Transcript Highlights:

• Their vibrant performances titles.
• I want to thank all the students who submitted a piece, and I look forward to seeing where these students
• I want to thank all the students who submitted a piece, and I look forward to seeing where these students
• Let's protect our students, back.
• It strengthens accountability for students and taxpayers on federal student loans.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Students who registered for classes after the academic period effective date were not charged student
• So are you saying these students, there was a number of students who were not charged tuition?
• I do know that it was a student who pointed out the problem, but I do not think that all of the students
• , as you say, many students may not look.
• Goodness there was a student who spoke up, and I don't know what you've done for that student, but, you

Summary: The meeting opened with prayer and approval of the January 8 minutes, then moved to review of education audit reports. The first report concerned Northwest Arkansas Community College, which had three findings, including repeat internal control deficiencies that caused financial statement misstatements and a tuition revenue loss tied to a new student information system. College officials said the issues were largely misclassification and process problems, not missing money, and described corrective steps such as monthly closing checklists, approval controls for journal entries, cross-training, and efforts to address staffing turnover and fill finance vacancies. Members asked about the tuition issue, whether students were notified or billed, and whether the software problem affected other institutions; audit staff said they were not aware of the same scenario elsewhere. The committee then filed the report as reviewed. The next report was Cedarville School District, which had one finding involving $794 in improper credit card charges by a resigned elementary teacher. The district was reimbursed, a police report was filed, and the matter was referred to the Professional Licensure Standards Board; members asked whether any further action or license-related consequences were known, but staff said they were not aware of additional action. The report was filed as reviewed. The final finding was for West Memphis School District, where auditors reported repeat capital asset issues, including failure to capitalize about $851,000 in construction costs for a baseball-softball complex and problems with inventory and asset inspection. The superintendent said the district had recently begun using Legislative Audit after prior private audits, and described new controls such as multi-level purchase approvals, separation of duties, tagging of equipment, and a cleanup of old inventory records. Members also discussed the relationship between private audits and Legislative Audit reviews, with staff explaining that private audit reports for public school districts still come before the committee and that the executive committee determines when Legislative Audit performs an audit. The committee filed the West Memphis report as reviewed and noted that 28 school districts had no findings before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• There are schools under $13,000 per student that have performances above average, and there are schools
• above $29,000 per student that have above-average performance.
• under $133,000 per student that schools under $133,000 per student that have<03:01:56.000> performances
• preschool students out of state students preschool students out of state students and<03:45:57.040
• students being enrolled are the students students being enrolled are the students who<04:01:25.720

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The executive session focused primarily on HB 563, which revises the school funding formula, especially the adequate education grant amounts for special education students and the treatment of fiscal capacity disparity aid. Representative Ladd moved OTPA on Amendment 06508, explaining that FY 26 would largely hold the current formula steady, while FY 27 would increase several per-pupil amounts, including base cost, free and reduced-price meals, English language learner aid, and special education differentiated aid. He said the special education change was based on estimated case loads across disability categories and that the amendment also reinstates fiscal capacity disparity aid, using a formula intended to better assist property-poor communities. Several members supported the amendment as a step in the right direction, saying it better recognizes special education costs and separates property wealth from low-income student counts. Others raised concerns about the lack of time and the absence of a printed spreadsheet showing how the fiscal capacity disparity aid would affect each town. In response, sponsors said the spreadsheet existed, that the LBA had copies, and that the amendment would help about 40 target towns, while Manchester would be the main community receiving less under the new formula because of prior shifts in the extraordinary needs grant. Discussion also covered the broader impact of the bill, with members noting that about 200 of the state’s 245 cities and towns would see an increase and 45 a decrease under the proposed FY 27 changes. Supporters argued the bill was a compromise given limited revenues and that it should move forward so it can be considered by the full House and then Finance. No final vote on the amendment or bill was taken in the portion provided, and the chair indicated the committee was still deciding whether it had enough information to proceed.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have a transfer student completion rate for economically disadvantaged students that significantly
• It also provides dedicated student support that focuses on student retention efforts such as first-year
• We're slightly over 9000 students.
• And so we spent so much time in working with those students and moving those students through and get
• How many students do you draw, what do you draw very many students from, from Arkansas, Louisiana as

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:08:54.080> as businesses working with the students as businesses working with the students
• So, he's a high<00:15:15.519> school<00:15:15.760> student.
• <00:15:16.800> $50 high school student. $50 high school student. $50 uh<00:15:18.800> two
• . there because he's not the best student.
• been lucky to uh be on the performance been lucky to uh be on the performance management<00:48:05.680

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Labor and Technology met on February 25, 2026, to consider gubernatorial nominees to the Hawaii Workforce Development Council under GM 630, GM 628, and GM 631. The chair explained hearing procedures, noted backup reconvening plans in case of technical failure, and said decision-making would occur after testimony if time permitted. Testimony on all three nominees was overwhelmingly supportive, including from Department of Labor and Industrial Relations officials, Workforce Development Council representatives, and various outside supporters. For GM 630, Carrie Miro described decades of work on career pathways and emphasized applied learning, internships, and stronger links between education and employers. Senators questioned how to restore hands-on trade and career education and how to connect students to real workforce opportunities; Miro said businesses should help shape training and that students need both credit and employment incentives. For GM 628, Rona Fukumoto said her experience leading Lanakila Pacific and working in homeless services would help the council better understand the needs of people with disabilities, older adults, and other vulnerable populations, and she stressed educating employers and the public. She also said youth programs, apprenticeships, and early intervention for “opportunity youth” are important, and noted that college-based programs like those at HCC can still provide effective hands-on pathways. For GM 631, Keith Dlo, who is seeking reappointment, said the Workforce Development Council should help create a future in Hawaii for younger generations by aligning schools, agencies, employers, and communities. He said his work on American Job Centers and the council’s convening power show it is an active body, not just a reporting mechanism. Senators pressed him on how to measure success beyond federal compliance, and Dlo said the council needs Hawaii-specific metrics focused on participation, completion, job placement, and retention of young residents, while also adapting to changes like AI. No votes or final confirmations were taken during the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're going to start with tab 7, CS for SB 186 on student health and safety.
• Thank you for this opportunity to present Bill 186, student health and safety.
• Those persistently low-performing schools are currently in law.
• Those persistently low-performing schools are currently in law.
• And so I'm thankful for bills like this that acknowledge students with disabilities.

Summary: The committee first confirmed six appointees on a single roll-call vote, then took up a series of bills, many of them on land use, housing, public safety, child welfare, education, and professional licensing. Early debate centered on CS/SB 208, which would require development fees to better reflect review costs and impose objective compatibility findings for residential projects. An amendment folded in additional housing-related provisions, including manufactured housing and a study of urban development boundaries, prompting extended discussion about Miami-Dade’s Everglades protection area and local control. A late-filed rural-boundary amendment was withdrawn. The bill was reported favorably after support from business, housing, and advocacy groups, with some senators voicing district-specific concerns. The committee then approved CS/CS/SB 686 on agricultural enclaves after amendments added conservation easement, wildlife corridor, and critical state concern protections, plus a further Everglades-related amendment. Members discussed balancing smart growth, infrastructure costs, and protecting environmentally sensitive areas. Other land-use and growth bills also advanced, including CS/SB 1434 on infill redevelopment, CS/SB 1138 on qualified contractor pre-application review, and SB 218 limiting the reach of prior hurricane recovery zoning protections in counties not affected by the 2024 storms. SB 1474 on biosolids management was amended to reduce the distance threshold for land application restrictions and delay the effective date, and SB 1708 on veterinary licensure by endorsement removed a three-year recent-practice requirement to address shortages. Several public safety, health, and family-related measures also passed. CS/CS/SB 436 expanded felony battery enhancement to include resisting an officer with violence and certain law-enforcement battery offenses. SB 830 extended public-records protections to county and city administrators and related family information. CS/CS/CS/SB 600 revised bail bond rules, and an amendment preserved the current treatment of charitable bail funds and nonprofits; the committee heard testimony from The Bail Project and others on both sides. CS/SB 914 expanded dry-needling supervision options for occupational therapists, CS/SB 1092 clarified podiatric use of certain cellular/tissue products, and SB 1504 and SB 1718 updated insurance licensing and educator certification pathways. On the education side, CS/CS/SB 7038 made broad postsecondary changes, including tuition waivers, residency clarification, and licensure rules, while CS/SB 186 required seizure-response training and action plans in schools. The committee also advanced multiple child welfare and health bills. CS/CS/CS/SB 560 streamlined psychotropic medication procedures for children in state custody and added youth-voice and insurance-review provisions. CS/CS/CS/SB 902 combined several Department of Health changes, including medical marijuana distance rules, autism microcredential eligibility, a neurofibromatosis grant program, and NICU nutrition information. SB 1002 expanded child welfare definitions to address parental drug abuse and neglect, and SB 1708 eased endorsement licensure for out-of-state veterinarians. Most bills were reported favorably on roll-call votes, with several amendments adopted along the way and limited opposition or abstentions noted on some measures.

Transcript Highlights:

• I mean, this bill is about limiting who can perform these functions. That's what it's about.
• This bill demands detailed performance documentation without protecting individual identities.
• We're doing performance audits all across the state. We're just doing more and more of them.
• We submit annual performance reports, CAPERs, system performance measures, point-in-time count data,
• ed, like a university, and so some students can be 17 when they go to college.

Keywords: 974, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Health and Welfare met on May 20, 2026, with eight members present and approved the prior meeting minutes. The committee first advanced SB 1224, which requires DCFS to look into cases where a child under 17 is involved in a pregnancy, with added oversight for children under 12; it was reported favorably. The committee also favorably reported SB 1100, described as repealing an outdated statute. White Coat Day remarks welcomed physicians to the Capitol and thanked them for their service, including efforts to improve Medicaid reimbursement. Several health-related bills were then heard and advanced. HB 1220, a continuation of prior work to codify provisions related to the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners and physician licensure, was reported favorably. HB 1231 clarified that Medicaid coverage for continuous glucose monitoring applies to insulin-dependent patients, including those with gestational diabetes, and was also reported favorably. HB 198, which sets reimbursement rates for ambulatory surgery centers for certain Medicaid procedures such as colonoscopies, eye, ENT, and gastroenterology services, passed favorably. HB 1160, creating a streamlined restricted license pathway for qualified international medical graduates, prompted a lengthy exchange about delayed rulemaking and whether the board had added requirements beyond statute; despite concerns, it was reported favorably. The committee also advanced several resolutions and oversight measures. HCR 67, prompted by a personal family experience with a special-needs child’s acute care needs, creates a task force to study gaps in acute care for special-needs adults and children; it was amended and reported favorably. HCR 27, calling for a statewide evaluation of autism services by LDH and the Department of Education, was reported favorably. HB 223, which recreates DCFS, was amended to shorten the sunset date and require law enforcement reporting through a secure web platform, then reported favorably. HCR 28, creating a task force on school nurse orientation and training for new graduates, was reported favorably after testimony from school nurses about the lack of standardized orientation and the risks of placing inexperienced nurses alone in schools. The committee also took up HB 469, which would allow pharmacy license renewal applicants to designate a portion of fees to eligible schools including Xavier University’s College of Pharmacy; after opposition from Senator Cloud and a roll call, the bill was deferred. HB 1182, a cleanup bill changing the occupational therapy certifying entity and adjusting fees, and HB 1076, eliminating one of two sunset provisions for the Louisiana Behavior Analyst Board, were both reported favorably. HB 1216, a major rewrite of clinical laboratory personnel rules, was deferred after concerns that it would restrict existing phlebotomy and lab functions in ways that could conflict with recent law. Finally, HB 457 and HB 616, both by Representative Knox and focused on homelessness, drew extensive testimony: HB 457 established minimum standards for shelters and similar facilities and was reported favorably as amended, while HB 616 would allow audits of homelessness-related funding and databases; after debate over privacy, federal funding oversight, and accountability, the committee adopted an amendment changing enforcement language from "may" to "shall" and continued hearing testimony from opponents and supporters.

Transcript Highlights:

• They're amazing student leaders who are part of ASU, the University Student Government Association, and
• They're amazing student leaders Monoa.
• <00:19:41.679> and Student Government Association. and Student Government Association. and
• for students to be civically<00:19:50.080> engaged.
• Who will be performing her Miss America talent.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and not only in the students, but across Virginia's communities and students and not only in the students
• It means that a student in Southwest Virginia and a student in Northern Virginia can both encounter the
• The students performed in both English and Spanish.
• That's wonderful that you're able to attend that performance.
• And I will have students, graduate students, assisting in some of our administrative support to reduce

Keywords: Virginia Commission for the Arts Board Meeting, 976, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• "Hello, my name is Sam Mayer and I'm a student at Sager Heart Model School, level six."
• "Hello, my name is Brad Kelly and I'm in level six, a student at Sigart Model School."
• I'm a sixth grade student at Sigart Model School."
• level six, a student at Sigart Model<00:18:30.240> School.
• >> Briefly explain my vote. >> Yes. >> From one student of Latin to another.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 306, sponsored by Representative Michael Meredith with the Kentucky Chamber, which would define “workplace” and clarify threatening behavior in workplace violence/trespass cases. Supporters said the bill would better address repeated threats or trespass incidents at workplaces and strengthen penalties for subsequent offenses; one member questioned whether adding language could weaken existing protections, while another asked whether it would cover hospital workplace violence. The bill passed on a roll call vote, 15-0 with one pass, and was reported favorably. The committee then considered House Bill 312, sponsored by Representatives Savannah Maddox and Josh Bray, to allow law-abiding Kentuckians ages 18 to 20 to obtain a provisional concealed carry license with background check, training, and proficiency requirements. Supporters argued the bill recognizes adults’ rights and adds safety through training, while opponents raised concerns about putting more guns in younger people’s hands and public safety/self-harm risks. Several members explained yes votes as supporting training and constitutional rights, and the bill passed 15-3 with no passes, reported favorably. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 320 on human trafficking, presented by Representative Jason Neimus with a title amendment adopted at the start. Three students from Sager Heart Model School explained their project and urged equalizing penalties for committing and promoting human trafficking, saying the current law treats promotion less severely. A Kentucky Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers representative warned the statute could be too broad and sweep in solicitation cases, urging a carve-out or narrower language; members discussed possible wording changes, including removing “patronize” and reconsidering mens rea language. The sponsor said the bill was intended to make penalties equal for those who promote trafficking, not to address broader definitional issues. The bill passed unanimously, 18-0, and was reported favorably.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:02:50.959> in already authorized to perform in already authorized to perform in Kentucky
• performed and order the imaging. performed and order the imaging.
• They're going performing the tests.
• to perform, to offer these services. to perform, to offer these services.
• And this takes away from tasks that the board must perform.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee first approved the October 23 meeting minutes and then heard testimony on a planned 2026 bill to modernize Kentucky’s audiology practice act. Witnesses from the Academy of Doctors of Audiology and a Kentucky audiologist said the proposal would largely codify existing authority and add new powers to order certain imaging and lab tests related to auditory and vestibular conditions, as well as prescribe topical ear medications. They argued the changes would reduce delays, especially in rural areas, improve access to hearing and balance care, and help address provider shortages. Committee members asked about evidence for the expansion, responsibility for reviewing imaging results and incidental findings, and whether the changes might affect referrals or scope of practice. The witnesses said they could provide evidence, that the audiologist would be responsible for obtaining and reviewing radiology reports and following up with patients and primary care providers, and that the goal was to speed treatment and streamline referrals when needed. The committee then heard a separate proposal to update the Kentucky Board of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy statutes by licensing MRI technologists and diagnostic medical sonographers, who are not currently required to be licensed in Kentucky. The bill would create a transition period through January 1, 2028 for current practitioners, require national credentialing for new applicants after that date, expand the board from 9 to 11 members, and clarify scope and enforcement provisions. Supporters said the measure would improve patient safety, align Kentucky with most other states, and recognize national credentials. Members questioned how many workers would be affected, whether the state currently meets national standards, the cost of licensure, and whether the bill could worsen staffing shortages, especially in rural areas. The witnesses said about 800 MRI technologists and 1,600 sonographers in Kentucky are currently certified, initial licensure would cost $100, and existing licensees would not pay an additional fee. They also said the board viewed the change as a safety measure and noted increasing portability of MRI services across state lines. Finally, the committee began hearing a respiratory care interstate compact proposal. The sponsor and respiratory care representatives described the compact as a way to allow licensed respiratory therapists from member states to practice across state lines. They outlined the profession’s role in hospitals, emergency departments, home care, pulmonary labs, long-term care, and telehealth, and said the compact would help with workforce flexibility and access to care. The transcript cuts off before the discussion concluded or any action was taken on that item.

Transcript Highlights:

• Number five, U of A Pulaski Technical College with Arkansas Student Loan Authority.
• Number five, U of A Pulaski Technical College with Arkansas Student Loan Authority.
• This is an original contract, and it is for the Student Loan Authority to provide student financial aid-related
• Just implement performance standards with our projects to try to attain that use rate.
• Right now, employees just generally meet once at the end of the year to discuss their performance.

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We graduated 30 to 40 students this year.
• Right now, we have a very large population of students who take part-time courses.
• When that translates into student credit hours, we're seeing our student credit hours increase annually
• Our last spring numbers for dual credit students were 163 students.
• As I said, the federal agencies perform environmental analysis.

Transcript Highlights:

• Are the students actually riding the bus?
• Um, are based off of student locations.
• the students actually riding the bus? the students actually riding the bus?
• Um, these students and where they are.
• <00:22:12.159> and relevant safety performance and relevant safety performance and operations

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint Transportation and Culture and the Arts and Education committees heard STR 1117 and SR 98, which urge the Department of Education, Department of Transportation, and Hawaii County to inventory bus stops used by children on Hawaii Island and develop safety improvements. DOE testified that routes are based on student locations, families must register riders, and access is complicated by county roads and privately owned or HOA-managed roads; members noted the need to focus on the most affected areas and on safety rather than just counting stops. The committees recommended both resolutions be passed with amendments, including adding the Safe Routes to School Advisory Committee and technical changes, and both measures were adopted by vote. The Transportation and Culture and the Arts committee then heard several resolutions on international relationships and transportation safety. STR 196/SR 76 supporting broader ties with Norway, STR 197/SR 77 supporting broader ties with Sweden, and STR 195/SR 175 supporting broader ties with Sweden all moved forward; testimony generally favored learning from those countries, and the committee adopted amendments to add collaboration language and, in the Norway measure, a reference to prisons and criminal justice. The committee also heard STR 181/SR 51 on lowering the blood alcohol limit from 0.08 to 0.05; the Hawaii Alcohol Policy Alliance supported the measure and suggested adding flexibility for the DOT director to appoint additional working group members. The committee amended the resolution to broaden the working group and direct it to examine data, impacts, and implementation issues, then adopted it. On later agendas, the committee approved CR 12/SR 8 recognizing International Dark Sky Week with amendments to create a task force on light pollution and dark skies. It also passed CR 180/SR 150, which would have DOT report on commercial tour operator safety and performance, after amending it to clarify the purpose, require online public information, involve the NTSB, and create a transparency/scoring framework. STR 150 on subsidizing waterborne cargo transport was also passed with technical amendments. Finally, STR 222/SR 197 on towing companies having on-site ATMs was amended into a task force proposal led by the Office of Consumer Protection, and the committee adopted that recommendation. In each case, the chair’s recommendation was to pass with amendments or, for one Sweden measure, pass unamended, and the votes were unanimous with no recorded opposition.

Transcript Highlights:

• reinvests performance-based model that reinvests performance-based model that reinvests tax<00:08
• at Hall STEM Academy, the students in North Minneapolis, and the thousands of students that are across
• at Hall STEM Academy, the students in North Minneapolis, and the thousands of students that are across
• at Hall STEM Academy, the students in North Minneapolis, and the thousands of students that are across
• at Hall STEM Academy, the students in North Minneapolis, and the thousands of students that are across

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee took up House File 4949, as amended by the adopted H4949A2 and H4949A3 amendments. The bill would create a sports and events reimbursement program intended to give Minnesota a more reliable funding mechanism to compete for major sporting and entertainment events. Representative Lislegard and supporters argued that events such as the Super Bowl, NFL Draft, Final Four, World Juniors Hockey, and Olympic trials generate substantial economic activity, tax revenue, and statewide visibility, and that Minnesota has lost opportunities because it lacks a standing competitive fund. Testifiers from the Minnesota Business Partnership and Minnesota Sports and Events strongly supported the bill, describing it as a performance-based, closed-loop model that reinvests tax revenue generated by events into securing future events. Jess Graba, Cheryl Lindsey, and Dr. William Campbell emphasized community benefits beyond economics, including youth inspiration, school improvements, inclusion, and positive local engagement tied to events like the Olympic trials, the Women’s Final Four, and WWE appearances. Several testifiers cited specific figures, including roughly $71.5 million in economic impact and $4.7 million in tax revenue for World Juniors, about $74.8 million and $5.7 million for the gymnastics trials, and more than $430 million in lost economic impact from events Minnesota did not secure. Members raised concerns about the funding mechanism, especially the use of revenue that would otherwise go to the general fund or other accounts. Representative Huot said he supported bringing events to Minnesota but was uneasy about diverting general fund money and suggested stronger legislative oversight, possibly through a formal sports committee. Representative Youakim asked how the bill’s revenue capture would work and noted concerns about taking money from transportation-related accounts; staff explained that the amended bill affects seven state taxes and a fee, including motor vehicle rental taxes and the retail delivery fee, with some revenue directed to non-general fund accounts. Members also requested more information on the methodology behind the University of Minnesota Extension economic impact studies, and staff said those studies could be shared. No final vote on the bill was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• But there are certain weights which are provided to certain student groups.
• performance exceeds standards to earn a financial incentive.
• So those performance measures include.
• We're performing better than that.
• So, on slide seven, we really focus on process, how an agency performs. performs its functions rather

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, like the senator said, it just provides some confidentiality for our student athletes and for student
• They're students. They're student athletes. They're student athletes.
• In that role, I oversee care for students across multiple sites.
• Any student under the age of 18, because by 18 a student can sign their consent themselves.
• First time in student education.

Keywords: 974, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• students in the city of Boston.
• Students, especially our special ed students in the city of Boston.
• The issue is what's going on with our students.
• As operators age, the chance of injury or being unable to perform these duties increases.
• When this happens... ...unable to return to work and perform our duties.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Public Service heard testimony on a wide range of retirement classification and benefit bills affecting municipal and state employees. Much of the hearing focused on proposals to move various workers from Group 1 to Group 2 or Group 4, including municipal building officials (H. 2776), MassDOT highway workers (H. 2908/Sousa’s Law), DCF attorneys (H. 2771), probation officers, licensed electricians, drinking water operators (H. 3000/S. 1834), MWRA non-clerical workers (S. 1803), transitional parole officers (H. 2878), Plymouth BCI criminal investigator officers (H. 2975/S. 1863), Beverly fire alarm operators/public safety telecommunicators (S. 1876), Massport pipefitters and refrigeration technicians (H. 2788/S. 1829), and other public safety or hazardous-duty classifications. Witnesses generally argued that their work is physically dangerous, understaffed, or comparable to already higher-classified employees, and several said the changes would help recruitment and retention with little fiscal impact because the affected groups are small. The committee also heard testimony on H. 4508, a home rule petition to grant a disability pension to Boston principal Patricia Lampron. Supporters, including Representative Dan Hunt, Boston city councilors, and Lampron herself, described a severe 2021 assault at the Henderson Inclusion School that left her with lasting physical and psychological injuries and forced her into early retirement. They urged the committee to advance the bill quickly. One witness, Pamela McLaughlin, testified in opposition, arguing the bill would set the wrong precedent and describing alleged prior misconduct by Lampron, and asked that the bill be sent to study. Several witnesses and committee members asked brief questions, mainly about the scope of the bills, whether certain workers were already in higher groups, and the fiscal or precedent concerns. No votes were taken during the hearing. At the end, the chairs announced that testimony was complete, asked whether anyone else wished to speak, and then the committee voted to adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• The next one is student-centered.
• Student-centered means that funding is allocated based on the learning needs of students, with a focus
• Therefore, it takes 500 students to fully Using 500 students as the basis.
• English learner students generate $366 per student, or $16 million in 25.
• And then finally, for PD, or professional development, all students generate $41 per student.

Summary: The House and Senate Education Committee first approved minutes from February 2 and 3, then heard an interim study proposal on Arkansas adult education and the Excel Center model, presented by Goodwill Industries of Arkansas and the University of Notre Dame’s Lab for Economic Opportunities. Witnesses argued that about 300,000 Arkansas adults lack a high school diploma or GED and described the Excel Center as a diploma-granting public charter option for adults 19 and older, with wraparound supports such as child care, transportation, tutoring, life coaching, and career services. They said the Arkansas campuses are not state-funded, highlighted growth in enrollment and graduation outcomes, and cited research showing improved employment, earnings, and reduced criminal justice involvement for graduates. Committee members discussed the role of Goodwill’s nonprofit mission, the need for multiple adult education pathways, and the relationship between adult education challenges and broader state efforts such as LEARNS and ACCESS. The committee then debated the interim study proposal procedure, including whether questions should have been taken before the vote. The motion to adopt the ISP passed, and members noted that the study would broadly examine adult education, GED testing, high school diplomas, charter schools, in-person adult education, and funding allocation. Several members asked for follow-up information on current adult education funding, the availability of Excel Centers, and the criminal justice study results. After that, staff from the Bureau of Legislative Research gave a detailed adequacy funding overview for Arkansas K-12 education. They reviewed national funding principles and then explained Arkansas’s revenue streams and distribution system, including general revenue, the Educational Excellence Trust Fund, the Educational Adequacy Fund, local property-tax revenues, and facilities partnership funding. They also walked through the state’s foundation formula, categorical aid, supplemental aid, and additional funding, including the per-student matrix amount of $7,771 for 2025 and how funds are allocated to districts and charters. Members asked about student support staff, special education high-cost occurrences, ALE funding, teacher salary equalization, and the Excel Center’s treatment in funding totals; staff said some of those questions would be addressed in a later spending presentation. The meeting ended after the committee was told the department was present mainly to answer questions and no further business remained.

Transcript Highlights:

• students. Yeah. students. Yeah.
• have 85 students for deaf blind students have 85 students for deaf blind students we<01:33:26.480
• educational performance. educational performance.
• those students are going to be students those students are going to be students that<02:09:39.040
• <02:12:29.840> did student, so let's say that student did student, so let's say that student

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The commission met to approve the May 18, 2026 minutes and then focused on how SB 57’s special education cost study should inform HB 1099, which creates a separate study committee on residential placements and related education costs. Members discussed sending the commission’s minutes and findings to that new committee, noting the short timeline for its work and the need to be specific about unresolved issues so the new group does not duplicate the same questions. A major topic was the cost and responsibility for students placed at Spalding and similar residential programs, especially transportation and whether costs are paid through the Department of Education’s episode-of-treatment (EOT) fund, local districts, DHS, or Medicaid. Staff explained that for students with disabilities, EOT funds cover special education and transportation costs tied to the placement, while students without disabilities are handled through DHS care-management and best-interest meetings. Members raised concerns about whether some students at Spalding are receiving no schooling, whether transportation costs are substantial, and whether Medicaid reimbursement could offset some expenses. The commission also discussed confusion over district responsibility when students placed in residential programs attend school in another district, using Winnisquam as an example. Several members said the receiving district was not notified that DHHS-approved programs could bring in additional students and costs, and they suggested DHHS or its care-management entity should notify both the district of residence and the receiving district when a program is approved. The group agreed this notification issue, along with transportation funding, privacy concerns in Medicaid-to-schools billing, and the distinction between special education placements, EOT placements, and other voluntary residential placements, should be passed to the HB 1099 study committee for further work.