Video & Transcript : 'prevailing wages' :
Page 122 of 399
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Governmental Organization Committee Mar 24th, 2026
Governmental Organization
Transcript Highlights:
- were excluded from the basic protections: no overtime, limited rights, little ability to challenge wage
- And also let collective bargaining do what it's meant to do, which is to really talk about the wages
- and the benefits and the safety and working conditions... ...which is to really talk about the wages
- Nonprofits are the largest employer by wage, or the third, excuse me, the third largest employer by wage
- Nonprofits are the largest employer by wage, or the third, excuse me, the third largest employer by wage
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Civil Rights & Judiciary Feb 18th, 2026 at 08:00 am
Civil Rights & Judiciary
Transcript Highlights:
- , minimum wages, wage theft, and so on.
- They face interest, wage garnishment, or lifelong financial damage. This isn't hypothetical.
- I was threatened with lawsuits, wage garnishments, and court action.
- And that's particularly because our state still allows wages to be garnished for medical bills.
- You've heard about wage theft and the Washington Law Against Discrimination.
Bills:
SB6011
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
IC - Revenue Stabilization and Tax Policy Dec 15th, 2025 at 09:14 am
Revenue Stabilization & Tax Policy Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- We implemented the new tax bracket structure, which resulted in lower withholding on employee wages.
- We're seeing a lot of pressure on wage withholding.
- The fewer employees that are receiving wages, the less withholding we receive.
- is up; the wage base is growing.
- Can have to do with wages and the types of jobs available.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Floor Session Jun 4th, 2025
California House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- I am pleased to present AB 1234, which will encourage employers to participate in the state's wage claim
- Wage theft is a significant problem in California. Workers lose an average of $2 billion annually.
- But our wage claim process is broken, and while the laws require that claims be resolved within 135 days
- , the reality is that it's actually taking over two years if workers are lucky. to recover the wages
- On past wage claim judgments that would preclude an employer from getting the fee waiver.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Floor Session - part 1 May 1st, 2025
Minnesota House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- If there is no objection, the motions will prevail.
- Hearing no objection, the motions prevail and the substitutions will be made. And divisions.
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
Citizen Commission for Performance Measurement of Tax Preferences Aug 4th, 2026 at 04:56 pm
Transcript Highlights:
- And fourth, to add temporary construction jobs and permanent family-wage jobs at these facilities.
- The legislature's fourth goal was to add temporary construction jobs and permanent family-wage jobs.
- Data centers must also create at least three full-time family-wage jobs per 20,000 square feet of new
- A beneficiary reported creating a total of 53 new family-wage jobs.
- means that for a business granted the exemption in 2022, they have until 2028 to meet that family-wage
Summary:
The Citizen Commission for Performance Measurement of Tax Preferences met on August 4, 2026, with all five commissioners present. The commission approved the May 26 meeting minutes, welcomed new commissioner Diane Tabelius, noted Commissioner Orr’s reappointment, and elected Andy Knopfsiger Meadows as chair and Dr. Sharon Kiyoko as vice chair. JLARC staff also introduced two Evans School interns who are assisting with preliminary research for the 2027 review cycle.
JLARC then presented preliminary findings on seven tax preferences, focusing most heavily on Main Street communities, equitable access to credit, and urban data centers. Staff recommended continuing the Main Street and equitable access to credit preferences because both appeared to meet legislative goals, while also suggesting DAHP collect more detailed and standardized business-count data for Main Street evaluations. For the urban data center exemption, staff concluded it had only been used for refurbishment projects, not new construction, and recommended allowing it to expire. Commissioners and Representative Pollitt discussed the limits of self-reported data, the need for more specific performance criteria, and whether future tax preference statements should measure cost per job, whether jobs would have occurred anyway, and energy-use impacts.
Staff also reviewed preferences for airplane modifications, landfill biogas equipment, automotive adaptive equipment for veterans and service members, and housing for adults with developmental disabilities. JLARC recommended continuing the airplane modification, landfill biogas, and automotive adaptive equipment preferences, while suggesting the landfill biogas program improve reporting and noting the veterans’ preference use has declined. For the developmental disabilities housing exemption, staff found no use of the preference and recommended allowing it to expire, while suggesting the legislature and DSHS consider other ways to support housing continuity. The commission will take public testimony in September, adopt comments in October, and forward final comments in December.
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
Citizen Commission for Performance Measurement of Tax Preferences Aug 4th, 2026
Citizen Commission for Performance Measurement of Tax Preferences
Transcript Highlights:
- And then fourth is adding temporary construction jobs and permanent family wage jobs at these facilities
- temporary The legislature's fourth goal was to add temporary construction jobs and permanent family wage
- Data centers must also create at least three full-time family wage jobs per 20,000 square feet of new
- A beneficiary reported creating a total of 53 new family wage jobs.
- means that for a business granted the exemption in 2022, they have until 2028 to meet that family wage
Summary:
The Citizen Commission for Performance Measurement of Tax Preferences met on August 4, 2026, with all five commissioners present. The commission approved the May 26, 2026 minutes, welcomed new commissioner Diane Tabilius, and re-elected Andy Knopfsiger Meadows as chair and Dr. Sharon Keiko as vice chair. JLARC staff also introduced two Evans School interns who are assisting with preliminary research for the 2027 review cycle.
JLARC presented preliminary findings on seven tax preference reviews, focusing most heavily on the Main Street communities credit, the Equitable Access to Credit Program, and the urban data center exemption. Staff concluded that the Main Street preference has helped increase the number of communities and businesses and recommended continuing it, while also recommending that DAHP collect more detailed and standardized business-count data. The Equitable Access to Credit Program was found to support underserved communities and was also recommended for continuation. The urban data center exemption was found to have been used only for refurbishment projects, not new construction, and staff recommended letting it expire; commissioners and Representative Paulette discussed the need for better performance measures, cost-per-job analysis, and clearer legislative intent language in tax preference statements.
Staff then reviewed airplane modification, landfill biogas, automotive adaptive equipment, and housing for people with developmental disabilities. The airplane modification preference was found to likely support jobs and state tax revenue and was recommended for continuation. The landfill biogas preference was also recommended for continuation, with a suggestion for more detailed reporting on use and renewable natural gas production. The automotive adaptive equipment exemption was found to continue providing relief to disabled veterans and service members and was recommended for continuation, while the housing transfer exemption for adults with developmental disabilities had not been used and was recommended to expire. No public testimony was taken at this meeting, and the commission noted that public testimony would be heard at its September meeting before final comments are adopted in October.
CA
Transcript Highlights:
- In any way, even covering cases of health care, I know we calculate out people's wages and they're going
- And then you're like, okay, this person may... ...calculate out people's wages and they're going to work
- Thank you. calculate out people's wages and they're going to work till 55 or whatever the age is.
- And so I'm wondering if you can speak—you know, the numbers still show that there is a significant wage
- You know, the numbers still show that there is a significant wage gap for state employment.
Summary:
The Senate Rules Committee first handled several routine items, approving two governor appointments not required to appear: Armin Meyer to the Division of Consumer Financial Protection and Uca Danka to the California State Lottery Commission. The committee also approved referral of bills to committees, a Rules waiver request to suspend SR 55 for guest access on the Senate floor on April 6, and floor acknowledgments, with each action passing 5-0.
The committee then heard from Arania Ortega, appointed to the Public Employment Relations Board. Members asked about her background at CalHR and the Department of Finance, her approach to board decision-making, recusal rules, the status of AB 288, PERB’s caseload and backlog, ride-share enforcement, and the legislative employees’ unionization process. Ortega said PERB currently has no backlog, is preparing for possible new workloads, and has recusal procedures that would automatically exclude her from certain state employee and child care cases for one year. Public testimony supported her appointment, and the committee voted 5-0 to move her nomination to the full Senate.
The committee also heard from Monica Erickson, nominated to lead the Department of Human Resources. Questions focused on state labor negotiations, CalPERS, recruitment and retention, telework, discipline and HR training, DEIA efforts, hiring pipelines, degree requirements, veteran hiring, return-to-office implementation, and the gender pay gap. Erickson said CalHR has reduced the vacancy rate from 20% to 17%, is expanding recruitment tools and class consolidations, is working on a skills-matching tool and career counseling, and has helped reduce the gender pay gap from 21.1% in 2013 to 12.2%. Public witnesses spoke in support, and the committee approved her nomination 5-0 to advance to the Senate floor.
NM
Transcript Highlights:
- number 10, your right to acquire all the skills needed to maintain quality employment, not minimum wage
- You can have high wages.
- And high required education, high skill, high wages, or low skill, low wages. You don't get both.
- You don't get low wages with a high skilled job.
- Are we working towards ensuring everybody has an opportunity for high skill, high wage jobs that they're
KY
Kentucky 2025 Regular Session
Budget Review Subcommittee on Education (8-20-25)
Transcript Highlights:
- So when you look on the wages, it's not a national wage average.
- So when you look on the wages, Kuckians.
- national</c><00:59:43.119><c> wage</c><00:59:43.520><c> average.
- </c><00:59:44.160><c> It</c><00:59:44.319><c> is</c> it's not a national wage average.
- It is it's not a national wage average.
Summary:
The Interim Joint Budget Review Subcommittee on Education met and approved the July 15, 2025 minutes before hearing a presentation from the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority (KHEAA/KIA) on student financial aid ahead of the January biennial budget session. KHEAA outlined its role administering 17 state-funded grant and scholarship programs, 529 plans, and outreach services, and emphasized that net lottery proceeds after a $3 million literacy appropriation are statutorily dedicated to student aid. The agency focused on the major need-based programs—College Access Program (CAP), Kentucky Tuition Grant (KTG), and KEES—along with dual credit, Work Ready Kentucky, teacher scholarship, and National Guard tuition assistance. Officials said the new federal FAFSA methodology created a major increase in eligible students, especially for CAP, and thanked lawmakers for adding substantial funding this biennium to meet the higher demand.
Staff explained that CAP is for Pell-eligible, low-income students, while KTG is a need-based grant for students at private Kentucky colleges; both use FAFSA data, but schools verify final eligibility. They said CAP awards are first-come, first-served and that the higher funding level allowed the program to last the full 21-month application cycle in FY 2024-2025, compared with much shorter periods in earlier years. KHEAA reported about $232 million spent on CAP for roughly 72,000 students last year, with current applications running about 10% ahead of the prior year. Members asked about the difference between applicants and recipients, the effect of lower lottery revenues, and whether recent federal legislation would affect state aid; KHEAA said it does not expect major impacts on grants and scholarships, though student loan changes could affect graduate students.
The committee also discussed KEES and dual credit. KHEAA said KEES has been fully funded since its creation and that its forecast was within $76,000 of actual need last year. For dual credit, staff said a recent bill consolidated work-ready dual credit and career/technical education under one scholarship program, and KHEAA will seek growth funding because participation and costs continue to rise. The agency said FY 2025 dual credit spending reached $26.4 million across dual credit and work-ready funding, requiring transfers from Work Ready Kentucky to keep dual credit fully funded. Members asked about transferability of dual credit hours and whether the program reduces later college costs; KHEAA said it does not have hard data on every credit transfer, but it does see higher bachelor’s completion rates and lower student debt, suggesting positive effects. No votes were taken beyond approving the minutes.
AR
Arkansas 2026 Regular Session
EDUCATION COMMITTEE - SENATE AND HOUSE Feb 3rd, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- , DESE rules require that one of the pathways offered must be designated by the department as high wage
- This is more consistent with the requirement that students offer the high-wage and high-demand jobs.
- the Arkansas labor market's high-wage and high-growth fields.
- diploma was identified and this is more consistent with the requirement that students offer the high-wage
- the Arkansas labor markets high-wage and high-growth fields. the Arkansas labor markets high-wage and
HI
Hawaii 2025 Regular Session
CPC Public Hearing - Wed Feb 12, 2025 @ 2:00 PM HST
Consumer Protection & Commerce
Transcript Highlights:
- will hit $18 an our state minimum wage will hit $18 an hour<00:56:23.680><c> and</c><00:56:23.839><c
- And just to help you understand the premiums for a minimum wage worker here would be $102 a year.
- That’s less than $2 a week, but that minimum wage worker would get a benefit of $54 a week back under
- And just to help you understand the premiums for a minimum wage worker here would be $102 a year.
- Thank you. appreciate that wage replacement is so appreciate that wage replacement is so important<01
Summary:
The Consumer Protection and Commerce Committee met on February 12 and heard several bills. HB 97, relating to travel insurance, drew only brief testimony: the Insurance Division stood on written testimony, one industry witness supported the bill and requested a minor amendment, and no one else testified or asked questions. HB 226, relating to window tinting, received support from the Department of Transportation, while the Honolulu Police Department offered comments on the proposed amendments, asking for clearer language on what it means to roll windows down, when the requirement applies, how it handles bad weather, and what sanctions would apply for noncompliance. No further testimony was offered on that measure.
The committee also heard HB 1179, relating to rural emergency hospitals. The Department of Human Services stood on written testimony, and Maui Health Systems strongly supported the bill, saying it would help critical access hospitals better serve kūpuna and provide long-term care beds. There were no questions or additional testimony. HB 420, relating to remedies and the contractor repair act, generated extensive and sharply divided testimony. Opponents, including attorneys representing homeowners and AARP Hawaii, argued the bill was anti-consumer, would weaken homeowners’ ability to recover for construction defects, and would shift costs and risk to consumers. Supporters, including builders, realtors, the Chamber of Commerce, and D.R. Horton Hawaii, said the bill would create a more balanced and efficient process, reduce unnecessary litigation, and help builders address legitimate defects more quickly.
Testimony on HB 420 focused heavily on whether the contractor repair process and class actions help or hinder repairs. Opponents said the bill would delay or limit homeowner recovery, especially for life and safety defects, while supporters said current class-action litigation can prevent direct communication with homeowners and slow repairs. Committee members asked questions about when communication with homeowners stops and whether repairs could be made before a class is certified. No votes or final committee actions were taken during the portion of the meeting provided.
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
House - Appropriations and Finance Feb 1st, 2025
House Appropriations & Finance
Transcript Highlights:
- It was then under the federal minimum wage, so that made it more so.
- , I mean... were living with the minimum wage was very heartening.
- Those that are still working underneath the state minimum wage.
- And so, in terms of a living wage, MIT Sets out living wages around the country and for Santa Fe, for
- The living wage in Santa Fe is approximately $38.
TX
Texas 89th Regular
89th Legislative Session - First Called Session Aug 4th, 2025
Texas House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Should such a motion prevail, I will immediately sign the warrants for the civil arrest of the members
- There being 85 ayes and six nays, the motion prevails.
Keywords:
redistricting, congressional districts, Texas Legislature, elections, 2020 Census, 997, house, all
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- There being 7 ayes, 0 nays, motion prevails.
- There being 8 ayes, 0 nays, the motion prevails. Members, that concludes today's agenda.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Floor Session - Part 2 - 05/09/25
Minnesota Senate Floor Meeting
MI
Transcript Highlights:
- You know, workers have had to fight for a higher minimum wage.
- Contracts establish wages, benefits, and working conditions.
- I would also like to address the wage pass-through.
- go directly to nursing home and direct-care workers' wages.
- Most workers do not earn a livable wage without multiple jobs and the wage pass-through.
Summary:
The Senate Committee on Labor met with a quorum, adopted the June 4 minutes, and then took up Senate Bill 948, the Workplace Employees Boundaries Act (WEB Act), after adopting an S-1 substitute by a 4-1 vote. Senator Geis presented the bill as a Michigan “right to disconnect” measure that would generally bar employers from requiring employees to access or respond to work communications outside usual work hours, allow employees to set availability hours, prohibit retaliation, direct LEO to write rules, and provide complaint and enforcement procedures with exceptions for emergencies and existing collective bargaining agreements. In questioning, Senator Albert raised concerns about how the bill would apply in small businesses and practical situations like staffing calls, school notifications, and emergency-like circumstances; Geis said the bill was meant to protect non-work time while preserving emergency carve-outs and informational messages. NFIB’s Amanda Fisher opposed the bill, arguing it was too broad, difficult to define across industries and schedules, potentially duplicative of existing wage-and-hour law, and likely to create confusion and reduce flexibility, especially for small employers.
The committee then shifted to testimony on health care workforce and labor disputes. Nurses from Teamsters Local 332 described a 291-day strike at Henry Ford/Genesis over safe staffing, return-to-work terms, and alleged union-busting, saying the hospital’s staffing levels and use of replacement workers threatened patient safety and could displace experienced specialty nurses. Michigan Nurses Association president Aaron McCormick and Marquette RN union president Christina Hanson said Michigan’s problem is not a shortage of licensed nurses but of nurses willing to stay in overworked, hostile workplaces; they cited retaliation, slow grievance/arbitration processes, hospital consolidation, rural OB closures, and unsafe staffing ratios as drivers of burnout and departures. They urged stronger protections and faster dispute resolution, especially given the limited effectiveness of the NLRB and delays in labor processes.
Additional testimony came from UAW Local 4911’s Kim Wheeler, who said UMH Sparrow was outsourcing two low-paid support groups—patient transport/housekeeping and food and nutrition—despite their importance to hospital operations and despite a recently ratified contract, and asked for transparency and limits on corporate outsourcing. Don Hill of SEIU Health Care Michigan described chronic understaffing in nursing homes, mandatory overtime, burnout, retaliation fears, and the need for enforceable patient-to-staff ratios and stronger wage support; he also noted that home care workers are negotiating first contracts after restored bargaining rights. The committee took no vote on SB 948 beyond adopting the substitute, heard extensive testimony, and adjourned without further business.
FL
Florida 2026 5th Special Session
Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice Jan 14th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- when they get introduced to the trades, and knowing that there is gainful employment and a living wage
- And that goes to... or electrician and have a livable wage, that instills hope.
- I support fair wages, but wages alone will not fix buildings, empty food trays, missing medical care,
- Raising the wage, like right now, it's $22 an hour.
- You're right, because the wages are not going to fix some of these other issues that we have.
Summary:
The committee received a presentation on the Governor’s fiscal year 2026-2027 public safety budget, which totals $8.2 billion for the public safety silo and includes funding for the Departments of Law Enforcement, Juvenile Justice, and Corrections, along with courts and legal affairs. The Governor’s Office highlighted recurring reductions and vacancy eliminations, while agency heads outlined their major requests: FDLE sought funding for fentanyl enforcement, career offender registry staffing, alert-system upgrades, alcohol testing modernization, officer wellness, criminal intelligence, and immigration-related intelligence work; DJJ requested money for the Florida Scholars Academy, uniforms, residential services, a new Broward detention center, and facility maintenance; and DOC requested major increases for officer pay, additional staff, facility construction and maintenance, communications upgrades, inmate health care, pharmaceuticals, and food service. Members questioned FDLE about immigration enforcement and public records burdens, and DOC about staffing, capacity, mental health services, contraband, housing, and whether prison beds were being used for immigration detainees. Public testimony also urged better prison conditions and basic necessities for incarcerated people.
The committee then took up and reported favorably CS/SB 156, the Jason Rayner Act, which would strengthen penalties and clarify that a person may not resist an officer with violence when the officer is performing official duties. An amendment conforming the bill to House language was adopted, and the bill passed with Senator Smith voting no. The committee also adopted an amendment and reported favorably CS/SB 54, which concerns use of substances affecting cognitive function and limits certain medical-record disclosures to information relevant to investigations of violent offenders; Senator Smith voted no on that measure as well.
Next, the committee considered Senator Berman’s bills on domestic and dating violence. CS/SB 296 would direct a study of a secure web-based alert platform for victims, including a discreet phone-number/code system and geolocation support, and would expand the Address Confidentiality Program to dating-violence victims. The bill drew emotional support testimony from survivors and advocates describing the dangers victims face when trying to leave abusive situations, and it was reported favorably. Its companion, CS/SB 298, would extend public-records protections in the Address Confidentiality Program to dating-violence victims; it was also reported favorably. The committee then adjourned.
FL
Florida 2026 Regular Session
Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice Jan 14th, 2026
Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice
Transcript Highlights:
- when they get introduced to the trades, and knowing that there is gainful employment and a living wage
- And that goes to... ...or electrician and have a livable wage, that instills hope.
- I support fair wages, but wages alone will not fix buildings, empty food trays, missing medical care,
- Raising the wage, like right now, it's $22 an hour.
- You're right, because the wages are not going to fix some of these other issues that we have.
Keywords:
cognitive function, psychotropic drugs, violent offenders, autopsy procedures, medical records, school safety, public records, open government, sunshine law, victims of dating violence, domestic violence, address confidentiality program, confidential address, voter registration, voting records, elections, supervisor of elections, Department of State, Attorney General, privacy
Summary:
The Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice heard a presentation on the Governor’s fiscal year 2026-2027 public safety budget, which totals $117.4 billion overall and includes $8.2 billion for the public safety silo. Caitlin Dawkins of the Governor’s Office outlined proposed funding and reductions across FDLE, DJJ, DOC, and related justice agencies. Agency heads then presented major budget requests: FDLE sought funding for fentanyl enforcement, a career offender registry unit, a missing persons alert system upgrade, alcohol testing modernization, officer wellness, criminal intelligence, and illegal immigration-related intelligence work; DJJ requested funds for the Florida Scholars Academy, uniforms, residential services, a new Broward detention center, and facility repairs; and DOC requested major increases for officer pay, 500 additional FTE, facility construction and maintenance, communications technology, inmate health care, pharmaceuticals, and food service. Members questioned FDLE about the scope of immigration-related enforcement and public records burdens, and DOC about staffing, inmate health care, substance use treatment, prison capacity, and whether prison beds were being used for immigration detainees. A public commenter also urged attention to basic conditions in prisons, including clothing, food, medical care, and facility maintenance.
The committee then considered several bills. CS/SB 156, the Jason Rayner Act, was presented as a response to the killing of Daytona Beach Officer Jason Rayner and would clarify that a person may not use violence against an officer performing official duties, while also increasing penalties related to manslaughter involving law enforcement. An amendment conforming the bill’s language was adopted, and the bill was reported favorably after debate and a roll call vote. CS/SB 54, dealing with substances affecting cognitive function and law enforcement access to certain medical records, also received an amendment clarifying that only records relevant to an investigation of a violent offender may be furnished; the amended bill was then reported favorably.
The committee next heard CS/SB 296, the Haven Act, which would direct a study of a secure web-based alert system for domestic violence victims so they can contact 911 without alerting an abuser, and would expand the Address Confidentiality Program to include dating violence victims. Testimony from advocates and survivors strongly supported the measure, and the bill was reported favorably. Its companion, CS/SB 298, a public records exemption for victims of domestic and dating violence in the Address Confidentiality Program, was also reported favorably. The meeting concluded after the committee approved all four bills and adjourned.
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Consumer Protection & Business Jan 13th, 2026 at 01:30 pm
Consumer Protection & Business
Transcript Highlights:
- this that is allowing consumers or encouraging consumers to shift from payday lending or even earned wage
- I think the other thing that you'll see, particularly with respect to earned wage access, and probably
- With earned wage access, of course, the costs are, in some sense, in terms of pure dollars, less than
- this that is allowing consumers or encouraging consumers to shift from payday lending or even earn wage
- I think the other thing that you'll see, particularly with respect to earned wage access, and probably