Transcript Highlights:

• We understand that we need to improve our payment speed.
• We have onboarded additional resources to speed up our payments.
• We're reducing documentation required for claims payment.
• They signed a settlement agreement.
• Currently, this payment gap is a significant challenge.

Bills: SB1095 , SB1114 , SB1116 , SB1162 , SB1164 , SB1178 , SB1179 , SB1249 , SB1253 , SB1346 , SB1347 , SB1446 , SB1561 , SB1813

Committees: House Health & Human Services , House House Health & Human Services Committee of Reference

Keywords: gender transition, minors, irreversible surgery, health professionals, puberty-blocking drugs, medical procedures, prohibition, Arizona Revised Statutes, behavioral health, patient brokering, appropriation, state funds, Maricopa County, claims review, medical necessity, American Indian health program, healthcare regulations, healthcare compliance, behavioral health technicians, licensing

Transcript Highlights:

• That was because he was put under an NDA by that Christian institution, and that was part of the settlement
• of 2024, the Maryland Attorney General reported that it had engaged outside counsel to negotiate settlements
• of 2024, the Maryland Attorney General reported that it had engaged outside counsel to negotiate settlements
• Finally, the other reason that we see these cases take so long is often because they are reversed on
• vehicle with the merchandise in it, picture of their driver's license, and a picture of them receiving payment

Committees: House Judiciary , House Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence

Transcript Highlights:

• okay, so that's what I was going to ask, and I should have been looking in the book to see at the reversions
• They're spending this money to pay down payments on building purchases or something.
• within the spreadsheet, you will notice on item one, we're looking at increasing from the Consumer Settlement
• opioid use disorder and medications for it for incarcerated individuals is coming out of opioid settlement
• Item 25 and 26 are related to water, so it includes more funding for any water settlement rights, and

Bills: SB152 , SB145 , SB190 , HB247 , SB152 , SB145 , HB2 , SB190 , HB247

Committees: Senate Senate Finance , Senate House Appropriations & Finance

Keywords: telecommunications, low-income assistance, lifeline, broadband, rural broadband, universal service fund, public regulation commission, PRC, 911 surcharge, telecommunications relay service, VoIP, mobile service, internet affordability, digital equity, digital inclusion, rural internet, broadband infrastructure, eligible telecommunications carrier, ETC, tribal consent

Transcript Highlights:

• So residents of Bexar County are sending their tax payments to us, and then we're shifting money over
• reject this bill in its current form, as its provisions undermine the property rights of Texans and reverse
• And I think that would reverse a lot of the hard-fought gains that were put into place last session.
• Senator Beckin Court now moves at House 4-51 I'll be reported back to the full settlement with recommendation

Bills: HB103

Committee: Senate Local Government

Summary: The Senate Committee on Local Government heard a series of local and special-purpose bills, mostly with brief sponsor explanations and little or no public opposition. Topics included fireworks sales near the Texas-Mexico border for Cinco de Mayo (HB 1629), allowing larger counties to use their own inspectors for county buildings (HB 3234), updating governance and financial rules for the Wood County Central Hospital District (HB 5664), clarifying firefighter collective bargaining and impasse procedures (HB 3171), and exempting certain Fort Worth ETJ properties from release rules to protect infrastructure investments (HB 2512). The committee also heard bills on border subdivision rules in Cameron County (HB 3680), extending a property tax exemption to surviving spouses of certain veterans affected by the PACT Act (HB 2508/HJR 133), drainage district election timing and procedures (HB 5693, HB 2694), utility transparency for municipally owned systems (HB 1991), and management district and hospital district election or appointment changes (HB 5698, HB 2293). Another major bill, HB 1449, would expand a food truck permitting pilot program to counties over one million population; witnesses supported the concept but asked the committee to coordinate it with related fee and standards bills, and the bill was left pending for further work. The committee also heard HB 3732, which would let fire departments obtain extensions to comply with new NFPA protective equipment standards, and HB 5431, which would clarify that mayors and at-large council members do not need new elections after reapportionment; both were left pending after questions about their scope. Several transparency and tax-related bills were also discussed, including HB 103, creating a statewide database of local bond and tax election information, and HB 851, requiring reporting on homestead tax ceiling properties; both drew support and were later voted out. After testimony, the committee reported multiple bills favorably, often unanimously, and recommended many for the local and uncontested calendar. The committee also used procedural swaps to substitute House companions for Senate bills on several measures, then recessed with plans to return later to process additional bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• A district court judge reversed that term. at least temporarily just last night.
• Now we know that's actually not true, that they were looking at code in the payment system to try and
• determine either efficiency or improper payments.
• Have you ever faced discipline or entered into a settlement related to this kind of conduct?
• processing can be standardized and efficient achieved in payment processing and also as you said in

Committee: Senate Senate Veterans' Affairs

Keywords: veterans affairs, VA modernization, employee layoffs, mental health, suicide prevention, transparency, senate committee, bipartisan support, oversight

Summary: The meeting involved detailed discussions on various veterans' issues, particularly focusing on the challenges faced by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) amidst a backdrop of significant staffing changes. Members expressed deep concerns over the recent layoffs of over 1,000 VA employees, emphasizing the crucial nature of these positions in the context of mental health support for veterans, particularly amid rising suicide rates. Senators articulated the need for transparency and effective communication between the VA and Congress to avoid further breakdowns in services. The session also spotlighted the ongoing modernization of VA systems and the urgent need to streamline processes to benefit veterans effectively.

Transcript Highlights:

• This provision would be weaponized to extract settlements even in the absence of wrongdoing.
• number gets thrown out there, again, they're going to use that to weaponize and try to move towards settlement
• , who's been scammed, they get a significant amount of information and the ability to potentially reverse
• ..who's been scammed, they get a significant amount of information and the ability potentially to reverse
• And they are in a unique position to be able to reverse those transactions.

Committee: House Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:

• For example, making it very clear that this is only talking about disconnections for non-payment.
• </c> about disconnections for non-payment. about disconnections for non-payment.
• </c> non-payment during dangerous weather. non-payment during dangerous weather. things<00:09:34.320>
• These protections will give families the time to seek help, make a payment plan, maybe connect with a
• when the National Weather non-payment when the National Weather Service,<00:24:35.919><c> which</c><

Summary: The committee meeting began with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, roll call, and approval of the prior minutes. Members also observed a moment of reflection for Charlie Kirk and offered condolences to Representative Bobby McCool on the death of his mother. Representative Fugate then made announcements about the ongoing ATV/UTV trail system, including an October 21 opening in Letcher County and an October 2 groundbreaking in Knott County, and staff was asked to circulate the dates to members. The main agenda item was Senate Bill 137, presented by Senator Cassie Chambers Armstrong with testimony from George Ecklan of the Coalition of the Homeless and Wesley Bryant, a flood survivor and Eastern Kentucky resident. The bill would prohibit utility disconnections for non-payment during dangerous weather and emergencies, including extreme cold, excessive heat, and declared natural disasters. Supporters said the measure is narrow, does not forgive past-due balances or change reconnection policies, and is intended to protect vulnerable residents, reduce risks to first responders, and create a minimum statewide standard amid a patchwork of utility policies. They cited weather thresholds and historical examples of extreme weather and disaster declarations in Kentucky. Testimony emphasized the human impact of shutoffs, especially for low-income households, older adults, and families facing illness or disaster recovery. Bryant described experiences with people shivering without heat or struggling to keep children cool when power was cut off, calling electricity a lifeline rather than a luxury. Representative Gu raised concerns that utility bills have become unaffordable due to broader policy and rate issues, argued that some customers may not pay if shutoffs are prohibited, and questioned whether the bill was needed. Senator Chambers Armstrong responded that the proposal is limited to non-payment shutoffs during short periods of dangerous conditions and is meant to keep people safe during emergencies. No vote or final action on the bill was taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• But those are dollars that go to provide child care subsidy payments.
• To have help and support in child care payments, in the cost of child care.
• settlement that we receive in the state.
• But certainly every county also has received these settlement dollars.
• I'm not supporting any additional appropriations out of the opioid settlement fund.

Transcript Highlights:

• When an agency is dealing with litigation or a consent or settlement agreement, Linda Spears, the CEO
• for an additional eight projects, including significant funding for compliance with the Kevin S Settlement
• In 2022, we came up with the final settlement agreement.
• and there is a lawsuit, what we do is we make every effort Possible to ensure that if there is a settlement
• And it's working in reverse, and we haven't. achieved that goal if in January of 2020.

Committee: Senate Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• , maintenance of property, utility payments depending on how that lease is set up.
• And what the delegate described is the process to evict someone for late payment of rent.
• Is this question about the late payment of rent.
• The late payment of rent as a good cause in this bill does not require going to court.
• Um the the fail the late payment<00:51:34.080><c> of</c><00:51:34.280><c> rent</c> payment of rent payment

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> settlement fund for for those victims. settlement fund for for those victims.
• The settlement fund has a date, July 1st of this year, when people have to apply for a settlement.
• It's not going to, number one, impact any future settlement payments the state receives. ...It's not
• going to, number one, impact any future settlement payments the state receives.
• </c><03:15:51.680><c> payments</c> to impact any future settlement payments to impact any future settlement

Committee: Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• rather than general fund payment.
• </c> incarceration on the Medicaid payments incarceration on the Medicaid payments to<04:09:34.720><c
• </c> payment rather than general fund payment payment rather than general fund payment I<04:09:55.239
• The settlement is a settlement of all claims.
• The settlement is a settlement of all claims.

Summary: The committee heard an overview from the Agriculture Commissioner on the department’s major divisions and staffing. He described the Office of the Commissioner, Agricultural Development, Pesticides, Regulatory Services, Weights and Measures, Animal Industry, Plant Industry, and Soil Conservation, noting that many programs are federally funded or supported by dedicated fees and fines. He said the department has 44 full-time positions plus one DoIT employee shared with other agencies, and that HR services are now contracted through Administrative Services. He also explained that Soil Conservation is administratively attached to the department and funded through Moose Plate grants and county contributions, not direct state funding. Members asked about specific program functions and issues, including weights and measures inspections, animal health, bird flu response, internships, invasive species, and the Big E/New Hampshire building. The commissioner said weights and measures covers nearly all commercial measuring devices and products sold by weight, and that inspectors are currently part-time police officers, though the department is discussing removing that requirement. He said the department is actively involved in bird flu monitoring, including regular calls with USDA and the state veterinarian and collecting milk samples from dairy farms. On invasive species, he focused on Japanese knotweed and bittersweet, saying the department has only one staff person working on the issue, mainly as a coordinator with DOT and towns, and that eradication is extremely difficult. He also said the department does not run student internships and refers inquiries to UNH Cooperative Extension. The committee discussed budget and revenue issues, including three new general fund positions, one of which is the assistant commissioner and another a biological scientist for invasive species. The commissioner said the department had been in “triage mode,” that an assistant commissioner was needed because of workload, and that the department is a net positive to the General Fund each year. He said some fees and fines have not been updated in decades and would require legislation to change, including a proposed $5 fee for each animal database certificate to help fund a system that costs about $250,000 annually to maintain. In response to questions about budget reductions, he said the department protected personnel, reduced the cost-of-care fund, fair grants, and land preservation funding to about $25,000 each, and did not plan to buy new vehicles or computers. He also said he could not support including the $50,000 Conservation District resilience grant program in his budget under the current reduction targets, though he remained hopeful it might be funded another way.

Transcript Highlights:

• Without a way to enforce payment, agencies are often left with few options to achieve compliance with
• These settlements can equal a week or even a month of sales, and that's devastating.
• These settlements can equal a week or even a month of sales, and that's devastating.
• However, it's actually kind of the reverse of the situation in which...
• It's actually kind of the reverse of the situation in which a violation of the ADA is a violation of

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several bills. AB 416 would allow emergency room physicians to initiate 5150 mental health holds, with supporters saying it would reduce emergency room bottlenecks and speed care for patients in crisis. County and behavioral health representatives opposed the bill, and some members raised broader concerns about the 5150 system and juvenile placements. The bill was ultimately approved on a do-pass as amended vote. AB 446, the Surveillance Pricing Act, drew extensive testimony. The author and supporters argued it would prohibit businesses from using personal data to charge different prices for the same product or service, describing the practice as discriminatory and exploitative. Business and industry groups opposed the bill, warning that its language was too broad, could affect discounts and loyalty programs, and would create litigation risk through a private right of action. After discussion about enforcement and possible amendments, the bill passed on a do-pass motion. AB 632 would give local governments a faster way to collect penalties for serious code violations, including unsafe housing, fire hazards, and illegal cannabis activity, by allowing certain fines to become money judgments and clarifying lien authority. It had support from county and city groups and no opposition was voiced in the hearing; the bill passed as amended. ACA 7, a constitutional amendment intended to clarify and limit misuse of Section 31A, also moved forward after brief support testimony. The committee then took up AB 649, which would extend protections for businesses that proactively obtain certified access specialist inspections and fix accessibility violations; the author, a small business owner, and others testified in support, while disability rights groups moved to neutral after amendments. Members discussed the balance between access enforcement and reducing predatory litigation, and the bill was still under consideration as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• When you do it in a traditional hospital, there's three different forms of payment that the hospital
• They get the payment at time of service, whatever the billing codes are.
• Over the two years, that was about an average of about $1.639 million in payments for those services.
• When you remove the disparity in terms of the payment rates, the opportunity for savings goes away.
• All right, so you wanted to reverse this back and take the amendments off and...

Committee: Senate Finance

Summary: The Finance Committee met on May 27, 2026, with six members present and took up a series of House bills, most of them dealing with education funding, criminal justice staffing, transportation, health care access, and economic development. HB 325 was reported favorably after testimony that it would expand TOPS eligibility by allowing dual-enrollment credits to satisfy eligibility criteria and by making part-time students eligible for TOPS Tech, with supporters saying the program has been underused and the change would help working students. HB 719 was amended and reported favorably to increase assistant district attorney positions in various judicial districts; the Louisiana District Attorneys Association said the changes were based on workload data and local input, and members discussed the need to coordinate any expansion with public defender funding. The committee also reported HB 749 favorably, which would move Louisiana’s 529 savings accounts to a more secure online platform after a cyber incident, and HB 1028 favorably, which concerns transportation reimbursement for providers and was described as already subject to appropriation. Several bills focused on food access and local economic development. HB 1222, the Grocery Initiative Act, was reported favorably to let LED use existing grant resources to map food deserts and develop a program, with members noting it could return for funding later if needed. HB 1194 was amended and reported favorably to define food deserts and direct the LSU AgCenter and the Department of Agriculture and Forestry to identify and map them, with authors emphasizing it was a study and not a government-run grocery program. HB 755, which would create IDIQ contracting for architects and engineers on smaller state projects, was reported favorably with no fiscal impact. HB 823, a local diversion pilot for Orleans Parish, was also reported favorably after the fiscal note was revised to remove state impact and reflect only local costs. The committee spent substantial time on HB 488, a proposal from Plaquemines Parish to use severance-tax revenue to help buy out a private toll concession on the parish’s bridge. The author and local officials described severe toll burdens, economic harm to local businesses, and what they called an unfair contract, but members noted the bill was not funded and ultimately deferred it without a motion. HB 797, the Bayou Gold/Louisiana Sound Money Act, was amended to make implementation subject to appropriation and then reported favorably. The committee also took up HB 198, which would raise Medicaid reimbursement for ambulatory surgery centers for certain outpatient procedures; after extensive discussion about fiscal notes, access to care, and potential long-term savings, the bill was amended to narrow its scope and make implementation subject to appropriation, then reported favorably as amended. The meeting ended with the chair noting it would be the committee’s last meeting and asking members to spread the word.

Transcript Highlights:

• When you do it in a traditional hospital, there's three different forms of payment that the hospital
• They get the payment at time of service, whatever the billing codes are.
• Over the two years, that was about an average of $1.639 million in payments for those services.
• When you remove the disparity in terms of the payment rates, the opportunity for savings goes away.
• All right, so you wanted to reverse this back and take the amendments off, and...

Bills: HB198 , HB325 , HB488 , HB719 , HB749 , HB755 , HB797 , HB823 , HB1028 , HB1194 , HB1222

Committee: Senate Finance

Keywords: TOPS-Tech, scholarship, education, eligibility, college credit, dual enrollment, state funding, HB 488, Belle Chasse Bridge, Belle Chasse Bridge Merit-Based Special Fund, Plaquemines Parish, severance tax, state general fund, special fund, transportation funding, DOTD, Department of Transportation and Development, public-private partnership, P3 contract, toll reduction

Transcript Highlights:

• Let's do something useful with the settlement.
• because it just says payment?
• </c> word it shall be entitled to a payment word it shall be entitled to a payment and<01:53:31.119><
• oh entitled to a entitled to a payment oh entitled to a payment<01:53:40.079><c> for</c><01:53:40.239
• And then, after six years of payments, I really screwed up.

Summary: The House Judiciary Committee opened with a hearing on CACR 7, a proposed constitutional amendment to explicitly state that defendants are innocent until proven guilty in all cases and suits brought by the state. The prime sponsor argued the amendment would strengthen due process, prevent government overreach, and extend the presumption of innocence beyond criminal cases into civil and administrative matters such as forfeiture and family court proceedings. In testimony and questioning, the sponsor cited New Hampshire constitutional provisions, historical examples, and concerns about courts shifting burdens onto individuals. Committee members raised questions about the amendment’s wording, its relationship to existing law, and whether it would have practical effect if current statutes already place the burden on the state. The hearing was then closed without further witnesses. The committee next moved to executive session on House Bill 480, which establishes a procedure for restoring competency and creates a pilot forensic liaison position in Merrimack or Strafford County to assist with that process. After discussion about prior concerns, including an email from the Disabilities Rights Center and whether enough members were present, the committee voted to adopt Amendment 2025-61H and then voted ought to pass as amended. The amendment passed unanimously, and the bill passed on a 10-1 roll call, with Representative Andrew voting no. The chair noted the bill would not go on consent and that no minority report was planned. Finally, the committee opened a hearing on House Bill 666-FN, which would add restitution for violations of library-use confidentiality and expressly include library cards and membership status among confidential records. The sponsor said the bill was intended to strengthen privacy protections after a local dispute and to provide a remedy and deterrent for improper disclosure. Committee questions focused on whether the restitution penalty would apply to accidental disclosures, how the bill interacts with existing exceptions such as court orders or investigations, and whether the language was consistent with current confidentiality law. The hearing remained open at the end of the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• Bye. payments. Right now we pay retroactively. You provide care for the child.
• conversion, so we were a little slow at getting all that taken care of, that delayed some of the payments
• We had one situation. data conversion caused us to have a four-day delay in getting payments out.
• was an extra week delay in them getting paid, but that's because of the When we get to prospective payments
• It's not 75 percent, but it is kind of the reverse of that.

Committee: House Trade, Workforce & Economic Development

Transcript Highlights:

• So the Court of Appeals reversed ASPIE and allowed the case to move forward.
• We know the County of Los Angeles has a gigantic settlement of childhood sex abuse cases.
• historic wrongdoing, historic practice, historic realities when we look at the payouts and the settlements
• We don't predict a slowing down of both claims filed or settlement amounts.
• we really are incentivized and do, I think, a pretty thorough job of providing early, you know, settlement

Committee: Senate Law & Justice

Summary: The committee work session began with a staff presentation on state tort liability, focusing on why Washington’s tort payouts and claims have risen and how sovereign immunity, statutes of limitation, damages rules, and case law shape state exposure. Staff and the Attorney General’s Office highlighted that DCYF, DSHS, and DOC account for the largest share of claims and payouts, with Washington’s broad waiver of immunity and lack of caps on non-economic damages making it unusual compared with many other states. The discussion emphasized childhood sexual abuse claims, foster care and juvenile rehabilitation liability, and the impact of recent cases and the 2024 statute of limitations changes. Agency witnesses from DCYF, DSHS, and DOC described rising claims, delayed payout timing, difficulty defending older cases with limited records, and efforts to reduce future liability through practice changes, electronic health records, medication-assisted treatment, staffing, and early resolution programs. The committee then shifted to parole and sentencing. Staff from the Sentencing Guidelines Commission and Public Safety Policy and Research Center reviewed Washington’s move from indeterminate sentencing and parole to the current determinate sentencing system under the Sentencing Reform Act, and explained that parole can coexist with sentencing guidelines in other states through different models. They also summarized Criminal Sentencing Task Force recommendations related to three-strikes, persistent offender review, and a second-chance review process, noting that the task force did not reach consensus on those ideas. Judges Veronica Galvan and Cindy Larson, speaking for the Minority and Justice Commission and the Superior Court Judges Association, supported considering a parole or review-board model as a way to address racial disparities, improve fairness, and create a more centralized and transparent review process with data collection and judicial review. The final panel began with prosecutors, with Eric Eisenger introducing himself and indicating he would speak from both his role as Benton County prosecutor and as a former defense attorney. The transcript cuts off before the prosecutors’ full testimony or any committee action on the parole topic, and no votes were taken during the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> are</c><01:27:07.600><c> a</c> Issue one, reverse warrants are a Issue one, reverse warrants are
• <c> warrants</c> Issue two, while reverse warrants Issue two, while reverse warrants threaten<01:28:00.480
• > warrant</c> In most cases, reverse warrant In most cases, reverse warrant identification<01:28:07.280
• ><01:28:43.440><c> ineffective</c> reverse warrants are an ineffective reverse warrants are an ineffective
• </c><01:29:19.040><c> would</c> that banning reverse warrants would that banning reverse warrants would

Bills: HF3477 , HF3414 , HF103 , HF3661 , HF3146

Committee: House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law

Keywords: civil rights, law enforcement, federal collaboration, accountability, state law, constitutional rights, color of law, 42 U.S.C. 1983, section 1983, civil action, damages, injunctive relief, attorney fees, law enforcement task force, federal-state cooperation, intergovernmental agreement, federal agency partnership, Minnesota Constitution, U.S. Constitution, police accountability

Transcript Highlights:

• Within the Department of Revenue, there's $76.4 million for payments to fiscally constrained counties
• That avoids double payments, it avoids incomplete payments, and helps us make sure we know where these
• If we go to a monthly payment instead of an every other week payment, how will that affect your cash
• Instead of an every other week payment, how will that affect your cash flow?
• Every other... where she is in order for the payments to go forward every single day.

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several gallery introductions before taking up Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 168, the Tristan Murphy Act, on mental health. Senator Bradley explained that the bill is intended to divert clinically appropriate defendants with mental illness from jail to treatment, create pretrial mental health diversion programs, expand grant uses for mental health and substance abuse reinvestment, require evaluations and treatment follow-up in certain probation and prison settings, add Hillsborough County to a forensic hospital diversion pilot, and establish a Florida Behavioral Health Data Repository. Senators from both parties spoke in support, emphasizing treatment over incarceration, public safety, and the Murphy family’s role in the bill. The Senate passed the bill 37-0 and then recorded 37 co-sponsors. The chamber then moved into presentations on SB 2500, the 2025-26 General Appropriations Act. Chair Hooper said the Senate budget totals $117.4 billion, reduces overall spending from the prior year, maintains reserves, keeps employee health contributions level, and includes major investments in water quality, transportation, education infrastructure, and nearly $1 billion in education capital outlay. Committee chairs outlined their portions of the budget, including increased funding for K-12 schools and scholarships, higher education workforce programs, Medicaid and health services, corrections and courts, transportation and housing, and environmental restoration such as Everglades and water quality projects. Members then asked extensive questions, especially about education funding, school choice, AP/IB and accelerated programs, the Family Empowerment Scholarship, and the FEFP calculations. Senator Burgess repeatedly explained that scholarship funding is being moved “below the line” to improve tracking and that the Senate position is to preserve funding while giving districts more flexibility. Senators also questioned the APD wait list for disability services, opioid settlement spending, arts funding, the My Safe Florida Home condo pilot, and proposed IT and agency restructuring. Several chairs said some issues would be resolved in conference, and no final vote on the budget was taken in the portion provided.