Transcript Highlights:

• Many of you know here locally, we had incidents in Leon County with flooding, and then we had tornado
• Earlier in the year in the Panhandle, we had some tornado activity in Bay County and Jackson County.
• There were 47 confirmed tornadoes in the state, ranging from EF0 to EF3 in the central and southeastern

Summary: The Natural Resources and Disaster Subcommittee met to continue its review of hurricane impacts and state response. The committee first heard from the Florida Division of Emergency Management, which described its four core functions—preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation—and highlighted its 24/7 State Watch Office, regional training efforts, and disaster assistance work. Deputy Executive Director Keith Pruitt detailed the state’s 2024 storm response, including Hurricanes Debby, Helene, and Milton, citing large-scale mission support, flood-control deployments, meal and water distribution, power restoration, debris removal, and billions in disaster funding and mitigation dollars. He also discussed debris management challenges and recommended that local governments update and exercise debris plans and maintain contingency contracts.

Transcript Highlights:

• They address issues from the Red River Gorge to the flooded rivers of eastern Kentucky to the tornado-ravaged
• flooded rivers of eastern Kentucky<00:09:00.480> to<00:09:00.800> the<00:09:00.959> tornado
• <00:09:01.600> ravaged<00:09:02.640> counties Kentucky to the tornado ravaged counties
• Kentucky to the tornado ravaged counties of<00:09:03.600> western<00:09:04.080> Kentucky

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Senate convened with an invocation and Pledge of Allegiance, established a quorum, excused absent senators, and approved the journal from February 17, 2026. The House communicated passage of several bills and requested concurrence, and committee reports were received, including favorable reports on Senate Bills 70, 74, 80, 127, and 154. Senate Bill 191 was also reported and then recommitted to the Appropriations and Revenue Committee. Senate Bill 104 was passed over and retained its place on the calendar. The chamber then took up and passed Senate Bill 47, which provides line-of-duty death benefits for search and rescue volunteers, with supporters emphasizing the dangerous emergency work these teams perform and the need to treat them like other first responders. Senate Bill 159, concerning missing and unidentified persons and aligning Kentucky with federal “Billy’s Law” database requirements, also passed unanimously after testimony about its value in helping families and law enforcement. Senate Bill 85, allowing state retirement beneficiaries to establish special needs trusts, passed unanimously as well, with members describing it as a way to provide long-term security for dependents with special needs. The Senate also adopted Senate Resolution 78 honoring the CSX Santa Train and Senate Resolution 76 honoring Frank Ryard and the Ryard’s Scoreboard for its long-standing role in Kentucky high school athletics. Members spoke about the scoreboard’s importance to athletes, families, and sports coverage statewide. Later, new bills and a concurrent resolution were introduced, including measures on state government, duty-related disability benefits, arrest-related deaths, detainee fatality review, carbon dioxide sequestration, and a mental health alternative response task force. The Senate received notice that Senate Bill 172 had been delivered to the Governor, then recessed for committee meetings and adjourned until February 19, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• Probably such as the tornadoes in West Kentucky, the flooding back home in '22.
• Probably<00:18:07.800> such<00:18:08.160> as<00:18:08.400> the<00:18:08.560> tornadoes
• <00:18:09.120> in<00:18:09.200> West >> Probably such as the tornadoes in West
• >> Probably such as the tornadoes in West Kentucky,<00:18:09.920> the<00:18:10.040>

Keywords: 00:01 Call to Order and Roll Call 01:32 Approval of Minutes 01:46 Public Protection Cabinet 19:05 Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet 33:14 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The Budget Subcommittee met without a quorum at first, then approved the minutes once a quorum was reached. The first presentation was from the Department of Housing, Buildings, and Construction within the Public Protection Cabinet. Commissioner Max Fuller and Deputy Commissioner David Moore reviewed the department’s licensing structure, noting about 50 license types and roughly 42,000 active licenses, with most tied to plumbing, HVAC, and electrical work. They compared Kentucky’s fees and requirements with neighboring states and said Kentucky is generally in line or slightly below surrounding states when local and contractor licensing requirements elsewhere are considered. The department also described staffing and inspection pressures. Officials said boiler inspections have a measurable backlog, with about 18% of state-jurisdiction boilers and pressure vessels past due statewide and a higher percentage in Jefferson County. They said building code plan review turnaround has risen from about 30 days to roughly 33–35 days, and that some areas are struggling to maintain same-day plumbing inspections and three-day HVAC inspections. Members asked whether the agency could handle increased housing construction, especially in rural areas; the department said it had requested additional plumbing staff and a plan reviewer, particularly for the Bowling Green/Warren County area, and noted that electrical inspectors are stretched across the state and are also pulled into disaster response work. The committee then heard from Kentucky Venues and the Kentucky State Fair Board on the Kentucky Exposition Center renovation and related operations. David Beck, board chairman David Williams, CFO Tony Shrek, and others said the project is progressing ahead of schedule, with keys to the new building expected in December and the facility already booked for future events. They reported strong tourism and economic impact, including record activity at the Exposition Center and downtown convention center, and said the Farm Machinery Show and other events continue to drive demand. Members asked about budget status, and the presenters said inflation, delayed access to funds due to the RFP/design process, and added costs have left them short of money to finish all planned work. They identified phase three funding needs, including food and beverage service improvements and completion of Freedom Hall seating, and said they are considering bringing food and beverage operations back under their control to improve efficiency and revenue. The meeting ended with no formal votes on the presentations and an announcement that the committee would meet again the following Tuesday.

Transcript Highlights:

• example, I think as a society generally we're hesitant to conduct active shooter drills while fire and tornado
• mandate is approximately 6 safety drills per year of some kind, two of which should be fire drills, two tornado
• approximately6 safety drills per year of some kind, two of which should be fire drills to I think your tornado
• Perhaps lessons learned from other school tragedies, like mass casualty fire incidents or tornadoes where

Summary: The committee heard extensive testimony on Oklahoma school safety from Commissioner Tipton, OSSI director Mike Fike, OACTIC director Alan Young, OSBI lieutenant Isiles Keene, and Rogers County Sheriff Scott Walton. The main focus was a statewide school-safety framework built around response, prevention, and recovery. Witnesses described training law enforcement in the LASER active-shooter response model, adding A-TURK training for coordinated law enforcement/fire/EMS response, expanding run-hide-fight and Stop the Bleed instruction for educators and staff, conducting risk and vulnerability assessments, and using the Rave panic-button system and the ProtectOK tip app to speed reporting and dispatch. They also emphasized behavioral threat assessment and management (BTAM) teams as a prevention tool to identify and support at-risk students before violence occurs. Members asked about administrator and teacher training, school counselor involvement, how apps are deployed on personal versus school devices, and whether schools are actually using the programs. Witnesses said administrators, counselors, and SROs should be part of BTAM, that training is most effective when it is realistic and repeated, and that Rave is geofenced and typically invited onto devices by schools. Several members stressed that school leaders must buy in for safety plans to work, and one member raised concerns about traumatic training and the need for mental-health support as part of prevention. Witnesses said mental-health referral and monitoring are part of BTAM, but the school and local partners must manage the process. OSBI’s lieutenant added broader context, comparing school safety to fire safety and noting that Oklahoma still lacks some statutory requirements for intruder drills and stronger penalties for school threats. He also discussed possible future tools such as surveillance analytics, gunshot detection, ballistic-rated doors and walls, and better access controls, while warning that technology should supplement, not replace, basic safety systems and training. Sheriff Walton closed by describing rural response challenges and his foundation’s effort to place ballistic shields in schools and police cars, arguing that human resources and rapid communication remain the biggest gaps. No votes or formal actions were taken in the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• purchase education materials to educate the public on how to prevent certain things and take cover on tornadoes
• certain things and and uh take<00:05:24.160> cover<00:05:24.479> on<00:05:25.039> tornadoes
• <00:05:25.600> and<00:05:25.840> hurricanes take cover on tornadoes and hurricanes
• take cover on tornadoes and hurricanes and<00:05:26.800> bad<00:05:27.120> weather.
• , Mean natural emergencies like tornadoes, hurricanes, flooding, what have you.

Bills: SB8, SB22, SB137, HB295, HB2, HB343, HB220, HB303, HB81, SB8, SB22, SB137, HB295, HB2, HB343, HB220, HB303, HB81

Keywords: emergency management, public funds, educational materials, state legislation, disaster response, uniformity, state laws, legislative commission, appointments, government structure, resilience, natural disasters, risk management, Alabama Resilience Council, Chief Resilience Officer, state planning, environmental protection, community preparedness, Alabama Office of Civic Engagement, Alabama Office of Minority Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• I did it for SeaWorld in and saved them millions because they had a tornado in their stadium and they
• Something happened, the emergency, a terrible tornado, whatever, and it's knocked out yours.
• Tornado hit one town, everybody else showed up in the other town.
• I grew up in Tornado Alley, and we had civil defense sirens.
• If it's a tornado, stay inside. If it's a flood, at the high ground. I'm fighting for this.

Keywords: 997, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• worked for years about, you know, storm shelters and we, you know, just last week we had, you know, tornadoes
• thinking about it because I missed the discussion on this but I was trying to remember the Saint Peter tornado
• ><00:21:25.440> the<00:21:25.520> Saint<00:21:25.840> Peter<00:21:26.240> tornado
• to remember the the Saint Peter tornado to remember the the Saint Peter tornado which<00:21:27.040

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• For example, the Panhandle wildfires, tornadoes, extreme rainfall events, hurricanes.
• Texas, a great state as it is, is no stranger to disasters, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, freezes, heat
• That's a great question, and I would say it depends on the disaster because you don't know where the tornado
• And as we learned from so many of the, the tornadoes and hurricanes over the years. They'll come.
• I mean, limited resource, unpredictability of where the tornado or, you know, the storm or whatever the

Transcript Highlights:

• For example, the panhandle wildfires, tornadoes, extreme rainfall events.
• Texas, a great state as it is, it's no stranger to disasters, hurricanes, tornadoes. floods, freezes,
• I would say it depends on the disaster, because you don't know where the tornado is coming or the hurricane
• think could be a shelter facility or a shelter facility. area and as we learned from so many of the tornadoes
• Unpredictability of where the tornado or, you know, the storm or whatever the event's going to happen

Bills: HB2034, HB2436, HB3010, HB3033, HB3138, HB3177, HB3426, HB3686, HB3858, HB4176, HB4257, HB4264, HB4804, HCR98

Keywords: groundwater, foreign ownership, national security, water permits, environmental health, deadly conduct, firearm, recklessness, peace officer, prosecution, Penal Code, Texas laws, disaster recovery, infrastructure, rural communities, grants, state funding, emergency management, HB 3033, Texas Department of Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• It comes out of their cash account, likely from their insurance related to tornado damage that happened
• House Bill 1065 is the one I already presented around the tornado damage to Northwest Arkansas Community

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a quorum present. The chamber recognized several guests, including state troopers, a nurse of the day, students, a cheer team, and a representative-elect. The Governor’s office also reported approval of House Bill 1002, Act 1. The House then moved into the red and yellow calendars to consider a series of appropriation bills and amendments. House Bill 1003, the Arkansas House Representative Staff appropriation for fiscal years 2026-2027, passed unanimously with its emergency clause. On the budget calendar, the House adopted amendments to several appropriation bills, including funding changes for the Labor and Licensing Board, the University of Arkansas Community College at Rich Mountain, the State Treasurer, the Department of Finance and Administration, the Department of Education, Northwest Arkansas Community College, and Fort Chaffee-related appropriations. Members also batched and passed a large group of appropriation bills by a 94-1 vote, while some bills were pulled out for separate consideration. Several separate bills were then considered. House Bill 1014, for the Department of Health and Human Services’ DIPSQA appropriation, failed on a 74-9 vote with 12 present. House Bill 1021 (Arkansas State University–Mid-South), 1027 (Health Services permit agency), 1049 (Treasurer’s office appropriation for animal rescue shelters), 1056 (Martin Luther King Jr. Commission), 1061 (Department of Labor and Licensing), 1074 (Oil and Gas Commission), 1075 (Division of Agriculture and Arkansas Bioscience Institute), and 1079 (Department of Corrections contraband cell phone prevention program) all passed, while House Bills 1060 (Arkansas State Library) and 1062 (Medicaid Tobacco Settlement Program) failed. The House also adopted House Resolutions 1004 and 1005, which were described as necessary to introduce a non-appropriation bill. At the end of the meeting, the House adopted a motion to adjourn until 11 a.m. the next day. Announcements were made for House Rules, Special Language, and Joint Budget committee meetings scheduled for the following day.

Transcript Highlights:

• It comes out of their cash account, likely from their insurance related to some tornado damage that happened
• House Bill 1065 is the one I already presented around the tornado damage to Northwest Arkansas Community

Summary: The House convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, established a quorum, granted several leaves, and received a gubernatorial communication noting approval of House Bill 1002 (Act 1). The chamber also recognized guests, including state troopers, a nurse of the day, students, a cheer team, Entergy representatives, and a representative-elect, before moving to the calendar. Members passed House Bill 1003, the Arkansas House Representative Staff appropriation, by 94-0 with the emergency clause. On the budget calendar, the House considered a series of appropriation amendments and bills affecting agencies and institutions including the Labor and Licensing Board, University of Arkansas Community College at Rich Mountain, the State Treasurer, DFA, county turnbacks, career technical education, Northwest Arkansas Community College, and the Fort Chaffee appropriation. Several amendments were adopted by voice vote, and the House then batched and passed multiple appropriation bills, while some were pulled out for separate votes. In separate roll-call votes, House Bills 1021, 1027, 1029, 1049, 1056, 1061, 1074, 1075, and 1079 passed, while House Bills 1014, 1060, and 1062 failed. The chamber also adopted House Resolutions 1004 and 1005, which were described as necessary to introduce a non-appropriation bill. The meeting ended with adjournment set for 11:00 a.m. the next day, and committee announcements noted upcoming House Rules, Special Language, and Joint Budget meetings.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:24:15.120> And tornadoes to the Midwest and South.
• And tornadoes to the Midwest and South.
• Chair, I believe it's 65 mph winds, uh 1 in hail, or the presence of a tornado. Okay, thank you.
• Chair, I believe it's 65 mph winds, uh 1 in hail, or the presence of a tornado. Okay, thank you.
• Chair, I believe it's 65 mph winds, 1-inch hail, or the presence of a tornado. Okay, thank you.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman, during the tornado when he was actually in the capacity of serving to protect the public.
• And he shielded his wife from being killed in the tornado, and he was actually killed.
• He was very active and actively engaged in the Phelps area. from being killed in the tornado, from being
• killed in the tornado, and<00:28:25.240> he<00:28:25.360> was<00:28:25.480> actually

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The fire and tornado insurance premiums that was funded in the last biennium, we're going to ask for
• waiverss.<00:13:18.480> The<00:13:18.639> fire<00:13:18.800> and<00:13:19.040> tornado
• The fire and tornado insurance waiverss.
• The fire and tornado insurance premiums<00:13:20.800> um<00:13:21.279> that<00:13:21.519

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The House Budget Review Subcommittee on Postsecondary Education met to begin hearing budget requests from Kentucky universities. Eastern Kentucky University President David McFaden highlighted EKU’s enrollment growth, its large population of Pell-eligible and first-generation students, and its role in producing graduates for Kentucky’s workforce, especially in health care, public safety, manufacturing, engineering, and aviation. He said EKU is seeking support for a Center for Health Innovation, including a doctor of osteopathic medicine program, with a $50 million accreditation escrow and startup funding that would be returned to the state after accreditation. He also described EKU’s health programs, which have strong pass rates and high in-state employment outcomes, and said the university wants continued asset preservation funding, inflationary operating support, and other recurring budget items. McFaden also outlined EKU’s aviation request, including $10 million for new aircraft and support for an enhanced air traffic control program created in response to a legislative study. He said the program would enroll cohorts of about 30 students, likely attract out-of-state students, and require a $5 million startup investment plus $1.5 million in annual recurring support. He added that EKU’s lab school is seeking a revised funding model tied to enrollment rather than a flat mandated amount. Committee members asked follow-up questions about the medical school escrow, aircraft needs, and program capacity, and McFaden clarified that the escrow would remain intact until accreditation and then be returned to the general fund. Kentucky State University President Kakpo then reviewed prior capital support that helped repair a dorm and several leaking roofs, and said the university is still addressing campus infrastructure problems. He said KSU’s main request is a new health sciences building to house its growing nursing program and language program, along with $40 million for additional dorm renovations and a carve-out for its aquaculture program. Kakpo said the aquaculture PhD proposal would be federally funded and could bring in more revenue, while the new building would help relieve overcrowding and support KSU’s research role. In response to questions, he said KSU’s campus housing capacity would be about 1,334 beds if all dorms were repaired, and that the university is rotating students through renovated buildings while trying to keep them on campus. Committee members also raised safety concerns about the December campus shooting at KSU. Kakpo said the incident was isolated, expressed sympathy for the families affected, and said the university has reviewed campus procedures, added police and security positions, and is strengthening safety processes. The meeting did not include any votes or formal actions; it was a budget presentation and question-and-answer session.

Transcript Highlights:

• We do see that, and, you know, due to the tornadoes, the last thing we want to do is slow down progress
• do<00:38:31.359> the<00:38:31.680> to<00:38:31.839> the<00:38:32.000> tornadoes
• and you know do the to the tornadoes. and you know do the to the tornadoes.

Keywords: 00:01 Call to Order and Roll Call 01:49 Approval of Minutes 02:06 Information Items 03:48 Project Rpt from Finance and Admin Cabinet 14:38 Lease Rpt from Finance and Admin Cabinet 18:50 OFM – Ky Infrastructure Authority 26:40 OFM – Cabinet for Economic Development 31:50 Office of Financial Management 40:40 Remaining 2025 Meeting Dates 41:25 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The meeting opened with prayer and a quorum call, then the committee approved the prior meeting minutes. Staff reported several informational items, including University of Kentucky medical and research equipment purchases, school district debt issues, leasehold improvements, and Kentucky Community and Technical College System bond allocations. The committee then approved a line-item appropriation increase of $350,000 in federal funds for the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources’ Cumberland Forest Conservation Program, along with two Department of Military Affairs projects: the Ashland Readiness Center window replacement and the MATES HVAC replacement at Fort Knox. It also approved four larger maintenance-pool projects without further action: HVAC and smoke evacuation work at the Kentucky State Penitentiary, HVAC and hot water tank replacements at Oakwood, a Green Bank energy-savings performance project across state facilities, and roof replacement at Lake Barkley Lodge. Members asked about the prison project, the roof procurement process, and whether minority-owned firms receive special bidding preference; staff said capital projects are awarded through open low-bid procurement with qualification and warranty requirements, and that minority participation is preferred but not a bidding criterion. Two lease modifications were approved for Franklin County agencies: an expansion and renovation for the Auditor of Public Accounts and a downsizing and renovation for the Kentucky Workers Compensation Funding Commission. The committee also approved Kentucky Infrastructure Authority items, including a Monticello sewer loan, several Cleaner Water Program grants and reallocations, and a House Bill 1 water grant that required no action. Members questioned engineering costs and were told the KIA board reviews technical details and anomalies before approval. Finally, the committee approved six economic development grants: one EDF grant for V Simple in Jefferson County and five KPDI EDF grants for projects in Breckinridge, Erlanger, Todd, and Washington counties. The last action item was approval of Western Kentucky University’s up-to-$10 million general receipts revenue bond issue for athletic facilities. An informational Kentucky Housing Corporation multifamily bond item prompted concern from members about rising per-unit costs for affordable housing, and they requested further explanation from the housing corporation at a future meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• UNDER THE PILOT, DEM IN THEORY COULD POST ON SOCIAL MEDIA THAT THERE IS A TORNADO WARNING IN YOUR AREA
• IS THIS THE GOVERNMENT WARNING ME THAT A TORNADO IS COMING?
• UNDER THIS PILOT, ON SOCIAL MEDIA, THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO CLICK ON THE IMAGE THAT WAS SHARED ABOUT THE TORNADO

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They're sitting in today for Senator Barrett, and Lincoln County was struck by a tornado last evening
• There were two different tornadoes, one in Smithville, one in Amory, and there have been tornado damage
• There were two different tornadoes,<02:19:51.520> one<02:19:51.920> in<02:19:52.080>
• Smithville,<02:19:52.880> one<02:19:53.120> in tornadoes, one in Smithville, one in
• tornado Amory, and there have been tornado damage<02:19:55.320> in<02:19:55.440> Tupelo.

Keywords: MS Senate Floor - 12 March, 2026; 10:00 AM, 925, all

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum present, opened with prayer and the pledge, and then dispensed with the reading of the journal, committee reports, and bill titles. The chamber also recognized several guests and groups, including the doctor of the day, visitors from Quebec, the Sumrall High School boys soccer team, Starkville public safety officials, and the Hattiesburg High School choral arts program. A resolution honoring the long-standing partnership between Quebec and Mississippi was read and adopted, and Ms. Nathalie Rivard of Quebec addressed the Senate about historical ties and economic cooperation between Quebec and Mississippi. The Senate then moved through a series of procedural actions on the calendar, including multiple motions to table reconsideration on medical cannabis and ARPA-related bills, and several motions to not concur and invite conference on workforce and budget measures. Among those were Senate Bill 2294, the Mississippi Future Innovators Act, Senate Bill 2288 on workforce training, Senate Bill 2401 on workforce development, Senate Bill 2189 on budget transfers, Senate Bill 2895 on ARPA funds, and Senate Bill 2917 on appropriations transfers. These motions were adopted, sending the measures to conference or otherwise advancing them as noted. A major portion of the meeting focused on appropriations bills. House Bill 1935, the Education Department appropriation, was explained in detail and adopted after a strike-all amendment; the bill includes funding for the student formula, teacher and assistant pay raises, special education supplements, school attendance officers, testing contracts, early learning coaches, and CTE instructor raises, with offsets from reduced or eliminated line items such as school safety platforms and certain vendor programs. The Senate also adopted strike-all amendments and passed House Bills 1936 and 1937 for Mississippi Public Broadcasting and the Library Commission, and then moved on to House Bill 1933 for the Bureau of Building. The Senate recessed until 2:30 p.m. and announced an appropriations meeting shortly after recess, while leadership noted that many supplemental appropriations bills would be considered later with attention to whether they contained reverse repealers and would go to conference or final passage.

Transcript Highlights:

• We weren't down at all during the tornadoes in western Kentucky, nor the flooding in eastern Kentucky
• We weren't down at all during the tornadoes in western Kentucky, nor the flooding in eastern Kentucky
• We weren't down at all during the tornadoes in western Kentucky, nor the flooding in eastern Kentucky
• We weren't down at all during the tornadoes in western Kentucky, nor the flooding in eastern Kentucky
• We weren't down at all during the tornadoes in western Kentucky, nor the flooding in eastern Kentucky

Keywords: Call to Order and Roll Call- 00:00:03 Summary of Staff Report on the Firefighter Commission Minimum Training Standards and Administrative Spending- 00:01:00 Staff Update on Child Fatality and Near Fatality External Review Panel 00:16:00 Child Fatality and Near Fatality Review Panel Representatives Available for Questions-00:39:34 Kentucky State Police & Finance Cabinet Status Update on Kentucky Statewide Emergency Responder Voice System-00:52:35 Adjournment-01:46:24, 958, all

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes from December 19 and June 12, then received a staff report on the Kentucky Fire Commission’s minimum training standards and administrative spending. Staff explained that the commission’s current minimum training hours are 115 for volunteer firefighters and 300 for paid firefighters, down from 150 and 400 before January 1, 2023, after the commission removed elective classes not directly tied to NFPA standards. The report found the commission’s certification testing aligns fully with NFPA standards, but recommended that the commission formally promulgate regulations establishing the reduced training hours. On finances, staff said the commission complied with the first statutory cap on administrative reimbursements to KCTCS, but could not verify compliance with a second, more specific cap because the finance system does not break out program-level costs and the statute is vague. Staff recommended the commission work with KCTCS to fix that issue and suggested the General Assembly may wish to clarify the statute. After questions about reimbursement levels and investment income, the committee voted to accept the report. The committee then heard an update on the Kentucky Child Fatality and Near Fatality External Review Panel. Staff reported that the panel has implemented two of three prior recommendations: it revised its agency notification letter to clearly state the 90-day response deadline and added response prompts and checkboxes to improve completeness. The third recommendation, to adopt formal written procedures, remains in progress; staff said the panel plans to develop those procedures alongside its new case management system. The panel is meeting its statutory membership and meeting requirements, but agency responses to its recommendations have been inconsistent: 48% were timely and appropriate in 2022, 36% in 2023, and 82% in 2024, though only three of nine timely 2024 responses were fully complete. Staff also described the new case management system project, funded with $200,000 in one-time money, and recommended the panel consult budget staff about use of those funds beyond fiscal year 2025. They reissued the recommendation that the panel develop written procedures for case review, findings, recommendations, and annual reports. Committee members raised concerns about the lack of penalties for noncompliance, the volume and length of panel meetings, and technology barriers to reviewing cases, and one member said the panel’s findings should inform future legislation.

Transcript Highlights:

• We've spent a lot of money the last five years because of a tornado that hit our town.
• We've spent a lot of money the last five years because of a tornado that hit our town.
• c> money<00:30:04.320> the We've spent a lot of money the last five years because of a tornado
• got ruined infrastructure in town that got ruined from<00:30:25.519> the<00:30:26.039> tornado
• <00:30:27.039> and from the tornado and from the tornado and uh<00:30:29.080> also<

Bills: HF458, HF459, HF461, HF449, HF450, HF965, HF1280, HF612, HF615, HF616, HF622, HF650, HF651, HF1045, HF972, HF851, HF644, HF1050

Keywords: HF458, Henderson, water treatment facility, drinking water, municipal water, public infrastructure, capital investment, state bonds, bonding bill, Public Facilities Authority, water distribution system, well connection, local government grant, Minnesota capital budget, HF459, Carver levee, City of Carver, levee restoration, flood control, flood mitigation

Transcript Highlights:

• the Seminole County Emergency Management Agency are here in attendance today, but they had an EF2 tornado
• of the Semino County Emergency Management Agency are here in attendance today, but they had an EF2 tornado
• touchdown in the Lake Mary area. in attendance today, but they had an EF2 tornado touchdown in the Lake

Summary: The committee met to review agency program funding as it prepared to build the budget, hearing brief presentations from six agencies and then taking member questions. Florida Division of Emergency Management highlighted its role in response, preparedness, recovery, and mitigation, describing a largely federal pass-through budget, major technology investments, and large disaster and preparedness grant activity. The Department of Commerce, Department of State, Florida Housing Finance Corporation, Department of Transportation, Department of Military Affairs, Florida State Guard, and Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles also summarized their budgets, staffing, and major programs, including workforce and economic development, elections and arts funding, housing assistance, transportation work programs, military readiness, state guard expansion, and highway safety and motorist services. Members focused questions on several issues: arts and library grant funding and whether award criteria had changed; Commerce’s rural infrastructure and job growth grants and why funds were not being disbursed faster; Florida Housing’s use of SAIL, Live Local, Hometown Heroes, and SHIP funds and how smaller agencies learn about and access funding; and DOT’s work program gap between agency and governor proposals. The most extensive questioning was directed to Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles about long DMV lines, vacancies, overtime, staffing shortages, and the ability to shift funds between divisions. The department said staffing and pay constraints, especially in South Florida, were driving service delays and vacancy rates, and that overtime was being used because troopers were leaving for better-paying jobs. The Florida State Guard was also questioned about its spending and procurement pace, including aircraft purchases and facilities. Its director said long procurement timelines explained the low initial spending and that obligations had risen sharply as contracts matured. Members also asked about the department’s public opposition to Amendment 3 and whether agency resources were used in that effort; the director said no contracts or purchases were made to influence the vote and said the colonel’s comments were made off the clock. The meeting ended with the chair asking agencies to respond promptly to unanswered questions, and the committee adjourned without any recorded votes or formal actions beyond receiving the presentations and questions.