Transcript Highlights:

• The core competency of the school counselor is not the same as a classroom teacher.
• Requiring a school counselor to have the same additional competencies and the full teacher certification

Bills: S0920, S1036, S1216

Keywords: mathematics education, career pathways, applied algebra, college readiness, technical education, school counselors, educational standards, certification requirements, evaluation criteria, professional development, public school personnel, salary adjustment, performance salary schedule, cost-of-living adjustment, school administration

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Pre-K-12 Education met with a quorum present and first temporarily postponed SB 920 on mathematics education. The committee then took up SB 1216 on public school personnel compensation, sponsored by Senator Rodriguez, which would give districts more flexibility in educator pay by restoring meaningful cost-of-living adjustments for teachers with direct student contact, allowing recognition of relevant advanced degrees, and removing rigid performance-pay caps. Several senators spoke in support, emphasizing teacher retention, compensation, and education as a state investment. The bill was reported favorably on a unanimous roll call vote. After a brief recess, the committee considered CS/SB 1036 on school counselors, sponsored by Senator Calatayud, to address counselor shortages by removing certification barriers tied to classroom teacher requirements. The sponsor and supporting testimony described recruitment and retention problems, high counselor-to-student ratios, and the need for counselors to focus on student academics, mental health, and college/career readiness rather than administrative duties. Public testimony came from students, educators, and school personnel who described limited access to counselors and the impact on student well-being and college planning. Committee members broadly supported the bill while noting that counselors are often overburdened and that additional support personnel, including BRACE advisors, may also need attention in the future. Senators also discussed broader efficiency measures and the need for schools and colleges to improve access to guidance services. CS/SB 1036 was reported favorably by unanimous vote. At the end of the meeting, members recorded their votes on the two bills, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Nurses Association publishes are scopes and standards of practice, which outlines are professional competencies
• professional competencies of these standards.

Transcript Highlights:

• homeless veterans initiative, community and faith-based training, and we provide military cultural competency
• homeless veterans initiative, community and faith-based training, and we provide military cultural competency

Summary: The Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs heard a briefing from the Texas Veterans Commission on its major programs and outreach efforts. TVC described its claims assistance, health care advocacy, education oversight, employment services, entrepreneurship support, mental health and suicide prevention work, women veterans services, grant funding for nonprofits and local governments, and support for veteran treatment courts. The agency also highlighted its communications strategy, including media outreach, events, newsletters, social media, and the Texas Veterans State Benefits Booklet, and noted that less than 58% of veterans were aware of TVC in the latest needs assessment. A committee member asked about performance metrics, and TVC said each appropriation has associated measures and that it could provide recent results. The committee then took up Senate Bill 651, which would allow a county veterans service office in a large county to report either directly to commissioners court or to a designated county executive official. Senator West explained the bill as a cleanup of current practice, and Dallas County testified in support, saying the change would streamline internal management. No opposition was heard, and the bill was left pending. Senate Bill 897 would reduce the non-state matching requirement for the Texas Veterans and Family Alliance grant program in larger counties from 100 percent to 75 percent in the committee substitute, rather than the 50 percent reduction in the filed version. Supporters from MetroCare and Emergence Health Network said the lower match would help sustain and expand veteran mental health services, citing increased demand and program growth. The bill was left pending after testimony. The committee also adopted its rules. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 1814, which would create an interagency database to collect and coordinate contact information for transitioning veterans so agencies could proactively connect them with services. Senator Hancock said the goal was to better use information already being collected, though he noted the bill had a significant fiscal note. The committee also heard Senate Bill 1818, which would create a temporary six-month licensing and certification process for military members and spouses assigned to Texas while they wait for letters of good standing from other states. VFW testified in support, emphasizing the importance of employment for military families. Both bills were left pending, and the committee recessed subject to the call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• us that the frame members of our Constitution knew that judges have to be capable, qualified, and competent
• There's a competing way to read our Constitution, it's called the Living Constitution.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The Senate created this committee to help all small businesses compete with larger firms.
• productive discussion today and, in time, return the Senate Small Business Committee to that bastion of competency

Bills: SB298, SB300, SB371

Keywords: employee relocation, headquarters, Small Business Administration, Washington metropolitan area, telework, cost reduction, rural markets, geographic diversity, disaster loans, accountability, reporting, loan forgiveness, federal funding, SBA reforms, small business, disaster assistance, transparency, report publication, government accountability

Transcript Highlights:

• discounts that help New Jersey families save at their register and burdening the businesses that compete
• Overwhelmingly, grocers and delivery apps use your data not to charge you more, but to compete for your
• These tools are also how small businesses compete.
• for the families who count on these discounts and stripping local businesses of a key way they can compete
• Are you going to be then competing with them because they have food? They have liquor.

Keywords: 1146, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I competed in DECA in high school, and I know for a fact that you would crush me.
• Fund because the Arizona Compete Fund is expiring on June 30th.
• Item one, the general fund money going into the Compete Fund.
• Can you tell me the exact number on the Compete Fund in this bill? I believe, Mr.
• One of those is Arizona Competes funding.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So there's some kind of competing guidelines. Um, but we're stuck with the other one.
• there's some kind of competing there's some kind of competing guidelines.<01:20:49.199> Um
• ><01:30:19.280> to systems as needed without having to systems as needed without having to compete
• 20.080> the<01:30:20.239> other<01:30:20.400> priorities<01:30:20.719> in compete
• with all the other priorities in compete with all the other priorities in the<01:30:20.960> banial

Bills: HF4736, HF4737, HF3806, HF3352, HF4840, HF3748

Keywords: emergency shelter, grant program, homelessness, capital investment, Minnesota Statutes, appropriation bonds, public funding, housing, infrastructure bonds, funding, appropriation, Minnesota constitutional amendment, public debt, state bonds, general obligation bonds, information technology, IT infrastructure, software licenses, technology modernization, capital improvements

Transcript Highlights:

• We're made up predominantly of farm fields, yet unfortunately we're left competing with our neighbors
• To give you a snapshot of what the landscape looks like and what we're competing with for training space
• 40:04.520> left fields, yet unfortunately we're left fields, yet unfortunately we're left competing
• with our neighbors for limited competing with our neighbors for limited public<00:40:06.440> safety
• <00:40:21.560> with looks like and what we're competing with looks like and what we're competing

Bills: HF4156, HF3835, HF3995, HF4383, HF4091, HF4084, HF4311, HF198, HF4486, HF4302, HF4309, HF4032, HF3855, HF3673, HF4265, HF4012, HF4339, HF4298, HF3852

Keywords: infrastructure, wastewater, stormwater, Buhl, state bonds, appropriations, economic development, water infrastructure, grants, capital investment, funding, state regulation, Frazee, North River Drive, infrastructure improvements, HF4383, Minnesota capital investment, bonding bill, Department of Natural Resources, DNR

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, there's no one else to compete against, and we're raising the cost through property tax or regulatory
• no<00:43:19.040> one<00:43:19.119> else<00:43:19.280> to<00:43:19.440> compete
• <00:43:19.760> against there's no one else to compete against there's no one else to compete
• 09:17.199> companies system uh is real as oil companies system uh is real as oil companies compete
• <01:09:19.759> and compete for the remaining market. and compete for the remaining market.

Bills: HF4236, HF4122, HF4377

Keywords: public utility, interim rates, utility rates, rate case, general rate case, Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, PUC, rate increase cap, rate freeze, refunds, customer refunds, ratepayer protection, electric utility, gas utility, regulated utility, ratemaking, return on equity, rate base, test year, rate design

Transcript Highlights:

• I am very much questioning the competency of the leadership of the Department of Human Services.
• 13:43.680> have<00:13:45.120> questioned<00:13:46.000> the<00:13:47.040> competency
• <00:13:48.079> and to have questioned the competency and to have questioned the competency
• I am very much questioning<00:14:13.680> the<00:14:14.000> competency<00:14:14.880>
• of<00:14:15.120> the questioning the competency of the questioning the competency of the leadership

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: Judge Tim O’Malley, Minnesota’s director of program integrity, presented a roadmap to program integrity and fraud prevention built around nine areas for improvement, including leadership and culture, stronger program controls, better coordination among agencies and prosecutors, training, technology modernization, independent oversight, stakeholder engagement, and expanded resources. He said long-standing vulnerabilities in state programs have been exploited by organized criminals, and argued the state must shift from reactive enforcement to front-end prevention, faster detection, and recovery of improper payments. He emphasized that modern data sharing and analytics are especially urgent, and said oversight and accountability are essential for lasting change. Fay Bernstein, a long-time DHS employee, testified that she experienced retaliation after raising contract compliance concerns years ago. She said she was removed from the building, barred from DHS property, investigated for months, and accused of racism and threatening leadership, which she denied. Bernstein argued DHS leadership lacks a fraud-prevention mindset and said the department’s culture punishes employees who speak up, while serious program failures have harmed vulnerable Minnesotans. She called for major leadership changes and firings at DHS. Members questioned O’Malley about whether fraud was driven more by sophisticated criminals or by weaknesses in state systems. He said the vulnerabilities have existed for a long time and organized criminal groups are taking advantage of them, especially where data sharing is weak. Members also pressed him on whistleblower protections and retaliation; O’Malley said he should have included the legislature among places employees can report concerns, and said complaints should be thoroughly investigated with accurate information and appropriate consequences for supervisors who fail to act, ranging from coaching to termination depending on the case. No votes or formal actions were taken in this portion of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• This means the contractor building a school or paving a highway legally is competing against someone
• modernization, projects are at risk of being underfunded, and Arizona communities won’t be able to compete
• You know, we have Texas and Florida we're competing with, and also our country.
• The kind of products that are coming into Arizona... ...we're competing with, and also our country.
• They have competing interests because if you aren't using one product, you're using another.

Bills: HB2128, HB2255, HB2397, HB2429, HB2591, HB2680, HB2834, HB2868, HB2911, HB2951, HB2979, HB2991, HB2996, HB2999, HB4001, HB4011, HB4017, HB4020, HB4026, HB4086, HB4088, HB2244, HB2342

Keywords: homeowners associations, condominiums, open meetings, governance, transparency, Arizona Teachers Academy, teacher preparation, education funding, public schools, scholarships, teacher certification, community colleges, HOA, homeowners association, planned community, condominium, CC&Rs, covenants, conditions and restrictions, resale disclosure, association disclosure

Summary: The committee heard and acted on several bills, mostly receiving due pass recommendations. HB 4020 would raise the maximum annual assessment on insurers that funds the Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions fraud unit from $1,050 to $1,350. The sponsor and an industry witness said the increase would support fraud investigations, and the bill passed 9-1 after a roll call vote; the transcript later included a correction stating HB 4020 passed 10-0 with one absent. HB 2255 would extend Arizona Teachers Academy scholarship eligibility for community college students from two academic years/four semesters to four academic years/eight semesters. Maricopa Community Colleges supported the bill, saying it would let community college teacher candidates complete bachelor’s degrees with the same funding available to university students. It passed unanimously. HB 2591, as amended, revised the definition and administration of registered apprenticeships to align with U.S. Department of Labor standards and add requirements such as written agreements, structured training, wage progression, and safety supervision; it also passed unanimously. HB 2680, as amended, narrowed and revised workers’ compensation fraud-related provisions, including insurance disclosure requirements and proof of coverage. Supporters from labor and construction groups said it would help combat premium fraud and protect honest contractors, while the sponsor said the amendment narrowed the bill to address concerns. It passed 10-1. HB 2979 modernized credit union law regarding bylaws, name changes, principal office changes, and certain powers; credit union representatives supported it as a regulatory update, and it passed 11-0. HB 2868 required manufactured-home/mobile-home installation license applicants and renewals to show insurance and fingerprint clearance, and to allow the Department of Housing to set experience, exam, and enforcement rules; it passed 8-1 with two present. The committee also approved a strike-everything amendment to HB 2429 on short-term rentals, allowing local governments to regulate overnight occupancy, extending the violation window for suspending a license from 12 to 24 months, and allowing suspension after certain building code violations. The sponsor and city/county representatives described it as a compromise that restores some local control, while short-term rental advocates and neighborhood groups said it was a step forward but still too limited; the bill passed 8-2 with one present. HB 4011, without the proposed amendment, codified HOA duties to act reasonably and fairly in enforcing rules, and after testimony from attorneys, homeowners, and HOA advocates describing abusive enforcement and the need for clearer standards, it passed 11-0. HB 2397, as amended, required more complete HOA disclosure information to buyers and escrow agents, with supporters saying it would prevent surprise assessments and defects and critics warning some language was still broad; it passed 11-0. Finally, HB 4026 would change a public infrastructure reimbursement program for advanced manufacturing by replacing a $200 million total cap with a $75 million annual cap and adding website-posting requirements for agreements; Queen Creek and economic development witnesses said it was needed to support major manufacturing projects and related infrastructure, and the bill was being discussed when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• The pay scales to which we're competing against and private practice, we can't even compete with our
• The pay scales to<00:45:34.520> which<00:45:34.840> we're<00:45:35.080> competing
• ><00:45:35.680> against<00:45:36.320> and to which we're competing against and to which
• , we<00:45:38.920> can't<00:45:39.160> even<00:45:39.400> compete<00:45:40.400><
• we can't even compete with our budgets. we can't even compete with our budgets. Okay. Okay.

Bills: HB2614, HB1660, HB1704, HB1563, HB1573, HB1777, HB1749

Keywords: cosmetics, returns, refunds, consumer protection, high-pressure sales, transparency, accountability, HB1660, Hawaii, county labor standards, counties, contractors, building permits, permit denial, permit suspension, permit revocation, wage theft, wages, benefits, hours

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 2614, which would require merchants selling cosmetics to accept returns of newer unopened goods within specified time frames and expand signage requirements for return and refund policies. DCCA’s Office of Consumer Protection strongly supported the bill, citing updated figures of 180 cosmetic complaints from 2020 to 2025, 54 still under investigation, 148 referred to class action litigation, and more than $1.3 million in consumer losses. Members questioned whether the bill was needed given the pending lawsuit and whether bad actors would comply, while the office responded that clearer signage would improve consumer awareness and could reduce complaints without limiting other remedies. No vote was taken. The committee then heard HB 1660 HD1, which would allow counties to require contractors to disclose wage, benefit, hour, and employment-status information and to deny, revoke, or suspend permits for certain labor-law violations. DLIR, the Hawaii Regional Council of Carpenters, Operating Engineers Local 3, and Pacific Resource Partnership testified in support, arguing the measure would help deter cheating contractors, protect law-abiding employers, and keep bad actors from undercutting wages and taxes. One member raised concerns about possible delays to affordable housing projects and whether owners should be held responsible for contractors’ misconduct; supporters replied that compliance is a minimum standard, that county action would be discretionary rather than automatic, and that the bill would not bar counties from working with affordable housing developers. No action was reported. Finally, the committee took up HB 1704, adopting the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact to allow telepsychology and temporary in-person practice across state lines. The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the State Health Planning and Development Agency, the Hawaii State Association of Counties, and the Hawaii Association of Health Plans supported the measure, saying it would help fill major staffing gaps, especially for forensic evaluations and services in rural and neighbor-island communities. The Board of Psychology raised concerns about the compact’s scope, the need for a study focused specifically on psychologists, background-check requirements, possible loss of regulatory authority and revenue, and the need to update older statutory provisions. Hawaii Association for Justice opposed the immunity language in the compact, and Shawn Scanlon opposed the bill, arguing it could weaken cultural responsiveness and local control and suggesting the state instead improve temporary licensing and other in-state pathways. The committee also questioned the Department of Corrections about its vacancies and whether telehealth could be filled by local providers; no vote was taken in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• > of<01:24:30.239> putting<01:24:30.560> together<01:24:30.800> an competencies
• of putting together an competencies of putting together an argumentative<01:24:32.400> essay<
• 01:24:52.239> the student, how they're achieving the student, how they're achieving the competencies
• <01:24:54.480> At<01:24:55.440> a competencies in the classroom.
• At a competencies in the classroom.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We have 176 people that are on the competency restoration list waiting to be made competent to stand
• We included a state auditor's report on competency restoration services.
• And for years, why don't you look at who lands on competency restoration wait list, right?
• In Texas, we put in the five-year period, the state auditor looked at the competency restoration.
• Patients have rights, they're presumed to be competent.

Bills: HB5141, HB4638, HB2264, HB2035, HB4813, HB4408, HB2684, HB1621, HB2300, HB216, HB3829, HB4466, HB1747, HB2284, HB3614, HB2587, HB3219, HB3318, HB5147, HB4014, HB216

Keywords: lease, state property, public purpose, Travis County, Health and Human Services, pharmaceutical initiative, drug distribution, healthcare services, generic drugs, advanced pharmaceuticals, cost savings, mental health, patient discharge, medical records, health care professionals, substance use, family involvement, chemical dependency, treatment facilities, minor admissions

Transcript Highlights:

• gravity with aquaponics, growing mostly leafy greens under the panels because, again, the panels are competing
• gravity with aquaponics, growing mostly leafy greens under the panels because, again, the panels are competing
• gravity with aquaponics, growing mostly leafy greens under the panels because, again, the panels are competing
• gravity with aquaponics, growing mostly leafy greens under the panels because, again, the panels are competing
• gravity with aquaponics, growing mostly leafy greens under the panels because, again, the panels are competing

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• These resources are necessary to allow our homegrown manufacturers to compete and to continue to provide
• homegrown necessary to allow our homegrown manufacturers<01:11:07.520> to<01:11:07.679> compete
• ><01:11:08.199> and<01:11:08.320> to<01:11:08.480> continue manufacturers to compete
• and to continue manufacturers to compete and to continue to<01:11:08.920> provide<01:11:09.320
• and success to accountability competence and success to help<01:27:22.920> our<01:27:23.119><

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the Attorney General said in their letter was that section 13.65 reflects a careful balancing of competing
• interests or competing goals.
• interests or competing goals.
• interests or competing goals.
• interests or competing goals.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• The way they come together is that developers compete and we allocate below-market capital, whether that's
• We're essentially a wholesale lender, so we compete with big national firms like Rocket Mortgage. what
• way they come together is that uh the way they come together is that developers<01:23:57.520> compete
• and we allocate below developers compete and we allocate below Market<01:23:59.960> Capital<01
• lender so we compete with like big<01:27:37.760> National<01:27:38.560> firms<01:27:38.960

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But I do want to also remind that, you know, while there are competing bodies of research, when we have
• bodies of research when we competing bodies of research when we have<01:06:59.119> more<01:06
• The bill would amend the Nurse Practice Act, RSA 326-B:45, to prohibit non-compete clauses or provisions
• the pro prohibition now the non-compete the pro prohibition of<01:32:41.600> non-compete<01:32
• only applies to the of non-compete only applies to the nurses<01:32:44.600> it<01:32:44.719><

Keywords: 1191, senate, all