Transcript Highlights:

• Again, we also plan to double our enrollment, so going from 1,000 to 2,000 a year, and expanding our GED
• Again, we also plan to double our enrollment, so going from 1,000 to 2,000 a year, and expanding our GED
• :39.400> our 1,000 to 2,000 a year and expanding our 1,000 to 2,000 a year and expanding our GED
• 10:41.920> said<01:10:42.400> earlier<01:10:43.400> um<01:10:44.080> the GED
• program um and I said earlier um the GED program um and I said earlier um the electrician<01:10:45.199

Bills: HF500, HF718, HF1096, HF1246, HF1469

Keywords: nursing home, employment standards, worker rights, Minnesota Statutes, labor compensation, workforce development, job training, economic stability, low-income, career pathways, education funding, Summit Academy, employment, STEM programming, GED preparation, Neighborhood Development Center, NDC, small business, entrepreneurship, business training

Transcript Highlights:

• to know: does this put the student in the situation that then they would be more inclined to go the GED
• route at a younger age, to graduate with the GED instead of a traditional high school diploma, or is

Bills: SB1026, SB1126, SB1143, SB1166

Keywords: alternative education, school funding, student accountability, education reform, school district governance, educational records, student privacy, FERPA, family educational rights and privacy act, Department of Child Safety, DCS caseworker, child welfare, abuse or neglect, juvenile justice, juvenile court, juvenile corrections, school records, discipline records, attendance records, school district

Summary: The Senate Education Committee first considered the executive nomination of James McCain to the Arizona Board of Regents. McCain described his military service, education at Arizona State University, and interest in serving rural, tribal, and veteran communities through ABOR. Senators from both parties praised his background and bipartisan support, and McCain said his experience would bring accountability, leadership development, and a focus on affordability and student safety. The committee voted 7-0 to recommend his confirmation to the full Senate. The committee then heard SB 1026, which would limit how often alternative schools and alternative education programs must recertify and allow them to continue operating in good standing without repeated applications. An amendment added a five-year recertification limit, a 70% student-population threshold for qualifying alternative programs, an appeal process, and flexibility on instructional days. Supporters said the bill would reduce regulation for schools serving vulnerable students; opponents raised concerns about accountability and whether the bill clearly defined good standing. The committee adopted the amendment and advanced the bill 4-3. Next, SB 1126 was heard, requiring schools to provide Department of Child Safety caseworkers with information about who withdrew a student or requested records, and barring schools from preventing employees, contractors, or volunteers from speaking with DCS during abuse or neglect investigations. Senator Werner said it was developed with DCS after reviewing child deaths and system failures, including the Rebecca Baptiste case. The bill passed 7-0. SB 1143, which would require schools and LEAs to submit federal civil rights data to ADE and require an annual school safety report posted publicly, drew opposition from the Arizona Education Association as redundant and burdensome, but it still passed 4-3. Finally, SB 1166 would allow county school superintendents to offer high school equivalency preparation through accommodation schools to students in grades 10-12 who are at least 16 years old, rather than only 12th graders. The sponsor said the bill simply expands access to the program, while one senator questioned whether it might encourage students to pursue a GED earlier than intended. The committee advanced the bill 5-2, then adjourned.

Bills: HB669, HB 1306, HB3173, HB3807

Keywords: healthcare, Medicare, insurance, financial assistance, families, wage theft, employers, penalties, Texas Workforce Commission, employee rights, employer database, worker rights, death investigation, emergency services, medical benefits, exposure claims, public safety, workforce development, TWC, youth workforce

Bills: HB37, HB187, HB177, SB63, HB82, SB48, HB33, HB37, HB33

Keywords: judicial compensation, salary increase, court system, Alabama legislation, judges, HB187, court fees, docket fee, sheriff's fund, sheriff's office, jail operations, law enforcement, county sheriff, court filing fees, Alabama Code 12-19-312, solicitor's fund, clerk's fund, forensic services trust fund, budget flexibility, public safety

Bills: HB10, HB33, HB35, HB42, HB74, HB102, HB107, HB10, HB33, HB35, HB42, HB74, HB102, HB107

Keywords: body-worn cameras, dashboard cameras, law enforcement, public disclosure, investigation, transparency, juveniles, nonviolent offenses, intervention program, juvenile detention, youth services, volunteer firefighters, cancer compensation, death benefits, line of duty, first responders, bail reform, cash deposit, judicial discretion, criminal justice

Bills: HCR11, HB153, HB278, HB424, HB454, HB455, HB687, HB816, HB833, HB942, HB1053, HB1097, HB1147, HB1148, HB1190, SB75, SB85, SB197, SB200, SB217

Keywords: Camp Beauregard, Louisiana National Guard, Youth Challenge Program, military affairs, Pineville, National Guard training, emergency response, youth development, alternative education, high school equivalency, GED, at-risk youth, leadership training, job skills, citizenship, veterans, state military operations, mobilization, logistics staging area, public service

Bills: HR2, HR37, HR61, HCR11, HCR64, HB89, HB183, HB341, HB371, HB451, HB480, HB520, HB541, HB579, HB597, HB816, HB1004, HB1064, HB1165, SB44

Keywords: transparency, accountability, Justice Department, FBI, Jeffrey Epstein, victim protection, investigation, public trust, HR37, House Resolution 37, Honduras veterans, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, military medal, veteran recognition, Congress memorialization, U.S. veterans, foreign deployment, 1981 to 1992, military service awards, combat support

Transcript Highlights:

• participation and economic productivity in our state, but currently, if a parent is working toward their GED
• Right now, too many parents are blocked from qualifying for assistance, even though they are in GED programs
• This bill takes an essential step to ensuring that the educational and training bridge programs like GED
• you about Karina, who enrolled in our college and career readiness program and went on to enroll in GED
• single mom of six children in our college and career readiness program, who is eager to complete the GED

Bills: HB 1087, HB2504, HB4113, HB5144, HB5146, HB5377, HB5543, SB140, SB264, SB1244, SB1343, SB2121, HR868

Keywords: property owners, board vacancy, special election, association governance, community management, property owners' association, resale certificate, fees, real estate regulation, homeowners, HB 4113, Texas Rising Star Program, child care, child-care providers, Texas Workforce Commission, TWC, safety barriers, crash-rated bollards, bollards, playground safety

Transcript Highlights:

• So, you've got the GED, which is nationally... ...got the GED, which is nationally recognized.
• We can use portions of the GED assessment.
• They're getting their GED.
• Well, the GED program is very specific to the GED assessment, so you've got basically four sections of
• the GED.

Bills: HB266, SB85, SB166, HB266, SB85, SB166

Keywords: education, diploma, adult education, dropout prevention, nontraditional high school program, driver's license eligibility, vaccination exemption, religious exemption, medical exemption, vaccine mandate, testing requirement, public schools, K-12, students, parents, guardians, higher education, college enrollment, university attendance, public institutions of higher education

Transcript Highlights:

• On the GED end of it, what percentage of our GED classes are administered through the community college
• Roughly, and what other alternatives or who else presents GED?
• ...alternatives or who else presents GED? I guess I'll ask Mr. Walters to answer that.
• But we do have some church-based organizations that also provide GED services.
• If they take portions of the GED test and they don't pass... ...portions of the GED test they don't pass

Bills: SB140, HB102, SB133, SB34

Keywords: Coach Safely Act, youth athletics, noncompliance penalties, Department of Public Health, youth athlete, dual enrollment, high school, community college, university, educational access, high school credit, violence prevention, conflict resolution, mediation, public education, high school graduation, 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• While GED attainment remains an opportunity, and economic growth.
• While GED attainment remains an opportunity, it is not a solution that works for everyone.
• Offering adults an alternative path to relying solely on a GED option.
• Again, adults unable to pass the GED are for those that a test-centered model is not effective.
• Some have tried to earn a GED but found the process too difficult.

Summary: The House and Senate Education Committee first approved minutes from February 2 and 3, then heard an interim study proposal on Arkansas adult education and the Excel Center model, presented by Goodwill Industries of Arkansas and the University of Notre Dame’s Lab for Economic Opportunities. Witnesses argued that about 300,000 Arkansas adults lack a high school diploma or GED and described the Excel Center as a diploma-granting public charter option for adults 19 and older, with wraparound supports such as child care, transportation, tutoring, life coaching, and career services. They said the Arkansas campuses are not state-funded, highlighted growth in enrollment and graduation outcomes, and cited research showing improved employment, earnings, and reduced criminal justice involvement for graduates. Committee members discussed the role of Goodwill’s nonprofit mission, the need for multiple adult education pathways, and the relationship between adult education challenges and broader state efforts such as LEARNS and ACCESS. The committee then debated the interim study proposal procedure, including whether questions should have been taken before the vote. The motion to adopt the ISP passed, and members noted that the study would broadly examine adult education, GED testing, high school diplomas, charter schools, in-person adult education, and funding allocation. Several members asked for follow-up information on current adult education funding, the availability of Excel Centers, and the criminal justice study results. After that, staff from the Bureau of Legislative Research gave a detailed adequacy funding overview for Arkansas K-12 education. They reviewed national funding principles and then explained Arkansas’s revenue streams and distribution system, including general revenue, the Educational Excellence Trust Fund, the Educational Adequacy Fund, local property-tax revenues, and facilities partnership funding. They also walked through the state’s foundation formula, categorical aid, supplemental aid, and additional funding, including the per-student matrix amount of $7,771 for 2025 and how funds are allocated to districts and charters. Members asked about student support staff, special education high-cost occurrences, ALE funding, teacher salary equalization, and the Excel Center’s treatment in funding totals; staff said some of those questions would be addressed in a later spending presentation. The meeting ended after the committee was told the department was present mainly to answer questions and no further business remained.

Transcript Highlights:

• We do about 68% of all dual credit in Kentucky, and we're also the state's largest GED provider. 54%
• of all GEDs are facilitated through KCTCS.
• of all GEDs are facilitated through KCTCS.
• of all GEDs are facilitated through KCTCS.
• <00:03:58.599> provider also the state's largest GED provider also the state's largest GED

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The House Budget Review Subcommittee on Postsecondary Education met for its first meeting and heard an update from KCTCS President Dr. Ryan Corral. He opened with a brief report on flood impacts across the state, noting damage at Big Sandy and Hazard, support for displaced faculty and staff, emergency student aid, and the use of campuses as shelters and Red Cross sites. He then outlined KCTCS’s role as the state’s largest postsecondary system, serving about 107,000 students across 16 colleges and 70 campuses, with strong enrollment growth, major dual credit and GED operations, and a large workforce-training mission. Corral emphasized student support needs such as food, housing, and mental health services, and said KCTCS wants to expand work with incarcerated populations and recovery communities. Corral also described system changes focused on compliance, stability, leadership development, property disposal, and curriculum review. He said KCTCS has addressed prior audit findings, is conducting additional audits, has sold or is selling several buildings, and has removed 400 underutilized credentials to better align programs with employer needs. He highlighted transfer agreements with the University of Kentucky, University of Louisville, and Western Kentucky University, and said KCTCS is working to align training with employers and local governments. He also discussed the system’s response to House Bill 6 and the $90 million appropriated for an efficient operations and innovation plan, including three proposed capital projects: a Somerset Community College facility for diesel, automotive, welding, HVAC, CAD, and 3D printing; replacement of an outdated Louisville building; and a South Central/Glasgow allied health facility to expand nursing and related programs. In response to questions, Corral said the Blue Oval SK training building in Glendale is open and operational, though workforce demand there has been slower than initially expected, and that KCTCS is working with the company and state officials to cover operating costs. Members praised KCTCS’s workforce role and flexibility in meeting employer needs statewide. Representative Moll also commented on the system’s progress and importance to Kentucky’s workforce development. No votes were taken, and the meeting ended with adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• In the early 2000s, I was on both the GED and the GED for electric shock device.
• I know today we're speaking about the GED in particular.
• The GED-4 delivers 90 mil amperes.
• It wasn't just low functioning people on the GED program.
• Thank you. functioning people on the GED program.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee held a hybrid hearing on a range of bills affecting children, families, disability rights, homelessness, and social services. Early testimony focused on H.215, which would support children experiencing homelessness by speeding access to child care vouchers and early intervention screenings. Boston officials, Horizons for Homeless Children, Head Start, pediatric and early education advocates, and families described delays in child care and early intervention, the developmental risks of homelessness, and the need for automatic referrals and faster access to services. Testimony also supported H.216, which would improve emergency housing assistance by restoring presumptive eligibility, reducing documentation barriers, extending shelter stays from six to nine months, and creating an ombudsperson; providers and legal advocates said current rules leave families sleeping in cars or outside and create unnecessary administrative hurdles. The committee also heard strong support for H.210, which would repeal the “Learn Fair” school attendance sanction that cuts cash assistance to families when children miss school. Advocates from legal aid, education, and anti-poverty organizations argued the policy is punitive, burdensome, and ineffective, disproportionately affecting low-income, disabled, and Hispanic/Latino families. Several speakers said chronic absenteeism should be addressed through supports such as family outreach, wraparound services, and school engagement rather than benefit cuts. Legislators and school officials from Salem also testified that their districts reduced absenteeism through supportive strategies, not sanctions. Additional testimony addressed children’s vision bills H.202 and H.166, with optometrists and researchers urging better screening, data systems, and treatment access to close achievement gaps caused by untreated vision problems. Senator Lovely also presented S.2714, proposing a study of discrimination in public accommodations for people with service animals. Later, testimony on H.279 supported changing social work licensure rules to remove exam requirements that speakers said disproportionately exclude multilingual candidates and candidates of color. The hearing also included testimony on bills related to the Judge Rotenberg Center and electric shock devices, with disability rights advocates opposing continued use of the devices and urging the committee to reject licensing or authorization for them. No votes or committee actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• While GED attainment remains an opportunity, it is not a solution that works for everyone.
• The GED is a test-based credential, and success requires a 9th through 12th grade reading level.
• Again, adults unable to pass the GED are those for whom a test-centered model is not effective.
• Again, adults unable to pass the GED are for those that a test-centered model is not effective.
• Some have tried to earn a GED but found the process too difficult.

Summary: The House and Senate Education Committee first approved minutes from February 2 and 3, then took up an interim study proposal on adult education and the Excel Center model. Representatives from Goodwill Industries of Arkansas, the Excel Center network, and the University of Notre Dame’s Lab for Economic Opportunities testified that roughly 300,000 Arkansans over age 19 lack a high school diploma or GED, and argued that the Excel Center provides a supported diploma pathway for adults who struggle with GED testing. Witnesses highlighted wraparound services such as free child care, transportation assistance, tutoring, life coaching, and career services, and cited outcomes including high retention, growing enrollment, and research showing higher employment and earnings and lower criminal justice involvement for graduates. Committee members raised questions about the state’s role, existing adult education programs, and how the study would be structured; the motion to adopt the ISP passed, though there was some procedural disagreement about when questions should have been taken. The committee then heard a detailed adequacy funding overview from BLR staff Katie Walden and Adrian Beck on Arkansas K-12 education finance. They reviewed national funding principles and explained Arkansas’s system, including state and local revenue sources, the Public School Fund, the Educational Excellence Trust Fund, the Educational Adequacy Fund, and the Facilities Partnership Program. Staff said K-12 state and local revenues totaled $6.6 billion in 2025, with foundation funding making up the largest share of district and charter funding, followed by additional, categorical, and supplemental funds. They also explained the matrix-based foundation formula, the role of the uniform rate of tax, and how categorical and supplemental funds support areas such as alternative learning, English learners, special education high-cost cases, teacher salary equalization, declining enrollment, and student growth. Members asked several follow-up questions about how specific funding categories are defined and used, including student support staff, instructional aides, special education high-cost occurrences, ALE funding, teacher salary equalization, and the inclusion of Excel Center amounts in state-local funding totals. Staff said some of those details would be addressed in a later presentation and offered to provide additional records, including district lists and historical information. The meeting ended after the funding overview, with no additional votes or actions beyond the ISP adoption and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Approximately 10 to 11 percent of Arkansans over the age of 19 do not have a high school diploma or GED
• While GED attainment remains an opportunity, it is not a solution that works for everyone.
• The GED is a test-based credential, and success requires a 9th- through 12th-grade reading level.
• Again, adults unable to pass the GED are those for whom a test-centered model is not effective.
• Some have tried to earn a GED but found the process too difficult.

Keywords: 1204, all

Summary: The House and Senate Education Committee first approved minutes from February 2 and 3, then heard an interim study proposal on Arkansas adult education, presented by Goodwill Industries of Arkansas and the Excel Center network. Witnesses described the state’s adult diploma gap, arguing that roughly 300,000 Arkansans over age 19 lack a high school diploma or GED and that the Excel Center provides a supported, diploma-based alternative with child care, transportation help, tutoring, and career services. Goodwill officials said the Arkansas campuses are the state’s only public adult charter high schools, are not state-funded, and have produced strong enrollment growth and graduation outcomes. A University of Notre Dame researcher testified that a study of Excel Center graduates found higher employment and earnings, more credential and college-credit attainment, and lower criminal justice involvement, with a high estimated return on public investment. Some members questioned the framing of Arkansas’s adult education challenges and whether the state was being portrayed too negatively, while others asked about wraparound services and the role of nonprofit providers. The committee ultimately adopted the interim study proposal, though there was some procedural confusion and debate about whether questions should have come before the vote. The committee then received a detailed Bureau of Legislative Research presentation on Arkansas K-12 education funding as part of the adequacy study. Staff reviewed national funding principles and Arkansas’s funding structure, including state, local, and other revenues; the Public School Fund; Department of Education operations; and the Facilities Partnership Program. They explained that 2025 K-12 state and local revenues totaled about $6.6 billion, with foundation funding, categorical funding, supplemental funding, and additional funding distributed to districts and charters. The presentation covered the matrix used to calculate foundation funding, the role of the uniform rate of tax, the Educational Excellence Trust Fund, the Educational Adequacy Fund, and how charter schools are funded differently from traditional districts. Staff also discussed categorical programs such as alternative learning environments, English learner funding, enhanced student achievement, and professional development, as well as supplemental categories including transportation, special education high-cost occurrences, teacher salary equalization, declining enrollment, and student growth. Members asked numerous questions about the funding formulas, the meaning of specific staffing categories, how categorical funds are used, and the number of districts receiving teacher salary equalization or ALE funding. One member noted that the Excel Center’s funding appeared in the broader state-local totals and asked for clarification. Staff said some of the more detailed spending questions would be addressed in the next day’s presentation and offered to provide follow-up information, including district lists and historical changes. The meeting ended after the chair noted that the department was present mainly to answer questions, not to deliver a separate update, and no further business was taken up before adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• A high school equivalency is like a GED. Madam Chair. Right. Still him too.
• A high school equivalency is like a GED. Madam Chair. Right. Still him too.
• they were able, if they were 16 and they were going to go through the emancipation process to get a GED
• And I also want to specify that this bill language is not changing a student's ability to take the GED
• to be participating in a career and technical education course or program in order to receive this GED

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The committee heard a long series of Senate bills, mostly on third-read consent, covering education, public safety, health, courts, labor, and water. Several bills were briefly explained and then pulled from consent for further discussion, including measures on public records review standards (SB 1078), sexually explicit materials in schools/libraries (SB 1435 and SB 1567), burial costs in death cases (SB 1135), military flags in HOAs/COAs (SB 1184), court-ordered treatment guardianship (SB 1243), standardized state hiring (SB 1665), released-time religious instruction (SB 1741), firearm safety instruction in schools (SB 1424), student participation in extracurriculars after certain convictions (SB 1475), Celebrate Freedom Week (SB 1572), federal scholarship-granting organizations/vouchers (SB 1142), immigration-related arrest notifications (SB 1055), defamation standards (SB 1099), peace officer certification for military police veterans (SB 1107), mandatory reporting of child abuse/neglect directly to DCS (SB 1127), attorney licensing and discipline issues (SB 1148 and SB 1039), concealed weapons on college campuses (SB 1068), and firearm muffling devices/silencers (SB 1069). Members also raised constitutional, policy, and school-safety concerns on several of these bills, while supporters emphasized alternative pathways for students, veterans, and workers, and tighter reporting or licensing rules. Other bills were described without extended debate, including claims against the state for unpaid contracted services (SB 1097), workers’ compensation death benefits for surviving spouses who remarry (SB 1136), burial expense increases (SB 1135), state agency web pages for internal guidance (SB 1586), court-ordered treatment procedures and service of process in mental health cases (SB 1113), medical examiner authorization (SB 1123), tribal MOUs with DCS (SB 1125), controlled-substance scheduling conformity with federal classifications (SB 1188), EMT personal information protections (SB 1193), mammography notice updates (SB 1318), assisted-living referral disclosures (SB 1477), accommodation school GED instruction for 11th graders and students over 16 (SB 1166), credit enhancement board continuation (SB 1422), school district and charter school obligations related to religious release time (SB 1741), school firearm safety instruction (SB 1424), and school civics/freedom-week instruction (SB 1572). The committee also heard bills on CPA certification pathways (SB 1181), insurance adjuster licensing (SB 1415), county voter-registration rules online (SB 1040), campaign address privacy (SB 1259), federal land acquisition notification (SB 1281), water supply/demand assessments (SB 1202), environmental compatibility for power plants and small modular reactors (SB 1418), and groundwater recovery rules (SB 1785). The meeting ended with announcements and a brief recognition of Rep. Stephanie Hamilton with an “Affordability Award.” No final votes are shown in the transcript excerpt; instead, many bills were either left on consent, pulled for later discussion, or flagged for closed caucus. The chair then asked guests to leave so members could hold a closed caucus.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:05:37.440> or eligible with the high school or GED or eligible with the high school or
• GED or three<00:05:37.840> years<00:05:38.080> work<00:05:38.840> experience<00
• So, out of that Cadet Class 104 upon graduation, 35% graduated that had a high school diploma or GED
• with three years of work school or GED with three years of work experience<00:08:20.720> was
• or high school degree applies with a GED or high school degree with<00:08:46.640> three<00:08

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The House Standing Committee on Justice, Public Safety, and Judiciary met to approve the February 18 minutes and then heard first from Kentucky State Police Commissioner Philip Burnett Jr. on recruitment, Trooper Academy classes, and the Kentucky Emergency Warning System (KQES) lease program. Burnett said KSP had submitted the House Bill 6 recruitment and retention reports, and he reviewed Cadet Classes 104 and 105, including application numbers, age ranges, and the mix of applicants by education, military, and law enforcement background. He said attrition is driven largely by physical fitness failures and homesickness from the resident academy model, but noted KSP has expanded recruiting and mentoring efforts, including college-credit partnerships and targeted recruiting in western Kentucky. Members asked about academy credit, the physical test, dropout reasons, whether applicants can reapply, and where recruits are coming from; Burnett said some do return successfully and that most candidates come from central and eastern Kentucky, while staffing remains hardest at posts in Mayfield, Madisonville, Henderson, Campbellsburg, and Dry Ridge. Burnett also updated the committee on KQES and the broader radio replacement effort. He described KQES as a 153-tower microwave backbone supporting state and local public safety communications, including DEMA, KET, and seismology equipment, and said KSP is renewing long-term private land leases that were set to expire in the coming years. He reported progress using master agreements and outside leasing firms, with eight leases out for bid and eleven more to follow, plus new interagency leases with the Transportation Cabinet and a site move in Wolf County to Forest Service land. He said about 997 leases still remain to be executed, though some tower sites involve multiple leases, and he expressed optimism that the new process will protect the system’s assets. In response to questions from Representative Sharp, Burnett said he could not give a firm completion date for the new radio system but estimated 18 to 36 months depending on tower construction, and said phase three equipment has already been procured for parts of Posts 8, 11, and 14, including Boyd and Lawrence counties. After KSP’s presentation and questions from Representatives Sharp, Carney, and Decker, the committee turned to the Kentucky Court of Justice. Zach Ramy, director of the Administrative Office of the Courts, introduced himself and began the court system’s budget overview, but the transcript provided cuts off before that presentation continued.

Transcript Highlights:

• There are only very few that aren't participating at this time, and in saying that, GED is required.
• <00:04:53.039> in<00:04:53.199> saying<00:04:53.479> that<00:04:53.720> GED
• <00:04:54.199> is this time and in saying that GED is this time and in saying that GED is
• Representative Decker then asked about GED programs and whether inmates are paid for completing them.
• Representative Decker then asked whether the department works with the Department of Labor in the GED

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Budget Review Subcommittee on Justice, Public Safety, and Judiciary heard an update from the Department of Corrections on Kentucky Correctional Industries (KCI), sentence-credit payments for program completion, and the expansion of the Little Sandy Correctional Complex. Department officials said KCI, the department’s long-running re-entry program, operates 15 industries in 11 institutions, employs more than 400 inmates and 37 staff, and had $5.8 million in expenditures against $6.8 million in revenues through January 31. Members asked about inmate pay, the role of the Prison Industries Enhancement Certification (PIE) program, and whether KCI generates profit; the department said it aims to break even while supporting state government, with PIE participants earning prevailing wages and some programs offering certificates tied to post-release employment opportunities. The subcommittee also reviewed the budget-authorized sentence-credit program for county jails. Officials reported 37,300 program completions in fiscal year 2024 and, through January, $6.128 million paid for 90-day sentence credits and $1.6548 million for 60-day credits, with total county jail expenditures of $8.1 million and 67 jails participating. They said additional participation would require more funding and that they do not expect many more jails to join, though attendance and population levels can affect costs. Members asked how jails opt in, whether there are added costs, how inmate earnings are handled, and whether deductions are made for child support or victim compensation; the department said jails apply through an approved program matrix, inmate earnings are tracked in individual accounts, and required deductions are made when ordered. Questions from members focused on re-entry outcomes and program structure. Officials said evidence-based programming and employment opportunities are major contributors to lowering recidivism, and they cited a recent recidivism rate of 30.8 percent, down about 1 percentage point, while noting they would provide additional trend and savings data later. The department also clarified that adult education and GED programming are separate from KCI and are handled by a different education division. For the Little Sandy expansion, officials said the project remains on schedule for completion on June 25, 2025, with inmate transfers expected to begin at about 50 per week and roughly 200 additional staff eventually needed; they said hiring is being phased in as inmate population increases. The committee asked for the total construction cost of the expansion, which the witnesses said they did not have at the meeting and would report back. The meeting adjourned with the next meeting set for February 18.

Transcript Highlights:

• There's 40 members supporting graduation on adult education or GED.
• With those graduations, standard diploma: 80, and GED: 146, we have 36...
• Standard diploma: 80, and GED: 146. We have 36 of our 38 testing sites that offer GED testing.
• So we don't stop educating these kids when they get their GED...
• So we don't stop educating these kids when they get their GED or the high school diploma.

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice met to hear budget presentations from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), an FDLE update on the Uniform Arrest Affidavit and Florida Incident-Based Reporting System (FIBERS), the Department of Juvenile Justice on Florida Scholars Academy, and the Clerks of Court Operations Corporation. FDLE requested funding for a wide range of items, including a new Fort Myers regional operations center lease, technology upgrades for missing persons alerts and criminal justice data systems, replacement breath-test instruments, recurring support for critical public safety contracts, cybersecurity, a career offender registry unit, expanded wellness and peer support for law enforcement, cryptocurrency seizure efforts, vehicle replacement, forensic lab and digital forensics upgrades, a repaired Jacksonville firearm range, and additional resources for criminal alien detection, fentanyl enforcement, and other operational needs. Senators questioned FDLE about the reported 79% increase in officer misconduct cases, body cameras, masking by officers, public records request burdens, and the status of criminal alien detection funding. FDLE’s second presentation explained that FIBERS is Florida’s incident-based crime reporting system and that 61% of agencies, covering 74% of the population, have transitioned to it. The agency also described the Uniform Arrest Affidavit initiative, which standardizes arrest data for statewide sharing. Senators asked about NCIC/FCIC access, hate crime reporting requirements, and why more agencies have not adopted the UAA and FIBERS systems; FDLE said it is working with law enforcement associations and vendors to address technology and implementation barriers. The committee also heard from DJJ Secretary Matt Walsh, who praised FDLE’s wellness program and then reported on Florida Scholars Academy’s first year, including unified education across 39 residential facilities, security fixes after early website access issues, strong enrollment and graduation numbers, and extensive support for students with disabilities. Walsh said the program still faces staffing shortages and a wait list for residential beds, and estimated about 260 additional beds are needed. The final presentation came from Clerk of Court and Comptroller Stacey Butterfield, who said clerks are operating with outdated funding levels and requested $22 million to stabilize operations. She highlighted reimbursement shortfalls for injunctions for protection and other high-risk cases, rising postage and summons costs, and the need to fund clerk staffing for 37 new judges under the “fund the entire courtroom” concept. Senators asked about SB 532, a CPI-based court-fee bill, and about collections of court fines and fees. Butterfield said clerks work with defendants on payment plans and collections, but the system still faces a structural deficit. After the presentations and questions, the committee adjourned without taking any substantive votes or other action.

Transcript Highlights:

• There are 40 members supporting graduation on adult education or GED.
• With those graduations, standard diploma: 80, and GED: 146, we have 36...
• Standard diploma: 80, and GED: 146. We have 36 of our 38 testing sites that offer GED testing.
• So we don't stop educating these kids when they get their GED...
• Standard diplomas were 59 and GEDs were 79. 588 students with IEP.

Summary: The committee heard budget presentations from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Department of Juvenile Justice, and the clerks of court. FDLE outlined 28 legislative budget requests for fiscal year 2026-27, including funding for a new Fort Myers regional operations center lease, technology and data system upgrades, moving several programs off uncertain federal grants, expanding the wellness office, cryptocurrency seizure efforts, cybersecurity, forensic equipment, digital forensics, criminal history modernization, training, and the SAFE fentanyl enforcement program. Members asked about the reported 79% increase in officer misconduct cases, the role of body cameras and masking, public records request burdens on local agencies, and the status of Fibers and the Uniform Arrest Affidavit systems. FDLE said the misconduct data covers all sworn officers and corrections personnel, that many cases would not be affected by body cameras because they involve off-duty conduct or internal matters, and that it is working with agencies and vendors to improve participation in reporting systems. DJJ Secretary Matt Walsh updated the committee on the Florida Scholars Academy, describing the new unified education system across 39 residential facilities. He reported first-year enrollment, course completions, graduations, and compliance results, and said the program now provides in-person and blended instruction, individualized support, mental health services, and career and technical education. He also discussed staffing shortages in some detention facilities, the need for more residential beds, and the importance of recognizing and supporting staff. In response to questions, he explained how the program addresses students with disabilities and behavioral needs through one-on-one instruction, paraprofessionals, and immediate mental health support. The clerks of court presented a budget request centered on funding shortfalls and rising costs. Clerk and Comptroller Stacey Butterfield said clerks are operating with outdated funding levels despite increased statutory duties, higher postage and staffing costs, and growing workloads in priority case types such as injunctions for protection and other high-risk matters. The clerks requested $22 million in direct appropriations, including support for due process costs, jury management, and staffing for 37 new judges approved last session. Members also asked about Senate Bill 532, which Butterfield described as a CPI-based measure to update court fines and fees that have remained unchanged since 2008. The committee took no votes on the presentations and adjourned after discussion.