Transcript Highlights:

• My name is Aidan Downey, A-I-D-A-N D-O-W-N-E-Y, here on behalf of the Computer and Communications Industry
• sacrifice just isn't possible for families, and yet, through the grace of God and the miracle of science
• human beings, denying both the basic biological facts supported by modern embryology, medicine, and science

Bills: AB52, AB76, AB163, AB388, AB483

Keywords: health insurance, claims process, insurance regulation, admin penalties, healthcare access, cannabis, cannabis establishment, medical cannabis, adult-use cannabis, advertising regulations, packaging requirements, unlicensed cannabis activities, state prosecution, confidentiality, Cannabis Compliance Board, disciplinary proceedings, mental health, counseling, interstate practice, telehealth

Transcript Highlights:

• robot, computer programming, crafting the<00:58:05.680> physical<00:58:06.079> build<00
• And all I could give him is political science to give them some reality.
• I will fight to ensure that science, not politics, guides how we safeguard our communities.
• I will fight to ensure that science, not politics, guides how we safeguard our communities.
• ,<05:00:08.718> guides<05:00:09.120> how that science, not politics, guides how that

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Courts have held that computer code is speech. It's a dual nature.
• <00:10:41.760> code<00:10:42.079> is Courts have held that computer code is Courts
• have held that computer code is speech.<00:10:43.440> It's<00:10:43.680> a<00:10:44.160
• <00:10:45.920> Computer<00:10:46.240> code<00:10:46.560> is<00:10:46.720>
• and these face their phone or computer and these face swap<00:18:55.120> tools<00:18:55.600><

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I don't know whose computer this is. Thank you, Mr.
• what's wrong with your computer. go in and help you figure out what's wrong with your computer.
• The example that you just gave about the computer being taken over during the pandemic, which I would
• But as part of the audit process, do you also go in and look at the computer traffic logs?
• Well, if you have computer systems... ...that information could be fudged.

Summary: The committee first heard an update on Topok Elementary School District’s long-running noncompliance with Arizona’s Uniform System of Financial Records. The Auditor General’s office explained the USFR noncompliance process and reported that Topok had made substantial progress, correcting many deficiencies in areas such as open meeting law, procurement, payroll, attendance reporting, property control, and information technology. The district’s superintendent and staff described the corrective actions they had taken, the use of outside consultants, and their plan to maintain compliance through stronger leadership, training, and consistent procedures. Members praised the district’s progress and asked about the remaining deficiencies and the status of the 3% state-aid withholding, which the Auditor General said would be addressed by the State Board of Education. The committee then considered a request for a fourth school safety special audit, tied to concerns raised by Representative Martinez about Phoenix Union High School District and school violence response practices. The Auditor General said the proposed audit would be a new topic focused on policies and procedures for responding to credible threats of violence and allegations of staff misconduct affecting student safety, and could include Phoenix Union in the sample. Representative Martinez described a fatal 2024 shooting, weapons incidents, and concerns about district oversight. The committee approved the motion 10-0. Next, staff presented the fiscal years 2027-2028 school district performance audit schedule, describing 26 randomly selected school districts and career and technical education districts, plus 84 planned follow-ups. The Auditor General said the schedule is intended to shorten the average time between audits and that the school audits division is now fully staffed. Members asked about county coverage and the inclusion of ESA accountability, but the schedule was ultimately presented for review rather than approval. The committee also heard a detailed federal compliance audit presentation on the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) administered by DES. The Auditor General reported repeated findings involving missing provider documentation, questioned costs, and FFATA reporting errors, including a 2024 sample that led to questioning $2.88 million in costs. The office recommended stronger documentation, record retention, reporting procedures, and staff training; DES concurred and said it would correct the findings in 2026. Members discussed the limits of the single-audit scope, the possibility of a broader special audit, and the federal government’s recent actions on CCDF oversight in other states. Finally, the committee considered and discussed a special audit request for CCDF that would broaden review to provider oversight, licensing, site visits, and billing accuracy across multiple state agencies, with estimated costs of $547,000 to $625,000 and a projected report date of July 31, 2027.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, it comes into their computer. computer. computer.
• computer.
• computer.
• computer.
• on their computer. on their computer.

Keywords: Investments in Information Technology Improvement & Modernization Projects Oversight Board will met upon adjournment of both chambers. The time set is noon on YouTube, But the official time will likely vary based on chamber proceedings. Meeting start 00:00:00 Roll Call 00:00:00 Tools for Managing Remote Work Kentucky Personnel Cabinet 00:00:30 Kentucky Transportation Cabinet 00:20:20 Cabinet for Health and Family Services 00:33:10 Housing, Buildings and Construction 00:47:40 Commonwealth Office of Technology 00:56:20, 958, all

Summary: The committee received testimony from Personnel Cabinet Secretary Mary Elizabeth Bailey and Deputy Secretary Robert Long on the state’s telecommuting policy. Bailey explained that telecommuting in the executive branch is governed by a statewide policy requiring eligible employees to work in the office three days a week and telecommute up to two days a week. Eligibility depends first on the position, not the person: public-facing jobs, roles requiring special equipment or insecure document handling, and other duties that cannot be performed remotely are not eligible. Employees and managers must complete training, sign agreements, comply with safety and IT requirements, and telecommuting privileges can be revoked for poor performance or discipline. She said the cabinet audits compliance and that telecommuting has helped maintain services during inclement weather, disasters, and building renovations. Bailey also said about 33% of the workforce is hybrid, 11% telecommutes full-time, and 56% does not telecommute. Members asked about cost savings, eligibility, discipline, and technology requirements. Bailey said she did not have statewide cost-savings figures and referred that question to the Finance and Administration Cabinet. She said employees must have reliable connectivity and appropriate equipment, but there is no fixed broadband speed requirement; if an employee cannot connect, they must come into the office. She also said telecommuting postings indicate whether a position is eligible, and that performance issues are handled through progressive discipline rather than being ignored. Transportation Cabinet officials then described how their agency manages remote work. Deputy Secretary Mike Hancock, along with IT and human resources leaders, said the cabinet follows the executive branch policy and actively manages telecommuting employees through Microsoft Teams, VPN access, daily standups, project tracking, and manager oversight. They said more than 2,600 of the cabinet’s 4,000 employees cannot telecommute because their jobs are public-facing or field-based, while about 35% are eligible to telecommute up to two days per week. The cabinet also has 13 state employees and 94 contract employees working full-time remotely in IT. Officials said telecommuting has improved recruitment and retention, supported emergency response and weather operations, and allowed the cabinet to continue working during storms and other disruptions. Members asked about phone equipment, monitoring, and “mouse jiggler” devices; officials said phones are often forwarded to personal or state devices, Teams shows real-time availability, and managers rely on daily accountability and project management tools to monitor work.

Transcript Highlights:

• These officials are the recipients of computers from the Data Seam program.
• Multiple officials stated that districts were threatened with the removal of computers if there was any
• if there was any push back computers if there was any push back about<00:06:54.240> the<00:06
• Uh, we had one computer lab in the whole building in each school.
• <00:57:26.720> after amazed on how those computers after amazed on how those computers after

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The subcommittee met without a quorum and did not approve minutes, but heard testimony on budget line items for Data Seam and Teach for America. Andrew McNeel of Kentucky Free and representatives from the Commonwealth Policy Center argued that both programs rely heavily on recurring taxpayer support and should be re-evaluated. McNeel cited a 2020 Office of Policy and Audit examination of Data Seam, saying the program had received more than $30 million in state support since 2006, including $3.5 million in the current budget, and that the audit raised concerns about administrative overhead, alleged threats to districts, and the use of line-item language to justify sole-source contracting. He recommended suspending Data Seam funding this biennium, directing a new special audit, and requiring reimbursement of audit costs. The witnesses also urged the committee to withhold funding for Teach for America, saying the organization’s materials and history showed a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion that they opposed. They pointed to past statements, leadership titles, and program language as evidence that DEI concepts remained embedded in the organization, and suggested any funding should be redirected directly to school districts instead. Mike Harmon and Richard Nelson echoed those concerns, while also saying long-running programs should be periodically reviewed for efficiency. Teach for America Appalachia representatives then testified in support of the program. Executive director C.D. Morton described the organization as a teacher-preparation and leadership-development program serving rural eastern Kentucky, saying it had recruited and supported more than 325 teachers since 2011, with about 30 current core members in several counties and roughly 2,800 students impacted daily. He said the program helps fill hard-to-staff vacancies, that about 80% of teachers stay for a third year, and that many alumni remain in education. In response to questions from Representative Bojanowski about retention and cost, Morton said more than 60% of alumni are still in education, but he could not give a precise classroom-teacher retention number beyond the program’s broader alumni data.

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, if you can't put it on paper, you can't have a computer do it, right?
• Well, if you can't put it on paper, you can't have a computer do it, right?
• You know, we cannot compute. We can't. We cannot compute. We cannot. We can't.
• Long mentioned, the ability for AI to actually compute? Sure.
• power, also known as compute, that help do various things when it comes to AI.

Summary: The subcommittee met to hear a panel discussion on artificial intelligence and automation in Florida government. Panelists from Worldwide Technology, OpenAI, the James Madison Institute, and the Florida Digital Service described AI as a tool to improve efficiency, constituent services, fraud detection, translation, HR workflows, public safety, and regulatory review, while emphasizing that AI should supplement rather than replace workers. They also stressed the importance of data readiness, workforce training, governance, and having existing technology systems and policies in place before broader deployment. Members asked about public records concerns, vendor vetting, model integrity, and how to balance innovation with privacy and security. Chief Schoonover said agencies are already using or exploring AI in areas such as Medicaid analysis, environmental data, emergency management, tax forms, and child support, and noted that the Digital Service publishes prohibited vendor and application lists. OpenAI discussed its red teaming, safety evaluations, privacy controls, and government products such as ChatGPT Gov, and said it does not train on personal data or target users with ads. The committee also discussed concrete examples of efficiency gains, including reduced call times, faster translation turnaround, and streamlined HR classification work, as well as concerns about job disruption and constituent access. In closing, members raised data center infrastructure and energy needs, with panelists noting that AI depends on substantial compute, power, cooling, and utility capacity. The chair concluded by encouraging continued dialogue and noting that future AI legislation should be targeted to specific problems rather than overly broad.

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:07:57.280> Um,<01:07:57.599> but Science Foundation and others.
• Um, but Science Foundation and others.
• um<01:39:44.480> in If that motion does stay in regards to when agencies requested one computer
• So, if you have a recommended language you'd want for that de minimis computer request for an agency
• I open my computer up sitting here. My colleague just leaned over by me.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Page 18, this is a lapse of a computer science appropriation identical House-passed section 336 and Senate-passed
• a<04:34:56.480> lapse<04:34:56.719> of<04:34:56.879> a<04:34:57.119> computer
• Page 18, this is a lapse of a computer Page 18, this is a lapse of a computer science<04:34:58.080
• > uh<04:34:58.719> appropriation science uh appropriation science uh appropriation identical

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Committee of Conference on HB 1 and HB 2 met to review revenue estimates and begin working through the HB 1 detail change sheet. New Hampshire Lottery Director Charlie McIntyre reported stronger-than-expected lottery performance, raising the current-year return estimate to $27 million and the next biennium estimate to $200 million, with the increase attributed to improved scratch ticket sales and sports betting not hurting revenue as much as expected. Members questioned the assumptions behind the higher estimates, including the impact of $50 scratch tickets and whether the figures accounted for future conversion from historical horse racing (HHR) machines to video lottery terminals (VLTs). McIntyre and committee members discussed machine counts, per-day revenue assumptions, and the likelihood that VLT conversion would increase revenues over time, though the timing and pace of conversion remained an open question. The committee also discussed several gaming-related policy items in HB 2, including changes to kino hours and local option games of chance, and noted that the Senate and House differed on how gaming revenues would be allocated between charities, education, and general funds. Members emphasized that revenue projections should remain conservative because operators, not the state, would control the pace of machine conversion. Representative Sweeney noted that operators could earn more per machine under the VLT model, and McIntyre said the new facilities and expansions were largely concentrated near the Massachusetts border. The committee then moved to the HB 1 detail change sheet. It agreed to Senate position on the Department of Safety’s road toll bureau and international registration program changes, which were described as a zero-cost realignment of positions, and held the Department of Corrections section for later discussion. On the judicial side, members approved a technical footnote fix, but held a new contract counsel item for involuntary mental health admissions and deferred discussion of the public defender program increase. The committee also noted no change for the PE development authority, moved safety rest area funding from HB 2 into HB 1 with no additional cost, and flagged the tourism development fund and other judicial items as issues that may depend on overall available revenue.

Transcript Highlights:

• Page 18: this is a lapse of a computer science appropriation.
• a<04:34:56.480> lapse<04:34:56.719> of<04:34:56.879> a<04:34:57.119> computer
• Page 18, this is a lapse of a computer Page 18, this is a lapse of a computer science<04:34:58.080
• > uh<04:34:58.719> appropriation science uh appropriation science uh appropriation identical

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:

• I have I don't know, I didn't tell you this yesterday, but I have contacted the LRC computer staff to
• 21.680> make<00:05:21.840> sure<00:05:21.919> I<00:05:22.160> wasn't computer
• staff to make sure I wasn't computer staff to make sure I wasn't missing<00:05:22.800> anything
• <00:05:29.280> and<00:05:29.520> they they also service our computers and they they
• also service our computers and they are<00:05:29.840> a<00:05:30.080> technology<00:05

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The commission first returned from executive session and reported that no action was taken. It then approved a motion finding there was no reason to believe the respondent in case 25 LAC1 had committed or was about to commit a violation of the code, and dismissed the complaint under KRS 6.86(1)(b)3. Members next reviewed and approved the September financial report, which staff said was based on state accounting data and showed the commission within year-to-date budget parameters. Staff also reported that all required forms for the recent reporting period had been filed and that there were no outstanding forms. The main substantive discussion concerned a proposed one-year, $6,000 contract with Tyler Technology/Kentucky Interactive to add an online payment portal for the commission’s re-registration process. Staff said the system would let employers pay registration fees online using an employer ID, reduce manual handling of 3,000 to 3,500 forms and hundreds of credit card payments, and improve security by keeping credit card information out of commission staff hands. Members asked about user fees and procurement concerns; staff explained that users would still pay the existing credit card processing fee, that an e-check option would also be available, and that the $6,000 cost was viewed as below the de minimis threshold. The commission approved the contract. In other updates, staff said informal opinions were included in the materials and remained confidential, reported on a presentation to the UK Martin School, noted that the regular session calendar would likely require meetings to shift during the legislative session, and said the commission’s statutory recommendations had been received by LRC and referred to a state government committee. The meeting then moved into executive session to discuss a personnel matter.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:04:19.320> and rent and paying for computers and rent and paying for computers and everything
• Do I need to take my computer off for that to work? Pardon me, Senator?
• It is already a crime to possess child pornography that was generated by a computer.
• It is already a crime to possess child pornography that was generated by a computer.
• their own on their own home computer their own on their own home computer this<00:48:19.319>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We've had in schools computers and things that last three or four years go into 30-year bonds.
• If a school is being built and you put in the... ...computers in a short-term instrument, and then you
• They shouldn't be paying interest over 30 years for the computers.
• to four and a half or five times what the computer actually costs when that computer is so long gone
• that even the teachers when they were students weren't using that computer.

Bills: HB886, HB1514, HB2434, HB2688, HB2802, HB3161, HB3221, HB4029, HB4339, HB4591, HB4774, HB4802, HB4853, HB5627, SB1737

Keywords: retirement, supplemental payment, benefits, Employees Retirement System, eligible annuitants, legislation, annuity, service credit, Employees Retirement System of Texas, employee benefits, pension reform, public retirement systems, municipality pensions, firefighters, police officers, retirement age, DROP program, actuarial studies, pension benefits, municipal retirement

Transcript Highlights:

• We have some people that are super smart that are sitting in some areas in darkened rooms with computer
• We have some people that are super smart that are sitting in some areas in darkened rooms with computer
• agency to understand is that we want it to be focused on restoring government function and restoring computer
• We have some people that are super smart that are sitting in some areas in darkened rooms with computer
• People that are super smart that are sitting in some areas in darkened rooms with computer screens, and

Keywords: Government Structure - Room 216, 29 January, 2026; 4:30 PM, 925, all

Summary: The committee first took up Senate Bills 2625 and 2636, both described as part of a broader effort to strengthen state cybersecurity. SB 2625 would create a state chief information officer at the governor’s office level to coordinate IT and cybersecurity policy across agencies. Members and the sponsor said it was a conceptual work in progress, and the committee added a reverse repealer before reporting the bill out as a committee substitute with a do pass recommendation. SB 2636 would create a Department of Cyber Security focused on law enforcement and post-attack response, including investigators and coordination with DPS, the auditor’s office, local jurisdictions, and federal partners. Supporters said the goal was to improve collaboration, protect taxpayer information, and separate network protection and recovery from criminal investigation. Some members questioned whether the new department would overlap with existing IT and law enforcement functions, but sponsors said it was intended to clarify responsibilities rather than duplicate them. The committee added a reverse repealer and reported the bill out as a committee substitute with a do pass recommendation. The committee also considered SB 2632, which would delay action on state disaster recovery funding while awaiting federal changes from FEMA/MEMA. The sponsor said the bill would give the state time to evaluate new federal disaster recovery rules and determine the best approach for Mississippi. The committee added a reverse repealer and reported the bill out as a committee substitute with a do pass recommendation. Finally, the committee heard SB 2817, a Department of Public Safety reorganization bill. It would move the Bureau of Investigation, narcotics, homeland security, and the forensic lab under the State Bureau of Investigation to streamline command and allow more flexible staffing. It would also preserve a telecommunications fee, raise autopsy and salvage inspection fees, and continue discussion of DPS police powers. After questions about the autopsy fee and whether the reorganization would save money, the committee adopted a do pass motion. The chair also noted that SB 2673 would be studied further over the next year before any final action.

Transcript Highlights:

• What goes into AGI versus what happens after AGI is computed at the federal level.
• So we'll still compute the tax that they would owe on that income.
• So, they said this is a category of income that the way it was computed was to say.
• GILTI income, net CFC tested income, or NCTI, is computed on a much broader base.
• The deductions are computed on the same broad base.

Transcript Highlights:

• Boeing was recruiting them because you put an aspie in front of a computer and tell them to design a
• So that is a 4-credit lab science.
• <01:35:02.320> And<01:35:02.560> what that is a 4 credit lab science.
• And what that is a 4 credit lab science.
• >> That's exactly it. >> Does that mean sort of like sciences would have lab?

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• phones and computers and were doing forensic<00:21:37.080> analysis.
• Uh, what we found or what the OIG's team found was DHS's computer systems tran DHS's computer systems
• That's what an IP log is in the computer system.
• It's a basic in computer system.
• It's a basic in computer system. brakes. It's a basic in computer system.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• 58:49.520> include<01:58:49.840> expenses<01:58:50.320> for<01:58:50.560> computer
• shall not include expenses for computer shall not include expenses for computer software<01:58:51.280
• They spent a lot of time using the sugar shack to teach writing skills, math skills, science, etc.
• They also had banners through the building that included instructional things on math and science and
• c><04:20:08.800> appreciate So I just think about, um, in middle school I did a unit about science

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:57:19.920> that is the ability to read the science that is the ability to read the science
• I also want to say, and different from anything else that's been said today already, the computer part
• to read those signs, and when you get in a car later to do the practical part after you pass the computer
• <01:55:12.320> part<01:55:12.880> at after you pass the computer part at after you
• pass the computer part at least<01:55:13.199> in<01:55:13.520> Keen<01:55:14.000> where

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This outdated computing system has become unstable and increasingly inefficient as it struggles to meet
• We’re just looking at the computer system itself and whether it is up to the task.
• So OSPI has its own computer system. Is that right?
• So I'm curious, how many different layers of computer systems are we working on, and might it not be
• district to OSPI's computer system?

Summary: The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee subcommittee heard a State Auditor’s Office performance audit on the accuracy and reliability of OSPI’s school apportionment system. Auditors said the system, which calculates and distributes K-12 funding using multiple feeder systems and a core apportionment engine, is outdated, unstable, inefficient, and at high risk of failure. They reported weak controls over data input, documentation, oversight, and staffing, and said OSPI relies heavily on manual workarounds, a few knowledgeable staff, and vendor support. In limited testing of three districts, the auditors found the system calculated funding correctly for the 2023-24 school year, but they identified nine small input discrepancies tied to differences between budget materials and state law, which they said could compound into larger dollar amounts. The auditors recommended replacing or modernizing the system and noted that delays in doing so prolong risk. OSPI largely agreed that the current platform needs replacement and said it has been working toward a new system for years. Agency officials clarified that the Legislature requested a feasibility study in 2022, that the study found the system at risk of catastrophic failure, and that funding for a replacement is now in the state IT pool subject to OCIO/OFM gate reviews. OSPI disputed the audit’s characterization of the rounding and budget-law discrepancies, saying the issue was an agency rule and implementation choice, not an error that caused under- or over-allocation. Officials also said the current system is too old to easily absorb future formula changes, but that the planned replacement should be flexible enough to handle a new funding model if the Legislature adopts one. Committee members asked about the amount and timing of the $16 million project funding, whether smaller districts face greater risk, how many times data is entered, and whether the funding formula should be simplified. Auditors and OSPI both emphasized that formula simplification is a policy question for the Legislature, not the audit. Public testimony came from one online witness, who urged full implementation of the audit recommendations and modernization of the system. The subcommittee took no formal vote and adjourned after the presentations and testimony.