Transcript Highlights:

• We call them STEM kits. We designed some basic kits. We call them STEM kits.
• And then we did two test STEM zones.
• Now you've got to think of what a STEM zone is: think of a STEM carnival.
• STEM activities, filling the gym, filled with kids.
• And the beauty of a STEM kit or STEM activities is that we can scale up or scale down.

Summary: The Higher Education Institutions Committee met at NDSU and heard an extensive presentation from President David Cook/President Stewart and NDSU leadership on the university’s priorities, including enrollment, student success, research growth, and use of New Horizons funding. Leaders emphasized NDSU’s land-grant mission, its role in workforce development, and its goal of becoming more distinctive through strategic planning, recruitment and retention, commercialization, and partnerships. They highlighted that NDSU awarded 2,370 degrees in 2025, produces a large share of the state’s engineering, nursing, and agriculture graduates, and reported strong outcomes for graduates staying and working in North Dakota. They also noted enrollment headwinds, competition from other institutions, and the need to manage tuition waivers more carefully through a scholarship optimization effort. Provost Sherry Vale outlined academic stewardship efforts, including review or consolidation of low-producing programs, strategic hiring tied to institutional priorities, faculty workload policy changes, and expanded online and regional offerings. She said the university is using New Horizons dollars to strengthen advising, student support, and programs in engineering, agriculture, and health. NDSU leaders also described new or expanded academic offerings such as robotics and automation, artificial intelligence, material science and engineering, nuclear engineering certificates, accelerated nursing, nurse practitioner certificates, a Master of Health Administration, and a clinical research master’s program with Sanford Health. They stressed that these investments are intended to improve student completion, meet workforce needs, and increase return on public investment. The committee also heard testimony from students and recent graduates who described the value of NDSU’s education, mentorship, internships, research opportunities, and support services. Alyssa Hodges spoke about pharmacy education, public health work, and campus support as a parent and student; Ethan Blessy described engineering coursework, internships with Marvin, and career preparation; and Aiden Freolic discussed neuroscience research, federally funded projects, and plans for graduate study. Their testimony was followed by presentations on partnerships with Gateway to Science for K-12 STEM outreach and with Sanford Research on biomedical research, clinical trials, obesity research, and a joint biostatistics hire. NDSU also highlighted systemwide shared services, Governor’s School programming, and research growth, including a reported 8% increase in research expenditures from $199 million to $215 million. No bill votes were taken; the meeting was informational and featured presentations, testimony, and discussion of future planning and partnerships.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, for the past 22 years, I've been a STEM educator.
• state institutions, um, and our state industries getting, um, students into that career pipeline for STEM
• And then, uh This committee is always interested in STEM programs.
• STEM had started taking over the entire work plan for this committee, and a lot of committee members
• I know we have an ongoing STEM network that's forming out of NMSU, um, and we, you know, there's other

Transcript Highlights:

• Financial incentive for the students to explore career options, many of which are STEM-related and in
• SB 64 dovetails with SB 107 to establish the STEM innovation network for New Mexico, which also has the
• goal of introducing students to STEM career pathways and passed this committee on Monday.
• Learning math fluency is fundamental for students to see themselves in STEM careers in the future, and
• It promotes positive STEM and math identity, which is super important.

Transcript Highlights:

• realize how much I could do in the STEM field.
• > Opportunity<00:10:27.279> Funds of the STEM Next Opportunity Funds of the STEM Next Opportunity
• <00:10:38.079> Miss curiosity in STEM learning. Miss curiosity in STEM learning.
• <00:11:06.720> So,<00:11:07.279> go I could do in the STEM field.
• So, go I could do in the STEM field.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• needed and and really critical STEM needed and and really critical STEM square<01:19:53.679>
• <01:46:50.719> academic other campuses is the STEM academic other campuses is the STEM academic
• c> hour<01:46:58.960> enrollments Uh STEM courses, credit hour enrollments Uh STEM courses
• Uh this is $142 million uh STEM space.
• together uh in the STEM area on campus. together uh in the STEM area on campus.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:00:55 Approval of Minutes 00:02:01 Information Items 00:02:10 Review of Executive Branch Agency Plans 00:02:20 A. A. Eastern Kentucky University 00:02:48 B. B. Kentucky Community and Technical College System 00:15:21 C. C. Kentucky State University 00:31:43 D. D. Morehead State University 00:41:44 E. E. Murray State University 01:01:56 F. F. Northern Kentucky University 01:16:09 G. G. University of Kentucky and Hospital 01:25:00 H. H. University of Louisville 01:42:52 I. I. Western Kentucky University 01:56:17, 958, all

Summary: The meeting opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by a roll call establishing a quorum. The committee then approved the prior meeting’s minutes. Members were reminded to silence cell phones, and the chair noted an informational item on capital plan amendments made by state agencies during the latest revision period before moving to university capital plan presentations. Eastern Kentucky University President David McFaden outlined EKU’s enrollment growth, strong Kentucky student retention, and signature programs in nursing, occupational therapy, criminal justice, education, manufacturing engineering, and aviation. EKU’s main capital priorities were a new health innovation project to support a proposed osteopathic medical program, including a $50 million escrow requirement until accreditation; a collaborative center for health innovation to address outdated health sciences facilities; a $5 million startup request for an air traffic control program; aircraft upgrades for the aviation fleet; and continued asset preservation funding. In response to questions, EKU said roughly 40% of the new health facility would be dedicated to the medical school, with shared simulation space for multiple health programs, and that aviation maintenance needs are currently being met through KCTCS partners but could be expanded if demand grows. KCTCS representatives then described the system’s scale and capital needs, noting service to 107,000 students, extensive dual credit and workforce training, and a network of 342 buildings across 70 campuses. They said prior legislative support, including $277 million in asset preservation and $90 million released for approved projects, had helped with safety, roofs, energy efficiency, and campus security. Their current priorities include about $30 million for systemwide safety and security upgrades, renovations tied to consolidation and footprint reduction under Senate Joint Resolution 179, and broader asset preservation needs estimated at roughly $300 million to $325 million. Members discussed the need to preserve and expand skilled trades training, and KCTCS said its plan includes construction trades and flexible, multiuse facilities that can adapt to changing workforce needs. No votes were taken beyond approval of the minutes, and the presentations concluded with questions and discussion only.

Transcript Highlights:

• with Senate Bill 1768, which authorizes Florida license physicians to offer certain FDA of unapproved stem
• cell therapies and establishes standards for physicians who perform authorize stem cell therapies.
• The key regulatory provisions in this legislation include permissible therapies, stem cell source requirements
• Madam Chair on the STEM cell therapy. The and I love Chair Buchanan.
• And then on the stem cell source understand what can't be the source but what sources are allowed to

Transcript Highlights:

• By investing in STEM, you are investing in future leaders and the workforce of our islands.
• We have neglected our STEM sector, one of the largest growing industries in the world.
• We have neglected our<00:45:29.119> STEM<00:45:29.440> sector,<00:45:30.000> one
• , we must fund the education for STEM.
• Thank you for this through STEM.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 2185, which would add protections for sports officials. The Department of Education, the State Public Charter School Commission, the Hawaii Association of Independent Schools, HSTA, HGA, school administrators, the Hawaii High School Athletic Association, the Hawaii State Basketball Officials Association, and several individuals testified in support. The Department of the Attorney General offered comments and recommended amendments, especially on the bill’s civil-action provisions and criminal language, saying the measure should be made more consistent and narrowed to clarify who is covered. The Office of the Public Defender opposed the increased criminal penalties but said its concerns were limited to that portion of the bill. The chair repeatedly noted the committee’s education-policy focus and limited discussion of legal issues. The committee then took up HB 2621 on student misconduct. The Department of Education testified and answered questions about its student discipline data, explaining that much of the information is kept in the department’s internal Infinite Campus system and is not public, but that some additional information could be added to the annual report while still protecting student privacy. Members discussed whether the department tracks incidents consistently across schools and whether more public reporting would help identify where violence or discipline issues are occurring. The department said it was not seeing an increase in suspensions in the data it had, though it acknowledged internal data showed more detail than the annual report. HB 2179, concerning DOE and e-pipes, drew comments from the Department of Education, support from the Department of Health, the Hawaii Bicycling League, and other individuals. The committee then heard HB 2534, which would recognize robotics in schools as an interscholastic sport. The Department of Education offered comments, the State Public Charter School Commission supported the bill, and multiple students and robotics participants testified in strong support, arguing that robotics provides STEM opportunities, competition, and career pathways, and that formal recognition and funding would help sustain teams and compensate mentors. No votes or final actions were taken on the bills in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• But my attachment to the CFPB doesn't stem from my advocacy; it stems from the people who lost and nearly
• <00:49:49.880> doesn't<00:49:50.280> stem<00:49:50.720> from the cfpb doesn't
• stem doesn't stem from the cfpb doesn't stem doesn't stem from my<00:49:51.160> advocacy<00:49
• :53.040> people<00:49:53.280> who my advocacy it stems from the people who my advocacy
• it stems from the people who lost<00:49:53.760> and<00:49:53.920> nearly<00:49:54.240><

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And as a volleyball team captain and a STEM competition coach, Nihal was always attuned to the needs

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Thursday, May 15, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The STEM network: we all began funding the STEM network at NMSU in FY26 in the current year.
• That's a program at NMSU designed to act as a hub of best practices for STEM education.
• Hub of best practices for STEM education with a specific focus on math.
• Um, on lines 99-9 and 100 where we're talking about STEM and STEAM.
• On lines 99 and 100, where we're talking about STEM and STEAM, the STEM network applies specifically

Transcript Highlights:

• range of Career and Technical Education subjects, including computer science, media production, and STEM
• :16:34.279> and computer science media production and computer science media production and stem
• while also serving as the CTE stem while also serving as the CTE coordinator<00:16:37.839> managing
• 00:16:46.160> National<00:16:46.519> media<00:16:46.959> and<00:16:47.120> stem
• honors in National media and stem honors in National media and stem competitions<00:16:48.680>

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In the 30 highest-demand majors, including STEM programs, this allows students to keep their options
• a STEM PhD, allowing them to join and diversify California's STEM workplace as leaders.
• , future educators, and researchers who will help drive innovation and opportunity in California's STEM
• Was to get STEM degrees, STEM PhDs, to become leaders and mentors for other STEM students.
• Very little has changed in the 40 years I've been in STEM.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Specifically, this bill would codify two existing STEM programs, CalBridge and LACE, to help...
• Specifically, this bill would codify two existing STEM programs, CalBridge and LACE, to help students
• Only 4.5% of UC STEM faculty and only 9.2% of CSU STEM faculty are Latino, Black, or Native American.
• STEM workforce as leaders, including as professors who will teach and inspire the next generation of
• the state's diverse STEM undergraduates.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They are investing in STEM students.
• Right now, they are graduating 50% more STEM students every year than the U.S.
• I mean, the Cal State system of STEM education is phenomenal, really second to none.
• And you might also realize that STEM jobs are high-paying jobs.
• On average, the CSU system produces between 6,000 and 7,000 STEM graduates every year.

Summary: The Assembly Select Committee on Biotechnology and Medical Technology met on August 19, 2025 to examine the effects of federal grant cuts, tariff uncertainty, and related policy changes on California’s biotech, medtech, and academic research ecosystem. The chair and panelists emphasized California’s outsized role in the industry, describing major clusters in the Bay Area, Los Angeles, and San Diego, and explaining how research, startup formation, manufacturing, and clinical trials are interconnected across the state. Speakers from Biocom California, California Life Sciences, Farma, UC, Stanford, CSU Biotech, and UCLA all argued that NIH and NSF funding are foundational to discovery, workforce training, and commercialization, and that disruptions are already chilling venture capital, startup formation, and hiring. Witnesses described several concrete impacts: suspended or terminated grants, reduced doctoral admissions, fewer training opportunities, canceled retreats and internships, and anxiety among graduate students and early-career researchers. UC reported hundreds of millions of dollars in suspended or terminated NIH and NSF funding, while Stanford said more than a thousand training and career-development grants nationwide have been frozen or ended, affecting multiple trainees per grant. CSU Biotech said 133 federal grants had been terminated, scaled back, or canceled, totaling about $140 million, including nearly $30 million from NIH and NSF. Industry representatives also warned that proposed antitrust limits on mergers and acquisitions could undermine the standard biotech exit path and further deter investment. Committee members asked about the duration of the disruption, the possibility of state action to offset federal losses, and whether California could better support workforce development, manufacturing, and R&D tax credits. Panelists urged the Legislature to preserve and expand state support for STEM education, internships, apprenticeship pathways, manufacturing incentives, and the R&D tax credit, and to consider infrastructure and housing as part of competitiveness. They also noted that tariffs are already raising costs for medtech components and building materials, and that China is increasingly competing for R&D, talent, and licensing deals. No formal votes or bill actions were taken at the hearing; the meeting was informational and focused on testimony and discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• Those are roadmaps for courses needed in the 30 highest-demand majors that include STEM programs.
• For the past 11 years, CalBridge has supported the diverse undergraduate STEM majors of California to
• California's STEM workforce as leaders.
• CSUs and community colleges, to get STEM degrees, STEM PhDs, to become leaders and mentors for other
• STEM students.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance held an extended hearing focused primarily on University of California budget issues, enrollment, housing, and Title IX. Chair David Alvarez opened by noting the governor’s proposed 8% ongoing General Fund reduction to UC, the deferral of compact funding, and the College of the Law budget item, while emphasizing that no votes would be taken that day. Public commenters, including UC Davis employees and lecturers, urged restoration of UC funding and opposed the hiring freeze, saying cuts would worsen staffing shortages, reduce research capacity, and harm students and patients. On UC core operations, the Department of Finance said the governor’s budget maintains the compact but defers $240.8 million in ongoing support and continues a planned 7.95% reduction, while the LAO recommended rejecting the deferrals and instead making any changes in the budget year. UC San Diego’s chancellor and UC Office of the President argued the cuts and deferrals would create major campus shortfalls, force hiring freezes, larger class sizes, fewer course offerings, delayed projects, and possible layoffs. Committee members questioned whether cuts could be shifted away from students and toward administration, discussed UCOP reserves and bond debt, and noted that UC’s budget structure makes the campus-level impact larger than the headline reduction. The committee also reviewed enrollment trends and nonresident replacement. The LAO said UC resident enrollment has grown and recommended revisiting 2026-27 targets and pausing the nonresident replacement plan if state funding does not improve. UC said it has exceeded California undergraduate enrollment and nonresident replacement goals, but warned that continued growth without funding would force enrollment reductions and harm quality. Members discussed the role of nonresident and international students, tuition rates, and the value of UC as a pathway for California students and a source of talent for the state. A separate housing item covered the state’s Higher Education Student Housing Grant Program. UC reported that recent bond savings could support additional affordable beds at UC Davis and UC Santa Barbara, but the LAO and Finance noted the Legislature would need to decide how to use the $6.2 million in savings from the original projects. The committee also heard a Title IX update from UC’s systemwide civil rights office, which described campus Title IX structures, training, and policy enforcement, and said the system has been working to improve confidentiality guidance and streamline complaint processes after survey feedback showed confusion and lengthy procedures.

Transcript Highlights:

• FACT, which is the Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy. is an accrediting body for stem
• It contains requirements, such as FACT, as mentioned earlier, due to the lack of FDA oversight over stem
• cell therapy or stem cell transplant products.
• However, FDA-approved commercially available CAR T-cell therapy products are notably different than stem
• A mentally different class of products, namely stem cell transplants.

Bills: HB345, HB721, HB2580, SB815, HB3057, HB4603, HB3233, SB495, HB3863, HB3914, HB4570, HB5099, HB5173, SB458

Keywords: insurance, appraisal process, disputed losses, residential property, policyholder rights, insurer obligations, natural disasters, appraisal expenses, umpire selection, policyholder, insurer, umpire, claims management, health care, cost disclosure, benefit plan, administrators, traumatic brain injury, health benefit plans, insurance coverage

Transcript Highlights:

• A lot of libraries also integrate STEM into their programming, everything from TinkerCAD to building
• The Gila Valley Library does a STEM camp in the summers, and they do about three hours of STEM activities
• A lot of libraries also integrate STEM into their programming, everything from TinkerCAD to building
• The Gila Valley Library does a STEM camp in the summers, and they do about like three hours of STEMX
• STEM camp in the summers, and they do about like three hours of STEM activities, I think about three

Summary: The committee heard a lengthy presentation from the New Mexico Rural Library Initiative in support of fully funding the rural library endowment with an additional $29.5 million. The presenters described rural libraries as essential community infrastructure that provide not only books and internet access, but also early childhood programs, adult education, workforce support, telehealth, disaster response, and civic meeting space. They argued that the endowment would provide stable annual support for staffing and operations, help sustain libraries in very small towns and tribal communities, and support new or developing libraries. Members asked about eligibility, county coverage, how funds are distributed, and whether the state tracks broader outcomes such as job placements or certifications; the presenters said the State Library administers the funds and that the initiative itself is a nonprofit capacity-building organization, not the fund manager. Some members raised concerns about whether an endowment is the best long-term model versus recurring annual appropriations, and about the need for better reporting and state-library involvement. The committee then heard from food bank leaders Jill Dixon and Katie Anderson about food security and its economic impact. They said New Mexico’s five food banks and more than 500 partner agencies serve all 33 counties, distribute over 45 million meals, and rely mostly on philanthropy, with some state and local support. They emphasized that SNAP is a major economic driver, supporting grocery access, jobs, and local spending, and that recent legislative growth funding helped food banks respond to a surge in demand during a SNAP disruption. They also highlighted food banks as community hubs that can connect people to health care, job training, and other services, including through clinic referrals and closed-loop systems. In response to questions, they said food access gaps remain in some rural areas, that clients can generally seek food at other distribution sites without barriers, and that longer-term solutions should include more grocery access, healthy corner stores, and stronger broadband and health care infrastructure. The final presentations came from the Gallup-McKinley County Chamber of Commerce and the Artesia Chamber of Commerce. Gallup-McKinley described a shrinking workforce, youth outmigration, crime, health care shortages, malpractice costs, and gross receipts tax burdens as major barriers to rural economic growth, and urged action on workforce pipelines, housing, public safety, malpractice reform, and tax/regulatory changes. Artesia highlighted its murals, library, sports tradition, oil and gas, agriculture, federal training center, and refinery, while also noting workforce shortages, health care recruitment challenges, housing constraints, and the need for quality-of-life investments and more flexible regulation. The committee also briefly heard a bill presentation proposing a New Mexico-Ireland Trade Commission to promote bilateral trade and investment, especially in technology, agriculture, and energy sectors. No votes were taken because quorum was not reached, and the endorsement item was not acted on.

Transcript Highlights:

• STEM education. I want to thank the legislature for support for.
• New STEM use specialist for our 4-H program and then as we mentioned earlier, artificial intelligence
• tools, STEM education through agriculture.
• Um, yes, we, we have STEM education really tied into a lot of our base programs with 4H.
• We are in the process of hiring a new STEM specialist in our state 4H department.

Transcript Highlights:

• We actually succeeded in getting some funding for STEM programs.
• in libed STEM and something else.
• many of them double major in Leed stem many of them double major in Leed<00:41:57.040> stem<00
• Libed STEM is very popular ever since we introduced our electrical certificate.
• So those are huge components that have stemmed from this data point, so we're excited about that.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Yeah, it stemmed from a professor down there that has had a track record of making some very divisive
• Yeah, it<00:02:08.000> it<00:02:08.239> stemmed<00:02:08.640> from<00:02:09.119>
• uh<00:02:09.679> a<00:02:10.160> uh<00:02:10.399> professor it it stemmed
• from uh a uh professor it it stemmed from uh a uh professor down<00:02:11.039> there<00:02:11.200
• to be some common sense legislation we can come forward with on the House side that helps kind of stem

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The interview focused on the representative’s first session in a tied House, which he described as record-setting and a lesson in working across the aisle. He said bipartisan support became essential, and he highlighted working with Representative Liz Rehm on a couple of bills and spending the off-season building more bipartisan legislation aimed at issues affecting rural and greater Minnesota. He also discussed a meeting with MSU Mankato’s president about civil discourse and freedom of expression on campus. His concern was protecting students who might push back against divisive comments from professors and ensuring they would not face repercussions or grade-related consequences for speaking up. A major portion of the conversation covered agriculture and trade, especially tariffs and their effects on farmers. He said farmers are again facing difficult conditions, though not as severe as the 1980s farm crisis, and noted that recent U.S.-China soybean purchasing agreements helped raise soybean and corn prices. He also said greater Minnesota is facing serious nursing home closures and shortages, which are forcing seniors farther from their communities. Looking ahead to 2026, he said he is working on several bills: a stop-arm bill to clarify penalties related to school bus violations, a robocall bill requiring callers to identify themselves with a number, and a mass casualty firewall act aimed at allowing charges when someone has assembled materials and plans for a mass casualty event. He said the mass casualty proposal is the one he is most proud of and that discussions with both DFL and Republican leaders have been positive.