Transcript Highlights:

• at the local level, so what we'd have is 16 new employees that would be funded by the state but serving
• First question, as a member of employee benefits, I'm curious where the second fiscal note came from.
• We're facing a 15% biennial increase of our health insurance premiums for our state employees.
• We're facing a 15% biennial increase in our health insurance premiums for our state employees.
• For our state employees.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a quorum call showing 46 members present. It then took up multiple House messages and amendments, appointing conference committees on several measures, including SB 2007, SCR 4007, SB 2374, SB 233, and House bills 1029, 1218, and 1022. The chamber also considered a series of House bills on the sixth and 14th orders, often adopting committee amendments before final passage or, in some cases, rejecting the bill outright. Among the major policy items, the Senate passed HB 1524 on regional planning council grants, HB 1143 increasing a food bank appropriation to $10 million, HB 1126 modernizing cosmetology licensing and inspections, HB 1542 making student applications for admission exempt records, HB 1613 regulating law enforcement use of robots, HB 1582 directing a study on false reports and accusations, HB 1214 revising school transportation funding, HB 1448 creating a study on advanced technologies, HB 1280 on drainage project voting rules, HB 1499 protecting records related to federal judges, and several Senate bills returned from the House, including SB 2221, SB 2117, SB 2198, SB 2120, and SB 2214. The Senate also adopted amendments to HB 1541 on septic systems before rejecting it on final passage. Several high-profile bills failed after debate. HB 1566, dealing with kratom regulation, saw an amendment to convert it to a study fail on a 21-25 vote, after which the chamber laid the bill over for one legislative day rather than take final action. HB 1283, which would have eliminated cost-sharing for diagnostic and supplemental breast exams in the state employee plan, was defeated 22-24 after extensive debate over cost, precedent, and insurance impacts. HB 1527, requiring Holocaust education in statute, also failed 22-24, with supporters emphasizing the importance of the subject and opponents arguing curriculum belongs in standards rather than statute. The Senate adjourned after announcements, scheduling its next meeting for Monday, April 14, 2025.

Transcript Highlights:

• The estimated cost to increase all employees—excuse me, Madam Chairman—so they're taking the new employees
• There's two new employees up to $300,000.
• The estimated cost to increase all employees. Excuse me, Madam Chairman.
• So they're taking the new employees. There's two new employees up to 300,000.
• They are non-employees as of yet. They're trying to recruit these people to the state.

Committee: All JBC-PERSONNEL

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• or access their personal belongings without the supervision of a cleared employee, and noted that this
• He added that when they survey facilities, they check the status of employees’ background checks and
• If an employee goes into someone’s room, there is always a staff member right there with them who has
• And I think the goal behind that is when an employee begins working at an assisted living, I think this
• The individual is only allowed to work under another employee who has a cleared criminal history and

Summary: The House Health and Welfare Committee met with a quorum, welcomed Boise State nursing students, and noted a substitute member sitting in for Representative Egbert. The committee first considered Department of Health and Welfare rule dockets covering developmental disabilities agencies and residential habilitation agencies. Department staff said the rules were a comprehensive rewrite and consolidation to reduce duplication, improve clarity, and align related provider types under the same statutory authority. Members asked about physical restraint language, and staff said the definition was carried over from the residential habilitation chapter and was not intended to be more restrictive for that population. The committee approved the developmental disabilities docket and then approved the residential habilitation docket, which was described as a repeal-and-recodification into the consolidated chapter. The committee then took up the assisted living facilities docket, which also was presented as a rewrite focused on consolidation and clarification. Most of the discussion centered on criminal history and background check provisions, especially language allowing new employees to work while background checks are pending if they are supervised by cleared staff. Representative Kaler argued the revised language weakened protections for vulnerable residents and offered a substitute motion to strike the revised subsection; after discussion with department staff about existing practice, supervision standards, and the need to preserve FBI background-check access, he withdrew the motion. The committee also asked whether the rules applied to memory care units, and staff said they do. The docket was then approved in full. Finally, the committee approved a rule docket repealing the residential habilitation chapter because its substance had been recodified in the earlier consolidated developmental disabilities chapter. Members briefly discussed whether the rules would still be needed if the service were reduced in the budget, and staff said they would remain necessary so long as the service continued. The committee then introduced RS 33050, sponsored by Representative Redman, which would update Idaho’s midwifery statute to reflect modern evidence-based practice and allow licensed midwives to administer medications within their training and scope. The RS was introduced without opposition, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• To the employer as well, the employee as well, not just the employer. Absolutely.
• My average size of business at NFIB only has 10 employees.
• And most of them are under 10 employees, and it is a requirement that the employer pay. 50% of the employee
• Small employers are not able to afford to cover their employees anymore.
• Those costs come from and at the expense of the employees.

Bills: HB138 , HB335 , HB388 , HB138

Committee: House Insurance

Keywords: health impact analysis, cost analysis, coverage mandates, health insurance, legislative analysis, health care data, education, funding, classroom resources, teacher support, student outcomes, health benefits, provider dentists, payment reimbursement, insurance code, noncontracting, dental care, reimbursement, health benefit plans, noncontracting providers

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill is relating to employee benefits, requiring employees of the state and political subdivisions
• This means that some employees are not getting compensated.
• This issue is impacting our hardest working and most dedicated employees.
• But because they are the star employee or the employee that's essentially making sure that their department
• And what happens to employees that are not hourly?

Committee: House House Government, Elections & Indian Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• That’s true for 50% of our state employees, except for all those in higher education, the other 50%,
• We effectively have zero state dollars for our employee raises this year.
• So on your first question, state-funded employees is kind of what we’re talking about.
• On your second, of separate from our state-funded employees.
• Seattle District is furloughing all employees one day a month.

Bills: HB2070 , HB2671 , HB2617 , SB6258

Committee: House Postsecondary Education & Workforce

Keywords: funding, education, higher education, Western Washington University, state funding parity, financial aid, state funding, student support, educational reform, university procedures, academic policy, student success, Washington Medical Commission, medical license, license relinquishment, voluntary surrender, nondisciplinary pathway, physician regulation, health professional licensing, disciplinary database

Transcript Highlights:

• Is it the employer or the employee?
• The vast majority of the cost is borne by the employee.
• Can an employee even agree to shop?
• Not employees.
• We also cover certain public sector higher education employees.

Committee: House Health Care Affordability, Select

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , I find it prudent to continue the policy for all state employees.
• , I find it prudent to continue the policy for all state employees.
• No local schools, no county or city employees.
• No local schools, no county or city employees.
• No local schools, no county or city employees.

Committee: House State Affairs

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It includes all public sector employees in Virginia and home care workers.
• It includes all public sector employees in Virginia and home care workers, but for employees at public
• institutions of higher education, it includes only our service employees.
• Number seven, employees working for the General Assembly. Why do we exempt our employees? Mr.
• This legislation relates to collective bargaining by public employees, public employee relations board

Keywords: March 14, 2026 - Regular Session Part 4, 976, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• ,</c> five employees, five employees, and<00:19:56.120><c> their</c><00:19:56.320><c> health</c><00:19
• President, I just wanted to mention that today is National Transit Employee Appreciation Day.
• Today is National Transit Employee Appreciation Day.
• It is a day to recognize and appreciate the incredible work of transit employees.
• Transit employees are the folks who make sure the wheels keep turning, literally.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Unfortunately, there are government employees at all levels of government who mistakenly believe that
• So there have been many instances across state government employees entering private land purported by
• This includes employees of either Department of Land, Fish and Game, Agriculture, the U.S.
• We have over 70 employees.
• We have over 70 employees. 20 of those employees have full-time benefits, and have worked for my company

Committee: House State Affairs

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• If they continue to hire unlawful employees, Employment.
• Why 150 employees? I'm from the southern end of the state, and this is something that Utah does.
• And so the bill is asking that the state government e-verify all its employees.
• And so I asked myself, should the state government verify all its employees? Absolutely.
• So that's the first part. myself, should the state government verify all of its employees?

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Thirteen employees received disaster temporary food assistance benefits related to the March 31, 2023
• Also, by providing false information to the agency, one employee received Medicaid benefits to which
• former employee.
• former employee.
• Did you say, were the funds recovered from the employee that was terminated?

Committee: All LEGISLATIVE JOINT AUDITING-STATE AGENCIES

Summary: The committee met with prayer and approved the January minutes, then heard a series of Arkansas Legislative Audit reports. Reports with findings were presented for the Department of Human Services, Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism, Department of Corrections, and Department of Veterans Affairs, along with a special report on law enforcement racial profiling policy compliance. Several reports without findings were also filed without objection. For DHS, auditors reported apparent thefts involving false benefit claims in disaster nutrition assistance and Medicaid, a nearly $610,000 altered warrant cashed by a California auto body shop, and multiple asset-control issues, including missing equipment, inventory discrepancies, and improper sales tax paid on exempt vehicle purchases. Members questioned DHS about the warrant fraud and whether other agencies or California officials had been notified. For Parks, Heritage, and Tourism, auditors cited missing museum receipts and problems with change funds at Daisy State Park and War Memorial Stadium; department officials said they are considering cashless payment options and provided an update on the museum loss investigation. For Corrections, auditors reported unauthorized personal fuel-card purchases totaling about $4,500 and a delayed disaster recovery test for critical IT systems. Department officials said staffing has been increased for fuel-card oversight and that a full production disaster recovery test is scheduled soon. For Veterans Affairs, auditors found improper pay for employees who were not working, duplicate vendor payment, and numerous overtime approvals that were not properly authorized; the department said it has tightened overtime approval procedures. The special report said only 203 of 383 law enforcement agencies had responded regarding racial profiling policies, and the Attorney General had notified the remaining agencies that they were not in compliance. The committee requested a list of nonresponding agencies and adjourned, with the next meeting scheduled for March 12.

Transcript Highlights:

• and employees without transparency.
• Regional and municipal employees are covered by the local systems.
• Employees started to contribute to their retirement systems in 1946.
• The employees paid in their money, and the cities and towns didn't at that time.
• Two are elected by all the system members, active employees and retirees.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Public Service

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on a range of public retirement and municipal health insurance bills. Mass Retirees and the American Federation of Teachers supported House 2890/Senate 1848 on transparency in municipal health insurance, arguing that broker and consultant roles should be clearly defined, commissions disclosed, and dual roles prohibited to reduce conflicts of interest and costs. They also supported House 2799/Senate 1848 on protecting municipal retirees from future premium contribution increases, House 2854 on voting rights for surviving spouses in retirement board elections, and Senate 1917 on updating the definition of veteran for retirement purposes. Committee members discussed whether the veteran definition should simply conform to the federal definition going forward. Educators testified in support of House 2769/Senate 1921, which would allow teachers with at least 20 years of service to buy back creditable service for periods when they worked part-time while raising children. Multiple teachers described the financial and retirement penalties they experienced after stepping down to part-time work for child care, calling the current system inequitable and a “mom tax.” Sponsors and supporters said the bill is intended to correct that disparity and help retain teachers, while one committee member noted it appeared neutral on an actuarial basis. The committee also heard strong support for Senate 1908, which would raise the cap on outside income for public pension recipients, from retired State Police troopers who said the current limit is outdated and unfair to those forced into disability retirement after line-of-duty injuries. Another State Police representative supported House 2910 on state police pensions, citing recruitment and retention problems under current pension rules. In contrast, Hampden County Regional Retirement System officials and the Massachusetts Association of Contributory Retirement Systems opposed House 2745, a bill to restructure the Hampden County system’s governance, arguing it would weaken PERAC oversight and create an unworkable local system. They instead supported House 2813, which would extend the time to fill a vacant fifth member seat on retirement boards. At the end of the hearing, the committee voted to adjourn the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:21:17.840><c> health</c> employers and state employee health employers and state employee health
• health plans so this Kentucky employee health plans so this is<00:21:39.480><c> this</c><00:21:39.600
• health plan that has an $18 million estimate for the state employee health plan.
• health plan those are State employee health plan those are State dollars<00:29:54.919><c> it</c><00:
• Another point I think that the Kentucky Employee Health Plan impact statement was mentioned here, and

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00 Roll Call: 00:10 SB145 Discussion: 02:23 SB145 Vote: 05:13 SB183 Discussion: 06:13 SB183 Vote: 11:37 HB413 Discussion Only: 16:15, 958, all

Summary: The House Standing Committee on Banking and Insurance met with a quorum and first took up Senate Bill 145, sponsored by Sen. David Givens. The bill would update retail installment contract statutes for automobile sales, allowing retailers with installment contracts shorter than 28 days to begin collections after three days instead of waiting for multiple missed payments, and it also harmonizes a related dollar amount in statute from $10 to $15. The committee asked no questions, and the bill received a favorable expression on a roll-call vote. The committee then heard Senate Bill 183 from Sen. Matt Nunn, with testimony from Chris Nolan of the American Property Casualty Insurance Association. The bill would require proxy advisers acting for the State Retirement System to act solely in the financial interest of current and future retirees and to avoid political or social considerations in shareholder voting recommendations. Supporters argued it would keep politics out of public pensions and align proxy advice with fiduciary duties; members praised the bill and noted Kentucky could be among the first states to adopt such a model. The committee approved the bill with favorable expression after a roll-call vote. The committee also reviewed administrative regulation 808 KAR 9:10 from the Department of Financial Institutions, with no vote required. It then took up House Bill 413, a PBM rebate pass-through bill, with testimony from Sarah Wood of the Diabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition. She said the bill would require 85% of negotiated drug rebates to be passed through to patients at the point of sale, lowering out-of-pocket costs, especially for high-rebate drugs such as insulin, while still allowing 15% to remain with plans. She cited examples from other states and argued the bill would benefit about 650,000 Kentuckians. Hope McClaflin of Anthem opposed the bill, saying it would reduce employers’ ability to use rebates to lower premiums, could disproportionately favor high-cost brand-name drug users, and could create significant costs for state and fully insured plans. Members asked questions about other states’ pass-through rates and the effect on premiums, but no final action on House Bill 413 was taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• IT agency as I did total employees.
• many employees do y'all have We have about 1,200 employees total.
• The employee, or 10% for some law enforcement, it gets 10%, and then the employee contributes 9.5%, and
• They include our own employees and all the HHS employees.
• If I allotted for a certain number of employees and gave them. a budget for that number of employees

Committee: House Delivery of Government Efficiency

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Employees are trained physical conduct.
• </c><00:32:11.640><c> and</c> ca- sino and the casino employees and ca- sino and the casino employees
• </c> different levels of casino employees. different levels of casino employees.
• to make sure that the employees and that, you know, our members obviously make sure that their employees
• </c><00:33:32.360><c> standpoint,</c> the training of employees standpoint, the training of employees

Bills: SCR145 , SCR132 , SCR31 , SCR110

Keywords: traffic violations, demerit point system, driver license points, traffic safety, hit and run, reckless driving, repeat offenders, recidivism, Department of Transportation, DOT, task force, traffic enforcement, road safety, vehicle code, license suspension, county police, Hawaii transportation, SCR132, Senate Concurrent Resolution, Makakilo Drive Extension

Transcript Highlights:

• I am a 20-year employee, a current employee of DHS, and I am one of the very, very few DHS employees
• I am a 20-year employee, a current employee of DHS, and I am one of the very, very few DHS employees
• State employees don't do that.
• State employees don't do that.
• State employees don't do that.

Committee: House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> been</c> maintenance employees have been maintenance employees have been recognized<00:03:50.640
• Uh, you asked about our request for funding for employee health exams.
• Is that on the uh employee health.
• What how do for new employees coming on?
• um reimbursements that we give employees um reimbursements that we give employees for<00:29:08.559><c

Keywords: 00:01 Call to Order and Roll Call 00:47 Maintenance 12:40 Approval of Minutes 12:55 Vehicle Regulation 21:08 General Admin and Highways 34:11 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The House Budget Review Subcommittee on Transportation met without a quorum at first, then later approved the minutes once quorum was established. The committee heard presentations from Transportation Cabinet officials Mike Hancock, Jeremy Slinker, and Sean McCarnieran on maintenance, vehicle regulation, general administration, highways, and related capital projects. Hancock emphasized that maintenance is the cabinet’s most visible public service, especially for snow and ice removal and routine roadway upkeep, and said rising costs have outpaced funding. He cited a 61% increase in highway construction costs since 2020 and said maintenance spending was $488 million in FY 2024 and $511 million in FY 2025, while the FY 2026 baseline request was $483.3 million. The cabinet’s additional maintenance request would add $23.6 million in FY 2027 and $38.6 million in FY 2028, with expected impacts on litter pickup, mowing, vegetation management, and pothole repair if not funded. The cabinet also outlined five maintenance-related capital projects: additional funding for Ballard County maintenance/salt storage, Hopkins County maintenance/salt storage, Whitley County maintenance/salt structure, and the District 2 office and materials lab, plus reauthorization of the Breckinridge County maintenance and salt facility. Hancock also asked for budget language allowing the cabinet to use unexpected restricted and federal funds more quickly, similar to existing authority for federal earmarks. McCarnieran described the governor’s inclusion of funding for the ASHTOWare system, employee health exams, priority IT projects, and a District 7 office renovation request, noting that some items were not funded because they ranked low among competing projects. He also said the governor’s budget included a $7.5 million annual maintenance pool for the cabinet’s 1,200 facilities and requested additional restricted fund authority for Trimark and the Cumberland Gap Tunnel. Slinker focused on the Department of Vehicle Regulation, saying recent investments in staffing and equipment had reduced wait times and improved customer service in driver licensing offices. He requested $535,600 to keep temporary contract workers in place for the rest of the year, warning that without it regional office operations would have to be reduced. He said the surge in demand was driven by new 15-year-old licensing requirements, vision testing, and Real ID implementation, but believed the volume was beginning to level out. He also outlined FY 2027 and FY 2028 plans totaling $20.38 million and $19.85 million, including six new regional offices and a shift away from temporary workers toward state positions. Additional requests included $106,000 for debt service on the new driver’s license modernization system and operating costs of $5 million in FY 2027 and $2.5 million in FY 2028 to support the transition from the old system. Members asked about the cabinet’s funding sources, and officials said the road fund is the primary source, supported by motor fuels tax, usage tax, driver-related receipts, and some restricted funds; they stressed that the requests were not for additional general fund dollars. Questions also covered employee health exam reimbursements, the annual Trimark/Cumberland Gap contract, and the District 7 renovation request. No votes were taken on the budget items during the meeting, beyond approval of the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• Stuart Henderson, retired employee and citizen.
• I am also a state employee.
• I'm a union member with Washington Federation of State Employees.
• All 1,000 folks in our bargaining unit are state employees.
• All 1,000 folks in our bargaining unit are state employees.

Bills: SB5439 , SB6109 , SB6304

Committee: Senate Ways & Means

Keywords: investment, thermal coal, divestment, state investment board, fossil fuels, environmental impact, renewable energy, detention facilities, state funds, privatization, criminal justice reform, Washington State Investment Board, responsible investment, sustainability, corporate governance, 904, all