Transcript Highlights:

• Roll call granted. Roll call requested. Roll call granted.
• Roll call granted.
• Roll call granted.
• Roll call granted. requested. Roll call granted.
• Roll call granted. Roll call requested. Roll call granted.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Granted.
• Granted.
• Granted.
• Granted.
• Granted.

Summary: The House convened with quorum, offered prayers and moments of silence for community members who had recently died, and recognized several guests and family members in the chamber. After routine communications and passage of consent calendar 29, the chamber took up a series of measures on the main and colored agendas, with several bills and resolutions passing by voice vote or roll call. Among the measures approved were House Concurrent Resolution 157, which as amended requested a State Lottery report on options to support traditional lottery retailers; Senate Bill 53 on the Delaware Farm to Community Program; Senate Bill 307 on PSC authority for Lifeline telecommunications carriers; Senate Bill 339 clarifying health directive forms in mental health facilities; Senate Bill 235 on manufactured home community rent increases; Senate Bill 325, as amended, updating fire prevention and volunteer fire/EMS background check rules; Senate Bill 309 on inmate work and discharge of incarceration-related balances; Senate Bill 324 on deadly weapons and constable agency representatives; Senate Bill 293 on youth camp child care licensing; Senate Bill 94 on respiratory care practitioners and ECMO medication delivery; and Senate Substitute 2 for Senate Bill 100, proposing a constitutional amendment protecting the right to marry regardless of race or gender while preserving religious freedom. House Bill 188, changing Delaware primary elections to allow unaffiliated voters to choose a party primary, also passed after debate. Two measures drew extended discussion and amendments. Senate Bill 233, requiring snow and ice to be removed from vehicles, was tabled once, then later amended and passed after debate over whether the law was workable for truck drivers and other vehicle operators; a proposed truck-related exemption amendment failed. House Substitute 1 for House Bill 404, creating a pilot program for artificial intelligence and extended reality in schools, passed after testimony from the Department of Education emphasizing guardrails, privacy, and educator oversight, alongside concerns from members about data, bias, and long-term effects. Several items were tabled or reconsidered during the session, and the House adjourned after completing the day’s business.

Transcript Highlights:

• The other example of that would be working through the cybersecurity grant that the federal government
• has made available through the state and local cybersecurity grant program.
• There are some eligibility criteria for that grant.
• Will this grant look at whether or not the VA already covers the full cost, including taxes?
• Need for adaptive equipment for veterans who are not eligible for the federal grant.

Summary: The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee met on September 17, 2025, in hybrid format. After roll call, the committee initially lacked a quorum and deferred approval of the July 15 minutes until Representative Berg arrived; the minutes were then adopted. Members also discussed the proposed 2026 JLARC meeting schedule, including possible changes to address crowded July meetings and the annual tax exemption review workload. Staff presented the annual lodging tax expenditures report, noting that 213 municipalities received distributions in 2024, with 91% reporting compliance, $114 million awarded for more than 1,700 activities, and no independent verification of the self-reported data. Several members questioned the value and usefulness of the report, and the executive committee indicated it may recommend removing the statutory reporting requirement. The committee then heard the preliminary performance audit of the Office of Privacy and Data Protection, which found the office meets its statutory responsibilities and has high user satisfaction, but recommended updating the statute to better match the office’s current capacity and focus and improving performance measures to reflect long-term privacy outcomes rather than outputs. Members asked about FERPA and other federal privacy laws, and OPDP staff said they provide general privacy training and consultation but not law-specific training unless requested. The committee adopted the final report on Washington State recreational boating programs without recommendation, after staff reported that boating revenues support both general government and boating activities and that no participating agencies submitted formal comments. Members asked about boater safety education and possible overlap among the six agencies involved; Parks staff said education has reached more than 500,000 boaters and that fatalities and incidents have declined. The committee also reviewed planned study questions for a JLARC review of Labor and Industries’ enforcement of farm worker laws, with members raising scope questions about the term “farm worker” versus “agricultural worker,” and for DNR’s Eastern Washington sustainable harvest calculation, which JLARC will review as DNR completes its recalculation. Finally, staff outlined the 2026 tax preference performance reviews covering seven preferences, and members asked about racial equity, environmental impacts, disclosure of beneficiary savings, and how the reviews will measure effectiveness; the meeting adjourned before noon.

Transcript Highlights:

• About 3% of our budget right now is spent on grants.
• So a pretty small portion of our budget is spent on grants.
• So when we have a bill for a grant and we're fiscal noting that bill, we are simply looking at that grant
• you, or if it's a big grant, a few FTEs.
• you, or if it's a big grant, a few FTEs.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• This makes up 80% of total grant awards.
• Second, it's not clear which specific ...of total grant awards.
• Although the $200,000 minimum grant amount, um...
• Fire management assistance grants were mentioned.
• If I'm applying for any type of funds or grants, I'm missing pieces of information.

Summary: The committee heard a broad public safety budget hearing focused on youth justice funding, probation incentive grants, and disaster response and recovery. On the youth justice item, the Office of Youth and Community Restoration described a proposed change to the JJRBG funding formula that would shift resources away from a DJJ-based measure and toward county youth population, serious offenses, and step-down placements in less restrictive programs. Members asked about data on Native American youth; OYCR said statewide data are limited, but its SYTF data show about 1% of youth in secure youth treatment facilities were Native in 2024. The Department of Finance had no objections, and the item was discussed as a way to support alternatives to long-term incarceration. The committee then reviewed the community corrections performance incentive program for county probation departments. The Department of Finance proposed stabilizing the program with a maintenance payment, updating the performance baseline, and adding a growth factor; the LAO agreed the formula needed changes but recommended using 2022-23 data instead of 2021-23, using marginal rather than average cost assumptions, rejecting the growth payment and minimum guarantee, and adding stronger oversight through the BSCC. Finance said it was open to some technical changes but opposed a new BSCC audit framework, noting Judicial Council already surveys probation departments and that evidence-based practice use has increased over time. Members and staff indicated the proposal still needed further work. A major portion of the hearing focused on the January 2025 Southern California wildfires and state disaster response. A resident of Altadena gave emotional testimony about evacuation failures, loss of home, and the need for accountability. LAO and Cal OES outlined the disaster response and recovery system, including mutual aid, alert and warning, debris removal, FEMA and state funding streams, and the long timeline for reimbursement. Cal OES said it had pre-positioned resources, temporarily took over the county’s wireless emergency alert function for about three weeks, coordinated debris removal and recovery operations, and had already allocated more than $286 million in state funds. Officials also discussed the 100% federal cost share for emergency work for 180 days and the uncertainty created by changing federal processes and the cancellation of the BRIC resilience program. The committee also heard two smaller Cal OES items: a request to reappropriate about $22 million for the law enforcement mutual aid reimbursement program, which the LAO said should be placed in statute with clearer goals and reporting, and an update on Victims of Crime Act funding, where Cal OES said federal VOCA allocations have fallen sharply and that roughly $224 million would be needed to maintain current service levels if federal funding does not improve. Public comment included a request for funding to expand datacasting and emergency alert receivers for wildfire and earthquake warning.

Transcript Highlights:

• by the those grants.
• Grants that we fund.
• Paul lost $149,790 because the grant is a multiple-year grant, a four-year grant, I believe.
• North Maternity in Duluth lost $72,023 of their grant.
• Regarding grant applications, number seven that I'm going to talk about: they have grant applications

Transcript Highlights:

• Under the FMA grant program, This is another key flood grant program that we manage.
• Those grant ranges can vary.
• grant program, but that grant was denied.
• The five percent, the grant was the approach that our board wanted to take—was the grant.
• established the CERI grant.

Keywords: flooding, emergency response, communication systems, first responders, disaster management, Texas Water Development Board, regional planning, public safety

Summary: The meeting primarily focused on discussions around the recent floods in Texas, specifically addressing emergency preparedness, response coordination, and recovery efforts. Officials from various agencies provided testimonies on the challenges faced during the emergency, including issues with communication systems among first responders. Notably, the need for improved inter-agency communication and technology integration was emphasized, with recommendations for establishing regional communications units for better coordination during disasters. The audience included local government representatives and emergency management partners, who shared insights and experiences from the recent flooding events.

Transcript Highlights:

• Next thing I want to talk about is the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.
• Hazard Mitigation Grant Program is a federal grant program designed to assist states, local governments
• The state of Florida has received a lot of these grants in the past.
• A handful of other projects, but a lot of focus in Southeast Florida on those grants.
• Flood Mitigation Assistance grant.

Summary: The Committee on Community Affairs met with a quorum present and heard two hurricane-recovery presentations focused on Florida’s response and long-term recovery efforts. Kevin Guthrie, Executive Director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, reviewed response and recovery operations for Hurricanes Debby, Helene, and Milton, including meals, water, sheltering, search and rescue deployments, power restoration, debris removal, flood-control efforts, and generator distribution. He also described ongoing public assistance and mitigation funding, the state’s FROC system for standardizing and speeding reimbursement documentation, and the Elevate Florida residential mitigation program, which will use about $400 million to elevate or reconstruct eligible flood-insurance properties and may expand to county-run programs. Senators asked about manufactured homes, school shelter hardening, mobile home tie-downs, reimbursement for USAR teams, debris hauling, regional sheltering, and FEMA review delays; Guthrie said the state is trying to move recovery faster and more proactively, while acknowledging some limits and federal bottlenecks. The committee then heard from Justin Domer, Deputy Secretary of Community Development at Florida Commerce, on HUD Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery programs. He explained that Commerce administers long-term recovery funds through its Office of Long-Term Resiliency for housing, infrastructure, and economic development, with funds used as a last resort after FEMA and insurance. Domer outlined the process for the most recent $925 million allocation covering multiple disasters, including Idalia, Debby, Helene, Milton, Broward flooding, and North Florida tornadoes, and said the state currently manages about $3.4 billion in DR funds, rising to over $4 billion with the new allocation. He highlighted completed and ongoing housing programs for Hurricane Irma, Michael, and Ian, plus workforce recovery programs and subrecipient infrastructure grants. Senators asked about Broward and Fort Lauderdale funding, homeowner turnaround times, and mobile home eligibility; Domer said Broward and Fort Lauderdale will have separate HUD-directed programs, and the committee adjourned after the presentations and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• asking for a refill on our ACE grant asking for a refill on our ACE grant program<00:09:42.399><
• That grant ended in their budget.
• MDA and a handful of grant MDA and a handful of grant administrators<00:25:25.840> can<00
• It's not like we have, you know, 500 grant processors that process the same grant.
• processors that process the same grant processors that process the same grant.<00:37:01.839> I

Keywords: Appropriations - Room 216, 28 January, 2026; 8:15 AM, 925, all

Summary: The committee heard a budget presentation from the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA), including its consolidated tourism and agency request. MDA said it has had strong recent results, citing about $65 billion in capital investment since 2020, roughly 25,000 jobs, record tourism, clean audits, and oversubscribed incentive programs. For FY27, the agency requested $26.4 million in general funds, level special-fund operating support, restoration of eight pins reduced in the LBR process, and several general-fund increases for a career ladder, a new HR system, training, and operating costs. MDA also discussed a $1.25 million request for America 250 activities, including a Mississippi event and participation in the National Mall “Great America State Fair,” plus an energy accelerator program tied to the governor’s energy initiative and a broader three-tier energy preparedness strategy. MDA also explained its incentive refill requests, saying it was not seeking additional funding for the ACE grant program this year and had shifted that support toward the governor’s port/rail/road investment fund and energy-ready sites. The agency highlighted a renewed request to restart funding for the small municipal and limited population counties grant program, which it said had previously helped smaller communities with water, sewer, downtown, and other projects. On tourism, MDA presented a breakout showing what the budget would look like if tourism were separated into its own department; officials said the current tourism budget within MDA is about $5.7 million in general funds and $7.9 million total, and estimated about $1.3 million in additional cost would be needed to stand up a separate tourism agency. A significant portion of the discussion focused on criticism from Senator Wiggins that MDA has not delivered enough economic development for the Mississippi Gulf Coast. He argued that constituents believe MDA does little for the coast and objected to the agency’s role in the GCRF and coastal projects, saying the coast has not seen meaningful results in years. MDA officials responded that complaints about uneven distribution are common across the state, that MDA works with local economic development partners rather than dictating project locations, and that it has helped support major coastal projects such as Relativity Space, Lockheed Martin expansions, PCC Gulf Chem, BWC Terminals, and AWS. The exchange also touched on the Port of Pascagoula and local leadership disputes, with both sides disagreeing over whether the port and the coast have been adequately supported. No votes or formal actions were taken in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• Those 20 districts applied and were granted that extension.
• , the time to write the grants.
• , the time to write the grants.
• About $200 million of those are awards that have been granted to us.
• support and looking at the composition of the grants, predictability versus competitive grants—obviously

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The hearing focused on House Bill 55, the governor’s FY25 supplemental budget proposal to spend about $1.3 billion in surplus Fair Share revenue. House and Senate chairs framed the bill as a one-time opportunity to invest fairly in education and transportation, while also noting the need to protect the state’s long-term fiscal balance. Administration officials said the proposal should be considered alongside the FY26 budget and related bills, since the governor’s broader Fair Share plan aims for roughly an even split between education and transportation over time. Secretary of Administration and Finance Matthew Gorzkowicz, Transportation Secretary Monica Tibbits-Nutt, and Education Secretary Patrick Tutwiler outlined the administration’s priorities. Transportation funding would go mainly to the MBTA and related reserves, including money for the Federal Transit Administration reserve, MBTA stabilization reserve, low-income fares, winter resilience, RTA workforce support, MassDOT workforce and project delivery, and micro-transit grants. Education funding would support universal preschool expansion, early education and care capacity, early literacy tutoring, adult basic education and ESOL, early college and career technical education, MyCAP expansion, and special education circuit breaker funding. The administration emphasized that many of these investments are one-time or multi-year measures designed to address current needs without creating unsustainable recurring costs. Committee members raised concerns about regional equity, especially the large share of transportation money going to the MBTA versus regional transit authorities and rural areas. Several members asked for more detail on how the proposal would benefit Western Massachusetts and other non-MBTA regions, and whether micro-transit and Chapter 90-related investments would be sufficient. Education questions focused on special education reimbursement shortfalls, federal funding cuts to school districts, and how CTE and vocational investments would align students with workforce needs. The administration said it would provide additional data on MBTA versus RTA investment and explained that the special education circuit breaker and transportation reimbursement changes were intended to improve predictability and relief for districts. After the administration panel, Jessica Tang of AFT Massachusetts testified in support of using Fair Share funds to protect public education amid federal uncertainty and cuts. She argued that schools are facing a fiscal cliff, that vulnerable students would be hit hardest by funding losses, and that the Fair Share revenue should be used to preserve services and support students’ needs.

Transcript Highlights:

• Grant them the spirit of wisdom and revelation.
• Will those funds that revert back provide additional grants for students?
• For the cultural museum grants, we have $11.9 million.
• The library construction grants are $5 million, and then the cultural facility is $5.1 million.
• You know, the other—there’s some grants and donations.

Summary: The Senate took up the 2026-2027 budget and related implementing bills. Appropriations Chair Hooper presented a $115 billion General Appropriations Bill, saying it reduces overall spending from the prior year, preserves reserves, and includes a 3% raise for state employees and 5% raises for state law enforcement, firefighters, correctional officers, and park rangers. Committee chairs then outlined major budget areas, including K-12 education, higher education, health and human services, criminal and civil justice, transportation/tourism/economic development, and environmental/agricultural agencies. Highlights included increased funding for school safety, teacher and scholarship funding, workforce education, Medicaid and kid care, corrections operations, judgeships, affordable housing, hurricane recovery, Everglades and water quality projects, and arts and cultural grants. Members asked detailed questions about several items. Senators discussed the Emergency Management Trust Fund, cultural arts grant allocations, Florida Forever land acquisition versus conservation easements, teacher salary support, charter school capital outlay funding, Bright Futures and EASE funding, New College funding, DOC deficits and inmate health care/food service costs, the ADAP HIV drug program, Medicaid reductions for non-critical access hospitals, and the use of opioid settlement and COVID relief funds. Chairs explained that some apparent reductions reflected shifts below the line or reclassification, that the ADAP appropriation would only cover about six months, and that some vacant positions were being removed as part of a right-sizing effort. Questions also covered lottery staffing, concealed weapons permit processing, elections security funding, and arts grant selection and proviso language. The Senate then substituted House bills for the Senate budget and implementing measures, amended them into the Senate posture, and passed them. HB 5001 (the appropriations bill), HB 503 (implementing bill), HB 5201 (collective bargaining), and HB 5205 (retirement) all passed 36-0 and were sent to conference. Other budget-related bills also passed, including SB 2506 on fuel taxes, SB 2508 on the state agency law enforcement radio system surcharge, SB 2510 on court trust funds, SB 2512 creating 13 circuit and 12 county judgeships, SB 2514 on K-12 education, SB 2516 on higher education, and SB 2518 on health. Most of these passed unanimously, with the Senate requesting the House either pass the Senate versions or include them in budget conference.

Transcript Highlights:

• It is supported by a grant from the Walton Family Foundation.
• This is to make grant payments related to the All Kids Bike program.
• Section H, these are miscellaneous federal grant appropriation requests.
• Section H, these are miscellaneous federal grant appropriation requests.
• In Perry County, in 2024, you got 1,935 acres through this land grant.

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• > grant.
• fiscal capacity grant. fiscal capacity grant.
• And the grants basically became the extraordinary needs grant.
• applied um and um again smaller grants. applied um and um again smaller grants.
• <04:00:52.479> the<04:00:52.880> grant um deduction from the grant the grant um deduction

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• only to organizations and make grants only to organizations and eliminate<00:04:03.440> change
• The R67 relates to CAN startup grants.
• Um this is in the uh CAN startup grants. Um this is in the Senate<00:07:07.360> language.
• The changes on the CAN startup grants, but not the change in the private match from 50% to 25%.
• The changes on the CAN<00:07:42.240> startup<00:07:42.640> grants, CAN startup grants,

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• of the uh possible uses for this grant of the uh possible uses for this grant and<00:14:04.880><
• funding<00:19:20.000> for importantly includes grant funding for importantly includes grant
• <00:48:29.760> I'm instead of a grant formula. I'm instead of a grant formula.
• commissioner must prioritize grant commissioner must prioritize grant awards<00:53:17.920> to
• would be able to have those grant would be able to have those grant writers<00:53:46.319> or<

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I just do want to flag something with the grant eligibility.
• Another approach that was discussed that I think could be successful would be instead of a grant program
• <00:02:42.920> um appreciate the focus in um the grants um appreciate the focus in um the
• eligibility, we're talking that grant eligibility, we're talking that income<00:03:02.320> is
• this grant program. this grant program.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: House File 4223 was presented as an appropriation to implement and jump-start the Strengthening Our Homes program enacted in 2023. Rep. Elkins said the goal is to help homeowners strengthen roofs using standards promoted by the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety, citing other states such as Alabama as examples where hardened homes performed better in major storms. He emphasized rising homeowners insurance costs, especially for affordable apartments, older condo buildings, and seniors on fixed or limited incomes, and said the grants would help people who may not have the upfront cash to make improvements. Committee members generally supported the concept, describing it as a way to reduce storm damage and lower insurance premiums. One member highlighted that the income threshold for grant eligibility could reach a large share of Minnesota homeowners and potentially harden nearly a million homes, while another noted the program’s focus on lower-income households. A Commerce Committee discussion was referenced in which an alternative approach was raised: tax incentives, including possible sales tax relief, for materials and labor used to harden homes against hail and other weather risks. Rep. Elkins responded that labor is an important part of the cost and that many potential beneficiaries are seniors with little taxable income, making a grant program more practical than a tax-based incentive. Another member agreed the upfront cost is a major barrier and said the grant design appears thoughtful. No vote was taken; the bill was laid over for further discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• definitions establishes uh crisis grants definitions establishes uh crisis grants Senator<00:04:
• Again, we have the different types of grants described: the crisis grants, the primary and energy crisis
• 15 years ago which means smaller grants 15 years ago which means smaller grants for<00:15:30.920
• It's on track with what our federal grants are.
• Why is your agency claiming 2.5% of this grant money? Mr.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Energy, Utilities, Environment and Climate Committee heard Senate File 486, as amended by the A2 delete-everything amendment, which would create a supplemental, year-round energy assistance program administered by the Department of Commerce alongside LIHEAP. Senator Dibble said the bill is intended to help low-income households pay utility bills throughout the year, including summer months, by providing crisis grants, ongoing monthly assistance, emergency heating system repair or replacement help, outreach funding, and reporting requirements. The committee adopted the A2 amendment before hearing testimony on the bill as amended. Supportive testimony came from Annie Levenson-Faulk of the Citizens Utility Board, Jenny Glumac of the Minnesota Rural Electric Association, Amanda Mackey of Minnesota Valley Action Council, Ron Elwood of Legal Aid, Jamie Fitz of CenterPoint Energy, George Shardlow of the Energy CENTS Coalition, and Kent Sulum of the Minnesota Municipal Utilities Association. Witnesses said energy burdens are especially high in rural Minnesota, utility arrears and shutoffs have increased, and most shutoffs occur in summer when LIHEAP is unavailable. They argued that year-round assistance would help vulnerable households, reduce shutoffs, improve health and housing stability, and create administrative efficiencies by using existing LIHEAP infrastructure. Several witnesses cited data on the need for assistance, including high energy burdens in rural areas, more than 91,000 Minnesota households disconnected for non-payment in 2024, and the large share of LIHEAP recipients who are seniors, people with disabilities, children, or veterans. Amanda Mackey described a client story illustrating how energy assistance can stabilize a household and lead to broader benefits. Senator Mathews offered comments supporting help for households in need but said the bill is a stopgap and tied the need for expanded assistance to prior legislative actions that increased energy costs. The committee did not take final action on the bill in the portion of the transcript provided, and members indicated they would return to questions after testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• actually... 36.9% of grants actually aimed to serve cancer patients in rural communities.
• And we use the other biomedical research grants to fund the more basic research.
• So for the other biomedical research grants, peer review occurs before we award.
• Underserved areas as a consideration when you're making grants. You recognize?
• We gave them two grants for two different projects.

Summary: The committee first received an update from the Department of Health on the Cancer Connect Collaborative, the Cancer Innovation Fund, and the new Cancer Connect Collaborative Research Incubator, created and expanded by recent legislation. The department reported that the Cancer Innovation Fund has awarded $80 million to 95 researchers to date, with $60 million available in the current cycle and 65 projects funded across 28 institutions in 16 cancer areas last year. The new pediatric cancer incubator received $30 million and awarded four Florida children’s hospitals $7.5 million each. Senators asked about outreach to oncologists statewide, peer review and accountability, funding for National Cancer Institute-affiliated institutions, and whether underserved and rural areas are being prioritized; the department said it uses website notices, listservs, collaborative outreach, and eligibility criteria favoring rural and high-cancer-care providers, and that it monitors projects through reports, expenditures, and contract provisions. The committee then heard Senate Bill 312 on patient-directed medical orders, which would create a voluntary, portable, physician-authorized electronic registry for patients to document end-of-life and serious-illness treatment preferences. Supporters, including nurses, hospice and emergency care advocates, and medical professionals, said the bill would help ensure patient wishes are accessible in emergencies, reduce unwanted interventions, and improve continuity of care. Opponents, including Florida Right to Life, argued the bill could broaden end-of-life decisions too far, raise privacy and coercion concerns, and allow withdrawal of care inappropriately. The sponsor said the measure is intended to support patient autonomy and is not anti-life, and noted she was open to amendments. After public testimony, the committee voted on SB 312 and reported it favorably. The roll call showed support from Senators Berman and Harrell, with the bill passing on the committee vote. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• I got a small grant, and I put seven seismometers out.
• I got a small grant, and I put seven seismometers out.
• It's a small grant from the U.S. Geological Survey. Okay. And it's a research grant.
• Recovery is mostly your grants administration, both hazard mitigation and public assistance grants.
• That was the Katrina Public Assistance grant. Right. That was the Katrina Public Assistance grant.

Keywords: 965, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard an update on the Northwest Louisiana earthquake cluster. Laura Sori of the Department of Conservation and Energy said the agency has inspected Class II injection wells within 12 miles of the earthquakes, found no permit violations, and is requiring monthly reporting of daily injection data. LSU and Tulane researchers explained that the swarm includes about 50 earthquakes detected by USGS since December 2025, including a 4.9 magnitude event on March 5, and that better monitoring is needed because Louisiana has very limited seismic station coverage. Dr. Cynthia Ebinger said her temporary array has detected more small quakes than USGS, that the pattern looks more like a swarm than normal aftershocks, and that the data suggest pressure changes in the subsurface, though no definitive cause was identified. Keith Hall of LSU described how other states responded to suspected induced seismicity with more monitoring, more frequent reporting, injection limits or moratoria, and “traffic light” systems that escalate regulatory responses as seismicity increases. Members asked about depths, fault locations, possible links to injection or fracking, and whether more monitoring and data-sharing should be pursued; several speakers said Louisiana likely needs a denser monitoring network and more structured data collection. A Texas geoscientist, William Berger, also testified that Texas uses large-scale data analysis and AI to study injection-related seismicity and argued for secure sharing of operator data to improve forecasting and risk management. The committee then took testimony on UAV and drone incursions over Barksdale Air Force Base. GOSEP said the incident was logged in WebEOC and the common operating picture, but that Barksdale did not request direct GOSEP resources and that the matter was handled through law enforcement channels. Louisiana State Police and the FBI said they were limited in what they could disclose, but confirmed multiple drone sightings on the morning and evening of March 9 and continued monitoring for several days. State Police said they have created a task force with the Police Chiefs Association, Sheriffs Association, GOSEP, and LSP, and that officers are receiving FBI-related training to help detect and, where authorized, mitigate drones. Members discussed whether the activity was nefarious, what counts as an incursion, and the need for better public education about drone restrictions near military and critical infrastructure sites. No formal action was taken, but members said the issue will continue to be tracked alongside pending legislation. Finally, the committee received a one-year update on the merger of GOSEP with the Louisiana National Guard and Military Department. Major General Thomas Freelieu and Brigadier General Jason Maffus said the merger has reduced GOSEP from seven divisions to three, shifted administrative functions to the Military Department, and produced about $10.5 million in first-year cost avoidance. They said the agency has modernized its common operating picture, returned staff to in-person work, and continued statewide preparedness exercises. Freelieu highlighted Guard missions including cyber expansion, the new Air National Guard cyber squadron at Jackson Barracks, modernization of the 159th Fighter Wing, and ongoing support for homeland security missions in New Orleans and Washington, D.C. Maffus said GOSEP’s core mission remains emergency preparedness, response, and recovery, and that the merger is intended to make state support to parishes faster and more efficient.

Transcript Highlights:

• So how the corporation is funded: grant in aid is a cash reimbursement grant.
• are granted.
• have a quick question on the uh grant have a quick question on the uh grant and<00:20:59.200>
• more people receive train, more grants more people receive train, more grants are<00:21:24.480><
• c> granted.

Keywords: Cabinet for Economic Development – Bluegrass State Skills Corporation Overview 02:35 ----Discussion of BR 868, 2026 Regular Session 24:08, 958, all

Summary: The meeting began with a quorum call and approval of the August 21 minutes. The main presentation was from the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development on the Bluegrass State Skills Corporation (BSSC), which was created in 1984 and is administratively tied to the cabinet. Staff explained that BSSC supports workforce training for companies in Kentucky through two main programs: the grant-in-aid reimbursement program and the skills training investment tax credit. They also described the board’s structure, quarterly meetings, annual audit, and the metropolitan tax credit tied to UPS in Louisville, along with public-private training consortia supported by the program. The cabinet outlined eligibility and funding rules: applicants must be qualified companies, trainees must be full-time Kentucky residents meeting wage requirements, and eligible training includes in-house company-specific training, train-the-trainer efforts, safety/OSHA training, and outside training through KCTCS or other providers. Grant-in-aid is a 50% reimbursement program capped at $75,000 per company per fiscal year and $2,000 per trainee, while the tax credit is capped annually and is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Applications are scored based on county tier, wages, workforce development activity, veteran hiring, participation in consortia, and job growth. Members asked for data on trainees and industries served, and staff said they could provide it. They also discussed coordination with other workforce programs, especially KCTCS and the state’s TRAIN program, to avoid overlap and double dipping. Several members asked about program usage and differences between fiscal years. Staff said the tax credit is less popular because it is not refundable and requires tax liability, while grant-in-aid is more attractive because it is cash reimbursement. They said lower or delayed spending in some years can reflect one-year training windows, reimbursement lag, new facilities ramping up, consortia activity, and special allocations such as those tied to Ford facilities. Questions also covered support for new businesses, which staff said can receive favorable scoring for new jobs and may have funds set aside for new location projects. On veterans, staff said they connect companies to Kentucky Valor and other resources, but the program does not track veteran retention outcomes. The final discussion was on a draft bill related to the Kentucky Horse Park and the U.S. Center for SafeSport. Representative Vanessa Gracel and Kentucky Horse Park President Lee Carter explained that the proposal is intended to help the park maintain integrity and protect athletes, volunteers, coaches, trainers, and guests from abuse and misconduct. They described SafeSport’s federal role in Olympic and Paralympic sports and said they hope to move the draft forward as legislation in 2026. No votes were taken on the BSSC presentation or the horse park discussion.