Transcript Highlights:

• <00:55:10.400><c> La</c><00:55:10.760><c> unified</c><00:55:11.640><c> Boston</c><00:55:12.079><c> prek
• </c><00:55:12.720><c> right</c> Unified La unified Boston prek right Unified La unified Boston prek right

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Finance held informational briefings first with the Department of Defense on its FY 2026 budget request, then with the Hawaii School Facilities Authority. Major General Steve Logan outlined the Department of Defense request for $40.5 million in state funds, which he said would leverage about $74 million in federal matching funds and support 411 open projects that could attract up to $2.3 billion in additional federal grant money. He said the budget focuses on sustainment, safety, and reorganization in light of lessons from the Maui wildfires. Key requests included $1.3 million to sustain IT systems, $2.7 million for 32 HEMA emergency management positions, three new Hawaii Army National Guard positions plus four upgrades, and $1.9 million for the Youth Challenge Program to cover state-mandated fringe costs and staffing needs. He also reviewed capital improvement projects, including Youth Challenge facility upgrades, siren modernization, ADA improvements, building retrofits for disaster resilience, Army facility upgrades, a third state veterans home on Maui, HEMA EOC improvements, and a maintenance/fuel building at Diamond Head. Members asked about the siren modernization timeline, and HEMA said roughly 26 to 31 sirens would be modernized this year, with 15 on Maui, eight on Oahu, and eight on the Big Island. Questions also focused on Youth Challenge and Job Challenge enrollment and vacancies, with the department saying the Hilo Job Challenge Academy is growing and that combining Youth Challenge recruiting statewide into one Kilauea program has helped enrollment. Logan also answered questions about the New Year’s Eve medical transport mission, explaining the Hawaii Air National Guard’s relationship with active-duty Air Force assets and saying the flight cost is about $20,000 per flight hour, though the final bill had not yet been determined. On the Maui veterans home, staff said the University of Hawaii site was no longer viable after faculty senate opposition, so the department is now focused on a 10-acre Puna District site; the project remains tied to a certified $35 million state match and August 2025 and August 2026 federal suspense dates. Logan said the veterans home remains one of the department’s highest priorities, but it could not be moved higher in the submitted CIP ranking. The department also discussed a Governor’s add-on for a fire marshal/Office of Recovery and Resiliency proposal. Logan said the fire marshal position was reestablished last session but has not yet been filled, and that if the function is transferred to the Department of Defense, the department wants funding ready to move quickly. Staff later said the request would include about $1.1 million for seven positions and about $2.2 million for operating costs, though details were still preliminary. The committee then reconvened for the School Facilities Authority briefing, where Executive Director Ricky Fujitani described the agency as a startup created in 2020 to improve school and workforce housing development through standardized designs, prefabrication, best-value procurement, and public-private partnerships. He said Hawaii’s single school district still functions like 15 different districts because of its 264 schools across 15 complex areas, and that the authority’s goal is to create more efficient, maintainable, and cost-effective facilities.

Transcript Highlights:

• used<01:25:25.600><c> in</c><01:25:25.840><c> all</c><01:25:26.080><c> state</c><01:25:26.400><c> preK
• 01:25:27.280><c> classrooms</c><01:25:27.920><c> in</c><01:25:28.159><c> the</c> used in all state preK
• classrooms in the used in all state preK classrooms in the next<01:25:28.480><c> year</c><01:25:28.639
• c><01:30:10.639><c> to</c><01:30:10.800><c> state</c><01:30:11.120><c> funded</c><01:30:11.440><c> prek

Bills: HF3421

Keywords: early literacy, reading instruction, teacher preparation, teacher candidates, teacher licensure, educator licensing, Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board, PELSB, field experience, supervised practicum, evidence-based reading, science of reading, literacy methods, teacher training, preservice teachers, school-based experience, reading intervention, Minnesota education policy, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Utke, providing a sales tax exemption for construction materials used for the Browerville PreK
• Browerville</c> materials used uh for the um Browerville materials used uh for the um Browerville PreK
• 34.800><c> 12</c><00:53:35.040><c> school</c><00:53:35.359><c> building</c><00:53:36.000><c> and</c> PreK
• through 12 school building and PreK through 12 school building and associated<00:53:37.200><c> facilities

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the preK through 12th grade principal at St. Mary's School in Sleepy.
• I'm the preK<01:16:54.400><c> through</c><01:16:54.719><c> 12th</c><01:16:55.040><c> grade</c><01:16:
• </c> preK through 12th grade principal at St. preK through 12th grade principal at St.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• was 2022, the new Maple River School was constructed<00:58:24.359><c> serving</c><00:58:25.400><c> preK
• </c><00:58:26.400><c> through</c><00:58:26.799><c> 12th</c> constructed serving preK through 12th constructed
• serving preK through 12th grade,<00:58:28.000><c> approximately</c><00:58:28.640><c> 850</c> grade,

Bills: HF2418, HF1666, HF232, HF344, HF402, HF431, HF468, HF547, HF583, HF1476, HF1711, HF2787, HF2788, HF3207

Keywords: capital investment, political subdivisions, state assistance, funding, project grants, child care, Slayton, state bonds, economic development, extended time revenue, school funding, state aid, career and technical education, CTE, STEM, secondary credit, after-school programs, summer school, learning year program, extended day

Transcript Highlights:

• well as you have done it with regards to well as you have done it with regards to um<01:48:16.080><c> prek
• </c> um prek and early childhood education. um prek and early childhood education.
• /c> They've Head Start and the uh first They've Head Start and the uh first class<02:05:54.560><c> prek
• program</c><02:05:55.440><c> already</c><02:05:55.760><c> have</c><02:05:56.000><c> some</c> class prek
• program already have some class prek program already have some guidelines<02:05:56.800><c> in</c><02

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• a substitute teacher for 30 years, I have experienced countless lockdown drills with students from preK
• a substitute teacher for 30 years, I have experienced countless lockdown drills with students from preK
• a substitute teacher for 30 years, I have experienced countless lockdown drills with students from preK

Bills: HF3409, HF3487, HF3401

Keywords: immigration status, undocumented students, immigrant rights, K-12 education, public school enrollment, Plyler v. Doe, school district, charter school, cooperative unit, law enforcement access, ICE, immigration enforcement, civil lawsuit, private right of action, injunctive relief, mandamus, student records, directory information, parental engagement, equal access to education

Transcript Highlights:

• talking We're spending a lot of time talking about<01:32:06.800><c> universal</c><01:32:07.520><c> prek
• these</c><01:32:08.719><c> days</c><01:32:09.840><c> and</c><01:32:10.560><c> that</c> about universal prek
• these days and that about universal prek these days and that conversation<01:32:11.840><c> is</c><01

Keywords: 1. Call to Order and Roll Call – 00:00:24 2. Discussion of The Center for Courageous Kids – 00:02:46 3. Discussion of Adult Protective Services and State Guardianship Programs – 00:25:22 4. Discussion of Annual Report of the External Child Fatality and Near Fatality Review Panel – 01:00:34 5. Consideration of Referred Administrative Regulations – 01:33:41 6. Adjournment – 01:42:07, 958, all

Summary: The committee’s first interim meeting opened with roll call and a reminder that Kentucky had 8,641 children in out-of-home care with active placements as of June 1, 2025. The first presentation was from the Center for Courageous Kids (CCK), a donor-funded camp in Scottsville that serves children with lifelong illnesses and disabilities at no charge. Representatives described the camp’s history, its year-round family retreats and summer sessions, its medical and accessibility supports, and its impact on campers’ confidence and independence. They said CCK has served more than 43,000 campers from 46 states and 13 countries, including 22,000 from Kentucky, and noted plans to reach all 120 Kentucky counties. CCK also outlined future capital needs: a new art barn and a medical lodge. The organization said the art barn project would cost $2.5 million, with a legislative request of $1.5 million, and the medical lodge would cost $2.875 million, with a legislative request of $1.75 million. Members responded very positively, with several praising the camp’s work and one member asking about operational challenges. CCK said its main challenges are awareness, staff and volunteer recruitment, and expanding medical and housing capacity; it also said it is accredited by the American Camp Association and receives health and safety visits and audits. The committee then moved to a presentation on adult protective services and state guardianship programs from Jessica Wayne and Cliff Bryant of DCBS. They explained the legal framework for guardianship, the difference between full and limited guardianship/conservatorship, emergency appointments, and the state’s role as a last-resort guardian when no family member or private entity is available. They reported 4,464 individuals under state guardianship as of June 1, with most cases involving dementia, developmental disability, intellectual disability, nursing home or long-term care placement, severe mental illness, or brain injury. They also said the division has 89 field workers across 14 regional offices, with an average caseload of 52 and a goal of reducing that into the mid-40s through additional hiring.

Transcript Highlights:

• that<00:16:17.839><c> are</c><00:16:18.240><c> teaching</c><00:16:18.639><c> in</c><00:16:18.880><c> prek
• ><00:16:19.360><c> or</c><00:16:19.600><c> that</c><00:16:19.759><c> will</c> that are teaching in prek
• or that will that are teaching in prek or that will uh<00:16:20.480><c> intending</c><00:16:20.880><

Bills: HF1388

Keywords: BARR Center, Building Assets, Reducing Risks, education finance, school funding, grant appropriation, evidence-based program, student achievement, social and emotional learning, school climate, teacher effectiveness, high school graduation, students in poverty, students of color, BIPOC, equity in education, Minnesota Department of Education, urban schools, suburban schools, rural schools, school coaching

Transcript Highlights:

• know at<00:09:53.800><c> sreb</c><00:09:54.360><c> we</c><00:09:54.440><c> do</c><00:09:54.640><c> prek
• ><c> we</c><00:09:56.040><c> we</c><00:09:56.160><c> do</c><00:09:56.320><c> the</c> at sreb we do prek
• to gray we we do the at sreb we do prek to gray we we do the whole<00:09:56.880><c> range</c><00:09:

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Primary and Secondary Education Committee met and first considered Senate Concurrent Resolution 43, a proposal tied to the Southern Regional Education Board’s crisis recovery network. Senator West and Dr. Puit explained that, for an additional $10,000 in dues, Kentucky would help create a network of 40 trained counselors in each of the 16 Southern states to provide post-crisis stabilization and psychological first aid after events such as the Marshall County shooting. They emphasized that the effort would be complementary to local and state response, would run through the school district, would not replace therapeutic services, and would allow districts to coordinate parent notifications and other protocols as usual. Members asked about parent involvement and whether pastoral counselors could participate; the presenters said local districts would remain in charge and that pastors could be included if properly credentialed. The committee then voted, and SCR 43 passed with the expression of opinion that it should pass. The committee next took up Senate Bill 207, the School of Innovation Act, with a committee substitute. Senator West described the bill as creating an optional path for districts to contract with an outside education service provider for a three-year school-of-innovation model, aimed at turning around low-performing schools or supporting other schools that want to innovate. He said the model would preserve core district functions such as transportation, facilities, and SEEK funding, while allowing waivers from certain statutes and regulations inside the school building. The committee substitute also added a high-quality instructional materials component, creating a vendor-supported repository of vetted instructional materials that KDE would still control, with testing data used to evaluate whether the materials were improving outcomes. Members questioned how the proposal differed from existing district-of-innovation law and what safeguards would exist for students. Senator West said the bill would repeal the unused district-of-innovation framework and replace it with a clearer process and guardrails, including KDE oversight, attendance rules, and authority to shut down a school arrangement for financial malfeasance. He also said the model could work with local partners, including superintendents’ associations, and could be used by magnet or other schools, not only low-performing ones. The discussion also touched on whether the bill would allow more flexibility in choosing third-party providers and whether it could support longer-term recovery and even philanthropy in schools. The transcript ends during the discussion of SB 207, with no final vote shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• our goal leaving money on the table and our goal is<00:27:03.679><c> universal</c><00:27:04.240><c> prek
• and</c><00:27:05.440><c> we're</c><00:27:05.760><c> just</c><00:27:06.080><c> not</c> is universal prek
• and we're just not is universal prek and we're just not getting<00:27:06.559><c> there.

Bills: SB2901, SB2902, SB2903, SB2904, SB2905, SB2906, SB2907, SB2908, SB2909, SB2910, SB2911, SB2912, SB2913, SB2914, SB2915, SB2916, SB2917, SB2918, SB2919, SB2920, SB2921, SB2922, SB2923, SB2924, SB2925, SB2926, SB2927, SB2928, SB2929, SB2930, SB2931, SB2932, SB2933, SB2934, SB2935, SB2936, SB2937, SB2938, SB2939, SB2940, SB2941, SB2942, SB2943, SB2944, SB2945, SB2946, SB2947, SB2948, SB2949, SB2950, SB2951, SB2952, SB2953, SB2954, SB2955, SB2956, SB2957, SB2958, SB2959, SB2960, SB2961, SB2962, SB2963, SB2964, SB2965, SB2966, SB2967, SB2968, SB2969, SB2970, SB2971, SB2972, SB2973, SB2974, SB2975, SB2976, SB2977, SB2978, SB2979, SB2980, SB2981, SB2982, SB2983, SB2984, SB2985, SB2986, SB2987, SB2988, SB2989, SB2990, SB2991, SB2992, SB2993, SB2994, SB2995, SB2996, SB2997, SB2998, SB2999, SB3000

Keywords: geological subsurface characterization, groundwater, geothermal resources, environmental review, Hawaii groundwater and geothermal resources center, scientific research, non-extractive, public trust doctrine, clean energy, greenhouse gas, carbon sequestration, climate change, energy policy, Hawaii state energy office, emissions reduction, sustainable development, fare-free transportation, greenhouse gas emissions, public transit, tax on petroleum

Transcript Highlights:

• 27.960><c> request</c><01:24:28.600><c> consideration</c><01:24:29.480><c> that</c><01:24:29.719><c> prek
• -12</c> would request consideration that prek-12 would request consideration that prek-12 school<01:24

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• the funding mechanisms for early know the funding mechanisms for early intervention<01:49:30.719><c> prek
• </c> intervention prek? intervention prek?
• </c><01:51:07.040><c> many</c><01:51:07.119><c> of</c><01:51:07.280><c> those</c><01:51:07.520><c> prek
• </c> many of the how many of those prek many of the how many of those prek students<01:51:08.800><c>

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The commission meeting focused on reviewing and correcting draft minutes and then working through a draft report on the cost of special education. Members made mostly clerical corrections, including clarifying references to Spalding, fixing acronyms such as LETRS, and cleaning up membership titles and appointee roles to match SB 57. The minutes were approved as amended, with some members abstaining because they were not present at the prior meeting. The chair also noted the commission’s deadline to complete findings and recommendations by July 1 and said the final report must be delivered to legislative leaders, the governor, the state librarian, and others. The main substantive discussion centered on the report’s findings about special education funding. Members agreed the report should emphasize that the commission was created to study the cost of special education and reduce reliance on local property taxes. One draft section described FY24 special education funding as coming from three primary state and federal sources totaling about $152 million, or roughly 15% of annual costs, with the remaining 85% paid by local school districts through property tax revenue, estimated at about $825 million. Members discussed adding historical or longitudinal data to show trends over time, and some suggested attaching charts or tables showing funding over the last 20 to 30 years. A second major topic was demographic data. The draft noted that statewide K-12 enrollment has declined since 2003 while the number and share of students with IEPs has increased. Members questioned whether the data compared like with like, especially given the growth of Education Freedom Accounts and charter school enrollment, and whether the figures included or excluded those students. Several members asked for clearer sourcing from the Department of Education and suggested keeping a list of unresolved questions, including the impact of the shift from ADMA to ADMR and the effect of the EFA program. The discussion ended with agreement to continue refining the report and to gather additional attachments and clarifications before finalizing recommendations.

Transcript Highlights:

• :56.480><c> dollars</c><01:59:56.880><c> for</c><01:59:57.360><c> K12,</c><01:59:58.480><c> um</c> prek
• , additional dollars for K12, um prek, additional dollars for K12, um support<01:59:59.199><c> for</c
• 04:52:36.878><c> to</c> uh disabilities or whether that is to uh disabilities or whether that is to prek
• </c><04:52:40.798><c> The</c><04:52:41.120><c> 2%</c> prek or whether that is to K12.
• The 2% prek or whether that is to K12.

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• co-enrollment programs so additional co-enrollment programs so that<03:54:13.520><c> from</c><03:54:14.239><c> prek
• if</c><03:54:15.040><c> the</c><03:54:15.279><c> districts</c><03:54:15.680><c> offer</c> that from prek
• if the districts offer that from prek if the districts offer prek<03:54:16.720><c> through</c><03:54
• 19.359><c> I'm</c><03:54:19.680><c> guessing</c><03:54:20.720><c> you</c><03:54:20.960><c> don't</c> prek
• I'm guessing you don't prek through 8.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• ><00:21:26.159><c> would</c><00:21:26.320><c> start</c><00:21:26.559><c> with</c><00:21:26.720><c> prek
• We would start with prek and year.
• We would start with prek and kindergarten.<00:21:28.080><c> Our</c><00:21:28.480><c> pilot</c><00:21:

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• issue due to due to the uplifting of the issue due to the<01:18:20.320><c> the</c><01:18:21.360><c> prek
• ><c> third</c><01:18:22.239><c> grade</c><01:18:22.400><c> ban</c><01:18:22.719><c> in</c> the the prek
• through third grade ban in the the prek through third grade ban in in<01:18:24.000><c> 2023.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• a</c><01:23:39.520><c> career</c><01:23:39.840><c> in</c><01:23:40.560><c> uh</c><01:23:41.120><c> prek
• </c> intending for a career in uh prek intending for a career in uh prek through<01:23:42.480><c> uh<

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• construction<00:26:53.600><c> of</c><00:26:53.760><c> a</c><00:26:53.919><c> new</c><00:26:54.200><c> prek
• </c><00:26:55.200><c> through</c><00:26:55.360><c> grade</c> construction of a new prek through grade
• construction of a new prek through grade 12<00:26:55.919><c> school</c><00:26:56.159><c> building</c

Bills: HF2730, HF2257, HF2768, HF1932, HF2437

Keywords: local government debt, municipal bonds, county bonds, capital improvements, public financing, bond issuance, public hearing, notice period, bond guarantee, Minnesota Public Facilities Authority, volume cap, private activity bonds, housing finance, residential rental bonds, LIHTC, low-income housing tax credits, redevelopment, courthouse financing, jail financing, law enforcement center

Transcript Highlights:

• am here representing uh our<00:38:51.560><c> members</c><00:38:52.160><c> in</c><00:38:52.400><c> prek
• c><00:38:52.920><c> through</c><00:38:53.160><c> 12</c><00:38:53.560><c> public</c> our members in prek
• through 12 public our members in prek through 12 public education<00:38:54.280><c> across</c><00:38:

Keywords: 1191, senate, all