Transcript Highlights:

• We are Minnesota's largest truancy and end neglect reporting program.
• It's the presumption regarding truancy and neglect.
• We are Minnesota's largest truancy and end neglect reporting program.
• It's the presumption regarding truancy and neglect.
• So basically what's happening is a child protection response or a truancy response.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Concerning truancy, the bill strengthens school reporting requirements and removes burdens at the school
• level to empower child study teams to swiftly address truancy.
• If needed, child study teams may swiftly address truancy and, if needed, file a truancy petition.
• Clarity is provided for truancy intervention processes at the school district and truancy court levels

Summary: The Senate convened with opening prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several recognitions, including guests from Miami Northwestern Senior High School, Clay County, and others. Senators also observed a moment of silence for Pope Francis. After routine announcements, the chamber moved to the special order calendar and took up a long series of bills, often substituting House companions for Senate bills before final passage. Among the measures approved were bills creating an expedited DNA testing grant program for local law enforcement, adding aggravating factors in capital cases involving gatherings for religious, school, or government activities, requiring state health coverage for fertility preservation services for cancer patients, authorizing indemnification for commuter rail providers, prohibiting abandonment of migrant vessels in Florida waters, and creating new specialty license plates. The Senate also passed bills on Alzheimer’s awareness, relocating the Council on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys to Florida Memorial University, charter schools, sex offender registration, utility worker protections, juvenile justice, student mental health reporting, foster home licensure transfers, water access facilities, Florida Virtual School, school readiness, sexual images involving children, tampering with electronic monitoring devices, certified recovery residences, the FSU Election Law Center, the Office of Faith and Community, and bonuses for county property appraiser employees. Several other bills were temporarily postponed, including measures on social media use by minors, veterans’ nursing homes, Parkinson’s disease, mental health and substance use disorders, education, educator preparation, officers injured in the line of duty, school social workers, and Brownfields. Debate was especially extensive on the Office of Faith and Community bill, where an amendment to bar political activity by office staff was offered but failed 13-23 after arguments over election-related communications and the scope of existing law. The certified recovery residences bill also drew notable debate, with supporters emphasizing housing as essential to recovery and opponents raising concerns about implementation and local control. Most other bills passed with little or no opposition, though a few drew dissenting votes, including the capital aggravating factors bill, charter schools, and the Office of Faith and Community measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• Concerning truancy, the bill strengthens school reporting requirements and removes burdens at the school
• level to empower child study teams to swiftly address truancy.
• And if needed, ...child study teams to swiftly address truancy and, if needed, file a truancy petition
• Clarity is provided for truancy intervention processes at the school district and truancy court levels

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several recognitions, including guests from Miami Northwestern Senior High School, Clay County, and a moment of silence for Pope Francis. Members then moved to the special order calendar after adopting a motion to reconsider the earlier failed vote on CS/SB 1080, which was temporarily postponed. The chamber also temporarily postponed several bills during the day, including measures on social media use by minors, veterans’ nursing homes, Parkinson’s disease, mental health and substance use disorders, education, educator preparation, benefits for certain officers injured in the line of duty, Brownfields, and school social workers. The Senate passed a series of bills with little or no opposition, often substituting House companions for Senate bills. These included expedited DNA testing grants for law enforcement; additional aggravating factors in capital felony sentencing; fertility preservation coverage for cancer patients; commuter rail indemnification; disposition of migrant vessels; specialty license plates; an Alzheimer’s and dementia awareness campaign; relocation of the Council on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys to Florida Memorial University; charter school changes; registration rules for sexual predators and offenders; assault and battery penalties for utility workers; juvenile justice revisions; reporting of student mental health outcomes; foster home licensure transfers; water access facilities and boating-related funding; Florida Virtual School changes; school readiness program improvements; protections against lewd sexual images of children; age-related criminal offense provisions; tampering with electronic monitoring devices; certified recovery residences; and codification of the FSU Election Law Center. Most of these bills passed overwhelmingly, though the charter school bill and the aggravating factors bill drew more divided votes. One of the most debated measures was SB 820, codifying the Office of Faith and Community. Senator Polsky offered an amendment to bar political activity by office employees while on duty and using government resources, citing alleged election-related emails and concerns about mixing government and religious influence. Supporters argued the amendment was needed as a guardrail; opponents said existing law already covered the conduct and that the amendment could be confusing or overly broad. The amendment failed 13-23, and the underlying bill passed 27-9 after extended debate about faith, politics, and the office’s role. Another notable debate involved SB 954 on certified recovery residences, where senators emphasized the need for stable housing in addiction recovery and the bill passed unanimously after supportive remarks from members who had personal experience with recovery. The Senate also passed SB 674 on bonuses for county tax collector and property appraiser employees after questions about safeguards and the purpose of the bonuses.

Transcript Highlights:

• Proponents of this bill may claim that these programs boost attendance and solve truancy, The law by
• Proponents of this bill may claim that these programs boost attendance and solve truancy, For proponents
• of this bill may claim that these programs boost attendance and solve truancy, but those claims have

Bills: SB1004, SB1424, SB1497, SB1507, SB1572, SB1684, SB1711, SB1741, SB1754, SB1763, SB1798, SCR1012, SCR1041, SCR1051

Keywords: sex offender registration, sex offender registry, A.R.S. 13-3821, sexual offenses, public safety, GPS monitoring, electronic monitoring, transient offender, homeless registrant, online identifiers, internet identifiers, sheriff notification, Department of Public Safety, DPS, DNA collection, juvenile adjudication, kidnapping of a minor, unlawful imprisonment of a minor, lifetime registration, community notification

Summary: The Senate Education Committee heard and advanced a series of education-related bills and resolutions. SB 1572 would require public schools to observe Celebrate Freedom Week and provide civics instruction, including a Declaration of Independence recitation unless exempt; supporters said it would strengthen civics education, while opponents argued schools already provide similar instruction. It passed 3-2. SB 1798, as amended, would require each high school to designate a FAFSA point of contact and implement FAFSA awareness efforts; the Arizona Board of Regents supported it, while some members raised concerns about imposing mandates on charter schools. It passed 5-1 as amended. The committee also passed SB 1711, which directs the State Board of Education to develop and post age-appropriate resources on recognizing and preventing inappropriate contact, with supporters emphasizing prevention and opponents warning about conflicts with Arizona’s sex-education rules. SB 1004, as amended, would exempt certain student groups from chronic-absence consequences under a new attendance policy, and SB 1507, as amended, would require consolidation of certain small school districts in receivership, with added provisions on assets, elections, and CTED participation; both passed unanimously or near-unanimously. SB 1497, as amended, would require school districts with self-insurance programs and at least 300 employees to seek competitive quotes every three years and provide detailed claims and enrollment data; it passed 5-0. Later, SB 1424 would require annual age-appropriate firearm safety awareness instruction in public schools, limited to accident prevention and without live firearms or handling demonstrations; supporters framed it as basic safety, while some members objected to charter-school mandates. It passed 4-2. SB 1684 would create a cause of action against public schools for failing to address bullying after prior reports if a student suffers serious physical injury; opponents said existing law already covers such conduct and warned of litigation costs, but it still passed 4-2. SB 1741 would require schools to allow parent-consented release-time religious instruction and award academic credit under secular criteria; critics raised constitutional and instructional-time concerns, and it passed 4-2. SB 1754 would improve complaint handling for students with disabilities by requiring a designated helper and annual reporting on special education complaints, and it passed 6-0. SB 1763 would streamline handling of small instructional grants and set an August 15 deadline for annual financial report formats; it passed 6-0. Finally, the committee advanced SCR 1012, SCR 1041, and SCR 1051, which would expand Arizona Teachers Academy eligibility for community college students and place teacher pay and permanent school fund distribution measures before voters; each resolution passed on party-line or near-party-line votes. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Children receiving court-ordered services, either through the truancy petition or children-in-need-of-services
• petition... ...the truancy petition or children-in-need-of-services petition, the chapter needed thorough
• be renamed as Children and Families in Need of Services, Prevention, and Intervention for School Truancy

Summary: The committee heard and voted on a long agenda of criminal justice, public safety, victims’ rights, and related bills. SB 984 on aggravating factors in capital cases was reported favorably after debate over its focus on religious, school, and government gatherings; the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops opposed expanding the death penalty, while supporters said it was about accountability rather than deterrence. CS for SB 1140 creating a Hillsborough County substance abuse pilot program for offenders, CS for SB 1180 broadening child sexual image protections, CS for SB 10 compensating Sidney Holmes for a wrongful conviction, CS for SB 500 creating a Spectrum Alert system for missing children with autism, and SB 1054 on tampering with electronic monitoring devices all passed favorably, with the substance abuse bill drawing supportive testimony about treatment and recovery and the Holmes bill receiving emotional support from Holmes himself. The committee also approved SB 1072 on expedited DNA testing grants, CS for SB 240 on domestic and dating violence victims, CS for SB 494 creating a statewide animal abuse database, and CS for SB 1422 on unmanned aircraft over critical infrastructure and weaponized drones. SB 240 drew extensive testimony from advocates describing a feasibility study for a discreet emergency alert system and the need to align domestic and dating violence protections; SB 494 drew strong support from animal welfare groups and county officials who described local registries and the link between animal abuse and violence toward people, while members discussed whether the bill should also bar known abusers from adopting animals. SB 1422 passed after questions about “reasonable force” against drones and concerns about firearms use, with the sponsor saying the bill was meant to protect privacy and property rights. Additional measures reported favorably included SB 1268 updating Department of Law Enforcement statutes and increasing reimbursement for retired police dogs, CS for SB 1344 revising juvenile status-offender procedures, CS for SB 1252 creating a feasibility study for a statewide pawn data database, CS for SB 1386 increasing penalties for assault and battery on utility workers, CS for SB 1084 strengthening sexual cyber harassment laws for intimate and digitally forged images, CS for SB 1654 revising sex offender/predator registration and reporting rules, CS for SB 1650 expanding the vexatious litigant law, and CS for SB 1652 creating a public records exemption for stricken court filings. The final and most heavily debated bill, CS for SB 1284 on wrongful death of an unborn child, drew extensive testimony from supporters who framed it as recognizing unborn life and opponents who warned it could be used to harass abortion patients, providers, and supporters and could increase malpractice exposure; the sponsor said the bill would allow parents to recover damages while protecting mothers and lawful medical care. The transcript ends before the roll call on SB 1284 is completed, but the committee had already reported the other measures favorably by recorded votes, generally along party lines with broad support from members present.

Transcript Highlights:

• So it is it's a truancy issue.
• I'd like some figures on what you're seeing if you had any data on truancy after this and where you just
• I don't have the exact rates, but there were increases in both truancy. and absenteeism after these events

Bills: HB268, HB305, HB307, HB380, HB548, HB727, HB268, HB305, HB307

Keywords: false reporting, emergency response, criminal penalties, restitution, public safety, penalties, emergency services, public institutions, false reports, criminal penalty, pretrial hearings, criminal competency, legal process, court timelines, restoration of competency, fines, community service, credit, criminal justice, defendants

Transcript Highlights:

• It requires, just like with truancy, that complaints filed for beyond-school-control must be referred
• shall immediately be referred to the county attorney for formal court action, just like a failed truancy
• First, the bill establishes the truancy prevention pilot program in 10 school districts.
• Judge Darwin Webb, who has been focused on supporting youth and families who have been involved in truancy
• Um,<01:11:08.239> and<01:11:08.480> of<01:11:08.640> course, Of course, truancy

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, roll call, and a declared quorum. The chamber excused an absent senator, approved the prior journal, received House communication that the House had passed HB 168, 185, 249, and 455 and requested concurrence, and heard committee reports advancing SB 37 and SB 214 from Agriculture, SB 157 and SB 189 with a committee substitute from Banking and Insurance, and SJR 54 with a committee substitute from Families and Children. The Senate also introduced SB 226 on pre-need burial contracts and SR 113 honoring Robert Connley Young. The main floor debate centered on SB 101, an act relating to children, which would require a mandatory 12-month expulsion for students in grades 6-12 who assault a school employee, with exceptions for certain students with disabilities under an IEP and for incidents involving provocation by a school employee. The bill also creates a mandatory reporting requirement for assaults and penalties for intentionally failing to report them. The sponsor argued the measure responds to widespread, underreported assaults on teachers, citing 25,000 reported incidents since 2021 and sharing testimony from a teacher whose career ended after repeated assaults. Supporters said the bill would improve school safety, accountability, and classroom control, while opponents argued it is too harsh for children, could permanently remove students from school, and should leave more discretion to principals and districts. After debate, the Senate adopted Senate Committee Substitute 1 for SB 101 and then proceeded to final passage. Several senators spoke for and against the bill during roll-call explanation, with supporters emphasizing teacher safety, parental responsibility, and consequences for repeat offenders, and opponents warning about lost educational opportunities and the need for second chances. The transcript cuts off during the roll call, but the chamber had already adopted the committee substitute and moved to vote on SB 101 as amended.

Transcript Highlights:

• That also has a direct impact on truancy and academic attainment.
• are we building this funding because we have all the, I mean, we have English learner aid, we have truancy
• are we building this funding because we have all the, I mean, we have English learner aid, we have truancy
• are we building this funding because we have all the, I mean, we have English learner aid, we have truancy
• Because we have all the, I mean, we have English learner aid, we have truancy, we're doing all these

Bills: HF1048, HF1049, HF745, HF2210

Keywords: charter schools, education funding, revenue calculation, general education revenue, special education, school library aid, education finance, school districts, funding eligibility, compensatory revenue, task force, free meals, school funding, education equity, HF2210, school unemployment aid, Minnesota Department of Education, general fund appropriation, unemployment insurance, unemployment claims

Transcript Highlights:

• I think sometimes we forget about truancy laws, and I think anything that would stave off...
• my GED,' I think it keeps them engaged for the last little bit because I don't think we talk about truancy

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The committee heard a long series of Senate bills, mostly on third-read consent, covering education, public safety, health, courts, labor, and water. Several bills were briefly explained and then pulled from consent for further discussion, including measures on public records review standards (SB 1078), sexually explicit materials in schools/libraries (SB 1435 and SB 1567), burial costs in death cases (SB 1135), military flags in HOAs/COAs (SB 1184), court-ordered treatment guardianship (SB 1243), standardized state hiring (SB 1665), released-time religious instruction (SB 1741), firearm safety instruction in schools (SB 1424), student participation in extracurriculars after certain convictions (SB 1475), Celebrate Freedom Week (SB 1572), federal scholarship-granting organizations/vouchers (SB 1142), immigration-related arrest notifications (SB 1055), defamation standards (SB 1099), peace officer certification for military police veterans (SB 1107), mandatory reporting of child abuse/neglect directly to DCS (SB 1127), attorney licensing and discipline issues (SB 1148 and SB 1039), concealed weapons on college campuses (SB 1068), and firearm muffling devices/silencers (SB 1069). Members also raised constitutional, policy, and school-safety concerns on several of these bills, while supporters emphasized alternative pathways for students, veterans, and workers, and tighter reporting or licensing rules. Other bills were described without extended debate, including claims against the state for unpaid contracted services (SB 1097), workers’ compensation death benefits for surviving spouses who remarry (SB 1136), burial expense increases (SB 1135), state agency web pages for internal guidance (SB 1586), court-ordered treatment procedures and service of process in mental health cases (SB 1113), medical examiner authorization (SB 1123), tribal MOUs with DCS (SB 1125), controlled-substance scheduling conformity with federal classifications (SB 1188), EMT personal information protections (SB 1193), mammography notice updates (SB 1318), assisted-living referral disclosures (SB 1477), accommodation school GED instruction for 11th graders and students over 16 (SB 1166), credit enhancement board continuation (SB 1422), school district and charter school obligations related to religious release time (SB 1741), school firearm safety instruction (SB 1424), and school civics/freedom-week instruction (SB 1572). The committee also heard bills on CPA certification pathways (SB 1181), insurance adjuster licensing (SB 1415), county voter-registration rules online (SB 1040), campaign address privacy (SB 1259), federal land acquisition notification (SB 1281), water supply/demand assessments (SB 1202), environmental compatibility for power plants and small modular reactors (SB 1418), and groundwater recovery rules (SB 1785). The meeting ended with announcements and a brief recognition of Rep. Stephanie Hamilton with an “Affordability Award.” No final votes are shown in the transcript excerpt; instead, many bills were either left on consent, pulled for later discussion, or flagged for closed caucus. The chair then asked guests to leave so members could hold a closed caucus.

Transcript Highlights:

• there's Representative Keeler and I worked in a bipartisan manner around chronic absenteeism and truancy
• So, we have a lot of work to do from a chronic absenteeism and truancy standpoint.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The interview focused on Minnesota K-12 education, with the representative describing schools and educators as doing strong day-to-day work but saying policymakers need to address major problems such as literacy, math performance, and chronic absenteeism. He argued for more local control, fewer mandates, and flexible funding so districts can meet local needs, while also saying the READ Act and science-of-reading implementation should be carried out with fidelity to improve reading outcomes. A substantial portion of the discussion centered on chronic absenteeism and truancy. The representative said he has worked in a bipartisan way with Rep. Keeler on the issue, including home visits and district reporting efforts, but argued schools cannot solve every social problem alone and need families and other partners to help get students to class. He also criticized the Department of Education for not prioritizing a simple reporting mechanism related to the 15-day drop rule for students who disappear from enrollment. School safety was another major topic, especially after the Annunciation Catholic School shooting in Minneapolis. He said students should be safe regardless of whether they attend public or nonpublic schools and supported giving nonpublic schools access to safety funding. He said he and Sen. Pratt are working on flexible school-safety funding ideas and mentioned the Shield Act and multi-layered safety approaches as models. He also revisited universal school meals, saying the program has constrained future budget options and that a prior proposal would have redirected some of those dollars into flexible supplemental aid for districts. The interview ended with brief discussion of other constituent concerns, including age verification, cell phone use, and a youth skills training program that he said should allow students to gain office-based experience. No votes were taken; the representative mainly outlined policy priorities and frustrations with agency implementation and legislative priorities.

Transcript Highlights:

• Section 38 was on student truancy, and at one time we talked about wanting to remove that.
• Sorry, could we back up one second on the truancy thing?

Bills: SB2399

Keywords: mental health, psychiatric treatment, reimbursement, medical assistance, legislative report, 908, all

Summary: The committee reconvened and first reconsidered House Bill 1612, the aerospace medical and mental health support center bill. Senator Cleary offered an amendment to reduce the general fund appropriation from $500,000 to $250,000 and require the university or project sponsors to find the remaining funding from other sources. The amendment passed, and the bill was then recommended do pass as amended, with members citing concerns about university funding, but others supporting the project as a one-time seed investment. The committee also discussed a possible future FMAP increase beginning October 1, 2026, which could reduce general fund costs by roughly $9 million, though members noted the figures were still preliminary and could be addressed later if needed. The committee then returned to Human Services budget items, including early childhood and child care funding, a community cultural center grant, and several other adjustments. Members discussed reducing the “best in class” amount, changes to child care grants and quality/infrastructure funding, and clarifying that prior child care assistance appropriations were in fact being spent. They also agreed to reduce the 1915(i) Medicaid waiver line by $2 million, with the understanding that the entitlement would still be funded as needed. The committee also considered taking guardianship funding out of House Bill 1012 because a separate bill, Senate Bill 2029, would move that funding elsewhere; members agreed that removing it from the budget could help the overall bill and could be restored if the separate bill failed. Several study amendments were discussed. Senator Cleary proposed adding a maternal health study related to prenatal services, doulas, midwives, and Medicaid, and members expressed support. The committee also discussed a software/case-management study proposal, but the department said it had not requested it and would not support it as presented, so members leaned against advancing it unless the department first evaluated it. Another amendment would authorize the department to work with the city of Grafton on a long-term plan for the LSTC campus and require a report back to the legislature; members supported that as legislative intent. The committee also agreed to remove a truancy study section for later conference discussion, and it reviewed other possible study ideas, including assistive technology, before adjourning to await updated long sheets and bill text.

Transcript Highlights:

• Survivors of teen dating violence have increased risk for truancy, dropout, teen pregnancy, suicide experience
• Survivors face higher risk of truancy, mental health struggles, abuse and even future victimization.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Concerning truancy, the bill strengthens school reporting requirements and removes burdens at the school
• level to empower child study teams to swiftly address truancy, and, if needed, file a truancy petition
• Clarity is provided for truancy intervention processes at the school district and truancy court levels

Summary: The Senate convened with opening prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several recognitions and introductions, including guests from Miami Northwestern Senior High School, Clay County, and a moment of silence for Pope Francis. The chamber then took up a motion to reconsider the prior day’s failed vote on CS for SB 1080 (local government land regulation), which was adopted without objection, and moved into the special order calendar. A series of bills were debated and mostly passed, often after substituting House companions. Measures approved included funding for expedited DNA testing grants, additional aggravating factors in capital cases, fertility preservation coverage for cancer patients, commuter rail indemnification, migrant vessel disposition, specialty license plates, an Alzheimer’s and dementia awareness campaign, relocation of the Council on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys to Florida Memorial University, charter school changes, sexual offender registration updates, utility worker assault/battery penalties, juvenile justice revisions, student mental health outcome reporting, foster home licensure transfers, water access facilities, Florida Virtual School changes, school readiness resources for children with disabilities, sexual images/child exploitation penalties, tampering with electronic monitoring devices, certified recovery residences, the FSU Election Law Center, the Office of Faith and Community, and bonuses for county tax collector/property appraiser employees. Several bills were temporarily postponed, including measures on social media use by minors, veterans’ nursing homes, Parkinson’s disease, mental health and substance use disorders, education, educator preparation, benefits for certain officers injured in the line of duty, school social workers, and brownfields. Debate centered on public safety, health care access, education, recovery housing, and government administration. Some of the most substantive discussion came on the Office of Faith and Community bill, where an amendment to bar political activity by office staff was offered and defeated after extended debate over election-related communications and the proper scope of existing ethics laws. The certified recovery residences bill also drew extensive support and testimony about addiction recovery and housing stability. Most bills passed on strong bipartisan votes, with a few receiving notable opposition, including the charter schools bill, the aggravating factors bill, and the Office of Faith and Community bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• Concerning truancy, the bill strengthens school reporting requirements and removes burdens at the school
• level to empower child study teams to swiftly address truancy, and if needed, file a truancy petition
• Clarity is provided for truancy intervention processes at the school district and truancy court levels

Summary: The Senate convened with an opening prayer by Rabbi Moshe Umatz, the Pledge of Allegiance led by pages, and several introductions and recognitions, including guests from Miami Northwestern Senior High School, Clay County, and a moment of silence for Pope Francis. The chamber then moved to the special order calendar after a motion to reconsider SB 1080, which was temporarily postponed. Several bills were also set aside during the day, including measures on social media use by minors, veterans’ nursing homes, Parkinson’s disease, mental health and substance use disorders, education, educator preparation, and school social workers. The Senate passed a series of bills, often substituting House companions for Senate bills. These included funding for expedited DNA testing grants for local law enforcement (SB 1072/HB 847), additional aggravating factors in capital cases involving religious, school, or government gatherings (SB 984/HB 693), fertility preservation coverage for cancer patients (SB 924/HB 677), commuter rail indemnification for Miami-Dade and Broward counties (SB 916/HB 867), restrictions on disposing of migrant vessels in Florida waters (SB 830), specialty license plates including Miami Northwestern and several colleges and institutions (SB 824), an Alzheimer’s and dementia awareness campaign (SB 398), relocation of the Council on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys to Florida Memorial University (SB 364), charter school changes allowing parent conversion and municipal job-engine charter schools (SB 140), sex offender registration reporting changes (SB 1654/HB 1351), penalties for assaulting utility workers (SB 1386), juvenile justice revisions and truancy process updates (SB 1344), reporting of student mental health outcomes (SB 1310/HB 969), foster home license transfer simplification (SB 1174/HB 989), water access facility funding and boating industry incentives (SB 1162/HB 735), Florida Virtual School operational changes (SB 1122), school readiness program support for children with disabilities (SB 1102), sexual image offenses involving minors (SB 1180/HB 757), age-related defenses in child sex offense cases (SB 1136/HB 777), tampering with electronic monitoring devices (SB 1054/HB 437), certified recovery residences and local zoning accommodations (SB 954), and the FSU Election Law Center (SB 892). Most of these bills passed with strong bipartisan support, though SB 984 and SB 140 drew some opposition. One of the most extensive debates centered on SB 820, codifying the Office of Faith and Community. Senator Polsky offered an amendment to bar political activity by office staff, citing emails and campaign-related communications tied to Amendment 4; the amendment failed on a 13-23 vote. Senators then debated the bill’s relationship to state election law, free speech, and the role of faith-based outreach. Supporters emphasized the office’s service network and reported benefits to children and families, while some senators raised concerns about interfaith representation and political use of government resources. The bill was then read a third time and the Senate proceeded toward a final vote as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• I also think we have an easy win, which is to start by making sure that when we issue notices of truancy
• been historically pretty punitive legislation, wording that was required as part of our notice of truancy
• schools because the first interaction they have with a school is getting a letter or a notification of truancy

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Section 43 was placed in there by the House involving studying student truancy and absenteeism.
• Studying student truancy and absenteeism.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 1012, the Department of Health and Human Services budget. Senator Dever walked through the amended budget, highlighting a roughly $5.85 billion all-funds total, major one-time items for IT, child care, housing, behavioral health, juvenile justice, rural EMS, and supportive housing, along with funding for Medicaid expansion, CCBHCs, opioid settlement uses, and several studies and reporting requirements. Members discussed the provider inflation increase, with Senator Mathern urging a 2%/2% rate instead of 2%/1.5%, but the committee adopted the subcommittee amendment and then passed the amended bill 15-0 with a do-pass recommendation. Senator Dever was named as carrier. The committee then considered House Bill 1540, a school choice/education savings account-style bill. Senator Shibley explained the subcommittee amendments, including clarifying the Bank of North Dakota as administrator, adding a means test at 400% of the federal poverty guideline, and adjusting the fiscal note to about $21.7 million for the second year. In debate, members raised concerns about the bank being assigned duties outside its normal role, the lack of DPI involvement, and whether the means test should be tiered rather than a hard cutoff. The committee rejected a do-not-pass motion 5-10-1, then approved a do-pass motion on the amended bill 9-6-1, with Senator Wobama noted as the likely carrier. The meeting ended with the chair announcing the committee would adjourn and reconvene the next morning.

Transcript Highlights:

• Section 43, we talked about student truancy.
• Section 43, we talked about student truancy, and somebody said that sounds like a good idea.

Bills: SB2015

Keywords: corrections, rehabilitation, prison budget, department of corrections, adult services, youth services, correctional facilities, Heart River correctional center, Missouri River correctional center, James River correctional center, minimum security facility, county jails, regional jails, deferred maintenance, capital construction, strategic investment and improvements fund, Bank of North Dakota, line of credit, tasers, body cameras

Summary: The Senate Appropriations Human Resources Division met with all members present and took up several bills, focusing most of the discussion on SB 1577 and SB 1619, along with a detailed review of the HHS budget bill draft. On SB 1577, Senator Magrum explained that the bill was being revised to focus on wastewater rather than raw water, possibly shifting the Washburn project to the Department of Water Resources so it could access matching funds, and potentially converting the bill into a line of credit if federal money is restored later. Members discussed whether to keep an emergency clause or instead use a date-based approach, and agreed the bill would likely be handled through the full committee and possibly reconsidered later. On SB 1619, Senator Davison said amendments were still being worked on, including changes requested by the Bank of North Dakota, and the committee planned to hold it for possible amendment before full committee consideration. The bulk of the meeting was a section-by-section review of the HHS appropriations bill draft. Members discussed one-time funding items such as technology projects, child care programs, housing programs, behavioral health facility grants, infant and toddler care provider support, juvenile justice diversion, medical housing, and other public health and human services projects. Several adjustments were noted, including reductions or changes to IMD-related funding, incarcerated-person treatment funding, the child welfare technology project, and the provider rate increase. The committee also discussed the FTE block grant structure at length, with staff explaining that the apparent increase in positions reflected budgeting mechanics, zero-dollar “phantom” positions, and positions approved previously but not counted in the FTE total. Members raised concerns about transparency and whether the bill should list FTE numbers, but staff said the block grant was intended to give the department flexibility while quarterly reporting would provide oversight. Other topics included Medicaid expansion funding and provider reimbursement rules, the move toward certifying human service centers as certified community behavioral health clinics, a moratorium on new ICF beds, and studies or reports on Medicaid, obesity, disability services, truancy, and behavioral health facility grants. The committee also discussed removing or revising broad intent language in Section 31 so the department would report findings rather than implement changes without further legislative action. No final votes were taken in the transcript; instead, members agreed to make a few technical adjustments, continue reviewing the bill, and likely revisit it the next day before moving it to conference committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• Again, we are Minnesota's largest educational neglect and truancy program, averaging 10,000 referrals
• Just thank you for your work and advocacy for chronic absenteeism and truancy as well.

Bills: HF1966, HF54, HF2043, HF1171, HF2741

Keywords: HF1966, Minnesota Association of Alternative Programs, STARS program, alternative education, alternative programs, education finance, general fund appropriation, student support services, career readiness, employment skills, academic skills, social skills, student conferences, training grants, Minnesota Department of Education, specialized education, at-risk students, nontraditional education, HF54, Silver Lake

Transcript Highlights:

• And I took truancy off of here because we're not sure of the fate of truancy, but if truancy continues

Summary: The Senate Human Services Committee held a work session on child welfare dependency, focusing on implementation of HB 1227 (Keeping Families Together) and SB 6109 (the fentanyl response bill), along with related data and system updates. DCYF first reviewed the dependency process, explaining intake, shelter care, fact-finding, disposition, and review hearings, and emphasized that removal standards are separate from service provision and that children may be in-home or out-of-home at different stages. DCYF said 1227 raised the removal threshold to imminent physical harm and strengthened kin placement, with nearly 60% of children now placed with relatives or suitable others. The department also said 6109 directs courts to give great weight to fentanyl’s lethality and added legal liaisons to support staff in court preparation. DCYF presented data showing that entries into out-of-home care declined after 1227 but rose again after 6109, returning close to pre-1227 levels. The agency also reported a sharp increase in reviewable critical incidents in 2022-2025, especially near-fatalities, which it linked to the opioid and fentanyl crisis, parental stress, and system complexity. DCYF said it has responded with statewide Safe Child Councils, staff consultations, hotspot monitoring, and additional training, and noted that some contracted services authorized under 6109 were not implemented because of fiscal constraints. Senators asked about where children are in the process, who participates in court, the timing of data releases, age breakdowns, and geographic hotspots. Advocates and lived-experience witnesses from LCYC and a family intervention clinic argued that 1227 has not prevented courts from removing children when necessary and said the law appropriately requires the state to show a causal link between home conditions and risk. They said 6109 appropriately highlights fentanyl’s danger, but stressed that the larger issue is lack of prevention and treatment resources, inconsistent county-by-county practice, and insufficient supports such as inpatient beds, family treatment, housing, transportation, and third-party safety plan participants. A parent ally described how early support, peer guidance, and kin placement helped her achieve recovery and stability after losing parental rights in an earlier case. The committee also heard an update on SB 6068 from the Administrative Office of the Courts and K Implementation and Evaluation. The report identified 15 dimensions of relational permanency and child well-being, found that some data already exist while other measures need development, and recommended a phased data collection plan, a restored data-sharing agreement between AOC and DCYF, and a standing cross-agency work group. AOC said its dependency data system lapsed when the prior agreement expired in June 2025 and needs to be rebuilt. The meeting also included a brief update on bridge housing for youth exiting inpatient treatment, with presenters saying two programs are now open, one in King County and one in Spokane, and a short introduction to juvenile rehabilitation capacity updates before the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• Kids not going to school—truancy, as Senator Wiggins has done in Judiciary—trying to get more kids in
• I think there have been some challenges with the court system not really taking up truancy cases.
• Um, and so we're working on that, and I think that part of the problem has been that the truancy was
• Um, and so we're working on that, and I think that part of the problem has been that the truancy was
• Um, and so we're working on that, and I think that part of the problem has been that the truancy was

Keywords: Education - Room 216, 22 January, 2026; 10:30 AM, 925, all

Summary: The committee took up several education-related bills. Senate Bill 2071 would allow school boards to vote on providing health insurance to board members and their dependents using local, not state, funds; it was advanced after Senator Brian objected that it could create an incentive for people to seek school board seats for the insurance benefit. Senate Bill 2072 would move the deadline for teacher supply cards earlier, from August to July, using EF funds, and it was reported. Senate Bill 2103 would require school boards to adopt policies banning or restricting student cell phone use during school and class time, and it was also reported. Senate Bill 21103 would remove a requirement that school counselors follow the National Association of School Counselors’ code of ethics and instead align them with the Mississippi teacher code of ethics; it passed without opposition. Senate Bill 2236 would authorize the use of LifeVac choking devices in schools, with the sponsor saying the devices are inexpensive and could be provided free to districts; it passed as well. The committee then spent most of its time on Senate Bill 2242, the Mississippi Math Act, which would create a statewide math improvement initiative within the Department of Education. The bill would deploy math instructional coaches, require K-5 universal math screeners three times a year, create individual math plans for students below benchmark, support algebra readiness, protect data under FERPA, and establish a fund for grants and other deposits. Senator Boyd said the bill is modeled on efforts in other states, especially Alabama, and is intended to build on Mississippi’s literacy reforms by focusing on support, intervention, and professional development rather than retention or punishment. Members raised concerns about cost, the proposed anti-lapsing language for the fund, and whether the bill should require high-quality instructional materials statewide rather than leaving curriculum choices to local districts. Senator Hopson estimated the program could cost about $3.5 million and suggested the anti-lapsing language might be removed or handled through appropriations. Senators Blunt, Hill, and Wiggins argued that the success of literacy reforms came from requiring standardized, high-quality instructional materials and accountability, not home rule alone. Senator Wiggins offered an amendment to require high-quality instructional materials for math statewide, and Senator Boyd said he was supportive of that as a friendly amendment. The discussion ended with the amendment still being worked through and the bill not yet finally disposed of in the excerpt.