Transcript Highlights:

• And in regards to trade offices, three of the four trade offices, I don't know. Mr.
• office at its own discretion.
• I'm using Office 2016, as I don't know if the Senate has a better product, but I'm using Office 2016
• I spoke with the Treasurer's Office.
• But if the bill requires a judicial officer to sign a citation, then it's forcing a judicial officer

Bills: HB2056, HB2057, HB2224, HB2257, HB2265, HB2311, HB2352, HB2367, HB2369, HB2446, HB2532, HB2592, HB2752, HB2809, HB2957

Keywords: brackish water, groundwater, desalination, water resources, feasibility study, environmental impact, special plates, centennial, Arizona Department of Transportation, vehicle registration, commercial discounts, Arizona Centennial, produce incentive, agriculture, economic support, funding, Arizona, boating, watercraft licensing, law enforcement

Summary: The committee approved the March 10, 2026 minutes and then considered several bills. HB 2056, appropriating $100,000 for an Arizona Department of Water Resources feasibility study on brackish groundwater desalination, passed 6-3 despite concerns that it could encourage more groundwater pumping and worsen subsidence or impacts to tribal lands. HB 2057, which lowers the Arizona Centennial Special Plate renewal fee from $25 to $20, also received a do-pass recommendation, 7-2, with some members objecting to the special plate’s focus and the reduced fee. HB 2224, appropriating $1 million annually to DES for the produce incentive program, drew strong support from nonprofit and food-access advocates who said the Double Up Food Bucks program helps families, farmers, and local markets; it passed 9-0. HB 2257, changing the allocation of watercraft registration revenues among the Watercraft Licensing Fund, Lake Improvement Fund, and boating safety/law enforcement funds, passed 6-3 after criticism that the bill was heard without a sponsor present and concern about shifting money away from Game and Fish. HB 2265, barring courts from charging defendants for public defender or court-appointed counsel costs and related criminal-case fees, passed 7-1 amid debate over constitutionality, cost shifting to counties, and whether the bill should be amended to offset lost revenue. The committee then took up HB 2311, which imposes disclosure, content, parental-control, and self-harm response requirements on publicly available conversational AI services for minors. The sponsor and supporters framed it as child protection, while opponents warned about privacy, surveillance, and overbroad definitions; an Epstein amendment expanding the bill to broader conversational technology was rejected, and the bill passed 7-2. HB 2752, moving authority over international trade offices from the Arizona Commerce Authority to legislative appropriations and reporting, passed 6-3 after a proposed data-and-research amendment was also rejected. Finally, HB 2957, requiring ADOT to continue offering non-REAL ID licenses and limiting biometric collection and data sharing, prompted extensive testimony for and against; supporters emphasized privacy and choice, while opponents warned it could conflict with federal CDL and REAL ID requirements. The transcript cuts off during the discussion of HB 2957, before a final vote is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• governor's office.
• So, two offices have, or, or actually have Washington DC offices as well. OK.
• very small office staff.
• For people in that office.
• I've gone to the sales office.

Transcript Highlights:

• in-state officers.
• It's... ...to bring in security and officers.
• The Mayor's office is pleased to serve as a sponsor for AB 2411.
• If our officers are going to be working alongside officers from other states, we want to make sure that
• So, we have outstanding law enforcement officers.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Emergency Management Committee heard two presentation bills and then took up a consent calendar. AB 1934, by Assembly Member Bennett, would direct the State Fire Marshal’s Wildfire Mitigation Advisory Committee to create a voluntary home hardening certification program. Supporters included county, city, fire, conservation, and local government groups, and there was no opposition. Members discussed how long a certification should last, recertification, inspection timing, and how the program could support future incentives and wildfire resilience funding. The bill was moved to Senate Natural Resources and Water on a 9-0 vote, with the item held on call until all members were recorded. AB 2411, by Assembly Member McKinner, would create a process to train out-of-state law enforcement officers to provide temporary supplemental public safety for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The bill was sponsored by the Los Angeles Mayor’s office and supported by the Los Angeles Police Protective League and other groups, while PORAC and the Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs opposed the bill as introduced but said they were working with the author on amendments. Committee discussion focused on staffing shortages, the need for POST standards and accountability, the role of out-of-state officers as only augmenting California personnel, and concerns about cost and federal involvement. The committee adopted intent language that California peace officers should be the primary and preferred source of personnel, and the bill was sent to Senate Public Safety on a 9-0 vote, also held on call until all members were recorded. The committee also considered a consent calendar containing AB 1873, AB 2341, AB 2471, and AJR 27. After several recesses and roll calls to establish a quorum and record absent members, the consent items were approved 9-0. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• And it's usually from right after election day until the first day in office.
• and needs some time to get started in putting together their office operations.
• that our constitutional officers that our constitutional officers um<00:01:13.000> have<00
• They need some help with day in office.
• <00:02:32.000> Provides office operations. Provides office operations.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, he he is the hands-on on the office.
• :03:59.360> what<00:03:59.840> are country, AG offices house what are country, AG offices
• hypothetically, they call our office. hypothetically, they call our office.
• What I would do is I would contact the county attorney's office or the U.S. attorney's office or the
• criminal prosecutors at the AG's office criminal prosecutors at the AG's office who<00:45:26.720

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I am the state's chief technology officer.
• We’re hosting a number of office hours regularly.
• Tuggle, program manager of the Office of Equity.
• of Equity or the Washington State Broadband Office.
• of Equity or the Washington State Broadband Office.

Summary: The committee held a work session focused on technology in government, AI, broadband, and digital equity. Seattle CTO Rob Lloyd described the city’s AI strategy, emphasizing responsible use, privacy, security, community input, and data strategy. He said Seattle is using small pilots and partnerships to test AI for tasks such as public records processing, infrastructure inspection, and permitting, while keeping humans as the final decision-makers. Members asked about bias, liability, training on best practices, labor involvement, and public records; Lloyd said AI should remain an assistant tool, not a replacement for human judgment, and that Seattle is still testing solutions for records requests and permitting. WATech CTO Nick Stow and Deputy Director Mark Quimby discussed the state’s broader AI policy, the generative AI executive order, a sandbox with more than 15 agencies, and use cases including a resident portal, cybersecurity, and wildfire detection. They stressed consent, closed systems, human-centered design, and the need to govern all forms of AI, not just generative AI. Committee members raised concerns about federal data access, labor issues, and wildfire detection effectiveness. Spokane County IT staff described a more restrictive approach to AI, citing privacy, bias, and cyber risks. The county standardized on Microsoft Copilot as its only approved chat-style AI tool, blocked other AI chat platforms, and requires human review of all AI-generated content. They said AI is also being used by criminals for phishing and deepfakes, underscoring the need for strong policy and security controls. The committee also received an update from the Attorney General’s AI Task Force. Yuki Ishizuka said the task force has 19 members and eight subcommittees covering ethics, consumer protection, labor, health care, public safety, education, government efficiency, cybersecurity, and industry/energy. The task force is working toward an interim report due December 1, 2025 and a final report due July 1, 2026, and is reviewing recommendations through public forums and advisory committees. Ishizuka warned that a federal budget reconciliation provision could bar states from enforcing AI regulations for 10 years, and several members voiced support for state authority and asked about possible 2026 legislation. The committee then heard updates on broadband and digital equity. Commerce’s Dave Pringle said the BEAD broadband program is being reshaped by new NTIA guidance, which removed or reduced emphasis on several prior priorities, and Washington is now working under an expedited process to submit its state application by September 4. He noted that no projects have been built yet, that four counties did not receive applications in round two, and that the state is trying to keep applicants engaged through office hours and a shortened review window. The Office of Equity and the Digital Equity Forum reported increased participation, new members, and ongoing outreach to tribal, rural, and underserved communities, while previewing recommendations such as creating an interdepartmental digital equity team and improving data use. Finally, Lumen’s Robert Thoms described private-sector broadband deployment challenges, including permitting, regulation, and the economics of extending fiber, while noting continued investment in overbuild projects, a $30 low-cost service option tied to the former ACP, and work with the state, tribes, and libraries. No votes were taken; the meeting consisted of presentations and member questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• Other states have this independent office.
• states have this this independent office states have this this independent office will<00:08:44.160
• <00:10:31.839> the the inspector General's office the the inspector General's office the ability
• So it's an office, assuming it's similar to what it was.
• So it's an office, assuming it's similar to what it was.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The meeting focused on a package of anti-fraud bills and oversight reforms. House File 3 would direct the Office of Legislative Auditor to compile existing audit and recommendation data into a matrix or numeric score showing how well agencies have implemented past recommendations over a five-year look-back period, with the goal of giving legislators a clearer, more usable accountability tool. Supporters said it would not create new data, only aggregate what already exists, and estimated the bill’s cost at about $240,000. They argued it would help lawmakers identify agencies that repeatedly fail to address waste, fraud, and abuse. House File 2 would require state employees and agencies to immediately report suspected fraud to law enforcement and to legislative committee leaders, require unannounced in-person site visits for grant recipients, and add criminal penalties for failing to carry out those duties. House File 1 would create an independent state Office of Inspector General to investigate fraud in state government, with subpoena power, authority to stop payments, and the ability to share information with other agencies. Speakers said the new office should be independent and nonpartisan, separate from existing agency inspector general functions, and more focused on investigations than the Legislative Auditor. Members also discussed the new fraud and oversight committee, which will meet on Mondays and plans to invite DHS Commissioner Jodi Harpstead to testify. The committee said it will work alongside standing committees, create a whistleblower reporting website, and investigate issues as they arise. In response to questions, Robbins said HF 3 already had a fiscal note and HF 2’s fiscal note was still pending. She also said the committee is considering AI tools to flag irregularities in state programs, and that such tools might have detected problems like those seen in Feeding Our Future.

Transcript Highlights:

• Attorney's office for the Carver County Sheriff's office, which is terrific.
• Office of the Secretary of State. Office of the Secretary of State.
• . office. office.
• election offices across Minnesota. election offices across Minnesota.
• elections offices across the state. elections offices across the state.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We've been working on this SPO's office.
• . office. office.
• So, the placement of this office in the governor’s office, you say, may have constitutional challenges
• And then for DoD, you have the JOC under So the placement of this office in the governor’s office, you
• the attorney general's office comments. the attorney general's office comments.

Bills: SB2064, SB2312, SB2811, SB2662, SB2744, SB2809, SB2862, SB2343, SB2336, SB2075, SB2308, SB2601, SB2397, SB2219, SB2849, SB2449, SB2781

Keywords: state architect, construction projects, design approvals, building codes, state agency oversight, government contracts, transparency, record retention, public oversight, Hawaii Revised Statutes, building permits, task force, state-owned lands, construction, regulatory process, government accountability, external consultants, procurement reform, cost efficiency, in-house expertise

Summary: The committee met for decision-making on measures heard earlier in the week and took up a series of government operations, procurement, public records, public meetings, and related bills. Several measures were deferred one week to February 12, 2026, including bills on state construction projects, government accountability, gubernatorial appointments, the legislature, public procurement, and a bill on Hawaiian lei sales, largely so the committee could compare similar measures, address concerns, or integrate related reports. The committee also deferred SB 2449 on public meetings for the year, citing concerns that the proposed business-day definition was overly prescriptive and unnecessary. The committee passed several bills with amendments. These included measures clarifying UIPA applicability to records created or maintained by agencies, with amendments changing “government function” to “agency function” and committee report language noting Attorney General concerns and exempting ERS for now; SB 2811 on state building projects with technical amendments and a delayed effective date; SB 2809 on budget-related reports; SB 2336 on trees, with a Senate draft and removal of “political subdivision”; SB 2308 on small purchase vendor compliance, setting the threshold at $5,000 and adding a delayed effective date; SB 2601 on procurement, reorganizing misdemeanor language and leaving funding/FTE issues to Ways and Means; SB 2219 on a capital visitor center working group; and SB 2849 on public meetings, with technical amendments and a delayed effective date. Bills on neighborhood board concerns and public notice were also adopted, with SB 2929 drawing testimony both for and against. Testimony was generally supportive on procurement and small business measures, especially SB 2928 establishing permanent small business procurement coordinator positions, which drew strong support from the State Procurement Office, DBEDT, the Chamber of Commerce, DOT, the Ethics Commission, and others. On public notice, the County of Maui supported allowing website posting, while another witness raised concerns about accessibility, centralized notice locations, and impacts on kūpuna and people with disabilities. On search and rescue, the committee heard support for creating a statewide coordination structure, along with discussion of where such an office should reside; the Attorney General raised constitutional and placement concerns, while witnesses suggested law enforcement, DLNR, or DoD as possible homes. The committee also heard support for a bill protecting home addresses of covered public servants and candidates, though the Public First Law Center urged broader coverage and a better fit with existing law.

Transcript Highlights:

• It funds our constitutional officers.
• Resources to an office that, by its own leader, by its own constitutionally elected officer, the statements
• We need to be able to hold that office to the same standard that every other law office, every other
• be funding that office at.
• The question is, why is it that the Attorney General's Office, an official state office, is accepting

Transcript Highlights:

• So these law enforcement officers were on the lake when this unfortunately situation occurred.
• So these law enforcement officers were on the lake when this unfortunately situation occurred.
• So these law enforcement officers were on the lake when this unfortunately situation occurred.
• So these law enforcement officers were on the lake when this unfortunately situation occurred.
• These law enforcement officers were on the lake when this unfortunately situation occurred.

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00 Roll Call: 00:04 HB 168 Discussion: 01:20 HB 168 Voting: 05:12, 958, all

Summary: The committee took up House Bill 168, with Representative Fleming presenting a committee substitute after additional stakeholder discussions. Fleming explained that the substitute returns the boating-related penalties to the original monetary fine structure rather than mirroring DUI penalties, while keeping the requirement that officers seek a warrant for blood testing in fatal or serious-injury cases. He also described a communications change intended to speed emergency response on the water: 911 dispatchers would notify state police, who would then contact Fish and Wildlife, addressing delays in prior incidents. Representative Fugate asked for clarification about which agency would respond to boating accidents and fatalities. Fleming confirmed that Fish and Wildlife would remain the primary responding agency and that the substitute would not require state police or local departments to investigate boating incidents on the lake. After questions concluded, the committee called the roll and adopted the committee substitute. The committee then voted on the bill as substituted, and House Bill 168 passed out of committee favorably. Members and the chair praised the sponsor for continuing to work with stakeholders and improving the bill through the committee process.

Transcript Highlights:

• One where a security officer was shot and killed, and in a couple of cases where security officers, in
• And if you can, if there's another security officer, maybe allowing that security officer to come in
• and those officers' families.
• They involve more officers.
• “So I understand that in some cases officers had been police officers and they retired, and then they

Keywords: 974, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• are damn good officers.
• You and I have had that conversation. 99% of our officers are damn good officers, but it's that 1% of
• I have both agreed that 1% will be in the force called turd officers are just bad, bad officers.
• And would you agree with that 99% of our officers are fantastic officers, and just that 1% is what we're
• I have both agreed that 1% will be in the force called turd officers are just bad, bad officers.

Summary: The Senate opened with a quorum call, invocation, and approval of the previous day’s journal, then observed a moment of silence after Senator Eckhardt referenced a mass shooting in Austin. The chamber also agreed to postpone reading and referral of bills until later in the day. Early procedural business included a motion not to print Senate Bill 3, which was adopted without objection. Later, Senator Mendez raised a parliamentary inquiry about moving flood relief bills to the top of the calendar, but the presiding officer said the order of business was up to the chair. The main floor action centered on Senate Bill 4, the congressional redistricting bill. Senator King laid out the bill, describing it as the companion to the House version, based on 2020 census data, and arguing it was legal, race-blind, more compact, and likely to elect more Republicans. Senators asked extensive questions about the process, public hearings, and the map’s effects on districts and communities. The Senate voted to suspend the regular order of business and the three-day rule, then passed SB 4 to engrossment and finally passed it, with the recorded votes showing 19 yeas and 2 nays. The Senate also took up Senate Bill 6, relating to abortion and civil liability for the manufacture and provision of abortion-inducing drugs. Senator Hughes argued the bill was needed to stop illegal abortion pills being mailed into Texas and harming women and unborn children. The Senate suspended the regular order of business and the three-day rule, passed the bill to engrossment, and then finally passed it, with the recorded votes showing 18 yeas, 10 nays, and one present not voting. A lengthy discussion followed on the committee substitute for Senate Bill 14, which would standardize law enforcement personnel and departmental files statewide. Senator King said the bill codifies a TCOLE model policy and limits public access to personnel files to substantiated misconduct, commendations, and evaluations, while keeping other records available through other legal processes. Senators Eckhardt, West, Hinojosa, and others questioned how the bill would affect transparency, meet-and-confer agreements, civilian review boards, and access to unsubstantiated complaints. An amendment by Senator Hinojosa of Dallas to narrow the bill to unfounded complaints failed, and SB 14 was then passed to engrossment on a vote of 18 yeas and 10 nays. The final major item was Senate Bill 1, the natural disaster omnibus bill responding to the July flooding. Senator Perry said the bill addresses camp and RV park safety, evacuation plans, emergency rooftop access, lines of succession for local emergency management, annual drills, volunteer management, drone restrictions over disaster areas, small-business recovery loans, and a statewide data hub for flood and weather monitoring. Senators Menendez, Eckhardt, and Kolkhorst asked about autopsies, volunteer background checks, liability, warning systems, floodplain mitigation, and coordination with FEMA and local governments. Perry said the bill focuses on preparation, response, and recovery, while broader prevention and mitigation issues may be addressed later. The transcript ends during this extended discussion, before final action on SB 1 is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• And you talk a little bit about where you see this office.
• The Office of the Rural Ombudsman.
• As you’ve heard, this committee is behind you and behind this office.
• While you're setting up your office, you're more than welcome to use my office in Española.
• that office if you need to.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• >> Well, Senator, I don't... our office doesn't have control over those other offices and their salary
• >> Well, Senator, I don't... our office doesn't have control over those other offices and their salary
• office is? How many people they have? office is? How many people they have?
• another law enforcement officer there is another law enforcement officer that<00:20:05.760> is
• covering by a law enforcement officer. covering by a law enforcement officer.

Bills: SB2841, SB2533

Keywords: SB2841, human trafficking, trafficking awareness, transient accommodations, hotel industry, lodging, hospitality, hotel workers, housekeeping, front desk staff, contract workers, third-party contractors, employee training, signage, reporting requirements, National Human Trafficking Hotline, labor trafficking, sex trafficking, commercial sexual exploitation of children, anti-trafficking

Summary: The joint Judiciary, Labor, and Technology Committee heard two bills in the morning session and later took up two Judiciary decision-making items. SB 2841 would require human trafficking awareness training for transient accommodation workers. Testimony was generally supportive from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, the Department of Law Enforcement, and the Hawaii Hotel Alliance/American Hotel and Lodging Association, which also proposed amendments to preserve existing industry training programs and broaden coverage. Members clarified that the administration wanted DLE to be the lead agency instead of DLIR, while the Attorney General would still handle approval of training programs. The committee recommended passage with amendments, including coverage for third-party contractors and implementation dates, and the measure was adopted with no recorded opposition. SB 2533 would adjust the salaries of the Campaign Spending Commission’s executive director and associate director to better align with comparable enforcement/compliance positions. The commission supported the bill, saying its salaries lag behind similar offices by about $30,000 and that recruitment and workload have become more difficult, while one testifier opposed the proposal. Members questioned why the bill used the Department of Health as the salary comparator and whether Ethics would be a better benchmark; the committee agreed to revise the bill to peg the salaries to the Ethics Commission instead, blank out the dollar amounts for further review, and note the requested appropriation in the report. The committee recommended passage with amendments, and the measure was adopted. In the Judiciary decision-making agenda, SB 2203, concerning the use of masks or personal disguises by law enforcement officers, was amended to allow exceptions for officers who are unmasked nearby or who are supporting undercover operations, to change the term to “facial covering,” and to add definitions covering federal, state, and county law enforcement. The committee also set a far-future effective date and passed the bill with amendments. SB 2442, relating to judiciary purchase-of-service contracts with community-based organizations, was also passed with amendments; the committee added a far-future effective date, clarified the consumer price index reference, and noted a recommended appropriation amount of $4.26 million in the committee report. All measures were adopted without recorded no votes or reservations.

Transcript Highlights:

• are peace officers that either have a permanent peace officer license, so they've already gone through
• that you want allowed to be commissioned are peace officers that either have a permanent peace officer
• The armed officer on site.
• How are the officers on site going to see that?
• My own school has no police officers on site.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Education K-16 met with a quorum and announced a full agenda, including combined public testimony for two bills related to student personal communication devices. The committee first took up Senate Bill 1262 by Senator Nichols, a school safety cleanup bill following House Bill 3. The bill would allow TEA to commission peace officers for school safety purposes, require annual renewal of good-cause exceptions to armed guard requirements, create a new report based on intruder detection audits and vulnerability assessments, and require behavioral threat assessment teams to include someone with specific knowledge of a special education student’s disability. Committee members asked about the difference between TCOLE licensing and TEA commissioning, the scope of the officers’ authority, and how the good-cause exception would work. The committee substitute was adopted, and public testimony included support from school safety and drone-response advocates, Disability Rights Texas in favor of the special education provisions, and a student witness raising concerns about the mental health impact of repeated lockdowns and the need for immediate, reliable school safety responses. The bill was left pending after testimony, then the committee briefly recessed and later reopened testimony to hear the student witness. The committee then laid out Senate Bill 2252 by Senator Creighton, a major early literacy and numeracy bill for kindergarten through third grade. Creighton said the bill builds on prior literacy efforts by funding teacher stipends for literacy and math academies, providing free and clearly administered screeners and assessments, expanding screening options, clarifying how results are used, supporting high-quality pre-K, and increasing the early education allotment. He emphasized low reading performance and the need for early intervention. Members discussed how the bill differs from earlier academy models and whether the assessments are diagnostic or high-stakes; Creighton and witnesses said the tools are intended to identify students needing support, not to serve as punitive testing. The committee adopted the substitute. Witnesses for SB 2252 largely supported the bill. A Uplift Education representative described strong gains from small-group literacy tutoring and said students receiving targeted support can make more than a year of growth in a year. An education specialist explained that the bill aligns general education screening with existing dyslexia and special education practices and helps districts identify students who need intervention before a disability evaluation is required. A Commit Partnership witness cited statewide reading data, the importance of high-quality pre-K, and the need for transparent, consistent progress monitoring and parent engagement. Members asked about the meaning of the growth data, how dyslexia screening works, and how the bill would help identify struggling students earlier. Before finishing all questions, the committee recessed subject to the call of the chair after the floor session.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm a prosecutor at the Maricopa County Attorney's Office.
• I retired in 2015 and I'm currently working as a part-time police officer.
• The best-case scenario is the officer gets in trouble and maybe my case gets dropped.
• <00:38:38.440> so working as a part-time police officer so working as a part-time police officer
• the best case scenario is the officer the best case scenario is the officer gets<00:38:59.640>

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:13:17.760> are and support staff in our office are and support staff in our office are
• ,<00:14:35.839> and Commonwealth Attorney's Office, and Commonwealth Attorney's Office, and
• c> from into the Attorney General's Office from into the Attorney General's Office from the<00:15
• attorney offices. attorney offices.
• next mission, the Commonwealth's Office next mission, the Commonwealth's Office of<00:19:04.160>

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:00:15 Office of the Secretary of State 00:01:59 Office of the Attorney General 00:12:40 Department of Agriculture 00:22:44, 958, all

Summary: The Budget Review Subcommittee on General Government, Finance, Personnel, and Public Retirement heard presentations from the Secretary of State, the Attorney General’s Office, and the Department of Agriculture. Secretary of State Michael Adams said his office had no major new budget or authority requests, but he updated members on voter-roll maintenance, ongoing litigation over a law preventing voting in multiple states, the Safe at Home program for domestic violence survivors, human trafficking outreach, reduced spending, and new anti-fraud measures for business registrations and electronic service of process. Members then discussed Adams’ remarks, especially his criticism of Kentuckians for the Commonwealth. One senator objected that the organization should not be shut out of the legislative process, citing First Amendment concerns. Adams responded that he was not seeking to ban anyone from speaking, but wanted lawmakers to remember the harm he believes the group’s litigation does to election integrity and bipartisan reform. Representative Jackson praised Adams and his staff for their work. Deputy Attorney General Rob Duncan outlined the office’s work, including criminal prosecutions, civil litigation, body armor grants, administrative hearings, domestic violence and violent crime initiatives, election security, child support services, and the new Office of Data Privacy. He said the child support program transition from CHFS had created budget shortfalls and that the office would seek additional funding next session. In response to questions from Representative Lockett, Duncan said he did not yet have exact cost figures but expected funding needs and noted barriers related to personnel, budgeting, and integration. The committee also heard from Agriculture Commissioner Jonathan Shell, who highlighted the Kentucky Office of Agricultural Policy’s 25th anniversary, the new Office of Economic Development, and the role of Miss Kentucky in promoting agriculture. He said the department would seek recruitment and retention funding, possible staffing for EV station inspections, and continued support to make the agriculture economic development fund permanent.

Transcript Highlights:

• Health officers have testified against these bills.
• Uh the New Hampshire Health Office Uh the New Hampshire Health Office Association<00:34:41.280> is
• "Just told me, there's no actual requirement that the public health officer or the health officer has
• That's exactly officers will need to do.
• I think most health officers act in a prudent way.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:21:10.360> are very nature um the way their offices are very nature um the way their offices
• <00:21:29.799> uh time handling six different offices uh time handling six different offices
• That's all out of a single DPA office in Madisonville.
• Good afternoon, I'm Sean Duta, from the Office of Legal Services for Finance and Technology. office of
• <00:39:20.560> of staff assistant at the office of staff assistant at the office of administrative

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The subcommittee met to discuss the guardian ad litem system, including appointment qualifications, training, payment, and whether any changes are needed. Roll was called, the February 25, 2025 minutes were approved, and the chair emphasized that the meeting was informational only and no vote would be taken. Representatives from the Court of Justice, including Chief Justice Deborah Henry Lambert and several family and district judges, testified about how the system has evolved since concerns raised in 2019 about overappointment and fees. Court witnesses said the judiciary responded to earlier concerns by requiring open appointment lists of trained and qualified attorneys, improving training, and increasing oversight of fee orders. They reported that statewide GAL fees have fallen from a little over $14 million in 2019 to about $12 million, even as caseloads have grown, and said the average payment works out to about $650 per case, with the statutory cap for trial-level GAL fees still set at $500 since 1986. They argued that the current local appointment model works well, especially in rural areas, and warned that moving to a DPA-style regional model would create serious scheduling and conflict problems because of overlapping dockets and related criminal cases. Judges from rural districts described shortages of available attorneys, high burnout, travel burdens, and the difficulty of finding enough counsel in smaller counties. They also said the Court of Justice cannot seek certain federal Title IV-E reimbursements, but urged the legislature to encourage the Finance and Administration Cabinet and the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to pursue that funding through an MOU. One judge noted that some appointed attorneys are effectively underpaid relative to private rates and that better compensation would help attract and retain lawyers. The discussion also covered training standards adopted after the 2019 audit. Witnesses said Rule 37 now requires initial training and four hours of multidisciplinary continuing training every two years, with topics including child development, trauma-informed care, substance use, child welfare, forensics, ethics, and communication with clients. They said the Court of Justice has offered in-person regional trainings and remote options, and that the goal is to keep qualified attorneys on the appointment lists while improving representation for children and parents in dependency, neglect, abuse, and termination-of-parental-rights cases.