Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Rocky Adams. Senator Chambers Armstrong. Senator Haron here. Senator Maiden here.
• Senator Mabledo here. Senator McDaniel here. Senator Mills here. Senator Tishner here.
• Senator Haron here. Senator Maiden here. Senator Mabledo here. Senator McDaniel here.
• Senator McDaniel. Senator Mills. Senator Rawlings. Senator Tishner.
• Senator Elkins. Senator Heron. Senator Maiden. Senator McDaniel. Senator Mills. Senator Rawlings.

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00 Attendance Roll Call: 00:08 Senate Bill 79 (Sen. McDaniel): 00:48 Senate Bill 67 (Sen. Nemes): 08:09 Adjournment: 12:43, 958, all

Summary: The Senate State and Local Government Committee met and first took up Senate Bill 79, sponsored by Senator McDaniel, with testimony from McDaniel and Deputy Secretary Robert Long of the Personnel Cabinet. They described the bill as a cleanup measure for personnel law that would, among other things, add interns to the definition of employee while excluding them from full-time employee status, remove the Personnel Cabinet secretary as an ex officio member of the KERS Board, clarify personnel board membership and grievance rights, limit appeals of satisfactory-or-above evaluations, address layoffs and reemployment rights, allow leave donation in certain resignations or retirements, restrict remote work from outside Kentucky without approval, permit deductions for unreturned state equipment, and make DJJ facility supervisors non-merit positions. The committee voted on SB 79 and passed it with favorable expression. The committee then heard Senate Bill 67, presented by Chair Nemes, an elder property tax bill. The bill would freeze the assessed value of a primary residence for homeowners age 65 or older until the property is no longer their primary residence, while still taxing at the current rate. Nemes said the measure was intended to help seniors on fixed incomes and noted a fiscal analysis showing little to no direct revenue loss, though it could reduce projected budgeted growth in property tax revenue. Committee discussion noted a local impact and a statewide budget impact estimate of about $4 million for the first two fiscal years. SB 67 also passed with favorable expression, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Adams, Senator Chambers Armstrong, Senator Haron here, Senator Armstrong, Senator Haron here,
• Senator Maiden here, Senator Ma Bledo here, Senator McDaniel here, Senator Mills, Senator Rawlings,
• Senator Maiden here, Senator Ma Bledo here, Senator McDaniel here, Senator Mills, Senator Rawlings, Senator
• Senator Rocky Adams? Senator Chambers Armstrong? Yes. Senator Elkins? I. Senator Haron?
• Senator Rocky Adams? Senator Chambers Armstrong? Yes. Senator Elkins? I. Senator Haron?

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00 Attendance Roll Call: 00:00 Senate Bill 126 (Sen. McDaniel): 01:21 Senate Bill 37 (Sen. Elkins): 12:23 Adjournment: 21:06, 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and took up two bills. Senate Bill 126, sponsored by Senator McDaniel, proposed a constitutional amendment to limit the governor’s pardon power during the final 60 days before a gubernatorial election and through the transition period, with the stated goal of giving voters more time to learn about executive clemency decisions. McDaniel said the measure was intended to increase accountability and noted it would need approval by both chambers and then placement on the 2026 ballot. Senator Haron raised concerns about whether the proposal could chill pardons and asked about the timing; McDaniel responded that 60 days was chosen because of early voting and the need for public notice. The committee adopted a substitute and then passed the bill with a favorable expression; several members voted aye, Senator Haron passed, and Senator Adams later asked to be recorded as voting aye before adjournment. The committee then considered Senate Bill 37, sponsored by Senator Elkins, which would amend Kentucky law on indigent burials to allow cremation as an option instead of requiring burial, and would require consultation with the county coroner before a decision is made. Elkins described it as a local control measure and said he was working with Rabbi Litman on a possible accommodation for Jewish indigent decedents, since the Jewish community strongly prefers burial and has offered to assume costs in those cases. Questions focused on how long officials must make a bona fide effort to notify a spouse or next of kin and whether the bill would affect current practices; Elkins said it would not change existing policy on that point and suggested a possible floor amendment for additional issues. Rabbi Litman testified in support, explaining the religious importance of burial and the community’s concern about cremation. The committee substitute was adopted, and the bill passed with a favorable expression, though Senator Herron and Senator Tichenor expressed reservations and voted no or passed, citing constituent concerns and the possibility that family members may later seek a burial place to visit.

Keywords: HI Senate YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAy1xu-6mPw, 2026-07-02T01:22:43+00:00, 2.2.24, Data collected via generic collector engine, 912, senate, all, 2.2.42, 2.1.47

Keywords: NH New Hampshire Senate Livestream, https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=UUjBZdtrjRnQdmg-2MPMiWrA, 2026-07-02T03:40:37+00:00, 2.2.24, Data collected via generic collector engine, 929, senate, all, 2.2.42, 2.1.47

Keywords: NH New Hampshire Senate Livestream, https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=UUjBZdtrjRnQdmg-2MPMiWrA, 2026-07-02T03:40:33+00:00, 2.2.24, Data collected via generic collector engine, 929, senate, all, 2.2.42, 2.1.47

Keywords: NH New Hampshire Senate Livestream, https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=UUjBZdtrjRnQdmg-2MPMiWrA, 2026-07-02T03:40:33+00:00, 2.2.24, Data collected via generic collector engine, 929, senate, all, 2.2.42, 2.1.47

Keywords: NH New Hampshire Senate Livestream, https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=UUjBZdtrjRnQdmg-2MPMiWrA, 2026-07-02T03:40:27+00:00, 2.2.24, Data collected via generic collector engine, 929, senate, all, 2.2.42, 2.1.47

Keywords: NH New Hampshire Senate Livestream, https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=UUjBZdtrjRnQdmg-2MPMiWrA, 2026-07-02T03:40:27+00:00, 2.2.24, Data collected via generic collector engine, 929, senate, all, 2.2.42, 2.1.47

Keywords: NH New Hampshire Senate Livestream, https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=UUjBZdtrjRnQdmg-2MPMiWrA, 2026-07-02T03:40:27+00:00, 2.2.24, Data collected via generic collector engine, 929, senate, all, 2.2.42, 2.1.47

Keywords: NH New Hampshire Senate Livestream, https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=UUjBZdtrjRnQdmg-2MPMiWrA, 2026-07-02T03:40:27+00:00, 2.2.24, Data collected via generic collector engine, 929, senate, all, 2.2.42, 2.1.47

Keywords: NH New Hampshire Senate Livestream, https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=UUjBZdtrjRnQdmg-2MPMiWrA, 2026-07-02T03:40:27+00:00, 2.2.24, Data collected via generic collector engine, 929, senate, all, 2.2.42, 2.1.47

Keywords: NH New Hampshire Senate Livestream, https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=UUjBZdtrjRnQdmg-2MPMiWrA, 2026-07-02T03:40:27+00:00, 2.2.24, Data collected via generic collector engine, 929, senate, all, 2.2.42, 2.1.47

Keywords: NH New Hampshire Senate Livestream, https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=UUjBZdtrjRnQdmg-2MPMiWrA, 2026-07-02T03:40:27+00:00, 2.2.24, Data collected via generic collector engine, 929, senate, all, 2.2.42, 2.1.47

Keywords: NH New Hampshire Senate Livestream, https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=UUjBZdtrjRnQdmg-2MPMiWrA, 2026-07-02T03:40:27+00:00, 2.2.24, Data collected via generic collector engine, 929, senate, all, 2.2.42, 2.1.47

Keywords: NH New Hampshire Senate Livestream, https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=UUjBZdtrjRnQdmg-2MPMiWrA, 2026-07-02T03:40:27+00:00, 2.2.24, Data collected via generic collector engine, 929, senate, all, 2.2.42, 2.1.47

Keywords: NH New Hampshire Senate Livestream, https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=UUjBZdtrjRnQdmg-2MPMiWrA, 2026-07-02T03:40:27+00:00, 2.2.24, Data collected via generic collector engine, 929, senate, all, 2.2.42, 2.1.47

Keywords: NH New Hampshire Senate Livestream, https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=UUjBZdtrjRnQdmg-2MPMiWrA, 2026-07-02T03:40:27+00:00, 2.2.24, Data collected via generic collector engine, 929, senate, all, 2.2.42, 2.1.47

Keywords: NH New Hampshire Senate Livestream, https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=UUjBZdtrjRnQdmg-2MPMiWrA, 2026-07-02T03:40:27+00:00, 2.2.24, Data collected via generic collector engine, 929, senate, all, 2.2.42, 2.1.47

Keywords: NH New Hampshire Senate Livestream, https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=UUjBZdtrjRnQdmg-2MPMiWrA, 2026-07-02T03:40:27+00:00, 2.2.24, Data collected via generic collector engine, 929, senate, all, 2.2.42, 2.1.47

Keywords: NH New Hampshire Senate Livestream, https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=UUjBZdtrjRnQdmg-2MPMiWrA, 2026-07-02T03:40:27+00:00, 2.2.24, Data collected via generic collector engine, 929, senate, all, 2.2.42, 2.1.47