Michaelin Myers — Introduced herself as House Democratic staff policy advisor for Education and International Trade, living in Laveen (LD 11), and said she recently started a pottery class.
Trinity Priest — Introduced herself as living in LD 28, said she was an intern last year, and is now a majority assistant policy advisor.
Jasmine Dominguez — The chair introduced Jasmine Dominguez as the next majority research staff member, and Jasmine then introduced herself as a majority research intern at Arizona State University majoring in justice studies and political science, adding a fun fact that she was named after Princess Jasmine.
Chase Hauser — Chase Hauser is introduced and then identifies himself as the senior research analyst for the committee on education, noting that this is his seventh year staffing the committee. He says he lives in LD 15 in San Tan Valley and adds that he recently bought a house there.
Amelia Robertson — Introduced herself as an ASU political science student serving as a page for the committee and said she loves to read.
Elion Washington — Introduced himself as the temporary page, said this is his fourth session back, and shared that he knows how to play piano.
Alexis Estrada — Introduced herself as committee secretary for education, said she lives in Surprise, and noted she has three children.
Holly Seminara — Holly Seminara is introduced and then introduces herself, saying she lives in Chandler, is from NAU and Flagstaff, and plays roller derby nationally.
Catcher Baden — Catcher Baden, from the governor's office, is introduced as the presenter for the Credit Enhancement Eligibility Board sunset review and opens by noting that it is unusual for someone from the governor's office to testify on this board. He says he will explain why he is presenting and is available for questions.
Jake Logan — Identified as signed in to speak, if necessary.
Demi Michalow — Demi Michalow is introduced as the president of WICHE and then identifies herself on the record, beginning WICHE's sunset review presentation.
Demi Michalow — The WICHE president concluded her presentation and invited questions.
Dr. Kathleen Geppinger — Named as one of WICHE's three commissioners.
Todd Haney — Todd Haney is identified as one of WICHE’s three commissioners, alongside Dr. Kathleen Geppinger and Chad Sampson, and is noted as one of the commissioners joining the presenter. The discussion further explains that Haney, together with Sampson, provides strategic guidance and oversight for WICHE.
Todd Haney — Todd Haney, Arizona's WICHE commissioner and president of Eastern Arizona College, introduced himself as an alumnus and Arizona native, then spoke in support of continuing Arizona's participation in the WICHE Compact. He explained that WICHE helps students access top-tier medical and veterinary programs across the western United States and provides tuition savings. The chair then invited questions, and after none were raised, thanked him.
Chad Sampson — Chad Sampson is introduced as one of WICHE’s three commissioners, noted as joining the presenter, and described as helping provide strategic guidance and oversight for the organization.
Chad Sampson — Identified himself as Executive Director for the Arizona Board of Regents and expressed support for WICHE.
Darmie McAloo — Was identified as having already spoken earlier in the meeting.
Chad — Was invited to speak before the executive director of the Board of Regents.
Cassie Decoe — Identified as the presenter from the Office of the Auditor General for the next item.
Cassie Decoe / Cassie Deco — Introduced herself as being with the Arizona Auditor General's Office and began the audit presentation.
Cassie DeCone / Cassie Decoe — Restated her name and introduced the audit of the Arizona Department of Education school safety program.
Ms. Deco — Concluded the audit presentation and offered to answer questions.
Ms. Deco — The member is responding to the audit presentation by Ms. Deco.
Ms. Deco — The speaker indicates Ms. Deco will answer the question about monitoring and implementation.
Ms. Deco — The chair thanks the auditor and indicates the department will be called next.
Lindsay Perry, Auditor General — Lindsay Perry, the Auditor General, explained that the audit recommendations are meant to help the department better oversee the program, including using risk-based reviews of higher-risk districts or transactions because staff resources are limited. She said the audit found insufficient departmental oversight as the main reason for noncompliance, clarified that the audit did not examine what the department did or planned to do about any ramifications, and noted that compliant schools showed better outcomes, citing an elementary school example from the report.
Mrs. Decode / Ms. Deco — The member addresses the auditor, whose name appears as 'Mrs. Decode' in the transcript but is likely Ms. Deco.
Mike Curtinbach — Mike Curtinbach introduced himself as the Director of School Safety at the Arizona Department of Education and continued by explaining his prior 33-year career with the Phoenix Police Department, including serving as Executive Assistant Chief, to establish his qualifications for overseeing the school safety program and discussing the department's response.
Dr. Kathy Johnson — Curtinbach described Johnson as leading the training cadre and highlighted her background in juvenile probation and advanced degrees.
Mr. Coe — Referenced in discussion of what is included in the audit report regarding the school safety program team.
Mr. Curtinbach — Representative Gutierrez thanks Mr. Curtinbach for being present, and shortly afterward Representative Fink addresses him during questioning, indicating a single continuous witness moment in the hearing.
Dr. Lindstrom Johnson — Identified as the lead researcher from ASU, met with on Friday to discuss the direction of the evaluation.
Dr. Johnson — Asked to front-load training starting in July, August, and September.
Dr. Johnson — Dr. Johnson's team is referenced as receiving two additional trainers.
Dr. Jenny Walker — Oversees the grants team and organizes proactive outreach to ensure training is completed.
HB2142 — House Bill 2142 was moved for a do pass recommendation and described as creating a school safety center within the Arizona Department of Education. The discussion explained that the bill would assign duties to the center and allow up to 10% of appropriated school safety program funds to be used for administration. Speakers then noted they would offer a floor amendment and discussed how the bill arose from concerns about EOP monitoring and school safety, with one speaker interpreting the bill as providing assistance only and suggesting language to require broader monitoring of EOP compliance in schools.
HB2142 — The motion is to return the bill with a do pass recommendation.
Mike Kernbach — Identified himself as Director of School Safety at the Arizona Department of Education and framed the issue as one of operational problem-solving with limited resources.
Dr. Kathy Martinez-Praather — Identified as the director of the Texas School Safety Center, whom Kernbach met with during his research.
Dr. Charles Katz — Identified as the Watts Family Director for the Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety at Arizona State University.
Alexis Sestorf — Alexis Sestorf is introduced and invited to share her perspective on the bill, then states for the record that she supports the Greater Phoenix Educational Management Council and references a school safety white paper. She continues by emphasizing that the school safety center model should serve as a foundation and expresses willingness to keep working with the committee.
Mr. Kirpenbach — Asked how the new personnel would support schools in protecting students with disabilities.
Ms. Sussdorf — Her recommendations are referenced as something the speaker is willing to work on.
HB5026 — House Bill 2142 is discussed in two closely related stages: first, a speaker objects to advancing the bill without clear appropriation or funding details and votes no; later, after a stakeholder meeting, there is optimism that bipartisan agreement can be reached, and the committee ultimately gives the bill a do pass recommendation.