Transcript Highlights:

• It's my privilege to call the hearing to order.
• We're going to go, I'm going to get into line later on, so we're going to go right to you Mitch.
• Chair, and welcome to our panelists. I want to say a particular hello to Ms.
• put the tools together to be able to get going, whether it's access to capital or to land or to farm
• To address this, I plan to file an amendment to the continuing resolution this week to lift the USDA

Keywords: farm bill, rural economy, crop insurance, access to credit, young farmers, USDA funding freeze, agricultural policy, risk management

Summary: The meeting of the agricultural committee focused on significant concerns regarding the current state of America's rural economy, highlighting the need for a strong five-year farm bill to address the challenges faced by farmers, particularly young and beginning farmers. Key testimony was given by multiple stakeholders including agricultural leaders and young farmers, emphasizing issues related to crop insurance, access to credit, and the adverse impact of recent USDA funding freezes. Various members discussed the necessity of risk management tools that farmers rely on to secure financing, which is crucial for sustaining agricultural operations and supporting rural communities. The importance of timely legislative action was underscored, as many farmers reported struggles in the current economic climate, raising urgency for reforms within the Farm Bill framework.

Transcript Highlights:

• companies have to sell to somebody.
• to come back to communities and I want to come back to the<00:20:07.880> chairman<00:20:08.280
• <00:20:17.159> do brought up to me that we needed to do brought up to me that we needed to
• have another meeting to go to the topics have another meeting to go to the topics that<00:20:44.240
• think if you were to speak to Pat Malloy think if you were to speak to Pat Malloy or<00:23:36.600

Keywords: 00:01 Call to Order and Roll Call 00:34 Economic Development Cabinet 27:51 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The committee met without a quorum, so the minutes from the last two meetings were not approved. Secretary Noel of the Cabinet for Economic Development then gave a broad overview of the cabinet’s work and an update on the Kentucky Product Development Initiative (KPD), with Deputy Secretary Katie Smith and General Counsel Matt also present. He said the cabinet’s strategy is to focus on high-wage job creation, especially in automotive transformation, business and financial professional services, tourism, logistics, agri-tech, aerospace, and other high-tech sectors, while also supporting small and medium-sized businesses and existing employers. Noel highlighted several program results and examples, including average incentivized wages approaching $27 per hour, 877 jobs and $346 million in investment through hub operations, $90 million through Commonwealth Ventures, help for hundreds of companies through the Kentucky Intellectual Property Alliance, work with 220 companies through the Kentucky Science and Technology Council, nearly 3,000 students in Advanced Kentucky, and more than 1,100 participants in Kentucky Valor. He also cited 35,000 workers trained through Bluegrass State Skills, 177 businesses helped by the small business tax credit, and 77 entertainment incentive transactions totaling about $200 million and 7,400 jobs. On the grant side, he said the cabinet had approved 155 projects under a federal grant program, committing $99 million, with outreach aimed at smaller communities and all 120 counties. The main focus of the second half was KPD. Noel described it as a program that requires more than basic due diligence, emphasizing community readiness, local vision, title and mineral-rights review, sewer validation, and consultant review. He said 109 projects had been awarded in the earlier rounds, and in 2024 there were 45 requests for information seeking $81 million against $35 million in available funding, showing strong demand. He also said the cabinet has worked with local economic developers through five regions aligned with area development districts, and that the secretary, deputy secretary, or commissioner of business development must attend the regional meetings, with 100% attendance reported for the key three last year. In response to questions, he said Jefferson County’s lack of KPD projects so far likely reflects where local land and development strategies are in the process rather than a lack of interest, and he said the cabinet has not heard that Kentucky’s occupational safety and health rules are clearly helping or hurting competitiveness, though he offered to look into it further.

Transcript Highlights:

• [applause] And I'd like to have the military aid please come down and take care of the service.
• <01:17:53.920> to<01:17:54.239> big want to stop all payments to big want to stop all
• turned to IVF. turned to IVF.
• enforcement to restore law and order to enforcement to restore law and order to our<01:49:52.080
• Great to get to know you.

Keywords: Presidential address to the Joint Session of the United States Congress on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So you had to work network to Excel.
• And those penalties were almost exclusively due to the fact that we had to make all these changes to
• of the lawsuit. uh to our committee report to LRC and my uh to our committee report to LRC and my co-chair
• /c><00:20:56.480> what and we need them to be able to know what and we need them to be able to
• struggle to try to get water in this to struggle to try to get water in this next<00:21:37.919> generation

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Zayo Group 00:00:50 Committee Report to LRC 00:18:12, 958, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony from Michael McCurley, president of Zo Education and a senior vice president with Zo Group, about the company’s role in providing broadband and managed network services to Kentucky schools. He said Zo Education serves all Kentucky K-12 public school districts in partnership with the Kentucky Department of Education, offering more bandwidth at lower cost than the prior provider and also providing cybersecurity and network protection. He emphasized that reliable connectivity is essential for instruction, testing, remote coursework, and school administration. McCurley also addressed the ongoing contract dispute involving the Kentucky Communications Network Authority and Open Fiber Silicom, saying Zo Education is not a party to the litigation but is concerned about possible disruption to schools and students. In response to committee questions, he said the company incurred unexpected costs when it had to reroute connections and build alternate network paths, including one school move that cost more than $50,000 to serve a site generating under $2,000 per month. He said outages and incidents are more frequent when Kentucky Wired access is unavailable, and that Zo could not have bid at its current price without access to Kentucky Wired. Committee members discussed the broader implications of the dispute and the state’s broadband structure. Senator Williams said the committee’s priority is avoiding disruption to students and noted concerns about infrastructure purchases and upgrades tied to the network, saying he had not seen clear contractual support for some of the expenditures. He also referenced a future audit and said the committee should preserve options and taxpayer funds. The committee then reviewed its report to LRC, including changes related to infrastructure purchases and water asset management technology, and agreed to submit the report without a committee vote. The chair announced the next meeting would be in January, with no December meeting scheduled, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• ><01:20:24.800> US all over the world to buy a path to US all over the world to buy a path to
• to get urgently needed relief to to get urgently needed relief to Americans<01:24:23.560> hit
• You've got to be equal to us.'
• If you want to end wars, you have to talk to both sides.
• to end the senseless War if you want to to end the senseless War if you want to end<02:17:57.120

Keywords: Presidential address to the Joint Session of the United States Congress on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:05:15.400> the to do every year according to the to do every year according to the statute
• So if you've got questions, he's the one to go to, not me.
• come to us.
• <00:13:27.040> to we also come back several times to to we also come back several times to
• In 2021, we went down again to 46. In 2022, down to 42.

Keywords: 00:00 Call to Order and Roll Call 00:30 Energy and Environment Cabinet 18:56 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The Tourism and Energy committee received a presentation from Gordon Sloan, Commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources, and Deputy Commissioner David Fields on the Division of Mine Safety. They outlined the division’s structure, saying it has four branch offices in Madisonville, Harlan, Hazard, and Pikeville, with 36 inspectors total, plus administrative staff and several headquarters specialists. They also explained that four additional inspectors are on sick leave or workers’ compensation and will not be backfilled, and confirmed that inspectors work from offices rather than from home. The presentation focused on mine safety duties and staffing needs. Sloan said underground licensed mines must receive six inspections annually, including mine safety analyses, an electrical inspection, roof inspections, and regular inspections of airways, returns, belts, and miner safety equipment. He also described the division’s mine rescue responsibilities, including providing rescue coverage where operators do not have their own teams, maintaining teams within an hour’s drive of mines, and supporting training and certification. The division also conducts 17 training courses and about 8,000 to 9,000 trainings per year. Members were given updated mine and employment figures. Sloan reported 126 licensed mines in 2024 across the branch areas, with 61 active all year and others idle or later abandoned. He said Kentucky had 4,683 miners in 2024, with average employment of 4,509, and noted that the state had gone 34 months without a mining fatality since March 2022. He also said the division provides rescue services for 16 underground rock quarries, three highway tunnels, and three underground military training sites. In response to questions, Sloan said the division does not plan to refill the four vacant inspector positions because staffing is adequate statewide, and he said he would provide additional historical mine data later. The committee took no formal action and adjourned.

Bills: HR17, HB385, HB406, HB787, HB1021, HB1058, HB1059

Keywords: education, investment, workforce development, TOPS, higher education, repayment, scholarships, academic eligibility, financial aid, athletics, high school sports, state report, student wellness, computer science, scholarship, curriculum requirements, workforce training, education funding, data administration, financial assistance

Transcript Highlights:

• We're going to go to the room.
• I'm going to defer to the expert. Mr. Chairman, Senator Rosel. I'm going to defer to the expert.
• an hour just to get to school.
• Students travel 45 minutes to an hour just to get to school.
• Are you going to have to come back every year to this group to get these OST programs funded?

Bills: SB83, SB106, SB107, SB123, SJR1

Keywords: ecological monitoring, sustainability, tribal engagement, education, research funding, graduate scholarship, higher education funding, New Mexico, appropriation, financial aid, out-of-school programming, education funding, youth programs, affordability, nonprofit organizations, defibrillators, public schools, health and safety, emergency response, school elections

Transcript Highlights:

• get them to come to this instead.
• So I just want to caution us that we have to go out there and make an appropriate response to the situation
• able to say, "No, we're not going to allow you," or "We will allow you to create a new school."
• able to say, "No, we're not going to allow you," or "We will allow you to create a new school."
• to happen tomorrow.

Bills: SB83, SB106, SB107, SB123, SJR1

Keywords: ecological monitoring, sustainability, tribal engagement, education, research funding, graduate scholarship, higher education funding, New Mexico, appropriation, financial aid, out-of-school programming, education funding, youth programs, affordability, nonprofit organizations, defibrillators, public schools, health and safety, emergency response, school elections

Transcript Highlights:

• c><00:01:39.720> have I just um wanted to to say that we have I just um wanted to to say that
• Please present the bill. welcome to to you we're glad you're here welcome to to you we're glad you're
• > right so I apologize to you I want to right so I apologize to you I want to get<00:03:04.799> the
• The verdict is already in on the Walz administration's failure to address the resulting pollution.
• The verdict is already in on the Walz administration's failure to address the resulting pollution.

Bills: HF1126, HF967, HF1066, HF1669, HF926

Keywords: property tax, Indian Tribe, tax exemption, Minnesota, public charity, property tax exemption, Minnesota statutes, unorganized territory, federally recognized, soil conservation, water conservation, local government aid, environmental funding, Minnesota legislation, tax credits, sustainable aviation fuel, environmental policy, corporate franchise, Minnesota taxation, tobacco

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:15:30.079> legal<00:15:30.399> aid really sharp people that go to legal aid really
• sharp people that go to legal aid and<00:15:30.800> they<00:15:31.120> sometimes<00:15
• to and we are going to continue to work to and we are going to continue to work to take<01:08:32.799
• likely to have access to medical care. likely to have access to medical care.
• And I'll continue to do what I can do to And I'll continue to do what I can do to to<01:48:00.800

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00:00 Roll Call: 00:00:05 25 RS HB 534 - AN ACT relating to actions for forcible entry and detainer: 00:01:45 25 RS SB 111 - AN ACT relating to juvenile justice: 00:23:46 Children's Advocacy Centers of Kentucky: 01:13:26 Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) Treatment in State and County Correctional Facilities: 01:25:28, 958, all

Summary: The committee approved the September 18 minutes and then heard testimony on House Bill 534, which would automatically seal dismissed eviction filings and protect youth from public disclosure in forcible detainer cases. Rep. Susan Tyler Whitten and George Ecklan of the Coalition for the Homeless said the bill is aimed at reducing housing barriers for Kentuckians, especially those with dismissed cases, while preserving landlords’ rights to pursue rent, collections, damages, and other legal remedies. They said the proposal was developed with input from landlords, clerks, judges, AOC, and service providers, and noted that similar laws exist in other states. Several members, including Sen. Neimes, Rep. Deetsz, Rep. Cole Carney, and Sen. Thomas, expressed support while emphasizing that the bill is narrowly tailored to dismissed cases and should not affect legitimate landlord claims; Sen. Wheeler raised concerns about cases involving settlements or delays and whether future landlords should know about them. The sponsors responded that the bill only covers dismissed actions, that dismissals require a judge’s order, and that the goal is to remove barriers created by records that remain publicly visible even when a case is resolved. The committee then took up Senate Bill 111 on juvenile justice. Commissioner Randy White, Kentucky Hospital Association President Nancy Galvanny, and Dr. Clark Lester of the University of Kentucky said the bill would require a secure state-run facility for youth with high-acuity mental health needs in detention and, until that is built, create a process with incentives for private hospitals to provide inpatient treatment with safeguards and increased compensation. They argued that detention is not an appropriate setting for severely mentally ill, violent youth and that private psychiatric hospitals often refuse these referrals or discharge them early. Dr. Lester cited recent referral data showing high denial rates for juvenile justice youth in private hospitals in August and September, often due to aggression, and described a case in which repeated placement attempts failed because of violent and self-harming behavior. The presenters said the bill is intended to fill a service gap and improve safety and outcomes for youth, staff, and hospitals, but no vote or final action on the bill was taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:02:46.080> come to our committee and ask her to come to our committee and ask her to come
• uh to bring to to what is your thoughts uh to bring to to to to to support<00:21:00.480> that
• to school that we're able to teach them. to school that we're able to teach them.
• to to so many people many services to to so many people really<00:41:16.480> is<00:41:16.640>
• to get to be a Medicaid provider?

Keywords: 1. Call to Order and Roll Call – 00:00:00 2. Approval of Minutes – 00:01:32 3. Getting to Know the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky – 00:02:26 4. Healthy Kids Clinic – 00:26:58 5. Pharmacy Payment Parity – 00:56:36 6. Ibogaine – 01:17:37 7. Consideration of Referred Administrative Regulations – 01:53:05 8. Adjournment – 01:53:19, 958, all

Summary: The committee first approved the prior meeting minutes and recognized Eric Clark for his service, noting this may be his last meeting before he leaves state government. The main presentation was from Allison Adams, president and CEO of the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, who described the organization’s history, nonpartisan mission, and focus on health equity, prevention, and upstream policy solutions. She said Kentucky’s poor rankings in chronic disease, preventable hospitalizations, and life expectancy show the need to shift resources toward prevention and community-driven strategies rather than relying mainly on treatment after people become sick. Adams emphasized leading health indicators, arguing that lawmakers should track actionable measures such as quit attempts and smoke-free policies instead of only lagging indicators like disease rates and mortality. In response to questions, she said accountability should be shared across communities and systems, with possible incentives and disincentives tied to outcomes, and she supported creating a public data utility or dashboard, ideally with university partners, to help legislators and communities monitor progress. She also cited examples of accountable health community models and said Kentucky could adapt similar approaches. The committee then heard from Meade County Schools Superintendent Mark Martin and district health coordinator Karen Kotche about the Healthy Kids Clinic partnership with Cumberland Health. They described a seven-year effort that led to full implementation in the district, which now has a nurse in every school and a nurse practitioner, allowing services such as sports physicals and other clinic functions to be provided on campus. They said the program has been a strong investment for students and the community and began explaining how the district built the partnership after earlier efforts and delays, including the pandemic.

Transcript Highlights:

• 39.280> to<00:20:39.520> to<00:20:39.760> another go through the private to to to
• c> um to redetermine or to assist in um to redetermine or to assist in redetermining<00:47:51.119>
• to um pass that along to the committee to um pass that along to the committee because,<00:50:33.440>
• try together and create a process to to try together and create a process to to try to<00:56:17.839
• And no hospital's going to want to close. They're going to try everything to not close.

Keywords: 00:00:22 - Call to Order and Roll Call 00:03:00 – Approval of June 25, 2025 Minutes 00:03:22 - Update on Federal Changes to the Medicaid Program 01:03:44 - State Directed Payments, Provider Taxes, and the Rural Health Transformation Fund: How Medicaid Changes Could Impact Kentucky Hospitals 01:29:42 – Public Comments 01:45:25 – Announcements 01:46:19 - Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The Medicaid Oversight and Advisory Board met on July 30, 2025, approved the June 25 minutes, and received a presentation from Katherine Castanza of the National Conference of State Legislatures on Medicaid provisions in H.R. 1. The presentation outlined more than 20 Medicaid-related provisions, emphasizing that the largest federal savings come from work/community engagement requirements, changes to provider taxes, limits on state-directed payments, more frequent eligibility redeterminations for expansion populations, and related eligibility/enrollment changes. She said the fiscal effects are backloaded, with most reductions occurring in the later years of the 10-year window, and noted potential significant impacts on hospital payments and state financing. She also described new funding opportunities, including a $50 billion rural health transformation fund and a new home and community-based services waiver with associated grants. A substantial portion of the discussion focused on Kentucky’s pending community engagement 1115 waiver and how it would interact with the new federal requirements. Board members asked whether the waiver had been approved, what the cabinet’s contingency plan would be if CMS does not approve it, and what the timeline is for compliance. Cabinet representatives said the waiver has not yet been approved by CMS, remains under public comment, and that the state will wait for CMS guidance before moving forward; if needed, the state would amend the waiver or submit a new one. They said the work requirement must be in place by January 1, 2027, with a possible extension to 2028. Castanza also explained that expansion adults with incomes between 100% and 138% of the federal poverty level would face new cost-sharing requirements beginning October 1, 2028, and that eligibility redeterminations would move from annual to every six months starting January 1, 2027. She then walked through provider tax changes, including a moratorium on new provider taxes beginning October 1, 2026, and a phased reduction in the hold-harmless threshold for existing taxes beginning January 1, 2028, with exemptions for nursing facilities and ICF/IID providers. Board members questioned the timing and likely impact on Kentucky, and Castanza responded that the effect would depend on each tax’s current rate and would phase in over time.

Keywords: KY LRC YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xajsTjwPKKk, 2026-06-21T07:17:07+00:00, 2.2.24, Data collected via generic collector engine, PLEASE READ - Due to a network outage today's live streams may be unavailable. Should the stream never go live, a recording of the meeting will be uploaded to this channel as soon as possible. We apologize for any inconvenience., 958, all, 2.2.42, 2.1.47

Keywords: KY LRC YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZP7ul0jzZpQ, 2026-06-21T07:17:04+00:00, 2.2.24, Data collected via generic collector engine, 00:00:10 Roll call 00:00:43 Introduction of Special Guests 00:01:03 Approval of Minutes 00:01:24 Owensboro Riverport and Issues Specific to Larger Riverports 01:00:45 Riverport Operations and Issues Specific to Smaller Riverports, 958, all, 2.2.42, 2.1.47

Keywords: HI House YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjxdCva-PHU, 2026-07-02T01:22:28+00:00, 2.2.24, Data collected via generic collector engine, https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2021/hearingnotices/HEARING_HET_12-17-20_INFO_.HTM The purpose of this informational briefing is to inform the public and the Committee of the University of Hawaii's response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and proposed budget cuts., 910, house, all, 2.2.42, 2.1.47

Transcript Highlights:

• We use these funds first to match federal aid dollars.
• to match federal aid dollars.
• This to match federal aid dollars.
• Both Kentucky and Illinois are using their regular federal aid funds to equally share the cost of the
• aid funds to equally regular federal aid funds to equally share<00:40:13.920> the<00:40:14.240

Keywords: 00:03 Call to Order and Roll Call 00:57 Capital Projects and Highway Plan 56:11 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The House Budget Review Subcommittee on Transportation met to hear the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s presentation on the governor’s 2026 capital projects budget and recommended highway plan. Secretary Gray and cabinet staff first thanked KYTC snow and ice crews, local road departments, first responders, utility workers, and others for their work during a major winter storm, then outlined the capital budget request. The cabinet said its facilities are aging, with about 35% at or beyond useful life, and that limited road fund revenues led it to focus mainly on maintenance, maintenance pools, aircraft maintenance, environmental compliance, AASHTOWare upgrades, state park road maintenance, truck parking, and reauthorization of several projects, including airport work and road projects. The cabinet said the governor’s budget includes about $22.8 million in state funds for the capital budget over the biennium, plus carry-forward language for maintenance pools and project reauthorizations to avoid losing federal funds. Members asked about repeated reauthorizations, cost increases, and whether projects should be restarted as new requests after carrying over for multiple budgets. The cabinet responded that budget office policy generally allows only one reauthorization before a project must be resubmitted, and said many delays are due to acquisition or other project issues. Members also questioned the basis for increased-cost line items and the $5 million request for commercial truck parking; cabinet staff said they could provide original project cost details and that many increases are inflationary, while the truck parking project is expected to use federal funds and is a cabinet priority. The committee also discussed the decline in road fund receipts, which the cabinet attributed largely to lower motor fuels tax revenue. The presentation then shifted to the 2026 recommended highway plan. Officials said the plan covers more than 1,300 projects over six years and anticipates about $9.5 billion in federal and state funding. They said the plan is intended to maintain existing assets, advance long-term priority projects, and honor prior commitments, including the Mountain Parkway, the Brent Spence Companion Bridge, and the I-69 Ohio River Crossing. About 40% of plan funds are dedicated to existing pavements, bridges, and guardrails, and officials cited a 61% rise in highway construction costs from 2020 to 2025 as a major challenge. To help offset those pressures, the cabinet is seeking $125 million from the budget reserve trust fund for the Brent Spence Bridge and release of a federal grant condition tied to the already appropriated $150 million for the I-69 crossing. No votes were taken at the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• If you go to Florida, if you go to Georgia, if you go to Mississippi, if you go to South Carolina, if
• of hearing aid dealers, to provide for definitions, to provide for...” ...registration and licensing
• of hearing aid dealers, to provide for definitions, to provide for requirements for bill of sale contracts
• , to provide for testing periods for hearing aids, to provide for a limited cooling-off period, to provide
• Blanc asked me to come to the table, so I’m here to speak.

Bills: HB387, HB673, HB947, HB975, HB1102, HB1228, HB1229, HCR66, SB102, SB165, SB280, SB291, SB326, SB521

Keywords: engineering, land surveying, construction, state fire marshal, plan review, security cameras, abandoned property, blighted structures, property management, digital assets, abandonment, custodian, escheatment, blockchain, cryptocurrency, unclaimed property, state treasurer, Department of Public Service, statutory entities, public administration

Transcript Highlights:

• Given the other projects that we have to address, the fact that we received no LGA, no state aid, net
• <00:52:31.440> fiscal aid, uh net contributor to fiscal aid, uh net contributor to fiscal
• <01:21:41.280> to opportunity to bring this vision to opportunity to bring this vision to
• we're going to have to play speed round. we're going to have to play speed round.
• down to the capitol to advocate as well. down to the capitol to advocate as well.

Bills: HF2178, HF942, HF2470, HF1043, HF1287, HF1229, HF1230, HF424, HF571, HF404, HF910, HF1055, HF318, HF319, HF401, HF609, HF306, HF1599, HF1881

Keywords: HF2178, Cohasset, capital investment, bonding bill, state bonds, public infrastructure, water tower, water infrastructure, sanitary sewer, storm sewer, street reconstruction, municipal infrastructure, Public Facilities Authority, bond proceeds fund, Minnesota bonding, local government aid, utility infrastructure, public works, infrastructure, stormwater

Transcript Highlights:

• They don't have to come to the legislature to ask for this money.
• declining to um to to low levels. declining to um to to low levels.
• discussion to that before we go to vote? discussion to that before we go to vote?
• > the<00:52:38.480> DE4 to um you was going to offer the DE4 to um you was going to offer
• make notes to see when they happened to make notes to see when they happened to make sure<01:08:

Bills: HF3900

Keywords: permanent school fund, school endowment fund, Minnesota constitutional amendment, school aid, public school funding, State Board of Investment, investment income, distributable amount, school districts, property taxes, income taxes, voter approval, ballot question, constitutional amendment 2026, education finance, fund perpetuity, purchasing power, trust lands, swamp lands, internal improvement land fund