Transcript Highlights:

• These are more closely aligned with market rates of what EMTs make in the field.
• <00:05:04.479> of closely aligned with market rates of closely aligned with market rates of
• Uh, and the amendment put this number in as a 10% rate increase is what we decided on.
• that any increase in Medicaid rates are important.
• that any increase in Medicaid rates are important.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Do we need to look at having new rate classes?
• And like I said, I think we will end up with a high response rate.
• Raymond: There's an added rate. So when you buy electricity, you Mr.
• They have frozen rates for three years and now they will lower rates after that three year freeze because
• filing constructs or rate cost allocation constructs.

Transcript Highlights:

• from a public policy standpoint, makes it easier for prospective buyers to buy down their mortgage rate
• Can I buy down my rate a quarter percent?
• pay to again reduce their interest rate pay to again reduce their interest rate by<00:02:18.080>
• So, uh, just my rate a quarter percent?
• we can offer this buy down for your rate we can offer this buy down for your rate and<00:05:04.880

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00 Call to Order and Roll Call 00:01 Discussion SB 157 00:23 Vote SB 157 05:22 Discussion SB 189 05:57 Vote SB 189 26:49, 958, all

Summary: The committee first took up Senate Bill 157, which would align Kentucky’s mortgage loan fee rules with federal standards by exempting certain first and second mortgages from the state’s total net income cap when they meet federal points-and-fees thresholds. The sponsor and Rocket Mortgage testified that the bill would make it easier for borrowers to buy down mortgage interest rates with discount points, helping affordability without changing borrower costs, while preserving the existing 4% cap for loans outside the federal standard. Members discussed how rate buydowns work in practice, and the bill passed with a favorable expression after a roll call vote. The committee then heard Senate Bill 189, as amended by a committee substitute, which would create a licensing and regulatory framework for virtual currency kiosks, or crypto ATMs, in Kentucky. The sponsor described widespread scam losses tied to these kiosks, especially among older adults, and said the bill would add consumer protections such as licensing, financial safeguards, transaction limits, refund or hold requirements, disclosures, receipts, and enforcement authority for the Department of Financial Institutions. He also said the substitute was based on other states’ models and that further changes might be needed, including possible floor amendments. AARP Kentucky testified in support of regulating crypto kiosks but said the committee substitute weakened consumer protections and urged stronger safeguards, including lower transaction limits, fee caps, identity verification, receipts, and scam warnings. AARP representatives cited data on scam complaints and losses in Kentucky and nationally, and said the point of transfer is the best place to prevent harm. Committee members generally agreed the issue was consumer protection, but one senator cautioned against overregulating personal financial choices and noted that scams exist in many forms. The discussion ended with acknowledgment that the bill would continue to be refined, including in coordination with the House and stakeholder groups.

Transcript Highlights:

• The rate was set at 3.75 percent, and we partnered with the Loan Fund to make COVID-19 loans available
• If it's in an urban location, the base reimbursement rate is 50%.
• Pre-COVID, we saw a recruitment rate of between 65% and 70%, meaning that. 45% to 50% of the positions
• I get a really good rate of return off of some of the banks now.
• Even our banks are giving us a return on investment, but it's a higher interest rate. Okay, okay.

Transcript Highlights:

• The 23 24 High school graduation rate represents the highest rate in Florida history.
• That includes graduation rate for students with disabilities dropout rate for students with disabilities
• Members were talking about the four-year high school graduation rate.
• You have a retention rate of 91%, which is very commendable.
• Could a ratings have gone up? Could understand.

Transcript Highlights:

• the disability ratings of veterans.
• The federal VA has a disability chart for the level of rating.
• If they say yes, they're then grilled about, "Well, what's your rating?
• What's your disability rating? You know, I can help you get more."
• On one occasion, I was rated at 90%. The difference between 90% and 100% is about $1,400 a month.

Transcript Highlights:

• It also comes along with. us paying increased rates.
• And I'm not going to talk too much about the rates, because the rates that we pay are relative to the
• We continue to work on ways to enhance that rate.
• We pay a percentile of market rates.
• Rates have gone down.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Those are for our treatment foster care parents, and that is tied to kind of a Medicaid rate and rules
• Those are set aside in a fund for them and not as part of the room and board rate.
• So since those funds don't go into the stipend or room and board rates for foster parents, that would
• So I think in the last year, CYFD built into the foster parent rate, built the clothing allowance of
• But basically, the money has been built into the room and board rate.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the future rates.
• 02:09:25.599> for<02:09:25.840> a to the rate decreases for a to the rate decreases for
• , we didn't include any rates last year, we didn't include any rate<02:09:34.880> increases<02
• One last thing. rate the rate reduction rate the rate reduction um<02:10:28.159> there's<02:10
• Those ratings include teen pregnancy rate, our rates of various sexually transmitted infections, including

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That's not the rate you see on your tax bill because the rate on your tax bill is against the assessed
• It's essentially one rate. It's an equalized rate, and so it's 112 for fiscal year 26.
• <00:59:07.079> and property values and the tax rates and property values and the tax rates
• :14.280> know<00:59:14.640> equal that the rates are not you know equal that the rates
• for adequacy plus uh with uh a low rate for adequacy plus uh with uh a low rate a<03:35:11.800><

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee held a work session focused on school funding formulas, adequacy aid, and special education aid, with the chair outlining a schedule for the next several Tuesdays and noting that the committee would likely need multiple executive sessions to narrow down the bills. Members discussed the FY 26 formula, including base cost, differentiated aid, extraordinary needs grants, hold harmless provisions, and the roughly $28 million in excess statewide education property tax (SWP) funds that are not currently returned to the state under the existing formula. The first bill discussed was HB 137, which would allow excess SWP funds to remain with the local municipality for school and municipal purposes. Representative Spilsbury argued the issue is fundamental and suggested the state should require excess funds to be remitted back to the state, while Representative Damon said the bill appears to codify current practice and may be unnecessary, especially given possible court action. The discussion then shifted to a related bill from Representative Fellas that would redefine SWP as local money rather than state money and keep the current adequacy aid numbers revenue-neutral for now. Representative Fellas explained that SWP was created in 1999 after the Claremont lawsuit as part of the state’s effort to show increased school aid, but that it effectively labeled part of the local property tax as state money without changing property tax bills. She argued the state should not be tapping local property tax revenue and said her bill would preserve the current distribution while removing the SWP tax label, with future work possible on a different measure of local capacity such as income, home values, or poverty rate. Members also referenced prior discussions of fiscal capacity aid, relief aid, and other formula changes as part of the broader effort to restructure school funding.

Transcript Highlights:

• and the rates for foster care are far less than the rates for residential care.
• and the rates for foster care are far less than the rates for residential care.
• and the rates for foster care are far less than the rates for residential care.
• <01:00:32.440> for an intensive um foster care rate for an intensive um foster care rate for
• Our retention rates are very high in comparison to national averages, but also our current vacancy rate

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: House Finance Division III held an informational hearing with the Department of Health and Human Services focused on child and family services, children’s behavioral health, DCF, juvenile justice, and adult mental health. Before the presentation, members discussed scheduling a future site visit to Waypoint, including possible dates, mileage reimbursement logistics, and whether to reschedule the department’s developmental disabilities and healthy aging presentation because the associate commissioner was out sick. The department then outlined that it would concentrate on children’s behavioral health, DCF residential care and the Sununu Youth Services Center/YDC new build, and adult mental health, while noting the broader DHHS structure and the value of keeping related services under one leadership. The department emphasized an integrated “system of care” approach and said it was trying to shift resources toward earlier, lower-intensity interventions rather than relying mainly on high-cost residential and acute services. It cited youth risk data showing roughly four in ten New Hampshire high school students feeling sad or hopeless and about one in five considering suicide in the past year, and said these trends worsened during the pandemic, peaking in 2021 and easing somewhat by 2023. Members asked how New Hampshire compared with neighboring states and about pre-COVID trends; the department said it would follow up with more exact data. The presentation also described a long-term policy effort beginning with federal funding in 2012, the state’s 10-year mental health plan, and later legislation aimed at strengthening children’s behavioral health and transforming juvenile justice so that youth with behavioral health needs are not routed into punitive systems first. Members raised questions about out-of-state residential placement oversight and the statutory basis for inspections and follow-up. The department said the General Court had funded more “boots on the ground” oversight, in coordination with the Office of the Child Advocate, and agreed to provide a longer follow-up presentation on that topic after the governor’s budget is released. The department also described evidence-based prevention efforts, including home visiting programs such as Healthy Families America and a DCF-connected home visiting cohort for families already touching the child welfare system, as examples of trying to keep children out of deeper system involvement.

Transcript Highlights:

• true the the business profits tax rate true the the business profits tax rate right<03:21:04.279
• You know, the rates are lower.
• You know, the rates are lower.
• I'm looking for the general overall rate. You said 7.5% is the base rate we start from.
• versus service and the comparative rates versus service and the comparative rates to<03:43:40.720

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The meeting was an introductory Ways and Means Committee orientation led by Chair John Janigian. Members went around the room introducing themselves, with several returning legislators and several freshmen describing their backgrounds in business, education, public service, finance, transportation, journalism, military service, and nonprofit work. Janigian explained his own legislative history and professional background, and other members, including Bill Bolton, Fred Doucette, Mary Ford, Jim Tierney, Scott Brier, Thomas Oppel, Mary Murphy, Representative Spar, Susan Elberger, Dennis Malloy, Jordan Ulery, and Julius Soti, briefly described their prior experience and reasons for serving on the committee. The chair then outlined the committee’s role. He said Ways and Means is responsible for revenue estimates that Finance will use to determine how much the state can spend over the next biennium, and that the committee would spend the next five to six weeks developing its best revenue estimate, due around February 15. He also explained that the committee hears from state agencies and departments about how taxes are created, collected, and performing against expectations, and that it reviews bills affecting state revenue, including tax increases, tax decreases, tax removals, and fee-related measures. Janigian noted that the committee had five bills at the time of the meeting and expected more to be referred. He explained that most would be first-committee bills, though some second-committee bills could come over if they involved taxes or fees after passing policy committees. He used marijuana-related legislation as an example of a bill that might first go to another committee and later reach Ways and Means if it had fiscal implications. No votes were taken; the meeting was informational, and members were told how to participate in hearings and follow-up questions during regular committee work.

Transcript Highlights:

• Decades ago, and you all know this, but decades ago, these homes were built at an extremely high rate
• Decades ago, and you all know this, but decades ago, these homes were built at an extremely high rate
• With today's construction costs and interest rates, this project would no longer be feasible.
• We managed to do it cheaper because of special conditions on a market-rate basis.
• They also have self-closing doors and fire-rated walls, like other modern multifamily buildings.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Housing opened a hybrid hearing focused on housing production bills, with Chairs Julian Cyr and Rich Haggerty emphasizing Massachusetts’ housing shortage and the need to produce more than 200,000 units over the next decade. The committee then heard testimony on a wide range of proposals, including social housing, starter homes and the “missing middle,” accessory dwelling units (ADUs), single-stair residential buildings, permanent affordability homeownership, and housing for people with disabilities. Several witnesses framed the bills as tools to expand supply, lower costs, and address racial and generational wealth gaps. Representative Connolly testified for H. 1478 on the Massachusetts Social Housing Program, describing publicly owned, mixed-income housing financed through a revolving loan fund. Senator Feeney testified for S. 989 on missing middle starter homes, arguing for zoning changes, incentives, and affordability tools to support smaller starter homes and duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes. Multiple witnesses, including housing advocates, real estate representatives, and local officials, supported the ADU trust fund bill and the single-stair study bill, saying they would reduce barriers, support homeowners, and enable more family-sized and infill housing. Some witnesses opposed bills they said would weaken ADU reforms or add new restrictions, while others urged broader deregulation to speed production. A major portion of the hearing focused on H. 1576/S. 1010, the Homes for Lasting Affordability bill, which would create a permanent affordability homeownership program for low- and moderate-income buyers and support small developments with long-term affordability restrictions. Testimony from community land trust leaders, legislators, and housing advocates emphasized that permanent affordability can preserve public investment, stabilize neighborhoods, and help families build wealth over generations. Senator Miranda and Representative Worrell tied the bill to closing the racial wealth gap and expanding access to homeownership for Black and Latino residents. The committee also heard testimony on S. 971, which would reform the Housing Development and Incentive Program to require more affordability in Gateway City projects. The committee additionally heard from Senator Kennedy and disability advocates on S. 1004, which would strengthen the Alternative Housing Voucher Program for people with disabilities by codifying project-based vouchers and aligning the program more closely with other voucher systems. Witnesses described long waitlists and the lack of accessible, affordable units as major barriers that can lead to homelessness or unnecessary institutionalization. No votes were taken during the hearing; the session was devoted to testimony and questions from committee members.

Transcript Highlights:

• The free or reduced reimbursement rates that you're likely familiar with.
• There are high rates of CEP participation due to high rates of students participating in these programs
• Meals, which many already had high rates of participation, but still experienced modest increases in
• have been fully expended or completed, and 296 red-rated appropriations indicating no activity.
• Items in the packet you prepared for us with the red-rated projects.

Transcript Highlights:

• So when we say that they're coming in at such a low rate, what's that rate?
• For FY 24, our disposition rate was 106%.
• Update them on our vacancy rate and our reversion rate, please.
• In FY23, we had a 0.9% reversion rate, and in FY24, we had a 0.35% reversion rate.
• We've had clearance rates over 100%.

Transcript Highlights:

• a say in that vote instead of the city... ...instead of the city council or mayor increasing that rate
• not... ...Um, our concern is that one size does not fit all because the bill talks about that the rates
• Are there different rates in different areas, or are everybody's rates across the state the same as far
• Currently, there’s no cap on what that franchise rate can be.
• that municipality, specifically Birmingham, would have the ability up until December 31st to set a rate

Bills: SB271, SB295, SB309

Keywords: SB271, Alabama, municipalities, city fees, town fees, franchise fees, utility franchise, natural gas, manufactured gas, gas utility, public streets, public places, right-of-way, municipal consent, gross receipts tax, license tax, privilege tax, Public Service Commission, PSC, utility regulation

Transcript Highlights:

• These rates have not been increased in a very long time, so this would allow us to increase those rates
• These rates have not been increased in a very long time, so this would allow us to increase those rates
• These rates have not been increased in a very long time, so this would allow us to increase those rates
• and uh the legislature passed a rate and uh the legislature passed a rate increase<03:29:50.640>
• <04:00:13.000> to Surplus Foods at a discounted rate to Surplus Foods at a discounted rate

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I have one question on this item: the 75% graduation rate target.
• By comparison, the Department of Fish and Wildlife's vacancy rate is 14%.
• So my colleague had referenced that there's the 31% vacancy rate in DIR. Is that accurate?
• It assumes CalHR's projected utilization rate of 15%.
• The final rates will be adopted by the CalPERS Board in summer of 2026.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The subcommittee held a May Revision budget hearing on state administration and related issues, hearing presentations from multiple departments and agencies. Early items included the Public Employment Relations Board on funding for implementation of AB 1 and a reduced request tied to AB 288, the Governor’s Office of Service and Community Engagement on a technical College Corps adjustment, and the Secretary of State on building security upgrades, election security grant matching funds, and payroll system readiness costs. The Department of Consumer Affairs presented a Board of Pharmacy modernization request and a General Fund backfill for the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education; the LAO raised no concerns on the pharmacy item but recommended rejecting the private postsecondary backfill and questioned interest-free loan language. The Employment Development Department outlined several large workload and benefit adjustments, including EDD Next document management funding, UI loan interest, DI/PFL benefit increases, WIOA adjustments, school employee benefits, an EMT training reappropriation, and a technical reversion correction; the LAO flagged the size of the DI/PFL increase and the expansion of the document management scope, while members asked about program impacts and timelines. The California Workforce Development Board presented an April adjustment to reimbursement authority for an interagency agreement with Caltrans, which the LAO said raised no concerns. Public comment on that item and others included support for workforce and apprenticeship initiatives, including the Jails to Jobs proposal and renewal of the Apprenticeship Innovation Fund, though those were not part of the May Revision package. The Department of Industrial Relations then presented several proposals: reclassifying legal positions, continuing modernization of the workers’ compensation EAMS system, Cal/OSHA data modernization, creating a Cal/OSHA emerging technologies unit, reappropriating funds for the California Opportunity Youth Apprenticeship program, and trailer bill changes requiring electronic payment of employer assessments and adjusting the statutory treatment of the workers’ compensation administrative director’s salary. The LAO generally found the IT and salary proposals reasonable but urged close monitoring of the new emerging technologies unit. Committee members, especially Assemblymember Ortega, pressed DIR on long vacancy rates, wage theft claim delays, low collection rates for Cal/OSHA fines, and whether new resources would improve outcomes; DIR said it was pursuing recruitment, classification reviews, and process modernization, while the LAO noted that staffing alone may not explain the delays. The Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board also sought to make permanent a 2024 change to the 60-day reconsideration clock, saying it had reduced backlog and interim orders; the LAO had no concerns. Finally, the Department of Human Resources presented a statewide Employee Assistance Program contract consolidation that would lower costs compared with renewing separate contracts and requested one program manager position to oversee the contract and first responder services; the hearing continued with Finance’s response after the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• Right now, the syphilis rates in Rolette County are the highest in the state.
• And we are right now the highest in the state for syphilis rates.
• The contact rates went down significantly.
• We are higher than what the national average is on success rate.
• We administer those in conjunction with the state sales tax rate of 5%.

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Nearly 100% graduation rate for those that participate.
• and 18 percent attrition rate of nurses.
• That has been a rate-limiting step.
• from our medical school, a poor retention rate in-state.
• How are you rated in the Southwest today?