Transcript Highlights:

• qualify as classroom teachers because if you think about a school, you know, it does not include support staff
• Does not include support staff, so we have about 55,000 certified staff, about 40,000 support staff.
• It does include support staff, I mean, you know, of course it doesn't include the principals and assistant

Bills: SB45 , SB73 , SB169 , HB243 , SB177

Committee: House Fiscal Responsibility

Keywords: athlete agents, commission, state regulation, Alabama, higher education, athletics, membership diversity, catastrophe savings account, catastrophe fund, storm savings, disaster savings, hurricane, windstorm, floodwaters, hail, tornado, property insurance, homeowners insurance, insurance deductible, FORTIFIED

Transcript Highlights:

• I'd like to introduce my staff and appreciate the work that they do this year and all the things that's
• It is composed of about 1,500 state legislators from all 50 states, bipartisan, and about 20 staff.
• bipartisan<00:03:36.000><c> uh</c><00:03:36.360><c> about</c><00:03:36.560><c> 20</c><00:03:37.000><c> staff
• </c><00:03:37.400><c> and</c><00:03:37.560><c> we're</c> bipartisan uh about 20 staff and we're bipartisan
• uh about 20 staff and we're fortunate<00:03:38.159><c> today</c><00:03:38.360><c> to</c><00:03:38.560

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We pray for all the support staff and their families, for I know that the life for these representatives
• We pray for all the support staff and their families, for I know that the life for these representatives
• > those hard days we pray for all the those hard days we pray for all the support<00:03:09.519><c> staff
• c> their</c><00:03:10.760><c> families</c><00:03:11.760><c> for</c><00:03:11.959><c> I</c> support staff
• and their families for I support staff and their families for I know<00:03:12.280><c> that</c><00:03

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• It also does not require notice to parents or even other staff or faculty when a staff member or other
• It also does not require notice to parents or even other staff or faculty when a staff member or other
• It also does not require notice to parents or even other staff or faculty when a staff member or other
• I'm not totally sure nonpartisan staff.
• </c> Minnesota students and staff. Minnesota students and staff.

Bills: HF3409 , HF3487 , HF3401

Committee: House Education Policy

Keywords: immigration status, undocumented students, immigrant rights, K-12 education, public school enrollment, Plyler v. Doe, school district, charter school, cooperative unit, law enforcement access, ICE, immigration enforcement, civil lawsuit, private right of action, injunctive relief, mandamus, student records, directory information, parental engagement, equal access to education

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> address remaining uh patient and staff address remaining uh patient and staff building<00:09:53.600
• So, let me go back and check with staff. I just built a brand new pool.
• So, let me go back and check with staff. I just built a brand new pool.
• I just built a and check with staff.
• Um DOC is the staff and inmates there.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:00:05 Approval of Minutes 00:01:48 Welcome New Members 00:02:03 Information Items 00:02:35 Review of Executive Branch Agency Plans 00:03:33 A. Cabinet for Health and Family Services 00:04:00 B. Kentucky Department of Education 00:17:03 C. Education and Labor Cabinet 00:29:33 D. Energy and Environment Cabinet 00:42:38 E. Finance and Administration Cabinet 0:53:30 F. Justice and Public Safety Cabinet 01:13:28 G. Personnel Cabinet 01:31:04 H. School Facilities Construction Commission 01:41:39, 958, all

Summary: The meeting was the first of the year for the Capital Planning Advisory Board. Members were called, a quorum was confirmed, new co-chairs and members were welcomed, and the board approved the prior year’s meeting minutes. The chair also reviewed the capital planning timeline, packet organization, and the list of agencies that submitted plans but would not testify. The Cabinet for Health and Family Services presented first, outlining priorities centered on public safety, protecting existing infrastructure, preventive maintenance, and improving service delivery. Its major requests included a $21 million maintenance pool for 14 campuses and 175 buildings, phase 2 construction funding for a new public health laboratory, an 18-bed psychiatric hospital for children and adolescents with severe mental health needs, and several projects at Western State Hospital, Western State Nursing Facility, Hazlewood, and Oakwood. Members asked about the youth facility’s relationship to a separate DJJ project, vacant buildings, the high per-bed cost of the children’s hospital, and how the cabinet determined the need for the youth facility. CHFS said the youth project would be a separate facility serving high-acuity youth, the cost reflected the specialized nature of the unit and an 18-bed cap, and the broader youth plan also includes prevention, in-home services, and coordination across agencies. The Kentucky Department of Education then described projects for its three state-operated facilities: the Kentucky School for the Deaf, the Kentucky School for the Blind, and the FFA leadership training center. It requested additional funding for the FFA classroom and activity building after bids came in higher than expected, plus funding for a new education finance application system to support SEEK budgeting. Other priorities included a maintenance pool, FFA pool renovation, electrical upgrades, campus education enhancements, lighting improvements, safety and security work, door and window replacements, and HVAC maintenance. Members asked about student outcomes, the size of the FFA pool, and construction cost assumptions; the department said it tracks students through the schools and short-course programs, the pool size figure may have been a typo, and current construction estimates are being adjusted upward because of inflation and supply-chain pressures. The Education and Labor Cabinet began its presentation with 12 priority projects, including a state labor exchange system to connect job seekers and employers, renovation of the McDow Vocational Rehabilitation Center, and a new adult education and family literacy management information system. The cabinet said the labor exchange would help match workers with employers at no cost, while the McDow renovation was needed because the 30-year-old facility has safety and code concerns. The adult education system was described as outdated and lacking adequate case-management and tracking capabilities.

Transcript Highlights:

• For dentistry, it's just additional funding for staff.
• </c><00:42:32.240><c> For</c> additional funding for staff. For additional funding for staff.
• Dietetics and nutrition practice staff.
• The board of PMP and for staff.
• maintenance,</c> expenses for staff, maintenance, expenses for staff, maintenance, electronic<01:28:38.320

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> just 2% of our budget is spent on staff just 2% of our budget is spent on staff and<00:05:14.320
• Since we discovered the error, DHS staff took immediate action to diagnose the problem and fix it in
• </c><00:21:51.440><c> it</c> part of the department um staff it part of the department um staff it happened
• The speaker said the staff came forward, identified it, and quickly came forward.
• </c><01:15:10.920><c> um</c> use a um our Pharmacy benefit staff um use a um our Pharmacy benefit staff

Committee: House Human Services Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• are left to and even dhs's own staff are left to interpret<00:10:09.560><c> the</c><00:10:09.720><c>
• </c> apartment and have access to 24/7 staff apartment and have access to 24/7 staff and<00:14:26.920
• All the staff is nodding like, yes.
• um if this goes forward because of Staff um if this goes forward because it's<01:08:56.839><c> been<
• Berson said that, of county staff bandwidth, single-family homes are scattered site.

Committee: Senate Human Services

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It should be one administrator, two admin staff, and five investigators. You run the lab?
• I have the Chief of Staff of the Hawaiʻi National Guard, Colonel Ronald Hogston; the Director of Staff
• L, and he brought with him a new staff member. He is the economist.
• L, and he brought with him a new staff member. He is the economist. Anyone else from AD?
• </c><01:42:54.800><c> that</c><01:42:54.960><c> have</c> our own staff that have our own staff that have

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard budget testimony first from the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Director Tommy Johnson outlined short-term goals to reduce overcrowding, improve living and working conditions, fill vacancies, expand mental health services, and update the correctional master plan. He said the department is still dealing with severe overcrowding at facilities such as OCCC and HCCC, with 947 people at OCCC against a design capacity of 628, and noted 938 inmates are currently housed on the mainland because of temporary repairs at Halawa. He also reported progress on staffing, saying the correctional officer vacancy rate has dropped from 34.3% to 24% through expanded recruitment. The department’s major budget request was $30 million for planning and design for a new Old Triple C project, along with other requests for re-entry services, identification documents, security systems, radios, sink-toilet modules, and trauma-informed care. Members asked about the timing and scope of the OCCC project, courtroom space in new facilities, and the department’s plan to use the funding to improve re-entry and reduce recidivism. The committee then heard from the Department of Law Enforcement on a wide range of priorities. The department described requests to expand agricultural crime enforcement, traffic enforcement, illegal fireworks enforcement, and facilities such as a police building at the DKI airport, a state training center, and new police facilities in central and Leeward Oahu. It also discussed a major IT request for a statewide law enforcement and critical infrastructure notification platform, plus funding for grants management, the Wahiawa Civic Center and court complex, the prescription monitoring program, narcotics enforcement operations, and the narcotics lab. A significant portion of the discussion focused on a proposed traffic enforcement program for commercial vehicle inspections, speeding, and DUI enforcement, which the department said would be funded with federal dollars and would operate concurrently with county police. Committee members questioned whether the effort duplicated county jurisdiction and how the program would be trained and staffed. Members also pressed the department on salary disparities for deputy sheriffs and related vacancies, and the department said the administration was working on a supplemental agreement and placeholder funding to address the issue. Additional discussion covered agricultural crime staffing, the Silver Alert program, and expansion of the forensic lab to handle explosives, firearms, and related evidence. No votes were taken in the portion provided, and the meeting moved from the corrections presentation to the law enforcement budget review with questions and answers throughout.

Transcript Highlights:

• We currently have no auditing staff, so we would need to hire up for that.
• or hiring new staff.
• Unfortunately we weren't able to, um, do this with existing staff and we, we don't have auditors on staff
• The professional sport support and administrative staff.
• Has grown relative to the teaching staff, so their productivity has declined.

Committee: House Delivery of Government Efficiency

Transcript Highlights:

• Madam Chair, senators and staff.
• A lot of the faculty and staff. We've had a few board meetings already. It's a virus school.
• We well invest in staff and programs that align with today's job market trends.
• able to retain and good professors and staff members.
• Madam Chair, senators and staff.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• been raised by staff that I would hope you would address.
• analysis of these bills and there's a number of concerns that have been raised by staff that i would
• . ...huge amount of uncertainty that creates problems with us being able to hire and retain staff.
• Chair, can we just give staff bills that we missed, or do we have to announce them on the record?
• Chair, can we just give staff bills that we missed or do we have to announce on the record?

Committee: Senate Community Affairs

Summary: The committee took up several claims bills and tax-related measures. It reported favorably SB 20, providing $400,000 in relief to J.N., a minor injured on a Hillsborough County sidewalk, and SB 14, providing $1.7 million to the estate of Pineal Januier after a drowning at a Miami Beach youth center pool. It also approved SB 674, which would let property appraisers, like tax collectors, budget for hiring and retention bonuses with Department of Revenue approval. In each claims bill, the sponsor described the underlying incident, the settlement amount, and the remaining payment sought under sovereign immunity limits; there was no opposition on the claims bills. The bonus bill drew support from property appraisers who said it would help them compete for specialized staff without requiring new appropriations. The committee then considered SJR 1510 and its implementing bill, which would create a new homestead-like property tax benefit for owners who lease a non-homestead property for more than six months as residential rental housing. Supporters said it was intended to encourage more affordable rental housing by extending a $50,000 exemption and Save Our Homes-style assessment cap to qualifying properties. County and city representatives, the Florida League of Cities, and the Florida Association of Counties opposed the proposal, warning of major revenue losses, reduced public safety funding, and tax shifts to other property owners and businesses. Several senators also raised concerns about density, parking, and whether landlords would actually pass savings on to renters. Despite the opposition, both the constitutional amendment and the implementing bill were reported favorably. The committee also approved CS for CS SB 268, as amended to include congressional members, creating a public-records exemption related to certain residential information for elected officials. The First Amendment Foundation opposed it, arguing the bill lacked a sufficient public purpose and could hinder transparency, while senators supporting it cited real threats and harassment against themselves and their families. SB 100, which bans government display of flags representing political viewpoints and allows active or retired military members to use reasonable force to stop desecration of the U.S. flag, also passed after extensive debate. Opponents argued it was vague, unconstitutional, and aimed at pride and other identity-related flags; supporters said government buildings should not display political messages and that the bill protects neutrality. Finally, the committee approved CS/SB 1664, which would require voter reapproval every eight years for local discretionary taxes such as tourist development taxes and local option taxes, with exceptions for pledged bond revenues. Cities, counties, tourism groups, and the restaurant/lodging industry opposed it, saying it would create uncertainty, threaten tourism and infrastructure funding, and complicate long-term planning; Senator Sharief and others said the measure would disrupt existing surtax-backed projects and revenue streams.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so we do feel that this would also be an efficiency for staff time as well.
• It’ll ease a lot of burden on our already overworked election staff and still allow the third parties
• It’ll ease a lot of burden on our already overworked election staff and still allow the third parties
• We're trying to eliminate wasted staff time.
• We're trying to eliminate wasted staff time.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• He says there have been several incidents where staff ACOs were attacked, including nurses.
• ><00:20:15.320><c> had</c> had several incidences where we had had several incidences where we had staff
• acos attacked including uh nurses staff acos attacked including uh nurses we<00:20:19.159><c> had</c
• safe we completely agree with that staff safe we completely agree with that and<00:21:30.840><c> I</
• </c> racial diversity among the staff racial diversity among the staff positive<00:23:14.320><c> incentives

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs met on January 29, 2025, and first took up deferred SB 259 on record keeping. The chair said Honu Police Department had submitted support, and the committee recommended passage with amendments, including a technical change to the effective date on page 4, line 6 to July 1, 2077. Vice Chair Elefante voted yes; Senators Fevella and Rhoads were excused; the recommendation was adopted. The committee then heard SB 603 and SB 608, both relating to veterans benefits consulting and compensation. The Attorney General’s office recommended amendments to address First Amendment, Contracts Clause, and savings-clause issues, and testimony was mixed, with several supporters from veterans-related organizations and several opponents, including some testifiers from the public and industry groups. The committee later adopted chair recommendations to pass both bills with amendments, including preambles about protecting veteran consumers from misleading or unfair practices, savings clauses, and effective-date changes to July 1, 2077. SB 601, relating to law enforcement search notices and securing entrances, drew support from the Office of the Public Defender and a private citizen who described the bill as a response to warrantless searches and a transparency measure; there was also opposition from Maui County police and one other testifier. The committee then moved to SB 871 on arson, where the Department of the Attorney General raised drafting and constitutional concerns and the Public Defender opposed the measure as vague, overbroad, and creating problematic sentencing provisions, while HPD supported it as a public-safety tool. The chair ultimately recommended SB 871 pass with amendments softening mandatory language, adding parole language, and changing the effective date to July 1, 2077; the recommendation was adopted. The final measures were SB 1130, exempting certain construction rebuilding materials from general excise tax in federally declared disaster areas, and SB 104, restricting solitary confinement in correctional facilities. The Department of Taxation requested third-party certification and a later effective date, and the committee adopted amendments reflecting those requests and moving the effective date to January 1, 2026. On SB 104, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation opposed the bill, citing staff assaults and existing policy updates, while the Oversight Commission, Public Defender, and multiple advocates supported it as a safeguard with oversight and due process protections. The committee passed SB 104 with amendments, including adopting the commission’s definition language, changing terminology to “restrictive housing,” and setting the effective date to July 1, 2077.

Transcript Highlights:

• What our staff came up with would get us back to that historic high watermark.
• You'll see they have personnel, staff, and other people that are involved in that.
• Are those staff funded out of non-recurring or recurring?
• We have the consensus staff reports that we all have on the agenda.
• These are staff reports or consensus reports. I'll let Dr. Courtney explain it.

Committee: House House Appropriations & Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• for the staff time, which is incorporated into the second-to-last column of cost, including staff time
• Most of those folks were my staff uploading the reports.
• My staff is small. The staff is small.
• Yes, my staff does this. So they're physical.
• Three months of staff time, I can't even imagine, and I know, Shelly, I know, and you have the best staff

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The subcommittee of the Tax Reform and Relief Committee met with a quorum to begin its study of whether the content of North Dakota real estate tax statements should be revised to improve transparency. Legislative Council staff reviewed the background for the study, including House Bill 1176, current statutory requirements for tax statements, and recent changes such as separate line items for bonded debt, primary residence credit, and legacy fund-related amounts. The Tax Department then explained the current statement format and noted that the form is prescribed and approved by the tax commissioner, with changes typically driven by statute and implemented collaboratively with counties and vendors. County officials from the North Dakota Association of Counties described the full annual process for preparing budgets, setting levies, calculating taxable values, and issuing notices and tax statements. They said counties spend significant time coordinating with taxing districts, neighboring counties, and software vendors, and that the new budget hearing notices and valuation notices have not generated much public response. Members raised concerns about the usefulness and clarity of certain line items, especially the legislative tax relief calculation and the primary residence credit, and discussed whether the current statement creates confusion rather than transparency. Testimony also addressed the 3% cap, mill levy worksheets, assessment cycles, and the role of county auditors and tax directors in maintaining accurate values. The committee also heard from software vendors CPT and Tyler Technologies about how legislative changes are programmed into tax systems and how online taxpayer portals can provide more detailed breakdowns of tax bills. Vendors said changes required by law are generally absorbed in contracts rather than billed directly to counties, and they demonstrated web tools and pie-chart style breakdowns that show where tax dollars go. NDACO presented a survey of eight counties estimating tax statement preparation and mailing costs, concluding that outsourced printing tends to be cheaper on average and that total statewide tax statement costs may be roughly $600,000, though the estimate was based on limited data. No votes were taken; the meeting was informational and focused on gathering testimony and identifying issues for possible future recommendations or bill drafts.

Transcript Highlights:

• It would be the halfway house or Recovery Kentucky staff or possibly if they're on probation or parole
• &gt;&gt; It would be the halfway house or recovery<00:05:20.560><c> Kentucky</c><00:05:20.880><c> staff
• or possibly if recovery Kentucky staff or possibly if they're<00:05:22.639><c> on</c><00:05:23.199><
• Um, I'm now a part of a ministry that I'm staff at, me and my two brothers.
• at, me and my two that I'm staff at, me and my two brothers.<00:21:53.440><c> And</c><00:21:54.720><

Keywords: Call to Order 00:17 Department of Corrections 01:35 Community Transitional Services 06:47 Administrative Office of the Courts 23:06 Department of Criminal Justice Training/ KSP 45:49 Adjournment 59:14, 958, all

Summary: The Public Safety and Judiciary Committee met without a quorum, so approval of the January 3, January 20, and February 3 minutes was postponed. The committee then heard an update from the Department of Corrections on halfway house and Recovery Kentucky funding and operations. Deputy Commissioner Hillary Daily said DOC contracts for up to 1,752 halfway house beds and 780 Recovery Kentucky beds, with 16 halfway houses and 13 Recovery Kentucky centers statewide. She reported 6,329 admissions in fiscal year 2025, average daily populations of 1,041 in halfway houses and 494 in Recovery Kentucky, and explained that Recovery Kentucky placements are more restrictive, generally excluding violent and sex offenders, while halfway houses serve probationers, parolees, and sex offenders who need treatment. She also described programming such as MRT, parenting, adult basic education, and trauma-focused services, and said some facilities offer supervised visitation. Daily said no new funding request was included in the current budget, though DOC has sought rate increases in prior cycles. Community Transitional Services director Barbara Stum also testified in support of halfway houses as re-entry and substance abuse treatment centers. She said CTS primarily serves men coming out of prison or returning to prison who need treatment, and that halfway houses provide security, accountability, treatment, employment support, and help with home placement. Stum said the state moved substance abuse treatment into the community in 2010 to avoid sending people back to prison for treatment, and argued halfway houses are the least expensive form of incarceration. She cited daily rates of $33.61 for CTS beds and DOC figures of $37.33 to $44.33 per day, compared with higher prison and jail costs, and said reimbursement has not kept pace with inflation since the last increase in 2019. She said staffing and supplies are the main pressure points, with counselor pay below market rates, and noted two counselor vacancies. A former resident, Michael Bird, testified that CTS helped him recover and re-enter the community successfully. The committee also received an update from the Administrative Office of the Courts on implementation of the video arraignment/video conferencing system. AOC officials Zach Ramsey and Charles Buyers said the system is now fully implemented in all courtrooms and is used for video arraignments and other Zoom-based court proceedings. Buyers described the pandemic-era transition from older, inconsistent equipment to improvised laptop/webcam setups, then to a more integrated vendor-supported system with touchscreen controls and a judicial support specialist position for training and operation. He said 324 courtrooms are already up to the current standard, with 128 remaining on an older bundle, and that there are no technical barriers to continued use. AOC said it is seeking $3.8 million in recurring annual funding to keep the systems upgraded and current, and plans to upgrade 46 systems in fiscal year 2026 across 15 counties.

Transcript Highlights:

• So our staff is not very big, 18 people. I'm the director. So our staff is not very big, 18 people.
• We have three staff out there and a seasonal.
• We had two staff people on campus still. we have many, many years.
• We have three staff out there and a seasonal.
• So they're at least going to take English 9 with us and our staff.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The committee first reviewed the 2024-25 tuition waiver report for the North Dakota University System. Staff explained that waivers were reported for degree-seeking students and broken out by residency, institution, and waiver type. Members asked about partial versus full waivers, institutional discretion, athletic waivers, and whether campuses have published guardrails or transparency requirements. Staff said most waivers are set by institutions, with some statutory and board-required categories, and that athletic waivers are a small share of total waiver dollars. The report showed total gross tuition of $354.5 million, tuition waived of $38.9 million, and 11,193 of 42,040 students receiving some waiver. Members also discussed how waivers affect net tuition revenue, housing and food collections, and whether campuses are using waivers strategically compared with scholarships and other funding sources. The committee then heard a presentation on tuition rates by campus and State Board policy. Staff explained the board’s tuition factors for resident, Minnesota reciprocity, contiguous-state/U.S. nonresident, and international students, and noted that campuses often seek exceptions based on program-specific competition and enrollment goals. Members asked whether rates are based on cost or competition, and staff said campuses typically bring forward estimates and market comparisons when requesting special rates. The presentation also reviewed general fund appropriations versus net tuition revenue by campus, and members discussed how local tuition decisions and waivers do not directly affect the state funding formula, though they do affect institutional revenue and reserves. Questions were also raised about the Higher Learning Commission’s financial composite indicator and how it differs from the more intuitive reserve and revenue figures. The committee next received a broad overview of non-higher-education entities affiliated with the State Board of Higher Education, beginning with NDSU agriculture-related units. Dr. Greg Lardy described the State Board of Agricultural Research and Education, the NDSU Extension Service, the Agricultural Experiment Station, and the branch research centers, emphasizing their statewide role in crop and livestock research, extension education, and county-based outreach. He outlined funding mixes for extension, the experiment station, and branch stations, noting that grants and contracts support both research and education, while the agronomy seed farm is self-funded through seed sales. Members asked about the new and vacant FTE pool, R1 research status, matching requirements for grants, and whether state appropriations count toward research expenditures. Dr. Lardy also highlighted major research impacts, including crop varieties, virtual fencing, AI-assisted weed control, and NDAWN weather data. The Northern Crops Institute and the Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute also presented. NCI described its role in market development, technical services, and education for regional agriculture, its governance through the Northern Crops Council, and its funding from state appropriations, other states, and earned revenue. Members asked about the source of out-of-state funding, intellectual property, and the institute’s international reach. UGPTI then outlined its transportation research, federal and state funding structure, and work on road and bridge condition assessments, travel demand modeling, and workforce training. No votes were taken during the portion of the meeting reflected in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• The staff is making those decisions.
• ,</c><00:23:18.600><c> gather</c> talk with the medical staff, gather talk with the medical staff, gather
• </c> agents in addition to our other staff agents in addition to our other staff that<00:30:07.320><c
• </c> I know that we have a governor's staff I know that we have a governor's staff member member member
• </c> says I have a note says committee staff says I have a note says committee staff plans<01:41:49.000

Keywords: Call to Order and Roll Call- 00:00:01 SERVS Informational Update- 00:01:22 Child Removal and Reunification Update: Department for Community Based Services Financials- 00:03:00 Small Business Sales Tax Websites: Department of Revenue-00:28:05 Senior Citizen Meal Programs: Department for Aging and Independent Living-00:35:50 Adjournment-01:41:57, 958, all

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes from the September 11 meeting by motion and voice vote. It then received a brief update on the statewide emergency responder voice system, but no presenter was present. The chair said he expected a more substantive update in November and warned that if there is not real progress on acquiring needed private properties, the committee may consider further action, including possibly freezing funding. The main discussion centered on the Department for Community Based Services’ child removal and reunification work and its structured decision-making tools. Commissioner Lisa Dennis and General Counsel Wesley Duke explained that the intake, safety, and risk assessment tools are being used at very high rates and that the department is still implementing and evaluating the system. Dennis said the tools are meant to inform, not replace, professional judgment; when staff disagree with a recommendation, the worker and first-line supervisor consult and decide together. Members questioned whether the system favors keeping children in the home, whether the department has studied safety outcomes for in-home cases versus removals, and whether foster home shortages affect removal decisions. Dennis said child safety remains the top priority, that the practice has not changed, and that the department would provide additional data on outcomes later. Members also asked about permanency timelines and delays in termination of parental rights cases; Dennis said federal timelines are difficult to meet because of family progress, substance use recovery, and court delays, and she confirmed foster parent shortages were not the reason for those delays. The committee then heard a presentation from the Department of Revenue on the new My Taxes portal. Staff said the portal, launched in March, replaced DOR’s portion of the old Kentucky One Stop Business Portal and now allows businesses to file and pay multiple taxes, update account information, and receive official notices. They reported the system is available 24/7 except for scheduled maintenance every other Thursday evening, has maintained over 99% availability since launch, and now has a dedicated contact center with 50 agents plus a public help line and email. In response to questions, the department said early downtime was caused by unexpectedly high traffic, but server capacity was increased and in the last three months there had been only one day of unexpected downtime.

Transcript Highlights:

• So the Speaker will take a point of personal privilege to thank the amazing staff here at the rostrum
• So again, please recognize our staff.
• At this time, staff are invited to come to the House floor for a sine die ceremony.
• At this time, staff are invited to come to the House floor for a sine die ceremony.

Summary: The House considered several end-of-session measures. House Resolution 4662 was adopted to continue House operations during the interim, including standing committee work and the Chief Clerk’s Office. House Concurrent Resolution 4404 was also adopted to return bills that had not fully passed both chambers to the highest stage reached in their house of origin, and it was immediately transmitted to the Senate. Representative Fitzgibbon and Representative Corey spoke in support of both resolutions, and both passed by voice vote. The House then received messages from the Senate indicating action on Substitute Senate Bill 5195, Substitute Senate Bill 5161, House Concurrent Resolution 4404, and Senate Concurrent Resolution 8404. The Speaker signed several measures, including engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5161 and House Concurrent Resolution 4404, and later signed Senate Concurrent Resolution 8404, engrossed Senate Bill 5194, and engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5195. The House also suspended the rules to place Senate Concurrent Resolution 8404, which adjourns the legislature sine die, on the third reading calendar. Senate Concurrent Resolution 8404 was then adopted after brief remarks from Representatives Fitzgibbon and Corey, who urged support for adjournment sine die. The resolution was immediately transmitted to the Senate. After a brief recognition of staff and approval of the journal by consent, Representative Fitzgibbon moved that the 2025 regular session of the 69th Legislature adjourn sine die, and the motion was adopted by voice vote, ending the session.