Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, it is a $125, which goes both towards the organization and to the important dinner.
• c> Uh,<00:21:24.159> it<00:21:24.400> is<00:21:24.799> a<00:21:25.120> $125
• Uh, it is a $125, uh, which building.
• Uh, it is a $125, uh, which goes<00:21:26.960> both<00:21:27.200> towards<00:21:27.440>

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Thursday, January 22, 2026, 960, senate, all

Summary: The Maryland Senate convened with an invocation by Reverend Abi Johni of Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church, followed by the roll call establishing a quorum with 44 members present. The chamber then featured numerous introductions and recognitions, including legislative interns, a shadowing student, a constituent assisting this session, visiting advocacy groups such as the Maryland Bankers Association, the Transportation Association of Maryland, and the Maryland Association of CPAs, as well as several pages and other guests. Members also announced upcoming caucus and delegation events, committee briefings, and weather-related schedule contingencies. On the legislative side, the Senate received bill introductions, including Senate Bill 314 on immunity from liability for donations of pet supplies in judicial proceedings, and a bond initiative for a neighborhood community track and field project, which was referred to the capital budget subcommittee. The main floor action was consideration of Rule 116; after brief discussion, the Senate adopted the rule by a unanimous 44-0 vote, completing adoption of the Senate rules. Committee announcements noted upcoming hearings and briefings: Finance planned briefings on health insurance subsidies and private passenger auto insurance; Education, Energy, and the Environment scheduled briefings on climate-smart agriculture and federal policy impacts; Budget and Taxation planned an interagency commission briefing; and Judicial Proceedings announced 12 bill hearings, including two lengthy bills. The Senate also journalized the invocation, recognized the new leadership of the Maryland Legislative Black Caucus, and adjourned until the next pro forma session, with the adjournment also honoring Edward Risinger, a former Baltimore City Council member who had recently died.

Transcript Highlights:

• Generally, then, House Bill 4238 would define identity theft to include violations of specific sections
• concerns about the bill as it originally was filed, but I noticed it looks like a whole Sarah Nichols: Section
• option for proof that someone is a victim of identity theft is a court Angela Litwin: Order under Section
• complete the task at hand by actually requiring them to show financial resources necessary to do that at 125%

Bills: HB 431, HB 1522, HB 1922, HB 2467, HB 2468, HB 3228, HB 3229, HB 3306, HB 3803, HB 3804, HB 3805, HB 3806, HB 4219, HB 4238, HB 4344, HB 4386, HB 4739

Keywords: HB 431, Texas Property Code, Property Code Chapter 202, solar roof tiles, solar shingles, solar energy device, homeowners association, HOA, property owners' association, POA, renewable energy, residential solar, distributed solar, roof-mounted solar, homeowner rights, architectural control, open meetings, public notice, transparency, government efficiency

Transcript Highlights:

• situation where there was going to be an RTC that was going to take a very small high school and put 125
• male students—125, when each one of their graduating classes was probably 100—so actually it was going
• They couldn't have handled 125 new students, you know, the next year anyway, so it was very interesting
• First, it revises the definition of out-of-network provider in the statute, Section 1467.016A, to include
• Second, it amends statute Section 1467.087E to require that the losing party pay the full cost of arbitration

Bills: HB136, HB451, SB425, SB466, SB905, SB1986, SB2311, SB2450, SB2805, SB2826, SB2919, SB3001

Keywords: Medicaid, lactation, healthcare, consultation, reimbursement, maternal health, infant care, commercial sexual exploitation, child sex trafficking, human trafficking, child welfare, foster care, DFPS, Department of Family and Protective Services, juvenile probation, risk assessment, needs assessment, trauma screening, child abuse prevention, exploitation screening

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and announced it would vote on pending bills at 10:30, with public testimony limited to two minutes. It first took up Senate Bill 905, a TDLR cleanup bill on licensing regulation of speech-language pathologists and audiologists. Senator Zafferini said the committee substitute would streamline advisory board consultation, remove obsolete provisional licenses, and allow any licensed physician to authorize hearing instruments for minors; the substitute was adopted and the bill left pending. The committee then heard House Bill 451, which would require universal screening for commercial sexual exploitation risk for children in DFPS conservatorship and youth under TJJD jurisdiction. The author and witnesses from Children at Risk, the Fort Bend Anti-Trafficking Collective, and Texas CASA supported the bill as a prevention tool with existing infrastructure and training; the committee adopted the substitute and left the bill pending. The committee next considered Senate Bill 466, which would clarify that families may request a fetal death certificate at any gestational age, while keeping existing filing requirements for physicians. A constituent father testified about losing his 11-week-old daughter and being told he could not obtain a certificate, which he said prevented funeral arrangements; the substitute was adopted and the bill left pending. Senate Bill 2311 followed, requiring residential treatment centers to have a written agreement with the school that will educate resident children before becoming operational. The author cited a local dispute where an RTC and school district lacked communication, and witnesses from Texas CASA and Disability Rights Texas supported clearer educational planning while suggesting the Education Code may need conforming changes; the bill was left pending. The committee then heard Senate Bill 2826, known as Alyssa’s Law, which would create a statewide education program on medical child abuse for medical students, health care professionals, and CPS caseworkers. The author and Sheriff Bill Weyburn described Alyssa’s case as involving repeated unnecessary surgeries and argued the bill would improve awareness and early identification, while several witnesses and members raised concerns about false accusations, impacts on medically fragile children, and the need for scientific, peer-reviewed training and safeguards. After extensive discussion, the chair left the bill pending. The committee also heard House Bill 136, which would add certified lactation consultants as Medicaid providers to expand breastfeeding support; witnesses from lactation and nutrition fields said the bill would improve access, maternal and infant health, and long-term savings, and the bill was left pending. Finally, the committee took up Senate Bill 2805, a surprise-billing/arbitration measure that would clarify provider identifiers and shift arbitration costs to the losing party. The author said the substitute was a legislative counsel draft with no substantive difference, and witnesses from the Texas Medical Association, Texas Society of Anesthesiologists, and U.S. Anesthesia Partners supported the bill as a modest improvement that would reduce administrative confusion and make arbitration fairer without weakening patient protections. Members discussed how arbitration costs affect settlement behavior and how to define the “winner” in close cases. The bill was heard but not voted out during this segment.

Transcript Highlights:

• 201.15, which is your dock stamp statute, or Section 380.095, which is your gaming statute, shall be
• of $400 million per fiscal year, which were distributed to the trust fund pursuant to Section 201.15,
• We do have remaining concerns with respect to the provisions in Section 18, lines 997 through 1050.
• And relating to Section 18, absolutely, I'm looking forward to continuing that conversation.
• My goal with this bill is very simple: whether it's Section 18 or the permitting process, my goal is

Summary: The Appropriations Committee heard presentations on the Senate’s proposed 2025-2026 budget, SPB 25-200, totaling $117.4 billion. Chair Hooper and committee chairs highlighted major spending priorities including a 4% raise for state employees, continued health insurance contributions, investments in water quality, transportation, education infrastructure, and workforce development, along with reductions tied to long-vacant positions. Education funding was a major focus, with increases for K-12 public schools and scholarships, higher education workforce programs, nursing initiatives, tutoring, and university performance funding. Health and human services, criminal and civil justice, transportation/economic development, and agriculture/environment budgets were also outlined, including Medicaid, mental health, corrections staffing, affordable housing, beach restoration, citrus recovery, and water projects. Members then questioned several budget choices, especially K-12 funding. Senators Polsky and Smith raised concerns that the Senate’s AP and dual enrollment funding changes could disadvantage public schools, while Burgess argued the budget preserves the money in the FEFP and gives districts more flexibility rather than reducing support. Questions also addressed voucher availability, school stabilization funding, and the My Safe Florida Home program. The committee adopted 171 consent amendments and three late-file amendments, then approved SPB 2500 as a committee bill. It also favorably reported implementing and conforming bills for state employees, retirement, natural resources, judgeships, K-12 education, higher education, and health and human services, along with SB 7022 on Florida Retirement System contribution rates and elected-officer DROP options, CS/SB 1320 on the Resilient Florida Trust Fund, SB 7014 ending the Mediation and Arbitration Trust Fund, SB 7028 on cancer research, CS/CS/SB 170 on nursing home quality and oversight, CS/SB 168 on mental health diversion and behavioral health data, SB 114 creating an insurance and risk management research center at FSU, and SB 180 on emergency preparedness and post-storm recovery. Most bills were reported favorably with little or no opposition, though SB 180 drew discussion about local-government authority after storms and the need to balance recovery speed with local safety and planning concerns.

Transcript Highlights:

• Transient individuals already have increased reporting requirements under Arizona Revised Statutes, section
• I think that's 2721, yeah, so we might be in a different section of statute, but certainly any time we
• Our own state constitution puts it even more plainly in Article 2, Section 24, where it says, “And in
• And then they have the specific numbers: 78, 125. 78 of 125 sample reports were not informed of the specific
• And they did not properly document those notifications for 63 of 125 sample reports, risking the fact

Bills: HB2205, HB2265, HB2413, HB2415, HB2418, HB2495, HB2589, HB2661, HB2720, HB2771, HB2833, HB2870

Keywords: criminal damage, trespassing, critical facilities, felony, Arizona Revised Statutes, court fees, public defender, criminal justice, legal aid, indigent defense, appeals, administrative assessments, sex offender, electronic monitoring, registration, public safety, youth protection, Kratom, narcotic drugs, regulation

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:19:36.800> 319 going to cut out the section 319 going to cut out the section 319 portion
• Section one being 13 through 28. Correct. Okay, please proceed. Mr.
• Speaker, so on division one, which is the deletion of section 319, the section 319 actually allowed them
• We'll we'll see another section 319.
• I would like to have the same summary before we start voting on any section of each section so that everybody

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Social work is a 125-year-old profession that has deep roots in some of the most important components
• Social work is a 125-year-old profession that has deep roots in some of the most important components
• Social work is a 125-year-old profession, historically dominated by women and often undervalued.
• Social work is 125 year-old profession historically dominated by women and offer often undervalued kind
• I think that this is a 125-year-old profession, right?

Bills: HF3454, HF3917, HF2906, HF3832, HF3769

Keywords: social work, licensure, employment titles, health occupations, professional standards, medication repository, drug donation, healthcare, Minnesota Statutes, pharmacy, public health, controlled substances, psilocybin, psilocin, psychedelic, psychedelic medicine, hallucinogen, mushrooms, magic mushrooms, therapeutic use

Transcript Highlights:

• The bottom three sections of the chart represent structural operating deficits we face.
• /c><00:13:29.520> of<00:13:29.600> the<00:13:29.720> chart The bottom three sections
• of the chart The bottom three sections of the chart represent<00:13:30.680> structural<00:13:
• <00:14:38.520> represent The top two purple sections represent The top two purple sections
• :40.000> replace<00:20:40.400> an<00:20:40.600> aging<00:20:41.040> and 125

Transcript Highlights:

• And section seven is a repealer section.
• And section seven is a Minnesota. And section seven is a repealer<00:30:09.240> section.
• Section six on page law.
• Section seven on page 30. Um report. Section seven on page 30.
• Section 48 is a repealer.

Bills: HF2312

Keywords: higher education, college finance, student aid, financial aid, state grants, North Star Promise, scholarships, tuition relief, Minnesota State, University of Minnesota, Office of Higher Education, work-study, child care grants, Indian scholarships, tribal colleges, Hunger-Free Campus, student parents, pregnant students, parenting students, sexual misconduct

Transcript Highlights:

• 99510303, 9950303, 9950303, 9950303, 9950303, 9950303, 9950303, 9950 03. 995028, 9950308, 9951030, 995-125
• 201.15, your dock stamp statute, or Section 380.095, your gaming statute, shall be transferred to the
• of $400 million per fiscal year, which were distributed to the trust fund, pursuant to Section 201.15
• We do have remaining concerns with respect to the provisions in Section 18, lines 997 through 1050.
• You know, my goal with this bill is very simple, whether it's Section 18, whether it's the permitting

Summary: The Appropriations Committee met for Budget Day and heard presentations on the Senate’s proposed 2025-2026 budget, SPB 25-200, totaling $117.4 billion. Chair Hooper said the plan reduces overall spending from the prior year, keeps strong reserves, includes a 4% pay raise for state employees, maintains employee health care contributions, and makes major investments in water quality, transportation, and education infrastructure. Committee chairs then summarized their budget silos, including K-12 education, higher education, health and human services, criminal and civil justice, transportation/tourism/economic development, and agriculture/environment/general government. Members asked questions mainly about school funding, AP and dual enrollment support, voucher and scholarship impacts, and the My Safe Florida Home program. The committee adopted a large consent package of amendments and then approved three late-file amendments: funding virtual college tours for high school students, funding the FSU Sunshine Genetics program, and providing money for the Port of Fernandina customs facility. The committee then voted to report SPB 2500, the General Appropriations Bill, as a committee bill. It also favorably reported SPB 2502 (implementing bill), SPB 2504 (state employees placeholder), SB 7022 (Florida Retirement System contribution rates and DROP changes), CS/SB 1320 (recreating the Resilient Florida Trust Fund), SPB 2506 (gaming compact revenue distributions, including water projects and rural lands), SPB 2508 (29 new judgeships), SB 7014 (ending the court mediation and arbitration trust fund), SPB 2510 (K-12 conforming bill), SPB 2512 (higher education conforming bill), and SPB 2514 (health and human services conforming bill). The committee also took up several policy bills. It approved SB 7028 on cancer research, creating grant parameters, reporting requirements, a five-year pediatric cancer research incubator, and the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute VisionGen Initiative. It approved CS/CS/SB 170 on nursing home quality, adding resident satisfaction surveys, medical director standards, safety culture reviews, electronic health record requirements, financial reporting penalties, and a study of best practices. It approved CS/CS/SB 168, the Tristan Murphy Act, which expands mental health diversion options, adds Hillsborough County to a forensic hospital diversion pilot, expands grant uses, and creates a behavioral health data repository. It also approved SB 114 creating the Florida Center for Excellence in Insurance and Risk Management at FSU and moving the public hurricane loss model there. The committee then began considering SB 180 on emergency preparedness and response, including a late-file amendment, but the transcript cuts off before final action on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• Seeing none, we'll be moving on to HCR 125.
• Moving on to HCR 125, HR 121.
• Members voting on HCR 125, HR 121. The recommendation is to pass with amendments.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Higher Education held a resolutions hearing on March 19 and heard testimony on a series of University of Hawaii-related measures. Topics included exploring an Alzheimer’s disease research center and federal funding requirements, establishing a BSN program at UH Maui, expanding student mental health services, supporting Hawaiian language resources at the Kawaihuani Center, creating a homeless student stability and housing resource program, forming a veterinary medicine expansion working group, and compiling a list of bachelor’s programs aligned with regional job needs. Testimony was generally supportive, with UH representatives often noting that several initiatives were already underway or that systemwide assessments and planning processes were in progress. For the veterinary medicine measure, UH said Windward Community College would not be the ideal location for a doctoral program, but the system would be willing to study the issue systemwide. For the Maui nursing program, UH said it had already received authorization to plan and was working through the curriculum approval process, with a goal of offering the program in fall 2026. For the student basic needs resolution, UH said a systemwide assessment covered all campuses and islands, with a report expected in summer or fall. In decision making, the committee recommended passage of HCR 31/HR 30, HCR 73/HR 66, HCR 96/HR 92, and HCR 97/HR 93 as is, and all were adopted without objection. HCR 124/HR 120 and HCR 125/HR 121 were passed with amendments, including a technical amendment and a request to send a certified copy to the Kawaihuani Center director. HCR 195/HR 188 was passed with amendments to add a UH Hilo representative to the veterinary working group, and HCR 196/HR 189 was passed with amendments to include UH and HMC in the list of schools developing job-aligned bachelor’s program lists and to incorporate HMSO style changes. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, Atkinson 125 on the median list was $1.3 million. Windham $895,000.
• section sorry I have a question for you. section sorry I have a question for you. Sorry.
• So look at page one of the bill section So look at page one of the bill section four<00:25:58.960
• I'm joined by Jennifer Marts, who is the supervisor of our fund management section.
• So I actually think you're section.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• 5-125, by providing this to the Secretary of the State Election Board.
• Title 14, Section 108.
• Miss Batt, how would you advise the board based upon Title 26 Section 5-120?
• Article five, section 23 is a narrow safeguard against self-dealing.
• That's a requirement under section 23.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• IT CONSTITUTES 120, ROUGHLY 125 THOUSAND BAGS OF NITROGEN FERTILIZER WE DID NOT PUT INTO THE BAY.
• SPECIFICALLY THERE IS A SECTION THAT STARTS ON PAGE 9.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This joint session was called under Article II, Section

• House Bill 52 relating to minors and psychiatric hospitals.
• The concern raised by the previous speaker is addressed in another section of law.

Keywords: 905, all

Summary: The Alaska Legislature met in joint session to consider gubernatorial vetoes of five bills. Members first took up House Bill 52 on minors and psychiatric hospitals, with supporters arguing it would improve transparency, family communication, oversight, and reporting around seclusion and restraint in psychiatric facilities. Opponents of the veto cited DOJ findings and media reports about abuses at a North Star facility. The override failed, 36-24, falling short of the 40 votes needed. The joint session then considered Senate Bill 41 on mental health education. Supporters said it would help develop age-appropriate mental health curriculum and could aid suicide prevention, while critics argued it was mischaracterized and did not impose a state takeover of local schools. The veto override failed, 38-22. Members next considered House Bill 314 on architects, engineers, surveyors, and interior designers, focusing on the AELS Board’s continuation and the need for professional oversight during major infrastructure work. That override passed, 45-15. The legislature then voted on Senate Bill 21, the Alaska Work and Save Program, which supporters said would expand retirement savings access for workers and small businesses, including an option to direct PFD funds into retirement accounts. The override failed, 39-21. Finally, House Bill 195 on pharmacists and physician assistants was debated as a health care access measure that would let pharmacists provide more services under a standard-of-care model; supporters said it would reduce costs and improve access, while some members raised concerns about scope and abortion-related issues. The veto override passed, 43-17. The joint session then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• That corridor from Route 125 from Epping to the Lee line now is all of a sudden filling in.
• That corridor from Route 125 from Epping to the Lee line now is all of a sudden filling in.
• and coming across Route down Route 125 and coming across Route 101.<01:52:41.599> We're<01:52
• on right now. 125 that that that on right now. 125 that that that corridor<01:52:49.119> from
• from 125 from Eping to the Lee line<01:52:52.800> now<01:52:52.960> is<01:52:53.199>

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate bill 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, and 131; Senate Joint Memorial 002; Senate Resolution
• /c><00:33:13.679> Senate<00:33:13.919> bill<00:33:14.240> 124<00:33:14.720> 125
• Senate bill 124 125 correctly printed.
• Senate bill 124 125 126<00:33:15.679> 127<00:33:16.159> 128<00:33:16.559> 129<00

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• From the Committee on Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry, Senate Bill 125 receives a favorable report
• <00:22:42.559> Senate<00:22:42.880> bill<00:22:43.120> number<00:22:43.919> 125
• Senate bill number 125 forestry.
• Senate bill number 125 receives<00:22:44.799> a<00:22:44.960> favorable<00:22:45.440>

Keywords: 920, all

Summary: The Senate began with a resolution honoring Special Agent Senior Josh Taylor for his long service in state law enforcement, including work as a traffic homicide investigator, field training officer, SBI major crimes investigator, and later on the Lieutenant Governor’s protective detail. The resolution was adopted by voice vote. The chamber then received a series of gubernatorial confirmations and House messages, including multiple Alabama Army National Guard promotions, appointments to state boards, and several House bills referred to Senate committees. Committee reports followed, with favorable reports on a number of bills from Finance and Taxation Education, Judiciary, State Governmental Affairs, County and Municipal Government, Agriculture, Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development, Children and Youth Health, and Local Legislation. The Senate confirmed Leon M. Nash to the Board of Pardons and Paroles by a 33-0 vote, and also confirmed several State Textbook Committee appointees by unanimous votes. The chamber also adopted several resolutions, including memorials for John David Williams and William Grant Lynch Jr., a commendation for Sandra Thompson, and a resolution urging federal action on sextortion and child exploitation. During local legislation, the Senate passed or certified several county-specific measures, including bills involving Pickens, Colbert, Marshall, Blount, Fayette, Franklin, and Walker counties; one Marshall County bill was later indefinitely postponed after word that its House companion had passed. In the special order calendar, the Senate adopted Senate Resolution 30 and then passed Senate Bill 95 extending the sunset on the “call before you dig” law, Senate Bill 42 addressing municipal election tie situations, Senate Bill 9 adding vaping to the Alabama Clean Indoor Air Act, and Senate Bill 41 on elder abuse and exploitation after adopting two amendments. The session ended with adjournment until 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, February 2nd.

Transcript Highlights:

• my organization started a uh urgent care center to move that out with hopes to have a bill around $125
• have<00:09:44.320> a<00:09:45.200> bill<00:09:45.519> around<00:09:45.920> $125
• c><00:09:47.360> back<00:09:47.600> in<00:09:47.760> those have a bill around $125
• back in those have a bill around $125 back in those days,<00:09:48.240> which<00:09:48.480>

Keywords: 26RS SB 38 Testimony 00:28 26RS SB 38 Roll Call Vote 06:54 26RS SCR 9 Testimony 11:06 26RS SCR 9 Roll Call Vote 32:00 Adjournment 32:49, 958, all

Summary: The committee first considered Senate Bill 38, sponsored by Sen. Richardson, which would require Medicaid to reimburse pharmacists for services already within their legal scope of practice. Richardson and Taylor Williams of the Kentucky Pharmacists Association argued the bill would improve access to care, especially in rural areas, reduce emergency room use, and lower Medicaid costs by using pharmacists as lower-cost providers. Members asked whether the bill’s language simply aligned Medicaid with an earlier commercial parity law, and Richardson confirmed that it did. He also cited prior study work, research articles, and examples such as strep/flu testing and medication therapy management as covered services. The bill passed unanimously, and several members commented in support, including concerns about pharmacy access and the need for pharmacists to remain available to patients. The committee then took up a concurrent resolution sponsored by Sen. Meredith calling for a feasibility study of a proposed new Medicaid delivery model. Meredith argued that Kentucky’s Medicaid spending is growing unsustainably and that current managed care arrangements are not improving outcomes enough. He proposed an accountable community health care organization, described as a locally owned, not-for-profit public-private partnership combining elements of accountable care models, with the goal of reducing bureaucracy, improving outcomes, and lowering costs. He said the study would examine a five-year program and ultimately test the model in five regions, with initial focus on the Lincoln Trail, Green River, and Barren River area development districts. Members asked about the study timeline, vendor costs, rural versus urban impacts, and provider recruitment; Meredith said the resolution would be studied by November and that no fiscal note had been prepared. The resolution passed unanimously.

Transcript Highlights:

• And we used to have folks who could get a rent voucher through our Section 8 program and find somewhere
• We usually are advocating around really specific issues, you know, homelessness, Section 8, foster youth
• <00:18:47.760> 8,<00:18:48.480> that's<00:18:48.799> public partnership, section
• 8, that's public partnership, section 8, that's public housing<00:18:49.679> funding.
• and I'm hoping that should be like 125 and I'm hoping to<01:09:59.760> make<01:09:59.920>

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:15 Roll Call 00:00:45 Discussion of Pro-Growth Housing Policies 00:02:33 Adjournment 01:17:15, 958, all

Summary: The Housing Task Force 2.0 reconvened with several new members and heard a presentation from Kentucky Housing Corporation Executive Director Winston Miller and Deputy Executive Director Wendy Smith. They framed the task force’s work as a practical effort to address Kentucky’s housing shortage, update members on the current housing landscape, summarize existing state and federal resources, and suggest areas for the task force to focus on over the coming year. KHC said its 2024 housing supply gap analysis found Kentucky is short about 206,000 housing units, split roughly evenly between rental and homeownership, and projected the gap could grow to 287,000 units by 2029 if current trends continue. They emphasized that every county in Kentucky needs more housing, that the 2008 housing crisis and loss of construction capacity remain major causes of the shortage, and that current pressures include high interest rates, rising insurance and tax costs, construction cost inflation, and housing prices and rents growing faster than incomes. KHC also said homelessness has risen in Kentucky, with point-in-time counts showing double-digit increases in recent years. The presenters reviewed existing resources, including federal programs, the Kentucky Affordable Housing Trust Fund, the rural housing trust fund, KHC mortgage and down payment assistance programs, and the state mortgage interest deduction. They said these resources are important but insufficient to close the gap, and noted that a proposed federal FY2026 budget would cut HUD programs by 44%, potentially removing about $286 million from Kentucky housing resources, though no action has been taken yet. They urged the task force to consider stronger, more flexible tools such as a revolving loan fund, a state affordable housing tax credit, and economic development and employer-assisted housing incentives, and pointed to Indiana’s housing infrastructure and regional development funds as examples. No votes or formal actions were taken in the portion provided.