Video & Transcript Research : 'call processing goals'

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KY
KY

Kentucky 2026 Regular Session

House Standing Committee on Health Services (3-19-26)

Health Services

Transcript Highlights:
  • We have good quality controls and process and we really think this will really help improve access to
  • We have good quality controls and process and we really think this will really help improve access to
  • We have good quality controls and process and we really think this will really help improve access to
  • This allows the cabinet to use an internal process through administrative..."
  • the cabinet to use an internal process the cabinet to use an internal process through<00:10:36.440
Keywords: 00:00 - Call to Order/Roll Call 01:17 - Discussion of 26RS SB 137 07:15 - Roll Call Vote on 26RS SB 137 09:42 - Discussion of 26RS SB 147 10:48 - Roll Call Vote on 26RS SB 147 11:56 - Discussion of 26RS SB 56 13:48 - Roll Call Vote on 26RS SB 56 14:43 - Discussion of 26RS SB 116 20:17 - Roll Call Vote on 26RS SB 116 21:23 - Adjournment, 958, all
KY
KY

Kentucky 2026 Regular Session

House Standing Committee on Families and Children. (3-5-26)

Families & Children

Transcript Highlights:
  • I hereby call this the fourth meeting of the House Standing Committee on Families and Children to order
  • All right, seeing none, DJ, please call the roll. Representative Callaway, present.
  • family court processes and procedures. family court processes and procedures.
  • DJ, please call the role. second. DJ, please call the role.
  • We don't really like to call it that.
Keywords: 00:00 - Call to Order/Roll Call 01:10 - Discussion of 26RS HB 669 08:25 - Roll Call Vote on 26RS HB 669 09:25 - Discussion of 26RS HCR 36 13:15 - Roll Call Vote on 26RS HCR 36 14:05 - Discussion of 26RS HB 686 29:20 - Roll Call Vote on 26RS HB 686 30:10 - Adjournment, 958, all
Summary: The House Standing Committee on Families and Children met and first adopted a House committee substitute for House Bill 669, which would protect federal benefits belonging to children in out-of-home care. The sponsor explained the bill is intended to prevent the state from using a child’s Social Security survivor, disability, or death benefits to offset care costs, instead requiring those funds to be preserved in an account for the child and made available at certain milestones or when the child leaves care. Members asked about who would oversee the funds, how annual eligibility reviews would work, and when the child could access the money; the sponsor said the cabinet would set the review process by rule and that the funds would remain available for the child. The committee approved HB 669 15-0 with favorable expression. The committee then considered House Concurrent Resolution 36, as amended by committee substitute, which creates a child welfare and family court reform task force. The substitute changed the reporting structure to send the task force’s report to the interim joint committee on families and children and the judiciary committee, rather than a now-defunct Health and Human Services committee. Supporters said the task force should review child abuse and neglect, foster care, and family court processes, and gather input from experts and people with lived experience. Members discussed whether the work should be divided into separate family court and child welfare task forces, but the resolution moved forward and passed 15-0 with favorable expression. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 686, which would establish a Kentucky Positive Youth Development Commission and a dedicated trust and agency account to support community-based youth programming up to age 25. The sponsor and witnesses said the bill responds to rising youth mental health concerns, self-harm, and suicide, and would coordinate statewide efforts, support evidence-based out-of-school programming, and provide technical assistance to local partners. Testimony emphasized the importance of connectedness, trusted adults, community-based responses, and using settlement funds from social media-related harms to youth to support the trust. Members asked about how the bill compares with other states and how the “dose-response” language relates to adverse and positive childhood experiences. HB 686 also passed 15-0 with favorable expression. The committee announced its next meeting for Thursday, March 12 at 9:00 a.m. and then adjourned.
KY
KY

Kentucky 2026 Regular Session

House Standing Committee on Health Services (1-29-26)

Health Services

Transcript Highlights:
  • members who need to go back and forth between state government, so we're going to get this meeting called
Keywords: 00:00 - Call to Order/Roll Call 01:28 - Discussion of 26RS HB 393 03:05 - Roll Call Vote on 26RS HB 393 04:11 - Discussion of 26RS HB 385 04:44 - Roll Call Vote on 26RS HB 385 05:44 - Discussion of 26RS HB 388 06:39 - Roll Call Vote on 26RS HB 388 08:00 - Adjournment, 958, all
Summary: The House Standing Committee on Health Services met with a quorum and heard three bills. House Bill 393, sponsored by Rep. Rebecca Raymer with testimony from Mackenzie Wallace of the Alzheimer’s Association, would clean up statutes governing the Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders council, add another caregiver seat, and require the council to develop and distribute an early detection/diagnosis toolkit for health care providers. Wallace said the bill mainly resolves duplicative language and conflicting deadlines and aligns the statute with current Office of Dementia Services work. The committee took a motion and second, asked no questions, and passed the bill with favorable expression. House Bill 385, sponsored by Rep. Marianne Proctor, was described as a simple cleanup bill changing a statutory definition from “institution” to “facility.” The committee moved and seconded the bill, asked no questions, and approved it with favorable expression. House Bill 388, sponsored by Rep. Robert Duval, was presented as a cleanup bill for Casper requested by the OIG office and related to prescription drugs; Duval noted it had previously passed the House 90-4. The committee again took a motion and second, had no substantive discussion, and passed the bill with favorable expression, with one member briefly registering a vote after the roll call. At the close of the meeting, the chair noted that consensus had been reached on all three bills in advance and that a lot of work had gone into them. The committee announced its next meeting for February 5 at noon in Annex Room 149 and then adjourned.
KY
KY

Kentucky 2026 Regular Session

House Standing Committee on Health Services (1-15-26)

Health Services

Transcript Highlights:
  • committee members that if you need to record a vote, you cannot do so during a discussion or roll call
  • committee members that if you need to record a vote, you cannot do so during a discussion or roll call
  • You've got to create some incentive before we start the education process.
  • DJ was asked to call the roll. The roll call vote followed.
  • Please call the roll. Do we vote on the amendment first? >> Yeah, we did. >> Oh, okay.
Keywords: 00:00 - Call to Order/Roll Call 02:05 - Discussion of 26RS HB 178 14:05 - Roll Call Vote on 26RS HB 178 15:05 - Discussion of 26RS HB 280 20:00 - Roll Call Vote on 26RS HB 280 22:00 - Discussion of 26RS HJR 24 24:30 - Roll Call Vote on 26RS HJR 24 26:00 - Adjournment, 958, all
Summary: The Health Services Committee met for the first time in the 2026 session and established a quorum before taking up three measures. House Bill 178, sponsored by Rep. Kim Moser with support from the Kentucky Psychiatric Medical Association, was presented as a budget-neutral collaborative care model to improve access to mental health treatment in primary care settings. Testimony emphasized workforce shortages, long wait times, stigma, and the potential for the model to reduce costs and improve outcomes by having primary care providers work with behavioral health care managers and psychiatric consultants. The bill received a favorable recommendation by roll call vote. The committee then considered House Bill 280, also sponsored by Rep. Moser. The bill and committee amendment were described as cleanup and policy updates affecting Kentucky Board of Nursing licensure standards, including restoring language related to abuse, neglect, and exploitation in the central registry, preserving the board’s ability to investigate out-of-state applicants, and adding an emergency provision. The bill also updated school medication provisions to allow certain prescribed rescue medications, including bronchodilator inhalers, nebulizers, glucagon, Solu-Cortef, and updated epinephrine delivery. The committee adopted the amendment, approved the bill with favorable expression, and then approved a motion to roll the committee amendment into the House committee substitute. Finally, the committee took up House Joint Resolution 24, sponsored by Rep. Ken Fleming, with a committee substitute adopted first. The resolution was explained as a request for the cabinet to withdraw a previously submitted Medicaid-related waiver application so it could be resubmitted under new requirements tied to House Resolution 1. The committee approved the resolution with favorable expression and also adopted a title amendment. The meeting concluded with notice that the next committee meeting would be Thursday, January 22nd at noon.
KY
KY

Kentucky 2025 Regular Session

House Standing Committee on Families & Children (2-27-25)

Transcript Highlights:
  • DJ, please call the roll. Representative Bojanowski here. Representative Callaway here.
  • You've got 15 days to respond, and there's a back-and-forth process.
  • and there's a back and forth process and there's a back and forth process works<00:18:59.120>
  • definitions and framework to a process definitions and framework to a process that<00:32:23.320>
  • that process that process works<00:36:01.720> and<00:36:02.359> I'm<00:36:02.520><
Keywords: 00:11 Call to Order/Roll Call 01:02 Discussion of 25RS SB 26 07:48 Roll Call Vote on 25RS SB 26 08:43 Discussion of 25RS SB 85 28:04 Roll Call Vote on 25RS SB 85 29:37 Discussion of 25RS HB 805 40:30 Roll Call Vote on 25RS HB 805 41:32 Adjournment, 958, all
Summary: The committee first took up Senate Bill 26, presented by Senator Brandon Storm, Family Court Judge Marcus Vanover, and Crystal Adams on behalf of the Kentucky Judicial Commission on Mental Health. The bill would ensure Kentucky complies with the ADA by prohibiting disability alone from being used to terminate adoption petitions, parental rights, or child-placement petitions. Testimony cited Kentucky Supreme Court and Court of Appeals cases involving parents with intellectual or developmental disabilities and national data showing high removal rates for parents with psychiatric, intellectual, or physical disabilities. The committee approved the bill 15-0 with favorable expression. The committee then heard Senate Bill 85 from Senator Steve Meredith and State Auditor Allison Ball, which continues the transition of the Office of the Ombudsman from the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to the Auditor’s office. Testimony focused on completing the transfer by clarifying access to the ITWIST database, ensuring complaints go directly to the Ombudsman, adding whistleblower protections, and making the office a separate office within the Auditor’s office for efficiency. Members asked about the prior conflict of interest when the Ombudsman was housed within CHFS, the database access dispute and lawsuit, and whether the office still remained independent. The bill passed with favorable expression after some members voted pass. Finally, the committee considered House Bill 805, with Representative Nick Wilson and Representative Sarah Stalker explaining a committee substitute and amendment. The bill would set timelines for the Cabinet to physically locate children reported at immediate safety risk and require annual kinship-care reporting to be automatically provided to the legislature and posted publicly. Wilson said the bill also cleans up language from last year’s House Bill 271, including changing “threats” to “risks” in the safety-plan definition and other terminology fixes. The committee adopted the substitute and amendment and advanced the bill with favorable expression.
KY
KY

Kentucky 2026 Regular Session

House Standing Committee on Families and Children. (3-26-26)

Families & Children

KY
KY

Kentucky 2026 Regular Session

House Standing Committee on Families and Children. (3-19-26)

Families & Children

Transcript Highlights:
  • All right, DJ, please call the roll. Representative Bojanowski. Here. Representative Callaway.
  • DJ, please call the roll. Representative Bojanowski. Yes. Representative Callaway. I.
  • Today, I have over 7 years of what I like to call living life on the sunny side in recovery. not the
  • Seeing none, DJ, please call the roll. Representative Bojanowski. Yes. Representative Callaway.
  • for any mothers, fathers, family process for any mothers, fathers, family members,<00:20:06.520>
Keywords: 00:00 - Call to Order/Roll Call 01:00 - Discussion of 26RS SJR 54 03:23 - Roll Call Vote on 26RS SJR 54 04:48 - Discussion of 26RS SB 122 17:08 - Roll Call Vote on 26RS SB 122 21:30 - Adjournment, 958, all
KY
KY

Kentucky 2026 Regular Session

House Standing Committee on Health Services (2-26-26)

Health Services

Transcript Highlights:
  • Being here today, um, I would like to go ahead and call the seventh meeting of the House Standing Committee
  • But as far as going forward, it can't be any more than what the current medical loss ratio calls for.
  • the current uh medical loss ratio calls the current uh medical loss ratio calls for.<00:17:36.880
  • Well, you know, I've called this project 20 by 30. I saw that.
  • So my goal is if ultraconervative here.
Keywords: 00:00 - Call to Order/Roll Call 01:38 - Discussion of 26RS SCR 9 22:00 - Roll Call Vote on 26RS SCR 9 23:15 - Discussion of 26RS SJR 23 33:20 - Roll Call Vote on 26RS SJR 23 35:18 - Adjournment, 958, all
Summary: The House Standing Committee on Health Services met with a quorum and first heard Senate Concurrent Resolution 9 from Sen. Steve Meredith. He argued that Kentucky’s Medicaid system is too costly and bureaucratic, saying spending has grown dramatically and that managed care organizations do not align with improving health outcomes. His proposal would create a feasibility study for a five-year pilot of an “accountable community healthcare organization” in three area development districts, with a locally owned, nonprofit, provider-driven model intended to reduce costs, address social determinants of health, and keep savings in the community. Members asked about how the model would differ from MCOs, administrative costs, eligibility changes, and implementation costs; Meredith said the model would eliminate preauthorization barriers, rely on provider and community risk-sharing, and could be funded initially through existing grant opportunities. The committee then voted unanimously to report SCR 9 favorably. The committee next took up Senate Joint Resolution 23, the “Food is Medicine” resolution, introduced by Sen. Shelley Funke Frommeyer and Dana Feldman of the Kentucky Department of Agriculture. They described the resolution as part of a broader wellness and rural prosperity effort, emphasizing that nutrition should be treated as part of health care and that Kentucky agriculture can support better health outcomes through local, healthy food. They said the effort grew out of task force work and regional listening sessions and is intended to build a foundation for continued collaboration between hospitals, agriculture, and state agencies. Members expressed support for the concept and the partnership approach, and the discussion highlighted using evaluation and shared learning to expand the initiative.
KY
KY

Kentucky 2026 Regular Session

House Standing Committee on Families and Children. (2-12-26)

Families & Children

Transcript Highlights:
  • . >> Um, DJ, please call the roll. >> Representative Bojanowski?
  • And I would just underscore only the processes in this bill to reform, not the actual changes that we
  • outcomes through the reform process outcomes through the reform process that's<00:13:18.959>
  • <00:13:21.839> in just underscore only the processes in just underscore only the processes
  • have a motion from Representative Pollock and a second from Representative Callaway. >> DJ, please call
Keywords: 00:00 - Call to Order/Roll Call 01:26 - Discussion of 26RS HB 6 17:45 - Roll Call Vote on 26RS HB 6 20:20 - Discussion of 26RS HJR 50 22:30 - Roll Call Vote on 26RS HJR 50 23:19 - Adjournment, 958, all
Summary: The committee heard House Bill 6, as amended by a committee substitute, which was described as a broad child care reform package developed through a multi-stakeholder collaborative. The substitute added a two-year pilot program for off-base child care at Fort Campbell and Fort Knox, beginning July 1, 2026, and making the bill an emergency measure for that purpose. Sponsors said the bill focuses on long-term reforms to affordability, quality, and access, including modernization of the All Stars quality rating system, creation of micro centers, support for children with special needs, child care data and transparency measures, CCAP improvements, and changes to the employee child care assistance partnership (ECAP). Testimony explained that micro centers are intended to fill gaps such as rural, third-shift, drop-in, and partnership-based care, would initially be limited to 10 statewide with no more than two per county, and could serve 4 to 24 children under a more flexible regulatory framework. Members also discussed whether family child care homes like the “Miss Barbara” model fit the bill; sponsors said they are not micro centers, but the bill includes other provisions to support family child care homes. Questions also focused on ECAP, which was described as a tri-share model in which employers contribute, the state matches for eligible employees, and the employee pays the remainder; sponsors said the bill privatizes ECAP first before considering expansion to teachers or public employees. House Bill 6 passed favorably by a vote of 12-0-1, and the title amendment passed. The committee then took up House Joint Resolution 50, also sponsored by Representative Heavrin. The resolution asks the Kentucky Auditor’s office to study the administrative regulations, statutes, agency policies, and processes affecting the opening and operation of licensed and certified child care services, with particular attention to the All Stars program. The sponsor said the goal is to identify opportunities for change through a thorough third-party review, noting that the All Stars system has been in place for about 10 years and that many child care rules are tied to federal funding and cannot be changed quickly. The resolution passed unanimously by a vote of 13-0. The meeting concluded with notice of the next committee meeting and adjournment.
KY
KY

Kentucky 2026 Regular Session

House Standing Committee on Families and Children. (2-5-26)

Families & Children

Transcript Highlights:
  • I hereby call this meeting to order.
  • DJ, please call the role.
  • the call roll call.
  • DJ, please call the call roll call. DJ, please call the role. role. role.
  • waiver process a waiver request process waiver process a waiver request process so<00:33:46.799>
Keywords: 00:00 - Call to Order/Roll Call 01:13 - Discussion of 26RS HB 109 26:47 - Roll Call Vote on 26RS HB 109 32:30 - Discussion of 26RS HB 190 36:15 - Roll Call Vote on 26RS HB 190 37:30 - Adjournment, 958, all
Summary: The House Families and Children Committee met in the 2026 regular session and heard House Bill 109, which would amend Kentucky divorce law to waive the current 60-day waiting period for couples with minor children when the parties have already completed mediation or collaborative family law and are ready to finalize their decree. The bill sponsor, Representative Deetsz, argued the measure would reward families who have already done the work to resolve custody, parenting time, and property issues outside of court, and said it would not affect traditional litigation cases. She also explained that delays can be especially burdensome when retirement-account division requires a QDRO after the decree. Committee members discussed how long collaborative cases typically take, with the sponsor estimating about six months on average and longer in complex cases, and noted that some judges already require parenting classes or allow reconciliation conferences in certain circuits. David Walls of the Family Foundation testified in opposition, saying the bill would make divorce easier for parents with children and move Kentucky in the wrong direction. He argued waiting periods can encourage reconciliation, protect marriage commitments, and reduce harms to children and public costs associated with family fragmentation. He urged lawmakers to preserve or even lengthen the waiting period rather than eliminate it, and framed the issue as protecting children and strengthening marriage. During questions, Representative Bojanowski strongly objected to Mr. Walls’ characterization of divorce, saying her own divorce was necessary for her children’s well-being and that the bill simply shortens the process after mediation. Representative Elliott asked about typical timelines in collaborative cases and noted that some courts require parental education. Representative Moser asked whether counseling is required; the sponsor said it is not, though reconciliation conferences may be requested at a judge’s discretion. The transcript ends after discussion of the bill and before any recorded vote or final committee action.
KY
KY

Kentucky 2026 Regular Session

House Standing Committee on Health Services (2-5-26)

Health Services

Transcript Highlights:
  • So they're going to appoint a lot of people to this process because they're already in the process of
  • because they're already in the process because they're already in the process<00:26:43.279> of
  • So hope process of doing this work.
  • <00:27:04.960> of Elena said, they're in the process of Elena said, they're in the process
  • DJ, please call the role. DJ, please call the role.
Keywords: 00:00 - Call to Order/Roll Call 01:27 - Discussion of 26RS HB 470 29:05 - Roll Call Vote on 26RS HB 470 32:06 - Discussion of 26RS HJR 25 34:49 - Roll Call Vote on 26RS HJR 25 37:08 - Adjournment, 958, all
Summary: The House Standing Committee on Health Services met with a quorum and took up House Bill 470, which was presented as a cleanup and delay measure related to peer support specialists and Medicaid reimbursement. The bill would extend the deadline for registered alcohol and drug peer support specialists to be Medicaid reimbursable, address issues created by delayed regulations under House Bill 505, remove a limit on direct client care hours, and create a work group to examine oversight and possible future board structure for peer professionals. The committee adopted a committee substitute before hearing testimony. Bill sponsor Rep. Kim Moser and supporting witnesses said the change was needed because implementation problems and regulatory backlogs had created a peer support workforce shortage and confusion across multiple peer categories, including substance use, mental health, re-entry, and gambling peers. Elena Swezy argued the bill would stabilize the workforce, improve oversight, and allow time to develop a more effective credentialing framework. Frank Miller Jr. testified in opposition, arguing the bill lacked a proper enabling statute for Medicaid-related changes and would not be enforceable as written. Sarah Vaughn also raised concerns about the bill’s impact on mental health peer specialists, multispecialty behavioral health groups, and whether separate regulations would be needed for mental health and substance use services. Committee members questioned the bill’s structure, fiscal impact, training costs, and whether the work group would be appointed or informal. Sponsors responded that the bill does not require providers to hire anyone, only sets registration requirements if they do hire substance-use peer specialists, and said the work group was intended to help develop a more unified oversight model. Several members expressed concern about the complexity of the issue and the short testimony time, while others supported the bill as a way to improve oversight and reduce fraud risk. The committee approved House Bill 470 as amended by the committee substitute, and then adopted a title amendment; the bill passed with favorable expression.
AL
AL

Alabama 2026 1st Special Session

Alabama Senate Finance and Taxation Education Committee Mar 11th, 2026

Finance and Taxation Education

KY
KY

Kentucky 2026 Regular Session

House Standing Committee on Local Government (3-1-23)

KY
KY

Kentucky 2026 Regular Session

Senate Standing Committee On State and Local Government (3-1-23)

KY
KY

Kentucky 2026 Regular Session

House Standing Committee on Local Government (3-16-22)

KY
KY

Kentucky 2026 Regular Session

Senate Standing Committee on Licensing & Occupations (3-8-22)

KY
KY

Kentucky 2025 Regular Session

House Standing Committee on Health Services (3-14-25) -Upon Recess of House - 6PM

Transcript Highlights:
  • Let me go ahead and have us call the roll. Representative Bray, present.
  • anatomized yeah it's an anatomized call anatomized yeah it's an anatomized call and<00:09:53.279
  • It seems like a total operating cost, as well as itemized deductions or itemized accounting processes
  • It seems like a total operating cost, as well as itemized deductions or itemized accounting processes
  • DJ, please call the roll.
Keywords: 00:25 Call to Order/Roll Call 01:36 Discussion of 25RS SB 153 23:11 Roll Call Vote on 25RS SB 153 30:56 Adjournment, 958, all
Summary: The House Standing Committee on Health Services met on March 14, 2025, and took up a committee substitute for Senate Bill 153. The substitute deleted the original bill language and replaced it with provisions from Senate Bill 14, aimed at prohibiting pharmaceutical manufacturers from discriminating against 340B covered entities and adding reporting requirements for those entities. The sponsor explained that the protections would sunset after one year, allowing lawmakers to review data by July 1, 2026, and that Kentucky would continue to follow any future federal changes to the 340B program. Members asked several questions about the scope of the reporting, including what “total operating cost” means, how duplicate discounts are prevented, whether the reporting applies only to hospitals and not federally qualified health centers, and who would receive the data. The sponsor said the reporting is intended to help the Cabinet for Health and Family Services and the Office of Health Data Analytics at LRC assess how the program is working, including charity care and community benefits, while preserving protections for rural hospitals and allowing them to continue using contract pharmacies. A representative from LRC confirmed the data would come to the General Assembly through the Office of Health Data Analytics. The committee expressed mixed views about the balance between transparency and potential burdens on hospitals, especially rural facilities. Several members said they were supportive but had reservations about the reporting requirements and the sunset structure, while others noted concerns about unintended consequences and the possibility of changes on the House floor. The committee ultimately adopted the committee substitute, approved a title amendment, and reported Senate Bill 153 with House Committee Substitute 2 favorably. The meeting then adjourned.
KY
KY

Kentucky 2026 Regular Session

House Standing Committee on Health Services (3-12-26)

Health Services

KY
KY

Kentucky 2026 Regular Session

Senate Standing Committee on Natural Resources & Energy. (3-11-26)

Natural Resources & Energy

Transcript Highlights:
  • "Gray, uh, she did call and sing happy birthday to me Sunday, but she called me a monkey, too.
  • So, I'm calling her out.
  • So, I'm calling her out. her back. So, I'm calling her out.
  • the clerk to call the roll. the clerk to call the roll.
  • clerk to call the roll. clerk to call the roll.
Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00 Attendance Roll Call 02:25 SB 100 Discussion 02:59 SB 100 Roll Call Vote 31:10 SJR 134 Discussion 32:41 SJR 134 Roll Call Vote 33:43 SB 222 Discussion 34:43 SB 222 Roll Call Vote 39:55, 958, all
KY
KY

Kentucky 2026 Regular Session

House Standing Committee on Agriculture. (2-25-26)

Agriculture

Transcript Highlights:
  • clerk to call the row, please. clerk to call the row, please.
  • Now, it's still a process and I think a process can be refined even more.
  • through the process to get those tags. through the process to get those tags.
  • Is there a process for that maybe that. Is there a process for that maybe later?
  • When the complaint process.
Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00 Attendance Roll Call: 00:15 HB 658 Discussion: 03:40 HB 658 Roll Call Vote: 04:50 HB 142 Discussion: 06:30 HB 142 Roll Call Vote: 22:45 HB 571 Discussion: 24:25 HB 571 Roll Call Vote: 29:10, 958, all
Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 658, which would require the Transportation Cabinet to adopt regulations extending the allowable period for a restricted CDL license from 180 to 210 days within a 12-month period for agriculture businesses. Rep. Felicia Rabourn presented the bill with support from Todd Griffin of the Kentucky Retail Federation and Agra Business Association. The committee quickly moved to a vote, and the bill passed with favorable expression. Members indicated it would move forward similarly on the House floor. The committee then considered House Bill 142, a deer-management bill sponsored by Rep. Pollock and amended by committee substitute. Pollock said the bill is intended to help farmers and landowners more quickly obtain destruction tags and address overpopulated deer, especially does, after describing crop losses, vehicle collisions, and deer carcasses seen along roadways. Members from farming districts strongly supported the measure, saying deer damage is costly and widespread and that the bill would reduce paperwork by allowing landowners to obtain tags without having to route everything through each landlord. Questions focused on how Fish and Wildlife would determine overpopulated zones and how the damage-verification process would work; Pollock said the department retains discretion and must inspect damage within 15 days. The committee adopted the sub and passed the bill with favorable expression. Finally, Rep. Kim Holloway presented House Bill 571, which would require Transportation Cabinet light fixtures to be fully shielded to reduce light pollution affecting agriculture. She said light trespass can disrupt crop photoperiodism, pollination, and yields, and noted the economic importance of Kentucky agriculture. Members asked whether the bill applies only to Transportation Cabinet lights and how complaints would be handled; Holloway said it applies to state transportation lights and includes a process for landowners to request shielding, with a 30-day compliance period and a construction/maintenance exemption of up to 180 days. The committee approved the committee substitute and continued discussion of the bill.