Transcript Highlights:

• as the agricultural enforcement program as the agricultural enforcement program program program and<
• in just a pilot program. in just a pilot program.
• to learn more about that. to learn more about that.
• That took 3 and 1/2 years.
• years ago. years ago.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on SB 83, which would require hotel keepers to give adequate notice of service disruptions to guests and third-party vendors. The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Office of Consumer Protection supported the bill but asked for amendments to restore remedies and add a nonwaiver provision, arguing that without penalties the measure would lack consequences and that consumers should not be able to waive the notice rights. Supporters, including Unite Here Local 5 and individual testifiers, said guests deserve transparency and meaningful recourse when disruptions occur, especially for labor disputes, construction, or other service interruptions that affect the experience they paid for. Hotel industry representatives, including the American Hotel and Lodging Association, the Hawaii Hotel Alliance, and hotel workers/testifiers, opposed the bill in its current form while offering amendments. They said the measure was too broad, difficult to implement, and could interfere with collective bargaining, third-party booking systems, and existing contracts. They also argued that some disruptions are not easily known in advance and that the bill unfairly singles out hotels compared with other industries. One testifier emphasized that notice should be required only for actual, known disruptions rather than potential events, and another raised concerns about applying the bill to properties not directly involved in a labor dispute. After the SB 83 testimony, the committee moved on to SB 2798, which would make permanent and expand statewide the agricultural enforcement pilot program created in 2025 and rename it the agricultural enforcement program. The chair introduced the measure and called on the Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity as the first testifier, but the transcript excerpt ends before testimony or any vote on SB 2798.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm 95 years old. years old and a proud American and a proud Jew. and a survivor of two Nazi concentration
• A year later, I was 11 years old, the rest of my family were rounded up and placed into train cabins.
• In 1943, I was about 13 years old. years. By this point, the war was not going well for the Nazis.
• Other Jews that returned. and had been killed many years before I learned my father. had survived this
• The Holocaust Survivor Assistance Program is a critically important program.

Transcript Highlights:

• Last year, this year lost 10 percent of its students.
• Mississippi has two programs, Ohio has five programs, and Wisconsin has four programs.
• Florida has two programs, and Tennessee has two programs.
• There are some voucher programs, ESA programs, tax credit scholars, and other scholarship programs across
• just bilingual, but an immersion program where you truly learn another language.

Transcript Highlights:

• advancement in machine-based learning advancement in machine-based learning and<00:10:38.760>
• <00:14:09.079> of Evolution all through the 70 years of Evolution all through the 70 years
• <00:21:30.279> ago<00:21:30.559> actually 12 years ago about 13 years ago actually
• Twenty years later, the technology that I mentioned to you, plus the reforms of learning together, basically
• Twenty years later, the technology that I mentioned to you, plus the reforms of learning together, basically

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:03:40.959> that similar prison educational program that similar prison educational program
• doing so, recidivism for program doing so, recidivism for program graduates<00:03:48.239> dropped
• In those conversations, program.
• The House Bill 5 program is a law-and-order program.
• last couple of years actually. last couple of years actually.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The House Judiciary Committee met for its sixth regular-session meeting and first took up House Bill 5, as substituted by committee amendment, which would authorize KCTCS to partner with the Department of Corrections to create a vocational training campus at North Point Training Center. The sponsor and witnesses described the bill as a prison education and re-entry initiative aimed at reducing recidivism, saving taxpayer money, and meeting workforce needs, citing Michigan’s vocational village model as evidence that prison-based training can lower reoffending. Testimony emphasized that the program would include high-demand vocational fields, credentials, eligibility and security safeguards, data collection, annual reporting, and re-entry documentation such as certificates of employability and employment protections. Several members voiced support, including comments that the bill builds on existing second-chance and employability efforts. One member asked whether post-release employment outcomes could also be tracked, and the sponsor said that would be encouraged and discussed as a possible friendly amendment. After discussion, the committee voted 19-1 to adopt the committee substitute and pass House Bill 5. The committee then began consideration of House Bill 468, which would update the Kentucky Civil Rights Act to conform the state definition of disability to the 2008 federal ADA amendments and clarify the meaning of “qualified individual with a disability.” The bill sponsor said it would remove the Kentucky Human Rights Commission’s adjudicative authority over employment and public accommodations cases, while leaving investigative powers intact and preserving housing-related adjudication, with the goal of placing those disputes in court and preserving jury-trial rights. In response to questions, the sponsor said a local mandate analysis found the court impact would be minimal to moderate, and cited commission data showing relatively few hearings. The transcript cuts off during continued discussion of HB 468.

Transcript Highlights:

• THE PROGRAM WOULD SUNSET. IT DOESN'T HAVE A REPEAL. THE PROGRAM WOULD SUNSET 2027.
• I WOULD NOT WANT TO PREVENT AN 18-YEAR-OLD SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY ARE 18 FROM LEARNING ONE FOURTH LESS THAN
• Martin: A FOUR-YEAR-OLD PERSON HAVING TO COMPETE WITH 16 OR 17-YEAR-OLDS.
• WHY IS A FOUR-YEAR-OLD COMPETING ONE OF THE PROGRAMS ARE OUT THERE AND HOW CAN WE TACKLE THAT SITUATION
• LEARN THE OFFICE FLOW.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• a program We're instuting a program integrity<00:09:43.279> provisions<00:09:44.000> in
• It's been one I will not forget anytime soon. for 15 years off and on and being able for 15 years off
• <00:12:47.760> And well try again next year. And well try again next year.
• <00:29:21.919> things can sit and and hear and learn things can sit and and hear and learn
• are impacted and and getting to learn are impacted and and getting to learn about<00:32:42.880><

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, the elderly parole program is a really good program.
• I learned from you all. I learned from you all.
• Court losses year after year.
• So I learned a lot about you. I learned a lot from you. Thank you. I learned a lot about you.
• program is funded for consumers. $60 a year so that they can then make sure this consumer protection

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The Assembly convened in Sacramento, established a quorum, offered a prayer and pledge, and then moved through the daily file with several procedural motions, including moving AB 1566 to the inactive file and removing SCR 177 from the consent calendar. The chamber then took up a series of bills, mostly on third reading, with many measures described by authors as support bills and passing with little or no opposition. Among the early items, AB 2257 on county jail accountability was presented but the call was moved before a recorded result was announced in the excerpt; AB 2529 on claims against public agencies passed 41-2; AB 2689 on affordable housing management passed 49-0; AB 1722 on fish and wildlife passed 51-0; AB 2071 on digital wellness instruction passed 54-0; AB 1976 on pedestrian and bicycle safety passed 42-17; AB 2012 on manufactured home transport passed 57-0; AB 2139 on surplus land and an Inland Empire soccer project passed 58-1; AB 1548 creating a Monterey Bay stewardship authority passed after the call was moved; AB 1707 allowing online electrician license renewal passed 60-0; AB 2105 on navigation app impacts passed 44-14; and AB 2051 on coastal resiliency permitting passed 46-6. The floor also approved a number of other measures with broad bipartisan support, including AB 2074 on streamlined housing development in transit-rich downtowns (55-5), AB 2129 on Cal Fire firefighter compensation (57-1), AB 2279 on communications (16-0), AB 2282 allowing Del Puerto Health Care District to provide emergency care in rural Patterson-area communities (64-0), AB 2316 extending school facilities hardship relief to charter schools (59-0), AB 2337 adding theft by a peace officer under color of authority to serious misconduct (68-0), AB 2374 creating a state designation for AANHPI-serving institutions (47-14), AB 2464 on energy (67-0), AB 2537 on cannabis (62-0), AB 2562 requiring suicide prevention plans at alcohol and drug treatment facilities (62-0), AB 2667 on vape products (62-0), and AB 2727 raising the threshold for elderly parole review for violent sex offenses (66-0). AB 1958, which clarifies procedures under the California Racial Justice Act, was taken up later and the author said he would accept Senate amendments, but the excerpt cuts off before the final vote is shown. AB 2313, allowing customers with planned gas service line replacements to opt into electrification, drew debate over cost shifts and equity concerns before passing 41-21. The most extensive debate centered on AB 1709, which would set a minimum age of 16 for accounts on social media platforms using addictive features and create an e-safety commission. The author and supporters from both parties framed the bill as a child-safety measure responding to research on anxiety, depression, sleep disruption, and other harms, while also emphasizing protections for vulnerable youth and the need for age verification and ongoing oversight. Several members raised concerns about preserving access for LGBTQ youth, isolated rural youth, and others who rely on online spaces, but said they trusted the author’s approach and the commission structure. The bill drew strong bipartisan support in floor speeches from members who described it as necessary to protect children from addictive platform design, and the excerpt ends amid that debate without showing the final vote on AB 1709.

Transcript Highlights:

• first few years.
• been so positive that actually last year been so positive that actually last year uh<00:04:27.960
• > with<00:05:20.479> that in these first few years so with that in these first few years
• they're contemplating taking it year they're contemplating taking it year round<00:41:33.240>
• bills around social districts this year bills around social districts this year e<00:55:15.680><

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• so be swapping that extra year of college for an additional year of relevant work experience.
• so be swapping that extra year of college for an additional year of relevant work experience.
• so be swapping that extra year of college for an additional year of relevant work experience.
• for nine years.
• or four years that might be two years or four years and<00:43:15.680> the<00:43:15.839> county

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, so you just heard the Wiki Wiki program, the Operations HIRE Hawaii program.
• hire Hawaii program you know operations hire Hawaii program you know there's<00:22:33.159> these<
• build their program.
• their program.
• Like, say, five years of that person working in that type of job, or like 10 years?

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That's over learning in our building.
• Our school has also transformed learn.
• Thank you for your time. on learning and how chronic stress leads on learning and how chronic stress
• <00:07:52.880> French, saxophone, where they can learn French, saxophone, where they can learn
• <00:10:30.000> working significant years of experience working significant years of experience

Keywords: 918, senate, all

Summary: Legislators and school counselors discussed a bill aimed at strengthening school counseling services in Minnesota. Supporters said the proposal would clarify counselors’ roles in state policy, require at least one school counselor in every school, and ensure counselors spend 80% of their time in direct services to students rather than being assigned to duties like hall monitoring or substitute teaching. The bill was described as building on prior efforts to expand student mental health supports after COVID and responding to Minnesota’s low student-to-counselor ratio, which speakers said ranks 48th nationally. Several counselors testified about the pressures facing students and schools, especially in communities affected by ICE enforcement and broader trauma. A St. Paul counselor described students displaced by enforcement actions, a child whose father was detained, and schools serving as food distribution centers. Another counselor from Minneapolis said students were experiencing chronic stress, fear, and difficulty focusing on school, with staff organizing mutual aid, delivering supplies, and helping students continue learning from home. Speakers said these conditions are statewide and that counselors are providing trauma support, family crisis navigation, and basic needs assistance. In response to questions, a Minnesota School Counselor Association advocate said the bill is intended to give counselors a clearer state framework and support their professional training and responsibilities. No vote or formal committee action was described in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• , third straight year.
• , third straight year.
• degree, two years of college credit. degree, two years of college credit.
• We continued our 20-year program in Morehead.
• I learned of that last night.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The House Budget Review Subcommittee on Postsecondary Education met without a quorum and postponed approval of the minutes. The committee first heard from Northern Kentucky University President Katie Short Thompson, who highlighted NKU’s enrollment growth, student success metrics, national recognition for value, lower student debt, and new programs tied to regional workforce needs, including AI, cybersecurity, supply chain analytics, cardiovascular perfusion, and the Norse Network Hub for employer access. She asked for a $5 million recurring base funding adjustment to align NKU’s general fund support with peer institutions, along with support for tuition waivers with FAFSA requirements, continued debt collection authority through the Department of Revenue, inclusion of fire and tornado insurance premiums in base funding, inflation and performance-funding support, and increased asset preservation funding. She also outlined capital priorities for the Hail College of Business building, Nunn Hall, and the MEP building, and requested $5.4 million to match private support for the Young Scholars Academy, a dual-credit program serving first-generation and low-income students. Representative Tipton questioned NKU about the number of older students using tuition waivers and whether the university could continue the program without a statutory age-based mandate. Thompson said the number of students over 65 using the waiver was small, that some students pursue degrees while others audit classes, and that external fundraising could potentially support the program if state funding changed. Tipton also confirmed NKU’s requested priorities and the $5.4 million match for the Young Scholars Academy. The committee then heard from University of Kentucky representative Dr. Cavallo, who framed UK’s request around accountability, workforce development, research, and health care impact. He described a patient story to illustrate UK’s medical mission, cited growth in enrollment, degrees awarded, hospital patients treated, and research grant revenue, and emphasized UK’s role in extension services and disaster response. He said UK is consolidating services for efficiency and is focusing on future workforce needs, especially artificial intelligence, noting the launch of the state’s first AI bachelor’s degree and a partnership with Microsoft to expand AI tools and training across campus and the Advancing Kentucky Together network. He also discussed demographic challenges, the need to retain graduates in Kentucky, and the importance of aligning programs and funding with long-term state needs.

Transcript Highlights:

• The program has been in existence since 1998. This contract gets renewed every several years.
• Uh, so with the program, they are enrolled typically for several years in the program as part of a stipulation
• Fingerson, he told me that that contributed to the 85% success rate of our programming, that five years
• Uh, so with the program, they are enrolled typically for several years in the program as part of a stipulation
• Fingerson, he told me that that contributed to the 85% success rate of our programming, that five years

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and first approved the minutes from its May 13 meeting. Members then reviewed a deferred contract with the Kentucky Board of Pharmacy for the Kentucky Pharmacist Recovery Network (KYPRN), a program that provides monitoring and support for pharmacists and pharmacy interns with substance abuse or mental health issues. Board representatives explained that the contract is a long-running arrangement, renewed periodically, with an option for two additional two-year renewals. Senators asked about the program’s structure, participation trends, follow-up, and consequences for noncompliance. The board said enrollment has remained fairly consistent at about 52 participants, with roughly 500 participants over the life of the program, weekly and monthly check-ins during the five-year typical enrollment period, and possible additional sanctions if participants fail to meet obligations. The committee then approved the contract. The committee next considered a group of economic development contracts, including items from the Cabinet for Economic Development. Secretary Jeff Null and general counsel Matt Wingate testified about contracts tied to regional innovation and entrepreneurship hubs. Members focused on the large differences in funding between regions and pressed for more support for rural and eastern Kentucky. Null said the cabinet is working on a more tailored, non-one-size-fits-all approach, including possible changes to capital support, build-to-suit options, and additional resources for rural areas. He said the hubs have helped 193 startups over the last two years and helped attract nearly $350 million in private capital, and he agreed to provide a written report by hub district on startup viability. The committee approved the economic development contracts. The Kentucky Lottery Corporation then presented its contracts with vendor IGT for retail and internet sales systems. Lottery officials said the contracts are mission-critical, cover both the traditional retail system and iLottery, and are structured as a percentage of sales so no payment is made until revenue is earned. They described planned equipment upgrades, including refreshed terminals, new ticket checkers, cashless vending and bill acceptors, and connected-play features that would link retail and online wallets. Officials said keeping the same vendor reduces the risk of business disruption and that the arrangement has already produced cost savings. They also said the lottery continues to see year-over-year growth and expects to meet its annual contribution target of $360 million for scholarships and grants. The committee approved the lottery contract after discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• All of that has changed through the years.
• So, at a rural hospital that I worked at, we didn't have a UTI for years. We had one that year.
• We learned we were expecting twins, and weeks later we learned we lost one. And then...
• It's the same year I became homeless.
• The year before, 75%. The year before that, 85%.

Bills: HB18, HB37, HB116, HB388, HB879, HB913, HB1151, HB2216, HB2358, HB2809, SB577, SB1590, SB1782, SB1887, SB2744, HB18, HB37, HB116

Keywords: rural health, hospital funding, healthcare access, mental health services, financial stability, perinatal bereavement, healthcare, hospital training, bereavement support, maternal care, fetal demise, stillbirth, neonatal death, parent-child relationship, involuntary termination, family law, child welfare, child protection, HB 388, HB388

Transcript Highlights:

• ago or committee last year with the team for teacher preparation legislation.
• Just last year in Orlando, we saw the tragic death of a young girl.
• And as we know, we've had elevated cases of and reports of human trafficking from year to year.
• We have a pretty incredible program. It's called it ought to be a law.
• So that school readiness program providers have minimum who need minimum program assessment.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:01:20.520> but at a couple of specific programs but at a couple of specific programs but
• scholarship programs.
• scholarship programs.
• > in learning scholarship programs they in learning scholarship programs they in turn<00:06:29.960
• child care and early learning child care and early learning institutions<00:06:42.840> so

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee heard a presentation from State Auditor Judy Randall and Deputy Legislative Auditor Jody Mason Rodriguez on the Office of the Legislative Auditor’s 2023 report, “Oversight of State-Funded Grants to Nonprofit Organizations.” Randall explained that the report takes a broad look at how Minnesota manages grants, building on earlier work that helped lead to the Office of Grants Management (OGM) in 2007. She emphasized that the new recommendation-tracking booklet in members’ packets is meant to help the legislature see which audit recommendations have been implemented, partially implemented, or not implemented, and to support oversight rather than assign blame. Rodriguez summarized the report’s findings: Minnesota’s grants management policies contain many important practices, but they often lack enough detail for agencies to implement them consistently. The office found pervasive noncompliance in recent years and identified weak statutory enforcement as a major reason. She reviewed how grants flow from the legislature to agencies and then to nonprofit grantees and subgrantees, and noted that state agencies spent an average of about $514 million annually on nonprofit grants from fiscal years 2018 through 2022, awarding grants to about 2,400 nonprofits. The report found OGM policies partially reflected 17 of 24 recommended grant-management practices, but examples of missing detail included no required risk-based monitoring, no minimum standards for progress reports, telephone-only monitoring visits allowed, and no deadline for closeout reviews. The auditors said some recommendations have been acted on since the report, including 2023 statutory changes that led OGM to revise its pre-award financial review policy and set a timeline for closeout reviews, though other recommendations remain only partially implemented. They also discussed repeat compliance problems across agencies, including conflict-of-interest documentation, and said agencies are beginning to improve by automating checklists and disclosure processes. In response to member questions, the auditors said training is important and should likely be required for grants staff, though not necessarily with highly specific statutory language; they also said grant managers vary widely across agencies, making baseline training especially useful. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the presentation, and the chair noted that OGM would be invited for a future presentation.

Transcript Highlights:

• And two years, two or three years of drag from not having that supply chain in place. ...or three years
• Since we launched a year ago, about 16 observer states have signed on to learn from and engage with the
• You were talking about states doing pilot programs. We do pilot programs.
• The interest rate on the match program can be fixed up to 20 years.
• The interest rate on the match program can be fixed up to 20 years.

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill establishes the nuclear energy development grant program within NEITA.
• This bill establishes the nuclear energy development grant program within NEITA.
• The hope is that we will establish this grant program, and then in future budget years we will invest
• in future budget years we will invest more.
• The hope is that we will establish this grant program, and then in future budget years we will invest

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:56 SJR 28 Discussion 01:44 SJR 28 Roll Call Vote 03:32 SB 179 Discussion 04:08 SB 179 Roll Call Vote 07:33, 958, all

Summary: The committee opened with a prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, roll call, and approval of the minutes. After no special guests were recognized, members took up a joint resolution carried by Senator Nemes for Senator Adams concerning reformulated gasoline requirements in Jefferson County and parts of Oldham and Bullitt counties. The resolution would direct the Energy and Environmental Cabinet to revise the state air quality implementation plan to remove the reformulated gas mandate. Senator Nemes argued the requirement is outdated and has little practical effect given modern vehicles and fuel standards, and members voted to pass the resolution unanimously. The committee then heard Senate Bill 179 from Senator Danny Carroll, which would create a nuclear energy development grant program within the Nuclear Energy Development Authority. Carroll explained that the bill would set aside $10 million from the previously appropriated $40 million investment for grants supporting nuclear energy development in Kentucky, with grants capped at $2 million and administered entirely by NEITA rather than through Economic Development. He and several members emphasized the need for Kentucky to invest in nuclear energy to keep pace with states like Tennessee, which was cited as having invested heavily and attracting business activity around small modular reactors. Members expressed strong support for the bill, with Senator West and others praising the initiative and calling it important for Kentucky’s energy future. The committee voted the bill out favorably with an expression that it shall pass. Before adjournment, the chair encouraged members to review the other energy bills that had been heard recently and stressed the importance of moving quickly on energy policy measures. A motion was then requested to close the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• session, started many years ago.
• Sorry, we have a new Vice Chair this year, this year, this year.
• We provide our members with, on average, about 20 educational programs every year, ranging from compliance
• Now, 17 states have adopted these automated savings programs, and 11 of those programs are already active
• The profession has been around over 100 years, and I've been a public adjuster for 36 years.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee held an informational opening hearing for the Financial Services Committee, with Chair Murphy and Senator Feeney introducing new and returning members and explaining that no bills were being heard that day beyond brief introductory testimony. Commissioner of Banks Mary Gallagher thanked the committee for last session’s money transmission modernization law, and several members echoed appreciation for her office’s work. The hearing then featured a long series of stakeholder introductions and overviews of their priorities for the session. Testimony covered a wide range of financial, insurance, housing, health care, and consumer issues. Banking and mortgage groups discussed housing affordability, foreclosure delinquencies, flood insurance, regulatory changes, and the impact of federal policy shifts. Insurance representatives raised concerns about auto and homeowners market pressures, labor rates, tariffs, rebates, e-titling, third-party litigation funding, and public adjuster restrictions. Consumer and advocacy groups highlighted debt collection reform, earned wage access, retirement savings access, public banking, and consumer protections in financial services. Several speakers also emphasized the need for committee expertise and offered themselves as resources for future bills. Health-related organizations focused on insurance mandates, prior authorization, behavioral health access, pharmacy benefit manager reform, community health center funding, maternal health and midwifery reimbursement, and anesthesia reimbursement parity. Other groups, including credit unions, retailers, auto dealers, dental and medical associations, and behavioral health providers, described their roles in the Commonwealth and previewed legislation or policy areas they expect to follow this session. No votes were taken; the meeting was informational and ended after testimony from the sign-up list and a few late additions.