Transcript Highlights:

• Additionally, the agency submitted a corrected physical impact statement to add its response to question
• Additionally, the agency submitted a corrected physical impact statement to add its response to question
• </c><00:04:48.960><c> to</c> corrected physical impact statement to corrected physical impact statement
• I think that's a fair statement. Okay, thank you.
• </c> size I think that's a fair statement size I think that's a fair statement okay<00:25:04.720><c>

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Administrative Regulation Review Subcommittee met on February 10 with a quorum present, approved the minutes, and then reviewed a long agenda of agency regulations, most of which were accompanied by staff-suggested amendments for drafting conformity under KRS Chapter 13A. The Department of Financial Institutions’ 808 KAR 9:10, the Secretary of State’s 030 KAR 2:11, the Office of the Attorney General’s 04 KAR 5:10, the Board of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology’s emergency 201 KAR 17:120, the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources’ 301 KAR 2:41, the Department for Environmental Protection’s 401 KAR 47:110 and 48:320, the State Police regulations 502 KAR 1:012 and 1:121, the Department for Public Health’s 902 KAR 4:15, the Department for Medicaid Services’ 907 KAR 1:15, and the Department for Community Based Services’ 921 KAR 1:400 were all discussed and, where applicable, staff amendments were approved without objection. The Workplace Standards emergency regulation 803 KAR 2:320E was also presented without amendment, and the Department of Insurance’s 806 KAR 9:360 was taken up but ultimately deferred at the agency’s request. Several regulations drew brief substantive discussion. The Fish and Wildlife rule on foxhound training enclosures was explained as expanding both commercial and non-commercial provisions for training with dogs involving red fox and coyotes, with enclosure standards intended to protect wildlife inside and outside the facilities. The environmental protection rules were tied to House Bill 478 and addressed permit-by-rule timelines, reporting, and operating standards for certain construction and demolition debris landfills, including sites up to two acres; members asked whether these facilities were private or municipal, and staff said they were a mix, often tied to private demolition contractors or single projects. The State Police fee increase for hazardous materials endorsements was described as reflecting a federal TSA fee change, and the witness estimated the new fee at about $23. The most extended debate concerned the Board of Education’s 704 KAR 3:535 on full-time virtual and remote learning programs. The agency amendment would cap enrollment in such programs at 10% above a district’s prior-year in-person enrollment, while also clarifying accountability, staffing, and monitoring requirements. Education officials said the cap was intended to address concerns about district capacity and student performance, and they cited Cloverport as an example of a district with high virtual participation and participation-rate issues. Members expressed concern that the amendment was too open-ended for regulation and suggested the issue might be better addressed in statute; no motion was made to adopt the agency amendment, so the regulation was left to proceed to the committee of jurisdiction. The Department of Insurance also discussed implementation of Senate Bill 188, saying it had received more than 3,000 complaints since the law took effect and was still working through enforcement and complaint processing before asking to defer its PBM licensing regulation.

Transcript Highlights:

• I really appreciate your opening statement.
• And I think the Girardi situation was so intense that it's always the question of... ...statement, and
• And I think the Girardi situation was so intense that it's always the question of... statement, and I
• Eastman had done: that he had made statements of fact that he knew to be false and that he had made,
• Obviously, the witnesses in support of your confirmation make a big statement.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Rules established a quorum and first approved several governor’s appointments not required to appear, including Rick Simpson to the Commission on Teacher Credentialing and Trinidad Solis, M.D., and Gerald Talbert, M.D., to the Medical Board of California. The committee also approved reference of bills to committees and floor acknowledgments before moving to State Bar appointments requiring testimony. The committee heard from George Cardona, reappointed as Chief Trial Counsel of the State Bar, who described reforms made after the Girardi matter, efforts to reduce discipline disparities, backlog reduction measures, and staffing shortages tied to a vacancy rate and increased incoming complaints. Senators questioned him about safeguards against misconduct, the John Eastman disbarment case, discipline disparities affecting Black and Latino attorneys, unauthorized practice of law by notarios, and the use of AI in complaints and pleadings. Public witnesses from the State Bar, SEIU Local 1000, and others supported his confirmation, and the committee voted 3-0 to advance him to the full Senate. The committee then heard from Laura Enderton Speed, nominated as Executive Director of the State Bar. She emphasized restoring public trust, improving operations, addressing the February 2025 bar exam problems, and strengthening discipline and admissions processes. Senators asked about the State Bar’s structural budget deficit, the ongoing audit and investigations related to the bar exam, conflict-of-interest safeguards after Girardi, and plans for the future of the bar exam. Public testimony was uniformly supportive, and the committee voted 5-0 to advance her nomination to the Senate floor. The meeting concluded with final votes on the earlier items, thanks to Senator Jones for his service on the committee, and adjournment to executive session after a cake presentation.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, we do about 300 to 400 rules, uh, fiscal impact statements on rules.
• Uh, we do about 300 to 400 rules, uh, fiscal impact statements on rules.
• Uh, we do about 300 to 400 rules, uh, fiscal impact statements on rules.
• Just an example of a surplus statement: this is a requirement.
• </c><00:16:44.639><c> for</c> will prepare a surplus statement for will prepare a surplus statement for

Committee: Senate Finance

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so, to your point, heavy lift, yes, I don't disagree with the statement there.
• Representative, I would like to know if you would agree with this statement from a...
• I think I may know your answer, sir, but would you agree with that statement or disagree?
• Statement or disagree. Thank you for being maybe rightfully presumptuous in my answer.
• Mine is less of a debate than more of a statement of kind of where I stand.

Bills: HB2989 , HB3724 , HB2992 , HB3464 , HB4246 , HB3989

Committee: House Utilities

Keywords: wildland fire, wildfire, electric utility, electric cooperative, utility liability, vegetation management, power lines, grid hardening, public utility, rate recovery, National Electric Safety Code, NESC, Oklahoma Conservation Commission, wildfire mitigation, fire prevention, landowner incentives, cost-share program, revolving fund, property damage, trespass

Transcript Highlights:

• Statement of probable cause.
• </c><00:31:41.720><c> of</c> original uh in the original statement of original uh in the original statement
• </c> Statement of probable cause. Statement of probable cause.
• </c> So, um I find that statement confusing. So, um I find that statement confusing.
• </c> your statement after we come back. your statement after we come back.

Committee: Senate Rules and Administration - Subcommittee on Ethical Conduct

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , reduction in taxable value, and then the PRC is a credit that follows at the end of the statement.
• PRC is a credit that follows at the end of the statement. Continue. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
• With your statement regarding the small operators and then also the majors, could you address...
• That's on the property tax statement. If anybody's interested in staying for that as well.
• That's on the property tax statement. If anybody's interested in staying for that as well.

Summary: The Tax Reform and Relief Advisory Committee met with a quorum, approved the March 17, 2026 minutes, and heard a lengthy update from Tax Commissioner Brian Croshys on property tax relief programs. He reviewed the Homestead Property Tax Credit, Disabled Veteran Credit, and Primary Residence Credit, noting increased relief after House Bill 1158 and House Bill 1176, but also discussing how some households “income adjust out” of eligibility over time. Members asked about indexing income thresholds, expanding eligibility by age alone, simplifying administration, county-level notices, and whether the county and state systems could be streamlined. Croshys said the programs are heavily used, largely administered at the county level, and that the department is still refining compliance and reporting; he also said there were no material findings or overarching concerns in the latest review. The committee agreed more detailed PRC information would likely come back in a September meeting, and the chair announced an afternoon recess for lunch before later reconvening. Shelly Myers then presented the statewide property tax increase report, the zero-growth report, and a statistical report on property values and tax levies by class. She explained how county auditors report levy and valuation data, how increases and decreases are counted, and identified counties and cities with the largest percentage changes in growth or decline. She also summarized recent trends: agricultural values remain relatively flat, while residential, commercial, and centrally assessed values have risen over the last five years; in 2025, residential property accounted for the largest share of statewide property tax levies, followed by commercial, agriculture, and centrally assessed property. Committee members asked about unusual zero-growth figures, the effect of annexation and land-use changes, and whether the 3% levy cap was forcing political subdivisions to use reserves or defer spending. Myers said many counties complied by using reserves, delaying capital projects, or limiting increases, and that some counties had not used their full cap. The committee then moved to the stripper oil extraction tax exemption. Commissioner Croshys reviewed the state’s oil tax structure and estimated the revenue impact of keeping stripper wells exempt from extraction tax while still paying production tax. He said the exemption saves operators hundreds of millions of dollars over a biennium, while the state still collects production tax on those wells. He also discussed projected impacts if the exemption were changed for future wells and noted that future outcomes depend on oil prices, production declines, and technology such as CO2 enhanced oil recovery. Nathan Anderson of the Department of Mineral Resources briefly explained the historical difference between the 35-barrel and 30-barrel thresholds for certain wells, citing differences in completion costs and lateral lengths. The committee then heard from EERC CEO Charles Gorecki, who presented an analysis of oil well life cycles and said most oil is produced before wells reach stripper status, but that refracturing or other reinvestment can significantly extend production and keep wells above the threshold for years.

Transcript Highlights:

• What we see in this language is, one, I think, a value statement.
• But this is a value statement that within our public education system, state and federal funding will
• If the financial impact statement is not produced, if the estimating conference does not meet within
• The full text of the amendment, not a summary, the full text, including the financial impact statement
• So you answered the question, but you gave me a statement that really wasn't answering the question.

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.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, I just got a brief statement and then I got a question. Very brief statement.
• I'm talking about, that was my statement was on EOR. Right. Okay. Your statement was EOR.
• That was my interpretation of their statement.
• Do you stand by that statement? Oh, absolutely.
• I appreciate the opposition's statement about land use, and it really adds a lot of punch to my statement

Committee: House Natural Resources & Environment

Keywords: 965, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• for a candidate committee, political action committee, or political party to file a termination statement
• for a candidate committee, political action committee, or political party to file a termination statement
• contributions and made no expenditures during the reporting period, the committee must file a termination statement
• The amendment also applies the termination statement condition to committees that have received contributions
• The amendment also applies the termination statement condition to committees that have received contributions

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The House and Senate conference committees met on April 16, 2026, to reconcile differences on HB 2874, which deals with campaign finance termination statements and penalties for committees that had no contributions or expenditures. Staff explained that the Senate version retroactively voided certain penalties for late campaign finance reports if a committee certifies no activity, and the conference amendment further refined the bill by requiring public posting of committees that owe late-filing penalties, clarifying termination-statement requirements, extending the no-penalty provisions to some committees that had received contributions, and capping penalties at $5,000 per late report beginning July 1. The amendment also moved the retroactivity date, added a session-law provision, and included an emergency clause. Members discussed whether suspended accounts with no activity would be covered, and staff indicated that while not expressly named, they would likely fall within the bill’s criteria. Supporters said the measure would help clear old compliance issues from the books, improve transparency, and provide relief to smaller candidates and local officeholders who may not have the resources to manage complex campaign finance requirements. One member noted the bill would create a practical safe harbor for inactive campaigns and reduce penalties that continue to accrue on closed or empty campaign accounts. A motion was made and adopted to approve the five-page conference amendment dated April 16, 2026, at 9:03 a.m., to the Senate engrossed version of HB 2874, with authorization for technical and conforming changes recommended by the rules attorney. The motion passed by voice vote, and both the House and Senate conference committees adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• for a candidate committee, political action committee, or political party to file a termination statement
• for a candidate committee, political action committee, or political party to file a termination statement
• contributions and made no expenditures during the reporting period, the committee must file a termination statement
• The amendment also applies the termination-statement condition to committees that have received contributions
• The amendment also applies the termination-statement condition to committees that have received contributions

Summary: The House and Senate conference committees met on April 16, 2026, to consider House Bill 2874, which concerns campaign finance termination statements and penalties for late or missing reports. Staff explained that the House version would allow certain committees that received no contributions or made no expenditures to avoid penalties if they file a termination statement, while the Senate version had already added retroactive relief for committees that certify no activity during the reporting period and made the bill retroactive to December 31, 2021. Members discussed the conference amendment, which would require filing officers to publicly list committees that owe late-filing penalties, clarify that a termination statement is required to avoid fees and void penalties for inactive committees, extend the relief to some committees that had received contributions, cap penalties at $5,000 per late report beginning July 1, add a session-law provision voiding penalties under specified conditions, move the retroactivity date to July 5, 2016, and add an emergency clause. Members said the measure would help clear old campaign finance liabilities, improve transparency, and provide relief for small or inactive committees, including suspended accounts that fit the no-activity criteria. A motion was made and adopted to approve the five-page conference amendment dated April 16, 2026, at 9:03 a.m. to the Senate engrossed version of HB 2874 and to authorize technical and conforming changes recommended by the rules attorney. The motion passed by voice vote in both committees, and the conference committees then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, it's probably not brief, but I do want to read some statements here.
• Well, it's probably not brief, but I do want to read some statements here.
• Well, it's probably not brief, but I do want to read some statements here.
• Well, it's probably not brief, but I do want to read some statements here.
• We can beef up the law that already exists, which does prevent that disclosure.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• First, we'll have a five- to ten-minute opening statement from the nominee.
• Thank you very much for that opening statement.
• So, as I stated in my opening statement, I have been with the state for quite a while.
• And as I shared my opening statement, tourism marketing yields So. marketing perspective.
• And in turn, I previously stated in my opening statement, we've actually been able to support over 50

Committee: Senate Director Nominations

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But I'd like to give two examples of why this professor's statement was so true.
• And to conclude my testimony, why did that professor make that statement?
• Is that a fair statement? We're still in that one-world government kind of conversation.
• Is that a fair statement, sir? It's very tenant-oriented.
• Is that a fair statement? It is. Yes, sir. Mr.

Bills: HB43 , HB519 , HB1275 , HB1592 , HB2842 , HB3088 , HB3479 , HB4163 , SB823 , HB609

Committee: Senate Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs

Keywords: agriculture, finance, young farmers, financial assistance, pest control, honey production, beekeeping, food safety, local regulation, bovine producers, dairy farms, permits, bovine tuberculosis, public health, wildlife management, disease prevention, alert system, Texas A&M, white-tailed deer, public safety

Transcript Highlights:

• All right, final statement? Not final statement, closing comments. I'll keep it brief, Mr. Chair.
• All right, final statement? Not final statement, closing comments. I'll keep it brief, Mr. Chair.
• All right, final statement? Not final statement, closing comments. I'll keep it brief, Mr. Chair.
• All right, final statement? Not final statement, closing comments. I'll keep it brief, Mr. Chair.
• All right, final statement? Not final statement, closing comments. I'll keep it brief, Mr. Chair.

Committee: Senate Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband, and Rural Development

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's not clear exactly what the environmental impact statement will consider, and so we do feel it's
• It's not clear exactly what the environmental impact statement will consider, and so we do feel it's
• It's not clear exactly what the environmental impact statement will consider, and so we do feel it's
• I do feel we'll spend... impact statement or or Eis um otherwise impact statement or or Eis um otherwise
• </c><00:21:15.720><c> will</c> environmental impact statement will environmental impact statement will

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I don't have the exact statement.
• I don't have the exact statement.
• That was the statement I was making. At a grade-point level that allows them to pass that test.
• Goodwill's mission statement is changing lives through education, training, and employment.
• The Our mission statement is changing lives through education, training, and employment.

Summary: The House and Senate Education Committee first approved minutes from February 2 and 3, then heard an interim study proposal on Arkansas adult education and the Excel Center model, presented by Goodwill Industries of Arkansas and the University of Notre Dame’s Lab for Economic Opportunities. Witnesses argued that about 300,000 Arkansas adults lack a high school diploma or GED and described the Excel Center as a diploma-granting public charter option for adults 19 and older, with wraparound supports such as child care, transportation, tutoring, life coaching, and career services. They said the Arkansas campuses are not state-funded, highlighted growth in enrollment and graduation outcomes, and cited research showing improved employment, earnings, and reduced criminal justice involvement for graduates. Committee members discussed the role of Goodwill’s nonprofit mission, the need for multiple adult education pathways, and the relationship between adult education challenges and broader state efforts such as LEARNS and ACCESS. The committee then debated the interim study proposal procedure, including whether questions should have been taken before the vote. The motion to adopt the ISP passed, and members noted that the study would broadly examine adult education, GED testing, high school diplomas, charter schools, in-person adult education, and funding allocation. Several members asked for follow-up information on current adult education funding, the availability of Excel Centers, and the criminal justice study results. After that, staff from the Bureau of Legislative Research gave a detailed adequacy funding overview for Arkansas K-12 education. They reviewed national funding principles and then explained Arkansas’s revenue streams and distribution system, including general revenue, the Educational Excellence Trust Fund, the Educational Adequacy Fund, local property-tax revenues, and facilities partnership funding. They also walked through the state’s foundation formula, categorical aid, supplemental aid, and additional funding, including the per-student matrix amount of $7,771 for 2025 and how funds are allocated to districts and charters. Members asked about student support staff, special education high-cost occurrences, ALE funding, teacher salary equalization, and the Excel Center’s treatment in funding totals; staff said some of those questions would be addressed in a later spending presentation. The meeting ended after the committee was told the department was present mainly to answer questions and no further business remained.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I think we'll start with the opening statements, and then we'll go to the introductions.
• So to our nominees, given some of your past statements, I hope you'll take this hearing as an opportunity
• I'd like to submit my entire statement for the record. It will be concluded. Thank you.
• Statements have said, well, we'll get there in 20, 30, 32...
• You pointed out in your opening statement, or maybe it was response to a question, that democracy and

Committee: Senate Foreign Relations Committee

Keywords: U.S. foreign policy, Mexico relations, Japan relations, border security, trade agreements, drug trafficking, ambassadorial nominations, intergovernmental communication

Summary: The meeting of the committee focused on critical discussions concerning U.S. foreign policy, particularly relationships with Mexico and Japan. Notable attention was given to border security, trade agreements, and implications of drug trafficking. Ambassadorial nominees discussed their strategies to strengthen ties with these nations, emphasizing the importance of cooperation in addressing mutual challenges, particularly concerning security and trade. The committee engaged in extensive dialogue, highlighting the urgency of improving intergovernmental communications to deter drug trafficking and support democratic governance.

Transcript Highlights:

• It was the concern of some last year that this bill would keep children out of school, and my statement
• This is specifically with regard to the statement of purpose, and that's why I ask it now.
• It's in the statement of purpose, Representative Tanner, the second sentence: 'States, like many other
• I don't know if it was a question or a statement. You can respond or not.
• of purpose, the second sentence of the statement of purpose, and on line 39 inserting charter schools

Committee: House Education

Summary: The committee heard several RS introductions related to education and school funding. Representative Harris introduced RS 33225, described as the identical bill from last year’s accountability and spending measure, and after brief discussion about vouchers versus tax credits and accountability for state funds, the committee voted to introduce it. Representative Heather Scott introduced RS 33298, which would require the Professional Standards Commission to report any allegations involving suspected criminal behavior to law enforcement; the committee approved introduction. Representative Galaviz presented RS 3309C2, aimed at preventing property tax increases by allowing school districts to use certain building maintenance funds for lease purchases instead of forcing taxpayers into new bonds for construction or deferred maintenance. The committee moved to introduce it, with a request for additional information later on how the proposal would affect small versus large districts. Representative Tanner then brought RS 32889, a bill to have the State Board of Education aggregate and report data on the costs of educating children of foreign aliens. Members raised questions about legal status categories, charter schools, privacy, and whether the proposal created an unfunded mandate. The sponsor agreed to strike a sentence in the statement of purpose, and the motion to introduce the RS with that amendment and to add charter schools to the reporting language passed. Representative Hawkins presented RS 32826, a proposed constitutional amendment on parental rights that would replace the compulsory education language with a statement that the right to educate children without government regulation outside public schools shall not be infringed. Members supported the measure, and the committee voted to introduce it. Afterward, there was a procedural dispute over whether the earlier amended motion on RS 32889 had been a vote to introduce the RS or only to approve clarifying language, but the chair ruled the matter closed and the committee moved on.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> the reliability of these statements. the reliability of these statements.
• If you are giving voluntary statements.
• , a directly contradictory statement.
• This last statement was the only statement that linked Gary, our client, to the crime at all.
• Not one of these statements was signed, and not one of these statements was recorded.

Committee: House Criminal Justice and Public Safety

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• was sold in 2009, which I would assume would have removed that tract from your grandparents' tax statement
• Yes, yeah, as far as what I think you're saying, they would be getting these statements rather than bills
• You made the statement that they sent the instructions of the overage to the property in question that
• Is that an accurate statement, or was there subsequent—if you get it back undeliverable, do you make
• Can I make a statement as to that letter that you're holding?

Committee: All JBC-CLAIMS

Summary: The Joint Budget Committee’s Claims Review and Litigation Oversight Subcommittee met to consider two proposed litigation settlements from the Department of Corrections and one appealed claim from the Claims Commission. In the first settlement, Caroline Arnett v. Larry Norris, et al., members asked about the underlying sexual assault allegations, whether policies had changed, and whether PREA audits and other safeguards were in place. The department said audits were underway and that steps had been taken to prevent similar conduct. The committee approved the settlement by voice vote. In the second settlement, Latasha Ridgel v. Arkansas Department of Corrections, members raised concerns about the length of the case and the fact that it involved similar allegations. The department cited attorney turnover, COVID-related delays, and scheduling difficulties; the settlement was approved by voice vote. The committee then reviewed Sharon Greer and Deanna Hayes v. Commissioner of State Lands, an appeal of a Claims Commission dismissal involving a 2009 tax sale of family property in Crittenden County. The claimants said they did not learn of the sale or the $4,200 in excess proceeds until 2025, and argued that notice was inadequate and that the overage should not have gone to the county. The Commissioner of State Lands’ office responded that notice was sent to addresses on file, certified mail receipts were returned, and a post-sale notice explained the process for contesting the sale and claiming excess proceeds. The office also argued the claim was untimely, that the commission lacked jurisdiction, and that state law bars monetary damages against the commissioner for actions related to tax-delinquent land sales. Members discussed broader concerns about the tax-sale and excess-proceeds process, including whether excess proceeds should be held longer or routed differently, but noted those issues would require legislative changes rather than action in this case. The committee then voted to affirm the Claims Commission’s dismissal of the claim. The meeting adjourned after the motion passed.