Transcript Highlights:

• resources, but as we really make that transition to quality and how do we define quality and align payment
• And meanwhile, we've got to make payments to providers.
• When we look at projected fund balance and reserves, we're payment to payment.
• If you don't have someone enrolled, you don't get that payment.
• but the way it's been with ABC if I'm understanding you don't get that payment, but the way it's been

Summary: The committee met to review the minutes and then held a workshop-style discussion with Arkansas Department of Education early childhood officials about the state’s early learning programs, funding, and access. Officials explained that the state-funded ABC program has been largely flat for years, rising from $11 million to about $14 million in 2018, while the federally funded SRA/CCDF side is much larger. They described differences between the programs, including ABC’s 10-month school-year structure, current enrollment of about 23,000 children in ABC and about 14,871 in SRA, and a SRA wait list that has grown to roughly 2,971 children. Members raised concerns about rural access, school-based versus community-based providers, reimbursement rates, and the need to align early childhood funding with K-12 and kindergarten readiness goals. A major topic was the recent $14.741 million PDG B-5 competitive grant. Officials said it is a one-year systems-building grant, not a direct services grant, and will support local leads, CLASS observations, workforce efforts, and data systems while helping offset some costs that otherwise would have been paid through CCDF. Members also discussed the end of a federal pre-K funding stream in June, with children either moving into ABC slots or requalifying for SRA, and the state’s new enrollment-based payment approach, which officials said saved about $576,000. The committee also heard that the current cost-of-care study is about three years old and that a new market-rate survey is being planned. Several members questioned dual enrollment in home visiting/HIPPY and ABC, with officials saying about 1,200 children are enrolled in both and that limiting double enrollment could save about $2.4 million and affect roughly 470 children. Members also asked about provider closures after rate changes; officials said eight providers cited funding as a reason for closing, while 26 new providers have been added under the new rates. The discussion ended with broad agreement that the committee should continue regular updates, keep providers and families informed, and explore policy changes, waivers, and possible state investments to improve stability, access, and quality in early childhood education.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:10:25.760> to certain they're not making payments to certain they're not making payments
• <00:10:30.640> Uh<00:10:30.959> so payments to people and entities.
• Uh so payments to people and entities.
• It would be a 2% withhold from the capitation payments that are made to managed care organizations on
• organization. the capitation payments organization. the capitation payments will<00:15:13.040>

Keywords: 918, senate, all

Summary: Senate Republican leaders held a press event to roll out a package of anti-fraud proposals focused on state welfare and human services programs. Mark Johnson opened by citing recent fraud scandals, including a shuttered housing program and reports of vulnerable adults being left without care while providers billed for full services, and said Republicans want top-down reform, stronger accountability, new technology, and tighter oversight of taxpayer dollars. Michael Kreun said Republicans support an independent Office of Inspector General and argued the Senate-passed bill should not be weakened in the House; he also said the Senate should restore its role in confirming agency commissioners, especially at DHS, which he described as central to the fraud problem. Jordan Rasmusson outlined a plan to stop “blank checks” for DHS and DCYF services by requiring legislative audit review when a program exceeds budget by 5 percent and legislative approval for additional spending at 10 percent over budget. He also said DHS should adopt basic integrity tools such as electronic visit verification and client sign-off. Steve Drazkowski described two bills: a statewide “do-not-pay” list to block payments to ineligible people or entities, and an “I’m Not a Robot” proposal for Medicaid managed care that would require enrollee verification forms, with a 2 percent payment withhold used to encourage compliance and potentially fund county system upgrades. Mark Krueger said the state should improve technology and data use for eligibility determinations, citing other states’ rapid fraud-fighting systems, and proposed penalties for false reporting to the Legislative Auditor after a DHS audit found falsified site-visit records. Steve Gruenhagen said his bill would require DHS and DCYF to resume annual fraud-prevention and oversight reports to the legislature, which he said had stopped after 2017 despite rising fraud cases. Michael Holmstrom proposed unannounced site visits for all DHS and DCYF providers before enrollment, reenrollment, and revalidation, funded through provider service fees, and cited a recent case involving a woman with autism who was billed for far more care than she received. In the Q&A, Kreun said House Democrats’ delete-everything amendment to the inspector general bill removed the law enforcement division and stripped the bill of its “teeth,” and he suggested the governor’s office may have been involved in efforts to replace the bill with a weaker coordination council model. No votes were taken in the press conference.

Transcript Highlights:

• The insurance commissioner may direct an insurer to make these payments.
• The operative language is coverage of services or payment for specified providers of services.
• So that's Medicare, Medicaid shortfalls in payments.
• Now we will transition to dental utilization and payment.
• Now we will transition to dental utilization and payment.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The committee met to review the history and current treatment of North Dakota health insurance mandates, with presentations from Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota, Sanford Health Plan, the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS), and the Insurance Department. The discussion focused on how mandates apply differently to fully insured, self-funded, ACA, Medicaid, and PERS plans; how the state’s benchmark plan and federal essential health benefits affect coverage; and how the existing process requires cost-benefit analysis and, for certain measures, a PERS pilot period before broader application. Presenters also reviewed the long list of existing state mandates, including provider, beneficiary, and coverage requirements, and noted that many were enacted decades ago and have not been revisited despite changes in medical evidence and treatment options. Witnesses from the carriers argued that mandates should be reviewed periodically because some are outdated, can create unintended costs, and may not align with current medical guidance. Examples cited included PSA screening, off-label drug coverage, prior authorization rules, step therapy, and cost-sharing provisions for mental health and substance use treatment. They emphasized that carriers often cover services without a mandate when supported by clinical evidence, and that mandates can shift costs to employers and employees, especially in the fully insured small-group market. They also suggested possible policy improvements such as clearer mandate definitions, better transparency around cost-benefit analyses, a regular 10-year review of mandates, and more timely submission of proposals through the interim process. PERS and the Insurance Department highlighted a recurring tension over what counts as a mandate and when a measure triggers the state’s defrayal obligation under federal law. PERS described its interim committee process, the April 1 deadline for fiscal-impact proposals, and the limited pilot program used for certain measures, noting that only a few bills have gone through the full pilot process. The Insurance Department explained that it views new benefit mandates through the lens of the ACA benchmark plan and essential health benefits, distinguishing true new benefits, such as infertility coverage, from changes to existing benefits, such as telehealth or insulin cost-sharing caps. No votes were taken on policy changes; the meeting was informational, with members asking questions about costs, applicability, transparency, and whether a periodic mandate review should be established.

Transcript Highlights:

• So those payments are not to be part of this.
• So those payments are not to be part of this.
• So those payments are not to be part of this.
• So those payments are not to be part of this.
• So those payments are not to be part of this.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Monthly payments reduce food insecurity and housing instability by providing more timely relief.
• It boosts the child and family tax credit to $600 per dependent while allowing advance payments.
• Finally, it would allow for advanced periodic child and family tax credit payments.
• I saw firsthand the importance of monthly cash payments.
• of the CFTC for families who prefer this payment model as opposed to one lump sum payment, and lastly

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Revenue held a public hearing focused largely on tax-credit proposals tied to children, families, caregivers, child care, health care workforce development, and public health. A major portion of the hearing concerned bills to expand the state earned income tax credit and child and family tax credit, including H. 3073/S. 1957 and S. 1975. Testimony from advocacy groups, legal services, tax assistance organizations, and health providers supported increasing the EITC match from 40% to 50% of the federal credit, expanding eligibility to immigrant and mixed-status ITIN filers, larger families, younger and older workers, and SSI recipients, and raising the child and family tax credit to $600 per child with inflation adjustments and possible advance payments. Witnesses said these changes would reduce poverty, improve health and educational outcomes, and help families meet basic expenses; committee members asked questions about ITIN filers and expressed support for the policy goals. The committee also heard extensive testimony on S. 1938/H. 3159, An Act Supporting Family Caregivers. Speakers described the scale of unpaid caregiving in Massachusetts and supported a package that would create a refundable tax credit, respite vouchers, workplace and housing protections, unemployment insurance access for those who leave work to care for relatives, a permanent advisory council, and a provision allowing spouses to be paid caregivers under MassHealth. Several witnesses shared personal caregiving experiences, and committee members responded favorably, noting the emotional and financial strain on caregivers and the importance of supporting them as Medicaid and long-term care systems face pressure. Additional bills discussed included H. 3174 on a child and dependent care tax credit, which was presented as a way to offset the high cost of child care; H. 3197/S. 2019 to improve the financial security of family child care providers through a tax credit; H. 3218/S. 1960 to create tax credits for health care preceptors to address workforce shortages; S. 2064 to establish a living organ donor tax credit; S. 2034 to promote healthy alternatives to sugary drinks through a tiered tax; H. 3015 to create a tax-return checkoff for the YMCA Youth and Government Program; and several public testimony ideas including vaccination, literacy, and grade-improvement tax credits. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the hearing, which ended after all testimony was heard.

Transcript Highlights:

• And she hasn't received any payments since the 2019 determination that she is owed wages.
• While payment in that case is positive, the employer did pay for some of the wage theft.
• Despite this, our aggressive use of these tools has increased the rate of payments in the first year
• of a judgment, which was... ...the rate of payments in the first year of a judgment, which was initially
• plan and put a down payment of $10,000.

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Labor and Employment held a review hearing on SB 588, focused on wage theft enforcement and whether the law’s tools are working as intended. Committee members emphasized that wage theft is a major and under-enforced form of theft in California, citing large backlogs in wage claims and long delays that can leave workers waiting years for payment. The hearing was framed as oversight of the Labor Commissioner’s enforcement authority and a discussion of whether additional tools or funding are needed to improve collections and deter bad actors. Witnesses from UCLA, worker advocacy organizations, and legal aid described SB 588’s main enforcement mechanisms, including liens, levies, stop-work orders, successor and individual liability, and the ability to pursue upstream entities in fissured industries. They argued these tools have improved settlement leverage and recovery rates, especially in janitorial and property services cases, and gave examples involving Tesla, Cheesecake Factory, Optum, and grocery and care-home employers. At the same time, they said the law is less effective in industries like residential care, where employers often transfer assets or change ownership before judgments are collected, and they urged changes such as broader prejudgment lien authority, more license-revocation power, and additional staffing for the Judgment Enforcement Unit. Worker testimony highlighted the human impact of delayed or unpaid wages. A care worker described being underpaid, denied pay for breaks and off-the-clock work, and facing intimidation when filing claims. Marta Lepe Martinez said she was owed more than $300,000, waited more than three years for a hearing, and still had not recovered any money despite a judgment and a lien on property. Another worker advocate explained that SB 588 helped identify responsible individuals and businesses earlier, increasing the chance of recovery, but said more resources and faster enforcement are still needed. Labor Commissioner Lilia Garcia-Brower said SB 588 has significantly improved collections, reporting that the Judgment Enforcement Unit has recovered $125 million since enactment and that first-year recovery rates have risen from 17% to 46%. She said the agency is using liens, levies, stop orders, and individual liability more aggressively, but acknowledged that the tools are limited when employers are undercapitalized, hide assets, or transfer property before judgment. She supported the need for more staff and continued legislative investment. Public comment from SEIU California also backed SB 588’s framework and encouraged focusing enforcement on bad actors and expanding the law’s reach.

Transcript Highlights:

• for ETPs payments for our vendors for some of the state MMIs payments that we make to them that we require
• As I understand it, that is to pay the enhanced tier payments. What is that for?
• or not on the enhanced tier payments for the portion?
• So for the FY25 portion, yes, there's Two quarters of ETPs payments included in that ask.
• You and I do want to revisit the pended payment thing.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The MOU and parity package include one-time stabilization payments for represented and non-represented
• child care providers, as well as a one-time cost-of-living adjustment catch-up payment for represented
• Finally, the bill appropriates $372 million in Prop 2 general fund for a supplemental pension payment
• The bill appropriates $372 million in Prop 2 general fund for a supplemental pension payment towards
• We also want to pledge our partnership in bringing down the CalFresh payment...

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Board application and updates requirements and provisions of the board. 802302 amends to establish payment
• in order to receive<00:13:36.880> enhanced<00:13:37.440> quarterly<00:13:37.920> payments
• <00:13:38.800> for receive enhanced quarterly payments for receive enhanced quarterly payments
• 47.680> receive<00:13:47.920> the<00:13:48.079> supplemental<00:13:48.639> payment
• meet to receive the supplemental payment meet to receive the supplemental payment are<00:13:49.519

Keywords: 0:16 – CALL TO ORDER 0:20 – ROLL CALL 0:56 – ELECTION OF CO-CHAIRS 1:54 – APPROVAL OF MINUTES 2:10 – OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL 3:28 – PERSONNEL BOARD 4:30 – EDUCATION AND LABOR CABINET, BOARD OF EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 5:18 – PUBLIC PROTECTION CABINET, OFFICE OF CLAIMS & APPEALS 12:03 – PUBLIC PROTECTION CABINET, DEPARTMENT OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL 12:54 – CABINET FOR HEALTH AND FAMILY SERVICES, DEPARTMENT FOR MEDICAID SERVICES 14:54 – CABINET FOR HEALTH AND FAMILY SERVICES, DEPARTMENT FOR COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES 31:44 – NEXT MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT/ADJOURNMENT, 958, all

Summary: The Administrative Regulation Review Subcommittee met to reorganize its leadership for the new term, renewing Representative Derek Lewis as House co-chair and Senator Steven West as Senate co-chair. The committee then approved the minutes and moved through a series of agency regulations, generally adopting staff-suggested amendments without objection. Among the regulations reviewed were an Attorney General rule changing how a commission reviews and distributes funds and how grant reporting is handled; Personnel Board changes abolishing and renaming certain job classifications and adjusting probationary periods; an Education and Labor Cabinet rule removing references to local board of education members; several Public Protection Cabinet rules covering Board of Claims and Crime Victims’ Compensation procedures; an Alcoholic Beverage Control rule on direct-to-consumer shipping forms; and a Medicaid Services emergency regulation establishing the Kentucky Trauma Hospital Rate Improvement Program for rural hospitals serving many Medicaid patients. The committee also heard that the Board of Claims and Crime Victims’ Compensation regulations included both staff and, in one case, an agency amendment, which were approved. The most extended discussion came on the Department for Community Based Services’ regulation increasing per diem rates for private child-placing therapeutic foster care levels 2 and 3. Committee members questioned the estimated $10 million biennial cost, the source of the funding, and why the cabinet had not yet filed regulations implementing Senate Bill 151 on kinship care. DCBS staff said the rate increase was discretionary and intended to address placement crises for children with high needs, while acknowledging they could not personally explain the budget decisions. A kinship caregiver testified in support of the rate increase but urged the cabinet to also implement SB 151 and expand support for kinship families. The committee expressed frustration over the lack of SB 151 implementation but stated the rate increase itself was appropriate and allowed the regulation to proceed.

Transcript Highlights:

• Therefore, our fiscal year 27 equipment leasing costs will only show half of a year's payment, which
• , will only show half of a year's payment, will only show half of a year's payment, which<00:04:58.560
• We were asked to expedite their last payment in April, if I remember correctly. I got you.
• Who asked you to expedite that last payment?
• They received the payment earlier that week. They made the payroll on the 24th.

Keywords: 924, joint, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:04:44.560> on crisis to step in and make payments on crisis to step in and make payments
• And these payments are meant to repay.
• And we're going to make those payments for them and get them back on their feet.
• <00:05:29.840> for we're going to make those payments for we're going to make those payments
• received our last uh $500,000 payment. received our last uh $500,000 payment. um<00:08:36.959>

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee met on Military Kids Day and first heard an update from USA Cares, a nonprofit that provides emergency financial assistance and follow-up support to military and veteran families. Representatives said the organization helps families facing housing, vehicle, and utility crises, as well as transition challenges, PTSD, traumatic brain injury, and related risks. They reported that the state’s prior $2 million appropriation was nearly all directed to direct aid, with about 97% used for family assistance and 364 families served in the past 18 months, including more than 500 dependents. They also described a new post-assistance mental health survey and referral effort with the University of Louisville, and said they are requesting another $2 million over the next two-year budget cycle. Members asked about referral sources, the impact of possible VA benefit changes, substance abuse, and whether USA Cares can connect clients to treatment. USA Cares said the VA is its most steady referral source, with referrals also coming from homeless crisis lines, HUD-VASH, KDVA, and local resources. They said they already consider reductions in benefits when reviewing applications and that they do make warm handoffs to VA counselors and other professionals, while expanding a follow-up mental health assessment program to better identify substance abuse, mental health issues, and suicide risk. The committee then took up Senate Resolution 103, which recognizes and honors military children on Military Kids Day and commemorates the event’s history and growth. The resolution notes the event began in 2017, was inspired by a military spouse’s suggestion, and has grown from roughly 20-40 participants to about 250. Members and the sponsor spoke about the resilience and leadership of military kids and the importance of the event. The resolution was adopted, and Senator Jimmy Higdon was recognized with a service coin in appreciation of his leadership in creating Military Kids Day.

Transcript Highlights:

• So this month, I received payment for the work I did in July.
• payment to be issued by January 1, 2026.
• payment to be issued by January 1, 2026. and a one-time stabilization payment to be issued by January
• You talked briefly about the alternative payment methodology.
• Payment then to that provider.

Summary: The California State Assembly Select Committee on Child Care Costs held its first hearing to examine the state of child care access, affordability, and provider compensation. Chair Cecilia Aguiar-Curry and other members described child care as essential infrastructure for working families and the economy, noting that costs are unaffordable for many households and that providers are underpaid. Early testimony came from a San Francisco parent, Quinn Chung, who described the difficulty of finding safe care and the financial and career sacrifices caused by lack of child care, and from Tuolumne County provider Anita Viscini, who detailed her monthly costs, low margins, and the need to work weekends and teach CPR classes to make ends meet. Assemblymembers also emphasized the crisis in rural communities and the need for a long-term strategy. The first policy panel featured Jennifer Troia of the California Department of Social Services, Laura Pryor of the California Budget and Policy Center, and Alexa Frankenberg of Child Care Providers United. Troia said the state has nearly doubled child care funding in five years, expanded subsidy slots, and reached a new tentative three-year agreement with providers that includes cost-of-living adjustments, stabilization payments, and continued work on an alternative rate methodology and single rate structure. Pryor argued that despite funding gains, child care remains too expensive, only a fraction of eligible children receive subsidies, and provider wages remain far below comparable jobs, worsening racial and gender inequities. Frankenberg said the tentative agreement is progress but not enough, calling for a true cost-of-care system, fair wages, paid time off, better support for emergency and nontraditional care, and stronger integration of family child care into the mixed-delivery system. Members asked about why the crisis persists, how the alternative methodology will work, how family fees and sliding-scale help are being used, and why middle-income families still struggle. The panel said the problem reflects long-term underinvestment, a broken market, and a system that still leaves many families without access. The committee also heard an economic panel from Ashley Hoffman of the California Chamber of Commerce and Sarah Bone of the Public Policy Institute of California. Hoffman described employer child care benefits and public-private partnership models in other states, including shared-cost programs and local chamber efforts. Bone said child care costs reduce family financial security and labor force participation, especially for mothers of young children, and estimated that if mothers of young children worked at the same rate as mothers of older children, more than 80,000 additional women could be in the workforce each year. In the final panel, parent and provider advocates, including Jennifer Greppie and Black Californians United for Early Care and Education co-founder Keisha Doyle, argued for fully funding child care, ending waiting lists, protecting culturally affirming care, and addressing racial inequities and private equity’s role in the sector.

Transcript Highlights:

• And that will go toward funding reinsurance payments for plan year 26, which is actually fiscal year
• The reinsurance payments are estimated to be $375.9 million.
• Those reinsurance payments for waiver.
• estimated to be reinsurance payments estimated to be 375.9<00:08:10.440> million.
• > amounts<00:08:48.959> for payments um also include amounts for payments um also include

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The next three requests, Chair, are for adjustments for health premium payments for the EUTF, and this
• The next three requests, Chair, are for adjustments for health premium payments for the EUTF, and this
• The next three requests, Chair, are for adjustments for health premium payments for the EUTF, and this
• <00:04:07.280> for<00:04:07.760> the payments for the payments for the eutf<00:04:09.840
• <00:10:52.920> for one is for increase uh payment for one is for increase uh payment for Fringe

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:58:26.119> payment<00:58:26.400> but<00:58:26.520> also just with down payment
• payment but also just with down payment payment but also these<00:58:27.000> are<00:58:27.440
• month, they just can't save this much for a down payment, so that's the real sell with this is that,
• assistance because this is what payment assistance because this is what we<00:59:14.200> think
• every month they just can't save payment every month they just can't save this<00:59:19.960> much

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Looking at basic care, we have a few driving factors in the increased payments here.
• transition from declining payments during the pandemic.
• Now we're in a post-pandemic era, and we're seeing a slight uptick in fee-for-service payments.
• So we're having to go back and retroactively adjust the payment source.
• <00:14:58.160> source retroactively adjust the payment source retroactively adjust the payment

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• AB775 Phuong behested Payments Reporting due passed out on an A roll call. explanation requirement and
• AB 1039, Hart. payments do pass out on an A-roll call. AB 1108 Hart.
• AB 1329 Ortega, subsequent injury payments do pass out with Republicans not voting.
• AB 696, ransom, lithium ion vehicle batteries. development payments do pass with author's amendments
• AB 1180 Valencia, DFPI payments do pass out on an A roll call.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• 2005 and 2006 for this because of this data for the next slide and this is on so-called onbehalf payments
• As many of you probably know, or maybe perhaps all of you know, the on-behalf payments are payments made
• um uh total so-called on behalf payments um per<00:07:33.360> teacher.
• So part of that money is effectively paying back payments.
• <00:20:57.039> have um if you're the on behalf payments have um if you're the on behalf payments

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Budget Review Subcommittee on Education met without a quorum, so the minutes were not approved. The main presentation was from retired economics professors John Garren and Dr. Kums, who discussed their Bluegrass Institute research on teacher compensation in Kentucky since the Kentucky Education Reform Act era. They said teacher base salaries, adjusted for inflation, have declined over the last decade, while state-paid “on-behalf” benefits such as pension and health insurance contributions have risen sharply; they argued total teacher compensation has increased modestly overall, but less than per-pupil funding. They also presented broader context on staffing growth, declining average daily attendance, Kentucky’s low share of teachers among total school staff, and flat or weak NAEP and ACT performance trends, including widening white-Black score gaps on NAEP. Members questioned the methodology and interpretation of the compensation figures. Representative Bojanowski argued the on-behalf calculations may overstate teacher compensation because they include insurance and pension costs that also benefit classified employees and retirees, and he asked for clarification on the denominator used to derive the per-teacher amount. Representative Truit said the presentation could be misleading if it implies teachers earn $94,000 in salary, and he objected to framing pension stabilization payments as teacher pay. The presenters responded that they were using total compensation, not salary alone, said they had divided total personnel-related on-behalf payments by the relevant staff count, and promised to review and send a technical explanation. Representative Truit and Chairman Typton both emphasized that compensation should be viewed as salary plus benefits, not salary alone, and noted that pension contributions are part of the cost of employing teachers. The presenters said their intent was to show the full compensation package and its relevance to labor supply and teacher shortages, not to claim that individual teachers earn the total compensation figure as salary. No votes or formal actions were taken beyond the decision to revisit the minutes at a later meeting due to the lack of quorum.

Transcript Highlights:

• She said she made cash payments. I tried to get proof from her that the payments were made.
• Respondent filed an answer recommending payment in that amount.
• So DHS is approving the payment of unpaid bills that they don't have appropriation for.
• Was a warrant issued for payment to them? Was a warrant issued for payment to them?
• And I have the ledger here that shows that they made payments, each payment. No further questions.

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , those collection months, the period that we looked at, are when companies are making estimated payments
• And if estimated payments are indicative of...
• And if estimated payments are indicative of their final payments, which happen in the second half of
• So the final payment is due for calendar year filers in May. So May is a big collection month.
• And the first and second estimated payments for the fiscal year Years are due in June.

Bills: S0110, S0434, S0856

Keywords: property assessment, wind damage, home improvements, real estate, tax exemption, Florida statutes, ad valorem taxes, property listings, tax estimation, disclosure, Florida, residential property

Summary: The committee heard and passed three bills before moving to a staff presentation on the state revenue forecast and the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act. SB 856, by Senator DeSantis? [sic], would require online real estate listing platforms to display estimated property taxes for residential properties using prescribed methods and DOR-developed formulas rather than the current owner’s tax bill. Supporters from county, city, and property appraiser groups said the bill would improve transparency and help homebuyers avoid surprise tax and escrow increases. The bill was reported favorably after debate about making sure the estimate appears on realtor and platform sites for first-time buyers. SB 110, by Senator Arrington, was amended and then reported favorably. The bill clarifies that people holding 98-year-or-longer residential leases remain eligible for the homestead tax exemption even if the lease ends upon the tenant’s death, aligning those leaseholds with life estates for estate-planning purposes. The amendment, supported by the Florida Bar’s real property, probate and trust law section, clarified that lease provisions terminating at death are valid under current law. SB 434, by Senator Leak, was also reported favorably; it would prevent property tax assessments from reflecting increased just value attributable to wind-hardening improvements such as stronger roof attachments, shutters, and roof-to-wall reinforcements. The committee then received an update from staff director Azar Khan on the new general revenue forecast. He said collections had been running slightly above estimate overall, but the Revenue Estimating Conference reduced corporate income tax projections because of weaker recent collections and uncertainty around tariffs, while increasing some other revenue sources. Members then discussed the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which staff said would significantly reduce Florida corporate income tax revenue, with a large first-year impact driven by retroactive provisions such as bonus depreciation, research expensing, and business interest deductions. Senators and the appropriations chair said the forecast and federal changes would affect budget planning, and the committee adjourned after noting the bills had been favorably reported and the meeting was complete.