Transcript Highlights:

• No, that's General Sales Tax. I apologize. It's page four.
• Those are the giant numbers that make the general fund.
• Those are not all pure general fund, but they contribute chunks to the general fund.
• But speaking in general terms, it's the same story.
• But speaking in general terms, it's the same story.

Keywords: 965, house, all

Summary: The Revenue Estimating Conference met with four members present and first approved the December 11, 2025 minutes. Members then recognized the FYI end-of-balance of $577,077,871 as non-recurring revenue. The main business was revising the state revenue forecast for FY 2026, with the Division of Administration recommending a reduction of about $113 million, driven primarily by weaker individual income tax collections, softer general sales tax receipts, and a substantial cut to corporate income tax forecasts. The Legislative Fiscal Office presented a somewhat different but still cautious outlook, and members discussed withholding rates, refund growth, corporate collections, and the effects of the franchise tax repeal and tax reform changes. After questions to the Department of Revenue about collections, refunds, enforcement, and settlements, the conference adopted the Division of Administration’s FY 2026 forecast. The conference then reviewed the FY 2027 recurring forecast. The Division of Administration again recommended a reduction, this time about $104 million, citing continued caution on individual income and corporate taxes, while the Legislative Fiscal Office projected a net increase of about $127 million, largely from sales tax, severance, royalties, vehicle sales tax, and other revenue streams. Members discussed the practical budget impact of the revised forecasts, including the need to reduce spending and the difficulty of funding a possible teacher stipend if a constitutional amendment fails. The FY 2027 recurring forecast was adopted. Members also adopted the long-range forecast, the proposed inflation rates for the Millennium Trust and parish severance allocation, and the incentive expenditure forecast. The incentive discussion noted that reported incentive costs reduce available revenue before appropriations, and members raised the possibility of reviewing or capping such incentives. The Treasurer’s Office then reported that the General Fund cash balance was $404.1 million as of May 5, 2026, and the interfund borrowing base was about $9.18 billion, with cash positions generally similar to the prior year. The meeting ended with a note that another REC meeting might be needed after the May 16 election, followed by adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Page four is a general overview of funding for the GAIs.
• Recommendations maintain 2425 general revenue.
• The AUF also consists of surface income generated from PUF lands.
• General. Well, they didn't put that on this paper. No, we didn't.
• Well, thank you for being here, General.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:04:58.880> assistance Alternative Care general assistance Alternative Care general assistance
• <00:05:04.639> um Aid Behavioral Health generally um Aid Behavioral Health generally um central
• <00:10:12.480> assistance Care is $111 million general assistance Care is $111 million general
• <00:15:04.279> fund uh uh 183 million in a general fund uh uh 183 million in a general fund
• <00:29:33.640> um Care by approximately 45% generally um Care by approximately 45% generally

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• to have their own power generation to have their own power generation source?
• want to generate electricity? want to generate electricity?
• generation?
• :40:21.440> generation?
• their own generation to go with that. their own generation to go with that.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:00:10 Approval of Minutes 00:01:19 Helping Power Kentucky's Growth (LG&E/KU) 00:01:39 Update from Kentucky's Electric Cooperatives 00:47:35, 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the minutes from the previous meeting, and then heard a presentation from LG&E and KU representatives Caroline Clark and John Bevington on economic development, energy demand, and the utility’s role in supporting Kentucky’s growth. Bevington described the company’s service territory, generation fleet, and recent economic development activity, including 76 projects supported in 2024, more than $2.8 billion in private investment, and over 3,000 new jobs. He emphasized that data centers are now the dominant driver in the pipeline, with 22 data center projects representing about 8.7 of the 9.7 gigawatts of potential demand, alongside other manufacturing and commercial projects. A major focus was how data centers choose sites and how utilities respond. Bevington explained that hyperscale data centers typically approach utilities first because they need transmission-level access, and that utilities then conduct internal analyses, estimate infrastructure needs, and require financial security before proceeding. He said the company is working through formal transmission studies and long-lead infrastructure planning, and noted that Kentucky’s sales tax exemption for data centers helped attract interest. He also outlined the economic benefits of data centers, citing an announced Louisville project of 525 megawatts and about $11 billion in investment, with an estimated $500 million in new tax revenue over 10 years, plus broader job and GDP impacts. Members asked about whether data centers could generate their own power, the reliability of the pipeline numbers given confidentiality and nondisclosure agreements, and cybersecurity concerns. Bevington said the company does not assume all pipeline projects will materialize in Kentucky and instead assigns probabilities to avoid overbuilding. He also said he was not the right person to address cybersecurity in detail but offered to return to a committee focused on IT or security. In response to questions about future supply, he said LG&E and KU are adding generation through a 120-megawatt solar facility in Mercer County, a 120-megawatt solar purchase in Marion County, and a 645-megawatt natural gas combined-cycle plant in Louisville, with PSC approval recently granted for additional generation and related system upgrades.

Transcript Highlights:

• Those are generally general funds or the state airport fund.
• Those are generally general funds or the state airport fund.
• Those are generally general funds or the state airport fund.
• trans that is generally general fund and trans that is generally general fund and trans Highway<
• the general the small amount of general the general the small amount of general fund<00:48:38.559

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• funds, general fund transfers.
• Do the general public understand?
• So to clarify, you can do a general fund transfer.
• “This is transfer to the general?
• My last question would be on the power generation side.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:09:34.080> assets, such as the sale of generation assets, such as the sale of generation
• I think you have it generally right.
• I think you have it generally right. I think you have it generally right.
• the wording total peak generating the wording total peak generating capacity<04:54:22.080> is
• is to equate total peak generating is to equate total peak generating capacity<05:08:28.000>

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:03:56.079> for<00:03:56.360> other emergency generation for other emergency generation
• process for emergency backup generators process for emergency backup generators reliable<00:20:53.679
• building approximately 250 generators building approximately 250 generators operating<00:33:47.440
• <00:51:41.760> thank<00:51:41.920> you general register thank you general register
• Thank you. method and have generally been well method and have generally been well received<01:28:01.560

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• So what does it take for the General Assembly to maintain equity?
• And here you see some of the actions the General Assembly took in 1995.
• The General Assembly went into special session on December 8, 2003.
• As Taylor mentioned, this is a tool that the General Assembly uses.
• In the 84th General Assembly, the General Assembly set the foundation funding rate for the 2005 school

Summary: The meeting began with approval of the previous minutes and then focused on an update from the Department of Education on early childhood programs, especially the state-funded Arkansas Better Chance (ABC) program. Secretary Jacob Oliva and Deputy Commissioner Stacey Smith said Arkansas had received a federal Preschool Development Grant and described ongoing work to review ABC slots, which have been flat for years at about 23,800 slots and roughly $114 million. They said about 1,000 slots statewide are currently unfilled despite a waiting list of more than 2,000 families, and the department is shifting toward paying based on enrollment rather than guaranteed slots. Members asked about school choice, income eligibility, year-round access, curriculum flexibility, transportation, and whether funding should be increased or rebalanced; the department said it is collecting data, may survey providers more formally, and is considering whether to modernize income thresholds, daily rates, and other program rules. The committee agreed to form an early childhood subcommittee and asked the Bureau of Legislative Research to help gather historical information on income limits and other program details. The second major portion of the meeting was a legal presentation on the framework for Arkansas school adequacy by BLR education attorney Taylor Lloyd. She reviewed the constitutional basis for a “general, suitable, and efficient” public school system, the Dupree and Lake View cases, and the principle that adequacy and equity are different but related: adequacy asks what resources are needed, while equity asks whether those resources are distributed fairly. She explained that the General Assembly must define adequacy, study it, and react to evidence over time, and that the current adequacy definition includes curriculum and career/technical frameworks, the 38 mandatory Carnegie units, state testing standards, and sufficient funding. She also described the matrix as a funding tool, not a spending mandate, and noted that categorical funds are separate from the matrix. BLR’s Elizabeth Bynum then gave the historical framework, tracing legislative responses from Dupree through Lake View and into the present. She highlighted major changes such as the creation of equalization funding, fiscal distress and academic distress laws, the adequacy study process, the Educational Adequacy Fund, facilities and transportation changes, declining enrollment and student growth funding, and later adjustments to teacher salaries, isolated funding, and categorical programs. She explained that the adequacy study has evolved through committee hearings, surveys, site visits, and outside consultants, and that recent changes include updates to accountability references and the addition or removal of certain funding categories. Members asked follow-up questions about how the matrix is used, whether homeschool or private-school funding raises comparable issues, whether stakeholders include private and homeschool participants, whether school board members should be surveyed, and whether the state should revisit average daily membership versus attendance-based funding. No votes were taken on the adequacy presentations, but the committee did agree to continue the early childhood discussion in a future subcommittee meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Is this general fund dollars or road fund dollars? >> This is general fund dollars. >> Okay.
• Future generations. So, thank you.
• from the general fund. >> Okay.
• general aviation airport.
• activate our general aviation airport. activate our general aviation airport.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The subcommittee approved the October 15 minutes and observed a moment of silence for the victims of the UPS Worldport plane crash. The main presentation was from Transportation Cabinet Commissioner Bobby Joe Lewis on the Local Assistance Road Program/County Priority Projects Program (LAARP/CPP), which was implemented under House Bill 546 and now requires rehabilitation projects to restore roads to original condition, cap funding at $500,000 per project, use a new scoring matrix, include a local match, and submit one photograph per 300 feet of project length. He reported that the 2026-2027 cycle ran from June 1 to October 1 and drew 1,215 project applications from 107 counties and 106 cities, with total submitted project costs of about $121.1 million and about $102.3 million requested after local match. He also said 30% of submissions scored 10s and 22% scored 9s, and that the list of requests and required photos had been submitted to the General Assembly and LRC. Members asked about how scores change over time, whether roads can move from lower scores to 10s, and whether the new process gives a better picture of local needs. Lewis said scores can change based on weather and road conditions, but the new system provides more information and a more standardized evaluation than before. Several members raised concerns about the volume and size of required photographs, suggesting drone footage or video as an alternative; Lewis said the photo requirement has caused confusion and large file uploads, and he was open to considering easier ways to document conditions. Members also discussed continuity in scoring across districts, and Lewis explained that district staff appointed by chief district engineers use a handbook and scoring matrix, with the scores entered into a computer system so evaluators do not see the final score while scoring. The committee also discussed funding levels and carry-forward balances for the program. Lewis said the program began with $20 million authorized in HR92, noted underruns from completed projects, and reported a carry-forward amount that had grown to $355,432.42 available for reauthorization as of October 13. In response to questions, he said the current process concentrates applications into a short window, with 63% of applications arriving in the last few days and 417 on October 1, which created a heavy workload but was completed on time. The meeting then moved to multimodal funding priorities, with Jennifer Kersner of Kentuckians for Better Transportation introducing herself and offering condolences for the UPS aviation incident before beginning her remarks.

Transcript Highlights:

• and predictable for customer generators. and predictable for customer generators.
• customer generators, customer generators customer generators, customer generators less<00:38:30.240
• put a definition of customer generator. put a definition of customer generator.
• If you can comment. >> Uh, you’re a customer generator, right? Okay. They are consumer generator.
• >> Uh, you’re a customer generator, right? Okay. They are consumer generator.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The committee opened with housekeeping items, approved the minutes and consent agenda, and reminded the public that JLCAR’s role is limited to determining whether agency rules are within statutory authority, not to decide policy. Testimony was to be limited, and members noted that policy concerns should be addressed through the legislature rather than the committee process. The first major item was Public Utilities Commission rule 25-215 concerning natural gas suppliers. Staff said the proposal had been postponed because the PUC appeared to lack authority to impose fines and penalties in this rule set, especially suspending or revoking registrations, and recommended either a conditional approval removing those provisions or a preliminary objection for lack of statutory authority. PUC counsel responded that the cited authority had been incorrect, that the Department of Energy now has most registration rulemaking authority, but argued the commission still has jurisdiction over mediation and dispute resolution and may still have authority over fines because natural gas suppliers are not expressly excluded from public-utility status. Committee members discussed the split between PUC and DOE authority and the possibility that the transition in authority had not been fully cleaned up in statute. The committee then voted to grant a waiver of the time limit and postpone the item for another month so the agencies could work with counsel and clarify which parts of the rule could proceed. Members also urged that any needed legislative fix be brought forward quickly, noting that the Senate was not taking up non-germane amendments and suggesting the House as the likely venue for a cleanup bill. The committee next took up Department of Energy EN900 and EN1000 rules. Staff said the EN900 net-metering rules had been postponed previously and that the main remaining issue was a retroactive requirement in EN909.03(b), which the agency agreed to revise so the language would apply only on or after the 2026 effective date of the chapter. The agency described the EN900 rules as implementing net metering authority transferred from the PUC and expanding the chapter to cover municipal group net metering and low- and moderate-income community solar projects. The EN1000 interconnection rules were described as implementing 2024 legislation requiring uniform procedures for distributed energy resources. The department said both sets of rules were developed through extensive stakeholder input and asked for approval subject to the oral amendment already discussed."}】【。json

Transcript Highlights:

• they generally ask to be paid for their work.
• With the attorneys general from other states.
• Our Attorney General is protecting important data.
• The Attorney General gets to hold everything in secret.
• What's not protected is what the Attorney General does, how the Attorney General is influenced by nonprofits

Transcript Highlights:

• So my author's inspector general.
• inspector general advisory commission. inspector general advisory commission.
• House to remove the inspector general. House to remove the inspector general.
• not have their own inspector general. not have their own inspector general.
• any central inspector general office. any central inspector general office.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee took up Senate File 856, a bill to create a statewide Office of Inspector General to combat fraud. Representative Norris presented a delete-everything amendment that would keep most of the Senate bill but add more emphasis on fraud prevention, fully fund the office, avoid duplicating work already done by the BCA’s financial crimes division, and preserve subject-matter expertise by keeping some existing inspectors general in their agencies. He said the amendment would retain strong investigative powers, including subpoenas, while using the BCA for arrests, and he acknowledged his original version was likely too broad, so he planned to offer smaller amendments if needed. Chair Nash and other members challenged the DE on both process and substance. Nash said the amendment had not been shared with key stakeholders, noted that the Senate author had publicly distanced herself from it, and pointed to a governor’s office document saying the administration wanted a different approach than the Senate bill. He argued the Senate bill was a bipartisan, bicameral product and said the committee should be careful about accuracy and process. Representative Davis questioned Norris about the claim that the Senate bill was underfunded and about the governor’s role in selecting the inspector general, arguing that the governor should not have broad control over the office. Norris responded that the Senate bill’s fiscal note estimated roughly $12 million for the biennium, but the bill appropriated less than that amount, and he said the Constitution requires the governor to appoint the inspector general if the office is in the executive branch. He said the DE tried to preserve independence through a bipartisan advisory commission, Senate confirmation, a five-year term, restrictions on partisan activity, and removal only for cause with a public hearing. After debate from several members, the committee held a roll call and the DE failed on a 7-7 tie, so it was not adopted.

Transcript Highlights:

• Generally accepted auditing standards, the statutes of other inspectors general and auditors allow for
• They would, but, and the Inspector General finds that, okay?
• They would, but, and the inspector general finds that, okay?
• That was the whole point of creating the Inspector General.
• It is at the discretion of the inspector general.

Summary: The committee first heard a DMV budget presentation on the state-to-state verification system required for Real ID compliance and the Digital Experience Platform (DXP) modernization project. DMV officials said the state-to-state system is a pointer-based exchange used when a person applies for a license in another state, with only limited identifying data shared initially and the full driver history sent only after a qualified request. Members raised concerns about privacy, possible misuse by other states or federal actors, notification to Californians, hacking, and whether California could detect or stop abusive access. DMV said it can monitor requests, see patterns of access, work with AAMVA and legal counsel, and seek to block or challenge misuse; LAO said California is in a difficult position and should consider guardrails rather than opt out. On DXP, DMV said the project is on its revised schedule and budget, occupational licensing is complete, vehicle registration is expected by the end of calendar year 2026, and the full system should be finished by fiscal year 2028-29, with phased rollout and reappropriated funding to keep costs controlled. The committee then heard from the California High-Speed Rail Office of Inspector General on a trailer bill and AB 1608. The Inspector General said current law does not clearly authorize public reports or establish a framework for retaining and disclosing work papers, and the proposed trailer bill would create that framework while also adding authority to hire needed classifications and purchase goods and services. He also said the office needs a clearer statutory definition of “proposed agreements” and notice when the High-Speed Rail Authority is reviewing them, so the office can review contracts and related agreements effectively. LAO raised no concerns with the trailer bill language, and Finance said any amendments would come in the May revision. Members debated the scope of confidentiality in the Inspector General proposal, especially whether reports could be held confidential when they identify weaknesses in fraud controls, security, or other vulnerabilities. The Inspector General said confidentiality would be temporary, tied to articulating the risk, reassessing it every 120 days, and releasing the report once the risk is no longer substantial; he also said the office had already published reports at its discretion and had found at least one procurement violation involving an amendment that added services not in the original contract. Several members pressed for stronger transparency and suggested time limits or broader disclosure, while others argued the bill would improve oversight and make the Inspector General’s authority clearer. No votes were taken during the discussion, and the item was left for further work on the trailer bill and AB 1608 language.

Transcript Highlights:

• But it is generally accepted knowledge that water rates have generally lagged behind actual operating
• funds—general fund transfers.
• I generated a few as I read through your presentations.
• So to clarify, you can do general fund transfer... ...you go into that, but nothing from the general
• Are being squeezed, and just in general.

Summary: During the meeting, legislative members discussed the practice of municipalities diverting water and sewer revenues to their general funds, which impacts infrastructure maintenance and project delays. Vice Chair Sparks proposed limiting public testimony to two minutes, which was adopted without objection. The committee heard from various witnesses, including Perry Fowler from the Texas Water Infrastructure Network, who emphasized that utility revenues should primarily support water services and that transfers should be transparent and justified. He noted that many utilities face financial pressures that could hinder infrastructure projects. Larry French from the Texas Public Policy Foundation highlighted the significant financial impact of water loss and general fund transfers, estimating the annual loss at $1.5 billion. He argued that these transfers can create disincentives for municipalities to address water loss issues. Brian Butcher, Assistant City Manager of Sugar Land, defended the city's cost allocation model for general fund transfers, asserting that they are necessary for equitable service provision and operational efficiency. The committee also discussed the implications of rising construction costs and the need for better procurement processes to ensure effective use of taxpayer dollars. The second part of the meeting focused on the New World Screwworm and the state's preparedness to manage potential infestations. Dudley Hoskins from the USDA outlined the federal response efforts and the importance of collaboration with state agencies. He emphasized the need for ongoing surveillance and the production of sterile flies to combat the pest. Dr. Philip Kaufman from Texas A&M discussed the historical context of the screwworm and the challenges posed by its potential reintroduction, urging proactive management strategies among livestock producers. The committee acknowledged the need for increased resources and research to effectively address the threat of the screwworm.

Transcript Highlights:

• It can be utilized for a number of uses power generation, of course.
• The companies that design goals, including generating plant generating 1.5, not megawatts of electricity
• plant that is goes that's for use by the entire general body of ratepayers.
• I mean, we're just talking about generating steam.
• the the steam for the generation.

Transcript Highlights:

• generators.
• generators.
• . generators. generators.
• > generator.
• . generation. generation.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We have Major General. General Thomas Schuessler, General, welcome. And Brigadier General.
• Brigadier General Moni Ulis. Did I say that correct, sir? Yes, sir. Welcome, General.
• My name is Brigadier General Monty Ulis and I'm the Deputy Adjutant General Army for the Texas Military
• That is General Ulis and General Camacho will come and talk to you, the Air and Army National Guard.
• So I'm going to call up now General Andrew Camacho. He's the Adjutant General for the Air side.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Working in generation is how I started. It's something that I simply...
• But this authority could look at all kinds of energy generation, right?
• Sounds like it's generating more confusion. Okay.
• I'm hearing that also needs to be generalized to nuclear broadly.
• Hearing that also needs to be generalized to nuclear broadly.

Keywords: 1064, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So that's just a general overview for you all.
• This is only talking about the general fund.
• Right now, there is no general fund to appropriate.
• But there is general fund in other places.
• the general fund. So it's an increase.