Transcript Highlights:

• The funding mechanism was based upon active member teacher payroll. which obviously has nothing to do
• We also have a contribution from employers of 2% of payroll. that is also provided.
• Follow-up on Representative Bumgarner's question about minimum salary schedule and total payroll.
• been on total payroll? very beneficial.
• Payroll, that would result in our funding period going up by 7 years. said the last part about seven

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And in 2025, the payroll cost created by AB5 exceeded $150,000, which is almost 15% of our budget.
• That's not salaries and wages, that's just payroll at fringe and admin.
• And the Performing Arts Equitable Payroll Fund is the lifeline we need and deserve.
• The Performing Arts Equitable Payroll Fund, which we received, is exactly the financial support needed
• , support in funding our cultural districts, the Performing Arts Equitable Payroll Fund, and the $50

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• example modernization of our payroll example modernization of our payroll system<00:24:50.640>
• <00:57:36.200> system telling us that the payroll system telling us that the payroll system
• because we have an Antiquated payroll because we have an Antiquated payroll system<01:07:51.079>
• of time that it takes to process payroll of time that it takes to process payroll um<01:08:12.920
• overpayments we just process payroll overpayments we just process payroll that's<02:04:27.280>

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint Ways and Means and Government Operations committees received a biennium budget preview from Keith Regan, Comptroller and Director of the Department of Accounting and General Services (DAGS), who introduced department leadership and described DAGS’ broad responsibilities across accounting, public works, procurement, elections, archives, risk management, and other attached agencies. He emphasized that DAGS supports nearly every state department and cited ongoing workforce challenges, while noting progress in reducing the department-wide vacancy rate from 21% in 2023 to 17.7% in 2024. He also highlighted recruitment efforts, including new salary schedules for engineers and architects, job fairs, internships, and outreach to retiring federal employees. A major focus was modernization of the state’s aging financial systems, especially the 55-year-old FAMIS platform and the Enterprise Financial System (EFS) project. DAGS said it expects to release the RFP for the FAMIS replacement by the end of January and is seeking a second tranche of CIP funding, including $35 million, plus position augmentation and creation of a Business Transformation Office to manage EFS and future modernization work. The department also described major capital projects such as the Aloha Stadium Entertainment District, Wahiawā Civic Center, Kauaʻi Civic Center, and Ahuimanu Community Correctional Center, and reported that Public Works is managing 455 projects statewide valued at more than $2.5 billion. Other budget requests discussed included funding for cemetery operations, with DAGS asking for two positions and $1 million in operating funds to support maintenance of eight cemeteries; a $200 million ceiling increase tied to anticipated insurance proceeds for West Maui fire-related recovery and rebuilding; and several staffing and operating items for district offices and facilities. These included full-year funding for positions in West Hawaiʻi and East Hawaiʻi, support for a small business coordinator at the State Procurement Office, funding for cloud hosting and PeopleSoft licensing, six positions and staff augmentation for the EFS project, electricity costs, and security-related funding. DAGS also noted that two requested reductions totaled $7.9 million, including transferring the security contract to the Department of Law Enforcement and reducing nonrecurring expenses; members discussed whether some security funding should remain with or be moved to DLE, and DAGS said it would not object to that transfer. No votes were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• exemption, which effectively removes all ability to have any type of regulations or licensing for payroll
• exemption, which effectively removes all ability to have any type of regulations or licensing for payroll
• So do you have any concerns with the small payroll processors, the independents, the mom-and-pops, that
• providers do payroll for.
• And so it's not just the dozen or so Oklahoma-based payroll providers.

Bills: HB4322, HB4202, HB4203, HB4457, HB3983, HB3660, HB3802, HB2933, HB2955, HB2956, HB3781, HB3521, HB3794, HB3796, HB3800

Keywords: funeral services licensing, funeral director, embalmer, funeral director in charge, dual licensure, mortuary science, Oklahoma Funeral Board, funeral establishment, commercial embalming establishment, crematory, cremation, alkaline hydrolysis, apprenticeship, licensing requirements, professional regulation, undertaker, mortician, burial services, death care industry, workers' compensation

Summary: The Business and Insurance Committee first handled a series of executive nominations, including appointments or reappointments to the Oklahoma Securities Commission, Real Estate Commission, State Athletic Commission, Accountancy Board, Commission on Consumer Credit, Uniform Building Code Commission, Abstractors Board, Used Motor Vehicle Dismantler and Manufactured Housing Commission, and State Banking Board. Most nominees briefly addressed the committee, and the nominations were advanced by unanimous or near-unanimous votes. One HB 4488 was laid over at the start of the meeting. The committee then considered several bills. HB 4322, which would remove a dual-licensure requirement for funeral directors and embalmers, drew questions about consumer protection and body care procedures and passed 6-3. HB 4202, changing workers’ compensation fee schedule treatment for radiology, passed unanimously. HB 4203, directing the Uniform Building Code Commission to explore guidelines for single-exit configurations in certain buildings up to four stories, passed 7-2 after concerns were raised about fire safety. HB 4457, dealing with specialty pharmacies, pharmacy benefit managers, and access to specialty medications, passed unanimously. Members also debated HB 3983, which would move Oklahoma’s moist smokeless tobacco tax to a weight-based system; supporters argued it would improve fairness and revenue stability, while opponents said it would raise taxes on some products and lacked consumer protections. It passed 6-3. HB 3660, authorizing natural organic reduction as an additional end-of-life option, prompted a lengthy debate over dignity, religious concerns, and consumer choice; it passed 5-4. HB 3802, prohibiting auto insurers from raising premiums solely because a spouse died, passed unanimously. HB 2933, a consumer protection insurance bill, passed 9-0 after extensive discussion of claims handling and insurer accountability. Additional insurance and regulatory measures—HB 2955, HB 2956, HB 3781, HB 3521, HB 3796, HB 3794, and HB 3800—were also advanced, most with little or no opposition. The chair closed by noting all executive nominations and legislation had been cleared from the committee for the year.

Transcript Highlights:

• So this program works by looking at actual payrolls, representing specific payroll employees, and reimbursing
• My other questions are about the equitable payroll fund.”
• “And then the other thing is that right now, it has to cover an entire year of payroll reimbursement.
• We're also proud and appreciative recipients of the Performing Arts Equitable Payroll Fund grant.
• But beyond payroll, the investment by the PAEPF grant sustained something deeper.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The subcommittee heard informational updates and budget requests from the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (Go-Biz), the California Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA), and the California Film Commission. Go-Biz Director D.D. Myers described the California Jobs First strategy, including regional economic planning, sector working groups, and investments in priority industries such as ag-tech, space and defense, life sciences, semiconductors, and microelectronics. She also outlined budget proposals for a five-year extension of the CalCompetes tax credit, support for export promotion, additional staffing for the film tax credit program, innovation and emerging technologies work, and the new California brand campaign. Senators questioned the campaign’s purpose, its relationship to tourism promotion, and whether it could obscure regulatory and business-climate concerns; Myers said it was intended to counter misinformation, promote California’s economic strengths, and support business attraction and retention, not to shut down debate about policy challenges. CalOSBA Deputy Director Claire Whitmer and program partners reported on the California RISE program, the Performing Arts Equitable Payroll Fund, and technical assistance/capital infusion programs. CalOSBA said RISE’s first cohort awarded $16.9 million to 61 employment social enterprises, which collectively expanded operations and employment for people facing barriers to work; a second round is being launched with updated services and a new grant administrator. The Performing Arts Equitable Payroll Fund fully distributed $11.6 million to 100 recipients, but witnesses said demand far exceeded available funding and that the sector remains fragile after the pandemic and AB 5-related cost increases. The technical assistance and capital programs were described as serving more than 112,000 businesses in the last year, helping start 3,780 new businesses and leverage significant loan and equity capital, with emphasis on outreach to women-, minority-, veteran-, rural-, and low-wealth-owned firms. Committee members focused on whether these programs produce durable outcomes and reach underserved communities. One senator asked for longitudinal data on employment social enterprises and whether jobs created through incentives persist over time; CalOSBA said it would provide prior studies and future tracking. Another senator pressed for more outreach and support for small businesses at different stages of development, especially those in disadvantaged communities that may struggle to access capital. The California Film Commission then presented a request for three permanent positions and ongoing funding to administer the expanded film and television tax credit program. Commissioners said the program is tracking demographic and career-pathway data, with about 90% of productions opting into new diversity provisions and reporting due to the Legislature in 2027. The LAO supported the film commission staffing request given the larger program size and expanded applicant pool. No votes were taken; the items were informational or budget requests under review.

Transcript Highlights:

• This program works by looking at actual payrolls, representing specific payroll employees, and reimbursing
• My other questions are about the equitable payroll fund.
• My other questions are about the equitable payroll fund.
• We're also proud and appreciative recipients of the Performing Arts Equitable Payroll Fund grant.
• But beyond payroll, the investment by the PAEPF grant sustained something deeper.

Summary: The subcommittee heard an informational update from the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development on the state’s Jobs First economic development strategy and related budget requests. Go-Biz described its regional planning process, priority sectors such as ag-tech, space defense, life sciences, and semiconductors, and requests including an extension of the CalCompetes tax credit, support for export promotion, additional film commission staff, innovation and emerging technology capacity, and a California brand campaign. Members questioned the campaign’s purpose, with some supporting efforts to counter misinformation about California and others warning it should not obscure regulatory and business-climate concerns. Go-Biz said the campaign would be nationally focused, could include business attraction efforts, and was intended to complement—not replace—policy work on permitting and workforce development. The item was informational only. The committee then heard from the California Office of the Small Business Advocate on the California RISE program, the Performing Arts Equitable Payroll Fund, and the Technical Assistance Program/Capital Infusion Program. CalOSBA reported that California RISE’s first round awarded $16.9 million to 61 employment social enterprises, which collectively increased revenue, secured contracts, and employed thousands of people facing barriers to work; a second round is being launched with a new administrator and expanded services. For the performing arts payroll fund, the office said all 100 awardees had been paid, but demand far exceeded available funding, and the program was oversubscribed within days. California for the Arts testified that the sector remains fragile after COVID and urged statutory changes to simplify eligibility and stretch dollars further. SBDC representatives described TAP/SIP as a statewide network supporting small businesses, capital access, and disaster recovery, emphasizing their role in underserved communities and the leverage of federal matching funds. Committee members focused on whether these programs produce durable outcomes and reach smaller or disadvantaged businesses. Questions centered on long-term job retention in California RISE, outreach to ethnic and community media in the civic media program, and whether TAP/SIP are accessible to entrepreneurs with limited capital or capacity. CalOSBA and its partners said they rely heavily on local community organizations for outreach, provide one-on-one counseling and training, and are working to collect more longitudinal data. The committee also discussed the film and television tax credit program, for which Go-Biz requested funding for three permanent positions and ongoing program support. Film Commission staff said the expanded program is tracking demographic and career-pathway data, with most productions opting into new diversity provisions, and that a formal report to the Legislature is expected in 2027. The item concluded without a vote, as the hearing was for oversight and budget discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• Did they, in fact, make payroll? >> They did make payroll on April 24th.
• They made the payroll on the 24th. They did not make the May 8th payroll.
• They made the payroll on the that week.
• And when I asked David Goldwer, payroll.
• to make that payroll once funds asked to make that payroll once funds become<00:36:48.000> available

Keywords: 924, joint, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and blend public and private funds matching employers contributions franchise tech franchise tax deductions
• The payroll cost is two times, the property tax is three times for what we, two times since we opened
• Our center... payroll has increased 35% post-COVID wages, I'm sorry, pre-COVID wages. changes. us to

Bills: SB1, SB 1

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And, you know, deep concern about the cuts to the Performing Arts Equitable Payroll Fund.
• So the fund reimburses a portion of their payroll costs.
• Here again today to ask you to please reject this cut to the Equitable Payroll Fund.
• I want to reiterate that the Equitable Payroll Fund is already well underway.
• California State Payroll System Project is the name of the project. Why is it taking seven years?

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• payroll may be a little bit higher. payroll may be a little bit higher.
• Okay, and those fixed numbers increase as payroll increases because it's a percentage of payroll, and
• . payroll. payroll.
• <01:25:17.600> That's that aside from uh payroll? That's that aside from uh payroll?
• four uh applied to payroll. four uh applied to payroll.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The meeting opened with a quorum call, the Pledge of Allegiance, a prayer, and approval of the prior meeting minutes. The first presentation was from Bo Craycraft of the Judicial Form Retirement System, who gave an update on investment performance, asset allocation, cash flow, and projected employer costs. He reported strong fiscal year 2025 investment results, with both the legislative and judicial retirement plans outperforming their actuarial assumed rates of return and benchmarks, driven largely by U.S. equity performance. He also noted the plans remained near their target asset allocation and continued to experience negative cash flow, though he said that was manageable in context of strong asset growth. Craycraft then discussed a recent experience study and actuarial assumption changes, especially a revised salary growth assumption and a higher cash balance interest credit rate. He said these changes increased projected employer costs, with contributions rising from about $700,000 to a projected $2 million in later years, though he expected the eventual 2025 valuation and investment gains to reduce that estimate. Members asked about mortality assumptions, the impact of the experience study on liabilities, and the sharp increase in the judicial plan’s projected employer cost. Craycraft explained that the increase was driven mainly by the updated assumptions and that no other major plan changes were involved. At the chair’s request, Craycraft also addressed the recent rise in Medicare Advantage premiums for the plan’s health coverage, saying the 2025 increase was largely tied to Part D changes and the Inflation Reduction Act and had been about 45%, but that future growth was expected to be under 5%. After his presentation, the committee moved to the Kentucky Public Pensions Authority update, where the next speaker began by saying the funds had exceeded actuarial assumed returns for the fiscal year.

Transcript Highlights:

• are defined as including but not limited to audits, bookkeeping, financial statement preparation, payroll
• are defined as including but not limited to audits, bookkeeping, financial statement preparation, payroll
• ,<00:26:15.760> and<00:26:15.919> income<00:26:16.240> tax preparation, payroll
• , and income tax preparation, payroll, and income tax preparation.<00:26:18.799> It<00:26:19.039
• services are almost exclusively payroll services are almost exclusively provided<00:26:40.240> to

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That was a blanket full exemption for payroll service providers.
• So do you have any concerns with the small payroll processors, the independents, the mom and pops.
• providers do payroll for.
• And so it's not just the dozen or so Oklahoma-based payroll providers.
• Oklahoma-based payroll providers, and I have given them my word that I will continue to work as needed

Bills: HB4322, HB4202, HB4203, HB4457, HB3983, HB3660, HB3802, HB2933, HB2955, HB2956, HB3781, HB3521, HB3794, HB3796, HB3800

Keywords: funeral services licensing, funeral director, embalmer, funeral director in charge, dual licensure, mortuary science, Oklahoma Funeral Board, funeral establishment, commercial embalming establishment, crematory, cremation, alkaline hydrolysis, apprenticeship, licensing requirements, professional regulation, undertaker, mortician, burial services, death care industry, workers' compensation

Transcript Highlights:

• So how it works is they move to integrated payroll.
• A company like this has access to ADP or whatever payroll company.
• But these companies, because of the payroll integration, are looking to verify what wages someone has
• For the employer-based model, because they're integrated into payroll, all that happens is the part they
• If it is trapped in a batch payroll cycle, it's a non-recourse, no-interest product.

Transcript Highlights:

• their current payroll collection obligations, including the ongoing maintenance of those records.
• Uh, many contractors already use established payroll systems to meet the current requirements.
• Uh, many contractors already use established payroll systems to meet the current requirements.
• <01:09:29.080> form<01:09:30.120> uh a certified payroll form uh a certified payroll
• collected on that certified payroll collected on that certified payroll reporting<01:09:53.680><

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• admin in one column and payroll admin.
• <00:04:13.840> admin I have provided both non-payroll admin I have provided both non-payroll
• <00:04:17.440> And in one column and payroll admin. And in one column and payroll admin.
• . payroll. payroll.
• receivable and our payroll. receivable and our payroll. our<00:44:42.160> internal<00:44:

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The Education Finance Committee met on March 3, 2026, approved the minutes from February 26, and then held a lengthy informational hearing on the Minnesota Department of Education’s funding and internal allocation of resources. House fiscal staff walked members through several spreadsheets showing federal, non-general fund, and general fund administrative spending, noting the data was filtered from SWIFT and was not exact. The chair said the discussion was intended to help members understand how MDE is funded and how those funds are used internally, in advance of later budget decisions and a separate upcoming hearing on the Perpich Center. Commissioner Willie Jett opened by describing MDE’s mission, statewide reach, and FY 2026 budget of about $14.1 billion, most of which flows directly to districts and charter schools for instruction, special education, transportation, nutrition, and operations. He emphasized transparency, accountability, and the department’s role in implementing laws, distributing aid, and supporting schools and students across urban, suburban, and rural communities. He also noted the department serves more than 873,000 pre-K through 12 students in 2,264 schools. Deputy Commissioner Maren Holden outlined the Office of American Indian Education, the Office of General Counsel, and the Office of Inspector General, highlighting support for American Indian students, legal and rulemaking work, special education dispute resolution, fraud prevention, and student maltreatment investigations. Assistant Commissioner Dr. McCari Traum described the Office of Equity and Engagement, including equity and inclusion training, safe and supportive schools work, public engagement, family outreach, and fraud-prevention coordination. Assistant Commissioner Darren Cordy reviewed nutrition programs, special education services, and the charter center, including free school meals, commodity food distribution, IDEA compliance, and charter school support. Assistant Commissioner Bobby Bernham then described the Office of Teaching and Learning, including early education, academic standards, instruction and assessment, state library services, expanded learning, and literacy work. He highlighted early childhood alignment efforts, standards development across core subjects, professional learning, and library grants. No votes were taken beyond approval of the prior minutes, and the meeting remained informational, with members expected to ask questions after the presentations.

Transcript Highlights:

• As far as the decline in future participants, that would equal a decline in future payroll.
• We're currently assuming that covered payroll is going to go up by 3%.
• Covered payroll has been going up quite a bit. We're actually going to be...
• But current trends do show that covered payroll is going up.
• because we collect contributions on that payroll.

Transcript Highlights:

• That includes receipts, inventory, and non-payroll and payroll expenditures.
• The audit areas that we tested were inventory, payroll expenditures, non-payroll expenditures, and receipts
• <00:04:13.920> and receipts, inventory, and non-payroll and receipts, inventory, and non-payroll
• <00:05:11.360> expenditures, inventory, payroll expenditures, inventory, payroll expenditures
• <01:20:06.239> and documentation supporting payroll and documentation supporting payroll and

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee heard a presentation from the legislative auditor on a performance audit of the governor’s office and lieutenant governor’s office covering July 1, 2022 through December 31, 2024. The audit reviewed receipts, inventory, payroll, and non-payroll expenditures and found 12 findings, concluding the office generally did not comply with the criteria tested because of internal control deficiencies. The auditor said four of five prior findings that remained relevant were not fully resolved, and that the problems were widespread across financial operations, creating opportunities for waste and fraud, though no evidence of wrongdoing or misuse of funds was found. The main findings involved weak segregation of duties, late vendor payments, inaccurate reimbursements and vendor payments, missing documentation, and poor receipt management. Auditors said one employee handled purchasing, receiving, payment processing, and inventory functions without adequate oversight; vendors were often paid late, resulting in more than $1,000 in late/reactivation fees; reimbursements and some state airplane payments contained errors; and many vendor payments, reimbursements, and purchasing card transactions lacked required support. The office also failed to collect about $12,000 for events at the governor’s residence, did not fully process several deposits, and lacked documentation for some billed or deposited amounts. Members reacted strongly to the repeated control failures and the lack of documentation, with several saying the issues were pervasive and concerning even if the dollar amounts were not large. Questions focused on whether the problems reflected different treatment of vendors versus employee expenses, whether restitution was being sought, and whether legislation was needed. The auditor responded that the state already has the necessary policies and procedures, and that the issue is implementation and oversight by the governor’s office, not new legislation. The auditor also said the governor’s office had been receptive and had begun taking steps to address the findings.

Transcript Highlights:

• required to pay the employee-shared pre-funding liability with tax dollars as opposed to a pre-tax payroll
• deduction?

Bills: SB1046, SB1317, SB1376, SB1416, SB1448, SB1471, SB1493, SB1498, SB1502, SB1504, SB1538, SB1544, SB1550, SB1579, SB1581, SB1584, SB1624, SB1673

Keywords: telecommunications, broadband, internet infrastructure, critical infrastructure, cybersecurity, national security, foreign adversary, China, Chinese equipment, supply chain security, network equipment, microchips, Arizona Corporation Commission, telecommunications provider, communications infrastructure, Huawei, ZTE, state-owned enterprise, sanctions, infrastructure security

Transcript Highlights:

• services that we currently use through OES, the administrative business services for the cos payable payroll
• stop loss in place to know kind of what we would need to keep aside for reserves to cover that deductibility

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, the Finance Cabinet, our role with the PVA administrators is basically to administer their payroll
• Um, and we stand ready to administer their payroll as soon as we have language that supports that.
• That is our role with the PVAs is to administer their payroll. uh<00:02:13.599> the<00:02:13.840
• <00:02:20.800> Um<00:02:21.360> and<00:02:22.000> uh to administer their payroll
• Um and uh to administer their payroll.

Keywords: Call to Order: 00:15 PVA Administration : 00:15 Adjournment: 10:17, 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved prior meeting minutes, and then took up a single agenda item involving the Property Valuation Administrator (PVA) salary schedule and payroll administration. Finance Cabinet representatives Dale Clemens and general counsel Barbie Dickens testified that the cabinet’s role is to administer PVA payroll and that it needs clear statutory language to do so without interpretation. They said the salary schedule is set in statute, not regulation, and explained that the last update they were aware of was in 2020, with later changes tied to CPI and then updated in 2024 through House Bill 122. Members asked whether PVA salaries had effectively doubled under the 2024 update, how the schedule had been adjusted before 2024, and whether the cabinet could update the schedule administratively. The Finance Cabinet responded that the current language would apply the same increment given to other state employees rather than a CPI-based increase, and that the schedule itself remains in KRS 132.590. The chair and members discussed proposed budget language, including references to the Kentucky Association of PVAs and issues arising since the 2022 budget, with the goal of cleaning up the language so the cabinet could make necessary adjustments. The chair indicated the most recent language appeared to be in the newly dropped HB 500 budget bill and asked whether the PVA representatives could live with it; the PVAs appeared agreeable. No formal vote was taken on the substantive issue during the meeting, and after concluding there were no further questions, the chair adjourned the meeting.