Transcript Highlights:

• It was a medium facility And I got to see their facility.
• correction facilities.
• that's a prison facility.
• history of the facility.
• And so this facility, Mr.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have the Waiawa Correctional Facility, which is a minimum-security facility.
• We have the Waiawa Correctional Facility, which is a minimum-security facility.
• We have the Waiawa Correctional Facility, which is a minimum-security facility.
• We have the Waiawa Correctional Facility, which is a minimum-security facility.
• > um<00:20:42.080> it facility it's a 90 Bay facility um it facility it's a 90 Bay facility

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• funding of the local facilities fund. funding of the local facilities fund.
• foot facility. foot facility.
• that is a 30,000 square foot facility. that is a 30,000 square foot facility.
• queuing area in this facility as well. queuing area in this facility as well.
• > facility 37,000 foot facility 37,000 foot facility uh<00:58:43.359> with<00:58:43.680

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Interim Joint Budget Review Subcommittee on Justice and Judiciary met without a quorum and heard an update from the Administrative Office of the Courts on the judicial branch budget. AOC Director Zach Ramsey and budget director Carol Henderson outlined the branch’s current funding structure, noting that fiscal year 2026 general fund support is about 2.77% of the state general fund, below the National Center for State Courts’ typical 2% to 4% range. They emphasized Kentucky’s unusual responsibility for courthouse facilities, with the judicial branch directly involved in construction, maintenance, and operations across 229 facilities in all 120 counties. AOC said nearly 91% of its general fund is spent on personnel and other non-discretionary costs, and that the branch has long relied on agency revenue, restricted fund carryforwards, and vacancy credits to balance court operations. Members were told that Senate Bill 25 required a $34.5 million transfer into a reserve account, part of which was used to purchase the Chamberlain Avenue building in Frankfort. AOC reported that only $11.9 million remains in restricted funds, while it projects needing about $13.5 million to cover fiscal year 2026 obligations, not including roughly $9 million in flood-related remediation costs for Hardin and Franklin counties, much of which it expects to recover through insurance and FEMA. Looking ahead to the next biennium, AOC said it will seek full funding of court operations at $341 million annually, a $13.5 million increase to bring current services into the base appropriation rather than relying on reserves. It also previewed additional requests, including a 15% across-the-board pay parity plan for Kentucky Court of Justice personnel, replacement of declining master commissioner fee revenue tied to 141 deputy circuit court clerk positions, funding for technology subscription and case management system costs, JAV audiovisual system upgrades, AEDs and medical kits for courthouses, and other staffing and operational needs. Senator Funky Frommeyer asked whether the 15% salary proposal was included in the $13.5 million increase; AOC said it was not, and that it would be an additional request. No votes or formal actions were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• each facility in 2023. each facility in 2023.
• Out of facilities, private facilities.
• . facilities. facilities.
• . facility. facility.
• So, facility and the London facility.

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00:03 Roll Call: 00:00:09 Agency Updates: 00:01:44 Juvenile Justice Advisory Board Update: 00:03:36 Department of Juvenile Justice Update: 00:23:10, 958, all

Summary: The Juvenile Justice Oversight Council approved the minutes from its November 8, 2024 meeting and welcomed new member Representative Nick Wilson. The council also heard an update from the Administrative Office of the Courts on a school attendance awareness campaign aimed at reducing truancy referrals to court, and a member requested a future, more detailed presentation on truancy trends. The council then received an update from the Juvenile Justice Advisory Board from Dr. David Frink and Elsie Berger. They described the board’s membership, meeting schedule, public access, annual report and three-year plan, and its role in helping Kentucky remain compliant with federal juvenile justice requirements so the state can receive Title II funding. They said the board reviews grant applications for community-based services, substance use, and early intervention programs, with about $584,000 in federal funds this year and a little over $600,000 expected next year. Members asked about participation, board vacancies, and how to engage with the board, and the presenters emphasized the importance of statewide representation and community input. The Department of Juvenile Justice then provided a broader update through Commissioner Randy White and Deputy Secretary Mona Wamik. White said DJJ is under an ongoing U.S. Department of Justice investigation focused on conditions in detention facilities, including use of force, isolation, abuse, mental health care, and special education, and said the department has cooperated with repeated information requests and site visits. He also reviewed recent legislative and administrative changes, including 2023 Senate Bill 162, regional detention planning, facility segregation requirements, staffing and salary investments, improved staffing levels, reduced mental health vacancies, and training efforts related to security threat groups. He said DJJ has made progress but continues to work on staffing, safety, and facility improvements.

Transcript Highlights:

• facilities capabilities. facilities capabilities.
• facilities from top to bottom. facilities from top to bottom.
• not normal or non-VA facilities. not normal or non-VA facilities. >> facilities.
• >> facilities. >> facilities.
• be facilities facility, nor will we ever be facilities who<01:09:54.320> are<01:09:54.400>

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• What would happen case by case, facility by facility, depends on the specific circumstances of that facility
• What would happen case-by-case facility by facility depends on the specific circumstances of that facility
• Case by case, facility by facility, depends on the specific circumstances of that facility.
• jail facilities...
• He was taken to Otero Detention Facility. He was taken to Otero Detention Facility.

Bills: SB100

Keywords: burglary, aggravated burglary, dwelling, criminal law, property rights, 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:08:19.759> to page so then we went facility to page so then we went facility to facility
• <00:14:23.720> took<00:14:24.000> those Facility by facility and then took those Facility
• <00:14:40.519> and facility every facility is different and facility every facility is different
• facility that's a minimum Level facility facility that's a minimum Level facility um<00:16:04.279
• facility.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Why do we need this facility in Okay. Why do we need this facility in Kentucky?
• How does the facility solve the problem? How does the facility solve the problem?
• The way this facility is facility.
• Why two female facilities?
• Why two female facilities?

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Senate Judiciary Committee met with a quorum and took up Senate Bill 125, sponsored by Sen. Danny Carroll, which would create a structure for evaluating and placing juveniles with acute mental illness, including a continuum of care and a process for resolving placement disputes between the Justice Cabinet and Juvenile Justice Cabinet through a judge. The committee adopted a committee substitute before hearing the bill. Carroll described several changes in the substitute, including removing language that would have made juvenile information nonconfidential in certain lawsuits, requiring public escape information to be removed once a juvenile is returned to custody, clarifying escape charges for juveniles absent without leave, and revising language about when hospitals may discharge high-acuity youth until a new facility is built. Carroll and Justice Cabinet officials Mona Wamik and Dr. Clark Lester argued that Kentucky needs a secure high-acuity mental health facility for violent juveniles because detention centers are not equipped to provide psychiatric treatment, private hospitals often refuse these youth, and current staff cannot administer the level of care needed, including intramuscular medication. They also said the bill would support two new female detention centers to help return DJJ to a regional detention model. Carroll cited prior juvenile detention crises, ongoing lawsuits, and a Department of Justice investigation, saying the bill could affect whether Kentucky faces a consent decree. Wamik said the proposed high-acuity facility would serve youth clinically assessed as needing secure treatment and would be designed to balance security with clinical care. Senators asked about how the bill would apply to a violent 14-year-old, whether the facility would simply isolate dangerous youth, what clinical care DJJ can currently provide, and staffing and cost estimates. Carroll said the bill would not change criminal accountability but would apply only if a youth were found to be severely mentally ill and need treatment placement. Dr. Lester said DJJ currently can provide only oral psychiatric medication and cannot administer intramuscular injections or the physical holds needed for acute psychiatric treatment. Cabinet staff said staffing would need to be higher than in a standard detention setting and estimated annual operating costs for the high-acuity facility at about $12 million, compared with about $8 million for a regular juvenile detention facility. No vote on final passage was taken during the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• . facility. facility.
• . facility. facility.
• . facility. facility.
• The facility forensic facility means a The facility forensic facility means a locked,<01:14:00.680>
• . facility. facility.

Keywords: 926, house, all

Summary: The House first returned to Senate Bill 71, a consumer data privacy and online surveillance bill. Members debated a proposed amendment that would have removed language allowing companies to rely on consumer consent to sell certain sensitive data. Supporters argued consent pop-ups and terms-of-service notices are not meaningful consent and that sensitive data should be categorically protected, citing Maryland and other states. Opponents, including the committee presenter, said the bill was a carefully negotiated compromise needed to establish Vermont’s first data privacy framework and warned that adopting the amendment could jeopardize passage in the Senate or with the governor. The committee reported the amendment unfavorable on a 9-0 straw poll, the House rejected the amendment, and then approved the committee’s recommended proposal of amendment by roll call vote, 129-3. During questioning on S. 71, members discussed the bill’s applicability thresholds, with the presenter explaining that the 35,000-consumer threshold was modeled on Connecticut, while lower 3,000 thresholds for sensitive data and data sales were based on business testimony and intended to capture smaller entities such as accountants, lawyers, nonprofits, and trade associations that share or sell lists. Members also asked about the bill’s many exemptions, which were described as covering entities already regulated by state or federal law, including health care entities under HIPAA and banking and insurance sectors. The presenter and supporters emphasized that the bill still requires clear privacy notices, limits data collection to what is reasonable and disclosed, and gives consumers rights to opt out, correct, and delete data. After the roll call vote, the House ordered third reading, suspended rules to place S. 71 in all remaining stages, passed it in concurrence with proposal of amendment, and suspended rules to message the action to the Senate forthwith. The House then moved to Senate Bill 193, relating to establishing a forensic facility for certain criminal justice-involved persons. The committee presenter from South Burlington previewed that the bill would create a permanent forensic facility, with a separate amendment expected to address interim arrangements while the facility is being developed. The transcript ends as the House begins second reading of S. 193 and the committee reports are introduced, with further debate not shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• Facility Prison. Facility Prison.
• facility.
• or a minimum security facility.
• . facilities. facilities.
• Minimum-security facilities.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And we also provide for a limited amount of public facilities.
• There are a lot of buildings across these facilities and these campuses.
• How the facility is operated either as it exists or... ...going forward, how the facility is operated
• hit it well, talking about their 24/7 congregate care facilities.
• Now we're going to have to tour every single facility to make a decision.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Special Commission on Correctional Consolidation and Collaboration met on October 17 with members attending in person and virtually. The commission approved the September 15 minutes and then heard a detailed presentation from DCAM Commissioner Adam Bakey on the correctional facilities portfolio, including the age and condition of DOC and sheriff facilities, deferred maintenance, ADA compliance, decarbonization mandates, and how capital funding is allocated. Bakey said the correctional portfolio includes 36 facilities, with average ages over 50 years, and described how older, rapidly built facilities from the tough-on-crime era now face significant maintenance and replacement needs. He also explained the distinction between catch-up deferred maintenance and ongoing keep-up needs, and noted that construction costs and code thresholds have made projects more expensive. Commissioners and sheriffs asked about ADA requirements, aging and overcrowded facilities, hazardous materials, parts availability for obsolete systems, plumbing and health risks, and whether a newer, more modern correctional facility should be considered. Bakey said many projects trigger broader code upgrades, that some dormant facilities remain in the portfolio, and that health-care and correctional construction are among the most expensive building types. He outlined current funding, including annual deferred maintenance allocations for DOC and formula-based five-year commitments for sheriffs, plus a new competitive capital program for larger sheriff projects. He also explained the Designer Selection Board and “house doctor” process used to procure architects and engineers. The commission then shifted to planning its next steps, focusing on public input. Members agreed the next meeting should likely be a public hearing or include public testimony, with possible input from people with lived experience and consideration of facility tours, especially of women’s facilities such as Framingham. Members emphasized the need to define the commission’s scope clearly so testimony stays focused on structural and consolidation issues rather than all correctional policy topics. The meeting ended with plans for the co-chairs to coordinate the public process and a motion to adjourn, which passed without opposition.

Transcript Highlights:

• facility.
• facility.
• facility.
• facility.
• facility.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The committee first heard from the Minnesota Department of Administration on the governor’s capital budget requests. Commissioner Tamara Grundal described the state’s deferred maintenance backlog, saying Minnesota owns more than 4,800 buildings across 19 agencies, with an estimated replacement value of $11.2 billion and about $2.2 billion in deferred maintenance. She urged continued bonding support for asset preservation, CAPRA emergency repair funding, Capitol Complex security upgrades recommended by the ACAS advisory committee, and a budget-neutral account to help leverage federal funds for renewable energy storage and electric vehicle projects at state facilities. Members asked follow-up questions about prior security spending and CAPRA use. The commissioner said some 2018 security funds were used for items such as bollards, projectile-resistant glass, key card readers, and security kiosks, but specific details would be provided offline. On CAPRA, staff said recent projects included public safety upgrades, correctional facility repairs, water main and sewer work, roof repairs, lift station repairs, and boiler and steam trap replacements. The commissioner said the account has recently been used heavily, with about $1.9 million remaining, and estimated a typical target range of roughly $3 million to $5 million based on past spending and expected emergencies. A staffer said they did not know whether bonds had been issued ahead of time to fund the reserve and would follow up. The committee then heard from the Department of Public Safety on BCA capital projects. Commissioner Bob Jacobson and Superintendent Drew Evans said the governor’s proposal includes a new Southern BCA regional office and laboratory in Mankato, expansion of BCA regional office and lab space, and a new Minnesota State Patrol headquarters using trunk highway cash. Evans said the Mankato project is needed because of growth in DNA analysis, digital evidence, controlled substances, cyber tips, and sexual assault kit testing, and because the current St. Paul facility is over capacity. He said the new regional facility would improve turnaround times, reduce travel for scientists and law enforcement, support training, and improve evidence intake and crime scene response in southern Minnesota. Senator Pappas questioned the increase in the Mankato project cost from about $48 million to $68.6 million. Evans said the increase was driven by rising construction costs and additional specialized laboratory and support-space needs identified during design work with the Department of Administration. No votes or formal actions were taken during the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• through those facilities.
• facility.
• COPEG facility in Panama.
• the facility.
• So who owns the facility?

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The facilities, they inspect the facilities so their facilities are not causing any harm or injuries
• facility to a sterile new world screwworm fly production, uh, facility.
• facility.
• opened that facility up.
• Um, You're talking about a BO 2 facility. What do you compare a bio 2, facility to?

Transcript Highlights:

• So we have a plan for moving that facility from being an active facility to being in what's called cold
• everyone depart the facility.
• In terms of reactivating a facility, I think it really depends on the facility that you're talking about
• What’s the newest facility?
• What’s the newest facility? What’s the newest facility that’s in cold closure?

Summary: The Senate Rules Committee met with quorum and first considered several governor’s appointments not required to appear. The committee voted to advance Olivia May Assuncion to the Commission on Disability Access, William Adams to the California Exposition and State Fair Board of Directors, and two California Law Revision Commission appointments: Anacubas and David Hubner, with the latter two receiving split votes but still moving forward. The committee also approved the reference of bills to committees and later, by unanimous add-on votes, approved floor acknowledgments and the remaining appointments on the agenda. The main hearing was on Brian Bishop’s appointment as Director of the Division of Adult Parole Operations at CDCR. Bishop described his law enforcement and Marine Corps background and said his focus would be balancing public safety, accountability, rehabilitation, and staff well-being. Senators asked about risk assessment for higher-risk parolees, GPS monitoring, coordination with local law enforcement, victim protections, out-of-county placement, supervision of unhoused parolees, and oversight of private reentry/housing contractors. Bishop said DAPO uses data-driven supervision, risk tools, compliance sweeps with local agencies, exclusion zones for victims, and contract monitoring through invoices, site visits, and utilization reviews. Public testimony supported Bishop’s confirmation, including from reentry providers and advocacy groups. The committee then voted 5-0 to advance his appointment to the full Senate for confirmation. The committee also heard from Sarah Larson, appointed Director of the Division of Facilities Management and Construction at CDCR. Larson discussed aligning the prison footprint with a declining population, addressing aging infrastructure and heat issues through cooling pilots, and using projects like the San Quentin Rehabilitation Center as a model for safer, more healing facilities. Senators asked about prison closures, cold shutdown status, disaster planning, water and utility issues, and how to manage closed or deactivated facilities. Larson said closed facilities are maintained minimally, reactivation would be costly, and the department is exploring more holistic infrastructure planning. Public witnesses from criminal justice and reentry organizations strongly supported her, and the committee voted 5-0 to advance her appointment to the full Senate.

Transcript Highlights:

• . facilities. facilities.
• each of the two facilities. each of the two facilities.
• That facility was not at all designed to be that type of facility.
• It's a huge facility. I to operate. It's a huge facility.
• facility of the correctional facility facility of the correctional facility and<01:37:38.400>

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00:00 Roll Call: 00:00:05 25 RS HB 534 - AN ACT relating to actions for forcible entry and detainer: 00:01:45 25 RS SB 111 - AN ACT relating to juvenile justice: 00:23:46 Children's Advocacy Centers of Kentucky: 01:13:26 Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) Treatment in State and County Correctional Facilities: 01:25:28, 958, all

Summary: The committee approved the September 18 minutes and then heard testimony on House Bill 534, which would automatically seal dismissed eviction filings and protect youth from public disclosure in forcible detainer cases. Rep. Susan Tyler Whitten and George Ecklan of the Coalition for the Homeless said the bill is aimed at reducing housing barriers for Kentuckians, especially those with dismissed cases, while preserving landlords’ rights to pursue rent, collections, damages, and other legal remedies. They said the proposal was developed with input from landlords, clerks, judges, AOC, and service providers, and noted that similar laws exist in other states. Several members, including Sen. Neimes, Rep. Deetsz, Rep. Cole Carney, and Sen. Thomas, expressed support while emphasizing that the bill is narrowly tailored to dismissed cases and should not affect legitimate landlord claims; Sen. Wheeler raised concerns about cases involving settlements or delays and whether future landlords should know about them. The sponsors responded that the bill only covers dismissed actions, that dismissals require a judge’s order, and that the goal is to remove barriers created by records that remain publicly visible even when a case is resolved. The committee then took up Senate Bill 111 on juvenile justice. Commissioner Randy White, Kentucky Hospital Association President Nancy Galvanny, and Dr. Clark Lester of the University of Kentucky said the bill would require a secure state-run facility for youth with high-acuity mental health needs in detention and, until that is built, create a process with incentives for private hospitals to provide inpatient treatment with safeguards and increased compensation. They argued that detention is not an appropriate setting for severely mentally ill, violent youth and that private psychiatric hospitals often refuse these referrals or discharge them early. Dr. Lester cited recent referral data showing high denial rates for juvenile justice youth in private hospitals in August and September, often due to aggression, and described a case in which repeated placement attempts failed because of violent and self-harming behavior. The presenters said the bill is intended to fill a service gap and improve safety and outcomes for youth, staff, and hospitals, but no vote or final action on the bill was taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our facilities include state police posts, residential youth facilities for juveniles, day treatment
• for juveniles, adult youth facilities for juveniles, adult correctional<00:03:17.239> facilities,
• , criminal justice training facilities, criminal justice training facilities, crime<00:03:26.000>
• The 247 facilities life safety.
• at the DOCJT facilities?

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee heard capital plan presentations from the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet, the Personnel Cabinet, and the School Facilities Construction Commission. The Justice Cabinet described its large portfolio of more than 900 facilities across the state and said decades of underfunded maintenance have created a backlog of repairs. Requested projects included a high-acuity mental health treatment facility for juvenile justice youth, two female detention centers to support the regional detention model, major corrections repairs and replacements, a new kitchen at Eastern Kentucky Correctional Complex, a new dormitory at the Kentucky Correctional Institute for Women, completion of a new Eastern Kentucky prison, DOCJT training facility upgrades in Richmond and Madisonville, State Police radio system replacement and post construction, a combined Frankfort headquarters/Post 12 facility, and expanded crime lab and storage capacity. When asked about the high cost of the EKCC kitchen project, staff said construction inside an operating facility raises costs and that building a new adjacent kitchen would be more economical in the long run. The panel also asked about Fish and Wildlife officers training at DOCJT; staff said they do and that the training is funded through the CLEFT fund. The Justice Cabinet also said the recently enacted Senate Bill 4’s AI inventory and registry requirements would be part of its enterprise application and AI inventory system work. The Personnel Cabinet requested funding to replace CHRIS, the state’s human resources and payroll system, which supports payroll and benefits for about 48,000 employees and the Kentucky Employee Health Plan for roughly 192,000 members. Staff said the current SAP-based system went live in 2011, is approaching end of support in 2030, and has not received functionality enhancements since 2016. They said the replacement is estimated at $151 million, with most of the cost tied to professional services and software, and that the project would begin in July 2026, go live by July 2030, and require a stabilization period through 2032. In response to questions about outsourcing payroll or reusing existing systems, staff said the complexity of state HR, payroll, tax updates, and integrations with other agencies makes outsourcing or partial reuse impractical. The School Facilities Construction Commission introduced its role in helping all 171 school districts address unmet facility needs, focusing on core school facilities such as roofs and elementary buildings rather than athletic projects. No votes or formal actions were taken during the excerpted discussion; the meeting consisted of presentations, explanations of requested projects, and member questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• And if a patient is in a facility but a hospice outside is managing that patient inside the facility,
• Under the definition of facility, it means non-hospital facility, including a nursing facility, assisted
• Maybe my question is: are you licensing the facility, or are you licensing the individuals in the facilities
• Facilities, and it puts in place guardrails through the Department of Health to monitor those facilities
• She was in a deplorable facility.

Summary: The House Committee on Health and Welfare met on May 12 and considered a wide range of health, social services, and licensing measures. Early in the meeting, the committee reported favorably HCR 98, which asks the Louisiana Department of Health to study whether SNAP recipients should be allowed to use benefits for grocery delivery fees. The author said the proposal would not change SNAP rules directly, but would examine access issues for elderly, disabled, rural, and transportation-limited residents. The committee also advanced SB 273, a hospice patient-protection bill requiring documentation of hydration, nutrition, and care decisions in inpatient licensed facilities where hospice is provided, with LDH oversight and enforcement authority; members discussed how responsibility is shared between facilities and outside hospice providers, and adopted technical amendments. The committee then approved SB 415, creating the Empower Louisiana Food Purchase Program, a privately funded charitable food-card program intended to let nonprofits distribute food-only cards to people in need. Members and the author discussed whether the cards would be reloadable, which retailers could accept them, and whether prepared foods could be included; LDH said the program could use all SNAP-authorized retailers, and the bill was reported favorably with amendments. SB 437, a cleanup bill for judicially referred residential substance abuse treatment facilities, was also reported favorably with amendments after LDH clarified that facilities providing treatment must be licensed, while residences only housing individuals would not be. SB 451, updating newborn hearing screening terminology and reporting requirements, was reported favorably after testimony that the bill would strengthen early detection and follow-up for deaf or hard-of-hearing children. Later, the committee advanced SB 426, which modernizes the addictive disorder regulatory authority and creates a formal peer support specialist licensing pathway. Supporters said the bill would strengthen the behavioral health workforce, improve accountability, and create a progression from peer support to higher credentials; the committee adopted technical and transition amendments and reported the bill favorably with amendments. SB 236, requiring LDH annual reviews and reports on kidney disease treatment services in Medicaid, was also reported favorably with amendments. Additional measures approved included SB 39, allowing provisional licenses for massage therapy graduates; SB 190, which tightens oversight of poor-performing nursing facilities in the CMS Special Focus Facility Program and sets an 18-month improvement timeline; SB 124, allowing hospitals within the same health system to share peer review records without waiving privilege; HR 174, urging study of fenbendazole as a possible cancer treatment; SB 270, allowing terminally ill patients to use medical marijuana in health care facilities; SB 359, changing terms for certain Morehouse Parish hospital district commissioners; and HR 194, requesting de-identified school visual acuity screening data for research. The committee adjourned after reporting all measures favorably, several with amendments.

Transcript Highlights:

• up contractor has uh facilities set up contractor has uh facilities set up specifically<00:09:42.760
• or intoxication in the facilities or intoxication in the facilities<00:10:15.040> from<00:10:
• <00:14:54.880> State of say Correctional facil State of say Correctional facil State Correctional
• doing Correctional fac facilities were doing Correctional fac facilities were doing pretty<00:14:
• some Contraband coming into facilities some Contraband coming into facilities because<00:18:11.320

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee took up House File 327, which would increase penalties for introducing contraband into correctional facilities, especially drugs and other dangerous items sent through the mail or brought in by outside actors. Representative Ingan described the bill as a response to a sharp rise in violations and staff exposures in DOC facilities, arguing that stronger felony penalties are needed to deter people from sending in illicit substances. The bill was laid over for possible inclusion in the committee omnibus because it has a fiscal note. The committee adopted the DE1 author’s amendment after Representative Ingan explained it was intended to clarify language that could otherwise create a catch-22 for people arrested or booked into jail who already have contraband on them. Members then raised concerns about the breadth of the bill, including overlap with an existing DOC statute and the possibility that the language could sweep in incarcerated people in situations involving prescription medication or minor exchanges. House nonpartisan staff and members suggested the DOC provisions should be reconciled with existing law before moving forward, and some suggested narrowing the bill to focus more specifically on jails. Sheriff Brad Wise of the Minnesota Sheriffs Association testified in support, saying contraband in jails threatens staff, inmates, visitors, and administrators and that current penalties are not enough to deter smuggling. Commissioner Paul Schell of Corrections also testified, noting that DOC already has a separate statute with a higher felony penalty for certain contraband, described the department’s mail-scanning contractor process, and said it has reduced suspected drug incidents by about two-thirds. An A2 amendment tied to medication intake practices was offered by Representative Curran but then withdrawn after discussion, with members agreeing the issue of medication access in facilities should be handled separately.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we have a plan for moving that facility from being an active facility to being in what's called cold
• everyone depart the facility.
• In terms of reactivating a facility, I think it really depends on the facility that you're talking about
• On the facilities that have security detail, who provides that security? For our closed facilities?
• What's the newest facility? What's the newest facility that's in cold closure?

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Rules Committee met to consider several gubernatorial appointments and routine agenda items. The committee first approved, on initial roll calls, appointments not required to appear including Olivia May Assuncion to the Commission on Disability Access, William Adams to the California Exposition and State Fair Board of Directors, and two appointments to the California Law Revision Commission (Anacubas and David Hubner, J.D.), while also taking up bill referrals and floor acknowledgments. Later, after all members were present, the committee completed add-on votes on those items, with most receiving unanimous or near-unanimous support; Anacubas and Hubner drew some opposition but were still approved. The committee then heard testimony from Brian Bishop, nominated to lead the Division of Adult Parole Operations at CDCR. Members questioned him about data-driven supervision of high-risk parolees, GPS monitoring, drug and alcohol testing, unannounced visits, coordination with local law enforcement, victim protections, out-of-county placement, supervision of unhoused parolees, and oversight of private reentry/housing contractors. Bishop emphasized a public-safety-and-rehabilitation approach, frequent collaboration with local agencies, compliance sweeps, victim exclusion zones, and efforts to expand housing and reentry support. Public witnesses from reentry and criminal justice organizations spoke in support, and the committee voted 5-0 to send his appointment to the full Senate. The committee also heard from Sarah Larson, nominated to direct CDCR’s Facilities Management and Construction division. Questions focused on aligning facilities with a declining prison population, aging infrastructure, heat and cooling needs, safety during construction, prison closures, disaster planning, and the status of the Norco closure. Larson said the department has reduced its footprint, is piloting cooling upgrades at several sites, is using the San Quentin Rehabilitation Center as a model for safer, more healing design, and is maintaining closed facilities in cold shutdown while planning for possible future use. Public commenters from reform and reentry groups strongly supported her, and the committee approved her nomination 5-0 for the full Senate.