Transcript Highlights:

• committee, we believe, and as it was explained to us, the presence of these body cameras has the opportunity
• committee, we believe, and as it was explained to us, the presence of these body cameras has the opportunity
• And inmates, when you're talking to inmates, when they had an opportunity to get there, because Chairman
• Nelson, we had a hearing there, and he gave them an opportunity to get the cinnamon rolls and...
• Chairman Nelson, we had a hearing there, and he gave him an opportunity to get the cinnamon rolls.

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The committee reconvened in the afternoon and took up only Senate Bill 2015, the Department of Corrections budget. Representative Steeman explained that the budget reflected major changes from the Senate version because bed contracts with Grand Forks and Burleigh-Morton were still unresolved when the Senate acted. He described rising inmate populations, added county/regional jail payments, deferred maintenance and repair funding, planning money for a new Missouri River Correctional Center, software and equipment upgrades, victims of crime grants, and a one-time diversion/deflection center grant for Fargo funded through the Community Health Trust Fund. He also outlined funding for body cameras, tasers, and protective vests, and a Native American reentry program/report provision, along with a legislative management study on sentencing, corrections, and parole oversight. Members asked about the possibility of private or design-build alternatives for the new Missouri River Correctional Center. After discussion, the committee adopted language directing the steering committee to oversee design and construction and to explore other options. There was also discussion of the importance of maintaining North Dakota’s correctional rehabilitation culture, the cost and availability of out-of-state placements, and the current number of inmates housed in regional, county, and interstate facilities. The committee adopted the amendment to engrossed Senate Bill 2015 and then approved the bill as amended on a 21-0 vote, with two members absent and not voting. Representative Steeman was designated as the carrier. The chair then thanked members for their work and announced the committee would reconvene the next morning to continue with remaining bills and budget work before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• Twenty voters should not have been disenfranchised; they should have the opportunity to vote in a new
• Zoll, also, is it correct that voters in certain instances have the opportunity to change their vote?
• Yes, I won't go into the precise details of what that is, but there are limited opportunities.
• the testimony, after what was raised in the argument in the reply brief, the contestant had the opportunity
• is, what did the Minnesota Supreme Court say to the contestant who did not take advantage of the opportunity

Committee: House Ethics

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, Chairman and members, thank you for the opportunity today to lay out HCR 77.
• Chairman, committee members, we thank you for this opportunity.
• Madam Chair, members, thanks for the opportunity to testify today.
• As we become the epicenter for nuclear, the economic development opportunity is huge.
• Sorry, I just wanted to give her the opportunity first if she had any.

Committee: House S/C on State-Federal Relations

Transcript Highlights:

• Steve was presented with an opportunity to establish a new state agency, a very rare opportunity.
• The attraction of such a rare opportunity was compelling, and yet just about everybody around him was
• Steve was presented with an opportunity to establish a new state agency, very rare, very rare.
• The opportunity and the attraction of such a rare opportunity was compelling, and yet just about everybody
• Accompanied the princesses in the Daffodil Parade, so I had my opportunity to be with the Daffodil Parade

Keywords: 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you, Chairman Wilson, uh, for the opportunity to lay out 2310, Senate Bill 2310 by Senator Paxton
• I appreciate the opportunity to lay out Senate Bill 1534.
• I appreciate the opportunity to lay out Senate Bill 2786 relating to the exemption from the assessment
• I appreciate the opportunity to present Senate Bill 3039.
• This is a good scholarship program and this bill would simply open opportunities to more applicants.

Committee: House Higher Education

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you, Chairman Wilson, for the opportunity to lay out 2310 since...
• This is just another way that we can ensure that students have opportunities to get foreign language
• I appreciate the opportunity to lay out Senate Bill 2786, relating to the exemption from the assessment
• I appreciate the opportunity to present.
• This is a good scholarship program, and this bill would simply open opportunities. to more applicants

Bills: SB800 , SB1534 , SB2055 , SB2310 , SB2431 , SB2786 , SB3039 , SB1242

Committee: House Higher Education

Keywords: sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, stalking, higher education, student safety, orientation policies, health physics, workforce development, nuclear energy, radiological safety, scholarship, education, Texas Leadership Scholars Program, student funding, transparency, degree requirements, certificate programs, student transfer, foreign language

Transcript Highlights:

• I really appreciate the opportunity to present PCS for HB 647 this morning.
• Chair, Vice Chair, Ranking Member, my fellow representatives behind the dais, thank you for the opportunity
• I think that you have an opportunity to work through some of those issues. I will be up today.
• And with this bill, we have an opportunity to be at the forefront of finding a cure, because I think
• , but you're also taking the opportunities away from the other children in the classroom because the

Summary: The Health Professions and Program Subcommittee met and reported several bills favorably. PCS for HB 647, which allows physicians to use advanced practice registered nurses under written protocol to certify deaths and file death certificates for hospice patients, passed unanimously after brief supportive testimony from hospice, AARP, and physician assistant representatives. HB 803 on acupuncture updated outdated statutory language, clarified the definition of acupuncture, listed allowable point injection therapy items while prohibiting certain drugs, and affirmed referral authority for imaging and labs; it passed 16-1 amid support from acupuncture stakeholders and opposition from several medical groups. PCS for HB 1545 would create recurring state funding for Parkinson’s disease research at the University of South Florida and a consortium of Florida universities; it drew support from USF, the Michael J. Fox Foundation, and Mayo Clinic, with concerns raised about limiting participation to universities, and it passed unanimously. HB 901, which clarifies procedures for parents challenging court-appointed psychologists in family law cases, passed 15-1 with support from a witness and no debate. HB 591, the children with developmental disabilities/autism bill, was presented as a broad early-diagnosis and intervention measure to help children enter treatment and mainstream life sooner; it received supportive testimony from the Florida PTA and strong floor support, and passed unanimously. Finally, PCS for HB 1299, the Department of Health agency bill, made multiple changes including preventing the mRNA vaccine from sunsetting in statute, adding vaccination-status protections in the patients’ bill of rights, updating medical marijuana center screening and reporting requirements, revising nurse active-practice requirements, making technical compact changes, and extending sovereign immunity protections to dental students doing charitable clinic work. After a brief note that optician-related provisions had been removed, the bill passed unanimously. The committee adjourned after reporting all measures favorably.

Transcript Highlights:

• High School, of course pay the fee like everyone else, and Leilehua High School is making this opportunity
• 38.280><c> had</c><00:05:38.520><c> hoped</c><00:05:38.800><c> to</c><00:05:39.039><c> talk</c> opportunity
• happen I had hoped to talk opportunity happen I had hoped to talk to<00:05:39.479><c> Senator</c><00
• what that policy is so that any of our students, no matter how they're being educated, have the opportunity
• Kidani and try to find a path forward that hopefully will be clearer and a better way to ensure opportunities

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I just wanted to give the members an opportunity, if they have any remarks here in a few moments.
• I'll give each member an opportunity to talk about what they hope to accomplish with this committee,
• Chair, Representative Jones, to give any opening remarks that she may have. give each member an opportunity
• I got the opportunity to speak with Representative Louderback, and he's now one of my favorites.
• Um, I got the opportunity to speak with Rev Lauderback, and he's now one of my favorites.

Committee: House S/C on Juvenile Justice

Summary: The Subcommittee on Juvenile Justice met briefly for an introductory session and did not take any witness testimony. The chair said the committee would incorporate testimony already heard earlier in the day from the Criminal Jurisprudence Committee and would focus in future meetings on bills referred to the subcommittee, possible work sessions, and learning more about TJJD, the DOJ report, and juvenile issues such as determinate sentencing. Members used the meeting to share opening remarks about their goals and backgrounds. Vice Chair Jones said she hoped to bring a different perspective based on her experience practicing law with both adults and children. Representative Lauderback said his decades of criminal justice experience would help improve the juvenile system, and Representative Rideau emphasized the difficult nature of the issues and the need to ensure agencies have the tools they need while juveniles receive proper representation. The chair stressed that juvenile justice is rehabilitative and that the committee’s work could reduce recidivism and improve outcomes for youth who later enter the adult system. Representative Wu urged the committee to look at best practices from other states rather than relying on tradition, noting that new approaches can benefit children and save money over time. The meeting ended with the chair saying the committee would reconvene the following week and adjourning at 1:50 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:05:32.479><c> for</c> moments of pause, opportunities for moments of pause, opportunities for
• </c> opportunities, and important activities. opportunities, and important activities.
• </c> opportunity becomes a barrier, too. opportunity becomes a barrier, too.
• </c> more independence, and more opportunity. more independence, and more opportunity.
• </c> opportunity and being able to take it. opportunity and being able to take it.

Committee: Senate Transportation

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:09:36.240><c> of</c><00:09:36.399><c> untapped</c> opportunity and a lot of untapped opportunity
• </c><01:31:34.159><c> to</c><01:31:34.400><c> a</c> have an equal opportunity to a have an equal opportunity
• I think we're missing an opportunity.
• I'm going to be opportunity right now.
• It's very educational opportunities.

Keywords: Call to Order and Roll Call - 0:00:00 Approval of Minutes – 0:03:50 Robotics Education – 0:04:18 Canopy KY – 0:14:15 Comprehensive Support and Improvement – 0:23:20 Postsecondary Credit Alignment – 0:53:15 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in K-12 Settings – 1:21:25 Consideration of Referred Administrative Regulations – 2:05:15 Adjournment 2:05:41, 958, all

Summary: The committee opened with a roll call, confirmed a quorum, approved the minutes by voice vote, and recognized a guest of Senator Hickden, retired judge Dan Kelly. The chair then moved through a tight agenda and limited public presentations and questions. The first presentation was on robotics education in Kentucky, led by Representative Chris Lewis, Kentucky FIRST Robotics executive director Kelly Gowen, and students from Whitfield Academy. They argued that robotics should be expanded in high schools as a workforce pipeline for engineering, manufacturing, and advanced technology jobs. The presentation emphasized hands-on learning, industry certifications, teacher development, and a proposed framework to fund robotics education programs statewide. Committee members were not allowed to ask questions because of time constraints. The second presentation was from Canopy Kentucky, led by Adam Watson and founder Scott Collins. They described Canopy’s business and entrepreneurship education programs for fifth graders and high school students, including the NextGen Good Biz initiative and an eight-classroom high school unit. Canopy requested a one-time $750,000 appropriation for fiscal year 2026, matched by private funds, to expand into more schools and rural areas, train educators, and report outcomes. Members asked a brief question about how the programs fit into school schedules and the difference between the elementary and high school offerings. The final presentation, from KDE’s Kelly Foster and Todd Allen, reviewed the state’s school improvement classifications. Foster explained CSI, TSI, and ATSI status, the federal and state legal framework, and how House Bill 298 returned CSI identification to an annual cycle. She reported that Kentucky identified 50 CSI schools on the most recent release, with 53 CSI schools statewide, along with 39 TSI schools and 102 ATSI schools. She also outlined KDE’s support process, including education recovery staff, diagnostic reviews, turnaround plans, and required professional learning for CSI schools.

Transcript Highlights:

• So in thinking about, you know, these opportunities, right?
• You know, I these opportunities, right?
• ><c> to</c><01:09:48.799><c> establish</c> look at opportunities to establish look at opportunities to
• Thank you so much for the opportunity to share with you all.
• Thank you so much for the opportunity to share with you all.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The first meeting of the Disaster Prevention and Resiliency Task Force focused on the task force’s mission and on recent Kentucky flooding disasters. The co-chairs described the need to better prepare for increasingly frequent and costly natural disasters, including flooding, tornadoes, wildfires, and ice storms, and emphasized coordination among local, state, federal, and interstate partners. The discussion also stressed the importance of budgeting for mitigation, infrastructure resilience, housing, insurance, and recovery planning, with several members sharing personal experiences with disaster impacts in their districts. Kentucky Emergency Management Director Eric Gibson gave the main presentation, responding to questions about the February and April flooding events. He said the February event affected the entire state, with 11,825 individuals registering for assistance and 1,194 public-assistance projects written so far; he also reported 134 households still sheltered, 190 households moved to permanent housing, and three disaster recovery centers still open after a regional consolidation. For the April event, he said 37 counties had individual assistance, 83 counties were still pending public assistance, and no hazard mitigation had yet been declared; 5,893 people had registered for individual assistance, and 144 households were sheltered, with 83 families already moved to permanent solutions. He noted that counties without public assistance would have to cover expenses locally unless state or federal aid is approved. Gibson also outlined Kentucky Emergency Management’s tools and resources, including a 24/7 state operations center and warning point, embedded National Weather Service meteorologists, five regional warehouses stocked with water, MREs, blankets, and kits, a statewide web-based damage reporting system, laundry trailers, generators, a disaster needs hotline that has received 6,972 calls, and a mutual aid system used to deploy resources such as water tankers. He highlighted ongoing work on urban search and rescue, qualification systems for emergency operations personnel, and aerial documentation of storm damage. No votes or formal actions were taken at this meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:15:00.880><c> in</c> we think that literacy opportunities in we think that literacy opportunities
• As for what opportunities for students.
• </c> are addressing um these opportunities are addressing um these opportunities for<00:15:52.240><c>
• So, I hope that we'll be opportunities.
• You opportunity to provide testimony.

Bills: HB1559 , HB2012 , HB2297 , HB2122 , HB2345 , HB2398 , HB2534 , HB2621

Committee: Senate Education

Keywords: telecommunication devices, student use, public schools, student engagement, educational outcomes, confiscation policy, mental health, statewide policy, community literacy, education, Title I funding, reading proficiency, underserved communities, family engagement, tutoring, literacy support, adult education, community education, literacy programs, workforce development

Transcript Highlights:

• I want to thank you for the opportunity to testify.
• </c><00:53:10.600><c> to</c> for allowing us the opportunity to for allowing us the opportunity to testify
• Thank you for the opportunity to provide testimony on House File 4125.
• Thank you for the opportunity Counties.
• </c><01:05:04.560><c> It's</c> opportunities for improvement. It's opportunities for improvement.

Bills: HF3665 , HF3002 , HF4217 , HF4125 , HF4174

Committee: House Children and Families Finance and Policy

Keywords: foster care, early childhood education, child care programs, placement plan, social services, extended foster care, kinship care, relative custody, permanent legal and physical custody, Northstar kinship assistance, independent living plan, transition services, youth aging out of care, medical assistance, Medicaid, child welfare, children youth and families, out-of-home placement, case plan, relative placement

Transcript Highlights:

• Madam Chair and members of the committee, thank you for the opportunity to come back today and present
• </c> notably um but additional opportunities notably um but additional opportunities emerge<00:45:48.280
• </c> very premature death so the opportunity very premature death so the opportunity to<00:46:37.920>
• This is just the first time that we've had this opportunity to have this conversation.
• So this new other opportunity provides many more benefits for the state than that other solution.

Committee: House Higher Education Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> having the opportunity to own a home. having the opportunity to own a home.
• So I think there are opportunities certainly to take advantage of a smaller size house.
• They wanted to have some sort of ownership opportunity.
• They wanted to have some sort of ownership opportunity.
• So, we do um range of opportunities.

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

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

Transcript Highlights:

• On page on the expanding opportunity count language.
• have an opportunity to be capitalized.
• Chair, you know, I appreciate the opportunity.
• Chair, you know, I appreciate the opportunity.
• </c><01:29:12.159><c> It's</c> appreciate the opportunity. It's appreciate the opportunity.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:08:44.159><c> in</c><00:08:44.640><c> our</c> recreation opportunities in our recreation opportunities
• </c><00:19:12.880><c> to</c> you very much for this opportunity to you very much for this opportunity
• But the opportunity for safe, stable, But the opportunity for safe, stable, and<00:30:36.799><c> affordable
• I've had an opportunity to the state.
• Thank you. giving motans the same opportunity union giving motans the same opportunity union construction

Committee: House Capital Investment

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I serve as the chancellor of our state's university system and appreciate the opportunity to talk to
• </c> system and um appreciate the opportunity system and um appreciate the opportunity to<00:07:55.759
• </c> system know about the opportunities system know about the opportunities um<00:09:47.600><c> we</
• in their communities where the education they can receive aligns with those opportunities.
• in their communities where the education they can receive aligns with those opportunities.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee heard updates from the chancellors of the state university system and the community college system on ongoing restructuring, collaboration, and enrollment trends. The university system said its office move to the NHTI campus is ahead of schedule and should save students about $250,000 a year while creating revenue for the community college system. Both systems described continued work on transfer pathways, direct-admit outreach, shared advising, and broader efforts to shrink footprints, reduce costs, and improve operational efficiency in response to declining enrollment and demographic pressure. A major topic was a possible federal change to Pell Grant eligibility that would require students to enroll in at least 7.5 credits. The chancellors said most community college students are part-time because of work and family responsibilities, and that the change could affect roughly 2,000 current Pell recipients and make it harder for students to afford or sustain enrollment. Members also discussed how the state’s governor’s scholarship statute largely benefits full-time students, suggesting possible future statutory changes. The chancellors explained how credits typically work, noting most courses are three or four credits and that students would likely need to add an entire course to meet the proposed threshold. The committee also discussed the broader higher education landscape, including declining high school cohorts, competition among New England institutions, and the need to right-size capacity. One member raised concerns about the health of regional campuses such as Plymouth and Keene; the chancellors said incoming enrollment is down at UNH and Plymouth and holding at Keene, attributing the trend to demographics rather than one campus drawing students away from another. They emphasized the importance of community colleges, adult learners, and short-term workforce programs as part of the state’s future education mix. Finally, the committee touched on the value of the university system’s research enterprise. The chancellor said about $250 million a year flows into the university system in federal research grants, with about $9.5 million currently under stop-work orders from federal agencies. She said the immediate concern is not DEI-related but federal cuts and possible caps on indirect cost recovery. Members noted that the R1 research designation supports business partnerships, student opportunities, and economic development projects such as West Edge in Durham.

Transcript Highlights:

• Challenges and opportunities.
• Um, there are creative opportunities to address both.
• </c><00:57:21.359><c> to</c> there are creative opportunities to there are creative opportunities to
• And I many opportunities for win-wins.
• </c><01:24:18.480><c> for</c> oils are really an opportunity for oils are really an opportunity for diversification

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first took up a Senate message on HB 179, relative to hazardous waste accident fees. Members reviewed the Senate amendment, which would cap the daily non-payment penalty at no more than $1,000 per day and limit the cumulative penalty to 25% of the cost, with no additional daily penalty if the responsible party is following an agreed payment plan. Members discussed the change from the committee’s earlier version, which had allowed penalties up to 100% of the damages, and agreed the revised language was reasonable. The committee voted to concur with the Senate amendment and indicated the bill could be placed on consent. The committee then recessed SB 302, requiring background checks for solid waste facility owners, because a late request for an additional change had not yet been fully reviewed. It next voted on SB 229, relative to the sale of uninspected bison, red deer, and elk meat. Supporters said the bill would expand retail access to these meats, support New Hampshire farms, and improve food security. Members also noted the Department of Agriculture did not object, that the bill would remove a sunset and keep more workable inspection rules in place, and that the animals involved are largely from closed herds. The committee voted unanimously to pass SB 229 and agreed to place it on consent. Finally, the committee considered SB 50, establishing a committee to study the regulation of private animal boarding facilities. Members described disturbing testimony about missing, injured, or dead dogs and the lack of clear oversight, licensing, or even a reliable list of kennels in the state. They discussed possible study topics including licensing, inspection authority, standards, penalties, and protections for both pet owners and boarding operators, including disclosure of medical conditions. The committee voted unanimously to pass SB 50 and also agreed to place it on consent. After the executive sessions, the committee heard a presentation from the New Hampshire Food Alliance on the state’s first food and agriculture strategic plan, introduced by director Nicole Cardwell, with participation from advisory committee members including Rep. Bixby and Commissioner Sean Jasper.