Transcript Highlights:

• </c> they were paying they were paying for<00:09:10.160><c> for</c><00:09:10.360><c> rechargeable</c>
• Itasa County pays nearly $6,500 a month for the management and shipping of e-waste out of our county.
• Itasa County pays nearly $6,500 a month for the management and shipping of e-waste out of our county.
• So at the end of the day, the consumer is going to pay this.
• Have the recycler maybe pay some and the producer pays some, and we can get there.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I should pay you for it.
• I should pay you for it.
• I should pay you for it.
• I should pay you for it.
• I should pay you for it.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 KCNA Request for Proposal Process 00:00:01 Overview of KWIC Board and Funding of Kentucky Wired Network Refresh 00:18:10 Zayo Network Services 00:34:40 Discussion of Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Funding 00:57:32, 958, all

Summary: The committee first focused on a disputed KCNA procurement for a statewide network-related RFP. Members questioned why the RFP had been labeled non-technical, whether COT should have reviewed it, and whether the KCNA board could direct that it be withdrawn. Finance and Administration Cabinet counsel Barbie Dickens said the RFP was authorized by KCNA working with procurement services after termination of the prior contract and breach notices, was issued in November 2025, paused during a protest, later resumed, and remained an open procurement. She said the agency—not the board—directs the procurement process, though she acknowledged an agency and OPS could cancel or reissue an RFP if needed. Legislators pushed back, citing KRS 154 and House Bill 314 as evidence that the KCNA board controls contracts and operations, and one member said the board had requested the RFP be withdrawn. Dickens said she could not predict the outcome and was not KCNA’s counsel. The discussion also touched on whether the current director had asked to stop the RFP and whether that request had been denied, with no final action taken during the exchange. The committee then turned to Kentucky Wired Infrastructure Corporation and the Kentucky Wired refresh project. Jim Barnhart described the structure of the nonprofit corporation, the role of Quick and Quack in the financing and operations arrangement, and the board membership, noting that the refresh funding had been approved in the 2024-26 capital budget. He said the equipment upgrade is necessary because of end-of-life hardware and software support issues, and that the refresh would expand capacity, lower risk, and reduce operating costs. Barnhart said some equipment had already been received, the rest would be purchased later, and the project should begin before September and take about a year to complete. When asked about contract disputes involving Ledcor and whether the vendor had an ongoing contract, Barnhart and the authority representative said they had not been notified of any issues and were not directly involved in that contract dispute. Committee members also raised concerns about a prior market test and whether a lower-cost bidder had been blocked from a previous RFP process. Barnhart said he understood Quack could make that decision and that the Commonwealth did not have input so long as the network was maintained, but he was not involved at the time. A legislator then read from the KCNA statute and argued that the board, not agency staff, is supposed to direct KCNA contracts and operations, saying House Bill 314 did not change those duties. The chair agreed the committee’s intent was for the board to control KCNA and direct contracts, and the discussion ended with a transition away from the KCNA dispute toward future testimony, including a presentation from Zayo Networks on open access networks and broadband infrastructure.

Transcript Highlights:

• This doesn't pay them $500 an hour.
• We're not paying them $500 an hour.
• If<01:31:36.400><c> you</c><01:31:36.640><c> pay</c> If you pay If you pay 33%<01:31:38.960><c> when<
• We're not paying them $500 an hour.
• </c> People are paying attention. People are paying attention.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so, yes, UK Healthcare is paying for the guardianship.
• </c><00:04:43.200><c> This</c><00:04:43.400><c> is</c> paying for the guardianship.
• This is paying for the guardianship.
• </c><00:31:08.760><c> for</c> why the state is playing paying for why the state is playing paying for
• Whatever pays for um health insurance.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee first approved the September 19 meeting minutes and then took up a deferred University of Kentucky personal services contract amendment for guardianship services. UK officials explained that the contract covers court-appointed guardians for patients who cannot make medical decisions and are not eligible for state guardianship, with the work funded by UK Medical Center agency dollars rather than the general fund. Members questioned the large increase in the not-to-exceed amount, the number of cases, the hourly billing structure, and whether there are safeguards to prevent unnecessary costs or reimbursement issues if a patient later has resources. UK said the increase reflects shifting work from a prior firm, anticipated new cases, a move from a monthly fee to hourly billing, and the need for a second firm because one prior attorney died and another firm has had difficulty appearing in court promptly. The committee ultimately approved the contract, while Senator Thomas said he would vote aye but urged future review of attorney fee limits and broader guardianship statutes, which he described as outdated and inconsistent. The committee then deferred three Office of Energy Policy memorandum of agreement items to the November 2025 meeting without objection. After that, it approved the remaining agenda items, including the contract lists and deferred items not separately selected for review. The final major item was a University of Kentucky personal services contract related to fundraising and philanthropic outreach. UK representatives said the contract supports marketing and donor engagement efforts to grow the university’s endowment pipeline and philanthropic support. The transcript cuts off before the committee finished its questions or took final action on that item.

Transcript Highlights:

• No, certainly, and I don't expect contractors to pay for wear and tear or anything like that, but if
• don't expect contractors who to pay for don't expect contractors who to pay for wear<00:27:42.200><c>
• We do pay certain taxes, as well as monthly rent to local businesses to host our machines.
• What taxes do you pay?
• You're collecting enough to pay for these things that they come due under percent funded.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several bills related to consumer protection, liquor regulation, construction procurement, and state contracting. On House Bill 565, DCCA and the Office of Consumer Protection stood on written testimony, and a committee member raised a question about whether creators of remains would have to hold them indefinitely if family members did not respond; the member indicated language would be fixed to address that issue. No vote was taken. House Bill 208, dealing with liquor law changes, drew strong support from Scarlet Honolulu and Maui Brewing Company, who said the measure would modernize liquor rules and add guardrails, while the Wine Institute and Anheuser-Busch opposed it as a special tax break or unnecessary expansion of liquor-related authority. Members questioned whether anonymous complaints should be allowed and whether the bill could lead to retaliation; the supporter said complaints should not be anonymous and suggested the Liquor Commission had been accused of writing complaints to target licenses. No action was taken. House Bill 939, concerning taxation of low-ABV spirits-based beverages, received support from Maui Brewing Company and Johnson Brothers, who said it would align tax treatment with existing categories and reduce confusion, while the Wine Institute and Anheuser-Busch opposed it as a narrow tax break that could reduce revenue and should instead be considered in a broader alcohol tax review. House Bill 808, on construction defect insurance or related protections for state projects, drew comments from DAGS, the State Procurement Office, and the Subcontractors Association, with the latter warning it would make state contracting harder and shrink the contractor base; the chair questioned what recourse the state has when defects appear after a project is completed. House Bill 809, addressing procurement and subcontractor-listing corrections, drew opposition from SPO, DAGS, and the Subcontractors Association, while the General Contractors Association supported it; members debated whether a 24-hour correction window would create abuse or simply allow minor ministerial fixes, and the bill’s sponsor said the goal was to reduce bid protests and procurement discretion. No votes or final committee actions were recorded in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our courts have the responsibility to deliver and pay for many different types of services pursuant to
• provided a modest pay increase for psychological<00:08:51.839><c> examiners</c><00:08:52.839><c> to<
• </c> action last session to raise the pay action last session to raise the pay rate<00:19:53.480><c>
• And if they are, they're probably going to DHS, which pays more than we do.
• </c><00:34:22.839><c> more</c> probably going to DHS which pays more probably going to DHS which pays

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• If you're 2,450 pounds, you're $3, or if you're 2,501 pounds, you're paying full VLT.
• I mean, yeah, though they would pay a raised fee because that’s what we’re trying to get.
• So those 37,000 would pay an increased fee as well. What does that need to look like?
• I think they would rather pay the $17.50 up front than $25 or $37.50.
• But at the end, it sets a stage for allowing those 2,400 units to pay the sticker.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The second aspect is working with communities to pay for repairs and finance these projects.
• I'd pay for them.
• for it, but not be willing to pay for it themselves.
• States are required to pay fees annually.
• Therefore, any fee should be minimal in terms of You know, paying for any operations.

Transcript Highlights:

• For example, housing: students living in university housing pay housing fees.
• Those fees go to pay off any debt service associated with that facility and for the maintenance and upkeep
• , they get to decide how those The activity and service fee that the students pay, they get to decide
• Because every year, you're going to get the requests from staff and faculty for pay raises, so that's
• No other state funds can be transferred to a DSO because that's what statute says unless it's to pay

Summary: The Higher Education Budget Subcommittee met to hear an overview of State University System finances from the Board of Governors and detailed budget presentations from Florida State University, the University of Central Florida, and the University of North Florida. The witnesses explained how university budgets are organized into fund categories such as education and general, contracts and grants, auxiliaries, local/designated funds, capital projects, and component units such as direct support organizations. They also described carry forward funds, the statutory reserve and spending-plan requirements, the PICO/HECO capital outlay process, and how universities use investment accounts, audits, and board oversight to manage restricted and unspent funds. The universities emphasized that most operating dollars are restricted to specific uses and that state support helps keep tuition low. Members asked about differences in funding levels among institutions, especially why FSU receives more funding than UCF despite lower enrollment. Officials said preeminence funding, performance funding, and special legislative appropriations explain much of the difference, and the Board of Governors noted that Florida now has four preeminent universities, with UCF nearing that status. Questions also focused on what happens to unspent carry forward money, how it is invested, and whether the Board of Governors or Legislature can require funds to be returned; officials said the money is invested conservatively, subject to board and audit oversight, and can roll forward under a detailed spending plan, though the Legislature can change funding levels. The committee also discussed capital projects, with members asking about delays, inflation, and whether more projects should be phased or funded faster; witnesses said PICO funds remain with the state until needed and are reimbursed as construction proceeds. A substantial portion of the discussion covered athletics, research, student fees, and endowments. The universities said athletics is generally expected to be self-supporting, though limited use of auxiliary or carry forward funds may be allowed for projects benefiting the broader student body. They also described the financial pressures from name, image, and likeness changes and new NCAA-related costs, and said institutions are planning for those changes now. On research, the universities explained sponsored research funding, indirect cost recovery, compliance obligations, and tech transfer, but did not provide specific commercialization revenue figures and said they would follow up. Members also asked about student fee increases, student input, counseling and wellness funding, and how housing costs affect affordability; the universities said student committees and boards review fees, and aid packaging is intended to keep student debt low. Endowments were described as being held in separate foundations/DSOs with independent investment committees and used mainly for scholarships, faculty support, and research.

Transcript Highlights:

• to pay for this.
• They would pay 85% of that. We would have to match 15%.”
• A bank, they also pay those examination fees.
• And then all non-depository companies pay examination fees.
• Is that something that the person that our citizens pay, or is that something a facility pays?

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Even people with insurance struggle to pay off their health care bills.
• In doing so, they are forced to pay high out-of-pocket costs.
• In doing so, they are forced to pay high out-of-pocket costs.
• That meant I was essentially paying twice.
• What a huge problem it is that they are paying twice.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They expect a who cannot pay their rent.
• </c><00:12:58.079><c> the</c> having some more difficulty paying the having some more difficulty paying
• Maybe they're paying rent with a credit card.
• Maybe they're paying rent some trouble.
• </c><00:41:42.800><c> tribute</c> Uh, I appreciated um you paying tribute Uh, I appreciated um you paying

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They would have to pay for the cost of the generation and pay for the grid expansion.
• We need our data centers to pay their fair share.
• their fair share, and that means everybody else is paying more.
• And this one just felt like it was robbing Peter to pay Paul.
• This would mean that this parent would be paying a fraction of what they should be paying, especially

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, then approved the journal and received House messages and first-read bills. The chamber moved through multiple Committee of the Whole calendars, considering a range of measures on solar energy, public safety, insurance, health care, agriculture, gaming, education, child welfare, and real property. Several bills were retained on calendar, while many others were advanced with committee amendments and floor amendments. On Calendar 2, SB 1419 on solar energy inspection contractors drew the most debate. A floor amendment by Sen. Sundareshan sought to require utilities to protect ratepayers from costs associated with large energy users such as data centers; supporters argued it would help keep electricity affordable, while opponents called it a hostile amendment. After a division vote, the amendment failed 12-15, and SB 1419 was reported do pass as amended. SB 1498 (DPS appropriation) and SB 1502 (unlawful flight/reckless endangerment) also advanced. The Committee of the Whole report was adopted, but a later attempt to add the failed Sundareshan amendment to the report on SB 1419 was defeated 13-14. On Calendar 1, the Senate advanced SB 1165, SB 1206, SB 1212, SB 1215, SB 1290, SB 1291, and SB 1347, mostly with committee amendments. SB 1178 on naturopathic physicians and prescription drug pricing saw a contested Sears floor amendment aimed at stopping price gouging on essential generic drugs; supporters said it would lower drug costs, while the sponsor objected that it was not germane. The amendment failed, and the bill passed as amended. SB 1186 on document retention and donations also drew a Sundareshan amendment on transparency and implementation; it failed, and the bill passed as amended. SB 1286 on veterinary visits and electronic prescriptions advanced after a proposed Kavanagh floor amendment was defeated on division. The Senate then adopted the Committee of the Whole reports and moved on to additional calendars. On Calendar 4, the chamber passed SB 1004 on ESA students and interscholastic activities, SB 1116 on AHCCCS access/behavioral health, SB 1162 on health care institution licensing complaints, SB 1179 on developmental disability/health monitoring, SB 1475 on school district governing boards and eligibility, SB 1821 on DCS training and child placement, and SCR 1012. A request to hold SB 1475 for a reinstatement process was rejected. The Senate also took up an additional Committee of the Whole for SB 1077, SB 1479, and SB 1566; SB 1077 advanced with a Payne floor amendment, SB 1479 advanced with a Carroll amendment classifying certain forged real-property recordings as a class five felony, and SB 1566 began consideration with a Petersen amendment to remove part of a prior amendment. Throughout, the chamber repeatedly adopted committee reports and advanced the bills for further action.

Transcript Highlights:

• They would have to pay for the cost of the generation and pay for the grid expansion.
• We need our data centers to pay their fair share.
• Those basic amenities that the homeowners are paying for.
• And this one just felt like it was robbing Peter to pay Paul.
• This would mean that this parent would be paying a fraction of what they should be paying, especially

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:18:00.720><c> other</c> as a landlord to, you know, pay other as a landlord to, you know, pay
• their bills or pay their mortgage.
• their bills or pay their mortgage.
• </c><00:21:42.000><c> their</c> either pay their bills or or pay their either pay their bills or or pay
• to pay for those wildfire<01:39:09.280><c> mitigation</c><01:39:09.760><c> efforts.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Will they pay, like if Pike County, I think, has a temporary site now, and will they pay to take that
• Will they pay, like if Pike County, I think, has a temporary site now, and will they pay to take that
• Will they pay, like if Pike County, I think, has a temporary site now, and will they pay to take that
• Will they pay, like if Pike County, I think, has a temporary site now, and will they pay to take that
• Let me give you a small example: if your tax rate is $1 on a $100,000 house, you pay $1,000 a year.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Senate Roll Call 00:00:00 House Roll Call 00:00:10 Discussion of Recent Disaster 00:01:18 House Adjourned 00:42:28 SB 218 Discussion 00:43:00 SB 218 Vote 00:46:46 SB 186 Discussion 00:47:22:00, 958, all

Summary: The concurrent House-Senate meeting opened with a roll call and then received a briefing from Kentucky Emergency Management and the Transportation Cabinet on the February storms and flooding. Officials described the event as ongoing and statewide in scope, beginning in western counties and then heavily affecting Eastern Kentucky, including major impacts in Perry, Letcher, Clay, Bell, Martin, Pike, and other counties. They reported widespread power and water outages, nearly 600 people initially sheltered, more than 1,500 water rescues, over 250 National Guard members activated, and substantial mutual aid from other states and FEMA. They also said 73 counties had declared emergencies, 23 fatalities had been confirmed at that point, and individual assistance had already distributed $5.5 million to residents after the federal declaration was signed. The administration emphasized that recovery needs were still being assessed but were already significant. Kentucky Emergency Management said public assistance estimates were about $58 million and rising, with about 2,005 homes and 272 businesses inspected so far. Debris removal was identified as a major issue, and officials said they had requested Category A federal assistance for debris in four counties while continuing to seek more as assessments continued. They also noted that disaster recovery centers were opening and that teams were going door to door in affected areas. On transportation, KYTC reported 39 counties affected, a peak of 355 road closures reduced to 49, 18 damaged bridges, 94 bridges with debris on them, and 579 roadway damages, while continuing to clear roads and move supplies such as water, food, blankets, and heaters. Secretary Hicks then asked lawmakers to consider additional funding mechanisms. He said the current $50 million emergency cap in the budget was likely to be exhausted, with $21.5 million already allocated, and proposed either lifting the cap or creating a new “safe fund” for this disaster, similar to prior funds used after the western Kentucky tornadoes and the 2022 eastern Kentucky floods. He said the state could redirect about $25 million from an unused western Kentucky economic development allocation and about $20 million from an eastern Kentucky transportation allocation, for a total of $45 million, to help with this response. Members and officials also discussed debris disposal, with the Pike County landfill expansion identified as a possible site to receive some of the debris and reduce costs. Representative Fugate thanked the agencies for their response and described severe local impacts, including water outages, road slides, damaged water treatment plants, and heavy debris in homes and driveways.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we don't want to encourage cognitive offloading, simply not paying attention to the development of
• And I think you indicated that you anticipate it will, the operations will pay for themselves over time
• anticipate it will them. and I think you indicated that you anticipate it will, the operations will pay
• Just like the users of our network will be paying us, we also have to pay some of those.
• We only pay those costs when those segments are complete and we take receipt.

Summary: The subcommittee heard presentations on several GovOps-related budget proposals, beginning with ongoing funding for the California Education Learning Lab. The Learning Lab described its intersegmental grants to UC, CSU, and community college faculty, including AI-related work and a math alignment project, and said the Governor’s proposal would move the program’s home agency to GovOps and restore $4 million annually. The Department of Finance supported the proposal as a way to improve coordination, while the LAO recommended rejecting it, arguing the projects are hard to scale, similar professional development already exists in the segments, and the state should consider saving General Fund dollars. Senators split on the value of the program, with some emphasizing innovation and intersegmental collaboration and others questioning its measurable long-term impact; the item was held open. The committee then reviewed the Office of Civil Rights proposal to implement AB 715 and SB 48 with $3.5 million in 2026-27 and $2.8 million ongoing. GovOps said the office had been set up administratively, positions were being recruited, and it would provide training, technical assistance, and complaint review related to anti-Semitism and other discrimination in TK-12 schools. The LAO had no concerns, but senators raised substantial questions about the office’s placement in GovOps, the lack of guidance while the laws are being implemented, the use of gubernatorial appointees, and whether the staffing structure matches the likely workload across different discrimination categories. GovOps said it would develop guidance, coordinate with CDE, and shift resources as needed once staff are hired, but several members said they were not prepared to support the item as presented; it was also held open. After public comment supporting the California Education Interagency Council, the subcommittee approved vote-only items 11 through 17 and 6 through 10. It then heard from the Office of Data and Innovation on a request for five positions and $1.25 million in reimbursement authority to expand digital service delivery work. ODI described projects such as reducing unauthorized EBT theft and forecasting community water system outages, and said it uses guardrails and contracts to protect sensitive data when working with vendor AI services. The LAO had no concerns, and members generally praised ODI’s small, high-impact role; the item was held open. Finally, the Department of Technology presented on the Middle-Mile Broadband Initiative, reporting that 423 miles are complete, more than 70% of the network has been permitted, and about 5,300 miles are expected to be completed by December 2026, with some work potentially slipping into 2027. CDT said Skyline Technology Solutions had been selected to operate the network and that the third-party administrator, Golden State Net, would continue to support development and later help oversee operations and sales. The LAO noted the project’s progress but raised concerns about the novel three-party structure, accountability, and long-term financial sustainability. Senators questioned the legal basis for the operator arrangement, the revenue outlook, reporting to the Legislature, and whether the network will be self-sustaining; CDT said it expects revenues to cover operations over time and will continue annual and quarterly reporting. The item was left open.

Transcript Highlights:

• If someone has a SUDS grant and they are paying individuals, they will pay for that individual to go
• that individual, then they will turn around and pay rent.
• Does this bill in any way address people who aren’t paying anything? It does not. It does.
• The pay is way too low.
• The building we have, so we're paying on that. Okay. Sit back. Yeah. Thank you.

Bills: HB414, HB457, HB475, HB611, HB616, HB740, HB897, HB925, HB926, HB931, HB949, HB962, HB1076

Keywords: healthcare, criminal convictions, employment, background checks, prohibited offenses, homelessness, homeless shelter, emergency shelter, transitional housing, group home, halfway house, shelter standards, housing standards, sanitation, habitability, fire marshal, inspection, local permitting, parish government, Louisiana Department of Health

Transcript Highlights:

• There's other companies that charge 50% of the back pay.
• Or willing to pay. Yes, exactly. So they choose to pay. A lot of our veterans are. I'm asking.
• So you don't charge for back pay no matter how long it takes you to work a claim?
• But that’s just for back pay.” “And you’re—so, okay, so you’re just doing—okay.
• We can pay for that veteran's information if they consent to be contacted by us.

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and first went into executive session, where it adopted a House Committee substitute combining House Bills 3078 and 2672 and voted the substitute do pass, with one no vote. It then separately voted House Bill 2362 and House Bill 2588 do pass, each by 16 ayes and one no. During the executive session, one member objected to the combined bill on constitutional equal-protection grounds, while another supported it as a benefit for veterans. In public hearing, Representative Stephanie Boykin presented House Bill 3280, which would create a Missouri specialty license plate for the surviving spouse of a disabled veteran who previously qualified for a disabled veteran plate. She described it as a low-cost way to continue honoring a veteran’s service and family sacrifice. Committee members and a surviving spouse testified in strong support, emphasizing the recognition of spouses’ sacrifices and noting that similar plates exist in other states. No opposition was offered. The committee then heard House Bill 3029, sponsored by Representative Schulte, which would require disclosures and prohibit compensation for referrals in the business of advising or assisting with veterans’ benefits, with penalties for violations. Supporters, including a Missouri veterans service officer, argued the bill was needed to stop unaccredited “claim shark” companies from charging veterans for initial claims and using misleading social media advertising. Opponents, including a representative of Veterans Guardian and a VA-accredited attorney, argued the bill would restrict lawful private-sector assistance, reduce veterans’ choice, and should be narrowed to target bad actors while exempting accredited attorneys and referral arrangements. The hearing also included a presentation on the Missouri Veterans Recognition Program, which provides medals and certificates for veterans of major conflicts, and a presentation on MU Extension’s Veteran REEDS program, which uses literature and discussion to support veterans and first responders through community-based resilience work.

Transcript Highlights:

• In no way would we have considered seeking taxpayer funds to pay for our own education about the arts
• I was asked why am I not providing an opportunity if they so choose to pay their school board members
• have to pay $190.
• As opposed to, I think, well, the author's intent is to say school districts may pay up to $190.
• But right now, in statute, They're prevented, only able to pay $25.

Bills: SB1521, SB372, SB1232, SB1307, SB1338, SB1390, SB1451, SB1463, SB1558, SB1567, SB1595, SB1621, SB1734, SB1749, SB1827, SB1833, SB1991, SB1992, SB63, SB2063, SB2180, SB1198, SB80

Keywords: artificial intelligence, AI, generative AI, chatbot, conversational AI, companion AI, AI companion, virtual companion, chatbot regulation, minor safety, child online safety, parental controls, content moderation, self-harm, suicidal ideation, crisis intervention, mental health claims, romantic AI, emotional dependence, app store