Video & Transcript : 'commercial construction' :
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MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Committee on Housing and Homelessness Prevention - 03/27/25
Housing and Homelessness Prevention
Transcript Highlights:
- Many of the student construction skill.
- </c> great career in the construction great career in the construction industry.<00:49:32.880><c> Thank
- </c><00:49:58.160><c> Uh,</c> construction process? Mr. Low. Uh, construction process? Mr. Low.
- </c> ownership services in both commercial ownership services in both commercial and<00:58:21.920><c>
- ,</c> quality, affordable housing, commercial, quality, affordable housing, commercial, and<01:10:12.320
Committee:
Senate Housing and Homelessness Prevention
OK
Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session
Appropriations and Budget Transportation Subcommittee Jan 20th, 2026 at 09:30 am
A&B Transportation Subcommittee
Transcript Highlights:
- The construction piece of that tire should be done later this year.
- It's under construction. We're under sign in in the environmental process.
- South Gran Lake, they're a hangar and terminals under construction.
- Stroud runways under construction. We're still waiting on Hawney and Atoka and Duncan.
- We have done seven utility projects, we have constructed or we'll be constructing 175 hangar units, totaling
Committee:
House A&B Transportation Subcommittee
ND
North Dakota 2026 1st Special Session
Advanced Nuclear Energy Committee Mar 24th, 2026
Advanced Nuclear Energy Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- And so we also looked at known construction workforces for CCGTs.
- At the time of construction, the AP 1000 design was not complete.
- But today, the AP 1000 design is truly complete and constructible.
- But today, the AP 1000 design is truly complete and constructible.
- EDF is well equipped to finance the construction of reactors with complete and constructed designs because
Committee:
Joint Advanced Nuclear Energy Committee
Summary:
The committee met to hear a series of presentations on advanced nuclear economics, workforce, community impacts, and financing. Nucleon Energy’s William Bridge presented a report estimating the economic impacts of hypothetical 200-megawatt and 600-megawatt SMRs, including construction and operating jobs, local spending, tax revenue, and the private-sector conditions needed to attract investment. He said the report used nth-of-a-kind cost assumptions, discussed security and water siting considerations, and argued that early community engagement and permitting work should be timed to when projects are closer to being economic. Committee members questioned cost assumptions, security staffing, transmission and water siting, and whether large reactors or SMRs are more likely to be financed in the near term.
Lori Brady of the Nuclear Energy Institute then outlined national nuclear workforce needs and NEI’s strategic workforce planning. She described declining labor-force demographics, the need for hundreds of thousands of new energy workers by 2050, and six workforce priorities: career awareness, pipelines, training and qualification, policy support, retention, and non-traditional pipelines. She highlighted the Nuclear Works career website, the Nuclear Energy Academic Roadmap, the new federal Energy and Natural Resources career cluster, and the Nuclear Uniform Curriculum Program for community colleges. Members asked about AI, robotics, and when training should begin relative to future plant construction; Brady said AI is not expected to replace workers broadly and that training timelines depend on the specific project and staffing plan.
Red Wing, Minnesota Mayor Gary Yako described hosting the Prairie Island nuclear generating facility. He said the plant provides a large share of the city’s property tax base, supports well-paid jobs, contributes to local emergency preparedness, and is a strong community partner through donations and employee involvement. He said the city supports relicensing, has regular emergency drills, and has had no issues with dry cask storage. The committee also heard from NEI’s Benton Arnett, who reviewed the current financing landscape, including federal tax credits, DOE loan authority, offtake agreements, and the shift toward project developers and special-purpose vehicles. He said early projects face high first-of-a-kind costs, but federal support and long-term power purchase agreements are helping make projects financeable. Finally, DOE’s Julie Kazeraki described the Office of Energy Dominance Financing and its role in supporting new nuclear, restarts, uprates, and supply chain investments, emphasizing that federal loan and tax-credit tools are intended to reduce upfront risk and improve project affordability.
HI
Hawaii 2025 Regular Session
House Chamber - Thu Apr 17, 2025, 11:30AM HST - Day 53
Hawaii House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- construction of private shoreline<00:26:11.919><c> hardening</c><00:26:12.559><c> structures</c><00:
- </c><00:27:03.600><c> So</c><00:27:03.760><c> the</c> government constructing a harbor.
- So the government constructing a harbor.
- The Hawaii State Energy Office has no expectation that SMRs will be commercially available at Costco
- a nuclear power 1970s to uh construct a nuclear power plant<00:36:41.119><c> here.
KY
Kentucky 2025 Regular Session
Capital Planning Advisory Board (8-13-25)
Transcript Highlights:
- So, at a fraction of the cost of commercial internet, the vast majority of the internet, commercial and
- </c><00:08:44.560><c> cloud</c> moved to to uh commercial cloud moved to to uh commercial cloud providers
- </c> prioritization of those construction prioritization of those construction projects<00:29:14.320>
- </c><00:43:14.319><c> and</c> And this is to uh con construct and And this is to uh con construct and
- Uh in 2005, Gallatin construction.
Keywords:
Meeting Start 00:00:00
Attendance Roll Call 00:00:11
Approval of Minutes 00:02:00
Information Items 00:02:25
CPE Special Report 00:03:26
Review of Executive Branch Agency Plans 00:31:48
A. Attorney General 00:32:10
B. Court of Justice 00:36:41
C. Cabinet for Economic Development 00:50:44
D. Kentucky Public Pensions Authority 00:56:06
E. Board Discussion of Planning Issues 01:05:12, 958, all
Summary:
The Capital Planning Advisory Board opened its fourth meeting, confirmed a quorum, approved the prior meeting’s minutes by unanimous voice vote, and then heard information items and agency presentations. The main substantive presentation came from the Council on Postsecondary Education, which outlined its capital planning recommendations for the 2026–28 biennium. CPE staff described the role of Kentucky’s research and education network (Kron), including connectivity to cloud services, Internet2, identity services, and new local AI/inferencing capacity, and argued that the network is now essential to higher education, health care, and extension services. They said the network’s recent upgrades were driven by privacy, security, redundancy, and the need to support modern research and AI workloads at lower cost than commercial providers.
CPE also presented its broader higher-education capital request: $700 million for asset preservation and $1.73 billion for new construction, for a total recommendation of about $2.4 billion. Staff said they do not plan to recommend IT projects or equipment in this cycle, despite reviewing 48 IT submissions totaling nearly $1.4 billion and equipment requests totaling $322.6 million. For asset preservation, they said the recommended allocation method would remain based on each institution’s share of Category 1 and 2 square footage, and they noted that the state’s prior facility assessment is now 12 years old, with deferred maintenance still estimated in the $7–9 billion range. For new construction, they said the requests are heavily focused on STEM and health-related facilities that are difficult to retrofit into older buildings.
Board members asked about how asset-preservation amounts were determined, including why Northern Kentucky University’s request was much larger than its prior allocation. CPE staff responded that campus size, building age, and institutional prioritization affect the requests, and that schools are asked to submit more projects than are likely to be funded. The board then moved on to an Attorney General capital plan overview, where senior counsel Will Schroeder began describing the office’s technology needs and the office’s prior reliance on a 2020 appropriation to replace legacy systems and improve security.
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- Our commercial property taxes paid the highest rate.
- Construction materials and labor costs continue to escalate.
- While the city would have construction.
- ,<01:26:28.560><c> replacement,</c><01:26:29.040><c> and</c> construction, replacement, and construction
- </c><01:55:57.840><c> new</c> their services, construct new their services, construct new facilities,
Committee:
Senate Taxes
CA
Transcript Highlights:
- Just a handful of structures remain under construction in Construction Package 1, the 32 miles that stretch
- The 65 miles of Construction Package 2.3 is buzzing with construction work.
- But construction and the funding are not the only part of the story.
- Commercial development on their land.
- That is commercially viable.
Committee:
Senate Transportation
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
IC - Transportation Infrastructure Revenue Subcommitee Jul 17th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- They're currently about two-thirds fully constructed.
- A new spec is under construction; we saw this all yesterday.
- That is under construction. That is already off the market.
- under, of industrial space under construction, pardon me.
- So we always promote how rapid we are in commercial crossings.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee Apr 20th, 2026
Revenue and Taxation
Transcript Highlights:
- California has long been a hub for commercial production.
- Commercial production is highly mobile.
- Therefore, there's a constant demand for commercials.
- Although the production processes of commercials parallel that of film and TV, For commercials.
- Then in 2024 and 2025, I did no Super Bowl commercials.
Committee:
House Revenue and Taxation
FL
Florida 2025 Regular Session
March 25, 2025 - 12:00 PM
Transcript Highlights:
- , which would have made the deal obviously not, it didn't pencil out with commercial in it.
- obviously more commercial means less housing and more cost to the project.
- It's just the cost to construct it, I believe, has been... They could.
- It's just the cost to construct it, I believe, has been a real issue on the local level.
- So they have been prohibiting the construction of ADUs in many cases.
Summary:
The committee heard five housing- and resilience-related bills. HB 793 would create an International Aerospace Innovation Fund administered by Space Florida to support aerospace research, workforce development, and commercialization; it was amended with a clarifying change and passed unanimously. C.S. for HB 411 would extend an affordable housing property tax exemption to certain nonprofit projects on leased land through a housing finance authority, such as Habitat for Humanity projects; it also passed unanimously. HB 701 would require local housing assistance plans to allow mobile home owners on leased land to seek help with lot rent, and it passed unanimously after an amendment and testimony from mobile home advocates and AARP in support.
The committee also considered C.S. for HB 393, which expands the My Safe Florida Condominium Pilot Program to help eligible condominiums fund hurricane mitigation projects, including roof-related work, with added eligibility and inspection requirements. The bill drew support from condo and housing groups and passed unanimously with committee substitute. The final and most extensive measure, HB 943, would significantly revise state land-use and development rules to promote affordable housing by limiting local restrictions, changing zoning and approval standards, adjusting parking and impact fee rules, and expanding accessory dwelling unit and mixed-use provisions. It generated extensive testimony, with many local officials, city and county groups, and preservation advocates opposing it as overly broad and preemptive, while housing and business groups supported it.
HB 943 was amended several times during the meeting, including changes related to church-owned property, parking, historic landmarks, manufactured homes as accessory dwelling units, and fair housing language. The sponsor repeatedly said the bill was a work in progress and that additional changes would be made. After debate from members emphasizing both the need for more housing and the need to preserve local control, the committee approved HB 943 on a 14-1 vote, with Rep. Casello voting no.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Committee on the Census Jun 21st, 2026 at 10:30 am
Senate Committee on the Census
Transcript Highlights:
- A lot of new construction is coming Worcester.
- A lot of new construction is coming online.
- A lot of new construction is coming online.
- So sometimes we use commercial databases for that.
- So sometimes we use commercial databases for that.
Committee:
Senate Senate Committee on the Census
Summary:
The Senate Committee on the Census held a hearing on September 22, 2025 focused on preparations for the 2030 census, with an emphasis on Massachusetts’ role in building a complete address list and improving local participation in census-related address review programs. Chair Brownsberger and witnesses from the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office, the UMass Donahue Institute, Watertown, and MassGIS described the importance of accurate address data for congressional apportionment, federal funding, and state and local planning. They also discussed the first major upcoming step, the Block Boundary Suggestion Project, and the later Local Update of Census Addresses (LUCA) process, both of which rely on municipalities reviewing and correcting census geography and address files.
John Rosenberry of the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office said outreach to cities and towns is beginning now, with a likely December start for the block boundary process based on the 2020 cycle. He stressed that local officials, clerks, building inspectors, housing authorities, and GIS staff should be engaged early, especially to capture new development and conversions created under the state’s housing policies. Susan Strait of UMass Donahue explained that LUCA allows local governments to compare their address lists with the Census Bureau’s master address file, and that Massachusetts had very high participation in 2020; she cited examples where local review added hidden or newly built housing units and noted that Boston later corrected a group-quarters undercount of about 6,000 students through a post-census review program. In response to questions, she clarified that those corrections affected annual estimates and funding formulas, but not the 2020 apportionment count.
Watertown City Manager George Proakis described how local address review is complicated by accessory dwelling units, single-family to two-family conversions, and large multifamily projects, and urged continued state support for local governments doing this work. Dan Marrier of MassGIS then outlined the Massachusetts Master Address Database, explaining that it combines multiple sources, including E911, assessor, voter, and municipal data, to create a standardized residential address repository used for census preparation and other state functions. He said the database has helped improve census accuracy, including by updating more than one million Census Bureau address-point locations before 2020, and noted that local municipalities remain the final authority on addresses even as MassGIS standardizes and reconciles variants across the Commonwealth.
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- With our current inspection software, which is the same program that we use for our general commercial
- </c><00:12:25.640><c> and</c><00:12:25.840><c> that</c> term non-commercial and that term non-commercial
- So, we provide the temporary traffic control in Minnesota construction work zones in Minnesota.
- work zones in Minnesota construction work zones in Minnesota.
- 1-ton pickups and plate to commercial 1-ton pickups and farm<00:33:38.360><c> trucks.
Committee:
Senate Transportation
ND
North Dakota 2026 1st Special Session
Advanced Nuclear Energy Committee Apr 21st, 2026
Advanced Nuclear Energy Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- They are not commercial power reactors. They are test reactors.
- That's still a pretty significant construction project.
- That's still a pretty significant construction project.
- about commercial nuclear power.
- So they are starting to receive the construction permit.
Committee:
Joint Advanced Nuclear Energy Committee
Summary:
The meeting was a presentation and Q&A at Idaho National Laboratory focused on the state of nuclear energy, advanced reactors, and the lab’s role in testing, regulation, and commercialization. Speakers described INL’s broader mission beyond nuclear, including cybersecurity and critical infrastructure, but emphasized its major nuclear capabilities: the Advanced Test Reactor, TREAT, the Materials and Fuels Complex, and other test beds used to accelerate fuel and materials testing. They also highlighted the lab’s size, workforce, internship pipeline, and partnerships with DOE, DHS, DOD, and private companies.
A major topic was the federal push to speed up nuclear deployment through executive orders and regulatory reform. Speakers said DOE and the NRC are reducing unnecessary bureaucracy, streamlining environmental reviews, and working toward a goal of having three new nuclear systems achieve criticality by July 4, 2026. They discussed the difference between microreactors, small modular reactors, and traditional gigawatt-scale plants, arguing that advanced reactors can be factory-built, safer, and better suited for data centers, military bases, remote communities, industrial heat, and other nontraditional uses. They also said the U.S. is rebuilding its nuclear supply chain, including enrichment and fuel fabrication, and that states willing to host parts of the fuel cycle could see major economic benefits.
The speakers addressed questions about cost, safety, waste, and international competition. They said advanced reactors rely on passive safety features, TRISO fuel, and natural circulation, and that the industry’s challenge is often cost uncertainty rather than a precise fuel or materials limit. They argued used nuclear fuel should be viewed as a resource rather than waste if recycling becomes policy, and said microreactors should produce relatively small amounts of spent fuel. They also noted that China and Russia continue to build aggressively, with China on pace to surpass the U.S. in total nuclear generation, while U.S. projects such as Palisades, Crane Clean Energy Center, Duane Arnold, Oklo, Aalo, MARVEL, and Project Pele are moving forward under DOE and private-sector partnerships.
ID
Idaho 2026 Regular Session
Agenda Feb 4th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- And so from a commercial deployment standpoint, that's a really important step toward commercial power
- Commercial power generation and broad deployment, okay?
- These are commercial applications and are processing them right now.
- They're doing construction now, about pre-construction, if you will.
- “So, um,” “Taking on to continue their construction?
Summary:
The committee first approved the minutes from January 14 and January 28. It then considered RS 3-2904, a bill from the DOGE Committee to remove 19 obsolete code sections, including provisions related to hazardous waste facility siting and the Big Payette Lake Water Quality Act. The sponsor urged the committee to print the bill so members could review possible unintended consequences, including whether the changes would shift responsibilities or reduce public testimony. After a question about Department of Environmental Quality involvement, the committee voted to introduce RS 3-2904.
The remainder of the meeting was a presentation by Dr. John Wagner, director of Idaho National Laboratory, on energy dominance and security through research, development, and demonstration. He described INL’s role in nuclear energy, critical infrastructure security, and critical minerals, and said the current federal administration has accelerated nuclear policy through executive orders aimed at expanding reactor deployment, reforming NRC processes, and supporting advanced reactor testing. He highlighted INL’s work with private companies on small modular reactors, microreactors, fuel fabrication, and used nuclear fuel research, including projects tied to AI/data center power demand and Department of War applications.
Members asked about used fuel storage, Idaho’s potential role in nuclear recycling and reactor development, transmission and water constraints, public acceptance, and the timeline for deployment. Wagner said Idaho’s advantage lies in its expertise, existing infrastructure, and a regulatory environment that provides certainty, while noting that transmission, water use, and workforce remain key issues. He also said the legislature can help by signaling receptiveness, clarifying policy, and supporting infrastructure and workforce development. The committee took no further action after the presentation and adjourned.
MO
Transcript Highlights:
- First, it sets clear payment timelines on private construction projects.
- “When we think of construction companies, we’re thinking of the large companies.
- amongst themselves in the home building, residential construction.
- So the risk in construction does not disappear.
- Our main concern is that these are privately negotiated contracts on commercial enterprises.
Committee:
House Economic Development
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- I've worked in commercial construction for over 30 years.
- It's what we call new construction.
- Typically about 40% in commercial construction is materials, 60% is everything else.
- It doesn't apply to new construction.
- You know, I mean, we've got the commercial airlines.
Committee:
Senate Finance
Summary:
The Senate Finance Committee heard several tax and economic development bills. SB 935 would exempt counties from the motor fuels tax on fuel used exclusively in county vehicles; Sen. Hall and Cass County Judge Travis Ransom argued it would save counties money without changing fund allocations, and the bill was left pending while the committee waited for the House version. SB 2206 would extend and revise Texas’s research and development incentives by tying the franchise tax credit more closely to federal law and changing the program’s effective date; supporters from business, manufacturing, and tax policy groups said it would protect innovation jobs and help startups, while the Comptroller’s office explained the fiscal note and said the committee substitute was no longer needed. The committee later withdrew the substitute and left the bill pending before ultimately voting it out favorably.
The committee also heard SB 2020, which would repeal the “rehab tax” on nonresidential remodeling. Sen. Campbell said a large fiscal note led him to delay a full presentation, but builders, architects, and contractors testified that the tax raises remodeling costs, complicates audits, and discourages reuse and reinvestment in existing buildings. The bill was left pending. SB 2018 would create a two-year “strong families” tax credit for businesses donating to nonprofits that provide family support services; supporters from Family First, Buckner International, and Texas Baptist said it would strengthen families, father engagement, and upstream prevention, while the author said the Comptroller and HHSC were still working on administration details. That bill was also left pending.
After a quorum was established, the committee heard and later reported several bills favorably. SB 1030 would exempt certain aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul parts from sales tax for general aviation; industry, airport, and local economic development witnesses said it would keep high-wage aviation work in Texas and improve competitiveness with neighboring states, and the bill was reported favorably. SB 214 would create a temporary sales tax holiday for qualifying residential HVAC systems; it was laid out and left pending. SB 1901 would make administrative and ethics changes to the Opioid Abatement Fund Council, including staggered terms, conflict rules, and fund reallocation procedures; it was reported favorably. SB 266 would repeal the Texas Research Incentive Program and use the appropriation to address the existing backlog of unmatched donations; the chair and Sen. Paxton said the state should honor past commitments, and the committee substitute was adopted and the bill was reported favorably. The committee then recessed subject to the call of the chair.
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Ways & Means Jan 12th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- In addition to bonds, the supplemental includes $68 million from the Common School Construction account
- If those aren't able to be funded, they'll push back the start of that construction.
- We ask that you include $3.5 million to complete this construction.
- consider clearing the slate for construction grants if possible.
- But more importantly, it's where we're currently constructing our second geothermal well.
Summary:
The Ways and Means Committee held its first meeting of the 2026 session to hear Governor Ferguson’s proposed supplemental capital budget from OFM. Budget staff said the proposal uses nearly all of the roughly $400 million in available bond capacity, leaving about $5.4 million unused, and includes additional funding from the Common School Construction account, the Climate Commitment Account, and federal funds. OFM described housing as the largest priority, with $237 million total, including $225 million for the Housing Trust Fund for affordable rental housing, homeownership, preservation, and manufactured home community acquisition; it also highlighted urgent state facility needs, climate and clean energy investments, natural resource projects, and education funding for school seismic safety, small district and tribal compact school modernization, lead pipe remediation, and higher education preservation projects.
Committee members asked about the timing of housing production, and OFM said the proposed supplemental projects would not be completed within the biennium. Public testimony in the housing section strongly supported the governor’s housing investments, especially the Housing Trust Fund, manufactured housing preservation, and homeownership programs, while several speakers asked for larger appropriations for workforce housing, community land trusts, right-to-counsel, and specific local projects such as Thrive Center Tacoma, Alliance Place, Casa Mia, and Native and immigrant community facilities. One testifier criticized overall state tax policy, but the chair clarified that the capital budget is bonded and does not directly raise taxes.
Testimony on K-12 education generally supported the proposed funding for small school modernization, seismic safety, and Healthy Kids, Healthy Schools lead remediation, with rural districts emphasizing the importance of planning and construction grants for aging facilities. Higher education witnesses supported preservation and deferred maintenance funding but asked for additional support for projects at Cascadia College, WSU Spokane, UW’s decarbonization work, and other campus infrastructure needs. Natural resources testimony backed Salmon Recovery Funding Board and community forest investments, while asking for more funding for ranked RCO projects. In the final section, local governments and utilities opposed a proposed $75 million transfer from the Public Works Assistance account to the operating budget, warning it would reduce infrastructure lending capacity; other speakers supported the Washington State Green Bank, public works financing, and several local economic development and utility projects. No votes or formal committee action were taken at the meeting.
WA
Transcript Highlights:
- Everybody loves construction when it's done, right?
- So, two to two and a half years construction time.
- It also increases the commercial vehicle safety enforcement fee assessed on commercial motor vehicles
- It requires vessels constructed for use by a district established after December 31, 2027, to be constructed
- They must be constructed in Washington State.
Bills:
HB2495
Committee:
Senate Transportation
MO
Transcript Highlights:
- We'll miss the construction cost. We'll miss the control over the construction cost by our PSC.
- And then we have contractors that actually do the construction and installation.
- I think we're willing to come to some agreement about that commercial rate.
- They don't tax the land commercially and things like that.
- And the commercial rate is already set for land, so assessors will use that commercial rate.
Committee:
House Utilities
Summary:
The committee first took up House Committee Substitute for House Bills 21, 22, and 1626, which would combine the bills and add a clawback/refund provision for construction work in progress in base rates if costs were imprudently incurred or a project is not placed in service in a reasonable time. Supporters argued Missouri should remove its CWIP ban to stay competitive with neighboring states and attract utility investment, while opponents warned about unknown costs and timelines for ratepayers. The substitute was adopted, and the committee voted the combined bill do pass by 12 ayes and 7 noes.
The committee then considered House Bill 2711, as amended by a substitute, dealing with broadband-related property tax treatment. The sponsor explained the substitute narrowed the bill to new installations, added a seven-year sunset, and aimed to clarify assessment issues. Supporters said the measure would help expand broadband infrastructure and improve service in underserved areas, while opponents argued the tax break should not apply to upgrades within existing service territories and questioned whether the bill truly expanded access. The committee adopted the substitute and voted the bill do pass by 12 ayes and 7 noes.
The remainder of the hearing focused on House Bill 2762, a broad solar/wind/water measure. The sponsor described provisions setting a $2,500 per megawatt tax on solar nameplate capacity, creating more uniform assessment rules, establishing setbacks for solar facilities, limiting eminent domain use, and including smaller sections on water district dissolution and wind turbine lighting. Testimony was mixed: solar developers, Clean Grid Alliance, Renew Missouri, and Missouri Farm Bureau supported clearer rules, grandfathering, and setbacks they viewed as reasonable, while landowners and local residents raised concerns about property rights, transparency, runoff, glare, noise, and the impact of large solar projects on neighboring farms and homes. No final action on HB 2762 was taken in the portion provided, but the chair said a committee substitute would be developed to address the solar issues more comprehensively.
KY
Kentucky 2026 Regular Session
House Budget review Sub. on Postsecondary Education. (1-29-26)
Transcript Highlights:
- </c> facilities with new construction. Mr. facilities with new construction. Mr.
- . construction. construction.
- [snorts] Maze construct a new maze hall.
- They will be construction engineering, construction management, engineering, physics, and some other,
- </c> farm or your your commercial property. farm or your your commercial property.
Summary:
The House Budget Review Subcommittee on Postsecondary Education met to hear from Morehead State University President Jay Morgan, who outlined the university’s budget and capital priorities. He described Morehead as a Kentucky-serving, largely low-income student institution with an aging campus, and said the university’s long-term plan is to renovate existing facilities, decommission older buildings, and replace outdated space with more efficient construction. He thanked the General Assembly for prior support, especially asset preservation funding, fire and tornado insurance premium support, and a prior university inflationary adjustment.
On the operating side, Morgan asked that insurance premium support continue, that the earlier inflationary adjustment roll forward, and that the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education’s request for a minimum distribution in the performance funding formula be supported. He noted Morehead has received little or no performance funding in recent years and said that if no additional formula funds are added, the university would prefer a line-item appropriation. On the capital side, he requested continued asset preservation funding and outlined several construction priorities: a new applied science building, a new agriculture science building, a new space science technology building, and a cost-share replacement for the aging Maze Hall residence hall, with the state covering $10 million of a $20 million project and Morehead matching the rest.
Morgan also discussed the Craft Academy, saying the current appropriation supports 200 students and that the university would like to increase the line item to expand enrollment by about 20 students. In response to questions from Chairman Tipton, he said Morehead had previously explored but ultimately rejected a public-private partnership model for housing, preferring to own and control its residence halls to keep housing costs manageable for students. He also explained that the land surveying courses in the applied science proposal are a popular part of related programs and that Morehead’s space science program is a major research-and-contracts-driven operation with about 250 students, federal and private research ties, and graduates working both in Kentucky and elsewhere. The committee then approved the prior meeting minutes and discussed that upcoming postsecondary budget meetings would continue over the next several weeks to gather input on the new budget process.