Transcript Highlights:

• . >> Can you tell us what remaining issues there are that are unresolved and still under negotiation?
• >> Yes. >> The sponsor yields. >> And that wasn't negotiated at all?
• >> THROUGH YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT, THAT'S HOW IT WAS NEGOTIATED.
• >> AND THAT WASN'T NEGOTIATED AT ALL?
• It is, you know, what was negotiated between the majorities and the Governor.

Summary: The Senate convened, approved the prior journal, and then moved through a series of budget-related and ceremonial items. The chamber accepted Rules and Finance Committee reports and took up several budget extender and budget implementation bills, including the main appropriations extender and later a transportation, economic development, and environmental conservation budget bill. Senators questioned the sponsor extensively about the status of the remaining budget bills, the use of messages of necessity, and the absence of joint budget conference committees. The extender bill passed 59-2, and later budget-related measures were advanced after reconsideration and amendment. A major portion of the session focused on the environmental and energy provisions in the budget bill, especially changes to the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. Senators debated extending emissions targets, the role of cap-and-invest, utility affordability, ratepayer impacts, and the structure of a proposed blue-ribbon commission. Supporters said the changes were needed to give the state more time to implement the law and to protect affordability, while opponents argued the bill was a political delay that would not lower energy costs and relied too heavily on subsidies and future planning. The bill also drew questions about electric vehicle rebates, thermostat control programs, emergency diesel generation for Micron, and how imported electricity and out-of-state emissions would be treated. The Senate also adopted several previously adopted resolutions honoring the 50th anniversary of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators, India Independence Day, the New York State Veterans Hall of Fame, and the 50th anniversary of Interfaith Works of Central New York. Senators spoke in support of each resolution, highlighting the contributions of Black legislators, Indian-American communities, veterans, and refugee and interfaith service organizations. The Veterans Hall of Fame ceremony was specifically noted as a chamber event, and guests were recognized from the floor and gallery. In addition, the Senate restored recalled bills to the third reading calendar through reconsideration votes and amendments, including a highway law bill and another recalled bill, and then stood at ease for scheduled conferences and a Veterans Hall of Fame ceremony before resuming session. The transcript ended with discussion of a separate bill affecting automobile insurance serious-injury standards, with questions about what claims would remain available and whether the change would improve affordability.

Transcript Highlights:

• I don't think... ...negotiate an MOU.
• I don't think we as a committee can properly negotiate that agreement.
• Is that something the legislature can do as a bill negotiating an MOU?
• Negotiating an MOU?
• I didn't think we should be negotiating those details. Mr.

Committee: Joint Tribal and State Relations Committee

Summary: The committee met at Spirit Lake Tribe and heard an extended discussion with Spirit Lake tribal leaders and program directors about government-to-government relations with the state. Chairwoman Street and others outlined a number of concerns and requests, including taxation of tribal and trust lands, state school support for non-beneficiary students, homelessness services, Indian-managed health care, gaming/e-tabs, the Feather Alert system, industrial farming near waterways, tourism and cultural issues, and the need for more consistent tribal consultation. Committee members responded that many of these issues had previously been passed along without direct action, and several members emphasized the committee’s role in education, communication, and preparing possible legislation or resolutions for the next session. Tribal representatives also offered to provide training on treaties, IHS 638, and compact services to help legislators better understand tribal jurisdiction and billing issues. A major portion of the meeting focused on Spirit Lake Fish and Wildlife concerns, especially jurisdictional “gray areas” around hunting and fishing on the reservation, recognition of tribal licenses, and the boundary of the reservation around Spirit Lake/Devils Lake. Tribal officials said they wanted a co-stewardship agreement or MOU with the state to clarify jurisdiction, improve cooperation, and address invasive species and aquatic nuisance species. Committee members discussed whether to draft legislation or a resolution directing the executive branch and state agencies to negotiate such an agreement, and they asked for further input from the North Dakota Game and Fish Department at a future meeting. The committee also discussed county involvement in land status changes and trust land issues, with Spirit Lake leaders describing a past Benson County resolution that tried to block fee-to-trust transfers and saying it was later rescinded. The committee then heard from Benson County tax equalization director Randy Thompson, who explained how the county values land and handles tax-exempt, inundated, and fee-to-trust parcels. Members asked about the impact of tax-exempt lands on county services and discussed prior legislation that helped counties with large tax-exempt bases. The committee also received a presentation from Dr. Steven Smith of Sisseton Wahpeton College, who described the college’s programs, economic impact, and funding needs, including support for non-beneficiary students and workforce training. Members asked about expanding tribal college education into correctional settings, and Smith said the idea was worth exploring through the tribal college system. Finally, HHS interim medical services director Christoph Framing presented remotely on 1115 Medicaid waivers and the IMD exclusion, explaining current state funding mechanisms for inpatient and residential behavioral health services and the bill draft directing HHS to pursue a waiver for IMD payments.

Transcript Highlights:

• I recall with great clarity the night the Fresno SERP was negotiated.
• I was in Sacramento, I recall with great clarity the night the Fresno SERP was negotiated.
• I was in Sacramento following negotiations from afar.
• The tradeoff between housing and fire risk can be a profoundly difficult one to negotiate.
• Basically, in a negotiation, you have to find leverage points.

Committee: Senate Local Government

Transcript Highlights:

• They're going to be negotiating that, and it's going to be somewhat out of our hands.
• this and I would I probably negotiating this and I would I probably would<00:19:22.840><c> remove</c
• They're going to be negotiating that, and it's going to be somewhat out of our hands.
• to negotiate when they propose<00:51:54.280><c> legislation.
• </c> and to say there's a lot of negotiation and to say there's a lot of negotiation that<00:53:19.960

Bills: SJ0001

Committee: House Minerals, Business & Economic Development

Transcript Highlights:

• You know that there is no negotiation unless, of course, the ambulance company actually had a contract
• you know unless unless is no negotiation you know unless unless of<00:09:36.920><c> course</c><00:09
• One is that, uh, an insurance shall provide reimbursement for ambulance service at the rate negotiated
• </c> when the insurance company negotiates when the insurance company negotiates the<00:19:16.280><c>
• </c><00:47:01.720><c> contract</c> favor of having a negotiated contract favor of having a negotiated

Summary: The subcommittee discussed three ambulance reimbursement bills and tried to distinguish their approaches. House Bill 185 would require insurers to pay the full amount billed by an ambulance provider when there is no contract rate, with no balance billing to the patient; the Insurance Department clarified that emergency ambulance services are already covered under the benchmark plan, so the bill’s reference to policies without ambulance coverage is effectively meaningless. House Bill 725 would set reimbursement at 325% of the Medicare rate for non-contract ambulance services and prohibit balance billing. House Bill 316 was described as addressing the broader problem that Medicare/Medicaid rates are low and that current balance billing shifts costs to patients or municipalities; its sponsor said the bill would require insurers to pay a rate that gives providers a fighting chance to remain in business, and he viewed 325% of Medicare as the most logical option. Members debated whether insurers should pay the billed amount, a negotiated in-network rate, or a regulated percentage of Medicare. Some argued that out-of-network ambulance providers are underpaid and that in-network rates are often too low to sustain service, especially for emergency providers who cannot steer patients. Others said ambulance companies should not be able to bill whatever they want and questioned the fairness of charging insured patients or insurers more than the service is worth. There was also discussion of whether rate schedules should be reviewed by an oversight body and whether different costs in rural areas justify different reimbursement levels. A recurring issue was balance billing and who ultimately bears the shortfall. Several members said balance billing harms patients and often does not get paid, leaving cities and towns or property taxpayers to cover the difference for municipal ambulance services. Others argued that shifting the cost to insurance premiums would spread the burden more fairly, though it could raise premiums by a few dollars per person per month. No vote or final action was taken in the excerpt; the discussion focused on clarifying the bills and weighing their policy tradeoffs.

Transcript Highlights:

• I don't like your basic rights being used as a bargaining chip in union negotiations.
• No, that's another one that I don't want to be used as a bargaining chip in union negotiations because
• this bill, with the exception of four lines in this bill, there's nothing in here that can't be negotiated
• testified second, As far as, you know, the gentleman that testified second, Melville refuses to negotiate
• I represent the Melville Fire District, and that chief has refused to negotiate with us.

Committees: House Local Government , House Local Government, Elections and Pensions

Transcript Highlights:

• During the approval process, the local government shall have the authority to negotiate with the developer
• It will also give local governments the flexibility to negotiate for exactly what their community needs
• There's a lot of details. authority to negotiate with the authority to negotiate with the developer<00
• :14:31.760><c> the</c><00:14:32.079><c> flexibility</c><00:14:32.639><c> to</c><00:14:32.959><c> negotiate
• </c> governments the flexibility to negotiate governments the flexibility to negotiate for<00:14:34.480

Committee: Senate State & Local Government

Transcript Highlights:

• The reason why it begins in the third year is that our first-year teachers have just negotiated their
• There are negotiations with conferees in the House, and our special education funding is now $1.3 billion
• I love our friends in Washington, but this bill might take a year and a half to negotiate in Washington
• And some of the, again, like the special education negotiations, we had to get everything.
• We still negotiated just with that.

Bills: HB2 , HB2

Committees: Senate Education , Senate Education K-16

Transcript Highlights:

• negotiating position. position. position.
• The negotiations are two. We don't know. The negotiations are ongoing. ongoing. ongoing.
• well. the best negotiating know it quite well. the best negotiating position<00:54:15.359><c> when</
• And you are negotiating with yourself.
• </c><01:05:34.720><c> that</c> middle of a high stakes negotiation that middle of a high stakes negotiation

Transcript Highlights:

• for a better job or they can't negotiate up<01:07:50.720><c> their</c><01:07:50.960><c> salary.
• I've been negotiating and writing these agreements, and I have litigated confidentiality agreements,
• The language that's in this bill was heavily negotiated in order to get us to the point where we can
• I've been negotiating and writing these agreements, and I have litigated confidentiality agreements,
• Uh, this bill contains some exemptions because that was part of the negotiation.

Transcript Highlights:

• PRESCRIBED IN CHAPTER 287 THOSE BEING THE INVITATION TO BID, REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL, AN INVITATION TO NEGOTIATE
• THE INVITATION TO NEGOTIATE ITN AS WE REFER TO IT IS NEGOTIATED BASED ON ITEMS WITHIN THE SCOPE AND THEY
• LAST YEAR WE EXECUTED 110 CONTRACTS AS A RESULT OF IMITATION NEGOTIATING.

Transcript Highlights:

• And the day that we were doing negotiations the sewer went down.
• And the day that we were doing negotiations the sewer went down.
• </c><00:10:10.399><c> It</c><00:10:11.120><c> it</c> negotiations the sewer went down.
• It it negotiations the sewer went down.
• Um, I would be remiss to not then highlight what Chair Franson was doing in that same negotiation, uh

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:21:00.320><c> Negotiations</c> from HBN Contracting LLC.
• Negotiations from HBN Contracting LLC.
• Negotiations resulted<00:21:01.840><c> in</c><00:21:01.919><c> the</c><00:21:02.080><c> lesser</c><00
• I know you acknowledged that there was an original proposed rent of $32.45 and it was negotiated down
• So, uh, you know, we're encouraged that we have been able to negotiate that down to 25. >> I can give

Summary: The committee first received several information items, including University of Kentucky reports on medical and research equipment purchases, five school districts’ planned bond issues, and a School Facilities Construction Commission list of prior debt issues. Members then heard and approved an appropriation increase for a federally funded University of Kentucky project at the Central Kentucky Regional Airport in Richmond. The project will construct a terminal building and is tied to EKU’s airport operations and planned flight school; members asked about the public funding, the role of EKU, and possible aviation expansion, and the item was approved by roll call. The committee next approved a University of Kentucky lease purchase for an 85,000-square-foot facility at 415 West Sun Street in Morehead for $6.4 million. UK said the property, formerly the Rowan County Board of Education site, is directly across from UK St. Clair and will be used for multiple purposes; members questioned the quarterly payment structure and why the county preferred not to receive the full amount upfront, but the item was approved. The committee then heard three appropriation increases in the Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet: a Fish and Wildlife pump project at Ballard Wildlife Management Area and two Lake Barkley State Resort Park repair projects. Finance staff explained the Lake Barkley increases were mainly to cover construction contingencies after bids came in close to available funding, and the committee approved the action items. Janice Thomas then presented four pool projects requiring no action: HVAC upgrades at the Future Farmers of America Leadership Training Center in Hardinsburg, geothermal and HVAC work at the Kentucky School for the Blind, a Brady Hall HVAC project at the Kentucky School for the Blind, and a renovation of Shanti Hall at Kentucky State University for the School of Engineering Technology. Members asked no substantive questions on those items. Finally, Natalie Broner presented a new CHFS lease in Wayne County and a Transportation Cabinet lease modification in Christian County. The Wayne County lease drew the most discussion, with members questioning the rent, the lack of other bids, and whether another county location might be preferable; CHFS said it maintains county-seat offices statewide and that the Wayne County site would replace an existing office. The Christian County item was described as a replacement site for driver licensing services with renovation costs largely absorbed by the lessor. Both lease items were presented for action after the discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, there's also a lot of difficulty for a small retailer in negotiating and understanding their
• You know, there's also a lot of difficulty for a small retailer in negotiating and understanding their
• I really think a lot of the solution is in support for small and medium-sized retailers in negotiating
• I really think a lot of the solution is in support for small and medium-sized retailers in negotiating
• It would be interesting, but I'm in no position to negotiate for the banks.

Summary: The Special Commission on the future of credit card payments and their impacts on small businesses heard extensive testimony from credit unions, retailers, payment industry groups, and a credit card issuer. Much of the discussion focused on proposed state laws that would limit interchange fees on the tax and tip portions of transactions, especially Illinois’s Interchange Fee Prohibition Act and similar efforts in other states. Witnesses opposing the proposals argued that interchange helps fund fraud protection, cybersecurity, rewards, and access to credit, and warned that state-by-state rules would create a patchwork that could harm state-chartered banks and credit unions, raise compliance costs, and reduce consumer access to credit. Supporters of reform argued that swipe fees are a significant burden on merchants, especially small businesses, and that current pricing is opaque and often bundled with other processor charges. Several witnesses emphasized that the current payment system provides major benefits to merchants and consumers, including security, convenience, faster settlement, online commerce, and broader access to credit. One witness from Capital One said the industry’s losses from fraud and default are substantial and that interchange helps offset those risks; he also noted that merchants already have some tools, such as surcharging where allowed and negotiating clearer processor contracts. Retail representatives and the National Retail Federation countered that small businesses are under pressure from many costs and that interchange and related fees remain a real pain point, with some urging the commission to consider reforms that would return more money to businesses without disrupting the system. There was also discussion of the recent Visa/Mastercard antitrust settlement, with industry witnesses describing it as a significant merchant win that includes temporary rate reductions, more surcharge flexibility, and the ability to decline certain card tiers. No votes were taken. The meeting concluded after all scheduled testimony was heard, with the commission chair saying the session had been productive and that the committee would continue gathering testimony and written comments before making recommendations.

Transcript Highlights:

• As negotiations went on with the states, so not only were we negotiating with the states, we also then
• It was all over what the negotiations over the attorney's fees were going to be for two years.
• No, so the plaintiff attorneys were coming back, wanting to negotiate the final attorney's fees at the
• Because there were 2,700 local jurisdictions, it was very unwieldy on negotiations at the back end of
• And the example of the 2,700 governments that were negotiating that fee, well, if it had been a true

Committees: House Commerce , House Commerce, Consumer Protection, Energy and the Environment

Transcript Highlights:

• allowing landowners to waive some requirements and tailor certain requirements through private negotiations
• to benefit their own unique negotiations to benefit their own unique circumstances.<00:02:29.040><c>
• In other words, are there any anything already in has been negotiated with cities or counties?
• In other words, are there any anything already in has been negotiated with cities or counties?
• </c> anything already in has been negotiated anything already in has been negotiated with<00:24:16.400

Committee: Joint Energy

Transcript Highlights:

• And we negotiate. In fact, the price negotiation that we have... We negotiate.
• In fact, the price negotiation that we have is one of the highest discounts that are being received,
• As we were negotiating last year’s end of budget... ...space was X number.
• As we were negotiating last year’s end of budget, we asked—I was asked—if we could defer $200,000 of
• As we were negotiating last year's end of budget, we asked, I was asked, if we could defer $200,000 of

Summary: The committee first heard a budget presentation for the Office of Information Technology Services (ITS), which is in the middle of a multi-year consolidation of IT staff and functions from other agencies. The analyst and administrator explained that ITS now has 243 authorized FTP, with more growth expected as Health and Welfare IT staff move over, and that much of ITS’s budget is driven by personnel, security, and pass-through technology purchases funded through dedicated revenues. The agency’s main 2027 requests included a personnel cash transfer to move costs off general fund and onto dedicated funds, $2.7 million for enterprise firewall/security upgrades, continued access to a federal E-CORE grant for an AI/data repository project, and funding for the Health and Welfare modernization/consolidation. Members asked about the grant, the 3% holdback, whether Health and Welfare’s budget would be reduced, the cost of delaying security upgrades, and why the agency’s FTP count has grown while overall IT costs are being centralized. ITS Administrator Alberto Gonzalez emphasized that the agency is defending against more than 100 million cyberattacks per month, with only a small fraction getting through, and said the firewall request was a critical security need. He said consolidation has produced efficiencies and a net reduction in IT personnel statewide, while also improving security and service delivery. He also explained that the agency is working on a possible policy change to separate continuously appropriated cash into a different fund for cleaner accounting. Questions from members focused on cybersecurity, bandwidth pressures from video/body-cam traffic, procurement speed, AI uses, and the rationale for office furnishings and equipment requests tied to the Health and Welfare move. The committee then moved to the Idaho State Tax Commission budget, another roughly $55 million portfolio with five programs and 447 authorized FTP. The analyst noted that the commission’s budget is heavily general-fund supported, but it also has several dedicated funds and large continuously appropriated flows tied to tax distributions and rebates. For fiscal year 2027, the commission requested additional dedicated-fund support for property tax outreach, $400,000 for GenTax automation, use of dedicated funds for the chief operating officer, replacement items, and the governor’s rescission. Chairman Jeff McRae said the agency returns more than $7.8 billion in revenue for about $55 million in spending, but warned the commission is at a “tipping point” where further cuts would reduce its ability to process revenue and serve taxpayers. Members questioned the commission about phone wait times, staffing levels, the multi-state tax compact, conformity work tied to the federal “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” and the parental choice tax credit program. McRae said the call center would need about 45 staff to meet standard service levels but currently has about seven, and that conformity changes would require significant software, form, and testing work, likely with overtime and possible taxpayer filing delays. He also explained that the tax credit program was designed with electronic-only applications, income prioritization, audits, and criminal penalties to reduce fraud. No votes or final actions were taken in the portion provided; the meeting consisted of budget presentations, member questions, and agency responses.

Transcript Highlights:

• The parties can agree to continue negotiations beyond that six-month period before going to arbitration
• He said he opposes having anyone in the middle of negotiating with their crew.
• I think what Kevin Knight said earlier, we negotiate oftentimes.
• I think what Kevin Knight said earlier, we negotiate oftentimes.
• We negotiate, you know, oftentimes throughout the day or as new crops and new varieties come on forth

Summary: The committee held public hearings on several Labor and Workplace Standards bills. HB 2492 would require building and construction apprenticeship programs, beginning in 2027, to include two hours of behavioral health and wellness training covering topics such as suicide prevention, substance use disorder, recognizing distress, peer support, and connecting to resources. The prime sponsor and many labor, apprenticeship, and contractor witnesses supported the bill, describing high suicide and overdose rates in construction and sharing personal stories about losses and struggles in the trades. No vote was taken on the bill during the hearing. The committee then heard HB 2405, a Department of Labor and Industries request bill creating a pilot to allow earlier treatment for PTSD claims in workers’ compensation, including up to 11 treatment sessions before claim adjudication and limited follow-up treatment after closure. L&I and NFIB supported the measure as a way to speed treatment and reduce barriers, while one legal advocate supported it but raised technical concerns about pre-claim treatment and urged more focus on workplace prevention; another witness cautioned against emphasizing psychiatric drug treatment. The bill was heard only; no action was taken. HB 2406 would expand L&I’s ability to send notices electronically, with opt-in/opt-out provisions and some changes to timing rules for workers’ compensation and WISHA notices. L&I supported the bill as a modernization measure, while labor and workers’ advocates opposed changes affecting workers’ compensation notices, arguing that email should not become the default for vulnerable workers who may miss deadlines. HB 2478 would give L&I discretion, rather than a mandate, to investigate wage complaints and allow penalties when the department initiates an investigation; L&I supported it as a more efficient enforcement tool, and the committee discussed how complaints would still be handled and communicated. Finally, HB 2471 would create a state collective bargaining framework for private-sector workers if federal labor law or the NLRB no longer covers them. Supporters said it would preserve organizing and dispute-resolution rights if federal protections fail, while agricultural employers and NFIB opposed it, arguing it would inappropriately apply to agriculture and small businesses, could disrupt perishable harvests, and should rely on secret-ballot elections rather than card check. No votes were taken on any of the bills in the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• That's the outcome of your negotiated rates with your providers.
• Some could be extremely savvy with their negotiation; some may not as well.
• And the CBCs negotiate with them, and they really have no option but to take whatever the CBC offers
• on the other side from providers that we're not providing CBCs with adequate funds so that the negotiation
• rates with the CBCs, but it's all contingent upon the funding level that the CBC has. is negotiating

Bills: S0042 , S0578 , S0624 , S7018

Committee: Senate Children, Families, and Elder Affairs

Keywords: child protection, medical records, investigation, abuse, neglect, healthcare, Child Protection Team, diagnosis, Alzheimer's disease, Alzheimers, dementia, related dementias, brain health, early detection, caregiver support, elderly affairs, Department of Elderly Affairs, Department of Health, public health outreach, memory loss

Transcript Highlights:

• The data source is the health plan negotiated rates with contracted hospitals and other providers.
• The data source is the health plan negotiated rates with contracted hospitals and other providers.
• The source of the data is a hospital's chargemaster and hospitals' negotiated rates with payers.
• The source of the data is a hospital's chargemaster and hospitals' negotiated rates with payers.
• But the data source here is health plan negotiated rates with hospitals and other providers.

Summary: The committee began with an extended work session on the long-term care workforce. DSHS Assistant Secretary B. Rector described the new Home and Community Living Administration and outlined major workforce pressures: Washington had about 126,000 long-term care workers in 2022, with demand expected to outpace supply as the 85-plus population and dementia prevalence rise sharply. She emphasized that direct care workers are largely women, people of color, and immigrants, and that family caregivers are also a major part of the system. She highlighted recruitment and retention efforts funded through federal Money Follows the Person dollars, including high school training partnerships, a retention toolkit, transportation support, caregiver newsletters, tribal workforce navigators, and a remote caregiving pilot. Committee members asked about career pathways, technology use, and turnover drivers; Rector said wages, benefits, unstable hours, and workplace support are key issues and promised follow-up data. Aidan Swain of the Washington Health Care Association said skilled nursing and assisted living facilities face acute RN vacancies, wage pressures, and Medicaid reimbursement that does not cover costs, and urged modernization of training, better reimbursement, and continued support for facility-based care. Maddie Fouch of SEIU 775, representing about 55,000 caregivers, said low wages, weak benefits, lack of voice, and certification delays are driving turnover and shortages, and argued for higher compensation, better worker protections, and more transparent reimbursement. Catherine Smith of Behavioral Health Solutions described growing behavioral health needs in nursing homes, the role of expanded behavioral supports programs, and credentialing delays that slow hiring. No votes were taken; the panel was informational only. The second agenda item was an overview of the palliative care benefit work group report required by 2024 legislation. Nico Jansen of the Office of the Insurance Commissioner explained that the work group, convened with the Health Care Authority, studied a potential palliative care benefit for fully insured commercial plans and also Medicaid, PEBB, and SEBB. He said palliative care is a philosophy of care focused on symptom management, coordination, and support for serious illness, and is distinct from hospice because it can be provided alongside curative treatment. The actuarial analysis concluded that creating a new benefit would likely increase costs, estimating about a 28-cent per member per month increase overall and roughly $2.6 million to $4.5 million in annual state Medicaid costs if implemented in 2027. Jansen said the consultants did not find sufficient evidence to assume savings from avoided hospitalizations or long-term care, though several work group members disagreed and submitted response letters. Senators asked about other states, Medicare, health homes, and whether more research could clarify cost savings; OIC said some states, including Hawaii, are moving ahead with Medicaid palliative care benefits, Medicare covers some related services but not in the same way, and further evidence may emerge over time. OIC did not take a position on whether the Legislature should create the benefit. The final presentation covered health care price transparency tools in Washington and federally. Evan Klein and HCA Chief Data Officer Vishal Chaudry reviewed federal hospital and health plan transparency rules, the state all-payer claims database, prescription drug price transparency, the Health Care Cost Transparency Board, the Prescription Drug Affordability Board, and other reporting systems. They explained that the APCD contains claims from fully insured commercial plans, Medicaid, and public employee programs, but not self-insured employer data except for limited voluntary submissions. They also described how machine-readable files, consumer price tools, and aggregated dashboards are used, and noted that data limitations, delays, and complexity remain significant. Senators asked about voluntary self-insured participation, the role of AI in making data more usable, and whether transparency can really help consumers given access barriers and medical debt. HCA said AI is increasingly used by private entities to mine large transparency datasets, but state agencies still face limits in data access and analytic capacity. The committee did not take action; the session was informational and ended with a discussion of how transparency data might better inform policy and purchasing decisions in the future.