Video & Transcript Research : 'STEM programming'

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HI

Hawaii 2026 Regular Session

WAL Public Hearing - Thu Feb 12, 2026 @ 9:00 AM HST

Water & Land

Transcript Highlights:
  • The process that Aamoku operates under is an ancient one that stems from the 9th century.
  • one that stems from the 9th<01:09:50.080> century.
  • ,<01:19:34.000> all<01:19:34.320> eight is for the entire program, all eight is for
  • the entire program, all eight islands.<01:19:35.440> So<01:19:35.840> how islands.
  • As a Native Hawaiian, this is not an easy thing to do, but I know that this is a program that could be
Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 1846, relating to shoreline mitigation districts. DLNR and the Office of Planning opposed the bill, arguing it would improperly shift regulatory roles between the agencies and prioritize private land interests over public trust and natural and historic resources. Supporters, including the Shoreline Preservation Coalition, Kahana Bay residents, and Hawaii Realtors, said regional planning is needed to address severe erosion, especially in Kahana, and that better coordination between state and county agencies could help move stalled projects forward. Testifiers emphasized that shoreline conditions vary by area and that science-based, region-specific solutions are needed. Members asked questions about whether existing law already allows regional planning and emergency shoreline responses. DLNR said it already has authority to process regional projects and cited an existing draft EIS for Kahana Bay that would proceed through normal permitting and public hearing channels. Supporters responded that the bill would provide a clearer regional planning framework and help communities facing urgent erosion impacts. No vote was taken on HB 1846 in the portion provided. The committee then took up HB 2205, relating to emergency erosion mitigation. DLNR opposed the bill, saying it already has authority to issue emergency permits and had recently done so quickly for a collapsed sidewalk at Queen Surf Beach, and warning that the bill’s language could weaken Act 16 by changing a prohibition on shoreline hardening to a requirement to merely minimize it. Kahana Bay representatives and other supporters argued the bill would create a limited, regulated short-term pathway for emergency shoreline solutions while long-term plans are developed, and said current permits have expired or stalled, leaving dangerous sandbags and no practical relief. Additional testimony from a private homeowner stressed that erosion is threatening homes and that private owners are often bearing the cost of protecting public shoreline access. The discussion remained focused on balancing emergency protection, public access, and long-term shoreline management, and no final action was taken in the excerpt provided.
HI
Transcript Highlights:
  • issues with the program issues with the program um<00:57:35.359> I<00:57:35.960> I
  • She said the bill supports HTC's three core programs: the MAP, SPR, and accelerator programs.
  • local business Assistance programs local business Assistance programs especially<01:05:41.400>
  • <01:36:14.679> that don't really have any programs that don't really have any programs that
  • just us but there was a pilot program just us but there was a pilot program across<05:08:17.680>
Keywords: 910, house, all
MA
Transcript Highlights:
  • So I think DRC program, which I know Commissioner Jenkins spoke to the program, So I think DRC programming
  • What is, how is programming being utilized, especially key types of programs when we think about programming
  • that program.
  • We don't have parole specific programs. We are CRJ programs.
  • We have two programs here in Boston, a female program and a male program.
Keywords: 995, all
Summary: The commission on correctional consolidation and collaboration heard testimony focused on how Massachusetts uses custody levels, staffing, programming, and medical release tools, with Prisoners’ Legal Services arguing that the system is overusing expensive high-security settings and underusing step-down options. Dave Rainey said the incarcerated population has dropped substantially over the last several years, but spending and staffing have not fallen in proportion. He argued that DOC overclassifies people into medium and maximum security, relies too heavily on behavioral assessment units that function like segregation, and keeps people in restrictive settings such as Souza-Baranowski and Shattuck Hospital longer than necessary. He also said medical parole is underused and that many people with serious chronic illness or advanced age pose little public-safety risk and should be released through existing legal pathways. Sheriffs and other commission members pushed back on some of those points, emphasizing that staffing needs are driven by the acuity of the current population, that corrections is not overstaffed, and that classification decisions involve serious public-safety judgments. They also stressed that some high-cost medical placements are necessary because people remain under sentence and require care, and that furloughs and other release tools can create security risks if contraband or substance use is involved. The discussion also covered the role of county sheriffs versus DOC in reentry, with several members saying county systems tend to do more day-to-day step-down and release planning, while DOC has more difficulty moving people through lower-security settings before release. Ben Foreman of MassINC offered a more systemwide, data-focused perspective, praising the state’s transparency and arguing that Massachusetts has made major progress in reducing incarceration and increasing public safety. He said the state still has an opportunity to improve by right-sizing facilities, investing in community-based mental health treatment, and using the commission to better understand the capital and operating costs of the current system. In response to questions, he said he was aware of DOC studies on programs like furlough but had not reviewed recent ones, and he noted that total-control facilities like Souza-Baranowski have long been criticized in the research literature for poor outcomes. Nora Wassel of the Women and Incarceration Project then testified that the commission should issue an interim report and scrutinize the planned new women’s prison, which she said is not justified by current population trends or available data. She argued that women are overclassified under DOC’s own tools, that reentry beds and minimum-security placements are underused, and that the system may be failing to account for women’s distinct medical and reentry needs. The meeting ended with continued discussion of reentry, furloughs, day reporting, and whether consolidation should mean fewer facilities, better step-down pathways, or both.
AZ

Arizona 2026 Regular Session

02/24/2026 - Senate Appropriations, Transportation and Technology

Appropriations, Transportation and Technology

Transcript Highlights:
  • And this is a proven program.
  • So, the underlying bill had a grant program, and we thought it was important to keep the grant program
  • or within within the program to be within the program or within the program to be operational what what
  • funding to continue their program.
  • I have a DC cost of the old program, the program that we fixed in 2016-17, of 4.6%. 6% high-priority
Summary: The committee first considered Senate Bill 1630, which would direct AHCCCS to seek federal approval for a home- and community-based services program for adults determined to be seriously mentally ill, with quarterly implementation updates, stakeholder input, and a cap on enrollment. The sponsor and advocates from Arizona Mad Moms argued the bill would create an assisted-living-style Medicaid option for the most disabled SMI individuals, improve continuity of care, and reduce state general fund costs by shifting some expenses to federal Medicaid funding. Access testified neutral, estimating a total fiscal impact of $27.7 million, including $5.83 million general fund, and explained the need for CMS approval. The committee adopted an amendment reducing the initial cap to 250 members, changing reporting frequency, and adjusting eligibility and expansion conditions, then passed SB 1630 as amended on a 10-0 vote. The committee next heard Senate Bill 1131, which originally required school districts and charter schools to adopt cardiac emergency response plans and appropriated $1 million for implementation. An amendment replaced the mandate with a reporting requirement on AED counts, CPR/AED-trained staff, and whether schools have a plan, while keeping a grant component for AEDs and prioritizing rural schools. The American Heart Association supported the amended approach as a way to gather baseline data and target resources, and members discussed AED training, school preparedness, and whether the funding should favor rural or high-population schools. The committee adopted the amendment and passed SB 1131 as amended on a 9-1 vote, with Senator Kuby voting no and several members explaining concerns about funding and priorities. The committee then took up Senate Bill 1582, which concerned the school safety interoperability fund. An amendment shifted the appropriation from the Department of Education to the Department of Administration and allocated funds to specific county sheriff offices for continuing operation and maintenance of existing interoperability systems, while narrowing the program to public safety agencies and school districts and requiring twice-yearly testing. Sheriffs, a county school superintendent, and the Arizona Sheriffs Association described the systems as useful for drills and real emergencies, improving communication between schools and first responders; one speaker noted the program had been used in drills and at least one live deployment. Some members questioned the audit findings, the focus on rural counties, and whether the program was a good use of funds, while supporters emphasized its value for school safety. The committee adopted the amendment and passed SB 1582 as amended on a 6-4 vote. Finally, the committee began hearing Senate Bill 1504, which would change retirement rules for Tier 2 and Tier 3 public safety personnel by allowing earlier normal retirement and shortening the COLA waiting period, with an amendment exempting the changes from the statutory pre-funding requirement. Supporters from firefighter and police groups said the bill would improve recruitment and retention and let employees receive earned benefits sooner, while city, county, and taxpayer representatives warned it would add substantial unfunded liabilities and undermine the 2016 pension reforms. Actuarial testimony estimated significant costs, including tens of millions in annual or upfront impacts depending on how the change is funded, and members debated whether the amendment would shift costs onto future taxpayers or simply spread them over time. The transcript ends during continued testimony and discussion on SB 1504, before a final vote is reached.
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Intergovernmental Affairs Aug 22nd, 2025

Intergovernmental Affairs

Transcript Highlights:
  • We call that the contract deputy program.
  • So that's how the program works.
  • That's the way the program is designed.
  • They're in the contract deputy program.
  • Have this type of program.
Bills: HB26, HB73, SB 14, HB46
NM

New Mexico 2025 Regular Session

IC - New Mexico Finance Authority Oversight Aug 12th, 2025

New Mexico Finance Authority Oversight Committee

Transcript Highlights:
  • Support Program.
  • particular program.
  • the program up and running for the two remaining programs in the series of programs that we will operate
  • : the Loan Participation Program and the Capital Access Program.
  • SSBCI program.
FL

Florida 2025 Regular Session

January 15, 2025 - 03:30 PM

Transcript Highlights:
  • program.
  • It's a new program.
  • of the SR Plus program.
  • We run the TEACH program.
  • We use Teach in our programs. It is an amazing program.
Summary: The Education Administration Subcommittee held an introductory meeting focused largely on member introductions and “homework” reports about education issues in each district. Members raised a wide range of concerns and priorities, including early childhood care and VPK access, school choice and school closures, teacher recruitment and retention, conflict resolution and school safety, early literacy and preparedness, technology and AI/STEM instruction, attendance and mental health, ESE services, dual enrollment and career/technical education, caregiving youth, and real-time student enrollment/funding tracking. Several members also emphasized local challenges such as housing-driven teacher turnover, disaster-related attendance problems, and funding inequities across counties. The committee then heard a detailed presentation on Florida’s early learning system from Chancellor Carrie Miller of the Department of Education’s Division of Early Learning. She outlined the structure and funding of School Readiness, VPK, and the Gold Seal Quality Care program, the role of early learning coalitions and DCF, and the state’s quality and accountability measures. She highlighted the importance of kindergarten readiness, teacher quality, and the new School Readiness Plus program, which helps families transition off subsidy more gradually. Additional panelists from the Children’s Forum, the Early Learning Coalition of Miami-Dade/Monroe, and a Tallahassee child care provider discussed workforce shortages, low wages, provider turnover, the TEACH scholarship program, Help Me Grow, local coalition operations, and the need for more providers and more consistent regulation. During questions, members asked about wait lists, special needs services, teacher retention, provider onboarding, and DCF regulation. The panel said Miami-Dade’s wait list was about 4,000 children and described priority categories for service; they also said children with disabilities are screened and referred for support, though not given a separate priority category. Panelists reported that TEACH has helped reduce turnover through education support and service commitments, but said wages and career pathways remain major issues. Members also pressed for clearer, more consistent licensing standards and more support for new providers entering the field. No formal votes or committee actions were taken in the meeting.
NM

New Mexico 2025 Regular Session

IC - Legislative Health and Human Services Sep 10th, 2025

Legislative Health & Human Services Committee

Transcript Highlights:
  • Public school programs tend to have more financial wiggle room, stemming from larger economies of scale
  • I don't know if you want to speak to the pay parity program and some of the other wage supplement programs
  • with funding and program costs.
  • of the NM Grown Program as we speak.
  • The other program that we brought up kind of simultaneously is our Assertive Community Treatment Program
CA
Transcript Highlights:
  • Second, it's not clear which specific... of the program.
  • Currently, the program doesn't have a growth amount built in.
  • The Lima reimbursement program was established as a three-year pilot program in the 2022 Budget Act.
  • is operating, you will get more out of the program.
  • I think that was sort of the goal of the program.
Summary: The committee heard a broad public safety budget hearing focused on youth justice funding, probation incentive grants, and disaster response and recovery. On the youth justice item, the Office of Youth and Community Restoration described a proposed change to the JJRBG funding formula that would shift resources away from a DJJ-based measure and toward county youth population, serious offenses, and step-down placements in less restrictive programs. Members asked about data on Native American youth; OYCR said statewide data are limited, but its SYTF data show about 1% of youth in secure youth treatment facilities were Native in 2024. The Department of Finance had no objections, and the item was discussed as a way to support alternatives to long-term incarceration. The committee then reviewed the community corrections performance incentive program for county probation departments. The Department of Finance proposed stabilizing the program with a maintenance payment, updating the performance baseline, and adding a growth factor; the LAO agreed the formula needed changes but recommended using 2022-23 data instead of 2021-23, using marginal rather than average cost assumptions, rejecting the growth payment and minimum guarantee, and adding stronger oversight through the BSCC. Finance said it was open to some technical changes but opposed a new BSCC audit framework, noting Judicial Council already surveys probation departments and that evidence-based practice use has increased over time. Members and staff indicated the proposal still needed further work. A major portion of the hearing focused on the January 2025 Southern California wildfires and state disaster response. A resident of Altadena gave emotional testimony about evacuation failures, loss of home, and the need for accountability. LAO and Cal OES outlined the disaster response and recovery system, including mutual aid, alert and warning, debris removal, FEMA and state funding streams, and the long timeline for reimbursement. Cal OES said it had pre-positioned resources, temporarily took over the county’s wireless emergency alert function for about three weeks, coordinated debris removal and recovery operations, and had already allocated more than $286 million in state funds. Officials also discussed the 100% federal cost share for emergency work for 180 days and the uncertainty created by changing federal processes and the cancellation of the BRIC resilience program. The committee also heard two smaller Cal OES items: a request to reappropriate about $22 million for the law enforcement mutual aid reimbursement program, which the LAO said should be placed in statute with clearer goals and reporting, and an update on Victims of Crime Act funding, where Cal OES said federal VOCA allocations have fallen sharply and that roughly $224 million would be needed to maintain current service levels if federal funding does not improve. Public comment included a request for funding to expand datacasting and emergency alert receivers for wildfire and earthquake warning.
TX

Texas 89th 2nd C.S.

Environmental Regulation Apr 17th, 2025

Environmental Regulation

Transcript Highlights:
  • and Equipment Grant Program, and the Government Alternative Fuel Fleet Program.
  • The existing Texas Clean Fleet Program will become the Texas Large Fleet Program.
  • Vehicle Equipment Program.
  • On the T-Hive program, which is the Texas Hydrogen Infrastructure Vehicle Equipment Program.
  • to oversubscribed programs.
Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 1904, which would classify intentionally released helium balloons as litter and create criminal penalties for balloon releases. The author and supportive witnesses argued that balloon releases harm wildlife, livestock, waterways, and infrastructure, and that the bill would close a loophole in current litter law. Several members questioned whether criminal penalties were appropriate, and the author said he was willing to work toward civil penalties and fines instead. No vote was taken, and HB 1904 was left pending. The committee then took up several pending bills and reported them favorably to the full House, including HB 3249, HB 3866, HB 4112, HB 1768, HB 1499, HB 573, and HB 464. These measures dealt with topics such as TCEQ contested-case procedures, outdoor storage containers, high-level radioactive waste, concrete plant permitting and grants, unannounced concrete batch plant inspections, and a scrap tire grant program. Most were adopted with substitutes and passed on recorded votes, generally with unanimous or near-unanimous support. A major portion of the meeting focused on HB 3997, which would create expedited permitting timelines for LNG facilities and related wastewater permits. Industry witnesses said the bill would provide certainty for multibillion-dollar projects without eliminating public participation, while environmental groups opposed parts of the bill that they said could limit contested-case participation and be unrealistic for SOAH timelines. TCEQ staff described the current wastewater permitting process and said some of the bill’s timing provisions could be workable, especially with an expedited fee. The bill was left pending after the author said he would continue working on committee substitute language. The committee also heard HB 1237 on extending the renewal window for expired TCEQ occupational water licenses, and HB 4519, a TERP consolidation bill that would combine several clean transportation grant programs into fewer programs. HB 1237 was left pending without testimony, while HB 4519 drew broad support from environmental and industry witnesses who favored simplifying the program, though some asked for stronger emphasis on particulate matter and hydrogen funding. The committee withdrew the substitute on HB 4519 and left it pending. Finally, HB 5033, which would eliminate the motor vehicle emissions inspection and maintenance program if federal authority changes, drew opposition from environmental and inspection-industry witnesses who warned it would weaken air-quality protections and could remove an important enforcement tool. The author said the bill was intended as a trigger mechanism and would be refined, and HB 5033 was left pending. The committee also heard HB 1227 on municipal solid-waste franchise fees and private-provider access; the author said he would bring a substitute after hearing concerns from cities, and the bill was left pending.
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Higher Education Apr 15th, 2025

Higher Education

Transcript Highlights:
  • That program changed my life.
  • Programs like Clemson Life in South Carolina and the Auburn Eagles program in Alabama have programs that
  • the Empower program. program at the University of Arkansas, a program that we felt was a perfect fit.
  • It was one of only a couple programs in the United States. that offered programs for people with IDD
  • to the program I attended.
Keywords: 1184, house, all
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Capital Investment Committee 3/20/25

Capital Investment

Transcript Highlights:
  • The DNR Flood Hazard Mitigation Program is a statewide program that provides grants to communities to
  • The DNR Flood Hazard Mitigation Program is a statewide program that provides grants to communities to
  • The DNR Flood Hazard Mitigation Program is a statewide program that provides grants to communities to
  • The second handout that was program.
  • Over non-sports programming year round.
NM

New Mexico 2025 Regular Session

Senate - Finance Feb 4th, 2025

Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:
  • Both of those would relate to the Fair Access to Insurance Requirements program, the FAIR program.
  • This is for the family, infant, toddler program.
  • For wildfire preparedness programs.
  • The design of the program was looking at the satellite receiver as one of the parts of the program, the
  • In comparison, the ARPA CPF program was launched two years ago, and we're seeing the first program being
WY

Wyoming 2026 Regular Session

Senate Revenue Committee, February 25, 2026

Revenue

Transcript Highlights:
  • These cases frequently stem from local state referrals and task force work.
  • These cases frequently stem from local state referrals and task force work.
  • These cases frequently stem from local state referrals and task force work.
  • So any Wyoming cop could go through that program, could be dual certified, all those arrangements could
  • Um now you have the 22 287g program.
Bills: HB0130, HB0147
US
Transcript Highlights:
  • We need strong after-school programs. We need strong summer programs.
  • Or a voucher program or a scholarship program to get my child, maybe to that charter school or to that
  • Spanish-speaking immersion program was a great program for them.
  • And we certainly should honor those programs, and if we want stronger or more programs for loan forgiveness
  • Yes, the programs have to have accountability. All the programs do.
Summary: The committee meeting engaged in discussions focused primarily on educational reform, the influence of federal grants on local education systems, and the growing disparities in wealth and access to quality education. Members expressed concerns about the bureaucracy surrounding federal funding that hampers schools' ability to obtain necessary resources for improvement. Several members highlighted personal anecdotes from constituents, emphasizing the urgent need for reform to help students succeed in both K-12 and higher education environments. The meeting included public testimonies that provided insights into various community perspectives on these pressing issues.
MA

Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Senate Committee on Juvenile and Emerging Adult Justice Jun 21st, 2026 at 01:00 pm

Senate Committee on Juvenile and Emerging Adult Justice

Transcript Highlights:
  • These programs work.
  • That's why in the past two budgets we have funded the diversion program.
  • The family was about ready to put their son in a residential program.
  • to parent support programs and therapeutic programs.
  • “...doesn't look like an economically efficient program, right?
Keywords: 995, all
Summary: The Senate Committee on Juvenile and Emerging Adult Justice held an informational hearing focused on diversion programs and services for high-risk youth, with no bills before the committee and no votes taken. The chair and members emphasized that the session was intended to hear from invited testimony and discuss how to strengthen diversion, reduce court involvement, and improve outcomes for youth. The committee heard first from the Office of the Child Advocate and diversion providers, who described the Massachusetts Youth Diversion Program, its statewide expansion to 10 of 11 court counties, and its reported success rate of about 80% completion without reoffending. Testimony highlighted that diversion keeps youth out of court, connects them more quickly to community-based services, and can address needs such as mental health, education, and substance use. Witnesses also pointed to racial and ethnic disparities in arrests versus summonses, regional variation in diversion access, and the need for clearer statutory authority, more funding, and broader use of pre-arrest diversion. Committee members asked about the difference between arrest and summons, who can initiate diversion, why arrest rates have increased relative to summonses, and how diversion might prevent harmful downstream consequences such as detention or immigration enforcement involvement. Witnesses said police, clerk magistrates, district attorneys, and judges can refer youth to diversion, and argued that local policy, training, and legislative changes could expand use. They also discussed the impact of detention on youth, including stigma, lost school time, and the lack of credit for time served in the juvenile system. Testimony from Citizens for Juvenile Justice focused on prevention, school discipline, and the school-to-prison pipeline, arguing for more restorative practices, better data, and legislation to limit suspensions and expulsions, especially for younger students and nonviolent conduct. They also raised concerns about DCF-involved and foster youth, who are disproportionately represented in the juvenile system. The final panel, the Children's League of Massachusetts and transition-age youth providers, shifted to child welfare and young adult supports. They supported reducing court involvement in child requiring assistance cases, expanding family resource centers, and strengthening services for transition-age youth leaving DCF or DYS custody. Providers described housing instability, homelessness, and the need for education, employment, behavioral health, and supportive housing services for young adults ages 18 to 23. Across the hearing, witnesses consistently argued that early intervention, community-based supports, and diversion are more effective than court processing or detention for most youth, and that the legislature can help through funding, statutory clarity, expanded eligibility, and stronger data collection.
NH

New Hampshire 2026 Regular Session

House Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services (04/14/2026)

Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services

Transcript Highlights:
  • We have many apprentichip programs<01:14:49.040> we<01:14:49.280> have<01:14:49.440>
  • we have as well as uh craft programs we have as well as uh craft training<01:14:51.600> programs<
  • that we do as well training programs that we do as well outside<01:14:52.880> of<01:14:52.960
  • It could be a training program that's non-union.
  • Um, it sounds like a lot of issues stem from events or this idea of a midshift mind change.
Keywords: 928, house, all
Summary: The committee opened its labor hearing on SB 655 and outlined the day’s schedule, including a later working session on SB 416 and an executive session planned for 2:30 p.m. Senator Dan Innis introduced SB 655, describing it as a technical bill affecting employee leasing companies/professional employer organizations (PEOs), workers’ compensation coverage, and a Senate-added minimum wage exemption for minor league baseball players covered by a collective bargaining agreement. He said the PEO change would let either the PEO or the client business hold workers’ comp coverage, while still requiring coverage, and argued it would align New Hampshire with most other states and reduce barriers for small businesses and multi-state employers. He also said the baseball provision would clarify wage treatment for minor league players and support the Manchester team. Justin Warell of Insperity testified in support of the PEO portion, explaining that PEOs provide HR, payroll, benefits administration, and workers’ compensation administration through a co-employment model. He said the bill would preserve mandatory coverage while allowing flexibility for the client or PEO to maintain the policy, which could help clients who already have preferred coverage or who face cost or administrative issues in multiple states. He noted that most clients would still remain under the PEO’s policy and said Insperity would submit written comments. Committee members asked about how the arrangement would work, whether the client or PEO would pay, and whether the bill would affect liability insurance packaging; Warell said the employer still bears the cost and that the bill mainly gives larger clients an option. One member asked him to remain available for possible follow-up after hearing from the labor department. Stephen Gonzalez of Major League Baseball testified in support of the minor league baseball exemption. He said MLB and the MLB Players Association negotiated a collective bargaining agreement that already provides players with salary, housing, meals, per diems, health and retirement benefits, disability continuation, tuition assistance, and signing bonuses. He argued that treating players as hourly workers creates impractical time-tracking problems because players do work-related activities on their own time, and said the bill would recognize them as salaried workers and avoid litigation over what counts as hours worked. Committee members questioned why the exemption was needed if players are already salaried and whether MLB could simply amend its CBA; Gonzalez said the bill would help prevent wage-and-hour lawsuits and noted that similar exemptions have been enacted in other states. No vote was taken during the hearing, and the chair indicated the bill would be considered for executive action later that afternoon.
HI

Hawaii 2025 Regular Session

House Chamber - Wed Apr 30, 2025, 9:00AM HST - Day 59

Hawaii House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • state budget to fund this um uh program state budget to fund this um uh program goes<00:53:23.040
  • to keep the offender registry program to keep the program<01:05:40.319> up<01:05:40.480> to
  • care education loan repayment programs care education loan repayment programs to<01:13:16.400>
  • This program will help two years.
  • Um this program provides nurses.
Keywords: 910, house, all
WA
Transcript Highlights:
  • So these RAs plan social programs. They plan educational programs.
  • We utilize the BASICS program, which is an evidence-based program, working with individual students.
  • Within our peer education program, we also have a more intensive program: our peer wellness coaches.
  • Currently, we have 10 bachelor-level programs, and an 11th program is in the approval process.
  • programs, and an 11th program is in the approval process.
Summary: The committee spent much of the meeting hearing presentations on student mental health supports at Central Washington University, Washington State University, the University of Washington, and the State Board of Community and Technical Colleges. CWU described high levels of student distress, loneliness, anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, and basic-needs insecurity, along with a campus-wide holistic well-being model that includes behavioral intervention teams, emergency aid, peer outreach, community partnerships, and a collegiate recovery community. WSU emphasized loneliness, common presenting concerns such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, and relationship distress, and the role of housing and residence life, resident advisors, living-learning communities, and coordinated crisis response in identifying and supporting students. UW highlighted prevention and support programs through LiveWell, including alcohol and other drug consultations, confidential advocacy, suicide intervention, student needs navigation, peer health educators, and peer wellness coaches. The community and technical college system reported persistent access barriers, especially for students ages 18 to 24 and those facing housing or food insecurity, and said the legislature-funded mental health pilot at four colleges expanded counseling access, telehealth, and referral pathways, while broader system efforts focus on awareness, telehealth, basic-needs supports, and workforce training in behavioral health fields. Members asked each panel how they gather student feedback, and the institutions said they use surveys, evaluations, and ongoing outreach to students in services. Questions also focused on substance-use and recovery resources, Greek life outreach, and whether colleges have enough licensed mental health staff versus academic advisors; the community college board said not all colleges have licensed mental health providers on staff, and some rely on community contracts or telehealth. The committee also discussed whether counseling services are increasing because of post-pandemic effects or because students are more willing to seek help, with presenters saying both factors likely play a role. The committee then shifted to artificial intelligence in higher education. Washington State University, the University of Washington, Western Washington University, and the community and technical college system described campus AI task forces, governance structures, and efforts to set policies for students, faculty, and staff. Presenters said institutions are requiring course-level AI use statements, promoting ethical and transparent use, expanding access to approved tools such as Microsoft Copilot, and using AI for teaching, research, advising, and administrative support while guarding privacy, equity, and academic integrity. Members raised concerns about deepfakes, bias, student monitoring, and whether AI should be used to screen applications or evaluate student work; presenters said human review remains essential and that some institutions prohibit AI use in hiring or admissions screening. The final presentation, from OSPI, described the statewide rollout of the School Links high school and beyond plan platform under 2023 legislation, saying it will standardize career and college planning across K-12, provide better data and student guidance, and connect students to postsecondary pathways and employers; OSPI said the rollout is underway but current funding only extends through June 30, 2026.
MA

Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities Jun 21st, 2026 at 01:00 pm

Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities

Transcript Highlights:
  • Through our Rice program, Ray receives high-dosage tutoring at school during her lunch break a couple
  • Those were created with funds that CPCS disperses for the pre-petition programs that Mr.
  • Through the clinical program at my school, I have spoken with, collaborated with, and represented a number
  • Through the clinical program at my school, I have spoken with, collaborated with, and represented a number
  • He fears his biological family, a fear that was programmed into him through years of separation, alienation
Keywords: 995, all
Summary: The committee heard testimony on a package of Department of Children and Families bills focused on care and protection proceedings, sibling placement, parenting time, foster parent eligibility, adoption timelines, and a proposed Harmony Montgomery Commission. Rep. Marjorie Decker framed her bills as a set intended to reduce trauma for children removed from home by promoting sibling placement, visitation, cultural continuity, and limits on barriers to foster/adoptive placement. Witnesses from CASA, the Massachusetts Child Welfare Coalition, CPCS, and others generally supported the sibling-placement and parenting-time bills and the Harmony Commission, while several urged that the commission include a birth parent with lived experience and that its scope remain focused on child safety and family rights. A former juvenile court judge also supported the Harmony Commission, citing failures in the Harmony Montgomery case and broader concerns about DCF power and child representation. No votes were taken during the hearing. A large portion of the hearing focused on Senate 114, the “Family Protection and Transparency Act,” which would require DCF to provide families with written and verbal notice of their rights during investigations, including the right to remain silent, consult counsel, and refuse entry absent legal authority except in emergencies. Supporters included parents, former foster youth, attorneys, advocates, and a peer mentor, many of whom described personal experiences of confusion, coercion, retaliation, and family separation when DCF became involved. They argued the bill would improve due process, language access, transparency, and accountability without limiting DCF’s emergency powers. Several witnesses also described intergenerational DCF involvement and said families often need resources and legal guidance rather than punitive intervention. Testimony on House 268 emphasized the importance of keeping siblings together in foster care whenever possible. Advocates cited research showing better mental health, educational, and reunification outcomes when siblings remain together, and several young people testified about being separated from brothers and sisters and the lasting impact of that separation. CPCS supported the bill and said regular sibling visitation should be required when joint placement is not possible. House 269, 270, 271, 288, and 293 were also on the notice, but the transcript reflects little or no testimony on some of those measures. The hearing concluded after the committee heard from all scheduled witnesses and invited written testimony for additional details.