Transcript Highlights:

• My role at Mayo Clinic in Florida is to oversee all cancer-related activities.
• It's quite a model.
• Is it going to be a hub-and-spoke model and what that scale looks like?
• So MD Anderson as a model right now where about a third of their patients are international.
• So that's a part of their business model. That's not really built into our DNA right now.

Summary: The Health Care Budget Subcommittee held a panel discussion on Florida’s cancer research and funding programs, including the Casey DeSantis Cancer Research Program, the Florida Cancer Innovation Fund, the James and Esther King Biomedical Research Program, the Bankhead-Coley Research Program, and Live Like Bella. Dr. Ladapo and leaders from Moffitt, Sylvester/University of Miami, UF Health, and Mayo Clinic described how state funding has helped Florida’s four NCI-designated cancer centers expand research, recruit faculty, increase clinical trials, and build collaborations. They emphasized that the programs are intended to improve cancer care statewide, support innovation, and encourage more institutions to pursue NCI designation. The Governor’s budget recommendation was noted as including additional funding, and members asked about the cost and requirements of becoming NCI-designated and eventually comprehensive. Panelists said NCI designation requires major infrastructure, compliance, research, and training investments, with de novo development estimated at about $1 billion. They described Florida’s collaborative model as unusual nationally, with annual symposia, shared pilot funding, and joint projects across the four centers. Members also asked about rural access, home-based care, and recruitment/retention. Mayo described its “Cancer Care Beyond Walls” home-treatment model and said it could expand to rural counties within months; Moffitt and UF discussed mobile screening, satellite sites, and affiliations with local hospitals and practices. Several members raised concerns about workforce shortages, licensure delays, and the need to reach underserved areas. The discussion also covered outcomes, data reporting, and the broader economic impact of the cancer centers. Panelists cited growth in jobs, federal research funding, and clinical trial enrollment, and highlighted advances in immunotherapy, CAR-T, TIL therapy, carbon ion therapy, AI-driven screening, and the firefighter cancer initiative. They said the Florida Cancer Data System is being expanded to track recurrence and quality-of-life measures. Members also asked about philanthropy, medical tourism, and federal funding risks, including possible indirect cost reductions that could affect research budgets. The meeting ended with general support for continued investment, while some members noted an ongoing policy debate over whether future cancer research dollars should be concentrated in the four NCI centers or spread more broadly across the state.

Transcript Highlights:

• We also have a metric in our performance-based funding model that tracks our three-year graduation rates
• So we have a performance-based funding model, and we have several metrics that are tied to postgraduate
• So our elementary education, we play a critical role in producing the talent needed in the K-12 sector
• And one innovative and one unique and nationally recognized model at FGCU is our microcredentials and
• The Lido's cybersecurity infrastructure lab gives students hands-on experience in a government-modeled

Summary: The Committee on Education Postsecondary held an informational hearing focused on how Florida’s public colleges and universities are aligning bachelor’s degree programs with workforce needs and improving student outcomes. Chancellor Kathy Hebda described Florida College System enrollment growth, the state college system’s workforce-oriented bachelor’s degrees, approval and accountability processes for those programs, and outcomes data showing strong completion and wage results, especially in health care. Emily Sykes of the Board of Governors outlined the State University System’s program review practices, performance-based funding metrics, strategic emphasis programs, and the MyFloridaFuture tool that lets students compare earnings, debt, and employment outcomes by major and institution. University and college leaders then described campus-level workforce initiatives. Florida Gulf Coast University highlighted employer-driven microcredentials, digital badges, internships, career fairs, service learning, and partnerships with regional employers. UCF discussed its career navigator requirements, major industry partnerships such as Lockheed Martin, nursing and faculty career-integration efforts, and a centralized career development center. Northwest Florida State College and the University of West Florida emphasized their bachelor’s programs, transfer pathways, teacher and nursing outcomes, military and defense-related workforce pipelines, cybersecurity training, and stackable credentials tied to regional labor needs. During member questions, senators asked how microcredentials and military experience translate into college credit, whether credentials transfer across institutions, and what legislators can do to help. Witnesses said the state’s common course and articulation systems already support transfer, and they encouraged continued legislative support for innovation, faster curriculum alignment, internships, and specialized transfer degrees. No bills were voted on, and the meeting ended with no public comment and an adjournment motion adopted.

Transcript Highlights:

• incentivized, including hearing from DEQ and Business Oregon about existing programs that could serve as models
• I think it's important to hear about a model that has criteria that's being scored by one agency, but
• I think important to hear how about a model that has criteria. about a model that has criteria that's
• So the presentations we had today gave us some models that might be used for WIPA as an example.
• Under this model, we would not be forced into a sweeping one-size-fits-all state mandate.

Summary: The task force met to focus on funding systems and incentive structures for a proposed regional waste infrastructure effort, including how a future WIPA framework might support solid waste planning in the Willamette Valley. Staff and members heard presentations from DEQ on the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, from Business Oregon on the Special Public Works Fund, and from Oregon State Treasury on state bonding capacity and the bond issuance process. Presenters explained how their programs are structured, how projects are scored or approved, what kinds of public entities and projects are eligible, and how interagency coordination and co-funding can work. DEQ emphasized that its revolving loan fund is driven by water-quality benefits and public-health criteria, while Business Oregon described a broader infrastructure loan program for public entities with no scoring system, and Treasury outlined the state’s debt-capacity process and the differences between general obligation and lottery bonds. Members used the presentations to discuss whether similar funding tools could support solid waste infrastructure, especially for transfer stations, regional hubs, and related facilities that may need to be built before Coffin Butte reaches the end of its lifespan. Several questions centered on whether public-private partnerships could qualify, whether equipment inside facilities could be financed, how repayment would work, and whether planning costs could be covered. DEQ and Business Oregon both said they could potentially collaborate on scoring or co-funding, but noted eligibility limits and the need for public ownership in many cases. Treasury said bond capacity is limited and competitive, especially for lottery bonds, and that project authorization generally runs on a two-year cycle, though unused authority can sometimes be reauthorized. In task force discussion, members debated whether the group should pursue a dedicated funding lane for the seven-county region rather than having local governments compete with other statewide needs. Some members stressed the importance of criteria to avoid stranded assets and to ensure funding is available when projects are ready, while others raised concerns about how cities and counties would generate revenue to repay debt during construction and early operations. The group also discussed flow control, system fees, and the need for regional collaboration among counties, cities, and haulers to create enough waste volume to support new infrastructure. Staff noted that pre-session filing materials for the legislature are due September 11, and the chair said the August meeting will focus on organizational structure and identifying partners. During public comment, Representative Kevin Mannix submitted written testimony supporting the WIPA concept and urging the task force to endorse it. Commissioner Bubba King of Yamhill County urged the task force to compare alternatives objectively and warned against adding bureaucracy before evaluating existing infrastructure and costs. Commissioners Kevin Cameron and Roger Nyquist of Marion and Linn counties described regional hub-and-spoke concepts, transfer stations, and intermodal options, emphasizing the need for planning, strategic siting, and collaboration with haulers and local governments.

Transcript Highlights:

• All this looking at adult learning models as well. We've gone into hybrid.
• All this looking at adult learning models, as well as what we're seeing in our higher education fields
• pretty much Eastern-based, every police chief should have an officer trained in that civil rights role
• Massachusetts must model what it means to confront hate, not just legally but ethically.
• Fuller said about the King Solomon nature of the chair's role.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Special Commission on Combating Antisemitism met to hear testimony from Chief James Hicks of the Natick Police Department, who chairs the Municipal Police Training Committee, and Chief Thomas Fowler of the Salisbury Police Department. They described the statewide civil-rights-officer model for hate-crime response, the HEART Unit, and MPTC training authority under POST, and urged the commission to recommend incorporating the IHRA definition of antisemitism into police training and to fund that effort. Commissioners asked about how law enforcement should handle antisemitic incidents that may not rise to crimes, the 2022 Mapping Project, masking during protests, and the role of HART; the chiefs said departments can update training quickly, that every department should have a trained civil-rights officer, and that HART’s expertise should be integrated statewide. The commission also approved the October 16, 2025 minutes after correcting an initial procedural error. The rest of the meeting focused on the draft report, especially the prefatory statement and the definition section. Commissioners broadly praised the report’s scope and the chairs’ work, but offered many edits aimed at tightening language, reducing advocacy tone, and clarifying the “Massachusetts way” of combating antisemitism. Several members wanted stronger emphasis on Massachusetts values, education, moral leadership, and the distinction between hate incidents, hate crimes, and statutory offenses; others urged clearer references to constitutional protections, First Amendment limits, and Attorney General review of legal statements. There was also discussion of whether to keep or remove references to alternative definitions of antisemitism: some commissioners argued that only the IHRA definition should be centered, while others said acknowledging other definitions was factually important and would reflect the range of testimony. Commissioners also raised specific substantive edits for later sections, including adding examples such as the 2022 Mapping Project, strengthening language on online intimidation, academic boycotts, and divestment campaigns, and clarifying that some conduct may be hateful even if lawful. In the higher education section, members praised recommendations on mandatory training, bystander intervention, trauma-informed responses, mental health supports, and campus climate surveys, while suggesting a few technical edits and additional best-practice examples. No final votes were taken on the draft report during this portion; the chairs said they would incorporate feedback into a revised draft before the remaining meetings and eventual vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• call the role. call the role.
• Our bill was based on the Louisiana model.
• And one of the Louis Louisiana model.
• ARP's model bill is varies by state.
• <00:26:50.880> Senator secretary please call the role.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00 Call to Order and Roll Call 00:01 Discussion SB 157 00:23 Vote SB 157 05:22 Discussion SB 189 05:57 Vote SB 189 26:49, 958, all

Summary: The committee first took up Senate Bill 157, which would align Kentucky’s mortgage loan fee rules with federal standards by exempting certain first and second mortgages from the state’s total net income cap when they meet federal points-and-fees thresholds. The sponsor and Rocket Mortgage testified that the bill would make it easier for borrowers to buy down mortgage interest rates with discount points, helping affordability without changing borrower costs, while preserving the existing 4% cap for loans outside the federal standard. Members discussed how rate buydowns work in practice, and the bill passed with a favorable expression after a roll call vote. The committee then heard Senate Bill 189, as amended by a committee substitute, which would create a licensing and regulatory framework for virtual currency kiosks, or crypto ATMs, in Kentucky. The sponsor described widespread scam losses tied to these kiosks, especially among older adults, and said the bill would add consumer protections such as licensing, financial safeguards, transaction limits, refund or hold requirements, disclosures, receipts, and enforcement authority for the Department of Financial Institutions. He also said the substitute was based on other states’ models and that further changes might be needed, including possible floor amendments. AARP Kentucky testified in support of regulating crypto kiosks but said the committee substitute weakened consumer protections and urged stronger safeguards, including lower transaction limits, fee caps, identity verification, receipts, and scam warnings. AARP representatives cited data on scam complaints and losses in Kentucky and nationally, and said the point of transfer is the best place to prevent harm. Committee members generally agreed the issue was consumer protection, but one senator cautioned against overregulating personal financial choices and noted that scams exist in many forms. The discussion ended with acknowledgment that the bill would continue to be refined, including in coordination with the House and stakeholder groups.

Transcript Highlights:

• , not a spending model.
• It is a funding model; it's not a spending model.
• As we look forward to additional, you know, changes in our funding model, how we may make...
• As we look forward to additional changes in our funding model, how we may modernize things.
• So that is the distinction between our roles. Now for the study components.

Summary: The meeting began with approval of the prior minutes and then shifted to an update from Department of Education Secretary Jacob Oliva and Deputy Commissioner Stacey Smith on early childhood education, especially the state-funded Arkansas Better Chance (ABC) program. They said Arkansas had received a federal Preschool Development Grant and described ABC as a large state program with about 23,800 funded slots and roughly $114 million in annual appropriations. Department officials said they are reviewing slot allocations because about 1,000 seats are funded but unfilled, while more than 2,000 families are on waiting lists, and they plan to reduce or reallocate slots from providers that have not filled them over several years. They also said they are examining whether income thresholds, curriculum expectations, daily rates, and summer programming should be updated, and members raised concerns about access, local control, transportation, and whether the program should better align with K-12 choice and school readiness goals. The committee agreed to form an early childhood subcommittee and asked the Bureau of Legislative Research to help gather historical data and other information for future discussion. The committee then received a legal presentation from BLR attorney Taylor Lloyd on the constitutional and statutory framework for education adequacy in Arkansas. She reviewed the Dupree and Lake View cases, explaining that the state must maintain a general, suitable, and efficient system of free public schools, and that adequacy and equity are distinct but related concepts. She emphasized that the General Assembly is responsible for defining adequacy, studying whether the system meets that standard, and reacting to the evidence, while the courts ultimately decide constitutional compliance. Lloyd also explained the current adequacy definition, the role of the matrix as a funding tool rather than a spending mandate, and the distinction between unrestricted foundation funding and restricted categorical funding. BLR’s Elizabeth Bynum followed with a historical overview of how Arkansas responded to the court cases and developed the current adequacy process. She traced major legislative actions from the 1980s through the Lake View litigation, including the creation of funding formulas, categorical aid, isolated funding, declining enrollment funding, and the 2003-2004 adequacy study that led to the Continuing Adequacy Evaluation Act and the matrix used to set foundation funding. She also described later changes to the adequacy statute, the financial reporting requirements for districts, and the ongoing use of surveys, stakeholder testimony, and consultant studies in the biennial adequacy process. Members asked questions about whether private or homeschool programs could use public funds for expenses like utilities, whether stakeholders should include those groups, the difference between average daily membership and attendance, and whether school board members are surveyed; staff said those issues would need further research or were outside the scope of the presenters’ role.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I believe it's because you do have a business model.
• You operate on a continuous enrollment model. I would assume that's the recruitment model.
• Schools under the NMCI model do something different. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
• It's part of their role before they depart.
• We should be moving towards those models within our curriculum.

Transcript Highlights:

• model works. model works.
• model that gets created. model that gets created.
• We take that role very seriously and spend a lot of time and effort running scenarios in the model and
• uh within the funding model. uh within the funding model.
• funding model. funding model.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The House Postsecondary Education Committee held its first-ever meeting and first meeting of the session, with Chairman Tipton outlining committee procedures, attendance rules, and the process for submitting committee substitutes. After a roll call confirmed full attendance, the committee heard a presentation from Senator David Givens on the history and purpose of Kentucky’s performance-based funding model for postsecondary education. Givens said the model was created to replace an older “shares” approach that distributed funds based largely on prior-year allocations, and argued the new system better aligns funding with student success and the state’s long-term educational attainment goals. Council for Postsecondary Education President Aaron Thompson and CPE staff then explained the model in more detail. They said the system was designed to address long-standing funding disparities among institutions, reward outcomes such as degrees, credit-hour progression, and completion in high-demand fields, and support the state’s “60 by 30” goal of having 60% of Kentuckians hold a postsecondary credential by 2030. Thompson said Kentucky is now at 56.2% attainment, above the national average, and highlighted gains in graduation and retention rates, lower student borrowing, and improved completion outcomes. He also emphasized that the model is part of a broader strategy that includes affordability, adult learners, low-income students, and wrap-around support services. CPE staff described the work group process that developed and periodically revises the model, noting that the General Assembly created the framework in House Bill 303 and later enacted Senate Bill 153 and Senate Bill 191 to codify changes. They explained that in 2016 the legislature carved out about 5% of institutional budgets, roughly $43 million, to be redistributed through the new model, and that the model has been reviewed every three years with changes made each time. Recent revisions included increasing the student-success weight, adding a premium for low-income students, creating a premium for adult learners, and redefining underrepresented students as first-generation college students. No votes were taken at this meeting, and the committee adjourned after the informational presentation and discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• Relations, to partner with state worker unions to develop apprenticeship pathways into key enforcement roles
• Apprenticeship is a proven workforce model that combines hands-on training with classroom instruction
• This bill builds on this model by requiring DIR to work through collective bargaining and joint apprenticeship
• Apprenticeship is the model mechanism to address these vacancies and increase enforcement, as the Department
• enforcement branch and at several district offices Cal OSHA had a 40% vacancy rate apprenticeship is the model

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Public Employment and Retirement heard three bills. SB 939 by Senator Laird, sponsored by CalPERS, would end new enrollment in the actuarial equivalent reduction option for service credit purchases starting in 2028 and require any unpaid balance at retirement to be paid within 90 days. The author said the change would reduce unintended consequences for members, employers, and CalPERS administration. There was no opposition, and the bill was approved on a unanimous vote and sent to Appropriations. SB 1038, also by Senator Laird and sponsored by CSEA, would expand CalPERS audit notification procedures so bargaining units receive notice when an employer is audited and receive relevant member information from final audit reports. Supporters said this would help unions protect members from benefit reductions or repayment demands caused by payroll or compensation errors, citing a Kern High School District audit example. Teamsters, the California Labor Federation, and AFSCME testified in support, with no opposition. The committee passed the bill unanimously and sent it to Appropriations. SB 1227 by Senator Drozdoff/Dorazo (as referenced in the transcript) would require the Department of Industrial Relations to work with unions on apprenticeship pathways into enforcement jobs, such as Cal/OSHA and Labor Commissioner classifications, to address staffing shortages and backlogs. The author and supporters from United Steelworkers, SEIU Local 1000, CSEA, the California Labor Federation, and others argued apprenticeship would create a pipeline of trained workers and improve labor law enforcement. The committee accepted amendments, voted the bill out on a unanimous vote, and re-referred it to the Committee on Labor and Employment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Missouri model around best practices for intervention.
• At Jetson, we have hired social workers to do that role.
• At Jetson, we have hired social workers to do that role.
• What I do know from my role is they need people, right?
• So in my role, how do we fill those vacancies?

Summary: The committee first approved the May 20 minutes and then advanced HCR 95, which would create a more uniform tax base for future state and local tax exemptions and credits, requiring a two-thirds vote of both chambers to deviate from that uniformity. HB 648 was deferred by the author. HB 1049, dealing with public meeting procedures and notice requirements, was amended after discussion with the Police Jury Association, school boards, and local government groups; the amendments removed a requirement for a lawyer at every meeting and clarified notice and posting language, and the bill was reported with amendments despite opposition from local government associations and the City of Baker. The committee then heard HB 615, which would expand livestreaming and two-year archiving requirements to more public bodies, including non-elected boards and commissions with taxing or rulemaking authority. Supporters framed it as a transparency measure, while local government and association witnesses argued it would impose an unfunded mandate, especially on small volunteer boards, and raised concerns about costs, staffing, record retention, and reliance on social media platforms. The bill was not advanced. HB 1201, as amended, would provide legislators reimbursement for travel and limited out-of-session expenses, including housing and mileage, beginning with the next term; members discussed the need to make public service more financially feasible and to broaden who can afford to serve. The committee reported HB 1201 with amendments. The committee also considered two constitutional convention-related bills. HB 244 would set guardrails for any future convention by capping delegates at 144, specifying delegate selection, requiring a two-thirds delegate vote to send proposals to voters, and requiring both a majority of voters and approval by three-fourths of the parishes for ratification; after debate over whether the parish threshold was too high, the bill was reported favorably on a roll call vote. HB 4, as amended, was narrowed to require the Senate and House Governmental Affairs committees to meet in the off-season to discuss the mechanics of a possible convention, but members viewed it as more of a study resolution than binding legislation, and the committee voted to keep it in committee. The meeting then moved to confirmation hearings. Courtney Myers, nominated for Deputy Secretary for the Office of Juvenile Justice, and Ernest Jacob Reade Jr., nominated as Assistant Secretary, testified about their backgrounds and priorities, emphasizing juvenile rehabilitation, education and vocational programming, mental health services, credible messengers, family contact, and better communication with legislators and families. Nathan McBride, nominated as Deputy Secretary of the Department of Environmental Quality, testified about his engineering and government affairs background and said he would focus on legislative work, waste tire management, permitting modernization, and constituent service.

Transcript Highlights:

• I want to talk a little bit about the employer role.
• I want to talk a little bit about the employer role.
• <01:12:18.080> our you know we've tried to model our you know we've tried to model our program
• This is a model for the way that we need to be administering benefit programs going forward.
• should play the role of caregiver? should play the role of caregiver?

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• And what this also demonstrates is this is a repeatable model.
• So with life cycle KY repeatable model.
• it off of items that already and model it off of items that already have<00:10:55.760> been<00
• excellence that you bring to this role. excellence that you bring to this role.
• And this<00:19:24.720> model<00:19:25.600> exists<00:19:26.080> in<00:19:26.400>

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Roll Call 00:00:08 Infrastructure Grant Program 00:00:45 SB 76 Discussion 00:25:50 SB 76 Vote 00:31:55, 958, all

Summary: The committee met without a quorum at first, so it began with an informational presentation from Dr. Kristen Goodell, executive director of LifeKY, about innovation infrastructure and a proposed grant program to support life sciences and other startup facilities. She argued that Kentucky’s research investments only translate into jobs and companies if startups have access to physical lab and equipment space, and said shared facilities can serve many companies over time. Goodell described LifeKY’s Northern Kentucky facility as a proof of concept, noting it has attracted companies from other states and Japan, secured a Thermo Fisher Scientific partnership, and could be replicated elsewhere in the Commonwealth. Members asked about university pipelines, local talent development, sustainability, and how the grant program would measure return on investment; Goodell emphasized public-private partnerships, earned revenue, philanthropy, internships, and STEM programming as part of the model. The committee then took up Senate Bill 76, sponsored by Senator Bledsoe, which would limit school board occupational license tax increases by raising the population threshold for such increases from 300,000 to 500,000. Bledsoe said the bill was intended to respond to Fayette County’s recent tax controversy, restore public trust, and provide stability for employees, employers, and the school system. He argued that occupational taxes affect many commuters who work in Fayette County but live elsewhere, and said the measure would give time for community buy-in before any future increase. Supportive comments came from Senator Nunn and others, while Senator Boswell asked about the tax rate and cautioned against local tax increases offsetting state income tax reductions. After discussion, the committee called the roll on SB 76. The bill advanced on a roll-call vote, with Senator Armstrong explaining a no vote because he did not want to take tools away from local government and preferred local control. The transcript indicates the measure moved forward from committee after the vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• That's the legislature's role. We respect that role 100%. So we don't write the law.
• Because even after all these years, there are questions of New Mexico's role as a state, our role in
• But they were being brought to the ranch under The auspices of being models.
• Secret model.
• Modeling.

Transcript Highlights:

• I deeply appreciate the role electric cooperatives have played, have played, and continue to play in
• But I, I think it would be fair to say that there are other models that, that you highlighted in your
• protecting consumers, for somehow the PUC to play a role to protect who?
• And that cooperative business model still exists today. That's the way we operate.
• Uh, I, I, I hope you all understand how the cooperative business model works.

Transcript Highlights:

• I deeply appreciate the role electric cooperatives have played. have played, and continue to play in
• could come out of some parts or combinations of any of those other multi-state or state models?
• For somehow the PUC to play a role to protect who? Our rate payers are.
• And that cooperative business model still exists today. That's the way we operate.
• I hope you all understand how the cooperative business model works.

Bills: HB3445, HB3448

Keywords: telecommunications, electric cooperative, rights-of-way, infrastructure, provider access, right-of-way, pole attachment, regulatory access, 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:42:25.839> of I'm not familiar with all the roles of I'm not familiar with all the roles
• These two facilities regional model.
• court hearing rooms, a regional model court hearing rooms, a regional model could<01:05:07.839><
• > there<01:05:14.640> are Looking at regional models, there are Looking at regional models
• Regional models require governance.

Bills: HF3700, HF3982, HF3927, HF3933, HF3949, HF4238, HF4275, HF4476, HF4504

Keywords: Duluth, Lake Superior Zoo, capital improvements, funding, bonds, appropriations, capital investment, port development, grant caps, state assistance, navigation facilities, Dakota County, state bonds, park improvements, infrastructure, transportation, safety, congestion, water infrastructure, bond issuance

Transcript Highlights:

• The quarterbacking role of whether it's an energy department or a particular role, some sort of quarterbacking
• role, I think makes a lot of sense.
• The quarterbacking role of whether it's an energy department or a particular role, some sort of quarterbacking
• role, I think makes a lot of sense.
• I can tell... ...role, some sort of quarterbacking role, I think makes a lot of sense.

Summary: The meeting focused on finalizing recommendations from the Delaware Nuclear Energy Task Force, with most of the discussion centered on how the state should organize itself to evaluate and potentially pursue nuclear power. Public commenters strongly supported nuclear energy, emphasizing energy reliability, economic competitiveness, data center demand, and the need for Delaware to act quickly. Several speakers argued that Delaware is falling behind neighboring states and should not delay if it wants to attract developers and preserve access to federal tax incentives. Members then worked through revisions to the recommendations, especially the section on state actions moving forward. There was broad agreement that Delaware needs a clearly empowered leadership structure, but disagreement over the best form: a cabinet-level energy agency, an expanded existing agency such as DENREC, a dedicated coordinator, an expanded Sustainable Energy Utility, or a separate quasi-independent authority. Some members favored a nimble, one-off entity with bonding and financing authority; others cautioned against creating a new body outside state government and stressed the need for coordination with existing agencies, public oversight, and cost discipline. The group also discussed adding responsibilities such as site identification, public engagement, coordination with PJM and federal agencies, and financing tools, while removing or folding in items that seemed duplicative or too broad. The committee also revised earlier modules to broaden the focus from small modular reactors to nuclear power more generally, while keeping the task force’s original SMR work in view. Members agreed to keep recommendations on state and local regulatory readiness, financial mechanisms, permitting coordination, and public engagement, and to add a recommendation for Delaware to participate as an observer in the Advanced Nuclear First Mover Initiative through NASEO and NARUC. The committee approved the revised Module Four recommendations by vote, with one abstention from Tom Noyes. Minutes from the prior meeting were also approved with minor corrections.

Transcript Highlights:

• , but because of the role they serve.
• I think there is, because of distinct roles and independence.
• <00:36:20.200> and right as we look in roles and right as we look in roles and responsibilities
• The things that you're referring to would be more of an OA role than it would be an OIG role, but good
• The things that you're referring to would be more of an OA role than it would be an OIG role, but good

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So the EMPATH model and mobile crisis—so this is mental health.
• So the empath model and to recovery.
• across the state in a regional model across the state in a regional model which<00:07:48.560>
• preventive care, models project preventive care, screening<00:08:49.120> care<00:08:49.680>
• Clerk, please call the role. vote no. Clerk, please call the role.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Health Services Committee heard a presentation from Dr. Steven Stack, Secretary of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, on Kentucky’s Rural Health Transformation Program. He said Kentucky received about $213 million in federal funding, among the highest awards nationally, after a fast application and negotiation process. He emphasized that the grant is time-limited, must be used for the specific goals in the state’s application, and cannot be treated as a general bailout or replacement for existing funding. He also noted the state will use a website, ruralhealthplan.ky.gov, to share the full application, award terms, and future opportunities. Dr. Stack outlined five focus areas: maternal health and prenatal/early childhood supports; EMS and trauma response workforce and transfer capacity; behavioral health crisis care through the EMPATH model and mobile crisis services; oral health access through more hygienists, telehealth, and hub-and-spoke models; and rural community hubs for chronic disease prevention and innovation, including food-as-medicine and healthier lifestyle interventions. He stressed that the program is meant to be transformative, not duplicative, and that it cannot pay clinician salaries, fund new construction, replace EMR systems broadly, or duplicate billable services. He said the state will work with community partners, hospitals, universities, and others, including the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, to begin implementation. Members responded positively overall. Senator Berg praised the award and the goal of integrating care across the state, but raised concerns about access to prenatal care and about possible future changes to water fluoridation, warning both could harm children and rural families. The chair and other members thanked Dr. Stack for the update and congratulated him on the award. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during this portion of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• I take this role very seriously.
• Strong financial stewardship will be a key role in Uwf success.
• My role there was President Franklin Templeton Distributors.
• I think 3 different times for that role.
• That began 41 years ago in 1983 on role as a freshman.

Keywords: 999, senate, all