Transcript Highlights:

• </c> um we have farms and we got Fruit Farms um we have farms and we got Fruit Farms and<01:11:53.400
• </c> farmers okay thank you uh Farm farmers okay thank you uh Farm Bureau<01:21:11.679><c> thank</c><
• </c><01:21:13.080><c> on</c> Bureau thank you CH the ho Farm on Bureau thank you CH the ho Farm on testimony
• </c><01:26:12.280><c> Bureau</c> would have okay thank you Farm Bureau would have okay thank you Farm
• The Farm Bureau, right? Thank you. The testimony and support, thank you.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint committees first heard SB 1146, which would appropriate funds to the University of Hawaiʻi to develop an action plan and pre-engineering concept plan for debris management and water quality control in the Ala Wai Watershed. Testimony was largely supportive from DLNR, a UH student, and a special improvement district representative, while one speaker suggested the work should be coordinated with existing efforts to avoid duplication. Committee discussion focused on the multi-jurisdictional nature of the watershed, existing debris-trap work that captures only about 20 to 30 percent of debris, the role of the university in capstone projects and recommendations, and the relationship to the existing Geni project and other community efforts. Members also asked about costs, tracking progress, and the difference between water-quality improvements and the larger debris problem. The committees then voted to pass SB 1146 with amendments, including blanking out the appropriation and deferring the effective date to July 31, 2050. The motion passed in both committees, with votes recorded in support and no opposition noted during the decision-making. The committees also heard SB 321, which would deem certain fee simple privately owned lands transferred to adjacent property owners or community associations if specified conditions are met. Testimony was in support from several individuals, but members raised concerns about the lack of input from counties and the state, and about how the bill might affect roads already used by the public or maintained by local governments. After discussion, the committees voted to advance SB 321 unamended to the next committees, with the measure adopted in both committees despite one recorded no vote in the Water and Land committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• You were in the farming business, or we talked about that in your district.
• As a kid, I'm a product of the '80s farm crisis. Things were very difficult at that point in time.
• ; You<00:03:25.840><c> were</c><00:03:25.920><c> in</c><00:03:26.000><c> the</c><00:03:26.159><c> farming
• the</c><00:03:52.879><c> of</c><00:03:53.120><c> the</c><00:03:53.280><c> 80s</c><00:03:53.920><c> farm
• </c> product of the of the 80s farm crisis. product of the of the 80s farm crisis.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 700 is a comprehensive Florida farm bill. It is the fact agency package.
• These drones can be very disruptive to farm operations.
• We will treat farms like other critical infrastructure in Florida.
• Trip honor Florida Farm Bureau waiving in support Alex Haley, Florida, Department of AG and Consumer
• And I Q so I would ask that you favorably keep this part in the farm bill.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And with me today is Catherine Van Dyke, Community Alliance with Family Farms, to speak in support of
• And with me today is Catherine Van Dyke, Community Alliance with Family Farms, to speak in support of
• Alex Bearing, California Farm Bureau, in support. Thanks. Good morning.
• And, you know, in the farms in my area...
• And, you know, in the farms in my area, farms in my area what are the flood control measures called in

Summary: The committee heard several water, parks, and wildlife bills. AB 764 would expand the list of exotic non-game birds that can be managed in California to better control mute swan populations; the author and California Waterfowl said swans are invasive, aggressive, and rapidly increasing, while no opposition testified. The bill passed to Appropriations. AB 616 would make the State Library Parks Pass program permanent by allowing state parks to transfer annual day-use passes to the State Library free of charge; supporters said it improves equitable access to parks, especially for low-income families, and the bill passed unanimously to Appropriations. AB 293 would require groundwater sustainability agencies to post board membership and a link to Form 700 filings online. Supporters, including the Community Alliance with Family Farmers, argued it would improve transparency and public trust, while opponents said the requirement was redundant and could discourage service on GSA boards. The bill passed, but with some no votes. AB 639 would narrow the definition of dams so certain weirs used for irrigation would not be subject to dam regulations; the author and technical witnesses said the structures pose no safety risk and are already closely managed, while members urged the bill be narrowed further to the Kings River area. It passed as amended to Appropriations. AB 679 would streamline land transfers for Big Basin Redwoods, Año Nuevo, and Butano State Parks by exempting those acquisitions from the Public Works Board process. Supporters said it would speed conservation and park rebuilding after the CZU fire, while one member opposed it over cost and broader state land-management concerns; it passed as amended. AB 454 would remove the sunset on the California Migratory Bird Protection Act, making state protections for migratory birds permanent after federal rollback concerns; it passed as amended to Appropriations. The committee also adopted its 2025-26 rules and approved the consent calendar, and the meeting adjourned after add-on votes were taken for absent members.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman Cook in the House, who’s in the horse business, runs a horse farm, and I thought it was best
• And the veterinarians that I talk to up home are like, we—they can’t afford us to come to the farm for
• > and</c><00:08:45.839><c> I</c><00:08:46.120><c> thought</c><00:08:46.279><c> it</c> runs a horse farm
• he and I thought it runs a horse farm he and I thought it was<00:08:46.640><c> best</c><00:08:46.839
• US to to come like we they can't afford US to to come to<00:09:48.079><c> the</c><00:09:48.200><c> farm

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Senate Agriculture Committee met to continue discussion of a committee substitute for a bill dealing with non-veterinary equine dental practice. The chair first addressed a procedural issue, saying any handouts distributed without the chair’s approval were improper and would not be part of the official record. The committee then reintroduced and approved the committee substitute by motion and second, before moving into member questions rather than hearing additional public testimony that morning. Senator Reed asked what testing would be required for state approval and about the bill’s timeline. The response said the bill would rely on an internationally recognized testing model, with education and continuing education requirements, and that the measure included an 18-month period to allow existing practitioners time to comply. Senator Deneen then raised concerns about the grandfather clause, the five-year lookback, and whether the bill could set a precedent that would further encroach on veterinary practice. In response, supporters said the bill was intended to create a structure for a practice that already exists, with training, insurance, a registry, and a grievance process to weed out bad actors while preserving access and affordability for horse owners, especially in rural areas where veterinarians may be scarce or unavailable. The discussion also included historical context, with members noting the issue had been considered during earlier veterinary modernization efforts and had been worked on through open work groups, surveys, stakeholder meetings, and multiple drafts. Supporters argued that without a regulated framework, some horse owners might not be able to afford veterinary care, which could leave horses untreated. No final vote on the bill itself was described in this portion of the meeting beyond approval of the committee substitute.

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, California's farm workers are essential to our state's economy and food supply, and yet they
• Because farm worker housing must be located near agricultural land, often miles from services such as
• Amenity proximity scoring assumes dense service patterns that agricultural communities where farm workers
• with the C-TAC scoring criteria for farm worker housing.
• training, job placement, housing, energy, and other services to California's migrant and seasonal farm

Committee: House Housing and Community Development

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Those people are farm workers.
• And that movement is still very much alive today in the work of the United Farm Workers and our WDSU,
• hard work and often dangerous work being around large animals, and I have been visited a lot of the farms
• TODAY WE HONOR FARM WORKERS ACROSS NEW YORK AND WE COMMIT OURSELVES TO MAKING SURE THAT DIGNITY, FAIRNESS
• HARD WORK AND OFTEN DANGEROUS WORK BEING AROUND LARGE ANIMALS, AND I HAVE BEEN VISITED A LOT OF THE FARMS

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate convened, approved the prior journal, and then took up a Rules Committee report advancing several bills directly to third reading, including Senate Print 9630, an appropriations extender for government operations, and Senate Print 9631, an extender related to Part U1 of Chapter 61 of the Laws of 2023. The chamber then moved to the controversial calendar and debated the first extender, with Senator O’Mara questioning what the bill covered, how much funding it extended, and the status of budget negotiations. Senator Krueger said the extender covered about $1 billion for payroll and certain payments for agencies including Health, Law, OPWDD, and Veterans Services through April 7, and described the budget talks as still unresolved, with no announced follow-up Joint Budget Conference Committee meetings or table targets. She also discussed utility affordability proposals, including a three-year moratorium on A.I. and crypto data/storage facilities and support for green energy and low-income ratepayer relief. O’Mara argued the lack of urgency and absence of written proposals on climate and utility costs was concerning. Both extender bills were then passed, with the first receiving 59 ayes and the second passing 46-13 after debate over its two-year duration. The Senate then adopted the resolution calendar, excluding two items initially, and took up two resolutions. Resolution 1821, sponsored by Senator Ramos, recognized Farmworkers Day and highlighted the essential role of farmworkers, the history of organizing for farmworker rights, and concerns about immigrant workers facing fear and retaliation; Senator May added support, noting the importance of farm labor to dairy production and food supply and the impact of deportation fears on farms in her district. The resolution was adopted. Resolution 1823, sponsored by Senator Zellner, proclaimed March 20, 2026 as Behavior Analysis Day in New York, recognizing applied behavior analysis and its benefits for individuals with developmental disabilities, autism, education, healthcare, and other fields; it was also adopted. The chamber also welcomed a group of students from Queens visiting Albany, with Senator Comrie speaking about the importance of civics education and government engagement. After the introductions and acknowledgments, there was no further business, and the Senate adjourned until Wednesday, April 1, at 11:00 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• Shirley Erana from Triple S Livestock, Randy Cabral and Janet Ashman and Brian Miyamoto from Hawaii Farm
• Shirley Erana from Triple S Livestock, Randy Cabral and Janet Ashman and Brian Miyamoto from Hawaii Farm
• Shirley Erana from Triple S Livestock, Randy Cabral and Janet Ashman and Brian Miyamoto from Hawaii Farm
• Shirley Erana from Triple S Livestock, Randy Cabral and Janet Ashman and Brian Miyamoto from Hawaii Farm
• Shirley Erana from Triple S Livestock, Randy Cabral and Janet Ashman and Brian Miyamoto from Hawaii Farm

Bills: HB2315 , SB2471 , HB306 , HB1692 , HB1842 , HB2171 , HB2207 , HB2343 , HB2296 , HB389 , HB469 , HB1510 , HB1573 , HB1705 , HB1858 , HB1875 , HB1946 , HB1961 , HB1962 , HB2001 , HB2093 , HB2096 , HB2097 , HCR200 , HCR144 , HCR33 , HCR154 , HCR165 , HCR186 , HCR206 , HCR166 , HCR31 , HCR85 , HCR103 , HCR117 , HCR180 , HCR112 , HCR18 , HCR105 , HCR173 , HCR137 , HCR179 , HCR32

Keywords: vacation payout, down payment assistance, state employee benefits, housing crisis, homeownership, Department of Health, SB2471, Hawaii, corporate powers, artificial persons, business entities, election spending, political spending, campaign finance, ballot measure, ballot issue, electioneering, corporations, nonprofit corporations, LLC

Transcript Highlights:

• In the '80s, we were farm poor. We were never hungry, but we worked hard every day.
• That day, he took a bunch of farm kids who've never seen an ocean to Disneyland and Hollywood.
• worked at a seating company with my uncle, and then I currently work with my other uncle on his dairy farm
• When I was in first grade, one of the most impactful things I ever did was touring a dairy farm.
• When I was in first grade, one of the most impactful things I ever did was touring a dairy farm.

Committee: House Education

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Let me repeat that again: on-farm legal worker housing.
• With that, I present the Florida Farm Bill and welcome questions. Thank you, Senator Truenow.
• Next, I have Tripp Hunter, Farm Bureau, waving in support. Thank you.
• Tripp Hunter, Farm Bureau, waving in support.
• I want to thank the department for bringing this farm bill and also want to thank Chair Truenow for working

Committee: Senate Agriculture

Summary: The Senate Committee on Agriculture met and considered four bills. SB 178, by Senator Rouson, created an agronomic study to be conducted by Florida A&M University, subject to appropriation, to identify viable crops or products for land taken out of production by disease or weather and to assess environmental and economic impacts; it passed unanimously and was reported favorably. SB 980, by Senator Bernard, created a one-year Hunger-Free Campus Pilot Program within FDACS to help postsecondary institutions address student hunger through task forces, SNAP assistance, food pantries, and related measures; DACS support was noted, one student government representative appeared in support, and the bill was reported favorably. SB 786, by Chair Truenow, prohibited assignment of assessments on agricultural improvements for agricultural purposes on lands classified as agriculture; it also passed unanimously and was reported favorably. The committee then took up SB 700, the FDACS “farm bill,” via a strike-all amendment. The amendment included a broad package of technical and substantive changes, including restrictions on additives to public water systems, limits on ESG considerations in agricultural lending, criminal penalties related to drone harassment, updates to disaster loan programs, truth-in-labeling provisions, charity registration changes, on-farm worker housing provisions, and support for FFA and 4-H dues. A major point of discussion was the provision preempting local governments from deciding whether to fluoridate water; supporters argued for statewide consistency and consumer choice, while opponents, including the Florida Dental Association and local officials, warned it would remove local control and harm public health, especially for low-income residents. Other speakers addressed concealed carry due process concerns, landowner rights, and labeling issues. The strike-all was adopted, and CS/SB 700 was reported favorably, with some senators noting they would continue working on concerns before later stops. At the end of the meeting, Senator Burton asked to be recorded as voting yes on SB 178, SB 980, and SB 786, and the committee agreed. The chair also welcomed Warner University agriculture policy students visiting the Capitol, and the meeting adjourned without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> 40 years ago at the height of the farm 40 years ago at the height of the farm crisis,<00:02:35.120
• </c> farming and bills to keep getting paid. farming and bills to keep getting paid.
• </c> to the economic crisis in farm country. to the economic crisis in farm country.
• Since the 1980s farm crisis, lives, too.
• Requests for mediation are increasing, as are farm bankruptcies.

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Public Safety

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We were there for disasters, taking over family farms, buying them, renting them back for a dollar, and
• then selling them back, saving farms, right?
• then selling them back, saving farms, right?
• Our record $500 million farm financial stability loan program put us over the top on that.
• And now we had our largest record-breaking farm financial stability program that we have just closed

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The committee received a compliance and status update on Industrial Commission programs and the Bank of North Dakota. Staff reviewed appropriations and spending for several Industrial Commission funds and grant programs, including lignite research, oil and gas research, clean sustainable energy, grid resiliency, salt cavern analysis, and the new NDSU research and technology park grant. Members discussed the timing of reimbursements, uncommitted balances, and the structure of the pipeline capacity and enhanced oil recovery funding. The Industrial Commission also reported on its administrative budget, grant management system project, and recent leadership transitions across several agencies. Karen Tyler of the Industrial Commission described active grant rounds and the status of major projects. She said the Clean Sustainable Energy Authority approved three projects in its sixth round, with remaining uncommitted cash and loan capacity still available, though no new funding was appropriated this session. She also said the Oil and Gas Research Council approved six enhanced oil recovery projects and expects additional funding after a federal Department of Energy award replaces one project’s state funding. For grid resiliency grants, she said some projects have been funded, some commitments were returned or reallocated, and some DOE funds remain pending. She also updated the committee on the salt cavern business case study, which replaced an earlier larger development proposal, and on the NDSU research park grant, where the nonmatching portion was paid and the matching portion has moved slowly because the match must be in cash. Ron Ness then gave an extended presentation on enhanced oil recovery and North Dakota oil and gas trends. He said production remains steady, but future growth depends on infrastructure, especially gas takeaway and projects like the Bakken East pipeline. He argued that enhanced oil recovery using CO2, natural gas, surfactants, and other methods could extend Bakken production for decades, but that the state needs more CO2 supply, better storage, and updated tax and regulatory incentives. Members asked about lateral lengths, CO2 availability, pipeline impacts, and the role of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, and Ness emphasized that the projects are intended to share technical learning across operators and attract follow-on investment. The Bank of North Dakota then presented its compliance report and strategic update. President Don Morgan said the bank’s mission remains to support North Dakota agriculture, commerce, and industry while cooperating with the state’s financial sector. He reviewed the bank’s main business lines: participation lending with community institutions, student loans, disaster lending, mission-based programs, and a new fintech-focused effort. Morgan said deposits are flattening, so the bank is managing balance sheet growth carefully, while still reporting improved net income and strong efficiency. He also introduced Rough Rider Coin as a bank-to-bank payment rail, not a public cryptocurrency, intended to speed and modernize payments within North Dakota’s banking and credit union system. Committee members asked about student loan eligibility, disaster program use, and how credit lines and liquidity would be affected if deposits shrink.

Transcript Highlights:

• I do work and get the chance to work with farmers of all sizes, from two-acre farms to 100-acre farms
• Near Española, my family farm was irrigated off the Santa Cruz.
• This is a farm We own the easement. We have the easement next door.
• They're viable farms.
• Are any of those agricultural easements for pecan farming?

Committee: House Water & Natural Resources Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• requires that one appointed supervisor and two elected supervisors be landowners or operators of a farm
• It was big farm owners. ...in the bill is because conservation groups started as landowners.
• impacts on their farm, and it's creeped into other things, which is great.
• It was big farm owners. in the bill is because conservation groups started as landowners.
• impacts on their farm, and it's creeped into other things, which is great.

Summary: The House State Government & Tribal Relations Committee heard testimony on House Bill 2514, which would create a work group to plan a Global War on Terror Memorial on the Capitol campus. The prime sponsor and supporters, including veterans, Gold Star family members, and military advocates, said the memorial would honor Washingtonians who died in Iraq and Afghanistan and those who later died by suicide, while helping secure private fundraising and a concrete plan for the project. No opposition was recorded during the hearing, and the bill was later closed without a vote in the transcript excerpt. The committee also heard House Bill 2661, which would create a temporary task force to study public records request abuse, including frivolous, retaliatory, or harassing requests, and consider possible reforms. Supporters from cities and school-related organizations said some agencies face heavy costs, legal review burdens, and repeated or overly broad requests, especially in schools. Opponents from open-government and media groups argued the bill misdiagnoses the problem, could restrict access, and should instead focus on better staffing, training, technology, and compliance. The hearing ended without a vote in the excerpt. In executive session, the committee voted to advance several bills. It reported out proposed substitute House Bill 2637, which expands Public Records Act exemptions for certain personal information, on a 4-3 vote; House Bill 2632, which updates terminology for noncitizens, on a 4-3 vote; proposed substitute House Bill 2499, on conservation district governance and disclosure rules, on a 4-3 vote after rejecting two amendments; House Bill 2198, concerning the statewide credential catalog and online repository, on a 6-1 vote; and House Bill 2520, allowing emergency meetings outside a county seat and clarifying Open Public Meetings Act procedures, on a 7-0 vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• We've got a new market and are improving our farm.
• And I have the pleasure of serving as Minnesota Farm Bureau president.
• </c><00:10:48.720><c> We're</c><00:10:48.880><c> a</c> Minnesota Farm Bureau President.
• We're a Minnesota Farm Bureau President.
• </c> Dan Gleason, Minnesota Farm Bureau president: "Nonpartisan general farm organization representing

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• And fifth in farm GDP as a percentage of the state total.
• That $11 billion, Farm Bureau's number is around $82 million.
• Idaho farm GDP tends to trend with total GDP growth for the state.
• Farm GDP, 138%. Food manufacturing, 105%.
• Farm GDP, 138 percent. Food manufacturing, 105 percent.

Summary: The committee was convened to review Idaho’s economic outlook and general fund revenue projections, with members instructed to complete and submit individual “homework” revenue projections for fiscal years 2026, 2027, and 2028 by noon the next day. Chairmen explained the binder materials, the committee’s constitutional charge, and the plan to compile member projections into an average and median for deliberation and a recommendation to JFAC. They also noted the meeting was being broadcast publicly and thanked staff and presenters. Keith Bybee of Legislative Services Office outlined the state’s general fund budget picture, emphasizing structural imbalance between revenues and expenditures, the impact of statutory spending growth, and the need to decide whether to address the gap through spending cuts, cash balances, or other policy changes. He highlighted major budget drivers such as Medicaid expansion, public defender costs, IT consolidation, public school funding changes, and water resources spending, and discussed available cash reserves, including the budget stabilization fund. Committee members asked about Medicaid’s net cost, the treatment of the $330 million school funding adjustment, the Millennium Fund, and whether rainy-day funds or interest earnings were being used in the governor’s budget. Aaron Phipps of the Division of Financial Management presented the executive revenue forecast and explained changes in reporting for sales tax and the tax relief fund, including how certain transfers would now be treated as accrued general fund revenue. She described a sharp but likely temporary drop in corporate income tax collections tied to federal tax changes and taxpayer behavior, especially the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and the SALT workaround, and said the overall income tax forecast remained relatively steady. Robert Spindlove of Zions Bank described national conditions, including lower Fed rates, a re-steepening yield curve, higher tariffs, mixed inflation signals, slowing but not contracting labor markets, and continued consumer spending, and said 2026 looked like a rebuilding year. Sam Wilkenhauer of the Idaho Department of Labor reported that Idaho’s labor market remained strong, with low unemployment, steady job growth, balanced industry expansion, and wage growth moderating from the overheated post-pandemic period; he forecast continued but more sustainable growth over the next two years.

Transcript Highlights:

• being treated not like an family farm being treated not like an individual<00:48:47.720><c> person</
• first of all I think I I family farm first of all I think I I appreciate<00:48:51.880><c> the</c><00
• The other issue I would point out, and we have talked about Family Farms or any small business that’s
• And I will say, for example, the family farming example is particularly acute.
• Family Farms or any small business Family Farms or any small business that's<00:55:42.119><c> organized

Committee: House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• My name is Monty Aiken, and I have oyster farms in Apalachicola and also Alligator Harbor.
• Clam and oyster farming is an emerging industry in the state of Florida.
• Clam and oyster farming is an emerging industry in the state of Florida.
• If you haven't been on one of our oyster farms, I invite you to come out.
• On my farm, I also teach and mentor high school students from Franklin County.

Summary: The committee met with a quorum present and took up five bills related to Florida waterways, vessels, and environmental protection. HB 1149 on vessel accountability was presented as a way to strengthen enforcement against derelict and long-term anchored vessels, create nuisance authority for repeat violators, and shift relocation/disposal costs to owners; it drew support from marine industry and boating groups and passed 15-1. HB 795 would allow voluntary buffer zones near deepwater port channels and turning basins to prevent anchoring or mooring in protected areas; after questions about federal overlap and impacts on other counties, an amendment narrowed the buffer concept and added authority to remove uninsured vessels anchored more than 45 days, and the bill passed 13-3 with committee substitute. HB 1285 defined “migrant vessels” and authorized FWC to remove them more quickly as derelict vessels; a technical amendment was adopted, Monroe County supported the bill, and it passed unanimously 16-0. The committee then considered HB 1133, which would restructure the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission by requiring geographic representation on the seven-member board, staggering terms, and limiting warrantless entry onto private land by FWC officers. The sponsor said the goal was to ensure statewide representation and align FWC enforcement with probable-cause standards; an amendment changed board terms from five years to three years, and the bill passed 16-0. Finally, HB 1143, sponsored by Representatives Shoaf and Tant, would prohibit oil and gas drilling and exploration within 10 miles of certain sensitive estuarine and coastal areas and require DEP to weigh environmental and economic impacts before permitting near waterways. Support came from oyster farmers, shellfish groups, conservation advocates, and local residents, while the American Petroleum Institute opposed the setback as too broad and raised mineral-rights concerns. After extensive debate emphasizing protection of Apalachicola Bay, tourism, seafood, and fragile ecosystems, the bill passed unanimously 16-0.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> dairy farms. dairy farms.
• Many of us have that view of a very small farm, neighborhood farms, rural communities.
• ><c> farms,</c> neighborhood farms, neighborhood farms, rural<01:01:26.200><c> communities.
• </c> trying to focus on smaller farms. trying to focus on smaller farms.
• </c> to help out those small farms. to help out those small farms.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• In the '80s, we were farm poor. We were never hungry, but we worked hard every day.
• That day, he took a bunch of farm kids who've never seen an ocean to Disneyland and Hollywood.
• One was that I work on a dairy farm with my uncle, but I also mentioned that I'm going to be studying
• When I was in first grade, one of the most impactful things I ever did was touring a dairy farm.
• So I... ...grade, one of the most impactful things I ever did was touring a dairy farm.

Committee: House Education

Summary: The House Education Committee heard first from the Idaho School Board Association, whose chair Jason Sevy gave a personal account of how public schools, local governance, and school-based supports shaped his life and his family. He argued that school board training and state support for local control are important, citing the value of ISBA training funds and examples of districts using grants and partnerships to improve early literacy, mental health supports, and student outcomes. Members asked how urban districts could build stronger parent/community ties, and Sevy said community engagement should begin at the elementary level. The committee then received a presentation from Idaho FFA state officers, who described FFA’s three-circle model of classroom instruction, career and leadership development events, and supervised agricultural experiences. The officers highlighted their own agricultural and education pathways, the statewide reach of FFA chapters, leadership camps and conferences, community service hours, and the economic impact of SAE projects. They emphasized that FFA builds public speaking, parliamentary procedure, job interview, and leadership skills in addition to agricultural knowledge, and invited legislators to the state convention in Twin Falls in April. Members responded positively to both presentations. Representative Pickett asked about strengthening community engagement in larger districts and how FFA can attract students beyond agriculture; officers said the program’s broader leadership and workplace skills are a major draw. Other members praised the students’ confidence and articulation, and one suggested FFA should be considered as a minimum high school offering. No votes or formal committee actions were taken.