Transcript Highlights:

• Even with the price reductions, I'm still paying out of pocket. Now I pay the brand direct.
• So I pay about $75 more per month to pay for the brand instead of doing the compound.
• So I pay about $75 more per month to pay for the brand instead of doing the compound.
• I won back pay, enough to pay back my sister. Back to my job at Sky Chefs.
• I won back pay, enough to pay back my sister.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And then they litigated it because they don't want to pay for it, and they don't want to start paying
• But the med pay is a no-fault type product, so they would at least get some pay.
• with that competitive advantage of not having to pay workers' comp and not having to pay liability insurance
• Uber does offer med pay. It's not a lot.
• So they will pay their in-network rate.

Keywords: 965, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• a small fee, but the state is paying that enrollment.
• She said that unless a private student is paying for the enrollment, the state is not going to pay twice
• And again, I know we pay significantly for those programs.
• So parents do pay for those things.
• They are paying their tax dollars, and they're paying to participate in these programs.

Summary: The House Revenue and Taxation Committee met on March 20, 2026, to hear House Bill 934, the Idaho Parenthood Choice Tax Credit, presented by Representative Jason Monks. Monks said the bill was intended as a clarification of last year’s school choice tax credit law, not an expansion, and walked through several changes: clarifying that eligibility applies if a child is age 5 through 18 at any time during the tax year, defining tutoring as academic instruction, allowing qualified homeschool materials to be purchased from more than one vendor, confirming the one-time nature of the advanced payment, clarifying use of the state refund account, and specifying that participation in non-academic activities does not itself count as enrollment. He also said the bill was meant to address issues the Tax Commission had raised in administering the program. Representative Raymond questioned why the language on page three, especially the section dealing with students in non-academic activities and IDLA, was included in a technical corrections bill rather than handled separately, noting overlap with House Bill 780. Senator Lori Den Hartog responded that the language was meant to ensure the state was not paying twice for the same student, particularly where IDLA enrollment is involved, and said the provision reflected what sponsors and the governor’s office understood to be the original intent. Quinn Perry of the Idaho School Boards Association opposed the page three language, arguing it was not merely technical and would allow students to receive the tax credit while also participating in public school extracurriculars, which she said would burden school districts and amount to double dipping. In closing, Monks defended the language as necessary to prevent students from being wrongly excluded from the credit because of participation in non-academic activities, saying families already pay to participate in many extracurriculars and that the credit still saves the state money overall. Representative Ehlers spoke in favor of the bill as a narrow clarification, while Representative Birch objected that the bill did not reduce the program’s funding in line with cuts elsewhere. The committee then voted to send House Bill 934 to the floor with a do pass recommendation; the motion passed by voice vote, with several members recorded as voting no.

Transcript Highlights:

• Who pays for the tax incentives that we offer throughout the United States?
• So when you offered a tax incentive, you don't pay as much as what you would normally pay if you didn't
• So there's nobody not—there's nobody paying the 0.4.
• I want more jobs, more people, pay... Taxes on people.
• If this does not go through, they're still paying at 22.85%.

Bills: SB2102, SB1940, SB1625, SB1442, SB1623, SB1242, SB1949, SB1592, SB1913, SB592, SB992, SB1241, SB259, SB1928, SB1426, SB1531, SB1561, SB1122

Keywords: credit card fees, merchant discounts, payment card network, interchange fees, transparency in fees, Oklahoma law, payment card, rebate, merchant, tax compliance, health insurance, mandate, impact analysis, insurance department, public health, access to healthcare, SB1442, alcoholic beverage control, ABLE Commission, liquor license fees

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, roll call, and several floor and gallery introductions recognizing the Doctor of the Day, Nurse of the Day, Mid-America Christian University, the Oklahoma Truckers Association, Leadership Wagoner County, the Broken Arrow Chamber, and an intern. The chamber then took up several bills in general order. Senate Bill 1426, requested by the Department of Human Services, would limit referrals to district attorneys to substantiated findings of abuse of vulnerable adults; it passed unanimously, 44-0. Senate Bill 1531 was presented as a placeholder vehicle for possible future FAA action on drones and unmanned aircraft, with questions focused on why the bill was being kept open and what language might later be added. It passed 33-12. Senate Bill 1561 would allow EMTs to be subject to progressive discipline for drug or other violations instead of automatic license revocation; it passed 46-0. The most extensive debate centered on Senate Bill 1122, which lowers the ad valorem assessment rate for broadband providers from 22.85% to 15% and was described by supporters as a way to create parity, encourage broadband expansion, and keep providers investing in rural Oklahoma. Opponents argued it would give a tax break to large legacy broadband companies, reduce county revenue by an estimated $20 million, and do little for homeowners, farmers, or other taxpayers facing property tax pressure. After extended questioning and debate, the bill passed 28-19. The Senate also laid over SB 1555, heard announcements, and adjourned until Monday, March 9 at 1:30 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• Who pays for it and how does it work?
• So couldn't a new developer just pay the old developer?
• </c> upgrade is the one who ends up paying upgrade is the one who ends up paying the<00:31:18.320><c>
• So couldn't a new developer just pay the old developer?
• So couldn't a new developer just pay the old developer?

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We'll be paying more retirees out than we have active members paying in.
• Paying in.
• The employers pay 13.5%.
• pay 9.6%.
• to pay.

Transcript Highlights:

• Less than half the funding school districts receive goes toward teacher pay.
• There was more recently, obviously, the 20 by 20 teacher pay package.
• They received enough funding to provide nearly 30% pay increases for teachers.
• There was more recently, obviously, the 20 by 20 teacher pay package.
• They received enough funding to provide nearly 30% pay increases for teachers.

Bills: HB2035, HB2041, HB2611, HB2860, HB4004, HB4049, SCR1032

Keywords: kinship care, child welfare, foster care, relative placement, child protection, child neglect, financial resources, behavioral health, Christian Science treatment, parental rights, group homes, children's rights, safety protocols, employee training, mental health, child safety, oversight, independent committee, transparency, accountability

Transcript Highlights:

• It's fraud on the state because they're not paying taxes.
• And less pay for families means that we have to cut corners in order to pay our bills and make ends meet
• And less pay for families means that we have to cut corners in order to pay our bills and make ends meet
• Earnings rather than the use of overbroad pay bands.
• SB 642 also revises the definition of pay scale.

Summary: The Assembly Labor and Employment Committee heard several bills focused on worker rights, workplace technology, pay equity, and retail/self-checkout standards. SB 703 would require ports to collect and report information on trucking companies to help identify worker misclassification in the port trucking industry; supporters, including Teamsters and the California Labor Federation, said better data is needed for enforcement, while trucking and retail groups said they were working with the author and expected to remove opposition after amendments. The bill passed 5-0 and was re-referred to Transportation. The committee also approved a consent calendar of other measures. SB 294, the Workplace Know Your Rights Act, would require the Labor Commissioner to create a template for annual employer notices about workers’ labor and civil rights, including emergency contact notification if a worker is detained or arrested. Supporters said the bill would help workers understand their rights amid federal rollbacks and weak enforcement; the California Restaurant Association opposed it. SB 7 would require notice and human review before employers use automated decision-making systems for discipline or termination, and would bar predictive use of such systems for employment actions. Labor groups supported the bill as a safeguard against biased or opaque algorithmic management, while HR, chamber, retail, and local government groups raised concerns about breadth, notice burdens, and small-business impacts. Both bills passed 5-0 to their next committees. The committee also advanced SB 238, which would require disclosure about workplace surveillance and AI monitoring tools, and SB 442, which sets staffing and operational standards for self-checkout, including at least one staffed lane, one employee dedicated to monitoring self-checkout, item restrictions, and a 15-item limit sign. Supporters argued both bills improve transparency, safety, and worker protections; opponents warned SB 238 could expose security practices and SB 442 could raise costs and create preemption issues. SB 464 would expand state pay-data reporting to better capture public-sector workforce demographics in line with reparations and pay-equity goals, and SB 642 would strengthen the Equal Pay Act by extending recovery periods, clarifying wage definitions, and updating pay-scale language. SB 464 and SB 642 also passed, with some opposition from county and business groups over scope and retroactivity. All measures taken up in the hearing were approved by committee, generally on 5-0 votes, and re-referred to the appropriate policy or fiscal committees.

Transcript Highlights:

• So their employees will have to pay into a plan that they can't use while the company pays into a plan
• every single dollar of pay.
• So they're not paying.
• Madam Chair, Representative, but they still pay GRT taxes. They'll still pay sales taxes.
• They'll pay property taxes. They'll pay other taxes imposed.

Transcript Highlights:

• their bills and pay their mortgage and pay their employees and do all that thing to where there would
• their bills and pay their mortgage and pay their employees and do all that thing to where there would
• So we're paying for physical fitness equipment for the Bismarck PD, paying for drones for the county
• They have some court fees and such to pay, but they don't pay a hoteling bill in the alternative.
• And then how about the frequency of an offender stop paying, you know, when they stop paying?

Summary: The Judiciary Interim Committee met to begin its study of charitable gaming and the ownership of alcoholic beverage establishments by licensed charitable gaming organizations, a study directed by Senate Bill 2334. Legislative Council gave an overview of the constitutional and statutory framework for charitable gaming, site authorizations, rent limits, proceeds, and recent legislative changes. The Attorney General’s Gaming Division then clarified the financial flow of gaming, explaining that in fiscal year 2025 North Dakota had about $2.5 billion in gross gaming proceeds, with roughly 88-90% paid back in prizes and about $256 million available to organizations after taxes; most of that activity came from electronic pull tabs. Members asked for more detail on winnings, replays, rent, and the breakdown of manufacturer/distributor revenues, and the AG’s office agreed to provide supplemental information. The committee also heard from the League of Cities and the Association of Counties about local site authorization. Cities said they have a limited role in approving gaming sites, can adopt policies after public hearing, may charge up to $100, and can set certain conditions, including local nexus requirements, but cannot require donations or force a specific charity or site. The League said it had worked with stakeholders on a model policy to provide more consistency, though members raised concerns that local requirements could become too restrictive for charities serving broader areas. Counties said the issue is mostly a city matter, with little county involvement beyond minimal site fees and general site approval. The North Dakota Gaming Alliance testified in support of the study and provided IRS-related material suggesting charities may use asset diversification, while emphasizing it had not taken a position on whether charities should own bars. Members questioned whether bar ownership is being used for site stability or to channel charitable gaming dollars, and whether city policies might disadvantage charities with broader missions. The committee also discussed the relationship between gaming organizations, manufacturers, and distributors, including restrictions on incentives and interference, and asked for more information on those entities and their ownership. Later in the meeting, the Racing Commission gave its regular update on live racing, pari-mutuel wagering, ADW providers, purse and promotion funds, a new TRPB contract, and concerns about cease-and-desist actions from other states. Finally, the State Hospital superintendent briefly reported on the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s support services, including the SORT team, training, and security assistance for the hospital campus.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our teachers absolutely deserve better pay. But there are unfunded costs.
• Really what we need is the flexible money to provide pay raises to all of our staff.
• for future pay raises.
• So if we're looking for... ...or anything else that we can use to pay for future pay raises.
• HB 2's proposed expansion will allow up to 50% of educators to benefit from higher pay.

Bills: HB2

Keywords: disaster preparedness, emergency management, flooding, mass fatality, mass casualty, fatality tracking, body recovery, autopsy, justice of the peace, medical examiner, county judge, sheriff, mayor, emergency coordinator, emergency manager license, volunteer management system, volunteer registration, criminal history check, background check, Texas Division of Emergency Management

Summary: The committee continued public testimony on House Bill 2, which would make major changes to public school funding, teacher pay, special education, early learning, school safety, and related programs. Many superintendents and education advocates supported the bill’s overall direction but urged changes, especially a larger basic allotment and more flexible funding for rural and small districts. Witnesses from Paint Creek, West Hardin, Cushing, Blooming Grove, Mildred, Buffalo, Plano, and rural school groups said the bill’s targeted raises and new requirements would not fully cover inflation, TRS/Medicare costs, transportation, insurance, or support staff salaries, and several asked the committee to restore the House version’s higher basic allotment and small-school allotment. Charter school representatives supported the facilities funding changes and said charter schools need state help because they cannot levy taxes, while also noting the funding gap with ISDs. Fine arts advocates asked the committee to restore the fine arts allotment, arguing arts improve engagement, attendance, and academic outcomes, especially in rural and at-risk communities. Early learning and special education witnesses supported parts of the bill but raised concerns about pre-K restrictions, disability-related pre-K access, and the need to preserve or clarify special education provisions and mental health oversight language. Several witnesses praised the teacher pay raise, teacher incentive allotment expansion, and teacher preparation investments, saying they would help recruit and retain educators and improve student outcomes. Others, including counselors and support staff advocates, argued the bill should also include raises for counselors, nurses, librarians, bus drivers, custodians, aides, and other non-teaching employees who keep schools running. One witness from the Texas Counseling Association opposed the substitute because it removed a counselor pay provision, warning of counselor shortages and inequities. A parent and special education advocate said the bill’s structure creates too many strings attached and asked for a larger basic allotment instead of more targeted funding. Another witness from Mental Health America urged keeping the collaborative task force on public school mental health services through 2031, and a disability rights advocate said the committee substitute appears to omit some special education items that were in the House version. The committee also briefly took up House Bill 6, a school discipline bill. After questions about automatic mandatory expulsion for vape possession and concerns about younger students, the committee adopted the substitute and voted to report HB 6 favorably to the full Senate by a 9-1 vote, with Senator Menendez voting no and Senators West and Menendez expressing reservations but supporting further discussion. After that vote, testimony on HB 2 resumed. Senators used the hearing to ask about the bill’s cost, the difference between the basic allotment and the bill’s targeted funding buckets, and whether the permanent teacher pay increase shifts pressure off districts. The bill’s supporters emphasized that it represents an historic, roughly $8 billion investment and that many of the new funding streams are intended to be permanent or to address specific district needs.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> aside to pay for maintenance and so on. aside to pay for maintenance and so on.
• They don't pay that.
• We do have to pay that service.
• </c><02:05:04.719><c> So</c> to pay debt service. So to pay debt service.
• We do have to pay that pay for it. We do have to pay that service. service. service.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Dedicated Funds met to review the House budget provision that would impose a 5% administrative charge on a broad list of dedicated funds, with some exemptions. Members discussed the House approach versus the Senate’s more general approach of leaving the governor discretion over which funds could be charged. The chair explained the committee was hearing from agencies about any legal, contractual, or practical reasons their funds should be exempt, and the agenda was expanded to include several departments and written submissions from others. The Department of Education testified first, identifying several funds it said should be exempt: a printing revolving fund that is funded by transfers rather than fees; teacher certification, which is self-funded by educator licensing fees and would require an immediate fee increase if charged; a vending stand set-aside tied to the federal Randolph-Sheppard program and subject to federal approval and vendor committee procedures; and a public school infrastructure/safety account, where most revenue is transferred from the education trust fund or general fund rather than generated by fees. Members questioned the department about the effect on school safety projects and whether the fee would simply reduce the number of projects completed each year. The Veterans Home asked for exemptions for three funds: a donation benefit account used for recreational activities and quality-of-life expenses for residents, a small memorial trust fund whose interest supports veteran activities, and a resident member account that holds veterans’ personal income such as Social Security and pensions. The department argued the charge would reduce donations, cut services, and effectively function like an income tax on vulnerable veterans. The Banking Department also requested exemption for its consumer credit administration license fund, saying it is used to keep exam fees low and is expressly intended by statute to reduce costs on regulated businesses; it said the 5% charge would undermine that framework and could eventually force higher fees. The Department of Justice began testimony on its dedicated funds, starting with the medical legal investigative fund, which pays for death investigations and related services under statute and without general fund support. No votes or final actions were taken in the portion of the meeting provided; the committee mainly heard testimony and asked questions about the practical and legal effects of applying the administrative charge.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> because again we're projecting paying because again we're projecting paying those<00:25:42.159><
• </c> calculation is a little above my pay calculation is a little above my pay grade<00:39:48.560><c>
• </c> from pay as you go. from pay as you go.
• You're paying more principle it flips. You're paying more principle than<01:27:46.480><c> interest.
• </c><01:43:35.679><c> Yes,</c> additional to pay off that off. Yes, additional to pay off that off.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The meeting opened with a quorum call, the Pledge of Allegiance, a prayer, and approval of the prior meeting minutes. The first presentation was from Bo Craycraft of the Judicial Form Retirement System, who gave an update on investment performance, asset allocation, cash flow, and projected employer costs. He reported strong fiscal year 2025 investment results, with both the legislative and judicial retirement plans outperforming their actuarial assumed rates of return and benchmarks, driven largely by U.S. equity performance. He also noted the plans remained near their target asset allocation and continued to experience negative cash flow, though he said that was manageable in context of strong asset growth. Craycraft then discussed a recent experience study and actuarial assumption changes, especially a revised salary growth assumption and a higher cash balance interest credit rate. He said these changes increased projected employer costs, with contributions rising from about $700,000 to a projected $2 million in later years, though he expected the eventual 2025 valuation and investment gains to reduce that estimate. Members asked about mortality assumptions, the impact of the experience study on liabilities, and the sharp increase in the judicial plan’s projected employer cost. Craycraft explained that the increase was driven mainly by the updated assumptions and that no other major plan changes were involved. At the chair’s request, Craycraft also addressed the recent rise in Medicare Advantage premiums for the plan’s health coverage, saying the 2025 increase was largely tied to Part D changes and the Inflation Reduction Act and had been about 45%, but that future growth was expected to be under 5%. After his presentation, the committee moved to the Kentucky Public Pensions Authority update, where the next speaker began by saying the funds had exceeded actuarial assumed returns for the fiscal year.

Transcript Highlights:

• As Dave Ramsey said, they can pay the stupid tax, right?
• But they still have to pay the taxes. And it's punitive.
• You still have to pay your taxes.
• You need to pay this. Most of the time, it's their fault. They pay it. No problem.
• And so these people are paying hundreds of dollars in fees when they did everything right to pay their

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 2388 in executive session, considering a substitute that would combine two bills, add counties to the measure, and impose a felony penalty with a $100,000 fine for certain false claims. After Representative Black objected to the size of the fine and members discussed possibly amending it, the sponsor withdrew both the substitute and the motion to do pass, and the bill was set aside for reconsideration later. The committee then heard House Bill 3381, which would allow counties and certain cities to waive penalties on delinquent property taxes in hardship cases. The sponsor and several supporters, including a Clay County commissioner and a state public advocate, argued the bill would give local officials flexibility to help taxpayers who were delayed by events beyond their control, such as illness, theft, postal delays, or banking errors, while still requiring the underlying taxes to be paid. Members raised questions about proof of hardship, how the bill should be drafted, and whether local retirement funding tied to late fees would be affected. A representative of the county employees’ retirement fund testified in informational opposition, explaining that a portion of county tax penalties—about $20 million to $25 million annually—helps fund the retirement system and that waiving penalties would reduce that revenue. He said the fund was not opposed to flexibility for difficult cases, but wanted the committee to understand the fiscal impact and suggested that counties could instead appropriate money directly if they wanted to preserve funding. No final vote was taken on House Bill 3381 before the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• But now we're saying, well, but you have to pay.
• They pay into it. C is your residential.
• They would be excluded from paying it to the states.
• So it's not that we're asking an entity to pay something that everybody else is paying.
• But if the business is going to pay for it, why does the business then have to pay this as well?

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The House is trying to figure out how to pay, pay for those continuation of the tax cuts that under normal
• We get richer, we're going to pay a greater share.
• The one Medicare program that I worry about is paying for Medicare prescription drugs because we pay
• This pays for hospital, doctor's visits, uh, this pays for everybody's, uh, no matter which other program
• is now going to be paying 150% of what Medicare will pay for in an attempt to frankly leverage these

Transcript Highlights:

• funds were not used to pay vendors.
• And so they have to pay it. I mean, you're either going to pay it or you're going to pay it.
• You're not going to pay it.
• No restaurant can understand what it is they're paying if it's even what they agreed to pay.
• ...and everybody pays for it, whether you pay with a credit card or not.

Bills: SB231, SB584, SB600, SB668, SB841, SB986, SB1003, SB1244, SB1625, SB1960, SB1963, SB1964, SB2026, SB2056, SB2368

Keywords: temporary emergency electric energy facility, temporary generation, emergency power, backup generation, mobile generator, portable generator, grid resilience, power outage restoration, transmission and distribution utility, TDU, Public Utility Commission of Texas, PUCT, Utilities Code Section 39.918, competitive bidding, lease authorization, emergency procurement, bulk power system, locational marginal pricing, reliability model, black start

Transcript Highlights:

• That created a career ladder for trooper pay.
• I pay their per diem.
• They say that if you pay, you know, a couple hundred dollars extra on your mortgage, you'll pay your
• forward on their entire pay.
• Whether you want to or not, you have to pay it.

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes from February 26, March 3, and March 5, 2026. It then heard Senate Bill 1379, which would raise the Idaho State Police “Project Choice” registration fee from $3 to $8 to generate about $10 million for trooper pay. Senator Woodward and ISP Director Bill Gardner said the agency is struggling to recruit and retain troopers, with vacant positions, smaller academy classes, and staffing shortages in places like Lewiston and Idaho Falls. Testimony from the Idaho State Police Association, Fraternal Order of Police, and other troopers emphasized burnout, lost experience, and public safety concerns. The committee voted to send the bill to the floor with a due pass recommendation; Senator Kohl opposed the motion, citing concerns about fee increases and downstream pressure on local law enforcement budgets. The committee also advanced House Bill 742, which modernizes vehicle titling by expanding electronic records and shortening lien-release timelines for Idaho dealers to 10 business days after verified funds are received. It was described as a negotiated update supported by auto dealers, banks, and credit unions, and the committee sent it to the floor with a due pass recommendation. House Bill 664, sponsored by Representative Pickett, would address speed differentials on highways and was supported by the Idaho Farm Bureau; the committee sent it to the floor despite concerns from Senator Rabe about safety and higher truck speeds. House Bill 716, brought by ITD, would clean up gas-tax distribution language after the Idaho State Police moved fully to the general fund and would increase funding for the local bridge inspection program from $175,000 to $300,000; it was sent to the floor with a due pass recommendation. House Bill 825 would replace a mandatory 50-cent license plate fee for the Idaho Heritage Trust with a voluntary specialty plate, and the committee sent it to the 14th order for possible amendment. Finally, the committee reconsidered House Bill 629 and agreed to move it to the 14th order for possible amendment so that electronic vehicle registration could be paired with a required printed copy, addressing law enforcement concerns while preserving ITD’s planned cost savings. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's on paying their utility bills.
• It's on paying for the gas for those buses. It's on paying for okay center. Yeah. Got it. Dr.
• Average pay, not so well.
• Instead of redistributing. our wealth, we should pay the teachers across the board, pay into the TRS
• TEA is paying commit... $11 million. They're paying Educate Texas $30 million.

Bills: HB2, HB2

Keywords: public education, teacher compensation, certification, funding, school finance, educator rights, education funding, charter schools, staff compensation, state aid, retention allotment, disaster preparedness, emergency management, flooding, mass fatality, mass casualty, fatality tracking, body recovery, autopsy, justice of the peace

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> take in subsequent pay periods. take in subsequent pay periods.
• for</c> hours or regular pay or overtime pay for hours or regular pay or overtime pay for working<00:
• </c> um they did not always accurately pay um they did not always accurately pay overtime<00:06:47.520
• </c> significant amount of shift bonus pay significant amount of shift bonus pay during<00:09:31.760>
• And since November of 2024, pay.

Keywords: 1183, house