Transcript Highlights:

• That was September 17th.
• That was<00:02:47.200><c> September</c><00:02:47.920><c> 17th.
• We was uh drive on was September 17th.
• </c><00:09:29.760><c> approval</c> And then uh for September approval And then uh for September approval
• ><c> have</c><00:14:38.000><c> received</c> 11 organizations that have received 11 organizations that

Summary: The meeting opened with a quorum, approval of the September 18, 2025 minutes, and a staff update on recent tobacco settlement-funded agriculture activities. The agriculture side highlighted Commissioner Shell’s outreach, including school visits, farm visits, and speaking engagements in Kentucky and a trip to Tennessee to discuss program models. A representative also described a national conference in Iowa, where Kentucky’s agriculture finance program was praised as a $180 million loan program built with tobacco settlement funds. The board noted September approvals totaling $950,000 for the agriculture development board and $3.3 million for the finance corporation, along with staff activity such as site visits, program closures, and project reports. The board also announced that the KKMP report covering 2015-2022 would be distributed and that the annual report, marking the program’s 25th anniversary, was being prepared. The board then reviewed two featured projects. The Organic Association of Kentucky requested $425,000 for organic producer support, but the board approved only one year of funding at $29,000, with members noting concern about recurring applicants and the need to evaluate long-term funding. The second project, by Joseph Dale Bentley in Lewis County, sought $51,300 to expand a small ruminant facility for goat production and export. Members were particularly interested because the project was already operating and creating market opportunities for Kentucky goat producers; the board approved half the project cost to help expand infrastructure and potentially allow quarantining on site. The cabinet then presented its annual update on tobacco settlement fund use in public health. Julie Brooks, Sarah Johnson, and Andrea Day reported on the HANS home visitation program, tobacco prevention and cessation efforts, lung cancer screening, and early childhood oral health. HANS served more families in FY25, rising from 6,293 to 6,715, and increased services from 139,943 to over 143,000. Tobacco prevention and cessation programs continued to support Quit Now Kentucky and My Life, My Quit, though officials noted federal uncertainty and the loss of federal tobacco control infrastructure. They also reported a slight decline in student outreach and cessation requests, but continued demand from schools and communities for vaping and nicotine prevention support. Lung cancer screening expanded to 55 screens, with Kentucky cited as a model for other states due to improved incidence, survival, and early detection rates. Early oral health efforts continued through local health departments, with more trainings for public health nurses, continued varnish kits, and expanded support for dental graduates and hygiene teams.

Transcript Highlights:

• /c> uh<01:11:19.440><c> questions</c><01:11:20.080><c> about</c><01:11:20.480><c> the</c><01:11:20.600
• Um behaves in<01:11:22.320><c> a</c><01:11:22.360><c> manner</c><01:11:22.800><c> that</c><01:11:23.080
• Um<01:11:28.760><c> judicial</c><01:11:29.240><c> system,</c><01:11:29.800><c> acts</c><01:11:30.120>
• Um<01:11:36.320><c> maintains</c><01:11:36.840><c> proper</c><01:11:37.160><c> control</c><01:11:37.760
• Considers<01:11:40.320><c> the</c><01:11:40.440><c> needs</c><01:11:40.880><c> of</c><01:11:41.000><c

Transcript Highlights:

• September of 2023. Previously, he served as the chief of school safety and security.
• My name is Brian Stagner and since September 1 of last year I've had the pleasure of serving as judge
• not. been running yet right correct senator there so there are the initial legislation provided free 11
• And I mentioned the court went live September 1. Since that time, I checked.
• We have 11 regional universities. And then we have nine agencies.

Committee: Senate Nominations

Transcript Highlights:

• :00.240><c> in</c><00:11:00.560><c> black</c><00:11:00.880><c> is</c><00:11:01.120><c> the</c><00:11:
• </c><01:11:01.440><c> We're</c><01:11:01.600><c> looking</c><01:11:01.840><c> out</c><01:11:02.400><c
• We're looking out uh directing<01:11:03.040><c> how</c><01:11:03.199><c> the</c><01:11:03.360><c> grid
• </c><01:11:03.600><c> will</c><01:11:03.760><c> evolve</c><01:11:04.000><c> over</c> Directing how the
• <c> um</c><01:11:59.040><c> like</c><01:11:59.360><c> high</c><01:11:59.600><c> voltage</c> projects

Committee: House Energy Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• . functionality. 11. functionality. 11.
• Section 11. A. A law or equity. Section 11. A. A law or equity. Section 11. A.
• Seat 11, a resident Representatives. 11. Seat 11, a resident Representatives. 11.
• the 14th September the 14th September the 14th 1814.
• On the morning of September 14th, 1814, after the 25-hour September 14th, 1814, after the 25-hour September

Transcript Highlights:

• And before that, 11 years prior to that, I was the deputy administrator in the division.
• So what I wanted to do is just recap a little bit since we were just here in September and we're not
• What I wanted to do is just recap a little bit since we were just here in September, and we're not going
• to go through a lot of those things that we went over in September because we tried to be a little bit
• years, 12 years of data. ...11 years of data, so not focusing on that crossover at the end.

Transcript Highlights:

• April through September of 2025.
• July through September was the 21st driest.
• And July through September was the second warmest on record.
• We saw portions of the Spokane River run dry in September.
• In late September, after coordinating with the Bureau of Reclamation, In late September, after coordinating

Committee: Joint Joint Legislative Committee on Water Supply During Drought

Summary: The committee heard first from Deputy State Climatologist Karen Bumbacco, who reviewed the weather and snowpack conditions that contributed to Washington’s 2025 drought. She said the state had a very warm and dry water year, with April through September ranking among the warmest and driest periods on record, and that three straight years of below-normal snowpack and precipitation had compounded drought impacts, especially in the Yakima Basin. She also explained that a weak La Niña could bring a wetter-than-normal winter, though temperature forecasts were less certain, and noted that long-term climate projections point to continued snowpack decline and earlier runoff timing. Department of Ecology staff Rea Burns and Caroline Melor then described the state’s drought declaration process and response. They said Washington’s statutory drought threshold is less than 75% of normal water supply plus a hardship finding, and that Ecology extended the Yakima drought declaration in April and expanded it statewide in June. They discussed reliance on federal monitoring data and staffing at NRCS, USGS, Reclamation, and NOAA, and said federal staffing and funding instability has created concerns for snowpack and water data. They also reviewed drought response funding, noting that grants have supported projects in the Yakima and Dungeness basins and that the drought emergency account still has a balance available for current needs. Burns gave a detailed update on the Yakima Basin, saying it experienced unprecedented conditions this year, including nearly empty reservoirs, curtailment orders sent to about 1,500 water users, and the first time even the most senior 1855 surface water rights were turned off. She said widespread compliance occurred, though the process exposed areas for improvement, especially coordination with federal partners. Committee members asked about the long-term basis for climate projections, the 75% drought threshold, federal impacts, drought insurance, reservoir storage, and whether the state should consider more drought funding or new storage projects. No votes or formal actions were taken during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• And that one will be from 11 to 12. And I believe that is happening at 10:30.
• And that one will be from 11 to 12.
• If you guys think that September would be better for that, would you rather do that up front?
• Would you rather do it sooner, or is September okay? I mean, I agree.
• So September is good. Okay. Cool. Thanks.

Summary: The Cape Verdean Cultural Commission met to approve the May 11 meeting minutes and receive a legislative update. The commission reported that Senator Miranda’s FY27 budget amendment secured $125,000 for the commission, pending final conference committee and gubernatorial approval, with funds expected to become available in the fall if retained. A separate part of the amendment that would have allowed commissioners to be appointed at any point in the commission’s history was not adopted, leaving one vacancy unresolved for now. The commission then finalized its subcommittee structure. Members discussed the originally proposed communications and outreach, survey and data collection, and fundraising/resource development groups, but after discussion and a motion, the body voted to establish four subcommittees: Communications and Outreach, Survey and Data Collection, Organizational Development, and History and Culture. Members also raised ethics concerns about legislators serving on the fundraising-related group, and the title was broadened to organizational development. The chair asked members to sign up within about two weeks so subcommittees could meet before the next full commission meeting. The meeting also focused on an upcoming visit by President José Neves of Cabo Verde. Commissioners were invited to attend a smaller 10:30 a.m. meeting with the president and delegation, followed by a larger community gathering from 11 a.m. to noon, with capacity limited and RSVPs encouraged. Members emphasized using the visit to reinforce support for the cultural center project and to highlight the importance of Massachusetts’ Cape Verdean diaspora. In public comment, members discussed gathering event listings for Cape Verdean summer celebrations, including Independence Day events, and suggested future meetings could include presentations from other cultural institutions about how they developed their projects. The commission adjourned after a motion and vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• .<00:11:34.880><c> Thank</c><00:11:34.959><c> you</c><00:11:35.120><c> very</c><00:11:35.360><c> much
• c><00:11:42.320><c> us</c><00:11:42.560><c> to</c><00:11:43.120><c> uh</c><00:11:43.360><c> talk</c>
• ><00:11:44.079><c> programs</c><00:11:44.480><c> and</c><00:11:44.800><c> projects</c><00:11:45.360><
• But anyway,<00:11:49.200><c> we</c><00:11:49.440><c> are</c><00:11:49.519><c> the</c><00:11:49.760><c
• [clears throat] and<00:11:58.000><c> our</c><00:11:58.320><c> team</c><00:11:58.720><c> we</c><00:11:

Transcript Highlights:

• , the Sunset staff completed their evaluation of the Texas Lottery Commission as directed at the September
• For our first item of business, the Commission needs to approve the minutes from the December 11, 2024
• Are there any questions about the December 11 meeting minutes?
• During the December 11 Commission meeting, two recommendations were inadvertently left out of the criminal
• During the September meeting of the Sunset Commission, we adopted a motion directing Sunset staff to

Bills: SR1 , SR2

Summary: The Sunset Advisory Commission met for its final meeting of the biennium, established a quorum, approved the December 11, 2024 minutes, and then voted on recommendations for several agencies reviewed earlier in the cycle. It adopted all recommendations for the Angelina and Nettus River Authority, the Lower Nettus Valley Authority, and the Trinity River Authority of Texas, with no modifications offered for those agencies. The Commission then considered the Texas Ethics Commission. Members adopted staff recommendations with modifications, including changes to lobby compensation thresholds and rounding of inflation adjustments. The Commission also adopted a series of new recommendations addressing TEC customer service staffing, late-filing penalties, post-election reporting penalties, waiver of penalties when notice cannot be shown, review of the “substantial compliance” standard, review of the “principal purpose” definition, more prominent public posting of delinquent penalties, and clearer training and guidance on filing and lobby-registration requirements. The Commission also adopted two previously omitted Texas Department of Criminal Justice recommendations, 6.5 and 6.6. By recorded vote, the Commission unanimously forwarded all recommendations adopted during the biennium to the 89th Legislature, with nine ayes. Sunset staff then reported on implementation of 2023 Sunset recommendations, saying the State Auditor found 89% of selected management actions fully implemented and Sunset staff found 68% of statutory and related changes fully implemented, with the remainder mostly in progress. The Commission also noted receipt of a January 6 evaluation of the Texas Lottery Commission, including a study of potential regulation of lottery ticket courier companies, but no further action was taken on that item. The meeting concluded with closing remarks and a motion to recess subject to the call of the Chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• trying</c><00:11:53.360><c> to</c><00:11:53.519><c> work</c><00:11:53.680><c> on</c><00:11:54.000><c>
• </c><00:11:54.640><c> Um</c><00:11:54.880><c> but</c><00:11:55.120><c> it</c><00:11:55.440><c> it's</
• </c><00:11:56.640><c> So</c><00:11:57.120><c> um</c><00:11:57.519><c> it</c><00:11:57.760><c> it</c><
• ><c> aging</c><01:11:53.280><c> is</c><01:11:53.520><c> a</c><01:11:53.679><c> priority</c><01:11:54.239
• for the commission<01:11:55.280><c> and</c><01:11:55.520><c> it's</c><01:11:55.760><c> also</c><01:11

Summary: The committee first handled routine business, approving the prior meeting minutes with one abstention from a member who had been absent. It then received an update from DHHS Commissioner Lori Weaver on the department’s rural health transformation grant submission. Weaver said the grant was submitted ahead of the deadline, reflected input from communities and providers statewide, and would now enter a CMS review and negotiation phase. She explained that the governor’s office will oversee the grant with DHHS, that some proposals may be limited by federal parameters, and that the department may need to hire some staff to administer the grant, within the grant’s administrative cap. Members also discussed DHHS budget pressures and staffing. The department’s CFO, Nathan White, reviewed the agency’s budget mix, noting that DHHS accounts for a large share of the state’s operating and general fund budgets, and explained projected general fund lapse estimates, which he said are currently just under $20 million for the department. He also described why lapse projections are difficult to predict in DHHS because many costs are driven by utilization and because some funds are statutorily non-lapsing. White reported that vacancy rates have risen, citing about 400 unfunded positions in the current biennium and the department’s hiring freeze, while emphasizing that direct-care positions are being prioritized. Committee members raised concerns that back-of-the-budget cuts and weak revenue collections could affect the department’s ability to manage lapse projections. The committee then heard from Division of Public Health Director Ian Watt on vaccine policy and federal changes. Watt said New Hampshire continues to support access to safe and effective vaccines, including through the universal purchase program and seasonal respiratory virus guidance. He explained a recent CDC change regarding the MMRV vaccine, which now discourages the combined shot for the first dose in children under four because of febrile seizure risk, while still allowing it for the second dose. Watt said New Hampshire’s school and child care vaccine mandates remain stable, with nine vaccines required for schoolchildren and 10 for child care, and that the state continues to review federal recommendations cautiously. He also said there have been no supply or funding disruptions affecting vaccine access, and that childhood vaccine funding through commercial insurers remains intact. Finally, the Permanent Subcommittee on Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Related Dementias presented its annual report. The subcommittee said it met about six times, heard presentations on state services, silver alerts, brain health awareness, and palliative/hospice care, and began work on updating the state’s Alzheimer’s plan, which had last been updated in 2015-2016. To gather more direct input, the subcommittee formed a needs-assessment work group to develop a survey for people living with dementia, caregivers, and service providers. It recommended integrating Alzheimer’s and dementia materials into chronic disease, aging, and public health outreach; embedding cognitive health into systems of care and the state health improvement plan; adding cognitive health measures to BRFSS; and continuing partnerships with aging and advocacy organizations. Members praised the report and suggested it should clearly identify the subcommittee and include page numbers in future versions.

Transcript Highlights:

• 11:02.959><c> contractors</c><00:11:03.600><c> that</c><00:11:03.839><c> are</c><00:11:04.079><c> very
• ><c> and</c><00:11:05.440><c> quick</c><00:11:05.600><c> and</c><00:11:05.839><c> they</c><00:11:06.079
• and</c><00:11:12.880><c> to</c><00:11:13.120><c> be</c><00:11:13.279><c> able</c><00:11:13.440><c> to
• help<00:11:18.399><c> with</c><00:11:18.640><c> those</c><00:11:18.880><c> expenses</c><00:11:19.760
• :11:24.240><c> make</c><00:11:24.399><c> sense</c><00:11:24.720><c> except</c><00:11:25.040><c> for</

Committee: Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• We'll<01:11:00.400><c> we'll</c><01:11:00.719><c> be</c><01:11:00.960><c> sending</c><01:11:01.280><c
• September</c><01:11:03.280><c> to</c><01:11:03.520><c> do</c><01:11:03.679><c> a</c><01:11:03.920><c>
• quarterly</c> end of September to do a quarterly end of September to do a quarterly report<01:11:05.040
• HJR46 um<01:11:12.640><c> there's</c><01:11:12.960><c> a</c><01:11:13.120><c> form</c><01:11:13.679><
• c> and</c><01:11:13.920><c> it's</c><01:11:14.239><c> very</c><01:11:14.560><c> easy</c><01:11:14.800

Summary: The Budget Review Subcommittee on Transportation met without a quorum and first received a maintenance update from Kentucky Transportation Cabinet officials James Ballinger and John Moore. They described how repeated disasters, including floods, tornadoes, and ice storms, have strained routine road maintenance and forced crews to focus on emergency response, snow and ice removal, pothole patching, ditching, signal repairs, mowing, striping, sign work, and other day-to-day upkeep. They said snow and ice costs have averaged about $60 million to $61 million annually in recent years, disaster response has totaled hundreds of millions of dollars over five years, and the cabinet often must carry those costs until FEMA or FHWA reimbursement arrives. They also said maintenance work is increasingly contracted out because of staffing and resource limits, and that competitive pay is needed to retain employees and contractors for around-the-clock emergency work. Members then discussed traffic roundabouts and other intersection designs. Senator Hickden asked about their cost savings and safety benefits compared with traffic signals, and cabinet staff said they would provide life-cycle cost figures later. They emphasized that roundabouts and related designs reduce serious injuries and fatalities, with serious injuries down roughly 70% to 80% and fatalities over 90% in their experience. Chair Douglas and others asked about roundabout sizing for trucks and farm equipment, and staff explained that designers tailor the inscribed diameter to local traffic needs and context. The committee also briefly discussed red-light running and traffic-light cameras, with members stressing the safety risks of drivers ignoring signals. The committee adopted the minutes from the prior meeting by motion and voice vote. It then heard from Sarah Jackson and Matthew Cole on the Real ID and driver licensing transition. They said the cabinet has expanded from almost no regional offices to 35, grown driver licensing staff from 89 to 400, and now issues about 1.3 million credentials annually. They reported improvements in office capacity, queue management, staffing, and compensation, including added workstations, new or expanded offices in Louisville, Lexington, and Bardstown, and the use of contract staff. They said statewide average wait times have fallen to just under 30 minutes, and Kentucky’s Real ID adoption rate has risen to 42.9%. Members asked follow-up questions about driver testing and CDL scheduling. The presenters said all permit and CDL testing is coordinated through Kentucky State Police, with written tests available in most regional offices and CDL testing at a smaller number of KSP locations. Senator Douglas asked when the driver testing requirements were last updated, and the presenters said that was set by KSP. The discussion ended with additional questions about which regional offices lack KSP testing presence, but no further action was taken before the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:11:01.480><c> And</c><00:11:01.640><c> thank</c><00:11:01.880><c> you</c><00:11:01.960><c> for
• ><c> it</c><00:11:10.400><c> it</c><00:11:10.800><c> Senator</c><00:11:11.160><c> Carroll,</c><00:11:
• :11.839><c> shows</c><00:11:12.080><c> up</c><00:11:12.240><c> on</c><00:11:12.360><c> mine,</c><00:11
• &gt;&gt; In<00:11:13.200><c> this</c><00:11:13.520><c> version</c><00:11:14.520><c> without</c><00:11
• </c><00:11:18.280><c> But</c><00:11:18.400><c> just</c><00:11:18.600><c> to</c><00:11:18.680><c> be</

Summary: The Medicaid Oversight and Advisory Board met on January 12, 2026, to approve the December 10, 2025 minutes and continue finalizing its findings and recommendations. Members reviewed findings on administrative inefficiencies, Medicaid and workforce participation under HR 1, Medicaid budget growth, rural health transformation fund development, and provider tax/state-directed payment changes. The board approved a motion to change “pilot” to “partnership” in the workforce-related recommendation, and also adopted a technical amendment clarifying overlapping HCBS services by removing reference to adult daycare waiver services and revising the language to focus on reducing duplication, simplifying provider contracting, and standardizing processes across programs. A separate technical correction was noted to change “DMS” to “DPH” in the rural health transformation finding, to be handled in the final edits. Several findings drew discussion but no final substantive vote during the meeting. On the rural health transformation fund, Dr. Berg said Kentucky had done well in federal funding and noted limits on what could be shared publicly, while Commissioner Lee said a public website had been created and recommended the department reference be changed to the Department for Public Health. Finding five prompted extended discussion about provider taxes, state-directed payment reductions under HR 1, and whether the board should address the relationship between actuarial studies, MCO payments, and actual provider reimbursement more directly. Senator Meredith and others argued for a broader, more transparent baseline review of rates across provider groups, while Commissioner Lee said CMS will require certain fee schedule comparisons to Medicare beginning July 1, 2026, and that quarterly expenditure reports already go to LRC. The board did not finish resolving finding five during the meeting and agreed to return to it after staff prepared more explicit language. Members also discussed the possibility of an all-payers claims database as a better way to understand what is being paid across payers and services. No final vote on the full findings package was taken in the portion of the meeting provided, but the board did adopt the noted amendments and continued working through the remaining language.

Transcript Highlights:

• You'll be back in September.
• The September meeting is, of course, dedicated to taking public testimony, and we will reach out to the
• stakeholders and the agency staff that we worked with to let them know about that September meeting,
• Okay, and we'll see everyone at our next meeting, which is scheduled to take place on September 15th,
• September 15th, 2026. Thank you so much for your attendance today. Meeting adjourned. Thank you.

Committee: Joint Citizen Commission for Performance Measurement of Tax Preferences

Transcript Highlights:

• Right now we have through September 2025.
• Each month is the total for that month and the 11 months that preceded it.
• Each month is the total for that month and the 11 months that preceded it.
• Our decline right now is around 10% to 11%.
• Of the 11 agencies that I found that offered significant recruitment bonuses in 2022 and 2023, 11 of

Summary: The House Committee on Community Safety held a December 4, 2025 work session focused first on crime trends and then on policing effectiveness. Adam Gelb of the Council on Criminal Justice reviewed long-term national data showing major declines in reported crime and victimization since the early 1990s, a pandemic-era spike in homicide and some violent crime, and a recent drop back toward pre-pandemic levels. He also highlighted a sharp decline in juvenile arrests and incarceration, a substantial reduction in racial disparities in imprisonment, and noted that much of the disparity reduction appears tied to changes in arrest patterns. James McMahon of the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs then presented Washington’s 2024 crime report, saying total crime fell 8.4% from 2023, with decreases in violent crime, property crime, murders, robberies, aggravated assaults, hate crimes, and vehicle theft, while crimes against society rose. He emphasized that domestic violence makes up about half of crimes against persons, that Washington remains above its 2019 levels in several categories, and that underreporting affects the data. Marshall Clement of the Council of State Governments Justice Center added that Washington remains one of the states still above 2019 violent-crime levels, with homicide and juvenile victimization especially concerning, and noted wide variation in juvenile arrests and violent-crime trends across cities and counties. Jeff Asher of the Real Time Crime Index said his near-real-time data through September 2025 suggests continued national and Washington declines in murder, violent crime, and property crime, with Washington’s murder trend likely continuing downward into 2025. The second half of the work session shifted to policing methods and clearance rates. Richard Hahn of the Niskanen Center argued that disorder and neighborhood conditions affect public safety perceptions, that environmental design and street lighting can reduce crime, and that police agencies need better deployment, investigative capacity, and clearance rates, especially amid staffing shortages. Mark Kropanski of Arnold Ventures summarized research finding that police staffing matters, hotspots and problem-oriented policing reduce crime, and better investigations increase deterrence and trust; he stressed that homicide clearance rates remain only around 60% in Washington and that property-crime clearance is much lower. Marshall Clement returned to focus on Washington’s solve rates, saying only 44% of violent crimes reported to police are solved, with 62% of homicides, 51% of aggravated assaults, 25% of rapes, and 31% of robberies cleared in 2024, and that large numbers of serious crimes remain unsolved over a three-year period. He urged state leaders to set goals, improve data collection, strengthen investigative resources, and support victims and witnesses. No votes or formal actions were taken; the session was informational and included extensive member questions about juvenile crime, domestic violence, underreporting, detective staffing, and how to improve clearance rates.

Transcript Highlights:

• They submitted revised plans to us by September 1.
• ... ...are due on September 1, 2027.
• In New Mexico, we do this at grade 11 in high school.
• This is grades 5, 8, and 11 science.
• The only SAT school day at grade 11 is a statewide requirement.

Transcript Highlights:

• On September 11th, 2001, killed Mr.
• He still donates his time today as a member of the Board of Directors of the National September 11 Memorial
• 11. and an art gallery in honor of his mother, who was an artist.
• 11, 2001.
• You rebuilt Cantor Fitzgerald in the wake of the unspeakable tragedy of 9/11.

Committee: Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• university staff and one of our board members, and these are the metrics that were approved in our September
• Our board approved that on September 11th.
• Our board approved that September 11th.
• They are currently meeting 11 of the 13 metrics.
• you'll see some details on UCF there are one emerging pre-eminent university they are currently meeting 11

Summary: The committee heard a presentation on the State University System’s new strategic plan, SUS 30, from Emily Sykes and later the system’s legislative budget request from Sarah Denagie. The strategic plan centers on five priorities: One SUS collaboration, elevating student success, operational excellence, world-class talent, and innovative research and economic development. Testimony highlighted Florida’s continued status as the nation’s top higher education system, record rankings, improved four-year graduation rates, higher median graduate wages, strong licensure pass rates, and expanded focus on research commercialization and workforce alignment. Senators asked about programs of strategic emphasis, mental health and teacher workforce needs, use of the My Florida Future wage data tool, support for first-generation and Pell students, and the role of liberal arts degrees. The system said it would provide follow-up information, including the full strategic-emphasis list and a report on campus safety best practices after a recent summit following the FSU shooting. The committee also received an update on line funding for nursing and health care partnerships. Officials said the $6 million appropriation was fully subscribed through 24 proposals from all 10 nursing programs, supporting scholarships, faculty recruitment, internships, simulation, and expanded nursing capacity. They reported more than 1,900 new nursing graduates, over 200 new student slots, more than 300 scholarships, and a 92% NCLEX pass rate. Senators asked about expanding eligibility for the program, and staff indicated that would be examined this year. For the legislative budget request, the Board of Governors asked for $634.5 million total, including $295 million to maintain the institutional performance-based funding base, $400 million for the state investment portion of performance-based funding, $125 million for preeminence funding, $100 million for faculty recruitment and retention, $6.4 million for UF/IFAS extension workload, and $3.1 million for state fire marshal inspections. The chair noted that resources are limited and that difficult budget decisions will be required. No votes were taken, and the meeting adjourned after the presentations and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> to</c><00:11:00.399><c> make</c><00:11:00.560><c> a</c><00:11:00.880><c> long</c><00:11:01.040><
• , particularly the<00:11:05.200><c> chairs,</c><00:11:05.440><c> and</c><00:11:05.600><c> I</c><00:11
• </c><00:11:07.440><c> testimony</c><00:11:08.000><c> goes</c><00:11:08.320><c> for</c><00:11:08.560><
• I deployed for eight seven months after September 11. I was awarded a medal for saving a life.
• </c> for eight seven months after September for eight seven months after September 11.<00:48:35.920><

Bills: SB2094

Committee: Senate Agriculture and Environment

Summary: The committee first took up SB 2094, which would require state agencies monitoring environmental toxins and pollutants to establish environmental action levels and limit changes to those levels without meeting procedural requirements. The chair recommended passing the bill with amendments, including inserting estimated costs for a secure portal website and webinars into the committee report and deferring the effective date to July 1, 2050. The motion passed unanimously among those voting, with excused members noted. The committee then considered several other measures and adopted recommendations to pass them with amendments, generally adding technical and clarifying changes and setting a defective date of 2525. SB 2862 was amended to broaden the preamble, make additional appointees confirmable, clarify reporting requirements for gubernatorial appointees, and was held for further discussion. SB 2781 on lei production created a working group to review existing studies and conduct a statewide study of Hawaii’s floriculture industry. SB 3015 adopted California’s definition of PII, applied it to government agencies and political subdivisions, created a private cause of action, and required a compliance report. SB 3230 removed a categorical prohibition on certain third-party project management procurements while preserving state oversight responsibility, in line with procurement office requests. The joint GVO Health and Human Services agenda then focused on two related bills requiring universal changing accommodations in public restrooms. SB 2932 would apply to new state building construction beginning July 1, 2026, and testimony from disability advocates, the Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities, and others supported the measure while asking for language clarifying that the requirement applies only where technically feasible and, in some cases, only to state-managed buildings. SB 2268 was described as broader, extending beyond government buildings into the private sector and including a private right of action; witnesses supported the concept but raised implementation concerns, especially for smaller businesses, and requested the same technically infeasible language and other clarifications. Both bills were advanced with amendments, and the committee noted adoption of the recommendations.