Keywords: Insurance Study Committee - Room 216, 14 August, 2025; 10:00 AM, 925, all

Transcript Highlights:

• or whether he was talking about health insurance companies buying insurance so that they can insure the
• insurance to backstop against the insurance for those individual consumers.
• taxes on insurers also drives up<00:38:16.359><c> insurance</c><00:38:16.839><c> rates</c> up insurance
• taxes on insurance drives up insurance taxes on insurance drives up insurance rates<00:38:26.760><c>
• </c> inflate everyone else's insurance inflate everyone else's insurance insurance<01:07:39.680><c> premium

Bills: HF837

Keywords: health insurance, premium security plan, federal funding, state innovation waiver, Minnesota, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• A qualified inspection agency must be approved by L&I rather than have a contract with L&I.
• It increases the time for L&I or the self-insurer to provide a declaration to 10 days.
• And I believe that they're important to insurance... ...for acting in good faith, and I believe that
• they're important for insurance and critical for patient choice and health.
• How we handle our industrial insurance rates and the solvency.

Bills: SB6197, SB6158, SB6302, SB5437, SB6117, SB5852, SB5847, SB6067, SB6152, SB6136

Keywords: SB 6197, plumbing contractor, plumber, contractor licensing, licensing enforcement, infractions, administrative penalties, license suspension, certificate suspension, endorsement suspension, registration suspension, Department of Labor and Industries, advisory board of plumbers, penalty schedule, repeat violations, workplace standards, construction trades, professional licensing, Washington state, factory built housing

Bills: SB32, SB464, SB996, SB1163, SB1173, SB1277, SB1452, SB1453, SB1548, SB1882, SB1883, SB2016

Keywords: ad valorem taxation, tax exemption, franchise tax credit, income production, personal property, SB 464, school buffer zone, tobacco retailer, vape shop, e-cigarette, vaping, nicotine, tobacco products, retail permit, comptroller, Class A misdemeanor, school proximity, youth access, public school, private school

Summary: The Senate Local Government Committee heard several bills by Senator Bettencourt focused on property tax and local government accountability. SB 32 would provide about $700 million in business tax relief by raising the business personal property exemption from $2,500 to $25,000 and continuing a 20% franchise tax credit for inventory taxes paid. Witnesses from NFIB, the Texas Retailers Association, and Texas Realtors supported the bill, saying business personal property and inventory taxes are burdensome and especially hard on small businesses. After no opposition testimony, SB 32 was left pending. The committee also heard SB 1453, which would change how interest and sinking tax rates are calculated by using only the minimum debt service required under bond schedules, while still allowing a higher rate with a 60% governing body vote and a public explanation. A witness from the Texas Taxpayers and Research Association supported the bill as a way to keep debt rates from rising as property values increase and to preserve tax relief. The bill was left pending after testimony. SB 1883 would tighten rules on local impact fees by requiring 60 days of public availability for capital improvement plans and land use assumptions, raising the approval threshold for adopting impact fees from a simple majority to two-thirds, limiting how often fees can be increased, and expanding notice requirements. Builders and developers testified in support, arguing that impact fees are often poorly reviewed, lack accountability, and are passed on to homebuyers, worsening housing affordability. Committee members discussed adding audit provisions and questioned the lack of city testimony. The bill was left pending with subcommittee action. SB 1452 would require a voter election to decide whether a municipal management district continues to exist, with dissolution if voters reject it; supporters said it would add accountability, while others noted some districts provide essential services and infrastructure. The committee heard testimony from district representatives and builders, then left SB 1452 pending before recessing.

Transcript Highlights:

• unilaterally disregards these agreements by imposing an indefinite moratorium, it not only violates the contract
• Uh, Subsequently, we had to cancel that contract.
• Uh, these people for private contracts, uh, without even trying to go to a some type of judicial process

Bills: SB 32, SB 464, SB 996, SB 1163, SB 1173, SB 1277, SB 1452, SB 1453, SB 1548, SB 1882, SB 1883, SB 2016

Keywords: ad valorem taxation, tax exemption, franchise tax credit, income production, personal property, SB 464, school buffer zone, tobacco retailer, vape shop, e-cigarette, vaping, nicotine, tobacco products, retail permit, comptroller, Class A misdemeanor, school proximity, youth access, public school, private school

Transcript Highlights:

• Government officers are prohibited from having a beneficial interest in a contract the officer makes
• A contract with the commissioner's spouse would not be included in the ban on beneficial interests if
• The commissioner must disclose the interest before the contract is made.
• The commissioner must disclose the interest before the contract is made, and the commissioner must not
• vote on the contract.

Bills: HB2459, HB2480, HB2530, HB2129, HB2223

Keywords: school siting, urban growth, education policy, zoning regulations, community planning, residential development, commercial zones, mixed-use zoning, urban planning, state regulations, public facilities district, regional aquatics, sports facilities, local government, infrastructure, agritourism, agriculture, tourism, economic development, local businesses

Transcript Highlights:

• That is unacceptable. the physical insurance contract but it's the physical insurance contract but it's
• And so the distinction, I think, between the residential contract with the insurance company and then
• the commercial contract with the insurance company, how do those interplay, and just making sure that
• And so the distinction, I think, between the residential contract with the insurance company and then
• the commercial contract with the insurance company, how do those interplay, and just making sure that

Bills: HF1865, HF2014, HF2028

Keywords: mortgage, qualified mortgage, QM, points and fees, conventional loan, consumer lending, home loan, residential real estate, lender fees, service charge, finance charge, closing costs, Minnesota Statutes 47.20, housing finance, borrower protections, cooperative apartment loan, contract for deed, real estate lending, foreclosure, notice requirements

Transcript Highlights:

• contract period ends?
• enter into contracts with a two-year limit at the time.
• They can do a two-year contract and then renew that contract after two years. >> That's correct. >> Okay
• Portion, it would be allowed to enter into contracts with a two-year limit at the time.
• They can do a two-year contract and then renew that contract after two years. >> That's correct. >> That's

Bills: SB2190, SB2338, SB2424, SB2356, SB2981, SB3028, SB3187, SB2378, SB2398, SB2192, SB2155, SB3219, SB3218

Keywords: affordable housing, employment contracts, salary caps, housing finance, public housing authority, executive compensation, parking minimums, off-street parking, transit-oriented development, TOD, housing supply, smart growth, redevelopment, adaptive reuse, micro units, rail transit, public transit stations, county zoning, land use, urban planning

Summary: The House Housing Committee heard testimony on a series of housing-related Senate bills. SB 2190 SD2 on inclusionary zoning drew support from HHFDC, Hawaii YIMBY, Grassroot Institute, Housing Hawaii’s Future, and Hako Seed Center, with opposition from OHA and Aloha Independent Living Hawaii. SB 2338 SD1, dealing with housing agency personnel authority, received comments from the Attorney General cautioning that the bill should be clarified to avoid conflicts with civil service and collective bargaining laws and recommending removal of a provision limiting employment contracts; HHFDC said its comments addressed those concerns and supported the measure. SB 2424 SD1, concerning HHFDC, received broad support from housing, business, and community groups, with one opposition. Testimony focused on changing the definition of “qualified resident” so people who already own an HHFDC-assisted unit could later purchase another if their housing needs change; HHFDC said the current rule forces people to sell before buying again and that the bill would help people move up the housing ladder and encourage more housing development. SB 2356 on parking also drew broad support from state agencies, housing advocates, business groups, and local officials, with Unite Here Local 5 in opposition. SB 2981 on land use had strong support from many organizations and 67 individuals, with Unite Here Local 5 opposing. SB 3028 SD2 on property conveyance generated the most detailed policy debate. Supporters, including Catholic Charities Hawaii, Hawaii Children’s Action Network, Indivisible Hawaii, and others, backed restructuring the conveyance tax into a marginal rate system and urged changes to revenue allocations, including dedicated funding for homeless services, DHHL, and the rental housing revolving fund. The Tax Foundation of Hawaii supported the marginal-rate concept but opposed dedicated special-fund allocations and criticized the bill’s blank sections. Committee members questioned the historical purpose of the conveyance tax, and the Tax Foundation explained it was originally a modest tax tied to property-value tracking when the state still ran the property tax system. The committee also heard SB 3187 SD2 on off-site construction, SB 2378 SD2 on housing permitting, and SB 2398 SD2 on residential housing utilities. OPSD supported SB 3187 but said it preferred the House version and wanted clarification that off-site certification should apply to factories in Hawaii, not out of state, to avoid outsourcing labor; it also suggested starting with a small scope. SB 2378 SD2 drew support from engineering, housing, and labor groups, with testimony that the House version included needed fixes to make the program insurable. On SB 2398 SD2, the Board of Water Supply opposed the bill, saying it could require disclosure of sensitive infrastructure information beyond ordinary water-availability assessments and raise critical-infrastructure and cybersecurity concerns; developers and housing groups supported the measure. No votes or final actions were taken in the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• It requires individual and group health insurance policies and HMO contracts to cover medically necessary
• It strengthens prohibitions on government contracting by prohibiting contracts for information. ...It
• The contract exists; it's at the time the contract is entered into.
• If they contract to them.
• If they contract to them.

Bills: S0006, S0026, S0206, S0532, S0576, S1012, S1110, S1178, S1192, S1758, S1760, S7046, S7048

Keywords: child welfare, negligence, settlement, injury compensation, Department of Children and Families, motorcycle accident, compensation, Department of Transportation, legal claim, autism, autism spectrum disorder, ASD, special education, exceptional student education, ESE, teacher preparation, educator certification, micro-credential, loan forgiveness, student loan repayment

Summary: The Appropriations Committee met and considered a large agenda of bills, reporting several measures favorably. Early action included SB 6, a settled claim bill involving the Department of Children and Families and the estate of Leila Estrada and Sapphire Williams, which was approved for $3.8 million. The committee also passed a cybersecurity internships bill creating a Department of Commerce program with Cyber Florida, and SB 532, which lets clerks of court retain the full amount of certain excess revenue and clarifies foreclosure-sale procedures. Veterans housing measures, CS for CS for SB 1602 and SB 1604, were approved to create a pilot program and a related trust fund for vacancy relief and risk mitigation for veteran housing. The committee also favorably reported SB 1110 on Medicaid and insurance coverage for orthotics and prosthetics, with emotional testimony from a student and family describing the high cost and importance of activity-specific prosthetics. Members also approved CS for CS for SB 1012 after adopting an amendment that removed inmate emergency and specialty medical service compensation provisions while retaining changes to the contractor-operated institutions inmate welfare trust fund. Another bill, CS for CS for SB 1614, was narrowed by a delete-all amendment to focus on limiting the use of excess fees for new building construction by local governments. All of these measures were reported favorably after brief debate, with some support testimony submitted in writing or waived. The most extensive discussion centered on CS for CS for SB 17, a major Medicaid and public assistance overhaul. The bill would create a Joint Legislative Committee on Medicaid Oversight, allow the Legislature to retain its own actuary, tighten Medicaid program oversight, update encounter-data reporting, set performance standards for managed care plans, revise pharmacy benefit manager rules, and require DCF to implement SNAP fraud-reduction and payment-accuracy reforms, including photo IDs on EBT cards and updated work requirements. It also would direct agencies to seek federal waivers for Medicaid work requirements for able-bodied adults and expanded behavioral health services. After lengthy questioning and testimony, the committee adopted amendments adding a transitional medical benefits glide path for people who gain employment and later lose Medicaid eligibility, and exempting hospice patients with six months or less to live. Supporters argued the bill would improve accountability, reduce fraud, and save money, while opponents warned it would create administrative burdens, increase paperwork, and cause eligible people to lose coverage or food assistance. The committee ultimately reported the bill favorably as amended.

Bills: HB2198, HB2021, HB1881, HB1964, HB1990, HB2151, HB2599, HB2414

Keywords: gambling, prediction markets, Hawaii gambling laws, financial contracts, ethical concerns, electric bicycles, micro-mobility devices, safety regulations, traffic laws, insurance exemption, high-speed electric devices, land use, ropeway, transportation, state regulation, government exemption, building code, permitting process, training, state council

Bills: HB2198, HB2021, HB1881, HB1964, HB1990, HB2151, HB2599, HB2414

Keywords: gambling, prediction markets, Hawaii gambling laws, financial contracts, ethical concerns, electric bicycles, micro-mobility devices, safety regulations, traffic laws, insurance exemption, high-speed electric devices, land use, ropeway, transportation, state regulation, government exemption, building code, permitting process, training, state council

Transcript Highlights:

• you're talking about the finders and this information that's on page 18, that's just saying that the contract
• , if a citizen enters into a contract with a finder to pay a fee, that contract has to include the language
• Doesn't prevent them from entering into that contract. >> What type of assets are we talking about?
• , if a citizen enters into a contract with a finder to pay a fee, that contract has to include the language
• Doesn't prevent them from entering into that contract. >> What type of assets are we talking about?

Bills: SB57, SB155, HB39, HB77, HB104, SB57, SB155, HB39, HB77, HB104

Keywords: property, acknowledgment, conveyance, business entities, limited liability companies, state employees, payroll deduction, salary deduction, comptroller, membership association, membership dues, voluntary contributions, insurance premiums, financial instruments, deferred compensation, state payroll, employee benefits, association dues, withholding, Alabama Code 36-1-4.3

Bills: SCR22, SB53, SB204, SB266, SB268, SB291, SB292, SB296, SB304, SB305, SB413, SB447, SB455, SB462, SB493, SB504, SB519, SB522, SB532, SB541, SB667, SB670, SB673, SB681, SB687, SB711, SB746, SB765, SB783, SB827, SB850, SB860, SB888, SB897, SB901, SB927, SB955, SB963, SB984, SB989, SB993, SB996, SB1023, SB1033, SB1058, SB1062, SB1101, SB1119, SB1172, SB1173, SB1215, SB1220, SB1227, SB1228, SB1229, SB1238, SB1239, SB1245, SB1248, SB1254, SB1259, SB1273, SB1277, SB1302, SB1332, SB1341, SB1346, SB1350, SB1352, SB1353, SB1355, SB1358, SB1370, SB1371, SB1378, SB1403, SB1404, SB1415, SB1437, SB1448, SB1450, SB1464, SB1493, SB1494, SB1537, SB1566, SB1569, SB1589, SB1598, SB1644, SB1709, SB1719, SB1729, SB1733, SB1744, SB1772, SB1810, SB1841, SB1895, SB1930, SB2039, SB2289, SB2312, SCR1, SCR6, SCR27, SCR32, SB2232

Keywords: SCR 22, Senate Concurrent Resolution 22, official state gun, state symbol, cannon, artillery, Texas Revolution, Battle of Gonzales, Come and Take It, Alamo, San Jacinto, Twin Sisters, Sam Houston, Angelina Eberly, Texas history, historic weapon, commemorative resolution, state emblem, Texas heritage, Gonzales Memorial Museum

Transcript Highlights:

• Now, the insurance piece is fairly straightforward.
• One would be the $6 per year charge on insurance.
• Insurance is doing what they do.
• They are insuring that property.
• The insurance is, in my opinion.

Bills: S3091, H5477

Keywords: crumbling concrete, pyrite, pyrrhotite, homeowner assistance, financial relief, CEDAC, construction, insurance surcharge, foundation repair, Massachusetts

Summary: The Joint Committee on Financial Services held a public hearing on two late-file matters, centered on S. 3091, a bill to create relief for homeowners affected by the crumbling concrete/pyrrhotite crisis. Senator Peter Durant presented the bill as a way to establish a crumbling concrete assistance fund, administered by CEDAC, to help replace failing foundations and reimburse homeowners who already paid out of pocket. He said the proposal follows recommendations from a state commission and would be funded by a $6 fee on homeowner/condo insurance policies and a $6-per-cubic-yard surcharge on concrete, with the goal of spreading costs broadly rather than placing them on homeowners alone. Several affected homeowners testified about severe financial and emotional harm, including expensive foundation replacements, lost equity, inability to sell or refinance, and long delays in getting help. Homeowners Karen Riani, Michelle Iglesi, Karen Bellotti, and Russell Dupierre described living with homes that became unsellable or unaffordable to repair, and urged the committee to move the bill forward. Committee members asked about inspection practices, whether pyrrhotite can be detected during home sales, whether the bill would ban pyrrhotite, and how much funding the program would need. Witnesses said the problem is broader than originally understood, affecting at least 52 municipalities, and that the only fix is full foundation replacement. They also said the bill includes training and education for inspectors, but does not ban pyrrhotite outright because the issue is now being addressed through quarry testing and material controls. Representatives of the concrete industry, including Craig Dauphinay, Karen Marshall, and Guy Glottis, said they support homeowner relief and the creation of a fund, but strongly opposed the concrete surcharge. They argued the industry has already taken significant steps, including supporting state testing and regulation of aggregate sources, and said the surcharge would unfairly assign blame, raise costs for residential, municipal, and infrastructure projects, and create cross-border competitiveness issues with neighboring states. They favored a Connecticut-style model funded primarily through insurance assessments, noting that Connecticut’s program has been successful and that Massachusetts could adopt a similar approach. No vote was taken at the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• What are homeowners experiencing with the lack of insurance? Or is it the high cost of insurance?
• </c> a year on insurance. a year on insurance.
• </c> insurance, home insurance in that area? insurance, home insurance in that area?
• </c> people who get their insurance there. people who get their insurance there.
• </c> relating to health insurance. relating to health insurance.

Bills: HB20, HB2612, HB2404, HB2459, HB2194, HB1880, HB2284, HB1969, HB2458, HB1546, HB2161, HB1721, HB1641, HB2137, HB1782, HB2360, HB1965, HB1897, HB1513

Keywords: lava insurance, homeowners, insurance market, subsidy, Hawaii, mortgage, debt, secured transactions, real property, Hawaii Revised Statutes, cooperative associations, electric utility cooperatives, agricultural cooperatives, mutual help, food innovation, agribusiness, food safety, market access, branding, economic diversification

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 20, which would create a lava zone insurance subsidy/fund. The Insurance Division opposed the bill, arguing that lava zones 1 and 2 are the highest-risk areas, that a subsidy would not reduce the underlying risk or loss costs, that it could invite similar subsidy requests for other hazards, and that the bill may conflict with HICV by diverting funds from the CRF. Members discussed the lack of authorized homeowners insurance in those lava zones, the role of HPIA and the surplus market, and the difference between the proposed lava-zone subsidy and the Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund. The chair noted 37 submitted testimonies in support and one in opposition, and the committee then moved on without taking a vote on HB 20 in the portion provided. The committee then took up HB 2612, relating to mortgages, which would clarify that a mortgage does not exist independently of the debt it secures and is not independently enforceable from that debt. The Hawaii Credit Union League and Hawaii Financial Services Association opposed the bill, while several individuals testified in support, arguing it would restore Hawaii’s long-standing lien-state rule and prevent so-called “zombie mortgages” after the Hawaii Supreme Court’s White decision. Supporters said the bill would protect borrowers from delayed foreclosures and predatory lending practices, while opponents and the Insurance Division emphasized that foreclosure actions still require proof of standing and possession of the note, and that lenders generally pursue foreclosure without seeking deficiency judgments. Committee members questioned the Insurance Division about how the current market works, whether lenders could wait out the statute of limitations and then foreclose only on the mortgage, and whether equitable tolling or later defaults could allow refiling. The division said it is still trying to attract authorized insurers back into the lava-zone market, but has seen little progress. No vote or final action on HB 2612 was taken in the excerpt provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Insurance coverage for these services varies depending on the insurance plan, state, and other individual
• Many of the patients that I see have insurance coverage, but their insurance is discriminating against
• The doctors that cancel their contracts with the insurers can be removed from the list.
• This is already the rule for large insurers.
• Insurance.

Bills: AB52, AB76, AB163, AB388, AB483

Keywords: health insurance, claims process, insurance regulation, admin penalties, healthcare access, cannabis, cannabis establishment, medical cannabis, adult-use cannabis, advertising regulations, packaging requirements, unlicensed cannabis activities, state prosecution, confidentiality, Cannabis Compliance Board, disciplinary proceedings, mental health, counseling, interstate practice, telehealth

Transcript Highlights:

• How can we be insured to know that folks are not getting sick from these products?
• And here This is a disclosure bill so that those with whom you contract disclose whether or not they're
• of the bill has to do with purely with disclosure, making sure that everybody knows when you are contracting

Bills: HB2894, HB3418, HB3415, HB3413, HB3414, HB3416, HB3417, HB3419, HB3420, HB1739, HB1752, HB1979, HB2941, HB2992, HB3075, HB3086, HB3177, HB3269, HB3278, HB3279, HB3497, HB3644, HB4432, HB3720, HB3849, HB3882, HB3919, HB3941, HB4118, HB4141, HB4268, HB4342, HB4428, HB4429, HB4434

Keywords: HB2894, Oklahoma Rural Jobs Act, rural jobs, rural investment, tax credit, capital investment tax credit, state tax credits, economic development, rural fund, rural investor, qualified investment, eligible business, Department of Commerce, rural business, investment certification, tax liability, credit cap, workforce development, small business finance, rural development

Transcript Highlights:

• It creates a publicly accessible database of state contracts among other provisions.
• As far as the contracts, they're basically being no threshold. Further questions?
• Saving lives is your ability to have insurance. Also, saving lives.
• Insurance companies, in particular, will bring legislation to this body.
• It's going to drive up the cost of insurance, drive up the cost of medical care.

Bills: HB2894, HB3418, HB3415, HB3413, HB3414, HB3416, HB3417, HB3419, HB3420, HB1739, HB1752, HB1979, HB2941, HB2992, HB3075, HB3086, HB3177, HB3269, HB3278, HB3279, HB3497, HB3644, HB4432, HB3720, HB3849, HB3882, HB3919, HB3941, HB4118, HB4141, HB4268, HB4342, HB4428, HB4429, HB4434

Keywords: HB2894, Oklahoma Rural Jobs Act, rural jobs, rural investment, tax credit, capital investment tax credit, state tax credits, economic development, rural fund, rural investor, qualified investment, eligible business, Department of Commerce, rural business, investment certification, tax liability, credit cap, workforce development, small business finance, rural development

Transcript Highlights:

• And here, this is a disclosure bill so that those with whom you contract disclose whether or not they're
• language of the bill has to do purely with disclosure, making sure that everybody knows when you are contracting

Bills: HB2894, HB3418, HB3415, HB3413, HB3414, HB3416, HB3417, HB3419, HB3420, HB1739, HB1752, HB1979, HB2941, HB2992, HB3075, HB3086, HB3177, HB3269, HB3278, HB3279, HB3497, HB3644, HB4432, HB3720, HB3849, HB3882, HB3919, HB3941, HB4118, HB4141, HB4268, HB4342, HB4428, HB4429, HB4434

Keywords: HB2894, Oklahoma Rural Jobs Act, rural jobs, rural investment, tax credit, capital investment tax credit, state tax credits, economic development, rural fund, rural investor, qualified investment, eligible business, Department of Commerce, rural business, investment certification, tax liability, credit cap, workforce development, small business finance, rural development

Summary: The Senate began with ceremonial recognitions for several student groups and community visitors, including Carl Albert High School’s boys and girls swim teams, the Lady Titans basketball team, and the Choctaw High School speech and debate team. Senators and coaches highlighted the teams’ state championships, academic achievements, and perseverance, and the chamber also welcomed visiting groups from Aline, Owasso, and Tulsa County. After the presentations, the Senate returned to general order and took up a series of House bills. Among the measures considered, House Bill 3720 expanded the Local Food Freedom Act by raising the gross annual sales threshold for local food establishments from under $75,000 to $250,000; it passed 39-4. House Bill 3849 updated the Oklahoma mentoring children of incarcerated parents program and passed 42-1. House Bill 3882 created a revolving fund for industrial and lake access improvement projects and passed 33-9, then also passed the emergency clause 39-4. House Bill 3919 reduced county free fair association boards from nine members to five to address quorum problems and passed 45-0. House Bill 3941 codified a pay raise for a court secretary and passed 45-0, including its emergency clause. House Bill 4118 updated the family caregiver tax credit and passed 44-1. House Bill 4141 removed the sunset on the statewide sexual assault nurse examiner coordinator position and passed 45-0. The chamber also debated several policy bills more extensively. House Bill 4268 created a growth-based teacher compensation program using Oklahoma Teacher Empowerment Funds and restored a $5,000 stipend for national board-certified teachers; it passed 45-0 and its emergency clause also passed 45-0. House Bill 4342 allowed prior instances of domestic violence or abuse to be admitted as propensity evidence in court, with supporters saying it would help interrupt the cycle of abuse and opponents raising due process concerns; it passed after debate. House Bill 4428 required public pension plans to base proxy voting decisions solely on financial considerations, and House Bill 4429 required proxy advisors to disclose when recommendations were not based on financial analysis; both passed after debate, 35-8 and 37-7 respectively. Two Rule 7-9 motions to pull House Bills 4422 and 4423 from committee and place them on general order failed by recorded vote. The Senate then announced Denim Day for domestic violence and sexual assault awareness, noted a few final reminders, and adjourned until April 29, 2026, at 9:00 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• The agencies would just put it in their contract that a third party cannot use any type of ranking system
• So this would not let the state agency enter into a contract that has that political bias.

Bills: HB282, HB283, HB95

Keywords: government contracting, state agencies, local agencies, procurement, marketing contracts, advertising contracts, media monitoring, fact-checking, news ratings, bias ratings, misinformation, journalistic standards, news accuracy, vendor certification, contractor certification, public relations, media analytics, government procurement, Alabama, data privacy