Transcript Highlights:

• Southern states versus northern states have different things that will measure out.
• </c> State Drinking Water Administrators. State Drinking Water Administrators.
• </c> treatment could look like in this state. treatment could look like in this state.
• </c> state that know where they need to be. state that know where they need to be.
• </c> of the state. of the state.

Bills: SB8

Committee: Joint Natural Resources & Energy

Keywords: utilities, public service commission, energy regulation, appointment, emergency declaration, tax increases, consumer protection

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Resolution 61, a resolution recognizing the Links Incorporated Day at the state capitol.
• </c> 175th anniversary in United States. 175th anniversary in United States.
• </c><00:10:39.519><c> employees</c> a prohibition on cabinet employees a prohibition on cabinet employees
• ><c> never</c><00:10:50.800><c> touch</c> Many CHFS cabinet employees never touch Many CHFS cabinet employees
• </c><00:47:44.000><c> budget</c> presentation by the state budget presentation by the state budget director

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:03:34.159><c> of</c> Transportation Cabinet, Department of Transportation Cabinet, Department
• The state estimated their high school.
• Are we at the State Fair on that day?
• </c><00:57:09.200><c> Um</c> Are we at the state fair on that day?
• Um Are we at the state fair on that day?

Summary: The Capital Projects and Bond Oversight Committee met on July 16 and approved the June meeting minutes. Members received six information items, including quarterly capital project status reports, notice that the committee did not approve a Kentucky Community and Technical College System fire academy maintenance building project, reports of upcoming school district debt issues, leasehold improvements, a Northern Kentucky University asset preservation revision, and prior debt issues from the School Facilities Construction Commission. The committee then heard five project reports from the Finance and Administration Cabinet. Three new projects were presented for action and approved: a $1.3 million White Haven rest area renovation in Paducah, a $6.5 million Boone County north- and southbound rest area remodel and expansion to add truck parking, and a $4.5 million Bluegrass Station Building 14 modernization project funded by a Department of the Army grant. Members asked several questions about the Boone County rest area project, including truck congestion, restroom capacity, staffing, and the need to keep the facility open during construction; Transportation staff explained the project is meant to expand parking and improve facilities. Two emergency projects were reported with no action required: an amended Fort Boonboro flood remediation project in Madison County and a Kentucky Horse Park emergency flood repair project. The committee also approved three new leases after hearing from the Division of Real Properties. The leases included Department of Corrections parking spaces in Louisville, a Kentucky State Police office and lab lease in Hopkins County, and an Education and Labor Cabinet lease in Kenton County that was negotiated at a lower rate. Members asked about lease terms and how local match or negotiated rates were set, and staff explained that lease lengths are generally set by lessors and that the Kenton County lease was reduced through direct negotiation to stay within budget. A separate lease modification for the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, involving reception-area renovations, was reported with no action required. Finally, the committee considered seven grant reallocations from the Kentucky Infrastructure Authority, including six Clean Water Program grants and one EKSF-related reallocation. Members questioned whether some flood-related water infrastructure work, especially an Olive Branch subdivision storage tank project, fit the intended purpose of the funding; staff explained the reallocations were needed to keep federal dollars from being returned and to move funds to eligible projects. The committee initially failed to approve the package on a 4-4 vote, but after a member noted a missed vote and changed to yes, the grants passed with favorable expression. The committee then began hearing three Kentucky Product Development Initiative grants for industrial site development in Russell County, Cumberland County, and Berea/Madison County, with members asking about match requirements, funding sources, and the scope of the projects; the transcript ends during the roll call on those grants.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> anti fraud package as you know the state anti fraud package as you know the state of<00:03:09.799
• entities from receiving state funds.
• finances and state workforce.
• </c> cases and then provide feedback to State cases and then provide feedback to State agencies<00:09
• is to bring together all the sub cabinet is to bring together all the various<01:10:20.840><c> state

Bills: HF1470 , HF1310 , HF1837

Committee: House State Government Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• Page 24, line 8, after the word cabinet, delete and to the state treasurer.
• Page 24, line 8, after the word cabinet, delete and to the state treasurer.
• </c> cabinet, delete and to the state cabinet, delete and to the state treasurer.<05:44:54.718><c> Page
• , delete and to the state word cabinet, delete and to the state treasurer.<05:45:00.718><c> Page</c><
• , delete and to the state word cabinet, delete and to the state treasurer.

Transcript Highlights:

• And we also across the United States.
• </c> strategic imperatives of our cabinet strategic imperatives of our cabinet there<00:24:04.720><c>
• Um and so Kent State University.
• </c><01:21:45.360><c> Um</c> education to state legislators. Um education to state legislators.
• </c> continuing um across states. continuing um across states.

Summary: The task force met on November 4, 2025, approved the prior minutes without objection, and then heard a presentation from Amazon on its Kentucky aviation and logistics operations. Amazon described its statewide footprint, including its Boone County air hub at KCVG, its investment of more than $60 billion in Kentucky since 2010, about 20,000 jobs in the state, and its use of Amazon Air as a middle-mile network supported by third-party carriers. The company also highlighted small-business support, community relief efforts, and workforce development through Career Choice, including partnerships with Kentucky schools and aviation maintenance training. Members asked about Amazon’s most in-demand workforce needs, future operational challenges, and whether autonomous vehicles are used on the KCVG ramp. Amazon said it would follow up on workforce-demand details, identified customer-driven innovation and culture as ongoing challenges, and said autonomous vehicles are in testing but are not part of regular KCVG operations. Amazon also emphasized sustainability efforts, including alternative aviation fuel, and said it wants to work with the legislature to expand AAF production and supply in Kentucky. The task force then heard from Secretary Jeff Noel of the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development and Matt Wingate on the state’s aviation economic development strategy. They said aviation and aerospace are central to Kentucky’s logistics and economic-development goals, with aerospace identified as the state’s top export and air cargo as a major strength. They discussed outreach to general aviation airports, support for local grant matching, airport funding projects, workforce and education partnerships, and efforts to market Kentucky at aviation trade shows such as Paris Air Show and MRO America. No formal votes or other actions were taken beyond approving the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> than standing outside the cabinet room. than standing outside the cabinet room.
• It seemed to penalize states who give undocumented immigrants any type of state-subsidized healthcare
• Um, we do have anti-fraud language in the state government finance bill.
• </c> anti-fraud language in the state anti-fraud language in the state government<00:20:17.679><c> finance
• But we did hear the governor at his State of the State, just talking about the fact that he wanted a

Transcript Highlights:

• Good morning, Amanda Spencer, Assistant State Highway Engineer with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet
• ><c> Cabinet.
• </c> Transportation Cabinet. Transportation Cabinet.
• </c> the state of Indiana? the state of Indiana?
• </c> protection cabinet. protection cabinet.

Summary: The committee first approved the March 10 minutes and then moved through a large agenda of contract reviews, including a deferred Kentucky Transportation Cabinet item tied to Louisville bridge tolling and RiverLink. Transportation officials explained that the contract was part of a bi-state arrangement with Indiana: Indiana Finance Authority held the main contract with HNTB, while Kentucky needed a mirror contract to pay its 50% share under the bi-state management agreement. Members questioned why the work was treated as effectively no-bid, how much input Kentucky had in vendor selection, RiverLink’s collection performance, and when tolls might end. Transportation said Kentucky had equal representation in selection, HNTB served as a toll services advisor, collections and customer service had improved, and tolls are expected to remain until debt obligations are paid off in 2058. Several members criticized the company’s past performance and voted no as a statement of concern, but the contract still moved forward. The committee then deferred a Kentucky State University item because the vendor was not registered with the Secretary of State. It also approved the overall agenda and contract review lists. A Board of Optometric Examiners contract drew significant discussion: board representatives said they had previously relied on the Public Protection Cabinet for legal services, but that office lacked staff and advised them to seek outside counsel. Some members argued the committee could not approve a contract that appeared to conflict with statute, while others said the board should not be left without legal counsel and that the Attorney General should be brought in to resolve the issue. The committee ultimately voted to defer the optometric contract for one month and requested the Attorney General appear at the next meeting. Finally, the committee reviewed an Administrative Office of the Courts amendment for the Court of Appeals building project. Staff explained that the General Assembly had authorized the project, the design contract had already gone through multiple approved phases, and the current item was only an administrative correction to a prior modification amount. Members approved the amendment, with one member noting appreciation that the project costs had been reduced when an error was found.

Transcript Highlights:

• The cabinet would develop a stewardship program by March 31, 2027, giving the cabinet plenty of time
• ><c> stewardship</c> cabinet would develop a stewardship cabinet would develop a stewardship program<
• ,</c> environment cabinet, environment cabinet, battery<00:14:25.839><c> manufacturers,</c><00:14:27.279
• We're spending over $14,000 per capita on health care in the United States.
• . state. state.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair recognizes a &gt;&gt; Member state note.
• state agencies to advance food as medicine initiatives.
• </c> joint resolution directing the Cabinet joint resolution directing the Cabinet for<00:15:00.240><
• </c><00:15:21.680><c> and</c><00:15:21.839><c> directing</c><00:15:22.160><c> state</c> medicine state
• and directing state medicine state and directing state agencies<00:15:22.720><c> to</c><00:15:22.959

Transcript Highlights:

• We are the division within the cabinet that supports entrepreneurship broadly across the state and with
• We are the division within the cabinet that supports entrepreneurship broadly across the state and with
• first state in the United States was the first state in the United States to<00:17:59.280><c> have</c
• </c> with other states. with other states.
• </c> the resort state parks. the resort state parks.

Summary: The meeting began with a quorum call and approval of the August minutes, then moved to an update from the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce on small business conditions. Chamber representatives John Hughes and Amit Patel said Kentucky has benefited from pro-growth policies such as lower income taxes, regulatory modernization, and workforce development, but they emphasized ongoing challenges including workforce shortages, child care access, housing availability, rising insurance costs, and inflation. Patel, speaking as a hotel operator, said recruiting and retaining staff has become difficult and that his company is considering child care stipends and other benefits to help employees. Members asked about child care benefits, community involvement, and health care costs; Patel said the business is discussing additional support for employees and noted that health care costs have tripled over three years. The chamber said it will prioritize child care and housing policy in the upcoming session. The committee then received an update from the Cabinet for Economic Development on the Kentucky Angel Investment Tax Credit program from David Brock of KY Innovation and Matt Wingate. Brock outlined the state’s broader innovation and entrepreneurship programs, including innovation hubs, SBIR/STTR matching funds, the Kentucky Enterprise Fund, SSBCI, and STEP, and said these programs have helped create jobs, raise capital, and support exports. He explained that the angel tax credit is intended to encourage private investment in innovative Kentucky small businesses with high growth potential. The credit is generally 25% of investment in non-enhanced counties and 40% in enhanced counties, with annual and per-investor caps and eligibility rules for both businesses and investors. Brock reported that 317 businesses have been certified, 117 have received at least one investment, 445 investors have made 750 investments, $57.2 million has been invested, $19 million in credits has been awarded, and 373 new jobs have been reported since 2021. Committee members asked about the relationship between the program’s industry verticals and university research, the difference between enhanced and non-enhanced counties, and where investments are occurring geographically. Cabinet staff said the verticals align with the original Innovation Act framework, and that enhanced counties are defined by statute, including distressed and disaster-impacted areas. They said most investments and credits have been in non-enhanced counties, though some examples were cited in Bath County and Auburn. No votes or formal actions were taken during the meeting beyond approval of the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• :26:28.080><c> for</c><00:26:28.320><c> all</c> the entire state uh for all the entire state uh for all
• No, there's two other uh state?
• </c> them serve the state. Okay, Mr. them serve the state. Okay, Mr.
• </c> state of Kentucky? state of Kentucky?
• </c> signed on with them as the state. Okay. signed on with them as the state. Okay.

Summary: The committee met after several reschedulings due to flooding, welcomed a new assistant, and confirmed a quorum. It first approved the March 11 minutes, then reported that the day’s agenda included 310 items totaling about $139.4 million, with all vendors registered with the Secretary of State. The committee then approved deferred items involving the Transportation Cabinet/Department of Highways, including one routine PSC green-list item and one PSC amendment item, after hearing from the Transportation Cabinet’s Division of Professional Services and noting prior questions had been answered. The bulk of the meeting focused on Department of Education contracts tied to reading and literacy initiatives. Officials described a competitive grant program for high-quality instructional resources and related professional learning, explaining that resources are selected through evidence-based reviews and a quality curriculum task force, and that districts apply using an instructional resources alignment rubric. Members questioned the program’s reach, whether districts opt in, how many schools applied, and whether the effort is producing measurable reading gains. Department witnesses said about 155 schools applied and were awarded, the program is voluntary, and the University of Louisville’s Reading Research Center is collecting qualitative and quantitative data to evaluate effectiveness. Several members expressed concern that the state has repeatedly funded literacy efforts without improving reading scores, though the committee ultimately approved the education items, with Senator Meredith noting support but frustration about the lack of progress. The committee also approved an MOA amendment item supporting the Principal Partnership Project, which provides tools, resources, and professional learning for administrators and helps meet statutory evaluation-training requirements. Members asked about the use of nonrecurring federal funds and whether the arrangement affects retirement benefits; staff said the contract pays districts based on daily wage and additional workdays, which does increase retirement packages. Representative McCool voted yes but voiced caution about possible supplanting. Finally, the committee took up an Office of the Controller contract for a brokered insurance-related procurement. Representative Balman moved to disapprove the contract, arguing the winning broker was not the low bidder and that the committee lacked answers about how technical scoring outweighed a roughly $600,000 price difference. The motion to disapprove did not prevail, and the contract was approved after further discussion about procurement scoring and the committee’s limited information.

Transcript Highlights:

• or they stayed in state.
• or they stayed in state.
• So of state or they stayed in state.
• </c> management for the cabinet. management for the cabinet.
• and kits across the state.

Summary: The Interim Joint Committee on State Government met for its first meeting and heard a presentation from the Kentucky Center for Statistics (KY Stats) by Executive Director Matt Barry and Legislative Director Calli Arnold. The presentation reviewed KY Stats’ statutory background, its evolution from KESUS, its board membership, and its role in housing Kentucky’s longitudinal data system and labor market information office. Barry explained that KY Stats links data from multiple state sources, validates and cleans it, deidentifies it, and uses it to produce reports, evaluations, and responses to data requests for policymakers, practitioners, and the public. Barry described the scale of the system, noting more than 6,000 active data elements, 178 unique file types, and data from 48 sources across 26 agencies. He highlighted the agency’s privacy and security practices, including separate servers for source data and deidentified reporting data, and said KY Stats does not use real-time data. He also outlined the types of reports produced, including the annual high school feedback report and a recent life outcomes report tracking the 2017 public high school cohort’s postsecondary education, completion, wages, and employment outcomes. Members asked about the timeliness and availability of data, especially SNAP and Medicaid information, and Barry said most data arrive annually or quarterly and that Medicaid data had been used in a limited one-time project rather than as an ongoing feed. Questions also focused on artificial intelligence; Barry said KY Stats has not integrated AI but is exploring it cautiously because of privacy and security concerns. Several members encouraged further work with AI tools, while Barry emphasized that any use would need to protect confidentiality. The committee also discussed staffing and funding, with Barry saying KY Stats has about 49 total staff and annual funding of roughly $3.1 million in state general funds, plus federal labor-related funding. Committee members praised the agency’s work and suggested legislators may not fully understand its capabilities. No votes or formal actions were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> utilizes in the state EOC. utilizes in the state EOC.
• At the cabinet level, we believe in building into the cabinet budget direct state funding for the program
• At the cabinet level, we believe in building into the cabinet budget direct state funding for the program
• </c> and state agencies. and state agencies.
• funding and state provides state funding and state matching<01:19:49.920><c> for</c><01:19:50.400><c>

Summary: The committee met to adopt the minutes of the second meeting by voice vote, then heard an update focused on disaster preparedness, resiliency, response, and coordination among state agencies and partners. The chair emphasized avoiding duplication of resources and highlighted the importance of agriculture-related response issues, including animal evacuation, feed distribution, and the role of extension services during disasters. The Department for Public Health was invited to explain its role in emergency planning and response. Public Health described its Emergency Preparedness and Response Branch as the lead coordinating agency for Emergency Support Function 8, covering health and medical services under Kentucky’s emergency operations framework. Testimony outlined its broad responsibilities, including support for hospitals, morgues, local health departments, behavioral health, crisis counseling, suspicious package testing, disease outbreaks, and coordination with emergency management, EMS, transportation, and nonprofit and private partners. Officials also described the agency’s risk-assessment process, training and exercise programs, and deployed assets such as PPE caches, deployable communications, a federal medical station, a mobile treatment center, and alternate care support used in events like the eastern Kentucky floods and COVID-19. The agency also discussed funding through federal cooperative agreements for public health emergency preparedness and hospital preparedness, noting that these programs have evolved since 9/11 and have been shaped by major disasters and emerging threats. Officials said Kentucky’s funding has declined over time and that current awards are partially funded for the first time in the program’s history. They expressed support for efficiency if federal programs are consolidated, but cautioned that combining programs could risk further funding losses.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, what the bill does is it states that if any cost-sharing requirement or limitation is set on a in-state
• c><00:16:03.519><c> started</c><00:16:04.399><c> uh</c> has the cabinet already started uh has the cabinet
• </c> by a southern state, close quote. by a southern state, close quote.
• House Bill relating to the state parks.
• </c><00:28:17.039><c> and</c> citizenship requirements for state and citizenship requirements for state

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Stivers. of Kentucky State Police. Senator Reid. of Kentucky State Police. Senator Reid.
• </c> better about uh developing in the state better about uh developing in the state of<00:42:38.160>
• </c> we should wait and let other uh states we should wait and let other uh states develop<00:59:28.559
• <01:25:20.159><c> the</c><01:25:20.400><c> final</c> cabinet approves the cleanup, the final cabinet
• </c><02:00:14.880><c> uh</c> superintendents across the state uh superintendents across the state uh

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:11:09.279><c> Rebecca</c> and public safety cabinet Rebecca and public safety cabinet Rebecca
• Hopefully, this will Safety Cabinet.
• </c> year currently do we send out of state year currently do we send out of state for<00:26:45.360><
• Other states are doing it, obviously, because we're sending our youth out of state, so that wouldn't
• doing</c> of state youth. other states are doing of state youth. other states are doing it<00:40:26.320

Summary: The committee heard from the Department of Corrections first about Wellpath’s medical services contract and the contractor’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy. DOC officials said Wellpath’s reorganization plan was confirmed in May 2025, the contract was automatically assumed, and services have continued without lapses. They said DOC has not seen any reduction in care, staffing problems, or known impact on Kentucky operations, and that DOC and health services staff meet with Wellpath almost weekly. Members asked whether “emergence” meant discharge from bankruptcy; staff clarified that Wellpath has not yet been discharged and is still in the process of paying debts. The discussion then shifted to the Department of Juvenile Justice’s proposed high-acuity juvenile mental health treatment facility. DJJ said the facility is still in the conceptual and preliminary programming stage, with no full design funding yet and no entry into the formal A/B process with DECA. The proposed facility would have 24 beds total, split into 16 clinical beds and 8 assessment/stabilization beds, and would need to separate males and females as well as high- and low-risk youth under Senate Bill 162. Officials said the concept was developed with DJJ and CHFS mental health staff and outside design experts, and that the project was submitted in the capital plan for consideration. Members questioned the need for the facility, the estimated construction and staffing costs, and whether the state has enough youth to justify it. DJJ said the number of youth needing this level of care changes frequently, that they currently have one youth in Pennsylvania and typically send one to five youth out of state each year, and that out-of-state placement is increasingly difficult. Officials argued that a dedicated facility would reduce delays, keep youth closer to home, and avoid the need to retrofit multiple detention centers. Some members expressed concern that the projected operating costs seemed high compared with the small number of current out-of-state placements, and asked for more information on annual out-of-state spending and the number of youth who would qualify for the facility.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> things in the state. things in the state.
• </c> state and to customers. state and to customers.
• </c> and Environmental Cabinet. and Environmental Cabinet.
• They se on the the the the the cabinet.
• </c> protections in place so that his cabinet protections in place so that his cabinet does<01:10:20.800

Summary: The committee met for an initial natural resources hearing with a quorum present and introductory housekeeping, including prayer, roll call, and recognition of guests. Chair Smith outlined ground rules for questions and then invited Kentucky Power and American Electric Power representatives to the table to discuss a proposed plan involving the Mitchell Power Plant and future generation needs in Eastern Kentucky. Witnesses Cindy Wiseman, Alex Vaughn, and AEP CEO Bill Fehrman said the company’s goals are to stabilize and lower rates, reduce rate volatility, and expand generation in the Commonwealth. They explained that Kentucky Power seeks legislative authority to securitize its 50% interest in the Mitchell coal plant, describing securitization as a refinancing mechanism that would lower annual plant costs by about $34 million and help offset roughly one-third of the expected cost of adding new generation in Kentucky. They emphasized that the proposal is not intended to close Mitchell, and said Kentucky Power currently has no plan to divest its interest; the company still needs the plant to serve customers while it pursues additional dispatchable generation in Kentucky. Members pressed the witnesses on the plant’s book value versus fair market value, whether the Mitchell interest had ever been assigned a nominal value, how any divestiture proceeds would be handled, whether Kentucky Power owns Wheeling Power, and how long Mitchell can continue operating. The company said it values Mitchell at net book value for accounting purposes, not fair market value, and explained that Wheeling Power is a separate AEP affiliate and that West Virginia affiliates have already proposed securitization of their share. Witnesses said Kentucky Power’s interest cannot technically operate past 2028 without additional environmental control investment, while the West Virginia side is depreciating through 2040. They also described the financing timeline, saying securitization would require enactment of legislation, a PSC financing order, bond issuance, and then parallel work to acquire or build new generation, with any reinvestment terms to be addressed through the regulatory process.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> target particular areas of the state target particular areas of the state where<00:02:44.480><c>
• He highen, you know, the state.
• </c> Commissioner White that as a state Commissioner White that as a state advisory<00:20:42.000><c>
• </c> sent out of state. sent out of state. um<00:46:31.359><c> to</c><00:46:31.599><c> end</c><00:46:
• </c> turn 18 and go to to the state hospital. turn 18 and go to to the state hospital.

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:

• What this bill would do is actually, since we changed the state seal, all of the state trooper and state
• </c> putting uh aeds in uh outside cabinets putting uh aeds in uh outside cabinets that<00:20:46.320>
• There would be no cost to the state. Mr.
• There would be no cost to the state. Mr.
• </c> and referred to the committee on State and referred to the committee on State and<00:39:47.720><

Committee: Senate Transportation