Transcript Highlights:

• Call the second meeting of the House Budget Review Subcommittee on Transportation to order.

Keywords: 00:01 Call to Order and Roll Call 00:47 Maintenance 12:40 Approval of Minutes 12:55 Vehicle Regulation 21:08 General Admin and Highways 34:11 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The House Budget Review Subcommittee on Transportation met without a quorum at first, then later approved the minutes once quorum was established. The committee heard presentations from Transportation Cabinet officials Mike Hancock, Jeremy Slinker, and Sean McCarnieran on maintenance, vehicle regulation, general administration, highways, and related capital projects. Hancock emphasized that maintenance is the cabinet’s most visible public service, especially for snow and ice removal and routine roadway upkeep, and said rising costs have outpaced funding. He cited a 61% increase in highway construction costs since 2020 and said maintenance spending was $488 million in FY 2024 and $511 million in FY 2025, while the FY 2026 baseline request was $483.3 million. The cabinet’s additional maintenance request would add $23.6 million in FY 2027 and $38.6 million in FY 2028, with expected impacts on litter pickup, mowing, vegetation management, and pothole repair if not funded. The cabinet also outlined five maintenance-related capital projects: additional funding for Ballard County maintenance/salt storage, Hopkins County maintenance/salt storage, Whitley County maintenance/salt structure, and the District 2 office and materials lab, plus reauthorization of the Breckinridge County maintenance and salt facility. Hancock also asked for budget language allowing the cabinet to use unexpected restricted and federal funds more quickly, similar to existing authority for federal earmarks. McCarnieran described the governor’s inclusion of funding for the ASHTOWare system, employee health exams, priority IT projects, and a District 7 office renovation request, noting that some items were not funded because they ranked low among competing projects. He also said the governor’s budget included a $7.5 million annual maintenance pool for the cabinet’s 1,200 facilities and requested additional restricted fund authority for Trimark and the Cumberland Gap Tunnel. Slinker focused on the Department of Vehicle Regulation, saying recent investments in staffing and equipment had reduced wait times and improved customer service in driver licensing offices. He requested $535,600 to keep temporary contract workers in place for the rest of the year, warning that without it regional office operations would have to be reduced. He said the surge in demand was driven by new 15-year-old licensing requirements, vision testing, and Real ID implementation, but believed the volume was beginning to level out. He also outlined FY 2027 and FY 2028 plans totaling $20.38 million and $19.85 million, including six new regional offices and a shift away from temporary workers toward state positions. Additional requests included $106,000 for debt service on the new driver’s license modernization system and operating costs of $5 million in FY 2027 and $2.5 million in FY 2028 to support the transition from the old system. Members asked about the cabinet’s funding sources, and officials said the road fund is the primary source, supported by motor fuels tax, usage tax, driver-related receipts, and some restricted funds; they stressed that the requests were not for additional general fund dollars. Questions also covered employee health exam reimbursements, the annual Trimark/Cumberland Gap contract, and the District 7 renovation request. No votes were taken on the budget items during the meeting, beyond approval of the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• So at what point will the patient be required to see a physician?
• The patient will be referred back to the physician by the physical therapist if the physical Therapist
• So in this scenario, if the pain had continued, would she have Seen the physician or continued therapy
• structured and under what the physical therapist rules, he would have referred them back to the physician
• They go 90 days before they have to go back and see a physician.

Bills: HB4423, HB3342, HB3645, HB3647, HB3887, HB4430, HB4431, HB2964, HB3834

Keywords: Oklahoma Health Care Authority, Medicaid, immigration verification, healthcare access, federal reporting, health care providers, auditing, patient rights, claims, protection from fraud, audit process, error correction, hospice care, physician determination, healthcare standards, symptom management, health information exchange, all-payer claims database, health care transparency, health care costs

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00:00 Call to Order and Roll Call: 00:01:12 America 250KY: Impact and Legacy: 00:03:15 America 250 Events in Lexington: 01:02:13, 958, all

Summary: The committee met for an interim update from the Kentucky Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet, with presentations from the Kentucky Historical Society and the Kentucky Arts Council. Secretary Lindy Casebier reported that Kentucky tourism has posted record growth for four straight years, with $14.6 billion in economic impact, 97,000 tourism-related jobs, and 81 million travelers spending more than $10.4 billion in 2025. He said the Historical Society and Arts Council help create visitor experiences that support those tourism gains. The Kentucky Historical Society focused on America 250, the state’s commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Staff described a community-driven approach built around themes such as “Revolutionary Experiment,” “We the People,” “Power of Place,” “Crossroads in Kentucky,” and “Doing History,” organized under heritage tourism, education, signature events, and legacy projects. They said the effort has included Liberty Tree plantings in nearly every county, partnerships with local organizations and KET, grants to cabinet agencies and historic sites, and preservation projects in 19 counties. They highlighted Harrodsburg 250 as an early kickoff, along with grant-supported events, exhibits, and educational programs across the state. The Historical Society also described public engagement events tied to the commemoration, including Two Lights for Tomorrow, a food drive in Franklin County, a July 8 historic reading of the Declaration of Independence at the Old State Capitol, and planned participation at the Kentucky State Fair. They said the General Assembly’s support enabled a grant program that has funded 250 events and programs in 43 counties, totaling more than $720,000, and that the work is intended to build a lasting legacy beyond 2026. The Kentucky Arts Council said it received America 250 grant funds to support artists, arts organizations, communities, and nonprofits for public art, artwork creation, and related programs. The council reported 55 funded projects and $466,000 awarded statewide, with examples including a Burkesville summer arts and history camp and a Fayette County community singing project. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Now, on the $200,000, one of the caveats that we put in budget language in order for them to receive
• The material handler has been ordered and it will be delivered in October.
• The new bucket has been ordered and will be delivered in September.
• new bucket has been ordered, will be delivered<00:24:43.600><c> in</c><00:24:43.840><c> September.
• to move those in a produced in order to move those in a timely<00:37:09.359><c> fashion.

Keywords: 00:01 Call to Order and Roll Call 00:47 Approval of Minutes 01:07 Airport Projects 12:17 Riverport Projects 38:27 Electric Vehicle Charging Program 54:10 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The Budget Review Subcommittee on Transportation met on July 15, 2025, approved the June 4 minutes, and heard updates on aviation and riverport funding programs. Commissioner Mark Carter of the Kentucky Department of Aviation reported on the $200,000 grants for general aviation airports included in House Bill 1, saying the money is being used mainly for hangar projects, fuel trucks, parking lot resurfacing, airport equipment, crew cars, and public education efforts. He said about 25 hangar-related projects were reported, with an estimated 60 T-hangars and four or five box hangars supported, and noted that the grants are often used to match federal funds. He also said the state’s jet fuel tax revenue generates about $23 million annually, up from about $19 million in 2021, and that most airports are now compliant with the ADS-B/VOR-related reporting system required in budget language, which has improved reported operations and may help airports qualify for FAA grants. Members asked about the pace of airport projects, the limited number of contractors for hangar construction, and whether airports could finance hangars themselves. Carter said timing has generally been good, though federal projects have slowed somewhat and contractor capacity remains a challenge, and he said there is no statute preventing airports from financing part or all of a hangar project. Questions also focused on the long-term need for hangars and the effect of the jet fuel cap, with Carter saying general aviation airports still have significant hangar demand and rely on state assistance because hangars are a key revenue source. Jeremy Edgeworth of the Transportation Cabinet and Brian Wright of the Kentucky Association of Riverports then reviewed riverport projects funded through House Bill 265 and House Bill 1. Edgeworth said the cabinet’s riverport grant program awarded $500,000 in each of fiscal years 2025 and 2026 for 13 projects under an 80/20 match, and that House Bill 1 provided $7.5 million per year for public riverports with no local match. He described completed or underway projects at multiple ports, including equipment replacements, dock and road repairs, material handling upgrades, mooring cell rehabilitation, and a waterline loop at Owensboro. He said $12.6 million of the KPRCM funds had been awarded across 20 projects, with about $2.4 million still to be awarded later in the fall. Wright said the riverport investments are helping ports replace aging assets, expand capacity, and match federal dollars, but he also said the statewide capital need remains large, with the current list of top projects already in the $90 million range and longer-term needs still estimated at $60 million to $90 million. Members asked about timelines and future needs, and Edgeworth said many of the larger projects will take two to five years because of permitting and coordination with the Army Corps of Engineers. No additional votes or formal actions were taken beyond approving the minutes.

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00:00 Call to Order and Roll Call: 00:00:28 Strengthening Kentucky's Entrepreneurial Ecosystem: 00:02:45 Entrepreneur Led Economic Development: Kentucky’s Path Forward: 00:31:45, 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In order to add on to that, they sunset that product line.
• :31:01.600><c> microwave</c><00:31:02.240><c> network</c><00:31:02.720><c> in</c><00:31:02.960><c> order
• network in order to add on<00:31:03.840><c> to</c><00:31:04.000><c> that</c><00:31:04.151><c> [clears
• We'd have to go back into the RFB/RFP process in order to establish a new contract that encompasses that
• to establish a a new contract that order to establish a a new contract that encompasses<00:43:17.040

Keywords: Call to Order and Roll Call- 00:00:23 Approve Minutes from January 15, 2026- 00:01:03 Kentucky State Police Update on SERVS- 00:01:47 Adjournment- 00:54:18, 958, all

Summary: The committee received an update from Kentucky State Police on the SERVE radio system project, with David Barker and consultant Brandon Marshall explaining progress across multiple phases. They reported that Mayfield PD fire/EMS and Graves County Sheriff are fully operational on the system, Phase 2 is 77% complete with 48 existing sites finished and 13 new sites pending acquisition, and Phase 3A remains funded but not yet complete. They also said router upgrades are complete, radio dispatch positions and mobile/portable rollout are complete, and microwave replacement is nearly finished, with one remaining site delayed by weather. A major part of the discussion focused on why the project has taken so long and why equipment is being purchased before some sites are built. KSP said the project began as a radio system upgrade but expanded as they discovered additional infrastructure needs, including routers and microwave links that were not in the original scope. They explained that equipment must be purchased in advance to match versions and preserve warranty coverage, and that older existing tower sites are being refurbished rather than replaced to make use of existing public-safety infrastructure. They also said all expenditures are tracked in inventory and accounting records and that the project remains transparent. Members pressed for a master plan and timeline, with Representative Smith arguing the project needs clearer structure and fewer layers of decision-making. KSP acknowledged the need for a timeline, said they had plans but not a full timeline earlier, and stated that if the remaining funding is approved they expect to complete the remaining existing sites and 25 new sites by June 30, 2027. They said 56 new-build sites remain, identified as the yellow-dot sites on the maps, and that some sites may be able to use existing Demar/National Guard tower locations. The committee did not take a vote on the project during this portion of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• The committee standing subcommittee on county and regional government will come to order.
• We have 15 bills on the agenda today, and we intend to go in order of seniority to the extent possible
• I am here as a resource witness in order to answer any questions that you may have.
• The standing subcommittee on county and regional government will come back to order.
• The standing subcommittee on county and regional government will come back to order.

Bills: HB240, HB2097, HB2731, HB3087, HB3234, HB3319, HB3394, HB3687, HB4105, HB4205, HB4350, HB4462, HB4642, HB4801, HB5403

Keywords: quorum, tax levy, county governance, local government, population regulations, quorum requirement, Texas counties, population threshold, deputy sheriff, civil service, law enforcement, appeals process, sheriff's department, HB 2731, roadside vendors, solicitors, county regulation, border counties, Mexico border, Transportation Code

Summary: The subcommittee on county and regional government heard a long agenda of county-related bills, with most measures left pending after testimony. HB 2097, by Rep. Martinez, would let counties that opt in use an independent hearing examiner instead of a civil service commission for certain deputy sheriff discipline appeals; the bill drew support from CLEET’s Robert Leonard, who said it would be fairer and faster, and it was left pending. HB 4642, by Rep. Gonzalez, would require counties that contract with out-of-state jail facilities to include Texas jail-standard protections and oversight; Gonzalez, detainee Jess Hampton, his wife, Texas Jail Project’s Krish Kundu, and TCJS director Brandon Wood all discussed deaths and poor conditions in Louisiana facilities, staffing shortages, and the need for guardrails and data collection. The bill was left pending. The committee also heard HB 4350, by Rep. Capriglione, allowing peace officers to request redaction of personal information from online real property records. Supporters said officers face targeted threats and should have protections similar to judges; a title industry witness warned about preserving the integrity of land records. The bill was left pending. HB 3687, by Rep. Harless, would require county fire marshals in counties over 100,000 to meet training and certification standards within set timeframes; Harris County Fire Marshal Laurie Christensen supported professionalization, and the bill was left pending. HB 4105 would let very large counties give a local-bid preference for construction and infrastructure contracts, and HB 4205 would require pay parity for similar law enforcement ranks within large counties; both were supported by Harris County officials and constables and left pending. Later, the committee heard HB 5403, which would repeal a special rule limiting Dallas and Tarrant county sheriffs’ control over commissary funds; the author said it would remove an outdated population bracket, and the bill was left pending. HB 4462 would require large counties to allow elected officials named in civil suits to seek outside counsel and have a role in settlement decisions; supporters argued county attorneys and commissioners court can have conflicts of interest, while questions focused on who qualifies and whether the bill could complicate settlements. The bill was left pending. Finally, HB 240, by Rep. Swanson, would restore a five-member quorum requirement for Harris County tax levies, effectively preventing tax action without all commissioners present and defaulting to the no-new-revenue rate if quorum is not met; urban counties opposed it as a potential budget obstruction, while supporters said it protects taxpayers and representation. That bill was also left pending. The transcript ends as the committee begins HB 3319, which would create a civil service system for constable department employees in large counties, but the discussion is cut off before testimony or action.

Transcript Highlights:

• If physicians, if independent physicians aren't included. Is TMA supportive of that?
• On physician delegations, they are authorized to examine patients, order labs, and imaging prescribed
• The only way a non-physician can do anything within that context is if it's ordered by a physician. part
• For a nurse prescribed or orders a drug or device as delegated by physician, the name and license number
• As a physician, their legal status does not change the type of care I provide. but this executive order

Bills: HB5141, HB4638, HB2264, HB2035, HB4813, HB4408, HB2684, HB1621, HB2300, HB216, HB3829, HB4466, HB1747, HB2284, HB3614, HB2587, HB3219, HB3318, HB5147, HB4014, HB216

Keywords: lease, state property, public purpose, Travis County, Health and Human Services, pharmaceutical initiative, drug distribution, healthcare services, generic drugs, advanced pharmaceuticals, cost savings, mental health, patient discharge, medical records, health care professionals, substance use, family involvement, chemical dependency, treatment facilities, minor admissions

Transcript Highlights:

• The Standing Subcommittee on County and Regional Government will come to order.
• We have 15 bills on the agenda today, and we intend to go in order of seniority to the extent possible
• I am here as a resource witness in order To answer any questions that you may have.
• The standing subcommittee on county and regional government will come back to order.
• Still have to issue an order before these restrictions take place.

Bills: HB240, HB2097, HB2731, HB3087, HB3234, HB3319, HB3394, HB3687, HB4105, HB4205, HB4350, HB4462, HB4642, HB4801, HB5403, HB240

Keywords: quorum, tax levy, county governance, local government, population regulations, quorum requirement, Texas counties, population threshold, deputy sheriff, civil service, law enforcement, appeals process, sheriff's department, HB 2731, roadside vendors, solicitors, county regulation, border counties, Mexico border, Transportation Code

Transcript Highlights:

• I can't order child support in contravention of the protective order.
• So the judge orders... a standard possession order. Mom moves down to Hays County.
• I render an order that is in conflict with the order in Travis County because dad has an order in Travis
• In a protective order case, they can't get the protective order to be revisited.
• order on them.

Bills: HCR16, HB782, HB2159, HB2288, HB3281, HB3819, HB4656, HB4696, HB5494, HCR16

Keywords: fatherhood, family support, fatherlessness, community engagement, youth development, social policy, male role models, child development, policy reform, role models, mental health, parenting, single-parent homes, welfare reform, economic opportunity, mentorship, community initiatives, children, welfare programs, education

Transcript Highlights:

• This time we'll call the seventh meeting of the House Standing Committee on Banking and Insurance to order

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00 Call to Order and Roll Call 00:11 Discussion SB 97 01:06 Vote SB 97 12:42 Discussion SB 189 14:11 Vote SB 189 18:12, 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We will call the sixth meeting of the House Standing Committee on Banking and Insurance to order this
• We'll just go in order then. Senate Bill 157.
• Is that how do you meet that threshold in order to do that?
• </c> How do you meet that threshold in order How do you meet that threshold in order to<00:04:01.040>
• , order, order, if<00:10:02.880><c> the</c><00:10:03.160><c> Ballard</c><00:10:03.480><c> County</c><

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00 Call to Order and Roll Call 00:09 Discussion SB 157 02:43 Vote SB 157 09:04 Discussion SB 219 09:53 Vote SB 219 13:00, 958, all

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00 Call to Order and Roll Call 00:01 Discussion SB 157 00:23 Vote SB 157 05:22 Discussion SB 189 05:57 Vote SB 189 26:49, 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the House Standing Committee on Licensing, Occupations, and Administrative Regulations will come to order

Keywords: Call to Order 00:00 Roll Call 00:03 HB 185 Discussion 1:00 HB 185 Vote 2:05 HB 455 Discussion 3:30 HB 455 Vote 9:00 Adjournment 10:30, 958, all

Keywords: Call to Order 00:00 Roll Call 00:21 SB 145 Discussion 02:05 SB 145 Vote 04:06 SB 98 Discussion 06:25 SB 98 Vote 11:00 Adjournment 12:07, 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But in 2018, under a temporary order, my children were court-ordered into a controversial overnight reunification
• order protects them.
• cutoff orders.
• Like a protective order, there's some no-contact orders that come into play.
• As a parent, hey, I don't agree with this, but the court ordered it, and I'm going to respect the order

Bills: HB168, HB 1044, HB1534, HB1914, HB2240, HB2530, HB3284, HB3395, HB3515, HB3783, HB4034, HB4213, HB168

Keywords: marriage age, minors, family law, void marriage, rights of minors, Texas marriage law, marriage ceremony, authorized officiants, family code, judges, religious leaders, parent-child relationship, Department of Family and Protective Services, legal rights, notice requirements, HB 1914, Texas Family Code, Chapter 156, conservatorship, custody

Transcript Highlights:

• The Committee on Family and Fiduciary Relationship will come to order. Clerk, call the roll. Hayes.
• Additionally, the current law creates an avenue for parents to force their child to emancipate in order
• The only way it can be emancipated... is you have to go to court and a judge has to issue an order of
• But I was just curious if, and you didn't have to have a court order allowing you to marry at all?

Bills: HB168, HB 1044, HB1534, HB1914, HB2240, HB2530, HB3284, HB3395, HB3515, HB3783, HB4034, HB4213, HB168

Keywords: marriage age, minors, family law, void marriage, rights of minors, Texas marriage law, marriage ceremony, authorized officiants, family code, judges, religious leaders, parent-child relationship, Department of Family and Protective Services, legal rights, notice requirements, HB 1914, Texas Family Code, Chapter 156, conservatorship, custody

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, and with that, if we could go, I call the meeting to order and if we could call roll.
• different halfway house entity, and we would have inmates who were community custody, but they'd be ordered
• people in the community rather than locking them back up just for treatment. custody, but they'd be ordered
• to custody, but they'd be ordered to complete<00:12:16.959><c> substance</c><00:12:17.440><c> abuse<
• And I'll just be honest with you, prior to 2010, if somebody was ordered to complete substance abuse

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:

• but I hereby call this fourth meeting of the House Standing Committee on Families and Children to order

Keywords: 00:00 Call to Order/Roll Call 00:56 Discussion of 25RS HB 508 03:15 Roll Call Vote on 25RS HB 508 04:08 Review of Referred Administrative Regulations 04:28 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The House Standing Committee on Families and Children met and heard only House Bill 508, sponsored by Representative Jennifer Decker. Decker explained that the bill amends the child care assistance program created under House Bill 499 by requiring the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to make the standardized agreement available on its website and allow submission by email, mail, or an online portal, rather than limiting participants to the current process. A member asked whether the change would expand options beyond online-only submission, and Decker confirmed the bill was intended to address that issue. After discussion, the committee voted on House Bill 508 and passed it favorably by a 13-0 vote. The committee then briefly reviewed a referred administrative regulation; there were no comments or questions, and it was marked reviewed. The chair noted this would likely be the committee’s last meeting of the session, thanked staff for their work, and entertained a motion to adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• Additional playground quotes have been approved, and equipment has been ordered.

Keywords: Reuploaded to restore full meeting 00:13 Call to Order and Roll Call 01:14 Approval of Minutes 01:40 Tourism, Arts, and Heritage Cabinet 27:44 Department of Parks 59:23 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The committee met for its second Budget Review on Economic Development, Public Protection, Tourism, and Energy and first approved the minutes from the prior meeting. Members then heard a presentation from the Tourism, Arts, and Heritage Cabinet and the Kentucky Department of Tourism on the 1% tourism marketing fund. Witnesses explained that the fund supports statewide tourism promotion, advertising, research, regional marketing, and matching grants to local tourism commissions, and that it cannot be used for capital construction. They reported that the General Assembly and governor increased appropriations in the 2024 session, adding $3 million in FY25 and $7 million in FY26, and set aside funding for the Kentucky Mountain Regional Recreation Authority, the National Quilt Museum, and the Southern Kentucky Tourism Initiative. Tourism officials emphasized that Kentucky tourism is a major economic driver, citing 2023 figures of $13.8 billion in economic impact, 79.3 million visitors, $9.7 billion in direct spending, more than 95,000 jobs supported, and nearly $1 billion in state and local tax revenue. They said the department now uses targeted digital and over-the-top advertising in selected domestic and international markets, with 62% of media placements digital and 80% of the budget spent out of state. Members asked about market selection, how the department measures return on investment, and what attracts visitors from places such as Dallas, Orlando, Toronto, and Washington, D.C.; officials said research shows a mix of family visits, outdoor recreation, and varied Kentucky offerings, and that 81% of overnight visitors are repeat visitors. They also discussed the potential impact of tariffs and trade tensions on bourbon-related tourism and international visitation, especially from Canada, and officials said they were monitoring the situation with U.S. Travel Association and Brand USA. The committee then heard from Kentucky State Parks officials on capital projects funded through HJR 76, HJR 56, and House Bill 6. They said they are providing quarterly project reports and have been meeting regularly with the Finance Cabinet’s engineering and contract staff. The presentation focused on campground utilities, broadband, and structural upgrades, including $40 million for campground improvements across the park system, with completed bathhouse renovations at Barren River and Nolin Lake and additional projects underway or in planning. Officials said the work is based on camper survey feedback, such as requests for better Wi-Fi, sewer and electric upgrades, frost-free spigots, and improved site layouts, and noted that the My Old Kentucky Home campground project is under construction and expected to be completed by spring 2026.