Transcript Highlights:

• </c> increase in the future years. increase in the future years.
• We saw that number increase in 2025 to 8,58?
• We saw that number increase that period.
• So, the board is seeking increases.
• increase for nonexecutive staff<00:16:26.320><c> members.

Committee: Joint Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• Insurance rates increased because homeowners' losses increased even more.
• Number four is fire resistance, increasing fire resistance.
• Recent years have been seen a marked increase in the frequency.
• It's a very important, significant component of the increasing costs.
• increasing danger to that infrastructure and how that can affect risk.

Committee: Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee

Keywords: homeowners insurance, natural disasters, insurance costs, climate change, disaster preparedness, federal policies, bipartisan solutions

Summary: The meeting reviewed critical issues surrounding the rising costs and accessibility of homeowners insurance across the United States, particularly in light of increasing natural disasters linked to climate change. Members engaged in extensive discussions regarding the implications for families and the economy, citing significant increases in premiums and decreasing availability of policies in high-risk areas. Supervisor Peysko highlighted the direct impact of federal policies on local communities, emphasizing the growing burden on homeowners as they face skyrocketing insurance costs amidst a backdrop of environmental challenges and regulatory constraints. The committee expressed a unified call to action for bipartisan solutions, focusing on improving building codes and enhancing disaster preparedness measures.

Transcript Highlights:

• deaths, increased injuries, and also increased liability to officers.
• deaths, increased injuries, and also increased liability to officers.
• </c> result of this we have seen increased result of this we have seen increased deaths<00:12:25.920>
• increased injuries and also deaths increased injuries and also increased<00:12:28.839><c> Liv</c><00
• :12:29.279><c> ability</c><00:12:29.920><c> to</c> increased Liv ability to increased Liv ability to

Transcript Highlights:

• Beginning in 2021, the number of slots that were unfilled started to increase.
• The reversions have increased in recent years.
• transparency and requiring increased utilization data.
• Why a 300-plus percent increase in such a short period of time?
• It's brought us a 155 percent increase in the number of veterans served.

Committee: Senate Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services heard a base budget overview for the 2025-26 fiscal year, which was presented as a $46.8 billion starting point for the silo. Staff explained that HHS accounts for about half of the state base budget and roughly 36% of general revenue, with AHCA and Medicaid making up the largest share. The committee then reviewed the PACE program for the elderly, including its eligibility, service model, growth in applications, slot funding and reversions, and the agency’s plan to move from the federal three-way agreement to a more detailed two-party contract to improve accountability, transparency, and reporting. Members raised concerns about unfilled slots, reversions, rural access, and the need for clearer return-on-investment data; the agency said it would follow up on some of those questions. The committee also heard from the Agency for Persons with Disabilities on its statewide dental program. APD described its history of appropriations, the failed January 2024 solicitation, and a new up-to-$11.5 million solicitation focused on preventive care, community partnerships, teledentistry, and coordination with other services. Members questioned overlap with Medicaid dental coverage, the effect of Medicaid unwinding on APD clients, and whether state dollars were duplicating federally supported services; APD said it tries to act as payer of last resort and that services would continue during procurement. Public testimony from an APD stakeholder and the Florida Dental Association emphasized Medicaid eligibility problems for waiver recipients, low reimbursement rates, limited access to anesthesia and hospital-based dental care, and concerns that proposed Medicaid changes could reduce access for special-needs patients. The Department of Veterans’ Affairs then presented on state veterans service officers and benefits assistance. FDVA highlighted its role in helping veterans access federal benefits, reporting about $27.9 billion in federal dollars flowing into Florida and a high return on state investment. The department said it has increased outreach, claims processing, and services, and has trained staff to identify mental health concerns through its Overwatch program. In response to questions, FDVA discussed plans to expand adult day health care at a new veterans nursing home and possibly at existing locations with additional state funding. At the end of the meeting, the committee completed its presentations and adjourned without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• and increased driving accidents.
• and increased driving accidents.
• by teens, and for young adults it's a 22% increase.
• </c><00:57:48.440><c> the</c> alleviated in conclusion increasing the alleviated in conclusion increasing
• They cite a 25% increase in marijuana use disorder in minors, an 89% increase in marijuana-related ER

Summary: The Judiciary Committee heard SB 1231, which would repeal the Parentage Uniform Act of 1973 and update Hawaii’s parentage laws, including parts of the Uniform Parentage Act of 2017. Supporters said the current statutes are outdated and do not adequately address assisted reproduction, surrogacy, and modern family formation. The Attorney General’s office supported the bill with technical amendments, including conforming changes to the Probate Code and child support provisions, and several testifiers urged passage as a needed modernization of the law. A major point of disagreement was Part 10, which concerns donor anonymity. Some supporters, including members of the task force, the Uniform Law Commission, fertility and family law practitioners, and LGBTQ+ advocates, backed the bill as written or said it should move forward even if Part 10 is removed. Others, including donor-conceived adults, parents, and advocacy groups, opposed Part 10 and urged the committee to adopt the 2024 version of Article 9 or delete Part 10 entirely, arguing that anonymous donation harms donor-conceived people’s access to genetic, medical, and identity information and that anonymity is not realistic in the DNA-testing era. One task force member and attorney said she supported the bill but preferred removing Part 10 if necessary to pass the rest. The hearing included extensive public testimony both in support and opposition, with many individuals describing personal experiences with adoption, IVF, surrogacy, and donor conception. No committee vote or final action on the bill was taken during the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• So the increase is caused by two things.
• The less stress there is on reducing, excuse me, on increasing prices.
• . increase across the board.
• Every one cent tax increase, it increases the property tax bill for your residence, 12 bucks a year.
• And so our suggestion would be to simultaneously increase that $2,500.

Bills: HB8 , HB9 , HJR1 , HB22 , HB8 , HB9 , HJR1 , HB22

Committee: House Ways & Means

Keywords: HB 8, school finance, compressed tax rate, maximum compressed tax rate, MCR, PYMCR, property tax, school district taxes, Education Code, Tax Code, state aid, school funding formula, local school taxes, Texas school finance, tax rate compression, public education funding, ad valorem tax, tangible personal property, income-producing property, business personal property

Transcript Highlights:

• INCREASES.
• DIDN'T WE INCREASE FUNDING TO HIRE MORE TEACHERS IN THE PROJECT?
• WE HAVE INCREASED AND WE TRY TO DO IT COMMENSURATE WITH STATE ATTORNEYS IN TERMS OF OVERALL PAY INCREASES
• WE'VE RECOGNIZED AN 88% INCREASE IN TEACHERS AND PROGRAM POSITIONS THAT CORRELATES TO A 55% INCREASE
• EDUCATION PROGRAMS OFFERED TO A 70% INCREASE IN THOSE ENROLLED.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> average household has seen an increase average household has seen an increase of<00:05:16.160><c
• That's a 243% increase.
• That's a 243% increase.
• Um, that is a 71% increase.
• That's a 322% increase.

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• For Minnesota Management and Budget, an increase of $3.4 million.
• <00:03:43.680><c> of</c> increase of increase of $100,000.<00:03:45.519><c> Um</c><00:03:45.840><c> the
• And then the four um operate increase.
• The next provision uh increases the The next provision uh increases the auditing<00:18:21.280><c> threshold
• ><c> the</c> um increases the number increases the um increases the number increases the options<00:19

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> request for an operating increase request for an operating increase section<00:21:10.760><c> five
• They would not have an increase.
• They would not have an increase.
• They would not have an increase.
• Um, I would just ask for support. increase increase and<01:17:50.840><c> you</c><01:17:50.960><c> know

Bills: HF1704

Committee: House Agriculture Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• As the senator noted, prime sponsor rates have not been increased since 2005.
• As the senator noted, prime sponsor rates have not been increased since 2005.
• Of the increase, the first $25 collected...
• So costs have increased $50 in four years for the...
• I suppose they've increased that way and thanks to inflation.

Committee: House Transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• increase in the next biennium.
• increase in the next biennium.
• You combine that with the fact that this is a property tax increase.
• It's combining and increasing property taxes at the same time.
• Go in front of the voters and request this tax increase.

Bills: HB2376 , HB2584 , HB2610 , HB2615 , HB2089 , HB2194 , HB2257 , HB2528 , HB2175 , HB2334

Committee: House Finance

Keywords: property tax, reform, local government, taxpayer, funding, agriculture, tax exemption, farm machinery, equipment, sales tax, HB 2610, property tax exemption, nonprofit housing, affordable housing, low-income housing, community use, temporary use, charitable property, Washington property tax, Department of Revenue

Transcript Highlights:

• Flat fees were increased a few years ago.
• So JAC is not standing before you today saying, please increase those rates, but they haven't been increased
• and cost-of-living increases.
• Additionally, because of the increase in cases, it requires an increase in case-related costs as well
• The Scholars Academy, an increase of residential beds, increases the need for teachers, and that's the

Committee: Senate Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice

Summary: The committee met for an interim appropriations presentation hearing focused on justice administration agencies. Members heard budget requests from the State Attorney’s Office, Public Defenders, the Justice Administrative Commission, Regional Conflict Counsel, Capital Collateral Regional Counsel, and the Guardian ad Litem Office, followed by a presentation from the Department of Juvenile Justice and a brief public comment from a nonprofit advocate. The chair noted that presentations from the Department of Law Enforcement and the Commission on Offender Review would be moved to a later meeting. The state attorney requested funding to true up underfunded circuits under the existing formula, staff 14 new criminal judgeships, replace declining VOCA victim-services funding with general revenue, and cover a projected due process shortfall. The public defender asked for a higher starting salary for assistant public defenders, funding to restore balance in circuits where public defenders lag behind state attorneys, and staffing for new criminal judgeships. Regional conflict counsel and capital collateral regional counsel also sought salary adjustments, additional attorneys and case costs, and competitive area differential funding to address recruitment and retention issues. The Justice Administrative Commission requested funding for Florida PALM readiness and implementation and for IT hardware and software replacement; it also relayed a clerks’ request for reimbursement related to injunctions for protection, Baker Act, Marchman Act, and sexually violent predator cases. The Guardian ad Litem Office said it now has a guardian ad litem for every child in Florida and requested salary increases for senior and managing attorneys to reduce turnover. The Department of Juvenile Justice presented a much larger budget request to expand residential and detention capacity, increase per diem rates, renovate and replace aging facilities, fund the Broward detention center rebuild, improve cybersecurity and the juvenile information system, and cover rising lease costs. Members asked questions about staffing, compensation, detention and residential treatment needs, mental health and substance-use services, and the Broward project timeline. A nonprofit advocate then asked for better data collection on protection orders and related court actions to support funding for domestic violence and recovery services. The committee adjourned without taking any formal votes on the budget requests.

Transcript Highlights:

• The other thing is that vehicle costs are increasing. The average new car costs $50,000.
• </c><00:03:45.720><c> the</c> that over time we want to increase the that over time we want to increase
• </c><00:09:19.080><c> the</c> lives or to potentially increase the lives or to potentially increase the
• </c><00:26:10.800><c> ridership,</c> improving service, increasing ridership, improving service, increasing
• 47.200><c> of</c><00:26:47.360><c> people</c> should increase the number of people should increase the

Transcript Highlights:

• I know it's not a salary increase, but if the salary increase was at the executive level or the LFC level
• That's a little bit of an increase.
• at whether that increase is enough.
• If you've been increased by 70%, have they increased by enough to cover their costs?
• and a slight increase to the 300 category for contractual services, and also an increase to the 400 category

Committee: House House Appropriations & Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• Additionally, one of our goals is to increase the visibility of these program inventories. was to increase
• And so each year that we receive a legislative increase, that increase to salaries and benefits comes
• by $8.5 million, our restricted revenues increased by $2.6 million, our federal funds increased by $10.5
• That revenue will come from a 35% increase to weight distance tax, a 25% increase to vehicle registration
• And if we don't do some minimal increases, increasing our roads won't get better, and we'll continue

Transcript Highlights:

• That was a 105% increase. In 2025, we received 7,860 complaints, a 19% increase over 2024.
• That was 105% increase. In 2025, we received 7,800. increase.
• It's over 100% increase.
• It's over 100% increase.
• fee increase might be considered.

Summary: The committee heard an overview from the Office of the Inspector General and California Correctional Health Care Services on prison oversight, medical care, reentry, and related budget requests. The OIG requested $275,000 General Fund for two additional intake analysts, citing a sharp rise in complaints from 3,200 in 2022 to 7,860 in 2025 and explaining that the unit reviews and routes complaints, including PREA and staff misconduct allegations, within 30 days. Its medical inspection unit reported on cycle seven prison health inspections, noting generally adequate case-review performance but weak policy-compliance results, especially in medication management and health care environment indicators, and said it was beginning cycle eight with revised inspection methods. Members questioned the OIG about what kinds of complaints were driving the increase, whether the office tracks validity or systemic patterns, and how it distinguishes duplicative complaints from those already handled by CDCR. OIG said the largest categories were prison conditions and staff misconduct, that it does not determine whether complaints are “valid” in a statistical sense, and that it forwards issues to CDCR or other entities as appropriate. Senators also asked about the medical inspection findings, the remaining prisons not yet delegated back from federal receivership, and whether more detail should be provided in future reports. LAO and Department of Finance staff said they had no concerns with the OIG proposal. The committee then reviewed the correctional health care budget, including staffing, pharmacy, contract medical costs, and the state’s progress toward ending the Plata medical receivership. CDCR said it is trying to reduce vacancies through hiring events, social media outreach, new classifications, and more on-site care, while also using CalAIM to improve reentry services; CalAIM officials reported 89% Medi-Cal activation at release, 87% managed care assignment, 88% reentry care plans, and 59% warm handoffs, with about $14.7 million in reimbursements to date. Members pressed staff on the cost of receivership, the pace of delegation, whether more care could be consolidated into fewer facilities, and whether the state should seek more federal reimbursement or alternative staffing models. Finally, the committee discussed the new mental health receivership and a telemental health staffing proposal. The receiver’s office requested $33.9 million from the Mental Health Special Deposit Fund, including $8.2 million for the receiver’s office and $25.3 million to make court-ordered bonus payments permanent; CDCR also sought about $8.9 million for telemental health staffing, growing to $13 million ongoing. LAO recommended approving the action plan and portions of the telehealth request, but urged the Legislature to monitor progress, consider out-of-state recruitment and expanded telehealth, and avoid across-the-board salary increases; Finance cautioned that out-of-state licensure would require major statutory changes and that staffing-ratio changes would need receiver approval. Senators raised concerns about the high cost of receiverships, vacancy-driven fines, the need for more detailed benchmarks, and whether the state should consolidate mental health populations and better target recruitment to fill hard-to-staff positions.

Transcript Highlights:

• :20:23.840><c> some</c> operation material cost increases, some operation material cost increases, some
• </c> the time about how much of an increase the time about how much of an increase in<00:37:10.240><c
• </c> increase in funding through the IGA. increase in funding through the IGA.
• ><c> severely</c> These increasing costs will severely These increasing costs will severely impact<00
• Are we anticipating increased cost?

Summary: The House Budget Review Subcommittee on Transportation met to hear the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s presentation on the governor’s 2026 capital projects budget and recommended highway plan. Secretary Gray and cabinet staff first thanked KYTC snow and ice crews, local road departments, first responders, utility workers, and others for their work during a major winter storm, then outlined the capital budget request. The cabinet said its facilities are aging, with about 35% at or beyond useful life, and that limited road fund revenues led it to focus mainly on maintenance, maintenance pools, aircraft maintenance, environmental compliance, AASHTOWare upgrades, state park road maintenance, truck parking, and reauthorization of several projects, including airport work and road projects. The cabinet said the governor’s budget includes about $22.8 million in state funds for the capital budget over the biennium, plus carry-forward language for maintenance pools and project reauthorizations to avoid losing federal funds. Members asked about repeated reauthorizations, cost increases, and whether projects should be restarted as new requests after carrying over for multiple budgets. The cabinet responded that budget office policy generally allows only one reauthorization before a project must be resubmitted, and said many delays are due to acquisition or other project issues. Members also questioned the basis for increased-cost line items and the $5 million request for commercial truck parking; cabinet staff said they could provide original project cost details and that many increases are inflationary, while the truck parking project is expected to use federal funds and is a cabinet priority. The committee also discussed the decline in road fund receipts, which the cabinet attributed largely to lower motor fuels tax revenue. The presentation then shifted to the 2026 recommended highway plan. Officials said the plan covers more than 1,300 projects over six years and anticipates about $9.5 billion in federal and state funding. They said the plan is intended to maintain existing assets, advance long-term priority projects, and honor prior commitments, including the Mountain Parkway, the Brent Spence Companion Bridge, and the I-69 Ohio River Crossing. About 40% of plan funds are dedicated to existing pavements, bridges, and guardrails, and officials cited a 61% rise in highway construction costs from 2020 to 2025 as a major challenge. To help offset those pressures, the cabinet is seeking $125 million from the budget reserve trust fund for the Brent Spence Bridge and release of a federal grant condition tied to the already appropriated $150 million for the I-69 crossing. No votes were taken at the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• However, with the rate increase, we received several comments, one of which was that we increased the
• So what rates are you increasing? All pediatric rates. Okay.
• And we couldn't increase reimbursement rates based on a specific diagnosis.
• So what rates are you increasing? All pediatric rates. Okay.
• So there are three categories of rates that are increasing.

Committee: All ALC-ADMINISTRATIVE RULES

Summary: The Arkansas Administrative Rules Subcommittee met to review a large slate of agency rules and related reports. The chair announced that several items were stricken from the agenda and that the maternal health providers and remote monitoring rules were pulled by the agency. The committee filed reports on emergency rules, ALC subcommittee rule reviews, and administrative directives, then moved through agency rules from the Department of Agriculture, Department of Commerce/Insurance, Department of Corrections, and multiple divisions of the Department of Human Services. Most rules were explained as technical updates or implementations of 2025 legislation and were approved without objection. Examples included repeal of obsolete equine ID-chip rules, updates to agriculture financing and pesticide rules, removal of duplicative workers’ compensation plan language, a unified visitation rule for correctional facilities, DHS marketing rules for PASS programs, a comprehensive DCFS policy manual revision, Medicaid-related changes for fictive kin, ABLE accounts, presumptive eligibility for pregnant women, SNAP work requirements and alien eligibility, coverage for certain incarcerated youth, nurse aide training updates, and permanent rules for state employee insurance and procurement. The committee also approved requests to exclude the Insurance Department from rulemaking requirements for Act 772 on forced organ harvesting and for restorative reproductive medicine, with the department saying it would issue rules later when more guidance is available. The most extended discussion concerned DHS’s dental Medicaid rate rule under Act 1025. Members and witnesses debated whether the statute’s language covered only oral surgeons or also general dentists performing oral surgery procedures, and whether the rate increase should apply more broadly to the services rather than the provider title. DHS said it was following the black-letter language of the law and could not confirm a broader interpretation without further approvals and funding, while legislators and a Dental Association representative said the intent was to increase payment for the services, especially in rural areas. Members also discussed the possibility of fixing the language in a future session or through a new rule if approvals and CMS review allow. Despite the concerns, the committee approved the rule. The meeting ended with approval of rule review reports and monthly updates, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Flat fees were increased a few years ago.
• I stand before you today saying, please increase those rates, but they haven't increased since 2007.
• and cost of living increases.
• Additionally, because of the increase in cases, It requires an increase in case-related costs as well
• We have not asked for any increases for lease agreements.