Transcript Highlights:

• We've been working diligently with Finance Cabinet's Department of Engineering and Contract Administration
• One has been awarded a contract, and four Blue Licks, Concaid, Car Creek, and Pine Mountain have had
• COT is also working to accelerate the completion of the schedule by contracting the planning and design
• This project is currently under contract.
• The $1.3 million EP Tom Sawyer contract.

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.

Transcript Highlights:

• Missile Range, FAA safety analysis, and written and approved procedures, diagrams, and finally a contract
• Lastly, we need a contract manager; with all of these contracts we have with customers and vendors, we
• want someone who can help monitor all the contracts, whether they are NDAs or agreements that we make
• We're contracting with local New Mexico-based architects, engineering firms, and sourcing all materials
• We wanted To build new ships while flying, but the market contractions just forced us to take that little

Transcript Highlights:

• We just signed a new three-year contract to bring over their youth academy training programs to Sunland
• It's been around for about seven years, and we have a tally of about $63 million in contracts that we
• EV bus company that the state signed a contract with to do school buses.
• As you make contracts, what is the expectation for companies moving in here?
• The first is through a special services contract, which still has to come to the PRC for information

Transcript Highlights:

• We do spend our prevention money wisely by contracting.
• with each of them, as well as revising our contracts with RVO Health.
• The basis of what you've presented to us is, even with those we were contracted with, there's just one
• You know, what activities the Southern Health Educator, what contracts that person may be overseeing,
• and if maybe we don't have that person overseeing any contracts, so that they can specifically focus

Transcript Highlights:

• The locators actually, especially the ones that work with the bigger operators, those contracts will
• Contracted out, like USIC or State Center and others.
• Let me ask you if I understand correctly: some locators, I guess, through contracts or agreements with
• Do they want it delivered directly to the contract locator?
• They can enter into a contract without assuming long-term legal liability.

Bills: HB2766, HB2891, HB3334, HB3791, HB3911, HB4021, HB4041, HB4042, HB4384, HB4426

Keywords: inactive wells, oil and gas regulation, environmental protection, Railroad Commission of Texas, well plugging, Railroad Commission, penalties, violations, pipeline safety, civil penalties, criminal penalties, wildfire prevention, oil and gas, safety inspections, administrative penalties, excavation, notification, utilities, underground facilities, regulatory compliance

Transcript Highlights:

• House File 1792, number five on the calendar for the day, an act relating to contracts for deed, the
• Uh, last year Minnesota legislature enacted a comprehensive set of changes governing contracts for property
• It's primarily makes several technical corrections, and the other is it adds two additional exempt contract
• :01.839> two<00:45:02.079> additional<00:45:02.480> exempt<00:45:02.880> contract
• it adds two additional exempt contract it adds two additional exempt contract for<00:45:03.359><

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• It requires that the county jail that contracts with an out-of-state jail report to the Texas Commission
• Five counties in the state have contracted with outside, out-of-state facilities to meet this requirement
• Is it the out-of-state facility, who you contract with, or who they contract with?
• So when they contract with out-of-state facilities, however they do that, contract with someone to hold
• “Those not eligible for the do-not-hire registry include those employed by, contracted with, or volunteering

Bills: SB476, SB664, SB745, SB826, SB989, SB1080, SB1171, SB1320, SB1437, SB1727, SB1809, SB2289, SB2320

Keywords: education, funding, school infrastructure, public schools, teacher support, intoxication manslaughter, criminal penalties, ignition interlock devices, youth offenders, vehicular homicide, Texas courts, judicial officers, associate judge, magistrate, master, referee, hearing officer, court administration, Government Code Chapter 54, Government Code Chapter 54A

Summary: The committee heard and advanced several criminal justice bills, with most of the discussion focused on oilfield theft, DWI enforcement, juvenile justice, reentry licensing, jail transparency, and court/judicial standards. SB 1320 would create a DPS oilfield theft unit headquartered in the Permian Basin; supporters from industry, law enforcement, and a district attorney described increasingly sophisticated, organized theft tied to cartels and multi-jurisdictional criminal networks, while DPS said it currently has only two officers working the issue. The committee voted SB 1320 out unanimously and placed it on the local and uncontested calendar. SB 826, which would enhance DWI committed in a school zone to a state jail felony, also passed unanimously after brief explanation and no testimony. SB 1171, adding juvenile justice OIG peace officers to Schedule C salary, was reported favorably on a committee substitute, and SB 1080, which would allow incarcerated people to obtain occupational licenses effective upon release, also passed on a committee substitute after testimony from formerly incarcerated advocates and reentry supporters. The committee also considered several bills aimed at tougher DWI penalties. SB 476 would increase intoxication manslaughter penalties when the offender violates an ignition interlock restriction; the bill was supported by the author, victims’ family members, Galveston officials, and law enforcement, but opposed by the Texas Civil Rights Project, which argued treatment and prevention would be more effective. After discussion about possible amendments, the bill was left pending. SB 745 would create a new first-degree felony option for intoxication manslaughter involving multiple deaths, and it was reported favorably after testimony from a prosecutor supporting the need for a stronger sentencing option. SB 2320 would broadly increase penalties for DWI offenses, including first-time DWI, DWI with an open container, high-BAC DWI, and repeat offenses; it was supported by a grieving family member and a sheriff, and the committee voted it out favorably. On juvenile justice, SB 1727 would expand tools to address assaults on staff at Texas Juvenile Justice Department facilities by lowering the age for transfer to adult prison in some cases, allowing earlier transfer of determinate-sentence youth, and restricting release when a criminal case is pending. Juvenile probation officials supported the bill as a public safety and victim-rights measure, while the Texas Civil Rights Project opposed it, arguing it would send children to inappropriate adult facilities and conflict with juvenile justice principles; the bill was left pending. SB 1437 would expand the juvenile justice do-not-hire registry to include non-certified positions, and it passed unanimously after supporters said it would help close loopholes that allow predators to move between child-serving jobs. SB 2289, requiring counties that house inmates out of state to report that information and any deaths to the Texas Commission on Jail Standards, also passed unanimously. Finally, SB 989, requiring criminal background checks for court personnel who determine bail, and SB 664, establishing statewide qualifications and oversight for magistrates and associate judges, were explained and discussed as transparency and public-safety measures, with SB 989 reported favorably and SB 664 under committee consideration at the end of the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• quality, and work performance, and not just the lowest price when selecting and awarding public contracts
• evidenced by independent reporting showing that the method has successfully avoided delays and reduced contracting
• In standard public contracting, the lowest responsible bidder will be awarded the contract for a project
• but does not require, a school district to evaluate price and other qualifications when awarding a contract
• We're just bidding for the builder to come onto the contract. Okay.

Summary: The Assembly Education Committee met for its first hearing of the session, adopted its committee rules on a 6-0 vote, and then heard several bills. AB 347, which would require written notice to students about the right to opt out of animal dissection and receive a comparable assignment, drew strong support from the author, a student, and multiple advocacy and education groups, while opponents argued it would burden teachers and duplicate existing law. The committee approved AB 347 on a 7-0 vote and sent it to Appropriations. AB 281, which would expand parent access to sex education materials and require disclosure of outside consultants’ credentials, drew mixed testimony. Supporters framed it as a transparency and parent-rights measure, while school administrators and county education officials said current law already allows inspection and that the bill would create an unfunded administrative burden. After extended member discussion, the bill failed on a 4-3 vote with one abstention, though reconsideration was granted. AB 65, which would provide paid pregnancy leave for educators without requiring them to exhaust sick leave first, was supported by teachers, CTA, and the State Treasurer, but opposed by school administrators and business officials over cost concerns; it passed 6-0 to Higher Education. The committee also approved AB 361, which would extend and expand LAUSD’s best-value procurement authority for school construction to all school districts for five years, on a 5-0 vote with one abstention. AB 86, which would require the State Board of Education to adopt standardized K-8 health education instructional materials, passed 5-0. Finally, AB 228, the Zaki Fast Act, was introduced to clarify that schools may stock any federally approved epinephrine delivery system, including newer devices beyond auto-injectors, and was presented with testimony from the bill’s young namesake and his family; the transcript cuts off before the committee vote on that measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• We contract out, so the agency doesn't have people out there, but we have managed plugging programs with
• that is our goal: to plug it, plug it right, and that's what we expect not just of our plugging contracts
• We've got one that's a level 345 Yeah, and those costs are, uh, not costs, but those are contracts that
• rider 2, laboratory testing, which requires the Animal Health Commission to annually report the contract
• legal support through an attorney to ensure compliance with applicable laws, a grant coordinator and contract

Summary: The committee met with a quorum present to hear Article VI Natural Resources agency budget recommendations, beginning with the Railroad Commission. LBB staff summarized the commission’s 2026-27 base recommendation at $458.7 million, down from the prior biennium, with an increased FTE cap. The presentation highlighted reduced federal IIJA funding, volatility in oil and gas regulation account 5155, continued support for IT modernization, and rider changes. The commission’s major exceptional items were then presented, including requests for produced water and injection data reporting, an authorized pit registration system, regulatory filing/permitting upgrades, an underground injection well investigation team, site remediation support, and especially $100 million for orphan well plugging. Members asked about biennium-to-biennium comparisons, salary biennialization, the scale of orphan well risks, federal funding delays, bonding, and whether the state should rely more on industry or general revenue for plugging costs. Commission leadership explained that orphan wells can threaten water and public safety, that plugging costs have risen sharply, and that current funding is insufficient to keep up with emergency wells and the backlog; they also said the agency is moving to cloud-based systems with cybersecurity protections and that the proposed performance measure may need adjustment if funding does not increase. The Railroad Commission testimony was followed by LBB and agency testimony for the Texas Animal Health Commission. LBB described a $42 million recommendation for 2026-27, an increase overall, but with a reduced FTE cap due to turnover and salary reallocation. The recommendation maintained funding for cattle fever tick work, chronic wasting disease, lab testing through an MOU with Texas A&M’s veterinary diagnostic lab, and a new $5 million spay-and-neuter pilot program, while deleting a capital budget rider and adjusting riders tied to entry point inspection stations and clinical trials. Agency leadership then outlined the commission’s mission to protect livestock health and the state’s $22 billion animal industry, and described major disease threats including highly pathogenic avian influenza, cattle fever ticks, New World screwworm, and chronic wasting disease. Their exceptional items focused on recruiting and retaining veterinarians, replacing fleet vehicles, creating an ectoparasite identification lab, adding field staff and IT support, improving records and epidemiology reporting, strengthening central administration, supporting secure food supply planning, expanding chronic wasting disease work, and staffing the new spay-and-neuter program. Members asked about field identification of ticks, the use of disinfectants and PPE, fleet management, the scale of cattle fever tick risk, and chronic wasting disease; the agency explained its current inspection and lab-confirmation process, its reliance on field disinfecting and biosecurity, and the need for more staff and better data systems to keep pace with growing workloads and disease threats.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I'm in opposition to the ITL motion because I believe that when we are creating contracts with individuals
• , no matter what entity, we need to make sure that we're following through on these contracts.
• It's looking, I mean, retirement contracts—there are different plans for people, and it depends on what
• it's<00:18:01.360> looking<00:18:01.960> I<00:18:02.039> mean retirement contracts
• it's looking I mean retirement contracts it's looking I mean there<00:18:02.440> are<00:18:02.679

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The subcommittee met on House Bill 637, which was described as a measure to make whole certain New Hampshire Retirement System retirees who were not included when Senate Bill 57 was incorporated into the 2023 budget. The chair and several members reviewed the bill’s legislative history and fiscal impact, citing estimates that the broader change would cost about $1.4 million to the state and $5.74 million to municipalities, with an actuarial liability increase of about $45 million. The chair argued that the omission of already-retired members was not an oversight but a policy choice made in the Senate, based on the bill’s prospective language and the budget process used in 2023. Testimony and discussion focused on whether the bill should be treated as a fairness correction or as an expensive policy expansion. Supporters, including retirees and representatives of employee groups, said the language was unclear, the fiscal note did not match the bill’s effect, and the change would unfairly leave out actual retirees who had expected the same treatment as active members. They also argued that the retirement system historically linked benefits to Social Security and that the bill would restore equity for those affected. Opponents emphasized the cost, the prospective nature of the original language, and the view that the Senate knowingly chose not to extend the change retroactively. After discussion, the chair moved to recommend the bill inexpedient to legislate, and the motion was seconded. Members then heard brief public comments after the motion was withdrawn and reintroduced because of the weather and the public’s travel. At the final vote, the subcommittee recommended inexpedient to legislate on a 3-2 vote, with the chair noting that the full committee would take up other bills at a later subcommittee hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• estates are entitled to receive a portion, typically 50 to 90%, of their entrance fee back when the contract
• of a specific unit, but instead place residents or their estates in a queue based on when their contract
• resident or their estate when they leave the community or pass away under the terms outlined in their contract

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It is the review of an EBD contract with Boston Consulting Group. This is a contract for $280,000.
• So with that, I need a motion to review the contract. I have a second.

Summary: The State Insurance Programs Oversight Subcommittee met to review and approve several State Board of Finance actions related to employee benefits and pharmacy coverage. Grant Wallace, Director of the Employee Benefits Division and Office of Property Risk, presented a $280,000 Boston Consulting Group contract to help develop a third-party administration RFP, and the committee approved it. The committee then considered pharmacy formulary recommendations for December 2025, January 2026, and February 2026, along with February 2026 medical drug recommendations. Across the formulary items, Wallace explained that some drugs were being removed from prior authorization requirements, some were being updated to reflect FDA guidance or dosage changes, and others were being left not covered because lower-cost alternatives already exist or clinical evidence was insufficient. Notable changes included removing Skyrizi and Renvoke from the pharmacy formulary in favor of lower-cost biosimilars, adding certain generics, and adding a subcutaneous version of Keytruda for faster administration. The committee approved each set of recommendations by motion and voice vote. Members also raised broader questions about the impact of new drug-pricing programs such as Trump RX, Cost Plus, and other manufacturer discount efforts, as well as concerns about PBM oversight and whether Navitus is complying with state law. Wallace said the department is still studying those issues and working with Navitus to assess pricing opportunities and compliance. Senator Boyd also asked about whether affiliated pharmacies are being paid more than independent pharmacies, noting he had not received a prior response; Wallace was asked to follow up. The meeting concluded with no further business and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• FIXED CAPITAL OUTLAY FUNDING, JUVENILE JUSTICE RESIDENTIAL COMMITMENTS AND CONTRACTED RESIDENTIAL SERVICES
• REGARDING SPECIFIC APPROPRIATIONS, CREATION OF A NEW PILOT PROGRAM OR TASK FORCE RELATED ISSUES, CONTRACTING
• WHERE THEY HAD LONG TIME VACANCIES, THEY HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO HIRE EMPLOYEES SO WE ARE GIVING THEM CONTRACT

Transcript Highlights:

• It's not that the carriers aren't willing to contract with those people.
• It's not that the carriers aren't willing to contract.
• It's that aren't willing to contract.
• Providers are required under our contracts to send us updated information.
• Because remember, insurance is a contract. You make a contract that insurance car.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• At that point we begin the contracting process and set up the project for the community, or it does not
• And I'm one of the ones you said it earlier is maybe we need to expand in some areas and contract or
• The contracts are with us.
• We have one contract that I believe ends in September for that.
• Those are things like the contracts.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• remain frozen despite the commencement of the funding year this month and despite the fact that contracts
• It's almost like you were a painter and you had contracted to work at a hotel casino; you had done all
• It's almost like you were a painter and you had contracted to work at a hotel casino; you had done all
• We're seeing meeting planners being much more cautious in the number of rooms that they want to contract
• We're not seeing them materialize; they're not signing contracts, they're not calling back.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The hearing focused on the impact of recent federal policy and budget actions on Massachusetts libraries, humanities organizations, arts institutions, and tourism. Testimony from library leaders described the loss or jeopardy of Institute of Museum and Library Services funding, including statewide databases, local grants, staff positions, E-rate/hotspot support, and digital equity programs. Witnesses said the cuts have already forced reductions in services, canceled grants and workshops, and in some cases left schools, students, job seekers, and low-income patrons without access to key resources. Members of the committee asked for lists of affected communities and databases, and several witnesses said they would provide additional written detail. Arts and humanities witnesses said federal terminations from the NEA, NEH, and IMLS have hit organizations across the Commonwealth, including Mass Cultural Council, Mass Humanities, Mass MoCA, and local museums and historical societies. They described canceled or rescinded grants, layoffs, reduced programming, and a chilling effect on future applications and on artistic and scholarly work, especially where federal awards had already been matched with local or private funds. Several speakers also raised concerns about executive-branch DEI conditions attached to funding and about book challenges and book banning, saying these trends threaten intellectual freedom and public access to culture and history. Committee members emphasized the economic importance of the sector and the need to publicize the impacts. Tourism officials from Meet Boston and the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism testified that federal cuts and broader geopolitical and tariff issues are hurting international visitation, especially from Canada and Western Europe, and could affect major upcoming events such as the 2026 World Cup and Sail Boston. They said reduced funding for Brand USA and Discover New England will weaken long-term marketing efforts and international partnerships, with downstream effects on hotel tax revenue, jobs, and workforce recruitment. No votes were taken; the hearing was informational, with members mainly asking questions and requesting follow-up written testimony and data.

Transcript Highlights:

• the department's core operations by providing $60.2 million for health services, $16.1 million in contract
• It adds military operations eligible paid by contractors on materials used in public works contracts
• Can you explain why the language banning contracting with fact checkers is necessary to implement Florida
• I see a provision in here that says that we are basically extending the plan contract from six years
• Does it make it harder for us to hold them accountable if we extend this to a 10-year contract?

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, then moved to the conference report on House Bill 501E, the General Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2026-27. Budget chairs presented the major spending areas, describing a $114.5 billion overall budget that they said was fiscally responsible and below the prior year’s spending. Highlights included pay increases and retirement adjustments for public safety employees, education funding for K-12, higher education, health and human services, criminal justice, transportation, environmental programs, and agriculture/regulatory agencies. Members then questioned chairs on several items. In education, senators discussed K-12 declining enrollment funding, teacher salary set-asides, private school scholarship spending, mental health funding, preeminence funding for universities, the Hamilton Center at UF, and charter school PICO funding. In health and human services, questions focused on the iBudget waiver waitlist, provider rates, ADAP/HIV funding and the return of Biktarvy to the formulary, KidCare, rural health funding, SNAP-related IT and error reduction efforts, and the IDD managed care program. In criminal justice, senators asked about correctional officer pay, prison staffing and infrastructure, air conditioning in prisons, juvenile justice facilities, law enforcement recruitment, and court system funding. Environmental and transportation questions covered Florida Forever, water quality, state parks, water projects, housing, elections funding, and emergency management. Several specific actions and explanations were given during debate: the budget includes $8.8 million for state attorney competitive area differentials but no funding for public defender CAD requests; assistant state attorneys will start at $70,000 and assistant public defenders at $65,000; the battery disposal issue was described as a temporary study/preemption approach; and the Senate said the budget does not fund Medicaid expansion, preeminence funding, or the SunBucks Summer EBT state share. Senators also noted that some proposals discussed in committee did not make it into the final budget. The transcript ends with debate statements from members praising the budget process and Chair Hooper, while also expressing concerns about public schools, health care access, affordability, and the lack of funding for certain priorities.

Transcript Highlights:

• It encourages commercially reasonable contracting, and it creates a more balanced and sustainable framework
• , and it creates a more contracting, and it creates a more balanced<00:22:08.760> and<00:22:08.960
• We keep talking about assessment, but with this amendment they have a choice to either write contract
• <00:32:17.480> to<00:32:17.560> either<00:32:17.800> write<00:32:18.000> contract
• <00:32:19.120> with choice to either write contract with choice to either write contract with

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• or revenue increases was entirely attributed to $520 million, or half a billion dollars, of new contracts
• ><00:06:51.520> dollars<00:06:52.160> of<00:06:52.479> new<00:06:52.720> contracts
• half a billion dollars of new contracts half a billion dollars of new contracts that<00:06:53.360
• that's $5.5 billion of taxpayer money because their generation of revenue comes from government contracts
• the end of the day, these corporations, this financial cabal, is making money off of government contracts

Bills: HF3611, HF3659, HF3909

Keywords: taxation, income tax, damage awards, sexual harassment, abuse claims, immigration enforcement, taxpayers, file income tax return, Minnesota-source income, tax regulations, detention facilities, gross revenues, private prisons, Minnesota law, 1183, house

Summary: The committee first approved the March 3, 2026 minutes and then laid over House File 3611 for possible inclusion in the 2026 tax bill. Representative Finke described HF 3611 as creating a state income tax withholding deduction for damages awarded to individuals in lawsuits against federal agents such as ICE or CBP, including emotional and financial awards. There was no public testimony or member discussion on the bill before it was laid over. The committee then took up House File 3909, which Representative Hansen said would impose a 50% tax on the gross receipts of detention centers operated by private nongovernmental entities. Hansen argued the measure would recapture public money, deter what he characterized as misuse of taxpayer dollars, and target profits made by private detention contractors such as GEO Group and CoreCivic. He also cited projected revenues and profits for those companies and said the bill was a response to human rights and civil rights concerns tied to private detention operations. Testimony on HF 3909 included support from Nancy Fitz Simmons, a Minnesota State University, Mankato social work professor, who said social workers see the effects of these issues across the state and that the bill could return money to Minnesotans in need. Representative Swedzinski opposed the bill’s impact on the Appleton facility and emphasized local jobs and economic opportunity, while Representative Lee said Minnesota should seek better economic options than jail-related work. Representative Holland supported the bill as a way to offset costs to families and the state from detentions and deportations. Representative Weiner questioned the bill’s revenue potential and criticized the 50% gross-receipts tax as politicizing taxes. Representative Hansen responded that similar proposals were being explored in Washington and California and that the bill was intended to stand up to large corporate interests. The bill was laid over for possible inclusion in the 2026 tax bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• Obviously the uh the contractors and<00:09:27.360> the<00:09:27.600> contracts<00:09:28.160
• <00:09:29.519> It and the contracts in your language.
• It and the contracts in your language.
• of the contracts and those type<00:09:59.200> of<00:09:59.360> things<00:09:59.600>
• everything related to the contract everything related to the contract itself<00:10:14.720> um

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00 Call to Order and Roll Call 00:29 Discussion SB 153 01:25 Vote SB 153 10:35 Discussion SB 118 11:36 Vote SB 118 12:48 Discussion HB 380 13:40 Vote HB 380 40:12, 958, all

Summary: The House Standing Committee on Banking and Insurance met with a quorum and took up three bills. Senate Bill 153, sponsored by Sen. Greg Elkins, aimed to combat insurance fraud tied to post-disaster contractor scams. Testimony from the Attorney General’s Office and committee members described problems involving roofing, siding, and debris-removal scams, including vandalism used to create claims and companies that disappear before victims can recover losses. The bill would expand enforcement tools by making certain vandalism-related conduct criminal, giving the Attorney General concurrent jurisdiction with local prosecutors, creating a post-disaster contractor registry, and banning door-to-door solicitation during declared emergencies. The committee approved the bill by roll call and sent it forward with a favorable recommendation. Senate Bill 118, sponsored by Sen. Brandon Storm, addressed credit property insurance offered by consumer loan companies. The sponsor and a representative of the Kentucky Consumer Finance Association explained that the product has been offered for years and that the bill would provide statutory authority for its continued use. The committee raised no substantive objections, and the bill passed on a roll call vote with a favorable recommendation. House Bill 380, sponsored by Rep. Tom Smith, focused on regulating cryptocurrency kiosks in convenience stores to curb fraud against seniors. The committee heard emotional testimony from a sheriff and a fraud victim describing scams that led victims to deposit cash into crypto kiosks, often under pressure from callers posing as authorities or relatives. AARP Kentucky supported the bill, citing widespread losses to older adults and the need for guardrails. A committee substitute was adopted that would cap daily transactions at $2,000, require fee disclosure and customer consent, impose licensing and compliance requirements, mandate identification for transactions, and add criminal penalties and Attorney General enforcement. Members discussed the bill’s scope, including that it would not address gift card scams, and noted the delayed effective date was requested so regulators could write rules. The committee adopted the substitute and then passed the bill favorably on roll call.