Transcript Highlights:

• However, recovery efforts are further complicated by an additional burden: the taxes on settlement payments
• payments will be going out.
• I was not told that they wouldn't receive payments.
• However, now, following the settlement, as you know, However, now, following the settlement, as you just
• AB 97 will ensure that those well-deserved settlement payments are received in their full amounts and

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Revenue and Taxation held its second regular hearing of the 2025-26 session and announced that, under reinstated suspense-file rules, every bill on the agenda would be referred to suspense rather than voted on immediately. The committee first heard AB 53, which would create a state income tax exemption of up to $20,000 for military retirees and certain survivor benefits. Supporters, including veterans’ groups, military retirees, and local officials, argued California is the only state taxing military retirement pay in full and that the exemption would help retain veterans and their families. Committee members voiced strong support, but the bill was sent to suspense. The committee then heard several wildfire-related tax relief bills. AB 429 would exempt certain wildfire settlement payments from gross income for victims of fires from 2020 through 2026; the author and a Greenville fire victim described the burden of taxing settlement funds, and rural county and forestry groups supported the measure. AB 97 proposed similar relief for Bobcat Fire settlement payments, and AB 389 would create a personal income tax credit for home-hardening expenses in high fire-risk areas, with Cal Fire and realtor representatives supporting the bill as a way to reduce future losses. Each of these measures drew no formal opposition in the hearing and was referred to suspense. AB 386 would create a tax credit for employers that help full-time employees repay student loans, up to $3,000 per employee per year. Supporters said it would help recruit and retain workers and reduce student debt burdens, while the California Tax Reform Association opposed the bill because it lacked allocation criteria and would reduce General Fund and education revenues. Committee members expressed interest but asked for clearer eligibility standards, and the bill was sent to suspense. AB 490 would allow a deduction for interest paid on qualified personal vehicle loans; the author framed it as relief for families dependent on cars, but opposition again came from the tax reform group, which argued the deduction would mainly benefit higher-income taxpayers. The bill also went to suspense. The committee also heard AB 547, which would create a tax credit of up to $5,000 for IVF and other fertility-treatment expenses. The author and a witness who described a long and costly IVF journey said the credit would help families afford treatment and support parenthood; members responded sympathetically and asked why the proposal was structured as a tax credit rather than a health coverage mandate. Finally, AB 330 would extend the prepaid mobile telephony services collection act through 2031, preserving an 80-cent surcharge that supports 911 and local government revenues; local government representatives and cities supported the extension, and it too was referred to suspense. The hearing ended with the committee adjourning after all measures were held for suspense-file consideration.

Transcript Highlights:

• What we can do is bring a mortgage and down payment assistance to get more people into homeownership
• DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE TO HELP INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WHO HAVE THE INCOME BUT NOT NECESSARILY THE
• Usually individuals don't even know they are accessing down payment assistance for a mortgage through
• DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE AND WE ARE THE LARGEST SOURCE OF THAT ASSISTANCE IN THE STATE.
• The fact that it likely does not cover manufactured homes, that settlement is crazy.

Committee: Senate Housing and Homelessness Prevention

Transcript Highlights:

• Does this just limit settlements or limit what the jury can award as well based on the settlements?

Bills: SB504 , SB844 , SB1209 , SB1266 , SB1303 , SB1448 , SB1496 , SB1595 , SB1597 , SB1655 , SB1679 , SB1621 , SB1716 , SB1769 , SB1827 , SB1876 , SB1944 , SB2072 , SB2084 , SB2104 , SB2112 , SB2170 , SB2180 , SB2182

Committee: House Civil Judiciary

Keywords: SB504, marriage, child marriage, minor marriage, age of consent, minimum marriage age, underage marriage, teen marriage, parental consent, judicial approval, marriage license, Oklahoma Title 43, family law, juvenile justice, Department of Human Services, DHS custody, incestuous marriage, pregnancy exception, paternity, seduction

Bills: HSB629 , HSB691 , HF2365 , HSB721 , HF2447 , HSB702 , HF2283 , HF2311

Committee: Joint Commerce

Keywords: community solar, solar energy, distributed generation, net metering, bill credits, subscriber organization, renewable energy credits, REC, Iowa Utilities Commission, interconnection, utility tariffs, value of solar, brownfield, solar photovoltaic, shared solar, utility regulation, ratepayer, rural electric cooperative, decommissioning, energy credits

Transcript Highlights:

• Contractual agreement with some brand, but the royalties are gained because of some other third-party payment
• they are, because that is the legal age of majority, able to control that asset and receive that payment
• Cash as a form of payment for goods and services with an aggregate value of $100 or less.
• bill also prohibits a retail business from charging a fee or penalty for using cash as a form of payment
• And I'm not trying to sell crypto on you and say you have to accept some random form of payment for your

Bills: HB2010 , HB2192 , HB2199 , HB2279 , HB2310 , HB2459 , HB2501 , HB2555 , HB2690 , HB2693

Committees: House Commerce , House House Commerce Committee of Reference

Keywords: digital goods, advertising, ownership, license, consumer protection, refund policies, streaming services, minors, content creators, online platforms, compensation, trust accounts, child protection, video content, privacy, employment, mobile homes, recreational vehicles, landlord tenant laws, tenant rights

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill outlines the requirements of an agreement, including the payment of service fees associated
• The bill outlines the requirements of an agreement, including the payment of service fees associated
• creditors to submit a proof of claim to the assignee and outlines an order of priority for claim payments
• responders who lost benefits due to remarriage on or after January 1, 2000, for prospective benefit payments
• only. ...who lost benefits due to remarriage on or after January 1, 2000, for prospective benefit payments

Bills: SB1042 , SB1043 , SB1044 , SB1135 , SB1136 , SB1142 , SB1180 , SB1221 , SB1252 , SB1254 , SCR1003

Committees: Senate Finance , Senate Senate Finance Committee of Reference

Keywords: public funds, virtual currency, bitcoin, investment, Arizona Strategic Digital Asset Reserve Act, state treasurer, retirement system, state payments, cryptocurrency, Arizona law, payment methods, government transactions, property tax, tax exemption, Arizona Revised Statutes, digital currency, workers' compensation, death benefits, burial costs, spousal compensation

Transcript Highlights:

• We do not get any payment from that for medical assistance.
• Time helicopter came in, landed, picked up the patient, and the Donley first responders got no payment
• </c><00:02:40.280><c> from</c> transport we do not get any payment from transport we do not get any payment
• And then finally, opioid settlement funds: again, 75% go to counties and cities over 30,000; 25% of settlement
• He also said that with Narcan, they do not always know when an overdose is reversed.

Bills: HF696 , HF1429 , HF1379

Committee: House Health Finance and Policy

Keywords: HF696, rural EMS, ambulance, emergency medical services, uncompensated care, payment pool, rural health, Office of Emergency Medical Services, public safety answering point, PSAP, nontransport, unpaid ambulance calls, EMS reimbursement, rural ambulance provider, general fund appropriation, Minnesota health finance, specialized life support, metropolitan counties, emergency response funding, HF1429

Transcript Highlights:

• funds to the recipients, there needs to be a criminal investigation that's opened before you can stop payment
• And we found that with the MDE case, when the Ramsey County judge ordered MDE to reinstate the payments
• funds to the recipients, there needs to be a criminal investigation that's opened before you can stop payment
• And we found that with the MDE case, when the Ramsey County judge ordered MDE to reinstate the payments

Bills: HF1 , HF1754 , HF1809 , HF1478

Committee: House State Government Finance and Policy

Keywords: Office of Inspector General, inspector general, legislative audit, fraud prevention, waste and abuse, public funds, grant oversight, state grants, grant management, whistleblower protection, retaliation, subpoena power, data practices, government transparency, accountability, law enforcement referrals, sanctions, debarment, payment withholding, public assistance fraud

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill is a stark and cynical reversal of that promise.
• We are told settlements are increasing, but settlements rise when oversight systems are broken.
• We are told settlements are increasing, but settlements rise when oversight systems are broken.
• Eliminating cash as payment, I think, is a big deal.
• Eliminating cash as payment, I think, is a big deal.

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 6239, which would require civil arbitration for tort claims against the state and its subdivisions before trial. Staff explained current tort-claim procedures and said the bill would apply arbitration to claims of any dollar amount, with a fiscal note pending. The sponsor said Washington’s liability exposure is unusually high and argued the bill would promote early resolution without limiting jury trials, damage caps, or attorney fees. Members asked who pays for arbitration and whether trial rights are preserved; staff said costs are generally split and the bill preserves a jury trial de novo. Testimony on SB 6239 was sharply divided. Counties, cities, school districts, risk pools, and some public-safety groups supported the bill, saying rising liability and insurance costs are straining budgets and threatening core services. Opponents included trial lawyers, legal aid groups, victim advocates, journalists, and survivors of abuse, who argued the bill would create barriers to justice, delay relief, increase costs for claimants, reduce transparency, and retraumatize survivors by forcing private arbitration before a public trial. Several witnesses said the bill was too broad because it would cover employment, contract, and other claims, not just torts involving abuse or negligence. After public testimony closed, the committee noted the large number of sign-ins, with far more in opposition than in support. The committee then took up Senate Bill 6074, which would reinstate parole for certain felony offenses committed on or after July 1, 2027, allow eligible incarcerated people to petition the Indeterminate Sentence Review Board after serving 60% of their sentence, and create a parole implementation work group. Supporters said it would recognize rehabilitation and improve reentry, while some witnesses raised concerns about the bill’s prospective-only application, the 60% threshold, and the need to address racial disparities and parole criteria more fully. The sponsor said the parole bill was paired with tort-liability reform because criminal justice reform advocates have said liability changes are needed to restore parole in Washington.

Transcript Highlights:

• Why would that reverse? From the Fire Protection Fund shall revert back to the General Fund.
• New Mexico water supply implementation settlement.
• He requested appropriations from the Consumer Settlement Fund.
• This would just be more flexibility for the Consumer Settlement Fund. Thank you for that.
• There would be no assumed co-payments for families between 250 and 400 percent of the federal poverty

Committee: House House Appropriations & Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• Secondly, our reversion rate this year was half of one percent, and we reverted $48,000.
• then the percent of that that's allocated out of the Consumer Settlement Fund to our agency.
• It's sustainable if there were not a single settlement.
• I mean, are, is everybody in OCD has received the Deloitte payment?
• Abuse settlements that are occurring at school districts.

Transcript Highlights:

• They need to make advance payments.
• They're going to have to make a bigger advance payment.
• It is their goal not to give you an offer and settlement. They're called offer and settlement.
• They call me back, said, hey, start making the payments.
• I had made $11,000 in payments. But I owe $28,000.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Revenue

Summary: The Joint Committee on Revenue held a hybrid hearing on several property and local tax bills. The main focus was H.56, the Municipal Empowerment Act, which the Healey-Driscoll Administration, the Massachusetts Municipal Association, MAPC, and Salem Mayor Dominick Pangallo supported as a package of local options and administrative reforms. Supporters said municipalities need more tools to relieve pressure on property taxes and fund services, citing proposed increases to local meals and lodging taxes, a new local vehicle excise surcharge, senior property tax relief, one-year override flexibility for emergencies, and central valuation of telecom and utility property by DOR. The administration said the bill was based on municipal listening sessions and was intended to give cities and towns optional, not mandatory, revenue tools. Opponents, including the National Federation of Independent Businesses, argued the tax increases would hurt restaurants, hotels, tourism, and small businesses and add to affordability concerns. The committee also heard testimony on H.3211, dealing with deeds excise receipts, from Norfolk County Commissioner Richard Staidi. He said Norfolk County is financially stable but needs additional revenue for major capital needs at its agricultural school, especially a new cafeteria and other aging facilities, and also to support county programs such as veteran transportation services. On S.2020, a bill to allow settlements of tax liability, Greater Boston Legal Services, the Asian American Civic Association, and several individual taxpayers urged creation of a more workable offer-in-compromise process at DOR. They said the current system is too subjective, requires an unaffordable $5,000 threshold, lacks clear standards and appeal rights, and leaves low-income taxpayers stuck with unmanageable debt, license suspensions, or business closures. Supporters said the bill would give both taxpayers and DOR a practical way to resolve liabilities and bring people back into compliance. The committee also took testimony on S.1966, which would require nonprofits selling property to disclose any back-tax obligations to buyers. Senator Peter Durant said the bill was prompted by a personal experience in which a tax bill arrived after a nonprofit property purchase was already completed, and he argued the disclosure would prevent buyers from being surprised by retroactive tax liability. No votes were taken during the hearing, and the chair closed the session after hearing from all scheduled witnesses.

Transcript Highlights:

• Those time loss payments are L&I's biggest cost.
• if payment is overdue, and the pieces about providing information regarding payment and invoicing and
• Payments are required; overdue payments in the statute are required to be paid within 30 days and 1%
• Those obligations do not stop because payment is delayed.
• Delayed payment forces hard choices.

Bills: SB6294 , SB6211 , SB5650 , SB6033 , SB6297 , SB6343 , SB6067 , SB6082 , SB6323 , SB6324 , SB5862 , SB5923 , SB6151

Committee: Senate Ways & Means

Keywords: local government finance, Washington state, RCW, real estate excise tax, REET, sales and use tax, property tax levy, county tax, city tax, affordable housing, housing services, behavioral health, mental health, developmental disabilities, children and families services, youth services, utility tax, low-income utility assistance, veterans assistance, homelessness

Transcript Highlights:

• Similarly, in our other interstate rivers, in the Pecos system, you're aware of the settlement that we
• You mentioned tribal water settlements. I know we have a settlement with the Navajo Nation.
• The Navajo Nation, when that settlement was reached, raised concerns for folks in San Juan County who
• With respect to specifically the Navajo-New Mexico settlement, that settlement authorized the construction
• I think there was the reverse osmosis and the brine. ...process.

Committee: House Water & Natural Resources Committee

Bills: HB2947 , HB3257 , HB3264 , HB3834 , HB3940 , HB3944 , HB3979 , HB4003 , HB4118 , HB4326 , HB4346 , HB4421

Committee: Senate Appropriations

Keywords: behavioral health, Medicaid expansion, clinical interns, mental health services, licensing requirements, veterans, disability benefits, federal law, Oklahoma Statutes, military service, criminal justice, minimum sentences, parole eligibility, violent crimes, Oklahoma statutes, HB3834, Oklahoma Breakthrough Therapy Act, ibogaine, ibogaine-based therapeutics, ibogaine analogs

Bills: HF458 , HF459 , HF461 , HF449 , HF450 , HF965 , HF1280 , HF612 , HF615 , HF616 , HF622 , HF650 , HF651 , HF1045 , HF972 , HF851 , HF644 , HF1050

Committee: House Capital Investment

Keywords: HF458, Henderson, water treatment facility, drinking water, municipal water, public infrastructure, capital investment, state bonds, bonding bill, Public Facilities Authority, water distribution system, well connection, local government grant, Minnesota capital budget, HF459, Carver levee, City of Carver, levee restoration, flood control, flood mitigation

Transcript Highlights:

• <c> decision</c><00:36:09.200><c> will</c> The Senate reversed that decision will The Senate reversed
• So any sale proceeds will go directly into the YDC settlement fund.
• into directed payments to the hospitals.
• YDC claims administration and settlement fund, although not general fund.
• </c> claims administration and settlement claims administration and settlement fund<01:21:12.000><c>

Summary: The Legislative Budget Assistant staff presented an overview of the Senate changes to the House-passed budget, focusing on revenue estimates, appropriations, and ending balances across the general fund and education trust fund. The presentation emphasized that the Senate’s budget reflected higher revenue assumptions than the House, driven in part by updated April revenue figures, changes to business, tobacco, and real estate transfer tax splits, and different assumptions about video lottery terminal revenue. The Senate also adjusted lapse estimates upward, especially for HHS, after receiving updated information that lapses could be much larger than originally assumed. The presenter walked through the major differences in the surplus statements for fiscal years 2025 through 2027. Compared with the House, the Senate budget generally showed higher revenues, lower or different appropriations in some areas, and larger balances carried forward, including a larger education trust fund balance and a different rainy day fund transfer. The Senate’s approach also changed several policy assumptions, such as maintaining liquor revenue dedication, removing the House’s meals-and-rooms distribution cap, changing the treatment of unique revenue, and altering the process for meeting a targeted revenue amount by giving the governor more flexibility. On the appropriations side, the Senate removed or modified several House reductions and added funding or adjustments in areas including the judicial branch, corrections, HHS, the Human Rights Commission, and certain settlement costs. The presenter also highlighted Senate changes in House Bill 2 and related budget provisions, including a new arts tax credit, a nursing home bed fee, changes to Medicaid premium assumptions, and differences in how motor vehicle inspection repeal and BLT-related revenue are handled. No votes were taken in the portion shown; the discussion was informational and comparative, aimed at explaining the Senate budget changes before conference committee negotiations.

Transcript Highlights:

• payments.
• settlements for certain wildfires,<04:11:38.479><c> including</c><04:11:38.880><c> payments</c><04:11
• Currently, settlement payments for sexual assault survivors are made on account of personal physical
• </c> says that uh settlement is not taxed. says that uh settlement is not taxed.
• </c> year in total child support payments. year in total child support payments.

Bills: HB3317 , HCR75 , HR227 , HB7959 , HB8364 , HB6431 , HB6903 , HB5334 , HB2347 , HB5366 , HB6495 , HB7971 , HB6956 , HB4930

Keywords: gratuity, death benefit, civil servants, line of duty, federal employees, compensation, survivor benefits, emergency appropriations, Iran, military force, War Powers Resolution, U.S. Armed Forces, hostilities, Congress, national security, agriculture, National Agriculture Day, support, industry impact, celebration

Transcript Highlights:

• And so there is not evidence of double dipping in reverse.
• We have exactly four documented cases, plus the settlements.
• information as it relates to the settlement piece.
• So the reverse is true.
• We'll know how many settlements have occurred.

Committee: House Judiciary

Summary: The committee heard several bills, beginning with SB 29, which would extend a sunset on California’s survival-action pain and suffering remedy and require additional reporting on settlements and cases. Senator Laird and supporters, including a family member describing a medical malpractice death and labor/building trades representatives, argued the bill protects victims whose claims would otherwise die with them and that there has been no demonstrated increase in malpractice rates. Opponents from the health care, hospital, and business sectors said the measure would increase costs, create a third category of damages, and could harm access to care, especially for clinics and rural providers. After extensive discussion about the sunset and data collection, the committee passed SB 29 to Appropriations on a divided vote. The committee then approved SB 294, which requires employers to notify workers about rights if they are arrested or detained and directs the Labor Commissioner to create an annual notice template. Supporters said the bill is needed because workers often do not know their rights amid weakened federal enforcement and workplace intimidation; there was no opposition on file after amendments removed prior concerns. SB 697, which updates stream adjudication procedures to allow the State Water Board to use modern technology instead of requiring in-person field investigations, also passed without opposition after stakeholders worked out concerns. Later, the committee took up SB 37 on attorney advertising, which would strengthen rules against misleading ads and allow consumer lawsuits. Consumer attorneys and supporters said the State Bar’s current enforcement is too weak, while joint-advertising businesses said they support the goal but want amendments to protect their model. The bill passed to Appropriations as negotiations continue. SB 645, dealing with peremptory challenges in civil cases and extending anti-bias procedures to certain discrimination-related matters, also advanced after supporters described it as a compromise and opponents said they were still working toward agreement. SB 303, narrowing protections for bias-mitigation trainings so good-faith admissions in those trainings are not treated as FEHA discrimination, passed after several groups moved to neutral. SB 464, requiring specified state workers to be included in annual pay-data reporting to better track racial pay gaps and promotion disparities, was presented as a reparations-related transparency measure and was heard with support from civil rights advocates.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, how do we work in reverse on that? Thank you. So, I'm Mr.
• Pending in Congress for approval of those settlements.
• by Congress, will count towards that settlement amount.
• What is the FACTS Child Care Payment Fund? Mr.
• It is not for down payment assistance.

Committee: House House Appropriations & Finance