Transcript Highlights:

• So if folks would like to drop off, that would be great.
• So if folks would like to drop from KCA.
• And then which families are going to drop off over time?
• And then which families are going to drop off over time?
• And then which families are going to drop off over time?

Bills: HF1048, HF1049, HF745, HF2210

Keywords: charter schools, education funding, revenue calculation, general education revenue, special education, school library aid, education finance, school districts, funding eligibility, compensatory revenue, task force, free meals, school funding, education equity, HF2210, school unemployment aid, Minnesota Department of Education, general fund appropriation, unemployment insurance, unemployment claims

Transcript Highlights:

• there was something about it it dropping there was something about it it dropping like<00:37:45.680
• They don't have the equivalent of licensors from the state agency dropping in to inspect that they're
• They don't have the equivalent of licensors from the state agency dropping in to inspect that they're
• to get a bill that has been dropped that needs to be heard to update the modernization bill as it is
• that needs to bill that has been dropped that needs to be<01:31:16.760> heard<01:31:17.080>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• But that was really just a drop in the bucket. from other chairs and members.
• Uh but that was really just a it's<00:20:31.440> a<00:20:31.600> big<00:20:31.760> drop
• c> it's<00:20:32.640> still<00:20:32.880> just<00:20:33.039> a it's a big drop
• , but it's still just a it's a big drop, but it's still just a drop<00:20:33.360> in<00:20:33.520

Transcript Highlights:

• There's language that gets dropped into these bills sometimes, not intentionally, but it says the bill
• And that's part of the reason where any bill that has that in there, I'm dropping the title on it so
• That would probably help, but they're very concerned about dropping this in on a current budget right
• That's why I'm open to dropping theirs down a little bit. I don't think we need 2% on them.
• In a year that the stock market drops 20%, they still get credited 7%.

Bills: SB134, SB1356, SB1407, SB1611, SB1639, SB169, SB1722, SB182, SB1870, SB2039, SB432, SB609, SB715, SB716

Keywords: retirement, public employees, reemployment, benefit adjustment, Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System, state government, OMES, Office of Management and Enterprise Services, Department of Labor, Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Rehabilitation Services, civil service, human capital management, state employee disputes, whistleblower, veterans employment, veterans placement, fleet management, state fleet, motor vehicles

Transcript Highlights:

• Is that resulting in that drop in that income?
• They would not see a drop in the money that they get from the state for their budget to fund their schools
• funds into public schools to ensure that even if they're losing students, they are not going to see a drop
• we are sending them, though they may be educating less students because they may have an enrollment drop
• May have an enrollment drop, they are still getting the same amount of funds, and we need to ask about

Summary: The Arkansas Legislative Council meeting began with approval of the December 2025 minutes and a presentation from the Bureau of Legislative Research on the December revenue report. Dr. Carlos Silva said gross collections were about $4.02 billion, up slightly from the prior year, and net available for distribution was also above last year but down modestly from the previous month because of higher-than-expected corporate income tax refunds. Members asked about corporate tax trends, tariffs, and inflation, and Silva said it was too early to call the corporate decline a trend and that tariff effects would likely show up mainly in sales tax collections. The council then adopted several subcommittee reports, including the Executive Committee Subcommittee, Administrative Rules, Hospital/Medicaid/Developmental Disabilities, Occupational Licensing Review, PEER, Review, State Insurance Program Oversight, and Personnel. The PEER report drew the most debate because of a Department of Agriculture grant tied to Perry County and Central Arkansas Water; members discussed whether removing the Perry County portion would affect the grant’s competitiveness, and the report was ultimately adopted with the item included. The Review Subcommittee also heard questions about a BDO contract for the rural health transformation program, with DFA explaining that the contractor would manage the program while state agencies would make funding decisions consistent with the state’s application. A major portion of the meeting focused on the Education Freedom Account appropriation tied to LEARNS. Senators and representatives debated whether the program helps families or diverts money from public schools, with supporters arguing it funds students and choice and opponents arguing it is costly, vulnerable to fraud, and harms public school funding. Department of Education officials said roughly 28,000 private school students and 17,500 homeschool students were participating, that EFA students must submit standardized tests annually, and that the requested $32 million was to cover existing participants. After multiple substitute motions and extended debate, the body rejected a motion to strip out the $32 million and then adopted the report and related motions. The meeting ended after routine approvals of additional agency items and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• percent of their employees' health care insurance and they were going to face a penalty and They had a drop
• No, they were paying 80 percent, and they had to drop it to 70 to avoid a penalty from the health care
• facilitate a couple of individuals trying to figure this out. because they got the criminal charges dropped
• But then they had to go through your agency to get the interlock charges dropped, right?
• I should have dropped 88,000 I just wanted a clarification on that.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• my, my, my, I, I, I don't know what retaining, uh, retaining them will increase the likelihood of dropping
• Chairman, I do have to bring up whenever you say the possibility of them dropping out in the 3rd grade
• entered the 9th grade, the 10th grade, and on up, because that's where I'm seeing more of these kids dropping
• with this, this aversion that we have to retain students at 3rd grade because they're not going to drop
• Parents are not gonna just say you can drop out of school and what are you gonna go do?

Transcript Highlights:

• When we went to RFP, um, we ended up dropping that premium quite a bit for 23.
• When we went to RFP, um, we ended up dropping that premium quite a bit for 23.
• When we went to RFP, um, we ended up dropping that premium quite a bit for 23.
• When we went to RFP, um, we ended up dropping that premium quite a bit for 23.
• When we went to RFP, um, we ended up dropping that premium quite a bit for 23.

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:07 Attendance Roll Call: 00:13 Approval of Minutes: 02:28 2025 RS SB 9: TRS Leave Audit Requirements & Process: 03:05 2025 RS SB 10: Overview of Enacted Legislation & Discussion: 28:38 Adjournment: 42:13, 958, all

Summary: The meeting opened with roll call, a quorum was confirmed, and the minutes were approved. The committee then heard testimony on Senate Bill 9, which concerns TRS sick leave audit requirements and process. Auditor Allison Ball’s staff said the audit is an information-gathering review of how teacher sick leave is accumulated, current balances, how many employers use the sick leave function, and the policies and procedures governing sick leave. Members discussed how unused sick leave affects retirement calculations, the distinction between the state’s financial responsibility and school districts’ responsibility, and whether the audit would also examine related leave categories such as personal leave, annual leave, and leave of absence. Committee members emphasized that Senate Bill 9 was intended to add accountability and standardize reporting, including preventing annual leave from being rolled into sick leave. Several members asked for clarification on how sick leave is factored into retirement benefits. Witnesses and members explained that, under the system described, accumulated sick leave can be converted into retirement credit based on a teacher’s daily rate and then multiplied by a percentage, with the school district often bearing the cost. Members also noted nuances in the law, including different accumulation limits by hire date and tier, and that the audit may help the public better understand why some educators retire relatively young. The auditor’s office said it is still early in the process, has met with TRS leadership, and will report back once the audit progresses. The committee also asked whether maternity leave would be included; the auditor’s office said it was not specifically mandated but could be examined if the body requests it. The committee then received an overview of Senate Bill 10 from KPA representatives Ryan Barrow and Rebecca Atkins. They explained that the bill enhances retiree health insurance benefits for certain CRS members who are non-Medicare participants and meet specified career thresholds, with different rules for hazardous and non-hazardous service. They described the benefit as $40 per month per year of service for non-hazardous service and $50 per month per year for hazardous service, both inflated annually, and clarified that these amounts are not cumulative with prior benefit formulas. Members asked about the interaction between the new amounts and existing benefits, and the presenters explained that the bill also changes current employee health insurance contribution rates effective July 1, 2026, with different impacts by tier and hazardous status. The committee discussed the need for clear communication to affected employees and reviewed example calculations showing how the new contribution structure would work.

Transcript Highlights:

• as joint stakeholders in trying to get this to happen, our job is to not let that sense of urgency drop
• Should we have those four helicopters ready to be able to drop that, you know, drop water when the first
• Prevent, I'm sorry, Prevent, and it's got a drop-down.
• A pin drops on a, on a map. If the fire is within one.
• but there is an interest in increasing, but not increasing something that is just gonna be a small drop

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , self-insured organizations, meaning that the members are the organization, and if their reserves drop
• to a level that was were uh dropping to a level that was concerning.<00:47:14.839> Um,<00:47:
• What has happened in the case of HealthTrust is that the reserve level has dropped to a rate that is
• c> additional amount for assessments if additional amount for assessments if they<01:12:02.480> drop
• below a certain level and that they drop below a certain level and that that<01:12:05.920> amount

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee took up several insurance-related bills. Senate Bill 47, concerning health insurance policies related to the birth of the mother, was moved ought to pass with no amendments and was approved on a 6-0 vote. Senate Bill 121, dealing with Medicare Advantage plan notice requirements, was amended to reduce the required notice from 120 days to 90 days and to remove a federal citation; the department said the change was to avoid conflict with federal notice rules. After discussion about the stress caused when carriers leave the Medicare Advantage market, the committee voted ought to pass as amended, 7-0. The committee then heard a detailed explanation of the continuing care retirement communities bill, described by the Insurance Department as a rewrite of a 1989 law to modernize oversight, require quarterly financial reporting as an early warning system, create a bill of rights for residents, and clarify issues such as entrance fees and removal of dangerous residents. A member recalled the bill’s original purpose as protecting solvency because residents pay substantial upfront fees. The bill was moved ought to pass and approved unanimously, 7-0. The final major discussion concerned a pooled risk organizations bill. Members debated whether oversight should remain with the Secretary of State or be moved to the Insurance Department. Supporters of moving it argued the issue is solvency, citing concerns about reserve levels, prior insolvencies, and the Insurance Department’s expertise. Opponents said the Secretary of State’s office had historically overseen the entities and that the bill would fundamentally change how they operate. A straw vote favored an amendment, but the committee ultimately voted to retain the bill for further work, with plans to revisit it later in the session.

Transcript Highlights:

• And that can be as simple as dropping me an email.
• It does simple as dropping me an email.
• And I probably dropped the apparently.
• Like, we decide we're going to drop them.
• And if it drops down to a 4% go off.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 47, sponsored by Senator Regina Birdsell at the request of the Insurance Department. The bill would clarify that a birth mother’s health insurance is the primary policy for a newborn’s care unless the mother has no coverage or no employer-sponsored coverage. Birdsell and Insurance Commissioner DJ Benton Court said the measure simply codifies the department’s long-standing interpretation of existing law. Representative Miles asked whether the coverage would extend to a grandchild if a young woman on her parents’ plan had a baby, and Birdsell said it would. The hearing on SB 47 was then closed. The committee next heard Senate Bill 121, introduced by Grant Bosi for Senator Kevin Avard. The bill requires insurers to notify the Insurance Department when they stop writing an entire line of business or, in some cases, when they change Medicare Advantage offerings. Benton Court said the bill was prompted by disruption in the Medicare Advantage market, where consumers and the department were confused by carriers exiting, changing plans, or narrowing offerings. He said the department does not regulate Medicare Advantage itself, but does license the carriers, and the notice requirement would help the department advise consumers; he also said noncompliance could affect a carrier’s license and could lead to fines. Members discussed the notice period, and the department and AHIP indicated support for changing it from 120 days to 90 days to align with federal timing. The hearing was closed with plans to work on an amendment in subcommittee. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 247, introduced by Representative Brian Cole, which would prohibit network exclusion for pharmacies that refuse to dispense prescriptions when PBM reimbursement is below acquisition cost. Cole said the bill is meant to stop pharmacies from being forced to sell at a loss. Members questioned whether pharmacies voluntarily enter PBM contracts, whether the bill would raise consumer prices, and whether it would mainly affect independent pharmacies. Cole and others said the issue has changed over time because PBMs now control a much larger share of the market, and that the bill would let pharmacies refuse loss-making fills and direct patients to mail order instead. The discussion also noted that the bill excludes Medicare and Medicaid and that the current proposal does not create a middle-ground option for patients to pay a premium at the counter.

Transcript Highlights:

• , you can see there are filters for sex, race, ethnicity, and age group, where you can select from drop-down
• For sex, race, ethnicity, and age group, where you can select from drop-down menus.
• So why don't you drop me a note? I'd love to make a connection there.
• “So why don't you drop me a note? I'd love to make a connection there.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Persons with Disabilities’ Long-Term Services and Supports and Health Equity Subcommittee met to hear a presentation from the Lurie Institute for Disability Policy at Brandeis University. Monica Mitra introduced the institute’s work on disability health equity and long-term services and supports, and staff described several research centers focused on community living policy, disability and pregnancy, and parents with disabilities. The presentation emphasized participatory research, accessible dissemination, and the connection between health equity and access to home- and community-based services. Joe Caldwell discussed the Community Living Policy Center’s work on Medicaid HCBS, the direct care workforce crisis, housing, and policy advocacy, including efforts related to the Money Follows the Person program and the Medicaid access rule’s interested parties advisory group. Sid Pickern highlighted a workforce study interviewing direct care workers, a forthcoming policy brief on the access rule, and housing research including Massachusetts’ Alternative Housing Voucher Program. Teresa Nguyen described the Community Living Equity Center’s focus on disparities in community living for people of color, especially a study on self-direction and community living outcomes, and asked for help recruiting participants. Lauren Bixby demonstrated the community living data dashboard, which compares adults who need LTSS with those receiving Medicaid LTSS using ACS and TMSIS data. She explained that the dashboard can be filtered by state and demographics, but noted major race and ethnicity data gaps for Massachusetts and other states. Commissioners praised the dashboard and the institute’s work, asked questions about data sources and the 1115 waiver, and discussed possible connections to the Health Equity Compact. No votes were taken; the meeting ended with an invitation for follow-up, including a forthcoming direct care workforce brief and the institute’s October 28 lecture.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're trying to ensure that people are not dropped in other places.
• We're trying to ensure that people are not dropped in other places.
• And so people are being dropped everywhere, not just one place.
• The risk has to shift so other people are dropped in other areas because, you know, we cannot deny that

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Insurance met as a subcommittee due to a lack of quorum, and first heard AB 1559 by Assembly Member Calderon. The bill would add consumer protections when insurers use aerial imagery for underwriting or coverage decisions by requiring notice before collecting images, giving policyholders access to images used, and allowing an in-person inspection if an image is used to non-renew, cancel, or reduce coverage. The Department of Insurance and United Policyholders supported the measure, citing complaints about outdated or inaccurate drone, satellite, and aircraft images; local governments, AARP, and Realtors also supported it, and there was no opposition. The committee later voted 6-0 to pass AB 1559 to the Privacy Committee. The committee also heard AB 2038 by Assembly Member Harabedian, which would extend wildfire-related non-renewal moratoriums for homeowners, including extending protections for total-loss properties and homes within or near a fire perimeter. Supporters, including the Consumer Federation of California, United Policyholders, and the League of California Cities, argued that rebuilding after major fires is taking much longer than expected and that homeowners need more time and stability. Opponents from the insurance industry warned that extending moratoriums, especially to adjacent zip codes, could further constrain insurers, worsen availability and affordability, and push more business to the FAIR Plan. Senators raised concerns about the zip-code-based perimeter and whether the bill should be tied to home-hardening standards, but the author said the bill simply extends existing timelines and would continue negotiations on amendments. The committee voted 4-0 to send AB 2038 to Appropriations. File items 1 and 3 were taken up as consent items and approved 6-0. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• For the princely sum of $1 per hour, that individual must be available to drop whatever they are doing
• For the princely sum of $1 per hour, that individual must be available to drop whatever they are doing
• among the lowest paid firefighters in Florida, and after three to five years on the job, our members drop
• among the lowest paid firefighters in Florida, and after three to five years on the job, our members drop

Summary: The Joint Select Committee on Collective Bargaining met for an informational public hearing on several state employee bargaining units at impasse. The Department of Management Services outlined negotiations for the FDLE special agents, security services/correctional officers, sworn law enforcement officers, Florida Highway Patrol troopers, and Florida State Fire Service units. Across the units, the state said most contract articles had been resolved, with remaining disputes centered mainly on wages, hours of work, grievance language, safety, grooming, travel, and other housekeeping items. The state repeatedly emphasized proposed 2% competitive pay increases plus specialty or special pay increases in some units, insurance held harmless with no added employee cost, and its desire to keep current scheduling practices and remove outdated grievance language referencing the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. No votes were taken. Representatives for the Florida State Fire Service Association argued that firefighters are being asked to perform work far outside their job descriptions, including major construction, and said the state’s work-schedule and on-call practices unfairly avoid overtime and underpay firefighters. They also sought higher on-call compensation, a stronger wage plan with incentives and certification-based increases, restoration of a pay differential for firefighter-EMTs, and added PPE, decontamination, and cancer-prevention protections. The PBA’s Florida Highway Patrol unit said troopers need a larger career development plan, veteran stipends, updated grooming/tattoo rules, safer and newer vehicles, and better pay to address turnover. The PBA’s law enforcement unit focused on vehicle safety, performance evaluation language to prevent case-presentation quotas, and a $7,000 across-the-board raise, while disputing whether certain articles were timely opened. The security services unit said correctional officers, probation officers, and ISS officers need an $8-per-hour starting pay increase, retention bonuses, special pay for death row and close-management assignments, and overtime pay for lieutenants and captains who currently receive comp time and sometimes work beyond their limits. The committee heard the presentations, asked a brief question about correctional officers’ overtime, accepted written materials from the FOP special agent unit, and adjourned without action.

Transcript Highlights:

• In 2025, unfortunately, I'm afraid to admit that I think that that number is probably going to drop 15
• And when I do that, I can drop that mortgage rate to 5.5% fixed for 30 years, and by doing that, I can
• So, and for reference, if we dropped to achieve $196 per month of savings, it's the same as either dropping

Transcript Highlights:

• We also have safe place, which allows mothers to drop off unwanted live babies without criminal penalizing
• 29.280> um safe place um which allows mothers to um safe place um which allows mothers to um drop
• c> unwanted<00:04:31.840> live<00:04:32.479> babies<00:04:33.360> without drop
• off unwanted live babies without drop off unwanted live babies without criminal<00:04:34.600> penalizing

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We've had nuclear bombs dropped on humans in this planet in the last 100 years, and so people worry,
• <00:08:52.560> bombs nuclear uh we've had nuclear bombs nuclear uh we've had nuclear bombs dropped
• :53.800> this<00:08:53.959> planet<00:08:54.240> in<00:08:54.320> the dropped
• on humans in this planet in the dropped on humans in this planet in the last<00:08:54.720> 100

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Would you anticipate a change in the formula that could be affected soon enough because our share drops
• <00:18:40.640> because<00:18:41.520> our<00:18:41.840> share<00:18:42.320> drops
• So I don't necessarily know what that would mean if enrollment in a particular program dropped off and
• <00:30:20.640> I<00:30:20.880> I and other services would be dropped.
• I I and other services would be dropped.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The work session was limited to House Bill 1750, a supplemental appropriation for the Department of Health and Human Services’ SNAP administration. Before testimony, Representative Terski distributed a written statement from Representative Priest for the record. Department officials Karen Heert and Nathan White then walked the committee through a chart showing SNAP participation, federal benefit dollars, and state administrative costs, emphasizing that the benefits themselves do not flow through the state budget. They explained that the reported administrative cost includes overhead and cost-allocation methods used to maximize federal reimbursement, and that the current participant count is about 75,000 with the trend steady in recent years. Members questioned whether the reported costs were stable, how much of the administrative expense was directly tied to SNAP, and whether reducing overhead would lower the need for the appropriation. The department said the cost per participant and per dollar distributed would be lower if SNAP were isolated, but that the broader allocation system also supports federal claiming across multiple programs. Officials said SNAP eligibility is redetermined every six months, that the department processes nearly 50 eligibility programs with about 250 field staff, roughly 70 unfunded positions, and a vacancy rate around 25%. They also said most errors in the program are unintentional and can come from either staff or participant mistakes, and that the department reviews errors to identify systemic fixes. The committee discussed the fiscal impact of the bill and related budget issues. DHHS said the current adjusted authorization for 2026 is about $31 million, but actual spending is expected to be closer to $25–26 million because of vacancies and unfilled positions. Members asked whether the $4.4 million shortfall identified in the fiscal note would come from the rainy day fund; staff said it would not be taken directly from that fund, but would reduce the amount available to flow into it at the end of the biennium. The committee also reviewed Senate Bill 603 FN, which was described as an alternative approach that would require DHHS to transfer funds within its existing budget rather than provide new money; officials said it would simply codify an option the department already has. No vote or final action on House Bill 1750 was taken during the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• And this coincides with our ability to start dropping flies in Mexico last March.
• March we were not able to drop flies and that's when we saw a significant movement of the fly into Mexico
• , we have not seen significant movement of the flight overall beyond the areas we've been able to. drop
• Wherever we're not dropping sterile flies, which is... everywhere except for Mexico right now.
• the worms once they get into the um, you know, the flesh, they stay for about a week and then they drop

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I know I'm going to drop this from the next slide and the growth because it's really difficult to track
• I can provide more detail on, but for the sake of top-level dollar amounts, we're going to sort of drop
• <00:12:03.480> that<00:12:03.920> discussion going to sort of drop that discussion
• going to sort of drop that discussion for<00:12:04.560> the<00:12:04.839> remain<00:12:
• the department and that is why it drops the department and that is why it drops off<00:14:14.800

Keywords: 1183, house