Keywords: KY LRC YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wezXKoTWGJw, 2026-06-21T07:17:03+00:00, 2.2.24, Data collected via generic collector engine, Re-uploaded as last 20 minutes were cut off from the stream Meeting Start: 00:00 Roll Call: 00:29 HB 75 Discussion: 00:54 HB 75 Roll Call Vote: 07:11 HB 180 Discussion: 08:08 HB 180 Roll Call Vote: 40:24 Review of Regulations: 41:35, 958, all, 2.2.42, 2.1.47

Keywords: KY LRC YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkln3Lh1eSM, 2026-06-21T07:17:03+00:00, 2.2.24, Data collected via generic collector engine, This meeting's live stream cut out prematurely. This recording was loaded from backup. Roll Call 00:00 Intro 00:49 HB 236 Discussion 01:23 HB 236 Roll Call Vote 14:30 HJR 37 Discussion 15:25 HJR 37 Roll Call Vote 35:26 Meeting End 36:30, 958, all, 2.2.42, 2.1.47

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair: Call this meeting of the Education Assessment and Accountability Review Subcommittee to order.
• Chair: Uh, Jay, if you don't care, call roll.
• Well, we'll maybe call the district and we'll find that they have moved to contract staff.
• Well, we'll maybe call<00:35:43.200> the<00:35:43.440> district<00:35:43.760> and
• we'll find that call the district and we'll find that they<00:35:46.079> have<00:35:46.240>

Keywords: Call to Order and Roll Call: 00:22 Office of Education Accountability Report: Early Childhood Regional Training Centers (RTCs): 01:22 Approval of July 14, 2025 Minutes 31:21 Office of Education Accountability: 2025 Study Agenda 32:35 Adjournment: 39:12, 958, all

Summary: The subcommittee heard an Office of Education Accountability report on Kentucky’s early childhood regional training centers (RTCs). OEA said the centers provide valuable training, consultation, technical assistance, and materials for preschool personnel, especially for children with disabilities and at-risk students, and that the services align with state and federal requirements. However, the report found uneven student and teacher populations across regions, wide variation in per-student funding, some staffing data inaccuracies, and several fiscal oversight concerns, including inconsistent indirect cost rates, a building rental charge that may have been duplicative, and host districts recording RTC expenditures in a way that could blur them with district finances. OEA also said some documentation of progress toward goals was incomplete and that the technology lending library appeared underused. The report recommended stronger KDE oversight, uniform coding and accounting practices, review of budgets and expenditures, and an evaluation of whether the current five-center model remains the most efficient structure; OEA also suggested the General Assembly may wish to revisit KRS 157.318. Members asked about KDE’s response, whether the centers are required by federal law, how the centers operate, and whether changing the model would affect federal funding. OEA said KDE had only discussed the findings informally and had not issued a formal response, the centers are required by state law but not federal law, and changing the model would not jeopardize IDEA preschool funds. The committee accepted the report by motion. The subcommittee then approved the minutes from its July 14, 2025 meeting after initially delaying action because quorum was not yet present. After that, members turned to the Office of Education Accountability’s proposed 2026 study agenda. OEA said the three proposed topics are the annual district data profiles, facilities funding, and implementation of early literacy statutes. The district profiles would add an appendix showing the number and percentage of students moving to private school or homeschool by district and another appendix noting data-quality issues that affect comparability. OEA explained that district staffing data can undercount contract staff because those employees are not always entered into the system, and members expressed interest in tracking whether prior recommendations were implemented. One senator also raised a separate interest in reviewing whether KDE created and implemented regulations related to KFIX. The discussion remained informational, with no final vote on the study agenda shown in the transcript excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• Sasha, please call the roll. >> Senator Boswell — here. >> Senator Frommeyer — present. >> Senator Girdler
• of NIL and uh the transition from call of NIL and uh the transition from call it<00:25:36.159>
• This model that we have, which is called an opportunity center, maybe some in your communities.
• <01:20:09.280> senior that we provide in a class called senior that we provide in a class
• called senior seminar<01:20:10.719> mock<01:20:11.120> interviews<01:20:12.400> uh

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Call to Order and Roll Call 00:00:28 Kentucky Recovery Vocational: Workforce Reimagined 00:01:31 Update on College Athletics and 25RS SB 3 00:24:39 Goodwill Kentucky Excel Center 01:09:53, 958, all

Summary: The committee first heard a presentation from Kentucky Recovery Vocational Workforce and Re-entry Incorporated, led by Executive Director Jerick D'vor, on its vocational training model for people in recovery and formerly incarcerated individuals. He said the nonprofit operates in Russell Springs and serves students from across Kentucky, offering manufacturing and welding training tied to recovery services through Spark Recovery. D'vor emphasized that the program combines treatment, soft-skills coaching, job placement, and continued support after employment, arguing that training should begin around 90 days into recovery rather than earlier. He reported strong outcomes, including 292 students served, 259 certificates earned, and 250 job placements, with many participants placed in manufacturing jobs and 17 welders trained and placed through the new welding academy. Members praised the program but asked about funding, retention, and employability barriers. D'vor said the pilot was supported by opioid abatement grant funding, and the program now relies mainly on donor contributions and Spark Recovery’s investment in clients, with possible future support from additional opioid abatement funds or 1915(i) mechanisms. He said participants are not charged tuition and that the organization provides soft-skills training and job coaches. In response to questions about long-term outcomes, he said the program does not yet have a full alumni tracking system but is exploring technology options and continues to provide post-employment support for 90 days. After approving the committee minutes, members received an update on college athletics and Senate Bill 3 from University of Louisville Athletic Director Josh Heird and University of Kentucky Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart. They said Kentucky’s NIL framework and reporting requirements are working reasonably well and praised the state for not trying to create a competitive advantage in the evolving college sports environment. Heird reported that 521 student-athletes have signed up for NILGO and about 240 deals have been approved through the system, while noting the need to ensure NIL agreements are legitimate marketplace deals rather than artificial payments. The discussion also touched on the House settlement, the $600 approval threshold, and broader federal changes affecting college athletics.

Transcript Highlights:

• We'll go ahead and call this fourth meeting of the Budget Review Subcommittee on Transportation to order
• Um, this time, Madam Secretary, please call the roll. >> Senator Armstrong, Senator Hickden, Representative
• the the local law enforcement will call the the local law enforcement will call our<00:05:25.280
• I'll give I'll give them a call. call. call.
• Didn't even know a process called shift.

Keywords: 0:00:15 Call to Order and Roll Call 0:01:15 Maintenance Update 0:21:07 Approval of Minutes 0:21:32 Regional Offices 0:43:47 SHIFT Scoring 1:04:24 Local Assistance Road Program 1:16:41 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The Budget Review Subcommittee on Transportation met without a quorum and first received a maintenance update from Kentucky Transportation Cabinet officials James Ballinger and John Moore. They described how repeated disasters, including floods, tornadoes, and ice storms, have strained routine road maintenance and forced crews to focus on emergency response, snow and ice removal, pothole patching, ditching, signal repairs, mowing, striping, sign work, and other day-to-day upkeep. They said snow and ice costs have averaged about $60 million to $61 million annually in recent years, disaster response has totaled hundreds of millions of dollars over five years, and the cabinet often must carry those costs until FEMA or FHWA reimbursement arrives. They also said maintenance work is increasingly contracted out because of staffing and resource limits, and that competitive pay is needed to retain employees and contractors for around-the-clock emergency work. Members then discussed traffic roundabouts and other intersection designs. Senator Hickden asked about their cost savings and safety benefits compared with traffic signals, and cabinet staff said they would provide life-cycle cost figures later. They emphasized that roundabouts and related designs reduce serious injuries and fatalities, with serious injuries down roughly 70% to 80% and fatalities over 90% in their experience. Chair Douglas and others asked about roundabout sizing for trucks and farm equipment, and staff explained that designers tailor the inscribed diameter to local traffic needs and context. The committee also briefly discussed red-light running and traffic-light cameras, with members stressing the safety risks of drivers ignoring signals. The committee adopted the minutes from the prior meeting by motion and voice vote. It then heard from Sarah Jackson and Matthew Cole on the Real ID and driver licensing transition. They said the cabinet has expanded from almost no regional offices to 35, grown driver licensing staff from 89 to 400, and now issues about 1.3 million credentials annually. They reported improvements in office capacity, queue management, staffing, and compensation, including added workstations, new or expanded offices in Louisville, Lexington, and Bardstown, and the use of contract staff. They said statewide average wait times have fallen to just under 30 minutes, and Kentucky’s Real ID adoption rate has risen to 42.9%. Members asked follow-up questions about driver testing and CDL scheduling. The presenters said all permit and CDL testing is coordinated through Kentucky State Police, with written tests available in most regional offices and CDL testing at a smaller number of KSP locations. Senator Douglas asked when the driver testing requirements were last updated, and the presenters said that was set by KSP. The discussion ended with additional questions about which regional offices lack KSP testing presence, but no further action was taken before the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• the drive-in and let's call it 20 sites. the drive-in and let's call it 20 sites.
• And if we have to call somebody else in, we plan on doing that. All right.
• <00:20:58.080> out to someone else and gotten a call out to someone else and gotten a call
• We call them the general conditions and then we have special conditions.
• We call supervision that we utilize.

Keywords: Call to Order and Roll Call- 00:00:02 Statewide Emergency Response System Monthly Update- 00:02:23 Shock Probation: Administrative Office of the Courts-00:34:28 Shock Probation: Department of Corrections Oversight-01:04:04 Adjournment-01:12:22, 958, all

Summary: The committee received an update on Kentucky’s statewide emergency responder voice system (SERVS) and the supporting microwave network, known as KYeS. Michael Brandon Marshall, the state’s statewide interoperability coordinator, explained that the project began as a replacement for Kentucky State Police’s radio system and has expanded into a statewide public-safety trunked radio system. He reviewed work completed in phases 1 and 2, including upgrades to existing tower sites, construction of new sites, installation of generators and DC power plants, and replacement of microwave routers and stations. He said the microwave upgrade is a separate but necessary part of the project and that the remaining microwave work on existing sites is expected to be finished in 2026, with roughly 20 more sites likely to move from blue to green by the next monthly report if conditions allow. Members pressed Marshall on the pace of deployment and the lack of coverage in parts of Eastern Kentucky. Senator Thomas said the coverage map was especially unfavorable to counties from Whitley and McCreary up to Lewis County and asked when that gap would be fixed. Marshall said the eastern buildout is planned, but those areas have not yet been funded; he estimated that by the end of 2026 the areas around Posts 14, 8, and 11 should be live, while other eastern post areas would remain unbuilt until additional funding is provided. He said the decision to start in Western Kentucky was technical rather than political, based on terrain and the relative ease of building coverage over flatter ground. Senator Wheeler asked whether newer low-orbit satellite systems such as Starlink could reduce the need for tower construction. Marshall said satellite technology could be a useful tool, especially for outdoor or disaster-response communications, but it cannot replace terrestrial radio for public safety because responders often work indoors and need reliable penetration through buildings. He also noted that lower-frequency spectrum such as 700 MHz is better suited for that purpose. Representative Smith asked about contracting and delays; Marshall said the Finance Cabinet’s DECA manages the construction contracts, while his office helps define the scope of work and reviews whether it is adequately met. The committee indicated it will continue to receive monthly updates on the project.

Transcript Highlights:

• But with that said, I call for the roll. Roll call, please." "Mr.
• <01:06:38.840> call<01:06:39.040> for but with that said, I I call call for but with
• that said, I I call call for the<01:06:39.280> roll.
• Roll call, please. the roll. Roll call, please.
• But I I call for roll uh roll about it. But I I call for roll uh roll call,<01:07:49.440> please.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:01:28 Introduction of Guests 00:02:08 American Electric Power and Kentucky Power Presentation 00:03:31 SB 89 Discussion 00:53:55 SB 89 Roll Call Vote 01:07:46, 958, all

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

Keywords: KY LRC YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hw89J7aTNqU, 2026-06-21T07:17:06+00:00, 2.2.24, Data collected via generic collector engine, 00:05 Call to Order and Roll Call 00:44 Public Protection Cabinet 23:20 Adjournment, 958, all, 2.2.42, 2.1.47

Keywords: KY LRC YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTrE-1RCwzI, 2026-06-21T07:17:00+00:00, 2.2.24, Data collected via generic collector engine, Roll Call 00:52 HB 4 Discussion 02:26 Roll Call Vote 1:17:48, 958, all, 2.2.42, 2.1.47

Keywords: KY LRC YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvjonHk3Rt8, 2026-06-21T07:16:58+00:00, 2.2.24, Data collected via generic collector engine, Roll Call 00:04 HB 325 Discussion 00:58 HB 325 Roll Call Vote 01:29, 958, all, 2.2.42, 2.1.47

Transcript Highlights:

• I got to live down to Jerry Carpenter, so, uh, I'm going to call this meeting to order, and if I can
• get Madam Secretary to call the roll, we'll start it.
• Madam Secretary, call the roll. Anybody got any questions? Madam Secretary, call the roll.
• Yes, there is currently a type of insurance in Kentucky called cooperative insurance.
• and have Madam Secretary Call Roll. and have Madam Secretary Call Roll.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00 Call to Order and Roll Call 00:12 Discussion HB 527 00:47 Vote HB 527 02:26 Discussion HB 265 04:46 Vote HB 265 06:49 Discussion HB 164 08:19 Vote HB 164 10:25, 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• please call the role. please call the role. >> Representative<00:04:07.599> All.
• On the House floor. >> Next, we'll call House Bill 794. Next, we'll call House Bill 794.
• Call Senate Bill 15 or Senate Bill 183.
• call Senate Bill 15 or Senate Bill 183. call Senate Bill 15 or Senate Bill 183.
• Uh, we could call this Senate Bill 183 2.0.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00 Call to Order and Roll Call 00:16 Discussion SB 158 01:12 Vote SB 158 04:06 Discussion HB 794 05:20 Vote HB 794 08:20 Discussion SB 183 09:44 Vote SB 183 17:46, 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Clerk, please call the roll. Representative Hall. Representative Banta. Present.
• Clerk, please call the roll. Representative Hall. Aye. Representative Banta. Yes.
• Clerk, please call the roll. Representative Hall. Aye. Representative Banta. Yes.
• <00:19:33.400> it marketplace, they're not calling it marketplace, they're not calling it
• They're calling it a wagering or gaming.

Keywords: 00:00 CALL TO ORDER 00:05 ROLL CALL 01:03 HB 566 DISCUSSION 03:05 HB 566 VOTE 05:10 HB 885 DISCUSSION 08:03 HB 885 VOTE 09:55 HB 904 DISCUSSION 33:10 HB 904 VOTE 34:28 ADJOURNMENT, 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• call the role. call the role.
• Secretary, please call the role. Secretary, please call the role.
• His wife received one of these calls calls calls and<00:15:52.720> it<00:15:52.880> was
• . call. call.
• Call our customer service.

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.

Transcript Highlights:

• Please call the roll. >> Senator Chambers Armstrong, >> Senator Berg, >> Senator Douglas, >> present.
• Um, please call the roll. Senator Chambers Armstrong, no. Senator Berg, no. Senator Douglas, aye.
• But I had a constituent that called me with a story.
• When the constituent called about licensure timelines and related issues, the speaker made inquiries
• When the constituent called about licensure timelines and related issues, the speaker made inquiries

Keywords: 00:00 Call to Order 0:22 Roll Call 1:05 SB 65 Discussion 9:30 SB 65 Vote 11:55 SB 177 Discussion 26:34 SB 177 Vote 30:05 SB 245 Discussion 33:07 SB 245 Vote 33:48 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The Senate Standing Committee on Licensing and Occupations met on March 3, 2026, with a quorum present and first took up Senate Bill 65, sponsored by Senator Steve West. The bill would nullify administrative regulations found deficient by the Administrative Regulations Review Subcommittee. West said the committee had found three deficient regulations this year, including one related to vaping rollout problems and one involving GLP-1 coverage expansion for Medicaid. Senator Berg raised concerns that striking the GLP-1 regulation could limit Kentucky’s ability to use these drugs for weight loss and other health benefits, but the sponsor and others said the action would only block the specific regulation and that doctors could still prescribe GLP-1s under existing Medicaid authority. The committee passed SB 65 with favorable expression, 8-2. The committee then considered Senate Bill 177, sponsored by Senator Rick Girdler, and first adopted a substitute. The bill concerns speech-language pathologist licensure. Testimony from Kate Wood Hall and Ann Blandford of the Kentucky Speech-Language-Hearing Association explained that the substitute would remove the mandatory post-professional graduate experience as a requirement for full licensure, while keeping an interim pathway and preserving an optional compact-related pathway. They said the change responds to updated graduate training standards and federal billing issues, including CMS guidance that had temporarily disrupted reimbursement and access, especially in rural areas. Members asked whether the change would weaken standards or affect compact participation; witnesses said it would not, and that the compact option remained available. The committee also noted that pages two and three of the substitute were missing and staff would restore them. Several senators spoke in favor while explaining reservations. Senator Berg supported the bill and shared a personal story about speech therapy in her family. Senator Douglas also voted aye but expressed concern about reducing requirements for trained professionals and about incentives in professional education. Senator Chambers Armstrong asked whether the opt-in structure would create barriers or affect compact participation, and witnesses said it would not increase costs and that other states, including Virginia and Oregon, were pursuing similar approaches. SB 177, as amended by the substitute, passed with favorable expression.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Chair called the committee to order and asked the clerk to call the roll. >> Representative Aull.
• There is a Supreme Court precedent called Keller, and that defines compliance with the U.S.
• we want to provide I think it was called we want to provide I think it was called casemaker<00:28
• Clerk, please call the roll. Representative Aull: No. Representative Bant: Yes.
• >> Clerk, please call the role. >> Clerk, please call the role.

Keywords: Call to Order 00:00 Roll Call 00:02 HB 526 Discussion 01:12 HB 526 Vote 37:51 HB 424 Discussion 41:41 HB 424 Vote 44:40 HB 459 Discussion 45:57 HB 459 Vote 47:26 Adjournment 48:21, 958, all

Summary: The committee took up House Bill 526, while House Bill 254 was removed from the agenda at the sponsor’s request. HB 526 would make bar membership and dues voluntary for Kentucky attorneys, and the sponsor argued it protects constitutional rights, prevents compelled association, and would not stop the Kentucky Supreme Court or Kentucky Bar Association from offering services such as CLE, ethics support, and lawyer assistance programs. He also argued Kentucky lawyers should not be forced to fund speech or activities they may disagree with, and urged passage of the bill. Representatives of the Kentucky Bar Association, including its president and the chair of the Young Lawyers Division, opposed the bill. They said the KBA is an arm of the Supreme Court rather than a private association, and that mandatory dues support nonpolitical services such as free continuing legal education, legal research, the Kentucky Lawyers Assistance Program, ethics guidance, mentorship, disaster relief work, and the Legal Food Frenzy. They warned that changing to a voluntary system would reduce infrastructure, increase costs for lawyers, and potentially shift more regulatory and service burdens to the Supreme Court. Members questioned whether the bill would actually prevent the KBA from continuing its programs and asked about other states’ bar structures. The sponsor and supporters pointed to Indiana and other states with voluntary bar membership, while KBA witnesses said Kentucky’s current system is efficient and constitutional and that many services are not truly free but are funded through dues. The discussion became heated at points over whether KBA testimony itself constituted political speech, and the chair intervened to keep the meeting moving. The transcript ends during member questions, with no final vote on HB 526 shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'll ask the secretary to please call the roll. >> Senator Rocky Adams. >> Senator Chambers Armstrong
• Ask secretary, please call the roll. >> Senator Rocky Adams. >> Senator Chambers Armstrong. >> Hi. >>
• folks, but I've got a guy who does the roofs for me and he's not maybe a big-time contractor, if I call
• Secretary, please call the roll.” Senator Rocky Adams. Aye. Senator Cassie Armstrong. Aye.
• In Berea, Kentucky, we call that upside down on your financing of your product.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00 Call to Order and Roll Call 00:09 Discussion SB 118 00:58 Vote SB 118 03:25 Discussion SB 153 04:39 Vote SB 153 17:48 Discussion SB 158 19:41 Vote SB 158 24:09, 958, all

Summary: The Senate Banking and Insurance Committee met for its first meeting of the 2026 session, called the roll, and welcomed new member Senator G. Gary Clemens. The committee first took up Senate Bill 118, which concerns credit property insurance and would codify existing practice in the Kentucky Revised Statutes. Sponsor Senator Brandon Storm explained that the bill clarifies the treatment of the product and, through a committee amendment, excludes GAP/vehicle protection products from its scope and aligns filing language with current law. The amendment was adopted, the bill passed with favorable expression, and the amendment was rolled into a committee substitute. The committee then heard Senate Bill 153, relating to the prevention of harmful and fraudulent practices. Senator Greg Elkins and witnesses from the Attorney General’s office, Kentucky Farm Bureau Insurance, and State Farm described the bill as a response to storm-chaser and contractor fraud after major weather events. They said the measure would codify current coordination between the Attorney General and the Department of Insurance, allow criminal enforcement in addition to civil actions, and formalize an emergency registration/placard system for out-of-state contractors and volunteer groups during disasters. Members asked about how the bill would affect homeowners who directly hire contractors and whether volunteer groups such as disaster relief organizations or Amish/Mennonite volunteers would be required to register; sponsors said direct hiring would not be affected and volunteers would be handled through a separate identification process. The committee substitute was adopted, the bill passed as amended, and members emphasized the need to protect homeowners from fraud and inflated costs. Finally, the committee considered Senate Bill 158, relating to vehicle financial protection. Senator Jason Howell and representatives of the Guaranteed Asset Protection Alliance explained that the bill modernizes and regulates GAP waivers and related consumer protection products, such as debt waiver and depreciation benefit agreements, while keeping them legal in Kentucky. Supporters said the bill would ensure providers are properly funded and bonded and would align Kentucky with other states. The bill passed with favorable expression, and the meeting ended on a note of bipartisan agreement on all three measures.

Transcript Highlights:

• Madam Secretary, please call the roll. >> Representative All >> here. >> Representative Bowman.
• Representative Neighbors, if you would come forward, we will at this time call House Bill 3.
• Now, at this time, we will call House Bill 164.
• time, we will call House Bill<00:10:46.079> 164.
• Madam Secretary, please call the roll. ahead. ahead.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00 Call to Order and Roll Call 00:05 Discussion HB 3 01:32 Vote HB 3 02:26 Discussion HB 169 05:31 Vote HB 169 09:44 Discussion HB 164 10:44 Vote HB 164 12:24, 958, all

Summary: The House Standing Committee on Banking and Insurance met with a quorum and took up three bills. House Bill 3 was presented by Rep. Amy Neighbors with a representative from the Kentucky Pharmacist Association; the committee moved directly to a vote and passed the bill with favorable expression. The transcript does not include the bill’s substantive details, but the committee approved it without recorded opposition. House Bill 169, sponsored by Rep. Fleming, addressed coverage for eating and feeding disorders. A committee substitute was adopted after a brief explanation that the change would remove body mass index as the sole criterion for coverage decisions and instead focus more on mental health considerations, with Dr. Andrea Kray of the Kentucky Eating Disorder Council supporting the change and explaining that BMI is not a reliable marker of severity and can create barriers to timely treatment. The committee then passed HB 169 as amended with favorable expression. House Bill 164, presented by Rep. Hein with guests from the Academy of Audiology, was summarized as improving coverage for children’s hearing aids in Kentucky. After a brief explanation and no questions from members, the committee passed the bill with favorable expression. The meeting ended after a motion to adjourn, which was seconded and approved.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair: Call this first meeting of the House Standing Committee on Banking and Insurance to order.
• [snorts] >> Madam Secretary, please call the roll. Representative All here. Representative Bowman.
• Madam Secretary, please call the roll. Representative All — I. Representative Bowman — I.
• Seeing none, please call the roll. Representative All — I. Representative Bowman — I.
• Okay, seeing none, please call the roll. Representative All — I. Representative Bowman — I.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00 Call to Order and Roll Call 00:16 HB 176 Discussion 01:10 HB 176 Vote 06:45 HB 184 Discussion 08:47 HB 184 Vote 09:53 HB 265 Discussion 10:39 HB 265 Vote 15:09, 958, all

Summary: The House Standing Committee on Banking and Insurance met with a quorum and first passed over House Bill 164 pending a document. The committee then heard House Bill 176, sponsored by Rep. Kim Moser, which would create a framework for insurer-run prior authorization exemption programs, often called “gold carding,” for certain health care providers. Moser said the bill is the product of years of negotiation with insurers, would include behavioral health providers, would exclude prescription drugs, and would require annual reporting from the Department of Insurance and DMS on prior authorization activity. A committee member asked whether the 93% approval threshold for exemption matched other states; Moser and a witness said it was consistent with other states and current insurer programs, and that insurers could set a lower threshold if they wanted a competitive advantage. The committee voted on HB 176 after a motion and second, and the bill passed with a favorable expression. The committee also heard a guest introduction from Rep. All, who introduced a student shadow, Ava Oman, before moving on to House Bill 184. Rep. Meredith explained HB 184 would create a safe harbor for health savings account-qualified insurance plans so state mandates and cost-sharing rules would not conflict with IRS requirements and disqualify those plans at the federal level. The committee approved HB 184 unanimously with a favorable expression. Finally, the committee considered House Bill 265, also presented by Rep. Meredith with a Department of Insurance representative. The bill would allow workers’ compensation self-insured pools to have a dissolution process and would prohibit authorizing any new pools, while leaving existing pools in place. Meredith and the department said the change was prompted by solvency problems in some pools, including a large one that had entered receivership, and by limited regulatory authority over these arrangements. After questions about whether the bill affected health insurance, the committee was told it did not. HB 265 also passed with a favorable expression, and the meeting adjourned after a late-arriving member registered votes in favor of all three bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:07:23.599> hard categories, what we would call hard categories, what we would call hard
• It will be what we call risk pool. It will be shrinking. shrinking. shrinking.
• We provide a program called Veterans to Entrepreneurs.
• We didn't call on them. They came to us.
• I've got plenty of phone calls about it.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Call to Order and Roll Call 00:00:15 Department of Insurance Update 00:01:39 Department of Financial Institutions Update 00:37:07 Insurance Industry Update 00:54:50 Credit Union Industry Update 01:10:53, 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the September 16 minutes, and then received an update from Insurance Commissioner Sharon Clark and staff on the Department of Insurance. Clark reviewed department activity, including growth in premium volume and licensing, consumer complaints and recoveries, and a rise in fraud referrals. She said the department has 66 open fraud cases and described common schemes such as staged auto accidents, inflated repair or cleanup charges, and roofing scams. She also said the department’s investigators often prepare strong cases but face reluctance from local prosecutors, especially in Fayette and Jefferson counties, to pursue them. Clark reported favorable workers’ compensation news, saying rates will decrease 9.7% next year for the 20th straight year. She contrasted that with a difficult property insurance market driven by storms, reinsurance costs, inflation, labor shortages, and litigation, but said Kentucky’s market remains relatively stable, citing the Kentucky Fair Plan’s small number of policies. She then warned of significant 2026 health insurance premium increases on the exchange: 16.1% for Molina, 23% for Anthem, and 37% for WCare, after CareSource withdrew. She said the rates were reviewed by actuaries and found fair, but that the biggest pressure point is the scheduled expiration of enhanced premium tax credits, which she said could leave about 90% of exchange enrollees facing a compounded increase. Members questioned Clark about fraud prosecution, the number of people in commercial versus public coverage, and the impact of expiring subsidies. Clark said the prosecution issue is mainly with Commonwealth attorneys and that rural counties are more cooperative than urban ones. She also said the health market is individually rated and that older enrollees would be hit harder, while the loss of tax credits could push some people out of the marketplace. One member asked about the attorney general’s recent opinion on SB 188, the PBM bill; staff said attorneys were still reviewing it. Clark closed by noting that Kentucky’s fraud and towing/storage legislation has become a model for other states.