Transcript Highlights:

• Right now, game time is taken away from inmates. My son struggled with anxiety and depression.
• Okay, Senator, I read through the documentation that you gave me.

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice met to review its proposed fiscal year 2025-2026 budget, totaling about $7.6 billion. The chair highlighted funding for the Department of Corrections, including health services, food inflation, and prison population growth; the Department of Juvenile Justice for residential beds and higher food/medical costs; FDLE for a law enforcement apprenticeship program and officer wellness services; justice administration for court-appointed attorney rates and VOCA shortfalls; major IT projects; and court operations, including funding for 29 new judges. Members asked about where the new judgeships would go and whether staffing would accompany them, and staff said the judge positions would be listed later in a conforming bill and that associated court staff were included, but not additional state attorney or public defender staffing. Several members also asked whether the budget addressed pay and staffing shortages in state attorneys’ and public defenders’ offices, and staff said those decisions had not yet been finalized. The committee then heard public testimony from several speakers who urged more funding for prison safety, medical care, and oversight. Speakers described personal experiences involving deaths or serious harm in correctional facilities and jails, alleging inadequate medical treatment, excessive force, isolation, and failures to investigate. One speaker said her son died after being beaten and denied timely medical care in a correctional facility; another said her son was not receiving adequate health care at Charlotte Correctional; and another described her brother’s death in the Marion County Jail after repeated tasing and pepper spraying. The committee adopted a motion allowing staff to make technical adjustments and then approved the committee’s budget proposal as a recommendation to the full Senate Appropriations Committee. The committee also took up CS for CS SB 48 on alternative judicial procedures and foreclosure sales. Senator Garcia offered an amendment to standardize judicial sales, increase transparency, limit preferences in bidding, preserve public notice requirements, restrict plaintiff credit bids to the amount of the judgment unless a deposit is posted, and prevent deviations from statutory timelines and procedures from being hidden in court orders. Garcia said the bill was intended to close loopholes and protect homeowners, especially condominium owners, from unfair foreclosure practices. A representative for Auction.com said similar laws have been used in other states and offered to provide data. After debate, the amendment was adopted, and the bill passed the committee favorably on a roll call vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• And even though I was in education and human services, a lot of my inmates were in the infirmary.
• Those folks are sometimes, or many times, along with inmates, providing critical care, whether it's inmates
• It is a jail and a house of correction, so we have the jail and inmates there, but some of these people
• to perform psychiatric evaluations, and helped them so the whole facility was safe, not just the inmate
• And help them so the whole facility was safe, not just the inmate there.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several retirement and workforce-related bills. House Bill 2980 would place county correctional nurses and certain medical staff into Group 4 retirement. Representative Trino, Middlesex Sheriff Peter Koutoujian, and nurse manager Leanne Cameron argued that correctional nurses work in dangerous, high-stress settings with frequent contact with incarcerated people, high rates of mental illness and substance use in the jail population, and significant workplace violence, and that the change would help recruitment and retention with limited statewide fiscal impact. The committee also heard Senate Bill 210, which would create a commission to study additional regular compensation and annual expenses for members of the General Court. Senator John Keenan said Massachusetts has high leadership stipends compared with other states and argued the current structure can affect independence and public trust. Representative O'Day testified on House Bill 2928 to extend Group 2 retirement to additional Department of Children and Families social workers, and SEIU 509 witnesses described frequent transport of children, crisis response, threats, assaults, and other high-risk duties that they said match Group 2 work. Additional testimony supported House Bill 2943 for DDS service coordinators and supervisors, with witnesses describing home visits in unsafe conditions, transport of vulnerable individuals, direct care during staffing crises, and exposure to violence. House Bill 2899 drew support from the Association of Social Work Boards for social work field placement grants, incentives for supervisors, and expanded retirement benefits for DCF social workers. The committee also heard Senate Bill 2613, a local retirement bill for Salem police officer Kathleen Roachville, who described a severe line-of-duty injury during an arrest involving a combative person in a mental health crisis. Finally, Susan Smith Campbell testified for reclassifying certain DYS administrative officers into Group 2 because of their direct involvement in restraints, assaults, and crisis management. After testimony concluded, the committee adjourned without taking any votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• That document is sent by first-class mail. It's one page, and it's not at all clear what it...
• I don't know if you've seen the document, but in that document, there is a listing of firearms required
• Despite this, Do No Harm Action has documented over... 400 Texas children who have been subjected to
• of quality research in this area, there are many consequences and effects to consider. are well documented

Bills: SB397, SB481, SB596, SB760, SB855, SB1195, SB1196, SB1233, SB1257, SB1318, SB1368, SB1388, SB1398, SB1524, SB1558, SB1589, SB1677, SB1792, SB2034

Keywords: SB 397, telemedicine, telehealth, teledentistry, remote care, virtual care, consent documentation, patient consent, data collection, data sharing, audio-only telehealth, in-person examination, irreversible medical procedure, health professional regulation, Occupations Code, Texas Health and Human Services, medical records, provider compliance, data privacy, consumer rights

Transcript Highlights:

• So during the pandemic, providers were confused about how to properly acquire... ...our needed documentation
• consistent... ...rules specific to that profession for how providers should collect and maintain documentation
• shortages of primary care physicians and mental health providers who accept Medicaid. ...paid are well documented

Bills: SB397, SB481, SB596, SB760, SB855, SB1195, SB1196, SB1233, SB1257, SB1318, SB1368, SB1388, SB1398, SB1524, SB1558, SB1589, SB1677, SB1792, SB2034

Keywords: SB 397, telemedicine, telehealth, teledentistry, remote care, virtual care, consent documentation, patient consent, data collection, data sharing, audio-only telehealth, in-person examination, irreversible medical procedure, health professional regulation, Occupations Code, Texas Health and Human Services, medical records, provider compliance, data privacy, consumer rights

Transcript Highlights:

• And I also worked for six, eight years with the inmates as well.
• These inmates have the opportunity to go before the parole board and present their mitigating factors
• And some inmates get surprised that they're getting let out.
• Some inmates have gotten surprised because they've been kept.
• That opportunity is something that those inmates who were convicted of a life sentence never had.

Keywords: Scheduler, 972, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• 08.520> the ...I can't understand the judges' concern about not wanting her signature on a document
• And I think it would also be forgery if they've affixed their signature to a document such as a deed
• Our jail houses approximately 700 inmates on a daily basis.
• Our jail houses approximately 700 Our jail houses approximately 700 inmates<00:51:59.120> on<00
• He has a staff inmates on a daily basis.

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The only entity in this state that is documenting anything out there, and like Senator Huffman said,
• I have a Dallas County inmate, jail inmate, Robert... Harris who was arrested in April of 2019.
• The auditing documents discussed today reflect our own money.
• mentions are reimbursements when client cases zurück. ancies I will be by each of your offices with documentation

Bills: SB9, SB1047, SB1048, SJR17, SJR49, SB40, SJR1, SJR5, SB 9, SB 40, SJR 1

Keywords: bail reform, defendants, pretrial detention, public safety, criminal justice, charitable bail organizations, criminal procedure, public safety report, victim notification, family violence, bail bonds, public funds, political subdivision, injunction, taxpayer rights, violent crimes, sexual offenses, community safety, constitutional amendment, trafficking

Transcript Highlights:

• There have been other documented incidents of pregnant or postpartum New Yorkers being restrained to
• THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER DOCUMENTED INCIDENTS OF PREGNANT OR POSTPARTUM NEW YORKERS BEING RESTRAINED TO
• Well, contraband continues to enter our prisons and put inmates and staff at risk.
• SENDING STAFF AND INMATES ALIKE TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM.
• Just last week, video footage was released showing an inmate brutally attacking and beating a volunteer

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate convened, approved the prior journal, and then processed a series of motions to discharge bills from committees and substitute identical Senate bills, which were so ordered. Several bills were also recalled from the Assembly, had reconsideration votes taken, and were restored to the third reading calendar after receiving 58 ayes. Amendments were received on a number of bills, and those measures retained their place on the calendar. The main business of the day was Privileged Resolution 2318, sponsored by Leader Stewart-Cousins, honoring Senator Michael Gianaris with the President Pro Tempore and Senate Majority Leader’s Legislative Legacy Award. The resolution and floor remarks reviewed his long career in the Assembly and Senate, his role as Deputy Majority Leader and floor leader, and his work on housing, criminal justice, voting rights, labor, environmental, consumer, transit, animal welfare, and other major legislation. Members from both parties spoke at length, praising his strategic skill, mentorship, humor, and influence, while also noting his support for younger members and his commitment to family. Several senators described personal experiences showing Gianaris’s mentorship and political guidance, and many referenced his Greek American identity, Queens roots, and interests such as Star Wars and the Mets. Senators also emphasized that he was leaving on his own terms to spend more time with his wife and daughters. The resolution was adopted with broad support, and Gianaris then spoke in response, reflecting on nearly 30 years in state government, the major laws passed during his tenure, and the relationships he built in the chamber.

Transcript Highlights:

• release incentive credits if the inmate violates<00:17:37.320> the violates the violates the
• That's good for inmates. It's also good for our correctional staff.
• That's good for inmates. It's also good for our correctional staff.
• That's good for inmates. It's also good for our correctional staff.
• That's good for inmates. It's also good for our correctional staff.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• THE IRS, THE COURT SYSTEMS, PREDATORS AND EVEN THROUGH – EVEN INMATES IN JAIL ARE PART OF THIS SCHEME
• HUMAN PROFESSIONAL WHO INDEPENDENTLY REVIEWS THE FACTS, VERIFIES ANY AI GENERATED INFORMATION AND DOCUMENTS
• THE BILL ALSO STRENGTHENS TRANSPARENCY FOR AND DOCUMENTS THE BASIS FOR THAT DECISION.
• AND THE REALITY IS EVEN IF THERE IS SOME COMPLICATION IN EITHER THE DOCUMENTATION ON WHAT THE AI WAS

Transcript Highlights:

• confusion that corrections means all corrections in the state, but what we oversee are state custody inmates
• If this happens and we have to do more transports with our inmates and pay double for our nighttime beds
• So with that, just that number, that's doubling the amount that we pay for our inmates.
• “Just that number, that's doubling the amount that we pay for our inmates.
• Right now, with CoreCivic, we pay $2.4 million a year for holding the inmates, which is $70 a night.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Lastly, I'll leave us with this quote from our Year One documentation team: "The collaboration.
• to do competency evaluations I believe was in Chicago, and his evaluations were done by reading documents
• Briefly, I want to touch on the role of inmates from our state prison system, helping quell violence
• The state Penn, a group of inmates formed a theatrical group made up of mainly gang members.
• Make sure they're able to find documents that would help them with that.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, it clarified what documents could be used for ID at the polls.
• Do you have a list of what documents can be used?
• >> There were certain documents stricken from use, and that's EBT cards and Social Security cards.
• And those are the two documents that you typically need to get an ID or passport.
• And we know death row inmates are often the poorest of the poor who have poor representation.

Keywords: Convene 00:00:00 Senate Message 00:04:13 Report of Committees 00:06:00 Orders of the Day 00:06:39 HB 4 00:07:32 HB 7 00:10:19 Enrollment 00:12:49 HB 10 00:13:30 HB 58 00:14:31 HB 78 00:18:39 HB 96 00:21:59 Enrollment 00:25:31 HB 134 00:26:01 HB 139 00:28:20 HB 185 00:35:36 HB 213 00:38:16 HB 220 00:40:32 HB 253 00:41:45 HB 265 00:44:55 HB 280 00:47:10 HB 290 00:49:13 Enrollment 00:51:49 HB 355 00:52:25 HB 398 00:54:42 HB 622 00:57:07 HB 424 00:58:24 HB 456 01:01:43 HB 459 01:02:51 HB 470 01:04:54 HB 555 01:10:20 HB 562 01:12:35 HB 576 01:16:37 HB 648 01:18:59 SB 68 01:21:53 SB 226 01:27:40 SB 90 01:30:36 SB 137 01:34:08 SB 136 01:37:08 SB 198 01:41:55 Recess 01:46:14 Reconvene 02:47:31 Orders of the Day 02:48:28 HB 10 02:48:53 HB 67 02:50:01 HB 257 02:51:05 Senate Message 05:52:18 Enrollment 02:53:15 SB 183 02:57:00 SJR 23 03:00:24 SB 251 03:06:24 Announcement 03:24:34 Enrollment 03:25:28 Recess 03:26:50 Reconvene 07:04:07 Enrollment 07:04:12 Senate Message 07:06:54 Appointment of Conference Committees 07:09:38 Orders of the Day 07:10:03 SB 100 07:11:06 Appointment of Conference Committee 07:12:18 HB 778 07:12:37 HB 6 07:15:14 HB 142 07:18:48 HB 144 07:21:27 HB 236 07:24:13 HB 305 07:26:45 HB 651 07:29:16 HB 521 07:31:44 HB 692 07:36:04 HB 491 07:38:33 HB 689 07:40:50 HB 767 07:43:24 HB 627 07:46:33 HB 869 07:49:00 HB 566 07:50:21 Motions, Petitions, and Communications 07:54:31 Introductions 08:07:19 ConC & Rules Report 08:12:28 Floor Amendments 08:13:10 Adjournment 08:16:56, 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• CHANGE THAN THE LAST TIME WE DID THIS SO TO REMIND EVERYONE THIS IS A CONSTITUTIONALLY REQUIRED DOCUMENT
• I AM PRESENTING IT BUT THIS DOCUMENT WAS REALLY PUT TOGETHER BY NEARLY 100 DIFFERENT ANALYSTS OVER THE
• RECOGNIZED. >> DEPARTMENT REQUESTS AN ADDITIONAL 2.2 MILLION IN BUDGET AUTHORITY WITHIN THE PRIVATE INMATE

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Right now, one of the biggest problems that OIDs faces is if you have an inmate that is a Comanche County
• inmate and they're being held in Mogee County,... ...an inmate that is a Comanche County inmate and

Bills: HB4421, HB4426, HB4432, HB4329, HB3551, HB3763, HB1411, HB2730, HB3465, HB3649, HB3650, HB3674, HB3941, HB3970, HB3979, HB3980, HB3981, SB1074

Keywords: child welfare, fentanyl exposure, drug endangerment, environmental testing, safety analysis, remediation, child protection, Department of Human Services, violence prevention, HB4426, SIDE tax credit, strategic industrial development enhancement, income tax credit, economic development, tax incentive, qualified economic development expenditures, qualified initial infrastructure expenditures, industrial park, economic development zone, port authority

Transcript Highlights:

• For the staff and the inmates, it's crucial to have connectivity to the outside world.
• ,<00:27:44.680> it's For the staff and the inmates, it's For the staff and the inmates, it's
• First, the bill describes several types of documents that may be used to support a victim's claim of
• include forms of adequate documentation include a<01:53:59.480> report<01:54:00.440> filed
• creditor will review the documentation creditor will review the documentation and<01:57:45.920><

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The Shelby County Jail decided he was a good inmate.
• On December 30, the Franklin County Jail decided he was a good inmate, and he was released within two
• Shelby County Jail decided he was a the Shelby County Jail decided he was a good<00:09:32.040> inmate
• he served three days of the good inmate he served three days of the 90<00:09:35.200> days<00:
• and he was released within good inmate and he was released within two<00:10:39.360> weeks<00:

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The House Judiciary Committee met for its first meeting, established a quorum, welcomed new members and guests, and announced that committee rules would be sent out later. The committee then took up House Bill 38, sponsored by Representative Tipton, which would increase the penalty for repeated violations of an order of protection. Under the committee substitute, a third violation of the same protective order could be charged as a Class D felony instead of a Class A misdemeanor. The substitute was adopted by voice vote. Representative Tipton said the bill was prompted by a constituent’s experience with repeated abuse and violations of protective orders, and he argued the change was needed to better protect the public. Maryanne Pratt testified in support of the bill, describing a long history of domestic violence, repeated violations of protective orders, stalking through calls and social media, and her fear for her safety. Several members expressed support and praised her courage. Questions focused on whether the bill would cover social media contact and on the committee substitute’s language requiring the same victim and same order. Representative Burke raised concern that the same-victim language could allow an abuser to victimize multiple partners without triggering the felony provision. Tipton said the original bill was broader, that the change was added because of concerns about reverse protective orders, and that the issue might be revisited in the Senate. Scott West, speaking for the Kentucky Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, said the bill addressed some concerns but warned that the third-offense trigger could be based on technical contempt findings rather than violent conduct, and he noted that stalking already can be charged as a felony in some cases. The discussion continued on those concerns, but no final action on the bill beyond adoption of the committee substitute was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• How many more pages of a document like this do we need?
• This bill requires county jails to provide ICE with immigration status of inmates, codifying current
• So they can't get the documents, or they have parents who live in another state but the kid lives in
• There are 5,000 inmates in state prison right now who have free healthcare and a free education.

Keywords: 998, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Funding for additional inmates does not earmark funding specifically for drug treatment or drug disorder
• Not just funding the number of inmates does not suffice.
• I would encourage my colleagues not to put a whole lot of faith or even use this document as a starting
• Thank you for all the preparation in these two helpful starting documents.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And we do have probationers and community custody inmates in our facility as well.
• custody inmates in our facility<00:07:44.639> as<00:07:44.880> well.
• for about 60 probationers, and inmates for about 60 years.<00:08:55.279> Um years.
• So, if we would, prior to 2010, I worked at a different halfway house entity, and we would have inmates
• housing state inmates and or state um housing state inmates and or state um people<00:37:12.240> charged

Keywords: Call to Order 00:17 Department of Corrections 01:35 Community Transitional Services 06:47 Administrative Office of the Courts 23:06 Department of Criminal Justice Training/ KSP 45:49 Adjournment 59:14, 958, all

Summary: The Public Safety and Judiciary Committee met without a quorum, so approval of the January 3, January 20, and February 3 minutes was postponed. The committee then heard an update from the Department of Corrections on halfway house and Recovery Kentucky funding and operations. Deputy Commissioner Hillary Daily said DOC contracts for up to 1,752 halfway house beds and 780 Recovery Kentucky beds, with 16 halfway houses and 13 Recovery Kentucky centers statewide. She reported 6,329 admissions in fiscal year 2025, average daily populations of 1,041 in halfway houses and 494 in Recovery Kentucky, and explained that Recovery Kentucky placements are more restrictive, generally excluding violent and sex offenders, while halfway houses serve probationers, parolees, and sex offenders who need treatment. She also described programming such as MRT, parenting, adult basic education, and trauma-focused services, and said some facilities offer supervised visitation. Daily said no new funding request was included in the current budget, though DOC has sought rate increases in prior cycles. Community Transitional Services director Barbara Stum also testified in support of halfway houses as re-entry and substance abuse treatment centers. She said CTS primarily serves men coming out of prison or returning to prison who need treatment, and that halfway houses provide security, accountability, treatment, employment support, and help with home placement. Stum said the state moved substance abuse treatment into the community in 2010 to avoid sending people back to prison for treatment, and argued halfway houses are the least expensive form of incarceration. She cited daily rates of $33.61 for CTS beds and DOC figures of $37.33 to $44.33 per day, compared with higher prison and jail costs, and said reimbursement has not kept pace with inflation since the last increase in 2019. She said staffing and supplies are the main pressure points, with counselor pay below market rates, and noted two counselor vacancies. A former resident, Michael Bird, testified that CTS helped him recover and re-enter the community successfully. The committee also received an update from the Administrative Office of the Courts on implementation of the video arraignment/video conferencing system. AOC officials Zach Ramsey and Charles Buyers said the system is now fully implemented in all courtrooms and is used for video arraignments and other Zoom-based court proceedings. Buyers described the pandemic-era transition from older, inconsistent equipment to improvised laptop/webcam setups, then to a more integrated vendor-supported system with touchscreen controls and a judicial support specialist position for training and operation. He said 324 courtrooms are already up to the current standard, with 128 remaining on an older bundle, and that there are no technical barriers to continued use. AOC said it is seeking $3.8 million in recurring annual funding to keep the systems upgraded and current, and plans to upgrade 46 systems in fiscal year 2026 across 15 counties.