Transcript Highlights:

• provide testimony today on article 2 of House Bill 1 as filed particularly the DFPS portion of the budget
• And we've learned a lot of things that could benefit our state better. and improve the implementation
• So while there are some challenges associated with. family first implementation, there are benefits to
• Thank you for this opportunity to comment on the DSHS budget.
• We're supporting a $4 million rider in the budget to expand the program.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• For that reason, I simply ask that when you devise the 2026 to 2028 biennial budget, the last budget
• For that reason, I simply ask that when you devise the 2026 to 2028 biennial budget, the last budget
• For that reason, I simply ask that when you devise the 2026 to 2028 biennial budget, the last budget
• For that reason, I simply ask that when you devise the 2026 to 2028 biennial budget, the last budget
• For that reason, I simply ask that when you devise the 2026 to 2028 biennial budget, the last budget

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:00:19 Auditor of Public Accounts 00:01:07 Office of Secretary of State 00:10:22 Kentucky State Treasury 00:17:51 Office of Attorney General 00:28:50, 958, all

Summary: The Budget Review Subcommittee on General Government met for its first meeting and heard budget-related presentations from the Auditor of Public Accounts and the Secretary of State, with the Treasurer beginning a presentation at the end of the transcript. Auditor Allison Ball reviewed her office’s 2024 and early 2025 work, including hundreds of county and state audits, several special examinations, and ongoing reviews such as the kinship care funding issue, the Kentucky Department of Education audit, and the Jefferson County Public Schools audit. She said her office is focused on waste, fraud, abuse, and legal compliance, and asked the committee to consider future budget changes, including aligning her appropriation with restricted funding and restoring a stronger performance-audit function. She also highlighted audits that exposed serious problems, including the Department of Juvenile Justice review, and said those reports are intended to serve as models for other entities to avoid similar failures. Secretary of State Michael Adams said his office is self-sustaining through fees and does not need tax dollars, but asked for greater access to its own revenues and more flexibility in using them. He highlighted the Safe at Home address confidentiality program, saying recent changes expanded protections for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking, and that the program has grown rapidly while remaining funded by offender fines. Adams also urged lawmakers to again adjust county election funding for inflation, noting the current per-voter and per-precinct amounts were set decades ago. In questioning, Representative Hart asked whether the Safe at Home program was self-funding; Adams replied that it covers only about 10% of its operating cost and said the best solution would be to let the office use more of the revenue it already collects rather than rely on tax dollars. Treasurer Martin Medcafe, introduced with staff member Russell Weber, praised the General Assembly’s fiscal discipline and described the Treasury’s work in managing state funds. He reported strong results from the Unclaimed Property Fund, saying the office returned $35.5 million to Kentuckians in its first year and $3.8 million in the first month of the current year, and said the State Investments Commission generated $682 million in returns last year. He also highlighted financial literacy efforts through the Kentucky Financial Empowerment Commission and said the Treasury is helping manage opioid settlement funds, which are now earning up to $200,000 per month through investment. No votes or formal actions were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Microsoft's yearly profit could cover our state's annual operating budget three times over.
• Maybe they should cut back on their avocado toast budget, you know, stretch their budget further.
• But... ...budget further. But we want a fair tax code. What do we want? Fair tax code.
• Build the kind of state that we deserve. budget further. But we want a fair tax code.
• Our state budget has ballooned 170% accounting for inflation since 1991.

Summary: The meeting was a press conference and Q&A led by Rep. Shaun Scott to promote the proposed Well Washington Fund, a new dedicated account intended to raise about $3 billion annually through a corporate payroll tax on wages above $125,000. Scott said the bill would help offset expected federal cuts under Trump-era policies and support programs most at risk, including cash assistance, higher education, health care, housing, and wildfire mitigation. He also referenced two related proposals: restoring wildfire mitigation funding by ending a tax break for large banks, and allowing counties to raise corporate taxes. Several advocates and affected residents testified in support of progressive revenue. Michelle Thomas of the Washington Low Income Housing Alliance warned that federal homelessness policy changes and state underinvestment could worsen homelessness and evictions. Christina Savitsky, a disabled veteran, described how Medicaid, food assistance, and work requirements would affect her family. Representatives from the University of Washington AAUP said federal cuts and Medicaid changes threaten teaching, research, workforce training, and hospital finances. Fatima Boxwala of Tech for Taxes and Mikey Stramskis of the Washington Federation of State Employees argued that large corporations and the wealthy should pay more to sustain public services and address understaffing, burnout, and service backlogs. In the Q&A, Scott said the bill may need an emergency clause to make it referendum-proof and argued that the legislature has a mandate to act, citing the 2024 capital gains tax referendum and the state’s regressive tax system. He acknowledged concerns about businesses leaving but said he was more concerned about working people being displaced by unaffordable housing, child care, and health care. No vote or formal committee action occurred; the event was a call for a hearing in the House Finance Committee in 2026 and for legislative passage in both chambers.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have since, in the spring, implemented a new offender management system.
• <00:03:11.120> a<00:03:11.440> new since in the spring implemented a new since in the
• spring implemented a new offender<00:03:12.239> management<00:03:12.640> system.
• for those of us that make the budget. for those of us that make the budget.
• <00:31:56.799> haven't the ones that make the budget haven't the ones that make the budget

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes from its October 3 meeting unanimously. It then reviewed follow-up status on prior performance audits, beginning with the Department of Corrections’ sex offender treatment program. DOC said all audit items from the 2016 review were resolved except one related to tracking benchmarks, progress, and recidivism. Officials explained that a new offender management system, Chorus, was recently implemented but has had rollout problems affecting operations, including restitution checks, and that they hope the system will be stable enough within about six months to begin tracking the needed metrics. Members asked about treatment inside prison and after release; DOC described in-prison treatment, parole aftercare, probation and parole oversight, administrative restrictions, and reassessment if conditions are not met. The committee next heard from OPLC on the Real Estate Commission audit. OPLC reported that all but one finding is substantially or fully resolved, with the remaining issue involving review of applicants’ adverse financial history and liabilities. The delay is tied to ongoing rulemaking, and OPLC said the commission is amending its criteria and integrating universal application procedures into board rules. The office estimated substantive completion by March 2027, with rule filing expected sooner. The committee then took up the Board of Pharmacy audit, where OPLC said most findings remain partially resolved because the board is in the middle of a major rule overhaul and a new licensing software project. Officials described a shift toward a compliance bureau and more routine, risk-informed inspections, rather than inspections driven only by complaints, and said updated manuals and forms will follow the new rules and technology. Finally, the Legislative Budget Assistant reported on ongoing audits. For special education, staff said they are writing the report, have 25 completed observations, and have expanded to 70 identified observations, with a full draft expected in the first quarter of 2026 and a final report by summer 2026. For education freedom accounts, 40 observations have been identified, 15 finalized, and a draft is expected by midspring with a fiscal committee presentation in summer. For the Doorway program, the audit plan was finalized with DHHS help, financial activity was isolated, fieldwork is expected to finish by Thanksgiving, and a draft report is planned for January or February 2026, with a final report by March or April 2026. The committee discussed scheduling its next meeting for February 6 at 10 a.m. and emphasized the value of follow-up on older audits; the meeting adjourned after members agreed the follow-up process should continue.

Transcript Highlights:

• dealing with a number of implementing dealing with a number of implementing new<00:04:26.440>
• process ultimately to um to implement process ultimately to um to implement the<00:04:49.160>
• <00:05:05.880> two and we were also implementing two and we were also implementing two different
• people for the the budgets that we people for the the budgets that we already<01:00:56.599> allocated
• back next week dealing with budget back next week dealing with budget issues<01:50:06.199> uh

Bills: HF3023, HF3078, HF107, HF2171, HF3079, HF689, HF1316

Keywords: unemployment benefits, iron ore mining, economic support, workforce development, Minnesota, unemployment insurance, deferred resignation, employment, worker rights, benefits eligibility, Ellsworth Independent School District, ISD 514, school construction, school renovation, sales tax exemption, use tax refund, construction materials, HVAC replacement, boiler replacement, window replacement

Transcript Highlights:

• smaller cities would have more time to implement.
• <00:06:52.919> and that how by implementing and that how by implementing and administrative
• would have more time to implement would have more time to implement and<00:07:30.520> then
• On Section 17, it's not taking into consideration that some HOAs run on a very lean budget.
• On Section 17, it's not taking into consideration that some HOAs run on a very lean budget.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:30:24.320> for um make up the overall budget for um make up the overall budget for children
• of a sudden showed up during this budget of a sudden showed up during this budget season<00:30:45.840
• <00:37:38.079> for at the highest is the total budget for at the highest is the total budget
• of the total Medicaid spending budget. of the total Medicaid spending budget.
• We feel like it's very tiny in the overall budget. We know that it is though part of the budget.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Senate Standing Committee on Health Services heard Senate Bill 18, a bill described by the sponsor and podiatry witnesses as a modernization of Kentucky’s podiatry laws. The bill would recognize and regulate podiatric assistants, podiatric residents, and supervising podiatrists; allow podiatrists to supervise physician assistants in podiatry practices with approval from the relevant licensing boards; require new podiatrists licensed after January 1, 2027 to complete at least two years of residency; and extend disciplinary authority to the new categories. Witnesses said the measure would improve access to foot and ankle care, especially in rural areas, without expanding scope of practice. The Kentucky Medical Association was said to be neutral after working on the language with the sponsors. Committee members raised concerns about the meaning of “supervision,” whether it required direct or indirect oversight, and whether the bill could broaden billing or coding privileges. Dr. Roberts said supervision could mean direct supervision or indirect supervision, including being available by telephone, and noted the bill mirrors language used in allopathic PA supervision. He also said the bill would not change office staff billing roles and that podiatric assistants would not bill separately. Several senators said they supported moving the bill forward but remained concerned about workforce, cost, and scope creep. The committee adopted a committee substitute, then voted on the bill. The motion passed unanimously with favorable expression. After the vote, the committee moved on to a presentation on outpatient pediatric therapies, where providers described Medicaid reimbursement pressures, workforce turnover, and long waiting lists for children’s therapy services, but no action was taken on that presentation in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Kerr, who will brief our budget. This is just a good picture of the budget.
• Kerr, who will brief our budget. This is just a good picture of the budget.
• interacts at handles some of the budget interacts at handles some of the budget stuff<00:09:46.560
• <00:25:22.360> that<00:25:22.480> state also uh implemented that state also uh implemented
• large component of the operating budget large component of the operating budget for<01:36:45.199

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, the change, uh, if the PUC is to implement any changes by adjudicatory hearing, those that are in
• So with that, I will conclude my remarks. budget um and included in statute some budget um and included
• And I guess the last thing I'll say is there was reference to Massachusetts and the budget reduction.
• Massachusetts and the budget reduction. Massachusetts and the budget reduction.
• So implement and support these programs.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and the skinny budget, if you would call it.
• So that's $270 million in the budget, um, for housing. In summary.
• But I don't think that anything has been implemented statewide.
• Nothing has been implemented statewide to to address that.
• But it was not included in the final budget.

Transcript Highlights:

• at the next at the next budget at the next at the next budget uh<00:25:09.120> period<00:
• How would the timeline for implementing any change and the cost of implementation of the change?
• How would the timeline for implementing any change and the cost of implementation of the change?
• How would the timeline for implementing any change and the cost of implementation of the change?
• budget that they approve. budget that they approve.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Education Funding Committee Subcommittee on Adequacy and Funding Sources opened its second meeting by reviewing four retained bills assigned to it: HB 651, HB 772, HB 491, and HB 734. The chair said the goal was to compare the bills across the board, consider whether any one of them should be the committee’s recommended vehicle, and then vote on a recommendation to the full committee. He noted the bills would move out before November 21 and be taken up on the House floor in January, while related LSRs were also being developed for the coming session. Representative Ames argued that HB 651 should be the main vehicle because it would substantially raise the adequacy base and adjust differential aid categories to better reflect real school costs, including poverty, special education, and English learner needs. He described the bill as building on court guidance and said the current funding formula is far below actual district needs. He also supported HB 491 as a study vehicle to examine revenue options, saying the legislature needs informed choices about how to pay for the changes. Representative Damon strongly backed HB 651 and HB 491, citing constitutional obligations, the Conval and Rand rulings, and large projected funding increases for districts such as Claremont, Windham, and communities in the chair’s district if HB 651 had passed earlier. Representative Fellows said he has an LSR similar to HB 491 that would study existing and new revenue options using criteria such as revenue potential, administrative cost, affected groups, implementation timeline, and implementation cost, with input from revenue administration and outside agencies. Representative Papich Muller emphasized constitutional separation-of-powers concerns, reading Article 83 and saying he was not comfortable with the broad claim that “cherish” clearly mandates a specific spending level, though he said he intends to follow Supreme Court guidance. Representative Ricky read testimony from a local school board member arguing that the state already imposes many mandates on schools while providing the least funding in the country, and that HB 651 would help restore meaningful local control. No final vote or action was taken in the portion provided, though the chair had indicated the subcommittee would vote before adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• We are looking at the implementation of the installations of the Mexican customs.
• In terms of the budget time frames where some of the investments that you talked about are continuing
• I will be very interested to see moving forward if there are additional budget requests.
• I think we see you're implementing the trust and the investment in a pretty aggressive way.
• For grid implementation and how you're seeing that pursued, I think, is really interesting.

Transcript Highlights:

• I must think honestly that they don't want to implement what they need to implement, but they're not
• And I get emotional because we're doing everything we can here that we're trying to do as the Budget
• Of those four implemented strategies, what would be a problem in New Mexico? Mr.
• Schools also bear the cost of figuring out how to implement interdisciplinary teaching.
• And so those costs will have a negative impact on that overall budget.

Transcript Highlights:

• We would have to close the pool, fire the landscaper, and implement other major budget-cutting measures
• What I asked is how do we know that 20 million has been budgeted, I guess, for administration?
• Okay, and so we don't know what the budgeted amount is for this particular...
• I budgeted $195 a foot, and we're still going to have to do some value engineering.
• I'm hearing to get it below that budget.

Bills: SB434, SB844, SB898, SB1177, SB1214, SB1454, SB1920, SB1927, SB1935, SB1965, SB2010, SB2046, SB2068, SB2073, SB2183, SB2260, SB3034, SB907

Keywords: SB 434, Harris County Hospital District, hospital district police, peace officers, commissioned officers, law enforcement authority, Health and Safety Code, Code of Criminal Procedure, public safety, hospital security, county hospital district, local government, Texas criminal procedure, district police, armed security, SB 898, low income housing tax credits, LIHTC, affordable housing, Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• And this is a fairly new practice to adhere to budget rules.
• And this is a fairly new practice to adhere to budget rules.
• So, the proposal that the and Budget.
• recommendations for capital budget, they go through a process through MMB.
• And we together their capital budget.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But it also helps us with policy development and budget decisions.
• are vetted through budget commissions in the trial court and the district court.
• Those are vetted through budget commissions in the trial court and the district court.
• This money is in the trial court portion of the budget, but it is not really for court operations.
• I know you all have a detailed breakdown in your budget, or I'm sorry, in your binder of our base budget

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice met to continue its review of performance measurement in the criminal justice system. The first presentation, from State Courts Administrator Eric McClure, described how the court system uses multiple data sources to track filings, dispositions, clearance rates, workload, and support services, and how those data inform judge need, budget requests, resource allocation, and court administration. He also discussed ongoing efforts to improve case-level reporting, the use of case management systems in trial and appellate courts, and performance efforts in problem-solving courts and civil case management. McClure noted that the legislature provides dedicated funding for problem-solving courts and for medication-assisted treatment, and that the courts are required to report outcomes and monitor compliance with contract requirements. Melanie Brown-Whor of the Florida Behavioral Health Association then reviewed the medication-assisted treatment program funded through the courts budget. She said the program combines medication with counseling and behavioral supports, serves people involved in or at risk of criminal justice involvement, and has expanded over time to include additional medications and more counties. She reported improved engagement and retention, with more than 10,000 people screened over five years, about 9,200 receiving medication, and over 6,600 successfully discharged. Senators asked about racial and ethnic demographics, hospital referrals, and how services are delivered; Brown-Whor explained that local community providers deliver treatment under contract and that the program is working to improve data reporting and consistency. The Department of Law Enforcement then presented on investigations, forensics, and criminal justice information services. Deputy Commissioner Vaden Pollard outlined FDLE’s strategic plan and major investigative priorities, including cybercrime, targeted violence, crimes against children, mutual aid, and the SAFE fentanyl eradication program. He said SAFE has led to major seizures, arrests, and a reported decline in fentanyl deaths. Director Jason Bundy described FDLE’s forensic laboratory operations, DNA and rapid DNA capabilities, cold case and missing persons work, and the staffing and turnaround-time challenges tied to complex evidence testing. Director Lucy Saunders reviewed FDLE’s criminal history, biometric, incident-based crime reporting, and criminal justice transparency systems, noting that Florida is still transitioning agencies from summary reporting to incident-based reporting. The committee raised questions about Rapid DNA deployment, cold case coordination, and the slow pace of NIBRS/FIBRS adoption. No votes were taken, and the meeting adjourned after the presentations and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• Coming from local government, having served on a local city council in a very tight budgeted city, I
• California has an opportunity to lead in repairing past wrongs by implementing policies that advance
• AB 57 is a direct... ...wrongs by implementing policies that advance equity.
• These successes rely on implementation of evidence-based practices administered by housing agencies.
• HCD comes under my budget committee, so this is what we've been talking about all yesterday.

Summary: The committee heard a long agenda of housing-related bills, beginning with AB 249, which would require youth-specific coordinated entry assessments for homeless services. The author and supporters from Larkin Street Youth Services and the California Coalition for Youth argued that current vulnerability tools are adult-focused and can disadvantage young people; the bill was described as a developmentally appropriate fix to better connect youth to housing and prevention services. There was no opposition, and the bill passed 7-0 to Human Services. Members then heard AB 239 and AB 1206. AB 239 would create a state-led disaster housing task force, a state disaster housing coordinator, and regular legislative reporting to speed recovery after disasters; it passed 7-0 to Emergency Management. AB 1206 would let local agencies pre-approve plans for single-family and small multifamily homes of up to 10 units to reduce permitting delays and costs; the League of California Cities opposed it unless amended, citing local variation and staffing concerns, but the author and supporters said it would preserve local control and help speed housing production. The bill passed 9-0 to Local Government. The committee also took up AB 57, which would reserve at least 10% of California’s home purchase assistance funds for descendants of formerly enslaved people. Supporters framed it as reparative justice and a way to address longstanding racial disparities in homeownership, while Pacific Legal Foundation argued it likely violated constitutional limits on race-based government action and urged a race-neutral approach. After discussion about reparations criteria and the bill’s intent, it passed 6-0 to Judiciary. The consent calendar, including AB 480, AB 726, and AB 1154, was approved 8-0. Later, AB 282 was heard to allow housing providers to prefer applicants who participate in rental assistance programs, such as Housing Choice Vouchers, despite existing source-of-income discrimination law. Supporters said it would help voucher holders find units and improve affordable housing operations; no opposition testified, and the bill passed 6-1 to Judiciary. AB 1229 followed, restructuring the adult reentry grant program to focus on permanent housing for people leaving prison by moving administration to HCD and using regional administrators; supporters emphasized the link between housing stability and reduced recidivism, and the bill passed 7-0 to Public Safety. The committee then approved AB 670, which would let local governments count preservation of naturally occurring affordable housing toward housing element goals and require better demolition reporting, and AB 750, which would strengthen oversight and reporting for homeless shelters after a prior reporting law saw very low compliance. AB 670 passed 8-0 to Local Government, and AB 750 was presented with testimony from a shelter resident describing abuse and lack of accountability in shelters.

Transcript Highlights:

• budget budget good<00:09:52.880> Janelle<00:09:53.240> Taylor<00:09:53.600> with
• And, of course, your budget-making process is much more condensed and intense.
• And, of course, your budget-making process is much more condensed and intense.
• <01:08:25.199> making of course your your budget making of course your your budget making
• His favorite part of Legacy was zero-based budgeting. We have an opportunity here.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• But this gives locals the ability and the authority to oversee and implement as they need.
• This would be part of the fix in the implementing bill, the amendment we have.
• I'll save this for the implementing bill. I'll go back to that because I had a follow up for that.
• We will move on to the implementing bill, HB 1259. You are recognized to present.
• HB 1259 is the implementing bill for the House Joint Resolution that we just discussed.

Summary: The Ways and Means Committee met on March 27, 2025 and first considered HJR 1257 and its implementing bill, HB 1259, which would create two $25,000 property tax exemptions and an assessment cap for long-term rental properties owned by Floridians who also have a homestead in the state. Supporters argued the measure would increase long-term rental supply and help Florida residents, while opponents from counties and cities warned of a large revenue loss, potential tax shifts to businesses, and weak guardrails against abuse. Members raised concerns about wealthy owners holding many condos, possible family-member workarounds, and whether savings would actually reach tenants. The committee adopted an amendment to the implementing bill, then reported both measures favorably after party-line-leaning debate and recorded votes. The committee then unanimously reported HB 761, which limits deferred ad valorem and non-ad valorem tax relief to properties with a just value of $1 million or less and raises the minimum tax certificate sale amount from $250 to $500. Members also unanimously approved CS/HB 733 on brownfields, which expands and clarifies the state brownfields program, and two Osceola/Sunbridge local bills, CS/HB 4043 and HB 4059, dealing with special district infrastructure and district boundary expansion subject to voter approval. HB 995 on Areas of Critical State Concern, focused largely on the Florida Keys, was amended to remove the ad valorem tax exemption portion and to adjust the growth cap from 500 to 825 units, then was reported favorably. Later, the committee approved HB 6021, which repeals sales tax on all bullion purchases of gold, silver, and platinum, with supporters calling it a sound-money measure and critics asking about future revenue effects if related legal-tender legislation passes. Finally, the committee passed HB 1339, which excludes wind-damage mitigation improvements from assessed value for property tax purposes, after adopting a clarifying amendment about secondary water barriers. Throughout the meeting, most bills were reported favorably, often after brief debate and with little or no public testimony beyond support or opposition from affected local-government and industry groups.

Transcript Highlights:

• The format of evaluation highlighted the value of case based learning and identified some implementation
• And what that means is that we implement flexible and dynamic evidence-based practices as it relates
• We've been providing robust evaluation support to make sure that it's being implemented well, and that
• It also limits the ability to implement broad scale solutions has no 2 cases are alike.
• This slide outlines the steps taken to implement and bring this new placement option online.

Keywords: 999, senate, all