Transcript Highlights:

• The purpose of the subcommittee is to examine several bills related to housing, make recommendations
• to the full committee on whether we should be ought to pass or ITL, or recommend some amendments.
• You know, move to recommend passage. I will make such a motion. Second. All in favor say aye. Aye.
• All right, Senate Bill 82 is recommended re-refer.
• I all right C Bill 82 is recommended I all right C Bill 82 is recommended re-refer<00:18:47.200>

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• THE COMMISSION OUTLINED 12 RECOMMENDATIONS AND I AM GOING TO HIGHLIGHT SIX MAJOR RECOMMENDATIONS.
• THESE RECOMMENDATIONS FORM THE FOUNDATION AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT I WILL TALK ABOUT TODAY.
• ONE OF THE THINGS WE ARE STRONGLY RECOMMENDING TO ALL OF OUR STATES IS THE FIRST RECOMMENDATION IS THAT
• USUALLY WHAT WE RECOMMEND IS ONE STATE AGENCY TAKE THE LEAD IN THIS.
• YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU WERE GOING TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS.

Transcript Highlights:

• In your recommendation, you mentioned you have several recommendations and suggest the department work
• In our annual report, we've actually recommended the department.
• In our annual report, we've actually recommended, in our most recent end report, we do recommend that
• I think in your recommendations, and I just want to be clear, because...
• So in your recommendations, you all do recommend that we separate, find a way to separate those funds

Summary: The Senate Appropriations Committee on Pre-K-12 Education met for its first meeting of the 2025 session to hear the Auditor General’s operational audit on 2024-25 school funding accountability challenges, focused largely on the Family Empowerment Scholarship and its interaction with the FEFP. Deputy Auditor General Matthew Tracy described rapid growth in scholarship enrollment, timing mismatches between scholarship payments and public-school funding calculations, delayed membership survey processing, weak cross-check and recoupment procedures, inconsistent handling of parent survey responses, and limited documentation for withholding and returning funds. The audit said these issues contributed to funding inequities, duplicate-payment risks, and an unexpected draw on state education funds, and it recommended separating scholarship funding from the FEFP, aligning application windows with budget timing, strengthening controls and staffing, and creating clearer, documented recoupment and balance-limit processes. Committee members questioned whether current law gives the department and scholarship funding organizations enough authority and whether the system is effectively a pay-and-chase model. Several senators expressed concern about the lack of timely reconciliation, the size of the funds involved, and the absence of clear records showing how money was recovered or withheld. Adam Emerson, executive director of the Office of School Choice, said the department is working more closely with school districts and scholarship funding organizations, including pausing payments when districts identify students still enrolled in public schools, and said the office wants to improve the process. President Gates then previewed legislation he said would address the audit’s findings by funding Family Empowerment Scholarships as a separate FEFP categorical, expanding the Education Stabilization Fund, setting clearer application and acceptance deadlines, moving to monthly payments with eligibility verification before each payment, assigning student IDs for scholarship assistance, lowering SFO management fees, requiring annual audits, and requiring prompt return of audit-related funds. Public comment included a private-school attorney describing losses from unpaid scholarship amounts. Members generally supported the need for reform, with several senators saying the program should be preserved but better structured and more accountable. The committee adjourned after the discussion, with no vote taken on the legislation.

Transcript Highlights:

• The PEIS identifies and recommends measures to help project developers.
• The PEISs identify and recommend measures to help project developers.
• Regarding bag thickness, WSU had recommended the removal of the 4-mil rule.
• In the study group process, the ARPBA recommended six recommendations.
• Both of these items were not really addressed in the study recommendations.

Summary: The committee held a work session on state environmental policy act (SEPA) implementation and carryout bags. Ecology staff Diane Buterak described the Clean Energy Programmatic Environmental Impact Statements (PEISs) completed for utility-scale solar, onshore wind, and green hydrogen, plus a new PEIS underway for sustainable aviation fuel. She explained that PEISs provide broad planning-level analysis to help developers and agencies avoid or mitigate impacts, but do not replace project-level review. Members asked about permitting timelines, greenhouse gas emissions from different hydrogen production methods, water use, agricultural land conversion, battery fire risk, and tribal consultation. Buterak said the PEISs identify potentially significant impacts and mitigation measures, including fire response planning, early tribal outreach, and agrovoltaics as an option for solar projects. EFSEC’s Amy Hofkimer then presented the transmission-facility programmatic EIS required by SB 5165 for 230 kV and higher transmission projects. She said the statewide review covers new lines and certain upgrades/modifications, analyzes impacts to water, cultural and tribal resources, habitat, and other areas, and uses general measures, design considerations, avoidance criteria, and sensitivity maps to guide siting and corridor planning. She said the final document would be issued in early October. Questions focused on reconductoring, tribal lands, scenic areas, and whether the review could affect existing lines crossing tribal lands. A Grant County planning director, Jim Anderson Cook, said Ecology’s PEIS would help with cumulative impacts for clustered solar projects, but noted tight local review timelines and the need for strong pre-application coordination, especially on cultural resource studies and decommissioning plans. Yakama Nation attorney Shona Leverett argued SEPA is only an assessment tool and said tribes face barriers from short comment periods, limited confidential tribal input, weak cumulative impact analysis, and challenges in the FSEC process; she urged better upfront developer diligence and more effective tribal coordination. Puget Sound Energy’s Sarah Leverett said the utility needs efficient and predictable permitting to meet clean energy mandates while maintaining reliable service and aging infrastructure. She described the scale of needed clean energy and transmission buildout, including a 10-year process for the Energize Eastside transmission rebuild, and said more consistent SEPA and PEIS processes could help. Members asked about future generation sources, reliability, and hydropower as a firming resource; she said PSE is pursuing an “all of the above” approach and would welcome more firm, dispatchable clean energy options. The committee then shifted to carryout bags. Staff Jacob Lipson and Tracy Taylor reviewed Washington’s bag law, its preemption of local ordinances, the current 8-cent charge, the scheduled increase to 12 cents, and the 2025 change delaying the 4-mil thickness requirement until 2028 while adding a temporary 4-cent penalty for thicker bags. Ecology’s Peter Lyon said the agency emphasizes education and complaint-based enforcement, has received 872 reports, and has not yet imposed any fines. Commerce’s Kirk Esmond summarized a WSU study finding fewer plastic bags distributed but more plastic by weight, and said Commerce and Ecology support keeping the 2.25-mil standard and not allowing thinner single-use bags again. Retail industry testimony from Brandon Housekeeper said grocers comply with the law but oppose the added 4-cent penalty and thicker-bag requirement, citing higher costs and confusion in the policy changes.

Transcript Highlights:

• We can either present or you can come back with a recommendation. Um, Mr.
• For pre-K, we are recommending it remain the same as last year.
• And is that a staff recommendation or is that a Committee, uh, subcommittee recommendation. Mr.
• Approve the staff recommendation on. The recertification of SSTDs.
• Staff recommendation does recommend scenario one as a preferred scheduling module.

Transcript Highlights:

• requiring DNR to make recommendations requiring DNR to make recommendations that<00:03:57.040>
• <00:33:18.000> by<00:33:18.159> the were recommended by the were recommended by the
• Families recommended Families recommended change.<01:41:53.400> 27.12<01:41:54.400> to
• line 203 um the governor's recommended line 203 um the governor's recommended updates<01:51:09.679
• <01:52:27.040> uh is a series of governor recommended uh is a series of governor recommended

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This had a recommendation to the full council without a subcommittee recommendation.
• This had a recommendation to the full council without a subcommittee recommendation.
• If not, this is a Is this a staff recommendation then or a subcommittee recommendation?
• And this is a subcommittee recommendation. recommend this award and the partial local match reduction
• We would recommend that there not be local in the Phase 1 work.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:08:25.680> at from the governor's recommendations at from the governor's recommendations
• :19:54.799> the<00:19:55.120> funds, recommend uh being deposited, the funds, recommend
• decreased the governor's recommendation decreased the governor's recommendation by<00:44:06.800>
• <00:47:56.079> by the standard budget as recommended by the standard budget as recommended
• governor's recommend or governor's recommendations<01:53:07.920> for<01:53:08.239> those

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• has been referred House Bill 57, has had it under consideration and reports the same without recommendation
• referred House Bill 109, as amended, has had it under consideration and reports the same with recommendation
• We are in adoption of a report without recommendation on House Bill 198.
• And with very little scrutiny, it's pretty much a... ...that are recommended to us by different agencies
• HED would then provide a recommendation to the legislature, and the legislature then would appropriate

Bills: HB111, HJR1, HB61, HB8, HB30, HB43, HB156, HJM2, HM7, HM17, HM4, HM22, HM23, HM24, HM26, HM2, HM16, HM11, HM14, HM21, HM34, HM50, HB70, SB3, HJM3

Keywords: water law, state engineer, civil penalty, compliance order, water rights, overdiversion, illegal diversion, groundwater storage and recovery, well license, permit violation, water enforcement, New Mexico water code, irrigation district, conservancy district, water diversion, unauthorized water sales, measuring device, district court appeal, water resources, water compliance

Transcript Highlights:

• commission's recommendations commission's recommendations and<00:24:27.200> comments<00:24
• > pass<01:08:00.240> with Chair's recommendation is to pass with Chair's recommendation
• Recommendation is Thank you, chair. Recommendation is adopted. adopted. adopted.
• > pass<01:09:19.920> with Chair's recommendation is to pass with Chair's recommendation
• Recommendation has Thank you, chair. Recommendation has been<01:11:06.000> adopted.

Bills: SB2141, SB2593, SB2824, SB2135, SB2115

Keywords: retirement, law enforcement, pension, public safety, employee contributions, Law Enforcement Standards Board, LESB, civil service exemption, collective bargaining exemption, law enforcement certification, police standards, law enforcement training, officer certification, training and curriculum coordinator, lead investigative agent, administrative manager, administrator, Hawaii HRS 76-16, Hawaii HRS 139-3, personnel exemption

Transcript Highlights:

• I recommend that we forward this bill with a favorable recommendation for the general session.
• And at this point, these are only recommendations moving forward.
• I move to favorably recommend this committee bill into the general session.
• All right, we have a motion to favorably recommend public education revisions.
• So you can... ...is posted online with these recommendations, the data, etc.

Keywords: 985, all

Transcript Highlights:

• a vote consistent with the recommendation of the company's board of directors, or voting or recommending
• a vote consistent with the recommending a vote consistent with the recommendation<00:43:37.359> of
• of the company's board of recommendation of the company's board of directors<00:43:38.599> or
• c> a directors or voting or recommending a directors or voting or recommending a vote<00:43:40.520
• <00:43:41.640> the vote against the recommendation of the vote against the recommendation of the

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:12 SB 4 (Sen. Mays Bledsoe): 01:34 SB 58 (Sen. Webb): 04:53 SB 117 (Sen. Madon): 07:40 SB 121 (Sen. Wheeler): 10:52 SB 237 (Sen. Howell): 13:09 SB 71 (Sen. Boswell): 18:54 SB 174 (Sen. Nunn): 38:18 SB 176 (Sen. Nunn): 40:54 SB 183 (Sen. Nunn): 42:31 Adjournment: 49:51, 958, all

Summary: The Senate State and Local Government Committee met and first considered Senate Bill 4, sponsored by Sen. Bledsoe, which would create a risk-based AI governance framework for state government and address AI-generated misinformation in campaigns and elections. The sponsor said the bill came from the AI task force and is intended to promote transparency, accountability, and responsible use of AI while distinguishing between internal and external systems. The committee took a roll call vote and reported the bill out 7-0. The committee then heard Senate Bill 58, sponsored by Sen. Webb, which would allow Kentucky Retirement System benefits to be designated to a Special Needs Trust for a beneficiary. Webb said the bill would help families of special-needs children preserve benefits for supplemental needs such as adaptive equipment, technology, and medical or dental care not covered by government programs. He said retirement systems had provided no-impact letters, and the bill passed 7-0. Members also approved Senate Bill 117, which would let cities adjust incentive payments for training by appointed and elected city officials and remove the statutory minimum from ordinance requirements, and Senate Bill 121, which would authorize county judges to contract with rescue groups to deal with wild horse herds in rural areas. SB 117 passed 10-0 and SB 121 passed 10-0. The committee then took up Senate Bill 71, as amended by a committee substitute, dealing with local library board appointments. Sen. Boswell said the bill was a compromise but that he preferred removing KDLA from the process entirely; library representatives opposed the committee substitute and said they wanted KDLA out of the selection process. Several senators expressed conditional support but said they wanted further changes, and the committee adopted the substitute and reported the bill out after a roll call vote with 10 yeas and 1 pass, with members noting they expected further floor amendments.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:23:13.200> and recommendation bill ought to pass. and recommendation bill ought to pass
• HB641 has been recommended by the HB641 has been recommended by the majority<01:06:52.160> as<
• I move to table House Bill 96. recommendation of bill ought to pass. recommendation of bill ought to
• <04:16:27.359> of Judiciary Majority's recommendation of Judiciary Majority's recommendation
• recommendation of ITL to this bill. recommendation of ITL to this bill. um<05:43:06.320> is

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We, your Committee on Joint Budget, to which was referred Senate Bill 14, recommend due pass.
• We, your Committee on Joint Budget, to which was referred Senate Bill 14, recommend due pass.
• We, your Committee on Joint Budget, to which was referred Senate Bill 19, recommend do pass.
• We, your Committee on Joint Budget, to which was referred Senate Bill 22, recommend due pass.
• We, your Committee on Joint Budget, to which was referred Senate Bill 26, recommend due pass.

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• subcommittee could make any sort of recommendations or bring a request for.
• We're not giving a recommendation or anything. I'm not...
• to the full Finance Committee that we do recommend that.
• We do recommend that.
• Subcommittee does recommend to the full Finance Committee that we do recommend that there should be some

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The Government Finance Transportation Study Subcommittee met to review fixed-route transit systems and related funding needs. After approving the prior meeting minutes, the committee heard presentations from Cities Area Transit in Grand Forks/East Grand Forks, Bisman Transit in Bismarck-Mandan, and MATBUS/Fargo, along with comments from North Dakota Protection & Advocacy. The transit agencies described their routes, paratransit services, ridership trends, fare structures, fleet replacement needs, and rising operating costs, emphasizing that transit supports access to work, school, medical care, and other essential services. Testimony also noted that ridership fell during the pandemic and has been recovering, while vehicle and maintenance costs have risen sharply. Grand Forks transit reported 17 routes, a recent fare increase, and operating costs that exceed fare revenue, with paratransit service extending beyond the federal minimum service area. Bisman Transit outlined its fixed-route and paratransit operations, recent service expansions, local mill levies, sales tax support, and federal grant structure, and said it is seeking more stable funding and flexibility beyond paratransit-only support. Minot’s transit superintendent explained the state’s existing transit aid formula, the use of refurbished buses, and the challenges of driver recruitment and electric bus infrastructure. Fargo asked for additional state support for fixed-route urban transit. Committee members discussed whether ride-share services could replace transit, the cost per trip, local match requirements, and whether a separate state funding source should be recommended for the four urban fixed-route systems. The subcommittee ultimately approved a motion to have Legislative Council prepare a summary of its activities for inclusion in the full Government Finance Committee report, and members indicated they would seek more detailed funding figures from the transit agencies before making any specific recommendation.

Transcript Highlights:

• The LFC recommended $44.9 million of the credit there in that FY27 LFC column.
• That was in the LFC recommendation. If you...
• The LFC recommendation did not fund the STEM network, but the HFC recommendation did fully fund the STEM
• It's not in the HFC recommendation. I probably was funded before. Mr.
• The LASC recommended a 3% increase in compensation.

Bills: SB204, SB241, HB34

Keywords: higher education, research funding, federal funding, New Mexico, appropriation, University of New Mexico, New Mexico State University, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, child care, child care assistance, child care subsidy, early childhood education, early childhood care, daycare, preschool, pre-K, Head Start, Early Head Start, Children's Code, early childhood education and care department

Transcript Highlights:

• Or the automobile, but I wouldn't recommend that, but you know that, go.
• Senator Paxton moves that Senate Bill 2367 be recommended for the local and uncontested calendar.
• Senator Mildon moves that Senate Bill 2778 be recommended for the local and uncontested calendar.
• Senator Cook moves that the committee substitute for Senate Bill 2835 be recommended.
• Senator West moves that Senate Bill 3044 be recommended for the local and uncontested calendar.

Bills: HB22, SB250, SB375, SB536, SB845, SB1633, SB1944, SB1957, SB2081, SB2137, SB2262, SB2299, SB2419, SB2452, SB2522, SB2549, SB2594, SB2605, SB2631, SB2639, SB2675, SB3029, SJR60, HB22, HB1392, HB2525

Keywords: emergency communication, broadband, funding, natural disasters, technology, HB 22, Texas broadband development office, comptroller, emergency communications, early warning systems, disaster alerts, natural disaster notifications, interoperable communications, interoperable emergency radio, public safety communications, 9-1-1, next generation 9-1-1, NG911, broadband grants, low-interest loans

Transcript Highlights:

• We have included many of your office's recommendations.
• Senator Parker moves that Senate Bill 1871 be reported to the Senate with a recommendation that it do
• Senator Parker moves that Senate Bill 1873 be reported to the Senate with the recommendation that it
• Senator Paxton moves that Senate Bill 1874 be reported to the Senate with the recommendation that it
• Senator Bettencourt moves the committee substitute for Senate Bill 1872 be recommended.

Bills: SB530, SB757, SB769, SB1085, SB1241, SB1242, SB1409, SB1878, SB2138, SB2314, SB2231, SB2361, SB2431, SJR59

Keywords: accreditation, postsecondary education, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, baccalaureate degrees, junior colleges, program delivery, faculty recruitment, higher education, performance standards, student loan debt, degree programs, funding, students with disabilities, accessibility, enrollment, report, SB 1085, Sul Ross State University, Rio Grande College, Del Rio

Summary: The Senate Committee on Education K-16 met with a large agenda and repeatedly recessed for floor activity and other committee conflicts. The committee heard and left pending several higher education bills, including SB 2361 to transfer University of Houston-Victoria from the University of Houston System to the Texas A&M System and rename it Texas A&M University Victoria; testimony from university officials, local leaders, and industry representatives strongly supported the move as a way to better align degree programs with regional workforce needs in engineering, agriculture, and STEM. SB 530, which would align Texas accreditation statutes with federal rules allowing institutions to choose among nationally recognized accreditors, also received supportive testimony and was left pending. SB 1085, allowing Sul Ross satellite campuses to offer lower-division coursework toward bachelor’s degrees, was laid out and left pending as well. The committee also took up a series of education policy bills. SB 1241 would expand the standardized tests Texas public universities may accept for admission beyond the SAT and ACT, with supporters from the Classic Learning Test, homeschool advocates, and student-choice groups arguing it would increase access and competition; it was left pending. SB 769 would require a TEA/Higher Education Coordinating Board report on barriers faced by students with disabilities in higher education, and testimony from The Arc of Texas and others emphasized the need for better data and accessibility; the bill was left pending. SB 2231 would designate the second week of October as Free College Application Week, and SB 1878 would modernize terminology and support workforce-oriented programs at the Josie School; both were laid out and left pending. The committee reported several bills favorably after adopting committee substitutes. SB 605, concerning charter school expansion applications while under conservatorship or a management team, passed on a 9-0 vote. SB 1871, SB 1873, and SB 1874, all related to school discipline and teacher immunity/placement review provisions, were adopted and reported favorably, with members noting the need for further discussion on some language. SB 762, dealing with flag displays in public schools, passed on a 7-1 vote. SB 1962, relating to public school accountability and challenges to school system operations, passed 7-1 after a corrected vote. SB 1750, replacing a $60 million statewide charter facilities cap with an attendance-growth-based allotment, passed 7-1 with one member voting present not voting. SB 2252, supporting kindergarten readiness and early literacy/numeracy, SB 2253, concerning educator preparation and certification, SB 2365, on student use of wireless devices during instructional time, and SB 1924, restoring local peace officer citation authority for school offenses and adding reporting and parent-notification requirements, were also reported favorably. The committee additionally heard SB 37 on higher education governance and compliance oversight, which passed 7-1 after a substitute that refined curriculum review, governing board authority, faculty senate rules, and a new compliance office within the Higher Education Coordinating Board.

Transcript Highlights:

• There are a few areas recommendations.
• , in the evidence-based recommendation, in the evidence-based recommendation, the<00:15:39.760>
• . recommendation. recommendation.
• Chairman, so this was a recommendation of our consultant, and it was a recommendation of our consultant
• And so would recommend that me.

Bills: HB0159

Keywords: student rights, free expression, K-12 education, speech protection, religious views, political speech, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, I move SB 1327 with the due pass recommendation.
• I move SB 1475 with a due pass recommendation. I move SB 1475 with a due pass recommendation.
• You have given SB 1475 a due pass recommendation.
• You have given SB 1582 a due pass recommendation.
• Receive a due pass recommendation. Is there any further discussion?

Bills: SB1074, SB1327, SB1475, SB1582, SB1583, SB1598

Keywords: student discipline, classroom management, temporary removal, administrative action, education policy, foreign relations, university governance, research security, international agreements, Arizona Board of Regents, interscholastic activities, student eligibility, criminal offenses, school district, youth sports, academic participation, conduct, planned communities, homeowners association, HOA

Summary: The Senate Education Committee heard a presentation from Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne focused on school safety, academic improvement, career and technical education, ESA oversight, and teacher pay. Horne argued that students cannot learn without safe schools and urged more funding for school police officers, citing threats and violent incidents. He also highlighted Project Momentum, tutoring, attendance, classroom phone restrictions, the Student Industry Partnership, expanded ESA participation, and his call to use Proposition 123 land trust funds for direct teacher raises. In response to a question, he said the department is using AI tools, residency checks, and investigators to reduce ESA fraud and abuse. The committee then considered SB 1074, which would require written certification from a principal or administrator before a student removed for discipline could return to class. Horne and the sponsor said the bill would support teachers and hold administrators accountable, while opponents from the Arizona Education Association argued it was redundant, could undermine administrator judgment and FERPA-protected information, and would not address the root causes of classroom disruption. The bill passed 4-3. The committee also heard SB 1327, as amended by a strike-everything amendment requiring Arizona public universities to adopt and report on research security policies to protect against foreign adversary threats and preserve federal funding eligibility. Support came from the sponsor, State Armor, and the Arizona Board of Regents, and the amended bill passed 5-2. Members next approved SB 1475, which bars students convicted of, or admitting to, certain serious offenses from participating in school-sponsored interscholastic activities, with some discussion about rehabilitation, school discretion, and whether a readmittance process should exist. Supporters said the measure was needed for accountability and uniformity after a particularly egregious case; opponents warned it could remove an important rehabilitative outlet. The bill passed 4-3. The committee then advanced SB 1582 and SB 1583, both related to school safety interoperability funding and technical corrections; SB 1582 passed 4-2, and SB 1583, as amended, passed 4-2. Finally, SB 1598, which appropriates $500,000 for school and community gardens, passed unanimously 5-0 after testimony that gardens serve as hands-on learning spaces and supportive environments for students.