Transcript Highlights:

• Common subjects we would see is this accounting and recordkeeping, this big benchmarking, as alluded
• We have financial literacy pieces, benchmarking all the way to global economics, commodity marketing,
• There are areas where you're spending money, and I'm starting to see some really definitive things in
• There are areas where you're spending money, and I'm starting to see some really definitive things in
• money in and areas where you're spending money in and it's<01:41:41.639> and<01:41:41.800>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and you're not going to be able to spend and you're not going to be able to spend it<00:20:02.480
• In a time, I mean, even in good times, should we just be government just be spending money to spend and
• we just be government just be spending we just be government just be spending money<01:11:41.440
• give<01:11:42.720> contracts money to to spend and give contracts money to to spend and
• So why are we spending this kind of money?

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Looking at the historical benchmarks, you know those as well as we do.
• Looking at the historical benchmarks, you know those as well as we do.
• Looking at the historical benchmarks,<00:24:57.440> you<00:24:57.600> know<00:24:57.760
• There's a lot of can spend it, right?
• That gap between what cities collect and what they must spend is real and it's growing.

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00:00 Roll Call 00:00:11 Discussion of County Clerks’ Land Records Update 00:02:42 Discussion of Area Development Districts 00:22:48 Discussion of Legislative Measures 00:50:09 Discussion of Local Taxing Sources 01:02:33 Adjournment 01:29:16, 958, all

Summary: The committee first took up an update from the Kentucky County Clerks Association on the transition to electronic recording and land records modernization. Testimony explained that legislation from the 2021 task force created funding and deadlines for counties to provide online search portals and complete a 30-year property record search, with a later move to a 60-year standard. Speakers said the money has been awarded to counties, but much of the work is still in progress because records must be scanned, indexed, and manually verified. They said only a handful of counties are fully compliant with electronic recording so far, while many are still working through staffing and vendor issues. They also noted that the 60-year standard may ultimately be easier and more efficient to complete than the 30-year standard, and that compliance is expected to improve by next summer. The clerks’ representatives also raised related issues, including deed fraud, the county document storage fee, and KDLA digitization grants. They said online recording can make deed fraud easier to attempt, so they expect to seek legislation next session to address it. They described an existing notification service available in many counties that alerts property owners when a document is recorded, which can help detect suspicious activity quickly. They also said the storage fee and separate county account structure has generally worked well, but that two recent KDLA grant cycles have not released money for clerks, limiting support for digitization work. Another topic was whether, once records are fully digitized and verified, some permanent records should remain publicly accessible or be moved to a safer archive under KDLA control. Members asked about the balance in the KDLA fund, what the General Assembly could do to help lagging counties, and how much of the $25 million modernization funding had been spent. Witnesses said they did not have the current fund balance but would try to get it, that the main obstacle now appears to be staffing rather than additional money, and that the funds have been awarded but not fully expended because work is still ongoing. They emphasized that counties are helping one another and asked members to alert association leadership if any county is struggling. The committee then heard a presentation from Dan London, executive director of the Lincoln Trail Area Development District, who described area development districts as regional staff extensions and technical resources for cities and counties, and highlighted their role in coordinating regional services and partnerships across county lines.

Transcript Highlights:

• giving it to municipalities and local governments that are incentivized to increase millage rates and spend
• Exemptions this morning, we didn't spend a lot of time talking about it, but we did mention that they
• because of a rural area of opportunity designation, or should eligibility be strictly tied to the benchmark
• designation, or should eligibility be strictly tied to the benchmark? A bit of a policy question.
• only thing I would mention is if you look across different states, there's not a single obvious benchmark

Summary: The Select Committee on Property Taxes met for an educational session focused on how Florida funds public schools and how property taxes are assessed and levied. Dr. Jim Zengali of the Department of Revenue explained the FEFP school funding formula, noting that it is built on weighted student counts, a base student allocation, and programmatic add-ons such as transportation, exceptional student education, school safety, and mental health. He said school funding is roughly split between state general revenue and local property taxes through required local effort, with additional discretionary and capital outlay millages contributing to total school funding. He also described the Department of Revenue’s role in certifying property rolls at fair market value and reviewing them for substantial compliance, including the so-called “nuclear option” if a roll is not approved. Members asked about trends in millage rates, county-by-county funding differences, the effect of growth and enrollment changes, and how property appraisals are reviewed. Zengali said aggregate millage for school funding has declined over the last decade while revenues have still increased, and he agreed to provide additional data on county trends, parcel strata, student growth, and enrollment impacts. He also clarified that school funding is equalized so students receive similar resources regardless of county wealth, and that federal funding plays only a small role in the FEFP. Amy Baker of the Joint Legislative Office of Economic and Demographic Research then discussed existing homestead benefits. She said about half of Florida’s parcels are homestead properties, most fall in the $250,000 to $500,000 value range, and many seniors without mortgages pay property taxes in lump sums rather than through escrow. Baker explained that Florida’s homestead tax burden is middle-of-the-pack nationally and that the main benefits are Save Our Homes and portability on the differential side, plus the $25,000 homestead exemption and related exemptions on the exemption side. She said these benefits reduce taxable value substantially, with homestead properties receiving a large share of the reductions, and noted that the committee requested follow-up data on exemption usage, portability timing, senior exemptions, and county-level patterns. The final presentation, by Lizette Kelly of the Department of Revenue, covered millage rates and the TRIM process. She reviewed the history of truth-in-millage notices, required taxpayer mailings, public hearing notices, and later changes that tied local millage resets to rollback and majority-vote rates. Kelly explained the difference between proposed and adopted millage, the rollback rate, and the majority-vote rate, and described how taxing authorities include counties, cities, special districts, and MSTUs. She also outlined how county taxable value is calculated from just value through assessment differentials and exemptions, and how certain exemptions, such as the additional senior exemption, apply only to the taxing authority that adopted them. No votes were taken during the meeting, but members requested several follow-up data reports for later discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• .which would allow the School of Medicine faculty to go from the 25th percentile of the national benchmark
• to an average of the 50th percentile of the national benchmark.
• different kinds of medical specialty, and actually the compensation for those specialties is all benchmarked
• index might be 1.2 or even 1.5 for some of those peers, we don't believe that that's the appropriate benchmark
• We spend literally millions of dollars a year stopping, preventing, and calling out straw purchases.

Bills: SB4, SB7, SB9, SB17

Keywords: Medicaid, healthcare, medical education, salaries, graduate education, clinician pay, health sciences, education funding, faculty salary, University of New Mexico, healthcare funding, general fund, state budget, New Mexico legislation, gun control, firearm safety, dealer regulation, illegal trade, background checks, 996

Transcript Highlights:

• grow closer to God, make lifelong friends, and try new activities. ...and encourage independence, to spend
• It is the new benchmark versus the 1932 benchmark. Her other quote was, "Mother Nature humbled us."
• There is a new benchmark. Chairman Perry testified that his family had a cat...
• I mean, the way we deal with floods because, like you said, we now have a new benchmark.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's a sizable increase relative to the total spending in the country.
• But in California, unlike most states, there's more detailed ESSER spending data available.
• Of the blue part we break it down into ESSER II spending, ESSER III spending that wasn't spent on academic
• The next slide shows what the effect of the ESSER spending was.
• Because we're benchmarking our performance. We're developing smart goals to get better.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• for each of the and benchmarks for each of the improvement<00:51:53.200> areas,<00:51:54.079>
• Funding to be distributed to the university based on goals and benchmarks included in the plan.
• Um, we benchmarked administrative positions to peer institutions, and the board has received all the
• <00:56:14.319> Um<00:56:14.640> we<00:56:14.799> benchmarked organizational
• Um we benchmarked organizational chart.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a full quorum and approved the prior minutes. Members offered introductions of guests and family members, then heard a presentation from University of Louisville President Thomas Jared Bradley, who was sworn in before testifying. He described his background and outlined U of L’s strategic priorities: student success, access and affordability, workforce development, community engagement, and research. Bradley highlighted enrollment growth, increases in first-generation and Pell-eligible students, strong transfer pathways with KCTCS, and support programs such as the Cardinal Commitment Grant, 15-to-Finish, Comeback Cards, tutoring, mentoring, and mental health services. Bradley also emphasized U of L’s statewide and regional impact through UofL Health, rural outreach, the Bullitt County rural cancer education and research center, nursing expansion, and the Kentucky Manufacturing Extension Partnership program. He noted major institutional distinctions, including R1 status, a new Carnegie Opportunity College and University designation, and community-engaged classification. He said the university is one of only 10 public universities nationwide with all three designations and reported record enrollment, improved retention, and strong research expenditures. He also thanked lawmakers for significant capital and operating support, including funding for the simulation center, health science center, asset preservation, and the MEP program. During questions, members praised the university’s public service role and asked about first-generation enrollment, retention, graduation rates, and post-graduation outcomes. Bradley said the university is working to improve completion by expanding academic support, early alerts, incentives for tutoring, and faculty/advisor mentoring, especially for first-generation and high-need students. He acknowledged that post-graduation employment data is difficult to collect but said the new Carnegie classification reflects positive outcomes. No votes were taken beyond approving the minutes, and no formal actions were taken on legislation in this portion of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• And it is seeming like that benchmark has not been obtained; we haven't seen the latest data.
• an access Benchmark of 55% for<02:00:55.800> all<02:00:56.000> manag<02:00:56.520>
• was not obtained and it is up Benchmark was not obtained and it is up seeming<02:01:14.679> like<
• /c><02:01:15.159> that<02:01:15.400> Benchmark<02:01:16.079> has<02:01:16.280>
• > not<02:01:16.599> been seeming like that Benchmark has not been seeming like that Benchmark

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so back to how we're spending money, how we're spending instructional time, are we doing the interventions
• Chair and Senator, we're just spending the federal money first.
• Spend it all the way down.
• You're talking about federal dollars that you're spending.
• I mean, what did we spend last year, 40 million?

Transcript Highlights:

• We don't want to price ourselves out of any market, with all the people that are going to be spending
• Let us spend the money how we're talking to our residents, talking to our constituents, can analyze the
• We're spending money where we need.
• I was spending 100% of that money on unfunded mandates that you guys, not you, but the state put on me
• On 45Q, my understanding, and I'm not the expert on 45Q, is, however, that there are certain benchmarks

Keywords: 965, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The Scout Law, motto, and oath are moral benchmarks for serving others, our community, and ourselves.
• <05:36:22.798> your standpoint when you have to spend your standpoint when you have to spend
• This increased spending is paired with $486 billion in cuts to Biden's failed and wasteful spending.
• This increased spending is paired with $486 billion in cuts to Biden's failed and wasteful spending.
• This increased spending is paired with $486 billion in cuts to Biden's failed and wasteful spending.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, February 10, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• As a result, UC has begun to take action to reduce its spending.
• This is information that's identified by UC as what they plan to spend that funding on.
• The Regents adopted a spending plan that includes $500 million in increased spending.
• Is there a reason why the Regents adopted a budget with proposed increased spending?
• Go and spend them, right? So what happens typically?

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And we also benchmark ourselves.
• Women spend more; the older you are, the more spending you engage in.
• Note that we are measuring four items: acute inpatient spending, professional care spending, outpatient
• care spending, and pharmacy.
• you spend.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• benchmarks and those sorts of things. benchmarks and those sorts of things.
• At the same time, the agency will spend more to serve fewer low-income Kentuckians.
• At the same time, the agency will spend more to serve fewer low-income Kentuckians.
• At the same time, the agency will spend more to serve fewer low-income Kentuckians.
• At the same time, the agency will spend more to serve fewer low-income Kentuckians.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Roll Call 00:00:15 HB 1 Discussion 00:02:00 HB 1 Vote 00:15:05 HB 2 Discussion 00:17:20 HB 2 Vote 01:13:20, 958, all

Summary: The committee met on House Bill 1, which would implement Kentucky’s participation in the federal education freedom tax credit program. Sponsors said the bill would allow donors to receive a federal dollar-for-dollar tax credit for contributions to scholarship granting organizations, with no state dollars involved, and that public school districts could potentially create their own SGOs. Members asked about the removal of state tax language in the committee substitute, the meaning of the 11th Amendment waiver, whether SGOs could serve only public school students, and whether data collection could be added. The sponsors said the state tax language was unnecessary because the credit is federal, the waiver would allow federal-court litigation over the act, and a district could establish an SGO if it met federal requirements. The committee adopted the substitute and then reported HB 1 favorably with 16 yes votes, one nay, three pass votes, and one abstention. The committee then took up House Bill 2, an act relating to Medicaid and making an appropriation. The sponsor described the bill as a response to federal HR 1 and to concerns raised by the Medicaid oversight board, saying it would address program integrity, eligibility redeterminations, cost sharing, and managed care organization contracts. He said the bill would require periodic eligibility verification for expansion Medicaid enrollees, add modest cost-sharing for some services to encourage use of primary care over emergency rooms, and strengthen enforcement of MCO contracts, with penalties going into a restricted compliance fund. Members asked about the committee amendment, and the sponsor explained it restored flexibility on the number of MCOs in future procurement rather than locking in a reduction. Members also asked whether the bill had gone before the Medicaid oversight advisory board and whether a fiscal note was available; the sponsor said the board’s recommendations were incorporated and fiscal notes were included in the packet. After discussion, the committee adopted committee amendment one to PHS2 and then adopted PHS2 as amended for consideration. The sponsor continued outlining the bill’s provisions, emphasizing that it applied to the expansion population and was intended to align Kentucky law with federal requirements while improving oversight and accountability.

Transcript Highlights:

• So really getting after those customers who don't have the extra money to spend and invest.
• So every year we're going to know exactly what we want to be spending on solar.
• In 2023 alone, ratepayers were asked to fork over $1.5 billion for gas utility capital spending.
• According to the EIA, I spend time on the Energy Information Administration also...
• And there is no limit to the spending.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on H. 4144, the Governor’s Energy Affordability, Independence, and Innovation Act, with the administration arguing the bill would lower bills in the short and long term while expanding clean energy supply and innovation. The Governor and Secretary said the bill would reduce or restructure charges on customer bills, reform Mass Save, expand securitization as a financing tool, speed interconnection, create energy-ready zones, strengthen consumer protections in competitive supply, and allow broader state procurement of energy resources. They said the package could save consumers billions over time and would help address high energy costs, especially during extreme heat and winter spikes. Committee members pressed the administration on several provisions, especially securitization, asking whether the bill requires an apples-to-apples comparison of total costs over time, including interest and lost tax revenue, versus paying through rates. Administration witnesses said DPU review and public comment would be required and said they would work to clarify the language if needed. Members also questioned the bill’s solar and procurement provisions, including reduced net metering compensation for some large facilities, the scope of all-resource procurements, and whether hydro, solar, and nuclear would be included; the administration said those resources were contemplated and that procurement would still be reviewed by DPU. Other questions focused on the short-term relief from bill changes, the treatment of low- and moderate-income discounts, and whether the bill’s heat pump and Mass Save reforms would help customers who cannot afford upfront costs. Several witnesses and committee members discussed Mass Save reforms, including securitization of program costs, on-bill financing, pre-approval of rebates, and shifting program administration away from gas utilities. Administration witnesses said the changes were intended to reduce volatility, lower administrative costs, and better align costs with long-term savings. Questions also touched on geothermal permitting, municipal participation in offshore wind procurement, and the proposed repeal of the ballot requirement for nuclear power, which the administration defended as preserving future options under heavy review. No votes were taken during the hearing portion described. Supportive testimony came from labor, environmental, business, planning, and development groups. The AFL-CIO, NECA, and the Environmental League of Massachusetts backed the bill, emphasizing lower bills, job creation, labor standards, just transition protections, and cleaner energy. NAIOP, the Massachusetts Business Roundtable, and MAPC supported provisions on energy-ready zones, interconnection reform, microgrids, extreme-heat shutoff protections, and Mass Save improvements. A HEET representative praised the bill’s use of securitization, geothermal, and utility financing tools but urged guardrails and workforce protections. Overall, testimony was broadly favorable, with most witnesses calling for refinements rather than opposing the bill outright.

Transcript Highlights:

• All right, we will spend the rest of this day hearing testimony from the governor's bill, Senate File
• All right, we will spend the rest bill.
• All right, we will spend the rest of<00:36:53.119> this<00:36:53.440> day<00:36:54.480>
• <01:21:08.080> They<01:21:08.320> report<01:21:08.560> that science benchmarks
• They report that science benchmarks.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The Paris Peace Agreement remains a crucial legal and moral benchmark for a pluralistic democracy. ..
• .a legal and moral benchmark for a pluralistic, liberal democratic order and human rights protection
• Spend as much money as you want, as long as it's full disclosure as to who's spending the money so that
• Prefer cutting spending as the way to balance the budget.
• There are no restrictions on special interest spending and influence on such a convention.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The hearing of the Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs was opened by Chair Joe McGonagle and Vice Chair Senator Mike Rush, who noted that Chair John Velis was deployed with the Massachusetts National Guard. The chairs explained the hybrid format, three-minute testimony limit, live streaming, and filing deadlines, and said the committee would hear 11 House bills and eight Senate bills dealing with federal and overseas issues. Much of the hearing centered on competing resolutions about Article 5 constitutional conventions, along with related resolutions on D.C. statehood, child labor, Citizens United, and Cambodia. Supporters of H. 4692 and S. 284, a joint resolution to rescind all prior Massachusetts Article 5 convention applications, argued that old resolutions from the 1930s and 1970s could be used to count Massachusetts toward the 34-state threshold for calling a federal constitutional convention. Testifiers from Common Cause, the League of Women Voters, the ACLU, Reproductive Equity Now, labor groups, and others warned that a convention would have no clear rules, could not be reliably limited to specific topics, and could put civil rights, reproductive rights, labor protections, and other constitutional protections at risk. Several speakers also cited a recent federal lawsuit and said the safest course was to remove outdated applications from the books. A large opposing panel testified in support of H. 3888, a resolution calling for a Convention of States to propose amendments limiting federal power, imposing fiscal restraints, and establishing term limits. Supporters argued that Article 5 provides a lawful way to address federal overreach, debt, and congressional stagnation, and said the process would be limited by state applications and ratification by 38 states. Some committee members and witnesses raised concerns about a runaway convention, broad language in the resolution, and whether Congress could or should set rules for such a convention. Representative Gentile also testified in support of several related resolutions on overturning Citizens United, D.C. statehood, and the child labor amendment, while Representative Howard and Representative Tongue supported a Cambodia resolution condemning political oppression and urging free and fair elections. No votes or final actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• and high school students will, through this bill, learn about important topics such as earning and spending
• It changes the wording from 'significantly' to 'at risk of falling behind grade-level benchmarks.'
• evidence-based curriculum when they showed signs of falling behind rather than being significantly below benchmark

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The House took up several procedural orders early in the session, including extending the reporting deadline for the Housing Committee on H.4655 and suspending Joint Rule 12 for a petition seeking to rescind prior Article 5 constitutional convention applications. It then advanced three Ways and Means bills on education-related topics: personal financial literacy education (H.4670), expanded access to the state seal of biliteracy (H.4671), and teacher preparation and student literacy (H.4672), each moving through amendment adoption and third reading or engrossment procedures. A major portion of the meeting focused on H.4670, which would require personal financial literacy instruction in middle and high school and establish a financial literacy trust fund for curriculum and teacher training. Members spoke in support, emphasizing budgeting, credit, student loans, and long-term financial planning, and the bill passed to be engrossed by a 154-0 roll call. H.4671, which broadens access to the seal of biliteracy for students in public and private schools, also drew support and passed to be engrossed 155-0. The most extensive debate centered on H.4672, a literacy bill requiring evidence-based reading instruction, DESE-approved curricula or approved local alternatives, screening and progress monitoring, professional development, and related implementation measures. Members described concerns about declining reading scores and argued for a shift away from three-cueing toward phonics-based, science-of-reading approaches. Several amendments were considered: a proposal to change intervention language from “significantly” to “at risk of falling behind” failed, while amendments adding funding language, stakeholder collaboration, and other implementation details were adopted. One amendment clarifying that pictures may be used as a supplement in literacy curricula was also adopted, and the bill ultimately passed to be engrossed 155-0. The House also observed moments of silence for former Judge Leslie Harris, former Representative Mark Carron, and former Representative Dennis Rosa, and adjourned to meet the next day at 11 a.m.

Bills: HB3767, HB3934, HB4199, HB4336, HB2947, HB3834, HB4302, HB4095, HB3287, HB3649, HB4430, HB4431, HB2059, HB3647, HB3986, HB3548, HB3661, HB4346, HB3075, HB4273, HB3391, HB4128, HB3557, HB3239, HB3982, HB2123, HB2979, HB2997, HB3148, HB4108, HB4143, HB4266, HB2053, HB4058, SR30

Keywords: dentistry, licensing, dental hygiene, foreign-trained dentists, temporary license, public health, emergency response, child care, workforce, pilot program, affordable care, income eligibility, interventional pain management, pain management clinic, chronic pain, acute pain, spinal injections, epidural steroid injection, peripheral nerve block, nerve ablation