Transcript Highlights:

• We're simply asking what if that process is revisited?
• If they're planning on discharging any process water, water that's used in their industrial processes
• We're back in a technical review process.
• Having folks regulate under your permitting process.
• I love the collaborative process.

Bills: HB1520, HB1525, HB1530, HB1535, HB2068, HB2091, HB2347, HB2372, HB2805, HB2815, HB2867, HB3154, HB3482, HB3483, HB3663, HB3781, HB3901, HB3915, HB4135, HB4153, HB4158, HB4329, HB4331

Keywords: Angelina and Neches River Authority, river authority, Sunset Advisory Commission, Texas Sunset Act, Special District Local Laws Code, local government, natural resources, board of directors, director training, board governance, public testimony, open meetings, public information, conflict of interest, ethics, complaint system, general manager, board president, staggered terms, removal of director

Transcript Highlights:

• We're also available to consult and answer questions that come up throughout the process, but given our
• role as nonpartisan staff, there are limitations to what we can do throughout the legislative process
• role as nonpartisan staff, there are limitations to what we can do throughout the legislative process
• So there is a process we go through to put ourselves in a position to have information available when
• And I just think that we need to keep in mind the process here.

Summary: The executive committee approved the October minutes and received brief updates from the Assistant Attorney General and the committee actuary. The actuary reminded members that OSA prepares actuarial fiscal notes during session and said staff would begin work soon on analysis for the upcoming session, including updates related to the COLA bill and other pension measures. Senator Conway asked that updated actuarial materials be shared with committee members as they are completed, and staff agreed to do so. Most of the meeting focused on committee discussion of pension policy issues, especially the ad hoc COLA for Plan 1 retirees and the broader study work on Left 1/Plan 1 topics, including merger and termination-restatement bills such as Senate Bill 5084. Members discussed the need for a COLA, the overfunding of some pension plans, the role of the legislature versus the committee, and the importance of keeping the State Investment Board separate from pension policy recommendations. Several members said the interim work had clarified many questions and would make future legislative decisions easier, while also noting that the committee’s study role had been completed. The committee also reviewed constituent correspondence, which included 15 items, with substantial public interest in the ad hoc COLA and related pension bills. Staff presented the draft interim work plan and proposed December agenda items, including possible education on excess compensation and an update on demographic experience studies. After discussion, members agreed not to hold a December meeting, with the understanding that any remaining informational items could be sent by email. The motion to skip the December meeting passed unanimously, and the committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• is the appellate process.
• The last thing the Supreme Court wants, of course, is to cut short the legal process.
• Ordinarily cases work better when they work through the process.
• or change the process in any way as someone who has requested writs of mandamus?
• It doesn't alter the process. process or alter the standard in any way.

Bills: SB16, SB76, SB310, SB311, SB396, SB505, SB827, SB964, SB1209, SB1210, SB1386, SB1470, SB2035, SJR37, SB 16

Keywords: voter registration, proof of citizenship, Election Code, criminal offenses, limited federal ballot, transportation, infrastructure, funding, public safety, state regulation, election, polling places, voter access, state oversight, electronic voting, voting, polling place, elections, countywide program, election integrity

Transcript Highlights:

• coming up with the process they used. coming up with the process they used.
• It's a process question. >> Yeah.
• , a very incomplete committee process, a very incomplete committee process, which<00:40:20.000>
• and the process for adoption by voters. and the process for adoption by voters.
• like we've rushed through the process. like we've rushed through the process.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The meeting focused on reviewing and amending draft minutes and then discussing a draft report on SAU consolidation and school administration efficiency. Members first corrected a disputed statement in the minutes about who starts charter schools, and agreed to mark it as disputed. They also noted a donation figure mentioned in the meeting but not reflected in the notes, and then approved the minutes as amended. The committee then reviewed supporting materials, including a Census Bureau education spending table and a 1993 report on eliminating SAUs. The chair argued New Hampshire ranks very high in administrative spending and used that as evidence for reducing administrative costs. Other members pushed back, noting that education costs are largely borne locally and that the committee should stay focused on its charge. Several members also objected to characterizations of SAU boards and to relying heavily on an old report or on the School District Governance Association’s proposal. The draft report itself drew repeated edits. Members objected to language suggesting the testimony from associations was simply that change was not needed, and proposed more neutral wording about concerns over the impacts of changes. There was also disagreement over a proposed model in which a county-level school administrator would be elected; some members said that would be inappropriate and premature, while others argued the committee had not yet fully developed a consolidation model. The discussion ended with a call from some members for more time and for a future joint legislative committee to continue refining any proposal before legislation is introduced.

Transcript Highlights:

• And whereas the 17th annual process. And whereas the 17th annual process.
• So is is that the the process that I see where that the the process that I see where that the the process
• And in that process, we're not able to even use as process, we're not able to even use as process, we're
• And the in the whole process of this And the in the whole process of this And the in the whole process
• process the application and what's the process the application process for the grants?

Bills: HJR 4, HJR 6, HB 195, HB 13, HB 143, HB 135

Keywords: occupation tax, securities, financial regulation, tax exemption, legislative amendment, capital gains tax, realized gains, unrealized gains, investment income, asset sale, capital assets, wealth tax, estate tax, trust tax, tax limitation, constitutional amendment, Texas Constitution, Article VIII, property tax, sales tax

Transcript Highlights:

• Now we have a tagging process for all our equipment.
• Our department leads and building principals have a process laid out.
• So the process goes, and we're also a federal program.
• We're in the process, yes. Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Senator Love.
• We're in the process, yes. Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Senator Lov.

Summary: The committee opened with prayer, approved the January 8 minutes, and then reviewed education audit reports. The first report concerned Northwest Arkansas Community College, which had two findings: repeat internal control deficiencies that caused material misstatements in the financial statements, and a tuition revenue loss tied to a Workday system issue that failed to charge some students after drop-add changes. College officials said the problems were misclassification and process issues rather than missing funds, described corrective steps including checklists, monthly closing procedures, and approval controls, and attributed some issues to staffing turnover and the Workday implementation. Members asked about accountability, staffing, and whether students should have been billed; the report was filed as reviewed. The next report was Cedarville School District, where auditors found improper personal credit card charges of $794 by a former elementary teacher. The employee reimbursed the district, and the matter was referred to law enforcement, the prosecuting attorney, the attorney general, and the Professional Licensure Standards Board. Members asked whether any licensing action would follow, but staff said they were only aware that no further action had been taken by the board. The final finding was for West Memphis School District, which had a repeat capital assets issue involving failure to capitalize $851,000 in construction expenditures for a baseball-softball complex, along with other asset-recording and inspection discrepancies. The superintendent said the district had recently begun using Arkansas Legislative Audit for the first time after previously using a private CPA firm, and described new controls such as multi-level purchase approval, tagging, separation of duties, and inventory cleanup. Members questioned why the district had not been audited publicly before and how private audits are handled; staff explained that private audits are still reviewed and findings come before the committee. The report was filed as reviewed. The meeting ended with notice that 28 school districts had no findings and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• I gave direction to our staff at the start of that process.
• the process there.
• , Very similar to the RCO process.
• Obviously, this committee last spring went to the approval process, the confirmation process.
• Last spring went to the approval process, the confirmation process, for three commissioners appointed

Summary: The Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee held a work session with an update from the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Commissioner Dave Upthe Grove outlined DNR’s size and scope, previewed agency-request legislation, and emphasized budget priorities. He said DNR will seek authority to sell ecosystem service credits, better use underutilized water rights with tribal consultation, add a tribal representative to the State Board of Natural Resources, make minor timber-sales efficiencies, and include wildland firefighters in the LEOFF pension system. He also urged restoration of wildfire prevention and preparedness funding, warning that reduced funding would mean fewer firefighters, less forest health work, and less support for rural fire districts. He noted DNR’s wildfire suppression costs are rising and argued prevention spending can reduce larger, more expensive fires. State Forester George Geisler followed with a detailed wildfire season review. He said Washington now responds to fires year-round and also assists other states, including Texas. He described DNR’s use of 31 aircraft, 691 firefighters, and corrections-based crews, and said the agency’s success rate for keeping fires under 10 acres improved slightly from 93.7% to 94.1%. He highlighted increased arson activity, especially around Spokane, and described the Crescent Road Fire as an example of early detection, rapid response, and the use of bulldozers, aircraft, and hand crews to contain a fire to 182 acres with no structure losses. Senator Saldan praised the emphasis on prevention and the use of bulldozers as cost-effective tools. Assistant deputy supervisor Dwayne Emmons then reviewed the trust land transfer program, which was codified in statute in 2023 after being funded through the capital budget for decades. He said more than 130,000 acres of underperforming trust land have been transferred since the 1990s to other public or tribal entities for more appropriate use, while DNR acquires replacement lands to keep the trust whole. He described the current application and ranking process, including tribal input, and said DNR is requesting funding for remaining parcels from the last round, including portions of Tract C, Babcock Bench, and Middle Fork Snoqualmie. In questions, Senator Wagoner raised concerns about DNR’s decision to remove some acres from timber harvest rotation and its impact on local revenue and mills; the commissioner responded that current five-year harvest plans provide short-term stability and that any changes would be explored through the Board of Natural Resources process, not through immediate reductions in supply. The committee then received a history briefing from staff member Jeff Olson on the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission and agency structure. He traced the evolution from early fish and game commissioners to the current commission-appointed director model adopted by voter-approved Referendum 45 in 1995. Olson explained the commission’s statutory duties, membership requirements, and how Washington compares with other states. Chair Chapman said he had no plans to hear a bill this session changing the commission’s makeup, but he expressed personal interest in exploring reforms, accountability, and possibly a future broader coalition or referendum process. No votes were taken; the meeting was informational only, and the chair adjourned the session with holiday and New Year’s wishes.

Transcript Highlights:

• The deflection process is covered in Section 2.
• The deflection process is covered in Section 2.
• process.
• health must collaborate on that process and establish minimum standards for protocols.
• I mean, yeah, so there is a process for resolution and who determines that.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The committee met to review fiscal aspects of House Bills 1417 and 1425, both part of a broader criminal justice reentry package. HB 1417 would eliminate the $35 public defender application fee and end court-ordered reimbursement of indigent defense costs, while also removing the $55 monthly community supervision fee. Testimony from the Commission on Legal Counsel for Indigents and the Department of Corrections said the bill would replace lost revenue with general fund appropriations of about $310,000 for indigent defense and $1.5 million for supervision fees, and that the fees are rarely collected and can hinder reentry. Representative Clemene said the bill is intended to reduce barriers to successful community reintegration and improve data and supervision practices. HB 1425 would create and fund front-end diversion, deflection, and pretrial services programs. Supporters described it as allowing prosecutors and local jurisdictions to divert appropriate low-level offenders from prosecution, establish deflection programs for people with behavioral health needs, and expand pretrial services. The bill includes a pilot program in three counties, a $1 million appropriation to DOCR for one FTE and contracts with local providers, $750,000 to DHS for treatment services, and $55,000 for a study of pretrial services cost savings. Committee members asked several questions about how the pilot counties would be chosen, how the consultant study would be procured, and what services the DHS funds would cover. The committee also heard House Bill 1603, which would provide a $500,000 matching grant for Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act compliance, with $100,000 available to each of North Dakota’s five tribes if matched. Sponsor testimony said the funds would support a Historical Society NAGPRA compliance committee and help catalog and repatriate human remains and cultural items in coordination with tribes. After questions about the federal mandate and the difficulty of identifying artifacts, the committee voted 4-0 to give HB 1603 a do-pass recommendation, with Senator Meyer assigned to carry it forward.

Transcript Highlights:

• Through the process, we will have two veterans who've gone through the process testifying after me.
• It will be a long process.
• All I can speak to is the process.
• What the certification process is at its best, what it should be, is a process in which the board identifies
• The same process should apply.

Bills: SB1003, SB1060, SB1134, SB1275, SB1327, SB1429, SB1618, SB1634, SB1654, SB1803, SCR1002, SCR1005, SCR1023, SCR1027

Keywords: election, canvass, certification, ballot tabulation, write-in candidates, registration, voting procedures, voter registration, temporary absence, absentee voting, residency, military voters, overseas voters, election law, Arizona Revised Statutes, political signs, campaign materials, public safety, municipal regulation, veterans

Transcript Highlights:

• The whole process of that cause Is not limited to.
• Last year’s bill dealt with some of the process if they’re non-renewed only.
• I believe that the committee sub and the amendment broadens that process.
• So it deals with an evaluation for both... ...process.
• I think this will actually encourage that process.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The committee met in executive session and first took up House Concurrent Resolution 31, which recognizes seniors through a civics and patriotism work group. The sponsor explained a substitute that clarified the work group’s role in setting qualifications and awarding gold, silver, and bronze certificates, with DESE producing the seals and schools submitting qualifying students. The substitute also retained recognition for veterans and students entering the armed services. Members, including the ranking member, supported the revised structure, and the committee adopted the substitute and voted the resolution do pass on a 16-0 vote after correcting an earlier clerical count. The committee then considered House Bill 21, House Bill 26, and House Bill 2197 together in a committee substitute focused on building-level administrator evaluations and nonrenewal procedures. The substitute required administrators to be evaluated at least once per contract year, required written notice of renewal or nonrenewal by March 1, and gave nonrenewed administrators the right to request written reasons and a closed-door hearing before the school board. Members discussed the bill’s removal of earlier tenure-related language and whether the hearing right gave administrators more protection than other employees, but sponsors said the intent was to ensure annual evaluations and a fair explanation for nonrenewal without creating tenure. The committee adopted an amendment, rolled it into a new substitute, and voted the bill do pass 17-0. After moving back into open session, the committee heard House Bill 3489, which would expand access to workforce readiness assessments such as WorkKeys and allow students to earn up to nine hours of college credit for demonstrated workplace skills as recommended by the American Council on Education. The sponsor said the bill was intended to support career pathways, not replace college-bound options, and to gather feedback for future work. Testimony in support came from ACT, the Missouri Chamber of Commerce, and DESE, all emphasizing workforce development, employer demand, and existing state use of WorkKeys; DESE noted current funding and implementation issues tied to sports wagering revenue and said a related study on WorkKeys’ validity and industry recognition is ongoing. Committee members asked about how the bill would affect school testing requirements and college credit transfer, and the sponsor clarified that the measure was meant to broaden options rather than mandate a single path. No vote was taken on HB 3489 before adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• So the idea of us matching or something through that process is not, uh, readily possible.
• So we're serious about our academics, and the point is, is that in, uh, 2019 we started a process.
• Yes, that will be part of the process. Thank you. Any other questions about Purple Star Schools?
• Um, through these programs we grow and expose more New Mexicans to this process.
• of our resources in that process itself.

Transcript Highlights:

• They've been working very hard on streamlining and the process of the capital outlay, tribal capital
• I think it has been mentioned by, uh, Representative Johnson, but there has to be a process that has
• to be put in place, so that, uh, the process can be shortened to, uh, maybe 8 weeks and it's ready to
• Um, but I think with our new members here, that process would probably be something I'd like to clarify
• To see that process and not only that, but uh I'm aware too that there have been changes in the time

Transcript Highlights:

• They claim that this is a red flag bill, which is and they claim that it denies due process.
• They claim that this is a red flag bill, which is and they claim that it denies due process.
• They claim that this is a red flag bill, which is and they claim that it denies due process.
• They claim that this is a red flag bill, which is and they claim that it denies due process.
• Why do we have people who were involved in this process?

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• process.
• it's a very democratic process.
• process.
• it's a very democratic process.
• it's a very democratic process.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 118 in executive session and adopted Amendment 0882H, which would remove the House and Senate members from the Child Care Commission while leaving the commission in place. Members said the amendment was a continuation of earlier committee discussion and supported it as a needed change. The committee then voted 12-0 to recommend ought to pass as amended, and HB 118 was placed on consent. The committee next considered House Bill 142, dealing with Gold Star Mother’s Day. The sponsor explained that the bill was unnecessary because existing statute already directs the governor to issue a proclamation for Gold Star Mother’s Day and to urge appropriate observance, including flag-related ceremonies. Several members discussed how to ensure the proclamation and flag observance would happen and whether the committee report should note the existing statute. Other members said they would oppose killing the bill because the recognition was important. The committee voted 9-3 to table/ITL the bill, and HB 142 was declared inexpedient to legislate. The final major item was a public hearing on a non-germane amendment to House Bill 456, with a related draft amendment also discussed. The sponsor said the amendment would raise the annual membership allowance from $20 to $75, rename fees as dues, prohibit dues from being used to pay lobbyists, require NHMA dues to be brought before voters as a separate warrant article for transparency, and require separate accounting so lobbying funds are not co-mingled with other funds. Supporters said the goal was to keep taxpayer-derived money from funding lobbying while preserving non-lobbying services such as legal advice and training. Opponents argued the proposal was an overreach and would micromanage local towns. No vote was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• and voters to use that early voting process.
• and voters to use that early voting process.
• <01:07:04.160> that processes that processes that guarantee<01:07:06.160> that<01:07:06.480
• Counties have time to process them.
• Counties have time to process them.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• . process. process.
• avoid through this process. avoid through this process.
• process went and if it went well? process went and if it went well?
• have been involved in that process. have been involved in that process.
• part of their accounting process. part of their accounting process.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• A piece of that too: a recent change in our way that we process our capital budget request.
• So making some refinements to our process there.
• A piece of that too, a recent change in our way that we process our capital budget request.
• So making some refinements to our process there.
• And if not now, if you could send that back to us as it's moving through the process.

Summary: The committee held a work session on the state of Washington’s community and technical college system with State Board executive director Nate Humphrey and Tacoma Community College president Ivan Harrell. They described the system’s open-access mission, 34 colleges serving more than 307,000 students, relatively low tuition, enrollment growth over 12 consecutive quarters, and strong outcomes such as more than 46,000 credentials awarded last year. They also highlighted system initiatives including guided pathways, I-BEST, dual enrollment, tribal partnerships, a new program search tool, and six colleges named Aspen Prize finalists. At the same time, they emphasized major challenges: high rates of student food, housing, and homelessness insecurity; sharply rising emergency aid requests; and federal funding disruptions affecting TANF, BFET, adult basic education, Carl Perkins, NOAA-related tribal work, and several federal grants. Members asked about SNAP impacts, declining high school graduates, and how BFET and TANF interact with other aid programs. The presenters also discussed system priorities such as AI, Workforce Pell, capital planning, nursing accreditation alignment, and the Washington College Grant. The committee then heard testimony from AFT Washington and the Washington Association of Higher Education on faculty and staff conditions in the community and technical college system. Jackie Kane and Suzanne Sutherland argued that classified staff, professional staff, and contingent faculty are essential to student success but face low pay, instability, and weak retention, and they urged lawmakers to protect existing funding and avoid further cuts. They said working conditions for faculty and staff are student learning conditions, and that underfunding leads to reduced services, shortened advising, and program instability. Marina Parr of the Workforce Board presented on federal H.R. 1’s new Workforce Pell provisions and the updated Career Bridge website. She explained that Workforce Pell would allow federal aid for short-term training programs of 8 to 15 weeks, with high completion, employment, and earnings thresholds and a requirement that credentials be stackable and portable. She said Washington is well positioned to implement the program because of its existing eligible training provider evaluation system and Career Bridge, which now has a redesigned public portal, digital portfolios, multilingual access, and performance data on programs. Members asked about rulemaking, possible gaps in state services, and how the wage and completion standards would be applied. The Washington Student Achievement Council then briefed the committee on the new Washington Completes FAFSA campaign created by executive order. Staff described an advisory board with statewide representation, a pilot that used microgrants and other supports at 25 priority schools, and a new goal of 46,000 FAFSA or WASFA completions this year. They reported that completion rates were tracking slightly ahead of last year, with 24% of high school seniors having completed a FAFSA by the end of November, and they showcased a public dashboard with subgroup data and a WIAA-based leaderboard. Members asked about outreach to rural and homeschool students, legislative communications, Pierce County representation, and barriers to FAFSA completion, and staff said they would provide toolkits and continue expanding outreach. The committee then began hearing from student presenters about affordability, access, equity, and student experience.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have a solution we believe to be part of the solution anyway through the policy process with Assembly
• One of the things we did in this ICAMP process—the Integrated Capital Asset Management Process—is that
• So I would just caution that it is a timely process to work with all of our interest holders.
• So would just caution that it is a timely process to work with all of our interest holders.
• So we will begin that process, and we are in the process of finalizing a data sharing agreement with

Summary: The committee’s first major discussion focused on higher education facilities across UC, CSU, and the community colleges, with Chair Alvarez framing the issue as a final budget hearing before the May Revise. The LAO presented findings that campuses have grown substantially in buildings and square footage, while classroom and lab utilization remains below legislative standards and deferred maintenance backlogs continue to rise. The LAO also emphasized that the state and segments lack comprehensive data on capital renewal spending and recommended better reporting, clearer funding targets, and long-term planning for renewal and maintenance. UC, CSU, and community college representatives each described large five-year capital plans, aging facilities, seismic and deferred maintenance needs, and the role of student housing, while noting that construction costs are rising faster than inflation. Members questioned the segments about debt service, utilization rates, and how projects are prioritized. UC said its debt service tied to state support is about $665 million annually and described a $30 billion five-year capital financial plan, including housing, medical centers, and building renewal. CSU said it has about $31 billion in five-year needs and more than $8 billion in deferred maintenance, with funding coming from a mix of state-related and one-time sources since the state shifted capital responsibility to CSU. Community colleges said their unmet facilities needs total about $33.5 billion and explained their use of a scoring matrix and FUSION system to rank projects. The chair and members pressed all three systems to better distinguish between projects that are truly shovel-ready and those that are long-term needs, and discussed whether facilities condition data, total cost of ownership, and more standardized metrics should guide future bond proposals. The committee then turned to Proposition 2 and the Governor’s proposed community college capital outlay projects. The Department of Finance said Prop. 2 provides $1.5 billion for community colleges and that the Governor’s budget proposes 29 projects, with two continuing Prop. 51 projects also included. The LAO supported the overall use of the funds but raised concerns about the current 65/35 split between modernization and growth, the unusually large share of gymnasium projects, and some scoring metrics that favor larger campuses and certain regions. Community college officials said the scoring system was developed through participatory governance and would take one to two years to revise, but they supported the funding and agreed to follow up on questions about project categories and the rationale for the weighting. Members also suggested giving more weight to modernization, regional access, and intersegmental or collaborative projects. A final item addressed the CalKids program. The Department of Finance proposed $56,000 ongoing General Fund for three positions, while the LAO recommended approving two positions but rejecting a manager position until the current $7.5 million marketing campaign is evaluated. ScholarShare’s executive director said CalKids has enrolled more than 5 million children, with nearly 600,000 claims and over $45 million distributed, and argued that additional staff and outreach are needed to reach a goal of 1 million claimed scholarships by the end of 2025 and to implement AB 2808. Members asked about marketing effectiveness, data sharing, and eligibility rules, and the program said it is expanding partnerships with Cradle to Career and CSAC. No final vote was taken in the hearing, and the chair indicated the facilities item would be held open.

Transcript Highlights:

• There was an ice part process they were providing to the automotive sector that was going away.
• We actually worked with them to actually build to process and use some of our tools to help them make
• Understand that process is really the critical factor here.
• That's really a process, in my humble opinion, that works great.
• <00:23:59.880> and matter of where they in the process and matter of where they in the process

Keywords: 00:01 Call to Order and Roll Call 00:34 Economic Development Cabinet 27:51 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The committee met without a quorum, so the minutes from the last two meetings were not approved. Secretary Noel of the Cabinet for Economic Development then gave a broad overview of the cabinet’s work and an update on the Kentucky Product Development Initiative (KPD), with Deputy Secretary Katie Smith and General Counsel Matt also present. He said the cabinet’s strategy is to focus on high-wage job creation, especially in automotive transformation, business and financial professional services, tourism, logistics, agri-tech, aerospace, and other high-tech sectors, while also supporting small and medium-sized businesses and existing employers. Noel highlighted several program results and examples, including average incentivized wages approaching $27 per hour, 877 jobs and $346 million in investment through hub operations, $90 million through Commonwealth Ventures, help for hundreds of companies through the Kentucky Intellectual Property Alliance, work with 220 companies through the Kentucky Science and Technology Council, nearly 3,000 students in Advanced Kentucky, and more than 1,100 participants in Kentucky Valor. He also cited 35,000 workers trained through Bluegrass State Skills, 177 businesses helped by the small business tax credit, and 77 entertainment incentive transactions totaling about $200 million and 7,400 jobs. On the grant side, he said the cabinet had approved 155 projects under a federal grant program, committing $99 million, with outreach aimed at smaller communities and all 120 counties. The main focus of the second half was KPD. Noel described it as a program that requires more than basic due diligence, emphasizing community readiness, local vision, title and mineral-rights review, sewer validation, and consultant review. He said 109 projects had been awarded in the earlier rounds, and in 2024 there were 45 requests for information seeking $81 million against $35 million in available funding, showing strong demand. He also said the cabinet has worked with local economic developers through five regions aligned with area development districts, and that the secretary, deputy secretary, or commissioner of business development must attend the regional meetings, with 100% attendance reported for the key three last year. In response to questions, he said Jefferson County’s lack of KPD projects so far likely reflects where local land and development strategies are in the process rather than a lack of interest, and he said the cabinet has not heard that Kentucky’s occupational safety and health rules are clearly helping or hurting competitiveness, though he offered to look into it further.

Transcript Highlights:

• That process would be repeated every 60 days until trial.
• It's spotty in many areas they do, many areas they don't have the process to.
• During this process as well We've seen in multiple jurisdictions.
• I get due process when I'm held. This is. This is not ancient medieval England.
• Reminder, SGR 1 violates an individual's right to due process.

Bills: SB9, SB1047, SB1048, SJR17, SJR49, SB40, SJR1, SJR5, SB 9, SB 40, SJR 1

Keywords: bail reform, defendants, pretrial detention, public safety, criminal justice, charitable bail organizations, criminal procedure, public safety report, victim notification, family violence, bail bonds, public funds, political subdivision, injunction, taxpayer rights, violent crimes, sexual offenses, community safety, constitutional amendment, trafficking