Transcript Highlights:

• Madam Chair, Representative Gonzalez, I'm happy to get you graduation rates that were provided to us by AOC
• Fortunately, Esperanza and the AOC have secured 12 of the 13 regions that have submitted for their funding
• Is there information regarding AOC?
• There is some information on where we could go to look at this data, as it's under the purview of AOC
• one or two staff from the Behavioral Health Services Division will also be in the workshops with the AOC

Transcript Highlights:

• I know that we could not have closed on that purchase without the work of our folks at AOC, and I would
• c> judges, our circuit court clerks, and judges, our circuit court clerks, and our<00:08:30.080> AOC
• It is a tremendous our AOC employees.
• <00:09:03.040> and<00:09:03.360> they along with other people at AOC and they along
• with other people at AOC and they have<00:09:03.680> a<00:09:03.920> real<00:09:04.320

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00:00 Roll Call: 00:00:09 State of the Judiciary: 00:02:33 The Corrections - KCTCS Reentry Program: 00:49:44 Update on 2022 RS SB 90: 01:27:49, 958, all

Summary: The Interim Joint Committee on the Judiciary met on November 6, 2025, approved the minutes, and welcomed guests including Kentucky Specialty Courts manager Elizabeth Nichols and Boyle/Mercer Family Court Judge Bruce Petri. The committee then heard the Chief Justice of Kentucky, Deborah Lambert, deliver her state of the judiciary address, focused largely on judicial branch funding, facilities, technology, and specialty court programs. Chief Justice Lambert said the branch is facing a projected $14.3 million shortfall for fiscal year 2026 and asked lawmakers for supplemental support, access to reserve funds, and higher base appropriations to cover inflation and nondiscretionary costs. She also requested a 15% across-the-board pay increase for judicial branch employees, citing salary gaps with other state workers and declining judicial compensation relative to national averages. She emphasized that the branch has received a clean FY 2025 audit and said the requests were intended to sustain current operations rather than expand them. A major portion of her remarks covered court technology and facilities. She described the move to Chamberlain during Capitol renovations, the purchase of that building as a cost-saving measure, and the need to fund courtroom audio/video systems and a new statewide case management system. She also discussed courthouse maintenance, flood damage, mold issues, security system upgrades, and the $47 million asset preservation fund created last session, while asking for additional local facilities funding and one-time disaster-related support. Lambert highlighted specialty court and statewide program results, including foster care review boards, family recovery courts, court designated worker programs, drug and mental health courts, and the Judicial Commission on Mental Health. She thanked legislators for prior bills and support, including House Bill 1, Senate Bill 26, and the CES law, and said 2026 recommendations will focus on civil commitment reforms under KRS 202C. During questions, Senator Wheeler asked whether some courthouses are being overbuilt; Lambert said most facilities are inadequate, though some may be larger than needed, and that future needs and population changes must be considered. She also noted that virtual hearings and technology have improved efficiency. No votes or formal committee actions were taken beyond approving the minutes and receiving the presentation.

Transcript Highlights:

• The third way to do it is there's a weekly AOC meeting—architect, owner, contractor—and at that meeting
• <00:25:30.360> meeting<00:25:31.399> architect<00:25:32.399> owner weekly AOC
• meeting architect owner weekly AOC meeting architect owner contractor<00:25:34.679> and<00:25
• meeting and the meeting is at the AOC meeting and the meeting minutes<00:25:45.159> just<00:25
• architect owner contractor meetings AOC architect owner contractor meetings there's<00:47:14.440>

Bills: HF1234, HF1956, HF1025, HF1172, HF791

Keywords: payment transparency, public contracts, contractor rights, government accountability, construction payments, municipal finance, liquor store, audit requirements, state auditor, local government, historic flag, state flag, display standards, ceremonial, Minnesota Statutes, Ursa Minor, state symbol, Minnesota state laws, constellation, official state designation

Transcript Highlights:

• Replacing "Alabama Supreme Court" with "AOC" replaces the Supreme Court with the... ...replaces the Supreme
• Court with the AOC or the administrative office of the courts.
• You administer it through AOC, not through actually the members of the Supreme... ...actually the members

Bills: HB2, HB43, HB49, HB94, HB137, HB156, HB200, HB250, HB3, HB42

Keywords: vaccination, parental consent, minors, medical consent, guardian approval, criminal procedure, split sentencing, probation, Class A felony, Class B felony, minimum confinement, out-of-state warrants, law enforcement, extradition, Alabama Code, arrest authority, interstate cooperation, tax exemption, seafood, retail sales

Transcript Highlights:

• I'll let Judge Winggate speak more on this, but one of the first things we looked at was space that AOC
• Um, we we had judges, clerk staff,<00:10:34.320> uh,<00:10:34.560> AOC<00:10:35.200>
• staff, um, you know, jail staff, uh, AOC staff, um, you know, jail staff,<00:10:38.079> sheriff's
• I made several phone calls in regard to that in conjunction with our judges, and do want to thank AOC
• want to mention that I appreciate AOC want to mention that I appreciate AOC and<01:37:20.480>

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:

• didn't call and talk to the judge, they didn't call and talk to the court staff, they didn't call the AOC
• They didn't call the AOC and ask the AOC if they would find out what happened.

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Madam Chair, so I've stated I work a legislator on the Behavioral Health Council with AOC, and so what
• AOC was tasked with doing was creating the frame... ...So what AOC was tasked with doing was creating
• So right now, AOC is, I think, the primary agency that's working with health councils to do that work

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Based off a template from the AOC, we can always modify it later.
• AOC wants more information. And I said, sure, absolutely not a problem.
• I received an email from him saying that it was a cut and paste or a template used by AOC and that we
• And so I had reached out to Christopher Stanley at AOC to inquire about their performance.
• In the fifth bullet point, you write on February 24th, 2025, AOC staff, On February 24th, 2025, AOC staffer

Keywords: 904, all

Summary: The hearing resumed on day two of the Legislative Ethics Board fact-finding matter involving Representative Tara Simmons. After opening remarks and confirmation that board members had not engaged in outside research or ex parte communications, Simmons’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 improperly combined a legislative proviso for AEJG with a personal donation to the organization. Board staff opposed the motion, arguing the evidence showed Simmons’s legislative and private conduct were intertwined and that the board had enough evidence to require a defense. After deliberation, the board denied the motion to dismiss and proceeded to hear defense testimony. The first defense witness, Sharon Navas, testified that she met Simmons through advocacy work, later hired her at the Equity and Education Coalition (EEC), and maintained written employment policies intended to separate Simmons’s legislative role from her work for EEC. Navas said Simmons was never compensated for lobbying or legislative acts, that EEC paid her from unrestricted funds, and that Simmons did not work on the AEJG dashboard project or participate in the contract dispute with Anthony Powers and Chris Stanley. Navas described the proviso request and later contract issues as separate from Simmons’s legislative duties, and said she continued to pay invoices while the project was being completed. Simmons then testified about her background, legislative career, disability accommodations, and extensive efforts to seek ethics advice before taking outside employment or pursuing provisos. She said she repeatedly consulted House ethics counsel and reviewed prior board decisions to ensure her outside work and legislative actions were separated. Simmons described her relationship with Anthony Powers, the dashboard project, the proviso process, and her understanding that the work was distinct from her legislative role. The hearing paused for lunch after part of Simmons’s direct examination, with testimony set to continue after the break.

Transcript Highlights:

• Based off a template from the AOC, we can always modify it later.
• AOC wants more information. And I said, sure, absolutely not a problem.
• “I received an email from him saying that it was a cut and paste or a template used by AOC and that we
• And so I had reached out to Christopher Stanley at AOC to inquire about their performance.
• In the fifth bullet point, you write on February 24th, 2025, AOC staff...

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:

• <00:09:46.160> and<00:09:46.280> some many changes, I think, with AOC and some many
• changes, I think, with AOC and some others<00:09:47.600> and<00:09:48.280> changing<00
• <00:10:17.640> I<00:10:17.720> think<00:10:18.360> AOC<00:10:18.840> and<
• I think AOC and some others the words.
• I think AOC and some others had<00:10:19.360> a<00:10:19.400> part<00:10:19.720> in<

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Section nine is the AOC for the Supreme Court.
• Section 10 is the Supreme Court AOC for additional trial judge appointments.
• Section<00:17:16.799> nine<00:17:17.039> is<00:17:17.280> the<00:17:17.919> AOC
• for the Supreme Section nine is the AOC for the Supreme Court.<00:17:20.160> It's<00:17:20.319
• > trial<00:17:32.400> judge AOC for additional trial judge AOC for additional trial judge

Keywords: MS House Floor - 18 March, 2026; 10:00 AM, 925, all

Summary: The House convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, then moved through routine organizational business, including confirming a quorum, dispensing with the journal reading, and introducing pages and several visiting groups. Recognitions included the Calhoun City High School Wildcats for winning the 2025 Class 1A state championship, the Florence High School girls soccer team for winning the Class 5A state championship, the Mississippi Children’s Museum, a Kosciusko-Attala business delegation, an empowerment group from Oxford, a pediatrician of the day, law enforcement leaders, and other guests. The chamber also adopted House Resolution 63 honoring the House softball team for winning the Battle of the Tombigbee. The main floor action centered on concurrence or conference motions on several bills. The House concurred in HB 1404, HB 1546, HB 1577, HB 1265, HB 895, HB 1923, HB 1937, and HB 1940, with votes ranging from near-unanimous to 99-14 and 108-8; HB 895 was amended by unanimous consent to correct a line reference. Members explained that HB 1404 added knowingly/willfully/unlawfully language, HB 1546 shortened the human-trafficking expungement period from five years to three, HB 1577 adjusted false-claims reporting language, HB 1265 removed a repealer from the Debt Management Services Act bill, HB 895 restored 12-month card validity and a two-year caregiver license period for the cannabis bill, HB 1923 funded the Athletic Commission at $174,000, HB 1937 finalized the Library Commission budget, and HB 1940 was a large deficit/appropriations bill covering settlements, public safety headquarters construction, MIMA grants, court support, DHS software, health litigation expenses, and student aid. The House also voted to invite conference on a number of bills, including HB 1390, HB 1651, HB 1649, HB 1653, HB 1654, HB 1752, HB 1648, HB 1934, HB 1935, HB 1936, HB 1938, HB 925, HB 1640, HB 1927, HB 1928, HB 1929, HB 1930, HB 1931, and HB 1924. During debate on HB 1940, members questioned the need for outside counsel and the size of legal and settlement costs, especially for Jackson water litigation; the sponsor said the Attorney General sometimes needs specialized outside attorneys. The bill ultimately passed concurrence, and the chamber continued with additional introductions and recognitions after the major votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• Yeah, and I know that you all had a good conversation with AOC, and we have Bennett here from AOC. have
• Bennett here from AOC representing, but I know that's going to be a big component of anything we do

Keywords: 924, joint, all

Transcript Highlights:

• number six, we know that the Administrative Office of the Courts—this is an appropriation that the AOC
• But if you look on line number seven for 500,000, AOC has not expended any of the funding that was dedicated
• number two, on line number nine, just to point out to you all, there is a 6 million appropriation to AOC
• Let me talk to AOC about that real quick.
• So you can see on line number six in your packet a request from AOC for cybersecurity funding upgrades

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Line 6: We know that the Administrative Office of the Courts, this is an appropriation that the AOC is
• AOC has not expended any of the funding that was dedicated with language for cybersecurity.
• number two, on line number nine, just to point out to you all, there is a $6 million appropriation to AOC
• Let me—we'll talk to AOC about that real quick.
• You can see on line number six in your packet a request from AOC for cybersecurity upgrades.

Summary: The Department of Public Safety presented its FY27 budget request, emphasizing three priorities: improving community engagement through a redesigned website and outreach, expanding statewide data and intelligence integration through intelligence-led policing, and improving emergency response and officer safety through fleet replacement, a driving track, and a requested helicopter. DPS said much of its increase is driven by rising health care premiums, and it is also seeking special appropriations for fleet replacement, the website rebuild, and an Honor Guard program created after the 2022 helicopter crash that killed four public servants. Members asked about vacancies, fleet costs, cybersecurity compliance, the real-time crime center, EV fleet participation, and the Metro DPS facility. DPS said its vacancy rate is about 9%, its fleet replacement needs are driven by mileage and condition, it is compliant with federal CJIS standards even though DoIT has raised concerns, the real-time crime center would be built as a regional model to complement Albuquerque’s center, and the Metro facility is moving toward a January groundbreaking. Committee members also discussed several DPS-related capital and IT requests, including the intelligence-led policing data lake, recurring maintenance for critical systems, and a $5.6 million reauthorization for state crime lab DNA backlog work and a $900,000 reauthorization for fingerprinting equipment. DPS explained that the website request is high because the current site must be rebuilt from scratch to support missing-person alerts, memorial updates, ADA compliance, and better communication with law enforcement and the public. Members also raised concerns about speed enforcement, construction-zone cameras, and whether EVs are practical for patrol use; DPS said it is not pursuing speed cameras and is only partially participating in the state EV initiative because patrol needs make full electrification difficult. The committee then received an LFC quarterly update on non-recurring appropriations from the 2025 General Appropriation Act. LFC reported that of the $1.4 billion appropriated in Section 5, $164 million had been expended and $333 million encumbered, leaving $897.4 million unspent, which is a slower pace than the prior year. Staff highlighted a number of reauthorization requests and slow-moving projects across agencies, including AOC cybersecurity funding, DFA housing and public safety grants, DoIT cybersecurity and higher education funds, EDD economic development and energy programs, OSI mitigation and malpractice funds, EMNRD energy and geothermal grants, Health Care Authority behavioral health-related appropriations, DPS crime lab and fingerprinting funds, PED career technical education and special education initiatives, and higher education loan repayment and technology funds. Members questioned why some large appropriations had little or no spending, discussed the need to monitor reauthorizations more closely, and asked for follow-up on several specific line items and project balances.

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> AOC, this is one of those agency bills that I carry from time to time.
• And AOC has run into a problem in that people have been donating monies.
• And the reason that AOC feels like this is important is because our Department of Public Accountants
• >> AOC<01:09:10.560> AOC,<01:09:11.199> this<01:09:11.279> is<01:09:11.600
• AOC, this is this is one of those >> AOC AOC, this is this is one of those agency<01:09:12.799

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We're going to try to work with our friends at AOC and MEC to make sure that this is happening.
• work with our We're going to try to work with our friends<00:31:56.159> at<00:31:56.480> AOC
• 59.039> MEC<00:32:00.000> to<00:32:00.159> to<00:32:00.640> make friends at AOC
• uh and MEC to to make friends at AOC uh and MEC to to make sure<00:32:00.960> that<00:32:01.200

Keywords: Judiciary, Division B - Room 409, 2 February, 2026; 4:30 P.M., 925, all

Summary: The committee took up a series of criminal justice and public safety bills. Early discussion focused on immigration-related concerns and the costs of enforcement, with one senator pressing for data to support claims about crimes by undocumented immigrants and another citing specific cases and DPS removals of drivers with falsified CDLs. The committee also heard a bill requiring the sex marker on a driver’s license to match sex at birth; the sponsor said it was the same measure passed by the committee the prior year, and it received a title sufficient/do pass recommendation. Several bills addressed corrections and court procedures. One bill clarified that people in intervention court are subject to the sentencing judge’s sanctions and are not entitled to a separate technical-violation hearing like probationers or parolees; the sponsor said it would reduce, not increase, leniency, and the committee passed it. Another bill extended the statute of limitations for felonious assistance program fraud from five to ten years, citing the TANF fraud case and the need for more time to detect abuse in executive agency programs; it also passed. The committee then approved a bill allowing judges, after a hearing and specific findings, to order firearms removed in domestic violence cases and protective-order proceedings when the weapons pose a credible threat. The committee also advanced a bill increasing penalties for witness tampering, with the sponsor saying prosecutors wanted a stronger tool because defendants were sometimes willing to accept the current five-year penalty rather than face the underlying offense. Members discussed whether the bill covered intimidation versus tampering and whether the penalty should be tied to the underlying crime; a motion to reconsider/adjust the bill was adopted, and the bill ultimately received a do pass recommendation. Another measure increased fines for handheld mobile device violations while driving, especially in school and work zones, and members discussed whether the bill should be stronger and how any collected fines would be used; it passed. Finally, the committee approved a bill requiring reporting of certain convictions and adjudications to the Child Protective Services central registry, and ended by passing a bill increasing the fine for failing to use a screen on loads that can spill from vehicles and damage windshields, with members noting the fine had not been updated since 1974.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, but certainly data and AOC, you know, it's got to happen for us to make sound policy decisions, and
• <00:35:27.280> certainly<00:35:28.000> data<00:35:28.640> and<00:35:28.800> AOC
• Um but certainly data and AOC sometimes.
• Um but certainly data and AOC you<00:35:30.000> know<00:35:30.880> it's<00:35:31.200>
• ,<00:40:54.160> uh<00:40:54.320> the uh with health departments, AOC, uh the uh with

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The subcommittee first heard from the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet’s Grants Management Division on federal victim-services funding. Staff described the main grant programs they administer, including STOP VAWA, VOCA victim assistance, sexual assault services, Byrne state crisis intervention, and Project Safe Neighborhoods. They emphasized that VOCA is especially volatile because it is funded by the federal Crime Victims Fund, which has declined sharply in recent years, reducing Kentucky’s available awards and forcing cuts to state, local, and nonprofit subgrants. They also outlined steps the cabinet has taken to stabilize funding, including changing the subaward formula, aligning the grant period with the state fiscal year, subawarding one year behind the federal cycle, and retaining a reserve. Members asked about how funds reach victims, how subgrantee amounts are determined, and requested a breakdown of grant recipients and amounts; staff said they would provide that information later. The committee then received a detailed presentation from the Department of Juvenile Justice on alternatives to detention. Commissioner Randy White and staff explained that ATDs are short-term, less restrictive placements for low-risk youth, including electronic monitoring, home supervision, group homes, foster care, private child care, community programs, mentoring, evening reporting centers, and in-home wraparound services. They described the referral and approval process involving court-designated workers, detention alternative coordinators, courts, and county attorneys, and said DJJ currently has 16 ATD-related contracts, with placements, programs, and electronic monitoring among them. They also reported that between July 1, 2024, and July 30, 2025, 1,652 juveniles were involved in the process, including 168 diversion cases. Members questioned the cost of juvenile detention versus adult incarceration, whether families pay for electronic monitoring, whether there is a national model for juvenile detention, and what alternatives exist for truancy and contempt cases. DJJ said families do not generally reimburse for electronic monitoring, there is no single national model, and day treatment centers are an important alternative for some youth. The department also said it builds daily routines and wellness education into its facilities, and that more than two-thirds of its programs are evidence-based. Officials said they currently monitor vendor performance through quarterly reviews and can end contracts for poor performance, but that data tracking is still largely manual. They said the new JCOM system, now in pilot in the eastern region, should improve reporting and help identify outcomes and recidivism more effectively.

Transcript Highlights:

• Court appearances in and these are based on the numbers from AOC.
• These are based on the numbers from AOC. These are based on the numbers from AOC.
• This is numbers from AOC. In 2022, 40% of cash bonds from AOC. In 2022, 40% of cash bonds from AOC.

Bills: HB265, HB146, SB254, HB202, HB3, HB42, SB18

Keywords: resisting arrest, penalties, criminal justice, law enforcement, public safety, youthful offender, capital murder, victims' rights, SB254, Alabama, statute of limitations, civil procedure, civil action, sex offense, sexual abuse, child sexual abuse, survivor rights, tolling, disability, minor plaintiff

Transcript Highlights:

• I'd ask Bob Maddox with AOC to come up. Um, I don't know if Bob is here or not. Bob is here.
• I'd ask Bob Maddox with AOC to come up. Um, I don't know if Bob is here or not. Bob is here.
• /c><00:43:09.040> Bob<00:43:09.280> Maddox<00:43:09.599> with<00:43:09.760> AOC
• I'd ask Bob Maddox with AOC to comments. I'd ask Bob Maddox with AOC to come<00:43:10.640> up.

Bills: HB227, HB454, SB323, HB266, SB52, SB53, SB296, HB37, HB429, HB93, HB249, HB328, HB111, HB132, HB26, SB261, HB227, HB454, SB323, HB266, SB52, SB53, SB296, HB37, HB429, HB93, HB249, HB328, HB111, HB132, HB26, SB261

Keywords: firefighter benefits, occupational disease, line of duty, disability pension, death benefits, retirement benefits, hypertension, heart disease, respiratory disease, cancer presumption, HIV, hepatitis, municipal firefighters, state firefighters, fire districts, workers' compensation, public safety employees, post-retirement benefits, benefit eligibility cutoff, occupational illness

Transcript Highlights:

• One of my employees who's worked for AOC before us was blown away by the presentation you all had on
• One of my employees who's worked for AOC before us was blown away by the presentation you all had on
• One of my employees who's worked for AOC before us was blown away by the presentation you all had on
• One of my employees who's worked for AOC before us was blown away by the presentation you all had on

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Commonwealth’s Attorneys, County Attorneys, Prosecutor’s Advisory Council 00:00:18 Approval of Minutes 00:20:09 State Treasurer 00:20:33, 958, all

Summary: The meeting began with testimony from representatives of the Prosecutor’s Advisory Council, including county and commonwealth attorneys, on their proposed budget. They described the scope of their work in district and circuit court, juvenile and dependency cases, specialty courts, guardianship, involuntary hospitalization, and the Rocket Docket program. The witnesses emphasized that their budgets are overwhelmingly personnel costs and warned that proposed cuts could lead to layoffs, reduced retention, and loss of recently added positions. They also said the General Assembly’s recent salary classification plan had improved recruitment and retention, and that underfunding could reverse those gains. A major topic was the Rocket Docket program, which they said speeds lower-level cases through the system, reduces jail costs, and saves money for both counties and the state. They reported that in one circuit, average jail time for certain cases dropped from about 50 days to about 6 days. They also raised concerns that the Rocket Docket line item may not be clearly included in the committee substitute and asked for clarification on how the budget would treat it. In response, the chair said the intent was to move some of those items into the base budget, though the exact structure was still uncertain. The presenters also discussed a 2022 subsidy for county attorney employees tied to retirement contributions, saying it totals about $1.3 million and should not be reduced because the obligation remains. They said the budget would need to support the salary classification plan extensions, House Bill 8 subsidies, and a new case management system that they described as essential to modernizing operations and improving communication with victims and law enforcement. The chair thanked them for the testimony and indicated the committee would continue reviewing the budget. The committee then heard from Deputy State Treasurer Russell Weber, who reported that the treasury has now returned more than $90 million in unclaimed property to Kentuckians. He said the office faces ongoing fraud issues and requested funding for a dedicated legal counsel and a fraud investigator, along with outreach money to educate the public about unclaimed property. He also outlined several capital requests, including the final year of a printer-system lease and replacement of HVAC equipment in the treasury building. Members briefly joked with him about a mineral-rights bill and coal, but no votes or formal actions were taken beyond approving the minutes and adjourning the meeting.