Transcript Highlights:

• my professional career, Beyond my professional career, I served on the Arizona Charter Schools Association
• But the whole child model is actually... it's not, you know, from the National Education Association,
• Madam Chair, members of the committee, Isella Blanc with the Arizona Education Association.
• For those reasons, that's why the Educators Association is opposed to this bill. Okay.

Bills: HB2093, HB2370, HB2376, HB2380, HB2381, HB2383, HB2423, HB2481, HB2621, HB2895, HB4005, HB4043, HB4109

Keywords: mental health, school curriculum, education policy, instruction requirements, statute repeal, charter schools, education, weapons detection, public safety, school administration, school districts, real estate transactions, school property, bond issuance, land use approval, capital improvements, school governance, board meetings, education funding, parental notification

Transcript Highlights:

• Allie McNair with the Florida Sheriff's Association, waving in support. Thank you for being here.
• Cookie Pritt with the Florida Police Chiefs Association. She's waving in support.
• This bill creates the Miami Northwestern Alumni Association license plate.
• What I will tell you is that the Northwestern Alumni Association has a very large association across
• The Northwestern Alumni Association has a very large association across the state of Florida, and I have

Bills: S0382, S0628, S0654, S0696, S0880

Keywords: transportation facility designations, road naming, highway designation, honorary designation, memorial highway, memorial boulevard, memorial interchange, airport naming, FDOT markers, Florida Department of Transportation, State Road 80, SR 80, U.S. 90, U.S. 41, A1A, Turnpike interchange, Kissimmee Park Road, Bobby Bowden, Donald Trump Highway, President Donald J. Trump Highway

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development met with a quorum and considered five bills, all of which were reported favorably. First, SB 628 designated a portion of South Navy Boulevard in Pensacola as “Warrior Sacrifice Way” to honor Ensign Joshua Watson, Petty Officer Muhammad Hatham, and Cameron Walters, who were killed in the 2019 Naval Air Station Pensacola attack. Senators spoke in support, emphasizing remembrance and support for the families. The committee then heard CS/SB 382 on electric bicycles and scooters. The bill would require riders on shared pathways to yield to pedestrians, sound an audible signal before passing, and limit speed near pedestrians, while creating an e-bike safety task force and reporting requirements. Law enforcement, local officials, and school board representatives supported the bill and described safety concerns and data gaps, while several senators raised questions about enforcement and asked that e-scooters be addressed more explicitly. The bill was reported favorably. Members also approved SB 880, creating a Miami Northwestern Alumni Association specialty license plate to fund scholarships and school programs, and SB 696, which allows online trademark registration applications and updates Florida’s trademark classification and verification procedures. Finally, the committee took up CS/CS/SB 654 on traffic infraction enforcement cameras for red light, school zone speeding, and school bus violations. The bill and an amendment added guardrails on data use, hearings, reporting, signage, and contract limits; senators raised concerns about privacy, surveillance, and school zone enforcement, and a Hillsborough County sheriff’s representative testified that all-day school zone enforcement has improved safety. All measures were reported favorably, and the committee adjourned after recording additional affirmative votes on SB 628 from Senators Martin and Smith.

Transcript Highlights:

• Allie McNair with the Florida Sheriff's Association, waving in support. Thank you for being here.
• Cookie Pritt with the Florida Police Chiefs Association, she's waving in support.
• This bill creates the Miami Northwestern Alumni Association license plates.
• This bill creates the Miami Northwestern Alumni Association license plate, with funds from the annual
• What I will tell you is that the Northwestern Alumni Association has a very large association across

Bills: S0382, S0628, S0654, S0696, S0880

Keywords: transportation facility designations, road naming, highway designation, honorary designation, memorial highway, memorial boulevard, memorial interchange, airport naming, FDOT markers, Florida Department of Transportation, State Road 80, SR 80, U.S. 90, U.S. 41, A1A, Turnpike interchange, Kissimmee Park Road, Bobby Bowden, Donald Trump Highway, President Donald J. Trump Highway

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development heard and approved five bills. Senate Bill 628, by President Gates, designated a portion of South Navy Boulevard in Pensacola as “Warrior Sacrifice Way” to honor three sailors killed in the 2019 Naval Air Station Pensacola attack. Senators spoke in support of the memorial designation, and the bill was reported favorably. The committee also considered CS/SB 382 on electric bicycles and scooters. The bill would require riders to yield to pedestrians, give audible signals before passing, limit speed near pedestrians, create noncriminal penalties for violations, and establish an e-bike safety task force to study crashes and recommend future changes. Testimony from law enforcement, local officials, and school board members supported the need for clearer rules and better crash reporting, while several members raised concerns about enforcement and asked that e-scooters be addressed more directly. The bill was reported favorably. Senate Bill 880 would create a Miami Northwestern Alumni Association specialty license plate, with proceeds supporting scholarships and school programs. Senate Bill 696 would allow online trademark registration applications and align Florida’s trademark classification system with national and international standards. Both bills were reported favorably after brief discussion and support from a Florida Bar representative on SB 696. The committee then approved CS/CS/SB 654, which revises rules for red-light, school-zone speed, and school bus camera enforcement to add more consistency, transparency, and limits on data use. An amendment was adopted to clarify several provisions, including right-turn-on-red language, data use, school board responsibilities, and contract timing. Members debated school-zone enforcement practices, surveillance concerns, and whether flashing beacons should be required for camera enforcement, and a Hillsborough County sheriff’s representative testified in support of all-day school-zone enforcement. The bill was reported favorably, and the committee adjourned after members recorded additional votes on SB 628.

Transcript Highlights:

• I represent the Home Builders Association of Central Arizona.
• So the Arizona Planners Association, the American Association of Planners, everybody that has researched
• More than 90% of the housing stock in District 15 are in homeowners associations.
• Chairman, in a homeowners association. Well, I pay a mortgage. I guess maybe the bank does.
• I represent the Home Builders Association of Central Arizona.

Bills: SB1254, SB1431, SB1478, SB1566, SB1787

Keywords: workers' compensation, industrial commission, safety regulations, employee protection, penalties, compliance, municipal planning, homeowners associations, design regulations, property rights, building permits, single-family homes, liquor, alcohol, spirituous liquor, liquor license, liquor licensing, Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control, restaurant to-go cocktails, mixed cocktails

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:21:26.559><c> in</c> Association of Parliamentarians in Association of Parliamentarians in support
• ><c> and</c><00:23:10.320><c> I'm</c> condominium association board, and I'm condominium association
• So I'm condominium associations.
• </c> condo associations. condo associations. uh<00:23:40.000><c> it</c><00:23:40.159><c> can</c><00:23
• </c> Hawaii Funeral and Cemetery Association. Hawaii Funeral and Cemetery Association.

Bills: HB1697, HB1678, HB1679, HB2282, HB1940, HB1671, HB1481, HB2015, HB2207, HB2486

Keywords: natural hair braiding, registration, Barbering and Cosmetology Licensing Act, public health, sanitation, cumulative voting, associations, unit owners, board of directors, elections, Hawaii Revised Statutes, condominium, association meetings, electronic voting, proxy voting, mail voting, insurance, premium increase, policy cancellation, licensing

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 1697, which would exempt natural hair braiders from licensing requirements under certain conditions. The DCCA Board of Barbering and Cosmetology said it recognizes braiding as within the scope of cosmetology practice but warned that a broad exemption could create consumer protection gaps, especially around sanitation training, tool use, and enforcement. Supporters from the Institute for Justice and the Grassroots Institute of Hawaii argued the current licensing regime is overly burdensome and unrelated to braiding, citing the 1,250-hour training requirement, high tuition costs, barriers for low-income entrepreneurs, and the fact that many other states already exempt braiders. Committee members asked whether a standalone sanitation course or similar training could address the board’s concerns, and the board said it would bring that idea back for discussion. The committee also noted 16 written testimonies in support and 2 in opposition. The committee then took up HB 1678, relating to condominium and planned community association elections using cumulative voting. Supporters, including the Hawaii State Association of Parliamentarians, said the bill would clarify that cumulative voting applies to all candidates, including write-ins, and would help resolve confusion in association elections. One testifier urged the committee to remove proxy voting, calling it an abuse of power in some associations, while another asked whether cumulative voting and proxies could be manipulated to stack votes. In response, the parliamentarian explained that cumulative voting and proxy voting are different, that proxies simply allow someone to vote on another’s behalf, and that existing deadlines and counting procedures reduce opportunities for abuse. Testimony also emphasized that electronic or mail voting can be secure and efficient, and that the bill would make the process clearer and more democratic. Finally, the committee heard testimony on HB 1679, which would clarify an association board’s authority over electronic meetings, electronic voting, voting without a meeting, and mail voting without a meeting. Supporters said the measure would clean up statutory language, make electronic voting optional, and fix problems created by a 2024 change that made written-consent timing rules difficult to use for association actions. They also said the bill would clarify that proxies are only used at meetings, not for actions taken without a meeting. One opponent argued the bill needs further amendment because electronic voting is not well defined and could be abused, and questioned the neutrality of parliamentarians testifying on condominium bills. No votes were taken on any of the measures during the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• They actually went to a nonprofit housing association and begged them to, would you please do workforce
• After the association is turned over to the owners, if you want to be on the board, you need to actually
• Okay, so you specifically emphasized owner, which I know homeowners association, but can a tenant who

Bills: HB4409, HB4414, HB4484, HB4486, HB3057, HB2588, HB4434

Keywords: housing, legislative committee, affordable housing, Oklahoma Housing Finance Agency, policy improvement, HB4414, Oklahoma Homebuilder Program, OHFA, single-family housing, homebuilder loans, 0% interest loan, housing finance, workforce housing, Legislative Workforce Housing Committee, housing needs assessment, community housing assessment, disaster recovery housing, federally declared natural disaster, rural housing, urban housing

Transcript Highlights:

• They actually went to a nonprofit housing association and begged them to, would you please do workforce
• After the association is turned over to the owners, if you want to be on the board, you need to actually
• Okay, so you specifically emphasized owner, which I know homeowners association, but can a tenant who

Bills: HB4409, HB4414, HB4484, HB4486, HB3057, HB2588, HB4434

Keywords: housing, legislative committee, affordable housing, Oklahoma Housing Finance Agency, policy improvement, HB4414, Oklahoma Homebuilder Program, OHFA, single-family housing, homebuilder loans, 0% interest loan, housing finance, workforce housing, Legislative Workforce Housing Committee, housing needs assessment, community housing assessment, disaster recovery housing, federally declared natural disaster, rural housing, urban housing

Summary: The committee took up several bills related to housing, state operations, veterans, and administrative cleanup. HB 4409, as amended by PCS, would create a bicameral, bipartisan legislative committee to oversee workforce and affordable housing issues and coordinate with outside stakeholders; members asked about membership, meeting frequency, and pay, and the bill passed 9-0. HB 4414, also with a PCS, would direct the Oklahoma Housing Finance Agency’s housing stability program to use a needs-assessment tool to guide funding decisions, with the tool and related provisions sunset after five years; members discussed whether it would be data-mapping based and how it would connect to broader legislative decision-making, and it passed 6-3. The committee also advanced HB 4484, allowing Oklahoma Corporation Commission workers to use state-owned or state-leased vehicles between home and work when traveling statewide for duties; it passed 9-0. HB 4486 would authorize placement of a Gold Star Family Memorial Monument on state grounds as a gift from the Woody Williams Foundation, with OMES handling routine cleaning, and it passed 10-0 after questions about the final design and consultation with veterans groups. HB 3057, a cleanup bill based on a 2025 evaluation identifying more than 50 obsolete statutory reports, repealed outdated reporting requirements and passed 10-0. Two additional bills addressed governance rules. HB 2588 would add requirements for HOA board service, limiting board membership after developer turnover to owners who live in the neighborhood and excluding tenants and nonresident owners; it passed 10-0. HB 4434 would require the governor to notify officials in the line of succession before being out of state, with members briefly discussing whether 24 hours was enough notice and whether the succession order should mirror the federal model; it passed 10-0. The meeting ended with all bills reported due pass and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• I represent the Home Builders Association of Central Arizona. We stand in support of 2758.
• I represent the Home Builders Association of Central Arizona.
• It was about this high, had not been taken care of by the homeowners association.
• In fact, these rates are adopted in the American Association of Water Works Association rate manual that
• Association of Water Works Association rate manual that applies kind of as a standard Bible for the

Bills: HB2042, HB2052, HB2055, HB2056, HB2094, HB2098, HB2185, HB2328, HB2758, HB2798

Keywords: solar radiation management, environment, prohibition, Arizona Revised Statutes, public health, complaint process, Attorney General, groundwater management, water conservation, irrigation, water supply, brackish groundwater, water supply development, desalination, water infrastructure, financial assistance, environmental reviews, brackish water, groundwater, water resources

Transcript Highlights:

• It did not affect any of the other eligibility rules of the Alabama High School Athletic Association,
• It does not preclude rules, policies, or practices of an interscholastic athletic association, including
• </c><00:06:18.000><c> just</c><00:06:18.240><c> to</c> independent school association just to independent
• school association just to clarify<00:06:19.680><c> that</c><00:06:20.400><c> we're</c><00:06:20.720
• CHOOSE Act status of the student and that's the factor that they're looking at when determining athletic

Bills: SB342, SB342, SB159

Keywords: land bank, land bank authority, local land bank authority, Alabama Land Bank Authority, tax delinquent property, tax sale, tax lien, redemption period, quiet title, blight remediation, vacant property, foreclosure, ad valorem tax, property tax exemption, intergovernmental agreement, county government, municipal government, redevelopment, brownfields, floodplain management

Transcript Highlights:

• There were cuts to athletics to move it to the stadium. Mr.

Bills: SB190, HB247, HB8

Keywords: cancer treatment, revenue bonds, Gila Regional Medical Center, Nor-Lea General Hospital, healthcare funding, capital outlay, capital projects, appropriations, reversion, encumbrance, reauthorization, reappropriation, general fund, capital development and reserve fund, tribal infrastructure project fund, Department of Finance and Administration, DFA, state board of finance, severance tax bonds, tax-exempt bonds

Bills: SB190, HB247, HB8

Keywords: cancer treatment, revenue bonds, Gila Regional Medical Center, Nor-Lea General Hospital, healthcare funding, capital outlay, capital projects, appropriations, reversion, encumbrance, reauthorization, reappropriation, general fund, capital development and reserve fund, tribal infrastructure project fund, Department of Finance and Administration, DFA, state board of finance, severance tax bonds, tax-exempt bonds

Transcript Highlights:

• We got folks here from the Crime Victims Association, I think, but it would allow them under that situation
• We got folks here from the Crime Victims Association, I think, but it would allow them under that situation
• We got folks here from the Crime Victims Association, I think, but it would allow them under that situation

Bills: SB169, SB180, SB203, SB87, SB195, SB192, SB169, SB180, SB203, SB87, SB195, SB192, HB132, HB37, HB13, HB54, HB126, HB7, SB30, HB188, HB189, HB26, HB264, HB288, HB248, HB249, HB227, HB228

Keywords: Lieutenant Governor, vacancy, governor appointment, Alabama Constitution, state government, media monitoring, government contracts, state agencies, local agencies, media regulations, transparency, dental insurance, medical loss ratio, premium regulation, insurance commissioner, rebate, consumer protection, midwifery, licensed midwives, State Board of Midwifery

Transcript Highlights:

• We've been working on this bill with both Chiropractic associations.
• Do we have an estimate on how much time or the cost that will be associated with the time in order to
• Changes from the introduced version include recommendations from the athletic trainers regarding licensing
• provisions, background check provisions required for champion athletic trainers, and occupational therapy
• The athletic trainer statutes have not been updated since the 1980s.

Bills: SB1328, SB1380, SB1436, SB1558, SB1572, SB1651, SB1805, SB1831, SB1836, SB2014, SB2023, SB2044, SB2179, SB933

Keywords: parents' rights, healthcare consent, minors, medical records, protection, legal guardianship, Medicaid, Oklahoma Health Care Authority, eligibility verification, death records, Death Master File, vital statistics, disenrollment, recoupment, improper payments, benefits integrity, public assistance, income verification, residency verification, incarceration status

Transcript Highlights:

• We've been working on this bill with both chiropractic associations.
• We've been working on this bill with both chiropractic associations.
• Do we have an estimate on how much time or the cost that will be associated with the time in order to
• The athletic trainer statutes have not been updated since the 1980s.
• The athletic trainer statutes have not been updated since the 1980s.

Bills: SB1328, SB1380, SB1436, SB1558, SB1572, SB1651, SB1805, SB1831, SB1836, SB2014, SB2023, SB2044, SB2179, SB933

Keywords: parents' rights, healthcare consent, minors, medical records, protection, legal guardianship, Medicaid, Oklahoma Health Care Authority, eligibility verification, death records, Death Master File, vital statistics, disenrollment, recoupment, improper payments, benefits integrity, public assistance, income verification, residency verification, incarceration status

Summary: The Health and Human Services Committee met to consider a series of Senate bills, beginning with SB 2014, which would allow ivermectin to be sold over the counter with FDA approval. After questions about whether a prescription would still be required and how FDA guidance would affect the law, the bill passed 9-3. SB 1805, as amended, barred detention and youth facilities from using temporary agencies or contracting organizations for staffing; the author said the change was intended to address transparency and records issues in a related lawsuit. That bill passed 12-0. SB 2044, also amended, clarified chiropractic-related language regarding serum and multiple vitamins; members discussed whether the bill changed scope of practice, and it passed 10-2. The committee then approved SB 1836, which requires a board-approved mental health screener during routine annual primary care visits. The author said it was meant to normalize mental health screening and noted an updated fiscal impact estimate of $284,000 to $560,000; some members raised concerns about mandates and cost, but the bill passed 8-4. SB 1380 would require the Oklahoma Health Care Authority to verify Medicaid eligibility against death records and conduct monthly death-record checks for enrollees; after questions about current practice, costs, and recoupment from deceased enrollees, the author requested title be stricken, and the bill passed 10-2. SB 2179, dealing with not-guilty-by-reason-of-mental-illness cases, adds staff accompaniment for therapeutic visits, requires structured violence-risk assessments before discharge or conditional release, and adds drug screening when substance-use monitoring is ordered; Department of Mental Health staff testified about treatment planning and monitoring, and the bill passed 11-1. Later, the committee passed SB 1436, which requires families to be informed of their right to certification after fetal death or miscarriage, and SB 1558, which clarifies that older youth in OJA custody may be placed in Level E group homes. SB 933, the “Right to Try for Individualized Treatment Act,” passed 11-0 and would allow certain terminally ill patients to seek individualized investigational treatments after informed consent. SB 1651, an Oklahoma Medical Board cleanup bill covering several licensed professions, also passed 11-0. Finally, SB 1328 modernizes parental access to minor medical records with safeguards for abuse situations, and SB 1572 removes the DHS and OJA directors from the OCCY board; both passed 11-0. The committee adjourned after noting a possible interim meeting for a Tier 1 nomination.

Transcript Highlights:

• There were cuts to athletics to move it to the stadium. Mr.

Bills: SB190, HB247, HB2, HB8

Keywords: cancer treatment, revenue bonds, Gila Regional Medical Center, Nor-Lea General Hospital, healthcare funding, capital outlay, capital projects, appropriations, reversion, encumbrance, reauthorization, reappropriation, general fund, capital development and reserve fund, tribal infrastructure project fund, Department of Finance and Administration, DFA, state board of finance, severance tax bonds, tax-exempt bonds

Summary: The committee reviewed drafting instructions and spending sheets for House Bill 2, focusing on both recurring and nonrecurring appropriations, reserve levels, and several late changes. Staff explained that the package would leave reserves around 28% under the current scenario, with the possibility of rising to about 30% if a separate natural disaster reform bill is enacted. Members discussed how disaster funding would be handled through a replacement Section 8 and the appropriation contingency fund, and whether the operating reserve could be tapped with explicit authorization. There was also clarification on fund types, including other state funds and interagency transfers, and on how line items were reflected in the spreadsheets. A major point of debate was how to offset additions by reducing funding elsewhere. Members discussed shifting money from the state fair/multipurpose arena request, the Office of Natural Resources Trustee, and other capital items to accommodate changes. Several senators raised concerns about cutting the Office of Natural Resources Trustee too deeply and about the purpose of those funds, including possible land purchases and floodplain mitigation in Ruidoso. The committee also discussed whether the state fair money should be reduced, with some members supporting a $25 million restoration and others preferring to leave the executive’s request intact. Staff noted that some reductions were not true cuts but swaps or offsets, such as moving local road money and using excess capital outlay reserves. Other corrections and policy items were addressed, including an increase for UNM and NMSU stadium funding, a correction to a project distribution on line 105, and funding for the Health Council. Members also noted that the public employee 1% raise was no longer funded because recurring capacity was used elsewhere, and that no COLA was included. After discussion, Senator Woods moved to adopt the drafting instructions, Senator Gonzalez seconded, and the motion passed without objection. The committee then directed staff to prepare a catch-up cleanup version of House Bill 2 for later review and said House Bill 8 would be taken up the next morning.

Transcript Highlights:

• Additionally, beginning January 1st, 2027, the resolution prohibits a school athletic association or
• take any adverse action against an athletic association for maintaining separate athletic teams or sports
• This is common sense legislation that gives schools and athletic associations the opportunity to...
• But we can delegate that authority to local athletic associations within certain parameters.
• That text draws no direct association between athletics and the regulated restrooms.

Bills: HB2020, HB2032, HB2033, HB2249, HB2313, HB2318, HB2378, HCR2003

Keywords: interference, disruption, educational institutions, public order, conduct rules, statewide assessment, student testing, academic standards, third grade reading, reading retention, promotion and retention, school accountability, assessment window, testing window, test scores, school report cards, nontest data, graduation rates, dropout rates, education data privacy

Transcript Highlights:

• So this is for funding for athletic facilities.
• and the athletic department.
• student athlete.
• for 30 student athletes.
• National Collegiate Athletic Association, in which the Supreme Court said student athletes not only are

Bills: SB234, SB210, SB243, SB244, SM16, HB8

Keywords: foster children, school transportation, education funding, public education, child welfare, New Mexico Highlands University, soccer field, women's sports, infrastructure improvement, funding allocation, student athletes, appropriation, New Mexico State University, nutrition, travel support, funding, education, university support, financial assistance, parenting students

Transcript Highlights:

• s legislative liaison and registered lobbyist for the New Mexico School Board Association, speaking.
• Lillina Ortiz, legislator, is on for the New Mexico School Boards Association.
• My name is Jesse Chenvin, New Mexico Association of Colleges for Teacher Education.
• My name is Jesse Chenvin, New Mexico Association of Colleges for Teacher Education.
• I'm currently an associate professor at New Mexico Highlands University, where I teach teachers to get

Bills: SB234, SB210, SB243, SB244, SM16, HB8

Keywords: foster children, school transportation, education funding, public education, child welfare, New Mexico Highlands University, soccer field, women's sports, infrastructure improvement, funding allocation, student athletes, appropriation, New Mexico State University, nutrition, travel support, funding, education, university support, financial assistance, parenting students

Transcript Highlights:

• athletics funding for the institution.
• , the athletic department, because, as the prior discussion noted, Division I athletics is not just students
• student-athlete.
• for 30 student athletes.
• National Collegiate Athletic Association, in which the Supreme Court said student athletes not only are

Bills: SB234, SB210, SB243, SB244, SM16, HB8

Keywords: foster children, school transportation, education funding, public education, child welfare, New Mexico Highlands University, soccer field, women's sports, infrastructure improvement, funding allocation, student athletes, appropriation, New Mexico State University, nutrition, travel support, funding, education, university support, financial assistance, parenting students

Summary: The Senate Education Committee began by announcing that SB 210 would be rolled over to Friday and would not be heard. The committee then returned to SB 234, which would provide foster child school transportation funding statewide rather than only for Albuquerque Public Schools. Members adopted an amendment striking the APS-only language and making the bill statewide after testimony from the sponsor, PED, and others that foster youth transportation is a growing issue and should have its own funding stream. The committee discussed how the money might be distributed and whether the $1.2 million appropriation would be sufficient, then voted do pass on SB 234 as amended. The committee next heard HB 8, which creates a Higher Education Major Projects Fund for large capital projects that are difficult to fund through existing capital outlay processes. Testimony from the sponsor, LFC, HED, and university representatives explained that the bill would support projects such as the UNM School of Medicine, an NMSU multidisciplinary building, student housing, student life projects, and certain Division I athletic facilities, while requiring design readiness, institutional matches, and legislative oversight. Several senators raised concerns about the clarity of the prioritization process, the Division I-only athletics language, the recurring nature of future funding, and the relationship to other capital funding streams, but the committee ultimately voted do pass on HB 8. The committee then considered SB 243 and SB 244, nearly identical bills for UNM and NMSU that would each appropriate $5 million for student health, student support, nutrition, travel, scholarships, and other athletic department needs. Athletic directors testified that conference realignment, higher travel costs, nutrition demands, and new revenue-sharing/NIL obligations have increased expenses, and sponsors said the bills were intended as one-time appropriations. Some senators questioned whether the requests should be recurring or funded through university revenue rather than the state, but both bills received do pass recommendations. Finally, the committee heard SM 16, as amended, which asks HED to convene a task force to study parenting students in higher education and recommend ways to collect data and improve support. Supporters said better data is needed to understand barriers such as child care and transportation, and the memorial passed with a do pass recommendation. The committee then adjourned until Friday morning.

Transcript Highlights:

• I am representing Stan Brown, the New Mexico School Superintendents' Association and New Mexico Coalition
• s legislative liaison and registered lobbyist for the New Mexico School Board Association.
• Lillina Ortiz, legislative director, is here for the New Mexico School Boards Association.
• My name is Jesse Chenvin, New Mexico Association of Colleges for Teacher Education.
• I'm currently an associate professor at New Mexico Highlands University, where I teach teachers to get

Bills: SB234, SB210, SB243, SB244, SM16, HB8

Keywords: foster children, school transportation, education funding, public education, child welfare, New Mexico Highlands University, soccer field, women's sports, infrastructure improvement, funding allocation, student athletes, appropriation, New Mexico State University, nutrition, travel support, funding, education, university support, financial assistance, parenting students

Summary: The committee heard Senate Bill 37, the High-Quality Literacy Instruction Act, which would strengthen reading instruction and educator preparation around the science of reading. The sponsor and supporters said the bill requires evidence-based, culturally and linguistically responsive literacy instruction, including support for English learners and students in bilingual and dual-language programs, use of approved high-quality instructional materials for K-3 reading and interventions, a K-3 reading assessment, literacy coaches, and parent progress reports. An amendment package was adopted to clarify biliteracy language, broaden references to bilingual/dual-language and Indigenous language settings, remove awkward phrasing, and adjust reporting requirements from monthly to four times per school year. The committee then moved forward with the amended bill. Public testimony was largely supportive. Students, educators, school leaders, advocacy groups, and tribal representatives said structured literacy has improved reading outcomes and can help struggling readers, including students with dyslexia and multilingual learners. Several speakers emphasized that the amended bill better protects bilingual, dual-language, and Native language programs, and some noted the importance of parent communication and early intervention. Supporters also cited recent literacy gains in New Mexico and said the bill aligns teacher preparation, materials, assessment, and coaching. Opposition focused mainly on concerns that the bill could still privilege English over Indigenous languages, that high-quality materials requirements may be too restrictive or costly for districts, and that testing and reporting could add workload. Tribal speakers from Acoma and Taos said they could not support the bill without further changes to explicitly protect Native language revitalization. Other opponents raised concerns about funding for materials and coaches, the burden on teachers, and whether the assessment and HQIM requirements would be flexible enough for local needs. In committee discussion, the sponsor and PED said existing funds and staff could support implementation, that the assessment would be formative and teacher-focused, and that the bill was intended to complement, not replace, Native and bilingual education programs.