: Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a return of funds from the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program. That's a block grant.
• This is to operate the Community Assistance Grants Program.
• Department of the Treasury for a Small Business Credit Initiative technical assistance grant program.
• It's a $600,000 transfer from ADHE transition to the National Guard Tuition Waiver Program.
• It's a $600,000 transfer from ADHE transition to the National Guard Tuition Waiver Program.

Committee: All ALC-PEER

Transcript Highlights:

• She serves as Assistant Director of House of Timothy...
• It requires all EDs to designate a physician, nurse, paramedic, or physician assistant to serve as the
• Now they're going to get in-state tuition. Is that what we're looking to do?
• , paying in-state tuition versus out-of-state tuition?
• ...than becoming in-state tuition, paying in-state tuition versus out-of-state tuition.

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opening prayer, Pledge of Allegiance, and a series of introductions recognizing guests, interns, public safety officials, and a doctor of the day. The chamber then moved to the special order calendar and took up several bills, with some measures temporarily postponed and others substituted with House companions before final passage. No committee reports, governor messages, or House messages were on the desk at the start of the regular order of business. The first major bill passed was CS/CS/HB 355 on health care patient protection, which requires hospitals with emergency departments to have evidence-based pediatric emergency care policies, training, pediatric equipment, a designated pediatric emergency care coordinator, and participation in the National Pediatric Readiness Assessment. Senators also passed CS/CS/HB 1113 on public records, clarifying confidentiality protections for victims and for law enforcement officers who become victims in the course of duty, though that bill drew questions about access to information in misconduct cases and received four no votes. The Senate then passed CS/CS/HB 1085 on local government cybersecurity, creating a Florida Digital Service-administered program to help local governments obtain cybersecurity services and grants, with amendments shifting the grant-award deadline and rejecting House differences such as locating the program at USF and adding a sunset date. The chamber also passed CS/CS/HB 925 on clerks of court, allowing clerks to retain all revenue above Article V projections and revising related fee distributions, despite concerns from some senators and municipalities about revenue shifts. Additional bills passed included CS/CS/HB 679 modernizing trademark registration, and CS/CS/CS/HB 589 on septic system permits, which addresses long permit delays and clarifies liability if construction begins before a permit is issued. Several other bills were taken up, including elections legislation (SB 1334/HB 991) that generated extensive debate and multiple failed amendments on voter ID, citizenship verification, student and senior IDs, and implementation timing; the transcript ends while that bill is still under consideration, after the Senate adopted one amendment and rejected several others.

Transcript Highlights:

• She serves as Assistant Director of House of Timothy.
• It requires all EDs to designate a physician, nurse, paramedic, or physician assistant to serve as the
• Now they're going to get in-state tuition. Is that what we're looking to do?
• , paying in-state tuition versus out-of-state tuition?
• ...than becoming in-state tuition, paying in-state tuition versus out-of-state tuition.

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and featured a series of member introductions recognizing guests, interns, firefighters, a newly awarded PhD, and the day’s doctor. The chamber also adopted a Senate resolution honoring Indiana University quarterback Fernando Mendoza for winning the Heisman Trophy. After routine business, the Senate moved to special order bills. The first measures taken up were CS/SB 68 on health care patient protection, which required hospitals with emergency departments to adopt pediatric emergency care policies, training, readiness assessments, and a designated pediatric coordinator; it passed 36-0. CS/SB 350 on public records, protecting victim identities and temporarily exempting the names of law enforcement officers who are victims in the line of duty, passed 33-4 after questions about access for victims’ attorneys. CS/SB 576 on local government cybersecurity established a state-administered cybersecurity protection program for local governments, prioritized rural and fiscally constrained communities, and was amended before passing 37-0. CS/SB 532 on clerks of court, allowing clerks to retain all revenue above projections and incorporating related provisions on legal notices, traffic citation distributions, and municipal fee splits, passed 38-0. CS/SB 696 on trademark registration modernized the filing system and passed 38-0. CS/SB 698 on septic system permits, addressing permit delays and aligning House and Senate language on liability if construction begins early, also passed 38-0. The longest debate centered on CS/SB 1334 / CS/HB 991 on elections and election integrity. The bill would use REAL ID data to verify citizenship for voter registration and list maintenance, revise candidate-qualification rules, change acceptable voter IDs, add citizenship markers to driver licenses and ID cards by July 1, 2027, and make other election-administration changes. Multiple amendments were offered and defeated, including proposals to allow attestations in lieu of documentation, exempt seniors, require human review over automated systems, preserve student and retirement-center IDs, and delay implementation to July 1, 2027. One amendment was adopted to retain a stock-trading disclosure for candidates. The chamber then continued debate on the underlying bill, with supporters citing state reports of non-citizen registrations/voting and opponents warning of disenfranchisement for students, seniors, and others who may lack the required documents.

Transcript Highlights:

• fees, which prohibits Minnesota State colleges and universities from charging fees or increasing tuition
• So just to be clear, you don't currently use tuition for your athletic scholarships and this would not
• Uh, Representative Robbins, to your question, the university does not currently use tuition or student
• use tuition for your athletic<00:53:40.240><c> scholarships</c><00:53:40.800><c> and</c><00:53:40.960
• or student fees currently use uh tuition or student fees for<00:54:37.599><c> athlete</c><00:54:38.000

Summary: The conference committee received a nonpartisan walkthrough of the House and Senate side-by-side for higher education-related legislation, with staff identifying Senate-only, House-only, identical, and technical-difference provisions. Topics included paid blood donation leave for Minnesota State employees, a revised higher education attainment goal, athletic fee restrictions, developmental course disclosures, American Indian Scholars Program eligibility, protections and definitions for pregnant and parenting students, online program management contracts, student aid reporting, work-study and dual training grants, private and out-of-state postsecondary education regulation, private career school licensing and data privacy, college savings plan changes, and several University of Minnesota-related provisions. House-only items also included an unemployment insurance aid adjustment, a $1.5 million ongoing appropriation for an identity verification system to combat enrollment fraud, and $5,000 for Bemidji State University reforestation; Senate-only items included Board of Regents appointment language, limits on for-profit control of medical school curriculum, and reporting on for-profit funding in medical education. After the walkthrough, the committee moved to adopt the same and similar provisions and direct staff to make technical corrections. A senator asked about proposed adjustments to the pregnant and parenting student language, and the chair said amendments would be considered after adopting the same and similar provisions. The motion to adopt prevailed. During public testimony, Sydney Spre of the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees supported the Senate’s paid blood donation leave language, saying it would create parity for Minnesota State employees and encourage blood and plasma donation. Commissioner Dennis Olsen of the Office of Higher Education thanked the committee for adopting most of the agency’s proposed language and said he was available to help clarify remaining differences. In response to questions, he explained the Senate’s higher education attainment goal proposal, saying it would extend and broaden the existing goal, raise the target from 70% to 75%, expand the age range, and use additional metrics and partner agencies; he also said the overall attainment rate had been 63.5 under the prior goal. The transcript ends as the commissioner was being asked whether the proposal would require additional appropriations.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're taking a look at what tuition revenue is being collected locally.
• We back out tuition revenue, and we arrive at what we call in the model the state funding needs.
• Our tuition and fees estimated for 2425, based on our Institutions' tuition and fees estimated for 2425
• , based on our first FTE calculation, you see there about $704.5 million in tuition and fees.
• state funds and 30% tuition and fees for the Florida College System.

Committee: Senate Appropriations Committee on Higher Education

Summary: The Appropriations Committee for Higher Education met to review Florida’s workforce and Florida College System funding models as part of budget planning. Chair Harrell opened by emphasizing the state’s growing focus on technical education and workforce pathways, and the committee first heard from Tara Goodman of the Department of Education on district workforce education. Goodman explained the programs funded through district workforce dollars, including career certificates, applied technology diplomas, registered apprenticeship, and adult general education, and described the model’s reliance on lagged enrollment, program cost weights, local tuition offsets, and supplemental factors such as disability services, GED testing, and minimum funding for small rural districts. She also noted federal support through Perkins and WIOA and said the model is used to determine unmet need and guide appropriations. In response to questions, she said health care programs are generally among the higher-cost offerings and may be supplemented by pipeline funds. The committee then heard from Kathy Hebda, Chancellor of the Florida College System, on the college system’s funding model. Hebda described the main funding sources, including the program fund, student success incentive funds, pipeline funds, tuition and fees, and performance-based incentives, and explained that the current model was developed by the 28 college presidents under legislative direction. She said the model uses a three-year average FTE, weights workforce enrollment more heavily than non-workforce enrollment, gives significant weight to completions, includes a small-college factor and regional cost differentials, and also provides targeted funding to bring colleges up to a floor based on per-FTE funding. Senators asked about colleges below the target, cost differences among programs, faculty salaries, and health insurance costs; Hebda said the model is meant to provide flexible operating dollars that colleges can use for those expenses, but specific salary and benefit decisions are left to the institutions. Seminole State College President Georgia Lorenz also testified in support of the college funding model, saying it holds institutions accountable for enrollment and completions, can be adjusted to reflect state priorities like workforce, and addresses differences in size and regional costs. No bills were voted on, and the committee adjourned after brief closing remarks thanking Seminole State College and the presenters.

Transcript Highlights:

• What if there was tuition assistance?
• I was just curious about maybe districts helping with tuition.
• I would also like to offer my assistance in any way needed as you all work on House Bill 2 and other
• As Glenn Coffey, Assistant Superintendent for Special Education, testifying on behalf of TKACE.
• I'll show you registered as Cammie Finger, Assistant Superintendent for Special Services, testifying

Bills: HB2 , HB2

Committee: House Public Education

Transcript Highlights:

• For the record, my name is Stanley Schauer Jr., and I serve as an interim assistant state superintendent
• And then when you're talking about the deduct that applies to a tuition payment between districts, and
• PISA was modeled kind of after the speech-language assistant certificate that we have.
• So you're looking at reimbursement for tuition, or are you talking about just PD dollars?
• dollars where we could include that as part of the parent-to-teacher, parent-to-tech, and pay tuition

Committee: Joint Special Education Funding Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• They're fully inclusive and offered at no cost or sliding scale tuition to children and families.
• Representative Montoya, is an act relating to private education, providing for the authorization of school tuition
• Representative Montoya, is an act relating to private education, providing for the authorization of school tuition
• An act relating to private education, providing for the authorization of school tuition organizations
• for harm to self and harm to others in the Mental Health and Development Disabilities Code and the Assisted

Bills: HM19

Transcript Highlights:

• It's important, as we know, to assist with our current school bus crisis.
• um um to<00:15:31.520><c> assist</c><00:15:31.959><c> with</c><00:15:32.200><c> our</c><00:15:32.320>
• <c> current</c><00:15:32.600><c> school</c><00:15:32.839><c> bus</c> to assist with our current school
• bus to assist with our current school bus crisis.<00:15:33.520><c> So</c><00:15:33.720><c> would</c>
• Okay, so if we take the vote, basically, this authorizes the use of the University of Hawaii tuition

Bills: SB2057 , SB2109 , SB2400 , HB1752 , SB2599 , SB2930