Transcript Highlights:

• In 2015, the employee contribution rate for the plan increased from 6% to 6 and a half%.
• rate for the<00:58:57.119> plan<00:58:57.440> increased<00:58:57.839> from<00:58
• rate.
• It's increased.
• It's increased.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• provides that if the app store has a rating or other type of content notice, it shall display the rating
• or reason for the rating.
• Insurance costs are increasing.
• It does not set medical billing rates.
• These are not market rates; they're administrative rates.

Bills: SB30, SB517, SB1313, SB1314, SB1316, SB1541, SB1698, SB1845, SB1860, SB2420, SB2429, SB 30

Keywords: gambling, criminal offenses, penalties, defense, electronic devices, tobacco advertising, youth protection, public health, criminal offense, retailer regulation, e-cigarettes, nicotine products, health, public safety, regulation, advertising restrictions, health and safety, elections, election audit, county elections

Transcript Highlights:

• Nearly half of PG&E's residential rate increase above inflation from 2018 to 2024 was because of the
• This is working-class Californians trying to stabilize their energy rates.
• That's a lot of money for somebody that's supposed to be on a low income rate.
• As retail electricity rates go up, that NEM subsidy they also get to avoid paying that retail rate for
• No, it brings down the total cost of the whole system for all rate payers.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• fluctuations are in their tax rates. fluctuations are in their tax rates.
• That's used for your tax rate. But the tax rate can go up and down depending on revaluation.
• > can<00:38:49.520> go of um tax rates because tax rates can go of um tax rates because tax
• Because just looking at a tax rate without context around it really is a tax rate.
• my tax rate because I have that, I would think we're doing great because my tax rate went way down.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We have implemented rate requirements in the past when they've been coupled with rate increases.
• These rates are...
• The funding for this initiative will be repurposed from the different unit rate increase for licensed
• The department has allocated $1.75 million for the differential unit rate increase out of the Alzheimer's
• The amount of $500,000 that would be repurposed from the differential unit rate increase to the Alzheimer's

Transcript Highlights:

• And you kind of hinted around rates.
• the rate, and it's pretty complicated.
• Uh, than the FCC rate does.
• So it can handle the increasing bandwidth demands for our customers.
• But I mean, basically, we're seeing an increase, uh, here in Texas in El Paso, we've seen a major increase

Transcript Highlights:

• > them<04:58:33.520> to to be rate increases that allow them to to be rate increases that
• Well, as I mentioned, no one wants rates to increase, right?
• And rather rates. So, a 50% increase.
• an<06:05:04.400> annual rate increase would have an annual rate increase would have an annual
• doing dealing with a 39% rate increase. doing dealing with a 39% rate increase.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 47, sponsored by Sen. Regina Birdsell at the request of the Insurance Department. The bill would codify the department’s interpretation that a birth mother’s health insurance is the primary coverage for a newborn, unless the mother has no insurance or coverage under an employer-sponsored plan. Birdsell and Insurance Commissioner DJ Benton Court said the measure is a clarification of existing practice and intended to protect vulnerable newborns; a question from Rep. Miles clarified that if a young woman is on her parents’ policy, the newborn would generally be covered under that family coverage. The hearing on SB 47 was then closed. The committee then took up Senate Bill 121, introduced by Grant Bosi for Sen. Kevin Avard, which would require insurers to notify the Insurance Department when they stop writing an entire line of business or, in some cases, Medicare Advantage plans. Commissioner Benton Court said the bill arose from disruption in the Medicare Advantage market, where consumers, brokers, and the department were confused by carriers changing or ending offerings; he said the department wanted a simple notification requirement so it could better advise consumers. Members discussed network adequacy, county-based service areas, and the fact that the bill would make notice a condition of licensure, with possible fines or license action for noncompliance. Witness Paula Rogers of AHIP said her group supported the bill if amended, and the department indicated it would support a change from a 120-day notice period to 90 days to align with state rules; the committee planned to work on an amendment in subcommittee. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 247, introduced by Rep. Brian Cole, which would prohibit network exclusion of pharmacies that refuse to dispense prescriptions when PBM reimbursement is below acquisition cost. Cole argued the bill is meant to stop pharmacies from being forced to sell drugs at a loss, describing PBMs as middlemen and saying the measure is a compromise that protects local pharmacies. Members questioned whether consumers would pay more and whether pharmacies voluntarily enter PBM contracts; Cole responded that the bill would let pharmacies refuse unprofitable fills while consumers could still obtain the drug through mail order or other channels. He also said the issue has changed over time because the practice now affects a much larger share of generics and is concentrated among a few PBMs. The hearing remained open as questions continued, with no vote taken in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• Minnesota's unemployment rate is lower than nationwide at 3.7%, but this is a year-over-year increase
• > increased<00:12:06.240> to<00:12:06.399> 4.5%, unemployment rate has increased to
• 4.5%, unemployment rate has increased to 4.5%, the<00:12:07.760> highest<00:12:08.000> it's
• Our farmers talked about suicide rates increasing.
• talked about suicide rates increasing. talked about suicide rates increasing.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• in rates over time, doubling, tripling, and even beyond.
• This investment in our electric company comes with a near-10% guaranteed rate of return.
• the rates that have gone up since 2019 to the day, I mean, you can't argue the rates have gone up.
• We could have a long discussion online, but the rates have gone up.
• They're going to have to raise rates that people of New Mexico pay.

Bills: SM20, SM9, SJR6, HB124

Keywords: youth violence, violence prevention, violence intervention, community violence intervention, credible messengers, peer support, restorative justice, violence interrupters, juvenile justice, at-risk youth, high-risk youth, public safety, Department of Health, New Mexico, statewide summit, data collection, reporting, interagency coordination, community-based organizations, law enforcement

Transcript Highlights:

• reimbursement rates.
• our current reimbursement rates. our current reimbursement rates.
• receives an appropriate annual rate receives an appropriate annual rate increase<01:19:16.640>
• > elderly rate mechanism to increase elderly rate mechanism to increase elderly waiver.<01:21:53.679
• increase.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You will see a heavy increase.
• Being rated on a statewide basis is prohibited. Since the deadline for issuing new ratings...
• and increasing burnout rate.
• And one clarifying point about the suicide rate: while it is increasing... ...overall, physicians are
• at a particularly increased risk.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Xcel Energy has recently approached the PUC with a request to increase monthly rates by 9.5% in 2025
• n request to increase monthly rates by n request to increase monthly rates by n and<00:03:35.040
• almost 4% in 2026 due to the increased almost 4% in 2026 due to the increased costs<00:03:42.480
• ...2053 or is at 2053 and 2054 at any rate.
• locally try on a bill that uh increases locally try on a bill that uh increases your<00:53:15.680

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: House File 9 was heard as a proposal to alter Minnesota energy policy by creating exemptions and “off-ramps” from the state’s 2023 clean energy requirements. The bill would expand hydroelectric power’s eligibility, end the moratorium on new nuclear plants, delay certain carbon-free energy compliance requirements for utilities that do not meet a retail rate benchmark, restrict demolition of fossil fuel plants under that same benchmark, support carbon capture and sequestration, and expand the sales tax exemption for residential natural gas and electricity used as primary heat year-round. The author moved the A1 amendment, which clarified that the carbon capture policy language does not create a state funding obligation; the committee took up the amendment with no discussion and proceeded to a vote, though the result was not stated in the transcript. The bill was then referred to the Committee on Taxes. The author and supporters argued the bill is needed to improve reliability and affordability, especially during extreme cold, and said current mandates are forcing coal retirements faster than replacement generation can be built. They cited MISO and NERC reliability concerns, Xcel’s proposed rate increases, and the need for an “all-of-the-above” energy approach that includes nuclear and hydro. Supporters also said the bill would help keep energy costs down for families and businesses and would allow Minnesota to use existing generation assets longer if rate targets are not met. Testimony from the Minnesota Rural Electric Association and the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce supported the bill’s emphasis on reliability, affordability, nuclear power, hydroelectric power, and carbon capture. The Chamber said Minnesota’s electricity costs have become less competitive for businesses and argued that stable, affordable power is essential for economic growth and future technologies such as AI. The Minnesota Utility Investors also supported allowing new nuclear and all hydro power to be considered. In contrast, the Prairie Island Indian Community opposed lifting the nuclear moratorium without a viable long-term waste solution, describing its long history living near the Prairie Island nuclear plant and spent fuel storage and urging continued consultation on the issue. Xcel Energy said it supports low rates and sees nuclear as one option, but emphasized that any support for lifting the moratorium depends on full participation by the Prairie Island Indian Community and that decisions about retiring fossil plants should remain within the existing Public Utilities Commission resource planning process.

Transcript Highlights:

• Demotech ratings are so slippery that almost 20% of Florida insurance companies it rated have already
• Remember 2008 and rating agencies?
• The Biden administration and Democrats' reckless spending drove up inflation and interest rates. rates
• Twenty-nine other Louisiana parishes are in the top 10% nationally for non-renewal rate increases, with
• Of LNG increased dramatically, and we did increase dramatically our exports of LNG to Europe.

Transcript Highlights:

• So to the extent that you can do some things to control the rate at which fees need to increase, that
• Our goal right now is to up our recruitment rates and really look at ways to increase our academies so
• Now what they're doing is they've increased revenue through the increased participation in education
• those lease rates.
• How do the Coliseum lease rates compare with other stadium lease rates?

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:50:21.000> was This measure regarding TAT increase was This measure regarding TAT increase
• Our rates are close to $300 a night.
• , has the highest ADR, average daily rate, has the highest ADR, average daily rate, of<00:55:34.440
• 47.080> make<00:55:47.240> it decrease their rates by 1% and make it decrease their rates
• stabilization of our insurance rates. stabilization of our insurance rates.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And then there's going to be some increased participation rate because now it's free, and so that's kind
• > now increased participation rate because now increased participation rate because now it's<00
• in free and reduced lunch participation rates and increased rates in federal funding, like California
• has increased and so um you know as rate has increased and so um you know as long<00:58:40.880> as
• <00:58:49.480> funding rate increased rates in federal funding rate increased rates in federal

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 707 on the College Savings Program. Members discussed a suggested amendment from the Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities to include the Hawaii ABLE Savings Program. The chair said the Department of the Attorney General advised there was no title problem, so the bill could be broadened to cover both the College Savings Program and the ABLE program. The committee also noted technical, non-substantive changes and a defective date of July 1, 3000 for further discussion. HB 707 HD1 was then voted on and the recommendation to pass with amendments was adopted unanimously by the members present, with two members excused. The committee then heard House Bill 424, which would provide free breakfast and lunch beginning the next school year to students who currently qualify for free and reduced-price meals. The Department of Education supported the measure, and testimony in favor came from teachers, public health and food security advocates, and several organizations. Supporters described students being denied meals because of unpaid balances, said school meals should not depend on family debt, and argued that the bill would reduce stigma and help hungry students learn. Committee questions focused on meal pricing, the impact of raising prices on families who pay full price, and whether portion sizes could be increased; DOE said breakfast costs less than lunch, full-price students would bear any increase, and portion sizes must follow USDA rules. Hawaiʻi Public Health Institute and Hawaiʻi Children’s Action Network said many families above the free/reduced thresholds still cannot afford meals, citing estimates that the DOE collects about $20 million a year in meal payments and that federal reimbursement totals are much larger. The committee then heard House Bill 757, the universal free school breakfast and lunch bill. DOE and the Department of Health supported it, and testimony was overwhelmingly in favor from county officials, teachers, students, food banks, advocacy groups, and community organizations. Witnesses argued that universal meals would eliminate stigma, reduce paperwork and debt collection, and ensure students do not fall through the cracks because of income cutoffs, language barriers, or administrative hurdles. Several students from Castle High School described classmates asking for food and families struggling to keep meal accounts funded, while teachers said they regularly see negative meal balance notices and hungry students. Advocates also said the bill is the better equity vehicle because it avoids means testing and reaches students who are not currently receiving meals despite needing them. The hearing on HB 757 was still ongoing at the end of the transcript, and no final vote on that bill was shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• . that additional increase in two years.
• Year, but in two years will give you a 4% increase.
• Weed Union and SISCU is a facility rated.
• It's predominantly driven by low birth rates, historically low birth rates.
• And so when rates — and generally school districts don't get favorable rates because it's done on a meter-by-meter

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance met for its annual Proposition 98 overview, with Chair Alvarez outlining the committee’s focus on K-12 funding, student outcomes, and use of one-time funds. Superintendent Tony Thurmond gave an update on education issues, including wildfire recovery support for affected school communities, ongoing concerns about federal threats to education funding and immigration enforcement, progress on literacy and math, dual-language immersion, educator housing, and support for dual enrollment. Members broadly expressed support for these priorities, while also raising concerns about implementation, funding stability, and the need for schools to remain safe places for students. The committee then reviewed the Governor’s Proposition 98 proposal. The Department of Finance said the 2025-26 Proposition 98 guarantee is projected at $118.9 billion, with higher revenues and TK-related rebenching driving the increase. The LAO said the budget adds about $7.5 billion over two years and discussed the volatility of the guarantee, especially in 2024-25, when changes in revenue could have an outsized effect on school funding. Members questioned the proposed $1.6 billion delayed settle-up payment, the legal basis for delaying it, and the impact of possible federal funding freezes. The LAO presented alternatives such as a reserve deposit or delayed disbursement, while Finance said the proposal is intended to manage uncertainty. Members also raised concerns that ethnic studies implementation was not funded in the January budget, and Finance said the administration was not proposing funding for it. The committee next heard on the Proposition 98 rainy day fund and education deferrals. Finance said the reserve would receive a mandatory deposit of about $1.2 billion in 2024-25 and a discretionary deposit of $376 million in 2025-26, leaving a balance of about $1.5 billion. The LAO supported rebuilding the reserve as a way to manage volatility. On deferrals, Finance described the Governor’s plan to eliminate remaining deferrals by 2025-26, and the LAO said paying them off improves cash flow and budget resilience. Members generally supported eliminating deferrals and rebuilding reserves, though some asked about acting earlier if revenues allow. The committee also reviewed the proposed $1.8 billion student support and professional development block grant; Finance said it would fund professional development, recruitment and retention, and dual enrollment, while the LAO recommended clearer language on local discretion and use for one-time costs. Members were divided, with some supporting flexibility and others warning that one-time block grants can create instability and confusion for districts.

Transcript Highlights:

• In California are now fire-rated roofs.
• , and if you're not certified, this is your insurance rate.
• After 30 years, we had to increase fees.
• By substantially increasing the number of engineers while only increasing the necessary fire captains
• It includes a proportionate increase in contract county funding and increases in administrative staff

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• a bigger PDM rate.
• a bigger PDM rate.
• I did want to spend a little bit of time on some of our engagement rates and quit rates and vacancy rates
• I did want to spend a little bit of time on some of our engagement rates and quit rates and vacancy rates
• Can you tell me what your daily rate is? Sure. Our current daily rate is $1,599.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: Division 3 opened a work session focused on direct care agencies, with the chair saying the day would center on the Veterans Home and other state hospitals and homes. Members first discussed the upcoming Finance Committee process, including how many bills would be assigned to Division 3, whether they would appear on the House calendar, and how much time would be allowed for each bill. The chair said the division would likely spend about an hour on each bill, then return for a second day of review before making recommendations. Staff later identified three bills expected on the calendar: House Bills 704, 751, and 54. Members also raised a question about the use of educational trust fund money in the budget, but that issue was deferred. The main presentation came from Kim McKay, commandant of the New Hampshire Veterans Home, who described the facility as a long-term care intermediate facility serving eligible veterans. She said the home is licensed for 250 beds, budgeted for 225 veterans, and currently has 135 residents with four more scheduled to arrive. McKay highlighted improvements over the last two years, including a reduction in the admission wait list from more than a year to about three to six months, the creation of an LNA training program, energy-saving and Wi-Fi upgrades, and a new electronic learning management system that will provide mandatory training and continuing education units for staff. She said the home’s long-term goal is to return to a 225-bed census, but staffing remains the biggest hurdle. Members asked about admissions, wait times, staffing, vacancies, and the home’s use of contract nurses. McKay explained that the wait time is measured from the initial application date, not from a completed packet, and that staff now help families gather records and paperwork more quickly. She said the home averages about 45 deaths per year, residents stay about 2.5 years on average, and the vacancy rate is around 35 percent, though some positions are intentionally held open until census grows. She attributed staffing shortages largely to retention problems, citing higher private-sector pay, bonuses, and more flexible hours, and said the home has a handful of contract nurses, mainly on second shift. On finances, she said pharmacy services are contracted, the VA reimburses some medication costs based on disability, and the home is pursuing federal changes to cover high-cost medications and catastrophic disability cases. The discussion also covered the home’s off-book donation account, which is overseen by the state and transferred into the state system when funds are spent.

Transcript Highlights:

• opioid, both of which increased her risk for confusion, unsteadiness, and falling.
• It is here and it will only increase.
• or not there were reductions in rates.
• Medicare and Medicaid reimburse nurse anesthetists at 100% of whatever the negotiated fee rate is.
• We charge a reasonable monthly rate for everything we do.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee held a hearing on several health care access and insurance-related bills, with most testimony focused on H.1136 to improve the prior authorization process. The Massachusetts Medical Society, Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association, Health Care for All, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, physicians, and hospital representatives all supported the bill, arguing that prior authorization delays care, increases administrative burden, contributes to clinician burnout, and can worsen patient outcomes. Witnesses described examples involving delayed cancer treatment, diabetes care, COPD medication, shingles pain treatment, and hospital discharge delays. They said the bill would preserve prior authorization but add guardrails such as longer validity periods, continuity-of-care protections, faster responses for urgent care, clearer lists of services requiring authorization, and more transparency and standardization. The committee also heard testimony on H.1142/S.783 regarding equitable reimbursement for certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs), with Senator Lovely and CRNA advocates supporting parity with physician anesthesiologists. They said CRNAs provide the same services at the same standard of care, but private insurers sometimes reimburse them at lower rates than physicians, which they argued is inconsistent with federal and state policy and harms access. Senator Keenan testified in support of a bill addressing claim denials and appeals, saying insurers should provide clearer explanations, time to resubmit claims, and timely appeal responses. Dr. Lorraine Schratz supported H.1126 to align state patient disclosure requirements with federal No Surprises Act rules, and Dr. Michael Trimbley supported H.1120 to recognize direct primary care as not being insurance and to encourage primary care participation. The committee also heard testimony on H.1140/S.801 to remove barriers to patient care by updating insurance statutes to reflect nurse practitioners’ full practice authority, and on H.1168/S.A.18 to eliminate the PCP referral requirement for specialty gynecological care. Witnesses on those bills described delays and denials affecting autism diagnosis, nutrition coverage, and endometriosis care, and said the proposals would reduce unnecessary barriers and improve timely access. After testimony and a few member questions, the chair closed the hearing; no votes were taken during the session.