Transcript Highlights:

• ,</c> at that same LEA, school district, at that same LEA, school district, charter<00:03:11.280><c>
• We do know that students may unenroll from one district and enroll into a separate or new district.
• throat] new district. that then original<00:05:25.280><c> district</c><00:05:25.759><c> would</c><00
• </c> 12 school districts in the pilot group. 12 school districts in the pilot group.
• the district to another district or left out of state, for example.

Committee: House Education Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• It allows fire districts and EMS that overlap those districts or are those districts to go up to the
• Taxing districts.
• If it's in fire districts, it's two-thirds.
• If it's in fire districts, it's two-thirds.
• So I'll take this back to the Star Fire District.

Committee: House Revenue and Taxation

Transcript Highlights:

• to determine whether or not a district is an entitlement district or a recapture district. the 25 mil
• ><c> district.
• </c> the funds to the districts. the funds to the districts.
• districts? districts?
• districts how to these school districts districts how to do<02:41:42.319><c> things</c><02:41:42.640

Committee: Joint Select Committee on School Finance Recalibration

Transcript Highlights:

• These are districts where a specific racial or ethnic minority group makes up a large enough share of
• districts.
• Federal circuits have permitted coalition districts or crossover districts.
• We're going to stick with the one-district map.
• That's the district size thing. Thank you. Let me turn it over to my Vice Chair. Thank you.

Committee: Senate Senate Committee on the Census

Transcript Highlights:

• Do you know if there's any proportionally higher risk to smaller school districts than the districts
• One school district, it was about $90,000. Okay.
• If there's, for example, a school district needs to resubmit a report or resubmit data, the school district
• If there's, for example, a school district needs to resubmit a report or resubmit data, the school district
• It goes to the school districts individually.

Summary: The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee subcommittee heard a State Auditor’s Office performance audit on the accuracy and reliability of OSPI’s school apportionment system. Auditors said the system, which calculates and distributes K-12 funding using multiple feeder systems and a core apportionment engine, is outdated, unstable, inefficient, and at high risk of failure. They reported weak controls over data input, documentation, oversight, and staffing, and said OSPI relies heavily on manual workarounds, a few knowledgeable staff, and vendor support. In limited testing of three districts, the auditors found the system calculated funding correctly for the 2023-24 school year, but they identified nine small input discrepancies tied to differences between budget materials and state law, which they said could compound into larger dollar amounts. The auditors recommended replacing or modernizing the system and noted that delays in doing so prolong risk. OSPI largely agreed that the current platform needs replacement and said it has been working toward a new system for years. Agency officials clarified that the Legislature requested a feasibility study in 2022, that the study found the system at risk of catastrophic failure, and that funding for a replacement is now in the state IT pool subject to OCIO/OFM gate reviews. OSPI disputed the audit’s characterization of the rounding and budget-law discrepancies, saying the issue was an agency rule and implementation choice, not an error that caused under- or over-allocation. Officials also said the current system is too old to easily absorb future formula changes, but that the planned replacement should be flexible enough to handle a new funding model if the Legislature adopts one. Committee members asked about the amount and timing of the $16 million project funding, whether smaller districts face greater risk, how many times data is entered, and whether the funding formula should be simplified. Auditors and OSPI both emphasized that formula simplification is a policy question for the Legislature, not the audit. Public testimony came from one online witness, who urged full implementation of the audit recommendations and modernization of the system. The subcommittee took no formal vote and adjourned after the presentations and testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• Stephanie Lewis, Rialto Unified School District, strong support. Enough. District, strong support.
• School District, strong support.
• School District in support.
• support District support.
• On Iocomides, on behalf of Los Angeles Unified School District and San Diego Unified School District,

Committee: Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• Are a Senate district.
• And then the districts are going to be drawn how people sit down and draw the districts.
• District.
• Representative Woods District and Representative Barnes District.
• I mean, more likely, I'd end up with the First District, a good part of the First District, because St

Committee: House Local Government, Elections and Pensions

Summary: The House Elections Budget Committee held a public hearing on several joint resolutions dealing with Missouri legislative term limits and chamber structure. Representatives Peggy McGaugh, Marty Joe Murray, Bruce Sassman, and Jeff Myers presented versions of HJR 104, 121, 122, 149, and related measures that would allow legislators to serve up to 16 total years in either chamber rather than being limited to eight years in one chamber and eight in the other. The sponsors argued the change would preserve institutional knowledge, reduce lobbyist influence, and let voters choose whether experienced members should continue serving. They also discussed leadership limits, with proposals to cap service as Speaker or President Pro Tem, and debated whether those limits should be consecutive or total terms. One proposal also would reduce the size of the House to 103 members, which Myers said would improve efficiency and avoid a senator controlling House members in a three-representative-per-Senate-district model. Committee members raised concerns about self-serving motives, the optics of extending service, possible gaps when members run for the Senate with time left on their 16-year limit, and whether smaller or larger districts would weaken rural representation or shift power toward population centers. Some members supported the concept as a way to preserve expertise and reduce the influence of lobbyists, while others argued the public may view the change skeptically, especially given the original 1992 term-limit vote. Myers defended the smaller House proposal as a way to lower costs, reduce staff redundancy, and improve legislative effectiveness, while opponents questioned whether the fiscal savings would offset the need for more staff and whether the change would actually solve the problems described. Public testimony was split. An opponent argued Missouri voters should not be asked to revisit a decision they made on term limits, said the General Assembly should not be trying to overturn the public’s earlier choice, and urged rejection of all the resolutions. He also criticized lobbyist influence and cited past corruption cases to argue for keeping strict term limits. After testimony concluded, the committee moved into executive session and passed House Bill 3146 by a vote of 10-2. The meeting then adjourned with no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• But the school district...
• But it's really the school district that Clover Park School District that operates the facilities on
• School districts have their own issues and stuff like that.
• It ensures transparency through district policies and reporting.
• Public Schools District.

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 5901, which would change the school construction assistance program so that instructional space on military bases is excluded from a district’s available space inventory when calculating state construction aid. Staff explained the bill would also require state assistance to equal approved project cost minus federal funding received. Senator Christian said the measure is intended to prevent military-base facilities from unfairly reducing districts’ ability to modernize or build schools. Testimony in support came from OSPI, Clover Park School District, and Medical Lake School District, which said the current formula penalizes districts serving military families and can leave them unable to secure needed renovation funding. No opposition was heard, and the bill was later described as having an indeterminate fiscal impact. The committee then took up Senate Bill 5860 on school board compensation. The bill would raise director pay from $50 to $100 per day, increase the annual cap, allow child care expenses to be reimbursed, require OFM to periodically adjust compensation, and direct WASDA to develop finance training for school directors. Senator Cortez said the changes are needed to broaden who can serve on school boards and to help working families participate. Supporters from OSPI, WASDA, and South Sound superintendents said compensation could improve diversity and help recruit and retain board members, though WASDA noted concerns about diverting district funds and said its members do not have consensus on mandatory training. Opponents argued the bill would misuse levy funds and that child care and other expenses should not be paid from local education levies. The committee also heard Senate Bill 5956 on artificial intelligence, student discipline, and surveillance in schools, which would bar automated systems from being the sole basis for discipline decisions, prohibit risk scores and biometric surveillance, require OSPI guidance updates, and direct WASDA to create model policy. Senator Nobles and supporters said the bill is needed to protect students from discriminatory and inaccurate AI-driven decisions; no vote was taken in the hearing. Finally, the committee heard a proposed substitute for Senate Bill 5574, which would require districts to include instruction on Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, Latino American, and Black American history in required social studies courses during the regular curriculum review cycle, with reporting beginning in 2030. Senator Nobles said the bill is meant to address exclusion and bias in history education and to help students see themselves reflected in the curriculum. Testifiers from education, student, parent, and community groups overwhelmingly supported the measure, saying it would improve belonging, reduce bullying, and build on existing curriculum resources without creating a new course or major new cost. The hearing ended without a vote or other formal action on SB 5956 or SB 5574.

Transcript Highlights:

• And if the district has declining enrollment, has 45 districts do?
• The district must demonstrate projected growth in a part of the district?
• A district can transfer property sell property by property.
• School districts are almost feel like this is putting in the and the regulation on school districts in
• the district and disperse it to schools with the greatest need.

Transcript Highlights:

• to almost every single district.
• to almost every single district.
• The bill requires districts to provide board members with free and timely access to all district documents
• There are other districts with NDAs, and we consulted those districts as well that also have NDAs for
• Instead of mandating a statewide district policy to place cameras in classrooms, it requires a district

Summary: The committee first heard SJR 1104, a proposed constitutional amendment on voluntary religious expression in public schools. Senator Massullo said the measure would protect students and school personnel from discrimination for lawful religious expression, while not requiring prayer or religious activity. Questions focused on whether the proposal would change existing law, whether it could be used to protect coercive conduct by school officials, and whether the staff summary accurately reflected the bill. Public testimony included support from religious-freedom advocates and opposition from American Atheists and some senators who said the measure could make minority-faith students uncomfortable. The committee voted to report SJR 1104 favorably. The committee then took up SB 1738 on educational facilities, which directs state education offices to review facility requirements and recommend design and construction practices to improve safety and accountability. Senator Yarborough offered and the committee adopted an amendment removing crime-prevention-through-environmental-design language and adjusting the bill to preserve safe spaces during emergencies. The bill was reported favorably after brief discussion about balancing transparency, access control, and emergency safety. The committee also adopted a delete-all amendment to SB 824 on charter schools, replacing it with a transparency measure requiring districts to submit annual reports on unimproved land holdings to the Department of Education, which would publish a statewide report; the amended bill was then reported favorably. The committee next approved confirmation recommendations for appointees on tabs 7 and 8, then took up SPB 7036, a committee bill sponsored by Chair Simon. The package included school turnaround and early literacy changes, updates to school safety and health policies, early learning revisions, instructional changes, and educator pipeline provisions. The most contentious part was a proposal to let the state develop instructional materials; several senators questioned costs, guardrails, and whether the state should enter the textbook business. Simon said that portion was still being considered and that the bill would need safeguards if it moved forward. The committee adopted a motion to submit the bill as a committee bill and reported it favorably. Finally, the committee heard SB 1620 on public education, described by Senator Leak as a “school board members’ bill of rights.” The bill would give individual board members direct access to district documents and staff, limit district attorneys’ ability to represent both the board and administration, strengthen nepotism rules, and prohibit nondisclosure agreements for employees. Testimony from Volusia County board members, educators, and advocates was sharply divided: supporters argued the bill would improve transparency and protect minority board members, while opponents warned it could undermine superintendent authority, expose confidential student or personnel information, and create confusion in district operations. After debate, the committee voted to report SB 1620 favorably. The committee then heard SB 1170 on cameras in self-contained special education classrooms, with an amendment changing the proposal from a statewide mandate to a district policy allowing parents of students with disabilities to request cameras. Testimony was overwhelmingly supportive, centered on protecting non-speaking and vulnerable students and documenting abuse; one witness opposed the bill as an unfunded mandate. The committee was still in debate on the bill when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• Districts.
• But when you're looking at district by district, our self-contained students in our special education
• So we function as an ALE through OMAK School District because that's a district that was interested in
• Conversation with our district.
• How many districts?

Summary: The committee met to hear an overview of Washington’s alternative learning experience (ALE) programs and then an update on artificial intelligence in schools. OSPI’s Anissa Sherritt explained that ALE is a course-level funding designation for instruction that occurs partly or wholly away from the traditional seat-time model, with online, site-based, and remote course types. She emphasized that ALE is still basic education, subject to the same public school requirements, and that OSPI provides technical assistance, annual reporting review, and program reviews. Representatives from several programs described different models: Washington Virtual Academy (a large online ALE operated through Omak School District and partnered with for-profit Stride), Columbia Virtual Academy in Valley School District (a district-run, nonprofit online/remote program), Pearl in Quilcene (a K-8 remote parent partnership program), and River Home Link in Battleground (a site-based hybrid program). They discussed student supports, special education, enrichment, family choice, transportation, and how they measure outcomes. Members asked for follow-up information on funding, demographics, racial and ethnic data, multilingual learners, and post-graduation outcomes, and OSPI agreed to provide additional data where available. The committee then heard from OSPI and several districts about AI guidance and implementation. OSPI’s Holly Ryan Calloway described the agency’s human-centered AI framework, three guidance documents for schools, statewide professional learning, an AI innovation summit, and new AI literacy and informatics course frameworks and CIP codes. Quincy School District described a multi-year effort to integrate AI by centering student needs, creating district policy and classroom guidance, and training teachers to use AI responsibly while building an AI readiness plan from elementary through high school. Peninsula School District described its AI action research team, teacher professional learning, and classroom uses of generative AI to support science instruction, communication, and prompt engineering, while stressing that AI should enhance rather than replace learning. Members raised questions about privacy, energy and water use, prompt engineering, workforce and university connections, and the need for clear standards and ongoing educator training. No votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• The watershed districts are a political subdivision, but they're a sub-district of a soil and water district
• districts, but they lived over here, so they couldn't vote within the watershed district.
• The La Union Watershed District within our soil and water conservation district.
• We don't have any watershed district in our district, but it may come to pass that we do, and we would
• district, the Elephant Butte Irrigation District, that we have a pending U.S.

Committee: House House Agriculture, Acequias And Water Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• TYPICALLY ONCE WE POINT THIS OUT TO THE DISTRICTS THEY REMOVE THAT ACCESS.
• DISTRICTS COUNTY NAMES.
• DOES THAT MEAN UNDER EACH ITEM, THESE SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAD FINDINGS?
• WOULDN'T IT BE NICE TO SHARE WITH ANOTHER DISTRICT YOU DISTRICTS, WOULDN'T IT BE NICE TO SHARE WITH ANOTHER
• Pizzo: I HOPE THE BINDER WOULD NOT CONTAIN ANY ENTITY RELATED TO MY DISTRICT.

Transcript Highlights:

• Do you know if there's any proportionally higher risk to smaller school districts than the districts
• Yes, I'm Representative Jake Fey from the 27th District in Tacoma.
• One school district, it was about 90,000. Okay.
• If, for example, a school district needs to resubmit a report or resubmit data, the school district will
• Yes, you’re correct: it goes to the school districts individually.

Summary: The committee heard a State Auditor’s Office performance audit on OSPI’s school apportionment system, which distributes K-12 funding to districts. Auditors said the system and its underlying 2008-era infrastructure are outdated, unstable, inefficient, and at high risk of errors or failure. They also found weak controls over data input, documentation, oversight, and monitoring, with heavy reliance on a small number of staff and vendor knowledge. In limited testing of three districts, the system calculated 2023–24 funding correctly, but auditors identified small discrepancies between state budget inputs and underlying statutory language and said broader system risks remain unresolved. JLARC members asked about the scope of the district testing, whether smaller districts face greater risk, the meaning of the funding discrepancies, and whether the system could support a future change to a simpler per-student funding formula. Auditors said the discrepancies were small but could compound into millions statewide, and that the audit did not evaluate broader policy questions or alternative system owners. They recommended OSPI modernize or replace the system and address current control weaknesses while the new platform is developed. OSPI officials largely agreed that the current platform needs replacement and said a feasibility study completed in 2024 found the system at catastrophic risk of failure. They clarified that the Legislature had approved up to $16 million in the state IT pool for the project, but that funding is released through gated oversight and not all of it had yet been appropriated for the current biennium. OSPI disputed the auditor’s characterization of some rounding and budget-law issues, saying the calculations were consistent with agency rules and legislative inputs, and explained that some manual workarounds are used to handle newer statutory requirements. One member of the public testified in support of modernizing the system and strengthening controls. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• The good member from the 2nd District, Representative Barkis.
• The good member from the 19th District, Representative Walsh.
• , the fire districts, the school districts, and the hospitals for the benefit of those communities; the
• Further remarks, the good member from the 16th District.
• It made it instead of a district countywide.

Bills: HB2720 , HB2073 , SB5816 , SB5919 , SB5831 , SB6244 , SB6044 , SB5109 , SB5877 , SB6258

Summary: The House convened with a quorum, offered the Pledge of Allegiance and prayer, approved the prior day’s minutes, and then recessed briefly for caucus. The chamber received several Senate messages, including concurrence on amendments and the signing of Engrossed Senate Bill 5068, before moving into third reading and final passage of multiple bills. Most of the floor debate centered on concurrence with Senate amendments and the policy effects of those changes. Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 1170 passed 55-38 and was described as reorganizing and clarifying how Climate Commitment Act auction revenues are distributed among state accounts; supporters said it would create a clearer budget process, while opponents objected to shifting funds away from transportation and capital uses and reducing tax relief. Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 2251 passed 54-40 after debate over Climate Commitment Act account structure and operating-account allocations. Engrossed House Bill 2445 passed 66-29 on probate-related changes, with supporters citing clarifications and opponents saying it did not go far enough to limit outside involvement in probate matters. The House also passed Substitute House Bill 2334 80-15, with little debate after Senate “perfecting” changes. Engrossed Third Substitute House Bill 1960 passed 86-9; supporters said it would replace an inconsistent property tax on wind, solar, and battery storage facilities with a stable excise tax to benefit rural communities, counties, and labor, while opponents focused on tax impacts and local burdens. Additional bills passed included Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1500 on HOA resale certificates (61-34), Second Substitute House Bill 1909 creating a Court Unification Task Force (57-38), Engrossed House Bill 2156 expanding Attorney General investigative authority over economic and financial crimes (54-41 on reconsideration), Substitute House Bill 2539 on inmate funds and related deductions (57-38), Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2548 on health care facility mergers and market oversight (55-41), Engrossed House Bill 2588 on local control for the Lummi ferry system (56-40), and Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2320 on gun violence prevention and 3D-printed firearms (58-38). The House also agreed not to concur in Senate amendments to Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1408 and retransmitted it to the Senate.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> states there are school districts states there are school districts throughout<00:34:43.320><c>
• </c> the potential for those school districts the potential for those school districts to<00:34:53.599
• </c> there are three school districts there are three school districts throughout<00:41:46.640><c> this
• So we send the referral to the district, and the district is part of that meeting.
• So we send the referral to the district, and the district is part of that meeting.

Committee: Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• It'll be up to the district to pay for those.
• , enroll in that district, even if they're not taking any classes, and then enroll through that district
• So the program costs $95,000 in our district.
• In the Middleton district, neighboring district, they only have 1,139 students, and they have 1,139 IDLA
• Committee, Bruce Skog, District 10, Starr, Middleton, Nampa area. This is my district.

Committee: House Education

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:30:51.600><c> Districts</c><00:30:52.080><c> all</c> districts in Kentucky.
• Districts all districts in Kentucky.
• district district that's<00:59:23.040><c> item</c><00:59:23.440><c> D.
• compared with other districts in the compared with other districts in the state?
• </c> worked with it in this district myself. worked with it in this district myself.

Committee: Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• unconstitutional coalition districts.
• But this is based because the Congressional District 29 is the majority Latino CVAP district and it's
• not a coalition district.
• coalition district, a crossover... ...district being where one class of voters that doesn't typically
• Were you aware that one of those districts is wholly in my district, Senate District 13?

Bills: SR5 , SB5 , SB11 , SB12 , SB25 , SB26 , SB28 , SB35 , SB5 , SB11 , SB12 , SB25 , SB26 , SB28 , SB35 , SB5 , SB11 , SB12 , SB25 , SB26 , SB28 , SB35 , SR5

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm joined today by the representative from the 105th District, the Well-Incate district, and we are
• True value and money, so that is the gentleman from the VanSkoik district district...
• And maybe sometimes these weren't in a small district. Maybe it was in a school district.
• You know, they want a fire district.
• This particular water district, Public Water Sewer District No. 12, does have federal money on their

Summary: The House convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, then approved the House Journal for February 10, 2026 by roll call vote, 120-0. Members then used personal privilege and guest introductions to recognize fraternity members, students, advocacy groups, and other visitors. One member delivered remarks honoring Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, and another gave a personal statement about a cousin who died in a domestic violence-related murder-suicide, followed by a moment of silence. The main floor action focused on House Committee Substitute for House Bills 2780 and 2668, a major property tax reform package. The sponsor described the bill as a broad effort to stabilize Missouri’s property tax system after extensive statewide hearings and testimony. The bill and amendments addressed issues including clearer ballot language for tax measures, moving tax-related ballot questions to November general elections, prohibiting “no tax increase” ballot descriptions, standardizing ballot wording, changes to assessed valuation and inspection rules, quarterly tax payment options in some counties, and a fix to a CPI-related provision. Members debated the size and scope of the bill, concerns about local control, election timing, voter fatigue, and possible litigation. Amendments were adopted to narrow the title, add clear ballot language, exempt township counties from the election timing requirement, and remove duplicative language. After the previous question was ordered, the committee substitute as amended was adopted and ordered perfected and printed. The House also perfected House Bill 1917, a Jefferson County-specific water district bill. Supporters said it would allow detachment of a ratepayer from a water district under certain conditions so a large manufacturing project could proceed, describing the district’s demands as obstructive to economic development. The bill passed committee unanimously and was ordered perfected and printed after discussion about the federal loan issue, the district’s refusal to cooperate, and whether the measure should be limited to one district or expanded later. The chamber then moved to announcements, including upcoming committee meetings, a property tax issues presentation by FFA students, birthday wishes, and a recess until 2 p.m.