Transcript Highlights:

• after I left DCI, I went to work as an assistant U.S. attorney in Lander, doing cases on the Indian reservation
• ><01:04:31.440><c> Indian</c> lander doing cases on the Indian lander doing cases on the Indian reservation
• :04:34.319><c> uh</c><01:04:34.559><c> Iraq</c><01:04:34.960><c> for</c><01:04:35.200><c> a</c> reservation
• and went to uh Iraq for a reservation and went to uh Iraq for a while.<01:04:35.599><c> The</c><01:04

Bills: HB0066, HJ0005, HB0010

Keywords: administrative law, judicial review, agency deference, Chevron deference, de novo review, state agencies, regulatory interpretation, statutory interpretation, separation of powers, individual liberty, administrative procedure, agency action, Wyoming Supreme Court, district court review, oil and gas inspector, regulatory challenge, anti-deference, law enforcement, memorial, Patrolman Rosa

Transcript Highlights:

• We floated that payroll with our cash reserves, thinking that we'll probably just get it back on the
• 40.960><c> cash</c> floated that payroll with with our cash floated that payroll with with our cash reserves
• ><c> thinking</c><01:30:43.040><c> that</c><01:30:43.440><c> well</c><01:30:44.000><c> we'll</c> reserves
• um thinking that well we'll reserves um thinking that well we'll probably<01:30:44.639><c> just</c><

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I have a bill to go introduce, so if I can have the questions reserved for the true experts who are here
• um if if I can uh have<00:06:47.280><c> the</c><00:06:47.520><c> questions</c><00:06:47.840><c> reserved
• ><00:06:48.319><c> for</c><00:06:48.560><c> the</c><00:06:48.800><c> true</c> have the questions reserved
• for the true have the questions reserved for the true experts<00:06:49.680><c> who</c><00:06:50.400>

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We are using reserve money this year to make ends meet, to also subsidize EMS at $3.5 million, which
• Our operating budget requires about $2 million of this reserve money this year alone.
• What it has done is used up all the reserve that we have.
• had to do a coal severance project to subsidize my budget from where I took all of the money in the reserve

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00:07 Roll Call 00:00:13 Approval of Minutes from August Meeting 00:01:55 Discussion of County Jails 00:03:31 Discussion of Centralized Collection of Net Profits and Occupational License Taxes 01:02:12 Adjournment 01:54:56, 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the August 26 minutes, and then took up a discussion of county jail funding. KACO representatives and county officials said jail operations are an ongoing strain for counties because they must pay for inmate care, facilities, and mandated standards, while many counties also rely on jail revenue to offset costs. They described Kentucky’s jail system, including 77 jails, 43 closed counties without jails, and the mix of county, state, federal, and controlled-intake inmates. KACO emphasized that counties remain financially responsible for inmates even when they must contract with other jails, often at costs above the state’s per diem rate, and said it is developing a broader proposal to present later. The testimony focused on rising expenses and shrinking revenue. KACO said counties spent about $374 million on jail operations in FY24, up 24% from FY19, and about $41 million on jail medical costs, up 40%. General fund support for jails was said to total $147 million in FY24, more than double pre-COVID levels. Speakers also noted that state inmate populations in county jails have fallen from about 11,500 in 2019 to 7,212 in 2025, while federal inmates have increased because they are more lucrative for counties. The state jail per diem of $35.34 was described as insufficient to cover actual costs, especially medical care. County judges from Webster, Knox, and Hardin counties gave examples of local budget pressure. Webster County said it now houses 114 state prisoners, 47 county prisoners, and 24 out-of-county prisoners, and that it transferred $512,000 from its general fund to the jail last year, about $77 per taxpayer. Knox County said its jail budget has grown from an initial $2.8 million projection to $5.7 million, with $3 million coming from occupational tax revenue. Hardin County said its jail has an approximate $11 million expense budget against $5 million in revenue, creating a $6 million deficit, driven by higher payroll, medical, and insurance costs and a 29% drop in state prisoner revenue. The judge said the county has responded with property tax increases and an expanded occupational tax district, but still uses reserves to cover other county services. A Grant County magistrate then began speaking from the perspective of magistrates and commissioners, describing her background working at a local jail before serving in county government. The discussion remained centered on the fiscal burden of jails and the need for counties and the legislature to work together on a long-term solution.

Transcript Highlights:

• So there isn't just a reserve pot of money earning interest somewhere. It's put to work.
• </c><00:38:04.400><c> isn't</c><00:38:04.720><c> just</c><00:38:04.960><c> a</c><00:38:05.200><c> reserve
• </c><00:38:05.760><c> pot</c><00:38:06.079><c> of</c> So there isn't just a reserve pot of So there isn't
• just a reserve pot of money<00:38:06.640><c> earning</c><00:38:07.040><c> interest</c><00:38:07.440>

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:03 Roll Call 00:00:08 Discussion of Indiana Residential Infrastructure Fund 00:01:27 Discussion of Affordable Housing Trust Fund 00:33:30 Discussion of Urban Infill 01:12:37 Approval of Minutes from July Meeting 01:39:00 Adjournment 01:39:42, 958, all

Summary: The Housing Task Force heard a presentation from Anita Sanford of the Homebuilders Association of Kentucky and Sheri Cybert of Indiana’s Residential Infrastructure Fund about Indiana’s low-interest loan program for local housing infrastructure. They described the program as a voluntary, locally driven model that helps communities finance roads, sewers, sidewalks, traffic lights, turning lanes, and other infrastructure needed for new housing development. Sanford emphasized that infrastructure and regulation are major drivers of housing costs, citing estimates that infrastructure can account for up to 30% of a home’s cost and regulations another 25%, and said the association is studying Kentucky-specific regulatory costs. She also noted that every $1,000 added to new home construction can price out about 2,000 Kentucky households. Cybert explained that Indiana’s program, administered through the Indiana Finance Authority, began in 2023 with $75 million appropriated over two years and has since closed 17 loans totaling $60.7 million, with more than 2,700 projected housing units. The program reserves 70% of funds for rural communities and 30% for urban communities, requires applications from local governments rather than developers, and asks communities to show need through a market study, describe the infrastructure and housing to be built, and provide preliminary engineering plans and a repayment source. She said the loans currently carry an interest rate around 3.5%, reset quarterly, and that the program has generated about $25 million in savings to communities compared with private borrowing. She also described recent Indiana legislative changes that encourage higher density and other zoning reforms, and said a majority of those local ordinance changes must be adopted for an application to be fundable. Members asked about the ordinance requirements, the funding split between rural and urban areas, repayment mechanisms, and whether there were caps on project size. Cybert said repayment is worked out case by case, often through existing or project-specific TIFs, temporary tax agreements, or letters of credit, and that the program has no cap on request size or income/affordability restrictions. She said the largest request funded was $19 million for a 700-unit project. Co-chair Mills and others discussed whether Kentucky could adopt a similar model and what it would cost, while Sanford and Cybert said they were still refining budget estimates. Later, Scott Welch, president of the Homebuilders Association of Kentucky, testified that upfront infrastructure costs are a major barrier in his projects, citing a $1 million pump station and road-widening and utility relocation costs as examples, and said an infrastructure fund would help get projects off the ground.

Transcript Highlights:

• And in Senate Bill 25, the restricted funds carry forward was placed into the Court of Justice reserve
• <00:15:39.279><c> Court</c><00:15:39.440><c> of</c><00:15:39.600><c> Justice</c><00:15:40.079><c> reserve
• </c> placed into the Court of Justice reserve placed into the Court of Justice reserve account.<00:15

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00:00 Roll Call: 00:00:01 Recognition of New Members: 00:01:17 Disaster Response: 00:01:41 Pretrial Discussion: 00:31:25, 958, all

Summary: The committee first established a quorum, approved the minutes from the November 7, 2024 meeting, and then heard an update on disaster response and courthouse recovery efforts after the April flooding. Representatives from the Administrative Office of the Courts, the Franklin County Circuit and District Court Clerk’s office, and the Franklin Circuit Court described damage in Perry, Hardin, and especially Franklin counties. Perry County had limited roof and water infiltration issues with no operational impact. Hardin County’s justice center basement took about 18 inches of water, affecting court records and mechanical/electrical equipment, and court operations were briefly suspended. Franklin County’s courthouse was far more severely damaged, with about four feet of water on the first floor, forcing relocation of court operations to temporary sites, including AOC space and the regional jail for custody proceedings. Witnesses said damaged files from Hardin and Franklin counties were removed, sent to an out-of-state vendor for drying and remediation, and would be returned or destroyed as appropriate. They estimated combined costs for file restoration, building repair, and remediation at about $11 million, with insurance through KCOJ/KO expected to cover only part of the losses and FEMA reimbursement still pending a federal disaster declaration. They also said the Franklin County courthouse’s first floor remains gutted, electrical panels and HVAC systems need major replacement, and the second and third floors may be used temporarily once power and data are restored. Members asked about roof damage in Hardin County, the status of FEMA applications, digitization of court records, and whether Senate Bill 25 restricted funds could be used to cover the funding gap; staff said the funds cannot be spent without General Assembly authorization. The committee also discussed broader record-retention and e-filing issues, with members noting the limits of paper filing and the need for better digitization as a backup in emergencies. AOC staff said they are working with the Supreme Court and state law librarian on what records can be digitized and how long hard copies must still be retained. After the disaster-response presentation, the committee moved on to a separate informational presentation on pre-trial services, with introductions from the executive officer of pre-trial services, the president of the Kentucky District Judges Association, a circuit judge, and the manager of pre-trial services, who began explaining how the pre-trial system works for newer committee members.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm going to reserve that as my close. All right. We have a motion? Motion and a second.
• And so I will be supporting your bill today, but I do reserve my opinion.
• I will be supporting your bill today, but I do reserve my vote for the floor.
• school district, Davis Joint Unified School District, they operate on a first-come, first-served reservation

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several bills related to reproductive access, child safety online, immigration enforcement in schools, health privacy, location data, digital provenance, reparations, and age assurance. AB 54 would protect the medication abortion supply chain and shield providers and others from liability; AB 1137 would strengthen reporting and enforcement tools for child sexual abuse material on social media; AB 49 would limit ICE activity at California public schools; AB 82 would expand privacy and safety protections for gender-affirming care patients and providers; AB 1355 would restrict the collection, use, and sale of precise location data; AB 853 would expand provenance requirements for AI-generated and authentic content; AB 62 would create a pathway for restitution for racially biased eminent domain takings; and AB 1043 would create a device-based age assurance framework for online services. Supporters generally framed the bills as necessary responses to current harms: reproductive rights advocates emphasized California’s role as a safe haven; child safety witnesses described the persistence and re-victimization caused by CSAM online; immigrant rights and education advocates said schools should remain safe from immigration enforcement; health and LGBTQ+ advocates stressed privacy and safety risks tied to tracking and harassment; privacy and consumer groups backed limits on location data and stronger provenance tools; and reparations advocates said AB 62 would help address historic injustices. Opposition came from family policy, tech, business, law enforcement, and industry groups, who raised concerns about safety claims, constitutional issues, implementation burdens, transparency, law enforcement access, and the need to preserve existing privacy frameworks and voluntary standards. The committee members largely expressed support for the policy goals while noting implementation concerns on some measures. Several members asked for or were offered coauthor status on bills. AB 1137, AB 54, AB 49, AB 82, AB 1355, AB 853, and AB 62 all received do-pass votes to Appropriations, with some members voting no or not voting on certain bills. AB 1355 and AB 853 were advanced with amendments or ongoing work promised with opponents, and AB 1043 was presented with discussion of possible amendments on parental consent and age assurance details, though the transcript cuts off before final action on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• We were lucky to have access to ARPA funding, a reserve pool of funding through that federal program,
• instead to have access to arpa<01:32:28.159><c> funding</c><01:32:28.760><c> a</c><01:32:28.920><c> reserve
• </c><01:32:29.400><c> po</c><01:32:29.600><c> of</c><01:32:29.760><c> funding</c> arpa funding a reserve
• po of funding arpa funding a reserve po of funding through<01:32:30.440><c> that</c><01:32:30.639><c

Bills: HF2446, HF2878, HF2667, HF1795, HF2683, HF2916

Keywords: agriculture finance, broadband development, Department of Agriculture, Board of Animal Health, Agricultural Utilization Research Institute, Office of Broadband Development, food safety, food handler license, cottage food, home processed food, livestock dealer, meat packing company, milk marketer, milk marketing license, grain buyer, grain storage, beginning farmer, emerging farmer, farm down payment assistance, livestock investment grant

Transcript Highlights:

• Minnesota has reserved additional powers to corporate shareholders in the bylaws to make decisions about
• We have reserved<01:35:54.719><c> additional</c><01:35:55.360><c> powers</c><01:35:56.239><c> to</c><
• 01:35:56.480><c> the</c> reserved additional powers to the reserved additional powers to the corporate

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, so I had the privilege of growing up at Upper Pursuit Reservation, embedded in my culture for the
• 00:05:08.720><c> at</c><00:05:08.800><c> Upper</c><00:05:08.960><c> Pursuit</c><00:05:09.360><c> Reservation
• </c> growing up at Upper Pursuit Reservation growing up at Upper Pursuit Reservation embedded<00:05:10.160

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• She's more reserved and anxious than she used to be.
• She's<01:13:58.159><c> more</c><01:13:58.320><c> reserved</c><01:13:58.719><c> and</c><01:13:58.960><
• c> anxious</c><01:13:59.360><c> than</c><01:13:59.520><c> she</c> She's more reserved and anxious than
• she She's more reserved and anxious than she used<01:13:59.840><c> to</c><01:14:00.000><c> be.

Bills: HF2135, HF776, HF1581, HF1158, HF2226

Keywords: child welfare, fiscal analysis, third-party consultant, program evaluation, Minnesota, HF776, Minnesota Family Assets for Independence Initiative, family assets for independence, FAI, asset-building, matched savings, financial literacy, family savings, economic mobility, children youth and families, general fund appropriation, family support, low-income families, financial stability, budget bill

Transcript Highlights:

• Army Reserves for over 10 years now, serving as a psychological operations specialist, and I am also
• </c><00:58:17.240><c> the</c><00:58:17.400><c> US</c><00:58:17.720><c> Army</c><00:58:18.039><c> Reserves
• </c><00:58:18.520><c> for</c> have been in the US Army Reserves for have been in the US Army Reserves

Bills: HF339, HF1272, HF2121, HF2122, HF1216, HF1003, HF2319

Keywords: HF339, Nursing Home Workforce Standards Board, nursing homes, long-term care, elder care, workforce standards, certified worker organizations, labor funding, general fund appropriation, worker grants, Minnesota labor law, nursing home staffing, caregiver workforce, section 181.214, HF1272, nursing home, boarding care home, nursing home workers, labor standards, Medicaid-certified facility

Transcript Highlights:

• Um Previously, I served as a chaplain candidate in the United States Army Reserve as a commissioned officer
• Um Previously, I served as a chaplain candidate in the United States Army Reserve as a commissioned officer
• Um Previously, I served as a chaplain candidate in the United States Army Reserve as a commissioned officer
• Um Previously, I served as a chaplain candidate in the United States Army Reserve as a commissioned officer

Keywords: 00:00:00 Call to Order/Roll Call 00:01:10 Discussion of 25RS HB 414 00:44:26 Roll Call Vote on 25RS HB 414 00:50:25 Discussion of 25RS SB 27 00:53:44 Roll Call Vote on 25RS SB 27 00:55:49 Discussion of 25RS SB 93 00:57:57 Roll Call Vote on 25RS SB 93 00:59:29 Discussion of 25RS SB 132 01:37:39 Roll Call Vote on 25RS SB 132 01:40:55 Discussion of 25RS SB 153 01:42:05 Roll Call Vote on 25RS SB 153 01:43:46 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The Health Services Committee met with a quorum and took up House Bill 414 with a committee substitute. The bill, described by sponsors and supporters as a continuation of prior maternal-health legislation, was framed as a clarification of medical standards and an effort to improve care for women and families facing complicated pregnancies. Representative Tate, Representative Nemes, Adair Wushar of Kentucky Right to Life, and Dr. Jeff Goldberg of ACOG Kentucky all testified in support, saying the substitute was developed collaboratively to reduce confusion in the law and help physicians provide evidence-based care without fear of criminal penalties. Supporters said the committee substitute was intended to define what is not an abortion under Kentucky law and to spell out medical treatments for conditions such as miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, molar pregnancy, sepsis, hemorrhage, preeclampsia, premature rupture of membranes, and fetal demise. Dr. Goldberg said current statutes contain significant ambiguity and have created unintended barriers to treating pregnancy complications, including emergency situations, and he gave examples of patients who were delayed or harmed because physicians were uncertain about what the law allowed. Representative Nemes said the measure was the result of unusual cooperation among groups that do not usually agree and described it as a first step toward fixing a discrete problem. Representative Wilner raised concerns that the language could effectively require a patient to be in severe distress before treatment is clearly permitted and that it was too prescriptive about how physicians should manage miscarriages. In response, Dr. Goldberg and the sponsors said the substitute was not perfect, was meant as a short-term solution, and was designed to give doctors more confidence in providing routine, medically necessary care for pregnancy complications. The transcript indicates the committee substitute was adopted, but no final vote on the bill itself is shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• A recent New York Times poll found that 79% of Americans believe girls' sports should be reserved for
• 01:56:30.320><c> Sports</c><01:56:30.679><c> should</c><01:56:30.840><c> be</c><01:56:31.000><c> reserved
• </c><01:56:31.360><c> for</c> girls Sports should be reserved for girls Sports should be reserved for

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• this appropriation, VPSN alone served 121% more interactions across 63 counties and one tribal reservation
• <01:36:12.320><c> and</c><01:36:12.520><c> one</c><01:36:12.880><c> tribal</c><01:36:13.639><c> reservation
• </c><01:36:14.639><c> in</c> counties and one tribal reservation in counties and one tribal reservation

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• give us 50% back to the federal or to the state budget, so it would help with, you know, budget reserves
• give us 50% back to the federal or to the state budget, so it would help with, you know, budget reserves
• but I think that says to me if we were to do that, maybe we're doing that intentionally to try and reserve
• If we were to do that, maybe we're doing that intentionally to try and reserve money so that, at the

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• There was an effort to put in specific language to reserve a different percentage of administrative funding
• She said she had another question but would reserve it for later. um sees the entirety of the the program
• um I had another question but maybe I um I had another question but maybe I will<01:05:35.720><c> Reserve
• 36.480><c> come</c><01:05:36.799><c> speak</c><01:05:37.599><c> for</c><01:05:37.799><c> my</c> I’ll reserve

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• So, um, I do have the room reserved.
• <00:01:05.119><c> room</c> necessary so um I do have the room necessary so um I do have the room reserved
• 00:01:07.200><c> at</c><00:01:07.759><c> 4:</c><00:01:08.759><c> uh</c><00:01:08.880><c> the</c> reserved
• we could come back at 4: uh the reserved we could come back at 4: uh the room<00:01:09.159><c> would

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• transparency, I think we would ask the insurance companies to disclose how much they're setting aside in reserves
• disclose how much they're setting aside disclose how much they're setting aside in<00:32:35.399><c> reserves
• 36.480><c> any</c><00:32:37.000><c> single</c><00:32:37.960><c> uh</c><00:32:38.480><c> oh</c> in reserves
• to settle any single uh oh in reserves to settle any single uh oh we've<00:32:38.919><c> heard</c><00

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee held a public hearing on HB 733-FN, a bill on third-party litigation financing (TPLF). Representative Cole, the prime sponsor, described TPLF as outside investors financing lawsuits in which they have no personal stake, arguing that the practice is largely unregulated, can involve foreign entities, and contributes to litigation abuse, higher insurance costs, and what he called a “tort tax.” He said the bill is modeled on an NCOIL proposal and would require disclosure of TPLF agreements, with specific references to foreign-entity restrictions, consumer-protection guardrails, and reporting requirements. He also noted a few technical fixes to the draft, including adding the word “knowingly” and restoring a section that had been omitted. Committee members questioned how the bill’s foreign-entity language would work, including whether a governor or the Department of Safety would designate countries of concern, and whether the bill would bar foreign parties from using litigation funding. Cole and others clarified that the bill was intended as a reporting measure, not a ban on litigation funding itself, and that the goal was to disclose who is funding lawsuits and to what extent. Representative Sal asked whether the bill would prevent a litigant from getting outside financing; Cole answered no, emphasizing disclosure rather than prohibition. Brandon Grat of the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau testified that the bill’s enforcement provisions were too limited. He said the draft appears to give the Attorney General only a civil-penalty remedy, likely too small to deter violations, and not the broader Consumer Protection Act tools such as injunctions, restitution, or investigation authority. He also raised concerns about whether the Attorney General or Insurance Department would have proper jurisdiction, given that the product may be financial or insurance-related. Insurance Commissioner DJ Benton Court said the department sees possible benefits from transparency because disclosure of litigation funding could help insurers assess risk, improve underwriting, and potentially ease hard-market pressures, especially for nonprofits and child care providers. He also said the bill’s language likely needs further work to clarify agency authority and suggested involving the Attorney General, Insurance Department, and banking regulators. Opposition testimony came from the New Hampshire Trial Lawyers Association. Marissa Chase and Samantha Hering argued the bill is one-sided because it requires disclosure only on the plaintiff side and not from defendants or insurers. They said New Hampshire already has court rules and discovery procedures that cover relevant disclosures, making the bill unnecessary, and questioned whether the existence of a funding contract is even relevant in litigation. The hearing ended with the committee continuing to discuss possible revisions and enforcement options, but no vote or final action was taken in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• transparency, I think we would ask the insurance companies to disclose how much they're setting aside in reserves
• disclose how much they're setting aside disclose how much they're setting aside in<00:32:35.399><c> reserves
• 36.480><c> any</c><00:32:37.000><c> single</c><00:32:37.960><c> uh</c><00:32:38.480><c> oh</c> in reserves
• to settle any single uh oh in reserves to settle any single uh oh we've<00:32:38.919><c> heard</c><00

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 733-FN, a bill concerning third-party litigation financing (TPLF). Representative Cole, the prime sponsor, described TPLF as outside investors funding lawsuits in which they have no personal stake, arguing that the practice is largely unregulated, can involve foreign entities, increases litigation abuse, and contributes to higher insurance and consumer costs. He said the bill is modeled on an NCOIL proposal and would require disclosure of TPLF agreements, with guardrails and reporting requirements on specified pages of the bill. He also noted a couple of drafting fixes, including adding the word “knowingly” and incorporating a missing section later. Members raised questions about the bill’s foreign-entity language, especially the provision allowing a governor or the Department of Safety to designate a country as a threat to critical infrastructure. Representative Cole said he would have lawyers review that issue. Another member asked whether the bill would prohibit a party from obtaining outside funding for a lawsuit; Cole clarified that the bill is intended as a reporting measure, not a ban, and that disclosure would be required. He also said the bill is aimed at American citizens rather than foreign-backed financing, and that some states had considered caps on such arrangements, though this bill does not. Brandon Gratz of the Attorney General’s office testified that the enforcement language appears too limited, because it would allow only civil penalties and not broader Consumer Protection Act remedies such as injunctions or restitution. He suggested the Attorney General may not have meaningful authority under the bill as written and raised possible insurance-law issues. Commissioner D.J. Benton-Court of the Insurance Department said the disclosure could help insurers better assess risk and potentially soften the hard insurance market by improving transparency, competition, underwriting, innovation, and claims management. He also said the bill likely needs further work on jurisdiction and enforcement, and that the committee may need to coordinate with the Attorney General, Insurance Department, and possibly banking regulators. No vote was taken in the portion provided.