Transcript Highlights:

• In the current student athletes.
• Many of these students are early college students.
• So when a student graduate, how much is the student in debt on average?
• student? student?
• 500 overall student athletes.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Impressively, 25% of our students are first-generation college students.
• to bachelor degree students.
• of of funding for outof State students of of funding for outof State students students<00:44:57.359
• or students with education students or students with English<05:29:33.798> Learners<05:29:34.798
• students across the state.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Finance Committee held an informational briefing with the University of Hawaiʻi, led by new President Wendy Hensel and Vice President for Budget and Finance Calbert Young. Hensel outlined the university system’s scope, student demographics, research activity, and campus missions, emphasizing four strategic priorities: serving Native Hawaiians and Hawaiʻi, student success, workforce development, and economic diversification through innovation and research. She highlighted the system’s enrollment, research funding, and the roles of Mānoa, Hilo, West Oʻahu, the community colleges, and specialized institutions such as JABSOM and the Cancer Center. Young then reviewed the budget request, focusing largely on making prior one-time appropriations permanent and supporting recurring needs. Items included funding for Mānoa athletics, the Hawaiʻi Institute for Marine Biology, K-12 teacher education, Pamantasan Council support, Hilo programs, Windward’s mental health technician certificate, Maui’s practical nursing bridge program, and student support positions such as financial aid and admissions counselors. He also described workforce-related requests tied to nursing expansion at Mānoa and West Oʻahu, as well as facilities support at West Oʻahu. A major portion of the testimony addressed the university’s two Kakaʻako medical facilities. Young explained that declining tobacco settlement and cigarette tax revenues are no longer sufficient to cover debt service for JABSOM and the Cancer Center, so the governor’s budget includes general fund support to supplement those obligations. He also described a regents-approved request not included in the governor’s proposal: expanding the Hawaiʻi Promise financial aid program to the four-year campuses, estimated at about $11–12 million. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the briefing.

Transcript Highlights:

• This includes salaries, fringe benefits, classroom support, and student growth.
• We talked about why that's not a good idea because we're not addressing student needs.
• These student needs... Senator Smithman, is it appropriate now?
• The hybrid is hopefully a step towards student-centric funding.
• It's looked at as a district impact rather than a student impact.

Keywords: 924, joint, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I think these students should all be fully given the opportunities That They deserve.
• As Director Salih said, you know, we're building buildings and facilities for a handful of students.
• of high school students for CTE purposes.
• Districts were not required to report which of their students were participating in virtual learning,
• Middle school students are also partaking in CTE, but your point is very well taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• What about with the students, your interactions with the students at FAU?
• I've had limited interactions with the students outside of our fellow trustee or students that have made
• Did you ever learn of the diversity of the student body in terms of gender, race?
• Did you ever learn of the diversity of the student body in terms of gender, race?
• And being a minority, coming from a minority family, I'm a Cuban-Mexican minority student.

Summary: The Committee on Ethics and Elections met to consider several executive appointments, beginning with Matthew Walsh, Secretary of the Department of Juvenile Justice, for confirmation. Walsh outlined his long law-enforcement career, social work background, and priorities at DJJ, including staff wellness, reclassifying juvenile detention and probation officers as officers under statute, adding beds to move youth from detention into residential programs, and increasing per diem funding. Members asked about detention “dead time” and the need to get adjudicated youth into programming sooner. Public testimony included support from Barney Bishop and Christian Minor, and the committee voted unanimously to approve Walsh’s nomination and forward it to the full Senate. The committee then heard from Tina Vidal-Duarte, nominee for the Florida Atlantic University Board of Trustees. She described her business background as CEO of CDR Health, her education, and extensive nonprofit and board service, including leadership roles with the Florida Grand Opera, the Homeless Trust of Miami-Dade County, FAU, and the Hope Florida Foundation. Senators questioned her about free speech issues involving FAU faculty, her relationship with the new FAU president, student diversity, AI and workforce planning, and her prior role on Hope Florida. She also answered questions about her company’s work at the Everglades detention center and the bidding process for state contracts. Public testimony opposed her nomination, citing concerns about her business ties, Hope Florida, and detention-center contracts. Debate split largely along partisan lines, and the committee approved her nomination on a recorded vote. Afterward, the committee took up the remaining nominations in Tabs 2 through 15, excluding Tab 10, and approved them as a group by voice/recorded vote for forwarding to the full Senate. The meeting then concluded with no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:34:11.839> and state's Workforce their students and state's Workforce their students and
• or bringing students back later in life to our state.
• or bringing students back later in life to our state.
• or bringing students back later in life to our state.
• or bringing students back later in life to our state.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first considered an amendment to add a new “Lakes” license plate to HB 2, with proceeds directed to the cyanobacteria fund for lake cleanup. Representative McGuire said the bill had already passed on consent and asked that it be included in HB 2; members discussed that it had also gone to the Senate. The motion to adopt the amendment failed on a 7-8 vote. The committee then took up an amendment imposing a 5% administrative fee on certain dedicated funds, with several exemptions for funds that could not legally or appropriately be charged, such as those involving federal money or bequests. Supporters said it would make the treatment of dedicated funds more consistent and raise roughly $31 million over the biennium for the general fund, while opponents questioned the number of carve-outs and who currently pays the administrative costs. The amendment failed on a 4-5 vote. Next, the committee reconsidered and then adopted an amendment changing the distribution of business profits tax and business enterprise tax revenue, reducing the share going to the Education Trust Fund from 41% to 30% and increasing the General Fund share. Supporters argued the Senate had overfunded the Education Trust Fund and that the change would help balance the budget without changing education spending levels; opponents said they could not support taking money from the Education Trust Fund. The amendment passed 5-3. The committee also adopted, by the same 5-3 margin, an amendment incorporating HB 741 language on open enrollment and student attendance in public schools, with supporters calling it House policy and opponents noting it had been a close, partly partisan vote in the House. Finally, the committee considered a change to the University System of New Hampshire budget that would reduce general fund appropriations by $40 million per year, offset in part by $15 million in previously approved unique dollars for a net reduction of $25 million per year. Supporters said the cut was necessary to balance the budget and that other options had been exhausted; opponents called it harmful to the university system and argued the committee should instead look to other areas, including education freedom accounts, for savings. The discussion continued, but the transcript excerpt ends before a final vote on the UNH item.

Transcript Highlights:

• , to not experience any significant financial undue hardship because of the loss of those students.
• , to not experience any significant financial undue hardship because of the loss of those students.
• Mountain View received this year funding for the students they had last year, and next year they will
• receive funding for the students they have this year, which would include any students who may decide
• students who may decide to leave and attend the newly established school districts.

Summary: The Executive Subcommittee met and first approved an emergency rule change from the Department of Education to update consolidation and annexation rules to reflect Acts 919 of 2025 and 157 of the 2026 fiscal session. The rule implements the creation of new isolated school districts after local detachment votes, and officials explained the funding structure for parent districts: they retain foundation funding, declining enrollment funding, and local tax revenue, while 90% of the foundation funding generated by detaching students is forwarded to the new districts. Members discussed the financial impact in detail, and the emergency rule was approved without objection, effective upon adjournment of the Legislative Council meeting on June 19, 2026. The Department of Human Services then presented an emergency rule allowing hospitals to open separate adolescent substance use disorder units and receive payment for residential services provided to adolescents. The rule was approved without objection, and Senator Irvin requested that the topic be placed on a future public health agenda for an update. The committee also approved Whitehall’s waiver request to exceed $1 million through cooperative purchasing for construction services related to a project using a vendor with prior experience and a longer-warranty system. In addition, members voted to keep committee per diem, mileage, and expense allocations unchanged for the new fiscal year. Finally, the committee approved a motion to cancel the July 2026 Legislative Council meeting, allow only subcommittee meetings with imminent matters through July 31, and treat July subcommittee actions as final for reporting at the August 21, 2026 meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• How many students are homeschooled? We have that.
• . students that are enrolled in the public schools also available to other students in that same geography
• Payers pay it for the purpose of educating students, right?
• Let's say you had student before special education, you have that student now they're in special education
• to $2,000. $20,000 per student.

Keywords: infrastructure, water supply, flood mitigation, Texas Water Fund, community projects, funding allocations

Summary: During this committee meeting, the focus was on discussing critical infrastructure funding, especially related to water supply and flood mitigation projects. Chairwoman Stepney and the Water Development Board presented extensive details regarding the Texas Water Fund, which included $1 billion appropriated to assist various financial programs and tackle pressing water and wastewater issues. Additionally, funding allocations aimed at compromising the state's flood risk and improving water conservation were hotly debated, emphasizing collaboration among committee members and the necessity of addressing community needs in such projects.

Transcript Highlights:

• Remains getting students to and from school safely.
• Tragically, just last month in Houston, it was reported that an 8 year old student, 8-year-old student
• So I have an encounter with a student who was barely crossing. I honked at the student.
• One student injury or death is one too many.
• Again, one student injury or one student death is one too many, and anything that can be done to deter

Bills: HB 767, HB 1242, HB 1373, HB 1404, HB 1708, HB 1936, HB 2041, HB 2198, HB 2270, HB 2315, HB 2415, HB 2427, HB 2455, HB 2457, HB 2522, HB 2523, HB 2686, HB 2763, HB 2775, HB 2944, HB 3034, HB 1683, HB 1695

Keywords: highway designation, memorial, Montgomery County, Paul P. Mendes, transportation, HB 1242, Texas Transportation Code, U.S. Highway 281, Brooks County, Ernesto Soliz Cantu, memorial highway, road naming, TxDOT, road signage, commemorative resolution, memorial markers, county road 304, Huppergate Road, Los Robles Trail, Farm-to-Market Road

Transcript Highlights:

• You're talking about those 800 students that are very expensive students in terms of costing out special
• You're talking about those 800 students that are very expensive students in terms of costing out special
• You're talking about those 800 students that are very expensive students in terms of costing out special
• You're talking about those 800 students that are very expensive students in terms of costing out special
• You're talking about those 800 students that are very expensive students in terms of costing out special

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Education Funding Committee met to review a large package of bills, with the first four—HB 717, 742, 773, and 603—focused on special education aid, formerly called catastrophic aid. Chair Ladin explained that the committee needed to move a special education bill forward by March 4 and was trying to determine which bill would serve as the vehicle. He described the current formula and the difficulty of estimating the fiscal impact of lowering the threshold from 3.5 times the statewide average cost per pupil to a lower level, noting that DOE did not have reliable data on how many students would fall into the lower-cost bands. The committee also noted that several other bills in the package addressed SWEP and adequacy issues, and that HB 510 dealt with due process rather than funding. Mark Mello of the Bureau of School Finance testified that the department only has reliable data for special education expenditures above $70,000 per student, since claims are submitted for reimbursement at that point. He said the bureau was trying to estimate how many students might fall between 2.5x and 3.5x or 3x and 3.5x the average cost, but that the basic answer was they did not know and that any estimate would be difficult. He explained that moving the threshold from 3.5x to 2.5x would create a minimum additional cost of about $13.6 million based on existing claims, not counting new students who would enter the range. Members discussed whether districts already had the underlying data, whether a survey should be required, and how districts know when to begin tracking costs for reimbursement. The committee also discussed proration and the state’s share of special education aid. Mello explained that the current 80% state share is modeled in the formula, but the actual payment has been prorated because appropriations have not matched the statutory liability; he said the state liability was about $50 million, while the budget had provided $34 million, resulting in a 68% payment rate. HB 742 was described as a bill that would eliminate proration by paying the liability directly from the education trust fund with an overflow mechanism. Members also discussed possible alternatives such as changing the state share, using a lower threshold in a transition period, or requiring districts to submit data. No votes or final actions were taken in the portion provided; the committee was still in discussion and considering which bills to advance.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so that's not to the students.
• the students tuition with college? the students tuition with college?
• Are you consolidating students?
• :52.240> in<00:25:52.480> today's any student succeed in today's any student succeed in
• in state and not only keep their students in state but take our students.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Until then, let's not punish students based on rhetoric instead of Until then, let's not punish students
• The students are already enrolled.
• The students are already enrolled. We have the money to do it. The students are already enrolled.
• It is the vast majority of students.
• UCF has 310 students right now that, I'm sorry, for 2023-2024, 310 students who are enjoying an in-state

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the pledge, and a moment of silence honoring former Senator and Judge Thomas Gallen. The chamber then moved to special order items focused on immigration and related enforcement measures. Senate Memorial 6C, urging the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to provide guidance and training for 287(g) agreements, passed by voice vote. The Senate then took up Senate Bill 4C, an immigration measure that would impose a mandatory death penalty for unauthorized aliens convicted of capital felonies and create state crimes for illegal entry and re-entry. Senators Pizzo, Polsky, and Sharief raised concerns about constitutional issues, plea bargaining, trial and penalty-phase procedures, prosecutorial discretion, and the effect on victims’ families. Supporters, including Senators Fine and Gruters, argued the bill was a strong deterrent and a response to serious crimes committed by undocumented immigrants. The bill passed 25-11. The chamber next debated Senate Bill 2C, a broader immigration enforcement package. The bill would create a State Board of Immigration Enforcement, expand local-federal cooperation, fund detention and enforcement efforts, strengthen pretrial detention rules for unauthorized aliens, and end in-state tuition waivers for undocumented students. Senators Davis and Pizzo questioned enforcement mechanics, jurisdiction, bond procedures, and whether local agencies were actually mandated to participate; supporters said the bill was designed to maximize cooperation with federal authorities and the Trump administration. A late-filed amendment by Senator Pizzo to preserve tuition waivers for current students failed 14-22, and a second amendment was withdrawn after discussion. Debate then continued on the bill, with opponents arguing it was costly, federal in nature, and harmful to Dreamers and other students, while supporters said it was necessary to crack down on illegal immigration and align state policy with federal enforcement priorities.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's about meeting students where they are and giving them the tools to thrive.
• Their work ensures Texas schools have the resources. to give every student the chance to succeed.
• graduates to post high school education. opportunities, and had 41 students, members, 41 students named
• learning, student completion, gainful employment, parity, and affordability. ability.
• HB 213 by Gonzales of El Paso, relating to the inclusion of chronically absent students as students at

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so he did and a number of students did.
• The university opened its doors in 1903 with just 32 students.
• Student body president Olivia Alexander.
• HB 3939 by Johnson relating to a student input for student.
• HB 4143 by Reynolds relating to initiatives for first generation students, low-income students, and underserved

Transcript Highlights:

• This is the private schools numbers, but it has students over 500 percent of poverty level.
• So how we ran this fiscal note is that we don't think every public student, every non-public student,
• That the public homeschool and non-public students over the 500%...
• So that means test was specifically for the non-public students.
• So I'd reduce it by about $2.7 million plus another 2,200 students times $1,000.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The committee reconvened to work on re-engrossed Senate Bill 2400, which dealt with education savings accounts and related school-choice provisions. Members discussed several amendments already incorporated into version 4.006, including changes affecting the Center for Distance Education, homeschool language, marketplace penalties, and an increase in the ESA amount from $500 to $1,000. The committee first reconsidered its prior action, then adopted the 4.006 amendments unanimously, while noting that an updated fiscal note was still needed. A Department of Public Instruction fiscal officer, Adam Tessier, explained the revised fiscal impact. He estimated the bill would cost roughly $124.4 million in the first year, based on assumptions about student participation and utilization rates. He also clarified that the means test at 500% of poverty applied to non-public students in participating schools, and estimated that the private-school portion of the bill accounted for about $5 million of the total cost. Members asked several questions about the assumptions behind the estimate and the scope of the program. After discussion, Representative Conmy moved a do not pass recommendation, citing concerns that the marketplace structure was administratively cumbersome and that direct aid through another mechanism would be preferable. The committee voted 11-3 to adopt the do not pass motion. Representative Hauck was designated to carry the bill to the floor.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 2241 will allow even more innovation for our public schools and our students.
• This legislation is pro-education, pro-growth, and most importantly, pro-student.
• So when it says education programs, that's not discounting even like, say, a student club.
• That's difficult for our administrators, our teachers, and most importantly our students.
• Different students learn different ways.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a quorum present. The chamber received notice that the governor had signed several bills, and the Speaker appointed conference committees after the Senate failed to concur with House amendments on Senate Bills 2180 and 2330. The House also approved several sixth-order amendments without objection before moving into reconsideration and final action on House Bill 1300, which concerns legislative term limits. After procedural motions to reconsider and undo concurrence, the House voted to do not concur on HB 1300, sending it back to the chair’s lap for further negotiation. A major portion of the meeting focused on Senate Bill 2232, which changes mandatory reporting rules for prenatal exposure to controlled substances and alcohol. Supporters said the bill is intended to keep pregnant women in prenatal care by removing an automatic CPS report if a woman tests positive but enters and stays on a treatment plan; opponents argued it weakens protections for unborn children and creates vague standards for mandated reporters. The House passed the bill 57-36. The chamber also passed Senate Bill 2280 unanimously, establishing timelines and standards for prior authorization in health insurance, and passed Senate Bill 2186, which creates a civil remedy for interference with court-ordered parenting time, a child custody review task force, and related reporting requirements. The House then took up Senate Bill 2239, an apprenticeship grant program with a $1.1 million appropriation, but rejected it 14-79 after the committee said the program lacked a clear administrative home. Senate Bill 2241, creating a framework for public charter schools, generated extensive debate over school choice, local control, funding, staffing, and rural impacts; supporters emphasized flexibility and community-driven options, while opponents warned about diversion of funds and weak guardrails. The bill passed 64-29. The House also passed Senate Bill 2024, the Department of Environmental Quality budget, after discussion about federal funding uncertainty; Senate Bill 2374, updating property insurance laws and market rules; Senate Bill 2216, creating a waterfowl habitat restoration stamp; Senate Bill 2245, allowing certain duck and goose hunting from anchored floating craft; and Senate Bill 233, establishing a distressed ambulance services process, which drew questions about how affected districts and neighboring services would be involved.

Transcript Highlights:

• IF 51 PERCENT OF THE 6,500 STUDENTS WERE UNDOCUMENTED, THAT IS ABOUT 3,315 STUDENTS.
• THE STUDENTS ALREADY ENROLLED.
• How can we do this to the students?
• UCF has 310 students right now.
• Looking to take away from students.

Bills: SJR2, SB4, SJR36, SJR2, SB4, SJR1, SJR5, SB9, SB40, SJR2, SB4, SR98, SJR40, SJR41, SJR42, SJR43, SJR44, SJR45, SJR46, SJR47, SCR13, SB6, SB13, SB21, SB826, SB827, SB828, SB829, SB830, SB831, SB832, SB833, SB834, SB835, SB836, SB837, SB838, SB839, SB840, SB841, SB842, SB843, SB844, SB845, SB846, SB847, SB848, SB849, SB850, SB851, SB853, SB854, SB855, SB856, SB857, SB858, SB859, SB860, SB861, SB862, SB863, SB864, SB865, SB866, SB867, SB868, SB869, SB870, SB871, SB872, SB873, SB874, SB875, SB876, SB877, SB878, SB879, SB880, SB881, SB882, SB883, SB884, SB885, SB886, SB887, SB888, SB889, SB890, SB891, SB892, SB893, SB894, SB895, SB896, SB897, SB898, SB899, SB900, SB901, SB902, SB903, SB904, SB905, SB906, SB907, SB908, SB909, SB910, SB911, SB912, SB913, SB914, SB915, SB916, SB917, SB918, SB919, SB920, SB921, SB922, SB923, SB924, SB925, SB926, SB927, SB928, SB929, SB930, SB931, SB932, SB933, SB934, SB935, SB936, SB937, SB938, SB939, SB940, SB941, SB942, SB943, SB944, SB945, SB946, SB947, SB948, SB949, SB950, SB951, SB952, SB953, SB954, SB955, SB956, SB957, SB958, SB959, SB960, SB961, SB962, SB963, SB964, SB965, SB966, SB967, SB968, SB969, SB970, SB971, SB972, SB973, SB974, SB975, SB976, SB977, SB978, SB979, SB980, SB981, SB982, SB983, SB984, SB985, SB986, SB987, SB988, SB989, SB990, SB991, SB992, SB993, SB994, SB995, SB996, SB997, SB998, SB999, SB1000, SJR40, SJR41, SJR42, SJR43, SJR44, SJR45, SJR46, SJR47, SCR13, SB6, SB13, SB21, SB826, SB827, SB828, SB829, SB830, SB831, SB832, SB833, SB834, SB835, SB836, SB837, SB838, SB839, SB840, SB841, SB842, SB843, SB844, SB845, SB846, SB847, SB848, SB849, SB850, SB851, SB853, SB854, SB855, SB856, SB857, SB858, SB859, SB860, SB861, SB862, SB863, SB864, SB865, SB866, SB867, SB868, SB869, SB870, SB871, SB872, SB873, SB874, SB875, SB876, SB877, SB878, SB879, SB880, SB881, SB882, SB883, SB884, SB885, SB886, SB887, SB888, SB889, SB890, SB891, SB892, SB893, SB894, SB895, SB896, SB897, SB898, SB899, SB900, SB901, SB902, SB903, SB904, SB905, SB906, SB907, SB908, SB909, SB910, SB911, SB912, SB913, SB914, SB915, SB916, SB917, SB918, SB919, SB920, SB921, SB922, SB923, SB924, SB925, SB926, SB927, SB928, SB929, SB930, SB931, SB932, SB933, SB934, SB935, SB936, SB937, SB938, SB939, SB940, SB941, SB942, SB943, SB944, SB945, SB946, SB947, SB948, SB949, SB950, SB951, SB952, SB953, SB954, SB955, SB956, SB957, SB958, SB959, SB960, SB961, SB962, SB963, SB964, SB965, SB966, SB967, SB968, SB969, SB970, SB971, SB972, SB973, SB974, SB975, SB976, SB977, SB978, SB979, SB980, SB981, SB982, SB983, SB984, SB985, SB986, SB987, SB988, SB989, SB990, SB991, SB992, SB993, SB994, SB995, SB996, SB997, SB998, SB999, SB1000

Keywords: SJR 2, Senate Joint Resolution 2, constitutional amendment, homestead exemption, property tax relief, school property tax, ad valorem tax, residence homestead, school district taxes, Texas Constitution Article VIII, public school finance, homeowner exemption, elderly exemption, senior tax relief, disabled exemption, tax year 2025, voter approval, November 2025 ballot, local government, Ways & Means

Transcript Highlights:

• students have access to in school meals. students have access to in school meals.
• Today, we will restore students' access to a wide variety of milk options, ensuring students have the
• options, ensuring students have the milk options, ensuring students have the necessary<02:29:31.120>
• He was a student in high school.
• students participating in the program. students participating in the program.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, December 15, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And my help every student succeed.
• <00:36:42.800> who name of caring about the students who name of caring about the students
• at the students relate to the student at the students level.<00:45:10.240> Those<00:45:11.119
• <00:59:23.680> who grants or student aid to any student who grants or student aid to any student
• for pregnant and parenting students. for pregnant and parenting students.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That is going to make a difference in these students' lives. Mr.
• Our unique nonprofit serves 192 K-12 students at full capacity. 12 students at its full capacity and
• All of this is at no cost to the students or their families.
• And unfortunately, we have to have a waiting list for students.
• It allows us to mentor our students year after year.