Transcript Highlights:

• </c><01:26:20.840><c> them</c><01:26:21.040><c> to</c> release if we aren't preparing them to release
• </c><01:28:11.360><c> but</c> who want to not only earn their geds but who want to not only earn their
• </c> education programs and alternative GED education programs and alternative GED programs<01:37:51.840
• </c> desire to earn a GED desire to earn a GED comes<01:40:54.679><c> out</c><01:40:55.560><c> uh</c>
• After enacting that statute, Florida actually also prepared a judicial handbook to train and educate

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Some are focused on literacy, some on equivalency, and some on GED programs.
• There are online options I know for equivalency preparation.
• </c><00:28:23.039><c> This</c><00:28:23.279><c> would</c> for equivalency preparation.
• This would for equivalency preparation.
• There are online GED programs, facility.

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, one of the things that, that we worked on last time during in the preparations was get an extra 50
• write, and so that's, that's not a failure on the kid, that's a failure on the system that didn't prepare
• Uh, they graduated from high school or received a GED or they enlisted in their own foreign forces.
• So like if you say like you don't have a GED.
• The courts will say, hey, if you're in a GED program, we'll waive your community service because we know

Transcript Highlights:

• school<00:07:54.879><c> or</c><00:07:55.159><c> attained</c><00:07:55.560><c> a</c><00:07:55.680><c> GED
• </c><00:07:56.199><c> in</c><00:07:56.400><c> Minnesota</c> school or attained a GED in Minnesota school
• or attained a GED in Minnesota and<00:07:57.680><c> complied</c><00:07:58.120><c> with</c><00:07:58.280
• So I will turn to nonpartisan because they actually prepared some of this as well.
• some of this as they actually prepared some of this as well<00:09:34.399><c> would</c><00:09:34.519>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• for community reentry and family... ...form, prepare the population for community reentry and family
• I was preparing for my initial parole hearing, which will determine my ability to be released.
• In the past three fiscal years, almost 6,000 students have earned their GED or high school diploma.
• In the past three fiscal years, almost 6,000 students have earned their GED or high school diploma.
• Real-world application: give them scenario-based curriculum that is preparing them to be adults.

Summary: The hearing focused first on sexual abuse, harassment, and retaliation in California’s women’s prisons, with testimony from CDCR wardens, the Office of Inspector General, advocacy groups, and formerly incarcerated survivors. Legislators and witnesses described a pattern of staff misconduct, fear of retaliation, gaps in reporting, and the need for stronger accountability, better investigations, and more outside access for survivor support organizations. CDCR said it has expanded training, body-worn and stationary cameras, outside partnerships, and PREA-related response procedures, while the Inspector General requested additional funding and staff to monitor more grievances and staff sexual misconduct cases under SB 1069. Members pressed CDCR on why accused staff are not always placed on leave, how cases are referred to prosecutors, and whether current protections are enough; several members argued the state should aim to investigate all complaints and do more to prevent retaliation and repeat abuse. The second issue was rehabilitative and reentry programming in women’s prisons. CDCR’s Division of Rehabilitative Programs and the wardens highlighted education, vocational training, substance use treatment, peer support, and community reentry programs, citing increased enrollment and recent graduates earning diplomas, degrees, and certifications. They said these programs are intended to reduce recidivism and improve public safety. Formerly incarcerated advocates and community providers argued that current offerings are still too limited, outdated, and not aligned with today’s job market, especially around digital literacy and transferable credentials, and they urged more funding for community-based, trauma-informed, gender-responsive programming. A coalition representative asked for a $20 million continuation and expansion of the Wright Grant program, and members discussed additional budget requests for reentry and related women’s services.

Transcript Highlights:

• To help us prepare for the House budget, I'd like for us to pivot from universities to other sectors
• programs help students reach a number of goals, whether it's to master basic skills necessary for a GED
• As Madam Chair mentioned, industry certifications are part of our workforce preparation for students
• preparation or adult high school and a career certificate or applied technology diploma program.
• In GED preparation or adult high school and a career certificate or applied technology diploma program

Summary: The Higher Education Budget Subcommittee met to review funding models for the Florida College System and district workforce education programs, with an emphasis on how new dollars are allocated in the program fund and how performance and targeted funding are incorporated. Chancellor Hebda explained the Florida College System model, including base program funding, student success and pipeline funds, performance incentives for industry certifications, and the 2022 president-developed formula that weights enrollment, workforce enrollment, completions, small-college factors, and regional cost differences, plus a targeted funding floor for colleges below a minimum per-FTE level. Vice Chancellor Goodman then outlined the district workforce model, which uses lagged enrollment, program cost weights, local revenue offsets, small-district adjustments, and unmet-need calculations to distribute lump-sum appropriations to school districts offering workforce education. The department also provided updates on several grant programs and funding delays. Goodman said the Workforce Development Incentive Grant, Pathways to Career Opportunities Grant, Graduation Alternative to Traditional Education Startup Grant, and teacher apprenticeship/mentor bonus programs all involve multi-year awards and often require reversions and reappropriations because projects are delayed, extended, or not fully obligated by year-end. She said the department is moving toward an electronic grants system and had already adjusted internal deadlines to speed awards, while acknowledging some reimbursement delays and explaining that mentor bonuses for teacher apprentices will not be paid until the first cohort reaches the statutory timing requirement. Members asked about tracking whether CTE students work in their trained fields, how Xello is used to inform students about career pathways, how FTE is calculated, whether the funding formulas could encourage growth over quality, and how students with disabilities are counted in workforce funding. Questions also focused on tuition, enrollment trends, and the gap between college and university funding. The committee heard that tuition has remained flat for more than a decade, enrollment has rebounded from COVID and is projected to exceed pre-pandemic levels, and the college system’s funding per FTE varies widely. Valencia College President Kathleen Plinsky testified in support of the proposed formula and an additional $200 million for the Florida College System, saying Valencia is the second-largest college in the state but ranks last in per-FTE funding, which has made it difficult to recruit and retain faculty and admit qualified students in high-demand programs like nursing. The committee took no vote and adjourned after the presentations and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• We've had 222 young men and women obtain their GED.
• We've had 222 young men and women obtain their GED.
• GED.
• We'll get them in a GED program and try to get them their GED so they can do something when they leave
• We're working with, like I said, on GED.

Summary: The Senate and House Joint Committee on Children and Youth met to approve prior minutes, confirm Representative Mary Bentley to the Child Maltreatment Investigations Oversight Committee, and receive several presentations. The Arkansas Infant and Child Death Review team reported on unexpected child deaths in Arkansas, saying its 2023 review covered 148 of 170 non-natural deaths, with the remainder unavailable due to criminal investigations or missing records. Of the reviewed deaths, 69 were accidents, 14 suicides, 18 homicides, and 47 undetermined, and members discussed how the report’s recommendations could be used by agencies and nonprofits for prevention work and grant applications. Committee members also asked about age breakdowns and how the data could be shared without identifying individual cases. The committee then took up HCR 1010 and a broader discussion of juvenile justice reform. Representative Shepard said the resolution was intended to confront data on juvenile incarceration and system outcomes. Senator Missy Irvin, judges Troy Braswell and Kathy Hess, and AOC Juvenile Division Director Burke Steen described the state’s long-running reform efforts, including the SAVRY risk assessment, diversion programs, and efforts to keep more youth in their communities. They said the reforms have reduced delinquency filings, DYS commitments, and revocations, while increasing diversions, but also emphasized ongoing gaps in mental health, substance abuse, and school-based supports. Members raised concerns about school data sharing, behavioral health access, and how to better identify youth with disabilities or trauma earlier. Judge Braswell and others stressed that many youth in the system have significant trauma, family instability, or unmet treatment needs, and that judges need individualized information to make decisions. Several members discussed the role of schools, the school safety dashboard, and the need for stronger community providers, especially in rural areas. The committee then heard from DYS Director Michael Crump, who provided data on commitments, facility use, demographics, offense levels, length of stay, education outcomes, recidivism, dual DCFS/DYS custody, and costs. He said commitments rose after the pandemic and then began to decline, while secure and detention costs increased with the need for more beds; he also noted that most youth in custody have behavioral health needs and that DYS works closely with DCFS, courts, and providers. No final action was taken on HCR 1010 during the discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• ARRAY OF CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND A VARIETY OF LITERACY PROGRAMS THAT ARE INTENDED TO PREPARE
• TECHNOLOGY DIPLOMAS ARE THOSE NON COLLEGE CREDIT OFFERINGS AT THE DISTRICT TECHNICAL COLLEGES THAT PREPARES
• WE ALSO INCLUDE A FACTOR FOR OPERATION OF GED TESTING.
• OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE NOT DEPENDENT UPON ADULT EDUCATION MOMENTS AND WHILE MANY STUDENTS WHO ARE TESTING A GED
• SO EVERYONE HAS A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA OR GED IF YOU WANT TO DO COLLEGE CREDIT IS GRANT ACCESS.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• free tax preparation courses and computer literacy classes.
• I think you really, I had some questions prepared.
• I think you really, I had some questions prepared.
• Other ways that we've been preparing is we've been actually just...
• But that's one way that we're preparing for if, and fingers crossed, not...

Summary: The Senate and Assembly Human Services Committees held a special oversight hearing on California’s 2026-27 Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) state plan, a federal anti-poverty funding stream. Committee members opened by citing statewide poverty and homelessness data and said the hearing was meant to review how CSBG dollars are used, how local agencies respond to community needs, and how the state is preparing for possible federal funding cuts. Jason Wimbley of the Department of Community Services and Development (CSD) explained that California’s CSBG network works through 60 organizations in 58 counties, serving about 1.5 million low-income Californians in 2023, and that the state received $68.4 million in federal CSBG funds in fiscal year 2025. He described the program as flexible funding used for housing, employment, education, food, health, transportation, and emergency response, and noted that the federal administration had proposed eliminating CSBG, though the Senate Appropriations Committee had voted to fully fund it for the coming year. Representatives from the California Community Action Partnership Association and several CSBG-funded agencies described how the program supports local anti-poverty work and leverages other funding. CalCAPA emphasized local flexibility, workforce development, partnerships, and data systems such as ROMA, while also warning that agencies are preparing for possible reductions by tightening budgets, planning staffing contingencies, and seeking private foundation support. Agency witnesses from Contra Costa County, Northern California Indian Development Council, Proteus, and Sacred Heart Community Service described services including housing assistance, food distribution, utility help, employment training, youth programs, and culturally specific services for Native communities and migrant farmworkers. They repeatedly said CSBG is essential because it funds staffing and infrastructure that allow them to braid other grants and serve people who do not qualify for standard safety-net programs. Members also asked about the impact of federal staffing changes and the Los Angeles fires. Wimbley said federal layoffs had affected some CSD programs but not CSBG administration, and that the department coordinated disaster response with state agencies and used CSBG-funded supply distribution, food, water, clothing, and documentation support during the fires. Witnesses said they were preparing for possible future cuts by diversifying funding, reducing expenses, and considering service changes, while county officials warned that state and federal reductions could not be backfilled locally. During public comment, one speaker urged stronger oversight of community action agencies and raised concerns about transparency and compliance with state law. The chair then thanked the witnesses, emphasized the importance of CSBG for low-income seniors, youth, and people with disabilities, and adjourned the hearing without any votes or formal action taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• WELL THAT'S GOING TO POSITION THEM TO HOPEFULLY INCREASE THAT SIXTH-GRADE WEEK READING LEVEL, GET A GED
• , PREPARE THEM FOR TRADES.
• THE BASELINE IS LEARNING HOW TO READ AND GET A GED AND WE TRIED TO START THERE BUT WE ARE TRYING TO BE
• WE'VE GOT TO CONTINUE TO MANAGE THAT AND PREPARE FOR THE POPULATION GROWTH.
• WE HAD ANOTHER 200 RIGHT NOW THAT ARE PREPARING TO GET THEIR DIPLOMA.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• of career and technical education programs and a variety of literacy programs that are intended to prepare
• technology diplomas are those non-college credit offerings at the district technical colleges that prepare
• technology diplomas are those non-college credit offerings at the district technical colleges that prepare
• We also include a factor for operation of GED testing.
• So everybody who has a high school diploma or a GED, if you want to do college credit, is granted access

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:

• This is just not something that we thought about originally when we were preparing our budget, so I'm
• just bringing it to you for hopeful consideration in your preparation of House Bill 2.
• So the first thing, the GED, there's people sitting behind me who definitely know that percentage, and
• I think the GED after... Been revised a couple of years ago is almost impossible for someone.
• The GED just seems almost unattainable. It means they're college bound.

Transcript Highlights:

• testing, so determining what the educational need of that inmate is if we can't verify if they have a GED
• within our prison system did not have a verified GED or high school diploma.
• We know that if an inmate gets their GED, if they get a certification in a meaningful field that provides
• Second one, you said 63% of our inmates don't have a GED.
• and let's just say they're 85% complete, do we have a program in place that can help them finish that GED

Summary: The Criminal Justice Subcommittee heard an informational presentation from the Florida Department of Corrections on how the prison and community supervision systems operate after sentencing. Assistant Deputy Secretary Hope Gartman described the reception process for new inmates, including intake, medical and mental health screening, classification, custody and housing levels, gain time, and the department’s academic, vocational, substance abuse, chaplaincy, visitation, and communication programs. She emphasized that reentry begins on day one and that program placement is driven by risk and needs assessments, with facilities matched to inmates’ medical, mental health, and security requirements. Members also asked about family contact, visitor applications, inmate welfare trust funds, tablet access, private prison placement, staffing shortages, overtime, contraband interdiction, and waiting lists for programs; several follow-up materials were requested for distribution to all members. Mr. Winkler then outlined community corrections, explaining the different supervision types under Florida law, including probation, drug offender probation, community control, sex offender supervision, conditional release, and addiction recovery supervision. He described the department’s monitoring tools, such as office and field visits, warrantless searches, alternative sanctioning for technical violations, telephone reporting for low-risk offenders, employment assistance, and mobile probation and reentry units. He said the department’s supervision success rate is about 62%, with more than 91% of successful completers not returning to custody within three years. Members questioned officer workloads, the use of radios and GPS check-ins, the rollout of uniforms and firearms, how violations are handled, and whether all circuits participate in alternative sanctioning; Winkler said the program is statewide and that the department is seeking funding for radios. During public comment, Florida Cares Charity urged the committee to consider evidence on deterrence, parole, and recidivism, arguing that community supervision is less costly than incarceration and can be effective. James Beardy of the Florida PBA emphasized the dangers faced by correctional and probation officers, including long shifts, field searches, and working alone, and argued for higher pay and better support comparable to other law enforcement. The meeting concluded with the chair thanking the presenters and public speakers, and the subcommittee adjourned without taking any legislative votes or formal actions.

Transcript Highlights:

• That's not a failure of the kid; that's a failure of the system that didn't prepare them to stay in school
• Three things: they turned 21, they graduated from high school and received a GED, or they enlisted in
• If you don’t have a GED, the courts will say, "Hey, if you're in a GED program..." ...program, we'll

Bills: HB2947, HB3276, HB3513

Keywords: truancy, school attendance, parent responsibility, education code, community service, criminal record nondisclosure, juvenile board, Moore County, appointments, juvenile justice, county legislation, 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so I know you and I have talked, and I have prepared an amendment. It's Amendment Number 1803.
• And so I know you and I have talked and I have prepared an amendment. It's amendment number 1803.
• This bill, as I appreciate it, is to allow more time to prepare for those situations, and the defense
• But the other reason is that you prepare your motion for a new trial.
• It provides relative to the reentry preparation program. Rep.

Bills: HB36, HB52, HB56, HB68, HB92, HB119, HB140, HB147, HB160, HB171, HB289, HB351, HB552, HB784

Keywords: HB 36, Act 780, Acadiana Regional Juvenile Justice District, juvenile justice, juveniles, Evangeline Parish, regional district, board of commissioners, commission membership, Louisiana juvenile law, R.S. 15:1109, R.S. 15:1109.1, parish governance, district boundaries, local government, HB 52, Act 192, Louisiana criminal procedure, misdemeanor jury trial, six-person jury

Transcript Highlights:

• And so they no longer have to go through corporate tax preparation software that pushes unnecessary..
• We heard from some of our volunteer tax preparers from around the state about the critical work that

Bills: HF2730, HF2257, HF2768, HF1932, HF2437

Keywords: local government debt, municipal bonds, county bonds, capital improvements, public financing, bond issuance, public hearing, notice period, bond guarantee, Minnesota Public Facilities Authority, volume cap, private activity bonds, housing finance, residential rental bonds, LIHTC, low-income housing tax credits, redevelopment, courthouse financing, jail financing, law enforcement center

Transcript Highlights:

• product to Minnesotans so that they'd no longer have to go through, you know, a corporate kind of tax preparation
• So that they'd no longer have to go through, you know, a corporate kind of tax preparation software that
• We heard from some of our volunteer tax preparers from around the state and about the critical work that

Bills: HF2730, HF2257, HF2768, HF1932, HF2437

Keywords: local government debt, municipal bonds, county bonds, capital improvements, public financing, bond issuance, public hearing, notice period, bond guarantee, Minnesota Public Facilities Authority, volume cap, private activity bonds, housing finance, residential rental bonds, LIHTC, low-income housing tax credits, redevelopment, courthouse financing, jail financing, law enforcement center

Bills: SB1113, SB1117, SB1206, SB1460, SB1802, SB1906, SB1917, SB2340, SB2455, SB2680, SB2690, SB705, SB748

Keywords: SB 1113, converter's license, converter license, motor vehicle dealer, auto dealer, vehicle conversion, converted vehicles, direct sales, retail sales, trailer, semitrailer, manufactured trailer, chassis, manufacturer's statement of origin, MSO, Occupations Code, Transportation Code, Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, dealer licensing, general distinguishing number

Summary: The committee took up pending business first and reported several bills favorably, including SB 2139, SB 2610, SB 1856, SB 2530, SB 2401, SB 2858, and SB 3016, with most of those measures moving out on committee substitutes and being sent to the local and uncontested calendar or to the full Senate. The committee also heard SB 1906 on expanding Chapter 342E consumer lending rates; supporters argued it would modernize Texas law and expand access to safe, regulated credit, while opponents from Texas Appleseed and AARP warned it would raise costs on already expensive loans and worsen debt burdens. SB 1906 was left pending after testimony. The committee also reconsidered and re-voted SB 1856 after a procedural issue, with the substitute ultimately adopted and the bill reported favorably. The committee then heard SB 1113, which would clarify that certain vehicle converters, including a Texarkana business, do not need an additional dealer license to sell converted vehicles. The bill’s supporters described a long-standing business model and said the new metal license plate rules had created problems, while the Texas Automobile Dealers Association opposed the bill in its current form and said it could be resolved through DMV action or narrower changes. DMV said it was still researching a possible administrative fix, and SB 1113 was left pending. The committee also heard SB 2680, a Public Information Act cleanup bill dealing with emergency deadlines, business-day exclusions, and litigation timing; broadcasters and other open-government advocates argued the issues were already addressed by prior law and court rulings, while the Attorney General’s office said the bill would help with catastrophe notices and timing conflicts. SB 2680 was left pending. Other bills heard included SB 1117, which would allow any Texas-licensed dentist to administer botulinum toxin neuromodulators for aesthetic purposes in the oral and maxillofacial region; the author and dental witnesses said it would clarify scope and improve access, and the bill was left pending. SB 2340 would clarify the Attorney General’s investigative authority over Texas corporations, including pre-suit depositions and sworn written questions; opponents raised due process and separation-of-powers concerns, and the bill was left pending. The committee also heard SB 705 and SB 748, both TDLR cleanup bills, and SB 1206, which would impose timelines and notice requirements on municipalities reviewing transmission projects; SB 1206 was supported by an electric cooperative and left pending. SB 1460, creating an ethics violation registry tied to licensing consequences, drew constitutional and due-process objections from several witnesses and was also left pending. After a recess, the committee heard SB 1802 on landlord duties to repair mobility assistance devices like elevators and ramps in rental housing, with the author describing prolonged outages affecting seniors; the bill was left pending. Finally, SB 2455, creating an Energy Waste Advisory Committee to coordinate efficiency and demand-response programs, drew support from energy-efficiency and environmental witnesses and was left pending, and SB 2690, targeting deceptive business-certification solicitations, was laid out and opened to testimony before the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> for</c> Programs must prepare students for Programs must prepare students for high-skll,<00:08:06.639
• </c> we were ready to be prepared for that. we were ready to be prepared for that.
• </c> instead obtained a GED? instead obtained a GED?
• </c><00:33:01.397><c> [clears throat]</c> obtain a GED. [clears throat] obtain a GED.
• </c> educational experiences that prepare educational experiences that prepare them<00:42:24.720><c>

Keywords: Call to Order and Roll Call – 0:00:00 Workforce Pell Grant Update – 0:03:30 Extension Office Update – 0:33:25 Kentucky Academic Standards for Social Studies – 1:07:08 Early Literacy Outcomes – 1:32:20 Consideration of Referred Administrative Regulations – 1:58:30 Adjournment 2:13:13, 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• students with disabilities as detailed in that document, secondary transition is the process of preparing
• The options include the adult high school and GED The options include the adult high school and GED preparation
• Each of our panelists today play an important role in preparing and delivering the successful transition
• In other words, did that school districts missing opportunity to prepare the students for life by not
• That's a prepared.