Transcript Highlights:

• IT PRESENTS SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR EFFICIENCIES. I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR.
• FUEL EFFICIENCY AND OTHERS.
• TO FULFILL THE REQUIREMENT OF WHAT THAT EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM REQUIRED OF ME.
• THAT WAS A PART OF THE REQUIRED EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM THAT I HAD TO DO.
• IT'S VERY EFFICIENT WITH ITS WORDS.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> Chair Esposito: WE WILL TAKE UP HB 561 RELATING TO EDUCATED CERTIFICATES.
• BY CLEARLY OUTLINING REINSTATEMENT REQUIREMENTS ALLOWING EDUCATORS WITH EXPIRED CERTIFICATES TO OBTAIN
• THIS ENSURES EXPERIENCED EDUCATORS CAN RETURN TO TEACHING MORE EFFICIENTLY WHILE STILL MEETING CURRENT
• CERTIFICATION STANDARDS THE BILL EXPANDS ELIGIBILITY FOR TEMPORARY EDUCATED CERTIFICATES TO INCLUDE
• THE DEPARTMENT ON THE EDUCATORS BEHALF.

Transcript Highlights:

• and then I'll go to the the education and then I'll go to the the education trust<01:15:03.679><
• The second part of what we did was<01:16:40.480> education. was education. was education.
• money from lottery must go to education money from lottery must go to education at<01:23:49.679>
• and providing financial education and providing financial education outreach<01:59:22.480> to
• required transfer from the education required transfer from the education trust<03:00:29.520>

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So currently we are working to develop and enhance program efficiency and improve customer service, or
• So Commerce, of course, Job Service, Health and Human Services, career and technical education, all of
• our education partners really...
• Service, Health and Human Services, career and technical education, all of our education partners, really
• By streamlining resources and leveraging technology, North Dakota ensures transparency and efficiency

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The Budget Section’s Commerce and Legal Services Division met to review the Department of Commerce base budget for the 2027-29 biennium and to receive an update on Commerce programs. Legislative Council staff first walked the committee through the “blue sheet” base budget summary, explaining the major line items, the large share of federal grant authority in Commerce’s budget, and the continuing appropriations that support several Commerce funds. Members asked how grant funding is coordinated across agencies, and staff said collaboration varies by program but is strong in areas like UAS and LIHEAP. Commerce Commissioner Chris Schilken then presented on current activities, focusing heavily on grant administration, transparency, and economic development programs. Members questioned how grant applicants are selected, whether Commerce tracks applications and return on investment, and how long grant awards take to reach recipients. The commissioner said Commerce uses scoring criteria, outside reviewers, a minimum 30-day application window, and typically completes awards within two to three months. A lengthy exchange followed over whether Commerce should open some grants only to intended recipients versus running competitive application processes; Commerce said it follows best-practice grantmaking and that its attorney in the Attorney General’s office approved that approach. Commerce also highlighted the North Dakota Development Fund, citing long-term investment and job creation results, examples such as Red Trail Energy, Packet Digital, Valiance, Corvent Medical, child care loans, and the Automate ND program. Members asked about acceptable failures, lessons learned, regional economic development coordination, and the expansion of the fund into non-primary sectors. Workforce Director Katie Ralston Howell then outlined a statewide workforce ecosystem review, a new governor’s workforce sub-cabinet, and three task forces focused on simplifying entry, warm handoffs, and data integration. She discussed the in-demand occupations list, Workforce Pell, apprenticeships, and efforts to better connect students with employers and higher education. Commerce also briefly reviewed housing programs and a new housing sub-cabinet. No votes were taken; the committee simply received testimony, asked questions, and adjourned after setting up the next meeting to hear the Attorney General budget in June.

Transcript Highlights:

• As a public school educator for 35 years, I truly value public education.
• public education. public education.
• decent education. decent education.
• Creating an independent efficient.
• >> In that case, the statewide education >> In that case, the statewide education property

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The House Committee on Public Education will come to order, and the clerk will call the roll.
• These programs serve a vital role for families seeking religious education.
• Many parents consider religion an important part of their child's education.
• Um, Curriculum and education that they need.
• Vice chair, chairman, members are closed, very efficient.

Transcript Highlights:

• educator classroom to strengthen educator classroom to strengthen educator workforce.<00:10:30.000
• educational leaders across the state. educational leaders across the state.
• shaping the educational pathway. shaping the educational pathway.
• and elementary education.
• I appreciate the opportunity to elementary education. elementary education.

Bills: HF3650, HF2238

Keywords: student career pathways, education framework, experiential learning, employer engagement, career technical education, HF2238, Minnesota, workforce development, construction trades, youth skills training, youth apprenticeship, pre-apprenticeship, construction training, career and technical education, CTE, child labor laws, minor labor, labor exemption, workforce pipeline, skilled trades

Transcript Highlights:

• educational classification of autism. educational classification of autism.
• Department of Education. Department of Education.
• Department of Education.
• Department of Education.
• having four that are very efficient? having four that are very efficient?

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you so much with Some of the material that was presented as far as the efficiencies or also the
• For their educational needs, absolutely, sir.
• I've gotten an education on that particular project.
• For me, whether or not we're doing it as efficiently as we should, or should we be doing something else
• These improvements reflect our commitment to efficiency and accountability operational efficiency is

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill aims to eliminate the redundancy, ultimately facilitating more efficient and more effective
• As you just heard, it makes operations more efficient. It makes the process faster.
• We're going to switch to Senator West because I have to send him down to the education committee.
• Levond Aloni, and I'm here representing Habitat for Humanity, as well as the Texas Educational Policy
• Some key points of support: It improves operational efficiency.

Bills: SB208, SB628, SB777, SB1042, SB2354, SB2477, SB2521, SB2523, SB2608, SB2703, SB2778, SB2835, SB2965, SB2367, SB3044

Keywords: workforce housing, capital investment fund, affordable housing, housing development, Texas housing laws, loan programs, community development, Texas housing, zero-interest loans, low-income housing, nonprofit organizations, construction, economic stability, housing affordability, capital investment, Texas housing policy, county fire code, fire marshal, local government code, interlocal agreement

Summary: The Senate Committee on Local Government met with a quorum and limited public testimony to two minutes per person. The committee heard Senate Bill 628 by Senator Zaffirini, which would clarify that counties may enter interlocal agreements with emergency service districts to administer and enforce county fire codes, including for multi-county ESDs in the committee substitute. Witnesses from Travis County ESD-11, the Travis County Fire Marshal’s Office, and a member of the public supported the bill as a way to reduce duplication, costs, and jurisdictional confusion. Public testimony was closed and the committee substitute was left pending. The committee then heard several housing-related bills. Senate Bill 208 by Senator West would create a Workforce Housing Capital Investment Fund to provide zero-interest loans to nonprofit builders for workforce housing; Habitat for Humanity representatives, a Brownsville nonprofit developer, and housing advocates supported it as a way to finance infrastructure and land development for affordable homes. Senate Bill 2835 by Senator Johnson would allow cities to opt into single-stair apartment buildings for small-scale, multi-story housing; supporters said the design is safe and could expand housing supply, while the Texas APA expressed qualified opposition over code-process concerns and fire-safety questions. Both bills were left pending after testimony. Additional bills heard included SB 1042 updating the Kimble County Hospital District’s enabling law; SB 1708, a committee substitute protecting familial property divisions from platting requirements; SB 2778 raising the ESD expenditure threshold requiring board approval from $2,000 to up to $50,000; SB 2608 expanding LIHTC eligibility for certain public housing projects; SB 3044 adding board representation for Marfa and Presidio on the Presidio County Underground Water Conservation District and adjusting an exemption; SB 2367 extending park board authority to Waller County; SB 2523 clarifying ETJ reduction procedures and owner opt-out rights; SB 2521 requiring death-certificate reporting to appraisal districts to help address squatting and homestead exemption issues; and SB 2477 easing office-to-residential conversions in larger cities. In each case, the bills were laid out, testimony was taken, and the measures were left pending subject to call of the chair. The committee then recessed until 15 to 30 minutes after adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• And everybody looks at the federal government as not as efficient as it could be.
• So there are some issues; there are efficiencies to be gained. I'll give you an...
• There is some issues, the things there's efficiencies to be gained.
• We did an outreach and educating the property owners on the project.
• So there's definitely room for efficiencies. I mean, I can give you a lot of examples.

Summary: The meeting began with introductions from members of the Joint Transportation Committee and a presentation from the Association of Washington Cities and the public works directors of Richland, Kennewick, Pasco, and West Richland. The cities described the Quad Cities region as one of the fastest-growing in the state and outlined shared transportation priorities that align with the committee’s focus on safety, multimodal access, climate resilience, and economic development. They emphasized Vision Zero efforts, complete streets, ADA accessibility, regional trail and bike/pedestrian planning, and coordinated long-range transportation and land-use planning to manage growth. The city officials also discussed major funding and delivery challenges, including rising construction costs, project phasing, pavement preservation, right-of-way acquisition, and delays caused by state and federal permitting and review processes. They highlighted regional cooperation through the Benton-Franklin Council of Governments, Good Roads, and local funding tools such as impact fees, transportation benefit districts, REET, tax increment financing, and state and federal grants. Specific projects discussed included Richland’s SR 240/Aaron Drive complete streets project and downtown connectivity work, Kennewick’s Columbia Center Boulevard improvements and rail study, Pasco’s Court/Road 68, Sylvester Street corridor, I-182 bridge/interchange work, and a new north-south bridge study, and West Richland’s SR 224 Red Mountain corridor project, which officials said was awarded under budget and is scheduled to begin construction. Committee members asked questions about sidewalk connections to schools, state-agency right-of-way timelines, apprenticeship utilization, contractor selection, and whether complete streets requirements add burdens to pavement preservation projects. The city officials said new development is generally meeting sidewalk standards, but older infill areas remain a gap; that state right-of-way transactions can take much longer than expected; that apprenticeship requirements are common but harder for smaller contractors and local labor markets; and that low-bid contracting leaves little room to screen for performance history. They also said complete streets requirements are usually manageable on major projects but can be difficult to absorb in smaller preservation work. The committee then shifted to a JTC-funded study on transit-oriented development, presented by Urban Institute researcher Yona Freemark. The study examined TOD conditions in 33 cities in Snohomish, King, Pierce, Clark, and Spokane counties near rail and bus rapid transit stations. Freemark said Washington’s housing affordability crisis is severe, especially near transit, and found that high-cost cities have seen more development near stations but also signs of gentrification and loss of affordable housing, while lower-cost cities have had less development and worsening affordability relative to income. He identified barriers including high debt costs, land costs, infrastructure costs, zoning and parking rules, and limited subsidies for affordable housing. He recommended more neighborhood infrastructure funding near stations, stronger affordable housing investment, and better use of public land, noting that HB 1491 and related legislation are already changing some local requirements.

Transcript Highlights:

• school educators.
• Our research covers the full education policy spectrum, pre-K through education...
• education.
• educator input, or any serious accounting of the financial and educational consequences.
• And public education and public education, Public—only public education can serve these students, and

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We most recently have taken on several education programs.
• We most recently have taken on several education programs.
• The education specification is to develop an education specification. ...is essentially their plan of
• specification prototype so the education specification is to develop an education specification. is
• to develop an education specification prototype so the education specification for a school district

Summary: The Capital Budget Committee heard presentations from the Department of Commerce, the Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO), and a consultant on the School Construction Assistance Program (SCAP) study. Commerce officials described their agency’s role in housing, energy, local government, broadband, and other capital programs, and reported on a $5 million pilot under Senate Bill 5200 that used trusted community messengers and technical assistance to help historically excluded organizations prepare for capital funding. They said 18 organizations received direct support and 79 smaller projects were also funded, but emphasized that statutory match rules, reimbursement-based payments, site-control requirements, insurance and audit costs, and extensive contracting rules remain major barriers. Commerce outlined efforts to expand outreach, digital modernization, internal contracting improvements, tribal MOUs, and innovation centers, and members asked about small business support, housing program placement, and outreach to Eastern Washington and communities of color. RCO described its grant programs for recreation, conservation, education, and salmon/orca recovery, and reviewed equity work done before and after a 2021-23 proviso. The agency had already created a small-communities carve-out in youth athletic facilities, piloted stipends for advisory committee members, and reduced match requirements where allowed. Under the proviso, RCO completed an equity review and a planning program that funded 54 projects across 34 counties, with many applicants being new or long-absent grantees. Staff said the review led to changes in scoring criteria, clearer application guidance, more objective data measures, expanded technical assistance, and targeted community engagement. Members asked about application burden, project sizes, outreach, and how the agency is broadening participation and representation on advisory committees. The final presentation summarized a planning study on SCAP, which examined rising construction costs, fragmented grant programs, local funding barriers, and uneven district capacity. The report recommended nine major changes, including stronger planning support, a new minor-modernization category, a mechanism to use unused funds more quickly, an education-specification prototype, a SCAP enhancement program for low-capacity districts, acceptance of non-SCAP funds, phased modernization, streamlined D-form and reimbursement processes, and revisions to the SCAP formula to better account for grade-band differences, enrollment projections, and regional cost factors. Additional recommendations included ongoing monitoring and evaluation, facilities-impact reviews, matching SCAP increases to construction-cost inflation, earlier locking of funding estimates, flexible program spaces, and updated statewide building-condition assessments. No votes were taken during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• The statutory mission of our office is to promote the highest attainable standards of competence, efficiency
• So, this small staff of seven people efficiently facilitates the functioning of Minnesota's statewide
• programs or educational programs, including adult basic education.
• In many cases, they have access to a tablet that is specific to educational content.
• We did have a breach of the tablet security in the education program at Faribault.

Bills: HF2432

Keywords: HF2432, judiciary finance bill, public safety finance bill, corrections policy, crime victims, victim services, Minnesota victims of crime account, court fees, marriage license fee, financial crimes, fraud investigations, insurance fraud, Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, BCA, Commerce Fraud Bureau, wage theft, automobile theft prevention, nonprofit security grants, 911 funding, POST Board

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:50:13.359> to state cost of in education to state cost of in education to operate<00:50
• I must say that special education—and I had that special education because I've been in college work
• It's called an efficiency factor.
• And where's the efficiency factor? We have to look for it. Efficiency. Universal efficiency.
• Universal efficiency see it efficiency Universal efficiency see page<03:58:14.600> 8<03:58:14.960

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee held a work session focused on school funding formulas, adequacy aid, and special education aid, with the chair outlining a schedule for the next several Tuesdays and noting that the committee would likely need multiple executive sessions to narrow down the bills. Members discussed the FY 26 formula, including base cost, differentiated aid, extraordinary needs grants, hold harmless provisions, and the roughly $28 million in excess statewide education property tax (SWP) funds that are not currently returned to the state under the existing formula. The first bill discussed was HB 137, which would allow excess SWP funds to remain with the local municipality for school and municipal purposes. Representative Spilsbury argued the issue is fundamental and suggested the state should require excess funds to be remitted back to the state, while Representative Damon said the bill appears to codify current practice and may be unnecessary, especially given possible court action. The discussion then shifted to a related bill from Representative Fellas that would redefine SWP as local money rather than state money and keep the current adequacy aid numbers revenue-neutral for now. Representative Fellas explained that SWP was created in 1999 after the Claremont lawsuit as part of the state’s effort to show increased school aid, but that it effectively labeled part of the local property tax as state money without changing property tax bills. She argued the state should not be tapping local property tax revenue and said her bill would preserve the current distribution while removing the SWP tax label, with future work possible on a different measure of local capacity such as income, home values, or poverty rate. Members also referenced prior discussions of fiscal capacity aid, relief aid, and other formula changes as part of the broader effort to restructure school funding.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:40:02.320> trust general fund and the education trust general fund and the education trust
• for efficiency efficiency efficiency and<01:10:25.280> making<01:10:25.520> sure<01:10:
• , correctional education, correctional education, uh uh uh uh<01:11:42.480> hospital<01:11
• <01:14:05.600> myself type of bills, I try to educate myself type of bills, I try to educate
• with regards to our edifying educators. with regards to our edifying educators.

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Regarding special education funding and possible special education funding models.
• ECSE special education, it's not the 4X threshold.
• Tesher's point, we as a multi-district special education unit—and I'm with a multi-district special education
• routes, and career and technical education routes.
• special education.

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the March 4, 2026 minutes, and received a lengthy Department of Public Instruction presentation from Stanley Schauer Jr. on North Dakota student performance data in math and ELA, with comparisons between students with disabilities and students without disabilities. Schauer explained the assessment systems used, the 1% alternate assessment cap for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities, the absence of 2019-20 data due to the pandemic, and how state standards are set by North Dakota educators. Members asked about cohort trends, the role of alternate assessments, grade-level patterns, and whether the state should focus more on reducing the novice category than on moving students from approaching to proficient. Schauer also discussed the new NDA Plus assessment, the state’s planned growth model, and the possibility of future breakdowns by disability category or by schools using science-of-math approaches. Special education educators testified that students with disabilities continued to receive services during COVID because of FAPE obligations, which likely helped limit learning loss, and emphasized that IEP teams focus on individual growth rather than only proficiency buckets. Committee members then shifted to special education funding and possible funding models. Brandon Bombach of Grand Forks Public Schools presented on the state aid formula, focusing on the special education weighting factor and arguing that the current formula does not adequately respond to growing student needs because it counts enrollment but does not adjust when the number of students with IEPs rises. He used examples to show that a district can have the same enrollment and receive the same weighting even if the number of students needing services increases. Members discussed whether the formula should be tied more closely to actual need and accountability, and the chair indicated that the committee would continue gathering data and ideas for a later meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're using land<00:25:43.440> efficiently.
• Continuing base funding for home buyer education, counseling, and training will allow community-based
• Continuing base funding for home buyer education, counseling, and training will allow community-based
• Most importantly, it helps reduce per-unit costs by efficiently using scarce public dollars.
• Most importantly, it helps reduce per-unit costs by efficiently using scarce public dollars.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Four main points of change there is a broader agricultural education component to this legislation as
• <00:10:16.920> land<00:10:17.240> use farming experience efficient land use farming
• experience efficient land use and<00:10:18.079> access<00:10:18.360> to<00:10:18.519><
• opportunities that are going educational opportunities that are going to<00:10:35.639> be<00:
• <00:10:47.040> component broader agricultural education component broader agricultural education

Keywords: 00:00 -- Introduction 00:13 – Attendance Roll Call 08:25 – Discussion of HB 315 23:45 – Roll call vote on HB 315 26:35 – Discussion of HB 356 46:30 – Roll call vote on HB 356, 958, all

Summary: The House Agriculture Committee first spent much of the meeting recognizing the large number of 4-H and FFA students and guests in attendance, with members from several counties introducing their groups and praising the programs for developing future agricultural and civic leaders. Comments emphasized the value of youth involvement in agriculture, leadership, and public speaking, and several members noted their own 4-H or FFA backgrounds. The committee then took up House Bill 356, and adopted a committee substitute before hearing testimony on the revised measure. House Bill 356, sponsored by Representative Carney, would create the Kentucky Urban Youth Agriculture Initiative, expanding the original urban farming concept into broader agricultural education, agribusiness, advocacy, and work-ready skills. The substitute removed the requirement that participants have access to farmland, lowered the age floor from six to five, broadened participation, and established a pilot program with implementation left to Cooperative Extension. Supportive testimony came from a 4-H student and Kentucky 4-H representatives, who described how the program helps youth explore many interests and removes barriers for urban students. Members from both parties praised the bill as a way to reach more youth and strengthen agricultural education. The committee approved House Bill 356 as amended by the committee substitute on a roll call vote, with all members present voting yes. The committee then heard House Bill 315 from Representative Sharp, a foreign adversary land bill intended to limit certain foreign entities’ ability to purchase Kentucky land. Before member questions, Tim Shank of the Kentucky Bankers Association testified in opposition to one section of the bill, saying banks already screen borrowers through federal systems and that Section 8’s reference to an Attorney General lien for “actual costs” was too vague. He warned the language could create uncertainty for mortgage holders and potentially affect credit availability for farmers. Representative Sharp said he had just learned of the concern and may need to work with the Attorney General’s office to address it. He also said the bill was largely the same as last year’s version, except for the removal of a leasing-related paragraph, and the committee began discussion of the bill after that testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:37:22.760> chair<00:37:23.079> Roy Education chair Roy Education chair Roy takumi<00
• <00:37:46.280> is<00:37:46.680> education the department of education is education
• the department of education is education we<00:37:47.880> develop<00:37:48.319> the<00:
• It's factors outside of education.
• It's factors outside of education.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Education held an informational/budget briefing with presentations from the State Library System, the School Facilities Authority, and the Department of Education. The chair opened the meeting by outlining the order of presentations and noting that members would hold questions until after all three agencies had testified. The discussion focused on each agency’s priorities for the upcoming biennium and their budget requests. State Librarian Stacy Aldridge described library usage and services, emphasizing strong demand for physical and digital materials, internet and Wi-Fi access, programs, Kanopy streaming, and PressReader. She highlighted digital literacy classes, RFID self-check and smart shelving improvements, and the role of libraries as community hubs. The library’s budget request included an additional $1.2 million for security guards, $48.484 million for FY 26-27 to support popup libraries during temporary closures and other needs, $500,000 for repair and maintenance, $2 million for Kap planning and design, and $25 million each year for lump-sum capital funding. Mallerie Fujitani said the lump-sum funding is needed to keep roughly 50 projects moving and to avoid delays in construction. School Facilities Authority Executive Director Ricky Fujitani explained the agency’s startup history and its programs for preschools, Central Maui schools, and workforce housing. He said the authority is using standardized, prefabricated, programmatic approaches to speed delivery and improve maintainability, citing prior preschool renovations as a successful model. He reported that of $389 million appropriated, $106 million was released, with $81 million for preschools, $20 million for Central Maui schools, and $5 million for workforce housing; he also noted the workforce housing program was reduced after Maui fire-related reallocations. He said the pilot workforce housing site at Mililani High School has been awarded and pointed to University of Hawaiʻi student housing projects as a model. Superintendent Hayashi then began the Department of Education presentation, introducing DOE leadership and outlining the department’s mission to support academic achievement, character development, and student well-being. He noted the department serves more than 152,000 students in 258 public schools and employs over 42,000 people, with nearly 54% of students facing significant challenges. He framed the budget request around the department’s strategic plan to prepare graduates for college, careers, or military service. The transcript ends during the DOE presentation, before any committee votes or formal actions are taken.