Transcript Highlights:

• We're not trying to get two vendors doing the same work.
• We're not trying to get two vendors doing the same work.
• We're not trying to get two vendors doing the same work.
• move those and engage the optional services under this particular vendor.
• There are flood issues that you have to rate for and factor in.

Summary: The State Insurance Programs Oversight Subcommittee met on June 17 and reviewed a series of Employee Benefits Division and Office of Property Risk items. The committee approved formulary changes for March and April that favored lower-cost generics, removed some new-to-market drugs from coverage pending more evidence, and made maintenance changes to migraine and diabetes medications. Members also approved a cell and gene therapy policy that would route those therapies through prior authorization rather than automatic coverage; officials said the process should not delay urgent cases and that no current members would be affected. The committee then reviewed a UAMS pharmacy benefit consultant contract amendment, but after extended discussion about the written scope and dollar amounts, the motion was approved with the understanding that any use of optional services would return to the committee for further review. The committee also reviewed the U.S. Able Mutual/Blue Advantage third-party administration contract and the CompSack employee assistance program contract, which officials said would reduce per-member costs and add services. The subcommittee approved proposed 2027 rates for state employees and public employees, with a 9.8% increase for state employees and a 4.9% increase for public school employees. Officials also reported that the UnitedHealthcare rebid was in its final negotiation stage and would return in August, with medical and pharmacy coverage split as previously recommended. In response to questions, the director said the division was considering broader preventive-care offerings, including weight-loss drug coverage, but would proceed cautiously and with strong utilization controls and holistic support if such a program were adopted. On the property risk side, the committee reviewed permanent rules making prior temporary rules permanent, a contingency-fee subrogation contract, and renewals for claims management, actuarial services, and investment management. Members raised concerns about Sedgwick’s claim-adjustment timeliness and communication with school districts after severe weather events; officials said performance guarantees and communication expectations had been strengthened, but the renewal was kept at three years for continuity. Finally, the committee approved 2026-27 captive insurance program rates, which included no change to minimum deductibles, a 10% overall rate reduction, and bucketed rate changes by entity type. Officials said the captive program was working as intended, with improved actuarial support and claims experience, and the meeting adjourned after the approvals.

Transcript Highlights:

• vendorization.
• For the vendor? Yes.
• program rate structure.
• program rate structure.
• In other words, rates have increased since the 2019 rate models were established.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Beyond the rate comparison, and maybe I will stop one more time at the rate comparison, when you click
• on that exploring the rate comparison link, there are some of our rates in here where it talks to comparisons
• So I am going to come off of the rate piece.
• We're bringing in vendor support.
• We've certainly seen those participation rates drop.

Summary: The committee approved the March 26 minutes and then received a quarterly update on major IT projects from NDIT. Staff reported the portfolio included 116 major projects totaling about $546 million, with the overall portfolio under budget but slightly behind schedule. They reviewed projects over the 20% variance threshold, including an Industrial Commission grants management system and DOT’s roadway pre-construction replacement, and then heard startup and closeout reports from HHS, OMB, DPI, and DOT. Several previously troubled projects were closed, including HHS bed management, vital records modernization, and DOT roadway capital planning; some projects finished under budget and ahead of schedule, while others were significantly behind schedule or over budget but were now closed or being remediated. The committee also reviewed NDIT’s annual report, including service-fund financials, peer-state rate comparisons, records management, and customer satisfaction efforts. Members asked about how service-fund revenue and grant administrative charges are accounted for, how chargebacks work, and whether NDIT tracks customer satisfaction scores. NDIT said it does track CSAT-type measures in some service areas and has survey data, but it is not planning another customer survey this summer. Members encouraged more regular reporting of customer satisfaction, service-level metrics, and performance data to help guide future improvements. A major portion of the meeting focused on the state’s mainframe modernization effort. NDIT said the overall effort is still targeting about 2030, with multiple HHS and DOT projects underway and a $15 million tech-debt appropriation already removing some components. Staff described the main obstacles as data cleanup, complex integrations, limited staff capacity, retirements, and vendor constraints, and said they are seeking a vendor with modernization support in the next contract cycle. Members pressed for clearer accountability and faster progress, and NDIT and HHS emphasized that they are working jointly but need continued support and better tools. The committee then heard a cybersecurity update on NDIT’s statewide services and maturity assessments. NDIT explained that it provides vulnerability scanning, endpoint protection, security awareness training, threat briefings, and penetration testing, and that these services are tied to a cybersecurity maturity assessment based on CIS controls. Members questioned the sharp drop in participation since 2020 and whether the self-assessment should be mandatory or tied more strongly to StageNet access or insurance incentives. NDIT said participation is voluntary, but Enderf is now requiring annual assessments to keep a 4% insurance discount, and members discussed whether stronger requirements or audit authority may be needed. The meeting ended as the committee began a follow-up discussion on BEAD broadband connection costs and why some locations are much more expensive to connect than others.

Transcript Highlights:

• What it is, it's not a vendor bill.
• There's multiple vendors in the state of Texas, right?
• Your vendor A, Miss truckler vendor B, and so on.
• Every vendor, no, every vendor would be able to work with their current software.
• He's rated at 90% disability by the VA.

Bills: SB 4, SB 23, SJR 2

Keywords: redistricting, election, Texas legislature, district composition, political representation, congressional redistricting, Texas House of Representatives, U.S. House, Congressional districts, district map, district boundaries, gerrymandering, voting rights, election law, apportionment, representation, special committee, PLANC2308, redistricting plan, elections

Transcript Highlights:

• IPs from known other vendors. Other vendors in areas and states, we can import their IPs too.
• A new vendor wins the bid, and then we would be in a position where we would need to change the vendor
• if the vendor continues to be a good vendor, and continues to be.
• Vendor year over year and not change vendors on us with some regularity.
• were designated for graduation rates.

Transcript Highlights:

• ARE YOU ENDORSING OF BEEN A VENDOR?
• I PROBABLY DID SAY VENDOR. I DIDN'T MEAN TO SAY VENDOR.
• WHILE THE STATEWIDE RATE FOR CALENDAR YEAR 23 WAS 76 PERCENT, INDIVIDUAL PLAN RATE FOR CALENDAR YEAR
• ON THE STATEWIDE RATE WAS 73 PERCENT, INDIVIDUAL PLANT RATES FOR 23 VARIED RANGED FROM 70 PERCENT TO
• ABOUT THE STATEWIDE RATES.

Transcript Highlights:

• As the population goes up in increments, the rate goes down.
• Not the total rate, but the rate per offender per day.
• So we began working with the vendor.
• We are frequently in contact with the vendor.
• It goes up, but maybe not at a higher rate. Okay.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Bills: HB253, HB153, HB255, HB287, HB371, SB151, HB8, SB177

Keywords: distance learning, virtual instruction, public education, student enrollment, school funding, education standards, pandemic education response, low-carbon construction, construction materials, rebate, environmental product declaration, EPD, embodied carbon, carbon intensity, greenhouse gas emissions, decarbonization, industrial incentives, clean manufacturing, cement, concrete

Bills: HB253, HB153, HB255, HB287, HB371, SB151, HB8, SB177

Keywords: distance learning, virtual instruction, public education, student enrollment, school funding, education standards, pandemic education response, low-carbon construction, construction materials, rebate, environmental product declaration, EPD, embodied carbon, carbon intensity, greenhouse gas emissions, decarbonization, industrial incentives, clean manufacturing, cement, concrete

Summary: The committee first corrected its action on Senate Bill 151, noting that the earlier motion had been made incorrectly after the committee substitute was amended. Members then moved to do not pass the Senate Finance Committee substitute and do pass the same committee substitute so it could be sent to the floor. The only change identified in the substitute was an adjustment to the sunset date. A roll call vote followed, with several members voting yes and a few voting no or being excused, and the motion to report the committee substitute out with a due pass recommendation carried. After the SB 151 vote, the chair said the committee was essentially finished and expected to meet on the floor the next day, likely around noon, with a plan to come in earlier and handle a few more bills. The discussion then shifted to House Bill 2 and the broader issue of state employee compensation. One member argued that over the past several years the state had already provided substantial pay raises and benefits, citing roughly $1.3 billion in raises, about $184 million annually for health care costs, and $116 million annually for employer pension costs, for a total of about $1.6 billion over four years. That member said the state had done enough on employee compensation and that a proposed 1% increase did not make sense given competing priorities such as child care and other needs. The committee then adjourned, and there was a brief question about when the university fund bill would be heard, but no firm timing was given.

Bills: SB2042, SB2892, SB1163, SB2076, SB2116, SB2122, SB99, SB2088, SB2114, SB2117, SB2118, SB2245, SB2386, SB2079, SB2043, SB2155, SB2268, SB2932, SB3240

Keywords: SB2042, Hawaii insurance, captive insurance, sponsored captive, class 4 captive, minimum capital, surplus requirement, unimpaired capital, insurance commissioner, HRS 431:19-104, commercial insurance, risk retention, insurance regulation, financial solvency, captives, Ways and Means, CPN, feral chickens, chickens, animal control

Bills: SB2042, SB2892, SB1163, SB2076, SB2116, SB2122, SB99, SB2088, SB2114, SB2117, SB2118, SB2245, SB2386, SB2079, SB2043, SB2155, SB2268, SB2932, SB3240

Keywords: SB2042, Hawaii insurance, captive insurance, sponsored captive, class 4 captive, minimum capital, surplus requirement, unimpaired capital, insurance commissioner, HRS 431:19-104, commercial insurance, risk retention, insurance regulation, financial solvency, captives, Ways and Means, CPN, feral chickens, chickens, animal control

Bills: SB 2, SB 5, SB 10, HB17, SB 9, SB 7, SB 17, SB 4, HB17, SB9, SB7, SB17, SB4, SB2, SB5, SB10

Keywords: disaster relief, flood preparedness, emergency funding, local government support, meteorological forecasting, property tax, school funding, enrollment changes, inflation adjustment, tax rate notice, school assessment, public education, accountability, transparency, education standards, STAAR, Texas Education Agency, TEA, public school accountability, school ratings

Transcript Highlights:

• Actually, this switch in the law and the enforcement of it on Iran. around birth rates is one of the
• to certify that they are not a vendor of foreign adversarial technologies and creates a counter.
• Accountability measures such as fines for vendors found to have submitted false certifications.
• Now I know what the response rates are with this.
• average of 3.1 percent. this number is growing at a rate higher than we can even predict.

Bills: HB17, HB34, HB41, HB 118, HB 119, HB 127, HB 128, HB 129, HB 130, HB132, HB133, HB17, HB41, HB118, HB119, HB127, HB128, HB129, HB130, HB132, HB133

Keywords: foreign ownership, real estate, national security, designated countries, Texas property law, lobbying, foreign adversaries, compensation prohibition, transparency, civil penalties, higher education, foreign adversary, research security, trade secrets, academic partnerships, HB 128, sister city, sister-city agreement, international exchange, municipal diplomacy

Transcript Highlights:

• the Replace line 503 on page 18 with the following: delete these and add the most recent published rates
• Instead of calculating, they shall set an assessment rate. I'm on page four of the amendment.
• Yes, set an assessment rate, and that rate, in addition to setting it, is given the percentage that..
• Setting it is given the percentage that that assessment rate would be right.
• They may change the assessment rate each quarter to reduce the number of surplus assessments.

Bills: HB186, HB185, HB184, HB183, HB181, HB312, HB405, HB182, HB460

Keywords: Alabama budget, general fund appropriations, fiscal year 2026, state budget, appropriations act, HB186, executive branch funding, legislative branch funding, judicial branch funding, debt service, capital outlay, corrections, Medicaid, public health, mental health, transportation, education, law enforcement, tourism, veterans affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• And then a mill, or a mill rate, is the conversion factor that we get to obtain a rate.
• You need to talk to maybe an IT vendor.
• The school relief was a mill levy rate—a mill levy, a mill rate—that was bought down back in 2012.
• I can tell you that the mill rate from 2012 in McKenzie County is not the same mill rate for that amount
• So it is a number, a historical mill rate. Again, a mill rate is just a conversion factor.

Summary: The subcommittee of the Tax Reform and Relief Advisory Committee met to begin its study of whether the content of the real estate tax statement should be revised to improve transparency. Legislative Council staff reviewed the study directive from HB 1176 and the statutory requirements for tax statements, including required line items such as true and full value, mill levy, legislative tax relief, primary residence credit, legacy fund share, discounts for early payment, and special assessments. The Tax Department then explained how the current uniform statewide statement is prescribed and approved, and noted that changes are typically driven by statute and implemented collaboratively with counties and vendors. County officials from NDACO, including auditors from McKenzie and Richland counties, described the full annual property tax timeline from budgeting through mailing final statements. They explained how counties gather budgets, calculate levies, verify taxable values, handle centrally assessed property, and prepare required notices and statements. They also said public attendance at budget hearings is generally very low, though the notices and statements generate some calls, mostly about whether attendance is required or why taxes are changing. Several members questioned the usefulness of the legislative tax relief line and the complexity of the 5% discount calculation, and county officials said the current process can be confusing and depends on manual data entry and coordination among counties, vendors, and taxing districts. The committee also discussed assessment frequency, valuation equalization, the 3% cap, and whether more frequent reassessment would reduce large jumps in taxable value. County officials said they try to use rotating reassessments and sales-ratio reviews to keep values within statutory tolerance, but staffing, training, and local market changes make the work difficult. NDACO staff estimated, based on a small county survey, that tax statement preparation and mailing costs average about 74 cents per statement, with outsourcing generally cheaper than in-house printing, and said HB 1176 added some mailing and administrative costs even if the tax statement itself did not change dramatically. Software vendors from CPT and Tyler then began presentations showing how their systems handle budgeting, valuation notices, tax statement generation, primary residence credit processing, and levy worksheets, emphasizing that many of the required calculations and reports are still manually entered or verified by county staff.

Transcript Highlights:

• vendor rate for home care agencies that serve Medicaid clients.
• rate as the sum of the home care agency administrative rate and the portion of the vendor rate dedicated
• The bill defines the administrative rate as the portion of the home care agency vendor rate designated
• 20% of the projected home care agency vendor rate.
• in order to adjust the administrative rate to be no more than 20% of the total home care agency vendor

Bills: SB5109, SB5835, SB6065

Keywords: mortgage lending, fraud, prosecution, financial regulations, consumer protection, retirement, lump sum payment, benefits, pension, financial security, SB 6065, school district transportation, transportation vehicle fund, pupil transportation, school buses, electric school buses, zero-emission buses, bus fleet electrification, charging stations, vehicle replacement

Transcript Highlights:

• This is far more cost-effective than contracting with third-party vendors who charge premium rates for
• who charge premium thirdparty vendors who charge premium rates<00:03:46.560><c> for</c><00:03:46.799
• ><c> custom</c><00:03:47.120><c> modifications</c> rates for custom modifications rates for custom modifications
• ><c> support</c> Rather than navigating vendor support Rather than navigating vendor support phone<00
• ><c> device</c><00:06:33.199><c> count,</c> vary by vendor and device count, vary by vendor and device

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:00:14 Approval of Minutes 00:00:40 State Board of Elections 00:00:56, 958, all

Summary: The House Budget Review Subcommittee on General Government met to hear an update from the State Board of Elections on its Bluegrass Books electronic poll book system. Rachel Pointer and Richard House described the project as an in-house modernization effort intended to improve security, customization, integration with the voter registration system, reduce voter wait times, streamline supplemental and provisional ballot processing, and provide year-round local support to county clerks and poll workers. They emphasized that the system is already a working product, not just a concept, and showed a workflow demonstration of voter lookup, signature capture, ballot issuance, manual lookup, and handling voters who have already voted. The agency also outlined the financial rationale for the project, saying the state currently lacks dedicated funding for replacing the iPads used for election-day poll books and that counties now bear vendor maintenance and support costs. Under Bluegrass Books, the state would seek to cover hardware replacement, maintenance, and on-site support through future appropriations, potentially using bulk purchasing to lower costs. When asked about the size of the appropriation request, the presenters said it was not yet finalized but noted roughly 7,000 devices are deployed statewide and replacement would likely be phased rather than done all at once. Members asked about security and whether the e-poll book could affect vote totals. The Board explained that the e-poll book is separate from ballot casting, that voting machines themselves are not connected to the internet, and that the poll book is networked only to update check-ins and prevent double voting. They said the device is locked down to the poll book application and can operate offline until connectivity returns. A member also asked how to recruit more poll workers; the response suggested higher pay is the main incentive, along with outreach to schools, community colleges, and possible pilot programs involving professionals. The meeting concluded without any votes or formal action beyond approval of minutes, and the next meeting was announced for January 29, weather permitting.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're not trying to get two vendors doing the same work.
• We're not trying to get two vendors doing the same work.
• move those and engage the optional services under this particular vendor.
• I do understand and appreciate it was their first... ...vendors.
• There are flood issues that you have to rate for and factor in.

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• vendor rate for home care agencies that serve Medicaid clients.
• rate as the sum of the home care agency administrative rate and the portion of the vendor rate dedicated
• The bill defines the administrative rate as the portion of the home care agency vendor rate designated
• 20% of the projected home care agency vendor rate.
• in order to adjust the administrative rate to be no more than 20% of the total home care agency vendor

Summary: The Appropriations Committee held a public hearing on several bills. Senate Bill 5109 would raise the mortgage lending fraud prosecution surcharge on recorded deeds of trust from $1 to $5 and remove the 2027 sunset on the surcharge and account. Committee staff said the change would generate additional revenue for county auditors and the Department of Financial Institutions to contract with prosecutors; King County and the Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys testified in strong support, saying the current funding has eroded and the bill would better sustain mortgage fraud prosecutions. A question was raised about whether other budget funding could serve a similar purpose, but supporters said the dedicated surcharge/account structure was the best fit. No vote was taken. The committee also heard Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5500, which would require DCYF’s biennial child care report to include a current cost-of-quality study in addition to the market rate survey. Testifiers from Child Care Aware of Washington, child care providers, and the early education design team supported the bill, saying the market rate survey alone does not capture the true cost of providing quality care. Staff said the bill would have a small fiscal impact for DCYF. The committee then heard Substitute Senate Bill 5834 and Senate Bill 5835, both Department of Retirement Systems request bills: one would broaden use of pension fund interest earnings for fund-protection expenses beyond the 2025-27 biennium, and the other would raise the threshold for lump-sum payment of small monthly benefits from $50 to $250. Neither bill drew public testimony, and staff said the fiscal impacts were minimal. Later, the committee heard Engrossed Senate Bill 5872, which would create the Pre-K Promise Account for ECAP funding and allow gifts, grants, and donations to be used solely to expand the program. Supporters including rural health coalitions, the Balmer Group, and Snohomish County said the account would help expand access to early learning, especially in child care deserts; DCYF estimated staffing costs to administer the account. Substitute Senate Bill 6007 would direct WSIPP to study DCYF’s child welfare screening tools and their effects on outcomes, with a reported cost of about $234,000; there was no public testimony. Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6019 would clarify home care agency rate-setting and require that no more than 20% of Medicaid home care rates go to administrative costs, with DSHS saying there would be no fiscal impact. Labor and caregiver witnesses supported it as a parity and accountability measure. Finally, Senate Bill 6065 would allow school districts in binding conditions or enhanced financial oversight to use transportation vehicle funds more flexibly, including temporary loans or permanent transfers with approval; a rural education representative supported the bill, and staff said OSPI would incur only modest administrative costs. The committee took no final action and adjourned after the hearings.

Transcript Highlights:

• vendor payments.
• vendor payments.
• The rate is the rate of incorrectly issued benefits, either too much or too little.
• rate.
• The survival rate is incredible.

Keywords: 965, house, all