Transcript Highlights:

• This may be a project for future legislation for you as an engineer. You can help us out here.
• legislation for you project for future legislation for you as<00:17:37.320><c> an</c><00:17:37.480><c> engineer
• 38.200><c> help</c><00:17:38.360><c> us</c><00:17:38.480><c> out</c><00:17:38.720><c> here</c> as an engineer
• you can help us out here as an engineer you can help us out here noisy<00:17:39.640><c> Mufflers</c>

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs heard several transportation and public safety measures on March 28, 2025. SB 1195 would prohibit parking within certain distances of crosswalks and intersections, direct parking fine revenue to the Safe Routes to School special fund, and remove the need for signs or curb markings in some cases. The Department of Transportation, Department of Health, and Ulupono Initiative supported the bill, emphasizing improved visibility, pedestrian safety, and funding for school-route improvements; written testimony included both support and one opposition. No vote was taken during the hearing segment provided. The committee also heard SB 1102 on the aircraft rescue firefighting unit chief, which would set term-based appointment provisions for the airport division’s fire chief. DOT supported the measure, saying it would give the director flexibility to select leadership and adapt to changing needs, while a member asked about current removal procedures for underperforming employees. The bill was presented as a management and leadership measure, with no action taken in the excerpt. SB 1216, addressing noisy mufflers and safety inspection requirements, drew DOT support in principle but concern that existing rules already cover inspection standards and that enforcement after inspection remains difficult; DOT also described a planned noise-detection camera pilot on Oʻahu. Testimony included support from neighborhood and advocacy groups and opposition from three individuals. For SB 30, which would require helmets for moped riders under 21, DOT and HPD supported the bill, citing crash data and injury prevention; testimony was evenly split overall, with six in support and six in opposition. SB 344 would require helmets for skateboard users under 18; DOT supported it, and a DOT witness explained current helmet rules for other devices such as e-bikes, scooters, and motorcycles. SB 1095, increasing decal size limits for special number plates, drew DOT concerns that larger decals could interfere with plate readability and automated enforcement. SB 1522 would make proof of filing required vehicle-transfer notice forms a complete defense to actions arising from the vehicle’s later use or abandonment; the Judiciary said it had no position on the bill’s merits but objected to language requiring new court forms and raised access and legal-advice concerns, while Honolulu’s Department of Customer Services supported the measure. The committee then heard SB 597, extending the deadline for the Administrative Driver’s License Revocation Office to issue written review decisions. The Attorney General and DOT supported the extension, citing limited toxicology capacity and shipping delays for testing, and several law enforcement and public health entities also supported it. In contrast, the ADLRO hearing officer testified with serious concerns about due process, warning that eliminating or delaying the review process could create constitutional problems, disproportionately burden people without attorneys, and jeopardize thousands of cases. Finally, SB 1285 proposed a tiered revocation system for DUI arrests; ADLRO strongly opposed it on due process grounds, while DOT supported it as a safety measure and the Hawaii Public Health Institute commented that evidence is lacking for standalone mandatory revocation and suggested stronger impaired-driving standards instead. The committee had not yet taken final action in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• 1st, we had sent an email with the request to include positions of microbiologist, psychologist, engineer
• positions of microbiologist to include positions of microbiologist psychologist<00:06:56.879><c> engineer
• uh</c><00:06:57.960><c> and</c><00:06:58.080><c> I</c><00:06:58.199><c> believe</c> psychologist engineer
• uh and I believe psychologist engineer uh and I believe others<00:06:59.360><c> um</c> others um others

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It took time, money, and engineering skills that I frankly didn't have to make those happen, and I honestly
• It took time, money, and engineering skills that I frankly didn't have to make those happen, and I honestly
• It took time, money, and engineering skills that I frankly didn't have to make those happen, and I honestly
• It took time, money, and engineering skills that I frankly didn't have to make those happen, and I honestly

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• They were going to be looking at the structural arms that hold the Tramway and having some engineers
• and<00:23:22.039><c> having</c><00:23:22.480><c> some</c><00:23:22.960><c> um</c><00:23:23.400><c> Engineers
• /c><00:23:23.960><c> come</c><00:23:24.080><c> in</c><00:23:24.240><c> to</c> and having some um Engineers
• come in to and having some um Engineers come in to make<00:23:24.480><c> sure</c><00:23:24.679><c> that

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The Public Works and Highways committee held a capital budget orientation led by Legislative Budget Assistant Office staff, who walked members through the budget materials, the capital budget process, and the committee’s compare sheet. The presentation explained that agencies begin developing capital requests nearly a year in advance, submit them by May 1, and that the governor’s recommended capital budget is a reduced version of the much larger agency wish list. Members were told the agencies initially requested about $1.1 billion in projects, the catalog was trimmed to just over $400 million in general fund projects, and the governor’s recommendation in the pink book totals about $143 million in general fund capital appropriations. The committee also reviewed the prior capital budget and related statutes and committee procedures. Several specific projects drew discussion. The Department of Education’s CTE projects were explained as having been shifted into the operating budget in the prior cycle and now returning to the capital budget recommendation; members asked whether there was a backup CTE project and whether local approval had been secured for the named project. The Cannon Mountain tramway request was highlighted as a $20 million recommendation, with the presenter explaining that an earlier $18 million appropriation would be lapsed back to the general fund to help balance the budget. The Department of Corrections’ new prison project was also discussed; members were told the state has already appropriated $50 million for planning and site evaluation, but the governor’s current capital budget does not include a new prison construction appropriation because the project is not yet ready for that phase and may need to be funded differently, possibly through a separate, staggered appropriation. State Treasurer Monica Mezzapelli then presented on debt affordability and the state’s borrowing capacity. She said the state’s credit position has improved, with the debt-to-revenue ratio falling from 8.2% in 2015 to 3.8% in 2024, and explained that RSA 6-C limits debt authorization to 10% of unrestricted prior-year revenue. She noted that the Treasury’s planning assumes $60 million in annual bond issuance, with the prison-related $40 million now expected to be issued in 2026 rather than 2025 because the project is not ready to spend the funds. She said the state can still borrow more, but additional debt service must be paid from operating funds, and recommended keeping capital bonding in the $120 million to $130 million range to preserve affordability and the state’s credit rating. Members asked for clarification on the CTE funding shift, the prison schedule, and the meaning of the large agency request totals. The chair and treasurer discussed the governor’s $143 million recommendation versus the committee’s usual target range, and the treasurer said $130 million would be more comfortable than $140 million, with $135 million described as a possible compromise. No formal votes or committee actions were taken in the portion provided; the meeting was informational and ended with the presenters offering to answer follow-up questions as agencies come before the committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• From there we go to the next one, which would be the state engineer.
• </c> next one would be the state engineer. next one would be the state engineer.
• The<02:06:50.159><c> state</c><02:06:50.400><c> engineer</c><02:06:51.199><c> would</c><02:06:51.520>
• <c> have</c><02:06:51.679><c> been</c><02:06:52.719><c> uh</c> The state engineer would have been uh
• office will be reduced dollar engineers office will be reduced dollar for<02:38:41.040><c> dollar</c

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , surveyors, folks who are engineers, surveyors, folks who are professionally<04:35:07.199><c> doing<
• To an engineer, density is significantly different, and they look at it through a different lens and
• To an engineer, individual's discipline.
• Additionally, municipalities have planners<04:39:21.680><c> and</c><04:39:21.840><c> engineers</c><04
• :39:22.320><c> or</c><04:39:22.480><c> will</c><04:39:22.639><c> contract</c> planners and engineers

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The subcommittee first took up House Bill 1598 and an amendment, 2026-0463H. Elliott Barry and Nick Norman testified that the amendment reflected a hard-fought compromise balancing concerns from all sides, and they urged no further changes. With no questions from members, the subcommittee voted unanimously to recommend the bill with the amendment to the full committee, 3-0, and closed the subcommittee. The housing committee then moved through several executive session bills. HB 1010 was amended with 2026-0274H, described as clarifying and implementing prior housing law (HB 631) governing residential units above office and retail space; the amendment was adopted unanimously and the bill was reported ought to pass as amended on a 17-0 vote and placed on consent. HB 65 was then voted ought to pass and also placed on consent, with members saying it was duplicative of the compromise reached on HB 1010. HB 1349 was reconsidered for a clarifying vote and again received unanimous support for its prior disposition, 17-0, and was placed on consent. The committee next took up HB 1523, which concerned homeowners associations. An amendment, 2026-0380H, removed Section 5’s Attorney General enforcement mechanism, added HOA conflict-of-interest approval language, and delayed the effective date to give stakeholders more time; it was adopted unanimously. The bill then passed 18-0 as amended and was put on consent. The committee also voted ITL on CACR 16, a constitutional amendment related to sleeping or homelessness issues, after debate over unintended consequences and whether it protected a basic right; the vote was 10-8, with a majority report assigned and a minority report to be written. Later, HB 108, dealing with inclusionary zoning, was voted ITL 10-8 after members argued the bill imposed unrealistic burdens and could halt development; a minority report was noted with amendment 0149H. HB 7, concerning ADUs and restrictive covenants, was also voted ITL 10-8 after discussion of unintended consequences and a proposed amendment to encourage second ADUs; it was sent to the regular calendar with a minority report and amendment 0289H. HB 1120, on water-related subdivision requirements, was ITL’d 17-1 and placed on consent, with one member noting a study amendment had been offered. HB 1143, addressing housing-provider obligations and municipal enforcement powers, was ITL’d 17-1 and placed on consent. Finally, HB 1145, a fee/tax proposal tied to housing development, was ITL’d 11-7; members debated whether it would discourage development, and a minority report was assigned.

Transcript Highlights:

• like I do may electrical engineering like I do may have<02:32:06.560><c> difficulty</c><02:32:06.800
• Safe Search is specific to Google or a search engine, and it's saying filter at the search engine level
• Safe Search is specific to Google or a search engine, and it's saying filter at the search engine level
• Can you say a few words about what we would be asking parents to share with an AI engine in order to
• Safe Search is specific to Google or a search engine, and it's saying filter at the search engine level

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on House Bill 232, which would protect health care workers’ conscience rights in connection with certain procedures, especially abortion and sterilization, and also referenced contraception. The prime sponsor, Rep. Mark Pearson, said the bill is meant to prevent medical professionals from being forced to participate in procedures that violate their beliefs, while still prohibiting discrimination against patients based on protected characteristics. He said the measure was intended to help retain health care workers in New Hampshire and noted he had added an amendment to address concerns about people taking jobs only to later refuse duties, as well as emergency situations where a provider is the only one available. Committee members raised concerns about how broadly the bill and amendment were written. Questions focused on whether the protections could apply to non-physician staff such as schedulers, receptionists, or pharmacy employees; whether a provider could refuse to schedule, refer, or otherwise assist with services; and how “emergency” would be determined in practice. Several members also questioned whether the bill could affect access to contraception, including pharmacy sales and procedures such as tubal ligation, and whether the language was clear enough to prevent confusion or unintended refusals of care. Pearson said the bill was not intended to allow refusal of emergency care or general patient discrimination, and he acknowledged some language could be tweaked. Rep. Paige Boerman, a maternal-child health nurse, testified in opposition, saying she had seen pharmacists question prescriptions related to miscarriage care and that the bill could create barriers to contraception and other reproductive health services. She warned that the lack of a disclosure requirement and the broad definitions could create risks, especially in rural areas with limited providers. She also pointed to problems she said had occurred in other states, arguing the bill could lead to delayed care in emergencies. The hearing ended after questions and discussion; no vote or final action was taken in the portion provided.

Bills: SB27, SB1494, SB2121, SB2373, SB2431, SB1, SB8, SB12, SB13, SB15, SB30, SB37, SB260, SB268, SB331, SB379, SB441, SB447, SB457, SB568, SB650, SB763, SB1405, SB1506, SB1540, SB1566, SB1610, SB1637, SB1660, SB2018, SB2024, SB2217, SB2308, SB2337, SB2601, SB2753, SB2878, SB2900, SB2972, SB3059, HB4, HB40, HB46, HB119, HB145, HB300, HB493, HB705, HB1545, HB2011, HB2017, HB2067, HB2516, HB2885, HB2963, HB2974, HB3071, HB3372, HB3556, HB3595, HB3642, HB3909, HB5138, HB5246, SJR36, SJR50, SJR63, SCR12, SCR39, SB2023, SB62, SB666, SB847, SB284, SB854, SB810, SB1505, SB583, SB507, SB1434, SB1772, SB2016, SB1122, SB731, SB397, SB508, SB1436, SB287, SB1882, SB393, SB1791, SB209, SB2429, SB1085, SB1975, SB2717, SB1262, SB636, SB2056, SB884, SB1200, SB1845, SB2458, SB801, SB3014, SB3013, SB758, SB2797, SB2076, SB2876, SB1640, SB1449, SB1181, SB1234, SB2926, SB2841, SB1528, SB1854, SB317, SB1250, SB2082, SB1237, SB2819, SB629, SB2608, SB1602, SB2009, SB867, SB640, SB1698, SB2680, SB913, SB1071, SB1086, SB1087, SB1483, SB1444, SB1553, SB1556, SB1703, SB2133, SB2297, SB2298, SB2622, SB2955, SB2334, SB1367, SB2044, SB2363, SB2565, SB1888, SB3036, SB3057, SB3043, SB3063, SB3035, SB203, SB2688, SB2522, SB2459, SB2655, SB2251, SB1884, SB2928, SB2566, SB2549, SB2553, SB2919, SB1944, SB1232, SB1798, SB2603, SB2607, SB2683, SB1319, SB3045, SB3071, HB796, HB1523, HB5294, HB748, HB3395, HB180, HB3171, HB146, HB5596, HB5694, HB1135, HB3225, HB186, HB1449, HB3793, HB112, HB104, HB3336, HB3520, HB3320, HB5663, HB2399, HB111, HB3483, HB4580, HB3748, HB632, HB4730, HB5690, HB5689, HB3385, HB4359, HB5381, HB123, HB5606, HB1057, HB3664, HCR141, HCR40, HCR59, SR634, SR687, SR703, SR709, SR715, SB1494, SB2121, SB2373, SB2431, HB46, SB1, SB8, SB12, SB13, SB15, SB37, SB260, SB331, SB379, SB441, SB447, SB457, SB568, SB763, SB1405, SB1540, SB1566, SB2018, SB2308, SB2337, SB2878, SB3059, HB705, HB2017, HB2067, HB3071, HB3372, HB3556, HB3595, HB3909, HB5246

Keywords: elections, local governance, political subdivisions, general elections, Texas Election Code, data brokers, personal data, regulation, business entities, consumer protection, financial exploitation, artificial intelligence, phishing, legal liability, criminal offense, civil penalty, foreign language, study abroad, higher education, language credit

Transcript Highlights:

• Or what if the driver used a different search engine like Bing or DuckDuckGo?
• Or what if the driver used a different search engine like Bing or DuckDuckGo?
• I am an engineer and I am also an attorney.
• I am an engineer and I am Mark Stinani.
• I am an engineer and I am also<01:08:32.000><c> an</c><01:08:32.239><c> attorney.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Speaker, the Great Lakes are both an ecological and economic engine for our nation.
• </c><06:21:30.798><c> for</c><06:21:31.040><c> our</c> ecological and economic engine for our ecological
• and economic engine for our nation.<06:21:31.520><c> It</c><06:21:31.680><c> is</c><06:21:31.840><c>
• Racer Trust, based in Detroit, for its extraordinary work turning abandoned industrial sites into engines
• </c><07:22:52.478><c> of</c> industrial sites into engines of industrial sites into engines of economic

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The second thing is, you know, architectural, engineering, advertising—those are some professional services
• The second thing is, you know, architectural, engineering, advertising—those are some professional services
• The second thing is, you know, architectural, engineering, advertising—those are some professional services
• The second thing is, you know, architectural, engineering, advertising—those are some professional services
• The second thing is, you know, architectural, engineering, advertising—those are some professional services

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• this morning is Cynthia Gomez, DLNR's administrative services officer, and Dina Lao, acting chief engineer
• LNR 111, Hannah Domingo, with the Bureau of Conveyances; LNR 141 and 810, Dina Lao, with Engineering;
• Finn, our engineer, is working on many CIP projects, especially the one at Alalo for you, Senator.
• Was that engineering? Oh, so yeah, 810.
• So this was the one—this is for engineering, the dam safety program, or the dam safety grant, yeah.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• like Lieutenant Bill Sheay, and firefighters Jonathan Moore, Corey Poisant, and Nate Keller from Engine
• <00:23:43.039><c> Nate</c><00:23:43.440><c> Keller</c><00:23:44.480><c> from</c><00:23:44.799><c> Engine
• </c> Poisant, and Nate Keller from Engine Poisant, and Nate Keller from Engine Company<00:23:45.760><
• </c><06:39:52.000><c> Neil</c> Fineman, astronauts and engineers Neil Fineman, astronauts and engineers
• Why did the experts, the engineers, why were they a no-go for launch? Because of facts.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It creates the infrastructure districts need to harness R&D methods as an engine for continuous learning
• They're doing science, engineering, and design.
• We have an engineering specialist, Dave Brown, who has hand-built most of the equipment that we use,
• of services provided to students and families, proving community schools are financially efficient engines
• at home, so we implemented parent curriculum nights, proving that family partnership is the true engine

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Education heard testimony on several bills centered on school accountability, receivership, graduation requirements, charter school access, community schools, school libraries, and student voting rights. Much of the discussion focused on the Thrive Act, S. 374, which would end state receivership and change the state’s accountability approach. Supporters, including educators, parents, advocacy groups, and students, argued that receivership has not improved outcomes in districts such as Lawrence, Holyoke, Southbridge, Boston, and the Dever, and that local communities should have more control, with greater emphasis on community schools, wraparound services, and broader measures of school quality. They also supported related bills on community schools and school library standards, and several witnesses backed a bill to expand student representative voting rights on school committees. Opponents of S. 374, especially charter school leaders, parents, students, and some education advocates, focused on Section 4 of the bill, which would change the charter school net school spending cap in the lowest-performing districts. They argued that the provision would reduce access to charter seats in communities where families are seeking more options, and that schools such as Roxbury Prep, Excel Academy, Brook, Veritas Prep, and Libertas Academy have produced strong results for students, including students of color, low-income students, and students with special needs. Several witnesses said the section would force schools to shrink or close and would remove opportunities for families in districts with long waitlists. Committee members questioned witnesses on both the effectiveness of receivership and the charter school cap language. Chair Lewis and Chair Gordon emphasized the need for a better accountability system and noted concerns about whether current measures, including MCAS-based designations, accurately reflect school quality. Some witnesses said they had discussed the possibility of removing Section 4 from the Thrive Act and suggested it might be addressed in separate charter reform legislation. No votes were taken during the hearing; testimony was received and the committee later closed testimony on S. 374 and several related bills before moving on to the student voting rights bill, S. 367.

Transcript Highlights:

• We've got all these nursing programs all over the state or whatever, or engineering, that type of thing
• It wasn't an online program, but I think about the recent addition of an engineering program at Minot
• , it certainly benefited a particular institution, while other institutions could argue we have engineering
• So it doesn't matter whether the FTE is enrolled in English or engineering.
• So you can see for agriculture, biological, physical sciences, business, engineering, those are paid

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• required late in the process, after a town has already invested significant public dollars into engineering
• required late in the process, after a town has already invested significant public dollars into engineering
• We would have to come up with the upfront cost for all the engineering and planning, and then the petition
• to begin with, then we could then go ahead and pursue getting the funds to do the planning and engineering
• currently working on about a 300-acre master plan development in... funds to do the planning and engineering

Summary: The committee heard a series of bills and resolutions, many of them on property, local government, and memorial topics. HB 2079, authorizing a memorial for journalist Don Bolles at Wesley Bolin Plaza, passed unanimously after sponsor testimony about the 50th anniversary of his assassination and the memorial’s no-cost nature. HB 2080, as amended, advanced 7-0 on deed and title fraud prevention measures, including photo ID requirements, notarization and deed-filing safeguards, an assessor alert program, and a felony penalty for knowingly submitting false or forged real-property claims. HB 464, which moves the petition process for municipal improvement districts earlier in the process, passed 5-2 after testimony from Camp Verde, the Yavapai Apache Nation, developers, and the League of Arizona Cities and Towns; opponents argued it could force property owners into infrastructure they do not want, while supporters said it improves transparency and financing certainty. HB 2048, a proposed constitutional referral to withhold pay from state elected officials if the budget is not enacted by April 30, passed 4-3, with supporters saying it would create accountability and opponents saying broader process reforms are needed first. The committee also heard HB 2324, which would allow municipalities with their own fire codes to petition for county-owned buildings inside city limits to be exempt from separate state fire code inspections when conditions are met. County and state fire officials supported the concept, saying it would resolve conflicting statutes and formalize intergovernmental agreements, and the bill passed 7-0. HB 4087, authorizing a memorial plaque for former legislator Barbara Leff, also passed unanimously, with the sponsor noting her service in both chambers and her work on veterans and health care issues. HB 2239, creating a child care grant program and infrastructure fund for underserved and low-income communities, drew extensive testimony from rural parents, child care advocates, and early childhood experts describing child care deserts, workforce losses, and safety concerns with unregulated care. Supporters said the bill would fund the facilities and infrastructure needed to expand regulated child care, especially in rural Arizona; the committee approved it 5-1 with one member present and one not voting. Members also discussed HB 2375, a historic-preservation-related middle housing bill, but the transcript cuts off before final action is shown; testimony reflected a sharp divide between preservation advocates supporting exemptions for historic districts and housing advocates warning the bill could worsen exclusion and housing shortages.

Transcript Highlights:

• required late in the process, after a town has already invested significant public dollars into engineering
• We would have to come up with the upfront cost for all the engineering and planning, and then the petition
• an MID to begin with, then we could go ahead and pursue getting the funds to do the planning and engineering
• We would have to come up with the upfront cost for all the engineering and planning, and then the petition
• an MID to begin with, then we could go ahead and pursue getting the funds to do the planning and engineering

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Dylan plans to pursue a career in civil engineering after high school.
• She's enrolled in the Navajo tribe, and she plans on majoring in mechanical engineering.
• He is a mining engineer, has worked for Mobil and BHP, and served as Executive Director of the Navajo
• He's a multi-sport athlete and plans to attend college to study biomedical engineering.
• And it's a real, you know, one of the engines, you know, as economic development into our region, into

Summary: The Senate convened for an Indian Day/Native American Day session featuring prayers, drum and color guard presentations, and extensive recognition of tribal leaders, students, royalty, and community advocates from across New Mexico and neighboring tribal nations. Senators used the morning to introduce guests and speak about Native sovereignty, language preservation, education, water access, economic development, and the importance of tribal-state relationships. Several speakers highlighted personal and family ties to Native communities, while others emphasized ongoing work on issues such as clean water for Navajo communities, Native youth leadership, and missing and murdered Indigenous women and relatives. A major non-ceremonial item was the reading of Senate Executive Messages from the governor authorizing consideration of Senate Bills 306, 309, 312, and 313. Those bills would, respectively, change licensure rules for certain institutions, alter lottery tuition fund deposit requirements, and repeal or revise provisions related to safety helmets and child restraint devices in negligence and damages law. The Senate also received committee reports advancing House Bill 34, Senate Bills 204, 241, 77, 152, 190, and 143, along with confirmations for Elaine Luna and Grace Margaret Herrera to the New Mexico Highlands University Board of Regents. The Rules Committee also reported on the governor’s appointment of Don Walters as child advocate for the Office of the Child Advocate. The chamber also adopted a Senate resolution recognizing February 6, 2026, as New Mexico Speech, Language, and Hearing Association Day, with Senator Pope speaking in support of audiologists and speech-language pathologists. Throughout the session, members repeatedly acknowledged the prior night’s Senate-House basketball game, which raised more than $26,000 for cancer, and used the occasion to thank participants and guests. No roll-call votes were recorded in the transcript beyond voice votes adopting the committee reports and the unanimous-consent actions on floor procedures and guest access.

Transcript Highlights:

• to say, like the way I'm reading it, is the Mortgage Finance Authority, Housing New Mexico, is the engine
• that... because the Mortgage Finance Authority, Housing New Mexico, is the engine that administers housing
• the loans and getting, you know... because the Mortgage Finance Authority Housing New Mexico is the engine
• This is frustrating, very frustrating for an engineer that has done this for almost 50 years.
• This is frustrating, very frustrating for an engineer that has done this for almost 50 years. 45.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We have an incredible engineering program there, as well as an incredible school.
• So our division of agricultural engineering, they put on an engineering day every year, where the engineering
• team puts together all these kids’ activities, and the engineering is always the most popular.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee met and approved the August 21, 2025 minutes. The main presentation came from Brandon Reid of the Kentucky Office of Agriculture Policy, who reported that implementation of the Kentucky Agriculture Economic Development Board created by Senate Bill 28 and House Joint Resolution 31 is ahead of schedule. He said the board has been appointed and has met several times, has adopted guidelines and an application process, and has launched its application on the KDA website. He also noted new staffing, including a project manager, and said the office is already working on projects, though some are confidential because of coordination with the Economic Development Cabinet and nondisclosure agreements. Members praised the effort and emphasized the importance of having agriculture represented in economic development work. Reid also described ongoing outreach by Commissioner Jonathan Shell, including farmer appreciation and classroom visits across the state. The committee then heard from Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton and Bluegrass Ag Tech Development Corp. executive director Jacob Ball about the Bluegrass Ag Tech Development Corp., a public-private partnership involving Lexington-Fayette, the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, the University of Kentucky, and Altech. They said the organization aims to make Kentucky a national and international hub for ag tech, and that it has already awarded challenge grants to startups. Ball explained that the program focuses on animal protein, nutrition, sustainability, mid-size farm solutions, and Kentucky traditions such as distilling and equine. He reported that two rounds of grants have totaled $925,000, with the first round’s seven companies leveraging that into nearly $7 million in follow-on investment, supporting 56.5 Kentucky jobs and creating more than a dozen new jobs. The presentation also highlighted statewide outreach, including applications and engagement from counties across Kentucky, and the goal of expanding participation in eastern Kentucky. Members expressed support for both initiatives and discussed the value of agriculture-specific expertise in economic development. Reid said the Department of Agriculture and the Economic Development Cabinet maintain regular communication and that the new board gives agriculture a seat at the table for future site and industry recruitment efforts. No additional votes or formal actions were taken beyond approval of the minutes.