Transcript Highlights:

• the Debt Fairness Act, which included provisions that modernized and improved Minnesota's bank and wage
• types of content changes were needed: updating exemptions, updating definitions, and incorporating wage

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:29:30.000> It<00:29:30.240> doesn't<00:29:30.399> do wage replacement.
• It doesn't do wage replacement.
• And so to get this bill, the wage extension, I think, could get around maybe 134 votes, but when you
• And so to get this bill, the wage extension, I think, could get around maybe 134 votes, but when you
• And so to get this bill, the wage extension, I think, could get around maybe 134 votes, but when you

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• 400,000 Californians, generates $73 billion in economic activity for the state, pays $26 billion in wages
• Nonprofits are the third-largest employers by wages among the key industries...
• Nonprofits are the third-largest employers by wages among the key industries in California.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Instead, we need to look at the root cause of problems in America: problems of affordable housing and wages
• They deserve worthy wages, but their wages are declining. These workers deserve our respect.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Those you look at the average wage and this is incredibly important because when you look at the average
• wage of an aerospace worker, it's significantly higher, almost 2 times higher in some respects, then
• Of course, we've got 80 billion towards wages and salaries paid and $0.99 of every dollar spent by a

Transcript Highlights:

• , the revenue source at the heart of the Well Washington Fund is a corporate payroll tax on annual wages
• for those more lucrative paying jobs because of your suggested tax, and they're only bringing in low-wage
• They'll locate them elsewhere, and they might still keep their lower wage earners here.

Summary: The meeting was a press conference and Q&A led by Rep. Shaun Scott to promote the proposed Well Washington Fund, a new dedicated account intended to raise about $3 billion annually through a corporate payroll tax on wages above $125,000. Scott said the bill would help offset expected federal cuts under Trump-era policies and support programs most at risk, including cash assistance, higher education, health care, housing, and wildfire mitigation. He also referenced two related proposals: restoring wildfire mitigation funding by ending a tax break for large banks, and allowing counties to raise corporate taxes. Several advocates and affected residents testified in support of progressive revenue. Michelle Thomas of the Washington Low Income Housing Alliance warned that federal homelessness policy changes and state underinvestment could worsen homelessness and evictions. Christina Savitsky, a disabled veteran, described how Medicaid, food assistance, and work requirements would affect her family. Representatives from the University of Washington AAUP said federal cuts and Medicaid changes threaten teaching, research, workforce training, and hospital finances. Fatima Boxwala of Tech for Taxes and Mikey Stramskis of the Washington Federation of State Employees argued that large corporations and the wealthy should pay more to sustain public services and address understaffing, burnout, and service backlogs. In the Q&A, Scott said the bill may need an emergency clause to make it referendum-proof and argued that the legislature has a mandate to act, citing the 2024 capital gains tax referendum and the state’s regressive tax system. He acknowledged concerns about businesses leaving but said he was more concerned about working people being displaced by unaffordable housing, child care, and health care. No vote or formal committee action occurred; the event was a call for a hearing in the House Finance Committee in 2026 and for legislative passage in both chambers.

Transcript Highlights:

• The first update ensures wage theft is not going on in all low-income housing tax credit awards by covering
• They will be required to use responsible contractors and, when applicable, create wage theft prevention
• We also have stagnant wages that are forcing people to live paycheck to paycheck.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• So this is what we see: with those intern wages being paid by the employers, hundreds of thousands of
• So this is what we see: with those intern wages being paid by the employers, hundreds of thousands of
• So this is what we see: with those intern wages being paid by the employers, hundreds of thousands of
• So this is what we see: with those intern wages being paid by the employers, hundreds of thousands of
• Usually the employer will pay the wage of the student, and I could be wrong because I was a Step Up intern

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It is not U.S. wages because usually the average wages in many other platforms are not specific to Kentucky
• this is not these are not US wages this is not these are not US wages because<01:56:35.840> usually
• > in because usually the average wages in because usually the average wages in many<01:56:37.599>
• Can you make a living wage out of that? Is it in your community?
• people can put into context um the wages people can put into context um the wages that<02:02:16.960

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a full quorum and approved the prior minutes. Members offered introductions of guests and family members, then heard a presentation from University of Louisville President Thomas Jared Bradley, who was sworn in before testifying. He described his background and outlined U of L’s strategic priorities: student success, access and affordability, workforce development, community engagement, and research. Bradley highlighted enrollment growth, increases in first-generation and Pell-eligible students, strong transfer pathways with KCTCS, and support programs such as the Cardinal Commitment Grant, 15-to-Finish, Comeback Cards, tutoring, mentoring, and mental health services. Bradley also emphasized U of L’s statewide and regional impact through UofL Health, rural outreach, the Bullitt County rural cancer education and research center, nursing expansion, and the Kentucky Manufacturing Extension Partnership program. He noted major institutional distinctions, including R1 status, a new Carnegie Opportunity College and University designation, and community-engaged classification. He said the university is one of only 10 public universities nationwide with all three designations and reported record enrollment, improved retention, and strong research expenditures. He also thanked lawmakers for significant capital and operating support, including funding for the simulation center, health science center, asset preservation, and the MEP program. During questions, members praised the university’s public service role and asked about first-generation enrollment, retention, graduation rates, and post-graduation outcomes. Bradley said the university is working to improve completion by expanding academic support, early alerts, incentives for tutoring, and faculty/advisor mentoring, especially for first-generation and high-need students. He acknowledged that post-graduation employment data is difficult to collect but said the new Carnegie classification reflects positive outcomes. No votes were taken beyond approving the minutes, and no formal actions were taken on legislation in this portion of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• for our staff, the private sector is much more fluid and can change their wages really quickly.
• So we got wage increases that brought us to even with everybody, but as soon as we did that, all they
• really quickly so we change their wages really quickly so we got<00:29:53.320> wage<00:29:53.600
• It should be 40% for whatever hourly wage you're making.
• <01:11:32.239> you're be 40% for whatever hourly wage you're be 40% for whatever hourly wage

Keywords: 928, house, all

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

Transcript Highlights:

• And so these are middle-class jobs and wages and things that are really part of the fabric of the economy
• can set the dwell time so that they have to at least have been in the facility or in the POI for a minimum
• in the<00:43:26.720> POI<00:43:27.760> for<00:43:28.480> a<00:43:28.720> minimum
• <00:43:29.040> of<00:43:29.280> 30<00:43:29.599> minutes the POI for a minimum
• of 30 minutes the POI for a minimum of 30 minutes versus<00:43:30.800> someone<00:43:31.119><

Bills: HF4912, HF4664

Keywords: electronic pull-tabs, pull-tabs, tipboards, gambling tax, Minnesota Racing Commission, Thoroughbred, horse racing, Minnesota-bred horses, breeders, owners, racing purses, industry subsidy, gambling revenue dedication, problem gambling, compulsive gambling treatment, general fund appropriation, state affiliate National Council on Problem Gambling, racing incentives, equine industry, public officers

Transcript Highlights:

• We have, uh, to make sure the projects are in compliance with prevailing wages and other regulation.
• said, to the credit committee and the board, mean we are looking at two-year audited financials at minimum
• 30:32.960> audited<00:30:33.440> financials<00:30:34.159> at<00:30:34.399> minimum
• two-year audited financials at minimum. two-year audited financials at minimum.

Bills: HF2986, HF3555

Keywords: virtual power plant, VPP, distributed energy resources, DER, demand response, load management, grid modernization, peak demand, peak shaving, battery storage, energy storage, solar photovoltaic, solar panels, electric vehicles, smart thermostats, heat pumps, aggregator, public utilities commission, PUC, rate recovery

Transcript Highlights:

• Nothing to raise wages. Nothing costs. Nothing to raise wages.
• The largest and fastest blue-collar wage growth in 60 years.
• It's that real wages, inflation-adjusted wages, are going up for the American people.
• It's that real wages, inflation-adjusted wages are going up for the American people.
• and faster wage growth. inflationadjusted wages are going up for inflationadjusted wages are going up

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, on line two, our salaries and benefits, um, we do see an increase there that is related to uh wage
• Um, on line two, our salaries and benefits, um, we do see an increase there that is related to uh wage
• On line two, our salaries and benefits, um, we do see an increase there that is related to wage increases
• That is related to wage increases and also new positions, primarily in IT.
• I have sincerely attempted to keep my office's expenditures to the bare minimum required in order to

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first reviewed House Bill 1, focusing on the legislative branch budget, especially the Senate and House lines. Members discussed that the Senate’s fiscal year 2025 adjusted authorized amount was higher than 2024 actual spending, largely due to personnel, benefits, and travel, and one member proposed a $500,000 annual cut. Staff explained that any reduction would need to be allocated across specific line items such as personnel, benefits, and travel, and noted that the Senate budget is entirely General Funds. After discussion of how the adjusted authorized figures were calculated and why the branch no longer staffs some joint committees as it once did, the committee moved on without taking a vote on that section. The committee then heard a detailed presentation from the New Hampshire Retirement System. NHRS officials described their statutory administrative budget, which is funded through the retirement trust rather than the General Fund, and said the FY 2026-2027 increase is driven by IT modernization, cybersecurity, a new strategic plan, and additional staff positions. They also reviewed the system’s funding progress, clean audit opinions, investment performance, and changes to asset allocation, while noting that several recent pension-related laws required major database changes. Members questioned the large increase in salaries and benefits, the need for new employees versus contractors, the purpose of training costs, and the source of the Group Two benefit funding. NHRS said the governor’s budget includes General Funds for Group Two benefit changes, with $5 million in FY 2026 and $27.9 million in FY 2027, and that the figures reflect the governor’s recommendation and related HB 2 provisions. Committee members also asked about employer and employee contribution rates for Group Two police and fire members, which NHRS said were not included in the budget document but were about 31.2% for police and 30.35% for fire, with employee shares around 11.55% and 11.8%. The committee did not make a decision on the NHRS budget during this exchange and indicated it would review the details further before returning to it later. The committee then heard from the Community Development Finance Authority on the State Treasury Department budget line for the required state match to administer the federal Community Development Block Grant program. CDFA explained that its $280,000 annual request for FY 2026 and FY 2027, totaling $560,000, supports administration, technical assistance, contracting, and monitoring of roughly $19 million in annual federal CDBG funds. Members asked about the leverage of the state match, oversight of projects, staffing, and grant prioritization. CDFA said it has 18 employees, uses public hearings and a scoring system to prioritize awards, and conducts both desk and on-site monitoring, with annual audits to ensure compliance. No vote was taken on the CDFA item in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• ,<01:11:49.600> they're<01:11:49.920> pouring self-sufficient wages, they're pouring
• self-sufficient wages, they're pouring back<01:11:50.640> into<01:11:51.120> the<01:11
• For those who complete our employment programs and are placed with our employment programs, their wage
• gain is an average programs, their wage gain is an average of<01:12:44.560> 26,621.
• That's a wage gain. So if they came in making 20,000, they're making 46,000.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The subcommittee first heard from the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet’s Grants Management Division on federal victim-services funding. Staff described the main grant programs they administer, including STOP VAWA, VOCA victim assistance, sexual assault services, Byrne state crisis intervention, and Project Safe Neighborhoods. They emphasized that VOCA is especially volatile because it is funded by the federal Crime Victims Fund, which has declined sharply in recent years, reducing Kentucky’s available awards and forcing cuts to state, local, and nonprofit subgrants. They also outlined steps the cabinet has taken to stabilize funding, including changing the subaward formula, aligning the grant period with the state fiscal year, subawarding one year behind the federal cycle, and retaining a reserve. Members asked about how funds reach victims, how subgrantee amounts are determined, and requested a breakdown of grant recipients and amounts; staff said they would provide that information later. The committee then received a detailed presentation from the Department of Juvenile Justice on alternatives to detention. Commissioner Randy White and staff explained that ATDs are short-term, less restrictive placements for low-risk youth, including electronic monitoring, home supervision, group homes, foster care, private child care, community programs, mentoring, evening reporting centers, and in-home wraparound services. They described the referral and approval process involving court-designated workers, detention alternative coordinators, courts, and county attorneys, and said DJJ currently has 16 ATD-related contracts, with placements, programs, and electronic monitoring among them. They also reported that between July 1, 2024, and July 30, 2025, 1,652 juveniles were involved in the process, including 168 diversion cases. Members questioned the cost of juvenile detention versus adult incarceration, whether families pay for electronic monitoring, whether there is a national model for juvenile detention, and what alternatives exist for truancy and contempt cases. DJJ said families do not generally reimburse for electronic monitoring, there is no single national model, and day treatment centers are an important alternative for some youth. The department also said it builds daily routines and wellness education into its facilities, and that more than two-thirds of its programs are evidence-based. Officials said they currently monitor vendor performance through quarterly reviews and can end contracts for poor performance, but that data tracking is still largely manual. They said the new JCOM system, now in pilot in the eastern region, should improve reporting and help identify outcomes and recidivism more effectively.

Transcript Highlights:

• unit of housing is more than the market is able to support through rents and mortgages based on the wages
• unit of housing is more than the market is able to support through rents and mortgages based on the wages
• unit of housing is more than the market is able to support through rents and mortgages based on the wages
• unit of housing is more than the market is able to support through rents and mortgages based on the wages
• unit of housing is more than the market is able to support through rents and mortgages based on the wages

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Victims of domestic violence and wage theft refuse to seek relief. Children... Thank you.
• Victims of domestic violence and wage theft refuse to seek relief.
• Street corners, who are looking for lower-wage people to work, sadly.
• perhaps who are hiring these people who are congregating on street corners who are looking for lower wage
• people to work. street corners who are looking for lower-wage people to work, sadly.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• real spendable cash among our people right now, and that has dropped off precipitously, whether their wages
• really need to be thinking about a robust economy, lowering inflation, driving up those honest real wages
• real spendable cash among our people right now, and that has dropped off precipitously, whether their wages
• really need to be thinking about a robust economy, lowering inflation, driving up those honest real wages
• at real spendable cash among our people right now, and that has dropped off precipitously, whether wages

Bills: HF1704, HF2052

Keywords: Minnesota agriculture budget, Department of Agriculture appropriation, Board of Animal Health, Agricultural Utilization Research Institute, Office of Broadband Development, farm bill, rural development, agricultural grants, soil health, livestock compensation, crop damage, meat inspection, poultry inspection, county agricultural inspectors, biofertilizer, nitrogen management, commercial nitrogen fertilizer, water quality, farm down payment assistance, beginning farmers

Transcript Highlights:

• /c><00:29:39.760> even<00:29:39.919> $13<00:29:40.640> an average Direct Care wage
• was even $13 an average Direct Care wage was even $13 an hour<00:29:41.039> before<00:29:41.640
• get those we've had ongoing increases to get those Direct<00:29:49.880> Care<00:29:50.120> wages
• so<00:29:51.200> generally<00:29:51.840> yes<00:29:52.360> I Direct Care wages
• up so generally yes I Direct Care wages up so generally yes I mean<00:29:52.640> I<00:29:52.720

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Meanwhile, our customers are not experiencing corresponding increases in wages, especially our seniors
• :30.320> in experiencing corresponding increases in experiencing corresponding increases in wages
• 10:31.640> seniors<00:10:32.040> who<00:10:32.160> are<00:10:32.279> on wages
• especially our seniors who are on wages especially our seniors who are on fixed<00:10:32.760> incomes
• have to deliver these services as we work with 210—excuse me—2.0 level funding to attempt to pay 2025 wages

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: House File 771, as amended, was laid over for possible inclusion. The bill would create a state supplemental grant program to build on LIHEAP, with the goal of expanding energy assistance beyond the winter season to cover summer cooling needs and reduce utility shutoffs. Representative Craft said the proposal would use existing LIHEAP systems, help more eligible households, and support related services like weatherization. The committee adopted the author’s amendment, DE2, without objection. Supporters testified that energy costs remain unaffordable for many Minnesotans, especially in rural areas and among low-income households, seniors, and people using delivered fuels. Annie Levenson-Faulk of the Citizens Utility Board said only about a quarter of eligible households receive assistance, summer shutoffs are common, and cooling needs have grown significantly. Trisha Leite of the Minnesota Rural Electric Association, Amanda Macky of Minnesota Valley Action Council, and Ken Schum of the Minnesota Municipal Utilities Association all supported the bill, saying year-round assistance would help households, reduce disconnects, stabilize demand for aid, and ease pressure on utility rates. Michael Schmitz of the Department of Commerce said Minnesota has received about $112 million in LIHEAP funds so far this year and is awaiting additional federal money; he also noted recent funding has been lower than in prior years and inflation has reduced its value. Members discussed the scale of utility shutoffs, the increase in cooling demand, and whether the bill addresses root causes or serves as a temporary fix. Representative Weiner argued that the state should focus on keeping more money in taxpayers’ pockets and reducing the need for subsidies, while Representative Craft responded that the underlying issue is low incomes and widening wealth inequality, and that policies like the child tax credit are better ways to address poverty. The chair also asked how LIHEAP dollars flow, and Commerce said most benefits are paid directly to utilities on behalf of households rather than as direct cash payments to recipients.