Transcript Highlights:

• The bill excludes employees that are supervisors, managers, or confidential employees, employees covered
• I manage Highline Grain Growers. And I assume you guys can all... Highline has about 3,000 patrons.
• We don't manage with contracts; we manage with trust and accountability.
• So it's really important that we make sure our workers and supervisors who remove asbestos or manage

Bills: SB6045, SB6188, SB6053, SB5852

Keywords: agriculture, collective bargaining, labor relations, public employment, agricultural employees, SB 6188, asbestos, asbestos training, asbestos certification, asbestos worker, asbestos supervisor, Department of Labor and Industries, L&I, rulemaking authority, occupational safety, workplace safety, hazardous materials, abatement, encapsulation, removal

Summary: The committee heard public testimony on several labor-related bills, beginning with SB 6045 on agricultural workers’ collective bargaining rights. Staff explained that the bill would place agricultural employees under PERC, allow certification by cross-check or election, require bargaining before changes to wages or working conditions, and create interest arbitration and enforcement remedies; the fiscal note was described as significant. Supporters, including farmworkers, labor advocates, and community members, said the bill would correct a long-standing exclusion of farmworkers from labor protections and improve wages, safety, and dignity. Opponents, including growers, farm organizations, and business groups, argued that the bill’s card-check process, strike risk, arbitration, and broad scope could disrupt harvests, increase costs, and threaten farm viability. The sponsor said the bill was a starting point and emphasized the need to address exploitation in agriculture; no vote was taken during the hearing. The committee then heard SB 6188, an agency-request bill from the Department of Labor and Industries that would expand L&I’s rulemaking authority over asbestos certification and training. The sponsor and L&I said the change would let the agency adopt stronger worker-safety standards, including parts of the EPA model plan, and cited asbestos as a cancer-causing hazard. The Building Industry Association opposed the bill, warning that it could create conflicting state and federal requirements and increase costs without a demonstrated problem. The hearing on SB 6188 was closed after testimony. Next, the committee took up SB 6053, the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights. Staff said the bill would extend minimum wage, overtime, written agreement, notice, anti-discrimination, and enforcement protections to domestic workers, with L&I responsible for administration and civil penalties available for violations. Supporters, including domestic workers, caregivers, and advocates, described wage theft, long hours, lack of written agreements, and vulnerability to abuse, and said the bill would bring dignity and basic protections to a largely immigrant workforce. L&I said it would need time and resources to implement the new rights and noted technical amendments. Finally, the committee heard SB 5852 on immigrant workers and I-9 audits. Staff and the Attorney General’s office said the bill would require employers to notify workers after receiving notice of a federal inspection, provide copies of results and deficiency notices, restrict voluntary access to records without a warrant or subpoena, and create enforcement and anti-retaliation provisions. Supporters framed the bill as due process and transparency for immigrant workers, while business, hospitality, county, and industry representatives raised concerns about federal conflict, short compliance timelines, translation burdens, and steep penalties. The hearing included extensive testimony but no final committee action was reported in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• PERC has a lot of experience being able to manage the card check in a way that is fair and addresses
• Public health and solid waste management work to ensure that these fires do not spread, so we appreciate

Bills: SB6053, SB6134, SB6147, SB6106, SB6045, SB6135, SB6128, SB6282, SB6068, SB6303, SB6290

Keywords: SB 6053, domestic workers, domestic worker rights, labor protections, minimum wage, overtime, private household employment, nanny, home care worker, personal care provider, housekeeper, cleaner, cook, gardener, household manager, wage theft, retaliation, anti-discrimination, immigration status, privacy rights

Summary: The committee heard testimony on Senate Bill 6282, which would require building and construction apprenticeship programs to provide two hours of behavioral health and wellness training beginning in 2027. The sponsor and labor supporters said construction workers face elevated suicide and substance use risks and that the bill would help reduce stigma, improve peer support, and connect workers to resources. Testifiers from electrical workers, bricklayers, and building trades strongly supported the measure, describing it as an important first step and noting planned amendments to extend similar information through continuing education for journey-level workers. No vote was taken on this bill in the portion provided. The committee also heard Senate Bill 6135, which would require interest arbitration panels for most uniform personnel in cities, counties, and other local governments to consider the employer’s ability to pay. County and city associations supported the bill as a modest fiscal-relief measure and said it would align local arbitration with existing state law. Teamsters representatives and other labor witnesses opposed it, arguing it would weaken collective bargaining rights and let employers use financial hardship to delay or reduce fair contracts. The public hearing closed with a reported tally of 5 in favor and 22 opposed, and the bill was not advanced in the excerpt. In executive session, the committee acted on several bills. It adopted a proposed substitute for Senate Bill 6053 on domestic workers and then voted the bill do pass to Rules. It also passed Senate Bill 6134, which requires notice to striking workers about possible unemployment overpayment if they later receive retroactive wages. Senate Bill 6147 on grocery store closures in food deserts was sent to Ways and Means after members discussed the definition of “food desert” and concerns about the six-month notice requirement; the sponsor said the bill was still being refined. Senate Bill 6106, excluding Indian tribes from the Stable Act employer definition and protecting employee contact information from disclosure, also passed to Rules. For Senate Bill 6045 on agricultural employees and PERC jurisdiction, the committee adopted a Schoesler amendment requiring multilingual signage, then passed the amended bill to Ways and Means. The committee also heard extensive testimony on Senate Bill 6128 about using an L&I-approved third-party app to record independent medical exams, with supporters citing security and consistency and opponents saying it would burden injured workers and was unnecessary; and on Senate Bill 6068, which would expand contractor liability for unpaid construction wages, with workers and labor groups supporting stronger enforcement and contractors opposing broader liability. The hearing then moved to Senate Bill 6303 on cannabis packaging and vapor devices, where testimony was split between sustainability and industry supporters and public health opponents concerned about child poisonings and packaging changes.

Transcript Highlights:

• Require DCR to alert DHS immediately upon release of the petitioner so the DHS case manager can be assigned
• </c><00:01:19.360><c> the</c><00:01:19.520><c> DHS</c><00:01:20.080><c> case</c><00:01:20.400><c> manager
• </c> the petitioner so the DHS case manager the petitioner so the DHS case manager can<00:01:20.880><
• all the fuels natural resources manage all the fuels on<00:04:12.400><c> state</c><00:04:12.720><c>
• </c><00:05:28.880><c> organization</c> Hawaii wildfire management organization Hawaii wildfire management

Bills: SB3294

Keywords: wrongful conviction, compensation, Hawaii Revised Statutes, innocence, legal process, burden of proof, case manager, medical coverage, judicial discretion, 912, senate, all

Summary: The committees first took up SB 3294, a controversial measure concerning post-release assistance for people pursuing reversals of prior court decisions where innocence is in question. Members discussed keeping the bill moving on the “human side” while a House companion addressed the legal issues. The adopted amendments removed advanced compensation language and instead required DCR, with DHS, to help petitioners prepare applications for financial and medical assistance, notify DHS upon release, assign a case manager to assist with a cell phone for one year, housing, employment, mental health counseling, and expedited benefits, and provide a state ID upon release. The measure also included technical amendments and a defective date, and it passed unanimously. The joint committees then heard SB 2237 on fire prevention, which would require state agencies to create and update hazard maps and direct DNR to adopt rules and clear brush. DLNR testified that a single lead agency should develop the maps with input from other agencies, that a five-year timeline would be more reasonable, and that assigning DNR all fuels management on state lands would create an unfunded mandate. Members discussed using the newly created fire marshal’s office as the lead, and the committees ultimately deferred the bill in favor of a broader wildfire mitigation measure already moving in another committee. The final agenda included SB 2596 on government leases, SB 30002 on the Hawaii State Planning Act and green infrastructure, and SB 3067 on records and filing requirements. SB 2596 was advanced unamended to Ways and Means. On SB 30002, OPSD explained that a 2025-2027 comprehensive review of chapter 226 is underway, with a report and draft legislation due in 2027, and members debated whether to move piecemeal changes now or wait for the broader review; the bill nevertheless passed unamended. SB 3067, which updates outdated filing formats and drawing scales, also passed unamended with DAGS supporting the measure in writing.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, this bill is to allow case managers and peer support specialists to be employed by the city and counties

Bills: HB3287, HB2947, HB3784, HB3901, HB4275

Keywords: public health, domestic violence, human trafficking, healthcare facilities, hospital protocols, behavioral health, Medicaid expansion, clinical interns, mental health services, licensing requirements, micropigmentation, medical procedure, physician oversight, nursing certification, state regulations, psychological autopsy, mental health, suicide prevention, state health department, investigation

Transcript Highlights:

• So this bill is to allow case managers and peer support specialists to be employed by the city and county
• This bill is to allow case managers and peer support specialists to be employed by the city and counties

Bills: HB3287, HB2947, HB3784, HB3901, HB4275

Keywords: public health, domestic violence, human trafficking, healthcare facilities, hospital protocols, behavioral health, Medicaid expansion, clinical interns, mental health services, licensing requirements, micropigmentation, medical procedure, physician oversight, nursing certification, state regulations, psychological autopsy, mental health, suicide prevention, state health department, investigation

Summary: The Public Health Committee met for its first session and laid over House Bills 3884 and 4410. The committee then heard and advanced several bills. HB 3287 would require hospitals to post discreet notices in areas like X-ray, CAT scan, MRI, or bathrooms telling victims of domestic abuse, sexual abuse, physical abuse, or human trafficking how to alert staff and ensuring they are not discharged before appropriate reporting occurs; members discussed whether to include a phone number, and the bill passed 5-0. HB 2947 would allow clinics to bill Medicaid for services provided by master’s-level mental health interns working under supervision in accredited programs, with supporters saying it could help address rural workforce shortages; questions focused on supervision, liability, whether it would be limited to Medicaid, fiscal impact, and how many interns might participate, and it passed 5-0. The committee also considered HB 3784, as amended by a PCS, which would let permanent makeup artists come out from under physician oversight after three years of experience, while preserving supervision if they use prescription medications such as topical anesthetics; after clarification about the PCS, it passed 5-0. HB 3901 would create a psychological autopsy position in the Department of Health to review suicides and overdoses through voluntary family interviews and records review to improve prevention efforts; members raised questions about cost, whether the work should be housed elsewhere, the pilot nature of the proposal, and what data are currently collected, and it passed 5-0. Finally, HB 4275 would allow case managers and peer support specialists to be employed by cities and counties while keeping their certification, and it also passed 5-0. The meeting ended with adjournment and a notice that the committee would meet again the following Wednesday morning at 9:00.

Transcript Highlights:

• Think about your households when you weren't bringing in that kind of income during the Great Recession
• So my husband and I are both state employees, and we have to figure out how to manage summer care for
• child care, high poverty rates, high unemployment rates, low home ownership rates, and low median household

Bills: HF2436, HF2929

Keywords: child welfare, economic assistance, child care, grant program, video security cameras, HF2929, SNAP, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, food assistance, nutrition assistance, public benefits, eligibility determination, income eligibility, federal poverty guidelines, poverty level, county agency, Tribal agency, human services, children and families, benefits administration

Transcript Highlights:

• Think about your households when you weren't bringing in that kind of income.
• child care, high poverty rates, high unemployment rates, low home ownership rates, and low median household

Bills: HF2436, HF2929

Keywords: child welfare, economic assistance, child care, grant program, video security cameras, HF2929, SNAP, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, food assistance, nutrition assistance, public benefits, eligibility determination, income eligibility, federal poverty guidelines, poverty level, county agency, Tribal agency, human services, children and families, benefits administration

Transcript Highlights:

• One was when we looked at the private tutoring, that should have been actually the program manager, not
• What we know from our conversations with the program managers that do these programs, it usually takes

Bills: HB1329

Keywords: government spending database, public expenditure transparency, open data, government transparency, school district spending, state spending, local government finance, education finance, budget database, expenditure reporting, salary transparency, benefits data, public records, Legislative Management study, North Dakota, school board training, superintendent, principal, business manager, higher education spending

Summary: The division first discussed Senate Bill 1540 and related amendments involving implementation mechanics, procurement exemptions, and an emergency clause. Bank of North Dakota representatives explained that, based on a timeline review with DPI, the project would be very difficult to implement for the 2026-27 school year without exemptions from state purchasing and IT oversight rules and without an emergency clause; they said the normal procurement process could take about 240 days and that a 15-month implementation window would likely push the start to 2027-28 if those changes were not adopted. Members also raised a separate policy question about a criminal penalty placeholder in the bill, and the committee agreed that the sentence was unnecessary and should be removed. The committee deferred means-testing questions and fiscal-note issues to the next morning, with the understanding that the bill would be drafted in a way that made it workable if it advanced. The committee then turned to the water budget bill and reviewed the latest amended version, which included changes to the Water Topics process, Southwest Pipeline line of credit provisions, Red River supply funding, Mouse River project amounts, general water funding, studies on Missouri River intakes and water governance/finance, and a carryover/transfer adjustment. Chris Cattermas of the Department of Water Resources said most of the carryover funds were already obligated, with the largest unobligated amount in flood control. After review, Senator Thomas moved a do-pass recommendation on the bill as amended, the motion was seconded, and the committee approved it unanimously. The chair noted that other bills would be taken up the next morning, including 1013, 1014, and 1540.

Transcript Highlights:

• And we will be hiring a program manager, which will be implementing this program.
• As we go on down through those, B, qualify the program manager is the same.
• B, qualify the program manager is the same. C, establish the role is the same.
• And then on page nine, this is where we get into the program manager.
• There's auditing language in the bill itself, as well as a program manager to actually manage it.

Bills: HB1329

Keywords: government spending database, public expenditure transparency, open data, government transparency, school district spending, state spending, local government finance, education finance, budget database, expenditure reporting, salary transparency, benefits data, public records, Legislative Management study, North Dakota, school board training, superintendent, principal, business manager, higher education spending

Summary: The Education Division met with all members present and first took up House Bill 1329, which would create a transparency database and website for school spending information. Senator Schaible offered Amendment 0204 to turn the bill into a study, citing concerns that the proposal would impose major data-collection burdens on 168 school districts, require new data standards and privacy protections, and likely cost far more than the $500,000 in the bill. Several members supported transparency but agreed the implementation costs and technical feasibility were unclear. The committee adopted the amendment 4-1, then passed HB 1329 as amended on a 5-0 vote, with Senator Shively to carry the bill. The committee then discussed House Bill 1540, the education savings account/voucher bill. Representatives from the Bank of North Dakota and the Department of Public Instruction explained that they had not been consulted on the original drafting and outlined needed administrative changes, including clarifying the Bank as administrator, using a third-party program manager, involving DPI in rulemaking, adding audit and appeal procedures, and adjusting language on eligible purchases and school disqualification. They also said the current timeline was likely too aggressive to launch by the 2026-27 school year and estimated the program would require about 15 months to implement, with a fiscal note now around $5.1 million. Members also discussed policy-related amendments on means testing and application timing. Senator Shively proposed a 300% of poverty-level means test and a sign-up period to reduce costs and limit open-ended enrollment, while Senator Axman proposed a tiered approach that would keep all students technically eligible but phase in funding levels by income, preserving access for students who qualify for other federal supports. DPI said it could not currently disaggregate some data by family income and that the appeal process and procurement timeline still needed work. The committee did not move HB 1540 out that morning and instead recessed to continue discussion later after members had time to review the administrative and fiscal issues separately from the means-testing proposals.

Bills: HB67, HB89, HB67, HB89

Keywords: parental rights, drag performances, public schools, public libraries, overnight programs, gender identity, minor safety, HB89, Medicaid, pregnant women, pregnancy, prenatal care, ambulatory prenatal care, presumptive eligibility, temporary Medicaid coverage, Alabama Medicaid Agency, maternal health, low-income women, health coverage, eligibility determination

Transcript Highlights:

• Section D is removed to avoid redundancy, as the State Office of Administrative Hearings Management.
• The chair calls Mark Wiles, Manager of the National Resources Team for LBB, and James O'Connor, Budget
• in preparing for the hearing and discussing with Mike Moore, the Lieutenant Governor's financial manager
• I do not intend to penalize consumers for throwing away their typical household batteries.
• As consumer goods already in our households and offices reach the end of their usefulness, so will the

Bills: SB2122, SB2050, HB16

Keywords: oil and gas waste, application fees, permit amendments, environmental regulation, Texas natural resources, battery recycling, battery disposal, consumer batteries, energy storage modules, electrochemical devices, lithium-ion battery, household hazardous waste, solid waste, municipal recycling, waste management, battery stewardship, producer responsibility, TCEQ, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, recycling program

Transcript Highlights:

• That subject is pharmacy benefit managers.
• the Oklahoma Employee Insurance Plan by enacting restrictions on contracts with pharmacy benefit managers
• managers shall be awarded to a settled lawsuit.
• is that we are going to give preferential favorable treatment to bidders, those pharmacy benefit managers
• who do not have, who do not own health insurance companies or retail Benefit managers who do not have

Bills: SB1673, SB1500, SB1447, SB1646, SB2007, SB1275, SB2074

Keywords: prosthetics, health insurance, medical necessity, patient rights, insurance liability, pharmacy benefits manager, healthcare providers, claims processing, reimbursement, insurance regulation, employees insurance, contract awarding, certifications, state procurement, insurance plan, mental health, substance use disorders, utilization review, benefit coverage, pharmacy

Summary: The Senate Business and Insurance Committee met to consider several bills, with the chair emphasizing pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and the impact on local and rural pharmacies. Before taking up the bills, the committee announced that Senate Bills 1620 and 1625 would be laid over. The committee also adopted an amendment to Senate Bill 1673 to exempt certain state-funded flexible benefit plans, and then passed the bill, which creates the Prosthetic Access and Accountability Act of 2026 and requires health plans that already cover prosthetic benefits to administer them without disability-based discrimination. The committee then passed several PBM-related measures. Senate Bill 1500 requires PBMs to reimburse rural pharmacies within 30 calendar days. Senate Bill 1447 adds safeguards to the Oklahoma Employee Insurance Plan by restricting PBM contracts, including disfavoring PBMs involved in recent lawsuits or those affiliated with insurers, retail pharmacy chains, specialty pharmacies, mail-order pharmacies, or drug manufacturers. Senate Bill 1646 strengthens utilization review standards for mental health and substance use disorder treatment, and Senate Bill 2007 prohibits PBMs from reducing reimbursement after a successful appeal and adds administrative fees when they fail to make required adjustments. The committee also passed Senate Bill 1275, which requires upfront disclosure of all fees for short-term rental bookings such as Airbnb and VRBO, with only tax added at checkout. Finally, the committee passed Senate Bill 2074 after extensive debate; it would require fairer and more transparent PBM reimbursement using a Medicaid-based methodology and a professional dispensing fee, with supporters arguing it would help independent and community pharmacies and opponents raising concerns about consumer costs and legal issues. All bills considered in the meeting were reported out with favorable votes, and the meeting adjourned after the chair noted one more meeting would be held the following week.

Transcript Highlights:

• That subject is pharmacy benefit managers.
• The first one is that no contract between the Oklahoma Employees Insurance and pharmacy benefit managers
• Referential favorable treatment to bidders whose pharmacy benefit managers do not own health insurance

Bills: SB1673, SB1500, SB1447, SB1646, SB2007, SB1275, SB2074

Keywords: prosthetics, health insurance, medical necessity, patient rights, insurance liability, pharmacy benefits manager, healthcare providers, claims processing, reimbursement, insurance regulation, employees insurance, contract awarding, certifications, state procurement, insurance plan, mental health, substance use disorders, utilization review, benefit coverage, pharmacy

Transcript Highlights:

• Schaffner, director of MnDOT’s Office of Transportation System Management. Is that correct?”
• I’m the director of MnDOT’s Office of Transportation System Management.
• In November 2024, Minnesota Management and Budget forecast a state government budget deficit of $3.5
• In November 2024, Minnesota Management and Budget forecast a state government budget deficit of $3.5
• In November 2024, Minnesota Management and Budget forecast a state government budget deficit of $3.5

Bills: HF192, HF268, HF1214, HF494

Keywords: Minnesota income tax, dependent exemption, personal income tax, tax relief, family tax relief, children, dependents, tax deduction, tax exemption, state revenue, inflation indexing, tax year 2025, taxable income, household tax policy, family tax credit, HF268, Joshua Schmidt Memorial Highway, memorial highway, highway naming, road designation

Transcript Highlights:

• We're revolving to the state risk management revolving fund.
• </c> risk management revolving fund. risk management revolving fund.
• And medical, food or household things.
• And at DAG's managed parking facilities.
• I want to be DAGs managed facilities.

Bills: SB2543, SB2435, SB2352

Keywords: state construction, construction manager, design review, public works, capital improvement, DAGS, Department of Accounting and General Services, DOE, Department of Education, comptroller, pilot program, design review special fund, county permit review, accessibility compliance, Disability and Communication Access Board, state infrastructure, government construction, project oversight, civil service exemption, county agencies

Summary: The Committee on Government Operations reconvened on February 10, 2026, to take up measures previously heard on February 5. It advanced SB 2983 on criminal destruction of trees with technical, non-substantive amendments and a committee report note asking Judiciary to clarify that removal of invasive species remains allowed; the measure passed with one no vote. SB 2930 on the state risk management revolving fund also passed with amendments, including blanking out the amount, setting a defective date, and directing Ways and Means to review a spreadsheet before further action. The committee likewise passed SB 2928 on making the small business procurement program permanent and SB 2970 on standards of conduct for state agency contracts, adopting the Ethics Commission’s recommended language assigning compliance responsibility to department directors and deputy directors. SB 2927 and SB 3068 on procurement were deferred to a time certain on February 12, and SB 3015 on personal information, SB 2929 on public notice, and SB 2938 on search and rescue were also deferred for further discussion or to avoid re-referral issues. SB 2662 on external consultants was amended to remove a cap and preemptive approval language, narrow the expertise standard, and note possible auditor staffing or appropriation needs; it then passed with amendments. The joint GVO-EIG hearing then took up SB 2543 on state construction projects and an Office of the State Construction Manager within DAGS. Testimony from the Hawaii Iron Workers Stabilization Fund strongly supported the bill, saying it could reduce wasteful spending on large design-build projects and free money for tax credits and other public needs. DAGS, the University of Hawaii, and DLNR offered written comments, while one witness from KIC opposed the measure and asked for an exemption for member-owned electric cooperatives. A Hawaii Solar Energy Association witness also supported the bill but asked that landscape architects be excluded from the bill’s definition of design professionals, and Rocky Mold said Kauai permitting was efficient enough that he had no objection to carving it out. The committee adopted amendments from DNR, DAGS, and UH and passed SB 2543. The hearing also considered SB 2435 on EV charging infrastructure at state facilities. DAGS and the Hawaii State Energy Office supported the concept and explained that the goal was to retrofit managed parking facilities with infrastructure that can meet current and future EV needs, while acknowledging that some stalls can sit unused and that the state must balance space and enforcement. Members raised concerns about whether dedicating 25% of stalls to EV charging would reduce usable parking, and about rural and Big Island conditions where EV range and battery capacity remain limiting. The discussion noted that DOT, DNR, DOE, and DOH may have their own parking facilities outside DAGS control. The committee then indicated it would broaden the bill to apply to all state agencies and lower the threshold in response to member concerns, with final action not fully shown in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• these other pressures that... ...we have on Texas from these other big issues: big infrastructure, managing

Bills: HB2

Keywords: disaster preparedness, emergency management, flooding, mass fatality, mass casualty, fatality tracking, body recovery, autopsy, justice of the peace, medical examiner, county judge, sheriff, mayor, emergency coordinator, emergency manager license, volunteer management system, volunteer registration, criminal history check, background check, Texas Division of Emergency Management

Summary: The Senate Education K-16 Committee met to consider HB 2, the major school finance bill, with the chair explaining that the committee substitute would provide about $8 billion in new public education funding. The bill was described as including permanent teacher compensation increases, expanded teacher incentive allotment funding, support for early literacy and numeracy, teacher certification and residency pathways, special education funding, career and technical education, school safety dollars, and facilities support for charter schools. The committee adopted the committee substitute without objection after roll was called and a quorum was present. Members questioned the bill’s structure, especially the balance between across-the-board teacher pay and the teacher incentive allotment, the treatment of uncertified teachers, and differences in requirements between traditional public schools and charter schools. Senator Menendez and Senator West raised concerns about equity, charter-school parity, facilities funding, inflation, and whether the bill should include more support for fine arts and extracurricular programs. The chair responded that the bill was designed to direct most new money to traditional public schools while also preserving flexibility and that charter-school and public-school alignment would need further work. Invited witnesses Dr. Imelda De La Rosa and Val Acri testified in support of the bill, emphasizing that the Teacher Incentive Allotment helps recruit and retain teachers in rural districts and supports mentorship and certification pathways. Public witnesses also supported the bill but urged more funding for fine arts, local flexibility, and full restoration of House-proposed funding levels. Dr. Josh Jones supported year-long teacher residencies, Dr. Philip Morgan asked for more local control and restoration of fine arts funding, Rich Saina supported the bill but warned about hold-harmless reductions, and Dr. Greg Poole supported the bill while asking for flexibility for high-performing districts that already pay high salaries. After the invited testimony and some public testimony, the committee recessed subject to the call of the chair so members could attend the Senate floor.

Transcript Highlights:

• maintenance director, transportation director, custodian director, as best as designated person, pest management
• I'm the policy manager for Teach Plus Texas.

Bills: HB2

Keywords: disaster preparedness, emergency management, flooding, mass fatality, mass casualty, fatality tracking, body recovery, autopsy, justice of the peace, medical examiner, county judge, sheriff, mayor, emergency coordinator, emergency manager license, volunteer management system, volunteer registration, criminal history check, background check, Texas Division of Emergency Management

Summary: The committee continued public testimony on House Bill 2, which would make major changes to public school funding, teacher pay, special education, early learning, school safety, and related programs. Many superintendents and education advocates supported the bill’s overall direction but urged changes, especially a larger basic allotment and more flexible funding for rural and small districts. Witnesses from Paint Creek, West Hardin, Cushing, Blooming Grove, Mildred, Buffalo, Plano, and rural school groups said the bill’s targeted raises and new requirements would not fully cover inflation, TRS/Medicare costs, transportation, insurance, or support staff salaries, and several asked the committee to restore the House version’s higher basic allotment and small-school allotment. Charter school representatives supported the facilities funding changes and said charter schools need state help because they cannot levy taxes, while also noting the funding gap with ISDs. Fine arts advocates asked the committee to restore the fine arts allotment, arguing arts improve engagement, attendance, and academic outcomes, especially in rural and at-risk communities. Early learning and special education witnesses supported parts of the bill but raised concerns about pre-K restrictions, disability-related pre-K access, and the need to preserve or clarify special education provisions and mental health oversight language. Several witnesses praised the teacher pay raise, teacher incentive allotment expansion, and teacher preparation investments, saying they would help recruit and retain educators and improve student outcomes. Others, including counselors and support staff advocates, argued the bill should also include raises for counselors, nurses, librarians, bus drivers, custodians, aides, and other non-teaching employees who keep schools running. One witness from the Texas Counseling Association opposed the substitute because it removed a counselor pay provision, warning of counselor shortages and inequities. A parent and special education advocate said the bill’s structure creates too many strings attached and asked for a larger basic allotment instead of more targeted funding. Another witness from Mental Health America urged keeping the collaborative task force on public school mental health services through 2031, and a disability rights advocate said the committee substitute appears to omit some special education items that were in the House version. The committee also briefly took up House Bill 6, a school discipline bill. After questions about automatic mandatory expulsion for vape possession and concerns about younger students, the committee adopted the substitute and voted to report HB 6 favorably to the full Senate by a 9-1 vote, with Senator Menendez voting no and Senators West and Menendez expressing reservations but supporting further discussion. After that vote, testimony on HB 2 resumed. Senators used the hearing to ask about the bill’s cost, the difference between the basic allotment and the bill’s targeted funding buckets, and whether the permanent teacher pay increase shifts pressure off districts. The bill’s supporters emphasized that it represents an historic, roughly $8 billion investment and that many of the new funding streams are intended to be permanent or to address specific district needs.

Bills: HB131, HB77, HB131, HB77

Keywords: Alabama Board of Athletic Trainers, diversity, government oversight, Sunset Law, congressional districts, HB77, absentee voting, absentee ballot, disabled voter, disability accommodation, voter assistance, ballot delivery, ballot application, designee, caregiver, election manager, vote by mail, mail ballot, ballot harvesting, voter access

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:13:33.279><c> What</c> half of the household. What half of the household.
• </c> what households are interested in. what households are interested in.
• But I guess what I'm asking, and I saw the definition for household, but it says here household goal
• </c> grant award for that household. grant award for that household.
• </c><00:34:40.480><c> I</c> here household gold. What is that? I here household gold. What is that?

Bills: HB517, HB520, HB233, HB354, HB517, HB520, HB233, HB354

Keywords: underground damage prevention, one-call notification system, utility locating, excavation safety, dig safe, call before you dig, 811, utility lines, underground utilities, pipeline safety, gas pipeline, electric utility, telecommunications, water utility, wastewater, cable television, locate request, premark, tolerance zone, positive response

Bills: HB0034, HB0035, HB0036, HB0106

Keywords: HB0034, Wyoming retirement system, Wyoming Retirement Act, firefighter retirement, public employee retirement, retirement benefits, state pension, wildland firefighting, wildland firefighter, crash and rescue, Wyoming National Guard, Office of State Lands and Investments, Wyoming Retirement Board, correctional forestry crew, correctional crew supervisor, correctional forestry crew manager, general fund appropriation, state agency employees, service credit, benefit eligibility