Transcript Highlights:

• Wastewater that would be the factor here, the limiting factor. Thank you, Jerry. Thank you, Mr.
• That is going to be the limiting factor there.
• come from private development, so it would be water and wastewater that would be the... ...limiting factor
• I want to explain two key factors in more detail.

Transcript Highlights:

• Are there factors other than labor or cost of living that went into why our bids came in so much higher
• There were a whole host of contributing factors.
• There were a whole host of contributing factors, a lot of which had to do with longstanding policies
• Another contributing factor was that all of these issues created an environment where you had labor shortages
• determine when's the least disruptive time to have a couple-day closure, what are some mitigating factors

Summary: The committee met to hear an update from Washington State Ferries on capital projects and workforce issues, beginning with a briefing on the agency’s long-term fleet and terminal needs. WSF officials described the history of underinvestment after the late 1990s, the current fleet reduction from 25 to 21 vessels, and the need to keep older boats in service while moving toward a 26-vessel long-range fleet and hybrid-electric operations. They said the agency is transitioning to a new vessel procurement strategy, with Eastern Shipbuilding selected to build up to three 160-car hybrid-electric ferries, and outlined a schedule that includes contract execution, about a year of design work, steel cutting in fall 2026, and several years of construction. Members raised concerns about the higher cost of electrified vessels, the length of the schedule, the adequacy of liquidated damages and incentives, the risks of building in Florida and transporting vessels to Washington, and whether the contract sufficiently protects the state from cost overruns and design problems. The committee also received an update on the Wenatchee conversion, which officials said is days away from entering service as the first large hybrid-electric ferry conversion. WSF explained that the conversion combined required midlife preservation work with propulsion upgrades and battery installation, and that the project took longer and cost more than originally expected because it was a prototype with significant lessons learned. Officials said the Tacoma and Puyallup conversions would follow later, but those decisions were being delayed until after the World Cup to avoid service disruptions. Members asked about the cost-effectiveness of the conversion, the expected fuel and emissions reductions, and what happens to engine crews during long conversion periods; WSF said crews were embedded in the project and that the conversions should reduce diesel use substantially once terminal charging is available. The meeting then shifted to workforce development, with Siegel consultants reviewing their 2021 and 2024 studies of ferry staffing, overtime, recruitment, and workplace culture. They said the earlier problems stemmed from seasonal staffing practices, low winter hours, limited career progression, a narrow maritime recruiting pipeline, and a culture that made retention difficult. Since then, they reported major improvements: staffing has increased from about 1,500 to 1,900, turnover has fallen, captain and engineer shortages have eased, and recruitment has broadened beyond the traditional maritime pool, including more women and other underrepresented workers. They credited new programs such as guaranteed hours, paid pilotage, AB-to-mate pathways, and the “Turning of the Tide” culture campaign, while noting remaining issues with communication, HR access, accountability, and quality of life. Members generally acknowledged the progress but asked whether staffing levels are now sufficient and how interchangeable crews are across vessels and routes. Finally, terminal engineering staff began a presentation on capital terminal work, starting with the Fauntleroy Ferry Terminal. They described the terminal’s age, low elevation, vulnerability to sea level rise and earthquakes, and the need for replacement piles, beams, and improved vehicle circulation. The agency said it has completed a planning and environmental linkage study, is moving into NEPA/state environmental review, and has been working with the community to balance the needs of Southworth and Vashon riders with neighborhood concerns in Fauntleroy. The preferred alternative is a larger offshore dock footprint that would improve capacity and reliability while reducing impacts to eelgrass habitat. The meeting ended before the terminal discussion was complete.

Transcript Highlights:

• Also, there are compensation factors. that are in the law right now.
• But they are the compensation factors that have been in the law for more than 20 years.
• Part of that is you factor in your growth.
• You factor in inflation and everything else associated with going forward.
• And if you don't have that growth factor, well, you're flatlining.

Bills: SB863 , SB1190 , SB1261 , SB1413 , SB1624 , SB1662 , SB1663 , SB1855 , SB1967 , SB2124 , SB2204 , SB1623

Committee: Senate Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs

Keywords: Edwards Aquifer, water conservation, reclaimed water, aquifer storage, environmental protection, water loss, municipally owned utilities, Texas Water Development Board, administrative penalties, water audit, water infrastructure, water supply, state water plan, water management strategies, water financing, municipal bonds, revenue bonds, public debt, obligations, TWDB

Transcript Highlights:

• know that the administration also has a proposal to implement a new single sales tax single sales factor
• It's just impossible for it to be broken out just because there are lots of complicated factors that
• You know, and when again looking at the budget, has this budget been updated with the LA wildfires factored
• budget, but the largest or one of the largest economic disasters in California's history isn't even factored
• And so while it's not factored into the governor's budget, I wanted to highlight the fact that it is

Committee: House Budget

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• One of the factors involved in this discussion is reputational risk, because that's often the justification
• with my colleagues to come up with a compromise that would still allow reputational risk to be a factor
• Kahn, can you elaborate on the importance of maintaining reputational risk as a factor in evaluation
• awareness both in the industry and also within the regulators with respect to crypto, and that's a factor
• And I don't believe that crypto is the overwhelming factor that the Bank Secrecy Act really, which is

Committee: Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• But, yes, that was factored into the captive overall. And so this is something we will...
• Factored into the captive overall. And so this is something we would expect to have.

Committee: All ALC-EXECUTIVE SUBCOMMITTEE

Summary: The Executive Subcommittee met and first considered a waiver request from the Stuttgart School District to use the TIPS interlocal purchasing system for a turf replacement project instead of the traditional competitive bid process. Superintendent Jeff McKinney explained that three bids were received but none fully met the RFP specifications, including warranty and insurance requirements. He said the district, with its architect’s guidance, determined that United Turf and Track was the best option because it met the 10-year warranty requirement, had resolved the insurance issue, had prior experience with the district, and could complete the work in time for summer installation. The committee approved the waiver request. Members then approved a consultant services agreement between the Bureau of Legislative Research and WorkEd Consulting for work related to the workforce system study and potential legislation for the 2027 session. Senator Jane English and Representative Mary Bentley said the consultant would help the legislature develop reforms after prior audit findings showed the current workforce system was inefficient and ineffective. They noted WorkEd’s experience in other states, including Louisiana, West Virginia, Mississippi, and Virginia, and explained that some subcontractors would include people who had worked on the earlier Georgia Center for Opportunity study. The contract was approved. The committee also approved a renewed actuarial and consultant services agreement with Perrin Knight for services related to the state’s new property insurance captive. Jill Thayer said the contract would provide independent actuarial support to legislative subcommittees, especially the State Insurance Properties Oversight Subcommittee, with services billed only as used. Members asked about budgeting, frequency of work, and overlap with existing executive branch contractors; Thayer and Senator Goodmore said the service had been anticipated from the start and would be separate and independent. Finally, Marty Garrity requested use of committee room funds to renovate Committee Room C in the Big Mac Building because its audio-visual equipment is outdated. That request was approved, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• entities can now only be held liable if failure to comply with safety requirements was a contributing factor
• in causing harm, down from substantial factor.

Committee: Senate Health & Human Services

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Those are the two greatest risk factors for veterans... greatest risk factors for veteran suicide.

Bills: SB241 , HB304 , HB295 , HB361

Committee: Senate Veterans, Military Affairs, and Public Safety

Keywords: criminal enterprise, database, law enforcement, crime management, Alabama law, impoundment, driver licenses, vehicle redemption, local identification cards, HB295, Alabama National Guard, military punishment, non-judicial punishment, Article 15, court-martial, special court-martial, disciplinary measures, commanding officer, Adjutant General, Governor

Transcript Highlights:

• And I'm not saying school is child care, but that does play a factor into it.
• And I just want to be clear, I'm not saying school is child care, but that does play a factor into it
• And I'm happy to take questions. ...is child care, but that does play a factor into it.
• What's the experience as a factor.
• We know that the strongest protective factor against suicide is connectedness.

Committee: Senate Education

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Is that factored in here? Is there a measure of that?
• in here uh is there a measure factored in here uh is there a measure of<00:45:58.880><c> that</c><00
• Chair, Representative, that is not factored in here.
• Investments there are a variety of other Investments there are a variety of other factors<01:02:04.680
• that they look at including factors that they look at including security<01:02:07.599><c> so</c><01:

Committee: House Capital Investment

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Generally speaking, we are at times not fully funding a settlement because there’s other factors that
• Generally speaking, we are at times not fully funding a settlement because there’s other factors that
• Generally speaking, we are at times not fully funding a settlement because there’s other factors that
• Facilities are factored into the model using square footage, and colleges with multiple campuses are
• in but that makes up that's factored in but that makes up about<01:24:30.679><c> 7%</c><01:24:31.280

Committee: House Higher Education Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• It's the combined impact of the O&M riders in law plus all these other factors, using a base-plus-minus
• using a base plus minus other factors using a base plus minus process<00:03:13.159><c> just</c><00:03
• So our faculty are looking at how does this factor into their portfolio of funding, their research.
• So our faculty are looking at how does this factor into their portfolio of funding, their research.
• </c><00:19:02.039><c> in</c> University of Minnesota had a factor in University of Minnesota had a factor

Committee: Senate Higher Education

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> considered a lot of different factors considered a lot of different factors because<00:26:25.800
• So the weight factor for the research sector is 1.34, and the weight factor for the comprehensive institutions
• </c><00:51:22.600><c> So</c> how you calculate the weight factor.
• So how you calculate the weight factor.
• <c> the</c><00:51:23.760><c> research</c> the weight factor for the research the weight factor for the

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The House Postsecondary Education Committee held its first-ever meeting and first meeting of the session, with Chairman Tipton outlining committee procedures, attendance rules, and the process for submitting committee substitutes. After a roll call confirmed full attendance, the committee heard a presentation from Senator David Givens on the history and purpose of Kentucky’s performance-based funding model for postsecondary education. Givens said the model was created to replace an older “shares” approach that distributed funds based largely on prior-year allocations, and argued the new system better aligns funding with student success and the state’s long-term educational attainment goals. Council for Postsecondary Education President Aaron Thompson and CPE staff then explained the model in more detail. They said the system was designed to address long-standing funding disparities among institutions, reward outcomes such as degrees, credit-hour progression, and completion in high-demand fields, and support the state’s “60 by 30” goal of having 60% of Kentuckians hold a postsecondary credential by 2030. Thompson said Kentucky is now at 56.2% attainment, above the national average, and highlighted gains in graduation and retention rates, lower student borrowing, and improved completion outcomes. He also emphasized that the model is part of a broader strategy that includes affordability, adult learners, low-income students, and wrap-around support services. CPE staff described the work group process that developed and periodically revises the model, noting that the General Assembly created the framework in House Bill 303 and later enacted Senate Bill 153 and Senate Bill 191 to codify changes. They explained that in 2016 the legislature carved out about 5% of institutional budgets, roughly $43 million, to be redistributed through the new model, and that the model has been reviewed every three years with changes made each time. Recent revisions included increasing the student-success weight, adding a premium for low-income students, creating a premium for adult learners, and redefining underrepresented students as first-generation college students. No votes were taken at this meeting, and the committee adjourned after the informational presentation and discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I think those are things too that could be figured and factored maybe into the text of your proposal
• And I think those are things too that could be figured and factored maybe into the text of your proposal
• And I think those are things too that could be figured and factored maybe into the text of your proposal
• that could also play in to um the factor that could also play in to um the uh<01:15:16.679><c> the</
• Maybe into the uh figured and factored Maybe into the uh text<01:15:57.560><c> uh</c><01:15:57.760><

Committee: Senate Taxes

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And one of the major factors why it's not reliable or on time in many cases will be exactly this kind
• And one of the major factors why it's not reliable or on time in many cases will be exactly this kind
• Genetic information is fundamentally different from traditional underwriting factors.
• Other factors and what have you, generally don't change the prices for fans.
• They other factors and what have you, generally don't change the prices for fans.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Privacy, Digital Technologies, and Consumer Protection heard several bills focused on privacy, AI, surveillance, and consumer protections. AB 302 would bar schools from excluding students from extracurricular activities because they do not use social media and would require schools to use at least one non-addictive means of contacting students and parents; it drew support from Common Sense Media and no opposition. AB 1705, the Reclaim Act, would require websites hosting non-consensual pornography to verify consent before upload; district attorneys and the Commission on the Status of Women supported it, while TechNet and CCIA opposed or raised concerns. AB 2007 would separate parental consent for a child’s image/likeness from general program enrollment forms in youth programs; educators supported it, while local government and parks groups raised implementation and penalty concerns. AB 2212 would update higher education sexual harassment definitions to include tech-facilitated harassment such as cyberbullying, doxing, and nudification-related abuse; students and advocacy groups strongly supported it, with no opposition. AB 1837 would extend transit agencies’ authority to use camera enforcement in bus-only lanes and at transit stops, with privacy retention limits and human review; transit agencies supported it, while some senators expressed concern about automated enforcement and surveillance, and the bill was placed on call after a split vote. AB 2392 would create an intersegmental higher education working group on generative AI training and procurement standards; it passed 5-0 after amendments removed prerequisites tying AI deployment to completion of the report. The consent calendar was also approved on call. Later, AB 1798 would prohibit life and disability insurers from using non-diagnostic genetic information in underwriting; supporters argued it protects privacy and encourages testing, while insurers opposed the bill as undermining risk-based underwriting, and it advanced on a 3-0 vote on call. Finally, AB 1883 would restrict workplace use of emotion-recognition and neural-data surveillance tools; labor and privacy advocates supported it, employers and local agencies raised safety and litigation concerns, and it passed 3-0 to Labor after narrowing amendments.

Transcript Highlights:

• You may be limited on your pressures or you have higher safety factors for the maximum allowable operating
• There's lots of safety factors, but I wouldn't expect the old lines would have those safety factors.
• And you're going to have safety factors involved, you know, with that.
• don't pressure test the pipe high enough; I'm limited to that pressure test divided by the safety factor
• If our pressure says that high enough, I'm limited to design divided by that safety factor.

Committee: House Natural Resources & Environment

Keywords: 965, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• K2 is such a big corrupting factor.
• K2 is such a big corrupting factor because of the financial incentives.
• You know what the biggest factor was? I want to say it’s CBT.
• It really is the biggest factor in driving successful outcomes for this group.
• What I'm saying is that there's driving, motivating factors behind what they do.

Summary: The commission held an open discussion on how to develop recommendations for its report due at the end of September, with chairs Dan Hunt and Senator Brownsberger emphasizing that the group is moving from information-gathering into idea-sharing. Members discussed the need for more testimony from stakeholders such as reentry centers, correctional officers, unions, and the judiciary, and several participants urged the commission to use prior reports and existing data as a starting point. There was broad agreement that the work should focus on outcomes, transparency, and identifying gaps across the correctional and community supervision systems. A major theme was whether Massachusetts should move toward a more integrated, step-down model that better connects DOC, county sheriffs, probation, parole, reentry centers, and community-based services. Participants raised the possibility of expanding use of minimum security, pre-release, day reporting, and community justice support centers, and some suggested exploring whether sheriffs should have jurisdiction over people with longer remaining sentences, or whether judges should have more discretion to place people in county facilities. Others stressed the importance of involving the judiciary earlier, improving sentencing information, and aligning programming across agencies so reentry planning begins at sentencing and continues through release. The discussion also focused on facility conditions, women’s housing, Bridgewater, Framingham, restrictive housing, and the relationship between correctional settings and mental health needs. Several members called for more consistent standards, better data on spending and program effectiveness, and stronger accountability for evidence-based practices. The group also raised concerns about contraband K2, the need for cultural change inside institutions, and the importance of trust, staff training, and soft handoffs to the community. No votes were taken; the meeting was primarily a working discussion, and the chairs said they would circulate a written set of recommendations and continue the conversation at future meetings.

Transcript Highlights:

• the Senate, and is charged with evaluating judicial performance, including but not limited to such factors
• 00:20:59.760><c> such</c> judicial performance including such judicial performance including such factors
• , judicial factors as integrity, judicial temperament,<00:21:03.920><c> impartiality,</c><00:21:05.400
• These<00:26:03.800><c> and</c><00:26:04.000><c> other</c><00:26:04.280><c> factors</c><00:26:05.320><
• c> combined</c><00:26:05.880><c> with</c> These and other factors combined with These and other factors

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So they can still factor in the need for perhaps additional information.
• We need to maintain credentialing and all of the things that factor into this.
• We need to maintain credentialing and all of the things that factor into this.
• We need to maintain credentialing and all of the things that factor into this.
• We need to maintain credentialing and all of the things that factor into this.

Committee: House Health Services

Keywords: 00:00:00 - Call to Order/Roll Call 00:01:25 - Discussion of 26RS HB 689 00:15:15 - Roll Call Vote on 26RS HB 689 00:17:02 - Discussion of 26RS HB 407 00:45:40 - Roll Call Vote on 26RS HB 407 00:49:25 - Discussion of 26RS HB 713 00:55:50 - Roll Call Vote on 26RS HB 713 00:56:54 - Discussion of 26RS HB 676 01:06:42 - Roll Call Vote on 26RS HB 676 01:08:43 - Adjournment, 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So the factors or criteria that must be met under 202B are set forth under 202B.040.
• So the factors or criteria that must be met under 202B are set forth under 202B.040.
• So the factors or criteria that must be met under 202B are set forth under 202B.040.
• So the factors or criteria that must be met under 202B are set forth under 202B.040.
• So the factors or criteria that must be met under 202B are set forth under 202B.040.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee approved the minutes of its June 10, 2025 meeting and then heard testimony on House Bill 198, “Angela’s Law,” sponsored by Representative Samara Hein. The bill would add a new aggravating circumstance in death-penalty cases when an offender abuses the corpse of a kidnapping or murder victim by engaging in deviate sexual intercourse, sexual intercourse, or sexual contact. Representative Hein and the victim’s parents described the case that prompted the proposal, saying the current law did not allow the conduct to be treated as an aggravating factor because the sexual act occurred after death. They emphasized that the bill would not require a death sentence or life without parole, but would give judges and juries another sentencing factor to consider. Doug and Angela Kerr gave emotional testimony about their daughter’s murder and said the current sentencing options were inadequate given the facts of the case. Several members expressed sympathy and supported the bill’s purpose. Senator Wheeler said the measure would signal that the Commonwealth will not tolerate such conduct, and Representative Petrie said he supported the concept but urged careful drafting so the language would not be too narrow or unintentionally reach co-conspirators or others whose conduct differed from the principal offender. The committee then received an informational presentation on KRS Chapter 202C from Judge Lisa Payne Jones and Shauna Mitchell of the Kentucky Judicial Commission on Mental Health. They explained that 202C was enacted in 2021 to address a gap in Kentucky’s civil commitment laws for defendants found incompetent to stand trial after serious offenses. The presentation outlined the process: a Commonwealth’s attorney must file a petition for qualifying offenses, an evidentiary hearing must be held quickly, and if the respondent is found by a preponderance of the evidence to have committed the offense, a commitment hearing follows with a higher burden of proof. They also described the 2024 amendment changing the commitment criteria from requiring all four factors to only one, and noted the statute’s review-hearing schedule and the availability of later review if circumstances change or new evidence emerges.