Transcript Highlights:

• I think there’s a student-led advertising difference that drove student choices.
• I wonder if you can talk a little bit about that, and, you know, are student choices and student demand
• I'm a bioengineering PhD student in Dr.
• So these students had the opportunity to learn skills in the lab towards being part of the growing alternative
• I know the students want burgers because when I was a student I always wanted to have food.

Summary: The Select Committee on Alternative Protein Innovation held its second informational hearing at UCLA, focusing on California’s alternative protein sector and the role of public institutions in expanding plant-based, fermentation, and cultivated protein options. Chair Ash Kalra opened by highlighting prior state investments in UC research centers, the importance of student engagement, and the hearing’s three panels: reducing the carbon footprint of institutional meals, addressing market challenges to scaling alternative proteins, and advancing future food research and workforce development. Assemblymember Isaac Bryan also briefly praised the committee’s work and its relevance to climate and health goals. The first panel featured Friends of the Earth, UCLA Dining, and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. Megan Jones described California school food efforts, including technical assistance and microgrants that helped districts expand plant-based meals, reduce water and carbon footprints, and improve student satisfaction. Pete Angelese explained how UCLA Dining uses concept-driven venues, sustainable purchasing, and marketing nudges to increase plant-forward choices, while Dr. Michelle Wood outlined Los Angeles County’s 2024–2025 board motions to expand plant-based options in county food venues and programs, including joining the World Resources Institute’s Cool Food Pledge. Committee members asked about costs, procurement, and how student and consumer behavior can be influenced. The second panel addressed market barriers to scaling alternative proteins. Zach Weston and Daniel Gertner emphasized that the sector faces a cost-and-scale trap, high capital needs, and financing gaps, and they recommended grants, tax credits, loan guarantees, procurement commitments, and workforce development. T.K. Pillen of Beyond Meat argued that the category has faced a recent downturn due to consumer skepticism, industry attacks on “fake meat,” and pricing pressures, and said the key to renewed growth is increasing demand through better taste, health, pricing, and messaging around “plant protein.” Panelists also discussed hidden subsidies and structural advantages for conventional animal agriculture, and committee members raised questions about iBank loan guarantees and supply chain challenges. The final panel highlighted UCLA’s research and training efforts. Dr. Amy Roet described the Future Food Fellows program, which trains students across disciplines in science, communication, leadership, and community-building, and supports research on scalable, safe, and nutritious alternative proteins. Corinne Smith shared her cultivated meat research and student leadership in the Alternative Proteins Project at UCLA. Dr. Janet Tomiyama presented consumer psychology findings showing that disgust, gender norms, and terminology strongly affect acceptance, with “plant protein” and “complementary proteins” testing better than “fake meat.” The hearing concluded with support for continued public investment, clearer messaging, and expanded education and workforce pipelines to help California remain a leader in alternative protein innovation.

Transcript Highlights:

• For one, they drive our students safely to school.
• I remember I went to South High School in Minneapolis, which had 2,000 students.
• His skills were something...
• The skills he used during the day with his kids were some of the same skills that he had to use at night
• You can’t be working on these farms with these students."

Bills: HF1049

Committee: House Taxes

Keywords: school library aid, education finance, school districts, charter schools, funding eligibility

Transcript Highlights:

• I am a first-generation college student.
• TSC plays a critical role in this ecosystem, preparing students for high-skill, high-demand, and high-wage
• our students receive a grant.
• We have a longstanding reputation for preparing highly skilled nurses with more than 600 students enrolled
• We have a longstanding reputation for preparing highly skilled nurses with more than 600 students enrolled

Committee: Senate Appropriations Committee on Higher Education

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• IN THIS GROUP IS HELPING US UNDERSTAND THE GAPS IN SKILLS FOR APPLICANTS AS WELL AS EXISTING BARRIERS
• AND ONGOING MAINTENANCE OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE AS WELL AS SKILLS NEEDED TO TEACH DIGITAL LITERACY TO
• TO HELP THEM FIND HIGH QUALITY JOBS AND CAREERS AND HELP EMPLOYERS HIRE AND RETAIN SKILLED WORKERS.
• , EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS, FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS, THINGS, SOFT SKILLS, EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS, FOUNDATIONAL
• THE NETWORK ARE GEARED TOWARDS THOSE TECHNICAL SKILLS TOWARDS THE OCCUPATIONAL SKILLS WE DO ALSO PROVIDE

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> and mainly the students. and mainly the students.
• </c> skillful and wise in doing it. skillful and wise in doing it.
• </c> help their students. help their students. Ms.<00:53:12.680><c> Blair.
• the skills that they're learning.
• reading materials that skill-aligned reading materials that allow<00:55:52.240><c> students</c><00:55

Committee: House Primary and Secondary Education

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• From the student perspective, tuition and cost of attendance is a big concern for students.
• Students who want to pursue a career in health care education have invaluable skills that I think they
• So students that want to pursue a career in health care education, those are invaluable skills that I
• So the universities, I believe, play a crucial role in supporting students and developing those skills
• Additionally, the board administers the Student Tuition Recovery Fund to compensate students who are

Committee: Senate Senate Education Committee of Reference

Summary: The Senate Education Committee met, approved the March 25, 2026 minutes, and considered two executive nominations. First, the committee heard testimony from Aidan Kane Vaux, nominated as a student regent for the Arizona Board of Regents. Vaux described his background as an ASU biomedical engineering graduate student and researcher, his teaching and mentoring experience, and his interest in representing students. Senators asked about how his engineering training would inform board service, student concerns about tuition and cost transparency, expanding STEM and health care education, mental health resources, and improving educational access in rural Arizona. Vaux said he would bring a problem-solving, data-driven perspective and emphasized affordability, student support, rural outreach, and broader access to research and health-related opportunities. The committee voted 6-0, with one member not voting, to recommend his confirmation to the full Senate. The committee then heard from Andrea Marasota Snow, nominated to the Arizona State Board for Private Post-Secondary Education. Snow said she serves as Chief Legal and Government Affairs Officer at Pima Medical Institute and would use her legal and regulatory experience to help the board with licensing, complaint review, compliance, and student protections. She emphasized balancing institutional growth with oversight and protecting students through the Student Tuition Recovery Fund and other safeguards. The committee voted 6-0, with one member not voting, to recommend her confirmation to the full Senate. Before adjourning, members thanked staff and nominees, and the chair noted Senator Diaz’s birthday. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> the for the students. the for the students.
• And these skills sort of cross over in the different courses that the students take in order to help
• </c> students are going to go. students are going to go.
• </c> Uh a lot of the students don't love it. Uh a lot of the students don't love it.
• </c> students are going to be. students are going to be.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Budget Review Subcommittee on Education met for an overview of the Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE). After approving the prior meeting minutes, staff from CPE explained that the council was reconstituted in 1997 and serves as Kentucky’s statewide coordinating body for higher education, with responsibilities including advising the General Assembly and governor, coordinating the postsecondary system, supporting budget and performance funding work, and using data to track outcomes. They described Kentucky’s governance structure, including the KCTCS governing board, independent boards at public universities, and CPE’s role in licensing private institutions and overseeing transfer, closed-school records, and tuition approval. CPE staff emphasized statewide strategic planning and the “60 by 30” goal of having 60% of working-age Kentuckians hold a meaningful credential by 2030. They said the agency uses dashboards, KPIs, and peer comparisons to set targets for institutions and monitor enrollment, retention, and graduation. They also highlighted the Kentucky Graduate Profile, a voluntary effort to embed 10 essential workforce skills into general education and major programs, and noted ongoing work on academic program approval, performance funding, and a biennial budget request. The presentation also focused on student support and workforce alignment initiatives. Staff described the Kentucky Advising Academy, the Commonwealth Education Continuum, and the Kentucky Student Success Collaborative, which work with K-12 partners and campuses to improve advising, transfer, wraparound supports, and career planning. They also discussed GEAR UP, the Futurity career-planning platform, and efforts to connect education pathways to workforce needs, including healthcare, veterans, and other adult learners. CPE reported that student debt at graduation has fallen to $10,168 at public institutions and that six in ten Kentucky undergraduates graduate debt free.

Transcript Highlights:

• Reliance on AI can impact students' learning capacity, their social and emotional skills, and their relationships
• Reliance on AI can impact students' learning capacity, their social and emotional skills, and their relationships
• If our state is serious about improving student outcomes and closing the student achievement gap, then
• The state's Black students and Latino students far underperform their White and Asian peers.
• The state's black students and Latino students far underperform their white and Asian peers.

Committee: House Education

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It connects Texans directly to skilled careers without the burden of student debt.
• In the marketplace, in all of the skilled trades, electricians, HVAC, and welders.
• Particularly, a lot of these skilled tradesmen are able to go be in the workforce, learn their skills
• Her background and her personal skills, and her husband's skills.
• In the skill. Is that right? I appreciate you very much. Okay, thank you.

Bills: HB431 , HB648 , HB 1006 , HB1926 , HB2037 , HB2468 , HB2788 , HB2791 , HB3255 , HB3260

Committee: House Trade, Workforce & Economic Development

Keywords: HB 431, Texas Property Code, Property Code Chapter 202, solar roof tiles, solar shingles, solar energy device, homeowners association, HOA, property owners' association, POA, renewable energy, residential solar, distributed solar, roof-mounted solar, homeowner rights, architectural control, restrictive covenants, real estate, subdivision regulations, multi-zoned subdivisions

Transcript Highlights:

• REPORTING TO A CLASSROOM NEXT DOOR AND I GO IN AND THE STUDENTS HAVE HEADSETS ON AND ARE ENGAGING IN
• CPR FIRST AID, OSHA TEN, AND EVERY STUDENT IS COMPLETING A READY TO WORK BASICALLY A SKILLS PROGRAM WITH
• CREDENTIAL SHOWING THEIR BASIC SKILLS IN THE AREA OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
• THEY GET THESE SKILLS AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE PROGRAMS WITH OUR SERVICES AND SUPPORTS.
• TO SATISFY -- OR IS IT 5 PERCENT OF STUDENTS AT ANY GIVEN TIME THAT DO NOT HAVE INSTRUCTORS?

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The skilled care is 135,686 a year.
• for skilled care services.
• Everybody, every student takes it.
• And our average students are doing as good as, if not better than, the top students in other places.
• Now we're at approximately $2,500 per student and growing.

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 2271, which would formally place adult residential facilities in code and rebase their Medicaid reimbursement rates. Sponsor Chairman Ruby and HHS staff explained that these facilities, often serving people with dementia or acquired brain injury, are reimbursed at a much lower rate than skilled nursing care and help reduce bottlenecks in higher-level facilities. Members questioned how the program differs from basic care and nursing facility memory care, and the bill was referred to the HR section for deeper review before possible action on Monday. The committee then took up Senate Bill 2396, as amended, which would authorize an independent third-party performance audit of the Department of Commerce and the North Dakota Development Fund, with findings shared with the state auditor. Sponsors said the proposal was prompted by concerns raised in testimony and that a private audit could begin faster than a state audit. The committee adopted an amendment adding an emergency clause and directing the report to the Legislative Audit and Fiscal Review Committee, then passed the bill 20-0 with 3 absent. Next, Representative Clemine presented Senate Bills 2226, 2036, and 2037. SB 2226 would presume an incarcerated person indigent at initial appearance so counsel can be provided at that critical stage; the commission said the appropriation would fund contract attorney hours, and the bill was sent to HR for further review. SB 2036 would create procedures for determining juvenile fitness to proceed in delinquency cases, with a $500,000 appropriation for mental health evaluations, and SB 2037 would begin a juvenile criminal code framework and include a $300,000 appropriation for fitness-to-proceed evaluations; both were also referred to HR, with some concern raised about staffing and overlapping functions. After a short break, the committee heard education-related appropriations bills. SB 2234 would replace expired ESSER funding for Choice Ready grants, but members noted the program was not included in the K-12 budget and sent it to E&E for comparison with existing appropriations. SB 2286, a University of North Dakota request for a new nursing school facility, drew extensive discussion about the age and condition of the current building and the size and scope of the project; the committee ultimately adopted a do-not-pass motion 22-0. SB 2213, the “science of mathematics” bill modeled on the science of reading initiative, would fund math professional development and implementation; it was also referred to E&E for further review. The committee then briefly passed the Racing Commission budget, SB 2023, and began discussion of the Trust Lands budget, SB 2013, including a proposed retention increase for investment-related positions.

Transcript Highlights:

• These would not be pre-K students.
• and of the bullying student.
• Our students are declining.
• In 2017, 57% to 61% of students, oh, if we could just have those days back, 57% to 61% of the students
• Students know how to bypass them, and once one student learns, they spread their knowledge.

Committee: House Elementary and Secondary Education

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Reliance on AI can impact students' learning capacity, their social and emotional skills, and their relationships
• Reliance on AI can impact students' learning capacity, their social and emotional skills, and their relationships
• If our state is serious about improving student outcomes and closing the student achievement gap, then
• The state’s Black students and Latino students far underperform their White and Asian peers.
• The state's black students and Latino students far underperform their white and Asian peers.

Summary: The hearing opened with several procedural announcements and then took up AB 2148, which would prohibit artificial intelligence from replacing education workers. The author and supporters from the California Federation of Teachers and California School Employees Association argued the bill was a modest first step to protect human educators, students’ social-emotional development, and teacher agency in classroom technology decisions. Public support came from labor and education groups, while some school administrator and county office representatives said they were moving to neutral or awaiting the printed amendments. The committee discussed teacher shortages and the role of AI as a supplement rather than a replacement, then passed AB 2148 as amended to Higher Education on a 5-0 vote. The committee then heard AB 2202, which would create a Closing the Achievement Gap Commission to advise the State Board of Education. The author and sponsors said the commission would improve coordination between state and local education leaders and help the state better support local efforts to close achievement gaps. Support came from CSBA, CFT, charter schools, and many district leaders. Members raised questions about early childhood representation on the commission, and the author said he would discuss that with the sponsor. The bill passed as amended to Appropriations on a 5-0 vote. The consent calendar, including AB 1569, AB 2071, AB 2206, AB 2298, AB 2467, AB 2580, AB 2652, and AB 2726, was also approved. AB 2555 was then heard as a special order bill to reform English learner reclassification. The author said the current system is outdated, inconsistent, and too subjective, and proposed a more automatic, transparent process with stronger parent involvement and post-reclassification monitoring. Testimony in support emphasized personal experiences of delayed reclassification and the need to recognize biliteracy; there was no opposition. The bill passed as amended to Appropriations on a 6-0 vote. The committee also approved AB 1860, which would extend design-build authority to county offices of education while preserving prevailing wage, apprenticeship, and skilled workforce requirements; opposition from county superintendent and facilities groups was removed after amendments, and the bill passed 6-0 to Appropriations. Later, the committee passed AB 2514, which would create a State of Achievement Gap Dashboard to track state-level progress in closing achievement gaps, and AB 2149, which would require the Legislative Analyst’s Office to publicly assess the state’s progress and recommend actions. Both bills were presented as part of a broader package to improve state accountability for student outcomes, and both passed as amended to Appropriations on 7-0 votes. Finally, AB 2490 was heard, proposing to allow longer-term substitute assignments with added training, mentorship, and parent notification to address teacher shortages and classroom instability. Supporters said it would reduce “subchurn” and help maintain continuity, especially in special education; opponents, including CTA, Public Advocates, and CTC staff, argued the bill was unnecessary given existing rulemaking and could create legal and training concerns. The transcript cuts off during committee discussion of AB 2490, so no final vote is shown for that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• Many, many students.
• </c><00:05:17.639><c> I</c><00:05:17.720><c> think</c> students many many students and I think students
• student, whatever it is, okay.
• These students do get pre-production, production, and post-production skills, and there are many different
• These students do get pre-production, production, and post-production skills, and there are many different

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's me delivering the information and teaching students the critical thinking skills so that they can
• skills through class, through programs like AVID, where they might instruct their students, a teacher
• skills through class, through programs like Avid, where they might instruct their students, a teacher
• Teach our students that.
• compared to 50% for white student subgroup, and 70% for Asian student subgroups.

Committee: House Education

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• white students.
• white students.
• Our students are public school students. Over 75% of our students are placed by their district.
• Our students need to be equipped with the skills to be creators of new technologies, not just consumers
• Teachers in Minnesota want to expose more of our students to computer science skills and the benefits

Committee: Senate Education Finance

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• BSC is just not a workforce program; it's a pathway to lifelong careers in the skilled trades, with training
• </c><00:03:59.120><c> and</c> participants both technical skills and participants both technical skills
• </c> bring awareness to high school students bring awareness to high school students about<00:05:13.520
• We share a passion for the trades and for apprenticeship programs for students.
• </c><00:18:11.840><c> I</c> apprenticeship programs for students I apprenticeship programs for students

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• , undergraduate students, and graduate students, and that bill ended up not advancing, unfortunately.
• It says by pairing high school students and college students from the U.S. and Mexico for seven weeks
• And also Alicia Nagpal, student and vice president of legislative affairs with the Student Senate for
• As our students become more reliant on technology every day, cybersecurity has become a basic life skill
• As our students become more reliant on technology every day, cybersecurity has become a basic life skill

Summary: The committee heard and acted on several education-related bills, beginning with AB 65 on paid pregnancy leave for public school employees. The bill drew strong support from teachers, school employees, unions, and education groups, who argued it would provide up to 14 weeks of paid leave, reduce financial penalties tied to sick leave use, and help recruit and retain educators. Some witnesses and members raised concerns about funding, district eligibility, and implementation, but the bill was advanced on a do-pass recommendation to the Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement Committee, with one member not voting and the bill placed on call for absent members. Members then heard AB 673 on an unaccompanied youth support grant program for homeless 16- and 17-year-olds, AB 1552 on reporting recommendations to strengthen civic engagement in higher education, AB 1572 on annual CIF review and qualification standards for sports officials, and AB 1586 on opioid overdose response training and naloxone access for school resource officers. AB 673 and AB 1552 received support from education, youth, and advocacy organizations; AB 673 also drew questions about overlap with existing homeless and foster-care-related programs, while supporters said the bill targets a vulnerable subpopulation that is often missed. AB 1552 and AB 1572 were broadly supported and advanced, and AB 1586 was backed by treatment providers, school nurses, and education groups as a practical student-safety measure; all were moved forward with do-pass recommendations and placed on call. The committee also considered AB 1721, which would create a work group to review and streamline school safety plans, and AB 2060, which would establish a mentor teacher grant program and stipend to strengthen the teacher pipeline. Both bills were supported by administrators, educators, and school-related organizations, and both advanced to the Senate Appropriations Committee. AB 2440, aimed at clarifying Proposition 28 arts and music education funding rules and allowing small districts to pool resources, also received broad support and moved to Appropriations. AB 1784, which would extend pregnancy-related protections to undergraduate students and prohibit discrimination based on pregnancy or related conditions, passed to the Senate Judiciary Committee after support from higher education and women’s advocacy groups. Finally, AB 2660, which would codify the CalBridge STEM pathway program and related efforts to diversify the STEM workforce, was supported by higher education and workforce advocates and advanced to Appropriations after questions about the related EnLACE program and its funding sources.

Transcript Highlights:

• At my school, we have a student enrollment of over 1,500 students.
• Recovery students.
• an entire class of students.
• students and my peers.
• we need to have it be every student because these skills are life-saving.

Summary: The hearing focused on youth mental health and treatment access in California, with opening remarks emphasizing that youth distress, self-harm-related emergency visits, and difficulty obtaining care remain elevated, while workforce shortages and reliance on one-time funding continue to limit access. Assemblymember Lori Davies echoed concerns about unstable funding and said lawmakers need to hear directly from providers and families as they prepare for the budget and legislation. The chair framed the hearing as a chance to hear from county, school, provider, and student perspectives, especially in San Diego County, where needs are high and investments have not always matched demand. County and school officials described the current system and recent state initiatives, including the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative, school-linked fee schedules, payment reform, and the Behavioral Health Services Act transition. San Diego County Behavioral Health said it serves Medi-Cal youth with specialty mental health needs through a broad continuum of care, including outpatient clinics, school-based services, crisis response, residential treatment, and new crisis and residential facilities. San Diego County Office of Education and San Marcos Unified School District described efforts to expand school-based services and reimbursement through CYBHI, but said implementation is slowed by complex billing rules, insurance-data collection concerns from families, administrative burden, and uncertainty about sustaining staff positions funded by grants or soft money. School counselor testimony highlighted reduced stigma through campus outreach and clubs, but also noted that counselor-to-student ratios remain well above national standards and that budget cuts threaten supports. Provider testimony stressed that the system remains fragmented and that youth often move between emergency rooms, inpatient care, outpatient therapy, schools, and county programs without smooth handoffs. A child psychiatrist described crisis cases in which the main choices are brief hospitalization or discharge with limited follow-up, and argued for stronger warm handoffs, more outpatient and intensive outpatient options, better school-clinic coordination, and broader use of mobile crisis and 988. Rady Children’s Hospital and Aurora Behavioral Health described large increases in behavioral health demand, expansion of integrated care, and major barriers tied to low reimbursement rates, delayed payments, and administrative complexity. Across the panel, witnesses called for more stable funding, clearer reimbursement rules, better parent education on warning signs, and stronger collaboration among schools, counties, hospitals, and community providers to reduce stigma and improve timely care for youth.

Transcript Highlights:

• And if there's not progress, why is the student not participating, or is the student not able?
• How do we do career counseling, skills assessments?
• People who come home skilled ultimately have better success.
• I can tell you that we have no problem finding skilled mechanics jobs.
• skills just so that I could move forward in my thinking.

Committee: House Administration of Criminal Justice

Summary: The committee held an oversight discussion on Louisiana’s reentry landscape, with Chair Villio emphasizing that the hearing was informational only and that no bills were being considered. Department of Public Safety and Corrections officials outlined the state’s reentry mission and current programming in state facilities, local jails, regional reentry centers, and STEP facilities. They described services including literacy and GED preparation, career and technical education, industry certifications, postsecondary partnerships, mental health and substance abuse treatment, victim impact and trauma programming, and pre-release assistance such as state IDs, birth certificates, Social Security cards, Medicaid, SNAP, and driver’s licenses. Officials also discussed a new data-sharing MOU with DCFS for child support matters and a planned “return portal” with Louisiana Works to connect incarcerated people to jobs and training aligned with labor market needs. A major focus was the reentry court program at Angola for men and at the Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women. Assistant Secretary DeLouche and Assistant Warden Easley explained that the program is limited to nine judicial districts, requires judge and district attorney consent, and includes a two-year institutional phase followed by three years of intensive supervised probation. Participants must earn a HiSET if needed, complete multiple certifications and life-skills programs, and then petition for resentencing; officials said the program’s current recidivism rate is under 14 percent. They also highlighted specialized offerings such as vocational mentoring, a Braille transcription and repair program, and family-focused events like a father-daughter dance. Testimony from employers and local officials was broadly supportive. Eric Lane described hiring formerly incarcerated workers through the parole project and said the program solved problems he had seen with halfway-house placements by helping people secure housing, IDs, and licenses before release. Sheriff Kevin Cobb said sheriffs are active partners, with 51 of 64 parishes offering some form of programming and more than 75 percent of local facilities providing services; he stressed that local jail programming has grown over time and that data collection is improving. Members repeatedly asked for more data on recidivism, employment outcomes, and what programs are available by parish, and several praised the department and sheriffs for the work already being done. No votes were taken.