Transcript Highlights:

• <06:02:54.080> It classroom that's a continuing class?
• It classroom that's a continuing class? It doesn't<06:02:54.638> say.
• <06:03:32.638> The<06:03:32.878> purpose and gender in the classroom.
• The purpose and gender in the classroom.
• , personal devices to access technology, personal devices to access technology, would<06:06:27.600

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• interventions, and created a classroom interventions, and created a classroom culture<04:26:57.920
• brings joy and cheer to the classroom brings joy and cheer to the classroom and<04:31:10.880>
• Miss communication technology pathways.
• <04:36:04.959> and applications in her classroom and applications in her classroom and strives
• <04:37:06.639> She and dedication in her classroom. She and dedication in her classroom.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Thursday, May 8, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• First we'll start with Matt Massie, the president of the Alabama Cyber School of Cyber Technology and
• We believe our students learn both in and outside the classrooms, so they get experience to see what
• ever been to our campus, we have a beautiful theater in the community, but we don't have theater classrooms
• So, we want to give them the theater classrooms that will support that, and of course, the... ...that
• We have enough classrooms, we have enough teachers, we... ...we have enough staff, we have everything

Bills: SB1, HB176, HB86, SB1, HB176, HB86

Keywords: workers' compensation, public education, employee injury, insurance trust fund, on-the-job injury, administrative procedures, HB176, Alabama sales tax, use tax, sales and use tax exemption, optical aids, eyeglasses, contact lenses, prescription glasses, vision care, optometrist, ophthalmologist, optician, medical devices, local option tax exemption

Transcript Highlights:

• The Senate Committee on Appropriations, Transportation and Technology is called to order.
• You know, it's just incredible to me that some kids are in classrooms where the roof is falling in.
• Some kids are in classrooms where the roof is falling in. The rats are running in.
• And having no further business, the Appropriations Transportation and Technology Committee...
• And having no further business, the Appropriations Transportation and Technology Committee is adjourned

Bills: HCR2048

Keywords: elective officers, salary regulation, compensation, Arizona Constitution, voter approval, legislative commission, 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• $424,000, also using the university reserves for the Northwest Campus Main Building College of Nursing classrooms
• 424,000, also using the University Reserves for the Northwest Campus Main Building College of Nursing Classrooms
• Number two is Commerce Workforce Services with Carasoft Technology Group.
• Number two is Commerce Workforce Services with Carasoft Technology Group.
• Number 11, UA Little Rock with SSIA Technologies to provide operational digital planetarium system.

Summary: The committee considered and approved several temporary appropriation requests in Section B, including spending authority for the Court of Appeals to pay appointed counsel in criminal appeals, Commerce/Aeronautics airport and aviation grants, and Insurance Department items for workers’ compensation benefits and premium tax refunds. It also approved ARPA-related requests in Section C to return unused federal funds from DHS aging, mental health, substance abuse, and Older Americans Act grants. In Section D, the committee reviewed and approved Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act requests, including Agriculture grants for wildfire preparedness and forestry capacity, a large Commerce broadband BEAD request, environmental recycling-related reallocations, and Oil and Gas Commission grants for facility repairs and sample preservation. Members questioned the broadband program’s audit process and performance safeguards; the State Broadband Director said the funds are federal, subject to audits, and payments are released only after engineering certification of completed work. The committee also approved DHS reallocations in Section E, including major transfers within Medical Services from hospital medical appropriations to private and public nursing home lines, as well as transfers for children and family services, developmental disabilities, and youth services. The committee then reviewed cash fund requests, miscellaneous federal grants, pay plan and performance fund transfers, methods of finance, and a large set of contracts. A Northwest Arkansas Community College official explained storm-damage repairs and insurance settlement issues, and DHS explained its hospital medical transfer was moving excess appropriation rather than cash. Members also questioned several UAPB tobacco prevention subgrants, especially arts-based outreach, and asked for more data on effectiveness; the committee later voted to expunge and re-refer the J-2 item for further review at a later ALC meeting. Additional discussion covered a DEQ grant to Free Geek of Arkansas for e-waste recycling, a UAPB tobacco program, and various contracts for universities, DHS services, corrections, and public safety. The meeting ended with reports filed for information and a brief member comment thanking others for concern after a tornado in Stone County; no one was injured.

Transcript Highlights:

• $424,000, also using university reserves for the Northwest Campus Main Building College of Nursing classrooms
• 424,000, also using the University Reserves for the Northwest Campus Main Building College of Nursing Classrooms
• Number two is Commerce Workforce Services with Carasoft Technology Group.
• Number two is Commerce Workforce Services with Carasoft Technology Group.
• Number 11, UA Little Rock with SSIA Technologies to provide an operational digital planetarium system

Summary: The committee heard a series of appropriation requests and contract reviews across multiple sections. In Section B, members approved temporary appropriations for the Court of Appeals, Commerce/Aeronautics, and Insurance-related payments and refunds. Section C ARPA requests from DHS were approved to return unused federal funds. Section D infrastructure-related appropriations, including wildfire preparedness, broadband BEAD funding, forestry support, recycling, and oil and gas sample preservation, were approved after questions about broadband audit controls and performance safeguards. Section E DHS reallocations were approved, including large transfers within Medical Services from hospital medical to private and public nursing home lines, along with smaller transfers for children and family services, developmental disabilities, and youth services; members asked about the source and purpose of the medical services transfer. Sections F and G were reviewed, covering cash fund requests, federal grants, and miscellaneous grants, including community college storm repairs, corrections commissary and maintenance, 911 enhancements, maternal health, disability determinations, state police equipment, digital newspaper archiving, and CDL data improvements. In Section H, the committee reviewed pay plan appropriations and performance fund transfers tied to the new Class and Comp pay plan. Section I reviewed three methods of finance for UA Little Rock, UAMS, and the University of Arkansas system. In Section J, the committee reviewed discretionary grants, including a $1.4 million HIV services grant and nine tobacco prevention subgrants through UAPB. Members questioned the effectiveness, metrics, and addresses of some tobacco-cessation arts-based grantees, especially Arts Absolutely Inc.; after discussion, Representative Kavanaugh moved to expunge the vote on J2 and refer it back for review at a later ALC meeting, and that motion passed. J3, a Department of Energy and Environment grant for propane safety training and e-waste recycling services, was then reviewed. The committee also reviewed contracts in Section K. K-1 ratified emergency management nuclear planning work performed during a transition between agencies. K-2 construction contracts included architectural and engineering services for corrections, National Park College signage, a Razorback Road parking facility, and UAMS cyclotron installation. K-3 intergovernmental contracts covered health, education, autism waiver, stroke, newborn screening, Medicaid evidence review, and radiation testing services. K-4 out-of-state contracts included staffing, IT, tobacco prevention, audit, marketing, planetarium, recruitment, and janitorial services; Senator Irvin noted one contract appeared to belong in the out-of-state list rather than intergovernmental. K-5 in-state contracts covered staffing, cleaning, re-entry and treatment services, foster care and disability services, hearing officers, asbestos abatement, campus IT support, and janitorial work. The meeting ended after a brief personal update from Senator Irvin about tornado damage in Stone County and thanks to members for their concern, followed by adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• He walked on sidewalks adjacent to our school, within 50 ft of classroom windows and on the school crosswalk
• To better explain the layout of our school, the kindergarten classrooms are on the 1st floor with floor
• under-resourced jurisdictions, have lacked, lacked the specialized personnel, forensic tools, and technology
• , technological infrastructure needed to conduct thorough investigations and process evidence efficiently
• By providing further resources for hiring, training, and upgraded forensics and technology, we can better

Bills: SB 614, SB 872, SB 1199, SB 1212, SB 1278, SB 1573, SB 1588, SB 1602, SB 1660, SB 1704, SB 1723, SB 1833, SB 1858, SB 1946, SB 2009, SB 2146, SB 2177, SB 2373, SB 2460, SB 2785

Keywords: forensic science, capital writs, criminal justice, case review, Texas Forensic Science Commission, SB 872, burglary of a vehicle, vehicle burglary, theft of a firearm, stolen gun, firearm theft, Penal Code Section 30.04, third-degree felony, Class A misdemeanor, criminal penalty enhancement, gun theft, vehicle break-in, property crime, sentencing enhancement, Texas criminal law

Transcript Highlights:

• Crookston specializes in career-focused, technology-driven education programs that emphasize experiential
• Crookston specializes in career-focused, technology-driven education programs that emphasize experiential
• Crookston specializes in career-focused, technology-driven education programs that emphasize experiential
• us in planning for the future by leaning into technology.
• They don't know all of the other functions, like health information technology.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, so we will get started here with the Information Technology Oversight Committee and today's agenda
• Um, and Technology System. It's KS KS.
• <00:03:58.480> Um,<00:03:58.959> which school and every classroom.
• Um, which school and every classroom.
• They made projections based upon the technology at the time that anybody who knows technology would not

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Roll Call 00:00:15 Kentucky Department of Education 00:01:20 Kentucky Communications Network Authority 00:36:45 Accelecom 01:01:22 Auditor of Public Accounts 01:29:50, 958, all

Summary: The Information Technology Oversight Committee met to hear a presentation from Kentucky Department of Education officials David Couch and Mike Lingham on the history and current status of Kentucky’s K-12 internet network, including its relationship to KentuckyWired. They described the original KETS design from 1995, when KDE established district internet hubs and left local districts to connect to them, and said that model helped Kentucky become a national leader in school connectivity and cloud-based services. They also emphasized the importance of E-rate eligibility, saying it has saved the state substantial money and remains central to KDE’s network contracting. Couch and Lingham said the current “next generation Kentucky K-12 internet” contract with Education Networks of America is more reliable, offers more functionality, and costs less than the prior system, including lower bandwidth and firewall costs. They explained that the transition was complicated by build-out and provisioning issues, especially the need for more “type two” connections through local providers, which pushed some implementation past the June 30, 2024 E-rate deadline. As a result, 39 sites remain on type two connections, and KDE absorbed the loss of federal discount dollars for the portion of the transition that extended into July. The witnesses also discussed home internet access for students. They said KDE has tracked home access for about 20 years and estimates about 4.5% of students still lack adequate internet at home, with roughly 3% able to reach access nearby and 1.5% having no access. They said the biggest barrier is usually cost rather than lack of available lines, and noted that temporary hotspot support during COVID helped students continue schoolwork. Senator Williams asked about the costs of the transition, the current type two sites, and the potential cost of any future transition, but the transcript cuts off before a full answer was given.

Transcript Highlights:

• and student success driven by classroom and student success or<00:21:00.880> by<00:21:01.080>
• faculty workload with the classroom faculty workload with the classroom needs<00:25:00.280> of
• , we're seeing the changing technology, we're seeing the need. need. need.
• Do we have the right technology?
• Do we have have the right technology?

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Interim Joint Budget Review Subcommittee on Education met for its first summer interim meeting, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and took roll. The first presentation came from Jerry Gels, principal of Ignite Institute in Erlanger, who focused on the rising cost of dual credit. He said dual credit tuition has increased from about $150 to $290 for a three-credit course over roughly five years, which he argued is discouraging participation, especially for working-class and low-income students. He cited Ignite data and broader college outcomes to argue dual credit improves college persistence, shortens time to degree, and reduces student debt, noting that many of his students enter college with substantial credit and that low-income students at Ignite have increasingly participated after targeted efforts and scholarship use. He also said the instructional labor is largely paid by county school systems, so he questioned the size of the tuition increase and said the committee should examine how the costs are being set and whether college tuition should be stabilizing as more students arrive with credits already earned. Members asked about who pays for dual credit, the role of state scholarship support, and whether tuition varies by institution. Gels said students in his district generally pay the dual credit cost themselves, though some districts may cover it, and he noted the dual credit scholarship now covers fewer classes than before. He said the price appears to be set centrally rather than varying by university, and he emphasized that the higher cost is creating barriers even though the courses are taught largely by local teachers on school payrolls. He also described Ignite’s efforts to expand access for free- and reduced-lunch students, saying participation among that group rose from 27% with no dual credit to about 90-92% taking at least one dual credit class. The committee then heard from the Goldwater Institute, represented by Michael Frazier and Dr. Tim Minella by Zoom. They argued Kentucky’s public universities should face stronger accountability and transparency, citing declining public confidence in higher education, rising costs, and what they described as administrative growth and research spending that does not clearly benefit students or the Commonwealth. They proposed requiring a 10-year accounting of staffing growth by category, comparing it to enrollment and low-income Kentucky enrollment, and limiting non-STEM faculty teaching releases for research unless approved under a baseline consent process. They also criticized certain university-funded research projects as examples of misdirected spending and said public reporting should distinguish Kentucky residents from non-residents more clearly, pointing to a reported decline in low-income in-state undergraduate enrollment. No votes or formal actions were taken during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Therefore, they are extremely crucial in a position in the classroom for keeping classrooms operational
• Under the bill provision, only one interim associate teacher would be allowed per classroom.
• It eases workforce burdens, keeps our classrooms accessible, and increases access for those 2 million
• be allowed per classroom.
• , and I know how difficult it is to staff these classrooms.

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Human Services heard a long agenda of bills focused largely on child welfare, foster care, child care, CalWORKs, mandated reporting, and public benefits. Early items included AB 890, which would ease county transfer rules for nonminor dependents in extended foster care; AB 461, which would replace punitive truancy-related penalties with supportive services for families; and AB 753, which would create an interim associate teacher pathway to help address the child care workforce shortage. Testimony on these bills emphasized barriers faced by foster youth, low-income families, and child care providers, and members expressed support for the general policy direction. The committee also heard AB 926 on foster care visitation, AB 563 on early childhood planning and reporting, AB 601 on standardized mandated reporter training, AB 1074 on CalWORKs reunification aid, AB 822 extending the Commission on the State of Hate, AB 970 creating a Los Angeles County mandated reporter pilot, AB 1161 protecting public benefits during disasters, AB 1172 allowing trained staff to administer emergency seizure medication in community care settings, and AB 363 expanding CalWORKs student supports and work-study. Witnesses generally supported these measures as ways to reduce trauma, improve reunification, modernize reporting and training, and expand access to services. County welfare and child welfare groups, advocacy organizations, and providers largely testified in support, while some bills drew concerns from county representatives about implementation or needed amendments. Several bills were voted out of committee, often unanimously and sometimes as amended, including AB 926, AB 563, AB 601, AB 1074, AB 822, AB 970, AB 1161, and AB 1172; AB 1172 was reported on call. The committee also took up consent items and later voted on subcommittee-held bills AB 461, AB 753, and AB 890, leaving them on call. At the end of the hearing, the committee heard AB 1211, which would protect CalFresh benefits from federal cuts and require a feasibility study on increasing benefits and eligibility; testimony stressed rising food insecurity and the economic importance of food assistance, but the transcript ends before a final vote on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• these innovation low-risk technologies these innovation low-risk technologies are<01:48:04.440><
• <01:49:05.120> company We are a geothermal technology company We are a geothermal technology
• <01:49:12.320> that Our company grew out of technology that Our company grew out of technology
• <01:52:32.640> as and embrace emerging technologies as and embrace emerging technologies as
• <01:58:11.040> into loop heat exchanger technology into loop heat exchanger technology into

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Committee on Finance, makes appropriations to the Department of Motor Vehicles for information technology
• establishes a pilot program, to the extent money is available, for grants to integrate science, technology
• support for Senate Bill No. 460, saying parents and children need a qualified educator in every classroom
• surveys, offsets to decreases in federal grant funding, professional development costs, information technology
• surveys, offsets to decreases in federal grant funding, professional development costs, information technology

Keywords: 909, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Suffolk Women's Program, they have a classroom. They sit down. They're sitting down.
• It will say no; can't go until that person's docked in a classroom, in medical, back in a unit, then
• A lot of us have technology that helps. None of it's foolproof.
• They're not going to end up in the same classroom where a teacher could get hurt or a wood shop instructor
• And then the connections with technology now.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The commission met to continue its review of the county sheriffs’ role in corrections, reentry, and public safety. After approving the prior meeting minutes, the sheriffs completed a lengthy presentation describing how their offices provide regional jail services, women’s programming, mental health and substance use treatment, reentry support, community partnerships, and auxiliary public safety functions such as BCI work, TRIAD, Meals on Wheels, and event support. They emphasized that services are tailored to local needs, that women’s facilities are designed to keep mothers close to family and support reunification, and that programming, housing, and job placement are central to reducing recidivism. They also discussed challenges including K2/synthetic drugs in facilities, gang classification and separation, and the difficulty justice-involved people face obtaining IDs and birth certificates, especially for people from Puerto Rico. Commission members generally praised the sheriffs’ work and asked for more detail on how regional women’s facilities operate, how community-provider cuts might affect reentry services, how no-cost phone/tablet communication is balanced against programming time, and what the most essential programs are if funding is reduced. The sheriffs said programming must come first, identified mental health, substance use treatment, domestic violence programming, and housing/job placement as critical, and explained that community organizations and the Registry of Motor Vehicles are key partners in reentry. They also described their approach to gang management through classification, separation, and information sharing, and noted that the Registry has become more flexible but Real ID requirements have made documentation barriers more significant. The commission chair stressed that the purpose of the study is collaboration and improving system performance, not an adversarial effort against the sheriffs or a decarceration debate. Members noted that future meetings would hear from probation in June and the Department of Correction in July, and that the commission would continue gathering information before deciding on next steps. The meeting ended with a motion to adjourn, which passed unanimously.

Transcript Highlights:

• opportunities that will result from their hard work and effort, both within and outside of our classrooms
• We hope and believe the Sandbox could contribute to a thriving computing and technology economy in New
• Our students have opportunities to participate in traditional classroom and laboratory experiences, but
• individuals are going to be the ones that can help expand our learning, take that context from the classroom
• to compliment you for some of the concepts that you put forward in terms of how to utilize this technology

Transcript Highlights:

• Independent school districts are the ones in the classroom teaching your students.
• But if I'm a kid that enjoys being in the classroom with my peers, and you take me out of the classroom
• Now, all the kids have learning loss if they're in a classroom...
• for 15 consecutive days in the same classroom.
• After that, you have to have a license. ...teacher in that classroom, all right?

Transcript Highlights:

• needs. $18.3 million to address food service inflation, and $17.1 million for technology needs, along
• Given the incredible pace of the evolution of the technology and its adoption by business and academia
• We know this technology is evolving so rapidly.
• What would you suggest on how are we going to address the rapidly changing technology?
• I would hate to put a marker out there two years or three years or five years when this technology is

Bills: S2500, S2502, S2504, S7028, S2506, S2508, S2510, S2512, S2514, S2516, S2518, S0482, S0678, S0984, S1016, S1074, S1706, S7030

Keywords: budget, appropriation, education funding, healthcare, environmental protection, infrastructure, local government, Appropriations Act, funding, education, rural development, economic assistance, collective bargaining, state employees, labor relations, impasse resolution, negotiations, retirement, elected officials, Deferred Retirement Option Program

Summary: The committee heard presentations on the Senate’s proposed 2026-2027 budget, SPB 2500, with chairs outlining major spending in K-12 education, higher education, health and human services, criminal and civil justice, transportation/tourism/economic development, and agriculture/environment/general government. Highlights included a $115 billion overall budget, pay raises for state employees and public safety workers, major K-12 funding increases and enrollment supplements, higher education workforce and nursing investments, expanded Medicaid/KidCare and behavioral health funding, corrections and law enforcement operational funding, transportation and housing investments, and significant environmental and water quality spending. Members asked about civic education funding, declining enrollment, professor retention, APD waiver waitlists, cultural grant allocations, and other line items. Public testimony also addressed HIV/AIDS drug assistance funding and prison air conditioning. SPB 2500 was adopted as a committee bill after amendment consideration and a roll call vote. The committee then took up implementing and related budget bills, including SPB 2502 (implementing the General Appropriations Act), SPB 2504 (state employee bargaining placeholder), SB 7028 (Florida Retirement System contribution rates and related retirement changes), SPB 2506 (fuel tax distributions), SPB 2508 (state agency law enforcement radio system surcharge), SPB 2510 (termination of an unused court trust fund), SPB 2512 (new judgeships), SPB 2514 (K-12 conforming changes), SPB 2516 (higher education conforming changes), and SPB 2518 (health conforming changes). Most were explained as technical or conforming measures tied to the budget, and all were reported favorably as committee bills, with SB 7028 amended to direct a portion of increased contributions to disability and line-of-duty death benefits in the FRS investment plan. The committee also heard and passed several member bills, including CS for SB 1074 on rounding rules for cash transactions in a world without pennies, CS for SB 678 restoring the alcohol loss deduction framework for distributors, and SB 964 on firefighter cancer benefits and prevention. SB 964 drew the most discussion, with questions about the one-year death-benefit window, the separate $25,000 cancer diagnosis payment, and whether the bill could create gaps in coverage for firefighters diagnosed or dying just outside the new time limits. Firefighter representatives testified in support, saying the bill would provide clearer protections for members and families. All of these measures were reported favorably.

Transcript Highlights:

• They're not as new to technology. They don't really know how to weed out scams.
• And unfortunately, sometimes the school is unable to provide certain classroom amenities.
• Currently, teachers are allowed to deduct $500 per year from their income tax for classroom improvements
• And I think we can all agree when they go out of their way to do classroom parties in elementary school
• Because, like, personally, my mom, she's a technology teacher, so she doesn't have an actual teaching

Keywords: 1204, all

Summary: The meeting was a Girls State House session in which members received a brief orientation on chamber rules, voting procedures, recognition, decorum, and live-stream etiquette before the House was gaveled in with 99 members present. The body then moved through a series of bills, with immediate-consideration motions used several times to end debate and proceed to votes. The first bill, House Bill 1001, would have prohibited the sale or transfer of over-the-counter diet pills to people under 18; supporters argued it would help prevent eating disorders and misuse, while opponents raised concerns about medical exceptions and the bill’s wording. It failed, 42-55 with two present. House Bill 1002, which would keep lottery winners confidential for a period of time, was amended in discussion to a $100,000 threshold and a three-year confidentiality period; supporters emphasized privacy and protection from scams, and it passed 79-17 with one present. House Bill 1003 would have required schools to provide resources and courses on child workplace laws and readiness skills. Supporters said many teens enter jobs unprepared, while opponents worried about added burdens on schools and whether the bill should be an optional unit rather than a required course; it failed 22-73 with three present. House Bill 1004, the Arkansas Head Injury Act, would require approved helmets for all operators and passengers of motorized cycles; testimony focused on safety for riders, other drivers, and first responders, and it passed 94-4. House Bill 1005 would have required a year-long personal finance course before graduation, but members questioned scheduling, teacher preparation, and whether existing classes already covered the material; it failed 35-60 with four present. House Bill 1006 would increase the teacher classroom investment income tax deduction from $500 to $1,000. Supporters said teachers often spend their own money on classroom supplies and student needs, and the bill passed overwhelmingly, 97-0 with one present. House Bill 1008 sought to limit the number of national franchise businesses in an economic zone to encourage local entrepreneurship; supporters argued it would protect small businesses and keep money local, while opponents raised concerns about grocery and retail access, jobs, and unclear definitions of economic zones and franchises. It failed 23-69 with six present. The session then began House Bill 1009, which would create a voluntary blue envelope program for people with intellectual disabilities to help law enforcement communication during traffic stops; sponsors described it as an optional, training-based tool for officers, and discussion was underway when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• change from that one-size-fits-all model to more student-centered pathway options, more out-of-the-classroom
• No student should have to sacrifice their dignity to remain in the classroom. and avoidable crisis.
• > and<00:45:35.120> disrupt their original classroom and disrupt their original classroom
• . classroom. classroom.
• Seeing none, I'll move on to AI technology in schools. Chairman Tschuler, thank you, Mr.

Keywords: 916, all

Summary: The committee heard from Superintendent Megan Degenfelder on several interim topics centered on student-centered learning. She highlighted work-based learning and dual/concurrent enrollment, saying the state is updating accountability measures and should examine whether these programs are helping students progress, avoid duplicative costs, and reduce the need for remedial college coursework. She also discussed broader life-skills education, including financial literacy and soft skills, and said districts vary widely in what they offer. On gifted and talented programs, she noted that districts are statutorily required to provide them but the state does not have a clear picture of how consistently they are implemented, and she suggested the committee may want to study that area further. Members asked follow-up questions about whether dual enrollment should be evaluated only by time-to-degree, and Degenfelder said the analysis should also consider additional credentials and remedial coursework. Senator Schuler and others raised the idea of making financial literacy or other life-skills content more common, though Degenfelder said she did not favor a statewide mandate and instead preferred incentives and district-level implementation. The committee also discussed artificial intelligence in schools as an information-sharing topic, with Degenfelder saying the department is beginning a landscape analysis with districts and teachers. She then reviewed NAEP results, noting Wyoming performs strongly in fourth grade but drops sharply by eighth grade, and said the state wants to understand where students are falling off. Members also raised concerns about international comparisons and the need to improve literacy and math outcomes. The committee then moved to member-submitted topics. Representative Strock proposed reviewing the governance structure of state education, arguing that the current split among the Department of Education, State Board of Education, and other boards creates inefficiency and confusion, especially for licensure and programs like CTE. Senator Scott noted that turnover in the superintendent’s office could be a practical issue in any restructuring, and Strock responded that administrative staff could handle day-to-day operations. Representative Williams then introduced a discussion of common core standards and literacy, arguing that standards may be too broad and not specific enough, especially in early grades, and that Wyoming should emphasize phonics, basic reading, math, and civics more directly. Representative Guggenmos agreed that narrowing early-grade focus to math and literacy could improve outcomes. Finally, Representative Williams raised virtual education, saying it is growing quickly and the committee should study funding, accountability, and student support more closely; the chair opened that topic for further discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• and recommend a clear statewide structure so students and job seekers can move effectively from classroom
• All of this is cutting-edge technology. And I want you to know, this is just one piece.
• All of this is cutting-edge technology. And I want you to know, this is just one piece.
• We noted this in data technology. You know, these things look real.
• You know, with technology moving forward and buildings being built across all campuses, I think this

Bills: HCR97, HR168, SCR33, SB112, SB346, SB347, SB353, SB488, SB504, SB507, SB518

Keywords: hunting education, firearm safety, outdoor recreation, curriculum, youth education, conservation, collegiate athletics, funding, name image likeness, revenue sharing, NCAA compliance, student-athlete support, financial sustainability, work-based learning, task force, internships, apprenticeships, job shadowing, cooperative education, co-op

Summary: The House Education Committee met on May 12, 2026, and first approved SB 518, which gives LSU a two-year pilot authority to buy and sell certain real estate within one mile of campus to support redevelopment and student needs. Senator Foyle and LSU representatives said the bill is intended to help the university act more quickly on deteriorating nearby properties and some Greek housing transactions, with safeguards such as appraisal and fair-market-value requirements. Members asked about whether the authority would affect mostly commercial property and whether the pilot could later be expanded to other universities; the bill was reported favorably without objection. The committee then reported SCR 33, creating a one-year Work-Based Learning Coordination Task Force to study and better coordinate internships, apprenticeships, job shadowing, and related programs across state agencies and employers. Support testimony emphasized that Louisiana’s education and workforce systems are too siloed and that the task force would map existing efforts, identify gaps, and recommend a statewide structure. HR 168 also passed, directing the Board of Regents to study collegiate athletic program funding after concerns raised by athletic directors about deficits and accounting practices. Members next approved SB 488, a school safety drone response pilot program, after testimony described drones as a supplemental security tool that could respond faster than police and work with law enforcement; an amendment required coordination with the Department of Education, State Police, and the Sheriffs’ Association. HCR 97 was reported favorably to ask BESE and Wildlife and Fisheries to study age- and grade-appropriate hunting, conservation, and shooting sports education for grades 5-12. The committee also approved SB 112, allowing local school boards to adopt parental-consent release-time policies for religious instruction, with amendments on instructor qualifications, grade reporting, and constitutional safeguards; SB 504, expanding individual graduation plans to include vocational options and charter schools; SB 346 and SB 347, addressing harmful deepfakes involving K-12 and college students; and SB 353, authorizing postsecondary systems to digitize student IDs for LA Wallet, though members raised concerns about naming a specific vendor. The meeting adjourned after SB 353 was reported favorably.