Transcript Highlights:

• However, our state's IT systems have become more efficient, allowing caseworkers to process both Medicaid
• The recommendations in the LLC report were really around tracking those efficiencies, so you should be
• What role does artificial intelligence play in the administration and efficiency, anything like that?
• Any efficiencies? Mr. Chair, Representative Dowd?
• I think all of those efficiencies contribute.

Transcript Highlights:

• It corrects the layout of the geothermal well field to improve efficiency and functionality.
• field<00:19:58.720> to<00:19:58.880> improve<00:19:59.120> the<00:19:59.280> efficient
• field to improve the efficient field to improve the efficient efficiency<00:20:00.480> and
• <00:20:01.600> It efficiency and functionality. It efficiency and functionality.

Keywords: 00:01 Call to Order and Roll Call 00:49 Approval of Minutes 01:05 Information Items 02:39 Project Rpt from Finance and Admin Cabinet 23:40 Lease Rpt from Finance and Admin Cabinet 26:30 OFM Rpt – KY Infrastructure Authority 36:07 OFM Rpt – Econ Dev Cabinet 43:40 Office of Financial Mgmt 50:18 Remaining 2025 Mtg Dates 50:50 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The committee first handled routine business, including approval of the June meeting minutes and receipt of several correspondence and information reports. Those reports covered quarterly capital project status updates from state agencies and postsecondary institutions, lease modifications, asset preservation projects, school district debt issuances, and Kentucky Communications Network Authority budget history materials. Members also raised questions about a long-open stream mitigation account and were told the funds are fee-in-lieu stream mitigation monies administered through Fish and Wildlife, with staff promising to follow up on the specific project. The committee then reviewed and approved several capital project actions. These included a new Camp Oralis dining hall project for the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, explained as a reauthorization because the funding split changed to 64% federal and 36% agency funds; an appropriation increase for the Shelbyville armory addition due to higher construction costs and security requirements; and emergency repair projects for Fort Boonesboro flood remediation and the Kentucky State Police Supply Branch fire damage. Members also approved a tenant improvement fund request for parking garage safety improvements at the Mayo Underwood Building. The Office of Financial Management presented three Kentucky Infrastructure Authority items and one Cleaner Water Program reallocation. The loans included a Shepherdsville sewer/drainage project and two Auburn water and lead service line projects; the grant reallocation involved unused Cleaner Water Program funds, with staff emphasizing that all ARPA-funded cleaner water dollars must be spent by December 31, 2026 or returned. After discussion, the committee approved the package. The committee also approved six Economic Development Fund grants, and the Cabinet for Economic Development began presenting the first six KPDI projects, though the transcript cuts off before those project details were completed.

Transcript Highlights:

• going to do great things for our environment and ensure that our departments run effectively and efficiently
• of questioning I was having with Senator Polsky, that we're accounting for every dollar in a more efficient
• We would move the money to follow the student in a more efficient and expeditious way.
• We would move the money to follow the student in a more efficient and expeditious way.
• Some of the changes include authorizing Budget more efficiently.

Summary: The Appropriations Committee met for Budget Day and heard presentations on the Senate’s proposed 2025-2026 budget, SPB 25-200, totaling $117.4 billion. Chair Hooper said the plan reduces overall spending from the prior year, keeps strong reserves, includes a 4% pay raise for state employees, maintains employee health care contributions, and makes major investments in water quality, transportation, and education infrastructure. Committee chairs then summarized their budget silos, including K-12 education, higher education, health and human services, criminal and civil justice, transportation/tourism/economic development, and agriculture/environment/general government. Members asked questions mainly about school funding, AP and dual enrollment support, voucher and scholarship impacts, and the My Safe Florida Home program. The committee adopted a large consent package of amendments and then approved three late-file amendments: funding virtual college tours for high school students, funding the FSU Sunshine Genetics program, and providing money for the Port of Fernandina customs facility. The committee then voted to report SPB 2500, the General Appropriations Bill, as a committee bill. It also favorably reported SPB 2502 (implementing bill), SPB 2504 (state employees placeholder), SB 7022 (Florida Retirement System contribution rates and DROP changes), CS/SB 1320 (recreating the Resilient Florida Trust Fund), SPB 2506 (gaming compact revenue distributions, including water projects and rural lands), SPB 2508 (29 new judgeships), SB 7014 (ending the court mediation and arbitration trust fund), SPB 2510 (K-12 conforming bill), SPB 2512 (higher education conforming bill), and SPB 2514 (health and human services conforming bill). The committee also took up several policy bills. It approved SB 7028 on cancer research, creating grant parameters, reporting requirements, a five-year pediatric cancer research incubator, and the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute VisionGen Initiative. It approved CS/CS/SB 170 on nursing home quality, adding resident satisfaction surveys, medical director standards, safety culture reviews, electronic health record requirements, financial reporting penalties, and a study of best practices. It approved CS/CS/SB 168, the Tristan Murphy Act, which expands mental health diversion options, adds Hillsborough County to a forensic hospital diversion pilot, expands grant uses, and creates a behavioral health data repository. It also approved SB 114 creating the Florida Center for Excellence in Insurance and Risk Management at FSU and moving the public hurricane loss model there. The committee then began considering SB 180 on emergency preparedness and response, including a late-file amendment, but the transcript cuts off before final action on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• going to do great things for our environment and ensure that our departments run effectively and efficiently
• of questioning I was having with Senator Polsky, that we're accounting for every dollar in a more efficient
• of questioning I was having with Senator Polsky, that we're accounting for every dollar in a more efficient
• We would move the money to follow the student in a more efficient and expeditious way.
• We would move the money to follow the student in a more efficient and expeditious way.

Summary: The Appropriations Committee heard presentations on the Senate’s proposed 2025-2026 budget, SPB 25-200, totaling $117.4 billion. Chair Hooper and committee chairs highlighted major spending priorities including a 4% raise for state employees, continued health insurance contributions, investments in water quality, transportation, education infrastructure, and workforce development, along with reductions tied to long-vacant positions. Education funding was a major focus, with increases for K-12 public schools and scholarships, higher education workforce programs, nursing initiatives, tutoring, and university performance funding. Health and human services, criminal and civil justice, transportation/economic development, and agriculture/environment budgets were also outlined, including Medicaid, mental health, corrections staffing, affordable housing, beach restoration, citrus recovery, and water projects. Members then questioned several budget choices, especially K-12 funding. Senators Polsky and Smith raised concerns that the Senate’s AP and dual enrollment funding changes could disadvantage public schools, while Burgess argued the budget preserves the money in the FEFP and gives districts more flexibility rather than reducing support. Questions also addressed voucher availability, school stabilization funding, and the My Safe Florida Home program. The committee adopted 171 consent amendments and three late-file amendments, then approved SPB 2500 as a committee bill. It also favorably reported implementing and conforming bills for state employees, retirement, natural resources, judgeships, K-12 education, higher education, and health and human services, along with SB 7022 on Florida Retirement System contribution rates and elected-officer DROP options, CS/SB 1320 on the Resilient Florida Trust Fund, SB 7014 ending the Mediation and Arbitration Trust Fund, SB 7028 on cancer research, CS/CS/SB 170 on nursing home quality and oversight, CS/SB 168 on mental health diversion and behavioral health data, SB 114 creating an insurance and risk management research center at FSU, and SB 180 on emergency preparedness and post-storm recovery. Most bills were reported favorably with little or no opposition, though SB 180 drew discussion about local-government authority after storms and the need to balance recovery speed with local safety and planning concerns.

Transcript Highlights:

• but excess local ordinances often prevent family child care homes from operating. or operating efficiently
• By updating Chapter 32, we can create a more effective an efficient system that protects the taxpayer
• However, several statutory limitations hinder the agency's ability to to operate effectively and efficiently
• A key reason for this success is that it relies on the private sector to provide efficient access to
• Utilizing these vetted data sources is a form of... »» Automation that allows for efficiency within this

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It can allow us to enhance human efficiency and decision-making, but it must not replace it.
• to never become a crutch it can allow us to enhance<00:02:32.800> human<00:02:33.160> efficiency
• <00:02:34.080> and enhance human efficiency and enhance human efficiency and decision-making
• It distinguishes between internal AI systems, which streamline government efficiencies and operations
• and improve efficiencies for state employees, and external AI systems, which directly impact businesses

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:12 SB 4 (Sen. Mays Bledsoe): 01:34 SB 58 (Sen. Webb): 04:53 SB 117 (Sen. Madon): 07:40 SB 121 (Sen. Wheeler): 10:52 SB 237 (Sen. Howell): 13:09 SB 71 (Sen. Boswell): 18:54 SB 174 (Sen. Nunn): 38:18 SB 176 (Sen. Nunn): 40:54 SB 183 (Sen. Nunn): 42:31 Adjournment: 49:51, 958, all

Summary: The Senate State and Local Government Committee met and first considered Senate Bill 4, sponsored by Sen. Bledsoe, which would create a risk-based AI governance framework for state government and address AI-generated misinformation in campaigns and elections. The sponsor said the bill came from the AI task force and is intended to promote transparency, accountability, and responsible use of AI while distinguishing between internal and external systems. The committee took a roll call vote and reported the bill out 7-0. The committee then heard Senate Bill 58, sponsored by Sen. Webb, which would allow Kentucky Retirement System benefits to be designated to a Special Needs Trust for a beneficiary. Webb said the bill would help families of special-needs children preserve benefits for supplemental needs such as adaptive equipment, technology, and medical or dental care not covered by government programs. He said retirement systems had provided no-impact letters, and the bill passed 7-0. Members also approved Senate Bill 117, which would let cities adjust incentive payments for training by appointed and elected city officials and remove the statutory minimum from ordinance requirements, and Senate Bill 121, which would authorize county judges to contract with rescue groups to deal with wild horse herds in rural areas. SB 117 passed 10-0 and SB 121 passed 10-0. The committee then took up Senate Bill 71, as amended by a committee substitute, dealing with local library board appointments. Sen. Boswell said the bill was a compromise but that he preferred removing KDLA from the process entirely; library representatives opposed the committee substitute and said they wanted KDLA out of the selection process. Several senators expressed conditional support but said they wanted further changes, and the committee adopted the substitute and reported the bill out after a roll call vote with 10 yeas and 1 pass, with members noting they expected further floor amendments.

Transcript Highlights:

• ensure that the state's archaeological work on human remains, when identified, can be completed efficiently
• ensure that the state's archaeological work on human remains, when identified, can be completed efficiently
• In this agency, because of restoring the governor's recommendation, footnotes... efficiency efficiently
• and effectively efficiency efficiently and effectively and<00:01:37.520> it<00:01:37.680>

Bills: SF0032, SF0010, SF0001, HB0001

Keywords: 911 services, emergency response, grant funding, next generation technology, government accountability, public safety, mental health, detention, competency evaluation, treatment, contractual agreements, Wyoming, budget, funding, education, wildfire prevention, healthcare, community colleges, grants, economic development

Transcript Highlights:

• New Mexico's methane intensity—it's a way to show the efficiency of oil and gas production—fell to 1.2
• These are international standards indicating the efficiency of capturing gas.
• We prefabricate homes that are 50 to 90 percent more energy efficient for generations.
• We prefabricate homes that are 50 to 90 percent more energy efficient for generations.
• I urge your support of this bill to protect energy efficiency for New Mexico families. Thank you.

Bills: SB12, SB36, SB92, SB120, SB133, SB151, SB18, SB96

Keywords: tax credit, physician, healthcare, income tax, rural health, quantum technology, infrastructure, economic development, New Mexico, corporate tax, research and development, innovation, affordable housing, gross receipts tax, tax deduction, construction materials, multifamily housing, low income, journalism, local news

Transcript Highlights:

• The agency's... ...really efficient at putting out those funds.
• This is 20 million to provide competitive grants to enhance energy-efficient technology and renewable
• There's a balance of $9.8 million, so the agency is efficient at spending down those funds.
• Representative, I think you're referring to Line... 85, that $5 million for the Community Energy Efficiency
• In the past, they've been pretty efficient at getting that money out the door.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• least—until we delve into it with stakeholders—it seems like this could offer real opportunities for efficiencies
• Found that there were 18% administrative efficiencies.
• To those efficiencies or inefficiencies, I don't remember now because I can't read my writing.
• Generate some of these efficiencies across various areas, whether it's pricing, whether it's prior authorization
• But I think the best thing to do is to think about how we make health care better, more efficient, and

Transcript Highlights:

• few key staff members that, when we talk about the Water Trust Board and how well it works and how efficient
• It's a necessity for us to really be efficient in overseeing the Water Trust Board, but it's often out
• The legislative authorization, right, is the other side of this where it would really create an efficiency
• So it really would create an efficiency if we could eliminate that, and on our end...
• In order to be able to demonstrate the efficiency, the effectiveness, but more importantly, the safety

Transcript Highlights:

• Kentucky Community and Technical College System reported several allocations from its $90 million efficient
• Kentucky Community and Technical College System reported several allocations from its $90 million efficient
• We want our dollars to go the furthest it will and be very efficient with our money. Thank you.
• the furthest it will and and<00:38:01.440> be<00:38:01.599> very<00:38:01.839> efficient
• and be very efficient with our money. and be very efficient with our money.

Keywords: 00:01 Call to Order and Roll Call 01:49 Approval of Minutes 02:06 Information Items 03:48 Project Rpt from Finance and Admin Cabinet 14:38 Lease Rpt from Finance and Admin Cabinet 18:50 OFM – Ky Infrastructure Authority 26:40 OFM – Cabinet for Economic Development 31:50 Office of Financial Management 40:40 Remaining 2025 Meeting Dates 41:25 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The meeting opened with prayer and a quorum call, then the committee approved the prior meeting minutes. Staff reported several informational items, including University of Kentucky medical and research equipment purchases, school district debt issues, leasehold improvements, and Kentucky Community and Technical College System bond allocations. The committee then approved a line-item appropriation increase of $350,000 in federal funds for the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources’ Cumberland Forest Conservation Program, along with two Department of Military Affairs projects: the Ashland Readiness Center window replacement and the MATES HVAC replacement at Fort Knox. It also approved four larger maintenance-pool projects without further action: HVAC and smoke evacuation work at the Kentucky State Penitentiary, HVAC and hot water tank replacements at Oakwood, a Green Bank energy-savings performance project across state facilities, and roof replacement at Lake Barkley Lodge. Members asked about the prison project, the roof procurement process, and whether minority-owned firms receive special bidding preference; staff said capital projects are awarded through open low-bid procurement with qualification and warranty requirements, and that minority participation is preferred but not a bidding criterion. Two lease modifications were approved for Franklin County agencies: an expansion and renovation for the Auditor of Public Accounts and a downsizing and renovation for the Kentucky Workers Compensation Funding Commission. The committee also approved Kentucky Infrastructure Authority items, including a Monticello sewer loan, several Cleaner Water Program grants and reallocations, and a House Bill 1 water grant that required no action. Members questioned engineering costs and were told the KIA board reviews technical details and anomalies before approval. Finally, the committee approved six economic development grants: one EDF grant for V Simple in Jefferson County and five KPDI EDF grants for projects in Breckinridge, Erlanger, Todd, and Washington counties. The last action item was approval of Western Kentucky University’s up-to-$10 million general receipts revenue bond issue for athletic facilities. An informational Kentucky Housing Corporation multifamily bond item prompted concern from members about rising per-unit costs for affordable housing, and they requested further explanation from the housing corporation at a future meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• 257 Tell us a little bit about what you think about the length of the test and what makes it an efficient
• That is an efficient, more efficient way of getting information and allows the test to be shorter.
• You know, what makes it an efficient use of, of a, of a student's 260 time and, and, and that relationship
• will base the question, next question based on how the student performed before, um, that is an efficient
• , more efficient way of getting information and allows 266 the test to be shorter.

Bills: HB8

Keywords: HB 8, Texas public school accountability, school accountability, public school transparency, STAAR, state assessments, instructionally supportive assessment program, Student Success Tool, Texas Education Agency, TEA, accountability ratings, A-F ratings, through-year assessment, benchmark testing, norm-referenced assessment, college career military readiness, CCMR, local accountability plan, school district performance, campus turnaround

Summary: The House Committee on Public Education met to hear House Bill 8, which would replace STAAR with a new assessment and accountability system beginning in the 2027-28 school year. The chair described the bill as reducing testing time, limiting benchmark tests, adding beginning-, middle-, and end-of-year assessments, requiring faster score turnaround, involving Texas teachers in test development, and tightening accountability timelines and transparency rules. Members also discussed provisions on A-F ratings, cut scores, CCMR, local accountability plans, and TEA reporting requirements. Committee members and invited witnesses split sharply on the bill’s approach. Supporters, including the chair, TEA Commissioner Mike Morath, and Ed Trust’s Nicholas Munyon Penny, argued the bill would reduce high-stakes pressure, provide quicker and more actionable data, limit over-testing, and better align assessments to Texas standards while preserving criterion-referenced accountability. They said the new system would help teachers and parents intervene sooner and would improve transparency, including parent access to student responses and automatic rescoring in some writing cases. Opponents, including Rep. Hinojosa and student witness Ella Moran, argued the bill still increases testing and replaces one high-stakes test with multiple TEA-created tests. Moran testified that STAAR creates anxiety, disrupts instruction, and does not reflect real learning, while Hinojosa said the House had previously passed a better bill based on a nationally norm-referenced model and criticized the new proposal as a concession to the Senate. Questions also focused on AI scoring of writing, rescoring rates, and whether the bill’s new accountability rules would be reliable and fair. The committee did not take a final vote during the portion provided, but the chair said a vote on HB 8 would be called after public testimony later in the day.

Transcript Highlights:

• What efficiencies can we find if we look at them as a system?
• Part of the core hypothesis and insights around this is to do it in a way that is very energy efficient
• Part of that efficiency is around having a data center close to a power source, to a generating source
• So by co-locating these systems, it's just more efficient.
• That's creating more capacity by simply being more efficient with how we do it.

Transcript Highlights:

• Having the state pay for most election costs can increase efficiency and consistency of elections, but
• To ensure elections are conducted efficiently, as the state takes more responsibility for election costs
• centers, poll workers, and voting machines provides accessibility to voters while also being cost efficient
• million since FY17, with a $15 million special appropriation in FY 24 and both supplemental and efficiency
• It's an efficiency metric that is not bad to look at.

Transcript Highlights:

• It can reduce costs and deliver more efficient services to Texans.
• from TextDot about how they leveraged AI to make processes like onboarding and offboarding more efficient
• The ever-fraught spectrum of civil liberties, efficiency in government, and importantly, it reifies Texas
• The most efficient industry is the grocery industry, and their cost is 4.7 percent.
• We promote a secure, efficient, and electronic payments ecosystem.

Bills: SB231, SB584, SB600, SB668, SB841, SB986, SB1003, SB1244, SB1625, SB1960, SB1963, SB1964, SB2026, SB2056, SB2368

Keywords: temporary emergency electric energy facility, temporary generation, emergency power, backup generation, mobile generator, portable generator, grid resilience, power outage restoration, transmission and distribution utility, TDU, Public Utility Commission of Texas, PUCT, Utilities Code Section 39.918, competitive bidding, lease authorization, emergency procurement, bulk power system, locational marginal pricing, reliability model, black start

Transcript Highlights:

• sure that everyone understands the Assembly has rules to ensure that we maintain order and run an efficient
• terms of affordability and cost-effectiveness, you know, how can we make this transition in a cost-efficient
• as well that this body and the Senate in SB 100 saw that the transition to something like energy efficiency
• They're more effective, they're more efficient. and they're especially more cost-efficient for small
• Means to me that it's less efficient or reliable than a pot service.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• SJR 1756, on succession to office of governor, auditing, and government efficiency, by Senator Fine.
• constitutional amendment that would do two things: it would create the Commissioner of Government Efficiency
• And you're eliminating a position that already exists, or a commission, sorry, the government efficiency
• task force—have they not been doing what they should have been doing, not being very efficient?
• cabinet-level, a fifth cabinet-level position that would actually be responsible for looking for efficiency

Summary: The committee first confirmed Heather L. Turnbull to the Florida Commission on Community Service, with the motion adopted and the confirmation recommended favorably. Members then took up SPB 7022, which sets Florida Retirement System employer contribution rates beginning July 1, 2025, updates rates to address unfunded actuarial liability, and allows certain elected officers to elect a DROP accumulation; a technical title amendment was adopted, the bill was submitted as a committee bill, and it was reported favorably as a committee bill. The committee then heard extensive debate and public testimony on SB 1710, which would restrict diversity, equity, and inclusion-related policies, trainings, and activities in state agencies, state-funded contractors and grantees, and medical institutions of higher education. Sponsor Senator DiCeglie said the bill is intended to prevent state agencies and contractors from using state funds for DEI programs and to limit state agencies from adopting DEI-related official positions; he also said the medical-school portion would likely be amended out later. Senator Polsky and others questioned the bill’s breadth and how it would affect health-related grants, public universities, historically Black institutions, recruitment, and contractor training. Public testimony was overwhelmingly opposed, with speakers arguing the bill would harm health care, education, access, and inclusion; a few supporters said DEI is ideological, can undermine merit, and should not be used by state agencies or publicly funded institutions. After debate, Senator Polsky argued the bill was confusing, overbroad, and harmful to serving diverse communities, while Senator Arrington said it was an overreach into private business and could have significant fiscal impacts. Chair Fine closed by saying DEI is political ideology and that the bill is meant to ensure government focuses on talent rather than identity. SB 1710 was then reported favorably on a roll call vote, with Senator Arrington voting no and the remaining members voting yes. The committee then began SB 1678, relating to entities that boycott Israel, and heard the sponsor’s explanation of a delete-all amendment that would expand and clarify state restrictions on dealings with entities engaged in boycotts of Israel, including certain nonprofits, foreign educational institutions, and grants; the amendment was adopted, and the sponsor and a witness began answering questions when the transcript cuts off.

Transcript Highlights:

• it clear that the courts are interested in implementing Proposition 36 in the most effective and efficient
• call secondary, impacts to the court that we were able to save and move forward to keep our courts efficient
• experiences a severe shortage of courtroom resources The proposed Tracy courthouse will be a modern efficient
• aside for the Tracy courthouse knowing that this project is critical to restore adequate, safe, and efficient
• should be even when interpreters are available to be hired and instead spending the money in a less efficient

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I am very intrigued by staff's agenda briefing documents as well as our LAO's analysis on some efficiencies
• Is there any opportunity for funding efficiencies there? Edgar Cabral with the LAO.
• Finally, I think we may want to think about several efficiencies that will be important to think about
• One is... ...community schools themselves, which are an efficiency.
• They efficiently blend and braid resources in ways that get a bigger bang for the buck than if you left

Summary: The committee heard presentations on the Governor’s education budget proposals for the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), Learning Recovery Block Grant, and Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP), followed by testimony from State Board of Education President Linda Darling-Hammond. On LCFF, Finance outlined the proposed 2.43% COLA, repayment of prior deferrals, and a trailer bill penalty for LEAs that fail to adopt Local Control Accountability Plans on time. The LAO said its COLA estimate was slightly lower and raised concerns that the Governor’s proposed TK staffing ratio increase may be more costly than estimated. Members also discussed whether the current COLA formula should better reflect California-specific or district staffing costs, and whether TK should be more clearly separated from the K-3 grade span adjustment to avoid larger K-3 class sizes. The chair asked staff to work with the LAO on both the TK/K-3 issue and alternative COLA calculations. For the Learning Recovery Block Grant, Finance proposed restoring the first of three delayed payments, $378.6 million one-time Proposition 98 General Fund, while the LAO recommended adopting the proposal but extending the expenditure deadline by at least a year. The LAO reported that districts had spent $1.6 billion of the $6.8 billion received through 2023-24 and said most districts were only now shifting from federal COVID relief to block grant spending. Members questioned whether the large state and federal investments were improving outcomes, citing declining reading and math trends, while Finance and the State Board president pointed to some signs of improvement, especially in math, attendance, and gains for some student groups. Darling-Hammond emphasized that student needs have grown, that recovery spending has gone to devices, ventilation, staffing, tutoring, summer school, and community schools, and that targeted interventions appear to be helping some districts recover faster than others. On ELOP, Finance proposed adding $435 million to expand universal access by lowering the Tier 1 threshold from 75% to 55% unduplicated pupils, bringing ongoing funding to $4.4 billion. The LAO said the estimate was reasonable but recommended delaying implementation for a year, aligning ELOP with ASES to reduce overlap, moving toward funding based on participation rather than enrollment, and considering a fixed Tier 2 rate. Members and witnesses discussed staffing challenges, the use of funds for students with disabilities, and uncertainty in Tier 2 funding caused by unspent dollars and opt-outs. Darling-Hammond supported ELOP as part of California’s broader after-school and summer learning strategy, said most districts are now offering full-day TK and expanded learning, and urged the state to reduce fragmentation across categorical programs and build more unified systems for funding, reporting, and support.