Transcript Highlights:

• Usually if your deductible increases, the price you pay for the insurance should stay the same or sometimes
• These increases in price and the insurer exits from the marketplace are due to nuclear verdicts which
• You cannot compare a small stack of medical malpractice premium rates to the price that my father paid

Transcript Highlights:

• But this progress comes at a price, and the state's budget is stressed.
• But this progress comes at a price, and the state's budget is stressed.
• But this progress comes at a price, and the state's budget is stressed.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The project was promised to be completed by 2020 with a price tag of $30 billion.
• We're paying the price for that now.
• The one I'm thinking of is that we were comparing the earnings to the price, the P.E. ratios of some

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You're going to start to see a lot of the insurance prices go down, and insurance companies are going
• With me today, I have Peter Liskam and Jim Price as my expert witnesses, and they will explain themselves
• Price. How many in the audience are here to support this bill?

Transcript Highlights:

• year event, shedding those 487,000 policies would have saved us about $370 million using last year's pricing
• Last year's pricing. So it really does provide a great savings.
• The, you know, reinsurance pricing would help.

Summary: The Insurance and Banking Subcommittee received a lengthy presentation from Citizens Property Insurance Corporation CEO Tim Serio, with Insurance Commissioner Michael Yaworski also answering questions. Serio reviewed Citizens’ role as Florida’s insurer of last resort, its statutory funding structure, eligibility rules, depopulation program, reinsurance obligations, and the surcharge/emergency assessment mechanisms that can be used if Citizens runs a deficit. He emphasized that recent legislative reforms, combined with lower litigation and improved market conditions, have helped the private market recover and reduced Citizens’ policy count from a peak of about 1.41 million in 2023 to 936,182 at the end of 2024, with a projected drop to about 771,000 by the end of 2025. He also said the reforms reduced Citizens’ rate need and helped avoid an emergency assessment after the 2024 storms. Members asked about Citizens’ rate increases, why Citizens still seeks higher rates despite lower litigation, how the 20% eligibility threshold works, whether Citizens should be wind-only, and whether the state or federal government could help with deficits. Serio explained that Citizens is still charging below actuarially sound rates in most areas, that rate filings reflect reduced litigation and lower reinsurance exposure, and that assessments on all Florida property policyholders are the reason Citizens tries to build surplus and depopulate. He said the depopulation program is working better than in the past, with less than 2% of takeout policies returning to Citizens, and that the Office of Insurance Regulation has been vetting takeout companies more carefully. A substantial portion of the discussion focused on claims handling after Debby, Helene, and Milton, including flood-versus-wind disputes and Citizens’ use of the Division of Administrative Hearings for some claim disputes. Serio said Citizens had received 76,625 claims from the three storms and had paid nearly $823 million in indemnity and expenses as of January 7, 2025. He said many closed-without-payment claims were either below deductible, withdrawn, duplicate, or flood-only, and that Citizens had asked its internal audit function to independently review the claims data and denials. He also described Citizens’ storm outreach, catastrophe response centers, managed-repair program, and claim review process, and said the corporation remains focused on paying valid claims while minimizing the risk of assessments on the broader Florida market.

Transcript Highlights:

• parties are permitted only if they comply with disclosure and procurement requirements, and the fees or prices
• parties are permitted only if they comply with disclosure and procurement requirements, and the fees or prices
• charged do not exceed a fair market value. and the fees or prices charged do not exceed a fair market

Summary: The Human Services Subcommittee held its first meeting of the term and heard introductory remarks from the chair, vice chair, ranking member, and members, who broadly described their interest in child welfare, mental health, aging services, homelessness, and agency accountability. The chair then outlined the subcommittee’s jurisdiction, including child welfare, mental health and substance abuse safety net services, domestic violence, developmental disabilities, elder services, and child support, and introduced the Department of Children and Families (DCF) as the first agency panel for the term. DCF presented an implementation update on HB 7089, a 2024 law aimed at increasing accountability and transparency for community-based care (CBC) lead agencies that deliver most child welfare services under contract. The department said the bill was prompted by forensic examinations that found problems such as noncompetitive procurement, related-party transactions, excessive executive compensation, and weak financial oversight. DCF described new contract requirements and monitoring tools covering board governance and annual training, conflict-of-interest disclosures, financial penalties for noncompliance, fidelity bond requirements, limits on direct service provision by lead agencies, related-party procurement rules, procurement thresholds, real-property approvals, compensation caps, expanded public reporting, and a new Future of Child Protection and Funding Work Group. DCF reported that some lead agencies had completed required board training, others were still on schedule, and two agencies exceeding the direct-service threshold had been referred to the Auditor General. Members asked DCF about the reasons for the bill, the impact on children, the work group’s regional representation, aging-out youth, the Embrace Families transition, board training requirements, and whether enforcement actions had been taken. DCF said the bill was intended to protect funds for children and families and improve oversight, and clarified that the Central Florida lead agency contract was awarded through competitive procurement rather than an absorption. DCF also said the board training was designed to be meaningful but not overly burdensome, with timing left partly to lead agencies as they implement the new requirements. The committee then heard from two CBC leaders, who generally supported the accountability goals of HB 7089 and said their agencies had already addressed most of the new governance and disclosure requirements. They reported that board training had been completed or was being scheduled, but both agencies said the fidelity bond requirement has been difficult or impossible to obtain in the market as written, though they were able to secure the separate performance bond. The CBC witnesses also warned that recruiting providers is increasingly difficult, especially for higher-acuity children and group-home placements, due to limited provider supply, regulatory burden, insurance costs, and rising risk. They said these pressures are contributing to budget deficits in some areas and urged lawmakers to consider the funding model, insurance and indemnification issues, and the risk of overregulation reducing provider participation.

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:38:16.719> That's advantage of the lower price. That's advantage of the lower price.
• changes um rate areas that um of price changes um rate changes<01:41:21.119> that<01:41:21.360
• the product to us or what they price the product to us or what they're<01:43:28.960> willing<
• They give us the balance between the contracted retail price and the wholesale price, and then that money
• Each one has a different price limitation.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• > policies that left Minnesotans paying policies that left Minnesotans paying the<01:19:11.040> price
• > The<01:19:12.120> pushing<01:19:12.560> of<01:19:12.720> radical the price
• The pushing of radical the price.
• Gas prices are interested in governing.
• Gas prices are rising<01:23:24.960> because<01:23:25.200> of<01:23:25.280> Trump's

Bills: HF3900, HF1849

Keywords: permanent school fund, school endowment fund, Minnesota constitutional amendment, school aid, public school funding, State Board of Investment, investment income, distributable amount, school districts, property taxes, income taxes, voter approval, ballot question, constitutional amendment 2026, education finance, fund perpetuity, purchasing power, trust lands, swamp lands, internal improvement land fund

Transcript Highlights:

• Price, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Sessions, Mr. Shelnutt, Mr. Singleton, Mr. Smitherman, Mr. Stewart, Mr.
• Ore, Mr.<00:16:58.320> Price, Mr. Price, Mr. Price, Mr.<00:17:00.560> Roberts, Mr.
• Price. Mr. Roberts. >> Mr. Sessions. >> Mr. Shelnutt. >> Mr. Singleton. >> Mr. Stutts. >> Mr.
• Price. Mr. Roberts. Mr. Sessions. Mr. Shelnutt. Mr. Singleton. Mr. Smitherman. Mr. Stewart. Mr.
• Price. Mr. Roberts. Mr. Sessions. Mr. Shelnutt. >> Mr. Singleton, >> Mr. Singleton, >> Mr.

Keywords: 920, all

Summary: The Alabama Senate convened with prayer and the pledge, then established a quorum with 27 senators present. The body excused absent senators, approved the previous day’s journal, and allowed bills and committee reports to be introduced throughout the day. The Senate also welcomed guests in the gallery, including Auburn University McCarter School of Building Science students and retired MPD Sergeant Martin Bean. The chamber received multiple House messages and gubernatorial confirmations, referring several local bills and appointments to the appropriate committees. Committee reports included favorable action on Senate Bills 298 and 91 from County and Municipal Government, and House Bills 297, 365, and 436 from Local Legislation. The Senate adopted several resolutions, including recognitions for Tharptown Baptist Church, Tuskegee University Day, Dr. Bradley Heim, the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, McGill-Toolen Catholic High School volleyball, and a special order calendar resolution setting priority bills for the 15th legislative day. On local bills, the Senate advanced and gave final passage to a series of county and municipal measures, including SB 301 (Perry County), SB 314 (Morgan County), SB 295 (Montgomery County), SB 312 (Marshall County), HB 371 (Pike County constitutional amendment), HB 386 (Elmore County), HB 330 (Etowah County), HB 409 (City of Alabaster), HB 408 (Shelby County), SB 299 (Barbour County), HB 416 (Cleburne County), and HB 421 (Lawrence County constitutional amendment). HB 337 on Madison County was carried over. The Senate also adopted a resolution honoring Alabama’s record-breaking economic development year, citing major investments and job creation, and heard a lengthy Black History recognition segment on W.E.B. Du Bois, Patricia Roberts Harris, Langston Hughes, and Maya Angelou. The main policy discussion centered on Senate Bill 240 regarding parole hearings, with the sponsor explaining it would allow the Pardons and Parole Board to hear from inmates and victims by phone or video to reduce travel burdens and improve access. The sponsor said an amendment was being worked on and moved to carry the bill over to the call of the chair, while another senator raised questions about whether inmates currently have an in-person opportunity to speak and whether board members would be able to question participants remotely.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:13:31.519> the within those areas are and what the within those areas are and what the prices
• :33.279> you'll<00:13:33.600> see<00:13:33.680> in<00:13:33.839> this prices
• So um you'll see in this prices are.
• <00:13:40.639> Um the the price is quite a bit cheaper.
• Um the the price is quite a bit cheaper.

Bills: SF0102, SF0113

Keywords: energy transmission, load growth, Wyoming energy authority, transmission planning study, public utilities, regional cooperation, hand count audit, ballots, election integrity, transparency, voting system, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and things like that, but the price of electricity is something that's determined locally and it can
• <01:21:51.040> and tariffs might have on soybean prices and tariffs might have on soybean
• prices and things<01:21:51.520> like<01:21:51.600> that,<01:21:52.000> but<01:21
• :52.239> the<01:21:52.400> price<01:21:52.560> of things like that, but the price
• of things like that, but the price of electricity<01:21:53.199> is<01:21:53.440> something

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• desperately needed, with food shelves and food banks facing record levels of demand due to high food prices
• 24.719> food record levels of demand due to high food record levels of demand due to high food prices
• and economic hardship in prices and economic hardship in communities<01:24:27.800> statewide.
• and most and needed in our state and most certainly<01:41:43.600> raising<01:41:44.000> prices
• certainly raising prices for families. certainly raising prices for families.

Bills: HF2436

Keywords: child welfare, economic assistance, child care, grant program, video security cameras, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Adding a sales tax to these essential services would increase costs for consumers, potentially pricing
• <00:27:17.640> out for consumers potentially pricing out for consumers potentially pricing
• Adding a sales tax to these essential services would increase costs for consumers, potentially pricing
• > uncertainty<00:52:10.960> let's<00:52:11.200> not<00:52:11.440> tax prices
• and uncertainty let's not tax prices and uncertainty let's not tax people<00:52:12.200> when<

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee took up House File 2437, the governor’s proposed tax bill, and first adopted the A25-Z42 amendment to put the bill in the desired shape. Commissioner Paul Marquardt of the Department of Revenue then presented the bill as part of Governor Walz and Lieutenant Governor Flanagan’s budget, describing it as a response to budget pressures that would make the tax system more fair and stable while supporting economic development and jobs. Marquardt walked through the bill’s major provisions. These included sustainable aviation fuel policy, repeal of K-12 education credit assignment, elimination of the political contribution refund, expansion of the research and development credit, short-line railroad infrastructure modernization, changes to the state airport fund levy, replacement of attachments and appearances with distribution systems, a narrow personal property tax exception for low-income housing tenants, reduced aquatic invasive species aid, and a 34% reduction in PILT payments. He then focused on the sales tax article, saying it would lower the statewide rate by 0.75% while expanding the base to selected professional services such as accounting, banking, brokerage, and legal services, with business-to-business transactions exempt. He said the proposal would be effective for sales and purchases after September 30, 2025, and estimated a first-year rate-cut impact of about $99 million versus $215 million from the service expansion, while arguing that most households would see a net tax cut. He also noted other changes such as landlord penalty adjustments, a 30% reduction in sustainable aviation fuel incentive payments, repeal of local government cannabis aid, and repeal of the tax filing modernization account. Public testimony began with Kyle Playford of the Financial Planning Association of Minnesota, who strongly opposed the proposed sales tax on professional services, especially financial planning. He argued that financial planning is an essential service for retirement, investment, and long-term financial security, and said the tax would raise costs for consumers, reduce access for middle-class families, small business owners, and retirees, and put Minnesota firms at a competitive disadvantage. The chair then indicated that additional public testimony would continue before member questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• He asked whether the organizers have looked at increasing prices to help cover security costs or what
• <00:41:22.720> have<00:41:22.800> you kind of admission type prices have you kind of
• admission type prices have you guys<00:41:23.119> looked<00:41:23.359> at<00:41:23.839
• > increasing<00:41:24.400> prices<00:41:24.720> on<00:41:24.920> that guys
• looked at increasing prices on that guys looked at increasing prices on that to<00:41:25.200> help

Bills: HF1354, HF1901, HF2124, HF2130, HF2260, HF2099, HF104, HF134, HF1769

Keywords: public safety, school safety, active shooter, active shooter drill, violence prevention, threat reporting, anonymous tip line, See It, Say It, Send It, Minnesota Fusion Center, Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, BCA, officer-involved death, missing person, endangered missing person, criminal background check, national background check, FBI fingerprint check, adult entertainment license, massage license, correctional facilities

Transcript Highlights:

• years since I have been in an emergency management position for the city, we have seen equipment prices
• rates to cover for the case of fires and also invest in fire suppression, which just drives up the price
• rates to cover for the case of fires and also invest in fire suppression, which just drives up the price
• <01:13:36.320> of<01:13:36.719> your also just drives up the price of your also just
• drives up the price of your regular<01:13:37.840> everyday<01:13:38.480> recycling.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Energy prices are volatile, talking about how, you know, not being able to anticipate weather changes
• Traders extreme weather represents major Traders extreme weather represents major risk<00:31:16.279> prices
• <00:31:16.600> are<00:31:16.840> Energy<00:31:17.279> prices<00:31:17.559>
• > are risk prices are Energy prices are risk prices are Energy prices are volatile<00:31:19.000><
• That will be a similar price tag, or even higher.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• He said that, according to the Consumer Price Index, $300,000 in 2008 is the equivalent of about $439,500
• <00:41:24.760> Index according to the Consumer Price Index according to the Consumer Price
• have their wedding receptions because they can't necessarily afford to go to a hotel and pay the prices
• hotel<01:06:33.279> and<01:06:33.400> pay<01:06:33.640> the<01:06:33.799> prices
• c><01:06:34.119> for<01:06:34.319> the<01:06:34.440> rooms hotel and pay the prices

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• ><00:32:25.000> uh mid-tier higher end and that was uh mid-tier higher end and that was uh priced
• <00:32:25.440> at<00:32:25.480> $849.99 priced at $849.99 priced at $849.99 and<00:32:28.200
• Just wondering how you chose the items for the expansion, because some of them do have much higher price
• In addition to nationally skyrocketing housing prices and food costs, working families must also budget
• <01:12:07.480> increases<01:12:08.040> these ATM and these price increases these ATM

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Youth are highly cost-sensitive, and raising the price of alcohol, even slightly as this bill proposes
• By my own informal survey, I will say that a cocktail at a Boston bar ranges in price from, say, $14

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Revenue held a hybrid hearing on a large slate of bills related to advertising, economic development, tourism, digital advertising, delivery taxes, and alcohol taxation. The first panel supported H. 3249, which would create a high school trade partnership program linking public schools with private employers, especially in manufacturing, and would offer employers a tax credit for participation. Representative Soder, Uxbridge High School leaders, and others argued the bill would strengthen career pathways, build a skilled workforce, and keep students and jobs in Massachusetts. The committee then heard testimony on H. 3031 and S. 2003 to modernize the Massachusetts Tourism Trust Fund by dedicating an additional share of hotel occupancy tax revenue to tourism promotion. Tourism and hospitality representatives from Cape Cod, Southwick Zoo, and Indian Ranch said the proposal would not raise taxes but would reinvest existing visitor-generated revenue into marketing that supports jobs, local businesses, and municipal tax receipts. A tech-industry coalition opposed several digital advertising tax bills and a delivery tax bill, warning they would raise costs, create uncertainty, and burden consumers, small businesses, and delivery workers. The largest portion of the hearing focused on S. 2029, which would raise the alcohol excise tax by 10 cents per drink and dedicate the revenue to public health programs. Public health experts, advocates, a student prevention leader, and representatives from Jane Doe, Inc. argued the tax would reduce alcohol-related harms, address decades of inflation-driven erosion in the tax, and generate substantial new funding for prevention, treatment, domestic violence services, and community schools. Committee members asked questions about the current tax structure, inflation, and how the proposal compares with neighboring states. No votes were taken during the hearing, and the chair adjourned after public testimony concluded.

Transcript Highlights:

• for stealing our fuel since he has put us in an illegal war with Iran and is making all of our gas prices
• for stealing our fuel since he has put us in an illegal war with Iran and is making all of our gas prices

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The caucus reviewed a long list of Senate bills covering elections, transportation, health care, land use, water, criminal justice, and local government. Several election-related measures were described, including SB 1037 on voting equipment custody and internet/port restrictions, SB 1568 on election system software timekeeping, and SB 1687 moving the primary date to May starting in 2028. Members also discussed bills on photo enforcement fines, roadable aircraft registration, motor vehicle booting, assisted living occupancy limits, and municipal permit and exaction rules. A number of measures were noted as third-read consent items, while others were flagged for further discussion or amendments. Health and public safety bills drew substantial discussion. The committee heard bills on insurance coverage for breast cancer screening, safe-haven hospital surrender of newborns, dialysis documentation, behavioral health licensing compliance, naturopathic IV drug administration, traumatic event counseling for public safety employees, sex offender registration limitations, and probation rules for dangerous crimes against children. Members raised concerns or requested removal from consent on several items, including SB 1095 and SB 1094 related to gender-affirming care for minors, SB 1346 on AHCCCS claims processing, and SB 1178 on naturopathic drug administration. There was also debate over SB 1520 on immigration data sharing and SB 1635 on warning someone about an imminent arrest, with objections citing civil liberties and First Amendment concerns. The committee also considered multiple property, water, and development bills. These included measures on effluent water use for landscaping, groundwater fee diversion in Pinal County, increasing the Water Supply Development Revolving Fund loan cap, creating a foreign entity review commission for real property transfers, and restricting transport of Mexican gray wolf pups into Arizona. Members discussed SB 1419 on solar roof inspections and financing disclosures, and SB 1787 on municipal exactions and appeals, with an amendment proposed to limit it to commercial property. Several members explained their votes or asked to pull bills from consent, and some items were noted as having split votes or anticipated floor amendments. The caucus ended with Rhonda’s election-related bills and a note that the group would move immediately into a closed caucus afterward.