Transcript Highlights:

• When a student shows indications of below-grade-level literacy development, When a student shows indications
• For students who scored at the basic level or below the third level, the third grade level, For students
• By letting students find other ways to satisfy their graduation pathways, students have more time and
• Nandani Talmudran: As a high school student, I have seen how graduation requirements can limit student
• Strong students gain opportunities to expand on their education in areas of their choice, while students

Bills: HB1295 , HB2007 , HB2262 , HB2636

Committee: House Education

Keywords: reading instruction, structured literacy, early literacy, dyslexia, phonics, phonological awareness, language comprehension, vocabulary, fluency, oral language, orthographic knowledge, multi-tiered system of supports, MTSS, screening assessments, intervention, reading intervention, elementary education, kindergarten, first grade, second grade

Bills: HR1016 , HCR68 , HB6359 , HB7148 , HB7147 , HR375 , HR1014

Keywords: corrections, Department of Homeland Security, legislative process, engrossment, military intervention, Venezuela, Congress, war powers, foreign policy, pregnant students, pregnancy accommodations, college pregnancy, higher education, Title IX, student rights, campus resources, student health center, counseling center, orientation materials, student handbook

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 1036 addresses the shortage of school counselors to enable student success.
• SB 1036 addresses the shortage of school counselors to enable student success.
• We know that one of the largest drivers of student absenteeism is dental issues.
• So you said one-third of the students, I mean, only one-third of the students basically pass the algebra
• If we change the program, Students basically pass the algebra exam.

Bills: S7022 , S0178 , S0430 , S0464 , S0538 , S0920 , S1036 , S1136 , S1216

Committee: Senate Education Pre-K - 12

Keywords: public records, open government, sunshine law, education assessments, testing materials, exam security, assessment instruments, test items, answer keys, scoring rubrics, item banks, developmental materials, workpapers, student testing, academic dishonesty, cheating, Florida Department of Education, State Board of Education, Board of Governors, Florida College System

Summary: The Senate Education Pre-K-12 Committee considered and reported favorably several bills. SB 1036, as amended, addressed the shortage of school counselors by clarifying certification requirements; SB 1136, as amended by a delete-all amendment, authorized non-invasive dental screenings in schools as part of preventive dental programs with parent notice and exemption procedures; and SB 920 proposed applied algebra courses tied to technical skills and career pathways while still requiring students to pass the Algebra I end-of-course exam. Each of these bills was supported in committee and passed favorably. The committee also approved SB 178, as amended, to allow coaches to provide good-faith support to student-athletes, such as food, transportation, and recovery services, with reporting requirements and a $15,000 annual cap per team; members discussed the need for guardrails to prevent recruiting abuse and noted possible expansion beyond FHSAA. SB 1216, on educator compensation, would give districts more flexibility to use compensation tools beyond the current rigid framework, and it was reported favorably with support from members citing retention and inflation concerns. The committee also adopted SPB 7022, which reenacts and extends a public records exemption for certain examination and assessment instruments to 2031 and expands coverage to district school boards and public schools. Later, SB 464 was reported favorably to require all school districts to formally observe Veterans Day as a school holiday. Members debated whether schools should be closed or could instead hold programs or professional development, but the bill advanced with support emphasizing consistency and honoring veterans. Finally, SB 538, as amended, established standardized participation rules for extracurricular activities across public, private, virtual, and home education students, addressed participation fees and multiple-school participation, and allowed districts to determine coaches’ compensation. The committee adjourned after recording an additional favorable vote on SB 1036 by Senator Osgood.

Transcript Highlights:

• Participation on the educational setting in which the student was enrolled.
• Prohibits schools from imposing participation fees on students that exceed those of their enrolled students
• These pernicious foreign agents are disguised as student support groups.
• All right, I want to be a little more clear on the intent about the foreign students.
• I want to be a little more clear on the intent about the foreign students.

Bills: S0002 , S0002 , S0006 , S0018 , S0026 , S0028 , S0050 , S0178 , S0326 , S0538 , S0786 , S1004 , S1096 , S1178 , S1366 , S1632 , S1634

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Keywords: retirement, Deferred Retirement Option Program, DROP, pension contributions, Special Risk Class, retirement benefits, cost-of-living adjustment, state officials, negligence, settlement, appropriation, highway safety, damages, law enforcement, child welfare, injury compensation, Department of Children and Families, compensation, law enforcement accountability, personal injury

Summary: The Judiciary Committee took up a long agenda of bills, including several claims bills and policy measures. It heard and approved, mostly unanimously, bills on curators of estates (SB 326, as amended), remedies under the Florida Civil Rights Act (SB 1096), a claim for Reginald Jackson against the City of Lakeland (SB 28), a DCF-related claim for L.E. (SB 6), trust administration reform (SB 786, as amended), a Broward County claim for the estate of a deceased minor (SB 18, as amended, 10-1), a DOT claim for the estate of Mark Legata (SB 26), veterans’ courts (CS/SB 50), extracurricular activities in public K-12 schools (CS/CS/SB 538, as amended), and pet sale protections for dogs and cats (SB 1004). The committee also considered the sovereign immunity claims bill (SB 1366), which was presented as a starting point for negotiations with the House and was reported favorably after testimony from local government, hospital, and school representatives who urged the Senate to hold to its current lower cap levels. The committee later approved a claims bill for the estate of Daniel Maudsley against DHSMV (SB 2). The meeting included repeated roll calls and favorable reports on each measure, with the only recorded no vote on SB 18 from Senator Osgood. Several bills drew testimony from supporters and, in some cases, objections. SB 50 on veterans’ courts received broad support from veterans’ groups, criminal justice organizations, and community advocates who said it would expand problem-solving court options for veterans dealing with service-related issues. SB 538 on extracurricular activities drew support and opposition, and was amended to address home education eligibility, a school activity fee issue, technical conforming changes, and compensation for extracurricular sponsors. SB 1004 was presented as consumer protection legislation aimed at retail pet dealers, requiring disclosure of animal health records and financing terms and creating a private right of action for violations. The committee also heard extensive testimony on SB 1178, which would create a foreign interference restriction and enforcement framework targeting foreign countries of concern and designated foreign terrorist organizations. Supporters described it as a national-security measure to limit foreign influence, protect critical infrastructure, and restrict gifts, contracts, and sister-city ties; the sponsor withdrew one amendment and the bill was reported favorably. Finally, SB 1632, dealing with ideologies inconsistent with American principles, prompted substantial questioning about due process, domestic terrorist organization designations, Sharia law references, student discipline, and notice procedures. The sponsor said the bill was intended to protect constitutional principles and target conduct rather than belief, but the transcript ends while public testimony on that bill is still underway.

Transcript Highlights:

• is currently no requirement for consistent publicly available guidance that clearly explains how students
• , faculty, or staff should Publicly available guidance that clearly explains how students, faculty, or
• It is intended to protect good active coaches who are stepping up to support student athletes, not to
• And so being sure that these coaches have the ability to help their student athletes with parameters
• to be charged to any student who is not enrolled.

Bills: S0050 , S0054 , S0176 , S0178 , S0198 , S0290 , S0420 , S0502 , S0538 , S0706 , S0834 , S0936 , S0962 , S1004 , S1080 , S7022

Committee: Senate Rules

Keywords: veterans, treatment court, nonviolent felony, probation, mental health, cognitive function, psychotropic drugs, violent offenders, autopsy procedures, medical records, school safety, campus safety, higher education, university safety, college safety, student safety, threat assessment, violence prevention, credible threat, campus security

Summary: The Rules Committee heard and voted on a series of bills, beginning with SB 54 on toxicology screenings in autopsies of violent offenders, which requires medical examiners to screen for psychotropic and intoxicating substances, consult treating providers when possible, and report findings to state agencies; it passed favorably. The committee also approved SB 176 on public postsecondary campus safety policies, requiring colleges and universities to publish clearer reporting and response procedures for threats to students, faculty, and staff. Both bills were reported favorably without major opposition. The largest portion of the meeting was devoted to CS/CS/CS/SB 290, the Florida Farm Bill. The bill covers a wide range of agriculture-related issues, including fair association rules, preemption of local restrictions on gas- and diesel-powered farm equipment, surplus of certain state-owned lands for agricultural use, a food and animal veterinary loan repayment program, permanent Farmers Feeding Florida funding, forest service training expansion, signal-jamming device penalties, CDL English proficiency enforcement, no-solicitation protections, food safety inspector protections, biosolids regulation, and contractor payment enforcement. Members adopted several amendments, including changes to contractor payment language, expanded veterinary loan eligibility, citrus foundation consolidation, technical corrections, removal of outdated fair references, a nonprofit definition fix, and a late amendment deleting the bill’s disparagement clause after extensive testimony and debate about free speech and agricultural speech protections. A separate late amendment delayed biosolids compliance deadlines. The bill drew strong support from farmers, agritourism groups, food donation advocates, and some utility and wastewater interests, while conservation groups and biosolids operators raised concerns about land surplus provisions and biosolids restrictions. The committee ultimately reported the bill favorably as amended. The committee then approved SB 834 on nonprofit religious organizations, which repeals a restriction on health care sharing ministries partnering with licensed insurance agents, while an amendment added written disclaimer requirements; it passed favorably. SB 936 on temporary door locking devices also passed, directing the Building Commission to incorporate standards into the Florida Building Code. SB 50 on veterans’ courts was approved, allowing judges in all circuits to use veterans’ courts for cases involving service-related issues such as PTSD, traumatic brain injury, and substance abuse. Finally, SB 1004 on the sale of dogs and cats passed after amendments removed an appropriation and kept the bill’s disclosure, financing, and consumer protection provisions, and SB 178 on athletics in public K-12 schools passed with discussion about coaches providing basic support to student-athletes and possible parental-consent language. The committee also began hearing SB 198 on virtual currency kiosks, which would regulate crypto kiosks with registration, fraud warnings, transaction limits, receipts, and refund protections; an amendment to that bill was adopted, but the transcript cuts off before the final vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• Allen for focusing on student attendance and communication with families.
• When students frequently miss school, they fall behind. ...behind.
• In a Texas school district, a student used AI to generate nude images of another student, and when the
• Second, by providing an exception for students with disabilities, school districts and students have
• This case actually arose out of a case where I was representing a student, and the student was in the

Bills: SB204 , SB570 , SB735 , SB784 , SB1207 , SB1396 , SB1447 , SB2392 , SB2540 , SB747 , SB875

Committee: House Public Education

Keywords: parental rights, education, school trustees, training, handbook, truancy, attendance policy, chronic absenteeism, school attendance, student absence notifications, parent notification, home visit, attendance officer, truancy court, school district, open-enrollment charter school, student support services, school counselor, principal, administrator

Transcript Highlights:

• It restores two repealed provisions: statewide direction to the Center for the Improvement of Student
• in grade 3 and 40% of our students in grade 4 were not reading at grade level.
• Many of our students sign their name in Korean characters. This just respects and...
• Many of our students sign their name in Korean characters.
• , with over 1,600 students experiencing or facing homelessness in my district. ...of homeless students

Bills: HB1295 , HB2262 , HB2551 , HB2593 , HB2594 , HB2636

Committee: House Education

Keywords: reading instruction, structured literacy, early literacy, dyslexia, phonics, phonological awareness, language comprehension, vocabulary, fluency, oral language, orthographic knowledge, multi-tiered system of supports, MTSS, screening assessments, intervention, reading intervention, elementary education, kindergarten, first grade, second grade

Transcript Highlights:

• Once that occurs, first, the student must immediately be ineligible for student grants, scholarships,
• If the Legislature insisted that UW student tuition would fill this gap, undergraduate students would
• Instead of this, students get less.
• experiencing homelessness, basic needs for students, and mental health support for students.
• Eligible students attending two-year for-profit institutions is 50% of the maximum award for students

Bills: SB6251 , SB6259 , SB6325 , SB5978 , SB6209 , SB6217 , SB6227 , SB6235

Committee: Senate Higher Education & Workforce Development

Keywords: medical school, medical education, letter grades, grading system, pass/fail, tiered grading, student assessment, curriculum, University of Washington, Washington State University, School of Medicine, physician training, academic standards, coursework evaluation, RCW 28B, SB 6259, Washington, state financial aid, higher education, public college

Bills: HF117 , HF392 , HF703 , HF393 , HF269 , HF865 , HF870 , HF189 , SF176 , SF277 , SF288

Committee: Joint Education

Keywords: National Guard, scholarship, education, military service, professional qualification, year-round calendar, school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, Department of Education, student loans, financial aid, college affordability, Direct PLUS loan, federal student loans, state supplemental loans, college family loan, partnership loan, Iowa College Aid, Iowa Student Loan Liquidity Corporation, APR

Transcript Highlights:

• This avenue is for student housing and student life. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
• This avenue is for student housing and student life. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
• This avenue is for student housing and student life. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
• student athlete.
• for 30 student athletes.

Bills: SB234 , SB210 , SB243 , SB244 , SM16 , HB8 , SB234 , SB210 , SB243 , SB244 , SM16 , HB8

Committees: Senate Senate Education , Senate House Education

Keywords: foster children, school transportation, education funding, public education, child welfare, New Mexico Highlands University, soccer field, women's sports, infrastructure improvement, funding allocation, student athletes, appropriation, New Mexico State University, nutrition, travel support, funding, education, university support, financial assistance, parenting students

Transcript Highlights:

• students, all of our students, while honoring New Mexico's students, our bilingual students, all of
• : students with dyslexia, students with disabilities, multilingual learners, and students who appear
• Students need more time to learn.
• Students need more time to learn.
• But I'm concerned over our students. I'm concerned over the over-identifying our students.

Bills: SB234 , SB210 , SB243 , SB244 , SM16 , HB8

Committee: House House Education

Keywords: foster children, school transportation, education funding, public education, child welfare, New Mexico Highlands University, soccer field, women's sports, infrastructure improvement, funding allocation, student athletes, appropriation, New Mexico State University, nutrition, travel support, funding, education, university support, financial assistance, parenting students

Transcript Highlights:

• National studies find that nearly all students use... ...National studies find that nearly all students
• So none of the students are concerned or distracted by any communication. ...students are concerned or
• therein, sometimes referred to as the McKinney-Vento students. ...students and vulnerable students therein
• It'd be one or two students; it's not a full bus.
• I'd be one or two students. It's not a full bus.

Bills: SB23 , SB73 , SB210 , SB234 , SB243 , SB244 , SM16 , SB23 , SB73 , SB210 , SB234 , SB243 , SB244 , SM16

Committees: Senate Senate Education , Senate House Education

Keywords: student use, wireless devices, public schools, policy implementation, education technology funding, driver education, driver's ed, driving school, motorcycle safety, traffic safety, vulnerable road users, pedestrian safety, bicycle safety, cyclist, bike lane, micromobility, scooter, moped, motorcycle training, DWI prevention

Transcript Highlights:

• be a one-to-one teacher-student ratio.
• We cannot be certain that those students are indeed rural students that we are giving that rurality factor
• If those students are indeed rural students, to be given credit for their rural attendance.
• If you have a student, could you introduce a student today?
• Representative Lara, is your student still here? Did you have a student, Representative Lara?

Bills: SB23 , SB73 , SB210 , SB234 , SB243 , SB244 , SM16

Committee: House House Education

Keywords: student use, wireless devices, public schools, policy implementation, education technology funding, driver education, driver's ed, driving school, motorcycle safety, traffic safety, vulnerable road users, pedestrian safety, bicycle safety, cyclist, bike lane, micromobility, scooter, moped, motorcycle training, DWI prevention

Transcript Highlights:

• If under the bill a student in public health, for example, where I teach a graduate student, gets their
• The state loans a student money to pursue their degree for their tuition costs, and the student then
• Washington State graduate students.
• With the loss of both state and federal graduate student loan programs, graduate students are left to
• It's a choice that any student has.

Bills: HB2148 , HB2132

Committee: House Postsecondary Education & Workforce

Keywords: education, pay it forward program, tuition, student loans, financial aid, state financial aid, financial aid application, postsecondary education, higher education, student aid, Washington Student Achievement Council, public records exemption, privacy, student records, personally identifying information, financial information, data sharing agreement, enrollment assistance, institutional records, FERPA

Transcript Highlights:

• How this was birthed was it came from students.
• So what the students learn can be applied through an online...
• This is something that would be beneficial for our students.
• A student? It's up to the district. Okay.
• And this is a method to protect our students.

Bills: HCR97 , HR168 , SCR33 , SB112 , SB346 , SB347 , SB353 , SB488 , SB504 , SB507 , SB518

Committee: House Education

Keywords: hunting education, firearm safety, outdoor recreation, curriculum, youth education, conservation, collegiate athletics, funding, name image likeness, revenue sharing, NCAA compliance, student-athlete support, financial sustainability, work-based learning, task force, internships, apprenticeships, job shadowing, cooperative education, co-op

Transcript Highlights:

• You see the students every day.
• and student and what they observe and what they offer.
• we did as college students.
• They’re dealing with just that one student.
• The only student that's sort of in that screen is the student that's being provided the service.

Bills: HCR14 , HB201 , HB218 , HB352 , HB626 , HB636 , HB738 , HB749

Committee: House Education

Keywords: Department of Education, federal overreach, education policy, Tenth Amendment, local control, fine arts, high school diploma, arts education, capstone project, academic achievement, student recognition, Louisiana education, food insecurity, hunger, student hunger, school meals, free lunch, community eligibility provision, McKinney-Vento, homeless students

Bills: HF331 , HF332 , HF334 , HF335 , HF336 , HF371 , HSB105 , HSB84 , HF220 , HSB106 , HSB108 , HF114 , HF122 , HF150 , HSB157 , HF204 , HF236 , HF274 , SSB1030 , SF111 , SF64 , SSB1065

Committee: Joint Education

Keywords: HF 331, Iowa High School Athletic Association, Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union, conference realignment, high school sports, interscholastic athletics, athletic conference, school athletics, school district, accredited nonpublic school, private school, activities association, girls sports, boys sports, student athletics, conference alignment, rivalries, travel distance, enrollment, state board of education

Bills: SF273 , SF2428 , SF2219 , SF2335 , SF2319 , SF2231 , SF2220 , SF273 , SF2428

Committee: Joint Education

Keywords: mandatory reporting, grooming behavior, educational examiners, school employees, student safety, school discipline, violent disruption, nonviolent disruption, student behavior, educational policies, mental health, individualized education programs, student absences, school-sponsored activities, education policies, nonpublic schools, public school districts, education, technology, cognitive function

Transcript Highlights:

• Our community and our students were way before the free child care.
• It makes it harder on the student and on the parent.
• I assume it's going to take into account full-time, part-time students. All that.
• And how do you capture those students? That are maybe doing online.
• But They ask a series of questions every time a student registers for classes for the semester.

Bills: SB132 , SM16 , SM17 , SB132 , SM16 , SM17

Committees: Senate Senate Rules , Senate House Rules & Order Of Business

Keywords: SB132, DOIT, Department of Information Technology, software replacement, equipment replacement, technology funding, revolving fund, capital equipment, enterprise services, state IT budgeting, software budgeting, amortization, depreciation, State Treasurer, Department of Finance and Administration, New Mexico, information technology, IT infrastructure, fund accounting, legislative appropriation

Transcript Highlights:

• a student assaults a teacher or if a student threatens to bring a gun to school.
• Sometimes a student may threaten the safety of that teacher or other students.
• A student uses profanity loudly at a teacher and other students.
• Educators want all students to learn, all students. We also want safe classrooms.
• Where students... That bill now would allow citations to be issued to students.

Bills: SB27 , SB226 , SB326 , SB570 , SB605 , SB870 , SB991 , SB1871 , SB1872 , SB1873 , SB1874 , SB1924 , SB1925 , SB 27

Committees: Senate Education , Senate Education K-16

Keywords: residency, public schools, child safety placement, enrollment, education code, antisemitism, student conduct, education, disciplinary actions, Texas Education Code, truancy, attendance policy, chronic absenteeism, school attendance, student absence notifications, parent notification, home visit, attendance officer, truancy court, school district

Summary: The committee heard a series of school safety and discipline bills, beginning with SB 870, which would codify an attorney general opinion allowing local school boards to decide whether school marshals may openly carry, conceal carry, or store a firearm in a secure safe on campus. The bill was laid out with no public testimony and left pending. The chair then moved to a combined discussion of SB 1871, 1872, 1873, 1874, and 1924, all focused on school discipline, teacher authority, and student safety. Senators Perry and Creighton described the package as a response to rising classroom disruptions, assaults on teachers, and concerns that districts lack effective tools to maintain order. SB 1871 would expand teacher removal authority, require return-to-class plans before a student removed for certain conduct can return, make some serious offenses mandatory for placement in juvenile justice settings, and provide telehealth mental health services through a consortium. SB 1872 would require expulsion to a JJAEP for assaults on teachers or school volunteers and extend certain expulsion-eligible conduct to off-campus offenses. SB 1873 would restore the prior understanding that in-school suspension is not subject to a three-day limit. SB 1874 would grant teachers immunity from disciplinary action for reporting discipline violations or acting in compliance with Chapter 37. SB 1924 would restore authority for local police and school district police to issue Class C citations for school offenses and require criminal referrals for students posing an imminent threat or assaulting a teacher, with a substitute clarifying referral rules when a citation has already been issued. The committee adopted the substitutes for the bills and moved them forward. Invited witnesses from teacher and administrator groups largely supported the overall goal of stronger discipline and safer classrooms, while asking for refinements. The Texas Classroom Teachers Association testified that teachers need more autonomy to remove disruptive or violent students and that classroom removals should not mean removal from learning. Superintendents from San Angelo, Grandview, and Wiley ISDs supported the bills’ emphasis on safety, expanded ISS flexibility, mandatory placement for serious offenses, and telehealth mental health services, but asked for more local control, flexibility for Districts of Innovation, more than one campus behavior coordinator in large districts, clearer timelines for return-to-class plans, and more precise definitions for disruptive conduct. Several witnesses stressed that teacher retention and student learning are being harmed by current discipline problems, while some members raised concerns about vague standards and the risk of overuse or public humiliation through citations and removals.