Transcript Highlights:

• This is a nonpartisan nonprofit interstate compact serving 16 states on public education policy.
• This is a nonpartisan nonprofit interstate compact serving 16 states on public education policy.

Keywords: 1204, all

Summary: The committee received a Bureau of Legislative Research presentation on Arkansas academic standards, accountability, and achievement as part of the adequacy study. Staff reviewed how state curriculum and standards have evolved from the 1997 Public Education Act, the 2003 Quality Education Act, and the 2017 Educational Support and Accountability Act, including required course offerings, graduation requirements, career and technical education pathways, and recent additions such as success-ready pathways, Arkansas history, firearm safety, and fetal growth and development instruction. Members asked for a comparative chart showing how the laws and requirements changed over time, and staff agreed to provide one. The presentation then turned to the federal ESSA plan and Arkansas’s state accountability system. Staff explained the state’s long-term goals for 2030, including 80% proficiency in ELA and math, 52% of English learners on track to English proficiency, and 94%/97% four- and five-year graduation rates. They reviewed 2025 assessment results showing proficiency rates generally in the 30s, with English learners and students with disabilities performing lowest and white students highest. They also discussed school support and improvement categories, equitable access to educators, and report card/public reporting requirements, noting that some ESSA-related measures such as the school index, equity labs, and certain 2024 report card data were not currently available or not being calculated. Members questioned whether those ESSA commitments were being met and asked staff to follow up with DESE, including whether the legislature can revise the ESSA plan. The committee also reviewed the Arkansas Accountability Act and related assessment data. Staff described the Atlas assessment system, alternate assessments for students with significant cognitive disabilities, ELPA 21 for English learners, ACT results, and NAEP comparisons. They reported that no student group met the 80% proficiency goal in 2025, Arkansas’s ACT composite score declined slightly over time, and Arkansas generally trailed national and SREB averages on NAEP. Members asked for additional data, including historical highs and lows, the number of assessments students take by grade, dropout data, and comparisons with other states. The meeting ended with agreement to invite the Department of Education to a future meeting to answer questions about missing data, equity labs, report cards, and ESSA compliance.

Transcript Highlights:

• HB 2890 by Patterson relating to an interstate compact for the liquefied natural gas industry.
• Speaker this is the bill. about the interstate compact for LNG and I have an amendment.

Bills: SB5, SJR3, HB 11, HJR72, HB48, HB27, HB144, HB37, HB1481, HB581, HB1696, HB2216, HB 1035, HB1633, HB742, HB754, HB1689, HB1690, HB2669, HB391, HB517, HB1775, HB 1024, HB1607, HB252, HB1716, HB1562, HB4116, HB1866, HB1741, HB2103, HB2637, HB2884, HB3707, HB503, HB 1089, HB1757, HB2986, HB972, SB365, SB1786, SB5, SJR3, HB14, HB43, HB36, HB26, HB149, HB 121, HB206, HB136, HB3114, HB2733, HB1732, HB3700, HB467, HB 1130, HB1846, HB1442, HB 1147, HB2176, HB2701, HB805, HB2890, HB 1154, HB1644, HB2118, HB1718, HB2488, HB2596, HB2468, HB484, HB2578, HB3204, HB 1041, HB307, HB685, HB538, HB2525, HB3125, HB2027, HB2894, HB3077, HB 106, HB18, HB 11, HJR72, HB48, HB27, HB144, HB37, HB1481, HB581, HB1696, HB2216, HB 1035, HB1633, HB742, HB754, HB1689, HB1690, HB2669, HB391, HB517, HB1775, HB 1024, HB1607, HB252, HB1716, HB1562, HB4116, HB1866, HB1741, HB2103, HB2637, HB2884, HB3707, HB503, HB 1089, HB1757, HB2986, HB972

Keywords: dementia, research institute, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, funding, grants, state health initiatives, research funding, state budget, prevention, healthcare, medical research, Dementia Prevention and Research Institute, licensing, reciprocity, regulation, Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, interstate agreements, tax exemption, intellectual disability

Transcript Highlights:

• As they have every right to do, and we are cooperating with them. But I do want to be candid.
• Then I got to witness your cooperation and work as you started to organize quickly.
• Eric Cooper. That's you. Okay. Give me two more. Okay, Chair calls Mike Hughes, Tom.
• My name is Eric Cooper. I lead the San Antonio and the San Angelo food banks.
• Eric Cooper. Food Bank and the St.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The thing that we try to do, and you mentioned Interstate 69. very important connection to Laredo, also
• Thank you all for cooperating with us on that. What I'm trying to, is there any reason why?
• All right, Tom Stewart, Steve Bresnan, Steve Fernandoglio, Rob Cooper. colder. All right.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• prevention cases across the state, and 39 cases where we're supporting children who are here through the Interstate

Summary: The Joint Committee on Aging, Children, and Youth first approved the February 11 minutes and then reviewed a DCFS policy manual update from Director Tiffany Wright. The rule changes were described as largely terminology and compliance updates to align with new laws, an executive order, and current practice, including moving internal procedures out of the public manual and into DCFS’s internal procedure manual. Members asked whether the changes altered practice or just wording, and Wright said they were mainly procedural and vernacular updates, such as changing terms like “protection plan” to “immediate safety plan” and “safety factor” to “safety threat.” The committee then reviewed and accepted the rule without objection. Wright also presented DCFS performance data for the third quarter of FY 2026, including hotline reports, investigations, foster care, in-home services, permanency, and adoption measures. She noted staffing shortages in some counties, lower timeliness in completing maltreatment reports, and efforts to support those areas with central office staff and daily calls. Members asked about neglect trends, sexual abuse/exploitation categories, behavioral issues, and workforce recruitment and retention. Wright said DCFS is expanding hiring support, outreach, retention efforts, trauma support through UAMS, and a new staff training model beginning July 1. She also presented the biannual overturned investigations report, which tracks hotline calls, true findings, appeals, and reversals by county, and answered questions about comparing it with prior years. Major Jeff Drew of the Crimes Against Children Division presented the 2025 annual report, saying the hotline received 67,987 calls and 37,986 were accepted for investigation, with 6,539 CACD investigations assigned and a 28% substantiation rate. He described hotline operator training, including a four-week program with policy review, scenarios, recorded calls, live call monitoring, and evidence-chain and decision-making instruction. He said the starting salary for hotline operators is $43,888 plus benefits and would check on comparisons with other states. Elizabeth Pooley of the Children’s Advocacy Centers of Arkansas reported that the state’s 29 CACs and 64 multidisciplinary teams served 13,568 children and families in 2025, up about 3,000 from the prior year, and hosted 259 trainings. Members asked about funding, and she said state funding is the same for each center at roughly $70,000 to $75,000, supplemented by federal and community support, with work underway on Arkansas-specific best practices. The meeting ended after a brief unrelated question about Meals on Wheels and a Project Zero adoption event announcement.

Transcript Highlights:

• AB 470, sorry. 427 Jackson social workers interstate compact holding committee AB 449 Jackson anti-discrimination

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We support a federal approach here to help provide consistency since this is an interstate and even international

Bills: SB1960, SB1730, SB766, SB2342, SB2501, SB2903

Keywords: digital rights, replication, Voice likeness, visual likeness, private causes of action, fee structure, online service providers, postmortem rights, self-defense, stand your ground, castle doctrine, use of force, deadly force, civil immunity, civil liability, tort claims, attorney fees, court costs, lost income, Chapter 9 Penal Code

Transcript Highlights:

• them, so there's not a good... them pretty good, so there's not a good feeling being stuck on the interstate

Keywords: 924, joint, all

Transcript Highlights:

• you have to satisfy certain tests if you're going to impose a state tax on people that operate interstate
• you have to satisfy certain tests if you're going to impose a state tax on people that operate interstate
• <01:31:35.120> And<01:31:36.000> the People that operate interstate.
• You could tax the whole thing even though it was interstate.
• in interstate. in interstate.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• would demonstrate that<01:25:14.719> commitment<01:25:15.280> to<01:25:15.600> cooperation
• <01:25:16.480> and that commitment to cooperation and that commitment to cooperation and safety
• The pistol or revolver license is largely sought for interstate reciprocity.
• The pistol or revolver license is largely sought for interstate reciprocity.
• Senator Altschiller: The pistol or revolver license is largely sought for interstate reciprocity.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In addition, GIS was also used to assist with the management of interstate water rights issues.
• c> agreement<00:16:27.760> that There was a cooperative agreement that There was a cooperative
• We cooperate.
• We cooperate. We've built a other. We cooperate.
• The Laramie County cooperative flexible.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• regulatory cooperation.
• <03:36:13.040> with<03:36:13.359> our choosing not to be cooperative with our choosing
• not to be cooperative with our inquiry<03:36:14.080> or<03:36:14.319> investigation.
• <03:36:48.080> with<03:36:48.239> the respond or to cooperate with the respond or to
• cooperate with the department.<03:36:49.520> So,<03:36:49.760> we've<03:36:50.080>

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So thank you in advance for your cooperation and your respect for this process. All righty.
• Madam Chair, Representative, federal law would prohibit that, and we know that interstate commerce would

Bills: SB48, HB250, SB17

Keywords: State Fairgrounds District, fairgrounds bonds, public financing, bond authorization, gross receipts tax, gaming tax, tax-backed bonds, infrastructure funding, Albuquerque fairgrounds, State Fair Tid, economic development, municipal bonds, revenue pledge, capital projects, New Mexico finance, technology, innovation, advisory board, entrepreneurial support, stakeholder representation

Transcript Highlights:

• It extends interstate compact educational opportunities for military children improve school district
• establishes and implements the Spectrum Alert standardized system by the Department of Law Enforcement in Cooperation

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• prevention cases across the state, and 39 cases where we're supporting children who are here through the Interstate

Keywords: 1204, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Aging, Children and Youth approved the minutes from the February 11 meeting and then reviewed a DCFS policy manual update presented by Director Tiffany Wright. The rule changes moved internal procedures out of administrative rule and into DCFS’s internal procedure manual under an executive order, while also updating terminology, aligning language with recent laws, revising foster family continuing education requirements, and removing obsolete requirements. Committee members asked whether the changes altered practice or mainly changed wording; Wright said the updates were largely terminology and organizational changes, not substantive shifts in procedure. The committee then reviewed the rule without objection. Wright next presented DCFS quarterly and biannual reports. She reported third-quarter child welfare data including hotline reports, investigations, true findings, maltreatment recurrence, foster care entries and exits, placement with relatives, permanency rates, adoptions, and caseload totals. Members asked about neglect causes, sexual abuse categories, behavioral issues leading to foster care, staffing shortages, recruitment and retention efforts, training improvements, and whether ACE testing should be incorporated for children; Wright said DCFS uses PACE evaluations rather than ACE testing and was open to further discussion. She also presented the overturned investigations report, which tracks hotline calls, accepted reports, true findings, appeals, and reversals by county for July 2024 through June 2025. Major Jeff Drew of the Crimes Against Children Division then gave the annual hotline and investigation report. He said hotline calls increased in 2025, as did reports accepted for investigation, and that CACD investigations resulted in a 28% substantiation rate. Committee members asked about hotline operator training, hiring requirements, customer service experience, evidence handling, decision-making training, and starting salary; Drew said operators receive four weeks of training and start at $43,088 plus benefits. Elizabeth Pooley of the Children’s Advocacy Centers of Arkansas reported that the statewide network of 29 centers and 64 multidisciplinary teams provided 259 trainings and served 13,568 children and families in 2025, an increase from the prior year. She said funding comes from state, federal, and community sources, with state funding set at roughly $70,000 to $75,000 per center, and noted work is underway on state best practices. The meeting ended after a brief public comment about Meals on Wheels and a Project Zero event announcement, with no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I don't know about you, but I've been through a few rims and ruined a few tires on the interstate

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You could see it from the interstate, so we decided to put the school there.

Keywords: 924, joint, all

Transcript Highlights:

• federal government has pretty much eliminated all overweight vehicles from federal roads, like the interstates

Bills: HB2026, HB2427, HB2455, HB2560, HB3510, HB3966, HB3986, HB4429, HB5436, SB3062

Keywords: memorial highway, U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, Archer County, highway designation, vehicle weight, ports of entry, Texas Transportation Code, truck regulations, load limits, Adopt-a-County Road, funding, road maintenance, county partnership, public recognition, memorial designation, highway, Sergeant Mark Butler, transportation, Brazos County

Transcript Highlights:

• We support a federal approach here to help provide consistency, since this is an interstate and even

Transcript Highlights:

• chairman said, to sort of, uh, smooth out some of those, uh, smooth out some of that volatility interstate

Bills: SJR 4

Keywords: term limits, state offices, constitutional amendment, governor, lieutenant governor, election reform