Transcript Highlights:

• Looking at the professional standards um and the requiring an annual standardized and evidence-based
• </c><00:48:37.359><c> standardized</c><00:48:37.920><c> and</c> requiring an annual standardized and
• </c><00:54:22.960><c> Um,</c> actually teach students. Um, actually teach students.
• </c> uh, I think really harmful teaching uh, I think really harmful teaching practices.<01:35:37.040>
• </c> teachers that don't meet these standards teachers that don't meet these standards and<01:36:32.560

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We're trying to teach our teachers to do that and we're trying to teach our kids to be able to do the
• So I teach bilingual.
• After teaching for a year, she left our country to go teach in another country where parents have of
• As hard as it is to teach a child to read and write, it is exponentially harder to try to teach them
• We teach, I mean spelling, we teach spelling. Every Friday we have spelling.

Bills: HB6, HB27, HB 123, HB210, HB213, HB222, HB610, HB 1085, HB1481, HB6, HB27, HB123, HB210, HB213, HB222

Keywords: mental health, telehealth, public schools, discipline management, behavioral interventions, financial literacy, high school education, curriculum requirements, economics, personal finance, HB 123, kindergarten readiness, early literacy, early numeracy, reading screening, math screening, foundational literacy, foundational numeracy, dyslexia screening, reading intervention

Transcript Highlights:

• The HAF is a is sort of a kind of standard ongoing set allocation institutions can use.
• I know Representative Howard, certainly nursing is, is critical, teaching is critical.
• SB 17 clarify tenure employment standards to benefit both faculty and institutions.
• Uh, a lack of faculty to teach the undergraduate coursework.
• One, the lack of teaching faculty statewide.

Transcript Highlights:

• To teach these programs.
• He has a daughter-in-law that teaches at East Ascension.
• She said, I want to teach these kids. I talked to her this morning.
• They gave that lady an opportunity to teach.
• Will this organization have their hands on content standards, curriculum standards, those types of things

Summary: The House Education Committee met on March 18, 2026, with 11 members present and adopted prior meeting minutes without objection. The committee first heard HB 649 by Rep. Brass, which would create a statewide common application portal for dual enrollment. Supporters from the Pelican Institute and the Board of Regents said the bill would simplify enrollment, reduce paperwork for counselors and families, and improve awareness of dual enrollment options. Members asked about nonparticipation by institutions and access for nontraditional students; the bill was reported favorably without objection. The committee then took up HB 807 by Rep. Brass, which would establish the Workforce Instructor Capacity Investment Program within LCTCS to help recruit and retain instructors for high-demand workforce programs. Testimony from River Parishes Community College, Dow, and the Louisiana Chemical Association described instructor shortages as a bottleneck for training workers for major industrial projects, and said employer-sharing models and apprenticeships have been successful. An amendment expanded eligibility to include LSU Eunice and Southern University at Shreveport, and the committee adopted the amendments. After debate about whether the state needed a new fund versus using existing systems, the bill was reported favorably by a 13-1 roll call vote. Next, the committee heard HB 285 by Chairman Bacala, which authorizes school boards to cooperate with banks and credit unions to operate branches in high schools as part of financial literacy programs. Bacala said the bill clarifies statutory authority, and an amendment added banks to the original credit union language. Members discussed ethics, exclusivity, student access, and whether the branches could market products; supporters from LABI and financial industry groups said the programs improve hands-on financial education. The bill was reported with amendments without objection. The committee also considered HB 28 by Rep. Owen, which adds a BESE-level appeal for certain teacher certification applicants affected by administrative or contractor errors. Owen described a case in which applicants paid for certification programs but were denied because of a mentor-signature issue, and said the amendment would require BESE or its designee to act within 30 days. Department of Education staff said the Teacher Certification Appeals Council had already granted extensions rather than outright denials in the affected cases, but the committee advanced the bill after a 9-4 roll call vote. Finally, the committee began HB 268 by Rep. Carver, which would strengthen career exposure requirements for students by tying activities more closely to high-wage, high-demand jobs and adding an annual exposure requirement in K-5; testimony emphasized early workforce awareness, and discussion focused on keeping the requirements manageable for schools.

Transcript Highlights:

• For the 2024-25 academic year, the college system employed approximately 10,600 teaching and non-teaching
• For the 24-25 academic year, our college system employed approximately 10,600 teaching and non-teaching
• The colleges employ over 10,500 faculty by headcount to teach these students.
• So many of your contingent faculty are teaching at multiple institutions.
• So if I was teaching two classes at Tacoma Community College and I was teaching two classes at Olympic

Bills: SB6258, SB5963

Keywords: Washington Medical Commission, medical license, license relinquishment, voluntary surrender, nondisciplinary pathway, physician regulation, health professional licensing, disciplinary database, National Practitioner Data Bank, license renewal, license reinstatement, medical board, professional discipline, credential surrender, healthcare regulation, SB 5963, passport to careers, Washington College Grant, financial aid, higher education

Transcript Highlights:

• We have been teaching students to drive in Massachusetts for nearly 20 years.
• My experience has been a mix of both in-person and online meetings and teaching.
• So I've been teaching safe driving on the roads for 42 years in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
• We teach the rules, then we get in the car.
• In addition, with live instructor teaching the class, we know exactly what we taught our students.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Transportation held a public hearing on several bills related to driver’s license suspensions, junior operator training, online driver education, and regulation of e-bikes/scooters. A major focus was the Road to Opportunity Act (H. 3662/S. 2368), which would end license suspensions and registration holds for unpaid fines and fees unrelated to road safety, create hardship waivers and payment options, and replace suspension with nonrenewal in some cases. Supporters included the Attorney General’s office, ACLU, CPCS, Greater Boston Legal Services, transportation and anti-poverty advocates, and several affected residents who described job loss, housing instability, and difficulty paying toll and fee debts. They argued the current system punishes poverty, disproportionately affects Black and Latino residents, and is costly to enforce. Some testimony also noted that the bill would preserve suspensions for dangerous driving offenses. District Attorney Marion Ryan testified in favor of two bills: one allowing partial payment plans for certain RMV penalties and another closing a loophole that makes the penalty for violating a hardship license less severe than driving after a full suspension. Senator Sear and Representative Reed also spoke for the Road to Opportunity Act, while the AAG said the Attorney General supports it. Committee members asked about RMV implementation and whether the agency supports payment plans; Ryan said the RMV has been cooperative but believes legislation is needed. No votes were taken during the hearing. The committee also heard testimony on bills affecting young drivers. Senator Lovely and Representative Cruz supported a bill to create a junior operator license training fund, expand access for low- and moderate-income families, require refunds in some cases, and allow earlier passenger privileges. Another bill would make virtual instructor-led driver education permanent; AAA and several driving school owners supported it as an access and convenience measure, while other instructors opposed it, arguing in-person instruction is safer and more effective. Finally, Senator Collins and others testified for a transportation safety bill regulating motorized bicycles, scooters, e-bikes, and mopeds, increasing fines, requiring insurance for commercial use, and requiring public hearings and accessibility review for new bike lanes. Advocates for blind and disabled pedestrians supported that bill, while some transportation and business voices backed it as a safety and planning measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a teacher teaching, I believe it was 8th grade social studies.
• This is a teacher teaching, I believe it was 8th grade social studies.
• And they say, 'We've gone to school, we know how to teach. Allow us to teach.
• standards?
• It reminds us that teaching is not just about delivering content.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:08:11.639><c> for</c> upcoming state and local standards for upcoming state and local standards
• </c><00:46:18.880><c> established</c> 6 because the standards established 6 because the standards established
• </c><00:59:15.799><c> so</c> instruction is explicit teaching so instruction is explicit teaching so
• </c> read to learn and so if we don't teach read to learn and so if we don't teach kids<01:10:25.320>
• </c><01:19:04.480><c> of</c> program would not meet the standards of program would not meet the standards

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• said they do have many state standards.
• said they do have many state standards.
• We have too many standards, and I think she would say we're overtesting the kids on those standards.
• We have too many standards, and I think she would say we're overtesting the kids on those standards.
• We have too many standards, and I think she would say we're overtesting the kids on those standards.

Bills: HB2063, HB2271, HB2416, HB2478, HB2593, HB2692, HB2813, HB2992, HB2993, HB4044

Keywords: corrections oversight, appropriation, independent office, public safety, funding, firefighters, insurance rates, workers' compensation, firefighter cancer reimbursement, rate deviations, cost analysis, premiums, border security, drug trafficking, human smuggling, law enforcement funding, Arizona, immigration, education reform, K-12

Transcript Highlights:

• Those standards are now up for review. The standards are now up for review.
• Um, these guys have standards saying this is what you should teach, but they don't have the method of
• </c> what shall we teach? what shall we teach?
• you roll those standards out." of those standards will address Indian of those standards will address
• </c> How do we teach this better? How do we teach this better?

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:12:37.320><c> um</c> various things uh in the standards um various things uh in the standards
• </c><00:13:11.399><c> if</c> committee um that U those standards if committee um that U those standards
• </c> health standards health standards it<00:17:01.160><c> um</c><00:17:01.600><c> has</c><00:17:01.839
• standards standards okay<00:17:51.360><c> the</c><00:17:51.520><c> back</c><00:17:51.720><c> might</
• standards standards with<00:20:29.200><c> this</c><00:20:30.039><c> paragraph</c><00:20:31.039><c> but

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• For the 2024-25 academic year, our college system employed approximately 10,600 teaching and non-teaching
• For the 24-25 academic year, our college system employed approximately 10,600 teaching and non-teaching
• That's just teaching and associated responsibility.
• In my 19 years of teaching...
• So if I was teaching two classes at Tacoma Community College and I was teaching two classes at Olympic

Summary: The House Postsecondary Education & Workforce Committee held a public hearing on Senate Bill 6258, which would authorize the Washington Medical Commission to adopt rules allowing physicians and certain other licensees to voluntarily relinquish their licenses outside of a disciplinary process. Staff and the bill sponsor explained that the current system only allows relinquishment through a disciplinary or quasi-disciplinary path, which can trigger reporting to national databases even when there is no misconduct. Testimony from the Medical Commission and the Washington Physicians Health Program supported the bill as a non-disciplinary, permanent, and more dignified way for providers to exit practice while preserving patient safety by excluding those under investigation or discipline. The chair said the committee would executive the bill the next day and asked that amendments be submitted by 6 p.m. that day. The committee then held a work session on part-time/adjunct faculty in the community and technical college system. State Board of Community and Technical Colleges staff described the system’s 34 colleges, the role of local bargaining, and the differences in duties and pay between full-time and part-time faculty. They noted that adjunct pay has historically lagged and cited a 2024 report estimating it would cost about $75.1 million to raise average adjunct compensation to 85% of full-time faculty pay. American Federation of Teachers Washington representatives and contingent faculty testified in support of HB 2538, arguing that contingent faculty are underpaid, often lack stable employment and compensation for work outside class time, and that higher pay would improve retention, student support, and equity. Members asked about bargaining structures, health benefits, workload, and comparisons to other faculty roles. In executive session, the committee considered Substitute Senate Bill 5931, which makes administrative changes to the Workforce Education, Investment, Accountability, and Oversight Board, including removing a public dashboard requirement and adjusting election timing. The bill passed 14-1 and was reported out with a do-pass recommendation. The committee also approved Senate Bill 5963, which automatically makes Passport to Careers participants income-eligible for the Washington College Grant and aligns need calculations with the federal formula; it also directs Passport funds into the state financial aid account. That bill passed unanimously, 15-0, and was likewise reported out with a do-pass recommendation.

Transcript Highlights:

• The bottom line is we already have the standard.
• on a national standard in, say, like, AP courses?
• And again, I keep saying, like, teaching children, teaching young adults, who are closer to being an
• It is a standard book.
• It is a standard book.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, a moment of silence for former member Terry Fields and the Parkland victims, the Pledge of Allegiance, and routine organizational actions including approval of the journal and adoption of a special order report. The chamber then took up House Bill 1119, relating to materials harmful to minors, which the sponsor described as a measure to clarify and strengthen standards for removing obscene or pornographic content from public school classrooms and libraries while preserving educational uses and not targeting classical literature, LGBTQ content, or other protected viewpoints. Members questioned the bill’s use of terms such as “predominantly,” its relationship to existing local review processes, the impact on AP/IB and college-level materials, the applicability to voucher-funded schools, and the risk of additional First Amendment litigation and costs. The sponsor responded that the bill was needed because current standards were being bypassed and that the legislation was aimed at material harmful to minors, not general literary value. The House considered numerous amendments, most of which were defeated. Amendments offered by Representatives Gant, Aristide, Bartleman, Eskamani, Nixon, Rainer, Woodson, and Harris sought, among other things, to preserve parental choice during review periods, restore a whole-work constitutional standard, limit repeated objections, protect educational and abuse-prevention materials, prevent LGBTQ-inclusive books from being labeled harmful solely on that basis, shield school districts from funding penalties, and delay enforcement in districts already under litigation. Supporters of the amendments argued that the bill would encourage censorship, remove books with clear literary or educational value, burden districts with costs and lawsuits, and harm students who rely on school libraries for access to reading material and representation. Opponents of the amendments argued the bill was necessary to protect minors from explicit content and that the proposed changes would weaken that protection. All of the amendments described in the transcript failed. After the amendment process, the House waived rules, read HB 1119 a third time by title, and entered structured debate on final passage. In closing debate, opponents repeated concerns about constitutional vulnerability, overbroad book removals, and the educational harm of limiting access to literature, while supporters framed the bill as a child-protection measure and a clarification of existing law. The transcript ends during the structured debate on final passage, before the final vote on the bill is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• position letter portal on the Assembly Education Committee website and before we begin I have a standard
• I teach at San Francisco State and I strongly oppose this bill. Good morning. I am Fozia.
• At that time and they suggested that we then turn to a bill that is focused on standards.
• The factually accurate standard is already in the Ed Code. So that is not something that's new.
• Teaching which is not materials specific. But you mentioned the impact on school funding.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So we're all consistent now with the federal standard.
• If it's a curriculum to teach agriculture, to teach about the biology or environmental science, that's
• The point of homeschooling is for the parent to teach their child.
• But it does not say that they have to be qualified to teach their children.
• Subpart 3 addresses operational and installation standards.

Summary: The Administrative Rules Subcommittee reviewed a long agenda of agency rules, with most items approved without objection after brief presentations and no public comment. Early items included Department of Energy and Environment rules on landfill post-closure trust fund spending thresholds and liquefied petroleum gas standards, DFA’s electronic odometer disclosure rule, and several Department of Health rules covering ionizing radiation, mobile home and RV parks, lead-based paint, counseling board revisions, hearing instrument dispensers, athletic training, dental examiners, nursing, pharmacy, medical board, speech-language pathology and audiology, radiologic technology, massage therapy, community health workers, doula certification, and cosmetology/body art. Most of these changes were described as updates to match recent acts, federal standards, compact participation, fee adjustments, or cleanup/clarification, and the committee repeatedly approved them without objection. A substantial portion of the meeting focused on the Arkansas State Board of Nursing’s broad set of rule changes implementing multiple 2025 acts. Those changes included creating a dialysis patient care technician registry, updating contact information requirements, expanding APRN authority to delegate certain tasks, clarifying death certificate and pronouncement authority, allowing substitution of therapeutically equivalent medications, permitting purchase of compounded products, and updating certified medication assistant rules and training standards. Members asked detailed questions about the meaning of therapeutically equivalent substitutions, delegation limits, compounded products, and how often medication lists would be updated; the board said it would review rules annually and use future rulemaking as needed. The committee also approved new nursing rules for declaratory orders and the new dialysis registry. The Department of Education’s rules drew the most discussion, especially the Arkansas Children’s Educational Freedom Account Program. The department said the revisions, based on Act 920 of 2025, were intended to add guardrails, clarify eligible expenses, and streamline approvals. Changes included defining core educational expenses, limiting sports-related spending, adding an intentional misuse standard, restricting certain technology purchases and requiring extra justification over $1,000, capping carryover funds at $8,500, and creating a reconsideration process for denied expenses. Members raised concerns about oversight, appeal timelines, sports equipment, provider credentialing, and whether the rules were too restrictive; department officials said the rules were meant to protect taxpayer funds while preserving flexibility, and they noted the program had received extensive public comment. The committee also approved Education rules for scholarships, residency classification, teacher programs, accelerated learning, and graduate medical education, as well as Labor and Licensing rules on wage and hour standards, boiler rules, motor vehicle commission requirements, professional wrestling regulation, appraiser qualifications, and military recruiting incentives.

Transcript Highlights:

• Section five removes a reference to outdated standards in favor of the current standards, and it also
• It not only requires teaching experience, but several years of teaching experience in the arena you want
• There are well over 100 standards.
• You must have the art of teaching down, so thank you for that.
• </c><01:06:27.160><c> going</c> nearby and have it be the standard going nearby and have it be the standard

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• NAU and now is teaching the exact same district.
• What better way than a better accountability system, standards that the teachers have to teach, tests
• Teachers who teach middle school math may be teaching advanced middle school math, but they're already
• Teachers who teach middle school math may be teaching advanced middle school math, but they're already
• My husband has spent his whole teaching career teaching in Title I schools, and just over his career

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 4043, which would require each school district and charter school, beginning in 2027, to ensure at least one employee at each school is trained in CPR, first aid, and AED use. The sponsor said he intended to amend the bill on the floor to ensure someone is trained at all times and to clarify AED language. The American Heart Association testified neutral with concerns, supporting CPR training but warning the bill could leave gaps if only one person is trained and noting the need for AED access and emergency planning. Parents whose son died in an Arizona kindergarten classroom urged support, saying school staff should be prepared to respond to emergencies. The committee recommended the bill do pass by a vote of 7-1 with four present. The committee then took up House Concurrent Resolution 2015, as amended by a strike-everything amendment supporting at least 60 minutes of daily physical activity for students and prominent display of federal dietary guidelines. A representative of End Chronic Disease testified in favor, arguing schools should help prevent chronic disease through health education and physical activity. The committee adopted the strike-everything amendment and then gave the resolution a due pass recommendation on a 12-0 roll call. House Bill 2621, in its strike-everything form and with a Garcia amendment, addressed enrollment and special education procedures for students in unorganized territory, students using certificates of educational convenience, and children of active-duty military parents. The sponsor explained the bill was meant to clarify confusing law, speed enrollment and evaluations, and reduce delays in services. Champions for Kids supported the measure and the amendments, and the committee adopted both amendments before recommending the bill do pass 11-0. The committee also approved House Bill 2385, which limits superintendent contracts to one-year terms for the first three years unless the superintendent has already been employed three consecutive years; the sponsor framed it as a way to reduce costly early buyouts. That bill passed 7-4. Later, the committee approved House Bill 4106, creating the One Arizona Service Fellowship Program to provide service opportunities, stipends, and tuition awards for young adults, with an amendment changing the stipend contribution formula. The sponsor and supporters described it as a state-based service model inspired by Utah and aimed at education, military families, parks, hunger, and homelessness work; some members opposed it as an unnecessary state mandate or questioned the need for a new program. The committee also passed House Bill 2992, as amended, establishing a pilot program on child sexual abuse and assault awareness and prevention, expanded to K-12 and including grooming/exploitation content. A survivor advocate strongly supported the bill, while some members raised concerns about the funding source and possible unintended consequences. Finally, the committee passed House Bill 2370, which would require school leaders to notify governing boards before modifying weapons detection systems and to report changes within 24 hours; the sponsor cited a fatal school stabbing and other weapons incidents, while opponents argued the bill was too vague and could create operational problems. The committee also adopted a strike-everything amendment to House Bill 4056, allowing legislators making public records requests in their official capacity to avoid fees and requiring electronic production; the sponsor said it was needed after districts sought large fees, while opponents warned it could burden public agencies. The committee then began discussion of House Bill 2478, which would create an Arizona Commission on Student Outcomes to study K-12 accountability, finance, graduation requirements, and related issues, with proposed amendments to add early childhood study and change commission membership, but the transcript cuts off before final action on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:32:47.400><c> test</c> to be able to take a standardized test to be able to take a standardized
• </c> licensed to teach in particular areas. licensed to teach in particular areas.
• </c> consistency with how we teach consistency with how we teach teachers<01:35:56.080><c> around</c>
• </c> teaching this stuff in the schools. teaching this stuff in the schools.
• </c> academic standards. academic standards.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The proposed substitute labeled A, offered by Senator Wellman, removes the development of a standardized
• Teaching reading.
• Standardized accurate school maps are a foundational safety tool and it is essential that we get them
• These standards reflect how incidents are actually managed in the field.
• The first is that the standards in this bill have been vetted and adopted over the last five years in

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 5992, which would create a non-appropriated Youth Development Fund account to support grants for positive youth development programs serving ages 5 to 24. Staff explained that OSPI would administer grants to nonprofits, tribes, and local parks and recreation entities, with school districts and ESDs eligible mainly as partners; annual reporting would be required. The sponsor and many testifiers, including students, youth-serving nonprofits, tribal representatives, and agency partners, described after-school, mentoring, arts, sports, outdoor, and wraparound programs as important for mental health, belonging, safety, civic engagement, and prevention, especially for vulnerable and rural youth. The committee then moved to executive session and adopted a substitute and passed SB 5992 to the Rules Committee. The committee also took executive action on Senate Bill 5952, which would standardize the process for excusing high school students from physical education, and on Senate Bill 5961, which would transfer the Imagination Library of Washington from DCYF to OSPI. In both cases, the committee adopted proposed substitutes that narrowed or adjusted the bills, then voted them out of committee: SB 5952 was sent to Rules, and SB 5961 was sent to Ways and Means. The committee also heard Senate Bill 5969 on allowing an IEP transition plan to satisfy high school and beyond plan requirements; after discussion, a substitute was adopted that instead directs OSPI to reduce duplication in the statewide IEP system, and the bill was passed to Ways and Means. Later, the committee heard Senate Bill 5918, which would increase materials, supplies, and operating costs (MSOC) funding by $100 per student or $100,000 per district, whichever is greater, starting in the 2026-27 school year. Testimony from educators, administrators, school board members, PTA, and OSPI emphasized that districts are using local levy dollars to cover basic operating costs such as utilities, insurance, curriculum, and maintenance, leaving less for enrichment and forcing cuts or deferred purchases. One opponent argued against additional taxes and questioned the return on school spending. The sponsor framed the bill as necessary to meet the state’s paramount duty to fund basic education. The transcript then shifted to Senate Bill 5951 on school access to albuterol, which would allow schools to keep stock albuterol under a statewide standing order and let trained staff administer it under certain conditions; students, nurses, and advocates testified that stock albuterol could reduce absences and improve safety for students with asthma. Finally, the committee began hearing Senate Bill 6042 on school mapping, which would require school safety plans to include accurate, interoperable digital maps for first responders; the sponsor and emergency response witnesses said standardized maps are critical for coordinated, timely response in school emergencies.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're talking about a school that teaches babies how to swim.
• The need for basic safety standards in a relatively new industry.
• The Industry standard is it still kind of 4, or is that just what you guys go by?
• So learn to swim from my impression, the standard is, is typically 4.
• They have more regulations in these schools that are teaching our babies how to swim.

Bills: SB 28

Keywords: groundwater, groundwater conservation district, Water Code, Water Development Board, modeled available groundwater, aquifer, water permit, groundwater transfer, export groundwater, out-of-district transfer, management area, desired future conditions, well permit, retail public utility, potable water, emergency interconnect, subsidiary, controlled entity, aquifer management, water resources