Video & Transcript Research : 'Senate Joint Resolution 40'

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Transcript Highlights:
  • Senator Givens. Senator Madden. Here. Senator Neal. Here. Senator Nunn. Here.
  • Senator Givens. Aye. Senator Maiden. Aye. Senator Mays Bledsoe. Aye. Senator Neal. Aye.
  • Senator Neal. Aye. Senator Nunn. Aye. Senator Rawlings. Aye. Senator Richardson.
  • loss experience<00:40:41.400> dramatic<00:40:42.000> resolution<00:40:42.760> or
  • > experience dramatic resolution or experience dramatic resolution or improvement<00:40:43.440> of
Summary: The Senate Appropriations and Revenue Committee heard Senate Bill 6, sponsored by Senate President Robert Stivers, which would create an endowed research fund to support collaborative university research in Kentucky. Stivers described the bill as an extension of earlier higher-education research efforts, arguing that Kentucky should build research “hubs” by requiring or encouraging partnerships among universities and outside entities, with potential focus areas including health care, engineering, aerospace, agriculture, and other emerging fields. He said the proposal would establish five research tranches over five years and sought a $30 million endowment for each, generating annual interest to fund consortium-based research and leverage additional private and federal dollars. Senators Frommeyer, Neal, Givens, Boswell, and Richardson spoke in support, emphasizing economic development, job creation, and examples from other research clusters such as Boston and North Carolina’s Research Triangle. The committee voted 12-0 to report the bill favorably to the Senate floor. The committee then received a presentation from Dr. Matthew Bush of the University of Kentucky on pediatric hearing loss and cochlear implants. Bush explained that early hearing detection and intervention is critical because hearing loss in newborns is a neurocognitive emergency that affects language, literacy, and long-term outcomes. He outlined national screening benchmarks, Kentucky’s incidence of childhood hearing loss, and the high educational and societal costs of untreated hearing loss. Bush also highlighted disparities in rural and western Kentucky, where children face delayed diagnosis, longer waits for hearing aids or cochlear implants, and more difficulty accessing follow-up care. He described cochlear implants, the multidisciplinary care they require, and research showing improved language development, quality of life, and cost savings when children are treated early.
KY
Transcript Highlights:
  • Senator Rocky Adams, Senator Chambers Armstrong, Senator Elkins, present, Senator Haron, Senator Maiden
  • , Senator Maize Bledsoe, Senator McDaniel, Senator Mills, here, Senator Rawlings, here, Senator Tishner
  • > question<01:40:00.560> from<01:40:00.880> Senator >> We do have one more question
  • Local governments<01:40:30.400> put<01:40:30.960> $6<01:40:31.199> million<01:40
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Summary: The committee met jointly for State Government, State and Local Government, and Elections and Constitutional Amendments, approved the minutes from the September 23 meeting, and then took up discussion of Senate Bill 126, a proposed constitutional amendment to restrict the governor’s pardon power. Senator Chris McDaniel said the measure was prompted by concerns over pardons issued in 2019 and would bar pardons for 60 days before a gubernatorial election through the swearing-in of a new governor, leaving the power otherwise intact. Members who spoke generally supported the proposal as a way to increase accountability, and McDaniel said he intended to place it on the 2026 ballot. No vote was taken on the bill during the discussion. The committee then moved to House Bill 16 on water fluoridation. Representative Hart and Senator Greg Elkins said the bill would remove Kentucky’s fluoridation mandate and give local water districts the choice to add fluoride or not. They emphasized that the revised draft also adds immunity language to protect districts from civil litigation regardless of their decision. Dr. Jack Call, a Louisville dentist, presented against fluoridation, arguing that the main dental benefit is topical rather than from drinking water and citing studies and reports he said linked fluoride exposure to reduced IQ in children and other health concerns. Cindy Batson, a nurse and parent, also supported the bill and said she had testified on the issue for years. During questions, Senator Rollins raised concerns about fluoride being an industrial byproduct and described fluoridation as forced medication. The discussion remained focused on the bill’s local-control and immunity provisions, with sponsors saying they were not trying to relitigate the broader science but wanted to remove the mandate. The transcript ends while questions and testimony on HB 16 were still underway, and no final committee action is shown.
KY
Transcript Highlights:
  • Senator Rawlings, here. Representative Lawrence, here. Pat Ael, here. Rocky Atkins.
  • Senator Boswell and Representative Dodson presiding.
  • members if you would just for a moment bow your heads as we go to the Lord in a word of prayer led by Senator
  • >> Senator<00:08:35.200> Boswell<00:08:36.560> and<00:08:36.959> Representative
  • >> Senator Boswell and Representative >> Senator Boswell and Representative Dodson.
Summary: The meeting opened with a quorum, prayer, and the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by approval of the prior meeting minutes. The board then reviewed the 2026–2032 statewide capital improvement plan, including project recommendations across maintenance, renovation, IT, and new construction categories. Staff explained that 15 projects were selected in each category and described how the board’s tiebreaker process was used to finalize the recommendations. Members asked about the asset preservation pool, specifically whether institutions receive a blanket appropriation or must identify projects. Staff explained that the Council on Postsecondary Education serves as the gatekeeper after appropriation, reviewing institution-submitted uses to ensure they meet criteria for maintaining and improving existing facilities rather than new construction. Staff also outlined revisions to the draft plan, including updated summary data, revised wording for clarity, an updated maintenance pool policy recommendation based on Pew research, and a change to cross-reference major state-funded construction project status information rather than listing it directly. During discussion, one member praised the work on the plan and commented on the budget reserve trust fund, noting disagreement with Pew’s suggestion that the process should be in statute because Kentucky has long used the budget bill to govern deposits and uses. The board then moved to final action and unanimously adopted the draft 2026–2032 statewide capital improvement plan, with authority for staff to make final technical and editorial revisions and insert the comprehensive project list before publication. The chair thanked members for their work, noting it was the final meeting of the year, and the meeting adjourned.
OK
Transcript Highlights:
  • Joint committee report to Senate Bill 1134 by Caldwell, of the House and Hall of the Senate, an act relating
  • Senate Bill 1131 by Caldwell, of the House and Hall of the Senate, an act relating to the.
  • Joint committee report to Senate Bill 1132 by Caldwell of the House and Hall of the Senate, an act relating
  • The clerk, Joint committee report to Senate.
  • Joint committee report to Senate Bill 1142 by Caldwell of the House and Hall of the Senate, an act relating
OK
Transcript Highlights:
  • , bills, join, was the second reading, assignment, reassignment, bills of resolution, to build a resolution
  • House Concurrent Resolution 1026 by Heffner of the House and Nice of the Senate, a resolution relating
  • Senator Pugugh, Senator Thompson, Senator Seyfried, Senator Gillespie, thank you for your.
  • Please recognize Representative Caldwell to present the Joint Committee Report Senate Bill 1130.
  • Joint Committee Report to Senate Bill 1130 by Caldwell of the House and Hall of the Senate, an act relating