Transcript Highlights:

• Is there anybody in the public here wishing to register a statement or a position of opposition?
• Here's a statement. Oh, I even have a statement. You have a statement. Look at me. Hi, members.

Summary: The committee began as a subcommittee due to the lack of a quorum and heard several privacy- and technology-related measures. The first item was H.R. 117, a resolution urging Congress to reform Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. The author and supporters argued the law is outdated and shields platforms from accountability for harms such as harassment, exploitation, scams, and other online abuse. Witnesses, including a survivor parent and a gender justice advocate, described harms to children, women, and LGBTQ people and urged a two-year sunset to force federal reform. Some members supported the resolution as a call for federal action, while one member said he could not support it because the resolution was too general and lacked specificity about the reforms being sought. No vote was taken because the committee lacked a quorum. The committee then heard SB 898, which would require manufacturers of connected consumer products to disclose how long they will support the software and to notify consumers when products approach end of life. The author said consumers deserve transparency about security updates and continued functionality, and supporters from Consumer Reports and PIRG emphasized cybersecurity risks, consumer confusion, and electronic waste from unsupported devices. Opponents, including business and industry groups, raised concerns about enforcement through the unfair competition law, notice burdens, labeling issues, and compliance challenges, especially for products with long support windows or third-party dependencies. One member expressed support, noting the cybersecurity risks of end-of-life devices, but again no vote was taken because there was no quorum. The committee also heard SB 435, which would narrow the CCPA definition of publicly available information to limit how businesses classify data as public. The author and supporters said the bill would close a loophole that allows data brokers and others to monetize personal information without meaningful consent and could help prevent surveillance and misuse of data, including by government agencies. Opponents argued the bill would upset the balance between privacy and the free flow of information, create compliance uncertainty, and retroactively reclassify information that businesses reasonably believed was public. Some members said they supported the goal of stronger privacy protections, while others said the bill was too broad. The committee again could not vote due to the lack of a quorum. Later, the committee heard SB 923, which would expand Californians’ right to delete personal information to cover data obtained from third parties and require online businesses to offer a web form or similar method for deletion requests. Supporters, including the California Privacy Protection Agency and consumer advocates, said the bill would make deletion rights meaningful and better address data broker practices. Opponents sought an opt-out-of-processing alternative and raised operational and legal concerns, but supporters said deletion is not the same as retention or processing limits. Members largely spoke in favor of the bill’s privacy goals, but no action was taken. The committee also heard SB 947, the “No Robo Bosses Act,” which would require human review for certain automated employment decisions and limit predictive analysis in workplace discipline and termination. Labor groups supported the bill as a safeguard against biased or erroneous AI-driven decisions, while business, public employer, and local government groups opposed it as overbroad and burdensome. Members voiced support for human oversight in employment decisions, but the item was not voted on because the committee still lacked a quorum. Finally, the committee began hearing SB 1114, the SOGI Data Privacy Act, which would restrict disclosure of sexual orientation, gender identity, and intersex data to federal agencies absent a court order or legal requirement; the author and witness framed it as a response to federal efforts to obtain sensitive LGBTQ-related data.

Transcript Highlights:

• I just want to take a moment to share a statement made by former U.S.
• I've been not a question about a statement. I just want to say thank you.
• postcard, 'Holocaust equals fake news, Jews did 9/11'—just again some of the most morally repugnant statements
• I want to be very clear: your response is not what triggered my statements at all.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Special Commission on Anti-Semitism met to focus on the role of law enforcement in responding to anti-Semitic incidents. After approving amended minutes, the chair opened with remarks emphasizing that the Commission would confront anti-Semitism from any political direction and outlined the day’s agenda: extremist activity trends, hate-crime statutes, intergovernmental coordination, and security funding. The first presentation came from Ben Pott of the ADL Center on Extremism, who described rising extremist propaganda and anti-Semitic incidents nationally and in Massachusetts, highlighting groups such as NSC-131, GDL, and Patriot Front. He said these groups increasingly use anti-Zionist language, public disruptions, and online platforms to spread hate, and recommended prosecution where possible, civil litigation, education about symbols and tactics, and community reporting to law enforcement and ADL. Assistant District Attorney David Solvin then reviewed federal and Massachusetts hate-crime laws, including federal civil-rights and hate-crime statutes and state provisions for civil-rights violations, assault and battery to intimidate, religious vandalism, terroristic threats, and criminal harassment. He explained that many of these laws enhance penalties based on bias motivation, but some do not create standalone offenses or qualify as dangerousness predicates under current law. Commissioners pressed him on hypothetical fact patterns involving anti-Semitic slurs, symbols, and attacks, as well as on the limits of existing law for pretrial detention and the need for better data collection. Solvin said more training, better reporting, and possible legislative updates could improve enforcement, and he noted pending bills that would require more regular hate-crime reporting and expand protected classes. Detective Lieutenant Ryan Cepiel of the State Police Anti-Terrorism Unit and HART described the unit’s creation in 2023, its role in implementing prior hate-crime task force recommendations, and its work with local, state, federal, and community partners. He said HART has trained civil-rights officers, developed recruit and in-service curricula, created resource pamphlets and a Teams page, and is building a GIS-based reporting portal to improve tracking and victim support. Cepiel reported a year-over-year rise in reported anti-Semitic hate crimes in Massachusetts, while noting that current numbers are incomplete because reporting is inconsistent and there is no mandate for local departments to notify HART. Commissioners discussed underreporting, rural versus eastern Massachusetts coverage, the need for more officers and training, and the importance of making victims feel safe coming forward. The meeting ended with agreement that better data, training, and coordination are needed to address the rise in anti-Semitic hate and bias incidents.

Transcript Highlights:

• Finish your statement.
• But I am just trying to get clarification based on the statements that have been made.
• House Bill 1 statement.” “Yes, ma’am. House Bill 172 will be deferred. Thank you. Thank you.
• No, no, they didn't make that statement.

Summary: The committee first took up Senate Bill 105, which reinstates a sunset-expired TOPS Tech benefit for eligible veterans. Senator Kathy said the bill would use existing TOPS dollars, not new funding, and would help veterans stay in Louisiana and enter the workforce. After brief questions about eligibility and funding, Representative Marcelle moved the bill favorably, and it was reported favorably without objection. House Resolution 3, by Representative Newell, asked the Louisiana Housing Corporation to study whether vacant state-owned property could be repurposed for housing and rental assistance for cost-burdened state employees. Members discussed the high fiscal note and whether the work could be absorbed in existing budgets. Fiscal staff said LHC had requested a full-time position and four part-time positions for the study, but the committee also talked about narrowing the study’s scope. Representative Marcelle moved the resolution favorably, and it was reported favorably without objection. The committee then debated House Bill 189, which would extend supplemental pay to fire protection officers at the Lakefront Management Authority’s airport fire department. Representative Newell and airport representatives argued the firefighters perform specialized, hazardous ARFF duties and should receive the same supplemental pay as other qualifying public firefighters. Some members questioned whether the airport and its employees qualify under existing law and whether the supplement should be expanded further. After discussion, Representative Marcelle moved the bill favorably, but the motion failed on a roll call vote of 8 yeas to 10 nays. Later, Senate Bill 461, concerning Office of Group Benefits coverage for certain small employee groups, was reported favorably without objection. House Bill 623, creating a three-tier permitting system for vapor products, was amended to clarify direct-to-consumer shipment restrictions and then reported favorably as amended. House Bill 1222, creating a grocery initiative grants and financial support program through LED to address food deserts, drew extended debate over whether it would amount to government-run grocery stores; supporters framed it as an incentive and grant program for private grocers, while critics raised concerns about government involvement. After amendment, it was reported favorably as amended by a vote of 16 yeas to 2 nays. Finally, House Resolution 80, directing a comprehensive fiscal audit related to Board of Regents and university system spending on certain executive budget metrics, was amended into a substitute version. Members debated whether the resolution would require universities to do additional work and whether it belonged in Appropriations at all, especially since the fiscal note had been removed. The discussion also raised concerns about the listed schools and the resolution’s purpose in light of a federal civil rights investigation. The transcript ends while the committee is still discussing the resolution and related procedural motions.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then section two is a statement of legislative intent, and it goes through the legislative intent
• Chairman, I'm just wondering if we should prepare a letter in that regard, this latest statement regarding
• So we’ve been looking at it, and unfortunately we went to Cicitan and they refused to provide a statement
• I think that Anita had made a good statement earlier when she said that what worked at one time may no

Summary: The meeting focused heavily on behavioral health and substance use treatment, especially the IMD exclusion and whether North Dakota should pursue a Section 1115 waiver to allow Medicaid reimbursement for services in institutions for mental diseases for adults ages 21 to 64. Turtle Mountain representatives described major local needs, including limited access to care, high syphilis rates, and the importance of timely public health data. They also discussed the tribe’s recovery center, which opened the prior year, now operating five levels of care with 16 beds, and the desire to expand capacity, possibly through an IMD waiver or related policy changes. Committee members also raised related issues such as rural health transformation funding, telehealth, workforce retention, and the need for better coordination between tribal and state public health systems. A central issue was Turtle Mountain Public Health’s long-running effort to secure a data use agreement with the state so it can receive surveillance data and respond directly to infectious disease cases among tribal members. Speakers said the tribe had a successful COVID-era agreement that allowed faster contact tracing and case management, but that agreement ended with the pandemic. They argued that current delays in sharing data, especially for sexually transmitted infections, leave the tribe unable to respond quickly, while the state and county epidemiology workload is too distant and stretched to be effective. Committee members expressed support and said they would look into the issue, noting that other tribes have secured similar agreements. The committee also heard a detailed presentation from the National Health Law Program on the IMD exclusion. The presenter explained that federal Medicaid law generally bars payment for care in facilities with more than 16 beds, but that states can use other tools such as state plan amendments, managed care arrangements, telehealth, and community-based services. He said IMD waivers are administratively complex, time-limited, and have shown mixed results in other states, with some gains in residential treatment access but limited evidence of improved overdose outcomes or stronger community-based care. He urged the committee to consider broader continuum-of-care solutions and cautioned that waivers alone are not a cure-all. No final vote was taken on the bill draft during the portion shown, but the committee discussed the proposal to appropriate $49,000 and one FTE to HHS to pursue an IMD waiver and report back in the next interim. Members also debated the policy rationale for the 16-bed limit, the role of the state versus tribal sovereignty, and whether the bill should move through the Health Care or Human Services committee in the future.

Transcript Highlights:

• Another statement of the data that I just shared with you: anywhere else, we would see a task force assembled
• not look at that infrastructure when we're dealing with a crisis, and again, one of my opening statements
• That's my statement on this panel.
• That's my statement on this, on this panel.

Summary: The hearing focused on the Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) grant program under the Board of State and Community Corrections and related Department of Justice efforts. BSCC reported that it now administers 36 MMIP grants across three cohorts, with awards ranging from $436,000 to $1 million, plus five collaborative grants at $2 million each, totaling $35.4 million awarded to federally recognized tribes. Testimony from tribal leaders and grantees described how the funding supports prevention, family advocacy, domestic violence services, law enforcement coordination, youth programming, culturally grounded healing, and new tribal public safety positions such as investigators, social workers, and drone operators. Speakers repeatedly emphasized that the crisis is longstanding, tied to generational trauma, and that the grant has helped build trust and infrastructure in tribal communities. Several witnesses and committee members urged continued and preferably ongoing funding, noting that demand now exceeds available one-time money. BSCC and tribal representatives described outreach efforts that increased participation from four applicants in cohort one to 20 in cohort two and more applicants than funding in cohort three. Tribes also raised implementation concerns, especially the burden of quarterly narrative reporting, limited staff capacity, and the need for flexible administration. BSCC said it uses steering committees, separate small- and large-project categories, orientations, monitoring visits, and technical assistance to support grantees. Tribal leaders and advocates stressed that the program should remain accessible without requiring a waiver of tribal sovereignty. The second major topic was DOJ’s update on AB 3099, the Tribal Assistance Program, and the tribal police pilot under AB 134. DOJ officials said the Office of Native American Affairs and the Division of Law Enforcement have been conducting outreach, trainings, listening sessions, and coordination with tribal, local, state, and federal partners to address Public Law 280 jurisdictional issues, improve reporting and data, and support Feather Alert and MMIP-related resources. DOJ said the AB 3099 report is in internal review and that the tribal police pilot is moving forward with the Yurok Tribe as a participant, with a July 1, 2026 start date. DOJ and tribal witnesses said the pilot’s main barriers are cost and, for some tribes, the waiver of sovereign immunity. No votes were taken, and the hearing ended with broad support for expanding and sustaining MMIP-related funding and infrastructure.

Transcript Highlights:

• Regarding the sponsor's statements that we didn't request a meeting, I personally emailed him on two
• The defense rests with the prosecution, like closing statements. All right. Thank you.
• In his line of work, occasionally people produce false documents, such as pay stubs, bank statements,
• In his line of work, occasionally people produce false documents, such as pay stubs, bank statements,

Bills: HB2028, HB2047, HB2136, HB2244, HB2364, HB2406, HB2415, HB2557, HB2573, HB2589, HB2720, HB2749, HB2825, HB2861, HB2862, HB2870, HB2970, HB4070, HB4117, HCR2004, HCR2051

Keywords: community restitution, homelessness, indigence, court assessments, monetary obligations, forcible entry, detainer, writ of restitution, criminal trespass, judgment enforcement, civil terrorism, disorderly conduct, vandalism, political activism, public order, subversion, government security, evictions, judgment satisfaction, tenant rights

Summary: The committee first heard HB 2825, which would replace criminal enforcement tools for nonpayment of fines, fees, restitution, and related obligations with a civil collection process. Supporters, including the sponsor, argued it would streamline restitution collection and reduce costly incarceration, while opponents from victims’ rights groups, judges, and prosecutors said it would weaken victims’ constitutional rights and remove effective enforcement leverage. The chair adopted an amendment requiring a summons and clarifying that victims’ constitutional remedies are preserved, and the committee passed the bill 5-2. The committee then considered HB 4070, which would bar corporations from incorporating if an officer, director, or trustee had been convicted of sex or human trafficking, and would extend civil liability to those who facilitate trafficking. Supporters framed it as a “corporate death penalty” aimed at preventing trafficking through corporate governance, while the ACLU warned the facilitation language was vague and could sweep too broadly. After adopting the chair’s amendment defining “facilitate,” the committee passed the bill 5-2. The committee also unanimously recommended confirmation of Neil McDowell to the Arizona Board of Executive Clemency after hearing his background in corrections and his plans to review cases thoroughly and efficiently. Next, HB 2720 was heard, which would raise penalties for paying or agreeing to pay for sexual conduct, add a $200 assessment for the anti-human trafficking fund, and allow certain sex-trafficking victims convicted of prostitution to seal vacated records. Supporters, including law enforcement, prosecutors, and survivor advocates, said it would deter demand and help victims; opponents argued it could still sweep in trafficking victims and lacked sufficient safeguards. The committee passed the bill 4-3. The committee also heard HB 2028, a strike-everything amendment allowing community restitution in lieu of a $20 assessment for indigent homeless defendants, and HB 2047, which would increase trespass penalties for remaining in or returning to property after an eviction writ; both were discussed but no final vote is reflected in the transcript excerpt. Additional bills were introduced and heard later in the meeting, including HB 2136, which would create new offenses for “civil terrorism” and “subversion” and increase penalties for certain highway obstruction; the ACLU opposed it as viewpoint discrimination. HB 2406 would make images and recordings of abused children and deceased minors confidential and restrict dissemination and monetization; the sponsor said it was intended to prevent re-victimization and misuse of public records, while defense-side speakers asked for clearer access for defense teams. HB 2415 would tighten regulation of kratom products and specifically target concentrated 7-OH products; testimony sharply split between supporters who described public-health risks and opponents who said prohibition would harm consumers who use it for pain or recovery. The transcript ends before any final action on those later bills is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, I motion this statement just now. Okay.
• Chair, I I motion this this statement<00:41:45.680> just<00:41:45.880> now.
• <00:41:47.000> Uh statement just now. Okay. Uh statement just now. Okay.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I know there's a lot of statements. I'm sorry, you're breaking up just a little bit there.
• wrote in um you know, one thing that I wrote in my<00:08:15.560> written<00:08:15.920> statement
• <00:08:16.680> is my written statement is my written statement is maybe<00:08:18.120> better

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard and then later voted on a series of gubernatorial nominations and several bills. In the nomination portion, DLNR and the nominees generally testified in support or briefly described their qualifications and goals. The nominees included Elray Moreno, Richard First, and Stephen DeWalt for the Game Management Advisory Commission; Noah Dolim and Graham Hart for the Hawaii Historic Places Review Board; Joseph Pickard, Jared Machado, and Elena Bryant for the Kaneohe Bay Regional Council; Kaipuloa Makanui Alona Kealoha for the Kaho‘olawe Island Reserve Commission; and Zachary Bentolina for the King Kamehameha Celebration Commission. Testimony emphasized public service, community representation, historic preservation awareness, and bridging communication between communities and DLNR. For the Kaho‘olawe nomination, testimony also discussed storm damage and ongoing assessments on the island. The chair asked questions about historic preservation outreach, board vacancies, and the status of Kaho‘olawe facilities. GM 651 was deferred so the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts could weigh in, while the others were later recommended for advise and consent and adopted without opposition. In decision making on the 1:00 p.m. agenda, the committee voted to advise and consent on GM 641, 642, 703, 683, 743, 645, 646, 647, and 738. GM 651 was deferred to a later date. The committee also noted that some nominees were interim or reappointments, and clarified that the Kaneohe Bay and Kaho‘olawe-related appointments were being confirmed for the first time or as continuing service, as applicable. The committee then moved into its 1:05 p.m. agenda on several bills. HB 2426 relating to state parks was passed with amendments, including an effective date change. HB 1881 relating to land use was passed with amendments that limited passenger ropeways for private single-home use, removed the mountain definition, prohibited passenger ropeways in all land use districts, and added a narrow exemption for certain government or recognized nonprofit projects subject to legislative approval. HB 1918 relating to taxation was passed with amendments changing the effective date to January 1, 2028 so it could proceed to Ways and Means. HB 1802 relating to conservation mitigation banks was passed with technical amendments. Each measure was adopted by the members present without recorded opposition.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, that's really a correct statement, I guess, that without the equipment, it would not be a functional
• is that is that would be would be a is that is that would be would be a correct<00:15:09.279> statement
• guess,<00:15:09.920> that<00:15:10.160> if<00:15:10.320> we correct statement
• , I guess, that if we correct statement, I guess, that if we >> without<00:15:12.079> the

Keywords: 00:02 Call to Order and Roll Call 00:45 Approval of Minutes 01:01 Information Items 06:25 Project Rpt from Postsecondary Institutions-KCTCS 10:50 Project Rpt from Finance and Admin Cabinet 18:08 Lease Rpt from Finance and Admin Cabinet 27:12 Rpt from OFM – KY Infrastructure Authority 33:56 Rpt from OFM – CED EDF Grants 47:20 Rpt from OFM – Office of Financial Mgmt 56:53 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The committee first handled routine business, including approval of the February meeting minutes and several information items. Those items covered university equipment purchases, school district and transportation-related debt issuances, Northern Kentucky University’s planned construction-manager/general-contractor delivery method for the medical examiner/crime lab relocation project, a lease-space advertisement, postsecondary asset preservation allocations, and lease-law compliance reports. Members then discussed the Northern Kentucky crime lab project in more detail; staff explained that the memorandum of agreement would cover the construction portion while the lease would cover operations, and members were told the project should move forward without procurement problems. The committee approved a Kentucky Community and Technical College System project to modify the fire academy maintenance building after the related dormitory project was set aside because of major cost overruns. KCTCS said the dormitory would be about $3 million over budget, so it would not be bid; instead, the maintenance building would be expanded to add showers and restroom/locker facilities, bringing that project from $2 million to about $3.2 million. The committee also approved a Transportation Cabinet project for the Hardin County I-65 southbound commercial motor vehicle station relocation, with members asking about the estimate, the lack of a direct prior example, and the fact that the loadometer equipment itself would be purchased separately and was not included in the construction estimate. Finance and Administration Cabinet lease items were then considered. The committee approved a Department of Public Advocacy lease in Christian County and a Transportation Cabinet vehicle regulation lease in Kenton County, both negotiated down from initial asking prices and both including utilities. Two lease modifications were reported without action: a Department of Revenue fit-up in Jefferson County and an expanded vehicle regulation lease in Adair County. Members also approved a package of Kentucky Infrastructure Authority items, including four loans and six Cleaner Water Program grant reallocations, covering sewer and water projects such as MSD’s Patty’s Run flood pumping station, Paducah-McCracken County’s wastewater treatment plant, Mount Washington’s lift station replacement, and Eminence’s wastewater plant expansion. Finally, the committee heard a batch of Kentucky Product Development Initiative economic development grants and approved the action items in one vote. The projects included due diligence and infrastructure work for industrial and site-development projects in multiple counties, with local match requirements and KEDFA approvals described for each. The committee also received three line-item water grants from House Bill 1 that required no action, and the meeting ended after the grant presentations and approvals.

Transcript Highlights:

• A lot of people don't realize, Senator, and I think you would probably agree with this statement, is
• 00.720> this think you would probably agree with this think you would probably agree with this statement
• > are<00:19:02.480> an<00:19:02.720> insurance<00:19:03.120> company statement
• is we are an insurance company statement is we are an insurance company in<00:19:04.000> terms

Keywords: 00:00 - Call to Order/Roll Call 01:38 - Discussion of 26RS SCR 9 22:00 - Roll Call Vote on 26RS SCR 9 23:15 - Discussion of 26RS SJR 23 33:20 - Roll Call Vote on 26RS SJR 23 35:18 - Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The House Standing Committee on Health Services met with a quorum and first heard Senate Concurrent Resolution 9 from Sen. Steve Meredith. He argued that Kentucky’s Medicaid system is too costly and bureaucratic, saying spending has grown dramatically and that managed care organizations do not align with improving health outcomes. His proposal would create a feasibility study for a five-year pilot of an “accountable community healthcare organization” in three area development districts, with a locally owned, nonprofit, provider-driven model intended to reduce costs, address social determinants of health, and keep savings in the community. Members asked about how the model would differ from MCOs, administrative costs, eligibility changes, and implementation costs; Meredith said the model would eliminate preauthorization barriers, rely on provider and community risk-sharing, and could be funded initially through existing grant opportunities. The committee then voted unanimously to report SCR 9 favorably. The committee next took up Senate Joint Resolution 23, the “Food is Medicine” resolution, introduced by Sen. Shelley Funke Frommeyer and Dana Feldman of the Kentucky Department of Agriculture. They described the resolution as part of a broader wellness and rural prosperity effort, emphasizing that nutrition should be treated as part of health care and that Kentucky agriculture can support better health outcomes through local, healthy food. They said the effort grew out of task force work and regional listening sessions and is intended to build a foundation for continued collaboration between hospitals, agriculture, and state agencies. Members expressed support for the concept and the partnership approach, and the discussion highlighted using evaluation and shared learning to expand the initiative.

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> Basically, it just clarified it more, made a broader statement to make sure that any situation with
• ><00:36:20.720> made<00:36:20.960> a<00:36:21.119> broader<00:36:21.520> statement
• <00:36:21.920> to<00:36:22.160> make more uh made a broader statement to make more
• uh made a broader statement to make sure<00:36:22.560> that<00:36:22.880> any<00:36:23.599

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Senate Judiciary Committee met with a quorum and took up Senate Bill 125, sponsored by Sen. Danny Carroll, which would create a structure for evaluating and placing juveniles with acute mental illness, including a continuum of care and a process for resolving placement disputes between the Justice Cabinet and Juvenile Justice Cabinet through a judge. The committee adopted a committee substitute before hearing the bill. Carroll described several changes in the substitute, including removing language that would have made juvenile information nonconfidential in certain lawsuits, requiring public escape information to be removed once a juvenile is returned to custody, clarifying escape charges for juveniles absent without leave, and revising language about when hospitals may discharge high-acuity youth until a new facility is built. Carroll and Justice Cabinet officials Mona Wamik and Dr. Clark Lester argued that Kentucky needs a secure high-acuity mental health facility for violent juveniles because detention centers are not equipped to provide psychiatric treatment, private hospitals often refuse these youth, and current staff cannot administer the level of care needed, including intramuscular medication. They also said the bill would support two new female detention centers to help return DJJ to a regional detention model. Carroll cited prior juvenile detention crises, ongoing lawsuits, and a Department of Justice investigation, saying the bill could affect whether Kentucky faces a consent decree. Wamik said the proposed high-acuity facility would serve youth clinically assessed as needing secure treatment and would be designed to balance security with clinical care. Senators asked about how the bill would apply to a violent 14-year-old, whether the facility would simply isolate dangerous youth, what clinical care DJJ can currently provide, and staffing and cost estimates. Carroll said the bill would not change criminal accountability but would apply only if a youth were found to be severely mentally ill and need treatment placement. Dr. Lester said DJJ currently can provide only oral psychiatric medication and cannot administer intramuscular injections or the physical holds needed for acute psychiatric treatment. Cabinet staff said staffing would need to be higher than in a standard detention setting and estimated annual operating costs for the high-acuity facility at about $12 million, compared with about $8 million for a regular juvenile detention facility. No vote on final passage was taken during the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• And again, you have approximately two minutes in which to make your statement.
• She's written a statement. She's tagging in Senator Block here to read it for her, if that's okay.
• So she sent me this statement before she got on the plane to get here.
• bringing this forward because our voices are clearly not here and certainly not interpreted by the statements

Bills: SB41, SB33, SB32, SB30

Keywords: sexual crimes, statute of limitations, criminal justice, victim rights, child abuse, individualized treatment, investigational treatment, health care, life-threatening illness, patient rights, physician recommendation, informed consent, human trafficking, sexual exploitation, child protection, prosecution, crime amendments, SB30, induced abortion, abortion reporting

Transcript Highlights:

• They did want to weigh in on this and so they've sent me statements, and I'll be happy to share those
• 47.679> me weigh in on this and so they've sent me weigh in on this and so they've sent me statements
• 49.120> be<00:19:49.200> happy<00:19:49.360> to<00:19:49.520> share statements
• and I'll be happy to share statements and I'll be happy to share those<00:19:49.840> with<00:

Bills: HB161, HB146, HB289, HB290, HB31, HB146, HB289, HB290, HB31

Keywords: consumer protection, app store, age verification, parental consent, data protection, minors, HB146, ivermectin, pharmacist, standing order, prescription drug, non-patient-specific order, dispensing, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, licensed health care provider, pharmacy board, medical licensure, disciplinary action, drug access

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, I will be opposing this bill because of, uh, I agree with Representative Selig's statements, but
• with bill because of uh I agree with Representative<00:28:06.239> Selic's<00:28:06.719> statements
• ,<00:28:07.120> but<00:28:07.360> I Representative Selic's statements, but I Representative
• Selic's statements, but I also<00:28:07.760> want<00:28:07.840> to<00:28:08.000> point

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Most of your statement was a statement, and there wasn't really a question. You, Mr.
• Nathan, but I appreciated the time, and I allowed the time for you to opine on his statement.
• voices directly, and I want to directly also respond to an assumption that you made when you made a statement

Transcript Highlights:

• involve criminal misconduct, but also involve separation from an agency for false and misleading statements
• involve criminal misconduct, but does also involve separation from an agency for false and misleading statements
• If they recommend a statement of charges, those come to me for a review. Next slide, please.
• corrections officer's certification should receive discipline, then we must prepare and serve a statement

Summary: The committee held a work session in Mill Creek focused first on the eviction process. Judge Michael Scott of King County Superior Court described historic highs in unlawful detainer filings across Washington, especially in urban counties, and said King County has reduced its backlog and average time to resolution to about 60 days by adding two dedicated eviction judges and using more judges when needed. He also described how King County and other counties are implementing the right to counsel for indigent tenants, and noted that additional housing commissioners may help. Office of Civil Legal Aid representatives Philippe Knapp and Jane Paxe said the statewide appointed counsel program has represented more than 30,000 tenants, referred clients to social services, and helped many remain housed, but they warned of a funding shortfall that could eliminate about 17 attorneys and leave roughly 2,000 tenants without representation. A landlord-side panel argued that eviction timelines remain too long and fragmented, creating unpaid rent, safety issues, and uncertainty for both landlords and tenants; they urged more uniform procedures, streamlined rental assistance, and procedural changes to reduce refiling and delays. The second work session addressed theft and vandalism of critical infrastructure, especially copper and telecom cable theft. Committee staff reviewed existing criminal and regulatory laws covering malicious mischief, theft, scrap metal businesses, and metal property deception. Comcast, Mason Public Utility District, and the Recycled Materials Association testified that theft of aerial cable and copper has become a crisis affecting power, internet, 911 service, schools, hospitals, and line-worker safety. Utility representatives described outages, hazards, and rising costs, and asked for stronger audits of scrapyards, tougher penalties for theft affecting critical infrastructure, and tighter rules on payment and identification. Recyclers said they oppose the thefts and already operate under heavy regulation, but acknowledged enforcement gaps and the need for better coordination; committee members discussed possible bill concepts and asked for written recommendations. The final work session covered standards for law enforcement personnel. Criminal Justice Training Commission Executive Director Monica Alexander and Assistant Director Kimberly Bliss explained current certification and decertification rules, including background checks, training requirements, mandatory and discretionary grounds for decertification, and the hearing process. They said elected sheriffs are not currently required to undergo the same pre-election background check as other applicants, though they can still be decertified if already certified, and they reported a backlog of more than 1,000 cases with about 70 to 80 new cases coming in each month. Retired Judge Ann Levinson then outlined ways the legislature could strengthen and align standards for chiefs, sheriffs, and marshals, including requiring certification within a set time, setting a minimum age, requiring recent state background checks, and making loss of certification a vacancy in office. Committee members asked questions about accountability for elected sheriffs, background-check administration, and decertification outcomes.

Transcript Highlights:

• Do any of the members of the committee wish to make any opening statements before we begin?
• As some of your statements that you just made suggest, it's the landowners—but how would you respond
• they did that was in the 2008 Garza case, and it just so happens that the justice that made that statement
• did that was in the 2008 Garza 637 case, and it just so happens that the justice that made that statement

Bills: HB24, HB27

Keywords: groundwater, conservation, water permits, sustainability, resource management

Summary: The committee met to hear House Bills 27 and 24 on groundwater issues in East Texas, with members and witnesses focusing on a proposed large-volume groundwater export project and the need for more science before major permitting decisions are made. HB 27, which was within the special session call, would direct the Texas Water Development Board to conduct a hydrogeologic study of the aquifers in the affected area and temporarily pause new export permits while the study is underway. HB 24, a separate bill that would limit certain production and export permits to 5% of modeled available groundwater, was laid out but the chair said it would not be moved out of committee. Testimony on HB 27 was largely supportive, though some witnesses were neutral. Supporters, including representatives from a water supply corporation, the Trinity River Authority, Environmental Defense Fund, and the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, said the region lacks enough hydrologic data, that the proposed pumping could affect private wells, surface water, and local economies, and that the state needs better information on sustainable yield and groundwater-surface water interaction. Several witnesses emphasized that groundwater conservation districts need clearer tools and better data, while also noting concerns about property rights and the rule of capture. Committee members discussed the scale of the proposed project, the absence of a groundwater conservation district in Houston County, and the possibility that the study should examine desired future conditions and maximum sustainable pumping rather than only modeled available groundwater. The committee adopted the committee substitute for HB 27 and voted it out favorably to the full House with a recommendation that it do pass, be printed, and be sent to the Committee on Calendars. The roll call was unanimous, 11 ayes and 0 nays. After the vote, members briefly reflected on the complexity of the issue and the need to continue working on broader groundwater policy in the interim and next session. HB 24 was discussed later in the meeting, but no final action on that bill was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

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Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• So what program is fantastic, it is, calling it a game changer is not a strong enough statement.
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• In June, we expect to revise draft regulations, complete an initial statement of reasons.
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Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• why I said it would be better to let the expert explain it, because I don't want to just make a statement
• Hi, so you just made a statement, and I want to make sure that I heard it correctly.
• So, where's the truth in some of these statements, and why are...
• Why did you make the statement that the legislature doesn't trust its sheriffs, and why should they trust

Bills: HB1320, HB2012, HB2293, HB2655, HB3174, HB4108, HB4661, HB4799, HB5534, HB5580

Keywords: transportation, infrastructure, funding, state budget, public safety, child welfare, county boards, membership, local governance, public welfare, government service, social services, Texas Family Code, regulation, vendors, solicitors, roadside sales, county authority, Sweeny Hospital District, board of directors