Transcript Highlights:

• This project will streamline and optimize. data management by consolidating multiple Microsoft Access
• we're asking for $175 million. been any contemplation within the agency for, or lessons learned, or practices
• We've enhanced the practices around preventing minors from purchasing.
• There are things that can be done based on the recommendation of Sunset or based on practices that don't
• He needs to be able to streamline the processes.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Direct communication and cooperation between the state and individual Mexican states could also streamline

Bills: HCR98, HB180

Keywords: counter-unmanned aircraft systems, C-UAS, counter-drone, drone mitigation, unmanned aircraft systems, UAS, border security, U.S.-Mexico border, aviation safety, airspace regulation, federal preemption, Homeland Security, Department of Defense, Department of Justice, Department of Energy, FBI, state-local coordination, tribal and territorial partners, border patrol, cartels

Summary: The Senate Committee on Border Security met with a quorum present and first took up HCR 98, a resolution urging Congress to improve coordination among federal, state, and local authorities on counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UAS) technology for border security. The author and sponsor described increasing drone activity along the border, saying unauthorized drones are used to track agents, identify weaknesses, and smuggle contraband, and argued for clearer procedures to detect, identify, and neutralize such aircraft. There was no public testimony, and the committee voted 4-0 to report HCR 98 favorably to the full Senate; the resolution was also ordered for local and uncontested calendar placement without objection. The committee then heard HB 180, sponsored by Chairman Birdwell, which would authorize the governor to coordinate directly with Mexican officials and individual Mexican states on border security agreements and appoint representatives to implement them. Birdwell said the bill would codify prior border-security cooperation efforts, improve responses to cross-border challenges such as drug and human trafficking, and include a finding that entrants from foreign countries must use a legal port of entry. No questions were asked, and there was no invited or public testimony. After the hearing, the committee left HB 180 pending. The meeting concluded with no further business and the committee standing in recess subject to the call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• communication and cooperation is critical. ...between the state and individual Mexican states could also streamline

Bills: HCR98, HB180, HB180

Keywords: counter-unmanned aircraft systems, C-UAS, counter-drone, drone mitigation, unmanned aircraft systems, UAS, border security, U.S.-Mexico border, aviation safety, airspace regulation, federal preemption, Homeland Security, Department of Defense, Department of Justice, Department of Energy, FBI, state-local coordination, tribal and territorial partners, border patrol, cartels

Transcript Highlights:

• 01:14:05.960> thoughtful takes a practical and thoughtful takes a practical and thoughtful approach
• It is meant to be a best practices place.
• It is meant to be a best practices place.
• It is meant to be a best practices place.
• Why are we their best practices?

Keywords: 981, all

Summary: The House convened with a quorum, approved the journal, and then spent much of the early portion of the meeting on recognitions and announcements. Members welcomed the Sikh community of Colorado for Baisakhi and Sikh Awareness and Appreciation Month, noted a langar lunch at the Capitol, and announced a governor’s proclamation later in the day. Other tributes highlighted Jackie Robinson Day, Golf Day at the Capitol, an upcoming Colorado Religious Freedom Day event, and an Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority legislative day and youth leadership program. After announcements, the chamber moved to business and adopted a motion making Senate Bill 109, Senate Bill 104, House Bill 1245, and Senate Bill 121 special orders for April 15. The House then began consideration of Senate Bill 109, concerning building code standards for accessible housing supported by public money. The committee report was adopted, and debate focused on an amendment offered by Representative Soper to exempt counties that have not adopted international building codes. Supporters argued the amendment would protect rural counties, preserve local control, and avoid higher housing costs and budget strain; opponents said it would undermine uniformity. Several members spoke in favor, and the amendment was still under discussion when the transcript ended. Committee announcements also noted that Judiciary would hear Senate Bill 1283 and Senate Bill 85, Education would hear Senate Bill 153, and Health and Human Services would hear Senate Bill 60, House Bill 1347, and House Bill 1314 for action only. The House also heard that House Bill 1250 would be pushed to the following week.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm just saying that in my experience, we order things that just aren't practical and can't be done if

Bills: SB137, SB504, SB1213, SB1216, SB1221, SB1224, SB1232, SB1238, SB1255, SB1256, SB1258, SB1264, SB1266, SB1325, SB1441, SB1448, SB1450, SB1460, SB1496, SB1543, SB1589, SB1597, SB1621, SB1655, SB1679, SB1687, SB1716, SB1730, SB1733, SB1769, SB1921, SB1932, SB1936, SB1980, SB2011, SB2030, SB2084, SB2112, SB2170, SB2182

Keywords: electronic monitoring, Department of Corrections, criminal justice, rehabilitation, public safety, SB1213, earned credits, inmate credits, good time, sentence reduction, DOC, prison reform, corrections policy, inmate classification, class levels, rehabilitation credits, achievement credits, vocational training, educational credits, prison programs

Transcript Highlights:

• That is a current practice in every district that I'm aware of.
• That is a current practice in every district that I'm aware of.
• That is a current practice in every district that I'm aware of.
• Two, we adhere to best practices.
• This one targets a broader set of religious practices.

Bills: SB1067, SB1234, SB1285, SB1295, SB1392, SB1413, SB1436, SB1470, SB1476, SB1489, SB1512, SB1535, SB1540, SB1556, SB1568, SB1569, SB1570, SB1573, SB1585, SB1609, SB1627, SB1634, SB1635, SB1644, SB1647, SB1648, SB1650, SB1653, SB1654, SB1655, SB1656, SB1657, SB1658, SB1661, SB1662, SB1664, SB1666, SB1667, SB1669, SB1709, SB1720, SB1723, SB1725, SB1743, SB1746, SB1748, SB1755, SB1786, SB1820, SB1822, SB1829, SCR1027, SCR1040, SCR1048

Keywords: tax lien, property tax lien, real property tax lien, foreclosure, right of redemption, redeem, excess proceeds, county abatement lien, abatement lien, lien priority, assessment lien, easement, county treasurer, certificate of purchase, tax delinquency, delinquent property taxes, property owner equity, judgment foreclosure, title report, Arizona Revised Statutes

Summary: The committee approved the minutes and then took up a long agenda of election, criminal justice, corrections, and county-government bills. Early election measures included SB 1436, requiring ballot language for certain school override and bond elections to estimate the secondary property tax impact; SB 1568, requiring election systems’ internal clocks to stay within 60 seconds of official time and making violations a misdemeanor; SB 1569, limiting special election board members from collecting or processing voter registration while assisting confined voters; and SB 1746, requiring voting centers to supplement rather than replace precinct polling places, requiring public offices and schools to provide polling space, and closing schools on primary and general election days for in-service training. SB 1436 and SB 1568 were eventually given do-pass recommendations, SB 1569 also passed committee, and SB 1746 passed despite concerns raised about school safety and access. Some bills were held earlier in the meeting and voted on later after testimony concluded. The committee also heard SB 1295, which would allow the Department of Corrections to release certain seriously ill inmates to contracted medical institutions if they qualify for ALTCS, with an amendment replacing disability language with illness-based criteria; the sponsor described it as a cost-saving measure that could shift care costs to federal programs. SB 1067, the so-called Gila County blight bill, would let counties place abatement costs for rubbish, debris, and dilapidated buildings on property tax bills and liens; county officials testified that it would help recover cleanup costs for blighted properties and heirs’ property, and it passed unanimously. SB 1413 would remove the $100,000 cap on restitution for serious injury or death caused by moving violations and passed after the sponsor said the cap had already been found unconstitutional. SB 1476 would make child neglect a class six felony when a custodian exposes a newborn to dangerous or narcotic drugs or causes fetal alcohol syndrome; supporters framed it as accountability and child protection, while opponents warned it could deter treatment and worsen family separation. The bill passed on a split vote. Later, the committee considered several criminal-justice and public-safety bills. SB 1512 would expand the definition of vulnerable adult and broaden “position of trust and confidence” for theft cases involving seniors and other vulnerable adults; testimony highlighted scams and exploitation of grieving or isolated elders, and the bill passed. SB 1585 would regulate sex-offender-specific evaluations, treatment, and polygraph services through the Sex Offender Management Board, add a surcharge fund and assessment on sexual-offense convictions, and appropriate funds to DPS; supporters said it would create uniform standards, while opponents questioned the need for additional fees, and it passed. SB 1662 would require probation conditions to be the least restrictive necessary and tailored to a defendant’s risk and needs; supporters from the Justice Action Network and criminal-defense advocates said it would improve rehabilitation and public safety, and it passed. The committee also began SB 1664, which would change constable petition-signature requirements in Maricopa and Pima counties, but the transcript cuts off before the full discussion and vote on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill conforms the statute to current practices at DFS.
• The bill conforms the statute to current practices at DFS.
• Nothing in this bill changes patient practices.
• Nothing in this bill changes patient practices.
• Health care practitioners in areas of critical need, practicing where they’re practicing now, so their

Bills: S0092, S0110, S0192, S0212, S0260, S0350, S0394, S0422, S0434, S0442, S0484, S0546, S0556, S0684, S0696, S0706, S0748, S0786, S0820, S0824, S0838, S0840, S0848, S0856, S0962, S1000, S1014, S1036, S1050, S1054, S1080, S1118, S1134, S1338, S1480, S1500, S1506, S1622, S1724

Keywords: employee protections, whistleblower, retaliation, public trust, ethics complaint, Commission on Ethics, Public Employees Relations Commission, public employee, local government attorney, public officer, adverse personnel action, protected disclosure, whistleblower retaliation, state agency, independent contractor, public employment, civil service, reinstatement, back pay, front pay

Summary: The Committee on Rules met with a quorum and considered a long agenda of bills, many of them retained from the prior week. The most debated measure was CS for SB 706, which would preempt naming of major commercial service airports to the state and designate Palm Beach International Airport as the Donald J. Trump International Airport, subject to FAA approval and a trademark agreement. Amendments were offered and rejected, including proposals to prevent private financial benefit from the naming. Several senators spoke in opposition, citing concerns about naming an airport after a sitting president, lack of local input, and the trademark/licensing arrangement; supporters argued there was no cost to the airport and that the bill simply set a state naming policy. The committee reported the bill favorably after a roll call vote. The committee also reported favorably CS for SB 546 on conservation land notice requirements, CS for CS for SB 1014 on municipal utility service to properties outside city limits, CS for SB 1500 on uncontested probate proceedings, SB 962 on excluding farms from certain zoning definitions, and CS for SB 820 on problem-solving court reporting requirements. The committee then approved several bills from Senator DiCeglie and Senator Arrington. SB 840, addressing land-use regulations for local governments affected by natural disasters, was supported by local-government and environmental advocates who said it would restore local control after SB 180’s hurricane-related restrictions; the sponsor said it was intended to correct unintended consequences of last year’s law. CS for SB 856, requiring online listing platforms to show estimated ad valorem taxes on residential listings, was amended to exclude social media platforms and broaden liability protections; the sponsor and a county property appraiser described it as a consumer-transparency measure. CS for SB 110, clarifying homestead exemption treatment for long-term leases that end at death, was also reported favorably. The committee took up a controversial strike-all amendment to SB 212, which focused on public swimming pools and added residency and related restrictions for certain sex offenders and offenders on community control or probation. The amendment drew strong opposition from advocates and affected families, who argued it would worsen homelessness, impose broad geographic restrictions, and lack evidence of improving child safety; supporters said it was a targeted public-safety measure. Despite the objections, the committee reported the bill favorably. The committee also approved SB 684 on electronic signatures for total-loss vehicle and vessel titles, SB 394 on reinsurance intermediary managers, SB 434 on property tax assessment treatment for wind-hardening improvements, CS for CS for SBs 658 and 608 on water-safety requirements for rental properties with pools or nearby water, SB 748 on adding voting-rights restoration information to sentencing score sheets, and CS for SB 824 requiring school districts to inventory unimproved real property. The meeting ended while the committee was beginning SB 848 on stormwater treatment, with an amendment being introduced as the transcript cut off.

Transcript Highlights:

• Only 40% of Nevada medical students ultimately practice in the state, but the number Only 40% of Nevada
• medical students ultimately practice in the state, but the number goes to 60% for residents who train
• support testimony on behalf of the Nevada chapters of the American College of OBGYNs and the Advanced Practice
• support testimony on behalf of the Nevada chapters of the American College of OBGYNs and the Advanced Practice
• This bill incorporates funding for school gardens, which promotes legislative goals for practical STEM

Bills: AB568, SB90, SB133, SB147, SB229, SB233, SB240, SB245, SB280, SB378, SB393, SB417, SB434, SB494, SB495, AB62, SB104, SB119, SB132, SB193, SB262, SB422, SB431, SB435, SB468, SB503

Keywords: higher education, Nevada System of Higher Education, operational expenses, instructional expenses, public funding, education funding, teacher grants, classroom supplies, instructional support, specialized personnel, civics education, Nevada Center for Civic Engagement, funding, youth programs, civic involvement, Southern Nevada, Clark County, Las Vegas Valley, regional planning, economic resiliency

Transcript Highlights:

• The agency states that this is to consolidate and streamline shared services functions and ensure positions

Summary: The committee reviewed several personnel and appropriation requests. Item C was a two-for-two position swap with no net increase in authorized positions and was approved. Item D, for South Arkansas College, added three net positions through a mix of growth and swap pool positions, including food service, public safety, housing, and compliance support roles, and was approved. Item E moved positions and $3 million in salary and match appropriation within Workforce Services to consolidate shared services, with no net change in positions, and was approved. The committee then considered a group of continuation items for FY27, covering previously approved growth and surrender pool positions, various differentials, hard-to-fill and on-call pay, a labor market adjustment for crime lab medical examiners, and continuation of grant-funded classifications tied to ARPA and IIJA grants across several agencies. These items were reviewed together and approved. Reports on the agenda required no action and were simply reviewed. On the supplemental agenda, the committee suspended the rules and approved OPM’s request for salary increases for 92 employees whose merit raises would place them over their grade maximums. Senator Dotson asked about several public safety medical examiner positions listed on the salary schedule, and staff indicated they were likely crime lab medical examiner roles. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• The agency states that this is to consolidate and streamline shared services functions and ensure positions

Summary: The committee reviewed several personnel and appropriation items, including Item C, which involved a two-for-two position swap with no net increase in authorized positions and was approved after motion. Item D for South Arkansas College added three net positions through a mix of growth and swap pool requests, including food service, public safety, housing support, and compliance-related roles; it was also approved. Item E moved positions and $3 million in salary and match appropriation within Workforce Services to consolidate shared services, with no net change in positions, and was approved. The committee then took up Items F through O as continuation requests for previously approved or reviewed positions and differentials to carry into FY27. These included growth and surrender pool positions at several agencies, various pay differentials such as second-language, on-call, hard-to-fill, certification, and labor market adjustments, as well as continuation of grant-funded classifications tied to ARPA and IIJA grants and other federal grants. After no questions, the committee approved the continuations in a single motion. Under the supplemental agenda, the committee suspended the rules and approved Item A-1, which authorized salary increases above grade maximums for 92 employees due to merit increases. A senator asked about several public safety classifications listed as Med 14, 16, 14, and 15, and staff indicated they were likely crime lab medical examiner positions. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Another conclusion could be that maybe we need to have a group practice rather than an individual practice
• A group practice rather than an individual.
• Practice instead of individual practice. Maybe that would solve the problem.
• Are they changing practices?
• Are they moving, you know, from a private practice to, you know, a public or a group practice?

Transcript Highlights:

• He then said, going back to what is in HB 1, or maybe HB 2, as it relates to the streamlining permitting
• Representative Griffin then said that, as far as the streamlining permitting initiative is concerned,
• He then clarified that, going back to what is in HB 1, or maybe HB 2, as it relates to the streamlining
• Representative Griffin said that, as far as it relates to the streamlining permitting initiative, they
• permitting to make it easier streamline permitting to make it easier for<05:26:14.160> applicants

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first took up a House Bill 2 amendment to remove a bail-related section that had already passed in another bill and was now considered duplicative. Members discussed the earlier change to how bail commissioners are reimbursed, concerns that the Judiciary was losing money collecting the fees, and whether the magistrate-related language would still be needed. They noted the bill had already crossed over to the Senate, that the section was obsolete, and that any remaining issue about magistrates’ five-year terms might need to be raised with the Criminal Justice Committee. Amendment 997H, deleting section one, was moved, seconded, and adopted unanimously. The committee then reviewed a package of HB 1 position transfers involving the Department of Environmental Services, Fish and Game, and the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. Staff explained that several positions were being shuffled to correct position numbers and align permitting functions, including one Fish and Game position moving back to Fish and Game, one DEES position remaining funded after ARPA money ends, and adjustments to hours for permitting and environmental services positions. Members discussed whether the Fish and Game position had been intended to be temporary, but ultimately agreed to accept the first four Environmental Services items and the last two Natural and Cultural Resources items as a package; that motion passed unanimously. They then also accepted sections 2 through 8 of HB 1 with the related amendments and footnote language. The committee next turned to dredge-and-fill fee changes in section 11, where one member objected to a 50% fee increase for seasonal docks, arguing it could discourage permitted work and might apply to repairs that only require notification. Staff said the increase was intended to help cover the cost of additional positions in future biennia, but members decided to hold that section for more information, including how many seasonal dock repair fees are actually collected. Finally, the committee began discussing HB 215 and a proposed tipping-fee/surcharge structure to make a solid waste accounting unit self-funded, with members saying the fee could offset about $2.9 million in general fund costs and support the grant program, but no final action was taken on that item in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I’m in support of this just to kind of streamline the intent of what the bill is working on.
• I mean, in some ways, it seems like it's more practical to address this concern at the kind of verification
• I mean, in some ways, it seems like it's more practical to address this concern at the kind of verification

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee took up House File 3363, a bill focused on protecting the privacy and safety of legislators and other candidates by limiting public access to home addresses and related information in campaign finance and election filings. The author said the bill was prompted by the events of June 14 and was intended to make temporary Campaign Finance Board changes permanent. No public testimony was offered, and the author explained that the bill had been narrowed and reorganized after a Senate delete-everything amendment expanded its scope. Members then considered a series of amendments. The A1 amendment, which added security devices and security services as allowable non-campaign disbursements, was adopted after questions about family relationships and whether payments to relatives could qualify. The A2 through A9 amendments were also adopted, covering data classification or redaction of street addresses in Campaign Finance Board reports, lobbyist gift reports, candidate affidavits of candidacy, nominating petitions, local government candidate reports, and retroactive redaction of existing reports. The A4 amendment was modified by A12 to apply city, state, and ZIP code reporting to political committees, political funds, and party units. The A13 amendment removed a proposed misdemeanor penalty tied to disclosure violations, and the A14 amendment was adopted to give caucus and chamber leaders access to actual candidate addresses, though members noted the language still needed refinement and that the intent was to continue working on it. There was discussion about whether the address-access language in A14 would apply to all candidates or only legislative candidates, and whether it would affect residency disputes; staff said it would not change complaint or court processes, but could be a data point. Several members said they had concerns about the breadth of the language but were willing to keep working on it. After the amendments were adopted, the committee moved to the bill as amended and recommended that House File 3363 be re-referred to the Judiciary Committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• development efforts on the world... ...and tackle the world's greatest engineering challenges, such as the practical
• has determined that those programs are fragmented and duplicative, and there's an opportunity to streamline
• similarly baseless steps against ABC and NBC, and he opened an investigation into the underwriting practices

Keywords: state policy, governance, legislative processes, public concerns, policy improvement

Summary: During the committee meeting, various issues surrounding state policy and governance were deliberated. Although the specifics of bills under discussion were not highlighted, comments from several committee members indicated a focus on improving legislative processes and addressing public concerns. The chairman facilitated discussions that included several points of critique as well as suggestions for enhancement of existing laws. The atmosphere remained constructive despite the complexity of the topics at hand.

Transcript Highlights:

• 1971, the state of Texas authorized the creation of municipal utility districts known as MUDs to streamline
• It's an exciting Chris Gannon: time to be practicing affordable housing design.
• Unfortunately, many suburbs exclude people through exclusionary zoning practices, including mostly large

Transcript Highlights:

• April 1st, 2020, at the very beginning of the pandemic, I walked into my son's room and found him practically
• It will also streamline prosecution by removing the burden of proving whether a particular fentanyl analog
• So, be on notice: either change your practices regarding supporting drug cartels in Mexico and China,

Transcript Highlights:

• So, it's a two-year process where we open up, propose streamlining of the standards, changes to language
• So, it's a two-year process where we open up, propose streamlining of the standards, changes to language
• So, it's a two-year process where we open up, propose streamlining of the standards, changes to language
• So, it's a two-year process where we open up, propose streamlining of the standards, changes to language
• There's specific attention to that to try to make it more streamlined and easy for institutions to be

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee heard updates from the chancellors of the state university system and the community college system on ongoing restructuring, collaboration, and enrollment trends. The university system said its office move to the NHTI campus is ahead of schedule and should save students about $250,000 a year while creating revenue for the community college system. Both systems described continued work on transfer pathways, direct-admit outreach, shared advising, and broader efforts to shrink footprints, reduce costs, and improve operational efficiency in response to declining enrollment and demographic pressure. A major topic was a possible federal change to Pell Grant eligibility that would require students to enroll in at least 7.5 credits. The chancellors said most community college students are part-time because of work and family responsibilities, and that the change could affect roughly 2,000 current Pell recipients and make it harder for students to afford or sustain enrollment. Members also discussed how the state’s governor’s scholarship statute largely benefits full-time students, suggesting possible future statutory changes. The chancellors explained how credits typically work, noting most courses are three or four credits and that students would likely need to add an entire course to meet the proposed threshold. The committee also discussed the broader higher education landscape, including declining high school cohorts, competition among New England institutions, and the need to right-size capacity. One member raised concerns about the health of regional campuses such as Plymouth and Keene; the chancellors said incoming enrollment is down at UNH and Plymouth and holding at Keene, attributing the trend to demographics rather than one campus drawing students away from another. They emphasized the importance of community colleges, adult learners, and short-term workforce programs as part of the state’s future education mix. Finally, the committee touched on the value of the university system’s research enterprise. The chancellor said about $250 million a year flows into the university system in federal research grants, with about $9.5 million currently under stop-work orders from federal agencies. She said the immediate concern is not DEI-related but federal cuts and possible caps on indirect cost recovery. Members noted that the R1 research designation supports business partnerships, student opportunities, and economic development projects such as West Edge in Durham.

Transcript Highlights:

• This proposal of streamlining our medical and plant ratio conversation is not new either.
• This<00:31:55.039> proposal<00:31:55.519> of<00:31:55.760> streamlining<00:31:56.559
• > uh<00:31:56.720> our This proposal of streamlining uh our This proposal of streamlining

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The House first took up Senate File 334, a bill to modernize county human services technology used to administer programs such as Medicaid and SNAP. The author and several members described the current systems as outdated “green screen” platforms that are slow, duplicative, and difficult for workers and applicants, and argued modernization would improve service, retention, and fraud prevention. The bill would create a technology modernization fund with about $90 million over time, capped at $50 million, route funds through Minute, establish an interagency group with county representation, create a legislative working group, and provide $15 million for Office of Inspector General technology. Members from several counties spoke in strong support, citing local system failures, cyberattacks, and the need for better tools; one member noted the bill was about 20 years overdue. The bill passed third reading by a vote of 134-0, and a title was agreed to. The House then considered Senate File 4401, the cannabis bill. The author described it as a maintenance and cleanup package developed with more than 80 stakeholders over months of meetings, including business owners, labor, tribal representatives, and medical cannabis interests. The bill was presented as making noncontroversial adjustments to support small businesses, clarify statutes, improve privacy protections, adjust event and transporter rules, address good-faith errors, strengthen enforcement against unlicensed operators, and support local governments and municipal cannabis dispensaries. It also included a first step toward a medical psilocybin program and changes intended to make the medical cannabis market more sustainable, including easing the grow-and-sale ratio issue. The transcript cuts off before final action on this bill, but members speaking in support emphasized collaboration and the need for practical regulatory fixes.

Transcript Highlights:

• This will streamline the transportation of raw materials to the factory, significantly reducing their
• This will streamline<00:53:55.200> the<00:53:55.440> transportation<00:53:55.839> of
• <00:53:56.000> raw streamline the transportation of raw streamline the transportation of raw

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:

• The agency states that this is to consolidate and streamline shared services functions and ensure positions

Keywords: 1204, all

Summary: The committee reviewed several personnel and appropriation items. Item C, a two-for-two position swap with no increase in total authorized positions and recommended by OPM, was approved. Item D, a Department of Higher Education request for South Arkansas College, added three authorized positions overall, including food service, public safety, housing, and project/program support roles, and was also approved. Item E moved positions and $3 million in salary and match appropriation within Workforce Services to consolidate shared services, with no net change in positions; it was approved as well. The committee then considered Items F through O as continuations of previously approved or reviewed personnel actions into FY27. These included growth and surrender pool positions, various pay differentials, hard-to-fill and on-call differentials, a labor market adjustment for crime lab medical examiners, and continuation of several federal grant-funded positions at Commerce, Emergency Management, State Police, and Military Department. No questions were raised, and the block of continuation items was approved on a single motion. Reports were taken up with no action required and were simply noted as reviewed. On the supplemental agenda, the committee suspended the rules and approved Item A-1, which authorized salary increases for 92 employees whose merit raises would place them over their grade maximums. Senator Dotson asked about the public safety entries on the list, and staff indicated they were likely crime lab medical examiner positions. The meeting then adjourned.