Transcript Highlights:

• If you worked, uh, in sales and you don't know how the formula or the algorithm or the methods or the
• If you worked, uh, in sales and you don't know how the formula or the algorithm or the methods or the
• If you worked, uh, in sales and you don't know how the formula or the algorithm or the methods or the
• 05.599> that<02:14:05.760> is<02:14:05.920> how<02:14:06.079> we that method
• that system that is how we that method that system that is how we all<02:14:06.960> we<02:14:

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:08:37.520> to estimating a loss of payments to estimating a loss of payments to hospitals
• So, combined that would be payments.
• <01:15:41.040> program the Medicaid directed payment program the Medicaid directed payment
• <01:15:59.199> levels phased down to Medicare payment levels phased down to Medicare payment
• Out of pocket premium payments coverage.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That's when they receive grant payment.
• <00:36:26.880> And and vendor payments are due. And and vendor payments are due.
• They will receive the last payment of the adequacy payment in April.
• only have two two adequacy payments only have two two adequacy payments left.<01:43:54.400> Are
• So they would payment back to the state.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the AOT ballots in one pile, the Craig ballots in another pile, count them up with the double-count method
• Then use the hand-count method we use, and add that together to make sure the total ballots were the
• It's methodical. There are guidelines. There are uniform standards that are used for that process.
• It's methodical. There are guidelines. There are uniform standards that are used for that process.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The abstract 34% cut across PILT payments to counties will do serious harm.
• <00:10:47.920> for calculation of incentive payments for calculation of incentive payments
• But reducing these payments risks the participation of landowners who are dependent on these payments
• And then we get to PILT payments. broadening the base on the pain.
• Um, majority of the public payments.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

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:

• > the<00:44:19.000> K12<00:44:19.680> Aid These tend to be paid on the K-12 aid payment
• Aid payment shift and those<01:02:34.079> Appropriations<01:02:34.799> are<01:02:34.960
• <01:02:47.160> so<01:02:47.480> after continue to make the payments so after continue
• any other questions or comments payments any other questions or comments Senator<01:03:07.000> um
• even though there's multiple payment even though there's multiple calculations<01:09:03.520> that

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Education Finance Committee met on January 21 with a quorum present for the first meeting of the 2025 biennium. The co-chairs described the temporary power-sharing arrangement in the tied Senate, introduced committee staff and pages, and had members briefly introduce themselves and share what subject they would teach. After the introductions, the committee moved to a presentation from State Demographer Susan Brower. Brower reviewed Minnesota’s school-age population trends and projections, noting that the state had just under 1 million children ages 5 to 17 in 2023 and that, for the first time, the older adult population exceeded the school-age population. She said the school-age population is concentrated in the Twin Cities metro and other regional centers, and projected an overall decline of about 5% over the next 15 to 20 years, driven mainly by declining birth rates and long-running net outmigration of young adults. She also explained that growth is expected in some areas, especially along the I-94 corridor north of the metro, while northern regions are projected to see the largest declines. She clarified for members that her figures measure resident children, not school enrollment, and that boundary changes are not reflected in the district-level data. The presentation also covered demographic change among students. Brower said about 35% of Minnesota children ages 5 to 17 are children of color, with growing multiracial populations and increasing linguistic diversity. She reported that about 20% of school-age children have at least one foreign-born parent, and about 18% of enrolled students speak a language other than English at home, with Spanish, Somali, and Hmong the largest home languages. She also discussed child poverty, saying Minnesota’s rate is just under 10%, below the national rate of about 15%, and that poverty is concentrated in Minneapolis-St. Paul, some first-ring suburbs, and parts of northern Minnesota, including districts with larger Native populations. Members asked questions about whether the projections accounted for migration and whether open enrollment affected the figures; Brower said the data reflect where children live, not where they attend school, and that the projections are based on recent migration and birth patterns, with future changes more likely to come from international immigration than from domestic migration.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill sets up a pool payment system for rural EMS systems.
• This bill sets up a pool payment system for rural EMS systems.
• In 2024, Medicare payments were at about 25%.
• Medicaid payments were at about 21% of our gross charges.
• , we're at about 25% in Medicaid payments, we're at about 25% in Medicaid payments,<00:47:58.800>

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:

• 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:

• <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:

• It's a fixed monthly payment.
• impacts their required monthly payments. impacts their required monthly payments.
• payments based on their monthly income. payments based on their monthly income.
• But that monthly payment would not cover either the principal and the interest payments for their loan
• payment error rate is is below uh 6%. payment error rate is is below uh 6%. Yes. Yes. Yes.

Keywords: Call to Order and Roll Call: 0:00:00 Approval of Minutes: 0:01:45 Federal Education Updates 0:02:12 Dual Credit Updates: 0:43:38 Kentucky State University's Doctoral Program Request: 01:27:08 Postsecondary Accreditation: 1:49:05 Consideration of Referred Administrative Regulations: 2:14:48 Adjournment 2:16:31, 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the previous meeting minutes, and heard a presentation from Austin Reid of the National Conference of State Legislatures on education-related provisions in the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1). Reid said the law is projected to increase the federal deficit over 10 years, with major savings coming from Medicaid, student loan changes, and SNAP. He focused on how those changes could affect schools, including possible effects on free and reduced-price meal certification, state funding formulas that use SNAP as a proxy for low-income status, and Medicaid-funded school services for students with disabilities. Reid also outlined the new federal scholarship tax credit, which gives a dollar-for-dollar credit for donations to qualifying scholarship-granting organizations. He said families up to 300% of area median income may benefit, the program begins in 2027, and states must opt in and designate eligible organizations. He noted unresolved questions about whether states can add their own criteria and said Treasury regulations will be important. He also described the expansion of 529 plans to cover more K-12 and postsecondary expenses. On higher education, Reid explained a new workforce Pell grant option for short-term programs, with states and governors playing a role in determining eligible programs. He said the programs must meet placement, completion, and earnings measures and that implementation is expected to be tight before the July 1, 2026 effective date. He also reviewed student loan changes, including lower institutional loan limits, prorated borrowing for part-time enrollment, new caps on graduate and Parent PLUS loans, and a new earnings-based accountability standard that could make some programs ineligible for student loans if graduates earn too little. No votes were taken beyond approval of the minutes.

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:

• That means that they would receive payment at the beginning of the service month instead of at the end
• This settle-up is for future payments, and we believe that it is a constitutional proposal.
• An investment in down payment assistance only drives up the cost of homes.
• An investment in down payment assistance only drives up the cost of homes.
• We oppose any premiums because we know payments of any amount cause people to lose coverage.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Committee heard opening remarks on the 2025 Budget Act, which will be amended into AB 101 and SB 101 for floor consideration. Committee leaders described the budget as a difficult compromise shaped by a $12 billion deficit, federal funding uncertainty, wildfire impacts, and rising out-year costs, while emphasizing a balance between compassion and fiscal responsibility. Each budget subcommittee chair then summarized major actions in their areas, including health care, human services, education, climate and transportation, housing and state administration, public safety, and oversight/transparency. Key policy items included delaying or narrowing some of the Governor’s proposed cuts, especially in Medi-Cal and other safety-net programs; preserving funding for dental care, women’s health, family planning, hospice, long-term care, IHSS, and services for undocumented Californians; and maintaining or expanding child care, foster care, food banks, and CalWORKs-related supports. Education actions included additional Proposition 98 settle-up, reduced deferrals, support for TK-12, teacher recruitment, literacy, mental health, preschool slots, and restored funding for UC and CSU. Other major items included housing and homelessness investments, wildfire and disaster response funding, transit loans and greenhouse gas reduction fund support, Proposition 36 and VOCA-related public safety funding, and oversight measures on federal impacts and state efficiency. Department of Finance and Legislative Analyst staff said the package makes some of the same savings moves as the May Revision but relies more on internal borrowing and fewer reductions, leaving a smaller reserve than the administration’s plan but still maintaining roughly $11 billion in the rainy day fund. Members from both parties largely supported the package while raising concerns about long-term sustainability, Medi-Cal costs, reserve use, and the need for future revenue and program review. The committee adopted the subcommittee actions by roll call, 18-6, with the roll held open for absent members and additional comments continuing after the vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• Revise provisions related to weekend premium payments and ACE awards consistent with current practices
• Revise provisions related to weekend premium payments and ACE awards consistent with current practices
• Increasing from 60 to payment processes.
• <00:41:18.319> for enhanced quarterly payments for enhanced quarterly payments for inpatient
• meet to receive the supplemental payment meet to receive the supplemental payment are<00:41:31.040

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the minutes, and then took up several administrative regulations. The first was an Office of the Attorney General regulation creating an online submission process for an annual certification report to replace prior quarterly notarized certification forms; there were no amendments or questions. The main discussion centered on Personnel Cabinet regulations 101 KAR 2:034, 2:102, 3:015, and 3:045, which include staff-suggested technical amendments and address state employee compensation and leave. The compensation provisions clarify salary and rehiring/demotion rules, increase critical position premiums from one to three, and update weekend premium and ACE award practices. The leave provisions would provide up to six weeks of paid leave per 10-year interval for birth, adoption, foster placement, or a serious health condition, and allow one paid adverse-weather day per year with supervisor approval. Staff explained that annual and sick leave already accrue and roll over, and that the new six-week benefit was intended as an additional enhancement tied to the 10-year and 20-year sick-leave milestones.