Transcript Highlights:

• You know, 18 years since it was last adjusted. This isn't the first time before you either.
• You know, 18 years since it was last adjusted. This isn't the first time before you either.
• I look forward to walking forward on the path with you for future adjustments to help modernize the bill
• It has been 18 years since the Minnesota Legislature last adjusted the property value threshold for the
• </c><00:15:45.440><c> the</c> Minnesota legislature last adjusted the Minnesota legislature last adjusted

Transcript Highlights:

• So, we've got a $20 million adjustment.
• </c> doing less, we would adjust the fees. doing less, we would adjust the fees.
• </c> no ability to adjust no ability to adjust for<00:56:01.320><c> that</c><00:56:01.760><c> change<
• </c> to adjust for that change. to adjust for that change.
• </c> last year, we just made an adjustment last year, we just made an adjustment going<01:29:39.040><

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> to enhance prepayment review of claims to enhance prepayment review of claims before<00:02:54.200
• </c><00:05:04.200><c> review,</c> licensing, enrollment, claims review, licensing, enrollment, claims
• and policies the department uses for fee-for-service claims.
• and policies the department uses for fee-for-service claims.
• This may take 5 to questionable claims.

Committee: House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• If these claims are proven, then punitive damages can be given to the citizens.
• ,</c><00:47:02.160><c> then</c> If these claims are proven, then If these claims are proven, then punitive
• Maybe you could bring some kind of claim and still be frivolous if the case had already been filed.
• </c> But it's the same basic claim. But it's the same basic claim. &gt;&gt; Correct.
• So, is do claims basically very broad.

Summary: The Judiciary and Agriculture and Environment committees held an informational briefing on how recent federal policy changes, funding delays, cancellations, and layoffs are affecting Hawaii’s climate mitigation and adaptation efforts, and on the legality of some of those federal actions. Chair Carl Rhodes and Chair Mike Gabbard opened the meeting by framing it as part of an interim series on the rule of law and Hawaii’s response to federal actions. They noted there would be no public testimony, only invited presenters, and that questions would be held until the end. No votes or formal committee actions were taken. State climate change coordinator Leah Laramie described broad impacts from federal actions, including grant cancellations, litigation over terminated funding, staff cuts at NOAA and EPA, and the effect of the federal tax and spending law she said would raise energy costs, reduce grid reliability, and threaten renewable energy and transportation projects. She highlighted the loss or expiration of incentives for EVs and other clean-energy technologies, the termination of the Solar for All program and other rescissions, and the risk to major Hawaii projects such as Carbon Smart Commodities and other energy and land conservation programs. She also said the state’s attorneys general had taken numerous climate-related legal actions, including suits challenging federal cuts and the oil companies’ role in the climate crisis. Retired Justice Michael Wilson focused on the rule of law and climate justice, arguing that Hawaii is on the front line of climate change and that fossil fuel companies pose the greatest long-term threat. He said the state lacks a comprehensive climate protection plan despite the urgency of the crisis, cited UN and scientific warnings about a limited time horizon and severe warming, and pointed to projected local harms such as sea-level rise, beach loss, infrastructure damage, and major economic losses in Waikiki. His remarks emphasized the need for stronger planning and legal accountability, especially in light of federal rollbacks and the influence of fossil fuel interests.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Employee Benefits Division paid $3.8 million for Arkansas State employee health claims and $6.5 million
• for public school employee health claims in fiscal year 2025 that should have been recorded as a payable
• The Employee Benefits Division paid $3.8 million for Arkansas State employee health claims and $6.5 million
• for public school employee health claims in fiscal year 2025 that should have been recorded as a payable

Committee: All LEGISLATIVE JOINT AUDITING-STATE AGENCIES

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes from the prior meeting. It then heard audit reports from Tom Bullington, including two reports with findings and three without findings, which were filed without objection. The Department of Public Safety FY24 audit had two findings: a duplicate vendor payment of nearly $3,700 that was later recouped, and a $2.5 million collateral shortfall tied to bank-held cash funds because securities were not properly pledged in the State Police’s name. Agency representatives from Arkansas State Police and the Department of Public Safety answered questions, and members discussed how collateralization works for deposits above FDIC coverage. The committee next reviewed the Department of Transformation and Shared Services FY24 audit, which contained five findings. These included an $800 career service overpayment caused by a rehire data entry error, delayed deactivation and inventory issues for assets including stolen cameras, a double count of more than $940,000 in year-end cash records, $10.3 million in health claims that should have been recorded as fiscal year 2024 payables, and repeated deficiencies in vehicle mileage logs. Agency officials explained that the stolen cameras were recovered through restitution, that inventory reviews are being expanded, and that the vehicle log problems are expected to be addressed through a statewide electronic GPS/telematics system. Members asked about the scope of audit testing, asset tracking, vehicle oversight, and whether the new vehicle system would allow monitoring of use, fuel purchases, geofencing, and possible sharing of vehicles across agencies. Shared Administrative Services said it would administer the statewide system, with departments retaining operational responsibility and access controls. After discussion, the committee filed the report without objection and adjourned, noting the next meeting would be held June 4.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Employee Benefits Division paid $3.8 million for Arkansas State Employee Health Claims and $6.5 million
• for public school employee health claims in fiscal year 2000.
• Employee Health Claims and $6.5 million for public school employee health claims in fiscal year 2025

Committee: All LEGISLATIVE JOINT AUDITING-STATE AGENCIES

Transcript Highlights:

• And I did run some preliminary numbers on the homestead, if that would do income adjust.
• The allowable percentage cap adjustment. So that's that 3% cap.
• They had talked about adjusting that.
• They talked about levy adjustments, state funding, and other changes.
• Looking at the levy adjustments, the only one where that was identified was in the counties.

Summary: The Tax Reform and Relief Advisory Committee met with a quorum, approved the March 17, 2026 minutes, and heard a lengthy update from Tax Commissioner Brian Croshys on property tax relief programs. He reviewed the Homestead Property Tax Credit, Disabled Veteran Credit, and Primary Residence Credit, noting increased relief after House Bill 1158 and House Bill 1176, but also discussing how some households “income adjust out” of eligibility over time. Members asked about indexing income thresholds, expanding eligibility by age alone, simplifying administration, county-level notices, and whether the county and state systems could be streamlined. Croshys said the programs are heavily used, largely administered at the county level, and that the department is still refining compliance and reporting; he also said there were no material findings or overarching concerns in the latest review. The committee agreed more detailed PRC information would likely come back in a September meeting, and the chair announced an afternoon recess for lunch before later reconvening. Shelly Myers then presented the statewide property tax increase report, the zero-growth report, and a statistical report on property values and tax levies by class. She explained how county auditors report levy and valuation data, how increases and decreases are counted, and identified counties and cities with the largest percentage changes in growth or decline. She also summarized recent trends: agricultural values remain relatively flat, while residential, commercial, and centrally assessed values have risen over the last five years; in 2025, residential property accounted for the largest share of statewide property tax levies, followed by commercial, agriculture, and centrally assessed property. Committee members asked about unusual zero-growth figures, the effect of annexation and land-use changes, and whether the 3% levy cap was forcing political subdivisions to use reserves or defer spending. Myers said many counties complied by using reserves, delaying capital projects, or limiting increases, and that some counties had not used their full cap. The committee then moved to the stripper oil extraction tax exemption. Commissioner Croshys reviewed the state’s oil tax structure and estimated the revenue impact of keeping stripper wells exempt from extraction tax while still paying production tax. He said the exemption saves operators hundreds of millions of dollars over a biennium, while the state still collects production tax on those wells. He also discussed projected impacts if the exemption were changed for future wells and noted that future outcomes depend on oil prices, production declines, and technology such as CO2 enhanced oil recovery. Nathan Anderson of the Department of Mineral Resources briefly explained the historical difference between the 35-barrel and 30-barrel thresholds for certain wells, citing differences in completion costs and lateral lengths. The committee then heard from EERC CEO Charles Gorecki, who presented an analysis of oil well life cycles and said most oil is produced before wells reach stripper status, but that refracturing or other reinvestment can significantly extend production and keep wells above the threshold for years.

Transcript Highlights:

• Recent adjustments address several... ...month.
• These adjustments together accomplish several important outcomes.
• We are assessing feedback to see if any adjustments are needed.
• We have had to make some adjustments to that.
• We know that many of the refineries are already making adjustments.

Transcript Highlights:

• to the school made to make an adjustment to the school payment<00:05:02.960><c> system</c><00:05:03.199
• revenue stream to provide adjustment revenue stream to provide school<00:05:07.520><c> districts</c>
• And then there's some COLA adjustments that affect the legislator's retirement plan.
• </c> make an adjustment there in the future. make an adjustment there in the future.
• adjustments, the COLA that<00:52:09.599><c> Mr.

Committee: Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• To claim lawyer negligence, you usually have to have an expert witness.
• I was just wondering if you could give us an example of what you would think would qualify as a claim
• Yeah, that would be a potential claim, and I would call it a liability pattern. Okay.
• Yeah, that would be, that would certainly be, that would certainly be a potential claim, and I would
• Representative Glorioso, I think, and you're exactly right, in a LPLA, Louisiana Product Liability Act, claim

Committee: House Civil Law and Procedure

Summary: The Civil Law and Procedure Committee met on March 10, 2026, with a quorum present. At the outset, HB 292 and HB 437 were voluntarily deferred at the request of the authors. The committee then heard HB 112, which clarifies how the 75-mile distance for child relocation is measured. Representative Behan and witness Claire Jacobs argued the bill would reduce ambiguity and avoid costly custody litigation. The committee reported HB 112 favorably without objection. The committee next considered HB 190, which establishes a standard of reasonable care for certain software and computer programs, especially interactive digital products. Representative Schlegel and Louisiana State Law Institute witnesses explained the bill was developed after prior work on digital products liability and is intended to impose a negligence-style duty of reasonable care without resolving breach, causation, damages, or constitutional issues. Members asked about the meaning of “person,” vicarious liability, the scope of the duty, and how the bill relates to content moderation and Section 230. The bill was reported favorably without objection. HB 410, dealing with recording in direct in-person conversations, was voluntarily deferred by the chair after the author said an amendment would clarify that notice, not consent, would be required. HB 427, which revises the duty of care for online platforms that contract with minors and aligns definitions with existing Louisiana law on harmful material to minors, was then heard and reported favorably without objection. Finally, HB 78 increased the civil jurisdictional limit of the Bogalusa city court from $25,000 to $50,000; the author said local stakeholders supported the change, and the committee reported it favorably without objection. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• The market will try to adjust. There will be other markets that will try to adjust.
• So it's hard to say what the cost is without having it happen and seeing how the market adjusts.
• It's hard to say what the cost is without having it happen and seeing how the market adjusts.
• Because the markets will all adjust, you know, it's capitalism.

Committee: House Transportation and Defense

Transcript Highlights:

• c> would</c> some adjust adjustments, but I would some adjust adjustments, but I would really<00:07:27.599
• what you're willing to adjust.
• . adjust. adjust.
• ,</c> I think when you add up our adjustments, I think when you add up our adjustments, they<00:26:27.360
• Um, but I to to make adjustments on.

Committee: Senate Higher Education

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:07:47.360><c> take</c> when Municipal boundary adjustments take when Municipal boundary adjustments
• We're looking forward to being able to make that adjustment as well.
• </c><00:19:55.520><c> as</c> that adjustment as that adjustment as well<00:19:57.600><c> um</c><00:19
• </c><00:21:22.400><c> um</c> like this is a necessary adjustment um like this is a necessary adjustment
• </c><00:21:24.720><c> um</c> and I think a minor adjustment um and I think a minor adjustment um because

Committee: Senate Elections

Transcript Highlights:

• What we did is we required insurance companies upon request by a policyholder to provide claims. insurance
• companies upon request by a policyholder to provide claims data for groups of 50 or more employees.
• shopping your insurance and you only got 26 employees, currently a company doesn't have to give you claims
• from anywhere, and it doesn't matter where, it's irrespective of that, I don't really think we can claim
• Do they claim the income when they get it back? Does who claim the income when they get it?

Committee: All JBC-SPECIAL LANGUAGE

Transcript Highlights:

• This memorial is regarding our livestock, our cattlemen, and depredation claims in the state of Idaho
• learned that there are ranchers in the state of Idaho who are concerned that if they file a depredation claim
• Senators, as you know, either by grizzly bears or wolves, they have an opportunity to file a depredation claim
• Filing a depredation claim should not be the basis for a negative action on a federal grazing permit.
• congressional delegation and the Trump administration to promulgate rules noting that filing a depredation claim

Transcript Highlights:

• there last year, you would notice that there were a whole bunch of gold cougar ants, and somebody claimed
• They claimed them this year. They're no longer available to see.
• are in the vault that are open only today till 1:00 because somebody might actually come back and claim
• </c><00:32:11.760><c> come</c><00:32:11.919><c> back</c><00:32:12.080><c> and</c><00:32:12.320><c> claim
• </c><00:32:12.559><c> them</c> might actually come back and claim them might actually come back and claim

Transcript Highlights:

• IF A PROPERTY QUALIFIES FOR HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION THE OWNER MUST BE INFORMED OF THE RIGHT TO CLAIM SURPLUS
• HOMEOWNERS OR LIEN HOLDERS MUST FILE A CLAIM BEFORE THE FUNDS ARE REPORTED AS UNCLAIMED THESE CLEAR GUIDELINES
• THIS AMENDMENT WARNS HOMEOWNERS ABOUT SCAMS WITH THIRD-PARTY ATTEMPT TO CLAIM SURPLUS FUNDS ON THEIR
• TO CLAIM THE CONDOMINIUM.
• WALLACE CLAIMED OFC.

Transcript Highlights:

• Charter schools saw an increase of 1% in inflation-adjusted dollars.
• It is not adjusted for differences in the cost of living.
• So this map does show cost-adjusted teacher salaries.
• It is not adjusted for differences in the cost of living.
• So this map does show cost-adjusted teacher salaries.

Summary: The committee first approved the May 18 meeting minutes and then received a presentation from Legislative Audit on Arkansas Department of Education grant distributions. Auditors explained that the fiscal year 2025 report summarizes $4.6 billion in grants from state, federal, and miscellaneous sources, across school districts, charter schools, education cooperatives, and other entities, and that the report only shows amounts distributed, not how recipients ultimately used the money. Members asked about specific recipients and programs, including ClassWallet, Economics Arkansas, and CDC surveillance funding; department staff clarified that the Economics Arkansas grant is written into special language and that the CDC-related funding supports student surveys used by state agencies. Questions also focused on bonus and incentive programs such as master principal and National Board Certified teacher bonuses, with department staff saying the bonuses are generally tied to completion of the program or certification rather than classroom performance, though they would follow up on details. The committee then heard a Bureau of Legislative Research update on Consumer Price Index projections from Moody’s Analytics and S&P Global. Dr. Carlos Silva explained the difference between CPI-U and core CPI and said the estimates show inflation slowing over the forecast period, with some near-term variation between the two data providers. Members asked about the historical accuracy of prior projections, and he said the forecasts generally tend to move toward about 2 percent over time, though recent shocks have caused earlier estimates to understate actual inflation. The bulk of the meeting was devoted to the final adequacy report on teacher recruitment, retention, and salaries. BLR staff reviewed Arkansas teacher demographics, shortage areas, educator preparation pipelines, licensure exceptions, survey results from teachers and principals, and teacher support programs. They reported that Arkansas had about 32,800 teachers and 473,000 students in 2025, with an average of 11.9 years of experience and a slight increase in National Board Certified teachers. The report found shortages in multiple subject areas, especially special education, math, science, foreign language, and social studies, and identified 65 districts as high-need geographically. Survey results showed school leadership as the strongest positive factor in recruitment and retention, while workload and salary were the biggest negatives; 30 percent of responding teachers said they were considering leaving the profession. The committee also reviewed teacher salary data showing a statewide average salary of $60,254 in 2025, Arkansas ranking 45th nationally by NEA methodology, and a long-term inflation-adjusted decline in district salaries, though LEARNS Act increases improved the trend. Members asked for additional follow-up information on survey methodology, alternative licensure costs, coursework, incentives for ESL and special education endorsements, exit data, and how salary comparisons are calculated.

Transcript Highlights:

• The next two slides will demonstrate the requested pay adjustments.
• The next two slides will demonstrate the requested pay adjustments.
• </c> requested pay adjustments. requested pay adjustments.
• </c><00:04:46.600><c> in</c><00:04:46.760><c> concert</c> and will continue to adjust in concert and
• With that, we welcome your adjustments. With that, we welcome your questions. questions. questions.

Bills: HF4615 , HF3532 , HF4492 , HF4171

Committee: House Veterans and Military Affairs Division

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, so, the only proposed adjustment as I understand the bill here is to adjust the financial consequences
• Uh so, the<00:21:30.320><c> only</c><00:21:30.600><c> proposed</c><00:21:31.040><c> adjustment</c><00
• :21:31.480><c> as</c><00:21:31.640><c> I</c> the only proposed adjustment as I the only proposed adjustment
• </c> understand the bill here is to adjust understand the bill here is to adjust the<00:21:33.560><c>
• In fact, there may be some savings because by limiting the claims to what is expressly put into statute

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Public Safety