Transcript Highlights:

• So we will make amendments.
• the Audit Act, restructuring audit requirements, amending local public body audit thresholds, amending
• definitions, updating terms, amending audit reporting requirements, amending the audit fund, and making
• the Audit Act, restructuring audit requirements, amending local public body audit thresholds, amending
• definitions, updating terms, amending audit reporting requirements, amending the audit fund, and making

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• criminal offenses for the Committee on State Affairs, HB 2410 by Lee Wilson, relating to granting charters
• to certain public and private institutions of higher education for open enrollment charter schools refer
• Against the charter for the Committee on Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence, HB 2412 by BUC relating to
• I've heard of the Committee on State Affairs, HJR 116 by Burdell proposing a constitutional amendment
• HAR 127 by Kane proposing a constitutional amendment guarantee.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, I that and then add that amendment.
• you know, it is applying to be a charter you know, it is applying to be a charter school<00:59:27.960
• Wyoming Charter School Authorizing Wyoming Charter School Authorizing Board. Board. Board.
• That concludes our detour to the charter school subject.
• It was Tuesday that they pulled an all-nighter trying to get the amendments in.

Keywords: 916, all

Summary: The committee heard from Superintendent Megan Degenfelder on several interim topics centered on student-centered learning. She highlighted work-based learning and dual/concurrent enrollment, saying the state is updating accountability measures and should examine whether these programs are helping students progress, avoid duplicative costs, and reduce the need for remedial college coursework. She also discussed broader life-skills education, including financial literacy and soft skills, and said districts vary widely in what they offer. On gifted and talented programs, she noted that districts are statutorily required to provide them but the state does not have a clear picture of how consistently they are implemented, and she suggested the committee may want to study that area further. Members asked follow-up questions about whether dual enrollment should be evaluated only by time-to-degree, and Degenfelder said the analysis should also consider additional credentials and remedial coursework. Senator Schuler and others raised the idea of making financial literacy or other life-skills content more common, though Degenfelder said she did not favor a statewide mandate and instead preferred incentives and district-level implementation. The committee also discussed artificial intelligence in schools as an information-sharing topic, with Degenfelder saying the department is beginning a landscape analysis with districts and teachers. She then reviewed NAEP results, noting Wyoming performs strongly in fourth grade but drops sharply by eighth grade, and said the state wants to understand where students are falling off. Members also raised concerns about international comparisons and the need to improve literacy and math outcomes. The committee then moved to member-submitted topics. Representative Strock proposed reviewing the governance structure of state education, arguing that the current split among the Department of Education, State Board of Education, and other boards creates inefficiency and confusion, especially for licensure and programs like CTE. Senator Scott noted that turnover in the superintendent’s office could be a practical issue in any restructuring, and Strock responded that administrative staff could handle day-to-day operations. Representative Williams then introduced a discussion of common core standards and literacy, arguing that standards may be too broad and not specific enough, especially in early grades, and that Wyoming should emphasize phonics, basic reading, math, and civics more directly. Representative Guggenmos agreed that narrowing early-grade focus to math and literacy could improve outcomes. Finally, Representative Williams raised virtual education, saying it is growing quickly and the committee should study funding, accountability, and student support more closely; the chair opened that topic for further discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• or new charters opening.
• charters and approving more charters.
• by Of the charter schools that were chartered by Commissioner Marath have closed.
• public charter school.
• Some have gone to charter schools. They've gone to charter schools. Privatization of our children.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you for the debate on the question against the question and for the amendment.
• Representative Kerbs, you have a potential amendment.
• If the committee agrees, then yes, I will move forward with that, and it will have an amendment with
• Follow up Chairman, do we want to go ahead and make that amendment here as a committee amendment, or
• Chairman. 1623 is an update to the state charter.

Bills: SB1623, SB2067, SB2132

Keywords: credit union, Oklahoma State Credit Union Board, membership, loans, investments, board compensation, financial regulations, financial exploitation, protected adults, financial institution, notification, temporary hold, credit card, surcharge, discounts, consumer protection, payment methods, 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The voters amended the state constitution to say that victims have a right to be informed in all steps
• That the voters amended the state constitution to say that victims have a right to be informed in all
• Chairman and members of the committee, my name is Jake Prozy here today on behalf of the Arizona Charter
• Chairman and members of the committee, my name is Jake Prozy here today on behalf of the Arizona Charter
• of classroom management discipline and administrative questions should be left to the individual charter

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The committee began by announcing it would hold SB 1131 and take up SB 1074, SB 1423, and SB 1754 in that order, but only SB 1074 was heard before the meeting ended. Representative Biasiucci moved SB 1074 do pass. The bill would require that if a teacher removes a student from class under student conduct rules, an administrator may only return the student to the classroom after giving the teacher written certification authorizing the readmission and describing any disciplinary action taken. Senator Kavanaugh said the bill was intended to reduce teacher burnout and improve transparency by ensuring teachers know what happened after a disciplinary referral. A committee member who is a teacher questioned why the bill did not instead focus on more mental health support and said she had not heard teachers ask for this proposal; Kavanaugh responded that teachers should be informed of the outcome of referrals. Public testimony was split. The Arizona Education Association opposed the bill, arguing it was a solution looking for a problem, that it repeated prior proposals without addressing root causes of discipline issues, and that schools already know when removal is necessary; it also raised FERPA concerns and said students are not criminals. The Arizona Charter Schools Association also opposed the bill, saying discipline and classroom management decisions should be left to individual schools and charter schools rather than mandated by statute. In support, Superintendent Horn’s office cited ADE teacher retention and recruitment surveys showing student behavior, lack of administrative support, and dissatisfaction with administration as major reasons teachers leave, and said the bill would improve communication and support teachers. After testimony, the committee took a motion to recess for five minutes; the motion passed 6-4. The committee then adjourned for the afternoon before taking action on SB 1074 or the remaining bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• So here's a suggested amendment to your amendment. How about instead of three years, we take two?
• Amendment to your amendment. How about instead of three years, we take two?
• So I do like that substitute amendment to your amendment. To your amendment.
• Other committee discussion on the bill with the amendment. Move a due pass as amended.
• Is there any discussion on the proposed amendment? Any discussion on the proposed amendment?

Bills: SB23, SB221, SB261, SB264

Keywords: student use, wireless devices, public schools, policy implementation, education technology funding, misappropriation, petroleum products, oil and gas equipment, racketeering, criminal penalties, New Mexico, public safety, health regulations, community welfare, peace promotion, legislative reforms, election integrity, voter coercion, emergency procedures, polling place security

Transcript Highlights:

• Item B is the second round of FMP awards that includes five districts or charter schools with a total
• Item G was to update the lease assistance awards for Albuquerque Charter Academy.
• I need to understand again for charter schools since many of these are in private facilities, how do
• What we do is we do allow charter schools to apply for facility master plan funds, and it's basically
• Then we had one charter school that was classified as a privately owned charter, now being in a position

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:11:32.720> to The committee adopted two amendments to The committee adopted two amendments
• First, the committee amended resolution.
• The Olympic Charter discusses exclusion.
• Are there any amendments prior to third reading?
• Are there any amendments prior to Yeah.

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• nonprofits congressionally chartered nonprofits congressionally chartered veteran<00:03:59.040><
• Amendment is adopted.
• Amendment is adopted.
• Amendment is adopted.
• Senate File 211 as amended will be laid over for possible inclusion. Thank you.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The committee first approved the prior day’s minutes, then heard Senate File 255, which would exempt American Legion and VFW buildings from property tax. The bill’s author and the American Legion Department of Minnesota testified that many posts are struggling financially, that the tax burden can threaten building ownership, and that the posts provide important community services such as charitable gambling support, youth sports, food insecurity assistance, suicide prevention training, and meeting space for veterans and local residents. Several members voiced support, and the bill was laid over for possible inclusion. The committee then took up Senate File 30, a proposal to allow Minnesota estate tax portability for married couples, so a deceased spouse’s unused $3 million exclusion could transfer to the surviving spouse, similar to federal law. The author said Minnesota is an outlier compared with other estate-tax states and that the bill would simplify planning and reduce tax burdens, especially for family farms and other illiquid assets. A CPA and a Minnesota Farm Bureau representative testified that the order of death should not determine tax liability and that portability would help keep family farms intact. The bill was laid over for possible inclusion. Next, the committee adopted an A1 amendment to Senate File 211 and heard the bill, which would create a Minnesota subtraction for Foreign Service pension income, treating it more like military pension income. The author said the change would cover a small number of retirees and would have a minimal fiscal impact, while the testifier described Foreign Service work and said the benefit would recognize their service. The bill, as amended, was laid over for possible inclusion. Finally, the committee heard Senate File 132, which would revise property tax language related to electric power systems by replacing references to attachments and impertinences with broader system-based language. The author said the bill would clarify tax treatment for power co-ops, restore the original intent of the law, and provide stability for Greater Minnesota, with an estimated property tax shift of a little over $700,000. Testimony was beginning when the transcript ended, and no vote on the bill was recorded in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 68, as amended by the Senate committee substitute, passes unanimously.
• I Senate Bill 68 as amended by the I Senate Bill 68 as amended by the senate<00:19:40.120> committee
• Schools why not ability to these Charter Schools why not give give give us<00:32:18.720> some
• Yeah, so as you know, the reason for that is, and this hearkens back to our charter school discussion
• I gave myself for here that was post Charter School legislation.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Senate Standing Committee on Education met with a quorum and first took up Senate Bill 68, which was presented by Kentucky Department of Education staff as a cleanup measure to reduce duplicative or outdated reporting requirements. The bill, as amended by a committee substitute, would streamline reporting on local wellness policies, school breakfast programs, school budgets, audits, and school nutrition assessments, while preserving existing requirements to adopt wellness and physical activity policies and maintain audit obligations. Members asked whether removing reporting on physical activity and related topics would weaken oversight; KDE responded that districts would still have to adopt the policies and be reviewed under federal nutrition monitoring, but the state reports were often incomplete, hard to compare, and not especially useful. The committee adopted the substitute and passed SB 68 unanimously. The committee then heard Senate Bill 207, the School Innovation Act, sponsored by Senator West. The bill would create an optional program allowing school districts to apply to the Kentucky Board of Education for waivers from certain administrative regulations and establish three-year “schools of innovation,” potentially with third-party partners, to give struggling schools more flexibility and a fresh start. Senator West said the model was inspired by a visit to a school of innovation in South Carolina and by examples from South Carolina and Indiana, and he argued that the bill would let districts try new approaches without mandating participation. He also said existing “district of innovation” language in statute is a relic and that the bill would replace it with a school-based model. Committee members asked about fiscal impact, eligibility, and whether the bill was limited to failing schools. Senator West said the fiscal note was indeterminate because participation is voluntary and could range from none to many districts, but he expected little direct budget change and possible outside philanthropic funding if a district chose to participate. He said the bill does not limit participation to the bottom 5% of schools and would be left to local district discretion. Members also raised whether high-performing or specialized schools could use the model; West said yes, if a district chose. Supportive testimony emphasized that the bill could reduce burdensome oversight and allow schools more flexibility to innovate. The discussion ended with continued questions and no final action recorded in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, any questions to the 0169 A1 author's amendment?
• <01:04:54.760> veterans c3s congressionally chartered veterans c3s congressionally chartered
• Is there an amendment? No amendments? Okay. So we've got two witnesses here and a two-year bill.
• <01:23:51.760> we've amendment no amendments Okay so we've amendment no amendments Okay so
• <01:33:25.760> veteran eight congressionally chartered veteran eight congressionally chartered

Bills: HF169, HF195, HF194, HF1756, HF2133

Keywords: HF169, Minnesota insurance, health plan, summary of benefits and coverage, SBC, patient assistance program, deductible, health insurer, consumer disclosure, out-of-pocket costs, medical assistance funds, copay assistance, health coverage transparency, chapter 62Q, enrollee, HF195, Fairmont, street reconstruction, bonding bill, capital investment

Transcript Highlights:

• Many districts and charters have online Programs of some kind.
• Charter schools are Chartered differently, and so depending on how a charter is chartered, like through
• , you know, through the PEC, which is where they're chartered within their charter It could be a virtual
• So, some charter schools saw an increase. Not every charter school received less funding.
• So, some charter schools saw Folks, I want to clarify that my reference to the charter school that did

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• we do have one small uh Amendment we do have one small uh Amendment request<00:28:55.679> um<
• My recommendation is that we pass this with amendments—just technical amendments needed for clarity,
• Recommendation is to pass with amendments. Are there any amendments? Are there any reservations?
• to pass this forward with amendments to pass this forward with amendments we're<01:00:49.640>
• The recommendation is to pass with amendments. Are there any amendments?

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We have 40 charter schools currently.
• >> Charter schools are not required?
• >> charter schools are not required? >> charter schools are not required?
• their charter. their charter.
• So they had four months. charter schools. Yes. charter schools. Yes.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• that puts the governor's changes into amendment form.
• Line 145 shows the charter school um Line 145 shows the charter school um special<00:40:57.520> education
• This charter schools being eliminated.
• would<01:02:49.680> then charter tuition, um charters would then charter tuition, um charters
• charter schools are going to take a hit. charter schools are going to take a hit.

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:

• The Senate amendment sets insurance requirements for watercraft rentals, charters, and peer-to-peer sharing
• You'll remember that it got amended on the floor in the House to remove charter schools, so it is specifically
• House Bill 2406 was subject to a strike-everything amendment in the Senate.
• It's a very lengthy bill, members, and it was extensively amended.
• This got really substantially amended in the Senate.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They have worked well for a lot of charter schools because some of them, even after they're chartered
• Thank you also for your consideration of an amendment to this Act.
• It's... a charter school serving 243 at-risk students, including my own.
• Next is a great opportunity for a charter school.
• To help at charter schools.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And 99.9% of districts and charters are using an approved screener.
• <00:02:41.720> in supporting districts and charters in supporting districts and charters in
• And if I can move the A3 amendment. Okay.
• All those in favor of the A3 amendment, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed?
• uh the constitutional amendment. uh the constitutional amendment.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, there is an amendment. Secretary will read the amendment.
• Members, there is an amendment. Secretary will read the amendment. Floor Amendment No. 1 by West.
• There is an amendment. The secretary will read the amendment.
• Following amendment, Secretary of the amendment. For amendment number one by Gutierrez.
• Members, there is an amendment. Members, there is an amendment. Secretary will read the amendment.

Summary: The Senate first adopted a motion to move the intent calendar deadline to 4 p.m. and then took up several bills by suspending the regular order of business. Senate Bill 2031, concerning removal of high fences around breeder deer release sites, passed after an amendment shortened the testing period from five years to three, tied visible identification requirements to the date Parks and Wildlife began requiring them, and made the bill effective immediately. Senate Bill 1490, a cleanup to adult charter high school funding, and Committee Substitute Senate Bill 2227, creating a process for delayed birth certificates and renamed the Charles E. Barton Act, both passed unanimously after floor amendments. Committee Substitute Senate Bill 1964, regulating artificial intelligence systems used by state agencies, also passed unanimously after the author described guardrails for high-risk AI and disclosure requirements. The Senate then considered Senate Bill 2877, which increases penalties for election fraud and related attempts; after debate over whether existing law already covers some conduct and whether the bill was necessary given the small number of convictions, it passed to engrossment and later final passage on a 21-10 vote. Committee Substitute Senate Bill 2658, on brackish groundwater production and study, passed after four amendments, including one giving water districts authority to stop production if monitoring shows harm to freshwater supplies or subsidence and another returning a portion of transported water revenue to districts. Committee Substitute Senate Bill 648, strengthening recording requirements for real property instruments to help prevent deed theft, also passed on a 26-4 vote. Other measures approved included Committee Substitute Senate Bill 401, making it easier for homeschool students to participate in UIL activities through local district opt-in/nearest-district participation rules; Committee Substitute Senate Bill 407, requiring health care facilities to honor conscience or religious vaccine exemptions for employees, despite extensive questioning about patient safety and immunocompromised patients; Committee Substitute Senate Bill 2117, creating a Texas Committee on Foreign Investment to review risky foreign acquisitions; Senate Bill 1718, adding the NRA annual meeting to the major events reimbursement program after a failed amendment seeking equal space for gun-control advocacy; Committee Substitute Senate Bill 1626, clarifying limits on censorship and interference with digital expression by social media platforms; and Senate Bill 2206, updating the state R&D franchise tax credit and related sales tax treatment, which passed 31-0. The chamber also debated Senate Bill 1395 on school health advisory councils. An initial amendment to restore voting seats for teachers and school employees failed, but a later amendment by Senator West added students back in an advisory, non-voting capacity. The Senate then handled routine motions, committee scheduling, first-reading referrals, and adjourned until April 29, with the session ending in memory of two constituents.