Transcript Highlights:

• the benefit is administered for plan 3.
• That's a plan administered by the U.S.
• good as the Medicaid plan, and I don't hear that argument.
• Those employer plans may have—they're just not a complete health care plan.
• are offering that really drives people into the Medicaid plan.

Bills: SB5834 , SB5835 , SB5883 , SB5905 , SB6151 , SB6163 , SB6177 , SB6173

Committee: Senate Ways & Means

Keywords: Washington retirement systems, retirement trust funds, interest earnings, public employee retirement system, teachers retirement system, state patrol retirement system, judicial retirement system, judges retirement system, school employees retirement system, public safety employees retirement system, law enforcement officers and firefighters retirement system, PERS, TRS, LERS, legal expenses, medical expenses, administrative expenses, fraud prevention, overpayment recovery, trust fund protection

Transcript Highlights:

• , to create watershed restoration plans.
• a plan.
• A Fair Plan is for the Fair Access to Insurance Requirements plan.
• The plan is not So agents are not appointed through the plan.
• I mean, just about the fair plan and how many people have participated in the fair plan and participate

Committee: House Water & Natural Resources Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> can um so just for your planning can um so just for your planning purposes<00:07:56.680><c> so</
• Many planning boards also do not review site plans either, because not every municipality with a planning
• board has given the planning board site plan review authority.
• You're going to have a plan approved by the planning board, so that goes off to the site.
• You're going to have a plan approved by the planning board, so that goes off to the site.

Committee: Senate Commerce

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• does not include the newly formed defined contribution plan.
• of House Bill 1274 and House Bill 1419, which renamed the plan the public safety plan.
• It's a length of service plan.
• It's a length of service plan, which is not formally a defined benefit, but the mechanics of that plan
• are similar to a defined benefit plan, where the state would fund this retirement plan to help recruit

Committee: Joint Administrative Rules Committee

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But that plan, actually, for the other teachers that were actually on their own plan, we still covered
• But that plan, actually, for the other teachers that were actually on their own plan, we still covered
• Employee cost sharing on the plan is about 20% of plan costs.
• the cost of plans for everybody as a whole?
• the cost of plans for everybody as a whole?

Summary: The committee met as JFAC for a statewide budget overview and related process presentations. Keith Bybee of LSO walked members through the general fund outlook, emphasizing that projected revenues for FY 2026 and FY 2027 are below current budgeted spending, creating a structural imbalance that will require either budget reductions or use of one-time cash and reserve balances. He highlighted major statutory cost drivers over the last several years, including public defense, IT services, Medicaid expansion, public schools, and water resources, and reviewed cash reconciliation items, transfers, supplementals, rescissions, and the governor’s proposed use of various fund balances and interest earnings to help balance the budget. Members asked about the deficit, corrections costs, tax conformity timing, fire suppression deficiency funds, and whether stabilization funds should be used; Bybee stressed that the Legislature has options but must decide whether to rely on short-term money or make longer-term structural changes. Janet Jessup then explained the budget hearing process and the Legislative Budget Book, including historical summaries, fund analyses, organizational charts, five-year snapshots, performance measures, and enhancement/outcome reporting. Morgan Poloni followed with an overview of deficiency warrants and supplemental appropriations, explaining that deficiency warrants cover certain authorized expenses after they occur and are typically used for items like fire suppression or pest control, while supplementals adjust the current year appropriation and can apply to general, dedicated, or federal funds. She noted that deficiency warrant requests have grown in recent years, largely due to pest control, and that supplemental and rescission bills may require emergency clauses to take effect immediately. Francis Lippett presented on state health insurance costs, saying FY 2024 spending on health and dental insurance was $646.2 million and that costs are rising faster than in prior years. She explained how the state uses employee premiums, a sweep account, and reserve balances to stabilize the plan, and said the FY 2027 appropriation is expected to rise about 14 percent, with employee premiums projected to increase 7.3 percent to maintain the current 80/20 cost split. Members asked about why premiums are charged for benefit-eligible employees who decline coverage, how reserve targets are set, how school district employees fit into the state plan, and how the state selects its insurance carrier; the Division of Insurance administrator said the plan is administered by Regence under a multi-year contract and that the state will rebid the plan within the contract term.

Transcript Highlights:

• And, most importantly, we will not be able to plan for replacement of that site or plan for redevelopment
• That basically is reflected if all of the strategies in the scoping plan are implemented as planned,
• Yes, there are some plans.
• And within the plans that we see, the finalists do have some planning for that.
• And that section of the scoping plan was sort of what led to this concept of doing a transition plan.

Summary: The joint informational hearing of the Assembly Committees on Utilities and Energy, Transportation, and Natural Resources focused on California’s transportation fuels sector, especially the state’s response to refinery closures and the broader transition away from fossil fuels. Opening remarks emphasized the tension between climate and air-quality goals, fuel affordability, refinery jobs and local tax bases, and the need to avoid crisis-driven responses as Phillips 66 and Valero consider shutting refineries in Wilmington and Benicia. Professor Emily Grubert framed the issue as a long-term managed transition in which the public already bears much of the risk and should also capture benefits from a well-planned shift. CARB Chair Leanne Randolph reviewed the state’s emissions and fuel policies, including AB 32, the low-carbon fuel standard, clean vehicle programs, and the at-berth regulation for ocean-going vessels. She said California’s transportation sector remains the largest source of greenhouse gases and a major source of smog-forming pollution, but that the state has made substantial progress and still needs to reduce demand for fossil fuels while maintaining compliance with federal air-quality standards. Randolph also said CARB’s recent LCFS amendments had not caused the predicted spike in gas prices and explained that compliance pathways for the at-berth rule include emissions-reduction technologies or payments into a remediation fund. CEC Vice Chair Gunda described declining gasoline demand, shrinking in-state refining capacity, and growing dependence on imports, arguing that the state is in a “mid-transition” period that requires both support for legacy infrastructure and continued investment in cleaner alternatives. He outlined the administration’s petroleum market stabilization proposal, which aims to return California crude production to 125 million barrels a year through four components: codifying the ban on fracking, validating the Kern County oil-and-gas permitting ordinance, creating a temporary CEQA exemption paired with a two-for-one plug-and-drill framework, and strengthening pipeline and spill-safety requirements. Department of Conservation Director Jennifer Lucasey said the proposal is intended to stabilize crude supply and pipeline throughput while preserving health and environmental protections, and noted that CalGEM would still review permits and enforce other requirements. Mayor Steve Young of Benicia testified that a Valero closure would significantly reduce city revenue and leave the community facing years of cleanup and redevelopment challenges. He said the city supports environmental protection but is worried about the economic hit, the possibility that Benicia becomes a fuel-import terminal, and the lack of local influence over refinery decisions. Members pressed the panel on the CEQA exemption, tribal and habitat review, disclosure of closure liabilities, fuel-demand projections, and whether the proposal should include more demand-side measures. No formal votes were taken; the hearing was informational, and officials said some proposals, including a margin-cap pause and further transition planning, would be taken up later in the process.

Transcript Highlights:

• Helps for planning.
• But the planning and coordination we need to be doing right now is extremely difficult in the Planning
• Supporters of 1259, you've heard, will tell you it's a simple planning bill, but the plan you're being
• It asks you to plan for a working-class tax to be paid by every Californian rather than plan to lower
• And what would the cleanup plan be?

Committee: House Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And that's why it makes it difficult to plan a business or plan a development or plan a project.
• And that's why it makes it difficult to plan a business or plan a development or plan a project.
• Makes it difficult to plan a business or plan a development or plan a project.
• or planning.
• or planning.

Committee: Senate Commerce

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It also allows an applicant to use a private plan checker if a local agency cannot complete a plan check
• of any noncompliant aspects of their plan.
• Would you rather have a delay in the planning phase or in the construction phase?
• of the day, it's cheaper to do it in the planning phase.
• of the day, it's cheaper to do it in the planning phase.

Committee: Senate Local Government

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , 198 our plan.
• Florida might do master planning for us.
• I just think about it: Space Florida's master plan disagrees with NASA's master plan for Kennedy Space
• So that's a great example of planning.
• They're planning.

Summary: The Economic Infrastructure Subcommittee met to consider several bills, beginning with HB 335 by Representative Kendall, which sought to recognize space as a fifth mode of transportation, give voting rights to ex officio Space Florida board members, and reduce what the sponsor described as unnecessary state oversight of spaceport operations. The bill was presented as a response to feedback from NASA, Space Force, and other federal partners about clarifying the state’s role at federally owned facilities like Kennedy Space Center. Members raised questions about terminology, authority over federal property, and the role of Space Florida; the sponsor said an amendment would remove the voting-rights provision and instead require spaceports to provide an annual list of shovel-ready projects. The amendment was adopted, and HB 335 passed favorably. The committee then unanimously passed HB 885, which designates a road in Baker County near the courthouse in honor of former Representative and Judge John Cruz, and HB 403, which names a portion of the road leading into NAS Pensacola as Warriors Way to honor the sailors killed in the 2019 Pensacola attack and the broader naval community there. Both bills drew brief supportive remarks and no opposition. The committee also considered HB 25, a bridge designation for Coach Wilks, a longtime local basketball coach, and adopted a Senate amendment adding the Dickey Betts Memorial Highway designation on U.S. 41 in Sarasota County. HB 25, as amended, passed unanimously. The meeting concluded with adjournment after all measures on the agenda were reported favorably.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Department transportation recently published its business plan.
• We have a lot of detailed plans that we have started publishing with an action plan we've imagined and
• And so the business plan rollout.
• They develop a lot of local advanced air mobility plans.
• The cip P and also our business plan and our partnerships.

Transcript Highlights:

• industrially starts with our legal authorities and the policies and plans.
• So, and the other thing we need to do on the planning side is we have to restart mobilization planning
• . execute that plan before time runs out.
• in most operational planning is the role of industry.
• Can we all agree that continuing resolutions absolutely are not part of the plan?

Committee: Senate Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel

Transcript Highlights:

• The state miscellaneous plan is the largest plan, but there's peace officers, CHP, state safety, and
• Some people would argue you should fund the pension plan under this shorter period.
• And for large plans like CalPERS and ongoing plans, you know, 15 to 20-year amortization period is reasonable
• Just say, for example, a new plan joined CalPERS or something like that.
• a little bit more accommodating in terms of where the plan is and the long-term expectation of the plan

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, there's multiple plans within the state.
• So I think there's other plans that they could pick from.
• As health plans continue to market and sell high-deductible health benefit plans to the public, which
• so the risk pool of plans, which are only 22% of the plans that are out there.
• this wouldn't affect the ERISA plan.

Bills: HB3794 , HB3796 , HB3928 , HB2955 , HB4453 , HB4460

Committee: House Insurance

Keywords: licensure, criminal history, public safety, occupational certification, rehabilitation, state regulations, insurance, regulations, certification, long-term care, mergers, consumer protection, property safety, vision insurance, optometry, reimbursement, healthcare policy, ophthalmic materials, provider agreements, captive insurance

Summary: The committee first took up HB 3794 and HB 3796, both Oklahoma Insurance Department request bills. Members adopted PCS drafts for each without objection, heard brief explanations that the measures cleaned up and clarified insurance licensing and other statutory provisions, and then advanced both bills on unanimous or near-unanimous votes. The committee then considered HB 3928, as amended, which would require optometrists to be reimbursed at Medicare/Medicaid levels and address payment parity for certain vision plans. Representative Tedford raised concerns about premium increases and interference with private contracts, while the author argued the bill would create a fairer level playing field and would not significantly raise consumer costs. The bill passed on a recorded vote and was recommended to the next committee. HB 2955, updating the Oklahoma Captive Insurance Company Act to make Oklahoma more competitive, also passed after OID confirmed a questioned travel reimbursement provision was current law and unchanged. HB 4453 proposed creating an all-payers claims database board to analyze health care spending, use the health information exchange, and make recommendations to OID. The author described changes to board appointments and reporting language, and members asked about consumer representation, fiscal impact, and the board’s advisory role. The bill passed and was recommended onward. HB 4460, which would shift collection of copays, deductibles, and other cost-sharing from providers to insurers, drew extensive testimony from an emergency physician supporting the measure as a way to reduce medical debt and simplify billing, but members raised concerns about ERISA preemption, premium impacts, implementation, and broader market effects. After discussion, the author laid HB 4460 over for later consideration, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I just was pointed out that the PERS Plan 1s and TERS Plan 1s benefit improvements will be amortized
• And, you know, we've been very successful on Plan 2s and Plan 3s; the funding status is in the 90% level
• And so that's going to impact the rates on Plan 1 as well, right?
• coming into that plan since 1777.
• Some of our Plan 1s, we don't have new members coming into that plan since 1777.

Committee: Joint Select Committee on Pension Policy

Summary: The Select Committee on Pension Policy executive committee met to approve the November minutes, which were adopted by voice vote. The committee then received an update from the Attorney General’s Office on two ongoing cases, Fowler and Joel Lynn, with briefing and oral argument timelines still pending. Michael Harbour of the Office of the State Actuary provided an actuarial update focused on ESSB 5357, explaining that the bill raised the assumed investment return from 7% to 7.25%, suspended UAL contribution rates for four years, and changed amortization for past benefit improvements; members asked for clarification on how those changes would affect long-term funding and contribution rates, especially for Plan 1 systems. A substantial portion of the meeting was devoted to committee discussion of interim priorities and the need for more analysis of recent pension legislation. Members emphasized the importance of understanding the fiscal impacts of ESSB 5357 and related pension changes before the September economic experience study, and several asked staff to provide a more preliminary walkthrough of the bill’s effects. The committee also discussed the LEOFF 1 study and broader questions about overfunding, including when a plan should be considered overfunded and whether overfunding should be addressed through merger or closure proposals. One member suggested reviewing the operating budget’s excess compensation proviso during the interim as well. Staff reviewed the draft 2025 interim work plan, proposing June topics including election of officers, a presentation on SB 5357 and its actuarial implications, and an initial LEOFF 1 study kickoff based on SB 5085 and HB 2034. The committee also placed excess compensation and demographic experience study items in a parking lot for possible later scheduling. The June agenda was adopted by roll call vote, with three ayes and three members absent or excused, and the meeting adjourned after no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> plan? What do you think we're missing? plan? What do you think we're missing?
• I'm on the planning board.
• We have a master plan.
• We have a master plan. We have a years. We have a master plan.
• </c> planning board do you expect planning planning board do you expect planning boards<03:48:14.080>

Committee: House Housing

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> years managing Transportation Planning years managing Transportation Planning projects<00:18:46.520
• A little bit on the 10-year plan process: that’s how we plan our capital projects for the future.
• </c> fix little bit on the 10-year plan fix little bit on the 10-year plan process<00:46:32.920><c> that's
• /c><00:46:34.880><c> capital</c> process that's how we plan our capital process that's how we plan our
• </c><00:47:11.760><c> right</c> um we will get the 10-year plan right um we will get the 10-year plan

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Public Works and Highways Committee held an orientation meeting focused on introducing members, outlining committee norms, and hearing an overview from the Department of Transportation. Chair David Mills emphasized the committee’s long-standing bipartisan working style, asked members to share contact information for short-notice scheduling, and noted that the committee would need to complete as much work as possible before the building is vacated later in the year. Members introduced themselves and described backgrounds in engineering, construction, planning, local government, military service, education, and business. Several members highlighted prior service on planning boards, school boards, zoning boards, or in transportation-related fields as relevant to the committee’s work. Members repeatedly described the committee as collegial and nonpartisan, with most bills going to the consent calendar. The chair also noted that the committee’s work centers on state infrastructure, including roads, bridges, highways, and buildings. Representative Cluder, the ranking member, and others echoed that the committee is effective because it talks issues through and resolves disagreements collaboratively. One member mentioned a recent trip that reinforced the importance of infrastructure resilience after storms and rebuilding efforts in other states. Department of Transportation officials, led by Assistant Commissioner and Chief Engineer David Rodrig, gave a detailed organizational and operational overview. They described DOT’s structure, mission of “transportation excellence,” and major responsibilities across highways, bridges, rail, transit, aeronautics, maintenance, and administration. Rodrig reported 1,651 permanent positions and 404 vacancies, 2,160 state bridges with 115 on the Red List, 4,600 centerline miles of roadway, 25 public airports, 11 transit systems, and 194 active state-owned rail lines. He also outlined FY 2024 spending, project development activity, highway maintenance operations, fleet and fuel systems, and the distinction between the highway fund and DOT’s budget, including the role of federal funds and the turnpike enterprise fund. No votes were taken and no bills were acted on during this orientation meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Armand Feliciano, here for the Fair Plan. We support AB 69.
• Insurance Strategy in depopulating the Fair Plan.
• We depend on the Fair Plan to fill insurance gaps, but we also depend on the Fair Plan to be transparent
• Chair, Armand Luciana, for the Fair Plan.
• paying and landed myself on the FAIR Plan.

Committee: Senate Insurance

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• For today's capital plan Okay.
• It's to do our long-range planning statewide armory master plan.
• long range planning statewide armory master<00:10:48.800><c> plan.
• In the six year plan in the six year plan.<00:24:40.559><c> Yes.
• </c> plan. Yes. Excuse me. Thanks Mark. plan. Yes. Excuse me. Thanks Mark.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:00:09 Approval of Minutes 00:01:10 Welcome New Members 00:01:26 Information Items 00:01:49 COT Special Report 00:02:38 Review of Executive Branch Agency Plans 00:07:41 A. Department of Military Affairs 00:08:07 B. Department of Veterans’ Affairs 00:20:34 C. Kentucky Infrastructure Authority 00:25:54 D. Tourism, Arts, and Heritage Cabinet 00:35:05 E. Transportation Cabinet 00:55:53, 958, all

Summary: The Capital Planning Advisory Board met with a quorum, approved the May 21 minutes, and welcomed a new executive branch member, Secretary Keith Jackson of the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet. The board also received two informational items: agency responses to prior questions and amendments made to capital plans after the last meeting. It then heard the Commonwealth Office of Technology’s report on executive branch IT capital project scoring, which reviewed 16 IT requests totaling about $330.5 million. COOT said projects were ranked through an independent panel using standardized criteria focused on feasibility, statewide alignment, readiness, impact, and risk; the CIO recommended moving an enterprise application and artificial intelligence inventory system from rank 11 to rank 4 because of its enterprise-wide impact and connection to Senate Bill 4. The Department of Military Affairs presented its capital plan, describing 43 million in projects for the current period and 13 projects totaling $65 million for 2026–2028, with most funding coming from federal sources and restricted agency funds and no general fund request in the latter period. Its projects included maintenance pool adjustments, a statewide Army master plan, the Somerset readiness center, Shelbyville and Ashland armories, a future home for the Kentucky Army National Guard band, and other facility upgrades. Members asked about the Somerset project’s cost growth and federal delay; the department said the project remains in conceptual design, is awaiting federal MILCON action, and would require a state match of about $9.8 million against $29.6 million federal funding if it is approved. Members also asked about staffing levels, and the department said state employee and Title 32 numbers have been relatively steady, while technician positions have declined. The Department of Veterans Affairs outlined seven projects for 2026–2028, led by a Radcliff Veterans Center HVAC replacement that needs an estimated additional $16 million to finish phase two after phase one was already funded. Other requests included a maintenance pool increase, renovations and exterior upgrades at Eastern and Western Kentucky veterans facilities, a cooling tower replacement at Thompson Hood, and parking lot and lighting improvements. The department said some projects were already in the six-year plan and that the Radcliff phase two could be bid in June 2026 if funded. Members confirmed that a columbarium wall project at Grayson is federally funded. The Kentucky Infrastructure Authority presented its six-year capital plan, citing more than $3 billion in loan commitments since 1988 and over $5 billion in supported infrastructure projects. KIA requested $298.439 million in the first biennium, including $27.742 million in state match for federal clean water and drinking water revolving funds, $25 million for its state Infrastructure Revolving Fund, $185.697 million in federal capitalization grants, and $30 million in leverage bond authorization for each year of the two federally assisted loan programs. Members asked about drinking-water quality, and KIA said that function is handled by the Energy and Environment Cabinet’s Division of Water, not KIA. KIA also said its loan rates currently range from 0.5% to 2.25%, averaging just under 1%, and that its revolving loan programs have had no defaults. The Tourism, Arts, and Heritage Cabinet began its presentation at the end of the transcript, with staff identifying themselves, but no project details or board action from that presentation were included in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• The strategic plan for the Texas workforce system is an eight year plan.
• The plan also includes a series of agency partner action plans that provide specific high-level actions
• and in the local ward plans.
• This year, we'll be reviewing the local workforce board plans for the first time under this new plan.
• These show progress on the implementation of the agency action plans in the current strategic plan Now

Bills: HB406

Committee: House Trade, Workforce & Economic Development

Keywords: local economic development, notification, workforce development, municipal agreements, county contracts, 1184, house, all