Transcript Highlights:

• </c> everything from community development everything from community development block<00:18:44.720><
• And the Community Development Block Grant program can support infrastructure for housing development.
• ><c> affordable</c><00:24:33.600><c> development,</c> particularly affordable development, particularly
• I I'm here tax credit developers.
• ><c> that</c><00:31:47.440><c> they</c> economic development agencies that they economic development

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:15 Roll Call 00:00:45 Discussion of Pro-Growth Housing Policies 00:02:33 Adjournment 01:17:15, 958, all

Summary: The Housing Task Force 2.0 reconvened with several new members and heard a presentation from Kentucky Housing Corporation Executive Director Winston Miller and Deputy Executive Director Wendy Smith. They framed the task force’s work as a practical effort to address Kentucky’s housing shortage, update members on the current housing landscape, summarize existing state and federal resources, and suggest areas for the task force to focus on over the coming year. KHC said its 2024 housing supply gap analysis found Kentucky is short about 206,000 housing units, split roughly evenly between rental and homeownership, and projected the gap could grow to 287,000 units by 2029 if current trends continue. They emphasized that every county in Kentucky needs more housing, that the 2008 housing crisis and loss of construction capacity remain major causes of the shortage, and that current pressures include high interest rates, rising insurance and tax costs, construction cost inflation, and housing prices and rents growing faster than incomes. KHC also said homelessness has risen in Kentucky, with point-in-time counts showing double-digit increases in recent years. The presenters reviewed existing resources, including federal programs, the Kentucky Affordable Housing Trust Fund, the rural housing trust fund, KHC mortgage and down payment assistance programs, and the state mortgage interest deduction. They said these resources are important but insufficient to close the gap, and noted that a proposed federal FY2026 budget would cut HUD programs by 44%, potentially removing about $286 million from Kentucky housing resources, though no action has been taken yet. They urged the task force to consider stronger, more flexible tools such as a revolving loan fund, a state affordable housing tax credit, and economic development and employer-assisted housing incentives, and pointed to Indiana’s housing infrastructure and regional development funds as examples. No votes or formal actions were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• And the recommendations that we developed were really comprehensive.
• In developing capital projects of a certain size—I think it's $10 million—and developing agency request
• So in developing wildfire hazard and risk mapping work, In developing wildfire hazard and risk maps,
• The development and adoption of significant legislative rules; the development and adoption of any new
• skills, and lead toward career pathways and development.

Committee: House Agriculture & Natural Resources

Keywords: 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The Committee on Economic Development will now go into executive session.
• We have a lot of riverfront property going on in development.
• and community development needs.
• There'll have to be a little bit of development of a street.
• The development of workforce housing in rural communities.

Committee: House Economic Development

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That is set up on the state under the state water plan and the Texas Water Development Board.
• They must require that if the builder developer is going to use groundwater as a supply of water.
• I'm vice, vice president of Land Development for the Howard Hughes Holding Company.
• Um, I'm owner of Ellison Development.
• There are also, uh, issues to the challenge to the landowner who may be developing the land.

Bills: HB24

Committee: House Land & Resource Management

Keywords: groundwater, conservation, water permits, sustainability, resource management

Transcript Highlights:

• A development agreement must set forth various provisions and must be consistent with applicable development
• A development agreement with a regional transit authority may set forth development standards that vary
• development.
• This includes funding for pre-development and pre-construction work.
• tools to foster economic development within the county.

Summary: The committee first heard HB 2517, which would give regional transit authorities, especially Sound Transit, more flexible permitting tools for high-capacity transit projects. Staff and the bill sponsor said the goal is to let permit applications and technical reviews proceed concurrently with property acquisition and land use decisions, reducing delay and uncertainty for large transit projects. Sound Transit testified that the bill could save as much as nine months, while a city representative from Bothell asked for an amendment requiring notice to property owners before permits are advanced on land not yet owned or controlled by the agency. The committee then took testimony on HB 2313, concerning publicly owned grocery stores in underserved areas. The bill would let cities acquire land, build or rehabilitate stores, seek capital grants, and create tax increment financing areas for grocery access projects, with annual reporting requirements. Supporters, including the sponsor, Food Lifeline, and Northwest Harvest, argued that grocery closures and food deserts are real problems and that local governments need tools to fill gaps when private grocers leave. Opponents, including grocery industry groups and several students, warned that public stores could undercut private grocers, burden taxpayers, and create operational and property-rights concerns; some testimony also questioned the need for government ownership and the use of tax increment financing. A proposed substitute removed eminent domain and tax increment financing provisions and narrowed the bill to grant-funded stores in underserved areas. Next, the committee heard HB 2451, a major rewrite of local tax increment financing rules. The bill would tighten notice, consultation, reporting, and mitigation requirements for TIF areas, strengthen the “but-for” test, limit where increment areas can be located, and protect existing taxing districts by excluding certain levies and requiring negotiation, mediation, or arbitration when impacts are significant. Cities, ports, counties, libraries, fire chiefs, and hospital districts largely described the bill as a negotiated compromise that improves transparency and addresses unintended impacts, though some local governments said they still wanted more flexibility or protections for existing projects. One city testified against the bill, arguing the new restrictions would make TIF much less useful for large redevelopment efforts. The committee then heard HB 2298, which would authorize county auditors to create voluntary property title protection programs to help prevent land-record fraud by allowing owners to record a protection instrument that delays recording of a title transfer for up to five business days unless identity verification is provided. Auditors, treasurers, and county officials strongly supported the bill as a practical response to rising deed fraud, while title and foreclosure industry representatives said the proposal was too limited, could interfere with foreclosures or other transfers, and would only delay—not prevent—fraud. The final bill heard was HB 2566 on local government procurement, which would raise certain small-purchase and small-public-works thresholds for counties, remove some differences between larger and smaller counties, and give counties more options when no bids are received. County representatives supported the bill as a needed update to procurement rules and a way to reduce bureaucracy and keep pace with inflation.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Development Group is a private entity, and Hardee County outsources economic development, making
• us the economic development organization for the county.
• I'm the chairman of the Florida Rural Economic Development Association.
• I also... ...of the Florida Rural Economic Development Association.
• Northeast Florida Economic Development Corps, waving in support. Thank you.

Committee: House Commerce Committee

Summary: The Commerce Committee met with a quorum and heard three bills. First, CS/HB 515 on the Uniform Commercial Code was presented as a Florida Bar-backed update creating a new chapter to address digital assets and ledger technologies, including rules for perfection of security interests and lien priorities involving items such as Bitcoin. The bill drew support from the Florida Bar’s business law section and the Florida Bankers Association, had no amendments or opposition, and was reported favorably after a unanimous roll call. The committee then heard HB 1427 on rural communities, a broad package creating an Office of Rural Prosperity, a rural resource directory, a Renaissance grant program, a rural arterial road monetization program, housing and school support measures, and new health care grant programs for telehealth, staffing, training, and mobile units. Sponsors and many local officials, economic development groups, chambers, utilities, and other organizations testified in strong support, emphasizing infrastructure, workforce, housing, and health care needs in rural Florida. Members from both parties praised the bill’s focus on rural counties, and it was reported favorably. Finally, HB 299 on elevator accessibility requirements would allow an additional shorter interior support well in elevators while keeping the existing 42-inch support well requirement, with the goal of improving accessibility and flexibility for building owners. The National Elevator Industry supported the measure, there was no opposition or amendment, and the bill passed unanimously. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• among affordable housing developers.
• among affordable housing developers.
• You know, what can we do to incentivize developers?
• You know, what can we do to incentivize developers?
• You know, what can we do to incentivize developers?

Bills: H5009

Committee: Joint Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions

Keywords: collective bargaining, worker rights, labor relations, public counsel services, state employees, 1212, all

Transcript Highlights:

• who are tackling residential development.
• And then on the development demand, I'll provide you with our development pipeline and the demand that
• Like if Marquita's doing development and Naira is doing development, what are those competitive deals
• And what—so it's, I want to see how that develops and how we develop that timeline.
• If you would also really think in terms of— So it's, I want to see how that develops and how we develop

Committee: Senate Senate Finance

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Other developments can be seen on the next slide.
• I'm the current Secretary in Economic Development.
• for economic development.
• I think we can develop this infrastructure.
• I mean, economic development is important.

Transcript Highlights:

• Local opposition continue to slow development.
• This policy would enable development or developers to withdraw cash from existing HCD projects to promote
• back to. original either local jurisdiction or developer or so forth.
• community development to align with the deadlines provided by Housing and Urban Development.
• It will lead to improved efficiency and housing development.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We need to try to support business development, but certainly we want to support business development
• Now, I want to be clear: there are some developers, third-party developers, that develop data centers
• and then Third-party developers that develop data centers and then host a tenant like a hyperscaler,
• So we have a lot of development going on, and I have concerns.
• We are an infrastructure developer exclusively in West Texas.

Committee: House State Affairs

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• ,</c><00:02:00.399><c> and</c> Cabinet for Economic Development, and Cabinet for Economic Development
• </c> officials, the economic development officials, the economic development professionals,<00:03:43.840
• These things take time to develop.
• </c> economic development efforts in Ohio. economic development efforts in Ohio.
• </c> in these kind of developments. in these kind of developments.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee received an update from Secretary Jeff Noel of the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development, joined by Matt Wingate and Terry Bradshaw of the Kentucky Association of Economic Developers, on the Kentucky Product Development Initiative (KPDI) and the closing fund. The presentation focused on how KPDI helps communities develop shovel-ready industrial sites by funding infrastructure, engineering, geotechnical work, and other site-preparation costs. Noel emphasized that the program is designed to reduce uncertainty for companies, improve speed to market, and support statewide job creation and investment, especially in rural and eastern Kentucky where development costs are often higher. Testimony highlighted the complexity and expense of preparing sites, with examples of road, water, power, and rock-removal costs, and the importance of third-party evaluation in scoring applications. Noel said the program has 116 total projects statewide, with 20 active projects stemming from pilot efforts and 35 projects already resulting in about 6,381 jobs and $4.4 billion in investment. He cited examples including Crown Holdings, Flash Metals, Phoenix Paper, Pratt Paper, AESC, Sound Elements, Kitchen Foods, Latte, Krueger, Biomass, and Anna Munsman. Bradshaw added that even communities that have not yet landed a project have benefited by building spec buildings or improving access to industrial property. The speakers said the last KPDI round drew $81 million in requests but only $35 million in available funding, and they urged lawmakers to consider whether additional funding or program adjustments are needed. Suggested changes included modestly increasing eligibility or funding flexibility for rural and eastern Kentucky, while maintaining third-party performance metrics, and continuing to prioritize finishing existing parks and creating strong regional sites. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• That means investing in people to make sure that they're able to develop the skills and develop new skills
• Many of it targeting new development and new housing development and affordable housing development.
• new housing new development and new housing development<00:07:08.600><c> and</c><00:07:08.680><c> affordable
• </c><00:07:09.160><c> housing</c> development and affordable housing development and affordable housing
• And so I think that it development.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Developers may appeal violations to the Office of Administrative Hearings.
• But we can't do much because all we could do is complain about the private developer to the IRS.
• In Washington, developers and investors come to WSHFC to seek these tax credits.
• So the first 15 years, our monitoring is over that the homes were developed.
• I've got a question regarding agreements with the developer and the rent in the very beginning.

Summary: The Housing Committee heard two bills and received updates on scheduling. Chair Peterson announced that HB 2266 may move from Thursday to Monday for executive action due to ongoing talks with the city, and HB 2489 will move to next week for additional amendment work. HB 1542, concerning senior independent housing, was briefly opened, then suspended so HB 2527 could be heard first; the committee later returned to HB 1542 for public testimony. The committee adjourned after closing the hearing on HB 1542, with no votes taken during this meeting. HB 1542 would establish rights for residents of senior independent housing, allow enforcement under the Consumer Protection Act, and require a Commerce report to the legislature. The staff summary described the bill as creating protections such as respectful treatment, the ability to install certain safety devices, resident meetings, and timely management responses in emergencies. Rep. Reeves said the bill responds to seniors in Federal Way who lack protections in independent living settings and noted likely amendments to extend the reporting deadline and possibly add a registry to clarify which communities are covered. Testimony from the Alzheimer’s Association and AARP supported the bill as a needed consumer-protection measure for vulnerable older adults, while other witnesses asked for broader coverage, including manufactured home communities, and LeadingAge Washington requested more stakeholder work and a technical amendment related to CCRCs. HB 2527 would regulate eventual tenant ownership programs tied to federal low-income housing tax credits. Staff explained that the bill would require developers to create reserve or escrow accounts, inform tenants and partners of their rights and responsibilities, and comply with timely transfer obligations, with enforcement by the Housing Finance Commission and possible debarment from future tax-credit participation for violations. Rep. Pollet said the bill is intended to address cases where Native families were promised eventual ownership of homes but did not receive deeds or keys after years of renting, citing an audit and describing the bill as a needed accountability tool. Supportive testimony from Indigenous rights attorney Gabe Galanda emphasized that hundreds of families, many in tribal communities, were affected. The Housing Finance Commission opposed the punitive approach, saying it had already updated policies after the audit, that the projects are complex and vary by tribal housing authority, and that the bill could undermine collaborative work and potentially misdirect penalties away from the actual responsible parties. Committee members pressed the commission on accountability, ownership structures, escrow obligations, and the status of remaining households, and the exchange highlighted disagreement over whether the bill’s enforcement provisions are appropriate.

Transcript Highlights:

• We help develop resources.
• We help develop resources.
• We have access to and connect states with peers that have developed or are developing similar policies
• And the first one was to develop a Massachusetts as a model employer roadmap.
• In the meantime, we'll also develop two briefs for you.

Keywords: 1212, all

Summary: The Disability Employment Subcommittee met with SEED (the State Exchange on Employment and Disability) staff for a presentation on state disability employment policy options and possible collaboration with Massachusetts. After roll call, the committee approved prior meeting minutes and heard an inspirational quote from Jane Goodall emphasizing that every individual matters and can make a difference. Members then introduced themselves and described their roles in disability employment, accessibility, state government, and advocacy. SEED staff Katya Alpanis and Dina Klumkina explained that SEED provides technical assistance, research, peer-state examples, and policy resources to help states advance disability employment. They outlined seven policy areas, including career readiness and work-based learning, behavioral health and retention, stay-at-work/return-to-work supports, employer recruitment and accommodation tools, disability-owned business development, interagency coordination, and state-as-model-employer strategies. They shared examples from other states such as Kentucky, Virginia, Alaska, Washington, Minnesota, New Jersey, Illinois, Colorado, New York, and others. In response to questions, they clarified that PEAT has been refunded and is expected to return online, and that SEED’s role is policy support rather than implementation of accessibility requirements. Committee members discussed Massachusetts-specific interests, including digital accessibility, existing state efforts, and prior SEED engagement with Massachusetts agencies and legislators. Members raised concerns about upcoming Medicaid work requirements and the risk that people with disabilities could fall through the cracks, and asked whether SEED could help inform state policy responses. The group identified two likely project areas: a Massachusetts state-as-model-employer roadmap and a youth/young adult employment and volunteer pipeline, potentially linked to transition supports and civic engagement. SEED agreed to follow up with briefs and a questionnaire, and the committee planned an offline follow-up discussion to narrow priorities and develop a scope of work. No formal votes beyond approving the minutes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• It also has an industrial development tax credit portion of it.
• Economic development...
• Economic development.
• Balanced economic development strategy.
• industrial development.

Committee: House Agriculture

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• A developer must apply to the Department of Revenue.
• Nonprofit developers claimed an average of 93 new exemptions each year.
• increase the share of revenues devoted to developing low-income housing.
• While most developers did not meet the target individually, the total amount reported spent by all developers
• DOR has not consistently received the notices of occupancy from developers.

Committee: Joint Citizen Commission for Performance Measurement of Tax Preferences

Summary: The Citizens Commission for Performance Measurement of Tax Preferences met on August 6, 2025, with five commissioners present and a quorum. The commission approved the May 7, 2025 meeting minutes and welcomed new commissioner Scott Edwards, who introduced himself. Staff also confirmed the September meeting date had been changed to September 22, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. to accommodate his schedule, and noted that testimony questions for the public hearing would be used at that meeting. JLARC staff then presented preliminary 2025 tax preference performance reviews covering nine preferences. For natural gas used as a transportation fuel, staff said the preferences reduce fuel costs but do not meet emissions-reduction goals, and recommended continuing the public utility tax and natural gas use tax exemptions while modifying reporting requirements; they also recommended continuing the marine-use LNG sales tax exemption and considering the Department of Revenue work group’s findings. For travel agents and tour operators, staff said the small-beneficiary rate appears to support smaller firms, while the larger-beneficiary rate should be reviewed and both should have clearer objectives and metrics. For nonprofit low-income housing development, staff said the preference is helping produce housing but the current metric does not align well with the objective, data/reporting problems remain, and the legislature should decide whether to continue and possibly modify the exemption, including considering annual renewal. Staff also reviewed the multipurpose senior citizen centers exemption, concluding it meets its objective and recommending continuation, with possible consideration of making it permanent. For disabled veteran adapted housing, staff said the preference has very low uptake despite eligible veterans and recommended continuing it but modifying it in consultation with the Department of Veterans Affairs to improve use. For trade convention attendance, staff said the preference aligns Washington with other states and recommended continuation. For agricultural fertilizer and seed wholesaling, staff said the exemption reduces tax layering and recommended continuation, with clarification on whether it is exempt from expiration/performance-statement requirements. For agricultural crop protection products, staff said the preference met its revenue-growth metric and recommended extending it while considering better metrics or recategorizing it as tax relief. Finally, for energy sales to a silicon smelter, staff said the preferences were unused because the facility was never built and recommended allowing them to expire. The meeting ended with reminders about written testimony and the September public testimony session.

Transcript Highlights:

• much easier for companies to take advantage of the R&D tax credit, and it's only for research and development
• Minnesota is uniquely positioned to be a national leader in research and development, with world-class
• Minnesota is uniquely positioned to be a national leader in research and development, with world-class
• So if we want to drive growth in Minnesota, we need to drive research and development here.
• So if we want to drive growth in Minnesota, we need to drive research and development here.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The Committee on Economic Development will now come to order. Please call the roll.
• I have a long history of working in economic development.
• They could bring significant economic development to the St.
• Just a quick question because you brought up workforce development.
• That's the whole reason why we do what we do as economic developers.

Committee: House Economic Development

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But we do not just develop new crops; we also develop new scientists, including graduate students and
• But we do not just develop new crops; we also develop new scientists, including graduate students and
• But we do not just develop new crops; we also develop new scientists, including graduate students and
• But we do not just develop new crops; we also develop new scientists, including graduate students and
• </c> new program but we do not just develop new program but we do not just develop new<00:09:25.120><

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

Keywords: 1187, senate, all