Transcript Highlights:

• An e-bike safety task force will be created to examine and recommend improvements to state law and to
• I also strongly support the electric bicycle safety task force and improved crash reporting.
• We would ask, though, that with the task force, the task force include a school board member, potentially
• Maybe in the meantime we say don't ride them until they pass the task force.
• Maybe in the meantime we say don't ride them until they pass the task force.

Bills: S0382 , S0628 , S0654 , S0696 , S0880

Committee: Senate Appropriations Committee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development met with a quorum and considered five bills, all of which were reported favorably. First, SB 628 designated a portion of South Navy Boulevard in Pensacola as “Warrior Sacrifice Way” to honor Ensign Joshua Watson, Petty Officer Muhammad Hatham, and Cameron Walters, who were killed in the 2019 Naval Air Station Pensacola attack. Senators spoke in support, emphasizing remembrance and support for the families. The committee then heard CS/SB 382 on electric bicycles and scooters. The bill would require riders on shared pathways to yield to pedestrians, sound an audible signal before passing, and limit speed near pedestrians, while creating an e-bike safety task force and reporting requirements. Law enforcement, local officials, and school board representatives supported the bill and described safety concerns and data gaps, while several senators raised questions about enforcement and asked that e-scooters be addressed more explicitly. The bill was reported favorably. Members also approved SB 880, creating a Miami Northwestern Alumni Association specialty license plate to fund scholarships and school programs, and SB 696, which allows online trademark registration applications and updates Florida’s trademark classification and verification procedures. Finally, the committee took up CS/CS/SB 654 on traffic infraction enforcement cameras for red light, school zone speeding, and school bus violations. The bill and an amendment added guardrails on data use, hearings, reporting, signage, and contract limits; senators raised concerns about privacy, surveillance, and school zone enforcement, and a Hillsborough County sheriff’s representative testified that all-day school zone enforcement has improved safety. All measures were reported favorably, and the committee adjourned after recording additional affirmative votes on SB 628 from Senators Martin and Smith.

Transcript Highlights:

• K-12 Student Success Pathways Task Force. Chairman Carver, I mean, Representative Carver.
• We've established several task forces in this regard to look at that. I worked on one.
• We've established several task forces in this regard to look at that. I worked on one.
• In this instance, did the Judicial Council make a request based upon the task force work?
• What I'm asking you is, did that ever happen after the task force? Did we just bypass that step?

Bills: SCR59 , SCR70 , HR275 , HR279 , HR282 , HR289 , HR307 , HCR112 , SCR61 , SCR62 , SCR64 , SB121 , HR310 , HR314 , HR316 , HR317 , HR321 , HCR117 , SCR5 , SCR29 , SCR33 , SCR37 , SCR63 , SCR30 , SCR40 , SCR65 , HCR3 , HCR49 , HCR66 , HCR67 , HB54 , HB137 , HB321 , HB368 , HB386 , HB414 , HB431 , HB552 , HB555 , HB578 , HB590 , HB593 , HB618 , HB638 , HB670 , HB692 , HB707 , HB708 , HB715 , HB718 , HB732 , HB741 , HB748 , HB776 , HB796 , HB807 , HB822 , HB848 , HB856 , HB887 , HB888 , HB917 , HB921 , HB1082 , HB1243 , HB1246 , HB1 , HB2 , HB42 , HB45 , HB71 , HB79 , HB126 , HB133 , HB159 , HB213 , HB218 , HB222 , HB289 , HB291 , HB312 , HB313 , HB324 , HB352 , HB383 , HB398 , HB403 , HB429 , HB457 , HB459 , HB549 , HB571 , HB579 , HB591 , HB608 , HB616 , HB624 , HB766 , HB769 , HB783 , HB804 , HB864 , HB874 , HB909 , HB951 , HB971 , HB983 , HB1005 , HB1017 , HB1051 , HB1056 , HB1126 , HB1186 , HB1193 , HB1223 , HB1224 , HB1235 , HB1249 , SB259 , SB295 , SB312 , SB348 , SB444 , SB485 , SB441 , SB149 , HB359 , SB29 , SB43 , SB78 , HB463 , HB998 , SB197 , SB268 , SB123 , SB276 , SB326 , SB80 , HB901 , HR20 , HR74 , HCR65 , HCR71 , HCR98 , HB284 , HB306 , HB341 , HB366 , HB393 , HB458 , HB577 , HB603 , HB605 , HB614 , HB625 , HB646 , HB733 , HB752 , HB773 , HB798 , HB911 , HB955 , HB996 , HB1035 , HB1069 , HB1113 , HB1140 , HB1180 , HB1191 , HB1240 , HB1255 , SB82 , SB89 , SB97 , SB479 , HB74 , HB119 , HB134 , HB210 , HB258 , HB468 , HB784 , HB870 , HB953 , HB956 , HB1117 , HB1236 , SB42 , SB208 , SB217 , SB274 , SB300 , SB341 , SB379 , SB382 , SB387 , SB401 , SB449 , SB487

Summary: The House convened with a quorum and opened with prayer by Archbishop Checchio, the pledge, and the national anthem. Members also used personal privilege to recognize visiting officials, university leaders, grocers, Governor’s Fellows, and several special guests and honorees, including Grambling State University for its 125th anniversary, Tiger Athletics, and the Tiger Marching Band, as well as CASA volunteers and advocates. The chamber adopted a number of ceremonial resolutions and made several conference committee appointments and committee discharge motions. The floor then took up a series of Senate and House resolutions, many of which were adopted without objection or after brief debate. These included resolutions creating or studying task forces on topics such as homeowner catastrophe claims and insurance-related litigation, the Louisiana-Ireland Trade Commission, informed consent laws, fiscal note procedures, K-12 student success pathways, and military funding alignment. Members also adopted resolutions on domestic violence protective-order access, flood risk mapping, seismic activity in North Louisiana, illegal dumping enforcement, toll signage and customer service, and other local or commemorative matters. Several Senate resolutions were temporarily returned to the calendar, while others were adopted by recorded vote, including SCR 29, SCR 33, SCR 37, SCR 63, SCR 30, SCR 65, and SCR 40. The House then considered Senate Bill 259, which authorizes an online application process for civil protection orders and restraining orders for domestic violence victims; it passed 93-0. Senate Bill 312, dealing with public-sector labor organizations and dues/withdrawal procedures, prompted extended debate focused on whether the bill unfairly singled out teachers’ unions and whether teachers already have the ability to opt out; the bill ultimately passed 60-38. Senate Bill 348, allowing the City of St. George to contract for administrative assistance in motor-vehicle crash response, passed 84-9 after questions about citations, reports, and the role of third parties. Senate Bill 485, concerning St. George’s municipal fiscal authority and insurance premium taxes, passed 91-0 after an amendment removed new public facility charge authority. The House also debated Senate Bill 197, which would reduce the number of judges on the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal from 12 to 10 based on a workload and population study by the National Center for State Courts. Supporters cited the circuit’s smaller population and lower per-judge workload, while questions focused on the study’s publication and whether it actually recommended a reduction. The transcript ends during that debate, before final disposition is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• We've got 40 folks that are part of Task Force SAFE, which is at the Nogales ports of entry.
• We also have kind of our standing counter-drug task force.
• Force southern border the federal folks in the use of at Joint Task Force Southern Border, the federal
• Look, I appreciate we talk about, you know, the Task Force SAFE, right?
• We're also engaged in the standing task force, as I said.

Committee: Senate Director Nominations

Transcript Highlights:

• Come on, the task force. Come on up.
• And the task<01:14:44.840><c> force</c><01:14:45.720><c> um</c> task force um task force um uh<01:14:
• So I just co-chair of this task force.
• </c><01:20:37.520><c> Force</c> also a Waiver Reimagined Task Force also a Waiver Reimagined Task Force
• </c><01:26:08.880><c> force</c> pass SF 4512, review the task force pass SF 4512, review the task force

Committee: Senate Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• Any of you that have known me for a while know that I'm not necessarily a huge fan of task forces.
• But I did get to looking and I've talked about Task force.
• And so you will find what the purpose of this task force is on page two, Section 2, Part B, the purpose
• That's one of the reasons why they're included as a member on this task force, so that we ensure that
• That's one of the reasons why they're included as a member on this task force, so that we ensure that

Summary: The committee took up several business- and workforce-related bills. House Bill 381, which lowers the age requirement for fire extinguisher inspection licensing from 21 to 18 to match sprinkler and alarm installation rules, passed 8-0. House Bill 3127, with a PCS adopted, would restore an employer’s ability to use a written zero-tolerance drug policy for safety-sensitive positions; supporters said it would give employers clarity and flexibility, while questions focused on workers’ compensation and HIPAA concerns. It passed 6-2. House Bill 3128, also with a PCS adopted, creates a task force called Arise, Oklahoma to study workforce readiness, barriers to employment, and business competitiveness; the author said it would help identify gaps without overloading the new Workforce Commission, and it passed 6-2. The committee also heard House Bill 3498, a lengthy modernization of the Oklahoma General Corporation Act and LLC statutes. The author said it would update outdated corporate law, strengthen shareholder agreements, and make Oklahoma more competitive with states like Delaware to encourage investment and keep businesses in the state. Members asked for clearer examples of the bill’s effects and whether it would have prevented recent employer relocations; the author said it would not guarantee a different outcome but could improve Oklahoma’s ability to retain and attract businesses. The bill passed 7-1-1. Finally, House Bill 2035, requested by the funeral industry, would provide clarification and structure for service agreements covering transportation of human remains. The author said the agreements are already used and are not insurance, but rather prepaid service arrangements that can reduce costs for families. Members raised concerns about out-of-state transport and insurance-code exemptions, and the author said the bill was intended to clarify that these agreements are treated consistently and provide consumer value. The bill was moved forward, and the chair noted it was the last bill of the day before adjourning, with many laid-over bills expected next week.

Transcript Highlights:

• task force that was 2023 local sales tax task force that was um<00:20:58.200><c> brought</c><00:20:58.679
• /c><00:21:53.919><c> task</c> the LST task the LST task force<00:21:56.919><c> uh</c><00:21:57.919><c
• </c> facilitating the task force um that we facilitating the task force um that we we<01:06:54.240><c
• task force I I I was surveying on the task force I I did<01:10:21.239><c> a</c><01:10:21.360><c> survey
• task force struggled a issue that the task force struggled a little<01:11:19.320><c> bit</c><01:11:19.520

Committee: Senate Taxes

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh so this task force must report.
• <c> and</c> task force, provide findings and task force, provide findings and recommendations<00:01:39.040
• adopted by the task recommendations adopted by the task force. force. force.
• Um, it's in looking at the task force proposed recommendations from task force members.
• </c> recommendations from task force members. recommendations from task force members.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:16:23.519><c> There's</c> sustainable foraging task force.
• </c><00:26:14.720><c> the</c> the foraging task force and this is the the foraging task force and this
• task force of so um uh coordinate the task force of so that's<00:26:23.679><c> an</c><00:26:24.159><c
• </c> Minnesota sustainable foraging task Minnesota sustainable foraging task force.<00:37:23.760><c>
• Chair, the foraging task force. I just want to bring up a couple points there.

Summary: The conference committee on the Environment budget for Senate File 2077 met to introduce members and staff, then walked through the Senate and House budget spreadsheets side by side. Nonpartisan staff explained that the Senate budget was built around a smaller general fund increase and more use of environmental and dedicated funds, while the House met its target through several reductions, including cuts to DNR, PCA, and Board of Water and Soil Resources appropriations. The committee reviewed major agency items for the Pollution Control Agency, DNR, the Metropolitan Council, the Minnesota Zoo, and other accounts, including operating adjustments, permit-related funding, and transfers between funds. Several major differences were highlighted. For the PCA, the Senate included operating adjustments, permitting efficiency funding, composting grants, outreach funding, and a closed landfill investment fund approach that repeals an expiring statutory appropriation, while the House instead extends that appropriation for four more years. For the DNR, the Senate included operating adjustments, groundwater and AIS fee increases, aquatic invasive species funding, trail grants, outdoor schools for all, abandoned watercraft enforcement, and a sustainable foraging task force; the House had fewer of these fee and policy items and used reductions to meet its target. The committee also noted Senate-only policy provisions on outreach to diverse communities, field citations and mercury certification for skin-lightening products, disabled veteran license fee changes, and a moratorium on foraging rulemaking until July 1, 2027. Agency testimony followed. The MPCA commissioner praised both chambers for recognizing core agency work and urged adoption of operating adjustments, the closed landfill fund access, and the air appropriation increase. The DNR assistant commissioner supported operating adjustments, groundwater and AIS fee increases, and the veteran license proposal, but raised concerns about the Senate’s foraging task force language, saying it overweights consumptive users and could limit the agency’s ability to manage foraging without clear data. He also noted support for the land transfer funding and said the agency would continue working with the committee on unresolved issues. No votes were taken in this portion of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• All right, we'll call the task force to order. All right, we'll call the task force to order.
• Chairman and members of the task force. Yeah, Mr. Chairman and members of the task force.
• Questions from the task force? Representative Bosch: Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have a question.
• Chairman and members of the task force.
• We're still sort of on task force discussion, but is there any further discussion to be had?

Committee: Joint Legislative Task Force on Government Efficiency

Transcript Highlights:

• Did we see rendered indigenous because task force? Okay, another appropriation bill.
• I'm also a member of the task force as we move forward.
• IT money in support to make those changes that are recommended by the task force.
• I come to you in an informational capacity that SB 249 supports the continued work of the MMI Task Force
• When the state invests in this task force, it sends a clear message that Indigenous lives matter and

Bills: SB201 , SB226 , SB242 , SB249

Committee: Senate Senate Indian, Rural & Cultural Affairs

Keywords: rural libraries, education, cultural funding, library services, community resources, contaminated sites, environmental cleanup, uranium mining, state funding, abandoned sites, tribal affairs, Indian Child Welfare Act, appropriation, children, youth, compliance, field liaison, Indigenous rights, missing persons, law enforcement

Transcript Highlights:

• /c> speaker of to the task force uh and to speaker of to the task force uh and to the<00:05:49.759><c
• Uh, if you prepare for your task force.
• </c><01:19:15.760><c> in</c><01:19:15.920><c> the</c> task force continues to convene in the task force
• </c><01:25:13.199><c> force</c> certainly encourage this uh task force certainly encourage this uh task
• </c> members and as a as a full task force. members and as a as a full task force.

Summary: The first meeting of the Disaster Prevention and Resiliency Task Force focused on the task force’s mission and on recent Kentucky flooding disasters. The co-chairs described the need to better prepare for increasingly frequent and costly natural disasters, including flooding, tornadoes, wildfires, and ice storms, and emphasized coordination among local, state, federal, and interstate partners. The discussion also stressed the importance of budgeting for mitigation, infrastructure resilience, housing, insurance, and recovery planning, with several members sharing personal experiences with disaster impacts in their districts. Kentucky Emergency Management Director Eric Gibson gave the main presentation, responding to questions about the February and April flooding events. He said the February event affected the entire state, with 11,825 individuals registering for assistance and 1,194 public-assistance projects written so far; he also reported 134 households still sheltered, 190 households moved to permanent housing, and three disaster recovery centers still open after a regional consolidation. For the April event, he said 37 counties had individual assistance, 83 counties were still pending public assistance, and no hazard mitigation had yet been declared; 5,893 people had registered for individual assistance, and 144 households were sheltered, with 83 families already moved to permanent solutions. He noted that counties without public assistance would have to cover expenses locally unless state or federal aid is approved. Gibson also outlined Kentucky Emergency Management’s tools and resources, including a 24/7 state operations center and warning point, embedded National Weather Service meteorologists, five regional warehouses stocked with water, MREs, blankets, and kits, a statewide web-based damage reporting system, laundry trailers, generators, a disaster needs hotline that has received 6,972 calls, and a mutual aid system used to deploy resources such as water tankers. He highlighted ongoing work on urban search and rescue, qualification systems for emergency operations personnel, and aerial documentation of storm damage. No votes or formal actions were taken at this meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• There is a, and from urban areas, concern about the task force.
• Okay, so let's think about the situation of a task force. So if the task force is...
• Okay, so let's think about the situation of a task force.
• Now, let's say they say there's a task force. Bill has an AR-15 in his house.
• To get coverage with insurance, which effectively takes them out of those task forces.

Committee: House General Laws

Summary: The committee first met in executive session and approved HB 2468 and HB 2481. HB 2481 was amended to replace earlier federal-style language with the governor’s recommended definitions and executive-order language, then rolled into a committee substitute and passed out of committee on a 9-3 vote. The discussion on HB 2481 centered on SNAP-related definitions and whether the revised language would affect federal waivers or change food-stamp purchasing rules; the sponsor said it would not. The committee then moved to regular session. The main public hearing was on HB 3070, the Second Amendment Preservation Act. Representative Hardwick said the bill was revised to remove language the Eighth Circuit had found problematic, while keeping Missouri’s anti-commandeering approach and prohibitions on state or local participation in certain federal gun-control actions, such as firearm registries, tracking, and confiscation from law-abiding citizens. Members questioned whether the bill would interfere with task forces, federal cooperation, courthouses, FFL paperwork, or local officers sharing information with federal agents. Hardwick and supporters said it would not affect Missouri enforcement of state gun laws or cooperation on other crimes, and that the bill was intended to stop Missouri officers from being used to enforce specific federal gun-control measures. Supporters from the Missouri Firearms Coalition and a gun-rights advocate backed the bill and emphasized civil penalties and anti-commandeering protections, while an opponent from Moms Demand Action argued it would handcuff police, weaken interstate trafficking enforcement, and create a dangerous patchwork of enforcement. No vote was taken on HB 3070 in the hearing. The committee also heard HB 388, which would prohibit certain anti-competitive health-care contracting practices, including anti-steering, anti-tiering, gag clauses, and most-favored-nation clauses. The sponsor and supporting witnesses described the bill as an anti-consolidation measure intended to improve price transparency, preserve competition, and help consumers and insurers steer patients toward lower-cost providers. They said the bill would apply to both providers and insurers and would not be anti-hospital or anti-payer. Members asked about effects on rural access to care, 340B pricing, physician-owned referral arrangements, and whether the bill would actually lower consumer costs. Supporters said the goal was to give payers more negotiating leverage and ultimately benefit patients through more competitive pricing, but no action was taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• In 1975, the governor created a task force called the Task Force on Decision-Making Models in Corrections
• So while the task force did not, So while the task force did not talk about parole specifically, there
• But first, I'll give you, Senator. from the Sentencing Task Force.
• So while the task force did not, So while the task force did not talk about parole specifically, there
• None of these had consensus, and that is how the task force worked.

Summary: The committee held a work session on tort liability and parole, with the chair explaining that the topics were linked because criminal justice reform and state liability often intersect, especially in cases involving child welfare and corrections. Staff first outlined Washington’s tort liability framework, including the state’s broad waiver of sovereign immunity, statutes governing mandatory reporting and investigation of abuse, the childhood sexual abuse statute of limitations, and the lack of caps on non-economic damages. Staff and presenters also compared Washington to other states and noted that Washington remains among the broadest states for state liability and childhood sexual abuse claims. Presenters from the Attorney General’s office, Washington State Association for Justice, DCYF, DSHS, and DOC discussed how tort exposure has grown, especially in claims involving DCYF, historical child abuse, juvenile rehabilitation, vulnerable adults, employment discrimination, medical negligence, and negligent supervision. DCYF and AG staff said claims and payouts are rising, with many claims tied to older abuse and new theories of liability, while defense counsel emphasized the human harm behind the claims and argued that tort cases have historically driven accountability and reform. Agency witnesses said they face large volumes of old claims with limited records, rising verdicts and settlements, and staffing and systems challenges, and they highlighted efforts such as early resolution programs, electronic health records, medication-assisted treatment, and improved incident review processes. The committee then shifted to parole. Sentencing experts reviewed Washington’s move from indeterminate sentencing to the current determinate sentencing system under the Sentencing Reform Act, and explained how parole could be integrated with sentencing guidelines through different models used in other states. They also summarized Criminal Sentencing Task Force recommendations related to a determinate-plus approach for three-strikes and persistent offender laws and a second-chance review process, noting there was no consensus on those ideas. Judges from the Minority and Justice Commission and the Superior Court Judges Association said a parole system could support rehabilitation and reduce disparities if it includes data collection, fairness, transparency, due process, and meaningful judicial review; they also pointed to research suggesting parole and structured reentry can reduce recidivism and costs, while warning that access and outcomes can vary by geography and other factors.

Transcript Highlights:

• I call to order the January 7th meeting of the H.R. 322 task force studying public health outcomes of
• Hearing none, then we will move into discussion of the draft task force report. Sure.
• I also feel fortunate and privileged to have served on the task force.
• Thank you, everyone, for your participation and attention to this important task force.
• Thank you, everyone, for your participation and attention to this important task force.

Summary: The H.R. 322 task force on public health outcomes of incurable STIs in Louisiana met on January 7 with a quorum present and approved the November 19 minutes. Members then reviewed the draft final report and discussed final edits before approving it for submission. The main substantive changes involved recommendations in the report: Rep. Spell’s emailed suggestion to remove the term “cultural competency” from recommendation 6 was accepted, and members discussed but ultimately kept the reference to LDOE in recommendation 2, with some members noting it was only a recommendation and did not impose any requirement. The group also agreed to make stylistic changes so that “State Fiscal Impact” appears as a standalone, emphasized item wherever it is referenced in the recommendations and body of the report. Before approval, members expressed appreciation for the work of the task force and the report’s preparation. The motion to approve the draft report as amended passed, with Rep. Moore noting an abstention from the approval motion. The task force then reviewed next steps for submitting the final report to the legislature and legislative library and distributing digital copies to members, and adjourned after no public comment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Welcome to the Arkansas Legislative Autism Task Force. Good morning.
• Welcome to the Arkansas Legislative Autism Task Force. We are going to get started here.
• Does anybody here on the task force have any questions? Okay.
• Okay, so we've got other business, and so our two task force members who are here, I want to say thank
• We are winding down this year, and if the task force had any suggestions of what we need to do to bring

Committee: All TASK FORCE ON AUTISM

Summary: The Arkansas Legislative Autism Task Force approved the April 1, 2026 meeting minutes and discussed several vacant membership slots, including positions tied to the Arkansas Psychology Board, Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield, UAMS, and parent or guardian appointments. Members said they would try to fill the vacancies and, if not, include the issue in the legislative report and consider statutory changes in the next General Assembly. The task force then heard from the Developmental Disabilities Provider Association and Civitan Services about DDPA’s role in supporting 80 provider organizations serving more than 13,000 children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities across 75 counties. They described services such as early intervention day programs, adult day programs, supported employment, intermediate care facilities, work activities, and community/residential waiver services, and said autism falls within the populations they serve. They also shared survey information on services used by older adults with IDD and offered contact information for providers. Members also heard a proposal to amend Act 656 of 2021 to add licensed psychological practitioners as qualified providers for autism waiver-related evaluations. The presenter argued this would reduce wait times, avoid duplicate assessments, and help families access services sooner, while noting that Arkansas Medicaid already pays for some of these evaluations. Task force members and Dr. Scott discussed the roles of psychologists, speech-language pathologists, and the possibility of using training or board oversight to ensure evaluators are properly qualified, with some noting that speech pathologists’ inclusion has historical and clinical roots. The task force also said it still needs a future discussion on fraud, plans to invite the Attorney General’s office, and wants to identify priorities for the 2027 session before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• And this is where our task force has come in. So what should we do?
• And this is where our task force is coming in.
• And so we ended up organizing into a task force called the Florida K-12 AI Task Force.
• And I'll go back to what's happening with the task force.
• We have a number of members on the statewide task force.

Committee: Senate Education Pre-K - 12

Summary: The Senate Committee on Education Pre-K through 12 met to hear a panel discussion on artificial intelligence in K-12 education. Dr. Maya Israel of the University of Florida gave an overview of AI literacy, the benefits of AI for personalized learning and teacher support, and the risks involving data privacy, overreliance, hallucinations, and misuse. She described the Florida K-12 AI Task Force, which published statewide guidance in March and is now providing professional development, case studies, surveys, and resources for teachers and families. She also noted that teacher preparation programs and microcredentials are being developed, but there is not yet a statewide baseline standard for teacher AI training. Superintendents Van Ayers of Hillsborough County and Kevin Hendrick of Pinellas County described district policies and implementation efforts. Hillsborough adopted an AI governance policy, created an implementation guide, and set rules barring generative AI use for students in pre-K through 7th grade while allowing limited, teacher-approved use for older students with district-vetted tools. Pinellas emphasized digital responsibility, parent transparency, data-use agreements, and a governance process for approving tools. Both districts said AI is being used for lesson planning, tutoring, reading-level adjustments, scheduling, and other administrative tasks, but they do not yet have reliable evidence that AI is improving academic performance. They also discussed teacher training, stipends, and certification efforts, including partnerships with universities and vendors such as Microsoft, Google, Magic School, and Gemini. Drew Allen of FSU Inspire offered an industry-focused perspective, arguing that AI is not new but that education must adapt more quickly to industry needs. He described Inspire’s workforce and research mission, its AI and robotics training for teachers, and the need to build teacher comfort and confidence through incentives and applied training. Committee members raised concerns about student dependence on AI, academic integrity, mental health, moral decision-making, data privacy, and whether schools should return to more paper-based testing. The panel generally agreed that AI should be used with strong guardrails, human oversight, and a balance between technology use and traditional learning. No legislation was considered, and the meeting ended with a motion to adjourn, which was adopted without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• on that task force.
• They are not even on this task force.
• on that task force.
• on that task force.
• of analysis of this task force.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, at the last Child Custody Task Force meeting in December, Chairman Clemens invited task force members
• force members work together to discuss task force business or task force directives, and then they're
• And I think that's the crux of this task force here to meet.
• It really would be up to the task force.
• So you can think of examples from this task force.

Summary: The Child Custody Review Task Force met with a quorum, approved the prior meeting minutes, and reviewed a memorandum compiling member suggestions for possible legislation. The memo grouped ideas into topics including creation of a family court, expanded education for parents, attorneys, and judges, expedited hearings for parenting-time violations, limiting law enforcement involvement in custody disputes, creating parenting time expediters, and adopting more uniform court procedures. Members also discussed whether to form subcommittees, but the task force decided to continue working as a full committee rather than create subcommittees at this time. The committee then heard testimony from Dr. John Perez, a mental health professional, who described his personal custody experience and his professional work with families he believes have been affected by parental alienation. He argued for stronger education, faster court response times, and better tools to address intentional interference with parenting time. Members questioned him about his case history, the concept of parental alienation, and whether specialized family courts or judges with family-law training could help. Dr. Perez said a dedicated family court and faster hearings would likely have helped his situation. The task force spent substantial time discussing the possible creation of a family court. Judge Hovey supported the idea of a specialized family court or at least a study of one, saying family cases are distinct from ordinary adversarial litigation and that judges with family-law experience could better handle them. Several members agreed that a family court could improve consistency, expertise, and speed, but others cautioned that the task force’s current directive is focused on enforcement of existing orders rather than broader custody policy, and noted that voters had previously rejected equal shared parenting proposals. The group also discussed expedited procedures for parenting-time disputes, with Judge Hovey suggesting a 30-day hearing timeline may be workable. On education, members generally supported requiring parents to complete a parenting education course and adding educational materials explaining court process, child support, and what judges can and cannot do. Mr. McLean suggested a short instructional video for litigants and more family-law education for judges and attorneys, while Ms. Moldenhauer said education could be incorporated into scheduling orders or mediation orders. Members also discussed the Parents Forever course, including whether it should be mandatory in all counties and whether cost is a barrier; no vote was taken on any of these proposals.

Transcript Highlights:

• Secondly, the continuation of the task force in some form, whether it's a task force like we're doing
• Secondly, the continuation of the task force in some form, whether it's a task force like we're doing
• Secondly, the continuation of the task force in some form, whether it's a task force like we're doing
• And the one thing in this task force.
• But uh there's a project task force.

Summary: The Disaster Prevention and Resiliency Task Force opened its sixth meeting by approving the minutes and then taking up a presentation from University of Pikeville representatives and local leaders on an Eastern Kentucky Disaster Relief Center at Bear Mountain in Pike County. Speakers included Greg May, Rep. Ashley Tacket Laferty, Lori Worth, and Laura Damron. They described repeated flooding and other disasters in eastern Kentucky, the lack of a single prepared relief location, and the need for a centralized, elevated site that could serve as a flood and broader natural-disaster hub. The presenters said the Bear Mountain property, about 530 acres and well above flood levels, could support a multi-use facility combining disaster response functions with university and community uses. Proposed features included a command and communications center, distribution space, emergency shelter, medical and clinic support, food service, restroom facilities, RV hookups, and an indoor track/distribution building. They emphasized that the project would help avoid disrupting existing venues such as the Pikeville Expo Center and Jenny Wiley State Resort Park, while also supporting tourism and economic recovery. Committee members asked about community and emergency-management support, annual operating costs, and resilience standards such as tornado-related building codes. In response, the presenters said local stakeholders, including Appalachian Wireless, Pikeville Medical Center, Community Trust Bank, the city of Pikeville, and emergency management officials, had expressed support. They said the university planned to absorb some operating costs through multiple uses of the facility, community camps, and budgeted maintenance, and that construction documents were nearly complete with plans to begin building within months. After the presentation, the chair thanked the presenters and moved the committee into its recommendations discussion, noting the broader fiscal and humanitarian importance of disaster preparedness and resiliency and indicating that future legislation would likely follow from the task force’s work.

Transcript Highlights:

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Summary: The concurrent meeting began with roll calls for both the Senate Standing Committee on State and Local Government and the House Standing Committee on Local Government, establishing quorums. The committees then heard a Department for Local Government presentation on the Community Development Block Grant program, which serves smaller and more rural areas. Commissioner Matt Sawyers and Executive Director Mark Williams explained the 2026 HUD application as a public hearing, noting an estimated total of a little over $25 million, with proposed allocations for public facilities, community projects, economic development, public services/Recovery Kentucky, and housing. They also described proposed changes, including shifting some funding from economic development to housing, raising non-traditional application ceilings, extending the economic development application window, and giving the commissioner flexibility to reallocate funds if requests exceed the allotment. No legislators or members of the public asked questions, and both chambers approved the presentation and then adjourned the House portion. The Senate committee then took up Senate Bill 149 by Senator Elkins, which updates county treasurer statutes. The bill shortens the waiting period for appointing an acting treasurer from 30 days to 5 days and allows fiscal courts to appoint a temporary treasurer for up to 60 days during vacancies, illness, incapacity, or termination. Members discussed the need for continuity in county finances, and the bill received favorable expression 9-0. Next, the committee considered several housing-related bills from the housing task force. Senate Bill 224, by Senator Mills, creates vested property rights for development applications and narrows who may appeal certain local land-use decisions; the committee adopted a substitute, then approved the bill 8-1 after members raised concerns about standing language and possible impacts on local participation. Senate Bill 225 requires the housing and construction department to analyze the cost and housing-supply effects of proposed housing regulations; it passed 9-0 after a committee substitute. Senate Bill 233, by Senator Neal, removes annual financial reporting requirements for homeowners associations with 14 lots or fewer to reduce burdens on small developments; it passed 9-0. Finally, Senate Joint Resolution 75, as amended, directs the Public Service Commission to study affordability and water/wastewater utility regionalization, including possible consolidation of small districts; the amendment and the resolution both passed 9-0, with one member noting concerns about whether the matter should proceed as an administrative case rather than a study.