Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Thomas, Senator Thomas, Senator Thomas. >> Representative Hancock, Representative Hancock, Representative
• Senator Max Wise, Senator Amanda Bledsoe, Senator Christian McDaniel, Representative Adam Bowling, Representative
• Senator >> All right. Thank you so much.
• <00:48:09.680> one<00:48:09.839> of uh Oh, Senator Representative one of uh Oh, Senator
• agencies in state government and 22 agencies in state government and 22 outside<00:49:28.880>

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:00:15 Office of the Secretary of State 00:01:59 Office of the Attorney General 00:12:40 Department of Agriculture 00:22:44, 958, all

Summary: The Budget Review Subcommittee on General Government, Finance, Personnel, and Public Retirement heard presentations from the Secretary of State, the Attorney General’s Office, and the Department of Agriculture. Secretary of State Michael Adams said his office had no major new budget or authority requests, but he updated members on voter-roll maintenance, ongoing litigation over a law preventing voting in multiple states, the Safe at Home program for domestic violence survivors, human trafficking outreach, reduced spending, and new anti-fraud measures for business registrations and electronic service of process. Members then discussed Adams’ remarks, especially his criticism of Kentuckians for the Commonwealth. One senator objected that the organization should not be shut out of the legislative process, citing First Amendment concerns. Adams responded that he was not seeking to ban anyone from speaking, but wanted lawmakers to remember the harm he believes the group’s litigation does to election integrity and bipartisan reform. Representative Jackson praised Adams and his staff for their work. Deputy Attorney General Rob Duncan outlined the office’s work, including criminal prosecutions, civil litigation, body armor grants, administrative hearings, domestic violence and violent crime initiatives, election security, child support services, and the new Office of Data Privacy. He said the child support program transition from CHFS had created budget shortfalls and that the office would seek additional funding next session. In response to questions from Representative Lockett, Duncan said he did not yet have exact cost figures but expected funding needs and noted barriers related to personnel, budgeting, and integration. The committee also heard from Agriculture Commissioner Jonathan Shell, who highlighted the Kentucky Office of Agricultural Policy’s 25th anniversary, the new Office of Economic Development, and the role of Miss Kentucky in promoting agriculture. He said the department would seek recruitment and retention funding, possible staffing for EV station inspections, and continued support to make the agriculture economic development fund permanent.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Carol here. Senator Denine here. Senator Nemes present. Senator Reed here.
• Senator Nemes present. Senator Reed here. Senator Styers here. Senator Thomas here.
• Senator Carroll: Aye. Senator Neal: Aye. Senator Nemes: Aye. Senator Reed: Yes.
• Senator Carroll: I. Senator Denine: I. Senator Neil: I. Senator Carroll: I. Senator Denine: I.
• <00:50:01.440> hi<00:50:02.280> Senator Senator nemis hi Senator Reed hi Senator Senator

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00:00 Roll Call: 00:00:04 SB 02: 00:01:37 Discussion in Opposition to SB 02: 00:09:49 SB 84: 00:22:19 SB 111: 00:30:35, 958, all

Summary: The committee first considered Senate Bill 2, sponsored by Senator Mike Wilson, which would prohibit incarcerated people from receiving cross-sex hormones or gender-affirming surgeries, while allowing a tapering period if stopping an existing treatment would cause physical harm. Wilson said the bill was needed to prevent the Department of Corrections from providing such care by memo or policy rather than statute, and he argued the care was elective and not medically necessary. Senators Thomas, Neal, Nemes, Styers, and others questioned whether any gender-affirming surgeries had actually occurred in Kentucky, whether the hormone treatments were physician-prescribed, and whether the bill would override medical judgment; Wilson said the department reported no surgeries, that 67 incarcerated people were receiving cross-sex hormone therapy, and that he would only support treatment if it fit the bill’s narrow medical-harm exception. Public testimony on SB 2 was strongly opposed. Chris Hartman of the Fairness Campaign said the bill would deny medically necessary care, violate the Eighth Amendment, and target a very small and vulnerable incarcerated population. Dr. Jack Skilles testified that gender-affirming care is medically necessary and supported by major medical organizations, warning that denying it could worsen mental health and lead to suicidality. Hannah Callahan, a transgender woman, described being denied hormone therapy while incarcerated and said the interruption caused severe physical and mental harm, including suicidal thoughts. Emma Curtis, Lexington’s Fourth District councilwoman, also urged a no vote, framing the issue as a matter of compassion and religious duty. The committee then voted on SB 2. Senator Neal explained his no vote by saying he was not medically trained and deferred to doctors; Senator Nemes said he wanted clarification that the bill would not stop ongoing treatment; and Senator Styers argued the bill was a poor priority and noted there was no fiscal note and that only 67 people were affected. Senator Wheeler moved the bill, Senator Reed seconded, and the committee reported Senate Bill 2 favorably. Afterward, the committee began hearing Senate Bill 84, sponsored by Senator Steve Rawlings, which would limit judicial deference to state agency interpretations and require courts, not agencies, to interpret ambiguous laws, citing the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2024 Loper Bright decision overturning Chevron deference.

Keywords: HI House YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdmbzfMdueI, 2026-07-02T01:22:38+00:00, 2.2.24, Data collected via generic collector engine, Agenda: http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2022/hearingnotices/HEARING_PDP_03-15-22_.pdf, 910, house, all, 2.2.42, 2.1.47

Keywords: HI House YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f78jSR34wDg, 2026-07-02T01:22:37+00:00, 2.2.24, Data collected via generic collector engine, Agenda: https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/Session2022/hearingnotices/HEARING_HSC21_02-11-22_INFO_.PDF, 910, house, all, 2.2.42, 2.1.47

Keywords: HI House YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxffA2De2rM, 2026-07-02T01:22:35+00:00, 2.2.24, Data collected via generic collector engine, Agenda: https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2022/hearingnotices/HEARING_FIN_01-14-22_INFO_.pdf, 910, house, all, 2.2.42, 2.1.47

Keywords: HI House YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjPNmi3E498, 2026-07-02T01:22:35+00:00, 2.2.24, Data collected via generic collector engine, Agenda: https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2022/hearingnotices/HEARING_WAL_01-13-22_INFO_.pdf, 910, house, all, 2.2.42, 2.1.47

Keywords: HI House YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVaAG0t1v2c, 2026-07-02T01:22:35+00:00, 2.2.24, Data collected via generic collector engine, Agenda: https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2022/hearingnotices/HEARING_FIN_01-13-22_INFO_.pdf, 910, house, all, 2.2.42, 2.1.47

Keywords: HI House YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=210BJFvSwUQ, 2026-07-02T01:22:34+00:00, 2.2.24, Data collected via generic collector engine, House Committee on Pandemic & Disaster Preparedness Chair, Linda Ichiyama, 910, house, all, 2.2.42, 2.1.47

Keywords: HI House YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoTmdfYuE8A, 2026-07-02T01:22:29+00:00, 2.2.24, Data collected via generic collector engine, https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2021/hearingnotices/HEARING_ECD-HET_01-19-21_INFO_.HTM, 910, house, all, 2.2.42, 2.1.47

Keywords: HI House YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OC2ahPbGO-k, 2026-07-02T01:22:29+00:00, 2.2.24, Data collected via generic collector engine, https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2021/hearingnotices/HEARING_FIN_01-14-21_INFO_.HTM, 910, house, all, 2.2.42, 2.1.47

Keywords: HI House YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPWa7EM-rY0, 2026-07-02T01:22:28+00:00, 2.2.24, Data collected via generic collector engine, https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2021/hearingnotices/HEARING_FIN_01-11-21_INFO_.HTM, 910, house, all, 2.2.42, 2.1.47

Keywords: HI House YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3_kdM1nxbM, 2026-07-02T01:22:57+00:00, 2.2.24, Data collected via generic collector engine, House Agenda: https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/Session2025/hearingnotices/HEARING_JHA_03-11-25_.PDF 10:07 - Introduction 11:36 - SB109 SD2 21:39 - SB121 22:36 - SB262 SD1 27:47 - SB304 SD1 29:28 - SB361 SD2 36:21 - SB428 38:27 - SB1316 SD1 52:04 - SB264 SD1 1:02:45 - SB336 1:04:56 - SB116 SD2 1:08:50 - SB1319 SD1 1:12:06 - SB1149 SD1 1:20:57 - SB117 1:21:27 - Decision Making, 910, house, all, 2.2.42, 2.1.47

Keywords: HI House YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkDkyEf2EyI, 2026-07-02T01:22:53+00:00, 2.2.24, Data collected via generic collector engine, House Agenda: https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/Session2024/hearingnotices/HEARING_EDN-HET_04-11-24_.PDF Followed by EDN 2:01 PM Agenda: https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/Session2024/hearingnotices/HEARING_EDN_04-11-24_.PDF 17:38 - Introduction (EDN/HET 2:00 PM) 17:54 - SCR 144 ---------------------------------------------- 21:46 - Introduction (EDN 2:01 PM) 22:03 - SCR 142 SD1 27:54 - SCR 98 SD1 32:37 - Decision Making (EDN/HET 2:00 PM) 35:10 - Decision Making (EDN 2:01 PM), 910, house, all, 2.2.42, 2.1.47

Keywords: HI House YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kADYODq2XIw, 2026-07-02T01:22:53+00:00, 2.2.24, Data collected via generic collector engine, House Agenda: https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/Session2024/hearingnotices/HEARING_HSG_04-10-24_.PDF Timestamps: 9:36 - Introduction 9:52 - SCR 43, SD1 (SSCR3384) 13:55 - SCR 45, SD1 (SSCR3386) 14:27 - SCR 55, SD1 (SSCR3590) 15:22 - SCR 61, SD1 (SSCR3392) 16:15 - SCR 103, SD1 (SSCR3629) 16:41 - SCR 115 (SSCR3637) 17:14 - SCR 183, SD1 (SSCR3635) 17:48 - SCR 217 (SSCR3522) 18:12 - SCR 226 (SSCR3524) 20:24 - Decision Making, 910, house, all, 2.2.42, 2.1.47

Keywords: HI House YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYVD_T4Vs_4, 2026-07-02T01:22:46+00:00, 2.2.24, Data collected via generic collector engine, House Agenda: https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2023/hearingnotices/HEARING_TRN_03-28-23_.pdf Followed by TRN/LMG 11:15AM Agenda: https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2023/hearingnotices/HEARING_TRN-LMG_03-28-23_.pdf Timestamps: 20:57 - Introduction (TRN 10:00AM) 21:14 - HRC188 / HR193 22:05 - HCR161 / HR162 24:39 - Decision Making (TRN 10:00AM) ----------- 1:25:23 - Introduction (TRN/LMG 11:15AM) 1:26:32 - HCR137 / HR138 1:34:30 - Decision Making (TRN/LMG 11:15AM), 910, house, all, 2.2.42, 2.1.47

Keywords: HI House YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=du6005fr3dg, 2026-07-02T01:22:45+00:00, 2.2.24, Data collected via generic collector engine, House Agenda: https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/Session2023/hearingnotices/HEARING_WAL_03-16-23_.PDF 12:45 - Introduction 56:57 - SB81 SD1 59:52 - SB75 SD2 1:00:55 - SB735 SD1 1:01:18 - SB93 SD1 1:02:29 - SD93 SD1 1:02:32 - SB94 SD2 1:05:24 - SB730 SD2 1:11:02 - SB89 SD1 1:11:22 - SB1264 SD2 1:11:52 - SB1068 SD2 1:12:51 - SB1291 SD1 1:14:52 - Decision Making, 910, house, all, 2.2.42, 2.1.47

Keywords: HI House YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SnWL9ccfr4, 2026-07-02T01:22:43+00:00, 2.2.24, Data collected via generic collector engine, House Agenda: https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/Session2023/hearingnotices/HEARING_CPC_02-09-23_.PDF Timestamps: 13:38 - Introduction 14:20 - HB16 19:34 - HB17 22:38 - HB159 24:29 - HB596 26:54 - HB1084 43:07 - HB1458 51:59 - HB24, HD1 53:52 - HB1029 55:29 - HB348, HD1 58:46 - HB654, HD1 1:02:00 - HB54, HD1 1:24:24 - HB57, HD1 1:25:33 - HB1241, HD1 1:43:44 - HB1261 1:57:12 - Decision Making, 910, house, all, 2.2.42, 2.1.47

Keywords: HI House YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6s7yN79BKo0, 2026-07-02T01:22:32+00:00, 2.2.24, Data collected via generic collector engine, Hearing Agenda: http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2021/hearingnotices/HEARING_EDN-HET_03-16-21_.HTM 6:39 - Introduction 7:44 - SB245, SD1 11:00 - SB1271, SD2 22:21 - SB813 26:12 - SB814, SD 1 28:36 - SB815, SD 2 44:14 - SB702, SD 2 45:28 - SB76, SD 2 51:15 - SD516, SD 1 54:29 - SD807, SD 2 1:28:24 - SB1004 1:33:01 - SB144, SD 2 1:33:38 - SB804, SD 1 1:46:48 - Decision Making, 910, house, all, 2.2.42, 2.1.47

Transcript Highlights:

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• She is<00:22:10.159> going<00:22:10.320> to<00:22:10.480> be<00:22:10.640> our
• <00:22:16.960> So<00:22:17.280> we<00:22:17.520> want<00:22:17.679> to
• <00:22:18.320> She's<00:22:18.640> only<00:22:18.799> been<00:22:19.039>
• :22:21.840> three<00:22:22.080> weeks<00:22:22.480> not<00:22:22.720> even

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:00:30 Personnel Cabinet 00:03:25 Department of Veterans Affairs 00:12:40 Auditor of Public Accounts 00:22:39 State Treasurer 00:42:24, 958, all

Summary: The committee first heard from Personnel Cabinet officials on House Bill 6, which required the Kentucky Employees Health Plan to offer a qualified high-deductible health plan by the 2026 plan year. Officials said the plan was already added for 2025, described it as the lowest-premium option with higher deductibles, and explained that federal rules prevent first-dollar coverage except for limited preventive services. They said 264 members had selected the plan out of about 142,000, and noted it also allows health savings accounts. Members asked about the plan’s benefits, what “catastrophic” meant, the deductible amounts, and whether employees were aware of the option; the cabinet said it would continue to highlight the plan in communications and that the deductible is above $8,000 for individuals and above $16,000 for families. The committee then received an update from the Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs on the Bowling Green veterans center. Officials said the current target is to move into the building on October 28, with first admissions about two months later, pending final fixes and certification steps for Medicare, Medicaid, and the VA. They explained that about $7 million in FY25 appropriations lapsed because of construction delays, staffing ramp-up was postponed to avoid unnecessary spending, and the unspent funds should be considered in the next budget request. Members praised the project and asked about annual operating costs; officials said the current operating budget is about $15 million, though they do not expect to spend all of it this year. The commissioner also announced the fifth annual state commanders conference in Lexington, focused on veterans issues and featuring state, federal, and advocacy leaders. State Auditor Allison Ball then outlined her office’s budget priorities. She said the office is primarily a billing agency that charges audited entities for its work, and warned that some agencies are now signaling they may refuse to pay for audits related to kinship care and the medical cannabis application process. She said the office plans to continue requesting outlier credits for unusually burdensome county audit fees, funding for the ombudsman office’s transition and expanded in-office operations, and revenue replacement for local government audits and possibly state audits and special examinations. Ball also said the office conducts about 500 audits, reviews, and examinations a year and wants to restore performance audits with seed funding, as well as add investigators to the ombudsman office to focus more on child abuse and neglect cases. Members discussed the value of performance audits, the possibility of raising certain board thresholds to account for inflation, and the need for additional capacity to handle more audits.

Transcript Highlights:

• :17.600> the<01:22:17.920> contract<01:22:18.400> here,<01:22:18.960> but
• got<01:22:19.760> 790<01:22:20.719> or<01:22:21.040> so<01:22:21.520> active
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• ><01:22:27.199> the<01:22:27.360> Commonwealth<01:22:27.920> through<01:22:28.159
• Senator Williams. Oh, go ahead, Senator. Senator Williams. Oh, go ahead, Senator.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Roll Call 00:00:15 Kentucky Department of Education 00:01:20 Kentucky Communications Network Authority 00:36:45 Accelecom 01:01:22 Auditor of Public Accounts 01:29:50, 958, all

Summary: The Information Technology Oversight Committee met to hear a presentation from Kentucky Department of Education officials David Couch and Mike Lingham on the history and current status of Kentucky’s K-12 internet network, including its relationship to KentuckyWired. They described the original KETS design from 1995, when KDE established district internet hubs and left local districts to connect to them, and said that model helped Kentucky become a national leader in school connectivity and cloud-based services. They also emphasized the importance of E-rate eligibility, saying it has saved the state substantial money and remains central to KDE’s network contracting. Couch and Lingham said the current “next generation Kentucky K-12 internet” contract with Education Networks of America is more reliable, offers more functionality, and costs less than the prior system, including lower bandwidth and firewall costs. They explained that the transition was complicated by build-out and provisioning issues, especially the need for more “type two” connections through local providers, which pushed some implementation past the June 30, 2024 E-rate deadline. As a result, 39 sites remain on type two connections, and KDE absorbed the loss of federal discount dollars for the portion of the transition that extended into July. The witnesses also discussed home internet access for students. They said KDE has tracked home access for about 20 years and estimates about 4.5% of students still lack adequate internet at home, with roughly 3% able to reach access nearby and 1.5% having no access. They said the biggest barrier is usually cost rather than lack of available lines, and noted that temporary hotspot support during COVID helped students continue schoolwork. Senator Williams asked about the costs of the transition, the current type two sites, and the potential cost of any future transition, but the transcript cuts off before a full answer was given.