Transcript Highlights:

• So Medicare Advantage, instead of paying fee for service, they're paying a capitated rate up front to
• Now we're paying $200. And the sicker... Patrick: ...we used to pay $2. Now we're paying $200.
• So instead of paying 80% of those large claims, they're paying around 20% of those large claims.
• So instead of paying 80% of those large claims, they're paying around 20% of those large claims.
• And so there was a portion where a member would pay a deductible and then they would pay 25% up until

Summary: The committee received an update from Grant Wallace on the state employee Medicare Advantage group plan and the ongoing rebid with UnitedHealthcare. Wallace said the agency is exploring “decoupling” the medical and pharmacy portions of the plan, and that preliminary estimates suggested potential savings of about $100 to $200 per participant per month. He said the final CMS rate-setting process would conclude in April, with a revised contract amendment likely to come before the committee in May or June after review by the EBD Advisory Commission and State Board of Finance. He also clarified that the plan covers post-65 teacher and state employee retirees, including retirees from state agencies and K-12 public schools. Representatives from Segal Consulting then gave a broader presentation on Medicare Advantage and Part D market trends, reviewing Arkansas’s prior decision to adopt a Medicare Advantage prescription drug plan and the savings generated since the 2023 RFP. They explained that the Inflation Reduction Act significantly changed Part D financing by shifting more federal support into a direct subsidy tied to risk scores, which makes accurate risk adjustment more important and creates a larger difference between Medicare Advantage prescription drug plans and standalone Part D plans. They said this has led to a growing divergence in funding, especially for standalone Part D, and is the main reason decoupling medical and pharmacy coverage is being considered. Committee members asked about how the risk-score changes affect costs and members. Segal said the new structure has reduced member out-of-pocket costs, with the annual cap now at $2,000 and many members reaching it after roughly $600 to $800 in spending, but that the plan absorbs more of the cost. They also said the market appears to be adjusting through annual bids, and that a decoupled structure could allow the state to capture more favorable funding on the Part D side. No votes were taken, and the committee adjourned after being told to expect further information once the April rate notice and renewal proposal are available.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're currently paying 46,942.
• I'm not paying enough, and my employers are not paying enough to fund our unfunded liabilities, which
• We pay for it, but we don't pay enough, unfortunately.
• pay into the fund.
• This would be tax exempt for their military retirement pay. Their military retirement pay.

Transcript Highlights:

• 15% of the cost and the local would pay 15% and the state would pay the 85%.
• <00:12:40.000> 15% they would have to pay 15% they would have to pay 15% of<00:12:42.720><
• 15% and the state the local will pay 15% and the state would<00:12:49.200> pay<00:12:49.360><
• would pay the 85%. would pay the 85%. it<00:12:51.920> in<00:12:52.079> in<00:12:52.560
• forced to use their co-pays as well. forced to use their co-pays as well.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So, we're paying that staff, paying for the equipment, paying for the upkeep of the material of the units
• <00:12:20.720> equipment,<00:12:21.440> paying staff, paying for the equipment, paying
• <00:22:55.600> for and make them pay for and make them pay for it
• would should pay to pay their fair cost. would should pay to pay their fair cost.
• You have to pay people have to pay more.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Our pay is still a burning issue, both how much we are getting paid and the transparency.
• Our pay is still a burning issue, both how much we are getting paid and the transparency.
• Like, have you seen your pay increase? Do you know the impacts of that legislation?
• It's about the fair pay that they are supposed to get. I mean, there is enough work out there.
• It's about the fair pay that they are supposed to get. I mean, there is enough work out there.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• pay.
• pay.
• pay.
• pay.
• pay.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I keep paying them back.
• Who pays for that?
• They paying, you plan. Yeah. Gotcha. I don't understand how you actually pay for this.
• They paying, you plan. Yeah. Gotcha. I don't understand how you actually pay for this.
• Insurance doesn't pay for massage therapy. It also doesn't pay for that holistic care.

Bills: HB79, HB437, HB646, HB1089, HB1099, SB173, SB180, SB260, SB424, SB476

Keywords: carbon capture, damages, environmental liability, legal liability, site restoration, expert witness, expert testimony, witness fees, pecuniary interest, conflict of interest, civil procedure, evidence law, Louisiana evidence code, Louisiana civil litigation, expert report, discovery, pretrial disclosure, litigation transparency, settlement, damages award

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 476, which would add clearer warning language for garnishees responding to interrogatories and create a limited procedure for a new trial when a garnishee shows it never held property of, or owed money to, the judgment debtor. After brief questioning about how garnishment works, the bill was reported favorably without objection. The committee then took up Senate Bill 260 on youth athletics, which establishes required injury-mitigation training content for youth sports coaches, including emergency preparedness, concussions, heat injuries, overuse injuries, equipment, heart defects, and sudden cardiac effects. An amendment was adopted to remove language allowing the department to spend donated funds to purchase the courses, and the bill was reported as amended. House Bill 79, which removes the damage threshold for carbon capture release, was also reported favorably after sponsor testimony that carbon capture should be treated like other industries and not receive a special liability cap. Senate Bill 424, clarifying service by mail, delivery, or electronic means by defining “counsel of record” as someone who actually represents a party, was reported favorably as well. Senate Bill 180, a constitutional amendment allowing the surviving spouse of a deceased disabled veteran to make a one-time transfer of an expanded property tax exemption to another qualifying property, received a ballot-language amendment and a 6.8A report, then was reported as amended. The committee spent the most time on House Bill 1089, which creates “care accounts” for future medical damages in delictual actions. The sponsor and supporters said the bill would ensure future medical awards are actually used for medical care, function like a money market/HSA-style account, and potentially reduce costs; opponents raised concerns about the account being owned by the judgment debtor, possible reversion of unused funds to the wrong party, unclear mechanics for payment, and the impact on survivors of trafficking and sexual abuse who may need flexible, non-billing-code-based care. Several members suggested exclusions or clarifying amendments for med-mal, intentional torts, and sexual abuse victims, and the bill was reported favorably on a 6-1 vote after amendment. Finally, House Bill 437 was taken up, which bars expert witnesses from having a pecuniary interest in the outcome of the case. An amendment excluding criminal traffic and juvenile proceedings was adopted, and members discussed that the bill would prohibit contingent-style expert fee arrangements while still allowing cross-examination about an expert’s prior testimony and payment history. The discussion emphasized that the rule would apply to both plaintiffs and defendants.

Transcript Highlights:

• They pay about a seventh of the swipe fee we pay here, and yet 60% to 65% of their credit card spending
• Businesses don't know what they're paying, and consumers certainly don't know what they're paying in
• If a consumer is paying via credit card, we also have to pay a swipe fee, obviously on that.
• We don't pay the clerk or the server $9.70; we pay them the $10 that was tipped.
• Pay 47% of all fraud associated with debit cards. Consumers pay 20%.

Bills: HB245, HB245, HB700, HB2783, HB3526, HB3900, HB4061, HB4124, HB4166, HB4395, HB4534, HB4609, HB4641, HB4736, HB4738, HB4739, HB4945, HB5015, HJR175

Keywords: property tax, delinquent taxes, ad valorem, penalties, interest cap, military service, retirement, law enforcement, custodial officer, Employees Retirement System, commercial financing, brokers, registration, disclosures, finance, consumer protection, fees, deferred compensation, automatic participation, county employees

Transcript Highlights:

• ' pay.
• First, pay providers a fair wage.
• challenges mentioned earlier with having to pay a staff member, having to pay rent, having to pay for
• That's nearly a $400 co-pay that families have to pay to me to meet my current tuition.
• And for subsidy families, it means they'd need to pay a co-pay of $1,100.

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

Transcript Highlights:

• WE ARE PAYING AN OFFICER A VERY HIGH SALARY RELATIVELY TO THE OTHER JOB WHEN YOU GET WE ARE PAYING AN
• INCREASES AND STARTED RAISING THEIR PAY AND COMPETITOR STARTING RAISING THEIR PAY AND WE HAVE SLIP BACK
• THE PART WE HAVE TALKING ABOUT PAY. PAY IS ALWAYS THERE.
• WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING TO GET PAY RAISES.
• ONE THING WE WOULD SAY IS, WE WOULD WELCOME A PAY STUDY.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, we need to pay for our roads. We can pay for 89, 93.
• We can pay for can pay for our roads. We can pay for 89,<00:24:06.880> 93.
• <00:36:56.200> if<00:36:56.360> we pay more money than we would pay if we pay more
• We pay more We pay more in Connecticut. We pay more in<00:37:07.160> Massachusetts.
• of this bill will pay $4. of this bill will pay $4.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:12:14.959> while receiving that supplemental pay while receiving that supplemental pay
• Those notifications are required to be provided every pay period, requires that certain records of pay
• > relative<00:15:07.880> to<00:15:08.120> pay records as required relative to pay
• To two hours of pay.
• I'm glad that you pay $16.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:09:58.040> for because we're going to have to pay for because we're going to have to pay
• Your insurance company pays $8,000.
• be the maximum value of co-pay be the maximum value of co-pay assistance<00:45:11.599> spread
• policies from incorporating co-pay policies from incorporating co-pay accumulator<00:49:00.880><
• We do find that co-pay coupon list prices are increasing faster than drugs without a co-pay coupon.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• During this process, I learned that a homeowner who pays off or pays down principal on an assessment
• <00:35:12.079> the insurance costs after paying the insurance costs after paying the premiums
• the premium is 30% of our take-home pay. the premium is 30% of our take-home pay.
• See an actual pay increase.
• pay estimates personally. pay estimates personally. um<00:51:11.359> for<00:51:11.680>

Bills: HF238, HF3381, HF3754, HF1049

Keywords: microenterprise home kitchen operation, cottage food, home-based food business, home kitchen license, homemade food, prepared food, food entrepreneur, small food business, cottage food law, food safety training, ServSafe, food handler license, agriculture department, Minnesota food law, residential kitchen, local zoning, consumer labeling, allergen labeling, unpasteurized juice, time/temperature control for safety food

Transcript Highlights:

• should not pay for it because they are already paying in a harmful way.
• And guess who pays down power plants. And guess who pays for<00:14:23.920> that?
• cap on what the rate payer has to pay. cap on what the rate payer has to pay.
• not going to pay for it. not going to pay for it.
• pay for that themselves. pay for that themselves.

Keywords: House streaming session for Wednesday, February 4, 2026, 957, house, all

Summary: The House convened with 130 members present, approved the previous day’s journal, and read several groups of introductory House bills and a bond initiative, referring them to the appropriate committees. Senate bills were also introduced in the House and assigned to committees. The chamber then took up House Bill 1, concerning limits on cost recovery for investor-owned electric and gas utilities, with debate focused on whether the bill would reduce ratepayer costs or interfere with utility compensation and grid reliability. Two amendments to HB 1 were debated and both failed by roll call after floor leaders argued they would undermine the bill’s purpose of protecting ratepayers. One amendment would have allowed utilities to seek approval from the Public Service Commission to exceed pay or bonus limits for vital workers; supporters said it would preserve flexibility to retain critical employees and maintain reliability, while opponents said any extra compensation should come from shareholders, not ratepayers. A second amendment sought to exempt frontline workers involved in system reliability, emergency response, and storm restoration; supporters said it would protect the grid and allow quick response in emergencies, while opponents again said it would shift costs back onto ratepayers. The House also heard extended questioning about utility rates, PSC approval, and broader energy costs, including references to Empower charges and infrastructure expenses. After the amendment debate, the House voted to special order HB 1 for a later time, allowing additional amendment opportunities, and the bill was set aside. The session then moved to committee announcements, including briefings and bill hearings for Appropriations, Economic Matters, Environment and Transportation, Government, Labor, and Elections, Health, Judiciary, and Ways and Means, along with several subcommittee meetings later in the day.

Transcript Highlights:

• They do pay their 25%. They pay a 75% reduction in their assessment.
• None of them pay property taxes.
• This is the user-pays principle.
• I have to pay taxes to use that electricity, so based on this I will pay taxes for that, and then I have
• to pay extra taxes to use my car.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The hearing opened with remarks from the co-chairs explaining committee procedures, testimony limits, submission instructions, and the new deadlines for acting on House and Senate bills. The committee then heard testimony on several bills related to agriculture, land use, environment, housing, transportation, and taxation, with legislators often taken out of turn. No votes were taken during the hearing. The first major topic was H. 3206, a bill to allow fossil fuel-free 529 college savings plans to qualify for the state tax deduction if MEFA does not offer a comparable option. Representative Steve Owens said the bill would not force MEFA or Fidelity to change existing plans, but would create a definition for fossil fuel-free funds and extend the deduction to qualifying out-of-state plans. The committee also heard strong local testimony on a Belmont home-rule petition, H. 3970, to change tax treatment for the Belmont Country Club under Chapter 61B. Belmont residents and officials argued the private golf course receives an unfair tax break that shifts costs to other taxpayers, while Senator Brownsberger and Representative Rogers supported the measure as a way to help the town recover revenue. Committee members asked about town meeting support, the club’s lack of payment in lieu of taxes, and the size of the tax savings. The committee next heard testimony on a vehicle miles traveled tax proposal, S. 1925, from Senator Barrett and economists Gilbert Metcalf and Christopher Knittel. They argued that declining gas-tax revenue and rising fuel efficiency, especially with electric vehicles, require a more stable transportation funding source; they also said a VMT tax could be designed to be revenue-neutral and mildly progressive, though members raised concerns about administration, fairness, EV disincentives, and the possibility of annual tax shocks. The largest block of testimony focused on the Ahead Act, H. 3194/S. 1973, which would double the deed excise fee and dedicate the new revenue to affordable housing and climate adaptation. Supporters from MACDC, MAPC, FICC, Boston Climate Action Network, CLF, 350 Mass, CHAPA, and a tenant advocate said the bill could generate about $300 million annually for housing production, vouchers, weatherization, resilience, and environmental justice communities, and that it links two urgent crises with a stable funding stream. The committee also heard testimony on the Conservation Land Tax Credit bills, H. 3147/S. 2083, which would raise the annual cap on the credit from $2 million to $5 million for three years and then sunset back down. Conservation groups and a landowner said the program has conserved thousands of acres and that the higher cap would reduce delays and help meet state conservation goals. Finally, the committee took testimony on the Fairness for Farm Workers bills, S. 2011/H. 3107 and S. 2012, which would extend overtime, minimum wage, breaks, and paid time off protections to farm workers and include a refundable tax credit to help farmers offset overtime costs. Senator Gomez and advocates described the bills as overdue civil rights and public health measures, citing low wages, long hours, dangerous conditions, and the racial history behind farm labor exclusions. The hearing also included testimony on H. 3240, a bill to give municipalities a local option vacancy tax on chronically vacant shopping malls, with the sponsor arguing it would help towns address blight, encourage redevelopment, and potentially create housing and tax revenue.

Transcript Highlights:

• **James Kessler**: That pay more.
• You’ve got the money, and yet we're paying interest.
• You’ve got the money, and yet we're paying interest.
• I'm not declaring it; we're gonna pay it.
• You’ve got the money, and yet we're paying interest.

Bills: SB 1

Keywords: campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• paying that back.
• You still have to pay it back.
• They do have to pay it back, but if they don't pay it back, we're out.
• We pay more in credit card swipe fees than we pay in property tax, than we pay for electricity, than
• Somebody's paying interest on the credit card unless they pay it off.

Bills: HB245, HB700, HB2783, HB3526, HB3900, HB4061, HB4124, HB4166, HB4395, HB4534, HB4609, HB4641, HB4736, HB4738, HB4739, HB4945, HB5015, HJR175, HB245

Keywords: military service, retirement, law enforcement, custodial officer, Employees Retirement System, commercial financing, brokers, registration, disclosures, finance, consumer protection, fees, deferred compensation, automatic participation, county employees, payroll deductions, retirement plans, fiscal transparency, local government, bond issuance

Transcript Highlights:

• fact, where you live and how much money you have could potentially have bigger impacts on what you pay
• fact, where you live and how much money you have could potentially have bigger impacts on what you pay
• to pay her auto insurance, which just creates this cycle of poverty where now she has a credit card
• that's out, her credit score is getting lower because she's unable to pay it off quickly, which means
• > her<00:19:28.080> Auto card to be able to pay her Auto card to be able to pay her Auto

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• paying my premium, people do that.
• So responsible people who pay their insurance are paying this fine basically every year.
• <00:23:56.720> this<00:23:57.200> fine pay their insurance are paying this fine pay
• We’re paying the insurance.
• We’re paying the insurance.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all