Transcript Highlights:

• The major eligibility criteria, just for now, are that you must be greenbelted active ag with an ag tax
• , which usually goes hand in hand with property coming off of the tax rolls, right?
• And yes, Senator Graal, we have heard about payment in lieu of taxes.
• Payment in lieu of taxes is an extremely important program.
• This payment in lieu of taxes, and I do appreciate you bringing that up.

Summary: The Committee on Agriculture met to hear updates on land conservation and agricultural preservation programs. The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services presented on the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program, explaining that it protects active agricultural lands through conservation easements while keeping land in private ownership and on the tax rolls. The director said the program requires participants to use agricultural best management practices, noted strong demand with 428 ranked projects for 2025, and reported that consistent legislative funding and partnerships with USDA, DOD, local governments, land trusts, and water management districts have expanded acreage protected, much of it within the Florida Wildlife Corridor. Committee members asked about eligibility, ranking, local government involvement, and how many projects are typically funded each year. Conservation Florida’s president and CEO testified that both Rural and Family Lands and Florida Forever are critical and complementary tools for preserving working lands, wildlife habitat, water resources, and public access to nature. She warned that uncertainty or cuts in state funding can stall projects, raise land prices, and reduce conservation momentum. In discussion with senators, she said public access is often negotiated case by case and is more common on lands acquired for parks, forests, and other public green space than on conservation easements. The Department of Environmental Protection then updated the committee on Florida Forever, describing it as the state’s premier conservation and recreation land acquisition program. DEP said Florida Forever uses both conservation easements and fee-simple purchases, with about half of acquisitions done through easements, and emphasized that steady funding is needed to keep projects moving. The deputy secretary reported 60 projects on the current work plan, more than $1.4 billion invested since 2019, and recent acquisitions including new state forest, park, and preserve expansions. Members also raised concerns about payment in lieu of taxes for fiscally constrained counties, local notification of acquisitions, and the need for continued support for agriculture, citrus, roads, and conservation funding. No formal votes were taken, and the meeting adjourned after member comments and public testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, not all dealers and not all tax assessor.
• assessor or taxing entities.
• So our. tax assessor-collectors can do. Absolutely.
• and motor vehicle sales tax outcome.
• and vehicle registration tax, gets us to the 67 percent.

Committee: House Appropriations - S/C on Articles VI, VII, & VIII

Transcript Highlights:

• We'll now call the Special Committee on Tax Reform to order. Madam Clerk, please call the roll.
• day... ...financial growing account that would allow them to hopefully one day maybe not be paying taxes
• having similar, like to Alaska, where their resources actually allow their residents not to have a tax
• the kind of... ...nightmare in the process and not end up providing the kind of broad-based property tax
• State Assessors Association, some things where there are several places in the bill where the State Tax

Committee: House Special Committee on Tax Reform

Transcript Highlights:

• We'll now call the Special Committee on Tax Reform to order. Madam Clerk, please call the roll.
• one day. ...financial growing account that would allow them to hopefully one day maybe not be paying taxes
• not having similar, like Alaska, where their resources actually allow their residents not to have a tax
• This could be a situation that gives the State Tax Commission more oversight and more control over individual
• And while Jackson County has been, I think we view the State Tax Commission a little differently in Jackson

Committee: House Special Committee on Tax Reform

Summary: The Special Committee on Tax Reform met with seven members present and first took up SJR 95. After brief discussion, including support from members who said it would help future generations and one member who opposed it because of budget concerns, the committee voted 4-3 to do pass the resolution. The committee then considered HB 2923, a property tax relief bill. Members adopted a technical amendment and then a committee substitute. Supporters said the bill was intended to encourage homeowners to maintain their homes, while opponents said it would create a complex, subjective, and burdensome administrative process for county assessors and could amount to an unfunded mandate. Assessor testimony cited concerns about added expense, reduced local control, and increased State Tax Commission oversight. After discussion, the committee voted on the House Committee substitute for HB 2923 and passed it 5-3. The meeting then adjourned with no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• So in addition to $125 million in property tax relief for people across the state, we're putting a great
• </c><00:03:40.040><c> relief</c><00:03:40.680><c> for</c> million in property tax relief for million
• We're excited about the property tax relief.
• , and we're doing some spending in the tax bill.
• </c> legislation, they didn't do a tax bill. legislation, they didn't do a tax bill.

Summary: A Minnesota Senate leader discussed the end-of-session budget deal and said the Senate had passed a comprehensive budget that addresses several recent crises and federal policy changes. He highlighted funding to respond to gun violence, Metro Surge, and the effects of a federal Republican budget bill, saying the package includes retroactive medical assistance coverage, support to keep SNAP functioning, $10 million for food banks and shelves, rental assistance, and aid for counties and property taxpayers. He also said the Senate secured $205 million for HCMC, a $30 million uncompensated care pool for other distressed hospitals, and a $500 million health care stabilization reserve, along with a one-year license tab fee reduction and a $1.2 billion bonding bill. He said some priorities were left out or rejected in negotiations, including small business relief, low-income rent, energy assistance, rural EMS stabilization, a manufactured home bill of rights, a social media platform data collection tax, and proposals to block private equity from nursing homes and single-family homes. He also said the House Speaker had promised but not brought a gun vote to the floor, and he expressed disappointment that immigration-related action and some gun control measures did not advance further. He defended the rental assistance as available to Minnesotans regardless of documentation status and said it was not tied only to Operation Metro Surge. The leader also addressed concerns about payment withholding and program integrity in human services, saying the goal was to fight fraud without cutting services. He said hospitals seeking access to the stabilization reserve would need to show distress and financial need, and that both the governor and a legislative advisory committee would have to approve. He closed by saying the process had been difficult and too much negotiation had moved into backroom settings, but that the chambers were working toward an orderly conclusion and that he expected the remaining bills to be finalized and sent to the governor.

Transcript Highlights:

• I just didn't know if it was a taxing district and what they were managing.
• There are taxing abilities. There are lots of other things.
• Our local taxpayers decided to tax themselves to fund this.
• Clair County pays, I believe, a half-cent sales tax. Madison County...
• Louis County each have a half-cent sales tax. Monroe County in Illinois pays zero sales tax.

Committees: House Transportation , House Joint Committee on Transportation Oversight

Transcript Highlights:

• Immigrants pay taxes.
• So from what I've read, undocumented immigrants, they pay property taxes, sales taxes, federal payroll
• taxes taken from their wages, as well as income tax returns using individual taxpayer identification
• Immigrants contribute a great deal in taxes, and they are not able to receive a penny of that.
• Ladies, let's not engage in tax policy conversation and federal expenditures.

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, a roll call showing 27 present, and approval of the prior journal. Members then introduced guests, including representatives of the Arizona Fair Association, Mohave County fair staff, a constituent guest, a physician candidate shadowing a senator, Father David Myers, and the Doctor of the Day. The chamber also received messages and read a long list of bills placed on second reading. The Committee of the Whole considered three measures. SB 1268, a veterans property tax exemption cleanup bill, was explained as clarifying that the exemption applies to a veteran’s primary residence and, if jointly owned, still counts as 100 percent; it received a do pass recommendation. SB 1051, requiring hospitals to collect and report patient immigration-status information for accounting purposes, drew extensive debate. Supporters said it would improve accountability for hospital spending and taxpayer costs, while opponents argued it would intimidate patients, discourage care, burden hospitals, and target immigrants unfairly. Despite repeated points of order and appeals over germaneness and remarks, the bill advanced on a 16-13 vote. SB 1316, creating a rural health transformation fund process with public hearings and JLBC involvement, was presented as a transparency measure for roughly $167 million in federal rural health funds; supporters favored legislative input, while opponents said it added bureaucracy and could delay care. It advanced 17-13. The Committee of the Whole reported all three bills do pass, and the Senate adopted the report. HB 2792 was substituted for SB 1268 as an identical measure and passed with the emergency clause by a 29-1 vote. SB 1123 and SB 1145 also passed, and SB 1125, dealing with child safety and communication with tribal nations regarding group homes, passed unanimously 30-0. SB 1316 passed 17-13, and SB 1051 passed 17-13 after a lengthy floor debate in which supporters framed it as a fiscal/accountability measure and opponents called it harmful, anti-immigrant, and likely to deter medical care. The Senate then announced committee meetings for the next day and adjourned until Wednesday, February 11, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• deduction on all contributions to the tax-deferred accounts.
• deduction on all contributions to the tax-deferred accounts.
• Senate Bill 312, germane, thence referred to the Tax, Business, and Transportation Committee.
• Senate Bill 313, germane, thence referred to the Tax, Business, and Transportation Committee.
• Senate Bill 73, do pass, thence referred to the Tax Business and Transportation Committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• Department of Veterans Affairs is fully exempt from property tax.
• We're trying to get it in before 2026 takes effect here, the tax years, right?
• So the property taxes, and what it's going to do is it qualifies for zero property tax for those 100%
• So it's clear, and it'll do it for this tax year. Thank you. Yes, ma'am.
• my constituents are asking me where are we at, what are we doing, and with tax conformity.

Summary: The Military Affairs and Border Security Committee met for its second meeting, opened with a lengthy reminder about Senate decorum rules and the consequences for disruption, then approved the January 26, 2026 minutes. The committee first heard SB 1268, an emergency measure clarifying that a veteran with a 100% service-connected disability receives a full property tax exemption on a primary residence, including when the home is jointly owned with a spouse. County assessors said the bill was a needed cleanup to prior legislation and urged quick passage so applications could be processed before tax deadlines. The bill passed 7-0 with a do pass recommendation; one senator supported it in committee but objected to the emergency clause on the floor because it limits referendum rights. The committee then considered SB 1152, which would make people with pending asylum applications eligible for state or local public benefits until an immigration judge grants asylum. Supporters argued it would prevent state funds from going to people whose status is not yet verified and emphasized taxpayer responsibility; opponents said existing law already covers the issue, warned it could encourage racial profiling, and cited the economic contributions of refugees and asylum seekers. After debate, the bill passed 4-3. Next, SB 1156 appropriated $20 million to DPS to reimburse cities, towns, and counties for short-term detention costs for unauthorized persons. Supporters said local governments were bearing an unfair burden and needed backfill funding; opponents argued the money was unnecessary, not requested by DPS, and should not be spent on detention. The bill passed 4-3. SB 1157, which would appropriate $20 million for reimbursement of local border fencing or walls in high-crossing areas, drew the most extended and contentious testimony. Supporters framed it as a response to border gaps, cartel activity, and local security needs, while opponents said it would worsen fear, harm wildlife and communities, and divert funds from education and other priorities. The meeting briefly became disorderly during public testimony, prompting a rules clarification from the committee attorney about audience decorum and the chair’s authority. After debate, SB 1157 also passed 4-3. Finally, the committee heard SB 1213, as amended, which makes unlawfully present persons convicted of state or local offenses ineligible for probation and requires ICE notification; the amendment removed CBP from the notification provisions. The sponsor tied the bill to a recent child sexual assault case and said it would ensure convicted noncitizens are not placed on probation at taxpayer expense. Opponents raised due process and equal protection concerns and said the bill would profile noncitizens. The amended bill passed 4-3, and the committee adjourned after completing its agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• I like to see that we tax higher outside investors or foreign investors, but making it higher taxes on
• local families that invested their life savings to better themselves and even tax them higher.
• I feel that the local people should we be protecting instead of increasing taxes for them.
• </c><00:55:46.079><c> hire</c> proceed I like to see that we tax hire proceed I like to see that we tax
• for them thank you of increasing taxes for them thank you so so so much<00:56:08.680><c> okay</c><00

Transcript Highlights:

• >> special taxes levied, taxes or pending taxes? That's what you're intending it to say. >> Mr.
• <02:55:36.880><c> an</c> recognizing taxes is certainly an recognizing taxes is certainly an expense<
• pending</c> &gt;&gt; special taxes levied taxes or pending &gt;&gt; special taxes levied taxes or pending
• taxes?
• So, the owner of the park has to pay increased taxes and that tax goes up 5%. >> Mr.

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• bill and surcharge holiday, and a two-year green energy tax holiday.
• SURCHARGE HOLIDAY, AND A TWO-YEAR GREEN ENERGY TAX HOLIDAY.
• AND THIS AMENDMENT WOULD SUSPEND THE FOLLOWING TAXES FOR ONE YEAR.
• One would give energy tax relief to everyone by removing government taxes.
• ONE WOULD GIVE ENERGY TAX RELIEVE TO EVERYONE BY REMOVING GOVERNMENT TAXES, WHO CAN DISAGREE WITH THAT

Summary: The Senate convened, approved the prior journal, and then took up a series of utility and public service bills and resolutions. A resolution sponsored by Senator Scarcella-Spanton designating April 9, 2026, as Yellow Ribbon Day was adopted after remarks honoring veterans, active-duty service members, and their families. The chamber then moved through several Public Service Law measures focused on utility affordability, consumer protections, and PSC procedures, with some bills laid aside and others advanced. Among the bills passed were measures by Senators Mayer, Cleare, Hinchey, Comrie, and Parker. Debate on the Mayer bill centered on limiting utility expenses and fees recoverable in rate cases; supporters said it was part of a broader package to reform PSC practices, while opponents argued it would not lower current bills and had been softened from earlier versions. The Webb bill creating a residential utility usage monitoring program drew extended debate over whether it would meaningfully reduce costs, who would pay for the program, and whether it could lead to government monitoring of household usage; supporters said it would give consumers more control and transparency, while critics said it would not lower rates. The Gonzalez bill, which would add consumer protections during PSC investigations and delay shutoffs in certain circumstances, also passed after questions about whether it applied to rate cases, with the sponsor saying rate cases were explicitly excluded. Several members explained their votes, with supporters emphasizing affordability, transparency, and consumer protection, and opponents arguing the package would not address immediate rate relief and could burden ratepayers or encourage nonpayment. Senator Tedisco and others criticized PSC appointments and state energy policy, while Democratic sponsors argued the bills were part of a longer-term effort to reform utility regulation and address climate and affordability concerns. The chamber restored multiple bills to the non-controversial calendar before final votes, and the recorded results showed passage of the major utility bills by substantial margins, along with one amendment appeal being ruled nongermane and rejected.

Transcript Highlights:

• And, of course, there's still oil tax allocations that will And, of course, there's still oil tax allocations
• tax rate on all returns that are being filed.
• Individual income tax, about 10% below.
• So quite a mix there in our four major tax types.
• And corporate income tax, we expect some upward revision.

Summary: The Budget Section met with a quorum, approved the December 10, 2025 minutes, and received a general fund and revenue update from the Office of Management and Budget. OMB reported the state was about $2 million ahead of forecast biennium-to-date, with an estimated ending general fund balance of about $397.5 million. Joe Morset also reviewed balances in major funds, oil tax revenues, interest income, federal grant reporting, fiscal irregularities, the voluntary separation incentive program, vacancy savings, and the FTE pool. Members asked about the higher-than-forecast interest income, the effective oil tax rate and stripper-well production, the impact of temporary pay adjustments and vacancy savings, and whether the voluntary separation program could reduce institutional knowledge or shift duties to remaining staff. The committee then approved four Emergency Commission requests: $5.26 million for DPI to support an AI-enabled tutoring platform, $105,000 from the general fund contingency for Corrections GPS monitoring, about $1.963 million for HHS SPACES eligibility system upgrades tied to Medicaid work requirements, and about $1.2 million for SNAP eligibility IT improvements. Legislative Council reported remaining interim spending authority after those approvals, and NDIT gave an update on digital accessibility compliance efforts, saying the state has made substantial progress on websites and PDFs but that applications will take longer to remediate. NDIT also reported on the Infinite Campus student information system rollout, noting data migration remains the biggest challenge and that a supplemental vendor is being brought in to help get districts ready for summer go-live. Greg Hoffman then gave a brief update on NDIT’s operational fund, saying cash remains negative in PeopleSoft but accounts receivable keeps the fund functioning within federal limits. The Supreme Court reported on its new and vacant FTE funding pool, saying it has filled 7 of 10 new positions and has realized some vacancy savings, and Legislative Council provided a similar report for the legislative branch along with a reminder that budget action reports are available online. The Department of Transportation presented its Flexible Transportation Fund, explaining the fund’s allocation formulas and ranking process, and sought Budget Section approval for two projects over the $10 million threshold: a Medora city streets and sidewalk project and a Cass County bridge replacement. Members questioned whether funding Medora streets could set a precedent for city street reconstruction and whether the bridge application process fully reflects statewide needs. DOT said the projects were scored competitively and that the bridge list does not capture all deficiencies statewide.

Transcript Highlights:

• Contributions go in post-tax.
• Idaho taxpayers can then take up to a $12,000 tax deduction for joint filers or $6,000 for individual
• Anyone who is an Idaho resident and contributes to an account can take the tax deduction.
• Additionally, in 2020, Idaho was just one of a handful of states that began offering employers a tax
• In 2025, 16 employers participated in the tax credit and contributed over $219,000 to their employees

Committee: House Education

Transcript Highlights:

• Retroactive real property tax exempt status.
• Senate Print 10180A, an act to amend the Real Property Tax Law.
• Senate Print 10319, Senator Webb, an act to amend the Tax Law.
• Senate Print 10556, Senator Webb, an act to amend the Tax Law.
• Senate Print 10319, Senator Webb, an act to amend the Tax Law.

Summary: The Senate convened, approved the prior day’s journal, and then processed a large number of motions to discharge bills from committees and substitute identical Senate or Assembly versions for third reading. The chamber also adopted the resolution calendar with exceptions and took up several resolutions and ceremonial recognitions, including a resolution mourning Hudson Talbott, a Dairy Month resolution highlighting New York’s dairy industry, and introductions honoring Niskayuna academic teams, Gabriella Scheer for receiving the Liberty Medal, the Hartstein family’s civic engagement, and Diana Cochran’s advocacy for safe firearm storage. The Senate then moved through the calendar and passed many bills on topics including insurance, public health, education, labor, social services, banking, local government, veterans, public service, consumer protection, criminal procedure, cannabis, parks, taxation, election law, and highway matters. Several members explained votes on notable measures: support for acupuncture insurance coverage, consumer protections for doorbell-camera data sharing, expanded protections in debt collection cases, trauma-informed procedures for sexual assault survivors, a Legionnaires’ disease awareness program, changes to mandatory minimum sentencing, and universal safe storage of firearms. A number of home rule and local authorization bills were also approved, including parkland alienation measures and local tax exemption authorizations. Most measures passed with broad bipartisan support, though some drew recorded opposition. Notable roll calls included the consumer debt uniformity bill, the mandatory minimum sentencing bill, the safe storage/firearms bill, and the public housing and public health measures, each with more divided votes. The chamber also accepted a lengthy Rules Committee report sending many additional bills directly to third reading, and then began the supplemental calendar, passing at least the first items before the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• That $4 billion is going to be taxed in real property and tangible property.
• revenues from 2017 state and local tax revenues from 2017 to<00:20:32.640><c> 2021.
• And again, I go back to the enabler, which is that sales tax exemption piece.
• <00:24:06.799><c> was</c><00:24:07.039><c> passed</c> sales tax exemption bill was passed sales tax exemption
• </c> areas that have had that sales tax areas that have had that sales tax exemption<00:24:23.840><c>

Summary: The Artificial Intelligence Task Force met with a quorum, adopted prior meeting minutes, and then focused on energy policy and economic development as they relate to AI and data centers. John Bevington of LG&E and KU, introduced by Caroline Clark of LG&E/KU and PPL, described the utility’s Kentucky-only service territory, vertically integrated system, 1.3 million customers, and about 7.5 gigawatts of generating capacity. He said the company has supported 76 Kentucky projects in 2024 totaling about $3 billion in announced investment and roughly 3,000 jobs, with a large share of statewide announcements occurring in its service area. Bevington said LG&E and KU’s current project pipeline is unusually strong, totaling about 170 projects and 8.5 gigawatts of requested power, with data centers accounting for about two-thirds of that demand. He broke the pipeline into existing customer expansions, new-to-Kentucky projects, and 20 data center projects representing about 5.6 gigawatts of potential load. He highlighted a Louisville data center project by PO Development Company and Powerhouse Data Centers that has announced a 400-megawatt facility and may expand to 525 megawatts, estimating that such a project could represent about $4 billion in investment. He also explained that large data centers generally must locate near transmission lines and that utilities must conduct studies, order long-lead equipment, and secure reimbursement commitments before proceeding so other customers are not harmed. Members asked about how Kentucky compares with other states, the size of data center projects, and whether regulatory reform is needed. Bevington said the 20 projects reflect current Kentucky interest, which he attributed in part to the state’s sales tax exemption for data centers, and noted that states like Ohio have had similar incentives for years. In response to questions from Senator Thomas, he confirmed that data centers can vary in size and said the state should have a regulatory environment that supports economic development, while emphasizing that the benefits would flow to the state, local communities, and schools rather than just the utility. He also cited national and regional data suggesting data centers generate indirect jobs and tax revenue, and said LG&E and KU are investing in transmission, reliability, solar, and gas generation projects, including proposed additional 645-megawatt natural gas units and other system upgrades, to meet expected demand.

Transcript Highlights:

• So my question is, if we remove this, what are the consequences of doing that in relation to public tax
• Right now, state tax dollars go to religious medical schools I'm glad to have you here.
• Tax dollars are moved around to support these choices. The U.S.
• Supreme Court has ruled that if scholarships, grants, tax credits, or any other distribution of tax dollars
• Public tax dollars aren't going to be spent on religious schools.

Committee: House State Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• We've talked to a few veterans already that have said that, you know, with the tax incentives and the
• Uh, we've been very busy, uh, for the veteran tax exemptions up through this year.
• We have done, uh, in, in excess of 25, uh, outreach events on these tax incentives, and we have them
• We've had many new veterans apply for the $10,000 the veteran tax exemption of 10,000, and uh.
• Um, maybe we can just add, looking again at taxes, I think in general, um, veterans and military taxes

Transcript Highlights:

• You mentioned the taxes that the IOUs have to pay for investments that they make.
• Yeah, the tax gross-up. It's called tax gross-up in regulatory lingo.
• Let's cut taxes. Let's just cut the tax.
• So a big chunk of that is federal taxes. Well, state taxes. So you support cutting state taxes?
• Just trying to get ratepayers to not be on the hook for taxes, more taxes. All right.

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy heard two bills focused on electricity affordability and utility costs. AB 745, by Assembly Member Irwin, would restructure the California Climate Credit by shifting it from lump-sum payments to direct reductions in volumetric electricity rates and moving the credit to the summer months when bills are highest. The author and UC Santa Barbara economist Dr. Kyle Meng argued this could significantly lower summer rates and better help households during extreme heat. Supporters, including UCS, NRDC, and some labor representatives, favored the concept, with some urging that the gas climate credit also be redirected. No opposition testimony was presented, and the bill passed 18-0 to the floor. The committee then considered AB 825, also presented as an affordability package aimed at reducing electric bills by addressing wildfire mitigation costs, transmission financing, permitting delays, and a review of ratepayer-funded programs. The bill would authorize securitization for undergrounding expenses, remove the first $15 billion in undergrounding capital investments from the rate base for return purposes, create a public transmission financing program using Proposition 4 funds and IBank support, revive the California Power Authority as a public sponsor, and establish a task force to review energy efficiency and demand response programs. The author and witness Matt Friedman of The Utility Reform Network said the bill could save ratepayers billions over time through lower-cost public financing and securitization. Testimony on AB 825 was mixed. Support came from several consumer and clean-energy groups, while utilities and labor raised concerns about the bill’s impact on utility financial stability, wildfire fund participation, liability, and whether the $15 billion securitization cap could discourage undergrounding. Some witnesses also objected to the task force’s potential effect on energy efficiency and demand response programs. Committee members discussed the need to balance affordability with utility creditworthiness and wildfire safety, and several asked for more analysis of market impacts and liability issues. Despite those concerns, AB 825 passed the committee 13-0 and was sent to the floor.

Transcript Highlights:

• And taxes are going up. When values go up, taxes also go up.
• </c><00:24:29.919><c> credits,</c><00:24:30.559><c> tax</c> in the form of state tax credits, tax in
• </c> that state tax credit that I mentioned. that state tax credit that I mentioned.
• I I'm here tax credit developers.
• ><c> taxing</c> some tax credits, some taxing taxing some tax credits, some taxing taxing incentives<

Summary: The Housing Task Force 2.0 reconvened with several new members and heard a presentation from Kentucky Housing Corporation Executive Director Winston Miller and Deputy Executive Director Wendy Smith. They framed the task force’s work as a practical effort to address Kentucky’s housing shortage, update members on the current housing landscape, summarize existing state and federal resources, and suggest areas for the task force to focus on over the coming year. KHC said its 2024 housing supply gap analysis found Kentucky is short about 206,000 housing units, split roughly evenly between rental and homeownership, and projected the gap could grow to 287,000 units by 2029 if current trends continue. They emphasized that every county in Kentucky needs more housing, that the 2008 housing crisis and loss of construction capacity remain major causes of the shortage, and that current pressures include high interest rates, rising insurance and tax costs, construction cost inflation, and housing prices and rents growing faster than incomes. KHC also said homelessness has risen in Kentucky, with point-in-time counts showing double-digit increases in recent years. The presenters reviewed existing resources, including federal programs, the Kentucky Affordable Housing Trust Fund, the rural housing trust fund, KHC mortgage and down payment assistance programs, and the state mortgage interest deduction. They said these resources are important but insufficient to close the gap, and noted that a proposed federal FY2026 budget would cut HUD programs by 44%, potentially removing about $286 million from Kentucky housing resources, though no action has been taken yet. They urged the task force to consider stronger, more flexible tools such as a revolving loan fund, a state affordable housing tax credit, and economic development and employer-assisted housing incentives, and pointed to Indiana’s housing infrastructure and regional development funds as examples. No votes or formal actions were taken in the portion provided.