Transcript Highlights:

• agencies, the Department has received a pretty significant increase in their liability insurance premium
• I will say the reason for that is, as I mentioned before, the insurance premium is 100% paid out of this
• It is that 5.1 million insurance premium increase.
• Are we looking at pretty solid numbers here, or are we giving them a bit of a discount? still, Mr.

Transcript Highlights:

• One way that the board has come up with is to join a prescription drug discount card program.
• One way that the board has come up with is to join a prescription drug discount card program.
• One way that the board has come up with is to join a prescription drug discount card program.
• </c><01:21:02.400><c> uh</c><01:21:02.719><c> this</c> discount card in Connecticut. uh this discount
• Next up is Andrew Harmon, followed by Bob Scully. optional discount card that would cover optional discount

Committee: Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• By way of background, the insurance commissioner collects an annual premium tax of 2% on the premium
• So this is on the premium tax.
• Washington and Oregon have nearly identical premium taxes at roughly 2%.
• Washington and Oregon have nearly identical premium taxes at roughly 2%.
• And it could be an effective doubling of the 2% premium tax rate to up to 4%.

Summary: The Senate Health and Long-Term Care Committee heard testimony on several bills. SB 6159 would create a public hospital infrastructure account funded by a new annual coverage assessment on insurers and other businesses subject to the premium tax, and would allow public hospital districts and other public health entities to collaborate more freely and access capital financing for major construction or modernization projects. Senator Dhingra said the bill is intended to help public hospitals compete and modernize, especially amid federal Medicaid and ACA subsidy cuts. Supporters included UW Medicine, while hospital districts supported the general concept but said Section 2 could unintentionally narrow existing cooperative agreements with nonpublic entities. Health plans and insurers opposed the bill, arguing it would raise premiums, increase consolidation, and improperly sweep in property and casualty insurers and mutual companies; testimony also raised concerns about pass-through costs and retaliatory tax effects. The hearing on SB 6159 closed with 5 pro, 74 con, and 2 other sign-ins. The committee then heard SB 5845, which would modernize timely payment rules by requiring carriers and public employee plans to pay or deny all clean claims within 30 days, require prompt notice and a single request for additional information on incomplete claims, and impose interest or penalties for missed deadlines. Senator Slaughter said the bill would reduce uncertainty for providers and stabilize payments without increasing patient costs. Hospitals, physicians, and health systems strongly supported the measure, citing large volumes of late clean claims and examples of prolonged delays, including a Harborview claim that remained unpaid more than a year after billing. Health plans opposed the bill, saying the current 95% standard is workable, that they already meet high compliance rates, and that the bill could limit fraud, waste, and abuse review on high-dollar claims; they also sought more flexibility and additional time for responses. The hearing closed with 69 pro, 4 con, and 2 other sign-ins. The committee also heard SB 5916, which would prohibit health plans from disadvantaging non-opioid pain treatments relative to opioids in formularies and utilization management, and would require a Department of Health educational pamphlet on non-opioid alternatives. Senator Harris described the bill as a response to opioid deaths and a way to encourage safer pain treatment options. Patients, recovery advocates, and rare disease advocates testified in support, saying insurance barriers and step therapy often make non-opioid care harder to access and can push patients toward opioids. The Health Care Authority and an association of health plans opposed the bill, arguing it could reduce formulary flexibility, increase costs, and limit tools such as prior authorization and step therapy. The hearing closed with 8 pro, 1 con, and 2 other sign-ins. Finally, the committee heard SB 6102 and SB 6103, both sponsored by Senator Muzzall, and SB 6071. SB 6102 would align the ambulance transport quality assurance fee with federal rules after H.R. 1 barred new provider taxes, preserving the existing fee rate and adjusting the Medicaid add-on rate annually; the Washington Ambulance Association supported it, saying the program had improved wages and benefits for EMS workers. SB 6103 would make Medicaid payments for services provided by a rural emergency hospital subject to appropriation, creating a framework for East Adams Rural Health Care to convert to the new federal rural emergency hospital model; East Adams and the Washington State Hospital Association supported it as a way to preserve rural access. SB 6071 would shorten overpayment recovery timelines for all services to six months, or nine months for coordination-of-benefits cases, matching the shorter timelines already enacted for behavioral health services; providers and specialty associations supported the bill as a way to reduce destabilizing clawbacks, while the remaining testimony was still underway when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• Specifically, the bill accomplishes this by requiring completed mitigation discount forms, 1802, to be
• the bill makes changes to subscriber contributions, the fee charged to policyholders on top of the premium
• The bill also provides that insurers include information to policyholders about where their premium dollars
• Senate Bill 1740 is a pro-consumer insurance bill with a goal of bringing down insurance premiums, decrease
• corresponding mitigation credit given by the insurance company to homeowners that will reduce the insurance premium

Summary: The committee heard and advanced several insurance, financial regulation, and public safety bills. SB 1656, a large Office of Insurance Regulation bill, was taken up with a delete-all amendment and extensive discussion. The bill would increase transparency in insurance rates and mitigation data, update reciprocal insurer rules, limit use-and-file rate filings, expand cybersecurity breach notification, and strengthen oversight of continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs). Residents and senior advocates generally supported stronger oversight to prevent bankruptcies like the Unison case, while CCRC operators and industry groups warned that lien authority, reserve requirements, and other provisions could raise borrowing costs and burden well-run communities. The committee adopted the delete-all amendment and then reported the bill favorably after debate and public testimony. The committee also passed SB 1658 on the public records database for uniform mitigation verification forms, with a clarifying amendment protecting policyholders’ personal information. SB 1612 on financial institutions was reported favorably after an amendment and substitute amendment dealing with credit union investment limits and reimbursement rules for board members. SB 1740, an insurance bill aimed at reducing premiums and insolvency risk, was amended to prioritize rate-decrease filings and prohibit AI as the sole basis for claim denials; it was then reported favorably. SB 1212 on firefighter health and safety was amended to add occupational disease language and other firefighter protections, including safer gear, cancer prevention, and possible telehealth mental health services, and was also reported favorably. Finally, SB 1184 on residual market insurers was amended to preserve existing excess-and-surplus line standards, strengthen consumer disclosures, and clarify Citizens-related appointment rules before being reported favorably. Throughout the meeting, committee members repeatedly noted that several bills were still being refined with stakeholders, and multiple public witnesses testified in support of or opposition to the CCRC and insurance provisions, focusing on resident protection, financial stability, and unintended cost impacts.

Transcript Highlights:

• All four scenarios do include a low-income discount.
• The first two scenarios assume that the low-income discount would be implemented at the time when the
• It was assumed that the low-income toll discount would be a 50% discount for eligible low-income customers
• It was assumed that the low-income toll discount would be a 50% discount for eligible low-income customers
• BRT was briefly considered and then discounted by the IBR program this time around.

Committee: Joint Joint Oregon-Washington Legislative Action Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><01:01:52.319><c> It</c> purchase drugs at a discounted price.
• It purchase drugs at a discounted price.
• My single premium was $1,100 a of 2025.
• And a lot of times those premiums still come with pretty high cost.
• And a lot of times those premiums deal.

Summary: The Select Subcommittee first took up adoption of three previously prepared nonpartisan committee summary reports dated October 15, November 13, and November 21. Senator Rasmusson objected to the lack of advance notice about the day’s testifiers and criticized the practice of having nonpartisan staff summarize what he described as a partisan agenda. The chair responded that the committee’s purpose is to gather information, not hear bills, and that the summaries were intended as neutral resources for the Senate. Senator Coopek moved adoption, the motion was opposed by Rasmusson and another member, and the motion passed. The committee then turned to the day’s hearing on federal impacts on Minnesota, with the chair focusing on federal funding threats and the effect of congressional budget actions on health care, especially in greater Minnesota. The first presentation came from the Minnesota Department of Health on the state’s rural health transformation work. Assistant Commissioner Carol Broom introduced the team and described the rural hospital transformation program as a major opportunity to invest in rural health, while acknowledging longstanding challenges such as demographics, transportation barriers, and the financing of care. Nitha Moibi outlined the state’s rural health chart book and data showing an aging population, workforce shortages, and many health professional shortage areas, and described proposed strategies including workforce pipelines, bridge payments for low-volume birth hospitals, telehealth access points, mental health urgent care, and chronic disease prevention. Acting Assistant Commissioner Anna Ashby of the Minnesota Management and Budget office explained the state’s application to CMS for the Rural Health Transformation Program, which was created in federal law and awarded Minnesota just over $193 million for federal fiscal year 2026. She said the application was shaped by public comments, stakeholder meetings, and legislative outreach, and included initiatives on preventive care, workforce, care access, behavioral health, and provider financial stability. She also reviewed implementation constraints, including a January 30 revised budget deadline, limits on administrative spending, restrictions on using funds to offset Medicaid losses, and the need to show measurable progress to remain eligible for future funding. The presentation noted that most year-one funding would go to rural hospitals, with additional support for federally qualified health centers, community mental health centers, tribal partners, and technical assistance.

Transcript Highlights:

• Florida Condominium Pilot Program may only be awarded if the proposed work will result in a mitigation discount
• Not only does it help Floridians harden their homes, it also saves on their homeowners insurance premiums

Committee: Senate Banking and Insurance

Summary: The committee met with a quorum present and temporarily postponed SB 480 before taking up four bills. SB 282, relating to home service warranty association finance requirements, was explained as aligning Florida’s home warranty solvency rules with the framework already adopted for motor vehicle extended warranties. Two amendments were adopted: one correcting a cross-reference tied to the $100 million net worth option and another making a technical title change. A representative of the Florida Service Agreement Association waived in support, and the bill was reported favorably. The committee then considered two proposed committee bills preserving public records exemptions. SB 7008 would continue the exemption for certain records held by the Office of Financial Regulation related to financial technology sandbox applications, with staff explaining the exemption is narrow and intended to protect proprietary information. SPB 7010 would continue the exemption for sensitive records held by the Department of Financial Services when acting as receiver for an insolvent insurer, including policyholder personal information, claim data, and trade secrets; staff said the exemption mirrors existing protections and allows consumers to request their own information. Both measures were moved as committee bills and reported favorably. Finally, SB 592 revising the My Safe Florida Condominium Pilot Program was heard. The bill narrows eligibility to certain condominiums, changes owner approval from unanimous consent to 75%, and clarifies eligible roof mitigation techniques. Two amendments were adopted: one requiring the grant work to match the initial inspection report and comply with inspection requirements, and another limiting grants to work that results in a mitigation discount. Testimony was supportive, including from home inspectors and AARP Florida, and senators praised the program’s benefits for hardening homes and lowering insurance costs. SB 592 was reported favorably, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:10:12.560><c> monthly</c><00:10:13.040><c> and</c> &gt;&gt; It is where you pay premiums monthly
• and &gt;&gt; It is where you pay premiums monthly and then<00:10:13.519><c> when</c><00:10:14.399><c
• We currently don't have the same fairness that the other insurance premiums has for those who pay other
• "Yeah, we've already given them the exception that they don't have to pay premium tax.
• Are we going to give them a premium tax.

Bills: HB125 , HB116 , HB183 , HB342 , HB341 , SB280 , SB245 , SB159 , HB125 , HB116 , HB183 , HB342 , HB341 , SB280 , SB245 , SB159

Committee: Senate Finance and Taxation Education

Keywords: HB125, sunset law, Alabama Sunset Committee, Alabama State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners, veterinary medical examiners, veterinary board, veterinary licensing, veterinary regulation, professional licensing board, state board continuation, sunset review, regulatory board, animal health, veterinarians, disciplinary authority, HB116, Alabama Sunset Law, sunset bill, Alabama Professional Bail Bonding Board, bail bonding

Transcript Highlights:

• Let me say something about medical malpractice premiums.
• New Mexico has premiums about the same as Texas and Arizona.
• show you what they're paying in Premiums.
• The issue is they will tell you the aggregate amount of premiums collected.
• get premiums per policy because I don't know how to do that.

Committee: House Legislative Health & Human Services Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• So, as long as the penalties for driving without insurance are less than an auto insurance premium, there
• That's $200 as opposed to paying the insurance premium.
• </c><00:58:28.640><c> some</c><00:58:28.880><c> of</c> think that um we can discount some of think that
• um we can discount some of these<00:58:29.119><c> costs</c><00:58:29.280><c> that</c><00:58:29.520><
• I think that's why we insurance premium.

Bills: HF3131 , HF3436 , HF3106 , HF3241 , HF3531

Committee: House Transportation Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• The biggest impact of that for us and in the smaller communities is the growth of discount stores, such
• There are over 200 of those discount stores in our community, and...
• There are over 200 of those discount stores in our community, and...
• They get a premium. Rather than your farm fresh produce. Local farmers are small.
• They get a premium. Local farmers are small. They get a premium.

Committee: Joint Economic & Rural Development & Policy Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• Yeah, I’ve been looking at both ways: they get a discount, but also the districts get some funding for
• that less training leads to more crashes, leads to more deaths, and can lead to higher insurance premiums
• And I know that as far as different carriers, they likely offer discounts for, I know, for good student
• discount drivers.
• I know for good student discount drivers.

Committee: House Elementary and Secondary Education

Summary: The committee met in executive session first and took up House Bill 3239, adopting a Hurlbert amendment that capped the program at $4 million and then adopting the House Committee Substitute. The substitute bill passed 11-7. The committee then combined House Bill 2913 and House Bill 3228 into one substitute; members discussed that it would not cover student teachers and was intended to start with the current scope and broaden later. The combined substitute passed unanimously, 19-0. In open session, the committee heard House Bill 2195, which would create a Missouri Integrated Safe Driving Program to let DESE vet and distribute safe-driving lesson materials for voluntary use in existing courses starting in 2027-2028. Sponsor Representative Reedy said the bill is intended to improve teen driver safety without a fiscal note. Supporters included AAA Missouri, traffic-safety and motorcycle groups, MoDOT, and the Missouri Insurance Coalition, who cited teen crash and fatality data, the benefits of formal driver education, and the need to address distracted driving, traffic stops, and motorcycle awareness. No one testified in opposition. The committee also heard House Bill 2502, which would clarify how records from closed nonpublic schools and charter schools are transferred and stored so students can later obtain transcripts and graduation records. The sponsor said the bill responds to missing records from closed schools and would direct records to the appropriate public district; a technical correction was noted to avoid including homeschool records. Missouri NEA supported the bill and suggested charter-school performance contracts include compliance expectations. The committee then heard House Bill 2396, which would allow retired teachers to return to PSRS-covered teaching jobs without a time limit, similar to existing critical-shortage provisions. The sponsor argued it would help districts, especially smaller ones, and could benefit teachers and students without harming the retirement system. PSRS/PEERS testified that the bill could raise contribution rates by an estimated 1.44% to 2.45% and raised concerns about behavior changes and IRS qualification issues; Missouri NEA and the Missouri State Teachers Association opposed the bill, saying it would not solve recruitment and retention problems and could damage the retirement system. The Missouri Retired Teachers Association testified for informational purposes, warning that the bill could prompt many eligible teachers to retire sooner.

Transcript Highlights:

• incentivized students and parents to do summer driver's ed because the local insurance agencies gave a nice discount
• They get a discount, but also the districts get some funding for this sort of thing, if needed.
• that less training leads to more crashes, leads to more deaths, and can lead to higher insurance premiums
• And I know that as far as different carriers likely offer discounts.
• I know that as far as different carriers, they likely offer discounts for, I know, for good student discount

Committee: House Elementary and Secondary Education

Transcript Highlights:

• It would not be just the health plans, and I assume it would be translated into higher premiums, especially
• opposed to fee-for-service rec car vault model is that it, as I mentioned before, protects 340B discounts
• You cannot take a state rebate on a brand-name drug and 340B discount pricing from the manufacturer.
• Instead of at the discount price that the state would get.

Committee: House Health Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to the application of the primary residence credit and discount
• where they break it down, and if you paid early by February 15th, under state law, you got a 5% discount
• where they break it down, and if you paid early by February 15th, under state law, you got a 5% discount
• They were giving you the 5% discount on the adjusted... Percent discount.
• They were giving you the 5% discount on the adjusted dollar amount, not on your true tax dollar amount

Bills: HB1621 , HB1624 , HB1623 , HB1622 , HB1625 , HB1626 , HB1627 , HCR3038

Summary: The House convened in special session, opened with prayer and the Pledge, confirmed a quorum, and recognized visiting students from Shiloh High School. Members also observed a moment of silence for former Representative Cindy Shriver Beck, and the House adopted the Employment Committee report approving special-session staff appointments. The chamber then considered House Bill 1621, which would require the presidential physical fitness test in K-12 physical education courses with exemptions for students with disabilities and an effective date of August 1, 2027. Supporters framed it as a return to a historic fitness standard and a response to federal direction; the bill passed 90-0. The House next took up House Bill 1624, a universal school meals bill that would place the program in statute rather than the Constitution, start it a year earlier than the initiated measure, and appropriate $65 million for the first year. Debate centered on whether universal meals were needed, whether the bill would preserve legislative flexibility and property-tax relief, and whether it would help families or subsidize those who could pay. The bill passed 55-38. Finally, the House began debate on House Bill 1623, the rural health transformation package tied to federal grant funds and a Bank of North Dakota loan program to support rural health projects, EMS, behavioral health, and related infrastructure. The sponsor and supporters emphasized North Dakota’s strong grant award, the need to move quickly, and the bill’s role in filling rural health gaps statewide. Some members raised concerns about federal spending, inflation, and telehealth, while others stressed the need to address EMS and workforce shortages. The transcript ends during debate on HB 1623, before any final vote is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• Right now, Wyoming's natural gas is bottlenecked in the state, and as such we get a discounted rate for
• as such we bottlenecked in the state and as such we get<00:17:38.640><c> a</c><00:17:38.960><c> discounted
• certification that they are purchasing the cleanest fuel on the planet, and they'll pay a 5 to 15% premium
• certification that they are purchasing the cleanest fuel on the planet, and they'll pay a 5 to 15% premium
• So, if you guys to 15% premium for that.

Bills: SF0102 , SF0123 , SF0021 , SF0099

Committee: Senate Minerals, Business & Economic Development

Transcript Highlights:

• ,</c> Representative Ryer: The costs would be translated over into higher premiums, especially in the
• You cannot take a state rebate on a brand-name drug and 340B discount pricing from the manufacturer.
• pricing from the drug and 340B discount pricing from the manufacturer.<01:18:06.159><c> That</c><01:
• We are paying for the drugs at market price instead of at the discount price that the state would get
• </c> discount price that the state would get. discount price that the state would get.

Committee: House Health Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• I just had a conversation with a member yesterday who pays over $885 a month. for her premium for herself
• She told me that the premium costs can be so prohibitive that she puts off needed visits to the doctor
• By establishing an 80/20 premium cost share model for public school employees, the legislature could
• After the enactment of a previous revision to premium contributions, approximately 837 additional public
• We cannot discount the youth voice A successful school supports the whole child, where everyone works

Transcript Highlights:

• My weekly premium is $321.64, and that is weekly.
• So when drug costs spike, so do premiums, jeopardizing affordability and access.
• But state mandates account for more than 17 percent of premiums in Massachusetts.
• But state mandates account for more than 17 percent of premiums in Massachusetts.
• Legislature to examine the effects a law or regulation would have on insurance premiums.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Health Care Financing

Summary: The Joint Committee on Health Care Financing held a public hearing on a broad set of health care bills focused on cost, market oversight, pharmaceutical access, transparency, hospital closures, and pharmacy access. Chairs John Lawn and Cindy Friedman opened by emphasizing recent health care reforms and the need for further action on the drug supply chain, PBMs, private equity, and affordability. The committee heard testimony on several measures, including a Betsy Lehman Center bill to make technical changes and create a permanent trust account for federal and private funding, and bills on hospital profits and fairness, hospital closures and health planning, pharmacy deserts, and health care market oversight and pharmaceutical access. No votes were taken during the hearing. On the hospital profits bill, physicians and labor advocates strongly supported capping hospital CEO compensation at 50 times the lowest-paid worker, requiring greater financial transparency, and directing penalties from high-margin public hospitals into a Medicaid reimbursement fund. Testifiers argued that executive pay is excessive while frontline staff and safety-net services are under strain. Committee members raised concerns about unintended consequences, including whether hospitals might shift workers to contract status or lose executive talent, and whether the bill would actually direct money to the safety net. Supporters responded that the measure is one piece of a larger effort and that the bill’s Medicaid reimbursement provisions would help underserved hospitals. Testimony on market oversight and pharmaceutical access centered on rising health care and drug costs, PBM practices, and the proposal to give the Health Policy Commission authority to set upper payment limits for certain drugs. Consumer advocates, disability advocates, an independent pharmacist, the Attorney General’s office, and others supported stronger oversight, citing premium increases, affordability problems, and the impact of high drug prices on patients and community pharmacies. Pharma and some industry witnesses opposed parts of the bill, warning that upper payment limits could disrupt access, create legal issues, and fail to address the broader supply chain. The committee also heard support for stronger hospital closure notice and public hearing requirements, and for a pharmacy deserts bill aimed at identifying and addressing closures like the one in Roxbury that affected thousands of patients.

Transcript Highlights:

• insurance is very the mon L premiums insurance is very simple<00:04:02.519><c> premiums</c><00:04:03.079
• </c> states only eight have higher premiums states only eight have higher premiums in<00:04:37.880><c
• </c> Senate file 565 will mitigate premium Senate file 565 will mitigate premium increases<00:13:12.560
• </c><00:21:01.440><c> in</c> ends up paying a higher premium in ends up paying a higher premium in regard
• Minnesotans who are paying the premiums.

Committee: Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection