Transcript Highlights:

• AS A REQUIRED IN STATUTE, STUDENTS SELECTED TO REFLECT FLORIDA'S K-12 STUDENT POPULATION.
• AS K-12 STUDENT SCHOOLS WITH A LOW STUDENT MOBILITY RATE, ENGAGE IN LONGITUDINAL PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT
• WE ARE REALLY FOCUSING IN ON STUDENT INTEREST AND ALSO ON STUDENT TALENT.
• PICTURE NUMBER THREE IS A STUDENT, HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT USING A SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE.
• THE STUDENTS CAN ALSO GET AN MPH.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Student and believed his intentions were sincere.
• That's college age students.
• Students experiencing homelessness face unique challenges that other students their age rarely have to
• No one ever told me about resources for students like me.
• Often times when students apply or get into college, FAFSA doesn't have anyone else to tell and so students

Bills: HB232

Committee: House Higher Education

Keywords: disaster recovery, natural disaster, weather disaster, emergency relief, flood relief, hurricane relief, storm damage, wildfire, tornado, hail, windstorm, extreme heat, ice storm, snowstorm, property damage, personal injury, temporary housing, relocation assistance, lost wages, state emergency management

Transcript Highlights:

• . skills. skills.
• </c> um skills. um skills.
• . students. students.
• It teaches students the movement skills that they need to participate safely and confidently in things
• It teaches students the movement skills that they need to participate safely and confidently in things

Committee: Joint Education

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That survey would include the Hunger Task Force, and it would designate a staff member to assist students
• Pete Youth Farm by Carla Bristol and student representatives Krista Jenkins, Jade Keomek, Elias Ross,
• Pete Youth Farm by Carla Bristol and student representatives, Krista Jenkins, Jade Keomek, Elias, Ross
• I listed a few of the many skills that help us...
• How the, I listed a few of the many skills that help us.

Summary: The committee first considered and unanimously recommended confirmation of Melanie Ressler to the Florida Citrus Commission. It then took up SPB 7020, a Department of Agriculture bill to reenact an expiring public records exemption for certain aquaculture production records held by the department. The department supported the measure, and the committee adopted a motion to submit it as a committee bill and reported it favorably. Next, the committee heard SB 534, which would create a Hunger-Free Campus Pilot Program in the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Senator Bernard explained that the program would target campuses with high percentages of Pell-eligible students, require a survey and SNAP-related assistance, provide at least one food pantry on participating campuses, and direct a report to the Governor and House Speaker by December 1, 2028. A supporter waived in, there was no debate, and the bill was reported favorably. The committee then received a lengthy presentation from Carla Bristol and youth ambassadors from the St. Pete Youth Farm. They described the farm as a youth-led response to local food access problems after grocery store closures, and outlined programs in leadership, financial literacy, career readiness, mental wellness, composting, aquaponics, community education, and food production. Members praised the program and asked about expansion, including a culinary kitchen or food truck, partnerships with schools and colleges, and how the initiative began. Bristol said the farm is funded mainly through local redevelopment dollars and that future plans include a food truck, more youth opportunities, and a possible culinary kitchen. The committee concluded with adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Students.
• students.
• Providing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing aligns students' skills with nursing workforce needs in South
• Could you talk about how you want to bring those students into the rotation or at least that skill set
• students, pharmacy students, optometry students, and social work students, which are all facing similar

Bills: SB1 , SB 1

Committee: Senate Finance

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• What TSTC does is it doesn't just focus on the hard skills; it also focuses on the soft skills.
• I'm glad to have you represent a lot of our students and our university in that community.
• We have 46,000 students living on our campus.
• We do want to have the safest campuses for our students at every university.
• We treat every student equally and give every student the opportunity to be successful, ensuring access

Committee: Senate Nominations

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Current law provides performance-based funding to public junior colleges exclusively when students complete
• , and even when eligible students are aware of the waiver program, they may not be in a position where
• trades opportunities for the students in the state.
• This bill's vision, getting more students ready for high-wage, high-skilled jobs, is bold and promising
• House Bill 824 seeks to strengthen civics readiness among Texas high school students.

Bills: HB4 , HB20

Committee: Senate Education K-16

Keywords: district composition, congressional election, Texas, legislature, voting districts, fraudulent solicitation, disaster relief, nonprofit organizations, criminal penalties, consumer protection, fraud prevention, charitable donations

Summary: The Senate Committee on Education K-16 heard a series of higher education and K-12 bills, initially without a quorum and with several measures left pending subject to the call of the chair. Early bills included HB 1868, which would direct a study on lowering the dual-credit funding threshold for public junior colleges from 15 to 9 semester credit hours; HB 2598, which would replace statutory references to “licensed specialist in school psychology” with “school psychologist”; HB 3629, which would bar registered sex offenders from serving on independent school district boards of trustees; and HB 4361, which would require the Higher Education Coordinating Board to adopt rules for timely emergency notifications at public institutions of higher education. Each received brief sponsor explanations, no opposition testimony, and was left pending. The committee also heard HB 4848, requiring public higher education systems to ensure at least one institution offers affordable competency-based bachelor’s degree programs in high-demand fields, and HB 1211, which would remove the age 25 deadline for former foster youth to use public college tuition waivers. HB 1211 drew extensive supportive testimony from Texas CASA, a former foster youth who benefited from the waiver, and a current student headed to medical school, all arguing the change would better match the realities faced by youth aging out of care. Members discussed the bill’s fiscal uncertainty and the argument that the waiver is an investment in workforce participation; the bill was left pending. Later, the committee heard HB 20, creating an Applied Sciences Pathway Program to let high school students earn certificates in targeted industries such as welding, plumbing, electrical work, manufacturing, and oil and gas while in school. Industry and workforce groups strongly supported the bill as a way to address labor shortages, while Texas 2036 raised concerns about allowing applied versions of core academic courses to substitute for traditional instruction. HB 4687, which would extend governmental immunity protections to certain campus/district charter schools and adult charter high schools, also received support from a charter-school attorney who said it would align statutes with existing case law and not expand charter rights. HB 4236, as substituted, would create a study group to examine the property value study’s effect on school finance and alternative valuation methods; it was adopted as a committee substitute and left pending. The committee also heard HB 824 on civics instruction in high school government courses and HB 2243, which would create a commission on teacher job satisfaction and retention; the latter prompted debate over removing “ethnic diversity” language from the commission’s makeup. After adopting the substitute for HB 2243 by roll call, the committee recessed subject to the call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• Not just the students.
• Students feel it immediately.
• Student outcomes are often still met. You know, students are enthusiastic.
• So though the part-time faculty deliver life-changing instruction and teach skills that empower students
• student engagement.

Summary: The committee held a work session on the state of Washington’s community and technical college system with State Board executive director Nate Humphrey and Tacoma Community College president Ivan Harrell. They described the system’s open-access mission, 34 colleges serving more than 307,000 students, relatively low tuition, enrollment growth over 12 consecutive quarters, and strong outcomes such as more than 46,000 credentials awarded last year. They also highlighted system initiatives including guided pathways, I-BEST, dual enrollment, tribal partnerships, a new program search tool, and six colleges named Aspen Prize finalists. At the same time, they emphasized major challenges: high rates of student food, housing, and homelessness insecurity; sharply rising emergency aid requests; and federal funding disruptions affecting TANF, BFET, adult basic education, Carl Perkins, NOAA-related tribal work, and several federal grants. Members asked about SNAP impacts, declining high school graduates, and how BFET and TANF interact with other aid programs. The presenters also discussed system priorities such as AI, Workforce Pell, capital planning, nursing accreditation alignment, and the Washington College Grant. The committee then heard testimony from AFT Washington and the Washington Association of Higher Education on faculty and staff conditions in the community and technical college system. Jackie Kane and Suzanne Sutherland argued that classified staff, professional staff, and contingent faculty are essential to student success but face low pay, instability, and weak retention, and they urged lawmakers to protect existing funding and avoid further cuts. They said working conditions for faculty and staff are student learning conditions, and that underfunding leads to reduced services, shortened advising, and program instability. Marina Parr of the Workforce Board presented on federal H.R. 1’s new Workforce Pell provisions and the updated Career Bridge website. She explained that Workforce Pell would allow federal aid for short-term training programs of 8 to 15 weeks, with high completion, employment, and earnings thresholds and a requirement that credentials be stackable and portable. She said Washington is well positioned to implement the program because of its existing eligible training provider evaluation system and Career Bridge, which now has a redesigned public portal, digital portfolios, multilingual access, and performance data on programs. Members asked about rulemaking, possible gaps in state services, and how the wage and completion standards would be applied. The Washington Student Achievement Council then briefed the committee on the new Washington Completes FAFSA campaign created by executive order. Staff described an advisory board with statewide representation, a pilot that used microgrants and other supports at 25 priority schools, and a new goal of 46,000 FAFSA or WASFA completions this year. They reported that completion rates were tracking slightly ahead of last year, with 24% of high school seniors having completed a FAFSA by the end of November, and they showcased a public dashboard with subgroup data and a WIAA-based leaderboard. Members asked about outreach to rural and homeschool students, legislative communications, Pierce County representation, and barriers to FAFSA completion, and staff said they would provide toolkits and continue expanding outreach. The committee then began hearing from student presenters about affordability, access, equity, and student experience.

Transcript Highlights:

• Students develop critical thinking skills and financial literacy that will help make them informed decision
• Students develop critical thinking skills and financial literacy that will help make them informed decision
• We must prepare students to have data skills and statistical fluency required for life and work in the
• We must prepare students to have data skills and statistical fluency required for life and work in the
• , these Chambers of Commerce are finding these students do not have the STEM skills ready to be able

Committee: Senate Education Policy

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , sixth-grade students, through that initial class.
• This program recruits and trains college students to provide high-dosage tutoring to elementary students
• So they were able to use their science skills and their math skills to help them in that process.
• I am teaching them all the soft skills, the educational skills, the leadership skills that it takes for
• I am teaching them all the soft skills, the educational skills, the leadership skills that it takes for

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: 965, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We're leaving 2% of our students behind. That is 20,000. We're leaving 2% of our students behind.
• The average student in my district is very low academically, which leaves a handful of gifted students
• And most importantly, I know the gifted program develops students’ critical and creative thinking skills
• And most importantly, I know the gifted program develops students’ critical and creative thinking skills
• to look at how do you screen a student?

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Skills or help them pay for stuff.
• They are getting those soft skills and play job skills, and then we're making offers based off of that
• We're giving Them job skills they can use anywhere, but a lot of times, we do convert those students
• So, Project Search is an internship program, and it is for transition age students.
• So we've always hired this type of person with this type of skill set.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In terms of students, we're very proud of our student body.
• Twenty students have master's degrees, and eight have prior military students.
• By the time we look at students' abilities, So, you said 20 of the students are non-residents.
• student information.
• But our high schools have a responsibility to start looking at students and seeing What their skill sets

Bills: SB1 , SB3

Committee: House House Judiciary

Keywords: interstate medical licensure compact, physician licensure, medical license reciprocity, expedited licensure, medical practice act, New Mexico medical board, compact commission, physician mobility, telemedicine, license portability, background check, disciplinary action, joint investigation, reproductive health care, gender-affirming care, scope of practice, medical board transparency, multistate compact, licensure renewal, health care workforce

Transcript Highlights:

• They have a two-year program for students in the summer. It's a professional summer stock theater.
• They bring up professional directors, choreographers, and talent to work with the students.
• So that matching of the professionals with the students, it's beneficial to the students and to their
• They're not just students coming out wondering where am I going to go to work.
• I have students that try to get away with giving me AI-generated scripts, and guess what?

Committee: Senate Joint Committee on the Arts

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• things meet students in the form of teachers, we are creating a vulnerability.
• And as they are licensed, and they are given the authority to teach our students, ...of the folks who
• The gentlelady made reference to the Student Opportunity Act.
• And we all worked hard to reach a Student Opportunity Act that we could agree to.
• that should be important to every one of us, no matter where the student is.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Senate first handled a House petition from John H. Rawlers and others seeking eminent domain authority for a parcel in Norwood; Joint Rule 12 was suspended and the matter was referred to the Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight. The chamber then resumed debate on the literacy bill, with Senator Tarr offering a series of amendments focused on school district funding, teacher competency, reporting, waivers, and curriculum implementation. Most of Tarr’s amendments were rejected, but one requiring written, appealable denials of district waivers was adopted by roll call, and another amendment on reporting from the Early Literacy Fund, including provisions for English language learners and special education educators, was also adopted. A separate amendment extending the timeline for DESE to publish high-quality curricula was adopted, while several other amendments were withdrawn or defeated. The Senate also considered and adopted an amendment from Senator Comerford addressing rural and regional equity in education funding. That amendment expanded eligible uses of the Early Literacy Fund to include screening assessments, required DESE to prioritize geographic and funding equity, mandated a public hearing in Western Massachusetts before final grant criteria were finalized, and directed technical assistance to rural districts. Senators from across the chamber spoke in support, emphasizing chronic underfunding, declining enrollment, minimum-aid pressures, and the need for a broader review of the Chapter 70 formula and a Foundation Budget Review Commission. The amendment passed unanimously. Later, the Senate took up an amendment from Senator Moore on children’s vision care, which would have created a registry for vision screening and expanded eye exam requirements, but it was withdrawn after supportive debate. The chamber then adopted the Ways and Means redraft, ordered the bill to third reading, and passed An Act relative to teacher preparation and student literacy to be engrossed by a unanimous roll call. Final passage was also achieved for a separate House land-taking bill allowing the town of Hingham to use municipal property for a center for active living, which passed by the required two-thirds vote and was enacted. The Senate then adopted an order to meet again the following Monday and adjourned in memory of Donna Goldstein.

Transcript Highlights:

• They help job seekers and businesses find skilled labor.
• This bill is a practical modernization that improves how workforce... ...skilled labor.
• A 100% placement rate—every graduating student gets a job.
• Importantly, skilled and trained requirements are not over-rigid.
• This is not a 100% skilled and trained statute.

Committee: House Labor and Employment

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So our role is to continually make the college student-ready and meet students where they are.
• And the goal was to take the students who didn't have top skills and surround them with support, with
• So these students are coming... ...students have been receiving, but there's no uniformity in that.
• We believe, knowing our student population, that most of our students can't travel that far to get a
• the tutoring and finding the student where they are, and then making sure that that student is going

Summary: The Senate Rules Committee approved several governor’s appointments not required to appear, including Dorka Keene to the California Arts Council, Luciana Profaca to the Commission on Disabilities, Sarah Han Shapiro to the Commission on Disability Access, Robin Umberg and Veronica Zoror to the California Veterans Board, and Daniel Curtin to the California Water Commission. Two appointments to the State Park and Recreation Commission, Phil Ginsburg and Francesca Viter, were approved on split votes of 3-2. The committee also unanimously approved a motion to refer bills to committees. The committee then heard testimony from three appointees to the California Community Colleges Board of Governors: Jesse Melgar, Tom Epstein, and Joseph Williams. They emphasized student success, affordability, workforce alignment, dual enrollment, basic needs support, housing, and adapting to AI. Members questioned them about financial aid and ghost-student fraud, regional career technical education needs, enrollment declines, standardized testing and AB 705, community college baccalaureate degrees, and the new career passport initiative. Public commenters strongly supported the nominees, and the committee voted 5-0 to send all three appointments to the full Senate for confirmation. Finally, the committee heard from Mark Beckley, nominated as Chief Deputy Director for Operations at the Department of State Hospitals. He described his background in state operations and said his priorities would include recruitment and retention, improving treatment through a new electronic health record system, maintaining aging facilities, and supporting community providers. Senators asked about high vacancy rates at state hospitals, especially Atascadero and Patton, and about coordination with law enforcement oversight on patient deaths and safety trends. The committee voted 5-0 to advance his appointment to the full Senate for confirmation.

Transcript Highlights:

• are learned in accordance with the veterinary technology student essential and recommended skills lists
• are learned in accordance with the veterinary technology student essential and recommended skills lists
• that I have—I'm talking laboratory skills, radiology skills, anesthetic skills—all these exposures that
• Requiring teaching to the AZVMA skills or the AVMA, my apologies, skills list is also critical for our
• , but the why behind the skill.

Summary: The committee first approved the January 28, 2026 minutes and held Senate Bill 1241 for a later hearing because a witness was unavailable. It then took up Senate Bill 1144, which would create an alternative pathway for veterinary technician certification through supervised on-the-job training and board-approved skills standards. Supporters, including the Arizona Humane Society, a high school student in a veterinary program, and other advocates, said the bill would help address workforce shortages, reduce student debt, and improve access to care, especially in rural and low-income areas. Opponents, including the Arizona Veterinary Technician Association and several veterinarians, argued the bill could weaken training standards, increase liability, and create safety risks; the Arizona Veterinary Medical Association ultimately moved to neutral after amendments added supervision and affidavit requirements. The committee adopted the amendment and then passed SB 1144 as amended on a 6-1 vote. The committee next passed Senate Bill 1247 unanimously. That bill would allow a person who does not receive care services to live with a resident in an assisted living center, and would bar the Department of Health Services from imposing requirements on that person that the resident would not face. Supporters said the bill was needed to fix a recent agency interpretation that could force spouses or other companions to separate or pay for services they do not use, and noted a possible floor amendment to extend the same treatment to assisted living homes. The committee then heard Senate Bill 1286, which would extend from 14 days to 60 days the period for veterinary prescriptions and renewals issued through telemedicine. Supporters said the change would improve access in underserved and rural areas and reflect how telemedicine is already used in human medicine, while opponents warned that longer telemedicine prescriptions could delay necessary exams and diagnostics, increase the risk of misdiagnosis, and create animal welfare and liability concerns. After testimony, the sponsor asked that the bill be held for a possible amendment next week, so no vote was taken. The committee also passed Senate Bill 1164, which would allow Medicaid claims to continue under a prior owner’s billing number during a skilled nursing or assisted living facility change of ownership until new enrollment is complete; supporters said this would prevent long reimbursement delays, while Access raised concerns about federal-law conflicts and said it needed advance notice to process ownership changes. The bill passed 6-0 with one member not voting. Finally, the committee passed Senate Bill 1181, which expands CPA licensure pathways by allowing combinations of degree and work experience and updates reciprocity and rulemaking provisions, and Senate Bill 1415, which creates a licensing path for salaried insurance adjusters with out-of-state credentials, subject to an amendment clarifying exam and employment requirements. Both bills were supported as workforce and mobility measures, and both were reported out of committee on unanimous or near-unanimous votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• The above scenario can easily be applied to any out-of-state student, since the student ID is acceptable
• We have difficulty retaining our medical students because of the paucity of GME opportunities.
• And I'd like to ask Marine Scott, a third-year medical student at UNR Med, soon to be a fourth-year student
• These are much needed GME slots here in Nevada so we can retain our medical students. Thank you.
• Please support this bill, which provides a positive trifecta for our students. Thank you.

Bills: AB568 , SB90 , SB133 , SB147 , SB229 , SB233 , SB240 , SB245 , SB280 , SB378 , SB393 , SB417 , SB434 , SB494 , SB495 , AB62 , SB104 , SB119 , SB132 , SB193 , SB262 , SB422 , SB431 , SB435 , SB468 , SB503

Committee: Assembly Ways and Means

Keywords: higher education, Nevada System of Higher Education, operational expenses, instructional expenses, public funding, education funding, teacher grants, classroom supplies, instructional support, specialized personnel, civics education, Nevada Center for Civic Engagement, funding, youth programs, civic involvement, Southern Nevada, Clark County, Las Vegas Valley, regional planning, economic resiliency

Transcript Highlights:

• Lori collaborates with teachers to support student literacy and research skills while creating a welcoming
• literacy and research support student literacy and research skills<00:17:51.720><c> while</c><00:17:
• where students can explore library space where students can explore their<00:17:55.960><c> academic<
• ><c> Education</c><00:19:57.840><c> student</c> a Board of Education student a Board of Education student
• Her interactive lessons not only teach students essential cooking skills, but also challenge them to

Bills: HB1576 , HB2490 , HB1546 , HB1588

Keywords: HB1576, Hawaii film industry, DBEDT, BLNR, Department of Business Economic Development and Tourism, Board of Land and Natural Resources, film permits, motion picture production, television production, commercial filming, digital media tax credit, film production tax credit, public notice, transparency, state lands, film studio, land set-aside, revocable permit, memorandum of agreement, memorandum of understanding