Transcript Highlights:

• Budget Committee staff.
• I also want to thank the Budget Chair and all of the Budget Chairs.
• We had an opportunity to reintroduce very smart legislation and budget requests around HAP funding and
• I'm also here to support the budget task request that was submitted by the Inland Coalition for Immigrant
• I am here in support of the budget task request that was submitted by the Inland Coalition for Immigrant

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• is reflected in our 25-27 budget.
• is reflected in our 25-27 budget.
• that we requested.
• that we requested.
• Prior to the 2027 to 2029 budget cycle, we will be requesting funding to implement those additional provisions

Summary: The Joint Committee on Veterans and Military Affairs met to hear updates from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, the Washington Military Department, the Washington Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Department of Commerce on federal and state impacts affecting veterans, military families, and military installations. JBLM’s garrison commander said the base remains focused on housing, child care, and spouse employment, but is facing workforce reductions tied to federal personnel actions, especially in air traffic control, 911 dispatch, and firefighting. He also said JBLM is preparing for increased mutual-aid needs during fire season, and that the Army Transformation Initiative could change unit composition at JBLM over time without a major overall population shift. He confirmed that the Lewis Army Museum is on a closure list, but said the building will remain in use for training and that the base is exploring partnerships to keep museum functions operating, possibly with volunteers or local partners. The Washington Military Department reported about 400 Guard members deployed on federal missions and described ongoing state missions in cybersecurity and firefighting. The department said the Army National Guard’s 81st Stryker Brigade will transition to a mobile combat team, with associated changes in equipment, manning, and end strength. It also warned that continuing resolutions are delaying funding, limiting new military construction starts, and increasing costs. The Washington Department of Veterans Affairs outlined a $3.2 million reduction from the governor’s budget and related cuts affecting internships, vacant positions, outreach travel, claims support contracts, counseling and wellness, veterans’ innovation assistance, and the military transition and readiness council staff position. WDVA said it is ending or scaling back several programs, including in-house nursing assistant training, the veteran farm at Ordean, Vet Corps due to AmeriCorps funding changes, and the tobacco cessation program, while noting that the legislature funded about $23.7 million in capital projects for veteran homes, cemeteries, and transitional housing. The Department of Commerce presented on the Defense Community Compatibility Account, which funds projects that reduce conflicts between military installations and nearby communities. The program currently has 10 projects across five legislative districts, including school and child care improvements, water wells, land acquisition, and a joint firefighting training center in Everett. The presenter said the main challenge is that DCCA projects often need non-state funding secured before they can compete, which can make it hard to leverage federal Defense Community Infrastructure Program dollars; he recommended more flexible state timing to help projects qualify for federal funding. In closing discussion, members raised possible future agenda items including child care near bases, veteran homelessness, suicide prevention, Navy Day, military family housing, and a possible Department of Licensing issue involving guard and reserve designations on driver’s licenses. No formal votes were taken, and the meeting adjourned after members were invited to suggest topics for the October and December committee meetings.

Transcript Highlights:

• . budget. budget.
• </c><00:27:26.320><c> So,</c> budget or eighth budget, I think.
• So, budget or eighth budget, I think.
• We'll exceed. budget. And on line 22, it's just moving budget.
• . budget. budget.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee of conference on HB 1 and HB 2 met to review revenue estimates and begin working through a side-by-side of the budget. New Hampshire Lottery Director Charlie McIntyre testified that lottery revenues are outperforming prior estimates, projecting a $27 million return to the state this year, up $7 million, and $200 million per year in the next biennium, up $6.5 million per year. He attributed the increase to stronger scratch ticket sales, no negative impact from Massachusetts sports betting, and overall better performance. Members questioned the assumptions behind the higher numbers, including the proposed $50 scratch tickets, the effect of inflation, and whether the projections were conservative enough. McIntyre said the $50 ticket could produce modest growth and that the estimates were intentionally cautious. The discussion also covered gaming revenue assumptions for historical horse racing and video lottery terminals, with McIntyre saying the state market is not yet saturated and that future conversions from HHR to VLTs should be net positive for the state. Members also discussed differences between House and Senate revenue numbers for gaming, including machine counts, daily revenue assumptions, and the tax split. The Senate version used higher machine counts and a 31.25% tax rate, with a quarter-point reserved for responsible gaming and the remainder split between charities and the state. The House had used a 30% rate with a different distribution. McIntyre and committee members also reviewed House Bill 2 items affecting Kino hours and local option games of chance, with McIntyre explaining that the bill would expand playing hours and shift towns to an opt-out model. No votes were taken during the lottery discussion, but the committee indicated it would continue refining the revenue model and circulate the spreadsheet used for the estimates. The committee then moved through the HB 1 detail change sheet, accepting several Senate positions and holding others for later. It agreed to a zero-cost realignment in the Department of Safety moving the international fuel tax agreement function from administration to motor vehicles, and it restored eight passenger motor vehicle inspection positions for later discussion in HB 2. The Department of Corrections reorganization was set aside for a later, more detailed discussion. The committee also accepted no-change positions for the Department of Employment Security and agreed to a technical footnote fix in the Judicial Council section. It discussed a new HB 2 item moving contract counsel for involuntary mental health admissions from the judicial branch to the Judicial Council, funded at $100,000 per year, and noted that the public defender funding issue would be revisited when the overall budget picture is clearer. The meeting ended with the committee continuing its review of the remaining pages of the detail change sheet.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><01:42:41.920><c> request</c><01:42:42.239><c> we</c> >> Um, the only budget request we have, which
• The major adjustments contained in the budget request focus on sustainment.
• The major adjustments contained in the budget request focus on sustainment.
• The major adjustments contained in the budget request focus on sustainment.
• <c> broken</c> in our budget request and they're broken in our budget request and they're broken down

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I want to thank you for allowing us to speak today about our request through the budget process to administratively
• That's my request only.
• Okay, so you do a lot of budgeting. A lot of budgeting.
• So we're encouraging you to support Senator Arreguín and Assembly Member Gonzalez's budget request while
• We're a proud supporter and a strong supporter of the funding that is in the budget, and would request

Summary: The committee held an informational hearing on transportation agency budget proposals and did not take any votes. The first major discussion focused on the Motor Vehicle Account shortfall and a proposed one-time $166 million transfer from the Air Pollution Control Fund and Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund to offset California Air Resources Board mobile source costs. Department of Finance and the LAO described the account’s long-running structural deficit, driven largely by employee compensation growth and REAL ID-related workload, while members criticized the use of Proposition 4, GGRF, and other one-time or redirected funds as backfills and urged a longer-term solution that addresses both revenues and expenditures. The committee then heard Caltrans’ request for $25 million in General Fund support to create a Clean California Community Cleanup and Employment Pathway Grant Program. Caltrans said the program would build on the prior Clean California effort by funding local litter and graffiti cleanup, community engagement, and workforce pathways for vulnerable populations. The LAO recommended rejecting the proposal, arguing that local litter abatement is not a core state responsibility and that one-time funding is unlikely to solve persistent local cleanup needs. Several members echoed those concerns, while public commenters split between support for the cleanup/employment model and calls to instead restore funding to the Active Transportation Program and transit operations. The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency requested that California administratively recognize Tahoe’s federally designated population figure for state formula-based transportation funding, which would raise the population count used in formulas from 40,000 to 145,000. The agency said the change would not request new money but would better align state formulas with federal law and support a shared regional funding framework; members appeared generally supportive, though they noted the need to phase in the change to reduce impacts on other regions. The final presentation was on High-Speed Rail. The LAO reviewed the authority’s project update report, noting that it did not fully meet statutory requirements and that key details are still pending in a supplemental report expected later in the summer. The LAO said the Merced-to-Bakersfield segment still shows an estimated roughly $7 billion funding gap, with no specific plan to close it, and highlighted risks from federal review, inflation, and uncertain GGRF revenues. High-Speed Rail Authority staff said they are conducting a bottom-up review of scope, schedule, ridership, and costs, expect to provide updated information by late summer, and are exploring public-private partnerships and other financing strategies. Members stressed that no further funding commitments should be made until the updated analysis is available.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> first want to recognize our budget first want to recognize our budget review<00:02:37.680><c> subchairs
• </c> and and move the budget process along. and and move the budget process along.
• ’s budget or the cabinet request.
• or the cabinet the governor's budget or the cabinet request. request. request. um<00:32:44.960><c> that
• Uh you can't budget to in our budgets.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Roll Call 00:00:40 HB 500 Discussion 00:01:50 HB 500 Vote 00:38:40 HB 504 Discussion 00:41:45 HB 504 Vote 00:47:00, 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I would just ask if the funding for CHESS is built into this unified budget request, Mr. Chair.
• But yes, no, that is a request that's separate from our unified request. Thank you, Mr.
• It's a total of $46 million that they may be requesting that you may see in the executive budget recommendation
• Now, let's quickly draw your attention to the Higher Education Department's budget request for fiscal
• I am requesting a flat budget with. no additional FTE members.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• that agencies are requesting.
• the budget self-funded by attorney's fees.
• The rider, do you know more about that particular request?
• I'm going to have my budget person. These finance swaps are crazy.
• I would defer to our budget folks as far as what it looks like.

Bills: SB 1

Keywords: campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• projects right because the budget projects right because the capital<01:40:55.400><c> budget</c><01:
• </c><01:43:28.840><c> for</c><01:43:29.080><c> the</c> capital budget for the capital budget for the
• </c><03:09:13.840><c> we</c> this bill is um in the last budget we this bill is um in the last budget
• "No, and that will vary depending on requests and who's requesting it.
• able to request online?"

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee took up House Bill 2 provisions affecting the New Hampshire Retirement System, focusing on Group 2/Tier B retirement changes in pages 25 through 39 of the bill. NHRS Executive Director Jan Goodwin and deputy chief counsel Mark Kavanaugh explained that the 2025 bill is largely similar to prior versions and to HB 727, with the main difference being that the 2025 version does not include the earlier increase in the maximum benefit. They also said the fiscal note for HB 2 is based on earlier actuarial work and that an updated valuation was expected later in the week. A major topic was whether the bill accidentally removed an anti-spiking or special-duty compensation limit. NHRS said the omission appears to be a scrivener’s error caused by moving language between Group 1 and Group 2 definitions, and they planned to flag it in the fiscal note. Members also reviewed the bill’s intent to restore Tier B members to pre-2011 benefit rules, including changes to earnable compensation, average final compensation, and the comp-over-base rule. Some members questioned whether restoring those older rules was appropriate, arguing the 2011 changes were meant to curb pension spiking and that undoing them could be problematic. The committee also discussed the bill’s cost and funding assumptions. NHRS said the 2025 bill would reduce unfunded actuarial liability by about $98.2 million and would have a more favorable effect than the 2023 version, while employer contribution impacts would remain relatively small. Members noted the bill assumes annual appropriations of $27.5 million for 10 years, but House Bill 1 currently provides only $5 million in the first year, and NHRS had not yet analyzed the effect of that shortfall. No votes were taken in the portion provided; the discussion was informational and focused on clarifying the bill’s language, intent, and fiscal impact.

Transcript Highlights:

• Yes, they have the authority to do that within budget.
• bulk of what the budget is used for.
• So this is how we're doing it in the CTE budget, so it's zeroing it out of the CTE budget.
• in the IT budget.
• If you look to line... ...in the overall state budget.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The House convened with prayer, pledge, and roll call, establishing a quorum. It then took up a series of appropriations and policy bills, with the most extensive debate centered on Senate Bill 2025, the Department of Veterans Affairs budget. The House approved amendments that shifted governance of the department and veterans’ home from ACOVA to the governor, citing concerns about ACOVA’s salary-setting actions and broader appropriation oversight. Members opposed to the change argued ACOVA had studied compensation and acted within its role. The amended bill passed 57-34, and the final bill passed 69-22 with the emergency clause carrying. The House also passed Senate Bill 2001, the legislative branch budget, which funds the 2027 session, legislative staff, chamber upgrades, IT improvements, and salary adjustments for legislative leaders; the bill passed 62-29, but the emergency clause failed. Senate Bill 2019, the Career and Technical Education budget, passed 82-10 with emergency clause. Senate Bill 2021, the Information Technology Department budget, passed 75-17 after discussion of data center migration, service automation, mainframe transition, ERP study, and DPI’s move from PowerSchool to Infinite Campus. Other measures passed included Senate Bill 2228 for rural grocery store sustainability grants, Senate Bill 2390 creating a rural catalyst community grant program, Senate Bill 2188 adjusting the Clean Sustainable Energy Authority, and Senate Bill 2265 authorizing a veterans national cemetery grant and line of credit with added reporting safeguards. Several House bills returned from the Senate were concurred in and then passed, including House Bill 1361 on mandatory minimum sentences for human trafficking offenders, House Bill 1017 for the Game and Fish Department, House Bill 1588 on firearms and dangerous weapons provisions, House Bill 1429 on harassment and stalking involving robots, House Bill 1591 on county fair resiliency grants, House Bill 1537 on service agreement protection for water projects, House Bill 1203 on edible medical marijuana products, and House Bill 1027 transferring administration of the State Fire and Tornado Fund from the Insurance Commissioner to OMB. The House also rejected a motion to reconsider Senate Bill 2307, which dealt with library materials and obscenity-related restrictions, by a vote of 48-51. In addition, the chamber appointed conference committees on several House and Senate measures where concurrence had failed, and laid over Senate Bill 2340 for two legislative days.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our request is for $35,121 to cover our meals program budget shortfalls in addition to our other wraparound
• budget.
• budget.
• . request. request.
• This request comes in response to a recent reduction of over $1 million in federal budget funding from

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: This joint informational briefing focused on Act 310 grants and aid, with committee members hearing one-minute testimony from organizations first in person and then by Zoom. At the outset, the chairs explained there would be no Q&A during the briefing and asked testifiers to focus on how federal cuts were affecting their work. The meeting was organized by registration number and included both neighbor island and Oʻahu applicants. Testimony centered on organizations seeking state support to offset federal funding losses or anticipated reductions. Health and social service providers described impacts from Medicaid, SNAP, ACA subsidy, Title X, and other federal changes, including Aloha Care, Community Clinic of Maui, Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies, West Hawaiʻi Community Health Center, Hawaiʻi Disability Rights Center, Hawaiʻi Youth Services Network, Alcoholic Rehabilitation Services of Hawaiʻi, and Kokua Kalihi Valley. Other groups highlighted losses affecting food security, housing, disaster preparedness, and climate resilience, including the Kohala Center, Feeding Hawaiʻi Together, Hawaiian Lending and Investments, Dynamic Community Solutions, and the Pacific Tsunami Museum. Several arts, youth, and education organizations also testified, including Hawaiʻi Literacy, Hawaiʻi Youth Symphony, Honolulu Theatre for the Youth, Sounding Joy Music Therapy, Big Brothers Big Sisters Hawaiʻi, Girl Scouts of Hawaiʻi, Kids Hurt Too Hawaiʻi, and US Vets, each requesting funding to preserve programs and staffing. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the briefing. The only action was procedural: the chairs moved through the applicant list, limited testimony time, and then transitioned from neighbor island in-person testimony to Oʻahu and later Zoom participants.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> you can go and see that our budget you can go and see that our budget requests<00:05:17.880><c>
• that the biggest request in highlight that the biggest request in our<00:05:23.680><c> budget</c><00
• So we are to include the forensic laboratory. in your budget request here or is that in your budget request
• </c><01:16:27.520><c> request</c><01:16:28.520><c> 26</c> included in our budget request 26 included
• </c><01:17:15.239><c> to</c> budget requests and we're available to budget requests and we're available

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard budget testimony first from the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Director Tommy Johnson outlined short-term goals to reduce overcrowding, improve living and working conditions, fill vacancies, expand mental health services, and update the correctional master plan. He said the department is still dealing with severe overcrowding at facilities such as OCCC and HCCC, with 947 people at OCCC against a design capacity of 628, and noted 938 inmates are currently housed on the mainland because of temporary repairs at Halawa. He also reported progress on staffing, saying the correctional officer vacancy rate has dropped from 34.3% to 24% through expanded recruitment. The department’s major budget request was $30 million for planning and design for a new Old Triple C project, along with other requests for re-entry services, identification documents, security systems, radios, sink-toilet modules, and trauma-informed care. Members asked about the timing and scope of the OCCC project, courtroom space in new facilities, and the department’s plan to use the funding to improve re-entry and reduce recidivism. The committee then heard from the Department of Law Enforcement on a wide range of priorities. The department described requests to expand agricultural crime enforcement, traffic enforcement, illegal fireworks enforcement, and facilities such as a police building at the DKI airport, a state training center, and new police facilities in central and Leeward Oahu. It also discussed a major IT request for a statewide law enforcement and critical infrastructure notification platform, plus funding for grants management, the Wahiawa Civic Center and court complex, the prescription monitoring program, narcotics enforcement operations, and the narcotics lab. A significant portion of the discussion focused on a proposed traffic enforcement program for commercial vehicle inspections, speeding, and DUI enforcement, which the department said would be funded with federal dollars and would operate concurrently with county police. Committee members questioned whether the effort duplicated county jurisdiction and how the program would be trained and staffed. Members also pressed the department on salary disparities for deputy sheriffs and related vacancies, and the department said the administration was working on a supplemental agreement and placeholder funding to address the issue. Additional discussion covered agricultural crime staffing, the Silver Alert program, and expansion of the forensic lab to handle explosives, firearms, and related evidence. No votes were taken in the portion provided, and the meeting moved from the corrections presentation to the law enforcement budget review with questions and answers throughout.

Transcript Highlights:

• This year we got about 70 requests for analysis by our CNC team.
• budget.
• So let's talk about some of those challenges for 2027–29 in our budget.
• That's only about 16% of the overall UW budget.
• And the most recent biennial budget, unfortunately, reverted back to lower levels due to the state budget

Summary: The Joint Committee on Employment Relations met on May 8, 2026, to review goals and objectives for the 2027–2029 master collective bargaining cycle and to hear updates on higher education and Washington Management Service bargaining. OFM’s Jenny Sheehan outlined the state workforce, noting that most employees are represented, the workforce remains heavily governed by civil service rules and CBAs, and the state is entering bargaining under a constrained hiring and budget environment. She described the bargaining timeline, the role of the June revenue forecasts in determining whether targeted compensation increases can be funded, and the state’s goals of affordability, maintaining labor relations, supporting equity, and addressing non-economic issues such as AI use, leave, immigration-related workplace concerns, and union access in a hybrid work environment. Sheehan also reviewed the 2025–2027 bargaining cycle, including the prior WPEA ratification issue and the requirement that tentative agreements be submitted by October 1 for financial feasibility review and possible legislative funding. She said the 2025–27 agreements cost about $1.2 billion in general funds and $1.7 billion total, excluding the later-funded WPEA agreements. In response to a question, she explained that paid family and medical leave is not bargained over directly because it is governed by statute and ESD rules. She then presented on Washington Management Service bargaining, explaining that only certain WMS employees are eligible to bargain, that representation remains small, and that current WMS contracts are handled through addenda to existing agreements. She also described interest arbitration for certain groups, including ferries and public safety-related employees, and said arbitration awards still must be financially feasible and submitted by October 1. The committee also heard from Western Washington University and the University of Washington on higher education bargaining. Western described its locally bargained contracts, the importance of local bargaining for workload, tenure, grievance, and safety issues, and the impact of the state fund split on budget planning. Western said it has no state funding for student compensation and has requested inclusion of student employees in the wage base. UW outlined its large workforce and the different bargaining frameworks under RCW 41.56 and 41.80, emphasizing that state funding and tuition make up only a portion of its budget and that the fund split and health care cost increases significantly affect compensation planning. UW also highlighted its request for state funding for academic student employee compensation, saying rising costs are reducing the number of positions and affecting class sizes and the academic pipeline. No votes were taken, and the meeting adjourned after members discussed the upcoming bargaining and arbitration timelines.

Transcript Highlights:

• We've had some requests already. Yes. Oh, of course. No problem. We've had some requests already.
• And I would say more generally, you know, particularly with the budget scenarios that we are living budget
• The budget change proposal request is aligned with that report to the Legislature.
• And the importance of revising closely the budget. would like to request the legislature appropriate
• And the importance of revising closely the budget.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So the requests.
• The governor's budget does propose the dam safety backfill to provide budget resiliency.
• this budget year.
• It's zero-based budgeting.
• Senator Caballero has made a budget request for funds necessary for DWR to modernize and update the California

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Fine request to make that request today.” “About what they’ve been doing since that time.
• Fine, fine request to make that request today.
• budget action.
• Agreed to in the budget?
• Fund deficit in budget year.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• cycle—do you anticipate that there would be additional budget requests in next year's budgeting process
• cycle—do you anticipate that there would be additional budget requests in next year's budgeting process
• </c><00:21:50.360><c> requests</c><00:21:50.760><c> in</c><00:21:51.159><c> next</c> additional budget
• requests in next additional budget requests in next year's<00:21:51.679><c> budgeting</c><00:21:52.240
• requests.

Keywords: Consideration of HB 491 02:14 Consideration of HB 738 07:58 Guest presentation by Taiwan Consul General Elliott Wang 25:20 Consideration of HCR 50 36:37 Consideration of SB 19 49:29, 958, all

Summary: The House State Government Committee met with a quorum and first considered House Bill 491 by Representative Steve Riley. The committee adopted a proposed committee substitute, then heard that the bill would raise the threshold for certain capital project and equipment purchases from $200,000 to $500,000, remove a requirement for a special board meeting when replacing a board of regents member, allow certain employees or contractors to perform capital construction work up to $500,000, remove limits on retired police officers working at postsecondary institutions, and speed release of pension information to employers. Members asked about reporting and oversight of the higher threshold, and the witness said the records are maintained by institutions and available upon request. HB 491 passed on a 19-0 roll call vote. The committee then heard House Bill 738 by Representative Griffey, relating to state personnel and the constitutional officers. The bill would give independently elected constitutional officers more flexibility to hire unclassified employees and set salaries for classified employees up to the midpoint without Personnel Cabinet approval, while leaving pay scales, appropriations, and funding limits unchanged. Representative Griffey and witnesses from the auditor’s office said the measure was intended to reduce red tape, address salary compression, improve pay equity, and help recruit and retain staff; they also said it would allow offices to fill policy roles needed for audits and other work. Members questioned the fiscal note, salary caps, and whether the bill would affect future budget requests. The bill passed 18-1, with one pass, and the chair noted it would move favorably to the House floor. After those bills, the committee briefly welcomed Taiwan’s consul general, Elliot Wang, and Representative Adam Bowling spoke about Kentucky’s relationship with Taiwan, including trade, investment, and prior assistance during disasters. Wang described Taiwan’s economic ties with the United States, ongoing trade and investment developments, defense and education cooperation, and people-to-people exchange programs, noting Kentucky was the first state to sign an education cooperation MOU with Taiwan in 2021.

Transcript Highlights:

• request.
• request.
• c> in our next budget request uh I I in our next budget request uh I I believe<00:09:03.040><c> that's
• For that reason, I simply ask that when you devise the 2026 to 2028 biennial budget, the last budget
• For that reason, I simply ask that when you devise the 2026 to 2028 biennial budget, the last budget

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:00:19 Auditor of Public Accounts 00:01:07 Office of Secretary of State 00:10:22 Kentucky State Treasury 00:17:51 Office of Attorney General 00:28:50, 958, all

Summary: The Budget Review Subcommittee on General Government met for its first meeting and heard budget-related presentations from the Auditor of Public Accounts and the Secretary of State, with the Treasurer beginning a presentation at the end of the transcript. Auditor Allison Ball reviewed her office’s 2024 and early 2025 work, including hundreds of county and state audits, several special examinations, and ongoing reviews such as the kinship care funding issue, the Kentucky Department of Education audit, and the Jefferson County Public Schools audit. She said her office is focused on waste, fraud, abuse, and legal compliance, and asked the committee to consider future budget changes, including aligning her appropriation with restricted funding and restoring a stronger performance-audit function. She also highlighted audits that exposed serious problems, including the Department of Juvenile Justice review, and said those reports are intended to serve as models for other entities to avoid similar failures. Secretary of State Michael Adams said his office is self-sustaining through fees and does not need tax dollars, but asked for greater access to its own revenues and more flexibility in using them. He highlighted the Safe at Home address confidentiality program, saying recent changes expanded protections for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking, and that the program has grown rapidly while remaining funded by offender fines. Adams also urged lawmakers to again adjust county election funding for inflation, noting the current per-voter and per-precinct amounts were set decades ago. In questioning, Representative Hart asked whether the Safe at Home program was self-funding; Adams replied that it covers only about 10% of its operating cost and said the best solution would be to let the office use more of the revenue it already collects rather than rely on tax dollars. Treasurer Martin Medcafe, introduced with staff member Russell Weber, praised the General Assembly’s fiscal discipline and described the Treasury’s work in managing state funds. He reported strong results from the Unclaimed Property Fund, saying the office returned $35.5 million to Kentuckians in its first year and $3.8 million in the first month of the current year, and said the State Investments Commission generated $682 million in returns last year. He also highlighted financial literacy efforts through the Kentucky Financial Empowerment Commission and said the Treasury is helping manage opioid settlement funds, which are now earning up to $200,000 per month through investment. No votes or formal actions were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> only state funding and our budget only state funding and our budget request<00:04:25.280><c> but
• This is not an additional request; it's the baseline request.
• </c> request it's the Baseline request request it's the Baseline request from<00:42:26.559><c> uh</c>
• Would the ongoing fiscal note for securitization be necessary if the PUC's budget request for the three
• three</c><01:36:48.840><c> new</c> pu's budget request for the three new pu's budget request for the

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• our budget is really limited.
• our budget is really limited.
• our budget is really limited.
• our budget is really limited.
• Um, and that item was removed by budget and finance, but we did make their request. >> Okay.

Bills: SB2841, SB2533

Keywords: SB2841, human trafficking, trafficking awareness, transient accommodations, hotel industry, lodging, hospitality, hotel workers, housekeeping, front desk staff, contract workers, third-party contractors, employee training, signage, reporting requirements, National Human Trafficking Hotline, labor trafficking, sex trafficking, commercial sexual exploitation of children, anti-trafficking

Summary: The joint Judiciary, Labor, and Technology Committee heard two bills in the morning session and later took up two Judiciary decision-making items. SB 2841 would require human trafficking awareness training for transient accommodation workers. Testimony was generally supportive from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, the Department of Law Enforcement, and the Hawaii Hotel Alliance/American Hotel and Lodging Association, which also proposed amendments to preserve existing industry training programs and broaden coverage. Members clarified that the administration wanted DLE to be the lead agency instead of DLIR, while the Attorney General would still handle approval of training programs. The committee recommended passage with amendments, including coverage for third-party contractors and implementation dates, and the measure was adopted with no recorded opposition. SB 2533 would adjust the salaries of the Campaign Spending Commission’s executive director and associate director to better align with comparable enforcement/compliance positions. The commission supported the bill, saying its salaries lag behind similar offices by about $30,000 and that recruitment and workload have become more difficult, while one testifier opposed the proposal. Members questioned why the bill used the Department of Health as the salary comparator and whether Ethics would be a better benchmark; the committee agreed to revise the bill to peg the salaries to the Ethics Commission instead, blank out the dollar amounts for further review, and note the requested appropriation in the report. The committee recommended passage with amendments, and the measure was adopted. In the Judiciary decision-making agenda, SB 2203, concerning the use of masks or personal disguises by law enforcement officers, was amended to allow exceptions for officers who are unmasked nearby or who are supporting undercover operations, to change the term to “facial covering,” and to add definitions covering federal, state, and county law enforcement. The committee also set a far-future effective date and passed the bill with amendments. SB 2442, relating to judiciary purchase-of-service contracts with community-based organizations, was also passed with amendments; the committee added a far-future effective date, clarified the consumer price index reference, and noted a recommended appropriation amount of $4.26 million in the committee report. All measures were adopted without recorded no votes or reservations.