Transcript Highlights:

• For employers already using electronic monitoring for performance evaluations, the employer must provide
• As written, the bill's definitions of electronic monitoring and performance evaluations would capture
• I wanted to differentiate potentially for the committee between a performance evaluation and measures
• will be had that could later turn into a performance evaluation.
• will be had that could later turn into a performance evaluation.

Summary: The Labor and Workplace Standards Committee heard testimony on several bills. HB 2303 would prohibit employers from requesting, requiring, or coercing employees to receive subcutaneous microchip implants, with enforcement through L&I complaints, civil penalties, and private lawsuits; the sponsor said it was a preventive labor standard and noted there was no opposition. HB 2144 would require employers to give written notice before using electronic monitoring for employee performance evaluations, and testimony split between labor supporters, who said workers should know how they are monitored, and business, local government, trucking, retail, construction, and law enforcement representatives, who raised concerns about broad definitions, safety uses, and litigation exposure. HB 2190 would expand collective bargaining rights for language access providers so missed or canceled appointments could be bargained as compensation; interpreters and union representatives supported it, saying they lose income when clients no-show, while the sponsor said the bill would clarify bargaining rights without changing employment status. The committee also heard HB 2345, a technical change to the state paid family and medical leave premium split in response to IRS guidance. Staff explained the proposed substitute would shift the employer contribution from the medical share to the family share so benefits would not be treated as taxable wages, while keeping the overall premium burden roughly the same; supporters called it a common-sense fix, and some business and school district witnesses said they wanted to avoid additional taxes and preserve program stability. The most extensive debate was over HB 2191, which would make property owners and direct contractors liable for unpaid wages and benefits in construction projects, with exceptions for government and small residential properties. Workers, unions, the Attorney General’s office, and some contractors supported the bill as a way to combat wage theft and level the playing field, while industry groups and subcontractors argued it would impose broad liability on responsible contractors, raise costs, hurt small businesses and minority-owned firms, and should be narrowed with safe harbors or right-to-cure provisions. No votes were taken; the committee held hearings on the bills and adjourned after testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• Then, students' performance outcomes will improve.
• What's really different here is that we are focusing on process evaluation as well as performance outcomes
• But it has a new evaluation component.
• But it has a new evaluation component.
• Evaluation criteria, the compendium of all the most detailed criteria for evaluation, distinct for each

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> adopted performance-based ratem. adopted performance-based ratem.
• </c> perform. We have a few here um listed. perform. We have a few here um listed.
• </c> to align with performance and outcomes. to align with performance and outcomes.
• </c> performance mechanisms. performance mechanisms.
• </c> evaluate a rebasic. evaluate a rebasic. Okay.<01:16:17.360><c> Right.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee held an informational briefing on the Public Utilities Commission’s performance-based regulation (PBR) framework and the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs’ whistleblower complaint process. Chair Jared Kohole opened the meeting, noted it was informational only with no public testimony, and explained that members would hear presentations and then have an opportunity for questions. The committee heard first from Ulupono Initiative, which provided background on why utilities are regulated, how Hawaii’s cost-of-service model and rate cases work, and why PBR was adopted to shift utility incentives away from a capital-investment bias and toward performance, efficiency, cost control, and policy goals such as renewable energy and reliability. Ulupono described Hawaii’s PBR structure as a five-year multi-year rate plan with annual revenue adjustments, a customer dividend, a Z factor for extraordinary exogenous events, and an exceptional project recovery mechanism for large projects. It also outlined performance incentive mechanisms tied to renewable portfolio standard progress, interconnection speed, reliability, and shared savings. The presentation said the current docket is evaluating a possible hybrid approach that would combine forward-looking forecasting with historical results, and Ulupono advocated for stronger incentives, arguing the current rewards are too small relative to utility revenues and should be more meaningful to better align utility behavior with legislative intent. The PUC then presented its own overview, emphasizing that the PBR docket is open and active and that the briefing was limited to the record to avoid ex parte concerns. The commission described the development of PBR in Hawaii through multiple phases beginning in 2018: an initial collaborative phase to set goals, a formal contested-case phase that produced the initial framework, later phases adding scorecards, reported metrics, and additional performance incentive mechanisms, and subsequent refinements including sunset of some mechanisms and adjustments after the August 2023 Maui wildfires. The PUC said the framework is intended to be customer-centric, administratively efficient, and protective of utility financial integrity, and that current work includes evaluating how to balance forward-looking and historical test-year approaches within the rebasing process. No votes or formal actions were taken at the briefing.

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> six</c> Of these eight evaluations, six Of these eight evaluations, six evaluations<00:09:38.560
• </c> evaluations were completed. evaluations were completed.
• DNR did not always perform closeout evaluations in accordance with state policy and did not always conduct
• :04:20.560><c> evaluations</c> not always perform closeout evaluations not always perform closeout evaluations
• So, we use the monitoring evaluations so that we are actually looking at the performance during the life

Bills: HF3564

Keywords: Greater Minnesota, regional parks, trails, grants, local government, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• but requires student performance to make up half of the evaluation and establishes a three-year teacher
• I will share my concern and the reason I went down that road with the performance evaluation - that we
• student performance.
• The weight of the student performance we are placing on actual teachers' performance evaluations.
• You know, student performance. That is the criteria for the teacher evaluations now.

Keywords: 998, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• was the manager for this evaluation.
• I'm with the Office of the Legislative Auditor, and I was the manager for this evaluation.
• </c> throughout the course of our evaluation throughout the course of our evaluation both<00:20:17.919
• Shouldn't we kind of know and evaluate the effects of the cost of these projects?
• We did try and, as we always do in our evaluation, really cast a broad net.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Operational audits evaluate internal controls and management's performance, both in establishing and
• a couple performance audits.
• In addition to financial, operational, and performance audits, we perform attestation engagements.
• a couple performance audits.
• The first is program evaluation.

Summary: The Joint Legislative Auditing Committee met to receive annual overviews of its oversight responsibilities and the work of the Auditor General and OPAGA. Committee staff reviewed the committee’s authority over state and local governments, enforcement of audit-report filing requirements, repeated audit findings, Transparency Florida reporting, and lobbying compensation audits. Auditor General Cheryl Norman described her office’s independence, audit standards, quality control, and major audit areas, including the state’s annual financial and single audits, school district and university audits, operational and performance audits, and attestation work. She also noted staffing shortages, recruitment efforts, and a request for carry-forward funds to study salaries. Members asked about whether audits can quantify recoverable dollars, how school district spending comparisons are handled, and how to raise concerns about DCF-related audits or a local city audit that has been pending for years. Norman said her office can quantify findings when possible, sometimes compares costs across districts in operational audits, and that members can bring specific concerns to the appropriate deputy auditor general or the committee. She also explained that citizen or local-government audit requests may require payment of audit costs. OPAGA Coordinator Kara Collins-Gomez outlined OPAGA’s role as a legislative research unit that conducts studies directed by law, the presiding officers, or the committee, and described its policy areas, methodologies, contract monitoring, and recurring statutory reports. Deputy Auditor General Matthew Tracy explained how to read operational audit reports, including findings, criteria, condition, cause, effect, recommendations, and management responses. Deputy Auditor General Greg Senators explained financial audit reports, including audit opinions, required supplementary information, internal control and compliance findings, federal program compliance, and management letters. The meeting concluded with thanks to the presenters and a motion to adjourn, which passed without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• So to evaluate these mechanisms, we developed five evaluative criteria that are really intended to address
• Finally, under performance monitoring: does the program have clear, trackable performance metrics that
• In terms of the evaluation phase, the evaluation is underway.
• In terms of the evaluation phase, where the evaluation is underway, our draft and final report will be
• We're still evaluating it. So far, this has worked out pretty good. We're still evaluating it.

Keywords: 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Strong market performance does two things for this plan.
• Strong market performance does two things for this plan.
• heard earlier about the evaluation report that OSA conducted.
• And so the motion before us is for the Office of the State Actuary to perform an actuarial evaluation
• and analysis of each institution's... ...to perform an actuarial evaluation and analysis of each institution's

Summary: The Pension Funding Council met on June 23, 2026, for a work session that began with an overview of the Higher Education Supplemental Retirement Plan (SRP) and a 2025 accounting valuation of that plan. Staff explained that the SRP is a closed defined benefit supplement for higher education employees hired before the 2011 closure, with employer contributions currently pre-funding benefits in institution-specific trusts while institutions still pay benefits on a pay-as-you-go basis. The State Actuary’s office reported that the plan’s accounting position has improved, with combined market assets of about $245 million against $377 million in accrued liability, and that strong market performance since 2022 has increased the asset-to-liability ratio. The office emphasized that this was an educational accounting valuation, not a funding valuation for rate-setting. The council then received the 2025 actuarial valuation report for the state retirement systems. Actuaries reviewed the recent demographic experience study, noting updated assumptions for mortality, retirement, termination, and salary growth, and said the net impact on most plans was small. They reported that most plans’ funded ratios improved, with all plans at least 94% funded and several at or above 100%, and that contribution rates for the 2027–2029 biennium are generally lower than current rates. They also noted that future rates could be affected by market volatility as deferred gains are recognized over the next few years. During public comment, a representative of the Association of Washington Cities urged the council to consider rate reductions to help local governments facing budget pressures. In executive session, the council first approved a motion directing the Office of the State Actuary to perform an actuarial evaluation and analysis of each institution’s Higher Education Supplemental Retirement Plan, including institution-specific contribution rates, asset sufficiency, and funding policy options, due by July 1, 2028. The council then adopted the 2027–2029 pension contribution rates based on the 2025 actuarial valuation report. Both motions passed 5-0, with one member excused. The meeting concluded with no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• , but require student performance to make up half of the evaluation establishes a 3 year teacher contract
• that we're making changes to the performance evaluation for the teachers relating to how how they are
• So I guess my question is, what impact are we looking at that he would have to teacher performance evaluation
• And for the teacher evaluation, the old bail model in ways that we just jack-up teaches would evaluation
• So I'm evaluation was just really, really ridiculous.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> auditor for the program evaluation auditor for the program evaluation division<00:37:13.880><c>
• </c> statements we conduct the performance statements we conduct the performance audits<00:48:43.640>
• Last year, we produced nine performance audits, five program evaluations, two special reviews, and then
• evaluations two special five program evaluations two special reviews<00:52:34.799><c> and</c><00:52:
• </c> would you do would you do a evaluation would you do would you do a evaluation piece<00:57:34.079

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• ...additional performance audits done independently by the State Auditor's Office.
• In terms of performance monitoring, we do want to call out the multiple key performance indicators that
• Committee on State Auditor's Office performance audits.
• This report and presentation summarize the performance of the original preference.
• The other performance audits we heard earlier today were for September.

Summary: The committee met on July 15, 2026, but initially lacked a quorum, so it could not adopt prior minutes. Chair Jerry Pollett welcomed new member Senator Victoria Hunt and new JLARC staff, and noted national recognition for recent JLARC reports. The meeting then moved into a series of preliminary audit presentations and an agency strategic management update, with committee members asking questions after each item. JLARC presented a preliminary audit of DCYF’s Juvenile Rehabilitation programs. Staff concluded that crowding, staffing shortages, weak risk assessments, and inconsistent programming combine to create unsafe conditions. The report found that most youth are housed in two large secure facilities operating near or above capacity, incidents rise as population rises, 47% of frontline staff leave within a year, current assessment tools are not valid for the population, and program access depends more on facility than individual need. JLARC made one recommendation to the legislature to address crowding and seven to DCYF, including improving retention, training, incident response procedures, validated assessments, program alignment, and data quality. DCYF Secretary Ross Hunter said the agency agreed overcrowding is a serious problem, described ongoing efforts to improve staffing and safety, and said a detailed response would be provided later. Committee members raised concerns about education access, retaliation against staff or youth who participated in the audit, and whether JR-25 has helped or worsened conditions. JLARC then presented a preliminary audit of Labor and Industries’ enforcement of farm worker labor laws. The audit found that L&I generally meets inspection timelines for health and safety complaints, but not for wage and hour or retaliation complaints, where delays are driven largely by time before assignment to an investigator. Staff said complaint volume exceeds capacity, though the agency has added staff, created screening processes, and reorganized workloads, and 2026 legislation now allows prioritization of complaints and broader investigations. JLARC recommended that L&I report back in December 2026 and December 2027 on backlog reduction and implementation of the new law. An L&I representative said the agency is hiring additional staff and will provide a formal response later. The committee also received a JLARC overview and Department of Health strategic management plan update on hospital data reporting, inspections, complaints, and adverse event reporting. DOH reported measurable progress on inspection compliance, new staffing and licensing systems, translated complaint forms, and plans for future work on language access, adverse event reporting, and financial data dashboards. After lunch, JLARC began its 2026 tax preference performance reviews. The first review covered the Main Street tax credit, which JLARC said has helped increase the number of Main Street communities and businesses, with positive growth near designated districts; JLARC recommended continuing the preference and improving business-count data. The second review covered the equitable access to credit program, which JLARC said appears to support underserved communities by funding loans through CDFIs; JLARC recommended continuing the preference beyond its 2027 expiration. The committee began questions on the program mechanics and the role of the Community Reinvestment Act, and the presentation was still underway when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• They do not evaluate the inefficiencies in the funding allocation.
• The purpose of this school is to attract high-performing RUSD students.
• The purpose of this school is to attract high-performing RUSD students.
• extent possible, evaluate compliance with the Delta Reform Act of 2009.
• DPR evaluates all pesticides before and after they are registered in California, building on evaluations

Summary: The committee heard several audit requests and related testimony. The first major item was an audit of Coachella Valley Unified School District’s contract and fiscal management. The author and supporters described long-standing fiscal mismanagement, large budget shortfalls, layoffs, contracting concerns, and questions about the district’s foundation and use of public funds. District representatives and the Riverside County Office of Education said the district is already under fiscal oversight, has a stabilization plan, and is working to reduce deficits and improve student outcomes. After extensive debate and public comment, the motion to approve the audit was put on call because the committee did not have the required votes from both houses at that moment. The committee then approved an audit of East Bay transit agencies in Alameda and Contra Costa counties. Senator Wahab argued the region’s many overlapping transit agencies create fragmentation, duplication, and inefficiency, especially amid a fiscal cliff and possible future tax increases. Transit agencies and labor representatives opposed the audit, saying the agencies already undergo multiple audits, serve distinct local needs, and are implementing regional coordination efforts. After testimony from agency leaders and public commenters, the committee voted to approve the audit. The next item was an audit of California Community Colleges’ unrestricted reserves. Senator Archuleta and supporting faculty representatives said reserves have grown substantially and may be diverting resources from student services, instruction, and workforce programs. They argued there is little oversight when reserves become too high. The Chancellor’s Office and Calbright College were invited to respond, and the audit objectives focused on reserve growth, reasons for high balances, oversight by the Chancellor’s Office, and effects on students and staff. The transcript cuts off during the Chancellor’s Office response, so the final committee action on this item is not shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• The third metric is the performance target. The third metric is the performance target.
• the performance.
• the performance.
• One, does the policy objective align to the performance metric in the performance statement?
• So help me understand better how the performance metric measures will be evaluated for its alignment

Summary: House Finance met in work session on January 13, 2026, beginning with the introduction of new member Rep. Janice Zahn and a reminder about short-session amendment deadlines. The committee then heard JLARC’s 2025 tax preference performance reviews, covering nine preferences. JLARC recommended continuing several preferences, including natural gas transportation fuel exemptions, reduced B&O rates for travel agents and tour operators, a property tax exemption for nonprofit low-income housing developers, a property tax exemption for multipurpose senior centers, a sales and use tax remittance for disabled veteran adapted housing, a trade convention attendance nexus exemption, a B&O exemption for agricultural fertilizer and seed sales, and a hazardous substance tax exemption for certain pesticides. JLARC also recommended allowing unused silicon smelter-related preferences to expire. Members asked about legislative intent, data limitations, and how performance metrics should be tied more clearly to policy objectives; committee leaders and JLARC staff discussed a new standardized rubric for future tax preference performance statements and fiscal note review. The committee also noted that bills related to some of the reviewed preferences were already introduced. For the low-income housing exemption, JLARC said nonprofit developers were building homes as intended but that the current spending-based metric did not fully reflect the policy goal, and it recommended the legislature decide whether to continue or modify the preference. For multipurpose senior centers, JLARC said the exemption met its inferred objective and recommended continuation, with possible consideration of making it permanent. For the disabled veteran adapted housing remittance, JLARC said few eligible veterans were claiming the benefit and recommended continuation with changes to improve access and consultation with the Department of Veterans Affairs. On the trade convention attendance exemption, JLARC said use was unknown but the preference likely helped keep Washington competitive with other states and recommended continuation, though members questioned the lack of direct evidence and the administrative-burden rationale. The committee then received an update from the Economic and Revenue Forecast Council. The forecast showed the U.S. economy slowing but still growing, with Washington expected to have modest growth, weak employment gains, continued personal income growth, and slow construction. ERFC said tariffs and trade policy remained the biggest risks, inflation was expected to stay elevated in the near term, and the Federal Reserve had cut rates three times in 2025 with two more cuts projected in 2026. State revenues were up $105 million in the current biennium compared with the November forecast, but down $185 million in the next biennium, with growth driven in part by recent legislative changes and improved estate tax collections. Members asked about sector-specific employment trends, the impact of high-income households on retail sales, and how state revenues compare with personal income over time. The meeting adjourned after the forecast presentation.

Transcript Highlights:

• And having this audit is, I think, an important step to evaluating whether that's appropriate.
• And having this audit is, I think, an important step to evaluating whether that's appropriate.
• of program performance, recidivism outcomes, or long-term effectiveness.
• I'm pleased to present an audit to evaluate the Department of Human Resources...
• And then making sure that the performance...

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• review, but you know what we don't have is performance evaluation.
• The self-evaluation, you know, who's going to evaluate yourself?
• So this performance evaluation has to become, I think, cultural. hotline issues that come in not are
• </c><00:31:53.159><c> evaluation</c><00:31:53.840><c> has</c> worse so this performance evaluation has
• worse so this performance evaluation has to<00:31:54.200><c> become</c><00:31:55.159><c> I</c><00:31

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Yeah, so we're governed by a volunteer board of trustees, and they evaluate the foundation's performance
• Do you have any kind of system in place for performance audits? Performance audits.
• </c> for performance audits? for performance audits? Performance<00:25:01.360><c> audits.
• I do not, but there is a systematic process in place where we call a performance evaluation system, where
• <c> we</c> performance evaluation system where we performance evaluation system where we do<00:28:52.559

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Higher Education heard several Senate concurrent resolutions related to University of Hawaiʻi programs, audits, and workforce development. Testimony on SCR 50, which urged establishment of a Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at the Maui campus, was strongly supportive, with witnesses citing the state’s nursing shortage and Maui’s acute physician and nurse shortages. The committee later recommended passage with a technical HD1 amendment, and the measure was adopted unanimously by the members present. The committee also heard SCR 137, SCR 138, and SCR 142, all involving proposed audits. SCR 137 sought a performance audit of the University of Hawaiʻi Foundation; the Foundation opposed it, and the chair recommended deferral after noting the legislative auditor’s view that the office lacks jurisdiction over the private nonprofit. SCR 138 proposed a management and performance audit of the Office of the Vice President for Academic Strategy, and SCR 142 proposed an audit of the UH Mānoa athletics department. UH representatives provided comments on both, with athletics explaining existing NCAA-required financial audits, internal performance evaluations, and a strategic plan that includes self-review. The committee ultimately recommended passage of SCR 138 and SCR 142 with technical HD1 amendments. For SCR 192, which proposed a veterinary medicine expansion working group, UH and other witnesses discussed the idea of exploring a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program, but the chair said a community college is not the appropriate venue for a doctoral program. The committee recommended substantial HD1 changes removing Windward Community College from the title and shifting the effort to the UH system level, adding the UH president or designee and a Hilo campus representative to the working group; the amended resolution was adopted. The committee also heard SCR 193, calling for community colleges to identify bachelor’s degree and workforce pathways aligned with regional needs, and SCR 203, which sought exploration of an Alzheimer’s disease research center and federal funding requirements; both drew supportive comments and no opposition. The meeting recessed briefly for lack of quorum, then reconvened for decision-making and adopted the chair’s recommendations on the measures considered.

Transcript Highlights:

• an audit or we performed an audit, and they are referencing an evaluation of some kind that is of a
• The distinction that I will rest on for my remarks is that audits are performed work that's performed
• the work is performed with independence, objectivity, and to a sufficient level of quality.
• evaluations or other accountable mechanisms.
• evaluations and other accountability tools.

Keywords: 907, all

Summary: The Joint Interim Committee on Legislative Audits met on June 17 for informational presentations. The Department of Administrative Services, through Chief Audit Executive Eli Ritchie, gave an overview of statewide internal audit requirements and the fiscal year 2025 report. He explained the difference between internal and external audit, described Oregon’s statutory and rule-based internal audit structure, and reported that 30 agencies had internal audit functions, with most meeting required standards. He said 73 audits and 49 advisory/consulting engagements were completed statewide, with strong compliance overall, though a few agencies were rebuilding audit committees after vacancies. No committee questions were raised after the presentation. The Secretary of State’s Audits Division then presented its Government Waste Hotline annual report. Director Steve Bergman and audit manager Olivia Rekhed described changes made to align the hotline with statute, including renaming it the Government Waste Hotline, creating a review panel, improving anonymity protections, removing fraud reporting from the hotline’s scope, and adjusting reporting timelines. They said hotline volume increased modestly in 2025, most reports were referred elsewhere or closed for insufficient evidence, and two reports were substantiated, including questioned costs of about $856 for personal use of a state vehicle and about $2.9 million tied to the Preschool Promise program. Committee members asked about hotline staffing, cost, anonymity, and follow-up on findings; staff said the hotline is lightly resourced, uses a contracted intake service, and referrals or recommendations are followed up through management letters and later reviews. The committee also heard an audit of the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department’s safety inspections and asset tracking. The Secretary of State’s office reported that OPRD had not consistently conducted or documented quarterly OSHA safety inspections and had incomplete asset records, including missing acquisition dates and costs for many assets. The audit made eight recommendations covering safety inspection policies, asset management guidance, tagging, reconciliations, disposition controls, training, and a new asset management system; OPRD agreed to all recommendations. OPRD officials said they had already begun training staff, improving inspection procedures, and working toward a replacement asset system, while noting operational challenges from a large, dispersed park system and manual processes. Committee members asked about what kinds of assets are tracked, how tagging works, whether items were actually being lost, and how much tracking is necessary for low-value tools; OPRD said the main issue was inconsistent classification and documentation rather than widespread loss. The meeting ended with no votes or formal actions taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• So that's key in on some of the performance and production review characteristics and items that we evaluate
• We have performance measures focused on the 7 areas that you see on the screen that we evaluate on a
• The commission monitors the performance of these tolling and transit agencies.
• When monitoring the performance of transit agencies, we focus on service.
• a toll or transit authority mates and established set of performance objectives.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• :21:26.280><c> judge</c> information to evaluate a judge information to evaluate a judge including<00
• The staff performance of each judge.
• ><c> comments</c><00:26:47.480><c> from</c> The evaluation scores and comments from The evaluation scores
• In the case of Judge Malone, the evaluations of her performance in fact noted how intelligent, likable
• </c> seeking help to improve her performance seeking help to improve her performance on<00:58:34.480>

Keywords: 927, senate, all