Transcript Highlights:

• We are proposing to limit payments for our PACE providers.
• These managed care payment increases are in addition to those payment rates that existed at that time
• These payments will support the non-federal share as fixed dollar supplemental payments for primary care
• Fundamentally, there's a pool for the existing Medi-Cal program and then a pool for Ogden.
• You are not proposing any new programs or payments, correct?

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But this is what makes us different from other pooled bond programs.
• Virtually every state has a pooled bond program.
• Those are payments from all of our borrowers.
• Now we just need to actually identify the pool.
• So we don't have bond payments matched up against them, but we're still getting those payments in.

Transcript Highlights:

• 2 recommended payment structure.
• So for those that were coming to risk pool annually, right, this this model is addressing that.
• But you are receiving that payments. There are some some levers that incentivize efficiency gains.
• What in this formula deals with it and there's no risk pool in situations.
• So historically has been a back of the bill solution or risk pool solution.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• He's much more capital pools project.
• So the funding capital pools project.
• The first phase had to do with waterproofing of the Diamond Head Pool.
• <00:37:57.359> around prominade in in each of the pools around prominade in in each of the pools
• <00:41:58.560> of rely on the contractor's payment of rely on the contractor's payment of

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You'll see in the next slide that I've got some cartoons of risk pooling.
• It's important to have those risk pools be similar or the same exposure for the people in each pool.
• It's important to have those risk pools be similar or the same exposure for the people in each pool.
• Third, Texas should consider establishing a payment stablecoin focused on select government payments,
• a state payment stablecoin would allow the state to responsibly use next-generation payment infrastructure

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:13:44.720> And<00:13:44.880> Chair care pool payment program.
• And Chair care pool payment program.
• It establishes a rural EMS uncompensated care pool payment program at the Office of EMS.
• > payment<00:30:54.880> program uncompensated care pool payment program uncompensated care
• pool payment program at<00:30:55.679> the<00:30:55.840> office<00:30:56.080> of

Bills: HF2435

Keywords: healthcare, dementia services, public health funding, opioid prevention, women's health, community health boards, mental health, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Are they private pools? Are they public pools? The California law didn’t really, wasn’t clear.
• George Covent, on behalf of the California Pool and Spa Association and the Pool and Hot Tub Alliance
• What were the amendments that were taken that make the indoor pools secure, just like a pool at home
• So these pools will follow the Private Pool Safety Act, which already requires two of seven different
• We’re going to have certified pool operators maintaining the pools for water quality and other issues

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And as your call, the state director payment programs consist of the various supplemental payment programs
• within 180 days of enactment of the act and then also any payment state-directed payments for preference
• on each of these supplemental payment program, state-directed payment programs.
• If if the physician supplemental payment program and then hospital directed payment program, if it's
• So that's the information that drives the low income pool payments and then for the DPP payments that

Transcript Highlights:

• There is no risk pool mechanism within this formula.
• The risk pool has been there for a while.
• And there's no risk pool in situations.
• I think this really going over that amount unless you exercise this risk pool model.
• So historically, it's been a back-of-the-bill solution or a risk pool solution.

Summary: The committee heard a presentation from Dr. Kelly O’Dare on first responder behavioral health access, peer support, and suicide prevention. She described UCF Restores, the Second Alarm Project, and related partnerships that provide culturally competent treatment, peer training, clinician education, disaster response support, and behavioral health navigation. She cited survey and state data showing significant rates of sleep problems, anxiety, depression, substance use, and suicide among Florida first responders, and said evidence-based treatment has helped many patients recover, including a reported 76% who no longer met PTSD diagnostic criteria after treatment. Senators asked about measuring outcomes, peer support standards, and whether the state should create more consistent statewide requirements; O’Dare said peer support training must be specialized, linked to higher levels of care, and supported by sustainable funding and statewide coordination. The committee also heard from a public commenter who supported the work and emphasized the need for adequate resources and peer support infrastructure. The committee then received a Department of Children and Families presentation from Casey Penn on the proposed funding methodology for community-based care lead agencies under HB 7089. Penn explained that the new model is intended to be actuarially based, reimbursement-oriented, and more transparent than prior funding approaches, using historical expenditures, standardized reporting, and two main tiers: Tier 1 for largely fixed administrative and operational costs, and Tier 2 for direct child-serving costs based on per-child-per-month blended rates. He said the model includes a 2% risk corridor for Tier 2, hold-harmless funding in the first year, and optional Tier 3 performance incentives, with an estimated additional state appropriation need after offsets. Senators raised concerns about prevention, historical inequities, reasonableness of costs, administrative overhead, blended state and federal funds, adoption subsidies, high-acuity placements, and disaster-related disruptions. Penn said some of those issues could be addressed in future iterations as the child welfare information system is modernized, and he agreed to provide written responses to committee questions. Representatives of the Florida Coalition for Children and CBCs responded that the model is a major improvement but urged additional safeguards, including an administrative cap, clearer separation of direct and indirect costs, and better treatment of federal and pass-through funds. They argued that the system already has oversight and that deficits reflect insufficient appropriations rather than excess spending, while also noting that higher-acuity children and regional differences can drive costs. No votes were taken on either topic, and the meeting ended with committee staff introductions and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Let's make these payments without any prepayment benefits.
• amount by February 15 of the school year and selects the lump sum payment option provided in Section
• For reference, the most recent yield on the Texas Treasury pool stands at $4.8 billion.
• Under House Bill 3, school districts also received a credit for early recapture payments.
• Members, this bill relates to a sick leave pool for public school employees.

Bills: HB123, HB5606, HB549, HB2757, HB4359, HB5381, HB1939, HB123

Keywords: HB 123, kindergarten readiness, early literacy, early numeracy, reading screening, math screening, foundational literacy, foundational numeracy, dyslexia screening, reading intervention, math intervention, teacher academy, literacy academy, mathematics academy, interventionist academy, K-3 assessments, school readiness, prekindergarten, tutoring grant, parent-directed tutoring

Transcript Highlights:

• So effectively, it's a self-insuring pool of religiously like-minded individuals just pooling together
• There is no pooling, and there is no insurance.
• There is no pooling. It's you sharing in.
• The company itself would be facilitating between different folks on that payment, but there's no pooling
• of people that we have, I don't say pooling dollars, but amongst the pool of people that we have, we'll

Summary: The Committee on Banking and Insurance met with a quorum present and took up several bills, beginning with SB 834 on health care sharing ministries and insurance agents. Senator Yarbrough presented the bill to repeal a recent restriction on licensed insurance agents marketing or selling faith-based health care sharing programs. Supporters argued the change restores free speech and consumer education while preserving existing consumer protections; opponents said the bill was unnecessary and could increase confusion or misuse of agents and brokers. The committee adopted a title amendment and then reported the bill favorably after debate, with Senator Pizzo raising concerns about consumer reliance and lack of guaranteed coverage. The committee then approved SB 642 on foreign and alien bail bond insurers, SB 394 on reinsurance intermediary managers, and SB 266 on public adjuster contracts. SB 266 would let vulnerable adults rescind public adjuster contracts at any time without penalty; it drew support from consumer and industry groups, with some discussion about estimates and claim work product. The committee also passed SB 832 on residential property insurance transparency, which requires rate transparency reports and a consumer resource center at OIR, and adds a provision excluding land value from homeowners coverage calculations in most cases. Testimony on SB 832 was generally supportive of the transparency goal, though insurers said some of the required cost breakdowns may be difficult to produce as written. The committee next considered SB 1028 on Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, which would create a commercial lines clearinghouse to move eligible policyholders into the private market and reduce Citizens’ commercial exposure. Supporters said it would lower taxpayer risk and improve competition; a speaker suggested additional changes to deductibles, water-damage caps, and repair practices. The bill was reported favorably after a delete-all amendment and supportive debate from Senator Boyd. Finally, the committee passed SB 540 on the Office of Financial Regulation, which adds cybersecurity requirements for certain licensees, updates oversight of investment advisers and money service businesses, adjusts some charter and meeting rules for financial institutions and credit unions, and includes amendments clarifying repossession/deficiency claims, family office exemptions, and virtual credit union meetings. The meeting ended with all of the considered bills reported favorably and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, effectively, it's a self-insuring pool of religiously like-minded individuals just pooling together
• There is no pooling, and there is no insurance.
• There is no pooling. It's sharing.
• The company itself would be facilitating between different folks on that payment, but there's no pooling
• of people that we have, I don't say pooling dollars, but amongst the pool of people that we have, we'll

Bills: S0266, S0394, S0540, S0632, S0642, S0832, S0834, S1028

Keywords: public adjuster, contract cancellation, state of emergency, vulnerable adults, disciplinary actions, financial regulation, information security, financial exploitation, licensing, transportation, insurance, TNC, ride-sharing, automobile liability, bail bond, insurance regulation, foreign insurers, financial disclosure, premium reporting, residential property insurance

Summary: The Committee on Banking and Insurance met with a quorum and took up several bills, beginning with SB 834 on insurance requirements for nonprofit religious organizations and health care sharing ministries. The bill repeals a recent restriction on licensed insurance agents marketing or selling faith-based health care sharing programs. Supporters argued the change restores free speech and consumer education while preserving existing fraud and disclosure protections; opponents said allowing agents and brokers could create consumer confusion and has been associated with bad actors. A title amendment was adopted, and after debate the committee reported the bill favorably. The committee also heard and passed SB 642, which extends reporting and duty requirements to foreign and alien bail bond insurers, and SB 394, a technical bill updating reinsurance intermediary manager law to match current DFS practice. SB 266, which lets vulnerable adults rescind public adjuster contracts without penalty, was reported favorably after testimony from supporters in the insurance and elder law communities and a public adjuster who said the intent was good but the bill may need refinement. SB 832, a residential property insurance transparency bill requiring rate breakdown reports and a consumer resource center, also passed after discussion about consumer clarity and whether the required cost categories can be compiled as written. Later, the committee approved SB 540, which creates cybersecurity requirements for mortgage and money service businesses, closes a regulatory gap for certain investment advisers, adjusts OFR examination-payment deadlines, changes de novo charter requirements, allows virtual credit union meetings, and makes other financial regulation updates. Several amendments were adopted, including a substitute amendment removing fintech sandbox provisions. Finally, SB 1028 on Citizens Property Insurance Corporation was reported favorably after debate over a commercial lines clearinghouse intended to reduce Citizens’ exposure and shift more business to the private market; members discussed taxpayer risk, market competition, and consumer protections. The meeting ended with adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• You cover them in the pool. That's correct. All of them, Madam Chair, that's correct.
• The both Recommendations fully fund the agency's request for benefits payments.
• One would provide 13th check payments so a temporary 2% payment to our retirees.
• A 70 million Appropriation to provide a 2% non-compounding payment. What's that about?
• SHARE considers the project closed when the final payment has been made. and the PO is closed.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• One more interest payment was made right at the end, so there were two interest payments made in the
• So converting those borrower payments from the annual payments to the monthly payments is where we're
• So it looks like the smaller payments and smaller borrowers are the ones that are maintaining their payment
• to convert folks from the annual payment cycle to a monthly payment cycle and put out for bid a loan
• So they send out the invoices, collect the payments, and apply the payments to the loan.

Transcript Highlights:

• The OSI made a decision to eliminate lump sum payments in 2022. There were two concerns.
• The whole purpose of insurance is to pool risk.
• So if you pinpoint one hospital versus another hospital, you're not pooling the risk.
• But if you let them in the pool, it is a mix.
• Several comments were made about lump sum payments and future medical expenses.

Transcript Highlights:

• My company is West Coast Pools. I am a Florida-licensed pool contractor.
• There are components where we do need pool contractors to handle portions of our pool, so we can handle
• Every pool has its own little electrical panel, and then the pool contractor kind of takes it from there
• I wanted to ask you if you could clarify whether pool builders currently work on electrical in the pool
• We have heat pump pool heaters and gas-fired pool heaters.

Summary: The subcommittee heard and approved four bills focused on reducing or modernizing professional regulation. HB 6015, by Rep. Oliver, repeals the word “reusable” from the wine keg statute to allow businesses more flexibility in container materials; members joked about the possibility of a Home Depot bucket, and the bill passed 16-0. HB 339, by Rep. Abbott, creates an alternative temporary licensure pathway for surveyors and mappers based on employer recommendation and exam passage, but members raised concerns about qualifications, liability, and oversight; Abbott said he was open to amendments, and the bill passed 14-1 with Rep. Overdorf dissenting. HB 139, by Rep. Lopez, allows pawnbrokers to use digital transaction forms instead of only printed forms; a technical amendment added readability and placement requirements for digital forms, and the bill passed unanimously. HB 195, by Rep. Chambliss, lets the Department of Corrections coordinate with DBPR boards so inmates who complete licensure-related classes can receive credit toward professional licensure; supporters framed it as a second-chance and workforce bill, an amendment clarified that DBPR handles professions without boards, and the bill passed favorably 15-0. The committee then received a presentation from DBPR Secretary Melanie Griffin on the department’s role overseeing more than 1.7 million businesses and professionals across over 30 fields. She highlighted enforcement and complaint data, including more than 24,000 inspections and complaints handled in the last fiscal year, a preference for education and voluntary compliance over formal discipline, and the department’s alternative dispute resolution program, which returned $2.7 million to consumers and saved $270,000 in costs. Griffin also reviewed recent deregulatory and efficiency efforts, including endorsement/reciprocity reforms, fee waivers, reduced processing times, and shorter call wait times, and said DBPR is continuing to look for ways to cut red tape while protecting public safety. Members questioned Griffin about permitting, continuing education, complaint processing, board vacancies, fraud in cosmetology and construction, coordination with other agencies, and whether schools can block students from taking state exams over unpaid tuition. DBPR staff said complaints are generally processed within 60 days, schools cannot bar graduates from taking the exam because of tuition debt, and the department works with other agencies when issues cross jurisdictional lines. The panel discussion that followed featured industry representatives from landscape architecture, building/code administration, pools, roofing, construction, HVAC/electrical, and hospitality, who generally supported reducing local permitting burdens, standardizing requirements, improving reciprocity and training pathways, and using technology and clearer scopes of work to make licensure and inspections more efficient.

Transcript Highlights:

• Unnecessary burdens on providers, providing a substitute childcare pool, the general tax credit extension
• Further, New York SNAP payment errors must be fixed so that we will not have to pay penalties to the
• Further, New York SNAP payment errors must be fixed so that we will not have to pay penalties to the
• FURTHER, NEW YORK SNAP PAYMENT ERRORS MUST BE FIXED SO THAT WE WILL NOT HAVE TO PAY PENALTIES TO THE
• mention in the Governor's proposal: the idea of putting noncoded doctors as a chance to expand the pool

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Human Services and Labor budget hearing opened with Senate and Assembly co-chairs introducing members and naming secretaries for the record. The agencies covered included Human Services, Labor, Temporary and Disability Assistance, Children and Family Services, Veterans Services, Human Rights, Workers’ Compensation, the Welfare Inspector General, and the Public Employment Relations Board. Members then gave brief statements on their priorities for the upcoming budget negotiations. A major theme was affordability, with repeated discussion of child care, SNAP, housing, and worker supports. Senators and Assembly members highlighted the Senate and Assembly one-house proposals for a $500 million child care worker retention grant program, additional child care slots and subsidies, cost-of-living adjustments for human services workers, and expanded support for supportive housing, youth employment, HEAP, and energy affordability. Several members also emphasized food insecurity and SNAP-related issues, including funding to address payment errors, prevent penalties, expand SNAP education, and respond to expected federal changes. Labor-related issues included workers’ compensation fraud, wage theft enforcement, workplace violence, temporary disability insurance reform, and the creation of dedicated enforcement funding for the Department of Labor. Some members supported using workers’ compensation assessments or insurance-company-related funding to pay for anti-fraud efforts, while others preferred grants to district attorneys or broader DOL enforcement. There was also discussion of occupational health clinics, labor standards in any SEQRA changes, and expanding access to doctors in the workers’ compensation system. Veterans, child care, and public assistance fraud prevention were also discussed, including funding for veterans legal defense and mental health services, microchip/secure EBT cards to reduce skimming, and restoring or protecting various programs. No formal votes were taken; the hearing concluded with the chairs stating that the Senate, Assembly, and Executive would continue negotiations toward a final budget.

Transcript Highlights:

• And what we're concerned about in increasing what they can get will be decreasing the pool.
• will add efficiencies to us while maintaining that very healthy competition, because we'll have a pool
• They still go before the—yeah, it's still the same pool of money. They would still have to apply.
• They still go before the—it's still the same pool of money.
• It's all the same pool of money regardless. Okay.

Summary: The Senate Finance Committee met on May 18, 2026, with eight members present and began by noting the state’s projected REC budget deficit and the need to consider fiscal impacts carefully. The committee first advanced HB 12, which extends the $250,000 surviving spouse benefit to reserve officers killed in the line of duty. Members noted the bill is prospective and that it draws from the same capped fund as other related bills, but it was reported favorable without opposition. The committee also adopted an amendment and reported HB 874 favorable as amended; the bill allows colleges, technical schools, the Louisiana Bar Association, and additional credentials to be added to LA Wallet, with the amendment changing mandatory language to permissive language. HB 951 was then reported favorable, creating an employer-facing workforce unit within Louisiana Works, to be funded through repurposed state and federal funds and existing staff, with a floor amendment expected to rename the unit. The committee also reported HB 979 favorable with amendments after reducing the proposed increase in survivor benefits because members learned several bills were drawing from the same $5 million fund, and HB 1193 favorable as amended, after striking a section that would have extended IDIQ authority to supply contracts for CPR. The committee then heard HB 909, which would require commercial payers to cover behavioral health crisis services. Representative Spell and LDH officials said the measure is intended to support crisis response centers and steer patients away from emergency rooms when appropriate, and they testified that it should be cost-neutral or absorbed within existing funding. Despite concerns raised by Senator Andrews about premiums, the bill was reported favorable after discussion of its potential savings and a possible pilot in Acadiana. HB 222, requiring Medicaid to cover dental procedures when needed to complete another medically covered procedure, was also reported favorable; LDH said it would absorb the cost within its existing budget and draw down federal matching funds. HB 291, which prevents health plans from penalizing hospitals when an out-of-network physician is involved in an otherwise covered hospital service, generated extensive debate over a disputed fiscal note and the No Surprises Act. OGB officials said any network “leakage” could cost the plan money, while supporters argued the policy is preventative and that the fiscal estimates were speculative. The committee adopted amendment 3941 to exempt OGB from the bill, then reported HB 291 favorable as amended. Later, the committee took up HB 145, which expands the authority of the law enforcement and firefighter survivor benefit board to cover extraordinary medical and dental expenses. Because members learned it also draws from the same fund as HB 12 and HB 979, an amendment reduced the amount from $50,000 to $25,000, and the bill was reported favorable as amended. HB 430, a local bill for Lafayette to continue paying health insurance costs for surviving families of fallen officers until Medicare eligibility, was reported favorable. Finally, HB 821, which establishes the Louisiana Center for Safe Schools within the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement Administration and transfers related duties from the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security, was introduced and discussed as a move with a one-time general fund expenditure already included in HB 1. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill also makes it a crime for building contractors who have already received payment.
• Many people have been affected by this, not receiving payment back from procedures that they had.
• safety features I just described, or they can use a pool cover, a pool fence, or a flotation alarm,
• So I'll be your wingman on a pool bill any day of the week. Additional debate.
• happened in lakes and ponds or retention ponds. 67% happened in swimming pools overall.

Summary: The Senate convened with an opening prayer, pledge, and several introductions recognizing visitors, students, local officials, and professional groups in the gallery. The chamber then took up a report from the Ethics and Elections Committee confirming 42 executive appointments; the report was adopted by a vote of 36-0. The Senate also adopted a resolution honoring the Ripple Project for childhood cancer awareness and funding. The bulk of the meeting was spent on special-order bills, many of them open-government sunset review measures and policy bills. The Senate passed bills preserving or updating public records exemptions for aquaculture records, trade secrets, and cybersecurity information; a child-abuse reporting statute of limitations bill; a commercial driving schools bill; a human trafficking training requirement for nursing graduates; a new injunction for protection against serious violence by a known person and its companion public-records bill; a nature-based coastal resiliency bill with an amendment restricting dredge-and-fill in Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve; a chiropractic patient-funds bill; specialty license plate legislation; a one-time waiver for late financial disclosure fines; public school personnel compensation changes; the Florida Farm Bill with amendments protecting Everglades lands and technical corrections; homestead exemption clarification for long-term leaseholders; disability presumption clarifications for firefighters and law enforcement; reinsurance intermediary manager conformity changes; patriotic displays in public schools; ADS-B aviation fee restrictions; autism-related law enforcement training and a blue envelope program; public post-secondary safety policy requirements; and a bill allowing licensed agents to market health care sharing ministries. Several bills were temporarily postponed, including local vessel restrictions, temporary certificates for practice, and domestic animals. Members debated a number of measures, especially the health care sharing ministries bill, where opponents raised consumer-protection and commission concerns and supporters argued for free speech, religious liberty, and expanded consumer choice; it passed 32-5. Other debated bills included the autism law enforcement bill, the school athletics bill addressing coach support for student-athletes, and the Farm Bill, where senators discussed surplus land safeguards and biosolids timing. Most bills passed overwhelmingly, often 37-0 or 38-0, with a few closer votes such as the patriotic displays bill (36-2) and the health care sharing ministries bill (32-5).

Transcript Highlights:

• Line 506 reflects directed payments for hospitals, House File 2057.
• This is linked to the directed dispensing payment for pharmacies in that the directed payment is intended
• payment.
• Sections 3 and 18 modify requirements for spa pools.
• It establishes a rural EMS uncompensated care pool payment program at the Office of EMS.

Bills: HF2435

Keywords: healthcare, dementia services, public health funding, opioid prevention, women's health, community health boards, mental health