Transcript Highlights:

• It's basically changing some of the membership, adjusting things, and moving things around in the statute
• Um, paid family medical<00:33:41.840><c> leave</c><00:33:42.159><c> adjustments.
• </c><00:33:43.039><c> I'm</c><00:33:43.200><c> not</c> medical leave adjustments.
• I'm not medical leave adjustments.
• to other bills we could adjustments to other bills we could easily<00:57:53.280><c> agree</c><00:57:

Bills: HF3732

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

Keywords: workforce development, unemployment benefits, youth training, economic development, grants, job creation, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• The SAVE Act claims to prevent non-citizens from voting in federal elections.
• The SAVE Act claims to prevent non-citizens from voting in federal elections.
• Because the problem they claim to be solving simply doesn't exist.
• Musk claims to have maximal transparency.
• Musk claims to after day. And yet Mr.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, April 1, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We're always going to have to be adjusting to that world as well as the needs of the state.
• were involved in the process as well to make sure that you're able to hear their feedback and make adjustments
• once you put something into place, you're going to learn along the way, and there may need to be adjustments
• once you put something into place, you're going to learn along the way, and there may need to be adjustments
• to hear that feedback, to be able to know what's working and what's not, and how you make those adjustments

Summary: The committee held an outcome review hearing on AB 519, focused on streamlining California’s affordable housing finance system. State housing officials described the work group process and the resulting report, which calls for a consolidated application and coordinated review process across HCD, CalHFA, TCAC, and CDLAC, while preserving a separate direct path for projects that do not need state subsidy. They said the goal is to reduce duplication, align timelines, and get projects to construction faster, with implementation now being carried forward through the new Housing Development Finance Committee (HDFC) and related reorganization changes. Officials from HCD, CalHFA, and HDFC said the new committee launched July 1 and is developing regulations, a unified application workbook, and review procedures, with public comment and hearings planned before final adoption. They emphasized a two-track system: one for projects needing state subsidy and one for tax credits/bonds only. Members also discussed the transition period in 2027, the need to clear existing pipeline projects first, and the possibility of construction financing tools. Committee members raised concerns about transparency, stakeholder feedback, and whether additional statutory changes would be needed; staff said current authority appears sufficient. Affordable housing developers and advocates generally supported the reforms but said the work must go beyond a single application. They urged fully funding projects, simplifying post-award functions, modernizing asset management, preserving a direct path for locally funded and rehab projects, and improving geographic equity, especially for rural and farmworker housing. Several witnesses stressed that the system also needs stable funding, including general fund support and the proposed housing bond, and that the state should continue engaging stakeholders as the new process rolls out. Public comment echoed those themes and included a veteran describing the difficulty of navigating housing and VA-related systems, reinforcing the hearing’s focus on simplifying access to housing resources.

Transcript Highlights:

• Details on the small funding adjustment that could have a big impact for students.
• bill, Senate File 3593, which would amend the state's constitution to modernize school funding by adjusting
• school state's constitution to modernize school funding<00:20:26.440><c> by</c><00:20:26.600><c> adjusting
• </c><00:20:26.960><c> how</c><00:20:27.040><c> the</c><00:20:27.160><c> permanent</c> funding by adjusting
• how the permanent funding by adjusting how the permanent school<00:20:27.960><c> fund</c><00:20:28.560

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• $2.77 million each fiscal year to remove Madison County's Eastern Kentucky University laboratory adjustment
• ><00:13:30.480><c> laboratory</c> Universal la- model laboratory Universal la- model laboratory adjustment
• . adjustment. adjustment.
• respectively, in fiscal 27, and by $7.4 million and $3.7 million in fiscal 28 to support the statutory CPI adjustment

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Roll Call 00:00:23 HB 503 Discussion 00:01:00 HB 503 Vote 00:02:17 HB 504 Discussion 00:02:53 HB 504 Vote 00:04:48 HB 500 Discussion 00:05:19 HB 500 Vote 00:29:18 HB 900 Discussion 00:32:02 HB 900 Vote 00:33:00, 958, all

Summary: The Kentucky Senate Appropriations and Revenue Committee met with a quorum and first took up House Bill 503, the legislative branch budget, adopting a committee substitute and reporting it favorably. The chair said the Senate version fully funds defined calculations, provides 2% raises in each fiscal year for legislative employees, removes a paragraph on operating expense reductions, and includes $1 million in the first year for a judicial branch salary study. House Bill 504, the judicial branch budget, was then amended and reported favorably; changes included 2% annual raises for judicial employees, revised operating expense language, $1 million each year for county current services, retention of Boyle County fit-up language, reporting requirements for smaller capital projects, full funding for nine judges added in 2022, and removal of furlough prohibitions and certain budget implementation language. Both bills passed the committee unanimously with favorable expressions to the floor. The committee then considered House Bill 500, the executive branch budget, adopting a committee substitute before hearing a lengthy summary of major spending and policy changes. The chair described statewide 2% annual employee raises, agency base reductions with many exemptions, increased school safety and 911 funding, veterans and military funding, local government and severance-related changes, attorney general and auditor funding, pension and retirement system support, education funding changes including SEEK, postsecondary and scholarship provisions, public safety and corrections funding, and multiple capital projects. The chair also highlighted Medicaid-related provisions, including added waiver slots, increased state-directed payments, a 2.5% reduction in managed care vendor payments for plan years 2027 and 2028 with savings redirected to fee-for-service rates, and additional funding for behavioral health and public health programs. The bill was reported favorably after members explained their votes, with several noting they had only recently received the full 228-page bill and wanted more time for detailed review. Finally, the committee adopted a committee substitute for House Bill 900, an appropriation measure for government agencies, and reported it favorably. The chair said the bill remains a work in progress and that one-time funding requests from across the Commonwealth and across party lines would continue to be addressed as the process moves forward. All measures considered during the meeting passed the committee with unanimous or near-unanimous favorable votes, and the meeting adjourned after no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a very challenging question, and maybe it is getting you through that period where you can adjust
• your staffing ratios in certain cases or you can adjust your other ongoing operating costs.
• We decided to deal with that instead of doing a RIF to try to use attrition to make those adjustments
• .. ...we decided to deal with that instead of doing a RIF to try to use attrition to make those adjustments
• They have made adjustments to their budgets to avoid binding conditions, and they have begun rebuilding

Summary: The House Education Committee heard public testimony on three bills focused on school district finances and education ombuds confidentiality. House Bill 2593, an OSPI request, would require school districts to maintain minimum general fund balances beginning in the 2031 school year, with OSPI calculating district-specific amounts and adopting rules. It would also require monthly financial reporting starting in 2028-29 and allow OSPI to withhold apportionment for late reporting or require repayment plans if districts fall below the minimum. Supporters, including OSPI and the prime sponsor, said the bill is intended to prevent districts from reaching binding financial conditions and to provide earlier intervention; opponents from WASDA, rural districts, and school boards argued it would reduce local control, create cash-flow problems, and impose rigid limits that do not fit different district circumstances. Several witnesses also raised concerns about the proposed maximum fund balance and the impact on districts with enrollment volatility, federal impact aid, or special project savings needs. The committee also heard House Bill 2551, which would let school districts with estimated ending fund balances at or below 3% of revenues seek OSPI approval to sell real property before entering binding financial conditions, with proceeds used to restore solvency rather than being deposited into capital or debt service funds. The prime sponsor and Tacoma School District testified that the bill would give districts flexibility to avoid deeper fiscal distress, while OSPI said it supported the concept but suggested a higher threshold and broader minimum fund balance policy. Testimony in opposition or concern focused on the risk of selling appreciating assets, the possibility of one-time sales being used to solve ongoing budget problems, and the need for stronger state funding rather than asset liquidation. The committee also heard House Bill 2440, which would make identifying information in Office of Education Ombuds complaint records confidential, allow limited disclosure by consent or under legislative or gubernatorial subpoena, and require release of a complainant’s own records with redactions; the bill was supported by the ombuds office and its sponsor as a way to protect complainants and encourage reporting. No votes or executive actions were taken. The committee closed the public hearings after hearing testimony and recorded sign-ins, and the chair noted that the bills could be eligible for executive action beginning the following Monday.

Transcript Highlights:

• They really look at square footage or things like that that have been adjusted.
• footage or things like that that have footage or things like that that have been<00:03:51.519><c> adjusted
• 52.959><c> be</c><00:03:53.120><c> able</c><00:03:53.200><c> to</c><00:03:53.280><c> have</c> been adjusted
• would you be able to have been adjusted would you be able to have the<00:03:53.519><c> right</c><00:
• Uh, would you like to move to have an extra line put in that, uh, to adjust that? Please.

Keywords: Roll Call 00:00:08 Approval of minutes 00:00:08 Discussion of Final Report 00:00:58 Adjournment 00:23:57, 958, all

Summary: The Housing Task Force met to approve its September and October minutes and then consider its final report, which was described as an overview of the second year of the task force’s work and included 14 recommendations for future legislative action. Members thanked the co-chairs and staff for compiling the report and noted that it had been posted publicly. Several members emphasized that housing problems affect both urban and rural areas across Kentucky and that the report should help guide next steps in the General Assembly. Members offered a range of comments on the recommendations. One representative urged stronger language on the state’s role and cautioned against moratoriums on building-code reforms that could discourage sustainable practices or raise long-term utility costs, while also suggesting more down payment assistance. Others highlighted the need for local flexibility in housing policy, support for rehabilitation tax credits, and continued use or expansion of affordable housing credits and direct support for construction, infrastructure, revolving loan funds, and low-income housing tax credits. Another member suggested adding clearer “right to rebuild” language so homeowners could rebuild after a fire if the home meets current code. The co-chairs summarized the task force’s main takeaways as two broad issues: regulatory delays and the need for more financial incentives. Members also discussed zoning, permitting delays, and the importance of moving permits more quickly so development can proceed without unnecessary holdups. After a motion and second, the committee approved the report as amended by the added “right to rebuild” language, and agreed to submit it to LRC, the Senate President, and the Speaker for approval before adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so if you go up, if that fiscal note is too high, if you want to adjust it down, I think that's reasonable
• By making that a little adjustment, nobody goes down.
• Would you make the adjustment by changing the factors a little bit?
• But this adjusts something.
• But this adjusts something.

Committee: Senate Appropriations - Education and Environment Division

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The committee met to hear and discuss three education bills and related budget items. House Bill 1214 would revise K-12 transportation funding by replacing the current rider-based formula with a new formula tied more closely to district size, square mileage, building counts, and the weighted student payment. Sponsors and DPI said the change would better reflect actual transportation costs, hold districts harmless overall, and likely increase funding by about $4 million beyond current spending; they also said parent-provided transportation and open-enrollment mileage rules would remain largely unchanged. No opposition was heard, and the committee closed discussion without taking final action in the transcript. The committee then reviewed House Bill 1013, the education appropriations bill, and walked through proposed adjustments to program and pass-through grants. The chair proposed keeping or reducing some items, eliminating others, and moving one-time items to the stabilization fund; examples included leaving free meals at $4.5 million for now, keeping the paraprofessional-to-teacher program, reducing some grant lines, and removing several new or one-time grants. DPI also explained that the student information system would remain a flow-through grant for this biennium but would move in-house after July 1, 2026. The committee also discussed adding an FTE for the School for the Blind and making a small equipment swap at the Center for Distance Education. House Bill 1369 was discussed as the main school aid bill, including a proposed 2 percent and 2 percent per-pupil payment increase, higher construction bidding thresholds, elimination of the 12 percent cap, and a transfer of $75 million from Foundation Aid to the School Construction Revolving Loan Fund, with the chair suggesting $100 million instead. DPI explained that the bill also included a policy change returning placement decisions for students with disabilities in congregate care to the Superintendent of Public Instruction, with support from the governor’s office. The committee heard testimony from school officials seeking gap funding for Title I losses caused by a switch from free-and-reduced-lunch to census-based allocations, saying districts with many open-enrolled students could lose substantial funding and staff positions. Later, the governor’s office presented a proposed $1.5 million one-time appropriation to help schools buy secure storage for student cell phones if a statewide device policy is adopted; members raised concerns about cost, local control, and whether the money would be enough. The committee also heard student testimony and then recessed without voting on the amendment in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• There is an adjustment in the model for locally collected revenue.
• There is an adjustment in the model for locally collected revenue.
• “I believe it has been adjusted every year by the legislative committees.
• So all those factors are adjustable.
• Those are all adjustable on an annual basis. Okay, thank you.

Summary: The Higher Education Budget Subcommittee met to review funding models for the Florida College System and district workforce education programs, with an emphasis on how new dollars are allocated in the program fund and how performance and targeted funding are incorporated. Chancellor Hebda explained the Florida College System model, including base program funding, student success and pipeline funds, performance incentives for industry certifications, and the 2022 president-developed formula that weights enrollment, workforce enrollment, completions, small-college factors, and regional cost differences, plus a targeted funding floor for colleges below a minimum per-FTE level. Vice Chancellor Goodman then outlined the district workforce model, which uses lagged enrollment, program cost weights, local revenue offsets, small-district adjustments, and unmet-need calculations to distribute lump-sum appropriations to school districts offering workforce education. The department also provided updates on several grant programs and funding delays. Goodman said the Workforce Development Incentive Grant, Pathways to Career Opportunities Grant, Graduation Alternative to Traditional Education Startup Grant, and teacher apprenticeship/mentor bonus programs all involve multi-year awards and often require reversions and reappropriations because projects are delayed, extended, or not fully obligated by year-end. She said the department is moving toward an electronic grants system and had already adjusted internal deadlines to speed awards, while acknowledging some reimbursement delays and explaining that mentor bonuses for teacher apprentices will not be paid until the first cohort reaches the statutory timing requirement. Members asked about tracking whether CTE students work in their trained fields, how Xello is used to inform students about career pathways, how FTE is calculated, whether the funding formulas could encourage growth over quality, and how students with disabilities are counted in workforce funding. Questions also focused on tuition, enrollment trends, and the gap between college and university funding. The committee heard that tuition has remained flat for more than a decade, enrollment has rebounded from COVID and is projected to exceed pre-pandemic levels, and the college system’s funding per FTE varies widely. Valencia College President Kathleen Plinsky testified in support of the proposed formula and an additional $200 million for the Florida College System, saying Valencia is the second-largest college in the state but ranks last in per-FTE funding, which has made it difficult to recruit and retain faculty and admit qualified students in high-demand programs like nursing. The committee took no vote and adjourned after the presentations and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• At the time, claims and revenue were expected to continue their historical path, but that has changed
• with CMS revenue not keeping pace with rising claims and utilization. um Humanana priced the 2023 rate
• </c><01:02:43.040><c> and</c> So, and at the at the time claims and So, and at the at the time claims
• </c><01:02:53.440><c> So</c><01:02:54.240><c> you</c> rising claims and utilization.
• So you rising claims and utilization.

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00:35 Attendance Roll Call: 00:00:55 Approval of Minutes: 00:02:56 Deferred Compensation Authority Update: 00:03:12 Retiree Health Update - TRS: 00:15:58 Retiree Health Update - KPPA: 00:56:13 Adjournment: 01:08:10, 958, all

Summary: The Public Pension Oversight Board met with a quorum, approved the prior minutes, and heard updates from the Kentucky Public Employees Deferred Compensation Authority and the Teachers Retirement System. The deferred compensation update highlighted continued growth in assets to about $4.787 billion and roughly 88,000 participants, strong retention from auto-enrollment, a marketing campaign tied to pay raises that generated additional participation, and a new self-directed brokerage account expected to launch July 1 of the coming year for participants with at least a $40,000 balance, allowing up to 25% of their account to be moved into the brokerage window. The director also described the free financial planning service, which has been used by about 3,500 participants with a high return rate, and said the plan is currently in a fee holiday; if fees are charged, they are capped at $237 per year for most participants. Members asked questions about who provides the CFP service, the fee structure, and the brokerage eligibility threshold. The director said the CFP service is provided through the authority’s service bundle with Nationwide, not as a separate paid service, and explained that the fee cap and current fee holiday are intended to keep the program low-cost. Board members praised the deferred compensation program’s performance and asked for a copy of the legislation referenced in the presentation. TRS then presented on retired teachers’ health insurance. Barnes first clarified how declining federal contributions for federally funded school positions affect the retirement annuity trust, explaining that if those federal dollars fall, the amounts would need to be covered through the SEEK formula and that the projection for those contributions is about $80 million over the next three years. He then reviewed TRS retiree health coverage, distinguishing between KEHP for retirees under 65 or not Medicare-eligible and MEHP for Medicare-eligible retirees, and explained that TRS recently completed RFPs for both prescription drug and medical coverage. TRS will keep Express Scripts for prescription drugs, but will move the Medicare Advantage medical plan from UnitedHealthcare to Humana on January 1, 2026, while keeping the plan design, provider access, and out-of-pocket structure largely unchanged, with a new hearing-aid benefit of $500 per ear. Barnes also reported the 2026 premium and contribution changes: the maximum TRS contribution toward KEHP will rise to $1,144.96 from $930.76, an 18% increase that he said will require roughly $15 million to $16 million more in the state budget, while the MEHP premium will drop to $200 per month from $210. He said the TRS board has statutory authority to set these amounts and that the changes will have mixed actuarial effects, with the KEHP increase being negative overall and the MEHP decrease positive.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think at this point, Representative Costa moves to allow the staff to make technical adjustments and
• Costa moves to allow the staff to make technical adjustments and changes relating to the bump process

Summary: The conference committee on the House Justice Budget Subcommittee and the Senate Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice met to exchange and accept offers on budget, proviso, implementing, back-of-the-bill, and project language for HB 5403E and SB 2512E. The House accepted several Senate project-line offers, while the Senate accepted multiple House proviso and bill-language lines. Both sides agreed that remaining unresolved items would be bumped to the full committee for further resolution. Members used the meeting to thank one another and staff for their work throughout the budget process, with several remarks recognizing the cooperation between the House and Senate teams and Senator Hooper’s service. The committee noted that this was likely the last conference committee meeting and that substantial progress had been made in narrowing differences between the chambers. Representative Costa moved to allow staff to make technical adjustments related to the bump process, and the motion was adopted without objection. There was no public comment, and Senator Hooper moved to adjourn; the motion carried and the meeting ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think at this point, Representative Costa moves to allow the staff to make technical adjustments and
• Costa moves to allow the staff to make technical adjustments and changes relating to the bump process

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The first one regarding the Minnesota all-payer claims database.
• </c><01:07:36.160><c> database</c> the Minnesota allpayer claims database the Minnesota allpayer claims
• ,</c><01:08:12.160><c> enrollment</c> insurance claims, enrollment insurance claims, enrollment information
• So an average per member per month amount, and then they pay the claims on our behalf.
• With that, the claims on our behalf.

Bills: HF4609 , HF4401

Committee: House Health Finance and Policy

Keywords: infertility, fertility treatment, fertility preservation, IVF, assisted reproductive technology, ART, oocyte retrieval, embryo transfer, egg freezing, sperm freezing, reproductive health, maternity coverage, health insurance mandate, health plan benefits, Medical Assistance, Medicaid, MinnesotaCare, family planning, oncology fertility preservation, chemotherapy

Transcript Highlights:

• The man claimed that he had run out of gas while riding a snowmobile.
• But for the remedies and the penalties to take effect, you have to do a claim.
• </c> to take effect, you have to do a claim. to take effect, you have to do a claim.
• And then you're going to have to answer to why you were claiming this isn't a problem.
• And then you're going to have to answer to why you were claiming this isn't a problem.

Bills: HF1567 , HF2809 , HF3380

Committee: House Public Safety Finance and Policy

Keywords: public safety officer, peace officer, correctional officer, law enforcement, police privacy, officer safety, doxxing, personal information, data privacy, government data practices, private data, internet posting, online disclosure, residential address, phone number, email address, family member protection, child safety, school information, public records

Transcript Highlights:

• So it's a little bit disingenuous for veterans claiming we've got to have this to stay healthy when,
• For example, they claim no one dies from marijuana.
• Other states were promised it would fix everything, but not one state can claim success.
• You already have the system in its place despite the claims that you don't have the resources.
• And a lot of y'all claim to be Christians.

Bills: SB 5 , SB 11 , SB 12

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Keywords: disaster relief, flood preparedness, emergency funding, local government support, meteorological forecasting, human trafficking, trafficking victim, compelling prostitution, affirmative defense, criminal defense, coercion, force fraud or coercion, sexual exploitation, victim protection, Penal Code, Texas criminal law, prosecution, party liability, affirmative defense statute, survivor rights

Summary: The Senate Committee on State Affairs took up Senate Bill 5, which Senator Perry described as a ban on intoxicating THC consumer products while preserving legal CBD, CBG, hemp seed, hemp seed protein powder, and hemp seed oil products. Perry argued that most retail THC products are already illegal under federal law, that the industry has used loopholes and misleading labeling to sell high-potency products, and that regulation would be ineffective because chemists can quickly alter formulations. He also said the bill would steer people with medical needs toward the Texas Compassionate Use Program (T-Cup), which he and other supporters described as the proper physician-guided alternative. Committee members and witnesses repeatedly discussed the distinction between legal hemp-derived products and intoxicating THC products, and Perry said the bill would not touch non-consumable hemp uses such as fiber and clothing. Invited testimony came from law enforcement and medical witnesses who supported the bill. Texas Police Chiefs Association representative Steve Dye, Kaufman County District Attorney Early Wiley, and Chambers County Sheriff Brian Hawthorne all said regulation would be too costly, too complex, and ultimately unenforceable, while a ban would be clearer and easier to enforce. They cited overloaded DPS labs, the need for expensive private testing, limited police and prosecutor resources, and the difficulty of keeping up with constantly changing cannabinoids and out-of-state products. Hawthorne and Wiley described raids and investigations involving warehouses, retail stores, cash seizures, and products they said were marketed to young people and often mislabeled or imported from other states. They also said the bill would help law enforcement by creating a clearer legal line and protecting legitimate CBD/CBG businesses. Dr. Lindy McGee, speaking for the Texas Medical Association and Texas Pediatric Society, testified that retail THC products pose serious risks to children and adolescents, including addiction, impaired brain development, psychosis, suicide attempts, self-harm, accidental toddler ingestions, and possible long-term cognitive effects. She said there is no effective medication treatment for THC addiction comparable to nicotine cessation tools, and she supported restrictions such as child-resistant packaging, no marketing to minors, and age limits, while opposing criminal penalties for possession by minors. Senators asked follow-up questions about brain development, memory, dementia risk, pregnancy, and cardiovascular effects. No vote was taken during the portion provided, and the committee continued with invited testimony and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• to speed limits in certain adjustments to speed limits in certain areas,<01:16:31.760><c> or</c><01:
• The most glaring adjustments are reflected in the amendment before you today.
• The most glaring adjustments amendment.
• The most glaring adjustments are<01:37:32.480><c> reflected</c><01:37:33.160><c> in</c><01:37:33.280>
• </c> operator of a motor vehicle, to adjust operator of a motor vehicle, to adjust his<03:21:19.600><

Committee: House Transportation

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so, this adjustment in practice delays everything even further.
• And so, this adjustment in practice delays everything even further.
• And so, this adjustment in practice delays everything even further.
• And so, this adjustment in practice delays everything even further.
• And so, this adjustment in practice delays everything even further.

Committee: House Judiciary

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They have an adjusted gross income of less than $80,000.
• </c><00:10:55.920><c> gross</c> application they have an adjusted gross application they have an adjusted
• <00:22:11.640><c> proposal</c><00:22:12.159><c> does</c><00:22:12.640><c> is</c><00:22:13.000><c> adjusts
• </c> governor's proposal does is adjusts governor's proposal does is adjusts those<00:22:13.679><c> parameters
• ASR has adjusted back up to 51 or 50%. Um, I believe it's 133.

Committee: House Higher Education Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Any adjustment there, or if possible, I mean, if we were actually to start to use the large-scale scanners
• They will adjust, right?
• , and so now we have to adjust our strategy, you know, to catch them.
• “The major adjustments contained in the budget request focus on sustainment, safety, and reorganization
• I mean, because it goes through the baggage claim and comes in an envelope, and then somebody gives it

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard budget testimony first from the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Director Tommy Johnson outlined short-term goals to reduce overcrowding, improve living and working conditions, fill vacancies, expand mental health services, and update the correctional master plan. He said the department is still dealing with severe overcrowding at facilities such as OCCC and HCCC, with 947 people at OCCC against a design capacity of 628, and noted 938 inmates are currently housed on the mainland because of temporary repairs at Halawa. He also reported progress on staffing, saying the correctional officer vacancy rate has dropped from 34.3% to 24% through expanded recruitment. The department’s major budget request was $30 million for planning and design for a new Old Triple C project, along with other requests for re-entry services, identification documents, security systems, radios, sink-toilet modules, and trauma-informed care. Members asked about the timing and scope of the OCCC project, courtroom space in new facilities, and the department’s plan to use the funding to improve re-entry and reduce recidivism. The committee then heard from the Department of Law Enforcement on a wide range of priorities. The department described requests to expand agricultural crime enforcement, traffic enforcement, illegal fireworks enforcement, and facilities such as a police building at the DKI airport, a state training center, and new police facilities in central and Leeward Oahu. It also discussed a major IT request for a statewide law enforcement and critical infrastructure notification platform, plus funding for grants management, the Wahiawa Civic Center and court complex, the prescription monitoring program, narcotics enforcement operations, and the narcotics lab. A significant portion of the discussion focused on a proposed traffic enforcement program for commercial vehicle inspections, speeding, and DUI enforcement, which the department said would be funded with federal dollars and would operate concurrently with county police. Committee members questioned whether the effort duplicated county jurisdiction and how the program would be trained and staffed. Members also pressed the department on salary disparities for deputy sheriffs and related vacancies, and the department said the administration was working on a supplemental agreement and placeholder funding to address the issue. Additional discussion covered agricultural crime staffing, the Silver Alert program, and expansion of the forensic lab to handle explosives, firearms, and related evidence. No votes were taken in the portion provided, and the meeting moved from the corrections presentation to the law enforcement budget review with questions and answers throughout.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think at this point, Representative Costa moves to allow the staff to make technical adjustments and
• Vice Chair Koster moves to allow the staff to make technical adjustments and changes relating to the

Summary: The conference committee on the House Justice Budget Subcommittee and the Senate Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice met to exchange offers on budget, proviso, implementing, back-of-the-bill, and related language for HB 5403E and SB 2512E. The House accepted the Senate’s budget and projects offer on a list of specified lines, while the Senate accepted the House’s offer on several proviso, back-of-the-bill, and implementing language lines. Both sides agreed that any remaining unresolved issues would be bumped to the full committee, including conforming language and unresolved budget or proviso items. Members used the meeting to note that this was likely the final conference committee meeting and to thank one another and staff for their work throughout the budget process. Senator Hooper and Representative Maney each acknowledged the efforts of committee members and staff, and praised the collaborative work of the House and Senate teams in narrowing differences. A motion was made by Vice Chair Koster to allow staff to make technical adjustments and changes related to the bump process, and it was adopted without objection. There was no public comment, and Senator Hooper then moved to adjourn. The committee adjourned.