Transcript Highlights:

• There's several factors, structural, several issues, but isn't one right now the historic payments at
• But this is a structural issue: if you're asking whether there are future costs associated with these
• I would also like to note that we use performance-based fee structures, so the increased cost means we
• And we also wanted to note that similar funds with other departments are structured in a similar way
• And we also wanted to note that similar funds with other departments are structured in a similar way

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The committee held an informational hearing on the Governor’s May Revision proposals for labor, public safety/judiciary, and transportation, and no votes were taken. In Part A on labor, the Employment Development Department reviewed proposals for EDD Next document management system funding, updated UI loan interest costs, disability insurance and paid family leave benefit and administration adjustments, WIOA funding changes, UI administrative and benefit changes, school employee benefit adjustments, an EMT training reappropriation, and a technical correction tied to EDD Next. PERB discussed funding tied to AB 28 and AB 1, including litigation-related workload and new jurisdiction over legislative employees. DIR presented proposals for legal unit reclassifications, two major IT modernization projects, a new Cal/OSHA emerging technologies unit, a COIA reappropriation, and trailer bill language on electronic assessment payments and the DWC director salary cap. CalHR proposed additional funding for a consolidated employee assistance program contract, and CalPERS and CalSTRS presented budget adjustments tied to investment costs and state contribution changes. Members focused heavily on UI debt and interest payments, asking the administration for a plan to reduce the outstanding loan and relieve employers. Finance said no specific repayment plan was included in the May Revision, while LAO said the state’s UI tax structure is structurally insufficient and that any debt payoff should be paired with tax-system reform. Senators also questioned EDD Next costs and timelines, PERB’s caseload and staffing needs, and DIR’s emerging technologies unit, with LAO noting that the unit would appear focused on physical workplace safety rather than broader AI labor issues. CalHR said the new EAP contract would consolidate services, improve access to clinicians, and lower costs relative to the current model. CalPERS defended higher external management fees as part of a strategy to pursue higher net returns, while some members pressed for more transparency about private investments; CalSTRS said it was not prepared to address investment-strategy questions at this hearing. Public comment in Part A was dominated by advocates urging support for an immigration enforcement emergency relief fund, along with comments supporting the Jails to Jobs proposal, the Apprenticeship Innovation Fund, and additional PERB funding. The chair noted that many of the immigration-related requests might fall under other committees and said staff would follow up. In Part B, Finance and LAO outlined judicial branch and DOJ May Revision items, including funding for court interpreter services, appellate court security, lactation room implementation delays, courthouse construction reappropriations, and DOJ budget increases. LAO recommended approving the language-access proposal with a report on reducing interpreter cost growth and reducing the General Fund backfill for state court facilities by $10 million on an ongoing basis.

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill's selective benefit structure could inadvertently worsen disparities.
• I just want to add: the accountability piece is in the bill in terms of the structure for that to get
• And then another one about continuing on the fines and fee structure.
• Continuing on the fines and fee structure, where do the actual fall? So that's part one.
• First, just want to acknowledge, yes, there are fines and fee structures in the bill today.

Summary: The Assembly Health Committee heard a long agenda of health bills focused on access to preventive care, behavioral health, hospital services, and patient safety. Early items included AB 554, which would expand and protect access to HIV prevention drugs like PrEP, including injectable forms and coverage protections; supporters said it would shore up access amid federal threats, while insurers opposed it as a costly benefit mandate. AB 577 would limit insurer and PBM practices that steer medications away from physician offices and require more transparency and patient consent; doctors and patient advocates supported it, while health plans and insurers warned it could raise drug costs and disrupt specialty pharmacy networks. AB 546 would require coverage for portable HEPA purifiers for vulnerable enrollees during declared emergencies, especially wildfire smoke events, with support from air quality and public health groups and opposition from insurers concerned about benefit expansion and cost. The committee also heard AB 224, which would codify California’s updated essential health benefits benchmark plan after a public review process, adding infertility treatment, hearing aids, and durable medical equipment if approved by CMS for the 2027 plan year. DMHC said the state had completed the review and needed legislation to meet federal timing, and the measure drew broad support. AB 1032 would require plans and insurers to reimburse up to 12 additional behavioral health visits for enrollees in wildfire-affected counties for a limited period after an emergency; supporters argued it would fill gaps in trauma care after disasters, while insurers said existing parity and continuity-of-care rules already address the issue and that the bill could create inequities. AB 849 would require trained chaperones for sensitive ultrasound exams and training on how to observe and intervene; it was backed by a survivor and patient advocates, with hospitals and health districts raising staffing concerns. Later, AB 1196 would direct the Department of Public Health to update outdated rules requiring three surgeons for certain heart surgeries using cardiopulmonary bypass; supporters said the rule no longer reflects modern practice and strains staffing, while cardiology representatives had no formal opposition but wanted to review amendments. AB 1113 would codify a right to wear a mask for health reasons in public spaces, with support from disability and public health groups. AB 1386 sought to add perinatal care to the list of basic hospital services, prompting testimony about maternity ward closures, workforce shortages, and rural access; the author said the bill would be amended further and that the committee would need to revisit timelines and implementation details. The committee also heard AB 1429, which would address Kaiser’s repeated mental health parity violations and improve access to behavioral health care, though the transcript cuts off before any action on that bill is shown. Several bills were moved with motions and seconds, but many were held for quorum; AB 1196, AB 1113, and AB 1386 were among the measures advanced to a roll call or held on call, and the committee repeatedly noted that final votes would occur when quorum was available.

Transcript Highlights:

• And in instances where the structural integrity of the well itself is compromised, this bill adds the
• Um, and so this proposal represents an effort to provide some greater structure to that, particularly
• Um, so this is a start in terms of providing a structure for that and would apply to both in-state and
• to that particularly greater structure to that particularly um<01:05:20.559> for<01:05:21.440
• <01:06:43.039> uh um in terms of providing a structure uh um in terms of providing a structure

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Now, for Minnesota, the state's strong economic foundation and the structure of its tax system means
• and independent parties to come up with some of those analyses and evaluate those in terms of a structural
• imbalanced budget but it is structurally imbalanced budget but it is concerning<00:22:17.960> and
• <00:24:59.679> deficit those in terms of a structural deficit those in terms of a structural
• They've had to bring in appropriate advisors to help them structure the deal, help them with fundraising

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so there is going to be a difference between the structure valuation as well as the final sales price
• And so there is going to be a difference between the structure valuation as well as the final sales price
• The speaker continued explaining that valuation-based permit fees are tied to the home structure rather
• You know, a house, no, when you're talking about building a, say, a new structure, you got building,
• you got building Plumbing structure you got building Plumbing mechanical<00:29:27.440> electrical

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Labor Committee heard Senate File 560, a bill to require the Commissioner of Labor and Industry to establish a cost-per-square-foot valuation for residential building permits. Senator Dornink said the measure is intended to make permit fees more fair, reasonable, transparent, and predictable, and to reduce housing costs by limiting large differences in permit fees between municipalities. He said the bill would be sent to the Housing Committee without recommendation, and members discussed but did not act on a related amendment that would have shifted plan review and inspection fees to hourly and trip-based charges and made fee information publicly available. Testimony from Housing First Minnesota supported the bill’s goal, arguing that Minnesota’s housing shortage and high new-home prices make it important to reduce inefficiencies in the permitting system. The witness said permit valuations are often increased by cities, leading to higher costs for homebuyers, and cited examples of large fee differences between municipalities and claims of overcollection. He said some other states, including Texas and Wisconsin communities, use square-footage-based approaches. A League of Minnesota Cities representative opposed the amendment language and cautioned that trip charges and hourly billing would make fees less certain, could raise costs, and would be especially burdensome in Greater Minnesota; he said current valuation-based fees better reflect the actual cost and complexity of service and can be appealed if disputed. A representative of the Association of Minnesota Building Officials also raised concerns about the amendment, saying building departments provide consultations, inspections, plan review, and other services beyond a single trip, and that trip charges would not fit a responsive fee-for-service model. He said the current valuation system helps cover the full range of permitting work, though he acknowledged that a consistent square-foot valuation standard could improve transparency and reduce disputes over project value. Committee members asked about other states’ approaches and the scope of the bill, and the discussion emphasized that the proposal applies to one- and two-family dwellings.

Transcript Highlights:

• Now looking specifically at western state tax policies, uh, LSO staff analyzed tax structures across
• Now looking specifically at western state tax policies, uh, LSO staff analyzed tax structures across
• Now looking specifically at western state tax policies, uh, LSO staff analyzed tax structures across
• <00:50:08.000> remains Bill 108, the original structure remains Bill 108, the original structure
• Um, we did look into Nebraska’s kind of tax structure. Um, this is research from 2024.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:27:22.960> that<01:27:23.440> are to only apply to structures that are to only
• While well intended, that structure<02:01:56.239> look<02:01:56.560> lacks<02:01:57.119
• > procedural<02:01:57.920> symmetry structure look lacks procedural symmetry structure
• <02:02:13.119> separate<02:02:13.679> from because it is structurally separate from
• That is, they have a formal structure for the presentation and a formal decision-making process.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There's a<01:10:48.960> single<01:10:49.280> administrative<01:10:50.159> structure<
• And we knew and we have a structure in Minnesota that allows for-profit nonprofits.
• <01:14:29.679> in knew and we have a structure in knew and we have a structure in Minnesota
• And and that's the ownership structure.
• This relates to establishing a single administrative structure and delivery system pilot program.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and accountability of this new structure and accountability of this new board.<00:31:30.080> The<
• Speaker. regarding the structure of the bill, the regarding the structure of the bill, the assessment
• <04:15:55.920> of deals rather with the structure of deals rather with the structure of government
• The bill addresses this, providing a more structured and predictable process.
• more structured and predictable process. more structured and predictable process.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• . structure. structure.
• failures, lead to structural failures, lead to structural failures, environmental<04:35:33.840>
• Could he go and prove your structure?
• Um, there are exams like the structural exam which just focuses on structural engineering, and that's
• on structural exam which just focuses on structural<04:57:42.480> engineering<04:57:42.958>

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, so some of the structural changes that we see in HB 2, they're not so much really structural changes
• <00:43:00.520> changes okay so some of the structural changes okay so some of the structural
• I really liked their structure.
• their structure of liked their structure their structure of that<04:36:08.799> board<04:36:09.480
• <05:15:38.400> settlements structured settlements structured settlements and<05:15:39.638>

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee held a work session on the Department of Business and Economic Affairs’ budget, with testimony from division leadership on staffing, funding sources, and program changes. Early discussion focused on vacant positions in the agency, including a senior planner tied to FEMA requirements, a federally funded program assistant, a program specialist to be reclassified during a planning reorganization, and two Housing Champions positions that were authorized but not funded in the current biennium and are requested for 2026-27. The witnesses also explained that temporary welcome center positions are filled as funds allow, and that the agency’s requested general fund increase is driven largely by the Division of Travel and Tourism Development and its formula-based funding. Members then reviewed rest areas, welcome centers, outdoor recreation, economic development, procurement, and workforce opportunity lines. The department said there are 12 rest areas, with 5.8 million foot counts in FY 24, and that welcome centers are generally open year-round, though Sutton is currently closed and staffing relies on a mix of full-time and temporary employees. The outdoor recreation position is federally funded through USDA and supports business outreach, trade shows, and industry promotion. In economic development, the agency said increased dues reflect participation in the Northern Borders Regional Commission, and that a marketing line item is intended to support recruitment and promotion of growth industries such as advanced manufacturing and life sciences. The Apex Accelerator Program was described as a state-federal partnership requiring a state match and providing government contracting assistance to businesses, while the Office of Workforce Opportunity was explained as a federally funded WIOA-related effort administered through multiple agencies and subrecipients. A major point of discussion was the proposed reduction to the Small Business Development Center, which members said had generated significant public concern. The department described SBDC as a highly effective technical assistance program for new and small businesses, but said the cut was one of the few places it felt it had room to reduce funding. Members asked about federal support and matching requirements for various programs, and the department said less than half of its overall budget is generally funded by the state and that some programs require state match. The committee also discussed travel and tourism marketing and the Joint Promotional Program, with the department saying those funds support broader advertising campaigns and grants to chambers and trade associations for events such as Bike Week, Restaurant Week, and the Seafood Festival. No votes were taken during the work session.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:19:52.160> including<00:19:52.720> associated structure including associated structure
• Um so it structure near the riverwalk.
• And that's how the bill itself is structured as well. >> Thank you.
• And that's how the bill itself is structured as well. >> Thank you.
• And that's how the bill itself is structured as well. >> Thank you.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:10:04.160> where<01:10:04.280> they're<01:10:04.440> designed structure where
• they're designed structure where they're designed for<01:10:07.160> entirely<01:10:07.720>
• What stands in the way is not willingness, it is the current licensing structure.
• . structure. structure.
• that reflects how licensing structure that reflects how crisis<01:15:55.120> nurseries<01:15:

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And for me, that's my number one priority is actually fixing the structural issues that we've created
• She said her number one priority was fixing the structural issues created in the state grant program.
• She said fixing the structural issues in the state grant program was her number one priority.
• She said the committee had big issues, a very big shortfall, and a structural deficit going forward,
• She said the committee had big issues, a very big shortfall, and a structural deficit going forward by

Bills: HF3432, HF3411

Keywords: resident tuition, employment, higher education, Minnesota, tuition rates, state universities, immigration status, immigration, postsecondary education, privacy, data access, federal officers, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Important, you know, if we structure.
• Our last priority is the demolition of crisis condition structures.
• These structures pose active safety and security risks.
• <01:28:48.320> This crisis condition structures. This crisis condition structures.
• These structures pose active enterprise.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That lower-potency hemp edible wholesaler license has a new fee structure that some individuals testified
• That lower-potency hemp edible wholesaler license has a new fee structure that some individuals testified
• <01:36:15.600> that<01:36:15.920> some has a new fee structure that some has a new
• <01:43:30.639> of<01:43:30.800> the just on the overall structure of the just on the
• overall structure of the bill<01:43:31.560> and<01:43:32.639> uh<01:43:32.719> it's

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Certainly, if property is improved with the structure, its use is probably pretty apparent.
• Certainly, if property is improved with the structure, its use is probably pretty apparent.
• Certainly, if property is improved with the structure, its use is probably pretty apparent.
• Certainly, if property is improved with the structure, its use is probably pretty apparent.
• Certainly, if property is improved with the structure, its use is probably pretty apparent.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• absent that, through legislation that would direct the administration to begin work on a temporary structure
• So, again, as a short-term solution, you get these modular structures in place.
• We want to be doing what is appropriate within the confines of a hospital structure.
• But with what you know, based on the legal structure that you're now operating under, if this legal structure
• By redesigning structures and programs and services that will improve access to health care, education

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The special legislative commission on the future of Pappas Rehabilitation Hospital for Children held a hybrid public hearing focused on the hospital’s future, admissions, staffing, infrastructure, and whether the facility should be preserved, expanded, or reimagined. Opening remarks from legislators, commissioners, parents, and union representatives emphasized that Pappas provides a unique combination of medical, rehabilitative, educational, and residential services for children with complex needs, and several speakers argued that the hospital is effectively being depopulated through reduced admissions and ongoing discharges despite public assurances that it remains open. Multiple speakers urged the commission to extend its authorization and continue its work before any closure or major change can occur. Testimony from labor leaders, including AFSCME, SEIU Local 509, and the Massachusetts Nurses Association, described a “silent closure” in practice, with staff reporting confusion about the hospital’s status, declining census numbers, blocked admissions, and uncertainty about the workforce’s future. They called for immediate action to stop admission denials and unnecessary discharges, and some proposed short-term solutions such as temporary modular structures to address infrastructure barriers and allow admissions to resume. Parents and former patients testified that Pappas provided life-changing independence, specialized therapy, and campus-based supports that they said could not be replicated elsewhere, and they criticized alternative placements as inadequate. Commissioner Robert Goldstein of the Department of Public Health said the administration supports keeping Pappas open and funded while the commission works, but he argued that admissions must comply with hospital-level-of-care rules and that the campus’s deteriorating infrastructure limits the kinds of children who can safely be served there. He said the department is continuing admissions for appropriate patients, working to expand outreach and services, and exploring long-term options, including broader statewide models of care. Commissioners pressed him on whether discharge status or lack of a clear discharge plan had been used as a barrier to admission, and requested de-identified data on patients recommended for admission but denied. No formal votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Whitley County maintenance facility and salt structure. $400,000 is included in the governor's budget
• Kentucky and Illinois have agreed to split the cost of the Ohio River Bridge structure, with each state
• We work hard to stretch the longevity of those major structures so we can absorb the large costs when
• <00:30:35.360> with of the Ohio River Bridge structure with of the Ohio River Bridge structure
• so we can absorb the large structures so we can absorb the large costs<00:31:30.000> when<00:

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Transportation Committee met to review the Transportation Cabinet’s budget request and the recommended highway plan; no votes were taken. Secretary Jim Gray opened with praise for KYTC snow and ice crews, describing their response to recent winter storms and noting the scale of the effort, including about 2,300 workers, 1,438 pieces of equipment, and more than 948,000 miles driven in the first week. He then outlined the cabinet’s overall highway plan, saying it includes more than 1,300 projects and about $9.5 billion in anticipated state and federal funding over six years, with roughly 40% directed to existing pavements, bridges, and guardrails. He highlighted major priority projects such as the Mountain Parkway four-laning, the Brent Spence Companion Bridge, and the I-69 Ohio River crossing. Budget director Sean McCarron explained that the cabinet adjusted its request after the Consensus Forecast Group lowered road fund revenue estimates, and said the cabinet only included additional requests it viewed as essential. He described requests to support driver licensing regional offices, including funding to maintain temporary and contract staff used to reduce wait times, expand offices from 35 to 41 locations, and support improved customer service; he warned that without the current-year increase, wait times would rise again. He also discussed maintenance funding, saying the proposed increases would help cover rising costs for salt, snow and ice drivers, and mowing, while allowing continued litter pickup, vegetation management, pothole repair, and more in-house snow and ice work. Deputy Secretary Mike Hancock addressed specific capital questions, especially the Brent Spence Bridge and Cairo Bridge. For Brent Spence, he said the requested $125 million in general funds is needed because construction costs have risen sharply, citing a 61% increase in highway construction costs from 2020 to 2025, and said Kentucky and Ohio are both contributing to keep the project moving. He added that if the legislature does not provide the $125 million, KYTC would have to shift $100 million in federal highway funds and $25 million in state match from other projects. Hancock also reviewed several project reauthorizations for maintenance facilities and aviation projects, and noted a $5 million federally funded truck parking project aimed at addressing statewide truck parking shortages, especially along interstates and in areas such as Louisville, northern Kentucky, Frankfort, Somerset, and western Kentucky.

Transcript Highlights:

• STRUCTURED DEBATE ON HB 949 IS LIMITED TO FIVE MINUTES PER SIDE IN FIVE MINUTE INCREMENTS, WITH A TOTAL
• Structured debate on HB 1157.
• WE ARE GOING INTO STRUCTURED DEBATE ON HJR 1325.
• We are now in structured debate for HJR 679.
• It does not equal the governing structure. There's no sense of comparison.

Bills: SB 2, HB 2, HB 2000, HB 2196, HB 213, HB 222, HB 645, HB 1458, HB 1022, HB 141, HB 502, HB 643, HB 3093, HB 1700, HB 117, SB 503, SB 2, HB 120, HB 20, HB 150, HB 6, HB 100, HB 210, HB 215, HB 1393, HB 1151, HB 1268, HB 142, HB 451, HB 124, HB 2, HB 2000, HB 2196, HB 213, HB 222, HB 645, HB 1458, HB 1022, HB 141, HB 502, HB 643, HB 3093, HB 1700, HB 117

Keywords: public education, teacher compensation, certification, funding, school finance, educator rights, education funding, charter schools, staff compensation, state aid, retention allotment, child grooming, sex offender registration, criminal justice, reportable conviction, law enforcement, virtual education, hybrid learning, school funding, average daily attendance