Transcript Highlights:

• Actually, well, this amendment's been brought into a substitute replacing on... Okay.
• We replace on online 101 page four with the following public document: all official books, papers, replace
• Basically, the original... replace lines 117 and went through 121 replace lines 117 and went through
• Um and the amendment reads, "Replace Um and the amendment reads, "Replace line<01:14:48.560>
• You're replacing employee with first responder employee. Is that what I'm reading? Yes.

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Item three is a roof replacement. For a residence hall.
• constructed at approximately the same time, consequently, their roofs are in simultaneous need of replacement
• After an evaluation by Oklahoma Roofing, we've developed a staggered replacement schedule to spread out
• both current and future Replacement costs: the next most urgent roof is the dorm, so we are requesting
• a one-time appropriation of $570,000 to replace that 28-year-old dorm roof, and finally, item number

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This information is needed to estimate replacement value, which helps the Department of Administrative
• Additionally, we discovered asset replacement values were not inputted for all key capital assets on
• inaccurate asset tracking and inputs can lead to additional cost to the agency when they have to replace
• Building on that foundation, OPRD has also initiated a project to replace our outdated asset management
• forward with this modernization depends on approval in our agency request budget. ...of a pot to replace

Keywords: 907, all

Summary: The Joint Interim Committee on Legislative Audits met on June 17 for informational presentations. The Department of Administrative Services, through Chief Audit Executive Eli Ritchie, gave an overview of statewide internal audit requirements and the fiscal year 2025 report. He explained the difference between internal and external audit, described Oregon’s statutory and rule-based internal audit structure, and reported that 30 agencies had internal audit functions, with most meeting required standards. He said 73 audits and 49 advisory/consulting engagements were completed statewide, with strong compliance overall, though a few agencies were rebuilding audit committees after vacancies. No committee questions were raised after the presentation. The Secretary of State’s Audits Division then presented its Government Waste Hotline annual report. Director Steve Bergman and audit manager Olivia Rekhed described changes made to align the hotline with statute, including renaming it the Government Waste Hotline, creating a review panel, improving anonymity protections, removing fraud reporting from the hotline’s scope, and adjusting reporting timelines. They said hotline volume increased modestly in 2025, most reports were referred elsewhere or closed for insufficient evidence, and two reports were substantiated, including questioned costs of about $856 for personal use of a state vehicle and about $2.9 million tied to the Preschool Promise program. Committee members asked about hotline staffing, cost, anonymity, and follow-up on findings; staff said the hotline is lightly resourced, uses a contracted intake service, and referrals or recommendations are followed up through management letters and later reviews. The committee also heard an audit of the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department’s safety inspections and asset tracking. The Secretary of State’s office reported that OPRD had not consistently conducted or documented quarterly OSHA safety inspections and had incomplete asset records, including missing acquisition dates and costs for many assets. The audit made eight recommendations covering safety inspection policies, asset management guidance, tagging, reconciliations, disposition controls, training, and a new asset management system; OPRD agreed to all recommendations. OPRD officials said they had already begun training staff, improving inspection procedures, and working toward a replacement asset system, while noting operational challenges from a large, dispersed park system and manual processes. Committee members asked about what kinds of assets are tracked, how tagging works, whether items were actually being lost, and how much tracking is necessary for low-value tools; OPRD said the main issue was inconsistent classification and documentation rather than widespread loss. The meeting ended with no votes or formal actions taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• the following: Replace line 52 on page two with the...
• Senator Coleman-Madison: Replace line 258 on page 10 with the following: Replace line 264 on page 10
• Amendment to Senate Bill Number 18 by Senator Coleman: Replace line 98 on page four with the following
• Amendment number two is the one to make sure that we keep the judge's discretion and replace "a sha"
• Amendment to Senate Bill Number 18 by Senator Coleman: Replace line 99 on page four with the following

Bills: SJR 3, SB 5, SJR 36, SJR 3, SB 616, SB 565, SB 384, SB 5, SB 21, SB 72, SB 140, SB 262, SB 370, SB 372, SB 495, SB 627, SB 703, SB 764, SB 842, SB 971, SB 790, SB 767, SB 480, SB 1066, SR 44, SR 135, SR 171, SR 180, SR 185, SR 187, SR 188, SR 191, SR 197, SR 198, SR 199, SR 200

Keywords: dementia, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, research funding, state budget, prevention, healthcare, medical research, Dementia Prevention and Research Institute, research institute, funding, grants, state health initiatives, aquifer, water management, Edwards Aquifer, sustainability, regulatory framework, SB 565, Texas Water Code

Transcript Highlights:

• And so it's not just replace; it's replace and augment.
• And so it's not just replace; it's replace and augment.
• > augment first obviously replace and augment first obviously replace and augment existing<00:
• We have to replace that. In this money. We have to replace that.
• replaces the sticker? replaces the sticker? >> Sure,<00:47:20.640> Mr.

Bills: HF624

Keywords: HF624, Minnesota fishing law, game and fish, walleye stamp, walleye stamp validation, angling, angler, fishing lines, two lines, four lines, open water fishing, ice fishing, Department of Natural Resources, DNR, fishing regulations, fish harvest, conservation, Minnesota Statutes 97C.315, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We believe that the agency currently has procedures for repairing and replacing uniforms.
• Does the state contend that replacing a septic tank and drain fields is minor maintenance?
• Does the state contend that replacing a septic tank and drain fields is minor maintenance?
• The stress on the frame and other working parts of the car—you just can't replace those.
• The way you do it is you replace the car.

Summary: The Joint Select Committee on Collective Bargaining met to hear impasse presentations from the Department of Management Services and several bargaining units. The department reported that most articles had been resolved in each of the full-book contracts, with remaining disputes centered largely on wages and a handful of non-economic issues. For the FDLE special agents, security services, law enforcement, Florida Highway Patrol, and Florida State Fire Service units, the state described its wage offers as generally a 2% competitive increase plus a 3% special pay increase, along with various bonuses, retention funds, or career-development funding in some units. The department also said it wanted to keep existing language on work schedules, seniority, grooming, equipment, grievance procedures, and other items, often characterizing its changes as housekeeping or alignment with current practice. The department noted that insurance had been agreed to with no increased employee cost, and it confirmed that correctional officers do receive overtime pay. Representatives for the Florida State Fire Service Association strongly disputed the state’s position, arguing that firefighters should not be required to perform major construction work, that their work schedules and on-call/callback arrangements unfairly suppress overtime, and that wildfire and fire-rescue employees are underpaid and underprotected. They also pressed for better compensation for EMT/paramedic-certified firefighters, additional protective clothing, on-site decontamination and shower/laundry facilities, and stronger cancer-prevention language. The association said the state had not bargained in good faith and urged the committee to support the union’s proposals. The Police Benevolent Association’s Florida Highway Patrol unit focused on wages and a career development plan, saying troopers remain underpaid compared with other states and are leaving for better-paying agencies. It also sought a veteran stipend, broader grooming/tattoo language, safety improvements for high-mileage vehicles, and changes to seniority and inflation-related pay. The PBA law enforcement unit raised similar safety concerns about aging vehicles, sought limits on performance evaluations tied to case presentations, and requested a $7,000 across-the-board wage increase. The security services unit, representing correctional officers, probation officers, and ISS officers, said its main issue was wages and asked for an $8-per-hour starting pay increase, retention bonuses, special pay for death row and close-management staff, added pay for SOTEC officers, and overtime pay for lieutenants and captains who currently receive comp time instead. No votes were taken, no public testimony followed, and the committee adjourned after taking the presentations under advisement.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thousands of vehicles were made cleaner either through repair or replacement.
• Um, HB 3229 also keeps recyclers accountable for proper handling of turbine components replaced during
• Via Metropolitan Transit has made has made the decision to replace its fleet of diesel-powered transit
• Current law allows a grant to be awarded for the replacement of a pre-2007 model year school bus.
• So House Bill 2546 extends eligible school buses that may be replaced under the Clean School Bus Program

Bills: HB205

Keywords: disaster recovery, economic development, grants, loans, infrastructure support

Transcript Highlights:

• I mean, as I said, it can replace one of your math or science classes.
• It can still replace one of those two. And would that be the same for advanced?
• So this could replace one of those four in the advanced. And that's actually a part of the bill.
• The present computer science bill that we have is that it can replace one of those.
• We don’t want to replace one of those.

Bills: HB298, HB342, HB332, HB344

Keywords: athletic classification, public high schools, English language learners, state education policy, athletic associations, religious instruction, elective credit, released time, public education, school policy, educational intervention, State Superintendent, local boards of education, subpoena, accountability, state control, 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• every single tablet out there of opioid, or it's going to replace 50%, not even close, right?
• So think knee replacement, hip replacement, hysterectomy, cancer-related procedure, other general surgery
• Knee replacement, hip replacement, hysterectomy, cancer-related procedure, other general surgeries—the
• So think knee replacement, hip replacement, hysterectomy, cancer-related procedure, other general surgery
• . knee replacement, hip replacement, hysterectomy, cancer-related procedure, other general surgeries,

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes and then heard a detailed annual presentation from Dr. Thomas Arnold, chair of the Maternal Mortality Review Committee, on maternal mortality trends and review findings. He explained the committee’s structure, the de-identified review process, and the distinction between pregnancy-associated and pregnancy-related deaths. He said national maternal mortality has declined from its 2021 peak, but mental health conditions, substance use, overdose, suicide, cardiovascular disease, hemorrhage, infection, and embolism remain major causes. He emphasized that many deaths are preventable, with especially high rates among non-Hispanic Black women and in the American Indian/Alaska Native population, and noted that a large share of deaths occur after 42 days postpartum. Committee members asked about suicide, domestic abuse, pregnancy testing in unexplained deaths, and the role of home births and midwife training. Dr. Arnold said the committee is adding a caseworker, exploring post-mortem pregnancy testing in suspicious cases, and working with coroners and forensic officials; he also said home births and untrained midwifery pose safety concerns and that better public education and facility-based care are important. The committee then heard from State Fire Marshal Dr. Matt Clark on cigarette ignition propensity standards and fire prevention. He recommended updating North Dakota’s cigarette ignition legislation to the current national standard and also considering legislation requiring fast-breakaway oxygen tubing, citing fatal fires involving smoking around home oxygen. He explained that his office verifies manufacturer testing and maintains certification for cigarettes sold in the state, but does not itself conduct the testing. Members asked about implementation, cost, and whether the standards apply in tribal communities; Clark said he would follow up with cost information and additional details, and that he had not seen evidence of a major issue on tribal lands but would look further. Christine Greff of the Department of Health and Human Services presented the North Dakota Stroke System of Care report. She described the statewide network of two comprehensive stroke centers, four primary stroke centers, and 30 acute stroke-ready hospitals, along with the stroke registry and quality-improvement efforts. She reported that most strokes are ischemic, that the median stroke patient age is 71.5, and that common risk factors include hypertension, dyslipidemia, obesity, and diabetes. She highlighted improvements in door-to-CT, thrombolytic treatment times, dysphagia screening, EMS pre-notification, and interfacility transfer performance, and said new priorities include hemorrhagic stroke quality measures and standardized EMS stroke screening tools. Members asked about the VA hospital’s participation, and Greff said she would pursue outreach. After a break, the committee heard testimony from Taha Khan of Vertex Pharmaceuticals as part of the prior authorization study, focused on non-opioid pain treatment. He argued that prior authorization can delay access to acute pain treatment and may push patients toward opioids, especially in the critical 24- to 72-hour post-discharge window. He cited data showing that even short opioid exposure can increase the risk of long-term use and said prior authorization is often a barrier for physicians and patients. Khan recommended open access with a quantity limit rather than prior authorization, suggesting a 14-day limit supported by the product’s data and an episode-of-care approach. Members asked about dental use, payer discussions, and cost; he said the product’s wholesale acquisition cost is about $16.10 per tablet, with patient assistance available, and that he would follow up on payer and comparison-cost questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• Replace lines 91 on page four with the following. Replace line 98 on page four with the following.
• replace it. replace it.
• Replace line 31 on page two with the following. Replace line 36 on page two with the following.
• Replace line 98 on page four with the Replace line 98 on page four with the following.
• Replace line 38 on page two with the following. Replace line 46 on page two with the following.

Keywords: 920, all

Summary: The Alabama Senate convened with prayer, the pledge, and a quorum present, then quickly handled routine motions to excuse absent senators, dispense with the prior journal, and allow bills and committee reports throughout the day. The chamber first took up House amendments to Senate Bill 19 on insurance, including a changed start date and a bill name honoring David McHanie and Roy Johnson. On a long roll, the Senate concurred 22-0 with one abstention. Senator Singleton then used personal privilege to present a Black History observance highlighting Nat King Cole, Louis Armstrong, Benjamin O. Davis Sr., and Mahalia Jackson. Committee reports followed, with the Senate confirming Brandy Williams to the Alabama Fire College and Personnel Standards and Education Commission and Lynn Brewer to the Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Contractors. Senator Singleton spoke at length in support of the trades-related confirmation, emphasizing the importance of skilled labor, contractor oversight, and workforce training, while also discussing the need to support such professions and the role of boards in protecting consumers. The Senate also received favorable reports from Judiciary, Education Policy, Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development, Tourism, and Local Legislation on a range of bills, many with amendments or substitutes, and placed them on the next day’s calendar. In motions and resolutions, Senator Elliott recommitted Senate Bill 310 to local legislation and introduced Senate Joint Resolution 50 honoring Coach Tim Carter, which was sent to rules. The Senate adopted Senate Joint Resolution 51 mourning Junior Harold Sorrells and several House resolutions from the Rules Committee, including recognitions for the Alabama State Games, Mack McCutcheon’s retirement, the Black pioneers of Macon County, Alicia Cannon, Joseph William Jones Jr., and Louis Vuitton the Pitbull Day. The chamber also recognized several school leaders in the gallery and then moved into local bills, beginning with Senate Bill 266, a proposed constitutional amendment regarding Covington County, for which a bill reading was requested using the previous roll.

Transcript Highlights:

• and requires a complete replacement. and requires a complete replacement.
• So this is to improve or replace the actual pool, though, or is it to replace those—I'll take that's
• <00:52:11.800> I'll though or is it to replace those I'll though or is it to replace those
• <01:06:43.880> the As proposed, the tax would replace the As proposed, the tax would replace
• Chair Gomez: >> Are you essentially replacing the larger sections in particular?

Bills: HF4094, HF3390, HF3813, HF3583, HF3751, HF4324, HF4789, HF3596, HF4033, HF4424, HF4053

Keywords: Crosby, local sales tax, bonding authority, community projects, voter approval, Owatonna, use tax, special law, community center, municipal finance, capital project, sales and use tax, local option tax, city tax, public facility, general election, bond referendum, debt limit, levy limit, Minnesota local government

Transcript Highlights:

• systems, rehabilitation and replacement systems, rehabilitation and replacement of<00:18:31.840>
• We'll replace the failing construction.
• Can't burn wood, and so we we replaced Can't burn wood, and so we we replaced them<00:26:08.720>
• Because of the lot sizes, there is often no room to replace them.
• no room to replace them. no room to replace them.

Bills: HF4710, HF4055, HF3848, HF3989, HF4599, HF3767, HF3592, HF3575, HF3574, HF3543, HF4606, HF4489, HF3891, HF3438, HF3811, HF3400

Keywords: capital investment, water infrastructure, sewer systems, public funding, municipal development, Eveleth, wastewater treatment, state bonds, environmental compliance, infrastructure, bonds, economic development, local government, transportation, intersection improvements, Lake Elmo, HF4599, St. Joseph, Minnesota bonding bill, bond proceeds fund

Transcript Highlights:

• 36,000 feet of worn rail, and replace more than 75,000 ties.
• <00:51:03.280> aging Marshall County will replace aging Marshall County will replace aging
• <00:51:10.000> 30 complex. funding will replace 30 complex. funding will replace 30 turnouts
• 36,000 ft of worn rail, track, replace 36,000 ft of worn rail, and<00:51:24.880> replace<00:51
• and replace more than 75,000 ties. and replace more than 75,000 ties.

Keywords: 00:05 Call to Order and Roll Call 01:20 Road Projects 46:30 Approval of Minutes 46:50 Railroads 57:26 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The Budget Review Subcommittee on Transportation met without a quorum, so it could not approve the minutes. The chair announced an Eastern Kentucky University health forum later that day and then proceeded with testimony on alternative delivery methods for road projects. Jason Sawala of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and Chad Laroo of the Kentucky Association of Highway Contractors were sworn in and introduced themselves. Sawala explained KYTC’s use of alternative delivery tools, including design-build, construction manager/general contractor (CMGC), and public-private partnerships (P3s). He said the cabinet’s goal is to deliver the best value to taxpayers in terms of quality, cost, and time, and emphasized that alternative delivery is most useful on projects with special circumstances such as innovation needs, specialized technology, complex constructibility, schedule pressure, or early contractor input. He cited the cabinet’s wrong-way driving prevention project as an example where design-build helped evaluate technologies and coordinate with stakeholders such as EMS and first responders. He also outlined the main tradeoffs: alternative delivery can improve collaboration and sometimes accelerate schedules, but it also brings risks related to right-of-way acquisition, utility relocation, changing scope, and the need for dedicated staff and compressed decision-making. He stressed that these methods are not a cure-all and are not appropriate for every project, while noting that traditional design-bid-build remains effective for most of KYTC’s work. Representative Branscum responded favorably, saying early contractor involvement is valuable and consistent with his experience in the vertical construction world. No votes or formal actions were taken because the committee lacked a quorum.

Transcript Highlights:

• Specific concerns to be addressed will be replacing boilers necessary for campus HVAC systems and replacing
• <00:10:06.880> boilers addressed will be replacing boilers addressed will be replacing boilers
• up to a dozen aging or replacing up to a dozen aging or underperforming<00:10:13.360> chillers.
• Phase one replaces Hugh Poland and Douglas Keen Halls, two of WKU's oldest residential halls, with a
• Um, the picture that you got up, are those residence halls designed to replace the ones that we've had

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The House Budget Review Subcommittee on Postsecondary Education met without a quorum, so no minutes were approved. The committee then heard a presentation from Western Kentucky University President Timothy Kabone, who highlighted WKU’s recent gains in graduation rate, retention, degree production, graduate enrollment, research activity, and financial stability. He said WKU’s FY 2026 budget is structurally balanced without one-time reserves, and he tied the university’s growth to its strategic plan and to Senate Bill 77, which created a pathway for WKU’s first PhD program. WKU’s initial PhD offering is planned in data sciences for fall 2027, and Kabone said the university continues to pursue R2 research status. Kabone also outlined WKU’s budget requests, including a 4.5% base appropriation increase for each year of the biennium, a $30 million increase in the performance funding pool, a $30 million trust fund for tuition waiver reimbursement, and $2 million per year for the Gatton Academy. He also requested continued funding for the Kentucky Mesonet, 8.9% of proposed asset preservation funding, and support for a $280 million new Potter College facility. He emphasized inflationary pressures, rising fixed costs, and the burden of mandated tuition waivers, and said the university supports performance funding but wants the model adjusted to better reward student success rather than enrollment growth. Members asked about WKU’s student housing situation and the transition away from the former student life foundation model. Kabone said the foundation structure had run its course, that the university had lacked adequate oversight under the old arrangement, and that WKU is moving to a public-private partnership with Gilbane and the College Housing Foundation. He said the new model would not increase the university’s debt load and would replace older residence halls with a roughly 1,000-bed complex, eliminate community-style bathrooms over time, and expand living-learning communities. Representatives McCool and Tipton praised WKU’s graduation and retention results and asked questions about the housing project and its timeline. The committee then heard from CareerVXR and KCTCS about a proposed career exploration pilot. Company representatives said the platform uses web-based and virtual reality experiences to show students real jobs and workplaces, with the goal of addressing an “awareness gap” in workforce participation. They proposed a $1.8 million, two-year pilot to reach 50,000 to 60,000 students in three regions, including Hazard Community and Technical College, Southeast Community and Technical College, and western Kentucky. Members asked about cost, funding source, and locations, and were told the request would come through the KCTCS budget. The meeting ended with notice that the next meeting was scheduled for Thursday, February 26.

Transcript Highlights:

• We experienced $8.5 million in equipment replacement costs.
• So this has a rechargeable battery and then pods that you replace.
• Antimony trioxide has been banned from new types of upholstered furniture, replacement components of
• They will be exempt from penalties while they work to replace their tank. ...on their control.
• They will be exempt from penalties while they work to replace their tanks.

Summary: The committee heard several environmental and consumer-safety bills. AB 405, the Fashion Act, would require fashion companies to disclose and manage toxic chemicals in their supply chains; supporters said it would reduce worker and consumer exposure and align with existing industry frameworks, while retailers and business groups argued it would duplicate existing laws and raise costs. After questions about DTSC workload, international standards, and affordability, the bill was moved on a due-pass-as-amended motion to Natural Resources and held on call with three votes. AB 762 would ban the sale and distribution of disposable vape devices; supporters emphasized battery-fire risks, recycling contamination, and waste impacts, while cannabis and convenience-store interests warned it would push consumers to illicit markets and harm legal businesses. The bill passed on a due-pass motion to Business and Professions with three votes and was held on call. The committee also adopted the consent calendar with six votes. AB 794 would direct California to keep in place the federal PFAS drinking-water standard if federal protections are weakened, with supporters citing health risks and the need for certainty, and water agencies opposing the emergency-rulemaking authority and potential costs. Members debated whether the bill was too broad and whether federal funds would cover implementation; the bill passed on a due-pass-as-amended motion to Appropriations with four votes and was held open. AB 1148, the Safer Food Packaging Act, would restrict certain chemicals in food packaging; supporters cited cancer and reproductive-health concerns, while chemical, beverage, and manufacturing groups argued the bill should go through existing regulatory processes and that some chemicals lacked feasible alternatives. The author said she would remove antimony trioxide later in the process after hearing opposition concerns; the bill passed on a due-pass motion to Judiciary with four votes and was held open. Finally, AB 1338 would allow local air districts to recover costs for implementing fence-line air monitoring at metal shredding facilities, building on prior legislation and local air district efforts in AB 617 communities. The author said the bill would preserve local control and improve efficiency, and the South Coast Air Quality Management District testified in support. The transcript ends as the district witness begins testimony, with no vote yet taken on AB 1338.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're seeing aging infrastructure replacements, leaking lines being replaced, that sort of thing.
• Madam Chair, Senator, there may be one or two lead replacement lines, but no.
• It applies only to new installations of lighting and to replacements of existing lighting.
• It says as of July 1st, However, when existing lighting fixtures are replaced, their replacements are
• Nothing, none of this; it's a mechanical product. wears out, and it will require replacement.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have a replacement clerk. >> Stman, are you replacing our clerk, Alexander Murray? Okay.
• So this is a replace-all amendment that, um, however, it's obviously very, very gerine a replace-all
• replace all amendment. replace all amendment.
• ><03:43:28.080> um<03:43:28.800> however replace all amendment that um however replace
• replace all amendment. Yes. replace all amendment. Yes.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's going to require water main replacement, sewer main replacement, fire panel replacement, about $2.6
• We also are needing to replace gas lines.
• We are having to replace roofs, and air conditioner replacement is also another change that we need to
• You need to replace it at that point. It talks about some HVAC repairs.
• “It’s more than six decades old and is in need of repair or replacement, and that’s high.

Summary: The Health and Human Services Committee held an invited-testimony hearing on LR 425, which examines the Whitehall campus in Lincoln and possible long-term options for youth currently served there. Chair Brian Hardin explained that Whitehall houses two separate programs for adolescent males: a substance use program and a youth-who-sexually-harm program. Testimony from DHHS officials described Whitehall as a Joint Commission-accredited psychiatric residential treatment facility (PRTF) that provides about 40 hours of weekly programming, family involvement, school services, and community reintegration activities. Officials said the department is evaluating whether the programs should remain at Whitehall or move to another state-owned facility, with Hastings described as the department’s preferred alternative because it is more residential in design than a youth rehabilitation treatment center (YRTC).

Transcript Highlights:

• So you could replace one math or one science, and now one career tech class as well, and so trying to
• If you just keep on going to lines 133 through 137, it can actually replace one of those. >> Yeah.
• <00:13:45.120> so<00:13:45.360> you<00:13:45.519> could<00:13:45.760> replace
• one math or or and so you could replace one math or one<00:13:47.120> science<00:13:47.760>
• can actually replace one of those. can actually replace one of those.

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That's one of the goals of Senate Bill 4, is that you identify specifically the replacement power that
• you're going to be bringing online to replace it.
• asset, but they're also replacement asset, but they're also paying<00:12:30.480> for<00:12:30.560
• <00:19:33.039> power<00:19:34.160> and<00:19:34.640> we've<00:19:35.360> replaced
• <00:19:35.760> that base load power and we've replaced that base load power and we've replaced

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:02 HB 398 Discussion 01:01 HB 398 Roll Call Vote 16:09 Chair Comments 18:05, 958, all

Summary: The committee heard House Bill 398, sponsored by Rep. Wade Williams, with testimony from David Samford of East Kentucky Power Cooperative. The bill would amend KRS 278.264, the Senate Bill 4 statute, to clarify that it governs retirement of fossil fuel plants and not the recovery of associated decommissioning costs. Supporters said the measure would restore the Public Service Commission’s discretion to spread decommissioning costs over the life of a plant, consistent with traditional ratemaking, and avoid large rate spikes when plants are retired. Testimony focused on ratemaking principles such as cost causation and matching, with the witnesses arguing that customers should pay costs as they are incurred rather than face a large “sticker shock” charge at the end of a plant’s life. Members asked about possible double charges, environmental surcharges, fuel adjustment clauses, and what happens if a planned retirement is delayed or canceled. The witnesses said the bill is intended to prevent double exposure and that rates would be revisited in future base rate cases as assumptions change. During roll call, most members voted yes, while Rep. Fugate passed and explained concern about high electric bills and prior lump-sum charges in his area, and Rep. Watkins voted no, saying he needed more information on long-term affordability. The committee reported the bill out favorably, with the chair stating it should pass on the floor.