Transcript Highlights:

• That research out of our public university spawned an entire new class of life-saving medicines, including
• And over the last 30 years or so, UMass has become a world-class research university.
• And over the last 30 years or so, UMass has become a world-class research university.
• For more than 150 years, MIT has translated world-class research into real-world impact.
• each class, reducing our revenue.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee on Economic Development held a hearing on the DRIVE Act, a proposal to invest $400 million in Massachusetts research and innovation without new taxes. Governor Healey and administration officials said the bill would direct $200 million to public higher education research and regional partnerships and $200 million to a research funding pool for hospitals, universities, and other institutions, with the goal of retaining talent, leveraging private and philanthropic dollars, and offsetting major federal R&D cuts. They argued that research is a core economic engine for the state, supporting jobs across labs, construction, services, and surrounding businesses, and said the bill would help protect the Commonwealth’s tax base and competitiveness during a period of federal uncertainty and cuts to SNAP, Medicaid, and other programs. Committee members raised concerns about whether Fair Share surtax dollars should instead be used for K-12 and other community needs, whether the proposal is enough given the scale of lost federal grants, and how the money would be allocated. The governor responded that the funds are one-time surplus dollars, that most surtax revenue already supports education, and that the bill is meant as a bridge to stabilize public higher education and research. She also said the legislation includes a review board and could support a revolving or matched-fund approach in some cases. Several members pressed for more detail on selection criteria, future funding, and whether private companies and large endowments should contribute more. University of Massachusetts leaders and researchers testified that federal grant cancellations and delays are already causing layoffs, furloughs, rescinded admissions, and lost research capacity. UMass officials said the bill would help preserve faculty, postdocs, graduate students, and research programs in medicine, climate science, marine science, Braille instruction, and AI decision-making. They emphasized that the funding should be merit-based and that the state needs to act quickly to prevent talent from leaving Massachusetts. Business, labor, and industry groups, including MassBio, the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, AIM, the AFL-CIO, and Building Trades, supported the bill, saying it would protect jobs, sustain the innovation ecosystem, and reinforce Massachusetts’ national leadership in research and life sciences. No vote was taken in the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• cities of the first class are exempted. cities of the first class are exempted.
• <00:16:25.240> Um, aren't actually in the first class.
• Um, aren't actually in the first class.
• RCB is of first class are exempted.
• > class<00:52:35.040> without different than another class without different than another

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The Class One railroad has opted to utilize less trained employees to inspect the rail equipment at the
• The Class One railroad has opted to utilize less trained employees to inspect the rail equipment at the
• one railroads that operate in four class one railroads that operate in Minnesota<00:05:04.560> as
• Often times they are operating on track that was abandoned by the class ones.
• <00:37:23.800> ones and other products when the class ones and other products when the class

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:14:27.199> sizes exact time restrictions and class sizes exact time restrictions and class
• He attends every class with no questions<00:30:20.440> okay<00:30:20.679> here's<00:30:
• <00:32:32.600> with<00:32:32.760> no He attends every class with no issues.
• He participates in his classes, and he's actually making some really great friends, which is huge.
• We had so much snow a few weeks ago that the only reason we missed class is because Cloverport closed

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Senate Education Committee met with a quorum and heard first from the Washway Nicotine Youth Advocacy Group, which urged stronger enforcement of Kentucky’s Tobacco 21 law. Youth advocates described the harms of flavored vaping products, argued that nicotine use is targeting children, and called for retailer licensing, annual compliance checks, harsher penalties for illegal sales, and more funding for enforcement. Committee members praised the presentation, and one senator said he had heard a bill on licensed retailers may be coming soon. The committee then heard a lengthy presentation from Cloverport Independent School District and the Kentucky Virtual Academy about the state’s virtual school model. Superintendent Keith Haynes and principals Brandy Fagan and Sally Johnson said KYVA serves about 2,800 students, many of whom are at-risk or have health, safety, behavioral, or family reasons for choosing virtual education. They emphasized that the program uses live synchronous instruction, provides devices and materials, and offers special education and related services. They also said the school had a large wait list and that virtual programs need more flexibility in staffing ratios, scheduling, and testing windows. School leaders acknowledged criticism of KYVA’s proficiency scores and said many students entered far below grade level, with 59% not proficient in English language arts and 79% not proficient in math on recent state testing. They argued the program is too new to judge solely on one year of data and pointed to growth in MAP scores, as well as middle and high school rankings in the top half of Kentucky schools. Fagan and Johnson outlined improvement efforts, including daily interventions, small-group instruction, literacy programs, staff training, and expanded clubs and student activities. No votes or formal committee actions were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• weekend for Minnesotans and especially Minnesota hockey fans across the state, where they held the Class
• 2A and the Class 1A boys hockey tournaments.
• <00:11:38.399> they<00:11:38.560> held<00:11:38.880> the<00:11:39.120> class
• two and the uh where they held the class two and the class<00:11:40.639> one<00:11:41.399>
• one uh boys hockey tournaments I'm class one uh boys hockey tournaments I'm excited<00:11:43.800>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:25:42.720> coming would be probably our next class coming would be probably our next class
• continue to go to classes. continue to go to classes.
• <01:30:23.600> in offices, and classrooms while classes in offices, and classrooms while classes
• <01:31:29.840> online, curriculum, move classes online, curriculum, move classes online, cancelling
• ,<01:41:43.600> seek all students can attend class, seek all students can attend class, seek

Bills: HF3432, HF3411

Keywords: resident tuition, employment, higher education, Minnesota, tuition rates, state universities, immigration status, immigration, postsecondary education, privacy, data access, federal officers, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• >> Well, yes, it's a class C felony. >> And what does a class C felony do for an individual?
• >> Well, yes, it's a class C felony. >> Well, yes, it's a class C felony.
• <02:38:59.760> C section would be guilty of a class C section would be guilty of a class C
• Why did we choose a class C felony.
• >> he would have been a class C felon. >> he would have been a class C felon.

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm guessing you know a fair amount, given what's going on, but as you know, this is a class of chemicals
• We have a lot of health effects that we know are connected to this class of chemicals.
• connected to this class of chemicals. connected to this class of chemicals.
• of chemicals in there, we are class of chemicals in there, we are going<00:26:44.640> to<00:26
• of chemicals to really build this class of chemicals to really build a<00:31:56.000> profit.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The meeting was a PFAS-focused hearing of the Capital Investment Committee, with members informally discussing the scale of PFAS cleanup costs, possible Minnesota-made removal technology, and even committee birthday treats before the testimony began. No formal votes or motions were taken in the portion provided. The chair also noted the committee was waiting on a computer/cable issue before starting the presentation. The main testimony came from Sandy Wyn, co-chair of the Great Lakes PFAS Action Network, who described how PFAS contamination affected her Michigan community. She recounted that her private well tested at extremely high PFAS levels after a state visit, linked the contamination to Wolverine Worldwide’s historic dumping practices, and said the pollution spread through groundwater and municipal systems. She emphasized that PFAS are widespread in consumer products, firefighting foam, wastewater biosolids, and agriculture, and argued that the chemicals’ persistence makes them difficult to manage once released. Wyn said PFAS exposure is associated with health problems including cholesterol issues, liver and thyroid damage, kidney cancer, low birth weight, and reduced vaccine response in children. She told members she had her own blood tested, later developed thyroid cancer, and said a local child had very high PFAS levels and vaccine complications. Members asked for supporting studies, and she referenced the C8 study and other research. She urged stronger product restrictions, labeling, blood and water testing support, caution around biosolids, and continued efforts to reduce PFAS use, while acknowledging some limited uses may still be necessary in critical applications like military firefighting foam or medical devices.

Transcript Highlights:

• 02:02.600> either filled in with other other CL either filled in with other other CL either classes
• 02:04.000> time<00:02:04.680> in<00:02:04.799> order<00:02:05.079> to classes
• or clinical time in order to classes or clinical time in order to reach<00:02:05.680> to<00:02
• have a crosswalk that says, okay, if you were Air Force medic, then these are the credits or the classes
• that would count for it, and then you need the gap is this: you need these four classes and this much

Keywords: Roll Call 00:20 Discussion on HB 303 00:45 Vote on HB 303 04:41 Discussion on HB 305 05:32 Vote on HB 305 08:34, 958, all

Summary: The Senate Standing Committee on Health Services met with a quorum and heard House Bill 303 first. Representative Steve Bratcher explained that the bill would let U.S. military members with medical training transition that experience into Kentucky health-care credentials more quickly. Schools and colleges would evaluate military curricula on an individual basis, identify gaps, and allow those gaps to be filled with additional classes or clinical time before the person sits for the required exam. The bill was described as applying broadly across medical fields, not just nursing, and it would not waive testing or standards. Senators asked whether the process would compare credentials across states and whether the bill covered only U.S. military service; Bratcher said evaluations would be individualized and the bill was primarily for those who served in the U.S. military. HB 303 received an 11-0 favorable vote. The committee then took up House Bill 305, presented by Representative Ken Fleming. He said the committee substitute would expand an existing health-care workforce award program to include dietitians and physician assistants, clarify that certain EMS-related services may be owned or operated by a hospital rather than only owned by one, and provide more flexibility around licensing timelines after a certificate of need is issued by the Kentucky Board of Emergency Medical Services. After a motion and second, the committee voted unanimously to amend and pass HB 305 with favorable expression. A title amendment was also adopted unanimously. Before adjournment, the chair noted that the next regular meeting was scheduled for March 12 and warned that a special-called meeting might be needed the following Monday because of bills arriving from the House. No further business was taken up, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:52:45.240> should grade level the whole class should grade level the whole class should
• Miss Lewis. in this topic if a if you have a class in this topic if a if you have a class that's<00:53
• I just think you're—this creates ... read well in a class of students who 61% read well in a class of
• So one is that let's say we have 60% of the class that needs help in reading.
• you so if it's tier one the whole class you so if it's tier one the whole class goes<01:06:59.960

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I had to pay the fine and then take the class, which was a diversity class, which is a whole other thing
• Um, and so what happened to me is I took a class, I was taking an ethics class that was required.
• I asked a question in the class about a particular ethics situation, hypothetical situation.
• Two weeks later after the class, people called complaining and were offended by my question, so I was
• sent a letter of discipline and reprimand for asking a question in the class that pertained to 105,

Transcript Highlights:

• 3 and class 4 fires inconsistent with the law to a diameter of less than 5 inches for the summer burning
• concern about the authority<00:14:50.639> to<00:14:50.959> regulate<00:14:51.600> class
• to regulate class category 3 fires,<00:14:54.560> but<00:14:54.800> this<00:14:55.040>
• <00:17:43.840> 3<00:17:44.000> and<00:17:44.240> class<00:17:44.480> 4
• ><00:17:44.799> fires restricting class 3 and class 4 fires restricting class 3 and class 4 fires

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes from the prior meeting and adopted the consent calendar without objection. It then postponed the Board of Licensed Dieticians item until next month after granting a waiver, and also postponed the Board of Accountancy item to next month so the agency could respond. The Board of Registry and Optometry received conditional approval. Staff noted the board had addressed editorial comments, but flagged one substantive issue involving the drug formulary and whether it should be exempt from rulemaking requirements; the committee agreed to add that as a legislative suggestion for later review. The Department of Natural and Cultural Resources interim rule drew more discussion, focused on a provision regulating kindling size for Category 3 fires. Staff and committee members questioned whether the agency had authority over Category 3 fires under the statute, but agency representatives said the interim rules were needed because the prior rules had expired and forest rangers lacked enforcement authority while final rulemaking was pending. The committee ultimately granted conditional approval to interim rule 25-4, with one member voting against it over concerns about consistency with the law. The Board of Examiners’ Dental 304 rules were presented next. The agency explained that it had revised the rules to address prior committee concerns about anesthesia and sedation for children, including creating a pathway for oral surgeons and dentist anesthesiologists to obtain exemptions for under-13 patients, setting a 20-patient-every-two-years threshold for certain permits, adding pediatric minimal sedation permitting, and loosening moderate sedation rules for pediatric dentists. Members also discussed whether the rules were compatible with House Bill 470, and staff said they appeared compatible and would not require additional rulemaking. The committee then approved the dental rules, and after that it adjourned after announcing it would cancel the continued meeting and take up remaining business next month.

Transcript Highlights:

• We could have that conversation. conversation, not even a working class, middle class family, we could
• Seven kids would be in her class.
• I mean, four of the five classes, there was no control. The kids were running in the classroom.
• There was one class where the same kids were totally behaved. It just had to do with the teacher.
• They could keep the teacher. and make the classes smaller in public school if they wanted to.

Bills: HB3, HB3

Keywords: education savings account, educational expenses, certified educational assistance organization, school choice, funding, special education, tuition reimbursement, emergency communication, public safety, interoperability, Texas Interoperability Council, grant program, emergency communications, public safety radio, first responders, radio system, dispatch, 911, emergency management, Texas Division of Emergency Management

Transcript Highlights:

• And so we allow homeschool students to take coursework with us up to three classes without fees.
• My kid's been in this class for four weeks, has made friends.
• My kid's been in this class for four weeks, has made friends.
• because the students switch classes.
• And there's enough flexibility with class sizes that we can typically accommodate a family if they're

Summary: The Pre-K through 12 Budget Subcommittee met to review how Florida’s Education Finance Program (FEFP) works, receive an update from the Department of Education on the October 2024 FTE survey and third FEFP calculation, and hear from three county superintendents about forecasting enrollment and reconciling scholarship students. The chair explained that FEFP is funded by both state and local dollars, is recalculated multiple times during the year, and is now closely tied to school choice policy. Department staff said the third calculation was still being rerun but should be completed soon, and described the forecasting process as collaborative among districts, DOE, and the Education Estimating Conference. Superintendents from Polk, St. Lucie, and Hendry counties said enrollment shifts, especially students moving to Family Empowerment Scholarships, homeschooling, or private schools, make budgeting and staffing difficult. They said districts often must hold back funds to protect against midyear losses, which affects collective bargaining, staffing, transportation, and classroom organization. Several members raised concerns about duplicate counting, transparency, and whether students receiving scholarship funds can also remain in district classrooms. DOE said districts can access scholarship information through a secure portal and that scholarship funding organizations are paid quarterly, with a new process requiring certification and possible future payment adjustments to reduce duplication. The superintendents urged better real-time tracking of students through a statewide ID or student information system and suggested scholarship students should be funded separately from district FEFP calculations. Members also discussed whether more frequent or daily attendance-based calculations would improve accuracy, though some warned that daily attendance could create new problems for high-poverty districts. The committee also briefly discussed categoricals, including mental health and ESE funding, with DOE saying it evaluates programs through studies, reporting requirements, and legislative direction. No votes were taken; the meeting ended with a motion to rise and adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:33:11.199> C under assault two, which is a class C under assault two, which is a class
• <01:35:48.159> C teacher at the level of a class C teacher at the level of a class C and<01
• <01:36:29.199> D assaults a teacher and it's a class D assaults a teacher and it's a class
• a protected class." a protected class." >> I<01:44:37.520> see.
• <01:50:20.880> D assault third would exist as a class D assault third would exist as a class

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00:00 Agency Updates: 00:01:45 26RS SB 125: 00:02:10 26RS SB 101: 01:14:58, 958, all

Summary: The Juvenile Justice Oversight Council met on February 6, 2026, took roll, approved a motion to convene, and heard agency updates from materials in the packet. The council then took up Senate Bill 125 out of order because Senator Carol was present. The bill was presented as a collaborative effort focused on creating a secure, state-run high-acuity mental health facility for justice-involved youth who need specialized psychiatric care and cannot be appropriately served in detention or by private hospitals. Speakers said the facility would fill a gap in services, improve safety and treatment outcomes, and be designed with trauma-informed, medically equipped spaces rather than a jail-like setting. The presenters also outlined other parts of the bill, including a placement process in which DJJ and CHFS would evaluate youth and provide recommendations before the judge makes the final decision, with certain hospital-declination provisions to be delayed until the new facility is operating. They described payment incentives for hospitals treating high-acuity youth, confidentiality and escape-related disclosure provisions, and contracts with a public teaching university for clinical services. The proposed facility was described as a 24-bed center at Central State, with staffing to include mental health professionals and juvenile detention staff receiving enhanced training. Dr. Clark Lester said staffing needs would vary by youth and could include one-to-one supervision for some patients. The bill also addressed female juvenile detention capacity. Speakers said the number of detained girls has risen sharply since 2024, peaking at 51 in 2025, and that current facilities cannot meet the separation requirements for boys and girls or high- and low-level youth. The proposal would build two female detention centers, with possible locations discussed in central Kentucky and western Kentucky, and a third or fourth center could be added if population data show the need. Members asked about hospital placement authority, staffing, and average length of stay for girls; the presenters said the current court-order process would remain until the new facility is built and that they would provide additional data later. No vote was taken during the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Gretchen Long is here today on behalf of Tempe Leadership Class 41, the best class ever, purportedly.
• And Class 25 was pretty good too.
• Today, we are very, very, very honored to have the 2026 class of the Doty London Excellence in Public
• The three of us, Senator Bolick and Senator Rogers, were in the class too. I was in...
• SB 1628, class denial prior authorization reporting.

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, electronic roll call, and approval of the journal. Members then introduced several guests, including Doctor of the Day Dr. Kelly Arari, representatives and students from Arizona Western College, a Tempe Leadership participant, Flagstaff officials who were present to testify on a public safety bill related to detox centers, and participants in the Doty London Excellence in Public Service program. The chamber also adopted a legislative proclamation honoring Dr. Daniel P. Kor for his decade of leadership at Arizona Western College, citing record enrollment, expanded transfer and dual-enrollment opportunities, financial stability, and broader educational impact in Yuma and La Paz counties. Senators noted the college’s role in rural health-care training and referenced the planned University of Arizona regional medical campus in Yuma. In addition, the President announced a temporary committee appointment and a referral change for SB 1176. A lengthy second-reading calendar of Senate bills and one concurrent resolution was read, covering topics including taxes, education, housing, public safety, health care, elections, water, labor, and appropriations. No floor debate or votes on those measures occurred in the transcript. Committee announcements were made for the following day, and the Senate adjourned by motion to Thursday, February 5, 2026, at 11 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• and to a failure to prioritize what matters, like a great teacher in the classroom and manageable class
• So it took his full class, split it in half, put half the class in another already full class, and the
• other half in another already full class, and everybody struggled.
• this bill I support because it gets back to the basics, and that's exactly what we need to do in our class

Keywords: education funding, House Bill 5419, zero-based budgeting, public testimony, school safety, special education

Summary: State Representative Gina Hinojosa and a group of parents and education advocates testified in support of House Bill 5419, a zero-based budgeting proposal aimed at reviewing Texas Education Agency spending and redirecting more public education dollars to classrooms. Hinojosa argued that public schools are being weakened by chronic underfunding, teacher shortages, delayed special education services, and inadequate school safety funding, and said the bill would help cut bureaucracy, vendor contracts, and other non-classroom spending in favor of teacher pay, safety, and special education. Several witnesses, including self-identified Republicans and former GOP officials, backed the bill as a good-government measure and said they were crossing party lines because public schools need more direct investment. They criticized TEA growth, vendor contracts, public-private partnerships, and what they described as unfunded mandates from the state, including school safety requirements. One witness said rural districts are being forced into four-day school weeks, while others cited campus closures, deferred maintenance, and local tax increases tied to state funding shortfalls and recapture payments. The discussion also focused on the need for a systematic review of TEA spending and the lack of a sunset review for the agency since before 2005. Hinojosa and others said increasing the basic allotment would help districts, reduce recapture pressures, and prevent local tax hikes. The exchange was primarily a public hearing and advocacy session; no vote or formal committee action was described in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• Services slow down, advising hours get shortened, classes change unexpectedly or disappear completely
• It's not possible to go to class... ...our students.
• As you know, at a community college, the classes are smaller. They're significantly smaller.
• The classes are more affordable.
• are doing or what support they could provide to make the class more manageable.

Summary: The committee held a work session on the state of Washington’s community and technical college system with State Board executive director Nate Humphrey and Tacoma Community College president Ivan Harrell. They described the system’s open-access mission, 34 colleges serving more than 307,000 students, relatively low tuition, enrollment growth over 12 consecutive quarters, and strong outcomes such as more than 46,000 credentials awarded last year. They also highlighted system initiatives including guided pathways, I-BEST, dual enrollment, tribal partnerships, a new program search tool, and six colleges named Aspen Prize finalists. At the same time, they emphasized major challenges: high rates of student food, housing, and homelessness insecurity; sharply rising emergency aid requests; and federal funding disruptions affecting TANF, BFET, adult basic education, Carl Perkins, NOAA-related tribal work, and several federal grants. Members asked about SNAP impacts, declining high school graduates, and how BFET and TANF interact with other aid programs. The presenters also discussed system priorities such as AI, Workforce Pell, capital planning, nursing accreditation alignment, and the Washington College Grant. The committee then heard testimony from AFT Washington and the Washington Association of Higher Education on faculty and staff conditions in the community and technical college system. Jackie Kane and Suzanne Sutherland argued that classified staff, professional staff, and contingent faculty are essential to student success but face low pay, instability, and weak retention, and they urged lawmakers to protect existing funding and avoid further cuts. They said working conditions for faculty and staff are student learning conditions, and that underfunding leads to reduced services, shortened advising, and program instability. Marina Parr of the Workforce Board presented on federal H.R. 1’s new Workforce Pell provisions and the updated Career Bridge website. She explained that Workforce Pell would allow federal aid for short-term training programs of 8 to 15 weeks, with high completion, employment, and earnings thresholds and a requirement that credentials be stackable and portable. She said Washington is well positioned to implement the program because of its existing eligible training provider evaluation system and Career Bridge, which now has a redesigned public portal, digital portfolios, multilingual access, and performance data on programs. Members asked about rulemaking, possible gaps in state services, and how the wage and completion standards would be applied. The Washington Student Achievement Council then briefed the committee on the new Washington Completes FAFSA campaign created by executive order. Staff described an advisory board with statewide representation, a pilot that used microgrants and other supports at 25 priority schools, and a new goal of 46,000 FAFSA or WASFA completions this year. They reported that completion rates were tracking slightly ahead of last year, with 24% of high school seniors having completed a FAFSA by the end of November, and they showcased a public dashboard with subgroup data and a WIAA-based leaderboard. Members asked about outreach to rural and homeschool students, legislative communications, Pierce County representation, and barriers to FAFSA completion, and staff said they would provide toolkits and continue expanding outreach. The committee then began hearing from student presenters about affordability, access, equity, and student experience.

Transcript Highlights:

• He said expungement takes care of class D felons, but anything above a class D felony cannot be expunged
• He added that this is the same way with expungement, which takes care of all class D felonies except
• <00:18:24.000> D know, expungement takes care of class D know, expungement takes care of class
• class D, you can't get an expungement. class D, you can't get an expungement.
• And, you know, we're trying to make a push to get kids back in a class.

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00:03 Roll Call 00:00:10 Consideration of Referred Administrative Regulations 00:02:21 Discussion of the Restoration of Voting Rights 00:06:34 Discussion of the Application of NTI Days for Schools Designated by County Clerks as Polling Locations for Elections 00:25:20 Approval of Minutes from July 29, 2025 Meeting 00:32:22 Adjournment 00:32:49, 958, all

Summary: The committee first took up two fire commission regulatory amendments. Bruce Roberts, director of the Fire Commission, explained that one amendment updates financial disclosure reporting rules to align with changes to KRS 95A.55, including revised definitions, reporting requirements, and moving compliance reviews from every four years to an annual basis. The second amendment changes the deadline for fire departments to submit state aid documentation from July 31 to September and adds flexibility for departments affected by natural disasters by allowing a waiver process for missing, lost, or damaged documents. The committee approved the agency amendment by motion, second, and voice vote with no opposition. The main policy discussion centered on a proposed constitutional amendment to restore voting rights for people convicted of felonies after they complete their sentence and probation/parole. Senators Hickden and Herren said the proposal would restore only voting rights, not citizenship or the right to run for office, and would still exclude certain offenses such as treason, bribery in an election, sex offenses, violent offenses, and offenses against a child. They argued that Kentucky is one of only three states without automatic restoration, that the current governor’s executive order is temporary, and that the issue should be settled by constitutional amendment. Members asked about the relationship to expungement, costs, and whether election-related crimes should be included among the exceptions; the sponsors said expungement is separate and that they were open to refining the language. Several members voiced support, and the sponsors said they hoped to continue working on the proposal before the next session. The committee also discussed a practical issue involving schools used as polling places and conflicts with KDE testing days. The chair raised the possibility of adjusting testing schedules or using NI days at affected schools, while members noted that county clerks already have authority to use tax-funded buildings for elections and that schools have long been used because of ADA accessibility. Some members suggested a simpler fix would be to prevent KDE testing dates from overlapping with election dates, rather than changing NI-day rules or limiting clerks’ authority. The committee then approved the minutes and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• That particular class line does have a class note that allows for the appropriation to carry forward
• That particular class line does have a class note that allows for the appropriation to carry forward
• <01:45:31.800> line million um that particular class line million um that particular class
• <03:21:48.680> note other Bill and you added a class note other Bill and you added a class
• c><03:28:35.199> I'm<03:28:35.399> I'm from from class 74 so class 74 I'm I'm from from

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The House Finance Committee’s Division 3 held a public work session on the Behavioral Health budget on February 27, 2025. The chair opened by explaining the schedule, materials, and deadlines for the budget process, and noted there would be no motions or votes in the division that day. Division of Behavioral Health Director Ktia Fox and DHHS CFO Nathan White then walked the committee through the division’s mission, structure, and budget materials, describing the division’s four bureaus: Mental Health Services, Children’s Behavioral Health, Drug and Alcohol Services, and Homeless Services, along with the policy unit. They emphasized the division’s role in oversight, technical assistance, quality assurance, contracting, and the continuum of care from prevention and early intervention through crisis and residential services. Much of the discussion focused on major programs and funding lines, including the 988 Lifeline contract with Headrest, a technical assistance contract with UNH, Medicaid pass-through payments to New Hampshire Hospital and Glencliff, crisis response services, cold-weather homeless responses, housing supports, and the children’s system of care. Members asked about the UNH contract, the 988 program, crisis stabilization centers, and the peer certification program; Fox explained that the peer certification is a training-and-credentialing pathway for people with lived experience to enter community-based behavioral health work, not a volunteer program. The committee also discussed the “Choose Love” program, which Fox said was created after the Sandy Hook tragedy to build resilience and strength-based emotional regulation in schools and communities. On the children’s side, Fox described the system of care account as the place where many contracted services are budgeted, including community mental health centers, care management entities, rapid response services, and residential programs. Members asked about temporary staffing, and Fox said roughly $500,000 in temporary staff costs shown in the current year would not be spent next year because the money came from a nonlapsing appropriation in HB 1573 for oversight of children’s residential services. She also said provider rate increases were a prioritized need but were not funded in the governor’s current budget, and that the Children’s Behavioral Health Resource Center was not funded, resulting in about a $1 million reduction. The session ended while the division was still moving through the children’s behavioral health slides, including questions about the Fast Forward high-fidelity wraparound program and medication management.