Transcript Highlights:

• The increase is largely attributed to standard statewide adjustments.
• The decrease is primarily due to an adjustment in federal funding.
• . 8.3 million inflationary adjustment for nursing homes and hospice.
• These changes are primarily due to retirement rate adjustments and market rate adjustments.
• These changes are primarily due to the retirement rate adjustments and market rate adjustments.

Bills: HR159, HR160, HR161, HR162, HR163, HR164, HCR60, HCR61, HCR62, HCR63, HCR64, HR153, HR154, HR155, HR156, HR157, HR158, HCR57, HCR58, HCR59, SB124, SB399, SB441, SB447, SB460, HCR4, HCR47, HB59, HB74, HB159, HB175, HB330, HB364, HB414, HB458, HB525, HB568, HB628, HB786, HB909, HB1008, HB1033, HB1034, HB1041, HB1052, HB1062, HB1070, HB1079, HB1112, HB1118, HB1139, HB1151, HB1154, HB1176, HB1182, HB1196, HB1214, HB1231, HB1241, SB244, HB1, HB2, HB3, HB312, HB313, HB383, HB314, HCR3, HB983, HB1126, HR1, HR17, HCR5, HB27, HB71, HB214, HB225, HB241, HB244, HB306, HB345, HB366, HB446, HB511, HB514, HB655, HB730, HB743, HB1027, HB1037, HB1043, HB1082, HB1091, HB1096, HB1103, HB1167, HB1174, HB1175, HB1230, HB1237, HB1238, HB55, HB385, HB394, HB396, HB406, HB608, HB622, HB676, HB772, HB897, HB1030, HB1035, HB1038, HB1045, HB1049, HB1056, HB1058, HB1059, HB1092, HB1100, HB1117, HB1160, HB1161, HB1162, HB1177, HB1180, HB1189, HB1216, HB1239, HB1240, SB162, SB349, SB350, SB382, SB383, SB127, HB51, HB58, HB140, HB750, HB911, HB982, HB1010, HB151, HB180, HB192, HB193, HB310, HB635, HB690, HB961, HB1003, HB1146, HB864, HB977, HB181, HB31, HB664, HB615, HB901, HR20, HR74, HB9, HB284, HB393, HB459, HB577, HB582, HB605, HB614, HB682, HB733, HB773, HB996, HB1113, HB1234, HB1236

Keywords: occupational therapy, healthcare, medical professionals, recognition, professional day, property transfer, public records doctrine, bad faith, Louisiana State Law Institute, real estate law, Black Maternal Health Week, maternal health, racial disparities, healthcare access, culturally competent care, Louisiana, community health, motorcycle safety, awareness month, motorcyclists education

Transcript Highlights:

• Speaker, this bill simply adjusts the necessary threshold for quorum for the Louisiana Commission on
• and instead take whatever revenue would have been lost by getting rid of a brake tag and make an adjustment

Bills: HR112, HR113, HR114, HCR51, HCR52, HR94, HR95, HR96, HR97, HR98, HR99, HR100, HR103, HR104, HR105, HR106, HR107, HR108, HR109, HR110, HR111, HCR46, HCR47, HCR48, HCR49, HCR50, SCR25, SB17, SB300, HCR35, HB51, HB82, HB143, HB145, HB160, HB180, HB192, HB393, HB430, HB445, HB506, HB515, HB521, HB565, HB590, HB614, HB638, HB647, HB670, HB672, HB685, HB692, HB752, HB773, HB781, HB799, HB839, HB860, HB873, HB874, HB887, HB917, HB937, HB956, HB965, HB972, HB977, HB982, HB1006, HB1010, HB1044, HB1072, HB1088, HB1157, HB1179, HB1200, HR15, HR20, HCR14, HCR6, HCR19, HCR10, HR74, HCR26, HCR45, HB54, HB67, HB73, HB125, HB133, HB158, HB168, HB169, HB191, HB195, HB245, HB280, HB283, HB296, HB319, HB339, HB399, HB407, HB448, HB550, HB591, HB826, HB995, HB1085, HB1086, HB98, HB108, HB131, HB151, HB161, HB288, HB294, HB305, HB310, HB320, HB336, HB380, HB392, HB403, HB420, HB459, HB476, HB540, HB615, HB631, HB637, HB648, HB665, HB682, HB789, HB813, HB815, HB835, HB870, HB905, HB915, HB933, HB938, HB987, HB1040, HB827, HB953, HB796, HB352, HB463, HB735, HB780, HB882, HB81, HB400, HB140, HB750, HB911, HB961, HB401, HB901, HB9, HB52, HB58, HB154, HB193, HB284, HB410, HB570, HB577, HB582, HB605, HB733, HB868, HB952

Keywords: commendation, community service, religious leadership, New Orleans, anniversary, Martha's Vineyard, African-American Film Festival, Black excellence, cinema, cultural celebration, Black voices, film industry, Hannuh Ray, Louisiana, youth development, pageant, leadership, community, recognition, compensation

Summary: The House met with a quorum, opened with prayer and the pledge, and received several Senate messages and enrolled resolutions. The chamber also recognized visiting groups and guests, including a guest minister, the Joe Burrow Foundation, Youth Legislature participants, children’s advocacy center representatives, Alzheimer’s advocates, Delta Sigma Theta members, Kappa Alpha Psi members, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and City Year AmeriCorps. The House adopted a series of commemorative and awareness resolutions, including measures for Sanfilippo Syndrome Awareness Day, Alzheimer’s and Related Dementia Awareness Day, Knock Knock Children’s Museum Day, Big Brothers Big Sisters Day, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Day, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Day, My Sister’s Keeper Day, Youth Legislature recognition, and several commendations and condolences. It also concurred in SCR 25 and received Senate resolutions and bills, including measures on commercial driver’s licenses, Medicaid eligibility during redetermination, postsecondary support fund use, juvenile traffic violations, background checks, and explosives regulation. The House then considered and advanced a long list of bills, largely on criminal justice, education, public safety, transportation, and administrative procedure. Notable measures included bills on parole and probation alternatives, supervised release venue for sex-offender violations, jail-credit limits on consecutive sentences, medical parole notice, juvenile parole eligibility cleanup, teacher and school employee battery penalties, inmate workforce cleanup, re-entry programming for female parolees, extradition costs for probation/parole violators, and a bill allowing public postsecondary institutions to permit self-defense chemical sprays. Other bills addressed protected personal information for certain public officials, the M.J. Foster Promise Program eligibility age, scholarships for spouses of firefighters and police officers, compensation for parish board commissioners, paid family leave insurance as a voluntary private-market product, insurance referral practices, and vehicle inspection sticker requirements. Several bills were amended and passed, often with strong or unanimous support, while a few were recommitted or returned to the calendar. The House passed HB 504 on parole violations as alternatives to revocation by a vote of 88-0; HB 73 on electronic voting in public meetings by 88-0; HB 125 on supervised release venue by 91-0; HB 67 on protected information records by 98-1; HB 133 on assault and battery penalties for teachers by 96-0; HB 158 on probation technical violations by 92-3; HB 168 on a female parolee re-entry program by 95-0; HB 169 on extradition costs by 92-3; HB 191 on overlapping jail credit by 88-5; HB 195 on self-defense chemical sprays on campus by 93-0; HB 245 on medical parole notice by 95-0; HB 280 on juvenile parole eligibility cleanup by 93-0; HB 283 on sick leave and discipline rules for attacked school employees by 97-1; HB 296 repealing inactive inmate workforce provisions by 88-5; HB 319 on civic education commission quorum by 98-0; HB 339 on protected information for police officers and retired judges by 97-0; HB 407 on the M.J. Foster Promise Program age reset to 21 by 94-2; HB 448 on scholarships for spouses of firefighters and police officers by 95-0; HB 550 increasing parish board commissioner pay from $50 to $100 per day by 91-2; HB 591 creating a voluntary paid family leave insurance product by 95-0; and HB 826 modernizing insurance referral rules by 93-0. HB 1085, a major proposal to eliminate traditional vehicle inspection stickers and replace them with a new sticker/QR-code system tied to registration, drew extensive questioning about costs, enforcement, local parish programs, and where the fee revenue would go; the debate was ongoing in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, when you add in the adjustments, one of the largest adjustments being the revenue splits between
• </c> education trust fund after adjustments education trust fund after adjustments um<00:15:22.480><c
• Schedule two adjustments.
• Uh, Schedule 4 adjustments.
• Uh schedule four adjustments. estimates. Uh schedule four adjustments.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Summary: The Legislative Budget Assistant staff presented an overview of the Senate changes to the House-passed budget, focusing on revenue estimates, appropriations, and ending balances across the general fund and education trust fund. The presentation emphasized that the Senate’s budget reflected higher revenue assumptions than the House, driven in part by updated April revenue figures, changes to business, tobacco, and real estate transfer tax splits, and different assumptions about video lottery terminal revenue. The Senate also adjusted lapse estimates upward, especially for HHS, after receiving updated information that lapses could be much larger than originally assumed. The presenter walked through the major differences in the surplus statements for fiscal years 2025 through 2027. Compared with the House, the Senate budget generally showed higher revenues, lower or different appropriations in some areas, and larger balances carried forward, including a larger education trust fund balance and a different rainy day fund transfer. The Senate’s approach also changed several policy assumptions, such as maintaining liquor revenue dedication, removing the House’s meals-and-rooms distribution cap, changing the treatment of unique revenue, and altering the process for meeting a targeted revenue amount by giving the governor more flexibility. On the appropriations side, the Senate removed or modified several House reductions and added funding or adjustments in areas including the judicial branch, corrections, HHS, the Human Rights Commission, and certain settlement costs. The presenter also highlighted Senate changes in House Bill 2 and related budget provisions, including a new arts tax credit, a nursing home bed fee, changes to Medicaid premium assumptions, and differences in how motor vehicle inspection repeal and BLT-related revenue are handled. No votes were taken in the portion shown; the discussion was informational and comparative, aimed at explaining the Senate budget changes before conference committee negotiations.

Transcript Highlights:

• Please contact the DCI for having issues with processing claims.
• , the adjusters claim that the insurance adjusters claim it still works.
• And we've seen claims where those were denied as well.
• And then the other was that we removed the adjuster cap.
• The adjusters, the public adjusters, did not get everything they wanted.

Summary: The Insurance Committee held a public hearing on House Bill 2250, sponsored by Rep. Jacqueline Zimmerman, which would require insurers to cover full siding replacement when storm damage affects only part of a home and matching siding is not reasonably available. Zimmerman said the bill would codify existing Missouri case law, address homeowner complaints after hailstorms, and make clear that insurers must restore a reasonably uniform appearance. Committee members generally expressed support for the goal, while also discussing possible scope changes, such as limiting coverage to street-facing elevations, and possible disclosure requirements to better explain policy coverage to consumers. The Missouri Insurance Coalition testified in opposition, saying the bill could increase premiums for all homeowners and that consumers should be able to choose more affordable policies with less coverage. Coalition witnesses said matching siding issues are often cosmetic, that carriers already offer different policy options and riders, and that requiring full wrap coverage could create upward pressure on rates. They also noted that severe weather has made these disputes more common and said the Department of Commerce and Insurance and brokers can help consumers understand their policies. Committee members debated whether partial repairs truly make homeowners whole, and several compared the issue to blending paint on cars or matching repairs after hail damage. After the HB 2250 hearing ended, the committee established a quorum and moved into executive session on House Bill 3328. The committee adopted a House committee substitute that renamed the program the Stronger Home program, removed IBHS certification in favor of a non-biased third-party testing lab, and removed an adjuster cap. The committee then voted 9-0 to report the House committee substitute for HB 3328 do pass, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Things as far as the claim administration and adjusting were rocking along very well until we got to
• are adjusted... ...with the right individuals in districts to make sure that these claims are adjusted
• not going in and out with particular adjusting firms that are overseeing the claims process. ...in and
• out with particular adjusting firms that are overseeing the claims process.
• the consistency in who's starting the claim, managing the claim, and ending the claim is important for

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , the adjusters' claim, is that the insurance adjusters' claim it still works.
• And we've seen claims where those were denied as well. Gotcha.
• And have, you know, problems with insurance claims.
• And then the other was that we removed the adjuster cap.
• The public adjusters did not get everything they wanted.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The Insurance Committee heard House Bill 2250, sponsored by Rep. Jaclyn Zimmermann, which would require insurers to cover replacement of all siding on a home when only part of the siding is damaged and matching materials are not reasonably available, beginning in 2027. Zimmermann said the bill would codify existing Missouri case law and address complaints from constituents after severe hailstorms, where homeowners were left with mismatched siding or had to pay out of pocket to replace undamaged sections. Committee members generally expressed support for the problem the bill addresses, while also discussing possible scope changes, such as limiting coverage to street-facing elevations or adding clearer consumer disclosures. The Missouri Insurance Coalition testified in opposition, saying the bill could increase premiums and that consumers should be informed about existing policy options, including riders or more comprehensive coverage. One witness said a similar statewide requirement in the early 2000s reportedly raised premiums by 15%. Committee members and witnesses also discussed whether partial repairs leave homeowners “made whole,” the role of cosmetic damage, and whether insurers should be required to cover full replacement when matching materials are unavailable. No vote was taken on HB 2250 because the committee did not yet have a quorum during the hearing. After the hearing, a quorum was established and the committee moved into executive session on House Bill 3328. The committee adopted a House Committee Substitute, which removed the IBHS certification requirement and the adjuster cap, replacing the certification with a non-biased third-party testing lab. The substitute for HB 3328 then received a do pass recommendation by a 9-0 vote, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• And this subsidy is known as the direct subsidy, and it's risk-adjusted, unlike the catastrophic claims
• And this subsidy is known as the direct subsidy, and it's risk-adjusted, unlike the catastrophic claims
• So instead of paying 80% of those large claims, they're paying around 20% of those large claims.
• So instead of paying 80% of those large claims, they're paying around 20% of those large claims.
• So it's all the money coming in to cover the claims.

Summary: The committee received an update from Grant Wallace on the state employee Medicare Advantage group plan and the ongoing rebid with UnitedHealthcare. Wallace said the agency is exploring “decoupling” the medical and pharmacy portions of the plan, and that preliminary estimates suggested potential savings of about $100 to $200 per participant per month. He said the final CMS rate-setting process would conclude in April, with a revised contract amendment likely to come before the committee in May or June after review by the EBD Advisory Commission and State Board of Finance. He also clarified that the plan covers post-65 teacher and state employee retirees, including retirees from state agencies and K-12 public schools. Representatives from Segal Consulting then gave a broader presentation on Medicare Advantage and Part D market trends, reviewing Arkansas’s prior decision to adopt a Medicare Advantage prescription drug plan and the savings generated since the 2023 RFP. They explained that the Inflation Reduction Act significantly changed Part D financing by shifting more federal support into a direct subsidy tied to risk scores, which makes accurate risk adjustment more important and creates a larger difference between Medicare Advantage prescription drug plans and standalone Part D plans. They said this has led to a growing divergence in funding, especially for standalone Part D, and is the main reason decoupling medical and pharmacy coverage is being considered. Committee members asked about how the risk-score changes affect costs and members. Segal said the new structure has reduced member out-of-pocket costs, with the annual cap now at $2,000 and many members reaching it after roughly $600 to $800 in spending, but that the plan absorbs more of the cost. They also said the market appears to be adjusting through annual bids, and that a decoupled structure could allow the state to capture more favorable funding on the Part D side. No votes were taken, and the committee adjourned after being told to expect further information once the April rate notice and renewal proposal are available.

Transcript Highlights:

• It is a net zero adjustment and is just technical in nature.
• Those apply to the School Employees Fund, a small adjustment for the UI loan, a larger adjustment, but
• be like a first claim filing.
• Now let's look at wage theft claims.
• The wait time for wage theft claims was 180 days.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee 5 on State Administration held a May Revise hearing focused on state administration proposals, with the chair noting no actions would be taken and all items would remain open. The committee heard presentations on a range of budget proposals, including technical adjustments for the Governor’s Office of Service and Community Engagement and the California Workforce Development Board, security and election-related funding for the Secretary of State, modernization and loan-backfill requests for the Department of Consumer Affairs, and multiple Employment Development Department updates covering EDD Next, UI and DI/PFL benefit estimates, workforce funding, and an EMT training reappropriation. Several items drew discussion from the LAO and committee members. The LAO generally supported technical or modernization items such as PERB’s implementation requests, GoServe’s College Corps adjustment, the Secretary of State’s security and HAVA grant items, and the Board of Pharmacy modernization proposal, but raised concerns about the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education’s proposed $10 million General Fund backfill and interest-free loan language. For EDD, the LAO flagged the size of the DI/PFL benefit adjustment and the unusual structure of the document management system proposal within EDD Next, while EDD said the changes reflected higher participation and benefit levels after SB 951 and ongoing modernization needs. The Department of Industrial Relations drew the most extensive questioning. It proposed funding for legal unit reclassifications, EAMS and Cal/OSHA data modernization, a new Cal/OSHA emerging technologies unit, a COYA reappropriation, and trailer bill changes requiring electronic payment of employer assessments and adjusting the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board timeline. Members pressed DIR on high vacancy rates, long wage theft and workers’ compensation backlogs, low collection rates for fines, and the need for clearer workload and outcome measures. DIR said the requests were intended to improve efficiency, support audits and corrective action plans, and better address emerging workplace risks, while the LAO said the workload drivers behind delays remain unclear. The hearing also included support for CalHR’s employee assistance program consolidation and CDT’s proposal to expand “Poppy,” a statewide generative AI assistant for state employees.

Transcript Highlights:

• That came after the fact and was based on actual claims. The IRA changed that.
• This subsidy is known as the direct subsidy, and it's risk-adjusted, unlike the catastrophic claims reimbursement
• So instead of paying 80% of those large claims, they're paying around 20% of those large claims.
• And since they're just the carriers, they're Going to need to cover those claims.
• This year, and those were just adjustment factors to the same model.

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and claims-adjusting expense?
• What I will tell you is that in 20, Claims and claims-adjusting expense.
• So 93 cents of every dollar was directly paid out on claims and claims-adjusting expense.
• Then they file a claim.
• You know, someone makes a claim.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The House Budget Committee heard budget presentations from the Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance and then the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. For Commerce and Insurance, Director Angela Nelson and budget staff outlined the department’s largely non-GR funding structure and reviewed the divisions regulating insurance, finance, credit unions, professional registration, the Public Service Commission, and the Office of Public Counsel. Members focused heavily on insurance affordability, rate review, consumer complaints, and outreach, including a new education initiative aimed at reducing uninsured and underinsured homeowners after severe storms. The department also described a new qualified membership organization workload tied to Senate Bill 79, a market-growth request to support special purpose life reinsurance captives, and the transition of the Office of Public Counsel to a new fee-funded structure under Senate Bill 4. Several members asked about rate-setting authority, refunds, high-risk pools, flood coverage, and whether more disclosure or agent education should be required; the director said the department can scrutinize filings, order refunds, and already recovers substantial consumer dollars, including a reported $46.2 million in 2025. The committee also received updates on the Division of Professional Registration’s new MoPro licensing system, which was described as being live for one year and operating within budget using ARPA funds. Officials reported large volumes of online payments, renewals, and account claims, and said the system has improved licensing speed and transparency. Members asked for follow-up information on unexpected fund balances, salary parity for finance examiners, and the status of the Office of Public Counsel funding shift. The presentation concluded with routine fund transfers and no votes or formal committee actions on the department budget items during the hearing. The committee then heard from Department of Labor and Industrial Relations Director Anna Hugh, who also discussed her new role overseeing the Movers IT modernization project after a Guidehouse review and a pause recommendation under HB 5. She said she is reviewing the project, reworking governance, and coordinating with cabinet members and legislative representatives to help guide the system to completion. In the budget overview, she said DOLIR is requesting $341.8 million and 787.63 FTE for FY 2027, down from the prior year request, with reductions tied to lower expected caseloads and the winding down of federal and CARES Act funding. She highlighted modernization work in unemployment insurance and workers’ compensation systems, a projected 12% UI tax reduction for most employers, and ongoing safety and labor standards programs. The hearing ended while the department was still in the middle of its presentation, with no votes taken before the committee recessed for floor activity.

Transcript Highlights:

• And if you notice. ...act in the role of adjusters. They're doing it.
• and do the adjusters work.
• to have a manageable claim load?
• ...the correct amount of adjusters to have a manageable claim load.
• There is no adjustment for inflation. In fact, they're going down.

Summary: The Labor and Industrial Relations Committee first took up House Bill 680 by Rep. Weibel, which proposes a major overhaul of Louisiana’s workforce development system. The bill and a large amendment package were described as modernizing workforce planning, consolidating some state-level strategy and administration, and strengthening coordination with local workforce partners, employers, and regional stakeholders. A transition advisory team with an 18-month sunset was added to help implement the changes, and members repeatedly raised concerns about preserving local input for different regions, parishes, and cities. Rep. Weibel, the secretary of Louisiana Works, parish officials, and other supporters said the goal is to shift more resources from overhead to training and direct services while keeping local boards and parish involvement in place. Testimony from a Utah official and from local government and business representatives emphasized that similar consolidations can create efficiencies without eliminating local responsiveness. The committee adopted the amendments and then reported HB 680 with amendments. The committee then heard House Bill 780 by Rep. Furman on workers’ compensation. The bill seeks to streamline disputes over compensation and medical benefits, reduce litigation, and lower costs by restoring an expedited preliminary determination process and changing the standard for penalties and attorney fees to an arbitrary-and-capricious standard. Supporters, including lobbyists and defense attorneys, argued that the current process is outdated, overly technical, and too litigious, especially because adjusters now often work remotely and the statute still relies on fax and certified-mail procedures. They said the bill would speed up decisions, reduce unnecessary attorney-fee claims, and help employers and injured workers alike. Opponents, including attorneys for injured workers, argued the bill would make it harder for workers to recover penalties when benefits are delayed, shift the burden in favor of insurers, and fail to address understaffing and defense costs. Members debated whether the bill’s new standard should replace the current “reasonably controverted” language; an amendment to restore that language was offered but opposed by the author and other members and was not adopted. The committee adopted technical amendments and other committee amendments, heard additional testimony, and continued debating the bill’s substantive changes.

Transcript Highlights:

• This has increased from $612 per claim in 2020.
• with emergency room claims rose 15%.
• claims process with regard to screenings or the claims process in general.
• But since 2010, they haven't been adjusted.
• It's those kinds of cases, but all of these claims are negligence claims.

Summary: The Budget Committee met with a quorum and took up several bills. HB 677, relating to state-covered fertility preservation for employees undergoing cancer treatment, was introduced as coverage for egg and sperm preservation for up to three years, with an estimated fiscal impact of about $813,000. After brief questions and no public testimony or amendments, the bill passed unanimously and was reported favorably. The committee then considered CS/HB 59, which would reform Florida’s wrongful incarceration compensation process by extending the filing deadline from 90 days to two years, removing the clean-hands requirement, and allowing exonerees to choose between the state compensation process and a civil lawsuit; it was supported by the City of Flagler Beach and passed unanimously. CS/HB 1313, which recreates the Resilient Florida Trust Fund in the Department of Environmental Protection before its scheduled termination in 2025, also passed unanimously after supportive testimony from advocacy groups. The committee received a lengthy presentation from the Department of Management Services on the State Group Insurance Program and the recent Revenue Estimating Conference. The presentation covered enrollment, revenues and expenditures, rising medical and pharmacy costs, emergency room utilization, GLP-1 drug spending, and options for tighter formulary and utilization management. Members asked about ER cost growth, GLP-1 coverage and copays, PBM oversight and potential conflicts, avoidable ER visits, cancer screening claims, dental and vision costs, specialty drug biosimilars, and possible savings from more restrictive pharmacy models. DMS said it would follow up on several questions and noted ongoing work on cancer coordination, preventive screening, biomarker testing, and a proposed member-facing benefits platform. The committee also heard extensive testimony on HB 301, which would raise sovereign immunity caps from $200,000 per person and $300,000 per incident to $1 million and $3 million, align limitations periods with private claims, and allow government entities to settle above the caps without a claims bill. Local governments, school-related entities, and county and city associations opposed the bill, warning of major fiscal impacts, higher insurance costs, and pressure on services; several speakers urged smaller increases or a tiered approach. Proponents, including families affected by catastrophic injury or death, argued the current caps are too low and the claims bill process is inefficient and unfair. After debate, the bill passed on a recorded vote, with some members voting no, and was reported favorably.

Transcript Highlights:

• YOU KNOW, IF WE USE AI TO MORE EFFICIENTLY HANDLE A CLAIM, WE MAY NOT, IT MIGHT NOT DISPLACE AN ADJUSTER
• COME IN AFTER CLAIMS OCCURRED TO ASSIST WITH HANDLING THOSE CLAIMS.
• AS A HURRICANE ANDREW VICTIM, I WAS ONE OF THE FIRST CLAIMS BEING ADJUSTED AND IT WAS ADJUSTED UNFAIRLY
• Koval: I WOULDN'T SAY THAT WE DON'T WANT TO PAY CLAIMS, WE DO PAY CLAIM PAY CLAIMS.
• IF YOU DON'T PAY CLAIMS, IF YOU DON'T PAY CLAIMS TIMELY WON'T BE IN BUSINESS VERY LONG.

Transcript Highlights:

• employee adjusting claims and requires a person who wishes to act or claim to be an adjuster to apply
• adjust for an insurer, and prohibits a salaried-employee adjuster from adjusting claims on behalf of
• to adjust for an insurer and prohibits a salaried-employee adjuster from adjusting claims on behalf
• of an and prohibits a salaried employee adjuster from adjusting claims on behalf of an insurer or an
• State Farm has those adjusters that adjust claims here and in every other state in the country.

Summary: The committee first approved the January 28, 2026 minutes and held Senate Bill 1241 for a later hearing because a witness was unavailable. It then took up Senate Bill 1144, which would create an alternative pathway for veterinary technician certification through supervised on-the-job training and board-approved skills standards. Supporters, including the Arizona Humane Society, a high school student in a veterinary program, and other advocates, said the bill would help address workforce shortages, reduce student debt, and improve access to care, especially in rural and low-income areas. Opponents, including the Arizona Veterinary Technician Association and several veterinarians, argued the bill could weaken training standards, increase liability, and create safety risks; the Arizona Veterinary Medical Association ultimately moved to neutral after amendments added supervision and affidavit requirements. The committee adopted the amendment and then passed SB 1144 as amended on a 6-1 vote. The committee next passed Senate Bill 1247 unanimously. That bill would allow a person who does not receive care services to live with a resident in an assisted living center, and would bar the Department of Health Services from imposing requirements on that person that the resident would not face. Supporters said the bill was needed to fix a recent agency interpretation that could force spouses or other companions to separate or pay for services they do not use, and noted a possible floor amendment to extend the same treatment to assisted living homes. The committee then heard Senate Bill 1286, which would extend from 14 days to 60 days the period for veterinary prescriptions and renewals issued through telemedicine. Supporters said the change would improve access in underserved and rural areas and reflect how telemedicine is already used in human medicine, while opponents warned that longer telemedicine prescriptions could delay necessary exams and diagnostics, increase the risk of misdiagnosis, and create animal welfare and liability concerns. After testimony, the sponsor asked that the bill be held for a possible amendment next week, so no vote was taken. The committee also passed Senate Bill 1164, which would allow Medicaid claims to continue under a prior owner’s billing number during a skilled nursing or assisted living facility change of ownership until new enrollment is complete; supporters said this would prevent long reimbursement delays, while Access raised concerns about federal-law conflicts and said it needed advance notice to process ownership changes. The bill passed 6-0 with one member not voting. Finally, the committee passed Senate Bill 1181, which expands CPA licensure pathways by allowing combinations of degree and work experience and updates reciprocity and rulemaking provisions, and Senate Bill 1415, which creates a licensing path for salaried insurance adjusters with out-of-state credentials, subject to an amendment clarifying exam and employment requirements. Both bills were supported as workforce and mobility measures, and both were reported out of committee on unanimous or near-unanimous votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• The claim count is low and the claims are immature.
• make some adjustments.
• The PCF adjusters monitor the claim and request billing and medical documentation from the defense counsel
• frequency and claim amounts.
• It's claims-made.

Transcript Highlights:

• I submitted a claim to L&I, and I assure you that a rigorous evaluation of this claim was performed,
• The claims are already being approved, but the journey is not the same.
• Yeah, we heard testimony that when these claims are on appeal, they're allowed.
• Yeah, we heard testimony that when these claims are on appeal, they're allowed.
• Thank you so much, panel. living adjustment for injured workers at just 3%.

Summary: The Labor and Commerce Committee heard public testimony on several bills. Senate Bill 618, the Eric Schrauss Memorial Act, would remove the current time-and-exposure qualifiers for the workers’ compensation presumption that certain heart problems in firefighters and law enforcement officers are occupational diseases. The sponsor and family members of fallen firefighters testified in support, describing delayed claims and arguing the bill would spare grieving families from lengthy appeals. Opponents including counties, self-insurers, cities, and L&I’s research staff said the current qualifiers are based on science, warned the change would greatly expand claims and costs, and noted a 2023 advisory committee did not recommend the change. No vote was taken. The committee also heard Senate Bill 5379, which would extend interest arbitration rights to Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission law enforcement rangers. The sponsor and a park ranger testified that rangers are commissioned peace officers who cannot strike and are paid less than comparable law enforcement, leading to staffing shortages and turnover. The bill was presented as a fairness and retention measure. Testimony on Senate Bill 6147, concerning grocery store closures in food deserts, was split: supporters from Tacoma, labor, and local government said a six-month notice requirement would help communities respond to closures like the Fred Meyer shutdown in South Tacoma, while grocers and industry groups argued the bill was too prescriptive, would add legal risk, and would not solve underlying crime and business pressures. Senate Bill 6106, requested by the Employment Security Department, would exempt tribes from the state WARN-style notice law and make employee names and addresses submitted in layoff notices confidential under the Public Records Act. ESD and business groups supported the bill as a clarification and privacy fix, and no opposition was heard. The committee then took testimony on Senate Bill 5927, which would cap future workers’ compensation COLAs at 3%; employers and self-insurers supported it as a way to address volatility and long-term liabilities, while labor, injured-worker advocates, and others opposed it as an across-the-board benefit cut that would erode wage replacement. L&I explained it has been studying possible COLA changes but did not bring forward its own proposal. Finally, Senate Bill 6287 on kratom would restrict adulterated or harmful kratom products, require labeling, set a 21+ sales age, and allow local regulation; supporters backed the age limit and bans on concentrated 7-OH, while some industry witnesses opposed the private right of action and local patchwork rules. The committee adjourned after public testimony; no final votes or executive action were taken in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> to that as part of their weekly claim. to that as part of their weekly claim.
• </c> claims by month over past since 1990. claims by month over past since 1990.
• </c> adjusted. We do those monthly. adjusted. We do those monthly.
• </c> weekly claim volume. weekly claim volume.
• </c> has the weekly claim. has the weekly claim.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, this is the Sedgwick Claims Management Service.
• Okay, this is the Seduit Claims Management Service.
• Representative Brooks asked about the timeframe for adjusting claims.
• Wallace explained that claims administration and adjusting had been going well until the winter storm
• by which all claims would be settled.

Summary: The State Insurance Programs Oversight Subcommittee met on June 17 and reviewed a series of Employee Benefits Division and Office of Property Risk items. Grant Wallace presented March and April formulary changes, explaining that the updates favored lower-cost generics, re-tiered some drugs, left several new-to-market drugs uncovered pending more evidence, and added quantity limits in some cases. The committee approved those formulary recommendations. The subcommittee also approved a cell and gene therapy policy that would exclude automatic coverage of those therapies and route them through prior authorization and review, with members noting the process should not delay urgent cases and that appeals remain available. Members then discussed a UAMS professional consultant services contract amendment for pharmacy benefit consulting. The discussion focused on confusion over the dollar amount and scope, with Wallace clarifying that the committee was being asked to approve up to $2.596 million, including optional services related to coupon and rebate management that could be used later without returning for another approval. Several members raised concerns about matching the written contract to the approval amount and about the relationship to the current pharmacy benefit manager, but the committee ultimately approved the item with the understanding that any use of the optional services would return to the committee. The committee also reviewed, without objection, a Blue Cross/Blue Advantage third-party administrator contract, a CompSack employee assistance program contract, and approved proposed 2027 employee and public school health plan rates of 9.8% and 4.9% increases, respectively. Wallace also said the UnitedHealthcare rebid was in final negotiation and would return in August. On the property risk side, the committee reviewed permanent rules for the property insurance program, a contingency-fee subrogation contract with Denenberg-Tuffly, and extensions for Sedgwick Claims Management, Actuarial Advantage, and Stevens Capital Management. Members asked about claim-adjustment delays after a major winter storm, and Wallace said performance guarantees and communication requirements had been added, with claims still expected to vary by case. The committee also approved 2026-27 captive insurance program rates, which included no change to minimum deductibles, lower rates for K-12 and higher education, a higher rate for state agencies, and an overall 10% reduction. Wallace said the reductions reflected improved actuarial foundations, better claims management, and the program’s first-year performance. The meeting adjourned after approving the rate item.

Transcript Highlights:

• And had they been in touch with the adjusters?
• and the person from an insurance company adjuster.
• I'm a public insurance adjuster.
• I'm Lawrence Berman, of Berman Adjusters.
• The case was National Fire Adjustment Company— ...of 2018, the case was National Fire Adjustment Company

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Financial Services heard testimony on a wide range of insurance-related bills, with much of the discussion focused on affordable housing insurance, homeowners insurance practices, climate resilience, and consumer protections after property losses. Senators and representatives testified in support of a resolve to create a commission on affordable housing insurance (S. 768/H. 1279), arguing that rising premiums and deductibles are threatening the viability of affordable housing properties and new development. Supporters also backed bills to establish private flood insurance standards (S. 719), create climate-resilient home retrofit grants (S. 720), expand the MVP climate resilience program (H. 1310/S. 686), and protect urban trees and limit insurer-driven tree removals (H. 1316). Several lawmakers and advocates said these measures would help reduce risk, preserve insurability, and address the effects of increasingly severe storms and flooding. The committee also heard testimony on bills addressing insurer use of aerial imagery (H. 1242/H. 2142) and notice periods for nonrenewals or repairs (H. 4042 and related measures). Supporters said insurers should be allowed to use drones and satellite images but with stronger guardrails, including current photos, disclosure of risk factors, an appeals process, and time to cure defects. They argued that homeowners are sometimes blindsided by nonrenewals based on inaccurate aerial photos or given too little time to make repairs. Opponents from the insurance industry said aerial imagery is already regulated by the Division of Insurance, that additional statutory requirements could create confusion and litigation, and that existing notice rules already provide 45 days for nonrenewals and 60-day limits on cancellations. Industry witnesses also warned that some proposed timelines conflict with current law and could restrict useful underwriting tools. Another major topic was H. 1077, which would restrict solicitation by restoration companies and public adjusters at fire scenes. A homeowner described being approached immediately after a house fire by restoration and public-adjuster representatives and said the experience was intrusive and overwhelming; supporters said homeowners need time and space to make informed decisions after a disaster. Public adjusters and restoration contractors opposed the bill, saying they provide needed guidance, emergency mitigation, and claims assistance when homeowners are under stress, and that some existing protections already allow consumers to cancel contracts. The hearing ended after all listed witnesses testified, and the committee voted to close the hearing; no bill dispositions were taken during the session.

Transcript Highlights:

• It is a net zero adjustment and is just technical in nature.
• Those apply to the School Employees Fund, a small adjustment for the UI loan, a larger adjustment, but
• would be like a first claim filing.
• Now let's look at wage theft claims.
• The wait time for wage theft claims was 180 days.

Keywords: 988, house, all