Video & Transcript Research : 'ESA'

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ND

North Dakota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Senate Appropriations - Education and Environment Division Apr 11th, 2025 at 09:30 am

Appropriations - Education and Environment Division

Bills: HB1540
Summary: The committee first took up amended bill 10-13, a school funding and education appropriations measure. Senator Schaible walked through the final version, which included changes to foundation aid, transportation grants, free and reduced-price meals funding, paraprofessional and teacher support programs, Native American education items, library and school facility projects, and several one-time grants. Members discussed removing the science center grant funding, and Senator Meyer objected to that removal, arguing that Grand Forks had raised matching private and local funds and that other cities had received similar state support. The committee also agreed to adjust regional education association funding to reflect six centers rather than seven, reducing that line to $600,000. The committee then adopted the amendment to 10-13 unanimously and passed the bill as further amended on a unanimous roll call, with Senator Shively designated as carrier. After a brief recess, the committee turned to bill 1540, but no formal action was taken. Bank of North Dakota and OMB representatives raised concerns that the draft included policy changes and procurement/IT exemptions that needed further discussion. Members agreed the bill would be delayed until Monday so the Bank, OMB, and NDIT could confer and work through the mechanics and policy issues before the committee moved it forward.
AZ

Arizona 2026 Regular Session

02/16/2026 - House Land, Agriculture & Rural Affairs

Land, Agriculture & Rural Affairs

Summary: The committee heard three measures. HB 2013 would require the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality to submit an exceptional event demonstration to the EPA when wildfires on federally managed land affect Arizona air quality. Sponsor Rep. Lisa Fink said the bill is intended to prevent Arizona from being penalized for wildfire-driven air quality problems and could help reduce regulatory burdens. Sierra Club opposed the bill, arguing the existing exceptional-event process already requires case-by-case analysis, that automatic filings could be unnecessary or ineffective, and that the bill lacked an appropriation. ADEQ testified neutral. The committee approved HB 2013 on a 5-1 vote. HB 2292 would create the Wildfire Prevention Authority and Fund under the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management; a committee amendment renamed it the Wildfire Mitigation and Risk Reduction Authority and Fund, capped administrative expenses at 8%, and prioritized funding for single-family and multi-family dwellings. Supporters, including Coconino County Vice Chair Geronimo Vasquez and the County Supervisors Association, said the bill would provide a coordinated, data-driven wildfire mitigation program funded by a $20 million annual diversion from insurance premium tax revenues, helping reduce wildfire damage and stabilize insurance costs. Members discussed the funding source as an existing tax diversion rather than a new tax. The committee adopted the amendment and then passed HB 2292 as amended on an 8-0 vote. HCM 2011 urges Congress to pass federal legislation to delist the Mexican wolf, defund the reintroduction program, and transfer management to local authorities. The sponsor said the memorial responds to ranching impacts from wolf predation and supports federal action already moving in Congress. Sierra Club opposed the memorial, saying the species remains insufficiently recovered and that delisting would be premature. After debate, including comments both supporting and opposing delisting, the committee approved HCM 2011 on a 5-2 vote and then adjourned.
AZ

Arizona 2026 Regular Session

03/10/2026 - Senate Natural Resources

Natural Resources

Summary: The committee approved the minutes from February 27 and March 3, 2026, and then heard several natural resources and water-related measures. House Bill 2013 would require ADEQ to submit an exceptional event demonstration to EPA when wildfire smoke from federally managed land affects Arizona air quality. The sponsor said this would help Arizona’s ozone/nonattainment position, while Sierra Club and ADEQ raised concerns that the bill duplicates an existing process and could waste staff time and resources. The bill passed 5-3. House Bill 2156 would appropriate $250,000 to the Livestock Compensation Fund. Supporters argued ranchers need help with livestock losses and drought impacts, while opponents criticized the board’s transparency and said the program already receives federal and prior state funding. The bill passed 5-3. House Bill 2113 would require RUCO to intervene in utility rate cases when a proposed increase reaches 100% or more; the sponsor said rural customers are being overlooked, while RUCO said it would need significant additional staff and funding and could not absorb the workload without more resources. The bill passed 6-2, with members noting they expected a future amendment to add funding. The committee also approved House Concurrent Memorial 2011, which urges Congress to delist the Mexican gray wolf and return management to states and local authorities. Supporters cited livestock losses and ranching impacts, while opponents said the species remains endangered and recovery decisions should remain science-based; the memorial passed 5-3. House Bill 2026, concerning how ADWR evaluates water availability when supplies are commingled, passed 5-3 despite concerns that it could weaken groundwater safeguards. House Bill 2056, which funds a feasibility study for brackish groundwater desalination sites, also passed 5-3 after debate over whether the study was necessary given existing groundwater accounting and treatment efforts. House Bill 2098, modernizing Pinal County Water Augmentation Authority bonding authority, passed unanimously 8-0. Finally, House Concurrent Resolution 2057, supporting a geothermal permitting roadmap and agency coordination for next-generation geothermal development, passed unanimously 8-0.
AZ

Arizona 2026 Regular Session

02/11/2026 - House Appropriations

Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:
  • That equates to 2,475 ESA students per FTE position, so nearly 2,500 ESA students per FTE per staff member
  • of their ESA?
  • of their ESA?
  • I would have used ESAs for my own personal reasons.
  • But since there are no guardrails like ESAs,... ...but since there are no guardrails, like ESAs, the
Summary: The committee first heard HB 2584, which would prohibit public funds from being used for genetic sequencing equipment made by companies owned or controlled by entities domiciled in a foreign adversary. The sponsor said the bill is intended to prevent sensitive genetic data from being sold or used against the United States. There was little public testimony, and the committee approved the bill on a 13-5 vote for a do pass recommendation. Members then considered HB 2804, a rural development and housing tax credit bill that would let the Department of Housing allocate up to $2 million per year in credits for qualifying rural affordable housing projects, with the program set to expire in 2037. Supporters, including the sponsor, the mayor of Flagstaff, and housing investors and developers, said the credit would leverage federal LIHTC dollars, attract private capital, and help finance affordable housing for seniors, veterans, and low-income residents in rural Arizona. Opponents from the Arizona Free Enterprise Club argued state LIHTC programs are inefficient, costly, and hard to oversee. The committee passed the bill 13-4. The committee also heard HB 2388, as amended, which appropriates $100,000 to the Arizona Commerce Authority to study the economic benefits of small modular reactors and data centers, with a report due by June 30, 2027. Supporters said the study could help Arizona plan for future energy and data-center growth, while opponents argued the agency already has other funding sources and should not receive additional money for the study. The amended bill passed 10-7. After a presentation from Auditor General Lindsay Perry on county treasurer procedural reviews and the Santa Cruz County embezzlement case, the committee approved HB 2352, which provides $2,385,900 in FY 2029 for the Auditor General to continue county treasurer reviews, on an 11-7 vote. The committee then unanimously approved HB 2418, as amended, which directs $600,000 to be evenly distributed among five major incident task force counties and codifies the longstanding distribution practice. Finally, the committee took up HB 2499, the first of two ESA administration bills, which would appropriate $2.6 million and 12 FTEs to the Department of Education for ESA administration and oversight beginning in FY 2027; the bill drew extended debate about ESA growth, accountability, testing, and spending oversight, but the transcript cuts off before the final vote.
AZ
Transcript Highlights:
  • ESAs serve nearly 1,000 children who are qualified for ESAs through their parents' military service.
  • ESAs serve nearly 1,000 children who are qualified for ESAs through their parents' military service.
  • We have a school here in downtown Phoenix, 91st Psalm, that an ESA basic ESA covers the full tuition
  • We have a school here in downtown Phoenix, 91st Psalm, that an ESA basic ESA covers the full tuition
  • , paid for by ESAs.
Summary: The Senate Committee on Appropriations, Transportation and Technology heard HCR 2048, as amended by a strike-everything amendment. The amendment would constitutionally prohibit the state from confiscating scholarship account monies from children of military families who are eligible for education scholarship accounts (ESAs) and can use the funds for tuition and fees at eligible postsecondary institutions. It also would make any later bill or voter-approved measure that violates that prohibition void in its entirety, with no severability, for measures enacted or approved on or after November 1, 2026. Representative Way, the sponsor, said the measure was intended to protect military families from having education funds taken away and argued that military children face unique disruptions because of deployments and frequent moves. Supporters including Matt Beinberg of the Goldwater Institute, Kevin Beasty of the Arizona Christian Education Coalition, Peter Gentala of the Center for Arizona Policy, and Senator Rogers said the amendment was needed to safeguard military families and preserve their ability to use ESA funds flexibly, including for college savings. Opponents, including Senators Alston, Fernandez, Kuby, and Epstein, argued the proposal was unnecessary, overly broad, and an attempt to preempt or invalidate a pending ESA-related citizen initiative. They also raised concerns about ESA accountability, public school funding, and constitutional issues involving voter initiatives and judicial review. After debate, the committee adopted the strike-everything amendment and then voted on HCR 2048 as amended. The final committee vote was 6 ayes, 4 noes, and 1 not voting, giving the measure a do-pass recommendation.
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Senate Session (Part I) Feb 5th, 2025

Texas Senate Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • but their ESA.
  • You just mentioned, how many other states have ESAs? I mean, ESAs are vouchers. What is it, 31?
  • I know that this school choice ESA program will sharpen and not only the ESA side of it but the public
  • is truly using the ESA as it's intended.
  • to also have... take part in the ESAs such that they were already taking part in the ESAs in high school
Bills: SB2, SJR36, SB2, SB2, SR29, SB2
AZ

Arizona 2026 Regular Session

06/12/2026 - Senate Appropriations, Transportation and Technology

Appropriations, Transportation and Technology

Transcript Highlights:
  • There has been a lot of discussion about ESAs recently.
  • All this does is provide ESA protections for children of service members.
  • ESAs serve nearly 1,000 children who are qualified for ESAs through their parents' military service.
  • Okay, and by removing... we're getting into the bigger ESA picture.
  • I've also heard a misrepresentation of the use of an ESA.
Bills: HCR2048
TX
Transcript Highlights:
  • Senator Bettencourt, would that hold the ESA?
  • It's specific to the ESA.
  • Indiana has an ESA program, Florida, of course, has a program, Arizona's ESA program started with that
  • So this ESA bill is wonderful because it's now giving that opportunity...
  • As it relates to your ESA organization in Utah, is that what you just said?
Bills: SB 2
Keywords: 1185, senate, all
TX
Transcript Highlights:
  • That's a $1,000... ...should receive a $10,000 ESA immediately.
  • Arizona's ESA program started with that.
  • Arizona's ESA program started with that.
  • and non-ESA students.
  • ESAs are an involuntary wealth redistribution program.
Summary: The Senate Committee on Education K-16 convened with a quorum, adopted its committee rules, and heard opening remarks from members introducing staff and outlining priorities for the session. Several senators emphasized support for public education, teacher pay and safety, parental choice, and the combined K-16 jurisdiction of the committee. The chair also reviewed hearing procedures, including public testimony registration and time limits. The main item was Senate Bill 2, the Texas Education Freedom Act, laid out by Chairman Creighton. He described the bill as an education savings account program intended to expand school choice, with a $200 million universal eligibility pool and an additional $800 million targeted to students with disabilities and lower-income families. He said the bill includes anti-fraud safeguards, criminal background checks for vendors, reporting requirements, data protections, and annual testing for participating students, while not imposing STAAR on private schools or homeschoolers. He also said the bill removes a prior hold-harmless provision for public schools and is separate from public school funding and teacher pay legislation. Members questioned the bill’s income threshold, lottery and priority structure, treatment of homeschoolers, microschools, charter schools, religious freedom protections, citizenship/lawful presence language, cybersecurity, open records, and disability-related issues, including whether 504 students and foster children should be included. Creighton said the bill is designed to prioritize former public school students with disabilities or lower incomes, while also allowing universal eligibility within the program’s first funding tier, and that the Comptroller would oversee vendor screening and cybersecurity rules. He said the bill does not direct curriculum or interfere with religious beliefs and that amendments may be offered later on citizenship and other issues. After member questions, the committee began invited testimony, starting with EdChoice representative Robert Inlow, who testified in support of SB 2 and cited national growth in school choice programs and studies he said show positive effects for students and public schools.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
  • They have ESAs. They have other programs.
  • It's specific to the ESA. Very good, yeah.
  • It's specific to the ESA. Very good, yeah.
  • Arizona's ESA program started with that.
  • and non-ESA students.
Summary: The Senate Committee on Education K-16 convened with a quorum, adopted its committee rules, and heard opening remarks from members introducing staff and outlining priorities for the session. Members from both parties emphasized education as a major issue, while several Republicans framed the committee’s work around school choice and parent empowerment. Senator West and other Democrats stressed protecting public schools, listening to Texans, and considering the effects of vouchers or education savings accounts on school districts and communities. Chairman Creighton laid out Senate Bill 2, the Texas Education Freedom Act, describing it as a universal education savings account program modeled on similar programs in other states. He said the bill would provide about $200 million for a universal eligibility pool and additional funding for students with disabilities and lower-income families, with priority weighting for former public school students. He also highlighted anti-fraud measures, vendor pre-approval, criminal background checks, cybersecurity protections, annual testing requirements for participating students, and the use of the Comptroller rather than TEA to administer the program. Creighton repeatedly said the bill is not a voucher and argued it would not take money from public schools, which he said would receive separate historic funding increases. Members questioned Creighton about the 500% of federal poverty line definition, the adequacy of the $10,000 ESA amount, whether the program would favor students already in private school, how microschools and homeschool pods would fit, and whether the bill protects religious liberty and private-school autonomy. Democrats raised concerns about disability protections, 504 students, foster children, public-school funding, open records, and the historical context of vouchers. Republicans generally supported the bill as a way to expand options for parents and students, while also asking about administration, fraud prevention, and data security. After member questions, the committee began invited testimony, with EdChoice President Robert Inlow presenting in support of SB 2 and citing the growth and reported success of school choice programs nationwide.
TX

Texas 89th 2nd C.S.

Public Education Mar 11th, 2025

Public Education

Transcript Highlights:
  • We're following it for the kids that have the ESA. Okay.
  • This is the ESA bill. This is the voucher bill. Thank you.
  • Allman: That does not allow us to charge ESA students an ESA price that is different than the general
  • It is for this ESA for now for the passage of this ESA to take effect within this biennium.
  • Enlow: or receiving ESAs that are educating at home.
Bills: HB 3
AR
Transcript Highlights:
  • Enhanced Student Achievement, or ESA.
  • So they shift from ESA, PD, English learners to pay for ALE.
  • ESA funding also includes growth in transitional funding.
  • The green bars that you see at the bottom are representing spending from ESA categorical funding on ESA
  • Our next supplemental is ESA grants.
Summary: The committee approved the March 9 and 10 minutes and then heard a presentation from the Arkansas Department of Education on the Arkansas Excellence in Teaching Fellowship, featuring three third-grade teachers from Cabot, Poyen, and Drew Central who are also teacher merit pay recipients. The teachers described the fellowship as a year-long Zoom-based collaboration with about 23 educators statewide, focused on sharing classroom strategies, data use, and professional support. Members asked about the teachers’ experience, how they share what they learn with their districts, the range of grades represented in the fellowship, and the relationship between the fellowship and merit pay. The teachers emphasized building relationships with students, using data to drive instruction, early intervention, and collaboration across grade levels, while the secretary said the program is intended to identify and elevate high-performing teachers and spread their practices. A major portion of the discussion focused on third-grade reading, retention, and the new ATLAS testing system. Teachers and the secretary said students are screened and progress monitored throughout the year, families are notified early if students are at risk, and schools are using interventions, tutoring, and individualized reading plans. They said ATLAS results are now available much faster than in the past, often within 24 hours or a few days, allowing teachers and parents to respond quickly. Members asked about the impact of poverty, trauma, foster care, DHS involvement, IEPs, and critical shortage areas; teachers said relationship-building, small-group instruction, and coordination with counselors and special education staff are key. The secretary said the fellowship is a small subset of a broader merit pay program, that participation was voluntary, and that the state is trying to build a coherent system with literacy coaches, high-impact tutoring, and clearer standards rather than teaching to the test. Members also discussed broader policy issues, including the need for more positive public messaging about public education, teacher input in decision-making, and support for early childhood education. Several legislators asked whether the state should expand funding for early learning and whether more literacy or academic coaches are needed in districts that improve and then lose eligibility for state support. The secretary said the state has committed literacy coaches to D and F schools and is still working through how to sustain support as schools improve. He also said the administration would look at data and return on investment before supporting additional funding, and he encouraged legislators to help recruit eligible teachers into future fellowship cohorts. After the teacher panel concluded, the committee moved on to the adequacy resource allocation study, where Bureau of Legislative Research staff began a presentation on state and local education funding sources, categorical funds, and district spending patterns.
AR
Transcript Highlights:
  • Yes, so they shift from ESA, PD, English learners to pay for ALE.
  • ESA funding also includes growth in transitional funding.
  • ESA funding is spent.
  • The green bars that you see at the bottom are representing spending from ESA categorical funding on ESA
  • Our next supplemental are ESA grants.
Summary: The committee first approved the March 9 and 10 minutes, then heard a presentation from the Arkansas Excellence in Teaching Fellowship Program featuring three third-grade teachers from Poyen, Drew Central, and Cabot, along with Department of Education Secretary Jacob Oliva. The teachers described the fellowship as a year-long collaboration among 23 merit-pay recipients from across the state, focused on sharing classroom strategies, data use, and professional support. Members asked about teacher experience, how the fellowship information is shared locally, the role of merit pay, and how teachers are addressing third-grade reading and retention concerns under the ATLAS assessment system. The teachers emphasized early intervention, relationships with students, small-group instruction, progress monitoring, and communication with families; they also described community supports such as churches, food backpacks, and local donations. Several members raised broader questions about poverty, trauma, social services, DHS involvement, and whether similar professional learning should be expanded to more teachers. Secretary Oliva said the fellowship is a small subset of a larger merit-pay program, that participation was voluntary, and that the state is working to improve literacy supports, clarity, and alignment across grades. He also said ATLAS results are now available to schools and families much faster than in the past, often within 24 to 72 hours, and that the state is using the data to identify at-risk students earlier and support intervention before retention decisions are made. The committee then moved to the adequacy/resource allocation presentation from the Bureau of Legislative Research. Staff explained that the report is part of the statutory adequacy review and focuses on state funding sources beyond foundation aid, including categorical and supplemental funds. They noted that districts and charters spent more than $7 billion in the 2025 school year, with roughly 49% from foundation funding and 51% from other sources over the last three years. The presentation outlined the four categorical funds—Alternative Learning Environment, English Learners, Enhanced Student Achievement, and Professional Development—describing their restricted uses, student-based funding formulas, and the ability of districts to transfer some money among categoricals while keeping it within allowable purposes. Staff said categorical funds account for about 4% of total spending, or less than $300 million, and reviewed superintendent feedback on whether those funds met district needs, with responses varying by category and district.
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Public Education Mar 11th, 2025

Public Education

Transcript Highlights:
  • ESAs will allow participating Texas families to pay for a range of educational expenses... outside the
  • It is basically how it works now with your ESA scholarship, just being a means of finance. advancing
  • The student has to be accepted by the private school before they can get the voucher or the ESA.
  • ESA funds.
  • This is the ESA bill. This is the out voucher bill. Thank you.
Bills: HB3, HB3
TX

Texas 89th Regular

89th Legislative Session Apr 16th, 2025

Texas House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • With ESAs, their parents can access an ESA and take their kids to private school.
  • more with less while complying with safety's mandates, ESA schools shouldn't take funding without ESA
  • of growth in the in the ESA program.
  • ESA doesn't mean Education Savings Account.
  • It is, well it is about But ESA does not stand for that. ESA stands for elite subsidy assistance.
AZ

Arizona 2026 Regular Session

04/01/2026 - House Floor Session

Arizona House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • There are zero educational accountability safeguards when it comes to the ESA.
  • Nobody can measure any outcomes when it comes to the ESA. Zero. Zero.
  • It is not involving the ESA program. Time out, just one second. All right.
  • The ESA voucher program is riddled with That is the truth. That is the truth.
  • It really doesn't have to do with the ESA. It really doesn't. Look, ESAs exist now.
Keywords: 1182, all
Summary: The House opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, guest introductions, and a proclamation recognizing April 1, 2026, as NCAA Women’s Basketball Final Four in Arizona Day. Members also highlighted visitors from the Arizona Psychiatric Society, Tucson International Airport, and Autism Bringing Change, along with remarks tied to World Autism Day and Passover. The chamber then considered several Senate bills in Committee of the Whole. SB 1024, SB 1078, SB 1123, SB 1164, SB 1232, SB 1293, SB 1493 as amended, SB 1520, and SB 1572 all received do-pass recommendations, while SB 1665 was retained on the calendar. SB 1142 drew the most debate, with supporters describing it as conformity with a federal scholarship tax credit that would help Arizona students, and opponents arguing it would further divert public dollars to private education and expand voucher-like programs without accountability. Despite the opposition, the bill received a do-pass recommendation. Members also debated SB 1293, which would limit how GPLET property tax abatements can affect school district taxes; supporters said it would prevent unequal treatment and protect statewide taxpayers, while opponents warned it could hinder housing and economic development. SB 1572, requiring Celebrate Freedom Week civics instruction, was supported as a civics and civic-health measure and opposed as an unfunded mandate that bypasses the State Board of Education. SB 1160, as amended, addressing drone restrictions near venues, was defended as a public safety measure and criticized as overbroad and potentially criminalizing innocent conduct. On third reading, the House passed SB 1097 unanimously, SB 1166 and SB 1216 by wide margins, and SB 1787 by a narrower 31-24 vote. The House then adopted the Committee of the Whole reports, placed several bills on third reading or engrossing, and adjourned until April 2, 2026.
AZ
Transcript Highlights:
  • Okay, because I noticed that on the agenda there's nothing about the ESA voucher accountability.
  • And it does, and the ESA program was reviewed in the single audit.
  • I mean, they had a pretty significant section devoted to just the ESA program.
  • And what I'm suggesting is that we do the same kind of audit for the CCDF that we do for ESA.
  • And I look forward to the ESA voucher presentation as well.
Keywords: 1182, all
AZ

Arizona 2026 Regular Session

06/12/2026 - Senate Floor Session

Arizona Senate Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • Existing ESA account holders will be grandfathered in.
  • ESAs, on the other hand, are half of that.
  • This is about all of ESAs. Why is that important? We've seen extensive abuse of the ESA funding.
  • She repeatedly asked them to meet with her to set up the ESA audit process, and the ESA administrators
  • , this is not a measure about ESAs.
Keywords: 1182, all