Transcript Highlights:

• And Penny is the new Republican caucus staff member on my side for education, far more educated than
• Sports is not physical education.
• Physical education is the core part of a student's basic education.
• It takes the education out of physical education.
• Disabilities Education Act must have an individualized education program, or IEP.

Bills: SB5952, SB5961, SB5969, SB5841, SB5943

Keywords: physical education, school districts, student requirements, education policy, high school, early literacy, childhood literacy, book distribution, Imagination Library, Dolly Parton Imagination Library, preschool, pre-K, reading readiness, school readiness, birth to age five, young children, nonprofit contract, OSPI, Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, DCYF

Transcript Highlights:

• For students and public institutions of higher education.
• Agency, the State Board of Education, and any other state educational institution from making rules
• Specifically, I described the section... section 29.916A1 of the Education Code.
• services provider, and gender of educational products or program participants.
• and eventually to broader special education services.

Bills: HB322, HB126, HB3062, HB1481, HB2310, HB2674, HB121, HB2243, HB3627, HB1178, HB367, HB5515, HB126, HB121

Keywords: JET Grant Program, career education, technical education, community colleges, technology solutions, high demand jobs, student athletes, name image likeness, compensation, intercollegiate athletics, representation, fentanyl prevention, drug poisoning awareness, higher education, mental health resources, substance abuse education, student policy, communication devices, school regulations, disciplinary measures

Transcript Highlights:

• The State Board of Education, the Washington Professional Educator Standards Board, the Financial Education
• The State Board of Education, the Washington Professional Educator Standards Board, and the Financial
• to do is to help train our educators to be able to effectively teach financial education skills and
• to do is to help train our education education, public-private partnership to do is to help train our
• educators to be able to effectively teach financial education skills and knowledge to children as young

Bills: HB1662, HB1683

Keywords: education agencies, administrative independence, superintendent, education reform, agency authority, education, school boards, district adjustments, administrative boundaries, educational governance, 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The Education K-16 meeting will begin. Senator Eckhardt, we will start with you.
• Members, we can all appreciate the benefits of higher education.
• SB 2430 establishes Chapter 51B in the Texas Education Code to regulate higher education institutions
• Additionally, education software from foreign adversaries is removed. ...from higher education.
• Well, thank you all for being here today for the Committee on Education.

Bills: SB750, SB2995, SB1716, SB2430, SB203, SB1679, SB2683, SB1414

Keywords: tuition exemption, paramedics, higher education, public institutions, laboratory fees, education code, financial aid, education, student support, scholarships, nontraditional education, student enrollment, financial assistance, Texas students, foreign adversaries, trade secrets, research integrity, security measures, international agreements, student privacy

Transcript Highlights:

• And education funding.
• </c> Education. That is misplaced priorities. Education. That is misplaced priorities.
• for special education.
• </c> But, special education isn't optional. But, special education isn't optional.
• </c> K-12 education system. K-12 education system.

Bills: HF3493, HF4114

Keywords: safe schools, charter schools, nonpublic schools, Tribal education, funding increase, special education, funding, education finance, appropriations, budget, cross subsidy, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• :24.320><c> with</c> Taber Samuelson, veteran educator with Taber Samuelson, veteran educator with 30
• </c><00:21:11.960><c> So,</c> better education there. So, better education there.
• </c> levels of education. levels of education.
• of Education.
• </c> education finance. education finance.

Bills: HF3776, HF3557, HF3585

Keywords: screen time, preschool, kindergarten, early childhood education, digital media, tablets, smartphones, educational technology, EdTech, classroom devices, publicly funded preschool, school policy, child development, special education, IEP, 504 plan, IFSP, Minnesota education law, climate literacy, education

Transcript Highlights:

• We started our public hearing in the Joint Committee on Education.
• I come to you as an education attorney who works to dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline.
• So was that, do you know, was that the Judiciary Committee when you said, because we in education haven
• I’m an independent educational watchdog and forum initiative.
• So I go district to district, and I ask many different families involved with special education what

Bills: H3895, H5157

Keywords: career education, technical training, Lynn Vocational Technical Institute, pilot program, youth education, school safety, education, mental health, children, security measures, 1212, all

Transcript Highlights:

• members, for allowing me to lay out House Bill 1876, the Country Centennial Career and Technical Education
• House Bill 1876 seeks to establish a career and technical education reporting grant program administered
• by the Texas Education Agency.
• They should receive credit for industry-based experience outside of education.
• So I work for the Texas Education Agency. I haven't been in contact with anyone from TRS. Okay.

Bills: HB 1057, HB1876

Keywords: teacher salary, retirement benefits, career education, work experience credit, Texas Education Code, technical training, workforce development, grants, education funding, 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I call the Education Finance Committee to order.
• I would like to welcome the Assistant Commissioner from the Minnesota Department of Education. of Education
• Our Department of Education has resources for these educational leaders who have been here for three
• To the community education formula.
• with educators.

Bills: HF2430, HF2433

Keywords: education finance, teacher training, Read Act, state aid, school funding, education funding, children with disabilities, transition aid, special education, school district consolidation

Transcript Highlights:

• Deputy Commissioner of Texas Higher Education Coordination Board.
• It's to provide an education that. everyone can access.
• Administered by the Texas Higher Education Coordination Board to support institutions of higher education
• This program supports Texas Institute of higher education in conducting research and education on regenerative
• I didn't come out with an agricultural education at all.

Bills: HB3032, HB3434, HB3574, HB5339, HB5646

Keywords: nursing education, clinical sites, health facilities, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, legislative study, healthcare training, tuition, financial assistance, higher education, public institutions, student support, nonresident students, Texas Education Code, resident tuition, scholarships, regenerative agriculture, grants, sustainable farming, soil health, bioremediation

Transcript Highlights:

• According to Pew, 79% of educators, according to the National Education Association, say they're disruptive
• On the educator side, the Professional Educator Standards Board adopted endorsement competency standards
• and educator preparation programs will move forward.
• and educator preparation programs will move forward.
• We want our children engaged, educated, and present.

Bills: SB6192, SB6206, SB5346, SB6125, SB5841, SB5907, SB5951

Keywords: education, reading, mathematics, student intervention, instruction, academic standards, child care, first responders, incentives, pilot program, mobile phones, cell phones, smartphones, school phones, classroom distraction, digital citizenship, media literacy, internet safety, cyberbullying, student mental health

Transcript Highlights:

• What if one school district does and says you have earned a physical education credit?
• , but make basic education impossible.
• that our public education be fully funded?
• If not, we wouldn't be able to provide the kind of education we are currently are.
• up... ...funding education.

Bills: SB5992, SB5918, SB5951, SB6042, SB5952, SB5961, SB5969

Keywords: youth development, funding, positive programs, youth services, community programs, school funding, education, supplies, operating costs, K-12 education, albuterol, access, public schools, private schools, healthcare, school safety, emergency preparedness, mapping, local education policies, curriculum requirements

Transcript Highlights:

• First, education: it requires institutions to provide clear, consistent hazing prevention education so
• The education is great. The education is great.
• Department of Education.
• Department of Education.
• Everybody is educated. Everybody's educated, has been educated. We need oversight.

Bills: HCR14, HB201, HB218, HB352, HB626, HB636, HB738, HB749

Keywords: Department of Education, federal overreach, education policy, Tenth Amendment, local control, fine arts, high school diploma, arts education, capstone project, academic achievement, student recognition, Louisiana education, food insecurity, hunger, student hunger, school meals, free lunch, community eligibility provision, McKinney-Vento, homeless students

Transcript Highlights:

• The House Education Committee will come to order. The House Education Committee will come to order.
• The proposed substitute modifies educator... ...educator recertification requirements in a number of
• It changes the requirement for the educational service districts and OSPI to report educator literacy
• compact school to provide each teacher para educator and other educators tribal education compact school
• Our paramount duty is education. We have a performance audit is education.

Bills: HB1295, HB2262, HB2551, HB2593, HB2594, HB2636

Keywords: reading instruction, structured literacy, early literacy, dyslexia, phonics, phonological awareness, language comprehension, vocabulary, fluency, oral language, orthographic knowledge, multi-tiered system of supports, MTSS, screening assessments, intervention, reading intervention, elementary education, kindergarten, first grade, second grade

Transcript Highlights:

• It also creates the Autism Educator Loan Forgiveness Program to recruit and retain our special education
• It also creates the Autism Educator Loan Forgiveness Program to recruit and retain our special education
• special education teachers.
• This bill builds educator capacity and will strengthen Florida's education system.
• Educators. Educators that are well trained, well resourced, and properly compensated.

Bills: S0124, S0206, S0420

Keywords: Florida Virtual School, FLVS, virtual school, online education, distance learning, K-12 education, public school choice, charter-like franchise, student enrollment priorities, home education, homeschool, military families, active duty military, rural schools, inner-city schools, accelerated graduation, education technology, supplemental funding, direct-support organization, foundation

Summary: The committee first heard SB 124, which updates Florida Virtual School’s statute to remove outdated language and clarify its service, funding, governance, reporting, and district coordination provisions without changing day-to-day operations. Florida Virtual School testified in support, members praised the bill, and it passed unanimously on a roll call vote. The committee then took up CS for SB 206 on students with autism spectrum disorder. Senator Harrell explained that the bill would require autism and neurodevelopmental training in educator preparation programs, require ESE-certified teachers to complete an autism microcredential, create an Autism Educator Loan Forgiveness Program, provide salary supplements for teachers with the autism endorsement, and require district professional development to include autism-specific training with local CARD centers. A large number of speakers—teachers, parents, students, and advocacy groups—supported the bill while urging that implementation be fully funded, high quality, and not become an unfunded mandate. Several members spoke in favor, emphasizing the growing number of students with autism and the need to recruit and retain special education teachers. The bill was reported favorably by committee vote. Finally, the committee considered SB 420 on patriotic displays in classrooms. Chair Burgess explained the bill as a way to place portraits of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln in schools to encourage civic and patriotic reflection, and he offered an amendment narrowing the requirement from every classroom to one prominent display in each school and adding language making it subject to state appropriation. The amendment was adopted. Testimony on the bill was mixed: some speakers supported the idea as a spark for civic discussion, while many others opposed it as symbolic, unnecessary, or better addressed through curriculum and teacher training rather than mandated displays. In debate, some senators argued the portraits could prompt broader historical conversations, while others raised concerns about representation, classroom autonomy, and funding. The transcript ends during debate on the amended bill, before a final vote is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:03:56.200><c> and</c> the Great American Indian educator and the Great American Indian educator
• </c> times the Minnesota minority education times the Minnesota minority education partnership<00:05:
• The Minnesota Office of Higher Education will establish a working group on higher education financial
• </c><00:18:23.480><c> Equity</c> for the Minesota education Equity for the Minesota education Equity
• group on higher education working group on higher education Financial<00:18:38.720><c> stability</c>

Bills: HF2090, HF982, HF2229

Keywords: higher education, scholarship, financial aid, state grant, tuition assistance, Pell grants, student retention, education equity, disabled veterans, veterans' dependents, dependent children, college affordability, books and fees, University of Minnesota, public colleges, Office of Higher Education, veterans benefits, military families, permanent disability, 100 percent disability

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill relates to the safety of educational workers, requires the Department of Education and public
• Education Department of Education uh<00:01:39.040><c> and</c><00:01:39.439><c> public</c><00:01:39.759
• </c> handling harassments of educational handling harassments of educational workers.<00:01:48.240><c
• </c> position as education. position as education.
• </c> Senate Bill 2391 relating to education. Senate Bill 2391 relating to education.

Bills: SB3179, SB2872, SB2391, SB3282, SB2836, SB2181

Keywords: educational workers, harassment, workplace safety, temporary restraining orders, investigation procedures, retired education employees, teacher shortage, rehired retirants, entry level salary, collective bargaining agreements, pension benefits, education, teacher salaries, automatic increments, collective bargaining, teacher retention, workforce development, Pell grant program, short-term education, eligibility

Summary: The joint committee first heard SB 3179, which would require the Department of Education and charter schools to report harassment incidents involving educational workers and adopt procedures for handling them. DOE supported the bill, while the Attorney General recommended clarifying amendments to limit the measure to harassment directed at workers because of their position, to limit DOE legal assistance to temporary restraining order actions, and to clarify whether the harassment must come from outside the school system. Members also discussed whether the bill should cover non-DOE individuals on campus, whether investigations could be handled in-house, and whether training should be embedded in existing workday or school-year training rather than added as a separate requirement. The committee later voted to pass the bill with amendments as SD1. The committee then took up SB 2872, which would require retired teachers or administrators rehired into shortage or hard-to-fill positions to be paid the entry-level salary for that position. DOE supported the bill, and the Attorney General requested clarifying language about its effective date and that it would not affect already matured rights and duties. The Employees’ Retirement System administration emphasized that the bill should retain a 12-month break in service to preserve the pension system’s tax-exempt status and noted the importance of consistent classification of eligible positions. Members expressed support for using retired educators to help fill staffing gaps, but no final action was taken in the portion provided. The committee also heard SB 2391, which would provide annual step increases for public school teachers under bargaining unit 5, subject to funding. The Attorney General said the bill could conflict with collective bargaining procedures and Chapter 89, while DOE said unit 5 includes more than teachers and asked that the benefit be considered for other bargaining units as well, with funding provided if enacted. HSTA strongly supported the measure, arguing that annual step movement is already recognized in the collective bargaining agreement as a recruiting and retention tool. Testimony totals were noted as 16 in support, two in opposition, and three comments. Finally, the committee heard SB 3282, which would establish a statewide framework for the federal workforce Pell Grant program to fund short-term workforce education and training. The Attorney General suggested clarifying that the matter is one of statewide concern because UH is involved. UH and the Chamber of Commerce supported the bill, and DLIR testified that it is coordinating with DOE, the Workforce Development Council, and national groups on implementation. Members questioned whether the Workforce Development Council or DLIR should handle rulemaking and administration, and DLIR said the council is advisory while the department has grant administration expertise. The committee then moved into decision-making after discussion of possible amendments and implementation concerns.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> Revenue. one uh department of education. Revenue. one uh department of education.
• </c> students, educators, and families. students, educators, and families.
• And with this special education.
• </c> our educators, families, and schools. our educators, families, and schools.
• Oh the special education director education transportation. education transportation.

Bills: HF2430, HF2433

Keywords: education finance, teacher training, Read Act, state aid, school funding, education funding, children with disabilities, transition aid, special education, school district consolidation, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• And whereas Oklahoma State University Extension and Langston University for Hers, participate in STEM
• through project management, they're strengthening work ethic and responsibility through agriculture, STEM
• Programs used for the treatment and education of compulsive gambling disorder will also receive funds
• Also, when we think of not just higher education with NIL deals, are you aware of high school students
• There were the exclusivity fees that were Paid from that did go to the education 1017 fund, to general

Bills: HB3834, HB3940, HB4346, HB2947, HB3257, HB3264, HB4326, HB4421, HB3944, HB3979, HB4118, SCR22, SB169, HB1047, HB2123, HB2650, HB3260, HB3403, SR41, HB3649, HB3742, HB3831, HB3996, HB4321, HB4339

Keywords: HB3834, Oklahoma Breakthrough Therapy Act, ibogaine, ibogaine-based therapeutics, ibogaine analogs, clinical trials, FDA approval, breakthrough therapy designation, opioid use disorder, substance use disorder, traumatic brain injury, mental health, neurological disorders, drug development, public-private partnership, State Department of Health, intellectual property, revolving fund, research funding, medical licensing

Transcript Highlights:

• And whereas Oklahoma State University Extension and Langston University 4-Hers participate in STEM, civic
• Through partnerships with schools, county educators, and volunteers, 4-H creates a structured environment
• Also, when we think of not just higher education, what NIL deals, are you aware of high school students
• To be perfectly clear, there were the exclusivity fees that were paid from that did go to the Education
• system as far as some of our children's... ...our judicial system, and definitely our education system

Bills: HB3834, HB3940, HB4346, HB2947, HB3257, HB3264, HB4326, HB4421, HB3944, HB3979, HB4118, SCR22, SB169, HB1047, HB2123, HB2650, HB3260, HB3403, SR41, HB3649, HB3742, HB3831, HB3996, HB4321, HB4339

Keywords: HB3834, Oklahoma Breakthrough Therapy Act, ibogaine, ibogaine-based therapeutics, ibogaine analogs, clinical trials, FDA approval, breakthrough therapy designation, opioid use disorder, substance use disorder, traumatic brain injury, mental health, neurological disorders, drug development, public-private partnership, State Department of Health, intellectual property, revolving fund, research funding, medical licensing

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, heard an invocation, and recognized several guests and groups in the gallery, including the Ponca City High School Poe High Steppers, the Edmond Democratic Women, family members of senators, a Grace Reform Baptist Church co-op group, and Oklahoma 4-H participants. The chamber also honored the Red Oak Lady Eagles state championship basketball team with a citation and remarks celebrating their first school basketball title and strong season. The Senate adopted Senate Concurrent Resolution 22, supporting the Lights Out Oklahoma campaign to reduce bird mortality during migration by encouraging reduced exterior lighting in peak migration months. The chamber also adopted Senate Resolution 41, proclaiming April 22, 2026, as the 27th annual 4-H Day at the Capitol, with testimony from 4-H representatives emphasizing youth leadership, civic engagement, and workforce readiness. Several bills passed, including House Bill 169 (house amendments adopted and the bill passed as an emergency measure), House Bill 2123 on the Arkansas River bridge, House Bill 2650 on summary administration estate thresholds, House Bill 3260 on funeral director continuing education approvals, House Bill 3403 on a DEQ/OSU sewage sludge pilot study, House Bill 3649 on the Mental Health Department real property trust, House Bill 3742 on criminal discovery, House Bill 3831 on a Task Force One revolving fund, House Bill 3996 on indigent defense experts in capital cases, House Bill 4321 on limits on retroactive building rule application, and House Bill 4339 on summary administration notice timing. House Bill 1047, which would have authorized a tribal sports betting framework and related revenue distributions, drew extensive debate over gambling addiction, revenue, tribal compacts, geofencing, and NIL funding, but failed 21-27; Senator Coleman gave notice of intent to reconsider. The Senate then announced an Appropriations Committee meeting and adjourned until the next scheduled session.