Video & Transcript Research : 'IRS'

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MN

Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session

Committee on Jobs and Economic Development - 02/19/25

Jobs and Economic Development

Transcript Highlights:
  • Our public disclosures of revenues, expenses, salaries, and more through the annual IRS Form 990 is publicly
  • And if you read IRS code, that's what they talk about.
  • and<01:37:31.760> if<01:37:31.840> you<01:37:31.960> read<01:37:32.239> IRS
  • <01:37:33.000> code<01:37:33.719> that's society and if you read IRS code that's society
  • and if you read IRS code that's what<01:37:34.080> they<01:37:34.239> talk what they talk
Keywords: 1187, senate, all
KY
Transcript Highlights:
  • The system complies with all IRS Publication 1075 and Commonwealth security standards.
  • The system complies with all IRS<01:09:34.159> publication<01:09:34.799> 1075<01:09:35.920
  • > and<01:09:36.319> Commonwealth IRS publication 1075 and Commonwealth IRS publication
Summary: The committee met on November 5, 2025, and first approved the minutes after a moment of silence for the UPS airport tragedy. The main presentation was from the Personnel Cabinet on the state health insurance plans and executive branch salary schedule adjustments. Officials said the health plan covers roughly 265,000 active members and up to about 300,000 across all benefit offerings, including school board employees, retirees, and other eligible groups. They described rising claims and expenditures, especially from high-cost claimants and pharmacy spending, and said recent premium and benefit changes were intended to balance costs while preserving recruitment and retention efforts. They also explained that employee premiums had not increased for several years, while employer contributions rose sharply in recent years, and projected a 10% employer increase and 3% employee increase going forward based on actuarial analysis. Committee members asked about deductibles, GLP-1 drug costs, claims validation, and the causes of cost growth; officials said the plan uses multiple payment-integrity vendors and that the increases reflect utilization, drug trends, and high-cost cases rather than a change in coverage. The committee also discussed executive branch salary schedule adjustments. Personnel and budget officials explained that when the legislature approves annual pay increases, the salary schedule is adjusted by the same percentage through executive order so the minimum and midpoint stay aligned with approved compensation levels. They said the 2025 adjustment was a 3% match effective September 16 and that the change was costless because salaries had already been increased. Members raised concerns about salary compression, noting that new hires can sometimes be paid near the level of long-serving employees. Officials said the adjustment helps prevent compression from worsening but does not solve it, and they acknowledged prior RFP efforts to address the issue were unsuccessful because no qualified bidder met the requirements. After the health plan and salary discussions, the committee began a presentation from the Cabinet for Health and Family Services on Kentucky’s senior meal program. Secretary Stack explained that the program is a federal-state-local partnership under the Older Americans Act, with area development districts helping deliver services. He outlined eligibility rules, noting that congregate meals at senior centers are available to people age 60 and older, with a spouse of any age allowed to join, and that home-delivered meals have additional homebound and assistance requirements. Members asked whether there was any means test for congregate meals, and the secretary said there is not; the only threshold is age for the center-based meals, while the home-delivered program has additional criteria.
KY
Transcript Highlights:
  • So, if you have a 1099 recipient, the IRS announced, I think it was at the end of August or early August
  • Um,<00:15:10.880> the<00:15:11.120> IRS<00:15:11.839> announced,<00:15:12.720>
  • 12.880> think<00:15:12.959> it<00:15:13.040> was<00:15:13.120> at Um, the IRS
  • announced, I think it was at Um, the IRS announced, I think it was at the<00:15:13.440> end<00
Summary: The committee first approved the minutes and heard a brief member introduction before taking up an overview of major tax provisions in HR1, referred to by the presenters as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Representatives from the Kentucky Society of CPAs explained new federal deductions for tips, overtime, and car loan interest; a new tax-favored “Trump account” for children; expanded bonus depreciation and Section 179 expensing for businesses; changes to R&D expensing; and a new limit on wagering loss deductions. Members asked several clarifying questions about the duration of the provisions, W-2 and 1099 reporting changes, and how overtime deductions would work. The presenters emphasized that tips and overtime remain subject to payroll taxes and that many of the business provisions are permanent, while the individual deductions are temporary through 2028 or otherwise phased in over time. The discussion then shifted to individual and nonprofit provisions, including the increase in the state and local tax itemized deduction cap from $10,000 to $40,000 with income-based phaseouts, the temporary senior deduction, and a new deduction for car loan interest with income limits and vehicle qualifications. On charitable giving, the presenters described a permanent nonitemizer deduction, new floors for individual and corporate charitable deductions, and a new scholarship-granting organization credit that would allow donors to receive a dollar-for-dollar federal credit up to $1,700, beginning in 2027. Members focused heavily on the SGO provision, asking about state implementation, oversight, whether churches would qualify, and whether the credit could support both public and private education. The presenters said the state would need to establish the mechanism and that additional federal guidance is still pending. After the tax presentation, the committee heard from the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce on workforce issues, with a focus on child care and housing as barriers to labor force participation. Chamber representatives said they were not proposing large new government programs, but rather targeted policy recommendations for the 2026 session. They described Kentucky’s long-term decline in workforce participation since 2000, attributing much of it to demographic change, an aging population, and fewer younger workers entering the labor force. The presentation continued into a broader discussion of workforce trends and the need for practical policy responses, but no votes or formal actions were taken on these informational items.
LA

Louisiana 2026 Regular Session

Insurance May 12th, 2026

Insurance

Transcript Highlights:
  • Form 89-25, an IRS form that the employee is required to file each year with their tax return, says that
Summary: The House Insurance Committee met on May 12 with a quorum present and first took up Senate Bill 341, which would expand the Louisiana churches and nonprofit religious organizations self-insured fund from property-only coverage to broader commercial coverage, including liability, contents, wind and hail, and loss-of-use protections. The sponsor and Department of Insurance said the bill was the product of agreement among the parties and was intended to help churches and nonprofits, including smaller congregations, obtain affordable coverage. After adopting technical amendments, the committee reported SB 341 as amended without objection. The committee then considered Senate Bill 509 on bank-owned life insurance (BOLI), which would clarify insurable interest and allow exchanges of underperforming policies. The sponsor, industry representatives, and the Department of Insurance discussed how banks use these policies for employee benefit funding, the role of 1035 exchanges, consent requirements, and concerns about federal tax issues and state insurable-interest language. Because the parties were still working toward a solution, the committee adopted a technical amendment but voluntarily deferred SB 509 until the following week. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 464 on coverage for severe obesity treatment, which would create a framework for partially implementing the bariatric surgery mandate based on available appropriations. The sponsor and the Department of Insurance said the bill would let the state cover a proportional share of expected surgeries if only part of the required funding is provided. The committee reported SB 464 favorably without objection, and then adjourned.
LA

Louisiana 2026 Regular Session

Insurance May 12th, 2026

Insurance

Transcript Highlights:
  • Form 8925, an IRS form that the employee is required to file each year with their tax return, says that
Keywords: 965, house, all
Summary: The House Insurance Committee met with a quorum and took up three Senate bills. Senate Bill 341, by Senator Edmonds, was amended with technical changes and reported as amended. The bill expands the Louisiana churches and nonprofit religious organizations’ self-insured fund from a property-only pool to broader commercial coverage, including premises liability, fraud, contents, wind and hail, and loss-of-use coverage. Testimony from the sponsor and the Department of Insurance emphasized that the measure was intended to help churches and nonprofits, including smaller congregations, while preserving solvency requirements for the fund. The committee then heard Senate Bill 509, by Senator Cloud, concerning bank-owned life insurance (BOLI). The sponsor, bank and insurance industry representatives, and the Department of Insurance discussed allowing banks to exchange underperforming policies for better-performing ones under 1035 exchanges, while clarifying insurable-interest and consent issues. Members raised questions about former employees, split-dollar arrangements, and whether additional consent would be needed. Because the parties were still working on a solution, the committee adopted a technical amendment but voluntarily deferred the bill until the following week. Finally, Senate Bill 464, by Senator Barrow, was presented by Ryan Haney and the Department of Insurance as a framework to cover severe obesity treatment, including bariatric surgery. The bill would allow the state to partially implement the mandate based on the amount of funding appropriated, rather than requiring full funding up front. Supporters said the measure could reduce long-term health costs and align Louisiana more closely with neighboring states. The committee reported the bill favorably, and the meeting then adjourned.
TX

Texas 89th 2nd C.S.

Ways & Means May 12th, 2025

Ways & Means

Transcript Highlights:
  • to what's reported on the federal return, which allows the comptroller to leverage the work that the IRS
NH

New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session

House Finance Division I (01/22/2025)

Transcript Highlights:
  • The IRS has pretty stringent rules and restrictions on security of the information that they provide
  • 01:16:20.120> has<01:16:20.480> pretty<01:16:21.000> stringent information the IRS
  • and lastly um through rims we have IRS and lastly um through rims we have established<01:16:46.800><
  • We are usually two percentage points ahead of the IRS interest rate at a certain period of time.
  • time so we're usually looking at the IRS time so we're usually looking at the IRS interest<01:18
Keywords: 928, house, all
Summary: New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority officials, led by Executive Director Rob Dapice, briefed legislators on the agency’s structure and funding. They explained that the authority is created by state law but is not a state agency, its debt is not state debt, and it is governed by a board appointed by the governor and approved by the Executive Council. The discussion focused on the Affordable Housing Fund and the lead paint hazard remediation fund, including how state appropriations and federal resources are combined to finance affordable rental housing and lead abatement work. Dapice said the Affordable Housing Fund is used as gap financing for multifamily affordable housing projects, typically alongside federal tax credits and tax-exempt bonds, and that state dollars leverage roughly 2:1 to 10:1 in additional federal and private investment, averaging about 4:1. He said the fund has received historic appropriations in recent budgets, including $30 million over the last two biennial budgets and an annual $5 million set-aside from the real estate transfer tax. He also said the fund is usually structured as 0% interest, deferred loans rather than grants, with repayments returning to the fund if projects generate cash flow. Members asked about rents, oversight, staffing, revenues, and whether the programs had added positions. Dapice said affordability restrictions generally last 30 to 99 years, rents are tied to income limits and capped so tenants pay no more than 30% of income, and compliance staff inspect properties regularly to verify income eligibility and rent limits. He said the organization has about 130 to 135 employees, down from about 145, with no new positions added because of the appropriations. He estimated total revenues at roughly $300 million, with administrative budget around $22 million, much of it pass-through grant money. On lead paint remediation, he said the state first appropriated $6 million in 2019, plus $1 million in ARPA funds, and that the program has cleared more than 500 units. He said the federal grant program is not annual or predictable, with a recent award of about $7.75 million, and that the maximum federal grant per unit is $177,000, typically paired with up to $100,000 in state loan support. He also noted that the program can address homes before a child is poisoned if lead hazards are identified, but that cases involving an already exposed child are a higher priority. No votes or formal actions were taken.
MA
Transcript Highlights:
  • IRS data has also shown that in recent years, 44% of these out-migrants were under the age of 35 in their
  • Massachusetts is negative for every single age bracket and every single income bracket tracked by the IRS
Keywords: 995, all
Summary: The Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions held a public hearing on Initiative Petition 25-03, House Bill 5000, which would allow single-family homes on small lots in areas with adequate infrastructure. Committee chairs outlined the Article 48 process and the hearing format, then heard first from two subject-matter experts. Under Secretary Chris Clutchman of Housing and Livable Communities explained that the proposal would amend Chapter 40A’s Section 3 (the Dover Amendment) to require most municipalities, except Boston, to allow single-family homes on residentially zoned lots of at least 5,000 square feet with 50 feet of frontage and access to public water and sewer, while still allowing reasonable local regulations on setbacks, height, bulk, and short-term rentals. He distinguished the proposal from Chapter 40Y starter-home zoning, said implementation would likely require regulations to address issues such as wetlands, infrastructure capacity, and nonconforming lots, and answered committee questions about lot subdivision, MBTA Communities, and the relationship to existing zoning tools. Attorney Susan Murphy testified that the petition would significantly override local zoning and could create conflicts with existing statutes, including Chapter 40A Section 6 protections for certain nonconforming lots, subdivision control law, and other residential zoning districts. She raised concerns about how “access” to water and sewer would be defined, whether the measure could apply in business or industrial districts where residential uses are allowed, and whether the proposal could allow large homes on small lots without any affordability limits. She also warned that the measure could have significant infrastructure impacts and argued that the Legislature should consider broader, more comprehensive housing legislation rather than expanding exceptions to the zoning framework. Committee members asked both experts about frontage, lot size, infrastructure capacity, and how the proposal would interact with 40Y and MBTA Communities. The proponents, led by Andrew McCulla of the Legalized Starter Homes Coalition, argued that Massachusetts faces a severe housing shortage and affordability crisis, citing high home prices, high rents, declining listings, and outmigration of younger residents. They said the measure would legalize modest single-family homes on smaller lots, increase housing supply, and help first-time buyers and downsizing seniors, while leaving most other local rules in place. Other proponents, including representatives from Abundant Housing Massachusetts, the Charles River Regional Chamber, and individual residents, emphasized workforce retention, the need for more starter homes, and the view that large minimum lot sizes are a major barrier to production. Committee members pressed the panel on the lack of any home-size or affordability requirement, possible effects on 40B compliance, the number of new lots and homes that might result, and the fact that the ballot initiative would not be amendable by the Legislature. The hearing then turned to opponents from the Massachusetts Municipal Association, who urged the committee to take no action. MMA leaders said zoning should remain a local decision made by residents and elected local officials, and argued that the proposal would preempt local control with a one-size-fits-all mandate. They also said the measure is impractical because many communities with water and sewer are already at or near capacity, so infrastructure availability does not necessarily mean development capacity. The hearing ended during the MMA’s testimony, with no vote or final committee action taken.
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Committee on Taxes - 03/05/26

Taxes

Transcript Highlights:
  • Minnesota passed our PTE tax in 2021 as soon as the IRS approved of the concept in late 2020.
  • Minnesota passed our PTE tax in 2021 as soon as the IRS approved of the concept in late 2020.
Keywords: 1187, senate, all
AZ

Arizona 2026 Regular Session

02/18/2026 - House International Trade

International Trade

Transcript Highlights:
  • Self-regulation, I wish the IRS would allow us to self-regulate. They don't.
  • So the comment to that testimony is this: One, self-regulation is like the IRS, us trying to regulate
Summary: The committee first heard a presentation from Berthold Barak Karlich of Benor Capital on investment, innovation, and trade from a European perspective. He argued that legacy is about enabling future generations through open, connected systems rather than isolation, highlighted Austria’s “hidden champion” SMEs and strong education/research base, and said innovation thrives through international collaboration. He also discussed AI and deep tech investment, emphasizing photonic computing and the need to support hardware that enables future AI systems. In response to questions, he said Arizona appears friendly and strong in deep tech and that he will explore opportunities there. The committee then considered HB 2746, which creates a study committee on trade offices under the Arizona Commerce Authority to review existing trade offices, gather stakeholder input, and make recommendations. Members discussed oversight of Arizona’s trade offices in several countries and the need to evaluate effectiveness. The bill passed with a due pass recommendation by a 7-0 vote. HB 2750, which establishes the Arizona-Sonora Trade Commission to improve trade, commerce, and tourism ties with Sonora, Mexico, also passed, with some members expressing interest in further discussion about its relationship to the Arizona-Mexico Commission; it received a 5-1-1 recommendation. The committee next took up HB 4036, a bill regulating compounded GLP-1 weight-loss drugs and related bulk drug substances, including restrictions on sale and distribution, testing and sourcing requirements, advertising disclosures, penalties, and pharmacy board inspection authority. Supporters, including representatives from Novo Nordisk and the Partnership for Safe Medicines, argued the bill addresses unsafe imported ingredients, misleading advertising, and a surge in unregulated compounded weight-loss products. Opponents from the Arizona Pharmacy Association, a compounding pharmacist, and a physician said the bill would burden lawful compounders, raise costs, reduce access, and could affect other legitimate compounded medications. After extensive debate, the motion for a due pass recommendation failed on a 5-5 tie. Finally, the committee heard a strike-everything amendment to HB 2765 creating a vapor product manufacturer licensing framework, fees, penalties, and Department of Revenue oversight aimed at stopping smuggled vape products. The sponsor said the measure was intended to target illegal imports and protect children, while opponents from the Vapor Technology Association and Arizona Innovates argued it would burden lawful businesses and that the real problem is illegal actors and targeted enforcement. The discussion continued with questions about federal law, flavored vape products, and whether the bill would affect compliant manufacturers, but the transcript ends before any final vote on HB 2765.
AZ

Arizona 2026 Regular Session

02/10/2026 - House Natural Resources, Energy & Water

Natural Resources, Energy & Water

Transcript Highlights:
  • You know, I have worked with several agencies—federal agencies—that are, um, immigration, passport, IRS
  • And I think it's a little... ...that are, um, immigration, passport, IRS, veterans, Social Security,
Summary: The committee on Natural Resources, Energy and Water heard and advanced several bills and memorials focused on water policy, mining, environmental regulation, and professional licensing. HB 2260, a veterinary board measure, HB 2986, an ADEQ cleanup/omnibus bill, and HB 2827, which extends Pinal AMA groundwater fee authority and related fund deadlines, all received due pass recommendations on unanimous 10-0 votes. HB 2078, clarifying that public notice for new aggregate mine reclamation plans applies only to new plans and can be satisfied by certain local notices, also passed 9-1 after testimony from the sponsor and mining industry representatives. HCM 2009, urging Congress to amend the Antiquities Act, address split estate mineral rights, and streamline mining permits, passed 5-4 along party lines and drew support from mining interests and opposition from members concerned about federal land protection and monuments. HCR 2038, supporting a seven-state Colorado River agreement, passed 9-1 with testimony emphasizing the importance of a negotiated river settlement to Arizona’s economy, food supply, and national security. The committee then took up a series of water-management bills that generated more extensive debate. HB 2026, which narrows how ADWR evaluates water availability by focusing on proposed dedicated supplies even if commingled in delivery systems, passed 6-4 despite concerns that it echoed previously vetoed language and could weaken water security. HB 2027, as amended, would limit application of Pinal AMA-style rules in the Phoenix AMA and alter physical-availability review for applicants enrolled in the Central Arizona Groundwater Replenishment District; it passed 6-4 after strong opposition from CAP, municipal water users, and ADWR, who warned it could undermine assured water supply designations and CAGRD obligations, while home builders argued it was a fairness issue for development. HB 2028, removing ADWR’s exemption from appealable administrative-completeness determinations, passed 6-4 over agency concerns that it would turn deficiency letters into formal appeals and add workload, while supporters said it would give applicants the same legal rights as other regulated parties. The committee also approved HB 2031, an emergency measure setting a deadline for filing grandfathered groundwater rights in the Wilcox AMA, on a 5-4 vote, and HB 2094, which would require ADWR to re-review certain assured water supply determinations and retroactively validate some applications using specified models, also on a 5-4 vote; both were described as similar to previously vetoed measures. The transcript ends as the committee begins HB 2095, which would expand the factors ADWR considers in determining groundwater depth and physical availability for assured water supply applications, with an amendment being explained but no final action captured in the excerpt.
WA
Transcript Highlights:
  • They indicate that they are from the IRS, and if you don't give the person in the box or in the driveway
  • They're from the IRS. Authority figures that most people are not going to question.
Summary: The committee began with a work session on the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee’s cannabis market study, presented by JLARC staff member Susanna Pratt. The report found Washington’s cannabis production in 2023 was likely two to three times higher than retail sales, with production estimated at 292,000 to 443,000 pounds of THC versus 139,000 pounds sold. Pratt explained that canopy data are inconsistent and that the Liquor and Cannabis Board’s traceability system is incomplete and unreliable, limiting data-driven regulation, tax verification, recall tracking, and diversion enforcement. JLARC recommended that LCB submit a plan by the end of 2025 for obtaining accurate licensee data by the end of 2026; LCB partially concurred and said a 2027 timeline may be more realistic. JLARC also concluded that the social equity producer licenses would likely have only a minimal effect on statewide production capacity, and suggested the legislature consider broader ways to increase equity in the industry. Members asked about the slow issuance of social equity licenses and about comparable traceability systems in other states. The committee then heard a series of presentations on fraud and scam prevention. Paul Benda of the American Bankers Association described the scale of fraud losses, the role of telecom spoofing, social media scam ads, SIM farms, and crypto ATMs, and argued for a shared-responsibility approach involving banks, telecoms, and platforms. Katie Clark of IQ Credit Union described member-to-member fraud, romance scams, and the operational and financial impacts on credit unions, and recommended better information sharing, safe harbors for returning scam-related funds, and stronger fraud education. Kyle Innes of SIFMA highlighted investor fraud and Washington’s 2009 report-and-hold law, which he said helped shape similar protections in most states, and emphasized the need for better communication among financial firms, APS, and law enforcement. Brian Gerard and Ali Higgs from the Department of Financial Institutions discussed “pig butchering” and other investment scams, focusing on how scammers build trust through social media, dating apps, fake websites, and crypto schemes before extracting funds. Across the fraud presentations, witnesses repeatedly stressed consumer education, interagency information sharing, and stronger controls on telecom, social media, and crypto ATM activity. Members asked about model laws from other states, the role of financial education in schools, and whether crypto ATMs should be regulated or banned. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the meeting.
NH
Transcript Highlights:
  • I then asked the question, we're an IRS Section 115 government entity.
  • > asked the asked the question,<01:20:17.600> we're<01:20:17.840> an<01:20:18.000> IRS
  • <01:20:18.560> section<01:20:19.040> 115 question, we're an IRS section 115 question
  • , we're an IRS section 115 government<01:20:20.159> entity.
  • It was a misunderstanding between the secretary or the IRS and health trust with respect to the requirement
Keywords: 1189, house, all
Summary: The subcommittee took up the pooled risk management program bill and reviewed a new amendment drafted with input from the Insurance Department and Legislative Services. Department witnesses explained that the proposal would move oversight of pooled risk management programs from the Secretary of State’s office to the Insurance Department, add a licensure requirement, preserve the programs’ non-insurer status, and exempt them from third-party administrator licensure. They also described a series of solvency tools in the draft, including financial reporting, risk-based capital standards, minimum capitalization, investment limits, commissioner examination and enforcement authority, rulemaking authority, merger and affiliate-transaction review, confidentiality protections, and a separability clause. A major theme of the discussion was that pooled risk management programs differ from commercial insurers because the risk remains with the member local governments rather than being backed by a state guarantee fund. Witnesses said the bill is designed to emphasize solvency over return of premium and to give the Insurance Department a regulatory “toolbox” to prevent insolvency, including a proposed $5 million excess or stop-loss coverage benchmark, optional accessible policies, and a requirement that boards vote on dividends or premium returns when capital exceeds 600% of risk-based capital. Members questioned how this approach differed from the original Secretary of State bill and whether assessments on towns would still be possible; the department responded that the new framework would allow more flexible oversight and alternatives to immediate court action. The committee also discussed why the statute should continue to say the programs are not insurers, with the department explaining that this preserves their autonomy and avoids applying unrelated insurance laws and premium taxes. Members asked about the department’s workload and were told the department believed it could absorb the new duties without additional funding. No vote or final committee action was taken in the portion provided.
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Capital Investment Committee 3/18/25

Capital Investment

Transcript Highlights:
  • There's a manual review process underway with the IRS, but we are hopeful that we'll receive this relatively
  • There's a manual review process underway with the IRS, but we are hopeful that we'll receive this relatively
  • :29.720> the manual review process underway with the manual review process underway with the IRS
  • 30.760> are<00:42:31.240> hopeful<00:42:31.559> that<00:42:31.680> we'll IRS
  • but we are hopeful that we'll IRS but we are hopeful that we'll receive<00:42:32.280> this<00
Keywords: 1183, house
MN

Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session

House Health Finance and Policy Committee 1/22/25

Health Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:
  • Riverview Health has been in existence since 1898, and we have been designated by the IRS as a publicly
  • Riverview Health has been in existence since 1898, and we have been designated by the IRS as a publicly
  • 1898 and we have been designated<00:31:34.679> by<00:31:34.840> the<00:31:35.039> IRS
  • <00:31:35.799> as<00:31:36.000> a<00:31:36.279> publicly designated by the IRS
  • as a publicly designated by the IRS as a publicly supported<00:31:37.440> tax<00:31:37.840>
Keywords: 1183, house
Summary: The Health Finance and Policy Committee heard testimony from the Minnesota Hospital Association and several hospital leaders about the financial strain facing hospitals across Minnesota. The association’s CEO said hospitals are essential 24/7 safety-net providers, but rising labor, supply, technology, and drug costs are outpacing reimbursement from Medicaid, Medicare, and commercial payers. He warned that many not-for-profit hospitals are struggling, that workforce shortages remain significant, and that the committee should consider help on Medicaid rates, discharge/boarding problems, mental health services, workforce development, protecting the 340B drug discount program, and avoiding new mandates that add costs. Relle Schultz of Winona Health described a community hospital with a 49-bed facility and long-term care services that has faced years of losses, including a $17 million loss in 2023 and $12 million in losses the following year. She said government payers now make up about 65% of the hospital’s mix, and each 1% increase in that mix costs about $1 million. She highlighted the difficulty of sustaining services such as dialysis, which was nearly closed until a local donor provided $3 million to keep it open for three years, and she emphasized the importance of 340B savings and the need for higher Medicaid payments. Carrie Mulski of Riverview Health in Crookston said critical access hospitals are also under pressure despite their federal designation. She explained that federal support has eroded, that Medicaid and other public programs do not cover full costs, and that her hospital’s 340B savings help keep the doors open. She said Riverview opened a new hospital in 2020 but was hit by the pandemic and inflation, leading to annual losses of $5 million to $6 million and a negative operating margin of 9% to 10%. She also described bond covenant problems, low cash on hand, the prior closure of the nursing home, and the need for rapid state action to stabilize rural hospitals and preserve access to care.
OK

Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session

Judiciary May 4th, 2026 at 11:00 am

Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:
  • Ir, how, yeah, it's. Right. Thank you, Dawn Zellner. Thank you for helping have me here.
Keywords: 914, all
OK
Transcript Highlights:
  • Ir second? Or need one of you? We weren't here, but second? Yeah, but he can't vote.
Keywords: 914, all