Transcript Highlights:

• They can come in and do training for us, and we help them facilitate training our soldiers.
• virtual training options.
• So, we’re pulling every single one of our frontline employees off and getting them trained.
• So, we’ve actually had about three months full of training, not only for our employees but also for the
• our employees.

Committee: House A&B General Government Subcommittee

Transcript Highlights:

• That way, if a student completes both the on-the-job training and the technical training components,
• That way, if a student completes both the on-the-job training and the technical training components,
• When you mentioned training, what type of training did you say?
• The escalation, de-escalation of employees? What type of training did you say?
• So the training is mandatory.

Committee: House Labor & Industrial Relations

Summary: The committee first disposed of several measures without debate, including deferrals of House Bill 460, House Bill 561, Senate Bill 322, and another deferred Senate measure, before taking up House Bill 819 by Chairman Cruz. HB 819 would replace Louisiana’s current workers’ compensation medical treatment schedule with ODG by MCG, a private evidence-based guideline system used in other states. Cruz and Troy Prevo argued ODG is more comprehensive, updated more frequently, and could reduce claim duration, medical costs, and premium rates; Dr. Jason Picard said Louisiana already uses ODG as a secondary reference for gaps in the state schedule and that the bill would not change appeals or variance procedures. Opponents, including injured-worker advocates Joseph Jola St. and Robin Crumholt, argued Louisiana’s current guidelines are working, that ODG is more cost-cutting and insurer-driven, and that the bill could increase denials and delay care. Members discussed amendments to add a two-year sunset, allow tacit approval when treatment follows the schedule, require payment within 30 days, and raise the carrier’s burden to challenge care; the committee adopted the amendments and then reported HB 819 favorably by a 7-6 vote. The committee then began Senate Bill 409 by Senator Myers, the Louisiana Living Donor Leave Protection Act. The bill would provide paid leave protections for living organ donors, set eligibility and verification procedures, and prohibit forfeiture of leave in certain circumstances for private employers. Myers said the measure is intended to remove job and paycheck barriers for people willing to donate organs and to support better transplant outcomes. Technical amendments were adopted at the start of the presentation, and the bill was introduced for further discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> of, what kind of training do they have? of, what kind of training do they have?
• </c> help me understand what kind of training help me understand what kind of training that<00:29:46.960
• </c> your training is similar to ours. your training is similar to ours.
• </c> collaboration and from other employees. collaboration and from other employees.
• </c> kids depend on all department employees. kids depend on all department employees.

Summary: The committee on Education heard testimony on HB 1895, which would add education-worker protections by expanding harassment-related offenses. The Department of Education, HSTA, HGA, and several school employees and principals testified in support, describing increased harassment and threats toward teachers and staff, especially since COVID, and saying the bill would help deter bad actors. The Office of the Public Defender opposed the measure, saying the language was vague and overbroad, could criminalize ordinary parental advocacy or speech, and might not survive constitutional scrutiny. In response to questions, the public defender said existing statutes already cover threatening or assaultive conduct against educational workers, while DOE representatives said the bill was aimed at excessive and repetitive disruptive behavior. No vote or final action was taken in the excerpt. The committee then took up HB 1592, concerning protections for educational workers and sports officials. DOE, the Charter School Commission, HGA, HSTA, school principals, athletic programs, and many individual testifiers supported the bill, with several describing threats, harassment, and aggressive behavior at schools and athletic events. One principal said he had repeatedly involved law enforcement after threats and incidents on campus, and a teacher testified about the need to keep school environments safe and orderly. The Office of the Public Defender again opposed the bill, arguing that current law already enhances penalties for assaults and terroristic threatening against educational workers and sports officials, and that new offenses would have little deterrent effect. Committee members questioned whether the bill should be a separate statute and how to distinguish passionate advocacy from harassment; DOE said the line was crossed when conduct became excessive and repetitive, while the public defender urged clearer drafting and more emphasis on prevention, education, security, and de-escalation. No vote or final action was announced in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• THERE IS NOTHING PREVENTING THE BACK-AND-FORTH BETWEEN THE EMPLOYEE AND EMPLOYER BUT THE EMPLOYEE COULD
• THE LAW THAT WAS VOTED ON PROTECTS AN EMPLOYEE.
• IT DOESN'T TAKE ANYONE'S RIGHTS AWAY. , COUNTIES HAVE WOKE TRAININGS THAT FORCE EMPLOYEES TO LEARN CERTAIN
• DIVERSITY TRAINING IS IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF US.
• THIS GIVES GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES AND PRIVATE EMPLOYEES LICENSED TO DISCRIMINATE.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our training and outreach efforts have reached thousands of employees and leaders across the state.
• </c><01:10:13.560><c> are</c> out that state agency employees are out that state agency employees are
• This is part of a series of trainings required for all state employees annually.
• The code of ethical conduct training is administered to all employees and focuses on key topics including
• What I see in the OLA reports are really two things: one, our employees aren't trained properly, and

Committee: Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• a licensed counselor's training that is not part of what a military chaplain is trained for?
• They didn't have to train, adjust their training program because they only took 1,000 hours.
• I am as well with my employees.
• Is there anything that stops you from requiring a certain number of hours of training for employees that
• I train them. I train them for one reason because they're not ready and they graduate.

Committee: House Business

Transcript Highlights:

• who do training of their employees<01:38:52.880><c> can</c><01:38:53.199><c> apply</c><01:38:53.520>
• I mean, um, these are people the people being trained are already employees, right?
• So somebody sends their employee to training completely separate from this program, and when that training
• being trained are already employees,<01:43:28.080><c> right?
• </c><01:43:32.080><c> completely</c> their employee to training completely their employee to training

Summary: The committee worked through several HB 2 budget amendments, focusing first on energy-related transfers and then on judicial funding. For the energy item, members discussed moving remaining money from the renewable energy fund into the general fund for the biennium, with later-year amounts going to the general fund rather than ratepayers. They noted the proposal was based on prior House Bill 111 language, that the exact amount was still being worked out with the Department of Energy, and that some language about “incentive payments” was being removed or clarified. Amendment 1211H was moved and adopted on a 5-4 vote. The committee then considered amendment 1040 on the governor’s scholarship fund, which would eliminate the program and sweep uncommitted funds. Members supporting the program argued it helps New Hampshire students afford in-state college and should be reworked rather than repealed; opponents said the remaining balance was limited and the program should be ended. Amendment 1040 was defeated 4-5. The committee then turned to a judicial council request tied to a Franklin Pierce criminal justice clinic that had previously used ARPA funds. Supporters said the clinic cleared 323 cases in nine months, provided training for future attorneys, and could reduce more expensive assigned-counsel costs by helping the public defender system handle cases more efficiently. The amendment would add $100,000 to the judicial council line for that purpose. There was some confusion over the line item and whether the request should be attributed to the judicial branch or judicial council, which was corrected during discussion. Members also discussed a larger issue: the judicial council’s budget request appeared lower than intended because of a possible clerical error in how prior-year funding was calculated, especially after the last budget combined HB 1 and HB 2 funding. The committee compared the public defender line and assigned counsel line, noting that if public defender funding is cut, more cases would shift to assigned counsel, which is more expensive. No final vote on the judicial council amendment is shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• So they need training.
• So they need training.
• So they need training.
• So they need training.
• So they need training.

Committee: Senate State and Local Government

Transcript Highlights:

• Additionally, there are a number of other things that employees are trained to do.
• Employees are trained physical conduct.
• > employees</c><00:33:32.360><c> standpoint,</c> the training of employees standpoint, the training of
• c><00:33:59.520><c> is</c><00:33:59.720><c> is</c> training of casino employees is is training of casino
• <c> far</c> about employee training earlier as far about employee training earlier as far as<01:16:20.920

Bills: SCR145 , SCR132 , SCR31 , SCR110

Transcript Highlights:

• So for employee reimbursements, we found So for employee reimbursements, we found that 14 of 40 employee
• And I’m hoping that in their response they are, first of all, training their employees who are going
• </c> overpaid um employees. overpaid um employees.
• </c> additional training or training at all additional training or training at all of<00:40:25.680><c
• </c> do with employee expense reimbursements. do with employee expense reimbursements.

Transcript Highlights:

• Dean Foreman, here on behalf of the Hospitality Training Academy, the training arm of Unite Here Local
• However, under this bill, corresponding employees are defined as any employee engaged in ag.
• When accounting for productivity, training, and reduced rework, skilled and trained workforce complete
• Trained workers get hurt less.
• This is not a 100% skilled and trained statute.

Summary: The Assembly Labor and Employment Committee heard and advanced a series of bills, mostly on worker safety, wages, workforce training, and retirement savings. AB 2137 (Chen) would strengthen safety rules and certification for artificial stone fabrication shops to reduce silica exposure; AB 2499 (Gibson) would require Cal/OSHA to develop heat-illness protections for incarcerated workers and staff in correctional facilities; AB 2300 (Arambula) would streamline the disbursement of state and federal workforce funds; AB 2646 (Krell) would establish a minimum wage floor for certain agricultural workers; AB 2227 (Connolly) would tighten licensing and bond requirements for farm labor contractors and add default-judgment procedures for wage claims; AB 1869 (Haney) would create a reporting process for alleged REIT interference in hotel operations; AB 2650 (Pellerin) would expand CalSavers with emergency savings accounts and other updates; AB 2634 (Zbur) would prioritize labor-management partnerships in High Road Training Partnership grants; and AB 1888 would require skilled-and-trained workforce and prevailing wage standards for work under the Safe Home Grant Program. AB 1534 (Irwin) would create California’s approval process for short-term Pell-eligible workforce programs. The committee also took up several consent items, including AB 1904, AB 1980, AB 2550, AB 2078, and AB 2682. Most bills were described as aligning state programs with federal law or improving worker protections and program quality, while opponents generally raised concerns about costs, administrative burden, regulatory uncertainty, or reduced oversight. Testimony was largely split along labor and industry lines. Supporters included labor unions, legal aid groups, workforce boards, and affected workers or family members, who emphasized heat illness, wage theft, silica exposure, poor prison conditions, and the need for higher-quality training and retirement access. Opponents on several bills, especially those affecting agriculture, REITs, and workforce administration, argued the measures would increase costs, create uncertainty, or duplicate existing law. On AB 2227, committee members engaged in extended discussion about Labor Commissioner delays and whether the bill’s default-judgment and bond provisions would meaningfully help workers. On AB 1869, members and witnesses debated whether the bill created new standards or simply improved enforcement of existing REIT rules. The committee voted to pass all of the measures heard, generally with motions to do pass and re-refer to the Committee on Appropriations. Several bills were held open for absent members during the meeting, and later add-on roll calls recorded additional ayes, moving the bills out of committee. The meeting concluded after the consent calendar was approved and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Dean Foreman here on behalf of the Hospitality Training Academy, the training arm of UNITE HERE Local
• and the corresponding employees that work alongside them.
• However, under this bill, corresponding employees are defined as any employee engaged in ag work.
• When accounting for productivity, training, and reduced rework, skilled and trained workforce projects
• This is not a 100% skilled and trained statute.

Committee: House Labor and Employment

Transcript Highlights:

• The title of the bill relates to employee benefits, requiring employees of the state and political subdivisions
• This issue is impacting our hardest working and most dedicated employees.
• What happens to employees that are not hourly? Are you talking about contractual employees?
• that they are not trained in now as the guidelines changed.
• How many new employees? How many new programs?

Committee: House House Government, Elections & Indian Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:21:30.360><c> at</c><00:21:30.840><c> at</c> and employees at at and employees at at at<00:21
• You're going to get less training done if we... You're going to get less training done if we...
• Less employees or future employees from being trained in the skilled work we want them to be trained
• Less employees or future employees from being trained in the skilled work we want them to be trained
• Less employees or future employees from being trained in the skilled work we want them to be trained

Committee: Senate Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband, and Rural Development

Transcript Highlights:

• State employees, as well as we have rank-and-file employees across the board.
• Did you adjust pay rates for existing employees?
• you're going to pay for the employees.
• Employees, so those are the only ones.
• Of what we compensate our employees with.

Committee: House Legislative Health & Human Services Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:12:55.120><c> in</c> receiving on the job training in receiving on the job training in addition
• So think about on the job training.
• We trained a few teachers this year, and we're continuing to train them and other teachers.
• </c><01:28:03.360><c> Um</c> uh employees total. Um uh employees total.
• </c> issued to the central office employees. issued to the central office employees.

Summary: The committee first handled routine business, including roll call, introductions, and approval of the previous meeting minutes by voice vote. It then heard a presentation on SB 253, focused on expanding support for teacher apprenticeship and teaching-and-learning pathways. Senator Hickman and staff from the Kentucky Department of Education and Nelson County Schools described how the program uses dual credit, work-based learning, and registered apprenticeship to help students earn an associate degree in high school and continue toward a teaching degree. They said the goal is to address the teacher shortage by creating a sustainable pipeline into the profession. Witnesses emphasized that the main barrier is cost. Mary Taylor said Kentucky’s youth apprenticeship model has been successful in other fields and that education should be added as an in-demand sector, but an associate degree alone will not solve the teacher shortage because teachers still need a bachelor’s degree and certification. Laura Arnold of Nelson County Schools described the district’s Lead Nelson program, saying the district has invested more than $800,000 since 2021, currently has 37 students in the pathway and seven committed apprentices, and spends about $85,000 per apprentice from freshman year through certification. She said district staffing, planning, and university partnerships are also significant hurdles. Members asked about job guarantees, tenure, and retirement; Arnold said employment is performance-based and retirement issues are being considered. Senator Hickman said the bill would use lottery funds to help cover tuition and dual credit costs so more districts can participate, noting that a prior version died because of a high fiscal note. Representative Payne and Representative Tipton praised the program but stressed the need for funding and noted inconsistencies between statute and budget language on Work Ready Kentucky and dual credit support. Representative Tipton also cautioned that lottery revenue may not keep pace with demand and said the General Assembly may need to make broader funding decisions. After the apprenticeship discussion, the chair moved the committee to the next agenda item on computer science and AI literacy, where Code.org began a presentation on the importance of computer science for all students.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> where you still have the same training where you still have the same training to<00:41:40.360><c
• </c> training our employees for future training our employees for future skills,<00:55:06.120><c> and
• DHL employee certification refers to our global division-specific training programs such as Certified
• eligible employees, encouraging For eligible employees, encouraging upward<00:56:35.320><c> mobility
• But we had an employee contest through an employee contest, and it was nicknamed UPS Worldport. than

Summary: The task force met on October 14, confirmed a quorum, and adopted the September 16, 2025 minutes. Members then received a Kentucky Air National Guard 101 briefing from Brigadier General Bruce Bancroft, commander of the Kentucky Air National Guard, who described the Guard’s structure, missions, and statewide role. He emphasized that Kentucky is a single-wing state centered at Louisville’s 123rd Airlift Wing and highlighted several unique capabilities, including the Contingency Response Group, critical care air transport teams, medical detachment for chemical environments, explosive ordnance disposal, fatality search and recovery, and special tactics personnel. General Bancroft also discussed staffing and readiness, saying the Guard has 1,273 authorized positions, with a mix of AGR, Title 32, and Title 5 personnel. He noted that AGR positions are funded at about 96 percent, while technician positions are funded at about 53 percent, leaving the organization to operate at roughly 75 percent of authorized manpower overall. He said the wing converted from the C-130H to the C-130J in 2021 and completed the transition in about 2.5 years, ahead of the original three-year timeline. The briefing further covered the Guard’s operational tempo and community role. Bancroft said the unit has earned 21 Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards, has deployed about 500,000 days since 9/11 across 45 countries, and routinely supports federal and domestic missions. He described the C-130J’s tactical airlift, airdrop, and blacked-out operations as directly useful for disaster response in Kentucky, and he pointed to strong ties with UPS and other aviation employers. No votes or formal actions were taken beyond approval of the prior minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• Businesses that have less than 50 employees.
• E-Verify said the employee was good to go.
• never had 10 employees,… If they've never had an employee before or never had 10 employees, 20 employees
• , verify an employee, how long you can employ them before you have to take action with that employee
• Awards of reimbursement are limited to no more than $10,000 per employee trained.

Summary: The Senate considered and passed House Bill 4245, the Department of Revenue rules bundle covering 27 rules from six agencies. Members withdrew the committee amendment, adopted a floor amendment making changes to two lottery rules and one tax rule related to pre-need cemetery companies, then passed the bill 30-1. The Senate also adopted a title amendment and made the bill effective from passage by a 31-0 vote. Later, when the House rejected the Senate’s amendments, the Senate receded from its amendments and again passed the bill, making it effective from passage. The chamber also adopted several concurrent resolutions from the Rules Committee, including studies on school finance transparency, divorce grounds, the Southern West Virginia water crisis, athletic trainer access in public secondary schools, the eastern gray fox population, upland game bird stamp purchases, and the Public Service Commission. Senate Concurrent Resolution 50, calling for a study of the PSC, was also adopted. In addition, the Senate passed House Bill 5381, which expands the Office of Energy’s role to develop a comprehensive energy policy and grid stabilization plan, and House Bill 5412, the Future Ready Education Act, after amending it to require annual vocational and agriculture offerings unless not viable and to set science-of-reading training requirements for K-5 literacy teachers by 2028-29. The Senate passed House Bill 845, a supplemental appropriation to the Governor’s Office Civil Contingent Fund, after concurring in a House amendment that reappropriated federal match grant funds and increased the civil contingency surplus fund from $15 million to $25 million; it was made effective from passage. The chamber also concurred in House amendments to House Bill 4106 on constitutional carry for 18- to 20-year-olds, House Bill 4004 creating the Recharge West Virginia training reimbursement program, House Bill 5453 revising the school aid funding formula for special education weighting, and other measures including House Bill 4009 on portable benefits, Senate Bill 164 on substitute teacher definitions, and House Bill 4606 on pretrial release for certain felonies. A lengthy debate centered on House Bill 4198, the E-Verify Safe Harbor Act. The Judiciary Committee amendment would have required public and certain private employers to use E-Verify, while a further amendment from the Senator from Randolph would have limited the mandate to public employers and made E-Verify optional for private employers with liability protections for good-faith use. After extensive discussion about small business impacts, federal-state conflicts, and enforcement, the Senate adopted the Randolph amendment and then passed the bill 31-3, with a title amendment also adopted. The Senate later refused to concur in House amendments to House Bill 4010, concurred in House amendments to House Bill 5438, receded from amendments to House Bill 4765, and adjourned sine die.

Transcript Highlights:

• Enhanced employee training to recognize and report phishing schemes and potential cyber threats.
• Enhanced employee<00:15:40.240><c> training</c><00:15:40.639><c> to</c><00:15:40.880><c> recognize</c
• ><00:15:41.279><c> and</c> employee training to recognize and employee training to recognize and report
• c><00:18:48.799><c> defensible</c> employee training gave us a defensible employee training gave us a
• </c> employees and our residents. employees and our residents.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then last but not least, the gentleman about the training.
• Sometimes we think training is unimportant, but if we don't train people to recognize trafficking and
• So the employee was injured at work, right? I mean, that's...
• The employee knows where they stand.
• For the employee, I have concerns about it.

Summary: The House convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, then approved the House Journal for February 3, 2026 by roll call vote, 131-1. Members then spent much of the morning introducing special guests, including a page for the day, Missouri State University Citizen Scholars, JAG program students, school counselors, elementary students observing online, interns, and a tribute honoring Josephine Baker’s life and legacy. The chamber then moved to first reading of several bills and to perfection of multiple House Committee Substitutes. The most substantial debate centered on a composite anti-trafficking bill, House Committee Substitute for House Bills 2273, 1946, 1814, and 2551. Supporters said it would strengthen Missouri’s response to trafficking, grooming, sextortion, and child sexual abuse material by updating terminology, creating a permanent Attorney General’s statewide council, expanding training for professionals, extending the civil statute of limitations for trafficking claims, increasing penalties, and allowing expungement for victims. Members cited testimony from survivors and advocates and emphasized the need for coordinated enforcement and education. The House adopted the committee substitute and ordered the bill perfected and printed. Members also debated House Committee Substitute for House Bill 1694 and related bills, a package aimed at curbing abusive website-accessibility lawsuits against Missouri businesses. Supporters described “sue-and-settle” tactics targeting small businesses with little notice and high settlement demands, while opponents of the abusive practice argued the bill preserves legitimate ADA claims and gives businesses a chance to cure problems. The House adopted the substitute and ordered it perfected and printed. Finally, the House considered House Committee Substitute for House Bill 2375 on workers’ compensation, which supporters said would clarify the “prevailing factor” standard, address preexisting-condition claims, adjust treatment and appeal rules, and reduce costs; opponents warned it could make it harder for injured workers to obtain care and create disputes between insurers. The House adopted the substitute and ordered it perfected and printed. The chamber then moved to announcements and recessed until 2 p.m.