Transcript Highlights:

• , dollars to catch up on construction, dollars to catch up on construction, especially<00:21:09.039
• design build or or straight construction design build or or straight construction because<00:37:
• actually uh putting those construction actually uh putting those construction plans<00:42:55.200
• I come from the construction that.
• construction industry. construction industry.

Keywords: 00:32 Call to Order and Roll Call 02:30 Road Fund Report 17:22 Approval of Minutes 18:07 High Growth Counties Projects 56:00 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The Budget Review Subcommittee for Transportation met without a quorum at first, then later approved the July 15 minutes by voice vote after quorum was reached. The committee heard an update from the Transportation Cabinet on the road fund for FY 2024-25. Cabinet staff reported road fund revenue came in $38.5 million above the enacted estimate, with motor vehicle usage tax receipts setting an all-time high for the fifth straight year. Motor fuels tax revenue was below estimate and down from the prior year, while overall road fund collections totaled $1.86 billion, essentially flat year over year. Staff said the road fund ended FY25 with a $61.6 million surplus, which under the budget bill must be appropriated to state construction. Members discussed the gas tax formula, with Senator Higdon arguing it no longer works well because revenues fall when fuel prices fall, and the chair noting the committee may need to revisit the formula. The committee then received an update on High Growth County projects in the 2024 highway plan. KYTC said $16 million in HGC authorizations had been made, nine projects already had construction funds authorized or were otherwise underway, 12 more were scheduled to be let by the end of 2025 with estimated construction costs above $250 million, and one additional project was expected to be awarded through alternative delivery. The cabinet said it anticipated authorizing the full $450 million appropriated by the General Assembly. Members praised the effort and emphasized the need to get projects to market before the next budget cycle. Jason Sala of KYTC also explained why transportation projects take time, citing planning, design, right-of-way acquisition, and utility relocation as major steps that can delay delivery. He said these processes are complex and require coordination with property owners, utilities, consultants, contractors, and local governments. Eric Pelfrey then briefed the committee on professional and personal service contracts, saying they are used to expand cabinet capacity for design, inspections, right-of-way appraisal, safety, and related work. He reported that authorizations and payments for these contracts have trended upward over the past decade, and that the number of contracts has also increased. In response to questions, Pelfrey said design-build can speed some projects by overlapping steps, but it does not eliminate right-of-way or utility work when those are required; he said KYTC has been using alternative delivery more often, but project complexity still limits how quickly work can move.

Transcript Highlights:

• advance the NLX project to construction. advance the NLX project to construction.
• come with the construction.
• come with the construction.
• come with the construction.
• come with the construction.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• versus existing construction, it resulted in the need.
• I visit a few construction sites in my time.
• And so the construction of a new building may not be appropriate.
• The Attorney General opinion says you specifically can construct.
• The Attorney General opinion says you specifically can construct.

Summary: The committee first took up a long-running audit finding involving the City of Daytona Beach’s unexpended building permit fund balance, which has exceeded the statutory cap for several years and was reported at $10.8 million in the latest audit. Mayor Derek Henry and city staff said the city had analyzed the fund, adopted a corrective action plan, waived more than $5.5 million in permit and inspection fees, used some excess funds for a training facility rehabilitation, and is pursuing a $9.4 million City Hall expansion that they say is allowed under a November 2024 Attorney General opinion permitting construction of a building to house the building code enforcement function. Committee members repeatedly questioned whether the city was simply trying to spend down the money, whether the proposed uses were truly lawful, why the balance kept growing despite fee waivers, and where the interest earnings were going. The mayor and deputy city manager said the city’s growth and staffing needs justified the plan, but several members expressed frustration and skepticism. A public commenter also urged accountability and raised concerns about the city’s spending plans and the size of the remaining balance. The committee then received an Auditor General presentation on the Town of Greenville, which found 31 operational audit findings and described pervasive control failures, possible fraud, waste, and abuse. The findings included election paperwork problems that left a council seat vacant, conflicts of interest, late financial disclosure filings, related-party transactions, inadequate meeting notices and minutes, quorum and voting documentation problems, council members’ involvement in day-to-day operations, missing ethics training, budget adoption and monitoring deficiencies, inaccurate accounting records and bank reconciliations, utility billing and rate issues, grant compliance problems tied to an unfinished grocery store project, weak personnel and contracting controls, improper severance and compensation issues, late vendor payments, weak procurement and P-card controls, vehicle-use and property-control weaknesses, poor public records access, and IT access and fraud-policy gaps. Greenville’s mayor and staff said the audit largely reflected the prior administration and that the current council and staff are taking corrective action. They said the town terminated the former manager, adopted seven new policies since the audit began, and is working with the Auditor General to improve procurement, financial controls, inventory management, grant oversight, and ethics compliance. The town attorney said he had alerted federal authorities earlier about concerns, and committee members noted that FDLE has received a criminal referral and is investigating. Several members praised the new leadership’s cooperation but also suggested the town consider consolidation or dissolution if problems persist.

Transcript Highlights:

• and delays in construction when the Department of Construction Management gets involved in a project
• 59.679> from<00:24:59.919> people the construction industry, from people the construction
• project gets involved with construction project gets involved with construction management<00:25
• <00:28:06.320> pushed the delays and the construction pushed the delays and the construction
• It is to us, but in the construction world, it's not.

Bills: HB245, SB16, SB59, SB62, SB79, SB88

Keywords: inhalants, controlled substances, butyl nitrite, nitrous oxide, amyl nitrite, health, public safety, SB16, four-point restraint, hog-tie, hog tie, prone restraint, law enforcement, police, sheriff, use of force, restraint techniques, positional asphyxia, arrest procedures, detention

Transcript Highlights:

• historic wave of apartment construction historic wave of apartment construction has<00:18:23.039
• <00:18:50.559> plans cutting back on Fresh construction plans cutting back on Fresh construction
• <00:18:56.400> pipeline squeeze and the construction pipeline squeeze and the construction
• <00:24:47.200> costs in infrastructure construction costs in infrastructure construction costs
• hand we're going to begin construction hand we're going to begin construction on<01:00:07.359>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This is an additional construction funding request.
• This is the full construction funding request.
• This is a construction funding request.
• the construction of the combined school replacement facility.
• and construction phases of the project.

Transcript Highlights:

• for tower construction. for tower construction. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> Okay.
• It's for new site construction.
• that construct.
• , and get it to people that construction, and get it to people that construct. construct. construct.
• construction is not part of finance. construction is not part of finance.

Keywords: Call to Order and Roll Call- 00:00:01 Staff Report on Statewide Emergency Responder Voice System- 00:01:09 Kentucky State Police and Finance and Administration Cabinet Response to Staff Report- 00:48:37 Adjournment-01:34:512, 958, all

Summary: The committee heard a staff report on Kentucky’s statewide emergency responder voice system (SERVS), a multi-phase project intended to improve interoperable radio communications for first responders. Staff said Kentucky State Police did not appear to have violated statutes or regulations, but the project lacked an overall master plan, clear milestones, and consistent documentation, which contributed to delays, spending issues, and deployment problems. The report recommended updating the Kentucky Field Operations Guide to reflect SERVS and noted that the project has been funded in phases since 2018, with appropriations totaling roughly $216 million across 2018, 2020, 2022, and 2024, while about $109 million had been spent by the end of fiscal year 2025. The report raised concerns about project sequencing and oversight. Staff said most spending was concentrated in special mobile equipment, with Motorola accounting for about two-thirds of all SERVS expenditures and the top four vendors making up 81 percent of spending. They also said a sample of Motorola payments suggested possible late payments, though they could not confirm whether interest was paid. Staff criticized the use of master agreements for a project of this size, the lack of a centralized ledger, and the absence of a documented timeline or risk mitigation plan. They recommended stronger procurement and planning requirements, including possible legislative changes requiring approved master plans for large capital projects and additional funding conditions tied to SERVS master agreements. Land acquisition and deployment progress were identified as major bottlenecks, especially in Eastern Kentucky. Staff said the project began in western Kentucky using existing tower sites, but the remaining work is concentrated in harder-to-acquire areas, with more than 95 percent of new towers still incomplete. They said the Division of Real Properties did not begin formal contract work on acquisition until October 2024, despite earlier coordination, and recommended earlier consultation on future projects. Staff also noted that the Kentucky Wireless Interoperability Executive Committee had not been active in oversight, and survey results showed limited awareness and involvement among first responders. Committee members agreed that the lack of an initial implementation plan and the continuing need for funding reflected broader planning problems, and they discussed the need for a clearer end-to-end game plan rather than continuing to fund the project without a defined completion path.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have four semester modules: construction exploration, basic grade and construction math, equipment
• <00:59:57.280> industry inand with construction industry inand with construction industry
• <01:01:24.680> industry construction industry construction industry BC<01:01:27.200> also
• <01:01:34.119> tomorrow<01:01:35.079> construct<01:01:35.480> tomorrow construct
• tomorrow construct tomorrow construct tomorrow construct tomorrow was<01:01:35.960> founded<01

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We actually started construction two weeks ago on the I-4 initiative.
• It's under construction. It's actually ahead of schedule.
• And they're number three in automobile... ...to construct and erode, and certainly construct it on time
• And on their number three, automobile airport. to construct and erode and certainly construct it on time
• The process at the MPO-TPO level differs for, Construction.

Summary: The Transportation and Economic Development Budget Subcommittee heard an overview from FDOT Secretary Jared Perdue on the state’s transportation work program, with emphasis on the Moving Florida Forward initiative, major roadway projects, workforce needs, seaports, airports, spaceport infrastructure, and the role of MPOs/TPOs in planning. He said the $4 billion general revenue investment in Moving Florida Forward has been leveraged into a roughly $7 billion-plus program, with 20 projects underway and about 70% of the initiative expected to be under construction by year’s end. He highlighted I-4 as the centerpiece, describing a new procurement approach, phased delivery, and added lanes intended to provide congestion relief during construction. He also discussed a projected 38% growth in transportation workforce needs and proposed a Florida Transportation Academy and a research institute to support training and innovation. Tiffany King of the Florida Airports Council said Florida’s 128 public-use airports have about $5.7 billion in unfunded projects through 2029, and stressed that airport priorities include not only terminals and passenger capacity but also safety, security, gates, and environmental work. Michael Rubin of the Florida Ports Council said Florida’s 16 deepwater seaports now have a $195.9 billion economic impact, support about 1.2 million jobs, and generate $7.4 billion in state and local taxes; he noted that ports still have about $4 billion in project needs, including dredging and intermodal connections. Jeff Sheffield of the North Florida TPO described the value of regional, community-based planning and said his four-county TPO has helped align local priorities with FDOT funding. Members asked about whether the state is planning for advanced air mobility and “flying cars,” whether Moving Florida Forward bypassed MPOs, how long major projects take, cost escalation, regionalization of MPOs, port governance, airport governance, and the contractor qualification system. FDOT and the witnesses said the state is working on policy and planning for advanced air mobility, that Moving Florida Forward did not bypass MPOs because the projects were already locally prioritized, and that the main delay is funding rather than the planning process. They said long-range plans are updated regularly and can be amended when priorities change, and that regional MPO structures can improve coordination. The committee took no formal vote; the meeting concluded after questions and comments, including discussion of workforce training opportunities for incarcerated individuals and a motion to adjourn by the ranking member.

Transcript Highlights:

• permits that don't involve construction permits that don't involve construction uh<00:09:36.000>
• So again, I mentioned separating construction and operating permits.
• flexibility and allow those construction flexibility and allow those construction projects<00:42
• <01:36:05.600> most the district for our construction most the district for our construction
• landscapes and then we have construction landscapes and then we have construction permits<01:58:

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• And then, $1.5 million for construction, acquisition, improvement, and equipping of Miracle Field. upon
• And that authorizes the city of Sauk Centre for construction of Trunk Highway 71.
• And that's to finance $18 million construction of a new indoor athletic facility.
• of a new indoor athletic construction of a new indoor athletic facility.<00:10:24.000> Uh<00:
• <00:11:07.480> of obviously for the construction of obviously for the construction of ambulance

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And we want to do the same thing in the construction industry.
• industry's<00:02:36.640> suicide CDC, the construction industry's suicide CDC, the construction
• And, um, you're right, the construction And, um, you're right, the construction industry<00:03:07.440
• <00:03:20.120> industry um, folks in the construction industry um, folks in the construction
• So, I'm in the construction industry.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• contractor test for construction contractor test for construction industry<00:03:15.200> which
• that by comparing construction that by comparing construction employment<00:15:46.279> statistics
• <00:48:50.280> industry<00:48:50.640> the the construction industry the the construction
• :24:56.840> construction<01:24:57.520> employment their employees construction employment
• associates degree in Construction associates degree in Construction Technologies<01:29:20.639>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We're looking at two years before we can get it to construction.
• But if the legislature appropriates construction funding for a project that's not constructed, the agency
• is working as quickly as possible to get it construction ready.
• The construction zone, 90 miles an hour, right?
• And so, Joey, this is the construction schedule for FY27.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, it is 10% complete construction.
• 08.240> work<00:45:08.640> has construction.
• Uh foundation work has construction.
• And that's the end of our capital construction update.
• If you'all have any construction update.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Interim Joint Budget Review Subcommittee on Justice and Judiciary met without a quorum and heard an update from the Administrative Office of the Courts on the judicial branch budget. AOC Director Zach Ramsey and budget director Carol Henderson outlined the branch’s current funding structure, noting that fiscal year 2026 general fund support is about 2.77% of the state general fund, below the National Center for State Courts’ typical 2% to 4% range. They emphasized Kentucky’s unusual responsibility for courthouse facilities, with the judicial branch directly involved in construction, maintenance, and operations across 229 facilities in all 120 counties. AOC said nearly 91% of its general fund is spent on personnel and other non-discretionary costs, and that the branch has long relied on agency revenue, restricted fund carryforwards, and vacancy credits to balance court operations. Members were told that Senate Bill 25 required a $34.5 million transfer into a reserve account, part of which was used to purchase the Chamberlain Avenue building in Frankfort. AOC reported that only $11.9 million remains in restricted funds, while it projects needing about $13.5 million to cover fiscal year 2026 obligations, not including roughly $9 million in flood-related remediation costs for Hardin and Franklin counties, much of which it expects to recover through insurance and FEMA. Looking ahead to the next biennium, AOC said it will seek full funding of court operations at $341 million annually, a $13.5 million increase to bring current services into the base appropriation rather than relying on reserves. It also previewed additional requests, including a 15% across-the-board pay parity plan for Kentucky Court of Justice personnel, replacement of declining master commissioner fee revenue tied to 141 deputy circuit court clerk positions, funding for technology subscription and case management system costs, JAV audiovisual system upgrades, AEDs and medical kits for courthouses, and other staffing and operational needs. Senator Funky Frommeyer asked whether the 15% salary proposal was included in the $13.5 million increase; AOC said it was not, and that it would be an additional request. No votes or formal actions were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:37:19.240> uh Um we are in phase D construction uh Um we are in phase D construction uh
• This is a construction management job.
• construction manager selection is construction manager selection is ongoing.<00:40:45.760> We<
• , construction manager, and Architect, construction manager, and financial<00:40:55.680> advisor
• <00:48:24.600> is occupy while the construction is occupy while the construction is ongoing

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Budget Review Subcommittee on Justice and Judiciary received an update from the Administrative Office of the Courts on implementation of House Bill 504, the judicial branch budget, and court facility projects. AOC leaders said they do not anticipate problems balancing the outgoing biennium or fiscal year 2026, and explained that the budget changes were driven by the need to reduce costs while preserving required constitutional, court-rule, and statutory services. They also said the new filing fee increases authorized by HB 504 took effect that day and are expected to generate up to $5 million, while the reorganization is projected to save about $3 million in general fund dollars. The bulk of the presentation focused on a major reorganization of the Office of Statewide Programs, which includes specialty courts, family and juvenile services, and pretrial services. AOC said the plan eliminates 170 positions and creates 109 new ones, mainly by reducing middle-management layers, expanding regional service delivery, and cross-training staff. Officials said 110 employees had already been offered or accepted placements, 24 had chosen voluntary separation, and the final number of employees leaving remains fluid until the process concludes around August 1. They emphasized that specialty court programs were not eliminated, but state-funded treatment court contracts and behavioral health liaison positions were removed, with treatment costs shifted to Medicaid or participants where appropriate. Members asked about the process, staffing impacts, specialty court participation, juvenile services, and how AOC will monitor the changes. AOC said the reorganization was developed by leadership, HR, and legal staff under direction of the Chief Justice and approved by the Supreme Court, and that it is intended to improve efficiency and frontline support rather than reduce services. They said specialty court participant levels are being watched closely, that CDW services will continue to use outside providers for programming, and that the agency will keep judges and stakeholders informed as the new structure goes into effect. No votes were taken, and the committee did not approve minutes because a quorum was not present.

Transcript Highlights:

• facilities with new construction. Mr. facilities with new construction. Mr.
• And our aging campus is in very much need of these types of new construction.
• . construction. construction.
• [snorts] Maze construct a new maze hall.
• They will be construction engineering, construction management, engineering, physics, and some other,

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The House Budget Review Subcommittee on Postsecondary Education met to hear from Morehead State University President Jay Morgan, who outlined the university’s budget and capital priorities. He described Morehead as a Kentucky-serving, largely low-income student institution with an aging campus, and said the university’s long-term plan is to renovate existing facilities, decommission older buildings, and replace outdated space with more efficient construction. He thanked the General Assembly for prior support, especially asset preservation funding, fire and tornado insurance premium support, and a prior university inflationary adjustment. On the operating side, Morgan asked that insurance premium support continue, that the earlier inflationary adjustment roll forward, and that the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education’s request for a minimum distribution in the performance funding formula be supported. He noted Morehead has received little or no performance funding in recent years and said that if no additional formula funds are added, the university would prefer a line-item appropriation. On the capital side, he requested continued asset preservation funding and outlined several construction priorities: a new applied science building, a new agriculture science building, a new space science technology building, and a cost-share replacement for the aging Maze Hall residence hall, with the state covering $10 million of a $20 million project and Morehead matching the rest. Morgan also discussed the Craft Academy, saying the current appropriation supports 200 students and that the university would like to increase the line item to expand enrollment by about 20 students. In response to questions from Chairman Tipton, he said Morehead had previously explored but ultimately rejected a public-private partnership model for housing, preferring to own and control its residence halls to keep housing costs manageable for students. He also explained that the land surveying courses in the applied science proposal are a popular part of related programs and that Morehead’s space science program is a major research-and-contracts-driven operation with about 250 students, federal and private research ties, and graduates working both in Kentucky and elsewhere. The committee then approved the prior meeting minutes and discussed that upcoming postsecondary budget meetings would continue over the next several weeks to gather input on the new budget process.

Transcript Highlights:

• never been constructed? never been constructed?
• The impact during<00:04:03.360> construction, during construction, during construction, the<00
• construction and redeveloped buildings. construction and redeveloped buildings.
• These are construction jobs.
• . construction. construction.

Bills: HF4912, HF4664

Keywords: electronic pull-tabs, pull-tabs, tipboards, gambling tax, Minnesota Racing Commission, Thoroughbred, horse racing, Minnesota-bred horses, breeders, owners, racing purses, industry subsidy, gambling revenue dedication, problem gambling, compulsive gambling treatment, general fund appropriation, state affiliate National Council on Problem Gambling, racing incentives, equine industry, public officers

Transcript Highlights:

• It's new road construction down Santa Teresa.
• The construction costs for that is $45.2 million.
• That is a... total construction cost of $27.3 million.
• It is a construction cost of $20 million.
• And then you'll see here the centerline miles, construction crews, construction offices, great footprint

Transcript Highlights:

• If you of construction at our office.
• then we'll run through the construction then we'll run through the construction bill<00:26:44.640
• , the $59 million is in for construction, the $59 million is in the<00:32:25.519> construction
• <00:37:10.320> projects much all of our construction projects much all of our construction
• Uh, next we have the construction bill. Do we have a motion on the construction bill? >> Okay.

Keywords: 916, all