Transcript Highlights:

• We go ahead and move on to HB 11174, relating to the procedure for payment under protest lawsuits.
• It allows for the interest earned on payments under protest and the litigated claims fund to be paid
• We go ahead and move on to HB 11174, relating to the procedure for payment under protest lawsuits.
• </c><00:29:20.120><c> under</c> interest earned on payments under interest earned on payments under protest
• </c><00:29:28.480><c> under</c> refiling and actions the payment under refiling and actions the payment

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Summary: The Judiciary Committee continued hearing several bills. HB 399 would create an additional district court judgeship in the First Circuit; it drew support from the Judiciary, Public Defender, State Bar, Financial Services Association, and others, and there was no opposition. HB 560 would appropriate funds for Judiciary contracts with community-based organizations; many service providers and coalition representatives testified in support, emphasizing the growing gap between contract payments and the actual cost of services, especially for domestic violence, youth, legal aid, and other vulnerable populations. HB 648 would establish a two-year pilot program in the First Circuit probate and family court for guardianship and conservatorship-related resources; the Office of the Public Guardian and disability advocates supported it, while suggesting amendments to clarify that the bill refers to professional evaluations, including psychological, neurocognitive, or functional evaluations, rather than just physicians’ letters. The committee also heard HB 990, which appropriates funds for claims against the state, with the Attorney General noting 21 claims totaling about $6.5 million plus two additional resolved claims and requesting corrections to identify two matters as judgments rather than settlements. HB 991 would clarify that the Attorney General may conduct FBI fingerprint-based background checks on contractors and employees; it was supported by the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center and others, with an amendment to include subcontractors. HB 998 would provide that omissions or errors in citations do not require dismissal or reversal if they do not prejudice the defendant; the Attorney General and Honolulu Prosecutor supported it, while one testifier opposed it, and members discussed whether the language adequately protects due process and how it would apply when identifying information is unavailable. Finally, HB 1174 would address payment-under-protest lawsuits by allowing interest earned on certain funds to be paid in non-taxation cases if the claimant prevails and by setting procedures for premature filings. After testimony, the committee moved into decision-making and recommended passage of HB 399, HB 560, HB 648, HB 990, HB 991, HB 998, and HB 1174, generally with amendments where noted, including effective-date changes and the requested clarifications. The measures were adopted, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• This Legislature also passed last year a way for us to at least make payment adjustments to scholarship
• If we made payments to the scholarship funding organizations, if we made payments to the scholarship
• This legislature also passed last year a way for us to at least make payment adjustments to scholarship
• If we made payments to the scholarship funding organizations, if we made payments to the scholarship
• funding organizations, ...to scholarship funding organizations along the way, that if we made payments

Summary: The Pre-K through 12 Budget Subcommittee held its first interim meeting, took roll, and established a quorum. Members introduced themselves, many noting backgrounds in education, school boards, local government, or parenting, and Chair Jenna Persons-Mulicka outlined the committee’s goal of building the fiscal year 2025-26 Pre-K-12 budget. She also reviewed the fiscal year 2024-25 education budget, noting that the Pre-K-12 portion totals about $21 billion, with the Florida Education Finance Program (FEFP) as the largest driver, along with major funding for VPK, school readiness, and school recognition. She explained that federal COVID relief funds have ended and that recent school choice legislation has affected budget structure. Commissioner Manny Diaz and department leaders then gave overviews of their divisions. Diaz highlighted Florida’s education rankings, record graduation rate, progress monitoring, expanded school choice participation, charter school growth, and teacher salary investments, while emphasizing a focus on literacy, math, and early learning. Carrie Miller described the Division of Early Learning’s school readiness and VPK programs, their funding, eligibility, accountability systems, and the importance of kindergarten readiness. Paul Burns outlined the Division of Public Schools’ work on educator quality, literacy, standards, certification, family outreach, federal programs, and school improvement. Suzanne Pridgen reviewed finance and operations functions, including budget management, FEFP calculations, grants, procurement, transportation, and emergency management. Adam Emerson described parental choice programs, including scholarships, charter schools, schools of hope, virtual education, and home education. Darren Norris detailed the Office of Safe Schools’ responsibilities for risk assessments, compliance inspections, threat management, grants, and training created after the Marjory Stoneman Douglas tragedy. Members asked questions about several issues, including whether the Safe Schools office recommends changes to the school safety grant distribution formula, whether early learning eligibility should shift from federal poverty level to state median income, how scholarship payments are verified to avoid funding students who return to public school, and whether daily attendance systems could improve funding accuracy. Other questions addressed hurricane-related survey disruptions, VPK provider reimbursement rates and instructional hours, teacher salary increases, school start time costs, and how voucher schools handle IEP accommodations. Department officials generally said some issues remain under review, supported moving school readiness eligibility to SMI, noted that scholarship and enrollment data are cross-checked and adjusted when needed, and said progress monitoring now helps schools support mobile students. On school safety, officials said exemptions are allowed in statute for some items but not for classroom doors, and that district-specific conditions matter. No votes were taken and no formal actions were reported beyond receiving presentations and discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• just trying to ensure that Idahoans have the ability to negotiate for a lower price and that those payments
• Did I make sure I heard on the record that I can negotiate payments with him for a lower rate?
• Have you seen the difference between a coded rate to an insurance company versus a cash payment, what
• They receive payment on the date of service and then the administrative costs of not having to submit
• "They receive payment on the date of service and then the administrative costs of not having to submit

Committee: House Business

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:

• IT WILL ALSO HELP US RESOLVE OUR CURRENT PAYMENT ERROR RATE FINDINGS THE AGENCY HAS HAD AROUND RISK BASED
• IT'S FOUNDATIONAL FOR CLAIMS PAYMENT MANAGED CARE AND COUNTER PROCESSING AND CAPITATION PAYMENTS AND
• THEN THAT HAS A CASCADING EFFECT ON THE TURNAROUND TIME AS FAR AS PAYMENT.
• AND THEN THAT HAS A CASCADING EFFECT ON THE TURNAROUND TIME ON INVOICE PAYMENT.
• AND SO IT WAS IMPORTANT WE WORK ON OUR INTERNAL PROCESSES TO MAKE SURE WE COULD GET PAYMENT OUT IN A

Transcript Highlights:

• prevent erroneous payments, the focus on<04:51:27.360><c> improper</c><04:51:28.080><c> payments</c>
• Uh I easy access to their payments.
• </c> eligibility and a pulse before payments eligibility and a pulse before payments go<05:01:45.040>
• </c> million in fraud and improper payments million in fraud and improper payments in<05:01:56.080><c
• </c> their Social Security payments cut. their Social Security payments cut.

Bills: HB6504 , HB6500 , HB2683 , SB269 , HB6732 , HB6715 , HB6719 , SB3424 , HR909

Keywords: Haiti, duty-free imports, economic recovery, trade, Caribbean Basin, tariff, apparel, remote access, national security, export controls, cloud computing, foreign policy, international relations, improper payments, deceased, social security, federal coordination, state agencies, coercion, minors

Transcript Highlights:

• We do not call, text, or send demands for payment. We don't threaten litigation or eviction.
• If simply sending out a bill and accepting payment constitutes debt collection, then virtually every
• It has nothing to do with asking them, or at least forcing, a debt payment.
• It has nothing to do with asking them, or at least forcing, a debt payment.
• This is an important bill as more Californians rely on digital wallets and peer-to-peer payment platforms

Summary: The Assembly Banking and Finance Committee met with a quorum, took up its consent calendar, and passed SB 946 and SB 700 on a do-pass motion to the next committee. The committee then heard SB 546 by Senator Grayson, presented by Assembly Member Blanca Rubio, which would clarify that third-party billing administrators are not debt collectors when they are only performing administrative billing services. Supporters from Conservis Utility Billing Management and the California Apartment Association said the bill reflects the original intent of the Debt Collection Licensing Act, would reduce compliance uncertainty, and still preserves consumer protections by barring coercive collection practices. There was no opposition, and the bill passed on a unanimous roll call to the Committee on Appropriations. The committee also heard SB 505 by Senator Richardson, presented by Assembly Member Maggie Krell, which would require digital wallet providers and money transmitters operating in California to use two-factor or multi-factor authentication for logins. Support came from the National Consumer Law Center, while TechNet said it was currently opposed but working with the author on amendments. Members discussed balancing security with convenience for trusted devices and users. The bill passed unanimously on a do-pass motion to the Committee on Appropriations, and the committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• We do not call, text, or send demands for payment. We don't threaten litigation or eviction.
• If simply sending out a bill and accepting payment constitutes debt collection, then virtually every
• It has nothing to do with asking them or, at least, forcing a debt payment.
• It has nothing to do with asking them or, at least, forcing a debt payment.
• This is an important bill as more Californians rely on digital wallets and peer-to-peer payment platforms

Committee: House Banking and Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• Our managed care capitation payments, which includes our capitation payments made to our managed care
• :53.920><c> our</c><00:08:54.160><c> our</c> payments which includes our our payments which includes
• :08:56.640><c> our</c><00:08:57.120><c> uh</c> capitation payments made to our uh capitation payments
• And what drives capitation payments.
• </c><00:55:37.520><c> that</c> but we we do have directed payments that but we we do have directed payments

Summary: The House Budget Review Subcommittee on Health and Family Services met for an overview of the Department for Medicaid Services budget. Commissioner Lisa Lee and CFO Steve Beal described Kentucky Medicaid enrollment at about 1.4 million members, including more than 600,000 children, and said the agency’s 2025 total budget was $20.6 billion. They reviewed enrollment trends before, during, and after the COVID-19 public health emergency, noting that redeterminations begun in 2023 reduced enrollment from its peak but that total membership remains above pre-COVID levels. They also explained the difference between the fee-for-service population, which includes long-term care and waiver members, and managed care members, and gave examples of the kinds of services and diagnoses seen in each group. A major focus was the governor’s recommended Medicaid budget and the department’s forecast process. Lee said the budget is split into benefits and administration, with benefits covering fee-for-service services, managed care capitation, transportation, and Medicare premiums, while administration covers contracts, personnel, operating costs, and IT-related advanced planning documents. She said the department uses a consensus forecasting group and actuary input, and that its forecasts have been within 1% of actual spending in recent years. The department also said the governor’s budget includes new waiver slots to address waiting lists, a 2% staff COLA, and a 10% phase-down on state-directed payments beginning in January 2028. Much of the discussion centered on House Resolution 1 and the funding needed to implement its Medicaid-related provisions, including community engagement requirements, six-month redeterminations, and future cost sharing. Lee said the department requested about $35 million in total funds for fiscal 2027, including about $8.2 million in general funds for system changes to the integrated eligibility system, claims processing, notices, and monitoring; and about $11 million in fiscal 2028 for ongoing maintenance, with about $1.6 million in general funds. She said the department expects to seek federal APD matching funds for the IT work. In response to questions, she explained that community engagement would apply to Medicaid expansion members, with qualifying activities including work, school, volunteering, or equivalent income, and that certain groups such as pregnant women, children, caretaker relatives, and some people with chronic disease or substance use disorder would be excluded. She said the department identified roughly 70,000 expansion members who could be subject to the requirement. No votes or formal actions were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• There were a couple who decided that when it comes to late tax payments, well, let me back up.
• When it comes to late tax payments, a fee is assessed...
• until the payment is made.
• When it comes to late tax payments, a fee is assessed, a Well, let me back up.
• until the payment is made.

Transcript Highlights:

• So this payment back will be less than what we are currently paying for ADFA.
• Its monthly payment is $100 a month, just making it up. And so... ...going to be paid off.
• Its monthly payment is $100 a month, just making it up.
• And so now they're about to take out another, you know, $4.7 million, five-year loan whose payment is
• Some of them have very specific uses that are used for quarterly payments to providers.

Committee: All ALC-PEER

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

Committee: Senate Finance and Tax

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.

Transcript Highlights:

• So when Service Credit Union approached me, the practical effect being you can drop a down payment if
• increase the amount of housing being built in short order because it reduces the equity and down payment
• ><00:10:45.279><c> equity</c><00:10:45.600><c> and</c><00:10:45.800><c> down</c><00:10:46.120><c> payment
• </c><00:10:46.440><c> you</c> reduces the equity and down payment you reduces the equity and down payment
• </c><00:11:30.880><c> and</c> will reduce those down payments and will reduce those down payments and

Committee: Senate Commerce

Transcript Highlights:

• And that is the number one concern of mine, that if we do not get directed payments and support for HCMC
• And that is the number one concern of mine, that if we do not get directed payments and support for HCMC
• And that is the number one concern of mine, that if we do not get directed payments and support for HCMC
• And that is the number one concern of mine, that if we do not get directed payments and support for HCMC
• </c> that if we do not get directed payments that if we do not get directed payments and<00:13:02.600

Committee: Senate Rules and Administration

Transcript Highlights:

• That doesn't, does this also prevent people from setting up that automatic payment on their own from
• So they could still set up automatic payment on their own.
• That doesn't, does this also prevent people from setting up that automatic payment on their own from
• from setting up that automatic payment on their own from their paycheck.
• So they could still set up automatic payment on their own.

Committee: House Legislative Review

Summary: The Committee on Legislative Review met with five members present and took up two public hearings: House Bill 369 and House Bill 3465. On HB 369, Representative Simmons said the bill would let school employees join or leave teachers’ unions at any time and would prohibit school districts from automatically deducting union dues from paychecks, citing the Janus decision and arguing members should pay directly rather than through payroll deduction. Committee members questioned why the bill was needed, whether unions and school districts had been consulted, whether current law already allows opt-in/opt-out at any time, and whether the bill would affect other payroll deductions. Opposition testimony from Missouri NEA, Missouri State Teachers Association, and the Missouri AFL-CIO said the bill was unnecessary, targeted unions, could create administrative burdens, and might raise constitutional concerns; they emphasized that payroll deduction is already voluntary and that members can cancel membership at any time. No vote was taken on HB 369 during the hearing. The committee then heard HB 3465, a severability bill sponsored by Representative Keithley. He explained that it would create a broader severability standard so that if part of a legislative act is found unconstitutional, the rest could remain in effect unless there is clear and convincing evidence the legislature would not have passed the act without the invalid provision. He said the bill is intended to give courts clearer guidance and preserve the remainder of legislation when possible. Questions from members focused on how this differs from existing severability law and whether it would improperly direct the courts; Keithley responded that it clarifies legislative intent and applies to procedural as well as substantive constitutional issues. Supporters, including Campaign Life Missouri, said the bill would apply to bills, joint resolutions, and concurrent resolutions and would give courts a clearer standard. There was no opposition testimony on HB 3465, and the hearing concluded with no further business and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• things up while we can and while we have this opportunity, as we prepare for those reduced federal payments
• The phased down or the reduced payments to the hospitals don't start to phase down until FY 28.
• Chair, Senator Brandt, I'm typically talking about the hospital payment reductions that will go down
• We are going to have to reduce those provider payments down to 100% of Medicare, and it gives us a period
• of time by which we can phase those payments down.

Committee: Senate Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• to the Leech Lake band payments.
• So in actuality, the bands have been receiving a payment in FY 24 and 25, approximately $6 million a
• </c><00:58:24.559><c> Lake</c><00:58:24.799><c> band</c><00:58:25.200><c> payments</c><00:58:26.160><
• c> so</c> off to the Leech Lake band payments so off to the Leech Lake band payments so in<00:58:26.720
• </c><00:58:50.079><c> if</c> calculate the 1854 treaty payments if calculate the 1854 treaty payments

Committee: House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• MDE received complaints that Feeding Our Future had demanded kickback payments from vendors to serve
• payments.
• </c><00:59:02.319><c> in</c> precluded from issuing a stop payment in precluded from issuing a stop payment
• </c> that if MDA were to issue a stop payment that if MDA were to issue a stop payment that<00:59:07.640
• </c><00:59:25.280><c> and</c> issue on on trying to stop payments and issue on on trying to stop payments

Committee: House Education Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• I think it's called the Payment Stablecoin Act, and that bill has been worked on since earlier 2024,
• <00:14:07.079><c> the</c><00:14:07.240><c> payment</c><00:14:07.600><c> stable</c><00:14:08.519><c> stable
• </c><00:14:08.959><c> coin</c> payment the payment stable stable coin payment the payment stable stable
• </c><03:44:11.319><c> system</c><03:44:12.120><c> Hospital</c> the inpatient payment system Hospital
• </c> hardship whatsoever I worked out payment hardship whatsoever I worked out payment plans<05:13:34.320

Summary: The House Commerce Committee opened a public hearing on House Bill 310, sponsored by Representative Keith Ammon, which would create a study commission to develop a legal framework for stable tokens and tokenized real-world assets. Ammon described stable tokens as blockchain-based digital tokens backed by U.S. dollars or treasuries, and tokenized real-world assets as representations of ownership in items such as gold, real estate, or artwork. He said the bill is intended to help New Hampshire get ahead of emerging financial markets while waiting to see how federal legislation develops. Committee members asked about the purpose of the bill, the difference between this proposal and Bitcoin, whether state regulation could be preempted by federal law, and whether the commission could be balanced and avoid becoming a vehicle for fraud or money laundering. Ammon said the proposal is blockchain-agnostic, could apply to multiple networks, and is meant to regulate asset-backed tokens rather than create a state-issued coin. He emphasized that the state would not be guaranteeing the underlying assets, but would set rules requiring audits, proof of reserves, and honest representation of backing, with the Secretary of State’s securities office involved in oversight. Several members raised concerns about the risks of stablecoins, including money laundering, tax evasion, and possible harm to the dollar or confusion about whether the state was endorsing a new currency. Ammon responded that the bill would not undermine the dollar and argued that tokenization could actually expand demand for U.S. currency by making it easier to use globally. He also said the state would not be in the business of weighing assets or directly valuing them, only ensuring a valid audit trail and one-to-one backing. The discussion ended with general agreement that the subject is complex and that a commission could help develop future legislation, but no vote or final action was taken in the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Supplemental payments to local law enforcement personnel is recommended for $147.1 million, and this
• , Public Safety Services, the Office of Management and Finance administers payments to police officers
• The current payments are for energy services company projects at OJ Swanson at Monroe and LCIW.
• The current payment which were sold for construction, improvement, and facility purchases.
• The current payments are for energy services company, OJ Swanson at Monroe, and LCIW.

Committee: House Appropriations