Transcript Highlights:

• ways to uplift and support our students ways to uplift and support our students a<00:04:40.120><
• <00:32:16.440> in was different we have had students in was different we have had students
• simply guarantees our Jewish students simply guarantees our Jewish students the<00:32:51.000>
• <00:35:56.560> and were led by University students and were led by University students and
• She would go quietly from Jewish student to Jewish student to invite them to synagogue.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee first took up SB 19, which would require a daily moment of silence or reflection in Kentucky public schools and clarify that students may use the time as they choose without coercion or religious direction. The sponsor and supporters, including representatives of the Kentucky Jewish Council, argued the bill is nonsectarian, intended to promote calm and focus, and supported by research and prior bipartisan backing. Opponents from the Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass said they supported the anti-coercion language but objected to making the moment of silence mandatory rather than permissive, citing concerns about the statute’s interaction with the Lord’s Prayer language already in law. After discussion, the committee voted to pass SB 19 unanimously with favorable expression. The committee then considered SB 83, which revises the KEES scholarship program so homeschool and non-certified school students can receive awards using an ACT-to-GPA conversion and be treated more comparably to public school students. The sponsor described the bill as a recurring measure and walked through how the award amounts would be calculated under the substitute. There was no opposition raised during the hearing, and the committee adopted the substitute and passed SB 83 unanimously with favorable expression. Finally, the committee heard Senate Joint Resolution 55, directing Kentucky public postsecondary institutions to combat anti-Semitism. The resolution would require campuses to adopt policies using the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism, notify students of Title VI and state-law complaint rights, recognize Jewish organizations as community resources on the same basis as other religious organizations, take action against student groups supporting designated terrorist organizations, and collect and report campus anti-Semitism data. The presenters and supporters described a sharp rise in anti-Semitic incidents on campuses after October 7 and said schools have not responded adequately. The committee adopted the substitute and began hearing testimony on the resolution, but the transcript cuts off before any final vote on SJR 55.

Transcript Highlights:

• or portion of your students.
• Meals to 100% of their students.
• Many meals you're providing to students. So are you providing one meal to all students?
• And you can see what would that take if you're providing it to all students, just your FRL students,
• And um, we have fewer students bringing sack... We have fewer students bringing sack lunches.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Students who registered for classes after the academic period effective date were not charged student
• All right, Representative Beatty.
• So are you saying these students, there was a number of students who were not charged tuition?
• Thank you, Representative Duke. Representative Long, recognized. Yes. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
• Goodness there was a student who spoke up, and I don't know what you've done for that student, but, you

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

Transcript Highlights:

• It is my honor to introduce Representative Steve Toth, who represents House District 15.
• Please join me in welcoming Representative Steve Toth. Thank you.
• Thank you so much, Representative Steve Toth.
• herself as a self advocate and former Texas public school student.
• Um, I wanna say thanks to my representatives, uh, Representative Christian Emanuel, for being so aggressive

Transcript Highlights:

• Representative Berman: Yes. Representative Depel: No. Representative Falconer: Yes.
• Representative Foggelman: No. Representative Gordon: No. Representative Gutreed: Yes.
• Representative Beerman, no. Representative Depel, yes. Representative Falconer, no.
• Representative Foggelman, yes. Representative Gordon, yes. Representative Gotthrey, no.
• Representative Green, no. Representative Keeler, no. Representative Lawrence, yes.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee heard House File 3764, as amended by the DE1 amendment, which would allow school districts and charter schools to create local anonymous threat reporting systems. Representative Nadeau described the bill as an optional framework that would support 24/7 anonymous tips through an app, hotline, or website, use trained crisis counselors and school-based teams, coordinate with 911 and law enforcement when needed, require public awareness efforts and student training, and direct districts to report usage data to the Department of Education. The chair adopted the DE1 amendment, and the bill was moved before the committee with the intent to place it on the general register. Testimony was largely supportive. Chris Linquist of St. Francis Area Schools said his district has used the Sandy Hook Promise reporting system since 2023-24 and credited it with helping identify bullying, mental health crises, and other safety concerns outside school hours. Alexandra Fitz Simmons of Children’s Defense Fund Minnesota said anonymous reporting systems are an important prevention tool because students are often the first to see warning signs before violence occurs. Representative Lawrence also praised the bill for being encouraged rather than mandated and emphasized local control. Rick Kaufman, speaking for several school organizations, supported the concept but said the bill still lacked clear standards for how tips are evaluated and shared with school officials, and he urged stronger coordination and funding for staffing and training. Joe Oonie of the Department of Education said the department supports anonymous reporting systems but raised concerns about the costs of building data collection and reporting infrastructure, FERPA safeguards, and the need for resources to implement the bill effectively. Chair Bennett pushed back on the funding objection, arguing the department should be able to handle the reporting within existing resources, and Representative Roach later asked whether the department had higher-priority uses for its carryover funds. No final vote on the bill itself was taken in the portion provided, beyond adoption of the DE1 amendment.

Transcript Highlights:

• in student support services and student success and access, excuse me.
• Together, these projects will provide about 2,388 affordable student housing beds for UC students. student
• modules, both for the student and for the student employee, because this student employee will have
• I'm Adriani Silvano from the University of California Student Association, representing over 130,000
• students.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The base student allocation, or BSA, increases by $129.11 and the funds per student increase by $247.60
• You'll see a comparable increase in funds per student for a scholarship student in that district.
• Thank you, Representative.
• to decrease by 33,625 students.
• public school student choice.

Transcript Highlights:

• Additionally, there's a disproportionate impact on students from lower-income backgrounds and students
• And then you can see that breakout for free or reduced-price lunch students and then minority student
• Similarly, with free or reduced-price lunch students and minority students, it was generally highest
• There's a less clear pattern for average salaries based on the percentage of minority students or students
• Mayberry Representative Mayberry.

Summary: The committee first approved the May 18 meeting minutes and then received a presentation from Legislative Audit on Arkansas Department of Education grant distributions. Auditors explained that the fiscal year 2025 report summarizes $4.6 billion in grants from state, federal, and miscellaneous sources, across school districts, charter schools, education cooperatives, and other entities, and that the report only shows amounts distributed, not how recipients ultimately used the money. Members asked about specific recipients and programs, including ClassWallet, Economics Arkansas, and CDC surveillance funding; department staff clarified that the Economics Arkansas grant is written into special language and that the CDC-related funding supports student surveys used by state agencies. Questions also focused on bonus and incentive programs such as master principal and National Board Certified teacher bonuses, with department staff saying the bonuses are generally tied to completion of the program or certification rather than classroom performance, though they would follow up on details. The committee then heard a Bureau of Legislative Research update on Consumer Price Index projections from Moody’s Analytics and S&P Global. Dr. Carlos Silva explained the difference between CPI-U and core CPI and said the estimates show inflation slowing over the forecast period, with some near-term variation between the two data providers. Members asked about the historical accuracy of prior projections, and he said the forecasts generally tend to move toward about 2 percent over time, though recent shocks have caused earlier estimates to understate actual inflation. The bulk of the meeting was devoted to the final adequacy report on teacher recruitment, retention, and salaries. BLR staff reviewed Arkansas teacher demographics, shortage areas, educator preparation pipelines, licensure exceptions, survey results from teachers and principals, and teacher support programs. They reported that Arkansas had about 32,800 teachers and 473,000 students in 2025, with an average of 11.9 years of experience and a slight increase in National Board Certified teachers. The report found shortages in multiple subject areas, especially special education, math, science, foreign language, and social studies, and identified 65 districts as high-need geographically. Survey results showed school leadership as the strongest positive factor in recruitment and retention, while workload and salary were the biggest negatives; 30 percent of responding teachers said they were considering leaving the profession. The committee also reviewed teacher salary data showing a statewide average salary of $60,254 in 2025, Arkansas ranking 45th nationally by NEA methodology, and a long-term inflation-adjusted decline in district salaries, though LEARNS Act increases improved the trend. Members asked for additional follow-up information on survey methodology, alternative licensure costs, coursework, incentives for ESL and special education endorsements, exit data, and how salary comparisons are calculated.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm joined by I'm joined by Representative Plouffe, Representative Garcia, Representative Cataldo, and
• Representative Marsi.
• At a time when we're really concerned with student achievement, we really need to try and keep students
• We work all the time with student groups.
• They actually have relationships with students.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Education held a public hearing on two bills: H.5171, an act relative to safer schools, and H.3895, an act expanding career and technical education opportunities for Lynn students. The hearing focused primarily on H.5171, which would limit school resource officers’ role to serious criminal or delinquent conduct, encourage de-escalation and anti-bias training, and create grants for alternative school safety approaches such as restorative justice. Witnesses from the Mental Health Legal Advisors Committee and the Committee for Public Counsel Services supported the bill, arguing that police involvement in routine school discipline can escalate situations, especially for students with disabilities, and contribute to the school-to-prison pipeline. They described examples of student encounters with SROs that led to fear, arrest, or other harmful outcomes. Committee members raised concerns about school safety, including gang activity and weapons in schools, and asked whether the bill would remove SROs entirely. Testimony clarified that the bill would not eliminate SROs or their role in responding to actual criminal activity, but would narrow their involvement in discipline and encourage better training. One witness, Joey Ford of Parent Data Force, was neutral on H.5171, saying problems often stem from broader district discipline practices, restraint and seclusion, and inconsistent DESE standards rather than SROs alone. For H.3895, Ford testified in strong support, saying career and technical education had been valuable in his own schooling and helped him develop useful skills and stay engaged in school. After testimony concluded and no additional witnesses remained, the committee closed testimony on both bills and adjourned without taking a vote on the legislation.

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> Representative Bowling. >> Representative Calloway. >> Representative Duvall — here. >> Representative
• Elliott. >> Representative Gentry. >> Representative Griffee — here. >> Representative Grimes?
• Representative Huff. >> Representative Jackson — present. >> Representative King — present. >> Representative
• Colarnney. >> Representative Lawrence. >> Representative Layman — here. >> Representative Lockett —
• here. >> Representative Payne — here. >> Representative Sharp. >> Representative Tacket Lafery. >> Representative

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Call to Order and Roll Call 00:00:28 Kentucky Recovery Vocational: Workforce Reimagined 00:01:31 Update on College Athletics and 25RS SB 3 00:24:39 Goodwill Kentucky Excel Center 01:09:53, 958, all

Summary: The committee first heard a presentation from Kentucky Recovery Vocational Workforce and Re-entry Incorporated, led by Executive Director Jerick D'vor, on its vocational training model for people in recovery and formerly incarcerated individuals. He said the nonprofit operates in Russell Springs and serves students from across Kentucky, offering manufacturing and welding training tied to recovery services through Spark Recovery. D'vor emphasized that the program combines treatment, soft-skills coaching, job placement, and continued support after employment, arguing that training should begin around 90 days into recovery rather than earlier. He reported strong outcomes, including 292 students served, 259 certificates earned, and 250 job placements, with many participants placed in manufacturing jobs and 17 welders trained and placed through the new welding academy. Members praised the program but asked about funding, retention, and employability barriers. D'vor said the pilot was supported by opioid abatement grant funding, and the program now relies mainly on donor contributions and Spark Recovery’s investment in clients, with possible future support from additional opioid abatement funds or 1915(i) mechanisms. He said participants are not charged tuition and that the organization provides soft-skills training and job coaches. In response to questions about long-term outcomes, he said the program does not yet have a full alumni tracking system but is exploring technology options and continues to provide post-employment support for 90 days. After approving the committee minutes, members received an update on college athletics and Senate Bill 3 from University of Louisville Athletic Director Josh Heird and University of Kentucky Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart. They said Kentucky’s NIL framework and reporting requirements are working reasonably well and praised the state for not trying to create a competitive advantage in the evolving college sports environment. Heird reported that 521 student-athletes have signed up for NILGO and about 240 deals have been approved through the system, while noting the need to ensure NIL agreements are legitimate marketplace deals rather than artificial payments. The discussion also touched on the House settlement, the $600 approval threshold, and broader federal changes affecting college athletics.

Transcript Highlights:

• Brer, Representative Brer, Representative Brer, Representative Bray, Representative Bray, Representative
• Bray, Representative Burke, Representative Burke, Representative Burke, Representative Callaway, Representative
• , Representative Fleming, Representative Gordon, Representative Gordon, Representative Gordon, Representative
• Representative Holloway, Here. >> Representative Marzian. >> Representative Marzian. >> Representative
• Riley. >> Representative Riley. >> Representative Riley. >> Representative Sharp. >> Representative

Keywords: 1. Call to Order and Roll Call – 00:00:00 2. Approval of Minutes – 00:01:32 3. Getting to Know the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky – 00:02:26 4. Healthy Kids Clinic – 00:26:58 5. Pharmacy Payment Parity – 00:56:36 6. Ibogaine – 01:17:37 7. Consideration of Referred Administrative Regulations – 01:53:05 8. Adjournment – 01:53:19, 958, all

Summary: The committee first approved the prior meeting minutes and recognized Eric Clark for his service, noting this may be his last meeting before he leaves state government. The main presentation was from Allison Adams, president and CEO of the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, who described the organization’s history, nonpartisan mission, and focus on health equity, prevention, and upstream policy solutions. She said Kentucky’s poor rankings in chronic disease, preventable hospitalizations, and life expectancy show the need to shift resources toward prevention and community-driven strategies rather than relying mainly on treatment after people become sick. Adams emphasized leading health indicators, arguing that lawmakers should track actionable measures such as quit attempts and smoke-free policies instead of only lagging indicators like disease rates and mortality. In response to questions, she said accountability should be shared across communities and systems, with possible incentives and disincentives tied to outcomes, and she supported creating a public data utility or dashboard, ideally with university partners, to help legislators and communities monitor progress. She also cited examples of accountable health community models and said Kentucky could adapt similar approaches. The committee then heard from Meade County Schools Superintendent Mark Martin and district health coordinator Karen Kotche about the Healthy Kids Clinic partnership with Cumberland Health. They described a seven-year effort that led to full implementation in the district, which now has a nurse in every school and a nurse practitioner, allowing services such as sports physicals and other clinic functions to be provided on campus. They said the program has been a strong investment for students and the community and began explaining how the district built the partnership after earlier efforts and delays, including the pandemic.

Transcript Highlights:

• students Stark example is attendance our students need<00:13:32.360> to<00:13:32.480> be
• Okay, so that leads to 152,000 students. It's like just under 12 students per teacher.
• So, student-led currently is okay for students to do it.
• Thank you, Representative B Soda. Thank you, Representative B Soda.
• Thank you, Representative." "Thank you, Representative Luma.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Finance received an informational briefing from the Department of Education on its budget request for the upcoming fiscal year. The Superintendent and staff described the department’s mission, enrollment and staffing scale, recent gains in NAEP reading and math, persistent attendance problems since the pandemic, and the need for resources to support student recovery, middle school math, and other strategic priorities. The department said its proposal is intended to be aligned with its 2023–2029 strategic plan, fiscally balanced, and reliable for schools, while also addressing inflation, workforce needs, and uncertainty in federal funding. Assistant Superintendent and CFO Brian Hallet reviewed federal grants, non-general funds, and the budget development process. He said federal funds make up about 11% of the department’s FY25 appropriation and warned that House budget proposals could threaten predictable funding for core programs. He also explained that the department began its biennial budget work in April 2024 and used an internal review group to identify possible reallocations. The department characterized its request as a “flat” budget proposal overall, with a large share devoted to continued funding for existing recurring needs, and noted challenges including a projected state funding decline, inflation, lingering pandemic impacts, recruitment and retention, and uncertainty about future federal support. A major topic was the department’s capital improvement program. DOE officials argued for a risk-based, proactive approach using lump-sum “buckets” to manage facilities and deferred maintenance across more than 21.5 million square feet at 268 sites. They said this would allow more efficient prioritization of projects and better coordination with complex area superintendents, principals, and legislators. Members asked about how legislative priorities would fit into the bucket system, county-versus-state property jurisdiction issues affecting school facilities, enrollment decline and staffing ratios, and how the department plans to adjust facilities and human resources to shifting enrollment patterns. DOE said it is studying enrollment trends, will brief the Board of Education next month, and is willing to provide further briefings to legislators. No votes or formal actions were taken during the informational briefing.

Transcript Highlights:

• This student did this. This student took my stuff. This student threw something at me.
• This year he was student of the year. This year he was student of the year.
• K-3 and K-4 students.
• student council.
• They represent more young people with someone in their corner, more students connected to schools, more

Keywords: 974, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Representative<00:18:24.880> Truit, Representative Truit, Representative Truit, >> gentleman
• . students. students.
• student success.
• Representative Thompson. emergency. Representative Thompson.
• Clerk, please report. >> Citation 28, Representative Blandon, Representative McCool, and Representative

Keywords: Convene 00:00 Senate Message 04:26 Report of Committees 05:13 Orders of the Day/ HB 6 06:22 HB 480 14:13 HB 562 17:55 HB 136 25:53 HB 257 29:47 HB 490 35:54 Motions, Petitions, and Communications 40:30 Introduction of New Bills and Resolutions 52:44 Recess for ConC/Rules Meeting 53:49 ConC/Rules Report 57:12 Floor Amendments 58:49 Adjournment 58:59, 958, all

Summary: The House convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, established a quorum with 96 members present, excused absent members, and approved the journal from February 13, 2026. The Senate also transmitted Senate Bills 72 and 110 for concurrence. Committee reports advanced several bills, including measures on deputy coroner training, local jail booking procedures, local business tax collection, peace officers, Kentucky National Guard benefits, and first responder mental health. The chamber then considered House Bill 6 on child care. The sponsor described it as the product of extensive stakeholder collaboration aimed at improving affordability, quality, access, and data in child care, including changes to the low-income subsidy program, employee child care assistance, Kentucky All-Stars, micro-centers, and a military child care pilot program in House Committee Substitute 1. The substitute was adopted, and the bill passed 84-11 with one abstention after supportive remarks from members emphasizing workforce needs, family support, and military families. House Bill 480, relating to state contracts, was explained as requiring clearer contract terms for appropriated funds, partial payment protections, a 1% penalty for late payment, and semiannual reporting on whether cabinets are paying bills on time. A member noted a planned amendment to limit the bill to state-funded appropriations, but the bill passed 96-0. House Bill 562, relating to alternative high school diplomas, would create a Kentucky alternative diploma for certain students with disabilities and require the Education and Labor Cabinet to maintain employer information for graduates; members spoke in strong support of the bill’s workforce and dignity goals, and it passed 96-0. House Bill 136, relating to campaign finance, was amended to remove a $15,000 cap and allow campaign funds to pay for reasonable security costs for candidates; the sponsor cited rising threats to elected officials, and the bill passed 97-0. The transcript ends as the House moved on to House Bill 257.

Transcript Highlights:

• who participated were representative of the last And that is that 32.9% of the students who participated
• were representative of the largest student body.
• A-Plus represents 119 flex-based charter schools and serves over 128,000 students across California.
• Our students are children at the end of the day, the same children who represent our future.
• Our students are children at the end of the day, the same children who represent our future.

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee on Education heard the Governor’s proposals for universal school meals, the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP), and community schools. On universal meals, the Department of Education supported continued funding for the Universal School Meals Program and a fourth round of Kitchen Infrastructure and Training Grants, citing meal-count growth, improved meal service, and the need to offset federal uncertainty, inflation, and reduced direct certification tied to immigration-related policy changes. The LAO recommended rejecting another kitchen grant round, arguing prior rounds are still being spent and the state has not clearly defined unmet need. Members also raised concerns about the state’s ability to backfill federal meal funding and about how federal requirements affect programs like Summer EBT/SUN Bucks. Public commenters largely supported school meals and kitchen investments, with some urging support for plant-based milk options and continued infrastructure funding. For ELOP, the Department of Finance proposed $4.7 billion ongoing Proposition 98 funding, including $62.4 million to set a minimum Tier 2 rate of $1,800 per pupil. The LAO recommended going further and fully fixing the Tier 2 rate, saying rate uncertainty complicates district planning. CDE supported the proposal and said the program has improved attendance and academic outcomes, while noting new CalPADS reporting will provide more data soon. Senators discussed whether ELOP should remain a standalone program or be folded into LCFF, and whether the state should require stronger outcome reporting. Public testimony generally backed stabilizing Tier 2 funding, but some speakers urged more support for older youth and more timely, user-friendly reporting. On community schools, the administration proposed $1 billion ongoing Proposition 98 funding to expand the model to thousands more schools and to support existing grantees, along with stronger technical assistance, statewide alignment, and an accreditation/self-certification framework. The LAO recommended continuing the current one-time grant approach instead of creating a new ongoing categorical program, warning about reduced flexibility, administrative burden, and the state’s capacity to support a much larger cohort. CDE supported the ongoing investment but asked for additional county office and technical assistance funding. Senators and public commenters were broadly supportive of community schools, emphasizing improved attendance, graduation, and student engagement, while also debating accountability, accreditation, and whether non-classroom-based charter schools should be eligible. Public testimony strongly favored ongoing funding and highlighted community schools’ role in mental health, family engagement, and wraparound supports.

Transcript Highlights:

• or a disadvantage for EFA students.
• or a disadvantage for EFA students.
• Thank you, Representative.
• That's not so much of a problem for younger students, but with junior high and high school students,
• Representative Eaves, you are recognized? Oh, Representative Eaves, you're recognized.

Summary: The Administrative Rules Subcommittee reviewed a long agenda of agency rules, with most items approved without objection after brief presentations and no public comment. Early items included Department of Energy and Environment rules on landfill post-closure trust fund spending thresholds and liquefied petroleum gas standards, DFA’s electronic odometer disclosure rule, and several Department of Health rules covering ionizing radiation, mobile home and RV parks, lead-based paint, counseling board revisions, hearing instrument dispensers, athletic training, dental examiners, nursing, pharmacy, medical board, speech-language pathology and audiology, radiologic technology, massage therapy, community health workers, doula certification, and cosmetology/body art. Most of these changes were described as updates to match recent acts, federal standards, compact participation, fee adjustments, or cleanup/clarification, and the committee repeatedly approved them without objection. A substantial portion of the meeting focused on the Arkansas State Board of Nursing’s broad set of rule changes implementing multiple 2025 acts. Those changes included creating a dialysis patient care technician registry, updating contact information requirements, expanding APRN authority to delegate certain tasks, clarifying death certificate and pronouncement authority, allowing substitution of therapeutically equivalent medications, permitting purchase of compounded products, and updating certified medication assistant rules and training standards. Members asked detailed questions about the meaning of therapeutically equivalent substitutions, delegation limits, compounded products, and how often medication lists would be updated; the board said it would review rules annually and use future rulemaking as needed. The committee also approved new nursing rules for declaratory orders and the new dialysis registry. The Department of Education’s rules drew the most discussion, especially the Arkansas Children’s Educational Freedom Account Program. The department said the revisions, based on Act 920 of 2025, were intended to add guardrails, clarify eligible expenses, and streamline approvals. Changes included defining core educational expenses, limiting sports-related spending, adding an intentional misuse standard, restricting certain technology purchases and requiring extra justification over $1,000, capping carryover funds at $8,500, and creating a reconsideration process for denied expenses. Members raised concerns about oversight, appeal timelines, sports equipment, provider credentialing, and whether the rules were too restrictive; department officials said the rules were meant to protect taxpayer funds while preserving flexibility, and they noted the program had received extensive public comment. The committee also approved Education rules for scholarships, residency classification, teacher programs, accelerated learning, and graduate medical education, as well as Labor and Licensing rules on wage and hour standards, boiler rules, motor vehicle commission requirements, professional wrestling regulation, appraiser qualifications, and military recruiting incentives.

Transcript Highlights:

• Representative Berg and Representative Robbins.
• Representative Robbins said that a lot of times the concern is expressed by medical students.
• Representative Carol asked for clarification, asking whether the bill's reference to medical students
• Representative Huitt. Chair. Okay. Representative Huitt.
• Um Representative Leeling. Okay. Um Representative Leeling.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• represented.
• Let's teach students history. Thank you. Let's teach students history, all of it. Thank you.
• When they do, they thrive, and when students do not see their identities or histories represented, they
• One of these plaques, represented here and posted in front of Arlington High School, reads: 'Student
• You heard from students who are for this bill. Students all over the state want this bill.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Education heard testimony on a wide range of bills, with the largest portions focused on the Healthy Youth Act (S.340/H.656), comprehensive and inclusive curriculum bills (H.655/S.371 and related measures), climate literacy education (H.560/S.391), computer science coursework (H.534/S.362), arts education funding and STEM-to-STEAM proposals (H.561 and H.4297), and a homeschooling reporting bill (H.518). Supporters of the Healthy Youth Act argued it would preserve local control while requiring medically accurate, age-appropriate, LGBTQ-inclusive sex education and regular updates to state health frameworks; opponents raised parental rights, age-appropriateness, and opt-out concerns, with some calling for fetal development content. Supporters of inclusive curriculum bills said they would improve representation, belonging, and civic understanding, while opponents argued they could undermine parental authority or promote ideological content. Climate, computer science, and arts advocates emphasized workforce readiness, student engagement, and the need for state support and funding to expand access and teacher training. Testimony on the climate literacy bill described increasing climate impacts in Massachusetts and argued that interdisciplinary instruction would prepare students for science, policy, and green careers; witnesses said the bill was not a mandate but a support and funding measure. Computer science supporters said access remains uneven, especially for girls, students of color, and students with disabilities, and urged stronger statewide requirements and AI-related standards. Arts advocates backed both the STEM-to-STEAM bill and the Lowell Mason arts funding proposal, citing research on student achievement, attendance, creativity, and the economic importance of the arts sector. The homeschool bill was supported by a homeschool advocacy group as a modernization of reporting requirements. The committee closed testimony on numerous bills where no one remained signed up or testimony had concluded, including several education, curriculum, and commission proposals. No votes were taken during the hearing itself. At the end of the session, the committee closed out the remaining testimony and adjourned after a motion and second.

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, I have Representative Herndon (member_13489) followed by Representative Ford.
• Representative Lujan (member_13031)... and then Representative Chavez (member_10389) and then Representative
• When I look at all of those students who are there, it's over a thousand students.
• Representative Cates.
• Okay, so Representative Block and Representative Chávez, we will start with Representative Herndon.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're right now, we have the data of the public schools failing our students. Students.
• Let's look at ELL students.
• We're talking about representing the needs of 90% of our students, so it seems pretty obvious that the
• We're talking about representing the needs of 90% of our students, so it seems pretty obvious that the
• We're talking about representing the needs of 90% of our students, so it seems pretty obvious that the

Keywords: 1191, senate, all