Transcript Highlights:

• This affected students and staff Minneapolis Public Schools was forced to cancel classes for the remainder
• They state in this letter that enforcement activity at or near schools, classes, students distressed,
• They stay in this letter enforcement activity at or near schools classes, students distressed us reps
• So I asked this third-grade class what they want me to work on.
• Sunday's like, are you worried about not being able to have your cell phone in class anymore?

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• But we don't change that part of the law that lists that class already. >> Yeah.
• All right. >> But we don't change that part of the law that lists that class already. >> Yeah.
• There is a list, a class of individuals.
• All right. >> But we don't change that part of the law that lists that class already. >> Yeah.
• But we don't change that part of the law that lists that class already. >> Yeah.

Keywords: Judiciary, Division B - Room 409, 3 February, 2026; 5:15 P.M., 925, all

Summary: The committee took up Bill 2802, which would address falsifying residency or enrollment documents to place a child in a different school district. Senator Rhodes explained that the current penalty is a felony with a large fine and possible prison time, but that prosecutors rarely use it; the bill would add a misdemeanor-level penalty to create a more realistic enforcement option. He also proposed an amendment changing language that would have required expulsion of the child, replacing it with language making the child ineligible for enrollment in that district so the child would not have an expulsion on record. The committee adopted that amendment by voice vote. Members then debated the bill’s broader policy effects. Supporters argued the measure is needed because districts have reported problems with parents using false addresses or other fraudulent documents, and they said the bill simply creates a lesser penalty while preserving enforcement. Opponents said the bill punishes parents who are trying to secure a better education for their children, may not increase prosecutions, and could harm families and children who did nothing wrong. One senator compared the issue to other criminalized conduct involving rule violations, while another questioned whether the state should be creating a misdemeanor for conduct that is already a felony. The committee also discussed a proposed amendment to remove the felony component entirely and make the offense only a misdemeanor. That amendment was debated at length, with concerns raised that the broader statute covers more than school enrollment fraud and could affect other forms of false statements to government entities. The transcript ends during that discussion, with no final recorded disposition on the bill itself in the excerpt provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• But it's a world-class industrial...
• Middle-class jobs, high-paying middle-class jobs, at the extent that they've shut us down up here.
• It's a world-class bike trail.
• Actually, I'm not teaching it anymore, but I taught a financial literacy class that did that.
• This year, it grew from just one group of patients in a four. class cohort to two of those same class

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:43:37.839> Uh<00:43:38.079> formal evidence-based classes.
• Uh formal evidence-based classes.
• Uh there's<00:48:46.160> four<00:48:46.480> standalone<00:48:47.119> classes<00:
• 48:47.440> in There are four standalone classes in Handle with Care.
• enhanced the verbal deescalation class enhanced the verbal deescalation class by<00:51:47.280>

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

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

Transcript Highlights:

• My daughter has class, and it's been paying $12 an hour. And guess what?
• Attendant needs are on the CLASS waiver, so attendant wages are a very important issue to me.
• I have done drug tests and classes numerous times.
• So, how are you giving somebody all these tests and classes, but yet there's no case?
• And she helps you with the class and earning money. So what do you want for Leticia?

Bills: SB1, SB 1

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, gee, uh, half the class isn't vaccinated.
• <02:36:46.720> of distinct class of distinct class of children<02:36:48.680> a<02:36
• of minors their right to appropriate medical treatment and one distinct class of parents their right
• know that denying one one distinct class know that denying one one distinct class of of of minors
• <03:33:26.359> of treatment and one distinct class of treatment and one distinct class of

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's very specific, class line, that all is flowing through that system.
• <00:54:57.160> line not that it's very specific class line not that it's very specific class
• You had asked about the 027, so class 27.
• 27 you refer to so our 027 so class 27 you refer to so our class<01:01:27.760> 27<01:01:28.280
• The difference between first-class mail rate and sorting.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Department of Administrative Services presented an overview of its budget and operations, emphasizing that it is the lowest-spending agency in state government and that its general fund allocation has declined since 2019. Commissioner Arling House explained that DAS also handles back-office functions for several administratively attached boards, which has affected staffing and spending comparisons. He said the department’s current general fund spending is roughly split between retiree health and other operations, and that the presentation was based on adjusted authorized spending rather than the original budget figures. A major portion of the meeting focused on retiree health benefits and the long-term effort to control costs. Deputy Commissioner Cassie Keane described how the state moved from a projected deficit in retiree health to savings through a series of changes, including higher premium contributions, co-pay adjustments, and shifting Medicare retirees into Medicare Advantage arrangements to capture federal reimbursement. She said the state has about 12,500 retirees and spouses on the plan, with roughly 10,906 Medicare retirees and 1,580 non-Medicare retirees, and that the savings have depended heavily on federal funding and procurement decisions. She also noted that Medicare retirees pay Part B premiums and that the state has grandfathered older retirees from some premium contributions. Members asked about what the expenditures cover, why the state offers retiree health instead of simply giving retirees a payment to buy coverage themselves, and whether out-of-pocket costs changed under Medicare Advantage. Keane said the plan covers actual health claims or insurance premiums, that co-pays and maximum out-of-pocket limits remain in place, and that the state has no authority to change benefit details without legislative action. She explained that retiree health is a long-standing employee benefit that wraps around Medicare and is not collectively bargained in the usual sense, though its eligibility rules and cost-sharing have been tightened over time to better target the benefit to long-term state service. The discussion also covered vendor performance problems. Keane said Anthem recently won the contract back from Aetna, but its pharmacy subsidiary, Caroline, caused serious service disruptions. DAS responded by withholding payments, assessing more than $2 million in performance guarantees, and hiring a third-party auditor to review the pharmacy processes. The current contract runs through the end of calendar year 2026, and officials said they are watching federal Medicare Advantage reimbursement changes closely because future savings are uncertain.

Transcript Highlights:

• Members and guests, particularly the fourth grade class of the Howard Manning School in Middleton, will
• The Chair would like to take this opportunity to introduce guests of Leader Jones, the fourth grade class

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The House opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and welcomed several guest groups, including a fourth grade class from Howard Manning School and the 2026 Hopedale Junior and Senior High School girls basketball team, recognized as Division 5 state champions. The House then adopted several congratulatory resolutions, including honors for Girl Scouts Gold Award recipients and the Worcester Chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club on its 150th anniversary. Members also approved a House order extending the Education Committee’s reporting deadline on House No. 5454, concurred with a Senate petition on wake-surfing fines for motorboat operators, and suspended Joint Rule 12 on a Fiola petition to allow municipalities to opt into a temporary pilot extending liquor license hours and permitting public consumption in designated districts. That Fiola matter was referred to the Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies. The Steering, Policy and Scheduling Committee reported several local bills for consideration, including measures for Berkeley and Bolton liquor licenses, Newton municipal charge liens, and a Marion land transfer; the House ordered these bills to a third reading. On final action, the House adopted the emergency preamble for House Bill 5375, financing long-term improvements to municipal roads and bridges, and passed House Bill 3929 on third reading, which changes the minimum age requirement for original appointment as a police officer in Worcester. The House also adopted an order to adjourn to Thursday at 11 a.m., observed a moment of silent tribute for Charles “Charlie” Van Dini of Plymouth, and then adjourned to meet Thursday next at 11 a.m. in informal session.

Transcript Highlights:

• So the only time it would be, and I don't remember the class misdemeanor, but if it bites someone for
• the first time unprovoked and creates serious physical injury, then that would be, I think, a class

Summary: The Rules Administrative Committee met with eight members present, establishing a quorum and moving into executive session. The committee then considered and advanced several bills, all on do-pass motions. Senate Bill 973, sponsored by Senator Trent, passed 7-1; Senate Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 903, related to copper wire and sponsored by Senator Henderson, passed 9-0; Senate Bill 834, sponsored by Senator Crawford and carried in the House by Representative Owens, passed 9-0; and Senate Bill 938, sponsored by Senator Bernskelder and carried by Representative Haley, passed 9-0. The committee also heard discussion on House Committee Substitute for House Bill 3304, sponsored by Representative Justice. Members discussed changes to the bill’s dog-bite provisions, including removing “serious emotional injury,” restoring original language so a first bite is not automatically a misdemeanor, and combining it with animal neglect language from a separate bill sponsored by Representative Sharp. Representative Justice explained the bill was intended to address serious attacks without criminalizing minor incidents, and members praised the work on revisions. After discussion, House Committee Substitute for House Bill 3304 passed 9-0. No other business was raised, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• How did they come in at the beginning of the class day?
• How did they leave at the end of the class period?

Bills: HB6, HB27, HB 123, HB210, HB213, HB222, HB610, HB 1085, HB1481, HB6, HB27, HB123, HB210, HB213, HB222

Keywords: mental health, telehealth, public schools, discipline management, behavioral interventions, financial literacy, high school education, curriculum requirements, economics, personal finance, HB 123, kindergarten readiness, early literacy, early numeracy, reading screening, math screening, foundational literacy, foundational numeracy, dyslexia screening, reading intervention

Transcript Highlights:

• maintain and even expand our social safety net, all while actually giving a larger tax cut to our middle class
• and Hawaii will be cemented as having one of the lowest income tax burdens of any state for working-class
• taxes for local residents and give substantial relief to our and give substantial relief to our middle class
• you and I promised that the House of Representatives would work to support and protect the working class
• We gave the middle class another income tax cut.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• clarity to how CO2 injections will be regulated by coordinating with the EPA, pursuing primacy over both Class
• And I'm going to explain what that means and why Washington is a world-class location for this.
• extremely interested in Washington because, as I mentioned right up front, this is really a world-class
• In fact, I mentioned these are world-class targets with huge potential.
• Washington want to be even more strict than the EPA, we can apply for primacy and be in charge of that Class

Summary: The committee held an interim work session focused first on carbon capture, utilization, and sequestration (CCUS), then on hazardous waste and extended producer responsibility (EPR). On the CCUS topic, industry and nonprofit presenters described point-source capture, direct air capture, mineralization, and geologic sequestration, emphasizing Washington’s basalt formations and state trust lands as strong candidates for storage. They argued that CCUS can help hard-to-abate industrial sectors, support jobs and investment, and provide a pathway for compliance, while also noting the need for clearer permitting, subsurface rights, pipeline authority, and storage infrastructure. Ecology and Commerce staff explained current state policy touchpoints, including Cap-and-Invest offsets and exemptions for permanently stored CO2, the public comment process underway to define “thousand-year” permanence, and how CCUS might fit within the Clean Energy Transformation Act without counting emitting generation as non-emitting. Some presenters supported more state action and primacy over federal permitting, while others warned about costs, energy use, uncertain capture performance, and the need to ensure real net greenhouse gas reductions and long-term liability protections. Members asked about public meetings, whether mineralized carbon would qualify as exempt under the Climate Commitment Act, the timeline for Ecology guidance, aquifer and water-quality concerns, energy intensity of capture systems, and liability if storage later proves problematic. Responses said Ecology’s guidance process is already underway, public meetings will be virtual, mineralized carbon would likely qualify if it meets the permanence standard, and EPA rules require storage in deep saline formations below drinking water aquifers. Industry speakers said capture energy use varies by source and concentration, and one presenter noted that some states use trust funds funded by injectors to address long-term liability. The second half of the session shifted to hazardous waste and EPR. Ecology staff reviewed existing product stewardship programs for electronics, paint, batteries, and mercury lights, and described moderate risk waste and household hazardous waste management in Washington. They highlighted that E-Cycle and PaintCare are producer-funded, that the battery stewardship program will begin in 2027, and that the mercury lamp program is in transition after its prior stewardship organization exited, prompting enforcement notices and a pending replacement plan. Ecology recommended best practices for future EPR programs, including clear producer and product definitions, full producer funding, convenience standards, annual reporting, and strong agency enforcement and plan approval authority. Local government speakers from King County and Douglas County described rising collection costs, equity and access barriers, rural travel distances, and the need for stable funding and flexible local implementation. King County said it collected over 3 million pounds of hazardous products in 2025 and supports EPR as a way to shift costs from ratepayers to producers, while Douglas County emphasized that rural residents will participate when services are accessible and that future systems should account for geography and local infrastructure.

Transcript Highlights:

• Ladies and gentlemen, members of the House, this is the Clinton High School 2025 Class 4A hip hop state
• And then we have to add that layer that they are able to do their job in the midst of 99 class presidents
• To the class of 2026, the guys that are still here, Mark LaPack, I love all your long debates.
• To my own class, the class of 2030, we killed a bill one time on the floor of an older member just for

Bills: SB378, SB985, SB1246, HB3720, SB1500, SB1984, HB4118, SB1644, SB1546, SB483

Keywords: bail bondsman, bondsman license, multicounty agent bondsman, surety bondsman, Insurance Commissioner, bail bond regulation, bond deposit, forfeiture, deposit ratio, writing capacity, license transfer, power of attorney, surety bond, bail industry, Oklahoma insurance law, financial solvency, administrative action, Oklahoma Local Food for Schools, school meals, local food procurement

Summary: The House convened, called the roll, and heard an invocation focused on “leading with the farewell,” followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and a series of floor recognitions honoring guests and student groups. Presentations included the nurse of the day, Susan Hollingsworth, and multiple student champions and visitors, including the Clinton High School 4A hip hop state champions, Pryor High School’s Life Smarts state champions, the Elgin High School wrestling team, the Fort Gibson FFA livestock judging team, Putnam City North’s girls basketball champions, visiting students from Douglas, OSU environmental science graduate students, and Oklahoma Energy Resource Board teachers of the year. The chamber then took up several Senate bills. SB 378, updating bail bondsman regulations, passed 77-3. SB 985, codifying the local food for school program in statute, passed 79-0. SB 1246, which would update and speed up DEQ permitting while preserving transparency, drew questions about agency outreach and environmental impacts; after a division vote on advancing the bill passed 30-28, the bill itself passed 81-0. Later, SB 1500 on pharmacy benefit managers passed 81-0, SB 1984 on osteopathic medicine passed 74-0, and SB 1644 creating a reporting mechanism for suspected alpha-gal syndrome passed 82-0. The House also adopted Senate amendments to HB 3720, the local food freedom bill, and passed it 81-0. HB 4118, the family caregiver credit, also passed 81-0 after the Senate amendment restored the title “Caring for Caregivers Act.” A motion was made to reject Senate amendments to HB 2992 and request conference. House Joint Resolution 1100, relating to OMES proposed major rule changes, was read on second reading and referred to administrative rules. A lengthy debate centered on an amendment to SB 1546, a teacher-related bill, which would expand the Oklahoma Equal Opportunity Scholarship Fund tax credit to support the Strong Readers Act, the Oklahoma Math Proficiency Act, and certain capital projects for scholarship-granting organizations. Supporters said it would encourage private investment in education and add instructional capacity; opponents argued it would favor wealthy private schools, do little for rural or high-poverty districts, and divert scholarship resources. The amendment was adopted unanimously, and the bill was advanced to final passage, with debate continuing at the end of the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• motion picture editor, strongly supports this bill, if amended, to create good union jobs for middle-class
• It protects good-paying middle-class jobs and the workers who depend on them.
• Good-paying middle-class jobs and the workers who depend on them.
• The bill is about protecting middle-class and union jobs.
• I got to go to class. Harrison, we good? Come on, gavel. Thank you very much.

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Revenue and Taxation heard several bills, most of them referred to the suspense file because of their fiscal impact. AB 2465 and AB 1675 would deny state grants, loans, tax credits, or other benefits to companies doing business with ICE or related immigration-enforcement agencies; both drew strong support from immigrant-rights, labor, and community groups, and opposition from CalChamber and industry groups that argued the bills were overly broad and could affect unrelated federal contracts. AB 1633 would impose a 50% gross receipts tax on for-profit private immigration detention facilities, with supporters saying it would hold companies accountable for dangerous conditions and opponents warning it was punitive and could disrupt detention operations. The committee also heard AB 2089, which would streamline the welfare property tax exemption process for affordable housing, and AB 2250, a cleanup bill to clarify hemp enforcement laws; both were supported by affected industry and advocacy groups, while county assessors and tax collectors opposed AB 2089 unless amended over workload and implementation concerns. AB 2172, which would allow counties to use a single-member assessment appeals commissioner for complex property tax appeals, was the only bill taken up for a vote during the meeting. Supporters, including Los Angeles County Assessor Jeffrey Prang, said the change would reduce a large backlog and speed resolution of appeals; the committee adopted amendments and passed the bill 4-0 to the Assembly Committee on Appropriations. The committee also heard AB 2319, creating a proposed post-production tax credit to keep film and television post-production work in California, with support from labor and industry representatives who said jobs and spending were leaving the state; the author said the bill still needed work on labor standards and the annual credit cap. Finally, AB 2403 was presented to create a commercial production tax credit to keep commercial shoots in California. The author and supporters said commercial production has declined sharply in the state and that other states are winning work through targeted incentives, while labor-backed witnesses argued the bill would protect middle-class jobs and local spending. The transcript ends during the presentation of AB 2403, before any vote or final action on that measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• clear that knowingly purchasing, selling, transferring, or offering to do that for consideration is a Class
• clear that knowingly purchasing, selling, transferring, or offering to do that for consideration is a Class
• offering to do that for consideration<00:20:43.600> is<00:20:43.919> a<00:20:44.159> class
• <00:20:46.080> So<00:20:46.320> do consideration is a class D felony.
• So do consideration is a class D felony.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Senate Judiciary Committee heard and advanced several bills. Senate Bill 198, relating to operations of the Office of the Attorney General, was described as a cleanup measure with seven changes, including allowing the AG’s office to handle child support employee background checks and fingerprinting, updating child support guideline commission references, clarifying control of constitutional officers’ records in multistate litigation, setting a 10-year statute of limitations for certain consumer protection matters, streamlining administrative hearing appeals, and changing representation of the professional geologist board. After questions about the administrative hearing appeal language, the committee passed the bill 9-0. The committee then passed Senate Bill 323, which would require subpoenas for medical records to be served at least 14 days before production. President Stivers said the bill is intended to give health care providers reasonable time to comply with HIPAA, redact records, and avoid motions to quash when subpoenas are served on short notice. A question about appeal deadlines was answered by noting the bill would not affect the common 10-day motion-to-reconsider rule. The bill passed 9-0. Senate Bill 66, as amended by committee substitute, was also passed 9-0. The substitute addressed DUI-related issues, including preserving certain driving records for 10 years, removing urine screens from the bill, adding fentanyl and other substances to the per se controlled-substances DUI list, and clarifying that a preliminary breath test may be refused and that officers should advise drivers of that right. The committee also passed Senate Bill 221, a model-law bill making the knowing purchase, sale, transfer, or offer to sell human remains for consideration a Class D felony; members asked about whether it could affect older medical specimens or fetal remains, and sponsors said the bill is aimed at remains authorized for final disposition through cremation or burial. That bill passed 8-0. Finally, Senate Bill 312, concerning court-ordered transports in mental health cases, was presented by court security and sheriff’s association representatives. They said the bill clarifies that sheriffs may use court security staff to monitor and transport individuals undergoing 202A mental health evaluations, addressing staffing shortages and existing practice. The committee passed the bill 8-0. The committee then began hearing Senate Bill 333 on body armor grants, with the Attorney General’s office testifying that the bill would transfer administration of the Law Enforcement Protection Program to the AG and align it with the office’s existing body armor grant program, but the transcript cuts off before any vote on that measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, looking at the differences in deer taken, the sex and the age class of deer taken by the different
• bucks that were taken. >> [snorts] Uh, looking at the differences in deer taken, the sex and the age class
• Taken, um, the sex and the age class of deer taken by the different weapon types, so we're looking at
• The green line represents the number of deer taken with crossbows by each age class, and the blue line
• The green line represents the number of deer taken with crossbows by each age class, and the blue line

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• She graduated with her class despite undergoing her first battle with breast cancer and losing her husband
• She graduated with her<00:21:06.159> class<00:21:06.640> despite<00:21:07.120> undergoing
• <00:21:07.600> her<00:21:07.919> first her class despite undergoing her first her class
• Um, colleagues, join me in welcoming the 2026 class of Emerge Maryland and their executive director,

Keywords: House streaming session for Wednesday, February 18, 2026, 957, house, all

Summary: The House convened with 132 members present, offered prayer, approved the previous day’s journal, and adopted a House resolution honoring United Communities Against Poverty for 60 years of service in Prince George’s County fighting poverty. The organization’s board members were recognized in the gallery. The chamber then handled introductory business, including first-reading referral of House Bills 1587-1596, two introductory House bond initiatives referred to Appropriations, and Senate Bill 25 and other Senate bills received in the House and referred to committees. The House also took up committee reports and special orders. The Economic Matters Committee reported favorably on several bills, including House Bills 236, 241, 242, 259, and 308, all of which were adopted and ordered printed for third reading. On House Bill 146 regarding on-site wastewater systems, a friendly amendment was adopted to allow repair or replacement of failed drain field components needed to meet the bill’s requirements. On House Bill 220 concerning individual water meters/submetering, a substitute amendment was adopted to strike a provision related to eviction proceedings and keep the bill aligned with existing law; the bill was then ordered printed for third reading. Members also made several announcements recognizing visiting groups and observances, including the ALS Association, Career and Technology Education Month, Economic Development Day, Developmental Disabilities Day, Alzheimer’s Advocacy Day, the start of Ramadan, and Easter season. The House heard a Black History Month-style recognition of Ethel Beh Hill and welcomed multiple delegations and student groups. Committee and subcommittee meeting announcements followed, and with 134 members present, the House remained in session before the majority leader moved adjournment until Thursday, February 19 at 10:00 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• I mean, where the need is, is a poor and the middle class.
• currently paying for three kids a month, about $3,000 a month, I mean, I don't think you want to exclude a class
• Why am I going to treat two different classes of people unequal in a system where we have the availability
• I mean, if we're going to classify people, then we can just make a whole class of people that...
• If we're going to classify people, then we can just make a whole class of people that are ineligible.

Bills: SB241, SB145

Keywords: child care, child care assistance, child care subsidy, early childhood education, early childhood care, daycare, preschool, pre-K, Head Start, Early Head Start, Children's Code, early childhood education and care department, ECECD, child care facilities, licensed child care, registered child care, copayments, waitlist, subsidy, federal poverty level

Transcript Highlights:

• You're going to be in a little bit of a statistics class today, but not too challenging.
• You're going to be in a little bit of a statistics class today, but not too challenging.
• So now we're in policy class really quickly.
• And if you have not had an opportunity to take his class, I would invite you to take a look at our website
• And you can select by trooper class.

Summary: The committee heard a work session on voting access on tribal lands, beginning with a presentation from Dr. Chelsea Jones of the Brennan Center. She described barriers affecting Native voters and voters on tribal lands, including long travel distances to polling places and drop boxes, nontraditional addresses, unreliable postal service, language access, and limited broadband. Citing research, she said turnout on tribal lands trails turnout off tribal lands by about 10 percentage points nationally and about 10% in Washington, with larger gaps in some convenience voting measures. Members asked about the meaning of “lost votes,” the role of tribal leadership and community trust, and whether outreach by election officials and candidates could help; Dr. Jones emphasized that the study measured missed voting opportunities, not missing ballots, and that partnerships with trusted community leaders are important. The University of Washington Elections Database then presented data on voter registration, turnout, signature challenges, curing, and ballot rejection for voters whose addresses fall within tribal reservation boundaries. The presenters said registration on reservations increased from about 107,000 in 2010 to 137,000 in 2024, turnout on reservations remained about 8 to 9 percentage points lower than outside reservations in recent general elections, and signature-challenge and rejection rates were generally low but somewhat higher in off-year elections. They reported that about 60% to two-thirds of signature-challenged ballots are cured, with cure rates similar inside and outside reservations, and that late return is the most common reason for primary ballot rejection while signature mismatch is the leading cause in general elections. A question was raised about USPS postmarking issues and how those might affect future data; the presenters said they plan to track return method and cure timing more closely. The committee also received an overview of the Governor’s Office of Indian Affairs. Staff reviewed the office’s history, the Centennial Accord, the Millennium Agreement, and related state-tribal frameworks, and GOIA Director Tim Rainan described the office’s role as a bridge between the state and tribal governments, including consultation, policy coordination, training, and convening work groups. He said GOIA now has six positions, is part of the governor’s executive cabinet, and is working on a statewide tribal relations training module and consultation handbook. In response to a question, he said tribal voting is not a major topic at the Centennial Accord but is discussed more extensively through ATNI. The committee then shifted to contracting equity, hearing from WSDOT, DES, OMWBE, and the Office of Equity. WSDOT described its race-neutral small business and veteran goals, mentorship and support programs, and its response to the federal suspension of the DBE program; DES discussed statewide contracting spend, the EDGE pilot for small construction firms, and efforts to improve procurement access; OMWBE reported growth in certified firms and about $371 million in state spend with certified firms in the most recent year, while noting ongoing impacts from federal DBE changes; and the Office of Equity outlined its broader work on agency consultation, dashboards, and systems change. No votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's going to be a full-service, first-class campground. This is Ken Lake.
• They're going to be extremely nice, first class campgrounds.
• they're going to be extremely<00:13:02.800> nice,<00:13:03.680> first<00:13:04.079> class
• ,<00:13:04.880> uh, extremely nice, first class, uh, extremely nice, first class, uh, campgrounds

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Budget Subcommittee on Economic Development, Tourism, and Environmental Protection received a detailed update from Kentucky State Parks Commissioner Meyer on capital projects funded through HJR 76, HJR 56, and House Bill 6. He said the department is making steady progress on a large portfolio of park improvements, with regular quarterly reporting to the legislature and ongoing coordination with the Finance Cabinet, the Energy and Environment Cabinet, the Commonwealth Office of Technology, and local utilities and governments. He emphasized that ADA accessibility is a priority across projects and noted that many completed items, including campground bathhouse renovations, broadband upgrades, life safety improvements, playground replacements, and some furniture and mattress upgrades, are already drawing positive feedback. The presentation focused heavily on campground, utility, and infrastructure work. Meyer described $40 million in campground upgrades split between western and eastern Kentucky, including projects at Ken Lake, Carter Caves, My Old Kentucky Home, Cumberland Falls, and others. He also outlined $20 million in utility improvements, including a federal matching grant for grid resiliency at Ken Lake and Kentucky Dam Village, plus wastewater and electrical infrastructure work at parks such as Dale Hollow, Blue Licks, Natural Bridge, and Cumberland Falls. Additional categories included building systems, life safety, structural repairs, accommodations and hospitality upgrades, pool and beach work, dam safety, playgrounds, and golf course improvements. Members asked about the status of Lake Barkley utilities, the possibility of transferring upgraded utility infrastructure to local providers after repairs, and how park repair priorities are set. Meyer said park managers report issues through regional directors and that projects are prioritized through a running capital list, similar to a long-range transportation plan. He said the department has already spent the current $20 million allocation and is requesting $40 million in the next budget cycle, adding that the department believes it could spend and complete projects if that amount is appropriated. The commissioner also said the department is managing 284 additional capital projects outside the main funding streams, totaling nearly $70 million.