Transcript Highlights:

• Today, if somebody, if you know, if an out-of-state millionaire or billionaire want to influence elections
• Today, if somebody, if you know, if an out-of-state millionaire or billionaire want to influence elections
• school districts and cities and municipalities and voters in these cities' ability to have this influence
• <00:28:00.720> elections, billionaire want to influence elections, billionaire want to influence
• So, I just influence over their school.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We know that we have an influence in the community with a bigger brand, and a lot of our families will
• We know that we have an influence in the community with a bigger brand, and a lot of our families will
• in the community with have an influence in the community with a<00:56:02.559> bigger<00:56:02.839
• <01:26:25.679> how<01:26:25.840> many<01:26:26.119> young now you're influencing
• how many young now you're influencing how many young people<01:26:27.159> so<01:26:27.400>

Bills: HF1936, HF849, HF989, HF1130, HF1223, HF1907, HF1847, HF1957

Keywords: workforce development, youth employment, career guidance, education, job skills, Duluth Promise, education funding, career training, employment support, youth apprenticeship, economic development, minority support, internship program, Bloomington, funding, youth mentorship, job training, disadvantaged youth, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Youthprise

Transcript Highlights:

• aspect of it, but not the actual marijuana, like the psychedelic portion that gets you under the influence
• that we spend money on something that is actually getting people high or putting people under the influence
• 04.599> I'm<00:43:04.880> what<00:43:05.000> I'm<00:43:05.200> saying influence
• so what I'm what I'm saying influence so what I'm what I'm saying here<00:43:05.640> is<00:43
• <00:43:15.200> now<00:43:15.319> if<00:43:15.440> we people under the influence

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We haven't expanded our foreign trade, our economic development offices, in a while.
• We haven't expanded our foreign trade, our economic development offices, in a while.
• We haven't expanded our foreign trade, our economic development offices, in a while.
• We haven't expanded our foreign trade, our economic development offices, in a while.
• We haven't expanded our foreign trade, our economic development offices, in a while.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Roll Call 00:00:11 Executive Budget 00:00:50, 958, all

Summary: The committee met to hear a presentation from Dr. Hicks on the governor’s recommended budget for the next biennium. He reviewed the revenue outlook, noting modest general fund growth, a large rainy day fund balance, and the impact of recent income tax reductions. He said the budget was built around recurring reductions, lower debt service and retirement contribution rates, and the use of excess restricted funds, while protecting K-12 education, Medicaid, postsecondary education, public safety, and pension obligations. Dr. Hicks outlined several major spending and reserve proposals, including $350 million from the Department of Insurance’s excess restricted funds to support Medicaid in the first year, $150 million for the affordable housing trust fund, $125 million for rural hospitals, $100 million to offset lost federal ACA premium tax credits, $75 million for utility assistance, and $50 million for food assistance. In education, the proposal included a phased pre-K for all plan funded by sports wagering tax revenue, a 3% annual salary increase for full-time school personnel, continued full funding of teacher pensions, a 2.5% annual increase in SEEK base funding, and additional support for career and technical education and school facilities. He also discussed Medicaid cost pressures, including higher managed care, pharmacy, behavioral health, and nursing facility costs, and explained the expected effects of federal HR1 changes on Kentucky’s Medicaid program. Those changes include work and community engagement requirements and more frequent eligibility redeterminations for expansion members, which the administration estimated would reduce enrollment by about 4,300 in the first year and 28,000 in the second year. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the meeting, which was limited to the budget presentation and member questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• Usually, a state agency would seek the lowest bidder when awarding a contract, allowing foreign producers
• He said he supports the president's tariffs to try to limit foreign metals being dumped into the United
• try to limit president's tariffs uh to try to limit all<00:28:23.039> this<00:28:23.840> foreign
• <00:28:24.320> metals<00:28:24.799> being<00:28:25.039> dumped all this foreign
• metals being dumped all this foreign metals being dumped into<00:28:25.600> the<00:28:25.840>

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00:04 Attendance Roll Call: 00:00:29 Approval of Minutes: 00:01:50 Kentucky Buy American Act: 00:02:08 Earn As You Learn: KY Building Trades Apprenticeship: 00:30:42 Worker Misclassification in the Construction Industry: 01:02:00 Investing in KY’s Future Workforce Through the Good Business Initiative: 01:20:44 Adjournment: 01:28:28, 958, all

Summary: The committee met on October 23, 2025, approved the September minutes, and heard testimony on a proposed “Kentucky by America” procurement preference bill. Representative Patrick Flannery described the concept as giving preference in public construction and public works contracts to iron, steel, aluminum, and other manufactured goods made in the United States, while emphasizing he wanted to avoid excessive taxpayer costs and was open to changes. Chad Connley of the United Steelworkers and Dustin Reinsteller of the Kentucky State AFL-CIO supported the idea, arguing it would strengthen domestic manufacturing, keep tax dollars in the local economy, and support jobs; Connley said the bill would include waivers for items not made domestically and noted Kentucky has opted out of the GPA trade agreement. Mike Buckington of Metals Innovation Initiative, testifying virtually, also supported the concept and said Kentucky’s metals sector has seen significant investment and can supply most construction needs, while stressing supply-chain reliability and national security concerns. Members generally expressed support but raised questions about implementation. Representative Branscum asked who would grant waivers and how contractors would know the rules during bidding; Flannery said he was open to revising the language and process. Representative Gentry supported the concept but said the bill would likely need editing to avoid harming businesses or markets. Senator Nun suggested aligning the bill’s definition of a U.S. good with industry country-of-origin standards to make compliance easier. Representative KC Carney asked for data on the impact of similar laws in other states, and Connley said he could provide numbers later but did not have them on hand. Senator Boswell supported the concept and asked about the cost threshold for waivers; Connley said the federal standard is a 25% cost increase, while the prior Kentucky version used 10%, and that the threshold is a key detail. The committee then shifted to an informational presentation on building trade apprenticeships. Eric Elie of the Kentucky State Pipe Trades Association, Nick Brown of Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 502, and retired IBEW training director Steve Willinghurst explained how union apprenticeship programs work. Brown described earn-while-you-learn training, with apprentices placed on jobs by signatory contractors and attending classes two nights a week for five years. He outlined the work of plumbers, pipefitters, welders, and HVACR technicians, emphasizing that these trades support construction, industrial facilities, distilleries, and other critical infrastructure. No votes or formal actions were taken on the policy topics beyond approval of the prior minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• California are facing pressures to cut costs, leading many of them to turn toward cheaper imported foreign-made
• California's glass plants in a position where they are facing closure due to this unfair competition with foreign
• manufacturers thrive together while complying with California's regulations that are not otherwise honored by foreign
• Assemblymember Ransom indicated, the California glass plants are operating at a competitive disadvantage to foreign-made
• opportunity for us to invest in California and invest in clean glass and make us competitive with foreign

Summary: The committee hearing centered first on AB 1243, the Polluters Pay Climate Superfund Act of 2025, which would direct CalEPA to identify major fossil fuel companies, study California’s climate damages, and assess fees on the largest polluters to fund resilience, recovery, and related projects. The author and supporters argued the bill would make polluters help pay for climate harms, protect taxpayers, create jobs in construction and clean energy, and dedicate at least 40% of funds to disadvantaged communities. Support testimony came from environmental justice groups, labor, youth advocates, health organizations, and many individual witnesses, while opponents from the building trades, chambers of commerce, petroleum, and business groups warned it would raise fuel and consumer costs, threaten refinery jobs, and create legal and economic uncertainty. Committee members debated the bill’s impact on affordability, jobs, refinery closures, and whether cap-and-trade already addresses climate funding needs. The committee ultimately voted to give AB 1243 a due pass recommendation to the Judiciary Committee, with the roll left open. After AB 1243, the committee moved to another bill on wildfire mitigation and related resilience work. The author said the measure addresses a long-running wildfire problem and accepted committee amendments, describing the bill as a response to increasingly severe wildfire seasons and the need to help communities stay safe and rebuild after disasters. The transcript cuts off as that presentation begins, so no final action on the second bill is shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• rising energy costs tied to fossil fuels, especially right now with the current trade rules around foreign
• right now with the current trade rules right now with the current trade rules around<00:41:25.440> foreign
• <00:41:26.880> Unfortunately, around foreign fuels. Unfortunately, around foreign fuels.
• The corporation individuals who are draining money out of this, a lot of them, some of them even foreign

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• this before, we found that unions better represent their membership when their employees have the influence
• of being able to walk away. ...the influence of being able to walk away, being able to withdraw their
• Um, again, if this passes, membership will have more influence on their unions.
• Um, again, if this passes, membership will have more influence on their unions.
• from other states come here influences from other states come here handing<02:30:43.720> out<

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• effect, I'm holding my breath, but I'm sure the industry is going to spend enough money to buy enough influence
• The proceeds from these THC consumables are vast, with some flowing into foreign nation states.
• other intoxicating consumer products, particularly how retail availability, marketing, and policy influences

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• thinking about how to structure these evaluations because we are still in a place where we have influence
• we are still in a place where we because we are still in a place where we have<00:25:24.480> influence
• I I just want us have influence on it.
• However, we are unable to state the degree to which these two policies influence uptake in renewable
• The map on the left influence uptake in renewable energy as influence uptake in renewable energy as multiple

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• There was someone last year who was trying to influence the departments about what they put into those
• haven't heard that there is any problems, but if any of you find that someone's out there trying to influence
• There was someone last year who was trying to influence the departments about what they put into those
• There was someone last year who was trying to influence the departments about what they put into those
• Someone's out there trying to influence the departments about what they put for an F&A statement for

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Young adults are experiencing acute stress, crisis, or impaired judgment, whether under the influence
• Young adults are experiencing acute stress, crisis, or impaired judgment, whether under the influence
• Young adults are experiencing acute stress, crisis, or impaired judgment, whether under the influence
• Young adults are experiencing acute stress, crisis, or impaired judgment, whether under the influence
• you know, if you're under the influence you know, if you're under the influence of<02:39:28.319>

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• to present Our concern to the US ARG you to present Our concern to the US Senate<04:12:16.319> Foreign
• <04:12:16.680> Relations<04:12:17.239> Committee<04:12:17.880> or Senate Foreign
• Relations Committee or Senate Foreign Relations Committee or even<04:12:18.279> to<04:12:18.479

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And I think part of it is because of the influence of big money in these tech companies.
• addictive side of it had those arguments with our children about, hey, you know, this thing has too much influence
• And that's my goal: that I might be able to at least have some influence for good, because the only reason
• I am standing here before you is because of influencers.
• official and you are convicted of corruption, you are no longer allowed to run for office, but you can influence

Summary: The Assembly convened, established a quorum, and opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance before moving through the daily file. Several measures were taken up and passed, including bills on county jail accountability (AB 2257), claims against public agencies (AB 2529), affordable housing management metrics (AB 2689), digital wellness instruction in schools (AB 2071), pedestrian and bicycle safety project streamlining (AB 1976), manufactured home transport permits (AB 2012), a Surplus Land Act amendment tied to an Inland Empire soccer project (AB 2139), a Monterey Bay stewardship authority (AB 1548), online electrician licensing (AB 1707), a Caltrans study of navigation apps’ traffic impacts (AB 2105), coastal resiliency permitting reforms (AB 2051), downtown housing streamlining and financing (AB 2074), Cal Fire compensation (AB 2129), emergency care authority for Del Puerto Health Care District (AB 2282), charter school facilities hardship relief (AB 2316), theft by a peace officer under color of authority as serious misconduct (AB 2337), an Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander-serving institution designation (AB 2374), energy and cannabis support bills (AB 2464, AB 2537), and a suicide prevention plan requirement for treatment facilities (AB 2562). Most of these measures passed with broad bipartisan margins, and several were described as support bills with no opposition. The floor also debated a major criminal justice measure, AB 2727, which would raise the threshold for elderly parole eligibility for people serving sentences for violent sex offenses and add screening safeguards. Supporters from both parties emphasized child protection, survivor trauma, and specific local cases involving offenders who had become eligible for release; the bill passed 66-0. Another significant debate centered on AB 1958, which would clarify procedures under the California Racial Justice Act by refining how disparity claims are established and rebutted; the author said he would take Senate amendments to address concerns from district attorneys. The Assembly also considered AB 2313, a gas-to-electric transition bill allowing customers with planned service line replacements to opt out of gas service and use funds to electrify their homes. Members raised concerns about cost shifts and equity, and the author responded that the bill includes no-cost-shift language, larger credits for disadvantaged communities, and would not proceed if the math does not work; it passed 41-21. The final major item was AB 1709, a high-profile social media safety bill creating a minimum age of 16 for accounts on platforms using addictive features and establishing an e-safety commission. The author and many supporters from both parties framed the bill as a response to youth mental health harms, addictive design, and the need for age-based safeguards, while some members raised concerns about impacts on LGBTQ youth and other isolated young people who rely on online spaces. Supporters said the bill targets addictive design rather than speech and is intended to preserve safe online connection while limiting harmful features. The measure drew extensive bipartisan support and was still under debate at the end of the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I think part of it is because of the influence of big money in these tech companies.
• addictive side of it had those arguments with our children about, hey, you know, this thing has too much influence
• And that's my goal: that I might be able to at least have some influence for good, because the only reason
• I am standing here before you is because of influencers.
• official and you are convicted of corruption, you are no longer allowed to run for office, but you can influence

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> Is right now going to hold firm on the Senate position, and that may influence your debate.
• Chair. >> Yeah. >> Is right now going to hold firm on the Senate position, and that may influence your
• have to get to another committee. the Senate position and that may the Senate position and that may influence
• 01:18:26.159> I<01:18:26.480> will<01:18:26.719> not<01:18:26.880> be influence
• Uh I will not be influence your debate.

Keywords: 10:00am HB 1260 11:00am HB 1574 12:00pm HB 1816 2:30pm HB 1499 2:45pm HB 1709, 928, house, all

Summary: The conference committee first met on HB 1260, a bill requested by municipal clerks to allow certain divorce-related records to be kept confidential. House members argued the Senate amendment would reverse the presumption of openness established in the Keene Sentinel case and raise constitutional issues under the state constitution’s privacy and open-government provisions. Senate members responded that the 2018 privacy amendment, the limited scope of the proposal, and modern internet risks justified the change, but the House maintained the issue needed a full hearing in a separate bill. The committee ultimately voted unanimously for the Senate to recede and adopt the House version, preserving the underlying bill without the Senate amendment, and both sides said they would revisit the topic in a future session. The committee then took up HB 1574, which extends free and reduced-price breakfast and lunch programs and provides funding for SNAP administrative costs. The main dispute was the Senate’s addition of $4.4 million for SNAP administration, which DHHS said was needed because federal law would shift more administrative costs to the state and could increase the state’s SNAP error rate, potentially triggering much larger future penalties. DHHS officials reported the current error rate was 7.57% for federal fiscal year 2024, below the national average, and estimated that if the rate rose above 8%, the state could owe about 10% of SNAP benefits, or roughly $12 million for a partial year and nearly $16 million for a full year. Some House members supported the added funding as a preventive measure, while others objected that the underlying bill was modest and the amendment resembled a previously rejected proposal. The discussion ended with the committee moving toward the House position and the bill’s future depending on the chamber’s vote on the Senate amendment.

Transcript Highlights:

• You can influence people because you can take the same amount of money and... ...you can influence people
• because you can take the same amount of money and impact a higher percentage of people to influence
• “Because the person was driving under the influence, it would be a lot more?”
• So that could potentially influence the sentencing if they said, look, I'll go in and plead guilty, wanting

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes and then took up House Bill 4852, a strike-and-insert bill revising West Virginia’s food additive restrictions. Counsel explained that it moved the existing additive list into a new code section, kept the 2028 effective date, added exceptions for dietary supplements, alcoholic liquor, non-intoxicating beer, and small sellers under $5,000 per month, and created civil penalties for knowing violations. Testimony split between industry witnesses, who argued the bill and last year’s law would raise costs, burden interstate commerce, and conflict with federal regulation, and advocates who said the law is already prompting companies to reformulate and that the bill clarifies vague language tied to a federal injunction. Several amendments were offered to tie the law to FDA action or exempt soda, pepperoni rolls, frozen confections, and snack foods; some were adopted and others failed. The committee then adopted the strike-and-insert amendment as amended and reported HB 4852 to the full Senate with a do-pass recommendation. The committee next considered House Bill 5484, which creates felony offenses for interfering with a victim’s access to medical treatment or forensic care related to a sexual offense, or for forcing a victim of a sexual offense who becomes pregnant to have an illegal abortion, along with a conspiracy offense. Counsel said the strike-and-insert added clarifying language and definitions. Members raised concerns that the conspiracy language could be read to include the victim herself, and the bill sponsor said the intent was to target traffickers and abusers who keep victims from medical care and force abortions outside medical facilities. An amendment was adopted clarifying that nothing in the subsection imposes criminal liability on the victim of the sexual offense. The committee then adopted the strike-and-insert amendment, reported HB 5484 to the full Senate with a do-pass recommendation, and adopted a title amendment. The final bill discussed in the excerpt was House Bill 4468, which narrows confidentiality protections for victims in criminal complaints by limiting redaction to names and addresses, while still allowing disclosure to other governmental entities and permitting victims to request redaction of addresses from appellate decisions after July 1, 2026. Counsel said the bill would replace broader existing confidentiality language and remove provisions allowing disclosure upon a showing of justice or by subpoena. Members questioned whether the change would weaken victim privacy protections, noting that identifying information can include much more than names and addresses. The committee then began hearing testimony from a county prosecutor on the bill, but the excerpt ends before any vote or final action on HB 4468.

Transcript Highlights:

• You can influence people because you can take the same amount of money and... ...you can influence people
• because you can take the same amount of money and impact a higher percentage of people to influence
• So because the person was driving under the influence, it would be a lot more?
• So that could potentially influence the sentencing if they said, look, I'll go in and plead guilty, wanting

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Would it also be under the influence of cannabis or just... ...vehicle.
• Would it also be under the influence of cannabis or just alcohol?
• Yeah, that would be under the influence of alcohol or drugs, yes. Okay, got you, cited drugs. Okay.
• Would it also be under the influence of cannabis or just alcohol?
• Yeah, that would be under the influence of alcohol or drugs, yes. Okay, got you, cited drugs. Okay.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the Senate has always been known as that moderating voice, and we hope to be able to continue to influence
• the Senate has always been known as that moderating voice, and we hope to be able to continue to influence
• <00:48:58.559> to we hope to be able to continue to we hope to be able to continue to influence
• <00:49:00.240> President<00:49:00.640> your influence that and Mr.
• President your influence that and Mr.

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Wednesday, January 14, 2026, 960, senate, all

Summary: The Maryland Senate convened for the opening day of the 449th legislative session, with an invocation delivered by Reverend Amen Flowers and the prayer journalized without objection. The clerk then called the roll, establishing a quorum with 46 senators present and the Senate ready to conduct business. The first order of business was the election of a temporary presiding officer, followed by the election of the permanent presiding officer. Senator Ben Brooks nominated Senator Malcolm Augustine to serve as President Pro Tem, and Senator Karen Lewis Young seconded the nomination, both praising his policy knowledge, collaborative style, and ability to work across differences. The Senate then voted and elected Augustine as President Pro Tem, after which he was escorted to the rostrum and sworn in. Augustine thanked colleagues, his family, and the chamber, and said he looked forward to working through a challenging session together on behalf of Marylanders. The Senate next nominated and elected Senator William C. Ferguson IV as President of the Senate. Senator Charles Sydnor nominated him, and Senator Cory McCray seconded, describing Ferguson as an honest broker, steady leader, and compassionate presiding officer. Ferguson was elected with 46 affirmative votes, took the oath of office, and delivered extended remarks about the importance of federalism, the role of states in filling gaps left by the federal government, and the need for Maryland to lead through state-level action during a difficult political climate. He also thanked colleagues, staff, and his family, and emphasized that the session would require collaboration and focus on Marylanders' needs.