Video & Transcript : 'agronomic rate' :
Page 100 of 500
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- Uh, those are all other, uh, certainly pressures on our rates, uh, on our, on our water rates, and so
- Important to a ratepayer that I can predict your rate.
- And we did this before we reset the rates.
- Rates tend to always be the elephant in any room.
- Additionally, they also tend to have higher compliance rates.
Committee:
House Natural Resources
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Status of Persons with Disabilities Jun 21st, 2026 at 11:00 am
Transcript Highlights:
- Yeah, the skilled nursing facilities between 2014 and 2026, their rate increased...
- There is a 24% increase in the rate and a 36% decrease in utilization.
- And then in home health, you see for nurses, the rate increase has been, you know, 24%, 26%.
- held flat, or they potentially could see a rate decrease.
- That does not happen... ...flat, or they potentially could see a rate decrease.
Summary:
The subcommittee met with MassHealth LTSS Chief Leslie Darcy to review the Personal Care Attendant (PCA) program and the legislative work group focused on its long-term sustainability and cost containment. Darcy and Charlie described the work group’s five meetings and three consensus recommendations: enforce the 66-hour overtime cap, address fraudulent activity in the PCA program, and eliminate MassHealth handling of PCA paperwork/administrative work for members without a live-in exemption because those members are subject to EVV. They explained EVV as an electronic visit verification system replacing paper timesheets, and noted the rollout is expected to be completed this fall. The group estimated about $7 million in savings from the consensus recommendations and agreed to continue meeting through June to consider additional ideas.
Darcy presented data showing the PCA program served about 56,000 members in state fiscal year 2024 and has grown from $1.2 billion in FY20 to $1.6 billion in FY24, with projections near $2 billion by 2027. She said much of the growth is driven by wage increases and older adults using more services, and compared PCA costs with other LTSS programs. The discussion also covered overtime spending, the role of federal financial participation, and how Massachusetts’ PCA program differs from other states because it has no hard caps on hours or activities. Several members emphasized the program’s value for independent living and community participation, while also acknowledging the need to control growth without undermining services.
Members asked about undocumented immigrants and MassHealth funding, and Darcy explained that some eligibility categories are state-funded only and do not receive federal matching funds. Another member asked about workforce recruitment and wage pressures; Darcy said recent collective bargaining agreements raised PCA wages, with some workers eventually reaching $25 per hour and the entry wage reaching $20. The group also discussed whether IADL hours are disproportionately high compared with ADL needs, and reviewed data suggesting potential savings if IADL hours were limited relative to ADL hours, though no consensus recommendation was made on that point. The meeting ended with approval of the prior minutes by roll call vote, an update that the next health equity informational hearing is scheduled for May 19, and a motion to adjourn carried unanimously.
NH
Transcript Highlights:
- rates here.
- rates here.
- rates here.
- rates here.
- </c> little higher higher interest rates. little higher higher interest rates.
Committee:
House Ways and Means
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Human Services Finance and Policy Committee 2/24/26
Human Services Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- </c> match rate which is just over 50%. match rate which is just over 50%.
- Minnesota's rate is 2.1%.
- Minnesota's rate is 2.1%.
- </c> a payment error rate above 3%. a payment error rate above 3%.
- </c> Minnesota's rate is 2.1%. Minnesota's rate is 2.1%.
Bills:
HR1
Committee:
House Human Services Finance and Policy
HI
Transcript Highlights:
- ><c> determined</c><00:18:40.880><c> by</c> typically the rates are determined by typically the rates
- rates be actuarily sound.
- </c> risks when determining what a new rate risks when determining what a new rate would<01:11:44.239
- </c><01:12:22.880><c> Not</c> risk doesn't match the rates. Not risk doesn't match the rates.
- Thank you, Chair. or rate increases that are not based on or rate increases that are not based on sound
Committee:
House Health
Keywords:
accessible parking, disability, kupuna, public accommodations, small business exemptions, Hawaii Revised Statutes, parking permit, blind, deaf, accessibility, deafness, traffic safety, law enforcement, vehicle registration, communication, emergency services, commercial driver's license, first responders, public safety, authorized emergency vehicle
Summary:
The joint hearing covered House Bill 251, which would require hospitals to report costs associated with Medicare and uninsured patients, and House Bill 1875, which would expand protections for gender-affirming health care services. On HB 251, the Department of Health said it supported the intent but described the bill as complicated and potentially impractical as drafted because the department lacks the expertise to produce the required analyses without outside help. Hawaii Health Systems Corporation echoed those concerns, while the Queen’s Health System said it was willing to work with the department to provide the information. In committee discussion, officials explained that hospital support in Hawaii includes public hospital appropriations and the provider tax program, which uses hospital and nursing home contributions to draw federal matching funds; a department witness estimated the net benefit at about $150 million for hospitals and $20 million for nursing facilities, though exact figures would be provided later.
On HB 1875, the Insurance Division testified with concerns that the bill’s language on prohibited actions by malpractice insurers was broad and vague, and that a rate-increase prohibition could conflict with actuarially based insurance pricing. The division also noted it was not the primary enforcement agency for the statute. In contrast, many testifiers strongly supported the bill, including the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, the Hawaii State LGBTQ+ Commission, the Hawaii Public Health Institute, PFLAG Oahu, the ACLU of Hawaii, the Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii, the Hawaii County Democratic Party, and others. Supporters argued that gender-affirming care is medically necessary, evidence-based, and protected by privacy and bodily autonomy principles, and that the bill would protect patients and providers from outside political interference. No votes or final committee actions were taken during the portion of the hearing provided.
MO
Transcript Highlights:
- The executive budget produces a 33% reduction in day service rates, dropping the rate from 10...
- The executive budget produces a 33% reduction in day service rates, dropping the rate from 1081 per unit
- The turnover rates are incredibly low, and the rates of abuse and neglect are almost non-existent.
- It is also important to note that the proposed rate reduction is not supported by any formal rate study
- for SDSPA and medical... ...vote no to the HB 10 proposed rate reductions for SDSPA and medical PA rates
Committee:
House Budget
HI
Hawaii 2025 Regular Session
CPC/CPN Joint Info Briefing - Mon Jan 27, 2025 @ 2:00 PM HST
Hawaii House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- </c> and asked for a significant rate and asked for a significant rate increase<00:32:40.279><c> in</
- Even with these rate increases, HPIA has been unable to break even.
- </c><00:39:50.000><c> need</c><00:39:50.319><c> going</c> look at rate need going look at rate need going
- </c> um it's on them to to agree to the rates um it's on them to to agree to the rates that<00:57:46.480
- </c> ground what they can offer at what rates ground what they can offer at what rates why<01:25:47.639
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Revenue Jun 21st, 2026 at 01:00 pm
Joint Committee on Revenue
Transcript Highlights:
- This means that farmers often pay much higher commercial rates for farmland.
- , not the ag tax rate.
- There are also parcels of land, like in Senator Comerford's district, that are taxed at higher rates
- So I think that's my time. ...land should be in production for two years before receiving this rate,
- So I think that's my time. land should be in production for two years before receiving this rate, so
Committee:
Joint Joint Committee on Revenue
Summary:
The Joint Committee on Revenue held its first hearing of the session, led by House Chair Adrian Madaro and Senate Chair James Eldridge. The committee explained the constitutional amendment process and the hearing procedures, then took testimony on four bills concerning proposed amendments to the Massachusetts Constitution, with the main focus on S. 11 and H. 71, which would amend Article 99 relating to agricultural and horticultural land taxation.
Senator Jo Comerford, Rebecca Miller of the Massachusetts Food System Collaborative, and Representative Natalie Blay all testified in support of the bills. They argued that the current five-acre minimum for farmland tax treatment is outdated and harms farmers, especially new, urban, and smaller-scale farmers, by forcing some land to be taxed at higher commercial rates. Supporters said the change would help preserve farmland, strengthen the local food system, and address economic pressures on farms, including high land values, climate impacts, and an aging farm workforce. In response to a question about abuse or false claims, Comerford and Miller said existing certification processes under Chapter 61A and municipal review help verify active farming, and Miller noted the bill requires land to be in production for two years before receiving the rate.
Committee members asked about the status of the 21st Century Farm Commission, and Comerford said a report was expected in the spring. After testimony concluded, the chairs asked whether anyone else wished to testify and then entertained a motion to adjourn, which was made and accepted.
AR
Transcript Highlights:
- Right now, our current seatbelt use rate is 79%.
- The highest use rate that we've ever had in the state is 84%.
- This is to revise the rate sheet for Medicaid asset verification system.
- This is a system that encourages discussions throughout the rating period.
- And as Representative Wardlaw said, do you consider the turnover rate?
Committee:
All ALC-REVIEW
ID
Transcript Highlights:
- After an analysis of the buy-in and the rates, each city could decide if joining the state pool would
- Seven percent to 10% annually is our average rate increase, but we are learning from our insurance broker
- how often you actually shop out your insurance currently to other organizations to try to get that rate
- In our case, we are rated across the city.
- The larger the group is, the easier it is to contain a consistent rate across the board.
Committee:
House State Affairs
MO
Transcript Highlights:
- They're going to translate that higher cost to the rate payers that are existing.
- on the rate payers who are still on the water district.
- I'm just talking about flat rate cost in general.
- Already, those rates are already taken into consideration.
- The rate that Buchanan County PWSD has gotten had gotten very high in recent years.
Committee:
House Utilities
Summary:
The Utilities Committee met with a quorum and first took up House Bill 2807, with a substitute ending in .03C. Representative Herbert explained that the substitute was intended to match the Senate version, add battery energy storage to the renewable standard, clarify that the nuclear provision applies to new, not existing, nuclear generation, and create nuclear energy credits to help track generation for the PSC. Members asked about how the credits would work, whether they could involve out-of-state generation, and how the bill would affect Missouri jobs and in-state generation. The committee adopted the substitute and then voted the House Committee Substitute for HB 2807 do pass by a roll call vote of 18 ayes and 1 no.
The committee then heard House Bills 3351 and 3371, sponsored by Representatives Koslow and Taylor, which would expand a prior, narrower water-district detachment proposal statewide. The bill would create a “specific demand customer” category for large water users whose quantity or quality needs may exceed a district’s capabilities, require a water district to respond within 60 days, and allow the customer to seek service elsewhere and pursue detachment if the district cannot or will not serve them. It also would prevent districts from taking on new encumbering federal debt to block detachment and would require gifts offered specifically to pay off such debt to be accepted and applied to that purpose. Sponsors said the measure was meant to stop “debt hoarding” and remove barriers to economic development while still allowing courts to review reasonableness and protect both districts and customers.
Members questioned the scope of the bill, including the use of “may exceed” in the definition, whether the restriction on new loans could create problems in emergency or repair situations, how reasonableness would be judged, and whether the proposal could affect existing ratepayers or apply to municipal systems. The sponsors said the intent was to address net-new customers and to leave ordinary financing available except for loans used to prevent detachment. In informational testimony, Missouri American Water described a separate but related problem involving USDA red tape delaying a partial sale of the city of DeKalb’s water system, saying the delay was preventing lower rates and needed capital investment for a small community. No votes were taken on HB 3351 or HB 3371 before the committee adjourned.
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Finance Feb 3rd, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- Currently, counties and cities can make changes to local REET and lodging tax rates effective on any
- Under the proposed substitute, a change to a local REET rate may only take effect on the first day of
- The OIC reports anticipated growth rates from the Economic and Revenue Forecast Council would need to
- You pay their rate or your home state's rate.
- And so the effective tax rate in Alaska winds up being less than 2%.
Summary:
House Finance heard several bills and took no recorded votes. HB 2367 would end special tax and emissions exemptions for the Centralia coal plant by limiting its Climate Commitment Act exemption to pre-2026 emissions, removing limits on additional greenhouse gas requirements, and repealing coal sales and use tax exemptions. The sponsor, Rep. Fitzgibbon, said the bill would help keep the plant’s transition to cleaner natural gas generation on track; Climate Solutions supported it, while business and clean-energy groups raised concerns about allowance-market impacts and asked for amendments to adjust the cap-and-invest allowance budget.
HB 1974 would authorize public housing authorities, public corporations, and nonprofits to operate as land banks for affordable housing, give them priority for tax-foreclosed properties, and provide property tax, leasehold excise tax, and REET exemptions for land bank transactions. Rep. Hill said the bill was narrowed to reduce fiscal impact and support existing land banking work in Spokane; supporters said it would lower land costs and speed affordable housing development, while questions focused on how public land would be used and whether affordability should be permanent rather than limited to 30 years.
HB 2650, a Department of Revenue request, would standardize notice and effective dates for local REET and lodging tax changes and clarify documentation for an affordable housing sales tax deferral. DOR supported the bill as an administrative efficiency measure, and there was no opposition testimony. HB 2626 would raise the premium tax on health maintenance organizations, health care service contractors, and self-funded multiple employer welfare arrangements from 2% to 3%, remove a dentistry-related exemption, and add a new 1% tax on certain disability and group stop-loss insurers. The sponsor said the bill is intended to help fund Apple Health and subsidies amid federal funding concerns; insurers and business groups opposed it as a cost increase likely to be passed on to consumers and employers, while patient and advocacy groups supported the revenue idea but urged that funds be dedicated to subsidies or other health care supports and that pass-through to consumers be prevented.
MO
Missouri 2026 Regular Session
Corrections and Public Institutions Feb 2nd, 2026 at 12:00 pm
Corrections and Public Institutions
Transcript Highlights:
- For me, if I went to prison, that would be enough for my recidivism rate to go down 100%.
- And that then contributes to that recidivism rate going down.
- That contributes to that recidivism rate going down.
- recidivism rate consistently over the last 20 years, you'll see three years...
- The previous recidivism rate, I believe, was at 43.9%.
Committee:
House Corrections and Public Institutions
ID
Idaho 2026 Regular Session
Agenda Jan 27th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- And we have the highest per capita enrollment rate.
- That is language related to the small group health insurance rate manuals and rating methodologies that
- manuals and rating methodology that are submitted to the department. ...as well as rating manuals and
- Page 103 increased the flexibility of rating the enhanced short-term plans.
- Now, as compared to rates pre-ACA, there are some significant differences.
Summary:
Senate Commerce first took up three gubernatorial appointments and sent all three to the Senate floor with recommendations for confirmation: Salvador Cruz as director of the Department of Finance, Nora Carpenter to the Idaho Health Insurance Exchange Board, and Gregory Donica to the same board. Each motion passed without opposition.
The committee then received an annual update from Pat Kelly, executive director of Your Health Idaho. He reported record enrollment activity, including more than 139,000 selections in open enrollment 2025 and over 144,000 in open enrollment 2026, with most enrollees receiving tax credits and many working with agents or brokers. Kelly said the exchange remains financially self-sustaining, has low operating costs, and achieved strong customer satisfaction scores. Members asked about rising premiums, the shift toward bronze plans, and enrollment timing; Kelly and later Insurance Director Dean Cameron said Idaho premiums remain among the lowest nationally, helped by the 1332 reinsurance waiver, though affordability concerns are increasing.
The committee also reviewed and approved one Department of Commerce pending rule docket and several Department of Insurance rule dockets under zero-based regulation. The Commerce rulemaking was described as a non-substantive cleanup that removed obsolete language, aligned definitions, and adjusted some grant limits, including the Idaho GEM grant program. Insurance rule changes similarly focused on simplifying, clarifying, and removing duplicative statutory language across self-funded plans, long-term care insurance, small employer and individual health insurance, coordination of benefits, short-term health insurance, and managing general agents. The most notable policy-related change was the short-term health insurance docket, which was approved with an effective date upon adjournment to avoid a gap after a temporary rule expires; all dockets were approved unanimously.
WA
Transcript Highlights:
- One of them is a 3% annual noncompounded rate of return, and the bill changes that to require the rate
- The state sales and use tax rate is 6.5%.
- Local sales and use tax rates vary depending on the location.
- has changed. the department gets noticed when a sales tax rate is changed.
- is where you live. and find out exactly what the state and local tax rate is where you live.
Committee:
House Finance
Keywords:
timberland, real estate, excise tax, governmental entities, property taxation, land bank, land banking authority, affordable housing, housing crisis, housing supply, public corporation, public housing authority, nonprofit housing, tax-foreclosed property, blight remediation, redevelopment, anti-displacement, equity, redlining, racial segregation
US
US Federal 2025-2026 Regular Session
Hearings to examine combating the opioid epidemic. Feb 26th, 2025 at 02:30 pm
Aging (Special) Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- Substance use disorders are growing at an alarming rate in the United— States.
- Congress should remove these burdens and increase Medicaid rates to change this equation.
- Opioid use disorder rates have tripled among care beneficiaries over the last decade.
- of heroin use, higher rates of overdoses from opioids, and the consequences still...
- And recent research from a colleague actually shows higher rates of child suicide.
Committee:
Senate Aging (Special) Committee
Keywords:
opioid crisis, overdose, naloxone, drug trafficking, law enforcement, treatment, prevention, older adults, Medicaid expansion
Summary:
The meeting convened to address the dire opioid crisis affecting communities nationwide, with a particular focus on the alarming rise of opioid use disorder among older adults. Key testimonies highlighted the critical need for a comprehensive approach that encompasses prevention, treatment, and strict law enforcement actions against drug traffickers. Sheriff Dennis Lima from Seminole County outlined successful strategies implemented in Florida, including increased access to naloxone and legislative changes to hold drug dealers accountable for overdoses. Various members expressed a united front on tackling this multifaceted issue, advocating for the expansion of Medicaid and better access to treatment as essential steps to curbing the epidemic.
HI
Transcript Highlights:
- </c> um has forced the Fed to increase rates um has forced the Fed to increase rates despite<00:12:57.760
- Cuz I don't see that. still see growth but the growth rate still see growth but the growth rate will<
- </c> >> hotel rates are basically flat. >> hotel rates are basically flat.
- The long rates went up, right? And you can have mortgage rates going in opposite directions."
- , the rate.
NM
Transcript Highlights:
- And we're going to have to hold that vacancy rate at a minimum.
- We run a very low vacancy rate. We use the positions we're funded.
- Right now, we have about a 40% vacancy rate.
- We get a better rate for them than they could get.
- The rates are fair market value.
Committee:
Senate Senate Finance
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
IC - Investments and Pensions Oversight Nov 5th, 2025
Investments & Pensions Oversight Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- Our rate of return was 9.68%.
- We're not subsidizing it at the rate that we once were.
- We've outpaced our assumed rate of return at 7.5%.
- And I will say, there is a slide that shows the different rates.
- We pay amongst the highest contribution rates in the country.
US
US Federal 2025-2026 Regular Session
A joint hearing with the House Committee on Small Business to examine prosperity on Main Street, focusing on keeping taxes low for small businesses. Apr 8th, 2025 at 09:00 am
Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- They get 55 percent of the tax rate in, quote, unquote, the small business tax rate.
- And the bottom 20% saw their federal tax rate drop to the lowest level in 40 years.
- Let's be clear about who benefits from an extension of these tax rates.
- , labor force participation rate was growing at the fastest pace in years.
- Homeownership was growing at a fast rate in 15 years.
Keywords:
joint hearing, small business, Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, economic recovery, tax relief, job creation
Summary:
In this joint hearing of the House Committee on Small Business and the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, the primary focus was on the importance of making the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA) permanent. The chair emphasized that small businesses are crucial for the nation's economic recovery, especially in the wake of current federal policies perceived as detrimental. Witnesses shared their experiences and highlighted how the tax cuts facilitated job creation and business expansion, stressing the need for continued support through ongoing tax relief measures. The meeting included discussions about the economic implications of the TCJA's potential expiration, with members voicing their concerns regarding how this could impact small businesses and the broader economy.