Transcript Highlights:

• The House Banking and Insurance Committee will not meet tomorrow. Members, take note.
• The House Banking and Insurance Committee will not meet tomorrow. Members take note.
• Appropriations and Revenue, House Bills 545, 546, 547, and House Joint Resolution 52; to Banking and Insurance

Transcript Highlights:

• I think a lot of the folks there probably have lost their insurance like my constituents have down here
• So this is a fairly cheap fire insurance policy on the ground.
• I think it's cheap insurance. It's all I got for fire protection out there.

Committee: House Resources and Conservation

Transcript Highlights:

• Then the increase in the health insurance for legislators.
• That is the 771,648, the cost to continue, and then the salary increases and health insurance increases
• The cost to continue, and then the salary increases and health insurance increases are right below that

Committee: House Appropriations - Government Operations Division

Summary: The House Appropriations Government Operations Division met to consider House amendments to Senate Bill 2001, the budget for the Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly. Representative Meyer and Legislative Council staff reviewed the House changes, which included higher lodging funding tied to a prior bill, an increase for North Dakota legislators’ forum dues, a transfer of $290,000 for public printing from the Secretary of State to Legislative Council, a $650,000 reduction tied to the nuclear energy study because that funding was already provided elsewhere, and a new section allowing legislative space on the 15th floor of the Capitol to be used for additional Legislative Council employees. John Bjornson explained the 15th-floor space proposal and said staff would work with Facility Management and CTE to address relocation needs and timing, with CTE’s move potentially delayed until after its busy school-year period if necessary. The committee then reviewed the Senate version of the bill in more detail. Staff walked through the Legislative Assembly budget items, including per diem and compensation adjustments, lodging and mileage estimates, IT and audio/video funding, and dues increases for national and state legislative organizations. Members asked about mileage assumptions and the emergency clause, and staff said the emergency language is standard and allows flexibility for transfers, carryovers, and other budget actions. The committee also reviewed the Legislative Council budget, including funding for 25 new FTEs, interim travel, IT costs, professional services, public printing, and one-time items such as equipment and term limits consulting, while the advanced nuclear energy consulting item was removed in the House version. After discussion, the committee adopted the House amendment to Senate Bill 2001 and then voted to do pass the bill as amended. Both motions passed on roll call, and the amended bill was sent to the full Appropriations Committee. Near the end of the meeting, Representative Paula gave notice that she would bring a separate amendment later on the Industrial Commission budget related to homelessness grant funding, noting it would not use SIF or general fund dollars.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill number 170 regarding health insurance, signed John Treadwell, Clerk. >> Mr.
• </c><00:15:09.440><c> Clerk</c> insurance signed John Treadwell.
• Clerk insurance signed John Treadwell. Clerk &gt;&gt; Mr.<00:15:10.720><c> Present.
• </c> regarding health insurance. regarding health insurance.
• We also are providing an increase in the insurance premiums that are going in.

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, the pledge, and a roll call establishing a quorum. It adopted motions to excuse absent senators, dispense with reading the prior journal, and allow bills and committee reports to be taken up throughout the day. The chamber received multiple House messages and a gubernatorial confirmation, including House Bill 1 on motor vehicles, Senate Bill 170 on health insurance, and Senate confirmation 90 for Chenica Johnson Anom to the Alabama Cickle Cell Oversight and Regulatory Commission, all of which were referred to the appropriate committees. The Senate later concurred in the House amendment to Senate Bill 170 by a 29-0-1 vote. Committee reports covered a wide range of measures, with favorable reports and, in several cases, amendments or substitutes. Judiciary reported favorably on House Bills 228, 132, 347, 405, 86, 263, and 302, and on Senate Bills 318 and 260; State Government Affairs reported favorably on House Bills 435, 97, and 407 and Senate Bill 361; Education Policy reported favorably on Senate Bills 337 and House Bills 520 and 75; Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development reported favorably on House Bills 303 and 477 and Senate Bills 360, 325, 329, and 330; Transportation and Energy reported favorably on Senate Bills 341, 354, and 340; Veterans and Military Affairs reported favorably on House Bills 465 and 307 and Senate Bills 338 and 359; and Local Legislation reported favorably on Jefferson County Senate Bill 243 and Shelby County House Bill 532. These reports generally advanced the bills to second reading and placement on the next legislative day’s calendar. The Senate also confirmed George Pierce to the Alabama Ethics Commission by a 33-0 vote after a favorable committee report, with several senators offering brief remarks of congratulations. In motions and resolutions, the chamber adopted Senate Joint Resolution 77 honoring the Section boys basketball team and Senate Joint Resolution 78 honoring the North Sand Mountain girls basketball team for state championships. It also adopted Senate Joint Resolution 79 establishing a legislative study commission on child sexual abuse laws and policies. A senator additionally urged colleagues to support broadband expansion efforts in rural Alabama and to ask the education chair to place HB 4 on the agenda. The most substantial floor discussion concerned Senate Bill 146, the state general fund budget substitute. The sponsor explained several budget provisions, including a $12 million transfer and an additional $5 million for the judiciary to address funding for newly created judgeships, a conditional $40 million for the Department of Corrections tied to progress on the Elmore and Escambia prison projects, conditional funding for DHR tied to reducing its federal error rate and developing a SNAP-related plan, conditional mental health funding tied to reporting and data requirements, and language preserving legislative control over certain federal rural health care funds. The Senate adopted the committee substitute for SB 146 by a 32-0-1 vote and then continued with the budget explanation as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• be useful, but we want to make sure that we do not push the patient toward opioids with cost and insurance
• </c> with cost and insurance preferences. with cost and insurance preferences.
• And under AFPs, insurance plans remove coverage of these expensive medicines, just like Joseph's human
• And<00:13:41.680><c> under</c><00:13:42.160><c> AFP's,</c> And under AFP's, And under AFP's, insurance
• coverage means real ensure the insurance coverage means real coverage<00:16:30.079><c> for</c><00:16

Committee: Joint Medicaid

Transcript Highlights:

• The last thing that I have is a question that I have as far as insurance.
• I know that we've seen, um, in some areas, jurisdictions are offering insurance on day one.
• Is that does law enforcement officers anywhere in the state get insurance on day one as a way to help
• I know that we've seen, um, in some areas, jurisdictions are offering insurance on day one.
• Is that does law enforcement officers anywhere in the state get insurance on day one as a way to help

Bills: HB339

Committee: Joint Local Government

Transcript Highlights:

• Additionally, the insurance industry has told us time and time again that they're more likely to insure
• Additionally, the insurance industry has told us time and time again that they're more likely to insure
• The bill is supported by the California Fire Chiefs Association, property casualty insurers, and the
• space standards benefits individual homeowners, entire communities, and can help restore a home insurance
• Paul Ramey, with the Personal Insurance Federation, is in strong support. Thank you.

Summary: The committee heard several bills. SB 911, by Senator Becker, would require notification and verification of defensible-space compliance when homes in high wildfire severity zones are transferred, using the preliminary change of ownership report; supporters said it would improve wildfire resilience and insurance availability, while county assessors opposed the use of the PCOR and urged a different recorded document. Members generally supported the bill but raised concerns about the 12-month compliance window and the need to keep working with assessors; the bill was held pending a quorum and later placed on call. SB 1016, by Senator Blakespear, would create a pathway for a higher-level mental health evaluation when a Care Court petition is dismissed because the person is too ill to participate or otherwise needs more intensive care. Supporters, including psychiatrists, family members, and local officials, said Care Court is leaving many severely ill people untreated and that the bill would connect them to existing LPS processes. Opponents, including Disability Rights California, county behavioral health directors, counties, and other advocacy groups, argued it would expand involuntary detention, bypass existing pre-petition screening safeguards, and undermine Care Court’s voluntary nature. The bill passed the committee on a roll call vote and was placed on call. SB 1112, by Senator Archuleta, would create a faster court process for victims of illegal or excessive “bandit towing” to recover their vehicles by posting a bond and obtaining a release certificate. Support came from Enterprise Mobility and the author, who said the bill targets bad actors and helps equalize leverage for vehicle owners; the California Auto Body Association sought an amendment to exclude auto repair shops. The committee passed the bill as amended to Appropriations and placed it on call. SB 1119, by Senator Padilla, would impose child-safety requirements on AI chatbots, including risk assessments, crisis-response protocols, parental controls, limits on time and data use, reporting, audits, and a private right of action. The bill was driven by testimony from the mother of a teenager who died by suicide after prolonged chatbot interactions; industry and business groups opposed or sought amendments, citing overlap with recent law, vague standards, and prescriptive design mandates. Members expressed strong support for the bill’s goals while urging tighter definitions, and the bill was moved on a roll call vote and placed on call.

Transcript Highlights:

• And finally, within the Office of Insurance Regulation, there are 10 new positions and $1.1 million to
• We are still getting rebates through direct dispense and for self-insured.
• And we have so many people in this state who don't have insurance coverage right now.
• We wanted to see more things done about property insurance.
• There are still people who can't stay in their homes because of property insurance.

Transcript Highlights:

• Right now, all of this money is being used for salaries, for MSOC, and for insurance.
• The insurance premiums are going through the roof.
• The insurance costs that our schools must deal with right now are absolutely explosive.
• , which is something that everybody in our state needs or should have, and having that insurance in every
• purchase health care or not have health care, but when they go for health care and get a health insurance

Bills: HB2720 , HB2073 , SB5816 , SB5919 , SB5831 , SB6244 , SB6044 , SB5109 , SB5877 , SB6258

Summary: The House first took up Substitute Senate Bill 6225, a transportation bond measure. Supporters said it was needed to fund preservation and maintenance of Washington’s transportation system, including road upkeep and emergency repairs, while opponents argued the state had already addressed current needs through a recent unanimous budget and existing bond authority. The bill passed final passage 59-38, meeting the required three-fifths vote. The House then considered Gross Substitute Senate Bill 6260, an education budget-related bill with many floor amendments focused on transition to kindergarten, alternative learning experience (ALE) funding, local effort assistance (LEA), educational service district reserves, superintendent pay, MSOC funding, and collective bargaining limits. Most proposed amendments were rejected, though Amendment 2654 on TK priorities was adopted. After the committee amendment as amended was adopted, the bill advanced to third reading and then passed 50-47. Supporters described it as a necessary budget reduction and risk-management measure; opponents argued it cut K-12 funding too deeply, especially in rural and property-poor districts, and would worsen inequities and invite litigation. The House also concurred in Senate amendments and passed several other bills. House Bill 1796, about school construction financing and capital levy use, passed 95-2. Second Substitute House Bill 2105, dealing with immigrant worker protections, passed 58-38. Engrossed House Bill 2211, on food sourcing for a health-related program, passed unanimously. Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2225, regulating companion chatbots and child safety, passed 74-21. Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2247, related to animal care, passed unanimously. Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 2418, streamlining permitting timelines to support housing affordability, also passed unanimously. The House then moved on to additional Senate-concurred bills, beginning with Second Substitute House Bill 1906.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 184, an act relating to health savings account qualified insurance plans.
• savings an act relating to health savings account<00:08:18.600><c> qualified</c><00:08:19.200><c> insurance
• </c><00:08:20.960><c> House</c> account qualified insurance plans.
• House account qualified insurance plans.
• </c> support from the National Insurance support from the National Insurance Crime<01:01:20.600><c> Bureau

Transcript Highlights:

• activation, the Florence Education Association was able to help her get insurance activated within just
• activation, the Florence Education Association was able to help her get insurance activated within just
• Tomorrow, it could be flexible spending accounts, life insurance, who knows?
• Employers deduct insurance. They deduct for contributions to retirement accounts.
• Each outbreak drives costs for hospitals, insurers, families, and public health departments.

Transcript Highlights:

• An assessment on insurance providers in our state. It is not about general fund dollars at all.
• We're talking about telling insurance companies, based on the previous thing, do what we don't want to
• Are we drawing down all the insurance proceeds we can? Are there philanthropic resources?
• Hopefully what we will learn is this is exactly what's happening that a provider bills insurance first
• , Medicaid, or regents or other private insurance for a service.

Bills: SB6061 , SB6234 , SB6170 , SB6176 , SB6182 , SB6335 , SB5647 , SB6047 , HB2367 , HB2606 , SB5998 , SB6005 , SB6003 , SB6129 , SB6225 , SB6228 , SB6231

Summary: The Senate convened with roll call, prayer, and approval of the previous day’s journal, then moved to a resolution honoring piano teachers. Senate Resolution 8698 was adopted after remarks from Senator Conway and others describing the role of piano teachers in music education, family life, and community service. Members of the Washington State Music Teachers Association and the National Guild of Piano Teachers were recognized in the gallery. The chamber then took up the operating budget and considered a long series of amendments. Several amendments focused on housing costs and local planning, utility and energy policy, ballot measure costs, state spending growth, tort liability, and paid family and medical leave. Some amendments were adopted, including a study of utility cost impacts from climate laws, a grid-related funding amendment, a tort liability oversight/reporting amendment, and a workgroup on services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Others were rejected, including proposals to create a housing task force, cap state spending growth, fund ballot initiative costs, restore local planning grants, and change paid family and medical leave usage rules. Debate on the budget amendments was often partisan and detailed, with supporters arguing for fiscal restraint, cost transparency, and relief for taxpayers and local governments, while opponents emphasized existing work, program solvency, and the need to preserve services. The Senate also heard amendments on zero-based budgeting, federal education tax credit opt-in language, reproductive health funding, food assistance work requirements, and support for the Pediatric Interim Care Center; some were defeated and some were adopted. Roll-call votes were taken on certain amendments, and the transcript ends during consideration of Amendment 0787, which would restore funding for the Pediatric Interim Care Center.

Transcript Highlights:

• On line 49, I just see that the agency says governor for employee liability insurance premiums.
• Chair, this would—there's an agency for the Office of the Governor that assesses liability insurance
• Chair and representatives, the Environment Department also pays liability insurance premiums.
• This is specific to lawsuit-based liability insurance, not personal liability.
• Just for everybody listening in, is the state of New Mexico self-insured? Mr.

Committee: House House Appropriations & Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• Our insurance is too high.
• His insurance was $25,000 a year.
• I pay more in property insurance than he pays in general risk, right?
• I don't think it's high at all in the insurance game of things.
• So it's not the insurance that's making them... that has just started, and it's only $6,000 a year.

Transcript Highlights:

• want to keep up with the raises you've promised to your firefighters and police, if the cost of insurance
• I mean, some of the departments in Texas have taken very good insurance ratings, which keeps property
• If you could keep insurance rates low, if there's a margin of change in property tax, there may be a
• risk danger that is so high they can't find insurance providers to cover.
• There are things like inflation, health insurance costs going up.

Bills: HB17 , HB23 , SB 10

Committee: House Ways & Means

Transcript Highlights:

• funding for our school districts around the state and being able to meet the needs for unemployment insurance
• work, clerical staff, and education support aides had been excluded from receiving unemployment insurance
• the Minnesota legislature passed legislation to bring hourly school workers into the unemployment insurance
• since access to unemployment insurance since the<00:01:37.040><c> inception</c><00:01:37.600><c> of<
• </c> workers into the unemployment insurance workers into the unemployment insurance benefit<00:01:47.280

Committee: Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• states this special fund, beyond this initial appropriation, will be funded by assisting health insurers
• states this special fund, beyond this initial appropriation, will be funded by assisting health insurers
• states this special fund, beyond this initial appropriation, will be funded by assisting health insurers
• states this special fund, beyond this initial appropriation, will be funded by assisting health insurers
• states this special fund, beyond this initial appropriation, will be funded by assisting health insurers

Transcript Highlights:

• Businesses, those restaurants still file claims on my insurance.
• And my insurance told me they would have to pay out.
• That hurts my insurance.
• I think that's just a talking point in the insurance requirements. that are set forth, you know, it's
• I have to prove my insurance. If it's in a rural municipality or co-op.

Bills: HB206 , HB 1285 , HB1335 , HJR107 , HB206

Committee: House Energy Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• Whether we're talking about property insurance, whether we're talking about housing affordability, and
• Whether we're talking about property insurance, whether we're talking about housing affordability, and
• Insurance is an issue. We have kids who are in school who can't afford to pay for school.
• This will affect our education funding, insurance costs, affordable housing projects, and the overall
• My district's needs include affordable housing, infrastructure projects, cost of groceries, insurance

Summary: The House convened with prayer, a moment of silence for the Parkland shooting victims, the Pledge of Allegiance, and adoption of the special order report for the day. The chamber then moved into a special-order agenda focused almost entirely on immigration-related measures, beginning with Senate Memorial 6C urging the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to provide guidance and training for 287(g) agreements. The memorial was adopted 85-27 after brief debate, with supporters arguing Florida should help maximize federal immigration enforcement and opponents saying Congress, not the state, should fix immigration policy. The House next took up Senate Bill 4C, an immigration bill creating new state offenses for illegal entry and reentry by adult unauthorized aliens and requiring a mandatory death sentence for an unauthorized alien convicted of a capital felony. Members debated constitutional concerns, due process, racial profiling, fiscal impacts, and whether the bill intruded on federal immigration authority. Several amendments were offered and defeated, including proposals to extend protections to Venezuelans with TPS, to remove the mandatory death penalty, to protect certain long-term immigrant workers and teachers, to expand exemptions for Haitians and humanitarian parole recipients, and to create a task force on best practices for immigration enforcement in schools and other sensitive locations. A final amendment to strip the bill as unconstitutional was also rejected. The bill then passed 85-29. The final measure discussed was Senate Bill 2C, which creates a State Board of Immigration Enforcement led by the Governor and Cabinet, establishes grants and incentive bonuses for local law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration authorities, repeals the fee waiver for undocumented students beginning July 1, 2025, and appropriates more than $300 million for immigration enforcement. The sponsor described it as a broad enforcement package, while questions from members focused on the impact on current students who receive in-state tuition and whether the bill would remove incentives for those already enrolled. The transcript ends during that exchange, before final action on SB 2C is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• Health insurance should be the door to care, and too often it's the obstacle.
• retention, which is basically their deductible from the insurance company.
• Finally, we'll require that insurers must let builders count repairs against their self-insured retention
• Our condo liability insurance premiums have skyrocketed over 40% in the last five years.
• The bill's sponsor correctly notes the builder's high insurance costs.

Committee: House Judiciary