Transcript Highlights:

• Bloomington School Board, a former middle school educator, and a parent of three children ages 22, 9,
• Uh, we're looking at correlations between point 8 to point 9 and the world of correlations.
• Uh, we're looking at correlations between point 8 to point 9 and the world of correlations.
• the law as written actually compels families to subject their children to standardized tests by penalizing
• <01:18:18.440> their standardized tests by penalizing their standardized tests by penalizing

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Even the definition of personal information in chapter 487N, which our office enforces, is outdated.
• 33.120> personal<00:50:33.400> information<00:50:33.920> in<00:50:34.040> chapter
• <00:50:34.360> 487N of personal information in chapter 487N of personal information in chapter
• As we mentioned earlier, chapter 487N already includes a definition of personal information for consumer
• already has authority to enforce chapter already has authority to enforce chapter 481E, 481E, 481E

Bills: SB2433, SB2047, SB2425, SB3045, SB2761, SB3001, SB2852, SB2471

Keywords: condominium governance, education trust fund, unit owners, real estate, dispute resolution, financial obligations, community representation, pharmacy benefit managers, maximum allowable cost, transparency, drug pricing, insurance commissioner, contracting pharmacies, healthcare, substance use disorder, SUD, addiction treatment, behavioral health, mental health, rehabilitation

Summary: The committee heard testimony on SB 2433 SD1 relating to condominiums, which would direct the condominium education trust fund toward educational resources for unit owners and require the Real Estate Commission to ensure owners’ interests are represented in funded activities and related rulemaking. Supporters, including the Hawaii Real Estate Commission and a condominium owner advocate, said owners need a seat at the table in condo governance and education efforts. Committee discussion focused on whether the bill was necessary, with the Real Estate Commission indicating it could already use the trust fund for owner education and that owners are already considered stakeholders, though not through a specific commission seat. No vote was taken during the excerpted discussion. The committee then took up SB 2047 SD2 HD1 on pharmacy benefit managers, which would set requirements for maximum allowable cost reimbursement, allow reverse-and-rebill claims after successful appeals, and authorize fines for violations. The Insurance Division offered comments, the Hawaii Pharmacists Association supported the measure with amendments and suggested future PBM reform funding, and Kaiser Permanente requested a technical amendment. A committee question raised whether the staffing and resource request for implementation was too large for a bill focused only on MAC pricing, and the witness said he would provide more data to the next committee. No final action was shown. Next was SB 2425 SD2 HD1 on health insurance and substance use disorder treatment, requiring insurers to honor written assignments of benefits to SUD providers and prohibiting anti-assignment clauses. Supporters described patients being unable to access treatment because of high out-of-pocket costs and said direct payment would reduce harm for people in recovery. HMSA opposed the bill but said it would begin direct payments to non-participating SUD facilities effective March 27, while continuing to object to the assignment-of-benefits portion because of fraud and balance-billing concerns; the Hawaii Association of Health Plans also opposed. Members questioned HMSA about reimbursement mechanics and why the bill was needed if coverage policies were already changing. Finally, the committee heard SB 3045 SD1 HD1, which would require coverage of continuous glucose monitors and related supplies, including for Medicaid managed care, under certain conditions. DHS and the Insurance Division offered comments, while SHPDA, Hilo Benioff Medical Center Foundation, and others supported the bill, citing inconsistent access and a case in which a woman allegedly died after being denied a CGM. HMSA said it already covers medically necessary CGMs and had updated its policy in 2025 for type 1 and insulin-dependent patients, but it raised concerns about expanding mandated coverage to type 2 and gestational diabetes and about supply impacts. The committee also discussed whether the bill duplicated existing coverage standards and why it had been introduced repeatedly. No votes or final dispositions were included in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, with your vote of 9 ayes, 0 nays, 0 present, 3 absent, you've given Senate Bill 1670 a do pass
• Members, with your vote of 9 ayes, 0 nays, 1 present, 2 absent, you've given Senate Bill 1671 as amended

Bills: SB1206, SB1254, SB1290, SB1421, SB1432, SB1515, SB1563, SB1641, SB1649, SB1670, SB1671, SB1747

Keywords: storm damage, catastrophic storm, hail damage, wind damage, roof repair, roof replacement, post-storm repairs, insurance claim, property and casualty insurance, adjuster, public adjuster, contractor licensing, homeowner protections, deductible waiver, insurance fraud prevention, storm chaser, residential construction contract, workers' compensation, joint check, claim solicitation

Transcript Highlights:

• Today is Wednesday, January 29, 2025, 9:00 a.m.
• I haven't set codes or anything like that.
• um to open up chapter 17 of the<02:05:16.599> fire<02:05:16.960> code<02:05:17.520>
• , and we lack a section of the fire code, which is the Wildland Urban Interface fire code, which dictates
• Um, reconvening the committee hearing from 9:00 a.m., members.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee held its first hearing of the 2025 session and began with housekeeping on testimony deadlines, hybrid participation rules, time management, and expectations for civility. The chair said testimony posted at least 24 hours in advance would be available to members and the public at the same time, late testimony would still be processed, and decision-making would generally be deferred to later in the day so morning hearings could adjourn before the noon floor session. The first bill heard was HB 673 on emergency management. Hawaii Emergency Management Agency administrator James Barros testified in opposition, saying the bill could undermine the executive’s unity of command during emergencies and objecting to provisions allowing the legislature to terminate a state of emergency by a two-thirds vote. Members asked about the difference between an emergency order and a state of emergency, whether other states use legislative checks and balances, and whether long-running emergencies such as COVID-19 or homelessness should have clearer end conditions. Barros said the agency, along with the Attorney General’s office and the governor’s office, would review the language and that the issue is setting conditions for when an emergency ends. The committee then heard HB 596, also on emergency management, which would clarify types of events that count as dangers and emergencies. Barros opposed the bill, saying the current list covers known hazards but should remain open-ended for future threats; he cited COVID-19 as an example of an unforeseen event and said the bill could limit flexibility. Members asked whether the list could be expanded, and Barros said the agency would look at that possibility. Testimony included support from the Grassroots Institute of Hawaii and concerns from the Tax Foundation of Hawaii about the bill’s special fund provisions; the committee also corrected testimony that had been submitted for the wrong bill. The final measure discussed was HB 1060 on emergency preparedness and the Community Readiness Center Program. Barros explained the proposal as part of HEMA’s effort to build local readiness centers and community hubs, with an initial target of 10 communities through a federal grant and a longer-term concept of roughly 100 statewide. The Climate Advisory Team supported the bill’s intent but urged that centers be developed with strong community and nonprofit involvement through the HARRP program. The Department of Taxation offered comments on the special fund, and members raised questions about cost, size, use of existing school facilities, public messaging, and equity across communities. Barros said the centers would provide backup communications, power, water, and food for a community group, would not function as general shelters, and would be designed to help communities hunker down and recover after a disaster.

Transcript Highlights:

• WE HAVE TO .9% GROWTH IN 24-25 MUCH CLOSER TO NORMAL BUT STILL ON THE ELEVATED SIDE.
• SO WE HAD THE STRONG DECLINE OF 7.7% IN 24-25 BUT IN 25-26 WE EXPECT AN EVEN DEEPER DECLINE OF 9% BEFORE
• BECAUSE WE KNOW WHEN YOU LOOK AT VARIOUS STUDIES THAT FLORIDA HAS A VERY STRONG BUILDING CODE.
• AND THAT BUILDING CODE IS MAKING A BIG DIFFERENCE IN TERMS OF EXPECTED DAMAGES WE WOULD FIND.
• WE WORKED WITH THE BUILDING CODE AND IMPROVEMENTS THREE 2002 AND POST 2002 AND CAME UP WITH AN ESTIMATE

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• See earnings from 9 of our programs are planning to leave Florida to go work in one of the 44 other states
• Thank you for being here. >> Next up, we have and Kush Bancel of Florida Chapter American College for
• I'm a physician president of the Florida chapter of American College of Physicians.
• And now you're recognized to present Amendment bar code 3, 9, 9, 3, 1, 9, >> Thank you.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chapter 343 is the animal cruelty law in Minnesota.
• Chair and Senator Limer, any felony under chapter 343.
• felony uh under chapter 343. felony uh under chapter 343.
• Council has pointed out that the terms knowingly and willfully appear throughout this chapter of law
• throughout this chapter of law in<02:09:24.320> different<02:09:24.639> contexts.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38
• Chapter 217 of the Local Government Code and Chapter 202 of the Property Code to Prevent Cities in Asia
• Two acts from the 81st legislative session amending the Texas Agriculture structural code sections resulted
• does, it addresses these inconsistencies, strikes out the conflicting subsections of the agriculture code

Bills: HB294, HB405, HB519, HB294

Keywords: food production, property owners' association, home gardening, cottage food, urban agriculture, livestock, community standards, renewable energy, ethanol, biodiesel, incentives, agriculture, grants, honey production, beekeeping, food safety, local regulation, energy efficiency, tax exemption, residential properties

Transcript Highlights:

• To testify in opposition, please press star 9 on your phone to take your place in the queue.
• To testify in neutral, please press star 9 on your phone to take your place in the queue.
• To testify in neutral, please press star 9 on your phone to take your place in the queue.
• To testify in opposition, please press star 9 on your phone to take...
• To testify in neutral, please press star 9 on your phone to take your place in the queue.

Keywords: 909, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We will be starting with SB 65 and then around 9:30 we'll progress to SB 230, then on to SB 232, and
• <00:04:30.880> then<00:04:31.440> uh<00:04:31.759> around<00:04:32.160> 9:
• 30<00:04:32.800> we'll SB65 and then uh around 9:30 we'll SB65 and then uh around 9:30 we'll
• when you were it's not about penalizing when you were asked<04:40:56.240> to<04:40:56.400>
• Sections 4 through 9 have to Okay. Okay.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• documents trying to get your child into a different school district, um, really the only way to penalize
• We not want to penalize any child having expelled on their record because, you know, it's not something
• documents trying to get your child into a different school district, um, really the only way to penalize
• We not want to penalize any child having expelled on their record because, you know, it's not something
• <01:03:41.440> But perhaps in on the federal code. But perhaps in on the federal code.

Keywords: Judiciary, Division B - Room 409, 3 February, 2026; 5:15 P.M., 925, all

Summary: The committee took up Bill 2802, which would address falsifying residency or enrollment documents to place a child in a different school district. Senator Rhodes explained that the current penalty is a felony with a large fine and possible prison time, but that prosecutors rarely use it; the bill would add a misdemeanor-level penalty to create a more realistic enforcement option. He also proposed an amendment changing language that would have required expulsion of the child, replacing it with language making the child ineligible for enrollment in that district so the child would not have an expulsion on record. The committee adopted that amendment by voice vote. Members then debated the bill’s broader policy effects. Supporters argued the measure is needed because districts have reported problems with parents using false addresses or other fraudulent documents, and they said the bill simply creates a lesser penalty while preserving enforcement. Opponents said the bill punishes parents who are trying to secure a better education for their children, may not increase prosecutions, and could harm families and children who did nothing wrong. One senator compared the issue to other criminalized conduct involving rule violations, while another questioned whether the state should be creating a misdemeanor for conduct that is already a felony. The committee also discussed a proposed amendment to remove the felony component entirely and make the offense only a misdemeanor. That amendment was debated at length, with concerns raised that the broader statute covers more than school enrollment fraud and could affect other forms of false statements to government entities. The transcript ends during that discussion, with no final recorded disposition on the bill itself in the excerpt provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Yeah, all state building codes. Yes, ma'am. Okay, thank you. Any other questions on the bill?
• Yeah, all state building codes. Yes, ma'am. Okay, thank you. Any other questions on the bill?
• Next, we're going to take up Tab 9. CS for SB 126 on prescription hearing aids.
• Tab 9, Senate Bill 12, voting in the affirmative, please. Senator Grall.
• Tab 9, Senate Bill 12, voting in the affirmative, please. Senator Gruders.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Rules met with a quorum present and took up a series of bills, beginning with SB 108 on administrative procedures. That bill, as amended, would require agencies to review all rules on a five-year cycle, submit regulatory plans and annual reports, publish intended agency action within 90 days of new rulemaking authority, improve public access to incorporated materials, and streamline rule publication and correction procedures. After brief testimony from the Florida Bar’s Administrative Law Section and support from Americans for Prosperity and the James Madison Institute, the committee adopted two amendments and reported CS for SB 108 favorably. The committee then approved several other measures, including the Senate veterans package (CS for CS for SB 116), which made technical changes and was supported by veterans and advocacy groups; SB 118 on presidential libraries, which preempts local barriers while preserving state and federal law and building codes; CS for SB 126 allowing mail distribution of prescription hearing aids after a Florida-licensed professional examination; CS for SB 150, “Trooper’s Law,” making it a third-degree felony to abandon restrained animals during declared disasters; SB 294 limiting collaborative pharmacy practice expansion for complex cardiac conditions; SM 314 urging Congress to increase Florida National Guard force structure; CS for SB 322 creating a nonjudicial process to remove unauthorized persons from commercial property; CS for SB 348 on ethics, addressing false military rank claims and delinquent ethics fines; SB 356 designating January 27 as Holocaust Remembrance Day; CS for SB 160 expanding CPA licensure pathways and clarifying administrative outsourcing; and CS for SB 50 promoting nature-based coastal resilience measures. Most of these bills received supportive testimony and were reported favorably. The committee also considered and reported favorably the annual reviser bills SB 36, SB 38, SB 40, and SB 42, which adopt the 2025 Florida Statutes, conform statutory names, remove expired provisions, and clean up obsolete language and cross-references. Throughout the meeting, members asked questions on a few bills, but no roll-call votes were recorded as opposed; each measure was approved and reported favorably. At the end of the meeting, senators requested that a few missed affirmative votes be recorded, and the committee adjourned without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• Yep, 3, 2, 5, 9. Two, two, no, the other one we have for the education bill.
• Yep, 3, 2, 5, 5, 9 for the—well, actually, I’m sorry, the education bill is 3, 6, 4, 1.
• The other bill that we just wanted to show our support for was, I was talking number 3, 2, 5, 9.
• Chapter 93B is extensive. It was overhauled in 2002. It was tweaked in 2012.
• Chapter 93B, which is the comprehensive auto dealer franchise law, has a comprehensive scheme already

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure heard testimony on a wide range of bills involving consumer protection, auto regulation, alcohol licenses, and professional licensure. A major focus was legislation to require a one-hour domestic violence awareness training for salon and cosmetology licensees (H.323/S.200), supported by District Attorney Marion Ryan, law enforcement, and a salon industry witness who described the program’s value in identifying and helping victims. The committee also heard strong support from the Attorney General’s office for auto consumer protection legislation (S.228/H.379) that would expand used-car warranty protections, extend the Lemon Law return period to seven days after receipt of the vehicle, raise the mileage cap to 200,000 miles, and increase dealer surety bonds to $50,000. Independent dealers opposed those changes, arguing they would burden small businesses and that dealer education, not expanded liability, was the better solution. The committee also took testimony on bills related to vehicle financial products and repair information. A trade association supported GAP waiver legislation (H.4188/S.281), saying it would create clear consumer protections and standard disclosures. On right-to-repair and heavy-duty vehicle service information (S.266), engine and truck manufacturers supported an exemption for commercial vehicles, while others argued that releasing service data to the general public could create safety, cybersecurity, and emissions risks. The committee then heard extensive testimony on auto dealer franchise and warranty reimbursement legislation (S.201/H.406), with dealer groups supporting changes to warranty labor reimbursement and manufacturer groups opposing them as costly and unnecessary. Manufacturers from GM, Volvo, Toyota, Hyundai, Mazda, and others said their current time-study and appeals processes already compensate dealers fairly and that the bill would raise costs for consumers. In addition, the committee heard testimony on H.333, which would move auto damage appraiser licensing from the Division of Insurance to the Division of Occupational Licensure. Collision repair advocates supported the change, saying the current board structure leads to repeated dismissals of complaints and lacks accountability, while emphasizing that the bill is intended to protect consumers and ensure proper repair reimbursement. The hearing also included testimony in support of a local alcohol license petition for Westwood and a separate local alcohol measure for a town grant license. At the end of the hearing, the chairs announced that all docketed bills had been heard, noted that a joint poll would be held on H.4184, and the committee voted to adjourn by voice vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• Now, on page two, the new language found in lines 9 through 19 is directly taken from Representative
• those students are going to be penalized those students are going to be penalized by<03:14:21.279
• He asked why anybody would want their 9-year-old child going to a fourth grade in a school where that
• They asked why anybody would want their 9-year-old child going to a fourth grade in a school where that
• They asked why anybody would want their 9-year-old child going to a fourth grade in a school where that

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The executive session focused primarily on HB 563, which revises the school funding formula, especially the adequate education grant amounts for special education students and the treatment of fiscal capacity disparity aid. Representative Ladd moved OTPA on Amendment 06508, explaining that FY 26 would largely hold the current formula steady, while FY 27 would increase several per-pupil amounts, including base cost, free and reduced-price meals, English language learner aid, and special education differentiated aid. He said the special education change was based on estimated case loads across disability categories and that the amendment also reinstates fiscal capacity disparity aid, using a formula intended to better assist property-poor communities. Several members supported the amendment as a step in the right direction, saying it better recognizes special education costs and separates property wealth from low-income student counts. Others raised concerns about the lack of time and the absence of a printed spreadsheet showing how the fiscal capacity disparity aid would affect each town. In response, sponsors said the spreadsheet existed, that the LBA had copies, and that the amendment would help about 40 target towns, while Manchester would be the main community receiving less under the new formula because of prior shifts in the extraordinary needs grant. Discussion also covered the broader impact of the bill, with members noting that about 200 of the state’s 245 cities and towns would see an increase and 45 a decrease under the proposed FY 27 changes. Supporters argued the bill was a compromise given limited revenues and that it should move forward so it can be considered by the full House and then Finance. No final vote on the amendment or bill was taken in the portion provided, and the chair indicated the committee was still deciding whether it had enough information to proceed.

Transcript Highlights:

• starting at 9:00 a.m. on Friday uh going starting at 9:00 a.m. on Friday uh going to<02:11:36.719>
• ingredients could be done with a QR code ingredients could be done with a QR code that<04:29:03.680
• <04:29:09.560> would ingredients change the QR code would ingredients change the QR code would
• I'm concerned if there's only a QR code on there, you scan the QR code and it takes you to a link that's
• <04:53:35.920> was labeling section whether a QR code was labeling section whether a QR code

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Solid Waste Subcommittee met to discuss proposed amendments to HB 171 and HB 215. For HB 171, Representative Gerna outlined technical changes to a landfill moratorium bill: DES would be allowed to accept applications only to review them for completeness, a notwithstanding clause would override automatic approval timing rules, the word “fully” would be removed, and an unnecessary reference to perennial water bodies would be deleted. Members raised concern about whether applications deemed complete during the moratorium would still have to comply with later changes in law or rule. Director Mike Whap of DES said applicants would likely need to amend applications if policy changes occurred, and suggested the bill could explicitly state that later changes apply to pending applications. The subcommittee generally supported the revised language and agreed the amended bill could go directly to executive session, though one member said the underlying legislation was ill-advised but preferred the amended version over the original. The committee then turned to HB 215, which would create a two-stage landfill siting review centered on a “net public benefit” determination before full technical review. Representative Gerna explained that the amendment would define net public benefit, require an independent third-party assessment paid for by the applicant, and set up a process for selecting the contractor from a list submitted by the applicant, with DES and the host community involved and the commissioner choosing if no agreement is reached within 60 days. Members asked how “host community” would be defined; DES said it would generally mean the municipal governing body, though that body could appoint others. The amendment also broadened the factors considered in both harms and benefits, including human health, property values, tourism, recreation, wildlife, local economic benefits, and infrastructure improvements. The discussion also added a provision directing DES to consult with the Department of Transportation, the Department of Business and Economic Affairs, and the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources as needed when reviewing the third-party assessment. Director Whap said interdepartmental consultation is normal and that DES would likely adopt rules to guide the process. Members questioned whether the new framework would be too vague or burdensome for applicants, but Whap said it would not be designed to stack the deck against applicants and that the process should provide clearer, more balanced criteria. No votes were taken during the meeting, and the subcommittee appeared to continue refining the amendment language before further action.

Transcript Highlights:

• Vague language allows for disparate application. allows for the penalization of certain viewpoints over
• non-legally binding terms, what happened is you took fluffy words, non-legally binding, and you made it code
• protecting expression on campus, setting an example for the rest of the country to encourage, not penalize

Bills: SB2972, SB1909, SB2815, SB735, SB2233, SB800, SB1069, SB2683, SB2986, SB2058, SB2310, SB2055, SB1032

Keywords: expressive activities, freedom of speech, public forum, higher education, protests, student rights, antisemitism, public institutions, disciplinary policy, student organizations, compliance, institutional policy, disciplinary sanctions, diploma designation, institution merger, academic records, student options, Holocaust education, Holocaust Remembrance Week, genocide education

Transcript Highlights:

• And just a reminder that the agency's other divisions and P codes were covered in October and November
• The first one is funding to sustain 980 crisis services. requiring about $9 million in general fund.
• So we need another $9 million to keep that level of service.
• We definitely don't want to penalize ourselves ahead of schedule here in terms of... we really want to
• Members, just a quick reminder, this is Agency Code 690, so just a little bit further beyond where we

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But clearly in the code, it says evacuation. And it makes a distinction.
• Violation of the chapter or rules, probably.
• Violation of the chapter or rules, probably.
• Isn't that required by the Texas Administrative Code?
• You give your phone number in that part of the administrative code.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• agencies, help communities understand how projects can affect them, and can be used for updating local codes
• reducing impacts during construction and operation, and decommissioning; identify required permits, codes
• contained areas that have fire suppression systems, and the state has adopted a new national fire code
• That ordinance does not allow... ...our code 2308-357.
• Typically, a conditional use permit application gets routed for 15-day review, but my code allows me

Summary: The committee held a work session on state environmental policy act (SEPA) implementation and carryout bags. Ecology staff Diane Buterak described the Clean Energy Programmatic Environmental Impact Statements (PEISs) completed for utility-scale solar, onshore wind, and green hydrogen, plus a new PEIS underway for sustainable aviation fuel. She explained that PEISs provide broad planning-level analysis to help developers and agencies avoid or mitigate impacts, but do not replace project-level review. Members asked about permitting timelines, greenhouse gas emissions from different hydrogen production methods, water use, agricultural land conversion, battery fire risk, and tribal consultation. Buterak said the PEISs identify potentially significant impacts and mitigation measures, including fire response planning, early tribal outreach, and agrovoltaics as an option for solar projects. EFSEC’s Amy Hofkimer then presented the transmission-facility programmatic EIS required by SB 5165 for 230 kV and higher transmission projects. She said the statewide review covers new lines and certain upgrades/modifications, analyzes impacts to water, cultural and tribal resources, habitat, and other areas, and uses general measures, design considerations, avoidance criteria, and sensitivity maps to guide siting and corridor planning. She said the final document would be issued in early October. Questions focused on reconductoring, tribal lands, scenic areas, and whether the review could affect existing lines crossing tribal lands. A Grant County planning director, Jim Anderson Cook, said Ecology’s PEIS would help with cumulative impacts for clustered solar projects, but noted tight local review timelines and the need for strong pre-application coordination, especially on cultural resource studies and decommissioning plans. Yakama Nation attorney Shona Leverett argued SEPA is only an assessment tool and said tribes face barriers from short comment periods, limited confidential tribal input, weak cumulative impact analysis, and challenges in the FSEC process; she urged better upfront developer diligence and more effective tribal coordination. Puget Sound Energy’s Sarah Leverett said the utility needs efficient and predictable permitting to meet clean energy mandates while maintaining reliable service and aging infrastructure. She described the scale of needed clean energy and transmission buildout, including a 10-year process for the Energize Eastside transmission rebuild, and said more consistent SEPA and PEIS processes could help. Members asked about future generation sources, reliability, and hydropower as a firming resource; she said PSE is pursuing an “all of the above” approach and would welcome more firm, dispatchable clean energy options. The committee then shifted to carryout bags. Staff Jacob Lipson and Tracy Taylor reviewed Washington’s bag law, its preemption of local ordinances, the current 8-cent charge, the scheduled increase to 12 cents, and the 2025 change delaying the 4-mil thickness requirement until 2028 while adding a temporary 4-cent penalty for thicker bags. Ecology’s Peter Lyon said the agency emphasizes education and complaint-based enforcement, has received 872 reports, and has not yet imposed any fines. Commerce’s Kirk Esmond summarized a WSU study finding fewer plastic bags distributed but more plastic by weight, and said Commerce and Ecology support keeping the 2.25-mil standard and not allowing thinner single-use bags again. Retail industry testimony from Brandon Housekeeper said grocers comply with the law but oppose the added 4-cent penalty and thicker-bag requirement, citing higher costs and confusion in the policy changes.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:17:39.880> 13A which is tearing underneath chapter 13A which is tearing underneath chapter
• to comply with KS chapter to comply with KS chapter 13A<00:31:00.960> would<00:31:01.080>
• I guess the diagnosis code is what I’m asking for.
• KRS chapter KRS chapter 13A<00:58:47.920> would<00:58:48.039> you<00:58:48.160>
• formatting requirements of KS chapter formatting requirements of KS chapter 13A<01:02:16.760>

Keywords: 0:01– Meeting start/roll call 0:34 – Approval of minutes 0:48 – Welcome of new committee members 1:34 – Council on Postsecondary Education 25:17 – Teachers’ Retirement System 27:00 – Kentucky Public Pension Authority 29:04 – Board of Veterinary Examiners 31:40 – Board of Nursing 34:01 – Board of Emergency Medical Services 36:15 – Fish & Wildlife Resources 40:34 – Department of Corrections 56:00 – Department of State Police 58:05 – Department of Criminal Justice Training 59:22 – Transportation Cabinet 1:00:18 – Department of Education 1:01:23 – Department of Employment Services 1:04:17 – Department of Workplace Standards 1:05:25 – Department of Housing, Buildings & Construction 1:06:59 – Cabinet for Health & Family Services, Dept. for Public Health (Sanitation) 1:13:50 – Cabinet for Health & Family Services, Dept. for Public Health (Trauma System) 1:17:46 – Cabinet for Health & Family Services, Dept. for Public Health (Radon) 1:18:30 – Cabinet for Health & Family Services, Dept. for Medicaid Services 1:19:15 – Cabinet for Health & Family Services, Dept. of Aging Services 1:20:36 – Other Business/Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The subcommittee met with a quorum, approved the minutes, and welcomed new members before taking up Council on Postsecondary Education regulations 13 KAR 2:120 and 13 KAR 2:130. The regulations, as amended by staff and agency amendments, update public university and KCTCS performance funding models to conform to 2024 Senate Bill 191 and the performance funding work group’s recommendations. Changes discussed included replacing the underrepresented minority metric with an underrepresented students metric defined as first-generation students, adding an adult learner metric, increasing the low-income degree premium, adjusting small-school and nonresident credit-hour weights, revising data aging and progression metrics, and adding STEM+H criteria in 13 KAR 2:120. Travis Pal of the Council on Postsecondary Education explained that the changes reflect the work group’s three-year review process and that the work group ultimately voted to define underrepresented students as first-generation students and to apply half-weighting between research and comprehensive universities for the new metric. Michael Frasier of the Kentucky Student Rights Coalition and Eastern Kentucky University student government opposed 13 KAR 2:120, arguing that the regulation improperly applies weights where the statute does not clearly authorize them and that the funding changes disadvantage comprehensive universities and vulnerable students. He asked the committee to find the regulation deficient or, alternatively, recommend legislative clarification and a revised fiscal analysis. Pal responded that weighting has been part of the model since 2017, that CPE was following the statute and work group recommendations, and that the model could be changed by future legislation. Members asked about the timing of the broader performance funding review, and Pal said the full model is reviewed every three years, with the next work group cycle beginning in 2026. No motion to find the regulation deficient was made, and the committee allowed the regulations to proceed to the committee of jurisdiction. The committee then approved a staff amendment to Teachers’ Retirement System regulations 102 KAR 1:195 and 102 KAR 1:340, which require annual reporting of accumulated sick leave, leave policies, and salary schedules to TRS and make technical changes to the final average salary calculation and related definitions.