Transcript Highlights:

• So the governor wasn't alone advocating for that.
• So, you know, a lot of people worked very hard for this, not just the governor.
• So, uh, the governor wasn't that bridge.
• </c><00:25:06.400><c> And</c><00:25:06.559><c> I</c> for this, not just the governor.
• And I for this, not just the governor.

Summary: The Kentucky Senate convened with an invocation, pledge, and roll call establishing a quorum of 37 members. The chamber approved the journal from Monday, January 12, 2026, and then moved through routine business including recessing briefly for the Rules Committee and Committee on Committees. The Committee on Committees reported referrals of Senate Bill 7, Senate Joint Resolution 11, and Senate Joint Resolution 27 to Transportation, and Senate Resolutions 25, 28, 29, 30, and 31 to the Senate floor. Several new bills and resolutions were introduced, including measures on identity documents, youth vaping prevention, local occupational license fees and taxes, healthcare provider credentialing, constitutional amendments on voting and restoration of rights, substance use disorder medication regulations, forcible entry and detainer, coroner response times, special needs trusts, immigration enforcement collaboration, and a resolution recognizing Physician Anesthesiologist Week. The Senate also adopted Senate Citation 001 honoring Shelby County Sheriff Mark Moore as the Kentucky Sheriffs’ Association’s 2025 Sheriff of the Year, and adopted Senate Resolution 14 honoring David Delvin Drake. A major floor discussion centered on Senate Resolution 10, which honored the victims of the UPS Flight 2976 crash and commended first responders. Senator Herron described the crash, named the victims, and thanked emergency responders and government partners; the resolution was adopted unanimously, followed by a moment of silence. Another extended discussion came from the Senator from Marion regarding the I-69 bridge project, explaining the bipartisan effort behind the project, the push for a federal grant, and the state’s tolling requirements if no grant is secured. The Senate also heard announcements about committee meetings, upcoming receptions, and a film release, and several members requested co-sponsorships on various bills before the chamber adjourned until 2 p.m. on Wednesday, January 14, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• This memorial, or this resolution, coincides with the proclamation that the governor made of 2026 being
• And it also requires the governor to fill vacant slots in a timely manner. Questions?
• Yeah, we added the second part that requires the governor to fill vacant slots quickly.
• And it also requires the governor to fill vacant slots in a timely manner. Questions?
• Yeah, we added the second part that requires the governor to fill vacant slots quickly.

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• Item number three, messages from the governor. Mr. Clerk, are there any messages from the governor?
• Item number three, messages from<00:14:39.519><c> the</c><00:14:39.680><c> governor.
• </c><00:14:40.720><c> Clerk,</c><00:14:41.040><c> are</c><00:14:41.120><c> there</c> from the governor
• Clerk, are there from the governor. Mr.
• </c> any messages from the governor? any messages from the governor?

Transcript Highlights:

• caution that the court system doesn't feel that's a function headed by other executive office of the governor
• actively pending appointment based on a certified list of nominees having been submitted to the governor
• And the Supreme Court certified that and the legislature enacted in the governor approved it.
• This governor has chosen to ask for 6 names for vacancies.
• And the timeline shows you that it was in August of 2023 when Governor DeSantis appointed the board of

Transcript Highlights:

• Each year, by September 1, our cabinet submits a report to the governor and LRC detailing the fund's
• c><00:04:06.599><c> report</c><00:04:06.879><c> to</c><00:04:07.000><c> the</c><00:04:07.159><c> governor
• </c> cabinet submits a report to the governor cabinet submits a report to the governor and<00:04:07.799
• </c><00:04:20.400><c> and</c><00:04:20.600><c> general</c> support from the governor and general support
• from the governor and general assembly<00:04:21.400><c> during</c><00:04:21.680><c> the</c><00:04:21.840

Summary: The committee met for the second Budget Review on Economic Development, Public Protection, Tourism, and Energy and approved the minutes from the previous meeting. After a quorum was confirmed, members heard a presentation from Melissa Brewer of the Tourism, Arts, and Heritage Cabinet, along with Olivia Atkins of Kentucky State Parks and Commissioner Mike Manet of the Kentucky Department of Tourism. The presentation focused on the state’s 1% tourism meeting and convention marketing fund and the broader role of tourism in Kentucky’s economy. Brewer explained that the fund is used only for marketing and promoting tourism-related activities, cannot be used for capital or construction projects, and must be reported annually to the governor and LRC. She said the Governor’s budget and enacted budget increased appropriations in response to growing transient room tax receipts, adding $3 million in FY 2025 and $7 million in FY 2026, and noted legislative support for the Kentucky Mountain Regional Recreation Authority, the National Quilt Museum, and the Southern Kentucky Tourism Initiative. Manet emphasized that tourism marketing drives overnight visitation, local spending, jobs, and economic development, and described the 1% fund as the source for marketing, advertising, website development, public relations, international and group sales, trade shows, research, and regional matching funds. He highlighted efforts to secure media coverage and said the matching funds program distributed $2 million last year to 87 local tourism commissions across the state. No votes or other committee actions were taken beyond approving the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• The majority of the board's appointments will come from the governor, but also from the Speaker of the
• The only change really is that the governor becomes a voting member, and that's why the synopsis reads
• What we've done here is we've provided appointing authority to the governor, the Speaker, and direction
• nine or eight that you can go through... eight that you can go through that are appointed by the governor
• And again, the big change there is that the governor becomes a voting member as opposed to just kind

Bills: SB242 , SB5 , HB596 , SB5

Committee: House State Government

Keywords: codification, state law, legal revisions, Alabama code, legislative updates, archives, history, board of trustees, vacancies, government control, catfish, transportation, public waters, criminal penalties, natural resources, education, public schools, constitution amendment, national anthem, weekly broadcast

Transcript Highlights:

• That's the last thing you want as a war fighter to have a little hiccup because we had a little power
• That's the last thing you want as a war fighter to have a little hiccup because we had a little power
• That's the last thing you want as a war fighter to have a little hiccup because we had a little power
• So, if I could power interruption.
• . 77% of Americans favor expanding solar power. 89% of Americans say that it is important for the U.S

Bills: SB341 , SB340 , SB341 , SB354 , SB340

Committee: Senate Transportation and Energy

Keywords: SB341, Alabama, veteran license plate, veteran tag, distinctive license tag, specialty plate, radiation exposure, atomic bomb testing, ionizing radiation, World War II veterans, Vietnam veterans, Korean War veterans, Cold War veterans, Desert Storm, Desert Shield, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Inherent Resolve, Department of Veterans Affairs, probate judge

Transcript Highlights:

• And it's a reality you have the power to change, and I'm really here.
• Our investigators will not have arrest powers, will not be armed under this bill.
• Our investigators will not have arrest powers.
• Our investigators will not have arrest powers, will not be armed under this bill.
• I think people are conflating the Attorney General's power in civil realms as well as criminal realms

Committee: Senate Law & Justice

Transcript Highlights:

• It is time to take that power back.
• But Congress has the power to reverse these tariffs, and we should do so immediately.
• Do you really think that he has the power under an emergency degree to reorder the treaty?
• Do you have any concerns about all of that power going into the hands of the president?
• Sir, Congress delegated this power to the president. the emergency every year.

Committee: Senate Finance Committee

Keywords: tariffs, Trump administration, economy, public testimony, trade policy, market access, export controls

Summary: The meeting focused on various significant topics concerning the recent tariff policies and their wide-ranging implications on the American economy. Members expressed their concerns regarding the negative impact of increased tariffs as proposed by the Trump administration, with specific emphasis on how families might suffer from higher costs and market access issues. The discussion was lively, with members questioning the clarity of the tariff plan and raising concerns about its potential effects on small businesses and American exports.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, so my name is Julia Nuran, and I'm the executive director of Minnesota Interfaith Power and Light
• Um, so my name is Julia Nuran, and I'm the executive director of Minnesota Interfaith Power and Light
• Um, so my name is Julia Nuran, and I'm the executive director of Minnesota Interfaith Power and Light
• Um, so my name is Julia Nuran, and I'm the executive director of Minnesota Interfaith Power and Light
• Um, so my name is Julia Nuran, and I'm the executive director of Minnesota Interfaith Power and Light

Transcript Highlights:

• The governor has proposed a $97 million bonding bill.
• A lot of people are unhappy. >> We've mentioned what the governor has proposed and then the requests
• </c><00:07:26.560><c> has</c> &gt;&gt; We've mentioned what the governor has &gt;&gt; We've mentioned
• It's close enough to what the<00:07:48.400><c> governor</c><00:07:48.960><c> has</c><00:07:49.440><c>
• </c><00:14:47.760><c> wanted</c> just um do whatever the governor wanted just um do whatever the governor

Transcript Highlights:

• Powerful testimony from both of you, especially the gentleman. You have boots on the ground.
• But more important than all of that, Sarah Davido: I did not want to lose any more power.
• us in these systems and that is compounded by the profound loss of power we experience once there.
• us in these systems and that is compounded by the profound loss of power we experience once there.
• And I really hope that you... ...all our power.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery

Summary: The committee held a public hearing on a broad set of mental health, substance use, recovery, and patients’ rights bills. Early testimony focused on H. 2227, which would replace stigmatizing substance use terminology in the General Laws, and H. 3950, which would support parents in recovery involved with DCF by requiring more individualized recovery plans, clearer benchmarks for parenting time, access to recovery coaches or counselors, family counseling after sustained recovery, and staff training on addiction and lived experience. Speakers described the bills as ways to reduce stigma, increase accountability, and improve reunification outcomes for families. A major portion of the hearing centered on S. 1386, which would transfer Bridgewater State Hospital from the Department of Correction to the Department of Mental Health. Advocates, family members, and disability groups testified that Bridgewater functions like a prison rather than a hospital, with excessive restraint, seclusion, involuntary medication, poor conditions, and racial disparities, and argued DMH should oversee a treatment setting. One DMH occupational therapist and MNA member opposed the transfer, saying the real issue is mixing forensic and continuing-care patients and that DMH should instead create designated forensic units under bills H. 228/S. 1408. Committee members asked about Bridgewater’s population, the history of DOC control, capacity, staffing, and how a transfer might be implemented. The committee also heard testimony on modernizing the six fundamental rights for psychiatric inpatients, including expanding communication options, clarifying visitation and advocacy definitions, and improving access to gender-appropriate and culturally relevant items. Another bill, H. 2216, would require stronger oversight before antipsychotic medication is prescribed in nursing homes, prompted by concerns about inappropriate use. Finally, testimony supported H. 2240 and H. 2239 on sober homes, with supporters saying discharge and relocation policies are needed when a resident returns to active use or becomes unsafe, while preserving the recovery environment and resident rights. No votes or formal actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• on battery power to keep whatever time was set at the L&A, but sometimes the battery drains.
• So it actually puts more power...
• Don't you have the power to elect the people that serve on the district leadership?
• And then if there's issues there, the PCs have the power to oust a bad county chair.
• The PCs have the power to oust a bad county chair, absolutely.

Bills: SB1018 , SB1037 , SB1568 , SB1687 , SB1825 , SCR1001

Committees: House Federalism, Military Affairs & Elections , House House Federalism, Military Affairs & Elections Committee of Reference

Keywords: foreign law, Sharia law, cultural practices, women's rights, marriage laws, domestic violence, honor killings, Arizona legislation, elections, voting systems, vote tabulation, election security, internet connectivity, offline voting, chain of custody, polling place equipment, counting center, central counting center, election management system, EMS gateway

Transcript Highlights:

• It was caused by thieves who broke into secured, locked power vaults on the Tehuya Peninsula and they
• Was it just a power outage? Of course.
• Cutting copper grounds in power vaults or on poles creates serious electrical hazards.
• It's not just the power system.
• Regardless of how someone takes office, the authority and powers of that office are the same.

Committee: Senate Law & Justice

Summary: The committee met in Mill Creek and first heard an update on eviction proceedings from King County Superior Court Judge Michael Scott and then from the Office of Civil Legal Aid and Snohomish County Legal Services. Judge Scott said eviction filings are at historic highs statewide, with King County seeing a growing backlog after pandemic-era declines, though recent added judicial resources have reduced pending cases and brought average filing-to-disposition time down to about 60 days. He described county-by-county differences in how eviction calendars are handled and said courts are working with landlords, legal aid, and housing advocates to balance speed, due process, and access to counsel. Committee members asked about average timelines, tracking outcomes after eviction, and whether other counties offer useful models. Legal aid witnesses said Washington’s appointed counsel program has expanded access to representation statewide, except that King County still lacks enough resources for full representation in every case. They said the program has represented more than 30,000 tenants, often helps connect clients to social services, and has kept many people housed, but they warned of a funding shortfall that could eliminate about 17 attorneys and leave roughly 2,000 tenants without counsel. A Snohomish County provider said most of its cases now involve nonpayment of rent and emphasized the program’s role in preventing homelessness and helping clients secure benefits and housing stability. The second work session focused on theft and vandalism of critical infrastructure, especially copper and telecom cable theft. Committee staff outlined existing criminal and scrap-metal laws, including malicious mischief and theft statutes, plus licensing and recordkeeping rules for scrap metal businesses. Comcast, Mason PUD3, and the Recycled Materials Association testified that theft and damage to aerial cable and utility infrastructure have become a crisis, causing outages, public safety risks, and major costs. Witnesses described incidents affecting 911 service, schools, hospitals, home health monitoring, and electric reliability, and said thieves often cannot distinguish between copper, fiber, and other lines. Utility and recycling representatives urged stronger audits, tougher penalties for theft affecting critical infrastructure, better identification and payment rules, and more coordinated enforcement. Committee members asked about the motive for fiber damage, the role of out-of-state resale, and whether other states have useful approaches; witnesses said there is no easy fix and that best practices such as marking cable and improving interagency coordination could help. The final item was a briefing from the Criminal Justice Training Commission on standards for law enforcement certification and decertification. Executive Director Monica Alexander and Assistant Director Kimberly Bliss explained the difference between an agency commission and state certification, the training and background process for officers, and the grounds and procedures for mandatory and discretionary decertification. They said agencies conduct the background checks, CJTC reviews complaints and reports, and officers are entitled to administrative hearings and court review. Members asked about elected sheriffs, and CJTC clarified that sheriffs are not required to undergo the same pre-employment background check as other applicants, though many are already certified officers and remain subject to decertification rules; the commission said it has decertified a sheriff since 2021. No votes were taken during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Next up, we have a sales and use tax exemption for purchases of computer server and power infrastructure
• Then the facilities each must have 1.5 megawatts of power available, or 1.5 megawatts or more.
• subset of 13 states and found that most used a sales and use tax preference to exempt servers and power
• some of the owners that we spoke with provided additional examples of spending beyond servers and power
• That's a lot of power. That's, you know, and it's a disincentive to reduce and conserve.

Committee: Joint Citizen Commission for Performance Measurement of Tax Preferences

Transcript Highlights:

• Next up, we have a sales and use tax exemption for purchases of computer server and power infrastructure
• Then the facilities each must have 1.5 megawatts of power available, or 1.5 megawatts or more.
• subset of 13 states and found that most used a sales and use tax preference to exempt servers and power
• some of the owners that we spoke with provided additional examples of spending beyond servers and power
• That's a lot of power. That's, you know, and it's a disincentive to reduce and conserve.

Committee: Joint Citizen Commission for Performance Measurement of Tax Preferences

Summary: The Citizen Commission for Performance Measurement of Tax Preferences met on August 4, 2026, with all five commissioners present. The commission approved the May 26, 2026 minutes, welcomed new commissioner Diane Tabilius, and re-elected Andy Knopfsiger Meadows as chair and Dr. Sharon Keiko as vice chair. JLARC staff also introduced two Evans School interns who are assisting with preliminary research for the 2027 review cycle. JLARC presented preliminary findings on seven tax preference reviews, focusing most heavily on the Main Street communities credit, the Equitable Access to Credit Program, and the urban data center exemption. Staff concluded that the Main Street preference has helped increase the number of communities and businesses and recommended continuing it, while also recommending that DAHP collect more detailed and standardized business-count data. The Equitable Access to Credit Program was found to support underserved communities and was also recommended for continuation. The urban data center exemption was found to have been used only for refurbishment projects, not new construction, and staff recommended letting it expire; commissioners and Representative Paulette discussed the need for better performance measures, cost-per-job analysis, and clearer legislative intent language in tax preference statements. Staff then reviewed airplane modification, landfill biogas, automotive adaptive equipment, and housing for people with developmental disabilities. The airplane modification preference was found to likely support jobs and state tax revenue and was recommended for continuation. The landfill biogas preference was also recommended for continuation, with a suggestion for more detailed reporting on use and renewable natural gas production. The automotive adaptive equipment exemption was found to continue providing relief to disabled veterans and service members and was recommended for continuation, while the housing transfer exemption for adults with developmental disabilities had not been used and was recommended to expire. No public testimony was taken at this meeting, and the commission noted that public testimony would be heard at its September meeting before final comments are adopted in October.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I'll be exploring the intersection of numbers, geography, and political power.
• prove that a minority community has been cracked or split across multiple districts to dilute their power
• or exclude specific multirace combinations, which has historically been used to dilute the voting power
• equal in population. [00:37:05] That prevented white rural minorities from holding disproportionate power
• So the Secretary of Commerce does have the power to make the final decisions.

Committee: Senate Senate Committee on the Census

Summary: The Senate Committee on the Census held a hearing on July 7, 2026 focused on how the census defines and tabulates race and ethnicity for redistricting. The sole witness, Professor Jeffrey Weiss, reviewed the history of Public Law 94-171, the Voting Rights Act, and Census Bureau race categories, explaining how block-level census data has been central to one-person, one-vote compliance and to enforcing Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. He described the evolution from separate race and Hispanic-origin tabulations to multiracial reporting, the addition of voting-age and citizen voting-age data, and the increasing complexity created by coalition districts and multiracial populations. A major theme was uncertainty about Census 2030. Weiss said the federal government is considering changes to race and ethnicity questions, possible elimination of the MENA category, reduced multiracial detail, and discontinuation of differential privacy, while also discussing a possible citizenship question and other procedural changes coming through the Commerce Department rather than the Census Bureau. He warned that these shifts, combined with staffing cuts, reduced outreach, and scaled-back testing, could affect the availability and granularity of redistricting data and may trigger litigation. Committee members pressed him on the Biden-era revisions, the Trump administration’s current actions, and whether future data might have to be reported at a higher geographic level if block-level privacy protections are removed. Weiss also summarized Supreme Court redistricting doctrine, describing the move from Baker v. Carr and Reynolds v. Sims to the Gingles framework, then to later decisions limiting race-conscious districting, including Shelby County, Rucho, and the recent Louisiana v. Calais decision. He said Calais significantly narrowed federal Section 2 protections but does not directly preempt state voting rights acts, which he noted are being adopted in several states and may still allow coalition-based protections. The hearing ended after questions from the chair and vice chair, with no votes or formal committee actions taken, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.
• Another quote from Ronald Reagan: AI is a very powerful tool.
• Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.
• This is a quote by Abraham Lincoln that describes the word. demands character, give him power.
• AI is a very powerful tool.

Committee: All ALC-HIGHER EDUCATION SUBCOMMITTEE

Summary: The meeting opened with a report on annual solvency certification for institutions of higher education, which required no action and was to be distributed later. The main presentation focused on artificial intelligence in K-12 and higher education, delivered by students from Arkansas State University, the University of Central Arkansas, and Valley View High School. They argued that AI is becoming central to education and the workforce, especially as Arkansas adds major data center investments, and said students should be taught to use AI responsibly so they can compete for jobs, improve internships, and keep talent in-state. They also emphasized concerns about academic integrity, cybercrime, and the need for ethics training and district-level guidance. The presenters shared survey findings from educators in several Arkansas districts, saying most teachers support teaching responsible AI use, believe students without access to AI will be disadvantaged, and want training and district-level management. They described existing AI uses at Arkansas colleges, including AI tutors, AI-generated practice exams, homework feedback tools, and classroom applications in business, climate science, and urban forestry. They also proposed an AI library built on the state’s Access Act infrastructure so K-12 and college students could access shared AI tools and resources across Arkansas. Committee members asked about student attitudes, classroom concerns, and whether AI could help standardize course materials and objectives across institutions. The presenters said reactions among students are mixed, with arts students especially worried about copyright and originality, but that many recognize AI’s real-world value. A UCA representative added that faculty training, ethics discussions, and academic dishonesty guidance are already underway there. The chair thanked the students, noted their work on related research projects, and then moved to a second presentation from Pine Bluff community leaders. The Pine Bluff group described community-based school support efforts, including the Pastors on Patrol program, mentoring, anti-bullying and nonviolence training, drug and vaping education, leadership clubs, and a youth diversion effort for students at risk of detention. They said their work is aimed at improving school climate, encouraging citizenship and scholarship, and reducing negative behavior. Members praised the group’s efforts and asked about expanding the programs to other districts; the presenters said their model and curriculum can be shared and adapted. The meeting ended after the chair thanked both groups and adjourned with no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• green, um, to put us on a path to saying yes to challenging the status quo, yes to building tenant power
• green, um, to put us on a path to saying yes to challenging the status quo, yes to building tenant power
• green, um, to put us on a path to saying yes to challenging the status quo, yes to building tenant power
• green, um, to put us on a path to saying yes to challenging the status quo, yes to building tenant power
• power, yes to building<00:19:32.160><c> more</c><00:19:32.520><c> homes,</c><00:19:33.520><c> big</c

Transcript Highlights:

• Warning labels aren't the end-all, be-all solution, but they sure are a powerful step in a be-all solution
• Warning labels aren't the end-all, be-all solution, but they sure are a powerful step.
• These are very powerful companies, powerful lobbies that have a lot of resources that they use to block
• These are very powerful companies, powerful lobbies that have a lot of resources that they use to block
• These are very powerful companies, powerful lobbies that have a lot of resources that they use to block

Summary: Rep. Zach Stevenson and Sen. Mann presented Minnesota legislation aimed at requiring warning labels on social media platforms, modeled on the Surgeon General’s recommendation, and adding pop-up notifications every 30 minutes to show users how long they have been on a platform. They argued that social media use is linked to serious mental health harms among youth, including anxiety, depression, sleep disruption, self-harm, and suicidal ideation, and said the bill is part of a broader effort to add guardrails on big tech. They also referenced related Minnesota efforts on deepfakes, child influencers, platform-use disclosures, and a separate effort to remove cell phones from classrooms. The hearing featured emotional testimony from parents Bridget Noring and Tabitha Urbansky, who described losing sons to fentanyl poisoning after drugs were arranged through Snapchat. Both said social media platforms can function as drug markets and that warning labels and other restrictions could help prevent similar tragedies. Eric Mishy of SAVE and the Kids Campaign also testified in support, saying social media is contributing to anxiety, depression, suicide, sextortion, trafficking, bullying, and drug sales, and that companies have not done enough to stop these harms. In response to a question about the pop-up feature, Stevenson said the idea is new in Minnesota but similar to “are you still watching” prompts on streaming services, intended to add friction and interrupt addictive use. He and others said no state had yet enacted similar warning-label laws, though several have proposed them, and they emphasized that regulating technology companies is difficult because of their resources and lobbying power. No vote or formal committee action was taken in the transcript, though the bill was scheduled for a House Commerce Committee hearing the next day.