Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman, Stan Rounds for the school superintendents and the Coalition of Educational Leaders.
• House Memorial 30 is the study of public education governance It requests a study to support the education
• I'm Jessica Hathaway, Deputy Director with the Legislative Education Study Committee.
• Chairman Stan Rounds for the superintendents and the Coalition of Educational Leaders.
• And then how would educators and families be engaged in that transition process?

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Education K through 16.
• Senate Bill 1884 by Sparks relating to the employment of persons by the State Board of Education to Education
• to Education K through 16.
• Senate Bill 1925 by Creighton relating to truancy to Education K through 16.
• and workforce trends to Education K through 16.

Transcript Highlights:

• Are any of you concerned about federal cuts to education, Department of Education?
• Are any of you concerned about federal cuts to education, Department of Education?
• Are any of you concerned about federal cuts to education, Department of Education?
• Are any of you concerned about federal cuts to education, Department of Education?
• Anything else in education? Um, real Anything else in education?

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• how they do uh uh continuing education how they do uh uh continuing education but<00:12:32.440><
• education for providers education<00:16:37.480> that<00:16:37.759> is<00:16:38.120>
• offered office to office education offered office to office education hospital<00:16:53.639>
• pace they get continuing education pace they get continuing education credits<00:17:04.720> but
• nursing education.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee opened a public hearing on House Bill 493, a proposal to require physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants to complete child abuse and neglect training as part of licensure and continuing education. The bill’s sponsor and supporters said the measure addresses a gap in provider training, especially because abuse can be difficult to recognize and voluntary training has had low participation. They described a free Dartmouth online course and argued that mandatory, repeated education would help providers identify signs of abuse, know when to involve specialists or DCYF, and improve child safety. Supporters also noted the bill was amended to clarify coverage for nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and nursing hours, and to address language concerns raised by the Office of Professional Licensure and Certification. Committee members and OPLC counsel raised implementation questions, including whether the bill would apply to all physicians regardless of specialty, whether it created a new licensure condition rather than only a continuing education requirement, how often the training would need to be repeated, and whether the accreditation language fit nursing rules. OPLC also noted that psychiatrists would be covered as physicians, while psychologists would not. A child abuse pediatrician testified that in his experience, children were sometimes seen by providers who missed early signs of abuse, leading to worse outcomes, and that mandatory education was needed because voluntary programs had poor uptake. The New Hampshire Hospital Association opposed the bill, saying health care professionals already have reporting duties and that the legislature should not single out one training mandate when similar requirements are generally left to licensing boards. The Office of the Child Advocate supported the bill, citing cases from 2023 involving non-ambulatory infants with fractures, conflicting medical testimony in court, and a low completion rate for the existing free online course. The Child Advocate said the bill should be mandatory and recurring so providers stay current on evolving science and law. No vote was taken in the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• general fund yep 50% go to the education general fund yep 50% go to the education trust<00:18:24.120
• fund currently 41% to the education fund currently 41% to the education trust<00:18:33.679> fund
• general trust fund and the education general trust fund and the education trust<00:51:36.960>
• <00:55:08.720> trust the money into the education trust the money into the education trust
• communities um well education communities um well education firefighters<01:04:02.880> police

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first met in a revenue estimate work session to approve an LSR codifying the committee’s revenue estimates. Members reviewed the process for turning the LSR into a House Resolution and discussed how the adopted estimates would be used to amend House Bill 1. After a brief question-and-answer about current revenue splits and the governor’s proposed video lottery and tax-split changes, the committee voted 19-0 to approve the revenue estimates. The committee then moved into executive session on HB 669, which would require all revenue from the statewide education property tax to be deposited into the education trust fund and set an equalized statewide tax rate. Supporters argued the bill would better direct education funding, while opponents said it was unnecessary or duplicative. The committee voted 12-7 to retain the bill (ITL), and a minority report was noted. Next, the committee considered HB 290, which would raise cigarette and electronic cigarette taxes and create a study committee on tobacco and nicotine taxes. Testimony focused on revenue needs, inflation, public health, and concerns that a higher tax could reduce sales or drive purchases across state lines. The committee voted 11-8 to ITL the bill, with a minority report. The committee also ITL’d HB 402, dealing with whether Education Freedom Account payments are taxable income, after debate over unintended consequences and whether the bill’s language was misleading; that vote was 11-8 with a minority report. Finally, the committee opened HB 483, and Representative Tierney moved ITL, arguing the bill’s requirement that the scholarship organization be incorporated in New Hampshire would likely violate the Commerce Clause; the transcript cuts off before the vote on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• Welcome to Senate Education.
• best in education.
• best in education.
• education growth.
• That is not a college of education issue.

Bills: SB29, SB64

Keywords: SB29, math requirements for teaching license, teacher licensure, teacher endorsement, mathematics methods, elementary education, secondary education, special education, early childhood education, reciprocity, Public Education Department, Mathematics and Science Education Act, mathematics instructional leadership framework, professional learning plan, K-3 screening, mathematics screening assessment, mathematics difficulty, support plan, multilevel support, intervention

Transcript Highlights:

• It's central to access, equity, affordability, and higher education.
• I saw firsthand when we coordinated with our higher education institutions.
• Otherwise, why are we putting these dollars into higher education? We better.
• Yeah, loss work hours and other educational expenses.
• , meeting with multiple counselors, and adjusting my education plan.

Summary: The committee held an oversight hearing on a state audit examining California’s community college transfer process and whether streamlining it could improve access to bachelor’s degrees. Opening remarks from legislators emphasized that California’s transfer system is central to equity and workforce development, but that only about one in five transfer-intending community college students complete a transfer within four years. Members highlighted disparities by race, region, campus, and major, and pointed to confusion created by differing requirements across the UC, CSU, and community college systems, including limits and inconsistencies in the Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT), TAG, and major-specific prerequisites. State Auditor’s staff said the audit found that while UC and CSU systemwide enroll more transfer students than the Master Plan target, individual campuses and high-demand STEM programs often do not. The audit identified barriers including unclear and varying course requirements, limited counseling and education plans, insufficient counselor staffing at some campuses, and weak equity plans. It also found that many students never even apply because they do not accumulate enough units or cannot navigate the process. The auditor described examples where transfer students with strong preparation were denied at selective campuses and noted that articulation alignment across systems remains limited. Representatives from UC, CSU, and the Community Colleges responded that transfer remains a top priority and described ongoing reforms. UC cited a new public dashboard, data-sharing agreements, new transfer pathways, and an ADT pilot at UCLA, while saying campus-level capacity and program differences limit how much can be standardized from the system office. CSU said it admits more than 90% of eligible transfer applicants, is expanding transfer planning tools and direct outreach, and is implementing SB 640’s Transfer Success Pathway Program. Community Colleges said transfer reform must focus on clearer credit mobility, more consistent articulation, and broader ADT adoption. Members pressed the systems on inconsistent major requirements, the need for better coordination, and whether campuses are fully prioritizing transfer students; no votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• to best help Vermont and its education to best help Vermont and its education system<00:01:44.600
• ,<00:01:51.440> and changes in how we fund education, and changes in how we fund education
• House Education Committee. House Education Committee.
• . education. education.
• education system works. education system works.

Keywords: 926, house, all

Summary: The meeting was a caucus of the whole on House Bill 955, described by House Education Chair Rep. Peter Conlin as the year’s education transformation bill. He said the bill is still evolving and must still go through Ways and Means, Appropriations, and the Senate. Conlin framed the bill as a response to declining enrollment, school building needs, future funding changes, and equity concerns, drawing on prior commission work, testimony, surveys, emails, and committee input. Conlin said H. 955 has two major structural pieces: it creates seven mandatory Cooperative Education Service Areas (CESAs) to provide shared services more efficiently at larger scale, and it requires merger study committees in all parts of the state to examine whether districts should voluntarily merge into pre-K through 12 union school districts. He emphasized that CESAs are service providers, not governing bodies, and that merger study committees are required to study merger but not to merge. He also said the bill includes startup grants for CESAs, fee-for-service funding, a guidance map for facilitator work, deadlines culminating in merger votes on November 7, 2028, and reporting requirements back to the General Assembly. Members asked about whether CESAs duplicate supervisory unions, how representation would work, whether the bill affects academic standards, what happens to articles of agreement, why some study groupings include only one district, how the process would work in practice, and what support facilitators would have. Conlin responded that CESAs are intended to add scale for specialized services rather than replace supervisory unions, that they do not govern schools, and that representation and structure could be adjusted as the bill moves forward. He said the bill does not change what is taught in schools, only governance and funding, and that any merger would still require new articles of agreement and voter approval. He also said the facilitator system would be supported by a lead facilitator and the existing CESA structure, and that some groupings may be revised based on local conditions. The committee also discussed cost savings and timing. Conlin said the bill is intended to reduce costs through shared services and larger-scale districts, and that the proposed delay in implementing a foundation formula is meant to allow time for mergers and related administrative work, including bargaining, records, and district consolidation. He cited the existing Vermont Learning Collaborative in southeastern Vermont as an example of a CESA already providing specialized services and saving member districts money.

Transcript Highlights:

• > our<06:35:20.798> um education educator appointed by our um education educator appointed
• special education from regular education.
• special education from regular education.
• , and you cannot untangle special education from regular education.
• general education.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first noted that House Bill 398, concerning Holocaust and genocide studies, and House Bill 131 had already been handled previously and were off the schedule. It then took up House Bill 740, which would require the Department of Education to maintain permanent records for closed charter schools. After brief discussion about overlap with another charter-school bill that already addressed closure and records, Representative Freeman moved to table the bill. The committee voted 16-0 to table/ITL the bill, and it was placed on the consent calendar. The main discussion centered on House Bill 557, which would require additional information on school budget ballots, including average cost per pupil, enrollment history, and teacher-to-administrator ratios. Members raised concerns that the bill was duplicative of existing law, overly detailed, costly to towns, and potentially electioneering or cumbersome on ballots. Supporters argued it would improve transparency and help voters who do not attend deliberative sessions or use online resources. The committee did not vote on the bill during the discussion; instead, members moved into caucus and later indicated they would hold the bill until Monday for further review. Later, the committee turned to House Bill 699 on special education definitions and considered Amendment 0606H. The sponsor explained the amendment was developed with the Department of Education after hearing testimony and was intended to align state definitions with federal law and incorporate recommendations from a prior audit, including changing “functionally blind pupils” to “students with visual impairments.” Some members supported the changes as responsive to the hearing and audit, while others objected that the amendment was still confusing, had not fully addressed stakeholder concerns, and should wait for a more comprehensive special education audit. The discussion also referenced House Bill 754 and another amendment, but the transcript ends before final action on HB 699 is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, UTEP plays a unique role in Texas higher education.
• for GME, graduate medical education.
• New medical education slots for GME, graduate medical education, the vast network that not only Texas
• The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, in conjunction with representatives of higher education
• of just Business for us in higher education.

Bills: HB42, HB125

Keywords: special prosecutor, state law, criminal justice, accountability, law enforcement, stormwater management, counties, regulation, environment, water quality

Summary: The Committee on Higher Education met to hear several bills and first corrected the minutes from its April 1, 2025 meeting to reflect that a committee substitute for HB 271 had been adopted before the bill was reported favorably. The committee then heard HB 3326, which would help Texas higher education employees, especially adjunct faculty, qualify for federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness by counting classroom hours toward full-time status, requiring institutions to verify employment within 60 days, and requiring annual notice to eligible employees. No witnesses testified against the bill, and it was left pending. Members then heard HB 2853, authorizing UTEP to phase in a student union fee increase to fund demolition and reconstruction of its aging student union. Representative Perez and UTEP student and university witnesses said the current facility is outdated and insufficient for a campus of more than 25,000 students, while some members raised concerns about the size of the fee increase and its impact on low-income students. UTEP representatives said most students receive aid, the fee would be phased in over time, and the project was student-approved; the bill was left pending. The committee also heard HB 4066, a one-line bill to abolish the Texas Research Incentive Program after the state cleared its backlog of matching obligations, with the author saying the program was no longer needed in light of newer research funding approaches. The bill was left pending. The committee spent substantial time on HB 125, which would create the Tarleton State University College of Osteopathic Medicine. Supporters, including Tarleton leadership, the founding dean, a rural hospital CEO, and a feasibility consultant, argued the school would address severe rural physician shortages by recruiting Texas and rural students, training them in rural settings, and developing new residency slots rather than competing for existing ones. Members asked about affordability, residency placement, and whether the school would draw students from rural Texas; Tarleton said it would seek to keep tuition and debt low, had already raised private donations, and would request $25 million in state support over the biennium. The bill was left pending. Finally, the committee heard HB 42, which would increase the annual Higher Education Fund appropriation and adjust its allocation methodology. The chair and university witnesses described rising deferred maintenance, inflation, cybersecurity needs, and enrollment growth at HEAF-eligible institutions, with witnesses from Texas Tech, Sam Houston State, and UNT saying the additional funding would help address aging facilities and technology needs. After testimony, the committee left HB 42 pending and recessed.

Transcript Highlights:

• And in 1989, she was a recipient of the Black Achievement Award for Excellence in Education. education
• Mary Burns-Michael and her continued commitment to education. Welcome to. your statehouse. Ms.
• , Katie ISD Board of Education.
• Refer to the Committee on Higher Education, HB 2851 by Howard.
• Disabilities at public and private institutions of higher education for the committee of higher education

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• AND WELCOME TO THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE FOR HIGHER EDUCATION.
• WE HAVE TARIFF GOODMAN THE VICE CHANCELLOR OF CAREER AND ADULT EDUCATION FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
• THEN, FINALLY, I ALSO MENTIONED THE ADULT GENERAL EDUCATION.
• SO THAT THE GOAL OF ADULT GENERAL EDUCATION IS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND WORKFORCE EDUCATION BECAUSE
• I KNOW NURSING EDUCATION WE HAVE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION ON NURSING EDUCATION IN THIS COMMITTEE AND ESPECIALLY

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• education program online. education program online.
• redesign our teacher education program. redesign our teacher education program.
• educators to come up with a solution. educators to come up with a solution.
• <00:48:04.560> Our in early childhood education. Our in early childhood education.
• teacher education program in.

Keywords: This meeting is taking place on location at the Kentucky State University Cooperative Extension Building Room 238 using on site equipment., 958, all

Summary: The interim Commission on Race and Access to Opportunity met at Kentucky State University and heard a presentation from President Kofi Aapo and Vice President Michael Dorsy on the university’s role as an HBCU and its current priorities. They emphasized Kentucky State’s impact on Black student outcomes nationally, its focus on workforce development, civic leadership, innovation, and economic mobility, and its efforts to grow enrollment, expand dual-credit partnerships, and launch a prison education program. They also described House Bill 250’s role in prompting program review and the creation or expansion of market-aligned offerings, including manufacturing engineering, agricultural engineering, biological and agricultural engineering, social work, criminal justice, and expanded online programs through “Thoroughbred Global.” A major topic was Kentucky State’s move toward STEM and applied programs. President Aapo said the university is diversifying beyond liberal arts to meet workforce demand and cited plans for a PhD in agroecology, which he said would help farmers adapt to climate conditions and would be federally funded. He also discussed the nursing program as the fastest-growing on campus, partnerships with health systems that pay tuition and guarantee jobs, and the need for a new nursing facility. He said the current nursing space is inadequate and that a new building could double or triple enrollment in the program. He also described a mobile health initiative intended to bring preventive care and health education to underserved areas of the state. Members asked questions about the nursing building, STEM strategy, teacher preparation, dual credit, prison education, and student readiness. Senator Bledsoe asked about the shift toward STEM, and Aapo said the strategy is based on student demand and data from House Bill 250. Senator Berg requested a list of dual-credit partners and encouraged long-term tracking of prison education participants to study outcomes such as recidivism; Aapo said the university has not yet begun that research but intends to. Senator Tidner asked about remedial needs, and Aapo said KSU found more than 100 students with zero GPAs when he arrived and is using co-requisite support and tutoring to address English and math deficiencies. Representative Brown and others highlighted the historical and ongoing value of HBCUs, and no votes or formal actions were taken during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• costs further along in their education.
• costs further along in their education.
• Incredible Educators so I asked my Incredible Educators so I asked my daughter<00:12:18.480> she's
• <00:57:57.200> experience educational experience educational experience quality<00:57:59.960><
• student center educational student center educational experiences<00:59:05.240> in<00:59:

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In education, I've been there for this is my 32nd year, and most, and I'm talking about educators, and
• This is my 37th year as an educator in the state of Iowa. I am a very, very proud educator.
• are leaving education.
• I want to thank especially the educators.
• And put as much money as we can towards our educators, but this bill is not about going after our educators

Transcript Highlights:

• and representation in education.
• Early-Educers. access to affordable and high quality care and early education opportunities.
• We are incredibly grateful to Secretary Tupweiler, the Executive Office of Education, and the three education
• context... ...it told us in the higher education context was that of the 60 or so higher education institutions
• , educational opportunity, secondary education, vocational training, scholarships, employment, or promotion

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Racial Equity, Civil Rights, and Inclusion held an informational hearing on diversity, equity, and inclusion in Massachusetts; no bills were heard or voted on. Chairs Bud Williams and Liz Miranda opened by framing the hearing as a response to recent federal actions they said threatened DEI efforts, funding, and civil rights protections in education and other sectors. They said the committee would hear from experts, agencies, advocates, and businesses about the legality and benefits of DEI and the impact of federal actions on the Commonwealth. Secretary of Education Patrick Tutwiler testified virtually that Massachusetts is pushing back against federal efforts to restrict DEI, including guidance and certification demands directed at schools. He highlighted state investments in early education, child care, early college, career and technical education, and educator diversity, arguing these efforts help close opportunity gaps for Black and brown students, students with disabilities, English learners, and other underserved groups. In response to member questions, he said federal education dollars are core to services for students and that the state is prepared to fight funding cuts while monitoring impacts across K-12, early education, and higher education. Elizabeth Matos of the Attorney General’s Office said DEIA programs remain legal under state and federal law and described AG guidance issued to help institutions navigate federal confusion. She reviewed litigation the office has joined or won, including efforts involving withheld school funds, museums and libraries, the Minority Business Development Agency, Head Start, AmeriCorps, and other federal actions. Members asked about immigration-related fear and profiling, and Matos pointed to existing Know Your Rights guidance, said complaints to the Civil Rights Division have increased, and noted the office is seeing issues involving housing discrimination, employment, public accommodations, and threats to call ICE. She also said the office is open to further legislative ideas but did not discuss specifics. Evelyn Carter, a social psychologist, testified that diversity, equity, and inclusion are often misunderstood and defined the terms plainly, emphasizing that diversity is a group characteristic, equity addresses unequal starting points, and inclusion is about belonging and access. She argued that DEI matters because it creates guardrails against bias, helps make environments accessible, and addresses ongoing inequities. In response to questions, she suggested practical strategies such as using clear criteria and written records in decision-making, broadening who is considered part of one’s in-group, and pairing bias awareness with concrete behavior-change tools. The hearing also included testimony from Meredith Tewitt of the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women, who spoke about the importance of DEI for women, veterans, and people who rely on federal institutions, and urged lawmakers to continue supporting inclusion and access.

Transcript Highlights:

• Department of Education for unallowable costs.
• Is that realistic in the education world? Do you do that now?
• One of the... the one that is kind of glaring, especially… Education.
• We've seen this huge growth in special education, and when we're not fully funding special education,
• I didn't even mention the State Board of Education.

Bills: HB1540, HB3837, HB5571, SB370, SB2425

Keywords: government review, Texas Sunset Act, regulatory oversight, agencies, sunset provisions, autonomous vehicles, regulation, safety, criminal offense, Autonomous Vehicle Commission, registration, regulations, Level 4 automation, Level 5 automation, self-driving technology, traffic laws, permit system, collision reporting, safety standards, Automated Vehicle Commission

Transcript Highlights:

• Education is extremely important to me.
• The areas of education and education reform, which is what the university is, or what the governor appointed
• Higher education is different. It's different from public and private education.
• Education was a turning point for him.
• Education was a turning point for him.

Summary: The committee first heard CS/SB 1458 on apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs. The bill sponsor said it would add consistency and transparency by requiring local education agencies and training providers to define their roles and funding shares in contracts, cap an LEA’s share at 10% when it serves only an administrative role, and require public meetings and published work papers for the district workforce education funding steering committee. Several industry and business groups appeared in support, and the bill was reported favorably without debate. The committee then took up CS/CS/SB 1726 on higher education, which was substantially revised by a delete-all amendment. The amended bill addressed presidential searches, trustee eligibility, interim presidents, polling by universities, mission reviews, and other governance issues. Members asked about the requirement that final presidential candidate groups include at least three applicants, the qualifications for interim presidents, trustee residency/alumni requirements, and limits on candidate polling. Senators Leek and Smith offered contrasting views, with Leek warning about candidate withdrawals and Smith supporting the bill as a way to depoliticize higher education governance. The bill, as amended, was reported favorably. The remainder of the meeting was devoted to confirmation hearings for university and college boards of trustees. Several appointees and reappointees from FAMU, UNF, Pensacola State College, UF, and UWF described their ties to their institutions and goals such as student success, workforce alignment, military support, research, and regional access. The UWF nominees drew the most scrutiny over their votes for former board chair Scott Yenor, whose public comments about women and other groups were criticized by senators and public commenters. Some nominees said they were unaware of the full scope of those remarks and would not have voted for him with that knowledge; others defended their votes as based on his education-reform views. Public testimony also raised concerns about UWF board members’ lack of higher-education experience and local ties. The committee confirmed the non-UWF nominees in a block vote and then began individual votes on the UWF nominees, with debate centered on Yenor-related concerns.

Transcript Highlights:

• New Hampshire Department of Education. New Hampshire Department of Education.
• Department of Education.
• through the US Department of Education. through the US Department of Education.
• cannot exclude religious education. cannot exclude religious education.
• <05:19:26.240> education<05:19:26.718> grant pupil adequate educ education grant pupil

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee held a hearing on House Bill 1571, which would direct the Department of Education to review and revise statewide academic standards and curriculum and make an appropriation. Representative Kristen Noble, the sponsor, said the bill is intended to update outdated standards, especially in math, and to have the department create a list of high-quality curriculum and materials aligned to the revised standards. She noted she would likely amend the bill to change a requirement that districts “shall” select from the list to “may,” and said a misplaced crossed-out section would need to be restored and moved by amendment. She also said assessments would need to be updated to match any new standards. Testimony from Marie Banfield strongly supported the bill and the move away from a mandate, arguing that current standards are outdated and that Common Core and related standards have not improved student outcomes. She criticized the math standards for emphasizing multiple strategies and written explanations over computation, and said stronger standards would better support students, including those with learning or communication challenges. She also argued that New Hampshire should follow examples such as Massachusetts, which she said used rigorous standards successfully. Nate Green of the Department of Education did not take a position on the bill but explained that the bill would affect statewide academic standards, state assessments, and potentially federal compliance. He distinguished academic standards from minimum standards in statute, said any standards revision would require work with content experts, State Board approval, and then a corresponding assessment update that could take about two years. He estimated assessment development costs could range from about $200,000 to $500,000 for minor revisions and $1 million to $2 million for a wholesale new set of standards. He also said the bill would apply to public and charter public schools, not private or homeschool students, and that the department does not currently provide a statewide list of curriculum materials because curriculum decisions have historically been local.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm calling this hearing of the Assembly Education Committee to order.
• Everyone, I'm calling this hearing of the Assembly Education Committee to order.
• California law already gives parents a limited opt-out from sex education.
• California law already gives parents a limited opt-out from sex education.
• Career education provides specialized training for jobs.

Summary: The Assembly Education Committee heard several Senate bills focused on student health, access, equity, and career preparation. SB 608 by Sen. Menjivar would expand access to condoms and related sexual health resources for students in grades 7–12 and direct the Department of Education to align with the California Healthy Youth Act. Supporters argued the bill would help address high STI rates among youth and remove barriers to access, while opponents raised concerns about parental authority, local control, and encouraging early sexual activity. The bill was approved on a 6-1 vote and sent to the Health Committee. SB 965 by Sen. Blakespear would prohibit libraries from requiring a parent to be physically present for a 16- or 17-year-old to obtain a library card, while still allowing libraries to require parental consent or signature. Supporters said the current rule creates unnecessary barriers for teens and school research projects, and the California Library Association said it was now neutral after amendments. The committee passed the bill 6-0 to Appropriations. SB 998 by Sen. Gonzalez would define and expand the duties of discrimination prevention coordinators in the state’s Office of Civil Rights, including adding a disability coordinator and deputy coordinators focused on anti-Black, anti-Asian, anti-Latino, and anti-Native American discrimination. Testimony emphasized the need to address rising hate incidents and discrimination in schools, especially for Black, LGBTQ+, AAPI, and other marginalized students. The bill was approved and sent to Judiciary with amendments to be processed there. SB 845 by Sen. Perez, which expands work-based learning and youth apprenticeship opportunities, also received broad support from education, workforce, and industry groups and passed unanimously to Labor and Employment. The committee also approved a consent calendar of additional bills and adjourned after all items were acted on.