Video & Transcript Research : 'Transportation Code'

Page 210 of 500
HI

Hawaii 2025 Regular Session

House Chamber - Fri Mar 14, 2025, 12:00PM HST - Day 32

Hawaii House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • Representative Pck said in opposition, stating the bill further aids the bad landlord-tenant code and
  • bill further AIDS our bad landlord bill further AIDS our bad landlord tenant<00:43:06.160> code
  • > sediment for sorry for wildlife altering sediment for sorry for wildlife altering sediment transport
  • patterns<00:57:25.720> impact<00:57:26.359> aquatic<00:57:26.720> plant transport
  • patterns impact aquatic plant transport patterns impact aquatic plant life<00:57:27.640> and<
Keywords: 910, house, all
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee 1/23/25

Judiciary Finance and Civil Law

Transcript Highlights:
  • If you scan the QR code on the presentation, that'll bring you directly to that manual.
  • What does that stand for, the QR code? The ICWA — Indian Child Welfare Act. Okay, thank you.
  • premium increases, an increase in operating funds by $1 million yearly to meet the increased transportation
  • c> by 1 million yearly to meet the by 1 million yearly to meet the increased<00:10:01.680> transportation
  • transportation and inflation costs<00:10:03.800> we<00:10:03.920> do<00:10:04.120>
Keywords: 1183, house
Summary: The House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee approved the January 21 minutes and then reviewed committee rules, emphasizing deadlines for handouts, testimony notices, and substantive amendments, along with a warning that disruptive signs, noise, or demonstrations could lead to removal from the hearing room. The chair said the rules would be shared with the full House and noted the committee would operate with quorum and not tolerate chaos. The committee then heard a presentation from Tammy Baker Olson, the state program administrator for the Guardian ad Litem Board, on the program’s structure and budget request. She explained that guardians ad litem are independent voices for children’s best interests in child protection and family court cases, not attorneys or direct service providers. She said the program operates statewide, with 243 employees, and in 2024 advocated for more than 12,000 children, attended over 30,000 court proceedings, and filed reports in over 16,000 hearings. She also described specialized Family Court and Indian Child Welfare divisions, efforts to address racial disparities, and training requirements for guardians. Members asked about mileage and travel demands, the distinction between a child’s attorney and a guardian ad litem, caseloads, re-entry outcomes, the move from contractor/volunteer models to employee-based staffing, and the role of volunteers. Olson said most guardians use personal vehicles and mileage reimbursement, average caseloads are about 24, and the program has not seen a statewide increase in cases but does face staffing vacancies and turnover in some areas. She said the board believes the employee model improved advocacy and supervision, while the program is rebuilding a modest volunteer pool. She also said the program supports Indian Family Preservation Act-related work and has a formal process for handling conflicts of interest, which should be raised immediately to a supervisor rather than waiting for a complaint process.
NM

New Mexico 2025 Regular Session

IC - Radioactive and Hazardous Materials May 29th, 2025

Radioactive & Hazardous Materials Committee

Transcript Highlights:
  • And then through that, The coordinator implements that transportation safety program.
  • In October, we have our whip transportation exercise, which you are all invited.
  • are are waiting to be transported. So, Mr.
  • Chairman, and Tim lady is um Uh, cast, I think is their name, is Cast Transportation still the transporter
  • Chairman, Senator, yes, Cass is our transporter.
TX

Texas 89th 2nd C.S.

Appropriations - S/C on Article III Feb 27th, 2025

Appropriations - S/C on Article III

Transcript Highlights:
  • Our expertise in coastal AI and autonomous systems and our partnership with the Texas Transportation
  • I invite you to use the QR code on slide 3 to explore our strategic plan.
  • Gregory Winfrey, director of Texas A&M Transportation Institute. How are you today, sir?
  • And efficiency of the entire transportation network.
  • To driving innovation and transportation, ensuring that Texas remains the nation's transportation research
WV
Transcript Highlights:
  • special cases through a supplemental school aid fund, which may include, but is not limited to, transportation
  • Basically, you want to expire those two subsections in that section of code, effective July 1, 2027.
  • This bill amends provisions of the West Virginia Code by adding three new articles to foster economic
Keywords: 994, senate, all
CA
Transcript Highlights:
  • Transportation Secretary.
  • The 2025-2026 governor's budget for transportation maintains the entirety of the transportation package
  • In addition to maintaining the transportation package, this transportation budget includes two general
  • I wanted to talk about the act of transportation.
  • Significant issue with transportation or do you feel like we're pretty solid in terms of transportation
Keywords: 988, house, all
MA

Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Joint Committee on Housing Jun 21st, 2026 at 01:00 pm

Joint Committee on Housing

Transcript Highlights:
  • We believe code should be made by the experts there.
  • We believe codes should be made by the experts there.
  • Add to that we have something called the stretch energy code, which is an opt-in code, and then, of course
  • , the promulgation of the specialized municipal opt-in code, yet another energy... ...code.
  • But remember, fundamentally, the state building code was promulgated because it's a safety code.
Keywords: 995, all
Summary: The Joint Committee on Housing opened a hybrid hearing focused on housing production bills, with Chairs Julian Cyr and Rich Haggerty emphasizing Massachusetts’ housing shortage and the need to produce more than 200,000 units over the next decade. The committee then heard testimony on a wide range of proposals, including social housing, starter homes and the “missing middle,” accessory dwelling units (ADUs), single-stair residential buildings, permanent affordability homeownership, and housing for people with disabilities. Several witnesses framed the bills as tools to expand supply, lower costs, and address racial and generational wealth gaps. Representative Connolly testified for H. 1478 on the Massachusetts Social Housing Program, describing publicly owned, mixed-income housing financed through a revolving loan fund. Senator Feeney testified for S. 989 on missing middle starter homes, arguing for zoning changes, incentives, and affordability tools to support smaller starter homes and duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes. Multiple witnesses, including housing advocates, real estate representatives, and local officials, supported the ADU trust fund bill and the single-stair study bill, saying they would reduce barriers, support homeowners, and enable more family-sized and infill housing. Some witnesses opposed bills they said would weaken ADU reforms or add new restrictions, while others urged broader deregulation to speed production. A major portion of the hearing focused on H. 1576/S. 1010, the Homes for Lasting Affordability bill, which would create a permanent affordability homeownership program for low- and moderate-income buyers and support small developments with long-term affordability restrictions. Testimony from community land trust leaders, legislators, and housing advocates emphasized that permanent affordability can preserve public investment, stabilize neighborhoods, and help families build wealth over generations. Senator Miranda and Representative Worrell tied the bill to closing the racial wealth gap and expanding access to homeownership for Black and Latino residents. The committee also heard testimony on S. 971, which would reform the Housing Development and Incentive Program to require more affordability in Gateway City projects. The committee additionally heard from Senator Kennedy and disability advocates on S. 1004, which would strengthen the Alternative Housing Voucher Program for people with disabilities by codifying project-based vouchers and aligning the program more closely with other voucher systems. Witnesses described long waitlists and the lack of accessible, affordable units as major barriers that can lead to homelessness or unnecessary institutionalization. No votes were taken during the hearing; the session was devoted to testimony and questions from committee members.
OK

Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session

Appropriations and Budget Health Subcommittee Jan 22nd, 2026 at 09:30 am

A&B Health Subcommittee

Transcript Highlights:
  • So, yeah, growers, dispensaries, processors, waste facilities, transport, and all of them are twice a
  • one thing you didn't touch on, but I wanted to give you an opportunity to brag about it is your transport
  • Did I hear that we're now looking at like same day on that transport?
  • We have instituted based on some code adjustments last in last year's legislative session.
  • and make sure if you have the handouts, if you don't, gives us the ability to kind of codify that in code
Keywords: 914, all
FL

Florida 2026 5th Special Session

Fiscal Policy Apr 8th, 2025

Transcript Highlights:
  • Let's take up Tab 1, CS for CS for SB 462 on transportation by Senator DeSigley.
  • For CS for SB 462 on transportation by Senator DeSigley, Senator DeSigley, you are recognized to explain
  • The substitute amendment requires counties that receive charter county and regional transportation surtax
  • program to retrofit certain traffic signals and allocates $10 million annually from the State Transportation
  • And the Ethics Commission does not have jurisdiction over the elections code.
Summary: The committee first took up CS for CS for CS for SB 462 on transportation. A substitute amendment was adopted that would require counties receiving transportation surtax proceeds to report how the money is used to the Office of Economic and Demographic Research, prohibit certain airport fees tied to collegiate aviation flight training, create a Sarasota-Manatee Airport Authority pilot program, and dedicate $10 million annually for a traffic signal modernization program. The amendment also removed several provisions from the bill, including a sales-tax transfer to the State Transportation Trust Fund, a bid-protest-related contracting requirement, and repeal of the Metropolitan Planning Organization Advisory Council. A late-filed amendment was tabled, and the bill was reported favorably. The committee then heard CS for CS for CS for SB 628, Lucy’s Law, which strengthens boating safety penalties for leaving the scene of a vessel accident and reckless operation. After the sponsor withdrew a pending amendment, the committee heard emotional testimony from Lucy’s parents and others in support, and the bill was reported favorably. The committee next considered CS for CS for SB 700, the Florida Farm Bill, under a strike-all amendment. The bill’s major provisions included removing non-purity additives from public water systems, requiring clearer labeling for meat, milk, poultry, and eggs, criminalizing drone harassment over farmland, updating agriculture disaster recovery programs, creating an honest services registry for charities tied to countries of concern, expanding FFA-related scholarships and school infrastructure, and allowing the state to repurchase certain former agricultural lands converted to solar fields. Testimony included strong support from agriculture and related groups, opposition from the Florida Bankers Association over a private right of action related to financial discrimination, and criticism from speakers opposed to fluoride removal. The bill was amended and then reported favorably despite some opposition. The committee also reported favorably SB 796, which authorizes DEP general permits for distributed wastewater treatment systems to replace failing septic tanks. The committee then took up a large strike-all for CS for SB 1618, a K-20 education package. The amendment combined provisions on VPK flexibility, early grade success, agriculture education, financial literacy, reading intervention, teacher assignment transparency, restrictions on spending public funds for political or social activism, emergency opioid antagonists, corporal punishment consent, teacher certification pathways, and other higher-education and workforce items from SB 1624, including guardrails for certain private religious postsecondary institutions. Members questioned the new prohibition on using public funds for political or social activism, with the sponsor saying it was intended to keep public schools from being a battleground for ideology; Equality Florida and the ACLU opposed that section. The amendment was adopted and the bill was reported favorably. Finally, the committee began extensive debate on CS for SB 7016, a major initiative-petition reform bill. The sponsors said the bill responds to fraud and abuse documented in a large Office of Election Crimes and Security report and would impose tighter rules on petition circulators, including Florida residency and U.S. citizenship requirements, training, shorter submission deadlines, stronger penalties, new identification requirements on petitions, and a 25% invalid-signature trigger for investigations by election-crimes officials. Senators raised numerous questions about due process, public records, penalties, the treatment of volunteers and former felons, the verification process, and the practical effect of the new deadlines and thresholds. The discussion was ongoing when the transcript ended, and no final vote on SB 7016 is shown in the excerpt.
WY

Wyoming 2026 Regular Session

House Labor, Health & Social Services, February 11, 2026

Labor, Health & Social Services

Transcript Highlights:
  • <01:26:33.440> Um<01:26:33.760> but through the the building codes.
  • Um but through the the building codes.
  • This just ensures that the taxonomy code for a birth center is enrollable in Wyoming, which would put
  • This just ensures that the taxonomy code This just ensures that the taxonomy code for<01:29:07.840
  • <01:41:30.800> to<01:41:30.960> a they have to be transported to a they have to be
Bills: HB0003, HB0004
CA

California 2025-2026 Regular Session

Assembly Judiciary Committee Apr 29th, 2025

Transcript Highlights:
  • Ensuring access means maintaining the ability to transport and deliver such medication throughout the
  • California's privacy laws, including the CCPA, CPR, and age-appropriate design code, prioritize data
  • In fact, as written, AB 1043 stands to significantly weaken existing penal and civil code, specifically
  • of toxic and The production and transport of SAF and its feedstocks causes wide-ranging health harms
  • This bill would allow the California Department of Justice, an agency with wage theft and labor code
Summary: The committee heard testimony on several bills related to reproductive access, child safety online, immigration enforcement in schools, health privacy, location data, digital provenance, reparations, and age assurance. AB 54 would protect the medication abortion supply chain and shield providers and others from liability; AB 1137 would strengthen reporting and enforcement tools for child sexual abuse material on social media; AB 49 would limit ICE activity at California public schools; AB 82 would expand privacy and safety protections for gender-affirming care patients and providers; AB 1355 would restrict the collection, use, and sale of precise location data; AB 853 would expand provenance requirements for AI-generated and authentic content; AB 62 would create a pathway for restitution for racially biased eminent domain takings; and AB 1043 would create a device-based age assurance framework for online services. Supporters generally framed the bills as necessary responses to current harms: reproductive rights advocates emphasized California’s role as a safe haven; child safety witnesses described the persistence and re-victimization caused by CSAM online; immigrant rights and education advocates said schools should remain safe from immigration enforcement; health and LGBTQ+ advocates stressed privacy and safety risks tied to tracking and harassment; privacy and consumer groups backed limits on location data and stronger provenance tools; and reparations advocates said AB 62 would help address historic injustices. Opposition came from family policy, tech, business, law enforcement, and industry groups, who raised concerns about safety claims, constitutional issues, implementation burdens, transparency, law enforcement access, and the need to preserve existing privacy frameworks and voluntary standards. The committee members largely expressed support for the policy goals while noting implementation concerns on some measures. Several members asked for or were offered coauthor status on bills. AB 1137, AB 54, AB 49, AB 82, AB 1355, AB 853, and AB 62 all received do-pass votes to Appropriations, with some members voting no or not voting on certain bills. AB 1355 and AB 853 were advanced with amendments or ongoing work promised with opponents, and AB 1043 was presented with discussion of possible amendments on parental consent and age assurance details, though the transcript cuts off before final action on that bill.
MN

Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session

House Children and Families Finance and Policy Committee 3/25/25

Children and Families Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:
  • of their zip code or their family's<00:18:30.360> income.
  • Yes, children do need transportation in order to show up. So, we provide transportation.
  • <00:53:43.040> So, transportation in order to show up.
  • So, transportation in order to show up.
  • And we also we provide transportation.
MN

Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session

Committee on Education Policy - 01/22/25

Education Policy

Transcript Highlights:
  • funds, contract settlements, inflation for operations, the cost of operations, and especially transportation
  • funds, contract settlements, inflation for operations, the cost of operations, and especially transportation
  • In the past three years, we have seen an increase of more than 800 new budget codes.
  • 38.359> budget an increase of more than 800 new budget an increase of more than 800 new budget codes
  • we also worry about the shortage codes we also worry about the shortage of<00:51:41.920> license<
Keywords: 1187, senate, all
Summary: The Senate Education Policy Committee met under a co-chair arrangement and heard opening remarks emphasizing civility, direct testimony from school leaders, and a focus on whether state policy is meeting student needs in the least intrusive and most cost-effective way. Chair Coleman asked testifiers to keep remarks brief and policy-focused, and the committee began with a series of superintendents describing local budget pressures and the cumulative impact of state mandates. Anoka-Hennepin Superintendent Corey McIntyre said the district, the state’s largest, is serving about 37,000 students and faces a roughly $26 million deficit even after major reductions, including cutting about $44 million and roughly 250 central office jobs. He cited rising costs tied to compensation, special education and multilingual cross-subsidies, unemployment, paid leave, READ Act implementation, student/staff safety and K-3 discipline requirements, and transportation, saying the district still faces about $50 million in mandate-related shortfalls and may need to reduce class size and student supports. Senator Kunesh responded that summer unemployment claims are paid from a separate state budget line, not the district general fund, and asked about paid leave costs; McIntyre and the chair clarified the district’s concern was the possibility of future costs if state funding ends. Prior Lake-Savage Superintendent Michael Thomas said district revenues are rising only about 2.5% to 3% while expenses are growing 5% or more, driven by inflation and vendor costs. He argued that the state’s inflationary funding tie should be maintained, and asked for an increase in local optional aid of $250 per pupil and more flexibility for districts that struggle to pass local levies. Minnetonka Superintendent David Law argued that schools are being asked to absorb broader community burdens, including food and mental health needs, while still being judged on academics and graduation; he said REACT funding fell short, forcing the district to shift reading funds to staff development, and urged the committee not to roll mandates forward without funding. Fergus Falls Superintendent Jeff Drake said expanded unemployment, earned sick and safe time, and paid family leave are creating staffing and budget challenges for rural districts, estimating unemployment costs could reach $240,000 annually and sick and safe time about $25,000, with added difficulty recruiting support staff and substitutes. No committee votes or formal actions were taken in the portion provided.
ND
Transcript Highlights:
  • And then also, currently in law in this chapter of code, there is a requirement for the advertisement
  • Well, and the question has to do with perhaps it's in a different section of code, because we find that
  • Well, and the question has to do with perhaps it's in a different section of code, because we find that
  • Well, and the question has to do with perhaps it's in a different section of code, because we find that
  • So the bill draft amends North Dakota Century Code Chapter 48-09.
Summary: The task force approved the March 25, 2026 minutes as amended, striking language about contracting with a security vendor. Members then reviewed a draft bill on concessions procurement (LC 27.0161), which would raise the competitive solicitation threshold from $25,000 to $50,000, allow requests for proposals in addition to bids, update language for vending and merchandising machines, and clarify where concession proceeds are deposited. OMB explained the bill and said it was open to further changes, including language to address artificial fragmentation, clarify which government entities are covered, and possibly set contract-length limits. Members raised questions about whether the bill would apply to school districts, park districts, airports, and other political subdivisions, and about whether concession agreements could direct proceeds to nonprofits or other secondary recipients; OMB said the statute is intended to require proceeds to go to the government entity’s operating fund or general fund. OMB also reported on other survey suggestions. It said a proposed general authority for agencies to create pre-qualified architect/engineering vendor pools would not move forward, because the existing authority is best limited to high-volume agencies. On legal notices, OMB said it had made progress with the North Dakota Newspaper Association on modernizing online notices, improving ADA compliance, and discussing rate and definition changes. On click-through agreements, OMB and the Attorney General’s office concluded no statutory change was needed after revising internal guidance; the $20,000 threshold was described as a practical cutoff for adhesive, nonnegotiable software terms. OMB also said issues raised by the Center for Distance Education on alternate procurements and food/beverage expenditures had been resolved through policy clarification. The University System gave a brief update on its collaboration with OMB and said it was continuing to review concessions, surplus property, and capital project statutes with all institutions involved. The task force then discussed a draft bill on requirements for new or expanded spending, intended to require agencies to identify program purpose, needs, alternatives, success measures, and budget details, and to report on outcomes over time. Members and staff debated whether OMB or Legislative Council should collect and report the information, how much should be real-time versus periodic, and whether the bill should include full implementation costs for pilot programs. Legislative Council staff said the new program evaluation division is still being built out, that staffing remains limited, and that the office plans to continue working with OMB and the executive branch to refine the proposal before the next meeting. No final action was taken on the draft bills beyond directing further work and follow-up for the next meeting.
FL

Florida 2025 Regular Session

January 14, 2025 - 09:00 AM

Transcript Highlights:
  • So whether you look at health care, whether you look at transportation, whether you look at tourism,
  • Florida's geography plays into this, but Florida is also transportation infrastructure.
  • You see the governor investing in transportation infrastructure significantly throughout the state.
  • Florida Commerce projects 26.5% growth in transportation, storage, and distribution manager roles over
  • So those computer science skills, cybersecurity skills, cloud computing skills, coding, all of those
Summary: The Careers and Workforce Subcommittee met for its first meeting of the year, took roll, and heard member introductions centered on the importance of workforce pathways beyond the traditional four-year college route. Members repeatedly emphasized manufacturing, trades, rural workforce needs, apprenticeships, and helping students and adults find multiple paths to good jobs. The chair outlined the subcommittee’s focus on policies that build a skilled workforce and announced the day’s theme would be manufacturing, with presentations from the Florida Department of Commerce, the Florida Semiconductor Institute, and Fleet Force CDL training. Secretary Alex Kelly presented Florida’s manufacturing report, saying manufacturing is a major economic driver and that Florida has become the 10th largest state in manufacturing employment. He highlighted strong job multipliers, rapid growth in manufacturing GDP and establishments, the importance of logistics and ports, and the state’s small-business-heavy manufacturing base. He also stressed the aging manufacturing workforce, the need for modern skills such as robotics, cybersecurity, and data analytics, and the role of public-private partnerships, apprenticeships, and workforce education investments in supporting reshoring and industry growth. Dr. David Arnold described Florida’s semiconductor sector and the Florida Semiconductor Institute’s mission to grow research, workforce, and ecosystem development. He said semiconductors are strategically important, Florida ranks fifth nationally in semiconductor workforce, and the main bottleneck is mid-level technician talent rather than engineers or entry-level workers. He pointed to NeoCity, Valencia College, and other regional partnerships as models, and said the state needs more proactive planning, better instructor capacity, and stronger pathways from K-12 through postsecondary. Evan Agiloff of Fleet Force discussed Florida’s CDL shortage, saying trucking is essential to the supply chain, Florida has about 18,000 open CDL positions, and Fleet Force’s college-based model can quickly move students into middle-class jobs. Members asked about apprenticeships, CTE pathways, semiconductor training, infrastructure needs, and how to expand and better fund workforce programs; no votes were taken.
WA
Transcript Highlights:
  • The funding model is devised and developed through many Revised Code of Washington chapters, Washington
  • Administrative Codes, House and Senate bills.
  • Districts upload data related to enrollment, staffing, transportation, and more into eight OSPI-managed
  • what we did to select it, like, okay, this would have more programs that we can then see if those are coded
Summary: The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee subcommittee heard a State Auditor’s Office performance audit on the accuracy and reliability of OSPI’s school apportionment system. Auditors said the system, which calculates and distributes K-12 funding using multiple feeder systems and a core apportionment engine, is outdated, unstable, inefficient, and at high risk of failure. They reported weak controls over data input, documentation, oversight, and staffing, and said OSPI relies heavily on manual workarounds, a few knowledgeable staff, and vendor support. In limited testing of three districts, the auditors found the system calculated funding correctly for the 2023-24 school year, but they identified nine small input discrepancies tied to differences between budget materials and state law, which they said could compound into larger dollar amounts. The auditors recommended replacing or modernizing the system and noted that delays in doing so prolong risk. OSPI largely agreed that the current platform needs replacement and said it has been working toward a new system for years. Agency officials clarified that the Legislature requested a feasibility study in 2022, that the study found the system at risk of catastrophic failure, and that funding for a replacement is now in the state IT pool subject to OCIO/OFM gate reviews. OSPI disputed the audit’s characterization of the rounding and budget-law discrepancies, saying the issue was an agency rule and implementation choice, not an error that caused under- or over-allocation. Officials also said the current system is too old to easily absorb future formula changes, but that the planned replacement should be flexible enough to handle a new funding model if the Legislature adopts one. Committee members asked about the amount and timing of the $16 million project funding, whether smaller districts face greater risk, how many times data is entered, and whether the funding formula should be simplified. Auditors and OSPI both emphasized that formula simplification is a policy question for the Legislature, not the audit. Public testimony came from one online witness, who urged full implementation of the audit recommendations and modernization of the system. The subcommittee took no formal vote and adjourned after the presentations and testimony.
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Energy Resources Mar 31st, 2025

Energy Resources

Transcript Highlights:
  • Section 3506 seeks to repeal Chapter 132 of the National Resource Code and withdraw its membership from
  • Members, House Bill 3707. the criminal code and how we can further address the problems of oilfield theft
  • House Bill 3707 expands the definition of oilfield theft to include transporting petroleum without proof
  • Yeah, that's something that would be really, really... it would be in a different section of code, but
NH

New Hampshire 2026 Regular Session

House Ways and Means (01/28/2026)

Ways and Means

Keywords: 1189, house, all
AL

Alabama 2026 1st Special Session

Alabama House Mar 17th, 2026

Alabama House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • ,<00:15:56.000> utilities,<00:15:56.320> and transportation, utilities, and transportation
  • . under title 10A of the of the code.
  • organized under title 27 of the code. organized under title 27 of the code.
  • <01:39:35.199> would anything in the Alabama code would anything in the Alabama code would
  • So, all subject to the code of Alabama.
Keywords: 1136, house, all
KY
Transcript Highlights:
  • <00:10:53.040> and barely covering their transportation and barely covering their transportation
  • of curiosity, do you guys know approximately how many counties in Kentucky utilize barcodes or QR codes
  • Kentucky utilize barcodes or QR codes for the purposes of tabulating votes?
  • The elements, you'll notice that there's a QR code and there are barcodes on the ballots themselves.
  • elements, you'll notice that there's a elements, you'll notice that there's a QR<01:30:15.040> code
Summary: The committee met, approved the October 21 minutes, and then took up BR 25 for the 2026 regular session, a proposal to prohibit the use of tax dollars and public resources to advocate for or against ballot questions, including constitutional amendments. Senator Rawlings and the other presenters argued the current law already bars such advocacy but lacks meaningful enforcement, citing the 2024 school choice amendment campaign and other examples where public officials and school systems allegedly used taxpayer-funded resources to influence voters. They said the bill would add civil and criminal penalties, while preserving First Amendment rights for public employees acting in their personal capacities. Much of the discussion focused on whether the bill should be limited to school districts or broadened to cover other public entities, and on how to define terms such as “advocating in impartial terms.” Members raised concerns about possible effects on county and city lobbying through groups like KLC and KCO, on legitimate factual explanations by public officials, and on whether the bill could unintentionally restrict needed representation for local governments. The sponsors said the measure was intended to be narrow, would be vetted further, and would not bar individuals from speaking on their own behalf. Several members suggested revisions. Representative Lockett asked that schools and school employees be specifically named, and suggested separating the lobbying restrictions from the ballot-measure provisions into different bills. Representative Layman questioned the meaning of the bill’s language and whether it would cover factual testimony by officials. Representative Heen asked about a Jefferson County example involving legal fees used to challenge petition signatures; counsel said that situation would likely be allowable under the bill as drafted, though some members thought it should be covered. No final vote was taken on BR 25 during this discussion.