Video & Transcript Research : 'regional jails'

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ND

North Dakota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Senate Appropriations - Human Resources Division Apr 14th, 2025 at 02:00 pm

Appropriations - Human Resources Division

Transcript Highlights:
  • It breaks it out by regions.
  • And that was individuals in both the prison and primarily the county jails.
  • Treatment Voucher Program for people incarcerated, and I think that's primarily for people in county jails
Bills: SB2015
Summary: The Senate Appropriations Human Resources Division met with all members present and took up several bills, focusing most of the discussion on SB 1577 and SB 1619, along with a detailed review of the HHS budget bill draft. On SB 1577, Senator Magrum explained that the bill was being revised to focus on wastewater rather than raw water, possibly shifting the Washburn project to the Department of Water Resources so it could access matching funds, and potentially converting the bill into a line of credit if federal money is restored later. Members discussed whether to keep an emergency clause or instead use a date-based approach, and agreed the bill would likely be handled through the full committee and possibly reconsidered later. On SB 1619, Senator Davison said amendments were still being worked on, including changes requested by the Bank of North Dakota, and the committee planned to hold it for possible amendment before full committee consideration. The bulk of the meeting was a section-by-section review of the HHS appropriations bill draft. Members discussed one-time funding items such as technology projects, child care programs, housing programs, behavioral health facility grants, infant and toddler care provider support, juvenile justice diversion, medical housing, and other public health and human services projects. Several adjustments were noted, including reductions or changes to IMD-related funding, incarcerated-person treatment funding, the child welfare technology project, and the provider rate increase. The committee also discussed the FTE block grant structure at length, with staff explaining that the apparent increase in positions reflected budgeting mechanics, zero-dollar “phantom” positions, and positions approved previously but not counted in the FTE total. Members raised concerns about transparency and whether the bill should list FTE numbers, but staff said the block grant was intended to give the department flexibility while quarterly reporting would provide oversight. Other topics included Medicaid expansion funding and provider reimbursement rules, the move toward certifying human service centers as certified community behavioral health clinics, a moratorium on new ICF beds, and studies or reports on Medicaid, obesity, disability services, truancy, and behavioral health facility grants. The committee also discussed removing or revising broad intent language in Section 31 so the department would report findings rather than implement changes without further legislative action. No final votes were taken in the transcript; instead, members agreed to make a few technical adjustments, continue reviewing the bill, and likely revisit it the next day before moving it to conference committee.
ND

North Dakota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Senate Appropriations - Human Resources Division Apr 11th, 2025 at 09:30 am

Appropriations - Human Resources Division

Bills: SB2015
Summary: The Senate Appropriations Human Resources Division met to finalize changes to the human services budget bill and related amendments. Members discussed several items, including a proposed $5 million appropriation for the Altru Hospital project to address inflationary costs, with the rest of the funding question left for conference committee. They also agreed to keep the 10-year operating requirement language for the project and remove a matching-funds provision that was no longer needed. The committee spent considerable time on the OASIS child welfare IT system. Donna Auckland explained that the project is still in the RFP stage, with vendor selection and contract negotiation likely taking months, and that the system will require 50-50 federal matching authority. Based on that testimony, the committee agreed to reduce the general fund amount from $14 million to $6 million and use a line of credit for the remaining authority, while preserving the federal match authority so the contract can be signed and the project can proceed. Members also approved a technical fix to add governor’s designee language for the Children’s Cabinet, which had been missed in another bill already on the governor’s desk. Keith reviewed updated long sheets showing additional budget adjustments, including provider inflation changes, a $50,000 Family Voices grant, reductions to CARES Act COVID funds, and moving the $5-per-day basic care rate increase from ongoing to one-time funding. No formal votes were recorded in the transcript, and the committee adjourned with plans to reconvene Monday if the final bill version was ready.
ND

North Dakota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Senate Appropriations - Human Resources Division Apr 10th, 2025 at 02:00 pm

Appropriations - Human Resources Division

Bills: SB2015
Summary: The committee first discussed a wastewater infrastructure bill, centered on whether state support should be provided as a grant or through the existing Clean Water State Revolving Fund as a low-interest loan program. Department of Environmental Quality official David Brushwine explained that the SRF already finances wastewater projects, can leverage federal funds with state bond proceeds, and could accommodate the Washburn, Lincoln, and Peasant projects if they are ready to proceed. Members noted that losing federal grant support would make projects harder for local residents to afford because costs would be recovered through utility rates or special assessments, but the projects would still be eligible for loans. Senator Magrum indicated he would likely concur with the budget after this discussion, and the bill was set aside for later consideration. The committee then turned to a proposed amendment for a four-plex housing project for people with disabilities or other special needs. Senator Mathern described Sections 7 and 8 as creating a design consultation appropriation and a revolving loan fund modeled on existing hospital and nursing home loan programs, while Section 9 would transfer $3.3 million from the state infrastructure fund. Members debated ownership, rent subsidies, repayment terms, and whether the state should finance the project directly or leave it to a private developer with Department of Human Services oversight. Concerns were raised that the state should not own the housing and that the proposal needed more work to be workable, but the committee ultimately reached consensus to adopt Sections 7 and 8 and leave out Section 9 for further conference committee discussion. The committee also reviewed provider inflation and long-term care rate issues, with members discussing whether to support a 2% and 1.5% inflation adjustment and how to handle the $5-per-day basic care rate. Staff explained that the $5 payment was already in the base budget, but members debated whether it should remain ongoing or be treated as one-time funding and paired with a study of rate rebasing. The committee agreed to have draft language prepared to remove the $5 from the base budget and add study language, then moved the bill forward for drafting.
ND

North Dakota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Senate Appropriations - Human Resources Division Apr 10th, 2025 at 09:30 am

Appropriations - Human Resources Division

Bills: SB2015
Summary: The committee met to review revised long sheets and section-by-section language for a human services/health budget bill, with much of the discussion focused on how to present block grant funding and full-time equivalent (FTE) positions for behavioral health clinics and CCBHCs. Members debated whether to keep FTE counts in the budget at all, ultimately leaning toward removing or zeroing out the FTE references while keeping the dollar authority, and reducing the salaries-and-wages block grant by about $4.75 million. They also discussed public health federal authority, agreeing to remove about $60 million in unused federal spending authority tied to COVID-era funds, and clarified that if federal money later becomes available it could be requested through the Emergency Commission. A major topic was the provider inflation increase. The House version had 2% and 2%, while members debated alternatives and appeared to settle, at least for further work, on 2% in the first year and 1.5% in the second year, with staff asked to recalculate the fiscal impact. The committee also reviewed FMAP changes, noting a revised 2027 FMAP estimate and its effect on general fund and other funds, and discussed whether to adjust public health and other line items accordingly. Several members emphasized that many of these numbers are still tentative and will be refined before final action. The committee also touched on several policy items and capital-related provisions, including behavioral health services, Medicaid expansion, the moratorium on new ICF beds, and a proposed amendment for a medical homes/fourplex-related item that would show a $400,000 legislative investment with repayment from a developer. There was extended discussion of the All True hospital/facility proposal, with some members favoring leaving it in with a smaller initial commitment and others preferring to remove it and revisit later in conference committee. The meeting ended with staff asked to continue updating the bill language and members instructed to review remaining sections before the next meeting; no final votes were taken in the portion provided.
ND

North Dakota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Senate Appropriations - Human Resources Division Apr 7th, 2025 at 09:30 am

Appropriations - Human Resources Division

Bills: SB2015
Summary: The Senate Appropriations Human Resources division met with a quorum and spent much of the meeting on a proposed “medical home” concept for people with significant disabilities and medical needs. Matt Schwartz described the need for small, community-based homes so adults like his daughter could live in a least-restrictive setting without losing housing if service providers change. Architect Jeff Eubel presented a conceptual budget for one roughly 5,000-square-foot facility for four residents, explaining that the design would likely include four large sleeping units, common space, support areas, and medical infrastructure such as emergency power, oxygen, sprinklers, and accessibility features. Committee members and George Sink, joining by phone, raised questions about layout, zoning, ownership, staffing, and whether families would actually move loved ones into such facilities if they were far from home. The department said the concept was not in the governor’s budget and identified staff who could continue discussions; the committee did not take final action and instead discussed refining the language with interested members. The committee then turned to amendments related to long-term care and behavioral health funding. One amendment would reduce a planned $4 million general fund incentive payment and instead create a withhold-based quality program for nursing facilities, to be developed collaboratively by the department and providers and reported to Legislative Management by September 2026. The department said it could live with the language but preferred the governor’s timing; several senators questioned whether the committee should be directing an operational policy change and whether the study would simply delay implementation. No vote was taken, and the amendment was set aside for later consideration. A second amendment would clarify use of an existing $2 million general fund item for behavioral health services in nursing homes and basic care facilities, directing it toward training, technical assistance, consultation, and direct patient care for residents with medically based behavioral health disorders. Members noted the funding was already in the bill and discussed it in the context of other budget items, but again deferred action. The committee also clarified that a separate $750,000 juvenile justice diversion appropriation in House Bill 1425 was distinct from a similar amount in the budget and should likely remain in that separate bill. The chair indicated a goal of having amendments ready by the end of the week, and the committee recessed without final votes on the discussed items.
KY
Transcript Highlights:
  • There's the Bourbon Regional Jail that includes Bourbon and Nicholas counties.
  • We have four regional jails in Kentucky.
  • We have four regional jails jails jails and<00:06:46.440> those<00:06:46.600> have<00:06
  • > Jail<00:06:58.760> that There's the Bourbon Regional Jail that There's the Bourbon Regional
  • > for<00:07:03.240> Perry Kentucky River Regional Jail for Perry Kentucky River Regional
Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the August 26 minutes, and then took up a discussion of county jail funding. KACO representatives and county officials said jail operations are an ongoing strain for counties because they must pay for inmate care, facilities, and mandated standards, while many counties also rely on jail revenue to offset costs. They described Kentucky’s jail system, including 77 jails, 43 closed counties without jails, and the mix of county, state, federal, and controlled-intake inmates. KACO emphasized that counties remain financially responsible for inmates even when they must contract with other jails, often at costs above the state’s per diem rate, and said it is developing a broader proposal to present later. The testimony focused on rising expenses and shrinking revenue. KACO said counties spent about $374 million on jail operations in FY24, up 24% from FY19, and about $41 million on jail medical costs, up 40%. General fund support for jails was said to total $147 million in FY24, more than double pre-COVID levels. Speakers also noted that state inmate populations in county jails have fallen from about 11,500 in 2019 to 7,212 in 2025, while federal inmates have increased because they are more lucrative for counties. The state jail per diem of $35.34 was described as insufficient to cover actual costs, especially medical care. County judges from Webster, Knox, and Hardin counties gave examples of local budget pressure. Webster County said it now houses 114 state prisoners, 47 county prisoners, and 24 out-of-county prisoners, and that it transferred $512,000 from its general fund to the jail last year, about $77 per taxpayer. Knox County said its jail budget has grown from an initial $2.8 million projection to $5.7 million, with $3 million coming from occupational tax revenue. Hardin County said its jail has an approximate $11 million expense budget against $5 million in revenue, creating a $6 million deficit, driven by higher payroll, medical, and insurance costs and a 29% drop in state prisoner revenue. The judge said the county has responded with property tax increases and an expanded occupational tax district, but still uses reserves to cover other county services. A Grant County magistrate then began speaking from the perspective of magistrates and commissioners, describing her background working at a local jail before serving in county government. The discussion remained centered on the fiscal burden of jails and the need for counties and the legislature to work together on a long-term solution.
KY
Transcript Highlights:
  • We're focusing on incentivizing regional jails.
  • We're focusing on incentivizing regional jails.
  • incentivizing our regional jails.
  • For is incentivizing our regional jails.
  • There jail and join a regional facility.
Summary: The committee met for its sixth meeting, established a quorum, and approved the minutes from the October 21 meeting. The main agenda item was a presentation from Kentucky Association of Counties (KACo) leaders and county officials on jail funding and jail-system reform. Speakers said county jail costs have reached crisis levels, citing large and rising general-fund subsidies in counties such as Hardin, McCracken, and Warren, and noting that county general-fund contributions to jail funds have increased by 76% since 2019. KACo outlined a three-part legislative approach for the upcoming session: incentivizing regional jails, clarifying responsibility for pre-trial felony detainees, and redefining the model for housing state inmates in county jails. On regional jails, they proposed one-time state construction funding, statutory changes to allow former county jails to serve as 96-hour holdover facilities, broader participation of jailers on regional jail authority boards, an increased supplement for closed county jails, and a one-time payment for counties that close local jails and join regional facilities. Union County Judge Adam Onan described his county’s savings from contracting with Webster County and said regionalization can reduce costs where feasible. Harlan County Judge Executive Dan Mosley focused on pre-trial felony detainees, saying counties bear the full cost of housing people awaiting trial for long periods, sometimes years, and that pre-trial time is later credited toward state sentences. He argued the state benefits from that credit and referenced prior bills that would have reimbursed counties for time-served credit. Shelley Hampton then proposed replacing the current per diem model for state inmates with contracts requiring the Department of Corrections to pay actual housing costs and to support programming such as substance abuse treatment, cognitive behavioral programming, re-entry services, workforce training, and academics. No votes were taken on the jail proposals, and the meeting ended with the presentation and discussion of the county recommendations.
TX

Texas 89th 2nd C.S.

Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs Apr 30th, 2025

Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs

Transcript Highlights:
  • increase the willingness of candidates to relocate to work at the Austin headquarters as well as other regional
  • and the crisis response system because those are the very services that keep people from landing in jail
Bills: SB 36
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Legacy Finance Committee 3/4/26

Legacy Finance

Transcript Highlights:
  • He has a bill relating to the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission.
  • He has a bill relating to the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission.
  • And with that, I'm going to let Director Mattson from the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trail
  • And with that, I'm going to let Director Mattson from the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trail
  • :26.880> the To achieve regional designation, the To achieve regional designation, the government
Bills: HF3564
Summary: The Legacy Finance Committee met to approve the prior meeting minutes and then heard a presentation from the Office of the Legislative Auditor on its performance audit of the Department of Natural Resources’ administration of Outdoor Heritage Fund grants. OLA explained that the DNR generally complied with the criteria tested, but the audit identified two main problem areas: grant payments and grant monitoring. The audit covered 13 grants, mostly legislatively named grants awarded in fiscal year 2020, and reviewed agreements, amendments, payments, monitoring, and some site visits. OLA reported that for three grantees, totaling about $400,000, invoices lacked enough detail to determine whether costs were allowable, and about $5,000 was paid to two grantees without sufficient supporting documentation. The auditors also said DNR lacked policies defining allowable costs and what “directly related to and necessary” means under state law. On monitoring, DNR missed required annual visits for six grants, made payments on current progress reports that were missing or not on file, and had weaknesses in closeout evaluations, including missing required elements, late completion, and two grants with no closeout evaluation at all. OLA recommended stronger documentation, clearer guidelines with the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council, timely monitoring and closeout, obtaining progress reports before payment, and improved internal controls. Members reacted strongly to the findings, especially the repeated failures to follow grant procedures and the risks of legislatively named grants and advance payments. Representative Heintzeman and Vice Chair Skraba questioned whether the issues reflected broader problems in state grant oversight and asked about prepayments, follow-up, and whether more legislative action was needed. OLA officials said they do not rely on self-attestation, but instead retest agencies after 2 to 3 years, and noted a new annual update-report process that will track whether agencies implement prior recommendations. Judy Randall, the Legislative Auditor, said the laws and policies already exist and emphasized that the issue is ensuring agency staff follow them; she also said most recommendations in the recent update report had been implemented. No further committee action or vote was taken on the audit during this portion of the meeting.
AL

Alabama 2025 Regular Session

Alabama House Commerce and Small Business Committee Apr 29th, 2025

Commerce and Small Business

Transcript Highlights:
  • and I think we could have offered up some solutions other than making the Birmingham Water Board a regional
  • board. the Birmingham Water Board a regional board.
  • Consequences related to water and gas systems could have negative consequences for regional utility systems
  • The Black Belt region infrastructure.
  • The Black Belt region communities across this region, including parts of Wilcox and Lowndes County, suffer
Bills: SB330
AL

Alabama 2025 Regular Session

Alabama Senate County and Municipal Government Committee Apr 22nd, 2025

County and Municipal Government

Transcript Highlights:
  • there is another suburb of Birmingham whose city finance director stole a million dollars and went to jail
  • Our history is riddled with people going to jail, corruption, and you name it.
Bills: SB330
TX
Transcript Highlights:
  • 4, the Sabine region.
  • Have we done it for the other regions? Region 4 being East Texas. Is that not accurate?
  • But planning regions collaborate very closely with the universities in that region.
  • Looking at Region 4 in East Texas is beyond the other regions.
  • Valley region.
Summary: The meeting primarily focused on discussions around the recent floods in Texas, specifically addressing emergency preparedness, response coordination, and recovery efforts. Officials from various agencies provided testimonies on the challenges faced during the emergency, including issues with communication systems among first responders. Notably, the need for improved inter-agency communication and technology integration was emphasized, with recommendations for establishing regional communications units for better coordination during disasters. The audience included local government representatives and emergency management partners, who shared insights and experiences from the recent flooding events.
WY

Wyoming 2026 Regular Session

Senate Corporations, Elections & Political Subdivisions Committee, February 16, 2026

Corporations, Elections & Political Subdivisions

Transcript Highlights:
  • Regional Transmission Organization.
  • regional transmission organizations. regional transmission organizations.
  • Uh we'd look um into regional systems.
  • a regional transmission organization. a regional transmission organization.
  • <00:21:33.120> That enhance regional integration. That enhance regional integration.
Bills: SF0102, SF0113
AZ

Arizona 2026 Regular Session

01/26/2026 - House Public Safety & Law Enforcement

Public Safety & Law Enforcement

Transcript Highlights:
  • So we talked with regional airports as well as the too big.
  • There are 13 agencies that use this regional training academy.
  • You know, that is a regional driving track, so I think we have to...
  • Our academy, Northern Arizona Regional Training and Combat Academy, we have three...
  • So again, I think that a regional training academy, when you have a user group...
Summary: The committee first heard HB 2641, which would ban firefighting foam containing intentionally added PFAS chemicals. The sponsor said the bill was intended to protect firefighters and the public from carcinogenic and persistent chemicals that can contaminate groundwater, and noted Arizona had already banned the foam for training. A University of Arizona public health researcher testified that firefighters have higher PFAS levels than the general public and that AFFF use is associated with elevated exposure, while a firefighters’ association representative said alternatives exist and that the bill would remove uncertainty for departments. The committee passed HB 2641 unanimously, 15-0. The committee then heard HB 2602, a $24,000 appropriation for a 10% pay increase for Department of Public Safety employees in fiscal year 2027. The sponsor and supporters from the Arizona Troopers Association argued the raise was needed for recruitment and retention, citing vacancies, departures, and the cost of training new troopers. Several members supported the idea but raised concerns about the budget impact and the broader issue of pay disparities across agencies and state employees. The bill received a do pass recommendation on a 10-0-3 vote, with two members voting no and three voting present. Finally, the committee considered HB 2225, which would appropriate $10 million for capital costs at the Northern Arizona Regional Training Academy in Yavapai County and keep the funds from lapsing until 2029. The sponsor and Yavapai County law enforcement witnesses said the academy is overcrowded, serves multiple agencies across northern Arizona, reduces travel and lodging costs, and provides both basic and in-service training. Some members questioned whether the state should fund a county-based facility and raised concerns about the size and structure of the appropriation, while others supported the training mission but wanted the issue handled in the budget process. The committee voted to give HB 2225 a do pass recommendation, with several members voting no or present.
NM

New Mexico 2026 Regular Session

Senate - Conservation Jan 29th, 2026 at 09:13 am

Senate Conservation

Transcript Highlights:
  • That was a big scare for those people and their particular region, with every reason.
  • Lastly, Regional Farm to Food Bank demonstrates that investing in regionalized agricultural systems is
  • Lastly, Regional Farm to Food Bank demonstrates that investing in regionalized agricultural systems is
  • That is the backbone program to support the Regional Farm to Food Bank.
  • We stand in support of Senate Bill 108, a Regional Farm to Food Bank program.
Bills: SB66, SB79, SB108