Transcript Highlights:

• sections, makes technical corrections, includes technical updates, and includes clarifications as to applicable
• changing references from the commission and board of managers to the Insurance Commissioner where applicable
• The birthday guaranteed issue application period would begin on the first day of the month of the individual's
• The birthday guaranteed issue application period would not be available to an individual who is not enrolled
• At the request of an applicant, the effective date of a replacement Medicare supplement policy could

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Banking and Insurance Committee met with a quorum present and first approved the March 4, 2026 minutes. It then took up Engrossed Committee Substitute for House Bill 55, a workers’ compensation cleanup bill from the Insurance Commissioner’s office. Counsel explained that the bill modernizes outdated code after privatization of the workers’ compensation system, repeals obsolete provisions, updates references to the Insurance Commissioner, reduces the Workers’ Compensation Board of Review from five members to three, and makes related technical changes. The committee adopted a strike-and-insert amendment and a title amendment, and then reported the bill to the full Senate with the recommendation that it do pass. The Insurance Commissioner and a senior senator both spoke in support, describing the bill as part of the long-term cleanup of the privatized system and noting the reduced caseload on the Board of Review. The committee next considered Engrossed House Bill 5463, which would lower the required insurance coverage for county boards of education from $1.25 million to $1 million per occurrence and eliminate the separate $5 million excess coverage requirement. BRIM’s executive director testified that the agency had difficulty finding a market partner for the excess coverage and that the premium cost exceeded $5 million, creating a burden for county boards. Some senators raised concerns that reducing coverage could limit recovery for victims in serious claims and that the change might reduce protections for school systems. When the motion to report the bill was put to a vote, the result was tied, and the chair declared the bill not passed. The committee then approved Engrossed Committee Substitute for House Bill 4869, which creates guaranteed issue rights for Medicare supplement policies in West Virginia. Counsel explained that the bill allows certain policyholders to replace a Medicare supplement policy during an annual birthday period without medical underwriting, and also grants a guaranteed issue right for certain individuals losing Medicaid eligibility. The bill also requires annual reporting on premium trends and gives the Insurance Commissioner rulemaking authority. The motion to report the bill to the full Senate with the recommendation that it do pass was adopted. Finally, the committee considered Engrossed Committee Substitute for House Bill 5462 on mine subsidence insurance. Counsel explained that the bill would allow the mine subsidence fund to reduce payments by amounts already received by a policyholder and, as introduced, would bar actions against insurers for claims reported to the board. A proposed strike-and-insert amendment would have replaced the blanket bar with a 90-day pre-suit notice requirement and limits on damages, but after discussion from senators, counsel, BRIM, and the Insurance Federation, the committee rejected the strike-and-insert and also rejected a separate amendment to strike the setoff language. The committee then reported the bill to the full Senate with the recommendation that it do pass, and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• And it would clarify that the credit application is due one year from the date the last expenditure is
• Bill 20 relates to identification and amends the existing New Mexico law to allow Native American applicants
• Taxation Revenue Department to include a Native American designation only when requested by an eligible applicant
• support regarding jurisdictional questions of law, identifying the status of children, and the applicability
• and reliable identification while Respecting the cultural identity and privacy of Native American applicants

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• As a result, this amendment narrows the bill's application to Dade and Broward County.
• Specifically, this bill prohibits the land application of septage when a sanitary sewer treatment facility
• as long as we have a facility within a specific mileage, then we are not going to be doing land application
• Since the movement of our DOH enforcement of septage or land application over into DEP, the cost has
• facilities are not accepting those flows, then one of these Representative Boyles: Alternate land application

Transcript Highlights:

• That's just because they withdrew their applications before the board approved the financing.
• I can look to see if there were applications that they did not take action on because they reached the
• I can look at the applications to see if there was part of the reason to ask.
• department's key statutory responsibilities related to the program include reviewing school program applications
• emergency operation plans, which are so critically important, we now have an encrypted system where applicants

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The Senate Education Committee of Reference met for sunset reviews and first heard a presentation on the Credit Enhancement Eligibility Board from the Governor’s Office. The presenter explained that the board, created in 2016, has no dedicated staff or administrative budget and is supported by existing budget and policy staff and the Treasurer’s Office. The board’s purpose is to lower borrowing costs for qualifying schools by using a guarantee fund to enhance credit ratings, and it has largely been used by charter schools. Because the board has reached its statutory leverage cap and has not met since 2022, it is currently in a monitoring role, but it must remain in place to honor guarantees if any approved financing defaults. The committee asked about financing maturities, demand from schools, and whether a shorter continuation period would make sense. No public testimony was offered, and the committee voted to recommend continuing the board for 10 years, until July 1, 2036. The committee then reviewed the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE). WICHE’s president described the interstate compact, its regional role in higher education access, workforce development, and data services, and its major student programs: the Western Undergraduate Exchange, the Western Regional Graduate Program, and the Professional Student Exchange Program. She highlighted tuition savings for Arizona students and the state, the return of many PSEP graduates to practice in Arizona, and additional cost savings through cooperative purchasing and technology contracts. The committee asked no substantive questions, and it voted to recommend continuing WICHE for 10 years, until July 1, 2036. The final major item was the Arizona Department of Education School Safety Program performance audit, followed by testimony from the department. The Auditor General reported that the program has grown substantially, especially after expansion to counselors and social workers and increased appropriations, but that ADE did not consistently ensure schools complied with program requirements. In a sample of 16 schools, most had issues such as missing or incomplete operational plans, inadequate safety team activity, incomplete required training, missing activity logs, or reimbursement requests lacking expenditure reports. The audit said these problems reduced the program’s effectiveness and increased the risk of improper spending, and it recommended stronger monitoring, written procedures, and better documentation review. ADE accepted the findings and said it is implementing the recommendations through more direct staff oversight, training requirements tied to funding, encrypted submission of emergency plans, site visits, and representative desk reviews. The discussion then shifted to whether emergency plans should address federal law enforcement actions; the director said the plans are designed for campus safety threats generally and do not specifically contemplate ICE enforcement. The committee took no vote on the audit presentation and adjourned after discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• the most recent round of grants, fiscal year 25, we received $1.58 million in requests from 73 applicants
• Chair, no applicants were turned away at this point in time. All requests were fulfilled. Ms.
• We have an application, we have a grant process, and the awarding of the grant, whether it's a smaller
• appropriations, we would have some reform to make this consistent with other areas, with having grant applications
• So I'm not sure how this amendment is really as applicable as maybe some think it is.

Bills: HF2784, HF2785, HF2778, HF2281, HF2576, HF2280, HF2579

Keywords: beginning farmers, agriculture, loans, economic opportunity, farmers' equity, agriculture appropriations, farm to school, early care, child care food program, school lunch program, local food, Minnesota agriculture, food access, farm-to-institution, limited market access, county fairs, biofuels, E25, ethanol, meat processing

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, it expands the scope of practice for optometrists to include laser applications to the lens capsule
• of the eye in the treatment of capsular clouding or other defects, and laser application to structures
• This bill adds felony convictions to disqualify applicants, and those are outlined on page 4, section
• This bill also permits the department to apply an unreasonable risk standard to disqualified applicants
• Lastly, a judicial review for disqualified applicants was added on page 5, Section E, subsection 2, in

Transcript Highlights:

• And if these funds would be applicable to supporting TNR work, then I agree the funding needed to do
• And if these funds would be applicable to supporting TNR work, then I agree the funding needed to do
• the requirements applicant meets the requirements established<03:27:46.319> by<03:27:46.479><
• <03:27:53.920> is not aware of any reason the applicant is not aware of any reason the applicant
• license will be revoked if the applicant license will be revoked if the applicant is<03:28:06.680

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee met on February 12 at 2 p.m. and heard several measures related to corrections, re-entry, law enforcement, retirement benefits, and gun violence prevention. On HB 10002, which would extend the Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission coordinator’s term and clarify unannounced inspection authority, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said it had no objection to the term length or to 24/7 unannounced access. The commission’s chair, Commissioner Mark Patterson, asked for a longer term, saying the commission needs more time and stability to manage reform efforts after years without staff during COVID. Community Alliance on Prisons and Carolyn Eaton also supported a longer term, with both suggesting six years would better insulate the position from politics. The chair noted he had asked Chair Bot for background on the prior committee’s changes and said that could be discussed during decision-making. The committee then heard HB 67, which would require DCR to help inmates obtain civil identification documents such as IDs, birth certificates, and Social Security cards as soon as practicable, including for people in furlough or community placement programs. DCR said it supported the bill and described ongoing work with the city and county on ID machines and with agencies on certificates and Social Security cards. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the Oversight Commission, Community Alliance on Prisons, and the Office of Public Defense all supported the measure, emphasizing that identification is essential for housing, employment, and successful re-entry and noting the disproportionate impact of incarceration on Native Hawaiians. On HB 1183, which would classify certain law enforcement administrators and Department of Law Enforcement employees as Class A members for retirement purposes, the Department of Human Resources Development, the Employees’ Retirement System, and the Department of Law Enforcement all supported the bill. DHRD said it would help recruitment and retention, ERS said it had technical amendments to suggest, and DLE said the change would help with succession planning and allow the governor to appoint the most qualified leader. The committee also heard HB 1045, an emergency appropriation bill to cover payroll fringe benefits for Department of Law Enforcement personnel after salary funding had been shifted to other departments; Budget and Finance and DLE explained the need for the supplemental funding, and no opposition was noted. Finally, the committee took up HB 664, which would create an Office of Gun Violence Prevention, a grant program, a resource bank, and a special fund. The Attorney General recommended adding standards for grant awards and warned of overlap with the existing Gun Violence and Violent Crimes Commission, suggesting consolidation and repeal of the older commission to avoid duplication. Supporters included the Brady Campaign, Everytown for Gun Safety, Moms Demand Action Hawaii, a physician, and an Army veteran, who argued the office would centralize data, coordinate prevention efforts, and help secure outside funding. Testimony was mixed, with the chair noting 37 supporters, nine opponents, and three commenters, but no vote was taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Due pass is amended to require applicants to pay court costs.
• that agencies don't have to create new apprenticeship programs that's out with on a b-roll call application
• SB 323 California dream act application. That's out on an A-Roll call. SB 411 Perez-Stauff.
• suicide deterrent considerations into subsequent updates of guidance documents that's out with applicants

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• that money was structured as low-interest loans, 3% loans for entities that qualified through an application
• approve it before it can be distributed as a grant regarding the specific qualifications of that grant applicant
• . ...qualifications of that grant applicant.
• And so obviously the office, of course, evaluates each application, and you'll look on page 11 based

Summary: The Senate Committee on Business and Commerce met with a quorum and took up a long list of House bills as pending business, voting to report many of them favorably to the full Senate. Bills reported favorably included HB 705, 1094, 2037, 3005, 3112, 3320, 3388, 3516, 3923, 4134, 4214, 4233, 4350, 4559, 4748, 4765, 5093, 5129, and 5196, with several also recommended for the local and uncontested calendar. Some measures were reported with committee substitutes, including HB 3516, HB 3848, HB 4211, and HB 14. HB 2488 and HB 3320 had some dissenting votes, while most other bills were approved unanimously or near-unanimously. The committee spent the most time on HB 14, which Senator Schwertner explained would create the Texas Advanced Nuclear Energy Office in the governor’s office and the Texas Advanced Nuclear Development Fund. The substitute would appropriate $350 million this biennium for reimbursement-based grants to support nuclear generation, supply chain development, pre-construction work, and construction-stage costs, with approval from the lieutenant governor, speaker, and governor. Senators Menendez and Nichols asked clarifying questions about whether the program involved grants rather than loans, how reimbursable grants would work, and who would evaluate applications; Schwertner said the program was modeled on the Enterprise Fund and that the grants would not be loans. After the committee had recessed, Senator Zaffirini asked to change her no votes on HB 4211 and HB 4233 to ayes so those bills could be placed on the local and uncontested calendar, while still registering no votes there. Senator Kolkhorst similarly asked to change her vote on HB 2488 to an aye for calendar purposes, while preserving her no vote. The committee then recessed again after completing its actions on the bills before it.

Transcript Highlights:

• hire a third-party engineer if a city or county takes longer than 45 days to approve development applications
• 2354, a developer would have the option, not the requirement, to hire a third party to review applications
• The bill gives permit applicants the option to work with qualified third-party professionals who often
• jurisdictions—and we work with all of them—are very thinly staffed and are overwhelmed by the volume of permit applications

Bills: SB208, SB628, SB777, SB1042, SB2354, SB2477, SB2521, SB2523, SB2608, SB2703, SB2778, SB2835, SB2965, SB2367, SB3044

Keywords: workforce housing, capital investment fund, affordable housing, housing development, Texas housing laws, loan programs, community development, Texas housing, zero-interest loans, low-income housing, nonprofit organizations, construction, economic stability, housing affordability, capital investment, Texas housing policy, county fire code, fire marshal, local government code, interlocal agreement

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, uh, the committee substitute for Senate Bill 2052 adds clarity to the bill on the applicability
• One beneficiary or all together submit the application for ownership transfer as needed.
• Committee sub introduces a new provision stating that the beneficiary designation becomes void if the application
• Of of within a year and a day of the death and also applications for ownership transfer must be mailed

Bills: SB 302, SB 1335, SB 1734, SB 1760, SB 1975, SB 2127

Keywords: probate court, statutory judge, reimbursement, court costs, court proceedings, judicial assignments, judge assignment, cost reimbursement, judicial expenses, estate management, statutory requirement, court expenses, estates, inheritance, representative duties, court authority, personal representative, real property, deed fraud, title fraud

Transcript Highlights:

• The other thing I would note is that this is sort of an application with applicable state and local building
• Toble: The other thing I would note is that this is sort of an application with applicable state and
• that are seeking to open in their jurisdiction, that those applications are in the cannabis side that
• seeking to open in their jurisdiction, so those applications can be reviewed for zoning compliance on
• or the risk was the application or the risk was something<01:05:12.079> that<01:05:12.200>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• . applications. applications.
• administered and ensures that applicants administered and ensures that applicants understand<00:
• And so, if the board were to then receive a change of ownership application thereafter, it would only
• application thereafter, it would<00:59:24.200> only<00:59:24.400> charge<00:59:24.680>
• and licensees, and students applicants and licensees, and students and<01:01:57.080> faculty<

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• c> self-disclosing,<00:42:30.880> is their application is self-disclosing, is their application
• ultimately be setting up the application ultimately be setting up the application so<03:53:41.920
• Applications for open enrollment may be denied.
• Applications for open enrollment may be denied.
• Applications for open enrollment may be Applications for open enrollment may be denied.<04:02:14.479>

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They do it occupied type application. They do it one<00:29:34.159> time.
• In this particular bill, it says applicable year.
• It doesn't say applicable tax year. It doesn't say prior calendar year.
• It doesn't say applicable tax year.
• which risks inconsistent application which risks inconsistent application across<00:52:41.520>

Bills: SF0110, SF0044, SF0046

Keywords: property tax, residential real estate, tax assessment, primary residence, tax revenue, gambling, lotteries, raffles, social relationships, charitable gaming, gaming, liquor establishments, skill based amusement games, regulations, age restrictions, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• demonstration and Commercial application demonstration and Commercial application activities<02:
• demonstration or commercial application demonstration or commercial application activities<02:20
• It also provides us with vital information for many important applications.
• This imagery and data has a number of important applications.
• And I yield back. ...has a number of important applications.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, March 24, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• For instance, I believe the companies have filed two applications with the commission to issue new debt
• <00:32:46.600> with<00:32:46.720> the filed um two applications with the filed um two
• applications with the commission<00:32:47.399> to<00:32:47.799> issue<00:32:48.159>
• I think it's also worth pointing out that oftentimes the applicants, the utilities, you know, they will
• I think it's also worth pointing out that oftentimes the applicants, the utilities, you know, they will

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint Senate hearing focused primarily on SB 1201, a wildfire measure that would create a wildfire recovery fund and allow securitization for electric utilities. Hawaiian Electric strongly supported the bill, saying it would help protect customers, property owners, insurers, and the broader economy from future catastrophic wildfire liability while improving the utility’s credit profile and lowering financing costs. Support also came from DCCA Consumer Advocacy, the Attorney General’s office on written comments, Ulupono Initiative, Clearway Energy Group, IBEW Local 1260, Par Hawaii, KIUC, the Chamber of Commerce Hawaiʻi, Plus Power, and numerous organizations and individuals. Opponents or commenters raised concerns about the liability cap, victim compensation process, and fund structure, including the Hawaiʻi Association for Justice, the Hawaiʻi Regional Council of Carpenters, and the Hawaiʻi Insurance Council; Henry Curtis of Life of the Land supported the concept of a fund but questioned the catastrophe threshold and whether the fund would be empty without a prudency finding. Much of the discussion centered on whether the proposed fund would actually help restore Hawaiian Electric to investment grade, with senators comparing the proposal to California’s wildfire fund. Hawaiian Electric said the bill was only one part of a broader process, alongside physical risk reduction and settlement finalization, and argued that without the bill the utility would not regain investment grade. Senators also questioned the proposed $1 billion fund size, the fairness of ratepayer contributions versus shareholder contributions, and whether customers should pay for consulting and administrative costs; Hawaiian Electric said its proposed amendment would remove those consulting-related charges. The company also said the fund would accrue interest and, if unused, could be returned to customers, and that there would be replenishment and supplemental contribution mechanisms if the fund were exhausted. The Attorney General’s office said it still had further amendments to discuss, and the departments had not yet resolved where the fund should reside administratively, though Hawaiian Electric said it believed DCCA was the appropriate place but was open to alternatives. KIUC requested two amendments. No vote or final committee action was taken during the hearing, and the measure remained under discussion with questions and proposed amendments still outstanding.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:19:56.240> for 15% while the number of applicants for 15% while the number of applicants
• The number of applicants is way down, and the quality of the applicants is a concern as well.
• um the uh applicate the number of<00:39:31.119> applicants<00:39:31.680> is<00:39:31.920
• We have increased our applicant pools by about a third.
• We have increased our applicant pools by about a third.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Some areas may have fewer laws than others, but they would include that on the application as something
• So, um, if a builder were to acquire a property that's known for multifamily, submits an application
• This year they changed it to the time a completed application is submitted, provided it complies with
• This year they application was approved.
• Uh, I happen to be an applicant for a nonprofit.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:07 Roll Call 00:00:14 Discussion of Pro-Growth Housing Policies 00:02:01 Discussion of Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit 01:11:13 Adjournment 01:40:27, 958, all

Summary: The Kentucky Housing Task Force met and heard first from the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, which presented findings from a housing study done with the Home Builders Association. The chamber said housing is now a major economic-development issue, citing survey results that 90% of community leaders said their region could not absorb a major job announcement and 66% said housing is holding back Kentucky’s economy. The chamber described Kentucky’s housing shortage, rising home prices, declining permits since 2008, and the need for more production to support growth. It urged policy changes including zoning and land-use reform, tax incentives, regional approaches, and especially a residential infrastructure fund modeled on Indiana’s low-interest loan program to help communities finance roads and other infrastructure needed for new housing. Members asked about the severity of the problem, workforce shortages in permitting and construction, the loan interest rate, repayment, and whether Kentucky could replicate Indiana’s results; the witness said the issue is a crisis and that the program would be a revolving public-private partnership, likely around 3% interest, with implementation details still to be worked out. The Kentucky Bankers Association then testified that the housing gap is especially acute for households at 80% of area median income and below, which it said represents about 70% of Kentucky’s housing need. It emphasized that the shortage affects both urban and rural counties and pointed to examples such as Rowan County, where workers at major employers must commute long distances because local housing is unavailable or unaffordable. The bankers said high interest rates remain a major barrier and proposed a $20 million bank commitment for a revolving fund tied to tax credits to finance new housing, not refinances. They cited Hope of the Midwest as an example of a successful tax-credit housing model with a long track record and no defaults, and said the proposal would leverage public-private partnerships to create new units. Committee members questioned how the proposed fund would compare with industrial revenue bonds and whether it could be structured like Kentucky’s tobacco settlement fund, with seed money, a review board, scoring criteria, and possible population thresholds to ensure smaller communities benefit. The bankers said the proposal would be another tool for cities and counties, specifically tied to residential infrastructure, and that larger cities should not be able to capture all of the resources. No formal votes or actions were taken during this portion of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:38:12.440> to<00:38:12.920> school applicable to school applicable to school district
• of these are from the agency proposal and seek to clarify the competitive procurement processes applicable
• of these are from the agency proposal and seek to clarify the competitive procurement processes applicable
• Section 6 is the language applicable to a Tier 2 license and the corresponding language for the Tier
• section six is the language applicable section six is the language applicable to<00:53:31.839>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all