Transcript Highlights:

• So that drives the price up because of how special that project is. If that helps. No, no, no, no.
• So that drives the price up because of how special that project is. If that helps. No, no, no, no.
• So that drives the price up because of how special that project is. If that helps. No, no, no, no.
• So that drives the price up because of how special that project is. If that helps. No, no, no, no.
• So, you know, that drives the price up because of how special that project is. If that helps.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee first approved contracts 98, 99, and 100, then heard from the Kentucky Department of Tourism on a contract with the United Kingdom and other European markets. Tourism officials said the state has had similar international marketing contracts since 2013, that international visitors spend about six times more per day than domestic travelers, and that the work includes marketing, public relations, familiarization trips, and media outreach. After questions about costs and effectiveness, the contract was approved by roll call. Members then reviewed Finance Cabinet facilities contracts 29 and 48 for engineering and architectural services tied to project design, including a specialized lab expansion project. The chair raised concerns that the fees seemed high for services that do not include construction, while the agency explained the work covers design for mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and architectural planning, and that the lab project’s specialized pathogen-related work limits the pool of firms. The committee voted to approve the contracts. The Attorney General’s office then presented an opioid abatement agreement. Senator Meredith asked how the commission coordinates with other state behavioral health efforts, and staff explained that the commission allocates settlement funds based on applications and includes related agency representation to help avoid duplication. The contract was approved. The committee also approved a behavioral health contract for 988 chat and text services, which will expand Kentucky-based crisis response coverage to 24/7 and move more of the state’s calls, chats, and texts from a national center to local specialists. A related amendment for the Voices of Hope overdose response contract was approved after staff said the increase simply extends services into the next fiscal year. Finally, the committee approved a DCBS contract for the Building Bridges Initiative, which provides training and peer mentoring for residential child care providers, and then approved three contracts for the Council on Developmental Disabilities. Those contracts were explained as necessary because the council is the designated state agency for federal DD Act funding, and one questioned item involving an advocacy and sexuality initiative was described as part of the council’s five-year plan focused on self-advocacy, systems change, and capacity building. The committee also discussed a food insecurity survey contract with a Kentucky nonprofit, with staff saying the organization was chosen for its statewide network and ability to gather raw data, while members raised concerns about whether the study should distinguish between lack of food and poor diet. All of the reviewed contracts were approved by roll call.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, so you know that drives the price up because of how special that project is. If that helps any.
• Uh, so you know that drives the price up because of how special that project is. If that helps any.
• Uh, so you know that drives the price up because of how special that project is. If that helps any.
• Uh, so you know that drives the price up because of how special that project is. If that helps any.
• <00:09:11.920> up you know that that drives the price up you know that that drives the price

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee first approved contracts 98, 99, and 100 on a roll call vote, with Chairman Douglas voting no but the items still passing. It then took up a Kentucky Department of Tourism contract involving the United Kingdom, France, and Germany/Austria/Switzerland markets. Tourism officials said the state has had similar contracts since 2013, that international visitors spend about six times more per day than domestic travelers, and that the effort supports marketing, public relations, and familiarization trips. The committee approved that contract as well, with Chairman Douglas voting yes after expressing support for tourism promotion. Next, the committee reviewed two Finance Cabinet facilities and support services items involving engineering and architectural services for a specialized lab expansion project. Members discussed why the design work was expensive, and the cabinet explained that the project’s pathogen-related complexity required specialized firms. Chairman Douglas said he believed some architectural and engineering reimbursement rates were too high and should be reexamined, but the committee still approved the items by roll call. The committee then heard from the Attorney General’s office and the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission on an MOA related to substance use disorder funding. Senator Meredith asked how the commission’s work coordinated with behavioral health programs, and staff explained that the commission allocates funds based on applications and includes relevant state officials. The contract was approved. After that, the committee considered behavioral health items: one new 988 chat-and-text contract to expand Kentucky-based crisis response coverage, and a Voices of Hope amendment that doubled funding to continue services into the next fiscal year. Officials said the 988 contract would move more chats and texts in-state, and that the Voices of Hope increase reflected continuation of SAMHSA-funded services; both were approved. Finally, the committee reviewed DCBS contracts, including a food insecurity survey contract with a Kentucky nonprofit and a Building Bridges Initiative training contract. Members questioned whether the food survey group’s advocacy role created a conflict, but DCBS said the organization was chosen for its statewide network and that the cabinet would receive the raw data. For Building Bridges, DCBS said the program began in the fall and provides training and peer mentorship for residential child care providers, with results still too early to assess. Both items were approved. The last set of contracts, under the State Treasurer for the Kentucky Council on Developmental Disabilities, prompted questions about why the funding flowed through the treasurer’s office and about a sexuality-related capacity-building initiative. Staff explained the treasurer serves as the designated state agency for federal DD Act funds, and that the sexuality initiative is part of a broader five-year plan focused on self-advocacy, system change, and capacity building; the committee then moved to approve those contracts as well.

Transcript Highlights:

• Are the beer prices, the food prices, you know, that sort of stuff.
• Are the beer prices, the food prices, you know, that sort of stuff.
• Are the beer prices, the food prices, you know, that sort of stuff.
• :00.800> prices,<01:42:01.360> you<01:42:01.520> know, beer prices, the food prices
• Um, some ticket prices will prices.

Bills: HF2080, HF356, HF1968, HF228, HF569, HF603, HF692, HF1455, HF2224, HF1361

Keywords: contamination, water supply, municipal bonds, environmental mitigation, city funding, Sauk Rapids, PFAS contamination, drinking water, pollution control, bond issuance, Cokato, capital investment, school infrastructure, state bonds, HF228, Lakes Area Police Commission, Lindstrom, Chisago City, regional training facility, public safety facility

Transcript Highlights:

• They drop their prices and everybody else chases them downward.
• And this is really tricky right now when prices are at their highest. So who really pays the price?
• So again, we have to ask who really pays the price.
• And let's be honest, Have to ask who really pays the price.
• Single parents don't get to opt out when prices go up.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The House first approved the journal for the 54th day by roll call vote, 117-5, after a prayer, pledge, and a long series of introductions of guests and school groups. The chamber then took up a motion from the Clay County member to reconsider perfection and adoption of House Committee Substitute for House Bills 3283 and 3306, which was described as a precautionary step to send the bill back for legislative review because of possible conflict with current case law involving arbitration and court jurisdiction. Members supporting the motion said the bill protects first responders and should be tightened up before returning to the floor. The reconsideration motions and the motion to commit the substitute to the Committee on Legislative Review all passed, each by roughly 98-43 or 99-43 votes. The House then considered House Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 982, a sex offender registry bill. The sponsor said it would streamline Missouri’s registry by moving to a clearer tier-based system, standardizing who must register, reducing litigation exposure, and aligning state law more closely with federal SORNA requirements. The bill also included language allowing the Department of Mental Health to contract with the Department of Corrections for housing sexually violent predators, plus other technical provisions. After a small technical amendment correcting a typo, members asked about whether the bill would allow offenders to petition off the registry; the sponsor said it would make removal easier for those who meet the tier requirements. The House adopted the substitute 141-4 and then third-read and passed the bill 141-4. The main floor debate centered on House Joint Resolutions 173 and 174, which would place before voters a constitutional change aimed at eliminating the state income tax over time and potentially broadening sales and use taxes to replace lost revenue. Supporters argued the proposal would shift Missouri from taxing income to taxing consumption, improve economic development, help attract businesses and workers, and give taxpayers more control over how they are taxed. They repeatedly described the measure as revenue-neutral and emphasized guardrails such as requiring any sales-tax expansion to be tied to income-tax reduction, done in the same legislation, and limited to a five-year window. Opponents argued the plan would raise taxes on most Missourians, especially lower- and middle-income families and seniors on fixed incomes, and would shift costs onto everyday goods and services, health care, and local governments. They also warned it could weaken funding for schools, hospitals, and other public services and noted that many witnesses and constituents opposed the measure. No final vote on the joint resolution was shown in the transcript excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• The home or business owners or renters are the ones who pay that high price.
• And yes, taxes go into that, land prices go into that, but energy prices go into that too.
• Or do those problems truly lie elsewhere with interest rates, land prices, construction material prices
• I just know that when I went back, I broke the prices down.
• What's an average price that you're charging? My company's average price is $385,000. 385.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Farmgate prices are low.
• This is threatening hundreds of rural jobs and squeezing grain prices in the process.
• There is an increase in food prices, and we need to do something about that if we possibly can.
• Isn't that inevitably going to push up food prices?
• Do to bring down egg prices and food prices and everything else?

Transcript Highlights:

• The high price of gasoline in the country—we're going to face that for the next few months because of
• We're cutting our investments in ZEV vehicles again when we have these rising prices for gasoline.
• How would you respond to that assessment about pricing? How would you respond to that assessment?
• The second is through that price effect.
• SALC is a critical lifeline for farmers right now as the price of agricultural production continues to

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• How can we negotiate better pricing with the manufacturers as well?
• How can we negotiate better pricing with the manufacturers as well?
• And the pricing... ...do include biosimilars in the market.
• And the pricing on this is just now we're getting pricing and availability to where it makes sense to

Summary: The State Insurance Programs Oversight Subcommittee met to review and approve several State Board of Finance actions related to employee benefits and pharmacy coverage. Grant Wallace, Director of the Employee Benefits Division and Office of Property Risk, presented a $280,000 Boston Consulting Group contract to help develop a third-party administration RFP, and the committee approved it. The committee then considered pharmacy formulary recommendations for December 2025, January 2026, and February 2026, along with February 2026 medical drug recommendations. Across the formulary items, Wallace explained that some drugs were being removed from prior authorization requirements, some were being updated to reflect FDA guidance or dosage changes, and others were being left not covered because lower-cost alternatives already exist or clinical evidence was insufficient. Notable changes included removing Skyrizi and Renvoke from the pharmacy formulary in favor of lower-cost biosimilars, adding certain generics, and adding a subcutaneous version of Keytruda for faster administration. The committee approved each set of recommendations by motion and voice vote. Members also raised broader questions about the impact of new drug-pricing programs such as Trump RX, Cost Plus, and other manufacturer discount efforts, as well as concerns about PBM oversight and whether Navitus is complying with state law. Wallace said the department is still studying those issues and working with Navitus to assess pricing opportunities and compliance. Senator Boyd also asked about whether affiliated pharmacies are being paid more than independent pharmacies, noting he had not received a prior response; Wallace was asked to follow up. The meeting concluded with no further business and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Price, here. Senator Kitchens, here. Senator Price, here. Senator Shelnut, here.
• Uh, there, Senator Price moves for favorable. Seconded by Senator Hobie. Okay.
• Senator Price seconds. ...for a favorable report. Senator Price seconds. Okay.
• Senator Price. Senator Shelnet. Senator Smitherman. Senator Smitherman. Senator Smitherman.

Bills: HB332, HB166, SB336, HB447, HB244

Keywords: computer science, K-12 education, public schools, graduation requirement, digital literacy, coding, programming, STEM, artificial intelligence, AI, computational thinking, technology education, computer literacy, high school credit, middle school, elementary school, teacher training, professional development, distance learning, virtual school

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Gavan, Senator Jones, Senator Kelly, Senator Livingston, Senator Or, Senator Price, Senator Shellnut
• Senator Elliott, Senator Gavan, Senator Jones, Senator Kelly, Senator Livingston, Senator Or, Senator Price
• Senator Price, Senator Shut, Senator Stewart, Senator Stuts, Senator Weaver.
• - No Senator Gavan - Yes Senator Jones - Yes Senator Kelly - Yes Senator Livingston - Yes Senator Price
• Senator Gavan, Senator Jones, Senator Kelly, Senator Livingston, Senator Price, Senator Stewart.

Bills: SB163, SB173, SB155, HB93, SB163, SB173, SB155, HB93

Keywords: State Auditor, property investigations, negligence, loss report, civil actions, Alabama Retirement Savings Program, state-facilitated retirement savings, auto-IRA, automatic enrollment, payroll deduction IRA, retirement savings access gap, private sector workers, small business retirement plan, portable retirement account, Roth IRA, traditional IRA, life-cycle fund, capital preservation fund, financial literacy, Department of Workforce

Transcript Highlights:

• Competition for the existing stock of starter homes is driving up home prices.
• <01:31:28.320> Most<01:31:28.560> of are far outside my price range.
• Most of are far outside my price range.
• <01:37:31.840> to there's many reasons from land price to there's many reasons from land price
• <01:48:26.480> of detached homes with a purchase price of detached homes with a purchase price

Bills: HF4319, HF3295, HF3589, HF3587, HF3588, HF4295, HF3571, HF3895

Keywords: public utilities commission, Lake City, port authority, Red Wing, terms of appointment, local government, elections, open meeting law, transparency, public engagement, social media, government accountability, voter access, polling place, ballot, unexpected needs, election judge, public information, political parties, HF4295

Transcript Highlights:

• this price loss recouped where is this price loss recouped Well,<00:49:44.960> the<00:49:45.200
• They have to integrate this price loss. And so where is this price loss recouped?
• price of each by $175,000. price of each by $175,000.
• will attract let's say a $50,000 price will attract let's say a $50,000 price for<01:31:04.800><
• <01:36:04.480> to Do we do that to lower prices to Do we do that to lower prices to decrease

Keywords: 981, all

Summary: The House convened with a quorum, approved the corrected journal, and heard several announcements about upcoming committee meetings, events at the Capitol, and recognitions, including Music Therapy Day, Black History Month activities, adoptable puppies, and a Colorado Agricultural Forum. Members also celebrated Representative Story’s birthday and recognized the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD) for its long-running support of arts, culture, science access, and economic impact in Colorado. The House adopted Senate Joint Resolution 12, designating February 20, 2026, as Colorado FFA Day, by a vote of 64-1 with one excused. The chamber then moved to special orders for several bills. The first major bill considered was House Bill 1017, which would prohibit insurers from receiving criminal restitution unless they are direct victims. Sponsors argued the bill prioritizes human victims, prevents restitution from becoming an unpayable burden on low-income defendants, and clarifies the law in response to court concerns and stakeholder feedback. Opponents argued it would shift costs to taxpayers and policyholders and could increase civil litigation and insurance premiums. An amendment, L005, was adopted to clarify the bill’s scope, and the bill then passed as amended. The House also took up House Bill 114, concerning minimum lot size and local land-use rules. An amendment, L002, was offered to prohibit certain local lot frontage, setback, open-space, or coverage requirements that would effectively prevent construction of a single-family home on a 2,000-square-foot residential lot. Supporters framed the measure as protecting housing access, while opponents argued it would override local land-use decision-making and public hearing processes. The transcript ends during debate on a substitute motion related to the amendment, before final action on House Bill 114 is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then for those sales, it's either 8 or 12% of the sale price.
• Any eligible beginning the sale price.
• <00:32:43.840> The<00:32:44.080> average price of land in my county.
• The average price of land in my county.
• When people come out from the cities and buy up agricultural land, it jacks a price up.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• cost of new home construction, we price cost of new home construction, we price out<00:04:50.400
• We need to have more housing across all of the price points.
• could uh the listing price was for. could uh the listing price was for.
• <01:14:40.880> They're prices have skyrocketed. They're prices have skyrocketed.
• <01:15:19.920> range houses in the size and the price range houses in the size and the price

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:03 Roll Call 00:00:08 Discussion of Indiana Residential Infrastructure Fund 00:01:27 Discussion of Affordable Housing Trust Fund 00:33:30 Discussion of Urban Infill 01:12:37 Approval of Minutes from July Meeting 01:39:00 Adjournment 01:39:42, 958, all

Summary: The Housing Task Force heard a presentation from Anita Sanford of the Homebuilders Association of Kentucky and Sheri Cybert of Indiana’s Residential Infrastructure Fund about Indiana’s low-interest loan program for local housing infrastructure. They described the program as a voluntary, locally driven model that helps communities finance roads, sewers, sidewalks, traffic lights, turning lanes, and other infrastructure needed for new housing development. Sanford emphasized that infrastructure and regulation are major drivers of housing costs, citing estimates that infrastructure can account for up to 30% of a home’s cost and regulations another 25%, and said the association is studying Kentucky-specific regulatory costs. She also noted that every $1,000 added to new home construction can price out about 2,000 Kentucky households. Cybert explained that Indiana’s program, administered through the Indiana Finance Authority, began in 2023 with $75 million appropriated over two years and has since closed 17 loans totaling $60.7 million, with more than 2,700 projected housing units. The program reserves 70% of funds for rural communities and 30% for urban communities, requires applications from local governments rather than developers, and asks communities to show need through a market study, describe the infrastructure and housing to be built, and provide preliminary engineering plans and a repayment source. She said the loans currently carry an interest rate around 3.5%, reset quarterly, and that the program has generated about $25 million in savings to communities compared with private borrowing. She also described recent Indiana legislative changes that encourage higher density and other zoning reforms, and said a majority of those local ordinance changes must be adopted for an application to be fundable. Members asked about the ordinance requirements, the funding split between rural and urban areas, repayment mechanisms, and whether there were caps on project size. Cybert said repayment is worked out case by case, often through existing or project-specific TIFs, temporary tax agreements, or letters of credit, and that the program has no cap on request size or income/affordability restrictions. She said the largest request funded was $19 million for a 700-unit project. Co-chair Mills and others discussed whether Kentucky could adopt a similar model and what it would cost, while Sanford and Cybert said they were still refining budget estimates. Later, Scott Welch, president of the Homebuilders Association of Kentucky, testified that upfront infrastructure costs are a major barrier in his projects, citing a $1 million pump station and road-widening and utility relocation costs as examples, and said an infrastructure fund would help get projects off the ground.

Transcript Highlights:

• In all of the major price indices, key interest rates are expected to remain above the November forecast
• indices key interest rates are price indices key interest rates are expected<00:08:04.960> to
• and wages threatening the prices and wages threatening the forecasted<00:18:36.520> monitary<
• Consumer Price Consumer Price Index<00:26:15.399> this<00:26:15.559> number<00:26:
• we refer to it as rising prices we refer to it as discretionary<00:26:23.760> inflation<00:26

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• ,<01:01:07.040> it's Um, it's uh proconsumer in price, it's Um, it's uh proconsumer in price
• Consumers can look up the prices ahead of time.
• Um, the best possible price is for them.
• Instead, the person simply pays the ARX price at the counter, like they would pay for a cash price.
• consumer<01:07:40.400> pays the price that the consumer pays the price that the consumer

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• push that price around the world. push that price around the world.
• price for everyone.
• <05:19:28.160> down little difference in the price down little difference in the price down
• <05:19:39.200> are and put it on the grid when prices are and put it on the grid when prices
• <05:19:45.120> So the clearing price for everyone. So the clearing price for everyone.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• enrollment as well as Healthcare prices enrollment as well as Healthcare prices uh<00:23:16.600>
• As you can see, medical prices have more than doubled in that period.
• As you can see, medical prices have more than doubled in that period.
• As you can see, medical prices have more than doubled in that period.
• <01:45:52.000> to tariff that will increase gas prices to tariff that will increase gas prices

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The Ways and Means Committee began with member and staff introductions, including several new members and committee staff. Representative Zach Stevenson, the DFL lead, objected to the day’s presentation, saying he was disappointed the committee was starting with a group he viewed as aligned with Republicans rather than a nonpartisan budget presentation. The chair responded that the committee had a bipartisan agreement and that hearing a different perspective was appropriate. The committee then proceeded to a presentation from economists with the Center of the American Experiment, with questions held until the end. The presentation focused on Minnesota’s budget outlook, arguing that the state faces a structural imbalance and a projected $5.14 billion deficit in the 2028-29 biennium. The presenters said spending has outpaced revenues, highlighted a large increase in general fund spending since 2023, and argued that inflation-adjusted per-capita spending remains above pre-2024 levels through the forecast period. They said the biggest growth areas are E-12 education and especially Health and Human Services, with HHS projected to become the largest budget category and much of its growth tied to Medicaid and long-term care waivers. The presenters also argued Minnesota spends more than most states on welfare and Medicaid, citing comparisons showing the state near the top nationally in spending per person in poverty and in several Medicaid categories. They said some of the HHS growth reflects policy changes from the 2023 session, while other pressures come from enrollment growth, health care prices, federal debt, and an aging population. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the portion of the meeting shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• We know this because our median price has recently crossed a half million dollars.
• those higher prices.
• We know this because our median price has recently crossed a half million dollars.
• those higher prices.
• demand resulting in those higher prices demand resulting in those higher prices the<00:51:51.040

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Everything has been escalated: price staggering, wage raising, interest rate challenges, and environmental
• This section also requires the owner to share the prices, terms, and conditions of the offer received
• uh and then increasing their prices uh and then finally<01:25:03.840> the<01:25:04.280> uh
• Representative Johnson, did you look up what the average price was? What’s an average price?
• We need to look at the root of the problem that's actually getting at these rising rent prices and a

Bills: HF1143, HF1548, HF1340, HF2549, HF2559, HF1673, HF2740, HF2507, HF2461, HF2381, HF2695

Keywords: education funding, unemployment aid, special education, Minnesota statutes, appropriations, housing, redevelopment, local government, trust funds, community development, HF1340, housing infrastructure bonds, Minnesota Housing Finance Agency, MHFA, affordable housing, supportive housing, permanent housing, adaptive reuse, area median income, AMI