Transcript Highlights:

• by IDEA category for special education programs.
• <00:15:08.639> We<00:15:08.880> have for special education programs.
• We have for special education programs.
• education program IEP and services education program IEP and services required<00:15:49.199>
• to provide special approve that program to provide special education education education >> unless

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The commission held an organizational meeting under SB 57 to study the cost of special education, with the meeting streamed publicly at the chair’s request. Members introduced themselves, and the chair explained that the bill creates two separate pieces, one dealing with SAU structure and the other with a commission on special education costing. He outlined his background in education and special education and said the commission’s work would focus on understanding and controlling special education costs. The commission reviewed its membership requirements and noted several vacancies or unfilled appointments, including the special education advocate, two governor-appointed parent advocates, and a Department of Health and Human Services representative. The members then elected Representative Rick Ladd as chair, Representative Dick Ames as vice chair, and Representative Megan Murray as clerk. Representative Ames briefly described his legal and policy background in disability and special education work in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. The chair then walked through the commission’s study topics, including referral rates by IDEA category, reasons for increases in categories such as autism and other health impairment, post-COVID referral trends, pre-referral interventions, Medicaid and 504-related costs, out-of-district placements, dispute resolution, billing practices, privacy, reimbursement, legal services, graduation rates, attendance, and adult learning. Members discussed how special education costs are distributed, noting that the state spends about $977 million annually on special education, with only part covered by state aid and the remainder largely borne by local districts. Testimony also noted that out-of-district placement costs have risen sharply since rate-setting changes around 2018, and that some categories may reflect changes in identification practices, medical factors, or broader population shifts. The commission agreed to continue reviewing the data and formulas in future meetings.

Transcript Highlights:

• Education Policy Committee. Education Policy Committee.
• success and growth of the PSEO program. success and growth of the PSEO program.
• and money on program saves students time and money on post-secondary<00:35:30.560> education<
• Programs like PSEO expand PSEO.
• need in order to access these programs. need in order to access these programs.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• educator preparation program quality.
• prep programs.
• Having an education system that has no educator vacancies That creates an education professional workforce
• And I'm an educator in higher education. I know how to read.
• From a higher education institution and become an educator.

Transcript Highlights:

• Educators who successfully complete one of these programs will receive a waiver to the professional development
• Uh, and then paid family medical leave, too, alongside reductions to our compensatory education program
• . program. program.
• <00:54:01.440> Uh, compensatory education program. Uh, compensatory education program.
• of our education system in Minnesota. of our education system in Minnesota.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And then we also have a voluntary PRE K Education program provides free voluntary PRE K education to
• our S our vpk program first and foremost is our school readiness plus program.
• So I don't know if this is part of the summer bridge program. So this is more educational for me.
• But it does just requires a lot of educating of parents to let them know you are eligible for this program
• program.

Transcript Highlights:

• Both of those would relate to the Fair Access to Insurance Requirements program, the FAIR program.
• This is for the Early Childhood Education and Care Department, and these are child care pilot programs
• So, the Public Education Department has a couple of requests for food programs related to the Healthy
• Public Education Reform Fund.
• Joey, is Sonny here on education or somebody in education? What's the dollar amounts for that?

Transcript Highlights:

• This is relative to universal eligibility for Education Freedom Account program. Is there a motion?
• It goes back to all the things we've done with education tuition programs, open enrollment programs,
• I would hope that the education choice programs are showing that these programs are making or creating
• Choice programs are that the education Choice programs are showing<03:50:19.840> that<03:50:20.840
• programs uh would attend home education programs uh would be<04:08:58.080> eligible<04:08:58.720

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee met in executive session on HB 563, which revises the adequacy education grant formula, including differentiated aid for free and reduced-price meals, English language learners, and special education, and also restores fiscal capacity disparity aid. Members explained that for FY 26 the formula largely stays the same with the usual 2% increases, while FY 27 would raise the base cost and several aid categories, including a substantial increase in special education differentiated aid. Supporters said the bill recognizes higher special education costs and separates fiscal capacity disparity from the extraordinary needs grant, which they argued better targets property-poor communities. A major point of discussion was the fiscal capacity disparity aid component. Some members asked for more detail on how the formula affected individual towns and how much money was being allocated. The sponsors said the spreadsheet showed the impacts and estimated the fiscal capacity disparity portion at about $13.3 million, benefiting roughly 40 communities, with Manchester the only municipality expected to receive less under the new approach. They also said the change partially rebalances money that had shifted heavily toward larger cities under the extraordinary needs grant and that the special education increase is new money, not taken from the hold harmless or extraordinary needs funds. Several members supported the amendment as a good-faith step and a bipartisan compromise, while others expressed frustration that they did not have enough time or information to review the spreadsheets in detail before voting. After extended debate, the committee recessed for lunch to allow the spreadsheet to be distributed and reviewed, with the understanding that the bill would continue later in the day and then move on to the other bills on the docket.

Transcript Highlights:

• education piece. education piece.
• do that through education and training. do that through education and training.
• Our programs are a critical component of the public safety, housing, education, and health care ecosystems
• Programs. Programs.
• also provide education in schools. also provide education in schools.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• volunteer driver program would go away. volunteer driver program would go away.
• , and continue to fund our ESD K9 program, and provide<03:03:38.319> educational<03:03:38.960>
• program that basically saved my life. program that basically saved my life.
• . program. program.
• Thank you, Laura. a two-year pilot program. During the a two-year pilot program.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's a much bigger program. This program is small; it's limited to $6 million.
• It's a much bigger program. This program is small; it's limited to $6 million.
• It's a much bigger program. This program is small; it's limited to $6 million.
• It's a much bigger program. This program is small; it's limited to $6 million.
• It's called, like, the Education Tax Credit Scholarship Program.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , K-12 education.
• We fund education. We should fund education with House Bill 2. Mr.
• We fund education. We should fund education with House Bill 2. Thank you.
• We have cut education. We have cut so many things that Missourians rely on. We have cut education.
• If you cared about public education, you'd fund public education.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and approval of the prior day’s journal by a 107-1 roll call vote. Members then spent a substantial portion of the morning introducing guests, including family members, students, interns, nonprofit representatives, a park ranger recognized for life-saving work, and legislative staff being honored for service or graduation. Committee reports and Senate messages followed, including Senate refusals to concur on several amendments to Senate Bill 1421 and the appointment of a conference committee on House Bill 2818. The main floor debate centered on the conference committee report for House Bill 2002, the K-12 education budget. The budget chair explained that the report maintained record-level overall funding for the foundation formula but changed the mix of funding sources, including a reduction in capital commission dollars and use of blind pension funds, with possible later ARPA dollars to offset shortfalls. Several members argued the bill still underfunded schools by about $190 million and raised concerns about relying on projected or one-time funds; others defended the budget as meeting or exceeding constitutional requirements and noted record spending per pupil and recent increases in education funding. A substitute motion to send the bill back to conference failed 62-89, and the conference report was then adopted 83-68; the bill was subsequently third read and passed 83-68. The House then adopted and passed House Bill 2003, the higher education budget, by 119-28 on adoption and 109-32 on third reading. Debate there focused on restoring the governor’s recommended funding while directing higher education institutions to develop a new performance-based funding formula by the end of the year. Members generally described the compromise as a step toward a more sustainable model while preserving current funding levels. Next, House Bill 2004, covering the Departments of Revenue and Transportation, was adopted 128-21 and passed 127-27; discussion highlighted transportation funding, rural roads, and a small local safety appropriation that had already been addressed by MoDOT. The House then began debate on House Bill 2005, the Office of Administration budget, with members emphasizing IT accountability, state employee functions, and ongoing technology consolidation/deconsolidation issues.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is with regards to the CI program, complex area superintendent program, Board of Education membership
• Board of Education membership and uh Board of Education membership and uh kipuni<00:57:34.559> program
• HB 1496 is a program for complex area superintendent Board of Education membership and support.
• HB 471, requiring the Board of Education to establish a Korean language program.
• HB 471, requiring the Board of Education to establish a Korean language program.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Education met on January 30 and heard testimony on several bills, beginning with an announcement asking testifiers and members to keep remarks brief because of weather. The vice chair also explained that HB 440, relating to immigration issues in schools and state hospitals, was removed from the agenda because the proposal would not create meaningful legal protections and immigration policy is governed by federal law. The committee then moved through a series of education-related measures, with testimony largely from the Department of Education, the School Facilities Authority, the Attorney General’s office, unions, advocacy groups, and individual testifiers. On HB 330, concerning school impact fees, the School Facilities Authority supported the bill as aligning policy with implementation, while the Tax Foundation of Hawaii said the fee accounts have accumulated large balances, including more than $20 million in impact fee funds and nearly $9 million from predecessor fair-share contributions, and urged that collected money be used rather than left idle. DOE said it would follow up on the balance and why it was not being used. On HB 1188, dealing with workforce housing, DOE and the Charter School Commission offered comments or support, the Attorney General suggested clarifying the phrase “within commuting distance” by using a mileage standard and adding repayment language, and HSTA, HGEA, and others supported the bill, with HSTA saying teachers need housing to be able to live and work in Hawaii. On HB 624 and HB 625, both related to school psychologists, DOE said it would participate in a work group on the pathway bill and supported the incentive program bill; school psychologists and related groups supported the measures, while one testifier said DOE should not lead the work group alone because school psychologists may work in many education settings beyond DOE schools. The committee also heard HB 1314 on youth mental health in schools. DOE described its student support process, universal screening tools, and behavioral health services, saying schools already identify and respond to concerns and that staff are trained to report issues, while the Attorney General warned the bill could expose schools to liability and recommended a broad liability waiver. Testimony was mixed, with several supporters and one opponent. On HB 616, concerning school safety and harassment protections for educational workers, the Attorney General sought clarifying amendments on harassment definitions, temporary restraining order costs, and paid leave, while HSTA, HGEA, and individual teachers strongly supported the bill, describing harassment incidents and arguing for a standardized statewide response. DOE said it already has reporting pathways, visitor codes of conduct, trespass notices, and an ethics hotline, but acknowledged implementation varies by school and that staff can escalate concerns if needed. The committee also began hearing HB 88 on a three-year pilot program for athletic travel, but the transcript cuts off before that bill’s testimony is completed or any votes are taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• , and that's for your supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or your SNAP program.
• Or for education.
• At the, at the education level at the US Department of Education, you've probably heard of some cuts
• So, the court made a causal link between the educational outcomes. And the educational inputs.
• Go to our Medicaid program.

Transcript Highlights:

• MinnesotaCare is another program that is a federal-state program. It's not the Medicaid program.
• <00:32:08.320> to program which is a set of programs to program which is a set of programs
• The department also administers the Medical Education and Research Costs program, or MERC, which was
• and Research costs Medical Education and Research costs program<00:43:01.559> or<00:43:01.800
• <00:47:31.760> programs paramedics approving education programs paramedics approving education

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The meeting was an informational walkthrough for the Health Finance and Policy Working Group, focused on committee structure, budget basics, and major health-related accounts and programs. Staff explained the roles of House Research and House Fiscal, then reviewed key funds used by the committee, including the general fund, government special revenue fund, federal funds, the health care access fund, remediation account, and drinking water revolving fund. They also outlined the committee’s main budget areas, noting that medical assistance is the largest general fund item and that the Department of Health is a substantial agency funded by a mix of federal, general fund, and special revenue dollars. A major portion of the presentation covered subsidized health coverage programs. Staff described Medical Assistance (Minnesota’s Medicaid program) as an entitlement for eligible Minnesotans, with no premiums or cost sharing, and explained its managed care and fee-for-service delivery systems. MinnesotaCare was presented as a separate federal-state basic health program for people who are not eligible for MA, with income limits, premiums for adults age 21 and older, and cost-sharing requirements; staff noted that federal premium tax credit changes affect MinnesotaCare premium ranges. The presentation also summarized MNsure’s role in the individual market and in determining eligibility for premium tax credits, cost-sharing reductions, MinnesotaCare, and MA. The committee also received an overview of health-related licensing boards and occupational regulation. Staff said Minnesota has 16 health-related licensing boards, funded mainly through the state government special revenue fund and subject to legislative appropriation, and explained that health occupations may be regulated by the Department of Health, the Office of Emergency Medical Services, or the boards under chapter 214. Interstate licensure compacts were briefly noted as a way to ease practice across states. No bills were debated and no votes or formal actions were taken during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• You have $1 billion for an educational savings account program.
• The second one is special education.
• education expenses.
• students receive special education in a general education classroom, but then about 40% of special education
• programs, and we've already talked about how we are underfunding our special education services.

Transcript Highlights:

• of that education reserve fund. of that education reserve fund.
• programs, and several pilot programs programs, and several pilot programs from<01:21:13.280>
• of Education.
• in Tuskegee, Alabama, for the support and maintenance of educational programs at the institution for
• educational programs at the institution educational programs at the institution for<01:37:01.520

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Other states have similar programs.
• That's already have similar programs.
• I think we need to consider the state grant program and some of these other programs that we have in
• This is a very generous program.
• now, a grant program at the right now, a grant program at the University<00:26:00.559> of<00:

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• program.
• It's a fantastic at the program. It's a fantastic program. program. program.
• If it's going to be a program, it should be an opt-in program, not an opt-out program.
• > out an opt-in program, not an opt- out an opt-in program, not an opt- out program.<02:38:30.720
• Education.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• programs.
• programs.
• our our students um education. our our students um education.
• program.
• . programs. programs.

Keywords: 924, joint, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and health science education programs in addition to nursing education programs.
• program, institutional health science education degree, or certificate program.
• address workforce shortages and health science education programs in addition to nursing education programs
• program institutional health science education degree or certificate program.
• programs to make. to include how funds will expand health science education programs to meet workforce

Summary: The Fiscal Policy Committee met and first adopted a late-filed amendment to SB 774, which expands enhanced workers’ compensation coverage to 911 public safety telecommunicators for mental or nervous injuries. The bill drew supportive testimony from a Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office dispatcher and others, and was reported favorably. The committee also reported favorably SB 770 on forensic services for certain defendants, which would allow the Agency for Persons with Disabilities to consolidate secure forensic services for individuals with intellectual disabilities or autism whose charges were dismissed after incompetency findings. Members then considered several public safety, family, and workforce bills. CS/SB 86, which declares unauthorized aliens operating commercial vehicles an imminent safety hazard and imposes vehicle impoundment and a $50,000 penalty on motor carriers, was reported favorably after questions about impound procedures and cargo handling; one speaker opposed it. SB 1594, protecting veterans’ benefits for foster youth so the funds are reserved for postsecondary education, training, and after-care services, was reported favorably with supportive testimony from a former DCF attorney. CS/SB 760, creating a new offense for willful violations of no-contact pretrial release conditions in violent crime cases, was reported favorably despite criminal defense attorneys’ concerns about a provision allowing warrantless arrests without officer observation. The committee also approved a complete rewrite of the nonprofit corporations chapter in SB 554, a sickle cell continuing education bill (SB 844) after extensive emotional testimony from patients, advocates, and family members, and SB 1022 adding two children’s initiative programs in Bay County and Broward County. CS/SB 1246 broadened the Linking Industry to Nursing Education Fund to include health science education programs and related workforce needs and was reported favorably. Finally, the committee approved CS/CS/SB 1230 restricting use and sale of certain firefighting foam containing intentionally added PFAS, and CS/CS/SB 128 directing DEP to mark Red Harris Spoil Island; both passed with favorable votes. Several senators later asked to be recorded as voting in the affirmative on specific tabs, and the meeting adjourned without further business.