Transcript Highlights:

• What has the impact been on the insurance market in those states?
• What has the impact been on drivers and riders and, you know, other drivers?
• And I don't want to talk about what that impact would be.
• And I don't want to talk about what that impact would be.
• Professionally, the impact was also significant.

Committee: House Insurance

Summary: The committee heard several insurance-related bills. SB 371 by Senator Cabaldon would reduce uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage limits for rideshare companies from $1 million to $100,000 per person and $300,000 per incident, with the stated goal of lowering fares and improving driver economics. Uber, Lyft, and business groups supported the bill, while consumer attorneys, labor groups, and other opponents argued it would cut passenger and driver protections and should include stronger guarantees that savings reach riders and workers. Members raised questions about data, fee breakdowns, and whether the bill should include a look-back or other accountability measures; the bill was passed on a do-pass vote as proposed to be amended in another committee. SB 487 by Senator Grayson would change how third-party recoveries are distributed when peace officers or firefighters are injured in the line of duty, ensuring injured public safety workers receive at least two-thirds of the at-fault party’s liability insurance limits in certain cases. Supporters, including injured officers and public safety organizations, said current law can leave injured first responders with little or no recovery after employer reimbursement, while opponents representing local governments argued the bill would reduce recovery of taxpayer-funded workers’ compensation costs and lacked sufficient data. The committee discussed the interaction with existing workers’ compensation and retirement benefits, and the bill was moved on a do-pass vote to Appropriations. SB 616 by Senator Rubio would create an independent community hardening commission within the Department of Insurance to develop statewide wildfire mitigation standards and post-catastrophe reports aimed at improving insurability and affordability. The Department of Insurance, local governments, consumer advocates, and fire-related groups supported the measure, while water agencies opposed provisions they said could improperly involve the commission in water infrastructure recommendations and create litigation and ratepayer concerns. The bill was approved on a do-pass vote to Appropriations, with some members voting no or not voting. The committee also considered SB 547 by Senator Perez, coauthored by Senator Rubio, which extends wildfire-related insurance moratorium protections to commercial property policies for one year after a state emergency in affected areas. The Department of Insurance and a broad coalition of local government, consumer, and business groups supported it, and the major insurance trade groups withdrew opposition after amendments. The bill was passed as amended to Appropriations. Separately, SB 770 by Senator Allen would remove an insurance requirement that an HOA be named as an additional insured for residents installing EV chargers in common-interest developments; supporters said the rule is a barrier to home charging, while community association representatives warned it could raise premiums for all members. The discussion focused on balancing EV access with HOA insurance costs, and the bill was supported out of committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• I believe that there's no fiscal impact whatsoever on the state.
• The budget board has already said there's not a huge significant impact.
• As a percentage of your total budget, it is a devastating impact.
• So this is significantly impactful.
• Since 2021, the median property taxes on Texas homes grew by 26% for inflation.

Bills: HB329 , HB361 , HB546 , HB1547 , HB1745 , HB2786 , HB3235 , HB3370 , HB3575 , HJR83

Committee: House S/C on Property Tax Appraisals

Keywords: appraisal, property value, residential real estate, tax code, appraisal review board, property owners, property tax, homeowners, property owner rights, property appraisal, taxation, Texas Tax Code, real estate, ad valorem tax, homestead exemption, market value, condemnation, tax appraisal, open-space land, land use

Transcript Highlights:

• their home, who locks in a financial loss by losing their renters, to the community that feels the impact
• access<00:04:21.199><c> to</c><00:04:22.160><c> and</c><00:04:22.520><c> the</c><00:04:22.759><c> impact
• </c><00:04:23.160><c> of</c> access to and the impact of access to and the impact of communitybased<00
• </c> changed months since 2013 but inflation changed months since 2013 but inflation and<00:31:09.320
• And, you know, I think a lot of that funding has just tried to keep up with cost inflation.

Committee: Senate Housing and Homelessness Prevention

Transcript Highlights:

• Our community deserves a voice in the decisions that directly impact their lives and overall prosperity
• We've seen construction projects increase from 15 to 30 percent when inflation enters some statistics
• What inflation has done to our residents gives you an idea?
• In 2021, DailyPay commissioned independent research to assess EWA's impact on its own users.
• There are no mandatory fees, no credit checks, and no impact on credit scores.

Bills: HB1453 , HB1718 , HB2043 , HB2207 , HB2798

Committee: House Pensions, Investments & Financial Services

Keywords: local governments, anticipation notes, certificates of obligation, public works, flood control, financial management, local government, municipal financing, private activity bonds, closing definition, real estate finance, bond issuance, government regulation, bond election, general obligation bonds, GO bonds, political subdivision, city bonds, county bonds, school district bonds

Transcript Highlights:

• So as far as the statute that was passed last year, Senate Bill 271, and how that's impacted things..
• the Board of Veterinary Medicine, because when I look through the bill, there doesn't seem to be an impact
• to them, but they do claim in the F.I.R. that there's a financial impact.
• And that's actually the caps that show up in that, which is two million plus inflation.
• The rights liability cap I think was three or four years ago and it increases every year with inflation

Committee: Senate Senate Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> infrastructure Act and the inflation infrastructure Act and the inflation reduction<00:15:14.320
• All of those things have an impact, a human impact and a fiscal impact.
• This impacts on the state government.
• </c><01:27:09.880><c> on</c> discussion was how would the impact on discussion was how would the impact
• </c> today's discussion was simply on impacts today's discussion was simply on impacts of<01:27:23.280

Committee: Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• The impacts of those loopholes are not borne equally.
• We are facing them before even the impacts of this bill have been felt.
• You want to talk about economic impacts.
• . ...which we know in these fiscal climates is actually a cut because of inflation.
• Federal cuts have not yet directly impacted the state budget, but we are already experiencing... ...impact

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Revenue

Summary: The Joint Committee on Revenue, chaired by Senator James Eldridge and Representative Adrian Madaro, opened its hearing with a moment of silence for the late Lowell State Senator Ed Kennedy and reviewed hearing procedures and deadlines. The committee then took testimony on several corporate tax bills, including S. 2033/H. 3110 on offshore tax avoidance, H. 3248 on a manufacturing tax exemption, H. 3057 on a tiered corporate minimum tax, and S. 2041 on a corporate tax haven blacklist, along with a separate business interest deduction bill. No votes were taken during the hearing. Supporters of S. 2033/H. 3110, including labor unions, health care workers, educators, public health advocates, seniors, and several legislators, argued that Massachusetts needs new revenue to offset federal cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, health care, education, and other services. They said the bill would raise roughly $400 million annually by increasing the share of offshore profits included in the state tax base from 5% to 50%, and they framed it as a fairness measure that would require large multinational corporations to pay more while leaving most local businesses and workers unaffected. Testimony emphasized risks to MassHealth, PCA services, adult dental care, hospitals, schools, and public health programs if new revenue is not raised. Opponents, including the Mass Taxpayers Foundation and the Council on State Taxation, argued the proposal is poor tax policy and likely unconstitutional because it would tax foreign-source income without allowing foreign tax credits or a comparable apportionment method. They said Massachusetts should take a broader, coordinated approach to federal tax changes rather than a standalone bill, and warned of litigation risk and possible double taxation. Supporters such as MassBudget and former tax counsel Don Griswold countered that the bill is a reasonable rough-justice approach, consistent with federal and neighboring-state treatment, and that it would primarily affect a small number of very large multinationals. On S. 2041, the Global Business Alliance opposed the proposed tax haven blacklist, while supporting a separate bill allowing business interest deductibility.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so that will impact our meal counts in categories in the paid and reduced-price.
• And so that will impact our meal counts in categories in the paid and reduced price.
• I did already ask some questions earlier related to impacts of federal policies on dollars as well as
• Because of how impactful and transformative the community, County.
• The impact has been incredible.

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee on Education heard the Governor’s proposals on universal school meals, the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP), and community schools, with the Kitchen Infrastructure and Training Grants Program also discussed. For universal meals, the Department of Education supported continued investment, citing high student meal need, reported gains in meal participation and service efficiency from prior kitchen grants, and concerns that federal changes and underreporting could affect funding. The Department of Finance outlined $1.8 billion Proposition 98 General Fund for universal meals and an additional $100 million for a fourth round of kitchen grants, while the LAO recommended rejecting the new kitchen grant round because prior rounds are still being spent and the allowable uses are broad. Members raised questions about federal matching requirements, Summer EBT, and whether immigration-related federal policy changes could reduce meal counts and state/federal reimbursements. For ELOP, the Department of Finance described $4.7 billion ongoing Proposition 98 General Fund plus $62.4 million to set a minimum Tier 2 rate of $1,800 per pupil. The LAO recommended modifying the proposal to fully fix Tier 2 at the current $1,579 rate and tie future changes to program requirements, while CDE supported the Governor’s approach and said the added stability would help districts plan. Committee discussion focused on whether ELOP should remain a standalone before- and after-school program or be folded into LCFF, with some members and witnesses arguing for more local flexibility and clearer outcome measures, while others emphasized the value of guaranteed expanded learning access, especially for elementary students and working families. CDE noted new CalPADS reporting will provide more data beginning with the 2025-26 school year. For community schools, the Governor proposed $1 billion ongoing Proposition 98 General Fund to expand the model to thousands more schools and sustain existing ones, along with stronger technical assistance and future accreditation/self-certification. The LAO recommended continuing the current one-time grant approach instead of creating a new ongoing categorical program, citing concerns about scalability, administrative burden, and the need for earlier planning and clearer accreditation timelines if ongoing funding is adopted. CDE strongly supported the ongoing investment, saying community schools have improved attendance, suspensions, and achievement, and that technical assistance and county office support are essential for expansion. Members and public commenters largely supported community schools, with some urging stronger accountability, more support for county offices and MTSS, and debate over whether non-classroom-based charter schools should be excluded from eligibility. No formal votes were taken in the portion provided; the committee heard testimony and moved through the agenda items and public comment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Bill has a fiscal impact not in the governor's budget and I'm happy to take questions.
• Due to serious energy constraints impacting some of our port's core mission of economic development,
• That's a significant departure that will have long-term impacts for the CCA program. Thanks.
• That's a significant departure that will have long-term impacts for the CCA program. Thanks.
• Community voices... ...assessment of cumulative impacts to vulnerable and overburdened communities.

Bills: HB2515 , HB2343 , HB2301 , HB2272 , HB2367

Committee: House Environment & Energy

Keywords: energy facilities, large energy use, regulation, state oversight, infrastructure, water quality, game farms, public health, environmental protection, regulatory oversight, extended producer responsibility, paint waste management, environmental regulations, sustainability, recycling, ski areas, winter sports, terminology update, recreation, regulatory changes

Transcript Highlights:

• If you were to take that for inflation-adjusted dollars, it'd be around $150,000 today.
• If you were to take that for inflation-adjusted dollars, it'd be around $150,000 today.
• </c> If you were to take that for inflation If you were to take that for inflation adjusted<00:37:40.240
• ><c> Groundbreak</c> Chief Impact Officer, Groundbreak Chief Impact Officer, Groundbreak Coalition.
• :41:15.280><c> Groundbreak</c> impact officer at the Groundbreak impact officer at the Groundbreak Coalition

Bills: HF3902 , HF3895

Committee: House Housing Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• So by suspending it, what will be the impact?
• It will have major impacts upon rates and upon funding.
• It will have major impacts upon rates and upon funding.
• So we do have that impact. We can understand some of those impacts on our priorities.
• So we do have that impact. We can understand some of those impact our priorities.

Committee: Joint Select Committee on Pension Policy

Summary: The Select Committee on Pension Policy executive committee met to approve the November minutes, which were adopted by voice vote. The committee then received an update from the Attorney General’s Office on two ongoing cases, Fowler and Joel Lynn, with briefing and oral argument timelines still pending. Michael Harbour of the Office of the State Actuary provided an actuarial update focused on ESSB 5357, explaining that the bill raised the assumed investment return from 7% to 7.25%, suspended UAL contribution rates for four years, and changed amortization for past benefit improvements; members asked for clarification on how those changes would affect long-term funding and contribution rates, especially for Plan 1 systems. A substantial portion of the meeting was devoted to committee discussion of interim priorities and the need for more analysis of recent pension legislation. Members emphasized the importance of understanding the fiscal impacts of ESSB 5357 and related pension changes before the September economic experience study, and several asked staff to provide a more preliminary walkthrough of the bill’s effects. The committee also discussed the LEOFF 1 study and broader questions about overfunding, including when a plan should be considered overfunded and whether overfunding should be addressed through merger or closure proposals. One member suggested reviewing the operating budget’s excess compensation proviso during the interim as well. Staff reviewed the draft 2025 interim work plan, proposing June topics including election of officers, a presentation on SB 5357 and its actuarial implications, and an initial LEOFF 1 study kickoff based on SB 5085 and HB 2034. The committee also placed excess compensation and demographic experience study items in a parking lot for possible later scheduling. The June agenda was adopted by roll call vote, with three ayes and three members absent or excused, and the meeting adjourned after no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• ... ...in place as the LFC writes their analysis and considers fiscal impact moving forward.
• this morning that the modernization of capital housing is not being done as a punitive measure to impact
• Again, none of this is being done to try to impact negatively anybody that relies on capital outlay as
• The amount worries me a little bit because, I mean, as inflation comes in, we start seeing things, it
• The amount worries me a little bit because, I mean, as inflation comes in, we start seeing things, it

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 103, which would prevent a homeowner from losing the 3% valuation cap solely because of a zoning change. The sponsor and supporters, including the New Mexico Business Coalition, Realtors, and the City of Albuquerque, said the bill would protect homeowners from unexpected tax increases when the property’s use has not changed. There was no opposition, and the committee approved HB 103 with a due pass recommendation by voice vote. The committee then considered House Bill 145, which extends the high-wage job tax credit sunset from 2026 to 2036. The sponsor and the Economic Development Secretary said the credit has been effective in attracting and retaining higher-wage jobs, especially because employers need long-term certainty. Business and economic development groups testified in support, while no one spoke in opposition. Members discussed the wage thresholds, the value of keeping a sunset for review, and the bill’s fiscal impact. The committee passed HB 145 on a 7-2 roll call vote. House Bill 247, a major capital outlay modernization bill, generated the most extensive discussion. The sponsor described the bill as a response to billions in unspent capital outlay balances and repeated reauthorizations, and proposed amendments to require ICIP inclusion for larger appropriations, limit reauthorizations, and change how water projects are handled. Public testimony was mixed: some rural and tribal representatives supported modernization but warned that the water provisions could harm small communities, fire suppression systems, flood-control dams, and other local projects. After debate, the committee adopted an amendment striking the water-related Section 2, then later passed the bill as twice amended with a due pass recommendation.

Transcript Highlights:

• Adjusted for inflation, grow margins have steadily eroded.
• Adjusted with inflation, grow margins have steadily eroded.
• tariffs might be impacting farmers?
• I urge you to reconsider 2409 and the impacts it would have on our food security. Thank you.
• I urge you to reconsider 2409 and the impacts it would have to our food security. Thank you.

Bills: HB2355 , HB2151 , HB2372 , HB2472 , HB2409

Committee: House Labor & Workplace Standards

Keywords: labor protections, domestic workers, wage standards, employment rights, worker safety, factory built housing, commercial structures, national standards, construction regulation, building safety, workers' compensation, benefits, employment, injury claims, insurance, liability, fire protection, sprinkler systems, licensed contractors, certified fitters

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:25:18.559><c> Wyoming's</c><00:25:19.039><c> economy,</c> directly impact Wyoming's economy,
• directly impact Wyoming's economy, energy<00:25:20.400><c> interest,</c><00:25:21.039><c> public</c><
• So we were quite happy with this agency and their desire to be efficient, but inflation has hit them
• </c><01:29:37.840><c> letter</c> time for the governor's inflation letter time for the governor's inflation
• </c> inflation letter, footnote number nine. inflation letter, footnote number nine.

Transcript Highlights:

• VETERANS AND THEIR SURVIVORS KEEP PACE WITH INFLATION AND THE COST OF LIVING.
• And I know the families impacted by this appreciate your diligence here as well.
• And I know the families impacted by this appreciate your diligence here as well.
• We need to get back to work to address the issues impacting the American people.
• WE NEED TO GET BACK TO WORK TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES IMPACTING THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:22:40.720><c> or</c> water rates because of inflation or water rates because of inflation or
• The expenses are primarily due to inflation.
• They are not in private ownership. inflation unfortunately um gasoline is inflation unfortunately um
• There are currently no octopus farms in Hawaiʻi, thus this legislation would have no financial impact
• It wouldn't have an additional financial impact. Thank you for your testimony.

Committee: House Agriculture & Food Systems

Transcript Highlights:

• , because the question I actually do want to ask is about ranked-choice voting and how this would impact
• , because the question I actually do want to ask is about ranked-choice voting and how this would impact
• I mean, in the meantime, you know, I don't think we could support this just because of the impact it
• So the bill is a simple inflation adjustment; it just raises the amount to $100, which is what I think
• </c><01:25:18.040><c> it</c><01:25:18.159><c> would</c> this just because of the impact it would this

Bills: HF72 , HF66 , HF69 , HF73

Committee: House Elections Finance and Government Operations

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, you know, the challenges of reimbursement cuts, workforce shortages, uh, inflation, uh, you know,
• , uh you know, shortages, uh inflation, uh you know, service<00:08:50.080><c> closures,</c><00:08:50.720
• So, you talk about inflation. All right. Uh, I'll get back on script here if you will.
• So, you talk<00:09:17.440><c> about</c><00:09:17.680><c> inflation.
• </c> talk about inflation. talk about inflation. All<00:09:19.680><c> right.

Summary: House File 369 was the main topic, with House authors Rep. Natalie Zeleznikar, Rep. Robert Bierman, and Rep. Dave Baker arguing that the bill would give Minnesota’s 2024 340B law “teeth” by enforcing protections for nonprofit and rural hospitals’ access to the federal drug pricing program. They said the measure costs the state nothing, aligns with similar laws in more than 20 other states, and is needed before adjournment to help hospitals close funding gaps, support services like emergency care, obstetrics, behavioral health, and pharmacy access, and preserve care in remote communities. Several hospital leaders from across greater Minnesota testified that 340B revenue helps keep their facilities viable and that losing it would threaten services and, in some cases, hospital survival. Witnesses described severe financial pressure on rural hospitals, including reimbursement cuts, workforce shortages, inflation, and rising drug costs. Leaders from United Hospital District in Blue Earth, Lakewood Health System in Staples, Ely-Bloomenson Community Hospital, Northshore Health in Grand Marais, Community Memorial Hospital in Cloquet, and Cuyuna Regional Medical Center in Crosby said their hospitals serve as safety-net providers and often operate with thin or negative margins. They emphasized long travel times to other hospitals, seasonal tourism pressures in some areas, and the importance of local emergency, ambulance, inpatient, and specialty services. The Minnesota Hospital Association president also criticized pharmaceutical company messaging and said nonprofit hospitals are working around the clock to maintain access. In response to questions, Zeleznikar said she had considered other enforcement approaches but now supported using the original Senate-passed bill, citing concerns about fraud and the difficulty of alternative enforcement mechanisms. She and hospital leaders distinguished this bill from a separate hospital stabilization-grant proposal, saying both are needed but serve different purposes. No vote was taken at the meeting, and the speakers repeatedly urged House leadership to bring the bill to the floor before session ends.

Transcript Highlights:

• It'll be up to $750,000 probably, or whatever the figure, because of inflation and whenever... ...probably
• , or whatever the figure, because of inflation.
• A lot of times the prices are inflated on things like buying books and computers.
• So in two years, we're probably up to $750,000 or more with inflation and so forth.

Summary: The Senate conference committee on Senate Bill 2330 met to resolve differences between the Senate and House versions of the bill, which concerns human trafficking and exploitation prevention and awareness education in schools. House members explained their amendments, including adding non-public schools, narrowing some statutory language, removing the appropriation section because funding had been moved into the Attorney General’s budget, and changing the bill’s structure to reduce what they viewed as an overly broad mandate. Senators and House members then debated whether the education should be required for all grades or limited to specific grades, and whether it should be delivered every year or every other year. Testimony from Amy Boyd-Bomey of YouthWorks and Stacey Schaefer of the 31A Project supported focusing the program on grades 6 and 10, with later discussion adding grade 12. They said sixth grade is a key entry point into junior high and social media exposure, tenth grade is important because of dropout risk, and twelfth grade would be the last opportunity to reach students before adulthood. They also said repeating the same material every year could dilute the message, that the curriculum should be thoughtful and trauma-informed, and that “best practices” may be preferable to the bill’s “evidence-based” language because of cost and feasibility. They emphasized that presenters must be prepared for disclosures from students after the training. Committee members also discussed logistics and funding. The witnesses said the Attorney General’s budget line for the program would fund third-party organizations through a grant process, with reporting requirements, and that the proposed amount was based on their cost estimates. Members raised concerns about whether the funding would cover all schools and grades, especially if non-public schools were included. Several members argued against mandating the program in non-public schools at this time, citing uncertainty about related legislation and the need to maximize available funds, while others said private school students also face trafficking risks and should not be excluded. The committee did not take final action on the bill; instead, members agreed to continue working on amendments, including grade levels, annual versus biennial implementation, the “may include” language, the “evidence-based” standard, and the non-public school issue, and to reconvene at a later meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Provider inflation increase two and two. Mr. Chairman. Senator Cleary.
• to get a kind of a full picture of what we cut, what we added, and then we can make a decision on inflators
• But that was, again, from a couple years ago, so I don't know with inflation, the cost of things.
• That was, again, from a couple years ago, so I don't know with inflation, the cost of things.

Committee: Senate Appropriations - Human Resources Division

Summary: The HR division continued work on the behavioral health budget, with members revisiting several funding items and generally agreeing to hold provider inflation increases until the full division picture is clearer. They tentatively supported additional funding for Community Connect and Free Through Recovery, as well as increases for the drug court program and peer support, while clarifying that some items were already in the House version and others were one-time or grant-related expenditures. The committee spent considerable time on a proposed $2 million behavioral health services program for nursing homes and basic care facilities. Senator Mathern brought revised language to describe a capitated payment model for training, consultation, and direct patient care for residents with medically based behavioral disorders and disruptive behaviors. Some members remained skeptical and wanted to see the amendment before deciding, but the discussion centered on whether the funding would help nursing homes accept patients who otherwise end up in state hospitals or acute care settings. Members also discussed several one-time funding items, including electronic health record and legacy system upgrades, network redundancy for the state hospital, partial hospitalization/intensive day treatment expansion, and a bathroom remodel at the Southeast Human Service Center. The committee restored the bathroom project to the original $972,000 estimate after concerns that the House reduction would not cover the needed ADA and plumbing work. They also debated a $12.96 million behavioral health facility grant for Altru in Grand Forks, with some members opposing it and others supporting it as a regional service expansion, but ultimately set it aside for later consideration. The meeting ended with staff flagging other sections of the bill, including the opioid settlement advisory language, the state hospital steering committee, behavioral health education grants, and the system of care grant. The chair announced that medical services would be taken up the next day, and members agreed to adjourn after planning to revisit unresolved behavioral health items and vote on the held bill later.