Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee first approved the June 18 meeting amendments, then heard an update from Representative Emily Callaway on the State Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors. She reported no major budget or regulatory concerns, but noted hiring challenges, especially for investigators, and said the board is pursuing a scholarship program using cash reserves and penalty payments. She also said the board has about 20,000 licenses, handled 134 cases in 2024, and had an open-investigation count that stayed roughly flat. The board said initial licenses take about 5 to 7 business days and endorsements about 10 business days, with one citizen-at-large vacancy on the 11-member board. Callaway and board staff also discussed emerging issues such as AI, digital plan submissions, and the use of drones and LiDAR in surveying education. They said Kentucky’s surveying exam pass rates are well above national averages and that universities such as East Tennessee State, Cincinnati State, Bellarmine, Spalding, and Eastern Kentucky are helping train students for the field. The committee then took up Callaway’s occupational licensing bill aimed at removing barriers for people with criminal records. The proposal would let applicants seek an upfront determination of whether a record would disqualify them, require boards to consider specified materials and give written reasons if they deny eligibility, and bind the board’s decision absent new or undisclosed offenses. Supporters said the goal is to help roughly 30,000 people reenter the workforce and avoid wasted time and money on training that could later be disqualified. The committee next heard from Representatives Fleming and Willner on a psychology licensing bill, a reintroduction of prior legislation. They said the measure is intended to address mental health workforce shortages by adding two members to the Kentucky Board of Examiners of Psychology, setting a more predictable timeline for licensure examinations, and requiring annual reporting on processing times for licenses and complaints. They said the bill is meant to speed entry into the profession as new psychology programs expand in Kentucky. No objections were raised. Finally, the Alcoholic Beverage Control commissioner and general counsel presented two administrative amendments tied to SB 202 to allow direct-shipping forms for cannabis-infused beverages, and the committee approved both regulations by voice vote. The committee then held a broader discussion about whether ABC should be expanded by statute to regulate additional intoxicating substances and emerging products. ABC officials said the agency already handles alcohol, tobacco, vape licensing, and some related enforcement, but any broader authority would require legislative action and likely more officers and funding. Members discussed the need to stay ahead of new products, possibly through an emerging-industries framework, while also protecting businesses and consumers.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The meeting began with roll call, adoption of the minutes, and brief remarks, including birthday recognition for Representative Maseroni and a moment of reflection for a soldier who died during training at Fort Knox. The committee then heard a presentation from Tony Hatton, commissioner of the Department for Environmental Protection and acting director of the Kentucky Division of Water, with Amanda Lefer, deputy commissioner, on the state’s water and wastewater programs and planning. Hatton described Kentucky’s water resources and the Division of Water’s responsibilities, including watershed and nonpoint source work, KPDES discharge permitting, PFAS response, engineering review of water infrastructure, inspections, public outreach, and sampling. He said Kentucky has 428 public water systems, 263 water treatment plants, about 1.9 million service connections, and nearly 97% of the population has access to municipally treated water. He also noted that the state has 43 systems receiving awards for EPA areawide optimization and emphasized operator training, regionalization, and use of GIS mapping and Kentucky Infrastructure Authority data to support planning and funding decisions. Members raised concerns about aging infrastructure, water loss, staffing shortages, and wastewater problems in local systems. Representative Blandon described severe failures in a city system, including major water loss and sewer backups, and asked whether the state could intervene; Hatton said the division inspects treatment facilities and provides compliance assistance but is not authorized to manage delivery systems, though third-party help and emergency funding can be used in some cases. Senator Smith and others shared similar experiences with line loss and system failures, while Hatton pointed to regionalization and funding support as the main tools available. The discussion also highlighted PFAS as an emerging issue, with Hatton saying the department is working with systems to meet anticipated federal requirements by 2029.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: At its second meeting on July 30, 2025, the Medicaid Oversight and Advisory Board approved the minutes from its June 25 meeting and received housekeeping materials, including follow-up information on provider taxes, mandatory and optional Medicaid services, and the 1115 community engagement waiver. The chair noted that members should hold general questions until the end of the meeting. The main presentation came from Katherine Castanza of the National Conference of State Legislators, who gave a nonpartisan overview of Medicaid provisions in HR1. She explained that the bill contains more than 20 Medicaid-related provisions, with major changes affecting provider taxes, state-directed payments, eligibility and enrollment rules, work or community engagement requirements, and the frequency of eligibility redeterminations for expansion populations. She emphasized that five provisions account for most of the federal savings, that the fiscal effects are backloaded into the final years of the 10-year window, and that expansion states and provider payment changes make up a large share of the impact. Castanza also highlighted that the Medicaid provisions would take effect either upon enactment or before October 1, 2029, creating roughly a five-year implementation period. She noted that some states may not realize the same savings as the federal government because of financing changes and implementation responsibilities, and she cited estimates that the enacted Senate provisions could reduce hospital payments by 18.2%, or more than $660 billion over 10 years. The transcript provided does not show any votes or final actions beyond adoption of the minutes.

Keywords: 00:00:22 - Call to Order and Roll Call 00:03:00 – Approval of June 25, 2025 Minutes 00:03:22 - Update on Federal Changes to the Medicaid Program 01:03:44 - State Directed Payments, Provider Taxes, and the Rural Health Transformation Fund: How Medicaid Changes Could Impact Kentucky Hospitals 01:29:42 – Public Comments 01:45:25 – Announcements 01:46:19 - Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The Medicaid Oversight and Advisory Board met on July 30, 2025, approved the June 25 minutes, and received a presentation from Katherine Castanza of the National Conference of State Legislatures on Medicaid provisions in H.R. 1. The presentation outlined more than 20 Medicaid-related provisions, emphasizing that the largest federal savings come from work/community engagement requirements, changes to provider taxes, limits on state-directed payments, more frequent eligibility redeterminations for expansion populations, and related eligibility/enrollment changes. She said the fiscal effects are backloaded, with most reductions occurring in the later years of the 10-year window, and noted potential significant impacts on hospital payments and state financing. She also described new funding opportunities, including a $50 billion rural health transformation fund and a new home and community-based services waiver with associated grants. A substantial portion of the discussion focused on Kentucky’s pending community engagement 1115 waiver and how it would interact with the new federal requirements. Board members asked whether the waiver had been approved, what the cabinet’s contingency plan would be if CMS does not approve it, and what the timeline is for compliance. Cabinet representatives said the waiver has not yet been approved by CMS, remains under public comment, and that the state will wait for CMS guidance before moving forward; if needed, the state would amend the waiver or submit a new one. They said the work requirement must be in place by January 1, 2027, with a possible extension to 2028. Castanza also explained that expansion adults with incomes between 100% and 138% of the federal poverty level would face new cost-sharing requirements beginning October 1, 2028, and that eligibility redeterminations would move from annual to every six months starting January 1, 2027. She then walked through provider tax changes, including a moratorium on new provider taxes beginning October 1, 2026, and a phased reduction in the hold-harmless threshold for existing taxes beginning January 1, 2028, with exemptions for nursing facilities and ICF/IID providers. Board members questioned the timing and likely impact on Kentucky, and Castanza responded that the effect would depend on each tax’s current rate and would phase in over time.

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Summary: The committee met with a quorum and first heard brief presentations on Kentucky’s 2025 Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant and Title V Maternal and Child Health Block Grant. Department for Public Health staff explained that the preventive health block grant provides about $2.3 million annually and supports programs such as accreditation and performance improvement, local health department grants, community health workers, prescription assistance, asthma and COPD programs, workforce development, and a sexual assault programs set-aside. They said the Title V block grant provides about $11.7 million, with 35% directed to children and youth with special health care needs and 65% to maternal and child health populations, largely through local health departments and a five-year needs assessment process. After no questions, a motion was made and seconded to approve both block grants. The roll call vote passed 19-0, and the two block grants were approved. The committee then approved the minutes from the prior meeting. The next item was a discussion of the child waiver created in House Bill 6. Committee members raised concerns that the proposed 1915(c) waiver did not match the legislature’s intent, which they said was to move children from the Michelle P. waiver to free slots for adults. Cabinet officials from DCBS, behavioral health, and Medicaid described the proposed “Community Health for Improved Lives and Development” waiver as a targeted home- and community-based program for children under 21 with severe behavioral health or developmental needs, including those stepping down from inpatient or residential care or at risk of out-of-home placement. They said the waiver is designed for about 100 slots, uses a standardized needs-based assessment, and includes case management, community living supports, home modifications, respite, supervised residential care, and clinical therapeutic services. Officials said the public comment period ended July 15, responses are being compiled for August submission to CMS, and the waiver is part of the broader Families First initiative.

Keywords: 00:00:00 - Call to Order/Roll Call 00:02:17 - Approval of June 18, 2025 Minutes 00:02:33 - Introductions and Discussion on Priorities 00:07:27 - Health Data Discussion-KY Health Information Exchange (KHIE) 00:34:02 - Health Data Discussion-Public Health Data 01:19:24 - Health Data Discussion-Other Health Data Platforms 01:42:40 - Consideration of Referred Administrative Regulations (Except 201 KAR 005:010) 01:44:48 - Discussion of Optometry Regulation 201 KAR 005:010 02:25:29 - Hearing on Unified Community Mental Health and Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant Application for FFY 2026 - 2027 Funds 02:33:40 - Administrative Regulation 201 KAR 005:010 Vote Clarification 02:34:03 - Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The Interim Joint Committee on Health Services met to approve the June 18 minutes and hear introductory remarks from new Cabinet Secretary for Health and Family Services Dr. Steven Stack and new Department for Public Health Commissioner Dr. John Langfeld. Both described their backgrounds and emphasized a shared focus on using health data to improve quality, coordination, and outcomes across Kentucky. They highlighted the Kentucky Health Information Exchange (KHI) as a central tool for connecting hospitals, labs, providers, public health systems, Medicaid, and other state and federal data sources, and said the system supports notifications, immunization records, surveillance, and care coordination. They also outlined priorities such as continued investment in KHI, stronger interoperability, privacy protections, and expanded analytic capacity to turn data into action. Committee members then asked about COVID-19 vaccine recommendations and informed consent, particularly for pregnant women and children. Dr. Stack said informed consent should come through a licensed health care provider, that Kentucky did not mandate the COVID vaccine, and that the evidence still supports vaccination for high-risk groups, including pregnant women, citing professional medical guidance. A follow-up exchange focused on concerns about past vaccine policies and the need for patients to receive full information before making decisions. Senator Heron asked how KIPRC/KIPR could be used to address firearm injuries. Dr. Langfeld said the key opportunity is to make data more real-time and usable for day-to-day response, while Dr. Stack said the department would continue its long-standing partnership with KIPRC and noted his view that gun violence is a public health emergency. He added, however, that because firearms are a deeply divided issue, the Department for Public Health’s current role is mainly to make data available for authorized research rather than to take a broader policy role. No votes or formal actions beyond approving the minutes were taken.

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:07 Attendance Roll Call: 00:13 Approval of Minutes: 02:28 2025 RS SB 9: TRS Leave Audit Requirements & Process: 03:05 2025 RS SB 10: Overview of Enacted Legislation & Discussion: 28:38 Adjournment: 42:13, 958, all

Summary: The meeting opened with roll call, a quorum was confirmed, and the minutes were approved. The committee then heard testimony on Senate Bill 9, which concerns TRS sick leave audit requirements and process. Auditor Allison Ball’s staff said the audit is an information-gathering review of how teacher sick leave is accumulated, current balances, how many employers use the sick leave function, and the policies and procedures governing sick leave. Members discussed how unused sick leave affects retirement calculations, the distinction between the state’s financial responsibility and school districts’ responsibility, and whether the audit would also examine related leave categories such as personal leave, annual leave, and leave of absence. Committee members emphasized that Senate Bill 9 was intended to add accountability and standardize reporting, including preventing annual leave from being rolled into sick leave. Several members asked for clarification on how sick leave is factored into retirement benefits. Witnesses and members explained that, under the system described, accumulated sick leave can be converted into retirement credit based on a teacher’s daily rate and then multiplied by a percentage, with the school district often bearing the cost. Members also noted nuances in the law, including different accumulation limits by hire date and tier, and that the audit may help the public better understand why some educators retire relatively young. The auditor’s office said it is still early in the process, has met with TRS leadership, and will report back once the audit progresses. The committee also asked whether maternity leave would be included; the auditor’s office said it was not specifically mandated but could be examined if the body requests it. The committee then received an overview of Senate Bill 10 from KPA representatives Ryan Barrow and Rebecca Atkins. They explained that the bill enhances retiree health insurance benefits for certain CRS members who are non-Medicare participants and meet specified career thresholds, with different rules for hazardous and non-hazardous service. They described the benefit as $40 per month per year of service for non-hazardous service and $50 per month per year for hazardous service, both inflated annually, and clarified that these amounts are not cumulative with prior benefit formulas. Members asked about the interaction between the new amounts and existing benefits, and the presenters explained that the bill also changes current employee health insurance contribution rates effective July 1, 2026, with different impacts by tier and hazardous status. The committee discussed the need for clear communication to affected employees and reviewed example calculations showing how the new contribution structure would work.

Keywords: 00:01 Call to Order and Roll Call 00:49 Approval of Minutes 01:05 Information Items 02:39 Project Rpt from Finance and Admin Cabinet 23:40 Lease Rpt from Finance and Admin Cabinet 26:30 OFM Rpt – KY Infrastructure Authority 36:07 OFM Rpt – Econ Dev Cabinet 43:40 Office of Financial Mgmt 50:18 Remaining 2025 Mtg Dates 50:50 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The committee first handled routine business, including approval of the June meeting minutes and receipt of several correspondence and information reports. Those reports covered quarterly capital project status updates from state agencies and postsecondary institutions, lease modifications, asset preservation projects, school district debt issuances, and Kentucky Communications Network Authority budget history materials. Members also raised questions about a long-open stream mitigation account and were told the funds are fee-in-lieu stream mitigation monies administered through Fish and Wildlife, with staff promising to follow up on the specific project. The committee then reviewed and approved several capital project actions. These included a new Camp Oralis dining hall project for the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, explained as a reauthorization because the funding split changed to 64% federal and 36% agency funds; an appropriation increase for the Shelbyville armory addition due to higher construction costs and security requirements; and emergency repair projects for Fort Boonesboro flood remediation and the Kentucky State Police Supply Branch fire damage. Members also approved a tenant improvement fund request for parking garage safety improvements at the Mayo Underwood Building. The Office of Financial Management presented three Kentucky Infrastructure Authority items and one Cleaner Water Program reallocation. The loans included a Shepherdsville sewer/drainage project and two Auburn water and lead service line projects; the grant reallocation involved unused Cleaner Water Program funds, with staff emphasizing that all ARPA-funded cleaner water dollars must be spent by December 31, 2026 or returned. After discussion, the committee approved the package. The committee also approved six Economic Development Fund grants, and the Cabinet for Economic Development began presenting the first six KPDI projects, though the transcript cuts off before those project details were completed.

Keywords: This meeting is taking place on location at the Kentucky State University Cooperative Extension Building Room 238 using on site equipment., 958, all

Summary: The interim Commission on Race and Access to Opportunity met at Kentucky State University and heard a presentation from President Kofi Aapo and Vice President Michael Dorsy on the university’s role as an HBCU and its current priorities. They emphasized Kentucky State’s impact on Black student outcomes nationally, its focus on workforce development, civic leadership, innovation, and economic mobility, and its efforts to grow enrollment, expand dual-credit partnerships, and launch a prison education program. They also described House Bill 250’s role in prompting program review and the creation or expansion of market-aligned offerings, including manufacturing engineering, agricultural engineering, biological and agricultural engineering, social work, criminal justice, and expanded online programs through “Thoroughbred Global.” A major topic was Kentucky State’s move toward STEM and applied programs. President Aapo said the university is diversifying beyond liberal arts to meet workforce demand and cited plans for a PhD in agroecology, which he said would help farmers adapt to climate conditions and would be federally funded. He also discussed the nursing program as the fastest-growing on campus, partnerships with health systems that pay tuition and guarantee jobs, and the need for a new nursing facility. He said the current nursing space is inadequate and that a new building could double or triple enrollment in the program. He also described a mobile health initiative intended to bring preventive care and health education to underserved areas of the state. Members asked questions about the nursing building, STEM strategy, teacher preparation, dual credit, prison education, and student readiness. Senator Bledsoe asked about the shift toward STEM, and Aapo said the strategy is based on student demand and data from House Bill 250. Senator Berg requested a list of dual-credit partners and encouraged long-term tracking of prison education participants to study outcomes such as recidivism; Aapo said the university has not yet begun that research but intends to. Senator Tidner asked about remedial needs, and Aapo said KSU found more than 100 students with zero GPAs when he arrived and is using co-requisite support and tutoring to address English and math deficiencies. Representative Brown and others highlighted the historical and ongoing value of HBCUs, and no votes or formal actions were taken during the meeting.

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00:05 Roll Call 00:00:12 Discussion of Legislative Measures 00:03:12 Discussion of Housing and Land Use 00:21:58 Discussion of Short Term Rental Policies 01:03:17 Adjournment 01:15:38, 958, all

Summary: The committee approved the minutes from its June 4, 2025 meeting and then heard a series of presentations focused largely on housing and land-use policy. Senator Robbie Mills and Representative Josh Bray discussed two 2025 housing measures: Senate Bill 50, which would create residential infrastructure development districts to help local governments finance infrastructure for new housing developments through special assessments and local debt, and House Bill 7, which would let local governments identify development areas and rebate new property tax revenue to developers as an incentive for housing growth. They said Kentucky faces a statewide housing shortage of roughly 210,000 units, projected to grow if building patterns do not change, and argued that regulatory relief and financing tools are needed to increase supply. Representative Rebecca Rymer presented House Bill 371, which would require local permitting when an industry’s residual waste landfill is located in a different county from the industry itself. She said current law lets such landfills bypass local review, leaving host counties with no say despite road impacts and other local burdens. She said the bill would preserve the existing exemption when the landfill and industry are co-located, and noted support from KLC and KO. Representative Steve Doan also described House Bill 806, a statewide backyard chicken bill that would allow domesticated hens, prohibit roosters, set a minimum of six hens that local governments could not go below, and preserve local authority over setbacks, sanitation, maintenance standards, and egg sales. He said it would override outright local bans but not HOA restrictions, and cited a current Northern Kentucky dispute and ADA litigation as reasons for the proposal. The committee then heard a broader discussion on housing and land use from Charlie Gardner of the Mercatus Center and Nolan Gray of California YIMBY and the Bluegrass Institute. They outlined categories of land-use regulation, described the recent growth of state-level housing reforms nationwide, and cited examples such as ADU legalization, smaller lot sizes, reduced parking minimums, streamlined permitting, and single-stair or other building-code reforms. They argued that housing shortages are a statewide concern, that localities often have incentives to block growth, and that state intervention can reduce costs and uncertainty without compromising health and safety. Members asked about the housing shortage estimate, the effect of red tape on safety and local authority, and how state reforms could be phased in; the presenters said reforms often include lead time, can be targeted to larger jurisdictions, and should focus on reducing time and cost while maintaining basic standards.

Keywords: Voter List Maintenance - State Board of Elections -- 05:38 State Employee Health Insurance Plan – 44:18 Discussion of HB 622 (2025 RS) – 01:01:43, 958, all

Summary: The Interim Committee on State Government met on July 29, established a quorum, approved the June 24 minutes unanimously, and heard an update from the State Board of Elections on voter list maintenance. Taylor Brown, the board’s general counsel, explained the federal NVRA requirements and Kentucky’s statutory process for maintaining voter rolls, including use of USPS change-of-address data, ERIC reports, and agreements with non-ERIC states. He said Kentucky has entered or discussed agreements with several states, and that the board sends postcards to voters believed to have moved; if a voter does not respond to an 8D2 postcard and does not vote over two federal election cycles, the registration may be removed. He also described other removal categories such as death, felony conviction, incompetency, duplicate registrations, and self-requested cancellations. Brown reported that between July 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025, the board removed 284,381 registrations from the rolls, including 42,675 for death, 5,940 for felony conviction, 5,527 for registration in another state, 578 for incompetency, 223 based on jury questionnaires indicating non-citizenship, 746 self-removals, and 3,381 duplicates, along with 225,311 removals through the address-maintenance program. He said Kentucky’s total registrations decreased by roughly 169,000 over the year and are now below the Census Bureau’s estimate of the state’s voting-age population. Brown emphasized that receiving a postcard does not mean a voter has been purged and that failure to vote alone does not trigger removal. Members asked about the 223 non-citizen-related removals, the availability and effectiveness of alternatives to ERIC, the partisan criticism of ERIC, and how duplicate registrations are identified. Brown said the non-citizen jury questionnaire cases had been referred to the Attorney General for further review, that Kentucky currently has no organized alternative to ERIC but is pursuing reciprocal agreements with states such as Florida, and that ERIC recently changed bylaws to remove a postcard requirement that had been costly for member states. On duplicates, he said the board uses multiple data points, not just name and address, and noted that fuller Social Security data could improve accuracy. Committee leaders praised the board’s work and said they wanted to meet before session to discuss possible statutory changes to improve voter list maintenance.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:07 Roll Call 00:00:14 Discussion of Pro-Growth Housing Policies 00:02:01 Discussion of Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit 01:11:13 Adjournment 01:40:27, 958, all

Summary: The Kentucky Housing Task Force met and heard first from the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, which presented findings from a housing study done with the Home Builders Association. The chamber said housing is now a major economic-development issue, citing survey results that 90% of community leaders said their region could not absorb a major job announcement and 66% said housing is holding back Kentucky’s economy. The chamber described Kentucky’s housing shortage, rising home prices, declining permits since 2008, and the need for more production to support growth. It urged policy changes including zoning and land-use reform, tax incentives, regional approaches, and especially a residential infrastructure fund modeled on Indiana’s low-interest loan program to help communities finance roads and other infrastructure needed for new housing. Members asked about the severity of the problem, workforce shortages in permitting and construction, the loan interest rate, repayment, and whether Kentucky could replicate Indiana’s results; the witness said the issue is a crisis and that the program would be a revolving public-private partnership, likely around 3% interest, with implementation details still to be worked out. The Kentucky Bankers Association then testified that the housing gap is especially acute for households at 80% of area median income and below, which it said represents about 70% of Kentucky’s housing need. It emphasized that the shortage affects both urban and rural counties and pointed to examples such as Rowan County, where workers at major employers must commute long distances because local housing is unavailable or unaffordable. The bankers said high interest rates remain a major barrier and proposed a $20 million bank commitment for a revolving fund tied to tax credits to finance new housing, not refinances. They cited Hope of the Midwest as an example of a successful tax-credit housing model with a long track record and no defaults, and said the proposal would leverage public-private partnerships to create new units. Committee members questioned how the proposed fund would compare with industrial revenue bonds and whether it could be structured like Kentucky’s tobacco settlement fund, with seed money, a review board, scoring criteria, and possible population thresholds to ensure smaller communities benefit. The bankers said the proposal would be another tool for cities and counties, specifically tied to residential infrastructure, and that larger cities should not be able to capture all of the resources. No formal votes or actions were taken during this portion of the meeting.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:00:26 Approval of Minutes 00:02:27 LIHEAP Presentation and Public Hearing 00:02:42 Conservation Opportunities in Kentucky 00:29:52, 958, all

Summary: The committee first took up a public hearing and presentation on the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). Shannon Hall of the Department for Community Based Services and Rick Baker of Community Action Kentucky explained that LIHEAP is a 100% federally funded block grant that helps low-income households pay heating and cooling bills, avoid utility disconnects, and support weatherization. They outlined the program’s components, eligibility limits, seasonal application periods, and recent participation figures, including tens of thousands of households served through the summer cooling, fall subsidy, winter crisis, and spring subsidy components. They also described weatherization priorities, the partnership with Kentucky Housing Corporation, and the role of Community Action agencies in administering the program statewide. Members asked about Assurance 16, the balance between need and available funding, summer cooling assistance, weatherization measurement, renter versus homeowner participation, and whether federal changes could affect LIHEAP. Hall and Baker said Assurance 16 supports energy-burden reduction through education, case management, and conservation strategies; that funding has generally been sufficient in recent years but crisis funds have sometimes been exhausted quickly in the past; and that summer assistance is primarily electric utility support. They also said weatherization uses return-on-investment testing and that Kentucky still has a large backlog of homes needing service. On federal funding, they said the recently passed federal bill did not directly cut LIHEAP, but future appropriations could still affect it, and any major reduction could leave a gap the state might need to consider filling. The committee approved the minutes and later approved the LIHEAP finding of fact; no members of the public signed up to testify. After concluding LIHEAP, the committee heard a presentation from Heather Jeff of The Nature Conservancy on conservation opportunities in Kentucky. She described the organization’s voluntary land-protection work and highlighted the Cumberland Forest project, a conservation easement on about 55,000 acres in Bell, Knox, and Leslie counties supported in part by a $3.875 million state appropriation. She also reported on mine-land reforestation, elk habitat work, and the rapid allocation of a $2 million appropriation for the Kentucky Heritage Land Conservation Fund. Jeff emphasized the economic value of conservation for tourism, hunting and fishing, agriculture, forestry, bourbon, and flood protection, and said the group is finalizing a Kentucky conservation needs assessment and related feasibility research.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee discussed House Bill 353, a proposal to tighten eminent-domain procedures and property protections while still allowing public projects. Supporters said the bill would not prohibit condemnation, but would require proof that property is in blight, give owners notice and an opportunity to cure, require a reasonable plan and funding for the public use, and ensure the taking is limited to what is necessary. They argued this would protect good-faith property owners, prevent abandoned projects, and make the process more efficient for utilities and infrastructure by encouraging easements where possible instead of full takings. Much of the discussion focused on the proper measure of compensation and the broader constitutional limits on eminent domain. Several members argued that compensation should reflect current market value and that public benefit should not be treated as the standard for value. Others said market value can be unfair in cases involving unique property uses, damage to land, or public-private projects, and suggested owners should share in some upside. Members also raised concerns about Kelo v. City of New London, the risk of abuse by governments or large corporations, and the need to protect farmers and rural landowners from one-sided treatment. A number of legislators supported the concept but asked for more detail on how the bill would work in practice, whether it is based on model legislation from other states, and how it could be tailored to Kentucky. The bill sponsor said it was a modified model policy and was open to amendments to make it more Kentucky-specific. No vote or final action was taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Disaster Prevention and Resiliency Task Force met with a quorum, adopted the minutes from the previous meeting, and heard a presentation from Western Kentucky University’s Disaster Science Operations Center. WKU described its multidisciplinary disaster science effort, including meteorology, emergency management, the Kentucky State Climate Center, the Kentucky Mesonet, and the Disaster Science Operations Center, which was created in 2021 and serves as an operational hub for forecasting, emergency planning, crisis management, training, and decision support. Speakers emphasized applied learning, student field work, partnerships with industry and event venues, and a five-year NSF/UK-led research project focused on weather hazards, disaster preparedness, and building a statewide disaster database to improve mitigation and resilience. Members asked about flooding, the relationship to EKU’s program, Tennessee’s capabilities, and the timeline and goals for the research project; WKU said the data collection is underway and that the evidence suggests tornado risk is shifting east and occurring more at night. A WKU graduate student also described the value of hands-on storm-chasing and operational forecasting experience, saying it helped prepare her for work in forecasting and emergency management. Members asked about her motivation for joining the program and about the practical realities of storm chasing. The discussion also touched on whether Kentucky’s tornado risk is shifting east; WKU said the evidence from tornado observations and other studies points in that direction, with added concern about nighttime events and communicating warnings to vulnerable communities. The task force then heard from Amy Shaquinn of the Mayfield Graves County Long-Term Recovery Group, who outlined the county-level recovery process after the 2021 tornadoes. She said Kentucky ranks among the top states for federally declared disasters, has seen a high number of tornadoes in recent years, and also faces major flood risk and earthquake concerns along the New Madrid fault. Shaquinn stressed the distinction between immediate response and long-term recovery, explaining that response covers rescue, cleanup, temporary housing, and short-term assistance, while recovery is the longer effort to restore survivors to safe, sanitary, and secure housing through local long-term recovery groups. She said community-led recovery is essential and that preparedness and mitigation follow once immediate recovery needs are addressed.