Transcript Highlights:

• My recollection is that Contract 2 and Contract 5 were problematic to the board.
• Contract 2: unwritten sales contract between a hardware store solely owned by a legislator and a state
• And then Contract 5 is a written contract between a real estate appraisal company and a state agency
• So I would recommend that the discussion of Contract 2 and Contract 5 be retired, leaving the rest of
• the contracts; somebody else in his organization dealt with the contracts.

Summary: The meeting opened with attendance and brief remarks acknowledging recent violence against public servants in Minnesota and the risks of public service. The committee then approved the prior minutes and noted there were no employment disclosure forms to report. An update followed on digitizing committee files: the vendor’s estimate had been reduced after reviewing the files, the contract would be sent via DocuSign for the chair’s signature, and staff discussed whether the work could be completed before the end of the biennium and how it would be paid for. The main business was a review of remaining advisory opinions for possible retention or retirement. Staff walked through several opinions, recommending retention of some that still aligned with current law or practice, and retirement of others that were outdated, duplicative, or no longer useful because the underlying statutes had changed or the supporting materials could not be found. The committee voted to accept staff’s recommendations on the set of previously reviewed advisory opinions. A separate question was raised about an older opinion on outreach/newsletters and whether its factors should still apply outside the election-year context. Members generally agreed that the same factors should continue to guide analysis, with their weight varying depending on timing and circumstances. Staff was asked to review the opinion further and bring back a recommendation on whether to unretire or otherwise clarify it. The public portion of the meeting then adjourned, with the committee preparing to move into executive session.

Transcript Highlights:

• “My recollection is that Contract 2 and Contract 5 were problematic to the board.
• Contract 2: unwritten sales contract between a hardware store solely owned by a legislator and a state
• And then Contract 5 is a written contract between a real estate appraisal company and a state agency
• So I would recommend that the discussion of Contract 2 and Contract 5 be retired, leaving the rest of
• the contract; somebody else in his organization dealt with the contracts.”

Summary: The meeting opened with attendance and technical setup, including bringing a remote member into the session. The chair also made brief remarks about public service in light of recent violence against public officials, and a member shared condolences related to a colleague’s death. The committee then approved the minutes and noted no employment disclosure forms were filed. The main business was an update on digitizing committee files. Staff reported that the archival scanning estimate had been reduced and that a DocuSign contract would be sent for the chair’s signature. Members also discussed whether the work could be completed before the end of the biennium and whether existing funds could be used or prepaid. The committee then reviewed a long list of remaining advisory opinions and, on motion, approved staff recommendations to retain some opinions and retire or partially retire others based on changes in law or usefulness of the opinions. Topics included special privileges, frequent flyer miles, state contracts involving legislators, tours sponsored by lobbying entities, conflicts of interest, confidentiality of drafting requests, election-year brochures, and recusal/firewall issues. After a separate discussion about an older election-related outreach opinion, members agreed they likely still intended to apply the same factors outside the election-year context and asked staff to revisit whether that opinion should be unretired or revised. The public portion of the meeting was then adjourned, with the committee preparing to move into executive session.

Transcript Highlights:

• It talks about what should be in the contract, how anything that happens, the contract should ensure
• For paragraphs five, kind of the answer, that one's the contract piece of it, right?
• Making sure that within the contract we specifically say, hey, we're signing this contract with you;
• So if there is no contract in place and they're using a large language model that doesn't have any contract
• I think we should probably look at more contracts this way.

Committee: House Environment, Energy and Technology

Transcript Highlights:

• I mean, it's contract review, procurement.
• The current contract? The employment contract with the chief?
• And I said, chief, an employment contract.
• Who wrote the contract? He did. So the chief wrote his own employment contract?
• I couldn't write my own employment contract.

Bills: SR86 , SB491 , HB205 , HB210 , HB228 , HB813 , HB1045 , HB1177

Committee: Senate Senate & Governmental Affairs

Keywords: Senate rules, Louisiana Senate, Senate Chamber, smart glasses, recording eyewear, audio recording, video recording, wearable technology, covert recording, legislative security, media access, chamber decorum, Senate President, internal rules, public access, lobbyists, official journal, public notices, competitive bid, Louisiana legislation

Transcript Highlights:

• Contract pharmacies do not expand 340B.
• pharmacies they have, and how many of those contract pharmacies... ...how many contract pharmacies are
• The number one contract pharmacy in Washington State is OptumRX. They have 269 contracts.
• We download all of the HRSA data with regards to contract pharmacies, the locations of those contract
• Solving contract pharmacy and claims data reporting is part of that effort.

Bills: SB5877 , SB5904 , SB5988

Committee: House Health Care & Wellness

Keywords: anesthesiology, medical personnel, surcharges, licensing, healthcare regulations, nursing titles, licensure, healthcare professionals, patient safety, professional standards, opioid treatment, accreditation, health department, fee authority, substance abuse

Transcript Highlights:

• Contract pharmacies do not expand 340B.
• pharmacies they have, and how many of those contract pharmacies... ...how many contract pharmacies they
• The number one contract pharmacy in Washington State is OptumRx. They have 269 contracts.
• We download all of the HRSA data with regards to contract pharmacies, the locations of those contract
• Solving contract pharmacy and claims data reporting is part of that effort.

Summary: The committee heard public testimony on several health-related bills. SB 5904 would restrict nursing titles such as RN, NP/ARNP, and LPN to licensed human people and prohibit non-human entities, including AI chatbots, from using those titles. The sponsor and nursing advocates said the bill is meant to prevent confusion and protect public trust, while preserving the use of AI as a support tool. SB 5877 would add a $70 surcharge for certified anesthesiologist assistants so they can participate in the Washington Physicians Health Program and access HealWA resources; supporters said it closes a technical gap and aligns CAAs with other medical professions. SB 5185 would create a pilot pathway for certain international medical graduates with clinical experience licenses to obtain full primary care licensure; supporters from the medical commission, physicians, and IMG advocates said the program has worked well, has shown no patient safety issues, and could help address workforce shortages. The committee also heard extensive testimony on ESSB 6210, which would let the Health Benefit Exchange adopt additional market-factor certification criteria for exchange plans, including standards aimed at preserving access and affordability in underserved counties. Supporters, including the exchange, OIC, consumer advocates, tribal representatives, and patient groups, said the bill is needed to respond to federal policy changes, rising premiums, and disappearing coverage in places like San Juan County. Opponents from carriers and employer groups argued the timeline is too fast, the criteria are too discretionary, and the bill could reduce competition and raise costs. The committee then heard SB 5981, which would strengthen protections and reporting requirements for the federal 340B drug pricing program and limit manufacturer restrictions on contract pharmacies and data requests. Hospitals, clinics, and patient advocates said the bill protects safety-net care and rural access, while manufacturers, employers, and business groups argued it would expand a program that already raises costs and lacks transparency. In executive session, the committee took action on SB 5917, related to Department of Corrections distribution of abortion medications, rejecting five proposed amendments and then advancing the bill on a 10-6 vote with three excused. The committee also advanced SB 5988, which concerns Department of Health opioid treatment program accrediting activities, on a do-pass recommendation after brief discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• , a specific contract with the contract, a specific contract with the food<00:05:55.840><c> bank</c><
• We have a contract.
• So, that is what with the contract.
• </c><00:25:58.240><c> The</c><00:25:58.559><c> contract</c><00:25:59.120><c> is</c> support the contract
• The contract is support the contract.

Summary: The Fiscal Committee met with replacement members noted at the start and took up one emergency item from the Department of Health and Human Services: approval to accept and expend $2 million to support SNAP recipients during the federal shutdown. Commissioner Lori Weaver and CFO Nathan White explained that USDA/FNS had notified the state it would not receive November SNAP funds, affecting about 74,000 recipients. The department said it activated a contingency plan to contract with the New Hampshire Food Bank to expand mobile food pantries, targeting SNAP households and prioritizing locations based on need, with evening and daytime access and outreach through mail, text, email, social media, partner organizations, and a shutdown webpage. Committee members asked about timing, locations, reimbursement, and whether the state would be repaid by the federal government. Department staff said the food bank would likely need about a week to mobilize once the contract was approved, and that the contract would be cost-reimbursement based, with faster turnaround than usual but not advance payment. White explained the money would come from excess Medicaid Enhancement Tax revenue from state fiscal year 2025, which can be used only for Medicaid purposes under state law and SB 249, allowing general funds to be shifted to the food bank contract. Members also asked about other affected programs; the department said WIC had funding through November 10, energy assistance was expected to continue through December, and school breakfast/free and reduced lunch were not impacted. Members discussed broader public outreach, including a possible PSA and use of the New Hampshire Food Bank’s network of 417 partners, and one member suggested religious leaders or the governor might be better positioned to make donation appeals. The committee then voted unanimously to adopt the item (motion by Senator Gray, second by Senator Waters). The meeting ended with notice of the next meeting on November 21 at 11:00 and a motion to adjourn, which was approved.

Transcript Highlights:

• My goal is for the taxpayer to say, "Wow, there's a really big contract.
• However, when they contract with an NGO or some private contractor, we lose that transparency.
• We do contract with non-profits, and we're working very hard on that in a transparent way.
• Large contracts are done in open board meetings and public meetings.
• Also, again, we have MCOs that we contract with.

Bills: SB 6 , SB6 , SB504 , SB765 , SB815 , SB929

Committee: Senate Business & Commerce

Transcript Highlights:

• pharmacies. ...allowing an unlimited number of contract pharmacies, after which the number of contract
• Contract pharmacy arrangements have exploded without short...
• Today, though, I'm speaking in the AHF's capacity as a contract pharmacy.
• Solving contract pharmacy and claims data reporting is part of that effort.
• Since 2010, the number of contract pharmacy arrangements in 340B has...

Summary: The Senate Health and Long-Term Care Committee held a hearing on several bills. SB 5904 would prohibit non-human entities from using nursing titles; the sponsor and nursing groups said it is meant to increase transparency around AI and ensure patients know when they are interacting with a real nurse. SB 5915 would change Health Technology Assessment Program review criteria and timelines, with supporters arguing it would better account for Medicare coverage and national guidelines, especially for rare and life-threatening conditions. SB 6025 would update the definition of fetal death to allow gestational age to be determined by the best clinically accurate method rather than last menstrual period, and medical professionals and the sponsor said this would reduce emotional, financial, and legal burdens on grieving families. SB 5933 would require near real-time sharing of overdose data into ODMAP; public health, local government, and recovery advocates said it would improve overdose response, while one witness asked that poison center data be included and clarified separately. SB 5990 would allow APRNs and physician assistants to serve as local health officers in counties under 100,000 population; rural county officials supported the added flexibility, while public health groups and naturopathic physicians raised concerns about qualifications and asked that naturopathic doctors be included as well. SB 5981 would restrict drug manufacturers from limiting 340B drug access through contract pharmacies or requiring data as a condition of discounts; safety-net hospitals, community health centers, pharmacies, and patients said it protects access and reinvestment in care, while manufacturers, employer groups, and industry representatives argued it increases costs, lacks transparency, and may not ensure savings reach patients. No votes or final committee actions were taken in the transcript; each bill was heard and testimony was closed. Sign-in counts were reported for several bills, including strong pro support for SB 5904, SB 5915, SB 5933, and SB 5981, and mixed or substantial opposition on SB 6025 and SB 5990.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we did a contract amendment with Accenture.
• Did the initial contract, was it like a fixed-price contract, or did it allow for growth in time and
• Our contract is a deliverable-based contract, 100%.
• our contracts.
• And our current contract at the time was going to be expiring in 2018 after a 10-year contract.

Summary: The subcommittee heard updates on several major technology modernization efforts, beginning with the Department of Financial Services’ Florida PALM project, which is replacing the state’s decades-old FLAIR accounting system. DFS described PALM as a statewide effort affecting all three branches of government, with cash management already live and the remaining financial management, payroll, and data warehouse components still in development. Officials said the project began in 2014, was restructured after a 2022 legislative pause, and is now being recommended for a go-live delay from January 2026 to July 2026. Members asked about governance, staffing, contract structure, cost growth, and maintenance costs; DFS said the contract is deliverable-based, the current amendment would add a net $2.2 million, and post-go-live maintenance is expected to be about $13 million annually under the current contract through July 2027. The Agency for Health Care Administration then updated the committee on the FX Medicaid enterprise modernization program. AHCA explained that federal CMS directed states to move from monolithic Medicaid systems to a modular approach, leading Florida to procure separate vendors for integration services, data warehouse, unified operations, provider services, and claims processing, with pharmacy benefits still to be procured. Officials said the project has spent about $334 million to date, with most costs federally matched, and requested $189.95 million for the upcoming year. They also highlighted a 2024 special assessment that produced 81 recommendations, most tied to staffing shortages, and said the Legislature added 47 FTEs, with 17 currently filled or being filled. Members asked about governance changes, production status, data access, and future technology maintenance; AHCA said some components are operational, the data warehouse is nearing certification, and the agency is working to keep the system adaptable and nonproprietary. The Department of Children and Families presented its Access modernization project, which is replacing a mainframe-based eligibility system used for SNAP, TANF, Medicaid assistance, and related programs. DCF said the six-year, $205 million project is in its third year and has already delivered a new customer portal with mobile access, multi-factor authentication, and fraud protections, while also building a worker portal, document management, community partner tools, and workload management functions. The agency said it is requesting $36.625 million for the next fiscal year, the same as last year, and emphasized that the project has remained on schedule and on budget by breaking work into smaller modules and using strong vendor and staff support. Members praised the project’s progress and asked about cybersecurity testing and the long delay before modernization began; DCF said security requirements were built in from the outset and that the remaining work will focus on moving staff off the legacy mainframe and modernizing notices and back-end processes.

Transcript Highlights:

• multiple vendors and multiple contracts.
• Now, if we had contract language in there before and we didn't monitor that contract language tight enough
• That being said, it's part of the contract.
• So we're focusing on the future in the new contract.
• I think Cal OES or maybe it’s a contract or something Position within Cal OES, or maybe it’s a contract

Summary: The Emergency Management Committee held an oversight hearing on California’s Next Generation 911 rollout, focusing on Cal OES’s decision to move away from the original regional vendor model toward a statewide provider model. Cal OES said the regional architecture created complexity at the boundaries between regions, leading to misrouted calls, transfer problems, and degraded audio, and that a statewide model would better align with national standards and provide a more reliable, secure system. The Legislative Analyst’s Office urged the Legislature to pause further implementation until it has more information on the problems, tradeoffs, costs, and oversight needs, and recommended stronger reporting and possibly independent technical review before proceeding. Committee members pressed Cal OES on accountability, cost, testing, vendor selection, and whether the current system is safe. Cal OES said the project has cost about $456 million so far, most of it recurring service fees, and that 23 PSAPs had transitioned voice traffic while more than 440 total PSAPs remain in the state. Officials said the current system is operating, that a pause would not put the public at risk, and that the statewide conversion could be completed by summer 2030. Members and the LAO raised concerns about whether Cal OES has enough technical oversight and whether contract language alone is sufficient to prevent repeat problems. The vendor panel largely defended the regional model and argued that the existing system is already built, tested, and ready to expand. NGA 911, Synergem, Lumen, and Atos said the regional architecture provides redundancy and resilience, that early problems were often tied to legacy-system integration, carrier issues, or training rather than the regional design itself, and that a statewide redesign would add cost and delay. Atos said it serves as the statewide backbone and backup and has already carried live traffic, while vendors emphasized that they support continued modernization but believe California should build on the current regional investment rather than replace it.

Transcript Highlights:

• And was there a formal written contract for that? There was a formal written contract.
• as well as the contract... ...the contract.
• I got A chance to read the contract. I'm really uncomfortable with what the contract now says.
• There's an employment contract. “Find it on another. There’s an employment contract. Yes.
• -E.C. contract dispute.

Summary: The hearing resumed in the Legislative Ethics Board matter involving Tara Simmons after the board confirmed no ex parte communications had occurred overnight. Respondent’s counsel moved to dismiss two allegations at the close of the board staff’s case: that Simmons pressured the Administrative Office of the Courts to alter a contract in favor of her employer, and that she violated ethics rules by combining legislative support for AEJG with a personal donation to the organization. Board staff opposed the motion, arguing the evidence showed Simmons’s legislative and personal dealings were intertwined. After a recess for deliberation, the board denied the motion to dismiss, and the hearing moved into the defense case. The first defense witness was Sharon Navas, executive director of the Equity and Education Coalition (EEC). Navas testified that she met Simmons in 2018, later hired her, and took steps to separate Simmons’s legislative duties from her work for EEC. She said Simmons was never paid for lobbying or legislative acts, that her compensation came from unrestricted funds, and that the organization used written ethics-compliance language and a formal scope of work. Navas also described the proviso-funded dashboard project involving Anthony Powers and Chris Stanley, testifying that Simmons was not involved in the project’s day-to-day work, did not attend the meetings about the dispute, and was not part of the alleged contract disagreement. On cross-examination, staff focused on the contract documents, the dashboard work, and whether the scope of work matched the parties’ understanding. Tara Simmons then testified in her own defense. She described her background, legislative career, disability accommodations, and extensive efforts to seek ethics guidance from House counsel and board-related materials before taking outside employment or supporting provisos. She said she relied on prior ethics advice when separating her legislative role from outside work and when seeking provisos for AEJG and EEC. Simmons also addressed her relationship with Anthony Powers, describing it as a friendship rooted in criminal justice reform work and prior collaboration. The hearing was still in the middle of Simmons’s direct testimony when the transcript excerpt ended, with no final ruling on the merits or disposition of the allegations.

Transcript Highlights:

• SolSource contracts were built...
• SolSource contracts were built We have over 200 patents.
• Question number one: Were you bid on a contract?
• So the phase one of the contract was for county island schools.
• So the phase one of the contract was for county island schools.

Committee: Joint Joint Legislative Audit Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• Even after the contracts were awarded, there was a lot more time needed.
• right in the middle of these contracts.
• However, funding that now will be slashed even though it's mid-contract.
• The contracts were available through June of 2026. As well as the funding.
• Is it going to be contracted out? It will be contracted out.

Transcript Highlights:

• It is not anti-contract, it is pro-contract. I know my contracts.
• They could not get the contract to justify it.
• Third, providers are not prisoners in network contracts.
• To be clear, they agreed to network contracts... Providers are not prisoners in network contracts.
• Every one of these contracts has a cancellation clause.

Summary: The Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement Committee heard and advanced several bills covering workers’ compensation transparency, public pensions, prevailing wage, workplace harassment training, and employee benefits. AB 1048 would require disclosure of the contract justifying reduced workers’ compensation payments to medical providers; supporters said it would improve transparency without changing reimbursement rates, while opponents argued the problem was overstated and existing dispute remedies were sufficient. AB 1601 would give Sonoma County flexibility to target a cost-of-living adjustment for retirees rather than requiring an all-or-nothing COLA; county and union witnesses said retirees have gone without a COLA since 2008 and have lost purchasing power, and the bill passed unanimously. AB 1439 would commission a UC Berkeley study on labor standards in pension-funded real estate and infrastructure projects; labor groups supported it, while local governments, housing, and industry groups opposed it, and it passed on a 4-1 vote after one senator voted no in committee. The committee also heard AB 1697, which would delay implementation of a prior law restricting certain employment debt and pay-to-quit arrangements until 2027; the author said the delay would give employers, including professional sports leagues, time to adjust, while a financial services group sought a further delay to 2028. AB 1803 would require anti-hate speech content in existing workplace harassment training for employers with five or more employees; supporters cited rising antisemitic and other hate incidents and said the bill would help workers recognize and report hate, while opponents raised First Amendment concerns and argued existing harassment law already covers hostile conduct. AB 2120 would extend Los Angeles Unified’s selective certification hiring authority and allow retention of specialized employees in layoffs, and AB 2292 would bar providers from charging administrative fees for disability insurance and paid family leave certification forms; both drew support and were advanced without opposition testimony. AB 1198, the Fair Pay for Construction Workers Act, would require prevailing wage to be based on the time work is performed rather than the date a project is advertised for bid. Labor and contractor supporters said the current rule can lock in outdated wages and underpay workers on long projects and change orders, while cities, counties, and contractor groups warned it would create uncertainty, raise costs, and jeopardize projects funded by fixed grants or bonds. After testimony and questions, the committee voted to send all of the bills forward, with final recorded votes later showing unanimous or near-unanimous approval and several measures placed on call before the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• To be clear, AB 1048 does not require the IBR review every contract.
• contract I have, or I don't recall signing a contract like that, show me the contract.
• This is not for contract dispute. This is for transparency. Show me the contract that I signed.
• They say, we don't recall at all signing a contract like that. Can you show us the contract?
• not the contract applies.

Committee: House Insurance

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Insurance met as a subcommittee and heard several bills, with most focused on workers’ compensation, insurance access, and climate-related risk. AB 815 by Assembly Member Ortega would prevent social service workers who use personal vehicles to transport or assist clients from being misclassified as commercial or for-hire drivers under personal auto policies; supporters said the current practice leads to unaffordable premiums and denied claims, while no opposition testified. AB 1329, also by Ortega, would reform the Subsequent Injury Benefit Trust Fund to reduce litigation and administrative costs; supporters said it would lower employer assessments while preserving protections for hiring previously disabled workers, and opponents said they were working on amendments but raised concerns about fund costs and eligibility language. Both bills were approved and sent to Appropriations. The committee also approved the consent calendar, which included AB 1125, AB 1293, and AB 1398, and later approved AB 1048 by Assembly Member Chen. AB 1048 would allow disputed unauthorized or silent-network medical payment reductions in workers’ compensation to be reviewed through the independent bill review process; supporters framed it as a transparency measure to address unexplained underpayments, while opponents argued the bill would improperly use IBR to resolve contract disputes and could conflict with existing arbitration provisions. Despite opposition, the bill passed to Appropriations. AB 1236 by Assembly Member Celeste Rodriguez was approved with broad support. The bill would create a Climate and Sustainability Insurance and Risk Reduction Grant Program at the Department of Insurance to fund pilot projects aimed at improving insurance availability, affordability, and resilience in communities facing wildfire, flooding, heat, and sea level rise. Supporters, including the Department of Insurance, described it as implementing recommendations from the state’s climate insurance report, and several committee members asked to be listed as coauthors. AB 1336 by Assembly Member Addis, the Farmworker Heat Illness Prevention Act, also passed after extensive debate; it would create a rebuttable presumption that a heat-related injury arose out of employment when an agricultural employer failed to comply with heat illness prevention standards. Supporters said it would incentivize compliance and protect farmworkers, while opponents argued it inappropriately used workers’ compensation to enforce safety rules and raised implementation concerns. All of the approved bills were reported out to the Committee on Appropriations, and the committee adjourned after recording final roll-call votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 2310 specifies that the contract and association created by the contract governing services
• The bill applies the contract requirements to any contract or addendum entered into after the effective
• Current law requires contracts to allow termination by either party, creating legal ambiguity.
• This gives the contractor the explicit right to contract to eliminate the contract on their terms solely
• So it's giving more rights to the driver to be able to cancel the contract. Right.

Bills: HB2010 , HB2192 , HB2310 , HB2501

Committee: Senate Regulatory Affairs and Government Efficiency

Keywords: digital goods, advertising, ownership, license, consumer protection, refund policies, streaming services, minors, content creators, online platforms, compensation, trust accounts, child protection, video content, privacy, employment, independent contractor, marketplace, digital services, contractual agreements

Transcript Highlights:

• multiple vendors and multiple contracts.
• Now, if we had contract language in there before and we didn't monitor that contract language tight enough
• That being said, it's part of the contract.
• So we're focusing on the future in the new contract.
• I think Cal OES, or maybe it's a contract or something...

Committee: House Emergency Management

Transcript Highlights:

• KDE contracts<00:02:20.160><c> with</c><00:02:20.480><c> four</c><00:02:20.800><c> districts,</c> contracts
• </c> In addition, OEA reviewed the contracts In addition, OEA reviewed the contracts or<00:04:01.920>
• ,</c> at each of the MOAS and the contracts, at each of the MOAS and the contracts, the<00:13:53.760>
• </c><00:19:27.039><c> each</c> given the number of contracts each given the number of contracts each
• They gave it up and so the contract.

Summary: The subcommittee heard an Office of Education Accountability report on Kentucky’s early childhood regional training centers (RTCs). OEA said the centers provide valuable training, consultation, technical assistance, and materials for preschool personnel, especially for children with disabilities and at-risk students, and that the services align with state and federal requirements. However, the report found uneven student and teacher populations across regions, wide variation in per-student funding, some staffing data inaccuracies, and several fiscal oversight concerns, including inconsistent indirect cost rates, a building rental charge that may have been duplicative, and host districts recording RTC expenditures in a way that could blur them with district finances. OEA also said some documentation of progress toward goals was incomplete and that the technology lending library appeared underused. The report recommended stronger KDE oversight, uniform coding and accounting practices, review of budgets and expenditures, and an evaluation of whether the current five-center model remains the most efficient structure; OEA also suggested the General Assembly may wish to revisit KRS 157.318. Members asked about KDE’s response, whether the centers are required by federal law, how the centers operate, and whether changing the model would affect federal funding. OEA said KDE had only discussed the findings informally and had not issued a formal response, the centers are required by state law but not federal law, and changing the model would not jeopardize IDEA preschool funds. The committee accepted the report by motion. The subcommittee then approved the minutes from its July 14, 2025 meeting after initially delaying action because quorum was not yet present. After that, members turned to the Office of Education Accountability’s proposed 2026 study agenda. OEA said the three proposed topics are the annual district data profiles, facilities funding, and implementation of early literacy statutes. The district profiles would add an appendix showing the number and percentage of students moving to private school or homeschool by district and another appendix noting data-quality issues that affect comparability. OEA explained that district staffing data can undercount contract staff because those employees are not always entered into the system, and members expressed interest in tracking whether prior recommendations were implemented. One senator also raised a separate interest in reviewing whether KDE created and implemented regulations related to KFIX. The discussion remained informational, with no final vote on the study agenda shown in the transcript excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• A concessions contract may be entered by negotiation of adequate compensation.
• It's an adhesive contract.
• Because, you know, when a state employee clicks through, that's a contract.
• It's an adhesive contract, but it's still a contract.
• The statute still requires the contract to be reviewed by legal counsel.

Committee: Joint Legislative Task Force on Government Efficiency