Transcript Highlights:

• We recognize that the federal government may not choose to approve that tax because... ...the federal
• Businesses can deduct sales taxes from federal income, so this is the tax that the federal government
• the federal share.
• Under the federal government, California and other states are still able to claim federal dollars for
• So when you said that we get federal dollars, with H.R. 1 in place, do we still get federal dollars?

Summary: The Senate Budget and Fiscal Review subcommittee heard four budget trailer bills: AB 110, AB 122, AB 125, and AB 177. AB 110 was described as a budget bill junior identifying budget-related legislation. AB 122 would extend sales tax to electronically delivered or remotely accessed prewritten software, extend and later limit business tax credits, reduce the annual LLC/LLP/LP tax for first-year businesses for three years, and impose a 100% tax on certain federal anti-weaponization fund settlements. AB 125 would renew the managed care organization (MCO) tax for three years beginning in 2027 to support Medi-Cal and targeted provider rate increases. AB 177 would require the Department of Finance to return by March 1, 2027 with options for assessing large employers for the Medi-Cal costs of employees enrolled in the program, including at least one employer-paid premium option for firms with 250 or more employees, and would appropriate $1,000 General Fund for implementation. Administration witnesses said AB 122 modernizes the tax system and helps create general fund revenue, while AB 125 is needed to preserve Medi-Cal financing and targeted rate increases under new federal constraints from H.R. 1 and to avoid a budget hole if the MCO tax expires. On AB 177, Finance said the bill is only a study and does not itself impose a tax, but would direct the administration to develop options for future consideration. Supportive members argued the package is part of a balanced approach to address the structural deficit, protect health care and other safety-net programs, and ensure large corporations pay more of their share. They also said AB 177 is a necessary step toward asking large employers to help cover public health care costs for workers who rely on Medi-Cal. Opponents, led by Vice Chair Niello and several other Republicans, argued the state does not have a revenue shortage but a spending problem, warning that the proposals would raise costs on consumers and businesses, discourage innovation, and expand taxes beyond their intended scope. They criticized AB 122 as potentially taxing labor-like services and limiting research and development credits, and said AB 125 would increase premiums for commercial enrollees and employers. On AB 177, they questioned the lack of definitions and specifics, saying the bill is too vague and could eventually burden employers, including hospitals and part-time workers, without clear standards. No votes were taken in the portion of the hearing provided; the committee heard testimony and questions before public comment and later action.

Transcript Highlights:

• They will not meet federal standards, which, by the way, the federal standard, you're going to hear about
• So there's the federal subventions program.
• A project needs to have federal authorization.
• Up to the federal government.
• Cost for very expensive federal projects.

Summary: The committee held an informational hearing on flood risk and flood management in California, with opening remarks emphasizing that flooding is a statewide and growing threat due to climate change, including the possibility of extreme losses in a worst-case event. Members noted recent flooding in places such as San Diego, the Tulare Basin, and Pajaro, and framed the hearing as a way to better understand prevention, response, and how to capture excess water for later use. Jeffrey Mount of PPIC gave the main overview, describing California’s high flood exposure, the different flood types the state faces, and the mix of structural and non-structural tools used to manage them. He stressed that levees, dams, bypasses, land-use planning, flood insurance, and emergency response all matter, but that risk is rising because current standards are based on past hydrology rather than future climate conditions. He also warned that flood management is underfunded, that the National Flood Insurance Program is weak, and that federal support is increasingly uncertain. Members asked about groundwater recharge, permitting, NOAA and federal cuts, and which communities are most at risk; Mount said recharge can help but does not eliminate flood risk, and that small Central Valley communities and heavily developed floodplains are especially concerning. State officials Laura Hollander of the Department of Water Resources and Jane Dolan of the Central Valley Flood Protection Board described the state’s role in forecasting, emergency response, grants, planning, and the Central Valley Flood Protection Plan. They highlighted aging infrastructure, the need for better coordination, and the state’s special liability in the Central Valley after the Paterno decision. Dolan reviewed the history of major floods and said the plan calls for about $1 billion per year over 30 years to meet current needs, while Hollander said the state works with local and federal partners on preparedness, response, and subventions projects. Both emphasized that floodplain planning, regional coordination, and faster permitting are important, but that more consistent funding is needed. A later panel from local flood agencies and districts reinforced those points, arguing that the state’s annual flood funding is below identified needs and that a proposed statewide flood and dam safety bond was reduced substantially in the broader climate bond package. Witnesses urged more routine maintenance funding, support for regional flood planning, and continued federal-state-local partnerships to reduce risk and maintain eligibility for federal assistance. No formal votes or legislative actions were taken during the informational hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• We issued an unmodified opinion on the federal program, a clean opinion on the federal program.
• Can they direct?
• There is federal funding.
• , federal dollars.
• So that federal money, though, being as federal, is there an accountability to the federal government

Committee: Joint Legislative Audit and Fiscal Review Committee

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• These are the services that are directed to us under 295.22, the Florida Vets program.
• This is an example of a federal grant. This is a relationship we've had with the U.S.
• Under the federal AGVets, we can't train spouses.
• Under the federal AGVets, we can't train spouses.
• But if it's a state program, then we can use the federal Federal AGVets, we can't train spouses.

Committee: Senate Military and Veterans Affairs, Space, and Domestic Security

Summary: The Committee on Military Veterans Affairs, Space, and Domestic Security met to consider SB 96, which originally proposed a new veterans dental care program but was amended to expand the existing Veterans Dental Care Grant Program. The amendment raised eligibility from 300% to 400% of the federal poverty level and added a recurring $500,000 general revenue appropriation. Members discussed whether expanding eligibility without guaranteed additional funding could dilute services for veterans already being served, while supporters argued it would help veterans currently turned away for dental care. The committee adopted the amendment and then reported CS/SB 96 favorably by roll call vote, with Chair Wright voting no. The committee also approved two committee bills continuing public records exemptions: SPB 7000, covering the address and telephone number of people staying in public emergency shelters during storms or catastrophic events, and SPB 7002, covering certain Department of Military Affairs records stored in or transmitted through Department of Defense systems or related to military cyber operations. Both were moved as committee bills without objection and were favorably reported. Members then received presentations from Dr. Pia Woodley of the Florida Veterans Foundation and Joe Marino of Veterans Florida. Dr. Woodley outlined the foundation’s dental initiatives, emergency assistance, transportation support, benefits guide distribution, new programs for state veterans’ homes and community grants, and recent audits with no findings. Marino described Veterans Florida’s SkillBridge, entrepreneur, and workforce programs, including outreach and federal partnerships, and noted legislative priorities to allow stipends for training at UF IFAS AGVets facilities and to rename a program in statute for clarity. The meeting concluded with no further business and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• The federal government got involved.
• The federal code in question is 18 U.S.C.
• or federal veterans benefit claims.
• But it seemed to me that it was in direct opposition to what the federal rules said.
• of federal delegates to oppose the sale of those lands as well. ...of federal delegates to oppose the

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Scott: I'm one of those who represents a lot of federal employees.
• MEETING WITH FEDERAL AGENCIES.
• This bill supports our troops, It pays federal workers.
• Federal workers should be, and I quote, traumatically affected.
• The federal workforce has dwindled by 200,000 since January.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So there's been a lot of federal funds. So they apply for a lot of federal grants.
• This is the problem with a lot of these federal programs that tie us up.
• So we take federal money, we take their controls.
• Part of that because of the federal requirements.
• So some of these ones we're just stuck with when we take a lot of this federal money.

Summary: The House Commerce and Human Resources Committee opened by welcoming new members Representatives Bingham and Haas and a new committee secretary, Michelle Coburn. The committee then received a briefing from Representative Josh Tanner on the JFAC budget process, with Tanner emphasizing that germane committees should pay closer attention to budget impacts, fiscal notes, ongoing costs, and whether existing programs still achieve their intended purpose. He discussed the committee’s role in reviewing policy decisions that drive spending, the limits of using stabilization funds for structural spending problems, and the major budget drivers in Idaho, especially education, health and welfare, and corrections. Members asked Tanner about Medicaid, agency cuts, and the risk that repeated reductions could lead to furloughs and pension impacts. Tanner said additional Medicaid cuts would be constrained by federal approval, noted that some Health and Welfare reductions were already being considered, and argued that agencies should identify where cuts can be made rather than relying on reserves. He also encouraged the committee to look backward at existing statutes and programs to determine whether they still work or should be scaled back. The committee then considered two RS measures. Representative Ted Hill presented RS 3-2-878, a bill to conform Idaho leave law to recent changes increasing military leave from 120 to 160 hours and removing a contradiction in the law; the committee moved to introduce it and the motion passed. Representative Furman presented RS 32833, which would fix compliance issues in PERSI by aligning Idaho law with the federal Secure Act 2.0 and allowing after-tax Roth-style contributions in the PERSI Choice 401(k) plan; the committee also moved to introduce it and the motion passed. The meeting ended with notice of a future Thursday meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• The, the federal funds are swept into the treasury.
• This is for some federal funds maximization.
• Uh, the requirement may conflict with federal law.
• Um, this would direct use of the Federal Data Services hub for, uh, SNAP, um, eligibility determinations
• This would um direct.

Committee: House Appropriations - S/C on Article II

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> reapproved um it's a 100% federally reapproved um it's a 100% federally funded<00:04:21.759><c>
• </c> significant ties to the Federal significant ties to the Federal Department<00:05:09.600><c> of</
• </c> state budget this is not 100% federally state budget this is not 100% federally reimbursable<00:
• Does this type of preference already exist for federal employment at the federal level for federal positions
• It was an executive order by former President Biden for federal civilians, so federal employment, so

Committee: House State-federal Relations and Veterans Affairs

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• People can also choose a consumer-directed option so they can hire their own staff and direct their own
• ><c> their</c> hire their own staff and direct their hire their own staff and direct their own In terms
• <00:31:31.600><c> initiatives</c> federal initiatives federal initiatives coordinator<00:31:33.799><c
• </c> rolling in our first cohort of direct rolling in our first cohort of direct support<00:34:06.760
• </c> waiver so so what what is the federal waiver so so what what is the federal climate<00:35:21.119

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Committee on Health and Human Services held an informational briefing on the Developmental Disabilities Council and related agencies. The Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities outlined its 2025 legislative priorities, including a pilot project for guardian ad litem and capacity evaluations in guardianship/conservatorship cases, a supported decision-making bill, a health disparities study for people with disabilities, an ABLE savings outreach/staffing measure, a Medicaid buy-in proposal, an adult changing tables equity bill, and a resolution on fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Council representatives emphasized that supported decision-making would complement tools like powers of attorney and medical releases, and that the health disparities study would help identify unmet needs by ZIP code and improve state data on the intellectual and developmental disability population. The Center on Disability Studies at the University of Hawaii described its role as the research and training arm within the DD system, working with the DD Council and the Hawaii Disability Rights Center. It reported activities such as interdisciplinary training, community education, technical assistance, research collaborations, the Pacific Rim International Conference on Disability and Diversity, publications, telehealth, ECHO Autism, and counseling for Maui fire survivors. The center said it leveraged about $16 million in outside funding last year and highlighted goals focused on workforce development, community capacity, research with direct participation from people with disabilities, and accessible dissemination of information. The Hawaii Disability Rights Center, the state’s protection and advocacy agency, supported the Council’s priorities, especially supported decision-making, which it said could help some people avoid guardianship while preserving liberty and reducing state resource use. The center also raised concerns about the DD system budget and urged legislators to review whether the Developmental Disabilities Division is requesting enough funding, noting possible backsliding in services and eligibility. The Developmental Disabilities Division of the Department of Health then outlined its statewide waiver program serving just over 3,500 people, its service array, and its budget request for increased waiver funding, a federal initiatives coordinator, and IT upgrades to comply with the new HCBS access rule; no votes or formal actions were taken during the briefing.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so when federal enforcement ...education equity.
• And that fear gets used against us from both directions.
• That very same month last year, a federal order directed agencies to ensure that no monument reflects
• In January of 2025, the federal government In January of 2025, the federal government rescinded the policy
• And these federal actions are having a direct impact on our state's ability to provide gender-affirming

Summary: The committee on Hate, Racism, and Xenophobia met to review California hate-crime trends and hear from state agencies and community organizations about current impacts and policy responses. The California Department of Justice reported that 2025 hate-crime events declined modestly from 2024 but remained historically elevated, with race and ethnicity still the largest category, anti-Black bias the most frequently reported, and notable increases in anti-Hispanic/Latino and citizenship/immigration-status bias. The California Commission on the State of Hate said its research and victimization studies show hate is broader than official crime data alone, with millions of Californians experiencing hate incidents and many victims needing services beyond law enforcement, including mental health care, legal help, and workplace protections. The commission also emphasized online radicalization, the need for better data infrastructure, and stronger training and support systems. Members then heard from the NAACP, LULAC, Jewish California, CHIRLA, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, CAIR California, and Equality California. Testimony described fear, underreporting, and the effects of rhetoric, federal policy changes, and online misinformation on Black, Latino, Jewish, immigrant, Asian American, Muslim, and LGBTQ+ communities. Witnesses urged sustained funding for Stop the Hate and nonprofit security grants, stronger language access, civic education, and community-based reporting and victim services. Several groups also called for specific legislation, including measures on racial profiling, immigration detention oversight, Jewish ethnicity recognition, safe worship zones, anti-Muslim hate prevention, and LGBTQ+ data privacy and health protections. Committee discussion focused on the conditions that fuel hate, especially political polarization, social media radicalization, and the role of public figures and institutions in normalizing dehumanizing language. Members and witnesses discussed the limits of current data, the need for long-term research and prevention strategies, and the importance of solidarity across communities. No formal votes or final committee actions were taken in the transcript, though members referenced existing and pending bills and ongoing efforts to expand training, funding, and anti-hate infrastructure.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, what are the five policies that account for over 85% of federal savings?
• </c><00:08:09.840><c> and</c><00:08:10.080><c> state</c> between the federal and state between the federal
• </c> realize the same savings as the federal realize the same savings as the federal government<00:08
• </c> account for over 85% of federal savings? account for over 85% of federal savings?
• </c> are a significant portion of the federal are a significant portion of the federal savings<00:09:

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: At its second meeting on July 30, 2025, the Medicaid Oversight and Advisory Board approved the minutes from its June 25 meeting and received housekeeping materials, including follow-up information on provider taxes, mandatory and optional Medicaid services, and the 1115 community engagement waiver. The chair noted that members should hold general questions until the end of the meeting. The main presentation came from Katherine Castanza of the National Conference of State Legislators, who gave a nonpartisan overview of Medicaid provisions in HR1. She explained that the bill contains more than 20 Medicaid-related provisions, with major changes affecting provider taxes, state-directed payments, eligibility and enrollment rules, work or community engagement requirements, and the frequency of eligibility redeterminations for expansion populations. She emphasized that five provisions account for most of the federal savings, that the fiscal effects are backloaded into the final years of the 10-year window, and that expansion states and provider payment changes make up a large share of the impact. Castanza also highlighted that the Medicaid provisions would take effect either upon enactment or before October 1, 2029, creating roughly a five-year implementation period. She noted that some states may not realize the same savings as the federal government because of financing changes and implementation responsibilities, and she cited estimates that the enacted Senate provisions could reduce hospital payments by 18.2%, or more than $660 billion over 10 years. The transcript provided does not show any votes or final actions beyond adoption of the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> federal government passed right to try. federal government passed right to try.
• </c><00:14:09.839><c> standards</c> standards federal standards standards federal standards We're<00:
• </c> licensing them, but they are federal licensing them, but they are federal standards<00:14:14.480
• :25.760><c> government</c><00:25:26.000><c> to</c> to push the federal government to to push the federal
• We'll call it the current stem cell 1.0 and the direct supervision.

Bills: HB0003 , HB0117 , HB0041

Committee: House Labor, Health & Social Services

Keywords: pregnancy centers, abortion, pro-life, healthcare, women's rights, state regulation, civil rights, freedom of speech, informed consent, civil liability, coercion, healthcare rights, law enforcement, death benefits, retirement, survivor support, public safety, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• was In accordance with the federal State Digital Equity Planning Grant Program, which was focused on
• This includes implementing those federal dollars along with the state matching funds.
• Second, both direct grantees and subgrantees must be properly vetted.
• Second, both direct grantees and subgrantees must be properly vetted.
• Program contracts stated that direct grantee, for reimbursement.

Keywords: 904, all

Summary: The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee subcommittee held a hybrid hearing to receive three State Auditor’s Office performance audits. The first audit examined implementation of the Law Enforcement Training and Community Safety Act. Auditors said the Criminal Justice Training Commission had developed most required training, but six community/cultural topics were still unfinished, the patrol tactics curriculum was incomplete in one area, and the agency lacked a systematic project management approach. They reported that most officers had not completed the 40 required hours, with low participation in patrol tactics training, weak communication, limited data to track compliance, and ineffective incentives or consequences. Committee members questioned staffing, liability, and enforcement, and the Commission said it generally agreed with the findings and had begun implementing recommendations, including improving training development and communication. The second audit reviewed Washington’s digital equity planning. Auditors concluded the state lacked a comprehensive, unified digital equity strategy, a designated lead, and reliable funding. They said the existing PEAR/Impact Plan, BEAD five-year plan, and NTIA-approved digital equity plan each addressed parts of the issue but none provided a full statewide framework with clear authority across agencies. The Department of Commerce’s Broadband Office and the Office of Equity said they agreed with the findings and were open to working with the legislature and the Digital Equity Forum on a more structured approach. A public witness described local and regional digital equity planning efforts and emphasized the importance of coordination and community-based work. The third audit focused on Commerce’s management of the Digital Navigator Program. Auditors said Commerce did not consistently use a competitive process, did not adequately vet grantees and subgrantees, wrote contracts that lacked clear deliverables and monitoring requirements, failed to enforce reporting, and paid $10.7 million without sufficient documentation to verify reimbursement eligibility. They said agency staff had raised concerns that were ignored and that some payments and contract expansions occurred despite warnings. Commerce officials said new leadership had already begun major contract-management reforms, including centralized oversight, risk assessments, clearer documentation standards, and staff training, and they said they would pursue recapture where appropriate. Committee members expressed strong concern about accountability, and the hearing ended after public testimony and committee discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our research projects are primarily legislatively directed.
• One was to streamline or harmonize state and federal regulations.
• We also saw direct subsidies.
• The Accombe Treaty of 1855 is a federally ratified treaty and, under the U.S.
• Constitution's supremacy clause, it has the force of supreme federal law.

Summary: The committee heard public testimony on Senate Bill 5821, which would direct the Department of Commerce, if funded by gifts or grants, to develop a nuclear power strategic framework and integrate it into the state energy strategy. Supporters, including Sen. Braun, Energy Northwest, public power representatives, and several pro-nuclear advocates, said Washington needs to keep advanced nuclear on the table to address rising electricity demand, reliability concerns, and clean energy goals. Opponents, including the Sierra Club, Columbia Riverkeeper, tribal representatives, and other environmental advocates, argued the bill gives nuclear special treatment, lacks sufficient guardrails on waste, safety, cost, and public process, and was rushed without adequate tribal consultation. Several tribal testifiers said the bill should require early, meaningful government-to-government consultation and stronger protections for treaty rights and cultural resources. The committee then held a work session on a Washington State Institute for Public Policy report reviewing state policies supporting small modular reactors. Staff and researchers explained that the report surveyed 79 policies in 35 states and found most states are still in preliminary planning stages, with policies focused on feasibility studies, siting, workforce development, permitting, financial support, and market integration. Members asked about water use, waste, footprint, and whether the report covered fusion; the researchers said it was limited to fission and that water needs vary by reactor design. Some senators noted the need to consider lifecycle impacts and compare nuclear with other energy technologies. The committee also heard Senate Bill 6010, which would change FSEC tribal consultation procedures by exempting most government-to-government consultations from the Open Public Meetings Act when there is no deliberation or commitments, requiring all FSEC members to participate in consultation, and giving tribes a chance to review and correct the consultation summary before it goes to the governor. Tribal witnesses and environmental groups supported the bill as a way to improve confidentiality and meaningful consultation, while the Association of Washington Business opposed it, saying it could add delays and suggesting timelines. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 6004, which would update contracting statutes so public entities can contract for renewable or non-emitting generation capability under CETA definitions; utilities supported the update as a modernization, while consumer and environmental opponents warned it could shift financial risk to ratepayers, especially for nuclear projects. No votes were taken in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• Sarah Flachs, California Federation of Labor Unions, in support.
• elections, but the legislature should not direct California public servants to attempt to impede federal
• employees. ...should not direct California public servants to attempt to impede federal employees from
• Thank you. should not direct California public servants to attempt to impede federal employees from enforcing
• But this applies both to state and federal officers.

Committee: House Elections

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The law cuts federal Medicaid funding, putting benefits at risk.
• of directed payments, which directly affects hospital systems and care access.
• These federal cuts specifically...
• SB 1201 helps protect veterans from these cuts by directing the state to request federal waivers to exclude
• Recent federal court decisions...

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We had a federal reduction to these funds.
• So we had a small reduction in our federal funding.
• We've also had a trend in federal funding where the federal fiscal year begins October 1.
• We're more and more not seeing those federal funds released to us every year from our federal partners
• So this increase will cover that federal decrease, but we'll also make sure that when we start the federal

Summary: The committee met to hear the Governor’s proposed budget for the Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development silo and to consider one bill. The Governor’s Office outlined a $117.4 billion state budget, including $18.3 billion for the TED area, with major allocations for the Department of Transportation, Commerce, Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, State, Military Affairs, Emergency Management, and the Florida State Guard. Agency heads then presented their priorities, including housing and disaster recovery funds at Commerce; pay, vehicles, aviation, and data systems at Highway Safety; facility modernization, recruitment, retention, and maintenance at Military Affairs; election audit, conservation lab, and historic preservation funding at State; transportation, aviation, seaport, and safety investments at DOT; and emergency response, flood mitigation, grant systems, and alerting at Emergency Management. Members asked questions about Visit Florida’s private match, FHP’s role in immigration enforcement and body cameras, National Guard deployment tempo and staffing, State Guard staffing and facilities, arts grant rules, rail funding, and the number of detainees at the Everglades detention site. Several notable positions were expressed during questioning. Visit Florida said it met and exceeded its private match requirement and described the match as important to ensuring value from public dollars. The Highway Patrol said its aviation assets have been used more heavily in immigration enforcement and that in-vehicle camera systems were a higher priority than body cameras at present. The National Guard and State Guard both emphasized heavy operational demands, readiness needs, and the importance of additional funding for facilities, personnel, and equipment. The Department of State said its audit funding would help counties move to automated post-election audits and that its arts grant rule changes were intended to create more consistent scoring rather than reduce access. The committee then took up CS/SB 48 on accessory dwelling units. The bill requires local governments to allow property owners to voluntarily create ADUs, preserves homestead treatment for the primary residence portion, limits parking restrictions, and extends density bonus incentives to housing for military families receiving basic housing allowance. An amendment was adopted removing reusable tenant screening reports and clarifying that compliant ADUs are allowed by right without a separate hearing or permit. Testimony from the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association supported the bill, especially the long-term rental requirement, as a tool to help workforce housing. The committee reported the bill favorably by a roll call vote, and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• out that Federal agencies have acted based on flawed information.
• requirements in Federal contracting.
• The Federal Government relies heavily on contract employees.
• AND A FEDERAL CONTRACT SOLICITATION.
• It is far past time the Federal Government follows suit.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, February 23, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> And ODCP also had a one-time federal And ODCP also had a one-time federal grant<00:22:52.320><c>
• /c><01:03:24.880><c> federal</c> derivatives from federal or federal derivatives from federal or federal
• And it's currently federal funding. &gt;&gt; Yes. And it's currently federal funding.
• , and the federal—are there federal limits on how much money you can spend for administrative cost?
• are</c> state versus federal and the federal are state versus federal and the federal are are<01:26:34.560

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:00:07 Chair Comments 00:00:36 Approval of Minutes 00:04:01 Volunteers of America 00:04:21 Soil and Water Conservation/Energy and Environment Cabinet 00:14:52 Kentucky Office of Drug Control Policy/Justice & Public Safety Cabinet 00:21:05 Kentucky Department of Agriculture 00:26:01 Early Childhood Advisory Council 00:45:18, 958, all

Summary: The Tobacco Settlement Agreement Fund Oversight Committee met to review how tobacco settlement dollars are being used and to press recipients for detailed information on total funding, administrative versus program spending, and measurable outcomes. The chair emphasized that the committee was not there for general program overviews, but to assess return on investment and whether each program should continue to receive tobacco settlement support. The committee approved the minutes from its December 22, 2025 meeting and then heard presentations from several agencies and organizations. Volunteers of America Mid-States described its southeastern Kentucky restorative justice program, which uses an evidence-based New Zealand model for juvenile cases in nine counties. The group reported tobacco settlement funding of $516,000 in FY24 and $233,500 in FY25, representing about 17% and then about 5% of the program budget, respectively. It said the funding helped expand the program from 13 cases in 2021 to 180 youth served, and cited an independent evaluation showing recidivism of 24.5% compared with 40.4% in AOC data, along with a cost of a little under $20 per day versus detention and other placements. Some members questioned whether the program fit the tobacco settlement funding categories and suggested it might be better supported through other justice-related funding sources. The Energy and Environment Cabinet’s Division of Conservation explained that tobacco funds support $1 million in direct aid to conservation districts and $2 million in cost-share projects for farmers, with 5% of the cost-share appropriation allowed for administration, or about $100,000 in FY26. Officials said the direct-aid line was moved into tobacco funding in 2019, reducing money available for farmer cost-share, and described a multi-year project approval and reallocation process. Senator Webb asked for a more specific breakdown of the $850,000 direct-aid amount, and the cabinet said it would provide that information. The Kentucky Office of Drug Control Policy reported that in FY24 it expended just under $30 million across tobacco funds, general funds, restricted funds, and a one-time federal grant, with less than 2% used for administration. Officials said most tobacco settlement money goes to Kentucky ASAP local boards in all 120 counties, supporting prevention, treatment, and some law enforcement work. The Department of Agriculture then began its presentation, describing strategic investments, loan programs, county funding, administrative costs, and a reported return of about $2.30 for every dollar spent, but the transcript cuts off before that presentation was completed.