Transcript Highlights:

• Chicano land grant community.
• The majority of the land grants, um, that were granted, uh, particularly those that were granted to communities
• So, you had over 150 community land grants in New Mexico.
• For not just land grants, but also colonial communities.
• It stayed communal, just as the land grants did.

Committee: House House Rural Development, Land Grants And Cultural Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• Several land-grant communities have cemeteries located within the Forest Service.
• and other grant programs to bring more dollars into their communities for investment.
• Comprehensive Planning and work within land-grant communities.
• For you, Adrian, you know, and the land-grant community, and the Aseka community, because this is just
• But for the most part, it is taken advantage of by the land grants and the Aseka communities.

Committee: House House Rural Development, Land Grants And Cultural Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• Additionally, many of these communities do not have grant writers or paid staff available to assist them
• of first refusal or non-competitive transfer to land grant communities.
• There would be fewer communities and fewer land grants that would have the opportunity or the standing
• Persistence and consistency of our land grant communities have allowed us to broker the return of land
• Chair, with Toke, is kind of keeping the communication going and reaching out to land grants that would

Committee: House House Rural Development, Land Grants And Cultural Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• started coming over from the Tome Land Grant because there were too many folks in that community and
• The Torrance County assessor ended up with many properties from the land grant communities just by utilizing
• Aside from Punta de Agua, there are only two communities within the Manzano Land Grant: Manzano and Punta
• So we are working on some actual systematic changes that will protect our land grant communities and
• The more we can solve how we address this issue of taxation of improvements within land grant communities

Committee: House House Rural Development, Land Grants And Cultural Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• When you're talking to a community, did they have a grant of land made to an individual or to a community
• There still exist quite a lot of land-grant communities.
• So for our purposes, for the land-grant community, I've developed three different nomenclatures when
• a community, but if they never organized themselves as a land grant, then I just put the yada yada grant
• The second would be where an agenda says land grant; that is a land grant community, they have just not

Committee: House House Rural Development, Land Grants And Cultural Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, this piece of legislation is monumental in that it places our centuries-old land-grant communities
• The land-grant communities, very similar to the acequias, have many unmet needs.
• Our community has harvested animals from the land grant for the sustainment of our people.
• The project has been extremely beneficial to the land-grant community.
• land-grant community.

Committee: House House Rural Development, Land Grants And Cultural Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• I am the president of San Juan Community General Land-Grant.
• be recognized and referred to as a community grant.
• Of course, there is the community where the grant heirs lived, and we want to protect and develop the
• Forest Service to land grants, and the reason we had some of that communication is that those U.S.
• We're asking for $200,000 to increase the grant capacity to provide technical assistance to the community

Committee: House House Rural Development, Land Grants And Cultural Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• grant period.
• um we offered the art project Community um we offered the art project Grant<00:37:40.119><c> which</
• </c><00:59:36.359><c> every</c> to every single Community every to every single Community every Community
• Those grants include Hmong, Lao, Vietnamese, and Cambodian organizations to support those communities
• This would be 33% of the Arts, Cultural, and Heritage Fund. grants the competitive grants we're grants

Committee: Senate Environment, Climate, and Legacy

Transcript Highlights:

• and LCCMR grants that will be overseeing the community grant program.
• :21:38.159><c> grant</c> will be overseeing the community grant will be overseeing the community grant
• And so I am community grants program.
• Like, we asked people to fund this community grant program.
• I don't know that I think of that as community grant work.

Committee: House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• Show my work, and want to teach classes at my local community arts center, then maybe a state grant is
• the grant.
• grants?
• We've granted 5,309 grants, and we have 67 districts in the state.
• Our capacity building grants were also a new grant line for MHC.

Committee: House Legacy Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• What I'd like to do for a moment is we have so many guests from throughout the land grant community.
• There are 28 community land grants that are political subdivisions that would be eligible for the fund
• For both land grants and acequias, I've had conversations with my community members. Thank you.
• to our land grant communities, which are political subdivisions of the state, so the same status as
• to our land grant communities, which are political subdivisions of the state, so the same status as

Committee: House House Rural Development, Land Grants And Cultural Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• missing a Cal Grant or a Pell Grant.
• For Cal Grants B and C, the amount received by community colleges has increased to $299 million for over
• And even under the Cal Grant Reform, that would also increase awards to community college students, specifically
• Cal Grant B.
• The grant removes that barrier. It protects the teacher-to-community pipeline for our schools.

Summary: The committee first heard updates from the California State University on its turnaround plans for seven campuses with enrollment declines. CSU said overall enrollment has grown for three straight years, but some campuses—especially in Northern California—continue to face structural declines tied to demographics and community college pipelines. The system described campus-specific strategies such as outreach to stopped-out and adult learners, guaranteed admissions, partnerships with community colleges and high schools, expanded high-demand programs, and cost reductions including hiring freezes, program suspensions, and shared administrative services. The LAO said the plans were reasonable but urged regular reporting so the Legislature can track results. Committee members pressed CSU for ongoing implementation updates, stronger recruiting efforts, and safeguards around AI use; CSU said it would continue regular check-ins and share best practices across campuses. The second item focused on the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education and its request for a $10 million General Fund appropriation to repay a special fund loan used for litigation costs. DCA and BPPE said the bureau has long had a structural deficit and has already cut positions, streamlined operations, and shifted some costs to the Student Tuition Recovery Fund, but still needs fee increases through the sunset review process. The LAO opposed the General Fund backfill, arguing the bureau can cover near-term costs with its loan, that litigation costs should generally be borne by regulated entities through fees, and that using General Fund money could set a precedent. Finance supported the one-time backfill as a way to avoid larger fee increases on institutions and to isolate the litigation expense from the bureau’s ongoing structural shortfall. Members asked how the bureau would avoid repeating the problem; BPPE said it has updated policies and practices, including disability accommodation procedures and non-discrimination training. The committee then reviewed Cal Grant funding and program updates from CSAC, UC, CSU, and the community colleges. CSAC said the Governor’s budget would increase Cal Grant funding to about $3.2 billion in 2026-27, driven by enrollment growth and higher tuition at UC and CSU, and highlighted efforts to improve payment processing and financial aid data. UC and CSU emphasized that Cal Grants are central to affordability and debt reduction, while also warning that federal changes under H.R. 1 could reduce access to loans and harm graduate and part-time students. Community colleges reported rising aid applications and awards, but said students still face major affordability barriers, especially mixed-status and undocumented students, and asked for more support for aid administration and completion grants. The chair repeatedly asked for data on eligible students who are not receiving Cal Grants and for a phased-in path to implement the Cal Grant Equity Framework; Finance said full implementation would cost hundreds of millions and the state is not currently in a position to fund it. Finally, the committee began discussion of the Middle Class Scholarship Program. CSAC said the program helps low- and middle-income students cover total cost of attendance, not just tuition, and warned that cutting funding by more than half would reduce award coverage from 35% to 17.5% of cost of attendance. CSU and UC said the program is important for reducing student debt and supporting affordability, and CSU noted recent administrative changes have reduced workload and award adjustments. The hearing continued into the next agenda item after these presentations.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think there are a lot of grants and good things going on in the arts community, and sometimes you know
• What will the grant do for me?
• Our capacity building grants—this was also a new grant line for MHC this biennium.
• We aim to provide a map of grants funded throughout Minnesota cities and communities.
• The grants team also provides new grantee orientation sessions for each new grant line.

Committee: House Legacy Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• who is missing a Cal Grant or a Pell Grant.
• For Cal Grants B and C, the number of community college recipients has increased to $299 million for
• And even under the Cal Grant reform, that would also increase awards to community college students, specifically
• And even under the Cal Grant reform, that would also increase awards to community college students, specifically
• The grant removes that barrier. It protects the teacher-to-community pipeline for our schools.

Transcript Highlights:

• missing a Cal Grant or a Pell Grant.
• For Cal Grants B and C, the number of community colleges receiving the award has increased to $299 million
• And even under the Cal Grant Reform, that would also increase awards to community college students, specifically
• And even under the Cal Grant reform, that would also increase awards to community college students, specifically
• The grant removes that barrier. It protects the teacher-to-community pipeline for our schools.

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee on Education heard updates on higher education issues, beginning with California State University’s turnaround plans for seven campuses with enrollment declines. CSU said overall enrollment is growing systemwide, but some campuses, especially in Northern California, face structural declines tied to demographics and community college pipelines. The plans focus on reengaging stopped-out and adult learners, expanding partnerships and guaranteed admissions, improving retention and student support, and reducing costs through program suspensions, hiring freezes, shared services, and procurement consolidation. The Legislative Analyst’s Office said the strategies were reasonable but urged regular legislative updates, and the Department of Finance had no additional comments. Committee members emphasized the need for implementation oversight, written updates, and attention to student outreach, financial aid, and privacy concerns around AI tools used in recruitment. The committee then reviewed the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education’s request for a $10 million General Fund appropriation to repay litigation-related borrowing. Department of Consumer Affairs and bureau staff said the bureau has a long-standing structural deficit, has already cut positions and shifted some costs, and that the General Fund backfill would reduce future fee increases on institutions. The LAO opposed the request, arguing the bureau can cover near-term costs with its existing loan and that litigation costs should remain the responsibility of the regulated entities through fees. Finance supported the one-time backfill as a unique situation that would lower fee increases and avoid passing litigation costs on to schools and students. Members asked about preventing a repeat of the problem, and bureau staff said they are pursuing fee increases through the sunset review and have strengthened internal policies and disability accommodation practices. The subcommittee also heard a broad update on Cal Grant funding and student aid. The California Student Aid Commission, UC, CSU, and the community colleges described Cal Grant as essential to affordability, but the LAO noted spending has grown faster than historical averages and said the state likely lacks capacity for major expansion in the near term. The segments highlighted the importance of state aid in covering tuition and living costs, and raised concerns about federal changes to student loans and Pell Grants, especially the elimination of Grad PLUS for some graduate students and limits on part-time borrowing. Committee members pressed for data on students who are eligible but not served by current Cal Grant rules, including adult learners and students affected by age and merit restrictions, and asked for analysis of phased-in implementation of the Cal Grant Equity Framework. Finance said full implementation would cost hundreds of millions of dollars and that affordability remains part of the state’s multi-year compact with the segments. Finally, the committee began discussion of the Middle Class Scholarship Program. CSAC and the UC and CSU said the program is a key part of affordability and debt reduction, especially after the 2022 reforms that expanded awards to total cost of attendance and improved administration. They warned that cutting funding by more than half would reduce award coverage from 35% to 17.5% of cost of attendance and could affect enrollment and persistence, particularly for middle-income students who do not qualify for other need-based aid. The segments also noted that recent administrative changes have reduced award revisions and campus workload, but that data exchange and award volatility remain challenges.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the President of the Osawa Community Chimaline Grant, and we stand in support of House Bill 21.
• I'm here representing the Merced, Arroyo, Indio Arroyo community land grant.
• That was important, Madam Chair, because the Land-Grants, Spanish Land-Grant communities, are the oldest
• There's a wide variety of services that can be provided by these community governance attorneys for land-grant
• Terra Maria land grant membership and all the garrison committee and community support this.

Committee: House House Rural Development, Land Grants And Cultural Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> appropriates 350,000 per year for Grants appropriates 350,000 per year for Grants to<00:09:46.800
• </c> Minnesota FFA Foundation these grants Minnesota FFA Foundation these grants may<00:09:51.920><c>
• A lot of foundations had found that some grant or some organizations and communities were finding their
• some Grant or some organizations<01:04:46.359><c> and</c><01:04:46.599><c> communities</c><01:04:47.000
• </c> heritage grants go for Grant recipients heritage grants go for Grant recipients over<01:21:24.560

Committee: Senate Environment, Climate, and Legacy

Transcript Highlights:

• The federal Pell Grant is the largest source of financial aid for community college students, which accounted
• to community-based organizations that provide financial is in the process of awarding grants to community-based
• The federal Pell Grant is the largest source of financial aid for community college students, which accounted
• For Cal Grants, Cal Grant B and C recipients for community colleges has continued to increase.
• And I'm grateful to the California Community Colleges Office for uplift in the Cal Grant Equity Framework

Transcript Highlights:

• They're community centers.
• If approved, we will use these NEA funds to expand our grant-making, ensuring more communities benefit
• Additionally, 20% of reported grant cancellations would have served urban communities, and 10% were canceled
• Arts Here grants supported organizations committed to equity and meaningful community engagement.
• Council of Our Skins, their Arts Here grant was to enable them to expand community engagement programming

Committee: House House Committee on Federal Funding, Policy and Accountability

Summary: The hearing focused on the impact of recent federal policy and budget actions on Massachusetts libraries, humanities organizations, arts institutions, and tourism. Testimony from library leaders described the loss or jeopardy of Institute of Museum and Library Services funding, including statewide databases, local grants, staff positions, E-rate/hotspot support, and digital equity programs. Witnesses said the cuts have already forced reductions in services, canceled grants and workshops, and in some cases left schools, students, job seekers, and low-income patrons without access to key resources. Members of the committee asked for lists of affected communities and databases, and several witnesses said they would provide additional written detail. Arts and humanities witnesses said federal terminations from the NEA, NEH, and IMLS have hit organizations across the Commonwealth, including Mass Cultural Council, Mass Humanities, Mass MoCA, and local museums and historical societies. They described canceled or rescinded grants, layoffs, reduced programming, and a chilling effect on future applications and on artistic and scholarly work, especially where federal awards had already been matched with local or private funds. Several speakers also raised concerns about executive-branch DEI conditions attached to funding and about book challenges and book banning, saying these trends threaten intellectual freedom and public access to culture and history. Committee members emphasized the economic importance of the sector and the need to publicize the impacts. Tourism officials from Meet Boston and the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism testified that federal cuts and broader geopolitical and tariff issues are hurting international visitation, especially from Canada and Western Europe, and could affect major upcoming events such as the 2026 World Cup and Sail Boston. They said reduced funding for Brand USA and Discover New England will weaken long-term marketing efforts and international partnerships, with downstream effects on hotel tax revenue, jobs, and workforce recruitment. No votes were taken; the hearing was informational, with members mainly asking questions and requesting follow-up written testimony and data.

Transcript Highlights:

• or the Pell Grant.
• The federal Pell Grant is the largest source of financial aid for community college students, which accounted
• For Cal Grants, Cal Grant B and C recipients at community colleges have continued to increase.
• And I'm grateful to the California Community Colleges' Office for the uplift in the Cal Grant Equity
• And I'm grateful to the California Community Colleges' Office for the uplift in the Cal Grant Equity

Summary: The subcommittee on Education Finance heard an overview of the governor’s budget proposals and higher education financial aid trends, with a major focus on the Middle Class Scholarship (MCS), Cal Grant spending, and the effects of recent federal student aid changes. The Department of Finance said the budget would fully fund Cal Grant at projected levels and reduce MCS coverage from 35% to 17.5% of unmet need in 2026-27, while the Legislative Analyst’s Office supported considering the reduction as a cost-saving measure given out-year deficits. UC and CSU representatives opposed the cut, saying MCS is important to affordability and debt-free degree goals; they estimated average awards would fall substantially and that campuses do not have funds to backfill the loss. The Student Aid Commission said the proposal would reduce aid but simplify administration, and members questioned how lower awards would affect students, borrowing, and work-study options. No vote was taken, and the issue was held open for possible future action. The committee then discussed federal changes to student loans and Pell Grant policy under H.R. 1, including caps on Parent PLUS loans, elimination of Grad PLUS loans, and new proration rules for federal direct loans based on enrollment intensity. The LAO said these changes would likely push some borrowers into the private market, especially graduate and professional students and some parents of students at private institutions. CSU said the changes would affect thousands of graduate and part-time students and could reduce access by about $97 million in loan availability for part-time borrowers, while UC said the new definitions of professional degrees were too restrictive and would reduce access for nursing, teaching, law, dentistry, and other programs. Community colleges said they use relatively little federal loan aid but are monitoring Workforce Pell. Members raised concerns about workforce impacts, social mobility, and whether the state should consider alternative loan programs or other ways to reduce student costs. This issue was also held open. In the segment financial aid update, the LAO reported Cal Grant spending is projected to rise to about $3.2 billion in 2026-27, driven by more recipients and higher awards tied to UC and CSU tuition increases, while CSAC said FAFSA and CADAA applications are up significantly year over year. CSU, community colleges, and UC described their aid packaging and rising aid totals, with CSU reporting over $5.5 billion in aid to 381,000 students, community colleges reporting over $4.3 billion to more than 920,000 students, and UC reporting $3.17 billion in grant aid to undergraduates. Members asked about Cal Grant reform, application trends, and long-term outcomes; UC and community colleges pointed to alumni and wage dashboards, and the LAO noted the state’s Cradle to Career data effort. The committee then took public comment, including testimony on library funding and other education-related priorities, and concluded by holding the issues open without formal action.