Video & Transcript Research : 'pay'
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AR
Transcript Highlights:
- Funding for the pay raise that the initial teachers, our beginning teachers received, we're paying that
- But let me end my comments with this remark: something's wrong when we're paying the salaries we're paying
- the teachers and we can pay $6 to $8, $9 million for a football coach, or we can pay $1.17 million to
- The merit pay, the state paid for.
- Why are we paying health benefits?
TX
Texas 89th 2nd C.S.
Pensions, Investments & Financial Services Mar 24th, 2025
Pensions, Investments & Financial Services
Transcript Highlights:
- This is why we say that EWA companies like Daily Pay sell for frequency of pay disconnects by facilitating
- Once a user has made a transfer, we pay them their remainder pay or the amount of their full paycheck
- For the vast majority of daily pay users, we actually send this remainder pay the day before payday.
- You got an advance for $200 but you want your full pay on Friday and you'd rather pay us back at the
- following pay period.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Bill to establish a supplemental energy assistance program, HF771, heard in energy committee 3/25/25
Transcript Highlights:
- <00:10:38.800>
for having to choose between paying for having to choose between paying for - They’d rather have just more money in their pocket so that they could pay their bills themselves.
- <00:26:11.919>
the to the utilities so that they pay the to the utilities so that they pay - Government comes in and pays those people directly when they cannot pay their higher utility bills, and
- Government comes in and pays those people directly when they cannot pay their higher utility bills, and
Summary:
House File 771, as amended, was laid over for possible inclusion. The bill would create a state supplemental grant program to build on LIHEAP, with the goal of expanding energy assistance beyond the winter season to cover summer cooling needs and reduce utility shutoffs. Representative Craft said the proposal would use existing LIHEAP systems, help more eligible households, and support related services like weatherization. The committee adopted the author’s amendment, DE2, without objection.
Supporters testified that energy costs remain unaffordable for many Minnesotans, especially in rural areas and among low-income households, seniors, and people using delivered fuels. Annie Levenson-Faulk of the Citizens Utility Board said only about a quarter of eligible households receive assistance, summer shutoffs are common, and cooling needs have grown significantly. Trisha Leite of the Minnesota Rural Electric Association, Amanda Macky of Minnesota Valley Action Council, and Ken Schum of the Minnesota Municipal Utilities Association all supported the bill, saying year-round assistance would help households, reduce disconnects, stabilize demand for aid, and ease pressure on utility rates. Michael Schmitz of the Department of Commerce said Minnesota has received about $112 million in LIHEAP funds so far this year and is awaiting additional federal money; he also noted recent funding has been lower than in prior years and inflation has reduced its value.
Members discussed the scale of utility shutoffs, the increase in cooling demand, and whether the bill addresses root causes or serves as a temporary fix. Representative Weiner argued that the state should focus on keeping more money in taxpayers’ pockets and reducing the need for subsidies, while Representative Craft responded that the underlying issue is low incomes and widening wealth inequality, and that policies like the child tax credit are better ways to address poverty. The chair also asked how LIHEAP dollars flow, and Commerce said most benefits are paid directly to utilities on behalf of households rather than as direct cash payments to recipients.
NM
New Mexico 2026 Regular Session
House - Appropriations and Finance Feb 10th, 2026 at 07:02 pm
House Appropriations & Finance
Transcript Highlights:
- They must pay the loan, all the money that they were provided.
- Those operators must pay the costs.
- Medicaid enrollees do not currently pay premiums.
- And over time, what I'm hearing you say is that a private pay, someone who's paying privately for their
- It ups my insurance so that I can pay... ...get a surtax.
Keywords:
child care, child care assistance, child care subsidy, early childhood education, early childhood care, daycare, preschool, pre-K, Head Start, Early Head Start, Children's Code, early childhood education and care department, ECECD, child care facilities, licensed child care, registered child care, copayments, waitlist, subsidy, federal poverty level
AZ
Transcript Highlights:
- Families have been able to close bank accounts, pay bills, pay mortuaries, pay everything they need to
- pay, and do what they needed to do.
- As a food truck business owner, we already have to pay Arizona state taxes, then pay each incorporated
- They will collect what you didn’t pay. You said they can’t go after you if you don’t pay.
- You get money now, you pay a fee, you pay it back later. That's a loan.
Bills:
HB2118, HB2181, HB2308, HB2309, HB2402, HB2476, HB2682, HB2698, HB2875, HB2877, HB2903, HB2910
Keywords:
mobile food vendors, licensure, food safety, statewide regulations, health standards, zoning, temporary vendors, HB2181, death certificate, death certificates, vital records, funeral establishment, funeral home, human remains, medical certification of death, death registration, state registrar, local registrar, county medical examiner, alternate medical examiner
Summary:
The House Commerce Committee heard and advanced several bills. HB 2181, as amended, would extend the deadline for funeral establishments to submit death certificates from 7 days to a maximum of 14 days and clarify that a provider’s medical certification period excludes weekends and holidays. The sponsor and a mortuary owner testified that the current timeline is often difficult to meet because of weekends, holidays, doctor availability, county delays, and family circumstances. Several members said the bill did not fully address the underlying compliance problems, but the committee adopted the amendment and passed the bill 6-4-1.
HB 2682 would create a DES rental assistance program offering up to two months or $5,000 in aid, with a $5 million general fund appropriation for administration. The sponsor and a tenant advocate described the bill as a short-term bridge to prevent eviction and homelessness, while an industry representative said rental assistance is an effective early intervention tool. Some members raised concerns about limiting eligibility to households with children and about program administration, but the bill passed 7-4. HB 2698 would create a rental assistance study committee to evaluate program effectiveness and repeal in 2028; it passed on a 7-4 vote.
HB 2476 would revise CPA certification and reciprocity requirements, creating multiple pathways to licensure and updating related rules and fees. Supporters said it would help address a CPA shortage and align Arizona with other states; after clarification from the sponsor and the State Board of Accountancy, the committee passed it unanimously, 11-0. The committee then heard HB 2308, which would bar dental insurers and certain holding companies from owning dental practices; the Arizona Dental Association supported it as a safeguard against vertical integration, while Delta Dental opposed it as overbroad and burdensome. The bill passed 8-0-3. Finally, the committee began hearing HB 2118 on mobile food vendors and local permitting, with the sponsor and food truck operators arguing for streamlined county/state licensing and reduced local duplication, while a vendor representative warned the proposal could affect existing local ordinances and private-property vendors.
WY
Transcript Highlights:
- If we could get people in other states to help pay for electricity, pay those taxes, that's a positive
- taxes they pay. taxes they pay.
- <01:36:11.840>
That's pays tax on that production. That's pays tax on that production. - for three years then it starts to pay for three years then it starts to pay the<02:42:07.840>
- We'd have to have some to pay it."
NH
New Hampshire 2026 Regular Session
Committee of Conference on HB 155, HB 1102, HB 1109, HB 1356, HB 1469, HB 1323, HB 1376 (05/26/2026)
Transcript Highlights:
- So rather than pay a have to file.
- would have proposed, they don't pay would have proposed, they don't pay anything<00:16:38.320>
only 1,500 bucks for the time you pay only 1,500 bucks for the time you pay for<00:16:47.199> - filing fee and and what you pay amount filing fee and and what you pay in<00:16:50.560>
the <00 - have been paying into group two. have been paying into group two.
Summary:
The committee first adopted amendment 2026-2021S to correct a drafting issue in the budget language so that the $2.5 million appropriation for Medicaid per diem rate stabilization at county nursing homes can be spent during the biennium rather than lapsing at the end of the fiscal year. Senator Lang explained that the funds are matched with federal dollars for a total of $5 million and are intended to prevent rate reductions that could shift costs to county property taxpayers. The amendment was adopted unanimously by both chambers, and the committee proceeded on the bill as amended by the Senate.
The main discussion then focused on HB 155 and a proposed amendment to the business enterprise tax. The House proposal would lower the BET rate in stages when combined business tax revenues exceed certain thresholds, while the Senate opposed an immediate rate reduction and argued that tax changes should be handled in a budget year. Senators emphasized that raising the filing threshold to $375,000 had already removed about 3,500 small businesses from filing requirements, and they preferred further relief through threshold changes rather than rate cuts. House members argued that the trigger-based reduction was a reasonable, tested mechanism and would provide future tax relief without taking effect unless revenues rose enough.
Members debated whether the trigger could be distorted by one-time revenue spikes, such as the recent tax amnesty receipts and prior federal repatriation-related revenue, and Representative Sweeney said he was willing to adjust the effective date or carve out amnesty revenue. The committee did not reach agreement on the BET reduction, and the chair called a break and then continued the meeting later with a new proposal to delay the trigger’s effective date to January 1, 2028. Senator Lang rejected that version but offered a counterproposal to raise the filing threshold to $400,000, and the parties ultimately agreed to continue discussions and reconvene later.
The meeting also took up HB 1102, concerning the research and development tax credit and state park fees. The House position was to support the R&D tax credit but remove the park-fee provisions, citing testimony from the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources that it did not need the increase and concerns about discouraging tourism, especially at border parks. Supporters of the park-fee language argued that the department had not raised rates in years, could set its own rates, and should be able to charge nonresidents more while keeping New Hampshire residents’ fees lower. The discussion remained unresolved, with members debating the likely effect on tourism and fairness to residents versus the need for additional revenue.
KY
Kentucky 2026 Regular Session
Budget Review Subcommittee on Transportation. (7-1-26)
Transcript Highlights:
- When we go to pay a $126 annual fee.
- Um, is it to say we're paying our fair share or we feel like as EV owners we're paying more than our
- Don't have to do that no more, but sales tax we pay, property tax we pay.
- Don't have to do that no more, but sales tax we pay, property tax we pay.
- Uh, and you property tax we pay.
Summary:
The Budget Review Subcommittee on Transportation met with a quorum, approved the June 3, 2026 minutes, and then heard a presentation from Mike Proctor of Evolve Kentucky on electric vehicles and charging infrastructure. Proctor described Evolve Kentucky as a nonprofit formed in 2016 to promote EV adoption and charger deployment, said the group has helped place more than 135 chargers at 65 locations, and reported that Kentucky EV registrations have grown rapidly but still represent about 1% of the state’s roughly 3 million vehicles. He also outlined the group’s view that EV drivers and charger operators already contribute to state revenue through annual vehicle fees, charger taxes, utility taxes, and related business taxes, and cited figures showing rising revenue collections as EV adoption increases.
A major theme of the presentation was that EV owners are paying their “fair share” rather than being overcharged. Proctor said the current $126 annual EV fee is roughly comparable to the fuel tax a typical gasoline vehicle would pay, and noted that public charging can add additional tax burdens for drivers who cannot charge at home, such as those living in apartments or condos. He also argued that EVs provide broader benefits, including lower noise and air pollution, grid-stabilizing nighttime charging, tourism spending at destination chargers, and reduced road wear for passenger EVs compared with much heavier vehicles.
Members questioned Proctor about whether EV owners are paying more than their fair share, how the fee compares with gasoline taxes, and whether apartment and condo residents are disproportionately affected because they rely on public chargers. Proctor responded that the fee was intended to bring EV owners into parity with gas vehicles, not to overcharge them, and said some public chargers are free while others are used by drivers who cannot charge at home. No additional votes or formal actions were taken beyond the minutes approval.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government Jun 21st, 2026 at 01:00 pm
Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government
Transcript Highlights:
- If that gets eroded easily, in my case my tenant stopped paying, so I had to pay that mortgage and pay
- Okay, so they escrow everything so that they can pay your taxes, so that they can pay your insurance.
- Okay, so they escrow everything so that they can pay your taxes, so that they can pay your insurance.
- Then I could pay a car rent, a record for RAF. So I can't pay that rent.
- Those are clients that don't pay rent. Those housing units are clients that don't pay rent.
Summary:
The Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government held a long public hearing focused mainly on two sets of issues: proposals to amend or repeal the MBTA Communities Act, and bills to allow local rent stabilization. Committee chairs opened by explaining the hearing would be tightly managed because of the very large number of speakers, with testimony limited to two minutes per person and written testimony still accepted by email. Members and witnesses were called in a mix of in-person and virtual order throughout the hearing.
On the MBTA Communities Act, several legislators and local officials argued the law is too rigid and should be revised to account for local conditions. Speakers from small, rural, or infrastructure-limited communities such as Hanson, Halifax, Marshfield, Winthrop, Dracut, Carver, Rehoboth, and others said the law’s one-size-fits-all approach does not fit towns with limited water, sewer, transit access, or buildable land. Some filed bills would repeal the law, exempt certain communities, or create appeals processes based on infrastructure, environmental, or historical constraints. Supporters of the law’s changes emphasized local control and the need to avoid forcing development where communities believe it is impractical or inconsistent with town character.
A large portion of the hearing was devoted to rent stabilization legislation, especially S. 1447 and related House bills. Supporters included legislators, city councilors, tenant advocates, labor leaders, housing nonprofits, public health organizations, and residents who described sharp rent increases, displacement, homelessness risk, and the strain on working families, seniors, students, and people with disabilities. They argued local-option rent stabilization would let municipalities cap excessive increases and prevent no-fault evictions while preserving flexibility for local conditions. Opponents, including small landlords and property owners, said rent control would discourage investment, worsen housing quality, burden responsible owners, and drive small landlords out of the market. Some witnesses also supported a Cape Cod/Island transfer fee bill and a suburban infrastructure fund, arguing those would provide local revenue for housing or roads. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the hearing.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- fees and you pay professional fees.
- If you don't pay for it in one place, you pay for it in another.
- These smaller lots and smaller homes are paying the same fee that some of the larger homes are paying
- The homebuyer has to pay $315,000.
- to be paying property taxes on that.
FL
Florida 2025 Regular Session
March 20, 2025 - 02:00 PM
Transcript Highlights:
- Uber pays for this car and pays for me to eat. That's just one story.
- I'll try to pay attention here to the right box.
- that $10,000, we'll pay it right now, but you're not going to pay your attorney's fees.
- They have plenty of opportunity to pay that $5,000, avoid the consumer paying the cost of an attorney
- We pay the defense attorney's bills.
Summary:
The committee met to hear five banking and insurance-related bills. HB 1549, an Office of Financial Regulation agency bill to help more efficiently regulate financial institutions, was amended to match Senate companion language and then passed unanimously. HB 1231 would extend physician payment and prior-authorization protections similar to a prior dental law, including limits on virtual credit card payments as the sole payment method; physicians and medical groups supported it as a way to reduce fees and retroactive denials, while insurers were not heard in opposition, and the bill passed unanimously.
The committee then heard HB 999, which would make gold and silver legal tender and allow transactions in bullion through electronic debit mechanisms. The sponsor and several proponents framed it as an inflation hedge and economic freedom measure, while questions focused on definitions, transaction costs, and vendor participation. The bill passed on a mostly party-line vote, with one member voting no. The committee also approved HM 4363, a memorial urging Congress to establish a sovereign wealth fund; the sponsor described it as a way to steward national wealth, and the memorial passed with one dissenting vote.
Finally, the committee took up HB 1551, which would create a prevailing-party attorney fee framework in insurance contract disputes. The sponsor argued it would restore balance, deter meritless litigation, and help consumers with valid claims recover fees, while insurers, business groups, and defense attorneys warned it would revive one-way fee shifting, increase litigation, and raise premiums. Consumer advocates and some members supported it as necessary to give policyholders meaningful recourse. After debate, the bill passed favorably, with one member voting no.
AL
Alabama 2025 Regular Session
Alabama Senate Banking and Insurance Committee Feb 19th, 2025
Banking and Insurance
Transcript Highlights:
- A lot of times right now, a lot of the PBMs are paying themselves more than they're paying everyone else
- Anything paying more than it should comes down, and anything paying less than it should comes up.
- Somebody's got to pay for it.
- So what it's saying is my team members would have to pay triple the co-pay on a 90-day fill because they
- a co-pay.
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
Senate - Tax, Business and Transportation Feb 4th, 2025
Senate Tax, Business & Transportation
Transcript Highlights:
- We just disagree on how to pay for it.
- It's about 60 cents on the Hour of pay; they're not on the dollar.
- And then again, they would not have to pay the $0.60.
- They don't have to pay this.
- and we're going to be paying this.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- So because the state actually pays for it.
- You'll be paying at one place instead of the other.
- someplace else to pay for that is going to continue.
- level that we're able to pay them with our budget.
- Paying attention. Okay, go ahead. Thank you.
Bills:
SB 1
Keywords:
campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards
Summary:
The Senate Finance Committee held its first hearing of the 89th regular session, adopted nearly identical committee rules from the previous legislature by a 15-0 vote, and began review of Senate Bill 1, the state budget for fiscal years 2026-27. Chair Huffman outlined the budget framework, emphasizing conservative spending, a $332.9 billion all-funds budget, and major priorities including property tax relief, public education, border security, health and human services, transportation, energy, and water infrastructure. She also introduced committee and leadership staff and described the hearing schedule and public testimony procedures.
Comptroller Glenn Hager presented the biennial revenue estimate, saying the state has $194.6 billion available for general-purpose spending, including a $23.8 billion ending balance, but warned that revenue growth is returning to more normal levels and that lawmakers should avoid using temporary spikes for ongoing commitments. Senators questioned him extensively about the Economic Stabilization Fund cap, sales tax trends, inflation, and whether the state should consider raising the cap or using severance-tax revenues differently. Hager said the Rainy Day Fund is expected to hit its cap, which would leave more severance-tax revenue in general revenue, and he stressed that infrastructure needs remain significant.
The Legislative Budget Board then gave a detailed overview of SB 1 and the budget’s major components. LBB staff explained that the bill includes continued funding for the Foundation School Program, $850 million for the Texas State Technical College endowment, $1.3 billion for the Texas University Fund, $6.5 billion for border security, salary increases for correctional officers and state troopers, $3 billion for dementia research, higher community attendant wages, expanded community-based care, $5 billion for the Texas Energy Fund, and funding to clear volunteer fire department grant backlogs. They also outlined supplemental priorities such as water infrastructure, retirement legacy payments, rail grade separations, wildfire aircraft, and emergency facilities, and said the current controlling budget limit is the tax spending limit.
A major portion of the hearing focused on property tax relief. LBB explained that prior-session relief grew from an expected $18 billion to $22.7 billion because of higher-than-anticipated property values and interactions among hold-harmless provisions, and that SB 1 continues and expands relief with $51 billion in total property tax relief, including $3 billion more for compression, $3 billion to raise the homestead exemption from $100,000 to $140,000, and a $500 million placeholder for business tax relief. Senators discussed the automatic nature of some of these costs, the effect of the non-homestead circuit breaker, the role of federal COVID funds, and the need to maintain school finance commitments if the state continues to compress school tax rates.
KY
Kentucky 2025 Regular Session
Public Pension Oversight Board (9-23-25) - Reupload
Transcript Highlights:
- We knew that something had to be done. pay as you go benefit. Dollars in, pay as you go benefit.
- They were already paying 3/4%. trust. They were already paying 3/4%.
- So Medicare agrees to pay for certain things, about 96% of certain costs Medicare will pay for.
- <00:48:50.480>
more they could pay and they could pay more they could pay and they could pay - we'll pay that full amount, the $1,15. we'll pay that full amount, the $1,15.
Keywords:
Meeting Start: 00:00:35
Attendance Roll Call: 00:00:55
Approval of Minutes: 00:02:56
Deferred Compensation Authority Update: 00:03:12
Retiree Health Update - TRS: 00:15:58
Retiree Health Update - KPPA: 00:56:13
Adjournment: 01:20:33, 958, all
Summary:
The Public Pension Oversight Board received updates from the Kentucky Public Employees Deferred Compensation Authority and the Teachers Retirement System. Chris Biddle reported that deferred compensation assets had grown to about $4.787 billion with roughly 88,000 participants, crediting auto-enrollment, targeted marketing around pay raises, and retiree-focused services. He said the board’s self-directed brokerage account, authorized by last year’s legislation, is being designed around a $40,000 account-balance threshold with up to 25% transferable into the brokerage window, tentatively for July 1 of the coming year. He also described the free financial planning program, which has been used by about 3,300 to 3,500 participants with an 87% return rate, and noted that the plan is currently in a fee holiday; members asked about the fee structure and whether the CFP service is provided through Nationwide, which Biddle confirmed.
Board members praised the deferred compensation program’s growth and asked for the legislation referenced by Biddle. He said the plan’s annual fees are capped, with a $1 monthly fee plus other charges up to a $225 cap, for a maximum of $237 per year absent a managed account. He also said the program is seeking unified payroll access to expand participation, especially among teachers, and that prior lineup changes saved about $6 million annually in participant fees.
Bo Barnes of TRS then addressed retired teachers’ health insurance, first clarifying a prior question about declining federal contributions to the retirement annuity trust. He explained that federally funded school positions generated contributions that rose from $72 million in 2019 to $109 million in 2022, then fell to $85 million this year, with a projection of $80 million over the next three years; if those dollars do not come from federal sources, they would have to be replaced through the SEEK formula. Barnes then reviewed TRS health coverage, explaining that the statutory contract guarantees access to group coverage but not fixed premium levels, and that TRS administers two retiree plans: KEHP for retirees under 65 or otherwise not Medicare-eligible, and MEHP for retirees 65 and older or Medicare-eligible.
Barnes said TRS completed RFPs for the 2026 plan year, retaining Express Scripts for prescription drugs and switching the Medicare Advantage medical provider from UnitedHealthcare to Humana, while keeping plan design, provider access, out-of-pocket costs, and benefits materially unchanged. He noted a modest hearing-aid improvement of $500 per ear beginning in 2026. He also reported that the TRS Board approved the maximum state contribution for KEHP at $1,044.96, up from $930.76, an 18% increase that he said would require about $15 million to $16 million more annually, while the MEHP premium would drop from $210 to $200 per month because of the new contract. Using the 2024 valuation, he said the KEHP increase would slightly reduce the health trust funded ratio from 80.4% to 80.1% and raise unfunded liability from $4.036 billion to $4.051 billion. Barnes closed by reviewing the 2010 shared-responsibility reforms that shifted retiree health costs away from a pay-as-you-go model, including phased employee and district contributions and Commonwealth stabilization funding. No votes were taken beyond approval of the minutes.
CO
Colorado 2026 Regular Session
Colorado House 2026 Legislative Day 092 Apr 16th, 2026
Colorado House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- <01:34:22.720>
And pay taxes, they pay politicians. And pay taxes, they pay politicians. - their pay. their pay.
- asks us to pay them less. asks us to pay them less.
- It's<03:09:13.520>
paying <03:09:14.080>them. It's paying them. It's paying them. - . pay. pay.
Summary:
The House convened with a quorum, approved the journal, and then spent much of the early portion of the meeting on recognitions and announcements. Members welcomed the Sikh community of Colorado for Baisakhi and Sikh Awareness and Appreciation Month, noted a langar lunch at the Capitol, and announced a governor’s proclamation later in the day. Other tributes highlighted Jackie Robinson Day, Golf Day at the Capitol, an upcoming Colorado Religious Freedom Day event, and an Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority legislative day and youth leadership program.
After announcements, the chamber moved to business and adopted a motion making Senate Bill 109, Senate Bill 104, House Bill 1245, and Senate Bill 121 special orders for April 15. The House then began consideration of Senate Bill 109, concerning building code standards for accessible housing supported by public money. The committee report was adopted, and debate focused on an amendment offered by Representative Soper to exempt counties that have not adopted international building codes. Supporters argued the amendment would protect rural counties, preserve local control, and avoid higher housing costs and budget strain; opponents said it would undermine uniformity. Several members spoke in favor, and the amendment was still under discussion when the transcript ended.
Committee announcements also noted that Judiciary would hear Senate Bill 1283 and Senate Bill 85, Education would hear Senate Bill 153, and Health and Human Services would hear Senate Bill 60, House Bill 1347, and House Bill 1314 for action only. The House also heard that House Bill 1250 would be pushed to the following week.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Insurance Committee May 28th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- Our goal is to be able to have enough money to pay our claims.
- We ran out of money, the reinsurance start paying.
- and the reinsurers pay based on what we project we're going to pay in the next 30 days.
- We can pay on those claims.
- So we pay to have the house deodorized.
Summary:
The Assembly Insurance Committee held an oversight hearing on the California Fair Plan, focused on the plan’s rapid growth, its financial stability after the January Southern California wildfires, and its role as the insurer of last resort. Fair Plan officials explained that the plan was created in 1968, is a not-for-profit involuntary association of licensed property insurers, and is intended to be a temporary safety net until policyholders can return to the admitted market. They emphasized that the plan is not a state agency or taxpayer-funded, but is regulated by the Department of Insurance and supported by member-company assessments if claims exceed available funds.
Victoria Roach and Armand Feliciano said the Fair Plan has grown sharply since 2018 and especially after market pullbacks by major insurers, reaching about 575,000 policies and roughly $600 billion in exposure by spring 2025. They noted that growth is increasingly occurring in lower wildfire-risk areas, where the plan can sometimes be cheaper than the voluntary market, and said this undermines depopulation back into the private market. They also discussed recent policy expansions, including coverage for farms, higher residential and commercial limits, and pending or proposed changes such as AB 290, SB 525, and AB 226, which would add tools like a line of credit and bond access.
A major portion of the hearing addressed the January wildfire losses and the plan’s financial response. Fair Plan officials said they assessed member insurers for $1 billion after determining claims and cash flow would exceed available resources, and that the process was approved quickly and paid smoothly, with more than 80% of the assessment collected within 10 days. They also described the reinsurance tower, the plan’s limited surplus, and the need for actuarially sound rates to reduce future reliance on assessments. On claims handling, they said the plan has received over 5,500 claims from the fires, has paid more than $2.9 billion so far, expects total payments near $4 billion, and has focused on advancing payments quickly for total losses and other urgent needs.
Members questioned the plan’s solvency, the growth in non-wildfire areas, claim denials, smoke-loss coverage, and how depopulation works. Roach said most closed claims without payment were duplicates rather than denials, and that smoke claims require direct physical loss under the policy, with coverage determined case by case. Public commenters from the California Building Industry Association and the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of California said the Fair Plan’s growth reflects a weak voluntary market, inadequate rates, and insurer fear of future assessments, and urged support for rate increases and AB 226. The hearing concluded with no vote, but with a commitment from Fair Plan officials to follow up on unanswered questions and continue providing more transparency through public data and website disclosures.
OK
Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session
Aeronautics and Transportation Feb 16th, 2026 at 10:00 am
Aeronautics and Transportation
Transcript Highlights:
- Clarify: you stated that pilots will turn them off to get out of paying taxes.
- Hybrid and EV owners pay $110 or $85 on their tags each year to cover the gas tax they don't pay because
- Since 2021, EV owners have been paying an extra $110 on their tags.
- For some families, paying all at once is very difficult.
- So what we're doing with the EVs is that you pay the flat $110.
Keywords:
vehicle registration, automatic payments, Service Oklahoma, taxes, motor vehicle, prepayment program, memorial designation, highway, Sheriff Marty Grisham, transportation, Oklahoma Statutes, memorial bridge, dedication, Oklahoma, commemoration, memorial highway, road designation, John Skelley, motor carrier, administrative hearing
MO
Transcript Highlights:
- We'd heard you'd had some questions about why are we paying? Do we have to pay?
- We're paying Kansas City 25 years. We're paying St. Louis 25 years. So we pay for 25 years.
- Now we can pay for 40 years. We're still paying.
- We're still paying.
- Did you all pay him or something, or did he pay you? We should. Yeah, he paid you.
OK
Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session
2026 Contests of Candidacy State Election Board Apr 16th, 2026 at 09:00 am
Transcript Highlights:
- They include any benefits, pay, or compensation.
- Everybody gets the same pay raise, whoever gets the office.
- office and the pay increase that was passed for the office.
- To increase pay, it is in passive voice.
- Why you want to pass the buck on pay increases when a lot of.