Transcript Highlights:

• This gender gap emerges early in middle school and persists throughout high school.
• schools with the greatest needs.
• , as well as middle schools even, maybe even elementary schools.
• organizations co-located on the school during the school year.
• the school year.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's going to be difficult, but in cases such as the one which involved the middle school that my daughter
• It's going to be difficult, but in cases such as the one which involved the middle school that my daughter
• It's going to be difficult, but in cases such as the one which involved the middle school that my daughter
• It's going to be difficult, but in cases such as the one which involved the middle school that my daughter
• served at Beaumont Middle School as their full-time social worker.

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:

• board and they have a question, school board and they have a question, it's<00:11:56.640><c> a</c><00
• And if you, you know, like I was saying, I was trying to use the example of a school board now, do they
• What happens if in the middle of that hearing another Smith says, 'It wasn't me.
• </c><00:24:01.840><c> of</c> What happens if in the in the middle of What happens if in the in the middle
• </c><00:41:50.319><c> board</c> somebody at at uh you know school board somebody at at uh you know school

Summary: The subcommittee held a work session on HB 313, a bill dealing with non-public sessions and when a person discussed in such a session should be notified or allowed to request that the meeting be open. The chair opened the meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance and invited public comment before committee discussion. The main public testimony came from Phil Jaru, who described a personal dispute with local officials and said the bill should ensure people are notified when they are being discussed in closed session and can request an open meeting. He also argued for limits on non-public sessions, saying they should not be used for matters outside the board’s authority or for what he characterized as gossip, while also trying to avoid interfering with investigations. Committee members focused on the practical and legal problems with the proposal. Several members questioned whether a person should have a right to attend, to demand an open meeting, or simply to receive notice, and whether that right should apply before the meeting or only once the discussion begins. Members raised concerns about situations involving multiple people, children, victims, or other confidentiality interests, and whether a request to open the meeting could conflict when one person wants openness and another wants privacy. One member suggested the bill may be too broad and proposed narrowing it to simple advance notification, possibly by email, rather than an automatic right to open the meeting. The discussion also touched on existing law governing non-public sessions, including the narrow “reputation” exception and Supreme Court cases interpreting it. Members noted that the current statute already limits non-public discussion to the matters stated in the motion, and some suggested that if the concern is boards using non-public sessions for unrelated discussion, that issue may be better addressed by clarifying the existing statute rather than expanding the bill. No vote or final action was taken; the committee appeared to continue working through possible amendments and whether the bill should be narrowed to notification or a right to attend rather than a right to force the meeting open.

Transcript Highlights:

• in the school bus best interest.
• at the public school level affect schooling across the board.
• I am also a high school student.
• As a junior in public school, I am no stranger to anti-Semitism in our schools.
• . ...inside school.

Committee: House Emerging Issues

Transcript Highlights:

• And when they were in high school and middle school and went to summer camp, they had transgender children
• middle school uh this past just in my middle school uh this past Saturday<00:37:14.160><c> and</c><00
• </c><00:38:47.200><c> and</c><00:38:47.599><c> middle</c> they were in high school and middle they were
• in high school and middle school<00:38:48.400><c> and</c><00:38:48.720><c> went</c><00:38:48.880><c>
• the</c> middle school team because the middle school team because the differentiation<00:44:13.520><c

Transcript Highlights:

• This could be elementary school. It could be middle school. So I think that I'll focus on that.
• But what about high school or middle school girls? Might they be triggered also? Senator Alchilla.
• But what about high school or middle<01:00:43.200><c> school</c><01:00:43.440><c> girls?
• </c><01:12:09.280><c> middle</c><01:12:09.800><c> school.
• </c><01:12:10.800><c> It</c> found it in one middle school. It found it in one middle school.

Committee: Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> when they go to a charter school? when they go to a charter school?
• Charter school. We never should have built that school in Mills.
• </c> school they're in. school they're in.
• An example is when the UW Lab<00:41:32.040><c> School</c> Lab School Lab School was<00:41:33.720><c>
• </c> money for that school. money for that school.

Summary: The Select Committee on School Facilities met to satisfy its quarterly statutory requirement and to discuss interim priorities. Staff from LSO reviewed the committee’s duties: monitoring K-12 school facilities statewide, prioritizing needs for the interim, and preparing a budget request due by November 1. They also noted the ongoing litigation related to the Chapter 3, Section 8 exception process and said the committee would move forward with securing a consultant to study that issue, as previously authorized by Management Council. A major topic was school funding formulas, especially how average daily membership (ADM) affects routine and major maintenance funding and how excess square footage is treated. Members revisited an earlier proposal to fund 135% of allowable square footage, which did not advance this session, and discussed whether some schools should instead be funded at a minimum percentage of their actual square footage. Staff explained that some districts have buildings larger than their formula allowance, and that the issue is complicated by older buildings, pools, and other unique facilities. They also noted that recent changes to the major maintenance multiplier increased funding and that some districts are still not fully covered by the formulas. Safety and security funding was another focus. The State Construction Department reported that $10 million was appropriated this year for safety and security upgrades, with some funds expected to go toward vestibules, bollards, and design work, and the rest through a district application process. Officials said the last comprehensive safety assessment was done more than 10 years ago and suggested a new consultant-led study to update priorities, since technology and building conditions have changed. Members also discussed the role of school resource officers and whether the committee should continue leading this work rather than handing it off to the recalibration committee. The committee also examined declining enrollment and excess capacity across the state, citing examples such as Newcastle, Shoshoni, Casper, Campbell County, and Fremont County. Officials said some districts are right-sizing by taking schools offline, while others cannot easily reduce capacity because the buildings are essential to the community. Charter school leasing was raised as a related concern, including the Mills charter school and the fact that the state pays lease costs based on ADM and allowable square footage. No formal votes were taken, but the committee agreed to continue studying these issues, likely including site visits and further data requests during the interim.

Transcript Highlights:

• These policies impact the middle class.
• </c> Security their budget would hurt schools Security their budget would hurt schools hospitals<01:16
• </c><01:24:33.840><c> districts</c> that should happen school districts that should happen school districts
• </c><01:47:47.760><c> our</c> where our businesses our schools our where our businesses our schools our
• Thank you. businesses uh from school districts from businesses uh from school districts from hospitals

Transcript Highlights:

• I've had a middle school teacher from St.
• I've<00:03:13.880><c> had</c><00:03:14.080><c> a</c><00:03:14.120><c> middle</c><00:03:14.400><c> school
• </c><00:03:14.640><c> teacher</c><00:03:15.000><c> from</c> I've had a middle school teacher from I've
• had a middle school teacher from St.<00:03:15.480><c> Paul</c><00:03:15.760><c> in</c><00:03:15.840>
• She says her middle schoolers are joining gangs and bringing weapons to school just to feel protected

Summary: Minnesota Senate Republicans held a press event focused on school safety, student performance, and relief from what they described as burdensome mandates on districts. Sen. Zach Duckworth promoted the SHIELD Act, which would provide grant funding through the Minnesota School Safety Center for security upgrades such as access controls, ballistic-resistant materials, mass notification systems, and staff training. He also highlighted other education bills, including measures to require parental and teacher notification of violent incidents within 24 hours, allow short removals after serious incidents in K-3 classrooms, expand retention and intervention policies for students not meeting grade level, and increase parental access to curriculum materials and consent for sex education. Duckworth said the school safety proposal has bipartisan support and argued schools should have flexible, locally driven tools to protect students. Sen. Julia Coleman and other Republicans framed the agenda as a response to classroom violence, learning loss, and a lack of transparency. Coleman said teachers and parents are seeing serious problems firsthand and argued that schools should not hide violent incidents. She described Senate File 676 as a notification and anti-retaliation bill, and said Senate File 4023 would give schools a brief reset after serious incidents in early grades. She also backed the transparency bill requiring parental review of curriculum and written consent for sex education. The group repeatedly argued that schools, parents, and teachers should be prioritized over what they called political secrecy or overreach. Sen. Jason Rarick focused on school finance, saying new state mandates have left districts in deficit despite prior funding increases. He discussed bills to expand safe school aid to nonpublic schools, increase staffing at the Minnesota School Safety Center, expand counselor funding for nonpublic students to K-6, and conform state law to federal tax credits that could support scholarships and tutoring. Sen. Carla Nelson Housley argued that more than 60 unfunded mandates have strained districts and said Senate File 3361 would temporarily let districts transfer funds between accounts and opt out of certain new mandates from 2023-24, with public board discussion and votes. In the question period, Republicans also discussed the governor’s supplemental budget, fraud enforcement, possible bonding for IT upgrades, and potential tax and child care credit changes, while emphasizing they want bipartisan cooperation on fraud and school safety but oppose new taxes and what they called harmful mandates.

Transcript Highlights:

• Since starting my period in middle school.
• But I raise them as a single pair through most of their middle school and high school years.
• Are they being given out every school public school? Could you give us more information on that?
• I too, am a survivor of a extreme abuse of groomed by a middle school teacher and ultimately assaulted
• and before and after school programs, it ensures that school personnel will have access to critical

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, this bill relates to public education and public school finance.
• So obviously the school finance bill and the school finance bill, and, recession right now.
• And so I think also they're dealing with record budget deficits and in closing of schools.
• but also we need to look at it for charter schools.
• , but charter school, et cetera, et cetera.

Committees: Senate Education , Senate Education K-16

Summary: The Senate Committee on Education K-16 met to consider House Bill 2, the major public education and school finance bill. The committee first reconsidered and withdrew the prior committee substitute, then took up a new substitute. Senator Creighton explained several changes, including a correction to the golden penny yield weight, an increase in the special education evaluation incentive cap from $45 million to $67 million, timing changes to avoid a funding gap for Bluebonnet curriculum training grants, narrowed language affecting educator preparation providers, added facility-usage reporting language, incorporation of bilingual allotment language from Senate Bill 2185, removal of the $20 million annual cap on JROTC funding, and a prevailing-clause provision to make HB 2 controlling over conflicting measures. Members generally praised the bill’s historic funding level but raised concerns about details and future floor debate. Senator Menendez said he appreciated the special education, safety, and teacher pay funding but was not ready to fully support the bill because of inflationary pressures, facilities funding, and district-specific impacts, and indicated he might vote present. Senator Parker strongly supported the bill, emphasizing historic funding, teacher pay, and the need to continue refining the package. Senator Witt also said he would vote present while seeking more refinement, especially on certification issues for public and charter schools. Senator Bettencourt highlighted the bill’s scale, including about $8 billion in new funding and $1.3 billion for special education, while Senator Hinojosa asked for more flexibility in the basic allotment and thanked the author for bilingual education and coastal-area provisions. The committee then adopted the new committee substitute and voted to report HB 2 favorably to the full Senate. The motion passed 9 ayes and 2 present not voting, with the bill reported as committee substitute do pass and be printed.

Transcript Highlights:

• She holds a law degree from Oklahoma City University School of Law.
• He's been a 1/6 grade homeroom teacher in middle school, a literature teacher at Holy Family Classical
• School for the last few years.
• And so I got basically an applied math degree at Oklahoma State and decided to become a teacher for middle
• school.

Committee: Senate Local and County Government

Transcript Highlights:

• program in middle and high schools<01:07:56.839><c> around</c><01:07:57.720><c> Minnesota</c><01:07:
• students</c> 110,000 middle and high school students 110,000 middle and high school students Educators
• use disorder, and 31% of middle and high school students report knowing somebody who has experienced
• students</c> 31% of middle and high school students 31% of middle and high school students report<01:
• Like this year, we'll be in about 140 middle and high school settings, so about 140 schools total.

Committee: House Health Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• If you started in an elementary school, you may have to leave and go to a different middle school, or
• If you started in an elementary school, you may have to leave and go to a different middle school, or
• If you started in an elementary school, you may have to leave and go to a different middle school, or
• If you started in an elementary school, you may have to leave and go to a different middle school, or
• Elementary school, you may have to leave and go to a different middle school, or your family will have

Committee: Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• It's outside of school.
• It's outside of school.
• It's outside of school.
• It's outside of school.
• It's outside of school.

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 44, “Landon’s Law,” sponsored by Rep. Candy Massaroni. The bill would allow schools to keep anti-choking devices such as LifeVac on hand while limiting liability. Testimony from Equal First Aid and LifeVac emphasized that choking is a leading cause of death for children, that the devices are noninvasive and FDA-registered, and that updated Red Cross guidance allows their use when standard rescue protocols fail or are not feasible. Lauren McCubbins, Landon McCubbin’s mother, gave emotional testimony about her 8-year-old son’s death from choking at school and urged the committee to give schools an added rescue option. Members asked questions about how the device works, whether the Heimlich maneuver remains part of the protocol, and whether the bill is limited to LifeVac or applies to similar devices. The bill was reported favorably, with a roll call vote showing unanimous support from members present. The committee then heard a bill sponsored by Rep. J. Baker aimed at reducing administrative burdens in schools and supporting teacher recruitment and retention. The measure would lengthen the required evaluation cycle for tenured teachers from every three years to every five years, provide teachers a copy of their employment contract upon request, streamline professional development provisions, update continuous school improvement plan filing requirements, restore schools’ ability to use Title II funds for certain programs after an unintended consequence of prior legislation, and require KDE to review reporting requirements and eliminate those not required by law. Rep. Baker said the bill was developed with teachers and administrators through a working group and is intended to reduce “check-the-box” tasks so educators can focus on instruction. Amanda Butler of Spencer County Schools and other educators testified that the changes would save time, preserve funding for mentor and induction programs, and reduce repetitive paperwork. Rep. Fleming asked for clarification on the longer evaluation cycle, and an educator witness explained that each evaluation involves pre-observation, observation, and post-observation time and that districts would still retain flexibility to evaluate more often if needed. No final vote on this bill was included in the transcript excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm going to talk about the middle mile.
• How many companies have been awarded dollars to put out the middle mile, put in the middle mile by their
• hook up to that middle mile.
• and so they have been awarded middle mile projects.
• And again, while the BDO has the authority to do a Texas middle mile, to do the middle mile, it is considered

Committee: Senate Business & Commerce

Transcript Highlights:

• That's when we partner with virtual school.
• our our school District.
• School kids is not all know school kids. It's blended.
• Those are the additional things that we offer in high school.
• The current moment is 1301 high school enrollment. 681 middle school. 200, not it. 99.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're not training them just to go anywhere, which is really kind of how medical school curriculum has
• We're not training them just to go anywhere, which is really kind of how medical school curriculum has
• So in addition to building out that school, we can also purchase seats, consistent...
• So in addition to building out that school, we can also purchase seats, consistent.
• Middle of August and then maybe one in September, because the September one, middle, probably more middle

Summary: The Rural Health Transformation Committee approved the minutes from its May 28 meeting and received an update from DHW Director Juliet Sharon on the status of the Rural Health Transformation Program. Sharon said the department has posted a public funding-opportunities page with a subscribe feature, is using an expedited committee review process for solicitations and subgrant opportunities, and plans to provide monthly summaries, award information, and federal progress reports. Members asked for clearer access to information on applicants and awards, and Sharon said the department is open to posting more complete listings in SharePoint and to simplifying provider-facing applications. The committee also discussed outreach to rural providers and the need to ensure smaller organizations know about opportunities and can apply within the short timelines. The committee then heard from the Idaho Military Division on its portion of the program. Bureau Chief Wayne Denny said the division is working with DHW on modernizing state communications and emergency systems, including next-generation 911, relocating backup communications infrastructure, coordinating exercises, and supporting rural health extenders such as community health workers and community health EMS providers. Members asked how those roles would function, how counties would participate, and how the work would be sustained after the five-year funding period; Denny said the goal is to demonstrate return on investment so counties and payers can support the services long term. Jennifer White of the State Board of Education described higher education and graduate medical education proposals. She said Idaho’s institutions are coordinating on statewide strategies for rural health workforce training, including mobile simulation, shared clinical infrastructure, learn-in-place programs, and targeted equipment and facilities. She also outlined GME and medical education options, including a strategic rural GME incubator, a rural training site network, and possible support for undergraduate medical education such as expanded seats or the University of Idaho–University of Utah partnership. Members debated sustainability and whether rural health funds should support only GME or broader medical education; some supported using the funds to build Idaho-based training capacity, while others cautioned against creating long-term state obligations without broader legislative approval. No formal votes were taken on those policy questions. In closing, Sharon said the department expects more provider subgrants, ongoing assessments, the first federal reporting deadline at the end of August, and the creation of a governor-appointed rural health transformation task force with legislative and rural representation. The committee tentatively scheduled an additional meeting for August 18 and discussed a later September meeting, likely around September 23-25, to review the federal report and any emerging issues.

Transcript Highlights:

• Teachers can live near the schools where they teach. It means entrepreneurs can start businesses.
• How do you see for the middle? But how do you build starter homes?
• They worry about the schools, they worry about services.
• We wish you could build for lower-income people in the middle.
• They could help with more housing for that middle-income group of people.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Housing

Summary: The Joint Committee on Housing opened its second hearing of the session with remarks from Chairs Haggerty and Cyr emphasizing that the hearing was a broad look at Massachusetts’ housing crisis rather than a single bill. They highlighted topics including zoning, permitting, rental assistance, public housing, homelessness prevention, and housing production. The first witness, Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Augustus, reviewed implementation of the Affordable Homes Act and the state’s new housing plan, citing a 1.6% vacancy rate, a projected need for 222,000 new homes over 10 years, and ongoing efforts such as ADUs by right, fair housing enforcement, eviction record sealing, seasonal communities planning, and new funding for affordable housing, public housing, and the Momentum Fund. He also discussed infrastructure support for municipalities, technical assistance for ADUs, and concerns about possible federal funding cuts. Committee members questioned the secretary about ADU financing and technical assistance, the likely unit yield from the Affordable Homes Act, infrastructure barriers in suburban and rural communities, public housing waitlist management, supportive housing, and federal budget risks. MassNAHRO then testified that public housing authorities are facing rising operating and capital costs, a statewide waitlist nearing 300,000, and uncertainty over federal Section 8 and HUD funding. Witnesses described recent state support for operating subsidies, capital improvements, vacancy turnover teams, and resident service coordinators, while warning that proposed federal cuts could sharply affect voucher issuance and agency operations. CDAC’s executive director Roger Herzog described the agency’s role as a quasi-public source of early-stage financing and technical assistance for nonprofit housing developers, noting its loan capital, supportive housing bond programs, home modification loans, and preservation work under Chapter 40T. He said CDAC has helped produce or preserve more than 55,000 units and stressed the importance of patient capital and preservation tools. CHAPA CEO Rachel Heller urged the committee to focus on production, preservation, planning, and political will, supporting goals for affordability, supportive housing, and homeownership, and endorsing policy changes such as YIGBY, clearer site plan review rules, stronger fair housing funding, and more support for vouchers and public housing. MassHousing then outlined its financing role, including mortgage lending, down payment assistance, the Community Climate Bank, and the Momentum Fund, while noting that permitting delays, capital gaps, and possible federal changes could affect production. Members also asked about transparency, prevailing wage compliance, and a recent internal restructuring related to diversity and business engagement.

Transcript Highlights:

• I guess the biggest one being Cloverport Schools.
• At the middle school level, we had 82 of 118 that exceeded, but they also had 110 of 153 that exceeded
• That also includes social studies, writing, and editing mechanics, but in middle school we have editing
• </c><00:18:03.720><c> school</c><00:18:03.960><c> we</c> eding mechanics but in middle school we eding
• mechanics but in middle school we have<00:18:04.200><c> editing</c><00:18:04.640><c> mechanics</c><00

Summary: The Administrative Regulation Review Subcommittee met on February 10 with a quorum present, approved the minutes, and then reviewed a long agenda of agency regulations, most of which were accompanied by staff-suggested amendments for drafting conformity under KRS Chapter 13A. The Department of Financial Institutions’ 808 KAR 9:10, the Secretary of State’s 030 KAR 2:11, the Office of the Attorney General’s 04 KAR 5:10, the Board of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology’s emergency 201 KAR 17:120, the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources’ 301 KAR 2:41, the Department for Environmental Protection’s 401 KAR 47:110 and 48:320, the State Police regulations 502 KAR 1:012 and 1:121, the Department for Public Health’s 902 KAR 4:15, the Department for Medicaid Services’ 907 KAR 1:15, and the Department for Community Based Services’ 921 KAR 1:400 were all discussed and, where applicable, staff amendments were approved without objection. The Workplace Standards emergency regulation 803 KAR 2:320E was also presented without amendment, and the Department of Insurance’s 806 KAR 9:360 was taken up but ultimately deferred at the agency’s request. Several regulations drew brief substantive discussion. The Fish and Wildlife rule on foxhound training enclosures was explained as expanding both commercial and non-commercial provisions for training with dogs involving red fox and coyotes, with enclosure standards intended to protect wildlife inside and outside the facilities. The environmental protection rules were tied to House Bill 478 and addressed permit-by-rule timelines, reporting, and operating standards for certain construction and demolition debris landfills, including sites up to two acres; members asked whether these facilities were private or municipal, and staff said they were a mix, often tied to private demolition contractors or single projects. The State Police fee increase for hazardous materials endorsements was described as reflecting a federal TSA fee change, and the witness estimated the new fee at about $23. The most extended debate concerned the Board of Education’s 704 KAR 3:535 on full-time virtual and remote learning programs. The agency amendment would cap enrollment in such programs at 10% above a district’s prior-year in-person enrollment, while also clarifying accountability, staffing, and monitoring requirements. Education officials said the cap was intended to address concerns about district capacity and student performance, and they cited Cloverport as an example of a district with high virtual participation and participation-rate issues. Members expressed concern that the amendment was too open-ended for regulation and suggested the issue might be better addressed in statute; no motion was made to adopt the agency amendment, so the regulation was left to proceed to the committee of jurisdiction. The Department of Insurance also discussed implementation of Senate Bill 188, saying it had received more than 3,000 complaints since the law took effect and was still working through enforcement and complaint processing before asking to defer its PBM licensing regulation.