Transcript Highlights:

• PRIVATE INDUSTRY AND GET ENGAGE WITH THEM TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE SO WE CAN AND FOR THIS DEPLOYMENT
• TARGET AND WE DO WANT TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REACH THESE COMMUNITIES FOR SURE THROUGH THE B NON DEPLOYMENT
• THEY NEED AT THE MOMENT AND WHAT THEY ANTICIPATED NEEDED AS WE GO THROUGH THE NEXT FEW YEARS OF DEPLOYMENT
• THAT AFTER DEPLOYMENT YOU HAVE TO MAINTAIN THE NETWORKS THAT YOU BUILD.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• supporting both generation facilities and supply chain infrastructure, both the development and deployment
• supporting both generation facilities and supply chain infrastructure, both the development and deployment
• of nuclear energy in the state of Texas. infrastructure, both the development and deployment of nuclear
• they're supply chain or action... ...nuclear endeavors, whether they're supply chain or actual deployment

Summary: The Senate Committee on Business and Commerce met with a quorum and took up a long list of House bills as pending business, voting to report many of them favorably to the full Senate. Bills reported favorably included HB 705, 1094, 2037, 3005, 3112, 3320, 3388, 3516, 3923, 4134, 4214, 4233, 4350, 4559, 4748, 4765, 5093, 5129, and 5196, with several also recommended for the local and uncontested calendar. Some measures were reported with committee substitutes, including HB 3516, HB 3848, HB 4211, and HB 14. HB 2488 and HB 3320 had some dissenting votes, while most other bills were approved unanimously or near-unanimously. The committee spent the most time on HB 14, which Senator Schwertner explained would create the Texas Advanced Nuclear Energy Office in the governor’s office and the Texas Advanced Nuclear Development Fund. The substitute would appropriate $350 million this biennium for reimbursement-based grants to support nuclear generation, supply chain development, pre-construction work, and construction-stage costs, with approval from the lieutenant governor, speaker, and governor. Senators Menendez and Nichols asked clarifying questions about whether the program involved grants rather than loans, how reimbursable grants would work, and who would evaluate applications; Schwertner said the program was modeled on the Enterprise Fund and that the grants would not be loans. After the committee had recessed, Senator Zaffirini asked to change her no votes on HB 4211 and HB 4233 to ayes so those bills could be placed on the local and uncontested calendar, while still registering no votes there. Senator Kolkhorst similarly asked to change her vote on HB 2488 to an aye for calendar purposes, while preserving her no vote. The committee then recessed again after completing its actions on the bills before it.

Transcript Highlights:

• testify virtually today, but as you'll hear, there are substantial safety concerns related to the deployment
• The deployment caused obvious physical damage to the house, but the more serious problem was the chemical
• </c><00:03:07.519><c> The</c><00:03:07.760><c> deployment</c> room, sometimes more.
• The deployment room, sometimes more.
• The deployment caused<00:03:08.560><c> obvious</c><00:03:09.040><c> physical</c><00:03:09.519><c> damage

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• most valuable before the next disaster occurs, rather than relying solely on reactive emergency deployment
• Second, the cost to meet the goals in the provisions in this bill are high and will slow deployment.
• thousands of dollars per site, as battery storage alone can double the cost of a fast-charging deployment
• The CEC today estimates we need 2.1 million chargers to achieve our deployment goals.
• The CEC today estimates we need 2.1 million chargers to achieve our deployment goals.

Summary: The committee heard presentations on several emergency-management-related bills. AB 1749 would prohibit drones from knowingly or recklessly interfering with wildfire suppression or other emergency response airspace and authorize civil enforcement with penalties up to $75,000 per violation. AB 1540 would restore the 988 “press 3” option for LGBTQ+ suicide prevention, with the author and supporters describing it as a needed crisis lifeline; opponents argued the bill was unnecessary and criticized the Trevor Project. AB 1805 would overhaul oversight of the state’s troubled next-generation 911 project by strengthening the advisory board, requiring quarterly reports, and mandating an independent technical evaluation and audit. AB 1832 would create a statewide 2-1-1 support fund and a community needs dashboard to expand and stabilize 2-1-1 services. AB 2543 would require EV charging operators to develop emergency management plans and identify backup power or charging options during disasters, with opponents arguing it singled out one industry and could slow deployment. Testimony was largely in support of AB 1540, AB 1805, and AB 1832, with many public agencies, behavioral health groups, fire organizations, and local governments backing the measures. AB 1540 drew emotional testimony from a parent who lost a child to suicide, while AB 1805 received support from police chiefs, dispatchers, and the Legislative Analyst’s Office, which discussed the need for an independent technical review of regional versus statewide 911 system options. AB 1832 supporters emphasized that 2-1-1 helps divert non-emergency calls from 911 and provides critical disaster information and referrals. AB 2543 drew opposition from EV charging companies and industry groups, who said the bill imposed unique obligations on private operators and did not address all fuel types. After debate, the committee voted to advance all of the measures. AB 1540 was sent to Senate Health, AB 1749 to Senate Judiciary, AB 1805 to Senate Privacy, Digital Technology, and Consumer Protection, AB 1832 to Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications, and AB 2543 to Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications with amendments to be taken in the next committee. The consent item, AB 1836, was also approved. Final recorded votes were overwhelmingly in favor, with AB 2543 receiving the most opposition but still passing the committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• Russian invasion of Ukraine and Russian Navy surface and subsurface vessels conducted out of area deployments
• And so not only when out-of-area deployers come or the TCOs are moving drugs, when they see presence,
• General Giao, you are overseeing the border deployment.
• The EO called for the, quote, acceleration of the deployment of the hypersonic and ballistic missiles
• Each guard's nine-month deployment to Gitmo cost taxpayers $100,000.

Keywords: national security, China, Russia, cybersecurity, border security, military deployment, transnational crime, defense modernization, military strategy

Summary: In this meeting, key topics included national security concerns with an emphasis on threats from China, Russia, and transnational criminal organizations. Senior military officials provided testimony on the evolving risks posed by these adversaries, particularly focusing on cybersecurity and advancements in weaponry. The discussion highlighted the importance of a cohesive strategy among government departments to effectively respond to the challenges presented by these threats, emphasizing the need for modernization in defense capabilities. Committee members grilled the witnesses on border security and the implications of deploying military resources in domestic operations.

Transcript Highlights:

• The agency remains confident as an organization that this project will go forward, but its deployment
• So can you talk a little bit about the deployability and the scale of these types of facilities?
• Actually, we'll be out there tomorrow to see some of the deployment of the first wave of wave-powered
• We had a permitted two-year deployment within three months, including a small pipe to shore.
• They, you know, deployment and data that they derive from deployments in other countries are not accepted

Summary: The Select Committee on Climate Innovation and Infrastructure held a hearing focused on emerging technologies for climate resilience and infrastructure. The first panel discussed the Calistoga Resiliency Center, a utility-driven microgrid that keeps the city powered during public safety power shutoffs using hydrogen fuel cells, lithium-ion batteries, and liquid hydrogen storage. PG&E described microgrids as a resilience tool but emphasized that cost remains the main barrier to wider deployment. Energy Vault explained the project’s design, its ability to provide at least 48 hours of backup power on a small parcel of land, and its use of green hydrogen and battery storage to improve efficiency and reduce emissions. A Calistoga councilmember and NCPA representative also discussed the Lodi Energy Center hydrogen project, saying it could help decarbonize power generation and transportation, but that federal and state funding changes, tax credit timing, and other policy shifts have made the project difficult to advance. The Green Hydrogen Coalition supported the Calistoga model as a blueprint and urged policy changes to create demand and reduce barriers for renewable hydrogen, including addressing behind-the-meter rules and recognizing hydrogen in state energy planning. The second panel focused on water resilience and desalination, with the California Desal Association and Oneka Technologies discussing wave-powered desalination for the City of Fort Bragg. Cal Desal said California’s changing hydrology, reduced snowpack, and drought conditions make local water supply options increasingly important, but noted that conventional desalination is expensive and slow to permit. Oneka described its offshore, wave-powered system as a zero-electricity desalination technology that produces drinking water without greenhouse gas emissions and with limited land use, and said the Fort Bragg pilot is intended to demonstrate the technology under California conditions. The company and Cal Desal both stressed that permitting is a major obstacle, with the project requiring multiple agencies and a timeline far longer than in other jurisdictions. They also said the technology’s autonomous operation could improve water resilience because it does not depend on the electrical grid. The final panel featured the Climate Foundation’s marine permaculture proposal, which aims to restore kelp forests and support carbon removal and coastal food systems. The presenter said warming oceans and nutrient loss have devastated kelp forests along the California coast and argued that offshore platforms that raise and lower seaweed to access nutrients and sunlight could help regenerate ecosystems while producing food, feed, fertilizer, and carbon benefits. He said the technology has shown strong growth rates and storm resilience in other regions, but that California permitting remains a major hurdle, involving 17 state and federal agencies. He proposed a streamlined, code-based permitting approach for smaller projects and said the group is seeking matching funds to complete a first California pilot. Throughout the hearing, members and witnesses repeatedly highlighted the tension between innovation and the high cost, complexity, and length of California’s permitting and funding processes.

Transcript Highlights:

• However, without clear standardized training and evaluation criteria, K-9 deployments can vary widely
• However, without clear standardized training and evaluation criteria, K-9 deployments can vary widely
• And an alarming 97% of deployments were not to defend self or another.
• Some law enforcement agencies, not all, don't allow canine deployments for armed suspects. Okay.
• AB 247 would increase the additional pay during active fire deployment.

Summary: The committee heard several public safety-related bills. AB 383 by Assembly Member Davies would expand and clarify firearm restrictions tied to juvenile adjudications, allow certain minor firearm possession for hunting or training with guardian approval, and authorize warrants in some domestic violence-related firearm surrender situations. Supporters, including a district attorney representative, argued it would close gaps in existing law and improve public safety; opponents said it would over-criminalize youth and disproportionately affect marginalized communities. The bill passed as amended to Appropriations. AB 400 by Assembly Member Pacheco would require law enforcement K-9 units to meet statewide POST standards covering training, use of force, and handler skills. Supporters said the bill would create consistency, accountability, and safer deployments; opponents argued the standards were inadequate and would legitimize harmful canine practices. After debate over whether the bill expanded canine use or simply standardized it, the committee approved AB 400 and sent it to Appropriations. AB 380 by Assembly Member Gonzalez would extend price-gouging protections during emergencies, including for hotels, food, essential goods and services, and commercial property, and would remove the 12-month lease limit loophole for rent gouging. Supporters said the bill responds to wildfire-related exploitation and provides clarity for disaster victims; business and landlord groups warned it could amount to commercial rent control and create uncertainty for future emergencies. The author said he would continue working on amendments, and the bill passed as amended to Appropriations. AB 358 by Assembly Member Alvarez would create a narrow exception to Cal-ECPA so law enforcement could inspect tracking or surveillance devices found in a person’s home, vehicle, or property with the finder’s consent. Supporters said the change would help stalking and domestic violence victims preserve evidence quickly; privacy advocates argued warrants and existing emergency exceptions already cover these situations. The chair proposed narrowing the language to “tracking or surveillance device,” and the bill was held on call after an initial roll with only three votes in favor. The transcript also began AB 247, which would raise pay for incarcerated hand crew firefighters, with testimony from formerly incarcerated firefighters in support, but the discussion was not completed in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is for the World Cup deployment. Next tab is the Veterans Recognition Corps.
• This is for the World Cup deployment. Next tab is the Veterans Recognition Corps.
• Is the same true about the World Cup deployment?
• Of course, Operation Lone Star was a state deployment, but we're also getting deployed federally.
• It is substantially additional training requirements and obviously deployment situations.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The House Budget Committee first heard the Missouri National Guard’s FY27 budget request. Brig. Gen. Bob Payne described the Guard’s dual state and federal mission, recent deployments, counterdrug work, and infrastructure needs. Committee members asked about spending priorities, an internal auditor position required by statute, and a new NDI for World Cup support in Kansas City. The committee then moved into executive session on House Bill 2014, reviewed the House committee substitute and several amendments, and adopted amendments related to the State Fair language, a $50,000 legal expense item, and committee communication language, while rejecting a proposed fund swap for the Great American State Fair. The committee adopted the substitute and voted the bill do pass by 24-0, with one present vote. The committee then began its public hearing on the Department of Corrections FY27 budget. DOC officials outlined a new stipend for CERT team members, core reductions in several administrative areas, and multiple new decision items, including staffing incentives for maximum and medium security institutions and a large increase for food service costs. Members asked about PREA allegations, education funding through Title I and Perkins grants, restitution payments, overtime, utility costs, inmate canteen funds, and staffing/retention challenges. DOC also discussed the prison nursery, vacancies in warden positions, and the limits on using facilities for pre-sentence mental health housing. No votes were taken on the Corrections budget during the portion shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• similar to a university-size reactor or around those source-term quantities, to help streamline deployment
• license transition As I mentioned, the DOE-to-NRC license transition is about accelerating nuclear deployment
• We need to have these autonomous pipelines developed for material discovery, qualification, and deployment
• And in the near term, we will have our microreactor deployment, so Marvel and Paley.
• So getting from, you know, for critical minerals and materials from early research through full deployment

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Deployments, you know, we have problems with foreign food. &gt;&gt; Thank you.
• Deployments, you know, we have problems with foreign food. know, the proper step to get everything know
• , you know, we have that deployments, you know, we have problems<00:42:52.960><c> with</c><00:42:53.119
• Um, and it would prevent deployment of the state National Guard over the governor's objections, regardless
• </c><01:52:25.840><c> of</c><01:52:25.920><c> the</c> safety and the deployment of the safety and the

Bills: SB3240

Keywords: defense, workforce development, local business, manufacturing, federal funding, economic resilience, 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several public safety-related measures and indicated at the outset that, because of short notice, the bills would likely be deferred to the later decision-making agenda. On SB 2645 relating to fire prevention, the bill would restructure the process for selecting the State Fire Marshal and make related changes to the Office of the State Fire Marshal. The Governor’s office, the State Fire Marshal’s office, the Hawaii State Fire Council, DLNR, Maui Fire Department, AIA Hawaii State Council, and others testified, with DLNR supporting most of the bill but opposing the provision changing the marshal’s nomination process to a governor appointee. In questions, members reviewed the relationship between the State Fire Council, the commission, and the marshal, and the Governor’s office clarified that it supported the overall intent but wanted the commission to remain the sole appointing entity. The bill was not voted on in the hearing. The committee then heard SB 3083 relating to protective orders, with support from the U.S. Defense State Liaison Office, the judiciary, the Hawaii National Guard, the Military and Community Relations Office, DBED, and the Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Members focused on whether the draft reflected language worked out with the judiciary and whether the bill addressed a previously identified gap in implementation. The Military and Community Relations Office said it had worked with the judiciary on amendments and wanted to ensure the statute created a collaborative process with installation partners and law enforcement. The witness also said the draft appeared to reflect the agreed language, though he noted there were multiple bills moving and that technical amendments might still be needed. No action was taken during the hearing. SB 608 relating to veterans’ rights and benefits drew both support and opposition. Support came from the Hawaii Office of Veterans Services, Veterans Benefits Guide, Aloha Independent Living Hawaii, and individual veterans and service members, who argued the bill would improve access to claims assistance and provide choice and faster help for veterans. Opposition came from the VFW Department of Hawaii and the Veterans Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, which argued the bill should be amended to align with federal law, especially on accreditation and fee caps. Testimony and questioning centered on whether third-party claims assistance should be regulated, whether fee caps are preempted by federal law, and whether there was evidence of fraud tied to non-accredited representatives. Supporters said the bill would help veterans navigate a slow system, while opponents said accredited representatives are accountable and that the bill should be narrowed. The committee also heard SB 2054 relating to public safety, which would prohibit the Hawaii National Guard from deploying to assist federal troops, federal law enforcement, or other states’ National Guard units in Hawaii when the governor objects. The Hawaii National Guard opposed the bill, while the ACLU of Hawaii, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and numerous other organizations and individuals supported it, arguing it would protect civil liberties and prevent federal overreach. The hearing ended without a vote or final action on these measures.

Transcript Highlights:

• , adopt or amend on an emergency basis the existing pole attachment regulations to expedite the deployment
• , adopt or amend on an emergency basis the existing pole attachment regulations to expedite the deployment
• honorable members of the subcommittee, to help convince the Public Service Commission that the deployment
• </c><00:31:03.600><c> of</c><00:31:03.760><c> broadband</c><00:31:04.399><c> using</c> that the deployment
• of broadband in supports the deployment of broadband in Kentucky<00:36:08.720><c> and</c><00:36:08.960

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Administrative Regulation Review Subcommittee met in August with a quorum present and approved the prior meeting minutes without objection. The committee then reviewed several regulations, generally adopting staff-suggested amendments without objection, and heard brief explanations from agency representatives on each item. The Board of Pharmacy regulations would clarify what registered and certified pharmacy technicians may do under supervision and what certified technicians may not do, while updating registration applications. The Board of Cosmetology package included changes to executive director authority, licensure and reciprocity rules, school requirements, training hours, instructor ratios, sanitation and disease-related rules, complaint procedures, and permit terms; members asked about straight razor language and the increase in student-to-instructor ratios, and the board explained that cosmetologists are not permitted to use straight razors and that the higher ratio was intended to give schools flexibility, especially for part-time students and schools with wait lists. The Occupational Therapy emergency compact regulation added four compact rules adopted in April 2025, and Senator West raised a technical question about certification requirements under House Bill 6; the agency said it had been instructed to file the regulation as submitted. The Department for Fish and Wildlife Resources presented a package covering wildlife management area rules, a northern pintail bag limit increase, reportable disease reporting, and a repeal tied to boat registration fees. After a brief explanation of the new wildlife disease reporting rule, the agency requested and received a deferral of 301 KAR 2:031 to avoid a gap while replacement language is finalized. The Economic Development Finance Authority explained an emergency regulation for the Kentucky Entertainment Incentive Program, saying it was needed because the program had become oversubscribed and because administration was shifting to a new film office and council; members also asked about certification issues under House Bill 6, and the agency said it had filed the regulation as directed. The Department of Workplace Standards emergency PPE regulation was also discussed, with members asking about HB 6 certification language, and the agency gave the same response. The Department of Insurance regulation would create a $10,000 registration fee and a $1,000 annual licensing fee for pharmacy benefit manager licenses, with an agency amendment exempting PBMs that solely serve workers’ compensation plans. Members asked how many PBMs would be affected and why workers’ compensation PBMs were carved out; the agency said there were 70 registered PBMs total, four solely workers’ comp, and that workers’ comp rates are set by statute and could not absorb the fee. Finally, the Public Service Commission’s pole attachment regulation was summarized as a broadband-expansion measure that speeds application review, increases the number of poles allowed in a single application, and shortens dispute timelines; the commission explained it grew out of earlier legislative direction and subsequent emergency amendments, and the committee adopted the staff amendment.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's a mischaracterization to think of deployment of the Next Generation 9-1-1 system as having an end
• Obviously, there was planning that went on in the early phases of deployment of the network that needed
• Additional deployments followed in 2022 and early 2023.
• These incidents occurred in 2022 and 2023 during the initial deployment and were highlighted by the media
• It is important to note that incidents that occurred during early deployment were not concentrated in

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Anyway, I'm interested in this financial interest or greater DER deployment.
• Because, yes, DER deployment.
• If it is the policy interest to drive DER deployment, that type of change could definitely be helpful
• Additionally, important progress was made to ensure the quicker deployment of backup power systems at
• That allow increased DER deployment in Texas and to recover those costs.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So we went from 14-day deployments to nine-day deployments.
• So we went from 14-day deployments to nine-day deployments.
• And General Seltzer could testify much better than me on the different levels of deployment.
• And General Seltzer could testify much better than me on the different levels of deployment.
• Even without border deployments, our troopers—that's what they do. They drive 10 hours a day.

Bills: SB 1

Keywords: campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards

Summary: The Senate Finance Committee heard a presentation from the Legislative Budget Board on the Texas Department of Public Safety’s Article 5 budget. LBB recommended $3.7 billion in all funds for 2026-27, a 5.2 percent decrease from the base, while FTEs would rise by 856.7. Major items included funding for driver license services, DPS facilities, troopers and recruit schools, crime labs, vehicle and aircraft operations, border security, and rider changes. The committee also reviewed DPS exceptional items not included in the recommendation, including additional staffing, technology, and facility requests. Members focused heavily on driver license operations, criticizing long wait times, call abandonment, and repeated staffing increases without clear process improvements. LBB said the agency’s call-answer rate was about 9 percent in fiscal 2024, with average hold times around 34 minutes, later reduced to roughly 22-25 minutes. Senators questioned whether more FTEs alone would solve the problem and urged a broader efficiency study and better use of technology. DPS officials said they were pursuing process changes, including appointment-system upgrades, online pre-population of forms, and remote issuance options, while noting that Real ID requirements and population growth continue to drive demand. DPS leadership then outlined the agency’s priorities: completion of the Williamson County training academy, recruitment and retention of troopers, capital needs for vehicles and aircraft, and expanded responsibilities at the Capitol complex and the Alamo. Officials said the new trooper funding would help address staffing shortages, public safety, and border operations, and that overtime and deployment patterns had been adjusted to reduce burnout and improve flexibility. They also discussed Operation Lone Star, saying DPS spending is largely overtime, travel, and fuel, and that the agency continues to coordinate with federal partners while awaiting clarity on possible federal reimbursement for border security costs. Senators also raised concerns about oilfield theft, cartel activity, high-speed pursuits, bilingual pay, and the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum, and DPS said it would follow up on some of those issues.

Transcript Highlights:

• in helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector and accelerate the deployment
• It is a direct regulation, and LCFS is helping to accelerate the deployment and achieve that goal in
• We think of technology kind of as the S-curve deployment.
• The August 2025 report on zero-mission vehicle deployment from CARB, CEC, CalSTA, GO-Biz, CPUC, and the
• The LCFS has enabled major investment in EV charging infrastructure, accelerating deployment.

Summary: The hearing was a select committee discussion on the transportation costs and impacts of California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS), with opening remarks from the co-chairs and members emphasizing affordability, climate goals, and the need to explain the program’s benefits to the public. The first panel from CARB and the California Energy Commission described how LCFS works as a market-based, declining carbon-intensity program that rewards lower-carbon fuels, supports zero-emission vehicle infrastructure, and is intended to reduce greenhouse gases and local air pollution. They argued the program has driven billions in private investment, increased alternative fuel use, and that LCFS credit prices are not the main driver of retail gasoline prices, which they said are dominated by crude oil, refining, and distribution costs. Members questioned the panel on the gap between the regulatory target and actual carbon-intensity performance, the role of credit banking, which fuels are generating the most credits, how the 2025 amendments affected the program, and whether LCFS credits are truly additional. CARB explained that banking helps cost-effectiveness and investment certainty, that ethanol, renewable diesel, and biodiesel currently provide the largest volumes while electricity is expected to grow, and that the updated targets were informed by the state’s 2045 carbon-neutrality goals and the 2030 scoping plan. The Energy Commission said its data show environmental programs add some cost to gasoline but do not drive price volatility, which is mainly tied to crude oil and refinery margins. The second panel, featuring academic and research experts, focused on program design, out-of-state credit generation, and broader economic effects. Speakers said LCFS is successful because it ties incentives to emissions benefit, uses life-cycle analysis, and allows flexible compliance that lowers costs compared with more direct regulation. They also said the program’s benefits generally outweigh costs, that it can reduce air pollution disparities and support equity, but that some issues—especially indirect land use change, additionality, and older program assumptions—need more research and may warrant future rulemaking. One researcher noted that while LCFS likely raises gasoline prices somewhat, the effect is uncertain by design and usually smaller than normal market fluctuations, and another warned that limiting credit generation too narrowly could create legal and efficiency problems.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is our Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program.
• What specific interactions are we allowed to have with the deployment?
• Because each one of these environments would be a completely separate deployment.
• We're not maybe looking at a three-, five-, or six- to seven-year deployment anymore.
• We're not maybe looking at a three, five, six-seven-year deployment anymore.

Summary: The committee received a series of informational reports from NDIT and DPI on major IT projects, cybersecurity, and the K-12 student information system transition. Justin Data reviewed the quarterly major project portfolio, noting 111 projects totaling about $542.8 million, generally under budget and slightly behind schedule overall. He highlighted three schedule-red projects: Bed Management System and Vital Records, both now complete and being closed out, and the Roadway Capital Planning Project, which is delayed due to vendor bug fixes after user testing. He also summarized new project startups, including the Attorney General’s Victim Notification System, HHS Medicaid correctional facilities data exchange, Highway Patrol’s motor carrier e-permit system, and additional RIMS work, and answered questions about project timing, funding, and whether work had begun on legislatively funded IT projects. Chris Gurgan, NDIT’s chief information security officer, reported on mandatory cybersecurity incident reporting under HB 1314. He said 77 incidents have been reported since August 2021, with 47 meeting the statutory definition of a cybersecurity incident; phishing remains the most common type, followed by email quarantine alerts, XDR detections, and malware. He emphasized that most incidents are resolved, but that timely reporting is critical for any chance of recovering funds in business email compromise or ransomware cases. He also described several notable incidents since the last report, including the PowerSchool breach, a SimpleHelp intrusion at a school district, a court intrusion, a WSUS vulnerability, a business email compromise at a K-12 district, and a recent ransomware report involving a non-state critical infrastructure entity. Members asked about smishing, MFA, conditional access, security awareness training, and recovery of lost funds; Gurgan said state systems use phishing-resistant MFA and conditional access, training is provided to state employees and offered to political subdivisions on an opt-in basis, and broader cybersecurity maturity assessments are underway. Craig Falkley gave brief reports on coordination with political subdivisions and higher education, including shared networking, cybersecurity, radio/911, PeopleSoft, and co-location services. He also explained distributed ledger technology as a tool for decentralized, secure data sharing, but said the state has limited use for it and would likely frame future reporting more broadly around emerging technologies. The committee then heard from Tony Ambrose of DPI on the statewide Infinite Campus implementation. He said district implementations are underway, but the project had to terminate its original data migration vendor for poor performance and replace it with Aurora Educational Technology, which had experience with a similar North Carolina migration. He also said DPI is moving special education data from Tynet into Infinite Campus, is still working through how to preserve e-transcripts and Choice Ready-type functionality after the PowerSchool transition, and is developing identity, authentication, and data-sharing arrangements for the summer cutover. Members raised concerns about procurement timing, summer school disruption, and whether some functions would be ready by July 1.

Transcript Highlights:

• The lack of planning and documentation led to budgeting, spending, and deployment issues for the project
• </c> initial deployment. initial deployment.
• </c><00:21:17.760><c> progress</c> will now discuss the deployment progress will now discuss the deployment
• </c> um you know project deployment. um you know project deployment. &gt;&gt; Okay. &gt;&gt; Okay.
• </c><00:43:14.400><c> entity,</c> the actual u you know deployment entity, the actual u you know deployment

Keywords: Call to Order and Roll Call- 00:00:01 Staff Report on Statewide Emergency Responder Voice System- 00:01:09 Kentucky State Police and Finance and Administration Cabinet Response to Staff Report- 00:48:37 Adjournment-01:34:512, 958, all

Summary: The committee heard a staff report on Kentucky’s statewide emergency responder voice system (SERVS), a multi-phase project intended to improve interoperable radio communications for first responders. Staff said Kentucky State Police did not appear to have violated statutes or regulations, but the project lacked an overall master plan, clear milestones, and consistent documentation, which contributed to delays, spending issues, and deployment problems. The report recommended updating the Kentucky Field Operations Guide to reflect SERVS and noted that the project has been funded in phases since 2018, with appropriations totaling roughly $216 million across 2018, 2020, 2022, and 2024, while about $109 million had been spent by the end of fiscal year 2025. The report raised concerns about project sequencing and oversight. Staff said most spending was concentrated in special mobile equipment, with Motorola accounting for about two-thirds of all SERVS expenditures and the top four vendors making up 81 percent of spending. They also said a sample of Motorola payments suggested possible late payments, though they could not confirm whether interest was paid. Staff criticized the use of master agreements for a project of this size, the lack of a centralized ledger, and the absence of a documented timeline or risk mitigation plan. They recommended stronger procurement and planning requirements, including possible legislative changes requiring approved master plans for large capital projects and additional funding conditions tied to SERVS master agreements. Land acquisition and deployment progress were identified as major bottlenecks, especially in Eastern Kentucky. Staff said the project began in western Kentucky using existing tower sites, but the remaining work is concentrated in harder-to-acquire areas, with more than 95 percent of new towers still incomplete. They said the Division of Real Properties did not begin formal contract work on acquisition until October 2024, despite earlier coordination, and recommended earlier consultation on future projects. Staff also noted that the Kentucky Wireless Interoperability Executive Committee had not been active in oversight, and survey results showed limited awareness and involvement among first responders. Committee members agreed that the lack of an initial implementation plan and the continuing need for funding reflected broader planning problems, and they discussed the need for a clearer end-to-end game plan rather than continuing to fund the project without a defined completion path.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:09:16.120><c> of</c> ensure the uninterrupted deployment of ensure the uninterrupted deployment
• We cannot afford to play games with broadband deployment.
• </c> to play games with Broadband deployment to play games with Broadband deployment Minnesota<00:13:
• </c><00:34:54.960><c> sensible</c> broadband deployment sensible broadband deployment sensible adjustments
• </c> a timely efficient Broadband deployment a timely efficient Broadband deployment across<00:35:02.520

Bills: HF47, HF335

Keywords: telecommunications, installation, certification, safety, underground utilities, HF335, Greater Minnesota, economic development, public infrastructure, grant program, DEED, Department of Employment and Economic Development, business development, infrastructure grants, local government aid, general fund appropriation, rural development, site development, utilities, roads

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> um I'm going to guess your deployments um I'm going to guess your deployments were<00:11:55.839>
• if the purpose of the deployment is not authorized by Congress.
• if the purpose of the deployment is not authorized by Congress.
• if the purpose of the deployment is not authorized by Congress.
• if the purpose of the deployment is not authorized by Congress.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Modern military deployments don't fit neatly in that box.
• Modern military deployments don't fit neatly in that box.
• This bill makes crystal clear that when someone comes home from an extended deployment, they return to
• An emergency deployment would be covered under a different set of regulations.
• The deployments, okay. A tornado-type environment would be covered under a different law. Okay.

Keywords: 959, house, all