Transcript Highlights:

• THEY WOULD SUBMIT TO THE DEPARTMENT EITHER DATA THAT EXPLAINS SOME THING LIKE THEIR JOB PLACEMENT OR
• YOU CAN C4 FLORIDA IN 2023 HOUR JOB GROWTH WAS RANKED 25TH AND THAT LOOKS AT ALL THE JOB OPENINGS AND
• OUT OF EVERY 63 JOBS IN PALM COUNTY WE SUPPORT OPBSE AND WE SUPPORT 187,000 JOBS THERE IN OUR AREA.
• WE MEASURE THE SUCCESS OF OUR PROGRAMS THROUGH GRADUATION RATES, JOB PLACEMENT RATES, AND EMPLOYER SATISFACTION
• A JOB PLACEMENT RATE OF 91 PERCENT AND A LICENSURE PASS RATE OF 98 PERCENT.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> risk um to need institutional placement risk um to need institutional placement and<00:30:42.880
• </c><00:40:59.280><c> and</c> looking for discharge placement and looking for discharge placement and
• <00:41:45.280><c> somewhere</c> placement somewhere placement somewhere else<00:41:47.839><c> I</c><00
• </c> hospital that are needing placement hospital that are needing placement elsewhere<00:42:00.800><
• </c><00:42:19.599><c> um</c> several days awaiting placement um several days awaiting placement um because

Committee: House Health Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• She did a terrific job educating me through my first bill drafting for this committee.
• To be sure, private institutions also create educated and job-ready residents.
• The board understands faculty availability, access to quality clinical placements, and workforce needs
• , high-quality clinical education through coordinated and standardized clinical placements for nursing
• This bill enables unregulated program growth in an already constrained clinical placement system.

Summary: The Postsecondary Education & Workforce Committee held courtesy hearings on three bills before moving to executive session. House Bill 2443 would create an Armed Forces Reserve post-secondary education grant for members of the Armed Forces Reserve and their spouses or dependents, with repayment required unless the reservist serves one year for each year of benefit received. The prime sponsor said the bill is intended to extend educational support similar to what Washington National Guard members already receive. Testimony was generally supportive, emphasizing military readiness, recruitment, and fairness to reservists; one clarification was made that the bill applies to Armed Forces Reserve members broadly, not just the Army Reserve. House Bill 2567 would restore Washington College Grant and College Bound Scholarship award amounts for students attending four-year private, not-for-profit institutions. The sponsor and many students, school leaders, and private college representatives argued the 2025 cuts were inequitable, harmed low-income and first-generation students, and limited student choice. Supporters said the state’s dedicated financial aid account has grown and that the cuts disproportionately affected students at private institutions. Opponents, including representatives from public universities, argued state dollars should prioritize public institutions and questioned whether aid should be shifted away from state schools. Testimony was mixed but heavily pro, with sign-ins reported at 1,584 total, including 1,572 in support. House Bill 2498 would change nursing education oversight by limiting the Board of Nursing’s authority where programs are nationally accredited and by expediting approval for new programs. The sponsor and several community college leaders said the bill would reduce unnecessary barriers, speed program expansion, and help address the nursing shortage, especially in rural areas. The Board of Nursing, nursing educators, employers, and professional associations opposed the bill, arguing that state oversight is needed for public safety, Washington-specific workforce needs, and consistent standards, and that the board is already revising its rules through an open process. The committee then took executive action on two other bills: it passed Second Substitute House Bill 2363, allowing supervised music therapy practice for up to six months while exam results are verified, with an amendment delaying implementation to January 1, 2028; and it passed Substitute House Bill 2422, shifting private security guard license fees from applicants to employers and delaying implementation to November 1, 2026, by a 9-7 vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• Good job. Correct.
• It's a mismatch between placement decisions and local capacity.
• of out-of-state placements following serious safety failures.
• of out-of-state placements following serious safety failures.
• Most notably through the elimination of out-of-state placements following serious safety failures.

Committee: Senate Human Services

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And if we support the placement, then that doesn't cause extra stress on the parent and it doesn't cause
• The other time we request extensions is when a parent has done a fabulous job completing their services
• I do that a lot of FaceTime visits or Zoom visits with placements and, and the children, but asking an
• Uh, the, the service plan and talking to uh the placement and the department and the guardian ad litem
• Um, even if they're not able to be a placement, if we could get, you know, someone to show up to the

Bills: HCR 10

Committee: House S/C on Family & Fiduciary Relationships

Keywords: balanced budget amendment, federal budget, deficit reduction, deficit spending, fiscal restraint, constitutional amendment, U.S. Constitution, Congress, PAYGO, Gramm-Rudman-Hollings, national debt, budget deficit, taxpayer dollars, balanced budget resolution, memorial resolution, Texas Legislature, federal spending, budget reform, fiscal conservatism

Transcript Highlights:

• We recommend that the IRPs guide placement decisions, services, and transition.
• senator ...unfit for the job, Senator.
• Public health cannot do our job alone.
• Public health cannot do our job alone.
• This is your second-year placement? Yes, it is. Nice. Yeah, thank you.

Summary: The committee heard a series of budget and oversight presentations from CalHHS-related departments and agencies. CalHHS opened with a broad overview of its 2026-27 budget and priorities, including behavioral health, housing and human services integration, children and youth services, and aging/disability supports. OICR then presented its budget and its SB 823 realignment report on youth formerly committed to DJJ, saying county implementation varies widely but that the state has not seen evidence of net widening in the available data. OICR recommended climate surveys, youth advisory councils, stronger behavioral health and education programming in secure youth treatment facilities, better transitional planning, and improved longitudinal data systems. The agency also described a Title II federal grant transition problem, saying it cannot yet pay some subrecipients for prior work and is awaiting federal action on retroactive spending authority and an administrative funding adjustment. The Ombudsperson division requested two additional positions to address a growing complaint workload and access issues with counties over youth meetings, records, and grievance files; LAO raised no policy objection but noted the ongoing General Fund cost. The State Council on Developmental Disabilities requested $730,000 General Fund ongoing to cover the gap between federal limits on administrative overhead and the actual cost of an interagency agreement with the Department of Social Services. EMSA presented its department overview and several proposals, including a delayed AB 716 ambulance rate report, a $2.6 million request to replace aging disaster-response vehicles, a $250,000 security architecture assessment, and four positions plus ongoing General Fund for HR, enforcement, and legal workload. Members questioned the delay in the AB 716 report, the optics and timing of the vehicle replacement request, and whether EMSA was doing enough to prevent future staffing and enforcement problems. LAO repeatedly noted the ongoing General Fund implications of EMSA’s requests. The Department of Community Services and Development sought reappropriation of unspent Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund money for the Low-Income Weatherization Program and described a Proposition 4-funded continuation of the farmworker housing component, which would require a new statewide administrator and program design process. The Department of Rehabilitation requested authority to draw an additional $60 million in federal funds annually and add 54 positions to meet sharply increased Vocational Rehabilitation caseloads; LAO had no concerns. Child Support Services proposed restoring a prior reduction to local child support agency funding and reported higher federal performance incentives, while also presenting a supplemental report on full pass-through of child support collections to CalWORKs families, estimating about $150 million annually for full pass-through or about $80 million for a state/county-only approach, plus automation costs. Members questioned why funding should rise when caseloads are declining, and whether the policy could be made cost-neutral. CDPH closed the hearing with an overview of its $5.1 billion budget and its state of public health report, highlighting record-low mortality and higher life expectancy, but also rising overdose deaths among ages 25-44, persistent maternal and infant mortality disparities, and the need for stable public health and emergency-response capacity; no votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Last year, we also passed Senate Bill 7012, which required better visibility into service gaps and placement
• This pilot is intended to support Florida's placement array for children with higher-acuity needs and
• change, identification as a victim of human trafficking, placement in a locked residential treatment
• The second refinement related to caregiver-initiated placement changes.
• And then for Circuit 4, that has the highest placement moves.

Summary: The subcommittee heard two Department of Children and Families implementation updates on measures passed in prior sessions. First, DCF reviewed House Bill 633, which increased oversight of behavioral health managing entities through biennial independent audits, standardized claims-based reporting, and new monthly outcome dashboards. The department said it had awarded the inaugural audit to Ernst & Young, found no significant waste, fraud, or abuse, but identified process risks involving financial controls, claims validation, data access, and system access controls. DCF also described its transition to standardized behavioral health coding and said the new public dashboard of 11 measures is posted on its website, though members asked for easier access and for hard copies of the audit report. Members asked about how the department distinguishes Medicaid-covered services from department-funded services, how duplicate payment risks are being addressed, and whether the new reporting and audit requirements would improve oversight without disrupting services. DCF said it is the payer of last resort for uninsured or underinsured individuals, that some overlap with Medicaid is expected because Medicaid does not cover all behavioral health services, and that new claims edits and cross-checks are being built into the system. The department also said it had not found significant negative feedback from providers and that the new requirements are intended to improve transparency and accountability. DCF then updated the committee on Senate Bill 7012, covering human trafficking data collection, domestic violence center certification, limited background-screening exemptions, expanded recruitment for child welfare staff, subcontractor liability protections, a four-year treatment foster care pilot, case management efficiency recommendations, and a statewide study of residential bed capacity for child victims of commercial sexual exploitation. The department said several items are already complete or underway, including limited exemptions in the screening clearinghouse, while others are in procurement or rulemaking. It identified Circuits 4 and 12 as the treatment foster care pilot sites and said the pilot will launch in January 2026. Members questioned recruitment metrics, pilot timing, and report deadlines; the department said final reports are expected by January and that some dates were flexible because of procurement and implementation timelines. The meeting ended after the presentations and questions, and the subcommittee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• He lost his job, so we don't want that happening.
• It reduces jail time for low-income parents, avoids job loss, and deepening poverty.
• Um, I took this job at the Legal Services Center last year.
• Job. Pardon? My last name is. Did I, did I say it right? OK.
• Placing it actually from placement because of resources, lack of resources.

Committee: House S/C on Family & Fiduciary Relationships

Transcript Highlights:

• I forgot how to do the job. So go ahead. Thank you, Madam Chair.
• Then It's our job. They control rules and regulations. Those can change. Statute does not.
• Requiring CYFD to establish incentives to fill placement gaps.
• This doesn't delineate the type of placements for Which funding may be used?
• We have a monthly report on our kids who are in those placements.

Committee: House House Health & Human Services

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We are actually continuing to do placements this afternoon and again next week.
• We are actually continuing to<00:06:42.840><c> do</c><00:06:42.960><c> placements</c><00:06:43.600><c
• > this</c><00:06:43.840><c> afternoon</c><00:06:44.680><c> and</c> to do placements this afternoon and
• to do placements this afternoon and again<00:06:45.320><c> next</c><00:06:45.680><c> week.
• This is a construction management job.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Budget Review Subcommittee on Justice and Judiciary received an update from the Administrative Office of the Courts on implementation of House Bill 504, the judicial branch budget, and court facility projects. AOC leaders said they do not anticipate problems balancing the outgoing biennium or fiscal year 2026, and explained that the budget changes were driven by the need to reduce costs while preserving required constitutional, court-rule, and statutory services. They also said the new filing fee increases authorized by HB 504 took effect that day and are expected to generate up to $5 million, while the reorganization is projected to save about $3 million in general fund dollars. The bulk of the presentation focused on a major reorganization of the Office of Statewide Programs, which includes specialty courts, family and juvenile services, and pretrial services. AOC said the plan eliminates 170 positions and creates 109 new ones, mainly by reducing middle-management layers, expanding regional service delivery, and cross-training staff. Officials said 110 employees had already been offered or accepted placements, 24 had chosen voluntary separation, and the final number of employees leaving remains fluid until the process concludes around August 1. They emphasized that specialty court programs were not eliminated, but state-funded treatment court contracts and behavioral health liaison positions were removed, with treatment costs shifted to Medicaid or participants where appropriate. Members asked about the process, staffing impacts, specialty court participation, juvenile services, and how AOC will monitor the changes. AOC said the reorganization was developed by leadership, HR, and legal staff under direction of the Chief Justice and approved by the Supreme Court, and that it is intended to improve efficiency and frontline support rather than reduce services. They said specialty court participant levels are being watched closely, that CDW services will continue to use outside providers for programming, and that the agency will keep judges and stakeholders informed as the new structure goes into effect. No votes were taken, and the committee did not approve minutes because a quorum was not present.

Transcript Highlights:

• They've got jobs.
• Our educators would love that because it would make the job easier. Okay?
• We didn't talk about clinical placements. Clinical placements is a struggle.
• But I'm... colleges, community colleges, have the ability to have clinical placements.
• Humblebrecht and IRSC, fantastic job. Appreciate you all. And it was a huge collaborative effort.

Summary: The subcommittee met to examine Florida’s nursing education pipeline and the state’s persistently low NCLEX passage rates. Chair Tuck opened by noting the projected nurse shortage and Florida’s ranking near the bottom nationally for first-time NCLEX pass rates. The Department of Health explained the Board of Nursing’s approval process for nursing programs, including application requirements, probation standards, and termination for programs that repeatedly fail passage-rate benchmarks. The Florida Center for Nursing then presented statewide data showing Florida has more test takers than most states, but still trails the national average; the gap has narrowed in recent years, though Florida remains below average. Members focused heavily on why the state continues to underperform, with discussion of faculty shortages, clinical placement constraints, accreditation, student preparedness, and the large share of newer private for-profit programs among those placed on probation. Committee members asked about how probation works, what happens when programs improve, and whether the board requires corrective plans. They also questioned the relationship between program type and outcomes, the effect of Operation Nightingale, and how many students fail and retest. The Florida Center for Nursing said first-attempt pass rates are the standard measure and that students who fail are expected to remediate and retest, though costs vary. The center also said Florida’s data shows accredited programs outperform approved or probationary ones, and that the state’s nursing workforce challenges are tied to broader issues such as faculty vacancies, clinical site competition, and student demographics, including many students balancing work, family, and language barriers. A panel of nursing school leaders from public, private nonprofit, and private for-profit institutions then described strategies used to improve outcomes. These included transparent recruitment, early orientation, tutoring, success coaching, stronger faculty development, curriculum mapping to NCLEX standards, higher course benchmarks, mandatory remediation, simulation labs, and commercial NCLEX prep tools such as ATI, Kaplan, and HESI. Several panelists said their programs had improved after probation or had very high passage rates, and they emphasized that student success depends on academic preparation, clinical experience, and support services. Members also asked about tuition, program length, translation into other languages, and faculty recruitment; panelists said costs vary widely, faculty hiring is difficult because hospitals pay more, and some schools are considering medical Spanish and immersion options rather than full curriculum translation.

Transcript Highlights:

• We lose those jobs.
• job then that's my job if it's on my job then that's my insurance<00:18:02.280><c> policy</c><00:18:03.080
• When we asked why these workers would leave a $34-an-hour job for a $10-an-hour job doing the exact same
• placement and placement individual placement and support<01:03:51.039><c> or</c><01:03:51.319><c> IPS
• </c><01:04:25.160><c> rate</c> 45% and higher than the placement rate 45% and higher than the placement

Committee: House Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Also remember one of the most important things they said was always floss before a job interview, which
• I'm Nicole Swanson, the director of the Anoka County Job Training Center.
• interview which oh good good a job interview which oh good good advice<00:01:56.000><c> there</c><00
• Without this appropriation, our providers will be forced to limit work experience placements.
• Thousands fewer youth will placements.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• It can't do the job without it.
• </c><00:26:07.919><c> three</c> actually the highest placements three actually the highest placements
• </c> a day and moving to another placement a day and moving to another placement that<00:40:09.200><c
• </c> youth in a non-traditional placement youth in a non-traditional placement eight<00:42:31.000><c>
• </c> more had had more than one placement more had had more than one placement within<00:42:42.240><c

Keywords: 00:00:00 Introductions 00:00:22 Roll Call 00:01:56 Discussion on SB 85 00:14:03 Vote on SB 85 00:16:15 Explanation of Agency Amendment 00:19:04 Voice Vote on Amendment 00:19:33 Discussion on Kentucky Foster Children Housing, 958, all

Summary: The committee first took up Senate Bill 85, sponsored by Senator Meredith, which would move the Office of the Ombudsman from the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to the State Auditor’s office and make related cleanup changes. Meredith said the bill grew out of a prior task force and a two-year transition from Senate Bill 48, and he argued the move would create independence, improve access to the ITWIST database, ensure complaints are not lost in the handoff, and add confidentiality protections for whistleblowers. Auditor Allison Ball and her staff said the bill would codify access and procedures after earlier disputes and a court-mediated settlement, and they described the measure as necessary to make the new structure work effectively. Members asked how the Ombudsman would handle complaints and verify services in cases involving waiver recipients and other cabinet services. Ball and her staff said the Ombudsman would investigate complaints, make inquiries, and provide accountability outside the cabinet structure, with timelines and procedures similar to the Auditor’s office. The committee also discussed staffing and whether the office would need more personnel; Ball said the office already had about 100 people but could use more. The bill passed 10-0 with favorable expression. The committee then approved an agency amendment to administrative regulation 922 KAR 1:001490 concerning foster parent background checks. Cabinet staff explained the amendment corrected a drafting error by removing references to civil determinations in a second section of the regulation because the system cannot search those determinations, while still allowing the required checks under state and federal law. Senator Herron asked what a civil determination meant, and staff said it could involve a court finding in a custody or abuse case, though such findings are now typically handled through the child abuse and neglect registry. The amendment was adopted. Afterward, the committee began a discussion on Kentucky foster children housing and related issues. Ball and Ombudsman staff presented a preliminary assessment of children placed in office buildings, saying the review covered 49 children placed over a four-month period and showed a different picture than the public narrative of only older, high-acuity youth. They reported that some children had no documented behavioral or disability issues, many came directly from home, the average age was 13, the average stay was four nights, and placements were spread across several regions rather than centered only in Louisville. Members raised concerns about the lack of formal policies and procedures, staff safety, and how to ensure children are treated appropriately, and Ball said the Ombudsman was continuing a deeper review. No final action was taken on that discussion in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• She did a terrific job educating me through my first bill drafting for this committee.
• To be sure, private institutions also create educated and job-ready residents.
• The board understands faculty availability, access to quality clinical placements, and workforce needs
• , high-quality clinical education through coordinated and standardized clinical placements for nursing
• This bill enables unregulated program growth in an already constrained clinical placement system.

Bills: HB2498 , HB2443 , HB2567 , HB2363 , HB2422

Committee: House Postsecondary Education & Workforce

Keywords: nursing education, nursing program standards, board of nursing, state board, national accreditation, accreditation body, nursing school, nurse educator, clinical simulation, simulation director, lead nurse educator, NCLEX, licensure exam pass rate, corrective action plan, technical assistance, higher education, program approval, Washington RCW, professional development, nursing licensure

Transcript Highlights:

• This creates a gap in reporting, allowing other youth in the same foster placement to potentially...
• This creates a gap in reporting, allowing other youth in the same foster placement to potentially be
• Or in simple terms, our job is to make sure everyone knows what our client wants and to advocate for
• Notice is given to the attorneys for the other children in the placement as well.
• Notice is given to the attorneys for the other children in the placement as well.

Committee: House Human Services

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We have restricted overtime and done a pretty good job of that.
• It was a very good job of explaining bureaucracy there. That was good.
• If you can get me the number of people that are working on this job.
• We'll move on to county and out-of-state placement. County and out-of-state placement.
• So they can get connected to jobs where they're going to be successful in the community.

Summary: The joint Senate Finance and House Appropriations committee reviewed the Idaho Department of Correction budget, beginning with an agency-wide overview and then moving through management services, state prisons, county and out-of-state placement, community corrections, community-based substance use disorder treatment, and medical services. Analysts and the director explained that the department’s budget is heavily driven by personnel, contracts, medical costs, and population pressures, with dedicated funds such as inmate labor and probation/parole receipts declining in cash balance. Members asked about vacancies, overtime, holdback impacts, software licensing, hepatitis C funding, and the department’s use of contracts and technology. The committee also heard that some planned reductions tied to the governor’s holdback remain in place despite the agency being exempted, including cuts to Recidivis, GEO-related services, and some technology purchases, while body-worn cameras were kept in place because of safety and accountability benefits. A major portion of the discussion focused on rising incarceration and housing costs. The director said the department is near capacity, with more people coming in than leaving, and that county jail and out-of-state placements are increasing because state facilities are full. Analysts described the county jail and out-of-state placement budget as highly volatile and based on updated population forecasts, with supplemental and ongoing requests increasing significantly. Members also asked about mandatory minimums, criminal aliens in custody, and the cost of housing inmates in state versus out-of-state facilities. The director said Idaho’s per-day direct prison cost is about $85, or about $95 with administrative costs, while the Arizona contract rate is about $85 per day. The committee also discussed rehabilitation and recidivism-reduction programs, including education, work programs, community reentry centers, and the Bridge 8 tablet system. The director said the tablets are funded through inmate phone-related charges and are used for educational and rehabilitative purposes, not because the state is required to provide them. She said community reentry centers have shown an 11% lower recidivism rate for participants, and that the department has previously eliminated ineffective programs after evaluation. Members asked for more information on inmate labor contracts, hepatitis C treatment funding, and the cost and effectiveness of various programs. The meeting ended before all questions were resolved, and the committee adjourned to continue work groups the next morning.

Transcript Highlights:

• That same agency works to support families by workforce placement, assistance, and parent education.
• Eventually, that mother obtained a job, her own apartment, and moved on to self-sufficiency.
• . ...school and the foster placements have asked to lengthen this time period.
• While in state custody, they may encounter placement moves.
• I mean, that's their full-time job.

Committee: House Children and Families

Summary: The Committee on Children and Families heard public testimony on three bills. House Bill 3470, sponsored by Rep. Schmidt, would create a Missouri partner network linking state agencies, nonprofits, faith-based groups, and private partners through a website and case-management system to connect adults 18 and over who opt in with resources for employment, housing, education, and self-sufficiency. Supporters described the model as already working in 36 counties through the Care Portal and emphasized efficiency, reduced duplication, and stronger family outcomes. Committee members generally supported the concept and asked about opt-in participation, navigators, and how nonprofits would be included as true partners; no opposition testimony was offered. House Bill 3322, sponsored by Rep. Hausman, would extend foster-care school stability timelines from 10 days to 30 days, or 60 days in summer, and increase the mileage limit for remaining in a school of origin from 10-15 miles to 30 miles. The sponsor and witnesses from the Foster and Adoptive Care Coalition and Foster Adopt Connect said the current limits can force unnecessary school changes and are especially difficult in rural areas, while the bill would better preserve continuity for children in foster care. Committee members asked about edge cases, transportation, and whether the child’s best interests would still control; there was no opposition testimony. House Bill 1872, presented by Rep. Reuter, would allow survivors of domestic violence to seek resentencing if the abuse was related to the offense, so that the abuse can be considered as mitigating evidence after conviction or plea. Supporters, including a survivor, Missouri Appleseed, Forward.US, and Empower Missouri, said the bill would address cases where abuse was not fully considered at the original sentencing and would provide a second look for people serving long sentences. Several members raised procedural concerns about how the bill would interact with trial strategy, existing battered spouse syndrome law, evidentiary requirements, and appeals; the sponsor said he was open to revisions. No opposition testimony was presented, and the committee adjourned after the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, other than that, we've come to agreement on data issues on a lot of the job duties.
• Developing a plan to address placement options for county-involved youth with complex needs in both human
• I think if we can center that around this bill, which I think you're doing a really great job of doing
• But these are kids that actually need to have proper placements. We need to have a better approach.
• We have over 12,500 job vacancies, more than 2,500 of which are in the very critical nurse category.

Committee: House Human Services Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• We had our end users have day jobs, you know, full-time jobs.
• these teams have tried to do a good job of<00:34:17.359><c> is</c><00:34:17.599><c> understanding</c
• Placing a high acuity child in detention is not the appropriate placement for a child.
• appropriate placement for a child. child. child.
• for both instate and out of placement for both instate and out of state<00:43:19.040><c> facilities<

Keywords: 0:00:01 Call to Order and Roll Call 0:01:19 NKU Capital Project Update 0:38:57 DJJ High Acuity Services Update 1:03:53 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The interim Budget Review Subcommittee for Justice and Judiciary received an update on Northern Kentucky University’s capital project to house the Northern Kentucky Medical Examiner’s Office and the Northern Kentucky Crime Lab in the former Highland Heights Civic Center building on NKU’s campus. NKU and Justice Cabinet staff described the project timeline: the building was identified in late 2022, lease terms were agreed to in early 2023, a pre-construction evaluation agreement was executed in May 2023, the General Assembly authorized $21 million in April 2024, and the lease and construction agreement were finalized in spring 2026. The project is now being prepared for bid, with construction expected to start in August and occupancy targeted for January 2028. About $1 million has been spent so far on design and related investigations. Testimony emphasized that the vacant building was structurally sound but required major upgrades, including HVAC, plumbing, electrical, roof, windows, a generator, specialized mechanical systems, security, and geothermal work to meet the needs of two separate operations sharing one facility. NKU said it is contributing $3.7 million to the project. Committee members asked about the condition of the building, the urgency of the project, and why the process took so long. Justice Cabinet and real properties officials said the medical examiner’s office had been shut down since roughly late 2017 or 2018, that the state had first sought funding in the 2022 budget for staffing, a lease, and equipment, and that it took time to find a suitable leased location because the facility has highly specialized requirements. Members also asked about operating costs, annual lease costs, and the impact of the office’s absence on families and counties in Northern Kentucky. Officials said the lease cost is based on NKU’s expected maintenance-related expenses, while utilities and staffing are covered through the Office of the State Medical Examiner or Kentucky State Police, with seven medical examiner positions funded in House Bill 500 and two additional KSP positions requested for the crime lab. They explained that, until the new facility opens, bodies from Northern Kentucky are generally transported to Louisville for autopsy, with transportation costs borne by the coroner’s office. No votes were taken, but the committee requested follow-up information, including lease cost numbers and additional details on facility usage and timing.