Transcript Highlights:

• It specified these five high-demand occupational areas that you see on the screen and increased the maximum
• So what's up on the screen— ...the different pathways that we have.
• Now, we did open up some other testing options recently because we opened up for the Classical Learning
• Test, the CLT, but yeah, you can use SAT, ACT, CLT now, so any of those can be used.

Summary: The committee first approved the November 3 minutes, then received an extensive update from Arkansas Division of Higher Education and Division of Career and Technical Education officials on LEARNS and ACCESS implementation. Witnesses said the state’s goal is for students to graduate employed, enrolled, or enlisted, and described expanded career pathways, student success plans, merit and distinction diplomas, and school accountability measures tied to pathway completion and tangible credentials. They reported increases in K-12 CTE enrollment and concurrent enrollment, and explained that some secondary career center programs were reduced or eliminated because they no longer aligned with state workforce demand. Members asked detailed questions about how merit/distinction affects school letter grades, how AP, concurrent credit, CTE completers, apprenticeships, and work-based learning fit into the system, and whether homeschool and private school students can access the same opportunities. Officials said multiple pathways can satisfy the requirements, including AP Scholar, concurrent credit, technical certificates, and apprenticeships, and that counselors are being trained to advise students. They also discussed scholarship changes: ACCESS broadened eligibility for the Arkansas Academic Challenge and Governor’s Scholar awards, with diploma of merit or distinction now qualifying students for additional aid, while the Governor’s Distinguished Scholarship itself remained unchanged. Questions were raised about whether homeschool and private school students can meet the new diploma-of-distinction criteria; officials said the intent is to make them eligible if they meet the same standards, and that guidance is being finalized. The discussion also covered workforce scholarships and grants. Officials said the Workforce Challenge was expanded to include vocational-technical schools and increased funding, and that the Division is reworking policy around “professional skills training” to support shorter-term, stackable programs. They reviewed the new federal Workforce Pell Grant, noting its narrow hour and duration limits and the need for programs to meet completion, placement, and earnings thresholds. Members also asked about the state lottery scholarship fund balance and whether more aid should be directed to students; officials said the fund remains healthy and that ACCESS has already increased awards and expanded eligibility, with more implementation data still to come. The final presentation came from the Director of Workforce Connections on a $35.8 million U.S. Department of Labor cooperative agreement for the American Manufacturing Apprenticeship Incentive Fund. Arkansas will administer the national fund, which is aimed at expanding advanced manufacturing registered apprenticeships across the country through a pay-for-performance model. Officials said the program will support occupations in aerospace, automotive, biotech, maritime, nuclear, semiconductors, supply chain, and automation, and that applications will open soon. Members asked who can apply and how the money will be distributed; the answer was that registered apprenticeship sponsors—sometimes companies, sometimes colleges, sometimes intermediaries—will apply, with Arkansas setting eligibility criteria, vendor requirements, and outreach efforts.

Transcript Highlights:

• centering this around the Department of Health's mission and vision, which you can see up there on the screen
• able to trace cannabis throughout the entire market from production through distribution, waste, testing
• from distribution into processing, directly into leaf distribution to the labs that are doing the testing
• It's linked from our homepage and from the link that's on the screen.

Summary: The committee met on December 3, 2025, with a quorum present and approved the September 17 minutes. Members first voted to suspend the 2026 JLARC lodging tax expenditure report for one year, based on staff’s explanation that the report is self-reported, not verified, and less useful than State Auditor accountability audits; the motion passed. The committee also approved renaming the JLARC I-900 subcommittee to the “Committee to Hear SAO Performance Audits,” while keeping the opening script noting that the performance audit process exists under Initiative 900. The committee then heard follow-up updates on two prior performance audits. The Department of Health presented a draft strategic management plan in response to findings on hospital inspections, complaints, adverse event review, and hospital data access. JLARC staff reiterated that 72% of hospital inspections were late, that DOH did not verify third-party inspection standards or review adverse event reports, and that complaint data suggested possible language-access barriers. DOH said it concurred with the recommendations, had improved on-time inspection compliance to about 49%, planned annual updates starting in July 2026, and would work on accreditation oversight, complaint-language access, and data accessibility, though members pressed for firmer deadlines and questioned the three-year timeline for language access improvements. The Liquor and Cannabis Board also reported on its cannabis market study recommendation. JLARC staff said the agency’s data were incomplete and unreliable, limiting oversight of production, recalls, tax collection, and diversion. LCB said it had improved its current CCRS system but still relied on self-reported data, and it presented a decision package for a new traceability system estimated at about $9 million over three fiscal years. LCB described a plant-tagging and serialization approach tied to production, processing, testing, and retail, but acknowledged it did not currently have sufficient staff to fully implement the system without additional funding. The committee also received briefings on JLARC’s recommendation-tracking tools and the 2024 public records reporting summary, including a high-level review of agency response rates, request volumes, costs, and litigation. Finally, JLARC presented the proposed final report on the Office of Privacy and Data Protection, concluding that OPDP meets its statutory responsibilities and has high user satisfaction, but that its mandate should be updated to better match its current capacity and focus; the committee adopted the report for distribution. The meeting then moved into the 2025 tax preference performance reviews, where JLARC staff summarized nine reviews and noted that the Citizens Commission on Tax Preference and Performance Measurement endorsed all 17 legislative auditor recommendations, with comments on seven. Early reviews discussed included natural gas transportation fuel preferences, travel agent and tour operator B&O rates, nonprofit low-income housing development, multipurpose senior centers, disabled veteran adaptive housing, and trade convention attendance, with staff and commissioners generally recommending continuation of some preferences, modification of others, and improved objectives or performance measures where needed.

Transcript Highlights:

• facility person I spoke with mentioned that they had a patient who came in to try to get a simple strep test
• That was your first test. You barely passed. Okay. Thank you, Madam Chair. I need more protein.
• There are other measures that can be taken, like changing outlet density and implementing screening and
• We do the expert screening when they are discharged, and we do that every six months.

Transcript Highlights:

• All right, wait, let's finish our screen. All right, say, hey, hold on, hold on.
• Going through those different core competencies in that 80-hour training period, then taking a test for
• free-hosted gender-affirming hormone prescription clinic and a hosted electrolysis service, HIV/STI testing

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Health met in Room 2100 and first established a quorum, then approved a six-bill consent calendar on a 6-0 vote, placing it on call. The committee then heard AB 2233, which would ensure that once applied behavior analysis services for autistic patients are authorized, families can use those approved hours across the authorization period rather than losing them to weekly utilization caps or scheduling barriers. The author and supporters, including behavior analysts and family advocates, said the bill would not expand benefits but would improve access to already authorized care; health plan and insurance representatives initially raised fraud and utilization-management concerns but said they would remove opposition after amendments preserving those safeguards. AB 2233 passed 7-0 and was placed on call. The committee next heard AB 96, which would remove the high school diploma or equivalent requirement for certification as a Medi-Cal peer support specialist. Supporters from county behavioral health, peer services, and local governments argued that lived experience, training, and certification standards—not a diploma—should determine eligibility, and that the change would help address workforce shortages and expand culturally competent peer support. One opposition witness from the California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals testified against the bill, but the measure advanced on a 7-0 vote to Appropriations and was placed on call. The final major item was AB 1876, the Fair Care for All Act, which would codify federal non-discrimination protections in state law for health care coverage and services. Supporters said it would protect transgender, gender-diverse, and intersex patients from discriminatory coverage practices and preserve access to medically necessary care; opponents argued it would force coverage of gender-affirming interventions and reduce insurer safeguards. After debate over whether the bill expanded coverage, the author said it simply mirrored existing federal non-discrimination law. AB 1876 passed 7-1 and was re-referred to Judiciary, then placed on call. The committee later opened the roll to record absent members and concluded the meeting after all items were disposed of.

Transcript Highlights:

• Those states that require all of their students to take the ACT, 9 of those census states currently test
• We could talk about, for example, we test everyone on the end of.
• And so I know that SoonerART is a great way to screen our kids and... Make sure they get services.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Ultimately, all costs that are sought for recovery go to the PUC for a reasonableness test.
• But if you have compartmentalized, the tests show that any fire there is contained in a way that it wouldn't
• Chen is presenting, so he better be on his television screen somewhere doing just that. All right.

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy met without a quorum at first and began as a subcommittee, then later established quorum and heard several measures. The main policy bills discussed were SB 24, which would restrict investor-owned utilities from using ratepayer funds for political advertising, lobbying, and efforts against municipal utilities, and SB 283, the Clean Energy Safety Act of 2025, which would strengthen safety standards for battery energy storage facilities after the Moss Landing fire. The consent calendar also included SB 80, SB 491, SB 593, SB 804, and SCR 25, which were taken up without debate. SB 24 drew strong support from consumer and environmental advocates, who argued that ratepayer money should not be used for political or promotional activity and that current rules lack meaningful consequences. Opponents from the utilities and business community said the bill was too broad, could interfere with shareholder-funded advocacy and legal work, and might unintentionally affect public service communications and expert consulting. Several committee members shared support for the bill’s goal but raised concerns about its breadth, especially around legal fees and communications; the author said he was willing to work on amendments, including on consultant fees, and accepted committee amendments. SB 283 received broad support from firefighters, local governments, utilities, labor, and business groups. Supporters said the bill would improve fire safety, require fire authority consultation and inspections, and prevent battery storage from being sited in unsafe indoor combustible facilities. The author described the Moss Landing fire and said the bill would add standards based on NFPA guidance while preserving local governments’ ability to adopt stricter rules. No opposition testimony was presented. The committee voted SB 283 out 16-0, and SB 24 was also approved after a roll was held open and later closed, ultimately passing 11-1. The consent calendar passed 16-0, and the meeting adjourned after the final roll calls were completed.

Transcript Highlights:

• Compare past lab outcomes to latest testing, seek second opinions, decide... several treatment choices
• Screening and assessment outcomes, applications for benefits, denial notices and appeals, explanation
• of benefits and billing, test results, and radiological slides. ultrasound, MRI, and CT scan results

Bills: HB368, HB3311, HB1734, HB2495, HB2716, HB793, HB3376, HB2524, HB3421, HB3446, HB3181

Keywords: electronic devices, family violence, criminal prosecution, protective orders, tracking, harassment, family allowance, decedent's estate, surviving spouse, minor children, inheritance, child support, maintenance, HB 1734, Family Code, Section 155.207, suit affecting the parent-child relationship, SAPCR, continuing exclusive jurisdiction, jurisdiction transfer

Transcript Highlights:

• Item 10, 300,000 in general revenue for additional testing facilities is adopted.
• to page 46, the one work group revision in addition concerns a new writer concerning equine drug testing
• Item H, maintain current utilization of background checks for screening purposes.

Bills: SB 1

Keywords: campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards

Transcript Highlights:

• WE ALSO INCLUDE A FACTOR FOR OPERATION OF GED TESTING.
• OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE NOT DEPENDENT UPON ADULT EDUCATION MOMENTS AND WHILE MANY STUDENTS WHO ARE TESTING
• THE FIRST IS WHAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN WHICH IS THEY CAME UP WITH GUIDING PRINCIPLES.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• "We're going to test you guys not over what we present in class.
• <01:12:31.120> I<01:12:31.360> still we take so many tests to have.
• I still we take so many tests to have.
• you guys not over what we present test you guys not over what we present in<01:12:47.840> class.
• to test you guys over anything anything anything that<01:12:53.520> is<01:12:53.760> in

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, roll call, and approval of the prior journal. The House communicated that it had passed House Bill 4 and requested concurrence. The chamber then received second-reading reports for Senate Bills 18, 33, 85, and 132, and committee reports indicating Senate Bills 136, 183, 2, 4, and 71 should pass, with some substitutes and title amendments. The Senate also introduced Senate Resolutions 79 and 80 honoring Joseph Harden McFarland and Jeremiah Parsons. The main floor action centered on Senate Bill 5, relating to Kentucky-grown agricultural product procurement. The sponsor described it as a way to improve school nutrition, support Kentucky producers, and keep food dollars in local communities. Several senators spoke in support, including references to the Make America Healthy Task Force and the idea of using food procurement as a tool for rural prosperity and better nutrition in schools. Senate Bill 5 passed by roll call, 38-0. The Senate also passed Senate Bill 73, which would allow home-based processors to use beef tallow in cosmetic products. The sponsor said the bill would expand existing home-processing authority beyond food products to cosmetics. It passed unanimously, 38-0. Senate Bill 12, relating to medical provider coverage and level four trauma centers, drew the most extended debate. Supporters argued it would help rural hospitals join the trauma network by allowing nurse practitioners and physician assistants to work under physician supervision, including remote supervision, and said it would improve access and save lives in underserved areas. Opponents, including a physician senator, argued the bill would lower trauma-care standards and could put patients at risk by allowing non-physician staffing in facilities that need immediate hands-on medical expertise. After lengthy discussion, the bill was advanced and then passed by roll call, with supporters emphasizing rural access and opponents warning about patient safety and the adequacy of physician coverage.

Transcript Highlights:

• And the most important interest taken into account for this balancing test is the protection of a little
• Engrossed Committee Substitute for House Bill 5582, extending a program for drug screening of applicants
• This bill removes the current sunset provision for the Department of Health Services drug screening program

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Summary: The Senate considered and passed a series of House bills and one constitutional resolution, with several measures receiving title amendments and some taking effect immediately or on a specified date. Early action included moving House Bill 5438, concerning the foundation allowance for instructional programs, to the foot of third-reading bills. House Bill 5441, reforming the state personnel system, was amended with a Judiciary strike-and-insert technical fix, then passed 28-6 and was set to take effect July 1, 2026. House Bill 5462 on mine subsidence insurance passed unanimously, with a title amendment adopted. House Bill 5484, creating felony offenses related to denying medical treatment to sexual offense victims, also passed unanimously with a title amendment. House Bill 5515 modernizing workers’ compensation statutes passed unanimously with a title amendment, and House Bill 5527 establishing licensure and regulation for wellness reimbursement programs passed unanimously. House Bill 5528, protecting personal residential information of certain public officials, passed unanimously with a title amendment. The most extended debate centered on House Bill 5537, an education-related bill that was amended to add a child-protection provision later referred to as “Rayleigh’s law.” The amendment would bar approval of home instruction requests in certain child abuse or neglect cases until the Department of Human Services confirms the investigation is unfounded, closed, or not substantiated, or until 10 days pass without a response. Senators argued the measure was intended to protect children and not target homeschooling. After a point of order, the chair initially ruled the amended language not germane; that ruling was challenged and ultimately overruled by a 24-7 vote, allowing the amendment to remain. The bill then passed 24-7, and a title amendment was adopted. Other measures passed with little or no opposition. House Bill 5582 removed the sunset on the TANF applicant drug-screening program and passed 28-3 after a technical committee amendment. House Bill 5687 reduced the metallurgical coal severance tax over time and adjusted oil and gas tax allocations, passing 31-3. Several supplemental appropriations also passed and were made effective from passage, including funds for Homeland Security/corrections, the Adjutant General, Health, the State Road Fund, and Tourism/Culture and History. The Senate also adopted House Joint Resolution 42, which would place on the ballot a constitutional amendment increasing the homestead exemption from $20,000 to $40,000 and allowing future changes by general law. In second reading, the Senate advanced bills on workforce training reimbursements, aerospace and advanced manufacturing incentives, portable benefit accounts, literacy and science-of-reading training, school aid formula changes, and wedding venue regulation, with amendments adopted on several of them before advancement to third reading.

Transcript Highlights:

• hours of an arrest for a felony offense or a misdemeanor offense listed in level two background screening
• notification requirements to include additional disqualifying offenses listed in level two background screening
• Third, expanding self-reporting requirements to include offenses listed in level 2 background screening
• Charter schools can reject students with disabilities, behavioral challenges, or lower test scores.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Education Pre-K through 12 considered a series of education-related bills, many of them after adopting amendments. SB 1122 on Florida Virtual School was amended to remove virtual preschool provisions and then passed favorably, with the sponsor describing it as a clarifying bill about FLVS operations, revenue sources, reporting, and student access. SB 1374, on school district reporting requirements for educator arrests and misconduct, was also approved; it requires faster district action and reporting when instructional personnel are arrested for certain offenses and clarifies that self-reports are not admissions of guilt. SB 1402, on student enrollment and dropout retrieval programs, was amended and passed to broaden eligibility for dropout retrieval services and allow certain virtual providers to receive a school improvement rating instead of a school grade. SB 364, moving the Council on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys from the Department of Education to Florida Memorial University, was amended and reported favorably. The committee also approved SB 772 on diabetes management in schools, which would allow districts to obtain and store glucagon for emergency use by trained school staff or nurses, with liability protections included. SB 1102 on school readiness programs for children with disabilities passed after testimony that it would expand identification of disabilities, require more training for providers, and direct special-needs funding toward better-supported classrooms. SB 1382, also on school readiness, was approved and would change the definition of economically disadvantaged families, adjust priority tiers, and update the waitlist and forecasting process for child care assistance. The most debated measure was SB 140, which was substantially rewritten by delete-all amendment to create “job engine charter schools,” allow municipalities to seek charter schools aimed at attracting industry, authorize parent votes for conversion of existing public schools, and set requirements for district five-year property plans and surplus property use, including affordable housing and charter school purposes. Supporters argued it could aid economic development and repurpose underused property, while opponents raised concerns about privatization, reduced stakeholder input, unclear voting procedures, and loss of district control over property. Despite extensive debate and multiple public speakers against it, the bill passed favorably. The committee also approved SB 430, a merged AED and cardiac emergency response bill requiring public schools to have a cardiac emergency plan, trained staff, and an operational AED in a publicized location, with reimbursement provisions and liability protections; it passed after supporters emphasized life-saving benefits and manageable training costs. The committee adjourned after recording additional members’ votes on selected bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• But you know, there's computer systems to test it.
• It's a great question because those tests were implemented by the state department.
• We don't oversee the Praxis tests, so using that same language.
• Require things like so that the Praxis, of course, is a nationally known test set.
• Tests where they have to go into a testing center.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• HB 4690 by Curtis relating to motor fuel measuring quality and testing standards.
• They have to go through an intense screening, especially on classified research.
• It's not like a test, but they build multiple pieces of writing of different types over the course of
• HB 4879 creates a grant program to help local law enforcement pay for... ...lab tests on Delta 9, and
• Additionally, this bill creates a third option for rape kit testing to encourage more reporting.

Bills: HJR73, HB31, HB279, HB370, HB4768, HB513, HB875, HB982, HB 1085, HB2677, HB2874, HB5478, HB4880, HB4798, HB4514, HB4958, HB4508, HB3758, HB3830, HB3744, HB3622, HB741, HB2204, HB2860, HB4659, HB4578, HB813, HB712, HB1551, HB2790, HB2698, HB3365, HB3504, HB3118, HB2959, HB1862, HB 1026, HB4401, HB4164, HB3920, HB4737, HB4966, HB4967, HB1958, HB4979, HB5459, HB3862, HB1823, HB4415, HB4893, HB2343, HB 1228, HB4337, HCR141, SB250, SB1883, SB617, SB2411, SB2306, SB2929, SB552, SCR27, HJR218, HB168, HB2545, HB5436, HB4926, HB5165, HB4811, HB4755, HB3179, HB4310, HB4611, HB3637, HB3153, HB2786, HB2966, HB2159, HB5081, HB638, HB640, HB876, HB4809, HB5308, HB4687, HB5623, HB4412, HB3284, HB3420, HB3449, HB4098, HB4281, HB4120, HB4504, HB4370, HB4421, HB 1106, HB4070, HB2370, HB2407, HB2253, HB2273, HB2040, HB1586, HB3788, HB3993, HB4690, HB4696, HB2308, HB 1142, HB1533, HB1621, HB2242, HB2012, HB2193, HB2464, HB2348, HB2313, HB2289, HB1942, HB2011, HB1629, HB2993, HB3592, HB4076, HB4623, HB4535, HB4327, HB4520, HB3824, HB4921, HB2494, HB3066, HJR112, HB2695, HB3138, HB2442, HB3863, HJR73, HB4773, HB 1091, HB5115, HB5515, HB3372, HB5659, HB 127, HB386, HB 115, HB2868, HB 1249, HB4766, HB3720, HB4656, HB4879, HB 105, HB5383, HB4621, HB5431, HB5678, HB5534, HB4174, HB4212, HB3954, HB3966, HB3636, HB3918, HB1422, HB4765, HB4732, HB4742, HB5122, HB4518, HB5084, HB3986, HB4045, HB4144, HB3911, HB3976, HB4473, HB3425, HB3641, HB3642, HB3475, HB3509, HB3424, HB3383, HB4744, HB4531, HB4539, HB3159, HB5228, HB5370, HB4359, HB4398, HB4443, HB4466, HB3861, HB3849, HB4240, HB4706, HB4685, HB5354, HB5141, HB5686, HB3629, HB3554, HB3567, HB2015, HB3575, HB5381, HB1431, HB3514, HB4614, HB4546, HB4683, HB5681, HB5673, HB5663, HB4271, HB4350, HB4035, HB3807, HB3812, HB3552, HB3540, HB3715, HB3710, HB3664, HB4196, HB4233, HB4173, HB1998, HB3333, HB3510, HB4222, HB2070, HB2854, HB2347, HB 113, HB983, HB4847, HB1449, HB3833, HB5151, HB265, HB1845, HB782, HB 108, HB1960, HB158, HB1954, HB1955, HB2512, HB605, HB2581, HB2803, HB627, HB2667, HB1738, HB636, HB3679, HB2638, HB2655, HB871, HB2438, HB 1107, HB1765, HB1822, HB2153, HB4099, HB3732, HB3171, HB3178, HB3182, HB3749, HB2814, HB3977, HB4204, HB4207, HB4449, HB1820, HB1876, HB1939, HB1347, HB2593, HB2136, HB2132, HB2658, HB2413, HB2757, HB2080, HB3154, HB3063, HB3009, HB3448, HB3006, HB2844, HB3241, HB3680, HB3169, HB2078, HB2507, HB4559, HB3946, HB3460, HB3405, HB475, HB3463, HB3441, HB3520, HB2060, HB4731, HB4991, HB1991, HB5596, HB2014, HB2142, HB2673, HB2731, HB2417, HB2399, HB2301, HB3335, HB3234, HB3320, HB5573, HB4848, HB4748, HB4769, HB4795, HB2086, HB2234, HB2203, HB4916, HB5624, HB4505, HB139, HB5093, HB5302, HB5402, HB5606, HB2333, HB4630, HB4701, HB2583, HB2983, HB4924, HB3339, HB3793, HB3631, HB4882, HB5509, HB5499, HB5430, HB5561, HB5611, HB5043, HB5064, HB3733, HB3781, HB3219, HB32, HB4515, HB5348, HB3902, HB4420, HB3269, HB469, HB336, HB316, HB5396, HB993, HB1342, HB5216, HB2046, HB2188, HB2450, HB2813, HB2857, HB4075, HB2911, HB4682, HB3117, HB3253, HB3442, HB4820, HB4336, HB5356, HB3669, HB3428, HB5465, HB3662, HB2590, HB2288, HB1886, HB3458, HB5603, HB5620, HB1489, HB4101, HB4990, HB5685, HB4950, HB4980, HB5684, HB3507, HB3566, HB4487, HB4462, HB4876, HB4915, HB4663, HB5570, HB2929, HB5261, HB2920, HB4642, HB4746, HB1609, HB5403, HB5453, HB3844, HB2336, HB1572, HB 1226, HB2806, HB2617, HB2827, HB3948, HB3945, HB4266, HB4542, HB3319, HB1772, HB2496, HB1970, HB3434, HB5545, HB5577, HB31, HB279, HB370, HB4768, HB513, HB875, HB982, HB 1085, HB2677, HB2874, HB5478, HB4880, HB4798, HB4514, HB4958, HB4508, HB3758, HB3830, HB3744, HB3622, HB741, HB2204, HB2860, HB4659, HB4578, HB813, HB712, HB1551, HB2790, HB2698, HB3365, HB3504, HB3118, HB2959, HB1862, HB 1026, HB4401, HB4164, HB3920, HB4737, HB4966, HB4967, HB1958, HB4979, HB5459, HB3862, HB1823, HB4415, HB4893, HB2343, HB 1228, HB4337, HCR76, HCR127, HCR9, HCR40, HCR118, HR559, HCR59, HCR135, HCR141

Keywords: ad valorem tax, property tax, tax limitation, elderly, disabled, low-income, homestead exemption, constitutional amendment, juvenile justice, community supervision, felony offenses, treatment of children, juvenile facilities, chemical dispensing device, solitary confinement, rehabilitation, criminal proceedings, HB 279, uranium mining, uranium permit

Transcript Highlights:

• Oh, good luck with your driver's test. So don't litter. Do it for me.
• Oh, good luck with your driver's test. Now, can you put me down, please?
• That video, of course, is geared for individuals who are about to take their driver's tests.
• And here's some information about it: it's no-cost online tutoring, it's test prep.
• I'm sorry to test over there. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Summary: The Louisiana Commission on Civic Education met with a quorum, approved the minutes from its prior meeting, and unanimously approved the 2026–27 membership slate for the Legislative Youth Advisory Council after hearing that more than 300 students applied. The commission also approved LIAC’s budget and mileage reimbursement guidelines, which were updated to reflect the IRS rate increase. Members thanked the Legislature for continuing to fund LIAC after earlier years of sponsor-based support. The meeting featured several civic education presentations tied to the nation’s 250th anniversary. Brandon Burris of the Lieutenant Governor’s office described state parks, museums, library backpack programs, Keep Louisiana Beautiful, and Homework Louisiana as civic and educational resources. Liam Julian of the Sandra Day O’Connor Institute discussed national trends in civics education, teacher discomfort with controversial topics, and the institute’s teacher training, student camps, debate programs, and civics app. Louisiana Public Broadcasting’s Katie Stark and Nancy Torren presented America 250-related materials, including a PBS Kids feature on a Louisiana child and a PBS Learning Media series on Bernardo de Gálvez and Spanish Louisiana, along with teacher training events. LIAC members John Parker and Brandon Routon reported on their work over the year, including school safety efforts, digital service-hour tracking, AP self-study access, minor work permits, AI-generated harassment of minors, and school advisory councils. The Louisiana Center for Law and Civic Education reported on Law Day and Constitution Day programming reaching thousands of students, its summer institute, student and teacher awards, and a proclamation marking the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. Barry Irwin also reported that legislation to clean up the commission’s membership and quorum provisions had passed the House and been heard in Senate Education. The commission adjourned after thanking staff for managing the meeting during severe weather.

Transcript Highlights:

• and noted exceptions for 32 of the 39 students tested.
• Disbursements tested were properly posted to the general ledger.
• Of the $350,000 in scholarship awards tested, full-time.
• A disbursement test was conducted for the review period, the general ledger.
• Disbursements tested were properly posted to the general ledgers.

Summary: The committee first adopted prior minutes and then heard several standing committee audit reports. The executive committee report noted audit and special reports scheduled for the month, one outstanding committee-requested report, and a request to gather information on a possible special report for February. The city/county/local report covered delinquent private water and sewer audits, including reinstatement of turn-back funds for 17 entities, 59 of 64 delinquent 2023 entities filing reports, and action on the town of Daisy requiring repayment of misused street funds. The education report filed three higher education audit reports and deferred one Northwest Arkansas Community College report. The state agencies report filed four reports and deferred audits of the Department of Human Services and the Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism for more information on corrective actions. The committee then received a special audit review of the Charles W. Donaldson Scholars Academy at UA Little Rock. Auditors said the program received $10 million in desegregation funding and a $50,000 grant, awarded $1.87 million in scholarships to 379 students, and saw 116 students graduate. The review found many scholarship eligibility exceptions, including awards above the maximum and to students who did not meet GPA, enrollment-hour, or full-time requirements, and numerous disbursement documentation and authorization problems. Committee members sharply questioned the program’s oversight, the role of former staff, the use of funds for travel and cultural activities, and whether any improper spending should be referred for criminal review. UALR representatives said the program was overseen as a sponsored program, that some controls were later strengthened, and that Philander Smith only verified enrollment rather than eligibility. The committee voted to table the report until the next meeting and asked staff to gather the federal court order and additional information. Finally, the committee reviewed the annual report on matters referred to prosecutors and the Attorney General for 2024. Staff said 164 matters were referred, with 28 criminal charges filed, 39 still under review, 3 dismissed, 5 pending in court, and 96 not charged; convictions in 20 cases led to fines, restitution, audit costs, and some bond trust fund payments. Prosecutor representatives explained that many referrals do not become criminal cases because of intent, timing, or other legal limits, and said they generally seek restitution even when charges are not filed. Members asked for more standardized reporting, including whether restitution was recovered and why cases were not prosecuted, and discussed possible training and a checklist for future reports. The committee then voted to file the report and adjourned, with the next meeting set for February 12-13.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think we'll be up to about 162 water bodies this year that we will be able to test.
• the monitoring space, this allows us to expand, greatly expand, the amount of waters we're able to test
• I think us to expand, greatly expand, the amount of waters we're able to test now across the state.
• I think we'll be up to about 162 water bodies this year that we will be able to test.
• So I wanted to get that on the radar screen.

Summary: The subcommittee began by announcing a change in the agenda order, moving item 6 ahead of item 1 and then item 7, and noting there would be no votes taken on any items that day. Item 6 covered a proposed operational efficiencies control section for the Natural Resources Agency that would let multiple departments jointly fund landscape-scale or multi-jurisdictional projects and allow Finance to transfer climate bond funds to a lead state entity. The LAO said the proposal was reasonable but suggested the Legislature consider requiring summary notification on how it is used; Finance said it would consider that request. Item 7 focused on the 2026-27 biodiversity and nature-based solutions spending plan. Finance and the Wildlife Conservation Board described the climate bond funding for habitat restoration, wildlife crossings, public access, tribal nature-based solutions, and related work, including $111 million proposed for WCB and $30 million for Salton Sea habitat and public access projects. The LAO supported the overall approach but flagged the San Andreas Corridor Program as an area where the Legislature may want to specify geographic priorities. Members discussed the pace of Salton Sea work and whether the proposed projects would count toward disadvantaged community goals. Item 8 addressed Cal Fire’s aviation contract and staffing needs for wildfire response. Cal Fire said year-round fire activity, a larger and more complex aircraft fleet, and labor market pressures justified the proposed contract increase, including more mechanics, pilots, and maintenance support. The LAO recommended approval, saying the proposal addressed health and safety concerns. Members asked about contractor staffing, competition in the bidding process, and future technology for early fire detection and suppression. The committee then took up item 1 on golden mussel containment. Fish and Wildlife described the invasive species’ spread in the Delta, the task force and response framework, and a request for eight new positions funded by Prop. 4 to support control plans, outreach, monitoring, research, and coordination with partners and law enforcement. Members pressed the department on whether the state should fund more direct decontamination infrastructure and grants to local water managers, and on the realistic goal of containing the mussel. The chair and several members emphasized the urgency of the threat and requested an itemized breakdown of the $20 million request. The hearing then moved to a broader LAO overview of wildfire prevention and response funding, where the LAO summarized the state’s funding mix and warned that ongoing wildfire resilience funding will likely decline as one-time bond and GGRF funds are exhausted, prompting discussion of long-term funding options and the balance between prevention, suppression, and community hardening.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, a couple of of those will be, um, on the screen and are by Zoom.
• They're gonna take it down into Mexico and deploy it and test it out for us, make, make sure that it's
• I will direct you all's attention to the screen, OK?
• What we need right now is, are some tests, um.
• We were testing this and we didn't see screw worms.

Transcript Highlights:

• Assembly Bill 2,200 gives agricultural greenhouses the flexibility to use thermal screens instead of
• We're going to have more, and you will be tested over and over.
• These, you're tested all the time and you're going to continue to be tested.
• Santa Cruz County became the test case at the intersection of a system in transition and a case that
• I rise to present AB 1906, which requires health care plans to cover at-home cervical cancer screening

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The Assembly met on May 7, 2026, after an initial delay due to lack of quorum, then proceeded through a long House of Origin deadline session focused mainly on floor votes for dozens of bills. The day opened with prayer, a moment of silence for victims of a hate-motivated shooting at an Islamic Center in San Diego, and a warning to visitors about disrupting proceedings. Leadership repeatedly urged members to be on time and at their desks as the chamber worked through a large daily file. The bills considered covered a wide range of topics, including artificial intelligence, community college trustee compensation, transit camera enforcement and privacy, taxation and excess proceeds claims, HOA rules, hepatitis C treatment access, child care planning, greenhouse energy standards, consumer lending, housing and homelessness, pet spay/neuter access, local financing for workforce housing, student financial aid, DUI penalties, senior housing, foster youth, behavioral health licensing, transit stop data, disaster response for child welfare, elections notices, safe surrender for infants, college enrollment and leave policies, insurance regulation, fair funding, school safety, environmental labeling, cash rounding, park passes through libraries, grocery access, pregnancy protections in education, swatting, domestic violence protective orders, farmworker housing, juvenile justice, cervical cancer screening, Medi-Cal transitions, disability certification, and home protection products. Most authors described their bills as cleanup measures, consumer protections, access expansions, or targeted fixes to existing law. Testimony from authors and supporters emphasized access, safety, affordability, and administrative simplification, while a few bills drew policy concerns or opposition, especially AB 1751 on townhome development and labor standards. That bill prompted extended debate over wages, prevailing wage, and stakeholder engagement, but it ultimately passed. Other notable discussion included AB 1628 to extend California’s safe surrender window for infants, AB 1902 on juvenile detention extension hearings, and AB 1925 on permanent disability certification, each framed as addressing difficult real-world gaps in current systems. The chamber took many roll-call votes, with most measures passing overwhelmingly and several by unanimous or near-unanimous margins. A few bills were temporarily passed, retained on file, or moved to the inactive file, and AB 1534 required the call to be lifted and then passed on a 54-8 vote. Overall, the session was dominated by floor action on the daily file rather than committee reports or gubernatorial messages, and the Assembly advanced a large number of bills on a deadline day.

Transcript Highlights:

• We really examined test scores, needs, and it was real.
• On your screen there was the ERB challenges, and you talked about the new rule briefly.
• Cottonwood has higher test scores than most schools in New Mexico and substantial success in all areas
• In English, my son—and I'm sure others—has consistently been able to test at the highest percentile in
• My mother, who was a teacher for more than 30 years, shared regional test scores in the area where I

Summary: The committee first heard a presentation on strategic resource management in public education. LESC staff and PED officials argued that New Mexico has increased school funding, but local budgeting and planning remain fragmented and overly compliance-driven. They described long-term pressures including declining enrollment, rising special education costs, falling cash balances, changes in federal funding, and leadership turnover, and said schools need more intentional multi-year planning tied to student outcomes. They also outlined the many disconnected planning requirements schools must complete, compared New Mexico’s current approach with Ohio’s three-year budget forecasting model, and recommended continuing multi-year appropriations, adding $2.5 million for state grants in the unified application, and directing LESC, LFC, and PED to develop a long-term financial planning proposal. PED said it is working to reduce administrative burden through school accreditation, a unified application for federal and state funds, and internal alignment of guidance and coaching, with pilot schools reporting time savings and better alignment. Members raised concerns about four-day school weeks, the burden on small districts, the need for outcomes and return on investment, and whether the state should move toward a two-year or three-year planning cycle; staff clarified that the proposal was to streamline or eliminate redundant requirements, not add another layer. The committee then received an update on the Educator Fellows program. PED described it as a Grow Your Own pipeline that employs candidates as supplemental educational assistants while they work toward licensure, providing salary, benefits, paid leave, mentoring, and coursework support. Officials said the program helps address teacher shortages, improves student-to-teacher ratios, increases workforce diversity, and supports the Martinez-Yazzie action plan. They reported 370 current fellows across 86 LEAs and about 180 schools, with many fellows being people of color, first-generation college students, or second-career educators; roughly 85 are expected to become certified this year. A local HR director from Belen testified that the program has been especially valuable in small communities, where fellows are already rooted in the community and several have moved into teaching roles. Members asked about high school recruitment, tuition, retirement and benefits, the relationship to the Higher Education Department’s Grow Your Own scholarship, and the role of university partners. PED said fellows choose among accredited higher education partners, the program is separate from the scholarship but complementary, and the state is also building an apprenticeship model and seeking to expand the program to more LEAs, though some districts are on a waiting list because of funding and local match requirements.