Transcript Highlights:

• We amended it, and we amended it, and we amended it; we worked on it.
• Speaker and gentlelady, I'm opposing the amendment on the amendment for the debate on the amendment from
• So I do have an amendment.
• This is a friendly amendment. Mr. Speaker, this is not a friendly amendment.
• Just like previous amendments, I'll stop there. This is an unfriendly amendment.

Bills: HB145, HB164, HR1, HB20, HB65, HB66, HB80, HB306, SB29, SB37, HB99, HB206, HB213, HB270, SB104, SB193, HB38, HB254, HB256, SB58, SB64, HJM1, HM7, HM17, HM4, HM22, HM23, HM24, HM26, HM2, HM16, HM32, HM13, HM47, HM20, HM51, HM1, HM31, HM35, HM36, HM46, HM53, HM54, HM39, HM29, HM43, HM59, HM11, HM14, HM21, HM34, HM50, HB253

Keywords: high-wage jobs, tax credit, job creation, New Mexico, economic development, lobbying, transparency, public records, government oversight, accountability, House Resolution 1, HR1, House investigatory subcommittee, special committee, legislative investigation, subpoena power, public corruption, criminal activity, Zorro ranch, Santa Fe County

Transcript Highlights:

• 1970s all school districts and charter 1970s all school districts and charter schools<00:19:03.039
• A student may enroll in a charter school.
• the Top Line there is the uh charter the Top Line there is the uh charter school<00:27:16.159>
• <00:30:13.080> School still predicting Charter School still predicting Charter School enrollment
• <00:30:23.799> school currently uh about 72,000 charter school currently uh about 72,000 charter

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee first approved the January 21st minutes by voice vote. Members then resumed a school finance overview focused on how Minnesota’s “base” budgeting system works and how future committee targets are set above or below that base by the Ways and Means chair, in consultation with fiscal staff. Staff emphasized that school funding decisions are tied to the state budget base and that changes made by the tax committee can affect school levies and school finance more broadly. The presentation then turned to property tax fundamentals. Staff explained that roughly 65% of school district revenue comes from state aid and about 20% from property taxes, with property tax revenue applying to school districts rather than charter schools. They reviewed the two main school tax bases—referendum market value and adjusted net tax capacity—along with class rates, sales ratios, and equalization. They also described tax credits, especially the school building bond agricultural credit, which helps reduce the property tax burden on agricultural land in Greater Minnesota. Members discussed student choice programs and how funding follows students. In response to questions from Representative Quam, staff explained postsecondary enrollment options (including direct enrollment and College in the Schools) and online learning, noting that funding generally follows the student to the serving institution or district. Staff also reviewed Minnesota’s pupil-counting system, including average daily membership and pupil weighting, and explained that students attending charter schools, other districts through open enrollment, or online programs are counted where they are served. The presentation concluded with broader school finance context: funding sources, equity and adequacy goals, constitutional and statutory authority, and the state’s school data systems (EUP/FARS, MARS, and STARS). Staff also began reviewing long-term enrollment trends, noting the impact of the baby boom, later growth from the mid-1980s through about 2000, and projected modest declines in public school enrollment through 2029.

Transcript Highlights:

• I do have a title amendment. I need a motion on the title amendment.
• c> I've motion Mo on the title Amendment I've motion Mo on the title Amendment I've got<01:07:03.279
• <01:23:11.080> by yes sir that was a floor amendment by yes sir that was a floor amendment
• > Senator<01:23:13.000> Max senate floor amendment by Senator Max senate floor amendment
• A title amendment was then moved, seconded, and approved by voice vote.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Primary and Secondary Education Committee met and first considered Senate Concurrent Resolution 43, a proposal tied to the Southern Regional Education Board’s crisis recovery network. Senator West and Dr. Puit explained that, for an additional $10,000 in dues, Kentucky would help create a network of 40 trained counselors in each of the 16 Southern states to provide post-crisis stabilization and psychological first aid after events such as the Marshall County shooting. They emphasized that the effort would be complementary to local and state response, would run through the school district, would not replace therapeutic services, and would allow districts to coordinate parent notifications and other protocols as usual. Members asked about parent involvement and whether pastoral counselors could participate; the presenters said local districts would remain in charge and that pastors could be included if properly credentialed. The committee then voted, and SCR 43 passed with the expression of opinion that it should pass. The committee next took up Senate Bill 207, the School of Innovation Act, with a committee substitute. Senator West described the bill as creating an optional path for districts to contract with an outside education service provider for a three-year school-of-innovation model, aimed at turning around low-performing schools or supporting other schools that want to innovate. He said the model would preserve core district functions such as transportation, facilities, and SEEK funding, while allowing waivers from certain statutes and regulations inside the school building. The committee substitute also added a high-quality instructional materials component, creating a vendor-supported repository of vetted instructional materials that KDE would still control, with testing data used to evaluate whether the materials were improving outcomes. Members questioned how the proposal differed from existing district-of-innovation law and what safeguards would exist for students. Senator West said the bill would repeal the unused district-of-innovation framework and replace it with a clearer process and guardrails, including KDE oversight, attendance rules, and authority to shut down a school arrangement for financial malfeasance. He also said the model could work with local partners, including superintendents’ associations, and could be used by magnet or other schools, not only low-performing ones. The discussion also touched on whether the bill would allow more flexibility in choosing third-party providers and whether it could support longer-term recovery and even philanthropy in schools. The transcript ends during the discussion of SB 207, with no final vote shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, I move that my floor amendment to the committee amendment be adopted. All right.
• I move that the committee amendment as amended to Senate Bill 1429 be adopted. No?
• I move that the committee amendment as amended to Senate Bill 1429 be adopted.
• Right now, the question is the amended committee amendment.
• , due pass as amended; and SB 1763, due pass as amended.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Our section on the bill begins on your amendment. Thank you very much for your amendment.
• Thank you for the amendment.
• Thank you for the amendment.
• The amendment will take that out.
• Chair, there's one amendment. The five-page amendment in your name. Mr.

Bills: HB2091, HB2140, HB2320, HB2384, HB2398, HB2502, HB2780, HB2918, HB2939, HB2950, HB2999, HB4020, HB4026, HB4029

Keywords: insurance, financial surveillance, regulations, assessments, Arizona Revised Statutes, investment, state treasurer, gold bullion, treasury management, financial regulations, school districts, bonds, financial advisors, elections, municipal advisors, cost of borrowing, lease agreements, school property, tax exemptions, impact aid revenue bonds

Transcript Highlights:

• c> so on Charter uh charter schools so on Charter uh charter schools so assisting<00:30:50.480>
• our Charter Center in assisting our Charter Center in providing<00:30:52.679> legal<00:30:53.039
• the required oversight of charter the required oversight of charter schools<00:30:58.320> and
• opportunities just as districts Charters opportunities just as districts Charters intermediates<
• many of them at public and charter many of them at public and charter schools<01:21:29.560> in

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• The chair's recommendation is to pass with amendments. Chair and vice chair both voting aye.
• Chair and vice chair both amendments. Chair and vice chair both voting<00:57:21.119> I.
• would also like to add the charter would also like to add the charter school<01:04:05.520> commission
• Chair's recommendation is to vote with amendments. Excuse me. Chair and Vice Chair both vote aye.
• Chair's recommendation is to pass with amendment. Chair and Vice Chair vote aye.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Higher Education met on February 13 and heard several bills, with most testimony focused on House Bill 2340, an emergency appropriation for the University of Hawaii to expand and sustain the Maui wildfire exposure study and Maui Health Registry. Supporters described the program as a critical, community-based response to the Maui fires that provides health screenings, mental health support, referrals, and workforce training. Testifiers said the study has identified serious health issues, including respiratory problems, heavy metal exposure, high blood pressure, diabetes, and anemia, and several emphasized that the program has saved lives and should be expanded to reach more children and underserved residents. Committee members also noted broad written support from medical, public health, and community organizations. The committee then heard House Bill 65, HD1, on human and community resilience, which would fund development of a Human and Community Resilience Institute. The dean testifying for the University of Hawaii said the institute would take a data-driven, community-based approach to food and nutritional security, especially given Hawaii’s high food insecurity rate and the loss of SNAP-related positions. House Bill 6005, also on the agenda, drew testimony in support from the Hawaii Farm Bureau and others, though the transcript excerpt does not include the bill’s full description. The committee also heard House Bill 1605, HD1, expanding the Hawaii National Guard state tuition assistance program to graduate degrees; the Department of Defense, Hawaii Army National Guard, and University of Hawaii supported it, and members clarified that it is a state program separate from the federal GI Bill, though it may sometimes be combined depending on eligibility. Later, the committee heard House Bill 1967, HD1, on permitting workforce development, which would implement recommendations of the speed task force by creating a permitting workforce pipeline with community colleges and coordinating with state and county permitting agencies. The Office of Planning and Sustainable Development and the University of Hawaii supported the measure. House Bill 2139, HD1, on invasive species, would fund research on treatment methods for the Queensland Longhorn Beetle; DLNR, the Farm Bureau, CGAPS, University of Hawaii at Hilo researchers, farmers, and others supported it, citing damage to native trees, culturally important plants, and crops such as cacao, and noting promising early results from nematode biocontrol trials. The final bill heard was House Bill 2383, HD1, establishing a statewide workforce PELL grant framework for short-term training programs; the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, the Workforce Development Council, and the University of Hawaii testified, and a committee discussion followed about how responsibilities would be divided among DIR, WDC, and the governor’s certification role. No votes or final committee actions were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Although it failed on the federal level, many states adopted similar amendments.
• Although it failed on the federal level, many states adopted similar amendments.
• Thank you. public charter schools don't ask public charter schools don't ask families<00:50:17.960>
• We consider charter schools as a public education system.
• We consider charter schools as a public education system.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Charter Schools um 17 here on aahu 14 on Charter Schools um 17 here on aahu 14 on Hawaii<05:27:28.120
• it's uh yes and uh we our our charter it's uh yes and uh we our our charter schools<05:34:42.040
• shared so 30 years ago the first Charter shared so 30 years ago the first Charter Schools<05:40:
• Charter School the majority of Charter Charter School the majority of Charter School<05:42:45.280
• <05:43:57.760> school question so a charter school question so a charter school payroll<05

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:

• We have to vote on the amendment, so the A2 author's amendment is Senator Boldon moves that all in favor
• We have to vote on the amendment, so the A2 author's amendment is Senator Boldon moves that all in favor
• <00:08:54.200> Amendment<00:08:55.200> uh the A2 am author's Amendment uh the A2 am
• The A2 amendment...
• <00:47:19.680> School lot of this is we've had Charter School lot of this is we've had Charter

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• directing the governor's office to conduct an annual study, and we actually are working on another amendment
• That has basically served to prevent local education agencies, school districts, open-enrollment charter
• Senator, from the agency's perspective, I think the problem would be that the districts and charter schools
• That data does exist because of emerging bilingual programs in all the different districts and charter

Bills: SB825

Keywords: illegal immigration, economic impact, environmental impact, financial impact, annual study, Texas, government report

Summary: The Senate Committee on Border Security heard testimony on Senate Bill 825 by Senator Middleton, as substituted, which would require an annual or biennial study of the economic, environmental, and financial impacts of illegal immigration in Texas. Middleton said the bill is intended to provide lawmakers with comprehensive data on costs to law enforcement, health care, education, infrastructure, and taxpayers, and to support possible federal reimbursement claims. Several senators, including Hinojosa and Eckhardt, agreed that a study is needed but raised concerns about bias, the scope of the study, and whether the Comptroller’s Office rather than the governor’s office should conduct it. Middleton argued the governor’s office was the best coordinating entity because it could direct multiple agencies to provide data, while Hinojosa and others emphasized the Comptroller’s expertise and prior 2006 study. Public testimony was generally supportive of the idea of a study but critical of the bill’s framing. Sarah Cruz of the ACLU of Texas said the study should be a full cost-benefit analysis and warned that focusing only on costs could create an anti-immigrant narrative. Danny Woodward of the Texas Civil Rights Project also supported the concept but recommended moving the study to the Comptroller or, alternatively, creating a neutral commission. Jaime Pointe of Every Texan likewise supported updating the 2006 analysis and said state agencies should be able to cooperate with a governor-led study. Resource witnesses from the governor’s office, HHSC, TEA, OCA, TDCJ, and DPS explained that data collection would be uneven across agencies. HHSC and TEA said they often do not collect immigration status and, in TEA’s case, federal law limits schools from requesting such information; OCA and TDCJ said they could provide only partial or indirect data unless new reporting requirements were added. DPS said it already has Operation Lone Star data but would need to collect additional information if tasked with the broader study. The chair asked the governor’s office to provide a follow-up answer on separation-of-powers and related authority questions by the following Tuesday, and the committee recessed subject to the call of the chair without taking a vote on the bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• . amendments. amendments.
• Amendment number one, amendments.
• the amendment. the amendment.
• . amendments. amendments.
• . amendments. amendments.

Keywords: House streaming session for Friday, March 20, 2026, 957, house, all

Summary: The House met in Annapolis with 107 members present and proceeded through the journal and a series of Appropriations Committee reports. Several bills were advanced on favorable reports without amendment, including measures on constitutional officers’ salaries, correctional officer retirement systems for Dorchester and Allegany counties, Carroll and Calvert County public facilities bonds, higher education financial assistance for incarcerated individuals, and a bill on community college promise scholarship eligibility for Delmar High School graduates. Other bills received amendments before being ordered for third reading, including measures on community college trustee membership, Frederick Community College board meeting and training requirements, Howard County school funding disclosures, courts administrative judges’ stipends, correctional officers retirement membership clarifications, the Children’s Cabinet Fund, and a law enforcement pension bill limiting military service credit eligibility to helicopter pilots in state aviation units. The chamber also considered HB 1581 on horse racing facility ownership, development, licensing, and operations. Amendments expanded the bill to include additional economic development provisions for the Prince George’s County Blue Line corridor, Pimlico-related funding and community input requirements, a larger lottery-fund distribution for the racing community development financing fund, and changes to the bus rapid transit grant program. The bill’s favorable report as amended was adopted, and it was ordered for third reading. During debate on a separate amendment to HB 894, the Maryland Transit and Housing Opportunity Act, members argued over project labor agreements: opponents said PLA requirements raise costs and limit competition, while supporters said the provision was optional, supported stability and predictability, and was part of a broader compromise. The amendment was rejected after discussion, and the bill remained amended. The House also took up HB 1430 on charter school facilities funding, adopting amendments that reduced the per-pupil amount and narrowed eligibility for certain districts, then advancing the bill as amended. In addition, HB 1248 was amended to convert a part-time state employment pilot program into a work group, and HB 680 was amended to adjust future appropriations for local management boards. Across the session, most actions were routine committee report adoptions and amendment votes, with no recorded roll-call counts in the excerpt except the initial quorum call.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is Amendment 2 to an existing grant.
• This is Amendment 3 to an existing contract.
• 20 or Amendment 8 or Amendment 4?
• So Amendment 5, which was one amendment ago, we added the school for the deaf and blind, and it was $678,000
• So now we're at Amendment 6. That's still an addition under Amendment 6.

Summary: The subcommittee reviewed multiple methods of finance and construction items, including projects for Arkansas State University, Black River Technical College, UAMS, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, and UCA. The UAPB Allied Health and Sciences Building appeared both as a method of finance and as an alternative delivery construction project, with East Harding Construction selected and AMR Architects as designer. Members approved the methods of finance, the alternative delivery project, and several discretionary grants, including Department of Health grants for a heart attack center designation and community health worker training, and DHS grants related to homeless services, behavioral health transition support, and an enabling technology pilot. The committee then reviewed service contracts, including RFQs, construction-related contracts, intergovernmental agreements, and a large number of out-of-state and in-state contracts. Testimony focused heavily on DHS staffing and state hospital contracts, the Arkansas State Police seatbelt survey, AEDC’s lithium supply chain analysis, and Shared Administrative Services’ new SuccessFactors performance-management contract. Members asked detailed questions about contract nursing costs, turnover, hiring timelines, and whether some contracts were being renewed or amended beyond their original projected costs. DHS and Veterans Affairs officials explained staffing shortages, retention incentives, and the use of contract labor as a supplement to state employees. Several contracts drew scrutiny and were held for further review. Representative Wardlaw raised concerns about projected costs and repeated amendments on the Department of Education security contract and on DHS staffing contracts, arguing that some had exceeded their original projected totals. The committee voted to hold contracts 5, 7, and 8 until Friday, while adopting the remaining contracts. The meeting ended after informational reports on service contract amendments without material change, executed contracts, and emergency procurements were presented, with no further business before adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• comprised of elected leaders, adjutants, and legislative staff from the eight largest congressionally chartered
• I believe that if there were future large member bodied congressionally chartered organizations that
• <00:04:25.600> organizations congressionally chartered organizations congressionally chartered
• <00:05:05.240> and<00:05:06.000> um becomes congressionally chartered and um becomes
• congressionally chartered and um it<00:05:06.440> just<00:05:06.880> yeah,<00:05:07.200

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:46:04.960> school of our public and charter school of our public and charter school children
• Is this an amendment one? Yeah. Do we have your amendment? We have your amendment somewhere.
• May I now introduce the amendment, 2026-0167H. >> Can you move OTP?
• Representative Belcher, would you like to discuss the amendment again?
• >> Any other discussion on the amendment?

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It might increase the preponderance of the Hancock Amendment actually being a little more effective.
• From some of our charter and first-class counties to my third-class counties.
• Question of what were the types of issues that that specific amendment was intended to address.
• These amendments would allow them to do that if they do a physical inspection.
• And so one of the amendments, which is on page five of the bill, deals with amending, I believe, Section

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• level, discuss the impacts of what you all appropriated for public education on school districts and charter
• In this case, accreditation school districts and charter schools are now required to budget the money
• So that's why that number on the rightmost column varies by school district and charter school.
• So that's why that number on the rightmost column varies by school district and charter school.
• This was related to the charter schools. and the governor vetoed.

Transcript Highlights:

• a listing of bilingual multicultural program funding through the SEG for all school districts and charter
• School Districts and Charter Schools receive annual funding for all instructional materials through the
• And we want to empower superintendents and charter school head administrators as the ones in control
• For charter schools, whether locally chartered or state chartered, there are more limited options allowable
• We also started working with 27 different volunteer district and charter schools, and they are listed

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, if the constitutional amendment passes and the fund goes...
• And I'm going to bring the amendment up if someone offered it up.
• It's amendment set 41-24. It's being passed out and will be filed online.
• Any more questions on the amendments? Any objections to the adoption of the amendments?
• Seeing no objections, HB 818 will be reported with amendments. HB 818 with amendments.

Summary: The House Education Committee met on April 29, 2026, with a quorum present and heard several higher education and K-12 bills. SB 234 by Sen. Presley, which would provide grading for medical school students, was briefly discussed and reported favorably without objection. SB 142 by Sen. Reese, dealing with continued management and oversight of Board of Regents support fund matched endowments if a related constitutional amendment passes, drew questions about endowment matching, oversight, and the roughly $75 million in unmatched requests; it was also reported favorably without objection. SB 482 by Sen. Reese, expanding the role of career coaches in middle and high school graduation planning and reporting on career development fund spending, received support from BESE and others, with committee members discussing counselor workload and district flexibility; it was reported favorably without objection. The committee then took up SB 64 by Sen. Hodges, which would require two people to review initial video/audio recordings from cameras in self-contained classrooms when complaints arise, and the bill was reported favorably without objection. HB 1063 by Rep. Owen, a broad higher education governance bill that would increase board oversight of curriculum, hiring, faculty senates, and discipline, generated extensive discussion and testimony from Rep. Owen and a representative of Parents Defending Education Action, but the author said he did not want to vote on it yet and moved to voluntarily defer it; the committee agreed without objection. HB 818 by Rep. Riser, as amended, was converted into a reporting bill requiring public inventories and state reporting on assessments, with Cynthia Posey of the Louisiana Federation of Teachers explaining the amendments; the committee adopted the amendments and reported the bill favorably with one opposition card noted. Finally, SB 28 by Sen. McMath, carried by Rep. Carver, would lower the age for associate teachers from 25 to 21 to help address the teacher shortage; Department of Education staff said the change could expand the pipeline, and the bill was reported favorably without objection. The committee also announced it would meet the following week on Wednesday, May 6, and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:05:55.479> schools thriving in public or charter schools thriving in public or charter
• I find this amendment very cool.
• So I won't be in support of the amendment if it was a may amendment.
• There is an amendment, but they do have an amendment to an amendment to 206.
• There is an amendment, but they do have an amendment to an amendment to 206.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all